File this story under "One Step Forward."
Gov. Bob Ehrlich, the Republican governor of Maryland, made it clear that throwing around words like "sexual deviancy" when referring to the lives of gay men and lesbians will not be tolerated in his administration.
Ehrlich fired Robert J. Smith, a political appointee on the (Washington) Metro transit authority board, for making an anti-gay comment while a guest on a public access TV show. In fact, it was vice presidential daughter Mary Cheney's "lifestyle" that prompted the remark as reported in today's Washington Post:
"On last weekend's show, Smith interrupted another speaker who was talking about federalism and Vice President Cheney's daughter. The speaker said Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, would not want the government interfering in her life, according to a recording of that portion of the show.
"That's fine, that's fine," Smith interrupted. "But that doesn't mean that government should proffer a special place of entitlement within the laws of the United States for persons of sexual deviancy."
Ehrlich said the comments were in "direct conflict to my administration's commitment to inclusiveness, tolerance and opportunity."
I found it amusing but not surprising that Tim Graham's blog post today on 'Newsbusters' -- the blog that saves the world from "liberal media bias" -- said, "WashPost Finds Maryland Governor 'Centrist' For Pandering to Gay Left." This was the best part:
"The Post is announcing on its front page today where America is headed: people will not be discriminated against for being gay. People will be discriminated against for being "anti-gay." Orthodox religion will be castigated as "hate speech" and punished in the public square. Liberals say they are "free speech advocates," but not when Christians speak outagainst sexual sin. There is no room for debate, only denunciation."
Conservatives just do not get it. We don't all have to agree, but there are respectful ways to talk about our differences. Why do they feel compelled to cast aspersions in such holier-than-thou, judgmental, hurtfulways? Then they call it liberal bias and reverse-discrimination when they get called on their prejudice.
They call hate speech free speech. It's not.
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10 comments:
He shouldn't have fired the guy. Why are they; the gay-lesbian crowd; always trying to shove their way of life down our throats? I don't accept it and never will!
You will have a day of recogning coming as we all do. Don't make God a LIAR!
Read Romans 1:18 - 32. God will render to every man according to his deeds. Be warned oh man, woman, Be warned!
Governor Erhlich must learn that he cannot please everyone. But, this does not make any sense, if they want a life style contrary to the way the rest of us live, do we have to accept it, NO! - keep it in the closet where it belongs and become the men and women God made you to be!
I am a registered nurse. I graduated from Montgomery College in takoma park in 1980. As a health professional, one takes an oath (the Hippocratic) to care for others without discrimination, and believe me, as a nurse in a hospital (WAH, SGAH, PGHC, AAMC....), nursing home and home visiting, a true nurse/ MD, PT, OT, RT, or para-professional looks beyond race, age, sexual orientatation, religion, as well as, educational level and behavior in general, in order to appropriately treat
a client, even if his/her lifestyle has lead to their illness. It's a choice a health professional makes, and it comes from the heart.
Robert Smith has a right to bear his heart as much as the gay person has a right to bear his/hers. Someone as talented and intelligent as Robert Smith who has been willing to serve our community selflessly, many hours beyond what most people work, for so many years, does not deserve the undignified deposition he has been handed.
The politicians have jumped on this like a bunch of hungry animals.....how base....how ridiculous they make themselves look.....how evident is their greed for votes....how blind-sided and ignorant they are.....how they will lose votes on all sides of intelligent people who actually think rather than react to the media which is driven by a hollywood/anything-goes society.
When I took Psychology 101 at Montgomery College, my textbook did categorize homosexuals as deviants!!!! Deviants of the natural procreation of our species. Life would not carry-on if we all became homosexual---unless by unnatural means---deviating from what God has made us to be---male+female to produce more of the same....sorry, it's a belief of mine, and I've a right to it, both religious-based (I'm Catholic, too) and scientifically-based. Sorry, Governor Erlich. I'm withdrawing my vote unless you withdraw your dismissal of Robert Smith.
Signed, A Registered Nurse in Maryland calling you out!
Gail- I feel compelled to express my feelings on what you had to say in your comment. I'm not sure if you just didn't read the entire blog post or if you just chose to ignore certain parts. But the author CLEARLY states that we don't all necessarily have to agree on everything. With that in mind, and also the fact that we, as Americans, have the right to have our own opinions, we also have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in an honorable way and express those opinions with respect for our fellow man. The other fact that I would like to comment on has to do with your selective bible verse quoting. It is very irresponsible to take the Word of God out of context and try to use it against people. The Bible is a book of love, comfort, compassion, healing, and understanding. Did God not bless the adulteress and forgive her of her sins?? Your bible verse plainly states that "God will render to every man according to his deeds.", not man will render to every man according to his deeds. You are correct only in saying that we will all have our judgment day, but the only people that will be there will be God and the sinner. Not the sinner and a peanut gallery of amateur politicians acting on God's part. Every person on this earth is a sinner. “Why do you point out the fleck in your brother's eye, without noticing the log in your own.” God is an amazing being enveloped in a loving, forgiving grace. God does not hate anyone, and that includes 'gays', 'fags', 'queers', and 'fairies'. I have a challenge for you, read Matthew 7:1, and I dare you to live it for one week. And I mean really live it.
Liberals just don't get it. Why can't we stand on the Christians morals America used to stand on. Liberals stand for homosexuality and abortions (killing babies). Maybe some of us like living in a country where we can have the standards like we used to have.
it seems more and more to me that the so called christians and some the far right tepublicans would like to be able to tell other people how to live and everybody else should shut up. well i am sorry i have a right to talk and yes i am gay. i also think that if churchs and religions are going to voice there opions and not accept others they should loose tax free status and start paying taxes like everyone else then they would have the right to say what ever. right now they are a bunch of hate mongers who applause everytime a gay man is beated or killed by their homophobic followers . it is time to tell churches they have no rights in this country and should stick to reading their little book sunday and nothing else.
they are to blame for every teenage suicide and every gay bashing and murder that has ever happened. hows that for christian love and cherity. what a joke.
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Frankly don't know why he would have been fired for that statement and he should fight it because it seems the proper terms for sex between two of the same gender geez thought something bad was said not this! I do not like prejudice against gays especially when it involves harming someones body but I really do not think his statement warranted firing from his job not that statement! In my opinion. Should someone trying to make a statement be fired for suppopsedly a wrong word, we are not perfect people and do not always know the proper works to use or not use this is going to far in my opinion, half of the time i do not know the proper word for people of color. Lots of people use different terms it does not always mean they meant something that would hurt someone's feelings etc it is a lot about just an honest touchy word being used or such
I have this trouble with chatting with people on im now to some people are so touchy and on edge expecting something negative you cannot even talk to them they take things as negative that were honestly not meant that way, and all sorts of things it has really gotten bad just happened to me the other day
And where do we learn what word or words are acceptable and which are not sometimes in the work place or where else? If you are not employed you may not be learning what is considered proper nowdays man i heard that expression used for years by any number of people 'deviancy' in regard to gay's it was not an expression that i myself ever used that i recall and i did not innitiate it myself no it was something i probably read or heard on tv and my view of it was that it may have even been a proper way to think of gay sex via dictionary or constitition but my view of the word was not one meant in a mean way
Shoot new a man that called black people oh what was the word he was an older gentleman and it bothered me asked him not to say it and he didn't except an accasional slip so we do defend and we do have words that affend us also don't know why you think you have the market on that that was aparrently what he learned growing up did he mean it meanly maybe not it was like 'coon' or something and i did not really feel it was said in meaness just said
The correct word is homosexual, people who like people of the same sex. Gay is a lie, because there is nothing "gay or happy" about this life style. It is sad and self destructive. Don't bother to send me email, I have a delete key for all those I do not know.
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