Oregon Lawmaker Compares VA Tech Massacre to Passage of Gay Rights Legislation

"Rep. Richardson makes a vulgar comparison insulting to not only Oregonians, but to those most deeply impacted by the massacre." - Aisling Coghlan, Basic Rights Oregon

(SALEM) - Aisling Coghlan, Interim Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon, issued the following statement today in reaction to the recent comments by Oregon State Representative Dennis Richardson (R- Central Point) in a weekly newsletter to his district.

In the newsletter, Richardson made a "reprehensible comparison" between the massacre at Virginia Tech last week and the passage of a Domestic Partnership bill (HB 2007) and a statewide anti-discrimination bill (SB 2).

In a newsletter titled "A Tragic Week in Review", Rep. Dennis Richardson stated, "This past week has been like no other. On Monday the world witnessed the tragedy at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. On Tuesday Oregon witnessed the passage of Domestic Benefits for same-sex couples (HB 2007) and Civil Rights based on sexual orientation."

Said Coghlan, "While our nation mourns the unprecedented loss of life at Virginia Tech, and tries to recover from the enormity of this loss, Rep. Richardson makes a vulgar comparison insulting to not only Oregonians, but to those most deeply impacted by the massacre. For Richardson to say that protecting Oregon families in times of crisis is equivalent to the mass murder of some of the best and brightest America has to offer is beyond extremely distasteful--it is outright abhorrent."

Basic Rights Oregon's members say their thoughts and prayers are with the students, faculty, families and entire school community as they recover from this devastating event at Virginia Tech.

Salem-News.com Top Stories

2025: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Albert Marnell May 13, 2007 1:05 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, I would like to give you direction. Take a long walk off of a short pier.

Rosenberg May 10, 2007 8:35 am (Pacific time)

Marnell here at TARA II, we have plenty of help to take care of the "small stuff" you alluded to. Thanks for your input, keep a smile on that face, and please don't hesitate to ask me for direction.

Albert Marnell May 9, 2007 7:13 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, From what I have been able to deduce from your retrograde attitudes, beliefs and values; you are older than water. Nature will take care of you. I am already on my own for the past 30 years. Does your wife have to rush home to feed the animal or can you open a can of baked beans by yourself?

Rosenberg May 8, 2007 9:13 am (Pacific time)

The world's population will be reduced significantly in the not too distant future. Marnell, you will be on your own...

Albert Marnell May 7, 2007 11:13 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, That was a good response. Next task? Do not fawn over Queen Elizabeth. Throw a mudball at our ancestral enemy. Who in the hell wants a New World Order freak snooping around. She does not fool me. Her goul husband wrote a book in 1987 (prox.) wanting to reduce world population in the billions. Why doesn't he hang himself to start?

Rosenberg May 7, 2007 9:59 pm (Pacific time)

Okay, I've cancelled all taxes! Next task?

Albert Marnell May 7, 2007 6:47 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, Thank you for the compliment. The masses are asses. That is why things are so messed up. By the way since you are so protective, do me a favor and protect people from the taxes generated by aerospace and defense and the interest on the national debt. That is protection that you are powerless against.

Rosenberg May 4, 2007 6:53 pm (Pacific time)

You come across as really frustrated Albert, or is it you do not like those of us who have a different than yours? That would pretty well be the vast majority...

Albert Marnell May 3, 2007 10:11 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, You cherry-pick facts, fabricate and have lost all credibility with anyone that knows your game. Have Fun!

Rosenberg May 3, 2007 4:52 pm (Pacific time)

Thanks for the advice Albert, I'll talk to my family over the weekend, maybe try an intervention at Temple.

Albert Marnell May 3, 2007 12:43 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, You disrespect other cultures by using the name Rosenberg as a cover. It is very rare that a Jewish family would have so many children. Nowadays; it is also rare that a Protestant family would have have so many in most developed areas of the country. You use the slur Kerry-Kohn to show your disdain for Jews yet you try to fool people that you are one. As far as living alone or having little family, you could never survive and in most ways flourish as I have. You can not do it alone, you are too weak. You need your props and had so many children for selfish reasons. Live with your "Leave It To Beaver" and "Father Knows Best" which perhaps you may find in Disneyland once a year. Show others a little respect so that at least you do not disgrace your family.

Albert Marnell May 3, 2007 11:47 am (Pacific time)

Hi Rosenberg, Roaches breed in high numbers. That is not an accomplishment. You do not represent your children or grandchildren, they are innocents. I would not be surprised as they mature into older age they will talk about how disrespectful you were to people. It is not like me to be so crude. But you do bring out the worst in people, therefore you must be horrible to be around. You must be sitting on a good deal of inherited wealth and appreciated land. If you were poor, with your attitude, your family would not give you the time of day. If they absorb your attitudes they will only be able to function in an isolated and provincial world. You do them a diservice even though for the moment they may have had fun. The day will come when you will be gone and hopefully they already know that Dad and Grandpa is way out there.

Rosenberg May 3, 2007 7:44 am (Pacific time)

Hi Marnell. Thanks for the warm thoughts. Sorry to hear that you question the morality of other cultures Albert, must be a lonely life for you. My family will put you on our prayer list and hope our prayers will help heal you. P.S I have all sons, Five. Have five daughter-in-laws. Currently 14 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family. It's my hope you find some peace young man.

Albert Marnell May 2, 2007 9:12 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, My best friend is Muslim- Islamic. He lives in Izmir, Turkey and lived here for about 6 years. The Turkish people are not the Arab people and really can not stand each other. The Turks do not bother gays even in the army. What they do to women, children, gays and even themselves in the Arab lands in not something that most Americans want to aspire to. Go take your grandkids fishing and do them a favor by dropping dead so that your daughter gets an inheritance.

Albert Marnell May 2, 2007 8:41 pm (Pacific time)

Rosenberg, What do you think the Muslim solution is to YOU?

Rosenberg May 1, 2007 12:53 pm (Pacific time)

Say Marnell what do you think the Muslim solution is to gay marriage?

Hey Zus May 1, 2007 12:51 am (Pacific time)

We're not talking 51-49.

Albert Marnell April 30, 2007 7:21 pm (Pacific time)

Hey Zus, I certain percentage of children are gay; male and female. They need to have the information to prepare them for self-acceptance in a homophobic society. Suicide among gay teens is triple that of heterosexual teens. You can not make a child straight or gay. I am sure and hope you have heard over the years of the testimony of adults who said they knew they were different from ages as early as 3 or 4. This is not contagious and has to become a matter of fact issue. If one of your children is gay or lesbian you would not want them to internalize self-hatred or try to identify with a rejecting majority. This just leads to mental health issues and possibly even death. If you love your children conditionally, that is not love. Talking about politcal systems which I have mentioned before, a democracy is one of the worst forms of government and I repeat, this country was founded as a consitutional republic. The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights and The Constitution never intended that 51% should have what they want and 49% would not. I do not know what you are frightend of unless you still care what the neighbors think and the neighbors may surprise you with their understanding of human sexuality which covers hermaphrodites who choose to stay so all the way to cross-dressing heterosexual men. I would love to hear your fantasies and see if anything can fit into what you would call "Normal". I really can not believe that I am writing this so many decades after so much research has been done. You are actually frightened about something that might be in yourself. That is something that had to have been passed down from your parents or peers. You are too concerned about your self image. This has nothing to do with anyone but you and what you do not want in you. The danger is that if you found out you have any none traditional sexual desires, you would harm yourself in some way. Check out a book by Amy Bloom, called "Normal".

Hey Zus April 29, 2007 9:23 am (Pacific time)

Well as I observe how many of these so-called oppressed groups/individuals push their agenda in the public school system, I believe they have become the oppressor's in a big way, and using tax money to boot to push their agenda. I may be wrong about this, but it appears that the majority of voters have been clear about their feelings in past elections...so let's have another election...what's the problem with that? Afterall that's the"real" democratic way! I personally don't care what consenting adults do, I really don't, but don't you dare mess with our children by introducing material that parents have repeatedly admonished the school leadership not to incorporate into the curriculum. Once again there are laws on the books to protect people, and plenty of legal eagle groups out there to pursue litigation when laws are broken. Possibly there will be some cases that the U.S. Supreme Court will be able to decide on to make a clear policy(s) on this issue(s).

Albert Marnell April 28, 2007 10:46 am (Pacific time)

Hey Zus, You are not honest with yourself; either that or you think you are being cute. You are not giving an opinion, you are attacking under multiple aliases. When it comes to human rights, human rights rule and if properly imformed there is no minority or majority, there is just one group of people that know instinctively and cognitively what is oppression and most people with any life experience or exposure to a non-insulated environment will reject obvious oppression. The only reason that this is an issue is that there is oppression. You do not hear people in their 30's organizing and fighting for their rights. There are no rights to fight for except issues that effect all people.

Hey Zues April 28, 2007 8:14 am (Pacific time)

Marnell I guess you're the exception re: withdrawl? Once again, just offering a counter viewpoint, which doesn't mean I think the guy shouldn't resign, but tyranny of the miority/majority should be better resolved at the next election.

Albert Marnell April 27, 2007 11:22 am (Pacific time)

Hey Zus, Are you Rosenberg?

Albert Marnell April 27, 2007 11:20 am (Pacific time)

Hey Zus, Most people with mental illness withdraw from other people. They are less violent than the general population. Please do not trot out Cho. Whatever he is, he simply represents himself. Also, no one is not allowing you to speak. People are just giving you their opinions. You are the one who obviously suggests that people that do not share your viewpoint should be killed. Are you honest enough with yourself to see the hypocrisy? If you want use death counts for insight, our administration is thankful that people can focus on 32 dead domestically and not let them see the troops and especially the almost if not over 700,000 civilians killed. The civil war is an objective of our government. Less people and multiple enemies in the minds of the Iraqis makes it easier to divide the country up which was planned way before 9/11. We fan secular nationalism so that nations get broken up into weaker, smaller states which makes it easier for us to go in for the corporate kill.

Hank Ruark April 27, 2007 9:34 am (Pacific time)

To all: What is so harmful is the insistence on avoiding fact when presented...not whether or not there is conflict in ideas-expressed. Anyone with a belly-button can have an "opinion", and as former Gov. Sprague put it, "they are all pretty much the same" when they express feeling-only and NOT checkable, documented fact.

Hey Zus April 27, 2007 8:37 am (Pacific time)

This really appears to be a First Amendment issue people. How about this for thought: We should expand the mental illness exception to cover First Amendment rights as well as Second Amendment rights. This could, for example , keep people like Walter Cronkite, Dan "What's your frequency Kenneth" Rather, Air America and millions of other nuts off the airways and internet. Heck with Freedom of Speech, get rid of them now, dismiss the voter's right to weigh in. Seems that some out there don't like people expresing views that run counter to theirs.

Hank Ruark April 27, 2007 6:19 am (Pacific time)

Irresponsible insult is just that, nicely detected and identified by dialog here. Coretta Scott illuminates that action, raising question about resignation as only true answer left for Richardson.

Albert Marnell April 26, 2007 2:48 pm (Pacific time)

Thanks for the quick response Hey-Zus but what your saying is not true. People can still be fired, denied housing etc. based on the perception of their sexual orientation. What you need to understand also is that you might for whatever reason be perceived to be homosexual and will pay a price for that perception even though you may be heterosexual. You never know how people perceive you. Would you like to be denied a job because of your age? There are laws that are very specific citing that. Laws have to be specific because they are picked over and over to find out if a law applies to a situation or person.

Hey Zus April 26, 2007 2:34 pm (Pacific time)

It appears some elected officals vote with what the majority of Oregon voters have already done on certain issues, then you have those that are not. In 2008 we'll see how it all shakes out. In the mean time there are plenty of laws on the books to protect everybody's rights.

Albert Marnell April 26, 2007 2:08 pm (Pacific time)

Jesus (Spanish Pronunciation) or Hey Zus: Get with it! Get over Sue's and Barton's opinion! Maybe join in with Bob Barker! Why not say what you really want to say about where you fall interms of your position on the issue?

Sue April 26, 2007 11:10 am (Pacific time)

Hey Zus--if that is his opinion...thinking that the killing of 32 innocent lives is equal to civil rights, he has no business representing any of us. He should be ashamed. I agree with Albert, the guy needs a night out on the town. Maybe then he will get real!

Hey Zus April 26, 2007 8:50 am (Pacific time)

It's his opinion, get over it.

Barton Smith April 26, 2007 6:18 am (Pacific time)

'Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group.'- Coretta Scott King (1927-2006)

Coretta Scott King is the wife of the famous civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Source:
Coretta Scott King
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_King#LGBT_equality

Albert Marnell April 25, 2007 2:01 pm (Pacific time)

He should get drunk, go out on a date with Bob Barker and get it over with.

[Return to Top]

Oregon Lawmaker Compares VA Tech Massacre to Passage of Gay Rights Legislation

Quick Links

DINING

MUST SEE SALEM

AUCTIONS - APPRAISALS

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ONLINE SHOPPING

Advertise with Salem-News