Via JMG: Romney Rejects Iowa Marriage Vow

Mitt Romney has refused to sign the virulently anti-gay pledge that the hate group Iowa Leader is demanding of all GOP presidential candidates.

Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Romney, told The Associated Press in a written statement Tuesday that Romney "strongly supports traditional marriage," but that the oath "contained references and provisions that were undignified and inappropriate for a presidential campaign." Bachmann and Santorum have been campaigning hard to court the influential social conservatives in Iowa, which holds the nation's first caucuses. Romney's rejection of the pledge reflects his diminished focus on winning Iowa, where he spent $10 million during his 2008 presidential campaign only to finish second. None of the other GOP presidential hopefuls, including former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, have said whether they will sign the pledge.

Labels: 2012 elections, GOP, hate groups, Iowa, Mitt Romney

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AC360 - Keeping The Bachmann's Honest On Controversial Clinic

Via JMG: Will CA Jerry Brown Sign History Bill?

It remains unclear whether California Gov. Jerry Brown will sign the LGBT history bill approved earlier this month by the state legislature. Brown is under enormous pressure from anti-gay hate groups nationwide. Equality California weighs in:

As a community we must convince Governor Brown to sign the FAIR Education Act (SB 48 - Leno). We don't have a lot of time. Please email him today. http://tinyurl.com/sb48-b . This critical bill would ensure that students in public schools learn about the LGBT civil rights movement and the contributions of LGBT people to other movements and to society. With this bill, we will have the opportunity to define who we are, instead of being defined by harmful messages filled with bigotry that dehumanize us. We believe that learning about the heroic struggles of LGBT individuals and our diverse LGBT communities brings an understanding that prevents violence against our LGBT youth and those perceived as LGBT regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We are shifting the conversation. Instead of being stigmatized, marginalized and demonized, people will understand that we have a proud legacy and heritage of struggle and contribution.

Hit this link to sign Equality California's petition to Brown. Or call his office directly: 916.445.2841.

Labels: education, Jerry Brown, LGBT History, Mark Leno

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BRASIL Sem Homofobia

Jô Soares finge que entrevista Crivella e faz discurso gay

Via JMG: Massachusetts Town To Pay Married Gay Employees To Offset Tax

Marriage gay city employees of Cambridge, Massachusetts will become the first in the nation to be paid a small stipend to cover a federal tax that their heterosexual colleagues don't have to pay.

Like many people, these 22 school and city workers chose to put their spouses on their employer-provided health insurance. Because they're in a homosexual relationship, the value of that health coverage is considered taxable income by the federal government. But starting this month, Cambridge will become what is believed to be the first municipality in the country to pay its public employees a stipend in an attempt to defray the cost of the federal tax on health benefits for their same-sex spouses. The city employees hit by the extra tax pay an additional $1,500 to $3,000 in taxes a year and officials estimate the stipends would cost the city an additional $33,000. "This is about equality," said Marjorie Decker, a Cambridge city councilor. "This is a city that models what equality really means."

Labels: feds, marriage equality, Massachusetts

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The View On Michele Bachmann & The Marriage Vow

Via JMG: Linda Harvey: Teacher Unions Are Paying Children To Become Homosexual

"The group’s website says they raise money for teen scholarships given to those kids who consider themselves homosexual. The past few years the scholarship winners have not simply been young people persuaded to be in this deviant lifestyle, but are students who have unfortunately bought the party line and become involved in activism projects like homosexual clubs and the pro-homosexual Day of Silence in their schools. And so now kids are given financial incentives to be actively engaged in both the political goals of homosexuals as well as the risky behavior. This is appalling. In these tough economic times many kids will be struggling to get money together for college and here we have a really sleazy connection for them to make. It’s just one more outrageous thing going on with our teachers’ unions." - Linda Harvey, whackadoodle leader of the SPLC-certified hate group, Mission America.

Labels: bigotry, education, hate groups, Linda Harvey, Mission America, religion, unions

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Rick Perry and Friends: Meet The Supporters Of The Governor's Prayer Rally

Via JMG: Chile Preps Civil Unions Bill

Chile's legislature is about to see a bill legalizing civil unions.

The bill, which could be presented to Congress by next week, would grant legal rights to gay couples who have lived together for more than one year, the Santiago-based newspaper reported, citing a copy of the draft legislation it obtained.

Click over for the latest on partnership rights across South America.

Labels: Chile, civil unions, South America

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Nightline - Michele Bachmann's Family Business Exposed!

Via HimalayaCrafts:

He who lives purely and self-assured,
In quietness and virtue,
Who is without harm or hurt or blame,
Even if he wears fine clothes,
So long as he also has faith,
He is a true seeker. ~ Buddha

Wall Photos

"35 years of prayer couldn't get rid of my homosexuality. My name is Steve and I am an Ex Mormon."

Via JMG: PCUSA: Gay Pastors Now Welcome

Beginning today, openly gay pastors may preach in Presbyterian Church USA pulpits.

Gone will be the requirement that clergy live "in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." Elimination of that language clears the way for ordination of clergy in same-sex relationships. The change was endorsed last year by the Presbyterian national assembly, but required approval by a majority of the denomination's 173 regional presbyteries. That threshold was crossed in May.

Labels: LGBT rights, religion

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JMG Quote Of The Day - Gary Johnson

“This ‘pledge’ is nothing short of a promise to discriminate against everyone who makes a personal choice that doesn’t fit into a particular definition of ‘virtue’. While the Family Leader pledge covers just about every other so-called virtue they can think of, the one that is conspicuously missing is tolerance. In one concise document, they manage to condemn gays, single parents, single individuals, divorcees, Muslims, gays in the military, unmarried couples, women who choose to have abortions, and everyone else who doesn’t fit in a Norman Rockwell painting." - Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the first 2012 GOP candidate to officially denounce the "offensive" moral pledge already signed by Crazy Eyes and Frothy Mix.

Labels: 2012 elections, GOP, hate groups, Iowa

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via JMG: BREAKING: Pentagon Orders Halt To DADT Dismissals, Welcomes Openly Gay Troops

Just in from the Army Times:

The Pentagon has ordered a halt to all separations of gay troops under “don’t ask, don’t tell” and will begin accepting applications from prospective recruits who identify themselves as homosexuals. The moratorium issued Friday came after a ruling Wednesday by a federal appeals court in California ordering the Defense Department to immediately stop enforcing the law. The court said the law is unconstitutional because it treats gay Americans differently under the law. Meanwhile, defense officials will continue to prepare for the law’s formal repeal, which Congress approved in December. The law will be formally repealed 60 days after the defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs “certify” that it will not adversely impact military readiness.

Labels: army, DADT, military, Pentagon

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Rachel Maddow - Ninth Circuit Court Bars DADT Enforcement

Ed Shultz - Michele Bachmann & Homophobia

Deportation Of Same-Sex Partner Dropped