The Shower-Nuts Are Still At It
Heard outside the Giant at Neelsville Village Center today, September 13, 2008: "Would you like to sign a petition to keep men out of women's bathrooms?"
Yes, the shower-nuts are still at it. We had a comment here on the blog from someone who described an encounter with petition signature gatherers in Germantown this afternoon, so I went out there.
Let me explain. The Citizens for a Responsible Whatever wanted to have a referendum to relegalize gender identity discrimination. The highest court in the state said no, there will be no referendum. The law went into effect immediately this week. It's in effect now, you can't discriminate against someone on the basis of their gender identity. The deadline for filing for a referendum has passed.
So why are they still getting signatures? I hopped in my car and drove out there to find out. I live in Rockville, it took about a half hour to get there.
I came across a woman in the parking lot with a clipboard and some yellow papers, and walked up to her, camera in hand.
"What's going on here?" I asked
"Don't you already know?" she said.
"No." I guess that was an honest answer, I know who they are and what they want, but I did not know why they were still looking for signatures.
This lady clocked me. "You're Jim Kennedy, aren't you?" she said (I thought I detected the quiver of awe in her voice, maybe not).
"Yes. What's your name?"
"Why do you need to know that?"
"Well, you know mine."
I told her the deadline was past, and asked why they were out there. "We need more signatures," she said. She did not want to talk to me.
"So you hope they'll extend the deadline?" That was the end, she clammed up.
I wandered up toward the Giant store. And actually, I wonder, given some of the wording in the bill, if Giant can't be in some jeopardy for allowing this kind of unwelcoming language at their place of business. It was one thing in February, but now ... I'd think twice about this. The law is in effect, this is no time to be saying that trangender people are sexual predators. For some reason, Giant stores have been the favorite location for the shower-nuts. I wonder if Giant's lawyers have studied the new law.
There was another lady there. As I walked up she stopped somebody and said, "Would you like to sign a petition to keep men out of women's bathrooms?"
The second lady tried to hide her face when I pointed the camera at her, but I got her before he raised her clipboard. "Too late," I said.
She wants to gather signatures to retain the right to discriminate against a group of people but she doesn't want you to see her face. May I suggest the white robe with matching hood?
"Is that what you're telling them?" I asked. She didn't answer. I guess it was obvious, of course that's what they're telling people, I heard it with my own ears.
The first lady came back with a video camera to make what may be the most boring video in history. I stood there waiting to see if somebody else would come up, and it's all on tape. She taped me writing some notes on a piece of paper against a wall. They were flustered. The camera was aimed at me, she kept it rolling. I felt so bad, my shirt-tail was out, my hair was a mess, I am going to look terrible on YouTube. Oh, and this old shirt even has a hole in the pocket, I will be so embarrassed when millions of people watch this video online.
I took some pictures of their table.
The first one pulled the second one off to the side for a conference. I'd be pretty sure she was telling her not to talk to me. Him bad, very bad person, no talky that one.
They looked like nice enough ladies, you wonder what motivates them to stand out there on a hot Saturday afternoon and lie to people.
I got a picture of the sign they had up, too:
It's all about the showers.
These people are committed, or should be, and we have to stay vigilant against them. You can't rest, they live to promote their bigotry and they won't let up.
Last night we had the nicest victory celebration over in Silver Spring, several County Council members showed up, a state Senator, luminaries and heroes and hard-working volunteers, and we drank a toast and they made speeches, and it was really nice. The fight is over. It's time for the shower-nuts to move on to something else.
Yes, the shower-nuts are still at it. We had a comment here on the blog from someone who described an encounter with petition signature gatherers in Germantown this afternoon, so I went out there.
Let me explain. The Citizens for a Responsible Whatever wanted to have a referendum to relegalize gender identity discrimination. The highest court in the state said no, there will be no referendum. The law went into effect immediately this week. It's in effect now, you can't discriminate against someone on the basis of their gender identity. The deadline for filing for a referendum has passed.
So why are they still getting signatures? I hopped in my car and drove out there to find out. I live in Rockville, it took about a half hour to get there.
I came across a woman in the parking lot with a clipboard and some yellow papers, and walked up to her, camera in hand.
"What's going on here?" I asked
"Don't you already know?" she said.
"No." I guess that was an honest answer, I know who they are and what they want, but I did not know why they were still looking for signatures.
This lady clocked me. "You're Jim Kennedy, aren't you?" she said (I thought I detected the quiver of awe in her voice, maybe not).
"Yes. What's your name?"
"Why do you need to know that?"
"Well, you know mine."
I told her the deadline was past, and asked why they were out there. "We need more signatures," she said. She did not want to talk to me.
"So you hope they'll extend the deadline?" That was the end, she clammed up.
I wandered up toward the Giant store. And actually, I wonder, given some of the wording in the bill, if Giant can't be in some jeopardy for allowing this kind of unwelcoming language at their place of business. It was one thing in February, but now ... I'd think twice about this. The law is in effect, this is no time to be saying that trangender people are sexual predators. For some reason, Giant stores have been the favorite location for the shower-nuts. I wonder if Giant's lawyers have studied the new law.
There was another lady there. As I walked up she stopped somebody and said, "Would you like to sign a petition to keep men out of women's bathrooms?"
The second lady tried to hide her face when I pointed the camera at her, but I got her before he raised her clipboard. "Too late," I said.
She wants to gather signatures to retain the right to discriminate against a group of people but she doesn't want you to see her face. May I suggest the white robe with matching hood?
"Is that what you're telling them?" I asked. She didn't answer. I guess it was obvious, of course that's what they're telling people, I heard it with my own ears.
The first lady came back with a video camera to make what may be the most boring video in history. I stood there waiting to see if somebody else would come up, and it's all on tape. She taped me writing some notes on a piece of paper against a wall. They were flustered. The camera was aimed at me, she kept it rolling. I felt so bad, my shirt-tail was out, my hair was a mess, I am going to look terrible on YouTube. Oh, and this old shirt even has a hole in the pocket, I will be so embarrassed when millions of people watch this video online.
I took some pictures of their table.
The first one pulled the second one off to the side for a conference. I'd be pretty sure she was telling her not to talk to me. Him bad, very bad person, no talky that one.
They looked like nice enough ladies, you wonder what motivates them to stand out there on a hot Saturday afternoon and lie to people.
I got a picture of the sign they had up, too:
It's all about the showers.
These people are committed, or should be, and we have to stay vigilant against them. You can't rest, they live to promote their bigotry and they won't let up.
Last night we had the nicest victory celebration over in Silver Spring, several County Council members showed up, a state Senator, luminaries and heroes and hard-working volunteers, and we drank a toast and they made speeches, and it was really nice. The fight is over. It's time for the shower-nuts to move on to something else.
posted by JimK at 3:42 PM
45 Comments:
Jim:
Thanks for your follow-up response and action!
I got exactly the same response from these people as you did...muteness when asked questions about what their petition sought to do (although I did manage to get their "leader" to offer that maybe they might appeal the court's decision to some "higher authority"_- perhaps the Federal courts). In attempting to engage them in a dialogue about what they were doing, I got the distinct impression that they were either befuddled, embarrassed, or benignly ignorant. Their "leader" spent a great deal of time whispering to each of them so that when I tried to engage them in some clarification dialogue, they immediately went mute or, in a couple of cases they managed to tell me that I was "lying" and that they sorta felt sorry for me as they demurely smiled. (There is no doubt that, following their earlier disastrous attempts to get signatures on their petitions, they have had some training from a professional, right-wing religious organization in how to be "nice" - except for their aggressiveness in dogging people to take their literature and sign this "new petition.")
I spoke to the Manager of the store with my complaint about their tactics outside of the entrance to his store. He was unaware of the controversy regarding discrimination, the "first" petition, the court cases, and the court's decision. After I filled him in on the prolonged history of this group and what they stood for, reminding him that his corporation, Giant, would be covered by the new anti-discrimination law, he immediately dialed the superior I mentioned earlier. Of course, I have no way of knowing what the conversation entailed, but I do know that he went outside to talk to the CRGers.
On my way out of the store I spoke to him again...after he had made another call to detail what action he had taken and the fact that he was being ignored by these people. He told me he had asked for permission to remove the group from the vicinity of the store.
As of my departure, they were still there and it looks like they were still there when you appeared.
Do these people have no shame? One would think they would revere the law and want to obey it, being the good citizens they are (does that sound too sarcastic?) Like so many people these days, I guess they think they should only obey the laws that they approve or the ones that some "higher authority" tells them to disobey.
American Citizen
You hit the nail on the head with your last statement, anonymous.
It is the same reason why the erroneous lie about the number of petition signers have not been corrected or the same reason why even after their lies have been refuted continuously, the anti-gay industry in general continues to tell the same tales about lgbts (i.e. the pedophilia, ex-gay, short lifespan of gay male lies).
Their egos have been stroked and they think that things like honor and truth can are values that belong to them to be laid down or picked up at their leisure.
It's my guess that the accumulation of additional "petition" signatures through misrepresentation of issues is nothing more than an effort by CRG (perhaps at the suggestion or request of Focus on The Family, or the Legal Defense Fund, or the Thomas More Center, or PFOX, or whatever other religious, right-wing fanatical group that is funding the CRG's activities here in Montgomery County) to collect a data base of names, addresses, phone numbers, and what all, for some future political action in the county. Their insidious efforts to convince people, through this deceptive smoke screen, that they are promoting some sort of "moral agenda" falls flat when one sees their petition effort for the cynical fraud that it is.
RT
Andrea- not anon
Darn- I still have my "Decline to Sign" poster. Well, no one said that Showernuts aren't confused and deluded. However, probably it is true they are collecting names for their next useless campaign. Last night, I was glad to meet some of the TTF people I had not personally spoken to before and see some of our elected representatives. Sorry I couldn't stay longer but had to get some sleep before the big celebration at Eyebar tonight.
Dreary
You're lucky I'm not the suin' type. You told me the big party was at Eyebar tonight.
The appletini offer is off, however.
As for the accumulation of signatures to demonstrate what would have happened if the BOE had not misinformed pro-family groups, Holly Near said it well:
"We who believe in freedom cannot rest"
Oh well, Sarah Palin has arrived.
It's morning in America again!
Anon,
Are you actually saying that you "gave up" collecting signatures because you thought you had enough? Your side never claimed that.
And we know that Theresa bragged about getting 32,000 signatures, so she clearly didn't think 25,000 was enough.
At least Palin isn't anonymous, though given the way even the MSM is ripping up her credibility now I bet she wishes she was hiding just like you.
When you spend a lot of time actively opposing queer people, it's hard to just stop.
rrjr
"Are you actually saying that you "gave up" collecting signatures because you thought you had enough? Your side never claimed that.
And we know that Theresa bragged about getting 32,000 signatures, so she clearly didn't think 25,000 was enough."
CRG relied on the government agency charged with overseeing elections.
They don't need a documentation of their "claims".
A bias was shown to the lunatic cause. The number of signatures was strictly interpretted while the date for appeal was loosely interpretted. In both cases, the government agency ineptly caused the problem. The court exhibited prejudice against pro-family groups.
Further collection of signatures will be part of a case to have the law nullified because of the above. Then, the Council can pass it again- and we all try to get the process right this time.
Penalties cancel each other out.
Replay first down.
"At least Palin isn't anonymous, though given the way even the MSM is ripping up her credibility now I bet she wishes she was hiding just like you."
I'm not running for anything. I'm exercising free speech.
Obama-Biden are the ones with credibility problems if you believe the polls.
No one takes the petty nitpicking of Palin's every statement seriously.
Andrea-not anon
10 million Montgomery County voters disenfranchised- the voters of Cleveland, Missoula and Claremont are especially upset.
tomorrow, it will be 1 billion- numbers/facts- hey, petty stuff according to anon.
And just who will be the court or agency or individual who will "nullify" the decision of the Court of Appeals, Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. "Anonymous"?
I am curious as to what legal document will give this court or agency or individual the authority to over-rule the ruling of the Court of Appeals. Where in the Constitution of the State of Maryland is anyone given more authority than the Court of Appeals?
The only way you can "nullify" a law is to eliminate it or amend it through action of the General Assembly. Is that your plan? That should take another several years, but only if you are able to convince our legislators that it would be a good idea to legalize discrimination in the law.
Or... perhaps your plan is to amend the Maryland Constitution? And if that, do you intend to enshrine discrimination against transgender people in the Constitution?
Or, as you said: "Further collection of signatures will be part of a case to have the law nullified because of the above. Then, the Council can pass it again- and we all try to get the process right this time." A "case"? To whom do you propose to make this case? The County Council...who passed the original legislation unanimously?
Or perhaps your plan is to convince somebody that you should place this issue on the ballot in November, despite the fact that doing so is not possible at this time according to the law?
Dream on...that's so much more comfortable than reality!
American Citizen
you won't get any details about the legal action until the appropriate time
nice try, though
"And actually, I wonder, given some of the wording in the bill, if Giant can't be in some jeopardy for allowing this kind of unwelcoming language at their place of business. It was one thing in February, but now ... I'd think twice about this. The law is in effect, this is no time to be saying that trangender people are sexual predators. For some reason, Giant stores have been the favorite location for the shower-nuts. I wonder if Giant's lawyers have studied the new law."
Scary time, guys. The monster has removed its mask.
23-07 was never about jobs, taxis and pizzas.
Its about suppressing speech using the power of the wealtiest county government in America to attack anyone who speaks against the gay agenda.
Wake up, MC.
You're not as free as you were last week.
"you won't get any details about the legal action until the appropriate time"
When they said 'higher authority', they meant they have Jebus on speed dial. Ph34r!
"Dreary
Holly Near said it well:
"We who believe in freedom cannot rest""
Holly Near? I LOVE her!
I Ain't Afraid (MP3)
Chorus
I ain't afraid of your Yahweh
I ain't afraid of your Allah
I ain't afraid of your Jesus
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your god
I ain't afraid of your churches
I ain't afraid of your temples
I ain't afraid of your praying
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your god
Verse
Rise up to your higher power
Free up from fear, it will devour you
Watch out for the ego of the hour
The ones who say they know it
Are the ones who will impose it on you
Chorus
Verse
Rise up, and see a higher story
Free up from the gods of war and glory
Watch out for the threats of purgatory
The spirit of the wind wont make a killing off of sin and satan
I aint afraid of your Bible
I aint afraid of your Torah
I aint afraid of your Koran
Dont let the letter of the law
Obscure the spirit of your love, it's killing us
I aint afraid of your money
I aint afraid of your borders
I aint afraid of your choices
I aint afraid of your Sunday
I aint afraid of your Sabbath
I aint afraid of your teachers
I aint afraid of your dances
I aint afraid of your music
I aint afraid of your children
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your god
"I ain't afraid of your praying"
Then why try to banish it from the public square?
FYI, from 23-07
An owner, lessee, operator, manager, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation in the County must not, with respect to the accommodation: display, circulate or publicize or cause to be displayed, circulated or publicized, directly or indirectly, any notice, communication, or advertisement that states or implies that the patronage or presence of any person is unwelcome, objectionable, unacceptable, or not desired or solicited on account of any person's race, color, sex, marital status, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity ...
JimK
23-07 says absolutely nothing about prayer, either in the public square or elsewhere.
Peace,
Cynthia
I guess the CRG missed the oral arguments at the Court of Appeals. The judges seemed to concur that the 10 day Statute of Limitations to appeal the BOE's decision to certify the petitions on March 6, 2008, began the day of that certification. March 16, 2008 is long past. Like Judge Murphy told Attorney Shurberg, the other arguments don't matter if you do not meet the Statute of Limitations.
Anonommode said:
"you won't get any details about the legal action until the appropriate time
nice try, though"
Is he here admitting to his involvement in the inner circles of CRG's decision-making? He will soon be contacting Dana in her official capacity? Uh huh.
Is public involvement while remaining anonymous ethical?
Did Jesus remain anonymous? He certainly revealed himself most openly on the first Palm Sunday. I can only wait.
Is secret speech with people who are not secretive free speech?
Is anonymous a CRG/FRC/PFOX/FOF/CWA/ADA et al plan on the TTF blog?
Something's rotten in the state of Denmark.
rrjr
"Anonymous"...
You said "I guess the CRG missed the oral arguments at the Court of Appeals. The judges seemed to concur that the 10 day Statute of Limitations to appeal the BOE's decision to certify the petitions on March 6, 2008, began the day of that certification."
The judges SEEMED to concur? What's the beef? How does that affect the outcome of the Court of Appeals decision? (It doesn't)
My hunch is that an act of "commission" (violating the stated Elections law on requiring signatures on a petition be a % of registered voters) trumps the lesser act of "omission" (not meeting a questionable deadline date that is ill-defined, not defined, or not specific in the law), but then we will have to wait until the full Court decision is published.
What we do know, however, is that there will be no referendum issue on the November ballot, 23-07 IS the law now, and the CRG and their mysterious financial/political sponsors LOST.
Oh...btw...Good side-stepping of the questions, "Anonymous"...you are truly in league with Ms. Palin ("you won't get any details about the legal action until the appropriate time")- always a good response when you don't have a response. :-)
A. Citizen
"What we do know, however, is that there will be no referendum issue on the November ballot, 23-07 IS the law now, and the CRG and their mysterious financial/political sponsors LOST."
Based on what Jim has said and quoted and interpretted from 23-07, I think there's a good chance it can be appealed to and overturned by the Roberts court as an unconstitutional infringement of free speech. A business owner can't allow anyone to seek a petition that implies in any way that homosexuality is "unacceptable" or "objectional"?
This is America. We have freedom of speech, religion and thought. The County Council have many times demonstrated that they hold the Constitution of the United States in contempt.
It's time for the citizens of this county to throw the rascals out!
I am in a small town in Mexico until next year with a teacher exchange program. Yesterday, I went into a hair salon and had my hair cut by this woman and noticed that she is transgender! I started filling her in on what´s been happening back home in MoCo and she was so happy to see that people are fighting for her basic human rights, although in another country.
She started to tear up and had nothing but praise for our inclusive laws that protect everyone. She also informed me that one of her friends was murdered last year for being transgender. Just for being transgender. It´s very sad and makes you realize how important fighting for equal rights really is. Keep up the good fight!
Happy Sunday.
Well at least now we know this:
The showerheads are not adjustable.
Ah, so that's the secret plan. Appeal to the US Supreme Court? Can't wait.
On what basis? That the Maryland High Court misread a non-existent statute of limitations? Are you kidding? Whatever happened to states' rights, Anon? This is not Bush v. Gore, however much that might disappoint you.
Free speech? You can and have said anything you want. You have lied and sneered and slandered and insulted as if there were no tomorrow.
And you are claiming an infringement on your free speech?
You might want to keep in mind that SCOTUS takes very, very few of the cases presented to them, and you'd have to start at the lower federal court level anyway. Good luck raising money for that.
Anonymous complained:
“Based on what Jim has said and quoted and interpretted (sic) from 23-07, I think there's a good chance it can be appealed to and overturned by the Roberts court as an unconstitutional infringement of free speech. A business owner can't allow anyone to seek a petition that implies in any way that homosexuality is "unacceptable" or "objectional"? (sic)”
23-07 protects people from hate speech, not free speech. The law can be used against those people who don’t know or refuse to acknowledge the difference.
If you’re not sure what the difference is yourself, replace the term “transsexual” or “transgender” on the CRG website propaganda with a something that you identify with, whether it be “Catholic,” “Mormon,” “handicapped,” “Evangelical,” or any race at all, and see how that sounds to you.
It doesn’t matter that the “facts” they state don’t seem to apply to you – they don’t apply to me, Maryanne, Dana, or dozens of other trans people I know, some of whom secretly live and work in Montgomery county. We are not mentally ill, (and we have doctors and / or documentation that can vouch or that), we are not sexual predators, and we are not a bunch of HIV infected, drug addicted prostitutes, as the CRG would like to have people believe. “Facts” and “research” can be scoured up to best fit your particular minority or identity and used against you in the most unflattering light possible.
Now imagine that a group of people have been spreading this propaganda about you for the better part of a year in churches and grocery stores, and they’ve even been going out to the County Fair to spread these “facts” about you to the general public.
How long before people start harassing you for being a “Mormon,” a “Jew,” or a (pick any race)? How long before you wonder if you’re going to be able to keep a job, or get kicked out of your home? Have a hard time imagining what that might be like? Try going outside of an area you feel safe and comfortable – walk through a neighborhood that is of a very different ethnicity than yours. Or try cross-dressing for a week and see how people treat you.
If you don’t think it would be right to say those things about people like YOU and the people you associate with, then there’s a good chance it’s not FREE speech, but HATE speech.
Peace,
Cynthia
"I started filling her in on what´s been happening back home in MoCo and she was so happy to see that people are fighting for her basic human rights, although in another country."
And what exactly are these "basic human rights"?
You guys have previously said you meant the ability to get a job. But this person has one. What basic right is this individual missing out on?
The "right" to have everyone agree with them?
"Ah, so that's the secret plan. Appeal to the US Supreme Court? Can't wait.
On what basis? That the Maryland High Court misread a non-existent statute of limitations? Are you kidding? Whatever happened to states' rights, Anon?"
This challenge to the law would have nothing to do with the referendum.
It is based on the violation of the freedom of speech rights of individuals as described by Jim K above.
No state has the right to take away an individual's right to freedom of speech, thought and religion.
"23-07 protects people from hate speech, not free speech."
The Supreme Court has never upheld a law banning any type of speech.
If the government can judge what kind of speech is "hateful" they can ban any speech they want and then you don't have free speech.
23-07 is unconstitutional.
This law has been in effect for twenty years. The only thing new is the term "gender identity."
JimK
Anon - If I read you right - and please correct me if I'm wrong - you want to be allowed to say
"No Irish need apply"
"No Jews allowed"
"Decent White Folks only"
"We don't serve wetbacks"
"Fags keep out"
"This is a Christian establishment, and we do not accept the custom of homosexuals and idolators"
etc.
I don't think you'll have much success there.
The law's quite clear - the restriction is on discrimination of accomodation etc, not speech per se. So it's fine to say "We Hate Yids", just not in a context that would imply you deny those of the Jewish Faith services.
But hey, fill your boots, use up as much money as you want.
Anonymous claimed:
“The Supreme Court has never upheld a law banning any type of speech.”
Wrong.
See: High Court Upholds Cross-Burning Ban. If you would have said “seldom” rather than “never” you would have been right.
The Supreme court’s reluctance to infringe on First Amendment Rights has been an impediment to getting rid of “virtual” child pornography.
So on the surface it seems that attacking 23-07 on “free speech” infringement might have some traction, especially since I don’t think anyone is going to claim that what the CRG has done is comparable to cross-burning.
However, even if you can claim that language in 23-07 violates “free speech” and should be repealed, how do you do that without also repealing all of the existing protections for people based on religion, sex, race, marital status, etc.? This type of language has been used for decades to protect minorities all over the country, and I’m aware of no major inclination by the Supreme Court or other governmental bodies to repeal minority protection laws.
Not that I think that this is your REAL reason for collecting the signatures, but it’s something to think about.
Peace,
Cynthia
"This law has been in effect for twenty years."
The day of the liberal court is over, Jim.
We now have a Supreme Court that believes in the Constitution.
This majority will almost certainly increase in the upcoming McCain/Palin administration.
Andrea- not anon
$100 for the bus ticket on showing me the lease for the new apt in Wasilla where you can worship at the feet of your new love -you can help ban books - unless you want to go back to your first love- Hucky Huckabee.
I'm not talking to you, dreary.
I'm still ticked you didn't invite me to the party Friday.
After all I've done for this blog, that's the thanks I get.
Just good for the general public to know:
I am still waiting to hear the opposition's response to the follo9wing evidence i personally witnessed that the petition gatherers in this case had resorted to every possible unethical tactic that could be used.
I witnessed petition gatherers on at least four different occasions, telling members of the public that there had been no public hearings on this matter. There were.
I testified at them alongside of one of the opposition leaders - a woman i have a civil dialogue with, even though we disagree strongly - Dr. Ruth Jacobs.
I witnessed opposition members telling voters that the county council intentionally underpublicized these hearings so that they could "slip one right under the noses of the county residents"
Well - let's see - between the fully packed public county council hearings, lots of local media coverage including the gazette, the exmainer, the sentinel, and newschannels, plus a full page Sunday Washington Post Article that i was interviewed for all prior to passage of the bill, i'd say that could not possibly qualify as anything but the very worst kind of hijack and distortionist tactics.
I witnessed opposition members telling voters that the bill had never been amended before passage, and one fellow that said he would swear on a stack of bibles it was true - mainly because he conveniently had original UNamended copies of the bill to hand to people targeted as potential signers.
There was also clear evidence presented in the initial arguments in Rockville (which i attended),
that many signatures had been incorrectly signed, incorrectly dated, potentially forgered and/or falsified - at least to the extent that Judge Robert Greenberg was willing to throw some out.
Fair-minded supporters of anti-discrimination legislations that were passed through the appropriate democratic processes of my home county did not hijack the democratic process.
It should be very obvious that opponents have done this, and then tried to cover themselves in this debate, by accusing supporters of this bill such as myself, of doing this very thing.
I have found this to be profoundly disturbing, and an eggregious violation of all social, civil, ethical, moral, and spiritual principles that i am familiar with.
Most sincerely,
Maryanne A. Arnow
"I have found this to be profoundly disturbing"
Well, at least your disturbance is profound.
Not alot of people can say that!
What everyone seems to miss is that this is OVER. The Court of Appeals was the end of the road. Finito. Done. At no point during the legal action did free speech enter into any of the arguments. This was about a valid law, enacted through the democratic process. CRG doesn't like it, but that's how our country works. Even their hero, Justice Scalia, supports that view. If the people, through their representatives, debate and pass a law, it's valid. And if opponents fail to obtain enough signatures to put it up for a citizen vote, it's still a valid law. If their right-wing groups want to raise money and try to overturn a state law in federal court based on First Amendment issues, go for it. Burn through piles of cash. It will be less money for other shenanigans and in the end, CRG and its cohorts will lose again. Anti-discrimination laws are a reasonable, measured response to equalize everyone's right to be free and pursue their own happiness. Just like protests at the RNC had to deal with restrictions on their right to protest.
This was a big deal and a major loss for the right and its supporters. The victory for the forces of tolerance and decency prevailed, for once. And eventually, the state will adopt this law for all of Maryland, just like they protect gays and lesbians. Reactionary forces will always protest. Often they win (see all the bans on same-sex marriage in the nation). But this time, right here, right now, they lost big time.
Accept it, learn from it, and move on. The law is here to stay. Permanently.
I love the taste of victory over the showernuts.
"Anonymous" troll: you are, unquestionably, a pig!
Anonymous Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr.:
You said: "We now have a Supreme Court that believes in the Constitution.
"
Let me get this right. You are chasing down signatures in front of a Giant Grocery Store for a petition to take a legal case to the Supreme Court of the United States? ("you won't get any details about the legal action until the appropriate time")
Is this what you told the people you convinced to sign your petition? Funny...that wasn't memtioned on the flier you were handing out...a rehashed screed filled with lies and distortions and "convenient omissions". That flier looked more like your usual support for bigotry and hatred...it was not an informational piece explaining why you believe 23-07 is unconstitutional and why you want to appeal the law to the Supreme Court.
Furthermore, your actions show a complete ignorance of legal procedures that prevail in the United States. Maybe you gave deep thought and debate within CRG to sending a letter to Supreme Court asking them to uphold your referendum question? How delusional can you be?
That attempt to collect signatures and other personal information on a bogus petition is dishonest, deceitful, unethical, and immoral.
You need to ask your God for forgiveness.
American Citizen
Sybil said...
“"I ain't afraid of your praying"
Then why try to banish it from the public square?”
I thought God was everywhere. Why wouldn’t God hear your prayers in the “public square?”
In fact, how would it even be possible to "banish" prayer itself from the "public square?"
And why would you take that one lyric and politicize it for the sake of divisivness, when the entire point of the lyric/song was "I'm afraid of what you do in the NAME of your god?"
--
“You guys have previously said you meant the ability to get a job. But this person has one. What basic right is this individual missing out on?”
And she lives in fear for her life because her friend was MURDERED, and as a “Christian,” you think this “evens” things out?
--
Tish said...
“Well at least now we know this:
The showerheads are not adjustable.”
How well you’ve elucidated Tish's point, Anon.
"And she lives in fear for her life because her friend was MURDERED,"
Murder is already against the law, emprobable.
I was asking what right has not been given to the individual in question.
Nobody has the right the right to universal support and admiration. There's always a chance people won't like you.
That's life.
"Well at least now we know this:
The showerheads are not adjustable."
Do you do parties?
Love,
David
“Murder is already against the law, emprobable.”
Is that all that’s stopping you?
Repeat after me:
I AM
SOME...BODY!
Thanks for keeping it short, Cynthia.
You really turn brevity into an art form.
Hi all - This was reposted after a slight formatting error.
Here's an interesting thought.
I am going to live.
I am going to live and there is nothing that propagandistic fear-mongering can do about it.
I am going to live, and go to the grocery store when i need or want food and have the money to go there.
I am going to live, and i will go to the bank, and the post office, my gym and swimming pool, and to vote, and to pay my bills just like everyone else. (Provided people will give a job to someone based more on qualifications, than discriminations)..
I am going to live because i am a human being and you cannot take that from me no matter what you do or say. I am going to live and laugh and love, and hold my dearest best friend – my wife and soulmate.
I am going to live, and love my friends, and cry when i am sad, or when someone i love passes away, or becomes ill, or suffers some horrible misfortune.
I am going to cook the most incredible foods you could ever imagine and do it with love and passion and creativity. I am going to talk to people in public and make some friends in the process because i am a warm and outgoing person that likes to connect with other people.
I am going to live in the joy and wonder of a thunderstorm or, the wondrous beauty of a flower that I grew from a seed, and you cannot take this away from me.
I will help those in need even when i do not have enough to help my own self or my own household - and i have been this way for many years.
I am going to live and love and laugh and cry and experience the world, and my life as a woman in this world, and there is absolutely nothing that any of them can do to stop it - no matter what hatred they bring down, no matter how many minds they poison with lies and misperceptions and stereotypical cruelty and insensitivity.
I am going to live and be a part of public society, like it or not and there will be nothing any of you can do to stop it. No matter what you do. I am going to live forever because you cannot kill my spirit.
I am going to live, and even welcome those that do not welcome me.
I am going to live to the fullest extent of my ability as a free human being no matter what cage or construct or label you try to fence me in behind. I will break that fence, i will tear the labels, i will bend the bars of your cages and I.WILL.LIVE.
You cant even see the prison that you live in because it's all you have ever known.
I stand outside of your prisons of fear and hatred and lies, and look at you with sadness, and hope and pray that you will find a loving human heart that knows acceptance, instead of the fear that keeps you from seeing things as they really are or really could be.
I am going to live. Truly live with gusto and relish and boundless joy and unconditional love, with a clear conscience of being myself real and true, and with the God given freedom i was gifted with, from the moment i was born.
You cannot stop this. You will not stop it. You cannot claim the right of the only judge to do so, and that judge is not yourselves. Nor does your book give you the authority to claim such a right, and it never has.
I am going to live, and look the most heinous evils of lies and bigotry and hatred right dead in the eye, and i am not going to blink while you are exposed.
I an going to live despite what you think you represent, and have disgustingly scared or fooled others in to thinking is correct and true, when in fact it is lies and hatred disguised as love and truth.
I am going to live my life, and be the girl, and the good person, a good wife, and a good friend, and nothing you will do, can ever stop me from being the real human being that I am.
Many blessings always,
Most Sincerely,
I AM,
Maryanne
p.s. I hope some of you can join me sometime. Unconditional love and true joy sure outweighs hatred and falsehood and fear, by about 6 billion to the hundredth power.
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