Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City took another step in becoming a truly big league city after voting Nov. 15 to expand its anti-discrimination policy for city employees to include sexual orientation.

Anyone who has fought for gay rights through the years in conservative Oklahoma, and especially in this area, understands the significance of the 7-2 vote to approve the measure. Councilman Ed Shadid, who I hope becomes the next Oklahoma City mayor, should be commended for pushing the measure. It shows the city has come a long way in escaping its parochial past, and it sends a powerful signal to everyone that discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community (LGBT) should not be tolerated.

In speaking against the measure, a local pastor, Tom Vineyard of the Windsor Hills Baptist Church, drew widespread media attention when he claimed a New York judge once made the ludicrous statement that gay people are responsible for half the murders in large cities, but it was the cooler, reasonable heads that prevailed in the end. That was the real story.

Vineyard’s comments are part of an increasingly bizarre and now marginalized, anti-gay trope, perpetuated by people such as state Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City), that seek to demonize the LGBT community with wild accusations. Kern, of course, once said that gay people pose more of a threat to our culture than terrorism, but it appears she remained relatively silent about this issue. I couldn’t find her mentioned in relation to the council action in a Google search, but that could change. Here’s the key, though: It won’t matter one way or another.

What’s important to note is the disparity between the anti-gay rhetoric of Oklahoma politicians and religious leaders, who use fear and distortions to manipulate low-information voters, and the steady march towards equality for the LGBT community here and elsewhere. The ludicrousness of Vineyard’s and Kern’s positions becomes even more apparent as the LGBT community marches to equality. Where are the dire, cultural consequences? No, of course, it’s just the opposite. A tolerant, diverse culture will always be stronger and more adaptable than a narrow-minded, bigoted society.

And the vote, as I mentioned, is good for Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas. Along with the obvious need for rights’ protection, the measure can be seen as a symbol of tolerance and progress. That’s good for this area in terms of quality of life and even economic development. It can resonate and positively influence other cultural issues here as well.

Let me be clear: There will be a day in the future when gay people will be allowed to marry in Oklahoma City despite people like Vineyard and Kern, who grab all the headlines but lose in the end.

There’s still a lot to be done in the LGBT community’s fight for full equality, especially here, but this was a major, local victory. Shadid, who represents Ward 2, should continue to push issues that make the city more tolerant, urban and green. This benefits everyone. As mayor, Shadid could do even more.

I guess it’s not surprising, but it’s still disappointing that Oklahoma City Councilman Ed Shadid’s proposal to add sexual orientation to the city’s anti-discrimination policy has met with what appears to be indifference and opposition from some council members.

Shadid, who represents Ward 2, introduced the measure at a city council meeting Tuesday. It was tabled until the Nov. 15 meeting. According to media reports, Ward 3 Councilman Larry McAtee and Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell led the effort to defer the measure for more study.

At the meeting, Ward 7 Councilman Skip Kelly, according to reports, said he doesn’t think sexual orientation should be added the policy, which includes sex, race, religion and political affiliation, unless there’s evidence such discrimination exists in hiring or in city departments. This position obviously ignores the long-term discrimination faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community here and throughout the country.

Shadid and Ward 8 Councilman Pat Ryan supported the measure. Mayor Mick Cornett, who once touted his opposition to gay-themed children’s books in a 2006 political campaign, was not at the meeting Tuesday.

Although cultural attitudes have shifted and become more tolerant in recent years, the LGBT community still faces overt and subtle discrimination and even worse. NewsOK.com, for example, recently published a story outlining the life and suicide of a young, gay Norman man who took his life after attending a Norman city council meeting in which some residents apparently expressed hateful comments about the LGBT community. We are also not that far removed from the 1998 murder Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming. Witnesses at his trial testified he was killed because of his sexual orientation.

There should be no hesitation or equivocation. Adding sexual orientation to the city’s anti-discrimination policy is an act of social justice, equality and basic pragmatics when it comes to the city’s hiring and management practices. If Oklahoma City leaders hope to one day shed the city’s pedestrian, narrow-minded image, they must decisively approve the measure.

Even Tulsa has approved an anti-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma City has a history of homophobia. In 2001, the city, under the leadership of former Mayor Kirk Humphreys, removed gay pride banners from light poles supposedly because of citizen complaints. This resulted in an antagonistic relationship between the city and the local LGBT community.

In his 2006 campaign for U.S. 5th District Congressional seat, Mayor Cornett, according to an older Okie Funk post, “placed an advertisement on radio in which he takes responsibility for reshelving non-sexual, gay-themed children’s books at local libraries.” The reshelving made the books inaccessible to children.

There’s also state Rep. Sally Kern, who represents a district in west Oklahoma City. In 2008, she claimed homosexuals are a greater threat to the country than terrorists.

Is anyone surprised here that Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett favors the owners’ position when it comes to the ongoing NBA dispute?

The players, according to Cornett, just have to realize that “the economics have changed.” Hear that, Kevin Durant?

Obviously, Cornett is not known as an egalitarian mayor, but let’s not forget the Oklahoma City Thunder, the city’s only major league sports franchise, has been heavily subsidized by local taxpayers, who built its arena and improved it. So what about the taxpayers and fans in all this?

This is what Cornett has to say about the issue, according to NewsOK.com:

If forced to take a side, I would side with the owners in this deal. If anyone believes commissioner (David) Stern or the owners want to start canceling games, I just can't imagine where that line of thinking is coming from. That's the last thing anybody wanted to do.

They (owners) obviously are serious about getting a better business deal with the players. The players are going to have to see that the economics have changed, and they're still getting a good deal, even if it is not as good as it was (in the previous CBA).

Here’s a rundown of what the owners want, which essentially boils down to this: They want more money because, well, they “own” and players merely “play.” The richest among us want more money because acquiring wealth is what they do. We should just accept that, right?

The NBA franchise here is owned by Professional Basketball Club LLC, led by local businessman Clay Bennett. The currently named Chesapeake Energy Arena in which The Thunder play was built with taxpayer money. In 2008, voters extended a sales tax to improve the arena and build a practice facility for the team. The price tag for that alone was $121 million. The overall cost has been about $210 million.

The NBA has already cancelled the first week of the season because of the dispute between the players and owners.

Cornett was also interviewed for a recent CBS news report about the issue and said it was “ridiculous” to think Oklahoma City could have a major league team without “public help.” Now that’s selling the city.