HomoQuotable - Frank Bruni

"Dear President Clinton,  What a year you’ve had, the kind that really burnishes a legend. At the Democratic National Convention, on the campaign trail, in speeches aplenty and during interviews galore, you spoke eloquently about what this country should value, and you spoke unequivocally about where it should head. Such a bounty of convictions, such a harvest of words, except for one that’s long overdue: Sorry.

"Where’s your apology for signing the Defense of Marriage Act? And why, amid all the battles you’ve joined, and with all the energy you’ve been able to muster, haven’t you made a more vigorous case for same-sex marriage, especially in light of your history on this issue? You fret about your legacy, as any president would. For turning a blind eye to the butchery in Rwanda, you struggled through a mea culpa of sorts, and after Barack Obama seemed to lavish higher praise on Ronald Reagan than on you, you seethed.

"Well, DOMA, which says that the federal government recognizes only marriages of a man and a woman, is one of the uglier blemishes on your record, an act of indisputable discrimination that codified unequal treatment of gay men and lesbians and, in doing so, validated the views of Americans who see us as lesser people. If our most committed, heartfelt relationships don’t measure up, then neither do we. If how we love is suspect, then so is who we are. No two ways to interpret that. No other conclusion to be drawn." - Frank Bruni, writing for the New York Times.

Read the full essay.

Ian McKellan For New Zealand Marriage

McKellan: "Marry me in Middle Earth."

West Point Hosts First Gay Wedding

A West Point graduate got married today in the first same-sex wedding ever held on the legendary military academy's campus.

Penelope Gnesin and Brenda Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate, exchanged vows in the regal church in a ceremony conducted by a senior Army chaplain. The ceremony comes a little more than a year after President Obama ended the military policy banning openly gay people from serving. The two have been together for 17 years. They had a civil commitment ceremony that didn't carry any legal force in 1999 but had longed hoped to formally tie the knot. The brides both live in New Jersey and would have preferred to have the wedding there, but the state doesn't allow gay marriage. "We just couldn't wait any longer," Fulton said. Guests at the wedding posted photos on Twitter while it was underway and afterward. Fulton said Cadet Chapel on the campus at West Point was a fitting venue.

Fulton (left) is the communications director for the military LGBT advocacy group OutServe and I've met her at several grassroots events. She's also the head of Knights Out, an organization for West Point's LGBT alumni. Congratulations to the happy couple!

RELATED: All the right people are already pissed off.

BROOKLYN: Hasidic Leader Forced Young Girl To Reenact Porn Scenes

According to yesterday's testimony by the alleged victim of Brooklyn Hasidic leader Nechemya Weberman, he made made her reenact porn scenes during years of molestation that began when she was 12 years-old.  Weberman sits on his sect's modesty committee, which enforces strict rules of dress and behavior for female members.

During her fourth grueling day on the stand, the teen detailed why she hid her torment, which allegedly lasted for three years, beginning in 2007 when she was 12. She never broke down on the stand, even when confronted with intimate details of her tumultuous early teens. Testimony by the recently married teenager was the key evidence in the high-stakes trial that has been marked by incidents of purported intimidation. Three ultra-Orthodox men were arraigned Friday evening after they allegedly took photos inside the courtroom earlier this week — including one of the teen on the stand — and posted them on the Internet. Lemon Juice, Joseph Fried and Yona Weisman were charged with contempt of court. Juice had legally changed his name from Joel Weingarten, according to his friends, though it was unclear why. In another bizarre twist, Fried, who runs a news service for the Satmar community, had been secretly recorded arguing with the alleged victim’s now-husband a few months ago. “Even if it’s true, he shouldn’t go to jail,” Fried is heard saying of Weberman, according to the recording obtained by the Daily News and translated from Yiddish. “A Jew doesn’t belong in jail.”

Another member of the Satmar sect has been accused of offering the victim $500,000 if she would drop the charges. Four other ultra-Orthodox members were charged with intimidation in June. Earlier this week Weberman was seen attempting to further intimidate the victim by glaring at her through a glass courthouse door which has now been papered over.  He faces 88 felony counts of child molestation. 

RELATED: Last year a Satmar member spat upon lesbian Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum during a New York Senate protest about the same-sex marriage bill.

LIVE VIDEO: Dance (RED) From Oz

A massive outdoor World AIDS Day fundraiser dance party is streaming live from Melbourne, Australia.  Major international dance acts are on the bill and there are lots of beautiful people in the house.

(Tipped by JMG reader Rand)

Pennsylvania GOP State Rep Comes Out

Pennsylvania state Rep. Mike Fleck came out yesterday, one year after separating from his wife. Fleck now becomes the nation's only openly gay Republican state legislator.  Via Politics PA:

In a deeply personal story by the Huntingdon Daily News (subscription), Fleck, a devout Christian, explained the difficult road to his announcement. “Coming out is hard enough, but doing it in the public eye is definitely something I never anticipated,” he said. “I’m still the exact same person and I’m still a Republican and, most importantly, I’m still a person of faith trying to live life as a servant of God and the public. The only difference now is that I will also be doing so as honestly as I know how.”  He said his party affiliation remains strong.  “The Republican party is all about the government needing to stay out of people’s lives,” Fleck said. “I’m not a one-issue person and it’s not a one-issue party.” Fleck, 39, has a resume that would impress Republicans anywhere. An Eagle Scout by age 18, he graduated from Liberty University in 1995 and worked professionally for the Boy Scouts of America as a district executive in Huntingdon County from 1999 to 2004. 

The above-linked story notes that Fleck has not yet had to vote on any LGBT-related issues.

RELATED: Last month Democrat Brian Sims was elected as Pennsylvania's first openly gay legislator.

Tony Perkins Cheers Nevada Ruling

"Nevada is willing to gamble on a lot of things, but marriage isn't one of them. In federal court yesterday, Judge Robert Jones dealt a big setback to state activists hoping to redefine marriage. His opinion, which he issued just days after oral arguments, may be one of the most compelling yet on the question of 'equality' for homosexual couples. The lead plaintiffs in the case are two lesbians, both grandmothers, who argued that Nevada's 10-year-old marriage amendment is discriminatory. Judge Jones emphatically disagreed in a 41-page masterpiece that thoroughly dismantled the Left's legal logic. Homosexuals aren't being denied the right to marry, Jones explained. They simply have to abide by the same criteria as everyone else.

"Our Election Day losses might actually be the key to future victories in court. Now that three states have actually voted for same-sex 'marriage,' liberals can no longer claim the court as their only avenue to 'equal protection.' Even lesbian activists like Nan Hunter, a Georgetown professor, admit that judges might be less likely to intervene on marriage if homosexuals no longer seem 'powerless' to advance their agenda. It could even, Hunter argues, change the way the Supreme Court sees the issue--if, as it's expected, the justices agree to hear at least one of the marriage cases in their hopper." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

From Judge Robert Jones' Nevada Ruling

"Homosexual persons may marry in Nevada, but like heterosexual persons, they may not marry members of the same sex. That is, a homosexual man may marry anyone a heterosexual man may marry, and a homosexual woman may marry anyone a heterosexual woman may marry. Although the State appears to have drawn no distinction at all at first glance, and although the distinction drawn by the State could be characterized as gender-based, the Court finds that for the purposes of an equal protection challenge, the distinction is definitely sexual-orientation based.

"Homosexuals have not historically been denied the right to vote, the right to serve on juries, or the right to own property. It simply cannot be seriously maintained, in light of these and other recent democratic victories, that homosexuals do not have the ability to protect themselves from discrimination through democratic processes such that extraordinary protection from majoritarian processes is appropriate." - United States District Court Judge Robert Jones, from his Thursday ruling that upheld Nevada's ban on same-sex marriage.

Cleve Jones: It Starts With Me

Membership

ABOVE: At the 1985 Xmas party described below: Me, Michael, and Barney. I also wrote about Barney here.

Originally posted May 2004. Reposted for World AIDS Day.

Membership 

Michael didn't look good.

We were at his annual Christmas Luau party. Tons and tons of people in the house and the backyard. Standing in his kitchen, wearing a grass skirt and a ridiculous Santa hat covered in sequins, he was acting like always...all flamboyant and silly and adorable.

But he didn't look...right.

It was 1985.

My boyfriend Ken and I stayed until the end of the party to help clean up. I busied myself in the kitchen, washing glasses and cleaning ashtrays. Through the kitchen window I watched Ken and Michael in the backyard where they were stacking up the chairs and dousing the dozens of tiki torches, the trademark of Michael's party. When we were finished, Ken and I stood for a few minutes on Michael's front porch to review the party: who came, who didn't, who shouldn't have come.

Finally I yawned and stretched and nudged Ken. "C'mon babe, let's roll. Michael, lots of fun as always. Try and get some sleep, you look like you need it."

Ken shot me a scowl.

I tried to recover. "I mean, you must be exhausted from getting the party ready."

Michael laughed and lit a cigarette. "Oh, you know me. I'll bounce back. Nothing that can't be cured by cigarettes, coffee and cocaine!"

We giggled and waved and headed down the driveway. When we reached our car, I looked back at the house. Michael was struggling with the garbage cans, then broke into a hacking cough.

For the first few minutes of our ride home, Ken and I didn't say anything. Then at a traffic light, I looked over at him. "Didn't you think Michael..."

"He's FINE!" Ken cut me off.

"You didn't think he looked kinda thin? And that coughing..."

"Well, you know he smokes too much. And you'd look worn out too if YOU threw a Christmas party for 100 people."

"Yeah, I guess."

Ken knew what I was talking about, even if we didn't actually talk about it. For two years, maybe three, we'd been following the developing story about AIDS. At first, the press was calling it "gay cancer." Then GRID. Gay Related Immune Disorder. Then AIDS.

We lived in Orlando. Almost all the cases were in New York or San Francisco and that made us feel safe in a strange way. Neither of us had been in either place, except as children. And we didn't have any friends from either city. Then Miami began to report cases.

Michael was from Miami.

A week after his Christmas party, on New Year's Eve out at the club, Michael uncharacteristically left early. Before midnight. He said his hip was bothering him. Our friend Jack teased him as he was leaving. "Oh, is Grandpa having some problems with his rheumatiz?"

Michael just smiled and blew us kisses from across the room and limped out.

A few weeks later Ken called me from his office. He was going to take Michael to the hospital. His hip was terribly infected, and he couldn't walk. I didn't ask him what was wrong, by now we knew. And Michael knew that we did.

Waiting for Ken to come home, I watched a TV report on AIDS. Specifically, it dealt with how funeral parlors were sometimes refusing to handle the bodies of AIDS patients. Fear of infection. Fear of loss of reputation. The narrator made a comment about the families and friends of those killed by AIDS. He called them "this new and modern group" of grievers. When Ken got home, I told him about the story with indignation.

Over the next few months, Michael was in the hospital quite a bit. Ken got into the habit of visiting him on his way home from work, something I could rarely do since I worked nights. When I did see Michael, he looked progressively worse. Skinnier, more pale, his skin patchy and scaly.

But he always had that bitchy sense of humor and that chicken cackle. I'd hear that laugh from down the hallway as I approached his room, which always seemed to be full of friends.

Florida started its state lottery that summer. On the first night of the big drawing, I tried to stay awake for the results but I fell asleep with the tickets in my hands. I was awakened by Ken sitting on the bed.

"Hey." I rolled over and looked at the clock. Three in the morning?

Ken still had his tie on. My throat clenched. I don't know why, but I pushed the lottery tickets over towards him.

"So, um...are we millionaires?"

Ken didn't answer me.

"Where have you been? At the hospital? How's Michael?"

Ken leaned over and started untying his shoes. He pulled them off and finally turned to face me. He looked so very tired. He laid down next to me and hugged me, then spoke softly into my ear.

"We've just joined that new and modern group."

Owlle - Ticky Ticky

Somewhat of a St. Etienne or LCD Soundsystem feel.

Matt Barber: People With AIDS Are Sinners Who Deserve Their Gruesome Deaths

Just when you think God's Gentle People™ could not possibly behave more repulsively, Christian leader Matt Barber proves you wrong.  Deliberately timed for World AIDS Day, obviously.

World Closet Case Day

Actually Porno Pete, there IS a World Alzehimer's Day and a World Diabetes Day. And a World Cancer Day and so on and so on. World Closet Case Day, as we all know, is every year on Peter LaBarbera's birthday.

Press Release Of The Day

From an email blast by the Manhattan Declaration:

Earlier this week, I was boarding a flight bound for home when the gentlemen seated beside me politely informed me that I would have to stand once more. "My husband is coming," he said. As the plane taxied, I imagined myself explaining to these men what I did for a living and the conversation that would ensue (or not). I felt hopeless. I had planned to spend the flight writing my review of an important new book titled "What is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense." That plan went right out the small circular window. Instead, I got out a crossword and prayed. After awhile (through overhearing) I learned that the men attend a local church. I couldn't help but smile. No matter how feebly I navigate through life, the LORD is working. And who knows - maybe they will Google the lapel pin on my carry-on.

The note is unsigned but presumably comes from their executive director Eric Teetsel, who recently bragged about the Manhattan Declaration's fly new lapel pin.

NOTE: For those unaware, signers of the Manhattan Declaration avow that they will "civilly disobey" laws that protect LGBT people from discrimination. The Manhattan Declaration was recently cited in the RICO lawsuit filed against numerous anti-gay groups alleged to be accomplices in the kidnapping of the child of a lesbian mother. Some of the parties named in the lawsuit have signed the Manhattan Declaration.

How To Take The In-Home HIV Test

Washington DC-based comedian and activist Sampson demonstrates the OraQuick in-home HIV test in this clip from MetroWeekly.

ARIZONA: Principal Punishes Boys By Forcing Them To Hold Hands

An Arizona high school principal has punished two fighting boys by forcing them to hold hands in front of the entire school and thereby allow fellow students to cruelly mock them as homosexuals. The boys were so humiliated, they shielded their faces rather than face their taunters.

Earlier this week, the two students at Westwood High School in Mesa, Ariz., who have not been named, were faced with the prospect of either suspension from school, or sitting in chairs in the high school’s courtyard and holding hands for 15 minutes during a lunch period. They opted for the latter. “Kids were laughing at them and calling them names, asking, ‘Are you gay?’” student Brittney Smyers told ABC affiliate KNXV. Teens at the high school inevitably posted photos of the two, who spent the time shielding their faces with their heads in their hands, to social media sites. On the Facebook posting, users commented that the public punishment is not appropriate, as it positions the teens as targets for taunting and name-calling. Others suggested the punishment was anti-gay, as it implies two males holding hands is embarrassing.

The Mesa Public School District issued a statement: "The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate. District leadership will address this matter with the school principal and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators." (Tipped by JMG reader Todd)

No News From SCOTUS For Today

SCOTUSblog reports: "The Supreme Court, after taking most of the day to prepare new orders, took no action Friday on the ten same-sex marriage cases now on the docket." We might know something on Monday. Maybe.

UPDATE: Lambda Legal's John Davison weighs in.

The Court may announce on Monday that there are additional cases that it has decided to review. There are a number of reasons that the Court may not have felt ready to announce what it is doing today. It could be that the justices needed additional time to craft the language of the order or orders in one or more cases they have decided to hear. (For example, the Court can rewrite the questions they want the parties to address in the case or cases in which they have granted review from the way the parties phrased them in their petitions seeking review.)

2. The Court may announce on Monday some cases it has decided not to review. That might include one or more of the DOMA cases, Perry, or Diaz. Alternatively, the Court could wait to announce anything about any of these cases until the justices are ready to announce what action they have decided to take regarding all of them.

3. The Court may have decided that it needed to discuss the cases further before they can reach their decisions about which cases to hear. The Court's next scheduled conference is next Friday, December 7th. So, it may be that we will all be repeatedly hitting refresh again then (and keeping the dog waiting to be walked) to see if there are orders issued regarding these cases that day.

Welcome to the glamorous world of legal practice.

Glee Has A Kiki

With help from Sarah Jessica Parker and Shangela.

(Via Towleroad)

ILLINOIS: Not-Gay Rep. Aaron Schock Reportedly Mulling Run For Governor

According to a just-released poll, gay-friendly Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is the most unpopular governor in the nation. Quinn assumed office after former Gov. Rod Blagojevitch exploded into scandal and bad hair. Quinn then was "legitimately" elected in 2010. Among those reportedly considering a run to challenge Quinn in 2014 is totally not-gay slice of beefcake GOP Rep. Aaron Schock, whom the above-linked pollster observes "would be topped" by Quinn by only one point were the election held today. Topped. Heh.

RELATED: Illinois does not term-limit its governors.

ILLINOIS: Court Rejects Hate Group's Attempt To Join Marriage Case

Today the circuit court of Cook County denied an attempt by the Illinois Family Institute to defend against Lambda Legal's bid to overturn that state's ban on same-sex marriage.  Two local churches, the Church of Christian Liberty and the Grace Gospel Fellowship, were also rejected.  Lambda Legal writes via press release:

"We are now closer to the day these families can tell their stories in court, and explain in their own words why it is so hurtful and wrong to exclude them and their children ever from belonging to married families, without further unnecessary delays," said Camilla Taylor, Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal. "The Illinois government should be treating all families fairly. The freedom to marry the one unique and irreplaceable person you love, whether it is someone of the same sex or a different sex, is an essential liberty for all of us. Thousands of couples and their children across the state feel a sense of loss and experience discrimination every day because the state unfairly excludes them from marriage."

The Illinois governor and the Attorney General have both refused to defend the suit. In July two downstate county clerks won the right to intervene in Lambda Legal's case and another brought by the ACLU. Both county clerks are being represented by the Thomas More Society.  The Illinois Family Institute, the former home of Peter LaBarbera, is listed as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Editorial Of The Day

From Tom Goldstein at SCOTUSblog:

At their Conference today, the Justices will consider petitions raising federal constitutional issues related to same-sex marriage. These are the most significant cases these nine Justices have ever considered, and probably that they will ever decide.

I have never before seen cases that I believed would be discussed two hundred years from now. Bush v. Gore and Obamacare were relative pipsqueaks. The government’s assertion of the power to prohibit a loving couple to marry, or to refuse to recognize such a marriage, is profound. So is the opposite claim that five Justices can read the federal Constitution to strip the people of the power to enact the laws governing such a foundational social institution.

The cases present a profound test of the Justices’ judgment. The plaintiffs’ claims are rooted in the fact that these laws rest on an irrational and invidious hatred, enshrined in law. On the other hand, that describes some moral judgments. The Constitution does not forbid every inequality, and the people must correct some injustices (even some grave ones) themselves, legislatively.

The striking feature of these cases – not present in any others I have ever seen – is that that they would have been decided by the Justices’ predecessors one way and would be decided by the Justices’ successors another way.

Read the full essay.

Manhunt Promotes Truvada

The hook-up site Manhunt today announced that they will begin promoting the usage of Truvada, which was recently approved by the FDA as a daily HIV preventive for high-risk populations. Via press release:

Manhunt has partnered with Gladstone Institutes’ Dr. Robert Grant and The Fenway Institute to assure that the information conveyed is accurate and consistent with peer-reviewed published science. This promotion is part of Manhunt’s 2012 Social Responsibility Initiative, and it is entirely self-funded. The promotion is being sent to over 2.5 million Manhunt members on World AIDS Day through Manhunt’s internal email broadcast system with the following tagline: “HIV Prevention Pill for Negative Men (and women too): A choice when condoms are in the way or not enough?” The campaign encourages members to visit Manhunt Cares™ dedicated PrEP page to learn more about this important biomedical intervention.

As we've noted here on JMG many times, the usage of Truvada as an HIV preventive has somewhat fractured the HIV/AIDS advocacy movement. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, in particular, campaigned against its approval for this usage and called the FDA's decision "reckless." The San Francisco AIDS Foundation and amFAR, however, both support Truvada's usage as a preventive. The long-term effects of Truvada on uninfected (and infected) individuals remains unclear.

MD Marriages To Begin January 1st

The Maryland Attorney General says so.

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler said on Thursday same-sex couples can begin to marry in the state on Jan. 1. He wrote in a 19-page opinion that clerks can begin to issue marriage licenses to gays and lesbians as soon as Dec. 6, as long as they don’t take effect until the same-sex marriage law takes effect at the start of the new year. A 1999 law states a marriage license is not valid until 6 a.m. on the second calendar day after a clerk issues it.  Gansler concluded this requirement does not “expressly prohibit licenses becoming effective after that time.”

Gov. Martin O'Malley has applauded the decision.

PR Pitch Of The Day

This just in from an outfit called Vice Merchants:

Vice Merchants, the rebelliously luxe bedding company, announced today the release of “Cowpokes,” its first line of bedding geared specifically towards gay men. Made from 100% Egyptian cotton, 400 thread count, fine Sateen fabric, Cowpokes is the ultimate in edgy products that let you embrace a sexy twist in your everyday life.  The bedding, available in Wheat and Slate, features a ranch scene of playfully undressed men engaging in acts of whimsical outdoor fun and farm work. Illustrated by award winning artist, K. Commodore, cows, horses and tractors further set the scene as men work hard and play hard in the foreground.  “We’re enthusiastic to expand our brand to cater to the gay community,” Jake Katz, President of Vice Merchants stated. “Cowpokes is a design unlike any other that allows gay men to spice up your bedroom in a subtle, yet enticing and playful manner. With this bedding, every night can feel like a sweaty day with the boys on the ranch.”

And you thought Hello Kitty was the only "line of bedding geared specifically towards gay men."

US Ranks 51st In Life Expectancy

According to figures just issued by the CIA World Factbook, the United States ranks 51st in the world for life expectancy.

The tiny tax haven of Monaco - with its notoriously wealthy inhabitants and compulsory state-funded health service - has the highest life expectancy at an average of 89.68 years, five years higher than anywhere else on earth, according to the CIA World Factbook. The country with the worst life expectancy is the African state of Chad at a shocking 48.69 years. Life expectancy in America ranks 51st in the CIA's table at 78.49 years - lower than Canada (81.48), Australia (81.90), New Zealand (80.71), Japan (83.91), the UK (80.17) and much of Europe. Of the top five longest-living nations the only large country is Japan, with the rest being city states. Life expectancy levels in South America and generally 10 years lower than those in North America. People are likely to live the shortest in sub-Saharan Africa, with no country in that vast region having an average life expectancy of over 60. The worst countries to live in if you want to reach old age are Afghanistan (49.72), Swaziland (49.42), South Africa (49.41) Guinea-Bissau (49.11) and Chad (48.69).

The full ranking of nations is here. The top-linked story does not mention that the lowest-ranked nations tend to be among those hardest hit by HIV/AIDS.

Ali Forney Center Launches Video Series: Homeless For The Holidays 2012

The Ali Forney Center this week launched a new video series titled Homeless For The Holidays. In their first clip, a young man recounts being thrown out his house at the age of 14 and how he ended up contemplating suicide by walking into the ocean at Coney Island. Hit the link for information about their holiday donor drive.

WND Attacks Rep. Jackie Speier

Earlier this week Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) introduced a House resolution condemning "ex-gay" therapy. Which, according to World Net Daily, means she loves pedophiles. Hit the link if you can bear it.

Water Confirmed On Mercury

NASA has confirmed the presence of ice on the north pole of Mercury.

Temperatures on Mercury can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius), but around the north pole, in areas permanently shielded from the sun's heat, NASA's Messenger spacecraft found a mix of frozen water and possible organic materials. Evidence of big pockets of ice is visible from a latitude of 85 degrees north up to the pole, with smaller deposits scattered as far away as 65 degrees north. The find is so enticing that NASA will direct Messenger's observation toward that area in the coming months — when the angle of the sun allows — to get a better look, said Gregory Neumann, a Messenger instrument scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland."There is an ongoing campaign, when the spacecraft permits, to look further northward," said Neumann, the lead author of one of three Mercury studies published online Thursday by the journal Science.

We're still waiting to hear what the big discovery on Mars might be.

Bill Donohue On World AIDS Day

Tony Perkins: Gays Are Lying About Me

"I challenge anyone with a half a brain to read my tweet or Update story and conclude that FRC is any way supporting the death penalty of homosexuals. But gay activists have their hooks so deeply in the mainstream media that reporters no longer bother to check their facts. Once the blogs start spreading the lies of organizations like HRC and SPLC, they percolate up to reporters like Carolyn Lochhead at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who regurgitate HRC's garbage without so much as a courtesy call to our office. And these aren't harmless little lies either.

"They're the same intentional misrepresentations that led to the controversy over FRC's alleged ties to Chick-fil-A--culminating, as you may remember, in the violent shooting of one of our own employees! Americans need to understand that this cozy relationship between the liberal media and unreliable sources like HRC is fostering a culture of hatred and violence--that same culture that led to the attempted mass murder of the entire FRC office. While it's troubling that any organization would deliberately spread untruths, it's more disturbing that someone who claims the title of journalist would report these lies as fact." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, continuing to lie about his history of supporting Uganda's gay death penalty.

For the hundredth time, here's the 2009 audio of Perkins denouncing President Obama for objecting to Uganda's proposed gay death penalty.

Perkins also continues to lie about the Family Research Council's role in defeating a U.S. House resolution that would have condemned Uganda's bill. As I wrote earlier this year:

The FRC lobbied to change the language of the Uganda resolution because (according to them) denouncing the executions of homosexuals constituted "pro-homosexual promotion" because of a clause associating "human rights" with "gay rights." Those are the FRC's exact words, which are available for public viewing on their federally-filed lobbying disclosure form. They didn't have to explicitly oppose the bill because they knew that their objection to its wording would be enough to kill it thanks to FRC-friendly GOP House members who then voted to "refer it back to committee," where it has languished for the past two years. However you want to spin it, the actions of FRC lobbyists did indisputably prevent the House from condemning Uganda's still-pending "kill the gays" bill.

Tony Perkins just cannot stop lying. He is incapable of the truth, even when faced with his own voice and his group's own federal lobbying disclosure report.

The Cube Is Not A Cube

Almost 7M YouTube views in three days.

Atheist Group Launches Site For Kids

The American Humanists Association has launched a new website to support young atheists. They write:

This engaging resource offers a welcoming home for humanist, atheist and other non-traditionally religious kids where they can find information untainted by supernaturalism on a wide range of topics, including religion in public schools, science, discrimination, sexuality, and reading suggestions. “Whether they already made up their minds to reject supernatural explanations, or are just questioning, it’s time to make available an online resource that’s built just for kids without God,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “These kids may be from traditionally religious families, or from families like that of President Barack Obama, whose mother was a secular humanist. KidsWithoutGod.com will be a friendly online community for kids who might be too shy to ask an adult directly what it’s like to be good without a god.”

The group says they will support the new site with an ad campaign that will appear on numerous websites as well as on city buses in the Washington DC area.  They note that Disney and National Geographic have refused to run the ads on their sites.

NYC Steps Up Meningitis Warning

Yesterday the New York City Department of Health issued a stronger warning about the ongoing rash of meningitis cases among gay men. Their latest recommendation includes a directive that all at-risk gay men in much of Brooklyn, not just the HIV+, should be vaccinated. Via press release:

Meningococcal vaccine should be offered to HIV-infected men who are New York City residents and who report intimate contact with a man met either through an online website, digital application ("app"), or at a bar or party since September 1, 2012. Meningococcal vaccine should now also be offered to men who have sex with men, regardless of HIV status, if they live in specific areas of Brooklyn (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, East New York, Prospect Heights, and Williamsburg) and report intimate contact with a man met either through an online website, digital application ("app"), or at a bar or party since September 1, 2012.

Last month the city began offering free vaccinations to high-risk HIV+ gay men in all five boroughs.  There have been at least four deaths since the outbreak began early this fall.

Orthodox Rabbis Denounce "Ex-Gay" Therapy By Jewish Group JONAH

Pink News reports today that the Rabbinical Council of America has denounced JONAH, the Jewish "ex-gay" group based in New Jersey which was just sued for fraud by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They also want JONAH to remove a letter from their website which claims that the Rabbinical Council has endorsed their work. Their statement:

“As rabbis trained in Jewish law and values, we base our religious positions regarding medical matters on the best research and advice of experts and scholars in those areas, along with concern for the religious, emotional, and physical welfare of those impacted by our decisions. Our responsibility is to apply halakhic (Jewish legal) values to those opinions. Despite numerous attempts by the RCA to have mention of that original letter removed from the JONAH website, our calls, letters, and emails remain unanswered.”

The Rabbinical Council represents over 1000 Orthodox rabbis in the United States.

UNRELATED: Also yesterday the Rabbinical Council posted a message to "express dismay" over the vote to upgrade Palestine's status at the United Nations.

Egyptian Court Sentences Florida Pastor Terry Jones To Death Over Movie

An Egyptian court has sentenced Florida Pastor Terry Jones to death for his alleged role in the creation of an anti-Islam movie. Seven others reported to be involved in the film were also sentenced to death.  All, including Jones, were sentenced in absentia.

The case was seen as largely symbolic because the defendants, most of whom live in the United States, are all outside Egypt and are thus unlikely to ever face the sentence. The charges were brought in September during a wave of public outrage in Egypt over the amateur film, which was produced by an Egyptian-American Copt. The low-budget "Innocence of Muslims," parts of which were made available online, portrays the Prophet Muhammad as a fraud, womanizer and buffoon. Egypt's official news agency said the court found the defendants guilty of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information — charges that carry the death sentence. Maximum sentences are common in cases tried in absentia in Egypt. Capital punishment decisions are reviewed by the country's chief religious authority, who must approve or reject the sentence. A final verdict is scheduled on Jan. 29.

Jones says the sentence "shows the true face of Islam." (Tipped by JMG reader Eric)

Ugandan Gay Group Claims Bill Still Contains Gay Death Penalty Clause

According to a bulletin sent late last night by the Ugandan Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law (website), the pending Anti-Homosexuality Act still contains the death penalty. They write:

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill was upgraded to Item No. 1 on the Order of Business to Follow of the Ugandan Parliament which means it may be tabled in a matter of hours from now. The Coalition today requested and obtained the version of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill which is going to be tabled as the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2012. It is clear that none of the provisions have been changed from those of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009. It is still the “Kill the Gays Bill’! The report of the Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Committee has still not been released.

Earlier this week the BBC reported that Ugandan lawmakers have claimed that the death penalty provision had been removed, but they refused to make the allegedly amended bill available to the press for inspection.  Today at noon there will be a protest at the Ugandan consulate near the United Nations building in Manhattan.  I'll have more on this story today as we hear developments.

Nevada Court Upholds Marriage Ban

The federal District Court of Nevada has denied a challenge made by eight gay couples to that state's ban on same-sex marriage. In its opinion, the Court writes:

This case arises out of the refusal of the State of Nevada to permit same-sex couples to enter into civil marriages, as well as its refusal to recognize same-sex marriages performed in nother states as “marriages” under Nevada law. The question before the Court is not the wisdom of providing for or recognizing same-sex marriages as a matter of policy but whether the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the People of the State of Nevada from maintaining statutes that reserve the institution of civil marriage to one-man–one-woman relationships or from amending their state constitution to prohibit the State from recognizing marriages formed in other states as “marriages” under Nevada law if those marriages do not conform to Nevada’s one-man–one-woman civil marriage institution. For the reasons given herein, the Court rules that it does not. To the extent the present challenge is not precluded by U.S. Supreme Court precedent, Defendants are entitled to summary judgment.

Prop 8 Trial Tracker notes that the case will likely be appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court.

UPDATE: The case was brought by Lambda Legal, who writes:

This is not the end of this fight. We will appeal and continue to fight for these loving couples, who are harmed by Nevada's law barring marriage for same-sex couples. By forbidding same-sex couples' access to marriage, the State brands them and their children as second-class citizens. This entire decision rests on the ridiculous premise that a 'meaningful percentage of heterosexual persons' will decide not to get married if same-sex couples can. Not only is this not true, but it is settled law that the government is not allowed to cater to private biases -- which is all that imagining that 'some couples won't join this club if those people are admitted' amounts to. We are confident this ruling will be overturned on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

UN Upgrades Status For Palestine

The nine votes against came from: United States, Canada, Israel, Czech Republic, Panama, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, and Palau.

MICHIGAN: School Teacher Suspended For Playing Pro-Gay Music Video

A public middle school teacher in Michigan has been suspended for playing a popular pro-gay music video upon a request by a student.

"I asked him a few questions about the song. If it was violent, if there was any profanity, and he said no. And I said this sounds like a great song to go ahead and use for the class," said Susan Johnson. The song is called "Same Love" written in support of same sex marriage. Underground rapper Ben Maclemore tackles the dangers of hate and stereotypes by showing the struggle of a homosexual man from birth to death. As Johnson listened to the song, she said she thought to herself this was something her students could learn from. "This is one of the things in my school that we're trying to practice and we're trying to instill in our students is tolerance to diversity," she explained. However, another student in class didn't agree with the lyrics, went to the office and complained. Before the school day ended, Johnson claims the principal and assistant superintendent told her she was suspended indefinitely without pay. "I don't think that it was really even thought through," she said. "I was paralyzed. I really didn't understand why I was being suspended." Assistant Superintendent Melissa Baker didn't care to elaborate. "No one is going to have a comment for you. We don't go on camera here in South Lyon," she said.

The video now has almost 8 million views on YouTube. Here it is again, in case you missed it two months ago here on JMG.

RUSSIA: Legislature To Consider National Ban On "Propaganda Of Homosexualism"

Next month Russia's legislature will consider adopting a national ban on "gay propaganda" similar to the ones already existing in St. Petersburg and nine other regions. Via press release from the Russia LGBT Network (their English is slightly fractured):

The Russian State Duma will consider the first reading of a federal level bill banning so-called "propaganda of homosexualism" on December 19th, 2012. This information was received from Russian State Duma calendar to address issues in the second ten days of December, which was recently approved by the Duma. Igor Kochetkov, Chairman of Russian LGBT Network: "Today we would like to address to the deputies of State Duma with a call. Don't discredit yourselves and Russia by adoption this absolutely senseless ith common sense and the right of law. One year of application of such laws in the regions have shown that, in practice, they are used to persecute dissidents, not to protect the children. Under the pretext of protecting the family the author of the bill actually destroy it, identifying a family as "biological union of a man and a woman." In reality this "farm" approach to people shows how some deputies look to us, their constituents."

The Russia LGBT Network has a blog (in Russian.)

Tomorrow In NYC: Uganda Protest

Via Facebook:

At noon on Friday, November 30, 2012, human rights activists will hold a peaceful protest outside the Uganda Mission, at 336 East 45th Street, to help stop the "Kill-the-Gays" bill now topping the Uganda Parliament's agenda, due to human rights offender, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

The action titled: “Uganda: The World Is Watching” is being organized by The AEB Project, a U.S. LGBT civil rights network, in consultation with Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and others.

Protest signs will read: "Gays Like Christmas Too" and "Shame On Uganda" in response to Speaker Kadaga's promise that the genocidal law, which threatens death or life imprisonment to gay Ugandans, will come as a Christmas present to Uganda. Jesus Christ would no doubt be shocked.

The photo is from last year's protest at Uganda House.

Just Because

Also because sales of the calendar benefit Ben Cohen's Stand Up Foundation. Office workers note: bare butts are ahead.

(Via Stacy Lambe at Buzzfeed)

One Millions Moms Is Super Upset About Married Lesbians On The TeeVee

"Dear Joe, One Million Moms is disappointed that CBS and Warner Brothers turned Person of Interest into a politically correct machine. In mid-November, an episode aired that went way too far in an attempt to normalize homosexuality when creator and producer, J.J. Abrams, decided to introduce a married lesbian couple. Viewers find out the female heart surgeon's spouse is actually another woman. They treated this immoral relationship just like any other married couple. Clearly this is a way of promoting the homosexual agenda by making it appear absolutely normal. TAKE ACTION: Let them know that they do not need to follow the trend in normalizing homosexuality, or they will lose a majority of their viewers that tuned in for clean entertainment that did not push any certain agenda." - Monica Coles, via email.

Secretary Clinton Celebrates LGBT Employees Of The State Department

(Via Andrew Belonsky)

Forgiven Clothes

Forgiven Clothes just sent out a breathless email announcing that their "Who Killed Jesus?" t-shirts and hoodies are now on sale. Finish your holiday shopping early!

PENNSYLVANIA: Restaurant Loses Battle Over Church Bulletin Discount Offer

Last July the American Family Association screeched when an atheist group complained about a Pennsylvania restaurant that offered a discount to patrons who brought in that Sunday's church bulletin. AFA founder Don Wildmon sent out this message to his followers:

After reading this story, I urge you to join with other Christian leaders in opposing efforts to take away our religious freedom. If you are willing to join other Christian leaders in opposing the loss of religious freedom and moral decay, please use the reply buttonand give me your name, title and address.

Yesterday the York Daily Record reported that the restaurant has settled the complaint by agreeing to offer the discount to any group "oriented around religion." That includes atheists.

The one-sentence settlement from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission reads: "Respondent will continue to give a discount for any bulletin from any group oriented around the subject of religious faith, including publications from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, as long as they maintain the Sunday discount program." John Wolff of Lancaster County filed the complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. His complaint focused on the 10 percent discount Prudhomme's offers diners who present a church bulletin on Sundays. Wolff could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday. Prudhomme's claimed victory, with attorney Randall Wenger noting the restaurant will continue offering the Sunday discount promotion. "It was a frivolous thing," he said. "It was really not in keeping with the really noble purposes behind the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. I can't imagine that those who passed the act contemplated that somebody would try to use it in the future for something like this."

Friendly Atheist blogger Hemant Mehta weighs in:

They wanted to give a discount to religious customers, to make them feel special. They wanted to give people an incentive to be religious and go to church. They tried to pretend that wasn’t the case, even suggesting that atheists could just walk into a church and grab a bulletin without sitting through the service in order to take advantage of the discount. Because that’s normal behavior. But they can’t do any of that anymore. Now, they have to treat all their customers equally. Too bad for them, right?

Mehta notes that the restaurant is still running the same offer with no mention of any change.

Alan Turing Film To Play NYC And DC

Codebreaker aired last November on British television.  Single screenings are scheduled for next Thursday in NYC and DC.  The filmmakers have a launched an online request system for screenings in other cities.


(Via Boy Culture)

Frothy Mix 2016

"I’m open to it, yeah. I think there’s a fight right now as to what the soul of the Republican party’s going to be and the conservative movement, and we have something to say about that. I think from our battle, we’re not going to leave the field." - Rick Santorum, pointing out that he won eleven GOP primaries in 2012, the same number the Reagan won in his failed 1976 presidential bid.

PHILADELPHIA: "Drag Brigade" to March In Mummer's New Year's Day Parade

Via press release from Visit Philly:

Philadelphia drag star Ian Morrison, a.k.a Ms. Brittany Lynn, and her Drag Mafia will be the first “Drag Brigade” to ever march in the Philadelphia Mummer’s Day Parade on New Year’s Day. James Julia, President of the Mummers Brigade Association, and Rocco Gallelli the current Mummers Board President, asked Morrison and his Drag Mafia to lead the String Bands in the parade down Philadelphia’s Broad Street. The group will march from Washington Avenue to City Hall before departing the parade to join the Fancy Brigades at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. 

The parade is divided into five divisions: Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades.  The reaction to this news should prove amusing.

Whale Encounter

Best comment on Reddit: "The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli."

Liberty Counsel Expects A Ruling Tomorrow On Bid To Block California's "Ex-Gay" Therapy Ban

The Liberty Counsel today announced that they expect a ruling tomorrow on their bid to thwart California's just-approved ban on the "ex-gay" torture and brainwashing of children. Their suit was filed on behalf of NARTH, whose co-founder George Rekers was recently exposed for hiring a lithe young male prostitute for a two-week European vacation. In today's clip, Mat Staver and Matt Barber claim that California's ban will prevent the treatment of the victims of pedophiles like Jerry Sandusky.

As he so often does, at 6:50 in the clip Matt Barber blatantly lies about the APA's position on so-called "reparative therapy." Here's what a spokeman for the APA said just yesterday about the SPLC's suit against a New Jersey "ex-gay" group:

"APA has raised concerns about the potential harm done by trying to change a person's sexual orientation. Anecdotal reports of harm include worsening of depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation—not to mention individuals entering into heterosexual marriages with the unrealized hope that these would lead to conversion. Unfortunately, many of the individuals, like the defendants named in this lawsuit, are unlicensed and not subject to professional regulation or censure. Hopefully, if the plaintiffs' suit is successful, it will have a chilling effect on the proliferation of unlicensed individuals offering false hope to unhappy individuals struggling with their sexual identities."

Britain Proposes Minimum Price On Booze To Curb Binge Drinking & Crime

The British government has proposed a minimum price on alcohol in order to curb binge drinking and alcohol-related crime. Via the BBC:

The Home Office has launched a 10-week consultation on the plan, arguing it will help reduce the levels of ill-health and crime related to alcohol. It is also considering banning multi-buy promotions, such as two-for-the-price-of-one. The 45p proposal is 5p higher than the figure suggested by ministers in March. It comes after pressure has been mounting on the government to follow Scotland's lead, where 50p has been proposed. The aim of a minimum price would be to alter the cost of heavily-discounted drinks sold in shops and supermarkets. It is not expected to affect the price of drinks in many pubs. The 45p minimum would mean a can of strong lager could not be sold for less than £1.56 and a bottle of wine below £4.22.

The tabloid Daily Mail reports that the European Commission has warned that any minimum price violates international free trade laws.

Putting a minimum price of alcohol is illegal, the European Commission has warned David Cameron. The nine-page letter from Brussels to the Prime Minister says the scheme would break laws governing the free movement of goods. The average family drinks bill will soar by almost £100 a year under the Government’s plan for minimum pricing for alcohol, it was revealed last night. Wine-producing nations such as France, Italy and Spain are planning to take Britain to court for breaching the EU law on free trade.

RELATED: This summer NYC launched a study into binge drinking which some believe heralds a possible similar move by Mayor Bloomberg. Domestic beers sell for $8 or more in many nightspots, but $2 specials are not unheard of. New York City already bans "all you can drink" specials such as beer busts.

Obama Issues World AIDS Day Statement

"Today, we reflect on the strides we have taken toward overcoming HIV/AIDS, honor those who have made our progress possible, and keep in our thoughts all those who have known the devastating consequences of this illness. The road toward an AIDS-free generation is long -- but as we mark this important observance, let us also remember that if we move forward every day with the same passion, persistence, and drive that has brought us this far, we can reach our goal. We can beat this disease. On World AIDS Day, in memory of those no longer with us and in solidarity with all who carry on the fight, let us pledge to make that vision a reality.

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States do hereby proclaim December 1, 2012, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join me in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease." - President Obama.

Faithbuddy: The Christian Facebook

There's now a Christians-only take on Facebook:

Our primary business model is based on memberships, not advertising. Our goal is to provide an online environment with few distractions. And while some ad-driven networks may be designed to consume your time, we design to conserve it. We don't track "friends" on Faithbuddy, and we've made social following anonymous. That removes social pressure, allowing you to receive updates on someone (or not) based entirely on your interest. Your contact information is not automatically shared with those you follow. Our software platform and applications are built from the ground up with an emphasis on privacy control. Our brand new approach to privacy management gives you greater and more intuitive control over how your information is shared, and enables safer online environments for young users.

Faithbuddy promises that users will not be confronted "with photos of belly flab" or "virtual farm animals."

Cat Friend Vs Dog Friend

Yup.

San Francisco Asks Appeals Court For Advance Notice Of New Weddings

As we oh-so-anxiously await tomorrow's news from the Supreme Court, Buzzfeed reporter Chris Geidner notes that the city of San Francisco is asking for a 24-hour advance notice on the possible ruling that again allows same-sex weddings in California.

The city asked for the notice in a letter from Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese M. Stewart to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. Concerned about being "deluged by same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses" and "large gatherings, including protesters" after a ruling that would allow same-sex couples to once again marry in California, Stewart asked for the 24-hour notice so the city could coordinate the "substantial" logistical efforts involved.

The request went to the Ninth Circuit, and not the Supreme Court, because of the specific procedures involved in ending an appeal. If the Supreme Court announces that it is denying the request of the backers of Proposition 8 to hear an appeal of the case, then the Ninth Circuit's ruling striking down the law will stand. The Ninth Circuit mandate has been stayed, or put on hold, while the request to the Supreme Court, called a petition for a writ of certiorari, is pending. If the petition is denied, the appeals court then will issue a mandate to return the case to the district court, which will enable its final judgment in the case to take effect.

See San Francisco's full letter at the link above.

Britney Spears + will.i.am

Meh.

Holland To Spike Blasphemy Law

Press TV has the story:

The Dutch parliament will approve a motion to abolish a law that criminalizes blasphemy, mainly due to strong support by the Liberal Party (VVD).  On Wednesday, a majority of parties in the Netherlands stated that the blasphemy law was no longer relevant in the 21st century. The VVD party had refused to support efforts to annul the law during the tenure of the previous government in order not to upset the fundamentalist Christian party SGP, whose support was necessary in the upper house of parliament.

The Christian-right party has denounced the decision, saying that it is a "painful loss of a moral anchor." It will still be illegal to insult the police or Queen Beatrix.

Denver Post: Civil Unions On Fast Track

It's going to happen:

Labor battles, gun fights, fracking and education financing will test lawmakers when the state legislature opens Jan. 9, but one issue is not in doubt: Colorado is poised to become the ninth state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions.  After two years of fighting over the issue, the Republicans who controlled the House and killed the measure are out of power, paving the way for a civil unions bill to head to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who supports legal recognition for same-sex couples. But the victory will be bittersweet for Sen. Pat Steadman, the gay lawmaker who has led the fight for civil unions. The Denver Democrat said he believes allowing gays to marry, rather than just form civil unions, would truly represent equality, but marriage is banned under Colorado's constitution. And he won't be able to share the moment with his partner of 12 years, Dave Misner, who died in September after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. "It's going to be very sad for me, and sort of anticlimactic," Steadman said.

(Tipped by JMG reader Bob)