Ten years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled anti-sodomy laws to be unconstitutional. In Lawrence v. Texas, the highest court in the land said that it’s unconstitutional to bar consensual sex between adults, citing the 14th Amendment.
- Alabama
- Florida
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Louisiana
In Louisiana, gay rights groups claim that police have used anti-sodomy laws to specifically target gay men, but state lawmakers took the side of religious and conservative groups by refusing to repeal the law last week. Last year, East Baton Rouge police had a sting operation and arrested gay men for “attempted crimes against nature.” The district attorney refused to bring charges against the accused, stating that the law is unenforceable.
Indeed.
The incident led Rep. Patricia Smith (D-Baton Rouge) to file a bill to repeal the state’s anti-sodomy law.
“We don’t need inefficient laws on the books,” she said. (Huffington Post)
She was in the minority, however. The other state reps said “if we ain’t getting any booty, NO ONE IS.” (They didn’t really say that….just kidding).?But they did vote 66-27 on April 15th the keep the law in place. Really? Really?
From Huffington Post:
Gene Mills, president of the conservative Louisiana Family Forum, said he was not surprised the bill failed considering the state’s culture.
“It’s not a Louisiana value,” he said of the repeal.
Many believe that it sends the message that gay people aren’t welcome in the state. Well duh.
