Ann Arbour Michigan City Council Passes Resolution Condemning Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell Anti-Gay Attacks Against U Of M Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong

Ann Arbour.com reports that Monday City Council voted 10-0 in support of a resolution against hatred and intolerance, the motion sponsored by openly gay City Council Member Sandi Smith, specifically condemning Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell and his unprecedented anti-gay attacks against openly gay University of Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong. Armstrong was in attendance Monday, joining Mayor John Hieftje at the start of City Council meeting, as the members celebrated a long history of gay rights advocacy in the city, Smith said of the resolution “In some ways I’m happy to bring this forward, in other ways, I’m sad to bring this forward. I don’t want this to be a punitive moment, although this resolution really is and it needs to be punitive. No one deserves to be bullied or harassed for any reason – gender expression or identity or sexual orientation included.” Smith then read a long list of gay teenagers in American who have been killed or been pushed to commit suicide in recent years because of bullying or harassment, saying “It’s inexcusable that this happens. And I’m proud to have gotten an opportunity to meet Mr. Armstrong as the president of the Michigan Student Assembly, and he is a strong leader and I’m not fearing for his safety because he’s got the whole community supporting him.” Smith’s resolution, which in part reads “The actions of Assistant Attorney General Shirvell, including bullying, stalking, and harassment, are not consistent with the Ann Arbour Human Rights Ordinance,” and it calls on Attorney General Mike Cox to join state police associations in support of a new hate crime legislation.