Voters in Fayetteville repeal the Human Rights Ordinance.

[sinkingfeeling]

7,452 'good' people of Fayetteville managed to repeal the ordinance passed in August by 52% to 48% of the vote.

I'm done with Arkansas.

[DreamGypsy]

1. For non Arkansasans who read this on LBN ...

Voters repeal civil rights ordinance in Fayetteville:

Final unofficial results showed 7,523 votes (52 percent) for repeal and 7,040 votes (48 percent) against repeal.

The decision came during a special election called by petitioners who sought to repeal the new ordinance, which prohibits business owners and landlords from unjustly firing or evicting someone because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic background, marital status, or veteran status.

The law was passed by the Fayetteville City Council on Aug. 20, but a group called Repeal 119 turned in enough signatures to put the ordinance on hold and force the special election.

[LiberalArkie]

2. I am so tired of Arkansas. For awhile we were pretty progressive. Now I feel like 1965 Selma.

Thank God I am almost 67. I just hope I am not a long liver, But I am healthier than all the 20-40 year olds I worked with. I am wondering about taking up smoking and drinking. I don't want to live here another 10 years.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. It did seem like we were pretty progressive, for a while

We had J. William Fulbright in the Senate for 30 years, Dale Bumpers and David Pryor for several terms each, and most recently, a pretty decent governor in Mike Beebe, who kept the hounds at bay. We even had a pretty decent Republican governor once, Winthrop Rockefeller, way back in the late '60s. But all of that's been cast by the wayside, it seems.

[LiberalArkie]

6. I met Rockefeller as a kid. My dad was an appointee of Rockefellers to do the new food stamp program

in Arkansas. Despite everything it was more civilized back then. Police did not kill protesters in the street, they used water hoses and batons (they hurt) and horses. Of course at night out came the kluxers to do the shooting, but in the day light nope. It scares me these days, the man does not care who sees something wrong. They do not care if the whole world is watching live.

[Art_from_Ark]

7. The 1966 Arkansas gubernatorial election was the first election I was aware of

The ladies down the street gave me a "WR66" pin, and we got a medal showing WR and "Footsie" Britt from somewhere, could have been at the county fair. Looking back, I think that people were ready to move on from the Faubus era.

In the next election, the state was all over the board-- electing the liberal Fulbright to another term in the Senate, giving WR another 2-year term as governor, and voting for George Freakin' Wallace in the presidential election.

On a side note, do you remember seeing Governor Rockefeller make a guest appearance on "The Governor and JJ"?

[KamaAina]

3. Well, pass it again!

edit: This sort of BS might well make it difficult for Arkansas to attract LGBT faculty, much as McDonnell and Cuccinelli's statewide effort in Virginia did for their state schools.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Probably won't happen in the next 10 years. It passed the 8 member council

in August by a 6-2 vote. In November, a real religious crazy, backed by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar was elected, replacing a logical, humane person. So at best a new vote would fail 5-3. It takes a 3/4 of the council to pass an ordinance.

[justgohogs]

8. HUH?

Shouldn't the U of A be focused on hiring the best qualified as members of the faculty, with no regard being placed on sexual preferences?

[KamaAina]

9. Precisely.

And if the best qualified potential faculty happen to be LGBT, they may well reject Arkansas in favor of another institution in more progressive surroundings.