Prop A dividing Royal Oak community

Signs for, against Prop A popping up all over Royal Oak

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Don't look now but Election Day is less than three weeks away and there are a lot of issues on the ballot.

One such issue has the Royal Oak community divided.

The blue and white signs for Prop A are popping up all over town; it is a very well-funded campaign. There is only a handful of anti-Prop A signs; their campaign is less well funded.

Those against Prop A call the proposed human rights ordinance discriminatory.

On election day here is what voters will read when deciding on Prop A: "An ordinance to amend the code of the City of Royal Oak to prohibit discrimination based upon actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, condition of pregnancy, marital status, physical or mental limitation, source of income, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status, and to provide penalties for the violation thereof."

One issue, protestors warn blood drives, like the Shrine High Blood drive, are put in peril by this law.

"Because certain people cannot give blood, IV users, people who travel outside of the country and specifically men having sex with men are exempt from giving blood, and therefore it's discrimination," said one protestor.

Democratic State Senator Jim Townsend calls that idea preposterous, "This sounds like desperation on their part, we think they can't convince people of their position and so they resort to telling lies, "he said.

One Royal Oak resident says there are no laws specifically protecting homosexuals and transgendered citizens and the city sorely needs one.

The Just Royal Oak organization says this is an answer looking for a problem.


About the Author:

Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Plannerâ„¢ Professional.