Virginia AG Cuccinelli Follows Law, Gets Ripped

From the Family Foundation web site:

Late last week it was revealed that Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent a letter to the Commonwealth’s taxpayer funded colleges and universities informing them that, without General Assembly approval, they do not have the authority to issue non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. Apparently, the Commonwealth’s public colleges and universities had issued such policies without the approval to do so.

And thus started a media firestorm. Essentially the Attorney General, the office designated to instruct state entities on the law, told them to actually follow the law. But Democrat leaders and homosexual activists immediately pounced, calling Cuccinelli’s advice “hate” and vowed to revive legislation that died last week that would add sexual orientation to the Commonwealth’s anti-discrimination policy.

Today, several legislators are literally screaming about the issue on the floor of the House of Delegates all but accusing Attorney General Cuccinelli of hatred. They are urging the House General Laws committee to act on legislation, SB 66, that was defeated in subcommittee last week, when the committee meets this afternoon.

It is quite interesting to listen to proponents of this major change in Virginia’s public policy. In three separate presentations before committee and subcommittee, advocates for making sexual orientation a protected class have admitted that 90 percent of Virginians don’t think there should be discrimination. They have admitted that the last three governors have had policies, either written or verbal, that they will not allow such discrimination. At no point has any actual evidence of discrimination been presented. Late last year the Washington Post editorialized that there are “thousands of homosexuals” working in state government.

Usually, the General Assembly passes legislation to remedy a problem. They often defeat legislation that, as is said, is a “solution in search of a problem.” That is exactly the problem with this legislation.

So what is the goal? It really is not about discrimination. It is about government recognition – acceptance – of the homosexual lifestyle. Make no mistake, this debate is a serious one and it will have long term consequences for not just state government but private businesses and ultimately our marriage amendment. The goal is not anti-discrimination – it is forced acceptance of a lifestyle that many Virginians find antithetical to their faith.

The rhetoric at the Capitol today is heated and not very tolerant. It seems that those who oppose creating a special class for homosexuals are hateful and bigoted, which is an easy accusation to make when you have no other argument and no ability to make your case.