CONTACT: Bob Larimer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(360) 806-4271 (Pager) November 5, 1997
Vancouver--The No Official Preferential Employment (N.O.P.E!) Committee opposing Initiative 677 (Washington state's ENDA), today congratulated the voters of Washington state for their common sense in defeating this misguided measure, Initiative 677.
N.O.P.E! Spokesman Bob Larimer stated: "The voters of WA have made it clear that they believe in equal rights, not special rights. They recognized that I-677 was unfair and that, besides producing unnecessary workplace tension and an epidemic of costly lawsuits, the measure would have trampled on the Constitutional freedoms of speech and conscience of our state's citizens.
"Though we were out-spent 15 to 1, N.O.P.E. managed to do an effective job of grassroots campaigning, along with the help of Steve Largent in a third down and long yardage situation! While the opposition attempted to use sympathetic pleas and unproven claims, N.O.P.E. focused on showing how oppressive and unfair the effects of I-677 would have been in our state's workplaces. We are grateful that the good sense and true fairness of voters led them to agree with our conclusions.
"It is our hope that Congress will pay close attention to the outcome of this election, taking its cue from the citizens of Washington state and defeating ENDA at the national level. It is past time to recognize the equality of all citizens and reject the notion that claimed or perceived private sexual behaviors deserve government recognition and minority status."
The defeat of I-677 sends a strong message to the state legislature as well, that they need to take appropriate action to repeal the the state's Sexual minority Initiative, as well as the Executive Orders of governors Gardner and Lowry that imposed sexual orientation provisions in the employment practices of state government. Yesterday's vote is clear: No more class distinctions and victim status in state law.
The N.O.P.E! Committee recognizes and thanks all the people across the state who worked to make this a successful effort for "We the People" of Washington state.
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Paid for by N.O.P.E. (No Official Preferential Employment), P.O. Box 1464, Mead, WA 99021