Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa



 Religions > Atheism > Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa

LINK TO THIS PAGE  


rating :  0   |  0


  Page 1 of 1

1

 
Topic: Religions > Atheism
User: ""
Date: 21 Dec 2006 08:39:40 AM
Object: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061220/OPINION01/612200347/1035/OPINION
[excerpt]
By DAVID LARSON and JIM PAPROCKI
IOWA VIEW
December 20, 2006
In the absence of national leadership, our legislators have a moral
responsibility to provide equal rights for all Iowans. The character of our
state is in large part defined by our leaders' willingness to ensure
dignity and respect for all citizens.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission is unable to take any action in response
to legitimate complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The
commission has recommended the Legislature expand the scope of Chapter 216
of the Code of Iowa to include protections from discrimination in
connection with employment, public accommodations, housing, credit and
education.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission would provide a forum for people to seek
relief and enable our state to provide an environment free of hateful
speech. Commission members would be required to provide assistance to
prevent and to eliminate the harmful effects of discriminatory practices.
We can best address the adverse effects of discrimination after
establishing a means to gather documentation on these allegations.
More than a generation ago, Americans took action to fight racial prejudice
and to eliminate hateful racist speech. The Rev. Martin Luther King
challenged each of us to commit our lives to fighting injustice anywhere as
a threat to justice everywhere. We should do no less for citizens who are
gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.
Coretta Scott King maintained that her husband's struggle parallels that of
the gay-rights movement. "Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in
Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Georgia, and St. Augustine, Fla., and many
other campaigns of the civil-rights movement," she said. "Many of these
courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they
could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions." On
June 23, 1994, Mrs. King expressed the aspirations of all Iowans who
believe in justice by stating, "I don't believe you can stand for freedom
for one group of people and deny it to others."
[end excerpt]
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
.

User: "Jeff Strickland"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 21 Dec 2006 03:22:41 PM
<buckeye-elo@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:257lo2hsnilb9ijno0u34c2utjgnaorjce@4ax.com...

Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061220/OPINION01/612200347/1035/OPINION
[excerpt]

By DAVID LARSON and JIM PAPROCKI
IOWA VIEW

December 20, 2006

In the absence of national leadership, our legislators have a moral
responsibility to provide equal rights for all Iowans. The character of
our
state is in large part defined by our leaders' willingness to ensure
dignity and respect for all citizens.

Sexual orientation is not grounds for advancing human rights.
If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
deviancy? They could be termed "orientation" as well, and we would need a
whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps the
orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls -- three
of them.
I see the Iowa view as fundamentally flawed.
.
User: ""

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 22 Dec 2006 01:17:05 PM
"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote:

:|
:|<buckeye-elo@nospam.net> wrote in message
:|news:257lo2hsnilb9ijno0u34c2utjgnaorjce@4ax.com...
:|> Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
:|> http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061220/OPINION01/612200347/1035/OPINION
:|> [excerpt]
:|>
:|> By DAVID LARSON and JIM PAPROCKI
:|> IOWA VIEW
:|>
:|> December 20, 2006
:|>
:|> In the absence of national leadership, our legislators have a moral
:|> responsibility to provide equal rights for all Iowans. The character of
:|> our
:|> state is in large part defined by our leaders' willingness to ensure
:|> dignity and respect for all citizens.
:|>
:|
:|
:|Sexual orientation is not grounds for advancing human rights.

You are sure about that huh?
Let's define the word as is commonly used:
Definitions of SEXUAL ORIENTATION on the Web:
* A private preference of an individual protected by Executive Order
No. 28 for heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality; or a history of
such a preference; or an identification with having such a preference.
www.uri.edu/affirmative_action/definitions.html
* A person's erotic and emotional orientation toward members of his or
her own gender or members of the other gender.
highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072986360/student_view0/chapter15/glossary.html
* A term used to refer to a person's emotional, romantic and sexual
attraction to individuals of a particular gender (male or female).
my.webmd.com/content/article/46/2953_489.htm
* The manner in which people experience sexual arousal and achieve
sexual pleasure.
www.roundtoplewis.com/define.html
* Sexual orientation is the focus of a person's amorous or erotic
desires, fantasies, and feelings, the gender(s) one is primarily "oriented"
towards. The alternative terms sexual preference and sexual inclination
have similar meanings. Clinicians and those who believe sexuality is more
predetermined tend to use the former term, those believing sexuality is
more fluid and reflects preference and choice, the latter terms.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_orientation
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&defl=en&q=define:SEXUAL+ORIENTATION&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title
Isn't the following a "the sky is falling" argument? LOL

:|
:|If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
:|deviancy?

http://www.courtpsychiatrist.com/pdf/sexual%20deviancy.pdf
[excerpt]
Sexual Deviancy
Neil S. Kaye, M.D.
Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Neil S. Kaye M.D. is a specialist and expert
witness in Forensic Psychiatry, his testimony has had a major impact on
high profile cases and studies.
His Curriculum Vitae, credentials and information can be found at
www.courtpsychiatrist.com .
Introduction:
Sexual deviancy is a rather broad and vague term. Its usage connotes that
there are recognized norms of sexual behavior which are accepted by society
in general. In fact, "normal" sexual behavior has never been well
categorized. Rather, aberrant behaviors, sufficiently unacceptable to most
persons, have been lumped together to comprise sexual deviancy. These of
course may vary over time and across different cultures, although
there are probably some behaviors which almost everyone would label
deviant.
Research into these behaviors is made more complex by the scientific
controversy as to what is normal sexual activity, unclear definitions of
deviancy, and the heterogeneity of those who's behaviors lead to their
being labeled by the not necessarily equivalent terms of deviant, offender,
or perpetrator. Often, the multiple disciplines involved in studying
this area speak different languages and indeed have different reasons for
their interest.
Therefore, it should not be surprising that law, medicine, psychology,
social work and criminalistics may reach different conclusions after
reviewing similar data . . .
[end excerpt]

:|They could be termed "orientation" as well,

Not really, at least not by informed educated people.
Of course that leaves you out so you could link the two together.

:|and we would need a
:|whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps the
:|orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls -- three
:|of them.

The above was quite common during many times in Old Testament times
In fact virgin meant yng women, and it was not uncommon during the time
period the man Jesus was born and lived that girls 12 or so were wed to
older men.
At the time of the framing of the Constitution in this country the age of
consent was 10 years old
Currently, Mexico has a age of consent set at 12, Canada at 14, at least
one or two US States at 14.
Fancy all that, huh?
:|I see the Iowa view as fundamentally flawed.
No one really cares what you see. You see though very cloudy lenses.
Plus you are fundamentally biased, judgmental and an idiot as a number of
people have told you many times.
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
.
User: "Secret Squirrel"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 24 Dec 2006 06:07:13 PM
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
buckeye-elo@nospam.net wrote in
news:9kaoo213615io76lilhv1slr998a8o6h8h@4ax.com:

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote:

:|If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other
:|forms of sexual deviancy?



http://www.courtpsychiatrist.com/pdf/sexual%20deviancy.pdf
[excerpt]
Sexual Deviancy
Neil S. Kaye, M.D.

Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Neil S. Kaye M.D. is a specialist
and expert witness in Forensic Psychiatry, his testimony
has had a major impact on high profile cases and studies.

His Curriculum Vitae, credentials and information can be
found at www.courtpsychiatrist.com .
Introduction:

Sexual deviancy is a rather broad and vague term. Its usage
connotes that there are recognized norms of sexual behavior
which are accepted by society in general. In fact, "normal"
sexual behavior has never been well categorized. Rather,
aberrant behaviors, sufficiently unacceptable to most
persons, have been lumped together to comprise sexual
deviancy. These of course may vary over time and across
different cultures, although there are probably some
behaviors which almost everyone would label deviant.

Research into these behaviors is made more complex by the
scientific controversy as to what is normal sexual
activity, unclear definitions of deviancy, and the
heterogeneity of those who's behaviors lead to their being
labeled by the not necessarily equivalent terms of deviant,
offender, or perpetrator. Often, the multiple disciplines
involved in studying this area speak different languages
and indeed have different reasons for their interest.
Therefore, it should not be surprising that law, medicine,
psychology, social work and criminalistics may reach
different conclusions after reviewing similar data . . .
[end excerpt]

Even within today's culture, two things that I'm sure Jeff
would want to label as "deviant"--a homosexual arousal
response and a pedosexual arousal response--are quite
common, and among apparently "normal" men tested to boot.
Statistically speaking, these aren't "deviant".
Is this surprising? Given the cultures that allowed some
expression of both, some of which you've cited previously,
it shouldn't be.

:|and we would need a
:|whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those
:|people. Perhaps the orientation would mean a man that
:|wanted to marry 12-year old girls -- three of them.


The above was quite common during many times in Old
Testament times

In fact virgin meant yng women, and it was not uncommon
during the time period the man Jesus was born and lived
that girls 12 or so were wed to older men.

At the time of the framing of the Constitution in this
country the age of consent was 10 years old

Currently, Mexico has a age of consent set at 12, Canada at
14, at least one or two US States at 14.


Fancy all that, huh?

In addition, just 30 years ago, child pornography was legal in
the US.
How did so many fundamentalists develop this very selective
historical and cultural amnesia?
Secret Squirrel
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: N/A
iQEVAwUBRY3DAT/rA6+b3AyhAQHfcQf+KGK+AJr1haTCmW8jn5aeMutgkhCHarqj
XBvsHZQnki3gKOrVp1hHEGOqrQ2vbL+vqfF+OUOX5faF+FSvA7PwqBaJ0ZenYans
4KbBEu83WTXqqf3lfdkxwvodhuppj8OWqefUexOJRGKn3ALV45ZMYD9ToTFV+oBa
7EpF9sR+QZ99Ns2egCvQ7Ib05BrkbRf+faTr0SwlfHWImRgj4pTA0wT8rIIp7eNl
mCyF2yy5jHxfhGlR9jVfc9zPwqIRjG3IgMCyyeF1/uheEAytNNQiuE1CATeO8vSW
SnPqYNLsnownwKBRd/gLH9G5uag9g4DjeMYuEo0e6AsLojNvzYcarg==
=AnQZ
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
.


User: "Secret Squirrel"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 24 Dec 2006 08:13:17 PM
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:O4-dnQF7GcmCZhfYnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d@ez2.net:


<buckeye-elo@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:257lo2hsnilb9ijno0u34c2utjgnaorjce@4ax.com...

Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200
61220/OPINION01/612200347/1035/OPINION [excerpt]

By DAVID LARSON and JIM PAPROCKI
IOWA VIEW

December 20, 2006

In the absence of national leadership, our legislators
have a moral responsibility to provide equal rights for
all Iowans. The character of our
state is in large part defined by our leaders' willingness
to ensure dignity and respect for all citizens.



Sexual orientation is not grounds for advancing human
rights.

If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms
of sexual deviancy?

Are we talking like real, statistically-certified deviancy?
Jeff, dude, you really don't want to go there. Trust me.

They could be termed "orientation" as
well, and we would need a whole new set of laws to advance
human rights to those people. Perhaps the orientation would
mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls -- three
of them.

Well, I'm not so sure of the wisdom of marriage, but as for
the sex itself, OK, as long as no pregnancy or no disease or
no "contributing to the delinquency of a minor".
Secret Squirrel
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: N/A
iQEVAwUBRY3DAT/rA6+b3AyhAQHSbggAnGKM6x719KjkQBda1C13cMAGq29afj48
rNCqkvlfXlYvfTqqtTrCSb6UeCQjwgsKNyvKjncVYWWSpNyzLI+egf3IT/8D/8al
NcR/wIcsMHbnm+V97sinN4M5EPksl3xXowNDFaxYuDeZYpaxaxtirfq1gH2pKeFV
HTFsBUsc7wh0jHMBQFRrFsOGKMzKqp/DvDM8pcCAitfRQwpbuvYX7HFvWEI6pqYw
8Is3VOuT1sP+6UXQb2xM03VbewrUswbkIR3OrgrxBuEIqh/c68hJraCj5gLTtoYI
NMJYoxMWl3A44VhCqiUIhL1IVY1tlyvB7OqmbXLZFuAoxkC6iK7TYw==
=jEkt
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
.

User: "Cary Kittrell"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 21 Dec 2006 03:24:00 PM
In article <O4-dnQF7GcmCZhfYnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d@ez2.net> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> writes:


<buckeye-elo@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:257lo2hsnilb9ijno0u34c2utjgnaorjce@4ax.com...

Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061220/OPINION01/612200347/1035/OPINION
[excerpt]

By DAVID LARSON and JIM PAPROCKI
IOWA VIEW

December 20, 2006

In the absence of national leadership, our legislators have a moral
responsibility to provide equal rights for all Iowans. The character of
our
state is in large part defined by our leaders' willingness to ensure
dignity and respect for all citizens.



Sexual orientation is not grounds for advancing human rights.

If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
deviancy? They could be termed "orientation" as well, and we would need a
whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps the
orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls -- three
of them.

No reason not too -- as long as you can find any jurisdiction
which regards 12 year olds as competent adults.
-- cary
.
User: "Jeff Strickland"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 21 Dec 2006 05:59:46 PM
"Cary Kittrell" <cary@afone.as.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:emeu1g$a1a$1@onion.ccit.arizona.edu...

If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
deviancy? They could be termed "orientation" as well, and we would need a
whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps
the
orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls --
three
of them.


No reason not too -- as long as you can find any jurisdiction
which regards 12 year olds as competent adults.


The point is, ANY and ALL forms of sexual deviancy must then be granted
civil rights based upon the deviant behavior.
A not-so-absurd analogy is happening here in California. Our State Supreme
Court recently ruled our method of implementing the Death Penalty is
unconstitutional because the second drug given to the inmate can mask the
actual pain the inmate might be suffering -- notwithstanding the first drug
given (sodium pentethol) is more than 12 times the amount of the same drug
they would give you and I before they embark on invasive surgery. So, we
give more than 12 times the amount given to a hospital patient -- and that
amount is more than enough to put people out, yet 12 times that amount won't
put an inmate out. But, I digress. The point I am trying to make is that the
judge had no basis -- his own view -- to rule that our method is cruel and
unusual punishment. If we used his benchmark to dismantle our capital
punishment, then the same benchmark -- which the judge said had no basis --
could be used to free prisoners held for life without possiblity of parole
back onto the streets. What could possibly be more cruel than holding a man
for the rest of his life in a place where he had no control over his
destiny, much less his day to day life. What is more cruel than the pain and
suffering to his psyche which results from a life of confinement? Surely, if
it is cruel to mask pain that can't even be demonstrated as existing, then
it has to be cruel to hold one in captivity for the rest of his natural
life. If one is cruel, then the other is likewise cruel. If one deviant
behavior is elevated to a human right, then all deviant behaviors must be so
elevated.
.
User: "Cary Kittrell"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 21 Dec 2006 06:24:41 PM
In article <c-adndUxBeptghbYnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d@ez2.net> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> writes:


"Cary Kittrell" <cary@afone.as.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:emeu1g$a1a$1@onion.ccit.arizona.edu...

If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
deviancy? They could be termed "orientation" as well, and we would need a
whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps
the
orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls --
three
of them.


No reason not too -- as long as you can find any jurisdiction
which regards 12 year olds as competent adults.



The point is, ANY and ALL forms of sexual deviancy must then be granted
civil rights based upon the deviant behavior.

A not-so-absurd analogy is happening here in California. Our State Supreme
Court recently ruled our method of implementing the Death Penalty is
unconstitutional because the second drug given to the inmate can mask the
actual pain the inmate might be suffering -- notwithstanding the first drug
given (sodium pentethol) is more than 12 times the amount of the same drug
they would give you and I before they embark on invasive surgery. So, we
give more than 12 times the amount given to a hospital patient -- and that
amount is more than enough to put people out, yet 12 times that amount won't
put an inmate out. But, I digress. The point I am trying to make is that the
judge had no basis -- his own view -- to rule that our method is cruel and
unusual punishment. If we used his benchmark to dismantle our capital
punishment, then the same benchmark -- which the judge said had no basis --
could be used to free prisoners held for life without possiblity of parole
back onto the streets. What could possibly be more cruel than holding a man
for the rest of his life in a place where he had no control over his
destiny, much less his day to day life. What is more cruel than the pain and
suffering to his psyche which results from a life of confinement? Surely, if
it is cruel to mask pain that can't even be demonstrated as existing, then
it has to be cruel to hold one in captivity for the rest of his natural
life. If one is cruel, then the other is likewise cruel. If one deviant
behavior is elevated to a human right, then all deviant behaviors must be so
elevated.



Jail for life is not judged cruel and unusual because it was
common at time time the phrase was written, yet the Flounders
did not exclude it.
There is no such precedent against which to compare this
novel method of execution, so the judge must go by
other critera.
Nonetheless, that's a diversion: what I would like to know,
in order to make the discussion less abstract, are what
sorts of "deviant behaviors" you see as potential candidates
for future implausible claims on civil rights?
-- cary
.
User: "Jeff Strickland"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 21 Dec 2006 08:02:53 PM
"Cary Kittrell" <cary@afone.as.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:emf8k9$s16$1@onion.ccit.arizona.edu...

In article <c-adndUxBeptghbYnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d@ez2.net> "Jeff Strickland"
<crwlr@yahoo.com> writes:


"Cary Kittrell" <cary@afone.as.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:emeu1g$a1a$1@onion.ccit.arizona.edu...

If orientation was proper grounds, then what of other forms of sexual
deviancy? They could be termed "orientation" as well, and we would
need a
whole new set of laws to advance human rights to those people. Perhaps
the
orientation would mean a man that wanted to marry 12-year old girls --
three
of them.


No reason not too -- as long as you can find any jurisdiction
which regards 12 year olds as competent adults.



The point is, ANY and ALL forms of sexual deviancy must then be granted
civil rights based upon the deviant behavior.

A not-so-absurd analogy is happening here in California. Our State
Supreme
Court recently ruled our method of implementing the Death Penalty is
unconstitutional because the second drug given to the inmate can mask the
actual pain the inmate might be suffering -- notwithstanding the first
drug
given (sodium pentethol) is more than 12 times the amount of the same
drug
they would give you and I before they embark on invasive surgery. So, we
give more than 12 times the amount given to a hospital patient -- and
that
amount is more than enough to put people out, yet 12 times that amount
won't
put an inmate out. But, I digress. The point I am trying to make is that
the
judge had no basis -- his own view -- to rule that our method is cruel
and
unusual punishment. If we used his benchmark to dismantle our capital
punishment, then the same benchmark -- which the judge said had no
basis --
could be used to free prisoners held for life without possiblity of
parole
back onto the streets. What could possibly be more cruel than holding a
man
for the rest of his life in a place where he had no control over his
destiny, much less his day to day life. What is more cruel than the pain
and
suffering to his psyche which results from a life of confinement? Surely,
if
it is cruel to mask pain that can't even be demonstrated as existing,
then
it has to be cruel to hold one in captivity for the rest of his natural
life. If one is cruel, then the other is likewise cruel. If one deviant
behavior is elevated to a human right, then all deviant behaviors must be
so
elevated.




Jail for life is not judged cruel and unusual because it was
common at time time the phrase was written, yet the Flounders
did not exclude it.

The Fathers did not exclude capital punishment either.

There is no such precedent against which to compare this
novel method of execution, so the judge must go by
other critera.

It turns out the judge used some fuzzy-science from a leftist publication
that doesn't even come to a conclusion of its own hypothysis. The report
makes an assumption that is never fully supported, and the judge bought the
assumption as fact. The judge's own words are to the affect that there is no
conclusive evidence, yet he demands California change the way it administers
the drugs. I happen to agree that we need a better method of administering
the drugs, assuming the facts of the challenge are accurate. But, if the
challenge is not accurate in the first place, then we administer the drugs
as good as we can.

Nonetheless, that's a diversion: what I would like to know,
in order to make the discussion less abstract, are what
sorts of "deviant behaviors" you see as potential candidates
for future implausible claims on civil rights?

Sorry for the diversion. I was trying to illustrate the point that cruel and
unusual punishment can be defined in California as a life sentence without
possibility of parole because of the way the judge ruled in our death
penalty drug adminsitration method. Don't dwell on this topic, I just wanted
to show how the principle could be expanded to include unintended
consequences. There are unintended consequences that will come of gay
marriage, or a new class of civil rights for sexual deviants.
Any sort of deviant behavior, starting with gay marriage and moving on from
there. Gay sex is deviant sex. Should we prosecute or persecute gays for
having deviant sex? Probably not. Should we grant deviants a special class
of civil rights? Probably not.
.




User: "Treehugger"

Title: Re: Protect rights; add sexual orientation to Code of Iowa 22 Dec 2006 01:50:31 PM
Jeff Strickland wrote:

<buckeye-elo@nospam.net> wrote in message


I see the Iowa view as fundamentally flawed.

That's because you're a bigot. People like you are the reason that this
is needed.
.



  Page 1 of 1

1

 


Related Articles
 

NEWER

pg.3585     pg.2749     pg.2106     pg.1612     pg.1232     pg.940     pg.716     pg.544     pg.412     pg.311     pg.234     pg.175     pg.130     pg.96     pg.70     pg.50     pg.35     pg.24     pg.16     pg.10     pg.6     pg.3     pg.1

OLDER