Actions of Republican leaders make her proud to be Democrat

Dear editor:

If I needed one more reason to be proud to be an Idaho Democrat, Republican leaders just handed it to me.

GOP leadership kicked sand in the face of Idaho's cities and Idaho's citizens at the Republican's annual meeting last weekend.

By resolution, they are asking the legislature to nullify city ordinances that prohibit employment, housing, and public accommodation discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Six Idaho cities have passed such ordinances, and at least one other-- Idaho Falls has it under consideration.

All six ordinances were passed only after public hearings were held, with city council members listening, considering, and debating positions both pro and con. Now, Republican leaders would undo it all.

These are the same people who champion local control, yet they show no respect for the decisions of six city governments.

For seven years, Republican legislative leadership has refused to hold even one hearing on bills that would have amended the Idaho Human Rights Act to extend these same protections statewide. If they try to justify their actions by saying they were "listening to their constituents," don't believe it. A 2011 poll conducted by Moore Information found that 78 percent of Idahoans favor anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community.

A whopping 93 percent of respondents said that skill and ability should determine a person's employment opportunities, not sexual orientation or gender identity

So who are these Republican "leaders" speaking for? Not for cities, not for me, and not for a whole lot of other people in this state.

-- Leslie Goddard