The Houston Area Pastor Council/Texas Pastor Council isn’t satisfied with trying to repeal Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). Now the extremists at HAPC are working to defeat similar anti-discrimination measures in other cities, like Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Houston City Council passed HERO last spring, barring discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, race, religion, military status and other characteristics. HAPC calls the measure’s protections for LGBT people (as well as a similar measure passed last year in San Antonio) an “atrocity” supported by “the enemies of God.” The religious-right group is suing in court to get repeal put to a citywide vote.
The Fayetteville City Council, on a 6-2 vote, passed similar protections in August. Voters there will decide whether to repeal it tomorrow (December 9). HAPC’s leaders have traveled to Fayetteville and are asking the group’s members to provide prayers and other support to anti-gay activists in Arkansas. From an HAPC email to activists yesterday:
“Fayetteville is the first opportunity in the nation to repeal one of these terrible ordinances that assault the laws of God, basic decency and public safety as well as the U.S. Constitution.”
That’s right. Discrimination is good because God wants it, or so say the extremists at HAPC — who refer to Houston’s Mayor Parker as a “sodomite” leading a “gay takeover” of the city. (One prominent HERO opponent has even admitted that she believes people should be able to discriminate against almost anyone, including Jews, for religious reasons.)
Fortunately, many religious leaders and others in Houston have made clear that their faith calls on them to stand for equality and oppose discrimination. People of faith are also speaking out for equality in Fayetteville and elsewhere. There will be setbacks along the way, but the tide of history is turning toward equality for all.
