Sample Letters to the Editor in Support of HB 300
Below are sample letters to the editor about HB 300.
Sample Letter #1
To the Editor:
Many people do not know that it is perfectly legal to fire someone in Pennsylvania because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). While some municipalities have their own laws to prevent this type of discrimination, 80% of Pennsylvanians are not covered under these local ordinances. Even in the twenty-first century, exceptional employees continue to be fired when a boss learns they are LGBT.
If Pennsylvania is to remain competitive in relation to other states and the world, we cannot waste talent like this. The most successful companies have already realized this - 462 of the Fortune 500 companies, including all 27 that are headquartered in Pennsylvania, have nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is currently considering a bill (HB 300) to ban employment discrimination - as well as discrimination in housing and public accommodations, like hotels and restaurants - on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. We need this legislation if we are to attract and retain the most talented workforce for our state. Please contact your representative and tell him or her to support this bill.
[Name]
[Address]
[Daytime Phone Number]
(185 words)
Sample Letter #2
To the Editor:
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is currently considering a bill (HB 300) to ban discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations - like hotels and restaurants - against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
The First Amendment right to the freedom of religious expression would continue to be protected if HB 300 becomes law. The bill would amend an existing law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, which already provides exemptions for churches that ban certain classes of people because of religious restrictions on who can hold particular positions. For example, the Catholic Church does not have to hire women to be priests, despite the fact that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act bans gender discrimination, because its religious beliefs state that only men can be priests.
Many court cases have affirmed the right of religious organizations to ignore non-discrimination laws when hiring for any positions that relate to teaching and expressing their faith, not just clergy. Lawsuits by music directors, parochial school principals and teachers, a Hispanic Communications Manager, an Associate in Pastoral Care, a hospital chaplain, a kosher food supervisor, and a university administrator have all been decided in favor of the religious organizations after employees filed claims of discrimination.
Churches that believe homosexuality is immoral do not have to worry about HB 300 - it will not affect them.
[Name]
[Address]
[Daytime Phone Number]
(218 words)
Sample Letter #3
To the Editor:
The United States is supposed to be about equality. One of the most famous quotes from the founding documents of our country is from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
It is troubling, then, that it is still perfectly legal to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the state of Pennsylvania. LGBT employees can be fired from their jobs because they are LGBT, and they can even be refused a table at a restaurant.
This is not fair, and it's not what this country professes to be about.
A bill in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (HB 300) would help to change this by making it illegal to discriminate against LGBT individuals in employment, housing, or public education.
Please call your state representative and ask him or her to support this bill - it is the right thing to do.
[Name]
[Address]
[Daytime Phone Number]
(154 words)
