■ 08 March 2010 | 9:58 PM
Around the time a Henrico County Democratic senator was blasting Virginia's governor and attorney general Monday over their views, his bill to create workplace protections for gay state workers was effectively killed for this General Assembly session.
In a floor speech, Sen. Donald McEachin railed against the controversial letter Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli recently sent to colleges and universities advising them they can't adopt employment policies that recognize gender identity
He then pivoted to Gov. Bob McDonnell and his socially conservative graduate school thesis that became a focal point of last year's campaign, saying the state is "living the thesis" and "being governed by the thesis."
"Virginia today is less hospitable than it was before the last election cycle," McEachin added.
Meanwhile, the House General Laws Committee didn't meet as scheduled Monday, the last day committees have to act on legislation.
So McEachin's SB 66, which would have established "sexual orientation" as a protected working class in Virginia, appears to be stuck in the committee where it was tabled.
And while Democrats have spent several days lashing out at Cuccinelli, some conservatives jumped to his defense today. Below is a letter the Family Foundation distributed Monday in support of the attorney general.
-- Julian Walker
Late last week it was revealed that Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent a letter to the state’s taxpayer funded colleges and universities informing them that, without General Assembly approval, they do not have the authority to issue non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. Apparently, the state’s public colleges and universities had issued such policies without the approval to do so.
And thus started a media firestorm. Essentially the Attorney General, the office designated to instruct state entities on the law, told them to actually follow the law. But Democrat leaders and homosexual activists immediately pounced, calling Cuccinelli’s advice “hate” and vowed to revive legislation that died last week that would add sexual orientation to the Commonwealth’s anti-discrimination policy.
Today, several legislators are literally screaming about the issue on the floor of the House of Delegates all but accusing Attorney General Cuccinelli of hatred. They are urging the House General Laws committee to act on legislation, SB 66, that was defeated in subcommittee last week, when the committee meets this afternoon (The Family Foundation will be there to ensure this does not happen).
It is quite interesting to listen to proponents of this major change in Virginia’s public policy. In three separate presentations before committee and subcommittee, advocates for making sexual orientation a protected class have admitted that 90 percent of Virginians don’t think there should be discrimination. They have admitted that the last three governors have had policies, either written or verbal, that they will not allow such discrimination. At no point has any actual evidence of discrimination been presented. Late last year the Washington Post editorialized that there are “thousands of homosexuals” working in state government.
Usually, the General Assembly passes legislation to remedy a problem. They often defeat legislation that, as is said, is a “solution in search of a problem.” That is exactly the problem with this legislation.
So what is the goal? It really is not about discrimination. It is about government recognition – acceptance – of the homosexual lifestyle. Make no mistake, this debate is a serious one and it will have long term consequences for not just state government but private businesses and ultimately our marriage amendment. The goal is not anti-discrimination – it is forced acceptance of a lifestyle that many Virginians find antithetical to their faith.
The rhetoric at the Capitol today is heated and not very tolerant. It seems that those who oppose creating a special class for homosexuals are hateful and bigoted, which is an easy accusation to make when you have no other argument and no ability to make your case.
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Americans for Prosperity Distorts the Truth on 911 Tax
Would Americans for Prosperity defend opposition to the E-911 tax in a debate? Leaving aside the fact that it's only 18 cents per phone per month--$2.16 per year--this tax is directly linked to the service provided, and it would be hard to find a purpose with broader appeal than paying death and disability benefits to families of uniformed first responders killed or injured in the line of duty.
All revenue from the 18 cents per month E-911 tax goes to Virginia's Line of Duty fund, which pays death and disability benefits to families of uniformed public safety officers injured or killed in the course of protecting or rescuing others.
The state and local government personnel covered by this measure respond to 911 calls, so the 18 cents E-911 tax is an appopriate and efficient way to fund their line of duty death and disability benefits.
Along with the tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars that Americans for Prosperity is throwing into their opposition to this measure, they're throwing their credibilty out the window and public safety officers under the bus.
Their fundraising appeal calls this measure “a shell game to hide what’s really a huge tax hike,” negle
Ignorance is inexcuseable.
The Family Foundation Wrote "The rhetoric at the Capitol today is heated and not very tolerant. It seems that those who oppose creating a special class for homosexuals are hateful and bigoted, which is an easy accusation to make when you have no other argument and no ability to make your case. "
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Such ignorance, and lack of knowledge concerning biology is inexcuseable. To call Homosexuality a "lifestlye is akin to calling being black "a tanning" choice. In every species of Mammal, there are homeosexual, in every species of birds, there is homosexuals -Do these animals also "choose" it as The USA, Loving Vs.a lifestyle?
Going to church, is a lifestyle. Partying every weekend is a lyfestyle. Being a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Conservative or liberal, is a chosen lifestyle.
Being gay is not. Like being born Black. Or White.
To push discrimination, to defend it, for any reason, puts to lie the Christianity of the hater.
Religion, justifying bigotry and hatred - like the judge who in the last interacial marriage trial in the USA, in Loving vs.Virginia religiously quoted:
“ Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, m