Snapped Shot

I'm betting on ye firing squad, personally:

Pa. senator says slavery would pass in a secret ballot

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state senator told a black pastor testifying at a committee hearing that, given the chance to cast secret ballots, his fellow legislators would vote to legalize slavery.

Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, D-Philadelphia, made the comments Tuesday during a hearing on a Republican-sponsored bill to amend the state Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages and civil unions, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on its Web site Wednesday.

“What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don’t think that’s right,” Fumo, a staunch defender of gay rights, told the witness, Gilbert Coleman Jr., senior pastor of Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship in Philadelphia.

He added, “If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass. That doesn’t make it right.”

Coleman, who was testifying in favor of the measure, responded: “I doubt that sir.” “Oh, don’t bet on it in this General Assembly,” Fumo countered. “I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would be almost unanimous.”

Fumo declined to comment Wednesday, but said he would release a statement through his spokesman later in the day.

Fumo, who is white, is in his last months in office after a 30-year career as a state senator. He decided not to seek re-election because of pending federal corruption charges that accuse him of using his state staff for personal and outside work.

Yeah, his spokesman definitely has some "s'plainin" to do, though probably not as much explaining as if he came from our Party.

I do think it's interesting how the gay lobby constantly has to pander to fears of slavery and the dastardly revocation of "rights" in order to try and cram their fringe agenda through state legislatures. Real classy, ain't it? "Better stop those dastardly Republicans, or they'll take away all of your rights" might make for dramatic prose, but it's definitely not grounded in anything approaching fact.

Of course, it's also quite adorable to see that this same fellow is getting ready to be slammed with some federal corruption charges. I guess he has problems figuring out what kind of work is "appropriate" for State employees?

Or maybe he just thinks that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania owes some good old-fashioned slave labor to him?

Good that the Wire Service That Hates Me saw fit to mention that little factoid, though they did wait until the 7th paragraph.

Exit Question: What do you think the headline would have been if this were a Republican's remarks?

I'm betting on, "Republican Senator Threatens Blacks With Slavery."

Feel free to pitch your ideas down in the comments. We'll see who's got the best penchant for dramatic flair around here!

(h/t FR)