Macon Takes a Stand Against Discrimination

Atlanta – The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia today applauded the Macon-Bibb County Commission for passing a resolution in support of comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for all Georgia residents, including LGBT Georgians. The resolution, taken ahead of this Saturday’s Macon Unity March and Rally Against Discrimination, endorses Senate Bill 119, comprehensive legislation that would strengthen Georgia’s historically weak civil rights protections.

“This resolution sends a strong statement about Macon’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and protecting the civil rights of all its residents,” said ACLU of Georgia Executive Director, Andrea Young. “With progress on comprehensive nondiscrimination stalled in the General Assembly, local communities have a vital role to play in making sure that all Georgians are treated equally under the law – no matter what they look like, what they believe, or who they love. We encourage municipalities around the state to follow Macon’s lead and take a stand against discrimination in all of its forms.”

The ACLU of Georgia, which will be participating in this weekend’s March on Macon, has been working as part of a coalition to urge the Georgia General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 119 to address the fact that Georgia’s current nondiscrimination protections are some of the weakest in the nation.

Under SB 119 and its House companion (HB 488) all persons would be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation without discrimination or segregation on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

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