HomeMy WebLinkAboutNon-Discrimination Public Comment from Betsy Fordyce 4-30-14 To: Bozeman City Commission
From: Betsy Fordyce, 207 Sweetgrass Ave. , 406-522-7608
Date: April 29. 2014
Comments in Favor of Proposed NDO
At last night's city commission meeting I listened for three hours to comments on the proposed NDO
ordinance to protect the civil rights of LGBT members in our community. The many negative
comments by evangelical Christians and others who are afraid LGBTs will corrupt them and their
children underscore the need for such an ordinance. I was inspired by the city commission's desire to
do the"right thing"and especially by the courageousness of LGBTs who spoke in favor of the
ordinance. I don't expect my letter to change anyone's mind, but remaining silent has made me feel
complicit in the prejudice that still exists in Bozeman.
Groups who are not part of a dominant culture have been scapegoated throughout history. In the ancient
world scapegoating was the practice of transferring the sins of human beings to a goat and then
sending it out into the wilderness to die, thereby ridding the people of sin. In modern times
scapegoating has become an unconscious process. We no longer sacrifice goats;we sacrifice people.
All too often, Christians forget that Jesus'overriding message was love.According to Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran minister who lost his life opposing Hitler,"Judging others makes us blind
whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace
which others are just as entitled to as we are."
My oldest friend is a lesbian who didn't come out until her forties because she was afraid of rejection
by parents, friends,employers etc. She felt she had to deny an integral part of herself in order to
"belong."My friend and her partner are Christians in the truest sense of the word. They are honest,
generous, loving,responsible and brave. Their sexual orientation is an inherent characteristic,neither
moral or immoral. What is immoral,however,is any attempt to deny them the civil rights which the
rest of us take for granted.
Fear,ignorance and psychological blindness will always be with us to one degree or another. Without
the mediating protections of the law,marginalized groups have and will come to harm.Bozeman is an
inclusive and diverse community that respects the individuality of all its citizens. Let's pass the NDO
ordinance so our LGBTs can feel supported and safe.
Betsy F ' yce