Court: OK to shield boy from dad’s gay lifestyle (Tennessee)

[NashVegas]

A gay father can't flaunt a homosexual lifestyle when his son is around, a state appeals court has ruled. But the state Court of Appeals, in a decision released Tuesday, said a Williamson County judge was wrong to send Joe Hogue, a producer in the Christian music industry, to jail for telling his son about being gay. The appellate ruling said Hogue had not gone beyond reasonable boundaries.

...

A complaint filed by the wife's attorney said Joe Hogue told the boy that ''when someone is gay, they are born like that.'' He told his son that he was old enough to understand, and that his boyfriend was in love with him, according to the complaint.

Hogue was sentenced to two days in Williamson County Jail in September 2002 for breaking the restraining order. The lower court also took away some of his visitation rights.



more


http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/01/45285016.shtml?Element_ID=45285016

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Oh yes,

one must be imprisoned for telling the truth. And I have listened to freepers on other boards who say that gays have the same rights as everyone else!

[foreigncorrespondent]

11. Hell...

...I have heard a disruptor here on DU state that quite clearly. See: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=986705#987602

[arwalden]

2. That Pretty Much Speaks For Itself, Doesn't It?

Fundamentalists :puke:

[tedoll78]

3. Geez..

I love it how courts love to ignore the Equal Protection part of the Constitution as they see fit. And I'm going to enjoy watching the Religious Reich squirm when this court decision is overturned.

[Chovexani]

4. What exactly is "flaunting a gay lifestyle"?

What exactly is "flaunting a gay lifestyle:? Does that mean he's not allowed to take the kid to Pottery Barn or something?

Jebus.

[Cannikin]

9. No madonna albums during visitation....

[NashVegas]

10. Pottery Barn?

I had no idea.

[David__77]

19. It is a stereotype...

There probably is a class segment among gay people that are more likely to shop at that store--I know this gay person can't afford it though. Unfortunately, the media is painting gays similarly to how Jews have been painted: very affluent, intellectual, etc. It would seem positive, but it's bad for us and it's been bad for Jews too. The fundies use recycled anti-Semitic propaganda against us, implying that we're buying the political establishment, and are sitting atop media and academic conspiracies.

[NashVegas]

22. Well

I shudder everytime I walk past Pottery Barn.

**ewww, bland**


Unfortunately, the media is painting gays similarly to how Jews have been painted: very affluent, intellectual, etc.

Agreed, well at least in part. I've never known any gay people I thought were stupid.

I take it back - one.

[transeo]

31. Oh please, you know we're out to take over the world

Review your gay agenda and get back on track. :hi:

[kayell]

5. Was it TN where the school child was recently disciplined for

saying that it mom's were gay and that that meant that two women loved each other? When did "gay" become such foul and shocking language?

Just when you think we're starting to make a bit of progress....

[La_Serpiente]

6. Lousiana I believe

n/t

[kayell]

7. Thanks, should have saved that article. nt

[noonwitch]

12. I had an ancient English teacher who used to rant about the word gay

among others. She didn't like it being used to replace "homosexuals", because she said they used gay all the time as a word to describe being happy. She also didn't like using the word "fag" in that context either. She said that was slang for a cigarette.
She was a great teacher, however, in that she discussed how language changes with 8th graders.

[Dookus]

8. This will be overturned....

It's horrible. It's disgusting. It's the last gasp of a dying mind-set. As a gay man, I can only urge you to keep on keepin; on.

[NashVegas]

25. First, It Has to Be Appealed

And the man may figure he's got what he wanted for now. I'd hope not.

[Demonaut]

13. how old is the kid and how do you interpret a gay lifestyle??

If the guy is leaving explicit gay porn laying around thats one thing but if its just a good taste in clothing and a neat house thats another.

[northzax]

14. I'm sorry, but how stereotypical is this post?

clean house? good taste in clothing? please, it's like a briefing for a descent into freeperville.

[Demonaut]

23. tongue in cheek

testy, testy...lighten up Francis

[TrogL]

30. The kid is nine - old enough

to have at least some concept of the issue.

The court obviously doesn't believe in the word "orientation" and is using "lifestyle" as an all-purpose club.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. Am I the only one who caught the irony here?

"Joe Hogue, a producer in the Christian music industry..."

Sort of like my stepfather's gay former piano student who makes his living writing soundtracks for fundamentalist movies.

[Mari333]

16. Flaunt???? WTF kind of word is that

A word specifically designed to be used to damn a caring loving relationship between 2 men....gads, how inane!
So, the patriarchal brouhaha of a nuclear family, where dad comes home with his belt and swats the kids after work, and mom dutifully brings him his martini to get him in the mood for swatting Junior in the woodshed is considered normal, while 2 gay men who represent a couple who more then likely represent loving mature and educated parents who can teach their son kindness, compassion, and empathy towards others, is considered "flaunting".
Hatred of the humane seems to be so embedded in this society its beyond my comprehension.

[Cambist]

17. I am so ashamed

Of this f*cking State some time. How could the birth place of the last legaly elected president sink so low? What a crock of Sh*t. They are trying so hard to bread hate in others to disrupt or goals of harmony and peace for all mankind. It's obvious.

[kitkatrose]

20. I agree, but we have had quite a bit

of shit born here too, like the KKK and the Snopes (?) evolution trial. Maybe a bunch of reasonable people can pack the state or something so attitudes change. :( At the very least it's not that bad all across the state.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

24. Scopes

[trapper914]

33. Ironically...

one member of the prosecution team at the Scopes Monkey Trial? Sue K. Hicks. The inspiration of the song, "A Boy Named Sue."

[Lindacooks]

26. I agree

what a bunch of disgusting homophobes, from the Bigot Belt, of course.

[NashVegas]

27. Check Out the Court Summary

It's a PDF file on the page with the story.

I'm beginning to think this is partly a case of she has a killer lawyer and his is so-so.

[David__77]

18. It is a crucial struggle of our time.

Liberating gay people from this oppression does more than to help gay people--it's intricately tied to the freedom of everyone else from the sexist, violent, archaic ways from which this oppression stems.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

21. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" comes to family court...

I wondered how long it would take.

[davidinalameda]

28. how freaking stupid

but then again it just goes to show that anti-gay discrimination is rampant in this country

bet the RWers are loving this court

[PartyPooper]

29. To cruelly and unjustly 'stigmatize' a gay parent in front of his child

like this is simply abhorrent and reprehensible.

'Family values', my ass!

:grr:

[Laughing Mirror]

32. "The boy had started asking him tough questions

"and was even fearing him, confiding that others were saying his soul was destined for damnation, Hogue said. He said he felt he needed to clear the air."

The boy wants to know. The boy is curious. Trying to hide his father's gay lifestyle, whatever that is, from him is wrong. He'll only resent the truth being kept from him, and all that implies.

Pity the poor boy, and also the mother and the father, for having to live in such a benighted society that fails to understand that yes, even children, have sexuality, and it does no good to repress it. A little education is need. Children need to know that sexuality, gay or straight or bi or trans, is nothing at all to be ashamed of, not in these here United States at least.

There ought to be a huge outrage in Tennessee about this. What country singer is going to go on the Grand Ole Opry and sing a song about this?

[Lurking Dem]

34. I love living in Williamson County.

No.



Really.



/sarcasm