Brody's Scribbles... "...Whose Relationships Are Of Essentially No Societal Consequence."

Rep. Michael Carroll (R-25th)  Photo Courtesy Of MichaelCarroll.Com

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Apr 5 | When I visited Joe Jervis's Joe.My.God this morning for my daily dose of 'straight talking-take-no-prisoners blogging,' the very first thing that leapt off the page at me was the above quote in my headline.  I'm still angry. That statement came from an interview of Republican New Jersey Assemblyman, Michael Patrick Carrol (R-25th District). A link from the quote in Joe's piece led to an article published today by On Top Magazine's Carlos Santoscoy.

According to Santoscoy, the the Christian-based group, Alliance Defense Fund, in their challenge to Lambda Legal's marriage equality lawsuit against the state of New Jersey, asked Representative Carroll, along with Republican State Senators Gerald Cardinale and Anthony R. Bucco to be part of the litigation. When asked to comment on why he joined the suit, Carrol told Santoscoy that:

"I see no purpose in extending a societal imprimatur – and not insubstantial benefits – to folks whose relationships are of essentially no societal consequence,” Carroll said, then added, “Taxpayers should not be in the business of subsidizing friendships, however close.” 

Then, he continues to insert his foot in his mouth, with; heterosexual relationships, according to Carroll, because they involve children are the exception.

“Only when people enter into a relationship which presumptively involves the bearing and rearing of children does society have an interest in that relationship,” he said.

It gets so bloody tiresome being viewed as something less than a fully productive part of society-any society. For example, Rep Carroll says that LGBT people are of "no societal consequence."

I see, well, how about this example from right here in the nation's capital then? For thirty five years Deacon Maccubbin and his husband, Jim Bennett, ran Lambda Rising Books & Gifts in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of the District.

The book and gift shop was known for its community outreach, sometimes with Deacon & Jim traveling many miles to set up temporary book nooks at Pride events in Asbury Park NJ, Columbus OH, Raleigh NC, Roanoke VA, and other cities that had no local LGBT bookstore. Fundraising for non-profits was also a constant part of Lambda Rising's operations; through ticket sales to community events and concerts, through donations of cash or merchandise to hundreds of non-profits, the store raised and contributed amounts ranging from about $25,000 in lean years to nearly a quarter million dollars in its more robust years.  

In June, 1975, Lambda Rising hosted the first annual Gay Pride Day, drawing over 2,000 people to a block party that was the precursor to today's massive DC Pride Day.

“We hosted it for the first five years,” Maccubbin said, “but when the crowd grew to 10,000 in 1979, it was too large for the 3-block space we had, so we turned the whole thing over to a non-profit foundation to run in subsequent years.” 

That event now attracts more than 200,000 participants each year.  Just imagine the sales taxes alone that brings to the coffers of the District of Columbia's government.
Inconsequential? I don't think so. Lambda Rising is also responsible for countless thousands of relationships that were begun because the couples met and fell in love at the bookstore. Some of whom went on to adopt children, raising them to be productive taxpaying members of society and guess what Mr. Carroll? Some of whom actually reside in your 25th NJ Assembly District. Oh, by the way, they vote too...

Here's some perceptions and comments from Joe's Blogsite that I feel best illustrate how many folk feel about such ignorance and hateful rhetoric: 

Texas Jaybird replies: OK, if you want to be really stupid about it, what happens to couples who've moved past their "bearing and rearing of children" stage as their offspring move out and onward?  Do these couples then lose their "not insubstantial benefits" offered by the State??  What a crock from these ignorant homophobes

fairviewsue replies: Exactly! I am in such a heterosexual marriage! We agreed that we would never have children and after 25 years, we have had none! Does that mean that in his eyes are marriage is null and void? I certainly hope not!

And then my personal favorite:

dp says:  Michael, darling.  Here's a sincere and heartfelt fuck you.  You don't know my life and loves, my family or friends, and you don't get to decide whose relationship is valuable to society. Oh, and enough already with the "children" angle.  Guess what?  We were all children once, and some of us were lucky enough to be raised with strong values of kindness, compassion and respect, basic love one another stuff.  Others, apparently...