Gay pride event too much for council?
BRENT CHAMPACO
Published: July 10th, 2008 01:00 AM
Sexual orientation is again stirring up controversy for the Pierce County Council.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/408995.html (http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/408995.html)
This time, the debate centers on a proposed proclamation supporting Out in the Park, a celebration of the South Sound's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community Saturday in Tacoma.
Proclamations – in which government leaders go on record to support an event or group – rarely face opposition. Elected officials approve dozens every year. It usually takes about five minutes to rubber-stamp the mostly ceremonial items.
But that wasn't the case this week, when a majority of the Pierce County Council rejected adding the Out in the Park proclamation to its meeting agenda, thus preventing it from coming to a vote. The amendment failed 4-3 on Tuesday, with Chairman Terry Lee and council members Shawn Bunney, Dick Muri and Roger Bush casting the "no" votes. They're all Republicans.