In Pennsylvania, free speech apparently doesn’t apply in the halls of democracy. When Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims, who is openly gay, decide to talk on the House floor about the the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, Republicans objected and shut him down.
Sims, a Democrat and the state’s first out legislator, had just begin making his comments, when several Republicans took umbrage and stopped him. Two other Democrats tried to follow Sims and were also blocked from speaking. Under the legislature’s rules, a single member can stop another from talking if he or she objects.
“I wasn’t planning on chastising anybody. I wasn’t planning on discussing how far we have to come in Pennsylvania or that we really have no civil rights in Pennsylvania,” Sims said. “It was really just going to limit my comments to how important the cases were.” Sims said that several Republicans apologized to him afterwards.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe explained to WHYY that he objected to Sims comments for religious reasons.
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“I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God’s law,” said Metcalfe.
If that’s the case, then the majority of Pennsylvanians are in open rebellion. A recent poll showed that 54% of state residents support marriage equality. Apparently, their point of view isn’t worth listening to in the state legislature.
Photo credit: BrianSims.com
Cam
The GOP is an Anti-American organization that hates the U.S. Constitution.
They want a country where religion rules. They need to move to Saudi Arabia or Iran and stop pretending to be Americans.
im2bused
America is democracy not a theocracy
Rock Star
Religious reasons? The Penn legislature is a civil body that must comply to the constitution of the USA in that the separation of church and state, as JFK said must be absolute.
hyhybt
Hold on. A *legislature* has a rule where you can only speak if everyone present likes what you’re saying? How do they ever do anything at all?
Sammy Schlipshit
Apparently that metcalf douche has never heard that we are supposed to have a separation of church and state.
Another good reason to be an atheist.
1EqualityUSA
The GOP digs itself in deeper with each passing day. Soon they’ll be 6 feet under and only muffled cries will be heard.
D9W
“Under the legislature’s rules, a single member can stop another from talking if he or she objects.”
Then why not use it as a way to filibuster everything you abject to? I bet if the DEMs got a gang of eight together and blocked everything the GOP wants they might have second thoughts about playing this again.
Sammy Schlipshit
@1EqualityUSA: Actually, as odd as it is, they seem to be gaining the complete upper hand….witness the soon coming voter suppression laws that are being enacted.
The elections are being rigged by impossible rules on voters and gerrymandering the districts so a democrap or any other party will never win.
As hateful as they are, republican’ts have it all figured out….and dumb ass ‘mericans are still falling for it.
Spike
Just the GOP christian taliban alive and well.
1EqualityUSA
It will backfire on them. Watch Texas over the next two years. When the hive gets kicked once too often, underestimating the wrath is one’s first mistake.
mpwaite
and I know this is off topic.. BUT………OMG!!…………………..IS HE THE CUTEST STATE REP OR WHAT???!!!!
LubbockGayMale
Good lord, does GOP now stand for ‘GODs own party’?????
mz.sam
This is a 10 year old photo of hottie Brian Sims (referred to current website).
AxelDC
This is not just anti-American; this is anti-Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn to protect religious freedom. To silence an elected representative of the people for religious reasons violates the very reason that Pennsylvania was founded in the first place.
They dishonor William Penn with these theocratic tactics.
sirald66
Republican government official makes clear religion is calling the shots.
Just so we’re clear.
manjoguy
Sadly, today’s Democrats are doing whatever they can to ruin this country(it’s so unfortunate that many gays today don’t realize that the Democrat party has been hijacked by the Progressive Liberals – it’s not the same Democrat party of JFK and Harry Truman). “Blocking free speech” as the main point of this article isn’t unique to Republicans. What about all those organizations who applied to the IRS for tax-exempt status that were “put on hold” because they were in opposition to the current regime(as most of us should be)?!
Sammy Schlipshit
@manjoguy: Oh, honey. Really? You think today’s democraps are too liberal? That’s the funniest thing I have heard in weeks.
For most issues, there isn’t a dimes worth of difference between the democraps and the republican’ts.
If you think obomber and his ilk are too liberal, you need to do a little more reading of history.
As far as I’m concerned, I’m still waiting for the liberals to get their collective heads out of the sand and start doing the good work.
We have all been witness of the results of the last four or five administrations. This country didn’t disintegrate over night.
Dakotahgeo
Typical American christian Taliban conservative extremist! PA may well be in the next group that legalize marriage equality… I can feel it in my bones!
Joel J
@Cam: The GOP are God’s Own Party, or so they think.
Victor_in_PA
They just keep getting worse and worse. Soon, I expect them to wear white hoods to the chamber. Their efforts couldn’t be more transparent. If you vote republikkkan, you’re a friggin’ idiot to start. They truly represent the worst of society.
MisterMan
Brian Sims can talk to me all night long if he wants !! — swoon
MisterMan
@manjoguy:
“Democrat Party” — that tells me all I need to know.
Sammy Schlipshit
@MisterMan: Don’t leave the world hanging…..what does that tell you????? That democraps are the party of inclusive and the republican’ts are the party full of hate?????
casey
The thought occurred to me that if Creationists what evidence of what they call they missing link between Homo sapiens and the lower life forms from which we descended, they should study right-wing Republicans.
Jerry12
@hyhybt: That is why Pennsylvania is so screwed up. What happened to “Majority Rule?
hyhybt
@casey: Good one!
heath0043
@manjoguy: It wasn’t just the Republican backed organizations that were held up but also Democratic backed oranizations.
Daniel-Reader
Working on the Sabbath is punishable by death according to the bible – no exceptions. So according to Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, all paid police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and utility workers who work on the Sabbath are in direct defiance of his desert deity. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is pathetic and a hypocrite. He routinely pays the utility company to work on the Sabbath to provide water and electricity to his house. He is like the religious leaders who killed Jesus. Those religious “leaders” cloaked themselves in piety while doing evil to others.
Rubin
While I believe everyone is entitled to believe in what they want, as a member of state legislation you must remember you must put your personal beliefs aside and focus only on morality or else you are guilty of not keeping church and state separate. You can talk about “God’s Law” all you want in a house of god or out in the streets but in a house that govern’s the laws of man you must always remember you’re serving a country that is founded to be open to people of all backgrounds. Until the narrow minded big wigs understand that then we are failing our founding fathers who fought to make this country into one of pure progression, and fighting against us every step of the way with all these different groups of ethnicity and sexual orientations on the things that all humans deserve as equals is not helping us focus on the things that are most important which is moving on in to the future.
Cagnazzo82
Usually we’d see at least one or two gay republicans defending their party’s lunacy.
Total silence on this one I see?
Apparently this must be conservative lunacy taken one step too far.
andy0529
Why should I care ….DOMA and DADT was written by a Gay man who latter married his partner in New York, and Log Cabiner’s brag that Democrats only 50% of the gay vote. So as long as GWM’s vote with their wallets and to hell with civil rights then why should I care.
craiglll
In Pittsburgh, the story was only covered by the CBS station.
Homophile
@manjoguy:
O hai concern troll.
The fact that you keep calling it the “Democrat” party, tells us everything we need to know about you.
Go away.
Patsy Stoned
Bitter Old Insane Homophobe vs. Incredibly Hot Brian? My money is on the side of equality.