Maryland Lawmaker Emmett Burns Tells Baltimore Ravens to Silence Pro-Gay Rights Player // CONTROVERSY ERUPTS

UPDATE: A new Baltimore Sun editorial scorches Delegate Emmett Burns Jr. for his censorship effort. They think he's not fit for office (excerpt below): 

BALTIMORE SUN: That Mr. Burns had to reacquaint himself with the First Amendment ... suggests he has neither the temperament nor the basic understanding of government and law to continue in office. The fact that the use of his office letterhead for the purpose may have violated General Assembly ethics rules only underscores the point....

AN EMBARRASSMENT TO MARYLAND DEMOCRATS - If you haven't heard about the recent controversy surrounding Maryland lawmaker Emmett Burns Jr, you're missing out on one of the most idiotic stories of the year. Hat tip: Todd Eberly of the Free Stater blog. 

Delegate Burns, a Baltimore area Democrat, represents District 10 in the State House. He is also apparently against both free speech and marriage equality. Burns is now the subject of a national, viral news story after he tried to get the Baltimore Ravens to silence one of their players (linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo) for publicly endorsing marriage equality. See a synopsis of the story below.

Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is Pro-LGBT rights (source: Instagram)

Here's a brief review of the controversy involving Maryland Delegate Emmett Burns Jr, the Baltimore Ravens, and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo:

Sen. Brian Frosh Attempts to Kill Youth School Board Voting Rights // Super-Majority of MoCo Colleagues Approved Bill

[ CONTACT SENATOR BRIAN FROSH TODAY ]

BACKGROUND:  Maryland Juice recently wrote about the great news that after years of failed advocacy efforts, Montgomery County students had succeeded in gaining a greater voice for themselves on the Board of Education. It appears we spoke too soon. Through a message on Twitter, Delegate Anne Kaiser reports that State Senator Brian Frosh has broken from long-standing protocol and is unilaterally blocking a youth voting rights bill that was approved by a super-majority of his colleagues.

The legislation in question concerns a bill that would grant full voting privileges to Montgomery County's elected student member of the Board of Education. The bill MC 9-12 passed unanimously in the Montgomery County House Delegation and 5-2 in the Senate. Students have fought for these rights for years, and this legislative session the bill received a super-majority of support from Montgomery County's lawmakers in the House and Senate. The bill was filed as a "local bill" since it only applies to Montgomery County. Legislative protocol in Maryland would dictate that when these bills go to the floor, the full body passes them pro forma. Indeed, it is highly unusual for Senator Frosh to break protocol to kill this bill.

After some poking around for an explanation for Frosh's undemocratic actions, a young Democrat pointed me toward an article in The Gazette:

GAZETTE: Legislation that would grant full voting rights to the student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education passed the House of Delegates on Monday afternoon, but still faces resistance in the Senate....

Several student government leaders appealed to the Senate delegation last week to pass the bill so it can be considered by the full chamber, but a vote on the measure was delayed. The House vote in favor of the measure was 92-39.