More than 40 people spoke at Monday’s second and final public forum for a nondiscrimination ordinance at Brescia University. More than 300 community members attend the forum and opinions were divided among the group.
Those in favor of a nondiscrimination ordinance spoke on topics such as Daviess County’s lack of inclusion driving young people away, the economic benefits of passing an ordinance and addressing misconceptions that being part of the LGBTQ community was a choice, stating they deserved the same rights as everyone else.
Those in opposition to the ordinance cited religious liberties, the word of God and hesitation toward encouraging immoral behavior as their primary focuses in speaking against the ordinance.
Numerous opposers referred to being part of the LGBTQ community a choice during Monday’s public forum.
Andrea Timmel, a general manager at Penn Station, addressed comments from those in opposition who said being gay was “a choice” and that legislation shouldn’t be passed for immoral choices.
“We just want to be safe in our jobs,” Timmel said. “We’re not asking you to go against God. We just want to be treated right. Judge me on the fact that I’m kind, hard-working and want to be a better human being — that’s all.”
Life-long Daviess County resident John Birkett said he loves all Daviess Countians and that is why he urged the community not to adopt the ordinance.
“It’s deeply ironic to me that this has been labeled a fairness ordinance attempting to be fair to all, and is in fact fair to none and unfair to everyone.,” he said. “This proposal, if adopted, would instantly codify not fairness but unfairness. unfairness to every single Daviess Countian it frankly astounds me that anyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella favors this proposal.”
Susan Montalvo-Gesser told commissioners that every person in the room was a sinner, including herself, but that if they were to go back and read all the words Jesus wrote in the Bible, it would show them that it was a “serious sin” to discriminate against a certain group of people.
Meanwhile, Crosspointe Baptist Church Pastor Farrell Isenberg said even though the culture had changed in America, God had not changed.
“God values each person, but God does not approve of all behaviors,” he said. “According to the Bible, sinful behavior is a choice.”
Bruce Kunze, a former County Commissioner, said he’d had to face tough decisions while in office, such as the local smoking ban. But passing that law had been the right thing to do, he said.
“I want us to be known as a community that’s inclusive, and not a community that condones institutional discrimination, which is what we’re doing if we don’t pass this,” he said.
Owensboro businessman Bill Barron said everyone wants to be heard and understood, but why another ordinance?
“Why not apply these declarations of independent truths in our community enabling our citizens to view each other as allies not enemies,” he said. “Why not demonstrate empathy for our fellow citizens in a Christ-like way. One side fears discrimination, one side fears removal of freedom and liberties. Why not apply the golden rule? We do not need an ordinance for that.”
Daviess County Fiscal Court will hold a first reading for the nondiscrimination ordinance on March 3. A second reading will be held March 19, followed by a vote. Both will take place at the Daviess County Courthouse and public comments will not be allowed during either reading.
If the ordinance passes, Daviess County will be the 20th city/county in the state to establish a local nondiscrimination ordinance, an extension to an existing local law that would include the LGBTQ community as one of the Human Relations Commission’s protected classes in regard to housing, employment and public accommodation.
The ordinance can only be passed if three out of four votes in favor of it.
