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lurkette · 04-27-2005, 09:27 AM

Um, I'm afraid you are in fact coming across as a bit of a bigot.

Well, let me clarify that. You seem to be somewhat inconsistent in your ranting.

Let's make a distinction between "public expectations" and "basic rights."

You say "Why is it that I'm required to be sensitive about offending them with my mannerism, my speech, and my public behavior but at the same time it's not only acceptable but expected that they should be allowed to completely disregard any of my feelings or beliefs?" This law is not about requiring anybody to be sensitive or to alter their public behavior or their individual expression. It would require institutions, corporations, etc., to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. You're confusing two issues: political correctness (which has outlived its limited usefulness IMHO) and legislation to prevent discrimination.

You also say "stop trying to grant the minority groups special privleges and alot EVERYONE the same EQUAL rights." Um...that's what this bill is trying to do! There's nothing "special" about offering benefits to the partners of employees who are unable to marry because of laws on the books that are, more and more, being challenged as discriminatory and unconstitutional. And this issue is not "resolving itself" - why do you think we've seen more and more acceptance (or at least tolerance) for homosexuality over the past few decades? It's because people have spoken up and refused to be treated as inferiors because of the religious opinions of some people. Sometimes protest and visibility are necessary to effect change when the majority of the population doesn't support that change - look at civil rights in the 60s; look at women's rights (forget the vote - did you know that until several decades ago women were not allowed to have credit cards in their own names?); entrenched discrimination does not change on its own. I'm sorry if you wish all of this could just...disappear so you wouldn't have to hide your discomfort with the public behavior of some homosexuals, but it's not going to happen. And if you want everyone allotted the same equal rights, support legislation that removes institutionalized (and often religiously-based) discrimination from our laws.

04-27-2005, 09:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
lurkette My future is coming on Moderator Emeritus Location: east of the sun and west of the moon	Um, I'm afraid you are in fact coming across as a bit of a bigot. Well, let me clarify that. You seem to be somewhat inconsistent in your ranting. Let's make a distinction between "public expectations" and "basic rights." You say "Why is it that I'm required to be sensitive about offending them with my mannerism, my speech, and my public behavior but at the same time it's not only acceptable but expected that they should be allowed to completely disregard any of my feelings or beliefs?" This law is not about requiring anybody to be sensitive or to alter their public behavior or their individual expression. It would require institutions, corporations, etc., to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. You're confusing two issues: political correctness (which has outlived its limited usefulness IMHO) and legislation to prevent discrimination. You also say "stop trying to grant the minority groups special privleges and alot EVERYONE the same EQUAL rights." Um...that's what this bill is trying to do! There's nothing "special" about offering benefits to the partners of employees who are unable to marry because of laws on the books that are, more and more, being challenged as discriminatory and unconstitutional. And this issue is not "resolving itself" - why do you think we've seen more and more acceptance (or at least tolerance) for homosexuality over the past few decades? It's because people have spoken up and refused to be treated as inferiors because of the religious opinions of some people. Sometimes protest and visibility are necessary to effect change when the majority of the population doesn't support that change - look at civil rights in the 60s; look at women's rights (forget the vote - did you know that until several decades ago women were not allowed to have credit cards in their own names?); entrenched discrimination does not change on its own. I'm sorry if you wish all of this could just...disappear so you wouldn't have to hide your discomfort with the public behavior of some homosexuals, but it's not going to happen. And if you want everyone allotted the same equal rights, support legislation that removes institutionalized (and often religiously-based) discrimination from our laws. __________________ "If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France