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“I’m not opposed to helping a child born with HIV or something, but I don’t condone spending taxpayers’ money to help people living in perverted lifestyles.”
– Rep. Larry Brown (R-Forsyth) who ran unopposed in the November election to win a fourth term.
The 2010 midterm turnover of our legislature here in NC — it will now be under GOP control for the first time since Reconstruction — is such a horrific development that it is no surprise that the emboldened good old country boys are going right for the throats of the LGBT community.
Out of the box there is talk not about jobs and the economy, but cutting funding for HIV/AIDS and pushing a marriage amendment, which has been killed repeatedly in committee when the GA was under Dem control.
Witness additional commentary from bigoted lawmaker Rep. Larry Brown, as reported by the Winston-Salem Journal. Brown was being interviewed about his goals for the upcoming session of the lege.
He began by discussing his support for a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to a union between one man and one woman, which would forestall any efforts to allow same-sex marriage.…Brown said Tuesday he’s not trying to say how people should lead their lives but that it is a higher priority to treat people who have diseases “with no fault of their own.” He said he doesn’t oppose those with HIV or AIDS getting treatment, but he doesn’t think the government should pay for it.
“I think people with HIV have legitimate fears and probably need support, but when it comes down to priorities, my priorities would be in other directions,” he said.
Brown drew criticism in October for an e-mail he sent to other state Republican lawmakers in which he used disparaging language about gays. After lawmakers were told about a legislative leadership award being given to then-House Speaker Joe Hackney, Brown sent his e-mail to House Minority Leader Paul Stam saying: “I hope all the queers are thrilled to see him. I am sure there will be a couple legislative fruitloops there in the audience.”
Sadly, Brown is not alone when it comes to bigotry. The Republicans cannot wait to put a marriage amendment on the table. Expect NOM to pour money into the effort.
Email: Larry.Brown@ncleg.net
Phone: 919-733-5607
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UPDATE: HRC responds:
“Rep. Brown’s ill-informed comments are not only hateful rhetoric, but they are also extremely dangerous,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Hysterical, judgmental and inaccurate statements like Brown’s create an environment that prevents many from getting tested and seeking treatment, thereby furthering the spread of HIV and AIDS. Larry Brown’s conduct reflects poorly on his constituents and other elected officials. The people of North Carolina deserve better.”“Larry Brown’s views are out of line with the fair-minded people of North Carolina,” Solmonese added. “Sadly, he won a fourth term in November unopposed. Expressions of such bigotry and ignorance have no place in the North Carolina Legislature.”
Related:
* NC legislator e-blasts a bigot eruption referring to ‘queers’ and ‘fruitloops’
* NC: wingnut – ‘save’ marriage or there will be man-robot nuptials
* NC: Catholic bishops and legislators foment anti-gay hate at presser
* NC braces for introduction of a marriage amendment bill…AGAIN
* NC: PHB exclusive video of NOM’s Brian Brown at Raleigh rally – plus I am mistaken for a fundie (!)
15 Comments
It’s Luggage-Lifting Time!Any bets on how soon it’ll be before he’s caught with a rent boy?
I suppose that Gardasil is nextSince only bad girls get cervical cancer—they tried to block the vaccine to begin with for that reason..
Well we see who the real preverts arethey have an R following their names.
My partner and I will be together for 15 yrs come Feb.
W/out ADAP I might as well quit taking meds because I cannot afford them other wise.
We left so fla to get away from this bitter bullshit.
when that other bush was in the gov mansion in fl that asshole stuck his fingers in medicaid and the only dr I was ‘approved’ for was a gynecologist..like an ob/gyn knows how to treat hiv/ males. While they railroaded the dr that was actually doing me some good, depriving him of his lively hood now this bas*** wants to deprive us of life.
Another action item for those in NC — Lobby Day in Raleigh on Tuesday, Feb 15Here’s the link:
http://equalitync.org/events2/…
I’ll be there once again. We can have a PHB caucus during lunch to chew the fat if anybody wants to.
I’ve got one friendly legislator and one not-so-friendly legislator to visit.
All legislators — friendly or not — need to have constituents meet them.
Sign up for the Lobby Day NOW!
http://equalitync.org/events2/…
It logically follows that the state would stop paying medical costs related to…* all other STDs
* lung cancer
* pregnancy
* obesity
* high cholesterol
* high blood pressure
* Type 2 diabetes
* most heart disease
* most injury such as broken bones
* other lifestyle related diseases and conditions
In addition, the state should cancel programs from finding lost hikers (if they get lost, the state shouldn’t have to bail them out) to unemployment (the lazy bums should just get a job.)
Is there something inherent in the GOP mentality that requires a total lack of empathy, or is it that the party simply attracts a lot of psychopaths?
Hey, HRC headquarters. Thanks for the angry press release, but……passing ETHA woulda been more helpful than dropping a DC-based press release on us local folks doing work on the front lines here in NC.
Here’s a refresher on ETHA from your own website.
http://www.hrc.org/laws_and_el…
Remember how it got stripped out of the vaunted health care “reform” bill — compromised away in the US Senate by Saint Obama’s minions?
NC and the rest of the country would be a hell of a lot better off if your lobbying outfit could have kept this small item in the health care bill.
Here’s to hoping you can get ETHA — or at least some emergency federal ADAP funds — rolled into the omnibus budget bill coming in a few months.
Ick.It seems that friend of the Blend, Virginia Foxx, is also showing herself today.
Gag.
Inherent in the mentalityI think what’s inherent in the mentality is the concept of “innocent life,” under which some life is deemed worth protecting while non-innocent life can be left to suffer or made to die. Within this scheme one can be both “pro life” and in favor of capital punishment without apparent contradiction.
With this kind of thinking it’s difficult to see life as a community, web or continuum. There’s always the dichotomy of deserving and undeserving, and the people who think this way assume it’s up to them to make the distinction.
A problem…The only “innocent life” most rabid Republicans hold sacred is one inside the womb.
As soon as the baby is born, the Mandatory Motherhood Mob doesn’t give a shit, unless they can pressure the mother to give it up for adoption (as long as the baby’s white and perfectly healthy – all other can die of starvation for all they care).
ShighsWhat do you expect from that cross-eyed creep (I wanted to use a stronger word)!
Hey Carolinian’s, Let Me Ask You SomethingWhen are you going to step up your game?
Except for a very select few LGBT people there, your state is a cesspool of inactive, inefficient, ineffective, and lethargic LGBTs who are only about; me, me, me.
We’re seeing the same type of candidates, for the most part, come to the table as when ole Jesse was in office. It’s 2011! Your excuses have run out.
The next time …one feels like reflexively bashing Democrats as being insufficiently committed to the cause of equality, please remember this
And for those of you who continue to maintain that there is no substantive difference between the parties, and no consequences as to which party controls the levers of power at the state and federal levels, live and learn.
Living in the past, are we?Jesse Helms is dead and hasn’t been in office for years (followed in the US Senate by Elizabeth Dole-R, and now Kay Hagan-D).
NC’s two US Senators (Richard Burr-R and Kay Hagan-D)also voted for DADT repeal just weeks ago.
Wake up from your slumber and see what is happening this century: Like NC passing a gender-identity inclusive law before the federal Congress did. Or holding off a marriage amendment for years unlike other “progressive” parts of the country. Or finding over $14 million in extra state funds for NC’s ADAP program when the witless Democratic federal government only found an extra $25 million for the entire country.
Every place has their bigots and idiots. NC is no different, perhaps only better at holding their ugliness up to the light.
And about candidates…NC has had and continues to have several open elected officials including one of the few openly gay African-American state legislators.
Being less evil than the other guy does not make someone an allyThe difference is one of degree only: whether we will have both legs broken, or only an arm.
Is it too much to ask that we not get any broken bones?
I’d also add
Our 2010 Senate candidate that won the Dem primary was for DADT repeal, for DOMA repeal, for enacting UAFA, and for enacting an inclusive ENDA, and supportive of LGBT equality in general, and would say it publicly and put it all up on her campaign website too.