Allowing Gays To Exist!?!

Target:

Penn. State Senator John Eichelberger

Sponsored by:

State Senator John Eichelberger (R-Blair Co.PA):

Senator: %u201CWe%u2019re Allowing Gays To Exist%u201D

Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:22am
State Senator John Eichelberger, who has introduced a bill that would amend the Pennsylvania constitution to define marriage as being between only a woman and a man, told local radio station WHYY today that gays are %u201C%u2026 not being punished. We%u2019re allowing them to exist, and do what every American can do. We%u2019re just not rewarding them with any special designation.%u201D

Keystone Progress, a Pennsylvania %u201Cmulti-issue progressive advocacy organization,%u201D immediately created a petition demanding an apology. They list the exchange on the radio, between Senator Eichelberger and his opponent, Daylin Leach, a Democratic Senator who has introduced a gay marriage bill, as follows:

Min. 21:15
Leach: How would he [Eichelberger] want to encourage stability in gay couples?

Eichelberger: I wouldn%u2019t. I mean they can practice whatever sexual activity they like to practice, but there%u2019s no reason to give them special consideration. We don%u2019t give them special consideration in Pennsylvania for any reason. Why in the world would we allow them to marry?

Min. 22:05
Leach: How would he want to encourage stability in gay couples?

Eichelberger: There is no reason to encourage that type of behavior in Pennsylvania.

Min. 24:20
Eichelberger: That comes back to the definition of family and that%u2019s where we differ. We can call all kinds of things families. I mean, we can say a 3 party marriage is a family, or 7 or 8 people, or marrying younger and younger children these days.

Min. 25:00
Host: Are you saying that by their very nature homosexual relationships are dysfunctional?

Eichelberger: [Pause] Ummmm. I guess I would say that. I would say that.

Min. 38:50
Eichelberger: This changes the definition of marriage, allowing same-sex, and then like I said, 5-10 years from now it%u2019ll be polygamy, marrying younger people, it%u2019ll be whatever%u2026It won%u2019t be a 16 year old, it%u2019ll be a 15 year old, then it%u2019ll be a 14 year old, then it%u2019ll be a 13 year old.
Min. 49:40
Leach: Should our only policy towards [same-sex] couples be one of punishment, to somehow prove that they%u2019ve done something wrong?

Eichelberger: They%u2019re not being punished. We%u2019re allowing them to exist, and do what every American can do. We%u2019re just not rewarding them with any special designation.

Is this what you want speaking on your behalf? This isn't my opinion or what I expect to hear from Government officials. Is it your opinion? If you DON'T agre with this bigoted view. Please sign this and pass it on.

Dear PA State Senator Elchelberger,

We the undersigned want to point out... You are speaking on behalf of yourself and your bigoted fears. You are not speaking on behalf of your constituants that have put you in office. This is the 21st century. It is time to actually use the rights stated in our Constitution for all of the citizens of these United States.
Thank you for your time and attention regarding the wishes of the undersigned.

signature
goal: 1,000

33
signatures!

50 log in or sign up to start earning Butterfly Credits today!

learn more »

Already a Care2 member? log in

Name

optional

Don't display my name

Country

Address

City

State

Province

Zip code Postal code

Increase your signature's impact by personalizing your letter

I agree to Care2's terms of service.

We respect your privacy. Your email address is used to confirm your signature and is NOT displayed publicly.

We signed the "Allowing Gays To Exist!?!" petition!

# 33:

2:15 pm PST, Nov 20, Anne Seidel, Germany

# 32:

9:37 pm PST, Nov 17, Sara Neveu, New Hampshire

# 31:

9:01 am PDT, Oct 14, Carole Hagen, Oregon

# 30:

5:34 am PDT, Oct 3, Name not displayed, North Carolina

# 29:

7:55 pm PDT, Oct 1, Richelle Hickey, Canada

# 28:

11:37 am PDT, Sep 28, Pam DeLitta, Texas

# 27:

8:54 pm PDT, Sep 25, Cutter Wolf, Florida

# 26:

5:06 am PDT, Aug 29, Laura Djurinec, Croatia

# 25:

12:35 pm PDT, Aug 26, Robert Baker, Illinois

# 24:

11:01 am PDT, Aug 19, Robert Michael Andrews, Florida

# 23:

11:19 pm PDT, Aug 17, GLENN BROWN, Nebraska

# 22:

1:41 pm PDT, Jul 29, Tony Naaman, Texas

# 21:

2:46 pm PDT, Jul 17, Name not displayed, Missouri
I believed that men can be born gay and women can be born lesbian. They can't help it, it's who they are . Personally, I am lesbian , and I support this because i noticed that people tends to put gays/lesbians down pretty hard and that's not right . We all deserve equal rights, it doesnt matter who you are. What matter most, is that you are following the laws of the Constitution. And hello? they should allow gay/lesbian marriage because if man found a man who is his true soulmate , then they should marry for god sake ! People should lighten up a bit , and stop hell worrying so much about social ladder , because it's full of bullshits.

No , they should allow gay/lesbians rights, Gay/lesbians marriges, and there should be a law about police man beating up on gays / lesbians and of all races, because beating up on them is wrong no matter what is their opinions is. Same if police man beats up on other races , blacks, Muslims , etc.

# 20:

5:21 pm PDT, Jul 14, Adrian Panton, United Kingdom
of course gays should exist. being gay is great! and being transgender is great, too!

# 19:

8:56 pm PDT, Jul 10, Name not displayed, Dominican Republic

# 18:

7:54 pm PDT, Jul 9, Jennifer Wiggins, Nebraska

# 17:

2:44 pm PDT, Jul 7, Name not displayed, Minnesota
How this type of insane ignorance can still be in our government is far beyond my scope of reality! Have the people of that state any idea of the haggard old mindset that someone in office, representing them, is portraying their beliefs system to be? Please tell me that they are not aware of this bigoted person making decisions and voting on their rights. This is the 21st century, isn't it?

# 16:

11:30 am PDT, Jul 7, Theresa Betsko, Florida
I am angered and disgusted by Sen Eichelberger's comments...thank you for allowing me to "exist"...my "existence" pays your salary, and an awful lot of taxes in general!! Why do you care so much who I want to grow old next to?

# 15:

11:53 am PDT, Jul 5, Da'Shawn Owens, Missouri
If you are speaking of allowed them to existence? You know what, why always straight people have everything that homosexual don't? I mean, it is unfair; I want to be allowed... They deserved to be happy, not straight. They already have everything that we don't. So, please allowed them.

I want to be equality from straight and homosexual.

# 14:

6:00 am PDT, Jul 3, Ryan Cleminson, United Kingdom

# 13:

9:40 pm PDT, Jul 2, Name not displayed, Delaware

# 12:

5:00 pm PDT, Jul 2, Steve Dale, Australia
For more impact, add a personal comment here

Is This Equality under the US Constitution?

# 11:

9:28 am PDT, Jul 2, Phyllis Burnett, United Kingdom
So much for human rights. This man is stuff to fill graves. Such ignorance in this day and age. How he can be allowed to remain in such a high post is beyond me. Outrageous comments. I guess gay people are a seperate race in his opinion, and it would appear they are beneath him too. I hope he has the decency to stand down or apologise and make statements that can make a difference in this world today.

# 10:

9:55 pm PDT, Jul 1, Tatiana Costa, Brazil

# 9:

3:24 pm PDT, Jul 1, Carmo Mascarenhas, Portugal

# 8:

10:53 am PDT, Jul 1, NANCYLEE RYAN-SAGAL, Nevada
It is comments/attitudes such as this that, when I read them, can still take my breath away. The sheer ignorance, appalling lack of compassion and understanding for one's fellow man...simply goes beyond any comprehension for me. Perhaps, as usual, the argument of Freedom of Speech will be used in this circumstance and, while I believe in the first amendment, shouldn't we, as an educated people, recognize PLEASE, that with that right comes the responsibility of using it for good and NOT hatred? Am I supposed to believe that this man and so many like him have the RIGHT to ALLOW myself and my partner of 16 years to exist???! How sanctimonius..self righteous and, not least of all hurtful of him to make such statements about ANY segment of our society. Perhaps the question should be asked of him if the "proverbial shoe was on the other foot", how would he feel if fellow citizens of this country said they'd allow HIM to exist, albeit without all the same civil liberties as them? Hmmmm...what do you suppose his reaction would be. This is just shameful but it does fuel this debate further and, much to his shagrin, he and his ilk are only strengthening/unifying LGBT supporters to fight on for the equality we deserve!

# 7:

8:45 am PDT, Jul 1, JoAnne Sickeri, Pennsylvania
I am angered and disgusted by Sen Eichelberger's comments...thank you for allowing me to "exist"...my "existence" pays your salary, and an awful lot of taxes in general!! Why do you care so much who I want to grow old next to? Is this equality under the US Constitution?? I don't think so!! I want a better, more FAIR existence, please, Senator!!

# 6:

6:11 am PDT, Jul 1, David N Moore, Connecticut

# 5:

3:43 am PDT, Jul 1, Steve Klein, Virginia
For more impact, add a personal comment here

Is This Equality under the US Constitution?

# 4:

11:53 pm PDT, Jun 30, Mieke Bernaards, Belgium

# 3:

9:48 pm PDT, Jun 30, Pam Boland, Georgia

# 2:

4:19 pm PDT, Jun 30, Sigrid De Ruyck, Canada

# 1:

12:33 pm PDT, Jun 30, CJ Stanley, Wisconsin
I don't have the same beliefs as you do. I believe the founding fathers wanted all citizens to have equality. Not just those that don't scare you. What if this was an issue of mixed race marriage? Would you have chosen to 'Allow them to exist' or marry?

View Signatures:
|<
<
33
>
>|