Via JMG: George Takei: Boycott Hobby Lobby

 

"In this case, the owners happen to be deeply Christian; one wonders whether the case would have come out differently if a Muslim-run chain business attempted to impose Sharia law on its employees. As many have pointed out, Hobby Lobby is the same company that invests in Pfizer and Teva Pharmaceuticals, makers of abortion inducing-drugs and the morning after pill. It also buys most of its inventory from China, where forced abortions are common. The hypocrisy is galling.

"Hobby Lobby is not a church. It’s a business — and a big one at that. Businesses must and should be required to comply with neutrally crafted laws of general applicability. Your boss should not have a say over your healthcare. Once the law starts permitting exceptions based on 'sincerely held religious beliefs' there’s no end to the mischief and discrimination that will ensue. Indeed, this is the same logic that certain restaurants and hotels have been trying to deploy to allow proprietors to refuse service to gay couples.

"While we work to overturn this decision by legislation, people of good conscious should BOYCOTT any for-profit business, including Hobby Lobby, which chooses to impose its religious beliefs on its employees. The only way such companies ever learn to treat people with decency and tolerance is to hit them where it counts–in their pocketbooks. I won’t be shopping there, and women everywhere should exercise their right of protest and refuse to shop there as well." - George Takei, writing on his personal blog.

Labels: boycotts, Christianists, gay artists, George Takei, Hobby Lobby, insurance, Obamacare, religion, retail, SCOTUS

posted by Joe Jervis

The Dirty 100: Meet the Companies and Institutions You Should Avoid After Hobby Lobby

It’s not just Hobby Lobby. There are one hundred cases that have been filed for the right to discriminate against women’s healthcare. NOW calls them the “Dirty 100″.

Here they are in all of their infamy: The following is a list of plaintiffs in the 100 cases that have been filed in opposition to the birth control mandate in the Affordable Care Act, as provided by the National Organization for Women.

American Family Association
American MFG Co
American Pulverizer Co
Annex Medical
Autocam Corp
Ave Maria School of Law
Ave Maria University
Barron Industries
Beckwith Electric Co
Belmont Abbey College
Bick Holdings, Inc.
Cherry Creek Mortgage Co
CNS Ministries
Colorado Christian University
Conestoga Wood Specialities Corp
Continuum Health Partnership/Management
Criswell College
Doboszenski & Sons
Dordt College
Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk
East Texas Baptist University
Eden Foods
Encompass, Develop, Design & Construct LLC
Eternal Word Television Network Inc.
Fellowship of Catholic University
Feltl & Co., Inc.
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Freshway Foods
Gilardi
Grace College and Seminary
Grote Industries
Hart electric LLC
Hastings Automotive
Hercules Industries Inc.
Hobby Lobby
Holland Chevrolet
Infrastructure Alternatives
Johnson Welded Products
Korte & Luitjohan Contractors
Liberty University
Lindsay Rappaport and Postel LLC
Little Sisters of the Poor
Louisiana College
M&N Plastics
Mersino Management Company
Michigan Catholic Conference
MK Chambers Company
O’Brien Industrial Holdings
Ozinga
Paul Wieland
Priests for Life
QC Group Inc.
Randy Reed Automotives
Reaching Souls International
Right to Life Michigan
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis
Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont
Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort-Wayne – South Bend
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
School of the Ozarks
Seneca Hardwood
Sharpe Holdings, Inc.
Sioux Chief MFG Co
SMA LLC
Southern Nazarene University
The Most Reverend Thomas Wenski
Tonn and Blank Construction
Trijicon, Inc. (AKA Bindon)
Triune Health Group
Tyndale House
University of Notre Dame
Weingartz Supply Co
Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL)
Willis & Willis PLC
WLH Enterprises
Zumbiel

Read the full article here: http://www.politicususa.com/2014/07/01/list-100-plaintiffs-filed-opposition-birth-control-mandate-obamacare.html

Via Daily Dharma

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Dissolving the Conceptual Attitude | July 1, 2014

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Through the training of trying to be mindful, one becomes more aware, but to such an extent that it expands further and further, encompassing all situations and all moments, and finally to such an extent that trying to be more mindful and being mindful becomes one identity of just awareness. At which point there is no longer someone being aware of something. That is what is meant by the dissolving of the conceptual attitude.

 

—Tsoknyi Rinpoche, "As the Clouds Vanish"

 

Flower of the Day: 07/01/14

“Anxiety, unrest and the compulsion to do are symptoms of ambition and desire. Since one searches for success in the paradigm of the material world, one wants to accumulate wealth because one believes that success means having a lot of money. But when the paradigm shifts and one begins to move towards a spiritual life, success becomes being considered charitable and making people happy. But how can you make others happy if you yourself are not happy? One continues to seek out success through a spiritual life with the same ambition as one sought success in the material life. Compulsive action is a way of running away from oneself. We need to understand the root cause of desire, and self-awareness is what allows for this understanding to occur.”

Sri Prem Baba

STEVE HAYES: Tired Old Queen at the Movies - GODS AND MONSTERS

Via JMG: Empire State Pride

 

From its Facebook page: "To celebrate this year's NYC Pride Week, the Empire State Building's lights will cast a rainbow across New York City over the next three nights."

Labels: Empire State Building, gay Pride, NYC

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Uganda and Pepe Julian Onziema Pt. 1 (HBO)

Pride - Official Launch Trailer (2014) Bill Nighy, Andrew Scott, Imelda Staunton [HD]

Via JMG: Civil Rights & LGBT Groups Denounce Hobby Lobby Ruling By Supreme Court

The Center For Inquiry

Today the Court made clear it does not view Americans’ access to medically necessary health care as a compelling government interest, and announced loud and clear that the religious preferences of employers take preference over the health needs of workers. In making its decision, the Supreme Court also made a determination that will cause significant confusion in church-state litigation for years to come. The majority held that small, closely held, for-profit private corporations have standing to sue under RFRA – in other words, that such corporations have the religious beliefs of their owners, and the same right to free exercise as their owners. “The potential effects of this decision are absolutely chilling, setting a precedent that is sure to reverberate far beyond the issue of contraceptive coverage,” said Ronald A. Lindsay, President and CEO of the Center for Inquiry. “This is not a decision that advances religious freedom – it is a decision that enshrines religious privilege over and above employee well-being,” added Lindsay. “This decision defies common sense, lacks compassion, and has the potential to harm us all.”

Human Rights Campaign

“Religious groups have a long-established first amendment ability to operate according to their own beliefs,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “Instead of protecting religious liberty, this ruling gives license for businesses to use their personal beliefs as a reason to deny people access to basic, yet crucial medical services.” HRC remains hopeful that the Court’s limitation in this case will be extended to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. We will remain vigilant in the event business owners attempt to use this decision to justify other forms of discrimination, including against LGBT people. In the immediate aftermath, some members of the LGBT community will feel the effects of this decision; countless lesbian and bisexual women as well as some transgender men rely on contraception. HRC will continue to work closely with our partners in the women’s and reproductive health movements, as well as other LGBT groups, as this issue continues to be debated.

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

This is a dangerous precedent from the Court -- which could leave women in limbo for their basic health care. Under the ruling, some corporations will be treated like religious institutions and these so-called 'religious corporations' will not have to pay for health care that they disagree with. So what happens if a woman needs birth control and their employers won't pay? What happens if a trans woman needs hormones and their bosses won't pay? What happens if a couple needs fertility treatments and the 'religious corporation' they work for won't pay? Yet again, another barrier put in the way of vital and affordable health care.

NARAL Pro-Choice America

Today's decision from five male justices is a direct attack on women and our fundamental rights. This ruling goes out of its way to declare that discrimination against women isn't discrimination.

 Allowing bosses this much control over the health-care decisions of their employees is a slippery slope with no end. Every American could potentially be affected by this far-reaching and shocking decision that allows bosses to reach beyond the boardroom and into their employees' bedrooms. The majority claims that its ruling is limited, but that logic doesn't hold up. Today it's birth control; tomorrow it could be any personal medical decision, from starting a family to getting life-saving vaccinations or blood transfusions. 

Ninety-nine percent of women use birth control at some point in our lives, and none of those stories made it into the arguments. It's outrageous that these five male justices chose to single out birth control for special discrimination.

 NARAL’s message has always been clear: bosses who want control over their employees' personal medical decisions are offensive, out of touch, and out of bounds, and so is this ruling. We call upon Congress to right this wrong, and we will work tirelessly with our allies and member activists to make sure that the people who would stand between a woman and her doctor are held accountable.

Lambda Legal

Today’s majority ruling disregards decades of case law that drew a protective line between free religious expression and religious dominance of others. It is a radically dangerous decision that invites more misguided actions contrary to essential protections for employees, customers and the public. It is imperative that the U.S. Congress amend the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to withdraw the blessing the Court mistakenly has given these companies to impose their beliefs on working women. Today’s ruling is about the ACA and women’s reproductive health and rights, but some may mistake this narrow ruling as a wide open door for religious liberty exemptions from other statutes that protect employees and the public. Today’s opinion says doing so would be incorrect. However, recent mistreatment of LGBT people in employment and other commercial settings still makes this extremely troubling. A business owner’s religious objection to a worker’s same-sex spouse or a customer’s LGBT identity is not acceptable grounds for discrimination. It is more important than ever that states and Congress enact strong, clear nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people.

National Center for Lesbian Rights

The majority’s holding that closely held corporations can claim religious liberty protections designed for individuals—and can rely on those protections to avoid complying with generally applicable laws—is a dangerous and radical departure from existing law that creates far more questions than it answers and shows a callous disregard for the health care needs of women workers. Thankfully, however, the majority recognized that even under its sweeping new rule, corporations cannot rely on claims of religious liberty to evade non-discrimination laws. That limitation is extremely important and means that employers cannot exploit today’s decision to justify non-compliance with laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBT people and other vulnerable groups, but we will need to be vigilant to make sure that principle is respected and enforced.

Labels: abortion rights, birth control, Hobby Lobby, HRC, Lambda Legal, LGBT rights, NGLTF, religion, SCOTUS

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: Since Windsor

 

From the Mormon Church-owned Deseret News.

Labels: DOMA, Edith Windsor, marriage equality

Reposted from Joe Jervis

JMG HomoQuotable - Elton John

"The church hierarchy, the traditionalists, might be up in arms about it but times have changed. If Jesus Christ was alive today, I cannot see him, as the Christian person that he was and the great person that he was, saying this [gay marriage] could not happen. He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that is what the church should be about." - Elton John, speaking with Sky News. John went on to praise Pope Francis, saying, "He's excited me so much by his humanity."

Labels: Elton John, gay artists, HomoQuotable, marriage equality, pop music, Pope Francis, religion

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Birthday Daily Dharma:

Recognizing Awareness | June 30, 2014 Awareness is always present. We cannot function without it, but we can function without recognizing it.    —Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, “The Good Shepherd”

Birthday Flower of the Day: 06/30/14

“When a pattern is very persistent, it is necessary to dive deeper in order to understand its roots. We must understand the feelings that sustain the negative repetition. The main tool used for this is amplifying our perception. This is one of the ways to remove the veil of forgetfulness that covers up our true nature. Bit by bit, we de-identify from the ego, which is the idea that ‘I control’ and ‘I do,’ and we open the doors to the remembrance of who we are.”

Sri Prem Baba

Tomorrow is my Birthday, and I have huge plans!

Tomorrow begins my dedicated 365 day march towards my 60th birthday.  In anticipation for the hordes of visitors that will come to Ouro Preto in June of 2015 to celebrate this huge event, I will announce soon my plans for a 2.5 billion dollar (not in real)  stadium, a bullet train line from the new airport to OP. I promise, promise, promise that there will be no, absolutely no corruption, and no money will be taken from education or health care. 

Amanhã começa a minha dedicada marcha de 365 dias rumo ao meu 60 º aniversário. Em antecipação para os grupos de visitantes que virão para OP no mês de junho de 2015 para celebrar este grande evento, eu vou anunciar em breve os meus planos para a construção de um estádio de 2,5 bilhões (em dólar, não real) e de uma linha de trem-bala do novo aeroporto em Cachoeira do Campo para Ouro Preto. Eu prometo, prometo, prometo que não haverá nenhum, absolutamente nenhuma corrupção, e nenhum dinheiro será desviado da educação, da saúde ou de outros serviços básicos da população.

Both Sides Now by Mary Fahl (former lead singer of October Project)

Flower of the Day: 06/29/14

“It is important for us to take concrete actions towards helping to de-pollute our waters, especially through the awareness of where our trash goes. This is one of the main issues in the world today. However, what’s even more important is being aware of our relationship to the feminine. How is your relationship with your mother? De-polluting starts from the inside out by detoxifying our hatred. So, see how you are relating to women in general. Ask yourself if you are already able to give of yourself, to be a friend and to give thanks. See if you are able to root for the other’s happiness, or if instead you still act out of envy, jealousy and competition.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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We Need to Act | June 29, 2014

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Meditation does not matter that much if it has no effect on the rest of our life. Likewise, we could be filled with empty words that do not lead to any change whatsoever in our life or our relationship with others. We need to act on our understanding and our awareness.

 

—Judy Lief, “Is Meditation Enough?”

 

Flower of the Day: 06/28/14

“Some people believe that they need to use effort to quiet down their minds, but this effort will only further agitate the mind. It is not necessary to do anything other than increase one’s perception by being whole in action and fully present. Then, when the thoughts come, they will simply pop like bubbles in the air. If one is able to develop presence, then the situation or place one finds oneself in doesn’t matter: nothing will shake one’s serenity.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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Understand Your Mind | June 28, 2014

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Just understand your mind; how it works, how attachment and desire arise, how ignorance arises, and where emotions come from. It is sufficient to know the nature of all that; that alone can bring you happiness and peace. Thus, your life can change completely; everything turns upside down. What you once interpreted as horrible can become beautiful.

 

—Lama Yeshe, “Your Mind is Your Religion”