On Monday night, the Chapel Hill Town Council vote was unanimous, just as it was on Saturday in Carrboro: HB2 needs to be repealed, as soon as possible.
Following the lead of it’s “weird little brother,” as Carrboro Alderperson Damon Seils humorously referred to his town during public comments at Chapel Hill Town Hall Tuesday night, the council approved resolutions to condemn HB2, and those lawmakers, listed by name, that voted for it.
You can read both resolutionshere.
After the votes were taken, and public comments were made, council members weighed in with some strong opinions about HB2. The hastily approved law takes away LGBT protections in North Carolina; bans local jurisdictions from enacting their own protections without approval from the state; and bans citizens from suing for discrimination in state civil courts.
“We’re going to do whatever we can to continue this fight,” said council member Michael Parker. “I think what’s doubly troubling to me is that, not only was this hateful, but it was incredibly cynical. This is a legislation that was passed in an election year, signed within milliseconds by the supposedly moderate Republican, to gain advantage in an election year, just as Amendment One was.
“So it’s a combination of hate and cynicism, that is so incredibly disturbing to me.”
Council member Sally Greene said there are “disturbing echoes of what happened in this state during, and since Reconstruction” in the General Assembly majority’s work to strip controls from local governments, and to make districts safe for conservative majorities.
And Mayor Pro Tem Donna Bell rejected Republican claims that barring transgender people from using public restrooms that do not conform to their “biological sex” was necessary to protect women and children.
“As a women, I do not need to be protected,” said Bell, “just like I didn’t need my reproduction rights protected by the state of North Carolina. As a mother, I do not need to state to protect my child. That is the responsibility of me, as a parent, to make sure of the safety of my child.”
At the urging of Amanda Ashley, a transgender Carrboro resident and military veteran, the resolution was amended to include language that calls for reinstatement of protections against discrimination affecting vets.
Mayor Pam Hemminger said that council members Ed Harrison and George Cianciolo were unable to attend on short notice. In recognition of Monday’s resolutions, rainbow flags will be raised in downtown Chapel Hill today.
