JMG UPDATE: Washington House Passes Marriage Equality Bill 55-43

With all due respect to the governor (and today's victory WAS really her doing), that "civil, respectful debate" included many grotesqueries like quotes from Leviticus (abomination!) and all the other insulting Christianist arguments that characterize gay people as less than fully human. But fuck all that noise, really, because WE WON.

Labels: marriage equality, Washington state

Reposted from Joe

JMG Legislation Of The Day

Oklahoma state Rep. Constance Johnson (D) tried to sink an anti-abortion "personhood" bill with the above amendment. We bow and giggle at the same time.

Labels: abortion rights, FTW, Oklahoma

Reposted from Joe

Via The New Yorker: Politics and the Prop 8 Decision

February 7, 2012

Politics and the Prop 8 Decision

Posted by Alex Koppelman

A few years ago, national Democrats would have woken up dreading this day. Just as the Presidential campaign really gets going, judges from the 9th Circuit—the circuit conservatives love to hate—overturn the will of the voters of California and declare a ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional? They might as well have wrapped their opinion in a bow and sent it to Karl Rove as an early Christmas present.
But that was then. And this is now, a time when even a major decision like the one that a three-judge panel handed down Tuesday is unlikely to have a major impact on the election. If anything, the political effect of this decision may be limited to showing that the days when same-sex marriage made an effective wedge issue for Republicans are over.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/02/politics-and-the-prop-8-decision.html#ixzz1luqA3jOP

Republican Chokes Up At Gay Marriage Debate In Washington

Zach Wahls Interview Gay Family Values

Prop 8 is Ruled Unconstitutional!

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 9, 2012

Awakening, Step by Step

As you walk, cultivate a sense of ease. There’s no hurry to get anywhere, no destination to reach. You’re just walking. This is a good instruction: just walk. As you walk, as you let go of the desire to get somewhere, you begin to sense the joy in simply walking, in being in the present moment. You begin to comprehend the preciousness of each step. It’s an extraordinarily precious experience to walk on this earth.

- Peter Doobinin, "Awakening, Step by Step"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Ellen DeGeneres Responds to Anti-Gay "One Million Moms" Group Regarding JC Penney Controversy

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 8, 2012

Wisdom Arising

We train the mind to see things as they happen, neither before nor after. And we don’t cling to the past, the future, or even to the present. We participate in what is happening and at the same time observe it without clinging to the events of the past, the future, or the present. We experience our ego or self arising, dissolving, and evaporating without leaving a trace of it. We see how our greed, anger, and ignorance vanish as we see the reality in life.

- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Wisdom Arising"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via JMG: Romney Denounces Prop 8 Ruling

"Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage. This decision does not end this fight, and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and, as president, I will protect traditional marriage and appoint judges who interpret the Constitution as it is written and not according to their own politics and prejudices." - Mitt Romney. (Via Igor Volsky @ Think Progress)

Labels: douchenozzles, GOP, Mitt Romney, Proposition 8

reposted from Joe

Via Queerlandia: Why the Supreme Court May not Touch the Prop 8 Case

Image from sfappeal.com

With the histori: c decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today, Prop 8 looks to be dismantled. There is still a stay in place on gay marriage while this moves up the chain further, but the limited scope of the case may keep the Supreme Court from taking up the issue.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional today because “the people of California may not, consistent with the federal Constitution, add to their state constitution a provision that has no more practical effect than to strip gays and lesbians of the right to use the official designation that the state and society give to committed relationships, thereby adversely affecting the status and dignity of the members of a disfavored class.”


This case was about the voters taking away the rights of a minority, not about the right to marriage equality in general. While this is a huge win for the people of California (and potentially Washington), this case will probably not have any bearing on the rest of the country. Because of this, the Supreme Court may decide that this case is not worth hearing. Since this case only affects California for now, the Supreme Court may pass on this, which is good for the citizens of California.

read the rest of the article here

JMG Headline Of The Day:

Enjoy!

Labels: bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Via JMG: Read The Full Prop 8 Decision

Read The Full Prop 8 Decision

(Via - AmericaBlog Gay)

 

Labels: California, Ninth Circuit Court., Proposition 8

posted by Joe

SACBEE BREAKING NEWS ALERT » 2/7/2012

Appeals court upholds gay marriage

A federal appeals court today ruled California's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, upholding a federal judge's landmark ruling in a case likely destined for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Via JMG: Prop 8 Reactions

Former SF Mayor Gavin Newsom

Today’s decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stands as a victory for the fundamental American principle that all people are equal, and deserve equalrights and treatment under the law. This is the biggest step that theAmerican judicial system has taken to end the grievous discrimination against men and women in same-sex relationships and should be highly praised. "Proposition 8 has done nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that same-sex couples are inferior to heterosexual couples. These men and women are our firefighters, our paramedics, our law enforcement, our service-members, and to treat their relationships differently is unfair, unlawful, and violates the basic principle of who we are as a nation.

Mayors For Freedom

As Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, we know how important marriage is to our neighborhoods, our cities, and our nation. When committed couples are able to pledge their love to one another and share in the responsibilities and protections of marriage, our communities flourish and our cities are more competitive. Today’s decision by the 9th Circuit reaffirms that the American Dream is possible for everyone and brings us one step closer to ending marriage discrimination once and for all. We look forward to a day when all of our citizens will be able to share fairly and equally in the freedom to marry

Freedom To Marry

This monumental appellate decision restores California to the growing list of states and countries that have ended exclusion from marriage, and will further accelerate the surging nationwide majority for marriage. As this and other important challenges to marriage discrimination move through the courts around the country, Freedom to Marry calls on all Americans to join us in ensuring that together we make as strong a case in the court of public opinion as our legal advocates are making in the courts of law. By growing the majority for marriage, winning more states, and tackling federal discrimination – Freedom to Marry’s ‘Roadmap to Victory’ – we maximize our chances of winning when one case or another finally reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.”

More reactions will be added here as they come in....

Labels: California, Ninth Circuit Court., Proposition 8

reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 7, 2012

Gentle Meditation

Although we are not often taught this, the most skillful way through an impasse in meditation is to become aware of it and of what holds it together and keeps it running. To do this, you need to keep doing the meditation instructions that have gotten you to this point, but instead of following them “harder,” try approaching them in a softer, gentler manner. Do them loosely, and don’t do them all of the time.

- Jason Siff, "The Problem with Meditation Instructions"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via AmericaBlogGay: Roland Martin and the deniability of homophobia

Roland Martin and the deniability of homophobia

Sometimes we're too sensitive. But I'm not buying that this is one of those times. The best homophobes skirt the line expertly. It doesn't change that what they're doing is wrong. I wrote in my other post, linked above, that perhaps it's subtle, the homophobia surrounding mocking men who wear pink or men react positively to homoerotic ad. One of our readers, Soullite, had a great response in the comments:

I don't think it's that subtle, really. Back in my more homophobic tween years, me and most of my friends would have decked anyone who said this to us [meaning, if they made fun of them for wearing pink etc], because we'd know damn well what they were saying. If a 12 year old would know it, I'm not buying that a grown man wouldn't know that this guy is basically pointing and screaming 'fag!'

I think the big problem here is we let grown ups hide behind a smile and a fake-ass attitude of 'what, me?' We all pretend not to notice what's really going on out of some misguided politeness or a fear of calling these bastards out. But really, this sh*t isn't too subtle and there ain't a man over 10 who doesn't know what's going on here.

Via JMG: LA & SF To Rally After Prop 8 Decision

 

Rallies will be held in San Francisco and Los Angeles tomorrow after the Ninth Circuit Court issues its ruling on Proposition 8. Nothing in my inbox about NYC so far, but check back here later. Hit the links for Facebook event pages.

Labels: activism, Los Angeles, Proposition 8, San Francisco

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: TOMORROW: Prop 8 Ruling

Chris Geidner explains at Metro Weekly:

The long anticipated ruling is expected to address three issues: (1) whether former U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker should have recused himself from hearing the case because he is gay and had a long-time partner with whom he was not married; (2) whether the proponents of Proposition 8 have the right to appeal Walker's decision striking down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional when none of the state defendants chose to do so; and (3) whether, if Walker did not need to recuse himself and the proponents do have the right to appeal, Walker was correct that Proposition 8 violates Californians' due process and equal protection rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

Labels: AFER, marriage equality, Proposition 8

reposted from Joe