Opponents
of Houston's proposed gay rights ordinance say that intimidation—not
openness—is the motive behind supporters' move to publicize the names of more
than 30,000 people who signed petitions asking that the measure be put on a
referendum ballot.
With
more than 30,000 "pre-verified" signatures collected favouring the
referendum, opponents say that even if some are deemed fraudulent or to have
come from people who are ineligible to vote, there will still be enough
signatures to pass the threshold of 17,269 required to place the ordinance on
the ballot for a public vote.
Gay
rights supporters are asking citizens to pore through the paperwork and search
for evidence of voter fraud.
"Was
your name placed on the petition without your permission?" asks a headline
on the homepage at heropetition.com, which backs the city's so-called equal
rights ordinance. The measure was pushed through the city council by Mayor
Annise Parker, an avowed lesbian. But church groups and others want the issue
placed before the voters.
The
ordinance would extend special legal protection to lesbians, gays, bisexuals
and transgender people and would apply to businesses that employ as few as 15
people.
