People who should be sterilized before they can breed...

County commisioners in Rhea County, Tennessee passed a resolution to ask their state Congresscritters to introduce a bill that would allow them to criminally prosecute homosexuals. In this stunning example of inbreeding, the resolution passed unanimously. Apparently, the idea is to prevent 'those people' from sullying the sanctity and purity of the county that brought us the Scopes monkey trial. I guess news of the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down sodomy laws hasn't filtered down to Tennessee. Or maybe they just haven't found someone literate enough to read it to them.

Details of the resolution are scarce online, but the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the desired legislation would allow officials to "[charge] homosexuals with crimes against nature." Commissioner Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the motion, must be unfamiliar with the countless examples of homosexual behavior found in nature, outside the human species. But when did anyone let something as trivial as fact get in the way of a good prejudice? It is not clear if those making use of agriculture, medicine, or language would be charged with similar 'crimes against nature.'

It is also not clear what, specifically, Rhea County officials want to outlaw. The vague wording of what I've been able to find online about this doesn't make it clear whether they're trying to outlaw homosexual acts (i.e. sodomy, which would be covered under the recent Lawrence vs. Texas Supreme Court case) or just homosexuals in general. It is clear, however, that the intent it to prevent those nasty homosexuals from living there. "We need to keep them out of here," stated Commissioner Fugate.

A "Faggot, don't let the sun set on you in Rhea County" sign must have been considered too gauche.