Tennessee county beats hasty retreat from call to ban homosexuals

Associated Press ^ | March 18, 2004 | BILL POOVEY

[tomball]

The county that was the site of the Scopes "Monkey Trial" over the teaching of evolution Thursday reversed its call to ban homosexuals.

Rhea County commissioners took about three minutes to retreat from a request to amend state law so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature. The Tuesday measure passed 8-0.

[Unam Sanctam]

I'm not defending the action, but it was not a "call to ban homosexuals", but a call to ban homosexual activity. A person is not the same thing as what a person chooses to do.

[sinkspur]

"It's just ignorance is all,"

Yep.

[sinkspur]

I'm not defending the action, but it was not a "call to ban homosexuals", but a call to ban homosexual activity.

Don't kid yourself.

[tet68]

"Breed Love, Not Hate."

Breed? Procreate? Oh the horror!

[Unam Sanctam]

There is a difference between homosexual activity, which is volitional chosen action, and homosexual inclination. The former is sinful, the latter is merely a disorder and not sinful. Gay activists wrongly try to conflate the two, but their separation is essential in order to love the sinner and hate the sin. The distinction must be constantly maintained in a crystal clear fashion.

[narses]

Will you defend laws against "crimes against nature" or side with the modernists who run from such straightforward, authentic Catholic lawmaking? Will you speak up or remain silent?

[sinkspur]

There is a difference between homosexual activity, which is volitional chosen action, and homosexual inclination. The former is sinful, the latter is merely a disorder and not sinful.

This is not about sin, it's about law.

You're in favor of laws banning homosexual activity? What about adultery? Fornication? Being drunk in one's own home?

[HoundsTooth_BP]

(But 12-year-old Caitlin Kinney, attending the meeting with her mother, said she supported the commissioners' initial vote.)

This little girl is right. It is just awful to think that we ever let these things out of the closet. They are in our face and they should be banned. We ban smoking and IMO these people are more dangerous.

[narses]

"You're in favor of laws banning homosexual activity? What about adultery? Fornication? Being drunk in one's own home?"

Yes (most states used to have felony laws against such behavior, the UCMJ still makes it illegal), yes (most states used to have felony laws against such behavior, the UCMJ still makes it illegal), yes (most states used to have felony laws against such behavior, the UCMJ still makes it illegal)and no. You?

[sinkspur]

No.

[Old Professer]

Therein lies the rub, how does one determine what a homosexual is?

[AntiGuv]

Well, I'll speak up just to mention that I side with the modernists and not with the medievalists. Sorry.

[fr_freak]

Therein lies the rub, how does one determine what a homosexual is?

Well, I can check my dictionary again, but I believe a homosexual is one who has sex with someone of the same sex. I see no need to make it more complicated.

[narses]

So our laws ought to allow fornication, adultery and homosexual activity. Wow. What age would you choose (and why) for this activity to be legal? What about other "crimes against nature", such as bestiality and incest? If you support keeping them illegal, while you support legalizing fornication, adultery and homosex, why? What is different? How about polygamy and gay weddings?

[AntiGuv]

My dictionary (I just checked) says that a "homosexual" is: [an individual] characterized by sexual desire for those of the same sex as oneself.

[ZULU]

I am. Homosexuals are filthy perverts who spread disease and the contagion of their perversion wherever they go.

Toleration of homosexuals and their activities have led to persecution of the Boy Scouts, dispensing of pro-homosexual literature in schools, and assorted other evils.

Tolerate evil and it will engulf you.

[sinkspur]

Why not drunk in one's own home?

[AntiGuv]

So our laws ought to allow fornication, adultery and homosexual activity.

Of course they should. Don't be ridiculous.

What age would you choose (and why) for this activity to be legal?

18. Unless both are minors.

What about other "crimes against nature", such as bestiality and incest?

No and no.

If you support keeping them illegal, while you support legalizing fornication, adultery and homosex, why?

I would prohibit bestiality as a form of animal cruelty. Bestial relations are almost always rape. I would prohibit incest due to the inherent sociolegal asymmetry of the relationship and due to the dubious consensuality in most cases.

How about polygamy and gay weddings?

No and yes (but not via judicial edict or by ignoring the laws).

[billbears]

And this is where the rubber hits the road IMO. It's also the problem I have with the Libertarian (big L) movement. They claim a desire to return to the ideals of the Founding Fathers as how this nation of states should be run. The problem is that with a return to a Republic, we must also return to the limitations set within that same Republic. If California wants homosexuals to run wild all over their state, that's their d#mn problem.

But here in NC, we have laws that were in place that dealt with homosexuality, adultery, and fornication. The problem was that it became unpopular, un-PC to enforce them over the past 40 years. It wasn't that the ideals of native North Carolinians have changed all that much over the years, but moreso that the ridicule coming from transplants, national news, etc. has quashed what once made our state what it was. Considering the direction this nation of states has run for the past 40 years, I'd say somebody goofed in not continuing enforcement of those laws