The largely conservative council last year voted down the proposed ordinance, 2012-296, that would have, in small measure, included protections of the civil rights of our LGBT community from discrimination in seeking employment, in their current job capacities, and in seeking a residence in Jacksonville.
A New Human Rights Ordinance for Jax – Why Alternative Media is Important to This Cause.
By: Robert Montgomerie
The Florida Times-Union published an article on the front page discussing the prospect of another round of activism shaping up for an amendment to the mission of the city's Human Rights Commission. In the article it mentioned, in so many words, as members of the current City Council are term limiting out, that there is perhaps an opportunity to capitalize on their objective of expanding civil liberties for the city's LGBT community that otherwise might make the struggle a worthless endeavor including mentions of James Eddy running for a soon to be vacated seat on the council, Bill Retherford’s film project covering the previous struggle that was voted down, and passing reference to a few activists as well.
The largely conservative council last year voted down the proposed ordinance, 2012-296, that would have, in small measure, included protections of the civil rights of our LGBT community from discrimination in seeking employment, in their current job capacities, and in seeking a residence in Jacksonville. What the Times-Union didn’t discuss is that many fundamentalist Christian groups in town believe this kind of discrimination should be acceptable as it falls in line with their viewpoints outlined in the Bible and taught in their churches across town. It has also been argued that their viewpoints are substantiated in the constitution as well.
What many fundamentalists don’t often discuss is that although Moses wrote in Deuteronomy that, and I quote in so many words, that the act of two people "laying together" of the same gender is something is something that God finds detestable". Moses also mentions in the same book a system for the "ethical" treatment of slaves, that a man should marry his widowed Sister - in - law, and that rebellious children and people who don't respect Shabbat(Saturday) be stoned to death. The Apostle Paul spoke frequently against homosexualistic acts throughout the New Testament; a relative norm in the Roman and Greek world at the time and was largely no issue - except to Saul of Tarsus and a few likeminded figures in the early church obsessed with the idea of circumcision and the way people conducted their personal affairs at home.
Often ignored as well are the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth who never spoke on these affairs personally but, if his lack of condemnation of other acts largely considered evil in Jewish society were any indication, he might have instructed the self-righteous that they should not judge people for being "evil" lest they overlook their own shortcomings and appear hypocritical. Often it seems Jesus was more interested in fairness and respect of all persons and less interested in enforcing an elitist order of "better thans".
The lack of reference of the Bible in the US Constitution is telling of the founder's intent on creating a free society and that our institutions should strive, within their limited abilities, to empower and liberate people in ways that had never occured before in the history of western civilization. Our country has no established religion is a fact that is no accident; it was intended that no specific "belief system" hold dominion by legislative establishment over a diverse society with equally diverse viewpoints. It is an imperfect system with a goal of protecting the liberties of all over all - a tradition often forgotten by many across the country only interested in enforcing their own personal morality on others.
The fact that a year later groups of citizens interested in progress are beginning to start a new effort to expand civil liberties in our city being dismissed, politely, as the result of incidental circumstance in the Time-Union article outlines the need for an active alternative media in the City of Jacksonville to provide balance in the flow of ideas to the public. The groups would have mobilized for round two of continued efforts to amend the mission of the Human Rights Ordinance regardless of who sits on the City Council, how many times the Mayor voices support before hiding somewhere when it comes time to back those words up, and regardless of the influence imposed on our institutions by First Baptist Church.
The public is starting to slowly become more vocal in stating their dissatisfaction with Jacksonville's establishment and how it is using our institutions and this largely due to the increased awareness of activists groups in Jacksonville and the slow emergence of alternative media. While corporate outlets such as the Florida Times-Union have to balance substance - with substance often times losing - alternative media is more "content focused" and can have a more intimate relationship with audiences. In the quest to create a better Jacksonville for all there has to be a diversity of ideas being communicated and alternative media is better positioned to fill that need in ways that our corporate owned media in Jacksonville simply won't do.