Lady Gaga - Interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2010 (Post VMA's)

Via JMG: Harry Reid Schedules Senate Vote On DADT Repeal For Next Week

It appears that the long-overdue Senate vote on the repeal of DADT will come at last next week.

A senior Democratic leadership aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Reid met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday to inform the Republican leader that the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill will come to the Senate floor the week of Sept. 20. The aide said Senate leadership is anticipating the Senate won’t have unanimous consent to bring the legislation to the floor, so 60 votes will be necessary to end a filibuster and move forward with debate on the bill. “We are going to take it the floor next week to see where the votes are,” the aide said.

Was it Lady Gaga? Nah...

Labels: DADT, Harry Reid, military, Senate

reposted from Joe

Via Servicemembers United:

Dear Servicemembers United Supporter, The Washington Blade just broke the story that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally intends to schedule the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for debate next week, and this news has critical implications for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." If Senator Reid follows through with this commitment, both NDAA and DADT should get a final vote before the Senate breaks for mid-terms, saving us from the free-for-all of a lame duck session after the mid-terms. This means that our efforts to lobby the Senate are now especially critical. We're about to have one last shot to push DADT repeal over the finish line, and we need you in Washington, DC this Thursday to help with that effort. The fall DADT Lobby Day, affectionately termed "The Final Assault," is taking place this Thursday, September 16th, and we need all the extra lobbying support we can get, especially now that NDAA has finally been scheduled for debate and a vote. Please join us for "THE FINAL ASSAULT" on DADT in Washington this Thursday, Sept. 16th. If you can make it to Washington, DC this Thursday, please go here to register immediately for the DADT Lobby Day. Lobbying appointments will be scheduled for, and details will be sent to, those who register. United we can do this! Alex Nicholson Executive Director Servicemembers United ----------------- SU Press Release on Authorization Bill Scheduling ----------------- Senator Reid Schedules Defense Authorization Bill for Next Week Pressure on Majority Leader Pays Off as Thursday Lobby Day Becomes Critical FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09/13/2010 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, applauded today's announcement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office that Senator Reid will finally bring the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) up for debate during the week of September 20th. The NDAA contains an important provision that would authorize the repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, in addition to authorizations for annual pay and equipment funding for the entire military. "We are both pleased and relieved that Senator Reid has decided to schedule the defense authorization bill for floor time next week," said Alexander Nicholson, founder and Executive Director of Servicemembers United. "We are fairly confident that we will have the 60 votes to break a filibuster of this bill. It would be shameful for lawmakers to vote to hold up an important and expansive piece of legislation like the defense authorization bill simply because of their opposition to one or two provisions within it." Servicemembers United has been leveling sustained, heavy pressure on Senator Reid over the delay in allowing the NDAA to move forward, including sharp criticism just this morning in the Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill ("Reid My Lips: No Forgiveness for No NDAA in September"). A Senate-focused "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" lobby day, nicknamed "The Final Assault," is scheduled for this Thursday, September 16th in Washington, DC. Anyone interested in participating in this effort should register immediately at www.ServicemembersUnited.org. ### Servicemembers United, a non-profit and non-partisan organization, is the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their allies. Based in Washington, DC, Servicemembers United actively engages in education and advocacy on issues affecting the gay military, veteran, and defense community.

Confirm that you like this.

Click the "Like" button.

Via JMG: TENNESSEE: Lesbian Couple's Home Torched, Homophobic Neighbor Suspected

A lesbian couple in rural Tennessee returned from a trip to Nashville to find their home burned to the ground and the word "QUEERS" spray-painted on their garage.

The couple feels they're victims of a hate crime, and were targeted because they're gay. They've been together for more than 15 years. Carol Stutte has an adult daughter from a previous relationship who also lived with them. At the time of the fire, they were in Nashville celebrating their fifth anniversary in Tennessee. "My daughter was supposed to be here. She was sick," Carol Stutte said. "I was grateful my baby girl didn't get killed in this fire. She would have been trapped in the basement." The couple moved to Vonore from Oklahoma. Carol Stutte says her partner is too afraid to come back to the property since the fire. She says they've been harassed all five years they've lived there by one neighbor. She also says recently the neighbor threatened to kill them and burn down their house," Stutte said. "I knew we had been threatened, but we never thought anything would be followed through."

The local police and the state arson squad are investigating the fire as a possible hate crime. PFLAG has sent out a call for donations of cash and household items for the women. The Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church is also taking donations.

Labels: hate crimes, PFLAG, Tennessee

reposted from Joe

Today's Email pass a long:

Did you know that the words "race car" spelled backwards still spells race car? 

And that "eat" is the only word that, if you take the 1st letter and move it to the last, spells its past tense -- ate.

And if you rearrange the letters in "Tea Party Republicans", and add just a few more letters, it spells: "Shut-up, you free-loading, progress-blocking, benefit-grabbing, homophobic, resource-sucking, racist, hypocritical jerks, and face the fact that you nearly capsized the country under Bush."

How weird is that? :-)

Too Gay for TV?

Rachel Maddow- ODonnell further embarrasses herself with cheap gay baiting

SUICIDE: WE GIVE A DAMN

Via JMG: White House Responds To DADT Ruling

Towleroad has received the below statement from White House spokesman Shin Inouye.

"The Justice Department is studying the decision, including the question of its scope and immediate effect and we expect them to announce their next steps after that review is completed. The President remains committed to legislative repeal of DADT, and he will continue to work with lawmakers to achieve that goal this fall. And he will continue to work closely with Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on an ongoing study of how to best implement the repeal."

Labels: Barack Obama, DADT, Towleroad, White House

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Shannon Minter Explains DADT Ruling

"Judge Phillips has not yet entered the judgment. She asked the plaintiffs to submit a proposed order including a permanent injunction by September 16. When she enters the judgment, she can either permit it to take effect immediately, stay it while the decision is on appeal, or temporarily stay it to give the Ninth Circuit an opportunity to rule on whether her decision should be stayed during the appeal. Because this is a facial challenge, not just an as-applied challenge, if the decision is upheld on appeal, it will apply to the whole country and will be the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell." - National Center for Lesbian Rights attorney Shannon Minter.

Labels: DADT, military, NCLR, Shannon Minter

reposted from Joe