• About
  • marygriggs.com
  • Mouth Brothels

Mary Griggs

~ The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

Mary Griggs

Monthly Archives: October 2019

Protecting You and Your Neighbors on November 16

31 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by marygriggs in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Elections, New Orleans, Politics

Voters in Orleans Parish will have the opportunity on November 16 (or, if they’re early voting from Nov 2-9) to add an amendment to the New Orleans City Charter to create a Human Rights Commission.

Ballot language for HRC Amendment – Art. V, Secs. 5-1101 through 5-1103 – CC:

Shall Article V of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans be amended to add Sections 5-1101 through 5-1103 thereto to create a local Human Rights Commission to safeguard all individuals in the City of New Orleans from discrimination and to exercise all powers, duties, and functions provided by applicable state and municipal law?

Currently, New Orleans has a Human Relations Commission, established by ordinance in 1991. We should be rightly proud of a forward thinking City Council that created this advisory body to prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing. Unfortunately, though, because of a court injunction, the existing ordinance has no process for enforcement. It means that if a resident has experienced discrimination, their options are to file an expensive lawsuit on their own or navigate a complex patchwork of federal and state enforcement bodies.

Louisiana state law (LA Rev Stat § 51:2236-2241 (2017)) allows cities to create a local human rights commission. Such a commission would provide a single place for New Orleanians to file discrimination complaints. State law outlines the administrative process, so complaints can be investigated and, many times, resolved through mediation and education instead of through expensive litigation. Should the arbitration not resolve the issue, a charter-recognized commission would be empowered to draft a finding of the violation of law and send it to Civil District Court for enforcement.

I support creating a Human Rights Commission in the City Charter because I believe doing so will better protect residents from discrimination and strengthen the New Orleans’ human rights laws.

For those who scoff at the need for such a commission in this day and age, I believe even a single discrimination complaint is a stain on New Orleans reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to visit or to stay. In fact, the 2018 Annual Report of the Human Relations Commission reports 25 discrimination complaints, clearly showing why we need to create a commission that can investigate, mediate and resolve discrimination complaints.

To those who fear additional litigation arising from this amendment, human rights commissions can often resolve discrimination complaints before they get to court, providing businesses and employers with an option to address issues and receive training.

I urge you to vote yes for the Human Rights Commission Amendment on November 16 to protect your rights and those of your neighbors.

Toward that end, I’m working with the Greater New Orleans Human Rights Coalition (www.gnohrc.org) for passage of this important ballot measure. Individuals, activists, business groups, LGBTQ organizations and civil rights groups all have stake in this initiative. Together, we can help safeguard everyone who calls New Orleans home.

Further information on this and other ballot measures is available from ActionNewOrleans.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Recent Posts

  • Virtual Coffee Talk with NOAGE
  • Six Months from Ida
  • Not Your Grandmother’s Storm
  • 2021 Goldie Winners
  • Coronavirus Journal March 2021

Archives

  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • November 2009
  • September 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • August 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007

Twitter Updates

  • RT @KosherSoul: This image gave me hope before and now. The feelings of the 20% don't trump the 70% who want choice, climate protection, vo… 39 minutes ago
  • RT @TheAmandaGorman: It takes a monster to kill children. But to watch monsters kill children again and again and do nothing isn’t just ins… 9 hours ago
  • RT @shannonrwatts: School shootings are not fucking acts of nature, like hurricanes and tornadoes. They're man-made acts of inaction, of co… 12 hours ago
  • I feel seen at the Laumeier Sculpture Garden. https://t.co/5dpXKZVhDk 20 hours ago
  • St. Louis is the Gateway to the West and they pack a lot into their July 4th celebration! #jigsaw https://t.co/VdN6jL1Cr6 1 day ago
Follow @griggsme

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Mary Griggs
    • Join 108 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Mary Griggs
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    %d bloggers like this: