Molly: It's duck-and-cover time in Texas

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" Zepp " <zepp

 

 

Wed, 25 May 2005 21:27:44 -0700

[Zepps_News] Molly: It's duck-and-cover time in Texas

 

 

 

Duck and Cover Time in Texas

 

--Texas lege enshrines anti-gay provision in state constitution

 

Molly Ivins, Creators Syndicate, May 24, 2005

 

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=19098

 

AUSTIN, TX -- Here in the National Laboratory for Bad Government, it's

Duck and Cover time -- the Legislature is in session. The

Can't-Shake-Your-Booty bill passed the House, saving us all from the

scourge of sexy cheerleaders. But nothing else is getting done. The

state is being run by people who do not know how to govern. Keep in mind

that based on past form, whatever lunacy is going on in Texas will

eventually sweep the country.

 

Rarely are the words of one state legislator worth national attention,

but when Senfronia Thompson, a black representative from Houston, stalks

to the back mike with a certain " get-out-of-my-way " look in her eye,

it's, Katie, bar the door. Here is Thompson speaking against the

Legislature's recent folly of putting a superfluous anti-gay marriage

measure into the state constitution:

 

" I have been a member of this august body for three decades, and today

is one of the all-time low points. We are going in the wrong direction,

in the direction of hate and fear and discrimination. Members, we all

know what this is about; this is the politics of divisiveness at it's

worst, a wedge issue that is meant to divide.

 

" Members, this is a distraction from the real things we need to be

working on. At the end of this session, this Legislature, this

leadership will not be able to deliver the people of Texas fundamental

and fair answers to the pressing issues of our day.

 

" Let's look at what this amendment does not do: It does not give one

Texas citizen meaningful tax relief. It does not reform or fully fund

our education system. It does not restore one child to CHIP [Children's

Health Insurance Program] who was cut from health insurance last

session. It does not put one dime into raising Texas' Third World access

to health care. It does not do one thing to care for or protect one

elderly person or one child in this state. In fact, it does not even do

anything to protect one marriage.

 

" Members, this bill is about hate and fear and discrimination... When I

was a small girl, white folks used to talk about 'protecting the

institution of marriage' as well. What they meant was if people of my

color tried to marry people of Mr. Chisum's color, you'd often find the

people of my color hanging from a tree... Fifty years ago, white folks

thought interracial marriages were 'a threat to the institution of

marriage.'

 

" Members, I'm a Christian and a proud Christian. I read the good book

and do my best to live by it. I have never read the verse where it says,

'Gay people can't marry.' I have never read the verse where it says,

'Thou shalt discriminate against those not like me.' I have never read

the verse where it says, 'Let's base our public policy on hate and fear

and discrimination.' Christianity to me is love and hope and faith and

forgiveness -- not hate and discrimination.

 

" I have served in this body a lot of years, and I have seen a lot of

promises broken... So... now that blacks and women have equal rights,

you turn your hatred to homosexuals, and you still use your misguided

reading of the Bible to justify your hatred. You want to pass this

ridiculous amendment so you can go home and brag -- brag about what?

Declare that you saved the people of Texas from what?

 

" Persons of the same sex cannot get married in this state now. Texas law

does not now recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, religious

unions, domestic partnerships, contractual arrangements or Christian

blessings entered into in this state -- or anywhere else on this planet

Earth.

 

" If you want to make your hateful political statements then that is one

thing -- but the Chisum amendment does real harm. It repeals the

contracts that many single people have paid thousands of dollars to

purchase to obtain medical powers of attorney, powers of attorney,

hospital visitation, joint ownership and support agreements. You have

lost your way. This is obscene...

 

" I thought we would be debating economic development, property tax

relief, protecting seniors' pensions and stem cell research to save

lives of Texans who are waiting for a more abundant life. Instead we are

wasting this body's time with this political stunt that is nothing more

than constitutionalizing discrimination. The prejudices exhibited by

members of this body disgust me.

 

" Last week, Republicans used a political wedge issue to pull kids

--sweet little vulnerable kids -- out of the homes of loving parents and

put them back in a state orphanage just because those parents are gay.

That's disgusting.

 

" I have listened to the arguments. I have listened to all of the crap...

I want you to know that this amendment [is] blowing smoke to fuel the

hell-fire flames of bigotry. "

 

Then they passed the amendment

 

--Molly Ivins is the former editor of the liberal monthly The Texas

Observer. She is the bestselling author of several books including

" Who Let the Dogs In? "

 

--

 

What is being called American Imperialism

is really a misnamed front for Corporate Imperialism or just oldfashioned

plutocracy or fascism.

 

 

" As democracy is perfected, the office of president

represents, more and more closely, the inner soul

of the people. On some great and glorious day the

plain folks of the land will reach their heart's

desire at last and the White House will be adorned

by a downright moron. " --- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)