"Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is pretty simple. It says, 'Raise an army.' It says absolutely nothing about race, color, creed, sexual orientation. You all joined for a reason: to serve. To protect our nation, right? How dare we, then, exclude a group of people who want to do the same thing you do right now, something that is honorable and noble? Right? Get over it. We’re magnificent, we’re going to continue to be. Let’s just move on, treat everybody with firmness, fairness, dignity, compassion and respect. Let’s be Marines." - Command Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Michael Barrett, speaking to troops in South Korea.Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Via JMG: From The Top Enlisted Marine
"Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is pretty simple. It says, 'Raise an army.' It says absolutely nothing about race, color, creed, sexual orientation. You all joined for a reason: to serve. To protect our nation, right? How dare we, then, exclude a group of people who want to do the same thing you do right now, something that is honorable and noble? Right? Get over it. We’re magnificent, we’re going to continue to be. Let’s just move on, treat everybody with firmness, fairness, dignity, compassion and respect. Let’s be Marines." - Command Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Michael Barrett, speaking to troops in South Korea.
Via JMG: WI Judge Upholds Domestic Partners
Saying the system does not violate the state's ban on same-sex marriage, a judge has upheld Wisconsin's domestic partners registry.
Dane County Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser ruled that the 2009 law does not create a legal status for partners that is identical or substantially similar to that of marriage and therefore it does not violate the constitutional ban approved by voters in 2006. “The state does not recognize domestic partnership in a way that even remotely resembles how the state recognizes marriage,” Moeser said in the ruling. “Moreover, domestic partners’ have far fewer legal rights, duties, and liabilities in comparison to the legal rights, duties, and liabilities of spouses.”The anti-gay Christian group that brought the suit says they will now appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Via JMG: Marriage Is Between One Man And One Child Less Than One-Third His Age
Sixteen year-old aspiring country singer Courtney Stodden has married actor Doug Hutchinson, 51, whom you may recall played the weasely Percy Wetmore in The Green Mile. The happy couple plans a champagne toast to their nuptials in five years when the bride reaches drinking age.(Tipped by JMG reader Blair)
Via JMG: Rise Against - Make It Stop
An awesome pop-rock track against gay bullying made in collaboration with the It Gets Better Project. Featuring a cameo by Dan Savage.
reposted from Joe
reposted from Joe
Via Gay Politics Report: Does President Obama favor marriage equality?
President Barack Obama has not publicly announced his support for marriage equality but says that his views on the subject are evolving; some insiders say that, privately, Obama has never opposed same-sex couples getting married. The latest comments came after Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, mistakenly told a convention of progressive bloggers that Obama did not personally fill out a 1996 questionnaire in which he expressed support for marriage equality. Aides said Obama believed at the time he was expressing support for civil unions, which the president continues to back.
The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (6/18)
The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (6/18)
Via GetEqual
Across civil rights movements of the past, the freedom to marry has been a stepping stone on the path toward full legal equality. Of course, there are many other such stepping stones -- employment non-discrimination, full and open access to public accommodations, open military service, etc. -- but marriage has always provided a strategic opening for more and greater civil rights for marginalized groups.
We're on the verge of a perfect storm this week in New York and we need your help to push for a few key wins this week...
New York State is in the eye of the storm for a few key reasons:
- First, there is a marriage equality bill pending in the state Senate, but which is being held hostage by anti-LGBT forces that are using President Obama's own reticence to embrace marriage equality as a way to override the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers who support the freedom to marry.
- Second, President Obama is holding a giant LGBT fundraiser in New York City, but hasn't publicly stated that he favors the freedom to marry for LGBT folks...stating instead that his position on marriage equality is "evolving."
- And, third, New York City's Pride is this weekend -- in just a matter of days, hundreds of thousands of LGBT folks and allies will be in town to celebrate the anniversary of Stonewall and of our tradition of standing up for our rights.
It's time for the President to evolve already. And, here is our plan to help push for that to happen:
First, please sign the petition that Freedom To Marry has created, asking the President to "Say I Do" to marriage equality. There are over 111,000 signatures on the petition so far, and we want to keep adding signatures in order to keep adding pressure on the President. We'll take that message with us as we stand outside the President's fundraiser on Thursday (more below):
Second, help us to put more pressure on the President by following us on Twitter at @GetEQUAL. We'll be launching a Twitter campaign shortly in order to keep the pressure on and make it clear to the White House that anything less than full support for marriage equality is unacceptable. And we're joining with AMERICAblog Gay to push the President to #evolvealready over the next few days.
Third, we'll be in New York City on Thursday at the President's fundraiser and we hope you'll either join us yourself or ask your friends to join us there. You can find information on the rally at:
We hope that, through this public pressure, we'll be able to move the President to understand that he's falling behind the majority of Americans who see marriage equality as a key civil right for LGBT Americans. Through this pressure, we hope that President Obama, before cashing those checks, will think twice about how he can help make the lives of those check writers better with just two words:
"I do."
Of course, marriage isn't the only vital piece of legislation moving through the New York legislature right now. GENDA (Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act) passed the Assembly, but is stuck in the Senate. We encourage you to exercise your voice by making calls and adding feedback to the whip count over at Act On Principles: http://www.actonprinciples.
Get Out! Get Active! GetEQUAL!
Robin McGehee, Director
The Juliettes "Hooray You're Gay"
HoorayYoureGay(.com) is the first international release from The Juliettes, Seattle's favorite all-woman, Pump Rock band. 100% of net proceeds will benefit equality education and at-risk gay youth. The Juliettes celebrate you.
Monday, June 20, 2011
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