10:32 a.m: Progressive Alaska announces (based on two calls from reliable sources) that "Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan will veto the civil rights ordinance people have been struggling over there since May."10:32 a.m: commenter pvazwindy at The Mudflats notes the PA post.
Around 2:19 p.m: The Anchorage Daily News updates their ongoing story on the veto possibility, announcing that Sullivan has vetoed the ordinance.
Around 3:00 p.m: Henkimaa posts an article, titled The Veto.
3:17 p.m: Think Alaska posts an article on the veto which includes a quote from Anchorage Assembly member Mike Gutierrez, stating, "it's not a surprise that the Mayor exercised his right to veto the ordinance, but it is a disappointment."
Around the same time: KTUU TV begins assembling information for coverage of the veto story and of the emerging information on a late afternoon protest.
Around 4:45 p.m: Shannyn Moore posts from the Boston area at Just a Girl From Homer:
Mayor Sullivan’s veto today of Ordinance 64 is not a surprise. With a stroke of his pen, he effectively endorsed discrimination against our friends and neighbors. If you weren’t sure whether this ordinance was necessary, you needed only to show up for the fear-based, hate-filled, homophobic public testimony of the religious right wing red shirts-sponsored by powerful emerging not-for-profit Political Action Committees like the Anchorage Baptist Temple led by Reverend and Head X-ian Jerry Prevo. ABT, by the way, owns at least 11 properties that are tax exempt. Other ChurchPACs from Wasilla bussed in their X-ian masses to protest this ordinance. X-ian ChurchPACs from as far away as Colorado and Texas joined in the Tuesday night hate-fest at the Loussac Library over the summer.
The Anchorage Assembly can over-ride his veto, but it will take the vote reversal of Debbie Ossiander. She voted against the ordinance along with Bill Starr, Chris Birch and Dan Coffey. Debbie represents Anchorage’s only hope of joining the 21st century. Other parts of the country are debating gay marriage. Here, with Dano’s veto, we will be chained to the mid-20th century debating whether or not a segment of our society ought to be protected against discrimination. Good grief!Debbie Ossiander somehow flipped from supporting gay rights to now supporting the right of homophobes to discriminate against gays.
As a school board member, Ossiander supported gay rights. In 2001, she voted, along with the rest of the school board (Peggy Robinson, Dave Werdahl, Rita Holthouse, Jake Metcalfe, Harriet Drummond, Debbie Ossiander and Tim Steele) to unanimously approve language including sexual orientation to protect students and faculty from being harassed and discriminated against! Anchorage School Board Policy 114 may be viewed here.
Around 5:00 p.m: The Anchorage Daily News begins a meme that claims "[T]he ordinance would have banned discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in Anchorage." This meme ignores the obvious fact that this isn't over until the assembly votes on the veto. Watch the ADN closely on this between now and next Tuesday.
The veto was covered on afternoon Anchorage talk radio, but I don't have time now to attempt to gauge its accuracy, veracity or depth.
The 6:00 TV news programs covered it too, as did the 10:00 programs, but I was on the phone dealing with fishery issues during both programs, and missed them.
Around 8:00 p.m: Bent Alaska posts a photo from the Loussac Library rally.
8:40 p.m: KTUU TV posts a story by Jason Lamb and video of the Loussac rally, and about the implications of the veto. It is more comprehensive than the ADN story by Don Hunter.
Around 10:30 p.m: Henkimaa posts a thorough set of photos from the Loussac rally.
This was one of the saddest days in the recent history of Southcentral Alaska, in terms of civil rights. It is time to unify, and demand an examination of the tax-exempt status of the Anchorage Baptist Temple.
No Special Rights!
image - Henkimaa