Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II has not wasted time carrying out his conservative social agenda. He has sent a letter to the state’s public colleges and universities to rescind policies that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation — advising them that they have no authority to ban such discrimination.
Cuccinelli (R) told the colleges and universities that only the General Assembly can extend legal protections to gay state employees, students and others. The letter states: “It is my advice that the law and public policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit a college or university from including ‘sexual orientation,’ ‘gender identity,’ ‘gender expression,’ or like classification as a protected class within its non-discrimination policy absent specific authorization from the General Assembly.”
This could result in a serious confrontation between the state and the schools.
For the full story, click here.
James/Elaine:
I also heard about 2 gay guys in Arkansas killing and torturing a kid but I don’t think gay guys kill and torture kids, just those 2.
So what is your point?
no comment
Have you ever been gay rolling in a wheel chair? Its not as easy as you’d think. Those fairy’s fly quicker than the gas out of my ass. The women folk are harder to swat than the men folk. Them women is some honery folks, heck I would be too if I was them. They got more hair on the face than I got on my legs.
How do you explain this. The men folk is women and the women folk is men. Man that is a drag to say. Will you send them to my cousin in Missouri after you done with them? Amon Re. he taught me all I needed to knows bout this. As kiddos, I was always swatting his ass. Now I know he licked it.
Byron, really? You’ve never heard (alleged) “christians” refer to the bible as the basis for putting our GLBTI citizens to death?
Your claim strains credulity. Just because you’ve “never heard of it before” does not mean it does not exist. Ditto hospital visitation and decision-making rights.
I invite you to avail yourself of the fabulous oracle at your fingertips and get educated before you make your proclamations.
Byron–
“I dont live in a utopia, I have never heard anyone say that gays should be put to death.”
Once again, let me remind you of what happened to Matthew Shepard.
And don’t forget this:
Lauren Ashley Pictures: Miss Beverly Hills Thinks God Wants Gays “Put to Death”
CBS News (2/23/2010)
Excerpt:
As the California courts decide the legality of gay marriage, Miss Beverly Hills Lauren Ashley has thrown her tiara into the ring and believes that God thinks gay men should be “put to death.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-6235745-504083.html
James:
I dont live in a utopia, I have never heard anyone say that gays should be put to death. Although, based on reports, I know those people exist. It certainly isnt a perfect world.
I would like to know how/why hospitals can ignore a power of attorney. And I would also like to know if an unmarried straight couple came in with a power of attorney would they be sent away. I would think that if they allowed a straight couple access but a gay couple none, the gay couple would have a serious windfall profit paid for at the hospital’s expense.
If I were gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered I would be so-o-o gone from that state. Life’s too short.
Byron, the answer is simple: we do not yet live in your Utopia.
We live in the world where not only LGBTI people are denied basic rights, but in some areas of our country, women are effectively denied their full range of reproductive choices because there are no clinics to service them. The mentality that wants to put gays to death wants to do the same to women who disobey. This mentality cannot say it aloud anymore in most circles. So it will do what it can to deny basic rights, whatever the real, human cost.
And you are missing the point: there exist hospitals — most, in fact — where if you are not spouse or family, they are free to turn you away, period. They cannot be “legally taken to task” because they are supported by law. This is what you do not see. Moreover, if my partner needs life-saving decisions, shall I go to court and ask massah judge first? How long will that take? Why do straight folks go on in, but I have provide papers?
When your Utopia comes to fruition, civil rights laws will no longer be necessary. Please wake me when it happens.
Until then, feel free to dream on.
Don K and James:
Personally I dont like it anymore than you do, I think all people ought to be treated equitably.
What I have a problem with is using the force of government to attach extra rights to a group of people, whether they be minorities, gays or the disabled. The protection is already in the Constitution. Why should the government protect one group of citizens over another? Unless some sort of force is initiated by another group they should not. And if force is initiated the redress is through the courts not through federal law granting most favored person status.
Personally I think the whole gay marriage ban is ridiculous. But I do not understand how they can ignore a power of attorney unless they do it in general as policy with no consideration other than it is not the policy of the hospital or there is a state law against it. Do they only enforce it for gay couples or are straight couples who are unmarried included as well? If they only enforce it for gay couples then the hospital should be legally taken to task.
The problem as I see it is the protections afforded every citizen need to be enforced not that gays need additional rights.
And James I am not having a pity party, I am using my experience as an illustration. But I do agree with Don K, those friggin handicapped spots are always taken up by someone with grannies tag and there are not enough van accessible spaces.
James, may I ask why Fred Phelps is of any concern? He sounds like a moron. What should happen is that when Fred shows up and starts ranting, he should have the living shit kicked out of him and nobody “sees” a thing. A couple of times “at bat” and I bet ole Fred starts preaching love and tolerance.
James-why do I need to love a gay person to understand this? I love my son and daughter and would not want them discriminated against for being tall. Seems to me it is the same principle.
And by the way I think the ADA is a bunch of shit, but I do like the curb cuts.
Byron –
No, I don’t have the same rights as you. If you were turned down for a job, and the prospective employer was dumb enough to say he was really looking for a woman for that job, you would have recourse to the courts. If I’m turned down and the employer says it’s because he doesn’t hire fags, I have no recourse under federal or Michigan law. Not that I’d want to work for him at that point, but it sure would be fun taking him to court and making him pay up.
I’m also familiar with the problems of the disabled, because my partner is in a wheelchair because of MS. We’ve never encountered actual non-compliance with ADA among businesses, but we don’t patronize those that give lip service to compliance. Examples include insufficient disabled parking places (evidenced by the fact one can never find an unoccupied place), parking places with no cross-hatching next to them that would allow one to actually transfer from a car to a wheelchair, and restaurants with roundabout access involving detours through the kitchen, storage area, and trash dump. Same reason I won’t knowingly give a penny to any businesses owned by ExxonMobil.
And yes, in principle, powers of attorney should work for end-of-life decisions and hospital visitation, but there are hospitals that refuse to accept such paperwork (at least if they suspect it involves queers), and will always defer to family members.
Sorry, but I really don’t see that anything I’m asking for is any kind of special right. These are just the rights that straight Americans take for granted (and whether or not being gay is innate and immutable, rights including against employment discrimination, and hate crime legislation, have been passed in favor of the religious a long time ago – are those special rights as well?).
James – Well said. (My apologies with diminishing this thread with the off-topic nonsense about Sarah Palin.) Your last paragraph is especially powerful.
Byron, there several holes in your argument.
You have not addressed my comments directly, nor Elaine M, when we present you with cases where the law is unequal, and there is no legal recourse to object.
Your power of attorney document is flawed because if you had an emergency in a state which did not honor such things, you would be denied at a critical time. And your “don’t go there” logic flies in the face of personal liberty.
You equate civil rights with positive reenforcement, and this comes right out the wheelchair talk. There exists a false equivalence between a wheelchair disability and being LGBTI. Fred Phelps will not show up at your funeral with sign which reads, “God Hates Gimps.” So give the pity-party (though you claim not to be throwing one) a rest.
You are correct we are no different under the law. Yet, the law continually discriminates preferentially against our LGBTI citizens, and I’ve given you plenty of examples of how that is true. You have effectively refuted none.
Love a gay person and get back to me. And enjoy your ADA.
Thanks, Elaine. If we could all be so clever…
anon nurse–
Just think–Sarah Palin on her own weekly reality TV show! I’m beginning to imagine what it might be like…
Episode 1: Got ‘Em in the Crosshairs–In which Sarah will show viewers how to shoot wolves from a helicopter.
Episode 2: Moose in a Noose–In which Sarah lassoes, kills, and skins and moose without mussin’ her hair or her manicure.
Episode 3: Moose on the Menu–In which Sarah and Rachel Ray whip up a batch of moose meat stew in thirty minutes.
Episode 4: Just Say “No Way”–In which we learn about safe sex through the abstinence only program.
Elaine:
If you are gay and you meet all the requirements and want to serve I see no reason why you shouldn’t.
James:
”
Byron, I would also add than many states do not allow partners of LGBTI couples any legal access to life-saving or end-of-life decisions in an emergency. A spouse or family member would not be questioned; a life-long partner would be denied.
With no legal recourse to object.
So why aren’t federal protections needed, exactly?”
I think they are called power of attorney agreements.
I have one gay friend, but then I don’t get out too much. But why do I need to have a gay friend to think that gays should be granted more rights than anyone else has?
I hate to keep going back to the handicapped thing, but if a restaurant doesn’t have access I go to one that does. Since I do okay financially I spend a few bucks that that restaurant doesn’t get. Their loss not mine.
I was once told by a certain company that they wanted an engineer that could walk, I said fine, I have plenty of clients and wouldn’t want to do work for a simple fuck like you anyway. Who gives a shit what someone thinks of you? If you care about getting positive reinforcement from people you will die on the vine. I don’t make a big deal out of being in a wheelchair and people look past it. I once had a client tell me I couldnt walk and chew gum at the same time (he was a little pissed off), I told him he was right. He got a kick out of that and got over his anger and we worked the problem out.
Gays are no different than anyone else, we all have red blood and the same wants, needs and desires. Why should anyone of us be given additional rights?
Well said, Elaine M.
And Blouise, thanks for the additional information on SP. (She’s apparently been discussing a reality show with a producer and networks execs, so there may be a Palin reality series (without her family) — a sort of “Alaska Docudrama”, according to Huffington Post.)
Byron–
“At the risk of being severely chastised, is it possible to think he is doing this because our civil rights laws and the Constitution already protect individuals from improper treatment?”
Still, our federal government has a discriminatory policy called DADT. Capable gays and lesbians–some of whom speak Arabic languages or have other specialized skills–have been kicked out of the military. Yet, felons and skinheads are being inducted. It doesn’t appear that gays and lesbians have full protection under the US Constitution.
Byron, I would also add than many states do not allow partners of LGBTI couples any legal access to life-saving or end-of-life decisions in an emergency. A spouse or family member would not be questioned; a life-long partner would be denied.
With no legal recourse to object.
So why aren’t federal protections needed, exactly?