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Boley, Nohe's anti-gay prejudice

January 14, 2011 - Terry Estep
The economy is struggling to recover and our state's coal industry is living in fear of additional environmental regulation that could drive up costs and reduce the number of jobs, but Donna Boley and David Nohe have time to focus energy on attacking gay West Virginians like me. State and federal law already denies recognition of gay and lesbian marriages, but the dynamic duo are co-sponsoring an amendment to West Virginia's constitution that would cement their anti-gay prejudice into stone.

Boley says she hasn't encountered any opposition to the idea. I imagine she's not looking very hard.

As more and more gay people have come out and shown their families and friends just how normal and boring they really are, acceptance of gay equality has grown. Boley and Nohe's stance looks increasingly silly to younger people who don't get what all the fuss is about. Why shouldn't gay people have the same protections as their hetero equals? The tired stereotypes of gay people Boley and Nohe grew up with are just that: stereotypes. They should have no place in modern political decision-making.

History is working against them, so of course they want to throw up a bulwark against whatever imagined atrocities they believe gay people are going to commit against this "sacred institution" any straight couple can enter with a few dollars and a trip to a Las Vegas drive-through chapel. Marriage between gay couples has been legal in multiple states for years and the skies have not fallen, nor have the rivers run red with blood.

Nohe believes West Virginia's citizens should be allowed to vote on the issue. I think putting anyone's civil rights up for popular vote is a bad idea. I doubt he'd suggest we should be "allowed to vote" on whether Irish citizens can hold jobs or African-Americans citizens should be able to take out loans or own homes, but he has no problem treating gay people as inferior and undeserving of the state's protections. How sad.

Anti-gay groups like to complain about "activist judges," but the truth is their arguments do not stand up to scrutiny. In a court setting, where hyperbole has to give away to facts and reason, their animosity and fear has constantly been exposed as unreasonable. Simply "putting it up to a vote" is easier because it absolves you of responsibility to represent all of your constituents and not just the ones you like. The crowd is always easier to whip into a frenzy when all you have to do is play up lies about child molestation rates and apocryphal tales of preachers being thrown in jail for standing up to a perceived evil.

Marriage equality is going to happen eventually, and I look forward to the day when I have that option. I also look forward to the day Boley and Nohe decide to join the rest of us in the 21st century. Standing in the way of gay families and shouting "NOT ON MY WATCH!" is a less than ideal way for them to endear themselves to future generations.

 
 

Article Comments

(25)

Iwiljudgeu

Apr-10-12 7:09 PM

heres what happens when sodomy is allowed going to Bible for details..1 Kings 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to [all] the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel

Iwiljudgeu

Apr-10-12 7:00 PM

I applaud Boley and Nohe for their stand against the wicked Sodomite lifestyle. man and woman is how God made it Any born again believer in Jesus Christ knows that God blew Sodom and Gomorrah off the map why? because he is angry with the wicked everyday. Stay in the closet because when you parade your sin down main St. You will run into people like me that hates sin and loves God and stand against this wickedness.In Gods court you are guilty as charged and thats the only court that matters. And you that are for this get your head out of the sand and into the Bible and there you will find truth and that truth will deliver your soul from an etenal hell..

Mar-03-11 3:26 PM

VernonC: How do you know about their "perverted lifestyle?" Been hanging with 'em?

Kendall78

Jan-31-11 6:22 PM

Sorry...don't see it. It's no worse than having a President elected that didn't win the Popular vote.

Wiseenough

Jan-31-11 8:13 AM

Kendal78 The ship realy started heading the wrong way when the Dems took control of congress in 2006. When Obama was elected there was a huge hole blown in the side of the ship and we are going down fast.

Kendall78

Jan-28-11 4:21 PM

@Wiseenough- I'm sorry....did the nation suddenly explode when Obama became President? How about WV? Seems to be the same ol place it always been.

Wiseenough

Jan-28-11 4:20 PM

Manydemacrooks if you work when you get paid why don't you sign your check and give it to me. Actualy that is not a good analogy. when you get paid let me know and I will stop by and get your check. Since you feel it is ok for the goverment to take my money just because I have worked hard and made some money, then you should not have a problem giving what you have earned to me.

Wiseenough

Jan-28-11 4:11 PM

It's funny you start your article out on the hard times this state is having because of Obama and his destroying of this country and our state, and you don't care about that. Your complaint is about a law to make mariage between a man and a women. People like you are who put Obama in office so that he along with people like you can destroy this country, and our state.

manydemocrats

Jan-24-11 8:41 PM

I repeat DIXIE1's excellent comment. Well said, Mr Estep. It's about time we as a society stop trying to legislate the morality of our people and focus on something tangible. Speaking as one heterosexual registered voter, I call for a better class of elected official; one who represents the people, not their own "head in the sand" viewpoint.

manydemocrats

Jan-24-11 8:35 PM

WE are 19 days into the new REPUBLICAN congress. The following is a list of bills that they have introduced so far. ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR WORK??? jobs bills that the Repug's have introduced! ***********eclectablog****/2011/01/no-seriously-where-are-jobs-bills.html * 16 bills to repeal all or parts of the Affordable Care Act * 7 bills/resolutions to require a balanced federal budget * 5 bills to repeal the estate tax (which benefits only the über-wealthy) * A bill to repeal Wall Street Reform * 6 bills to restrict women's access to abortions * A bill to take polar bears off the Endangered Species list * A bill to pull federal funding of public radio * Six bills and a resolution to increase oil drilling in the US and to prevent federal regulation of greenhouse gases * A bill to remove certain Federal restrictions on interstate firearms transactions * A bill to prohibit paying salaries of "czars" and a resolution that they should be required to get Congressional approval *

Kendall78

Jan-23-11 11:16 PM

@sneezbug- True, but the United States goes by it's laws and not the Old Testament.

sneezbug

Jan-23-11 12:52 PM

five times in the Bible (black and white, no parables) homosexual is a sin.

adamwest

Jan-22-11 10:37 AM

I bet Boley and Nohe would fight back equal rights for Blacks and Women if Glenn Beck asked them nicely.

Bet Boley and Nohe each have Gay family members and don't even know it.

But Boley and Nohe are wasting valuable time trying to pass this instead of working on Jobs, Jobs, and Jobs, which is what we need.

Apple is now run by a man rumoured to be Gay. What if they wanted to put a location in WV...would Boley and Nohe fight against it?

Kendall78

Jan-21-11 3:36 PM

Very good Peacewithin, but sadly our nation works with the Constitution and not the book of Romans. The US is not a Christian Theocracy.

Peacewithin

Jan-19-11 7:48 PM

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections;for even their women did change the the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,burned in their*****one toward another:men with men working that which is unseemly. Who knowing the judgment of God,that they which commit such things are worthy of death,not only do the same,but have pleasure in them that do them.

Jan-19-11 10:51 AM

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, IT'S A DUCK!

Kendall78

Jan-18-11 5:30 PM

"What gives 'them' the right to call themselves GAY?"

Vernon, I think it was the non-gay ppl that was calling them that first.

Kendall78

Jan-18-11 5:28 PM

@4thebetterparkersburg- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Now while one is entitled to their religious based opinions (assuming you are speaking from one in your previous post) you do not have the right within the nation to say who can stay around here or not.

nonesuch

Jan-16-11 10:09 AM

oh my lest we cast some stones heh? I leave it at civil union, but I would have to agree some of the spew here is outrageous.

VernonC

Jan-16-11 7:16 AM

What gives 'them' the right to call themselves GAY? This certainly doesn't describe their perverted life style.

JCB1964

Jan-16-11 6:52 AM

I guess when you can't get with the opposite sex, hit with the same sex.

robnjess

Jan-16-11 12:18 AM

I applaud you calling out these two folks on this issue. I do know Sen. Nohe very well on a personal level and can say that he is one fine individual. He does care about the welfare of people and truly believes people should get a fair shot in life. However, on this issue, I believe he is indeed, off the mark.

As for the previous poster on here. I think you need to look up the word bigot in the dictionary. I also hope that you're not a Christian, because I can say with a certainty like the sun rising every morning, that you posted one of the most "un-Christ-like" posts I may have ever seen.

nonesuch

Jan-15-11 8:46 AM

Hot Button Issues. This is how our reps have operated forever. Anything that requires them to stand up and actually know hard facts and be moving to get something done other than addressing the most current uproar? Forget it!

VwllssWndr

Jan-14-11 6:56 PM

Ya know, I have to at least admire their decisiveness, unlike that of Joe "Can't Be Bothered To Show Up To Vote On DADT Repeal" Manchin. Even if I find their actions deplorable, hey, they're at least showin' up to work.

Jan-14-11 6:21 PM

Well said, Mr Estep. It's about time we as a society stop trying to legislate the morality of our people and focus on something tangible. Speaking as one heterosexual registered voter, I call for a better class of elected official; one who represents the people, not their own "head in the sand" viewpoint.

 
 

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