HOUSTON – On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance, or Proposition 1, was voted down. The following may be attributed to Terri Burke, Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas:
“It’s a tragedy that Houston remains the only major city in Texas—indeed, the last big city in the United States—that does not extend equal rights protections to all of its residents and visitors. This is not who we are and I hope when this issue arises again, the city's majority will vote and do the right thing. The next mayor and newly elected members of Houston’s city council must prioritize the passage of a new equal rights ordinance as quickly as possible.
“Opponents of equality utilized fear-mongering and disinformation to sway Houston voters to deny equal rights and protections to people in this great city, but none of us who have worked to bring equality to Houston are throwing in the towel. We will continue the fight to ensure that everyone can live fairly and equally under the law.
“We have been honored and privileged to host the dedicated staff of the Houston Unites campaign in our headquarters and in our homes. We intend to harness the energy and enthusiasm of everyone who came together for this campaign to continue the fight for equality in Houston and across Texas.”
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