Sample Letter to City Council

December 16, 2011

In January the Equal Employment Ordinance will be reintroduced to the Omaha City Council. Heartland Clergy is encouraging people of faith to write letters in support the ordinance and mail them to the City Council. Below is a sample letter that you can use as a template.

SAMPLE LETTER

DATE

Omaha City Council

1819 Farnam Street, Suite LC-1

Omaha, NE 68183

Members of the City Council,

I am writing in support of, and asking you to vote for, the upcoming city ordinance which will add sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity as additional protected categories under the City of Omaha’s prohibitions against discriminatory employment practices.

Freedom from discrimination is the right of all people and we should strive to see that everyone in our community is treated with fairness and equality.

As a person of faith, I find no basis from within my faith to condemn or deny the rights of any person based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Rather, my faith compels me to embrace the full inclusion of all people regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

[EXTRA PARAGRAPH FOR THOSE FROM OPEN AND AFFIRMING CHURCHES] My local congregation [NAME] and/or my national denomination [NAME] is welcoming and inclusive of all persons regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. By welcoming and affirming all persons we bear witness to that spirit of hospitality and love which rests at the core of our religious identity.

My faith further compels me to work for an end to all religious and civil discrimination against any person. All laws must include and protect the freedoms, rights, and equal legal standing of all persons.

Sincerely,

NAME

FAITH COMMUNITY ONE IS MEMBER OF

Written by Scott Jones