[forkies]

from http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/01/010405vaLicense.htm:

(Richmond, Virginia) Virginia lawmakers will consider legislation to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage in the new session of the legislature.

The state is one of what is expected to be up to a dozen states to take up the issue following voter approval in 11states last November of similar amendments.

But, the legislature will also look at a measure that would put the marriage issue on license plates.�_ The bill calls for traditional marriage to be displayed on car licenses.�_ If passed the plates would have interlocking gold wedding bands superimposed over a red heart over the legend "Traditional Marriage."

The bill was authored by Delegate Scott Limgamfelter (R-Prince William) a supporter of the marriage amendment.

To amend Virginia's Constitution, the measure would have to be enacted in two successive legislative sessions and put to a statewide vote by November 2006.

Some Democrats call the amendment repressive and unnecessary. Virginia already has legislation that prevents recognition of same-sex couples.

The law, passed last year (story), prevents the state from recognizing gay marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships and block any "contract or other arrangement" same-sex couples may enter into.

Democratic Del. Mitchell Van Yahres has filed a bill that would repeal the law, but most observers say it has little chance of passing.�_ Most delegates have indicated they will vote for the amendment.

[GRAFF]

but we reserve the right to choose which ones.

[Spheric Harlot]

...just jealous of your Freedom�, is what everybody is, yep...

[nath]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
...just jealous of your Freedom�, is what everybody is, yep...

[SimeyTheLimey]

At least if this (stupid) bill passes, the plates would be voluntary. When I lived in D.C. I was forced to have "No Taxation Without Representation" emblazoned on my tag. The slogan is designed to protest the lack of a Congressional vote for D.C. which allows Congress to impose laws D.C. residents don't necessarily agree with. It's part of a campaign by the Mayor's office.

Apparently, the irony of a government coercing the public to express political statements that they don't necessarily agree with was lost on D.C lawmakers. I covered the slogan up.

[Mister Elf]

It's not anti-gay, it's pro-heterosexual. There's a mssive difference.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Mister Elf:
It's not anti-gay, it's pro-heterosexual. There's a mssive difference.

Maybe, maybe not. Probably not given the context of this thing. The guy pushing it is also pushing to amend the state Constitution to ban gay marriage (which doesn't even exist in Virginia), and who pushed an even worse anti-gay statute recently.

Just because something is phrased in positive terms doesn't necessarily make it neutral toward other things. For example, if someone drives around in a car with "White Power" on it, it would be fair to assume an anti-black agenda. White Power is widely understood as a codeword for opposition to black civil rights. Arguing that the words are positive doesn't change the understood meaning.

Similarly, this is undoubtedly designed to be a political statement against equal marriage rights for homosexuals. That "Traditional Marriage" are pretty innocuous words by themselves isn't the issue. The message isn't intended to be neutral, and we don't need to be blind to the obvious.

That said, as long as it is voluntary (which it would be), I see this partiicular license tag matter as a free speech issue. People have a right to express opinions, however nasty the subtext. And because Virginia already has a huge number of tags to pick from -- including overtly political ones -- I see this as protected individual speech more than government sanctioned speech.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
...just jealous of your Freedom�, is what everybody is, yep...

People pretty much have the freedom to do what they want here. No one is stopping homosexuals from being homosexuals or practicing homosexuality.

Quit the Drama.

[Mithras]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
People pretty much have the freedom to do what they want here. No one is stopping homosexuals from being homosexuals or practicing homosexuality.

Quit the Drama.

Well, it's only thanks to the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas ruling that Virginia's "Crimes Against Nature" statute is unconstitutional. I'm pretty sure they have yet to strike it from the books, though.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
People pretty much have the freedom to do what they want here. No one is stopping homosexuals from being homosexuals or practicing homosexuality.

Quit the Drama.

I'm reminded of the time spacefreak claimed that racial discrimination no longer happened because it had been made illegal. What will you guys think of next?

[Axo1ot1]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
People pretty much have the freedom to do what they want here. No one is stopping homosexuals from being homosexuals or practicing homosexuality.

Quit the Drama.

Hey instead of making the jews wear yellow stars, lets just let anyone who isn't a jew wear an anti-jewish symbol!

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

I want a " "Traditional Divorce" plate!

[mitchell_pgh]

Considering there are thousands of plates for every other organization... Dog Lovers, Vets, College Logos, Hiking Clubs, etc.

Why not?

I do think it's rather silly.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by zigzag:
I'm reminded of the time spacefreak claimed that racial discrimination no longer happened because it had been made illegal. What will you guys think of next?

How does that pertain to what I said?

There will always be discrimination. And not just for homosexuals. You cannot get rid of that. It's our nature.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
How does that pertain to what I said?

There will always be discrimination. And not just for homosexuals. You cannot get rid of that. It's our nature.

No reason to condone its promotion.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
No reason to condone its promotion.

Who is condoning it?

[zigzag]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
How does that pertain to what I said?

There will always be discrimination. And not just for homosexuals. You cannot get rid of that. It's our nature.

You claimed that "No one is stopping homosexuals from being homosexuals or practicing homosexuality," and spacefreak once claimed that there was no more racial discrimination. Both statements deal with discrimination, both are incorrect, and both reflect a comparable degree of obtuseness. That's why one reminded me of the other. That you need me to explain this . . . well, nevermind.

[Zimphire]

zig who is getting arrested for being a practicing homosexual?

[zigzag]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
zig who is getting arrested for being a practicing homosexual?

You said "no one." I took "no one" to mean "no one."

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by zigzag:
You said "no one." I took "no one" to mean "no one."

Well as long as we are in and understanding here.
What are you hissing and honking about?

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
zig who is getting arrested for being a practicing homosexual?

Matthew Limon comes very close. He was convicted shortly after his 18th birthday for having consensual oral sex with a 14 year old and given a 206 month sentence. If the minor had been of the opposite sex, the most he would have received was 18 months because of a special loophole called a "Romeo and Juiliet" law. A Romeo and Juiliet law reduces the severity of statutory rape penalties when the act is consensual and both parties are within a certain range of ages -- i.e. both teenagers.

So in Kansas, the law says that a heterosexual teenager should get no more than one and a half years, but a homosexual teenager gets 17 years for exactly the same act. That is discrimination pure and simple.

This assumes he would even have been prosecuted had the two teenagers been straight. The crime might very well have been overlooked if these had been straight kids.