These two men passed away today. I'm not going to say anything negative about them, as their records speak for themselves.
[NOTE FROM JOHN: I'll weigh in. Kennedy was a bigot. I have no respect for anyone, living or dead, who preaches hatred for his fellow man, and then has the audacity to claim that he's speaking for God. A higher power most certainly inspired D. James Kennedy. But that power had nothing to do with God.]
Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio), died in his office on Tuesday. From The Hill:
According to an inter-conference email obtained by The Hill, Gillmor did not show up to the office this morning causing his staff to become concerned. When they went to his apartment to check on him, they found that the lawmaker had passed away.He was a solid Republican vote. A sampling of Representative Paul Gillmor's record, via Project Vote Smart:
Capitol Police is currently investigating, but sources believe that the 10-term lawmaker may have had a heart attack.
In November, Gillmor won his district with 57 percent of the vote, holding on to his seat in a year that saw Democrats take over a GOP Senate seat and the governor's mansion in Ohio.
A special election will be necessary to find someone to fill out the rest of the term. While Republicans are favored to retain the seat, such an election will likely be costly and an added burden to the GOP.
* Voted for adoption of H AMDT 890 to HR 2546, an amendment to repeal the Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992 which allows unmarried individuals, regardless of gender, to register as domestic partners, allowing them to be eligible for D.C. government health care.
* H J Res 88: Voted to pass a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment providing that marriage in the U.S. consists only of the union of a man and a woman, and federal and state constitutions can not be construed to require marriage or legal incidents of marriage be conferred in other unions.
* H.AMDT.200 to HR 1501: Voted for an amendment that allows States to decide whether or not to display the Ten Commandments on or within publicly owned property.
* Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007: no surprise. He voted against it.
* Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Voted for this in 1996.
* HJRes 54: Proposed an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.
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The passing of Florida megachurch pastor D. James Kennedy, of Coral Ridge Ministries, was not unexpected. He had been ill for some time. Right Wing Watch has a collection of Kennedy quotes. Here are his thoughts on gays:
"With other dangerous and contagious diseases, all sorts of efforts are made to identify those carrying the disease, and to minimize their contact with the public. And yet, here we have homosexual rights groups working day and night to make sure AIDS victims ARE NOT IDENTIFIED! Until action is taken, AIDS victims are free to infect anyone." (Newsletter, 1989)
Another newsletter item featured a photograph of very young children under the headline, "SEX WITH CHILDREN? HOMOSEXUALS SAY YES!" The newsletter went on to assert that "Adult sex with children has been a crucial component of the homosexual movement all along."
"Whatever four members of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts may say, the intimate coupling of two men or two women is not marriage. It is a pale and misshapen counterfeit that will only serve to empty marriage of its meaning and destroy the institution that is the keystone in the arch of civilization. If homosexuals win the right to 'marry,' expect further similarly argued claims challenging legal barriers to polygamy, bestiality, and child marriage." (Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, 10/2003)
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