Washington State petition redacted to protect signers threatened by gay activists

UPDATE: Five years later, the term homophobia is still used against anyone who opposes same-sex marriages, transgender bathrooms, refuses to participate with gay weddings by baker their cake or supplying their flowers. The vitriol is a lot worse and Matthew Shepard’s death is still widely believed to be a hate crime.

How little we have learned from this day in history.

A federal court in Tacoma, Wash., has been asked to order that the names of signatories of a state petition seeking to protect traditional marriage be redacted to protect them from death threats from homosexual activists.

What could cause such outrage…even death threats?

The issue is 138,000 Washington state residents who signed a petition in 2009 to repeal a law that gave same-sex partners all the legal rights of married couples. The petition forced a referendum vote in November of that year in which voters decided to sustain the law.

So, what was the reaction to overturning same-sex marriage?

* “I will kill you and your family.”

* “Oh my God, This woman is so f—ing stupid. Someone please shoot her in the head, again and again. And again.”

* “I’m going to kill the pastor.”

* “If I had a gun I would have gunned you down along with each and every other supporter…”

* “We’re going to kill you.”

* “You’re dead. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon … you’re dead.”

* “I’m a gay guy who owns guns, and he’s my next target.”

* “I warn you, I know how to kill, I’m an ex-special forces person.”

* “Get ready for retribution all you bigots.”

* Burn their f—ing churches to the ground, and then tax the charred timbers.”

“What is becoming increasingly evident,” said James Bopp of the James Madison Center, “is that some groups and individuals, certainly a minority, have resorted to advancing their cause, not by debating the merits of the issue but by discouraging participation in the democratic process itself.

“The First Amendment was designed to ensure that all groups, whatever their persuasion, could participate fully in our republic,” he said. That breaks down when some groups or individuals are cowed into silence for fear that they or their families will be targeted or threatened if they speak up.”

The evidence included churches marred by graffiti, swastikas on lawns and walls, bricks thrown through windows and doors, adhesive poured into locks, suspicious packages of white powder sent in the mail – “all for nothing more than supporting traditional marriage.”

Public domain image/Piotr VaGla Waglowski, http://www.vagla.pl

But because the state considers such petitions “public records,” homosexual activists are demanding the names and addresses of the signers in order to post them on the Internet and “publicize on their web sites, in searchable format, the identities of every person who signed the … petition,” according to a new filing seeking nondisclosure of the names.

The groups announcing the plans were KnowThyNeighbor.org and WhoSigned.org, according to the filing.

The filing on behalf of Protect Marriage Washington explains the real problem is the documentation of actual threats that have been made against those who support traditional marriage, a litany of what the Los Angeles Times described as a “vengeful campaign.”

“On two occasions, both in Washington state, a group called Bash Back! boldly accepted credit for vandalizing houses of worship, writing in one case, ‘when we [graffitied your walls] and glued all the doors shut, we threw open our own doors and tattooed those words on hour (sic) hearts. Welcome to our world s—heads.'”

A the gay rights movement has turned violent. So violent that the court system is willing to hide the signatures on a petition regarding banning gay marriage because of safety.

Isn’t the homosexual community resorting to the same intolerance and violence that led to the horrific murder of Matthew Shepard? (UPDATE: Matthew was tortured and murder by his gay lover, NOT the victim of some hate crime against homosexuals)

While the term “homophobe” will be hurled at any and everyone who disagrees with same-sex marriage, it’s appears we may be at a fork on the road. Whether it’s a lack of patience or an increasingly intolerant gay community, our future appears to be wrought with more and more animosity…and unfortunately, violence.

http://www.jamesmadisoncenter.org/cases/files/2011/06/209-Plaintiffs-Motion-Brief-for-Summary-Judgment.pdf

STATE OF THE NATION – ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The “State of the Nation” column by Brandon Jones began on a website called Crazed Fanboy to discuss topics that the regular media were not reporting or barely discussed. While there was a strong political tone, there were no limits to topics or arenas discussed.

As the relationship with Crazed Fanboy deteriorated, the partnership between Robert Herriman (author “Insights”) and the Brian strengthen to form the current “Desk of Brian”.

Just as we have John Does or Average Joes, we created the “Regular Guy” approach to sorting through the news, adding our own commentary and opinions, fused with contributors from all over the globe.

 

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