The city of Lewiston, Idaho has become the 9th city in the state to ban discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation based on sexual orientation, gender identity or familial status. As The Lewiston Tribune reports, the vote came last night and the ordinance passed 5-2.
One of the two "no" votes came from Mayor Pro Tem R.J. Johnson who previously commented that the ordinance would infringe “on our basic civil liberties." Councilor Clinton Daniels cast the other "no vote", surprising few as he was equally as concerned as Johnson in the lead up to the vote about how the legislation could lead to jail time and fines for those refusing to serve LGBT customers:
"My strong belief in liberty compels me to oppose ordinances that do not respect private property, freedom of association, and voluntary contracts; even when the stated goal of such ordinances is something I support.
When you engage in commerce, whether it be for a personal sale or a commercial one, it is a form of a contract, and in a free society all contracts should be voluntary."