Nearly two dozen people were arrested in an “Add the 4 Words” protest at the Idaho Capitol today, including 11 each in the House and Senate. In both chambers, the protesters, who arrived early in the morning, entered the chambers and lined up in front of the speaker’s or president’s podium, refusing to leave when the order came to vacate the chamber 30 minutes before each house’s scheduled session today. They stood silently, hands over their mouths.

The protesters, who included several members of Idaho clergy, were arrested on trespassing charges. Nineteen of them were handcuffed with plastic handcuffs in a Statehouse basement welcome room, and led out to a bus to take them to jail; two juveniles were cited and released to their parents and one disabled senior was cited and released.

The protesters released this statement:

"Today, after ten years, 22 people who are deeply dedicated to human dignity and the addition of 4 simple words to Idaho’s existing Human Rights Act, stand in protest in the Chambers of the Idaho Senate and the House of Representatives expecting  progress forward on policy to allow gay and transgender people to work hard without fear of being fired, evicted and denied service by restaurants and businesses. 

“Today, we are asking law makers to return to the committee rooms downstairs and finish the work of crafting a compromise bill to add the words and say in law that discrimination against gay and transgender people is wrong. because this year the Idaho legislature may have heard the add the words bill and our stories of discrimination but this law making body has failed to act. What we got was not respect or honest consideration of the legislation but a perfunctory hearing that showed that Idaho’s legislature is determined to stay silent while good people lose their children to despair or suicide, or, themselves, face harm.

“We appreciate being able to tell our stories and thank Speaker Bedke for that consideration. What is not acceptable is the silence and the refusal to step forward and finally say in law that the liberties of all Idahoans will be balanced with care and compassion; that none are lesser or undeserving of the liberty to be judged by their qualifications, by the contributions they make to their communities, or by the economic role they play in this beautiful state.

“Before we chose to stand here today, we collectively spent hundreds of hours in the Capitol educating and lobbying members of the house and senate regarding the creation of new legislation to add the words. Compromise language which we, and many lawmakers, are comfortable with is out there. We had more than the adequate majority of votes on the floor of the house and senate for such language and had powerful Republican lawmakers in both bodies willing to sponsor such a bill — but Speaker Bedke and ProTem Brent hill refused to allow it.

“In Idaho today, according to a Zion’s Bank poll, 67% of Idahoans believe it should be illegal to discriminate in housing, employment and business. Additionally, 58% percent of rank and file “Republicans and 52% of those who classified themselves as "very conservative" believe that it should be illegal to discriminate against gay and transgender people in this way. 64% of Mormons in Idaho who identify as "very active" in their church said they were opposed to such discrimination, and believe it should be illegal. Only 28% percent of these "very active Mormons” oppose laws ending discrimination.

“Today the 22 of us stand peacefully, silently and respectfully in place in the Capitol, where we will stay until serious consideration is given to a bill to add the 4 words to Idaho law, showing the Idaho legislature’s respect for religious values and the golden rule. We are ordinary Idaho citizens of all ages and backgrounds. We are gay, straight, transgender, we are parents, grandparents, clergy, business owners and community leaders. We stand for the two thirds of Idaho that supports this legislation. 

“Plain and simply, it is time the Idaho legislature to use its voice to set the field level for those who live quiet lives in all our communities, those who are your own daughters and sons, those who deserve for our state to set in law that unfair businesses practices and intentional cruelty and discrimination against them is wrong. We respect deeply the religious freedoms we all hold dear. But many of us know, as people of faith, that such liberties have a limit where another person is harmed and that cruelty in the name of religion is not godly. Our beautiful state is better than this and its Republican leaders are better.

“We will remain peacefully, silently, respectfully standing in the capitol until your deafening silence ends.”