LaGrande mayor apologizes for posts on same-sex unions

" A rose is still a rose by any other name."

A hillbilly and a metro-sexual are sitting on a bench sharing their philosophical viewpoints when suddenly a streaker comes jogging up to them, stops just long enough to 'B-A' them both, then jogs off on his merry way.

The metro-sexual then turns to the hillbilly and states that for a brief moment he could envision 'the blossoming of a rose'.

In reply, the hillbilly quotes Shakespeare...

Maybe the hillbilly should quote Shakespeare correctly. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says:

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

Steve Bagwell
Managing Editor

..." My lord, there was no such stuff in my thougts." --William Shakespeare
( Rosencrantz; Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 303-312 )

Steve,

There's a big-ass difference between Loving something and Hating something. It seems that much too often these days one can not voice their disgust without having the label of Hate placed upon them by others that would disagree..or..having an opposing viewpoint.

No doubt there will always be opposing views on just about any subject matter put forth by any group that seeks radical change. No doubt in my mind that there will always be someone that can gaze into another's hind-end and envision a blossoming rose, and there will always be others with somewhat less creative minds.

" I appreciate the apology, but when I look at the mayor of La Grande, I see the representation of La Grande," --Michael Cooper

The mayor may..or..may not agree with Michael Cooper. Too bad that the offending quotes posted on his Facebook page hadn't also been made available in the above article.

Agree or disagree with his opinions, they are just that "his opinions". It seems in this day and age you are not allowed to have an opinion unless it goes along with the so called mainstream liberal thinking. People should be allowed to believe the way want without being labelled a "bigot" or accused of using "hate speech".

I'd read an interesting article a few days ago concerning childhood sexuality and drugs that are being prescribed to alter and/or help steer the course of pre-pubescent development.

"It seems in this day and age you are not allowed to have an opinion unless it goes along with the so called mainstream liberal thinking." --PH50

The Pied Piper wouldn't have it any other way....

It is chilling to think that we live in a country where this kind of thing has become the norm. This type of censorship happens all the time in our country. Where is the ACLU? Can somebody stop this?
The mayor exercises his right to freely speak his mind on a topic. Those who disagree don't rebut his opinion with their own. Instead they just muzzle him and bully him in to an apology by labeling him "a hater."
Whatever happened to good, civil debate where ideas are attacked but the person is treated with dignity and respect and his motives aren't questioned?
In full disclosure, I agree with the mayor. I feel strongly that we as a society are slouching toward Gomorrah. I feel with every fiber of my heart that homosexuality and civil unions and gay marriage are an abomination. But I don't hate homosexuals or those that defend them. I respect them as fellow human beings and will treat them with dignity. It's their behavior I hate, not them. And there is a difference. We are not our behavior.
Sheesh, I really need to stop reading these kind of articles and get a life. It just drives me crazy!

EVERYBODY has the right to love who they want! At least, that is the way it SHOULD be!

The mayor expressed his opinion regarding a group of people, then a group of people expressed their opinion about the mayor. Seems that free speech is alive and well!

Kirk Cameron did the same with a ridiculous backlash, apparently free speech is only aloud if you don't say anything!

Those who lable it hate speech are screaming for apologies, yet they don't allow others to openly speak their minds.

Just because someone is supporting a certain way of life and doesn't like another way does not mean he/she doesn't have the right to say so.

Speak your mind, while you still can, it won't be long before the day of open conversations are gone forever for fear of upsetting someone.

Free speech does not mean to have your speech free from opposition, it is a two way street and one shouldn't complain when their opinion is responded to by other people's opinions. Should only one side of the dialogue be allowed? Would that be free speech?

Oregonize,
You may not have read my post carefully. Or I may not have been clear in what I wrote.
Those who favor homosexuality didn't express their opinion or enter a dialougue on the issue. Quite the opposite. They engaged in the tactic of shaming and bullying the Mayor and anyone else who shares his opinion into silence.
This is the same tactic that was used in California over Prop 8. Very little, if any debate over whether homosexuals should be allowed to marry. Instead, supporters of prop 8 were labled as "haters" and shamed, threatened and in a few cases violently attacked all in an effort to muzzle them.
You seem to be arguing for the same thing Manup and I are arguing for...civility, dialougue and free speech on both sides.