It's all about the Benjamins!! part 2

"Money , Money, Money..." was the the catchy hook from the O Jay's 70's musical social commentary that played a significant role in my early formative days. Back in the day, we called those recordings "albums," versus today's high tech "MP3 or digi formats" that have taken me to the next level of geekdom. Yet, those tunes still loom large in today's culture as the power of finance management and our relationship to it which grabs headlines from coast to coast. I thought we should conclude this series with a few more blurbs about the cash flow affects within the GLBTQ community and beyond.

Cox Family Fued REDUX: Arkansas Attorney General Dustin Mc Daniel has stated that the impending Foster/ Adoptive parent initiative being proposed by the Family Council needs language tweaking. Despite there best efforts, the ballot title appears to be unclear or misleading, if you can imagine that from these folks. They will re-tool this measure then resubmit it within the coming weeks. As I've been looking into their back story, I've learned that this group is well connected and has no problem in the money war chest department. Especially when it comes to passing the collection plate. According to a E-mail alert from the ASD ( Arkansas Stonewall Democrats) they are gathering the ususal suspects for an broad based offensive approach. Are you ready to Rumble?...stay locked in to this forum for the blow by blow details.

Politically Speaking: I'm putting my self into play by attending the Arkansas Delegates Selection Workshop being held at the State Capitol, ( 9/8/07). This session will demonstrate how delegates are choosen for state representation to the National Democratic Convention being held in Denver, CO in 08. As I move through the process, I will be posting all the "in's and out's " as they become available. So wish me luck and get ready, there might be a benefit fundraiser in my future....

From the FYI department: I found this vital information that I felt was important to include in our Lavender Money Series. We all have bill paying issues, mortage fallouts and the day to day grind of living and working in America. Of course this information has it's detractors and the discussion concerning transgender angles and again how best to address the corporate role in LGBTQI politics is ongoing in communities nationwide. However, I felt it best that at least the information the Equality Network is offering should be shared. In my opinion it's a revelant snapshot, but perhaps not the "big picture" into the HR policies of the nation's corporate entitites. Ultimately, I know and you should know, that it's the "shareholders" and profits they really care about. We have highlighted Arkansas' stats in order to bring this report right into our backyard.

Record 94% of FORTUNE 500 Companies Provide Sexual Orientation Discrimination Protection13 of the 30 Noncompliant Companies Headquartered in Texas

Equality Forum, a national and international gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) civil rights organization, announced that 470 (94%) of the 2007 FORTUNE 500 Companies voluntarily include sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies. Equality Forum collaborates in this project with Professor Louis Thomas, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Ian Ayres, William K. Townsend Professor, Yale Law School.
According to Gallup’s May 10-13, 2007, Values and Beliefs Poll, 89% of U.S. citizens believe that gays and lesbians should have workplace discrimination protection. There is no federal workplace protection based on sexual orientation and only 20 states include sexual orientation nondiscrimination in their workplace statutes.
“When 94% of the FORTUNE 500 Companies and 89% of the public support workplace equality, Congress is derelict by its failure to include GLBT citizens in federal workplace discrimination protection,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “There is no cost to provide sexual orientation protection. Corporations and shareholders benefit from a workplace where merit, not intolerance, prevails.”
Of the 30 FORTUNE 500 Companies that are noncompliant, 13 (43.3%) are headquartered in Texas. “When it comes to equality, Texas is a lone and tarnished star,” Lazin stated.
In fall 2003, when Equality Forum began contacting FORTUNE 500 Companies, 323 (64.6%) companies provided sexual orientation protection. Equality Forum made the business case to the 177 (35.4%) CEOs, HR Directors and all members of the Boards of Directors of companies not offering that protection.

The Compliant firms in Arkansas as reported by the survey include: Wal-Mart Stores, Tyson, Alltell and Dillards. The non-compliant entity was El dorado's Murphy Oil.
For the full press release and the FORTUNE 500 Project Web site, which categorizes all FORTUNE 500 companies by rank, state and industry, please visit: http://www.equalityforum.com/

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