Georgia Legislature Moves To Protect Anti-Gay Country Club

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/02/020705druid.htm

The Georgia House has voted to bar cities from prosecuting private clubs which violate local ordinances guaranteeing the rights of same-sex couples.

The legislation is aimed at protecting Druid Hills Golf Club, an exclusive country club in Atlanta, that is under fire from the city for refusing to treat the partners of its gay members the same as spouses of married members.

In December Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin directed Atlanta's solicitor to fine Druid Hills Country Club $500 a day for each day, up to 180 days, it does not comply with the city ordinance. (story) The club then filed suit against the city alleging the ordinance is illegal. (story)

[ClintonTyree]

1. Hey, it's Georgia..........

if they were going to give the United States an enema, Georgia is where they'd stick the tube.

[RubyDuby in GA]

2. I really can't believe it's only taken them a short 2 years

to make me really hate this state :cry:

If you don't fit the Stepford profile in this state, watch your back.

[TlalocW]

3. All the gay members

Need to storm the country club while holding up copies of Darwin's, "Origin of the Species" in one hand and a glass of UNSWEETENED tea in the other.

The country club owners wouldn't know what hit them.

TlalocW

[Bluzmann57]

4. Do they allow women at Augusta yet?

No. When they allow women at Augusta, then they almost have to make this Druid Hills comply with anti-homosexual ordinances. Until then, it ain't gonna happen, I suspect.
on edit- What kind of name is Druid Hills for a Country Club anyway?

[xchrom]

5. how many gay people do they think are going to show up there?

i mean i don't know many gay folk who want to go hang at a straight dominated country club.
maybe they think the golf will attract gay folk.:silly:

[arwalden]

8. It's Not That... It's The PRINCIPLE Of The Thing...

BY GOD, they have the RIGHT to be homophobic bigots!!! They are sending a message of hate. It's the faith-based thing to do!

[KnowerOfLogic]

6. Didn't congress pass a similar law wrt the Boy Scouts, basically

punishing any city/state that withdrew the special favors the Boy Scouts get, due to their bigotry. How can Georgia deny Atlanta the right to enforce their statutes, unless this statute is unconstitutional?

[justin899]

7. Druid Hills Also Has Employment Discrimination Complaints Filed

<snip>
Also at the Jan. 10 meeting, the Human Relations Commission agreed to continue investigating another case of alleged anti-gay discrimination at Druid Hills Golf Club, which is currently involved in a lawsuit with the city of Atlanta after the commission found it guilty of discrimination against gay members.

In the second case, Mitchell Anderson, who is gay, said he was fired from his job as a server at the club on the same day he said he complained to the assistant general manager that his co-workers were harassing him based on his sexual orientation.

Druid Hills sent a letter dated Jan. 3 to the commission stating it would not cooperate in the investigation, Brodie said. The club has denied wrongdoing and stated Anderson’s firing was legitimate.

http://www.sovo.com/2005/1-14/news/localnews/bias.cfm

--------------------------------------------

I wonder if this law will impact employment anti-discrimination laws as well.

We've been down this road before with the amendment in Colorado (which was struck down). If this law only applies to gays then it may run into legal problems with equal protection as well. At least I hope so, otherwise, anti-discrimination ordinances in Atlanta will be useless.