Re: Apology and Where do we go from here?

[thansen@moscow.com]

Greetings Visionaires -

A whole bunch of thumbs ups and one BIG thank you to Linda Pall and the City of 
McCall.

And a short message to a nation sick with homophobia:  Get well soon.

Free to be you and me,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

> Dear John, Mr. Mayor, Members of the City Council and Visionaries,
> 
> Where do we go from here?
> 
> Two directions:
> 
> (1) Reconsider this ill-considered ordinance and take a serious look at the
> Washington State Code that seems quite sufficient for Pullman and Washington
> citizen protection. Try again. The first cut did not make it and merely
> invites ridicule and a stack of attorney fees defending a doubtful
> ordinance. It's the behavior not the clothing (of course, I think you have
> plenty of 'cover' with the state statute and enforcement of local
> nuisance/disorderly conduct ordinances).
> 
> (2) Have the entire council consider adoption of a positive resolution to
> address human rights, just as the City of McCall did, 5-0, when confronted
> with the Phelps family hate mongering. I received this information today
> from Michael Shaw of the Association of Idaho Cities. I know Marilyn Arp and
> she has a long, distinguished record of supporting human rights in Idaho.
> 
> This would be a wonderful step for the Council to take to affirm what is
> much more important for the City than the flap caused by recent decision
> about the need for a municipal indecency ordinance.
> 
> All the best,
> Linda Pall
> 
> FROM MICHAEL SHAW:
> 
> * When the Phelps family from Kansas brought their hateful and
> non-inclusive message to McCall, City Councilmember Marilyn Arp approached
> the City Council with a resolution recognizing the City's role in promoting
> a civic environment and affirming the need for respect and human dignity
> toward all McCall citizens. The resolution, passed by a unanimous 5-0 vote,
> is reprinted here in its entirety.
> 
> (This resolution was provided to me by Michael Shaw of the Association of
> Idaho Cities.)
> 
> 
> &*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&
> 
> 
> McCall City RESOLUTION NO. 02-18
> 
> A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF McCALL, IDAHO, RECOGNIZING
> ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP IN CREATING AND MAINTAINING A CIVIC ENVIRONMENT
> IN OUR COMMUNITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
> 
> Whereas, the City Council of the City of McCall recognizes its
> responsibility to help create and maintain a civic environment in our
> community in which all citizens are aware of and respect the rights and
> human dignity of all citizens;
> 
> Whereas, the City Council is committed to help ensure that the City of
> McCall is a place where every citizen can participate in our community
> without fear of harassment, prejudice, or denial of their basic human and
> civil rights;
> 
> Whereas, the City Council recognizes that the strength of our nation and our
> community depends on the contributions of all citizens regardless of race,
> religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital
> status, disability, or economic status;
> 
> Whereas, the McCall City Council believes that attitudes and acts of
> condescension, hostility, stereotyping and other forms of bigotry and
> intolerance weaken the health of the community;
> 
> Whereas, the City Council is committed to help make the City of McCall a
> community where harassment, intimidation, discrimination and violence are
> not acceptable;
> 
> Now, therefore, the City Council of the City of McCall, Idaho hereby
> resolves as follows:
> 1. To communicate a strong, clear message that any form of prejudice and
> hatred will not be tolerated in our community.
> 2. To publicly support and encourage community, and civic organizations to
> develop programs and policies which enhance social justice and human
> dignity.
> 3. To promote awareness and discussion of human dignity issues by
> encouraging the community and its leaders to explore plans that promote
> human rights.
> 4. To facilitate employee educational programs designed to prevent
> discrimination and to ensure that city policies promote and uphold human
> dignity among employees and in its relations to the general public.
> 5. This Resolution will be in full force and effect immediately upon
> its passage and approval by the City Council.
> 
> 
> _______________________
> Ralph Colton, Mayor
> 
> Attest:
> 
> _______________________
> Cathleen A. Koch, City Clerk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Guyer" <johnguy@moscow.com>
> To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
> Sent: Monday, July 29, 2002 11:53 PM
> Subject: Apology and Where do we go from here?
> 
> 
> > Greetings,
> >
> > The first order of business is an apology to Mark Rounds who has asked a
> > very good question regarding the Public Nudity amendment, and is
> > deserving of a (hopefully) very good answer.  Many people are tired of
> > this discussion, so please feel free to delete here.  If you care about
> > this issue, please read the entire post before you respond.
> >
> > Mark asked what the purpose of the ordinance was.  I need to begin by
> > stating that I can only answer for myself as a single council member in
> > responding to this question.  My objective was to address the problem of
> > random topless encounters.  The carwash may have gained media attention,
> > but it was the random encounters that greatly agitated the community.
> > This was not about traffic.  It was not about an SOB.  It was about
> > people (lots of people) not feeling like they could safely conduct their
> > lives without a great deal of alarm.
> >
> > My responsibility as a representative is to provide a climate where
> > people feel safe (however one may define it), and people can conduct
> > their lives in peace (whatever that may entail).  It is a difficult
> > balance to maintain the rights of the individual as they are exercised
> > within the rights of the community.  We must maintain that balance while
> > avoiding the extremes of single mindedly thinking of one or the other.
> >
> > This delicate balance was upset by a small group of people.  It is
> > unfortunate, that so much time, money and rhetoric can be wasted by a
> > small group of people.  However, as a community representative, I felt
> > it was our responsibility to restore this balance.  I supported the
> > ordinance because it does that.  I would vote the same today as I did
> > then.
> >
> > It is not appropriate for me, as a community representative, to discuss
> > the merits or shortcomings of public decisions on a list serve, or at a
> > rally.  It must stand on its own in that regard.
> >
> > The question we should be asking (and some thankfully are) is, "Now
> > what?"
> >
> > We have addressed the issue that disturbed the balance with an ordinance
> > that appears to pass muster on several counts 1) Constitutionality, 2)
> > Effectiveness, 3) Unwarranted side effects, 4) Enforcement.  I grant
> > quite readily that some on this list, and in the community, find the
> > ordinance wanting, or offensive, or both on all, or some of the counts
> > stated previously.  Again I will not debate those here.  I can only
> > offer the following:
> >
> > 1) For those that feel women should be able to display their breasts in
> > public because men do - I can only say that we disagree on this point.
> > I do desire that common sense, and community charity ruled the day, and
> > this, or any type of law addressing this, would be unnecessary.
> > However, I do not think we can continue to have a community if this is
> > permitted.  We will have people living together in ire.  That is not
> > community.
> >
> > 2) For those that feel this ordinance is lacking for a different reason
> > - I can say, as I have stated already, this is not cast in stone. I am
> > willing to invest whatever time I can, to arrive at an ordinance that
> > is, to the best of our ability to determine 1) Constitutional, 2)
> > Effective, 3) Does not have unwarranted side effects, 4) Is Enforceable,
> > and 5) Is offensive to as few people as possible.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > John B. Guyer
> > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> > johnguy@moscow.com
> > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 


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