Rhea County officials seek change in law to ban gays

[Troubleshooter]

DAYTON, Tenn. (AP) - Rhea County commissioners unanimously voted to ask state lawmakers to introduce legislation amending Tennessee's criminal code so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature.

"We need to keep them out of here," said Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the motion.

http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp...3&nav=1ugFLb9D

[Troubleshooter]

DAYTON, Tennessee (AP) -- The county that was the site of the Scopes "Monkey Trial" over the teaching of evolution Thursday reversed its call to ban homosexuals.

Rhea County commissioners took about three minutes to retreat from a request to amend state law so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature. The Tuesday measure passed 8-0.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/03/18/county.gays.ap/

This is the truly sad part:

But 12-year-old Caitlin Kinney, attending the meeting with her mother, said she supported the commissioners' initial vote.

"I think they should go further, try to see if they can ban them," she said. "It's not a Christian thing."

[lumberjim]

Caitlin will turn out to be a lesbian

[Clodfobble]

Caitlin has not yet figured out what goes on at her father's "Elk Lodge" meetings...

Seriously, the state legislature of Tennessee only made sodomy legal in 1996, so this county isn't THAT out of line with a lot of other people in the state. And even if they did pass the amendment, it wouldn't matter because all laws of that nature have already been ruled to be unconstitutional, Lawrence v. Texas.

So such an amendment would be nothing but... lip service.

[Kitsune]

In all of Florida homosexuality is illegal. While I don't think it has ever been enforced in Florida (South Beach would be desolate), it has been enforced elsewhere.

...the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas sodomy laws last year and ruled there is a constitutionally protected right to adults' private sexual conduct....

...or maybe not.

What the hell is happening to our country, anyways? Maybe I am too young to remember, but I do not recall this much religious backlash and attempts to take so many steps backwards.

[xoxoxoBruce]

There wasn't this much backlash because they stayed in the closet, at least in the sticks.

[Elspode]

An unfortunate side effect of conservative politics (and the party that most identifies with conservative politics) being in power is a strong urge to legislate Christian morality upon we heathen rabble.

It is sad, because I am, in many ways, a conservative thinker, but I am kept from fully supporting the Conservative agenda because of the propensity to want everyone to be Christian.

[SteveDallas]

It's always seemed to me that a desire to legislate morality is incompatible with a desire to have "smaller government" or "keep government out of our lives."

[lumberjim]

Originally posted by SteveDallas
It's always seemed to me that a desire to legislate morality is incompatible with a desire to have "smaller government" or "keep government out of our lives."

if you "legislate morality" is it still morality?
I always thought of morals as internal laws that we hold ourselves to. You don;t do something immoral because it is wrong, or it feels wrong, not because it's against the law. By making everything immoral illegal, I feel like you remove the NEED for morality. Along with that, you remove the need for self examination, self judgement, and personal ethics. Just let the government do your thinking for you. it's so much easier. no quandries about whether something is right or wrong...just look it up in the law books.

[Troubleshooter]

Originally posted by SteveDallas
It's always seemed to me that a desire to legislate morality is incompatible with a desire to have "smaller government" or "keep government out of our lives."

It is, but that's the internal conflict between the smaller gov't (to keep them out of finances/business) and the dictates of their religious fervor.

[Elspode]

Legislating morality is really only a process. Eventually, when it has been legislated enough, and the heathens eliminated in the holy fires of justice, all that will remain is the One True Law, the Lord Jesus Christ Almighty on High, sitting at the right hand of The Father.

I just wish Jehovah weren't such an insecure, paranoid, angry, sadistic deity.

[wolf]

Like Zeus isn't?

The new Gods learned from the old Gods.

They are just designed for worshippers with less time, shorter memories, and the whole one god, one church thing was an excellent way to consolidate power, land, and money.

Especially money.

[richlevy]

Originally posted by wolf
They are just designed for worshippers with less time, shorter memories, and the whole one god, one church thing was an excellent way to consolidate power, land, and money.

Especially money.

It was especially true when you could take it from the heathens.

[Elspode]

Just substitute 'heathen' with 'blue collar worker', and you'll pretty much be up to date...

Most god(esse)s seem to be pretty full of themselves in some way or other, 'tis true, Wolf, but right now, none of the dictates of any of my personal favorites are experiencing much of a push through the Legislative Branch.

It would be a lot more fun if they did, though. 'That's right, you heard me! Bacchus says more wine! And get those pants off right now!"