Bill Freeman, Michigan Pastor, Becomes LGBT Rights Advocate After Pushing For Anti-Discrimination Legislation

A Michigan pastor has become an unlikely advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights after urging his municipality to adopt laws that would protect citizens against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

As NPR is reporting, Pastor Bill Freeman is pressing the city of Holland to amend anti-discrimination legislation to prevent residents from getting fired or kicked out of their homes because they are LGBT. Freeman, chaplain of Holland’s Interfaith Congregation and a married father of two, has appeared before the Holland city council on several occasions after officials first rejected modifying the laws June 15 with those specifications.

"I'm an eternal optimist. I mean, I stay around to the end of these meetings hoping somebody will say, 'You know, Freeman makes a good point. I'll change my vote,'" Freeman, who faces a $500 fine and up to 90 days in the county jail because he refused to leave Holland City Hall in an "Occupy Wall Street"-like move after an October meeting, told NPR. Freeman, who says he planned to live and sleep inside the municipal building until city council members reconsidered their votes, even likened himself to Martin Luther King Jr. "Sometimes, I think the only thing you can do is civil disobedience," he is quoted by The Holland Sentinel as saying. "I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried everything else."

Freeman joins local group Until Love is Equal in the fight against LGBT discrimination. "I think Holland is a very tough community to get anything to change,” Genevieve Perry, one member, told Michigan Radio. "All of these conservative, more structured ideas are really hard to change."

Still, many locals who continue to vote against the law say such decisions are social matters and, as such, shouldn't rest with the council. "The fact of the matter is, as a land owner, as a business owner, you also have rights," Polly Cohen, a landlord in Holland, is quoted as saying. "I have the right to say, 'I don't want a smoker living in my duplex.'"

Meanwhile, Freeman has vowed to continue the fight. “The majority should not decide rights for the minority," he told the Detroit Free Press.

View a public service announcement for Until Love Is Equal Below:

Comments

[Stan Gable]

09:58 PM on 11/07/2011

Yup. He was there one evening when he snet out his rally cry to "occupy Holland City Hall until they decide to re-vote" on Facebook. Nobody else was there with him. He was just hung out inside until they could arrest him. Somehow the press was called. And he never came back. He did not continue his "occupation of Holland City Hall". He is focused like a laser.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:37 PM on 11/07/2011

Maybe unlikely for this part of the country, but certainly not in the rest of of the country. There are many clergy in many denominations/denominations that are standing with GLBT people. I would think his denomination or at least congregation--Interfaith--would tend to have a more liberal outlook.

[chaya]

05:11 PM on 11/07/2011

Why is he an unlikely advocate? There are Christian pastors all over America standing up for LGBT's. He isn't a Southern Baptist pastor or Catholic priest, after all, but a chaplain of the Interfaith Congregation.

[SteveDenver]

03:08 PM on 11/07/2011

Thanks Pastor Bill.
I think it's odd that HP thinks he is an "unlikely advocate," many clergy support marriage equality, have welcoming and affirming congregations, and conduct marriage ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples -- whether it is legally recognized or not.

[Stan Gable]

12:31 PM on 11/07/2011

Bill Freeman... How or why this story says he is not an "unlikely advocate" for gay rights surprises me. He is a person that needs attention (and a dress shirt to wear under his suit coat) He is NOT a Christian. It is vital we get that clear right now. The congregati­on he leads (http://har­boruu.org) has a mission statment that claims "inspiring people to seek their own spiritual truths". That is far, far, far form any gospel a Christian would claim.

The more you learn about this movement his is an inspiratio­n to and co-leading called "Until Love is equal", the more you will see that the huge majority of players involved are not even from Holland. Many are located in East Grand Rapids and beyond. Most not residents in Ottowa County where the City of Holland is located. there is so much to this that Bill and his followers have twisted around, but it is of note that of the hundreds and hundreds of cities and counties in the state of Michigan, only around 20 have any ordinance like this in effect. So, I think Holland is progressiv­e in protecting civil rights, as they have, and not creating ordinances for every class or lifestyle choice of a given people that feel the need for it. Civil rights are protected in Holland, Michigan

[SteveDenver]

03:08 PM on 11/07/2011

Is this your head exploding?

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:39 PM on 11/07/2011

Really? Can a person be fired or evicted if it becomes known they are GLBT? If the answer to that is yes, then the civil rights of ALL are NOT being protected. And how dare people from out of the area advocate for GLBT people. This shouldn't even be necessary in this day and age. However it IS.

[bridgeman]

10:52 AM on 11/07/2011

He is Interfaith not Christian..don't get your "christians are changing there 2000 year old convictions" hopes up

[chaya]

05:12 PM on 11/07/2011

But some of them are. And there are Christian members of the new interfaith organizations, too. That's why they're called, "Interfaith."

[Stan Gable]

09:51 PM on 11/07/2011

If you understood the Christain faith, biblically, you would know that that would not be possible. If they were a Christian, they would not be" finding their own truth" and they would not be praising other gods..as there is no other God. They may use the name "CHristian" but they would not be so.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:41 PM on 11/07/2011

Many Christians are becoming involved in the struggle for GLBT rights. And interfaith groups generally have as members those from various denominations as well as other religion, hence "interfaith".

[Cold in Michigan]

07:22 AM on 11/07/2011

I wonder what would happen if landlords refused to rent to straight couples, or divorced people? If I were renting an apartment could I put a clause in the contract that prohibited guests of the opposite sex? What about drinkers, or Christians of denominations different than mine, or people that had children 'out of wedlock'? In light of todays politics can I refuse to rent to a woman that uses birth control? Has visted PP of her annual check up?

If I were a landlord in Holland, or anyother city that had this type of rule I would see just what would happen.

[persuter]

11:15 PM on 11/06/2011

Why is he an unlikely advocate? Just because he's a Christian? Sort of an odd title.

And while I'm not from Michigan some of my family lives close to Holland - it's a wonderful town.

[Solo6383]

07:46 AM on 11/07/2011

The only other reason why they call him an "unlikely" advocate is maybe because the west side of Michigan is pretty conservative? Other than that I can't think of any other reason.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:41 PM on 11/07/2011

Fanned and faved. That's the only thing I can think of myself. Kind of ironic since Sagatauk is a popular gay destination in western Michigan.

[Contact1972]

11:53 AM on 11/07/2011

Why is he an unlikely advocate? Just because he's a Christian?
************************************************
Yup!

Check out NOM, AFA, FRC, to mention a few and then you'll realize why he's an unlikely advocate.

[Contact1972]

10:48 PM on 11/06/2011

It's not often I say to a pastor-'BRAVO'. But then again it's not often that a pastor is trying to advocate for my equality rather than insisting I have no right to it.

[itsjules]

08:12 PM on 11/06/2011

Good for him!

"Meanwhile, Freeman has vowed to continue the fight. “The majority should not decide rights for the minority," he told the Detroit Free Press."

Preach on, pastor!!

[Stan Gable]

09:53 PM on 11/07/2011

yaa..he was there one night. He never returned. He is amazingly determined.

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:38 AM on 11/08/2011

Whatever bigot. What have you ever done to at least elucidate rights for GLBT people. Oh right, your Xtian religion doesn't accept us as equal to you. What will you do when we finally have all our rights umder the Constitution.

[AudreyLee]

08:01 PM on 11/06/2011

I admire Mr. Freeman. I wish more in the religious community (in leadership roles) could follow his example.

[wd12562]

07:02 PM on 11/06/2011

and that would be illegal....arrest him

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:43 PM on 11/07/2011

At some point, others would simply take his place. Why are you so against GLBT having the same rights and protections that you do?

[Victor Trevino]

05:35 PM on 11/06/2011

Polly Cohen, a landlord in Holland, is quoted as saying. "I have the right to say, 'I don't want a smoker living in my duplex.

Does Polly want a cracker?

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:27 PM on 11/06/2011

Amzing how some people think GLBT should be liable to firing or eviction if their sexual orientation becomes known. How would Christians like it if such things could be done against them. Sickening that people think it should be fine to discriminate against others, even in the world 2011.

[Quislet]

08:58 PM on 11/06/2011

The thing Ms. Cohen is that a smoker is doing something detrimental to your property. A gay person (or couple) does nothing to your property because they are gay.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:31 AM on 11/07/2011

Fanned and faved. Exactly. I can see smoking being banned in a rental property--they seem to be banning it more and more places these days, but GLBT people are not harmful to the homes and apartments they rent simply by virtue of being GLBT. I think its part of a distressing trend I see these days: people thinking it's just fine and dandy to discriminate against people based simply on who they are.

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:24 PM on 11/06/2011

Thank you, Pastor, for realising that hate and discrimmination are not Christian.

[lambdin1]

04:55 PM on 11/06/2011

Good for him!! There is a light amongst the religious! Thank you Pastor!