NORTH CAROLINA: Raleigh City Council Unanimously Approves Trans Protections

Via Equality North Carolina:

Raleigh City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday afternoon to include protections for transgender city employees in revised policy language recommended by the City's Human Relations Commission. With the vote, the state's capital city became the sixth city in North Carolina to protect all city employees in the LGBT community and the 10th state municipality to offer those protections, following Asheville, Boone, Carrboro, Charlotte, Chapel Hill and Buncombe, Durham, Mecklenburg and Orange Counties. The motion to pass the revised language, including protections for transgender workers, came from Republican Councilmember John Odom, thought by many to be the city's most conservative councilmember. The unanimous vote occurred without discussion or debate.

(Tipped by JMG reader Rob)

Raleigh Archbishop Has The Marriage Sadz

"While saddened to learn of today’s ruling overturning the marriage amendment, the occasion provides an opportunity to convey two important teachings of our Church. First, the Church has always taught, and will always teach, that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and, thus, has a dignity which must always be respected and upheld. There are no exceptions.

"Second, the Church has always taught, and will always teach, God’s law revealed to us in Sacred Scripture and in our Tradition: that marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman. This unique bond is open to the procreation of children for the good of all society. This firmly held belief from throughout history does not in any way negate the teaching regarding the dignity owed to each and every human person.

"Thus, as I said on the day the NC Marriage Amendment was passed in 2012, this is not a day for one side to claim victory. Instead, this is a day for all of us to renew our commitment to live in harmony as God’s family. For Catholics, while we are called to never compromise the beliefs we treasure and celebrate, we must always respect and love all people as God’s sons and daughters." - Raleigh Archbishop Michael Burbidge, who campaigned vigorously in support of Amendment One.

VIDEO: In the 2012 clip below, Burbidge urges all North Carolina Catholics to vote for Amendment One. Burbidge: "It can never be acceptable for those who stand up for the traditional definition of marriage to be judged, slandered, or forced to compromise the beliefs which they embrace without reservation or apology. No form of discrimination can be tolerated."