Saturday, April 04, 2009

NYC: Iowa Celebration At Union Square

Last night Dr. Jeff outfitted me in one of his colorful native costumes and we headed to Union Square to join a small but energetic crowd of activists celebrating yesterday's approval of marriage equality in Iowa. Speakers included heads of several New York-based marriage equality groups, lead by Civil Rights Front activist Heath Tucker who organized several renditions of the Iowa State fight song, much to the chagrin of University of Iowa alum Dr. Jeff. Great fun!

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Friday, April 03, 2009

VIDEO: Wingnuts Getting The Bad News

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Obama Fried Chicken Protests Planned

Well, you knew somebody was going to take offense at NYC's Obama Fried Chicken restaurants, right?
Two New York City fried chicken restaurants in predominantly black neighborhoods are under fire for putting President Barack Obama's name on their signs. City Councilman Charles Barron said Friday that he will organize a demonstration next week outside the Obama Fried Chicken in his Brooklyn district if the sign doesn't change. Opponents also say they may target Obama Fried Chicken & Pizza in Harlem. Barron said he has been getting calls from outraged residents in his district.
Apparently it is totally legal to use the president's name in this fashion. Whether it's appropriate is another question.

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Will Iowa Affect The Prop 8 Decision?

“Today, the Iowa Supreme Court recognized that the constitutional guarantee of equal protection requires that same-sex couples have ‘full access to the institution of civil marriage.’ The ruling makes clear that civil unions or domestic partnerships cannot meet the demands of full constitutional equality.

“We hope the California Supreme Court will uphold the essential principle of equality regardless of political controversy, just as the Iowa Supreme Court has done. The eyes of California and the world are now on the California Supreme Court, which must determine whether equal protection means equal, and whether Californians will continue to share that equality in the freedom to marry.” -Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Minter was among the pro-marriage equality lawyers who spoke before the California Supreme Court during last month's hearing on Proposition 8.

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Caption This

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Explaining Iowa's Ballot Process

Towards the end of the clip, the correspondent touches on how Iowa's constitutional amendment process works.

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No New Baby For Madonna

Malawi has shot down Madonna's latest baby safari.
A judge has rejected Madonna's request to adopt a second child from Malawi because of a requirement that prospective parents live in the southern African nation for at least 18 months, a judge and a lawyer said Friday. The judge who confirmed the decision did not make the ruling, but saw it. The lawyer was present when the ruling was made. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. The 50-year-old pop superstar can appeal the ruling to Malawi's Supreme Court.
Critics say that Madonna should give financial assistance to the child in question, rather than taking her from "extended close family members."

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Freepers React To Iowa's Decision

Enjoy the 'sploding heads....

-"This is scary. Unlike Massachusetts, Iowa is an agricultural breadbasket. Watch crop yields plumett now. God takes His revenge in many ways. Just ask those people burned out of their homes (or had their crops dry up from drought) in California. Russia’s crop yields plummeted too, once she became an atheistic nation in 1922."
-"More judges added to the ‘people to horsewhip’ list."
-"This is for all of those that said the Family Protection Act was not necessary. How's it feel to have three judges spit in the eyes of the overwhelming majority."
-"We live in a Judicial Tyranny."
-"We are fools if we think that God’s judgment will not come to this land. Fools."
"IOW marrigage based on popping an orgasm rather than benefit to society."
-"I am beginning to believe that there is no silent majority. The queers and the unemployed are running the country. I am a slave, 2/3rds of my taxes go into the pocket of someone else."
-"There is no justice in the land."
-"The USA is much more the fascist dictatorship than the kind of govt of the people it was founded to be."
-"I have no problems with gays getting married. They just have to marry someone of the opposite sex, just like normal people. No special privileges for them!"
-"True. They can even have a 100% gay marriage...a queer can marry a carpet muncher!"

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Iowa's Supreme Court Ruling

Pam Spaulding has the complete PDF of the ruling.

In this case, we must decide if our state statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the Iowa Constitution, as the district court ruled. On our review, we hold the Iowa marriage statute violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution. Therefore, we affirm the decision of the district court.

...The plaintiffs produced evidence to demonstrate sexual orientation and gender have no effect on children raised by same-sex couples, and same-sex couples can raise children as well as opposite-sex couples. They also submitted evidence to show that most scientific research has repudiated the commonly assumed notion that children need opposite-sex parents or biological parents to grow into well-adjusted adults. Many leading organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the Child Welfare League of America, weighed the available research and supported the conclusion that gay and lesbian parents are as effective as heterosexual parents in raising children.

...When individuals invoke the Iowa Constitution's guarantees of freedom and equality, courts are bound to interpret those guarantees. In carrying out this fundamental and vital role, "we must never forget that it is a constitution we are expounding." M'Culloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316, 407, 4 L. Ed. 579, 602 (1819). It speaks with principle, as we, in turn, must also. See State v. Wheeler, 34 P.3d 799, 807 (Wash. 2001) (Sanders, J., dissenting).

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Google To Buy Twitter?

Via Tech Crunch:
Google is in late stage negotiations to acquire Twitter. We don’t know the price but can assume its well, well north of the $250 million valuation that they saw in their recent funding. Twitter turned down an offer to be bought by Facebook just a few months ago for half a billion dollars, although that was based partially on overvalued Facebook stock. Google would be paying in cash and/or publicly valued stock, which is equivalent to cash. So whatever the final acquisition value might be, it can’t be compared apples-to-apples with the Facebook deal. Why would Google want Twitter? We’ve been arguing for some time that Twitter’s real value is in search. It holds the keys to the best real time database and search engine on the Internet, and Google doesn’t even have a horse in the game.
I guess we can expect to see Google Ad Sense embedded in future tweets.

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PhoboQuotable - Peter LaBarbera

"Today Iowa becomes the first state not on either of the nation’s two liberal coasts to impose counterfeit, homosexual ‘marriage’ or its mischievous twin, ‘civil unions,’ on its citizens through judicial tyranny. To call this decision bankrupt is to understate its perniciousness. The evil genius of the pro-sodomy movement is that it targets noble institutions like marriage and adoption in the name of ‘rights,’ and then perverts and uses them to normalize aberrant and destructive behaviors.

"Homosexual ‘marriage’ is wrong because homosexual behavior itself is wrong and destructive – as proved by its role in the needless, early deaths of countless ‘gay’ men. We must shake loose of the secularists’ and libertarians’ amoral nonchalance regarding ‘same-sex marriage’ by asking questions like this: how exactly would two men consummate their ‘gay marriage”’ Answer: by engaging in what one Founding Father, Noah Webster, writing in saner times, rightly defined as a ‘crime against nature.’" - Peter LaBarbera, founder and spokesdouche for Americans For Truth About Homosexuality.

(Photo credit: Michael Petrelis)

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Iowa APPROVES Marriage Equality!!!

This morning the Iowa Supreme Court issued its decision approving marriage equality, making Iowa the first midwestern state to do so.
The Iowa Supreme Court this morning struck down a 1998 state law that limits marriage to one man and one woman. The ruling is viewed as a victory for the gay rights movement in Iowa and elsewhere, and a setback for social conservatives who wanted to protect traditional families. The decision makes Iowa the first Midwestern state, and the fourth nationwide, to allow same-sex marriages. Lawyers for Lambda Legal, a gay rights group that financed the court battle and represented the couples, had hoped to use a court victory to demonstrate acceptance of same-sex marriage in heartland America.

Richard Socarides, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton on gay civil rights, said today’s decision could set the stage for other states. Socarides was was a senior political assistant for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin in the early 1990s. “I think it’s significant because Iowa is considered a Midwest sate in the mainstream of American thought,” Socarides said. “Unlike states on the coasts, there’s nothing more American than Iowa. As they say during the presidential caucuses, 'As Iowa goes, so goes the nation.’”
Celebration!!! GO IOWA!!!

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UFC's Dana White Apologizes For Gay Slur

Responding to GLAAD's request, Ultimate Fighting Championship founder Dana White has issued an apology for using a gay slur in a posting on his video blog.
"As far as the gay and lesbian community, my comments were not directed toward them. I have no problem with the gay or lesbian community. I'm actually a supporter of many of their issues. The last thing that I would ever want anybody to think about me or think is cool is to go out and attack somebody because of their sexual orientation. That was not my intention. That's not the way I said it and I apologize for anybody that I've offended or hurt."

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Tonight In NYC: Iowa/VT Marriage Rally

Marriage equality activists will gather at 6:30pm tonight in NYC's Union Square to react to the decisions by the Iowa Supreme Court and Vermont's House of Representatives. The Iowa decision is expected to be posted online here by 9:30am Eastern time. Vermont's House is expected to formalize last night's vote sometime in mid-afternoon.

Join the Facebook group The Power here.

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Pope Condoms Selling Well In France

The International Women's Health Coalition reports that "I Said No!" pope condoms are all the rage in France. The condoms were produced in response to Ill Papa's recent demented declaration that condom availability actually speeds the spread of AIDS. On Monday, Belgium became the first nation to lodge a formal protest over the comments with the Vatican.

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Former Secretary Of The Army Clifford Alexander Calls DADT "A Bowl Of Bigotry Surrounded By A Curtain Of Silk"

This clip starts out with Rachel Maddow interviewing Colin Powell, who affirms his support for the repeal of DADT. But the winning quote comes from former Secretary Of the Army Clifford Alexander at the 3:30 mark.

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

BREAKING: Vermont House Approves Marriage Equality Bill 95-52

After four hours of heated debate, late tonight Vermont's House of Representatives approved marriage equality tonight by a vote of 95-52.
The legislation, S.115, gives same-sex couples the right to marry in Vermont. The bill will be brought up again Friday for final approval, then return to the Senate, where changes to language must be approved. Should the Senate OK those changes, the bill will head to Douglas’ desk and a promised veto. That veto — which Douglas declared last week he would deliver — would not kill the legislation. Instead members of the House and Senate will try to override the veto by securing a two-thirds majority of support in each chamber. The Senate would need 20 votes; the House would need 100 with all members in attendance.
As noted above, the number of votes needed to override a veto by Gov. Jim Douglas is very close to what tonight's vote was.

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Vermont Marriage Vote Live Stream

I can't embed their player, but you can go here to watch the Vermont House debate their imminent vote on marriage equality. The vote can come at any minute now.

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GLAAD Demands Apology From UFC Head Dana White Over Anti-Gay Slurs

When the audience of your "ultimate fighting" circus act surely includes a large number of gay men, you probably shouldn't use the word "faggot" in your video blog. GLAAD wants an apology:
On Wednesday, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White unleashed a torrent of expletives, including an anti-gay slur, on his video blog hosted on YouTube. White was extremely angry over an article written by a journalist regarding the use of credentials at UFC events. UFC, which is considered to be the largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization in the world, has become extremely popular in recent years, and the organization’s fights and reality shows air regularly on Spike TV and pay-per-view. In the video, White rants, “And here’s a quote from a guy who wanted to remain anonymous because of fear of repercussions. Shut the f**k up. Any f**king guy who won’t put his name on it. First of all, whoever gave you that quote is a pu**y and a f**king f**got and a f**king liar and everything else.” Although White doesn’t state the name of the article, based on the author’s name and the content he most likely was referring to this article on the Sherdog website.

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PhoboQuotable - Judith Reisman

"American classroom indoctrination is now found in "hate" and sexual diversity training and in 3,500 nationwide Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) school clubs. Under color of a "Safe Schools Movement" battling alleged "bullying" of so-called "gay" children (K-12), some see GLSEN as a modern version of the Hitler Youth and as preparing the ground for a larger, sweeping, schoolroom Youth Brigade. [snip]

"Both the GLSEN youth and the Hitler Youth were trained to be revolutionary leaders of the brave new world order. GLSEN school clubs and their teacher sponsor/trainers are now funded by major corporations and by some state funds. GLESN's Day of Silence and "GAY ALLY!" pledge cards for kindergartners and other children (left) are direct assaults on traditional parental, American values.

"German children's literature historians document Hitler's pioneering ban of both the Ten Commandments and biblical stories from Nazi school texts in favor of coarse and violent tales that ridiculed religious believers and their values. Without his NSTA teachers, Hitler could not have created a goose-stepping, unthinking army. [snip]

"The claim it was preventing AIDS and the alleged "bullying" of children labeled "gay," "trans," etc., allowed GLESN's nose under the tent. That pornographers, pedophiles and homosexually radical school superintendents, principals, teachers and librarians have been training schoolchildren to be "politically correct" followers is well-documented." - WorldNetDaily columnist Dr. Judith Reisman from yesterday's GLSEN And The Hitler Youth.

GLSEN responds: "We can only hope this is some sort of sick April Fool’s joke."

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Anti-Gay Robocalls In Vermont

Vermonters reported receiving anti-gay robocalls from the New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage yesterday in advance of today's House vote on marriage equality. The automated recording urged residents to call their legislators and demand a "no" vote. Desperation move? We should have the result of the vote sometime after 3pm.

(Via JMG reader Rebecca)

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Iowa Marriage Decision Due Tomorrow

Tomorrow the Iowa Supreme Court will issue its decision on marriage equality.
The case involves six same-sex Iowa couples who sued Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien in 2005 after his office denied them marriage licenses. The lawsuit argued that it would be unlawful to ban same-sex couples from marriage based on the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Iowa Constitution. The state’s Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1998 by a 40-9 margin in the Senate and an 89-10 margin in the House, defines marriage as being solely between a man and a woman. Iowa District Court Judge Robert Hanson sided with the plaintiffs, but later put a hold on his decision awaiting a verdict from the Supreme Court.
The decision will be posted by 8:30am on this site. Cross your fingers, kids. Iowa would become the first midwestern state with marriage equality. The state has no residency requirement, meaning gay couples from other states would be free to marry there.

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Glenn Beck: Fascism Is Coming

Glenn Beck, the current darling of the right wing, says that Obama isn't bringing socialism after all. He's bringing fascism.

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Don't Touch The Queen

Some Brits are miffed because the First Lady put her arm around Queen Elizabeth. Others point out that the Obamas are not royal subjects and therefore not bound by the protocols observed by heads of state from Australia, etc.

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This Month In Whistleblower

The wingnuts at WorldNetDaily have devoted an entire issue of their monthly magazine to Barack Obama's nationality. From WND founder Joseph Farah: “To me, this is a historic issue of Whistleblower magazine. I do not pretend to know where the information you are about to read will lead. But I do know that it is explosive, profoundly important and represents much more than the future of the Barack Obama administration. No less than our Constitution – the foundation of our national liberties and the rule of law in America – is at stake.”

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Obama Fried Chicken

NYC now has two Obama Fried Chicken outlets - one in Harlem, the other in Brooklyn. Some folks are calling for the president's people take action against this unauthorized usage of his name; others are betting he'll just ignore this so as to not seem petty.

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Gay Xbox Developer Settles Harassment Suit With Microsoft

Microsoft has agreed to pay a UK-based Xbox developer £45,000 for the anti-gay harassment he endured on the job.
According to the designer, who worked on the firm's Xbox games at the Lionhead Studios in Guildford, he was called "fag boy Jim" by colleagues, who sent mocking emails making fun of his sexuality. He alleged that the company's human resources department "blatantly disregarded" his complaints. The two parties reached a settlement agreement at an employment tribunal held this week in south London. A confidentiality clause means the terms of the settlement cannot be disclosed. A Microsoft spokesman said: "We are pleased to have reached an amicable resolution to this matter with Mr. Durrant. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but we can confirm that Mr. Durrant will not continue his employment at Lionhead as part of the agreement.
Microsoft has a 100% rating on the HRC's Corporate Equality Index and has endorsed ENDA.

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Caption This

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Open Thread Thrusday

What kind of exercise routine do you have?

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Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Glenn Beck Mocks Barney Frank's Speech Impediment

Is mocking Barney Frank's speech impediment any worse than ridiculing Ahnold's accent? I'd say, yes - when it's also meant to belittle his gayness.

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Leaving On A High Note

Connecticut's Love Makes A Family is leaving on a high note.
An advocacy group that was a major player in Connecticut’s gay marriage debate has decided to close its doors at the end of 2009. Leaders at "Love Makes a Family" say the 10-year-old group wants to conclude its work on a victorious note in the wake of last fall’s state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. The Hartford-based group was formed in 1999 to lobby for legislation letting gay couples legally adopt in Connecticut. It later grew into a statewide coalition of people and organizations supporting gay marriage.
Can you foresee the day when other major LGBT rights groups can successfully close shop?

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Wanda Sykes Gets Fox Chat Show

Excellent news for fans of recently out comedian Wanda Sykes.
Fox is planning on launching a new Saturday late night show featuring Wanda Sykes, according to sources with knowledge of the network's plans. The show is said to be more in the mold of Bill Maher's HBO show than a typical talk show. It will air Saturdays at 11 and will be an hour long. The network is considering launching the show either this fall or in January, when the network has historically launched many projects so as to capitalize on the promotional power of the American Idol audience.
It's too bad that Skyes' success comes at the expense of the erratically funny MadTV, which she will replace.

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More Christianist Lies From The Family Research Council

Check out the latest "action alert" from the Family Research Council.
Many members of Congress are simply unaware of how dangerous the proposed "hate crimes" law is. FRC Action will warn them that this could lead to simple expressions of religious faith-including sermons and radio broadcasts-being prosecuted as "hate." Our nation is at a danger point. In 2007, such a "hate crimes" bill actually passed the House (HR 1592) and the Senate (SB 1105)-but died when President Bush threatened a veto. Now, President Obama has made passing the Hate Crimes law a top priority. A "hate crimes" law is really a "thought crime" law that punishes a person's beliefs-part of the Left's intolerant agenda to silence the voice of Christians and Conservatives in America and eliminate moral restraint.

How would it happen? A federal "hate crimes" law prohibiting "bodily injury" could be construed by many law enforcement officials and judges to include words that inflict emotional or psychological distress. That means an "offended" homosexual could accuse a religious broadcaster . . . a pastor . . . Sunday School teacher . . . or other individual of causing emotional injury simply by expressing the biblical view that homosexual behavior is morally wrong and unhealthy. That's all it could take to trigger a wave of federal prosecutions and begin an era of censorship like America has never seen! Click here to give a secure online gift to help FRC Action warn Congress to again reject the "hate crimes" bill.
The Family Research Council wants nothing less than an American theocracy and feels absolutely no shame about lying their way to their goal.

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Riots In London As President Obama Meets With G-20 Summit Leaders

As widely predicted, London's financial district is seeing rioting mobs today as President Obama meets with world leaders during the G-20 Summit.
As President Obama was holding one-on-one meetings Wednesday with the leaders of Russia and China, thousands of protesters marched in the streets of London, and there were several violent clashes with police. A mob of protesters, many of them with their faces hidden by bandanas, smashed windows at a Royal Bank of Scotland building in the City, as London's financial district is known. RBS has been one of the highest-profile banks hit by the current economic crisis and was essentially nationalized to keep it from failure, at a cost of billions of dollars to British taxpayers. Protesters scrawled "Thieves" on the side of the building, which they entered through the broken windows. They threw a printer and other office equipment into the street. Several intruders made it to the building's roof. Hundreds of protesters charged police, who hit back with batons. Police estimated that at least 4,000 demonstrators were in the area, which also includes the headquarters of the Bank of England.

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Sweden Approves Marriage Equality

Today the Swedish parliament approved legislation that will make that country the seventh in the world to grant full marriage equality rights to all citizens.
A broad majority in the Swedish parliament Wednesday approved adoption of same-sex marriage legislation after a six-hour debate. Six of the seven parties in parliament had backed the proposal drafted by the Committee on Civil Affairs to introduce a gender- neutral marriage law. Only the Christian Democrats, one of the four parties in the ruling centre-right coalition, opposed the move. Yvonne Andersson said her party wanted to maintain "a several hundred-year-old concept" about marriage. Supporters of the gender-neutral legislation included Evon Frid of the Left Party who said it was "not a negative change, but a positive change." The proposal was approved by a 261 to 22 vote, with 16 abstentions. The new legislation is to take effect as of May 1, and replaces the legislation approved in 1995 that allows same-sex couples to form a union in Sweden via registered partnership.
Seven countries now with full marriage equality: Sweden, South Africa, Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium.

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Improv Everywhere - Best Funeral Ever

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Daily Ungrumble

Better Off Ted, starring Mrs. Ellen DeGeneres, is high-larious. Funniest show I've seen in ages. It's up against American Idol and therefore probably doomed to a single season, but check it out while you can.

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Daily Grumble

Never had an allergy of any kind in my entire life. So why is that now, in my semi-dotage, am I getting completely stomped by "spring allergies"? Agony. And nothing helps, so far.

:::stomps off hacking and wheezing:::

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Feds To Drop Charges Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens

Oh, Alaska. If only this were an April Fool's joke.
The Justice Department plans to drop all charges against former Sen. Ted Stevens, the 85-year old Alaska Republican convicted last year of lying on Senate financial disclosure forms to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and home renovations from a businessman, according to a news report this morning.

Attorney General Eric Holder has concluded that the conviction of Stevens cannot be supported because of problems with the government's prosecution, which had been openly criticized by the trial judge, National Public Radio first reported. The Justice Department would not comment on the report this morning. Justice will withdraw its opposition to a defense motion for a new trial and will dismiss the indictment against Stevens, NPR reported, but that will require a court filing and none had been filed yet.
Prosecutorial misconduct. Sigh. Stevens lost reelection in October to the mayor of Anchorage, Democrat Mark Begich.

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More Trouble For Repeal Of DADT

Elaine Donnelly's Center For Military Readiness has sent President Obama a list of over 1000 top retired military officers who say they oppose the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
More than 1,000 retired military officers, including several who were top commanders, are urging President Barack Obama and Congress to maintain the law that bars gays from serving openly in the armed forces. Obama is consulting with the Pentagon on the issue and says he supports eventual repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prohibits gays in the military from being open about their sexual orientation. A bill that would allow gays to serve openly has been introduced in Congress.

A statement issued by the retired officers Tuesday said passage of that bill "would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force." Among the signatories were Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr., a former commandant of the Marine Corps; Adm. Leighton W. Smith, a former commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe; Gen. Charles A. Horner, who commanded U.S. aerial forces during the 1990-91 Gulf War; and Adm. Jerome L. Johnson, a former vice chief of Naval Operations.
The full list of 1000 names is available at Good As You. Earlier this week Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that DADT will likely not be repealed soon as the government is "busy" with other things.

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Top NY Court To Review Same- Sex Marriage Recognition

The anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund has gotten New York's Court of Appeals to agree to review the state's recognition of gay marriages from other jurisdictions.
The state’s highest court agreed on Tuesday to hear arguments in two cases that challenge New York’s recognition of same-sex marriages legally performed elsewhere. Lower courts have already sided with two government entities that revised their policies to honor the marriages, but those decisions were appealed by the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian group that is waging multiple legal battles in New York to stop state and local entities from recognizing marriages of same-sex couples who were wed in places, like Massachusetts and Canada, where the ceremony is legal.

Neither case involved Gov. David A. Paterson’s directive last May that ordered state agencies to recognize legal same-sex marriages performed outside New York State. One case, Godfrey v. Spano, stems from the Westchester County executive’s 2006 decision to begin officially honoring out-of-state marriage licenses for gay couples the same way it did for heterosexual couples. The other case, Lewis v. New York State Department of Civil Service, was filed after the department agreed in 2007 to begin recognizing out-of-state, same-sex marriages for the purpose of extending health insurance to spouses of public employees.

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Adam Lambert - Play That Funky Music

Another killer performance from our boy Adam Lambert. There's still eight weeks left in the competition, but at this point it seems the show is his to lose.

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Vermont Marriage Bill Advances

Today the Vermont House Judiciary Committee voted 8-2 to advance their marriage equality bill to a full House vote. However, an amendment was added to the bill which stipulates specific exemptions for religious institutions that do not wish to perform same-sex weddings. This means that upon the bill's approval by the full Vermont House, it must either return to the state Senate for re-approval or be approved by a joint chamber committee. The Senate approved the first version of the bill last week.

And round and round we go.

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April Fool's Virus Alert

CNET, Symantec, Microsoft and other computer sites are warning of an April Fool's Day virus which is supposed go global tomorrow.
A giant computer worm is set to take effect on April Fools' Day and your computer may already be infected. The Conficker computer worm is estimated to have already infiltrated between 5 and 10 million computers across the country. Tech experts said many of the infected machines are set to begin "phoning home" to the worm's creators over the Internet on April 1. When that happens, the people behind it will be able to get the rogue program to send spam, more viruses, clog network traffic or even crash Web sites. Technology analysts said the worm exploits a vulnerability in a number of Windows operating systems, inlcuding XP and Vista. No one knows exactly what it will do but some analysts said it could collect passwords and bank account information or try to get computer users to buy fake software.
Anti-virus sites like McAfee have posted free patches to protect against the Conficker worm. (Please, no smug lectures from Apple bottoms. For once.)

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Kathy Griffin's Norma Rae Moment

Kathy Griffin appeared at the conclusion of a cross-state march for marriage equality in Sacramento to reference Sally Fields' Oscar-winning "UNION" moment in Norma Rae. That bit starts at 6:30.

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Swag Tuesday

Courtesy of Kensington Publishing and the author, today's Swag Tuesday prize is an autographed copy of Straight Lies, the latest novel from Lambda Literary Award winner Rob Byrnes.
STRAIGHT LIES is the story of a pair of small-time gay criminals who learn about a sex tape proving that the world's hottest openly gay celebrity is actually heterosexual. What should be a simple plan -- retrieve the tape, blackmail the celebrity, and live happily ever after -- gets complicated when the tape is left in the back of a cab. That sets in motion a madcap crime caper involving a tabloid gossip editor; a lesbian realtor and her spoiled girlfriend; a cop who is also an Internet predator, an alcoholic ex-cabbie, a boy toy whose IQ might be smaller than his waist size; a shallow social climber who has never crossed a bridge he didn't burn, and Tori Spelling.
We have three autographed copies of Straight Lies to give away. Enter to win by commenting on this post. Only enter once and please remember to leave an email address that you check frequently. Entries close at midnight on Wednesday, west coast time. Publicists: if you'd like to take part in Swag Tuesday on JMG, please email me.

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Westboro Pickets White House

Yesterday the Westboro Baptist Church picketed the White House in their continuing national tour to drum up support for the LGBT movement. Every time they appear, thousands more come to our side. Go Westboro!

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Lesbian "Scandal" At Oprah's School

Tabloids are lighting up about the latest "scandal" at Oprah Winfrey's all-girl boarding school in Africa.
Oprah Winfrey's elite boarding school for girls in South Africa has been rocked by its second sex scandal in fewer than two years. Seven students were suspended last week for sexually harassing their schoolmates, the "Afrikaans on Sunday" newspaper reported. One 15-year-old was accused of preying on another pupil and forcing other girls to lie to investigators about it, the paper reported. "You have been found guilty of physical contact of a sexual nature with another pupil on campus, harassment, bullying other girls on campus and of being dishonest by not telling investigators the whole truth," a letter to her parents read. Other girls were caught fondling each other or trying to get other girls to join them in lesbian liasons, the paper reported. Oprah's spokesperson, Lisa Halliday, confirmed the girls had been suspended from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy School for Girls - but gave few details. "It is because they contravened the school's code of conduct," she said. "We regard the incident as confidential."
The NY Daily News calls the story an "outrage." Really? Outrage? Hasn't same-sex hanky-panky been the hallmark of boarding schools since the dawn of time?

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If Atheists Ruled The World

"All text taken directly from online Christian fundamentalist forums."

(Via JMG reader Mike)

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Drag Activism At FL High School

Openly gay Ocala, Florida high school student Justin Reynolds was well-received by his fellow students last week when he appeared for classes in (very casual) drag as way to highlight gender identity discrimination. But the school sent him home anyway.
Inside the halls of any typical American public high school, the outfit would hardly be construed as outlandish: a V-neck T-shirt, blue jeans and high-heeled boots, accentuated by earrings and a necklace. Worn by a male student, however, the outfit might raise some eyebrows. That's what it did at Dunnellon High School, where last week 11th-grader Justin Reynolds showed up at school dressed that way, sporting eyeliner and mascara as well. His appearance led to his early dismissal by school administrators.

"It wasn't anything overdramatic," Reynolds said of his attire. "It's an expression of yourself, no matter what. To dress out of your own gender shouldn't be anything." The 16-year-old student, who is gay, said he first ran the idea by his teacher a day beforehand. She discouraged it but gave him the opportunity to address his classmates that morning. "A lot of people responded to it well. I didn't think I was causing that much of a disruption," Reynolds said, recalling the cheers and high-fives that greeted him, especially after he spoke in tribute to Gwen Araujo, a transgender California teen brutally murdered in October 2002.
According to a school administrator, the Marion County Code of Student Conduct "clearly states" that students must dress in a manner appropriate to their gender. Reynolds points out that the lesbians at his school "dress like boys" whenever they like, with no repercussions.

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Today In Weirdness

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West Virginia's Marriage Ban Fails

For this year at least, West Virginia will not become the 31st state to outlaw same-sex marriage.
The possibility of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in West Virginia is over for this legislative session. On Monday, Republicans in the House of Delegates tried to advance a bipartisan resolution that would define marriage in the state constitution, but the Democratic majority blocked their attempts. The "Marriage Protection Amendment" resolution (HJR5) introduced last month calls for a statewide referendum on whether to amend the constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. The measure has been stuck in the House Constitutional Revision Committee. On Monday, House Minority Leader Tim Armstead tried bring the resolution to the floor for a vote by moving to discharge it from committee.
The vote came down 67-30, almost entirely along state House party lines.

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Hey Bagpipe

Grand Central, Monday, 7pm

A lone bagpiper in full Highlander drag is playing an unrecognizable tune in the S-train passageway....

MTA Worker: Bagpipe! You ain't shit. Fuck this. Hey bagpipe! Where the beat at? Fuck bagpipes. Hey Norway! Fuck this. Hey bagpipe!

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Howard Dean Calls On Vermont To Approve Marriage Equality

Former Vermont governor Howard Dean appeared before LGBT activists yesterday to demand that Vermont approve its pending marriage equality bill.
A boisterous crowd cheered former Gov. Howard Dean's support of Freedom to Marry legislation and health care reform Saturday at a Vermont Democratic Party reception at the Hilton Burlington. Dean's emotional endorsement of both issues headlined his acceptance of the 10 annual David W. Curtis Award. The event celebrated Dean's tenure as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee -- and his 50-state strategy that is credited for helping return the party to power in Congress, and for President Barack Obama's victory. Dean urged Vermont party members to press forward in this year's legislative drive to grant marriage rights to all Vermonters, regardless of gender. "Vote your conscience, not your district," he advised legislators. "Stand up for doing the right thing; for being a human being," he continued. "Put human rights above politics -- because if you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your political career." Conservatives, he said, should note that the first American soldier to "take a bullet" at the onset of the current war in Iraq was a gay man.
Current Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas has threatened to veto the bill if it gets to his desk.

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PhoboQuotable - Lou Sheldon

"San Francisco Values Democrat Ellen Tauscher (CA) has introduced H.R. 1283, the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act Of 2009.” She already has 136 co-sponsors. Her misnamed bill should be called the “Legalization Of Sodomy On The Battlefield And Barracks Act” to more accurately describe what the legislation will legalize. [snip]

"This will open up the possibility that every sexual orientation could be legalized in the military! This will include cross-dressing and transsexualism. Proof of this is that several bills are being pushed through Congress that will make drag queens and transgenders into federally protected minorities. The Tauscher bill will impose the homosexual agenda on the military! [snip]

"Imagine the impact that the rampant spread of STDs, including HIV would have on the military? How will the military handle the spread of these diseases in the barracks? How will the military handle sodomy in battlefield situations? Imagine the impact that sexual favoritism would have in subverting military cohesion? A homosexual Sergeant who was in love with a member of his company, could protect his lover from battle – or send a straight soldier into harm’s way just to punish him for having the wrong attitudes about homosexuality. Straight soldiers could be denied promotion by militant gay officers. The military chain of command would be undermined. [snip]

"In addition to the coming persecution of straight soldiers, what about the unrestrained drug and sex antics committed by young male homosexuals? Homosexual sex is consistently related to drug use, including crystal meth and other sexually-stimulating drugs. What sort of chaos will be caused in the military by bare-backing parties and other forms of homosexual orgies?

"There is also an effort by the White House and Congress to legitimate drag queens/transgenders in the military, too. The normalization of these behaviors are in many bills being pushed through Congress. This will impact the military as well. The passage of H.R. 1283 is a recipe for disaster in the military – and our national security will be jeopardized by permitting homosexuals, drag queens and others with bizarre sex habits to serve openly in the Armed Forces." - Lou Sheldon, founder of the Traditional Values Coalition.

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E-Harmony's "Shotgun Wedding" Launches

Last year a New Jersey man successfully sued Christian-run dating site E-Harmony under his state's anti-discrimination laws. As part of their settlement, today the site launches their LGBT dating campaign.
As of today, EHarmony comes out of the closet. The adamantly heterosexual dating website, which has accepted only male-female couples since its inception in 2000, is launching a gay matchmaking service called Compatible Partners. But EHarmony's new relationship with the gay community is more like a shotgun wedding: The company agreed in November to start the dating service as part of a settlement with the New Jersey attorney general in the wake of a discrimination suit. Dating site consultant Mark Brooks says Compatible Partners will be watched closely. "This will be one of the most scrutinized products in Internet dating," said Brooks, who hasn't worked for EHarmony. "They will have to introduce an A1 product."
Do you really want to give them your money?

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Jay Brannan - Can't Have It All

Here's the latest from gay singer/songwriter Jay Brannan. Really, really sweet. You might also want to check out Housewife, Brannan's fantastic single from last summer.

(Via - Towleroad)

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99 Seinfeld References

Brooklyn artist Kiersten Essenpreis has embedded 99 Seinfeld references in this illustration. (Embiggen for better detail.) I think I get just about every single one. Sad? Cool? Go here for a cheat sheet.

(Via - Gothamist)

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Monday, March 30, 2009

Australia: Catholic Church To Test Potential Priests For Evidence Of Gayness

I'd love to see the questions on the test.

Q: The Supremes did their best work after Diana Ross left. True/false? (Trick question, homo. Real men don't even know who Diana Ross IS.)
Melbourne Catholic Church has confirmed it is following Vatican recommendations to test would-be priests to ensure they are not gay. The head of the Vatican committee which released the guidelines has also stated that celibate gays must also be banned because homosexuality is ‘‘a type of deviation’’. Archdiocese of Melbourne spokesman James O’Farrell told Australian newspaper the Herald Sun that Carlton’s Corpus Christi Catholic seminary was using the recommendations but would not comment further.
Will they be probed "down under" and dismissed if they like it?

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Ellen & JHud Aren't Going

Cute, but seriously - can we puh-leeze retire this song until the end of time? Even hearing Jennifer Holliday in person had me cringing recently. Has nothing come along in the last 30 years to replace this overworn number? I'd even almost prefer Popular. Almost.

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Madonna Goes Orphan Shopping Again

Save The Children is criticizing Madonna's latest baby safari to Malawi, saying that even destitute orphans are better served when allowed to remain in their home communities. Malawi has an estimated one million orphans, most of whose parents died of AIDS.

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Operators Are Standing By

From their site: "Kathy Herrick of Macon anointed herself with the oil and God delivered her from 18 years of deep alcoholism!" Kathy may no longer get her drank on thanks to the Blood Of Jesus oil, but the site offers this disclaimer: "It is regular olive oil which represents the Holy Spirit and a special coloring to make it look red thus we call it "The Blood of Jesus Anointing Oil." There is no virtue or healing in this oil, it is a point-of-contact and an act-of-faith."

(Via Anthony Hecht @ Slog)

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HomoQuotable - D.L. Foster

"No one knows when their time to die will come. If you are reading this and you have not given your life to Christ, don’t delay. Don’t turn a deaf ear and go on enjoying your sin. Don’t mock God or the people he sends to you to tell you time is winding up and your soul is at stake. The only payment you can receive from sin is death. And when death comes and you are not in relationship with Christ, hell and eternal torment await you. That’s not to scare you, its just the unfettered truth.

"Weber probably thought he was being smart to deride and mock the evangelists who tried to save him. He may have felt justified in his hatred of those sent to save him. Little has changed, people did it to Noah who preached for 100 years before the door closed and the rains began to fall. Weber may have thought being “comfortable with his sexuality” was right, but there is nothing worth losing your soul over. Nothing." - "Ex-gay" Pastor D.L. Foster, writing about the murder of ABC newsman George Weber. Foster found a post on Weber's personal blog in which he complained about being "molested" by "Jesus freaks" in NYC's Port Authority bus terminal. Since Weber scorned those sent to "save" him, Foster feels his murder was inevitable.

Over the weekend most of the major Christianist and anti-gay blogs lit up with posts about Weber, most of which describe him a "pedophile pervert" whose murder exemplifies the wrongness of being gay. Because we're all destined to by stabbed to death by a 16 year-old Satanist. Or should be.

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Teen Killer Wants Cash For Interviews

The George Weber murder case has been chum in the water for NYC's tabloids, as it contains all their favorite buzz words. Teen Killer! Internet! Grisly Slay Scene! Dead Homo! But even the New York Post blanched at 16 year-old murderer John Katehis' demand to be paid cash for an interview.
John Katehis -- the Satan-worshipping 16-year-old charged with fatally stabbing radio newsman George Weber in a sex-for-cash-tryst gone bad -- still had money on his mind at the Bellevue psych ward today. When visited by a Post reporter, Katehis greedily said he'd only tell his side of the story "for cash." Wearing a light green jumpsuit and a menacing scowl on his face, Katehis again made clear there was only one way he'd spill the beans. "Is this a cash offer?" snarled Katehis. "Cash offers only!" Once it became clear no money would be exchanged, Katehis shot up and yelled again, "cash offers only!" and stormed out.
On Friday Katehis plead not guilty to the murder, despite reportedly having given the NYPD a complete confession.

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Zurich Gets Lesbian Mayor

Zurich joins Paris and Berlin as a major world city with an openly gay mayor. LGBT activists are especially thrilled as Zurich is the host to this year's EuroPride.
Zurich, Switzerland, has elected its first female and first openly lesbian mayor, Corine Mauch. A member of the centre-left Social Democrats, Mauch has been elected with a lead of 11,000 votes over her opposition following the surprise resignation of previous incumbent Elmar Ledergerber late last year. Mauch will be delivering a speech at the opening of the Europride 09 parade, alongside European Parliament member Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Moldavian human rights activist Mihaela Copot. A spokesman of the EuroPride said: “This is a real stroke of luck for the EuroPride in Zurich. None of us really expected that”

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Moscow Pride To Coincide With Eurovision

LGBT activists in Moscow have shrewdly rescheduled this year's pride events to coincide to that city's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest, guaranteeing them a global stage should the Russian government follow through on its promise to once again ban their celebration.
Activists said they would ask contestants to support gay rights by wearing lapel pins onstage on May 16, the final day of competition. The event, in which contestants perform songs submitted by each of the countries in the European Broadcasting Union, is one of the most-watched non-sporting events in the world. "We believe this is the best way for those who support democratic values in Europe and who take part in the show to bring support to human rights campaigners in Russia,” said gay activist Nikolai Alekseev, according to Reuters India. Russian authorities have repeatedly banned gay events in the country, and violent counter-demonstrations have taken place when activists proceeded against the official directives.
Eurovision is considered to be the most-watched non-sporting event in the world.

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GM CEO Resigns At Obama's Demand

These days when the president tells you to resign, you do it.
The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed, a White House official said. On Monday, President Barack Obama is to unveil his plans for the auto industry, including a response to a request for additional funds by GM and Chrysler. The plan is based on recommendations from the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, headed by the Treasury Department. The White House confirmed Wagoner was leaving at the government's behest after The Associated Press reported his immediate departure, without giving a reason. General Motors issued a vague statement Sunday night that did not officially confirm Wagoner's departure. "We are anticipating an announcement soon from the Administration regarding the restructuring of the U.S. auto industry. We continue to work closely with members of the Task Force and it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on the content of any announcement," the company said.
Wagoner has been CEO for the last eight years of his 30-year run at General Motors.

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Serial Adulterer Newt Gingrich Converts To Catholicism, Now Completely "Sin Free"

Yesterday thrice-married Newt Gingrich converted to Catholicism in a move some see as part of his plan to run for president in 2012. According to Catholic theocon Deal Hudson, Gingrich has now been absolved of those pesky extra-marital affairs.
“From a Catholic point of view, Newt’s sins no longer exist—they’ve been absolved. He’s made a fresh start in life. So Newt will continue to sin and confess but there aren’t going to be a lot of Catholics who will hold that against him. They understand why being a Catholic makes a difference.”
We've only had one Catholic president: John F. Kennedy.

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Boycott Jamaica Site Launched

Activists/bloggers Wayne Besen, Jim Burroway, and Michael Petrelis have jointly launched a site calling for the boycott of Jamaica, "the most homophobic place on Earth."
Human rights activists have given Jamaica the infamous title: “The Most Homophobic Place on Earth.” If you love your gay friends and family members, you won’t visit Jamaica. If you care about the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, you won’t buy Jamaican products. Isn’t it time we stop rewarding this hate state with our tourism dollars? Isn’t it time to stop drinking Jamaican beverages, such as Myers Rum and Red Stripe Beer?

This nation should be avoided at all costs until the Jamaican government takes action to end the country’s virulently homophobic climate and draconian laws that persecute homosexuals. Until Jamaica takes the following easy steps an official boycott is in effect:

1) Publicly commit to end gay bashing on the island and improve the human rights situation

2) A statement from the Prime Minister clearly and unequivocally condemning violence against GLBT people and expressing regret for past violence
Go here to sign up for updates from the site.

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We're Too Busy To Repeal DADT

Upon the revelation that there is money in the 2010 budget to continue DADT, Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that the repeal of the law banning gays in the military is going to be "pushed down the road a little bit" because he and the president "have a lot on our plates right now."

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network responds:
"Sec. Gates hardly gave a sound reason for kicking 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' down the road -- or essentially back tracking on a campaign promise made by his Commander in Chief," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. "I trust the secretary was not speaking for President Obama, who, hopefully, will issue the call for repeal when he sends his Defense Department budget to Congress in a few weeks. This is about timely leadership."

Sarvis continued. "It's also called multitasking. Right now is the time -- while we're engaged in two wars -- we need the most qualified men and women serving. This is not the time to keep firing linguists and intelligence analysts because of their sexual orientation. The longer the president and Pentagon delay the issue, the fewer linguists and intelligence analysts the Pentagon will have to call on to fight terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

More than 800 hundred mission-critical service members (linguists, intelligence analysts) have been fired under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. Almost 13,000 total service members have been discharged since 1994. "It's not easy or cheap to replace mission critical personnel," said Sarvis. "And the serious felons we're now recruiting probably don't have a command of Arabic or Farsi, or know how to analyze intelligence."

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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Michelangelo Signorile Debates FL GOP Chair About RNC Head Michael Steele

On Saturday, Sirius XM host Michelangelo Signorile debated FL GOP head Jim Greer about the role of minorities in the Republican party and the leadership of RNC chair Michael Steele. Fascinating stuff.

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Father Tony At The GLAAD Awards

Our own Father Tony worked the red carpet last night at the GLAAD Media Awards for The Bilerico Project.

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