Via Gay Politics Report:

Validity of Prop 8's ruling will be decided by federal appeals court

The issues of whether a federal judge was correct in overturning California's Proposition 8 marriage ban and whether he was fit to decide the case despite being gay will be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Combining the decisions could streamline the case for a potential hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court. In June, a federal court rejected an attempt by marriage rights opponents to vacate Judge Vaughn Walker's decision to throw out Proposition 8. Metro Weekly (Washington, D.C.)/Poliglot 

Via JMG: Major League Baseball Adds "Sexual Orientation" To Union Agreement

More good news in the world of sports.

Major League Baseball, which saw Jackie Robinson break the color barrier in 1947, today will announce incremental progress in another civil rights issue. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement adds “sexual orientation” to its section on discrimination, a person with direct knowledge of the agreement told the Daily News. Article XV, Section A of the MLB’s expiring Basic Agreement, in effect from 2006-2011, states: “The provisions of this Agreement shall be applied to all Players covered by this Agreement without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.” In the new agreement, which will be made public this afternoon, the words “sexual orientation” will be added to the equivalent section.

RELATED: You may recall that the San Francisco Giants, upon the urging of local activist Sean Chapin, became the first pro sports team to create an "It Gets Better" video. Several other pro baseball teams have since followed suit. I don't think it's far-fetched to give Chapin some credit for today's news.

Labels: baseball, employment, Sean Chapin, sports

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: NORTH CAROLINA: Baptist Church Votes "No Marriages Until Gays Can Marry Too"

With the backing of their openly lesbian pastor, a Baptist church in Raleigh, North Carolina has voted to prohibit her from signing marriage certificates until gay couples can marry too.

The congregants said in a formal statement that current North Carolina law - and the language proposed for a vote next year on an amendment to the state Constitution - discriminates against same-sex couples "by denying them the rights and privileges enjoyed by heterosexual married couples." "As people of faith, affirming the Christian teaching that before God all people are equal, we will no longer participate in this discrimination," the church's statement says. The vote was unanimous and brought tears to the eyes of some of the 100 or so members who stood to vote in favor of the "statement on marriage ceremonies."

Labels: marriage equality, North Carolina, religion

reposted from Joe

Via AmericaBlog Gay: New Spanish leader opposes gay marriage law

OnTopMag:

The 56-year-old Rajoy has previously said he believes the law is unconstitutional and that he would “change” it even if the nation's highest court ruled it constitutional.

“I will listen to the court, but I don't like the fact that there is gay marriage and I don't think it is constitutional,” he told daily El Pais. “What I don't like is the word 'marriage.'”

July 15, 2010 (English-language subtitles)

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

 November 22, 2011

 

You Lack Nothing // Você Falta Nada

You lack nothing. You lack nothing, therefore you practice. Therefore you must realize and manifest this no-lack, this realized life, this awakened life that you are. Manifest the wisdom compassion functioning that you are. To paraphrase Dogen Zenji, if you want to be such a person, as you are such you must do such. You must do this person that you are, then you will be this person that you are.

– Elihu Genmyo Smith, "No Need to Do Zazen, Therefore Must Do Zazen"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via JMG: 21 Years In Prison For Brandon McInerney

Teenage murderer Brandon McInerny has been sentenced to 21 years in prison in a plea agreement for the shooting of openly gay classmate Larry King.

Brandon McInerney, who was 14 when he pulled a gun out of his backpack and shot Larry King twice in the head in 2008, has already served nearly four years in jail and would be released by the time he is 38, under terms of the deal. "Larry had a complicated life, but he did not deserve to be murdered," the youth's father,Greg King, said after a court hearing Monday afternoon. McInerney’s first trial ended with jurors split between convicting him of voluntary manslaughter and first-degree murder. Several of the jurors have since spoken in favor of a plea bargain, in order to avoid a second trial. Prosecutors, in initially deciding to try McInerney a second time, had already dropped a key allegation that the shooting was motivated by a hatred of homosexuals, an accusation that several jurors in the original trial said they did not believe.

Labels: Brandon McInerney, Lawrence King, murder

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: SPAIN: Anti-Gay Party Wins Control Of Parliament, Gay Marriage Imperiled

Led by anti-gay asshat Mariano Rajoy, Spain's deeply conservative Popular Party scored a landslide victory in yesterday's national elections. Rajoy has vowed to repeal same-sex marriage rights once he's in power.

The Socialist Party, which has governed Spain since 2004, has admitted defeat. Mr Rajoy, who is expected to tackle the country's debts amid slow growth and high unemployment, said he was aware of the "magnitude of the task ahead". He told supporters there would be "no miracle" to restore Spain to financial health, and that the country must unite to win back respect in Europe. "Forty-six million Spaniards are going to wage a battle against the crisis," said the 56-year-old PP leader. The PP won about 44% of the votes and the Socialists 29% in Sunday's election, according to near-complete official results. The PP is expected to take about 186 of the 350 seats in the lower house. As the results were announced, jubilant, flag-waving supporters danced outside party headquarters in central Madrid.

Analysts say the Socialists primarily lost power due to discontent over the continuing debt crisis and not because of "morality issues" promoted by the Popular Party.

MAP KEY: Blue is Popular Party, red is Socialist, yellow/green are regional parties.

Labels: LGBT rights, marriage equality, Spain

reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

 November 20, 2011

The Truth of the Breath

Everything that is true about anything is true about breath: it's impermanent; it arises and it passes away. Yet if you didn't breathe, you would become uncomfortable; so then you would take in a big inhalation and feel comfortable again. But if you hold onto the breath, it's no longer comfortable, so you have to breathe out again. All the time shifting, shifting. Uncomfortableness is continually arising. We see that everything keeps changing.

– Sylvia Boorstein, "Body as Body"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

 November 19, 2011

Sound Meditation

One specific method for practicing mindfulness of body sensations is to focus your attention on sounds. Sounds, like everything else, arise and pass away. Just by listening, you can experience the insight of impermanence, an understanding the Buddha taught as crucial for the development of wisdom.

– Sylvia Boorstein, "Sound Meditation"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection