The more things stay the same

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

People just unhinge me and make me sick.

First, here's this morning's story:

US endorses UN gay rights text

By Matthew Lee
Associated Press
03/18/2009 09:41:51 AM PDT

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration today formally endorsed a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality, a measure that former President George W. Bush had refused to sign.
The move was the administration's latest in reversing Bush-era decisions that have been heavily criticized by human rights and other groups. The United States was the only western nation not to sign onto the declaration when it came up at the U.N. General Assembly in December.
"The United States supports the U.N.'s statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity and is pleased to join the other 66 U.N. member states who have declared their support of the statement," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.
"The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world," Wood told reporters. "As such, we join with other supporters of this statement, and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora."
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the administration would endorse the declaration.
Gay rights and other groups had criticized the Bush administration when it refused to sign the declaration when it was presented at the United Nations on Dec. 19. U.S. officials said then that the U.S. opposed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation but that parts of the declaration raised legal questions that needed further review.
According to negotiators, the Bush team had concerns that those sections could commit the federal government on matters that fall under state jurisdiction. In some states, landlords and private employers are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military.
But Wood said a "careful interagency review" by the Obama administration had concluded that "supporting this statement commits us to no legal obligations."
When it was voted on in December, 66 of the U.N.'s 192 member countries signed the nonbinding declaration, which backers called an historic step to push the General Assembly to deal more forthrightly with anti-gay discrimination. It was endorsed by all 27 European Union members as well as Japan, Australia and Mexico.
But 70 U.N. members outlaw homosexuality — and in several, homosexual acts can be punished by execution. More than 50 nations, including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, opposed the declaration.
Some Islamic countries said at the time that protecting sexual orientation could lead to "the social normalization and possibly the legalization of deplorable acts" such as pedophilia and incest. The declaration was also opposed by the Vatican.

Now, let's take a look at the first comment on the newspaper website, posted within 10 minutes from the anonymous "LeftCoastKid":

Gays already had rights. They have the same rights as the rest of the normal people. Of course they can't get married, but that's for obvious reasons - marriage is (and should always be) between a man and a woman.

It shouldn't be shocking, but it is — the incredible bigotry that exists in our country. Assholes like this obviously troll for any mention of gay rights and then throw up their ridiculous screeds all over the keyboard without bothering to read or comprehend.
The same rights as the rest of the "normal" people? Did he not read the part saying "In some states, landlords and private employers are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military." Did you get that, anonymous bigot? YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME AND JOB BECAUSE YOU ARE GAY.

Yeah, the same rights. Of course, the people who say these kinds of things are also the same people who secretly believe that black people or Jews or women shouldn't get "special rights" either. Society has just reached the point where they aren't comfortable saying it in public anymore; but dammit, it's still acceptable to say anything you want about gay people and your bigoted pals in the white sheets just slap your back and laugh. It's very telling that there's been a surge in anti-gay crimes here in Santa Clara county; those uppity gays should be happy with what they've got and not come out in public where people might see them.

I almost want to take them up on it, to cloister myself in the house and withdraw from this society that includes such people.

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