Gay PA Rep. Brian Sims Demands Censure of GOP Rep For Citing ‘God’s Law’ To Silences Him
by Will Kohler
Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims, who is the first openly gay lawmaker elected in Pennsylvania history, is asking the PA legislators to censure ultra-conservative Rep. Daryl Metcalfe who
blocked him from making remarks about the SCOTUS rulings on gay
marriage. Metcalfe's blocked Sims because he was preparing to make
remarks that were "open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God's law."
In a part of the house session where members can speak on wide-ranging topics, Sims had just begun his remarks when he was shut down."I wasn't planning on chastising anybody. I wasn't planning on discussing how far we have to come in Pennsylvania or that we really have no civil rights in Pennsylvania," Sims said. "It was really just going to limit my comments to how important the cases were."It takes just one legislator to end the impromptu remarks. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe was one of the House Republicans who objected."I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God's law," said Metcalfe, R-Butler.Two more Democratic legislators got up to speak in support of Sims. Neither was allowed to proceed.
Sims has officially requested that Metcalfe be censured for his behavior the AP reports:
On Thursday, House Speaker Sam Smith, R-Jefferson, told Sims the proper procedure under the circumstances would be either going through the Ethics Committee or seeking a House resolution. Sims said he plans to pursue the matter.“This is a guy who hates women, he hates gay people, he hates minorities and he hates immigrants,” Sims said. Metcalfe is among the most conservative state lawmakers. He has sponsored pro-gun-rights rallies and organized opposition to people who enter the country without legal permission.Metcalfe said he regularly attends a nondenominational Christian church near his home in western Pennsylvania. He said the comments Sims would have made about the high court's decisions would have been “ultimately offensive to the majority of my constituents, and myself.”
Said Sims on Facebook last night:
A quick thought before I head to bed: What happened the last two days in Harrisburg wasn't a Democrat vs. Republican thing. This was the State House vs. a few tea partiers. From the Speaker handling all of this appropriately to the many members of the Republican caucus I've heard from who've apologized for the lack of decorum, it's clear to me that the entire State House was angered by the shenanigans. That's the progress I'm looking for and I'm thankful to be finding it! Lots to do but lots to celebrate these days...
I
don;t know about you but I, for one, would be more than happy to be in
open rebellion of God's Law with the WOOFY Brian Sims any day.
In my opinion anyone, from high to low, from simple citizen to the highest in office, should be thrown back when and if a law not custom in the land is invoked, and especially when a lawmaker is is invoking a religion!
ReplyDeleteWhen Christians are allowed to invoke God's law, and thus force people to live according to that law, then Muslims are entitled to the same rights, and are, in my opinion at least, rightfully entitled to invoke the sharia law!
I feel that lawmakers should act according to the Constitution, and as we all know (or should know), the US Constitution prevents invoking religion in anything that has to do with politics.......
Or, in another interpretation, IF Christian God's law is invoked, then the Divine Heads of other religions equally must be (allowed) to be invoked!
And I have the idea, but correct me if I am wrong there, that Daryl Mettcalfe is not willing to allow muslims to invoke their religious law, ie the sharia.
So, mr. Mettcalfe needs to either shut up, or apologize and allow others religions to be invoked also... for instance the Gay God's law! (dunno if there is one......)