Arkansas Blog

"Civil rights," huh? Would those include the "right" to assault elderly female counter-protestors (which occurred last week in Palm Springs, CA), the "right" to threaten to burn churches (documented multiple times), and the "right" to harass individuals who financially supported the anti-Prop. 8 movement (written about in Time)?

Inalienable Rights --- We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

In their formulation by the Enlightenment philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries, inalienable rights are God-given natural rights. These rights are not destroyed when civil society is created, and neither society nor government can remove or "alienate" them.

BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS

Freedom of speech, expression, and the press.

Freedom of religion.

Freedom of assembly and association.

Right to equal protection of the law.

Right to due process and fair trial.

And the question is?

Pines, I'm so heartened to hear you express concern about violence in political rallies.

Like the violence that occurred when a reporter was kicked to the ground by a McCain-Palin supporter in NC, during the campaign. Or the horrendous verbal violence of those rallies--"Kill him!", "Off with his head!" Or the tires that were slashed at rallies. Or the Obama signs splashed with red paint in many places, including here in Little Rock.

Thanks for working to make our society a less violent one, in which the rights of everyone are safeguarded as a prevention against understandable outbursts of anger.

huh piny you mean the old lady the trolls have been screaming about all week

...

"Phyllis Burgess, standing at the Palm Springs City Hall to show support for traditional marriage, initially said she would not press charges against the large men who grabbed and destroyed the cross she carried, but after encouragement by the police, she has now filed charges."

you da man but please try to keep up

this is another troll protest

click

the "right" to threaten to burn churches (documented multiple times)

Posted by: FromThePines

If it's documented.. show us the links!

And tell me what rights do they not have? And who was covering for the Ark. Times? What crap.

"And who was covering for the Ark. Times? What crap."

precisely.

"And tell me what rights do they not have?"

To begin with, the right to marry whom they want, and the right to all the benefits that go with that distinction.

"And tell me what rights do they not have?"

Posted by: Nemo.

Good answer, Hugh Mann. And here's more for you, Nemo.

This is from African-American journalist Leonard Pitts, writing earlier this week in the Miami Herald:

"...[G]ay people, like black people, know what it's like to be left out, lied about, scapegoated, discriminated against, held up, beat down, denied a job, a loan or a life. And, too, they know how it feels to sit there and watch other people vote upon your very humanity, just as if those other people had a right."

More at bluename.

>>And tell me what rights do they not have?

The list is long and I'm surprised someone on this blog would be so ignorant as to ask the question.

*Homosexuals cannot have visiting rights with their partners during critical illnesses at hospitals like other relations are so entitled.

*They do not enjoy surviving spouse rights in property succession.

*They have no claim on a deceased partner's Social Security.

*Likewise there are no spousal pension rights.

The above is just a beginning. I'm sure an attorney could give you a lengthy list.

.

A link to my favorite sign from Saturday's "Join The Impact" rally at the Capital Bldg:

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o99/rimshot72205/stillprotesting.jpg

you people post the same shit over and over again. make an argument for the position. all you do is restate the position over and over again. gays are like blacks that were enslaved. gays are live women before they could vote. gays should be able to adopt kids. please.

how the fuck is a gay person like a black person? the fact that you think this question can be answered with even the slightest bit of certainty means you perscribe to all the stereotypes you claim others have. of course YOUR grandparents never uttered the words "queer," "faggot" or "nigger." get real.

*Homosexuals cannot have visiting rights with their partners during critical illnesses at hospitals like other relations are so entitled.
yes they do. fag #1 must list fag#2 on the medical info sheet, just like straight people do

*They do not enjoy surviving spouse rights in property succession.
yes they do. it's called a will

*They have no claim on a deceased partner's Social Security.
neither do other single people

*Likewise there are no spousal pension rights.
how the hell is this an argument for gay marriage? if pension rights aren't fair, then change pension rights!

.

You know; I kind of figured it had something to do about money, thanks elwood and Muddlingthrough for confirming my suspicions. Check it what we need to do is try to figure a way to homosexuals their own kind of socialsecurity checks; you know, some thing like those nut checks some people get. Maybe then they will be happy.

you people post the same shit over and over again. make an argument for the position. all you do is restate the position over and over again. gays are like blacks that were enslaved. gays are live women before they could vote. gays should be able to adopt kids. please.

leftwingwhackjob8 it's called sympathy. If enough people will sympathize with the homosexuals maybe they will start patting them on the back saying your poor, wretched thing.

how the f--- is a gay person like a black person?

Posted by: Leftwingwhackjob (with my emendation)

Ask Mr. Pitts. He IS a black person. He's the one saying, in the statement I quote,

"[G]ay people, like black people, know what it's like to be left out, lied about, scapegoated, discriminated against, held up, beat down, denied a job, a loan or a life. And, too, they know how it feels to sit there and watch other people vote upon your very humanity, just as if those other people had a right."

That's a pretty powerful description of how Leonard Pitts, as a black man, feels that the situation of gay people is like the situation of black people.

Jesus talked over and over about greed and power. He never said one word about homosexuality. But our entire society is based on greed.

If you take scripture seriously, you'll find that it's probably a greater sin to be rich than to be gay.

". . . Propagandists use the name-calling technique to incite fears and arouse prejudices in their hearers in the intent that an invoked bad name will cause hearers to construct a negative opinion about a person, group, or set of beliefs or ideas that the propagandist would wish hearers to denounce. The method is intended to provoke conclusions and actions about a matter apart from an impartial examinations of the facts of the matter. When employed, name-calling is thus a substitute for rational, fact-based arguments against an idea or belief, based upon its own merits. . . "

Name-calling instead of intelligent discourse and tolerance of differing opinions has a long history. Hitler did it, Stalin did it U.S. Citizens and Soldiers did it in War I, War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq I, Iraq II, Afghanistan, Panama, Grenada etc. It's a lot easier to discriminate, abuse or kill, when by calling them "sub-humans," "capitalists," "reds," "imperialists," "heinies," "krauts," "japs," "nips," "gooks," "wops," "ragheads," "wogs," etc., you demote them to things instead of people.

It also seems to have become the hallmark of those unable to defend a political belief or tenet with facts, just as profanity has always been the recourse of those too inarticulate to express their passions in intelligible English. . . ."

Someone once said, "Homophobes are driven by fear. Fear of their own repressed desires or of being publically identified as a homosexual."

Jesus talked over and over about greed and power. He never said one word about homosexuality.
The_New_Deal

Now some of us believe rightfully that JESUS and GOD are one and the same, but my question to New Deal is; would JESUS contradict His father?

That's a pretty powerful description of how Leonard Pitts, as a black man, feels that the situation of gay people is like the situation of black people.

MuddlingThrough

I guess then MuddlingThrough (if you are basing your opinion on this one man's standard) You believe all black people to be faggots?

"Profanity is the weapon of the witless" ~ Mark Twain

"When a man uses profanity to support an argument, it indicates that either the man or the argument is weak - probably both" ~ David Keuck

"Most people who commit a sin count on some personal benefit to be derived therefrom, but profanity has not even this excuse." ~ Hosea Ballou

Ok Doc; let's change the word faggots to perverts if that will help to understand what Muddling through is trying to say.

Wes, you're a feckin freak. But we all know that.

As I've said time and again, your side is going to lose on this issue. You will lose. But, I'm sure in your own psychotic way you'll try and make everyone just as miserable as you are. And you are miserable, aren't you? All alone?

It's tough to be gay, but not impossible. People like yourselves do what you can to make it tougher, but we survive. And we will continue to survive, even if you don't eventually join us (and you've thought about it haven't you?).

We live under the radar, create our own communities, have our own families based on friendship, our own music, art, movies, jobs, etc. We have a "good ol' gay" network to watch out for ourselves. Hey, I'll bet our quality of life FAR exceeds yours. But we want our civil rights, just the same. And we'll keep fighting and yes, DYING if need be, to get them.

We'll march, drown you out--and people of your ilk will beat us to death and blow up our houses and meeting places. And we'll hire lawyers and fight you in the courts and we'll win. And people of your ilk will threaten to take our children and shoot us. And we will still stand up, if need be. Lose our jobs, if need be. Lose our homes, and God knows we've lost our families--but we're desperate to succeed. We're better educated than the likes of you and we'll win. We will win. You're like the old Confederacy--too damn dumb and arrogant to know when to bargain your way out while you can.

You people have wrecked the country, and have again stained the reputation of the State of Arkansas. Across 50 states today, Arkansas was protested against. You've created '57 all over again, and it'll only get worse as you try and fight it. You fell into our trap. :)

So, as you fight us queers, your children (if you have any, and if you do they are in my prayers, I assure you), will lose jobs because industry will not locate to such a backwater state. As you fight, your health care will become worse because doctors will not wish to live in a biggoted state. As you fight us, the world will again see Arkansas through the eyes of Central High and our universities will suffer as the well educated will seek to teach elsewhere. You will be ridiculed in the media and personally should you travel abroad. In short, we queers have become your new "tar baby." Make that "taffy baby" since lavendar/pink is our color.

So, just keep punching the "taffy baby" and keep punching and punching and...

"and the "right" to harass individuals who financially supported the anti-Prop. 8 movement (written about in Time)?"

Piney:
I promise, if you'll give me your address and where you work, I'll be more than happy to drop by and legally protest your actions and your financial support. I'll bring 20 of my closest drag queen friends! We'll make it a party!

In short, as long as we protest LEGALLY, we're allowed to do so and point the finger at the bigots who supported this piece of legislation. So, when we get those names and numbers, look out! You'll find yourself in a drag show!

Now that's what civil rights are about!

Wes, you're a feckin freak
make everyone just as miserable as you are.
We'll march, drown you out--and people of your ilk will beat us to death and blow up our houses and meeting places.
spunkrat

Gee spunkrat, you made me feel good just to know how miserable I made you. You see that tells me that I have hit a nerve. And the words we post have been given credence by your own ravings.

"Profanity is the weapon of the witless" ~ Mark Twain

"When a man uses profanity to support an argument, it indicates that either the man or the argument is weak - probably both" ~ David Keuck

"Most people who commit a sin count on some personal benefit to be derived therefrom, but profanity has not even this excuse." ~ Hosea Ballou
docholliday

Yes Doc; tell us about the weapons of the witless.
Yeah spunkrat after watching how your kind peacefully bully that 69 year woman (why it must have taken at least ten of ya).

In short, as long as we protest LEGALLY, we're allowed to do so and point the finger at the bigots who supported this piece of legislation. So, when we get those names and numbers, look out! You'll find yourself in a drag show!

Now that's what civil rights are about!
Spunkrat

So now you admit that you do have rights; That tells me then that all you and your kind want is the money or what was the word used above? Oh yes; "Benefits" that's it. All from your dead or dying "partners"

I guess then MuddlingThrough (if you are basing your opinion on this one man's standard) You believe all black people to be faggots?

Posted by: Wesley.

No, I don't, Wes. And I'm sorry that some African Americans like Leonard Pitts (and countless others) refuse to let themselves be used in your tactics to divide African Americans and gays. Perhaps they recognize that the same white men bashing f-----s threw around the word n----r a while back.

What I do wonder, though, Wesley, is why you believe you're a Christian? And why you believe you can talk about Jesus with a mouth that has just spewed out hate, and expect people to be convinced by your piety.

"So now you admit that you do have rights;"

Of course I have civil rights! I never said I didn't. However, I don't have as many protections under law as you do. NOT that those protections seem to have done you much good.

I can be fired from a job for being gay. If we just focus on that one issue, it means I don't have all the civil rights you have. Now why should I be fired for being gay? What's the issue with that? Even if I do the best job of any employee, one boss can fire me for it. I should have the same civil protections as you. Period. You're no better than I am. I'm just as equal under the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as you. Believe it.

Wow, the long knives are out in full force. Is this the written equivalent of the upsurge in gun sales after the Obama election? It must be awful not to get your own way on the big votes [President, Senate, House, etc.] and only have the gay-bashing Prop 8 "victory" and the Arkansas version of anti-historical progress, anti-democratic action masquarading as democracy in the Act I "victory".
The plain facts are the Constitutions of California, Massachusetts and the United States [the former have already, the latter will one day soon] recognize that the core of equal protection extends to discrimination based on sexual/affectional orientation. That march of history cannot be thwarted by hatred, vile language, and bountiful ignorance displayed by Wes, the leftwingwhackjob, etc. As in the Civil Rights Movement, the courts will eventually rise to the occasssion [intended play on words just to aggreviate your obvious fears], and redress the wrongs done at the ballot boxes of California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas. There was no place for "state's rights" when it came to discrmination against African-Americans and there will be no refuge for it in matters of discrimination against GLBT folks either. Grasp that fundamental fact [you both seem terribly fundamental when it comes to religion] and your life will be a great deal calmer and enjoyable.
And lastly, you make a great deal about the physical contretemp against the person in Palm Springs - which happens to be a gay enclave. That one person's abuse of force - not excusable under any circumstances - should not be used by you to generalize or castigate an entire civil rights movement which is in the best traditions of our evolving democracy. You decide to focus on that situation rather than the millions of peaceful protestors because you seek to avoid thinking about the issue. And that is because you already have your bigoted little mind made up. That of course is your right; as it is mine to speak up for justice and equality.
states rights

I can be fired from a job for being gay.

And spunkrat if you can prove that the loss of your job was because of sexuall orientation you would have a lawsuit. Not the loss of rights just validity.

So the actions or opinions of a few should not in any way be used to color the opinions of the majority. Is this what you and janus are saying Mud?

Oh, and by the way, did you ever answer my question about whether or not JESUS would contradict His father?