Yeah, I know, why give this crazy guy a platform? But it's already out there, and there's another reason to highlight stuff like this: it seems to be spreading. As marriage equality spreads--and it seems likely to become the law of the land nationally sooner rather than later--the anti-gay backlash is starting to get nutty. Or rather, nuttier than usual. This guy is bananas, but there are a bunch more just like him.
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The good Pastor Williams. Nice red neck you've got there.
Image from source, Raw Story. |
So anyway, this guy likely sees himself as a patriot, but he doesn't seem to understand what the Constitution is, what's in it, what it's for, and how you amend it. I mean, if we just put the
odiousness of what he'd like to do aside for the moment, his proposed amendment would be in conflict with the first amendment. But beyond that, the amendment would require
massive support in both houses of Congress, as well as in a supermajority of the states. Constitutional amendments are
extremely difficult to pass, and for good reason.
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I'm not sure this punishment has
been completely thought through. |
Beyond that, this guy wants to
criminalize private sexual behavior. Behavior--it should be pointed out--that is practiced by straight people as well as gay people. That should freak everybody out. But even with this extreme proposal, the guy is a chickenshit. The Bible doesn't call for imprisoning gay people, it calls for the
death penalty. As long as he's shooting for the moon here, he might as well go for it, right? But he wussed out. Not that his proposal would enjoy an ounce more support either way.
It's time for people to stop proposing changes to the Constitution that sever no other purpose but to
limit rights. That's totally outside the purpose of the document. And you would think these "strict constructionist"-types would know that.
[Excerpt]
Pastor calls to imprison gays for ‘ten years hard labor’ with new constitutional amendment
A pastor who uses his Internet platform to teach political lessons based on conservative Christian ideology has proposed a constitutional amendment to punish LGBT people for “ten years in prison at hard labor.”
In a video posted to his PreachingPolitics.com website last month that was flagged by the Good As You blog on Monday, Pastor Michael V. Williams asserts that Christians have been “increasingly tolerant” of gay people over the last 50 years. . .
Read more at: Raw Story
