AG candidate Dan Branch to San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro: Drop the equality ordinance.
State Rep. Dan Branch, a Dallas Republican campaigning for attorney general, sent a letter to Mayor Julián Castro on Monday asking that he withdraw the proposed city council ordinance that would ban discrimination of employees based on sexual orientation.
Branch argues that banning discrimination against gay people would in turn unfairly discriminate against people of faith.
“The proposed ordinance itself discriminates — against people of faith,” wrote Branch. “The proposed city ordinance would exclude citizens from being appointed to city office … if they believe — as millions of people of faith do — in the traditional institution of marriage.”
Branch takes issue with part of the ordinance that reads, “No appointed official or member of a board or commission shall engage in discrimination or demonstrate a bias, by word or deed, against any person” on the basis of sexual orientation.
Five other large cities in Texas have similar ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation including Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso and Houston. Branch did not mention his district’s ordinance in the letter.
Branch, 55, filed a court brief earlier this month supporting the state’s ban on gay marriage.
“Equating traditional marriage with discrimination is deeply offensive to millions of Texans and Americans of faith,” Branch said.
I don’t speak for Mayor Castro, of course. But if I did, my response would be as follows:
Dear Rep. Branch,
Drop dead.
Hugs,
Julian
I think that about covers it. Feel free to steal this, Mayor Castro. The Trib has a longer story about the proposed ordinance and the opposition some people have to it, but really, that’s all I have to say at this time.
Admirably succinct and suitable for printing in a family newspaper, too!