Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 13:06:15 -0600 (CST) From: Kevyn Jacobs To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" Subject: NT: LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR LAWRENCE ORDINANCE FROM THE NEWS-TELEGRAPH FEBRUARY 10 - 23, 1995 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION ========================= LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR LAWRENCE ORDINANCE by Jon D. Barnett LAWRENCE KS-A proposal to amend the city's civil rights ordinance to include sexual orientation is being stalled by commissioner Doug Compton, who has presented city staff with a list of 33 questions he wants answered before the commission votes. Gay and Lesbian right supporters are convinced Compton is trying to stall a vote until after upcoming city elections in April. "The questions range from some which might conceivably be considered reasonable to others that are clearly absurd," said Simply Equal supporter Chris Hampton. "Many of the answers to the questions are already in the report we've submitted to the city, but they apparently either haven't read it or want citations from other sources." Simply Equal is the grassroots group which proposed the amendment. Some of Compton's questions deal with how such a law would affect the city's finances and how it would be enforced. Others request information from other cities that have such laws. Compton also asked city staff to answer: "What is the definition of a minority?" and What protection is given by the Bill of Rights?" Anti-Gay opponents testified to the commission that Lesbians and Gays do not meet the definition of an oppressed minority and argued that they already have all the rights everyone else have. Simply Equal is trying to address Compton's concerns as quickly as possible in order that the ordinance can be voted on before the April election. A complete list of the questions is available from Simply Equal, PO Box 1991, Lawrence KS 66044, or by faxing a request to 913/842-7315. E-mail inquiries to simequal@aol.com. ========================================================== Permission granted by the News-Telegraph for distribution to the KQN email list (KQN@vector.casti.com), and archiving in the Queer Resources Directory (QRD) on the Internet (http://www.qrd.org/QRD). For News-Telegraph subscription information (published twice a month), please call 1.816.561.6266, or email: newstele@aol.com ==========================================================