01/31/2008
Kentucky Senate Passes Bill Banning Benefits for Gay Partners
The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill that would ban universities and state agencies from offering benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian employees:
"The vote on Senate Bill 112 was 30-5, with Democratic Sens. Ernesto Scorsone of Lexington, Denise Harper Angel of Louisville, Gerald Neal of Louisville, R.J. Palmer of Winchester and Tim Shaughnessy of Louisville voting against it. 'The only thing that drives this measure is a gay-bashing effort,' said Scorsone, a homosexual. Proponents of the bill say allowing universities to offer domestic-partner benefits violates the Kentucky Constitution, which was amended in 2004 to ban same-sex marriage. 'I have sympathy for Sen. Scorsone,' said Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville. 'I know it's difficult for him to deal with this issue. Nobody directed any comments at him, nor would we have stood for anyone to say anything disrespectful on the floor.'"
Bunch of bigots. Isn't it great how even the Courier-Journal paints Scorsone as not really a person but: 'a homosexual'.
The bill passed on religious values. Said sponsor Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs: "I do not recognize domestic partnerships as being a correct thing. My Bible teaches against it."
The bill now awaits a House vote. Thankfully, a similar bill failed to pass there last year.
Posted 12:06 PM EST by Andy Towle in Discrimination, Kentucky, News | Permalink
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And just where does your Bible teach against Domestic Partnerships, huh Vernie? I've read the Bible and don't recall that passage. I do recall love thy neighbor. I do recall something about bearing false witness. Maybe they don't teach that at Vernie's church.
Posted by: sam | Jan 31, 2008 12:13:16 PM
Ah...the hate breeding white trash of the Blue Grass State. I can tell you as a former hoosier, we found them offensive, and hoosiers aren't exactly liberal! We were always so grateful for that river that divided us! :)
Posted by: Craig | Jan 31, 2008 12:14:43 PM
It's a job for the Supreme Court. The homosexuals of Kentucky must start a class action law-suite claiming discrimination.
That's the only way these backward idiots are every going to allow us our rights.
Posted by: Bobby | Jan 31, 2008 12:18:56 PM
bastards! as my cleaning lady irma from juarez would say, "chingan su madre!"...
Posted by: the queen | Jan 31, 2008 12:20:32 PM
Let me get this straight, they don't like us to be sluts, but when we try to partner and form meaningful relationships, we are penalized.
They want us to remain pathetic closet cases like Larry Craig.
Posted by: Ty | Jan 31, 2008 12:26:55 PM
Bobby, the only problem with that solution is the Supreme Court, itself. This ain't the O'Connor court anymore. Alito's presence practically assures that this law would be upheld by the conservative justices.
Increasingly, this seems to be where the country is going: "Red States" will discriminate with impunity against GLBT citizens, they will ban abortion, the will roll back any common sense progressive legislation enacted in this country since the New Deal. The "Blue States" will remain a tolerant refuge and might, in fact, push harder to the left in reaction to all of this religious legislation.
The result, over time, will find that Universities in the restrictive states will find it harder to attract good professors. Business will not be able to compete with competitors in progressive states for talented young attorneys, MBA's, etc. The gap in income, education, opportunity between the two parts of the country will widen. The progressive states will flourish while the restrictive states flounder in a self-made ocean of ignorance and poverty.
The restrictive states will get what they want: a practical theocracy. But they will pay the price for it economically. People will flee these states en masse not so much as a political protest but simply for better economic opportunities elsewhere.
This is what happens over time to a theocracy. Look how well it's worked for Iran.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 31, 2008 12:29:31 PM
"Nobody directed any comments at him, nor would we have stood for anyone to say anything disrespectful on the floor"
Yeah, right! Nobody said anything disrespectful, but THIRTY of them made a disrespectful LAW! Isn't that rather worse than just saying something?
There go the language departments at those universities.... (speaking as a language prof). Stupidity, and now they'll only breed more of it by losing smart queer profs.
Posted by: KevinVT | Jan 31, 2008 12:31:33 PM
Yet ANOTHER state to avoid...Never shall I go too,nor visit, nor tour a Bigoted,Discriminatory state...Add that to the list of "FLY OVER,DRIVE THRU NONE STOP" states.
Posted by: Disgusted American | Jan 31, 2008 12:51:52 PM
Well I have to say I'd probably care a little more if:
1) I lived in Kentucky
2) cared about having a partner at some point in my life and
3) worked at a college or university in said state,
but I don't. Best of luck gay Kentuckians.
Posted by: Matt | Jan 31, 2008 1:16:46 PM
What the hell is wrong with me so? I don't even live in the US, and after the last few years, have no intention of living there, and I still care. How can you not care?
Posted by: EireKev | Jan 31, 2008 1:23:41 PM
Gee Matt, too bad about #2 you sound like such a catch.
Best of luck with that.
Posted by: SteveH | Jan 31, 2008 1:24:21 PM
Great post, Mike. Excellent points, all.
Posted by: Jon | Jan 31, 2008 1:27:43 PM
Last night at the Marilyn Manson concert at Hammerstein, he pulled out a bible and set fire to it. He's making a lot more sense than these fucks.
Posted by: JLS | Jan 31, 2008 1:47:48 PM
It's easy not to care. My life is satisfactory and as long as I'm not affected by it, I just turn a blind eye to it.
Posted by: Matt | Jan 31, 2008 1:48:52 PM
Careful about that blind eye, Matt. While you're busy not looking, they might just try and blind the other one.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 31, 2008 1:53:09 PM
"""Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs: "I do not recognize domestic partnerships as being a correct thing. My Bible teaches against it." """
Actually the bible teaches for it. It teaches us to love one another. It doesn't specify which sex.
There should be a mandatory IQ test passing score for state legislators, or, why do the dumbest dumbasses end up in politics?
Posted by: Vi Agara | Jan 31, 2008 1:57:31 PM
All the oppressed should bring their gay love and high incomes to the left coast. Why be rated second class citizens and still have to pay taxes to a state that does not like you. Oregon, Washington, and California would welcome you. Each state has openly supported and fought for our rights as humans. Battles are lost and won but progress is being made. I encourage everyone in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, and all other southern states come visit us here. Check things out
cause I'm sure people would love it.
Posted by: Bud | Jan 31, 2008 2:00:48 PM
Mike,
No they won't whomever they are. I'm not a threat to them so they pay me no attention.
Posted by: Matt | Jan 31, 2008 2:01:44 PM
THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WORLD IS RELIGION.
Whether it is gay rights in the U.S. or women's rights in the middle east, where religion is taken seriously, it becomes a major hindrance in the fight for basic human rights.
The bible doesn't teach love, those who have tead this disgusting book they know it is nothing but primitive hate speech. It is time the courts rule such behavior by the states unconstitutional since it violates the secular principles of our republic.
Posted by: God | Jan 31, 2008 2:01:54 PM
Sorry, Matt. I assumed you were gay. Of course I should have remembered that straight people read this blog, too.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 31, 2008 2:06:51 PM
her Bible is a book, and nothing more.
perhaps laws should also be placed based on Lord Of The Rings.
or better yet, Fahrenheit 451.
Posted by: A.J. | Jan 31, 2008 2:16:00 PM
Mike,
I'm gay. Why would you think I was straight? I never said I didn't want you to have your marriages. I just said I didn't care if you had them or not.
Posted by: Matt | Jan 31, 2008 2:22:46 PM
Remember, Mike. Just because somebody is gay doesn't mean that they care about other gay people - or about other people at all.
Some gay people are selfish enough to not care about human rights or discriminatory laws as long as it doesn't affect them right here right now.
I could go on in castigating a person like Matt, but I will instead hope and pray that he one day finds a person he falls in love with that turns around his very ego-centric opinions and worldview.
Posted by: Rey | Jan 31, 2008 2:42:07 PM
Matt,
I and many of my fellow Gays care about the equality of all people. We know that if we don’t care about our bothers and sisters who are like us no one else will. We believe that love is the greatest principle of our humanity and of our community. I hope that you will join us and understand that without this principle we are empty of compassion and blind to justice like the non-gays are.
Posted by: 1♥ | Jan 31, 2008 2:52:24 PM
Matt:
I'm a little confused, then. How can you be a gay person in America (or anywhere, for that matter) and possibly think you are not perceived as a threat to some people. I think it's more than just one eye that's blind.
Rey:
Quite right.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 31, 2008 3:27:33 PM