Political Crossfire Forums

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

Quote: MSNBC.com

Gay rights debate extends into underage sex law
Court: illegal sex will not have worse punishment if it involves gay conduct
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:47 p.m. ET Oct. 21, 2005

TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas cannot punish illegal underage sex more severely if it involves homosexual conduct, the state’s highest court ruled unanimously Friday in a case watched by national groups on both sides of the gay rights debate.

The Supreme Court said in a unanimous ruling that a law that specified such harsher treatment and led to a 17-year prison sentence for an 18-year-old defendant “suggests animus toward teenagers who engage in homosexual sex.”

“Moral disapproval of a group cannot be a legitimate state interest,” said Justice Marla Luckert, writing for the high court.

The defendant, Matthew R. Limon, has been behind bars since he was convicted in 2000 of performing a sex act on a 14-year-old boy. Had one of them been a girl, the state’s “Romeo and Juliet” law would have dictated a maximum sentence of 15 months.

The court said Limon should be resentenced within 30 days as if the law treated illegal gay sex and illegal straight sex the same, and it struck language from the law that resulted in the different treatment.

“We are very happy that Matthew will soon be getting out of prison. We are sorry there is no way to make up for the extra four years he spent in prison simply because he is gay,” said Limon’s attorney James Esseks, of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Gay and Lesbian Rights Project.

National health groups and the National Association of Social workers had filed legal arguments supporting Limon’s position. A conservative law group, Orlando, Fla.-based Liberty Counsel, helped prepare written arguments from 25 legislators in support of the law.

Limon and the other boy, identified only as M.A.R., lived at a group home for the developmentally disabled. In court, an official described M.A.R. as mildly mentally retarded and Limon as functioning at a slightly higher level but not as an 18-year-old.

Limon’s attorneys described the relationship with the younger boy as consensual and suggested that they were adolescents experimenting with sex.

Attorney General Phill Kline’s office has described Limon as a predator, noting that he already has two similar offenses on his criminal record. Kline contended that such a behavior pattern warranted a tough sentence and that courts should leave sentencing policy to the Legislature.

His office had no immediate comment on the ruling.

Law prohibits sex with teens under 16
Kansas law prohibits any sexual activity involving a person under 16, regardless of the context. The 1999 “Romeo and Juliet” law specifies short prison sentences or probation for sexual activity when an offender is under 19 and the age difference between participants is less than four years — but only for opposite-sex encounters.

A lower court had said the state could justify the harsher punishment as protecting children’s traditional development, fighting disease or strengthening traditional values.

Friday’s ruling said the Kansas law was too broad to meet those goals.

“The statute inflicts immediate, continuing and real injuries that outrun and belie any legitimate justification that may be claimed for it,” Luckert wrote.
© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9776106/
I'm very happy about this; civil liberties have once again taken a victory over ignorant right-winger activists. :-D

JoeTrumps · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 3362 Location: Memphis

2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:

wscreate · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:18 pm Post subject:

Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:
This is coming from the guy that started 3 antigay threads on here recently, one of which is still on the front page of this forum. :roll:

Trajan · Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Posts: 6584 Location: SE PA

JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:

Which explains the multiple gay threads you started.

So why is gay marriage illegal?

Why souldn't the US gov't recognize gay marriage?

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Protostar · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:28 pm Post subject:

AnOpenMind wrote: JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:
This is coming from the guy that started 3 antigay threads on here recently, one of which is still on the front page of this forum. :roll:

He's trying to forget that Open. He failed to provide evidence against why gay marriage should be illegal and now his new stance is there are more important issues at hand. I do agree that the title is a bit generalizing (especially considering GND lives in Kansas). You better hurry up and change it before she gets wind of it. :wink:

JoeTrumps · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 3362 Location: Memphis

Trajan wrote: JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:

Which explains the multiple gay threads you started.

So why is gay marriage illegal?

Why souldn't the US gov't recognize gay marriage?

what is it with you people having to pigeon hole everyone?

Now if you are against gay marriage you are the biggest bigot ever born?

what the f*ck?

My only point is there are a thousand bigger problems in the world.

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

When rightwingers stop generalizing California, New York, and Boston, then I'll stop generalizing the midwest and the south. (which, by the way, I can generalize because I live in Atlanta.) 8)

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

JoeTrumps wrote: Trajan wrote: JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:

Which explains the multiple gay threads you started.

So why is gay marriage illegal?

Why souldn't the US gov't recognize gay marriage?

what is it with you people having to pigeon hole everyone?

Now if you are against gay marriage you are the biggest bigot ever born?

what the f*ck?

My only point is there are a thousand bigger problems in the world.
Once again you fail to answer his questions. Typical. Why even post?

wscreate · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:31 pm Post subject:

AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Don't try to excuse the bigoted title of this thread. Show me where I personally have said something bigoted or STFU.

And, as for your bigotry, if you are a man, then come down to Alabama to a fishing tournament and call the guys there rednecks to their faces. If you would not do that, then why act like a sissy and do it in a forum while you sit safe and sound behind your computer screen???

Trajan · Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Posts: 6584 Location: SE PA

JoeTrumps wrote: Trajan wrote: JoeTrumps wrote: 2000 dead soldiers in Iraq(many of them the same rednecks you despise so much), and this is the crap you worry yourself with?

way to prioritize. :roll:

Which explains the multiple gay threads you started.

So why is gay marriage illegal?

Why souldn't the US gov't recognize gay marriage?

what is it with you people having to pigeon hole everyone?

Now if you are against gay marriage you are the biggest bigot ever born?

what the f*ck?

My only point is there are a thousand bigger problems in the world.

Explain your three anti gay threads then. They were so important to you st the time. Until you couldn't defend them.

So why shouldn't the US gov't recognize gay marriage?

Why should it be illegal?

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

wscreate wrote: AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Don't try to excuse the bigoted title of this thread. Show me where I personally have said something bigoted or STFU.
Oh I can't quote you personally, but I've heard... :think: *thinking*, 4 such comments by conservatives I know today alone. Don't try to tell me it doesn't happen. :h

wscreate · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject:

AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Don't try to excuse the bigoted title of this thread. Show me where I personally have said something bigoted or STFU.
Oh I can't quote you personally, but I've heard... :think: *thinking*, 4 such comments by conservatives I know today alone. Don't try to tell me it doesn't happen. :h

You are a bigot and you blame your "disease" on Republicans? :lol: Classic.

Trajan · Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Posts: 6584 Location: SE PA

wscreate wrote: AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Don't try to excuse the bigoted title of this thread. Show me where I personally have said something bigoted or STFU.

And, as for your bigotry, if you are a man, then come down to Alabama to a fishing tournament and call the guys there rednecks to their faces. If you would not do that, then why act like a sissy and do it in a forum while you sit safe and sound behind your computer screen???

I was in Georgia last week. Went to see a friend I met over the net. He called me a stuck up Yankee, I called him an ignorant redneck. We had a great time. We stay in touch over voice coms.

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

wscreate wrote: AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

Don't try to excuse the bigoted title of this thread. Show me where I personally have said something bigoted or STFU.
Oh I can't quote you personally, but I've heard... :think: *thinking*, 4 such comments by conservatives I know today alone. Don't try to tell me it doesn't happen. :h

You are a bigot and you blame your "disease" on Republicans? :lol: Classicly stupid.
My disease? Are you, perhaps calling me gay? This is the very ignorance i'm talking about, ladies and gentlemen. A male celebrates a gay rights victory, so according to the logic of wscreate, he is gay. Well, I have news for you idiot, you've been :owned:

JoeTrumps · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 3362 Location: Memphis

AnOpenMind wrote: wscreate wrote: Redneck Kansas? Nice racist generalization of the people there you BIGOT.
Right, and the conservatives never generalize Californians or New Yorkers.
:lol:

You're still a bigot for saying it.

Unless you have no problem with me saying F****t San Francisco. Since I can't use that term, why should you be allowed to say what you said?

right, because its politically correct for you to say that, but not for me.

AnOpenMind · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 443 Location: Atlanta

F****t- in homophobic usage, a slang term of abuse denoting (in general) a gay man, but connoting (in particular) the gender image of male wimpiness or effeminacy.

redneck-A poor white person in the southern or midwestern states.

Do you not see how your term is slightly more perjorative. Just a little? :!oops:

Melchior · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 9329 Location: Palm Beach

JoeTrumps wrote: Unless you have no problem with me saying F****t San Francisco. Since I can't use that term, why should you be allowed to say what you said?

Why do you think you can't use that term? It's all about the context and intention, if you are using it in a derogatory manner, then hell yeah it's offensive and heterosexist.

But in a circle of gay friends is another story.

JoeTrumps · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 3362 Location: Memphis

AnOpenMind wrote: F****t- in homophobic usage, a slang term of abuse denoting (in general) a gay man, but connoting (in particular) the gender image of male wimpiness or effeminacy.

redneck-A poor white person in the southern or midwestern states.

Do you not see how your term is slightly more perjorative. Just a little? :!oops:

are you kidding me?

go to Kansas and call somebody a redneck and see if they don't take offense to it. You are trying to be inflammatory and demeaning to a group of people when you use that word, AND YOU KNOW IT. Just like I would be doing if I used the word I mentioned.