Steve Stanton, City Commissioner for Largo, Florida left the room with his head down before the voting took place that would determine his fate. The City Commission then went on to prove that intolerance and hatred are still strong in this country by voting 5 to 2 to begin the process of firing him from his position.

What was his "crime"?

Steve Stanton is beginning to undergo hormone therapy to change from Steve to Susan. He has struggled his whole life with his desire to be a woman instead of a man, undergoing therapy and trying other solutions. Now that he has admitted to himself and those around him that this is what he needs to do in order to be fulfilled and happy, the city that he loves has responded.

"If Jesus was here tonight, I can guarantee you he'd want him terminated," said Pastor Ron Saunders of Largo's Lighthouse Baptist Church. "Make no mistake about it."

I am so truly disappointed in humanity today. How can anyone be so hateful, so intolerant, so mean-spirited that they could say that a person who was doing a wonderful job one day is incompetent and unwanted the next...just because that person is changing gender? And the Pastor who made the statement above needs to learn more about Christian love and charity. If I were Christian, I would be furious that this man not only made his bigoted position so public, but that he had the audacity to speak for Jesus in such a way. Even for non-Christians, Jesus embodies love and acceptance. He went among the lepers and those that his own society had tossed aside as useless or unclean, and he showed that the very things that led to people judging those outcasts were the reasons that the outcasts needed love even more than everyone else.
Steve Stanton has given 14 years of service to the city of Largo, Florida, and in return they have thrown him aside like trash.

Largo...you are the ones who should be leaving the room with your heads hanging on this day, not Steve...or more properly, Susan.