I'm live tweeting an historic city council meeting in the hometown of Betsy DeVos, Holland, Michigan. They are discussing and voting on an ordinance to guarantee housing and employment protections for LGBTQ residents.

The meeting starts with an extremely touching and heartfelt prayer by Mayor @NathanBocks. He ask God for help getting neighbors to care for each other and everyone's well-being, even we people they don't interact with everyday.

Onto the consent agenda, contracts for public works and other stuff including 4-H. Meeting attendies can speak to remove items from the agenda. The consent agenda passes.

It is public comment general time! For campaign people, this is a party like call time! They get 5 minutes to speak. Local democracy is alive and well in Holland, Michigan.

The mayor reiterates a call for civil discourse. It's probably necessary. I hope not.

Sherry Walton lives in a condo in Holland. She is opposed to eliminating parking at the end of a cul-de-sac on East 26th Street. The people in the condos use those parking spaces. This is on the agenda, so she's getting cut off. The mayor is sorry about that. I love Michigan.

That is item 8A. It looks like I'm going to be tweeting for a while.

The next speaker is here from Grand Rapids, a member of Movimiento Cosecha. They fight for undocumented Americans, usually in Grand Rapids. You can read a lot about them at http://GRIID.org  (where I used to intern). She is here to speak in favor of driver's licenses...

For undocumented immigrants. This is their big issue, and her points are all valid and urgent. They are tied to the pandemic as well. interesting fact about Holland, although it was almost entirely Dutch when I was a child in the '90s, Holland high is now >50% Latino.

The first speaker is staying by the podium to translate for Spanish speaking Holland residents who are speaking on the issue. This is a fantastic time for them to attend a meeting, with the magnifying glass on it, and I'm happy to boost their message.

I'm also livestreaming the meeting on Facebook live:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160326901967228&id=596567227&sfnsn=mo&extid=L7xJpehu5qecYxzy&d=n&vh=i

The next speaker talks in Spanish about the fear families feel surrounding potential separations and how unfair it is specifically on the children who are citizens and deserve to only have to worry about school. I'm absolutely crying.

He talks about how ICE violence is traumatizing for an entire generation of children and has an impact on their educational environment. He wants the city of Holland to pass a resolution in favor of driver's license for all.

The next speaker says that they're organization has done more for the community than any legislature and that they have defended their community from ICE. She asks them where have they been and what have they done?

I agree generally, this council just got on board this year...

She continues they are there to give the counsel a chance to stand on the right side of justice. I think they deserve at least that chance. The last council would have happily gotten protested for months. I think things are different now.

The mayor reminds the audience to cover their mouth and their nose with their mask. Someone talks back. The mayor tells him the rules require mouth and nose to be covered in City Hall. I'm proud I helped get this guy elected.

A speaker reminds the mayor of the prayer he said at the start of the meeting, and asks council to use their power to pass a resolution reaffirming its truth.

The next speaker says undocumented people in theory should be afraid of getting a license because it means they could be targeted. Instead they are asking for one because they are already targeted.

I think there's a connection to the gun debate here, but it can wait.

Public comment general time is over.

#a2council, the meeting in Holland is way more democratic than the meeting in Ann Arbor. Just saying.

They are now having a scheduled public hearing on some brownfield amendment plan. I'm at this meeting for social justice for once, so...

The next item is the cul-de-sac parking change that the lady who lives in the condo is going to speak about during public comment time. Generally, it takes quite a bit for me to be opposed to a parking reduction anywhere.

"I'm inviting you back this is the appropriate time."

This meeting is the opposite of a shitshow. Bocks the mayor you wish your city had.

The next speaker is opposed to parking in the spot. He encourages more parking enforcement in condo parking lots.

Confession. I am NIMBY about parking.

Onto the reason we're here!

They are describing the Elliott Larson act whichprotects michiganders from employment and housing discrimination for being members of a certain class, currently, although there is a petition in the field to change this, LGBTQ people are not specifically protected.

A council member asks if the religious exemptions from the Elliott Larson Act applies to just employers or employees as well.

He asked some more detailed questions about Eliott Larson and he notes to the audience that he is not opposed to the ordinance, he's examining the construction.

Public comment time.

Maybe.

There may be an amendment.

A council member wants to take out "sexual orientation", "gender expression" and "gender identity" from the ordinance. His reason is "gender" and "sex" can be interpreted to cover those classes.

This is horrifying erasure that would make the ordinance pointless.

The first speaker has a concern of "unintended consequences." He says social "goalposts" should be faith and family.

He seems really nervous.

The next speaker is studying to be a minister and is an out gay man.

He says the ordinance is a prudent way to help the citizens of Holland live well together.

He preemptively calls out people using Christ as a shield to stop this ordinance.

He echoes CS Lewis and says the law is the bare minimum we owe each other. I'm not a big Lewis fan, Tolkien and all of that, butthis is great. He says to pass the ordinance because it is prudent, just, and sets up the playing field for us to love each other better.

Ben Martinez is here. He is a veteran.

He has specific problems with those specific words in the amendment. He asks, "what if I choose to be a female for a day?"

He plays the tired homophobic song about queer people being a threat to kids.

He repeats a stupid QAnon hashtag. This is veiled hate speech at this point.

Ben please stay away from my bars when I'm in town.

The next speaker is from the north side of Holland. That's a different municipality. It's either Holland Township or Park Township where my parents live.

She asks the council to really hear Holland out. She says she wants to speak from her heart.

she says that they need to give it some time, and that they need to be giving consideration to religious rights as well. She says the community needs more time to discuss this. This has been being discussed by council on and off for a decade now.

She says she loves the United States and What it stands for. She says there's due process to remove freedom.

I want to know how many rental properties she owns.

She says there's already an LGBTQ protection law. There is not.

She says that as a Hispanic, if she was discriminated against she would see a lawyer about it, rather than try to get a law passed.

There is no explanation for how dumb this sounds.

She says people should keep what's in the bedroom in the bedroom, and they shouldn't have to expose other people. She says there's no discrimination against LGBTQ people.

She implies that passing this ordinance would harm businesses and make Holland less safe.

Her time expires, and the mayor tells her, and I feel good about hearing that.

"I'm going to get my point across. So far, from right here, I lived in Holland my whole life I went to both West Ottawa and Holland high and that once had I ever seen any sort of discrimination towards the LGBT community."

Be more mad.

She repeats the same transphobic lies about pedophilia and bathrooms that we are sick and tired of hearing.

The Democratic Party needs to step up it's Hispanic outreach in West Michigan. This is a subtweet. In the middle of a threat.

Krista Anderson is here in a rainbow mask! She uses she/her pronouns and has been a psychologist in Holland for 20 years.

She says the specific language in the amendment is necessary for the ordinance. she says it's important that people in those classes know they are included.

On transphobic bathroom arguments:
"There's absolutely no evidence of this whatsoever. I can tell you from listening to folks in Gendersafe that many fear going into public restrooms and avoid this whenever possible."

A minimum of 22 trans people, mostly women of color have been killed since the data has been tracked. This is a good time to remind everybody the mayor's sister is a lesbian, and the mayor ordained her marriage.

She is almost in tears, asking the council to do what is right for the city because it has been way too long. I'm almost in tears too.

The next speaker is a young woman who says love is love and LGBTQ discrimination is never okay.

The next speaker thinks the ideas in the ordinance are comprised of basic logic and human decency, which is logical and decent.

She is tired of having to tell people she's not the type of Hollander who is racist or homophobic. She's a woman of color.

Her parents told her when she was young there were places unlike Holland where they "would feel protected and respected by our fellow humans."

He opposes the ordinance.

He is a Christian minister, and he is reading Romans 13. This is an implied threat. Militia use this passage to warrant violence against the state. No joke. Holy shit.

He says that God has ordained people to punish those who are not good with the sword. This is Romans 13. This is incitement to violence.

He tries to say that because Jesus has created a government within his church, that civil government has no jurisdiction over it. He says he's fulfilling his obligation to be there. He starts to pray a homophobic prayer to a non-existent homophobic God.

From a theology standpoint, this guy is a Protestant, and the government structure Jesus created was through the apostles and it became the Catholic Church. According to my Catholic upbringing anyway.

This guy... doesn't like the ordinance.
He says that Holland is conservative. To a mayor that vocally supported Bernie Sanders.he says there's going to be a backlash, which is the every man version of the Romans 13 threat. These guys are despicable people.

He says it is solid science that there will be problems because a neighboring community will send 250 lb linebackers to play football against what he calls "gender choice females."

Can somebody please cancel him?

The next speaker echoes the transphobic bathroom garbage argument. She can cry into her Mypillow.

This guy is not in favor of the ordinance.

He wants to remove the terms. It seems like there was a little bit of right-wing collusion on this.

This white guy wants to know why some people can impose their idea of reality on others.

Also against the ordinance. This is the most he has said the word "sex" in 2 decades.

Against the ordinance. Uses the same stupid Republican talking points.

Break over.

Mayor Bocks makes a note that masks need to cover mouths and noses.

A young woman, like maybe a high school freshmen urges council to pass the ordinance, saying no one should judge others like they are looking down as a perfect person.

The next speaker is here for the third time to urge the council to pass the ordinance.

She reads notes from Hollanders who are afraid to be out in Holland. The first is a 50 year old lesbian who has lost 2 jobs. The 2nd warned her queer child not to tell anyone her truth to make sure they will love her child through it. 3rd is a trans male who lost relationships.

She has many more cases to read, but she is out of time. She can have my 5 minutes.

The next speaker was not planning to speak, but she wants the ordinance to pass unamended, she felt compelled.

She is angry and tired. She is tired of hearing people say trans people are not oppressed.

His English family was here to welkom the Dutch settlers. He is a minister. He says what you mean when you say welcome matters more than how you spell it. He has a concern of those left outside of legal guarantees of their rights.

He urges council to place more weight on marginalized voices than the voices of those who don't know any of the marginalized people. He urges council to not let those opponents to the ordinance define who is marginalized.

He says the city should take down the welcome signs on its borders if it isn't willing to live up to the full definition of the word. I'm clapping my wooden shoes. Someone buy this guy a funnel cake.

The next person is a white man in favor of the ordinance who says trans people are the ones at risk in public bathrooms, because they are the ones that are demonstrably experiencing violence across the country. He's absolutely correct.

The next speaker is a bisexual woman who leans lesbian but passed as straight for 32 years.

She voted against gay marriage in 2004. She was married to a man at the time. She attributes all of this to her religious beliefs. She literally thought LGBTQ people would burn in hell.

She is here to speak in favor of the ordinance. And make me cry for a 4th time.

The next speaker moved to Holland 3 months ago. She didn't know about the ordinance at the time. She wants the ordinance passed unamended.

The next speaker has been in Holland a year. Someone pointed that she didn't look Dutch when she first moved here.

She is from Iowa, she says families still exist and crops have been harvested there even though they passed LGBTQ protections in 2007.

The next speaker has a @pubtheologian shirt on (donate to his campaign, lots of homophobes here are voting for his opponent). He wants this ordinance passed unamended.

He talks about a gay adopted friend who was disowned for coming out of the closet. The parents fought for years and spent thousands to adopt them.

The next speaker is a Reverend of the 600 member United Methodist Church. His church values the full inclusion of all people in the presence of God. He says the followers of Christ are not of a single mind on his issue. God inspires him to not live in fear.

He delivered 65 signatures of local faith leaders in support of inclusion for LGBTQ residents.

The the speaker Julio was an @miACLU intern and entered the legal profession to make situations like he experienced in Holland growing up more rare. He mentions the Hollander disclaimer we have to give in other places in the state.

The next speaker almost did move here for a job because of Holland's reputation.

She cries. She is pregnant. She doesn't want her child to grow up somewhere that doesn't value all people.

I'm at 5 cries. That is one Notebook.

The next person is a 7ft tall, clearly Dutch man named Paul.

He wants the ordinance passed unamended.

I think we should listen to him.

Also, 6'2" is short in Tulip Town.

The next speaker is trying not to cry. She is a non-binary lesbian. She is terrified about not being able to be employed or find a house.

Another asshole saying the ordinance "elevates one type of person over another".

Fuck his "equality feels like oppression to my white ass" cottage cheese chest dirtbag.

This guy is against the ordinance because of "common sensical" reasons like "homosexuals have come onto" him. He says he "he loved them and prayed for them."
He says Boy Scouts are in trouble for letting "homosexuals" lead groups. He says the same about Catholic priests.

This lady believes God's word is a "two edged sword." She reads Leviticus.

She should read Matthew 6:5 and 1 Timothy 2:12 (she reads 1:10, so close!).

She is against the ordinance.

The next speaker does not have his head up his ass. He is a social psychologist and speaks about implicit bias. He tears apart the arguments against the ordinance.

"Saying that there is no data is akin to victim blaming."

Oooooooooh pinnable tweet.

This guy says this issue seems to be more emotional than a lot of issues.

"This issue is another behavior."

He doesn't live in Holland. He says what happens there "spills" over. Agree. Let's spill over inclusion and protections.

This guy calls out @HollandSentinel and implies the people oppose the ordinance. He misspeaks and encourages the city to not support the amendment (he means ordinance).

Against the ordinance. He says this is bad for wrestling and other sports.

@jlancasta why is this dumb?

Dale is next. He lives on Allegan Dam Rd. My aunt used to live there. My brother and I made lots of dumb jokes about that as a kid.

Dale's husband works in Holland. He wants the ordinance passed unamended. I do too, dam it.

Another one against the ordinance.

This person works in HR and makes hiring decisions. She claims she has never discriminated against an LGBTQ applicant...

Lucy also says the council members campaigned on this issue, she unironically asks if they put "their campaign promises above the citizens."

This guy threatens that passing the ordinance "creates a distinct class" which would give "them preeminence" over "us".

"When I was a kid living around Holland, I thought there were ordinances against public displays of affection." He says straight PDA offends him but...

Gay PDA is more offense because it is "unnatural." "They can't tell me that God created them that way." "This is regressive" "This is going to turn us to ancient Rome." "This is what our forefathers were fleeing." He says race is a myth, all men are "red."

He threatens a legal challenge. He wonders what Pandora's Box it would open.

His time has expired. Bye, John.

Virginia here thinks "you are all stupid with your masks." He shirt confirms my theories about where these clowns got their talking points. She brings up Thomas Van Raalte, the city's original colonizer, or founder of you ask Betsy DeVos.

That was everyone outside of council chambers (social distancing).

1st in room speaker:
"There is a danger to gender inclusion." I believe you are placing this city at risk.

He says the ordinance "paves the way" for voyeurism.

He reads an example of a person filming a stranger in a Target bathroom.

That person is in jail, shitbird.

He says the ordinance "opens the doors to sexual offenders." He says it creates "easier access" and defence from suspicion.

He says there are no "verifiable" instances of discrimination against "homosexuals."

This guy is a dumpster fire of a Christian.

The next speaker lives in Zeeland, but spends her time and money in Holland. She wants the ordinance to get passed. She thanks the council and mayor. There are about 10 speakers left inside.

This woman claims she "harbors hatred for no one." She wants the ordance amended to make it pointless. She seems nervous.

That rant is done.

Jill DeYoung is the "lesbian everyone has something in common with." Her favorite food is tacos.

She speaks about previous city meetings about inclusion, and uses verbatim quotes.

She is a great speaker and I hope she runs for council.

Jennifer is next and says Holland takes pride in its insularity. She wants the ordinance passed unamended. She calls out "West Michigan Nice." She says it a "social escape clause" for getting away from taking stances on controversial issues.

This is all so true.

It parallels Dr. King's critique of white moderates.

Personally, I'm not afraid of speaking out for what is right, even if doing so is a risk to myself, even if the problem didn't impact me, but I have also been called out for being "difficult to read." This is..

How I stayed afloat socially there. The "West Michigan Nice" was on my face. My words are not limited that way.

Amber is next. She is a transgender lesbian. She has run 15 marathons. Estrogen has made her slower and more vulnerable to injury. She has a girlfriend. She works to help domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors in Muskegon. She is Episcopalian.

The Episcopalians think she bakes delicious muffins.

She quotes @ladygaga's born this way.

The next speaker "loves people"

She says LGBTQ activists are "loud," "aggressive," and "hateful."

"We are the ones being spoken evil of and made fearful."

She calls it "reverse discrimination."

We have candidate for US House Byran Berghoef, @pubtheologian! He speaks elequently about empathizing with a bird looking at people and being able to easier to see our similarities.

"We are living friends in the 2020s not the 1920s and 1950s."

"Please don't make me go home to my children tonight and tell them Holland is a place that supports discrimination."

-Bryan Berghoef @pubtheologian

This guy has made up BS exceptions for public bathrooms he wants added to the ordinance. This is codified transphobia.

He says if a trans woman used the Holland Aquatic Center, his family never would have gone there.

Cool. Shorter waterslide line, Alan.

Another asshole, another person against the ordinance. His people don't think the ordinance is needed and it is a threat to due process. He can be more mad.

He says the ordinance "fails to tolerate truth." He says gender identity is an untrue concept. He mentions genitalia.

Then he keeps talking about the pope. This guy is from Chicago. You can just tell.

No offense to the FIPs.

Dr. Linda Dykstra is against the ordinance and her mask doesn't cover her nose.

She quotes Holland's the same crap letter the last asshole wrote.

She says laws can't be based on subjective choice...

For example, the new redistricting law @NotPoliticians passed demands a self attestation of political party for potential commissioners.

Linda continues and does the "this will lead to beastiality and incest" homophobic dance.

She is "familiar" with those activities as a "therapist."

This guy brings up the Boy Scouts again. This is 1990s homophobia, which is the same flavor that killed Matthew Shepard.

She claims the ordinance is a special interest group request. She says it is an "LGBT ordinance." She said she already accepted LGBT people. She is against the ordinance.

"Do we even need teeth in an ordinance?!? What does that mean!?!?"

"Holland voters have a right to be angry."

Thanks for your permission.

This guy, somehow, thinks the ordinance is not necessary. He feels the same way about it as he does shirts that fit.

He said when Holland didn't welcome him, he went to work and "didn't whine."

"They have the same protection that I do. None of us deserve special ordinances."

He says being "fat, bald, and old" is "sort of a handicap."

His mask is not over his nose.

It's up to us he implies the ordinance is a ploy for some people to get attention.

George calls out @pubtheologian (by words, not name) and says, "This is 2020, but that doesn't give us the reason to lower our morals every time a decade or two goes by. Our morals should be what they always were."

Geoffrey from Out On The Lakeshore is here! He reads anonymized written public comments. He explains why no formal complaints of LGBTQ discrimination exist. The city doesn't have a way to record it because there is no ordinance. No one bothers.

Blah blah blah. Grace. Blah blah blah. Majority.

"In the real world it is the minority's burden to justify it's claims to the majority."

This guy isn't allowed in my bars. His jacket is too big as well.

Someone should tell him that the mayor won on this issue by a crap ton of votes.

"Reverse discrimination" finish your drink!

There is a lot of Dutch gospel of wealth predestination capitalism BS here, and I would have to write a few books about it to get across my feelings. Trust me I have a lot.

This lady is raising the next @Ingrid_Jacques, and putting her kids on the homophobic homeschool to Hillsdale pipeline.

She is against the ordinance.

The next speaker is the daughter of council member Jay Peters, who was nearly mayor in 2017 (lost by just over 100 votes). I felt bad about that (I was working on ending gerrymandering). That is why I helped Nate Bocks get elected. That and this ordinance, which she supports.

She says this is about basic human rights, and it is hard to imagine watching people debate your own humanity.

The next speaker is in favor of the ordinance. I am getting pretty tired. It is only 8:42 here (I'm fasting too). It is almost midnight here. @NathanBocks is a legend of an Energizer Bunny mayor.

Jen is an Out On The Lakeshore chair and a leader in the Episcopalian Church. She is a superhero in this fight and has patiently waited to speak towards the end. She is in favor of the ordinance. She refers to the faith leader signed letter. I am in awe.

"It has been horrifying to hear this stoking of fear" against trans women in regards to restrooms. She says fatal violence disproportionately affects trans women, particularly trans women of color.

She is right. And my favorite speaker tonight.

If you are good at poker you can tell when the speaker's list is exhausted by watching the mayor.

Public comment is complete. On to council discussion on the amendment.

CM Scott Corbin made the God-awful amendment. He is disappointed because he thinks this is an antidiscrimination ordinance, not an LGBTQ ordinance. He then essential says being gay is a "disorder."

He says his late brother had Down Syndrom and he doesn't want LGBT residents facing the same kind of discrimination. He then says he thinks this elevates LGBTQ residents.

Does this mean he is against the ADA?

Next election if he runs again, people will see this video again. I promise.

CM "Mike" doesn't like the hate. He is happy that didn't happen tonight. He is concerned about talk about implicit bias, he thinks this means if people disagree about an issue they think each other are wrong.

That ain't it chief.

"If somebody's Black, somebody's Black, right? You get where I am going with this."

I mean I know, but I'd rather you say it out loud and make yourself unelectable.

This jerk bag is encouraging a ballot initiative. I will move back to stop it if this passes and they try to stop it that way.

Mike does a transphobic bathroom scare with a very convoluted but clear dog whistle.

He mentions a hypothetical where a person "changes at the drop of a hat" to "take advantage of the situation."

Mayor Bocks is a hella good lawyer. Bocks asks if the opposed council members want to protect against gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination, they just think those are covered by the terms "gender" and "sex".

Mike calls him out for being a lawyer and generically says he is against all discrimination. He quietly dog whistles an "all discrimination matters" argument. He tries to imply he is on the side of the silent majority.

The silent majority spoke in 2019 when they elected Bocks specifically to pass this ordinance.

Bocks says that the language is clarifying, not elevating, and he says the justification is that it is relatively new. He's absolutely right.

They need to just vote.

CM Garcia has come to realize that he generally trusts people as a default, causing him to be a little blind to some of the interactions he has had that may have actually been influenced by racism (against him). He has prayed on this extensively.

I don't think Garcia knows what his point is.

On the amendment (bad) it looks like 4-3 so far (out of 9). Assuming Peters wants his daughter to keep talking to him and Bocks is opposed.

CM Redmond is fantastic. 4-4 on the amendment. We need on more against.

So far the people opposed to the amendment are in favor of the ordinance unamended.

Roll call. The amendment fails.

Onto the ordinance!

CM Peters is confident there has been adequate discussion on the issue over the last decade. There has. It is time.

I'm at zero calories in 24 hours and either way this vote goes, I am making my first ones a shot of bourbon.

CM Quincy Byrd complains that coaches can't lead prayers at public school football games.

He wants to amend the ordinance exemptions which currently applies to religious institutions to make them apply to religious affiliated (even partially) tax exempt corporations as well.

CM David Hoekstra calls the amendment out as potentially redundant with existing religious protections. This amendment is a grandstanding delay tactic pulled off poorly.

CM Byrd wants a thrift store to be able to fire trans people with impunity. He compares trans people to drug addicts, and says if an employee at a religiousish business gets a drug habit, the employer can fire them based on "biblical principles."

Atheists don't fire drug users?

Bocks comes as close as he can to calling CM Byrd out for potentially attempting to delay passing of the ordinance. He is dropping some great constitutional lawyering. Byrd tries to modify his amendment. At 1:05 AM.

Now CM Quincy Byrd wants to know how long it takes to pass an ordinance.

Every other city council I've ever watched would be derailed by this, and they actually are staying on course very well. This is a monument to the leadership of Mayor Bocks.

CM Mike sounds like he is trying to take ownership of this ordinance. Bocks had a fun look in his eyes. I felt it too, @NathanBocks, I felt it too.

The time wasting amendment from CM Byrd has gone bye-bye.

The feed has died. It looks like cable is out near city hall!

The ordinance passed with a vote of 8-1!

Future ex-council member Byrd voted "no."

Some more business before the meeting ends, but the audience has left.

Almost 200 tweets later, we are adjourned.

Good night to everybody except for Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and Quincy Byrd.