Boltgirl Wades Into the Muck So You Don't Have To.

I have written before about the the bubble-like existence I have been privileged to enjoy living and working as an archaeologist in Tucson who also happens to be gay. Really, it's the kind of fantasyland a lot people can only dream of--my family is finally just about at full acceptance (even my elderly Very Conservative Christian grandmother, sort of) and it's not even remotely an issue at work. So when I don't have to deal with active discrimination in my daily life, it's easy for me to forget exactly how not there other parts of the country can be.

Hell, to see the full force of vitriol I don't even need to leave the state, but merely trundle up the interstate a couple of hours. The city of Scottsdale (quite upscale suburb of Phoenix) recently added gender identity and expression to their nondiscrimination policy, and the howling nutjobs predictably came out of the woodwork to glom onto the comment section following the Arizona Republic's online story.

Several people apparently confused this employment nondiscrimination ordinance with a hate crime statute, but most managed to stay on-topic. The comments run about 2 to 1 for the anti-gay camp. The anti comments fall into the usual categories we've come to expect. As always, spelling and grammar take heavy hits.

Learning Someone is Gay = Having Their Sexuality Shoved Down Your Throat!

Look, for the most part, most people just don't like gays. But if you folks would just take it back to the closet, no one would know, nor would anyone care, and you wouldn't be chastised for it.

For God sakes, get a life and quit whining....if you love being gay, no one cares as long as you don't put it in other people's faces. Personally, I don't want anything to do with any of you and if you come into a bathroom when I'm there, I'll make sure you're removed.

Gay = Pedophilia! And Stealing!

how about N.A.M.B.L.A. are they the next protected group. I know, I know. It's not a choice, the nambla people where born that way, yeah, uh huh.

I wonder when equal rights and special protections will be granted to pedophiles also.

What is next, are you going to give thiefs special gights because they like to rob people??

Gay = Perverted! And Mentally Ill!

Gays don't have anymore rights than any human being. The only rights they should have is to be imprisoned for being perverts. Gays don't have any specific Constitutional rights. I don't think anyone except for the perverts (gays) would fight for this country if there was.

I have no sympathy for them. If they want to be treated like normal human beings than they need to act and live like normal human beings. They are deviant and to deserve to be treated as such.

There is nothing natural about being a homosexual. If you are a homo or "Gay" as they like to call themselves, you have something seriously wrong with the wiring in your skull!

It's Only About Anal Sex!

Equal rights are fine but why give the wierdos special rights. I like kinky sex myself once in awhile but I don't expect anything special because of it.

How can a guy look at another guy's smelly hairy butt and fall in love?

Equal Rights = Special Rights!

The fact is, the laws like the one passed in Scottsdale open the door for "hate crime" laws, which are nothing more than justification to silence the masses and impose harsher punishment on "gay bias" crimes than on those involving the average Joe. That is WRONG.

What a joke. The privileges of protection under so-called hate crime laws have NEVER extended to: whites, straight males or Christian.

It's a Choice!

I believe that sexual orientation is a choice one makes. There's no proof that genetics dictate sexual preference.

I choose every day not to be gay. So being straight must be a choice.

Maybe you don't choose your orientation but you still choose your sexual partners.

The Children! Think of the Children!

this presents a danger to everyone in Scottsdale. Imagine your child having to share a bathroom, a school locker room or some other restricted area with a person of the opposite gender?

We will not accept this disease and should eradicate it before it affects our children.

But Not the Suicidal Gay Ones!

33% of gay youth will attempt suicide? The natural "thinning of the herd process" in action.

Thanks for the reality check, Phoenix. Merry Christmas to you too.

Meanwhile, the state of Arizona appears to be on the brink of offering DP benefits to state employees, which would be very good for many reasons. One of them is pre-emptively loading the ammunition against the next inevitable push for a constitutional amendment reserving all of the rights, responsibilities, and incidences of marriage for male-female pairings, up to and quite possibly including the possession of a tiered cake and monogrammed bath towels. It's also sure to set off another round of refreshing comment-posting by our fellow Arizonans. Stay tuned.