Last month, the company — now headed by former Apple, Inc. Senior Vice President of Retail Operations Ron Johnson — ran an ad featuring a lesbian couple with a child.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
JC Penney Goes Gay Again!
Last month, the company — now headed by former Apple, Inc. Senior Vice President of Retail Operations Ron Johnson — ran an ad featuring a lesbian couple with a child.
DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional By Federal Appeals Court
federal appeals court Thursday declared that the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally denies federal benefits to married gay couples, a ruling all but certain to wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
In its unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said the 1996 law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman discriminates against gay couples because it doesn't give them the same rights and privileges as heterosexual couples.
The court didn't rule on the law's other politically combustible provision, which said states without same-sex marriage cannot be forced to recognize gay unions performed in states where it's legal. It also wasn't asked to address whether gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.
The law was passed at a time when it appeared Hawaii would legalize gay marriage. Since then, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, led by Massachusetts in 2004.
The appeals court agreed with a lower court judge who ruled in 2010 that the law is unconstitutional because it interferes with the right of a state to define marriage and denies married gay couples federal benefits given to heterosexual married couples, including the ability to file joint tax returns.
The 1st Circuit said its ruling wouldn't be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case, meaning that same-sex married couples will not be eligible to receive the economic benefits denied by DOMA until the high court rules.
That's because the ruling only applies to states within the circuit, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. Only the Supreme Court has the final say in deciding whether a law passed by Congress is unconstitutional.
During arguments before the court last month, a lawyer for gay married couples said the law amounts to "across-the-board disrespect." The couples argued that the power to define and regulate marriage had been left to the states for more than 200 years before Congress passed DOMA.
An attorney defending the law argued that Congress had a rational basis for passing it in 1996, when opponents worried that states would be forced to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere. The group said Congress wanted to preserve a traditional and uniform definition of marriage and has the power to define terms used to federal statutes to distribute federal benefits.
Since DOMA was passed in 1996, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Washington state and the District of Columbia. Maryland and Washington's laws are not yet in effect and may be subject to referendums.
Last year, President Barack Obama announced the U.S. Department of Justice would no longer defend the constitutionality of the law. After that, House Speaker John Boehner convened the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group to defend it.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based legal group that brought one of the lawsuits on behalf of gay married couples, said the court agreed with the couples that it is unconstitutional because it takes one group of legally married people and treats them as "a different class" by making them ineligible for benefits given to other married couples.
"We've been working on this issue for so many years, and for the court to acknowledge that yes, same-sex couples are legally married, just as any other couple, is fantastic and extraordinary," said Lee Swislow, GLAD's executive director.
In its unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said the 1996 law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman discriminates against gay couples because it doesn't give them the same rights and privileges as heterosexual couples.
The court didn't rule on the law's other politically combustible provision, which said states without same-sex marriage cannot be forced to recognize gay unions performed in states where it's legal. It also wasn't asked to address whether gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.
The law was passed at a time when it appeared Hawaii would legalize gay marriage. Since then, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, led by Massachusetts in 2004.
The appeals court agreed with a lower court judge who ruled in 2010 that the law is unconstitutional because it interferes with the right of a state to define marriage and denies married gay couples federal benefits given to heterosexual married couples, including the ability to file joint tax returns.
The 1st Circuit said its ruling wouldn't be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case, meaning that same-sex married couples will not be eligible to receive the economic benefits denied by DOMA until the high court rules.
That's because the ruling only applies to states within the circuit, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. Only the Supreme Court has the final say in deciding whether a law passed by Congress is unconstitutional.
During arguments before the court last month, a lawyer for gay married couples said the law amounts to "across-the-board disrespect." The couples argued that the power to define and regulate marriage had been left to the states for more than 200 years before Congress passed DOMA.
An attorney defending the law argued that Congress had a rational basis for passing it in 1996, when opponents worried that states would be forced to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere. The group said Congress wanted to preserve a traditional and uniform definition of marriage and has the power to define terms used to federal statutes to distribute federal benefits.
Last year, President Barack Obama announced the U.S. Department of Justice would no longer defend the constitutionality of the law. After that, House Speaker John Boehner convened the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group to defend it.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based legal group that brought one of the lawsuits on behalf of gay married couples, said the court agreed with the couples that it is unconstitutional because it takes one group of legally married people and treats them as "a different class" by making them ineligible for benefits given to other married couples.
"We've been working on this issue for so many years, and for the court to acknowledge that yes, same-sex couples are legally married, just as any other couple, is fantastic and extraordinary," said Lee Swislow, GLAD's executive director.
Police Unresponsive as Gay Arizona Couple with Kids Terrorized by Frightening Homophobic Attacks
A gay couple with four children in Gilbert, Arizona are being terrorized in a series of attacks. The series of attacks has escalated from banging on windows, to burning bushes, to anti-gay notes left on cars, to breaking into the family home and writing graffiti on the house's walls.
Zach Wahls Delivers 275,000 Petitions to Boy Scouts Demanding End to Anti-Gay Discrimination
After delivering the signatures, Wahls met briefly with Deron Smith, Public Relation Director with the Boy Scouts of America’s national office.
“While today's meeting was productive and thoughtful, the delivery of these petitions marks the beginning of this journey, not the end,” said Wahls. “I thought our dialogue today was an honest one, and I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation in the months ahead. We leave today one step closer to religious and personal freedom than when we arrived, and it's hard to be anything but thrilled about that."
“While today's meeting was productive and thoughtful, the delivery of these petitions marks the beginning of this journey, not the end,” said Wahls. “I thought our dialogue today was an honest one, and I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation in the months ahead. We leave today one step closer to religious and personal freedom than when we arrived, and it's hard to be anything but thrilled about that."
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Child's 'Ain't No Homos Gonna Make It To Heaven' Church Performance
Disturbing footage of what appears to be a young child's choral performance is going viral in the blogosphere.
The congregation in the church, which has been identified as the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Ind., gives a standing ovation after the child sings, "I know the Bible’s right, somebody’s wrong...ain't no homos gonna make it to heaven."
The congregation in the church, which has been identified as the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Ind., gives a standing ovation after the child sings, "I know the Bible’s right, somebody’s wrong...ain't no homos gonna make it to heaven."
Maryland Same-Sex Marriage Opponents Claim More Than Double the Signatures They Need for Referendum
Maryland's new marriage equality law is likely to go to a voter referendum and opponents of same-sex marriage say they have already collected enough signatures, Reuters reports:
The Maryland Marriage Alliance, a coalition of groups working to preserve the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, said it has collected more than 113,000 voter signatures. That figure far exceeded the 56,000 signatures needed to bring the law to a referendum. A third of those had to be submitted by Thursday.
"There are people that are just impassioned about this issue around the state," said the organization's executive director, Derek McCoy, speaking after a press conference announcing the success of the petition drive. "I think what you're seeing is, people don't want a radical redefinition of marriage just on a whim."
McCoy said more than 4,000 people trained to collect signatures campaigned in churches and other venues, and held gatherings in their homes within the last couple of months.
"There are people that are just impassioned about this issue around the state," said the organization's executive director, Derek McCoy, speaking after a press conference announcing the success of the petition drive. "I think what you're seeing is, people don't want a radical redefinition of marriage just on a whim."
McCoy said more than 4,000 people trained to collect signatures campaigned in churches and other venues, and held gatherings in their homes within the last couple of months.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tony Perkins has accepted an invitation to dinner in the home of a married same-sex couple and their family. The offer, from Jennifer Chrisler, the executive director of the Family Equality Council, came after Perkins, head of the certified anti-gay hate group Family Research Council, told CNN that he had never stepped inside the home of a gay couple.
“My wife and I will be glad to respond when we receive the invitation to find a time that works,” Perkins said, in an oddly-worded statement that seems to allow room to wiggle out of going.
“Pregnan Man” Thomas Beatie Wins Sole Custody Of Children
An Arizona judge has ruled that Thomas Beatie, the so-called “pregnant man” will continue to have sole custody of his three children. His estranged wife, Nancy, will get only supervised visits.
Imagine if the AIDS Memorial Quilt Were Online and Browsable
From July 21-25, 2012, the 48,000 panels and more than 91,000 names that make up the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be laid out in its entirety on the National Mall in Washington DC for the first time since 1996.
It's the largest living memorial of its kind in the world.
Anne Balsamo at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is hoping to build a mobile web app so that people can browse the quilt in its entirety, anywhere in the world. The quilt's display in July offers a unique opportunity to assemble the app, and Balsamo is looking for funding on Kickstarter to do that.
She has the blessing of the Names Project Foundation and has already started working on the development of the app.
Thousand Protest Pastor Charles Worley Who Preached Putting Gays And Lesbians In Electrified Pen
More than 1,000 people on Sunday protested a small-town North Carolina Baptist minister's sermon calling for gays and lesbians to be locked up behind an electric fence, a fire-and-brimstone speech viewed hundreds of thousands of times on the Internet since given two weeks ago.
Protesters gathered in front of the Justice Center in Newton waving signs with messages such as "Will God judge me for loving or hating?" and "Don't Fence Me In."
Some people dressed in rainbow colors, and entire families chanted "Preach Love Not Hate," angered by comments from Pastor Charles Worley of Providence Road Baptist Church in nearby Maiden during a sermon on May 13.
‘I don’t care what the Supreme Court says,’ homosexuality should be illegal
Near the end of the episode entitled “Politics In The Pulpit,” Barton made a point that the purpose of the church is not to create harmony or unity among the congregants but to preach the word of God’s and support God’s laws.
As such, Barton cited 1 Timothy 1:8-10 in order to declare that the purpose of the law is to punish ungodly and sinful (like gays) regardless of what the Supreme Court rules.
Barton, an evangelical Christian minister, conservative activist, and author, is the founder of WallBuilders, a Texas-based organization which advocates the view that U.S. constitutional separation of church and state is a myth.
Robert Mugabe Claims Gays Violate Women's Rights
"Mothers were given the talent to bear children. That talent doesn't belong to men," Mugabe said at a women's HIV/AIDS human rights conference in Harare.
"When a man says he wants to get married to another man, we in Zimbabwe don't accept it. We can't talk of women's rights at all if we go in that direction. It will lead to extinction."
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
‘Why Do Homosexuals Bother You So Much?’
Tony Perkins Thursday learned that credible journalists will no longer allow him to lie about gay people, same-sex marriage, or the LGBT community on national TV anymore.
CNN’s Soledad O’Brien took Tony Perkins apart, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin very elegantly annihilated Perkins.
Here are a few of the key questions, along with Perkins’ answers.
■Baldwin asked Perkins if he had ever been to the home of a married same-sex couple. He had not.
■She asked how he would explain to a married gay couple that they should not have the protections of marriage. He did not answer.
■Baldwin asked Perkins why gay people bother him so much. He said they don’t … but he did so very uncomfortably, and it was evident he was not telling the whole truth.
■When he implied that his was the majority position, she corrected him, citing the latest polls showing only 39% of Americans believing marriage equality should be illegal, opposed to 53% who say it should be legal.
■And when he told her it was a policy issue, she corrected him, and told him it was a human issue.
Perkins, as he always does, gave his line about “social science” showing “kids do best with a mother and a father.” This is absolute garbage. The studies he is citing compared kids raised by a mother and a father to kids from single parent homes. Every single mainstream study that has ever been conducted, comparing kids raised by two gay parents to kids raised by two straight parents, has found absolutely no difference.
CNN’s Soledad O’Brien took Tony Perkins apart, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin very elegantly annihilated Perkins.
Here are a few of the key questions, along with Perkins’ answers.
■Baldwin asked Perkins if he had ever been to the home of a married same-sex couple. He had not.
■She asked how he would explain to a married gay couple that they should not have the protections of marriage. He did not answer.
■Baldwin asked Perkins why gay people bother him so much. He said they don’t … but he did so very uncomfortably, and it was evident he was not telling the whole truth.
■When he implied that his was the majority position, she corrected him, citing the latest polls showing only 39% of Americans believing marriage equality should be illegal, opposed to 53% who say it should be legal.
■And when he told her it was a policy issue, she corrected him, and told him it was a human issue.
Perkins, as he always does, gave his line about “social science” showing “kids do best with a mother and a father.” This is absolute garbage. The studies he is citing compared kids raised by a mother and a father to kids from single parent homes. Every single mainstream study that has ever been conducted, comparing kids raised by two gay parents to kids raised by two straight parents, has found absolutely no difference.
Nothing Says Happy Fathers Day Like Churches Collecting Cash To Fight Gay Marriage
Scores of Maine churches will pass the collection plate a second time at Sunday services on Father’s Day to kick off a fundraising campaign for the lead opposition group to November’s ballot question asking voters to legalize same-sex marriages.
Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, said Carroll Conley Jr., executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine evangelical organization and a member of the PAC. Conley is also trying to drum up support for the Maine campaign from religious leaders from around the country.
It’s unusual, but not unheard of, for churches to take up collections for political causes. Maine’s Catholic diocese says it raised about $80,000 with a designated collection in 2009 in its effort to overturn Maine’s same-sex marriage law, which was passed by the Legislature that year and later rejected by voters. The Catholic Church isn’t actively campaigning this time, instead focusing on teaching parishioners about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.
Father’s Day, June 17, seemed an appropriate time to kick off this year’s fundraising campaign because of the day’s focus on family, Conley said. Additional collection-plate offerings at churches are expected in the months ahead.
“The messaging we’re using is that those who are seeking to redefine marriage in Maine believe there’s no difference between moms and dads,” Conley told The Associated Press. “We believe those differences are relevant. We don’t think the differences in the genders are societally imposed roles, and we believe that children benefit when they’re in that ideal environment where there’s a mom and dad.”
Protect Marriage Maine has been in contact with about 800 churches across the state and expects 150 to 200 to participate in the Father’s Day collections, Conley said. They include Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Nazarene, Church of God, Wesleyan, Evangelical Free, Advent Christian and other denominations.
Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, said Carroll Conley Jr., executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine evangelical organization and a member of the PAC. Conley is also trying to drum up support for the Maine campaign from religious leaders from around the country.
It’s unusual, but not unheard of, for churches to take up collections for political causes. Maine’s Catholic diocese says it raised about $80,000 with a designated collection in 2009 in its effort to overturn Maine’s same-sex marriage law, which was passed by the Legislature that year and later rejected by voters. The Catholic Church isn’t actively campaigning this time, instead focusing on teaching parishioners about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.
Father’s Day, June 17, seemed an appropriate time to kick off this year’s fundraising campaign because of the day’s focus on family, Conley said. Additional collection-plate offerings at churches are expected in the months ahead.
“The messaging we’re using is that those who are seeking to redefine marriage in Maine believe there’s no difference between moms and dads,” Conley told The Associated Press. “We believe those differences are relevant. We don’t think the differences in the genders are societally imposed roles, and we believe that children benefit when they’re in that ideal environment where there’s a mom and dad.”
Protect Marriage Maine has been in contact with about 800 churches across the state and expects 150 to 200 to participate in the Father’s Day collections, Conley said. They include Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Nazarene, Church of God, Wesleyan, Evangelical Free, Advent Christian and other denominations.
Preacher Breaks Down While Discussing 'Ex-Gay' Guide
Conservative ideologues are currently gathered in Washington DC for Family Research Council's Watchmen on the Wall Pastors Briefing, where a man named Jesse Connors was given an opportunity to tout his website, TrueLife.org.
In addition to providing Biblical analysis and local church listings, Right Wing Watch reports the site also has a number of "instructional" videos that Connors claims were "built to convert a homosexual."
Connors must have felt the spirit, because he became overwhelmed by emotion and began to weep, especially when discussing one of the star's of his "ex-gay" video, a man who died of HIV/AIDS-related causes.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional By Federal Judge, Yet Again
U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken, a federal judge in Oakland, California, late Thursday struck down as unconstitutional a provision of DOMA, the federal Defense of Marriage Act. This is the second federal judge to rule the same segment of DOMA unconstitutional and at least the fifth federal case to find the 1996 law unconstitutional. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have also declared the law — which bans same-sex couples from receiving legal federal recognition of their unions, about 1100 benefits afforded automatically to heterosexual couples, and defines marriage as one man, one woman — unconstitutional, and are refusing to defend it in court.
“Wilken issued her ruling in a lawsuit filed against the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, known as CalPERS, by same-sex couples. The system has refused to let gay spouses enroll in its federally approved insurance program on the ground that they were excluded by DOMA,” an article by the Bay City News Service published in The Herald reported:
Wilken said the DOMA ban violated the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment. She wrote that there was no proof the DOMA provision was “rationally related to a legitimate government interest.”
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White of San Francisco issued a similar ruling” in February in a lawsuit filed by Karen Golinski, a federal appeals court staff attorney who wants to enroll her wife in
the court’s employee health plan.
An appeal of White’s decision by a Republican-led Congressional group is slated to be heard by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in September.
The group, known as the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, is made up of the five top leaders of the House of Representatives. It stepped into both the cases before White and Wilken after the Obama Administration said last year it will no longer defend DOMA.
The group’s three Republican members, including Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, supported intervening in the two lawsuits to defend DOMA. Its two Democratic members, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, opposed doing so.
…
In Thursday’s ruling, Wilken also struck down a U.S. Internal Revenue Service law to the extent that it bars domestic partners from enrolling in the long-term care insurance plan offered by CalPERS.
She ordered CalPERS to begin allowing gay and lesbian spouses and partners to enroll in the plan, but also said she will suspend that order during an appeal if the Congressional group files an appeal.
Wilken had indicated, in two previous rulings in which she declined to dismiss the case, that she was likely to strike down the DOMA provision.
DOMA was previously declared unconstitutional by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro in two cases on July 8, 2010.
DOMA was also found to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California on June 13, 2011, and in an historic break with tradition, the decision was signed by 20 of the District’s 24 judges.
More recently, in a February decision in Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management case, DOMA was also ruled unconstitutional.
“Wilken issued her ruling in a lawsuit filed against the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, known as CalPERS, by same-sex couples. The system has refused to let gay spouses enroll in its federally approved insurance program on the ground that they were excluded by DOMA,” an article by the Bay City News Service published in The Herald reported:
Wilken said the DOMA ban violated the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment. She wrote that there was no proof the DOMA provision was “rationally related to a legitimate government interest.”
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White of San Francisco issued a similar ruling” in February in a lawsuit filed by Karen Golinski, a federal appeals court staff attorney who wants to enroll her wife in
the court’s employee health plan.
An appeal of White’s decision by a Republican-led Congressional group is slated to be heard by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in September.
The group, known as the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, is made up of the five top leaders of the House of Representatives. It stepped into both the cases before White and Wilken after the Obama Administration said last year it will no longer defend DOMA.
The group’s three Republican members, including Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, supported intervening in the two lawsuits to defend DOMA. Its two Democratic members, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, opposed doing so.
…
In Thursday’s ruling, Wilken also struck down a U.S. Internal Revenue Service law to the extent that it bars domestic partners from enrolling in the long-term care insurance plan offered by CalPERS.
She ordered CalPERS to begin allowing gay and lesbian spouses and partners to enroll in the plan, but also said she will suspend that order during an appeal if the Congressional group files an appeal.
Wilken had indicated, in two previous rulings in which she declined to dismiss the case, that she was likely to strike down the DOMA provision.
DOMA was previously declared unconstitutional by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro in two cases on July 8, 2010.
DOMA was also found to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California on June 13, 2011, and in an historic break with tradition, the decision was signed by 20 of the District’s 24 judges.
More recently, in a February decision in Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management case, DOMA was also ruled unconstitutional.
Friday, May 25, 2012
ExxonMobil: Evolve already on LGBT workplace protections
The Dallas Morning News on Thursday weighed in on ExxonMobil’s 13-year refusal to add workplace protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Texas-based oil giant has repeatedly resisted a implementing a formal policy prohibiting discrimination against LGBT employees, and is the only Fortune 500 company to receive a negative rating in the HRC’s annual Corporate Equality Index.
The Texas-based oil giant has repeatedly resisted a implementing a formal policy prohibiting discrimination against LGBT employees, and is the only Fortune 500 company to receive a negative rating in the HRC’s annual Corporate Equality Index.“Corporate America is now leading the way in extending benefits to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. This quiet revolution has taken place even though it is legal in 29 states, including Texas, to discriminate against employees because of their sexual orientation. [...]
The one glaring exception to this positive trend remains Irving-based ExxonMobil.
Providence Road Baptist Church
Stacey a member of Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, North Carolina, supports Pastor Charles "Electric Fence" Worley in a segment on CNN
Federal Judge In CA Rules DOMA and Tax Code Unfair To Gay Couples
In another volley against the Defense of Marriage Act, a California judge ruled last night that DOMA unfairly prohibit same-sex couples from participating in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) reports Metro Weekly.
Ruling on Dragovich v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, a class-action lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken ordered CalPERs not to use DOMA as a guideline because it “violates the equal protection rights of Plaintiff same-sex spouses,” as did a relevant section of the Internal Revenue Code. The court stated that “both provisions are constitutionally invalid to the extent that they exclude Plaintiff same-sex spouses and registered domestic partners from enrollment in the CalPERS long-term care plan.”
Ruling on Dragovich v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, a class-action lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken ordered CalPERs not to use DOMA as a guideline because it “violates the equal protection rights of Plaintiff same-sex spouses,” as did a relevant section of the Internal Revenue Code. The court stated that “both provisions are constitutionally invalid to the extent that they exclude Plaintiff same-sex spouses and registered domestic partners from enrollment in the CalPERS long-term care plan.”
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Alveda King denounces NAACP resolution for ‘endorsing’ gay agenda
A number of prominent African American leaders have denounced the recent resolution by the NAACP supporting marriage equality for same-sex couples, and have called it “an endorsement of homosexual agenda,” and an issue no different than abortion.
“Neither my great-grandfather an NAACP founder, my grandfather Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. an NAACP leader, my father Rev. A. D. Williams King, nor my uncle Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. embraced the homosexual agenda that the current NAACP is attempting to label as a civil rights agenda,” said Dr. Alveda C. King, founder of King for America and Pastoral Associate for Priests for Life.
“In the 21st Century, the anti-traditional marriage community is in league with the anti-life community, and together with the NAACP and other sympathizers, they are seeking a world where homosexual marriage and abortion will supposedly set the captives free,” King added.
In a landmark decision, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) last Friday passed a resolution endorsing marriage equality for same-sex couples.
The resolution — coming on the heels of President Barack Obama’s historic support for marriage equality, and subsequent polling on the issue among African-Americans — stated that it was demanded by the equal protection guarantees written into the U.S. Constitution.
NAACP president, Benjamin Todd, an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, said, “Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the fourteenth amendment of the United States constitution and equal protection of all people.”
But Dr. Day Gardner, founder of the National Black Prolife Union, said that the NAACP is “off the mark … with regard to the real issues and the most important problems facing the black community.”
“The NAACP organization was founded by blacks who had an understanding and strong faith in God. They were people — pastors and congregations who knew that the Bible — which is God’s final word — was indeed very clear on the immorality and wages of homosexuality and abortion,” Garder said.
“It is appalling that this one time super hero ‘civil rights’ organization supports the breakdown of traditional marriage and the ruthless killing of our unborn children — as a civil right,” Gardner said.
“The homosexual community is demanding that their lifestyle be legitimized and viewed by society as a lifestyle that is right. We are subjected to the distasteful alignment of homosexuality with the ‘Civil Rights Movement’ and with the argument that gay rights should be guaranteed under the Constitution. These two issues are incompatible.” said Rev. Clenard Childress, founder of BlackGenocide.org.
“In the 21st Century, the anti-traditional marriage community is in league with the anti-life community, and together with the NAACP and other sympathizers, they are seeking a world where homosexual marriage and abortion will supposedly set the captives free,” King added.
In a landmark decision, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) last Friday passed a resolution endorsing marriage equality for same-sex couples.
The resolution — coming on the heels of President Barack Obama’s historic support for marriage equality, and subsequent polling on the issue among African-Americans — stated that it was demanded by the equal protection guarantees written into the U.S. Constitution.
NAACP president, Benjamin Todd, an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, said, “Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the fourteenth amendment of the United States constitution and equal protection of all people.”
But Dr. Day Gardner, founder of the National Black Prolife Union, said that the NAACP is “off the mark … with regard to the real issues and the most important problems facing the black community.”
“The NAACP organization was founded by blacks who had an understanding and strong faith in God. They were people — pastors and congregations who knew that the Bible — which is God’s final word — was indeed very clear on the immorality and wages of homosexuality and abortion,” Garder said.
“It is appalling that this one time super hero ‘civil rights’ organization supports the breakdown of traditional marriage and the ruthless killing of our unborn children — as a civil right,” Gardner said.
“The homosexual community is demanding that their lifestyle be legitimized and viewed by society as a lifestyle that is right. We are subjected to the distasteful alignment of homosexuality with the ‘Civil Rights Movement’ and with the argument that gay rights should be guaranteed under the Constitution. These two issues are incompatible.” said Rev. Clenard Childress, founder of BlackGenocide.org.
Jillian Michaels Is a Mom
But these days, she’s doling out tickles and hugs to her 2-year-old daughter, Lukensia – whom she recently brought home from Haiti after a lengthy adoption process — and the newborn son, Phoenix, that partner Heidi Rhoades gave birth to on May 3 in Los Angeles.
“We’re swimming in babies over here,” Michaels, 38, gleefully tells PEOPLE in its latest issue.
In an exclusive at-home interview and photo shoot, she discusses the two-year journey that led her to her daughter and reveals an incredible twist of fate: Rhoades, 31, delivered their son the same week Michaels finally brought their daughter home.
The instant family has made for long days and nights for Michaels. But she insists she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I don’t even answer email. I don’t have time to care about anything else,” she notes. “I want to be really present and enjoy all the nuances of their growth and development. I don’t want to rush any of it.”
Gen. Powell Supports Legalized Marriage Equality
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Colin Powell said Wednesday that he supports legalizing marriage equality, two years after announcing that he supported the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."
"I have no problem with it," Powell said in an interview with Wolf Blitzer that will air at 5 p.m. Eastern on CNN. "In terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people that's called marriage, and allowing them to live together with the protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country. And so I support the president's decision."
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Black Support For Marriage Equality Is Higher Than General Population
A new poll released by ABC and the Washington Post seems to confound the naysayers who claimed President Obama’s support for marriage equality would cost him dearly in the African-American community: 59% of black voters said they supported his stance, as compared to the still respectable 53% of the general population.
Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry, said in a statement:
“Not long ago, our opponents bragged that highlighting marriage in a campaign would win them votes. But these results show, more clearly than ever before, that the wedge has lost its edge and that the momentum of open hearts and changing minds continues to favor those who favor the freedom to marry and getting America on the right side of history.Other highlights of the poll include:
It’s particularly gratifying to see the growing support among African-Americans, who, like the President and the NAACP, understand that the Golden Rule and our nation’s civil rights commitment of liberty and justice for all really do apply to ‘all.’ “
- The percentage of those who oppose the freedom to marry is at an all-time low, at 39% nationwide.
- 58% of Independent voters support the freedom to marry; 43% do so “strongly.”
- 69% of adults under 30 support the freedom to marry; 51% do so “strongly.”
Jim Parsons Reveals He's Gay
Parsons, best-known as Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, discusses his work in last year's production of The Normal Heart, Larry Kramer's searing chronicle of the AIDS epidemic in New York City during the early 1980s. The Times' Patrick Healy writes, "The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship..."
The 39-year-old actor publicly thanked his partner Todd Spiewak from the podium of the Golden Globe awards ceremony while accepting the trophy for best actor in a comedy series.
Parsons, who will recreate his role in Normal Heart in director Ryan Murphy's forthcoming film adaptation, is currently headlining the revival of the classic comedy
San Francisco gay marriage case goes to federal appeals court in September
A federal appeals court will hear arguments in September in a legal challenge to the federal ban on same-sex marriage benefits.
In a brief order, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Obama administration's request to fast track the case so it might reach the U.S. Supreme Court sooner. Justice Department lawyers had asked the 9th Circuit to hear the case immediately with an 11-judge panel instead of the customary three-judge panel, skipping a step in the legal process.
But the 9th Circuit indicated in its order that there was no support for the move within the court. Instead, the court said a three-judge panel would hold arguments in the case in the fall.
The 9th Circuit is reviewing a San Francisco judge's ruling last year finding that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act -- DOMA -- is unconstitutional. The case involves Karen Golinski, a 9th Circuit staff attorney, who challenged the law because the federal government refused to provide health benefits to her wife after their marriage in 2008.
The Obama administration has refused to defend DOMA in the case. House Republicans have intervened, asking the 9th Circuit to uphold the same-sex marriage restrictions.
Another federal appeals court is hearing a similar case out of Massachusetts.
In a brief order, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Obama administration's request to fast track the case so it might reach the U.S. Supreme Court sooner. Justice Department lawyers had asked the 9th Circuit to hear the case immediately with an 11-judge panel instead of the customary three-judge panel, skipping a step in the legal process.
But the 9th Circuit indicated in its order that there was no support for the move within the court. Instead, the court said a three-judge panel would hold arguments in the case in the fall.
The 9th Circuit is reviewing a San Francisco judge's ruling last year finding that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act -- DOMA -- is unconstitutional. The case involves Karen Golinski, a 9th Circuit staff attorney, who challenged the law because the federal government refused to provide health benefits to her wife after their marriage in 2008.
The Obama administration has refused to defend DOMA in the case. House Republicans have intervened, asking the 9th Circuit to uphold the same-sex marriage restrictions.
Another federal appeals court is hearing a similar case out of Massachusetts.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Anderson Cooper And Martin Bashir Take On Genocide For Gays Pastor
Last night, CNN’s Anderson Cooper and MSNBC’s Martin Bashir on The Last Word both took on the case of North Carolina Pastor Charles L. Worley of Providence Road Baptist Church, who had suggested constructing a genocide-like concentration camp into which all gay people would be airlifted and dropped until they all die out.
Marvel's Historic Gay Wedding
Marvel Comics' Astonishing X-Men is set to experience a new sound effect on top of its booms, whams, and sknits: the bong of wedding bells. Specifically, it's the wedding bells of Marvel's first gay marriage between longtime X-Man Northstar and his civilian boyfriend, Kyle. After pairing up the couple in 2009, Marvel is officially tying their knot in June's Astonishing X-Men #51.
Mississippi lawmaker cites Bible passage that calls for gays to be put to death
A Mississippi state lawmaker, commenting on the announcement by President Barack Obama affirming support for same-sex marriage, invoked an old testament bible passage on his Facebook page, calling for gay men to be “put to death.”
GOP State Representative Andy Gipson, a Southern Baptist Minister and business attorney, is Republican state Representative from Braxton, Miss.
On May 10, writing on his Facebook page, Gibson said that homosexuality is a “sin,” citing Leviticus 20:13: “Been a lot of press on Obama’s opinion on ‘homosexual marriage.’
“The only opinion that counts is God’s: see Romans 1:26-28 and Leviticus 20:13.
Anyway you slice it, it is sin. Not to mention horrific social policy. Leviticus 20:13 reads, “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
In response to a follower, Gipson later wrote that same-sex relationships are “unnatural” and suggested they will inherently “result in disease”: Sorry I’ve been busy and not had a chance to reply. David, in addition to the basic principal that it is morally wrong, here are three social reasons it’s horrific social policy:
1) Unnatural behavior which results in disease, not the least of which is its high association with the development and spread of HIV/AIDS;
2) Confusing behavior which is harmful to children who have a deep need to understand the proper role of men and women in society and the important differences between men and women, and fathers and mothers; and
3) Undermines the longstanding definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, a definition which has been key to all aspects of social order and prosperity. Anytime that definition is weakened our culture is also weakened. And yes, that is also true for other conduct which weakens marriage’s importance in society.
Ukrainian Gay Activist Beaten
Via The Daily Beast comes this disturbing image of Gay Forum of Ukraine leader Svyatoslav Shereme getting beaten during an announcement that a scheduled gay pride parade had been called off.
Monday, May 21, 2012
NAACP, Oldest US Civil Rights Group, Announces Gay Marriage Support
The NAACP, America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, announced its board of directors has decided to support officially same-sex marriage. Fresh on the heels of Barack Obama’s historic announcement of same-sex marriage support, a number of famous African-Americans have joined the President in announcing support for marriage equality, including today rapper 50 Cent.
“Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law,” NAACP president Benjamin Jealous said in a statement this afternoon. “The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and equal protection of all people. The well-funded right-wing organizations who are attempting to split our communities are no friend to civil rights, and they will not succeed.”
NAACP Chair Emeritus and long-time LGBT supporter Julian Bond appeared on CNN this weekend to discuss the organization's decision to back same-sex marriage. Calling it a "welcome surprise," Bond said President Obama deserves some credit in the decision.
"President Obama brought it to the fore when he spoke about it, in effect giving people permission to talk about it and to think about I think in ways they had not. And I think for our board, we were saying to each other, 'If the president can do this, then perhaps we can do it too," he told openly gay CNN anchor Don Lemon.
Asked about potential backlash, Bond replied, "I think thinking people will think about it and say, 'I may not agree with it but there it is, they've done it and I support the NAACP. I always have and I'm going to continue to do so. It's like President Obama… I don't think people are going to say, 'I'm not going to vote for him because he took this position on same-sex marriage." And the election is too far away to predict whether the president's position will impact November's election.
He also told Lemon that he and the NAACP have been "flooded" with congratulations for taking a strong stance on the issue
“Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law,” NAACP president Benjamin Jealous said in a statement this afternoon. “The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and equal protection of all people. The well-funded right-wing organizations who are attempting to split our communities are no friend to civil rights, and they will not succeed.”
NAACP Chair Emeritus and long-time LGBT supporter Julian Bond appeared on CNN this weekend to discuss the organization's decision to back same-sex marriage. Calling it a "welcome surprise," Bond said President Obama deserves some credit in the decision.
"President Obama brought it to the fore when he spoke about it, in effect giving people permission to talk about it and to think about I think in ways they had not. And I think for our board, we were saying to each other, 'If the president can do this, then perhaps we can do it too," he told openly gay CNN anchor Don Lemon.
Asked about potential backlash, Bond replied, "I think thinking people will think about it and say, 'I may not agree with it but there it is, they've done it and I support the NAACP. I always have and I'm going to continue to do so. It's like President Obama… I don't think people are going to say, 'I'm not going to vote for him because he took this position on same-sex marriage." And the election is too far away to predict whether the president's position will impact November's election.
He also told Lemon that he and the NAACP have been "flooded" with congratulations for taking a strong stance on the issue
North Carolina Pastor Calls for an Electrified Fence to "Roud Up Queers"
If you would like to contact Pastor Worley: 828-428-2518. Email: pastor@prbcnc.com.
French Prime Minister Vows to Implement Marriage Equality and Equal Adoption Rights for Gay People
Newly-elected President François Hollande’s pledge to enact marriage equality is being pushed by his Prime Minister, Pink News reports:
A communiqué issued by the office of the prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who took office on 15 May, marked the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia yesterday with a pledge to put the president’s manifesto promise into law.
It said: “On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment against violence and discrimination perpetrated as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The Government is determined to challenge prejudice and to put an end to discrimination and violence. It will implement the commitment of the President of the Republic to the right to marriage and adoption to gay couples.”
France's parliament rejected same-sex marriage last June in a 293-222 vote.
It said: “On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment against violence and discrimination perpetrated as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The Government is determined to challenge prejudice and to put an end to discrimination and violence. It will implement the commitment of the President of the Republic to the right to marriage and adoption to gay couples.”
Michigan Lawmakers Refuse to Sign Award for Lesbian
A lesbian who was supposed to get one of the Kalamazoo YWCA's annual "Women of Achievement" awards got slighted Thursday, and now LGBT rights leaders want to know what happened.
Sarah Stangl was one of several honorees given state proclamations as part of their award. Each certificate was signed by a cast of Michigan lawmakers. But some refused to sign the proclamation for Stangl, who was being honored in part for her work as the former coordinator for LGBT Student Services at Western Michigan University.
Refusing to sign were House Speaker Jase Bolger, state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, State Rep. Margaret O’Brien. All are Republicans, but so is Gov. Rick Snyder, who signed the proclamation.
"If this is some sort of statement, I think it's petty," Zachary Bauer, executive director for the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, told the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Sarah Stangl was one of several honorees given state proclamations as part of their award. Each certificate was signed by a cast of Michigan lawmakers. But some refused to sign the proclamation for Stangl, who was being honored in part for her work as the former coordinator for LGBT Student Services at Western Michigan University.
Refusing to sign were House Speaker Jase Bolger, state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, State Rep. Margaret O’Brien. All are Republicans, but so is Gov. Rick Snyder, who signed the proclamation.
"If this is some sort of statement, I think it's petty," Zachary Bauer, executive director for the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, told the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
MS Lawmaker Andy Gipson Says Gays Spread Disease, Suggest They Should Be Put to Death
Wrote Gipson in a Facebook post:
Been a lot of press on Obama’s opinion on “homosexual marriage.” The only opinion that counts is God’s: see Romans 1:26-28 and Leviticus 20:13. Anyway you slice it, it is sin. Not to mention horrific social policy.
The Leviticus passage is the one suggesting that gay people be put to death.
He followed that up with a clarification to a commenter in the same thread:
Sorry I’ve been busy and not had a chance to reply. David, in addition to the basic principal that it is morally wrong, here are three social reasons it’s horrific social policy: 1) Unnatural behavior which results in disease, not the least of which is its high association with the development and spread of HIV/AIDS; 2) Confusing behavior which is harmful to children who have a deep need to understand the proper role of men and women in society and the important differences between men and women, and fathers and mothers; and 3) Undermines the longstanding definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, a definition which has been key to all aspects of social order and prosperity. Anytime that definition is weakened our culture is also weakened. And yes, that is also true for other conduct which weakens marriage’s importance in society.
Writes Unity MS, where you can find Gipson's contact information: "Mr. Gipson needs to realize he represents all of his constituents. He should not cherry-pick which constituents he wants to work for. He should also realize his positions are neither popular nor Republican. LGBT individuals, couples, and families help pay Gipson’s salary. It’s important that he remember that."
Friday, May 18, 2012
Rumors Surface About Queen Latifah Coming Out At Long Beach Pride
TruthQuake is claiming the singer-actress-spokesmodel “is going to announce publicly that she is lesbian” from the stage.
“Queen Latifah wants to come out at Pride because it’s a place where people will appreciate her showing her support of the LGBT community,” said the insider source close to the actress/rapper/singer.
“She has a lot of gay and bi fans. They know she’s lesbian, and they love that she’s so successful, but they’ll be thrilled when she finally ‘comes out’ publicly”
“People in the LGBT community don’t want to push her because they know it’s not easy facing other people who you think may judge you badly, and if you’re famous there are even more people to judge. But, they’ll be thrilled to know she’s finally announcing it.”
Maryland High Court Recognizes Gay Divorce
As opponents of same-sex marriage work to overturn the not-yet-in-effect marriage equality law in Maryland, the state's highest court is recognizing gay divorces, for those couples married in other states, the AP reports:
The Court of Appeals issued the ruling Friday that couples who have a valid marriage from another state can divorce in Maryland. The ruling says Maryland courts should withhold recognition of a valid foreign marriage only if that marriage is “repugnant” to state public policy. The court says the threshold is a high bar that has not been met in the case that it ruled on.
The case involved two women who were married in California and denied a divorce in 2010 by a Maryland judge. Lawyers for the women told the Court of Appeals that is would be unprecedented for the state not to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Paul Cameron, the virulently anti-gay “researcher” whose name is synonymous with discredited and “consistent misrepresentation of sociological research,” tells journalist David Pakman that he was attracted to men when he was a boy as young as three, after being raped by a man, but he claims he grew out of it by the age of eight or nine. Dr. Cameron adds that on a scale of one to one hundred, with zero being heterosexual and one hundred being homosexual, he’s negative one hundred.
On Monday, The New Civil Rights Movement reported that Dr. Cameron had suggested President Obama may be gay, said gays should be jailed, and claimed the goal of gay people is to ensure every boy and girl be raped at least once.
‘Sodomy Is Not A Civil Right’
Republican lawmaker, Del. Robert G. Marshall, told CNN that ”Sodomy is not a civil right,” offering the false statement as his defense for blocking the judicial nomination of an openly-gay veteran. Sodomy was made legal by the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003.
As The New Civil Rights Movement reported Tuesday, Marshall led a hoard of conservative Republicans to vote against Tracy Thorne-Begland, an openly-gay prosecutor serving as Deputy Commonwealth Major Crimes Attorney for the past 12 years for the city of Richmond. Thorne-Begland, who served in the military, and his same-sex partner, Michael Thorne-Begland (an attorney at Philip Morris) are raising their young twins together.
U.S. Senate panel approves same-sex partner benefits for federal workers
A U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday approved legislation that would allow same-sex partners of federal employees to receive employment benefits.
The bill — Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO) — was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on a voice vote.
The bill would provide benefits for same-sex domestic partners of federal civilian employees on the same basis as spousal benefits, including participation in retirement programs, life and health insurance benefits, and family and medical leave.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), the bill’s chief sponsor, said the bill “has nothing to do with same-sex marriage,” and called the timing of the hearing — exactly one week after President Obama’s announcement supporting marriage equality — coincidental.
The bill — Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO) — was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on a voice vote.
The bill would provide benefits for same-sex domestic partners of federal civilian employees on the same basis as spousal benefits, including participation in retirement programs, life and health insurance benefits, and family and medical leave.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), the bill’s chief sponsor, said the bill “has nothing to do with same-sex marriage,” and called the timing of the hearing — exactly one week after President Obama’s announcement supporting marriage equality — coincidental.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Tweets Support For Obama's Stance on Gay Marriage
As USA Today and other media outlets are reporting, U.S. fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. tweeted his support for President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality yesterday yesterday:
@FloydMayweather
Floyd Mayweather
@FloydMayweatherFloyd Mayweather
I stand behind President Obama & support gay marriage. I'm an American citizen & I believe people should live their life the way they want.
G.O.P. ‘Super PAC’ Weighs Hard-Line Attack on Obama
Timed to upend the Democratic National Convention in September, the plan would “do exactly what John McCain would not let us do,” the strategists wrote.
The plan, which is awaiting approval, calls for running commercials linking Mr. Obama to incendiary comments by his former spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose race-related sermons made him a highly charged figure in the 2008 campaign.
“The world is about to see Jeremiah Wright and understand his influence on Barack Obama for the first time in a big, attention-arresting way,” says the proposal, which was overseen by Fred Davis and commissioned by Joe Ricketts, the founder of the brokerage firm TD Ameritrade. Mr. Ricketts is increasingly putting his fortune to work in conservative politics.
The $10 million plan, one of several being studied by Mr. Ricketts, includes preparations for how to respond to the charges of race-baiting it envisions if it highlights Mr. Obama’s former ties to Mr. Wright, who espouses what is known as “black liberation theology.”
The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.”
A copy of a detailed advertising plan was obtained by The New York Times through a person not connected to the proposal who was alarmed by its tone. It is titled “The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama: The Ricketts Plan to End His Spending for Good.”
HIV Home Test Approved
A federal committee unanimously approved over-the-counter sale of a take-home rapid HIV test, paving the way for the product’s approval by the FDA. “We believe we are at a deciding moment in the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic. The key to that begins with getting them tested” said Black AIDS Institute director Phil Wilson. Any positive results from the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test would be confirmed by a lab
"The issue has flared since US President Barack Obama backed gay marriage last week. Both Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader David Shearer have indicated they would not stand in the way of moves to allow gay marriage in New Zealand. Key today indicated he would be 'more than happy' to vote for the first reading of a bill allowing gay marriage."
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Gay 'Days' Character Finally Comes Out To Parents
It's the moment many Days Of Our Lives fans have been waiting for: Will Horton finally came out to his parents and, in a soap opera twist, the presumptive parental reactions were reversed: daddy Lucas becomes the supportive parent and mama Sami totally flips out.
Mitt Romney Debt Speech Ignores Key Facts
Obama Gay Marriage Support More Popular Among Blacks & Latinos Than Whites
Raising Debt Limit Is An 'Action-Forcing Event'
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) sees the debt ceiling as an "action-forcing event" where he will insist on cuts greater than the increase, setting up a legislative fight similar to the one that paralyzed Congress last summer.
Boehner calls the statutory debt limit as the "only avenue" to solve "our structural fiscal imbalance," according to prepared remarks to be delivered at the Peter G. Peterson Fiscal Summit and released to the Washington Post. A Boehner aide told the Post that tax increases are still off the table. "We shouldn’t dread the debt limit," Boehner says. "We should welcome it. It’s an action-forcing event in a town that has become infamous for inaction."
Speaking at the conference, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warned Boehner on the debt limit. "This commitment to meet the obligations of the nation, this commitment to protect the creditworthiness of the country, is a fundamental commitment that you can never call into question or violate," he said, according to The Hill. He said he hopes Congress will raise the debt limit "without the drama and the pain and the damage they caused the country last July."
Historically, raising the debt limit had not been a mechanism to force major policy changes and had passed easily with partisan grumblings about the level of debt. However, congressional Republicans in 2010 insisted on adding major cuts to an increase in the debt limit, raising the specter of default. The deal finally reached provided a $2.4 trillion increase in the debt limit with $2.4 trillion in cuts over 10 years.
A variety of spending cuts and tax increases take effect shortly after the debt ceiling is expected to be reached, potentially setting up a battle worse than last summer. Geithner said in February said that he expects that the debt ceiling will be hit sometime between Sept. 30, 2012 and the end of the year. The Bush-era tax cuts also expire at the end of 2012, and $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts to defense spending and Medicare as part of the debt ceiling deal take effect in 2013.
Staffers leaving Shorter University over required anti-gay lifestyle statement
A tenured librarian at Shorter University is the latest among nearly 60 staff members to leave the Christian liberal arts college over the school’s ban on gay employees.
Michael Wilson, a 14 year employee at Shorter, resigned last week after refusing to sign a required “Personal Lifestyle Statement” against homosexuality.
Last October, the college announced a policy to require its more than 200 employees to sign the pledge against homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex, drug use and drinking in public.
The “lifestyle statement” also requires faculty to be active members of a local church, and is one of several steps the university has taken to intensify its Christian identity after the Georgia Baptist Convention began asserting more control over the campus six years ago.
The requirement has provoked an uproar among faculty, alumni and observers, reported the website Inside Higher Ed.
Wilson is one of nearly 60 staff members who are leaving Shorter because of policy changes at the school, according to Save Our Shorter, a group fighting to “reveal the truth about what is happening on the Shorter campus.”
Several departments, including science and the fine arts, have been “eviscerated,” Wilson said.
The university’s president, Don Dowless, said in October that any staffer not signing the agreement faces immediate termination.
Michael Wilson, a 14 year employee at Shorter, resigned last week after refusing to sign a required “Personal Lifestyle Statement” against homosexuality.
Last October, the college announced a policy to require its more than 200 employees to sign the pledge against homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex, drug use and drinking in public.The “lifestyle statement” also requires faculty to be active members of a local church, and is one of several steps the university has taken to intensify its Christian identity after the Georgia Baptist Convention began asserting more control over the campus six years ago.
The requirement has provoked an uproar among faculty, alumni and observers, reported the website Inside Higher Ed.
Before the new contracts were circulated, more than 50 members of the faculty and staff who felt they could not abide by its rules, or did not feel they should have to, resigned. Wilson stayed.“It’s a matter of conscience,” Wilson said.
But when he was offered his contract for the academic year, he signed and returned it, but with one line crossed out: “I reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to, premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality.”
Wilson is one of nearly 60 staff members who are leaving Shorter because of policy changes at the school, according to Save Our Shorter, a group fighting to “reveal the truth about what is happening on the Shorter campus.”
Several departments, including science and the fine arts, have been “eviscerated,” Wilson said.
The university’s president, Don Dowless, said in October that any staffer not signing the agreement faces immediate termination.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Pope Tells Catholics To Ignore The Bible, Become Political
Pope Benedict XVI this week told Catholics they should become more political, ignoring what the Bible teaches about politics. Speaking in Tuscany, the Pope urged the melding of Church and State, and told listeners to be “the engine of society in promoting peace through justice.”
R.I. governor orders state recognition of legally married same-sex couples
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee on Monday issued an executive order directing state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state as legal, and to treat married same-sex couples in the same manner as married heterosexual couples.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Major Organizations Embrace President Obama’s Gay Marriage Support
AFL-CIO
“Working people believe in equality and fairness and that’s why we are happy to stand with millions of Americans and with President Obama in supporting marriage equality.
“LGBT working people face numerous inequities in the workplace and in society as they struggle to care for their families. Civil unions do not guarantee the 1,138 rights, benefits and responsibilities that are triggered by the word “marriage” under federal law.
“Most important, we should respect and honor our friends, neighbors, and family members who want to take care of their families and their loved ones – whatever their sexual orientation. We are proud to come together for a more just America.”
AFSCME
“President Obama’s announcement today recognizes a fundamental American right – that every citizen is entitled to respect and dignity, and the equal protection of our laws. For too long, lesbian and gay Americans have been denied the right to marry the person they love, raise a family and live as equal citizens in our country. They are denied access to pension benefits, Social Security survivor benefits, family health and bereavement leave and family immigration rights. That discrimination harms all of us, not just LGBT Americans. We have an obligation to work to overturn unjust laws and amendments to state constitutions that codify prejudice and promote discrimination against fellow citizens. The President deserves praise for recognizing that this issue is about equality under the law and the right of all Americans to live their lives free from discrimination.”
American Civil Liberties Union
“President Obama is doing the right thing and showing leadership by recognizing that lesbians and gays should be treated as equal citizens. The freedom to marry whomever we love and want to share our life with is fundamental to who we are and what we stand for as a country. The fight for fairness and equal treatment under the law for all Americans took a critical step forward today.”
American Federation of Teachers
“America’s greatness has been based in large part on our continual journey toward equality. President Obama’s action today on marriage equality continues that journey. I am proud to lead an organization that has, from our founding, stood firm against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, physical disability or sexual orientation. The fight for civil rights not only in the workforce but also in every aspect of American life, is ongoing. Every American is entitled to equal shares of equality, liberty and happiness.”
Anti-Defamation League
“We strongly welcome the President’s endorsement of same-sex marriage equality. It is a significant and historic step forward in the pursuit of equal opportunity, individual liberty and freedom from discrimination, and underscores the fact that no American should be denied access to the benefits of civil marriage because of his or her sexual orientation. All citizens should be entitled to the same rights, protections and benefits.”
Hadassah
“Hadassah commends President Obama for taking an important step today in showing his commitment to and respect for the LGBT community. Hadassah has long supported LGBT rights, and we firmly believe that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all Americans are treated equally and have equal access to the same rights. Hadassah is committed to the preservation of rights for all people and vigorously condemns discrimination of any kind. As Zionists, Hadassah members understand the dangers of bigotry. …
“We look forward to continuing to work with the President as he expands civil rights for all Americans.”
National Association of Hispanic Publications
“This is a giant step forward for civil rights, as the President openly acknowledged support for same-sex marriage. With this support, President Obama has liberated Americans who previously felt relegated to the shadows. It is our hope that this is a positive step toward helping all individuals in America feel included and that this level of compassion will set the tone for upcoming civil rights issues in the country, especially with regards to the immigration debate.”
National Black Justice Coalition
“It is an honor to witness our President take such a strong stand in support of gay and lesbian couples across the country. This affirmation reinforces the Administration’s ongoing commitment to LGBT Americans and our families.”
National Council of Jewish Women
“NCJW hails President Obama’s decision to express his personal support for same-sex marriage. NCJW has been a staunch supporter of marriage equality and we happily welcome the president to this fight for fundamental human rights at this important time. While setbacks such as the lamentable vote yesterday in North Carolina are unfortunate, we firmly believe that supporters of marriage equality are on the right side of history. NCJW is proud to work with the President of the United States to ensure that gays and lesbians are protected equally under the law and are treated with the dignity they deserve.”
National Council of La Raza
“NCLR applauds President Obama for his historic remarks expressing support for marriage equality. This issue is about doing the right thing and being on the right side of history. Ensuring fairness and equality while protecting people from discrimination is at the heart of NCLR’s mission.”
“Like other Americans, Latinos have shifted their views on LGBT issues in recent years. Acceptance and support for loving couples to have the right to marry is now shared by a majority of Latinos.
“We celebrate this historic moment with our allies in the LGBT community and with the millions of LGBT Latinos across the nation, and we look forward to working together to advance equal rights for all in the days ahead.”
SEIU
“Earlier today, President Obama joined a host of faith, civil rights, business and political leaders that have publicly voiced their support of marriage equality. The president’s support comes at a critical moment as the rights of LGBT people are under legislative attack in Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina and elsewhere. The president understands what we do – marriage equality is about family, community, love and justice.
“Across this country, right-wing Republican politicians are seeking to divide us with attacks on immigrants, the middle class, women’s health, the environment and the LGBT community – but the growing numbers of Americans who believe in marriage equality reminds us that we cannot live up to our promise as a nation until we extend equal rights to all.
“To those who have chosen to stand on the wrong side of history, we say this: There is growing momentum for equality in this country. And with each American that believes in equality, we are reminded that the continued dream of equality is our birthright, our heritage and our promise.
“For anyone who counts equality among the basic tenets of a free and just America, Pres. Obama’s announcement today is a victory.”
Unitarian Universalist Association
“President Obama’s announcement today that he supports the right of same sex couples to marry is a courageous step forward in the direction of justice and equality for all Americans. I applaud the President’s decision to declare his support for the freedom to marry for all loving couples. Like many Americans, President Obama says his position on this issue has evolved over the years, and today it seems clear that the arc of the universe is bending toward justice.
“The Unitarian Universalist Association called for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in 1996. Unitarian Universalists will continue to stand on the side of love for marriage equality until the freedom to marry belongs to all.”
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
“Marriage equality is an economic justice issue, and a social justice issue – and that makes it a union issue. In the UFCW, we have a long, proud history of standing up for fair and equal treatment for all workers – regardless of what they look like, where they come from, what language they speak, or who they love. These values are heartfelt. We work every day to fight discrimination and unfair treatment against LGBT people on the job. That’s why our union is a strong supporter of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would ensure justice in the workplace for LGBT workers. UFCW members have been negotiating equal health care coverage for same-sex couples into their union contracts all over the country for years. It’s the right thing to do, and the fair thing to do. I’m proud that the UFCW’s advocacy on behalf of families includes all families.”
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Nebraska Woman Offers Graphic, Homophobic Rant During Lincoln's Anti-Discrimination Law Hearings
Originally featured on Towleroad, the clip features a woman identified as Jane Skrovota, who offers a series of bizarre observations on gay sex, HIV/AIDS, Hillary Clinton and even Judas Iscariot as she denounces the "Fairness Ordinance," a measure that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s non-discrimination law, in her testimony.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Mitt Romney Was A High School Gay-Bashing Bully?
Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, was a gay-bashing high school bully who said, “Atta girl,” to effeminate boys and shockingly had a days-long emotional attack that culminated with him pinning down a gay classmate and cutting off his bleached-blond long hair. Governor Romney claims he has no memory of any of these incidents that date back to 1965, according to a lengthy and heart-wrenching exposé in today’s Washington Post. An excerpt:
John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it.The Post article concludes with an emotional note about John Lauber:
“He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” an incensed Romney told Matthew Friedemann, his close friend in the Stevens Hall dorm, according to Friedemann’s recollection. Mitt, the teenaged son of Michigan Gov. George Romney, kept complaining about Lauber’s look, Friedemann recalled.
A few days later, Friedemann entered Stevens Hall off the school’s collegiate quad to find Romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school posse shouting about their plan to cut Lauber’s hair. Friedemann followed them to a nearby room where they came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors.
The incident was recalled similarly by five students, who gave their accounts independently of one another. Four of them — Friedemann, now a dentist; Phillip Maxwell, a lawyer; Thomas Buford, a retired prosecutor; and David Seed, a retired principal — spoke on the record. Another former student who witnessed the incident asked not to be named. The men have differing political affiliations, although they mostly lean Democratic. Buford volunteered for Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008. Seed, a registered independent, has served as a Republican county chairman in Michigan. All of them said that politics in no way colored their recollections.
“It happened very quickly, and to this day it troubles me,” said Buford, the school’s wrestling champion, who said he joined Romney in restraining Lauber. Buford subsequently apologized to Lauber, who was “terrified,” he said. “What a senseless, stupid, idiotic thing to do.”
“It was a hack job,” recalled Maxwell, a childhood friend of Romney who was in the dorm room when the incident occurred. “It was vicious.”
He came out as gay to his family and close friends and led a vagabond life, taking dressage lessons in England and touring with the Royal Lipizzaner Stallion riders.But Lauber was not the only target for the gay-bashing Mitt Romney.
His hair thinned as he aged, and in the winter of 2004 he returned to Seattle, the closest thing he had to a base. He died there of liver cancer that December.
He kept his hair blond until he died, said his sister Chris. “He never stopped bleaching it.”
In an English class, Gary Hummel, who was a closeted gay student at the time, recalled that his efforts to speak out in class were punctuated with Romney shouting, “Atta girl!” In the culture of that time and place, that was not entirely out of the norm. Hummel recalled some teachers using similar language.Yes, it was 1965, a different time, when these acts of anti-gay bullying were not just ignored or accepted, but often condoned.
Saul, Romney’s campaign spokeswoman, said the candidate has no recollection of the incident.
But the handful of Mitt Romney’s classmates who either participated or didn’t stop it, not only remember his gay-bashing, they feel terrible about it. For Romney to not remember, and thus not be affected by his own gay-bashing, speaks volumes about his character.
The Romney campaign, and others, no doubt would say it was 1965. It doesn’t matter. But Mitt Romney married his wife Ann in 1969, just four years later, and that certainly matters in his campaign.
And they have on their campaign website a video that shows Mitt’s life, beginning with 1968, with the note:
“I think there’s one word that would be high on my list of a few words you would describe Mitt with. It would be trust. I think the qualities Mitt would bring to the Oval Office would be integrity, intelligence, an ability to see a problem and see a solution and make people recognize that he has those leadership qualities that would unite many people.” – Ann Romney
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Single Mother Bristol Palin Tells Obama Same-Sex Marriage is Wrong Because Kids Need a Mom and Dad
Bristol Palin today admonished President Obama for listening to his girls' words on gay marriage, which he credited with helping him "evolve" toward full acceptance of marriage equality.
"While it’s great to listen to your kids’ ideas, there’s also a time when dads simply need to be dads," Palin said in a blog post. "…It would’ve been helpful for him to explain to Malia and Sasha that while her friends parents are no doubt lovely people, that’s not a reason to change thousands of years of thinking about marriage. Or that — as great as her friends may be — we know that in general kids do better growing up in a mother/father home. Ideally, fathers help shape their kids’ worldview.”
Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/#ixzz1uVGQHFBJ
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