Archie Comics’ openly gay character gets four issue spin-off

Archie’s first openly gay character Kevin Keller will receive receiving his own run in a four-issue spin-off this June.

Kevin was introduced as a new student at Archie’s fictional Riverdale High in Veronica #202, and his instant popularity with fans led to that sold-out comic becoming the first in the publisher’s history to go into a second printing.

According to creator Dan Parent, the mini-series will explore Kevin’s background and story before he arrived in Riverdale.

“We learn about Kevin’s travels as an Army brat with a high-ranking father and his family’s acceptance of him coming out as gay. Told in flashbacks, the series shows Kevin’s struggles and triumphs through middle and high school,” reports Archie Comics.

Kevin’s debut in the Veronica issue earned a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Comic Book this year.

Kevin is also featured in the current Veronica, issue #205.

Frank plans to reintroduce Employment Non-Discrimination Act this week

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is expected to reintroduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the U.S. House this week, as early as Wednesday.

ENDA would prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity for civilian nonreligious employers with over 15 employees. But speaking with Metro Weekly over the weekend, Frank was not optimistic about the bill’s passage in the near term:

Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly reports:

Although the bill is not expected to move forward in the House under the leadership of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Frank, talking with Metro Weekly on Sunday, March 27, says, “It’s an organizing tool. Obviously, with the Republicans in power, you’re not going to get the bill even considered.”

But, Frank — the longest-serving out member of Congress — says, “I’m going to be urging people to spend their time talking to those who have voted in the past for ENDA and are supportive of ENDA but where we’re not certain they’re still with us on the transgender issue.”

Indiana state Senate votes to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions

The Indiana state Senate on Tuesday approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban both gay marriage as well as civil unions.

According to the bill, “only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.”

The second sentence effectively would ban legislators from enacting civil unions in the future.

The Indy Star reports:

Democratic Sen. Tim Lanane of Anderson argued that attitudes toward same-sex marriages are rapidly changing and the amendment would make it difficult for future changes in state law.

Current state law prohibits gay marriages. Amendment sponsor Sen. Dennis Kruse of Auburn says the measure would provide maximum protection for the basic family unit of society.

Indiana Republican legislators are worried that the same thing will happen in their state as it did in Iowa, where in 2009, the state Supreme Court overturned the law banning same-sex marriage.

The Senate vote was 40-10. The Indiana House has already approved the measure.

The good news is that Indiana law requires that the General Assembly passes the measure again in 2013 or 2014, and then approved by voters (in 2014) before the state constitution can be amended.

Indiana has two years to get the right people in office.

FOX News Exec Admits Fabricating, Spreading 'Socialist' Obama Lie

FOMedia Matters has uncovered audio of Fox Washington managing editor Bill Sammon telling passengers aboard a chartered right-wing cruise that he willfully spread the Obama "socialism" meme during the 2008 campaign:

Speaking in 2009 onboard a pricey Mediterranean cruise sponsored by a right-wing college, Fox Washington managing editor Bill Sammon described his attempts the previous year to link Obama to "socialism" as "mischievous speculation." Sammon, who is also a Fox News vice president, acknowledged that "privately" he had believed that the socialism allegation was "rather far-fetched."

"Last year, candidate Barack Obama stood on a sidewalk in Toledo, Ohio, and first let it slip to Joe the Plumber that he wanted to quote, 'spread the wealth around,' " said Sammon. "At that time, I have to admit, that I went on TV on Fox News and publicly engaged in what I guess was some rather mischievous speculation about whether Barack Obama really advocated socialism, a premise that privately I found rather far-fetched."

Indeed, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 election, Sammon used his Fox position to engage in a campaign to tie Obama to "Marxists" and "socialism."

“I Have Done a 180” on Gays

A former Presbyterian minister describes the evolution of his views on homosexuality from condemnation to acceptance in an essay published Sunday by the online magazine Salon.

Early in his career, writes Murray Richmond (pictured), “I did not believe one could be a practicing homosexual and a Christian.” He began to change his mind because of interactions with three people, he says. He had a long online conversation with a man struggling to reconcile his homosexuality with his Christian beliefs; he had a gay parishioner request an exorcism to turn him straight; and he met a woman whose husband, a minister, had left her for another man — yet she was not bitter and still considered her ex-husband “the best minister she had ever known.”

“These experiences shook my worldview,” Richmond writes. “It became clear to me that none of these men had chosen to be gay, just as I had never chosen to be heterosexual.” Later, when he gave up his church ministry to become a hospital chaplain, he took time to do further study of the Bible’s statements on homosexuality and concluded that “they were not as clear as I had supposed they were. At this point, I have done a 180 on the topic. And I believe it’s a change for the good.”

Richmond, now working as a legislative aide in the Alaska state senate, ends his column by noting, “The constitution of the Presbyterian Church does not explicitly forbid a pastor from being a thief, a murderer, or an egotistical jerk. ... It does prohibit a gay person from becoming a pastor. All I can ask is: Why?”

I'd Stop Gay Rights Progress

Former House speaker and possible presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich said he is going to work on slowing down the progress of gay rights, if he is elected president.



"I think my emphasis would be pro-classical Christianity," Gingrich said in a video interview with Bryan Fischer of the antigay American Family Association after addressing the Rediscover God in America conference, held over the weekend in Iowa. He cited the end of adoption services in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., by Catholic-based organizations because their policies limiting the rights of gay and lesbian adoptive parents violated laws put in place after the legalization of marriage equality in both areas.

Gingrich brought up President Barack Obama's decision to stop defending the section of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents the federal government from recognizing foreign or state-sanctioned marriages and or other unions of same-sex couples.

"If there is a rule of law, it means that if the Congress passes a bill and the president signs it, the president has the obligation to support and sustain the laws of the United States," Gingrich added.

Elizabeth Taylor Fortune A Bequest to AIDS Groups

In life, Elizabeth Taylor was known for her love of exquisite jewelry and her support of the GLBT community through her AIDS activist. In death, the star’s two interests seem about to converge: Taylor’s jewelry is set for auction, with the lion’s share of the funds generated earmarked for amfAR--an AIDS organization she helped start--as well as for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, reported the New York Post on March 25.

Austria's Highest Court Explains Why Gays Don't Deserve The Hate Protections Afforded Racial Groups

Refusing to hear a case that aims to strike down the country's "Incitement to Hatred" statute, which adds protections against bias attacks for racial and religious groups, Austria's Constitutional Court shot down the argument the law is unconstitutional because it fails to protect gays. See, the incitement of violence against gays is totally cool because it lacks "dangerous close-range and long-range effects," which violence against other demographics, apparently, does not.

Chris Colfer Reveals That Another Kurt & Blaine Kiss Is Coming To ‘Glee’

Chris Colfer has admitted that he does not know what will happen in the prom episode of Glee. The show’s creator Ryan Murphy previously revealed that Colfer’s character Kurt will go to the event with Blaine (Darren Criss). Speaking to Zap2It, Colfer explained that he isn’t sure how the storyline will unfold. “I don’t know,” he said. “I hope we don’t get overlooked.” Colfer also joked that he doesn’t know whether a school could have two prom kings, saying: “Here’s the thing – would a school actually have two crowns waiting, just in case? I know my high school would not, just in case.” Colfer added that he has filmed another kiss with Criss, saying: “It was [better than the first one]. It was different.” Glee returns for a new episode in the US next month.

California GOP Board Accidentally Elects Homosexual Greg Gandrud.

Greg Gandrud, a gay political activist and one-time local city council member, was "quietly" elected to the California GOP board of directors during the group's annual summit in Sacramento. And nobody showed up to protest! Not that Gandrud, believed to be the state GOP's first gay board member (the state's Democratic board, which has a whopping 300 members, claim 25+ gays), is getting off that easy.
The San Francisco Chronicle notes:

It's a bit strange that the party didn't announce it at the convention, especially when new party chair Tom Del Beccaro and other officials made such an effort to talk about how the party was going to reach out to new audiences. Gandrud told us he didn't make it an issue in his campaign. Only one person who he asked for his endorsement "asked if I was going to make it an issue in my campaign. I told them, 'I don't plan on it. I hope nobody else does,'" Gandrud told us.

Fight Gay Marriage

Speaking at an event in Iowa, likely Republican presidential aspirant Mike Huckabee urged the crowd to be “spiritual warriors” in the fight to protect the sanctity of marriage, even if it costs you your job.

AFL-CIO backs Rhode Island marriage bill

The executive board of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, which represents more than 80,000 workers in the state, has for the first time voted to support a marriage equality bill pending in the state Legislature. Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee said discussing marriage equality is a "fundamental civil rights issue."

Target sues San Diego gay rights group

Target Corp. is suing a San Diego pro-gay marriage group to get it to stop canvassing outside its San Diego County stores, alleging its activists are driving away customers.

Rights advocates say the trial between Target and Canvass For A Cause that begins Friday could further strain relations with the gay and lesbian community after controversy over its $150,000 donation to a business group backing a Minnesota Republican candidate opposed to gay marriage.

Minnesota-based Target insists it remains committed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and its lawsuit has nothing to do with the political agenda of the organization.

“Our legal action was in no way related to the cause of the organization and was done so to be consistent with our long-standing policy of providing a distraction-free shopping experience by not permitting solicitors at our stores,” the company said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

Hillary Clinton

"Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights. We will continue to promote human rights around the world for all people who are marginalized and discriminated against because of sexual orientation or gender identity. And we will not rest until every man, woman and child is able to live up to his or her potential free from persecution or discrimination of any kind."

Westboro Baptist Church is at it again.

Much as it threatened to do at the funerals of Heath Ledger and Natasha Richardson, the small Kansas church — which has notoriously picketed the funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers as part of a crusade against homosexuality — is directing its rhetoric at Hollywood in threatening to protest at Elizabeth Taylor's funeral.

"No RIP Elizabeth Taylor who spent her life in adultery and enabling proud f-gs. They cuss her in hell today. #Westboro will picket funeral!" tweeted Margie Phelps, daughter of Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps.

N.Y. Archbishop Compares Marriage Equality to Incest

Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan appeared on 60 Minutes Overtime, where he said that same-sex couples are no more entitled to marry each other than he is entitled to marry his mother.

The former Milwaukee archbishop explained the Catholic Church’s opposition to marriage equality to Morley Safer with a baseball analogy.

“I have a strong desire to play shortstop for the Yankees,” he said. “I don’t have a right to, because I don’t have what it takes. And that would be what the Church would say about marriage. We would say marriage by nature, marriage by definition is between a man and woman for life, giving children. Don’t tamper with the definition.”

Pressed by Safer to explain how exactly marriage equality would harm heterosexual marriages, Dolan responded, “Because where then would the tampering stop?”

“I mean, I love my mom,” said Dolan. “I don’t have the right to marry her, okay? There are certain rights and attractions in life that are very beautiful and noble but don’t entitle you to marriage.”

As leader of the powerful Archdiocese of New York, Dolan is a key voice of opposition to the effort to pass a marriage equality bill in the state this year. He also discussed priest celibacy with Safer and explained why the Church believes that women cannot be priests.




[serious? like she isn't gay with those lips]

Civil union bills make way through Delaware and Colorado Senates

Delaware took its first legislative step to give gay couples the same legal opportunities as married couples by introducing a civil union bill in the state Senate.

Sen. David P. Sokola (D-Newark North) and Rep. Melanie George (D-Bear) filed Senate Bill 30 on Tuesday afternoon. The bill would grant gay couples the same medical and parenting rights as heterosexual couples.
Sokola said 27 Democrat and Republican delegates have signed the bill as co-sponsors, according to Delaware Online .

More than half the businesses in the Fortune 500 already grant benefits to gay couples. Sokola said Delaware is “playing catch-up.”

Lisa Goodman, President of Delaware Equality, helped draft the bill and will work for its passage. “We want to protect and provide for those we love,” she said in Delaware Online . “We believe that the law should protect us and our relationships.”

Delaware Equality says that through the legislation “civil unions would be parallel, but not equal, to marriage,” meaning out-of-state civil unions and same-sex marriages would be recognized in Delaware, but only as civil unions.

The organization was also responsible for a poll in early March that found 62 percent of voters favor allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

In related news, Colorado’s state Senate approved civil union legislation during its second reading today with a 55 percent vote, according to the Huffington Post. The Civil Unions Act would make civil unions eligible for public assistance benefits, give rights to visit one another in a correctional facility, and permit property inheritance, among other rights, but does not establish gay marriage rights in Colorado.

The bill will move onto the Republican-controlled House after one more vote in the Senate.

Sexual orientation chemical found in mice?

Chinese scientists say that a chemical in mouse brains controls sexual orientation, according to a study in Nature.
Says the BBC:

“Male mice bred without serotonin lose their preference for females. The researchers say it is the first time that a neurotransmitter has been shown to play a role in sexual preference in mammals. Experts have warned about the dangers of drawing conclusions about human sexuality.”

The BBC continued, “When just a male was introduced into the cage, the modified males were far more likely to mount the male and emit a ‘mating call’ normally given off when encountering females than unmodified males were. However, a preference for females could be ‘restored’ by injecting serotonin into the brain.”

Scientists say that because humans have been using Serotonin for years without an effect on sexual orientation, the finding is unlikely to be replicated in people.

Mattachine Society's Last Living Founder James 'John' Finley Gruber Jr. Is Dead

James “John” Finley Gruber, Jr., the last living member of the Mattachine Society, died at home last month in Santa Clara, California. He was 82. Founded in the early 1950s, the group -- for which Des Moines native Gruber is credited with naming, though founder Harry Hay is also given the honor -- is one of the oldest gay activist groups in the U.S., originating in Los Angeles before spreading to San Francisco, New York, D.C. and Chicago

Six things the GOP are focusing on besides Job Creation

Raw Story does a great piece of the GOP's failure to create jobs. Please check out what they have wasting time and our taxes dollars on:

1) Curtailing Abortion Rights

A top priority for Republicans, H.R. 3, "The No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act" is on its way to passage in the House after successfully maneuvering through the Judiciary and Ways And Means Committees.

2) Defunding Planned Parenthood

The House last month approved a measure 240-185, sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), to cut off all $317 million in Title X funding for Planned Parenthood and all other health care providers that offer abortions.

3) Defunding NPR

In the wake of James O'Keefe's highly edited video sting that defamed National Public Radio executives, House Republicans last week called an emergency session to push through legislation that eliminates taxpayer funds to the radio-based news agency. It passed 228-192 on a partisan vote, winning over no Democrats and losing 7 Republicans.

4) Investigating American Muslims

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) held a controversial hearing two weeks ago about the extent of radicalization within the American Muslim community.

5) Declaring English As America's Official Language

Liberating Americans from ever needing to learn another language, Republicans this month introduced the "English Language Unity Act," which would declare English as the official language of the U.S.

The bill declares that "all citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English language text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the laws of the United States made in pursuance of the Constitution."

6) Reaffirming The "In God We Trust" Motto

The House Judiciary Committee last week approved a GOP resolution reaffirming the motto of the United States as "In God We Trust" -- you know, just in case people forgot what America was all about.

Governor Jerry Brown 'Checks In' With California

Reinstate DADT

Prospective 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee tells the American Family Association that he would work to reinstate DADT if elected.

A similar promise was made last month by declared GOP 2012 presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty

Civil Union Legislation Introduced in Delaware

Civil union legislation was introduced in the Delaware senate yesterday, by Senator Dave Sokola (D-Newark):

Senate Bill 30 would make civil unions available to same-sex couples only, reserving the official designation of marriage for heterosexual couples, but all state rules and policies applied to marriages would be extended to civil unions.

The bill would allow couples with civil unions to make medical decisions for their partners, jointly adopt children and be listed on birth certificates, as well as pass on property and retain parental rights in the event of one partner’s death.

Employers also would be required to extend couples with civil unions the same benefits given to married employees, including health care coverage.

The bill has 27 co-sponsors, and would allow for the recognition of out-of-state civil unions as well.

Westboro Baptist Church to Picket Funeral of Elizabeth Taylor

Phelps clan repsonds to Towleroad tweet:

Said Taylor at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2000:

"Why shouldn't gay people be able to live as open and freely as everybody else? What it comes down to, ultimately, is love. How can anything bad come out of love? The bad stuff comes out of mistrust, misunderstanding and, God knows, from hate and from ignorance."

Stay on California Gay Marriages Remains

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has denied a motion to lift the stay on same-sex marriages in California pending an appeal of a federal decision that reversed Proposition 8, the state's 2008 voter-approved marriage equality ban.

The federal appeals court gave no reason for their denial. Prop. 8 opponents were hoping that same-sex marriages would be allowed while the appeal is decided. Currently, the Ninth Circuit is trying to figure out if the appeal even has standing, as the usual defenders of a California voter initiative — the governor and attorney general — refuse to defend Prop. 8. The Ninth Circuit has asked the California supreme court if antigay groups like Protect Marriage have the right to step in on behalf of the governor and attorney general to defend Prop. 8 in court. A decision on that will likely not be made until the fall.

Exodus Spokesman on iPhone App: We're Not Trying to 'Cure' Gays

"Ex-gay" group Exodus International must be feeling the heat as publicity and pressure mount over a petition signed by more than 100,000 people demanding that Apple remove its app from the iPhone app store.

Jeff Buchanan, Exodus International's Senior Director of Church Equipping & Student Ministries, spoke to the Christian Post about the controversy:

"In no way shape or form is our message about trying to cure or do we try to promote that type of methodology or message. This is a label (gay cure app) that has been put forth by opponents to the application to serve as propaganda in order to stigmatize and really label the application in a false way and provoking a response such as you are seeing with the application...We are disheartened at the fact that there are activists who are rising up to silence our voice on the Exodus iTunes platform...We want to ask that there would be fair and equal representation of religious belief on this platform as is already existing. We would like the spirit of diversity and tolerance that is so valued within the LGBT community."

Added Buchanan:

"Our message is to promote the love of Jesus Christ to all those who have been impacted by unwanted same-sex attractions. Really, the point of the application is to provide the material that is also on our website in a smartphone format. Nothing more and nothing less....We are helping those who have unwanted same-sex attractions. Those who are gay or identify themselves that way, in no way, shape or form are we trying to speak to their position or trying to impose anything upon them."

The American Psychological Association has concluded, in lengthy studies, that "ex-gay" therapy does not work, and is harmful. Truth Wins Out has a load of information on Exodus' damaging misinformation campaign.


Update: Apple sends controversial ‘gay cure’ app into exodus


Exodus International made news last week with the release of its self-titled application in Apple’s App Store. The organization billed the application as a resource for those looking to help cure themselves or someone else of homosexuality. Now the app is making news again, as Apple has pulled it from the App Store. Apple has been a quiet supporter of gay rights, and during the 2008 Proposition 8 campaign in California, the company issued the following statement: “Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation.” The statement, which was made via its website, accompanied a $100,000 donation to the campaign opposing “Prop 8.”

Gay Marriage Ban Defended by Calif. County Clerk

When Chuck Storey ran for county clerk-recorder last year in California’s Imperial County, he vowed to clean up an office he claimed had been plagued by inefficiency. He probably wasn’t expecting to end up the lone spokesman in support of the state’s gay marriage ban.

The 57-year-old real estate agent, a widower and father of three, pledged to run a tight ship in administering government documents such as property deeds, birth certificates, and marriage licenses. "Imperial County needs a businessman," he said during his campaign. And after less than two months in office, Storey has made headlines by requesting that the ninth U.S. circuit court of appeals allow him to be the primary defendant in a lawsuit to uphold Proposition 8 if the conservative groups that sponsored the measure are removed.

While voters in Imperial County were strong in their support of Prop. 8 in 2008, many locals say they were ready to let the issue fade away and are not pleased with Storey’s representation of the region. "I'm a little disappointed that he would open up this can of worms for us," said Aaron Popejoy, president of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce. "It's one of those huge red flags that draw the wrong kind of attention to our community. We need to be a little more warm and welcoming."

"We can't think of one bit of good to come out of this effort in retrospect,” read a recent editorial in the Imperial Valley Press. “It was a waste of time, energy and was damaging to the county's reputation. And it's happening again thanks to one self-aggrandizing man.”

Storey declined to grant interviews, but wrote in his court filing that he felt conflicted over whether he should follow U.S. district judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling that the measure was unconstitutional or obey voters’ 2008 wishes. He felt Walker's decision "would create significant confusion for me and other Imperial County deputy clerks and officials in the performance of our legal duties regarding marriage."

Chick-fil-A's $1 Million Antigay History

Despite Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy's insistence that he is not antigay and his company has "no agenda against anyone", Equality Matters has tracked more than $1 million in donations from Chick-fil-A's charitable division to antigay organizations, including some that promote and fund ex-gay and reparative therapies.

The company has given more than $600,000 to the National Christian Foundation between 2003 and 2008. The National Christian Foundation provides grants to non-profits including Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.

From 2003-2008, Chick-fil-A also donated money to the Fellowship of Christan Athletes, the Alliance Defense Fund and Campus Crusade for Christ.

In January, Chick-fil-A came under fire for donating meals to a Pennsylvania based "traditional marriage" event. Cathy responded with a statement: "In recent weeks, we have been accused of being anti-gay. "We have no agenda against anyone. While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees."

Hate Prompts Action on Penn. Campus

Antigay slurs written on dormitory doors at Meadville, Penn.'s Allegheny College — twice in one week— have prompted hundreds of students to march across campus to call attention to homophobia.

Marches, led by a campus group called Queers 'n Allies, happened last week, with students standing outside in near freezing temperatures. Allegheny College president James Mullen says an investigation into the crimes is ongoing.

“To be honest, I would like to see the perpetrator of these incidents identified,” political science professor Sharon Wesoky told the Allegheny Campus. “Not to have them publicly shamed […] but for people to know there’s repercussions for things like this.”

Trevor Project to Honor Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe looks forward to a tolerant world where young people grow up unaffected by differences in sexual orientation.

For the past couple of years, the "Harry Potter" star has been doing his part to make that a reality with his work with the Trevor Project, the leading organization for suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youths.

For his contribution, Radcliffe is being honored with the organization’s Hero Award at a ceremony in New York in June.

I Helped Those Boys Go "Ex-Gay" By Having Sex With Them

Pastor Brent Girouex of Council Bluffs, Iowa told detectives that he had sex with the four boys he's accused of molesting in order to help them achieve "sexual purity in the eyes of God."

Victoria Jackson Slams 'Glee,' Gays, Muslims In 'Showbiz Tonight' Appearance

Victoria Jackson, the former "Saturday Night Live" star and now tea party activist, made an appearance on Headline News' "Showbiz Tonight" on Monday to address the furor she caused with the homophobic comments about the Fox high school choir dramedy in her newest column for WorldNetDaily.

In the column, Jackson wrote in response to an emotional, long awaited kiss between two gay characters, one of whom is played by Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer. "Did you see "Glee" this week? Sickening! And, besides shoving the gay thing down our throats, they made a mockery of Christians - again! I wonder what their agenda is? Hey, producers of "Glee" - what's your agenda? One-way tolerance?"

With the opportunity to clarify her thoughts, Jackson deferred to her interpretation of the Bible:

"Well, it doesn't matter what I think," Jackson said. "What matters is what the Bible says. And I'm really concerned about our country because immorality is, well, let's see: secular humanism rules the airwaves, and it's stealing the innocence away from this whole generation of children. My daughter is a teenager and I cant find any show that she can watch."

With that diatribe, Jackson was asked, based on her remarks, both in the column and in the interview, whether she was homophobic.

"That's a cute little buzzword of the liberal agenda," Jackson smirked. "Basically, the bible says that homosexuality is a sin."

Jackson has also written continuously about what she sees as a threat from the Muslim world; her response on the show ably combined her hatred for both minorities, her belief that gays are seeking to convert children, and her dislike of sex:

In the column, Jackson wrote in response to an emotional, long awaited kiss between two gay characters, one of whom is played by Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer. "Did you see "Glee" this week? Sickening! And, besides shoving the gay thing down our throats, they made a mockery of Christians - again! I wonder what their agenda is? Hey, producers of "Glee" - what's your agenda? One-way tolerance?"

With the opportunity to clarify her thoughts, Jackson deferred to her interpretation of the Bible:

"Well, it doesn't matter what I think," Jackson said. "What matters is what the Bible says. And I'm really concerned about our country because immorality is, well, let's see: secular humanism rules the airwaves, and it's stealing the innocence away from this whole generation of children. My daughter is a teenager and I cant find any show that she can watch."

With that diatribe, Jackson was asked, based on her remarks, both in the column and in the interview, whether she was homophobic.

"That's a cute little buzzword of the liberal agenda," Jackson smirked. "Basically, the bible says that homosexuality is a sin."

Jackson has also written continuously about what she sees as a threat from the Muslim world; her response on the show ably combined her hatred for both minorities, her belief that gays are seeking to convert children, and her dislike of sex:

"They should have a celibacy campaign and tell kids that 50% of teenagers now have this new STD from oral sex, that's what they should try to be doing instead of making kids gay," the former actress continued. "I just want to know why the liberals are pro-muslim and pro-gays. Muslims kill gays. That's what's confusing to me. And the only thing I can come up with is the Mulims hate God and the gays hate his word."

To be fair, Jackson did desperately yell that she had gay friends as the segment closed on her. She may not be getting calls from those friends anytime soon.

House committee OKs measure aimed at ending support to anti-gay countries

The House Financial Services Committee this week voted to approve a bill aimed at discouraging U.S. aid to countries that persecute their citizens because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Advocate reports:

According to a statement from Rep. Barney Frank, who introduced the amendment to the committee, the bill passed with nearly unanimous support. The amendment will be added to a House Financial Services Committee bill that outlines budget priorities for issues under the committee’s jurisdiction. According to Frank’s office, the Financial Services Committee’s overwhelming support for his amendment may lead to support in the Budget Committee and the full House.

The text of the amendment reads: “The Committee urges Treasury to advocate that governments receiving assistance from the multilateral development institutions do not engage in gross violations of human rights, for example, the denial of freedom of religion, including the right to choose one’s own religion, and physical persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”
.Frank (D-Mass.) cited Uganda as a recipient of international monetary assistance, but whose laws count homosexuality as a crime.

Matt Baume on the Maryland Marriage Equality Blame Game

Bullied Kid Snaps, Takes Down Kid Who is Bullying Him

The following video was posted on Facebook originally, and is beginning to cause quite a stir.

Writes the poster on Facebook, Merlsification: "The larger kid on the right, is my son's friend Casey - thankfully they don't go to the same school. Poor Casey has been bullied his whole high school life, and this is what happens when he snaps!!




Bully Victim Speaks About Fighting Back

Heynes, who has been the victim of bullying every day for years, was recently interviewed by A Current Affair in Australia and explained that his defensive action has been met with near universal support "because people get bullied all the time."

Watch the interview, wherein the soft-spoken, sweet-natured Heynes also says he does not believe he overacted to the bullying:





Australian YouTube 'Bully' Speaks Out for First Time

Richard Gale, the Australian student who was bodyslammed in a viral video by a boy he was allegedly bullying, speaks out for the first time, the other boy, Casey Heynes, took his story to Australian show A Current Affair.

In the new interview, Gale claims that he was the one who was bullied and folks don't know the whole story. Gale's father says his son and their family have been demonized.

At the end of the interview, Gale is asked if he's sorry, and says "no" then changes his mind after some coaching from his father. Ultimately, though, he seems to begin to see the dark personal place from which bullying originates. Let's hope this story ends with some substantive take-away.

RICKY MARTIN's Full Speech Receiving Vito Russo Award @ GLAAD Media Awards

Dan Cathy 'Disappointed' Business Community Has Fallen Out Of Love With Him

Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, is "disappointed" his presentation with the Clayton Chamber of Commerce and Focus St. Louis was canceled because of the company's anti-gay support. The "decision was based on some inaccurate, really inaccurate information," he says. "They could have called us to verify some of the comments that were made. But for some reason, they chose only to hear one perspective. And that is unfortunate."

Duke University and North Carolina State Univeristy are "reviewing" their relationships with the restaurant chain.

"We're a restaurant that has a hospitality that says we're here to embrace everyone who wants to come and be part of Chick-fil-A," says Cathy after being canceled on. "We have a whole spectrum of team members that work with us who are part of the gay and lesbian community. They know as employees of Chick-fil-A that they are welcomed, they are embraced, and they are part of the Chick-fil-A family. So to be identified with some sort of hate group that has a political agenda -- that is not Chick-fil-A at all."

[Now, I love Chick-fil-A, but haven't eaten there since all of this happened.]

Delaware statewide poll shows broad support for same-sex civil unions

A new public opinion poll reveals there are twice as many likely voters in Delaware who support same-sex civil unions as there are voters who oppose civil unions.

According to the poll, more than six out of 10 voters (62%) in Delaware favor allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions, which is twice the number who oppose such a law (31%). The remaining (7%) were undecided.

Lisa Goodman, President of Equality Delaware, said the poll results are very encouraging for the thousands of individuals, children and families who deserve to achieve equality.

“The poll findings are consistent with what we have been hearing for months from citizens up and down the state,” said Goodman. “Delawareans clearly support civil unions as a way to provide equal protections for same-sex families.”

Nearly 700 likely voters in Delaware participated in the poll conducted February 28 through March 6, 2011 by Lake Research Partners, which has a margin of error +/- of less than 4 percent.

Delaware state Rep. Melanie George (D-Bear) and state Sen. David Sokola (D-Newark) are sponsoring legislation to establish civil unions in Delaware — the bills are expected to be introduced before the Delaware General Assembly on Tuesday, March 22.

Majority Of U.S. – Including Catholics – Now Support Same-Sex Marriage

53% of Americans, and 63% of Catholics in the U.S. now support the right of same-sex couples to marry, a new poll confirms. This is the third national poll that finds a majority of Americans are saying “I do,” when asked if same-sex marriage should be allowed. Last summer, similar AP and CNN polls found a majority of Americans also supporting marriage equality.

In the poll, released by ABC News and the Washington Post Friday morning, men and women evenly supported same-sex marriage at 53%. This is the first time a majority of men have offered support for marriage equality. Support among whites (53%) and non-whites (54%) was statistically even.

Greatest support was found with Liberals (76%), Democrats (64%), and those 18 -49 (68% to 52%). The lowest support was found with Conservatives (29%), Republicans (31%), and those Americans 50 – 64 (45%) and 65 and older (33%).

Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, unsurprisingly took issue with the poll, stating, “The only poll that counts is a free and fair vote on the part of the people.” Brown added, “We’ve seen these biased polls time and time again — right before votes in which same-sex marriage is rejected. It’s absurd. The people of this country have not changed their opinion about marriage.”

But it’s clear, according to every major national poll taken, that support for same-sex marriage is growing in America, which is behind the times around the world. Next month, the Netherlands will celebrate their ten-year anniversary of support for marriage equality.

Phil Attey, Executive Director of Catholics for Equality called the results, “heartening, but not surprising,” and added, “American Catholics support for LGBT equality more than most Americans,” because “we base our moral understanding of the world through our personal relationships, not by the dictates of institutions, be they our institutional church or LGBT political groups.”

Palin Army Would Never Survive Against the Gay Army

On Kathy Griffin's Bravo special which aired last night, she discussed death threats made against her by Sarah Palin's "Army", but Griffin suggested she had stronger troops on her side:

"The Palin Army probably could never really survive against the Gay Army. Because we don't need guns. We have sarcasm and we have snark and we have our verbal [beep] rapier wit and, dammit, that's how we conquer."

Ugandan Parliament to Address 'Kill the Gays' Bill Next Week

Box Turtle Bulletin notes a report from Ugandan media that the "kill the gays" bill is coming up for debate this week:

The controversial Anti Homosexuality bill is one of several bills that Members of Parliament on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee are set to debate when the House resumes business.

The bill, which has caused uproar from human rights activists and donors since it was tabled in Parliament in 2009, seeks to criminalize the act, with one of the controversial clauses calling for death penalty for those who are found guilty of aggravated homosexuality.

Speaking to the media at Parliament today, the committee chairman, Stephen Tashobya said though the bill has created both local and international concern, it is up to Parliament to pass the bill.

Public hearings are expected to be held on the bill and its author, MP David Bahati, reportedly "welcomed the development."

Bill to prevent LGBT protections passes first hurdle in Montana Senate

A bill that would prohibit local municipalities from enacting ordinances that include sexual orientation as a protected class from discrimination, passed its first hurdle in the Montana Senate on Friday.

KAJ-TV reports:

Representative Kris Hansen’s bill would prevent local governments from protecting certain classes of people who are not protected under state law. Legislators amended the bill to apply only to local ordinances and not to resolutions or policies.
.The measure would effectively nullify the city of Missoula’s 2010 ordinance that protects its LGBT citizens from employment, housing and other forms of discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The 2009 Montana Human Rights Act does not include protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Opponents say the bill is targeted against the gay community and would meddle with a local government’s right to govern itself.

“Localities have the right and the legal ability to go beyond the Montana Human Rights Act,” said the Montana Human Rights Network, in a statement last month.

“The Montana Human Rights Act sets the floor. It does not set the ceiling. Cities have the authority to establish ordinances and policies that protect and value members of their communities that have faced a history of discrimination.”

The bill passed along party lines in a 5-4 vote in the Senate Local Government Committee, and now it’s headed to the Senate floor for further debate. The bill passed in the House last month.
Also on Friday, a Montana legislative committee killed a bill that would have decriminalized homosexual sex — keeping a law on the books that was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court in 1997, and the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003.

Kurt & Blaine Kiss Reaction

Man Confesses to Stoning Man to Death for Homosexual Advances Because Bible Told Him to Do So

A 28-year-old Pennsylvania man has confessed to killing a 70-year-old man after the older man made sexual advances toward him, NBC News reports:

Though the relationship is still unknown, John Joe Thomas, 28, of Sunshine Road in Upper Darby, spent almost every day with 70-year-old Murray Seidman at Seidman’s Lansdowne home, police say. Days before Seidman’s body was found on Jan. 12, Thomas allegedly beat Seidman to death with a sock full of rocks.

Thomas told authorities that he read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned to death. When Seidman allegedly made homosexual advances toward him over a period of time, Thomas said he received a message in his prayers that he must end Seidman’s life, according to court documents.

Police say that Thomas struck Seidman in the head about 10 times with the sock of rocks. Thomas left Seidman dead in his apartment, and then threw his bloody clothing and the bloody sock in a dumpster, according to authorities.

Police found a gruesome scene after Thomas led them to the crime. Seidman had been dead for 5 to 10 days according to reports. 6ABC reports that Thomas had power of attorney over Seidman's estate.

Porn Site Removes Real World Star's Vid

Videos featuring Real World Las Vegas cast member Dustin Zito having sex with men while performing for adult companies Fratmen and Fratpad have been removed from their websites, and the two sites are asking bloggers to remove all images of Zito, according to The Sword.

Revolution!

Church Choir Asked to Sign Antigay Covenant

Choir members at the Crystal Cathedral in Orange County have been asked to sign a document that expresses their commitment to holding the “biblical view” of sexual intimacy and marriage.

Several current and former choir members said they were offended by the covenant. A cathedral spokesman said the covenant was intended as an expression of church beliefs, and not a ban on gay choir members.

Darren Criss Can Kiss

Access Hollywood wanted to know how Chris Colfer would rate his Glee costar Darren Criss as a kisser. Wednesday night on the red carpet at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, Colfer said Criss can be rated as a 10 but gave himself a 12.

"That relationship has been waiting to happen," Colfer said Wednesday. "It's been lingering in everyone's mind, so I'm just glad it's over with and it's official."

Lift the Stay on Calif. Marriage

It's been 225 days since a federal district judge ruled that Proposition 8 "fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license."

But as Prop. 8 supporters pursue their appeal in the case, a stay on Judge Vaughn Walker's order to stop enforcing the ballot initiative continues.

On Thursday, the legal team led by Ted Olson and David Boies reiterated their argument in support of immediately lifting that stay. "Proposition 8—and the stay that allows it to remain in force—is causing great damage. It is not merely deferring wedding dates," Olson wrote in a reply brief to the U.S. court of appeals for the ninth circuit. "For those near the end of life, it is denying the right to marry outright. But beyond the damage done to loving couples’ wishes to marry, Proposition 8 carries an unmistakable message—transmitted and enforced by the State and tolerated by this Court—that gay men and lesbians are members of a class of persons unworthy of the fundamental right of marriage[.]"

It's unclear when a three-judge panel of the ninth circuit could decide whether to lift the stay or allow it to remain in place. In January, the panel in a certified question asked the California Supreme Court whether under state law proponents of a ballot initiative have the right to defend its constitutionality when state officials refuse to do so.

Even if Prop. 8 supporters are allowed standing to appeal, their arguments have been seriously undermined by attorney general Eric Holder's February announcement that laws discriminating against gays and lesbians warrant "heightened scrutiny" by the courts. "Proponents cannot seriously believe their assertions that the position of the chief law enforcement officers of the United States 'adds nothing of consequence' to this case," Olson wrote.

Maryland Senate Leader: No Marriage Guarantee Next Year

Maryland senate president Thomas V. Mike Miller said there is no guarantee his chamber, which approved the marriage equality bill last month, would pass the measure again next year. The bill was shelved in the house last week.

According to The Washington Post, Miller said that the success of the bill in the senate galvanized previously uninvolved evangelical churches to become engaged in the house debate. The house leadership pulled the bill in a stunning move last Friday because it was short one to two votes.

Newt Donated $350K to Antigay Charities

Newt Gingrich offered more than vocal support to the ultimately successful campaign to oust three of the nine Iowa supreme court justices who unanimously ruled in favor of marriage equality.

According to ThinkProgress.org, Gingrich bankrolled more than one third of the $850,000 campaign to boot the justices.

The website previously reported on $200,000 Gingrich funneled from an anonymous donor to the antigay group Iowa for Freedom, which was also being funded by the political arm of the American Family Association, AFA Action.

On Wednesday the Associated Press revealed one of Gingrich's many business enterprises, ReAL Action, had donated $125,000 to AFA Action, and The Des Moines Register reported Thursday the group had donated $25,000 to another antigay group, the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition.

Student Evicted From Dorm for Being Gay

Jesse Cruz, a junior at New Jersey’s Seton Hall, says he was unfairly removed from his dorm room because he is gay and is now suing the school for emotional and psychological trauma.

Seton’s policy allows for any student who is unhappy with their living arrangement for any reason to request a new room on “Room Change Day.” However, when Cruz’s roommate complained that he didn’t want to be paired with Cruz, it was Cruz who was removed, not the person who had filed the complaint.

Kurt and Blaine Kiss On Glee

Corporations Tell Indiana: Constitutional Gay Marriage Ban

Generally we expect that if big business are going to bother taking a position on same-sex marriage, they'll come out against it, since they think being forced to offer gays the same shared health care benefits as straight employees will be too costly. But that's no the case with Eli Lilly and Co. and Cummins Inc., who told Indiana's State Senate Judiciary Committee they are firmly against a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage -- which is already barred under state law -- because it will hurt their chances of recruiting top talent there.

California lawmaker proposes anti-bullying law named for gay suicide victim

An openly gay California state Assemblyman is proposing a new anti-bullying law design to reduce bullying of LGBT teens. The bill is named in honor of Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old gay teen who committed suicide last year.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

California school districts would have to increase anti-bullying efforts under a bill introduced Monday.

The measure by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, would require districts to create anti-harassment policies and programs that include bullying based on perceived or actual sexual orientation.

They would also be required to have a system in place to ensure all reports of bullying are taken seriously and addressed immediately.

Ammiano’s bill is called “Seth’s Law,” in memory of the Tehachapi, Calif., teen who hanged himself last September after enduring years of anti-gay bullying.

Seth’s was one of the many teen suicides we reported on over the past year.

“Gay Community Stop Hijacking The Civil Rights Movement”

A leader of the NAACP has come out attacking gays, and he is demanding the “gay community stop hijacking the civil rights movement.” Rev. Keith Ratliff Sr., president of the Iowa-Nebraska chapter of the NAACP, spoke at a marriage rally in Des Moines on Tuesday, adding, “Deviant behavior is not the same as being denied your right to vote,” and calling any parallel between the African-American civil rights movement and the gay civil rights movement an “insult.”

Ratliff, according to reports, also condemned any idea that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., would have supported gay rights or civil same-sex marriage.



A Baptist minister for over thirty years, Ratliff is also an NAACP National Board Member, and, according to his church website, had worked closely with Tom Vilsack, when he was Governor of Iowa. Vilsack is now the Secretary of Agriculture and was recently embroiled in the Shirley Sherrod firing.

This is not Ratliff’s first attack on the LGBT community, and it directly counters his leadership role at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), whose mission clearly states, “is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.”

Ratliff’s anti-gay actions also go directly against the teachings of the NACCP’s president, and Chairman, Benjamin Jealous, and Jealous’ predecessor, Julian Bond. Additionally, Dr. King’s right-hand man, Bayard Rustin, who planned the historic march on Washington, was openly-gay.

Jealous last year said, “I personally support marriage equality,” and Bond has spoken publicly and eloquently in support of same-sex marriage.

Democrats introduce bills in House and Senate to repeal ‘Defense of Marriage Act’

Congressional Democrats on Wednesday went on the offensive, introducing bills in both the House and Senate aimed at repealing the “Defense of Marriage Act.”

The push to repeal the DOMA comes on the heels of the Feb. 23 announcement by the Obama administration that the Justice Department would no longer defend the law in court, and an effort by House GOP leadership to intervene and defend the “unconstitutional” law.

The marriage equality measures, both entitled the “Respect for Marriage Act,” are spearheaded in the Senate by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

In the U.S. House, Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) John Conyers (D-Mich.) teamed with the chamber’s four openly gay lawmakers — Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), and David Cicilline (D-R.I.) — and more than 100 co-sponsors. But given that Republicans control the House, the bill faces steep opposition.

“The time for dumping DOMA is long overdue, and rather than prolonging litigation in the courts, Congress should act to repeal this ugly law,” Nadler said during Wednesday’s announcement.

“When Congress passed DOMA in 1996, it was not possible for a gay or lesbian couple to marry anywhere in the world. Today, tens of thousands of gay and lesbian couples are married. Far from harming the institution of marriage, these couples have embraced this time-honored tradition and the serious legal duties of civil marriage. ‘The Respect for Marriage Act’ will send this shameful law into the history books where it belongs,” Nadler said.

Baldwin said that DOMA now stands as “a symbol of bigotry and should be repealed.”

DOMA prohibits the federal government from granting married same-sex couples things like Social Security survivor benefits, health insurance for federal employees’ spouses, joint tax filing, family and medical leave and other critical protections.

On July 8, 2010, in U.S. District Court in Boston, Judge Joseph L. Tauro ruled that Section 3 of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act violated the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In a new poll released Tuesday by the HRC reveals that a majority of American voters oppose the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as efforts by the House Republican leadership to intervene in court cases defending the law.

Eastern Cougar Extinct: Mountain Lion Declared Gone From East U.S.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday declared the eastern cougar to be extinct, confirming a widely held belief among wildlife biologists that native populations of the big cat were wiped out by man a century ago.

After a lengthy review, federal officials concluded there are no breeding populations of cougars – also known as pumas, panthers, mountain lions and catamounts – in the eastern United States.

Can Networking California's Coastline Save Fishing Industries?

Marine Protected Areas, or "hope spots" are not simply small areas set aside where wildlife has a fighting chance. Well, they are, but they're so much more. Within MPAs, species are given room to thrive, but that health and life overflows into the areas surrounding the hope spot and beyond. The importance of MPAs really shines through when they are large enough and close enough together to function as a network, with humans benefiting from the life that is regenerated and spills outside the zones, effectively saving suffering fisheries -- and where wildlife doesn't face such constant dangers as the stray nets that captured the sealions above. A Wave of Change by filmmaker Kip Evans demonstrates exactly how important these areas are -- where fish can grow up to 70% larger, have more offspring, and repopulate areas outside the MPAs. Check out the short documentary showing exactly how this happens, and how incredibly beautiful the areas can be.

Men Break Guinness Kiss Record

Two men attempting to break the Guinness world record for longest kiss have succeeded, locking lips for more than 33 hours and raising awareness for gay rights.

"I don't really know what to say," Bobby Canciello said after the kiss was complete. "I just kinda want to go to bed."

Bullied Kid Snaps, Takes Down Kid Who is Bullying Him

The following video was posted on Facebook originally, and is beginning to cause quite a stir.

Writes the poster on Facebook, Merlsification: "The larger kid on the right, is my son's friend Casey - thankfully they don't go to the same school. Poor Casey has been bullied his whole high school life, and this is what happens when he snaps!! But guess who was suspended in this scenario - Casey!!"

The Cove Director Gives Free DVDs To All Taiji, Japan Residents

The Cove, a documentary about the dolphin hunts that take place in Taiji, Japan every year, is a hot topic in the town. The creators nearly had to cancel a showing of the film last year in some cities because of protests. But it seems that no amount of hassle will deter them from their major goal -- to create enough awareness about dolphin hunting to stop it altogether. For them, that starts with Taiji. They're making sure every single resident sees the film, including sending a free DVD to each house.

Los Angeles to Get 1,680 Miles of Interconnected Bikeways

Bike Plan Approved by City Council
The Los Angeles City Council approved a new bike master plan that would potentially make the city much more bike-friendly. The plan calls for 1,680 miles of interconnected bike paths (compared to 378 miles right now), with about 200 new miles being created every five years for 35 years, and it also includes a safety campaigns to educate drivers about sharing the streets with cyclists.

Maryland gay marriage: justice delayed, not defeated

Maryland’s marriage equality bill was shelved on Friday, a setback for gay rights advocates who expected this legislative session to be their best chance to date for passage.

Via The Baltimore Sun:

The decision by the House of Delegates to send a bill legalizing gay marriage back to the House Judiciary Committee — a move designed to prevent the measure’s outright defeat — is a crushing disappointment to the thousands of Marylanders who lobbied, pleaded and prayed for legislators to remove a final vestige of state-sanctioned discrimination from our laws. The move does not mean that the issue is dead for the year, but it is a major setback. [...]

The issue is not dead; if vote tallies change, the bill could theoretically be brought back to the floor, though House Speaker Michael E. Busch indicated he doesn’t expect that to happen. But advocates should also bear in mind that although this year appeared from the beginning like a magical opportunity, it is not the only one.

Nothing will change between now and 2012 other than the steady growth in the public’s acceptance of true equal rights for all. And perhaps proponents could enlist some high-profile help. In the wake of the House’s action, Gov. Martin O’Malley issued a statement saying he had hoped to sign a same-sex marriage bill and that he remains “committed to working with all Marylanders to ensure that rights are protected for … everyone.” If he means that, he should get off the sidelines and publicly advocate for the issue.

Justice has been delayed, but it has not been defeated.

Maryland’s marriage equality bill shelved, no gay marriage this year

Maryland’s marriage equality bill was shelved on Friday, a setback for gay rights advocates who expected this legislative session to be their best chance to date for passage.

The House approved on voice vote a motion to send the bill back to the Judiciary Committee, an acknowledgment by supporters that it did not have sufficient votes to pass on the floor, according to the Washington Post.

Advocates for the bill had hoped Maryland would join five other states and the District in allowing same-sex marriages.

The bill had significant momentum coming out of the Senate but ran into resistance in the Democratic-led House from African-American lawmakers from Prince George’s County, who cited religious opposition in their districts, and conservative Democrats in Southern Maryland and the Baltimore suburbs.

Had a vote been taken today, it would have come within a delegate or two of passage, House leaders said. Advocates believe they were only a single vote shy.

The bill, the Civil Marriage Protection Act, was moved back to committee after more than two hours of debate.

St. Maarten Pastors Want Any Gays Disembarking Atlantis' Gay Cruise To Adhere To Strict Dress Code

Maarten United Ministerial Foundation and St. Maarten/St. Martin Christian Council Foundation have sent their support for a tourist dress code to Parliament's tourism committee -- all ahead of Atlantis' gay cruise -- on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas -- arriving there April 1. It's bad enough gays on the island dress the way they do, and rubbing their homosexuality in everyone's faces.

Pastor Wycliffe Smith, who headed the delegation, said the group was guided by the word of God and had not been politically motivated or manipulated by anyone to champion these issues. He said the churches were following the rule of God by loving the sinner, but hating the sin. "We are not saying it is right to do it hidden or in the closet," he said. Smith said homosexuals were coming to the island every day via the airport and the harbour and there also were many who live here. His contention is that these people should not impose their way of life and should curb public displays of affection. "As a Christian nation, we love you [homosexuals], but we don't love your lifestyle," he said. He also acknowledged that there were people living on the island who needed to adhere to a dress code and a code of conduct.

He added that the churches, like Jesus Christ, loved homosexuals, lesbians, murderers and fornicators, but not the sins. "Man's legislation doesn't make these evils right," he said. Some of those "evils" include legalising same sex marriages, abortion and euthanasia, which are already legal in the Netherlands. Other "evils" affecting society are gambling and the proliferation of adult entertainment clubs.

Smith raised concern that the Netherlands would want to impose its legislation on same sex marriages, abortion, and euthanasia in St. Maarten as had been done in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. He said the democratic deficit in the kingdom must be addressed and legislation must not be forced on St. Maarten because it is small in size. He also said corruption in the "high and low places" of society was rampant and "the brush-off of 'everybody is doing it'" needed to be stopped. Policies that allow gambling and labour exploitation must be reviewed and remedied.

Ethan and Ryan Hawke for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality

The Black Church Kept Gay Marriage Out Of Maryland

Bishop Harry Jackson credits "the church rising up" for keeping Maryland lawmakers from enacting a same-sex marriage bill. But not just any church!

"It took the church coming out -- the black church -- and telling its representatives 'Don't listen to party leadership, understand that you have to come back to your own community,'" Jackson tells CBN, adding that he and his supporters "plan to vote some folks out of office" who refuse to join up with his bigoted ways.

"The church was strong," adds Jackson, "and the black church raise up the banner of Jesus and win the day for the church in Maryland."

A Decade on, Progress on Same-Sex Marriages

Ten countries on three continents have legalized same-sex marriage in the past decade, but discrimination persists, even in those countries, Human Rights Watch said today. The first same-sex marriages took place in the Netherlands on April 1, 2001.

"The fact that same-sex marriage has been legalized on three continents demonstrates progress in equality," said Boris O. Dittrich, acting director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "However, while the right to same-sex marriage may be viewed as the last step in ending discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, legalization does not end discrimination, either by officials or other people."

Discrimination is still prevalent in the countries where same-sex marriage has been legalized, although to a greater extent in some countries than others, Human Rights Watch said.

Since 2001, following the pioneer example of the Netherlands, same-sex marriage has been adopted by Belgium (2003), Spain (2005), Canada (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway (2009), Sweden (2009), Portugal (2010), Iceland (2010), and Argentina (2010). Since 2010, same-sex marriage has been legal in Mexico City, Federal District, and it is recognized by all other Mexican states. Several states within the US also recognize same-sex marriage.

"It is inevitable that more nations that are open to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity will follow these 10 countries," Dittrich said. "The trend to legalize same-sex marriage is unstoppable."

Countries where the judicial, political, or legal process of recognizing same-sex marriage has begun, including Nepal, Slovenia, and Australia, should see it through, Human Rights Watch said.

Some countries, in a positive step, have also recognized same-sex marriages performed by foreign jurisdictions, including Israel, New Zealand, Mexico, and some states in the US, Human Rights Watch said.

Many other countries have legislation that recognizes same-sex relationships in the form of civil unions or registered partnerships. In these cases, people in same-sex relationships have many of the same rights as married couples. However, civil marriage in these countries is reserved for different sex couples and not open to same-sex couples.

A survey by Human Rights Watch of LGBT rights groups in the 10 countries where same-sex marriage is legal of what they hope to achieve over the next five to ten years found varied priorities but some common ground.

"In most of the countries, the right of transgender people to be recognized before the law without having to undergo non-reversible sterilization is a high priority," Dittrich said. "Combating homophobia and transphobia among young people within the educational system is another, and ending violence and aggression by private individuals, from families to strangers on the street, is a common denominator."

Florida Ministry Launches 'From Homosexuality to Holiness' Campaign

A new "ex-gay" cult from Florida out to damage more of America's youth with lies and false promises. Watch 'Carlos' discuss how he was baptized out of homosexuality with his love for Jesus.

Students, teachers at California high school claim anti-gay bias on campus

Students and teachers at a California high school say there is a pattern of bullying, harassment and discrimination against gay and lesbian students, and that the school district has not done enough to alter the campus culture.

And now, teachers and students at Paloma Valley High School in Menifee, Calif., have taken their concerns to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

“We are troubled by what we are hearing and are looking into what we’ve been told is an anti-gay and homophobic environment,” said James Gilliam, an attorney and deputy executive director for the ACLU of Southern California.

Maryland Will Not Be Marryland This Year

Maryland House legislators failed today to bring to a vote a marriage equality bill their Democratic governor promised to sign. The bill was sent back to the Judiciary Committee as it became apparent it did not have the 71 votes needed for passage. It is not expected to be brought up again this year.

As it was just two weeks ago when the Maryland Senate passed its marriage equality bill by a narrow margin of 25-21, debate from both sides was passionate. This time, those in the House opposed to passing the bill that would have given same-sex couples equal marriage rights and protections were felt the greatest, and included outspoken members of the religious and black communities.

“It is my firm belief that equality under the law means equality for everyone, and our laws should reflect that fundamental principle,” Governor Martin O’Malley said in a statement, after it was clear there would be no vote.

“Together, we’ve worked hard to protect and expand these rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered citizens in our state. It was my hope to sign a marriage equality act consistent with these progressive reforms, while protecting religious freedom in our state.

“As One Maryland we must work together to respect the dignity of every individual. I remain committed to working with all Marylanders to ensure that rights are protected for equally for everyone.”

Saying “it is only a matter of time before Marylanders achieve marriage equality,” Equality Maryland, the leading LGBT advocacy group working to achieve equality in the free state released a joint statement with HRC, Freedom to Marry, and Gill Action.

The Baltimore Sun reported, “[b]y moving the bill back into committee rather than taking a final vote, the 141 delegates avoided putting on record their position on gay marriage.

“Had a vote been taken today, it would have come within a delegate or two of passage, House leaders said. Advocates believe they were a single vote shy,” and added, “about 10 delegates did not feel comfortable casting a vote today.”

Metroweekly reported during the debate the sadly racial and religious routes some chose to take.

“Del. Emmett Burns (D-Baltimore City) said he found it offensive that the gay rights movement is often compared to the civil rights movement. Burns added that he’s been threatened and called the “N-word” regarding his opposition to the marriage bill.

“The civil rights movement as I knew it… had nothing to do with same-sex marriage,” he said, “and those who decide to ride on our coattails are historically incorrect. The civil rights movement was about putting teeth into the Declaration of Independence.”

“Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore City), presented an amendment to change the name of the bill to include “Civil Unions” not “marriage.” Glenn said she has promised activists supporting same-sex marriage she would be lead sponsor of legislation providing protections, but as long as that is called “civil unions” not “marriage.”

“It’s all about the word of God,” she said. “It truly is.”

House DOMA Repeal Bill To Be Introduced Wednesday

A bill to repeal DOMA, the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act, will be introduced into the House Wednesday by Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-MNY) Jon Conyers, (D-MI), and all four openly-gay Representatives, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Jared Polis, and David Cicilline.

DOMA, which bans the federal government from recognizing same-gender marriages, was declared unconstitutional by a federal district court judge in July, 2010. Repealing the law would not force states to recognize marriage equality, but would be a step toward that goal, and would allow married same-sex coupes access to some federal benefits they are currently denied.

Julie Bolcer at The Advocate writes, “[t]he legislation already has 105 original co-sponsors in the House, and Sens. Diane Feinstein, Patrick Leahy and Kirsten Gillibrand plan to introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

“The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal DOMA, and comes in response to a call from President Obama for Congressional action on the issue,” reports the news release. “As the President has stated: ‘I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with states’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.’ Last week, on the heels of the President’s decision not to defend DOMA in court, House Republican Leadership announced that it will defend DOMA in court, making passage of the Respect for Marriage Act more critical than ever.”