HB 2661 passes, final vote: 25-23.
After thirty years, sexual orientation has finally been added to Washington state’s anti-discrimination laws. Kind of hard to believe it took so long.
A lot of people have worked extremely hard on this issue for many years, but perhaps nobody has played a larger role in its passage than the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, whose ham-fisted grandstanding in the wake of the bill’s close defeat last year was crucial in creating the blowback that ultimately led to Sen. Bill Finkbeiner voting his conscience.
Thank you Rev. Hutcherson. My fondest wish is that you and Kevin Carns team up to direct the conservative legislative agenda in WA state.
UPDATE:
Progressive Majority of Washington wants senators like Tim Sheldon, who voted no on HB 2661, to know that there is a price to pay for Democrats who betray core Democratic values. (You know… like equality.)
Progressive Majority doesn’t just elect new leaders, we hold the ones already in office accountable. But Senator Sheldon doesn’t get it
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The city of New Orleans could lose up to 80 percent of its black population if people displaced by Hurricane Katrina are not able to return to damaged neighborhoods, according to an analysis by a Brown University sociologist. [Now THIS is a horrible thought for a Democrat pol in New Orleans. Get the buses ready!!]
This is people losing their homes and their heritage, you cruel ignorant fuck.
No R except Finkbeiner crossed the party line? Sad. But we can use that.
JCH@1: Of what relevance is your post to the subject?
Obvious statement of the year “without people voting for you, you will lose elections”.
But when ignorant racist fucks like JCH say Dems are “beholden to the black vote” they’re really saying that black votes are worth less than white votes.
You’ll never hear them saying “Without the evangelical vote the Republicans will lose elections.”
More importantly, glad WA added sexual orientation to the list of protected classes from employment and housing discrimination. Making WA more attractive to high-earning potential residents (gays) is good for the economy, not to mention being the right thing to do morally.
If stuff like this makes people like JCH move to the Dakotas or Tennessee, it’s no loss.
what happened with the DOMA related motion at the end?
Sen. Bob Oke, R- Port Orchard, said his daughter is a lesbian. He said though the issue has been a long-standing point of conflict in his family but he held his position on the issue and voted against the bill.
“That’s called tough love,” Oke said.
“I believe homosexuality is morally wrong,” Oke said. “The Bible is very clear on this.”
ahha @7,
What happened was that Sen. Luke Esser made a motion to bring to the floor a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, in a cynical effort to link gay marriage with the anti-discrimination bill. The motion was defeated by the same 25-23 vote.
We beat the assholes! Man the shame of being a republican and being for discrimination. We’ll have to ask during the campaign why the repugs are into discrimination! Man what a bunch of weak punks. I love beating these inbred morons and rubbing it in their chest. NOTE TO ALL RIGHTIES> Get your shit and move motherfuckers. You’re outnumber here! HE HE!
That was Esser??? Debi Golden’s life just got a little easier.
And I particularly liked beating that fake Hutch and his hatchetwoman Karns! Fuck you pinko punks!
Today, New Orleans Democrat pols demanded that blacks return to the New Orleans “plantation”. Lots of “guvment” checks, cable TV, and cold King Cobra for those blacks that return and REGISTER to vote, stated Mayor Ray!
Lets kick the shit out of Sheldon and Oke in Nov!
Today is a good day for Washington
I hope the show the reaction on the news… When the speaker announced the bill was being sent to be signed into law everyone erupted in applause for 5 minutes. It was awesome to be in the room.
I love Washington!!!
Gerald, LiberalWashington.com
In the Unity Caucus form, Dwight Pelz was asked on his position on DINO’s like Sheldon, and Pelz said he would support Sheldon over a primary challenger. So think about that when voting for your next chair tomorrow……
I had heard about that, and asked Dwight Pelz directly about that, and he said that your statement is not true.
What happened to the Cynical Irrelevant BOZO? This is a tailored-made post for him. I guess after he donned a trenchcoat and saw Brokeback Mountain, he had to finally come to terms with uh er.. certain issues in his life.
Eric @ 16:
I was at that forum. What the hell are you talking about? Pelz never said any such thing.
Let’s all cheer for something that was and is not needed. This bill grants special not equal rights to Gay people. WA state legislation already bars discrimination regardless of the form. And you are all incorrect anyway; WA State does NOT want this. Why do you think this was passed in the legislature and not put up for a vote? You are all so hypocritical it makes me sick.
-What happened was that Sen. Luke Esser made a motion to bring to the floor a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, in a cynical effort to link gay marriage with the anti-discrimination bill.-
I always thought Luke Esser had that “Jim West problem.” Figures he would pull something like this.
And even more lies. Eric @ 16. Trying to spin things by lying (making a statement up). The only reason this vote happened is because lawmakers want an easy way out on gay marriage (an issue i support actually). But our spineless wonders in Olympia are to chicken shit to actually push for …gasp… gay marriage so they float this bill and pass it, effectively stoppering the dialogue and alienating more than 50% of the people in WA. Way to go guys and gals.
Was the emergency clause attached to this bill?
Seems like more an emergency than a gas tax phased in over 4 years.
when your at drinking liberally at the stranger you can now save room by turning the bar stool over that way you can get four of these gays on one stool and the best part is they probley would like it.
soundcrossing @20
LIAR!
Please enumerate the special rights we get due to this bill.
Be specific, or quit now.
This was one of my favorite moments:
Sen. Bob Oke, R- Port Orchard, said his daughter is a lesbian. He said though the issue has been a long-standing point of conflict in his family but he held his position on the issue and voted against the bill.
“That’s called tough love,” Oke said.
“I believe homosexuality is morally wrong,” Oke said. “The Bible is very clear on this.”
Hey, Bob Oke. dontcha know that the Book of Leviticus (where right wing “Christians” derive their hatred of Gays) also condemns:
– Wearing certain types of jewelry
– Eating certain kinds of meat
– Wearing clothing made from blended fabrics
– Cross-breeding livestock
– Planting a field with mixed seed
– Eating or touching seafood
– Men cutting their hair or shaving their beards
As I recall, the Book of Leviticus also says nice things about polygamy and commanded Saturday be the Sabbath. So, it would appear Senator Oke (and the other 22 morons who voted with him) fall into that category we so often see when these “moral” issues arise: he’s a godforsaken HYPOCRITE.
-But our spineless wonders in Olympia are to chicken shit to actually push for …gasp… gay marriage so they float this bill and pass it, effectively stoppering the dialogue and alienating more than 50% of the people in WA.-
Soundcrossing looks like he’s going for the idiot award today. Guy, this EXACT SAME bill has come up every session for decades – long before Gay Marriage was even an issue. It was SPONSORED by supporters of Gay Marriage.
Now, if you are trying to just look stupid by making comments like this, you have certainly succeeded.
Oh, I get it: soundcrossing supports gay marriage, yet claims the anti-discrimination bill will grant special rights to gays and lesbians.
Can’t get any more TROLL than that.
The Bible does have Leviticus for Old Testament fans but the New Testament is just as clear in Romans 1. Also Revelation 21:8. But all you have to do to see who is vile is look at these posts and observe the language. The vulgar, deviant, corrupt speech used by many “pro-gay”s depicts what Jesus said, “Out of a man’s heart, his mouth speaks.” Gays may win certain battles but they will never persuade God not change nature.
@28; Ahhh the TROLL defense. You are super duper smart duuuuuuuuuuuuh. I said nothing about how long the bill has been around. I say only that it is passed now as a cop out to debating gay marriage you fool. I’m thinking the idiot award belongs to you for failing to understand the ramifications of WHY the legislature passed this. It doesn’t have anything to do with equality or ‘civil rights’. It does have everything to do with avoiding debating gay marriage and trying to gain political capital.
WfJD @ 29
“But all you have to do to see who is vile is look at these posts and observe the language.” you don’t read these comments much, do you? Your presumptively X-tian brethren Rightists are some of the most vile ad hominem vulgarity spewing freaks I’ve ever seen.
HOUSTON – Eight New Orleans gang members who came to Houston after Hurricane Katrina were arrested in connection with 11 recent killings and other violent crimes, police said Friday. Crime in the Houston area spiked in the last few months of 2005, and police have attributed some of that to Katrina refugees. [Welcome Democrat criminals!! Texas opened the door, and young Democrats walked through to make Texas a more “diverse” community!!!!!!]
Waiting for Judgment Day @ 29
God does not need to be persuaded by us. He loves us as he made us. (That includes you, friend!)
Gays may win certain battles but they will never persuade God not change nature.
Comment by Waiting for Judgment Day— 1/27/06 @ 1:19 pm
God called you, eh? Does She call collect?
Well, we will know if people like Hutcherson and Waiting for Judgment Day are right if everyone in the legislature and Governor Gregoire suffer strokes before Tuesday. Otherwise, we will be forced to assume that God is OK with this. It is one or the other.
As to Tim Sheldon:
Don’t be an idiot and act like the GOP and demand ideological purity. Tim votes Dem more than Republican, and you are not going to elect a progressive liberal democrat in Shelton. Let the GOP be the ones that can’t stand diversity. Without Sheldon, there are many times that the GOP would have had control instead of the Democrats. You don’t have to agree with him, but you should be glad he is on your side.
I love listening to the reaction from the knuckle draggers on the right. They are so predictable in their whining, moaning and crying. This is a great day. This is better than the Seahawks going to the Super Bowl. I love to watch the KKK right wallow in their continued defeats in Washington state. HE HE!
JCH: Isn’t it much more likely that good, law abidig Democrats moved to the land of Kenny Boy, Delay, Bush and others and got corrupted by the pervasive Republicanism? I would say if I don’t suffer a stroke by the end of the day, that is the right answer.
Waiting for Judgment Day @ 29 –
That’s the thing about separation of church and state. You are free to interpret the bible however you wish, and preach about it however you want in your church. However, if your interpretation of the bible (right or wrong) is your ONLY validation for discrimination, then it has no business in government.
That is what I found so bizarre about the opponents of this bill. All of the arguments against were either bible-based, or preposterous claims that it isn’t necessary because gays are not discriminated against. Opponents should be barred from making religious based arguments on any bill, unless you want to just declare Bush Pope, and allow laws to be made by religious edict.
JDB @ 35 –
Tim Sheldon is a perfect example of why I donate to individual candidates, but I never donate directly to the Democratic party. You may be correct in your analysis that a centrist Dem is as good as you can get in his district. However, basic civil rights is a core issue for me, and I refuse to budge an inch on it, and I refuse to support a Dem who can’t get behind basic civil rights. Sure, he’s better than a Repub on some issues, but on this issue he is absolutely wrong, and there is no justification for his position. He will not get one penny of support from me for his re-election, and if he has a viable challenger in the primary, I will work to support his primary challenger.
35. JDB I agree with you about Tim Sheldon to an extent. If a candidate came along that could beat him without sucking down $200,000 x 2 in democratic money then I would join the fight. But he is in a tough district and we may get better value for our money in just electing another democratic senator anywhere in the state. One more vote would render Tim pointless.
they passed it.
Since I dont discriminate against gays,a nd dont think their homsexuality should be an issue, i am fine with it.
But I do think its interesting that the Seattle times even notes that that irientation complaints are rare and hard to prove, so I do wonder what practical use it will have.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c....._gayrights
And until the federal recognition of gays as families and or dependents comes, it wont help anything practical liek tax benefits and such.
and that wont happen till we force governments to not control marriages at all.
SDA and Particle Man:
No one says you have to campaign for Sheldon or give money to him; I wouldn’t. I’m just saying it is wrong to work against him when you won’t get anything better for it. If Tim represented Wallingford, that would be a different thing. But if he did, I doubt he would vote the way he does.
But actively working against him is about as sensible as the minnow and his lakeys going against Sam Reed just because he doesn’t share their paranoia.
Ivan @ 19 — Well, I was at that forum … probably a lot of us were … and that’s what he said. I thought it would rasie more ruckus that it did.
And it’s on video. TVW archives? Hmmm. … Yup:
Windows media video
http://www.tvw.org/MediaPlayer.....038;TYPE=V
Audio:
http://www.tvw.org/MediaPlayer.....038;TYPE=A
RealAudio:
http://www.tvw.org/MediaPlayer.....038;TYPE=A
HISTORY – GET READY FOR THE REFERENDUM FIGHT
I saw Cal Anderson smiling in a dream last night. Ed Murray mentioned this work is IN MEMORIAL for many of the dead —- thanks Ed. That is certainly true.
CHEERS, AND TO HELL WITH THE SOUR, DOUR, AND WHINNING BIGOTS.
@10:
That’s naive. I usually have mostly right wing views, and I support the passage of this new law. Check yourself there brother. Don’t paint everyone with the same brush-that’s just plain arrogant!
“when your at drinking liberally at the stranger you can now save room by turning the bar stool over that way you can get four of these gays on one stool and the best part is they probley would like it.”
Oh, my god… a D- for spelling, at the very best. “Probley”??? Give me a break.
Hey righties – you lost – again – too bad punks! HE HE!
@ 43
RonK, I just watched that program, and Dwight was vague (like other candidates) on the issue of Sheldon. Besides, its not the party chair’s place to organize opposition against Sheldon. (Just like it’s not Howard Dean’s role to organize against Lieberman)
Just another reason why Seattle is so fucking weird.
@ 49
They’ve got a nice little thread of Seattle bashing going on at uSP. I don’t know, 2661 got a lot of votes from all over the state.
I think it is important to remember that this all started over 30 years ago when a teacher was fired in Pierce County for one reason: he was gay. A Pierce County judge, acting under the laws of our state, upheld the firing and ruled that it is OK to fire someone just because they are gay.
Until today, the majority of our state Senate essentially sided with that judge. Because of today’s Senate vote, and another repeat vote in the House, and Governor Gregoire’s signatiure next Tuesday, very soon it will not be OK in our state to fire someone just because they are gay.
And thanks to all the gay people who kept up the fight while being subject to large loads of repeated crap, and thanks to the support of all the fair minded people who joined them, very soon it will no longer be OK to fire anyone because of their sexual orientation.
Too long in coming. But welcome.
The only big question is why, in 2006, only one Republican state senator supported this relatively simple and straightforward rejection of discrimination.
@ 51
Best Comment Ever Award!
I love to watch the KKK right wallow in their continued defeats in Washington state. HE HE!
Comment by Left Turn— 1/27/06 @ 2:05 pm
Left Turn if you ever met a real Klans man you would learn real fast when to keep your mouth shut.
@ 53
What, you know the Klan? What the fuck does that mean? Besides, the Klan are pussies (hence the face-obscuring whitesheets)
Left Turn
Tuesday is the Republican win day! And we win real big with Alito and for a real long time.
@ 53
What, you know the Klan? What the fuck does that mean? Besides, the Klan are pussies (hence the face-obscuring whitesheets)
Comment by Belltowner— 1/27/06 @ 11:08 pm
Belltowner if you ever met a real Klans man you would learn real fast when to keep your mouth shut. You must have never live in the South and meet some of these really nice folks. When you do you will know you are in the wrong neighborhood.
Klake, today, you couldn’t make it in Philadelphia,Mississippi. It’s a long time since that sorry Ass Ronald Reagan announced his racist candidacy from the courthouse steps.
The good people of that community CONVICTED that last surviving S.O.B. Even the ‘necks’ have changed there. . .they’re not like your sad, sorry, racist psychotic memory.
Thor@51
So, this all started with a teacher who was fired for being gay decades ago? Why, some klown named soundcrossing just had me believing it was all just a diversion from gay marriage!
-The vulgar, deviant, corrupt speech used by many pro-gay”s depicts what Jesus said, Out of a mans heart, his mouth speaks. -
Waiting For Armageddon: Pro-gay? I am pro-hetero, myself. Just because I’m not a bigot who hides behind a Bible – like you – doesn’t switch the team I play for.
-Gays may win certain battles but they will never persuade God not change nature.-
Looks like Hamas has already set up shop in America.
Waiting For Armageddon: how’s about joining us in this century some day. We’ll welcome you with open arms.
And you still didn’t confess to us as to whether you wear clothes with mixed threads, and sinning as much as those gays you hate so much.
C’mon, man. Cough it up. Will that cotton blend you’re now wearing send you to eternal damnation, or not?
Seems like a pretty simple question. How’s about not dodging it this time.
LiberalRedneck, asking ‘soundcrossing’ to do any sound or answer a direct question is like talking to a rock. No guts, no compassion, no Biblical qualities whatsoever except the ones he/she/it can ‘cut and paste’ to suit his/her/its bigotted peabrain.
After reading the majority of these postings, I’m have once again found lots of evidence why dislike lefties. You people (lefties) remind me of the children in ‘Lord of the Flies’ in that you want what you want without constraints and seldom take into account true human nature – especially your own (except perhaps for your own appetites and compulsions). I know I sound like I’m talking down to you but I do feel sorry for you, as you have been victimized by far too many ‘adults’ (and politicians) in your lives who failed you by not using ‘tough-love’ and otherwise raising you to be responsible, production adults who will contribute to the good of our society and not continue to drags us all with you in a downward spiral. You do not understand what true freedom is and the sometimes heavy responsibilitie that freedom carries. But – you don’t know what you don’t know, so I suppose a fair amount of your ignorance is not your fault. Shown to you, a lot of the truely higher priciples in life would be like showing a watch to a pig (no offense intended toward the pig). If I received any emails from those whom I have criticized, I have little doubt those would be ‘hate-mail’, as I find lefties aren’t able to really and freely debate because they have no real understanding nor interest in the ‘truth’. Lemmings, all – but then again, this is a forum maintained by lefties for lefties. Oh well.
The good people of that community CONVICTED that last surviving S.O.B. Even the ‘necks’ have changed there. . .they’re not like your sad, sorry, racist psychotic memory.
Comment by Tree Frog Farmer— 1/28/06 @ 12:15 am
Tree Frog Farmer is that your real name it does not sound like French man dream? How did you guess where I was born? You are real out of touch with the real world. You might try pulling you head out past your ass the view is a lot better.
-I know I sound like I’m talking down to you but I do feel sorry for you, as you have been victimized by far too many ‘adults’ (and politicians) in your lives who failed you by not using ‘tough-love’ and otherwise raising you to be responsible, production adults who will contribute to the good of our society –
Leave it to a clueless conservative like Joel to try and claim that discriminating against somebody because of their inate sexual orientation is actually just a simpple example of “tough love.”
And the fact Joel has to “feel sorry” for those he disagrees with indicates a pretty serious moral defect…in him, not us.
Re: to ‘LiberalRedneck’; ha-ha. Yes, I’m a ‘clueless’ conservative alright. You think you’ve found social nirvana these last few decades because we will shortly not be able to ‘discriminate’ against sexual orientation, which by the way I noted you described as ‘innate’. That is a liberal excuse for ‘bad behavior’. Try making someone accountable for their caving into their predelictions and/or tendancies. Example: An alcholic may have a genetic predisposition to toward addition to alcohol, i.e, an ‘innate’ response and we probably agree should be cut a little slack, but should also be kept away from alcohol.
As most conservatives would agree, I do not believe homosexuality is necessarily ‘innate’. I believe nearly all, if not all, of humanity may have a possible but not particularly significant predisposition (potential) toward homosexual desire and behavior. Further, I believe that under the ‘right’ conditions, which may include male and female role models, one or more encounters with a ‘practicing’ homosexual (perhaps an adult taking advantage of a teen or pre-teen (generally male), and now, a growing acceptance of the ‘homosexual lifestyle’, placing it on par with the traditional heterosexual model may result in the following: a person may begin embracing homosexual behavior (perhaps as a teen) and slowly but surely, that person will rationalize their behavior, convincing themselves it is ‘ok’ and may ultimately strenuously defend all such behavior. I equate this to many types of compulsive behavior, such as toward pornography, gluttony, etc. It is said that homosexual behavior has been witnessed in the animal world and thus it is rationalized that this helps prove the ‘inherent normalcy’ of homosexuality. Speaking of animals, most who have grown up on the ‘farm’ are aware of the phenomenon of the ‘egg-sucking’ dog. This is a dog that has found it likes the taste of eggs and despite even being punished for such behavior, will continue to fall victim to its desire to eat eggs.
It has been said that no person would willingly commit homosexual acts knowing how supposedly they may be ostracized for it and that therefore it cannot possibly be anything other than ‘innate’. What hogwash! Liberals, (A) in their public policy and attendant judgment do not truly take into account human behavior and (B) for liberals, ‘the end justifies the means’, as they seem to have no God that is expected to hold them accountable.
Anyway, ‘LiberalRedneck’ – I have to laugh at your remark about my having a ‘pretty serious moral defect’. I don’t know if you’ve ever been a parent and suspect you may have have been on the receiving end of ‘tough-love’. Anyway, as I stated in my previous post, ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ and I stand by that in application to someone such as yourself. In otherwards, it’s clear you are blinded by your own dislike of conservatives (or probably anyone you think may stand between you and what you think you want at a given time) and that you’re probably not open to real, honest dialog.
That’s why I feel sorry for ‘those I disagree with’ in this instance – as I am convinced of all I have stated above. Please feel free to engage me in any dialog of opposition to what I have stated. Granted, all I have said is in essence, my opinion (I believe it is supported by real statistics and real world experience). And yes, maybe there has been some homosexual behavior in and/or around my extended family and/or family friends. And no, I am certain that I am not ‘in denial’ regarding my own sexuality.
So, please comment here or via email if you wish to. TTFN….
dog@25:
“Sexual orientation” means heterosexuality, homosexuality,
20 bisexuality, and gender expression or identity. As used in this
21 definition, “gender expression or identity” means having or being
22 perceived as having a gender identity, self-image, appearance,
23 behavior, or expression, whether or not that gender identity, self-
24 image, appearance, behavior, or expression is different from that
25 traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth;
There you go. If I own a business and I hire a clean cut sales guy (3piece suit etc) to be my face to customers and after hiring he shows up in drag, under this new bill I have no right to fire him because I’d be discriminating against his gender orientation or self image. And, although I could probably make the case, I wouldn’t have enough money to take it to court.
Nowhere in the previous version of the Civil Rights bill would that have caused any type of issue. I can’t even require him to follow a dress code now because it will infringe upon his personal identity.
So there you go. I have now had my right to manage the image of my company taken away. And you have been given the right to bypass any image related codes I may have set down for the employees of my business.
dog: Additionally I don’t oppose intelligent civil rights or gay marriage as most people on the thread know. What I do oppose is these rote overarching pieces of legislation. There was no thought behind the wording of this. None at all. It was all “how can we appease/appeal to the Seattle/KingCo. liberals.”
This could easily have been written better, and should have been.
3