The Texarkana, Ark., antidiscrimination ordinance, popularly known as M-130, was defeated at the polls on Tuesday.
Soundly.
The vote was just over 3,400 to repeal the ordinance with only 881 voting to keep it. That's a landslide by anyone's reckoning.
Those who led the repeal effort are happy. They even held a celebration Tuesday night.
Understandable. They won.
But what, exactly, did they win? That's a question everyone who voted for repeals should ask themselves as well. What did you gain by getting rid of M-130?
The ordinance was passed unanimously by the city's Board of Directors in January. It said the city will not discriminate in selecting vendors, employment or providing city services "because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political opinions or affiliation."
It also stated that city contracts with private vendors will contain a clause stating the vendor agrees not to discriminate as well.
That's it.
But those opposed to M-130 put all their efforts into convincing Arkansas-side voters that the ordinance somehow made it legal for men to enter women's restrooms.
It didn't. That was already legal since there is no state or city law segregating public restrooms by gender. But facts are one thing, politics another. The repeal faction knew they couldn't win on facts. So they went with fear and emotion.
All across town signs went up telling residents to repeal M-130 to "Keep Men out of Our Daughter's Bathrooms."
Misplaced apostrophe aside, the message was effective. A lot of folks were convinced that M-130 had somehow made it legal for men-including, by implication, hordes of sexual predators-to invade restrooms designated for the female gender.
Maybe that what's you thought if you went to the polls and voted to repeal M-130. So, now that the ordinance has been voted down, is it illegal for men to go into the ladies room?
No. It's still legal. Always had been legal. It was legal before the ordinance was passed. It's still legal now that the ordinance has been repealed, because M-130 didn't change anything about restrooms.
If you voted to get rid of the ordinance because you were worried about protecting women, as you were repeatedly told by the repeal effort, you won nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
So what did those who organized and led the repeal effort win?
The ability to discriminate against gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender citizens-who are not protected by federal law in the private sector as are most other minorities-and still do business with the city. That's it. That's the only thing the M-130 repeal accomplished. That's the prize. Continued discrimination.
Maybe some of you think that's okay. So be it.
You can be certain of one thing, though. This so-called victory is only temporary.
Those who support discrimination against the LGBT community are on the wrong side of history, just like those who fought against school integration and for Jim Crow.
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the last state laws against homosexual relations more than a decade ago. Same-sex marriage is legal across the land. It won't be long before LGBT Americans will be assured the same basic rights as everyone else.
Those opposed can protest, petition and shout loud and long, but they won't be able to do a thing to stop it.
