Sex Ed. and Anti-Bullying Bill Pass NC Senate Panel

This just in from wral-tv.com:

"A Senate panel has quietly approved separate bills telling North Carolina public schools to change how they teach sex education and to adopt detailed anti-bullying policies.

The Senate Mental Health and Youth Services Committee recommended the legislation Wednesday to the full Senate.

The sex education bill passed the House just two weeks ago. It would require schools to offer children in grades seven though nine one curriculum focused on abstinence until marriage and another with more about contraception. Parents would choose either one for their child or none at all.

The anti-bullying bill is opposed by conservative Christians who argue it would advance special protections for gay people."

It is surprising (yet not so much) that anti-bullying of LGBTQ people would be opposed by conservative Christians.

This leads to my question: who would Jesus bully?

Time to make "Who Would Jesus Bully?" red bracelets! WWJB!

Pace!

B

Feel the Motion!

There is that one song in "Chorus Line" where the young woman was told to feel the motion in an improv class.

We're not improvising any more: there is motion toward equality for all:
* Maine: moving closer to marriage equality; click;
* 56% of Americans want the military to drop Don't Ask Don't Tell. Sec. Gates: get it? It doesn't matter! click.

Now if North Carolina can just pass an anti-bullying bill for young people that includes LGBQT people...

Feel the motion?

Pace!

B

Love is Winning Out

On towleroad.com and advocate.com, there is the report that LGBT marriage, or marriage equality, is now favored by over 49% of the population, versus 46% against equal marriage:

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows support for marriage equality among Americans at an all-time high. According to the poll, 49 percent support same-sex marriage, while 46 percent oppose it. This is the first time supporters of same-sex marriage have outnumbered opponents in an ABC/Post poll.

This is interesting news! In light of the PCUSA amendment 08-B losing--but by a slim margin--by the time we vote again this country will be more or less embracing LGBTQ people as equals in terms of marriage.

And our PCUSA committee looking at the definition of marriage will still be meeting and considering the defintion of marriage while the rest of the country embraces the very thing we are talking about.

Click here for more.

Crazy!

B

Wrap Up Today: NH Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill, and Hate Crime Bill (Federal) Passes House

I was at a funeral today as pastor of my church, and so I didn't get a chance to follow all the exciting developments today.

First, the NH Senate passed gay marriage bill! Even with former Gov. Sununu making heterosexual remarks the gay marriage bill as the state GOP chair, it passed!

Second, the hate crime bill including sexual discrimination passed in the House of Representatives (Federal) today. I understand that Ms. Virginia Foxx of NC, a Representative (R) called Matthew Shepherd's death not a hate crime but a hoax, and that Rep. Heath Shuler (D) also from NC did not vote for it, it passed. Apparently, it is time to call/write and do our bit as a constituent. This case, it would be to protest their comments and vote.

This is a snippet of Foxx's comments:

The socially conservative Foxx, arguing against a new Democratic hate crimes bill that includes new protections for gays and lesbians, described the description of Shepard's murder as a anti-homosexual attack a "hoax" -- and questioned whether prior bias crime legislation should have been named after him.

“I also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the Matthew Shepard bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay."

She added: "This -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.

What is Virginia thinking? I know what she is reading...

Something's happening...who knows...

Pace!

B

From Wedge to Burden

In today's nyt.com, I was amused and interested in the article about how the issue of gay marriage--a potent wedge issue for Republicans in the earlier part of 2000's--has now become a burden. With the recent comments of McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt, and McCain's daughter--both pro-gay marriage--it is clear that the generational divide is alive and kicking in the Republican party...as well as among Democrats. Please note, Democrats, we've not said "yes" in our platforms for civil unions or gay marriage.

Schmidt speaks boldly and rightly here:

“I think it’s likely that all our candidates will be against gay marriage,” Mr. Schmidt said. “But the point is this: There should be a de-emphasis on this issue. This is not the most important issue facing the country. In states where this has been made legal, there has been a collective yawn from the citizenry in a lot of these states. The party should focus on disagreeing with the president on the axis of issues that we agree on.”

Mr. Schmidt is 38 years old.

I think that the issue is:
* Generational based, with older folks against gay marriage;
* Class based: middle class to upper middle class for gay marriage;
* Religious based: mainstream vs. fundamentalist;
* Geographic: West and East coast for, and except for Iowa, middle states and South against.

What do you think?

Click here for article.

pace!

B

PCUSA: No to Amendment B

Well, that was interesting...and still is interesting. While Amendment B lost, there are more Presbyteries voting for this than any other LGBTQ related amendment to our Constitution.

And in 2010, we will vote again to start this rolling again.

And this time, justice will win.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Rep. Barney Frank Rule of Outing Applied to the Church

This is an interesting issue I read on salon.com, in re: to the re-outing of Gov. Charlie Crist of FL. Rumor has it that he is gay.

The principal for outing him is the Barney Frank principal, which is in a nutshell the following: In short, the guideline is that it's acceptable to out those people who, from the closet, are working against what's believed to be the interest of the LGBT community at large. Click here for more.

Now here is the issue I'm struggling with: I know a lot of LGBTQ people in the closet who are making it hard for many LGBTQ people who are out being ordained in many denominations and churches.

What happens if we bring the Barney Frank principal into our churches?

Pace!

B