From opposite ends of the country, two stories that will either make you laugh or simply shake your head.
First, from North Dakota:
North Dakota's House has agreed to repeal the state's anti-cohabitation law without a vote to spare, and Gov. John Hoeven is expected to sign it.
The law, which makes it illegal for a man and woman to live together without being married, has been part of North Dakota's code since statehood. It is listed as a sex crime among the state's criminal laws.
Okay. Sounds simple enough. Another outdated law removed from the books.
Except:
Representatives voted 48-41 on Thursday to repeal the law. It takes a minimum of 48 votes, which is a majority of the House's 94 members, to approve any measure in the state House.
That's right, the measure barely passed. Forty-one legislators voted to keep it a criminal offense.
The mind boggles.
Next we head south to sunny Largo, Fla., where the city found itself having to make a decision about whether to keep its city manager of 14 years. The sole reason? He wants to have a sex-change operation and become a woman.
City commissioners ended one of the most tumultuous weeks in Largo history Tuesday night by moving to fire City Manager Steve Stanton following his disclosure that he will have a sex-change operation.
A total of 480 people packed City Hall for a four-hour meeting during which one activist was arrested after police told her not to hand out fliers.
After listening to about 60 speakers, mostly from Largo, a majority of commissioners said they had lost confidence in Stanton's ability to lead.
That's right, fired for wanting a sex-change operation. It'll be interesting to see if the decision survives an anti-discrimination challenge, although his status as a manager makes him more vulnerable to such things, as the "ability to lead" argument shows.
I love the logic of some of the residents who wanted him fired:
"I don't want that man in office," she said. "I don't think we should be paying him $150,000 a year when he's not been truthful. We have to speak up. Of course, we don't believe in sex changes or lesbianism. They have their rights, but we do, too."
He wasn't "truthful" because he hadn't revealed his gender issue until now. Of course, if he had revealed it, he would have been attacked for "flaunting" his sexuality.
But this one takes the cake:
"If Jesus was here tonight, I can guarantee you he'd want him terminated. Make no mistake about it."
The speaker? Ron Sanders, pastor of Largo's Lighthouse Baptist Church.
Update: Churches from around the Tampa Bay area staged a 350-person rally in support of Stanton. I think they were motivated as much by revulsion at the words of Ron Sanders as anything.
civil liberties, morality, gay rights, politics, midtopia
4 comments:
I personally believe an employer should be allowed to fire someone for whatever reason he or she wants.
You can make money at this? NO WAY! Do you get a lot of comments from strangers? Just wondering...
You might go to your other home and explain to liberalman the difference between a soldier in uniform and a KKKer wearing a sheet. Whew! I'm so glad he's on your side, ;-)
Hi, Pam!
The ratio of comments to visitors isn't much better than spam, but yes I get a lot of comments from strangers -- although the point of a blog like this is to start a conversation, so like any such place there are a few regulars who comment more often than others.
Liberalman's on my side kind of the way Ann Coulter's on yours.... Though I'll agree that Ann, vile slug though she is, has more of a clue. It's an evil clue, but it's a clue.
Dude! (I am not calling you Sean when you already have two other names),
I am curious about something though. Is Stanton gay or is he a lesbian in a man's body? Will his wife have to convert to lesbianism? I admit a complete lack of comprehension - Thank God.
I do comprehend having a 13 year old though. ARGH! Take what might possibly be the hardest year in a kid's life and do this to him. Even if the kids at school aren't nasty, it's a hell of a thing to do to a kid.
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