Heartland Heartless
North Star Notes
Predictably, Minnesota conservatives aren't taking this well
Baird Helgeson of
The Star-Tribune notes some of the reaction to the Minnesota House vote in favor of marriage equality. Of particular note are the conservative responses:
“My heart breaks for Minnesota,” said a Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover.
“It’s a divisive issue that divides our state,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood on the House floor after the vote. “It’s not what we needed to be doing at this time. We want to come together for the state of Minnesota, we don’t want to divide it.”
Her heart breaks? Over a divisive issue that divides the state and is not what they should be doing right now? Did she feel that way about divisive issues when Minnesota conservatives decided to waste time and energy elevating a marriage equality prohibition from statute to state constitution?
Uh-huh.
There are no civilized words to describe Rep. Scott's stupidity.
Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe, said he fears that schools will eventually be forced to teach students about homosexuality in sex education classes, normalizing what he considers deviant behavior.
“Thinks about what’s best for the children,” Gruenhagen said. “Please vote for the children.”
There's an overused trope. Let's try this from the prohibitionist angle according to the last twenty years: Does Rep. Gruenhagen believe teaching and enforcing bigotry is good for the children?
Rep. Kelby Woodard, R-Belle Plaine, said the measure sends a terrible message to Minnesotans who oppose same-sex marriage.
“We are classifying half of Minnesotans as bigots in this bill — and they are not,” Woodard said.
I suppose there is a point to be accepted in Rep. Woodard's words. After all, some opponents of marriage equality aren't motivated by animus toward their gay neighbors, but by fears of their own inadequacy.
Because, well, inventing stupid excuses to deny your neighbors' civil rights is the sort of behavior that might come from a number of directions, though the winding roads all lead back to neurotic conflict.
Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, said he was raised by a mother and a father and continues to believe that is best for children, but “I am not a homophobe or a Neanderthal or a hater.”
We might point out to Rep. Cornish that when he insists on believing something despite the scientific evidence, with the intent of suppressing his neighbors for aesthetic reasons, yes, he is a homophobe and a hater. Neanderthal? Well, are we talking literally or figuratively? I would not insult the Neanderthal by comparing it to Rep. Cornish.
Over twenty years have passed since conservative Christians invited us all to have this discussion, and despite the scientific evidence, despite the observable reality, and despite the wolfish hatred dressed in sheepish clothing so that they might try to tell us it's Christian love, their talking points haven't changed.
It's the sort of thing that gives me sympathy for redemptionists. After all, it would be kind of interesting to see the looks on these people's faces when God casts them into fiery judgment for hating their neighbor and usurping His authority.
The Gay Fray of the last twenty-three years has looked an awful lot like a bulletin board discussion in slow motion. Participants in the discussion hash through various talking points, one side gets cornered, and then a new round of participants enter, expecting the discussion to start all over from the beginning.
I mean, think about it. In over twenty years, the heterosupremacist movement has yet to figure out what's wrong with ignoring the idea of
consent in sexual relations. No, really. Think about it. Twenty years ago, they were comparing homosexuality to the rape of children, animals, and corpses—none of which can properly give consent. And yet the point comes up every couple years, still.
What's best for the children? How is it "best" for the children to lie to them in order to cultivate bigotry?
And these sick people who complain that civil rights is a divisive issue that we shouldn't be wasting time on since it makes people feel badly? Well, maybe they should have thought of that at some point during the years they wasted trying to hurt their neighbors.
Rep. Scott, of course, is lying. Her heart doesn't break for Minnesota; she can't break what she doesn't have.
____________________
Notes:
Helgeson, Baird. "In historic vote, Minnesota House approves gay marriage bill". The Star Tribune. May 9, 2013. StarTribune.com. May 10, 2013. http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/206839161.html
