Montana GOP policy: Make homosexuality illegal

[jefferson_dem]

Source: AP

By MATT VOLZ, Associated Press Writer Matt Volz, Associated Press Writer – 11 mins ago
HELENA, Mont. – At a time when gays have been gaining victories across the country, the Republican Party in Montana still wants to make homosexuality illegal.

The party adopted an official platform in June that keeps a long-held position in support of making homosexual acts illegal, a policy adopted after the Montana Supreme Court struck down such laws in 1997.

The fact that it's still the official party policy more than 12 years later, despite a tidal shift in public attitudes since then and the party's own pledge of support for individual freedoms, has exasperated some GOP members.

"I looked at that and said, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" state Sen. John Brueggeman, R-Polson, said last week. "Should it get taken out? Absolutely. Does anybody think we should be arresting homosexual people? If you take that stand, you really probably shouldn't be in the Republican Party."

Gay rights have been rapidly advancing nationwide since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas' sodomy law in 2003's Lawrence v. Texas decision. Gay marriage is now allowed in five states and Washington, D.C., a federal court recently ruled the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy unconstitutional, and even a conservative tea party group in Montana ousted its president over an anti-gay exchange in Facebook.

But going against the grain is the Montana GOP statement, which falls under the "Crime" section of the GOP platform. It states: "We support the clear will of the people of Montana expressed by legislation to keep homosexual acts illegal."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100918/ap_on_re_us/us_gays_in_montana

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Speaking of "Sharia Law"...

[onehandle]

1. Even for GOP Senators in airport bathroom stalls?

Sounds like the platform needs 'tweaking.'

[Faygo Kid]

2. Many Tea Partiers are self-professed libertarians, but this is what most would prefer.

Fascism is one word for it. Dominionism is another.

[RKP5637]

4. Each day I feel this nation is slipping backward... If the RW succeeds my

concern is this will be the new WWII Germany. It seems the RW has a list of hatred for so so many. In the 60's some of us wondered if the US was headed toward genocide for some when one looked at the RW activities.

[Rozlee]

12. I'm hoping that the younger generation will stop some of this nonsense.

In poll after poll, young people have been more tolerant of gays and gay marriage. When my daughter was going to the University of Texas in San Antonio 8 years ago--Texas being a bastion of conservative idiocy--the campus Lesbian and Gay coalition clubs were large and straight students in the clubs outnumbed lgbt students by huge margins. My daughter says that, except for the campus Young Republicans (natch) and a couple of tiny conservative student church organizations, the students were casual about the gay organizations and gay students in general. Of my large number of nephews, grand-nephews, nieces and grand-nieces, I can only say I have about 3 that are disapproving of the gay life-style, but even they're not out and out homophobes, since we have a couple of gay family members. The rest are casual and a few are militantly pro-gay rights. Republicans are really shooting themselves in the foot with their anti-immigration and racist stance in a country that will soon be almost a third minority. Now, they're going to alienate the 10% of population believed to be gays coming of age, and the youth that is indifferent or tolerant of their lifestyle. Way to go, Rethugs. But, hey, it's a work in progress. Their short term wins are setting them up for a long term rout.

[RKP5637]

17. I hope so! Your reply is encouraging! Thx! n/t

[Drale]

18. The big difference

is that the Germans for the most part sat back at took it until basicly the end, and I do not beleave for one minute that Americans, espeically we democrats, will sit back and let it happen.

[RKP5637]

20. I hope not. Some of my German friends called them the Good Germans, my Germany, right or wrong. I'm

hoping many democrats are going to really stand up as this bullshit continues and stop the nonsense in Nov. and 2012.

[awoke_in_2003]

23. we have been sitting back...

and letting it happen for quite some time.

[quakerboy]

27. 2000-2007

Belie your belief. And 2007-now ain't been shaping up that much better.

[blueworld]

13. I honestly don't believe that; I hope I'm not simply naive

I live here in St. Falwell-land & only a small percentage of the nuttiest wingnuts here agree with this type of bigotry. They have um, "unbalanced" ideas about sin, but they are against this vicious campaign. One of my closest friends here is a die-hard Libertarian (sigh) who adores Boortz & her oldest son is gay.

Not only shouldn't we give up hope, but I honestly believe this type of endless hate & judgemental spew is what will ultimately take them down.

[Rozlee]

29. Take heart in one more thing.

In my comment in #12, I said to look for the young people coming up in this next generation to be more scornful of such blatant hatred. Well, mean-spirited of me as it sounds, look for the deaths of the over 65, hard-right, Southern, Bible-belt, pre-Civil Rights, segregationist, bigots over the next 10 to 15 years. They'll be doddering off and dying like flies. No, I'm not gleeful about it. (long pause to think it over, but I know I'm kinda a little bit gleeful.) That demographic has been one of the most hateful, ignorant we've ever had. They've led the fight against Civil Rights, science (i.e. evolution, stem cell research, global warming), unionism, and against gay rights. They've championed the rights of the ultra-rich because Rethugs married their corporate interests to hot button issues that are dear to these idiots' hearts like abortion and an anti-gay agenda. So, no, I won't be too upset to see that generation of mostly Fox News watchers, Tea Partiers bite the dust. If that makes me a bad person, well, I'm glad I'm an atheist and don't believe in a Hell to punish me after I die.

[RKP5637]

3. Very creepy, very creepy, just very very creepy. n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

5. self-loathing closet cases - is there really even any question?

my favorite quote on the subject... 'it appears your average public restroom has more gay Republicans in it than clean handtowels.'

[johnnypneumatic]

6. there are less than a million people in Montana, if 1 million gays moved there

we could take over the state and have two gay senators...
same for Wyoming and north and south Dakota

[davidinalameda]

7. only if I can live near Glacier National Park

that place is beautiful!

[tomm2thumbs]

10. and all should register as Republicans!

hehehe

[activa8tr]

21. That would be cool, and there would be some really great Pride parades!

I can see it now, all the redneck ranchers and farmers and miners and forestry folks...would want to move out...

[NJmaverick]

8. In our disappointment at the speed fixing the failings of providing the GLBT community full rights

we must never lose track of a truly dangerous and scary enemy

[SoapBox]

9. I want DIVORCE outlawed!

...hehe.

Let's see all these Holy and Pious RushThugs and T.HaterBaggers whine about that!

Newt? Listening? No more divorcing dying wives, while they are in the hospital!

p.s....I'm gonna toss this in here. Yup, I admit it...a post by someone on another site BUT it's just perfect for these creeps.

"VALUES VOTERS…
… LYING?
… ADULTERY?
… TORTURE?
… TERRORISM?
Some values."

I say, Wash, Rinse, REPEAT…Over and over and over and over!

America? Is this REALLY the values that represent you?

[totodeinhere]

11. We need to strongly condemn them.

This homophobic position by the Montana GOP needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. But majority Muslim states where homosexuality is presently against the law and sometimes punished by death or castration also need to be condemned.

[DCBob]

14. This is just a taste of whats to come if the teabagger types get political control of this country.

very disturbing.

[HockeyMom]

15. Montana isn't exempt from Lawrence v. Texas

What don't they understand about this?

[femrap]

16. Montana....the New Iran. nt

[ibegurpard]

26. I'm sorry, is the GOP exclusive to Montana?

All statewide offices are held by Democrats here and the legislature is closely divided.

[femrap]

31. Did you read the OP?

They want to enact a law against homosexual activities. Isn't that what Iran does? Do you see the connection. It was a joke. Why take such offense?

Forget it. Your state is just precious even though Ted Turner owns most of it.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Drale]

19. Once the economy is fixed

all these crazies will go back into their holes, because they will have to accually work again.

[LTR]

22. So much for 'small government'

Guess that term doesn't apply to 'legislating morality'.

Hypocrites!

[WestSeattle2]

24. This is so 1980's - get over it, you lost the culture war, go back to

watching xtube and leave your neighbors alone.

[Buenaventura]

25. but montana GOP still love their sheep n/t

[truthisfreedom]

28. Make it illegal=make it more fun

[liberalhistorian]

30. Can we make stupidity, hatred, bigotry and

discrimination illegal instead?

[alp227]

32. Tell 'em "We're here, we're queer, get over it!"

Every attempt to cure homosexuality has failed for the past decades. Sorry. Homosexuality is natural and is never going away; that's why the APA revoked its mental illness status in '73.