Ward 1 Candidate Question of the Week: Human Rights

Voters will head to the polls on March 13 to decide who will represent them as Gulfport City Council Member for Wards 1 and 3.

To help inform the community, Patch will publish a City Council Candidate Question of the Week for both Wards.

Below, you will find the answers for the Ward 1 Candidates: David Hastings and Dan Liedtke.

This week's question is a reader submitted question.

Gulfport Patch Question of the Week: "Where do you stand on Gulfport’s Human Rights Ordinance?"

Dan Liedtke

"I wish we as individuals were only judged by others based on the content of our character. "

David Hastings

"Although I was not on council when this ordinance was brought forward, it is something that I fully support.

"I have never been one to discriminate against anyone. The businesses I have owned and are associated with in Gulfport since 1997 are proof to that. Moreover, I have never looked at anyone as different than someone else based on age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or physical characteristic. I think that the true essence of a person comes from within.              

"That being said, I am not naive enough to believe that there is no discrimination. The efforts that the City Council put in to make sure that everyone within Gulfport is treated equally and with compassion and respect was tremendous.  Their proactiveness and braveness to work together to include this within our City ordinances is an example of what this City can continue to do when we come together for the greater good."