Via JMG: European Court Of Human Rights: Gay People Have No Right To Marriage

In a surprising blow to Europe's same-sex marriage movement, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that gay people have no inherent right to the same civil marriage that their neighbors do. The ruling came in a case in which two French lesbians petitioned the court to jointly adopt a child as a married couple. With their heads up their European asses, the court cited the couple's civil union as proof that they are not discriminated against in France, where only married couples may adopt.

They declared: ‘The European Convention on Human Rights does not require member states’ governments to grant same-sex couples access to marriage.’ The judges added that couples who are not married do not enjoy the same status as those who are. ‘With regard to married couples, the court considers that in view of the social, personal, and legal consequences of marriage, the applicants’ legal situation could not be said to be comparable to that of married couples.’ The French civil partners, Valerie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, tried to secure marriage rights under clauses that prevent discrimination and protect privacy and family life. But the Strasbourg judges said there had been no discrimination against them because they were lesbians.

The ruling is being praised by Britain's religious establishment, which is working to thwart Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to legalize same-sex marriage in England and Wales.

Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said: ‘For too long campaigners have been using the language of rights in an attempt to add moral force to what are nothing more than personal desires. ‘In many cases they have bypassed the democratic process and succeeded in imposing their views on the rest of the population by force of law. ‘We are seeing the same principle at work in the Government’s sham of a consultation on same-sex marriage.’ He added: ‘The ruling from the ECHR will embolden those whose concerns about same-sex marriage and adoption are not inspired by personal hatred and animosity, but by a genuine concern for the well-being of children and the welfare of society.

And as you'd expect, NOM is doing handsprings.

Labels: Europe, European Union, France, gay adoption, LGBT rights, marriage equality

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Madonna

"I will come to St. Petersburg to speak up for the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed. I’m a freedom fighter. I don’t run away from adversity. I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity."- Madonna, announcing that she will break the new law against "promoting homosexuality" during her Russian concerts. LGBT activists have beseeched Madonna to cancel the Russian portion of the tour entirely, but I think they'll be happy with this response.

RELATED: During Madonna's 2006 tour, the Russian Orthodox Church picketed her concerts because she performed Live To Tell wearing a crown of thorns while suspended on a cross.

Labels: gay icons, LGBT rights, Madonna, Russia

reposted from Joe

JMG Tweet Of The Day

Labels: Buddhism, religion, silliness

reposted from Joe

JMG HomoQuotable - Carl Siciliano

"Cardinal Dolan, I pray that you might be able to open your eyes and your heart to the cruel suffering LGBT youths endure when their parents reject them. I invite you to visit the Ali Forney Center, only 30 blocks from St. Patrick's Cathedral, and meet with youths whose Catholic parents drove them from their homes. I want you to hear them tell you what it is like to have their parents be ashamed of them, and tell them that they are against God. I want you to see what their lives are like alone, unloved, and abandoned in the streets. I hope that by meeting our kids you can understand the pain and anguish you help to cause.

"Decent people protect children from harm. I want you to be that decent person. I hope decent Christians will join me in demanding that religious leaders stop promoting homophobia. As the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, and as the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, you may well be the most influential religious leader in the country, and could make an enormous difference in this crisis of family rejection. I hope and pray that you can stop fighting the acceptance of LGBT people as equal citizens. I want you to understand how LGBT youth suffer because of such a fight. Please see these rejected children through the eyes of a pastor and figure out a way to stop causing them to be harmed." - Carl Siciliano, writing for Huffington Post.

Read the full essay.

Labels: Ali Forney Center, Carl Siciliano, Catholic Church, homelessness, LGBT youth, NYC, religion, Timothy Dolan

reposted from  Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 20, 2012

Practicing With Loss

Loss is a fact of life. Impermanence is everywhere we look. We are all going to suffer our losses. How we deal with these losses is what makes all the difference. For it is not what happens to us that determines our character, our experience, our karma, and our destiny, but how we relate to what happens.

- Lama Surya Das, "Practicing With Loss"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via AmericaBlog Gay:

Catholic church allegedly castrated boys for reporting priests abused them 

Just when you thought you couldn't be more disgusted by a church that lost its moral authority a long time ago. 

But the news isn't all bad. The Pope has commissioned his own personal cologne.

He should call it "Rape."

Change Happened

Via JMG: Confidential Magazine, May 1957

Source.

Labels: journalism, LGBT History

reposted from Joe

Via Think Progress NEWS FLASH:

President Carter: It’s ‘Very Fine’ For Gay Couples To Marry | President Jimmy Carter’s latest book, “NIV Lessons from Life Bible” reflects his continued commitment to teaching Sunday School in a Baptist church. When he challenged Gerald Ford in 1976, Carter was considered the more religious candidate and won much of the Deep South. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Carter reiterated his Biblical support for marriage equality:

Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things -– he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.
I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs. So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to.

Tags:

• Jimmy Carter
• Marriage Equality
• The Bible

Via JMG: Lesbian Proposes At Hockey Game

Towleroad points us to this bit of sweetness:

On Saturday night at Scotiabank Place, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan named Alicia stood on the ice during the second intermission wearing a blindfold. When it was removed, she looked up at the video scoreboard and read a message from her girlfriend, an Ottawa Senators fan named Christina. Schmaltzy music played. Out walked Christina. They embraced and had a brief conversation, as the crowd began to wise up to what was about to happen. Christina dropped to one knee while holding Alicia's hand. The fans roared. She slid the engagement ring on, they shared a kiss and the Senators mascot proudly raised a sign that read "SHE SAID YES."

Would the crowd have roared its approval for two men?

Labels: Canada, hockey, lesbians, sports

Reposted rom fJoe

Via JMG: SCOTUS: College Christian Clubs Can't Discriminate Against LGBT Students

The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to hear an appeal of a lower court's ruling that Christian student clubs cannot bar LGBT people from membership.

The justices on Monday are leaving in place a federal appeals court ruling that found that the policy doesn't violate the Constitution. The policy says officially recognized campus groups can't discriminate based on religion or sexual orientation. A Christian fraternity and a sorority at San Diego State University sued in 2005, arguing that the policy violates their religious freedom. The groups are restricted to Christian members.

RELATED: In 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for universities to deny funding to such groups.

Labels: education, religion, SCOTUS

reposted from Joe

President Obama's Nowruz Message

Brian and Alfonso Fight DOMA Deportation in Immigration Court After More Than A Decade Together

Enviado por gaybinationals em 15/03/2012

 

"Our life was on a happy, albeit somewhat boringly ordinary, trajectory until one fateful night last summer. That night and the events that followed have brought me to a whole new level of understanding about how precarious Alfonso's life had been up to this point. That night we were pulled over for a routine traffic stop. The local law enforcement did their regular background checks and that is when the train went off of the proverbial rails. Within a few hours I learned that something called an "immigration hold" had been placed on Alfonso's file, so even though he was not charged with any crime by the local authorities and had no criminal record they were not allowed to release him. They took my husband away in chains and put him in a county jail. The day before I was going to have my first visitation they moved him to a different jail. Then the day before I was going to be allowed to visit him at the 2nd jail they transferred him to a 3rd facility, a federal immigration facility. It was there in San Francisco, a week after this nightmare began, that I was finally allowed to visit my husband for the first time since the nightmare began. Even though he is not a criminal, they brought him in to a tiny visitation booth in handcuffs and we sat there talking and crying until they took him away 10 minutes later." www.stopthedeportations.com

Categoria:

Notícias e política

Tags:

• DOMA
• Marriage Equality
• LGBT
• Gay
• Rights
• Deportation
• Obama
• Marriage

Lesbian Grandmothers from Mars

Via Follower of the Buddha: Loving Kindness, Wellbeing and Happiness

Follower of the Buddha

‎"In every direction," said the Buddha, "above, below, around, and within, you see things you know and recognize. Put them down. Do not let consciousness dwell on the products of existence and things that come and go, for there is no rest of relief there. When you understand that by taking the objects of the world for granted as total reality, you are tied to the world, then this understanding will release you from your dependence on objects and will stop your craving and your desire for constant becoming. Then you can let go your hold and engage with things as they are, instead."
Sutta Nipata

 

Loving Kindness, Wellbeing and Happiness

‎"In every direction," said the Buddha, "above, below, around, and within, you s...See More

 

By: Pay Attention and Respect to All Beings and Mother Earth

Via JMG: What GOProud Really Wants

Not only does GOProud oppose a federal anti-bullying law, they are cloaking their support for school vouchers by claiming it would protect gay kids. In fact, what GOProud really wants is to further erode the crumbling public education system by having the government redirect funds to private religious schools. Or as in the case of the Santorums, pay the parents themselves for home schooling. All this "protection" talk is just a smokescreen, folks.

Labels: asshats, education, GOProud, homocons

reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 19, 2012

One Hundred Percent One

Human beings understand too much. But what they understand is just somebody’s opinion. Like a dog barking. American dog say, 'Woof, woof.' Korean dog say, 'Mung, mung.' Polish dog say, 'How, how.' So which dog barking is correct? That is human beings’ barking, not 'dog' barking. If dog and you become one hundred percent one, then you know sound of barking. This is Zen teaching. Boom! Become one.

- Seung Sahn, "BOOM!"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via It's ok to be Takei:

JMG Photo Of The Day

Here's another shot that Dr. Jeff took as he landed at LGA. Amazing and embiggens wonderfully. Previously.

Labels: Dr. Jeff, Manhattan, NYC, photography

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Tea Party Leader Busted For Rape

Michael Kobulnicky, spokesperson for the San Diego Tea Party, has been arrested for rape and assault.

Kobulnicky is accused of a Feb. 25 abduction and sexual assault of a 56-year-old woman who was walking home near Linda Vista Road in Fiesta Island. The woman was pulled into a car and assaulted, then left on the island, police said. Surveillance footage of the area near the assault gave police evidence to pursue a suspect. They released a picture of the suspect to the public, and many identified the suspect as Kobulnicky, police said. Kobulnicky was booked into San Diego Central Jail on numerous felony charges, including kidnapping, sexual assault and sex with a foreign object.

Four days ago Kobulnicky endorsed a national boycott of Red Bull: "Don't buy Red Bull. Look at what they think about Jesus. There is such an attack against Christianity now and hopefully Christians stand up for what they believe! "

Labels: rape, San Diego, Tea Party, teabaggers

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 18, 2012

The Essence of Mind in a Single Moment

Instead of thinking of this and that, one thing after the other, let your mind recognize itself in a single moment. When the mind recognizes itself, there is no thing to see there. It’s just wide open. That’s because the essence of mind is empty. It’s wide open and free.

- Tsoknyi Rinpoche, "Dissolving the Confusion"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via JMG: Focus Praises KONY 2012

Yesterday Focus On The Family posted this clip praising Invisible Children, but made no mention that they are secretly funding the group. Such a pity that this clip went up at the precise hour that the KONY 2012 filmmaker was busted naked, raving, and masturbating on the streets of San Diego. Tragic, really.

 

 Labels: Focus On The Family, hate groups, liars

posted by Joe

 

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 17, 2012

Dualism and Swinging Doors

Our usual understanding of life is dualistic: you and I, this and that, good and bad. But actually these discriminations are themselves the awareness of the universal existence. 'You' means to be aware of the universe in the form of you, and 'I' means to be aware of it in the form of I. You and I are just swinging doors.

- Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, "Breathing"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Catholic Church Officially Anti-Gay Bigots

Via ॐ Thich Nhat Hanh Quote Collective ॐ: Awakening ourselves..

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes 10

We have to awaken ourselves to the truth that we are here, alive. We are here making steps on this beautiful planet.

--Thich Nhat Hanh--

Via JMG: Brazilian Hate Leader Defends Scott Lively

Infamous anti-gay activist Julio Severo, the Brazilian counterpart to Peter LaBarbera, has published a blog entry defending evangelist Scott Lively, who this week was sued in U.S. court for inciting the murders of Ugandan homosexuals.

Gay activists live risky lives with their lovers and male prostitutes, and should Christian ministers be blamed for their immoral choices? I supposed that if Lively were a Muslim cleric visiting Uganda and preaching death to all homosexuals, he would be left in peace by homosexualist groups, by George Soros-funded groups and even by American hate crime laws. Capital punishment is used frequently against homosexuals in Muslim nations, even when these homosexuals did not commit any rape of children or another major crime. Yet, international groups never charge these nations of “Crimes against Humanity”.

Certainly, there are Muslims preaching death to homosexuals. Where are the Western “human rights” groups to say that these Muslims committed “Crimes against Humanity”? The lawsuit against Rev. Scott Lively is a very dangerous precedent for all Christians fighting the gay agenda. A powerful orchestration of homosexualist and socialist individuals and groups is using a gay group in Uganda to have Lively prosecuted as a “Criminal against Humanity”! If their efforts succeed, no pro-family Christian in the West will be safe. You will not be safe. I will not be safe.

Labels: Brazil, evil, gay death penalty, hate groups, lawsuits, religion, Scott Lively, Uganda

reposted from Joe

Via Gay Politics Report:

• Dems try to tamp down platform discussion
  Democratic political operatives in Washington, D.C., have begun a push to lower the volume on discussions about adding support for marriage equality to the party platform, according to this article. Some top Democrats reportedly remain unconvinced that it's politically wise to add language to the party platform fully supporting marriage rights for same-sex couples. A campaign to add such language, which was launched by the group Freedom to Marry, is backed by several high-profile Democrats. The Huffington Post (3/15)     

• Group looks to help lawmakers evolve on marriage: Third Way, a centrist Democratic group, has distributed a memo advising members of Congress on how to embrace marriage rights for same-sex couples. "We hope this will be helpful as more and more politicians feel the urge to 'evolve' from supporting civil unions to allowing committed gay couples to marry," said Lanae Erickson, the group's deputy director of social policy and politics. The Huffington Post (3/15)     

Via ॐ Thich Nhat Hanh Quote Collective ॐ

 

When we have anger in us, we suffer. When we have discrimination in us, we suffer. When we have the complex of superiority, we suffer. When we have the complex of inferiority, we suffer also. So when we are capable of transforming these negative things in us, we are free and happiness is possible.
~Thich Nhat Hanh

 

By: Thich Nhat Hanh gems

Via AmericaBlogGay:

Dem. Platform problems: Huff Post reports resistance to marriage equality plank

This is not good. Not surprising. But, not good:

"The DNC folks -- their political shop -- have been calling people and really pressuring them," said Paul Yandura, a political and fundraising strategist at the firm Scott+Yandura who led gay and lesbian outreach on both Bill Clinton and Al Gore's presidential campaigns. "Look, I'm not going to claim that they're pressuring them not to be for it, but this 'let's wait' thing is always what happens in politics -- let's wait so they can find a way to slow this down and maybe get a good reason not to do it."

"But that doesn't mean that activists and other people have to wait and see," Yandura added. "I think that we have to keep up the pressure."

Melanie Roussell, a spokesperson for the DNC, did not directly refute Yandura's assertion. Instead, she emphasized the party's commitment to equality and inclusion, with respect to both LGBT Americans and the platform process.

"The President and the Party are committed to crafting a platform that reflects our values and a belief that this is a nation in which everyone deserves a fair shot and hard work is rewarded," she wrote in an email to The Huffington Post. “The time will come to consider the content of the platform but not a single platform committee member has been chosen and the process has yet to begin."

Several Democratic sources working with the committee have acknowledged that conversations were already underway about how to placate the pro-same-sex marriage majority inside the party without alienating culturally conservative Democrats in states like Ohio and North Carolina, where the convention is being held.

The usual apologists are giving the usual excuses. The DNC's LGBT caucus isn't even on board yet. Pathetic. Read the full article by Sam Stein and Amanda Terkel. They did some very good reporting on this one.

This could all be solved if the President would just evolve already. Instead, it's clear we can expect more political kabuki as the DNC and OFA try to avoid doing what everyone knows should be done.

And, in case the DNC forgot, there's an anti-gay referendum on the May 8th ballot in North Carolina, with which we could use some help. It's called Amendment 1. I think the convention will be a lot more fun for people if Amendment 1 loses.

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 16, 2012

Putting the Body to Good Use

What should you do to put your body to good use? Most people have no idea. A craftsman who borrows some tools will try to make the best possible use of them while they are available. Your body, too, is actually on loan to you for the time being, for the brief period left before it is taken back from you by death. Had you better not use it to practice the dharma while you can?

- Dilgo Khyentse, “The Day After You Die”
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

The Road We've Traveled

Via JMG: APPROVED: Out Gay Federal Judge

After months of obstructionism by the GOP, the U.S. Senate today finally approved President Obama's nomination of Michael Fitzgerald to the federal bench, making him the fourth openly gay federal judge in the nation. Chris Geidner reports at Metro Weekly:

Fitzgerald's confirmation will make him the first out LGBT Article III judge serving outside of New York City. Article III judges -- referencing the judicial powers detailed in the Constitution -- are nominated by the president, given consent by the Senate to serve and have lifetime tenure. The vote, which began a little after 2:24 p.m. today, came after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Monday, March 12, announced that he would be forcing debate and votes on 17 of Obama's judicial nominees if no deal was reached. On Wednesday, March 14, an agreement was reached between the parties' leaders to have the Senate vote in the coming weeks on 14 of President Obama's judicial nominees -- including Fitzgerald.

Labels: Congress, feds, Senate

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Video Games Make Kids Gay

"What makes this so dangerous is despite what the labels say, the actual purchasing market for these games is often young males ages 11-16. This age group is not yet mature enough to not be impacted by these life decisions. There is no argument that video gaming is an extremely effective training tool. These young minds will be indoctrinated to homosexual relationships as normal lifestyles with homosexual characters being portrayed as heroes in warfare and in romantic situations." - American Decency Association board member Steve Ensley, who is ever so pissed about video game makers that allow users to create gay characters.

RELATED: Game maker Electronic Arts is among the many companies dubbed "cultural polluters" for introducing a Star Wars game with the option of gay players.

The latest attack on our culture from gaming is the result of a small, yet very vocal, group insisting that homosexual behaviors and lifestyles be introduced into a Star Wars game. If they are successful, their actions could further indoctrinate children into the belief that homosexual behavior is completely natural, before their minds have developed fully enough to make their own choices and decisions.

Labels: dumbassery, silliness, video games

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG:

How To Sell Floors To Gay Men?

Via Copyranter.

Labels: advertising, Copyranter

reposted from Joe

JMG Today In Christian Love™

Slog's Dominic Holden posts the message that came with the above photo.

Last week the University of Washington's FoQus group for Queer Students held a food drive for the Lifelong Aids Alliance. We raised a lot of money and food that they desperately needed, all the while being picketed, loudly, in the middle of Red Square by church folk, who were yelling that people with AIDS did not deserve to eat, condoms would not save you from hell, and that "Queers shall experience hell, along with the drunkards, druggies, STD havers, and church gossips!" While it was horrible to hear them say as many homophobic things as they did, we'd really like to thank them for picketing so hard, because so many people came up to us and handed us a lot of cash and food donations, just to piss them off.

The protesters reportedly handed out pamphlets from Seattle's infamously anti-gay Mars Hill Church, although the church later issued a statement denying any official involvement.

Labels: AIDS, Christian Love, hate groups, Seattle

Via AmericaBlogGay:

ToMyUnbornChild... I'll put a bullet in your damn skull" (if you turn out gay)

By Gabe Ortíz

Actual tweets.

Twitter has become an amazing tool for conversation, sometimes becoming my own main mode of communication throughout the day in fact. It also has its downside though, because wherever there is an attempt at open dialogue, there will surely be some degree of inflammatory, upsetting, and sometimes unimaginably horrific speech to go along with it.

This kind of hate speech has most recently come from "To My Unborn Child" trending topic, which soon turned into a disgusting ranting space for anti-gay bigots. The Twitter account @Homophobes (which retweets public homophobic tweets to its 4,500 followers) created a post at Storify (a site where users can bundle tweets onto one page and add commentary to create a story) to document over 100 tweets of mostly young men and women saying they would murder their future child if he or she was gay.

Read for yourself, but be warned: the tweets are horrible and disgusting. But perhaps most tragically, they are a look at people who would so openly hate a gay child yet to be even born.

Via JMG: GLAAD Launches Campaign To Educate Media About Anti-Gay Hate Group Leaders

 

Today GLAAD announces the Commentator Accountability Project, a campaign to educate the nation's media gatekeepers about the histories of the hate group leaders and anti-gay talking heads that they place before the American audience. Fantastic idea!

Journalists or producers who are on deadline often don't have the time to dig into the histories of a commentator. Audiences need to be aware that when they’re not talking to the mainstream media, these voices are comparing the LGBT people to Nazi Germany, predicting that equal treatment of LGBT people will lead to the total collapse of society, and even making accusations of satanic influence. The Commentator Accountability Project is bringing all of these statements to light, while calling attention to the sentiments behind them. We will show that the commentators who are most often asked to opine on issues like marriage equality or non-discrimination protections do not accurately represent the "other side" of those issues. They represent nothing but extreme animus towards the entire LGBT community.

Regular JMG readers will be very familiar with almost all the faces of hatred and bigotry seen below. Please contact GLAAD if these people appear in your local media. Click on the photos to be taken to a page with information about each person.NOTE: Fellow blogger Jeremy Hooper of Good As You worked as a consultant with GLAAD on this project. Well done, Jeremy!

Labels: bigotry, GLAAD, Good As You, hate groups, Jeremy Hooper, journalism, newspapers, television

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Wording For WA Ballot Finalized

Via Zack Ford at Think Progress, above is the final wording that will appear on Washington state's ballot measure to repeal same-sex marriage. Note that the GOP attorney general's attempt to insert the word "redefine" has been slapped down.

Labels: marriage equality, Washington state

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Ugandan Gays Sue Evangelist Scott Lively For Inciting The Murders Of Homosexuals

Hate group leader Scott Lively was today sued in Massachusetts court by a Ugandan LGBT rights group for inciting the persecution and murder of homosexuals in their country. Many observers lay Uganda's still pending "kill the gays" bill squarely at Scott Lively's feet.

The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2002, Mr. Lively conspired with religious and political leaders in Uganda to whip up anti-gay hysteria with warnings that homosexuals would sodomize African children and corrupt their culture. The Ugandan legislature considered a bill in 2009, proposed by one of Mr. Lively’s Ugandan contacts, that would have imposed the death sentence for homosexual behavior. That bill was at first withdrawn after an outcry from the United States and European nations that are among major aid donors to Uganda, but a revised bill was reintroduced last month. Mr. Lively is being sued by the organization Sexual Minorities Uganda under the alien tort statute, which allows foreigners to sue in American courts in situations alleging the violation of international law. The suit claims that Mr. Lively’s actions resulted in the persecution, arrest, torture and murder of homosexuals in Uganda.

Lively responded to the New York Times: "That’s about as ridiculous as it gets. I’ve never done anything in Uganda except preach the Gospel and speak my opinion about the homosexual issue. There’s actually no grounds for litigation on this."

More on this story as it develops...

RELATED: In January 2011 Ugandan gay activist David Kato was murdered after his photo was published in a local paper under the headline "HANG THEM!" Lively and other visiting American evangelicals had urged Ugandans to take a "strictly biblical" attitude towards gay people.

Labels: evil, gay death penalty, hate groups, lawsuits, Massachusetts, murder, Scott Lively, Uganda

reposted from Joe

JMG Quote Of The Day - Donald Trump Jr.

"One of my best friends growing up was gay. It's never been an issue for me. I think there was a time in my life, probably in college, that I wished every guy was gay because it meant more woman for me! I don't know what everyone's problem with it is, I wish everyone was gay! That's always the way I thought about it. I have no issue with it. If I have to suffer through marriage why shouldn't they?" - Exotic wildlife hunter Donald Trump Jr, who disagrees with his loathsome father on almost every issue.

Labels: Donald Trump, marriage equality, Quote Of The Day

reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma March 14, 2012

Heartfelt Advice

When we are deeply involved in the practice of the Buddha dharma, the sages advise that we practice a common sense of balance by learning to structure our mundane activities and dharma practice in ways that allow us success in both areas of our life. We should not fall into extremes, either of procrastinating in our dharma practice with the excuse of mundane distractions, or of allowing our mundane world to fall apart around us due to an overemphasis on dharma practice which ignores our mundane responsibilities.

- Lama Dudjom Dorjee, "Heartfelt Advice"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via JMG: Eliza Doolittle Would Approve

Ben & Jerry's has issued this Cockney flavor in the UK to support the marriage equality movement.

The ice cream maker is also teaming up with Stonewall to launch a new Facebook app today that asks users to ‘marry’ each other online. ‘Proposing’ through Ben and Jerry’s, users can voice their support for marriage equality and add their name to a letter to prime minister David Cameron backing the move. Laura Doughty, Stonewall’s Deputy CEO says “We’re truly moved by Ben and Jerry’s support for same-sex marriage in Britain. “All people want is to call their long-term relationship by the same name as everyone else. Our strong advice to those who disapprove of same-sex marriage is just not to get married to someone of the same sex.”

Labels: Ben And Jerry's, marriage equality, UK

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Tony Blair Backs Gay Marriage

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has endorsed David Cameron's plan to legalize same-sex marriage.

Mr Blair's position is likely to anger the Vatican, which is alarmed at moves in both the UK and the US for same-sex unions. Senior church figures are also opposed to church blessings of same-sex civil partnerships. Mr Blair was responsible for pushing through laws on civil partnerships and lowering the age of consent for homosexuals to 16, but he has remained silent on the issue of gay marriage until now. When Mr Blair joined the Catholic Church, six months after leaving Downing Street, the Vatican's chief spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said his conversion "can only arouse joy and respect". He joined because his wife, Cherie, is a Catholic and their four children were brought up in the church. But Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and also a Catholic convert, complained that his record as prime minister clashed with the church's teachings.

Both the Catholic Church and the Church of England have launched vigorous campaigns against same-sex marriage.

Labels: Britain, marriage equality, Tony Blair, UK

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Feds Consider End To Gay Blood Ban

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking public comment on a proposed plan to ease the ban on blood donations from gay men.

“[T]he increased effectiveness of donor testing for [Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)], [Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)], syphilis and other infectious agents has greatly enhanced blood safety,” the department states in the notice, which will be published in the Federal Register Tuesday. “As a result, questions have been raised about the need to continue an indefinite deferral of all MSM and whether there could be blood donation by MSM who may not be at increased risk.” HHS specifically is calling on the public to evaluate how the department could design an “innovative and cost effective” pilot program to evaluate “alternative blood donor acceptance criteria for MSM.”

Anti-gay hate groups will surely urge their members to deluge the HHS with protests.

Labels: blood donation, feds, HIV/AIDS, science

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: DENMARK: Gay Marriage By June

News seems to be breaking in Denmark that the Prime Minister today promised the legalization of same-sex marriage by June. A Twitter tipster points us to this early blog report:

The Danish Government is ready with the Law Proposal, which will take effect in June 2012. It is important step for our society, which recognizes the individual's differences and the individual's equality within the society, regardless of who you are, and regardless of who do you love, says PM Thorning. She calls the Law Proposal a completely natural and the right step in the moden Denmark. It will be up to individual priest though to decide, whether they would want to bless the homosexual couples in the church, the PM informs.

More on this when the Danish press weighs in. In 1989 Denmark was the world's first nation to offer federal domestic partnership recognition.

UPDATE: Here's a more formal announcement from the Danish press.

Gay couples can look forward to a church wedding this summer. At her weekly press conference, Tuesday, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said the government is putting the finishing touches to a bill that will come into force on June 15th, allowing homosexuals and lesbians to walk down the aisle in the church of their choice – if they can find a priest who’s willing to conduct the ceremony. “It will always be up to the individual priest as to whether he or she is prepared to bless gay couples but this legislation provides homosexuals with the same rights as heterosexuals,” said the PM.

Labels: Denmark, LGBT rights, marriage equality

reposted from Joe

Dunkerton, IA School Assembly Message (portion on homosexuality)