Bay Buchanan: Mitt Romney Still Opposes All Federal Rights For LGBT Americans

"Governor Romney supports a federal marriage amendment to the Constitution that defines marriage as an institution between a man and a woman. Governor Romney also believes, consistent with the 10th Amendment, that it should be left to states to decide whether to grant same-sex couples certain benefits, such as hospital visitation rights and the ability to adopt children. I referred to the Tenth Amendment only when speaking about these kinds of benefits, not marriage." - Romney campaign adviser Bay Buchanan, clarifying to Buzzfeed that he still opposes all federal rights for LGBT Americans. Earlier this week a remark by Buchanan left the impression with some that Romney no longer supports a federal ban on same-sex marriage.  Buchanan was the keynote speaker at GOProud's most recent event.

Headline Of The Day

Source. (Tipped by JMG reader Aaron)

Twenty Years Of Erotica

Twenty years ago today Madonna released Erotica, arguably her most controversial album, primarily because of its companion softcore porn book Sex, which included the now-iconic shot of Madge hitchhiking in the nude on South Beach's Alton Road.  Many booksellers refused to stock Sex and yet it sold out of its first printing of 1.5 million copies within three days.  And that was without the internet.

Despite complaints that the binding of Sex fell apart almost immediately (this happened to all of my friends that bought it), it reportedly remains the "best-selling coffee table book of all time." A poll conducted last year revealed that Sex is the "most wanted out-of-circulation" book in the world.  (You can find copies still sealed in the original mylar packaging on eBay for around $300.)

As far as the actual album, Erotica spawned four hit singles, including the title track, the video for which was initially banned by MTV, who later played the clip a grand total of three times to great outrage from religious groups. The clip also prompted the Vatican to ban Madonna from visiting, a move she reportedly was thrilled by.  (Lots of folks found Erotica merely to be Justify My Love: Part Two, including myself.) Below is the uncensored version of the video, which was sold at retail as a video single but got virtually zero airings. You'll see why.

Secret Mormon Temple Rituals

Posted to YouTube four days ago. Beyond creepy.

(Tipped by JMG reader William)

Anti-Gay Rant With Surprise Ending

Watch this until the very end.

(Tipped by many JMG readers)

Celebrate Diversity (With Shotgun Shells)

The star of Sen. Scott Brown's latest campaign ad has quite the Facebook page. Matt Sledge reports at Huffington Post:

Scott Brown recently got in hot water for falsely claiming that his Senate race opponent, Elizabeth Warren, was using paid actors in her commercials. But it turns out that Brown is perhaps the one who should have known more about the people appearing in his ads. In a television advertisement running as recently this week, Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) reelection campaign featured a union construction worker whose publicly accessible Facebook page is riddled with insults against Brown's Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren and President Barack Obama. On one post made in August, well before Brown's ad appeared, the worker, George Patriarca, calls Warren a "DOUCHEBAG." On another he labels the president a "faggot," and on a third he says, "there is a Muslim in the White House."

Another post on Patriaca's page says that "Jews hate themselves." Sen. Scott Brown has been endorsed by GOProud and the Log Cabin Republicans.

UPDATE: The above image was discovered by New Civil Rights Movement blogger David Badash.  Please click over to see more repulsive examples from that Facebook page.

Linda Harvey On GLAAD's Spirit Day

"Let’s take the example of a twelve year-old boy who was once molested, the reality is there are way too many such boys out there and most of the time he will not report this but will instead internalize the hurt and confusion. On top of this, gay agenda activists want to add harmful ideas in this boy’s life at just the wrong moment. He may also be the subject of some teasing and bullying since many boys go through some of this, adults are tempted to brush it off but no schools should implement fair and appropriate punishment in all such incidents. But what if part of that punishment includes some message like this: ‘people are born homosexual and this type of teasing and insulting is disrespectful to this identity.’ In other words, it’s propping up the reputation of the lifestyle, not the concern about individual kids, that has become the priority. This boy will think he himself is one of these ‘born this way’ homosexual, that it’s the reason he was ‘chosen’ for molestation, that that’s the reason he’s being teased and that he should ignore any their information. No wonder some kids feel trapped and in despair, but it doesn’t have to be that way." - Hate group leader Linda Harvey, quoted by Right Wing Watch.

Suspended Gallaudet Official Wants Hate Groups To Stop Using Her In Ads

Within days of Gallaudet diversity head Angela McCaskill's suspension for signing Maryland's petition to repeal same-sex marriage, her name and image were being used by hate groups as the latest example of homofascism. McCaskill wants them to stop.

“No one has the right to decide what my signature meant,” McCaskill said at a news conference. Gallaudet University suspended McCaskill, and this Maryland Marriage Alliance ad warns that it could happen to anyone: “She’s not alone. When marriage has been redefined elsewhere, as Question 6 does, people who believe in traditional marriage have been punished.” “That kind of threat is real,” said Derek McCoy, Maryland Marriage Alliance. “She has been neutral. She has not opined one way or another. The marriage alliance folks have taken a position for her. Well, that’s the same thing Gallaudet did on the other side of the spectrum,” her attorney Wyndal Gordon said. While same-sex marriage supporters have condemned McCaskill’s suspension, the ad escalates the debate over redefining marriage. “I’m sure folks on the other side don’t like the ad because it’s telling the truth,” McCoy said.

The NOM-affiliated Maryland Marriage Alliance says they will not discontinue the ad campaign.  Gallaudet says that their "legal counsel is working to have the footage that is copyrighted by Gallaudet removed from the advertisement.”  McCaskill has also appeared in clips produced by the Family Research Council, apparently without her consent.

FLORIDA: Pro Boxer Orlando Cruz Wins First Bout After Coming Out

Last night pro boxer Orlando Cruz won his first match since he came out.

These last two weeks have weighed heavily on Orlando Cruz. But as soon as he walked out to a cheering crowd displaying flags of his native Puerto Rico, boxing's first openly gay fighter could finally breathe and do what he came to do, slugging his way to a victory by unanimous decision over Jorge Pazos. "That was my moment, my opportunity, my event," Cruz said Friday night after the bout, his mother Dominga Torres-Rivera seated beside him. "And I won." Cruz was touched by the support on display at the Kissimmee Civic Center outside of Orlando, the latest in a continual outpouring since his announcement two weeks ago that made him the first active male athlete in a major sport to come out. "I was very happy that they respect me. That's what I want - them to see me as a boxer, as an athlete and as a man in every sense of the word."

And that's some gay history right there, brothers. The most amazing part? The crowd went WILD!

Tweet Of The Day - The White House

The Gay Gestapo Runs CNN

Billy Graham Places Full-Page Anti-Gay Marriage Ad In The Wall Street Journal

"The legacy we leave behind for our children, grandchildren, and this great nation is crucial. As I approach my 94th birthday, I realize this election could be my last. I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who protect the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Vote for biblical values this November 6, and pray with me that America will remain one nation under God." - Billy Graham, 93, in a full-page ad published today in the Wall Street Journal.

Endorsement Of The Day

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

From his embrace of the party’s radical right wing, to subsequent portrayals of himself as a moderate champion of the middle class, Romney has raised the most frequently asked question of the campaign: "Who is this guy, really, and what in the world does he truly believe?" The evidence suggests no clear answer, or at least one that would survive Romney’s next speech or sound bite. Politicians routinely tailor their words to suit an audience. Romney, though, is shameless, lavishing vastly diverse audiences with words, any words, they would trade their votes to hear.[snip]

In considering which candidate to endorse, The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board had hoped that Romney would exhibit the same talents for organization, pragmatic problem-solving and inspired leadership that he displayed here more than a decade ago. Instead, we have watched him morph into a friend of the far right, then tack toward the center with breathtaking aplomb. Through a pair of presidential debates, Romney’s domestic agenda remains bereft of detail and worthy of mistrust. Therefore, our endorsement must go to the incumbent, a competent leader who, against tough odds, has guided the country through catastrophe and set a course that, while rocky, is pointing toward a brighter day. The president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jeremy)

Obama: Mitt Has "Romnesia"

Kudos to the campaign wonk that came up with the word. Watch the clip or click over to Daily Kos for the full transcript.

"We've got to name this condition that he's going through," Obama said, referring to Mitt Romney's attempt to undergo a last-minute transformation from a severe conservative to a severe moderate. "I think it's called Romnesia. That's what it's called. I think that's what he's going through." "Now," he continued, "I'm not a medical doctor, but i do want to go over the symptoms with you—because i want to make sure nobody else catches it."

Seriously, this is fantastic.

MINNESOTA: Chief Prop 8 Witness Urges Voters To REJECT Marriage Ban

David Blankenhorn continues his change of heart.

(Via Towleroad)

$3M For NOM's Bigotry Mastermind

The Human Rights Campaign on NOM's bigotry mastermind:

Public filings show that he has netted nearly $3 million this year for his work in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington State. The profits go to Schubert’s company, Mission Public Affairs.  Schubert collected $958,594 for his anti-equality work in North Carolina earlier this year. In the four marriage ballot states, Schubert has collected $967,567.88 in Washington; $492,680 in Maryland; $303,307.69 in Minnesota; and $200,043.46 in Maine. While these funds are likely used to pay for advertising, it’s unclear what percentage is lining Schubert’s pockets.

“Frank Schubert is making a lucrative living off of promoting discrimination against LGBT Americans,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “Let me be clear: the National Organization for Marriage is advancing an extremist agenda against LGBT people. Frank Schubert is making millions of dollars by intentionally misleading voters about NOM’s true mission. As he gets richer, hundreds of thousands of LGBT Americans face economic hardship, enormous obstacles in starting families, and an inability to marry the person they love – all because of Schubert’s lies.”

RELATED: Yesterday Michelangelo Signorile interviewed Schubert and reports that he "crumbled" under questioning about his anti-gay campaigns.

Schubert seemed to crumble when I played a clip of Marc Mutty, his campaign manager in Maine in 2009, admitting in the new documentary Question One that the campaign had used hyperbole and engaged in distortions and untruths (and saying that he was worried that he would be remembered for that ugly campaign). Schubert responded to me by oddly distancing himself from the campaign while also saying that Mutty was "misrecalling" events.

And Schubert had no answer to the question of why he isn't trying to stop gay adoption, not gay marriage, if he believes children are better off with heterosexual parents. Maine, for example, allows two-parent adoptions by gay and lesbian couples, so keeping same-sex marriages unrecognized there will not prevent children from being raised in homes with two gay parents. Schubert couldn't answer that because his modus operandi is to convince others (and himself), through his ads and campaigns, that they can be against same-sex marriage but still be supportive of gay people, including their right to adopt. And that is a complete contradiction.

Click over to HuffPo for audio and rest of Signorile's interview with Schubert.

America's Most Dangerous Homosexual

Is me, according to The Daily Bleach:

#1 Joe Jervis
Also known as the homosexual deity, Joe My God, Mr. Jervis (Bad Uncle Joe as his sex slaves call him) spats homosexual propaganda on his poorly designed 3rd party hosted blog. Joe’s choice to post falsehoods about Republicans and Christians is just as bad as his choice to live a gay lifestyle that is full of bear on bear sex violence and his addiction to Neptune Oiled ‘fist fights’. Just like Rachael Maddow, Joe’s blog posts are tilted to the extreme left to push his own agenda of socialism and modern day New York Nazism. He aims to make gays look like victims in hopes of gaining sympathy for his communities sick and twisted chosen way of life.

Hit the link for the rest of the list. Bruce Jenner!

Homocons Are Always About Money

New From Mainers For Marriage

A straight wedding photographer explains, "They don't understand that discrimination is already illegal."

NY Sen. Ruben Diaz: Cuomo Is A Traitor For Endorsing Pro-Gay Republicans

"Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly endorsed Republican Senator Stephen Saland against his Democratic opponent. Governor Cuomo claims that he did so because Senator Saland voted to legalize gay marriage in New York State. How many Democrats in New York State are stepping up to criticize our fearless leader as he breaks rank to endorse a Republican opponent for State Senate? I’ll do the honors and be the first. You should know that each time I endorse a candidate who is not a Democrat but who shares my moral principles of traditional marriage and respect for the unborn, I am publicly mocked in news articles, in blogs and oh yes, in tweets. 

"But wait just a minute. I am not the leader of the Democratic Party setting an example; I’m only a soldier. Whether or not the criticism and complaints against me continue, I think everyone knows that I will stand by my beliefs. So about Governor Cuomo – the Big Cheese – who is New York State’s Democratic Party leader? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to be true to the Democratic Party in New York State? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to support Democrats?" - New York state Sen. Ruben Diaz, writing on his Senate webpage. Diaz goes on to claim that Cuomo is keeping blacks and Hispanics out of Senate leadership positions by endorsing a white Republican.

Headline Of The Day

Details.

Lizz Winstead And Sarah Silverman On Romney's "Creepy-Ass Rich Friends"

Brian Brown Denounces DOMA Ruling

"This is yet another example of judicial activism and elite judges imposing their views on the American people, and further demonstrates why it is imperative for the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review in the currently pending DOMA cases as well as to the Proposition 8 case. The American people are entitled to a definitive ruling in support of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, as 32 states have determined through popular vote." - Hate group leader Brian Brownshirt, riding the waambulance.

Uncle Poodle For GLAAD's Spirit Day

He's the gay uncle on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

BRITAIN: Far-Right Party Tweets Home Address Of Gay Couple In B&B Suit

Police are investigating after Nick Griffin, the leader of Britain's far-right National Party, tweeted the home address of the gay couple who just won their suit against a local bed & breakfast for denying them lodging.  Griffin's tweet threatened that a "justice team" would be visiting the couple's home.  Via BBC:

Two of the posts read: "So Messrs Black & Morgan, at [their address]. A British Justice team will come up to Huntington & give you a bit of drama by way of reminding you that an English couple's home is their castle. Say No to heterophobia!." An earlier tweet on the North West region MEP's account had asked for the couple's address and then said: "We'll hold demo... for rights of all home owners, gays included, to rent or not rent rooms to whomsoever they wish." Mr Griffin told BBC 5 live he believed discrimination was a "fundamental human right".

"Mr Black and Mr Morgan have the right to decide who enters their home and who doesn't, as do Christians, and that's what they are taking away," he said. "Those two gentlemen placed themselves in the public eye and they asked for it when they used and abused the legal system to persecute an innocent Christian couple. "It's time that the silent majority had people standing up for them so that this relentless bullying of ordinary people by activists and the left-wing judiciary stopped. "The liberal elite simply won't listen to reasoned argument, so we have to be slightly more forceful. I believe in peaceful direct action."

Gay Star News has more:

Griffin's Twitter account was briefly suspended last night and Cambridgeshire Police have now confirmed they are investigating after receiving a number of complaints. The gay couple hit back at Griffin, telling BBC Breakfast today (19 October) that the fall-out shows how little support the bigoted politician has in the country. Black said: "Certainly the public response to the incident, when it happened two and a half years ago, and again in the last 24 hours, has been overwhelmingly in support of our stand against discrimination so hopefully that will mean the vast majority of the people in the country will just see what an idiot Nick Griffin is and reject his views. We were shocked to hear about it and the more we read about it the more incoherent they seemed. So we don't really know what Nick Griffin is getting at. He accuses us of being heterophobic which is far from the truth and he has accused us of trying to outlaw Christianity which is not true either. 'The finding of discrimination protects Christians from being discriminated against as well as people who are gay or different races or different religions."

In 1998 Griffin was convicted of inciting racial hatred for publicly denying that the Holocaust took place.  He was tried several other times on similar charges in recent years.

Obama Visits The Daily Show

WA Marriage Polling Remains Strong

Polling for Washington state's Referendum 74 remains very strong.  Slog blogger Goldy breaks down the Bradley Effect issue:

But what about the so-called "Bradley Effect" in which survey respondents are known to mislead pollsters on certain issues and candidates due to a "social desirability bias" (i.e. they don't want to appear prejudiced against, say, gay or black people)? For example, in 2009 the Washington Poll predicted that R-71 (domestic partnerships) would pass by a 17-point margin. It actually passed by only 6.3 points.  Pollster Matt Barreto attempted to adjust for this by asking two further questions: Did you give any answers that weren't 100 percent honest, and were there any questions that made you uncomfortable? Respondents who answered that they may have lied, and that they were uncomfortable with the marriage equality question, but who reported that they were leaning Yes on R-74, were undecided, or would not vote, were moved into the No column, as were lean-yes voters who answered a series of questions defining them as very religious conservatives. The result: An estimated 52.9 to 46.6 margin in favor of R-74 among likely voters, a 6.3 point difference.

France Delays Marriage Debate

France has pushed back its scheduled introduction of a same-sex marriage bill as religious opposition becomes louder.

The legalization of same-sex marriages and adoption was one of the most contentious points in Socialist President Francois Hollande's election manifesto earlier this year. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault first named Oct. 31 as the date when government ministers would present the law, insisting there would be no backtracking. But his office said Friday that this date has been pushed back to Nov. 7. And the debate in parliament is now expected to last until January. On Thursday, France's Chief Rabbi Gilles Bernheim joined other religious leaders in opposing the plans, while more than 1,200 French mayors and their deputies have signed a petition protesting them.

Buzzfeed Map On Marriage

Today Buzzfeed posts a series of maps showing, among other things, how many Americans would have access to same-sex marriage should we win all the states in play. Check out the other maps.

Another "Binders" Ad From Obama

HomoQuotable - Orlando Cruz

"It is a macho sport — there's a lot of machismo. I was afraid I could be discriminated against because there is a lot of discrimination against the gay community. This fight is important for me because I am now liberated. I made history (but) I want to be respected. [I'm] Single — no boyfriend. I don't want one. I want a world championship. It's my dream, the most important thing in my life. The title belt is my new boyfriend.  When I finish boxing, I want people to remember me: 'Orlando Cruz was gay — and he was a good boxer and a good guy.'" - Newly out pro boxer and Olympian Orlando Cruz, speaking to USA Today.  Should Cruz win tonight's match, he will be in position to fight for the world championship early next year.

Tony Perkins: Christians Need To Start Acting Up Like Gay People Do

"Although the homosexual community may not be the largest in the U.S.--it's certainly the loudest. That might explain the major disconnect between the media's portrayal and reality. Just last month, liberals celebrated a record number of homosexual and cross-dressing characters on TV--which is somewhat ironic today, considering the sliver of the population they represent. For years, these 3.4% have seemed to enjoy 100% accommodation. As a community, they've gone out of their way to demand special treatment--even trampling the freedom and values of the other 97% to secure it.

"This may be a tiny fraction of the population, but they are quite literally rewriting history. Imagine what the world would look like if Christians lived out the Great Commission with this same kind of intensity! We certainly wouldn't be debating the definition of marriage or the sanctity of human life. In the midst of these social debates, this is a teachable moment. If there's one thing the homosexual community demonstrates again and again, it's that a loud minority is more powerful than a timid majority. If Christians in America would simply stand, unapologetically, and speak the truth in love, there is no limit to the renewal we could experience as a nation. It's time to look beyond the cultural breakdown and recognize that the catalyst for transformational change is us!" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

Nate Silver's Electoral Update

Source.

FRC Latest Martyr: Gallaudet Diversity Head Angela McCaskill

VIRGINIA: Employee Of GOP Busted For Throwing Voter Forms In Dumpster

Virginia police have arrested a man working for the Republican Party after he was seen throwing completed voter registration forms in a dumpster behind a shopping center.

Colin Small, a 31-year-old resident of Phoenixville, Pa., worked for Pinpoint, a company hired to register voters on behalf of the Republican Party of Virginia. Prosecutors charged him with four counts of destruction of voter registration applications, eight counts of failing to disclose voter registration applications and one count of obstruction of justice. Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson’s office said there was no indication that the activity was widespread in their jurisdiction and said the conduct “appears to be limited in nature.” His office said there is a possibility that additional charges may be filed.

Wanna guess what the party affiliation of the those newly-registered voters might have been? Voter registration in Virginia closed on the day that Small was arrested.

God Killed Our Libya Ambassador As A Warning To Heathen Americans

"Like Biblical Israel, America is mired in sin – 1.2 million abortions a year, the assault on God’s institution of marriage, an explosion of pornography, children robbed of their innocence, skyrocketing rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock births, the Church persecuted – need I continue? And yet we blithely go on as if there was no connection between this and the way we violate God’s commandments? Too many Americans act as it the Bible’s prophecies are charmingly poetic, but bear no relation to today’s events? How many more 9/11 attacks, how many more wars, how much more turmoil – how many more Benghazis – will it take before we finally begin to make the connection between our behavior as a nation and the horror unfolding before our eyes?" - Rick Scarborough, promoting his ongoing forty days of fasting and prayers in advance of election day.

James Baldwin: A Mini-Biography

Just posted by the Biography Channel on YouTube.

HRC: 219 House Reps Rated Zero

The Human Rights campaign has issued its evaluation of the 112th Congress. Their report gives 219 members of the House a "zero" rating.

HRC today released its Congressional Scorecard for the 112th Congress, rating members of Congress on their support for LGBT-equality. Analysis shows that though the LGBT equality is making gains on Capitol Hill, anti-LGBT legislators continue to halt progress. While the American people move forward on issues of equality, the majority of Congress – particularly the House – continues to be out of touch. The average score of House members was 40 percent and 35 for Senators, down significantly from the 111th Congress. For the first time in this scorecard, HRC noted whether of not members of Congress have taken an affirmative position in favor of marriage equality. In the House, 115 members scored 100 percent, including 33 from states with marriage equality and eight from states facing marriage related ballot measure this November.

Hit this link for the rating of your Congress members.

Morning View - GLAAD's Spirit Day

As I've done for the last two years, today I'm wearing my only purple shirt in recognition of GLAAD's anti-bullying Spirit Day. Hopefully the folks at Chirpin' Chicken will find this meaningful when I leave the apartment for lunch.

Quote Of The Day - Jeffrey Kuhner

"Wisconsin’s voters are poised to break new ground on the cultural front: electing the first openly lesbian U.S. senator. This would mark a watershed for the homosexual movement — and a major blow against traditional America. Ms. Baldwin has made no secret of her lesbian lifestyle. She is a vocal supporter of gay pride and the LGBT community. She told the liberal Huffington Post that her Senate candidacy is historic. Ms. Baldwin stressed that 'breaking through these glass ceilings has a ripple effect.' In other words, her election would — and should — encourage other avowed gays and lesbians to enter high office. She sees herself as the tip of the spear for the LGBT community — a relentless advocate for homosexual issues. She attacks traditional marriage. She led the fight to repeal the ban on gays openly serving in the military. She consistently assaults our Judeo-Christian heritage. Wisconsin’s electorate needs to know just how far out of the mainstream she really is. The last thing they need is Barney Frank in a dress." - Three-time Combover Olympics gold medalist Jeffrey Kuhner, writing for the Moonie Times. 

Does Gloria Allred Have The Rumored "October Surprise"?

Radar Online just posted this item:

Is famed women's right attorney Gloria Allred about to pull an "October surprise" on Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney? That's the thinking, after Drudge Report founder and respected politico, Matt Drudge, tweeted Thursday: "Here she comes. Hearing Gloria Allred out there again, about to make a move. After all, it's her time of the campaign. Team O at the ready!!" Allred, an outspoken supporter of President Barack Obama refused to confirm, or deny, Drudge's prediction, telling RadarOnline.com: "I have no comment at this time about Mr. Drudge's Tweet. I don't discuss meetings with potential clients."

You may recall that Allred is generally credited with sinking Meg Whitman's 2010 gubernatorial campaign in California when she revealed that Whitman had tried to conceal firing a housekeeper who was in the country illegally. It's unknown if this "October surprise" might be related to the website I mentioned earlier today.

UPDATE: The website and Twitter feed for the first October Surprise website have been deleted after it was speculated to have been a prank site for Animal Planet. 

Maryland Haters: We Won't Be Intimidated By People Who Calls Us Maryland Haters

UPDATE: Earlier today I tipped Friendly Atheist blogger Hemant Mehta that his face appears in the above ad. He responds here.

Headline Of The Day

Maybe his wife should have used a strap-on.

Go Ahead, Finish NOM's Sentence

(Tipped by JMG reader Peter)

One Million Moms Vs Nick Jr

One Million Moms is now going after a new programming block on Nick Jr. Via press release:

The two-hour block includes a reality show called "NickMom Night Out" and "What Was Carol Brady Thinking," in which "Brady Bunch" reruns are laced in a style similar to VH1's "Pop Up Video," with racy thought bubbles added to represent what was really on the family matriarch's mind in the scene. (Example: "Does Mike think needlepoint is foreplay?"). "NickMom Night Out" airs foul language and women in the buff with carefully placed black bars and even cowboy boots to cover strategic areas during comedy scenes.

Obviously, the channel behind "Dora the Explorer" is modeling its new block after "Adult Swim," which airs at 10:00 p.m. on a competing kiddie cable channel. However, unlike the Cartoon Network, Nick Jr. does not air separate East and West coast feeds. Therefore, the block airs at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT/7:00 p.m. PT and even earlier in the afternoon in Hawaii, at a time when children are still watching. NickMom is a profanity filled, perverted comedy that combines characteristics of a women's trashy talk show with standup comedians. One Million Moms will not sit quietly while Viacom's corporate greed and irresponsibility destroy one of the few twenty-four-hour preschool channels available.

Mrs. Betty Bowers For Obama

Bindr

(Via JMG reader Michael)

DOMA Windsor Reactions

AFER

Today’s decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit continues the unceasing momentum toward marriage equality for all Americans and affirms that discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans is unfair, unjust, and unconstitutional. The body of evidence in support of marriage equality is clear and convincing. This decision, as well previous decisions in other DOMA cases and in our federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, signals that the arguments opposing the recognition of marriage for gay and lesbian Americans have no legal basis. With today’s ruling, we are one step closer to the day when marriage equality is a reality for every American.

People For The American Way

"House Speaker John Boehner has wasted nearly a million and a half taxpayer dollars on defending this indefensible law. I am confident that the Supreme Court would not let DOMA stand, but I hope that they never have to review it. Most Americans don’t want to hurt their gay and lesbian neighbors, and we’ve seen over and over again that DOMA does real harm to real people. Congress must recognize the harm that DOMA has done and repeal it before it hurts more legally married Americans." - Michael Keegan, president.

Courage Campaign

Today's ruling is another step towards ending an unjust, unconstitutional and un-American piece of legislation. Next stop, Supreme Court. Politicians and judges have no business telling anyone who they can love and who they can marry. Today's ruling is yet another step in this country's movement towards equality. We applaud the ruling and will continue to work every day until efforts to legally discriminate, like DOMA and Prop 8, have been fully defeated.

Freedom To Marry

Today's ruling is the second by a federal appellate court and the tenth ruling in a row from judges appointed by presidents from Nixon to Reagan to George W. Bush, all agreeing that this disgraceful and discriminatory gay exception to the way the federal government treats married couples must end. The Supreme Court should swiftly agree to hear one or more of these cases and definitively strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, removing this harsh, unfair and unconstitutional burden from families, businesses, the military, and others who want to treat all married couples as what they are: married.

Lambda Legal

We are so happy for the plaintiff in this case, who has won the justice she deserves, and we congratulate our colleagues at the American Civil Liberties Union, the New York Civil Liberties Union and law firm Paul, Weiss for achieving this important victory. We are especially gratified that the Second Circuit agrees that government discrimination based on a person's sexual orientation gets heightened judicial scrutiny -- the argument we urged in a friend-of-the-court brief we submitted in the case. The so-called Defense of Marriage Act is being challenged in multiple cases, including our case on behalf of Karen Golinski in Golinski v. OPM. It won't be long before this bad law is gone for good.

NY Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell

The Defense of Marriage Act is a lingering remnant of hatred and discrimination in the United States, and it has no place in our society. Today, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the validity of this principle and struck a resounding blow for the idea that all Americans deserve equal rights, not just a select few. "I send my sincerest congratulations to Edie Windsor for her personal victory and my thanks for her perseverance—I know first-hand how difficult and truly draining it can be to be a plaintiff for Marriage Equality, as I was a plaintiff in the Marriage Equality lawsuit here in New York, first winning and then ultimately losing the case. Ms. Windsor’s resolve and determination speak volumes. I also congratulate my attorney, Robbie Kaplan, for her tremendous work and continuing victories in this fight for equality."

U.S. House Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)

Now it’s six in a row. Yesterday, we found out Speaker Boehner had already wasted $1.5 million taxpayer dollars losing five DOMA cases in a row. Today, we learned that a sixth court has just ruled DOMA unconstitutional. As the amicus brief I spearheaded in this case pointed out, and as the court agreed, there is no justification for denying Edie Windsor the same right as all other spouses to her full inheritance without paying a tax penalty,” continued Nadler. “Edie lives in my congressional district, and was with her wife, Thea Spyer, for 44 years. The last thing she should have to worry about following the loss of her spouse is an unjust tax penalty imposed for no other reason than the fact that she and her wife were the same gender. Now is the time to stop defending this unjust law and repeal it once and for all. I hope today’s ruling brings us one step closer to that goal.

OHIO: Springsteen Campaigns For Obama

With an introduction from Bill Clinton!

Binder "Reviews" Hit Amazon

The "binders" meme still has legs judged from the plethora of amusing "reviews" posted to Amazon's listings for real actual binders. Just one example:

As a woman, I'm not adept at making decisions that concern me. So when I need the right choice, I turn to the presidential candidate that KNOWS. One with prideful experience in this department. I don't want to be filed away in an inferior & confusing electronic doohickey that I couldn't possibly understand. Or heaven forbid, have a man ask for & listen to my ideas! I'd much rather rely on this top of the line, 1980s style, Avery Durable binder. It's the choice America can trust. My education, my ideas, my opinions, my choices, please PLEASE keep them safely stored away here and far away from the men that might fear them (I mean, want to use them to hire me somedaynever). I'd write more about this most useful product, but it's time I hurry home to make dinner.

More hilarity at the link. (Tipped by JMG reader PepeSF)

Accused Adulterer Says Obama Has "Pathological Hatred For Christianity"

Infographic From Freedom To Marry

NEW YORK: Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down DOMA As Unconstitutional

Via press release from the ACLU:

A federal appeals court ruled today that the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA) unconstitutionally discriminates against married same-sex couples. In striking down DOMA, the court held that government discrimination against lesbians and gay men now is assumed to be unconstitutional and that DOMA’s defenders could not offer any good reason for treating married same-sex couples differently from all other married couples. This is the first federal appeals court decision to decide that government discrimination against gay people gets a more exacting level of judicial review, known as “heightened scrutiny.”

The law had been challenged by Edith “Edie” Windsor, who sued the federal government for failing to recognize her marriage to her partner Thea Spyer, after Spyer’s death in 2009. Windsor and Spyer, who were a couple for 44 years, were married in Canada in 2007, and were considered married by their home state of New York. “This law violated the fundamental American principle of fairness that we all cherish,” said Windsor. “I know Thea would have been so proud to see how far we have come in our fight to be treated with dignity.”

In her lawsuit, Windsor argued that DOMA violates the equal protection guarantee of the U.S. Constitution because it requires the government to treat same-sex couples who are legally married as strangers. Windsor's lawsuit was filed by the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Key passage from the ruling: "In this case, all four factors justify heightened scrutiny: A) homosexuals as a group have historically endured persecution and discrimination; B) homosexuality has no relation to aptitude or ability to contribute to society; C) homosexuals are a discernible group with non-obvious distinguishing characteristics, especially in the subset of those who enter same-sex marriages; and D) the class remains a politically weakened minority."

Yet another domino falls! View the ruling here or below.
Windsor 2d Cir Opinion PDF

Minnesota Marriage Poll: Dead Heat

Minnesota's marriage referendum stands at a dead heat.

According to the poll, 47 percent of those surveyed said they favored the amendment and 46 opposed it. The difference is well within the poll's margin of error, which was 4.3 percent, according to KSTP. Seven percent of those polled said they were undecided. Neither KSTP nor SurveyUSA released the methodology of the latest poll Wednesday, though a SurveyUSA survey on the amendment in September was a telephone poll -- of both cellphones and residential phones -- of 700 Minnesotans. The results of that poll favored the amendment, with 50 percent in favor and 43 percent opposed, according to SurveyUSA's website.

Minnesota amendments must exceed 50% of all ballots cast to be approved.  Skipping the question, as some voters tend to do, counts as a "no" vote.  There's still hope.

REPORT: The Catholic Church Is 2012's Top Funder Of Anti-Gay Campaigns

From a report issued today by the Human Rights Campaign:

Taking up where the Mormons left off in 2008, the Catholic Church – and its affiliate, the Knights of Columbus – have made considerable investments in the marriage fights in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine this election cycle – spending at least $1.1 million to date. In addition, a close ally of the Church and past co-conspirator, the National Organization for Marriage, has spent nearly $1.4 million this cycle. Marriage equality opponents across the four states have, to date, raised roughly $4.1 million. The Catholic Church’s contributions make up 27 percent of that total figure. When you add in the contributions of Church ally NOM, the reality of the coordinated effort becomes clear: the Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, and NOM are responsible for funding nearly 60 percent of all anti-equality efforts in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine.

The Catholic LGBT coalition Equally Blessed today also issued a report on the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Church.

According to the report, which is based primarily on the Knights’ filings with the Internal Revenue Service, the organization donated $6.25 million to anti-marriage equality efforts between 2005-2012, with most of the money directed toward ballot measures aimed at banning marriage equality in 12 states. The sum includes:

- $1.9 million in donations to the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), $1.4 million of which was devoted to a successful and highly controversial campaign to overturn marriage equality legislation in Maine.
- A $1.1 million dollar donation to ProjectMarriage.com which supported the passage of Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment that banned marriage equality in California.
- More than $630,000 in donations to groups working against marriage equality through ballot initiatives that will be voted on next month in Maryland, Minnesota and Washington.

According to NOM’s internal memos, unsealed during legal proceedings in Maine, the organization adopted a strategy of turning the Black and Hispanic communities against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people during the campaign to overturn marriage equality legislation in that state. The same memos advocated finding children who had been raised by same-sex couples and persuading them to speak out against their parents.

BRITAIN: Gay Couple Wins Lodging Lawsuit Against Bed & Breakfast

Two British gay men have been awarded £1,800 each in their lawsuit against a local bed and breakfast that refused their request to share a bed.

The couple, who booked by email and paid a deposit, were turned away by Christian owner Susanne Wilkinson when they arrived at the Swiss Bed and Breakfast in Cookham, Berkshire in March 2010. Despite protestations from Black that it was unlawful discrimination, the owner refused to allow the couple to stay as it was "against her convictions." However, the judge found that Black and Morgan suffered direct discrimination and also made clear that, even if she had not found direct discrimination, she would have found that the owner’s professed policy of only giving double rooms to married couples was indirectly discriminatory. The judge dismissed the owner’s argument that she had not acted in a discriminatory way because she objected to homosexual sexual behaviour rather than homosexual sexual orientation. It was also found that, although the refusal of a room could be seen as a manifestation of the owner’s religious beliefs, her right to manifest these beliefs was not unfairly limited by the Equality Act - which requires that service providers do not discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation.

Expect this case to turn up in anti-marriage ads here shortly. 

The Internet Is A Series Of Tubes

Google has posted images of its server farms to its Street View gallery. Engadet has the slideshow.

Newsweek Goes Digital-Only

Not very surprising. From Tina Brown:

We are announcing this morning an important development at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Newsweek will transition to an all-digital format in early 2013. As part of this transition, the last print edition in the United States will be our Dec. 31 issue. Meanwhile, Newsweek will expand its rapidly growing tablet and online presence, as well as its successful global partnerships and events business. Newsweek Global, as the all-digital publication will be named, will be a single, worldwide edition targeted for a highly mobile, opinion-leading audience who want to learn about world events in a sophisticated context. Newsweek Global will be supported by paid subscription and will be available through e-readers for both tablet and the Web, with select content available on The Daily Beast.

"Ex-Gay" Crackpots Demand CDC Stop Promoting Pro-Gay Websites

The self-hating "ex-gay" nutcases at PFOX have sent a letter to the CDC demanding that the federal government cease promoting websites that don't endorse the brainwashing and brutal torture of LGBT people.

The website also contains links to anti-heterosexual publications and organizations, such as PFLAG, which openly denigrates former homosexuals, and the infamous anti-ex-gay publication Just the Facts, which advocates against Christian ex-gay ministries and lists only those religious organizations that affirm homosexual behavior. Why is the federal government spreading intolerance against the ex-gay community and Christians who support the religious testimony of former homosexuals? Your response did not address our complaint that the CDC is engaging in sexual orientation discrimination.

You further claim that “information on ex-gays and conversion therapy is not included,” but Just the Facts does exactly that – warn others against the use of therapy for diminishing unwanted same-sex attractions. Please read your website. The promotion of these negative anti-heterosexual comments spreads hate towards the ex-gay community. Is the federal government singling out a certain class of people to denigrate? We also take issue with your link to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which creates unsafe communities by promoting intolerance against the ex-gay community and actively targeting Christian organizations who disagree with their political beliefs.

PFLAG, an organization of straight allies, is "anti-heterosexual"? PFOX is beyond despicable.

The (Empty) Streets Of San Francisco

You'll find lots of gorgeous but people-free shots of San Francisco in this digitally-altered time-lapse. Several scenes of the Castro are at the beginning.

All Kinds Of Americans For Marriage

Another great clip from TheFour.

Pam Geller Has A New Subway Ad

Crackpot Pam Geller has announced that she has submitted the above image to Washington DC's mass transit agency.

Many will say that Deuteronomy and other Biblical books have violent passages as well. However, nowhere do the Jewish or Christian Scriptures tell all believers in general to wage war against unbelievers as such. Only the Qur'an contains such passages. Also, Islam, unlike Judaism and Christianity, has never gone through a period of reformation and enlightenment either involving or resulting in any thoroughgoing reevaluation of the literal sense of its sacred texts. This is why you do not see Jews or Christians slaughtering unbelievers and justifying their actions by quoting their Scriptures, while Muslims around the world do this with depressing frequency.

Geller has won every previous court battle to place her messages on the subways of New York City and San Francisco. We'll have to see if Washington DC will go for images of the burning World Trade Center, much less the incendiary text.

Gays Ruined Canadian Thanksgiving

Unemployed sportcaster Damian Goddard was forced to miss Canadian Thanksgiving this week because he had to rush to a NOM convention in Minnesota to warn that same-sex marriage was going to plunge the state into the same "cultural sinkhole" that has destroyed his own homeland.  Tragically, Goddard missed his roasted beaver dinner in vain, because he was turned back by U.S. border agents who, according to Goddard, suspected he was crossing the border in search of a job. Or something!   Watch as he complains about his aborted trip and about how horrible Ontario is for wanting to protect gay kids from getting beaten up at school.

NOTE: Goddard has filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, claiming that he was fired one day after posting a tweet "in defense of one man - one woman marriage."

New Site: October Surprise

The above site began getting noticed on Twitter last night. According to a tweet connected to October Surprise, their source is "rock solid, verified." What that source actually has to say and who it's about is anybody's guess.

NEW YORK CITY: Queens Man Loses Leg In Bizarre Christian Healing Rite

A Queens woman and her boyfriend have been arrested after a bizarre Christian healing ritual cost the woman's brother his leg. The pair were allegedly trying to cure the victim of his mental illness and drug addiction.

Myung Chung, 27, admitted to cops that on the night of Oct. 4, she and her fiancé stuffed a sock in her brother’s mouth and made sure it would stay there with duct tape. They also used the tape to bind his wrists, ankles and knees, according to court papers. “They made it so tight — and all the time they were praying and singing. They thought God would make him a regular person,” said Sarah Youn. Two days later, Myung Chung noticed her brother’s foot was swollen. On Oct. 12, she took him to a dermatologist, who sent them to an emergency room, court papers show. When Dr. Angali Bharati at New York Hospital Queens saw Seungick Chung, his right leg was purple, black and blue, she told cops. Doctors had to amputate the leg above the knee.

Police have charged the two with assault, reckless endangerment and unlawful imprisonment.

Rosie's Kids - The Trolley Song

Student's of Rosie O'Donnell's Theater Kids performed the show tune classic The Trolley Song in a clip directed by BD Wong.

Rosie's Theater Kids is an arts education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children through the arts. We serve students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience theater, positively changing the trajectory of their lives by providing comprehensive classes in music, dance, and drama; thoughtful mentoring; and structured academic guidance.

Google's Debate Poll

NEW YORK CITY: Madonna Served Summons To Appear On Gay Propaganda Charges In Russia

Russian anti-gay activists yesterday served a summons at Madonna's New York City home, demanding that she appear in St. Petersburg for trial on charges that she violated that city's ban on public utterances of support for LGBT people. Russia Today reports:

The pro-Kremlin group Trade Union of Russian Citizens wants the Material Girl in court for blasphemy and for damaging the cultural foundations of St. Petersburg. Nine activists filed a suit against the pop star after her concert on August 9. They are seeking 333 million rubles (around US$10 million) from Madonna and from the company that organized her show. All the fuss is because of Madonna’s actions on the stage. The pop diva started her show asking fans to raise their hands with pink bracelets, which they were given on the entrance, in support of homosexual rights. It is, however, illegal to promote homosexuality in St. Petersburg. The local law, which bans so-called “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, and pedophilia to minors,” was passed in March this year. “She insulted believers’ feelings, she promoted homosexuality when there were children at the concert and this is forbidden in St Petersburg. We, the residents of the cultural capital, suffered a colossal moral damage,” union spokesperson Darya Dedova was quoted as saying.

In the event that Madonna is found guilty, much less even appears for trial, an additional 50% of the $10M suit would, by law, be levied in order to further protect St. Petersburg from "homosexuals and pedophiles." 

NOTE: The lawsuit appears to be a civil action from local crackpots and not an official action of the government, although the plaintiffs surely have their support.  The above-linked article does not mention if Madonna was home when the summons was served.

VIDEO:  Here's Madonna speech from that show.

Open Thread Thursday

Time for our quarterly books roundup. What are you reading?

Tagg Romney Wanted To "Take A Swing" At The President During The Debate

Tagg Romney today told a radio audience that he wanted to punch the president during last night's debate.

During an interview with North Carolina radio host Bill LuMaye, Tagg Romney said that hearing the president call his father a liar made him want to "jump out of [his] seat and ... rush down to the debate stage and take a swing at him." He continued: "But you know you can't do that because, well first because there's a lot of Secret Service between you and him, but also because this is the nature of the process, they're going to do everything they can do to try to make my dad into someone he's not. We signed up for it. We've gotta kinda sit there and take our punches and then send them right back the other way."

The reason Tagg Romney didn't physically assault the sitting president of the United States is because there were Secret Service agents in his way?  Let's hope some of those agents "get in his way" before the final debate. He should not be allowed to attend.

UPDATE: Via my pal Karl Frisch, here's the audio.


NOTE: I misidentified Tagg Romney in the photo used for the first draft of this post. Thanks to a kind tip from Karl, I've replaced that photo with the correct Romney son.

Crazy Eyes Is HERE, People

GOProud Defends Ann Coulter's Joke About Parents Disowning Gay Sons

Yesterday GLAAD denounced Ann Coulter's tweet making fun of gay kids who get disowned by their parents.  Today, as he does every time GLAAD is mentioned, GOProud's Chris Barron responded with, "But...but...JOE JERVIS!"  Via the Advocate:

Coulter ally and GOProud cofounder Christopher Barron, however, told The Advocate on Wednesday, that GLAAD was overreacting to the author's joke. He added that he knows Coulter personally, and that she "has been a strong ally of gay conservatives. Indeed, Ann has gone into the lion's den at places like CPAC to make the case that gay people should be welcomed in the conservative movement. The criticism of Ann by an organization like GLAAD is laughable." Barron criticized the organization for honoring blogger Joe Jervis of JoeMyGod.com after he and GOProud's leaders engaged in a verbal battle in recent years. "As long as GLAAD thinks that is acceptable they can spare me the trumped-up selective outrage over a joke made by Ann. Putting GLAAD in charge of what passes as acceptable or unacceptable discourse is a little bit like putting a pyromaniac in charge of the fire department."

As a reminder, here's what Chris Barron thinks about the vast majority of LGBT Americans: "The gay left = the American Taliban. Hateful, angry and dumb as shit."

NOM Threatens To Sue Fred Karger

Fred Karger's years-long investigation into NOM's financing is really getting under their skin, hence the above threat to sue him if he doesn't stop. GO FRED!  The letter came from Brian Brown's ACT RIGHT group.

Aziz Ansari On Gay Marriage

Buzzfeed's Matt Stopera reports that Ansari said the above during a Jimmy Kimmel Show discussion about Chick-Fil-A. 

VIRGINIA: Super-PAC Forms To Investigate Hate Group Leader Eugene Delgaudio, Files Suit For Records

Saying that they are being stonewalled by the Loudoun County board of supervisors, a group of Virginians has formed Real Advocate PAC and filed a lawsuit demanding the time-keeping records that prove hate group leader Eugene Delgaudio used public employees for his anti-gay crusades.

Elizabeth Miller, director of Real Advocate Political Action Committee, filed the request following a Washington Post article that claimed several former aides of the Republican supervisor said they believed they were tasked with unethical political duties while working for Delgaudio. “Scott York had these items for months and did nothing with them. Suddenly, when the Post reports he has them, he orders up a closed-door, underfunded investigation, and refuses to reveal what he has,” Elizabeth Miller said in a prepared statement. The Post story alleged the aides spent hours as county employees raising funds for Delgaudio’s political campaign. Loudoun County policy dictates that political activity must not occur using county property or during county paid time, according to a county spokesperson. County supervisors on Oct. 3 voted unanimously to hire an outside investigator at a price not to exceed $15,000 to look into the allegations against Delgaudio. The vote came after York, Vice-Chairman Janet Clarke and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet requested that Loudoun Commonwealth Attorney Jim Plowman investigate the allegations.

Real Advocate PAC writes today on their blog:

Instead of providing the records as required by law, the Republicans have circled the wagons around one of their own, issued a meaningless “order” for a sham investigation, and responded to the demand by saying that the evidence York has held for months are now “personnel” records. Or, maybe they are part of an “active investigation.” No explanation is given for how an elected official’s e-mail with citizens and calendar of events and meetings can become a personnel record, nor has the county offered anything to suggest how they could know who is supposed to be investigated or about what (indeed, the county’s last reply to RAPAC’s Miller actually says there are no documents that say anything about either subject). With the county having chosen to stand its ground, and the obviousness of a cover-up plain for all to see, Real Adovcate has today filed a petition with the Loudoun County General District Court for a writ of mandamus that will order York and the others to give up what they have, so the rest of us can see it.

Loudoun County has seven days to respond to the demand. Visit the Real Advocate PAC website and learn more. (Tipped by JMG reader Blair)