SAN ANTONIO: Haters Fail To Gather Signatures To Repeal LGBT Rights Bill

Anti-gay forces in San Antonio have failed to gather the required signatures needed to place a repeal of the recently passed LGBT non-discrimination bill on the public ballot.

Pastor Gerald Ripley, a petition leader, estimated the group collected about 20,000 signatures, well below the required 61,046, or 10 percent of eligible voters. The council adopted the ordinance last month after lengthy debate about its protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Religious conservatives claimed it would restrict their rights of free speech and conscience, and a coalition of more than 50 churches and ministries launched a petition drive to force it to a referendum. Not all churches opposed to the ordinance joined in, Ripley acknowledged. He said the outcome may have been different if city rules allowed for more time and if he had reached out more proactively to nonchurchgoers.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro cheered the failure.

"I'm glad people can move on from divisive attempts to undo an ordinance that was always commonsense about treating everybody the same," Castro said. On September 5, 2013, San Antonio City Council passed the controversial ordinance that prevents discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Opponents promised to fight to repeal it. Ripley decided to build a website. A total of 53 churches from across the city officially registered on the site in order to collect petition signatures.

Interestingly, no Catholic churches took part in the repeal drive. (Tipped by JMG reader Mike)