Tuesday, August 18, 2009
40 Jealous Whores / Politics / Woods Metro Council Votes to Ban Discrimination Against Gay Workers
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 7:58 PM
"As a Christian, I cannot endorse a lifestyle that is condemned in both the old testament and new. So I'll vote no. ... The sponsor has stated this will be a basis for individuals to bring legal court action against this government. It doesn't make sense to me. We strive to not get in situations that result in court actions against our government. I saw a definition of a politician last weekend. Somebody who tries to fix something that's not broken. I think that applies in this situation. "For those constituents and members of our community who are in the homosexual community, who have sat at my dining room table, who have had conversations with me, I cannot support or endorse a lifestyle that is unhealthy. We as a government make many suggestions and recommendations to folks to live a better lifestyle whether it's menu labeling, whether it's exercising, whether it's recycling, because it's good for the individual or it's good for the community. "We ask folks to leave their cigarettes outside. As a guy who's smoked for 20 years, I know how hard that it is to do. But I had to make a choice and I did and it was a hard choice. It was hard to do. Some of us have been on diets like Councilman Forkum and me last year so our joints would work. It's not easy to make a lifestyle change but it can be done. "When I look at the information on this lifestyle, it's not something that we should endorse. Individuals here are eight times more likely to have to seek professional mental health treatment for all manner of reasons. Those in a committed relationship, four times more likely to have multiple partners. That's not stable. Significantly higher rate of STDs, about 60 percent, and a shorter lifespan of about 14 years. I would think that we as a government should be encouraging our folks to make better lifestyle choices than this. I will vote no."
Comments (19)
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I think Jim Hodge just compared being gay to smoking. Did Jim Hodge just say that quitting smoking is like quitting gayness? Wow.
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Mr. Hodge may be ignorant, but you have to give him credit for being honest and out-front about his reasoning. IMHO, an honest but ignorant redneck is the moral superior of the closeted bigot. I admit its only a subtle difference.
The hopeful message in this is that ignorance can be, and is over time being, cured. Bigotry and hatred are much harder nuts to crack.
Two thumbs up to the Metro Council.
I live nowhere near his district, but any viable candidate who runs against Hodge when he's up for reelection can count on a contribution from me.
i looked @ his bio on the council web page and noticed that he is a church of christ deacon.
Not only is he Church of Christ, but he also co-sponsored the resolution authorizing Metro Nashville's participation in the Focus on the Family's National Day of Prayer last April:
http://enclave-nashville.blogspot.com/search?q=Hodge+prayer
Control of that observance was restricted to right-wing evangelical Christians. If you are a mainline or liberal Christian or a non-Christian, Jim Hodge colluded in your exclusion from the civic events.
This council member is on the outer fringe of the exclusionary evangelical right.
I am more disappointed in Mr. Coleman. As Mr. Coleman became a black man at some point in his life, the story of Councilman Buddy Baker's son who similarly became a gay american in his early 20's should have resonated with Councilman Coleman. Similarly, as an African-American, Coleman should know his history and understand that like African-Americans were lynched in the not too distant past, Gay Americans are being systematically taken out of their offices by co-workers and being lynched today in Nashville.
Regardless, with this vote I certainly hope their was some champagne corks popping and some booties popping last night in celebration throughout Nashville.
To the Metro Council...especially the 23 yea voters...thank you! Congratualtions!
To Mr. Hodge, I say God bless your little ignorant heart. Ask yourself, what did Jesus say about same sex relationships? I haven't found word one yet, but let me know if I missed something, will you? Listening to the Apostle Paul over Jesus is a slippery slope.
Regardless of how this vote turned out, I am just thankful that the city of Nashville has no other problems, financial or otherwise, to deal with. I know those anti-homosexual advocates in legislatures are always bringing up anti-homosexual measures when the media dutifully reports that there is "more important business" in the city/state/nation. Luckily for us in Nashville, we are at a time where all other issues are resolved, there are no financial matters pressing in particular, so obviously this was the perfect time to bring up (pro)-homosexual matters. Were there more important matters, I am sure Pithy would have dutifully reported such and only didn't bring up the "more important matters" issue, NOT because the pro-homosexual forces had the majority, but because truly there were no other important matters to be addressed.
Thankfully Hodge is termed out now. I'm sorry to say he's my rep, but he won't be next term! I'm still running to take his place just to spite the fool.
And where does Hodge get his STD, lifespan and mental health statistics from? Don't you think if those numbers were true, they would be reported in The Scene and in the mainstream media? If there were ANY health risks related to male-on-male hot anal sex, don't you think the media would educate the public on such? I do know the leading cause of death of homosexual men is being lynched by co-workers and church members (because I do read the Scene), but Hodge's numbers are just unbelievable and false and if there were a scintilla of truth about them, the Scene and MSM would report it.
Dear FrankJ:
It is fascinating to learn that you are consumed with interest in "important business," as opposed to the banning of discrimination. It's also a relief to know you seem to be as interested in "important business" as you are in "male-on-male hot anal sex."
Some of us, however, believe that the eradication of discrimination IS important business.
The type of discrimination outlawed by Metro Council's action is what Merriam-Webster defines as: "the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually: prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment." In short, it is the practice of treating people differently based on what they are, rather than on what they do and say, or how they perform their jobs.
If you knew anything at all about discrimination laws, you would know that they do not prohibit firing the people they are designed to protect. A black employee who is stealing office supplies can be fired as a thief, but he cannot be fired simply because he is black. A Muslim who is constantly late to work can be fired for being late, but not only because he is a Muslim. A 50-year old woman can be fired for excessive absenteeism, but not because she is over 40, or because she is a woman.
Anti-discrimination laws don't protect bad conduct by employees -- they simply prohibit employers from taking adverse employment actions based on bigoted bullshit. What Metro Council has acknowledged by this vote is that homosexuals have historically been subjected to the same kind of adverse job actions as blacks, religious minorities, the elderly, and women. The Council decided - rightly - that this kind of blatant discrimination should not be tolerated.
Most Americans think equal treatment for all is a good idea. Apparently, you don't.
When other legislative bodies have proposed anti-homosexual laws, the reaction has been either a) policy disagreement or b) the legislative body has "more important issues" to address other than "social" issues. With (a), I believe that is a legitimate beef, whether homosexuals should be a protected class or whether homosexuality is a lifestyle choice that does not deserve special protections is a legitimate debate. however, (b), which the Scene and Tennesseean regularly engage in when its clear the votes and support are there for the anti-homosexual agenda is not a legitimate argument, as proven by I did not read one article/thought by the Scene or Tennessean that given the economic state of Nashville putting a "social" issue on the agenda is a waste of precious legislative time. So, when a homosexual issue comes up at the local, state or national level, and the votes appear to be there for the anti-homosexual side, I expect that neither the Scene or the other "mainstream media" will use argument (b) since they no longer consider that to be an issue.
Common Sense:
I think he also compared being gay to having gout.
"Some of us have been on diets like Councilman Forkum and me last year so our joints would work. It's not easy to make a lifestyle change but it can be done."
HILARIOUS.
I was sitting in the Council meeting last night. As a gay man, I was insulted when Mr. Hodge compared being gay to dieting & called it an "unhealthy lifestyle." I was furious that he said "as a Christian, I cannot endorse a lifestyle that is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments." Various churches endorsed this ordinance, and most mainline churches have stopped ranting & raving on homosexuality. I would challenge Mr. Hodge to show me where in the Old & New Testaments homosexuality is EXPRESSLY condemned (not including Sodom & Gomorrah, which has various interpretations such as greed, rape, & homosexuality). I appreciate that Hodge actually had the balls to speak his mind to the news cameras & the public. Another council member, Robert Duvall, wrote an op-ed for the Tennessean on Monday in opposition to the ordinance, saying that it would give GLBT people "special rights." Is the right not to be fired from a job because of my sexual orientation "special"? In response to an earlier anonymous post, Karen Bennett abstained from voting last night. You can see how the council members voted on the Second Reading last night here: http://www.nashville.gov/mc/pdfs/roll_call_votes/bl2009_502_second_reading.pdf
To answer Gay American Andy, yes, the right to have special job protection because who you fuck is a special right. And, although the greatest triumph of the Homosexual male community was transmitting the HIV/AIDS virus into the heterosexual community, homosexual male sex is unhealthy and dangerous.
