Tennessee Governor Signs Hate Bill Into Law

Up there in Tennessee Republican ... because, of course ... Governor Bill Haslam has just signed what has been dubbed the "Natural and Ordinary Meaning" bill.

Natural and Ordinary meaning? What does that even mean?

It means that, for any law or government form where terms are not specifically defined the "natural and ordinary meaning" of the words in the law apply. As an example, in the phrase, "All men are created equal" it could now mean that, at least in Tennessee, women are not included. 

Right?

And, under this new bill, in Tennessee, a same-sex couple could be refused the right to have both parents' names listed on a birth or adoption certificate, if the law or form specifies "husband and wife," or "mother and father" because, you know, two mothers or two fathers.

It kinda sounds like a way to attack the LGBT community since, you know, we won the right to be legally married and some folks in Tennessee cannot move beyond that and so they’ll do anything to impede equality.

Need more proof that it’s basically an anti-LGBT piece of legislations? Well, the bill was heavily lobbied for by the Family Action Council of Tennessee, AKA FACT—ironically named it seems—whose head bigot, David Fowler claims that the Natural and Ordinary Meaning bill was needed to ensure Tennessee courts only accept a “'traditional' definition of family."

"So when we say husband, we mean a man. When we say father, we mean a man. This is an attempt to tell the court ... when we use a word, we mean for it to mean what everybody thinks it means." — David Fowler

Ah, but guess what, David, when I use the word ‘husband,’ I mean it to describe the man I married and no little hate bill of yours will ever change that. And in a same-sex household with adoptive children, or birth children, father could mean either one of the two men who are the parents in the household.

And if anyone reading this still thinks this bill wasn’t an attack on LGBT people, then listen to the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, Republican ... because, of course ... John Stevens, who first claimed the bill wasn't about same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, but then finally admitted that he hoped the legislation would "do what Justice Scalia emphasized people should do and that is look at the meaning of the word at the time the legislation was passed" referring to Scalia's dissent in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Yes, even the bill’s sponsor says it is designed to harm LGBT community and same-sex couples.

Another Republican lawmaker, Senator Richard Briggs, put it more hate-filled:

"When you have same-sex couples and try to define better what are—what do parental rights mean when you have maybe a natural mother and a not natural other parent. And the same and be said, for fathers."

A natural mother and a not natural mother? How to describe them? Um, two mothers? And the same and be said, for fathers. Seems fairly simple to anyone, except a bigot.

Call me crazy, but I have an idea ... howsabout just telling the bigots and homophobes to get used to the idea of two husbands or two wives in a marriage, and two mothers or two fathers making up a family.

That would seem a whole lot cheaper than facing all the discrimination lawsuits that will be leveled at Tennessee if they continue along this path.

NCRM

Tennessee: Back To The 1950s

Oh, Tennessee legislators, you will never learn.

It seems that up in the state of crazy, Governor Bill Haslam has signed legislation that adds the concept of “gateway sexual activity” to the state’s abstinence-first sex education curriculum.  The measure says that sex education teachers cannot encourage “gateway” activities that stop short of sexual intercourse.

You know, hand-holding leads to intercourse; a peck on the cheeks winds up with the girl pregnant.

And wingnut Haslam signed the bill over the calls to veto the measure from the American Civil Liberties Union and others, who argued that the bill contains murky definitions that make it difficult for teachers to discuss subjects frankly.

Proponents said the measure was needed to clarify the meaning of abstinence. Um, the meaning of abstinence is “no sex”, right?

I think that’s fairly clear, but apparently legislators in Tennessee don’t get it, don’t think parents understand, and think teenagers are too stupid to think for themselves.

Even worse, Tennessee’s “Gateway Sexual Activity” law will allow parents to actually sue outside sex education instructors, like Planned Parenthood, if they run afoul of the state curriculum.  School district instructors are exempt from legal penalties.

Oh, now it becomes clear; this is just another attack on Planned Parenthood by the GOP.

Haslam and the Legislature don’t realize that knowledge is power; they don’t understand that, while abstinence is the only foolproof method of birth control, and of preventing STDs and HIV infections, arming high school students with knowledge is far more powerful.

You cannot just tell students, or even adults, that they cannot do something; you have to arm them with the consequences of what they do, and talk about how they can protect themselves.

This legislation is so 1950s in its thinking, its, for lack of a better word, logic: they will not educate students as to what can happen when they have sex, they will simply ask that the girls keep their legs closed and the boys keep their pants zipped.

Oh, and no kissing. She could get pregnant.

source

Tennesotasconizonatah...or the WeHateGays States

Ten-ne-so-ta-scon-iz-o-na-tah: 
[ten-nuh-sew-tah-scon-iz-oh-nah-tah]
–noun
1. a mash-up of several state names--Tennessee, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona, and Utah, for starters; states that have been in the news recently for being anti-gay and anti-immigrant, or anti-anything that isn't straight and white
2. The WeHateGays states. 

Painted on the house of a gay Tennessee couple.

Today, we'll focus on the Tennessee in Tennesotasconizonatah, because they have really gone full barrel in the Anti-Gay Legislative Sweepstakes of late.

See, it seems that the Tennessee state Senate has approved, by a vote of 20-10, a law that would forbid Tennessee public school teachers and students in grades kindergarten through eight from discussing the fact that some people are gay. Now, there is good news: the bill isn't likely to be taken up by the House before lawmakers adjourn this spring, but the sponsor, Stacey 'Homophobic Asshat" Campfield, says he wants to push it forward in 2012 when the General Assembly comes back for the second year of the session.

Don't Say Gay. It's bad. Why, apparently, the Tennessee Senate thinks just saying the word 'gay' will make people gay. Or make them tolerant, which is awful, you know.

Opponents of the Don't Say Gay, Goddammit Bill believe it unfairly targets the children of gay parents, or even children who identify as gay themselves, by keeping them separate and unmentioned in class.

Supporters say it is intended to give teachers clear guidance for dealing with younger children on a potentially explosive topic. See, it Tennessee, being gay is a potentially explosive topic.

Don't Say Gay, lest you turn one of the children into a raging fag.
Don't Say Gay, lest the heads of the homophobes explode.

Oh, Tennesotasconizonatah, look what you're doing. But wait, there's more.

Tennesotasconizonatah Governor, Bill Haslam, signed a new bill yesterday that overturns the city of Nashville's nondiscrimination ordinance.

It seems that Nashville isn't like the rest of Tennesotasconizonatah. They understand blatant homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and wanted to protect their citizens from being, oh, say, fired, or evicted or even beaten simply for being themselves.

But then the lawmakers of Tennesotasconizonatah got in on the act and decided they would simply overturn the ordinance, and the governor goosestepped along. An ordinance to ban discrimination.

Apparently that's a bad things in places like Tennesotasconizonatah.

Tennessee Senate OKs bill to ban teaching of homosexuality


Governor Overturns Nondiscrimination Ordinance