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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJune 9th, 2014
About 10,000 Texas Republicans wrapped up their annual convention in Fort Worth this weekend to approve a new platform for the 2016 elections. Things looked promising at first, when the Dallas Voice reported that the party had stripped a statement from their proposed platform proclaiming: “We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans.”
Whatever good news that represented evaporated when a new plank on homosexuality surfaced:
Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, in public policy, nor should family be redefined to include homosexual couples. We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin.
Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values. We recognize the legitimacy and value of counseling which offers reparative therapy and treatment to patients who are seeking escape from the homosexual lifestyle. No laws or executive orders shall be imposed to limit or restrict access to this type of therapy.
The Texas Republican Party approved that platform over the weekend.
The enshrinement of ex-gay therapy into the official agenda of the Texas Republican Party goes against the recommendations of every legitimate mental and medical health professional organization in America, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, and the American School Counselors Association.
The platform also opposes same-sex marriage, as well as “the recognition of and granting of benefits to people who represent themselves as domestic partners without being legally married.”
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David in the O.C.
June 9th, 2014
This last part really clarifies who these people are:
“…as well as “the recognition of and granting of benefits to people who represent themselves as domestic partners without being legally married.â€
In other words, this has nothing to do with the so-called protection of marriage, and everything to do with anti-gay hatred.
patrick
June 9th, 2014
Separation of church and state?
SharonB
June 9th, 2014
This is what the Tea Party does to the brain, people.
So every time you see that piss-colored rag of rebellion plastered on a car or truck rolling down the highway (especially in Texas), you know the beliefs of the occupants!
Nathaniel
June 9th, 2014
David, I read that statement as targeting unmarried heterosexuals. While the statement would certainly include gay people, it is not, as Jim presents it, restricted to such. The final sum would be : we oppose letting gays marry, and we oppose giving rights to ANY couple that isn’t actually married (because they are all filthy sinners and need to be spanked).
Bose in St. Peter MN
June 9th, 2014
As fraudulent and abusive as SOCE therapy is, it’s still a wonder that Texas GOPers are being defrauded into believing that the anti-gay stuff will be good for their party.
How much less welcome can they make their state to the un- and under-employed (exploding numbers of minimum wage jobs), women (access to self-directed health care), the uninsured (offensively little access to Medicaid) and educators (forcing the teaching of creationism during science class)? Pissing on LGBT folks specifically, and reasonable thinkers generally, is just frosting on the cake.
And in case that isn’t enough, a bonus: If bad science wrongly convicts you of murdering your own children in Texas, count on your governor to subvert any credible evidence arising later to ensure your execution and the cover-up that follows.
Merv
June 9th, 2014
This will serve them well in Texas, where the electorate is extremely religious and bigoted.
Joseph Singer
June 9th, 2014
It’s Texas. You were expecting something different?
Despite the state’s designation (Tejas) it’s anything but friendly
Lord_Byron
June 9th, 2014
And not surprisingly we only get silence from groups like GOProud
Steve
June 9th, 2014
@Nathaniel
That doesn’t make it any better. That the US discriminates relatively heavily against unmarried straight couples should be fixed as well. There are way too many rights and benefits that are tied to marriage, but shouldn’t and needn’t be.
ebohlman
June 9th, 2014
There’s also a plank in there supporting the “right” of parents to refuse to vaccinate their children for any reason at all, so we have at least two endorsements of medical quackery.
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