MSNBC's Roberts Worries About 'License to Bully' in Michigan
A religious exemption in anti-bullying legislation that's meant to prevent students and teachers from being punished for simply expressing their religious beliefs about homosexuality is a "license to bully" in the eyes of MSNBC.
Openly-gay anchor Thomas Roberts brought on Michigan state senator Gretchen Whitmer (D) to bash the Republican-controlled state senate for passing SB 0137, "Matt's Safe School Law," on to the state house of representatives containing a clause that holds that the law "does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil's parent or guardian."
Whitmer, Roberts noted uncritically, has called the bill "a Republican license to bully."
"What do you think they [Republicans] were trying to achieve by altering the legislation on the religious and moral grounds?" Roberts asked. Whitmer answered that it was a "subterfuge" that was "based on homophobia."
Roberts failed to ask if Whitmer was being uncharitable towards her Republican colleagues, who may be simply attempting to prevent kids from being accused of bullying for having a lunchroom debate with classmates on say gay marriage.
The MSNBC anchor also failed to bring on a Republican state legislator to give his or her side of the issue and even thanked his guest in closing for being "on the children's side."
Editor's Note: Post updated to reflect Roberts's biased note of thanks to his guest.
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Comments
Republicans control the Michigan House?
Submitted by Texndoc on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 1:59pm.
Seriously, I didn't know that. And they must because it's a "Republican" bill and it passed the Michigan House so I assume they did it alone. Did not one Democrat vote for it?
License to BULLY????????????????????????????
Submitted by Annie Ashe Fields on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 2:42pm.
WHY DON'T YOU G*DD*MNED WORRY ABOUT BULLYING HERMAN CAIN WITH BULLSH*T ACCUSATIONS????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In Mr. Roberts' eyes, it
Submitted by Restless Legs on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 3:34pm.
In Mr. Roberts' eyes, it would be perfectly fine to bully a Christian for his or her religious beliefs. Better yet, he and his liberal army would rather just bully Christians into silence.
gay
Submitted by fearme on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 3:38pm.
Thomas Roberts' and all his fellow packers are a disgrace..It's morally wrong and disgusting..marriage is between a real man and woman..who the wife and husband..who is the receiver and the taker..
Tommy "The Drunktard" Bobby tried to bully Aretha Franklin,
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 3:43pm.
gets kicked out of gay wedding-of-the year.
Bully license revoked.
Readin' the law right
Submitted by P. Aaron on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 4:23pm.
Readin' the law right now...lookin' for loophole so I too can legally bully. Geez! Some people in the press! How on earth did we survive the 1st 200 years as a republic without anti-bullying legislation?!
Must've been a close call, like an asteroid just missing the planet!
The bullies are NOT the religious right
Submitted by ohio granny on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 4:43pm.
The bullies are the democrats/liberals/atheists. They are the ones who constantly try to bully Christians into silence. Free speech for them but not for Christians. We need to demand OUR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS. We believe homosexuality is wrong/abnormal. I for one will not stop saying it. If you do not agree, okay, so what? I will repeat it. At least as far as I am concerned we can disagree, but I will not shut up just to make you feel better.
While you legislate from the Bible
Submitted by Pizza Dude on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 4:48pm.
Yeah, you know what you're talking about.
Wossamatta pizza?
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:04pm.
Hit a nerve? In most cultures homosexuality is considered a preversion. That includes pagan cultures and peaceful islam.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
Also in Pizza's Heaven
Submitted by Blonde on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:08pm.
.....Hollywood.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Like moths and porchlights, Zippers can't resist a gay thread
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:10pm.
Never could.
Oh good. Dead Zippers outed himself already.
Submitted by The Vet on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 1:32am.
He holds back his dog. Singular. And it is female.
Dead Zippers: My DOG understands this. She's sitting next to me nodding right now.
And it appears to be a St. Bernard but Stupid can't tell because well, Dead Zippers is quite stupid.
Dead Zippers: And that is hardly a full grown St Bernard. Hell if I know, she's probably got some boxer and some kind of freakishly high jumping breed in her. We rescued the one year old from the shelter on Christmas Eve. Does that fill in the holes for you?
So what is the story this time Dead Zippers? You gonna fully out yourself again or lie and make up some new persona again?
.
Ah yes, Vet, that was a true Dead Zippers classic.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 2:07pm.
The Christmas Eve adoption of Santa's Little Helper, which took place late that snowy night after Zippers and "The Mrs." dropped off several bags at the Hollywood Toys For Tots drive.
The shelter employees agreed to stay late, as Santa's Little Helper was scheduled to be euthanized on Christmas. Unfortunately, Santa's Little Helper killed Zippers' cats the next day and was promptly returned.
Who is legislating the
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:12pm.
Who is legislating the Bible?
The whole "Christians are going to take over our country and turn it into a theocracy" is some of the worst paranoia ever. When anyone proposes executing adulterers, per Leviticus, maybe then you have a point.
Dominionists everywhere!
Hey thumpers
Submitted by Pizza Dude on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:16pm.
Stop knocking on my door at 7pm on Sunday nights to spread your message. Next time I don't hold the dog back.
People who complain about
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:22pm.
People who complain about visitors to their house or petitioners at supermarkets or anyone else politely trying to communicate a cause are the most petty, obnoxious type of people.
How hard is it to not answer the door, or just say "I'm not interested"...
Hey Bambi
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:25pm.
You always talk to yourself and then give a stupid answer? Also you should leave your wife out of this.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
Seriously?
Submitted by Model850 on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:31pm.
Another refreshingly tolerant position from the left. Sic the dog on those with whom you disagree. First Amendment rights? Meh, who needs that pesky nuisance, right?
Must really suck to be you, what with it being so onerously demanding for you to open the door and say, "No, thank you."
Ever hear of not even answering the door?
I thought
Submitted by Pizza Dude on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:46pm.
It was the pizza dude.
Oh Pizza Dude. Tell us about your dog.
Submitted by The Vet on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 4:04am.
Let me guess the dog's name - Punky.
Let me guess the dog's breed - St. Bernard or St. Bernard mix.
Let me guess the dog's sex - female. Yep. Female.
Let' me guess the dog's age - Less than 2 years old.
Let me guess when you got the dog - Day before Christmas 2010.
Let me show you a picture of the dog - here, the very first picture.
Tell us about your dog Angry Black Dead Pizza Dippers. Do tell us. Please.
Beware who knocks on your door*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 7:55pm.
Better hope Sharia never comes to this country deddy.
Islam says homosexuals are "uncanny"
Rather than refute their
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 12:42am.
Rather than refute their arguement, you have someone (the dog) else do it for you. Typical lazy entitlement liberal.
I agree
Submitted by mandrake on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:11pm.
It's almost as annoying as those left handed people. They claim to be "born that way", but I know they are doing it just to throw it our face..damn them!
No I disagree, anyone who
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:15pm.
No I disagree, anyone who disagrees that left-handedness is genetic must be called out as a bully and religious fundamentalist, and as responsible for the suicides of left handed people. Also, any stores that don't sell left handed scissors, or any businesses that don't offer them to their employees when they need them, should be fined as discriminatory.
Also, the fact that
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:33pm.
Also, the fact that left-handers aren't highlighted on television is in itself discriminatory. We need more television shows that deal with the issue of left-handedness and attitudes towards left-handers.
Good one redfish*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 8:02pm.
My husband, his mother, his sister are all left handed. My daughter and her husband are both left handed. When we have a family gathering, my youngest daughter and I feel like outcasts. You should hear all those lefties talk about how difficult life is for them in a predominate righty world. Especially in school, in restaurants, and cars make life so hard for them not to mention the scissors thingy....;-)
Yes, they are downright
Submitted by Quasi-socialist on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 5:40pm.
sinister!
mandrake, theres ah gene for that.
Submitted by upcountrywater on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 6:19pm.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070805141533.htm
The gay gene not so much....
There he did research on the X chromosome, with hopes of someday finding the gay gene or genes themselves. Fourteen years later, neither Bocklandt nor any other researcher has pinpointed the precise base pairs that might turn a man gay.
You Didn't Build That.
At any rate, even only with
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 7:34pm.
At any rate, even only with that story in mind... a gene that increases the chances of left-handedness is not a gene for left-handedness, anymore than a gene that increases the chances of being gay is a gene for being gay.
If you read the article, there's only a chance of an effect on handedness, and an increased chance of schizophrenia. What this gene actually does was not understood at the time the article was written.
The press, as always -- even the science press -- can be counted on for overstating things. People need to keep in mind that everything that is done by genes, even physiological, is created in a developmental process. Genes don't "hardwire" things, that's a mistaken idea, they just act like like traffic controllers. Physiological properties of an organism are predictable simply because a biological system is homeostatic, which creates stability. Anything that isn't wrapped in the homeostatic bubble of the organism always relies on the environment for development.
Genetic differences can influence those developmental processes also, obviously.
I don't think I should be called a religious fundamentalist (by some people) for pointing that out.
Left-handedness, and schizophrenia, one word... scissors
Submitted by upcountrywater on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 6:22pm.
Just place a QUALITY bearing in the scissors main blade pivot point, and the scissors will work just fine, minor issues with the molded handles....Running with junk scissors to the trash can., over and over is just crazy...
My point of posting those two articles was to point out, science folks are closer to a Left handed gene, than a gay gene.
You Didn't Build That.
Journalism MSNBC style
Submitted by Reaver on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 8:35pm.
Yea, we really wanted to have a republican member of the MI legislature on to give their side of the story but decided that would take too much time away from bashing republicans and presenting opposing points of view might confuse our audience. We’ll just ask the dem why the reps did it.