Legislating Gay Rights?

Most Americans are familiar with the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Most people know who Martin Luther King Jr is, and they are aware of his famous "I have a Dream" speech. In many Southern cities and states, segreegation was a requirement by the government. 'Colored skinned' people could not sit with people who had white skin. There were seperate seating sections in restaurants, concerts, on the bus, and even they could not use the same drinking water fountains. In a free society, it seemed odd that some law abiding people be required by law not to mingle with other law abiding people.

Thus came the Civil Rights Movement.

This movement not only pushed to gets those laws eliminated, but it also pushed to make bigoted acts illegal. With the Civil Rights Act, it would eventually become illegal to refuse service, housing, business, or employment to somebody based on their race (as well as gended and national origin). This was supposed to bring minorities on equal standing with whites in society. How well has it worked? Let's fast forward to 2006.

Are miniorities making as much money as whites?
Who lives in the poorer parts of town?
Are the worst schools generally racially diverse schools?

The answers are no, no, and no.

In the early 1900's, there was a lot of anti-Irish discrimination. When looking in old newspapers from the era, one could see Help Wanted ads with the words "Irish need not apply" on the bottom of the ad. In the first part of the 20th century, there was also a lot of anti-German bigotry. Even before World War I, there were many people of British decent that would not do business with a German. What laws were passed to make Germans and Irish on equal footing as other Americans? None.

My question now is, why would we expect to have a Gay Rights Law in Cincinnati be any different? If the entire 20th century has shown that we cannot pass laws to make people equal, why is there a debate about there being yet another law to do something that has not been accomplished before?

Obvious, somebody who is a staunch homophobe would be against this law. However, somebody who is the staunchest of Gay Rights supporters should not support this ordinance is going to be nothing more than a useless law that will give the Government more power over the lives of oridnary people.

This law is just like so many other government programs, they are very well intentioned, but so badly misguided.