Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of an ordinance that would have banned discrimination against gay people in Anchorage was a double disappointment.
It's sad that he didn't see the value of such a law, which simply guarantees equal rights to a segment of our citizenry. And the reasons that Mayor Sullivan cited for the veto were disappointing, even disturbing.
Here's what he said:
Reason No. 1.
"There is clearly a lack of quantifiable evidence necessitating this ordinance."
Of course there's no quantifiable documented evidence of discrimination based on sexual orientation. There is no place for someone to lodge a discrimination complaint and no process to collect such complaints. That's the point of the proposed law — to start paying attention, and investigate such claims.
The Assembly, during many hours of public hearings, certainly heard anecdotal evidence that people had been discriminated against or feared discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Sullivan gave no indication that he considered that.
To read the complete editorial, visit The Anchorage Daily News.