Ah, I love Republican agendas. The Grand White Party sees homosexuality as a crime-causing, society-crum- bling, morally wrong act. Now one of Kalispell's own has decided to join the Jesse Helms anti-homosexual legislative wrecking crew. (Helms is the South Carolina senator who refuses to believe AIDS can be transmitted heterosexually.) Rep. Bill Boharski has introduced House Bill 323, which would ban same-sex marriages in the state of Montana.
If Boharski would start listening to ordinary citizens, his views - and the bills he proposes - might change.
The mentality behind Boharski's bill is best voiced by Laurie Koutnik, state executive of the Christian Coalition, who said in endorment Boharski's bill: "There are valid reasons for good social order to allow discrimination at least for some form of employment and housing" for homosexuals. The gall! Koutnik doesn't even soften her language: the Montana Christian Coalition advocates the discrimination of homosexuals. Personally, I couldn't call for discrimination against anybody and truly consider myself human, let alone Christian.
After you make homosexuals pariahs, who's next? Blacks? Jews? What about women, Laurie? Don't let your Inquisition backfire.
Discrimination towards anyone, legal or not, is still wrong.
Homosexuality does not cause crime. It does not cause social or moral decay. Homosexuals don't wake up in the morning and say, "I'm feeling particularly gay today. I think I'll go rob a liquor store."
I see many homosexuals as normal, all-around Americans with normal lives and jobs. Some have classes to teach, software to design, bills to write and sermons to preach. They are American, and should have the rights and privileges that any citizen has.
Gay marriage gives homosexuals the right enjoyed by everybody else: the right to the legal recognition of a marriage - and a tax break. These are basic liberties shared by all citizens of Montana. And none of these liberties could possibly harm anybody, even the members of the Christian Coalition.
Bill Boharski should reevaluate his proposal. A man openly supported by advocates of discrimination mocks the views of his constituants.
Bill, don't be an embarrassment to Kalispell. Don't be another Jesse Helms.
Drop your proposal, and drop it now.