Aug. 3 is the date to make your voice heard with your vote. To help you decide which candidates to support, Four Freedoms Democratic Club and KC Pride Democratic Club both ran ads in the June/July issue of Camp with their endorsements for Missouri elections. In case you didn’t see the issue, here are their suggestions:
Four Freedoms Democratic Club:
State Senator, Jolie Justus;
County Executive, Mike Sanders. County Legislature:
Crystal Williams— 2nd At-Large; Theresa Garza Ruiz — 1st At-Large; Scott Burnett — 1st District;
Fred Arbanas — 3rd At-Large;
Greg Walters — 6th District.
State Legislature:
Mike Talboy — District 37;
Jean Peters-Baker — District 39;
Will Royster — District 40;
Shalonn “Kiki” Curls — District 41; Gail McCann Beatty — District 43; Jason Kander — District 44;
Kevin McManus — District 46; and Jeremy Ploeger — District 51.
State Auditor, Susan Montee.
KC Pride Democratic Club:
U.S. Senate, Robin Carnahan;
U.S. 5th Congressional District, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II;
U.S. 6th Congressional District, Clint Hylton;
State Auditor, Susan Montee;
State Senate 10th District, Sen. Jolie Justus.
State Representatives:
37th District — Rep. Mike Talboy;
39th District — Jean Peters-Baker;
40th District — John J. Rizzo;
41st District — Rep. Shalonn “Kiki” Curls;
43rd District — Gail McMann Beatty; 44th District — Rep. Jason Kander; 45th District — Rep. Jason Holsman; 46th District — Geoff Gerling;
51st District — Jeremy Ploeger. Jackson County Offices: County Executive, Mike Sanders;
6th District, Greg Walters;
1st District At-Large, Theresa Garza-Ruiz;
2nd District At-Large, Henry Rizzo;
3rd District At-Large, Fred Arbanas.
Vote No on Prop C
Proposition C is on the Aug. 3 statewide ballot in Missouri as a legislatively referred state statute. Proponents of this proposition intend to block the federal government from requiring people to buy health insurance and any subsequent punishment that might ensue. As we go to press, Matthew Hunt and Mase Hakes, two activists in Kansas City, have organized a protest against Prop C at the J.C. Nichols fountain on July 29.
Prop C is trying to create hysteria over the much-needed revamping of the health-care system that will benefit those who are uninsured by providing affordable health care. This proposition is merely symbolic and has little chance of succeeding. Uninsured people in Missouri, including many in the LGBT community, need affordable health care, and Prop C just stands in the way. Vote no on Prop C on Aug. 3.
Gov. Nixon’s Executive Order
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon used an executive order issued July 9 to include sexual orientation as being protected against job discrimination for state employees. You can read the full text of Executive Order 10-24 at: http://governor.mo.gov/orders/2010/10-24.htm
Here’s an excerpt from the order: “The State of Missouri shall work to ensure that there will be no vestiges of discrimination against persons on account of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability; not only in employment practices but in the provision of services and the operation of facilities.”
A.J. Bockelman, executive director of Missouri’s LGBT political group, PROMO, weighed in on this decision immediately in an email: “Folks, this is huge. Approximately 58,000 Missourians are employed in state government. But beyond this, nearly every state with current statewide protections in employment, housing and services for the LGBT community has had a state employee provision in place before enacting statewide protections for all citizens. This Executive Order sets a strong example for our other elected officials to follow. Further, it makes Missouri more competitive in the corporate sector, where 95% of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation/gender identity in their non-discrimination policies.”
Bockelman also said, “PROMO’s work, both with officials inside the Nixon administration and in public calls for such a change, coupled with your many calls, postcards and emails to the Governor’s office over the last year and a half, made this happen. Governor Nixon issued the following statement:” ‘I want to ensure that Missouri remains true to the principles of ensuring equal opportunity for all people, and this Executive Order fulfills a pledge I made to have a more inclusive and diverse state workforce.’
Even though the private sector still does not offer universal protection in employment that includes sexual orientation, we at Camp applaud Gov. Jay Nixon for this executive order.
