During today's Senate Judiciary hearing on Senate Bill 128, the now-dead "Jesus told me to fire fags" bill, South Dakota Family Policy Council chief Mark Chase told a story that I might politely describe as queer.
Senator Mark Kirkeby asked if some of the South Dakotans who go to church with him might be gay. Chase replied that he has a gay friend who goes to his church. He said this friend plays the organ and piano at church. One day at church the friend said his house had been burgled. They had lunch together, and Chase noticed his friend's hands were shaking. Chase asked if anything else was bothering him, and the friend came out.
Chase assured his friend they could remain friends and that he could stay at the church and keep playing music. Chase promised to keep coming over to the friend's house to work out with him regularly.
And after this heart-to-heart conversation, Chase made a point of giving his friend a big hug every Sunday. Chase said the first few weeks after coming out, his friend received his hugs somewhat awkwardly. But then one Sunday, Chase's friend, a larger man, wrapped his big strong arms around Chase and returned the embrace, almost tearfully. The friend said that Mark was the first man who'd ever held him without wanting sex. "You're the first man who truly loved me," the friend said in Chase's arms.
"I love that man with all my heart," said Chase in his Senate Judiciary testimony today.
So take that, you homosexuals! Mark Chase and his gay friend say Mark Chase is a better lover than you'll ever be.
Psychoanalysts, rhetoricians, that should keep you busy for a while.
I really don't get the point of that story...so he would want his gay friend to be denied services? Even though he's still his friend? That doesn't even begin to make sense, but then again, nothing much about this bill makes sense.
Working out with his token gay friend? OK......fine.
At least this dumbass bill died in committee.
My father who had many bigoted beliefs about African Americans and was constantly admonished by his children would also talk about from time to time his one black friend from the service. Bigotry can not be justified just because you have a friend that is gay or black or Jewish.
Well whop Dee freaken doo! If you substitute horse for friend you would have a touching and funny cowboy story.
Who is the Head writer for these people anyway?
And now, semi live from our state capitol it's the "earth hating, gay bashing, women controlling, lunatics in love with themselves, and maybe you if pray to their god and kneel at their feet.
They drink sweet tea and piss environmentally friendly lemonade. They eat Skittlles and fart rainbows. They are funny as well and tell a damned good story, just ask em.
Heeer's the pale boys from Pierre, the fundamental funny men on the hill, and haters of anything and everything different.
It's the tomorrow show with South Dakota's legislature.
Welcome to our world.
The Blindman
I think this is supposed to point out the cognitive dissonance on the part of those who supported this abomination of a bill.
Ya and that to
From, I think I might be a lesbian cause I like to do all the awful things they like to do. Do I need to come out or should I just stay where I am?
The Blindman
I have counted nine states that have had similar bills discriminating against gays. Why would these not have been suggested by ALEC? Is any one else ticked off that we pay expenses for the legislators to go to these meetings, but they do not tell us what bills were written for them? How about some transparency for my money?
It's not dead. No bill is dead even when the committee says it's dead. There's the "hoghouse" which can bring any bill to the floor. Nothing is dead as long as the full legislature is in session.
You know, there could be an ALEC connection here. Begalka and Jensen insisted this bill is about lawsuits, not discrimination. Maybe ALEC is testing their ability to weaken civil rights laws, expand their freedom to fire employees at will, and reduce their legal costs.
Here is what Begalka said to KSFY, It says it all.
"They use the analogy of black people or whatever, well you're born black or not, your sexual orientation is 100 percent a choice, this really has nothing to do with discrimination," Begalka said.
http://www.ksfy.com/story/24758274/is-sexual-orientation-legislation-free-speech-or-discrimination
I listened to that live this morning, the old gray-haired white right-wing men that run SD are good entertainment.
Thank goodness Jean Hunhoff made some sense.
My thought whenever I hear something like this is how many of these anti-gay people have good friends or family members that are gay and haven't been told about it because the gay people are afraid to come out. The part of SD that I am thinking of, I would be willing to bet it could happen quite often. The same goes for anti-HIV people too.
And why didn't the reporter ask when Begalka decided to be straight?
Mr. Begalka, I know you visit the Madville Times...tell us who wrote this law and who you decided to outsource our governance to. Who's puppet are you?
PS. Loved how you played the victim today!
The inmates control the asylum. Nothing and nobody is safe until Sine Die and the nutjobs are home, tucked safely in their nutjob districts they handcarved in their own kooky images. When they are home, that's when you can run sensible people to remove them from office.
We should at least give Mr. Begalka credit for saying that being gay is a choice and not once bringing astrology into the scientific discussion.
The internets will have fun with this one. The Onion Headlines:
"Small Town Florist in South Dakota Declares Gay a Choice Ending the Scientific Study Once and For All!"
"Scientists Move Research to Study the Effects of Astrology on Polar Vortex."
"South Dakota Declares Legitimate Rape Only Applies to Young Christian Virgins...With the Caveat That it has to be Brutal to Count."
"South Dakota Recognized as Leader in Scientific Research, Asks for More Federal Funding."
"Companies Flock to South Dakota for Freedom From Gays."
"South Dakota GOP Attracts Young People to Party Bucking National Trends."
"Moscow, Kampala and Clear Lake Announce Sister City Relationship...Totally Straight Though."
You out did yourself Jana, thanks.
sister city was particularly good.
Here is what Begalka said to KSFY, It says it all.
"They use the analogy of black people or whatever, well you're born black or not, your sexual orientation is 100 percent a choice, this really has nothing to do with discrimination," Begalka said.
http://www.ksfy.com/story/24758274/is-sexual-orientation-legislation-free-speech-or-discrimination
So, Begalka wakes up every morning, sits up in bed, and chooses to be straight for one more day?
Oh Jana, I'm just ROFL! When are you going to run for the SD legislature? We NEED clever, sensible, bright people like you in Pierre!
I blush Jenny...and thanks Roger. Sadly, the Onion is a better pick for skewering Begalka and company for his ill informed comment than any media outlet in South Dakota.
I think Comedy Central would have fun with this. But back to the reality of South Dakota politics, I would love to hear Mike Rounds, John Thune, Gov DD, Kristi Noem and the other heads of the GOP weigh in on this one.
Maybe a SD reporter will ask them...better odds with The Onion.
Speaking of comedy...Montgomery reports that Mike Rounds was almost yelling that we need to take our country back with good South Dakota common sense. (See above headlines)
South Dakota politicians could spur a comedy gold rush...if the comedians only thought we were relevant. The GOP is pure comedy gold and they know it. You think there's a reason they call him 'Smiling Mike?" He's planning on smirking his way to the Senate.
By the way...didn't Petty Pat skewer Rick Weiland for using the slogan take it back. I can only imagine his blistering attack on Rounds for the same sound bite.
In Primates, it is almost always the young who institute change. Could this be part of a bigger goal to push the young people out of South Dakota, leaving only the Great White Haired Apes to vote?
http://www.alicelaw.org/submit-an-idea
Here is Progressive's ALEC. Never heard of them before,but they write model laws for progressives to submit. You can help by submitting your own proposals like banning wingnuts from gubmint office and keeping them away from schools,etc.
"Speaking of comedy...Montgomery reports that Mike Rounds was almost yelling that we need to take our country back with good South Dakota common sense. (See above headlines)"
Nothing quite like a guy who builds a house a couple feet above Missouri River water level and then attacks the Corps of Engineers when his swamp is flooded to tell us all about common sense.
Speaking of comedy, when I want comedy I watch FOX "News" or listen to Rush Limbaugh.
When I want news, I watch Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert.
Speaks volumes to the sense of entitlement that he must have.
Say, did Mike ever beat the corps up for not keeping enough water in his back yard reservoir to support his brother's business and state recreation at the expense of those down river?
Of course the SB128 crowd might think the flooding was God's reaction to not having stricter anti gay laws.
http://www.salon.com/2012/10/30/fear_the_almighty_wrath_five_natural_disasters_caused_by_gays/
Kansas has a nearly identical bill in their legislature too. (Purely coincidental, I'm sure.) Well, Kansas -had- the bill in the hopper. It was passed in the House, but the Republican leader in the Senate declined to take it up. Apparently he could see how unconstitutional it was. USA Today has a story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/18/kansas-gay-marriage-bill/5593675/
There is more in religious news today. The Presbyterian Church-USA, has released a document to the congregations about Zionism, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and related issues. It includes this thoughtful comment:
"The theme that unites and underlies this congregational study is the toxic relationship between theology and politics in all three Abrahamic faiths. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all suffer from a common condition: theological and ethical exceptionalism. Although this resource focuses primarily on Zionism, exceptionalism is not unique to Zionism; rather it is present wherever exceptionalist religious ideology is fused with political power. - See more at: http://marksilk.religionnews.com/2014/02/19/anti-zionism-anti-judaism/#sthash.7bCBbk1i.dpuf"
My emphasis - "it is present wherever exceptionalist religious ideology is fused with political power."
I suggest you follow the link at the end of the quote too.
The historically traditional American denominations like the Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, United Church of Christ (Congregationalist) and Episcopalians have been taking similar stands outlining the benefits of maintaining the separation between church and state. These positions, including full welcomes to LBTG folks for the Lutherans, UCC and Episcopalians, have caused a loss of members and churches. (That doesn't mean they are wrong, just unpopular at the time.) They have also enjoyed new members who have come in as a result of the church's refocusing more closely on Jesus' call to believers.
Obviously, the SD Republican party is on the wrong side of this. They have completely fused the two, using religion as an excuse for bigotry.
Good religious analysis, Deb, and good reminder of why keeping that wall between church and state is healthy for church and state.