Troy, Mich. Mayor Janice Daniels used an anti-gay slur in a Facebook post she made back in June. The comment, which followed New York's passage of gay marriage, read, "I think I am going to throw away my I Love New York carrying bag now that queers can get married there."
The post was discovered Dec. 2 and Daniels has been dealing with the fallout ever since. Daniels issued an apology saying that she exercised poor judgment in using the inflammatory language, although she also made clear that she does believe marriage should be limited to one man and one woman.
Residents of Troy and surrounding areas, have been quick to reactwith many of them calling for Daniels' resignation. She has said that she does not plan to resign over the post and that she has asked God for forgiveness and hopes that others will forgive her as well.
Members of the Troy High School Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) are among those demanding her resignation. The group was quick to act, creating a "Protest City Hall" event on Facebook encouraging other students, residents and supporters to attend and protest Daniels prior to the Dec. 5 city council meeting.
The Tea Party candidate, who was elected mayor in November, spent her third city council meeting listening to nearly five hours of comments by mostly upset residents of her community.
"I thought the GSA of Troy High School did a phenomenal job of coming together in organizing the protest in such short notice and the eloquence with which they spoke about the harm that such language causes," Equality Michigan Executive Director Denise Brogan-Kator said. "The community in general, but them as students in particular was amazing. I was so inspired and so impressed by them. I do have a lot of hope for our country as a whole if those students are representative of the youth today."
Brogan-Kator said she does not necessarily think that Daniels should resign over the comments, but instead thinks it is an opportunity for the mayor and city council to become proactive on LGBT issues. She would particularly like to see the council adopt a non-discrimination ordinance for the city.
"Troy is a welcoming place. I think that is the opportunity that the mayor and the city council have. Whether they will act on that is another question, but that is what we would like to see."
The GSA is organizing a second protest for the Dec. 19 council meeting. The group has also included suggestions on the Facebook event page encouraging Daniels to donate money to an anti-bullying organization aimed at helping youth and attend GSA meetings at Troy High School. The group also continues to call for her resignation.