Boxing Day Edition : Deserved Praise and Questionable Blame

Calendar Notes: It's Boxing Day. Of course, it's Sunday, too. So I'm not sure whether those in the former British Empire get tomorrow off or not. But here's hoping they do. It's also St. Stephen's Day or the Feast of Stephen--you remember, the day that prompted Good King Wenceslas to look out "when the snow lay round about/ Deep and crisp and even." Seems fitting for today.

Praise: Speaking of good, there's a great piece in today's Commercial Appeal titled "12 Who Made a Difference." And one of them is TEP's own chairman Jonathan Cole.

Cole said one of the things the group has been successful at is "engaging the GLBT community in a more formal way in the political process.

"If we don't send a message to our local leaders, then we can't expect leaders we send to Washington to express those same values."

The list of cities more progressive than Memphis on GLBT issues is long, but Cole is staying put.

"Do I ever want to give up? I will take breaks, but I don't feel I need to throw up my hands yet," he said.

The fight for equality "is not for summer soldiers and the sunshine patriots. It's a commitment for the long haul."

Amen to that!

Blame?: In my view, there's been some odd criticism of some folks who have been great supporters of equality legislation in Nashville.

Let's start with yesterday's Tennessean. It included a piece about 18th District Councilwoman Kristine LaLonde and her role in the Belmont University controversy. LaLonde was a cosponsor of the 2009 Metro non-discrimination ordinance She has spoken about the conversations occurring inside Belmont to make the campus more welcoming. As a faculty member she is a voice for equality. We shouldn't forget that it was the faculty resolutions on this issue that prompted trustee emeritus Mike Curb to get involved in the matter. If the Belmont Board of Trustees is going to make a change, it will require concerted action from the faculty and from benefactors like Mike Curb to move things along. So while I understand the source of the questions that some have raised, I would hate for people to lose sight of the factors that will actually bring change to Belmont and the role LaLonde is playing. Besides, the bill revoking Belmont's Rose Park lease has been deferred indefinitely, so that piece of the puzzle is a moot point now.

My thoughts would be along the same lines with respect to Mayor Karl Dean. The Mayor just recently sent a letter to boards, commissions, and authorities asking them to update their non-discrimination policies to match's Metro's in response to the inflammatory comments by the Belmont board chair/Convention Center Authority chair. The Convention Center Authority has already updated its policy. However, there have been a few complaints that the Mayor should have taken this action in 2009. Sure, and why not long before that, for that matter? But here's the thing. When we were working with the Mayor and allied Council Members on the non-discrimination ordinance, we asked for a very focused ordinance that would have impact and pass. No one in 2009 talked about the boards, commissions, and authorities. We either assumed the ordinance would cover those bodies or it didn't occur to us. In 2009 the Mayor and allied Council Members did everything they were asked to do in supporting the bill. That includes speaking publicly for it, working on strategy for it, voting for it, signing it, and implementing it. It is the first law of its kind in Tennessee and it happened because people worked together like a symphony.

It's going to be tough to pass something like the bill requiring vendors contracting with Metro Government to have an inclusive non-discrimination policy if we aren't focused on keeping our friends from the 2009 effort motivated to stick together. After a snowy holiday, let's get back to work on making something positive happen.

-Chris Sanders

Holiday Truce: Rose Park lease bill deferred to give Belmont more time

The holidays have come as they always do to Metro. The tree outside the Courthouse in full array was a wonderful sight for all the visitors in festive red making their way inside the building. Christmas get-ups? Nope. "Save My Fairgrounds" supporters in red t-shirts, but it somehow still fit the occasion.

After a long discussion about when to have a public hearing on fairgrounds issues, BL2010-823 came up. It would revoke Belmont's Rose Park lease unless and until Belmont makes some changes to its non-discrimination policy. Sponsors Mike Jameson and Jamie Hollin agreed to defer the bill indefinitely so that the Belmont community could have time to deal with that matter. Today's Tennessean perhaps gave a hint of things to come in an extensive interview with Belmont President Bob Fisher who appears to be attempting to make change. Until sexual orientation and gender identity are included in Belmont's written policy, the job will not be done in TEP's view. But it looks as if there is some positive movement.

In speaking on the deferral, Councilman Jameson previewed the other bill that he, Councilman Holllin, and Councilwoman Erica Gilmore (and hopefully additional sponsors) are introducing in January--a bill that would require vendors contracting with Metro Government to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their non-discrimination policies.

Legitimate, reasonable way forward: This bill offers Metro the opportunity to bolster its commitment to equality and diversity and to do so through a legitimate point of connection with the private sector--its contracting dollars. Opponents will look at the bill as "imposing" something on the private sector. But in our view, no one is forced to compete for Metro contracts. It's a privilege and all contracting procedures list standards. There's no reason that equal opportunity employment shouldn't be considered as one of those standards. It's reasonable that Metro tax dollars should achieve the added benefit of equal opportunity while meeting the basic needs of providing services. Furthermore, many companies have already adopted these protections. So would the burden be that great, after all?


Timing is everything: The fact that Metro elections are just around the corner makes the issue sensitive to many. We certainly wouldn't have chosen this time for the bill to come forward, but the situation at Belmont has made clear to the public that discrimination on the job still occurs. And it's hard to say whether the next Metro Council will be as progressive as the current one. So while many will argue that the timing isn't great, it's hard to argue for putting off dealing with discrimination. At least, we hope it will be. Time will tell. So we'll come back from the holiday truce and see whether Metro has the will to move forward. Nothing is certain at this point.

-Chris Sanders

Holigay Roundup: Obama to Dolly

There has been some buzz about a couple of President Obama's holiday activities. One is the first Passover seder in the White House. The Week mentions the speculation that it is designed to soften the blow to Jewish groups of the President having just been in Turkey and all the talk of engaging the Muslim world. My question is why are we just now having the first one in 2009? Many Christians of all varieties have been participating in seders for a long time. As long as that participation is respectful and not a sort of commandeering of another faith, it's a good way to connect with a people's defining experiences. It also acknowledges the long and rich history of people who have shaped the country. Others can sort out the public relations motivations, but the short of it for me is, it's about time.

The other event is the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. The administration has set aside some tickets for GLBT families for the event. Like the seder, it's an appropriate acknowledgment of who counts as an American family. The policy debates go on and the disagreements about the stimulus continue, but that is precisely when we need some symbolic politics to send a unifying message.

Finally, in a nod to a friend who posted this on his Facebook page, what better way to acknowledge Good Friday and Easter than a video of Tennessee's own favorite gay icon (No, she's not gay, but a lot of her fans are) singing He's Alive: