Minister pleads not guilty in Holland Court for standing against unjust City ordinance
Earlier today, Bill Freeman, a minister with congregations in Holland and Muskegon, plead not guilty to a trespass charge, when he refused to leave the Holland City chambers after he and other people addressed the commissioners on the ordinance that currently excludes anti-discrimination protections.
Since the June decision by the Holland City Council to not include anti-discrimination language to protect the LGBT community there has been an organized campaign to continue pressuring the City Commissioners, a campaign to support businesses that endorse an inclusive ordinance and boycott those that are anti-LGBT.
Freeman, who has been going to the Holland City Commission meetings since June, who has written letters, met with commissioners, done education on this issue felt that it was time to engage in an act of civil disobedience.
Here is a brief interview GRIID conducted with Freeman after he entered a plea of not guilty this morning.
Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy 
Your last statement was the key! There IS a problem. People have said they have been discriminated against in Holland and some Hollanders say they will continue to discriminate. “What more evidence do you need?” Stand up, sit in and don’t drop out! If I were there I would join you.
The bright light of reason always reveals the foolishness and danger of the far-right that ordinarily hides from the limelight, or at least dresses up its shenanigans with all sorts of self-righteous ballyhoo. Bill, your efforts in Holland are bringing light to the darkness. There is no prejudice meaner than religious prejudice; there is no bigotry more evil than a bigotry motivated by the lies and misinterpretations of far-right christians.
I hope that every time Christians sing a hymn or hear a sermon about all people being God’s children and God loving all of us that they will remember the discrimination they show towards their “siblings.” Maybe they can get a little catch in their throat momentarily, or remember that people of differing sexual orientation love and are loved by those around them, that they have fought for our country, have rushed into burning buildings to rescue children, have done every admirable thing that heterosexuals are credited with doing for our society, WITHOUT being recognized for who they are. Perhaps they can show one–just one–verse from Holy Scripture in the Gospels where JESUS said anything against someone being gay or that a gay/bisexual/transexual person should be treated differently.