Hey Tim! Washington Won't Discriminate

The Seattle Times reports that a new group called Washington Won't Discriminate has formed to combat Tim Eyman's bigoted and discriminatory initiative and referendum measures.

The article shows just how much Tim Eyman's framing of the issues has been adopted by the press.

Eyman argues that for an issue as controversial as gay rights, voters — not lawmakers in Olympia — should get the final say.

This is not a controversial issue - it is an issue of non-discrimination, and that should never be considered controversial.

"There's going to be a big, healthy debate on it," he said. "When the dust settles and the decision is made, it should be the voters who make the decision on an issue as big as this one."

How many times must I as a voter do so? I already did so when I voted for my state legislators who represent me in Olympia. They've been sent there to do the daily work of legislating. That's how this country is organized. Our government is a representative system. The legislators have been hearing what their constituents wanted regarding this issue and they voted.

As for a healthy debate, I hardly expect Tim Eyman's friends will be engaging in a healthy debate given the bigotry they displayed after the bill passed.

In addition, Eyman is pushing an initiative that would remove "sexual orientation" from the law and prohibit state government from requiring quotas or other preferential treatment for any person or group "based on sexual orientation or sexual preference."

This is the most egregious of fallacies the press keeps aping. The gay rights law is not about preferential treatment as Eyman would like you to believe. It is not about requiring quotas as Eyman would like you to believe. It is about equal protection, and non-discrimination for gays and lesbians.

The wingnuts will argue that this law opens the door for abuse. In fact it does the exact opposite. It closes the door to abuse that gays and lesbians consistently are subject to for no fault other than that they are gay or lesbian. This is the 21st Century people! Wake up! Being gay or lesbian is not a choice, it is who you are, and the only choice gays or lesbians ever have is to accept or deny their true person. On the hand, one's religious belief is a choice and we provide non-discrimination protection to people based on whether they worship at the Greater Evangelistic Cathedral Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith Inc. or the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

So go check out the Washington Won't Discriminate site, and contribute to their cause to stamp out bigotry and hatred and discrimination against men and women in Washington state simply because they are gay or lesbian.