Posted on 07/15/2006 10:18:20 AM PDT by Deadeye Division
Senator's gay bashing decried
By Stephenie Steitzer
Post staff reporter
A day after calling gays "the wrong kind of people," State Sen. Richard "Dick" Roeding continued his verbal barrage on homosexuals, calling a Republican group that advocates gay and lesbian rights "a bunch of queers."
After learning that the Kentucky Log Cabin Republicans had called for Roeding's resignation, the Lakeside Park Republican used the derogatory term to describe the group in an interview with The Post.
The Log Cabin Republicans called for Roeding's resignation after he said that the University of Louisville was wrong to offer health benefits to gay and lesbian domestic partners as a way to make the university competitive and attract talent.
"I don't want to entice any of these people into our state," Roeding told the Louisville Courier-Journal in a story published Friday. "Those are the wrong kind of people."
The Kentucky Log Cabin Republicans, a state affiliate of the national organization that advocates for homosexuals, also called on GOP leaders to denounce Roeding's comments.
After hearing of Roeding's "queers" remark, Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, said he called Roeding Friday. Williams said he told Roeding, "Most people feel that is an unacceptable term to use and I regretted the fact that he used the term and that he should refrain from using that term because it's inappropriate."
Williams said Roeding apologized.
"I accept his apology for using the term," Williams said.
Kenton County Republican Party Chairman Greg Shumate also condemned Roeding's comment.
"Dick Roeding has been a very effective legislator for Northern Kentucky, however, legislators, as we all, should refrain from using derogatory terms," he said.
Roeding's comments in the Courier-Journal were in response to U of L's Board of Trustees' 14-1 decision Thursday to let nonmarried gay and straight partners of employees to participate in health insurance as a way to make the school competitive with colleges that are enacting similar policies across the country.
The decision makes the university the first public college in the state to extend benefits to domestic partners.
Northern Kentucky University continues to research the issue, specifically the cost and how to define domestic partners, said NKU spokesman Chris Cole.
"Community standards must also be considered," he said.
Roeding said he would oppose any attempt by NKU to change its policy.
"It's a financial issue," he said. "How can we go ahead and offer more health care benefits when we can't pay for what we've got now? Let's be realistic."
Extending benefits to domestic partners at U of L would not cost the university because partners would be responsible for paying premiums.
Local Republican legislators had little to say about Roeding's remarks.
"I don't agree with the U of L decision, but it's their decision and they'll have to live with it," Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said. "That's really all I have to say on the matter."
State Rep. Jon Draud, R-Edgewood, said, "I would just say I believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect, all human beings."
State Senators Katie Stine, R-Southgate, and Jack Westwood, R-Crescent Springs, couldn't be reached for comment.
Stine, Westwood and Roeding co-authored a letter in 2002 to University of Kentucky President Lee Todd warning him not to pursue an expansion of employee benefits to same-sex partners at UK.
As a result of U of L's decision, UK officials say they are now considering it.
Some local Democrats said they were outraged by Roeding's remarks.
"The Republican Party needs to remove him from office," Kenton County Democratic Party vice chairman Nathan Smith said. "If not, they are protecting a bigot."
State Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, said Roeding's comments don't reflect the views of most Northern Kentuckians he encounters.
"That just represents a very small minority of hatred and they try to impose that on the rest of us and I think that's wrong," he said.
In Ohio, a state representative from Ohio has sued Miami University over its decision to begin offering benefits in 2004 to same-sex partners.
Rep. Tom Brinkman, R-Cincinnati, said the policy violates Ohio's constitutional ban on gay marriage passed by voters in 2004.
Publication date: 07-15-2006
I refuse to refer to homosexuals or lesbians as "gay". I think their choice of the word "gay" is 'absolutely incorrect' and should be 'politically incorrect' to use because it is not an accurate description of their lifestyle. Gay is an adjective that could be used to describe a person or event without regard to their sexuality. Heterosexuals are as entitled to use the term 'gay' to describe themselves as homosexuals are.
I agree with you completely!!
This is "jamming"
The homosexuals are just trying to scare EVERYONE from joining in and admitting that homosexuals are just plain freaks.
These are not republicans. They are homosexual 5th columnists. Their name is a sexual euphamism.
Yet the media keeps playing the joke.
The reporter who wrote this is probably a homosexual for the slanting of it.
It was not nice language and given that this man is a State Senator he should watch his words more closely.
However, I plan to vote for him every time he runs! He and I have a had a couple of very nice phone conversations, although we've never met.
Bump
Bump
I will be down there next week, I wish I could shake the hand of this Senator, and tell him he has NOTHING to apologize for!
"He's sure got a purty mouth" ping
A father watched his young daughter playing in the garden. He smiled as he
reflected on how sweet and pure his little girl was. He thought about her
seeing the wonders of nature through such innocent eyes.
Suddenly she just stopped and stared at the ground.
He went over to her to see what work of God had captured her attention. He
noticed she was looking at two spiders mating.
"Daddy, what are those two spiders doing?" she asked.
"They're mating," her father replied.
"What do you call the spider on top?" she asked.
"That's a Daddy Longlegs," her father answered.
"So, the other one is a Mommy Longlegs?" the little girl asked.
As his heart soared with the joy of such a cute and innocent question, he
replied "No dear. Both of them are Daddy Longlegs."
The little girl, looking a little puzzled, thought for a moment, then took
her foot and stomped them flat and said, "Well, we're not having any of
that
Brokeback-Mountain shit in our garden."
HAH!! Cute!
Dick Roeding is a very slick politician.
He's been pandering to an eroding conservative base which has been strained.
This was an excellent move on his part to get the subject changed from his liberty killing habits in the legislature and his cut throat meddling in other Republicans' primary race efforts of late.
Also being evident, is his arcane taxing and the attaching arbitrary fees to everything in sight to pay for the drunken spending spree that he and, our other liberal Republicans have been so active with in the last legislative sessions.
Also in evidence of silent rage against him, is his supporting such stupid and unneeded laws like the booster seat and manditory seat belt regulation.
That being said.
These well placed queer comments of course, enflamed the left-wing press in an attempt to smear him.
This rightfully has all been to the delight of local bible thumpers.
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