After months of contentious community debate, the Anchorage Assembly took a strong and courageous stand in favor of basic human rights. By voting 7 to 4 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, with an exemption for religious organizations, the Assembly struck a reasonable balance between conflicting values. The non-discrimination ordinance recognizes the common humanity of our gay and lesbian friends and neighbors. As long as they are law-abiding citizens, they're entitled to live their lives free from any form of legally-sanctioned persecution.
Yes, a vocal segment of the community holds strong religious views against the ordinance. These opponents do not want to be compelled to accept gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons as equal under the law. They believe their right to the free practice of their religion will be circumscribed by any legal protection of gay and lesbian residents from discrimination. They may well launch a voter initiative to repeal the ordinance, as is their right under Alaska law.
In our free society, all are entitled to their own religious views, and to act upon them in religious or private settings. But when they bring those values into the secular world of laws, commerce and employment, religion cannot become a license to discriminate. Our challenge, as a community, is to reconcile the right to the free practice of religion with a core belief that ordinary citizens should not be subject to categorical discrimination.
Mayor Dan Sullivan, a fair-minded conservative, should recognize this legislation for what it is -- a way to ensure the fair treatment of vulnerable members of the community -- and sign it. We fear that our community will continue this emotionally divisive, decades-long fight over this issue. Mayor Sullivan might not be able to put this to rest by signing the ordinance, but by doing so he could at least deliver the symbolic message that it is time for the community to move past this argument and try to heal the divide.
BOTTOM LINE: Now it's Mayor Sullivan's turn to show courage and do the right thing.