Hamtramck United fights attack on human rights ruling

A growing coalition called Hamtramck United Against Discrimination is fighting back against right-wing forces intent on repealing the city’s recently enacted and very progressive Human Rights Ordinance. The coalition is receiving widespread support from many Hamtramck residents as well as numerous organizations, including Michigan Equality and the Triangle Foundation.

In June 2008 the city council passed by a 6-1 vote a Human Rights Ordinance with the support of Mayor Karen Majewski. The ordinance expanded resident protections to include sexuality and gender identity and expression. The ordinance ensures that all residents in this city of 23,000 are protected from discrimination in areas including housing, employment and use of public facilities.

Hamtramck is a municipality located within the city of Detroit. It has a sizeable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population and is also the most multinational city in Michigan. At least 22 languages are spoken in Hamtramck’s K-12 schools.

Shortly after this progressive vote, right-wing forces backed by the Thomas More Legal Center and the American Family Association of Michigan and its president, Gary Glenn, began a petition campaign to overturn the ordinance. These reactionary forces gathered the required amount of signatures to secure a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot to repeal the Hamtramck Human Rights Ordinance.

The Thomas More Legal Center, founded by Dominos Pizza CEO Tom Monaghan, was the main force behind the electoral defeats of affirmative action and same-sex marriage in Michigan. Over the years it has been involved in numerous other attacks on women’s reproductive rights, LGBT rights and affirmative action.

Gregory Manore of Hamtramck United told Critical Moment that the coalition was formed over the summer to defeat the referendum. The coalition meets frequently and has found widespread support within the city and beyond for this struggle against reaction and discrimination.

Said Manore, “We’re not going back.” Although optimistic, he says the coalition knows this fight is far from over.

The coalition is now conducting door-to-door visits, fundraising and literature drops. For more information or to help defeat the right-wing initiative, log on at www.hamtramckunited.org, e-mail: [email protected] or call: 313-719-0375.