On Friday, George Matusik (sp?), a man from Bentley, MI who's running for public office and has decided to make a name for himself, appeared before the Board of Canvassers with a petition. Garbed in a hunting vest with buttons for the NRA and Ducks Unlimited, he identified himself as belonging to the Michigan Family Value Committee (2301 W. Mount Forest, Bentley, MI 48613. phone 517 879-3522). The wording of the petition follows: "No protected status based on Homosexual, Lesbian or Bisexual orientation, Neither the State of Michigan, through any of its branches or departments, nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities or school districts, shall enact, adopt or enforce a statute, regulation, ordinance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any minority status quota preferences, protected status or claim of discrimination." Albeit rather badly worded, it is still nonetheless due to pass through a formality review this coming Friday after a few typos are corrected in the originally-submitted petition. The petition will then be circulated and if 256,700-some valid signatures are collected within 180 days, it will appear on the ballot this November. A sizeable group of concerned citizens like you and me met in Detroit yesterday to begin the process of forming a state-wide coalition (the meeting was set up BEFORE we knew that the petition was to be presented) and will meet again next weekend (if you are interested in being at this next meeting, PLEASE contact me via private EMail for details). Stay tuned for further reports from this coalition, the Michigan Campaign for Human Dignity.