NYS Senator Diane Savino speaks on the Marriage Equality bill

From JMG: American Right-Wing Christians Behind Uganda's "Kill Gays" Bill

Last month we learned that Uganda, where being gay can already bring a life sentence, was considering a death penalty for homosexual acts in certain situations. The proposed new law is now before Uganda's parliament.

Life imprisonment is the minimum punishment for anyone convicted of having gay sex, under an anti-homosexuality bill currently before Uganda's parliament. If the accused person is HIV positive or a serial offender, or a "person of authority" over the other partner, or if the "victim" is under 18, a conviction will result in the death penalty. Members of the public are obliged to report any homosexual activity to police with 24 hours or risk up to three years in jail – a scenario that human rights campaigners say will result in a witchhunt. Ugandans breaking the new law abroad will be subject to extradition requests. "The bill is haunting us," said Mugisha, 25, chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda, a coalition of local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex groups that will all be banned under the law. "If this passes we will have to leave the country."

The bill has been denounced by the Swedish government and by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has condemned the bill as well.

Over at Box Turtle Bulletin, Timothy Kincaid and Jim Burroway have been tracking the connection to the bill by American right-wing Christians, in particular by the secretive "Family," which includes as members prominent GOP politicians like Sen. John Ensign and SC Gov. Mark Sanford. The push for the "kill gays" bill in Uganda is being promoted and funded by the Family. Go to Box Turtle Bulletin for an exhaustive recounting of the ties between Uganda, the Family, and the Christianist right.

Among those with close ties to Ugandans promoting the "kill gays" bill is Saddleback megachurch Pastor Rick Warren, who has hosted many appearance by Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the bill's leading advocates. Warren has since denounced Ssempa's extreme anti-gay stance. But yesterday on Meet The Press, Warren refused to distance himself from "kill gays" bill itself, saying, "I never take sides." Of course, we know differently from Warren's endorsement of Proposition 8.

What we are seeing in Uganda is a vivid depiction of what some on the Christian right would like to see in America. They are testing the waters there, dipping their vile toes into Uganda's government, seeing just how far they can take an anti-gay pogrom. Watch closely.

Courtesy of JMG

2010 California Marriage Protection Act PSA (#2)

Five for Fred - Please Donate!

About

Five for Fred is asking its supporters to spread awareness and donate $5.00 (the priceof a latte + tip) to help with Fred's costly legal battle. He's a citizen activist fighting against a team of high-priced lawyers from the National Organization for Marriage and the Christian Right legal organization, the Alliance Defense Fund. They want to silence him.

Log onto www.fiveforfred.com and get involved today!

Positions

1. Fred filed complaints in California and Maine with their State Ethics Commissions that have led to investigations of the Mormon Church and NOM!
2. The National Organization for Marriage and their team of lawyers has subpoenaed Fred, trying to destroy and silence him.
3. Please donate $5.00 right now and spread the word about Fred’s legal battle. He needs our help.
4. The fight for equal rights is now. Plese give to Fred's Legal Defense Fund.
5. Visit www.fiveforfred.com today for more information and to make a donation.

From JMG

Los Angeles Times Condemns The Manhattan Declaration

In an editorial published yesterday, the Los Angeles Times strongly condemned the anti-gay Manhattan Declaration, calling it "irresponsible and dangerous" and warning that the document may embolden anti-abortion terrorists.

The impression left is that the legal environment in which churches must operate is reminiscent of the Roman Empire that threw Christians to the lions. Never mind that advocates of same-sex civil marriage and legal abortion have made significant concessions to believers or that religious groups have recourse to courts, which have aggressively protected the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. In 1993, Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, exempting believers in some cases from having to comply with applicable laws.

This apocalyptic argument for lawbreaking is disingenuous, but it is also dangerous. Did the Roman Catholic bishops who signed the manifesto consider how their endorsement of lawbreaking in a higher cause might embolden the antiabortion terrorists they claim to condemn? Did they stop to think that, by reserving the right to resist laws they don't like, they forfeit the authority to intervene in the enactment of those laws, as they have done in the congressional debate over healthcare reform? They need to be reminded that this is a nation of laws, not of men -- even holy men.

Meanwhile Bill O'Reilly complains on Townhall that the "secular media" has given the Manhattan Declaration little attention and wonders "are people of faith as upset as some of their leadership with the secularism of America?"

courtesy of JMG

World AIDs Day - December 1

Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
Around 95% of people with HIV and AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world

AIDS attacks the body…
Prejudice attacks the spirit…
One is caused by a virus.
One is caused by ignorance.
BOTH KILL!!

PLEASE WEAR RED ON TUESDAY 1ST DECEMBER, 2009 to show support for people who have AIDS, those who have died from it and those who are working towards a cure.

One love

Hockey Dad, Gay Son

Filed by: Dana Rudolph

November 27, 2009 12:00 PM

This ESPN story is breaking all over the sporting news. Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, "a most public example of hockey machismo," has a gay son, and accepts him. Not only that, but the son, Brendan, plays hockey for Miami University. As an out player, he is helping break down the walls of homophobia in sports.

Here's what Brian Burke had to say about his son

Bil Browning sent a message to the members of The Bilerico Project.

Subject: Weekly Reader: iPhone apps, hockey dads, & a San Francisco mixer

Bilerico is coming to San Francisco! On Friday, Dec 4, we'll be hosting a mixer at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Stop by and say hello to Jerame and me plus tons of other contributors and readers! You can tell us what you thought of posts like these:

Sunday
In Honor of our Fallen Brothers and Sisters on this Day of Remembrance
Filed by: Kelley Winters
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/in_honor_of_our_fallen_brothers_and_sisters_on_thi.php

GayCities iPhone App Review Redux
Filed by: Jerame Davis
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/gaycities_iphone_app_review_redux.php

Monday
Outing Catholic Priests Is a Fair Game at http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;Churchouting.org
Filed by: Father Tony
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/outing_catholic_priests_is_a_fair_game_at_churchou.php

If S/he Were Positive, Would You Stay?
Filed by: Betty Greene Salwak
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/if_she_were_positive_would_you_stay.php

Tuesday
The Horrible Truth About Gay Marriage
Filed by: Diane Silver
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/the_horrible_truth_about_gay_marriage.php

FOUND: Strangest beauty contest ever
Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/found_strangest_beauty_contest_ever.php

Wednesday
Chairman Miller, Don't Reach For That Turkey Yet!
Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/chairman_miller_dont_reach_for_that_turkey_yet.php

Sympathy fatigue
Filed by: Alex Blaze
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/sympathy_fatigue.php

Thursday
The 2nd Thanksgiving: A Personal Story On Conflict Resolution
Filed by: Bil Browning
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/a_thanksgiving_story.php

Friday
Hockey Dad, Gay Son
Filed by: Dana Rudolph
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/hockey_dad_gay_son.php

Anatomy of a furry convention
Filed by: Austen Crowder
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/anatomy_of_a_furry_convention.php

BONUS:

A Bilerico Mixer in San Francisco!
Filed by: Bil Browning
http://www.facebook.com/l/e1812;www.bilerico.com/2009/11/a_bilerico_party_in_san_francisco.php

Don't forget:

Subscribe to the Bilerico Project Report to get all of the previous day's posts sent to you every night at midnight.
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Gay Star Trek

jump to the explanation here

Quote of the Day

"Love is a feeling, marriage is a contract, and a relationship is work."

- Lori Gordon

Adam Joseph "Finally"

Quote of the Day

In the final analysis,
for the believer there are no questions,
and for the non-believer there are no answers.

— Haffetz Hayyim

This message from the Courage Campaign

Dear Daniel --

I want to tell you about a heartfelt conversation I recently had with a family member who opposed marriage equality. I hope it will motivate you to have one of your own with someone you care about this holiday season.

I'm a straight ally, a community organizer, and a volunteer photographer for Camp Courage. Those experiences showed me that the best way to build momentum for marriage equality is by having a conversation with those you know best about why you personally support marriage equality. And there is no better time to do that than during the holidays, when we gather with our friends, family, co-workers and neighbors.

I know that is true because I helped my mother-in-law open her mind to marriage equality by having my own "Courageous Conversation" with her earlier this year.

Elinor, my mother-in-law, voted for Proposition 8. And it was really hard for me to talk with her about her decision. I felt like we were going in circles -- she thought gay marriage was "wrong" and a threat to "traditional" marriage -- and there was nothing I could say to her to change her mind. But one day I had an idea. I opened up my photo album.

See, I've taken thousands of photographs at Camp Courage workshops, Meet In The Middle in Fresno, and the National Equality March in DC, to document the marriage equality movement since Proposition 8 was passed last year.

So I asked her to look at the people in these photos. I told her how I recognized the love in their eyes, their souls, and their hearts because I saw it in myself and in my husband. I told her that I look at the man I married 13 years ago -- her son -- and think about all we've shared and done, suffered and celebrated. I told her I can't imagine a world where society and the law says our love isn't as equal as any other couple in a committed relationship.

The conversation that followed was the most open one we'd ever had about gay marriage. I don't think I've changed her mind -- yet. But I do know we aren't talking in circles any more, and that the door is open to many more conversations to come.

It took courage to have that conversation. But that is how we will win marriage equality -- by being courageous.

That's why the Courage Campaign is asking you to have a "Courageous Conversation" this holiday season. Make your pledge here and share with us the name and location of the person with whom you'll be having a "Courageous Conversation." Help us build momentum and inspire thousands of Courage Campaign members to join you. Bring equality and joy one conversation at a time:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/CourageousConversations

Sometimes the most courageous act is a simple conversation with someone you know and love. I know these conversations are not easy. But that is why they are so important. Our research shows that the most effective way to change someone's opinion about marriage equality is to have someone they know and trust explain to them why it matters.

We'll help you make these conversations a success. We will offer support and advice about where and when to start the conversation. We'll also help you tell your "story-of-self" with a guide on our website.

And we'll let you turn your "Courageous Conversation" into a gift -- we'll send an online card to an LGBT friend or family member of your choice, letting them know that for this holiday season, you will pledge to help win equality for them by having a "Courageous Conversation." Click here to get started:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/CourageousConversations

One "Courageous Conversation" at a time we can change the hearts and minds of those in our lives about marriage equality. Thank you for giving the gift of equality.

Marta Evry
Community Organizer and Camp Courage volunteer photographer

The Courage Campaign is an 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 innovative campaigns for full equality, please chip in what you can today:

Mrs. Betty Bowers: Less is Mormon!

"Its a good thing"

Quote Of The Day from JMG - Billy Arnone

"If they were put in front of me I’d probably watch it." - Billy Arnone, the brother of Miss Ladyfingers USA, telling Radar Online that he'd watch her sex tape. What IS it with that family? (And note Billy's "Loose Lips" t-shirt.) He goes on to slam same-sex unions, saying, "I’m all the way against gay marriage. I don’t feel that it’s right that a man and a man should raise a kid. That’s just how I was raised and how Carrie was raised. We’ll stick by that ‘til the day we die." So hate IS a family value.

Courtesy of JMG

Bush Lied. Soldiers keep Dying.

4,365 U.S. Military Fatalities in Iraq
927 U.S. Military Fatalities in Afghanistan
31,557 U.S. Military Maimed in Iraq (source: DoD Update as of October 31, 2009)
102,844 Iraqis Reported Killed (source: Iraq Body Count)
1,339,771 Iraqis Reported Killed (source: justforeignpolicy.org)

Here are the original content stories featured on the BuzzFlash for Today

Faced With Video of Fear-Mongering Anti-Government Groups, a Majority Think Armed Militias Should Be Illegal -- BuzzFlash News Analysis

Greatest Healthcare? Has Anyone Tried Calling for a Nurse When Hospitalized? -- BuzzFlash Editor's Blog

Third World Women Suffer the Most from Climate Change While Bloggers Use Sex to Save the Earth -- Green Is Good

A Few Thoughts On FOX's Latest 'Apology' -- Verse-Case Scenario by Tony Peyser

Jacqueline Marcus: Cheney & Rumsfeld Are Still Running the War, The Wall Street Boys Get Rich -- BuzzFlash Guest Commentary

Bill Corcoran: Do Republicans Know What It's Like in the ER? -- BuzzFlash Guest Commentary

Barbara's Daily BuzzFlash Minute for November 23, 2009

BuzzFlash Mailbag for November 23, 2009

Rainbow Panthers

Wolf Mc Intosh sent a message to the members of I Support The Dallas Principles.

--------------------
Subject: Please Take A Moment To Join Our New Facebook Group

Hello,

I would like to thank you for taking the time to support the Dallas Principles.

There is exciting news tonight of the creation of a new facebook group called the "Rainbow Panthers." This group will advocate the support of our LGBTQI youth who are painfully harassed, abused, and murdered all for being SELF.

This past week, as you may have heard in the news, 2 gay teenagers were brutally murdered.

A third gay teenager in Texas was assaulted after his pleas for help to his school principal, and school bus driver, were ignored.

The goal of the Rainbow Panthers is to offer assistance and support to LGBTQI youth who are often marginalized and targets for violence.

I would like to invite you to join our group, and as it is still in the beginning stages of creation, we welcome any and all input from you.

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=187453406851&ref=mf

Cheers,
Wolf
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