Written: 12/30/2011

I’m going to generalize.  Sorry for that.  However, there are a good many of right-wing Republicans (not conservatives, they aren’t in control of the Republic party anymore), that think that “Big Government” needs to go away…except when it is regulating what people do in their bedrooms.

Rick Perry reminded us all that he disagrees with Lawrence v Texas, the Supreme Court case which struck down sodomy laws across the country.

Here’s the reader’s digest version (which by the way, Reader’s Digest has been embracing that phrase, and I kind of dig the metaness of it): Before 2003, some states (and in this case, Texas), had sodomy laws on the books.  These laws were directed at the LGBT community, in some cases, basically making it illegal to be gay.

Many of these laws also technically made all sex aside from missionary sex with the goal of procreation illegal as well.

So yes, until 2003, a mere eight years ago, it was illegal to be gay in many states.  Think of how outrageous that is.  And there are many politicians that are being given legitimate air time, that think we need to roll back to that time.

Make no mistake, there are hateful, evil people out there that want even worse for me, but it’s pretty bad that there are those that want to make my very existence illegal.

All my best,

The King of Spades

Written: 12/30/2011

The Illinois Catholic Charities have thrown a hissy fit.  As is the trend with Catholic charities across the country, because they can’t discriminate, they are deciding to not help anyone.

But now most of the Catholic Charities affiliates in Illinois are closing down rather than comply with a new requirement that says they can no longer receive state money if they turn away same-sex couples as potential foster care and adoptive parents.

Because if you have to treat people fairly, that’s religious discrimination.  Here’s the rub though, do a quick “find and replace” and see what happens:

Now let’s pretend that our charity refused to place children in the homes of Jews—or Muslims or Hindus or atheists or Lutherans or members of Mars Hill Church—because, according to our sincerely held religious beliefs, Jews and Muslims and Hindus and atheists and Lutherans and members of Mars Hill Church go to hell.

These charities receive close to 3 billion a year in public money.  And public money should not be used to pay for bigotry.  Use private funds and set up all kinds of regulations that fit your bigoted world-view.  But not with tax money that comes from everyone: Jews, Muslims, atheists, and even gays.

AMERICAblog has this to add:

Sorry, but if you’re going to suck at the federal teat to the tune of nearly $3 billion a year, there are going to be some strings attached, especially civil rights strings. You simply are not permitted to take taxpayer money and say “I’m a Klansman, and my view of religion is that blacks are inferior.” That isn’t going to fly. Nor can you take taxpayer money and deny services to Jews or Muslims because you think they’re going to hell. Sure, that’s your religious view all right, but if you want to express it, don’t use taxpayer funds to do it.

All my best,

The King of Spades