Stand up for LGBTQ rights in Salem!

  • by: Brian H
  • recipient: Salem City Council and other city officials

City officials want to temporarily house the Salem Public Library in a building owned by a church that rejects gay marriage and considers same-sex sex to be a sin. The Salem Human Rights Commission has taken a stand against this bad plan.

Support the Commission and send a message to the City Council in support of LGBTQ rights by signing this petition. There are alternative places to temporarily house the library while renovations are made. On July 22, the City Council likely will discuss this issue.

The Human Rights Commission statement said:

"The Salem Human Rights Commission (Commission) is deeply concerned about the proposed lease of the property owned by the Salem Alliance Church for the temporary location of the Salem Public Library.

The Commission values having a library that they can reasonably expect all persons will access, to be consistent with the purpose and intent of the City's Human Rights Code. The Commission believes that some members of the community, including some in LGBTQ communities, will not be comfortable accessing the space.

…The Commission respectfully requests that the City review the available properties for other potential options, and select another location, even if that location is not as ideal in cost or operations."

Update #35 years ago
Sadly, last Monday, the Salem City Council voted 6-1 to lease a building owned by the LGBTQ-unfriendly Salem Alliance Church for a temporary library. Four supporters of the Salem Human Rights Commission gave some great in-person testimony in opposition to this bad plan. You can see their videos and read how wrong I think this vote was in a blog post I wrote last night.

https://hinessight.blogs.com/salempoliticalsnark/2019/07/disturbing-wrongness-of-last-mondays-salem-city-council-meeting.html
Update #25 years ago
Wanted to share my advance testimony for the July 22 Salem City Council meeting where this subject will be discussed, and probably acted upon. Should be an interesting meeting. Here's a link to my Salem Political Snark blog post where I copied in my testimony.

https://hinessight.blogs.com/salempoliticalsnark/2019/07/heres-my-testimony-supporting-the-salem-human-rights-commission.html
Update #15 years ago
On July 22 the City Council will decide whether to temporarily house the library in a building owned by the LGBTQ-unfriendly Salem Alliance Church, or an alternative location -- as called for by the Human Rights Commission.

The Council needs to hear from you. Email them at citycouncil@cityofsalem.net, with a "cc" to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net

Say you support the Human Rights Commission stand on the library relocation. Add whatever else you want to say. Include your full name and address.
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