From HRC:

Dear Daniel,

As we approach the time when Congress will consider the Department of Defense Authorization bill, a critical order of business is to secure the votes we need in the Senate Armed Services Committee for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

To do so, HRC has identified senators in six key states (FL, IN, MA, NE, VA & WV) for grassroots and grasstops lobbying. We have two dozen organizers on the ground in those states, and are engaged in events, post cards drives, phone calls, visits to in-district offices, op-eds from veterans and opinion leaders, and other earned media. The Voices of Honor Tour, a successful collaboration with our allied groups, has held events in 30 cities so far. In these key states we have:

• Generated almost 10,000 postcards to senators;

• Placed over 4,000 phone calls to senators; and

• Identified over 300 veterans to do in-district lobby visits or attend our May 11 Lobby Day.

HRC is also meeting with House leadership to discuss strategies for moving DADT repeal this year and we continue to exert pressure on the White House to take a visible leadership role as we enter this critical period. We are hopeful about moving repeal, and aware that a handful of votes in the Senate could determine the outcome. If you have not done so already, please take action and learn more about how to help.

Our steadfast advocacy of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act has not wavered as well. Along with LGBT coalition groups and congressional leaders, we are putting the pieces in place to pass an inclusive ENDA in the House and hope to have news to share in the coming weeks. After you've taken action on DADT, don't forget to also visit www.passENDAnow.org to let Congress know fair workplaces are a critical issue for our country.

As we press ahead on those two fronts I want to add one more item to your to-do list. We celebrated last week when the President issued a memorandum requiring hospitals accepting federal funds to respect families' wishes regarding who is at a sick or dying patient's bedside. When fully implemented, the memorandum will help to avert the tragedies that many same-sex couples and their children face in their times of greatest need.

But the policy is not in force yet. Now, the Department of Health and Human Services must issue regulations. To ensure that your family is protected today, you must have documents expressing your intentions regarding visitation, as well as a health care proxy and living will to ensure that those who know you the best can make medical decisions on your behalf in an emergency.

Download sample forms online from the HRC Foundation.

Another great resource is the Healthcare Equality Index, our groundbreaking nationwide report on healthcare facilities' policies affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. This index was a key resource in our efforts with the White House on this memorandum and you can use it to find out the policies of your nearest hospital. The next edition of the Healthcare Equality Index is due to be released in early June.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese
President, Human Rights Campaign

via JMG: Archie Comic Gets Gay Character

After running for 69 years, the venerable Archie comic has added a gay character.

"We're trying to reflect society and we're just trying to show Riverdale is a diverse place," says Dan Parent, the artist-writer behind the series. Kevin Keller makes his debut in September in "Veronica" No. 202, on sale in September, as a hunky new kid who catches the raven-haired vixen's eye. Though Veronica is used to getting her way, she's finally run up against a boy who's immune to her charms. Cue the hijinks. Parent says he hopes the positive message will offend as few people as possible, but adverse conservative reaction "was not a reason not to do the story." Archie Comics Co-CEO Jon Goldwater said in the few hours since the official announcement his voice mail has been overwhelmed with messages - mostly in support of the company's decision.

Freepers react:
-Wow, those faggots are really taking over.
-An extremely marginal and diseased viewpoint.
-Giving the Arabs yet another reason to seek nuclear weapons...
-Maybe the new character will get himself some JugHead.a repost from JMG

Via JMG: Westboro Baptist Church To Picket Constance McMillen's Graduation

Westboro Baptist Church has announced on their website (NFSW) that they will be picketing the graduation ceremony of Constance McMillen's high school in Mississippi.

WBC will picket the graduation of Itawamba Agricultural High School to remind the parents, teachers and students of this nation that God said "Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind, it is abomination." Leviticus 18:22. This generation has been raised to believe that they can live for the devil and still go to heaven, that God has no standards and the biggest lie of all - that God loves everyone. The parents of Fulton, MS feign outrage that a filthy dyke wants to parade her "girlfriend" around at their night of fornication called a prom. They had a duty to teach their children what the Lord requires of them. They shirked this duty. The Lord repays them to their face by sending dykes, burning in their lusts, to tyrannize them. "For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change their natural use which is is against nature." Romans 1:26

While we've seen many moving examples of young people protesting the presence of Westboro, it will be very interesting to see how the people of Constance's hometown react to this. Encouragingly, a Facebook group against the picket has already appeared.

a repost from JMG

Via JMG: Rosie O'Donnell Vs. Mike Huckabee

Rosie O'Donnell hosted Mike Huckabee on her SiriusXM show yesterday to grill him about his recent outrageous "children are not puppies" statement of opposition to gay adoption. Wonk Room has the transcript. Good stuff, listen to this.

a repost from JMG

From facebook:

Steve Marshall › Daniel Orey: A FaceBook friend of mine, Daniel Orey, got married a few years ago. He ran into some problems because a state-sanctioned, committed, same-sex marriage is not an acceptable lifestyle for Baha’is, according to his NSA...

make the jump here to read his posting

Via Belirico: Caption This: Randall Terry's wooden delivery

Today's Caption This photo is extra special. Taken during the National Equality March, it shows Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry very excited to be arguing with an elderly gay guy.

The floor is yours. (Hat tip to Awkward Boners)

Via JMG: Day Of Anti-Gay Truth: Three Kentucky Girls Charged With Kidnapping And Attempted Murder Of Lesbian Classmate

Three high school girls in Kentucky have been charged with kidnapping and attempting to murder an openly lesbian classmate by pushing her off of a cliff. The attack took place on the Day Of Silence, which some students at the school observed as the anti-gay Day Of Truth, as instructed by Christian hate groups.

Cheyenne Williams, 18, of McKee, signed a sworn criminal complaint Monday, saying she was abducted on Friday by Corinne M. Schwab, 18, of Sandgap; Ashley N. Sams, 18, of Annville; and a 17-year-old girl who was not identified because she is a juvenile. Williams told police she was attacked as a result of her sexual orientation, state police Detective Joie Peters said. The criminal complaint says the girls unlawfully restrained and tried to cause Williams' death. The intent was to "accomplish or advance the commission of a felony and to inflict bodily injury or to terrorize" Williams. The complaint, which was signed by George Hays, the Jackson County attorney, does not provide any other details. Hays declined to comment. State police issued a news release Tuesday that says Williams was "taken against her will to the Flat Lick Falls area" where she was assaulted and that the other three girls "attempted to push her over a cliff, which could have resulted in serious physical injury or death." Williams was able to escape and get to safety, the report says.

Police say they don't yet have proof that that attack was motivated by the victim's sexual orientation.

State police Detective Joie Peters, who is investigating, said it appears the incident began as a practical joke but got out of hand, escalating to the point that Williams sustained minor injuries. Peters said he was not minimizing the incident but has not uncovered evidence it constituted a hate crime. Peters said he would present evidence to a grand jury for a decision on what charge correctly fits the facts of the case. The grand jury could indict the girls on the same charges, a lesser charge such as assault or decline to indict them.

The victim's mother says that the attack was spurred by student dissent to the national Day Of Silence. Christian groups across the country had encouraged students to actively oppose the Day Of Silence in their schools.

Johnson said she has no clue why the other girls would try to hurt her daughter. As for the timing, however, she noted that the alleged attack happened Friday, the day of a national observance for people who have faced bullying or harassment because of their sexual orientation. The attack stemmed from that, Johnson said. Crawford said he understood some students were wearing tags or stickers in support of the observance, while others were wearing stickers in opposition that said something like "Gay is not the way." Superintendent Ralph Hoskins directed that students in both groups not to display the stickers because he didn't want the situation to escalate, Crawford said.

And here we appear to have proof of exactly what the anti-gay Christian groups enabled and encouraged with their campaign against the Day Of Silence. Congratulations, PFOX, Laurie Higgins, Linda Harvey, Concerned Women For America, Exodus International, Peter LaBarbera, and all the rest.another repost from Joe

From Fred: Open Letter to Mike Huckabee

50 years ago the Democratic Party was saddled with a bigoted Southern Governor, George Wallace of Alabama. Wallace was famous for his fervent opposition to desegregation. He even ran for president four times on a racist platform.

George Wallace repeatedly lashed out at black Americans, and at his first inauguration said, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. He believed that blacks were not equal.

Now the Republican Party has its own 21st Century George Wallace, another Southern Governor who has also run for president, Mike Huckabee of Arkansas.

During a recent interview with the College of New Jersey's the Perspective, Governor Huckabee, you compared the relationships of gay Americans to that of drug use, incest and polygamy.

As if that comment was not enough, you went on to ridicule gay parents and gay foster parents with a snide and nasty comment, "Children are not puppies. This is not a time to see if we can experiment and find out, how does this work?"

You have caused tremendous pain by your widely covered comments, even to people whom you know well, like former Vice President Dick Cheney. His younger daughter, Mary and her partner Heather Poe have a three year old son and another baby on the way. Are you referring to Dick Cheney's grandchildren as "puppies?

Governor Huckabee, you represent the absolute wrong direction for the Republican Party.

Take a look at what real Republican leaders have had to say about gay and lesbian civil rights.

President Ronald Reagan At the end of a meeting with gay and lesbian leaders in his Los Angeles office, Reagan smiled and said, "Don't think we can allow something like that to happen here in California." He was denouncing the Briggs Initiative, Proposition 6, which he opposed and would have permitted the firing of gay teachers in California.

President Gerald Ford told Detroit News columnist Deb Price in a telephone interview "I think they (same-sex couples) should be treated equally. Period," he said. "...I have a longstanding record in favor of legislation to do away with discrimination."

Senator Barry Goldwater said, "To see the party that fought communism and big government now fighting the gays, well, that's just plain dumb."

Governor Huckabee, you set a prisoner free, who later murdered 4 police officers in cold blood

When you were Governor of Arkansas, you commuted the sentence of Maurice Clemmons after only 11 years of his 108 year prison sentence.

After Clemmons was paroled in 2000, he was in and out of jail for the next nine years. During that period he beat up two police officers, molested two very young girls, and raped another. On November 29, 2009 he brutally gunned down four police officers, execution style, in Lakewood, Washington while they were having breakfast.

I have known far too many victims of violent crime, whose loved ones were murdered -- their lives destroyed forever.

Remember Willie Horton?

Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis allowed convicted murderer Willie Horton a weekend furlough from prison. Horton was supposed to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of 17-year-old Joey Fournier.

Instead, Horton escaped during his furlough and remained a fugitive for almost a year. On April 3, 1987, Horton terrorized a Maryland couple in their home. He twice raped Angie Miller, after pistol-whipping, knifing, binding, and gagging her fiancé, Cliff Barnes. This went on for hours, until Barnes managed to escape and call police.

I know this tragedy too well. I ran the Committee for the Presidency 22 years ago that let the world know how a Governor's actions forever destroyed another family. I worked with Cliff and Angie (Miller) Barnes (they later married) and Donna Fournier Cuomo (Joey's sister), the crime victims of Willie Horton. I helped them tell their stories.

Governor Huckabee, I would hope that you would treat all Americans as equal. Follow the lead of President's Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and Senator Barry Goldwater, and not emulate Governor's Wallace and Dukakis.

You owe the millions of gay and lesbian families in this country an apology.

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Via JMG: Who Will It Be?

Insiders are reporting that People Magazine is about to feature the coming out of a "Hollywood celebrity."

People Magazine allegedly has the exclusive and the celeb is booked on several major talk shows that week including "The View." PR powerhouse Howard Bragman, who has successfully -- some might add brilliantly -- orchestrated several celeb outings in the past decade talked about his next coming out project at the GLAAD Media Awards red carpet Sunday (Apr. 17). Bragman -- the coming out king of Hollywood -- doesn't want to speculate on who it will be (that would kind of ruin his well-planned surprise, wouldn't it) but In the past he's helped NFL defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo, LPGA star Rosie Jones, WNBA star Sheryl Swoops and retired NBA center John Amaechi come out. He also orchestrated the plans for former "Party of Five" Mitchell Anderson, "Married with Children" co-star Amanda Bearse and aided Dick Sargent of "Bewitched" fame to come out on Entertainment Tonight.

My vote is on Queen Latifah. Of course, Johnny Weir (who isn't "Hollywood" but has a TV show) is repped by Bragman and he does have a book coming.

a repost from JMG

Tom Campbell’s Stealth Conservatism

by Paul Hogarth‚ Apr. 21‚ 2010

While Democrats have freaked out about Jerry Brown’s chances against Meg Whitman, there hasn’t been such concern about Senator Barbara Boxer’s re-election. And while she should prevail in November, who wins the GOP primary in June could make a difference. Perception in politics can become reality – and if Tom Campbell wins the nomination, there will be “news analysis” in papers across the state that Republicans “learned their lesson” by picking a “moderate.” Some will remind readers that what “saved” Boxer in 1992 was Campbell losing the GOP primary, so she faced a right-wing conservative in November. Campbell’s “maverick” stance on gay marriage, Israel and marijuana (the latter will be on the November ballot) may confuse voters into thinking he is to the left of Boxer. But on the vast majority of issues, Campbell is as conservative as the Party of No in Washington – progressives cannot let the media define the race in terms favorable to him. [more]->

Betty White Lines

A Postive LGBT Message from the UK PM and his wife

A Presidential Order for Compassion

Connie Schultz, Truthout: "Only four days after Peter Taylor moved in with the man he loved, he was racing him to the closest emergency room. The following morning, his partner lay in a hospital bed and delivered the jarring news."

Read the Article

Via Belirico: Joseph Milhous Ratzinger

http://www.afterellen.com/blog/trishbendix/send-fish-out-of-water-to-the-homophobe-in-your-life

Via JMG: And WE'RE The Perverts?

The Supreme Court has overturned a 13-year ban on "crush videos" saying the ban violated freedom of speech. Never heard of crush videos? Me neither. It turns out some heterosexual men are thrilled by the sight of women crushing small animals to death with their stiletto heels or bare feet. And they'll pay to see it.

Chief Justice John J. Roberts Jr., writing for an eight-member majority, said the law was overly broad and not allowed by the First Amendment. He rejected the government's argument that whether certain categories of speech deserve constitutional protection depends on balancing the value of the speech against its societal costs. "The First Amendment's guarantee of free speech does not extend only to categories of speech that survive an ad hoc balancing of relative social costs and benefits," Roberts wrote. "The First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the Government outweigh the costs. Our Constitution forecloses any attempt to revise that judgment simply on the basis that some speech is not worth it." [snip] Animal rights groups and 26 states had joined the Obama administration in support of the 1999 law. They argued that videos showing animal cruelty should be treated like child pornography rather than granted constitutional protection. But Roberts said the federal law was so broadly written that it could include all depictions of killing animals, even hunting videos. He said the court was not passing judgment about whether "a statute limited to crush videos or other depictions of extreme animal cruelty would be constitutional."

I've seen a few things in porn that I totally wish I could scrub from my brain. But this? I'd have to self-lobotomize.a repost from JMG