Mrs. Gregoire has proclaimed June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month (LGBT).
To acknowledge this event, the state Department of Health LGBT Display Planning Committee (a subgroup of the agency Multicultural Committee) has developed and installed displays on the subject throughout the Tumwater and Kent campuses. An e-mail on the subject from DOH Deputy Secretary Bill White is posted here.
I don't think there was a need for the legislation that was just passed, and upon reflection, there wasn't a need for the initiative.
Can't we keep sex out of politics? Are they all sex addicts? I don't know. Just observations. You go to the Stranger and that is all they talk about. And it seems to be the lgbts mainly.
Posted by: swatter on June 9, 2006 09:28 AMBut I hope Mrs. Gregoire will be even more inclusive; I suggest August as Bestiality Pride month.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 9, 2006 09:30 AMIn that email, Bill White wrote:
At each display site there will be individual copies of a story about the Danish response to Nazi oppression during World War II with a pink triangle attached; people are encouraged to take one, read the story, and wear the triangle.
Is this an insinuation that LGBT people in the USA today face the same dangers that they did in Nazi Germany? Where are those death camps located?
It's also a distortion of history--it was a *Star of David* that the KING of Denmark wore, that many non-Jewish Danes also wore, as a protest against the invading Nazi forces demand that Jews wear the star.
The idea is, of course, solidarity with the oppressed, for their protection (?), but the ends don't warrant confusing the means. Sloppy history for the sake of ideology isn't a good thing.
I'll bet that if this pink triangle was replaced with the Star of David, many people would refuse to wear it.
His email continues:
Monthly recognition events reinforce cultural competency learning. Such events help broaden staff understanding of multicultural communities experiencing high levels of health disparities.
So, do these events *really* reinforce cultural competency learning? Or is this politically correct wish-speak? And which cultures are left out of this competency course? If you do some, don't you have to do them all, in the spirit of fairness? Oh, wait--we need to understand "multicultural communities experiencing high levels of health disparities"--a lovely bit of PC shorthand speak that stands for...for...what? What health disparities are being referred to, exactly? But I guess if I don't know, I'm part of the problem and need to be edumactioned.
I didn't realize that this was such a HUGE problem in this workforce! wow, are my eyes opened now!
And it goes on:
In conjunction with cultural competency training, these events help change basic understanding, attitudes, and behaviors, and provide staff an opportunity to meet the spirit and intent of becoming culturally competent — one of our agency’s core competencies.
More PC speak--what does "culturally competent" mean? When do these workers get jihadi training, since that is another culture in which they need competency? Do these events REALLY solve a problem, or is it just a showpiece, to look busy?
My tax dollars at work...sheesh.
Posted by: Pseudotsuga on June 9, 2006 09:33 AMOppressed subcultures of the world, unite. Terminate the white male oligarchy!
Sheesh!
Posted by: Hoplophile on June 9, 2006 11:00 AMPolitically speaking, this whole homosexual agenda thing should be a death sentence to any politician - why isn't it?
Posted by: Cheryl on June 9, 2006 11:22 AM"Protecting 'sanctity'?
How can politicians and other people keep screaming about preserving "the sanctity" of marriage? They think marriage by gays will destroy the unity of marriage? Statistics show that many men and women cheat on their spouses. What exactly are they preserving?
Marci Johnson
Renton"
Yeah, let's just get rid of the whole institution! That will make gay partnerships equitable.
But then again, maybe the decisions some people make to break their vows says a little more about the adulterers and nothing about the institution of marriage. And just maybe the shrinking respect for the institution of marriage that make adultery more tolerable in this society is the direct result of the left's consistent attacks on the institution to expand its definition to include partnerships between any number of participants.
The battle between rejection and tolerance is over. Tolerance won. Now the battle is between tolerance and endorsement. Gay marriage is about endorsement of a lifestyle that has been rejected throughout the history of mankind. But if Seattle and San Francisco are the two smartest cities in America, then maybe the other 99% of us are just stupid.
Posted by: MJC on June 9, 2006 11:34 AMYou ask an honest question, so I'll try to give an honest answer.
First off, you have to understand that most Washingtonians regard homosexuality as just fine. For some that means as unremarkable as having blonde hair. For some that means "I wouldn't want it for my children, but I'm okay with it." For some that means "distasteful, but within their rights". The important thing is that this entire spectrum of people regards discrimination against homosexuals in work or housing as a very least gauche, and probably downright wrong. Only a tiny minority of Washingtonians regards homosexuality as a scourge that our society should work to eliminate.
Next you need to understand that the vast majority of people (and this applies to Republicans as well as Democrats), when they see something wrong, want to see their government actively working to eliminate it. The notion of a "proper sphere of government" is, quite frankly, beyond most people. (We've been trained to respect the 1st Amendment, but most Americans recoil even from that when the speech gets too offensive for them.)
Put these two facts together and you see why Washington politicians will profit by standing up for homosexuals, even if homosexuals represent only a tiny fraction of the population. They are seen to be standing up for the oppressed, and their constituants, hetero- and well as homo-sexual, like to see that.
You could just as well ask why politicians like to be seen "supporting the troops". Are they courting the "troop vote"? That would be strange, since soldiers represent only a tiny fraction of the population.
Posted by: David Wright on June 9, 2006 11:57 AMWhy has this society - pushed by the PC crowd through the courts and the nanny state - got to classify everyone? Why do we need to push certain classifications over other classifications? (You're a Jew if you are 1/16 Jewish decent and therefore can be gassed. You are African American if you are 1/16 African American so you can have government handouts designated for that classification) It is so insulting to everyone. We are spending gobs of money to ensure that King County is after MLK. Why can we not live by his dream - when my children will not be judged by the color of their skin (with whom they like to have sex, what sex you are....) but by the content of their character?
This government endorsed garbage emphasizes our differences, emphasizing the us vs. them, and is completely divisive.
Posted by: Fred on June 9, 2006 12:18 PMTaxpayer Appreciation Month. They can put up displays to remind them (at a minimum) of:
ARTICLE I - DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
SECTION 1 POLITICAL POWER.
All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.
Not sure what shape or color of badge they could wear...
They could have presentations about how taxpayers work hard to earn a living and how excessive taxes put a strain on many to make ends meet.
With the attitude our government has shown lately, they would probably pass a Legislator Appreication Month first, and slap an emergency clause on it to eliminate the ability for referendum.
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 9, 2006 01:59 PMBTW - i'm sponosoring an inititive to add Goth as a protected class and then Das Gov can give them a month too...can't be in the summer though.
Posted by: Dengle on June 9, 2006 03:50 PMWhy not:
Hispanic/Latino Month
Western European Month
Asian Month
- Chinese Week
- Vietnamese Week
- Japanese Week
- Cambodian Week
Christian Month
- Protestant Week
- Catholic Week
- Mormon Week
- Scientology Week
Jewish Month
- (If the analogy for LGBT is a way to celebrate the mistreatment of gays, then why wouldn't that same form of mistreatment be remembered for a group of people that suffered even more?)
Islamic Month
Native American Month
Pacific Native Month
Phillipino Month
American Commonwealth Month
Russian/Eastern Eurpoean Month
Middle Eastern Month
Non-English Speaker Month
English Speaker Month
Armed Forces Month
Constitution Month
Independence Month
I could go on, but to what purpose?
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 9, 2006 04:18 PMYep was kidding....and knew he had native american heritage (unlike certain liberal profs in Colorado). However, I think most on the left do not and so he's just a white guy and it's a mark against him. Though I suppose once they find out, he will become like Condi Rice and be asellout.
Funny how things go....guess we should all wear name tags or pink triangles so we can tell who's what. :-)
Posted by: Dengle on June 9, 2006 04:28 PMFor example: I see conservative groups wanting to write laws that protect the jobs of pharmacists who refuse to dispense Plan B. I see liberal groups wanting to write laws to force pharmicists to dispense Plan B. I see precious few groups saying we shouldn't be writing any laws about this, because these decisions are between the pharmicist, his employer, and the customers.
Posted by: David Wright on June 9, 2006 06:23 PMThe homosexual community (with the aid and endorsement of the Dhimmicrat party) has shoved special rights for homosexuals legislation down the throats of Washingtonians. We have yet to see the backlash, but I assure you that there will be one.
I actually enjoy seeing imbeciles like fraudoire ram-jamming insults like this upon the populace. It does almost nothing to enhance her reputation, and does tremendous damage to her reputation from normal people.
I look forward to the backlash...
Queen Cristine Rules!
Posted by: SP Fan on June 9, 2006 09:10 PMI doubt that Mrs Gregoire will proclaim a "Confident Heterosexual Male Month"...ever.
In the meantime, I'm quite certain that if I wore a "Straight, and Darn Proud of It!" shirt to work, the very least consequence I could expect would be a sermon from the PC Police and mandatory "sensitivity" training. It's not unlikely that I could get fired.
Yet several years ago, I saw a woman wear a shirt to work on a number of occasions that said, "Respect the Black Woman - Don't Cross Colors!".
Tolerance is a virtue. Extorting approval under threat of the law is an abomination.
Posted by: ewaggin on June 9, 2006 10:59 PMWhat evidence do I have for this? 1. WA Politicians have been talking the gay-friendly talk for a while now, and they keep getting re-elected. 2. The number of WA legislators supporting the gay civil rights bill increased steadily for 20 years, until this year it passed. 3. An effort to reverse that law via initiative failed to even get on the ballot, desptie being run by the most successful initiative organizer in WA state history.
Look, I'm not making any statement as to which side is right in this culture war. I'm just saying that the evidence is pretty clear as to which way the political wind is blowing. If you don't like that direction, then you need to redouble your efforts to change it, not make yourself look the fool by crossing your arms and saying "just wait, the backlash is comming!"
The emperor is wearing no clothes - someone is calling her on it and for the sake of truth in reporting, it needs to be done more and more. jeez, I hope I don't have nightmares from that visualization ! Just one more campaign issue for Dino Rossi, or whoever the Republican nominee for Gov. is in 2008.
Posted by: KS on June 10, 2006 09:11 PMWhere's the revolver?
Posted by: Cydney on June 11, 2006 10:04 PM