Tennessee county seeks change in law to ban gays
 

Rhea County officials seek change in law to ban gays


DAYTON, Tenn. (AP) - Rhea County commissioners unanimously voted to ask state lawmakers to introduce legislation amending Tennessee's criminal code so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature.

"We need to keep them out of here," said Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the motion.

County Attorney Gary Fritts also was asked by Fugate to find the best way to enact a local law banning homosexuals from living in Rhea County. Commissioners asked Fritts to bring a resolution requesting the ban to next month's commission meeting for another vote.

Fugate said he offered the crimes against nature measure, which wasn't on the agenda, because of recent national and state events concerning gay marriages.

There was little discussion before the 8-0 vote, and commissioners didn't mention that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas sodomy laws last year and ruled there is a constitutionally protected right to adults' private sexual conduct.

Matt Nevels, president of the Chattanooga chapter of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, said he knows of homosexuals and their parents in Rhea County.

"That is the most farfetched idea put forth by any kind of public official," Nevels said. "I'm outraged."

Fugate's motion prompted some people in the audience to applaud. Three audience members who spoke before Fugate's motion advocated prayer in schools and denounced drinking alcohol and county zoning.

The Rhea County action came after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-1 Tuesday for a bill that would prohibit legal recognition of civil unions and domestic partnerships among homosexuals in Tennessee. Gay marriages already are prohibited in the state.

The state senator who represents Rhea County, Tommy Kilby, D-Wartburg, said Wednesday he hadn't seen the resolution and couldn't comment on it until he did.

"Yesterday in Judiciary Committee, they passed out a bill basically saying we will not recognize same-sex partnerships or civil unions from other states or foreign countries. I voted for that, and that's my position on that issue," Kilby said.

State Rep. Jim Vincent couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.

Rhea County, about 30 miles north of Chattanooga, is among the most conservative in Tennessee. It holds an annual festival commemorating the 1925 trial that convicted John T. Scopes on charges of teaching evolution, a verdict thrown out by the Tennessee Supreme Court on a technicality. The trial later became the subject of the play and movie, "Inherit the Wind."

In 2002, a federal judge ruled unconstitutional the Rhea County school board's Bible Education Ministry, a class taught in the public schools by students from a Christian college.


http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp...3&nav=1ugFLb9D

:glugglug

Fucking hillbillies. :glugglug

Some crazy folks in our world

maybe they should stop screwing their sisters first?

Good to see that there are still some honest, God-fearing patriots left in America.

I grew up in Tennessee...this doesn't surpise me a bit!

:thumbsup Outfuckingstanding :thumbsup

They probably hate black people too.

boy would black gay people piss them off.

The fact that there's 8 people in power that would vote yes to that in the first place shows there's a problem with our justice system. The fact that they're all in the same county and were able to have a unanimous vote shows there's a major problem with society in general.

There needs to be a cleansing :glugglug

Gosh and I loved the state of Gore :)

Lots of backwards policies in that state.

We went to Cleveland Tn. last summer to see some of my kids's friends that moved there.

One of the most religious cities in the usa. Church on every block, HQ for many of the gospel, tv church shows, etc.

I went through the area in my late teens and you are right. You could feel it in the air everywhere we went. Even my parents, who are very born again, noted how relgious it felt.

:1orglaugh

Here comes the ACLU to the rescue.

Fucking homophobes.

i wonder if the ban will apply to all mammals? bulls are homosexual when it's not mating season. same with rams.

Can you imagine if they banned racists and bigots there?

It'd be, "Can the last person to leave please turn out the lights!"

Hey, I don't think that's right.

why do I feel that it either your cock (in which case, well done) or you took the pic?

My grandfather had some horror stories of working there as a factory manager during WWII. Seems that a lot of the folks didn't like him simply because he was Catholic.

A gay black Jew would probably not get a visit from the Welcome Wagon ladies ...

Small minds think small :2 cents:

This is no shock. this is the same place where the Scopes trial happened, folks.

Get me the fuck out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a bunch of sick people. They don't deserve to be in the same country.

I think that's not right but I think we are entitled to our
own opinion.

what about bisexuals?

Are they only allowed in the county on mondays, wednesdays and fridays?