Civil Rights activist Walter Fauntroy (D) petitions Supreme Court to stop gay marriage in DC

[Bluebear]

Fauntroy

WASHINGTON — Opponents of gay marriage are asking the Supreme Court to put a hold on the District of Columbia's new law allowing same-sex couples to wed.

The new law, passed in December, is supposed to take effect Wednesday. Court papers filed Monday with Chief Justice John Roberts argue that Washington residents should be able to vote on the matter. Local courts have rejected the opponents' arguments.

The gay marriage opponents include a Baptist minister, Walter E. Fauntroy, who was Washington's delegate in the House for nearly 20 years.

The city has said Wednesday probably will be the first day same-sex couples can apply for a marriage license. Couples will still have to wait three full business days for their licenses before exchanging vows.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jebtIYBCkijYaRdks_0k9PYLtF5QD9E64JHO3

[bluestateguy]

1. What an asshole

Perhaps a trip to the back of the bus, or back to the "colored" drinking fountain would cause him to reconsider.

[Echo In Light]

20. +1

[Doremus]

2. Amazing how religion can blind someone so effectively as to

make them willing to inflict the same discrimination on others as one has suffered.

Sending a one-finger salute to the "good" pastor.

[chill_wind]

4. Some very sad irony, isn't it? n/t

[stopbush]

7. Yup. It all comes down to the scourge that is Christianity, plain and simple.

[Betty Karlson]

14. Being a Christian, I disagree

It all comes down to people not understanding the words of Jesus Christ. He taught us that there is enough blessing for everyone: so trying to monopolise blessings for any minority/ majority is pointless.

Too bad so many otherwise fine individuals are preferring to get stuck in the nineteenth century. In early Christian days, an activist pastor would have wed same sex couples (just like it kept happening in Armenia until the seventh century).

I suppose real civil rights activists are ashamed right now, to be associated with this rabid homophobe who stands in the way of equality. As a Christian, I am certainly ashamed of our - even remote - association.

[stopbush]

28. Like 98% of Xians, you cherry pick the few good things Jesus had to say

and ignore the loathsome tripe that sprang from his mouth on a regular basis.

Bottom line with Jesus: there are plenty of blessings for any Jew who bows and scrapes to me. The rest of you are going to hell, and if you're not a Jew, I don't care about you at all.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. Respectfully,What Loathsome Trtipe?

~

[stopbush]

32. You really don't know?

How about the concept of a burning eternity in hell? You won't find that in the OT. That's something that gentle Jesus, meek and mild talked about at great length - don't believe in him, and you're burning for eternity. His concept, borrowed from the Greeks and others.

How about the stuff about hating your family to love him? The Greek word for "hate" used in those verses is "miseo," and it is a word that has only ONE meaning, and that is hate in the modern sense that we use the word.

Then there's the entirely loathsome idea that man is a fallen creature in need of redemption, an idea that depends on building a sense of self-loathing in believers for it to have its full effect.

But my favorite loathsome Jesus myth is that where he refuses to heal the daughter of the Canaanite woman, first denying even to acknowledge her presence, then refusing to listen to her because he (Jesus) was sent exclusively for the Jews, not her, then finally relenting only after the woman agrees with Jesus' characterization of her as a dog that sits at its master's feet. "But Jesus did finally heal her daughter" you'll say. Yes, but only after he exacted his price in human dignity by having her grovel at his feet. And what if she hadn't been persistent and had allowed herself to be put off by his obnoxious and loathsome behavior?

[Behind the Aegis]

31. Fighting bigotry with bigotry is like pissing on a forest fire.

Pointless.

[stopbush]

33. You play the bigotry card to shut down criticism of religion,

but that last I looked, bigotry was being intolerant of traits that people have over which they have no control, like their sexual preference, their race, their gender or their nationality. You know, things that people are born as.

No one is born as a Xian or a Muslim or as a member of any other religion. Religion is a choice, a choice usually made for us by our parents, and a choice that we can change or reject it we like once we've grown up. It's a choice like being a Democrat or a Republican is a choice.

Are we to not criticize Republicans because we think their ideas and ideals are lousy? No, we criticize them all the time precisely because their ideas suck.

Do we display bigotry when we say Rs are full of shit, and that their ideas have no basis in reality? No, we don't, we're just stating an obvious truth.

Is it bigotry to tell a creationist that his belief that the Earth is only 6,000 years old is absolute bullshit? No, it isn't.

So why on earth do you call it bigotry when one points out the same type of things about religious beliefs?

[Behind the Aegis]

35. Do you know what bigotry is?

Bigotry is not simply disagreeing with someone or a group of someones ("Rs are full of shit"). It may be hyperbolic or prejudiced, but it is not bigoted. No, bigotry is when one takes prejudices and stereotypes and applies them to an entire group, as you did with Christians. Bigotry is not just being intolerant of others' non-changeable traits. If that intolerance interferes with the "other's" rights, then it is bigotry. If it is used to denigrate, humiliate, or debase a group, it is bigotry. Also, bigotry doesn't rely on the person's traits being something s/he can't control. People can control their sexual preferences. They can control their nationality. They can control their hair color. In many cases, they can control their weight; yet all of the aforementioned are areas in which people can be victimized by bigotry. Another in that list would be religion or lack thereof. Denying an atheist a job because he doesn't believe in G-d is bigotry. Claiming Jews run the country or are more loyal to Israel is bigotry. Saying Muslims are all terrorists or misogynists is bigotry.

It is not "playing the bigotry" card to shut down criticism of religion. What you wrote was not criticism, but bigoted remarks about an entire group of people, in this case Christians. When you ascribe attributes to an entire group because of who or what they are and base your reaction on that assessment, you are employing prejudice; and when that prejudice tempers how you relate with those people and how you evaluate them, it becomes bigotry.

[stopbush]

37. Yes, I do know what it is. The dictionary desribes a bigot as

"one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance."

What did I say in my OP that displays hatred and intolerance? Nothing. Re-read what I wrote. I did not attack people who are Xians in an intolerant way. I simply said that 98% of them cherry pick the Bible. That's akin to saying that 98% of Republicans think Reagan was the greatest president ever. Saying that 98% of Rs cherry pick Reagan's few accomplishments and ignore the illegal actions he took throughout his administration is not spewing hatred. Neither is saying that 98% of Xian cherry pick the Bible.

You've just got a bug up your butt about religion, as if it deserves a carve out from criticism.

[tekisui]

3. He isn't a "Civil Rights Activist", he is a "Black Rights Activist".

[ProgressiveEconomist]

8. He's a FORMER civil rights activist, and likely pretty senile by now.

[EFerrari]

13. He's a year younger than my mom and she's sharper than I am.

Well, it's unfortunate. Maybe he'll have a moment of clarity.

[Tailormyst]

19. Bingo

[nevergiveup]

5. This just continues to blow me away.

You just want to grab these fools, shake them and scream in their face "What the fuck is wrong with you"?

[QC]

6. Bigots come in all types. n/t

[xchrom]

9. I'm Christian and Gay -- and this 'good' gentleman

Can kiss my ass.

[immoderate]

10. Well, he's not MLK...

--imm

[EFerrari]

11. And he's sure not Coretta. Something I learned the other night

I think watching "After Stonewall", the only politician that showed up to the Great March was Jesse Jackson.

Someone needs to go all Skittles on this guy's posterior.

ETA: Actually, factchecking this, it turns out not to be accurate:

snip

At the same time, there appeared to be fewer labor leaders, elected officials and black civil rights leaders than had been expected, although more than 1,000 elected officials, including about 100 members of Congress, and other prominent civic, labor and religious leaders signed letters endorsing the march. Address by Jackson

In a speech this evening, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, pledged his support for gay rights, while calling for increased Federal spending on AIDS research and education.

He said: ''We gather today to say that we insist on equal protection under the law for every American, for workers' rights, women's rights, for the rights of religious freedom, the rights of individual privacy, for the rights of sexual preference. We come together for the rights of all American people.''

Mr. Jackson, noting that he formally declared his Presidential candidacy on Saturday, concluded his speech by saying: ''Today I stand with you. Election Day you stand with me.''

Other speakers included two gay members of Congress, Representatives Gerry E. Studds and Barney Frank, both Massachusetts Democrats; Eleanor Smeal, former president of the National Organization for Women, and Cesar Chavez, president of the United Farm Workers of America. Small Counterdemonstration

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/12/us/200000-march-in-capital-to-seek-gay-rights-and-money-for-aids.html?pagewanted=1

Maybe I'm misremembering and the idea was he was the only straight politician.

[Skittles]

12. disgusting

off to Greatest Page

[Bluebear]

17. thx

[druidity33]

15. I can't help seeing "Fauntleroy"...

as in "little lord", whenever i see his name.

Must be some brain problem i have...

[Toasterlad]

16. Religion Is the Enemy of Rational Thought

Anyone who believes in an invisible man who sits up in the clouds watching humanity and checking off sins like Santa Claus should be patronized at least, and preferably institutionalized. They DEFINITELY should not be allowed to tie up our legal system with their superstitious voodoo.

[Tailormyst]

18. Surprise surprise

Only some people's civil rights matter.

[Libertas1776]

21. I got my civil rights...

fuck the rest of you :eyes: ya know, little lord fauntroy, gay people come in all colors, including black. Shame you want to rob some of your own brothers and sisters of the rights you enjoy. Asshole.

[Bluebear]

22. 'little lord fauntroy'

i thought the exact thing :)

[Libertas1776]

27. LOL

yep :)

[Behind the Aegis]

23. I would call him a "dick," but I like dicks, so...

...what a festering, pus-filled boil he is.

[FLAprogressive]

24. Fucker

[Politicub]

25. Fuck him. I'm sick of these assholes attacking the rights on a minority.

And of course, Roberts will issue the stay. He's a right wing hack.

And any "minister" who attacks my civil rights is the enemy.

[superduperfarleft]

26. I wonder how he would've felt if civil rights for african-americans

were left to a state-by-state popular vote as opposed to being rammed down the bigots' throats by the federal government?

[Zomby Woof]

30. Fuck the Baptists

Especially their clergy.

[Starry Messenger]

34. Another D against marriage equality?

We sure live in sad times. Why bother to be a Dem, then? I've asked this before and I'm serious. The economic justice track record from the Dems? Pretty small actually. If you are going to throw a huge gay Dem constituency under the bus, we'd be better off without you.

[niyad]

36. so it's a case of "I got mine--screw the rest of you", eh, fauntroy?