Anti-gay Boy Scouts find some skeletons in their closet

The Los Angeles Times reported that the BSA failed to report allegations of sex abuse of scouts in hundreds of cases between 1970 and 1991. Additionally, there were some cases where the organization helped the accused “cover their tracks.”

This all comes on top of heightened scrutiny in past months when the BSA has come out in strong defense of it’s own policies discriminating against openly gay scouts and leaders. It’s hard not to notice the similarities between the BSA and the Catholic Church when it comes to their discriminatory policies against gay people and their long history of child sex abuse.

Bluejays Shortstop Yunel Escobar Writes Spanish Anti-Gay Slur On His Eye Black

Toronto Bluejays shortstop Yunel Escobar took to the field on Saturday with “tu ere maricon” (“you are a faggot”) scrawled on the eye block under his eyes.

Blue Jays management issued a statement about the Escobar situation:

The Toronto Blue Jays do not support discrimination of any kind nor condone the message displayed by Yunel Escobar during Saturday’s game. The club takes this situation seriously and is investigating the matter.

Alex Anthopoulos, Sr. VP Baseball Operations and General Manager will be available to the media tomorrow afternoon at Yankee Stadium and we expect him to be joined by Yunel Escobar, Manager John Farrell and Coach Luis Rivera. Details and location for the media availability will be announced tomorrow.

SECRET VIDEO: Romney Tells Millionaire Donors What He REALLY Thinks of Obama Voters

During a private fundraiser earlier this year, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told a small group of wealthy contributors what he truly thinks of all the voters who support President Barack Obama. 





(Note: Obama did not promise his policies would keep unemployment under 8 percent, and 50 percent of college graduates are not unemployed.)



When one donor said he was disappointed that Romney wasn't attacking Obama with sufficient intellectual firepower, Romney groused that the campaign trail was no place for high-minded and detail-oriented arguments:



Romney, who spoke confidently throughout the event and seemed quite at ease with the well-heeled group, insisted that his election in and of itself would lead to economic growth and that the markets would react favorably if his chances seemed good in the fall:

Alaska Air endorses marriage equality in Washington.

 "Marriage equality is the right and fair thing to do in and for our state. From a business perspective, we risk losing qualified employees and applicants to other states which have adopted marriage equality statutes," said company president Brad Tilden
.

The Battle Is On In Maryland

Governor Martin O’Malley headlined an out-of-state fundraiser for Maryland’s marriage equality referendum Thursday, where he asked supporters in New York City to help pass the measure and retain the law he signed this year.

Saying the effort in his state stands at a “critical juncture,” the governor urged attendees, including many New Yorkers with close connections to Maryland, to spread the word about the November ballot measure, Question 6.  The initiative is one of four related to marriage around the country, with votes also pending in Maine, Minnesota and Washington.

Death Valley Is World's Hottest Place

JESSE JACKSON HOPES MARYLAND VOTERS APPROVE MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Jesse Jackson told Michelangelo Signorile in an interview last week that he'd like to see Maryland voters approve marriage equality there.

Comparing the vote to 60s-era votes on racial civil rights, Jackson told the Sirius XM radio host, "I remember in 1964, the dealbreaker then was, 'Should we have the right of public accommodation [for blacks]?' They tried to make blacks having public accommodations a single issue. At that time race was the dealbreaker. But we’ve overcome that. I would hope that people would respect people’s basic fundamental rights. If you don’t believe in it, don’t engage in it. But don’t deny other people their basic civil rights."

With regard to marriage equality as a concept, rather than as a vote in Maryland, Jackson said that our culture has expanded its understanding of love, and that our laws need to follow suit.

The culture has had to expand… For so long we thought it was a sin for blacks to have freedom. We thought it was a sin for black and white men and women to interrelate. We’ve grown in our appreciation of the fact that we live in our faith, and our faith may live under the law. All citizens deserve constitutional protections. You know, you have a right not to agree with interracial marriage but no one should be denied rights under the law.

An August poll of Maryland voters shows support for equality ahead by about 14 points: 54 for the law with 40 against, according to Hart Research Associates. A survey from March had 51 in favor and 43 against.

Justice Department asks Supreme Court to hear two additional DOMA cases

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday filed legal briefs with the Supreme Court asking justices to take up two additional cases challenging the Defense of Marriage Act upon their return from summer recess.

The Obama administration asked the high court to hear Windsor v. United States, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, and Pedersen v. Office of Personnel Management, which was filed by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. Both cases are currently pending before the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

What A Beautiful Day

Australian singer-songwriter Brett Every released a new music video that humanizes marriage equality.

We Were Wrong..

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has admitted he didn't do enough to prevent sharp divisions within the Anglican church over homosexuality.

Williams, who is stepping down in December, spent much of his decade as archbishop trying to hold the diverse Anglican Communion together after the ordination of the first openly homosexual Anglican bishop, American Gene Robinson, split traditionalists, such as African churches, and liberals.

"I don't think I've got it right over the last 10 years. It might have helped a lot if I'd gone sooner to the United States when things began to get difficult about the ordination of gay bishops, and engaged more directly," he told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper in an interview published Saturday. "I know that I've, at various points, disappointed both conservatives and liberals."

The archbishop reiterated the church's opposition to gay marriage but said it had been "wrong" in its past treatment of homosexuals.

"We've not exactly been on the forefront of pressing for civic equality for homosexual people, and we were wrong about that," he told the newspaper.

‘We Don’t Condone Wife-Beating These Days’

Pat Robertson on air counseled a husband whose wife “insults” him, by stating, “you could become a Muslim and you could beat her,” and saying the man’s “got to stand up to her and he can’t let her get away with this stuff.” 

Brendon Ayanbadejos supports Marriage Equality, Maryland Lawmaker Reacts, Chris Kluwe Responds

Baltimore Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo, an outspoken supporter of marriage equality, is being targeted by Maryland House of Delegates member Emmett C. Burns Jr., who has asked Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to stop him from talking about it.

In the letter from Burns:

"I find it inconceivable that one of your players, Mr. Brendon Ayanbadejo would publicly endorse Same-Sex marriage, specifically as a Raven Football player. Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other.

"Many of your fans are opposed to such a view and feel it has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment and excitement.," Burns wrote. "I believe Mr. Ayanbadejo should concentrate on football and steer clear of dividing the fan base.

"I am requesting that you take the necessary action, as a National Football League Owner, to inhibit such expressions from your employees and that he be ordered to cease and desist such injurious actions. I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing."

Maryland voters face a ballot measure this November that will decide whether the state's marriage equality law, which was passed by the legislature, will take effect.

[Then...]

Then, Ayanbadejo says he'd "have to thank him more than anything for bringing national attention to the issue," USA Today reports.

Ayanbadejo expressed surprise that Burns was trying to remove someone's free speech rights: "For somebody to try to take that away from me I was pretty surprised, from a politician especially. People get fired for saying the things that the delegate said. People lose their jobs for discrimination...I think that whoever voted for him has their right to vote for who they believe represents their values. And if he represents their values, he's the best person for the job. If Obama represents the best values for the country, he deserves the job."

Added Ayanbadejo: "Its an equality issue. I see the big picture."

[Then...]

Minnesota Viking punter Chris Kluwe, in the form of an extremely colorful letter, is coming out against Maryland lawmaker Emmett C. Burns, who this week urged Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to silence Ayanbadejo from speaking his mind on gay rights.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has spoken out in favor of a Maryland ballot initiative that would legalize gay marriage. Yahoo has published a letterthat Maryland state delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. wrote last week to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, urging him to "inhibit such expressions from your employee." This is Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe's response to Burns. 

Dear Emmett C. Burns Jr.,

I find it inconceivable that you are an elected official of Maryland's state government. Your vitriolic hatred and bigotry make me ashamed and disgusted to think that you are in any way responsible for shaping policy at any level. The views you espouse neglect to consider several fundamental key points, which I will outline in great detail (you may want to hire an intern to help you with the longer words):

1. As I suspect you have not read the Constitution, I would like to remind you that the very first, the VERY FIRST Amendment in this founding document deals with the freedom of speech, particularly the abridgment of said freedom. By using your position as an elected official (when referring to your constituents so as to implicitly threaten the Ravens organization) to state that the Ravens should "inhibit such expressions from your employees," more specifically Brendon Ayanbadejo, not only are you clearly violating the First Amendment, you also come across as a narcissistic fromunda stain. What on earth would possess you to be so mind-boggingly stupid? It baffles me that a man such as yourself, a man who relies on that same First Amendment to pursue your own religious studies without fear of persecution from the state, could somehow justify stifling another person's right to speech. To call that hypocritical would be to do a disservice to the word. Mindfucking obscenely hypocritical starts to approach it a little bit.

2. "Many of your fans are opposed to such a view and feel it has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment, and excitement." Holy fucking shitballs. Did you seriously just say that, as someone who's "deeply involved in government task forces on the legacy of slavery in Maryland"? Have you not heard of Kenny Washington? Jackie Robinson? As recently as 1962 the NFL still had segregation, which was only done away with by brave athletes and coaches daring to speak their mind and do the right thing, and you're going to say that political views have "no place in a sport"? I can't even begin to fathom the cognitive dissonance that must be coursing through your rapidly addled mind right now; the mental gymnastics your brain has to tortuously contort itself through to make such a preposterous statement are surely worthy of an Olympic gold medal (the Russian judge gives you a 10 for "beautiful oppressionism").

3. This is more a personal quibble of mine, but why do you hate freedom? Why do you hate the fact that other people want a chance to live their lives and be happy, even though they may believe in something different than you, or act different than you? How does gay marriage, in any way shape or form, affect your life? If gay marriage becomes legal, are you worried that all of a sudden you'll start thinking about penis? "Oh shit. Gay marriage just passed. Gotta get me some of that hot dong action!" Will all of your friends suddenly turn gay and refuse to come to your Sunday Ticket grill-outs? (Unlikely, since gay people enjoy watching football too.)

I can assure you that gay people getting married will have zero effect on your life. They won't come into your house and steal your children. They won't magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster. They won't even overthrow the government in an orgy of hedonistic debauchery because all of a sudden they have the same legal rights as the other 90 percent of our population—rights like Social Security benefits, child care tax credits, Family and Medical Leave to take care of loved ones, and COBRA healthcare for spouses and children. You know what having these rights will make gays? Full-fledged American citizens just like everyone else, with the freedom to pursue happiness and all that entails. Do the civil-rights struggles of the past 200 years mean absolutely nothing to you?

In closing, I would like to say that I hope this letter, in some small way, causes you to reflect upon the magnitude of the colossal foot in mouth clusterfuck you so brazenly unleashed on a man whose only crime was speaking out for something he believed in. Best of luck in the next election; I'm fairly certain you might need it.

Sincerely,
Chris Kluwe

P.S. I've also been vocal as hell about the issue of gay marriage so you can take your "I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing" and shove it in your close-minded, totally lacking in empathy piehole and choke on it. Asshole.

Supreme Court Sets Date for Critical Session

In a private meeting September 24, the nine justices of the United States Supreme Court will take a first look at several cases regarding marriage equality, including California's Proposition 8, according to SCOTUSblog.

The September 24 meeting will not produce a ruling Hollingsworth v. Perry — the federal challenge to California's voter-approved Proposition 8, which revoked marriage equality in the state — but could result in the Supreme Court scheduling a date to hear the case.

Sister Simone Campbell gets cheered at DN

Expedia announces support for marriage equality

Online travel company Expedia.com on Tuesday announced its support for marriage equality and the efforts to approve Referendum 74 in Washington state, November ballot initiative asking voters to approve or reject the state’s new marriage equality law.

Supporting the ballot measure “is a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to the LGBT community,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, President and CEO of Expedia Inc.

Trans Porn Star Buck Angel’s New Site Hopes To Make Genderqueer Dating Easier

Disclosure is huge for me, and how do you do that in a bar situation? You’re right, it’s very strange. For me, how I always did it was if I knew it was going to turn into a sexual situation, immediately, immediately, I would say, ‘I need to let you know about this situation.’ But the dating site puts it right out there: I’m a man with a vagina!”

– Trans porn star Buck Angel talks to Salon.com about his new dating site, Buck Angel Dating, “a safe environment for those seeking out relationships or just fun with trans men and the people who love them.”

Zach Wahls, Son of a Lesbian Couple, Addresses DNC

GAY REPUBLICANS EXPLAIN THEMSELVES

 Just in case you were wondering...

DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MARRIAGE EQUALITY 38-4

After much campaigning, equality activists in Dublin got their wish yesterday as the Irish city's council voted 38-4 to allow same-sex civil marriage there.

Democrats unveil historic party platform backing ‘freedom to marry’ and ENDA

On the eve of their national convention in Charlotte, N.C., the Democratic Party on Monday unveiled its official platform, one that supports marriage equality for gays and lesbians — an historic first for a national U.S. political party.

The platform also calls for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), supports the Employment Non- Discrimination Act, which would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and protections for LGBT bi-national couples threatened with deportation.

“This election is not simply a choice between two candidates or two political parties, but between two fundamentally different paths for our country and our families,” the platform states.

Democrats Unveil Platform Endorsing Marriage Equality

Democrats released their 2012 platform Monday with language inclusive of marriage equality and an overriding focus on the contrast between the party’s economic vision and the approach of the Republican Party.

ARIZONA GOV. JAN BREWER ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA

Dear Red States:

Dear Red States:

We're ticked off at your Neanderthal attitudes and politics and we've decided we're leaving. "Legitimate rape." Sheesh!

We in New York intend to form our own country and we're taking the other Blue States with us.

In case you aren't aware that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and the rest of the Northeast.

We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation and especially to the people of the new country of The Enlightened States of America (E.S.A).

To sum up briefly:

You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get stem cell research and the best beaches.

We get Andrew Cuomo and Elizabeth Warren. You get Bobby Jindal and Todd Akin.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.

You get Alabama.

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue. You get to make the red states
pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that the E.S.A. will be pro choice and anti war and we're going to want all our citizens back from Afghanistan at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home.

We wish you success in Afghanistan, and possibly Iran as well, but we're not willing to spend our resources in these sorts of pursuits.

With the Blue States in hand we will have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water, more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce, 92% of the nation's fresh fruit, 95% of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90% of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the US low sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans and their projected health care costs, 92% of all US mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

We're taking the good weed too. You can have that crap they grow in Mexico.

Sincerely,
Stan Singer
Citizen of the Enlightened States of America

Wouldn't It Be Nice

RTV6 (WRTV - Indianapolis)

The first dance at an Indianapolis couple's wedding is creating national buzz. Instead of the bride and groom taking to the floor, they called up their gay and lesbian friends, who can't legally marry in Indiana, and they danced to The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice."

Chick-fil-A President Meets With College Leaders on LGBT Issues

Following the PR nightmare of this summer, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy met with leaders of universities and college organizations to discuss the company's future involvement with LGBT issues.

Cathy incited the ire of millions when he blasted same-sex marriage and gay families in interviews; his company was already in LGBT crosshairs for giving millions of dollars to antigay causes. The president and chief operating officer is now trying to repair his image with college leaders, who he met with on Thursday in Atlanta, according to a source who couldn't reveal his name because he wasn't authorized to speak about the meeting. The discussion involved "diversity, hospitality, and the opportunity to find common ground," according to the source.

Chick-fil-A is aggressively trying to expand onto college campuses but has met resistance at huge schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and New York University.