I was listening to talk radio today and heard Jerry Harvey's take on the Domestic Partner's Benefits. He used the argument that "women used to not be able to vote. And Blacks used to not be able to vote." He went on to say that gays will soon have equal rights. I agree. But, I do not support this ordinance.
Equating this ordinance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is insulting. This ordinance creates "special" rights and in the process it "burns down the house to kill a spider." This ordinance provides these special rights for those few homosexual city employees; it does nothing for the rest of the LGBTQ community.
Now, if this were on the ballot as a Tennessee issue, asking if the state should allow same-sex marriage, I would vote yes. As the ordinance reads, I will vote no, because it effectively accomplishes nothing for the gay community, while allowing those that can legally marry to take advantage of the system by not marrying. One could argue that its a small step forward towards a bigger goal, but the collateral damage and unintended consequences outweigh the very small step forward this ordinance accomplishes.
Leave the straight people out of the LGBTQ benefits and I'll support it.
Tim Giordana