The Dayton Daily News posted the full text of Rhine McLin’s statement on her gay rights vote:
I have been challenged by friends on both sides to make the right decision. Clearly, the right decision for me personally would be to "abstain" or find some obscure rationale to vote "no."
This would be politically expedient, but would it be the right thing to do as mayor of the city of Dayton? In searching my soul, I have been renewed by the words of Coretta Scott King.
"I have worked too long and hard against segregated public accommodations to end up segregating my moral concern. Justice is indivisible. Like Martin, I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others."
If that is not clear enough, listen to what she said on March 31, 1998.
"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'"
It has been nine years since the City Commission first discussed this issue.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
It is time to do the right thing.
Rhine McLin was in political trouble prior to this vote, but she pretty much committed political suicide by voting for this gay rights law. So I have to admire her vote, that she voted based on principle, not on political expediency.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Rhine McLin's statemen on her gay rights vote.
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3 comments:
Hi,
Just wanted to voice my opinion about the downtown Dayton "library".
I lived in Dayton for 40 years and was back during the holidays to visit my son and his family. At about 9 am I saw about 80 homeless people waiting for the library to open. My daughter in law says that this happens every day. I asked if they had provisions or programs for these folks, but she said that they have nowhere else to go, and that the library will never ask them to leave, read, or study.
She says that she, as well as many of her downtown neighbors, won't go in, and not just because of the social shelter that it has become. She told me that it is well known that it is a hotbed of drug traffic and, to a lesser degree, prostitution. The overall uncleanliness, both inside and out, is very disturbing.
According to her, though, the hardest thing to see is the low level of staff morale. They seem to feel helpless, and that very few of them seem to enjoy being there at all.
This saddens me, as I know that many levys for the libraries get approved. I wonder what has happened, or how it happened. My daughter in law tells me that those who are able must drive out to the suburbs in order to use a library. To attempt to use the internet or to find a quiet place to study at the downtown library is impossible due to the smell, the noise, and the general discomfort throughout the building.
One of her winter hobbies is genealogy, and says that there is an outstanding Local History area, but to get from the research area to the one usable room, she has to nearly crawl over people are in there sewing, ironing, playing cards, eating, and sleeping. I can't understand what has happened. I see the attempts to revitalize my home town, and admire the improvements and serious efforts of my old friends and neighbors, but this is an affront and embarrassment to the city.
Has this been addressed in your local paper? What can my son and his family do, as citizens, to increase awareness about this? He says that he has seen some elderly security people at the door, but that they seemed to be dozing off.
I just wanted to get this off of my chest and I sincerly hope that the city can come together to save this institution (as well as the beautiful Arcade!) Many thanks,
K. Carter
Thanks, I am going to feature your remarks as a stand-alone post.
I would disagree with Anonymous. I frequent the library with my son at many different times during the day including when the library opens and in the evening. I have personally witnessed when the library is opening and on most days there might be 10 or so people waiting. I have observed several homeless people around the library and inside the library, but have not once been bothered by one of these people.
I find the landscape of the downtown library to be well manicured and pleasant. Inside the library is spotless including the bathrooms. It is not noisy and does not smell.
The staff is friendly, courteous and always willing to help.
You will find a very diverse clientele at the downtown library. Students, professionals, local children and parents, tutors, senior citizens, and homeless people. You will find all races.
I have attended several functions at the library. Including a Sunday afternoon Jazz concert.
I would suggest that Anonymous get out and explore the library first hand. I think she would find a nice place to spend an afternoon. I have to pry my son away from the library. He loves to explore all the books and movies. Almost every time we go, we are there two hours or more. The downtown library has the best selection of all the libraries including a drive up window. I also order books online and pick them up when I am in a hurry.
Anonymous may just find that she is homeless one day. It could happen in an instant. We are all human and should be kinder and understanding of other people's circumstances.
I will support the library and continue to utilize it to the fullest.
Sincerely,
Carol Madewell
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