CLARIFICATION:A prior version of this article stated that Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) lobbied for the passage of bills that resembled SB 1070. Although CCA did have a representative at the ALEC meeting where model legislation similar to 1070 was drafted, we did not mean to imply that CCA drafted the bill. Although disputed by some, CCA maintains that it "is longstanding policy not to draft, lobby for or in any way promote crime, sentencing or detention legislation."
Chanclaso
What's a parent supposed to do if their 4-year-old son starts acting like a girl? How 'bout punch him until you beat the gay out of him? That's actually what Pastor Sean Harris of Berean Baptist Church in North Carolina wants you to do. Pastor Harris was caught saying some of the most vile and disgusting anti-gay remarks aimed at children who are perceived to be gay. You can also hear the audience clapping and giving their approval to his beat-the-gay-out-of-your-son sermon. These right-wingers are out of control and I'm not a Jesus expert, but I'm sure he would never beat a defenseless child. I thought Jesus was about helping the poor and the needy, helping thy neighbor, not terrorizing children. How much hate for gays does someone have to have to advocate the punching of a 4-year-old? But you know, a study was recently published stating that if you're extremely homophobic, then you probably have some homosexual tendencies.
Aplausos
This week, I'm giving big aplausos to all the lawmakers of Illinois who are supporting SB 1064, a bill that would expand Illinois' 20-year policy of prohibiting private prison companies from operating correctional facilities to cover immigration detention centers as well. The bill has already passed through the Senate, and is awaiting a House floor vote after making it through the Executive Committee on Wednesday.
SB 1064 is a direct shot at a contract that is currently under negotiations between the municipality of Crete in Will County and Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest private prison company in the country - de veras, that CCA, the notorious corporation that involved in the passage of Arizona's draconian SB 1070 immigration bill.
The immigration detention system in America is a dire human rights issue that is largely unspoken of, since it's largely unknown. Every year, the U.S. government detains roughly 400,000 immigrants in over 350 facilities across the country - some of which may be right in your backyard - and holds them in inhumane conditions as they await deportation. Detention has become an industrial-complex, and that's why large corporations like CCA work hard to keep it going. But private companies are not fit to run prisons or detention centers. Not only is it irrational, since their bottom lines depend on filling beds, but it's dangerous, since they lack oversight. According to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, 24 undocumented immigrants have died in CCA prisons due to a lack of medical care in the facilities. The immigration detention system needs reform, not more prisons run by idiotas like CCA - so way to go Illinois lawmakers, yet this comes with a warning: the House better pass SB 1064! Venceremos!
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Gender roles are sociological, not "natural" in the sense we use them. This is worth pointing out, as many different cultures wear different kinds of clothes, and have different societal pressures on specific genders.
Kilts are an awful lots like skirts, but don't even think of calling a scotsman girly. Same rings true for certain traditional Arab garb, or Japanese garb, or for that matter, robes worn by christian leaders, like the pope and cardinals, and altar boys. Unless you are going to try to enforce that girls not wear pants, this is not a winning issue for you. Even if you do try to enforce women not wearing pants, how is that different from a burqa.
Enforcing gender norms, especially based on religious pretense, is quite a daunting prospect. It is also illegal in a free society, with the separation of church and state. Especially interesting is that the places trying to enforce gender norms based on christianity are the same ones that passed laws preventing Sharia law. Hypocrisy.
When this pastor tells fathers to punch their children it's for if male children wearing girl clothes. While this will affect gay children and while the pastor is probably too ignorant to understand the difference between violating gender norms and sexual orientation thus conflating them, the reporting on this should first decry the Transphobic nature of this remark. This was first an attack on Transgender children or those whose behavior seems Transgender.
This injustice will begin to end when enough people see the injustice. It is beginning to work for GLBT, despite recent setbacks. The civil rights movement eventually had results despite these "birther" attacks. Few believe that women should be chattel or that there should be slavery.
As for Mr. Harris and the applause from his congregation...people...remember you will meet your maker upon your last breath. Your life will be measured by many things...but one that will not be tolerated by your god is how you treat the children. You are alll lost in your hate. You are worse than the scum of the Earth..There will come a day...when you will have to answer for all your hate and bigotry.
We are 20,000,000+ strong and we will NOT go away and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.
We are 20,000,000+ strong and we are NOT going away..and we will NOT be silence by ignorance.