Texas bigotry

Please click through and read the column by Molly Ivins entitled, "Duck and cover time: Texas lege enshrines anti-gay provision in state constitution". It reproduces part of the speech of Senfronia Thompson, a black representative from Houston, as she protests the ammendment making it constitutional to discriminate against gays. It is both inspiring and depressing at the same time. Here's an excerpt:

I have served in this body a lot of years, and I have seen a lot of promises broken... So... now that blacks and women have equal rights, you turn your hatred to homosexuals, and you still use your misguided reading of the Bible to justify your hatred. You want to pass this ridiculous amendment so you can go home and brag -- brag about what? Declare that you saved the people of Texas from what?

Persons of the same sex cannot get married in this state now. Texas law does not now recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, religious unions, domestic partnerships, contractual arrangements or Christian blessings entered into in this state -- or anywhere else on this planet Earth.

If you want to make your hateful political statements then that is one thing -- but the Chisum amendment does real harm. It repeals the contracts that many single people have paid thousands of dollars to purchase to obtain medical powers of attorney, powers of attorney, hospital visitation, joint ownership and support agreements. You have lost your way. This is obscene...

But I really encourage you to read the whole article. It's not very long. And it demonstrates just where we're headed as a country. The ammendment was passed.