The Texas GOP Wants To Punish Straight People Who Support Gay Rights

[romantico]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 2:53pm

Does this really surprise anyone?

It might not be as hotly anticipated as one of the Twilight novels, but the Texas Republican Party has released its 2010 party platform. And the gays have at least the equivalent of a chapter dedicated to them.

But consider this work of literature a tragedy. That’s because the 2010 GOP platform in Texas literally supports laws that criminalize sodomy, and also suggests that straight people who support same-sex marriage should be penalized with jail time.

Texas, Uganda. Uganda, Texas. I think you two will really hit it off.

That’s a comparison that wakingupnow.com makes after looking at the language in the GOP’s platform, and anti-gay language coming out of Uganda. And the similarities are a bit jarring.

For instance, the official GOP line in Texas, when it comes to sodomy is striking: gay people should be arrested for having any sort of sexual contact with someone of the same-sex inside their own bedrooms. That’s my paraphrase, but trust the direct quote.

“We oppose the legalization of sodomy. We demand that Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S. constitution to withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy,” the GOP platform reads. Meaning that even though the U.S. Supreme Court overturned sodomy laws last decade (ironically in a case that stemmed from Texas), Texas Republicans would like the state to have the power to criminalize LGBT folks for having sex.

Of course, if you think the Texas GOP treats sodomy with harsh gloves, wait until you see what they want to do to straight people who help gay folks get married.

“We support legislation that would make it a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and for any civil official to perform a marriage ceremony for such,” reads the GOP platform.

As wakingupnow.com notes, the use of the word “felony” there seemingly indicates prison time. That means that if a straight person were to aid and abet a gay couple with tying the knot in the Lone Star State, the Texas GOP would like to see that person serve mandatory jail time.

Sure, the comparison to Uganda is a bit facetious. After all, Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for LGBT people who have sex with someone of the same gender, and calls for multiple-year jail terms for straight people who don’t help out perceived homosexuals.

But it is pretty shocking that in 2010, a state GOP, even if it’s in a deep red corner of the country, would support criminalizing queer folks and the straight people who support them. What’s even worse is that two years ago, the Texas chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans tried to dissuade the state GOP from adopting such a medieval platform, to no avail.

The Texas GOP platform concludes with a jarring assessment of homosexuality that’s so embedded in the days of Anita Bryant, one wonders if the wording has changed at all since the mid-1970s.

“We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases,” the platform reads.



http://zedislepidus.tumblr.com/post/723372460/the-texas-gop-wants-to-punish-straight-people-who

Updated On: 6/28/10 at 02:53 PM

[Q]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 2:58pm

"it is pretty shocking that in 2010, a state GOP, even if it’s in a deep red corner of the country, would support criminalizing queer folks and the straight people who support them"

The only thing that's shocking is that anyone would be shocked.

I sometimes wonder how much some people are paying attention.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:02pm

Huh. Homosexuality contributes to the breakdown of the family unit.

And, of course, having a wife and kids while screwing a beauty queen on the side doesn't.

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:06pm

I hate to tell them, but that sodomy plank has been in the Texas GOP platform all along. It's nothing new for them.

[Q]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:14pm

"sodomy plank"

Not sure why, exactly, but I think I want one of these.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:19pm

Can we just make Texas it's own country?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:22pm

"'sodomy plank'
"Not sure why, exactly, but I think I want one of these."


Q, watch out for splinters.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:29pm

Though the knot holes can be fun!

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 3:36pm

As a Texan let me just say, even to us, the GOP are out of their minds. Even my most right-wing acquaintances wouldn't go further than opposing same-sex marriage. The younger generations in Texas (under 30 I'd say) are much more liberal than you'd think.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 4:21pm

The only thing that's shocking is that anyone would be shocked.

I am. I often forget that the majority of Texas is made up of the polar opposite from what surrounded me, my life and my friends for 30 years in Houston. I think it's very easy to forget that the Texas GOP platform simply may not be representative of Texans any more than Bush was the candidate of choice for all Americans during his two terms. I had to constantly remind my European friends that even though I am American, it doesn't mean I voted for Bush or supported him in any way. I just hope this rather embarrassing platform is as polarizing to the GOP as the rest of the Tea Bagging movement is proving to be. Texas may be a Red state, that that could change or be closer to change than we've seen in almost 40 years (Texas voted Democrat in Presidential elections until 1972).

Texas Blue State

Updated On: 6/28/10 at 04:21 PM

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 5:44pm

I think it's very easy to forget that the Texas GOP platform simply may not be representative of Texan

Hear, hear.

[romantico]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 7:01pm

Add Montana to the list

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/28/montana-gop-gay/

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 7:37pm

Where's Count SockulA to explain this all away via a Joy Behar comment?

[romantico]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 8:09pm

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=e8dfc793-752b-4ebb-b3c1-2b249fa51335

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 4:53am

2010 GOP platform in Texas literally supports laws that criminalize sodomy
Does Texas forget that the reason sodomy laws are no longer valid is because of a little case involving their state? I know it's difficult to remember, what with the state name right their in the title (Lawrence v. Texas), but I'm just a bit confused. How would this even be possible when the Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that sodomy laws violate the 14th Amendment? Are they trying to overturn that or just make a new law? And more importantly, why do I even bother asking questions about something that is just so ridiculous?