Jon Stewart poked fun last night at Virginia’s Governor, Bob McDonnell and Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli.
UPDATE: The Governor has issued Executive Directive #1 (pdf) on discrimination. From the accompanying email:
While the separation of powers doctrine precludes the Governor from changing the Virginia Human Rights Act via Executive Order, he wants to be clear that discrimination in state employment will not be tolerated.
Getting closer here.
And in case you missed it, Sen. Tommy Norment inserted language into a bill today that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination.
UPDATE 2: LG Bill Bolling also issued a statement.
UPDATE 3: From new DPVA executive director David Mills:
While we applaud the administrative gesture made by Governor McDonnell today, his non-binding statement of policy does little to protect Virginians from discrimination. The Governor is instituting half-measures necessitated by political crisis, and the time for these games is over. We call on Governor McDonnell to definitively and permanently eliminate the threat that discrimination poses to the lives, jobs, and welfare of all Virginians.
Rather than play legal games, Governor McDonnell should just send down a bill that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Under Governors Warner and Kaine, Virginia became the best state for business by enacting the tolerant policies that attract world-class employers to our Commonwealth. No matter how many administrative gestures he makes, the fact remains that Bob McDonnell and his Ken Cuccinelli have rolled back protections against discrimination.
It was funny and very sad at the same time. If all of us don’t stand up now, who will be next?
Posted by silver donkey | Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 1:55 pmI think it’s segments like this where Jon Stewart is really at his best because his style helps to draw attention to just how absurd McDonnell and Cuccinelli are in promoting policy that allows bigotry and discrimination to prevail.
Posted by Bryan Scrafford | Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 2:01 pmIt reminds me of my favorite “Virginia is for Lovers” t-shirt: http://www.zazzle.com/va_is_for_lovers_with_some_exceptions_tshirt-235729787123723153
Posted by warriormare | Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 4:33 pmWell, that (the quotation on the front of the clip) does a lot to explain the lower percentage of men going to college….
Posted by James Young | Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 9:24 pmLooks like Dave is getting a quick and aggressive head start on his duties as Executive Director. I Love It.
Posted by genemagruder | Thursday, March 11, 2010, 8:55 pm