Monday night, there was a round of applause when I called on our St. Augusitne Ciy government to support the wedding business here by: (a) legalizing champaigne on horse and carriage rides; and (b) filing a "me too" amicus curiae brief in Federal Court in support of Gay marriage. The carriage champagne ordinance passed, 3-1. The Gay marriage amicus curiae brief issue remains to be determined.
Fourteen states and D.C. allow Gay marriages. Florida banned them by Constitutional amendment in 2006, persuaded we had to protect the sanctity of marriage.
St. Augustine is losing wedding business to fifteen (15) less bigoted places, but hopefully not for much longer.
Meanwhile, St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach have both voted against sexual orientation discrimination in housing (and SAB has banned employment discrimination, while St. Johns County's Visitor and Convnention Bureau and Tourist Development Council can't even bring themselves to provide a response to a request for a GLBT friendly guide to accomodations here -- thereby probably violating the Fair Housing ordinances of two (2) cities -- St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach. Unlike the wedding business people who applauded me, shook my hand and thanked me Monday night, St. Johns County VCB and TDC evidently lack horse sense.
The TDC and VCB have not yet figured out that bigotry is unpopular and unprofitable.
As President Johnson said, "We SHALL overcome."
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