FL: ballot initiative would ban sexual orientation, gender identity anti-discrimination protections
by: Pam Spaulding
Tue Mar 17, 2009 at 21:00:00 PM EDT

http://pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=48CA0C322149DF881D714E6DFF3B343E?diaryId=9966

Wow. How hateful can people be? It's a cornucopia of hate lately -- rolling back rights, as we saw in Prop 8 and the measures in AZ and FL, and now this, also in the Sunshine State -- Gainesville. (Down With Tyranny):

    Charter Amendment 1 would ban the city of Gainesville from adopting or enforcing anti-discrimination policies not outlined by the Florida Civil Rights Act. The Florida Civil Rights Act does not include sexual orientation or gender identity. The city of Gainesville currently provides protections under it's city ordinances for sexual orientation and gender identity, but if Charter Amendment 1 passes, these protections would be voided and the city would be prohibited from forbidding discrimination against gays, lesbians, and transsexuals.

The city of Gainesville, where UF is located, tends to vote very liberal.

Alachua County, where G'ville is located, in the rural areas trends more conservative. McCain probably lost 55-45 in the rural areas but Obama won something like 85-15 in the G'ville city limits.

Given Obamas GOTV and voter reg. efforts this will be a matter of convincing college students to go back to the polls.

Good news is UF has a very active and influential GLBT Student Union. I seem to remember that the Sororitys had a close relationship with the GLBT. Quick math is something close to 5,000 votes right there.

Also a good portion of the Professors and Admin types at UF live within the city limits.

The wild card in this type of election is actually the Afric. Amer. vote. Though they voted  98-2 for Obama, they trended to vote for gay marriage bans at rates close to 70%.

In Florida the gay marriage ban might not have reached 60% without a large black turnout.