Posted on 01/27/2006 3:40:15 PM PST by SmithL
Olympia, Wash. -- Washington lawmakers passed a gay rights bill Friday in a major victory for activists who had watched the measure fail in the Legislature for nearly 30 years.
The bill passed the Senate 25-23, with a lone Republican joining Democrats in voting in favor. The House approved it 61-37, and Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire said she would sign it on Tuesday.
"We don't choose who we love. The heart chooses who we will love," said Republican Sen. Bill Finkbeiner. "And I don't believe that it is right for us to say ... that it's acceptable to discriminate against people because of that."
The measure adds sexual orientation to a state law banning discrimination in housing, employment and insurance on the basis of race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status and other factors. Sixteen states have passed similar laws.
Passage of the bill drew applause from House members and cheers from onlookers who had packed the Senate's balconies.
After the measure failed last year by one vote in the Senate, many gay-rights activists directed their anger at Microsoft Corp., which had dropped its support for the bill. The company eventually urged passage after months of criticism.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
The recent smoking ban is also window dressing, but it seems many here don't have a problem with allowing discrimination against smokers and businesses that desire to cater to them.
FReepmail if you want on/off the ping list.
Looks like some Republicans lost their backbone in the Washington State Senate
tipoff here is "and insurance" in the bill ... hmmmmm, a chance to get the general population to subsidize the AIDs-risk-factor among homosexuals?
"Was the bill written so vague? "
Almost certainly, so the liberal activist Judges can interpret as needed to satisfy the future demands of political correctness.
This may mean, for example, forcing Muslim extremists into catholic seminaries or some other absurdity.
Sounds absurd, but when the claim that ERA would make us have women in combat and gay marriage, such claims were also poo-poo'd as absurd.
So who knows?
MillerCreek and wagglebee are doing the Moral Absolutes pinglist, should you find any relevant articles.
I'm thankful that they all are willing to take on the "ping host" duties, and I'm sure they'll do a great job.
True, but remember how many conservatives voted for the 3rd Party Candidates or just sat on their hands to "send a message". They are probably the ones crying the most, yet they did the most to hurt Rossi.
Did you vote for Rosi, or did you sit out because he "wasn't conservative enough"?
That's not accurate; the third party candidate was a lesbian Libertarian, who would have likely drawn more from Fraudoire.
I voted FOR Rossi, and worked for both he and GW Bush, just so you know.
Be careful what you wish for....where do YOU live.....there are SOME of us within striking distance of Seattle...although, we THINK we are far enough away, but the thought of a dirty bomb going off is in the back of our minds.
sounds like a set-up for a future game alright. Thanks for the reply.
HEY!! Georgia has a tiny bit of coastline!! :(
Profits of a stolen election. Gregoire has been verified and proven to be in office "invalidly" -- and now we see why.
The methods used to bash society over the head to "get what you want" have got to be contended. You'd think an organization as huge and wealthy and substantial as Microsoft could stand the pressure of general homosexual nastiness.
The state's going to suffer negative consequences for this (the state's misdeeds) and the rest of the nation along with it.
Couldn't this arguement also be applied with equal force to adulterers and pedophiles?
What a Republican!
Why not apply it to everyone.
Let's not hold people accountable to adultry. You know because "We don't choose who we love. The heart choose who we will love,".
So not only did he decide not to discriminate against gay marriage but also against marriage itself.
I'm sure it's reassuring to monmogous marriages everywhere that we are victims to our own hearts.
EGG-ZACTLY
Not a hell of a lot of southern/heartland states on that list, are there?
""We don't choose who we love. The heart chooses who we will love," said Republican Sen. Bill Finkbeiner. "And I don't believe that it is right for us to say ... that it's acceptable to discriminate against people because of that." "
They are not gay. As hard as try to be gay, the sadder they will be. They hope that they will find happiness once the mainstream culture totally accepts them and gives them everything they want in life. However, nobody finds Utopia in the mortal state of humanity. Nobody gets complete happiness and by choosing their lifestyle, they have taken out a huge chunk of the happiness factor. The trouble with these leftist socialists is that they demand that society fill in that chunk when it can't be done. They will be even sadder when they find out that nothing will make their road sweeter.
They have made their bed. Let them sleep in it.
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