One Royal Oak Unites for Human Rights Ordinance

Mayor Jim Ellison made a special appearance to help kick off a campaign rally for One Royal Oak at Pronto! restaurant Tuesday night. 

"I am the Mayor of the City of Royal Oak and I am not Janice Daniels," Ellison told cheering supporters.

Ellison was referring to the Troy mayor who drew widespread criticism for posting a Facebook status update containing a gay slur. Daniels was recalled last November.

"I am the mayor of a city that will support a human rights ordinance," Ellison said. "We are long past being ready for it."

The Royal Oak City Commission passed a human rights ordinance that was supposed to go into effect in April, but a group against the inclusive law was successful in getting the law postponed and placed on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Allison VanKuiken, campaign manager for One Royal Oak, promised an upbeat and positive campaign. The biggest barrier, according to VanKuiken, is that many Royal Oakers believe the city already has a human rights ordinance on the books.

"I was out knocking doors with volunteers this weekend," VanKuiken said. "We uncovered a surprisingly large number of people that already think this is a law."

Kevin Howley, who ran against L. Brooks Patterson for Oakland County Executive in 2012, said people from all over the country will be watching Royal Oak. 

"This just can't pass," Howley said. "It needs to be an overwhelming statement."

Howley said he personally understands the importance of a human rights ordinance. 

"I had a great opportunity in Denver. I was the chief financial officer for an international company that was rapidly growing. I bought a house and got all settled in Denver," Howley said. "Three months later, I had my review and was told I was doing a fantastic job."

A week after his review, Howley said he had a party for his staff that his partner attended.

"The staff talked about it and within three days I was fired because I was gay," Howley said. "Here I was on the fast track in suburban Denver with a mortgage and very few people that I knew and I was out of a job only because I am gay."

It was an emotional drain that no one should have to go through, he said.

Former Royal Oak City Commissioner and State Rep. Marie Donigan is hoping voters will be motivated in the fall to support the human right ordinance.

"People think their gay and lesbian friends and family are already protected by law and they are not. So really it's just getting people to the polls," Donigan said.

Other guests included State Rep. Jim Townsend, City Commissioners Jim Rasor, Kyle DuBuc and Mike Fournier and Oakland County Commissioner Dave Woodward.