MT Senate passes gay rights legislation

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:34 pm

Congrats to MT for showing a glimmer of hope on the (real) moral front in perhaps assertively stating that discriminating against people based on qualties not related to legitimate qualifications is, well, wrong.

I had to laugh out loud at some of the absolutely stupid comments made by the opponents of the bill -- one suggesting that this would somehow protect pedophiles (scare the public, avoid facts, scare the public, avoid facts... I wonder where we've seen that approach before?) and another guy saying that it might put young people in contact with a gay person, which might turn them gay too. Ah shucks, Cletus, I dun furgot that the gay bug was contagious!

It truly saddens me how ignorant some people really are, but fortunately the majority of the Senate isn't as myopic and delusional as the opponents quoted in the article.

http://billingsgazette.com/index.php?id ... rights.inc

wbtfg · Post by **wbtfg** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:42 pm

I am surprised to see that only one republican voted in favor of the bill, and only one democrat voted against. I knew there would be some disagreement, but it really surprises me that it was partisan related....I guess I don't see this as a partisan issue.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:48 pm

wbtfg wrote:I am surprised to see that only one republican voted in favor of the bill, and only one democrat voted against. I knew there would be some disagreement, but it really surprises me that it was partisan related....I guess I don't see this as a partisan issue.

That is an interesting point. To give Republicans the benefit of the doubt, I would hope their justification would be that the discrimination laws in general are ineffective and have unintended consequences, so they are opposed to expanding them (consistent with a "small government" philosophy). However, if that was the true feeling, then they should be trying to roll back the entire set of laws. I could understand and appreciate a well thought out argument on that front.

However, sadly, I think it is more of a matter that the current Republican party platform is to gays what the Democrats were to blacks prior to the 60's. They are the pro-discrimination and anti-gay people party, and they truly think they are justified (often pointing to the Bible for support, just like the racists did throughout our history as well). Fifty years from now, society will look back on them like we look back on the segregationists of the 50's. It's just sad that we are so slow to learn from our own history.

UMfaninkazoo · Post by **UMfaninkazoo** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:14 pm

Thats good news.....I do not agree with gay marriage I do believe homosexuals need to have rights as well......as far as the predator thing I think there are probably more heterosexual predators than homosexual.....besides if a person is worried about it do a background check before hiring them.....its not a republican decision or a democrat decision....it is the right decision

bronco · Post by **bronco** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:23 pm

"Gay rights advocates jumped for Joy"

So only the lesbians showed up?

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:03 pm