NC Family Staff | September 10, 2018 | SHARE: 
According to local reports and an amended agenda posted on its website, the Fayetteville City Council has removed a controversial item from tonight’s meeting agenda. The proposal, previously scheduled for consideration Monday night, would have added “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classifications to the city’s Human Relations Commission ordinance. As NC Family reported on Thursday, adoption of the proposal would have violated North Carolina law and would have put in to place the kind of ordinances that have been used to attack Christian adoption and foster care agencies, as well as florists, bakers, photographers, printers, and other small business owners across the country who are simply trying to operate their businesses in accordance with their religious beliefs.
After learning of the proposal, NC Family, the NC Values Coalition and the Christian Action League of NC jumped into action and alerted supporters about the proposal. According to a Friday article in the Fayetteville Observer, City Council members were flooded with calls and emails and quickly decided to pull the item from the meeting agenda.
“Bombarded by emails Friday, Fayetteville’s City Council members yanked from their agenda a proposal to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the types of discrimination complaints that the city’s Human Relations Commission can investigate,” the story reported.
“We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of concern and action we have seen over this important issue,” said NC Family President John L. Rustin. “Citizens in Fayetteville and across the state clearly understand the damaging effects this type of ordinance can have, particularly on people of faith who are simply trying to live out their faith in the public square. They also understand that this proposal is a blatant violation of state law, and they let the city leaders in Fayetteville know it!”
The article suggested the City Council may consider the proposal at a future meeting, so we must remain vigilant and continue to share the truth about the illegality and harmful impacts of these types of ordinances.
