Salisbury Charges That Purpose Of HRO Is To "Split Politics"-"Does Nothing For Gays"

In an e-mail communication to Advance Indiana editor Gary R. Welsh today, Indianapolis Republican councilor Earl Salisbury charges that the purpose of the Human Rights Ordinance is to "split politics", and that "it does nothing for gays."

Advance Indiana first reported last night on a sarcastic reply Indianapolis Republican councilor Earl Salisbury sent to Lori Morris, who had e-mailed Salisbury and other councilors concerning the newly reintroduced Human Rights Ordinance (HRO). Salisbury, who voted against the HRO last spring and still opposes it, poked fun at the notion that passage of the HRO would help end abuse of gays and reduce suicide rates. Morris' e-mail included a touching letter written by the mother of an abused, suicidal teen-ager.

Advance Indiana editor Gary R. Welsh e-mailed Mr. Salisbury a link to the story with the following message:

If you wish to demean the importance of the HRO to the Indianapolis' gay, lesbian and transgender persons through e-mail communications to its supporters, then we are more than happy to oblige you by sharing your views with the entire Indianapolis community.

This is what people are reading about you today: http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/

As a life-long Republican, I am embarrassed and ashamed of the bigoted views held by so many GOP officials in Marion County. As long as the face of the party is you and Virginia Cain, we are assured of permanent minority status in this county. Have you forgotten what the Party of Lincoln is all about?

Sincerely,
Gary Welsh

Salisbury initially responded this morning to Welsh with a one word e-mail reply: "Lies." He followed that response up with this simple sentence: "Which is the purpose of this ord." Welsh asked Salisbury to clarify the meaning of his last e-mail message. He replied, "The purpose of this ord is to split politics. It does nothing for gays. Those nasty republicans are mean."

Steph Mineart, editor of A Commonplace Book, reported in a comment to the Salisbury posting on an e-mail exchange that he had this morning with Lori Morris and Rock Indiana's Pepper Partin. Mineart said: "He had an ongoing exchange with Lori and Pepper Partin about his response, in which he claimed that he wasn't being flippant but was asking a serious question about gay suicide rates, saying that unless we can prove suicide rates will go down, he won't vote for the act." Is this man for real?

Whatever is motivating Salisbury to say the things he is saying, one thing is clear: He's an absolute embarrassment to the Marion County Republican Party and to the citizens of Marion County. But don't expect to hear any criticism of him from any of its current leadership, who are also riding the anti-gay bandwagon.