Last week we observed Martin Luther King Day. As we commemorate the contributions of this great American hero, we also need to recognize that his legacy is still incomplete.
Right now, in the city of Anchorage, it's legal to discriminate against someone simply because they're gay. A hard-working woman can be refused a home loan just because she's a lesbian. A high-performing employee can be fired from his job if his boss thinks he's gay. Those basic protections granted other minorities by our municipality's anti-discrimination ordinance still don't include our gay and transgendered citizens.
Dr. King dreamed that one day his children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I dream that this aspiration extends to all Anchorage minorities. We should all be judged by the content of our character: hard work, dedication to family, commitment to community.
Let's make Martin Luther King's vision a reality. It's time to reaffirm that we are One Anchorage.
-- Cindy Lelake
Anchorage