As we edge closer to Tuesday’s implementation of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal, Queerty is taking a look back at the some of the stories that have brought us to this point.
The Bible says [homosexuality is] a capital offense. You want someone with unrepentant criminal behavior? And it’s not just that, neither should adulterers, neither should thieves, neither should a lot of things. The church is full of sinners, but we’re told in 1st Corinthians—it rattled off the homosexual, the adulterer, the thief, the liar, and such were some of you, but you’ve been washed, you’ve been justified and so forth. It’s not what you were. You’re not punishing a thought. But do you want an unrepentant drug dealer in the military? Same thing.
— Georgia State Rep. Bobby Franklin (R) on gay servicemembers [via]
AFruit4Thought
Surprising..ly stupid.
The U.S. military has had to let in all sorts of people that they wouldn’t have considered before 9/11. Felons and pedophiles and…even terrorists!
(CNN said so http://articles.cnn.com/2008-04-21/us/military.waivers_1_felony-waivers-recruits-pentagon-statistics?_s=PM:US)
Rep. Bobby Franklin, read a book before you talk.
Harbo
Spoken like a typically stupid Southern bigot and Bible-thumper. If this man had bothered to read the entire Bible he would have come across all sorts of outrageous sayings like it’s alright to sell your daughter into slavery, that it’s an abominatin to eat shellfish, it advises putting to death anyone who works on Sunday, and forbids a man from having contact with a woman during her period. There’s more equally rediculous advice. The Bible is absolutely filled with hate.
Bob
What does the bible have to do with the laws of our land? There is supposed to be a separation of church and state. If this backwoods bigot is governing by the bible, he should be impeached!
Joe in Decatur, GA
Harbo, why does it matter or not whether he’s “Southern”? There are plenty of prejudiced people all over the US and indeed the world, bravo for being part of them.
Harbo
Joe in Decatur: I agree with you. There’s enough prejudice to go around. But it’s worse in the South. I know. I live in the South.
justiceontherocks
He’s a member of the Georgia legislature. This means two things for sure:
1) No one gives a rat’s ass what he thinks of DADT being repealed, and
2) He’s a five alarm moron.
The next time Georgia wants to secede, just let them.
Shannon1981
This guy is an idiot. I cannot believe he actually said that in public. Haven’t people learned that bigots get nowhere with statements like that? Sure, plenty of people hate us due to their religious views, but usually they have the sense to not SAY it like that. It is like Obama said” “We are not a nation of Christians. We are a nation of many religions.”
Jeffree
Well, then Rep. Bobby Franklin should definitely work on drafting a Constitutional amendment outlawing adultery, if he feels that way ! Time to focus on some REAL Christian values, eh what?
Corey Mondello
Only the elimination of all conservative Christians will allow all Americans to be free and the world to no longer have to live in fear of the U.S.A.’s imperialist, terrorist holy war. The conservative ideology has never helped mankind in any way, it has not only never helped mankind in anyway, it has oppressed, murdered, raped and killed all those in it’s way to gain power. History shows us this. Fact shows us this. James Madison, the “Father of the U.S. Constitution”, along with many founders of this country, regardless of their religious or non-religious affiliations, knew keeping politics and religion separate not only preserves each, but helps them flourish: “The number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church and the State.”
AFruit4Thought
@Corey Mondello: Just as long as you mean “helping people see the error of their ways” when you say “elimination.” I’m against violent rhetoric no matter where it comes from, and I think that we, as a community, should be, too.
B
No. 2 · Harbo wrote, “If this man had bothered to read the entire Bible he would have come across all sorts of outrageous sayings like it’s alright to sell your daughter into slavery, that it’s an abominatin to eat shellfish, it advises putting to death anyone who works on Sunday, and forbids a man from having contact with a woman during her period. There’s more equally rediculous advice. The Bible is absolutely filled with hate.”
Given the time, the lack of refrigeration, and the non-existence of public health services of any kind, many of those prohibitions made sense – at the time. Eating pork, if not well cooked, can give you trichinosis (still a problem today in much of the world). Shellfish toxin is similarly a problem (although we can now test for it, thus making shellfish safe to buy).
Slavery was unfortunately a common practice, but with nuances. See http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Bible/Torah/Deuteronomy/Biblical_Slavery.shtml for one explanation (and it was worse in other parts of the ancient world).
Of course sensible people would treat much of the Bible as an historical document showing how beliefs evolved with time, not as a set of rules to follow and that cannot be questioned.
JM
What an ass. I wish I could kick his ass.
the crustybastard
If you cannot make the distinction between Mosaic law and Constitutional law, you are unfit for office.
However, he did make the world a better place…when he died a couple months ago.
the crustybastard
@B:
Meh. Any meat can make you sick. The ban isn’t on all meat.
Desert nomads would have understandable qualms about shellfish. The pork thing is more intriguing. Human flesh allegedly looks, cooks and tastes like pork. A pork prohibition forecloses the possibility of incidental cannibalism.
Chad
@Bob: or his church taxed.
ewe
We need to tie this guys time up in the courts. File suit.
Q
Rihann fall http://celebslam.celebuzz.com/
Mav
@Harbo: Ditto from Alabama. People really DO think queers are unrepentant criminal deviants here.
I blame that goddamned Deliverance movie.
Mark
This man is such an idiot – the word homosexual did not appear in the language until the late 19th century. There was no word for it in ancient Aramic. I feel sorry for such ignorance.
timmy
WHAT DO YOU ALL EXPECT FROM GEORGIA OR ANYWHERE IN THE BACKWARD SOUTH FOR THAT MATTER
THEY FUCK THEIR SISTERS AND FARM ANIMALS!!!!!
EWWWWWWWWWW
Tony
This guy should check his facts. There are quite few former drug dealers in the military. Lots of judges will say to people: “You can go to jail or you can join the military.” I can’t believe he doesn’t know this.
Andy
The guy died two months ago: http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2011/07/26/state-rep-bobby-franklin-found-dead/?cxntlid=brkng_nws_bnr
ewe
@Andy: AW. let me get a tissue.
ewe
Did his bible go in the coffin with him? Just wondering.