GLBT News Clips: Friday, June 19, 2009

 

Friday (June 19, 2009) News Clips
Headline		Date	Outlet	Links
HRC In the News (11)
	Attorney general to testify on hate crimes	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals Highlighted in Healthcare Equality Index 2009	06/19/2009	PR.com	Text	View Clip
	Gay activists impatient with Obama and Congress	06/19/2009	TMCnet.com	Text	View Clip
	Gillibrand co-sponsors DADT repeal seat	06/19/2009	Politico	Text	View Clip
	HRC tells Obama to 'put your principles into action'	06/19/2009	Southern Voice	Text	View Clip
	Obama grants partner benefits for gay federal employees	06/19/2009	Southern Voice	Text	View Clip
	On same-sex benefits change is welcome but ... LGBT leaders challenge Obama to go further	06/19/2009	People's World Weekly	Text	View Clip
	President Obama has not betrayed the gay community	06/19/2009	Salon.com - Washington, D.C. Bureau	Text	View Clip
	Pride with a pinch of politics: With legislation pending, the 2009 CNY Pride Parade and Festival tak	06/19/2009	Post-Standard	Text	View Clip
	Which Benefits Will Be Granted to the Same-Sex Partners of Federal Employees?	06/19/2009	TheStreet.com	Text	View Clip
	Who Could Vote for Hate? Why, the Fundamentalists and the GOP Right Wing, of Course	06/19/2009	BuzzFlash	Text	View Clip
Activism/Protest (5)
	A Fitting Stonewall 40-The Blog Riots	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Nine Pages of New Stonewall Riots Police Reports Published	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Police reports from the Rebellion	06/19/2009	Dallas Voice	Text	View Clip
	Protest in Boston for Free Gay Basher	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Quick columnists question Million Gay March	06/19/2009	Dallas Voice	Text	View Clip
Courts/Legal (5)
	Arnold Schwarzenegger Appoints Openly Gay Judge	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Family Fined $15K for Antigay Bigotry	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Gay couple win $15,000 compensation from bullying neighbours	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Lawsuit brought against DC decision to recognise gay marriage	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Schwarzenegger Names Gay Judge	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Culture (2)
	Big Mama's a Closet Priest	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Redesign the gay-pride flag?	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
Discrimination (1)
	Virginia Women's Prison Segregated Lesbians, Others	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
Entertainment/TV/Movies (11)
	Anderson Cooper Wonders: 'Does Richard Simmons Ever Change?'	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	BBC First Out the Gate with 'Bruno' Review	06/19/2009	EdgeNewEngland.com	Text	View Clip
	Bruno's gay stereotype is already raising a fuss	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Comment: Where are all the gay indie musicians?	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Gay group asks Bruno producers to add positive message to film	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Not Expecting a Baby	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Real NJ Housewife Danielle Defends Gays; Andy Cohen Backs Her Up	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Ricky Martin comes out as bisexual	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Ricky Martin Open to Gay Relationship	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Bruno' Grabs the Bull by the...	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Sanjaya: I'm a 'Straight Gay Best Friend'	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Events/Fundraising (8)
	DOMA Defense Puts DNC Gay Fundraiser In Peril	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	'GLAD' Attorney Mary Bonauto Drops Out of DNC Fundraiser	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	GLAD's Mary Bonauto on the DNC Fundraiser	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Stampp Corbin Changes Tune, Drops Out of DNC LGBT Fundraiser	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Stonewall Democrats Drop Support of DNC LGBT Fundraiser-- Andrew Sullivan Calls for End to Do...	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Stonewall Dems pull out of fundraiser	06/19/2009	Dallas Voice	Text	View Clip
	The latest on the flailing gay DNC fundraiser as more attendees drop out	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Two More Drop Out of LGBT DNC Fundraiser Over DOMA Brief	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Hate Crimes/Criminal (2)
	Attorney general to testify on hate crimes	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Good Ole "Chaps", Wallowing In The Mire For Jesus	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
Health (1)
	Promises, Promises: Obama's Health Plan Guarantee	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
International (11)
	Bill to equalise age of consent in Gibraltar defeated	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Chair of Pride London calls gay blood ban 'prejudiced and homophobic'	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Chinese gays step quietly toward progress	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Chinese gays step quietly toward progress	06/19/2009	365gay.com	Text	View Clip
	Fears for gay participants of World Outgames	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Gay dads to become parents for the fourth time	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Identity of New Zealand man who 'deliberately infected partners with HIV' revealed	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Indian city plans first gay parade	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Peter Tatchell calls for UK intervention after Gibraltar defeats equal age of consent	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	President of Iran admits gays do exist in his country as 700-strong crowd protests in London	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Sacked gay referee fights to get his job back	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
Marriage (6)
	California gay marriage fight goes to Chinatown	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Group Threatens To Unseat NY Pro-Gay Marriage Senators	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Maine gay marriage foes hire Calif. Prop 8 firm	06/19/2009	365gay.com	Text	View Clip
	Marriage Equality Work Still Underway in New York: Action Needed	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	The D.C. Marriage Recognition Saga	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	The Department of Justice DOMA Brief - Another Look	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Military (2)
	NY Senator Gillibrand Stands with Dan Choi, Calls for DADT Repeal	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Shalikashvili WaPo op-ed - Gays in the Military: Let the Evidence Speak	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
National Politics (11)
	Coming Soon to a Passport Near You	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Gay activists impatient with Obama and Congress	06/19/2009	365gay.com	Text	View Clip
	Gay politicians criticize Obama administration's supporting of DOMA	06/19/2009	365gay.com	Text	View Clip
	Gays furious at Obama, Justice Department	06/19/2009	EdgeNewEngland.com	Text	View Clip
	Justice Dept. Strikes Passport Restrictions for Same-Sex Couples	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	News: Mars, Neil Patrick Harris, Beijing, Lincoln Chafee, Bruno	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	Press Corps Fixates On LGBT Concerns	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Roundup: News From Around the Web	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	The White House is 'seeking ways' to count same-sex couples in 2010 Census	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	White House Looks to Include Same-Sex Unions in Census Count	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	White House Seeks Inclusion of Same-Sex Unions in Census Data	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
Politicians/Leaders (5)
	Frank Does 180, Supports DOMA Brief	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	President Wades Into Gay Issues	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Rep. Barney Frank Defends Obama's Pro-DOMA Brief	06/19/2009	EdgeNewEngland.com	Text	View Clip
	Robertson: USA Heads for 'Garbage Heap of History' Over Gay Rights	06/19/2009	Towleroad	Text	View Clip
	U.S. Conference of Mayors Endorses Marriage Equality	06/19/2009	EdgeNewEngland.com	Text	View Clip
Polling/Research (1)
	New reports shows most of Illinois LGBT youth are harassed	06/19/2009	365gay.com	Text	View Clip
Religion (1)
	Anti-gay church plans protest at Fairfax High	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
State/Local Politics (10)
	Gay Marriage Still In Play In Rhode Island	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	I Almost Feel Sorry for Dim Bulb Larry	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Maine Gay Marriage Foes Hire Calif. Prop 8 Firm	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Maine gay marriage foes hire Prop 8 firm	06/19/2009	Washington Blade	Text	View Clip
	Maine gay marriage opponents hire firm which led Proposition 8 campaign	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
	Maine Opposition Hires California's Prop 8 Propagandists	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	New: "Maine Freedom To Marry" Unified Campaign Launched	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Prop. 8 PR Firm Hired in Maine	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Quinn: N.Y. Marriage "Up in the Air"	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	Seattle: Release LGBT Employees' Names	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
Taxation/Benefits (2)
	Social Conservatives Decry Gay Federal Benefits	06/19/2009	On Top Magazine	Text	View Clip
	Tax advice for gays criticised as 'unnecessary'	06/19/2009	PinkNews.co.uk	Text	View Clip
Transgender issues (3)
	Cher's Respects and Supports Son Chaz	06/19/2009	Advocate, The	Text	View Clip
	The Words The President (& Others) Won't Speak: "Transgender" & "Gender Identity And Expression...	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
	Trans People Are Not Deceptive -- Like This Ad From LA Car Guy Implies We Are	06/19/2009	Pam's House Blend	Text	View Clip
Attorney general to testify on hate crimes | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade The U.S. attorney general will testify on proposed federal hate crimes legislation next week during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Attorney General Eric Holder was the first confirmed witness for the hearing, according to a Thursday statement from the committee. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. June 25 in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. A committee spokesperson said no other witnesses have been confirmed besides the attorney general. The spokesperson would not explicitly say whether Holder would testify in support of the legislation, but noted that the attorney general has spoken in favor of the measure. Holder said Wednesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that he supports hate crimes legislation, according to a transcript of his remarks. When asked whether he believes the measure is a good tool for investigators and prosecutors, Holder replied, "absolutely." The attorney general invoked the shootings at the Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier this month and other recent acts of violence as reasons to pass the legislation. "If there was ever a doubt about the need for this legislation, I think that has been pretty much done away with by the events that we've seen in our nation here in Washington, D.C." and elsewhere, he said. Holder said the hate crimes bill pending in Congress "does away with" what he called "unnecessary jurisdictional requirements" to allow the Justice Department to assist in prosecuting hate crimes. "I think the time is right, the time is now for the passage of this legislation," he said. Hate crimes legislation would allow the Justice Department to assist in the prosecution of hate crimes committed against LGBT people that result in death or serious injury. A hate crimes bill passed the House on April 29, 249-175, and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) introduced a version of hate crimes legislation in the Senate earlier this year. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in the Thursday statement that he's holding the hearing in response to a request from a Republican senator. Leahy said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, requested the hearing Wednesday at a Justice Department oversight hearing. "I was happy to accommodate the ranking member's request to have a hearing on this important legislation," Leahy said. "I believe the testimony the committee will receive in support of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act will strengthen the calls for the Senate to consider the bill at the earliest opportunity." A spokesperson for Sessions didn't immediately respond to the Blade's request to comment. Leahy noted that hate crimes legislation has been "pending for more than a decade" in Congress. "We cannot let more time pass before moving this bill toward final passage," he said. "I strongly support its prompt enactment." Earlier this month, the Human Rights Campaign informed the Blade that Senate leaders intended to pass the hate crimes measure as an amendment rather than as a standalone bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he's committed to a Senate vote on hate crimes legislation before lawmakers leave for August recess. Sexual orientation-inclusive hate crimes bills have languished in Congress since they were first introduced in 1997. The drive to pass legislation picked up steam after Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was murdered in 1998 near Laramie, Wyo. In memory of Shepard, versions of federal hate crimes legislation have been sometimes known as the Matthew Shepard Act. Return to Top
Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals Highlighted in Healthcare Equality Index 2009 | View Clip 06/19/2009 PR.com Boston, MA, June 19, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals (BW/F) proudly announce that they have been named top performers in the Healthcare Equality Index 2009. The HEI is an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. BW/F earned top marks for its treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients and employees. BW/F are two of only ten hospitals to earn a complete score on all survey dimensions among the 166 participating hospitals and clinics. "We at Brigham and Women's and Faulkner Hospitals in Boston are thrilled to have participated in the HEI survey in 2009, and we vigorously embrace the commitment to inclusion and diversity in healthcare that it embodies," said Dr. Michael Gustafson, Brigham and Women's Hospital's senior vice president for Clinical Excellence. "And while we are proud of our perfect HEI score, we are equally gratified that the process of self-assessment has stimulated significant new quality improvement activity to further bolster our care policies and practices for both LGBT patients and our LGBT staff." The HEI focuses on key policies and practices that ensure culturally competent healthcare for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients and families. These policies address patient non-discrimination, visitation rights, decision-making practices, and employee benefits and non-discrimination. BW/F's efforts in ensuring healthcare equality for the LGBT community earned it the distinction of being among the 10 participants to answer "yes" to each of the survey's main criterion which applied to them. For more information on the Healthcare Equality Index 2009, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/hei. Return to Top
Gay activists impatient with Obama and Congress | View Clip 06/19/2009 TMCnet.com NEW YORK (AP) _ Frustrated gay-rights leaders want President Barack Obama to be far more forceful in supporting their political goals, but they also fault the Democratic-led Congress and vow to step up lobbying efforts in hopes of seeing campaign promises fulfilled. "We can wait for the president to try to move members of Congress, or we can redouble our efforts and get about doing that work ourselves," Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said Thursday. Return to Top
Gillibrand co-sponsors DADT repeal seat | View Clip 06/19/2009 Politico As she faces the prospect of a contested primary, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is continuing to shift her policy positions leftward — most notably on gun control and immigration. On Tuesday, she wrote a Daily Kos diary declaring her opposition to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "I am firmly committed to repealing don't ask, don't tell," Gillibrand wrote. "Not only am I working closely with Congressman Murphy and Sen. Kennedy's offices to develop support for repeal legislation, but I will be among the original co-sponsors of the bill when it's introduced." That's a major shift from her position as a representative, when she received the lowest ratings among New York Democrats on gay-rights issues, according to the Human Rights Campaign score card. This particular issue is critical in New York, which now recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages as valid. Return to Top
HRC tells Obama to 'put your principles into action' | View Clip 06/19/2009 Southern Voice The Human Rights Campaign is taking President Obama to task following the release of a controversial Justice Department brief that defends the Defense of Marriage Act. In letter sent to Obama on Monday, HRC President Joe Solmonese contests certain arguments made in the brief and urges the president to move to repeal DOMA, which prevents federal recognition of same-sex unions. "As an American, a civil rights advocate, and a human being, I hold this administration to a higher standard than this brief," Solmonese wrote. Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, said in response that Obama "remains strongly committed to signing a legislative repeal of DOMA into law and looks forward to seeing Congress take action." "Work that will help LGBT Americans achieve equal rights under the law has already begun and we look forward to additional progress," Inouye said. Solmonese's letter was written in response to theJustice Department filing in Smelt v. the United States of America, a lawsuit that was filed against DOMA in a federal district court last year. Solmonese begins his letter by noting HRC's collaboration with the administration and the access that Obama has granted LGBT groups to the White House. "I realized that although I and other LGBT leaders have introduced ourselves to you as policy makers, we clearly have not been heard, and seen, as what we also are: human beings whose lives, loves, and families are equal to yours," Solmonese writes. "I know this because this brief would not have seen the light of day if someone if your administration who truly recognized our humanity and equality had weighed in with you." Solmonese goes on to invoke the lives of LGBT activists and California residents Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. He notes after being together for 55 years, Martin and Lyon were finally able to marry when same-sex marriage was briefly legal in California last year. Martin died after the couple had been married for two months. "As you read the rest of what I have to say, please judge the brief's arguments with this standard: Would this argument hold water if you acknowledge that Del and Phyllis have contributed as much to their community as their straight neighbors, and that their family is as worthy of respect as your own?" Solmonese writes. Solmonese then argues against different points made in the Justice Department brief defending DOMA. He takes particular issue with the Justice Department's presentation of DOMA as "neutral" law. "When a woman must choose between her job and caring for her spouse because they are not covered by the [Family Medical Leave Act], DOMA is not 'neutral.' DOMA is not a 'neutral' policy to the thousands of bi-national same-sex couples who have to choose between family and country because they are considered strangers under our immigration laws. It is not a 'neutral' policy toward the minor child of a same-sex couple, who is denied thousands of dollars of surviving mother's or father's benefits because his parents are not 'spouses' under Social Security law," he writes. "Exclusion is not neutrality." Solmonese concludes the four-page letter by asking Obama to introduce legislation in Congress that would repeal DOMA. "I have seen your administration aspire and achieve," Solmonese writes. "Protecting women from employment discrimination. Insuring millions of children. Enabling stem cell research to go forward. These are powerful achievements. And they serve as evidence to me that this brief should not be good enough for you. The question is, Mr. President — do you believe that it's good enough for us? "If we are equals, if you recognize that our families live the same, love the same, and contribute as much as yours, then the answer must be no. "We call on you to put your principles into action and send legislation repealing DOMA to Congress." Return to Top
Obama grants partner benefits for gay federal employees | View Clip 06/19/2009 Southern Voice With gay leaders, government officials, and Vice President Joe Biden standing beside him in the White House Oval Office, President Obama Wednesday signed a presidential memorandum granting a limited number of federal employee benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers. Noting that his action provided as many employee related benefits to LGBT federal workers as possible under the constraints of existing laws, the president said the memorandum "marks a historic step towards the changes we seek" for LGBT federal workers through legislation pending in Congress. "Many of our government's hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy for one simple reason – the people that they love are of the same sex," Obama said. "In consultation with Secretary of State Clinton, as well as [U.S. Office of Personnel Management] Director John Berry, my administration has completed a long and thorough review to identify a number of areas where we can extend federal benefits to the same-sex partners of Foreign Service and executive branch government employees," the president said. "I'm requesting that Secretary Clinton and Director Berry do so where possible under existing law – and that the heads of all executive departments and agencies conduct reviews to determine where they may do the same," he said. The president gave the pen he used to sign the memorandum to veteran D.C. gay rights leader Frank Kameny, who stood at his side during the ceremony. Standing on Obama's opposite side was Vice President Biden. Others standing nearby were gay U.S. Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.); Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), the lead Senate sponsor of a bill that would provide full federal employee benefits to partners of gay federal workers; and Berry, considered the administration's highest ranking gay appointee. Others standing behind the president during the ceremony were Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign; Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force; Leonard Hirsch, president of Federal GLOBE, an LGBT federal employees association; Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Equality Council, which advocates for LGBT families; Lorilyn 'Candy' Holmes, a lesbian career federal employee; and Fred Hochberg, president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States and another of the president's high-ranking gay appointees. Prior to the president's Oval Office ceremony, the White House released a statement listing the benefits the administration has identified as those that can be offered to partners of gay or lesbian federal workers under existing law. Among those identified for civil service employees are long-term care insurance and the use of sick leave to care for a domestic partner and non-biological, non-adopted child. According to the White House statement, a separate set of benefits has been identified for same-sex partners of U.S. Foreign Service workers, including use of medical facilities at overseas posts, medical evacuation privileges from such posts, and inclusion of same-sex families in overseas housing allocations. Noticeably absent from the list is health insurance benefits, something that White House officials said the administration is prohibited from providing to same-sex partners of federal workers without a change in both the civil service personnel statute and the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA. "Among the steps we have not yet taken is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act," the president said at the Oval Office ceremony. "I believe it's discriminatory, I think it interferes with states' rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it," he said. DOMA, which President Bill Clinton signed, defines marriage under federal law as the union only between one man and one woman and allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. The law also bars the federal government from providing any federal rights and benefits to couples joined in same-sex marriages or other relationships similar to marriage such as civil unions or domestic partnerships. In addition to calling for the repeal of DOMA, Obama told the Oval Office gathering Wednesday that he strongly supports the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, a bill currently pending in the House and Senate. The measure would provide the same employee benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers that married spouses of federal employees currently receive. Lieberman is the bill's lead sponsor in the Senate and Baldwin is the lead sponsor in the House. Gay rights attorney Evan Wolfson, who heads the same-sex marriage advocacy group Freedom To Marry, said congressional passage of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act would take precedent over DOMA in the area of federal employee benefits. Thus approval of that measure would enable the Obama administration to provide full federal personnel benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees without the repeal of DOMA. "A more recent bill would undo or at least limit the other one," Wolfson said. Hirsch of Federal GLOBE said White House officials kept his group informed of the administration's efforts to prepare the presidential memorandum during the past several months. He said the plan all along was to issue the memorandum during LGBT Pride Month in June. He said the memorandum's signing shortly after the administration issued its controversial defense of DOMA in federal court, in response to a lawsuit challenging DOMA, was coincidental. Hirsch and Solmonese of HRC each called the presidential memorandum a small but important first step in the ongoing effort to provide equal rights and treatment of LGBT people who work for the federal government. According to Hirsch, a presidential memorandum has the same force of law as a presidential executive order, with the memorandum used more often in federal personnel matters. Hirsch and White House officials noted that some news accounts claiming that a presidential memorandum expires at the end of a president's term in office are incorrect. A presidential memorandum remains in effect indefinitely unless another president rescinds it, just as presidents can rescind executive orders issued by their predecessors. Solmonese pointed to a statement by Berry in a phone conference for reporters, in which the gay OPM director said the president's memorandum would give him greater authority to prohibit workplace discrimination against LGBT employees. "Although today's actions are only the beginning in what will be a multi-step process towards achieving real and tangible equality for our community, it is no doubt an important first step," Solmonese said. " We commend President Obama and his administration for taking this action to provide some basic benefits for same-sex partners of federal employees and his endorsement of legislation that would provide domestic partner health benefits." Kameny is the first known gay person to challenge the federal government after he was fired for being gay from his job as a civilian astronomer with the Army the late 1950s, He called Obama's presidential memorandum an important development. "There's been a great deal of adverse criticism of the president in recent weeks because people got the feeling that things they wanted to see weren't happening," Kameny said. "My feeling is he made clear that he's on the right side, he's with us, things are moving as fast as he can get them to move, and I feel very satisfied." Return to Top
On same-sex benefits change is welcome but ... LGBT leaders challenge Obama to go further | View Clip 06/19/2009 People's World Weekly Leading civil rights organizations welcomed President Obama's memorandum expanding some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees June 17, but called on the President to take bolder steps on other hot-button LGBT equality issues. President Obama's memorandum on federal employee benefits ordered the Office of Personnel Management to extend benefits to "qualified same-sex domestic partners" and all executive branch departments and agencies to review existing benefits packages "to determine what authority they have to extend such benefits to same-sex domestic partners." Federal law currently imposes limits on the extension of employee benefits to domestic partners. The goal of the memorandum was to "achieve greater equality for the Federal workforce through extension to same-sex domestic partners of benefits currently available to married people of the opposite sex." In his remarks announcing the extension of benefits, President Obama expressed support for the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, which would remove some of the legal barriers to extending federal benefits more fully to the same-sex partners of federal employees. He further reiterated his goal of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. "We've got more work to do to ensure that government treats all its citizens equally, to fight injustice and intolerance in all its forms, and to bring about that more perfect union," the President said. "I'm committed to these efforts, and I pledge to work tirelessly on behalf of these issues in the months and years to come. In a statement, Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, described the order as "one building block toward full equality" and said it "inches our federal government closer to nondiscrimination." Carey added, however, that her organization expects the President to deliver on key promises to the LGBT community. She cited specifically his promise to end the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy, his support for hate crimes legislation, and his pledge to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. The decision to extend federal benefits came just days after a number of LGBT civil rights groups slammed a Department of Justice legal brief that defended the discriminatory marriage act and appeared to contradict the president's own stated opposition to the law. The DOJ legal brief, according to some civil rights groups, appeared to describe the marriage law as "valid" and as not a violation of basic rights protected under the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause. In one passage, the DOJ brief stated, "Defense of Marriage Act maintains federal policies that have long sought to promote the traditional and uniformly-recognized form of marriage, recognizes the right of each State to expand the traditional definition if it so chooses, but declines to obligate federal taxpayers in other States to subsidize a form of marriage that their own states do not recognize." Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese rejected this argument. "Same-sex couples and their families are not seeking subsidies," he said in a statement. "We pay taxes equally, contribute to our communities equally, support each other equally, pay equally into Social Security, and participate equally in our democracy. Equal protection is not a handout. It is our right as citizens," he said. Solmonese welcomed the presidential memorandum extending federal benefits to same-sex partners, calling it "long-overdue." Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., challenged civil rights activists to "help us get the votes in Congress" for moving the equality agenda forward. "Lobbying is much tougher than rhetoric," he stated. Return to Top
President Obama has not betrayed the gay community | View Clip 06/19/2009 Salon.com - Washington, D.C. Bureau June 19, 2009 | In the first 150 days of the Obama administration, starting, actually, with the invocation at his inauguration, President Obama has had a rocky relationship with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. LGBT folks, flashing back to the disappointment of watching President Clinton sign the Defense of Marriage Act, felt victimized again last Friday when another Democratic president filed a brief defending DOMA -- and when they read descriptions in the gay media of that brief that claimed it compared us to pedophiles and practitioners of incest. The brief, though, is not so clearly the assault some have made it out to be. Nor is the Obama administration's relationship with the LGBT community as irreparably damaged as some insist. Others -- including myself -- see the actions of the past week as a sign for hope about real progress toward LGBT equality. I, like many other gay men, lesbians and bisexual and transgender people, greeted the new administration with cautious optimism. It was more than the hope that greets any new occupant of the White House. In Obama's speech on race, in particular, I saw the possibility that our new president could be a transformational figure on the "gay debate." Share this story on Digg: Digg! More * Buzz up! * Digg * Facebook * StumbleUpon * Reddit As Jan. 20 approached, I took Obama at his word that his choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren for his inauguration was exactly what he promised: real recognition of multiple viewpoints without demonization of those with whom we disagree. I also took him at his word that he, as president, would be a "fierce advocate" for LGBT equality. As the inauguration gave way to governing, I saw that Lt. Dan Choi was being fired, by President Obama, for being openly gay. I criticized Obama's lack of action on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which I followed up by questioning Obama's choice of Rep. John McHugh to serve as secretary of the Army. Obama's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, quickly responded to such criticism, in a briefing, that McHugh, like Obama, believed that the current policy was not working and that both would work to fulfill Obama's campaign pledge to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Then, this past Friday, I awoke to word at AmericaBlog, the Web site of gay activist blogger John Aravosis, that "Obama defends DOMA in federal court" and "invokes incest and marrying children." I was appalled. Aravosis also wrote in another post that the DOJ was "lying" when it said that Justice "generally ... defend[s] the law on the books in court." Then I looked at the brief. I agreed with Aravosis that the brief went too far in some of the language it used in its defense of the statute. But, looking at the law and past cases, I disagreed that the Obama administration had a real choice about whether it would defend DOMA in court and that DOJ's brief "compared us" to incest and pedophilia. And, because some in the community have kept pushing those stories -- despite contrary opinions from Laurence Tribe, Nan Hunter, Robert Raben and others -- I've spent the past week attempting to dispute those claims.. It is clear that the brief defending DOMA, despite whatever legal and political realities might underlie its filing, struck a nerve with the LGBT community. It was an old nerve -- Clinton's DOMA signing -- scraped raw once again. People have felt genuinely, personally injured by the very fact that the brief was filed, and their defenses have led them to fight. But the brief is not reason enough for a rupture between President Obama and the gay community. For those who believe in full equality for LGBT people in our country, it's time to move the discussion beyond the fight over that DOMA brief. Wednesday night, President Obama -- sitting in the Oval Office with Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solomonese and out gay Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank, among others, behind him -- took the first step toward moving the discussion forward. He signed a memorandum ordering agency and department heads to, among other steps, "extend the benefits they have respectively identified to qualified same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees" where possible under current law. Even Michelangelo Signorile, the longtime LGBT activist who once outed then-closeted Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams to point out the first Bush administration's hypocrisy, agreed that these actions have shown that "we have made our point." I think we have made our point. Fair, consistent, vocal criticism leveled against those who do not help advance LGBT equality works. Whether spread on the Internet or across statehouses or at a march, we have shown -- and they have shown -- that our voices send a strong message to this White House. Rep. John McHugh, the Army secretary nominee, himself has issued a statement affirming his desire to change the law that doesn't allow gay people to serve openly in the military. Quantcast Wednesday's events made it clear once again that the Obama administration has heard us. The administration has taken a step forward, and so should we. Demonizing Obama or openly gay leaders like Frank, Baldwin or Solomonese (which is not the same as fairly criticizing them when we disagree with their actions) is not the way to move the ball forward. Despite criticisms of Obama's memorandum issued Wednesday, it was a solid, if small, step forward in which he shared with the nation his desire to see DOMA repealed and, before that even, the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act passed in Congress. As Rep. Baldwin explained Wednesday evening on "The Rachel Maddow Show," Obama's voiced support for the bill sends a strong signal to Congress -- one that she believes will help propel the bill forward. Yes, there is more that the LGBT community -- from Rep. Frank all the way down to that "young, gay person" in San Antonio whom Harvey Milk's constant voice reminds us to keep in our thoughts -- must achieve before we will live in a country where we have full equality. Yes, we must constantly push our leaders -- whether gay or straight -- to take bold actions and be fierce advocates on those issues. And, yes, we do deserve -- and should expect -- nothing less. Our leaders, though, deserve nothing less from us than fair and honest debate and direction as we advance on the way toward that goal. That is the path that will lead us multitudes to the equality we seek. Return to Top
Pride with a pinch of politics: With legislation pending, the 2009 CNY Pride Parade and Festival tak | View Clip 06/19/2009 Post-Standard With three pieces of gay-rights legislation still pending in Albany, the theme of the 2009 CNY Pride Parade and Festival comes as little surprise: "Equality ... Nothing More." The trio of bills designed to legalize same-sex marriage, protect transgender New Yorkers from discrimination and deter bullying in schools remains in limbo as Democrats and Republicans continue to tussle for control of the state Senate. All three bills passed in the Assembly. So expect a pinch of politics amid the technicolor carnival of community, outreach and celebration at this year's Syracuse gay pride events Saturday. Advertisement Among the 38 groups scheduled to set up tables in the festival's community tent on Everson Museum Plaza are the statewide gay-rights lobbying group, Empire State Pride Agenda, and the Human Rights Campaign, a national advocacy organization, according to Michael Weinberg, the event's planning coordinator and a CNY Pride board member. The day begins with a raising of the rainbow flag at City Hall at 11 a.m. Common Council President Bea Gonzalez will read a proclamation declaring Saturday as Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Pride Day in Syracuse. Then the parade, led by grand marshals Adrea Jaehnig and Amit Taneja of the Syracuse University LGBT Resource Center, kicks off at 11:30 a.m., wending along Washington, Salina, Jefferson and Montgomery streets and ending up in the Everson plaza. The Pride committee selected Jaehnig, the center's director, and Taneja, associate director, as co-grand marshals because "both have been part of this community for a very long time," Weinberg said. "Both Amit and Adrea have always been willing to help Pride out when we've needed things, when we had questions." More than 30 organizations signed up to march in the parade, including a group that plans to carry a banner in memory of Latiesha Green, the transgender woman whose 2008 murder will be prosecuted as a hate crime next month in county court. Weinberg also said Syracuse mayoral candidate Stephanie Miner registered to march Saturday the first political candidate to do so in the parade's history, he said. The festival kicks off at noon and will include merchandise and food vendors, a beer and wine tent staffed by volunteer bartenders from Rain Lounge, Trexx and The Mystic bars, live entertainment from hostess Nikki Fenmore and Friends, Square Pegs, Whitney Peyton and others, and an extended family area, complete with bouncy house and a live butterfly release. New this year will be a dog show, the "Pet Pooch Pride" event at 5:30 p.m. And the "Sunset T-Dance" at 6 p.m. "It's important because it's a central gathering event for the LGBT community," Weinberg said. "This is an opportunity once a year for people even within the community to forget their differences, to get together to celebrate their identity, and to remember the oppression that's been overcome and think about the oppression that still needs to be overcome." The details WHAT: The 2009 CNY Pride Parade and Festival. WHEN: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. WHERE: Rainbow flag-raising begins 11 a.m. at Syracuse City Hall, followed by the parade at 11:30 on city streets to the Everson Museum Plaza, where the festival runs noon to 6 p.m. COST: Free. INFORMATION: Call 699-5679. ALSO: City officials will read a proclamation declaring it Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Day in Syracuse. The festival will include live entertainment from Nikki Fenmore and Friends, Whitney Peyton and Square Pegs, as well as merchandise, food and beverage vendors, 38 community groups, a family area, dog show and sunset dance. Return to Top
Which Benefits Will Be Granted to the Same-Sex Partners of Federal Employees? | View Clip 06/19/2009 TheStreet.com In a move to promote equality and compete with corporate America for smart and talented workers, the Obama administration will begin providing benefits and allowances to same-sex domestic partners of federal employees. "Millions of hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic public servants are employed by the federal government as part of the civilian workforce, and many of these devoted Americans have same-sex domestic partners," President Obama said in a statement this week. And giving same-sex domestic partners the benefits currently available to married people of the opposite sex will "help the [State] Department attract and retain personnel in a competitive environment where domestic partner benefits and allowances are increasingly the norm for world-class employers," said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a statement. Thorough reviews have yet to be conducted to identify all the benefits that will be extended to same-sex domestic partners, but here's what's expected to change: * Domestic partners of civil service employees can be added to long-term care insurance programs. * Employees may be able to use their sick leave to take care of domestic partners and non-biological, non-adopted children. * Same-sex partners of Foreign Service members who are officially identified as domestic partners will get diplomatic passports. * Partners will be included when calculating payments for a place to live and other allowances for Foreign Service members. * Partners of Foreign Service members will be able to visit medical facilities at posts abroad and will be included in medical evacuations from posts abroad. * The government will pay for emergency travel by domestic partners to visit seriously ill or injured employees and relatives. * Children of same-sex partners of Foreign Service members will also get benefits. * Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender employees in the workplace may be banned. These benefits come after President Obama came under fire from the Human Rights Campaign, an organization representing millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, for backing the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines "marriage" as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. "We clearly have not been heard, and seen, as what we also are: human beings whose lives, loves, and families are equal to yours," wrote HRC President Joe Solmonese to President Obama in a recent letter. "This first step … is a welcome and long-overdue movement towards bringing the government's policies in line with the overwhelming majority of America's businesses," Solmonese said following the President's decision. Return to Top
Who Could Vote for Hate? Why, the Fundamentalists and the GOP Right Wing, of Course | View Clip 06/19/2009 BuzzFlash Hate crimes are up -- especially against gays and Latinos. "There has been a documented rise in these threats of violence" which have been "stoked by extreme political rhetoric... sensationalism and irresponsibility that we've seen on talk-show radio and other forms of communication, like the Internet," Wade Henderson, head of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, reports. A new and broader hate-crime bill that should help address the issue passed in the House in late April [vote summary here], and it is slated to be taken up by the Senate before August. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) introduced the bill, and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Arlen Specter (D-PA) are cosponsors. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) called hate crimes "a unique brand of evil" that distresses entire communities. Paraphrasing a summary by the Human Rights Campaign, the bill would give the Department of Justice (DOJ) the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence when the perpetrator selected the victim because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It would also let the DOJ aid state and local jurisdictions or take the lead in investigations and prosecutions of bias-motivated, violent crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Finally, the bill would provide for grants to help state and local communities combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers or assist in investigations and prosecutions. That is what is being done on the legislative side to keep America safe from ideologically-driven violence. Attorney General Eric Holder, too, is ready to fight back against crimes driven by hate. Tuesday, speaking before the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Holder was unequivocal in his support for the bill and vowed to use the full power of the DOJ to protect all Americans. Here's part of what he said: Over the last several weeks, we have witnessed brazen acts of violence, committed in places that many would have considered unthinkable – a sacred memorial in the nation's capital, a recruiting station for the nation's armed forces, and a church in the nation's heartland. The violence in Washington, Little Rock, and Wichita reminds us of the potential threat posed by violent extremists and the tragedy that ensues when reasoned discourse is replaced by armed confrontation. ... But neither our respect for the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech, nor our earnest hope for common ground, can justify the violence we saw in Kansas. We will not tolerate murder, or the threat of violence, masquerading as political activism. So let me be clear, the Justice Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect the rights ensured under our constitution. And we will do all that we can to deter violence against reproductive health care providers and to prosecute those who commit such violence to the fullest extent of the law. ... The violence we have seen during the last month may seem daunting to some. But I view these tragedies as a call to action. ... Let us commit ourselves – regardless of party affiliation or political viewpoint – to the difficult work ahead: building an America in which the kind of violence we have seen these last few weeks is but a distant memory. And building an America in which all of our Nation's citizens, in equal measure, enjoy the fruits of our founding documents. [our emphasis] http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090616.html Holder also addressed voting rights: "Our commitment to Equal Protection -- and to full participation in our nation's elections -- will not waiver." (A case now before the Supreme Court of the United States challenges Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.) He said the DOJ's Civil Rights Division "is on its way to regaining its luster." All that is music to progressives' ears, of course. Although Obama's attorney general has disappointed many in how he has continued some cases begun under the Bush Administration, he does stand up for principles, as when he argued for the release of the torture memos in April. And he told a West Point audience, "the strength of our nation has always been our ability to correct course ..." Do not let it be said that the right wingers do not have their principles, too. They're just different. Ashley Horne, analyst for Focus on the Family Action, enunciated the do-nothing principle: "Hate-crimes laws are unnecessary in a civil society like ours based on the rule of law. ... Democrats in Congress who are pushing this legislation forward really just have a solution looking for a problem." Yes, the right stands firmly against "the homosexual agenda," as they put it, and against reproductive freedom. The recent hate-drenched shooters had principles, too. They just lacked certain others. Hate crimes occur at least once every hour in the United States. Can the GOP come to grips with that? Can they cut loose their radical fringe and follow the lead of the "Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act" cosponsors Snowe and Collins? "Equal Protection" -- it's for all Americans. Note: The bill's opponents identify the following as needing to hear from citizens: x Blanche Lincoln D- AR 202-224-4843 x Byron L. Dorgan D- ND 202-224-2551 x Herb Kohl D-WI 202-224-5653 x James Webb D- VA 202-224-4024 x Jon Tester D- MT 202-224-2644 x Kay Hagan D- NC 202-224-6342 x Kent Conrad D- ND 202-224-2043 x Mark Pryor D- AR 202-224-2353 x Mark Warner D- VA 202-224-2023 x Max Baucus D- MT 202-224-2651 x Michael Bennet D- CO 202-224-5852 x Robert C. Byrd D- WV 202-224-3954 x Russ Feingold D-WI 202-224-5323 x Ted Kaufman D-DE 202-224-5042 x Thomas Carper D- DE 202-224-2441 x Tom Udall D- NM 202-224-6621 Return to Top
A Fitting Stonewall 40-The Blog Riots | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Today is 18 June 2009, nearly the end of one of the most amazing weeks in LGBT history, though we probably will not realise that til historians tell us so a few years from now. This was the week that the neglected, maligned, and dismissed Queer community in America derailed the powerful media machine of the Executive Department of the Government of the United States. Our impact upon the agenda of all branches of the Government was so profound that we found leaders of two branches working hard to pass the blame to each other like a hot potato. "Yes, we can" became transmuted into a denial of responsibility for lack of action on our issues "No, I didn't." The President explained to us how he simply had to smear us as part of his Constitutional responsibilities, that he had no choice but to attack our equality by comparing us to incest perpetrators and saying that the Government must save money by denying us rights. Our so called leaders fought back against oppression when we began to seize the initiative from both them and the Government. Later, those "spokesqueers" embraced the Government when they offered us a "scrap of paper" and greatly hedged promises of support in some indistinct future. For nearly a week we have taken the Government of the United States off of its message. Despite being told over and over that President Obama is busy with other, more important things, the White House nonetheless had to devote media resources and hours to trying to placate us with the usual empty and limited impact gestures. What could have been the impact had the Government devoted the same amount of time and effort months ago to supporting our rights, rather than spending the time this week trying to defend the indefensible actions that it took and defending the lack of action that it has shown on our behalf? The Government feels that its offer to pay for U-Haul rental for the partners of relocated Federal employees was a groundbreaking and newsworthy effort towards equality. They hope that the generous coverage of the cost of Ryder trucks will placate us and silence us. I remain unwilling to offer a "Rental Truck Equality Award" symbolic of this magnanimous gesture towards moving day liberation. After telling us for days that there was no legislation n the pipeline, now we are told that "ENDA may be introduced," the Hate Crimes bill "may be voted upon." Obviously, the bills were hiding somewhere, probably in an undisclosed location with Dick Cheney and were being kept secret for protection in case Islamic Radicals tried to fly an inkpot into them. Neither of thse bills will see the light of day if we do what the Government is hoping that we do, which is to retreat back to our long-patterned behaviours of whining ineffectively and complaining amongst ourselves. For a week, we have been a force to be reconed with. The threat of us embarrassing an Administration that prides itself upon communication skills and management of the media has led to them sputtering out platitudes and vague intimations of support on issues. If we retreat now, if we engage in self congratulations and then "Leave it to Barney" or "hand if off to Joe" we will have none but ourselves to blame when we acheive little or nothing. Both of those worthies, while briefly tring to get out in front of us when we rebelled, have predicatably rejoined the chorus of unqualified praise and apologetics for this Adminstration. They, of course, expect us to follow. The Administration, while scrambling for political Xanax to quiet us, made sure to explain that their unprecedented flurry of panicked activity was not in response to our activities and behaviour, all the while scrambling to man the media ramparts. I don't believe them. Neither should you. This week occured with us openly opposing an adminstration that casually indulges homophobia while disregarding us. This week occured with the weak concurrance of our leadership who previously have opposed any such groundswell upon our part. Every tired, frustrated and angry LGBT made this most amazing week possible. Now comes the hard part, to choose to make other weeks like this possible. Are we committed and ready to do so? Return to Top
Nine Pages of New Stonewall Riots Police Reports Published | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad A fascinating new look at nine pages of NYPD records created early on the morning of June 28, 1969: "Reproduced in facsimile with transcriptions, these sometimes hard-to-read but historic documents provide an immediate sense of what the police called an... Return to Top
Police reports from the Rebellion | View Clip 06/19/2009 Dallas Voice In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, OutHistory.org has just posted on its Web site nine pages of New York City Police Department records created early on the morning of the rebellion's start, June 28, 1969. The reports contain "previously unknown" information, such as the name of unnamed "butch lesbian" (Marilyn Fowler) whose [...] Return to Top
Protest in Boston for Free Gay Basher | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The A mass protest is being planned Thursday after Fabio Brandao accused of attacking three gay men and their female friend was found not guilty. Return to Top
Quick columnists question Million Gay March | View Clip 06/19/2009 Dallas Voice Gay Dallas Morning News staffers Brandon Formby and Ian McCann, who write an LGBT column called "Orientations" for DMN's Quick, typically don't invite controversy with their weekly musings. But today was different. Formby and McCann are undoubtedly suffering the full wrath of Million Gay March organizers after they publicly questioned the location and wisdom of the [...] Return to Top
Arnold Schwarzenegger Appoints Openly Gay Judge | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad The appointment of Ronald E. Albers to the San Francisco County Superior Court is the first time that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed an openly gay judge, according to the Bay Area Reporter: "Albers, 60, of San Francisco, has served... Return to Top
Family Fined $15K for Antigay Bigotry | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The A British Columbia supreme court justice ordered a Vancouver family this week to pay $15K for harassing a gay couple living next door to them in a four-unit condo. Return to Top
Gay couple win $15,000 compensation from bullying neighbours | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk A Vancouver family has been forced to pay $15,000 to a gay couple following two years of homophobic abuse. Return to Top
Lawsuit brought against DC decision to recognise gay marriage | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk A group of same-sex marriage opponents has brought a lawsuit against the Washington DC council, claiming that its refusal to hold a referendum on the decision to recognise gay marriages from other states "must be legally challenged". Return to Top
Schwarzenegger Names Gay Judge | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently declined to defend the validity of Proposition 8 in federal court, has appointed an openly gay man to serve as a state judge. Return to Top
Big Mama's a Closet Priest | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Big Mama Capretta's hit single is number 25 on the U.S. Billboard Club Play dance chart. But here comes a big surprise -- by day, Big Mama is actually a Catholic priest from Columbus, Ohio. "It's Big Mama, y'all! And I am no longer afraid to come out of the closet as a gay Catholic priest!" Capretta said in a statement. "I am enjoying my life being who I am and who God intended me to be! Now let's dance, y'all!" Return to Top
Redesign the gay-pride flag? | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Boston Globe | Jun. 19 at 4:45 PM Studio 360, the wide-ranging cultural radio show hosted by Kurt Andersen, likes to conduct playful experiments centered on graphic design. With gay pride celebrations coming up at the end of June, the staff thought a "Gay Flag Makeover" might be fun. "Don't get us wrong, some of our best friends are rainbows," went the message posted on a Studio 360 Flickr page. "But we think it's time for a 21st century gay flag makeover. Should it be pink and sparkly? Subdued and stately?" ... Return to Top
Virginia Women's Prison Segregated Lesbians, Others | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Huffington Post | Jun. 19 at 10:49 AM For more than a year, Virginia's largest women's prison rounded up inmates who had loose-fitting clothes, short hair or otherwise masculine looks, sending them to a unit officers derisively dubbed the "butch wing," prisoners and guards say. ... Return to Top
Anderson Cooper Wonders: 'Does Richard Simmons Ever Change?' | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad The self-described fitness clown/court jester pays a visit to AC360, AFTER THE JUMP... Return to Top
BBC First Out the Gate with 'Bruno' Review | View Clip 06/19/2009 EdgeNewEngland.com The BBC offers a quick run-down of the satire and spectacle surrounding the London premiere of the new Sasha Baron Cohen film "Bruno," and offers a mini-review of the movie. Return to Top
Bruno's gay stereotype is already raising a fuss | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Toronto Star | Jun. 19 at 11:34 AM The movie's not out yet, but there is already controversy brewing over Br�no, Sacha Baron Cohen's latest film. ... Return to Top
Comment: Where are all the gay indie musicians? | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk From Elton John to Will Young, pop music has had a long and often celebrated gay history. Stephen Gateley was sent flowers by the Spice Girls and Freddie Mercury sang 'We are the champions'. So, who are the guitar-wielding alternative acts championing their gay identity? Return to Top
Gay group asks Bruno producers to add positive message to film | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk A group campaigning for positive gay representation have asked the makers of Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen's latest film, to include a pro-gay message to the end of the film. Return to Top
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Not Expecting a Baby | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Earlier reports were incorrect. Says the couple through their publicist: "If Star says it, then it must be true! No, we are not currently expecting a baby. Maybe someday..." Return to Top
Real NJ Housewife Danielle Defends Gays; Andy Cohen Backs Her Up | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Good for both of them. On The Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion, the housewives discuss an episode in which one of the husbands made gay slurs. Danielle (above), who has been attacked by the other housewives through the course... Return to Top
Ricky Martin comes out as bisexual | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Pop star Ricky Martin has revealed he is bisexual. The singer, most famous for his single Livin' La Vida Loca, told Hispanic magazine TV Aqui that his "heart could belong to a woman or a man". Return to Top
Ricky Martin Open to Gay Relationship | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Singer Ricky Martin tentatively approaches the question of his sexual orientation by acknowledging his openness to a gay relationship in the new issue of TV Aqui magazine, reports PerezHilton.com. Return to Top
Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Bruno' Grabs the Bull by the... | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Following Lederhosen in Paris, and a Queen's Guard uniform in London, Sacha Baron Cohen showed up to the Madrid premiere of Bruno in this bull outfit, with its anatomy on full display. Video, AFTER THE JUMP... And here's a bit... Return to Top
Sanjaya: I'm a 'Straight Gay Best Friend' | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Here's an example of the kinds of things that spew forth when a bunch of "celebrities" accept money to sit around in a jungle for days on end. Earlier this week on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here,... Return to Top
DOMA Defense Puts DNC Gay Fundraiser In Peril | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine Gay donors drop support for DNC gay fundraiser over DOMA defense Return to Top
'GLAD' Attorney Mary Bonauto Drops Out of DNC Fundraiser | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad MAry Bonauto, an attorney with Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, the group that is currently challenging DOMA in federal court, won't be attending next week's LGBT DNC Fundraiser, she writes, in Pam's House Blend: "It would be counterproductive at... Return to Top
GLAD's Mary Bonauto on the DNC Fundraiser | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Attorney Mary Bonauto of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders was an invited guest to the DNC fundraising dinner. She asked if she could post her thoughts on the event here at Pam's House Blend. We are more than happy to oblige. I will not be attending the Democratic National Committee dinner next week. I was invited as a guest, and I want people to understand that GLAD has never given money and will never give money to any political candidate or political party. Moreover, GLAD has never tied, and never will tie, our community's fortunes to any political party. We have long realized that responsibility for our freedom and equality is primarily in our own hands - and we have to work for it. That is what GLAD has been doing for 31 years, and I think we have a track record of success in New England to prove it. It would be counterproductive at this point for me to attend the dinner. I see and understand the anger of many in the community. At GLAD, we're angry, too. We're angry because we see and live and feel the discrimination every day. Many states and our national government enforce existing anti-gay laws or simply fail to see discrimination against lgbt people as both personally devastating and a stain on our nation's commitment to equal justice under law. Every day we hear from people who suffer unconscionable treatment, and we do our best to defend and advocate for them on a whole range of issues - marriage, jobs, transgender rights, safe schools, HIV and AIDS, and bias-related violence. Our way, and my way, of dealing with that anger is to focus on the work. And we are working very hard - fighting DOMA Section 3 with our lawsuit, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, in which we represent widowers, retirees, parents and spouses who are hurt in very concrete ways by DOMA. So, as you can imagine, we had a very particular interest in reading how the Obama Department of Justice would tackle the Smelt DOMA challenge in California, even though it does not deal with concrete harms imposed by DOMA. All we knew in advance is that it would be different from the Bush administration's response, and it was. At the same time, some things in this new brief were startling; while others were silly, wrong or offensive or all of the above. But litigation is never a pretty business; and we have been preparing at GLAD to take on and defeat any and all arguments made in support of DOMA. We are not daunted by anything the Obama Justice Department had to say. In my view, it is good that the community has let the administration know that we expect a lot from them and that we want leadership on lgbt equality and not arguments that reflect backward and unenlightened thinking. At the same time, it is unrealistic to think - at least in the context of litigating about the constitutionality of a federal statute that has already been upheld by several courts - that any administration is going to simply be able to roll over and surrender. It just doesn't work that way. There are certain rules in this particular process, and GLAD is prepared to engage the Administration in the courts according to those rules. And we are convinced also that we can win! A bit of information on our guest, courtesy GLAD.Mary Bonauto, Esq. Civil Rights Project Director Mary Bonauto has been the Civil Rights Project Director at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) since 1990. Her practice concentrates on impact litigation for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, as well as people living with HIV or AIDS. She has litigated widely in the state and federal courts and agencies of the six New England states since 1990 on issues of employment discrimination, custody, free speech and civil rights. In 1999, she and two Vermont co-counsel won a ruling that same-sex couples are entitled to all of the benefits and protections of civil marriage in the case of Baker v. State of Vermont. This ruling prompted the Vermont legislature to enact the nation's first "civil union" law for same-sex couples. She was lead counsel in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, which resulted in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declaring that prohibiting civil marriage for same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Mary is a graduate of Hamilton College and Northeastern University School of Law. She serves as a Vice Chair of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee of the IRR Section of the ABA. New York Times Magazine May 2004: Toward a More Perfect Union Mary Bonauto featured in The Advocate, December 2004 The Boston Globe Magazine's People of the Year, December 2004 Return to Top
Stampp Corbin Changes Tune, Drops Out of DNC LGBT Fundraiser | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad I posted this as an update to a post about the furor over the DOMA brief yesterday, but it's significant enough that the former head (during the campaign) of the Obama LGBT Leadership Council Stampp Corbin pulled out of the... Return to Top
Stonewall Democrats Drop Support of DNC LGBT Fundraiser-- Andrew Sullivan Calls for End to Do... | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Stonewall Democrats, the largest grassroots network of LGBT activists in the nation, has publicly dropped its support of the Democratic Party's LGBT fundraiser scheduled for next week. The Stonewall Democrats join a growing list of high-profile individuals who have decided... Return to Top
Stonewall Dems pull out of fundraiser | View Clip 06/19/2009 Dallas Voice According to Ben Smith over at Politico.com, the National Stonewall Democrats are withdrawing their support for the big Democratic National Committee fundraiser next week featuring Vice President Joe Biden. Smith includes a clip for an e-mail from the Stonewall board to Tom Petrillo, who runs the Democratic Party's LGBT fundraising efforts. In it, the Stonewall folks [...] Return to Top
The latest on the flailing gay DNC fundraiser as more attendees drop out | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend I've been out of the loop for the last 24+ hours, so a lot has happened regarding 1) the blowback on the DOMA brief, and 2) the meltdown of the gay DNC fundraiser next week, as the list of those bailing on the gala hosted by Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis featuring VP Joe Biden. Here are a few links for you (and me, since I have to catch up): * Jared Polis, to his credit, turned down an invitation to attend the Obama dog-and-pony signing ceremony. * Journalist Karen Ocamb has a piece worth the click at Huff Post, "Will Gays Divorce the Democrats?" * Sean Bugg also supports a boycott of the fundraiser -- see "Obama's small first step" * Andrew Sullivan is quite blunt: "Cut Off The DNC's Money!."One way to get the Obama administration's attention on civil rights is for gay people to stop funding the Democrats. That's all these people care about anyway when it comes to gays: our money. If the Democrats refuse to support us, refuse to support them...No cheering him at events while he does nothing to follow up on his explicit promises. * Gay tsunami slams Obama (Rex Wockner). Good roundup of commentary that quotes many reactions to the DOMA hate brief. (but none from the Blend, lol.) * Barney says the DOMA brief is A-OK on this Congressional web site under the headline "Congressman Frank Corrects Media Reports on his Response to DOMA Brief." No comment. *** And about that DNC fundraiser... Let's take a look at who is and is not attending using the "10,400 sq. foot spa" e-blast from Andy Tobias:If you can't make the date, take a rain check and help anyway? SUZE ORMAN just signed on that way. ELIZABETH BIRCH signed on that way. Lots of others. If you CAN make the date, you'll be joining the Vice President of the United States . . . . . . along with Virginia Governor / DNC Chair Tim Kaine . . . immediate past DNC Chair Howard Dean . . . Chairman Barney Frank . . . Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis . . . Vermont Senate President Pete Shumlin . . . District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty . . . David Mixner . . . Richard Socarides . . . The Task Force's Rea Carey . . . HRC's Marty Rouse . . . ESPA's Alan Van Capelle . . . GLAD's Mary Bonauto . . . NBJC's Alexander Robinson . . . GMHC's Marjorie Hill . . . The Victory Fund's Chuck Wolfe . . . Towle Road's Andy Towle . . . Iraq Marine vet Brian Fricke (whom you may have seen on 60 Minutes) . . . Billy Bean . . . Joan Garry . . . Keith Boykin . . . Ray Buckley . . . Brian Johnson . . . Corey Johnson . . . Dixon Osburn . . . Paul Smith . . . Bruce Bastian . . . Mitchell Gold . . . Krystal Ball . . . and so many others, like YOU, who have been pushing the ball down the field for so long. (Well, Krystal is fairly new to this, but what a kick to have a pro-marriage CPA triathlete young mom running to unseat a conservative Republican in Virginia.) It would mean a great deal to have you with us: www.democrats.org/LGBTdinner Did I mention that the Mandarin Oriental has a 10,400-square-foot spa? The National Stonewall Dems pulled support from the event; it won't encourage its members to attend. I can report the latest addition to the strikeout list is GLAD's Mary Bonauto; look for her upcoming guest post to the Blend explaining why she will not be attending the DNC dinner. And this one has to hurt -- also bailing is former Co-Chair of the Obama LGBT Leadership Council during the 2008 campaign, Stampp Corbin. The San Diego City Commissioner has written an op-ed that passionately and rationally explains why the DOMA brief crossed a line with the community. He gave me permission to share it with you.The DOMA brief ruined everything by Stampp Corbin When it comes to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) equal rights, it has been a schizophrenic week for the Obama administration. Last Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder addressed LGBT Department of Justice employees at a Pride celebration held in the building. Holder said "...neither the frustrations of the past, nor the challenges of the future should deter us from our goal - our responsibility - to continue our efforts to ensure the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans." Last Thursday, the Attorney General filed a legal brief in a California federal case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that made arguments that compared same sex marriage to incest. Thursday, President Obama announced the extension of some benefits to LGBT federal employees; just not the most coveted ones, like health care and pension benefits. Oh that's right, Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents that and you just wrote a legal brief defending it. When I wake up each morning, I feel a bit schizophrenic myself, "I love Obama, I hate Obama, I am ambivalent about Obama." It's maddening. Someone get me a Prozac. I ask, "Mr. President how can you argue for the legality of DOMA, when you are for its repeal?" You really are talking out of both sides of your mouth and my community knows it.More below the fold. Stampp continues:The Administration's specious argument was extolled in a press release "As it generally does with existing statutes, the Justice Department is defending the law on the books in court. The president has said he wants to see a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents LGBT couples from being granted equal rights and benefits. However, until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system." Oh really, so can I expect the same response when your brief is filed in a Massachusetts federal case on June 29th? I certainly hope not. Mr. President make a different choice. Choose to lead. Both Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton filed legal briefs arguing against existing law. The president says he is a "fierce advocate" for LGBT rights. Really? I don't think comparing a marriage to my partner, to marrying my niece or sister, is being my fierce advocate. I expect the president will try to distance himself from the brief and even the press statement, but it is too late. If how I feel, as one of the president's most ardent supporters, is any indication, Obama is in for a world of trouble over the next year with the LGBT community. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, rightfully condemned Obama for the filing of the government's DOMA brief. I could not agree more with the leadership of HRC. President Obama, your legal brief was clearly a mistake, a big mistake. After Prop 8, my partner and I feel we are playing a tragic game of Wipeout. Traveling through an obstacle course that we must master to get our rights; making it to the end in California, only to be told by voters that heat didn't count. I expected obstacles to be placed in our path by our enemies; I just didn't expect it from the President. I thought he was on our side; I still want to believe that. Unfortunately, I will see everything that the Obama administration does for LGBT Americans through the lens of the DOMA brief. Meaning, I will be waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop, while praying President Obama delivers on his promises. Next week, I am boycotting the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Democratic National Committee event honoring Vice President Biden to drive home my discontent. Many other prominent LGBT donors have also joined in the boycott. Is the announcement of benefits for LGBT federal employees to squash the boycott and the general uproar? Hmm...In politics, money talks. It is unlikely that Obama just put together this announcement in the last week to throw a bone to my community; it has been in the works for many weeks. I would have celebrated loudly had this been announced before the DOMA debacle, but now I will only give polite, muted applause. That pesky DOMA brief has ruined everything. Mr. President, your DOMA mistake awakened a sleeping giant. He is mad as hell and is not going to take it anymore. You better get LGBT affirming legislation moving quickly or the coffers of the LGBT community will be slammed shut on the fingers of your administration and the DNC. You and the DNC may find themselves asking about our donations "if not now, when" as we have been asking about our rights for the last few months. That's simply the way I see it. Return to Top
Two More Drop Out of LGBT DNC Fundraiser Over DOMA Brief | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Two more high profile gay figures have decided not to attend next week's Democratic Party LGBT fundaiser, joining those who opted out earlier this week. Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin has said no, protesting the DOMA brief: "One... Return to Top
Attorney general to testify on hate crimes | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade The U.S. attorney general will testify on proposed federal hate crimes legislation next week during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Attorney General Eric Holder was the first confirmed witness for the hearing, according to a Thursday statement from the committee. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. June 25 in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. A committee spokesperson said no other witnesses have been confirmed besides the attorney general. The spokesperson would not explicitly say whether Holder would testify in support of the legislation, but noted that the attorney general has spoken in favor of the measu ... Return to Top
Good Ole "Chaps", Wallowing In The Mire For Jesus | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend How painful it must be for Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, aka "Chaps", to wade through the filth in the Senate ... Check out this email (emphasis mine) and honest to goodness, I chopped this long screed down dramatically for brevity! Including the repeated demands for support and emails to every senator that follow every "chapter" of his electronic manifesto... Below please find a special message from one of our advertisers, The Pray In Jesus Name Project. From time to time, we receive opportunities we believe you as a valued customer may want to know about. Please note that the following message does not necessarily reflect the editorial positions of Human Events. "PEDOPHILE PROTECTION ACT" WILL SNEAK INTO SENATE AMENDMENT Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), added the "Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act," (which is better known to conservatives as the "Pedophile Protection Act,") to his short-term legislative list Monday, by saying he was "committed" to a Senate vote on hate crimes legislation before the August recess. The pro-homosexual newspaper Washington Blade reported the vote could happen as early as this week, but staffers at Senator Kennedy's office denied that claim, giving us a few more days to act. The pro-homosexual, anti-faith bill, sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and pushed hard by the Obama Administration, was until recently labeled S. 909 "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act." But it faced such strong resistance by conservatives (including threat of filibuster or faith-protecting amendments by pro-faith Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC), so instead Democrats have announced they will soon hide the bill as an amendment to another "must-move" bill, denying committee hearings, and completely side-stepping the Republicans right to debate and amend. 547 SEXUAL DEVIANCES TO BE PROTECTED BY FEDERAL MARSHALS The forthcoming "poison pill" amendment will mirror a House bill H.R. 1913, already passed 249-175 along strict party lines, which makes "sexual orientation," "gender," and "gender identity" into federally-protected classes under the law, and codifies federal protection of up to 547 types of sexually deviant behaviors, including: * Incest - sex with one's offspring (a crime, of course) * Necrophilia - sexual relations with a corpse, also a crime * Pedophilia - sex with an underage child, another crime * Zoophilia - a crime in numerous states * Voyeurism - a criminal offense in most states * Fronteurism - a man rubbing against an unknown woman's buttocks * Coprophilia - sexual arousal from feces * Urophilia - sexual arousal from urine The rest of the rant below the fold. Here goes: Attempts by House Republicans to add amendments stating "pedophilia is not protected as a sexual orientation" were specifically blocked and defeated by House Democrats. Lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) expressed opposition to excluding pedophiles from the bill, and Democrats voted with her to strike any child-protection amendment. She claimed that pedophiles would not be defined within "sexual orientation," but wouldn't put that in writing, and refused to define that phrase "sexual orientation," which according to the American Psychiatric Association includes all 547 sexual deviances listed in their DSM-III manual of clinical psychoses, including pedophilia, so now thanks to most Democrats, child molesters will be protected by federal law. QUOTING THE BIBLE IN CHURCH WILL BE PUNISHED Not only will sexually deviant behaviors gain legal protection, this legislation also lays the legal foundation to investigate, prosecute and persecute pastors, youth pastors, Bible teachers, and anyone else whose speech and thought is based upon and reflects the truths found in the Bible. How will this legislation over-rule the First Amendment? PASTORS NOT PROTECTED BY FIRST AMENDMENT S. 909 broadly defines "intimidation," thus a pastor's sermon could be viewed as "hate speech" if heard by an individual who then acts aggressively against persons based on any "sexual orientation." The pastor could be prosecuted for "conspiracy to commit a hate crime" or for "inciting violence against gays" simply by quoting the Bible in church. And the First Amendment won't automatically protect pastors, since speech accused of "inciting violence" is not protected, and is punishable, under precedent of Supreme Court rulings. In 1993 Wisconsin v. Mitchell, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a "hate speech" law providing enhanced punishments for violent crimes based on racial motives as revealed by speech of the accused, (which would now apply broadly to punish any "anti-gay motives" in the speech of accused pastor "co-conspirators.") But pastor, if a crazy person in your audience commits a crime against a heterosexual, don't worry, you'll get a comparative discount in your prison time. IS PRAYER IN JESUS' NAME A "HATE CRIME?" Any public prayer against the sin of homosexuality could be construed as "inciting violence" by easily offended listeners, especially if those prayers are offered "in Jesus name." When I served our country as a former Navy Chaplain, for example, I was told in writing by Chief of Chaplains Rear-Admiral Louis Iasiello, that "any chaplain's continued insistence on ending public prayers 'in Jesus' name'...could reasonably tend to denigrate those with different forms of faith." His policy prohibiting prayers "in Jesus name" was enforced against me at court-martial, before it was later rescinded by Congress in 2006. But this year I've already been falsely accused of "inciting violence" because I quoted verbatim from Psalm 109 in my public prayers, (for which secular activist Mikey Weinstein literally requested an FBI investigation against me!) Just imagine more anti-Christian aggression by law enforcement officials AFTER this hate-crimes bill becomes law. IS PREACHING AGAINST SIN A HATE CRIME? As a former Navy Chaplain who was punished (in writing, three times) for quoting the Bible in chapel during optionally-attended worship, I know exactly how they'll come after us. The enemies of religious liberty will simply declare certain gospel phrases "hateful" and "offensive" like my commanding officer who punished me for quoting John 3:36 in chapel, and was supported by government lawyers for "protecting" easily offended listeners from the "offensive" gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) agrees with me, saying pastors, rabbis, or imams could be charged with encouraging or inducing a "hate crime" if they preach against homosexuality. "Every preacher of the gospel, unless you cut out parts of it; every imam who mentions anything with regard to sexual immorality - they could be pursued, and in other countries they have been," says Gohmert. (Congressmen Gohmert is my personal advocate, with whom I preached last year at a pro-faith rally in Texas...and we both agree the gospel of freedom from sin really is "love speech" not "hate speech.") Yet here in America, the Reid-Kennedy-Obama trio is pushing to pass and enforce this same type of "anti-free speech" law, despite their acknowledgment that any such enforcement would be unconstitutional in America too. (They why pass the bill in the first place?) FREE SPEECH CRIMINALIZED IN PENNSYLVANIA: Can't happen in America? It already has. In 2004 my friend Michael Marcavage was arrested along with ten other Christians (including two elderly grandmothers), and charged with violating Pennsylvania's "hate crimes" laws, because they carried signs conveying God's love at a Gay Pride rally. One member of "The Philadelphia Eleven," Arlene Elshinnawy, 75 year-old grandmother of three, was holding a sign: "Truth is hate to those who hate the truth," before she was hauled off to jail by police officers. They were literally threatened with 50 years in jail for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a public sidewalk, because it offended gays. That hate crimes law was so outrageous it was later found unconstitutional by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, but now Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama want to pass essentially that same discredited law nationwide. WE CAN STILL DE-RAIL THIS TRAIN But together, we can still stop them. We've identified 16 Democrats below, who are NOT YET committed as co-sponsors of S. 909, so please call them today, asking to OPPOSE AND FILIBUSTER any amendment to any bill that resembles S. 909. Sadly two Republicans (Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, R-ME) have joined 43 Democrats by co-sponsoring this pro-homosexual bill, so call them too, and ask them to switch. x Blanche Lincoln D- AR 202-224-4843 x Byron L. Dorgan D- ND 202-224-2551 x Herb Kohl D-WI 202-224-5653 x James Webb D- VA 202-224-4024 x Jon Tester D- MT 202-224-2644 x Kay Hagan D- NC 202-224-6342 x Kent Conrad D- ND 202-224-2043 x Mark Pryor D- AR 202-224-2353 x Mark Warner D- VA 202-224-2023 x Max Baucus D- MT 202-224-2651 x = undecided Democrat. x Michael Bennet D- CO 202-224-5852 x Robert C. Byrd D- WV 202-224-3954 x Russ Feingold D-WI 202-224-5323 x Ted Kaufman D-DE 202-224-5042 x Thomas Carper D- DE 202-224-2441 x Tom Udall D- NM 202-224-6621 y Olympia Snowe R-ME 202-224-5344 y Susan Collins R-ME 202-224-2523 y = co-sponsoring Republican. But remember, 100 emails = 10 phone calls = 1 fax in political capital, since the Senate staffers must handle each paper and usually write a reply. So please join our automated fax-petition campaign first, and WE WILL ESPECIALLY FAX THE 18 KEY UNDECIDED SENATORS LISTED ABOVE with your personalized petition. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SIGN, AND WE'LL AUTOMATICALLY FAX YOUR PERSONALIZED PETITION TO ALL 99 SENATORS, TO OPPOSE AND FILIBUSTER THE HATE CRIMES S. 909 AMENDMENT (SAVING YOU HOURS OF LABOR!) Thank you for reading our lengthy analysis. If you've read this far, we must agree, so now please forward this email widely to other pro-faith friends, and to pastors in all 50 states. God Bless you, in Jesus' name, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt For media interviews, or to invite "Chaps" to speak to your crowd, click here. P.S. Time is urgent! The full Senate could vote any day to pass S. 909 as an amendment to any other "must-move" bill. Select and sign today, & we will forward your name immediately. Please don't wait another minute. Life, Liberty, and Jesus are too important to be banned by Harry Reid, Ted Kennedy, and Barack Obama. Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who was honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform, (but was later vindicated by Congress), are his own personal views, not the views of any political party, government, or organization. Return to Top
Promises, Promises: Obama's Health Plan Guarantee | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine Promises, Promises: Obama promises no one will take away coverage; promise may be hard to keep Return to Top
Bill to equalise age of consent in Gibraltar defeated | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk A Private Members Bill aimed to equalise the age of consent for gay men in Gibraltar has been defeated in parliament. However, a gay group has argued that the wording of the bill meant it could not have been passed. Return to Top
Chair of Pride London calls gay blood ban 'prejudiced and homophobic' | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk The chair of Pride London, Paul Birrell, has spoken out against the ban on allowing gay men to donate blood. Return to Top
Chinese gays step quietly toward progress | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade BEIJING (AP) The first time director and movie buff Cui Zi'en tried to hold a gay and lesbian film festival in 2001, it was shut down by police before it even opened. When he tried to organize a gay cultural festival in 2005, five dozen police officers swarmed the venue, closing it. But this Wednesday, Cui and other organizers managed to pull off the opening to the five-day Beijing Queer Film Festival with no police and no disruptions - drawing only an appreciative and low-key crowd to the Songzhuang Art District on the city's outskirts. For China's gay community, this week's film festival and an art exhibition on sexual diversity in Beijing ... Return to Top
Chinese gays step quietly toward progress | View Clip 06/19/2009 365gay.com (Beijing)  The first time director and movie buff Cui Zi'en tried to hold a gay and lesbian film festival in 2001, it was shut down by police before it even opened. When he tried to organize a gay cultural festival in 2005, five dozen police officers swarmed the venue, closing ... Return to Top
Fears for gay participants of World Outgames | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk LGBT people may face imprisonment or even capital punishment after taking part in the annual World Outgames, a policitian has warned. Return to Top
Gay dads to become parents for the fourth time | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow, the first gay couple in the UK to become surrogate fathers, have revealed they are to become parents again. Return to Top
Identity of New Zealand man who 'deliberately infected partners with HIV' revealed | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk The identity of a New Zealand man accused of deliberately infecting his sexual partners with HIV has been revealed by a court. Return to Top
Indian city plans first gay parade | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk The city of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, is due to hold its first Rainbow Parade on June 28th. The event aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing the state's LGBT population. Return to Top
Peter Tatchell calls for UK intervention after Gibraltar defeats equal age of consent | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has called for Foreign Secretary David Miliband to intervene after Gibraltar today voted to defeat a bill equalising the age of consent for gay men. Return to Top
President of Iran admits gays do exist in his country as 700-strong crowd protests in London | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused his opponents to pandering to the gay vote, despite previously saying gays do not exist in his country. Return to Top
Sacked gay referee fights to get his job back | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk A 33-year-old Turkish football referee who was sacked for being gay has said he will take his fight to the European Court of Human Rights. Halil Ibrahim Dincdag, who is from Trazbon, in the Black Sea coast area of the country, was sacked as a referee after announcing last month on television that he was gay. Return to Top
California gay marriage fight goes to Chinatown | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Reuters | Jun. 19 at 1:51 PM The path to gay marriage in California may start in Chinatown. ... Return to Top
Group Threatens To Unseat NY Pro-Gay Marriage Senators | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine NOM threatens to unseat GOP senators who vote for a gay marriage bill in New York Return to Top
Maine gay marriage foes hire Calif. Prop 8 firm | View Clip 06/19/2009 365gay.com (Portland, Maine) Gay marriage foes in Maine have hired the public relations firm that led the successful Proposition 8 proposal to overturn same-sex marriage in California, while supporters have turned to a legislative aide who led a successful campaign to retain Maine's gay rights law. Schubert Flint Public Affairs will provide ... Return to Top
Marriage Equality Work Still Underway in New York: Action Needed | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Unless New York State Senators come to some sort of leadership deal over the weekend the stalemate over power looks likely to slip into a third week. They're also likely to extend the Senate session once things are resolved to... Return to Top
The D.C. Marriage Recognition Saga | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend If it didn't involve our basic civil rights, I'd be greatly enjoying the unfolding drama in D.C. Not the drama of the DNC fundraiser, but the Marriage Recognition Passion Play, starring Bigot Bishop Harry Jackson and Betrayer Mayor Marion Barry. It is quite an extraordinary performance. A program synopsis is after the fold. To entice you there, here's a bit of dialogue from the last act before intermission:Referendum backers seek more time to collect signatures.Is Larry Stickney mismanaging the haters' campaign in D.C. too? OK, here's what's happened so far (major h/t to Monumentality). The entire DC council, except Barry, voted to recognize same-sex marriages solumnized elsewhere. Jackson, a Maryland cleric, didn't like that, and crossed the border to file a referendum on the Council's decision. But the DC Board of Elections invalidated the referendum on the grounds that it conflicted with the city's Human Rights act. And that brings us to today's news that Jackson is challenging that latest decision in court and trying to have the Board of Elections decision invalidated.Referendum backers seek more time to collect signatures Opponents of same-sex marriage in the District asked a judge Thursday to delay implementation of a law recognizing such unions performed in other jurisdictions.... A "stay" on the legislation is necessary for referendum supporters to collect more than 20,000 valid signatures...before the law takes effect. ... [Brian Flowers, general counsel for the D.C. Council] said referendum proponents had plenty of time to file a proposal for a referendum, but they are running out of time because they waited until May 27 to file their paperwork. "They waited over two weeks to file the referendum, and now theyre saying they dont have enough time," he said. The referendum proponents argued that the D.C. Council introduced the provision recognizing same-sex marriage in a stealth manner by amending another bill, but Mr. Flowers said opponents of same-sex marriage were "well aware" of the timing of legislation, pointing to rallies organized by Mr. Jackson in April objecting to such a bill. Monumentality lets us in on this entertaining footnote about carpetbagger JacksonComplicating the matter is whether Mr. Jackson has standing as a District resident to propose the referendum. As the Washington Blade has reported, Jackson and his wife own two houses (blessed are the poor?) in Montgomery County, Maryland, and neighbors claim they reside in one of those houses, a $1.1-million mansion. The Jacksons, however, claim neither home as their principal residence according to tax records. For the purpose of voting, Mr. Jackson claims residence in unit 630 in the tony Whitman condominium building in the Mount Vernon Triangle area of DC. Tax records show that a Mr. Joseph Honaker owns this one-bedroom condo and claims it as his primary residence. If these records all hold true, it would appear that Mr. Jackson shares a one-bedroom condo with another man.Others joining Jackson in the case (some, oddly, call themselves Civil RightsTM activists) are DC residents and doubtless can fulfill the standing requirement. But it's amusing, especially in light of spewage from Jackson "We are not going to sit by and allow an unelected board of bureaucrats...". So when was he, a Marylander, elected the activist judgementarian for DC? lol Ooh, they're dimming the lights in the lobby. Intermission is over - time to get back to my seat. I'll let you know if the final act was satisfying and believable, or required total and deliberate suspension of disbelief. ;) Return to Top
The Department of Justice DOMA Brief - Another Look | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Chris Geidner at Law Dork offers an alternative look at the debate over the Department of Justice defense of DOMA brief. Return to Top
NY Senator Gillibrand Stands with Dan Choi, Calls for DADT Repeal | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad In a Huffington Post piece, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand discusses her meeting with Dan Choi and says she'll be a co-sponsor of a bill to repeal the military gay ban: "I am firmly committed to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. To... Return to Top
Shalikashvili WaPo op-ed - Gays in the Military: Let the Evidence Speak | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, John M. Shalikashvili, is clearly tired of listening to the excuses and messaging coming out of the White House regarding Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He calls for an executive order to stop the discharges, and dismisses charges that the military isn't ready to lift the ban. (WaPo):According to the generals and admirals, allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly would make parents less willing to allow their sons and daughters to enlist. The argument assumes that anti-gay sentiment is so fierce and widespread that moving to a policy of equal treatment would drive away thousands and could ultimately "break the All-Volunteer Force." Not only is there no evidence to support these conclusions, but research shows conclusively that openly gay service members would not undermine military readiness. ...But it is not just foreign militaries that show service by openly gay individuals works. The U.S. military itself has had successful experiences. Enforcement of the ban was suspended without problems during the Persian Gulf War, and there were no reports of angry departures. ...Given the inevitability of change, whether via executive order or legislative repeal, it will be important for senior leaders to send clear signals of support to the rank and file. Every general officer knows that mixed signals undermine leadership. Indeed, studies show that when organizations implement controversial change, signals from the top must be clear. For such a large group of retired senior officers to oppose the inevitable could cause the very disruptions they predict. The officers who oppose lifting the ban argued in The Post that there is "no compelling national security reason" to let openly gay troops serve. They also say, however, that "losses of even a few thousand sergeants, petty officers and experienced mid-grade officers" -- those they believe might bolt -- are unaffordable. Under current policy, we have lost more than 13,000 of those people, such as the Arabic language speaker featured in the new film "Ask Not." In addition, researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles have found that nearly 4,000 people leave voluntarily each year because of the ban, and that more than 40,000 recruits might join if the ban is ended. Return to Top
Coming Soon to a Passport Near You | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad The future of passports: flexible OLED displays. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... Return to Top
Gay activists impatient with Obama and Congress | View Clip 06/19/2009 365gay.com (New York) Frustrated gay-rights leaders want President Barack Obama to be far more forceful in supporting their political goals, but they also fault the Democratic-led Congress and vow to step up lobbying efforts in hopes of seeing campaign promises fulfilled. "We can wait for the president to try to move members ... Return to Top
Gay politicians criticize Obama administration's supporting of DOMA | View Clip 06/19/2009 365gay.com (Washington) Several gay politicians have released statements this week criticizing the Obama administration's support of the Defense of Marriage Act. Congressman Barney Frank was among those who disagreed with the Justice Department's actions, calling it a "big mistake" and asking the president to explain his stance on the issue. "I think ... Return to Top
Gays furious at Obama, Justice Department | View Clip 06/19/2009 EdgeNewEngland.com The honeymoon is over. The gloves are off. The anger is fierce. In a somewhat obscure federal same-sex marriage case coming out of California, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a brief June 11 that many LGBT activists are decrying as a betrayal of President Barack Obama's promise to work to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Return to Top
Justice Dept. Strikes Passport Restrictions for Same-Sex Couples | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Keith (left) and Al Toney, one of the same-sex couples involved in a legal challenge to DOMA that was announced in March, will be able to share the same surname on their passports, they were told by the Justice Department... Return to Top
News: Mars, Neil Patrick Harris, Beijing, Lincoln Chafee, Bruno | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Wockner: Gay tsunami slams Obama. Schwarzenegger won't defend Prop 8 in federal court. Definitive evidence of ancient lake on Mars discovered. Prince Harry checks the equipment. Wisconsin Senate approves domestic partnerships: "If domestic partnerships become law, Wisconsin would be the... Return to Top
Press Corps Fixates On LGBT Concerns | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The White House press secretary Robert Gibbs faced a barrage of questions during Wednesday's press briefing related to the Presidential Memo extending certain benefits to same-sex partners and other LGBT concerns. Return to Top
Roundup: News From Around the Web | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Married couples gay and straight have many similarities, Sanjaya denies gay rumors, and more. Return to Top
The White House is 'seeking ways' to count same-sex couples in 2010 Census | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Every government measure that quantifies the US citizenry must permit LGBT individuals to self-identify and be counted in every way citizens are counted. -- From Call to Action # 6 of The Dallas Principles There has been tremendous pressure on the White House to do more than crumb-throwing to the LGBT community since its DOMA brief debacle. It has resulted in this development in the WSJ:White House Looks to Include Same-Sex Unions in Census Count The White House said Thursday it was seeking ways to include same-sex marriages, unions and partnerships in 2010 Census data, the second time in a week the administration has signaled a policy change of interest to the gay community. The administration has directed the Census Bureau to determine changes needed in tabulation software to allow for same-sex marriage data to be released early in 2011 with other detailed demographic information from the decennial count. The bureau historically hasn't released same-sex marriage data.This is potentially huge (and politically contentious), as we don't officially "exist" if we aren't counted. If gay and lesbian couples are counted, that pulls the curtain back, for good or ill -- how many are going to come out of the closet and be counted? That's where the rubber hits the road in terms of our own accountability in effecting change. We have also have to deal with problems of nailing down what is "married" due to the patchwork of marriage/civil unions/domestic partnerships -- and legal marriages performed outside of this country.An accurate statistical snapshot of legally married same-sex couples may be elusive. Before the White House's plan emerged, Howard Hogan, associate director for demographic programs at the Census Bureau, said data from its 2007 American Community Survey showed more than 340,000 same-sex couples as being in marriages. But according to data from Massachusetts, the only state that permitted gay marriages in 2007, about 11,000 marriage licenses were issued for same-sex couples. ...The original plan for handling these marriages in the 2010 Census was controversial among some statisticians and gay activists. Following procedures employed in 2000, the bureau had planned to use a computer program that recategorized spouses in same-sex marriages as unmarried partners. For the 1990 count, the bureau simply altered the gender designation of one partner.But realistically, notice the phrase "seeking ways." Unfortunately, this WSJ article doesn't indicate there is an effort to officially count and report transfolk in this proposal. Will it? Even with this potential bone, it's not a done deal and thus may remain a promise unfulfilled. Yet again DOMA, which this administration is defending, stands in the way. The Census Bureau has long collected data on same-sex marriages when people chose to report it. White House officials said the previous administration interpreted the federal Defense of Marriage Act as prohibiting the release of the data. The Obama administration has abandoned that interpretation.How can it at once abandon the interpretation yet still support DOMA. I'm not talking legal technicalities here, I'm talking intellectually? This seems like a giant mess of declaring one-man, one-woman marriage "real" and alternately saying same-sex marriages exist and should be recognized by the U.S. government. It can't be both so I'm sure the big brains out there can clue us in on how the Department of Commerce, which handles the Census, can square that. Also: Blender John Visser has a related diary up with a poll. Return to Top
White House Looks to Include Same-Sex Unions in Census Count | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Wall Street Journal | Jun. 19 at 11:04 AM The White House said Thursday it was seeking ways to include same-sex marriages, unions and partnerships in 2010 Census data, the second time in a week the administration has signaled a policy change of interest to the gay community. ... Return to Top
White House Seeks Inclusion of Same-Sex Unions in Census Data | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad In March, I posted about a report from the U.S. Census bureau that same-sex couples would be required to present themselves as "unmarried partners" on 2010 Census forms. U.S. Census spokeswoman Cynthia Endo said at the time, using damaging language... Return to Top
Frank Does 180, Supports DOMA Brief | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Rep. Barney Frank has gone from criticizing the Defense of Marriage Act brief to supporting it. Why the 180? According to Frank, he gave his negative reaction to the brief before he'd actually read it. Return to Top
President Wades Into Gay Issues | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Washington Post | Jun. 19 at 12:33 PM President Obama moved yesterday to reset his relations with a gay and lesbian constituency that supported him by wide margins in the last election and whose leaders have been disappointed ever since. ... Return to Top
Rep. Barney Frank Defends Obama's Pro-DOMA Brief | View Clip 06/19/2009 EdgeNewEngland.com Openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, initially critical of a pro-DOMA brief filed by the Department of Justice last week, has reportedly reversed his stance on the document. Return to Top
Robertson: USA Heads for 'Garbage Heap of History' Over Gay Rights | View Clip 06/19/2009 Towleroad Pat Robertson proves once again what a wonderful spokesperson he is for the Bigoted Uninformed Christian community: "A month to celebrate gay, lesbian, transgender pride month? Somebody's proud of being transgendered? It's a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of our population.... Return to Top
U.S. Conference of Mayors Endorses Marriage Equality | View Clip 06/19/2009 EdgeNewEngland.com The U.S. Conference of Mayors has called for full marriage rights for same-sex families, as well as expressing its support for a number of federal bills of legal significance to GLBT Americans. Return to Top
New reports shows most of Illinois LGBT youth are harassed | View Clip 06/19/2009 365gay.com The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) released a report Wednesday showing that LGBT students in Illinois face an alarming level of harassment, both physical and verbal, at school. Inside Illinois Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students surveyed 206 Illinois students about the level of harassment they receive in school, ... Return to Top
Anti-gay church plans protest at Fairfax High | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade Los Angeles Times | Jun. 19 at 3:22 PM A Kansas-based church known for celebrating at the funerals of American soldiers killed in war plans to protest Friday at Fairfax High School because the student body elected a gay male teen as its prom queen. ... Return to Top
Gay Marriage Still In Play In Rhode Island | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine Rhode Island lawmakers consider opposing gay marriage bills Return to Top
I Almost Feel Sorry for Dim Bulb Larry | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Ever laugh 'till you snort, then laugh more and so hard that no sound comes out but tears roll on like Columbia roll on? Oh my, I wish you could read the latest email I just got from Larry Stickney. Alas, he hasn't posted it to his website yet. Despite Twittering on June 17th "Updating our websites!", the most recent news is still from mid-May. You'll just have to make do with my cut & paste. But it'll be worth it, trust me. UPDATE: Gary Randall continues to actively divert Referendum donations into his non-referendum PAC. To borrow a lyric, "Sheeple get ready, there's a shearing coming..." Item 1. I got this email at 12:05 AM on Friday morning, June 19th. Would I have had time to make myself available for this event, even if I wanted to go?R-71 Rally TODAY (June 19) in Colville If you live in Stevens County or if can (sic) make the drive up from Spokane, you may want to attend the Pro-Marriage Rally TODAY (Friday, June 19th) between 10:00am and 2:00pm at the Colville City Park....R-71 campaign volunteers and state legislative leaders will be discussing the ramifications of SB 5688 (if it is allowed to stand) with the Colville community and gathering lots of R-71 signatures.Colville? Colville? Colville is a tiny town of 5,000 people. Just who do you think you'll be collecting "lots" of signatures from. Especially since you were so late in getting notice out that I doubt many will be able to drop everything at the last second, if they even check their email in time to learn of it. And a mid-day event on a work day? Certainly it is laughable to think anyone from Spokane will drive 70 miles for this, especially without advanced notice. WhyTF waste your time in Colville? Oooohhh, riiiight, your only Washington Values Alliance board member, Lisa Shinn, works in Colville. Somehow this feels, well, pitiful. Announce event too late: FAIL Choose day and time least likely to fit people's schedules: FAIL Choose dinky podunk location: FAIL Item 2.Exciting News from the R-71 campaign team! We have recorded a short video (under 4 minutes) that we will make available online as well as on DVD early next week. Senator Val Stevens and Representative Matt Shea are featured in the video making the case for Christian participation and activism in the R-71 signature gathering campaign's "Referendum Sunday(s)". We want to make this DVD available along with additional R-71 petition packets as needed to as many churches around Washington State as possible! Will you help us with this endeavor? Costs for this project are substantial as we need the funds to pay for the DVDs, print more R-71 petitions, and continue to mail and/or hand deliver many hundreds of the R-71 petition packets to churches around the state. Please encourage your Pastor to participate in the upcoming "Referendum Sunday(s), June 28, July 5, 12, and19. We will post more information regarding this effort on the Protect Marriage Washington website early next week.Couldn't get it together to make Father's Day a "Referendum Sunday"? No problem Larry, you have all the time in the world. And Larry, honey, if the Christians aren't with you by now, do you really think they'll be persuaded by a commercial featuring the divorced Matt Shea talking about how marriage is between one man and one woman forever. You poor, deluded dear. Reading this, I do wonder if the Stickney family always finds itself under mountains of credit card bills. Dim Bulb Larry claimed to hold tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt during his 2nd divorce proceedings. Larry just keeps spending without the money being there, it seems. Protect Marriage Washington has only collected $3,300 so far, and hasn't reported their printing costs yet so I doubt that any of that money is still in the PMW account. Too bad Larry's bff, Oregon Gary, keeps diverting and diverting and diverting and diverting referendum donations to his organization. Larry, wake up Treasurer Craswell, he's letting you make a hash of the books! And count me skeptical, but I've heard "next week" promises from Larry before. Will this DVD materialize with the same alacrity as the petitions? Initiate effort too late to maximize number of sundays: FAIL Preaching to the choir: FAIL Featuring a divorcee in a "marriage is for life" campaign: FAIL. But then you're blind to that aren't you, Mr. Divorced Twice Married Thrice? No money management skills and a treasurer asleep at the wheel: DOUBLE FAIL Item 3. This is my most favoritest part of all.ATTENTION R-71 SIGNATURE GATHERERS: With nearly 60,000 R-71 petitions now in circulation, we are receiving a large volume of the completed petitions and we want to make sure we can use them all, so please read the following: PLEASE DO NOT CUT THE SIGNATURE PAGE OUT AND MAIL TO US. WE NEED THE ENTIRE PETITION MAILED OR RETURNED TO US INTACT BY JULY 22, 2009.I guess there's more than one dim bulb in that box. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Related Story: Larry Stickney in Review Return to Top
Maine Gay Marriage Foes Hire Calif. Prop 8 Firm | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine Maine gay marriage opponents hire firm that led successful California Proposition 8 proposal Return to Top
Maine gay marriage foes hire Prop 8 firm | View Clip 06/19/2009 Washington Blade PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Gay marriage foes in Maine have hired the public relations firm that led the successful proposal to overturn same-sex marriage in California. On the other side, supporters of gay marriage have turned to a legislative aide who led a successful campaign to retain Maine's gay rights law. Maine was the fifth U.S. state to approve gay marriages when Gov. John Baldacci signed the legislation on May 6. New Hampshire later followed suit, so all the states in New England but Rhode Island now permit same-sex couples to marry. Iowa also allows it. In Maine, the law goes into effect in September unless, before then, opponents collect ... Return to Top
Maine gay marriage opponents hire firm which led Proposition 8 campaign | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Opponents of gay marriage in Maine have hired the public relations firm which was instrumental in bringing about Proposition 8, the initiative that banned gay marriage in California. Return to Top
Maine Opposition Hires California's Prop 8 Propagandists | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend CCL Maine Family Policy Council's Mike Heath and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland just turned up the heat and raised the stakes here in Maine, as they try to force a people's veto/ referendumin November. From today's Portland Press Herald: Opponents and supporters of gay marriage are laying the groundwork for a tough summer political campaign that experts say will put Maine in the national spotlight. Organizers of an effort to overturn a new law legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine have hired the California public relations firm that ran the successful Proposition 8 campaign to overturn same-sex marriage there. Supporters of the law have hired a seasoned Maine political strategist who ran the successful Maine Won't Discriminate campaign in 2005. That campaign fought a people's veto of Maine's gay-rights law. At least five political action committees have been formed to help raise funds to support the people's veto effort. Two have been formed to oppose the veto. According to the latest filings with the state Ethics Commission, most haven't raised money. But StandForMarriageMaine.com has raised $60,000 from the National Organization for Marriage. The next filing deadline is July 15. StandForMarriageMaine is the lead group in the veto effort, said Marc Mutty, public affairs director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and one of the officers of the PAC. Filings with the state Ethics Commission show that the group has spent $45,000 hiring a professional signature-gathering company, National Petition Management Inc. of Michigan, to aid in the people's veto effort. Mutty said volunteers also are collecting signatures. "We're on target, we're moving along," said Mutty. "It's very early in the game." The primary group opposing gay marriage in California spent $39 million on the Prop 8 campaign last year, according to the California Secretary of State's Office. The top supporting group spent $43 million. In past gay-rights referendums in Maine, each side has spent roughly $1 million. Both sides expect spending in this year's battle to be more in the range of $4 million to $6 million. Good gravy, that's a lot of money, folks! Much more below the fold. Now some encouraging news, as well as what I would tend to call "bullsh*t!" on... Wet weather has set back signature gathering, said Mutty, and the group has had a hard time finding appropriate venues to float petitions. Some signature gatherers have been harassed, and some signatures were stolen, he said. Mutty said the diocese has included inserts on the veto effort in church bulletins, and will be collecting signatures in churches - in the narthex, the public area in the back of the church. Mutty also said opponents have hired Schubert Flint Public Affairs to run the campaign. Schubert Flint ran Prop 8 in California - a hard-fought, hugely expensive campaign. Seems to me that if signatures had actually been stolen, the local media would have covered the police reports- but nope, not a peep or Twitter. As far having "difficulty finding venues to collect signatures", I have some second-hand knowledge about that. Last weekend the opponents had scheduled a statewide signature drive, to be held at all 22 locations of one of the largest supermarket chains in Maine. Well, their biggest competitor years ago issued a mission statement of non-discrimination, much to the ire and consternation of the equal marriage opposition. I don't know exactly how it all came to be, but the upshot was that the second supermarket chain abruptly announced that they were disallowing the opposition from setting up and collect signatures for the People's Veto last weekend. Bummer, dudes... I have to wonder how my fellow Mainers are going to react when they hear about this recruitment of folks from away "out of staters" coming in to take away our law. The hiring of a proven California firm to run the Maine campaign speaks volumes, according to Amy Fried, a political scientist at the University of Maine. "It shows that the national organizations opposed to marriage equality see Maine as an important place to take a stand," said Fried. "It will be getting national attention; this will be watched around the country." Fried suggested that hiring Schubert Flint might backfire, however. "People in Maine do not like what they might see as outside interference," Fried said. "We have our own political culture, we have a high degree of civility, a high degree of civic engagement." Same-sex marriage supporters aren't surprised that their opponents have brought on Schubert Flint, said Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine, the state's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered advocacy group. "We have been preparing from the very beginning for this to be a campaign that has national implications," said Smith. I will have more on what Betsy and the rest of EqualityMaine have been doing later on; these folks are imo brilliant. But they need our help, everyone. Smith said fundraising was going to be critical to the campaign. "Have we raised millions of dollars so far? No," said Smith. "Do we need to? Yes. The opposition is bringing that kind of money to Maine." Smith said that a number of supporters helped get the same-sex marriage bill passed through Augusta, and those people feel an ownership of the law and want to work to defend it. Maine Freedom to Marry also announced Wednesday that it has hired political strategist Jesse Connolly to run the campaign to fight a people's veto. Connolly ran the Maine Won't Discriminate campaign in 2005. He has since worked for Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree as her chief of staff, and took an unpaid leave of absence this week to work on the gay marriage campaign. Connolly said Maine Freedom to Marry was changing from a successful legislative campaign to a field campaign. People will be knocking on doors, making phone calls and asking Maine residents to support gay marriage. "We need to show folks that the Legislature and the governor passed this law and signed this law," said Connolly. "And the Legislature and the governor heard from tens of thousands of Maine citizens that understood what marriage equality meant for them." So, here we go- it's now up to US, folks. Please donate NOW to "Maine Freedom To Marry". We canNOT allow what happened in California to repeat in Maine. We simply cannot. Thank you. Return to Top
New: "Maine Freedom To Marry" Unified Campaign Launched | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Calling all Blenders: NOW is the time when we need as much help and commitment from you ALL as you can give. We're asking you ALL to please DONATE what you can- big or small; a lump sum or a monthly commitment. Thank you so very much and please spread the word! :) I am pleased to share the following news: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jesse Connolly, 207.749.5933 email: jesseconnolly@yahoo.com Unified Campaign Launches "Maine Freedom to Marry" Organization Will Defeat Anti-Marriage Referendum in November, Supporters Vow PORTLAND -- Supporters of the law that allows same-sex couples in Maine to marry announced today that they have formed a political action committee to protect marriage for all Mainers. The new organization, "Maine Freedom to Marry," will draw on resources that were crucial to the legislative victory this spring, and will also free up the campaign to raise and spend money for the statewide referendum expected this fall. Betsy Smith, Executive Director of EqualityMaine, said, "Today this campaign takes a bold and important step. We have come this far because thousands of Mainers have raised their voices in support of marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples. We have spoken from our hearts, telling the stories of our daily lives. We are proud of our state, and we are energized. The campaign that we endorse today will harness that energy, empowering Mainers throughout the state to continue to work to preserve the law and protect marriage for all Maine families." Numerous resources that have been vital to the marriage effort to date will now be coordinated under the auspices of Maine Freedom to Marry. These resources include the field organization and volunteer base developed by EqualityMaine, the legal expertise of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, and the legal and public outreach capacity of the Maine Civil Liberties Union. Additionally, Maine Freedom to Marry will now take the lead in local and national fundraising to protect marriage equality at the ballot box in November. The committee has hired Jesse Connolly to manage the referendum campaign. Connolly is a lifelong Mainer who now lives in South Portland. A respected professional in Maine politics, Connolly served as campaign manager for "Maine Won't Discriminate" in 2005. In that successful campaign, the people of Maine voted by a wide margin to keep sexual orientation in the state's non-discrimination policy. He also managed Governor Baldacci's re-election campaign in 2006. Most recently, Connolly has served as chief of staff to Rep. Hannah Pingree, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. Connolly is taking an unpaid leave of absence from the Speaker's office in order to run this campaign. Connolly said, "We enter this fight from a place of tremendous strength, with a lot of momentum. Having been on the inside of the legislative process, I can tell you that the campaign to win marriage has thus far been well organized, heartfelt, and extremely professional. We are assembling a first rate staff that includes professionals with deep expertise to keep this groundbreaking effort moving forward. I am proud to pick up this mantle and continue to work with Mainers across the state who have brought us to this historic moment." Maine Freedom to Marry will be led by an executive committee that includes some of the best political minds in the state, including representatives from the many organizations that worked closely together on the legislative effort. Mary Bonauto, long time attorney at the Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), now a member of the Executive Committee, brings her marriage expertise from GLAD's successful litigation and public education campaigns in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont. Bonauto and GLAD staff organized much of the testimony for the public hearing on the marriage bill, viewed by many as the turning point in the legislative campaign. She said, "When people speak from their hearts about why they want to join in marriage, and what it means to be denied protections for their committed relationships, it makes all the difference. We're going to do the same thing in this campaign with the people of Maine." Shenna Bellows, Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, who co-led the lobbying efforts for the legislative campaign and continues as on the newly-formed Executive Committee, said, "When people commit their energies and talents to a common goal, there's no limit to what we can achieve together. Our success in the legislature is a testament to the Maine values of fairness and respect. Led by a dynamite political team, Maine Freedom to Marry is ready to continue the conversation about marriage equality Mainer-to-Mainer, neighbor-to-neighbor, one voter at a time. Pat Peard, also serving on the Executive Committee, has been a crucial leader in the LGBT movement in Maine for 15 years. She said, "The LGBT community and our families and friends have been building up to this moment for a very long time. We now stand at a truly historic moment, in which Maine will lead the nation in affirming dignity and respect for lesbian and gay families. I am incredibly proud and energized to be part of this important campaign." The Executive Committee of Maine Freedom To Marry includes: Shenna Bellows, Maine Civil Liberties Union Mary Bonauto, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders Peter Chandler, longtime Democratic strategist Ben Dudley, Engage Maine Monique Hoeflinger, EqualityMaine Jim Mitchell Pat Peard, attorney Betsy Smith, EqualityMaine Return to Top
Prop. 8 PR Firm Hired in Maine | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Opponents of marriage equality in Maine who seek to overturn the recently passed state law allowing same-sex marriage have hired the California public relations firm that led the Prop. 8 campaign effort, reports the Associated Press. Return to Top
Quinn: N.Y. Marriage "Up in the Air" | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The As the paralysis in the New York state senate appeared likely to enter its third week, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke on Thursday evening in markedly more reserved tones about the prospects for the passage of marriage equality legislation this year. Return to Top
Seattle: Release LGBT Employees' Names | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Citing state law, attorneys for Seattle submitted a court filing on Monday seeking the release of names of employees involved with a city-sponsored LGBT group. Return to Top
Social Conservatives Decry Gay Federal Benefits | View Clip 06/19/2009 On Top Magazine Social conservatives decry Obama's executive order extending certain benefits to gay federal employees Return to Top
Tax advice for gays criticised as 'unnecessary' | View Clip 06/19/2009 PinkNews.co.uk Tax advice for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans people published by HM Revenue and Customs has been criticised as unnecessary. Return to Top
Cher's Respects and Supports Son Chaz | View Clip 06/19/2009 Advocate, The Pop icon Cher respects the courage of her child Chaz's transition from female to male, she told US Magazine. Return to Top
The Words The President (& Others) Won't Speak: "Transgender" & "Gender Identity And Expression... | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend The Fact Sheet: Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination ended with a paragraph that left me believing that the Obama Administration was addressing the civil rights of the transgender subcommunity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community (emphasis added), but not doing it directly. The paragraph in question: The Memorandum will also direct OPM to issue guidance within 90 days to all executive departments and agencies regarding compliance with, and implementation of, the civil service laws, which make it unlawful to discriminate against federal employees or applicants for federal employment on the basis of factors not related to job performance. So, I was on the call this afternoon where the Office of Personal Management's director, John Berry, talked about the memorandum President Obama was going to sign prior to its signing at 5:45 PM EDT. Alex Blaze, from Bilerico, asked a question about whether transgender people -- the term gender identity and expression -- would be included in the proposed regulations. Berry's answer wasn't clear to me in his original answer, but in answering a question from John Aravosis on exactly what was changing with this memorandum, Director Berry stated: Gender identity is a non-work-related factor, and in the guidelines [to federal agencies] we will be making that clear. [...] I made it very clear [in my answer to Alex Blaze] that gender identity will be added and made very clear in our guidelines. So why didn't the President say "gender identity" in the fact sheet? Below the fold is the entire fact sheet on the memorandum. Note that the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender are not in the fact sheet. Note also in signing ceremony, the President used the abbreviation LGBT, but didn't use the words "transgender," "gender identity," or "gender identity and expression" therein either. (In fact if you're bisexual, you no doubt notice the President's reticence to you that term as well.) Since the President has only used the term "transgendered" once previously I can document (here), and the term "gender identity" once previously I can document (here) -- and both of these times were in response to direct questions. The President and his staff seem to me to be intentionally avoiding use of the terms "transgender" or "gender identity and expression" on camera. If you were transgender and noticed this lack of using community related terminology for your identity, what conclusion would you draw? And hey, thinking about it, Did you see Joe Solmonese on Keith Oberman.... Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy ...or Rep. Tammy Baldwin on Rachel Maddow... Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy What words did you not hear spoken? I would say -- and even John Aravosis of Americablog would agree -- that the biggest change for LGBT civil rights the memorandum heralds is federal workplace protections for transgender employees; the addition of federal employment protections based on gender identity and expression. Which of our LGBT civil rights groups' "leaders," or our lesbian, gay, or ally political representatives said the word "transgender," or the phrase "gender identity and expression"? Which ones spoke of the "gender identity and expression" changes to federal employment regulations that the memorandum heralds? From the media releases from the organizations below, take a look and see 1.) who says the words "transgender" and/or "gender identity and expression" and 2.) who mentions the transgender employment protections that this memorandum is to add. I'll give you a hint -- the only time the word "transgender" is used is in the phrase "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender," and that is only used by two in the organizations' statements below. And, no one but the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) -- who's media release is linked to in the graphic near the top of this piece -- and The Task Force mention employment protections for transgender federal employees. • Council For Global Equality • Family Equality Council • GLAD • Human Rights Campaign • National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR) • Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) • Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) • The Gay & Lesbian Task Force Frankly at this point, I don't doubt at all Director Berry's commitment to adding federal regulations regarding transgender people -- I think we're going to see specific language on "gender identity" is going come to pass. That's the good news for federal employees who may are transgender...transsexual. And, as many would guess, not mentioning gender identity and expression by our politicians and LGBT civil rights organizations means conservative "Christian" organizations -- such as Focus On The Family, also don't mention transgender people when discussing the impact of this memorandum. I would say this is small consolation as they will be discussing this when the new federal regulations are submitted within 90-days. However, on the 30th of June we'll really know how serious the President is about transgender civil rights; the 30th of June is the last day that the Department of Justice can file an appeal to the Diane Schroer case. If the Department Of Justice appeals this case, then we will know that just like the Obama Administration on DOMA, what the Obama Administration says in speeches and signing ceremonies won't be followed through with "fierce advocacy" by our President and his administration. The message I get from the words "transgender" or "gender identity and expression" not being spoken is that transgender people and issues are very secondary to lesbian and gay issues, and that it's considered dangerous politically to say the words. In my opinion, this failure to use transgender related terminology doesn't bode well for transgender people and civil rights. Who doesn't remember ENDA 2007/2008? As for our politicians and LGBT civil rights organizations: Speak the word transgender, or the phrase gender identity and expression, when you speak of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's civil rights. And, speak these transgender subcommunity words on television. Transgender people deserve better than the silence on our subcommunity's terminology -- on our subcommunity's issues -- that we're receiving from the Obama administration, progressive politicians, and LGBT non-profits/civil rights organizations. Don't message transgender people out of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights movement -- it's just not acceptable. Return to Top
Trans People Are Not Deceptive -- Like This Ad From LA Car Guy Implies We Are | View Clip 06/19/2009 Pam's House Blend Y'know, the trans panic strategy used in the Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder Trial is way to fresh in my mind, where the defense implied (as defense attorneys always do when the trans panic defense is used) that the victim was deceptive in their presentation (usually male-bodied trans women presenting as women), and therefore is a mitigating factor in the commission of a violent "crime of passion." So, below is a commercial from a Los Angeles group of auto dealerships that is literally showing a transgender woman as being incredibly deceptive -- not telling her husband that she was male-bodied, and he discovering the suprise on a desert road to what we're left presuming would have been the honeymoon. (Really!) The is an uncut version of the commercial here, and there is no question what the driver is seeing in his mirror before he drives off, leaving the bride alone in the desert without anyway to get home. No violence there, eh? The slogan that ends the commercial is: Getting what you want isn't always easy. Finding the car you want should be. So trans people are unwanted people, in LA Car Guy's eyes. Swell! And add that commentary to the lyrics of the song playing in the commercial's background, which begin: Changing, Not for better, Feeling tired, looking wetter. Broken Like a promise... No commentary saying trans people are horrible, deceptive people there, whose transitions are "not for better," eh? Nice. I get tired of constantly having to defend my humanity to people who don't perceive me as fully human. Well guess what? I am fully human, and this commercial angers me. If you, like me, want to comment to the LA Car Guy dealerships about their commercial, the contact information for these nine dealerships are below the fold. LA Car Guy Dealerships: • Lexus Santa Monica Contact page 1501 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404 Sales: Sales 800-859-4081 • Volkswagen Santa Monica Contact page 2440 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404 New Car Sales: (888) 394-4903 • Pacific Audi Contact page 20550 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503 New Car Sales: (888) 212-1009 • Pacific Volkswagen Contact page 14900 Hindry Ave., Hawthorne, CA 90250 New Car Sales: (888) 267-0056 • Pacific Porsche Contact page 2900 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505 New Car Sales: (888) 214-7874 • Toyota Santa Monica Contact page 801 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401 New Car Sales: (888) 565-1166 • Scion Santa Monica Contact page 888 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401 Contact Telephone: (888) 873-0431 • Toyota of Hollywood Contact page 6000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028 New Car Sales: (888) 245-2815 • Scion of Hollywood Contact page 6000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California 90028 New Car Sales: (888) 627-3449 The Contact page links are to pages where you can send the dealerships' emails. . Return to Top