Friday, August 5, 2011
Via Gay Politics Report:
- Anti-LGBT group wields clout in 2012 race for the White House
The American Family Association is influencing presidential politics ahead of the 2012 elections, despite having leaders who have said the Nazi party was created by homosexuals and that Muslims should be prevented from becoming American citizens, according to this article. The association has hosted several Republican presidential candidates on its radio show, and is underwriting a prayer gathering organized by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is considering a presidential run. "Many Republican candidates see no shame in lending credibility to the extremism and bigotry on [the group's] radio shows," said Peter Montgomery of People for the American Way. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/3)
- U.S. tribe legalizes marriage for same-sex couples
The Suquamish tribal council, based in Washington state, has voted unanimously to allow same-sex couples to marry. "It is part of our tradition and our culture to be inclusive, to accept people who may be different," said an attorney for the tribe, explaining that the vote was not controversial. Google/Agence France-Presse (8/4)
- N.J. gay couple separated by arrest, deportation
A New Jersey gay couple who had entered into an official civil union have been separated after an immigration agent tracked down one of the men -- a Peruvian national who had overstayed his visa. Unlike straight married couples, gays and lesbians cannot sponsor their foreign partners for naturalization in the U.S. because the Defense of Marriage Act bars recognition of their legal relationships. Daily News (New York) (8/4)
- National psychology group backs marriage equality
A policymaking body of the American Psychological Association has voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting marriage rights for same-sex couples. Some say the move could have a big impact on the political debate surrounding the issue. USA TODAY (8/5)
Via Gay Politics Report: Romney, Bachmann and Santorum sign new marriage pledge
Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., have signed a new pledge to oppose marriage equality, support a federal marriage amendment and restrict their judicial nominations to judges who disagree that gay and lesbian couples have a constitutional right to marry. The pledge, put forward by the National Organization for Marriage, also says signers promise to establish a presidential commission to investigate claims that marriage-equality opponents are being harassed or threatened.
CBS News
CBS News
From My wonderful US Senator:
Dear Dr. Orey:
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for efforts to repeal the discriminatory Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA). I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue, and I share your opposition to DOMA.
The Defense of Marriage Act has nothing to do with defending marriage - all it does is discriminate against millions of Americans by denying them equal treatment under the law. It is long past time to repeal this unjust law and start treating all our families with the dignity and respect they deserve.
I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of S.598, the Respect for Marriage Act of 2011. This bill would repeal DOMA and establish equal rights for all lawfully married couples - including more than 18,000 legally married same-sex couples in California - and allow them to receive federal marriage benefits.
S.598 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Be assured that I will work with my colleagues to pass this important bill and see it signed into law.
Again, thank you for writing to me. Please feel free to contact me again about any issue of importance to you.
Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Via AmericablogGay: A reminder of what an extreme flip-flopper Mitt Romney is
As noted earlier, Mitt Romney signed NOM's hate-the-gays pledge today. It's a viciously homophobic document.
One reason people don't like and don't trust Romney is that he'll say anything to win. He's a big phony -- and a wicked flip-flopper. His positions on gay issues are a vivid example of that.
See, Mitt used to love the gays. From the Boston Globe today:
Romney has opposed gay marriage in his presidential campaigns both this year and in 2008. But he said in his 1994 Senate campaign against Democrat Edward Kennedy that he would be a greater advocate for gay rights than Kennedy.
Better than Ted. That's quite a standard. We wrote a lot about Mitt's flip-flopping during the 2008 campaign, but it's such an extreme shift in position that's it worth repeating. And, it wasn't just back in 1994. Mitt courted the gays in 2002. Here's a post John wrote in November of 2006:
This just in from the Boston Globe:
When he ran against Ted Kennedy for the Senate in 1994, Romney wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Log Cabin Club, pledging that as "we seek to establish full equality for American gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent." During that same campaign, Romney was accused of once describing gay people as "perverse." In response, Romney's campaign vehemently denied that he used the word "perverse" and said that he respected "all people regardless of their race, creed, or sexual orientation."
While running for governor in 2002, Romney and his running mate, Kerry Healey, distributed pink fliers at a Gay Pride parade, declaring "Mitt and Kerry wish you a great Pride weekend." He backed domestic partner benefits for public employees, winning the endorsement of the national Log Cabin Republicans. In his inaugural speech, he promised to defend civil rights "regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or race."
While running for governor in 2002, Romney and his running mate, Kerry Healey, distributed pink fliers at a Gay Pride parade, declaring "Mitt and Kerry wish you a great Pride weekend." He backed domestic partner benefits for public employees, winning the endorsement of the national Log Cabin Republicans. In his inaugural speech, he promised to defend civil rights "regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or race."
As governor, he appointed openly gay and lesbian people to high-profile administration positions. He doubled the budget line item for the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, until he tried to disband it last May -- more political theater for the Republican right.
So, Romney was a big gay-lover just until the last two years when he decided he needed the religious right gay-haters in order to become president. Typical, pathetic Republican. They are a party that no longer believes in anything.
Yeah, Mitt used to love the gays. But, that was then, Now, he really, really wants the right-wing homophobes to vote for him. So, Mitt hates the LGBT community.
To paraphrase, Mitt was for the gays before he was against them.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Via Bilerico: Adam Polaski Last Known Gay Holocaust Survivor Dies
Rudolf Brazda, who was believed to be the last survivor of the Holocaust who was specifically targeted because of his sexual orientation, died yesterday, at the age of 98. Brazda was interned for three years at the Buchenwald concentration camp and made to wear a Pink Triangle to represent his "crime" - his reason for being taken prisoner. When the camp was liberated in 1945, Brazda moved to France. He and his partner, who passed away in 2002, made their lives together there. Brazda had been raised in Germany, born there in 1913. Brazda has been selective in his choices of to whom and where to speak out about his internment. In 2008 he spoke with the French media outlet Têtu in a video interview below. He reflected on his post-internment life:
I had found freedom. I started a new life. Of course, I was a homosexual and I wanted to find a new boyfriend. And that's how I met Edouard. He had been kicked out of Yugoslavia, since his parents were Germans. And he didn't have a home. So he stuck with me, he was so young. He must have been 18 or 19 years old, and I was 18 years older. But we were good for one another, and we started a new life together. It was going well, we each had a job, and we managed to live just like everyone else.Make the jump here to read the full post
Via AmericaBlogGay: American Psychological Association endorses marriage equality
The APA is on board with marriage
The world's largest organization of psychologists took its strongest stand to date supporting full marriage equity, a move that observers say will have a far-reaching impact on the national debate. The policymaking body of the American Psychological Association unanimously approved the resolution 157-0 on the eve of the group's annual convention, which opens here today.
The group, with more than 154,000 members, has long supported full equal rights for gays, based on social science research on sexual orientation. Now the nation's psychologists — citing an increasing body of research about same-sex marriage, as well as increased discussion at the state and federal levels — took the support to a new level.
APA relies on real research, not the made up crap cited by NOM and the other haters.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Via JMG; Mrs. CPAC On The Gays
"Rena, it IS a threat to society. It is not nature's way. They can't procreate, can they?....You hvae them in your family? Well, there is no reason not to like them or love them, the same way you would love one who has a disability, or an illness, etc. I just DO NOT want them pushing their agenda on the majority who are not. This is just about sexual preference--keep it in the bedroom!!!! It is not about being denied any constitutional rights.....Ana, I got your point.....I am just tired of this topic being shoved in our face continually by all these gay activists and I have to ventilate my feelings.... You know I always wondered why homosexuals are referred to as 'gay', kind of an oxymoron? Nothing really 'gay' about them or their movement......I am all for intellectual honesty too!!" - Diana Cardenas, wife of CPAC chair Al Cardenas, in a virulently anti-gay Facebook battle.RELATED: Pam Spaulding directs us to this Scribd page where screenshots have been preserved.
Via JMG: More Ridiculous Lying Lies From The Lie-Tastic Liars At Lying NOM
Local activists in gay-gay-gay Wilton Manors, Florida threatened to stage a boycott after a local business group invited virulently anti-gay Rep. Allen West to speak at one of their meetings. Under pressure, the business group rescinded their invitation to West. Story over? Nope. The unrepentant and inventive liars at NOM are trying to escalate this little low-level bit of local theater into some kind of rallying cry about HOMOFASCISTS shutting down debate. In fact, a casual glance at NOM's blog headlines and tweets on this story give the impression that West has suffered personal, physical intimidation and/or threats.
As usual, when boycotts work AGAINST the Christianists, they are "intimidation" and "homofascism" and "harassment." When THEY boycott, that is GOD'S PLAN, people.
RELATED: NOM has a public relations firm on call to field media inquiries about this "outrageous attack on Rep. West."
Via Utne: Public Displays of Meditation
It was the om heard ’round the world. Yesterday in 108 cities—from London to Los Angeles, Hong Kong to Houston, Barcelona to Birmingham, and more—“MedMob” groups participated in large-scale displays of meditation.
Playing off of the flash mob concept, in which strangers organize online, arrange to meet at a specific time and place, and then perform an unexpected public act, MedMob members delight in presenting meditation in a surprising, inclusive way, says Shambhala Sun. MedMob’s goals aren’t complex, but they are significant:
1. To create an environment for people from all walks of life to come together in meditation.The MedMob movement, which began in Austin early this year, is for everyone, reports David Telfer McConaghay for elephant journal. Telfer assures us that passers-by do not need to believe in “hippy-dippy feel-goodery” to participate in meditation, whether in a group or alone. “The goal is not to attain some state of illusory bliss, then wander around all day in a disconnected daze with a silly grin,” he writes. “The goal (if meditation can be said to have a goal) is to allow the naturally arising chaos and distractions of the mind to settle and fade so that we can act and make choices with greater intention and clarity.”
2. To expose the world to meditation through public display of meditation.
3. To come together as a global community to send positive intentions out into the world.
4. To show that leading by example is the best way to lead. Simple acts can stimulate major paradigm shifts in thinking.
Below are a handful of blissful (and maybe even a little hippy-dippy) feel-good photos from the July 28, 2011 international MedMob event:
Long Beach, California (above)
London (above)
Rome (above)
Sources: Shambhala Sun, elephant journal
Images courtesy of MedMob. (The photo at the top of this post comes from Amsterdam.)
Via Telling Dick Cheney to Shut the Hell Up (by Leftake.com) and Not having George Bush as President (by Leftake.com) shared a link.
LeftAction: Speaker Boehner: Stop Wasting Money Defending DOMA!
Send a message to Speaker Boehner: "Stop Wasting Money Defending DOMA!"
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