'No Hate in Our State' Campaign Continues at the KY State Fair August 19, 10:15AM
Public Awareness of KY Farm Bureau's Discriminatory Policies Chief Focus at Fair
August 18, 2010 - As part of the Fairness Campaign's ongoing "No Hate in Our State" campaign, a dozen grassroots and social justice organizations have joined to raise public awareness of the Kentucky Farm Bureau's discriminatory and unjust policies detailed in a recent Farm Bureau policies manual. Thousands of Kentucky State Fair visitors will be given a "No Hate in Our State" temporary tattoo attached to a flyer detailing many of the Kentucky Farm Bureau policies in question. The action will launch the first day of the Kentucky State Fair, Thursday, 10:15 a.m. at the Fairness Campaign/Kentucky Fairness Alliance booth in South Wing C of the Fair, booth numbers 165/166.
A letter was sent to Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney this week asking that the Farm Bureau strike the unjust policies from its manual that supposedly "represents the thinking of 470,934 Farm Bureau member families in 120 counties" in Kentucky as of 2009. Policies the growing coalition of organizations oppose include those that advocate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, anti-labor policies, and Farm Bureau support of the death penalty among others.
These organizations oppose one or more of the Kentucky Farm Bureau policies listed below, and request their removal from the “Kentucky Farm Bureau Policies” manual:
American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU-KY)
Fairness Campaign
Jefferson County Chapter of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Kentucky Jobs With Justice
Lexington Fairness
Metropolitan Community Church
Sienna
W.E.N.C.H.
Women In Transition (WIT)
From the "2009 Kentucky Farm Bureau Policies" manual:
p. 15, lines 52-53: "We maintain our belief in the equality of all persons under the law and we are opposed to granting special privileges to anyone."
p. 15, lines 54-55: "The institution of marriage should only be recognized as the legal union of a man and a woman."
p. 15, lines 56-57: "We are opposed to any state-supported agency providing benefits to 'domestic' partners."
p. 16, lines 1-2: "We strongly believe in the value of all individuals both born and unborn."
p. 57, lines 47-48: "We strongly oppose teacher strikes. We oppose legislation that mandates collective bargaining for public school employees."
p. 58, line 20: "Alternative lifestyles should not be taught in public schools."
p. 71, line 12: "We oppose an increase in the minimum hourly wage."
p. 71, lines 13-14: "We recommend that the federal prevailing wage law be repealed when dealing with government contracts."
p. 71, lines 23-25: "We strongly oppose any mandate that would require any government entities to recognize and collectively bargain with employee unions."
p. 71, lines 27-27: "Furthermore, we oppose public employees being permitted to strike, organize work stoppages or slow-downs."
p. 71, line 33: "We oppose unionization of farmers and farm laborers."
p. 82, lines 15-16: "We support efforts and laws to strengthen the sanctity of families."
p. 82, line 82: "We support capital punishment."
WHAT: "No Hate in Our State" Awareness Campaign Launch of KY Farm Bureau's Discriminatory Policies
WHEN: Thursday, August 19, 10:15 a.m.
WHERE: Kentucky State Fair, Fair and Exposition Center South Wing C, Fairness Booths 165/166
WHO: Fairness Campaign Volunteers and Staff
Recent Comments