March 18, 2004

Intolerance in TN, news at 11 Rhea County (Tennesse) commisioners plan to amend state law to allow said county to charge homosexuals with crimes against nature.

From the article: 'Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the measure, also asked the county attorney to find a way to enact an ordinance banning homosexuals from living in the county. "We need to keep them out of here," Fugate said.' [ ... ] I'm stunned. I am at a loss for words when presented with such mind-numbing ignorance and intolerance.

  • I for one say that we get a couple of bus loads of transvestites, butch dykes and leather boys and head en mass to Reah County for a big "campy camping jamboree". It would be like a red neck version of "Prisilla, Queen of the Desert". And since I thought of it, I get to do the documentary!!! Any rich, edgy political gay activists out there want to back it?
  • I'm not rich, edgy, political or gay, but can I come along for the ride? I make good cocktails.
  • Rhea County meet shit storm. Shit storm meet Rhea County.
  • I too am not rich, edgy or gay, but I am political and and love a good cocktail. Shinything, consider your self hired as offical mixologist on our production team. As a matter of fact, I belive it is St. Patrick's Day, a day in which society urges one to inbibe, so I will. Martini anyone?
  • Make it a Brandy Alexander and I'm in :)
  • Woo hoo! We're gonna capture us some rednecks on film! /raises a glass of fresh lime juice margarita All joking aside, squidranch raises an interesting point. The powers that be in Rhea county are beyond ignorant, but what would happen if everyone treated them like the joke they are? Discrimination is a bloody serious matter, but what they're trying to do is so absurd... Aren't bullies supposed to get confused and cry when you laugh at them? squidranch, you gotta make that documentary.
  • As with most things shot on film or video, it would cost some $$$, not too much $$$, but some $$$. Don't have the $$$ myself, but have the equipment, the know how and the desire. I would seriously love to hook up with some folks in the queer community and do something like this. I think there are shades of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts to this, as well as other civil rights protests of the 60s but with a comedic edge. Imagine the fabulous folk invading Rhea county! "Queer eye" meets "Priscilla" meets Martin Luther Queen...
  • Yay. More great PR for my home state.
  • I'll totally be gay for the purposes of annoying the Tennessee legislature. However, I would hope like hell they don't stand a chance of seeing this go through thanks to separation of church and state. How are they planning to prove that homosexuality is a crime against nature anyway (especially if they can't use the biblical basis)? Oh, and I like the list of online services in the second link: change driver's license details, view child support payments, apply for unemployment benefits, buy hunting and fishing licenses, in that order.
  • tracicle, it's more likely it wold get struck down as a violation of privacy or under equal protection statutes. But yeah, crime against nature would be an interesting legal definition. OTOH, the US constitutional documents do declare various rights "self evident"; perhaps that's the route they'll take. Sometimes I feel I should lose the homolefty ethics and just start shooting people like this.
  • I wonder if anyone in that county has tested their water supply for lead in the past 80 years.
  • I'll ride along and be the 'stylist'!
  • Meanwhile, back at the ranch, TN state legislators are busy looking at banning the recognition of other state's civil unions. After a rowdy subcommittee hearing, the vote was postponed for a week. Article here.
  • Hmm ... squidranch, this documentary ... can it be called "Rhea Entry"?
  • Squidranch, I thought that documentary had already been done.
  • This sure sounds like a job for Queer Eye.
  • Maja gives some background on Dayton's history with the Scopes trial at The American Times. I thought this part would make all the monkeys happy. The atmosphere was more carnival than lynch-mob. One enterprising entrepreneur brought a monkey to town and charged people a dime "to shake the hand of your grandfather".