Posted on 01/20/2003 3:16:30 PM PST by Gopher Broke
Warner, Kaine attend gay-rights reception Group supports bill on domestic-partner benefits
BY TYLER WHITLEY TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jan 20, 2003
They are not numerous enough to be a potent political bloc, but members of Virginia's gay and lesbian community have gotten the attention of Virginia's Democratic governor and lieutenant governor.
Gov. Mark R. Warner and Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine showed up at a legislative reception held Thursday night by "Equality Virginia," the new name of an umbrella advocacy organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Virginians.
Republican Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore was invited but did not attend.
Warner's visit was the first by a Virginia governor in the five years gay-rights activists have held a reception for legislators and elected leaders.
A few years ago, the lobbyists for the organization had trouble getting into the offices of legislators, said Pat Heck, of Norfolk, a vice president of Equality Virginia. Now the reception is much friendlier, although the organization still has trouble promoting its agenda, he said.
Last week, the Senate Courts of Justice committee defeated a bill that would have added sexual orientation to the hate-crimes law.
The House of Delegates passed a bill that would prevent school boards from restricting access to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
The Boy Scouts prohibit avowed homosexuals from being Scout leaders, and some school boards across the country have threatened to ban Scouts from holding meetings in schools.
On the hate-crimes bill, Equality Virginia took comfort that one senator had switched his vote, narrowing the margin against the bill.
On Tuesday, Del. Robert F. McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach, chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee and a potential GOP candidate for attorney general, said gays and lesbians might not qualify for a judgeship in Virginia because they violate the state's sodomy law.
Equality Virginia condemned McDonnell's statement, saying it offered a "classic example of how Virginia's sodomy law is used to discriminate against gays and lesbians."
If strictly interpreted, no one in the legislature might qualify, said Joseph Price, president of the organization.
The group in the past has sought to repeal the sodomy statute. It is not trying to do so this year because it is awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the sodomy laws, Price said.
The main legislative focus this year is a bill that would allow private employers to offer domestic-partner benefits to Virginia employees, if the employer has a nationwide policy to do so. Virginia's Bureau of Insurance limits such benefits to children and spouses. Both United Air Lines and Kroger Co. offer the benefits.
With the governor as the main attraction, Thursday's event drew a crowd of almost 300 people and filled three rooms in the basement of the Commonwealth Park Suites Hotel. About 15 legislators, most from Northern Virginia, dropped by.
Price said Equality Virginia has about 1,000 members.
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.com
Republican Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore Virginia's next Great Governor was invited but did not attend.
'Bout friggin' time...we ain't had a Great Governor since George Allen, Jr. almost FIVE YEARS AGO!!!!
FReegards...MUD
What MORONIC MOO-larkey...when's the last time this law has been enforced?! Not including all the DemonRAT politicians who hang out in rest stops and public bathrooms lookin' fer a little action!! Those disgusting RAT-bastards deserve to git busted...MUD
That sounds highly unlikely, my FRiend...how could the kid tell if it was Sodomy as compared to something more conventional?! You probably don't have a link to that story, do you?!
Sounds like an Urban Legend...MUD
LOL...me neither, leastways not today...MUD
BTW..."it is rarely, if ever, enforced and usually its enforced in the wrong way. Virginia has some pretty messed up sex laws actually. For example, public displays of affection (i.e. kissing your wife in public) can get you a fine. I pity the LEO that would even try to write that ticket though."
Actually, I'm for eliminating ALL LAWS that are not universally-enforced as these laws lead to an Abuse of Power on the part of the Arbitrary Application of Justice!! FReegards!!
Actually, the BOLD looks like YOU're shouting...and I only use italics fer excerpts from linked articles. I'll try to cut down on the all-cap words, though...MUD
Whazzup, dude??! You gonna be at CPAC this year?! Looks like a lotta FReepers shall be attending...MUD
The RINOs who voted for Warner are getting exactly what they deserve. Maybe he'll take their "confederate hertiage" next. I'm sure they won't mind, since the "conservative" Democrat-apologists ONLY bothered to attack EARLEY on that issue.
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