Agenda - 06-24-1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Doe ORANGE COUNTY Action Agen' ,--BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Item No. - .- ... ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT DING DATE June 24, 1986 Subject: Gay and Lesbian Proclamation Department: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS I Public Hearing: Yes - X no Attachments: Information Contact: Commissioner Norman Walker Phone Numbers: 732-8181, 968-4501, 227-0231 PURPOSE:Board Action on this document. NEED: The Chairman signed a proclamation honoring Gays and Lesbians because of their great contribution as citizens to the political, spiritual, artistic and civic life of our County, State and Nation. He did not have authority to do this. Under North Carolina law and our own adopted rules of procedure it takes a majority of the Board members with a quorum present to take official action_ No Commissioner can act for us unless we authorize him to do so in a public meeting. A greater problem with the proclamation is that under the cloak of anti-discrimination this proclamation promotes and elevates homosexual and lesbian practices. It should be pointed out to these people and to the County citizens what the law says about the subject and what modern medical science says are dangers connected with that lifestyle. North Carolina law G.S. Article 26, section 14-177 defines a Crime against nature: "If any person shall commit the crime against nature, with mankind or beast, he shall be punished as a Class felon. Medical authorities tie homosexuality to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrone (AIDS). Here are some of the statistics: 1. Of the 13,000 cases in the U.S., 73% are gay men. 2. AIDS is the leading cause of death in San Francisco and New York for men between the ages of 25 & 44 who have never been married. It is second to cancer for cause of death among this age group for men. 3. In the news this past week another medical authority with the Center for Communicable Disease Control in Atlanta said AIDS victims would soon exceed highway fatalities as the cau- of death in the country.