Yesterday, I wrote a small piece on an anti-gay activist-candidate’s remarks regarding the state’s new anti-bullying law and sex ed law.
Albemarle, N.C., resident Jason Phibbs is running against incumbent Democratic state Sen. Bill Purcell. Phibbs, a Republican and activist for the anti-gay NC4Marriage, says Purcell is promoting a “gay agenda” —
Jason Phibbs, who has worked as the Stanly County organizer for the anti-gay NC4Marriage, told a small group at a town hall this week that Sen. Bill Purcell was “promoting homosexuality.” He says Purcell’s yes votes on the School Violence Prevention Act and Healthy Youth Act will encourage “legitimization” of homosexuality and allow schools to teach about gay sex.
“Now school systems can teach whatever they want,” Phibbs said, according to The Laurinburg Exchange. “… If they want, they can teach homosexual sexuality. They can do that.”
Purcell has defended his votes, saying all children should be protected from bullying and that new measures were needed to help curb rising pregnancy rates.
Yeah… Phibbs is full of shit. Oops. Did I say that? I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be so rude, especially considering Phibbs is probably some long lost, distant relative of mine.
When I first saw The Laurinburg Exchange‘s story and saw Phibbs’ name, I laughed. There are Phibbses scattered throughout one whole branch of my family a few generations back (in my maternal grandfather’s mother’s parents’ side of the family, whew).
But, even if Jason Phibbs is family, there’s no doubting he must have gotten the short end of the mental intelligence stick, unfortunately. A commenter on our story yesterday sums it up:
While they are both apparently equally bigoted, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners have more fiscal sense than candidate Jason Phibbs.
NC4Marriage’s proposal to have a special referendum in 2009 to ban something that is already illegal (!) would have cost the state’s taxpayers over $5.7 million (link below) with much of the burden falling on the backs of counties — that means property tax increases in NC.
I wonder if the people of Stanly County and the rest of the district really want a careless spender, like this Republican Phibbs fellow, in charge of their money.
Fiscal Note from the General Assembly for 2009 amendment proposal:
http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/FiscalNotes/Senate/PDF/SFN0272v1.pdf