Butler anti-discrimination ordinance draws talk from both sides
About nine protesters watched a movie Tuesday night across the street from a church where a seminar was being held on the dangers of enacting a non-discrimination ordinance.
Butler city council has wrestled for more than a year over whether to enact an LGBTQA non-discrimination ordinance. LGBTQA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and allied.
The Freedom in the Balance seminar, conducted Tuesday at the Intersection Community Church at Walker and Brugh avenues, was coordinated by the Pennsylvania Family Council and the Alliance Defending Freedom in Harrisburg.
The online flyer described the free event as “an informative, practical seminar detailing the latest threats to religious freedom and rights of conscience, how you can best protect your family, church, ministry or business, and help defend the freedom of those in the Butler community.”
But the protesting group, Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of Butler County, saw the seminar as an intolerant and bigoted affair.
Michael Bagdes-Canning, held a brief rally and informational picket across Brugh Avenue from the church before screening the movie “Out in the Silence.”
Jeremy Samek, senior council for the Pennsylvania Family Council, said about 35 individuals had signed up for the seminar. He said the educational seminar would explain how the anti-discrimination ordinance being considered in Butler affects churches, non-profits, businesses and privacy issues.
“We think the result would be to have a community that is educated and understands the impact ordinances like this have on the community,” Samek said.
A full report will appear in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.
