Don't Kill the Gays - They're Human!

The Human Rights Campaign has come in for a lot of criticism lately, for being supposedly elitist and ineffective.  Well, I don't know about all that; I joined a few years ago but I've not really sat down and analyzed all they do.

What I do know is, it's always good to have some folks who are actually present in the halls of Congress, actively lobbying legislators for a good cause, and reminding them of other voices, other interests besides their own.  And one thing HRC does do well is make it easy to send a shout out to all my Texas congresspeeps and senators with just one press of a button.

So it is that I'm on the return-mailing list of them all - and they're all Republicans, natch.  Usually I just delete their silly newsletters and such without bothering to read them; but today I got this uncharacteristically intelligent mailing from one representative, who happens to have a 90+ percent rating from Conservative Union:

Currently, in the country of Uganda, homosexuality is illegal and punishable by a life sentence in prison. It is considered under their penal code to be "carnal knowledge against the order of nature." However, a new piece of legislation has been proposed that would increase the punishment from a life sentence to a death sentence. It would also make it criminal to discuss homosexuality in public, and even make it illegal to rent property to someone who is openly homosexual.

Regardless of one's view about the morality of sexual orientation, I will never support a measure that would impose a nation-wide death sentence for one's sexuality. Further, I believe that is a direct violation of human rights, and the United States is one of several nations who have called on the Ugandan government to disregard the proposed bill all together. As we continue to monitor this issue, rest assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind.

Huh. Well you see boys, there's always hope.  Even some Republicans can indeed have a spark of human kindness, of human decency within them.

Even if it does mean violating Biblical principles. Because of course, Leviticus does in fact mandate killing the gays.

But if even a dyed-in-the-wool (no linen!  not even polyester!) Texas Republican can see that it's time now to move on from a primitive 3,000-year-old moral stricture, well - maybe there is hope for the world, after all.