The LGBT movement is not taking the rejection of Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) all that well. The measure — which would’ve allowed trans-women to use girls’ bathrooms — was defeated by a solid majority of Houstonians on Tuesday, so activists are now trying to punish the entire city for exercising their right to vote.
The New York Times claimed the bill was only rejected due to the “hateful rhetoric” of political leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott. The Nation said the defeat made gays, lesbians and transsexuals second-class citizens.
So now the Human Rights Campaign and many other left-wing groups are calling for a full-scale economic boycott of the Texas city in response to its denizens voting in a way that didn’t meet progressive approval. The main target for these activists is the Super Bowl, which is scheduled to take place in Houston at the end of this season. (RELATED: Good News! LGBT Activists Want To Cancel The Super Bowl)
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — a man not particularly known for having much of a spine — has already said the league is not changing the location for the big game. But, considering how Goodell has as much backbone as a caterpillar, that could possibly change if the pressure is notched up a bit.
Given that this is America, people are well-within their bounds to protest something they don’t like with their pocketbooks and travel plans. But, since this is America, that shouldn’t give tiny minorities free-rein to overturn the entire democratic process when it doesn’t go their way.
It’s worth remembering the demographics of America’s LGBT population. Overall, they are estimated to be 3.8 percent of the general U.S. population. Transsexuals are estimated to be 0.2 percent of the population.
Keeping these figures in mind while switching back to Tueday’s decision, it bears saying that 61 percent of Houstonians voted against HERO. Now if the measure was needed to prevent genuine discrimination, that majority wouldn’t count for much. But it was not needed and all of the groups listed under the provision’s protection were already shielded by pre-existing federal law. The one difference is that the bill opened up the possibility of men entering women’s bathrooms and allowed any grievance to be turned into a $5,000 fine against an offending business. (RELATED: Houston Voters CRUSHINGLY Reject Law Allowing Cross-Dressing Men To Use Women’s Bathrooms)
Before a Texas court ruled the ordinance had to first be approved by voters to be enacted, the mayor, Annise Parker, was exploiting the measure to inspect the sermons of local pastors to make sure they complied with the ordinance. In other words, the measure intended to uphold civil rights was being used to violate the civil rights of politically incorrect pastors. (RELATED: Houston’s Mayor Endangers Civil Rights)
Additionally, it is silly to think that Houston is a snake pit of homophobia. Mayor Parker is a lesbian. The Human Rights Campaign — one of the organizations calling for a boycott — considers the city to be overall a nice place to call home if youre LGBT and once had it as the Texas locale with the most gay-friendly employers. As previously mentioned, many LGBT individuals call it home and the town boasts a “vibrant” gay community.
With that in mind, the boycott’s chance of success in overturning a cut-and-dry vote is incredibly problematic. And it’s worked elsewhere as well.
In the spring, Indiana passed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that was intended, in part, to give small businesses a chance in court if they didn’t provide services for same-sex marriages due to faith. Incensed gay activists and liberals in general pressured several major corporations — including Apple, Angies List and many others — into promising to boycott the whole state. (RELATED: Indiana’s Religious ‘Anti-Gay’ Law That Wasn’t)
Republican Governor Mike Pence caved in and demanded the state legislature geld the bill of any provisions that would’ve prevented businesses from forking over thousands of dollars in litigation over a wedding cake. (RELATED: Indiana Republicans Totally Cave On Religious Freedom Law)
The NFL was instrumental in killing a similar Arizona bill in 2014 when the league implied that it would host Super Bowls elsewhere if the state enacted RFRA into law.
This is why it’s so essential for the NFL to maintain their stance. Similar to Houston not having its much-touted Equal Rights Ordinance codified, RFRA did not mean that thousands of individuals would’ve been left vulnerable to rank discrimination. All it did was ensure religious freedom could remain protected in a society that seeks to exterminate any opposition to progress.
But since the powerful LGBT lobby was able to cry “bigotry” and was able to browbeat corporate America into compliance, the voice of the people was squelched and religious freedom took a serious hit.
In the case of Houston, if the boycott works and the NFL decides to pull out of hosting the Super Bowl there, it will essentially mean that the will of giant corporations and special interest groups matter far more than any mere electoral result.
No one’s civil rights are threatened because 61 percent of Houstonians didn’t want men in women’s bathrooms. The measure was simply virtue signalling on the part of the mayor and her allies. (RELATED: Are You More Transphobic Than A 5th Grade Girl?)
If we want to make sure that votes count more than the agendas of special interest groups, the NFL must stay resolute in keeping the big game where it’s planned to be hosted. Changing the location presents a dangerous threat to our democracy and sends the message that urban elites will always get their way — no matter what the ballot box says.
America was made for and by the people, not for the biases of the chattering class and those with the connections to power.
The NFL and other companies should respect Houston’s decision and not seek to punish a city for engaging in the democratic process.
