You want to know why I supported Jared Woodfill for another term as the Harris County Republican Party Chair? Because he isn’t afraid to stand up for what is right and what the majority of Harris County Republicans support. Being a spokesperson for the party is critical – I fear that in the future, obnoxious provisions such as letting men cruise women’s restrooms will pass because no one will be there to stand against them. Jared fought and fought hard against the ordinance and specifically that obnoxious provision. Today, Houston Mayor Annise Parker dropped the provision.
Conservative groups have taken issue with a paragraph that states: “It shall be unlawful for any place of public accommodation or any employee or agent thereof to intentionally deny any person entry to any restroom, shower room, or similar facility if that facility is consistent with and appropriate to that person’s expression of gender identity.”
(click here to read the original article by Olivia Pulsinelli in the Houston Business Journal)
Make no mistake, this would not have happened without Jared’s involvement. It saddens me that some Republicans in Harris County criticized him for his opposition to the measure. As a father of two daughters and now one granddaughter, I appreciated his efforts. I reached out to him and he was still not happy because he wants the entire ordinance to be defeated.
I was encouraged by the thousands of individuals who stood against the Mayor’s liberal, personal agenda for the City of Houston. We will soon find out whether she is listening. Regardless of the result, this is just one battle in a larger cultural we must win!
While I agree with his ultimate goal and wish that the Mayor of Houston would concentrate on fixing potholes, I still think that his efforts were very much worthwhile. And I’m very disappointed that Paul Simpson, Chair-elect of the Harris County Republican Party, remained silent on the issue.
Look, I’m very much on record as supporting a national NDO law and in support of two individuals, regardless of sex, being able to marry and live their lives without discrimination. But the idea that the intimacy of little children going to a restroom can be violated by perverts under the guise of “law” is revolting. And my revulsion has nothing to do with transgendered people – if you have already had the surgery, obviously you have ‘put your money where your mouth is’ so to speak, so that is a non-issue. Men entering women’s restrooms and then claiming that they are protected because Annise Parker says so is ridiculous.
Thank you Jared.
How do you know there wasn’t a concise plan to do it with Jared taking the heat against the left? Seems to me, the spokesman for the Harris Co party is hands off and Jared got it done. There won’t be huge headlines for weeks in the Houston Comical. Smart move.
Thanks Jared, but where was Paul Simpson – a no show???
Liz Theiss sent out a lot of messages asking people to show up. We have some people in our part of the community who are activists and way ahead of Jared. We see his announcements days after Liz sends hers out.
I suspect this clause was a throw-away just waiting to be tossed.
The expansion of protected classes continues, making some more equal than others at law.
In fear of litigation costs we might expect some high profile businesses to bend over backwards to accommodate the protected ones, to the detriment of equal treatment for all.
“As a father of two daughters and now one granddaughter, I appreciated his efforts.”
Amen, good sir.
“Look, I’m very much on record as supporting a national NDO law and in support of two individuals, regardless of sex, being able to marry and live their lives without discrimination. ”
Obviously it’s been a too long since I’ve read your blog. When did that happen?
The Harris County Republican Party has been active, both politically and in the courts, over the last month or so in opposing Mayor Parker’s gay-rights agenda. But where were they when Mayor Parker was running for re-election last November? She was emboldened by her lopsided victory, which occurred, in part, because the Republican Party did not put up even a slightly-credible candidate for mayor.
Bill Frazer was a political rookie and he almost won, with 48{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} of the vote for City Controller, but with little support from the Harris County Republican Party. The HCRP failed to oppose Mayor Parker politically last November, and now it wants credit for opposing her when it is too late. They deserve little credit, and it was good that there has been a change in leadership.
The real problem with the ordinance is the bureaucracy it creates. I absolutely don’t want men walking in on either of my daughters when they are in the restroom, but I understand they have stalls with locking doors in their restrooms.
I don’t want someone from the city showing up at my office, or that of one of my clients saying “We have a complaint that you refused to do work for someone because __________________” and demand to see records that prove or disprove the accusation.
The government already requires me to make and keep too many records based on the fact that I make money and employ someone. It is ridiculous that they now want me to generate and store even more paperwork.
I’m Tom Zakes and I approve this message.