If case you missed it, former House Republican Majority Leader Tom “the Hammer” DeLay was convicted Wednesday on felony charges of money laundering for illegally funneling corporate dollars into Texas state legislative races in 2002.
DeLay, who represented a Houston-area House district from 1984 to 2005, faces up to life in prison but says he will appeal the verdict.
DeLay had a decidedly anti-gay voting record in Congress, receiving the worst possible score of zero from the Human Rights Campaign in each of his last two sessions. A year before his indictment and resignation, DeLay spoke on the House floor in support of a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage:
“This nation knows that if you destroy marriage as the definition of one man and one woman, creating children so that we can transfer our values to those children and they can be raised in an ideal home, this country will go down,” DeLay said.
“So believe me, everybody in this country’s going to know how you voted today,” he said, his anger mounting with every word. “They’re going to know how you stood on the fundamental protection of marriage and the definition of marriage. And we will take it from here and we will come back, and we will come back, and we will come back. We will never give up. We will protect marriage in this country.”
Given DeLay’s record on gay rights, perhaps there’s some poetic justice to the fact that the district attorney who obtained the conviction, Rosemary Lehmberg, is an out and proud lesbian. Lehmberg, a Democrat, was elected to replace Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who initiated DeLay’s prosecution, after Earle retired in 2008. Before that, Lehmberg served as Earle’s first assistant for 10 years in the office that’s home to the state’s Public Integrity Unity, which is charged with investigating corruption in government.
Of course, DeLay’s prosecution had no more to do with Lehmberg’s sexual orientation than it did with her party affiliation, and none of the stories we’ve seen about his conviction even mention it.
Which is why we thought we would.
“I think that I serve as an individual who demonstrates that sexual orientation is not particularly relevant, except to your personal life, and therefore a lot of the homophobia and bias is unwarranted — the fear that people have,” Lehmberg told us following her election in 2008.
Well they persecuted the Christians with lions back in the day for opposing the radical gay agenda, and now they continue to persecute us today using the activist court system. Sadly, some things never change.
And you christians like to have s-x with $20,000 a day blondes. So much better than gays!
Oh please. DeLay went down because he was a sleazeball who broke the law. If he is your example of a Christian, then you have bigger problems than the so-called “radical gay agenda.”
Oh wow…all those gay closeted, anti-gay republican christians will be jealous, now that Tom DeLay is headed to prison.
Mark Foley, Ted Haggard, Larry Craig, and dozens of other republican closet cases….will pine away, thinking about Tom DeLay sitting in jail with all THOSE MEN…those LONELY men!
I can see it now…a line of christian pastors, priests, conservatives, and other anti-gay haters circling the block….offering to take Tom’s place during prison booty calls.
Yes, Tom DeLay will be going down…repeatedly.
The poetic justice couldn’t be sweeter. I hope Delay’s cell mate weights 350 lbs., is tattooed from head to toe and is horny. I might consider sending him a $10 gift certificate to Jiffy Lube to lay in a supply for prison!
I would LOVE to know exactly how Christians are being ‘persecuted’ because gay couples are demanding equal marriage rights.
“some things never change.”
Yeh – ‘christians’ think that laws don’t apply to them.
Christians prosecuted? Christians are doing the prosecuting as usual. I happen to be one but it doesnt take Einstein to see who is causing all the problems in society by trying to tell others how to live!
I suppose the Chritians were prosecuted by the natives when they arrived? I suppose the pagans prosecuted them when they invaded Ireland? On and on.. Smell the coffee!
If he hated gays before he will hate them even more after serving some time in a Texas prison.
oh oh I got one too….
In-mate Tom “The Lay” DeLay
o para mis amigos, Tomas “Fuera” De(la)Ley
“Seethelight”, you represent nothing of the Christ in the Gospel. The false god you worship is one of your own visage — of your politics, of your bigotry, of your paranoia, and of your fear. I pity you, pharisee, that you desecrate Christ’s Name in a spirit of hatred. Woe to you.
Such poetic justice!!! LOLOL. And those pooooooooor christians… how they suffer and are tormented when they use the HOOOOOOOLY BIBLE as a WMD (weapon of mass destruction) on those who do not toe the line for Jeeeeeeesus!!! You American christian Taliban make me want to vomit on your prayer towels and hankies!! You have no idea what Jesus taught or stood for, cpmsidering the witness you provoke on the people today. I can’t wait for Judgement Day for ya!
Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Mr. Delay gives straight people a bad name. He belongs in prison because he is crooked politician. He should stay in prison because he is morally bankrupt. Hating gays is NOT something to be proud of. Not believing in health care for all, not believing in equal rights, equal pay, or freedom of religion is what I consider Unamerican. I hope his appeal process bankrupts his bank account.
It’s a nice story, but Meg Whitman being brought down by the maid is even better.
The worm rarely turns, but when it does it’s a beautiful sight indeed. I hope DeLay gets the maximum sentence allowed by law. I’m only sorry that the rest of the GOP and a small number of like minded Democrats aren’t going to join him.
Mr Delay and his cohorts represent the absolute worst in American politics, their methods have fallen under the scrutiny of the courts and the conviction has been handed down by the jury.
What remains now is the scurry behind the walls of the rest of the rats that subverted the righteous will of the people by these cats they perpitrated.
Texas, of all places to have been found guilty where life sentences are handed down for lesser crimes and the death penalty is used even if the accused was innocent and the judge and the governor were busy doing other things the day the switch was thrown?
In this instance, many in the know say, he will get a fine and no time.
Karma! It’s a bitch.
Great story John.
Personally, I think it is corruption of elected officials that is a really bad family value.
Im gay and I support prosecuting all straight people for their anti-gay bigotry EVEN THOSE WHO CLAIM THEY ARE NOT ANTI-GAY, YOU ALL STOOD BY WHILE I AND TYLER CLEMENTI WERE BULLIED BY VICIOUS JOCKS
To: seethelightofgod SO MANY CHRISTIANS! SO FEW LIONS!
hopefully, John Boehner will soon follow DeLay
There was only ONE Christian and he died on the cross.
You know, it always amuses me when I point out a simple observation in a rational way and instead of reasoned discussion from the radical gays, all I get is anger in response. The persecution continues I see. Sad but true.
Oh, and to the one poster who doesn’t know the difference between persecute and prosecute, it’s called “Webster’s”. Give education a try.
Seethelightofgod
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 5:45 pm wrote: “Well they persecuted the Christians with lions back in the day for opposing the radical gay agenda, and now they continue to persecute us today using the activist court system. Sadly, some things never change.”
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You ignorance is astounding!!! Gay agenda in Biblical times? Are you absolutely nuckin’ futz??? Homosexuality never had a “gay agenda” then or now. And you poooor victims wonder why noone takes you seriously! Poooo’ persecuted American christian Taliban!!! Problem really is we don’t have enough lions to take care of the “real” problem people!
As a gay expatriate currently living in China, I have to say this news brings a certain warmth to my heart and has restored my faith in humanity + 1
Thank you, Tim Dang, and deprofundis!!! As a Christian, I am sooo embarrassed by these FOOLS who call themselves Christian!!! The American christian Taliban simply don’t have an IQ above room temperature to even be allowed NEAR a computer! A person really cannot fix “stupid’!
One buys them books… and all they do is stare at the pictures! Unnnngh! Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Seethelightofgod wrote: “Oh, and to the one poster who doesn’t know the difference between persecute and prosecute, it’s called “Webster’s”. Give education a try.”
============= Education is a funny thing,STLOG…it not only includes spelling lessons, and where a word may inadvertently be misused, but it also includes lessons based on fact, reason, sound teachings, etc. You have problems with getting your facts straight, especially in the historical context, sociological, psychological contexts, et al! I detest spellings errors… but I can overlook that if the basic content of the message is sound and logical. You, Sweetcakes, have done nothing of the sort. When you can stop using the Holy Bible as a weapon of mass destruction on people, then, and ONLY then, you might get an audience, small as it may be. Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Let’s just say that if truth and justice could prosecute Seethelightofgod for ignorance AND arrogance, s/he would be found guilty, and persecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Life is not fair, Honey! Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
At a girl Rosemary. Like all hypocrites this criminal has twisted ethics. He worries that being gay and having marriage will somehow cause the dissolution of the institution that is in place. You know more than 50% of all marriages end in divorce. And for the life of me I cannot see how someone else’s marriage can effect mine. How my neighbors marriage has an effect on mine. It makes no sense. And they know it.
It is simply one form of tyranny over human beings they don’t like or agree with. And I am so fed up with the efforts of Christians to intimidate and force their beliefs on everyone else. These ungodly Christians do not have a lock on morality. They do not have a pipeline to a deity. If they do, it would be a pathetic thing. What they have is a stark view of the world and a longing for Armageddon. They are so selfish and so locked into the notion of sin, they await with hope the end of the human race.
How much living can anyone do with the fear so prevalent in their existence? As for Delay he is typical of the Christians I have met. Just more up front with his corruption. Let’s hear it for that old time religion.
Since this issue appears to be a pet peeve with so many, I’ll let it go for now. We’ll have to agree to disagree.
In return for my kind gesture, all I ask is that if you haven’t set foot in a church in a month or longer, then please keep your opinions to yourselves, for you know not of what you speak. I’m guessing this will cover the 99% of you in here who have made a certain lifestyle choice that rejects morality as we know it.
Seethelightofgod: I step foot in church almost every Sunday. In fact, its been less than 12 hours since I was last in church; not that it makes me any more qualified to comment than anyone else just because you say so. But, since you want someone who goes to church to argue with you, here I am!
I’m a member of a United Methodist Church, and something the pastor said today, on this first Sunday of Advent, is that so many people are raised in “Christian” churches being told one message: “You better be good, or God will get ya.” But, the pastor pointed out that there is so much more to Christianity than that a message of fear and condemnation.
Let me define Christianity for you. This is called the Apostle’s Creed, or Affirmation of Faith:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. On the third day He rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and sittith at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
That’s it. That’s all you must believe to be a Christian. Other than that we’re each on our own journey, in fellowship with others, with God. You’ll also notice that only one sentence in the Creed mentions judgment at all – and its says Jesus gets to judge, not you, FYI. Everything else speaks to the miracles of Christmas and Easter, overcoming death, forgiveness, fellowship, and life everlasting. The Creed doesn’t require you to marry anyone in particular. It doesn’t require that you promote or fight against a particular social policy. It doesn’t require anything but a belief in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and Christ’s conception, death, and resurrection.
But, I’m sure that’s not enough for you. After all, those words aren’t written in red in your Bible. So, let’s look at the Ten Commandments. Don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t commit adultery (which in those days meant a woman couldn’t cheat on his husband, or a husband had to marry a chick – any number of them – before he could sleep with them), don’t take the Lord’s name in vein, don’t create an idol, have no other God’s before Him, don’t covet your neighbor, honor your mom and dad, and keep the Sabbath.
That’s it. Ten basic big rules which are pretty decent things to live by. Now, I know I know, but there are so many other things in the Bible which tell me what is and isn’t wrong. I mean, look at Leviticus. We can argue translations, interpretations, and various ministers who put their own spin on things. So what. That’s the small stuff – not main doctrines of Christianity, and who knows when it was actually written, who wrote it, and how many times it was re-written to fit the needs of a particular time or ruler.
If you feel persecuted, I suggest you get down on your knees, and thank God that he lets you be persecuted through the United States court system instead of being fed to lions in a public arena. But tell the teens in Iran (just the ones we know about) who were hung by the neck in 2005 until they died that they weren’t being persecuted, but rather cleansed of their rejections of morality as we know it. Or tell the teens who are killing themselves because there don’t seem to be enough Christians out there willing to share the loving message of Christ. I guess so much for communion of saints and forgiveness of sins. Let’s just skip right to the judging the quick and the dead part. That’s more convenient for you.
Seethelightofgod, you are not a martyr. You are not a better Christian than me, or anyone else , and God doesn’t love you any more, or less, than anyone else either. You do a disservice to your faith, and our God by posting these things. You have the blood of our children on your hands by spreading such a hateful message. And, if anyone has reason to fear the judgment portion of Christianity, it is you, not people who are gay and lesbian.
Perhaps I’m the pessimist. Perhaps I see this world as a trouble place full of turmoil, hurt, and hate. And you, the optimist, see it as so abundant with joy and excessive love that you have the spare time, energy, and resources to decide which types of love are worthy, and which are not. I, for one, think this world could use all the love it can get.
Ask yourself this: Do you think God would prefer your life’s work to be finding and limiting love which you deem illegitimate, or even that God deems illegitimate, which I don’t think he does? Or, do you think God would prefer you use your short time on this earth to seek out those who have been abandoned, hurt, forsaken, and forgotten, and spread love to them?
It Gets Better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO1TqOSnxl0
There really is no hope for you Seethe light… Your handlename isn’t very fitting. It doesn’t take church attendance to “make” a Christian. That begins and nurtures in the heart, of which you must have none.
Justin Nichols, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your inspiring comments and truthfulness. I take it that you are a younger person than myself… you have much more patience than I have any more. I’ve spent years teaching, preaching, training people, admonishing kindly, et al. Some advice falls on fertile ground. Some ground is like Seethelight dimly. And it is probably a sure bet that Seethe light won’t even see or read your succint message. But a lot of people will! I would encourage you to use these words as often as you can share them. The truth needs to go out and do go. Blessings and peace, Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Correction: “The truth needs to go out and do good!”*
Justin, my thanks again, after viewing your video, which I should have done first, lolol. Your comments are exactly what my church preaches, and that I preached for years I’m retired now but fully active. We need more people like you in our churches as ministers, teachers, etc. Blessings to you. Dakotahgeo!
DeLay should, of corse, be held accountable for his illegal and inmoral activities but as a Buddhist I would not wish harm or suffereing to come to him or anyone, including his cell-mate or his family.
Sign me, With Metta, A Lesbian Buddhist
We have moved from discriminating against women and skin color to now what you choose to put into your own body, being gay or a cannabis consumer both fit that description. But thats the truth we discriminate against cannabis consumers by locking them up in jail, destroying their lives and taking their kids, same use to happen for gays, most recently in the south but the last hurdle for the gay movement is marriage.
Dont these HATERS see the past, see what happens to every social movement that has ever been? The point is that every social movement in this nation has won in the end, they have all won their rights to vote, to live, to be who they are, from women, to blacks, you name it they have won. The same will happen to gay marriage and to marijuana legalization movement too. The problem is, why should even one more life be destroyed or one more person discriminated against when we know that in the end they will have the right to BE. Why are we letting it happen even one more time, its madness.
As for DELAY, Good, its been a long time coming, but if Texas wants to really fix his mess, then they need to redistrict the whole state, legally and fairy. In the end thats the crime Delay pulled on the whole nation, setting Texas up as a republican stronghold and stacking the congress in their favor. When will that crime be resolved and returned to the way it was prior to Delay getting his way?
When will the last discrimination happen, will Willie’s arrest be it in Texas for discriminating against cannabis consumers? Will gays in Texas feel safer and free to live and be? In Texas, I would say no, but dam people when will it be too much, when will the discrimination of gays and cannabis consumers just be wrong for these people? NOW would be the right answer.
Seethelightofgod, stepping foot in a church does NOT make you a Christian! Following the teachings of Jesus Christ does, hence the name. I defy you to find one word in the Bible spoken by Jesus that proclaims homosexuality a mortal sin, immoral, cancer-causing, fattening or any other negative thing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t that make it a non-issue to Him? NO one in their right mind would wake up one day and say to themselves, “I think I’ll be gay from now on.” We’re MADE this way, and I was taught to believe that God doesn’t make mistakes.
You wish
.
Sewfemmie, you are spot on the mark… thank you! Evidently STLOG doesn’t think God is infallible and CAN make mistakes! I prefer the fact that God is allpowerful and gives us a myriad of gifts, including the gift of diferent sexual orientation. Different talents abound from God. God does indeed NOT make mistakes, however much SeeTheLightOfGod wants us to believe otherwise and tries to prove God wrong by her example. Blessings and Peace,
Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Seethelight…. you wish? After all the arguments which have been made against your bigotry and insanity, THAT’S the best you can come up with? You wish? Come on, now. You never responded to my lengthy argument above, and the only response you have to someone who says God made us as we are, is “you wish?” How terribly disappointing. Aren’t you just God’s little crusader. LOL.
Heh heh heh (snicker, snicker)… Thank you, Justin. I’m glad I got to see your response before I went to sleep for the night. I like to leave the day with a smile.
“They persecuted the Christians back in the day…” PLEASE. The Romans threw ANYONE even those not Christian in the ring with the Lions or the Gladiators back in the day. They liked their entertainment, the Romans did – and their favorite one was to pit people either against Beasts or against other people – with a thumbs up or thumbs down… That was THEIR form of Reality TV,
No one persecutes the Christians any longer – but they sure are good at playing the victim and whining about the supposed trampling of their rights – usually by LGBTQs or atheists. Gay people deserve the right to love whom they choose, marry whom they wish & if it goes south to legally dissolve that marriage – providing for division of property & child custody.
Mark me as one happy straight woman who was glad to see DeLay handed his a** on a platter..