Ranting: gay rights

[anotheranon]

Or rather, gay non-rights. Seems the whole furor about gay marriage is spawning more/better discrimination than usual around the country:

For instance, evidently GBLTQ Federal employees no longer have civil rights (found in tommx's LJ and Metafilter). That's funny, I thought all Federal employees could just assume they had civil rights on the grounds that they're human, but I guess that's changed - the language regarding discrimination on basis of orientation used to be there, but has been removed. I can't wait to see how they plan to enforce this, let alone prove charges - do they plan to bug every bedroom of every federal employee to find out whether they are engaging in "homosexual conduct" or not? Jayzus >:(

LBTGQ individuals have also lost their rights to be in Rhea County TN at all - not like I can imagine any would want to be, as the town is still proud that the Scopes "monkey trial" took place there 80 years ago. Maybe they're campaigning for Most Back-Assward County in America? And what "crimes against nature" are they talking about, anyway? Destroying rare foilage, frightening the wildlife? timcharmorbien - I know this is nowhere near you, but you're at least residents of the state - are there any petitions you can sign/letters you can write about this?

Also news to me: Gay people don't have the right to have cutesy fairy tales written about them! Because perish the thought that the little children might learn that Gay is Okay! (There is actually a silver lining to this one: readers of Metafilter's post on this story have purchased for the school library in question copies of Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy's Roommate in addition to a new copy "King and King", the book that set off the parents in the first place. This makes me happy, not just because it tweaks the noses of dedicated homophobes, but because it gives me hope that their kids won't grow up as small minded as they are. [A tangential note - if you have books you can't sell on Half.com, try giving them to your local public school library - I'm in a fairly well-funded school district and they're still thrilled to get anything I can send them, no matter how outdated or worn.]).

At least I've finally found a copy of the Gay Agenda, along with an instructional video of same - I never got it so I was wondering just what the plan was!

Comments

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

The Hartsells said they are keeping the book until they get assurances it won't be circulated.

Things like this make the lyrics to "The Man From S.A.C.O.N. (Self-Appointed Censors Of the Nation)" play over and over in my head. If they don't want THEIR kid to read the book, fine. That's their problem. But deciding that they get to make that decision for every other parent and everybody else's kids ... that's damned conceited of them.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Damn right! Also, I suppose it teaches the little girl in question that men kissing is bad, but stealing library property is ok :P

My mom used to work in a public library and they had a problem about 10 years ago with a bunch of parents who wanted "explicit materials" (in this case, child sex ed books) removed from the shelves. The library prevailed - on the grounds that no, they don't get to make decisions for everyone else's kids.

It's just stupid. What year is this again?

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Most libraries have a review policy in place just in case a patron tries to start the censorship ball rolling. The usual practice is to require the patron to submit, in writing, the reasons they think a particular item should be removed from the collection. Amazing how many people disappear when they're required to work for what they'd rather rant for. ;-)

[timcharmorbien.livejournal.com]

For instance, evidently GBLTQ Federal employees no longer have civil rights (found in tommx's LJ and Metafilter). That's funny, I thought all Federal employees could just assume they had civil rights on the grounds that they're human, but I guess that's changed - the language regarding discrimination on basis of orientation used to be there, but has been removed.

That's our administration for you - - let's misinterpret the bare letter of the law, and ignore it's intentions. Just why is being gay an offense worthy of dismissal? And can the government also fire people for looking gay? For acting in a manner they think gay people would act? Are we going to start profiling gay drivers? And exactly when did the desire to retain one's constitutional rights become 'special rights' for gays? Inquiring and intelligent minds want to know!

LBTGQ individuals have also lost their rights to be in Rhea County TN at all - not like I can imagine any would want to be, as the town is still proud that the Scopes "monkey trial" took place there 80 years ago. Maybe they're campaigning for Most Back-Assward County in America? And what "crimes against nature" are they talking about, anyway? Destroying rare foilage, frightening the wildlife? timcharmorbien - I know this is nowhere near you, but you're at least residents of the state - are there any petitions you can sign/letters you can write about this?

Sorry darlin', we just built the interstate around Rhea county and try to avoid that side of the state. I'm actually surprised they have a system of government loosely based on democracy there - - but if I see any petitions I'll sign 'em, and if they exile their gay populace (who would turn themselves in like good citizens, I'm sure, if those yahoos regarded them as citizens) we'll offer shelter. Mind you, getting kicked out of Rhea County is like a reprieve from Purgatory, but I'm sure they'd appreciate the gesture.

Oh, and Char calls dibs on JLS' futon when the Conservatives turn on the gay sympathizers - - her back needs the support - - ;)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Just why is being gay an offense worthy of dismissal? And can the government also fire people for looking gay? For acting in a manner they think gay people would act? Are we going to start profiling gay drivers?

You joke but you make some glaringly obvious points - how is the government going to figure out who is gay, anyway? It's not like anyone is going to come out after this. If you're a female fan of the Indigo Girls, will you get kicked out? What if you're a man who dresses a little too well? Or are they just going to start following around all federal employees after work hours to see where they go and who they hang out with? It's insane!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

And I doubt it's even dawned on them that having sex with a person of the same physical gender doesn't necessarily mean one is gay, any more than having sex with a person of the opposite physical gender means you're het. ;-)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I doubt it too - somehow I don't think the worldview of such people is particularly nuanced. After all, why pick and choose with tweezers when it's so much easier to flail around with a hammer? :P

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Sadly, all too true ... they're just taking the "Malleus Maleficarum" (The Hammer of Witchcraft) and substituted "gay" for "witch" ***sigh*** (I'm sure somebody with a Latin education can tell us the new title should be).

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I think you just hit the nail on the head - it is almost EXACTLY like a medieval witch hunt - the "bad people" live among us and look just like us, but they're EVERYWHERE and do ill-defined "bad things" so they MUST be flushed out :(

In a way I'm hoping that as more people see and hear about this kind of discrimination there will be a backlash, rather the way the film of civil rights activists being attacked by dogs in Alabama created sympathy for their cause. It's a horrible thing to say but I think there will have to be some martyrs before much progress is made :/

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Not "almost EXACTLY like", it IS a witchhunt. Unreasoning hatred, caused by fear, caused by ignorance. It's not something that only exists in rural "backwoods" regions either ... I was raised in a "backwoods" area of farms and small villages and it wasn't until I moved to a city to attend college that I saw/heard people being openly racist/bigoted/prejudiced. Where I grew up, that was entirely unacceptable behaviour, by anybody, TO anybody (well, not entirely unacceptable ... my parents did teach me that it was okay to practice prejudice against bigots and campaign to send 'em all back where they came from ***grin***).

I share your hope that heightened awareness and publicity will cause a backlash in the "civilized" direction, hopefully without adding to an already far-too-long list of martyrs.

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Whoops ... forgot to turn off my underscore! :p

[timcharmorbien.livejournal.com]

Just an addendum; in Rhea county the rest of the commisioners are apparantly backpeddling, now claiming they only meant to show support for a ban on gay marriage, not the eviction of gay taxpayers. I'm sure said taxpayers will appreciate the fine distinction. Next we'll be told the comments were taken out of context by the media. :/

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

But of course! As ever, it all comes down to money.

Michael Moore should stage something there in his usual obnoxious way - get an extremely wealthy and "out" person to start looking at property in Rhea county and see how the commissioners react. "Why, Mr. Elton John.... we have NO problems with you moving in down the street from the church..." ;)

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

***writes Char's name on post-it and sticks it to futon*** Okay, your claim is staked.

Of course, if you ALL flee up here (just claim political refugee status at the nearest Canadian consulate or at the airport Immigration office), we can start our own Walden commune à la Doonesbury. :-)))))

[psquelly.livejournal.com]

Bloch said that the while a gay employee would have no recourse for being fired or demoted for being gay, that same worker could not be fired for attending a gay Pride event.

In his interpretation, Bloch is making a distinction between one’s conduct as a gay or lesbian and one’s status as a gay or lesbian

Is it me or is that nuts? How do you separate them? And so acting gay is okay but being is not? Well duh. I'm not white, I just act that way. I'm not female, I just act that way.

I just do not understand why this is even an issue. It's so obviously the next civil rights battle. And pretty soon we'll all just be thinking we thought it all along.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

It IS nuts - I don't see how you can "prove" someone is gay unless they up and say it - and who's to say they aren't lying? As jlsjlsjls pointed out, having sex with a same-physical-sex partner doesn't necessarily = gay or lesbian. So where's the cut-off point?

And you're right - this is a civil rights issue, through and through. I'm already thinking it, and already very pro-gay rights. I'm just waiting for the bastards in Washington to catch up.