How to title a controversial bill

How should you title a bill on a controversial subject?

One strategy: Don't mention it.

Consider the following bill titles, all of which neatly pull the trick of sounding either positive or innocuous while avoiding mentioning their raison d'être:

The Healthy Youth Act: Puts most students in comprehensive sex ed classes, with an option for abstinence-only at parents' discretion.

Personal Protection in Restaurants: Allows people with concealed weapons permits to bring handguns into restaurants and bars.

Conform State Law to Lawrence v. Texas: Gets rid of state statutes, since found unconstitutional, that prohibit gay sex.

Repeal Ban G.S. 95-99: Allows state government employees to join a union and collectively negotiate their contracts.

Defense of Marriage: Puts a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in North Carolina up for a referendum.

Note the words "guns," "homosexuality," "sex education" or "unions" don't appear in any of the above, or any other bills filed this session, for that matter.

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Re: How to title a controversial bill

Submitted by cornbread on March 13, 2009 - 9:32am.

Real people, real problem, really recently.

Here ya go.

If we only did this to every straight couple that called the police, we could "stimulate" the bailbondsman industry and increase revenue from court fees.

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Re: How to title a controversial bill

Submitted by meckcommish on March 13, 2009 - 9:20am.

Lawrence V Texas only prohibited prosecution if the behavior occured in a 'private' setting. The statement in the article above that 'state statutes were found unconstitutional' by this decision is untrue. In fact, Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) arrests roughly 250 homosexuals a year for either a 'crime against nature' or 'soliciting a crime against nature'. Proof that the law is being used to arrest, prosecute and jail those that 'solicit' such behavior. The above is a good example of unformed reporters who claim what they 'think' the US Supreme Court said versus what it actually said.

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Re: How to title a controversial bill

Submitted by cornbread on March 13, 2009 - 9:07am.

Regarding the bill "Conform State Law to Lawrence v. Texas"

The current "Crimes Against Nature" statute does not just concern gay folks. The statute also regulates what type of sex straight couples can legally engage in.

The statute is just selectively enforced, mostly against gay men, rather than straight folks or even lesbians. It's worth noting that selective enforcement of any statute is unconstitutional whether the law has been found unconstitutional or not.

So I'm not sure this bill title hides anything. It has a broader scope than just "gay sex"

Have a great weekend, straight folks! Don't worry about the police arresting you for sex with your spouse in your own home. They usually don't enforce this law unless you're gay.

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