perfidy

Turns out the Scopes Monkey people hate gays, too! This just in: Rhea County, the same Tennessee County that entertained us with the Scopes Monkey Trial almost 80 years ago are back for a second round, this time to ban gays. No, you misunderstand. Not to ban gays from doing things like marrying and wearing thongs in public... they want to ban gays.

Rhea County (search) commissioners unanimously voted to ask state lawmakers to introduce legislation amending Tennessee's criminal code so the county can charge homosexuals (search) 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.

Well, at least we know where they stand. With a lot of people, they just won't put it out there like this. I just hope they realize that this law is hopelessly retrograde, paranoid, blinkered, hateful, un-Christian, unconstitutional, and a whole bunch of other stuff too, not to mention completely and utterly un-fabulous.

[wik] I propose a film starring Hugo Weaving: Priscilla, Queen of the Hill People.

[alsø wik] This just in: Jonah Goldberg can be a real douchebag sometimes.

[alsø alsø wik] A commenter at Michael Totten's site wonders, "[a]s for 'crimes against nature,' I suppose this would include levitation, time travel and moving faster than the speed of light?

Me, I thought they meant the Third Law of Homodynamics.

[wi nøt trei a høliday in Sweden this yër?] Craig at "Cha3n" parses Jacob Levy's post against one by Eugene Volokh on the legality of officiants of gay weddings saying "By the power vested in me by [yourstatehere]," when in reality everyone knows that [said state] vested no such power. Craig ends up dropping some mad science:

Assume arguendo that the Rhea County officials know that this legislation will be troubled from the start. The push for it can still be valuable - in similar ways to the minister's knowingly false statement. First, this push suggests a disagreement with the decision in Lawrence. If Lawrence is to ever be overturned, it will be because people passed laws knowing that a conflict loomed. Second, and perhaps more invidious, such a push for futile legislation may be incredibly effective in creating an environment in which no homosexual person wants to live. This is a successful push for publicity, even if it is a failed push for law. Codification is not the goal - exclusion of homosexuals is.

He's right, and somehow that makes Rhea County's move even more sleazy.