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Setbacks seem to strengthen conservative social group
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If 25,000 of the 32,000 signatures obtained this week by Citizens for a Responsible Government are deemed valid by local elections officials, it would be the first time in the past 10 to 15 years that anyone in Montgomery County forced a ballot referendum. In this case, voters could repeal a new law that prohibits discrimination against transgender people.
Group spokeswoman Michelle Turner said the newly formed Citizens for a Responsible Government is an “offshoot” of Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum, the group that unsuccessfully petitioned the state Board of Education and a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge to ban courses that teach students homosexuality is a biological trait.
They lost both times, but Turner said the group has a better chance with voters than with the council or the courts.
“It speaks less to our success as a group than to the discontent citizens of Montgomery County have with their elected leaders,” Turner said.
Turner said the group has local donors pouring money into the campaign, but wouldn’t say exactly how much it has received or give names of people who have donated. She did say the amount was more than $10,000 and less than $100,000, and helped fund automated calls to every Montgomery County home phone number available.
Jerry Pasternak, who served as special assistant to former County Executive Doug Duncan, said the group’s success in gathering signatures did not surprise him.
“Getting it on the ballot is not an indication that you have the majority of voters behind you,” Pasternak said. “It is just an indication that you have an ability to organize and collected the requisite number of signatures in the required time
frame.”
Supporters of the transgender measure say they believe the petitioners were successful because of misinformation, accusing some signature-gatherers of saying the new law, which only prohibits discrimination, would actually allow men in women’s bathrooms.
“Sadly there are a lot of groups out there that prey on fear,” Council President Mike Knapp said.
kmiller@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
3:00 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008 re: "Setbacks seem to strengthen conservative social group"
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6:33 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008
re: "Setbacks seem to strengthen conservative social group"
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Examiner Reader said:
Council President Knapp is mistaken in his understanding of the code, a shocking state of affairs for a County lawmaker! From the Maryland anti-discrimination code here is the relevant part of the law, paraphrased a bit to fit in this space. PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS "Facilities which are considered public accommodations include but are not limited to places offering entertainment, exhibitions, recreation, lodging, and food or drink for consumption on the premises. Retail establishments offering goods, services, entertainment, recreation or transportation are also considered public accommodations. It is unlawful for an owner or operator of any place of public accommodation to deny a person any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges because of his/her race .....etc .....Such facilities include, but are not limited to but are not limited to ramps, elevators, restrooms,...etc.
35 agree | 46 disagree
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Robin Ficker, Broker Robin Realty said:
What this group has done is very difficult to do. Collecting 32,000 signatures during the coldest time of the year when people don't want to stop and when collectors freeze takes hard work. I can't remember when a council law has been successfully petitioned to referendum ever. And I've been collecting signatures for charter amendments, which take 10,000 valid signatures, since 1974. In this case the council should have tweaked the law to avoid a referendum instead of impugning the integrity of the collectors as Knapp has done. If the term "public accommodation," didn't include bathrooms, there would still be the abhorrent "white only," and "blacks only," bathrooms today. Knapp should be more concerned about his upcoming vote to, for the fourth time, override the county property tax limit. Why is he trying to steal our home equity to feed his political cronies?
45 agree | 41 disagree
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