Homophobic Gulfport City Councilman Introduces Anti-Gay Resolution with
Inaccurate Facts
Equality Mississippi,
July 17, 2003
Contact: Jody Renaldo; Executive director
601-936-7673
jody@equalityms.org
JACKSON, MS—Gulfport City Councilman Billy Hewes, well known for his past
anti-gay rhetoric and homophobia, has introduced an anti-gay resolution to be
considered for adoption by the Gulfport City Council on Tuesday, July 22,
2003.
The resolution reads as follows:
“A resolution by the Gulfport City Council to memorialize its concern
over the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down state legislation
prohibiting same sex marriages, and to show support for a constitutional
amendment to authorize states to legally and constitutionally legislate the
illegality of same sex marriages”
First of all, the U.S. Supreme Court did not strike down state legislation
prohibiting same sex marriages. Billy Hewes should get his facts right before
jumping the gun with his hate motivated resolution. The U.S. Supreme Court
*did* strike down sodomy laws in the United States. Sodomy has nothing to do
with marriage.
Second of all, we are left to wonder why the residents of Gulfport District
5 keep electing a man who, over the course of his political career, seems to
think anti-gay legislation is more important business than real business of
the City of Gulfport such as its crime rate, its education problems, and its
infrastructure problems.
ACTION ALERT!
ALL GAY AND LESBIAN CITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI AND THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST
are encouraged to attend the Gulfport City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 22
to protest against Billy Hewes and against his resolution. It is time to let
Billy Hewes and the Gulfport City Council know that HATE IS NOT A GULFPORT
FAMILY VALUE and that government has no business nor constitutional authority
to stick its nose into the private, legal consensual lives of tax-paying
voting citizens.
When: This coming Tuesday, July 22, 2003—1:00 PM
Where: Gulfport City Hall, Gulfport, Mississippi
What: Protest city sponsored homophobia
Equality Mississippi is a statewide organization committed to achieving
full recognition of the equal civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender Mississippians. Equality Mississippi operates a web site at www.equalityms.org.
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