Open Propaganda in Houston against HERO

Today’s Washington Post features a front-page article on the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). As the article nicely puts it, a battle has been waged in some quarters.

From what I hear from locals—I grew up in Houston and have relatives there—the national coverage understates the rabid propaganda attack mounted against HERO. Polls show tomorrow’s election as tight.

Here is part of what an old friend passed along, when I forwarded him a short report on the polling:

“You’re very lucky that you’re not here and watching tv. There have been ads against the equal-rights ordinance that would make your skin crawl. Things like abandoned rest-rooms into which a little girl walks, enters a stall, and is immediately trapped by a thug-like male hiding in the stall next to her.”

In summary,

“The notion that sexual predators will use the transgender part of the ordinance to trap and abuse girls/women has become the major point the opposition is making.”

For the race in his City Council district, furthermore, my friend has even gotten a flier from one of the candidates, a school principal, running against the incumbent–who stresses her affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church—mentioning the church’s view/s on sexuality. (Guess which ballot issue this disclosure of private faith would be pertinent to.)

The flier even names the church said principal is a member of, and includes a photograph of the candidate at her grandson’s first communion.

Side note: The Houston mayoral race also looks tight. According to an astute analysis, Sylvester Turner may come in first. Adrian Garcia may have too many problems connected with his record to come in second. Garcia was almost the only Democrat left in Harris County government. He alienated party officials, counting their bird in hand, when he gave up his sheriff’s position to run.

Meanwhile, pensions for Houston city workers are also an issue, with the focus on supposedly controlling “what are described as sky-rocketing pension expenses.” It’s the GOP (candidate Bill King) claim to fame—curtailing the earning and saving capability of working people, undermining and weakening the public sphere, and calling it fiscal responsibility.