An Overview of Proposal 1

A political extremist group known by the deceptive name of Traverse City Voting Yes for Equal Rights, not Special Rights failed in their attempt at spearheading an anti-gay initiative in Traverse City that would have amended the Traverse City Charter (the city constitution) on November 6th. 2001. The amendment would have required the city to permanently discriminate against people who are, or might be perceived to be, lesbian, gay or bisexual.

TC Yes claimed to represent a silent majority of voters, yet there have been numerous reports of people, even lesbians, gays and human rights activists, who say that they were deceived and misled into signing the petition circulated by TC Yes petitioners who promoted their charter amendment proposal as a pro-civil rights initiative.

TC Yes Campaign Managed by National Extremist Group

TC Yes is heavily supported, and managed, by an extremist political organization from Tupelo Mississippi known as the American Family Association, through an office in Midland Michigan.

The AFA recently found itself at the other end of the scale of judgement when it discovered that the most popular Internet filtering software, The Learning Company's Cyber Patrol, had added the AFA Web site to its "CyberNOT list," making it inaccessible to users who choose to block sites deemed offensive or inappropriate for children.

Cyber Patrol added AFA.net into its "Intolerance" category, along with such websites as the White Supremacist and Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke Report, Fred Phelps God Hates Fags and WhitePower.com. [Read Story]

Most People in Traverse City Abhor Supremacist Organizations

Former white supremacist and Aryan Nation's recruiter Floyd Cochran visited Traverse City to help us learn how supremacist groups organize and function, and to help us understand the risk that supremacist organizations represent to our community.

He said, "The slogan used by the Traverse City group seeking to amend the city charter to prohibit protections for gays and lesbians is identical to language on the Website of longtime Klu Klux Klan activist David Duke. The local group, Traverse City Voting Yes For Equal Rights Not Special Rights, which is backed publicly by the American Family Association, is using rhetorical tactics used by the KKK for the past five years."

The tactics of the TC Yes group, said Cochran, are strikingly similar to those he used as an Aryan Nation's recruiter. [Read Story]

"If your area becomes a haven for people who hate, people won't come to vacation here. I have seen it happen," Cochran said.

No matter how much sugar they attempt to coat it with, the TC Yes message is clearly the same as that of the hateful extemist, the Rev. Fred Phelps: "God Hates Fags!" [Statement by People of Faith | City Statement Opposing Phelps Visit ]

Traverse City's Leadership Denounces TC Yes

On the 6th of August, 2001, the City Commission of the City of Traverse City overwhelmingly passed a resolution denouncing TC Yes and their anti-gay charter amendment (scheduled to be decided on the November 6, 2001 ballot). [View the City Commission Resolution denouncing TC Yes ]

The City Commission officially urged voters in Traverse City to vote NO on Proposal 1. [Read Story]

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northwest Michigan Opposes Proposal 1

The ACLU strongly opposes the adoption of this proposed amendment, known as Proposition 1, for several reasons. The sponsors of the amendment say they favor "equal rights not special rights," but their slogan is misleading. Should the amendment become law, the only "special" right that the gay community would enjoy is that its members would never be protected from discrimination in Traverse City. As such, it is blatantly anti-democratic. The sheer arrogance of the proposed amendment should offend the sensibilities of every person. [Read Statement]

"TC Yes" Unplugged

Incorporating bias and discrimination into the Constitution and limiting religious freedom is much more of a threat, and a dangerous path for a nation that calls itself free. Michael M. Coats Psychologist

We Are Traverse City will continue to reveal the myths, half-truths, supremacist tactics, and outright lies employed by TC Yes (Traverse City Voting Yes for Equal Rights, not Special Rights) in their self-righteous effort to frighten Traverse City into voting to legislate discrimination against our friends and neighbors.