California Forced To Allow Signatures For Appalling 'Shoot The Gays' Ballot Initiative

[RKP5637]

A grim state of affairs! What's next ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/23/california-anti-gay-bill_n_6927464.html

It doesn't matter that a California lawyer's outrageous Sodomite Suppression Act ballot initiative proposes executing gays with "bullets to the head," or that it's unconstitutional and could never become law. California Attorney General Kamala Harris is forced to allow the measure to circulate for signatures, legal experts said.

The initiative, which mandates 10 years in prison and permanent expulsion from California for anyone who advocates gay rights to minors, stands no chance of collecting 365,000 valid signatures it needs to appear on next year's ballot. But because its backer, Matt McLaughlin, paid the $200 filing fee by the February deadline, Harris is bound by law to prepare a title and summary of the initiative by May so that its sponsor can begin collecting signatures, legal experts told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Joe Mathews, a fellow at the Center for Social Cohesion at Arizona State University, argued on California politics website Fox&Hounds that forcing the attorney general to allow the circulation of such an absurd proposal attacks the integrity of the initiative process. He said a "human rights exception" should be adopted for these instances.

"When you are taking away fundamental human rights -– as in the right to live -– it is appropriate to give our public officials a formal exception that they can invoke to block an initiative that violates fundamental human rights," Mathews wrote.

An innovative response to McLaughlin's initiative comes from activist Charlotte Laws, who told Slate she is filing the Intolerant Jackass Act on Monday. The bill reads:

"Any person, herein known as an 'Intolerant Jackass,' who brings forth a ballot measure that suggests the killing of gays and/or lesbians, whether this measure is called the Sodomite Suppression Act or is known by some other name, shall be required to attend sensitivity training for at least three (3) hours per month for twelve (12) consecutive months. In addition, the offender or "Intolerant Jackass" must donate $5000 to a pro-gay or pro-lesbian organization."
McLaughlin may face other repercussions for advocating murder. According to the Sacramento Bee, state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D) has askled the State Bar of California to investigate McLaughlin, and more than 3,800 people have signed a petition asking State Bar President Craig Holden to revoke McLaughlin's law license.

[Wella]

1. No one is going to sign this, and this lawyer is just trolling

or nuts.

It will never make it to the ballot.

[Politicalboi]

2. NEVER say never

Prop 8 wasn't as bad of course, but the hate is contagious. Who would have thought we'd be fighting for civil rights, voting rights, and a woman's right to choose in the 21st century. I think it may get on the ballot, but will never pass.

[Wella]

4. I just don't see it. Even local talk radio made fun of this guy.

When even the conservatives are distancing themselves from this, you know it's a fringe thing.

[RKP5637]

3. I do wonder what his angle is. n/t

[ChazInAz]

5. Here's an idea.

Start spreading the rumor that's the petition is actually a librul conspiracy to get the names and addresses of right-thinking, gawd-fearing patriots so that they can be rounded up and sent to FEMA camps, there to be brainwashed into te gay.
That might have an effect on the number of signatures collected.

[RKP5637]

6. It certainly would! It would make a great Alex Jones special! n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. There ya go! n/a

[LiberalArkie]

8. I easily see him getting 365000 signatures in California.

[RKP5637]

9. It's an awful big state. n/t

[onenote]

11. he couldn't get the signatures needed for an earlier petition

that would have required teaching the King James Bible as literature in California schools.

[silverweb]

10. It'll be interesting to see.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]The petition hasn't got a prayer of succeeding in California, but I'm very curious about at least the geographical demographics of any signers. Hopefully, we'll get to see those once the petition fails.

[RKP5637]

12. I'ld like to know what this guy is about that wants it on the ballot. Maybe it's out

there, but I've see little other than he's some lawyer. Who, IMO, should be disbarred.

[silverweb]

15. He should absolutely be disbarred.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]He's openly advocating for murder.

In the meantime, we may get to see how many and where the Californians are who are hateful enough to openly agree with him by signing his petition. That's what I'll find interesting.

[RKP5637]

16. CA's not the liberal paradise everyplace some might believe, there are some

pretty nasty conservative areas. Same here, wondering how many will sign. Similar type of thing directed toward many other minority groups in various states would probably bring in signatures by haters too.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

22. People forget that two generations ago, CA was a solid red state

Ronald Reagan was the one-time Governor. Senators included conservatives like SI Hiakawa as recently as the 80s.

FreeRepublic is based in Fresno. Attitudes there, as in much of Eastern California, are not in-step with the Bay Area and LA. Orange County, although not as far right as it once was, still boasts a high number of Republicans. Same with San Diego (a service town from way back).

[RKP5637]

23. Thanks for posting this!!! n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. That's why it won't get nearly 365,000 votes

Those signatures become public record and there aren't 365,000 California voters that will submit themselves to the scrutiny signing up for that initiative brings.

[HeiressofBickworth]

13. I'm confused.

Shooting someone in the head is murder. Murder is illegal in all states and federally. So how can a measure which attempts to allow murdering another human being actually make it on a ballot. It seems wrong on the face of it and I'm surprised that AG Harris would allow it.

[gratuitous]

14. It's the initiative process

Pay the fee, submit your measure, and you can start gathering signatures. There are no exceptions, because it would be practically impossible to write a list of exceptions that wouldn't edge into political posturing sooner or later (probably sooner). McLaughlin is looking for a bunch of publicity and he'll get it. He'll fade away soon enough and become another embittered asshole ranting about how unfair the world is. He'll be the Westboro Church of California lawyers.

[davidpdx]

17. The problem with the initiative is that it changes the California Constitution

and it is being circulated as an initiative petition. We all know that initiative petitions have a much lower threshold for gathering signatures. It simply won't work. The fucking idiot can gather as many signatures as he wants and it is going to be challenged.

From SF Gate:

For starters, the constitutional guarantee of due process of law protects people, at a minimum, from being executed for their private, consensual sexual activity. Or from being locked up for advocating any viewpoint, let alone one that is probably shared by a majority of the population.

[RKP5637]

19. +++ 1,000 +++ n/t

[Algernon Moncrieff]

20. Question: Are the petition signatures public record?

If so, it'd be enlightening to learn who signs.

[RKP5637]

21. As I recall on Prop 8 it became public record (I think). n/t