Washington Blade - July 11, 2003
Kevin Naff

Bob Marshall, a Republican representing parts of Loudoun and Prince William counties, wrote the column, which was published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch on July 2.

Marshall argued that state legislators ought to have the authority to prohibit activities, like sodomy, that he said "have killed 450,000 Americans and will kill at least 1 million more in just a few years."

He lamented the Supreme Court's authority to overturn sodomy laws, writing, "Their peculiar vision blinds them to almost half a million caskets used to bury Americans whose early deaths were directly or indirectly caused by same-sex sodomy. ... A smart criminal defense attorney will use the Lawrence decision to defeat prostitution, bestiality, or sodomy charges involving an alleged 'minor' whose liberty rights are protected by Lawrence v. Texas."

In another passage, Marshall worries that gay rights groups plan to use the decision to "undermine" Virginia's marriage laws and notes that the Supreme Court ruling "was mum on whether schools would have to hire gay cross-dressing elementary schoolteachers" and wonders, "Will Virginia sex-ed courses teach 14-year-olds about 'fisting'?"

Marshall did not return calls seeking comment.

Ross Makencie, the editorial page editor for the Times-Dispatch, said that Marshall is not a regular columnist for the paper but otherwise refused to answer questions and hung up on a Blade reporter. The Times-Dispatch's ombudsman refused to comment on the column, citing a strict "firewall" between the news and opinion divisions at the paper.

Dyana Mason, executive director of Equality Virginia, a statewide gay rights advocacy group, said she only recently became aware of Marshall's anti-gay views.

"He's just wrong," she said. "He wasn't on our radar screen until recently. He said [the Lawrence decision] is an 'apocalypse' for our society. This is one of the things we're most worried about - anti-gay rhetoric that might lead to violence against gay people. We call on members of the Virginia House not to use the sodomy decision to demean people in this state."

Officials at Equality Virginia are currently developing talking points on the impact of the Lawrence decision to be delivered to members of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate, Mason said.

"Our goal is to educate those members who might not know a lot about these issues," she said. "It's frustrating when these guys go over the line in their rhetoric."

Mason added that the Times-Dispatch is a "relatively conservative paper" but noted that the editorial staff leans toward "libertarian" views and has written in favor of repealing Virginia's sodomy law.

Chalee Snorton, southeastern regional media manager for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a media watchdog group, said she spoke to a member of the Times-Dispatch editorial board to protest Marshall's assertion that 450,000 U.S. AIDS deaths are attributable to gay sodomy.

She said that number is likely a reference to a Centers for Disease Control & Prevention statistic that 448,000 people have died from AIDS in the United States, but noted that of that number, 33 percent contracted the virus through heterosexual sex and 25 percent from drug use.

"We took up the issue of the inaccuracy and they encouraged the community to write letters to the editor and we strongly encourage people to do the same," Snorton said. "Marshall's column is inflammatory, ... and he has the right to voice his opinion, but when it comes to inaccuracy, then he is making the debate unfair. He has a responsibility to be accurate with the facts."

MORE INFO

Del. Robert Marshall

P.O. Box 421

Manassas, VA 20108

703-361-5416

http://legis.state.va.us/House/Delegates.htm

Richmond Times-Dispatch

300 E. Franklin St.

Richmond, VA 23219

800-468-3382

www.richmondtimesdispatch.com

030711
WB030704

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