In a previous column I asked if Mississippi was a "discernibly turgid state". Today I got my answer: It is. To be fair we must use the secondary definition of turgid: pompous, bombastic, though I suspect swollen could be accurate in a specific context. But I digress…

I came to this conclusion while researching news tid-bit I’d heard on the radio concerning a law passed in Mississippi prohibiting homosexuals from adopting. The far right is trumpeting this as a moral victory. I find it hard to understand how keeping a parentless child from loving home is a moral victory, but I guess this is one of the small things that separate me from the far right, and for which I am eternally grateful.

The truth is I couldn’t find any information, affirming or disaffirming the story. Instead, I did find a news report about a man being refused custody of his biological child.

The story did not name the parties involved to protect the minor child, but did name Chancery Judge Percy Lynchard. Drop him an E-mail folks, let him know what you think.

The case is fairly simple. Dad (who lives in California) wants custody of his child (who lives in Mississippi with Mom) because the child is being exposed to mental and emotional abuse. Seems Mom’s new hubby is big drinker (arrested for public intoxication) and has a thing for spousal abuse (two convictions). Dad is living in a monogamous relationship, can provide a desirable and stable home life as well as a more challenging academic environment. The child has also expressed a desire to live with Dad. Oh, I forgot to mention Dad is gay.

As I said, this is a simple case. The judge ruled in favor of Mom.

Defending his decision, Percy said "This court refuses to condone, endorse, sanction or tolerate homosexual activity in any fashion mode or manner. To do so would be to turn a blind judicial eye to the statute". The statute referred to is a Mississippi law that prohibits sodomy, a felony. (How on earth do they enforce this law??? ) Hey Percy, NEWSFLASH! Homosexuality and sodomy are NOT synonymous. Not all Homosexuals engage in sodomy, and many Heterosexuals DO! FYI: sodomy is basically any form of sex other than vaginal penetration. Watch the spice channel fer heaven’s sake! The judge also questioned Dad’s "moral fitness", and equated homosexuality with pushing drugs.

The case is under appeal, having been taken up by the ACLU. I can only hope the Appeals Court has more sense than Percy does.

Perhaps the State of Mississippi needs a wake-up call to let them know this is the 21^st century.