Jim LeMunyon Doesn't Like Oral Or Anal Sex

In the last few weeks the anti-gay bigot wing of the Repubican Party has been out in force.  Their cause of the month is the defense of Chick-Fil-a, which has had a large number of its customers announce through social media they will no longer dine there.  The reason behind this was Chick-Fil-a CEO Dan Cathy announcing to the Baptist Press that the chain will continue supporting anti-gay groups.  The response from the right wing has been to embrace Cathy and make claims that their support of him and his chain is all driven by their support of his right to speak out- not anti-gay bigotry.  Yeah, right!

As the right wing mobilized for it's Chick-Fil-a appreciation day this week, numerous politicians jumped in to pander and try to score points with the hate base of the GOP without the usual fingerprints.  One of the Virginia politicians who jumped into the fray was Jim LeMunyon- who posted this picture of himself eating at a Chick-Fil-a on "appreciation" day.

One of the interesting side notes with this story is the focus on marriage equality.  While much of Chick-Fil-a's anti-gay money has gone to blocking marriage equality, it has also gone to other groups involved in much more extreme anti-gay activity.

For example, one group Chick-Fil-a contributed to attended a conference in Uganda and in spreading false information about gays raping children helped create a bill in the Uganda legislature to execute any gays found there.

Meanwhile another anti-gay group that Chick-Fil-a is supporting wants to bring back the sodomy laws in the United States that were struck down in Lawrence vs. Texas at the Supreme Court a few years ago.

For those of you who don't remember, Virginia had one of the nation's most strict sodomy laws before they were struck down in that 2002 case.  In fact those laws are still on the books and the legislature has refused to repeal them in case the Supreme Court were to ever allow them again.

How strict are the Virginia sodomy laws?  They outlaw oral sex- for gays and for straight couples.  Even if you are married, you are violating Virginia's sodomy laws if you have oral sex.  The laws also ban anal sex- again, for gays, straight couples- even if you are married.  For straight non-married couples there is even more bad news- there is even a sodomy law that bans you from regular old vaginal sex if you are not married.

These laws were rarely enforced even before they were struck down- mainly because virtually every resident of the state has violated them at some point in their lives.  But they were still used as a weapon against gays- in 2003 now Governor Bob McDonnell (who was then a State Delegate) even rallied support against re-appointing a judge because she may have violated Virginia's sodomy laws.  This led to the hysterical moment when McDonnell was asked if he had ever violated the sodomy laws by engaging in oral sex- to which McDonnell replied that he "could not recall".  Which probably makes McDonnell the only man in Virginia who isn't sure if he has ever had a blow job.

Anyway- back to our newest perv- Delegate Jim LeMunyon.

When LeMunyon posted the picture of himself at Chick-Fil-a, he included the comment "Let's not be chicken to support free speech", as if that is all this entire issue is about.  I went on to LeMunyon's wall to ask him about the other implications of supporting Chick-Fil-a- specifically the support for sodomy laws as I described above.  I used pretty mild language- basically asking LeMunyon if he supported the sodomy laws in question which ban oral and anal sex.  A pretty reasonable question since LeMunyon was highlighting his support for a business that has helped fund the fight for those sodomy laws.

Within minutes my comment was deleted, with a new comment posted by LeMunyon that there would be no discussion on his Facebook page that was not family friendly.  That was a quick turn around from his comment on the picture of himself at Chick-Fil-a saying that we should not be "chicken of free speech"!

So if I can't use terms like oral sex or anal sex to ask the questions, what terms could I use to ask LeMunyon that question?  I went back to his wall to ask that- and find out what terms I could use in order to ask LeMunyon this very legitimate public policy question.  Instead of answering, LeMunyon deleted and banned me from the page.

Who is "chicken of free speech" now?

It's unfortunate that we have so many social issues that are not always appropriate for children that are in the public domain.  Abortion, crime, sex and so many others are not things that parents want to explain to young kids.  But to claim that those issues can not be aired or discussed- even when a right-wing politician like LeMunyon is backing them through his chicken surrogate- is absolutely ridiculous.

If LeMunyon wants to be the neighborhood pervert who is trying to bring back Virginia's sodomy laws then he is allowed to advocate for that.  But I won't allow him to hide behind kids in order to avoid the discussion of those issues.  Let's be honest here- the only reason LeMunyon didn't want this discussion on his wall is because he knows that if voters in his area knew that he was being at all supportive of this kind of crazy stuff they would toss his ass out of office. 

And Jim, remember this the next time you think you can scrub the internet of a discussion that you are afraid to have.  Don't be so "chicken" of free speech on Facebook next time.

Comments

[Thomas]

The ingratitude of it all with Jim LeMunyon scrubing your reasonable post from his website. At least he did not ban you from posting.

Considering your covert support for LeMunyon's election to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009, the least that he could have done would to allow your post to stand.

[Spock]

The one ironic thing about this whole Chik-fil-A thing is that this deep fried fast food is probably the worst poison for the people, not to mention the GMO fried potatoes and the high fructose corn syrup in the breads and fried coating.

The more people eat this kind of junk the closer they get to the grave.

So by mass consumption of this junk it actually might be a Darwinism to decreasing the hate population.

So, to those who support this kind of hate against gays and sex, I say, keep eating your Chick-fil-, eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!

The more you eat it, the better our world will be for the future when your kind becomes extinct from poisoning it's self!

[Hokieguru]

that was awesome

[Dale Ontario]

Your assessment has one glaring omission: The fact that the Chick-fil-a flap started after big city mayors (San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Boston) suggested that Chick-fil-a shouldn’t be doing business in their jurisdictions because of what the company’s management said about gay rights. Groups like the ACLU and people like Congressman Barney Frank saw this for what it was and took to Chick-fil-a’s defense. It ought to be obvious that just because they and others who are defending Chick-fil-a against the mayors on first amendment grounds doesn’t mean they agree with Chick-fil-a’s support for anti-gay organizations or policies.

Barney Frank said it best: “I don’t think governments ought to discriminate against Chick-fil-a because of the views of the owner.” I seems LeMunyon is saying the same thing. What’s the problem with that?

[Notlarrysabato]

Thomas, is there any Republican you won't accuse me of supporting? Leaving that same comment on many different threads is getting old. The Caputo's are good friends of mine, I certainly did not oppose Chuck's re-election.

Dale- Saying that you don't believe that Chick-Fil-a should be banned from a particular locality because of its views is very different from patronizing them at the request of Rush Limbaugh and other anti-gay leaders to "support" their positions. That's what LeMunyon did.

[churchlanddem]

Good for Delegate LeMunyon.
Nobody needs to have you talking about oral and anal sex on their facebook page, pervert!
Nobody is talking about bringing back sodmy laws, especially this guy.

[Thomas]

Thomas, is there any Republican you won't accuse me of supporting? Leaving that same comment on many different threads is getting old. The Caputo's are good friends of mine, I certainly did not oppose Chuck's re-election."

Ben:

You are getting careless with the truth, again. I left a similar comment on only your website nearly a year ago and was backed up then by at least one poster in the know.

I also know that you failed to support Chuck Caputo on several occasions in 2009 (Jim Lemunon's failed business relationship record -- bankruptcy)) because of your own stated then-friendship wih Mark Lemunyon.

[Notlarrysabato]

Thomas, all my posts from 2009 are still up. If what you were saying was true, you could point to it.

If however, you are accusing me of not covering every story in every one of the 100 Delegate campaigns across VA, then I am guilty as charged.

For someone like you who claims expertise as a "lobbyist", I would think you would at least contact the Caputo's before saying this kind of trash.

And don't pull people's kids into it. Yes, I worked with his son a few years ago. As you can see above, I still cover LeMunyon the same way I do every other VA politician. He's whined multiple times about things I have written.

[Thomas]

Ben:

1. The burden of proof that I "left that comment on many threads" is up to you!

2. I was in Chuck Caputo's campaign manager's office office while he was talking to you on the telephone about Jim LeMunyon's business record.

That is what I mean by covert support.

That is how I learned that your relationship with Mark LeMunyon was the rationale you gave for not covering that issue on your blog. Chuck was not in the office for that event and I have no knowledge that Max discussed that conversation with Chuck.

You --not me -- "pulled people's 's kid into it."

3. The Caputo's are good people who do not hold grudges; I know this because we have been good friends for nearly fifty years.

4. I don't claim any special " 'expertise' as a lobbyist, even though I was a lobbyist at the Virginia General Assembly for nearly twenty years. My record for high ethical standards and personal and professional honesty is well known!

5."I still cover LeMunyon the same way I do every other VA politician. He's whined multiple times about things I have written."

If that is true (which I have not observed to be accurate based on my reading of your posts), then good for you. Obviously, I have not attended your one-on-one sessions with LeMunyon!

6.I think that you are more interesting in creating or seeking out problems for Democrats than in promoting Democratic principles or supporting good Democratic candidates. But most of all, I think that you are mainly interested in promotion of your own personal and professional interests to the detriment of others.

7. As the saying goes "with you for a friend, Democratic candidates and office holders do not need any enenies."

8. If you have the impression that I do not like or trust you, then you have the correct impression. While you are certainly a pretty good political analyst, I do not trust your political judgment or professional ethics. Don't bother to take this issue whining to Lowell Feld at Blue Virginia to have him ban me from his site; you already successfully accomplished that effort over a year ago.

9.I guess this puts me into your catch-all category of "truth-trolling" and calls for another ban!

[Notlarrysabato]

Thomas Hyland-

In terms of that phone conversation, I don't recall it, but I did search my email for this and found a long chain of emails between Max (Chuck's manager) and myself pitching the story. Max also sent it to other Democratic bloggers in VA, most of whom also decided not to cover it.

The reason I cited to Max in not covering it was the dates were in dispute on when he sold the company vs. stopped controlling it, and I didn't have enough information to wade in. Mark LeMunyon did not come up.

Unfortunately you don't seem to understand that I get hundreds of emails a week with story ideas, pitches, etc. from campaigns, PR people, etc. 99% of them do not get covered.

By the way as I recall you were banned from Blue Virginia for violating their language policy.

I rarely ban people here, so I won't do so for your repeating incorrect information about me- but this is your final warning- if it happens again you will be banned.

And if you don't mind me asking, you have been leaving negative comments about me on here for 6+ years now- starting because you didn't like my posts about Dave Marsden. Why? If you don't like the blog, stop reading it! If you don't like me, stop coming here. It's that simple. Years of this is crossing a line into harassment and I'm not going to tolerate it anymore.

[Ralph4america]

GET OVER IT, LIBS!!!!

http://americaphile.wordpress.com/tag/chick-fil-a-appreciation-day/

AMERICA LOVES CHICK-FIL-A BECAUSE CHICK-FIL-A LOVES AMERICA!!!!

[Spock]

Have some more Chick-fil-A, Ralph, keep eating it morning, noon and night, for every meal, it's the best thing you can do for society!

[Ralph4america]

AND ESPECIALLY ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!

http://americaphile.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/chick-fil-a-nourishing-bodies-saving-souls/

http://americaphile.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/chick-fil-a-vs-the-vatica/

WOOOOO-HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

FREEDOM IS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!

[Thomas]

"Mark LeMunyon did not come up."

That is your story: I heard the call and I heard
differently! I didn't even know until then that Jim LeMunyon had a son named Mark and that you and he were friends and apparently worked together.

"By the way as I recall you were banned from Blue Virginia for violating their language policy."

Yes, I called you a liar, as I recall, but you went on Blue Virginia to continue an attack me and your lord and saviour ruled in your favor.

"And if you don't mind me asking, you have been leaving negative comments about me on here for 6+ years now- starting because you didn't like my posts about Dave Marsden."

More like about three years as I don't recall that I even knew about your site until late in 2008. I don't recall criticizing you about Dave Marsden until the 2009 elections; For the first year or so, I was actually a fan of yours.

"Years of this is crossing a line into harassment and I'm not going to tolerate it anymore."

You would be the expert on harassment (as well as posting incorrect information) since you have the vehicle (your blog) for that harassment (i. e. You and Janet tailing Marsden to see where he parked his car at night and visiting and calling his home to see if he was there).

Too bad that you like to dish out personal criticisms but can not take them when they are applied to you.

As an aside, I have have asked at least a dozen Virginia legislators why they put up with your shenanigans and nearly all mentioned that you have have no real credibility with your random and irrational attacks any more. Several did mention that you were a vindictive p--ck and it was best to ignore you rather getting into a pissing contest with you.

Frankly, I come here because even a dead horse will attract some interesting attention. But, lately you have just been coasting.

How is your appeal going on attaining a DNC national committee member?

[Jmmartin]

I cannot say more than you will find right here: http://atheistuniverse.net/group/gender-blender/forum/topics/homophobia-is-perhaps-self-phobia

[CraneMedic]

I'd like to invite Chik-Fil-A supporters to hop in my Chevy Volt with me. We're going to listen to a Dixie Chicks CD, go see a Sean Penn movie and then shop at a store that says "Happy Holidays." They can use this time to tell me how it's crazy to criticize a business about politics.

[Hokieguru]

So, Ben, the burden of proof is on you to find comments left on many threads to prove someone else's arguments? Too easy for someone to say, "Yeah I said this several times on your site." I doubt he said it once. If he did, he should be able to find his own arguments.

[Thomas]

Hokie:

For your information the burden of proof is always on the person making a charge not on the person being accused. The reference to once dealt with the specific issue of Ben going into the ditch for LeMunyon in 2009. I confess that I have accused Ben many times of giving political aid and comfort to Republican candidates. I have not been alone in that belief