Aw hell no

Once again, I break my own rules to discuss something both political and ridiculous. This is kind of old news, it turns out, but I've only just heard about it. Here it is. I actually first heard about this on the news, but this'll work, too. The way it was presented on the news program I was watching was as follows: Rep. Gerald Allen, a state rep. in Alabama, is trying to get a bill passed that would prohibit the use of public funds to purchase books by or about homosexuals.

Let me say that again.

He's trying to ban books by or about homosexuals. Langston Hughes. Tennessee Williams. Even some Shakespeare (Comedy of Errors, anyone?). Gone. History. Burned. Set the oven to 451 degrees Fahrenheit and let 'em fry. Or, as the Right Honorable Rep. Allen says, "Dig a hole and dump them in it."

Now, look. It's one thing to be one of those people who thinks the gays shouldn't get married or have kids or be scout leaders. I'll make fun of you just the same, but at least we can go out and have a drink afterwards. But this crosses the line. This hits me where I live. You're gonna ban TENNESSEE FUCKING WILLIAMS and LANGSTON FUCKING HUGHES because they liked having sex with other men? And WILLIAM FUCKING SHAKESPEARE?!?! What the fuck is the matter with you?

Now, in all fairness, it turns out that the bill is still in review, and there have been some ammendments to it. Apparently, a provision has been put in place to "protect the classics". Of course, "the classics" aren't defined, so Langston Hughes and Tennessee Williams are still in the Hole.

I think literate people in Alabama have a choice to make. You can either move to another state that isn't as insane, or you can write this silly son of a bitch and let him know that you don't want him preventing you from reading some of the best literature ever written because the authors happened to be gay.

Stop the madness. That is all.