The Squamata Report: Prop 2 just passed !!!!

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Prop 2 just passed !!!!

Texas ban on Gay marriage has passed!!!!

Just Ten minutes ago, votes for Prop 2, amending the Texas Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman far out weighed the votes to stop it. With 50 percent of precincts reporting, 76 percent, or 1,010,260 voters favored the ban while 24 percent, or 312,767 opposed it. As of this moment I am proud to declare that Texas HAS passed the amendment.

Also the Proposal to change the name of Dallas suburb 'White Settlement' has failed. The politically correct crowd had wanted to change the name of the town, but the citizens felt that the 160 year year old town did not need a name change. Now those wack jobs can go back to Washington and complain about the NFL team the 'Redskins', and I hope they are sent packing there too!

9 Comments:

Anonymous said...: I couldn’t help but notice that you refer to it as a “Texas ban on Gay marriage", instead of "Texas defends Straight Marriage", but we knew that’s what you meant all along.

To the 535,000 people who voted in Texas to recognize same sex marriages, many of which already exist but not yet legally, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for being remarkable, principled, fair minded and decent humans. You did the right thing, and it means more than is possible to put into words. You recognized that my love for my family is as fierce and as powerful and as consuming as your love is for your family, and you did the right and decent and moral thing, as you would have done for your own family. Thank you, thank you.

The rest of you three out of four Texans, you can go #uck yourselves, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, for being the apathetic %ucking sh*tbag throwback worthless waste of p*ss poor protoplasm that you are. I wouldn’t give you my p*ss to drink if you were dying in the desert today, and I mean Darwin will get you, with a little help from me, and believe me today, I am volunteering.

The next time you ask for money for breast cancer at the supermarket, I want to know which way you voted. The next time a fireman stops me in traffic with a boot collecting for charity, I want to know which way you voted. The next time your kids come to my home by the busload for halloween or scouts or school trips, I want to know which way you voted, the next time you call me to get a cat out of your tree, pick your ancient husband up off the bathroom floor, or to rake your leaves or help find your kid’s dog, because I know that three out of four of you voted to make and keep my family illegal. You will be held accountable.

Three out of four of you voted to make my family’s life as difficult and as fragile as possible. Three out of four of you voted that my evil little nephews have a greater claim on my estate than my life partner of 9 years, or my adopted children as long as I live in the state of Texas. Three out of four of you voted to keep my life illegal and invalid. Three out of four of you assaulted my family, stepped out of your busy little evil lives and into mine to tell me, with the weight of the law, what is right for me, by taking away my rights. Three out of four of you had better watch your back now, you will be held accountable.

I want vengeance. I want to hurt your families the way you’ve hurt mine, legally, financially, socially. I want to figuratively slam you up against the wall and ask you why you think that the green-eyed marriage ban is moral, or why you think that the asian-american marriage ban or the red headed marriage ban is moral or why you petty little judgemental sons of bitches think that the gay marriage ban is moral. I want to know why you think that discriminating against my family is a family value.

I want to know why you think my family means less to me than your family means to you, why you think I should feel any less angry or devastated than you would if your family was assaulted by three out of four people that you know. I am hurting today and deeply, profoundly, even dangerously angry today, and there isn’t a lot that I can do for the pain and the rage I feel except to vent it here.

We knew it was coming, like knowing that getting pushed down the stairs means you probably will break an arm doesn’t make it hurt any less when you break it. How can we support what is right and decent in society when society won’t be right and decent to us?

We’re not waiting for your permission to live our lives. We are already married for all intents and purposes. We already have families, we just have to work A LOT harder to keep bigots from hurting us, from interfering with our families in the name of “morality” and “family values”. But a clear warning here: if you get in the way of me and mine at the hospital, you will require the services of a hospital, and I mean that literally, not figuratively. If you decide that my children no longer belong to me or that I can’t live with the person I love for the rest of my life, I can’t say in public the lengths I would go to to disabuse you of that notion, but I will invoke Darwin again.

And I am telling you right now, if you change the law to discriminate against my family, then I have no use for your *ucking laws. And if you make being an American so shameful and such a paean to bigotry in the 21st century that you use a constitution to REMOVE rights rather than establish them, then I have no use for being American either.; 11/13/2005
Unknown said...: Wow,
And this guy says I am the biggoted one! That is misguided, indignant anger if I ever saw it.

I started to respond to this with many different counters to the things this sad person left on my comment board. Then I realized, this is exactly what I was talking about in the prior post (the one this comment should have been left on).
These activists are not out for equality, they could get that if they wanted to. It was the watering down of marriage that they sought not inclusion.

I do not feel sorry for you Mr. or Mrs. brave anonymous commenter. I could have deleted your comment for abusing my site and using vulgarities. Yet, I just modified them and left the comment here. I left it here so that others could see that I am right, the Left is unhinged and they are not rational. Do I hate Gays? Absolutely NOT!! It is your assertion that I hate you and want to attack your way of life, How childish could you be? What I have said is that the dissolution of traditional marriage is what was at stake here, not "Kill'n them thar fags!"

I believe that what is being done to our culture by blatant homosexuality is wrong and deleterious to our society and our species. I do not advocate violence towards homosexuals and I don't care to try to explain to you why I 'KNOW' it is wrong. You wouldn't listen anyway, it would just give you more reason to view yourself as a martyr.

Grow up, and if you don't like the Country you live so freely in, leave, I don't want to hear your whining and moaning anymore. It is pathetic. I hope you like France though because they are there only nation that won't 'TRUELY' persecute you for your behavior!!!!! Get, a civil union, live happily and stop trying to attack my rights and claim my defending them is an attack on you. By your logic, if a man is walking down the street and is mugged, if he punches the mugger in the face to defend himself, the mugger has been assaulted and should file a police report. You need to re-think your logic and next time you comment here, use acceptable language, use a pseudonym or your name, and make valid points (this is not your sounding board for all that makes you sad), or I will not respond to your comments, I will delete them!
Uhh Bubye; 11/13/2005
Anonymous said...: Dear Sir,
I have been questioning this administration lately, due to all the political and financial scandals. In the course of my research on the web about the subject, I came across your website. In [your website] there are quite a few ideological points you make that concern me for what seems to be a lack of "moral" justification and a greater understanding of what America and the Greater Good is all about.
In your essay titled "Save Texas Marriage!!!" You say
"That is what liberals are doing to the Christian element in American society. Slowly fighting to remove all that is accepted by replacing it with things that are not as widely accepted."
This statement seems to be over shot by some very basic statistical knowledge. If the general population is unwilling to accept something in their homes, be it nudity (which God created) or sex (which God created too) don't we usually object to it? There is such a thing called the FCC.
What you are failing to understand is that this is a Democracy, in which if things happen like, a "wardrobe malfunction" the nation culminates in an uproar about it. Unfortunately for you and your affiliates, the majority of the population is "moderate" or "liberal". The statement that "liberals are slowly fighting to replace all that is accepted..." is too general of a statement. First let me dissect the statement and let me see if I can understand what you truly mean.
The theory that "liberals" are doing anything to defame any part of the Christian element or any other religious sect is inherently false. It is true that there are some truly misguided individuals out there that will do anything to insult, hurt or pursecute Christians, but this is nothing new, it has been going on for thousands of years. However, I am deeply troubled by your theory that liberals are always going to be responsible for this pursecution.
Sir, I was raised a Catholic, which as you know is a very conservative, traditional CHRISTIAN sect. Furthermore, (hold on to your hat) I am a LIBERAL.
Now, how are you going to figure that one out?
Also, you seem to be saying that the majority of the population is unwilling to accept things that the minority is making them accept. This doesn't make any sense in a democratic society, because it's like saying you have a football team of 2 guys agianst a football team of 40 guys, and the 2 guy team is making the 40 guy team lose because the 2 guy team always changes the rules. This theory doesn't make any sense, because the 40 guy team wouldn't put up with the 2 guys and they would eventually run them off the field!
Here is another revalation (no pun intended) for you.
Jesus Christ was a liberal. Not only was he a liberal, but he was also Jewish .
I know, I know, it was a shock to me too when I figured that out when I was ten years old.
So what do you think is more widely accepted? What things do you feel are less accepted? I am truly inclined to conclude that this question is largely governed by individual expression and opinion, unless you can refer to an actual statistic which is largely based on fact, not popular opinion even amid general consensus.
If we delve into statistics, as of today, the situation does not look good for your theory that "...[liberals are] slowly fighting to remove all that is accepted by replacing it with things that are not as widely accepted."
For example, I think your president (not my president because I did not vote for him, nor was he elected but selected by the supreme court, which is made up of practically all conservative judges, but that is a topic for another discussion,) has a 35% approval rating, which is the worst in presidential history (considering the ratio and lapse of time vs. population. Either way, I'm right.)
62% of all Americans agree that Roe V. Wade shound NOT be overturned.
76% of all Americans care about their environment and clean water and air for our children and grandchildren to enjoy (despite the other 24% of destructive idiots out there.)
And yes, as you would contend the largest religious group are Christians. But to put things is perspective for you, Christians make up only 12% of the entire American population.
Through my teachings and Bible readings, I have come to respect other religions and even Atheists, and have ultimately realized that just because you are a Christian, does not mean that you are right.
What I find deeply desturbing about your ideological statements, is that you are up in arms about homosexuals getting married.
I got some news for you, sir. Homosexuality isn't going any where and you will have to deal with it eventually. Are you dealing with repression? Are you perhaps struggling with strange or awkward feelings for your fellow man?
I can only see people who care so much about other peoples sexuality, and view it as a threat, as someone who just might be afraid of themselves or their own sexuality. If this be the case, God loves you no matter what, but you need to ask yourself the hard questions. Don't be afraid to really do some cognitive soul searching. I know that sounds incredibly cheesy and melo-dramatic but I fear for your mental stability. And the way you persecute homosexuals, much like the "left persecutes Christians" notwithstanding.
"When gay marriage is adopted" (Which, by the way and unfortunately for you, has already happened in several states and coming to a town near you!)
"soon we will hear from the polygamists, bigamists, beastiality crowd and so on."
Really? Is that what will happen? Because Gay Marriage was adapted (as opposed to adopted, but I feel your frustration) to Massachussets legislature, and signed in to state law a year ago. Guess what?
No cases of Poligamy.
No cases of Bigamy.
No cases of Beastiality.
And, no I'm not gay. I know it would be much easier for you dismiss my argument as coming from some "bleeding heart, godless liberal faggot", but unfortunatly I am a God fearing, tax paying, College educated Catholic, proudly heterosexual FREE citizen. That is the beauty of America. You can live as free as a bird. Why deny others the same freedoms in which we enjoy?
I think that the difference between you and me is that I do not feel threatened by homosexuals.
"If we do [marriage] for gays, then marriage must not have a moral basis."
I find that absolutely appaulling and reprehensible. How can you harbor that much fear and hatred?
If you would like an interesting and comical perspective on the subject, go to ;
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/com ds gay marriage ruins state 051103a.mov
It's pretty funny. I think it might expand your mind a bit more on the subject. You can learn a lot through laughter.
"Nothing short of a Godless society can result from such an outcome."
The thought of a Godless society is frightening, I know, but you are going to have to come to grips that America was largely founded on the freedom to be a religious person or non religious if you like. And since religion is such a hot button issue to so many, vast sums of peope have unfortunately abandoned their faith altogether. Be it by commercialism, or capitalism, or technology or science, people are allowed to believe or disbelieve anything they want. If this upsets you, then you are going to have a rough time ahead of you, my brother.
Quick Fact:
In the U.S., the number of non religious people has more than doubled from 14.3 million in 1990 to 29.4 million in 2001; their proportion has grown from just eight percent of the total in 1990 to over 14 percent in 2001. This was the greatest increase in absolute as well as in percentage terms among all religious groups. ( And this statistic doesn't even count for all the Agnostics that are sinfully running around!)
(This is a little off the subject but, did you know that there are more people in the world that smoke marijuana than Muslims, Christians and Jews combined? I guess that makes for a Godless world, doesn't it?)
So I guess being a Christian does not automatically make you right nor does being an American make you automatically a Christian.
"As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion"
From Article II of the Treaty of Tripoli, 1797. Unanimously ratified by the U.S. Senate and signed by President John Adams.
On the Hypocrisy of Marital Relationships;
So many Christians try to rationalize [holy matromony] but it is clear that a true follower of Jesus can neither divorce someone nor marry someone who is divorced. There is an exception to the rule, however. If a spouse commits adultry, divorce is permissible. On the same token, the Bible also says that anyone who obtains a divorce and marries another is an adulterer. Remember that 80% of this country is Christian, yet we have a 50% divorce rate. A majority of divorces are a result of irreconcilable differences, not adultry, which implies that Christians are agian practicing selective morality. How many Christians are working on a second, third or fourth marriage?
"So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder" ( Mathew 19:6&Mark 10:9 )
"Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" (Mathew 5:32, 19:9 & Luke 16:18).
Another thing about me questioning the fundamentalism of religion-
Some Christians are attempting to put prayer into schools and that runs directly counter to biblical teachings. Jesus said prayer should be a private affair devoid of public display;
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you they have recieved their reward. But when you pray, go into your room (or closet) and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret..." ( Mathew 6:5-6 RSV)
Biblicists violate this on a regular basis and have no intention of correcting their behavior. They demand that evolution and even science be taken out of the curriculum. They demand parochial school recieve voucher programs so that they may collect public funding. This is unconstitutional per the rules of the Separation of Church and State. Christians continuously pray in public, ie: churches, street corners, schools, courts, etc. yet all the while they will never stop to think this is in direct violation to the god they pray to.
I have never been opposed to suppressing anyones religion, but I have always been opposed to people, politicians, judges or local officials trying to push their religion on others.
Please respond when it is convienient for you. I appreciate your time and concern in these matters.; 11/21/2005
Unknown said...: The disagreement we have is not based on any lack of statistical knowledge, or exaggeration of events on my behalf.
In my column, "Save Texas Marriage", I did state, "That is what liberals are doing to the Christian element in American society. Slowly fighting to remove all that is accepted by replacing it with things that are not as widely accepted." You say it is, " too general of a statement", I concur only slightly. Are Liberals trying to make the sky pink and the grass purple? No, I agree in that sense the statement is too broad. However, when you say, "The theory that "liberals" are doing anything to defame any part of the Christian element or any other religious sect is inherently false." It is your comment, Sir, that is too general. Please don't make me site the countless attempts in our society that reveals such dogged determination to remove 'anything and everything Christian' from our society. I realize you went on to agree that, " there are some truly misguided individuals out there that will do anything to insult, hurt or persecute Christians". I however must disagree. It is not only a small group of Liberals who seek to persecute Christians, it is the ideology of Socialism and Marxism held firmly to by the Liberal base that seeks to eradicate those who believe in Jehovah. Christians are to Liberals as Jews are to radical Islam.

You say you were raised a Catholic and yet you are Liberal, and you want me to "figure that one out". Well, that is an easy one, you simply did not hold to the morality based values you were taught in your youth. I believe however, based on your correspondence with me in email, you do have strong moral convictions, you are just doing your best to make a point and this kind of anti morality tone is the tool you chose.

Because you used the old Liberal tactic of hit quickly and move to another subject, I am inclined to scrap the whole response and count it as the rambling that is. But, since you have used the polite, cordial approach, I will continue to debate the arguments that you made.

When I saw this next sentence, "Jesus Christ was a liberal. Not only was he a liberal, but he was also Jewish ." I was not shocked, I have heard this misguided assertion since I was a child too. It is no less wrong now than it was then. Was Christ Jewish? No! Was he was born in Bethlehem? Yes. Does that make him a Jew? I think it makes him no less the son of God and that is what counts! I can give you countless examples as to how Christ was 'NOT' a Liberal. However, in the interest of brevity I will stick to countering your examples that he was one. Oops.... You did not venture to give any, so..... on to the next diatribe.

You decided to show just how much your Liberal College professor drained you of the skills it takes to foster original thought and to think critically by saying that the President was selected and not elected. How cute. That one has been dealt with over and over again. In case you want to know why it is that you and every heartbroken Socialist Liberal is wrong about that, I will give you the short version. It's called "The Constitution", look it up. As for the facts, it was not the Democrat voters who were kept from the poles it was the men and women who were deployed over seas who were dis-enfranchised, to borrow a Lib expression. That's enough on that silliness.

The Supreme court is not decidedly or otherwise Conservative. You do not believe that, you are trying to use a tired, albeit cute, tactic that suggests that since Liberals like Ginsburg, Suter, Kennedy and others were able to trick Conservative Presidents into nominating them, they must be Conservatives. Then you will point to the (R) beside their name. Nice try Sir, but we have all seen the results of their votes.

You said, " 62% of all Americans agree that Roe V. Wade should NOT be overturned."
Wow, I guess you must have been reading CNN's polls. How about this. Those who have no ideological bend, and are intellectually mature and honest, must admit that even if Roe v. Wade is not counted as wrong based on moral standards, it is bad law. The Supreme Court found that there was a right to privacy in a document that implies no such thing. They say it was a penumbra of an emanation! Now, that, Sir, even you must admit is using ideological and political beliefs to make, not interpret law !!

You said, "76% of all Americans care about their environment and clean water and air for our children and grandchildren to enjoy (despite the other 24% of destructive idiots out there.)"
Now even though I may argue that your numbers may be a result of someone's imagination, I will accept that for the sake of discussion. We Conservatives care about our environment. We simply disagree about how to go about protecting it. Conservatives such as myself, however, do not seek to use the dooms day, Chicken Little, approach of fear tactics to support our political agenda. Don't dare to claim the Dems do not! Cases in point....Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Michael Moore, John Kerry etc.

You said laughingly with a coy grin, "Christians make up only 12% of the entire American population." Now come on, if you believe that ..... Oh never mind that's silly.

Now, halfway through your comment, you arrive at the subject of the post. Whew, I am glad we are finally here.
You did your best to attack me by implying that I am a homophobe. I am not a homophobe and I do not hate, suppress, or persecute gays. Their choice of lifestyle be it a predisposition from an early age or a perversion acquired later in life, is deleterious to the American family, society, and the human species. I do not hate gay people, Liberals, Communists, criminals, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Cancer patients, Aids patients, lawyers, or transvestite Pygmies. If you engage in a practice that is harmful to yourself or others I will be honest enough intellectually to speak out against it. How dare you attack my sense of sexual security as a means to make your misguided point! Let's remember that the only one here who used the words, "bleeding heart, godless liberal faggot" is you.

You asked, "Why deny others the same freedoms in which we enjoy?" I do not seek to deny freedom, I seek to uphold morality. I seek to preserve the freedoms that I as a Christian and an American citizen am endowed with. Let only he who gave me these rights take them away.

You say that the difference between us is that you do not feel threatened by or fear homosexuals. No, the difference is that I feel compelled to stand up for and preserve what is morally just and fight against what is not. You are, by example of your writing, not so compelled.

Your link was broken, but I have seen it before. Ha, Ha.

Next, you try to use some phony statistics to make a point that basically says that America is becoming more and more non-religious. Ok, I'll accept the opinion to be based on some small amount of fact. You just described why I fight to stop the suppression of religious freedoms. (You know the suppression you say doesn't exist)

Now, you go on to try and point out that we 'Christians' are hypocritical because we divorce when the Bible condemns it. You said, " Remember that 80% of this country is Christian, yet we have a 50% divorce rate". Now who's confused? You also said, "Christians make up only 12% of the entire American population." Now, which is it, 80% or 12%? I guess it depends on what point you are making huh?
Regardless it was a nice try Sir, but Christians are not perfect beings, it is Christ who is perfect. That is why we seek to follow him and take part in the redemption he gives freely. Regardless, the difference is that Christians are not out there hunting ways to sin, we are hunting for ways out of sin! We may smoke, but we don't want to, we may divorce, but we did not intend to and would prefer not to. Our beliefs and convictions cause us to be at war with and address our sin. Your insinuation that we are no less a drain on society than the 'A-moral or immoral' among us, shows your own lack of moral courage and honesty.

You say that Biblicists, as if to associate all who ever quote the Bible to support theory (like you did) with those who support such, "demand that evolution and even science be taken out of the curriculum." This is true in some cases. I however, much like the majority of Christians, do not seek to remove these theories from the classroom. I simply say that if you are going to teach one theory for which you have no tangible evidence to support, you should give equal time Creationism. Both have longstanding precedence in our society and both should be respected. Liberals say that including Creationism in school is a kin to evangelism. I say that excluding it and unilaterally presenting the secular theory is a kin to indoctrination. The two must be presented together, or not at all ! Here is a question for anyone who is a believer in the 'Big Bang' theory. If the universe was created by one single act, a big bang. What happened 1/millionth of a second before that? Who or what caused it?

(Do you agree with this statement)
"Schools do more than train children's minds. They also help to nurture their souls by reinforcing the values they learn at home and in their communities. I believe that one of the best ways we can help out schools to do this is by supporting students' rights to voluntarily practice their religious beliefs, including prayer in schools. For more than 200 years, the First Amendment has protected our religious freedom and allowed many faiths to flourish in our homes, in our work places and in our schools. Clearly understood and sensibly applied, it works." Hopefully you agree with it. Because it was said by Bill Clinton on May 30, 1998. Confusing huh?

You see Sir, this country, the one you say is not led by your leader, (that's kindling for a future debate) is great because it does not suppress the ideas of it's individual citizens. When you exclude Creationism or Evolution for that matter from school, you remove the rights of future generations to make up their own minds. I think Galileo and Columbus just to name two would agree. Somewhere down the line, there will be a young man or woman who thinks past the single explanation, it is our job to see to it that he or she is not deprived of other institutions of thought. God did not make robots, he made humans with a free will. Who are we to suppress others ability to think freely.

You said in conclusion, "I have never been opposed to suppressing anyone's religion, but I have always been opposed to people, politicians, judges or local officials trying to push their religion on others." It is not my intention to suppress people's rights to think or act immorally or contrary to my beliefs. It is my intention to support and uphold what is right and protect my, and others, rights to live accordingly. As a Christian I am in this world not of it. If you think I and the Voters in Texas regarding Prop 2 have been suppressing other's religions and trying to push ours on them, you are mistaken and have missed the point.; 11/21/2005
Anonymous said...: The entire argument against gay marriage is rooted in the big lie that homosexuality is a choice. Not only is this scientifically inaccurate, but it is counterintuitive and illogical. No person in his or her right mind would consciously and willingly choose a sexual orientation which would earn them the misunderstanding, hatred and discrimination which exists towards gays in our current society. Ask the vast majority of gay people if they tried to “change” or fight their impulses, and they will say yes – in vain. Reports of homosexuals who have been “cured” by, say, “turning to Jesus” have almost invariably been discredited. The most famous example is the ex-gay advocacy group Exodus, much-vaunted by the Christian right, whose two male founders fell in love with each other and left the group. Oops! I harbor no ill will towards one who chooses not to indulge in his homosexuality. But it is time we accept common sense: certain people simply come out of the factory this way; it is no different than being born with dark skin, musical aptitude, or green eyes.

Nonetheless, human beings have historically excelled at finding ways to discriminate and tyrannize each other on the basis of genetic traits which have no inherent moral qualities to them. Being left-handed is not a sign that one is a scion of Satan; having black hair and dark skin as the Native Americans do is no indication of subhuman savagery begging to be tamed by the Catholic Church; mental illness does not mean you are possessed by the Devil. If the Christian Coalition arbitrarily proclaimed that people with green eyes were sinful and should not be allowed to have relations or marry, they would become the laughingstock of any rational group of people. The imaginary bogeyman of homosexuality’s evilness is just as absurd a concept. It is merely a red herring to distract from the truth that fundamentalist Christianity is more responsible for the disintegration of our society than any ten thousand superfags running amok in the streets of San Francisco.

Make no mistake: extremist Christianity has caused more damage to, and inhibited the liberty and happiness of our society than perhaps any other force in the history of the United States. It was the force which blessed the institution of slavery; it continues to propagate sexism under the aegis of promoting “traditional” gender roles; it fosters international racism by insisting that there is only one means of saving one’s eternal soul. If anything, their fear, intolerance, and hatred is destroying the fabric of our society. Their extremism has ruined the Republican party by driving it to the extreme right.

For those foaming at the mouth about my supposed Godlessness, let me stop you for a moment. I am an Episcopalian who believes in God, and Jesus Christ. I am also a Zen Buddhist. And I am sickened by the behavior of those who use God’s name to spread hate and inhibit social progress at every turn. They excuse their bigotry by cloaking it in religious rhetoric, claiming to be sanctioned by God Himself. These are also the people who would have us believe that God is a Republican, who sully the Constitution by using every dirty trick to subvert and dishonor the hallowed democratic principles and processes around which our country is organized. They also dishonor the word of God, and they make me embarrassed to call myself a Christian.

What would happen if we let gays marry? Would the streets open up and spew demonic lava? Would frogs with acid for blood drop from a black sky? No. If anything, gay marriage will create more families. It will create more stable homes, suitable for raising children with love, and strengthening the fabric of our communities. If we endorse the notion that God is love, then why erect obstacles to the expression and exercise of love, the greatest unifying societal force we know? For those terrified that the gay couple next door will recruit and brainwash their children, they should take heart in the fact, as mentioned above, that a person’s sexuality is largely pre-determined. Even children of homosexual parents do not statistically turn out gay more often than the children of heterosexuals. That more children be afforded the chance to be raised in a loving environment is of far more importance than the gender of who they end up sleeping with.

I do not think it matters much whether we have civil unions or gay marriage, per se. The state cannot sanction a religious ceremony, nor should it try. (This reflects the good and proper separation of church and state, unlike extreme Christianity, which seems of late to be advocating a theocracy.) It is an imperative of civil rights, of equal protection under the law, to confer the same legal rights on gay couples as we do straight ones. To do otherwise tears at the fabric of the notion of commitments, of families, of our very ideals as a nation. True family values encourage coupling and encourage community – they do not encourage separation and discrimination.

Why do the right-wingers persist in their obsession with a group of people that constitutes perhaps 5% of the population? In the context of the 2004 election, the answer is simple. It is because this administration (with apologies to Dick Gephardt) has been a miserable failure at addressing the challenges facing 100% of Americans. The economy is in ruins; even if the recent positive economic trends persist, we still face record budget deficits, collapsing infrastructure, and stubbornly persistent unemployment for both gay and straight people. $86 billion is being spent in Iraq to provide services desperately needed at home. (Residents in the country who are suffering may wish to write the president and ask that he invade their state.)

It is time that we stop wasting energy and attention on the moralistic Freddy Kruegers that distract us from the legitimately real and scary problems our nation faces. Deficits of $500 billion dollars a year, and the erosion of civil liberties under the so-called Patriot Act, are going to destroy America before gay marriage or terrorist librarians do. Conservatives play on imaginary fears to control and subjugate their followers. Thinking Americans -- true patriots -- should not fall into this trap.

In the New Year, let us allow anybody to get married whose heart is filled with love, and let us fill each other with the same grace and compassion. This is how we rebuild our nation and heal our wounds. The path to redemption leads forward into the light, not backwards, into the dark.; 1/24/2006
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 1/26/2006
Anonymous said...: Whoever this david guy is, is a f#g and he needs to know that he's going to hell and he will burn for all eternity.
HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN. PERIOD. There is no arguement. It is wrong.
It says it in black and white in the Bible. It should be put into law, that it is a crime punishable by death to be a f*#king fa%#ot.

-----------------------------------
This comment was edited and preserved only to further illustrate the absurdity of the mind consumed with hate. It is offensive, but it is a view (no matter how twisted) that I will recognize for the sake of further discussion. That is, for anyone but Tom. I think you have said WAY more than enough on this subject! Join in on another topic or just read and share with friends. (See rules for commenting on my blog, coming soon to a sidebar near you); 1/26/2006
Anonymous said...: Thank you, Ken.
Tom, dude, chill.; 1/27/2006
Anonymous said...: Mama said -(edited)
"It looks to me like this person has a great deal of anger and frustration pent up and just needed a place to vent.
Gay's know they are doing wrong, and like a drunkard does not like to drink alone, gays will try anything to intice decent human beings into their filthy lifestyle.
Homosexuality is a sin. If you are not a Christian and do not believe that then at least you know it is immoral. That is why for years and years it was hidden.
Then one day one of these perverts decided to come out of the closet and all hell broke loose. Literally!
Now they are popping up everywhere proud of their sin.
And like a plague of rats spreads disease, gays spread their 'disease' also."

Oooookay. Mama, I am in no way attacking you, but after reading this,...thing that you wrote, I have to defend the gay population from these inflamatory, hateful remarks.
You said = "anger and frustration".
Of course. This anonymous homosexual was very hurt, because he/she feels that they are a valued member of society, they help anyone in the community who needs it, and they feel insulted and unnappreciated by the fact that 3 out of 4 community members do not care about their desires to be wed to the person that they love. This person is speaking out of anger that originated from a well established fear of being descriminated against, something they have obviously already experienced.
Then you go so far as to say -
"Gay's know they are doing wrong, and like a drunkard does not like to drink alone, gays will try anything to intice decent human beings into their filthy lifestyle."
I love to drink alone.
But seriously -
Ma'am, with all do respect, you do not sound anything like Jesus or his deciples. What you suggesting by comparing gays to drunks is highly offensive and irresponsible. A drunk has a choice of wether or not they wish to continue drinking. Gays, from a biologically and scientifically proven stand point, do not have a choice. They can't snap their fingers and all of a sudden hang out with me and the guys and chase women around all night. They would be living a lie.
And to even suggest or compare sexual orientation to a substance abuse problem is preposterous and obscene. How dare you. have a little more empathy, please.
And if you are one of those misguided individuals that think that homosexuality is a choice, my question to you is this - HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU KNOW? ARE YOU GAY?
Because the only way that you would know if a house cat has dreams is if you ARE one.
Why would someone make a choice to live a life of humiliation and prejudice? HELLO?!
So do you think that God loves everyone except gay people? Can you give some more insight to your (or lack therof) logic?
Then you obtrusively state that -"Homosexuality is a sin."
Or really? You know this because the Bible says so?
Guess who wrote the Bible? Man. Not God, man and his interepretations of what God is.
These are the projections and insecurities of bigoted men.
"If you are not a Christian and do not believe that then at least you know it is immoral."
Why? A couple of people of the same sex, loving eachother in there own place of residence, not hurting anyone. Statistics show that a child raised by gay parents are more likely to be physically and socially active and successful than the children of staight couples.
"That is why for years and years it was hidden."
Excuse me, um...just because you were born in the 1930's does not mean that homosexuality is a new trend. Homosexuality has been around since we transformed into homo erectus from monkeys. Do you know anything about history?
Alexander the Great for one was VERY gay. and he had lots of gay sex with his very gay man servants and brothers in arms and they pretty much took over the world.
And that was THOUSANDS of years ago, silly!
So before you go around saying things like ;
"Homosexuality is a sin. If you are not a Christian and do not believe that then at least you know it is immoral. That is why for years and years it was hidden."
It's a sin to you, because it is something you do not understand, and as humans, we a naturally fearful and spiteful of things that throw us out of our routine,or rattle our cages and that's okay. I wont chastize you for that.
But I will chastize you for this hate speech-
"Then one day one of these perverts decided to come out of the closet and all hell broke loose. Literally!"
And what day was that, ma'am? after the war? After the hippies took over?
Tell me what person broke into your house because he was gay? Have you ever seen someone being attacked because they're straight?
Come on. You're smarter than that.
"Now they are popping up everywhere proud of their sin."
Well, can't argue with you on that one! The fact is, you would like them to be ashamed of their orientation and they know this. As long as you want them to feel ashamed for being who they are, they will fight you tooth and nail, till the bitter end.
"And like a plague of rats spreads disease, gays spread their 'disease' also."
Straight people spread more unconcionable 'disease' than gays.
That's like me saying to my stepson, "don't get to close to that person in the wheelchair, you might lose your legs."
You should feel ashamed of yourself.
Don't make me site all the countless examples of why gays are the most benign element of our culture today.
This entire gay marriage issue is just a destraction from the important issues. I don't really care if gays get married or not, I only care that they recieve EQUAL RIGHTS as stated in the constitution they should.
I hope you can be more Christian in your attempt at talking like you don't have hatred and fear in your heart, and accept these people for who they are, you might be suprised, they are wonderful people, and might be able to enlighten and entertain you.
My point is this -
You know what's wrong with gay marriage?
The same thing that's wrong with straight marriage.
Please stop the hate, and love thy neighbor.
I will pray for you, Mama.; 1/27/2006