Members of the Upstate Pride SC organization are asking the Greenville County Council to rescind a resolution passed in 1996 that says “that gay lifestyle units are directly contrary to state laws.”The resolution also says “lifestyles advocated by the gay community should not be endorsed by government policymakers, because they are incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes.”The Associated Press reported the resolution passed with a vote of 9-3. To read the full resolution, click here. Upstate Pride SC said it submitted a letter to the county council that said, “It is time to remove this bigotry as the official position of the Greenville County Council.” To read the full letter to council, click here. The group plans to attend the council meeting Tuesday night. Caroline Caldwell, Vice-President of Upstate Pride SC, said the organization “will ask them (council) to officially remove the resolution” at the meeting.WYFF News 4 reached out to Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven who gave us the following statement:“How people live their lives is their own business – not County Council’s.” He went on to say that the 1996 resolution was done before any of the current members of County Council were in office. “I doubt if any current Council members were even aware of the resolution, Kirven said. “I wasn’t.”Kirven said the resolution is effectively expired. “It is not a law, or a rule, and it has no influence on policy, Kirven said. “At most, it may represent only a snapshot of a different time and a different circumstance than we have today – it is best left to history.”The Upstate Pride Board of Directors provided the following response: “While we agree with Butch that our lives are personal and individual, we also think it’s pertinent that the view of the past county council be officially addressed and withdrawn. In that action, value and respect for our community is emphasized. We look forward to sharing our stories Tuesday and showing the love our LGBTQ family has for Greenville County.” WYFF News 4 is also reaching out to the members of county council for their response to the group’s letter. We will continue to update this story with those responses as we get them. Upstate Pride SC has also asking people to sign a petition showing support for the resolution to be rescinded. The resolution caused controversy with the Olympic torch coming through the area in 1996.Due to the resolution being passed, the Olympic committee decided the torch would not go through the county. When the torch reached the Spartanburg County line it was put in a camper until it arrived in the Greenville city limits. To read an Associated Press story from 1996 on the issue, click here.
Members of the Upstate Pride SC organization are asking the Greenville County Council to rescind a resolution passed in 1996 that says “that gay lifestyle units are directly contrary to state laws.”
The resolution also says “lifestyles advocated by the gay community should not be endorsed by government policymakers, because they are incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes.”
The Associated Press reported the resolution passed with a vote of 9-3.
- To read the full resolution, click here.
Upstate Pride SC said it submitted a letter to the county council that said, “It is time to remove this bigotry as the official position of the Greenville County Council.”
- To read the full letter to council, click here.
The group plans to attend the council meeting Tuesday night.
Caroline Caldwell, Vice-President of Upstate Pride SC, said the organization “will ask them (council) to officially remove the resolution” at the meeting.
WYFF News 4 reached out to Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven who gave us the following statement:
“How people live their lives is their own business – not County Council’s.”
He went on to say that the 1996 resolution was done before any of the current members of County Council were in office. “I doubt if any current Council members were even aware of the resolution, Kirven said. “I wasn’t.”
Kirven said the resolution is effectively expired.
“It is not a law, or a rule, and it has no influence on policy, Kirven said. “At most, it may represent only a snapshot of a different time and a different circumstance than we have today – it is best left to history.”
The Upstate Pride Board of Directors provided the following response:
“While we agree with Butch that our lives are personal and individual, we also think it’s pertinent that the view of the past county council be officially addressed and withdrawn. In that action, value and respect for our community is emphasized. We look forward to sharing our stories Tuesday and showing the love our LGBTQ family has for Greenville County.”
WYFF News 4 is also reaching out to the members of county council for their response to the group’s letter. We will continue to update this story with those responses as we get them.
Upstate Pride SC has also asking people to sign a petition showing support for the resolution to be rescinded.
The resolution caused controversy with the Olympic torch coming through the area in 1996.
Due to the resolution being passed, the Olympic committee decided the torch would not go through the county.
When the torch reached the Spartanburg County line it was put in a camper until it arrived in the Greenville city limits.
To read an Associated Press story from 1996 on the issue, click here.
