Assembly delves into dad's day debate(Tough Luck, 'Traditional' Dads)

Stockton record ^ | Friday, June 13, 2003 | Will Shuck

[nickcarraway]

SACRAMENTO -- With fewer than 100 hours before the deadline to adopt a state budget, members of the Assembly on Thursday argued over who should be honored as a father on Father's Day.

Republicans either withheld their support or voted against a resolution honoring fathers, specifically "nontraditional" dads.

Stockton Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian said Democrats deliberately left dads like him -- married to the mother of his children -- out of the bill. Alan Nakanishi of Lodi went so far as to call it "a homosexual bill," a charge the author said couldn't "be farther from the truth."

Nakanishi abstained from voting on Christine Kehoe's resolution.

"It didn't belong on the floor," he said. "It was a homosexual bill in the sense that they wanted to make a point out of two fathers" in a single household.

Aghazarian said he didn't mind honoring stepfathers, foster fathers, single fathers and families headed by two fathers, as enumerated in the bill, but said he couldn't find himself in the resolution.

"Where is the (part) talking about a husband and a wife who have kids?" he said. "I mean, where is the love?" ::: Advertisement :::

"The tenure of this democratic caucus, they go out of their way to make sure every single special-interest group gets their 15 minutes of fame while at the same time thumbing their nose at traditional, hard-working families," said Peter DeMarco, a spokesman for the Assembly Republicans.

"That's the agenda of this (Democratic) caucus."

Kehoe, a Democrat from San Diego who authored the resolution, is one of the few openly gay members of the Legislature.

She dismissed Nakanishi's characterization of it as a gay bill.

"Nothing could be farther from the truth," Kehoe said. "This has to do with Father's Day and honoring all fathers."

"If I had known they wanted the word 'traditional,' I would have put it in," she said.

"My father and mother were married for almost 50 years. I come from a very traditional family, and my main hope in offering this resolution is to honor my father."

Assemblywoman Barbara Matthews, D-Tracy, said she saw no controversy. "We typically do these resolutions to mark the holidays. I didn't have a negative reaction to it. It was honoring fathers, and I was certainly supportive."

While scant time was spent debating the measure, some wondered whether any time at all was too much, with the state careening toward its constitutional deadline to adopt a budget with no deal in sight.

Lawmakers have until midnight Sunday to pass a spending plan.

Though that deadline is seldom met, it has become a focal point this year because of a $38 billion deficit, and the need to convince Wall Street bankers that California will be able to repay the billions it hopes to borrow.

Assembly members remain on call this weekend, and would have to return to the Capitol if party leaders reach a compromise.

* To reach Capitol

[jwalburg]

But my mom is just like a dad! She should be included. And my big sister acts like a dad sometimes. Don't leave her out. My dog saved me from a burglar once, just like a dad would do... If they do to dads what they try to do to marriage, pretty soon, all meaning will be leached from the term.

[nickcarraway]

pretty soon, all meaning will be leached from the term.

Probably their intent

[teancumspirit]

Question? Why does the goverment think it needs to tell us that they have any say in how or who should honor their dads. I have never felt the need to have the goverment tell me I need to honor my dad. I do because I love him and my mother, and I honor them both. Dose not the Goverment have better things to do, such as passing a budget. They seem to waste time on things they have no control over,than doing their jobs. They are wasting valueable time and resources trying to muddy the isuses. Someone needs to make a change. I feel sorry for california!

[kuma]

Isn't this socialism? Why all the surprise at the gubermint trying to dictate family policies? Socialism is what Democrats do best. It's the only thing they do out in Kalifornia if you hadn't noticed there over-spending.

[heleny]

Kehoe, a Democrat from San Diego who authored the resolution, is one of the few openly gay members of the Legislature.

I disagree. She is one of many openly homosexual members of the legislature. Five members form the Assembly "gay" caucus, out of 80 total Assemblymen. That far exceeds the proportion of homosexuals in the California or US population.

The bills Kehoe authors typically have something to do with homosexuals, but she seems to have little interest in any other matters that might be imporatnt to her constituents. She carelessly votes however the Assembly Democrat leader tells her to; when confronted with an unpopular bill that she voted for, she confessed that she never even bothered to read the bill.

The article clearly indicates Kehoe and Barbara Matthews are democrats. But, Greg Aghazarian and Alan Nakanishi are referenced as Republicans only vaguely in a separate paragraph.

[cake_crumb]

"With fewer than 100 hours before the deadline to adopt a state budget, members of the Assembly on Thursday argued over who should be honored as a father on Father's Day."

It's wonderful to see that CA legislators are ignoring such trivial things as the teeny budget problem in favor of working together so feverishly to solve the crisis of who should be honored on Father's Day. Yep, they sure have their priorities straight.

[maxwell]

It's wonderful to see that CA legislators are ignoring such trivial things as the teeny budget problem in favor of working together so feverishly to solve the crisis of who should be honored on Father's Day

First thing I thought too. Aren't there bigger issues in CA right now? Oh wait, this is one that these hacks actually have a chance of doing something about.

[ladylib]

This story is sort of related. Here is a school principal telling students what to think:

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/education/6085264.htm

[cake_crumb]

"Aren't there bigger issues in CA right now? Oh wait, this is one that these hacks actually have a chance of doing something about."

Yep, these seem to be the only issues they're equipped to handle. Even if the Recal Davis campaign succeeds and a fiscally responsible governor is elected, the bozos in the legislature will still be there.

[Faith]

Sickening!

[donmeaker]

They shouldn't call them Gay Straight Alliance. They should call them Gay Straight Recruiting club.

All people, and higher animals have the physiological ability to be stimulated by a wide variety of sexual practice. You get more comfortable with the ones to which you are exposed. The purpose of these is to expose as many people as possible to perverted practices.

A turkey can be sexually aroused by a wooden post painted like a female turkey. Before we feel too superior, consider a 16 year old boy with a Playboy(tm) magazine.

One should not be so openminded that your brain falls out.

[visualops]

"One should not be so openminded that your brain falls out"

That is premier tagline material lol

[kuma]

Was a club needed? No. Just teachers who do not allow misbehavior in school while teaching Math, Spelling, Reading and such.

Basically the story was done one-sided. Typical peice of liberal journalism. They didn't bother to ask other students what they thought of a club based purely on sex.

And this is the defining paragraph.

---

"It has become a little PC [politically correct]," said Zemach-Bersin at Central Bucks West. "Even if they're making fun of me and mocking the issues, the point is they realize it's an issue for the first time. They realize people might be offended."

[ladylib]

Of course, public school officials don't think that straight kids or their parents should be offended.

Let them have their club, because you really can't stop them, but they should be stopped from trying to indoctrinate other kids into their culture or telling them they must be tolerant of homosexuality or of different lifestyles. It's none of the school's business how or what their students think on this matter, however, if students disagree with it, they certainly have a right to express their views.

[CyberAnt]

These CA state dems should be shaking in their boots. If they don't get their act together, they could be recalled after we get rid of Davis.

And ... John (Heartland on FOX) said he was concerned that when people get the information about how to do a recall - and the recall goes so well (like the one for Davis), many other recalls will take place.

If CA wants a revolution - it can have one. The only problem will be putting your money where your mouth is.

[CdMGuy]

You are right. Recalling Joe Davis is just the start. We don't need to waste time recalling these other legistative left wing nutcases. We just need to work to get qualified people to run against them and then provide the cash to their challengers to defeat them at the polls.

The level of gays and lesbians in the CA legislature is astounding. Every time you turn around, they are promoting their legislative agenda. A backlash is coming, and it will not be pretty.

[CyberAnt]

"A backlash is coming, and it will not be pretty"

I think you're right!!