What’s happening in Lancaster County should be a wake up to anyone living in any location where LGBT rights are protected under a HRC. The LCHRC has existed for many years, but recently there was a petition to add Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression to their protected classes, and two of the commissioners responded with a proposal to eliminate the LCHRC all together. The following is a write up by Bolton Winpenny about last Thursday’s public hearing on the proposal. After Bolton’s piece, I’ll add a few notes of my own.
On Thursday, July 29th 2010 , the Lancaster County Commissioners held a public hearing to listen to viewpoints regarding the decision to disband the Lancaster County Human Relations Commission (LCHRC).  Two of the three commissioners, Scott Martin and Dennis Stuckey proposed disbanding the commission after ignoring requests to add LGBT as a subject class within the LCHRC.
Starting at 5:30pm , just prior to the meeting, a Unity Rally was held to raise support for the LCHRC. Shortly after 7:00pm , the hearing room was full with about 150 people, and an estimated 250 more waited at the county administration doors in a line that stretched across Binns Park to the sidewalk. Nineteen people with prepared testimony spoke for seven minutes each. That was followed by hearing anybody who wanted to speak, given three minutes each. About 30 people took that opportunity. The hearing lasted until 11:45pm . The commissioners as well as all in attendance earned high praise for the coordination of the hearing and maintaining respect of others with widely ranging and highly emotional views. It was easily perceived that all commissioners took the hearing very seriously and listened and learned from the testimony. Commissioner Lehman, the only one of the three that clearly supports the LCHRC as well as adding LGBT as a subject class, expressed appreciation for the communication between the commissioners regarding this consideration. This contradicts a previous expression from Lehman so this new statement indicated that the three resolved internal turmoil.   The next morning, the commissioners office scanned in all the testimony and emailed it to me. Huge thanks for that to Andrea McCue and the commissioners’ office. The testimony is available on:
http://lgbtfreedomweekpa.org/Article.aspx
The most impressive testimony came from Stephen Glassman, Chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Steve has earned the highest respect inPennsylvania ‘s LGBT community for his combination of political skills and his strive for equality.  He presented an example of this esteem as he gave his testimony. Steve understood the concerns of the commissioners and specifically addressed areas in which they were unclear.  Following his testimony, the commissioners were clearly impressed and had learned many points that they will consider. They followed with several minutes of questions for Steve. Primary points were: the loss of a federal fund if the LCHRC would be disbanded; the myth that there’s duplication of effort between the Lancaster County and the Pennsylvania HRCs; the inability of the state to take on the county cases; the low expense of the LCHRC compared to all of its benefits; the ability of the LCHRC to do a better job for Lancaster County than could be accomplished by the state; and the impression that would be left by citizens of Lancaster County and potential tourists if the LCHRC were to be disband.
One of the final speakers of the evening calculated that 82% of those that gave testimony did so in favor of keeping the LCHRC. Of those that were opposed, most were against all government programs. There were a few of those that were opposed who made a point to especially not include LGBT. This distinction was painful to hear, it was very surprising that nobody lost their cool and started screaming. More antagonizing were the few people that defended the LCHRC, but specifically requested to not include LGBT. One man must have magical powers since he looked into the hearts, sole and minds of others and he declared that being gay was a choice — and that choice will lead us all to hell. Still nobody lost their cool — at least not outwardly.
Barry Russell offered emotionally moving testimony as he discussed “Benefits of White Privilege” and confessed is own ignorance regarding discrimination only a few years back. He once thought that all those that complained of discrimination were making an issue out of nothing. Now, more enlightened, Barry went on to described his own feelings of being oppressed, then imagined the compounded suffering by most minorities who don’t have the ability to choose when to disclose their minority status.
Several people giving testimony focused on the myth of duplication of efforts or that the Pennsylvania HRC should resolve all discrimination cases. Many examples were given of where municipalities provide public accommodations that are also provided by the state including libraries, police and parks. To the amusement of most of the attendants, the commissioners themselves were considered redundant to the state legislature. Even the commissioners gave an embarrassed chuckle as they understood the line if illogic.
Louis A. Butcher, who served 15 years as the executive director for the LCHRC, took point on a key issue that was collaborated by the testimony of others. The LCHRC is designed to arbitrate cases and serves as an information center for discrimination issues. Without it, many businesses would be left with huge financial burdens by court cases and penalties. These costs are often avoided by a simple call to the LCHRC for clarification on the discrimination laws.
One of the three minute speakers near the end made a point that everybody understood. Disbanding the LCHRC simply isn’t worth the fight. Besides all the points raised within all the testimony, the discussion itself is causing strife and division for a community that’s already in very difficult times.
Besides Steve and Barry, most of the usual LGBT Heroes descended on Lancaster including Alanna Berger, Blaise Liffick , Andy Hoover, Ted Martin, Mark Stoner, Carl Choper , Mykal Slack and our most recent hero AJ Marin. There were many champions of civil rights in one room and I apologize for only naming those of whom I am most familiar. But if you can forgive my singular point of view, I’d also like to give huge kudos to AJ Marin. From where I sat over the past couple months, I saw AJ perform an almost unbelievable feat of organization. He started to simply ask to have LGBT added as a subject class of discrimination, was faced with the prospect of the reverse affect of loosing the LCHRC altogether, so he took on the challenge of coordinating a widely diverse set of communities and resulted in a hugely successful rally and hearing. Taking inspiration from AJ’s lead, many new collaborations were formed which will likely remain, including an interfaith coalition named Embrace. A.J., Great Job! I am in awe of your talents and accomplishments.
1) I believe that if a Republican is elected governor, and/or if we loose the House to Republican control, we will see HRC’s all across the state threatened. Maybe not all at once, but part of the anti-gay agenda is to chip away at what protections we have, a little bit at a time where ever possible. None of us can take these protections for granted.
2) The best solution to maintaining our protections or to gain them in places where they don’t already exist, is to be OUT and PROUD! The more visible we are in general, the harder it is for our opposition to talk about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender people, as if we are some “others” that only lurk in the shadows. We must be out and visible and allow people to know who we are, and let them know we are everywhere, already. We aren’t going away, and we demand equality!
3) Equality takes a process, and ongoing, thorough, unrelenting work. It may not always be fun, but the payoff at the other end of struggle will be worth it.
Youtube video of clips of testimony from the LCHRC Public Hearing
Youtube video of Rally to Save the LCHRC