This should burn the fundamentalists:
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the names of people who signed petitions in an attempt to overturn a new gay rights law in Washington must be made public, a victory for state officials who said the case was a test of open government laws.
Justices ruled 8-1 in a case called Doe V. Reed. Only Justice Clarence Thomas dissented.
Interjecting: Because Clarence Thomas is pretty much a dingus. When even Scalia understands, and Thomas still doesn’t…
“This is a good day for transparency and accountability in elections–not just in Washington but across our country,” Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said. “We’re pleased the Supreme Court ruled in favor of disclosure, upholding the public’s right to double-check the work of signature gatherers and government — and giving them the ability to learn which voters are directing the state to hold an election on a new law. Citizen legislating is too important to be conducted in secret.”
Fantastic news.
(h/t Aravosis)
UPDATE: Commenter on my Facebook page:
“I wonder if they’ll call Roberts, Alito and Scalia ‘activist judges’.”
Heh.
UPDATE II: If you’d like to read the ruling, it’s here. Thomas’s dissent (AKA “the funny part”), starts on page 49. I had no idea he knew so many words!
Most local newspapers won’t print a letter to the editor now unless you provide (them) with an address as well as a full name. Why should bigots actively trying to deprive other citizens of their equality and dignity be allowed to hide in the dark like the maggots they are.
[...] seems to be the day for the government telling “marriage protecting” groups to shove [...]
Evan
so, in the spirit of fairness, you would support the
names of pro-gay petition signers being made public?
I wonder
Brad:
The answer is an emphatic “Yes”. Unlike the pseudo-religious kooks, we are not ashamed of what we believe in. In fact, we are proud to support liberty, freedom and equality.
I can understand why these people would not want to let the fact they are bigots be known. Still, this is a democracy and people must be accountable for their actions. If people are ashamed that they want to persecute others, maybe they should reconsider their viewpoint. No?
Of course, Brad.
Do you not understand democracy?
Look at it this way, Brad.
If their names are made public, then they have an absolute reason to claim victimhood while they attack other people whom they do not know, know nothing about, and who have done them no harm. And then you get to blame those awful queers for it.
Can you say scapegoat? Becuase that to me is the final irony. The innocents and the minority are the scapegoat for the sins of the majority and the guilty. How could a right-wing, literalist, bible-believing Christian like you not get a bang out of that?
“…and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” — St John 3:19
“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” — St John 3:20
William honey, pulling Bible verses out of your *hat* (and out of context naturally) proves NOTHING.
Scott sugar pie honey bunch, those verses are specifically referring to the homophobes trying to keep these petitions secret.
Scott, babe, I’m not trying to PROVE anything with those verses. I quote them purely because they are so applicable to the present issue, viz. those who sign petitions to restrict the rights of their gay fellow citizens but who want to keep their dingy little deeds dark.