A pink triangle today, in solidarity with gay men ..under attack in Va

[lostnfound]

Reading the LBN item that Virginia legislature has nothing better to do than to attempt to marginalize and illegalize private relationships between certain of its citizens, I want to express my solidarity and respect for those of you out there who might be feeling wounded or under attack by these primitives.

Some of us believe spirit matters more than flesh and yet we reach a different conclusion than these fakes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=312904

[liberalmuse]

1. What's with these people?

If they were truly 'moral', you'd think they'd really go for the idea of gay marriage and gays 'settling down'. Being 'moral' is refusing to discriminate against other human beings, not sticking your head in their bedrooms.

[Rowdyboy]

2. My partner and I both thank you

It's amazing the stupidity that hate leads to. And in the name of morality, no less.

[cosmicdot]

3. Equality Virginia Take Action Alert

if out of state, you can modify the suggested email or draft one of your own

http://capwiz.com/federationlgbt/issues/alert/?alertid=4068551&type=CU

[11 Bravo]

4. What are these small-minded little beaureaucrats so afraid of?

I am the father of two young sons, and their uncle, my brother, is a gay man in a committed relationship of over 20 years. My wife and I are more comfortable leaving our boys in the care of my brother and his partner than with some of our other "straight" relatives. I keep hoping that Northern Virginia, where I live, might find a way to secede from the rest of the state; because once you travel south of Fairfax County, you might as well be in Mississippi.

[Skittles]

5. I'm with you, lostnfound

it all offends me greatly; I cannot imagine how it must feel to be gay and be under constant attack.

[underpants]

6. Va.'s Sodomy laws (seriously)

http://www.sodomy.org/laws/virginia/

Virginia's Sodomy Law

Virginia outlaws consensual sexual behavior between adults with 18.2-361, "Crimes against nature". This prohibits the making or consenting to such sexual contact a Class 6 felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than one year nor more than five years, or a confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.

Virginia also bans voluntary sexual intercourse between unmarried persons with code section 18.2-344 - Fornication. This is punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor which imposes a fine of not more than $250 upon a successful conviction.

Lewd and lascivious cohabitation is also prohibited in Virginia and is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor upon a first successful conviction which carries a fine of not more than $500. Subsequent convictions are punishable as Class 1 misdemeanors which have a sentence of not more than twelve months in jail and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both. All parties cohabiting are subject to prosecution.

Of particular note is Virginia's traditional model for sexual crimes in which the wife is considered property and is considered to always consent to the husband's sexual advances unless serious injury took place during the event. Virginia's rape law, 18.2-61 states that "no person shall be found guilty under this subsection unless, at the time of the alleged offense, (i) the spouses were living separate and apart, or (ii) the defendant caused serious physical injury to the spouse by the use of force or violence." Identical language exists for Virginia's Forcible sodomy law, 18.2-67.1.

§ 18.2-344
Fornication
Any person, not being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any other person, shall be guilty of fornication, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor.

§ 18.2-361
Crimes against nature
A. If any person carnally knows in any manner any brute animal, or carnally knows any male or female person by the anus or by or with the mouth, or voluntarily submits to such carnal knowledge, he or she shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony, except as provided in subsection B.
B. Any person who carnally knows by the anus or by or with the mouth his daughter or granddaughter, son or grandson, brother or sister, or father or mother shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. However, if a parent or grandparent commits any such act with his child or grandchild and such child or grandchild is at least thirteen but less than eighteen years of age at the time of the offense, such parent or grandparent shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.

[beyurslf]

7. How can they pass a law that is blantantly unconstitutional

and has been ruled as such just this summer? Seems like a waste of their (and the taxpayers') time.

[xchrom]

8. thanks for the thought

but for me it's another example of why i think american culture is in trouble -- these people{and there are millions of them} mean real harm to gay folk{and to another extent women who might be considered feminists}.
the culture gap is disturbing with real currents of violence floating right below the surface -- i.e. the catholic churches extreme reaction to gay marriage, the grotesque responses to the election of the episcopal bishop.
unless people meet this insanity headon and with vigor someone is going to get hurt -- this is the kind of stuff that set off mcveigh -- just different issues.