Saturday, April 30, 2011
“Still Good 10%-20% Chance” Obama Not An American
Friday, April 29, 2011
June 13 Date Set for Prop 8 Hearing Over Judge Walker's Sexuality
Chief U.S. District Judge James Ware has fast-tracked a hearing prompted by a motion from proponents of Proposition 8 over the fact that Judge Vaughn Walker, who overturned California's ban on same-sex marriage, is in a relationship with a man.
The AP reports that the hearing has been set for June 13:
Lawyers for the sponsors of the voter-approved ban asked Ware to vacate Walker's August 2010 decision overturning the ban as a violation of gay Californians' civil rights.
Backers of Proposition 8 said Walker should have recused himself or disclosed his relationship status before trial to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
In related news,the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has referred the question of unsealing videos of the trial back to Judge Ware:
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered U.S. District Judge James Ware to consider competing bids by Proposition 8 sponsors to keep the video under wraps and by the measure's opponents to unseal it.
A three-judge panel of the appeals court said the trial judge "has the power to grant the parties all the relief they seek, should relief be warranted" on either side.
The AP reports that the hearing has been set for June 13:
Lawyers for the sponsors of the voter-approved ban asked Ware to vacate Walker's August 2010 decision overturning the ban as a violation of gay Californians' civil rights.
Backers of Proposition 8 said Walker should have recused himself or disclosed his relationship status before trial to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
In related news,the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has referred the question of unsealing videos of the trial back to Judge Ware:
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered U.S. District Judge James Ware to consider competing bids by Proposition 8 sponsors to keep the video under wraps and by the measure's opponents to unseal it.
A three-judge panel of the appeals court said the trial judge "has the power to grant the parties all the relief they seek, should relief be warranted" on either side.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
TN House Votes To Overturn Nashville's Gay-Friendly Business Ordinance
Earlier this month Nashville's city council approved a law banning the city from doing business with companies that discriminate against their LGBT employees. Yesterday the GOP-dominated state House voted to overturn that law.
GOP Legislators Introduce Marriage Ban In State Senate
Minnesota GOP state Sen. Warren Limmer: "The proposed constitutional amendment asks voters to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman in Minnesota.
Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Scott Dibble, via press release: "It’s disturbing that Republicans want to use one of the last weeks of the legislative session to marginalize one group of people and divide our state. We are facing a $5 billion budget shortfall, yet Republicans believe the biggest threat to our state’s welfare is who is allowed to be married."
Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Scott Dibble, via press release: "It’s disturbing that Republicans want to use one of the last weeks of the legislative session to marginalize one group of people and divide our state. We are facing a $5 billion budget shortfall, yet Republicans believe the biggest threat to our state’s welfare is who is allowed to be married."
LAUSD Sours on Flavored Milk
Deasy was on the show with Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver, who has criticized the L.A. school system's food choices for students on his reality show "Food Revolution."
The flavored milk is expected to be removed from the menu's immediately, said Deasy.
Prop 8: Effort To Disqualify Vaughn Walker Unlikely To Prevail Say Experts
The sponsors of California's same-sex marriage ban insist they are not trying to disqualify the federal judge who struck down Proposition 8 because he is gay.
Instead, they argue the judge's decade-long relationship with another man poses a potential conflict because they might want to get hitched themselves.
Experts in judicial ethics said Tuesday that carefully parsed line of reasoning is unlikely to prevail.
They pointed out that while courts have not yet had to wrestle with sexual orientation as grounds for judicial recusal, judges typically have rejected efforts to remove jurists based on personal characteristics such as race, gender, religion or even the contents of their investment portfolios.
"I don't think this judge had any more duty to disclose his sexual orientation than a Christian or Jewish or Muslim judge has a duty to discuss their religion or a heterosexual judge has his duty to discuss their sexual orientation," retired Illinois state Judge Raymond McKoski said.
Instead, they argue the judge's decade-long relationship with another man poses a potential conflict because they might want to get hitched themselves.
Experts in judicial ethics said Tuesday that carefully parsed line of reasoning is unlikely to prevail.
They pointed out that while courts have not yet had to wrestle with sexual orientation as grounds for judicial recusal, judges typically have rejected efforts to remove jurists based on personal characteristics such as race, gender, religion or even the contents of their investment portfolios.
"I don't think this judge had any more duty to disclose his sexual orientation than a Christian or Jewish or Muslim judge has a duty to discuss their religion or a heterosexual judge has his duty to discuss their sexual orientation," retired Illinois state Judge Raymond McKoski said.
"Banned for Life"
A transgender woman was reportedly "banned for life" from the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas after going there for a drink and using the women's bathroom.
HotelChatter reports:
Here’s what happened. Stephanie goes to the Cosmo in the early hours of the morning – about 2.30am. She sits down at the Vesper Bar, in the lobby of the hotel, and orders drinks. Her drinks are good, the barman is pleasant, all is well. And then, at 4am, she realizes she needs the bathroom.
She goes, as is her wont, to the women’s restroom, just across from the bar. It’s empty, as you’d expect at 4am on a Monday. Not a single person in there. She powders her nose and exits the restroom, only to be met by two security guards who immediately say “Come with us” and start marching her out of the hotel. As they walk her, they demand to see her ID (to establish her legal gender). It’s in her purse, and she fumbles for it as she’s being forcibly marched through the lobby of the hotel. As she fumbles, one of the men tells her to hurry up. She is scared, and starts apologizing, saying she’s not trying to cause trouble, but it’s hard to walk and look for her ID at the same time.
They march her outside the hotel (the bathroom is near the main entrance) and she finds her ID. One of the guards checks it, establishes that her legal gender is male, and pulls out a yellow form from his pocket and starts writing in her details to the blank spaces. As he does so, he says, “Are you working?” Way to add insult to injury. She doesn’t say “Well as it happens, yes I am working, at the conference, douchebag.” She says no.
HotelChatter reports:
Here’s what happened. Stephanie goes to the Cosmo in the early hours of the morning – about 2.30am. She sits down at the Vesper Bar, in the lobby of the hotel, and orders drinks. Her drinks are good, the barman is pleasant, all is well. And then, at 4am, she realizes she needs the bathroom.
She goes, as is her wont, to the women’s restroom, just across from the bar. It’s empty, as you’d expect at 4am on a Monday. Not a single person in there. She powders her nose and exits the restroom, only to be met by two security guards who immediately say “Come with us” and start marching her out of the hotel. As they walk her, they demand to see her ID (to establish her legal gender). It’s in her purse, and she fumbles for it as she’s being forcibly marched through the lobby of the hotel. As she fumbles, one of the men tells her to hurry up. She is scared, and starts apologizing, saying she’s not trying to cause trouble, but it’s hard to walk and look for her ID at the same time.
They march her outside the hotel (the bathroom is near the main entrance) and she finds her ID. One of the guards checks it, establishes that her legal gender is male, and pulls out a yellow form from his pocket and starts writing in her details to the blank spaces. As he does so, he says, “Are you working?” Way to add insult to injury. She doesn’t say “Well as it happens, yes I am working, at the conference, douchebag.” She says no.
Italian minister slams Ikea's gay ad
A top Italian official on Saturday called an Ikea advertisement with two gay men holding hands "in bad taste", invoking the ire of opposition parties and rights groups.
"I find it serious and in bad taste that a Swedish multinational comes to Italy to tell Italians what they should think," Secretary of State for family policy Carlo Giovanardi said in a television interview.
The Swedish furniture giant's advertisement shows two men with a shopping bag, holding hands, and the words: "We are open to all families".
R.I. Gives Up on Marriage in 2011
Hopes were dashed in Rhode Island when the state's gay house speaker, Democrat Gordon Fox, said a marriage equality bill had no hope of passing this year.
Fox says blame can be placed on the Ocean State's senate, where opposition was too strong to overcome. Resistance to gay marriage from senate president Teresa Paiva Weed, a Democrat, sealed the fate of a much-discussed marriage equality bill. Weed supports civil unions, which she told the Associated Press she was confident would pass in Rhode Island's legislature.
Rhode Island is one of two states in New England without same-sex marriage. Voters in Maine reversed marriage equality in 2009.
Fox says blame can be placed on the Ocean State's senate, where opposition was too strong to overcome. Resistance to gay marriage from senate president Teresa Paiva Weed, a Democrat, sealed the fate of a much-discussed marriage equality bill. Weed supports civil unions, which she told the Associated Press she was confident would pass in Rhode Island's legislature.
Rhode Island is one of two states in New England without same-sex marriage. Voters in Maine reversed marriage equality in 2009.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Judge's Homosexuality Is Grounds For Appeal
The voter-approved ban's backers say Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker should have removed himself from the case because his impartiality could "reasonably" be questioned, their lawyer, Andy Pugno, told The Associated Press.
Lawyers plan to file a motion making the argument that Walker's historic ruling should be vacated in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on Monday.
Walker, a 67-year-old Republican appointee, declared Proposition 8 to be an unconstitutional violation of gay Californian's civil rights last summer. He retired from the bench at the end of February.
Rumors that the judge was gay circulated during the 13-day trial that preceded his decision and after he handed down his ruling.
Lawyers for the coalition of religious and conservative groups that put Proposition 8 on the November 2008 ballot, however, did not raise his sexual orientation as a legal issue.
Pugno said that has now changed because Walker publicly addressed the rumors this month when he told a group of courthouse reporters about his 10-year relationship.
Walker said at the time that he did not consider his personal life to be a reason for recusal, noting that sexual orientation is no more a reason for a judge to be disqualified than is race or gender.
In their anticipated filing, the Proposition 8 lawyers plan to argue that Walker should have removed himself not because he is gay, but because his relationship status made him too similar to the same-sex couples who sued in his for the right to marry.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals already is reviewing Walker's ruling on appeal from the ban's sponsors. Their previous filings have attacked the judge's legal reasoning.
Church calls attention to its support of gays
“We’re expecting a vigorous conversation in this community in many forms,” said Dan Rutt, a member of Central United Methodist’s lead team.
The digital billboard at Monroe Street and Central Avenue, in Toledo’s Colony area, began displaying the slogan early Monday, and Central’s congregation — which averages “a couple dozen people” on Sunday mornings, Mr. Rutt said — has made a one-month commitment at a cost of $1,500. The billboard campaign will continue as long as funds are available, he said.
The Rev. Bill Barnard, Central’s part-time pastor, said the billboard message will be linked to a four-week sermon series, and the overall campaign goal is “to make a leap beyond tolerance.”
“Members of the congregation have experienced places and times where being lesbian or gay was tolerated — kind of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell, I know God forgives you,’” Barnard said. “We’re saying, ‘This is the way God created you. There’s nothing to forgive.’ “
Both Mr. Rutt and Mr. Barnard, who described themselves as “straight allies” of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, pointed out that Central has had a long history of supporting gay rights. The church joined the denomination’s Reconciling Ministries Network, a national grass-roots organization of congregations supportive of LGBT rights, in 1984.
Central’s members realize their campaign takes a provocative stance on a hot-button issue in the church.
No death penalty provision in Uganda anti-gay bill
The Ugandan parliamentarian behind an anti-gay bill that attracted worldwide condemnation said the most controversial part of the legislation – the death penalty provision – is likely to be dropped from the bill.
Student in High Heels Booted from Class
A male student at a Florida high school was removed from class when the response to his wearing high heels sparked "safety" concerns from the principal.
Fox Tampa Bay reports on the incident involving an unidentified student at Riverview High School. A friend said the young man, who wears the heels to feel more confident, felt “shame” for being called out of class.
According to Fox Tampa Bay, “A teacher called the principal's office. That teacher said the boy's shoes were disrupting the classroom. Principal Bob Heilmann says there was name calling. He asked the student to take off the heels.”
Heilmann did not discipline the student, but he said it was important to “take the paternal side and make sure he's going to be okay," noting that consequences occur when people go outside “the norm.” In his view, it was not the shoes, but the reaction to them, that necessitated their removal.
The news report did not indicate whether the students who called the young man names were disciplined.
Fox Tampa Bay reports that some students protested the decision, with one boy wearing a dress on Monday. Principal Heilmann asked the student to change for the sake of his “safety,” and the boy agreed.
Fox Tampa Bay reports on the incident involving an unidentified student at Riverview High School. A friend said the young man, who wears the heels to feel more confident, felt “shame” for being called out of class.
According to Fox Tampa Bay, “A teacher called the principal's office. That teacher said the boy's shoes were disrupting the classroom. Principal Bob Heilmann says there was name calling. He asked the student to take off the heels.”
Heilmann did not discipline the student, but he said it was important to “take the paternal side and make sure he's going to be okay," noting that consequences occur when people go outside “the norm.” In his view, it was not the shoes, but the reaction to them, that necessitated their removal.
The news report did not indicate whether the students who called the young man names were disciplined.
Fox Tampa Bay reports that some students protested the decision, with one boy wearing a dress on Monday. Principal Heilmann asked the student to change for the sake of his “safety,” and the boy agreed.
Believers Warn Neighbors Of Impending Doom On May 21
Judgment Day is coming May 21, 2011 -- not sometime this decade, not sometime this year, but precisely on May 21.
The hundreds of billboards warning unrepentant commuters of their impending doom are courtesy of a California radio station led by 89-year-old Harold Camping, who initially predicted the world would end in 1994.
In New Jersey, about 30 believers paid to erect the signs in hopes of warning and saving their neighbors, said Bob James, a Morristown electrical engineer who organized the grassroots effort.
"Seven billion people are facing their death! What else could I do?" said James, who views the billboards as a message of hope. "When you have this information, with my love for my fellow man, I wanted to tell people."
Warnings of "end times" are cropping up all over. Along Route 15 in Rockaway Township, a handmade sign has a litany of upheaval that could double as a CNN news crawl: earthquakes, tsunamis and war.
"Pray! Pray! Get right. The signs of his coming are here," urges the anonymous prophesy.
Throw in buzz about the Mayan calendar's purported lights-out date of 2012 and it makes for jittery times.
"People love to speculate about the end of the world. It's human nature to want to know when Jesus is returning," said Barbara Rossing, author of The Rapture Exposed and an ordained pastor at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. "But Christ specifically admonishes us, 'Don't try to figure it out."'
She finds Camping's views to be at odds with even those described in the best-selling Left Behind books about the Rapture, when some Christians believe they will be swept up into heaven as those left behind endure years of war and hardship.
"He has some very strange teachings on his website," she said. "This is very odd thinking."
Many May 21 believers say the Bible contains clues that brook no argument. God tells Noah the world will end in seven days; the Bible also equates a day to 1,000 years. The date of the flood has been set at 4990 B.C., so adding 7,000 years plus one for the missing year "0" produces the year 2011. Translating a biblical reference to a month and day, from the Hebrew calendar to the Gregorian, results in May 21.
"It's no other date. It's only that date," said Michael Garcia, special projects coordinator at Camping's Family Radio enterprise.
Nevada Two For Three on Trans Bills
Nevada’s state senate has approved two of three bills on Monday aimed at protecting the rights of transgender people, with a third narrowly failing after democratic Sen. John Lee joined ten Republicans in opposing the bill.
Witness to MD Trans Beating Praised for Trying to Help
A witness who tried to help a transgender woman who was being beaten at a McDonald’s in Maryland said she was overwhelmed by the response from people who have praised her for intervening.
Vicky Thoms was embraced by strangers at a rally Monday night outside the McDonald’s in Baltimore County where the assault took place.
The victim, 22-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis, decided not to attend, but Thoms said she wished she had come so she could give her a hug
Vicky Thoms was embraced by strangers at a rally Monday night outside the McDonald’s in Baltimore County where the assault took place.
The victim, 22-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis, decided not to attend, but Thoms said she wished she had come so she could give her a hug
Liberals Want Legal Abortion So Lesbians Can Be Equal
“It’s this culture of death, the far left is livid, you know, about killing babies, they want to do this, they want to destroy… If a woman is a lesbian, what advantage does she have over a married woman? Or what deficiency does she have? … If these married women don’t have children, if they abort their babies, it kinda puts them on a level playing field.”
– Pat Robertson, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), the Christian Coalition, and Regent University.
“This is the way social justice happens. Not with a bang, but with white-shoe law firms becoming uncomfortable taking certain kinds of cases.”– The Economist, on King and Spalding’s decision to not represent the GOP House of Representatives in defending the already-declared as unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA.
Texas House Works to Kill College LGBT Centers
In a round-about effort to end governmental support for LGBT centers on public college campuses, the Texas GOP led house of representatives passed a budget provision requiring any school with a gay center to offer the same financial support to a "traditional values" center.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
House of Rainbow
A Dad Testifies for His Transgender Teen Daughter
It's not uncommon to see a mom speaking out for her transgender child, but April 12 saw a dad front and center. The scene was a Maine Judiciary Committee hearing about proposed bill LD 1046, would allow the operator of a restroom or shower facility in that state to decide who can use which gender's restroom based upon "biological sex."
But "biological sex" is not defined in the bill, nor is the method to be used to verify it. In my case, I am generally viewed as female wherever I go, and while I have had genital reconstruction surgery, I still have male chromosomes. Would this bill allow someone who knows my history to insist that I use the mens' room?
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Kenneth Fredette, implies that I am not the concern. "What situation do we put young children in when they go into a private place and then what they perceive to be the person of the opposite sex comes into that bathroom? That could be quite shocking."
Yet this conservative dad's daughter looks and acts "all-girl" to those who know her and hardly seems out of place in the girl's room. The problem arose when an adult, who knows the girl's history, forced her school to deny her access to the girls' room.
I had the pleasure of meeting the girl and her family a couple of years ago and have stayed in touch since. After the dad spoke out for his first time publicly at the hearing, he sent me the full text of his testimony (excerpted in the Bangor Daily News article). It's worth a read:
My name is Wayne Maines, I live in Old Town. I have a 13-year-old transgender daughter. In the beginning, I was not onboard with this reality. Like many of you I doubted transgender children could exist, I doubted my wife and I doubted our counselors and doctors. However I never doubted my love for my child. It was only through observing her pain and her suffering and examining my lack of knowledge about these issues did I begin to question my behavior and my conservative values. I learned that the medical standard of care requires parents seek assistance from a panel of experts. We did this and our team of doctors recommended my daughter to live fully as a girl. We cannot turn back now.
When my daughter lost her privileges at school and both children and adults targeted her, I knew I had to change and I have never looked back.
When we moved to Maine, it was clear my daughter was transitioning from male to female with us or without us. She used the girl's bathroom with no fanfare; she was confident and very social. Her strong personality helped the entire school transition right along side of her. She was proud and secure with herself and when people asked at the young age of six she openly stated that she was a girl trapped in a boy's body.
The transformation was amazing, but her happiness would not last. Unfortunately the fears of others would destroy everything that our team of doctors, teachers, school counselors, friends and classmates had work so hard to establish.
I know that it is difficult for some of you to understand the needs of transgender children. You only need to spend some time with these kids to see that they are struggling and suffering beyond your imagination only because they are singled out and misunderstood. They are just like your children and grandchildren; they have the same hopes and the same dreams.
In the fifth grade because of significant negative exposure we had to take drastic measures to protect her from harm, including splitting our family up to go in hiding and we are not the only family that has had to do so. When she was told she could no longer use the appropriate bathroom her confidence and self-esteem took a major hit. Prior to this my daughter often said, "Dad being transgender is no big deal, my friends and I have it under control." I was very proud of her. It was only when adults became involved with their unfounded fears that her world would be turned upside down. "She came to me crying and asked, "Daddy what did I do wrong? Daddy please fix this?" That is what dads do -- we fix things. I had to break her heart and say, "You have not done anything wrong sweetie, but Mommy and I do not know how to fix this, but we will try."
Continuing to single these kids out is not necessary. Having the opportunity to use the bathrooms of their true gender is essential for these kids' well being. This bill places transgender children in a position of doom and hopelessness. This bill tells my daughter that she does not have the same rights as her classmates and reinforces her opinion that she has no future. Help me give her the future she deserves. Do not pass this bill.
But "biological sex" is not defined in the bill, nor is the method to be used to verify it. In my case, I am generally viewed as female wherever I go, and while I have had genital reconstruction surgery, I still have male chromosomes. Would this bill allow someone who knows my history to insist that I use the mens' room?
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Kenneth Fredette, implies that I am not the concern. "What situation do we put young children in when they go into a private place and then what they perceive to be the person of the opposite sex comes into that bathroom? That could be quite shocking."
Yet this conservative dad's daughter looks and acts "all-girl" to those who know her and hardly seems out of place in the girl's room. The problem arose when an adult, who knows the girl's history, forced her school to deny her access to the girls' room.
I had the pleasure of meeting the girl and her family a couple of years ago and have stayed in touch since. After the dad spoke out for his first time publicly at the hearing, he sent me the full text of his testimony (excerpted in the Bangor Daily News article). It's worth a read:
My name is Wayne Maines, I live in Old Town. I have a 13-year-old transgender daughter. In the beginning, I was not onboard with this reality. Like many of you I doubted transgender children could exist, I doubted my wife and I doubted our counselors and doctors. However I never doubted my love for my child. It was only through observing her pain and her suffering and examining my lack of knowledge about these issues did I begin to question my behavior and my conservative values. I learned that the medical standard of care requires parents seek assistance from a panel of experts. We did this and our team of doctors recommended my daughter to live fully as a girl. We cannot turn back now.
When my daughter lost her privileges at school and both children and adults targeted her, I knew I had to change and I have never looked back.
When we moved to Maine, it was clear my daughter was transitioning from male to female with us or without us. She used the girl's bathroom with no fanfare; she was confident and very social. Her strong personality helped the entire school transition right along side of her. She was proud and secure with herself and when people asked at the young age of six she openly stated that she was a girl trapped in a boy's body.
The transformation was amazing, but her happiness would not last. Unfortunately the fears of others would destroy everything that our team of doctors, teachers, school counselors, friends and classmates had work so hard to establish.
I know that it is difficult for some of you to understand the needs of transgender children. You only need to spend some time with these kids to see that they are struggling and suffering beyond your imagination only because they are singled out and misunderstood. They are just like your children and grandchildren; they have the same hopes and the same dreams.
In the fifth grade because of significant negative exposure we had to take drastic measures to protect her from harm, including splitting our family up to go in hiding and we are not the only family that has had to do so. When she was told she could no longer use the appropriate bathroom her confidence and self-esteem took a major hit. Prior to this my daughter often said, "Dad being transgender is no big deal, my friends and I have it under control." I was very proud of her. It was only when adults became involved with their unfounded fears that her world would be turned upside down. "She came to me crying and asked, "Daddy what did I do wrong? Daddy please fix this?" That is what dads do -- we fix things. I had to break her heart and say, "You have not done anything wrong sweetie, but Mommy and I do not know how to fix this, but we will try."
Continuing to single these kids out is not necessary. Having the opportunity to use the bathrooms of their true gender is essential for these kids' well being. This bill places transgender children in a position of doom and hopelessness. This bill tells my daughter that she does not have the same rights as her classmates and reinforces her opinion that she has no future. Help me give her the future she deserves. Do not pass this bill.
Boehner’s Hand-Picked Law Firm To Defend DOMA Quits
John Boehner’s hand-picked law firm, King and Spalding, has just announced they are resigning from the U.S. House of Representatives DOMA defense, stating, they have determined the “process used for vetting this engagement was inadequate.” Boehner, via the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), promised to defend DOMA, the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, in court, after President Obama and the Department of Justice announced in February they believed the law to be unconstitutional, and, would follow in the footsteps of other U.S. presidents who have refused to defend laws in court.
The House was to pay King and Spalding, and their top litigator, partner Paul Clement who was to lead the defense, a reported $520 an hour. The House had signed a contract capping initial charges up to $500,000, and allowing for additional charges to be approved.
“Today the firm filed a motion to withdraw from its engagement to represent the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the House of Representatives on the constitutional issues regarding Section III of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Last week we worked diligently through the process required for withdrawal,” said King and Spalding Chairman Robert D. Hays, Jr., via a statement reported by Politico.
“In reviewing this assignment further, I determined that the process used for vetting this engagement was inadequate. Ultimately I am responsible for any mistakes that occurred and apologize for the challenges this may have created.”
The firm was under increasing challenges from gay rights organizations for taking the case, citing its own internal policies in contrast to defending DOMA. Additionally, there was public anger over terms of the contract that stated employees of King and Spalding would not be allowed to personally speak against DOMA, a stipulation that could have led to legal issues for the firm.
DOMA supporters, like Maggie Gallagher of NOM, praised the choice of King and Spalding. Gallagher wrote,
“Paul Clement is one of the ablest litigators in the country, whose seven years acting as solicitor general is the longest period of continuous service since the 19th century. The solicitor general’s job is arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Clement has argued more than 50 such cases.
As a friend of mine, himself an able litigator, put it: “He’s the best. Boehner could not have made a better choice.”
And so, thanks to Boehner, Obama’s plan to sabotage DOMA’s defense has backfired.
For the first time since Obama became president, we will have a legal eagle in the courtroom defending DOMA who actually wants to win the case.”
The House was to pay King and Spalding, and their top litigator, partner Paul Clement who was to lead the defense, a reported $520 an hour. The House had signed a contract capping initial charges up to $500,000, and allowing for additional charges to be approved.
“Today the firm filed a motion to withdraw from its engagement to represent the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the House of Representatives on the constitutional issues regarding Section III of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Last week we worked diligently through the process required for withdrawal,” said King and Spalding Chairman Robert D. Hays, Jr., via a statement reported by Politico.
“In reviewing this assignment further, I determined that the process used for vetting this engagement was inadequate. Ultimately I am responsible for any mistakes that occurred and apologize for the challenges this may have created.”
The firm was under increasing challenges from gay rights organizations for taking the case, citing its own internal policies in contrast to defending DOMA. Additionally, there was public anger over terms of the contract that stated employees of King and Spalding would not be allowed to personally speak against DOMA, a stipulation that could have led to legal issues for the firm.
DOMA supporters, like Maggie Gallagher of NOM, praised the choice of King and Spalding. Gallagher wrote,
“Paul Clement is one of the ablest litigators in the country, whose seven years acting as solicitor general is the longest period of continuous service since the 19th century. The solicitor general’s job is arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Clement has argued more than 50 such cases.
As a friend of mine, himself an able litigator, put it: “He’s the best. Boehner could not have made a better choice.”
And so, thanks to Boehner, Obama’s plan to sabotage DOMA’s defense has backfired.
For the first time since Obama became president, we will have a legal eagle in the courtroom defending DOMA who actually wants to win the case.”
Celebration of Harvey Milk
Schools in California already adding gay-related lessons to the curriculum: "One of the two books the school has purchased for teachers to use is In Celebration of Harvey Milk, a workbook about the gay rights leader written by Angela F. Luna. A lesbian and fourth grade teacher at San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento County, Luna self-published the book in January."
McGreevey's Bid for Priesthood Denied
The church has long welcomed gay parishioners and clergy, but according to The Post, church leaders took issue with McGreevey’s much-publicized divorce from wife Dina.
McGreevey resigned as governor of New Jersey in 2004 after it was revealed he had been having an affair with a man. He and his wife separated shortly after he came out and were divorced in 2008.
According to The Post, McGreevey told friends he needed “more seasoning” before being accepted to the priesthood. He declined to comment on why he was rejected, citing the confidentiality of the priesthood process.
Monday, April 25, 2011
GOP VOTERS PREFER NONE OF THE ABOVE
CBS News and the New York Times, found Republicans nationwide particularly unenthused by their options. When asked to name which potential candidate they liked best, 56 percent of Republican respondents chose "no candidate."
Sarah Palin 'fatigue' diagnosed in Alaska poll
Sarah Palin's poll ratings continue to drop, even in her home state of Alaska.A new Alaska Poll released today shows 61% of Alaskans have a "very unfavorable" or "somewhat unfavorable" opinion of Palin, a former governor and the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee.
Thirty-six percent view Palin positively, according to the survey by Dittman Research & Communications.
"There are a number of reasons why her popularity isn't nearly what it once was," said Matt Larkin, president of Dittman Research & Communications. "A fair number of Alaskans just have Sarah Palin fatigue."
'King & Spalding' Law Firm to Face Backlash Over Defending DOMA
King & Spalding, the law firm which touts its policies against anti-LGBT discrimination but has placed a gag order on its employees following the hiring by GOP Republicans of firm partner Paul Clement to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, will likely face backlash from legal groups and colleges with regard to recruitment and other issues, the Huffington Post reports:
Administrators at some of Washington, D.C.'s top law schools said it is too early to tell whether King & Spalding's role in defending DOMA will sour students from potentially joining the firm; they also couldn't say whether anything could change with their university's recruitment practices. But they did say they take the concerns voiced by their student bodies very seriously.
Tedi Mason, the recruitment coordinator for American University’s Washington School of Law, said the school's gay and lesbian student group Lambda Law Society is “very active” on campus and if brought complaints, the administration "would certainly consider” what they had to say. She predicted protests and student groups “putting up a big to-do” if and when the firm comes to the campus to recruit students.
Lambda Legal legal director Jon Davidson says they won't be involved with the firm any longer: "As legal director, I would take the position that we should not use them as cooperating attorneys with us -- that is, people who work with us on a pro bono basis in cases. "I wouldn't want to team with them, so long as they're actively harming our community by defending DOMA."
Administrators at some of Washington, D.C.'s top law schools said it is too early to tell whether King & Spalding's role in defending DOMA will sour students from potentially joining the firm; they also couldn't say whether anything could change with their university's recruitment practices. But they did say they take the concerns voiced by their student bodies very seriously.
Tedi Mason, the recruitment coordinator for American University’s Washington School of Law, said the school's gay and lesbian student group Lambda Law Society is “very active” on campus and if brought complaints, the administration "would certainly consider” what they had to say. She predicted protests and student groups “putting up a big to-do” if and when the firm comes to the campus to recruit students.
Lambda Legal legal director Jon Davidson says they won't be involved with the firm any longer: "As legal director, I would take the position that we should not use them as cooperating attorneys with us -- that is, people who work with us on a pro bono basis in cases. "I wouldn't want to team with them, so long as they're actively harming our community by defending DOMA."
Iowa GOP Moves to Impeach Justices for Marriage Equality Decision
The Iowa GOP has "filed four articles of impeachment, one for each remaining member of the Iowa Supreme Court that participated in an April 2009 decision that struck down a legislative ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of the state’s equal protection clause."
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Chris Colfer among ‘100 most influential’ people in the world
TIME magazine on Thursday revealed the TIME 100, the magazine’s eighth annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Featured in this year’s list is out actor and singer Chris Colfer.
Dianna Agron writes about Colfer saying, “Chris, 20, lives by extreme truth, speaking out against the epidemic of bullying that he, too, faced in high school. The honesty that he infuses into his “Glee” character, Kurt, leaves you reeling.”
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Rachel Maddow on the Resignation of 'Family Values' Republican
"Adulterous, anti-gay "family values" Senator John Ensign will resign in 12 days, many months after his affair, months that have been filled with behind-the-scenes corruption and ethics investigations. Maddow talks with journalist Jon Ralston who broke the story of Ensign's resignation."
Friday, April 22, 2011
Two men kissing: too risque for Facebook?
The social network recently removed a picture of a gay kiss for allegedly violating its terms of use, which state, "You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence."The photo in question accompanied a Facebook page calling for a "kiss-in" protest for an incident at a pub, where a gay couple was ousted for kissing (the landlady deemed the act "obscene").
Facebook has since re-instated the page, and apologized for the error in a statement.
"The photo in question does not violate our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and was removed in error," the statement read
Sarah Palin Rushes to Media-Battered Donald Trump's Defense
Sarah Palin says media is treating Donald Trump unfairly:
"They are hammering him about the one issue that he has brought up and not been shy about and that's the birth certificate. He's merely answering reporter's questions about his view on the birth certificate and then reporters turn that around and saying that's all he's got! He's only running on a birth certificate issue when that's not the case...Donald Trump is running on the issue, bottom line, that Obama is so far over his head."
NY LGBT Advocates to Mount 'Short, Disciplined, Intense' Campaign to Achieve Marriage Equality by June
The Empire State Pride Agenda, the Human Rights Campaign, Freedom to Marry and Marriage Equality New York — will form a single organization called New Yorkers United for Marriage which will shortly undertake a coordinated effort to sway three Democrats and 12 Republicans who voted against marriage equality last year in an effort to pass it by early summer, the NYT reports:
Under the supervision of the governor’s staff, the groups intend to raise more than $1 million for a media blitz, hire a powerful political consultant close to the Cuomo administration and deploy field organizers to the districts of more than a dozen key lawmakers to drum up support, according to interviews with those involved in the effort.
In contrast to their failed drive for a marriage bill two years ago, the advocates envision a short, disciplined and intense run-up to a vote in the State Legislature, raising the prospect that gay couples may be allowed to wed in New York by early summer.
Their overriding aim: avoid the mistakes and miscommunications of 2009, when those lobbying for same-sex marriage sent conflicting messages, misjudged the opposition and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate, 38 to 24.
The coalition and plan will be unveiled today, according to the paper: "The coalition is hiring Jennifer Cunningham (pictured), a veteran labor and media strategist who is close to the governor and has advised his campaigns. Ms. Cunningham and her firm, SKD Knickerbocker, will oversee the coalition’s media campaign and political strategy."
Under the supervision of the governor’s staff, the groups intend to raise more than $1 million for a media blitz, hire a powerful political consultant close to the Cuomo administration and deploy field organizers to the districts of more than a dozen key lawmakers to drum up support, according to interviews with those involved in the effort.
In contrast to their failed drive for a marriage bill two years ago, the advocates envision a short, disciplined and intense run-up to a vote in the State Legislature, raising the prospect that gay couples may be allowed to wed in New York by early summer.
Their overriding aim: avoid the mistakes and miscommunications of 2009, when those lobbying for same-sex marriage sent conflicting messages, misjudged the opposition and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate, 38 to 24.
The coalition and plan will be unveiled today, according to the paper: "The coalition is hiring Jennifer Cunningham (pictured), a veteran labor and media strategist who is close to the governor and has advised his campaigns. Ms. Cunningham and her firm, SKD Knickerbocker, will oversee the coalition’s media campaign and political strategy."
At San Francisco Fundraiser, Obama Indicates 'Work is Not Finished' on Gay Marriage
At Wednesday night's Obama fundraiser in San Francisco, the President was briefly interrupted by an audience member who yelled out "gay marriage" while Obama was talking about unfinished business.
The President paused, and repeated in response to the interjection, "our work is not finished." The response got a large round of applause and cheering.
Stonewall Uprising
Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.
American Experience
Episode: Stonewall Uprising Preview
Airs Monday, April 25, 2011 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
"It was the Rosa Parks moment," says one man. June 28, 1969: NYC police raid a Greenwich Village Mafia-run gay bar, The Stonewall Inn. For the first time, patrons refuse to be led into paddy wagons, setting off a 3-day riot that launches the Gay Rights Movement.
Donald Trump's Anti-Gay Marriage Stance Left Me Heartbroken
Singer Cyndi Lauper says she's disappointed with Donald Trump's anti-gay marriage stance.The real estate mogul, host of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice, and possible 2012 GOP presidential nominee has recently told numerous media outlets that he's opposed to giving gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. During a recent interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), the billionaire entrepreneur said he's against marriage equality, then added that he opposes discrimination against gay people
Thursday, April 21, 2011
92 year old Grandma: Kiss Me Or I Will Shoot
53-year-old Dwight Bettner, refused her a kiss when she asked for one at his home in Ocala, FL last night so she shot at him.
Clementi Roommate Faces 15 Counts, Including Bias Charges
The roommate of the Rutgers student who leapt to his death from the George Washington Bridge last September faces 15 counts in connection with the suicide, including a charge of bias intimidation, the Associated Press reported on April 20.Dharun Ravi, 19, already stood accused of two counts of invasion of privacy and two further counts of attempted invasion of privacy for allegedly having used a webcam to spy on Tyler Clementi and another man. The two were reportedly engaged in a sexual encounter when they were observed via webcam without their knowledge
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Illegal Rainbows
off their tops.
LDS' Treatment Of Gays Has Only Become 'More Harsh, Hateful'
The pressure is extreme to not be anything but heterosexual, starting in childhood. The Mormon church still publishes Boyd K. Packer's (president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, one of the church's top leaders [pictured]) speech "To Young Men Only" (General Conference priesthood session, Oct. 2, 1976) wherein he advocates violence against gay people, and the church still reveres, quotes and studies (other speeches and books from leaders who tout homophobia). The Mormon church claims it has altered its stance on gays and lesbians. They have: They've become more harsh, hateful and reactionary against us. —Kerry Rutz, a gay Massachusetts landscaper who split from the LDS Church at age 24, and was forced to sever ties with his family as a result, insists the Mormon Church's support of reparative therapy practices at Evergreen International and BYU are alive and well, and still harming young people
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
What a Modern Family Really Looks Like
That certainly seems to be the case in this photo above, which at one point was attached to a news story, but it seems pretty self explanatory. If this trend continues, by the time these people are 80, they could be Great-great-great-grandparents.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Dutch Armed Forces Will Suit Up For Amsterdam's Floating Gay Pride
For the first time, the Netherlands' armed forces will participate in Amsterdam's annual Gay Pride Canal Parade, which is unique in that floats head down the city's vast canal system rather than a main street. And they'll be wearing their uniforms!
Koch and Dinkins for Marriage Equality
Former New York City mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins contribute marriage equality testimonials to the video series from the Human Rights Campaign.
Meloni for N.Y. Marriage Equality
Law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni joins the marriage equality video series from the Human Rights Campaign.
“Already five states and the District of Columbia have marriage equality,” says the actor, who was born in D.C. and is best known for playing NYPD detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama. “It’s time for New York to lead again.”
Friday, April 15, 2011
Brown To Sign 'Most Aggressive' Mandate In The U.S.
Gov. Jerry Brown plans to sign legislation that would require California utilities to get one-third of their power from renewable sources, giving the state the most aggressive alternative energy mandate in the U.S.
Under the bill, California utilities and other power providers would have until the end of 2020 to draw 33 percent of their power from solar panels, windmills, landfill gases, small hydroelectric plants and other renewable sources.
Supporters said the increase from the current 20 percent target will reassure investors that demand for renewable energy will grow, fueling a field that has been one of the few growth spots for California's economy during the recession.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu was expected to attend the bill signing ceremony Tuesday at the SunPower-Flextronics solar manufacturing plant in the San Francisco Bay area city of Milpitas.
"Instead of watching from the sidelines, America needs to get back in the clean energy race, and that's exactly what California is doing," said Stephanie Mueller, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Under the bill, California utilities and other power providers would have until the end of 2020 to draw 33 percent of their power from solar panels, windmills, landfill gases, small hydroelectric plants and other renewable sources.
Supporters said the increase from the current 20 percent target will reassure investors that demand for renewable energy will grow, fueling a field that has been one of the few growth spots for California's economy during the recession.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu was expected to attend the bill signing ceremony Tuesday at the SunPower-Flextronics solar manufacturing plant in the San Francisco Bay area city of Milpitas.
"Instead of watching from the sidelines, America needs to get back in the clean energy race, and that's exactly what California is doing," said Stephanie Mueller, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Gender Identity Protections
Hawaii Senate approves transgender workplace protections bill
The Hawaii state Senate on Tuesday voted to extend employment protections to transgender people.
The bill, HB 546, was previously approved in the state House, and passed in the Senate by a vote of 22-2.
Maryland Senate kills gender identity bill, sends measure back to committee
The Maryland state Senate on Monday voted to send the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee during the bill’s second reading, effectively killing the bill in this year’s legislative session.
The bill, HB 235, would have prohibited discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and credit. The Senate voted 27-20 to send the bill back to committee.
The Hawaii state Senate on Tuesday voted to extend employment protections to transgender people.
The bill, HB 546, was previously approved in the state House, and passed in the Senate by a vote of 22-2.
Maryland Senate kills gender identity bill, sends measure back to committee
The Maryland state Senate on Monday voted to send the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee during the bill’s second reading, effectively killing the bill in this year’s legislative session.
The bill, HB 235, would have prohibited discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and credit. The Senate voted 27-20 to send the bill back to committee.
Anti-Gay 'Branding' Incident at UNC Was False Report
Police have declared the alleged hate crime reported by UNC Chapel Hill student Quinn Matney, in which he said he was severely burned by an attacker who used anti-gay language, to be a false report, according to the school's chancellor.Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Kobe Bryant Calls Ref A “Fucking Fag” On Camera
Kobe Bryant, the L.A. Lakers basketball and media superstar, during Tuesday night’s game against the Spurs — after being forced to sit down — threw a towel to the floor, then, with the TNT camera still focused on him, called the referee a “fucking fag.”Social Conservatives Will Defeat The Gay Agenda By Inventing New Words
Here's Sofia Resnick of the American Independent, reporting on this cunning new stratagem:
The first step for Christian conservatives to win the war against the gay movement is to rebrand the terms, said a few panelists at this weekend's The Awakening conference at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
"'Gay' is a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires," said Ryan Sorba, chairman of the Young Conservatives of California. "Gay identity does not exist."
Fox News Attacks J. Crew President For Ad With Son’s Toenails Pink
Fox News today became the latest right-wing organization to attack J. Crew President Jenna Lyons for the online catalog spread of her playing with her young son Beckett, and painting his toenails pink — a shade she says in the piece is his favorite color. “Lucky for me,” the copy reads, “I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.” Last week, ultra-right wing media watchdog, the Culture And Media Institute, wrote a piece criticizing Lyons and J. Crew, titled, inappropriately, “J.CREW Pushes Transgendered Child Propaganda.”
If boys choose to wear nail polish the extreme religious and conservative right-wing media have no more business dictating whether or not boys should wear nail polish than they do the color — and both Fox News and the Culture And Media Institute are doing just that.
Fox News professes to be a “fair and balanced” “news” organization, so reporting on a story should not include statements in a piece mis-titled, “J. Crew Plants the Seeds for Gender Identity.” The piece, by Glenn Beck co-author and former Fox News host Dr. Keith Ablow offensively states, “Yeah, well, it may be fun and games now, Jenna, but at least put some money aside for psychotherapy for the kid—and maybe a little for others who’ll be affected by your “innocent” pleasure.”
Dr. Ablow has a high-profile psychiatric practice, so it is unprofessional and inappropriate to “diagnose” a person — or their parenting — without having ever met them.
United Kingdom to allow non-sexually active gay men to donate blood
British health officials said Sunday that gay men will soon be allowed to donate blood for the first time, provided they are not sexually active.
The announcement signals an end to the decades-old ban, reports the Telegraph.
Under current legislation, gay men who have had sex are banned from donating, but due to limited controls, an estimated 7 percent of sexually active gay men still give blood.
But new plans to be announced in the coming weeks by Public Health Minister Anne Milton, will allow gay men to donate blood — but only if they have not had sex for the past ten years.
The announcement signals an end to the decades-old ban, reports the Telegraph.
Under current legislation, gay men who have had sex are banned from donating, but due to limited controls, an estimated 7 percent of sexually active gay men still give blood.
But new plans to be announced in the coming weeks by Public Health Minister Anne Milton, will allow gay men to donate blood — but only if they have not had sex for the past ten years.
Support for marriage equality in New York reaches record high
A new poll indicates support for marriage equality in New York has reached 58 percent, the highest in the state’s history.
The poll, released Monday by the Siena Research Institute at Siena College, also revealed a “record low” of 36 percent of New Yorkers opposed the marriage equality. Six percent had no opinion.
Among Democrats and Independents, support was over 60 percent; among Republicans, 48 percent were opposed, outweighing support at 45 percent.
“The more New Yorkers learn about marriage equality, the more they support this basic issue of fairness,” said Brian Ellner, the Human Rights Campaign’s senior strategist for the Campaign for New York Marriage.
“We will continue our campaign to educate across the state so that everyone has the right to make a commitment and build a family with the person they love,” Ellner said.
Ross D. Levi, Executive Director at the Empire State Pride Agenda, released this statement:
“State legislators who have not supported marriage equality in the past should take note that New Yorkers — including nearly two thirds of suburban voters and a majority of upstate and Catholic voters — clearly believe in fairness and equality for their LGBT family, friends, neighbors and colleagues.”
The poll, released Monday by the Siena Research Institute at Siena College, also revealed a “record low” of 36 percent of New Yorkers opposed the marriage equality. Six percent had no opinion.
Among Democrats and Independents, support was over 60 percent; among Republicans, 48 percent were opposed, outweighing support at 45 percent.
“The more New Yorkers learn about marriage equality, the more they support this basic issue of fairness,” said Brian Ellner, the Human Rights Campaign’s senior strategist for the Campaign for New York Marriage.
“We will continue our campaign to educate across the state so that everyone has the right to make a commitment and build a family with the person they love,” Ellner said.
Ross D. Levi, Executive Director at the Empire State Pride Agenda, released this statement:
“State legislators who have not supported marriage equality in the past should take note that New Yorkers — including nearly two thirds of suburban voters and a majority of upstate and Catholic voters — clearly believe in fairness and equality for their LGBT family, friends, neighbors and colleagues.”
Former GOP Sen. Alan Simpson: ‘We’ve got homophobes in our party’
Appearing on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” on Monday, former Sen Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), railed against social conservatives in the Republican party, admonishing male legislators for voting on abortion issues, and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:
SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, and I don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.
Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values — while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.
Anti-Gay Amendment Would Allow Religious Organizations to Discriminate Against Gays in Illinois
A discriminatory anti-gay amendment has snuck its way into a bill making its way through the Illinois legislature.
Americablog writes: "A Democratic State Senate, David Koehler from Peoria, is using a bill to aid blind people (it amends the White Cane Law) to sneak through anti-gay legislation."
Writes Phil Reece of the amendment's introduction:
I've seen the face of evil, and it is the cunning Illinois GOP. Hidden carefully by Sen David Koehler in SB 1123, a bill to assist the blind - like an arsenic pill hidden in a crême brulé - beneath text allowing for raises for County Clerks, the Conservatives waited until 5pm today, in the 11th hour of this bill before its Wednesday committee vote, to slide in amendments that seek to do everything possible to tear apart the lives of LGBT people in Illinois.
HRC notes:
The amendment, which would allow religious organizations that receive public funding to discriminate against LGBT families in the adoption process, is attached to a seemingly innocuous bill supporting the state’s blind community. The amendment would exempt adoption agencies from the Illinois Human Rights Act, a law that prevents discrimination based on race, religion, disability, gender identity and sexual orientation. The amendment would also allow religious adoption agencies to refuse to place children with opposite-sex couples who have a civil union.
The switchboard for the Illinois senate is 217-782-3944. Ask for your senator and tell them to 'Vote No on Senator Koehler's Amendment 1 to SB 1123'.
Americablog writes: "A Democratic State Senate, David Koehler from Peoria, is using a bill to aid blind people (it amends the White Cane Law) to sneak through anti-gay legislation."
Writes Phil Reece of the amendment's introduction:
I've seen the face of evil, and it is the cunning Illinois GOP. Hidden carefully by Sen David Koehler in SB 1123, a bill to assist the blind - like an arsenic pill hidden in a crême brulé - beneath text allowing for raises for County Clerks, the Conservatives waited until 5pm today, in the 11th hour of this bill before its Wednesday committee vote, to slide in amendments that seek to do everything possible to tear apart the lives of LGBT people in Illinois.
HRC notes:
The amendment, which would allow religious organizations that receive public funding to discriminate against LGBT families in the adoption process, is attached to a seemingly innocuous bill supporting the state’s blind community. The amendment would exempt adoption agencies from the Illinois Human Rights Act, a law that prevents discrimination based on race, religion, disability, gender identity and sexual orientation. The amendment would also allow religious adoption agencies to refuse to place children with opposite-sex couples who have a civil union.
The switchboard for the Illinois senate is 217-782-3944. Ask for your senator and tell them to 'Vote No on Senator Koehler's Amendment 1 to SB 1123'.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
10 Facts About America's Gays
As the Williams Institute celebrates a decade of gathering data to inform the nation about the LGBT population, the organization shares 10 facts that were uncovered about gay people, from our diversity to our impact on the federal deficit:
1. 9 million LGBT people live in the U.S., 3.8 % of the adult population.
2. LGBT people are racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse: 1 in 4 are people of color and same-sex couples have identified themselves on the Census in 99% of U.S. counties.
3. A substantial percentage of LGBT people are raising children: 1 in 5 same-sex couples and 6% of children in foster care are being raised by LGB people.
4. LGB people are serving in the Armed Forces: 71,000 are currently serving, and there are over 1 million LGB veterans in the U.S.
5. 70,000 same-sex couples have gotten married in the U.S.; another 90,000 have entered into civil unions and domestic partnerships.
6. The annual divorce rate for same-sex couples and different-sex married couples is similar — about 2%.
7. LGBT people are not more affluent. Gay men earn 10% to 23% less, on average, than heterosexual men. Children of same-sex couples are twice as likely to live in poverty.
8. Rates of hate crimes and employment discrimination against LGBT people are similar to or higher than for other protected groups. Until the Williams Institute, no one analyzed this data on a per capita basis, taking into account the smaller size of the LGBT population.
9. "Don't ask, don't tell" has cost taxpayers over $500 million since it started being enforced in 1994.
10. If all 50 states and the federal government recognized marriage for same-sex couples, the federal budget would benefit by over $1 billion each year.
1. 9 million LGBT people live in the U.S., 3.8 % of the adult population.
2. LGBT people are racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse: 1 in 4 are people of color and same-sex couples have identified themselves on the Census in 99% of U.S. counties.
3. A substantial percentage of LGBT people are raising children: 1 in 5 same-sex couples and 6% of children in foster care are being raised by LGB people.
4. LGB people are serving in the Armed Forces: 71,000 are currently serving, and there are over 1 million LGB veterans in the U.S.
5. 70,000 same-sex couples have gotten married in the U.S.; another 90,000 have entered into civil unions and domestic partnerships.
6. The annual divorce rate for same-sex couples and different-sex married couples is similar — about 2%.
7. LGBT people are not more affluent. Gay men earn 10% to 23% less, on average, than heterosexual men. Children of same-sex couples are twice as likely to live in poverty.
8. Rates of hate crimes and employment discrimination against LGBT people are similar to or higher than for other protected groups. Until the Williams Institute, no one analyzed this data on a per capita basis, taking into account the smaller size of the LGBT population.
9. "Don't ask, don't tell" has cost taxpayers over $500 million since it started being enforced in 1994.
10. If all 50 states and the federal government recognized marriage for same-sex couples, the federal budget would benefit by over $1 billion each year.
Uganda Kill The Gays Bill Returns With 2 Million Signature Petition
Uganda’s “Kill The Gays” bill, which would make life in prison or possibly death the penalty for being homosexual or having same-gender sex, is back on the table in the parliament of Uganda. A petition signed by a reported two million Ugandans was presented by anti-gay activists, led by a right-wing zealot, Pastor Martin Ssempa, to Speaker of the Uganda Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, on Wednesday. The “Anti-Homosexuality bill,” also known as the AHB, reportedly died an unexpected and sudden death exactly two weeks ago, when Uganda President Yoweri Museveni claimed the bill — which has been public since 2009 –is now “redundant.” MP David Bahati, who sponsored the bill and has been working on it for at least two years, at the time of the bill’s demise, did not appear to be willing to let the bill die.
Speaker Ssekandi said Wednesday, upon being presented with the petition, “even if the current Parliament doesn’t debate it, the new Parliament will do it,” leading some to believe the bill could find its way out of the Committee on Legal and Parliament Affairs and into Parliament, presumably at some point, for a vote.
“We as religious leaders and civil society are distressed that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is being deliberately killed largely by the undemocratic threats of western nations,” Pastor Ssempa, leader of Uganda’s Inter-Religious Taskforce Against Homosexuality, said, adding, “These same nations who promote democracy don’t want our representative to discuss laws to protect our children from the human trafficking of recruiting our children into homosexuality,” according to a report by Voice of America News.
Speaker Ssekandi said Wednesday, upon being presented with the petition, “even if the current Parliament doesn’t debate it, the new Parliament will do it,” leading some to believe the bill could find its way out of the Committee on Legal and Parliament Affairs and into Parliament, presumably at some point, for a vote.
“We as religious leaders and civil society are distressed that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is being deliberately killed largely by the undemocratic threats of western nations,” Pastor Ssempa, leader of Uganda’s Inter-Religious Taskforce Against Homosexuality, said, adding, “These same nations who promote democracy don’t want our representative to discuss laws to protect our children from the human trafficking of recruiting our children into homosexuality,” according to a report by Voice of America News.
Maggie Gallagher’s NOM Strategist Defects, Comes Out For Marriage Equality
A strategist for Maggie Gallagher’s National Organization For Marriage (NOM), who has previously made a career out of anti-gay hatred and homophobic statements, has defected from NOM, coming out in support of full civil marriage equality. “I now support full marriage equality,” says Louis Marinelli, a strategist involved in developing NOM’s grassroot campaigns and online messaging. NOM is perhaps the nation’s best-known anti-marriage equality organization. Gallagher did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In an exclusive and extensive interview with Jeremy Hooper, founder and editor of Good As You, “Exposure to NOM could lead to unintended side effects,” Marinelli delivers well-considered reasoning for his change of heart, and while he isn’t supporting the LGBT community in full, he sees same-sex civil marriage as simply a matter of civil rights and himself as “a supporter of civil marriage equality.” Marinelli says, ”I agree that what the gay community are fighting for are their civil rights.”
Monday, April 11, 2011
Falwell's Liberty University received half a billion dollars in federal aid money
Liberty University, the evangelical private Christian school founded by dead apartheid-supporting bigot Jerry Falwell, received $445 million in federal financial aid last year.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, by the way, received $420 million from the federal government.
That massive sum was thanks to the growth of Liberty's online program, which enrolled 52,000 students last year. The school is the No. 1 recipient of Pell grant money in the state of Virginia.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, by the way, received $420 million from the federal government.
That massive sum was thanks to the growth of Liberty's online program, which enrolled 52,000 students last year. The school is the No. 1 recipient of Pell grant money in the state of Virginia.
MISSISSIPPI: 46% Of Polled Republicans Would Make Interracial Marriage Illegal
Public Policy Polling asked self-identified Mississippi Republicans how they feel about interracial marriage. And 74% of those who'd like to ban interracial marriage also have a "favorable view" of Sarah Palin.
Maggie Gallagher Made Dan Savage Bring Up Her Whole 'Child Out Of Wedlock' Thing
Gallagher, who once had a child out of wedlock, speaks for the fidelity-over-anything-else crowd (fidelity over reality, statistics, biology, ability, etc.). Now some people are capable of abstaining before marriage and being faithful to one partner for life—some people, but not Maggie—but these people represent a tiny minority of all sexually active adults. And while those who make this aberrant lifestyle choice should not be discriminated against, the rest of us—the majority of all sexually active adults—should be free to engage in grownup conversations about sex and desire and the reality-friendly ways in which we define and practice fidelity without being shouted down by the monogamously correct. Fidelity, after all, can mean so much more than just "you never get to see anyone else naked ever again."
—Dan Savage responds to Maggie Gallagher's criticism of his MTV show deal
Saturday, April 9, 2011
'Beautiful' Voted The Most Gay Empowering Song
"'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera has been voted the most empowering song of the last decade for gay, lesbian and bisexual people.
It was written by major songwriter and producer Linda Perry, who is a lesbian. According to Stonewall poll of 1,007 people, the song 'Better' by Boyzone and 'Born This Way' by Lady Gaga into second and third place respectively."
It was written by major songwriter and producer Linda Perry, who is a lesbian. According to Stonewall poll of 1,007 people, the song 'Better' by Boyzone and 'Born This Way' by Lady Gaga into second and third place respectively."
Friday, April 8, 2011
`Glee’ goes Gaga
In the 90-minute episode, members of the New Directions high school glee club perform her hit “Born This Way” – and learn a lesson about self-acceptance. Lady Gaga is an outspoken supporter of gay rights.
“Glee,” which has been on hiatus, returns with new shows April 19. The series airs at 8 p.m. EDT on Tuesdays.
Arkansas Strikes Down Adoption Ban
School Right to Fire Teacher Seeking Sex on Craigslist
ENDA Introduced -- With 92 Fewer Co-Sponsors Than at the End of the 111th Congress
Today, the bill, which would prohibit most employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation of gender identity, was reintroduced by Frank with only a few more than half that number -- 111 co-sponsors.
Republicans gained more than 70 seats in the House following the November 2010 elections, a result President Barack Obama referred to as a "shellacking." An overwhelming number of Republicans in Congress DO NOT SUPPORT ending workplace discrimination for GLBT Americans.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
God Hates Fags: New Video Turns “NoH8″ Into “God H8s”
God Hates Fags, the self-created moniker of the certified hate group also known as the Westboro Baptist Church, released a new video late Wednesday night modeled after fashion photographer and gay activist Adam Bouska’s extremely successful NoH8 (“no hate”) campaign, a response to California’s Prop 8 and now an international statement in support of LGBT rights. The video, which the Westboro Baptist Church leaders were promoting online as a “FAQ that answers 19 most asked questions” about the bible, is shot with members of the church donning white shirts, Bouska’s iconic duct tape across their mouths, and “God H8s” — a take-off of the black and red tattoo-like NoH8 logo — painted on their cheeks.
Other scenes, shot with a green screen and a white background riddled with blood-like graphic images, feature Westboro founder Fred Phelps, Shirley Roper-Phelps, and other members of the Phelps and Westboro “family” quoting, mis-quoting, and mis-interpreting the Bible — while ironically instructing viewers themselves to not interpret the Bible.
The Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church clan — themselves the subject of another video, a 2006 BBC documentary that called them “The Most Hated Family in America,” and a recent sequel — have made the focus of their lives to protest the funerals of many gays, soldiers, and pop-culture icons.
Other scenes, shot with a green screen and a white background riddled with blood-like graphic images, feature Westboro founder Fred Phelps, Shirley Roper-Phelps, and other members of the Phelps and Westboro “family” quoting, mis-quoting, and mis-interpreting the Bible — while ironically instructing viewers themselves to not interpret the Bible.
The Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church clan — themselves the subject of another video, a 2006 BBC documentary that called them “The Most Hated Family in America,” and a recent sequel — have made the focus of their lives to protest the funerals of many gays, soldiers, and pop-culture icons.
Mystery of China's AIDS 'patients'
PATIENTS with AIDS-like symptoms but who test negative for HIV may be suffering from AIDS phobia, Shanghai medical experts said yesterday in response to reports in the Hong Kong media.
Such patients may have indulged in highly risky behavior, causing them extreme mental pressure, they said.
"It is not new in clinical practice and I have seen many such patients in Shanghai," said Dr Lu Hongzhou, vice president of Shanghai Public Health Center and a leading AIDS expert.
"These people suffer serious mental pressure while suspecting they have been infected with the HIV virus and compare their own symptoms with those of AIDS. However, they have received many tests and all negative. It is actually AIDS phobia," Lu said.
According to the Hong Kong-based Oriental Daily News, at least six provincial regions on China's mainland reported patients with so-called negative AIDS and said the mysterious virus could spread through saliva and blood. Cases begun to appear in Hong Kong, the newspaper said, with similar cases in Taiwan and Singapore.
The newspaper said thousands of patients in Beijing, Shanghai, and Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guangdong provinces had developed the "disease."
Patients with negative AIDS report swollen lymph glands, bleeding under the skin and small hairs growing on their tongue, said the paper, which also claimed that the disease was incurable and the virus a mystery to disease experts.
The patients reported symptoms similar to those of HIV carriers such as sweating and numbness on the hands and feet. But they repeatedly tested negative to HIV and medical checks didn't find any physical changes that would indicate disease.
Nanfang Daily interviewed many experts and reported yesterday that they had differing opinions of the phenomenon.
Shi Daiqiang, a member of Zhejiang AIDS expert team, said doctors couldn't rule out an unknown virus.
But most experts, however, believe the problem to be AIDS phobia as while patients report symptoms, clinical tests can't find anything wrong.
Such patients may have indulged in highly risky behavior, causing them extreme mental pressure, they said.
"It is not new in clinical practice and I have seen many such patients in Shanghai," said Dr Lu Hongzhou, vice president of Shanghai Public Health Center and a leading AIDS expert.
"These people suffer serious mental pressure while suspecting they have been infected with the HIV virus and compare their own symptoms with those of AIDS. However, they have received many tests and all negative. It is actually AIDS phobia," Lu said.
According to the Hong Kong-based Oriental Daily News, at least six provincial regions on China's mainland reported patients with so-called negative AIDS and said the mysterious virus could spread through saliva and blood. Cases begun to appear in Hong Kong, the newspaper said, with similar cases in Taiwan and Singapore.
The newspaper said thousands of patients in Beijing, Shanghai, and Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guangdong provinces had developed the "disease."
Patients with negative AIDS report swollen lymph glands, bleeding under the skin and small hairs growing on their tongue, said the paper, which also claimed that the disease was incurable and the virus a mystery to disease experts.
The patients reported symptoms similar to those of HIV carriers such as sweating and numbness on the hands and feet. But they repeatedly tested negative to HIV and medical checks didn't find any physical changes that would indicate disease.
Nanfang Daily interviewed many experts and reported yesterday that they had differing opinions of the phenomenon.
Shi Daiqiang, a member of Zhejiang AIDS expert team, said doctors couldn't rule out an unknown virus.
But most experts, however, believe the problem to be AIDS phobia as while patients report symptoms, clinical tests can't find anything wrong.
Blame Gays for Tsunami
But she stands by her statement, now saying repeal caused the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan as well.
"Everything that I said has happened," Jacobs said. "We have seen these disasters happen. We need to pray, we need to repent for turning away from God and saying that we can make any laws that we want, it doesn't matter ... that God's laws don't count."
Denver Archbishop Celebrates Civil Unions Loss
The Colorado Independent reports on the column from the archbishop, who said the civil unions bill was not about securing basic rights for “homosexual persons” because those rights are already guaranteed under law.
“The civil unions debate is finally about securing legitimacy for social arrangements and personal behaviors that most societies and religious traditions have found problematic from long experience — and that a great many people see as morally troubling, not because they are ‘haters’ or ‘frightened’ or ‘bigots’ or ‘uneducated’ — that kind of language is the real bigotry in this debate — but because they’ve carefully thought through the implications for society at large,” wrote Chaput.
The archbishop said the recent civil unions debate demonstrated that “the mass media, the courts and aggressive special interests” would continue to ignore “the will of the people.” A majority of Coloradans voted for a constitutional amendment against marriage equality in 2006 and also voted down a ballot initiative that would have allowed domestic partnerships, which are equivalent to civil unions.
The Colorado senate approved the civil unions bill last month in a bipartisan vote, but six Republicans in the house judidiciary committee later voted against advancing the bill in their chamber.
"Marriage-Lite" Unpopular in R.I.
A proposal to establish "reciprocal beneficiaries" for same-sex couples failed to gain traction Tuesday in a Rhode Island House committee hearing.
The AP reports that the measure to extend insurance, health care decisions, and property ownership, as well as other benefits, attracted no supporters at the hearing.
R.I. Senate and House committees have held hearings on a bill that would extend full marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples, though a vote has yet to be scheduled.
The AP reports that the measure to extend insurance, health care decisions, and property ownership, as well as other benefits, attracted no supporters at the hearing.
R.I. Senate and House committees have held hearings on a bill that would extend full marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples, though a vote has yet to be scheduled.
Archbishop Gets Pies in Face
Activists in Belgium Tuesday tossed custard pies at the nation's Roman Catholic archbishop, André-Joseph Leonard, in protest of his antigay and anti-abortion views.
The Roman Catholic archbishop of Belgium got four custard pies in the face at a public appearance Tuesday as payback for his — and the church’s — and anti-abortion stances.
A prankster known as “the Glooper” posted footage on YouTube showing the creamy attack on Archbishop André-Joseph Leonard, who was speaking at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, near Brussels, Agence France-Presse reports.
Leonard last year suggested that AIDS was “a sort of intrinsic justice” visited on gay people by God, and he also has compared being gay to an eating disorder, saying, “Homosexuality is not the same as normal sex in the same way that anorexia is not a normal appetite.”
One of the people who pushed a pie into his face Tuesday told Belgian reporters, “For all those homosexuals who daren’t tell their parents they are gay, for all those young girls who want to have an abortion, he absolutely deserved it.”
This is the second time Leonard has been targeted in this way. The Glooper has also pulled off these attacks on French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. There’s another precedent for pie-throwing as a gay rights protest: Back in 1977 in Des Moines, a gay activist tossed a banana cream pie at antigay entertainer Anita Bryant.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Highly Contagious AIDS-Like Disease Spreading in China
In a small hotel across from the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a reporter from New Express Daily, dressed in an isolation suit, interviewed a dozen “unusual” patients from different areas of China. Their symptoms are painful and debilitating, and AIDS-like, but repeated tests for HIV have come up negative.
Lin Jun, one of the patients interviewed in the March 24 New Express Daily report, said he used to be chubby, but now he is skin and bones, and his joints have become all deformed.
Lin is referred to in the group as “big brother” for his kindness and giving fellow patients hope when they feel hopeless, with some having considered suicide.
In 2008 Lin’s mother received a blood transfusion at a hospital. Afterwards, she experienced frequent night sweats, numb limbs, aches all over, creaking joints, rashes on her hands, and weight loss.
In May of that year, Lin accidentally became infected through contact with his mother’s blood. Fourteen days later, he fell ill with swollen lymph nodes on his neck, sore knees that made clicking sounds, and pain all over his body. He also started vomiting after every meal, and the left side of his face swelled up. In half a year, his weight dropped from 82 kilograms (181 lbs) to 52 kilograms (115 lbs).
Three months later, his wife and child developed the same symptoms.
Lin Jun, one of the patients interviewed in the March 24 New Express Daily report, said he used to be chubby, but now he is skin and bones, and his joints have become all deformed.
Lin is referred to in the group as “big brother” for his kindness and giving fellow patients hope when they feel hopeless, with some having considered suicide.
In 2008 Lin’s mother received a blood transfusion at a hospital. Afterwards, she experienced frequent night sweats, numb limbs, aches all over, creaking joints, rashes on her hands, and weight loss.
In May of that year, Lin accidentally became infected through contact with his mother’s blood. Fourteen days later, he fell ill with swollen lymph nodes on his neck, sore knees that made clicking sounds, and pain all over his body. He also started vomiting after every meal, and the left side of his face swelled up. In half a year, his weight dropped from 82 kilograms (181 lbs) to 52 kilograms (115 lbs).
Three months later, his wife and child developed the same symptoms.
Darren Criss and Glee's Dalton Warblers Cover Keane
A new track from the upcoming Warblers album has hit the web, a cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know".
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