Frank Rich has a good article in the New York Times today about the death of the anti-gay marriage movement in America. (Apparently even Rev. Rick Warren, the powerful megachurch leader who endorsed California’s Proposition 8 to ban gay marriage, now says that he had “never” been and “never will be” an “anti-gay-marriage activist.”) In the piece, Rich references a brilliant segment on Stephen Colbert’s show, done in response to a new video by the National Organization for Marriage, called the “Gathering Storm”. Here, for those of you who might have missed it, is the Colbert segment.
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| The Colbert Coalition’s Anti-Gay Marriage Ad | ||||
|
||||
And, while we’re on the subject of civil rights, I’m wondering what you guys think about the newly announced plans by the FBI to greatly expand its database of DNA samples. I didn’t know this before, but apparently in Michigan, you don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to have your DNA taken and added to the FBI’s system. All you have to do is be is arrested for a certain type of crime.
4 Comments
When a government keeps the DNA of persons arrested but not convicted of a crime, the chance that those persons will be convicted of a crime in the future increases. Because members of some groups, notably ethnic minorities, are frequently targeted by law enforcement agencies and consequently arrested at higher rates than members of other groups, the practice of retaining the DNA of arrested persons results in higher conviction rates for members of those profiled groups. The only just way for the government to retain DNA samples of persons not convicted of a crime would be to pass a law mandating the collection of DNA samples from all citizens.
Most crimes are committed by cotton-swab factory workers anyway.
I was looking for a way to work in that German cotton-swab-manufacturing serial killer, but couldn’t find one, BA. I’m glad that you thought to mention it here.
And, Jim, I’m not sure what kinds of crimes they’re able to take blood for prior to conviction in Michigan. I imagine sex crimes and murders, but there may be others. And I suppose, in those cases, it might make sense. I don’t know what the answer is. I just don’t like the way this is trending. I don’t want to be stopped for speeding one day and being told to prick my finger.
The International Healing Foundation is kicking off their national tour here in Ann Arbor, Thursday night at ‘ol St. Pats church. So, if you are experiencing any unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA), they can help you get rid of it.
Check out the site: http://www.gaytostraight.org/Home.asp where you can also download the flyers if you want.
Fortunately for me, the little bit of SSA I have is all wanted. However, I do also have a whole hell of a lot of OSA that I could use some help getting rid of if I could. I don’t think this particular group is looking to help anyone with that though.