Tenn. County Wants to Charge Homosexuals (crimes against nature)

abc ^ | 3/17/04

[knak]

Tennessee County, Site of `Monkey Trial,' Wants to Charge Gays With Crimes Against Nature

The Associated Press

DAYTON, Tenn. March 17 — The county that was the site of the Scopes "Monkey Trial" over the teaching of evolution is asking lawmakers to amend state law so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature.

The Rhea County commissioners approved the request 8-0 Tuesday.

Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the measure, also asked the county attorney to find a way to enact an ordinance banning homosexuals from living in the county.

"We need to keep them out of here," Fugate said.

The vote was denounced by Matt Nevels, president of the Chattanooga chapter of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

"That is the most farfetched idea put forth by any kind of public official," Nevels said. "I'm outraged."

Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas' sodomy laws as a violation of adults' privacy.

Rhea County is one of the most conservative counties in Tennessee. It holds an annual festival commemorating the 1925 trial at which John T. Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution. The verdict was thrown out on a technicality. The trial became the subject of the play and movie "Inherit the Wind."

In 2002, a federal judge ruled unconstitutional the teaching of a Bible class in the public schools.

[knak]

this is to cool

[FormerLib]

Time to test the Democrats support of States Rights?

[MineralMan]

Already on the boards:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1099832/posts

[knak]

I just saw it. Used the wrong search terms.

duplicate thread, please delete

[Semper Vigilantis]

Does praying for a "domino effect" make me a bad person?

[MineralMan]

"I just saw it. Used the wrong search terms."

Different sources. Different headlines. No biggie.

[Phantom Lord]

This is one of the stupidest ideas to come out of government in a while.

[laotzu]

"That is the most farfetched idea put forth by any kind of public official....I'm outraged"

Slavery, the Spanish Inquisition, forcing females to wear Burques, limiting parents to one child, etc..., was all kind of ho-hum.

But, at last, this guy is outraged.

[AntiGuv]

State's Rights are irrelevant. The Tennessee CAN statute was struck down by the Tennessee State Supreme Court under the Tennessee State Constitution about a decade or so ago.

[FormerLib]

Hopefully, the rewritten one will pass muster!

[Britton J Wingfield]

Cool. Next we can kick out the papists.

[baltimoreman]

Watch out for United Nations Commission on Human Rights

[sticker]

There are no humans at the un(less)ited nations. Come to think of it there aren't that many in Rhea county

[bayourod]

In the 70s a law professor (father of Tx Comptroller Carol Keeton ...) responded to a student's statement that sodomy was a crime against nature by saying "Then why not let nature punish the violator?" We laughed.

About ten years latter AIDS was discovered,

[adam_az]

This is pretty dumb and could backfire in a big way.

[Reagan79]

Maybe they want to protect their kids from pedophilia.

[tkathy]

Sounds really ignorant.