I am writing in regard to the two proposed ordinances now being considered by the City Council, both of
which are worthy of being passed. I have reviewed a chart that compares protected classes at the
federal, the state, and the city level. Bowling Green has a right to be proud of the fact that it is
already far in advance of the other two levels of government in making certain that all people have a
full complement of rights. The new ordinances forbid discrimination against lesbian, gay male, bisexual,
and transgender persons in housing, education, employment, and public accommodation, offering the same
protections to all citizens now found in the Bowling Green Administrative Instruction No.7, which
protects City employees against discrimination.
Is this not what we all want, fair treatment of all people regardless of particular features of their
personalities? Is this not what all the great religions teach, that we should treat all people equally,
making sure that every person has the full protection of the law? Is this not what the founders of our
country intended, even though they did not fully practice it themselves – "life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness" for every person?
I know that the members of the congregation I serve are strongly behind these ordinances, because it is a
practical application of the first principle of our religion, "the inherent worth and dignity of
every person."
I encourage the City Council to pass these ordinances, further strengthening Bowling Green as a leader in
the state and the nation in securing fair and equal treatment for all people.
Kenneth W. Phifer
Consulting Minister
Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Bowling Green