The Weekly Message from HRC

Dear Daniel,

Pride season is upon us, and there is plenty to celebrate!

On Wednesday, New Hampshire became the sixth state to recognize full marriage equality. Marriages will officially begin on Jan. 1, 2010.

The historic advancement in New Hampshire would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of many of our LGBT movement's coalition partners. To see the level of cooperation and coordination by both state and national organizations in New Hampshire was awe-inspiring.

As for HRC, in 2006, we saw an opportunity in the New Hampshire Legislature. We worked with our local partners in the state to help elect fair-minded majorities in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Senate. That laid the groundwork for the 2007 passage of civil unions and this week's historic vote for marriage. And in the lead-up to this marriage vote, HRC sent 10 staff members to New Hampshire, four of whom were on the ground for two full weeks in early May. Additionally, with the help of our members in NH, we collected more than 11,000 signatures on a petition urging Gov. John Lynch to sign the legislation when his support seemed unlikely. For a complete recap of HRC's work in New Hampshire, visit www.hrc.org/NHMarriage.

Our work in New Hampshire is far from done. Legislators there failed in this session to pass a bill that would have protected the state's transgender residents from discrimination, and so HRC will be back next session, and we won't give up the fight until we secure equality for our whole community.

Talk of marriage equality is buzzing in Washington, D.C., too. After the May 5th vote by the D.C. Council in support of a bill to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions, which Mayor Fenty signed, the rhetoric has been heated. The bill is now in front of the U.S. Congress for a 30 legislative day review period, and out-of-town groups are pushing for a referendum to attempt to undo the council's vote. On June 2nd, HRC's Religion and Faith Program, Diversity Program, Communications Program and others assisted in the organization of a press conference that brought together ministers from across the city to speak out in support of marriage equality. Over 60 pastors attended and over 130 clergy from the District have signed a religious declaration for marriage equality. Learn more about marriage in D.C. and to watch the press conference.

And of course, to quote HRC's National Field Director Marty Rouse, "the marriage equality express continues to steam ahead. Next stop, New York." Click here for more information and ways to get involved in New York. Also, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine reiterated his support for marriage equality this past week, saying that he wants to sign a bill by the end of 2009.

And pride season didn't just bring cause for celebration in the states, it also marked the first-ever hearing on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) on Capitol Hill. UAFA would allow U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for family-based immigration by meeting the same standard as different-sex couples. UAFA's champions Senator Leahy (D-VT) and Representative Nadler (D-NY) helped make the historic hearing a success. Additionally, on Thursday, Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., introduced the Reuniting Families Act, a larger immigration bill that includes UAFA as a provision. This historic hearing and legislation demonstrates that our allies in Congress are aware of the discriminatory situation that lesbian and gay binational couples face and are dedicated to ensuring that these loving couples are not torn apart or forced to flee in order to stay together. For more information about UAFA and the Reuniting Families Act, click here and here.

And as I mentioned in the opening, June kicks off pride season. HRC is excited to be at over 70 prides across the country this year. For a complete listing, go to: www.hrc.org/pride. Please be sure to stop by the HRC booth for more information on our exciting progress and for more opportunities to become involved and to help keep the good news streaming in. We hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President, Human Rights Campaign

Where the USA Stands

Coretta Scott King - wiki

LGBT equality - from wikipedia

On April 1, 1998 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, King called on the civil rights community to join in the struggle against homophobia and anti-gay bias. "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood", King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group."

In a speech in November 2003 at the opening session of the 13th annual Creating Change Conference, organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, King made her now famous appeal linking the Civil Rights Movement to the LGBT agenda: "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people. ... But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."

King's support of LGBT rights was strongly criticized by some black pastors. She called her critics "misinformed" and said that Martin Luther King's message to the world was one of equality and inclusion.

In 2003, she invited the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to take part in observances of the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech. It was the first time that an LGBT rights group had been invited to a major event of the African American community.

On March 23, 2004, she told an audience at Richard Stockton College in Pomona, New Jersey, that same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue. King denounced a proposed amendment advanced by President George W. Bush to the United States Constitution that would ban equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. In her speech King also criticized a group of black pastors in her home state of Georgia for backing a bill to amend that state's constitution to block gay and lesbian couples from marrying. King is quoted as saying "Gay and lesbian people have families, and their families should have legal protection, whether by marriage or civil union. A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay bashing and it would do nothing at all to protect traditional marriage."

Afghan Poetry

Tonight the NewsHour did a wonderful retrospective about Rumi’s poetry. Search for:

Afghan Poetry
Jeffrey Brown reports on what's behind the popularity of Afghan poet Jelauddin Rumi's poems.

Which reminded me of a quote we have in our bathroom:

Out beyond the idea of wrongdoing and rightdoing

there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

The full poem goes:

Out beyond the idea of wrongdoing and rightdoing

there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,

the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase each other

doesn't make any sense.

From Essential Rumi

by Coleman Barks

see: http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/Rumipoetry1.html

and of course there is my very favorite Rumi Poem:

http://ubnotorious.blogspot.com/2007/04/welcome-to-my-blog.html

In just a few days...

In just a few days Clustermaps shows that Revoked has been visited by people from all these amazing places...

Besides a big shout out to our homies in Haifa and Wilmette...

I want to say hallo to Leiden and hello to Great Britain, um grande abraço a Portugal!

Goodness the Seychelles... just send me an invite, we're going! Y una abrazo a Buenos Aires! The middle of Australia... please extend a nonrevocable hug to Priscilla Queen of the Desert!

Thanks folks... I am getting so many emails of support... I am overwhelmed... we are not alone (well we knew that now didn't we?)

Never give up! Never surrender! - Galaxy Quest

Yay!

New Hampshire just became the 6th state with marriage equality! I know, it's great news.

I also heard that right-wing groups are already up in arms over this victory, slamming the courageous leaders in New Hampshire in the hopes that they can intimidate legislators everywhere into opposing marriage equality, especially in New York where a marriage equality vote is expected soon.

I just sent a thank-you note to New Hampshire's leaders, to make sure the right-wing cries of outrage aren't the only voices they hear. I hope you'll join me:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/nh_victory

Thank you.

The Dallas Principles

The following eight guiding principles underlie our call to action.

In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:

1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.

2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.

3.Separate is never equal.

4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.

5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.

6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.

7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.

8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.

SEE: http://www.thedallasprinciples.org/The_Dallas_Principles/Home.html

Iraqi gays condemn Obama/Clinton inaction on pogrom.

Please forward

Iraqi gays condemn Obama/Clinton inaction on pogrom

Embassy statement 'offensive and insulting'

Iraqi lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBT) has spoken of their deep anger and offense at a statement by the Baghdad US Embassy concerning the violence and murder campaign against gays.

In a response to US Rep. Jared Polis, following a meeting with Iraqi government officials, chargé d’affaires Patricia Butenis said "We have no evidence that [the Iraq government's] security forces are in any way involved with these militias."

Iraqi LGBT has been reporting for four years on police involvement with the terror campaign.

Group members speaking from Iraq said that they are "fed up with such 'political' words" and that the Americans are doing nothing to stop the terror campaign against them. They believe that the priority for Hillary Clinton's State Department and Obama's administration is to not upset the Iraqi government as they have no other allies within the country.

They believe that no-one is trying to help them and feel that the current timid diplomacy "will not do much good".

"These words from the American embassy officials are insulting to us, and to those many friends of ours who have murdered. This statement is evidence that the Iraqi government is doing nothing to protect its citizens."

"They are responsible for these crimes through bringing no one to justice, refusing to acknowledge their police's involvement and providing no rights for Iraqi LGBT in law."

"People should not forget that what's happening in Iraq right now is a direct result of the unlawful US invasion."

Scott Long, director of Human Rights Watch’s LGBT Rights Program, has also criticism the State Department. In an interview with EdgeBoston, responding to State spokesperson John T. Fleming's pointed statement that 'homosexuality is not a crime in Iraq', Long responded that the fact that homosexuality is not a crime punishable by death "would be an interesting fact if the law, or the rule of law, mattered in Iraq."

Long has just returned from a fact-finding mission to Iraq where he spoke to 25 survivors from Baghdad and other cities, including Najaf, Basra and Samarra.

As a consequence of what they found, Human Rights Watch has been organizing ways for as many LGBT Iraqis as possible to get out of the country.

Colorado U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, who has spoken about Iraqi government involvement with the violence, has written with Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank to U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill.

"As LGBT Americans and cochairs of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, we are disturbed and shocked at allegations that Ministry of the Interior Security Forces may be involved in the mass persecution and execution of LGBT Iraqis ... The persecution of Iraqis based on sexual orientation or gender identity is escalating and is unacceptable regardless of whether these policies are extrajudicial or state-sanctioned."

The letter called on the U.S. embassy in Iraq to "prioritize the investigation" of the allegations and work with the Iraqi government to end the executions of LGBT Iraqis. Polis is drafting another letter that would be signed by more members of Congress and sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

--------------------

To reply to this message, follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox/readmessage.php&t=1093081930379 mid=918e41G2c4faed8G1b8a446G0

How to have an Absolutely Fabulous Feast!

Here is a thought I had while at the gym today. (DISCLOSURE: I lifted parts of this, well most of this, from the Unitarians who definitely are inclusive). You, see, as I was madly peddling away, I got to thinking, since so many Bahá’ís are disinclined to interact with 10% of the population, I got to thinking.... how our prejudices stem from a lack of experience or understanding of those that seem different, or in this case fabulous... so what to do? Invite the local GLBT community to a fireside or a Holy Day.

Oh snap!

So as a first step, I offer here a, simple, easy to use, handy, template for your community to use in your community website. All your community has to do is cut and paste this statement below into your community webpage. Simply substitute XYZ for Woodburn, Albuquerque, Portland, Wilmette or or even Carmichael! If you need help, I am glad to come help... oops! I forgot, THEY won't let me! Sorry, how very awkward, at any rate here goes:

The Bahá’ís of XYZ, California would like to extend a warm welcome to Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people and their families. We encourage you to seek your own spiritual path and visit our community, a place where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our community—and the world—a better place.

The XYZ Bahá’í Community takes pride in working alongside other communities of Faith in XYZ, to provide a welcoming and open place for LGBT people. We invite you to visit us and to explore the healing words of Bahá’u’lláh, who’s life was dedicated to the elimination of all forms of prejudice.

Since the Bahá’í Faith is dedicated to the eradication for all forms of prejudice we believe that “The inherent worth and dignity of every person,” applies equally to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Our local Bahá’í community is reaching out to all LGBT people and their families, because for more than a century, the Bahá’í Faith has been in the forefront of fighting prejudice and bigotry.

Together with other progressive communities in XYZ, we are proud to work to promote acceptance, inclusion, understanding, and equity for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender persons of all colors, races, and ethnicities. We are committed to protecting the civil and legal rights of LGBT people and families across the country.

We welcome you!

From an old friend...

The words thou hadst written have, as soon as they were read in My Presence, caused the ocean of My fidelity to surge within Me, and the breeze of My forgiveness to be wafted over thy soul, and the tree of My loving-kindness to overshadow thee, and the clouds of My bounty to rain down upon thee their gifts. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of eternity, I sorrow for thee in thy grief, and lament with thee in thy tribulation.... I bear witness to the services thou hast rendered Me, and testify to the various troubles thou hast sustained for My sake. All the atoms of the earth declare My love for thee.

Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 309.