Clergy to lobby on Hill for gay rights

Washington Times ^ | 5/5/09

[meandog]

The U.S. Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop is among hundreds of clergy members urging Congress to support gay rights, including the passage of an expanded hate crimes bill that would give gay victims of violence new federal protections.

Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire and more than 300 clergy of various faiths plan to spend Tuesday on Capitol Hill lobbying lawmakers to push through a bill that broadens the definition of hate crimes to include those motivated by a person's sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. The legislation was passed by the House last week.

Clergy also will push for legislation providing protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

It is the second time the lobbying effort known as Clergy Call has been held on Capitol Hill; the first event was held two years ago.

[longtermmemmory]

translation PRACTICING HOMOSEXUALS lobby capitol hill...

[DHC-2]

I’m glad I left this church, it is an embarassment.

[Venturer]

These people arent clergy. They are freaks.

No one who has ever read the Bible can possibly encourage homosexuality. These people are freaks.

[Ranger Drew]

Ah, let them go ahead.

Besides, God is VERY specific. He says VERY clearly that...HE IS NOT MOCKED.

These servants of satan are going to find this out in the end. ...no pun intended.

[TurtleUp]

I am in favor of gay rights. I believe all gay people worldwide have specific absolute individual moral rights, and that gay Americans should have absolute individual legal rights, including:

Freedom of religion,
freedom of speech,
freedom of the press;
freedom to peaceably assemble,
freedom to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,
the right to keep and bear arms,
freedom from unreasonable search and seizure,
the right to due process,
freedom from double jeopardy,
freedom from self-incrimination,
the right to trial by jury,
the right to a speedy trial,
the right to a public trial,
the right to counsel,
freedom from excessive bail,
freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and most important,
freedom from all other excessive government intrusion on their lives, where "excessive" includes any other government actions outside the enumerated powers in the Constitution of the United States of America.

It makes me sad that gay Americans (and their straight neighbors) are ever denied any of these rights. I'm disappointed that they disproportionately vote for liberals, neosocialists, and socialists who advocate increased encroachment on the rights that gay Americans should value as much as all other free individuals value freedom.

Special rights for gay people? Why would anyone need more than the above list?

[mrmeyer]

“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.”
Ayn Rand

Equal rights, or special rights?

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

St. Paul’s advice was “...come out from among them...”

[meandog]

I concur completely. I really don't give a good G-D (Golly-Dog) if someone is gay or straight! I don't care if gays or lesbians engage in civil unions (with basically the same right as married people). I do care, however, that such unions are committed ones and I worry that sex has become so glorified in our nation today it predominates all other conversation.
I'm an Episcopalian and I don't care so much who the sinner next to me in the pew is, or what he or she has done...the fact remains that they are there and have come to the altar for forgiveness, redemption and peace. I care even less about their sex lives and that is what gets me so riled about the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson.
I wished that he would have adopted a “don't ask/tell” stance instead of believing that Gene Robinson was actually Jackie Robinson reincarnate and needed to lead a campaign. Sex is a private matter to me and, the response to anyone asking whether you are gay or straight; monogamous or promiscuous; kinky or orthodox; should be “none of your business!” Because, unless it involves criminal activity such as pedophilia, sex is no one's business. If Bill Clinton would have said that when questioned during the Starr investigation surrounding Monica, he may have been at least been a bit higher in my estimation (though not by much) than the documented liar that he is!