The Fight To Keep HERO-September 12

As I keep relentlessly pointing out, the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance covers 15 categories, and is a local remedy for the discrimination that our opponents are trying to claim isn't happening..

The straight up lie our opposition continues to try to tell that it is an ordinance only for TBLG Houston is ludicrous. I've pointed out (and will continue to do so until November 3 and beyond) the mind-numbing idiocy of a loud and wrong small cadre of African-American Houstonians opposing the HERO when 54% of the HERO complaints received by the Houston Office of Inspector General between May 28, 2014-January 15, 2015 are race based discrimination, and another 17% are gender discrimination based on a debunked right wing lie..

That's two of the 15 HERO categories that once again, protect Houstonians from housing, public accommodations and employment discrimination based on  sex, race, age, color, gender, familial status, national origin, veterans status, genetic information, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, religion, and sexual orientation..

This commentary from Brandon Ball, Dan Scarbrough, and Ken Piggee speaks volumes about the discrimination going on in H-ton that needs to be addressed.

We can end this unjust discriminatory activity inside the Houston city limits and provide a local remedy for addressing it by ignoring the haters fear and smear tactics and voting YES on Proposition 1 to keep HERO on November 3.

And now, let me present Brandon Ball, Dan Scarbrough, and Ken Piggee, fellow Black Houstonians who were discriminated against last night when they attempted to enter a Midtown area bar.

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My name is Brandon Ball. I am 32 years old. I am African American. Tonight I was with my friends Dan Scarbrough (42) and Ken Piggee (43). Both are also African American. We were in the Midtown area of Houston, TX tonight and tried to go into The Gaslamp. Both Dan and Ken had on blazers. I had on a button up and slacks. When we walked up the guy at the door told us $20 each (pictured below in the long sleeve shirt). We didn't want to pay that amount so we decided to go to the next bar down, The Dogwood, which was free.

After about 30 minutes we left The Dogwood and were walking back. As we passed The Gaslamp we noticed folks walking into The Gaslamp without having to pay. Those folks who didn't have to pay were white. I brought this to Dan's attention a few minutes later and he said we should go back and just watch from across the street to see if there was some "funny business" going on.

Ken, Dan, and I went back and watched from across the street as the guys who were working the front door of The Gaslamp (pictured) allowed white people to come in one after the other. Every black person who we watched try to go in was told there was a $20 cover or that their attire was not proper. One black guy was told that he could not get in because he had on Polo Boots.

I again tried to walk in and was told there was a $20 cover. This was right after I had just seen a group of white guys walk right in.

I finally went and spoke to the cop (also pictured) who was working the door (who is a minority himself) and asked him if he was aware and comfortable with how the door guys were conducting business. His reply was basically..."I just work and do my job and those guys over there do their job." I told him he was complicit but he blew me off.

I then took pictures of the two main guys at the front door (pictured below) and both of them began to ask if I had a problem. The one in the short sleeved shirt went as far to tell me that he hoped I didn't "run up on him in the streets because it would be a problem."

Why does this matter to me? Why is this important? If I have to answer that please just move along. This post is not meant for you. This event occurred in the late night of Sept. 11th. A day in which we as a country are supposed to come together. But events like this just tells us how far apart we are.

Please share this. Please pass along. Please read this and understand what type of establishment The Gaslamp is. If you were at The Gaslamp on this night and had a similar experience please comment and share.

Don't let actions such as this continue with no recourse. If you know the guys working the door let them see this. Please let them. Remember, this is 2015.

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What was that horse feces strewn by our not so esteemed opposition violating the Ninth Commandment about the HERO being a 'gay rights bill'?   The HERO is a civil rights bill, and it needs to be part of our Houston Code of Ordinances.  You can ensure it stays there with a YES vote on Proposition 1.

 If HERO had been in effect instead of being fought by a cadre of loud and wrong right wing ministers and GOP activists, this incident probably wouldn't have happened..

If HERO had been in effect instead of messed with by SCOTX,, Mr. Ball, Mr. Scarbrough and Mr. Piggee would have had a local mechanism to go to the Houston Office of Inspector General to file and pursue a discrimination complaint against the Gaslight Bar for a HERO public accommodation violation

But no thanks to those clueless ministers, conservative activists and the all Republican Texas Supreme Court, hatin' on the HERO, our local human rights law is not in effect for now, and bars like the Gaslight will continue to discriminate against people until there is a cost they have to pay for doing so.

TransGriot Note:  Thanks to Brandon Ball, Don Scarbrough and Ken Piggee for allowing me to share their story.