Believing in God's punishment

The AIDS crisis began with the disease spreading through the gay community. It didn't take Fundies long to proclaim that the disease and high death rate was God's way of punishing gays. That horrible message has now stuck around for 25 years. And recent research has found it can work as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Researchers at the University of Miami found that if the patient, the one with AIDS, believes that God is punishing him, then the disease progresses much more quickly than in a person who has a positive view of God. The story has all the medical and statistical details.


Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has been telling his GOP colleagues who control the legislature to leave social issues alone -- at least until the budget is settled, which is targeted for the end of May. The way the budget will savage the poor and middle class while benefiting the rich is enough of a political headache for now, even for the GOP. But social conservative legislators are forging ahead anyway, wanting to take maximum advantage of their lock on the legislature and governor's signature.


Donald Verrilli, Obama's nominee for Solicitor General (the person who argues government cases before the Supremes), had problems during his senate confirmation hearings. The problem is that Obama won't defend DOMA in the courts anymore. GOP senators want someone with enough spine to defy his bosses (the prez. and Attorney General) and defend duly enacted laws, no matter how much they disagree with said laws or at least resign in protest.


Three years ago, Crystal Dixon was working in Human Resources at the University of Toledo. An editorial appeared lamenting the Medical University of Ohio, newly acquired by UT, didn't offer domestic partner benefits while UT itself did. Dixon took offense, not at the discrepancy, but that the editorial dared to suggest the gay struggle for rights was anything like her struggle, as a black woman, for rights. The letter was sufficiently nasty that within a month she was fired from UT. Of course, she became the darling of the Fundies -- Fired for being a Christian!

Alas, Dixon is in the news again. She has been hired as the Human Relations Department for the City and County of Jackson, Michigan. Since Michigan's civil rights act doesn't yet include sexual orientation or gender expression she is free to fire any gay who happens to stick their nose out of their hole.