Dear Representative Walker:
I am appending you on this email discussion about the sodomy law on the
Minneapolis Issues mailing list.
My name is Eva Young and I've lived in Central for 17 years. I've never
met you. Congratulations on winning the election. I would like to
encourage you to introduce a sodomy repeal bill in the house. I'd
encourage you to use the Repeal All Silly and Senseless Laws (RASSL) bill
as an example.
http://www.rassl.org/
This bill was introduced two years ago, and got bottled up in the house
crime prevention committee chaired by Rich Stanek. David Bishop (R,
Rochester) was a Republican co-author of that bill. I would assume he
would be willing to author such a bill again. Senator Berglin and Senator
Anderson had a press conference on this subject a few weeks ago. I haven't
seen anything in the Senate about such a bill being introduced. My call to
Senator Berglin's office requesting clarification on this hasn't been
returned yet. (I'm sure Linda will get back to me and I'll let the list
members know the results of that conversation.)
The sodomy law makes it a crime prohibits "carnal knowledge of another
person by anus or by mouth"..... It's an equal opportunity law--it covers
gays and straights. This law makes our state legislature look like a
laughingstock. It's well past time to get rid of it.
It's also worth while noting that Log Cabin Republicans of Minnesota has
endorsed the RASSL bill. The Senate District 61 Republicans endorsed a
resolution to repeal the sodomy law at the district convention in March of
2000.
Please send me your thoughts on this matter. Thank you for your attention.
Eva
Eva Young
3424 Park Av S
Minneapolis, MN
Central
Long Time neighbor of the anti-gay Park Avenue Methodist Church
Wizard Marks:
>An African American woman who
>starts off with the sodomy law when so many are counting on her
>for bread and butter issues, might be in a world of hum. I'd
>like to see this woman succeed. Gay or straight (and no one
>calls me straight) sodomy laws, like fornacation laws, can be
>used to make people's lives miserable. And there are people out
>there willing to exercise their bigotry on us all, but it's
>still not the biggest issue.
No, it's not the biggest issue, but these laws are stupid, and legislators
continue not to want to do anything about it. There's never a good time.
There are always more important issues. Part of a legislators job is
cleaning up the code--not just adding laws. I don't know what Neva being
African American has to do with whether she does or does not sponsor a bill
supporting repeal of this stupid law.
I sent this response to Wizard's statement on the list to her yesterday
(I'd burned my two posts to the list).
"I don't think being a first time legislator is an excuse NOT to tackle the
sodomy law. Linda W introduced sodomy repeal her first term. It didn't go
anywhere, but at least she tried.
RASSL (Repeal All Silly and Senseless Laws) DOES have sodomy repeal on
it's list of stupid laws. Check it out at http://www.rassl.org/
Arizona and Texas are both working on repealing their sodomy laws. If
legislators in the Lone Star State can work on sodomy repeal, I don't
understand why legislators in the North Star State can't. Won't it be
embarrassing to you, Wizard, if Texas passes sodomy repeal before MN?
Should the state name be changed from Minnesota to MinNOSODOMY?
Wizard:
>Of course, if we could make the case that it's a silly law, the group
trying to
>purge the state of silly laws might take it on. (I'm gonna hate it
if they
>erase the law that says you can't leave MN with a duck on your head,
it's my
>all-time favorite silly law). Even if duck hats are passe!
RASSL HAS made that case. See http://www.rassl.org/
Another point worth noting: Tom Prichard and the MFC are big opponents of
abortion rights also. Keeping him busy defending the sodomy law can help
with keeping bad abortion laws from getting on the books.
>As a lesbian person, I would say
>the issue of whether I could claim a significant other woman
>through benefits packages at work. If this hypothetical s.o.
>were to die, could I be at her bedside even if her family were
>bigoted about her situation, if we got pulled over for making a
>bone-headed traffic manoever, would the cop act the fool because
>we are lesbian. That stuff is more important than the sodomy
>law in my estimation, particularly as the sodomy and fornication
>laws are mostly honored in the breach (sorry, accidental pun).
>WMarks, Central
Well is Neva doing any thing about any of these other issues? I called
Neva's office today to talk with her about this. I talked with her
legislative assistant.
Anyway, speak for yourself Wizard as someone who really doesn't care
whether this state has a sodomy law. I do care--as a citizen, not because
I'm gay. I think it's a stupid law and having stupid laws teaches kids
disrespect for the law. It makes our state the laughingstock of the
midwest. Ofcourse our Governor helps with that but that's another rant.
Eva
Eva Young
Central
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