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| Dear Daniel, As the leaves begin to fall and the temperatures dip, many of us are pulling out sweaters and putting away the artifacts of summer. But as we shift from swimsuits to warm soups, tough elections across the country are in full swing. As beautiful as the fall can be, we can't simply sit around and watch the leaves change. There are critical elections contests underway that impact what matters most to us: our families, safe workplaces and equality for all Americans. This fall, HRC staff is across the nation, digging in and making sure our members know how critical these races are for LGBT people and our allies. Election results matter and we have some big challenges. By Nov. 2nd, 30 HRC staff members will have been on the ground in 16 states, their efforts multiplied by volunteers dedicated to ensuring our community's voice resonates in the outcome. Stop by our DC headquarters almost any night and we'll enlist you in phone banks alerting members in key states to get involved and, most importantly, to vote. In Pennsylvania, Regional Field Director Sultan Shakir has been leading a team assisting several key races. Sultan and other HRC staff have been emboldened by amazing volunteers, who are doing what it takes to win, whether that's canvassing door-to-door, making calls or swelling the ranks of a rally. Mobilizing HRC members to vote is essential to ensuring a supportive Congress or State House. There's no better example than Minnesota, where the outcome could determine the future of marriage equality. The state legislature is poised to pass a marriage equality bill next year, but it means little without a governor in the corner office to sign it into law. That's why HRC has made a big investment in Minnesota and with contributions and staff, including Regional Field Director Tony Wagner, on the ground. The promise of marriage equality also sits on the horizon for New Yorkers. After narrowly losing last year, it was clear we needed to change the composition of the New York state Senate to win. That's why for months, HRC has been involved in races throughout the state; including our campaign strategist Brian Ellner. As we ramp up in this final full week, several prominent New Yorkers have lent their voice to our New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign. There is real momentum in New York, and these last days will be critical. While these examples may be some of the headline states for our community, we have mobilized a grassroots army from Washington State to Florida, and from Delaware to Nevada. In the space I have here, I can only offer a snapshot of our electoral and field work. I do know that none of this would be possible without the support of our HRC members. Whether donating to pro-equality candidates or campaigns, canvassing where you live or emailing your family and friends to vote, all of you make change possible. As we east coasters bundle up, we are reminded of the changes that arrive each season. Let’s stand together to make sure that the changes in November lead us closer to a policy-making landscape of men and women who will truly represent our families and communities. And that means, one final push for equality until Election Day, Nov. 2nd. Thank you for all you are doing this Fall.  Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign P.S. In other news, this week HRC released our Congressional Scorecard that rates Senators and Representatives on LGBT equality issues. Find out how your leaders rate. |
Friday, October 22, 2010
Via HRC:
Via JMG: Majority Of Americans Agree: Churches Contribute To LGBT Suicides
A large majority of Americans, two-thirds in fact, believe that the way that churches treat gay people contributes to LGBT suicides. (This is probably self-apparent, to you.)Two out of three Americans believe gay people commit suicide at least partly because of messages coming out of churches and other places of worship, a survey released Thursday found. More than four out of 10 Americans say the message coming out of churches about gay people is negative, and about the same number say those messages contribute "a lot" to negative perceptions of gay and lesbian people. Catholics were the most critical of their own churches' messages on homosexuality, while white evangelical Christians gave their churches the highest grades, the survey found. The Public Religion Research Institute asked 1,017 Americans their views on religion and homosexuality between October 14 and 17, in the wake of a highly publicized rash of suicides by gay people. Gay rights campaigner Dan Savage said the idea that churches send out an anti-gay message "totally jibes with my experience and that of millions of other gay and lesbian people."Tony Perkins? Slaggie? Reaction?
VIa JMG: AUSTRALIA: New Poll Shows Majority Support Gay Marriage
A just-released poll reveals that 62% of Australians now support marriage equality. Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson Alex Greenwich and PFLAG national spokesperson Shelley Argent OAM called on both major parties to listen to the Australian people and allow a conscience vote on the issue. "Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott cannot ignore the majority of Australians who believe same-sex couples should be able to marry and the even greater majority who want a conscience vote on the issue", Greenwich said. PFLAG national spokesperson, Shelley Argent, said "if Catholic counties like Spain, Argentina and Portugal can right this wrong then why can't Australia?" The Galaxy poll also showed that 80 per cent of Australians aged between 18 and 24 support same-sex marriage and 72 per cent of households with children aged under 18 were also in favour. 74 per cent of Labor voters and 48per cent of Coalition voters support equality. Support for a conscience vote is uniformly high with 80per cent of Labor voters and 75 per cent of Coalition voters supporting it.Full polling results here (PDF).
Via JMG: Janet Porter Prays for Control of Government
And This We Pray: Please, Jeebus, Put Christians In Charge Of America
Janet Porter prays that America "recognizes the lie of separation of church and state, which exists only in the Soviet Union." (Soviet Union?) Janet also prays that Jeebus knock some sense into those 19 states without anti-gay marriage laws! Glory! Prai$e Hi$ Name! The donation plate is now being passed!
thank you Mr. President!
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| Daniel -- Yesterday, President Obama recorded a video message for the "It Gets Better" project. Take a look:  Recently, several young people took their own lives after being bullied by their peers for being gay or being perceived as gay. The President's message -- like thousands of others that have been recorded and uploaded to the project -- is one of hope and support: You are loved, you are not alone. It gets better. Please watch the video, and then share it with anyone you think may need to hear this message: http://my.barackobama.com/ItGetsBetter Thanks, Mitch Mitch Stewart Director Organizing for America |
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Via Freedom to Marry:
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
Via JMG: Buddhists Win Google Stereotypes
Buddhists Win Google Stereotypes
When you begin a Google search with the question "Why are [Christians, Jews, Muslims] so" - you get the above suggestions. The same query regarding Buddhists yields only "happy."UPDATE: It's not listed in the above-linked story, but I've done the same query on atheists.
Via JMG: Andrew Sullivan On Homocons And GOProud: They Are Nauseating
In a video essay posted today on Big Think, Andrew Sullivan muses "How Can Anyone Be Gay And Republican?" Here's an excerpt. You know, I used to say, we have to stay in these parties because certainly gay people do not want to become a Democratic Party constituency that is totally taken for granted, which is, of course, what has happened. When you have no leverage over the party, they don’t do anything for you—except take your money and invite you to cocktail parties, which is all that’s happened really in two years under Obama with two houses of Congress.Watch the video on Big Think. Obviously, we agree.
But at the same time, you know, this Homocon thing... it was in someone’s apartment. I mean the idea that this has been any genuine meaning out there for most people, there are plenty of gay people; many, many, many more I think than other minority groups actually, who would love a party of limited small government, prudent, strong foreign policy, balanced budgets, live and let live, like the British Tories. And if the Republican Party ever becomes that again, I think there will be plenty of places for gay people in it.
But to do so and join a party on condition that we oppose our own civil rights and our own basic civil equality seems a non-starter for me. I mean, it’s... there’s something quite nauseating about it actually. And you see even, like, Chris Barron who is the head of Homocon, or whatever they are calling themselves, GOProud, having to say that when Jim DeMint goes on and says that no gay person should be a school teacher, which is to the—which Ronald Reagan rejected in 1978—where are you left?
Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Ted Olson
"It happens every once in awhile at the federal level when the solicitor general, on behalf of the U.S., will confess error or decline to defend a law. I don't know what is going through the [Obama] administration's thought process on 'don't ask, don't tell.' It would be appropriate for them to say 'the law has been deemed unconstitutional, we are not going to seek further review of that.'" - Former Bush administration Solicitor General Ted Olson.Via JMG: Tweet Of The Day - AFER
Labels: AFER, California, David Boies, marriage equality, Perry v Schwarzenengger, Proposition 8, Ted Olson
Via JMG: DOD Revises DADT Discharge Procedure
In response to the murky legal waters currently swirling around DADT, the Pentagon has announced it is raising the rank of persons able to make the call to eject a gay or lesbian servicemember. Chris Geidner reports at Metro Weekly:
Discharges under the military's ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy will now take the approval of the service branch secretary, and only in consultation with the defense department general counsel and the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, according to a pair of memoranda issued by senior military leadership today.The message I'm seeing is that the Pentagon intends to make it extremely hard to kick someone out.
Until further notice, pursuant to a memorandum from Defense Secretary Robert Gates and a follow-up memorandum from Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley, no service member can be discharged under DADT without the ''personal approval of the secretary of the military department concerned, and only in coordination with me and the General Counsel of the Department of Defense.''
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
JMG:
Morning View - GLAAD's Spirit Day
I haven't shaved in ten days, hence the cropping, but at least I remembered to wear purple for GLAAD's Spirit Day. Hopefully the folks at Chirpin' Chicken will find this meaningful when I leave the apartment for lunch.L
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