UPDATE/Omaha, NE- Lines drawn on gay protections proposal

[SandraJane]

Omaha.com



Lines drawn on gay protections proposal


By Juan Perez Jr., WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER | Published Monday March 5, 2012


http://www.omaha.com/article/20120305/NEWS01/703059929


The national culture war over gay rights will take center stage Tuesday in Omaha, further exposing rifts within the city's business and religious communities.

Two years ago the debate over whether to legally protect gay and transgender residents from discrimination split the community and, ultimately, the Omaha City Council.

Councilman Ben Gray's latest anti-discrimination proposal is proving no less divisive on the eve of Tuesday's public hearing.

Councilman Franklin Thompson, who abstained from voting on the matter in 2010, has repeated his promise to vote this time around.

"Whoever wins the debate on Tuesday will get my vote," he said.

[Felix]

Council Approves LGBT Ordinance

KETV News
http://www.ketv.com/mostpopular/30669912/detail.html

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha's City Council on Tuesday voted to approve an ordinance that would add protection for gay and transgender residents from discrimination in the workplace.

The final measure was approved by a vote of 4-3.

...Thompson had offered to vote for a measure that would offer protections based on sexual orientation; however, he expressed concerns over protections based on "gender identity."