Saturday, May 8, 2010

Sign and Forward Please!

Courage Campaign

We would like to share this open letter to President Obama from Gov. Howard Dean, calling on the President to follow through on his promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this year.

Will you sign on to Gov. Dean's letter to President Obama? Just click here to join Gov. Dean, the Courage Campaign and Democracy for America. DEADLINE: Tuesday, 5 p.m.:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWaitDontDelay


Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign


Dear Mr. President,


When you delivered your State of the Union address in January, you eloquently spoke the following words to Congress and the nation:

"We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it..."

"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do."

At the time, we seemed to be making progress. You committed to finally end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy once and for all, this year. Then in February, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told a congressional hearing that "we have received our orders from the Commander-in- Chief and we are moving out accordingly." Both announcements were heartening.

However, as you know, Secretary Gates sent a letter to House Armed Services Chair Ike Skelton on April 30 which appears to indefinitely delay the possibility of moving forward with the repeal of DADT until the Pentagon completes a review of the policy.

In his response, Aubrey Sarvis, Executive Director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said:

"As a result of the Commander in Chief's decision to defer to Secretary Gates' wishes and timeline, gay service members will continue to be treated as second class citizens, and any sense of fairness may well have been delayed for yet another year, perhaps for another decade."

I share the concerns of Mr. Sarvis. And so do millions of Americans, as reflected in a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll showing 75% support allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. Americans clearly understand that if someone is brave enough to take a bullet for the USA, then they should have the same equal rights guaranteed to every American under the law -- whether they are serving in the military, or when they come home.

While I understand the need to research how repealing DADT will affect members of the military, the law can still be repealed with an implementation timeline this year.

The time to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is now. I urge you to take immediate action to insure that Congress includes the repeal of DADT -- with an implementation timeline -- in the Defense Authorization bill currently under consideration.


I am sharing this open letter with my friends in the Courage Campaign and Democracy for America communities, thousands of whom will join me in signing a petition asking you to take leadership to repeal DADT this year. You can read the petition -- and Americans can sign on to it -- here:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWaitDontDelay


One of our nation's most precious and fundamental values is the guarantee of equal rights for every American.

Gay and lesbian Americans have demonstrated their courage and given their lives in service to our country since our nation's military was founded. Now it's time to allow them to say who they are.

On behalf of Courage Campaign and Democracy for America members, thank you for your consideration of this critical national security issue.

- Howard

Gov. Howard Dean, MD
Founder, Democracy for America

P.S. On Tuesday, May 11, more than 300 military veterans will gather in Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress to repeal DADT this year. If you haven't heard about this event, being organized by Servicemembers United and the Human Rights Campaign in partnership with a broad coalition of organizations including the Courage Campaign, please click the link below:

http://www.VeteransLobbyDay.org


The Courage Campaign is a multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country.

To support our campaign to repeal DADT, please chip in what you can today:

São Paulo Gay Bikers

Stop Wall Street Favors (:30 TV Ad)

Friday, May 7, 2010

Via Belirico: Florida Taxpayers Paid Reker's $120,000, Twice What Was Initially Reported

Did Bill McCollum's office hide the truth about payments?

Attorney General Bill McCollum has scrambled to distance himself from the "star" witness he paid to defend Florida's anti-gay adoption ban after George Rekers was caught in the Miami Airport with a male prostitute.

But did McCollum mislead the public and reporters when asked about the huge sums the Attorney General's office directed to Rekers and his co-hort Walter Schumm?

First of all, it turns out the number is much, much larger than originally reported. An
online search of Florida vendors shows Rekers was paid roughly $120,000 and his co-hort Walter Schumm recieved an additional $36,000 in taxpayer money.

McCollum's office also tried to downplay their relationship with Rekers, insisting that DCF paid him, ignoring the fact that the Attorney General's office prosecuted the case, defined the strategy and selected its witnesses. But was McCollum's attempt to shift focus to DCF more than a political sleight of hand? Was it simply a lie?

Continue reading "Florida Taxpayers Paid Reker's $120,000, Twice What Was Initially Reported" »

Craig Ferguson

Via JMG: Play it Loud!

Sean Chapin - This Is Not A Hate Crime

JMG reader Sean Chapin reacts to yesterday's "not a hate crime" verdict in Brooklyn. Watch this. WATCH THIS.

Labels: , , , ,

a repost from JMG

May 17th International day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)

Header WC

May 17th International day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)


The International day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is coming up soon!


The World Congress of GLBT Jews has declared its support for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), which will take place on May 17, 2010. The organizers of this campaign are protesting the use of religion to propagate intolerance on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. As the worldwide Jewish voice of the GLBT community, the World Congress supports the goals of IDAHO, and envisions a world in which all religions promote full inclusion, acceptance, and celebration of the diversity of humanity.
We urge you to visit the website www.idahomophobia.org to connect with the international organizers of IDAHO. Find out about the International Media Project, the Global Kiss-in, and how to sign the International Appeal. Events are planned around the world, including in Israel, where you can find out more at http://www.havana.org.il/. Let's mobilize everywhere against homophobia and transphobia!

ESPAÑOL

17 de MAYO Día Internacional contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia (IDAHO)

El Congreso Mundial de Judío/as GLBT declara su apoyo a IDAHO (Día Internacional Contra la Homofobia)

El Congreso Mundial de Judío/as GLBT ha declarado su apoyo al Día Internacional Contra la Homofobia (IDAHO, en Inglés), a llevarse a cabo el día 17 de Mayo del 2010. Los organizadores de esta campaña estarán protestando por el uso de la religión como modo de propagar la intolerancia basada en la orientación sexual. Como una organización Judía Mundial que lleva la voz de la comunidad GLBT, el Congreso Mundial de Judíos/as GLBT apoya los objetivos de IDAHO, y desea un mundo donde todas las religiones promueven la completa inclusión, aceptación, y celebración de la diversidad.
Les pedimos que visiten su sitio web www.idahomophobia.org para tomar contacto con los organizadores de IDAHO y para informarse sobre el Proyecto Internacional de los Medios, el Besuqueo Mundial y como firmar el pedido internacional. Los eventos planeados alrededor del mundo, incluyendo Israel donde pueden encontrar la información aquí http://www.havana.org.il/.

Es tiempo de hacer algo contra la homofobia y transfobia!

FRANCAIS

Le 17 mai, la Journée Mondiale contre l'Homophobie et la Transphobie (IDAHO) sera une fois de plus célébrée dans de nombreux pays à travers le monde. N'oubliez pas de nous faire part de vos projets et activités, pour que d'autres puissent avoir l'information et être inspiré(e)s par vos idées !

Par ailleurs, sur le site international de la Journée vous trouverez toutes les informations sur nos projets internationaux, auxquels nous vous invitons à participer :

- la campagne internationale « Religions, homophobie, transphobie ». Pour s'opposer à l'utilisation des religions par les extrémistes et favoriser l'émergence de voix progressistes, signez et faites circuler l'appel international ! http://idahomophobia.org/

- l'initiative du Grand KISS-IN mondial. Organisez vous aussi un kiss-in dans votre ville et/ou participez au kiss-in en ligne sur www.gays.com . Nous éditerons pour le 17 mai une video internationale (souvenez vous de IDAHO 2009 : http://gays.com/idaho/2009 )


- le projet « Média contre l?homophobie et la transphobie » : un même texte sera publié à travers le monde pour le 17 mai par des quotidiens, webzines, blogs,etc Tous les détails du projet sur http://idahomophobia.org/wp/?p=1841&lang=en pour contacter vos médias nationaux, LGBT ou non.

Pour plus d'information sur ces projets, et nous faire part de vos initiatives : Contact@idahomophobia.org

Nous vous souhaitons une bonne mobilisation pour la Journée Internationale contre l'Homophobie et la Transphobie !

L'équipe du comité IDAHO

BuzzFlash's GOP Hypocrite of the Week Award

George Alan Rekers Wins BuzzFlash's GOP Hypocrite of the Week Award for Working to Deny Gay People Civil Rights While Sneaking Off With 'Rentboy' Cutie. Long-time readers knew this was coming as soon as the news broke about the un-gay magician being caught with a young male escort at the Miami International Airport. Come on, how could we not?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Alpha Dog of the Week - George Rekers

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Alpha Dog of the Week - George Rekers
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorFox News

And now... a Lady GaGa Moment...

Via JMG

University Of South Carolina Erases Dr. George Rekers From Their Site

Whoops, who used to occupy this faculty page for the University of South Carolina? Man overboard! Box Turtle Bulletin's Timothy Kincaid asks:
I’m curious as to the exact criteria for removing any mention of Dr. Rekers. Was it because the University of South Carolina was delighted to have an anti-gay activist as a respected and privileged emeritus professor, but not so delighted to have a man who was revealed to be engaged in behavior that is homosexual in nature?
Hit the above link for the original pre-scandal image.

Labels: , , , , , , ,

reposted from JMG

Via JMG: Department Of Defense Launches Internal DADT Dialog Site For Active Duty Soldiers

Could this be part of the DADT repeal implementation study?
A new online inbox that enables servicemembers and their families to comment anonymously about the impact of a possible repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law has gone live. The inbox will enable servicemembers and families to offer their thoughts about how a repeal of the law that prohibits gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military might affect military readiness, military effectiveness and unit cohesion, recruiting and retention, and family readiness, a defense official explained. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates created an intradepartment, interservice working group to conduct a fair, objective, comprehensive and dispassionate review of these issues, the official said. The online inbox is one method the group will use to systematically engage with the force and their families. A non-Defense Department contractor will monitor comments made through the inbox and eliminate any identifiable information inadvertently submitted to ensure anonymity, the official said.
The site is located here, but seems to be inactive at the moment, so we can't yet tell how it will screen out anti-gay non-military commenters.

Labels: , , , ,

reposted via JMG

Via HRC:

Dear Daniel,

Over 300 veterans like me will be in D.C. on Tuesday, fighting to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

We need your help in Sacramento to call Congress and join the conversation online!

www.VeteransLobbyDay.org

Late Friday afternoon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress in a letter that it would be "damaging" to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" before the Pentagon studies it further.

While this presents a major challenge, it is not insurmountable. I've never seen my fellow veterans – both gay and straight – so determined to repeal this law. This challenge can mean only one thing: we need to push harder.

That's why I'm traveling to D.C. for an unprecedented Veterans Lobby Day with over 300 fellow veterans on May 11.

We're going to need all hands on deck this Tuesday – even if you aren't joining us in person, we're still counting on you to back up our message:

· Set aside a few minutes to make a call to Congress. Help us flood the Congressional switchboard (202-224-3121) with calls this Tuesday, May 11. Put a reminder in your calendar or on your phone today so you won't forget!

· Follow me and other vets on Twitter to get real-time updates from our meetings with members of Congress. Just follow David Hall (@davidhalldc), Mike Almy (@mikealmy), Brian Fricke (@brianfricke), me (@EricAlvaUSMC) or @HRCBackStory.

· Join the conversation on Twitter and call for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by including #DADT in your tweets between now and Tuesday. (It's easy to sign up for a Twitter account if you don't already have one.)

· Follow the action on the HRC Back Story blog. You can read:

o HRC Field Organizer Adrian Matanza's post from Indiana, where volunteers are organizing a free bus to D.C. for veterans in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.

o And follow HRC Back Story throughout the Lobby Day on May 11, when we'll be posting highlights from the lobby day as soon as they come in.

May 11 will be a milestone in my own three-year campaign to share my story and help repeal this discriminatory law. And I've seen first-hand how important this campaign is to hundreds of my fellow veterans.

Your voice on Tuesday can add strength to ours.

I hope you'll stand with me, and with all my brothers and sisters in uniform, as we fight to end this injustice once and for all.

Eric AlvaSincerely,

Eric Alva
Retired Marine Staff Sergeant
Veterans Lobby Day Volunteer