Via JMG: Katie Couric Interviews Jim Obergefell

 

Via Yahoo News:

“What we're asking for is simply to be part of that same tradition of marriage where two people commit to each other and make those promises to love, protect and honor each other. How are we changing that? How are we harming that? We're just asking to do the same thing.” Jim Obergefell is fired up. He’s the lead plaintiff in a case before the Supreme Court that this month could change gay rights in America forever. And in an exclusive interview with Yahoo global news anchor Katie Couric, he explains why.

“It's scary to think about having the highest court in the land rule that you really are a second-class citizen and you don't deserve the same rights, the same protections, the same responsibilities as other people.” His case, Obergefell v. Hodges, rests on two questions. One is whether the Constitution requires a state where same-sex marriage is not legal to recognize a marriage licensed in a state where it is legal. The other question is whether the Constitution requires states to license marriages between two people of the same sex — in other words, whether same-sex marriage should be legal nationwide.

You might need a tissue for this clip.

UPDATE: The clip won't embed properly for some reason. Hit the link at watch it at Yahoo.

Labels: marriage equality, Obergefell, SCOTUS

Reposted from Joe Jervis

JMG CALIFORNIA: "Intolerant Jackass Act" Backers Can Start Collecting Signatures

Via CBS San Francisco:

While the status of a “Sodomite Suppression Act” proposed state ballot initiative remains in limbo, proponents of a rival “Intolerant Jackass Act” initiative were cleared by state Secretary of State Alex Padilla to begin collecting signatures Wednesday. The rival initiative would force the filer of the Sodomite Suppression Act or any similar initiative to attend sensitivity training and donate $5,000 to a pro-gay or pro-lesbian organization. When Huntington Beach attorney Matt McLaughlin filed the Sodomite Suppression Act earlier this year, which would make homosexuality punishable by death, it set off a nationwide backlash for its evident hatred and dubious constitutionality. Attorney General Kamala Harris sought a court injunction rescinding her obligation to prepare a title and summary for the initiative, a necessary step before proponents can begin gathering the 365,880 signatures necessary to get it on the ballot.

The Intolerant Jackass Act was filed by activist Charlotte Laws in late March. Last month the California Assembly approved a bill that would raise the referendum filing fee from $200 to $8000. The measure has not yet been heard by the state Senate.

Labels: 2016 elections, California, gay death penalty, religion

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 04/06/2015

“Estamos destruindo o planeta porque não sabemos lidar com essa forma de energia que é o dinheiro. Ele é um instrumento de troca que deve estar a serviço do Espirito. Damos ao dinheiro um grande valor emocional e acreditamos que ele trará a felicidade que tanto buscamos. Mas essa visão distorcida tem gerado grande sofrimento para a humanidade.”

“Estamos destruyendo el planeta porque no sabemos lidiar con esta forma de energía que es el dinero. Es un instrumento de intercambio que debe estar al servicio del Espíritu. Le damos al dinero un gran valor emocional y creemos que nos traerá la felicidad que tanto buscamos. Pero esta visión distorsionada ha generado gran sufrimiento para la humanidad.”

“We are destroying the planet in large part because we don’t know how to deal with money as a form of energy. Money is an exchange tool that should be at the service of the spirit. We attribute great emotional value to money and believe that it will bring us the happiness that we so desperately seek. This distorted vision has generated tremendous suffering for humanity.”

Today's Daily Dharma: Delusion Is Like a Stepladder.

 

Delusion Is Like a Stepladder

The most important point is to establish yourself in a true sense, without establishing yourself on delusion. And yet we cannot live or practice without delusion. Delusion is necessary, but delusion is not something on which you can establish yourself. It is like a stepladder. Without it you cannot climb up, but you don?t stay on the stepladder. With this confidence, you can continue to study our way. - Shunryu Suzuki, "Brown Rice Is Just Right"

Read More

 

Via JMG: Hillary Launches Gay Rights T-Shirt

 

From the campaign store:

"In honor of 2011 International Human Rights Day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared at the United Nations that 'being LGBT does not make you less human….[G]ay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.' If you couldn’t give that a standing ovation then, let the world know you agree with this shirt."

It really was an astounding speech. The shirt is $30.

Labels: 2016 elections, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, LGBT rights

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 03/06/2015

“Você é capaz de influenciar o mundo. E a melhor maneira de fazer isso é transformar a si mesmo. Além da conscientização sobre as questões ambientais e sociais, você deve tratar de ser verdadeiramente feliz, porque a felicidade vai se expandindo como ondas de luz. Você deve contribuir com o planeta fazendo a pergunta: Onde está a felicidade?”

“Eres capaz de influenciar el mundo. Y la mejor manera de hacerlo es transformarte a ti mismo. Además de la conciencia de las cuestiones ambientales y sociales, debes tratar de ser verdaderamente feliz, porque la felicidad se va expandiendo como ondas de luz. Debes contribuir con el planeta haciendo la pregunta: ¿Dónde está la felicidad?”

“You are capable of influencing the world, and the best way to do this is to transform yourself. In addition to being aware of environmental and social issues, strive to learn how to be truly happy, because happiness spreads outward as waves of light. You will make a lasting contribution to the world by posing the question: Wherein lies happiness?”

Today's Daily Dharma: Buddhism's Radical Contribution.

 

 Image: Allen Ginsberg in New York City, 1953, taken by William S. Burroughs

Buddhism's Radical Contribution

The central philosophy [of Buddhism] is compassion rather than the Darwinian notion of survival of the fittest. The central notion is giving your space rather than clinging to your space and making it secure. It seems to me Buddhism has a tremendous amount of wisdom to contribute right now to the huge world life political dilemma, i.e., what are the limits of compassion? What are the limits in our relationship to chaos and how do we relate to chaos? Right now, politically speaking, basic Buddhist notions are really radically different from the general popular philosophy of life that is taken for granted among intellectuals, even liberal intellectuals. - Allen Ginsberg, "Spontaneous Intelligence"

Read More

Via 1.000.000 Bears / FB:

Via Occupy Democrats / FB:

Opponents of same-sex marriage like to play the "religious freedom" card, as if anyone is suggesting that churches be FORCED to conduct such marriages. In reality, it is they who are infringing on the religious liberties of others by pushing these outright bans on legal same-sex marriage. If a church wants to bless a legal marriage between two consenting adults -- same-sex or otherwise -- why shouldn't they be allowed? We strongly support the United Church of Christ in their fight for justice for sexual minorities.

Image by Occupy Democrats

JMG Twitter Exchange Of The Day

Labels: Pope Francis, silliness, The Tweet Of God

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Hundreds of Australians call for same-sex marriage in Sydney rally

JMG Headline Of The Day

 

Great piece on Politico. An excerpt:

Negative national headlines on religious freedom continue to fuel a negative image of the entire party. Both in my private conversations with and in public (and private) polling, conservatives are moving ever closer to supporting full equity for LGBT Americans. Gallup’s Values and Beliefs poll released last month showed a more than 20 percentage-point increase since 2001 in Americans (63 percent) who believe “gay and lesbian relations” are “morally acceptable”. You don’t get to a supermajority like that without Republicans. Even Texas conservatives support protecting gay and transgender folks from employment discrimination.

Republicans, like the rest of Americans, support nondiscrimination laws because most of us have gay family members, friends and co-workers and want to treat them as we would want to be treated. And having heard from moms and dads who want this great country to treat their gay child just like their straight child has been a powerful narrative. It really is all about family standing up for one another. Most people believe equality under the law can and does work well alongside protecting religious freedom — which must be and is protected, even cherished, in our Constitution.

Hit the link. It's worth a full read.

Labels: GOP, LGBT rights, marriage equality, Politico

Reposted from Joe Jervis

UN Says Gays Are Victims Of Violent Abuse All Over The World

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. human rights chief says in a new report that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people are victims of “pervasive, violent abuse, harassment and discrimination” in all regions of the world and cites hundreds of hate-related killings.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said actions by some countries to reduce violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity since the last report in 2011 have been overshadowed by continuing human rights violations against these groups, too often perpetrated with impunity.

The report to the U.N. Human Rights Council that was circulated Monday cites the murder of transsexual women in Uruguay and of black lesbian women in South Africa and the killing of a gay man in Chile by neo-Nazis who carved swastikas into his body.

http://floridaagenda.com/news/international/un-says-gays-are-victims-of-violent-abuse-all-over-the-world

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 02/06/2015

“Dedique cinco minutos do seu dia para o cultivo do silêncio. Essa é uma prática muito simples que está ao alcance de todos. Cinco minutos divididos em cinco períodos de um único minuto. Escolha os períodos e silencie sempre no mesmo momento. Por exemplo: quando acorda, antes do almoço, no final do dia de trabalho, antes ou depois de uma aula e antes de dormir. Nesse instante de recolhimento você se desliga do mundo lá fora e volta-se para dentro. Seja uma testemunha que observa o que se passa sem se prender a nada. Não se prenda nem mesmo à necessidade de cumprir sessenta segundos. Pode mais ou menos tempo, o importante é lembrar do silêncio.”

“Dedica cinco minutos de tu día al cultivo del silencio. Ésta es una práctica muy simple que está al alcance de todos. Cinco minutos divididos en cinco periodos de un único minuto. Elije los períodos y silencia siempre en el mismo momento. Por ejemplo: cuando te despiertas, antes del almuerzo, al final del día de trabajo, antes o después de una clase y antes de acostarte. En este instante de recogimiento te desconectas del mundo allá afuera y te vuelves hacia adentro. Sé un testigo que observa lo que pasa sin prenderse a nada. No te prendas ni siquiera a la necesidad de cumplir sesenta segundos. Puedes más o menos tiempo, lo importante es recordar el silencio.”

“Dedicate five minutes of your day to cultivating silence. This is a very simple practice that anyone can do. Five minutes divided into five periods of a single minute. Choose when you are going to be in silence and always do this at the same time. For example, when you wake up, before lunch, at the end of your workday, before or after a class, and before you go to sleep. At this time of withdrawal, you detach from the world outside and return within. Be a witness who observes what is happening without holding on to anything. Do not even hold on to the need to get through sixty seconds – it can be more or less than a minute. The key is to remember silence.”

Via Spirit Science / FB:

Today's Daily Dharma: Impossible to Compare.

 

Impossible to Compare

To what shall I compare  this life of ours?  Even before I can say  it is like a lightning flash  or a dewdrop  it is no more.    - Sengai, "The Eternal Care Unit"

Read More

Via Intelligence is sexy / FB:

Via JMG: Debbie Wasserman Shultz: Celebrate Pride With An Eye On Work Still To Be Done

 

"These Republican candidates want to take us backwards, undoing the progress we’ve fought so hard to secure. Jeb Bush has said that, 'the institution of marriage is under attack in our society.' Marco Rubio said one would need to have a 'ridiculous and absurd reading of the U.S. Constitution' to think same-sex couples have the right to marry. Rand Paul, the candidate who supposedly wants to broaden the GOP’s appeal and outreach to young voters, said that same-sex marriage 'offends' him. Others, including Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal, all oppose marriage equality.

There are many places around the world where people are still subjected to violence and discrimination based on who they are or who they love, particularly for the transgender community. Even here at home, we’ve failed to enact protections like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. In just a few weeks, the Supreme Court will issue a decision on whether same-sex couples have the right to marry nationwide. This June, as we celebrate LGBT Pride Month, the LGBT community and its allies are proud to look back on the victories we’ve achieved, and rededicate ourselves to the fights still ahead." - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairperson of the Democratic National Committee, writing for the Washington Blade.

Labels: 2016 elections, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Democrats

Reposted from Joe Jervis

The Baha'i Faith is Homophobic

May 18, 2015
To all Local Spiritual Assemblies
and registered Bahá'í groups

Dearest Bahá'í Friends,

A four-page letter from the Universal House of Justice on the subject of homosexuality has recently been receiving wide circulation via the Internet and through personal email lists, and we are increasingly being asked to comment on its authenticity.

The letter—dated May 9, 2014, to an individual believer in response to a personal inquiry—was indeed issued by the Supreme Body through its Department of the Secretariat. We enclose it here for your reference.

We hope that you will find this letter helpful to your work and in strengthening the friends’ understanding.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Enclosure
-------------------------------------------------------
The enclosure referred to in the letter, a letter from the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer dated May 9, 2014, can be accessed using the following hyperlink:
May 9, 2014 from the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer: https://app.box.com/s/g8mghbjmii8vabu1mlt9bmaom45lkzdt

The two enclosures to the May 9 letter, dated April 19 and April 23, have been available on the member services website for some time, but hyperlinks to those letters are also provided here for the friends’ ease of reference:

April 19, 2013 from the Universal House of Justice to individual believers: https://app.box.com/s/7o5p64siz6zw9qw9cckrspp00iumgigj

April 23, 2013 from the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly: https://app.box.com/s/w6hrimjehc5n6u6w12h87wz9rfejshs1

Should you encounter any difficulty accessing the files, please contact Bahai_National_Center@usbnc.org for assistance. These letters are also provided, per usual, in the Guidance Library of our member services website, http://american.bahai.us/, under the 2015 communications of the Universal House of Justice. This email is being sent only to Local Spiritual Assembly secretaries and group correspondents.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,
Office of the Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States