Last summer I had the privilege to go to the capital of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife (pictured right), to teach science summer camp with DiscoverE. Yellowknife is a town of under 20,000 people. Life takes on a slower pace there, and everyone drives 10-20 km/h under the speed limit downtown (unlike Vancouver where 20 over the norm).
One of the activities for youth there in the summer (besides the week of DiscoverE summer camps) is The Rock skateboard camp, run by some local evangelical Christians. Hopefully, this group has nothing to do with the following story, and doesn’t breed the same contempt, because from all accounts Yellowknife is a happy little community.
Scott Robertson and Richard Anthony, a gay couple, were trying to rent a room just over a year ago and had signed a lease with Will Goertzen. However, days before they were to move in they noticed that their room was listed online. It turns out that Will, with all his Christian love, had learned of the couple’s relationship (I’m not sure if he though they were just friends who planned to share a bed or something) and decided he didn’t want their kind in his house. The couple had to find a new place to rent since they had already sold their previous home and ended up homeless in Yellowknife for 10 days (the average high in Yellowknife in May is a mere 10oC).
They have already been compensated a portion of their deposit (they haven’t received their utilities expenses back yet) and are expecting to hear back from the courts about their discrimination case in August.
Jason at The Gay White North makes a good point on this story however,
So now I’m a bit worried. On the one hand, I believe Mr. Goertzen must be held accountable for his actions and the consequences of his actions, and on the other hand, I don’t want him to become a hater.
I know I have no control over what other people do or think. And I know how easy it is to label someone who does not share the same worldview as ourselves. I’ve heard characterizations such as "crazy" or "nut job," much too often. But that type of behaviour (ie: discrimination or name calling) will get us exactly the opposite of what we want: live in peace, harmony and happiness.
In an ideal world, everyone would think like us and act like us. But, the world is far from ideal. So, in the meantime, I’d much rather live next door to a homophobe than a hater so please don’t make a bad situation worse.
Please.
In a large city, where few people actually know their neighbours, there’s no real social ostracism that occurs after a case like this. But in a small, progressive town, where everybody knows your name and life story, it could turn ugly quick.
I think Jason’s sentiments are, somewhat ironically, much more Christian than what Will is doing. And this is one of those few cases where the Bible does have some wisdom: forgiveness is sometimes better than revenge.
Hopefully the Will sees the error in his ways (as it were) and learns some tolerance. Otherwise, a small, progressive community has little space for him.
(h/t Friendly Atheist)
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Ian, I agree with you (and Jason) on this – to dump people on the street like that is totally wrong.
I don’t have a problem with selectively choosing tenants for idealogical/religious reasons (similar to choosing a roommate you expect to get along with), but to not notify them and leave them homeless is terrible. (I have no idea if the Charter of Rights allows selecting tenants like that, though.)
(But I have no idea what the skate park has to do with this. Are you trying to cast a bad light on the skate park just because it’s Christian, or is there actually a connection?)
The Charter of Rights only pertains to government services and actions. However, local (either provincial or federal) human rights acts prohibit businesses from discriminating in cases like this. For the same reason that a business can’t say “whites only,” landlords can’t turn away gay tenants.
As for the skate park, I am being malicious and suggesting that it is more likely (although not guaranteed) to promote similar hatred.
Wow! Imagine my surprise to see my very own words quoted on someone else’s blog. I’m not sure what to call the feeling, but I like it.
The Skateboard group has nothing to do with this as far as I know. The landlord is a Baptist and is supported by some people in the congregation. When my husband and I challenged the definition of marriage in the NWT, the interveners for that case were also from that church.
In case you”re interested, here’s an update concerning the landlord:
http://thegaywhitenorth.blogspot.com/2010/07/yellowknife-landlord-who-refused-gay.html
http://thegaywhitenorth.blogspot.com/2010/07/part-2-yellowknife-landlord-who-refused.html
Now we wait……
I wanted to go here to to yellowknife to see the auroras with my family and friends, but after this news I dont want to visit some hick town. Ill go to russia instead to see the auroras
Yellowknife is still a beautiful small town with lots of very friendly people. I think the anti-gay community is very small, and most people there are disgusted by this crime.
What hypocrites , gay activity is amongst quite a few single and married men on the sly but resent seeing 2 Actual gay open couple in public as this may be too much to handle ! And the church won’t help anyone just collect the money to help themselves to pocket as Usual why do you think they are the richest organization in the world ,?, hypocrites who probably fantasize about a guy now and again !
On the rental issue, I hope they win their cause. As for churches providing skate parks, it smells to me like drug vendors who attract potential clients with initial freebies, then once they’re hooked, wham. Churches aren’t about charity, they’re simply looking to increase membership, by any means possible.
Let’s play Devil’s Advocate here. If this was a gay couple who owned a bunch of apartments and a practicing Catholic/Christian family moved in or if a family who was very anti-abortion moved in, do you think the gay landlords would welcoming of them. Speaking of discrimination, my friend worked at the Pottery Barn one year. He is a very kind man who even has friends who consider themselves gay. He was nice to everyone he worked with. But as soon as the liberal, homosexual staff found out he was an Orthodox Christian, they treated him like dirt. How’s that for tolerance and diversity?
As for me, I am a practicing Catholic. If a gay couple wanted to rent an apartment downstairs, I’d maintain a “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” and leave them alone.
Do two wrongs somehow suddenly make a right? Is this how Christian* logic works?
First, there is no direct connection between homosexuality and abortion. In fact, there are entire organizations for pro-life gays and lesbians. Hell, many gays and lesbians are Christians.
Second, the same human rights laws apply. As long as your beliefs and opinions aren’t harming anyone else they can’t deny you service. (e.g. if you’re an abortion-clinic bombing Christian you can be kicked out for breaking the law, but I am not a lawyer).
As for the second story: So what if the work attitude of his co-workers changed? He can’t be fired for being Christian (unless he’s obnoxiously proselytizing at work or attacking others for being gay).
*Obviously not all Christians are as confused as you seem to be.