“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men [women] to do nothing.” –Edmund Burke
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR APATHY!
The Sioux Falls City Council and Mayor Huether must hear from you! You can be sure that they are getting e-mails and phone calls from those who want open and gender-neutral restrooms, locker rooms, fitting rooms, etc. Do you want your daughter changing her swimsuit at the city pool in the presence of a male predator? If at any time it is necessary to pray and act, it is now!
I spoke with a city council member from another South Dakota city who told me that this issue is coming to his city, too. We must stop this now in Sioux Falls! The federal government is threatening cities by claiming they will withhold federal dollars. (We have been told this is un-Constitutional!) It is time to stand up to the bullying of the federal government.
Please read the information below that I sent out last week. Pass it on to your family, friends and acquaintances who live in the Sioux Falls area.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR APATHY!
The SOGI (Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity) ordinance continues to be a dangerous ploy upon the safety and privacy of citizens of Sioux Falls and those who frequent the city. Make no mistake, a policy adopted in Sioux Falls will not stop there–it will spread to your city and to the entire state. The camel got his nose under the tent with the city-wide vote on April 12. Now we must do damage control and stomp on that camel’s nose.
A little history …
On April 12, the voters of Sioux Falls approved a Human Relations Ordinance (HRO) that included sexual orientation for city employers and their employees.
The strong city-wide vote (76%) in favor of the HRO emboldened the city’s Human Relations Committee and the city attorney to add amendments #39 and #98 to the HRO.
Amendment #39 adds “gender identity” to the HRO for city employers and their employees. Amendment #98 goes even further by adding “gender identity,” which would apply to the entire city–private businesses, landlords, churches, etc.
Due to the objections from Liberty Counsel, citizens, and family organizations, Amendment #98 was withdrawn for the present by the city attorney in order to tweak it and bring it back at a later date.
For the present …
That leaves Amendment #39, which adds “gender identity” to the HRO for city employers and city employees. Amendment #39 will be voted on at the June 14 meeting of the City Council.
The amendment reads:
§ 39.042 DISCRIMINATION. No person in the civil service or seeking admission thereto shall be appointed, reduced or removed, or in any way favored or discriminated against because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, creed, ancestry, pregnancy, age, genetic information or disability.
We MUST oppose Amendment #39!
If you live, shop, worship, do business or visit in Sioux Falls, you have a voice on this issue. Please contact the following council members and Mayor Huether, urging them to OPPOSE HRO Amendment Ch#39. Be brief, respectful, and factual in your message.
Go to our website for more information on Amendment #39 provided by Liberty Counsel. You may use talking points from the Liberty Counsel letter and also from “My Voice” column mentioned below in your message to the Mayor and Council members.
Sioux Falls Mayor & City Council:
Mayor Mike Huether http://www.siouxfalls.org/contactus/mayor (use the drop down menu for “mayor.”)
Christine M. Erickson – cerickson@siouxfalls.org
Michelle Erpenbach- merpenbach@siouxfalls.org
Rick Kiley – rkiley@siouxfalls.org
Rex Rolfing – rrolfing@siouxfalls.org
Pat Starr – pstarr@siouxfalls.org
Marshall Selberg- mselberg@siouxfalls.org
Greg Neitzert- gneitzert@siouxfalls.org
Theresa Stehly- tstehly@siouxfalls.org
- We can all BE VIGILANT in PRAYER.
- Attend the Council meeting on June 14 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Mark your calendar. Be there!
- Contact the Mayor and the Council members – OPPOSE HRO Amendment Ch #39
- Alert your friends.
- PRAY
Read my Sioux Falls Argus Leader “My Voice” column regarding the proposed city ordinance granting special rights to persons who practice homosexual and transgender behavior.