At-will discrimination

In Michigan, you can be fired from your job for drinking the wrong brand of beer after work.
Think about it.
We LGBTs think we're in a bad situation. We can be fired simply for being queer (Didn't know that? You need to.) after all, in addition to the other discrimination we face in our schools, in our churches, and within our government.
But the fact is, Michigan employment law puts being queer on similar footing as being a smoker, joining a club, or living with someone of either gender to whom you are not married. In other words – your boss can fire you for being queer, but she can also fire you for having a bumper sticker from the Sierra Club on your car.
And that's just plain wrong.
Why, in a country where we don't allow our government to control our personal lives, do we give that right to corporate entities headed by people whom we don't even get to elect?
Some Michigan Democrats in the state Senate understand that our employers aren't our parents, and they've proposed legislation to do something about it. Sadly, Republicans – supposedly the party of limited government control over individuals' lives – tend to think that corporations should have no limits at all. Given that Republicans control our state's legislature, at least until 2006, the Senate Dems are going to need our help forcing the passage of legislation that will allow us to join clubs, be queer, and drink any damn beer we like without fear of losing our jobs.
Read all about it in this week's issue. Then get involved. This is one issue that can help pull together the straight and LGBT communities, because it is one where we are all at risk.
In other news, this springtime issue of BTL brings you news about a particularly noxious weed – the Federal Marriage Amendment, which is up for a vote June 5. Past attempts to amend the Constitution to govern marriage and divorce haven't even come up for a vote, but for some reason this anti-family, discriminatory amendment is getting its second vote in two years.
Of course, now that our country is awash with budget surpluses, the war in Iraq has come to a peaceful resolution, New Orleans has been fully rebuilt, and George W. Bush is so astoundingly popular, Congress has nothing else to do. Besides, we all know that the high divorce rate in the so-called "red states" is due to the existence of homosexuals, right?
Why is it important for all of us to get involved in this issue? After all, didn't it lose last time? Yes – but if, during this round, the bigots get even less votes than they did before, perhaps this particular weed won't make a return appearance.
We here at BTL would much rather bring you stories like the news about Triangle Foundation's summer camp for youth and Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center's prom than the latest nonsense from the American Family Association and conservative members of Congress.
By helping crush the FMA, you'll bring that dream one step closer to coming true.