Thursday, March 07, 2013

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) To Retire

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) announced today that he will not seek reelection in 2014.
"These issues will have an enormous impact on the people of Michigan and the nation for years to come and we need ot confront them," he wrote. "I can think of no better way to spend the next two years than to devote all of my energy and attention to taking on these challenges." Levin's departure could come at a bad time for Democrats as they look for a strong candidate to take on Republican Gov. Rick Snyder but Michigan has had few Republicans succeed at winning U.S. Senate seats in recent elections – the most recent being Spencer Abraham in 1994, who served one term before being beaten by the state's junior senator, Democrat Debbie Stabenow.
Levin voted for DOMA in 1996, but voted against a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in 2006. He supported ENDA, the Hate Crimes Act, and voted for the repeal of DADT. In 2010 the Human Rights Campaign gave Levin a 96% rating.

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One Million Moms Vs Jack In The Box

Just in via email:
Dear Joe, Jack in the Box restaurants will likely drive customers away if they continue advertising in a manner that offends parents. Their newest commercial has Jack telling his son how he met his mother at a rock concert. In a flashback, just as she is about to lift her shirt exposing herself to Jack, the ad ends but leaves nothing to the imagination. Even though Jack in the Box is not located nationwide, One Million Moms has received numerous complaints from concerned parents and could not ignore this issue. It is important to let people know how they market their restaurant so they do not patronize the fast food chain while on vacation. Jack in the Box needs to know we do not approve! 
Here's the commercial.

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KY Bill To Grant Religious Exemptions For LGBT Rights Laws Advances

The Kentucky Religious Freedom Act, which activists claim would allow citizens to disobey LGBT anti-discrimination laws, was passed 9-2 yesterday by the state Senate Judiciary Committee.
Opponents say it could let business owners and other individuals defy state and local civil-rights laws, including those in four Kentucky cities that prohibit anti-gay discrimination. Without those civil-rights protections, we fear the worst,” Derek Selznick of the ACLU said earlier this week. He said the bill could invite legal challenges to local gay-rights laws and statewide civil-rights protections for such groups as racial minorities and women. 

ACLU attorney William Sharp testified Wednesday that the bill creates an impermissible risk. “For example, there are those in in Kentucky who oppose homosexuality on religious grounds,” he said. And Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, said Wednesday that he has serious concerns about the bill, particularly because it appears to be on a fast track.
The bill forbids governmental bodies from assessing "penalties or fines" when laws are broken on the basis of "religious convictions."  The Catholic Conference of Kentucky is one of the bill's supporters.

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President Obama Signs VAWA

Today President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act, which includes lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women among its protections. Another group now protected under the bill is Native American women, who previously had no legal recourse when assaulted on tribal lands by men who are not Native American. Obama: "When I sign this bill, that ENDS." In the below clip the president also gives a shout-out to Sharon Stapel, head of the New York City Lesbian & Gay Anti-Violence Project.

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Ready Set Download

If you'd like to help organize a SCOTUS rally in your hometown, advice and materials can be found here.  On the same topic, is anybody here planning on being in DC that day?

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Headline Of The Day

The mother claims she should not have been arrested even though the "beating caused bleeding and left marks on the boy’s thighs, forearms, hands, torso and back." She adds that the first police officer on the scene told her, "Parent to parent, I probably would have shot him. I probably would have shot both of them."

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Beach House - Wishes

Beach House is from Baltimore and it shows. The clip is delightfully weird and quite appropriately it features Twin Peaks cast member Ray Wise.

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Native American Tribe OK's Marriage

The tribal council of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Michigan has legalized same-sex marriage. Think Progress notes: "Under consideration by the tribal council since last March, the new statute will allow the tribe to both recognize and perform same-sex marriage. A similar measure failed last July by one vote." Two other Native American tribes previously approved same-sex marriage; the Suquamish Indian tribe in Washington state and the Coquille Indian tribe in Oregon.

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MISSISSIPPI: Feds To Investigate Murder Of Mayoral Candidate Marco McMillian

The FBI announced yesterday that it will investigate the murder of openly gay small town mayoral candidate Marco McMillian, whose burned and beaten body was found in Mississippi last week. Local police have declined to characterize the murder as a hate crime and lawyers for the man charged in the case are reportedly considering a "gay panic" defense.
The agency "will assess evidence to determine whether federal prosecution is appropriate," Deborah Madden, an FBI public affairs specialist, said Wednesday. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the National Black Justice Coalition, both separately urged the federal government Tuesday to seek potential hate crime charges in a case that has grabbed national attention. Mississippi has a hate-crime law that covers race, religion and gender but doesn't extend to sexual orientation. However, local and state agencies can seek assistance to pursue a federal hate crime under the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which does cover homosexuality. Or the FBI can come in to investigate at the request of an outside source, as in the McMillian case.
McMillian was thought to be the first openly gay political candidate in the history of Mississippi. (Via Towleroad)

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Bear Jesus Appears On Tortilla

Looks like Bluto to me. Source. (Via JMG reader Andrew)

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Gay Marriage = Child Sacrifice

"What is conservative about advocating for same-sex marriage? I can’t think of an issue that more clearly defines what a conservative is than this one. This is not the Libertarian Political Action Conference. It’s not the Liberal Political Action Conference. It’s the Conservative Political Action Conference. What’s wrong with limiting the speakers and the sponsors to conservatives? Why is S.E. Cupp even invited to speak? I don’t get it. The Conservative Political Action Conference is for conservatives – not for people who seek to undermine the Judeo-Christian basis of Western civilization with one of the most radical ideas considered since child sacrifice." - World Net Daily founder and three-time Just For Men Olympics gold medalist Joseph Farah, slamming CPAC for inviting S.E. Cupp, who has declined the invite until GOProud is welcomed back.

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ITALY: Anti-Gay Former PM Silvio Berlusconi Sentenced To Prison

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MICHIGAN: Judge Postpones Marriage Equality Ruling Until After SCOTUS Decides

Well, it was fun to dream for a day. Via Detroit News:
A lesbian couple's desire to adopt each other's children in a potential challenge to Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage will have to wait a bit longer. Federal Judge Bernard Friedman stayed his decision in the matter Thursday so he can wait until the U.S. Supreme Court decides two other federal cases, which will likely be in June. "I'll be watching those cases close," Friedman said. "Hopefully, the Supreme Court will give us some direction."
(Tipped by JMG reader Todd)

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Today's Gaelic Lesson

Via email from Marriage Equality Ireland: "Hi Joe, It’s Irish Language Week here in Ireland (aka 'Seachtain na Gaeilge') and I thought your readers might enjoy learning how to say 'I support marriage equality… do you?' in Irish."  Can we get a phonetic pronunciation, Irish readers?

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NEW YORK CITY: Meningitis Vaccinations Suggested For All Gay & Bisexual Men

New York City's continuing meningitis outbreak, which has now seen seven fatalities, has prompted the Department of Health to suggest vaccinations for all gay and bisexual men who hook up via social media or at bars, etc. Previously vaccinations had been suggested primarily for HIV+ men in some areas of Brooklyn.  Via press release:
The Health Department issued new recommendations today for vaccinating against invasive meningococcal disease – commonly known as meningitis – after an increase in cases. Vaccinations are now advised for men, regardless of HIV status, who regularly have intimate contact with other men met through a website, digital application (“App”), or at a bar or party.

Four new cases of meningitis among men who have sex with men have been reported since the beginning of January, bringing the total to 17 cases since 2012. There have been 22 reported cases – including seven fatal cases – since 2010.

“Meningitis symptoms usually come on quickly, and the disease can be fatal if not treated right away,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. “Vaccination is the best defense. I urge all men who meet these criteria – regardless of whether they identify as gay – to get vaccinated now and protect themselves from this disease before it is too late.”
Five members of the City Council and Speaker Christine Quinn yesterday urged the constituents of their districts to take heed.

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Alert: This Is A Test. Bryan Is Gay.

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Petition Of The Day

The petition is from the global rights group All Out.

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NEBRASKA: FRC May Sue To Force Referendum On LGBT Rights Law

A Nebraska affiliate of the Family Research Council is apparently planning to sue the city of Lincoln in order force a public referendum on overturning that town's LGBT rights law.  Via Aksarbent:
David Bydalek (left) of Family First, Nebraska, an affiliate of the Family Research Council, and Al Riskowki, of the Nebraska Family Council, want the issue on the ballot and are considering seeking a writ of mandamus that would force city officials to perform what they consider the city's statutory duty, although city statutes don’t say how soon a referendum election must be held after signatures are verified.
The Lincoln City Council unanimously approved its LGBT anti-discrimination bill last May.

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SF SCOTUS Rally: March 25th

Facebook event page. (Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

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CPAC Invites Lawrence O'Donnell

They want him to debate Ann Coulter. Watch his response.

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CANADA: Government Funds Efforts To Thwart Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill

Excellent news from the north:
Canada is quietly financing a concerted grassroots effort to aid gay Ugandans’ fight against their country’s proposed anti-homosexuality bill — and preparing them in case it passes, says a senior Department of Foreign Affairs source. Since November, when the Ugandan Parliament renewed its effort to pass the legislation, which Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has called “abhorrent,” Canada has spent $200,000 to kick-start several gay rights initiatives in the region. The source confirmed that the Canadian involvement was specifically focused on fighting the Ugandan bill.
(Tipped by JMG reader David)

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Quote Of The Day - Kristin Chenoweth

"I think it is very anti-Christian [to hate gay people]. It is the antithesis of what I believe. It is the antithesis of what you should believe if you believe in Jesus. It’s not what he taught, it’s the opposite of what he taught. If Jesus was to walk the Earth today, or Buddha or anybody, they would be horrified. Those people saying they’re doing it in the name of God? No no no no no. I speak as a Christian person, and as a woman and as an artist. I would love nothing more for my friends who love each other to get married. I don’t think it’s a sin, I think we’re born how we’re born. Look at me, I’m 4’11’’, and so if it was a sin to be short, what would I do? Well I’d just be, you know, it’s how God made me." - Actress Kristin Chenoweth, in an interview with Gay Star News.

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Mexican Supreme Court: Homophobic Language Is Offensive & Discriminatory

By a 3-2 vote, the Mexican Supreme Court has ruled that homophobic language and words such as "maricones" (faggots) are offensive and not covered by freedom of expression laws.  Andres Duque has a translation at Blabbeando:
The First Chamber determined that homophobic expressions or - in other words the frequent allegations that homosexuality is not a valid option but an inferior condition - constitute discriminatory statements even if they are expressed jokingly, since they can be used to encourage, promote and justify intolerance against gays.

For this reason, the Chamber determined that the terms used in this specific case - made up of the words "maricones" and "puñal" - were offensive. These are expressions which are certainly deeply rooted in the language of Mexican society but the truth is that the practices of a majority of participants of a society cannot trump violations of basic rights.
Like with the Whatcott case in Canada, we'll likely never see such a ruling in the United States. Hit the link for more.

Al Jazeera On Sydney Brutality Case

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Tony Perkins Endorses The Kidnapping Of Children From Their Gay Parents

"Faced with losing her seven-year-old daughter to her former lesbian partner, Lisa Miller made the only choice a new Christian could: she sought her minister's help. After two courts ordered Lisa to transfer custody of her biological daughter to a woman with no adoptive rights, she felt she had no choice but to flee the country. Kenneth Miller, a Mennonite pastor from Vermont, helped her escape--and will now be paying for it with a 27-month prison sentence.

"Last summer, a jury found him guilty of helping Lisa and her daughter, Isabella, travel from Virginia to the Canadian border and then to Central America via the Toronto airport. During the two-hour sentencing, Miller told the judge he 'couldn't promise' that he would never again help a parent smuggle a son or daughter out of the country. He saw, as so many of us do, a vulnerable child--and a government bent on redefining family law to the exclusion of the actual parents. 'I give myself unto you to do with me as you see fit,' an emotional Miller told the court. To many of us, the pastor's predicament seems extreme--but a day may come when we all have to make a similar choice.

"Obviously, there are things we can do between now and then to protect ourselves, like electing strong conservative leaders and resisting the ever-growing reach of the federal government. But under an administration as hostile to faith as this one is, Christians may soon find themselves in the same position of breaking an unjust law. Will you have the courage to do what Kenneth Miller did? Don't wait until the moment is upon you before contemplating this. Are you willing to accept the penalty instead of compromising your principles?" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, endorsing the kidnapping of children from their gay parents.

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Open Thread Thursday

Tell us about the last time you went to church.

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Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Colorado Civil Unions Bill Advances

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AUSTRALIA: Sydney Mardi Gras Police Brutality Victim Speaks To Press

It turns out that it didn't start with jaywalking.

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MICHIGAN: Coming Ruling By Court Could Legalize Marriage Immediately

Holy cow! This one was NOT on our radar. Via ABC News:
Two Detroit-area nurses filed a lawsuit to try to overturn restrictions on adoption by same-sex partners. But at the judge's invitation, the case took an extraordinary turn and now will test the legality of a 2004 constitutional amendment that stipulates Michigan only recognizes marriages between a man and a woman. U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman will hear arguments in the case Thursday at a Detroit law school. If he concludes the amendment violates the U.S. Constitution, gay-marriage supporters say same-sex couples would immediately be allowed to wed and adopt children. State officials, however, predict "potential legal chaos" if the judge throws out the gay marriage ban.
Michigan's GOP Attorney General has filed a brief against the couple.

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WA Florist Refuses Gay Wedding

A Washington state florist has refused to provide a gay couple with flowers for their wedding after nine years of selling to them.
It was a very exciting moment, probably one of the happiest days of my life," said Rob Ingersoll of his engagement to his partner of nine years, Curt. So when it was time to make preparations for their September 19th, Rob wanted to go with the florist he and Curt have been using for years, Barronelle Stuzman, the owner of Arelene's Flowers in Richland. However, when he asked her, Stuzman politely declined. "And I just took his hands and I said I'm sorry I can't do your wedding because of my relationship with Jesus Christ," said Stuzman who believes marriage should be between one man and one woman.
Since long before the legalization of same-sex marriage, it has been against the law in Washington state to refuse business on the basis of sexual orientation. The florist claims she is now the target of death threats. And another martyr is born. (Tipped by JMG reader Nick)

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Today On TMZ

You probably don't want to read the comments.

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Samwell - Just Be Free

Here's something new from one of YouTube's first breakout viral stars, Samwell, whose What What In The Butt now has over 50 million views.

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No Apology From NOM's Jennifer Morse

"The media and activists groups are mischaracterizing my remarks, in which I urged students to befriend gay students, and also urged them all to adhere to the traditional standards of sexual morality. I believe that engaging in uncommitted sex hurts people of both genders and all sexual orientations. I would be happy to meet with Tyler Clementi's mom and dad to try to move forward and go beyond the highly charged rhetoric that doesn't help anyone. I don't think the Clementis know me or what I believe or think or said. Reaching out across lines of moral difference in a spirit of love is my mission. In the meantime, I would invite anyone to come to the Ruth Institute website and listen to the entire podcast for themselves." - NOM spokesman Jennifer Roback Morse, refusing to apologize.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Morse says that gay people themselves know they are an abomination. Morse says that gay people want to outlaw Christianity.  Morse says that people who "choose" to be gay will go to hell.

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Glenn Beck Gives CPR To Liberty

"Don't die! Open your eyes! STAY WITH ME!"

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MARYLAND: Archdiocese Of Baltimore Deacon Busted For Child Pornography

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has issued a statement.
Dear Parishioners, Earlier today, the Archdiocese of Baltimore learned that Deacon William Albaugh, 66, was arrested this morning on a charge of possession of child pornography by the Baltimore County Police Department. Albaugh, a permanent deacon assigned to St. Joseph Church in Fullerton, was ordained in 1996 and has spent his entire ministry at St. Joseph. The Archdiocese immediately suspended Mr. Albaugh’s diaconal faculties prohibiting him from all public ministry. The Archdiocese is working with St. Joseph Parish to inform the parish community. Neither the parish nor the Archdiocese has received any prior allegations against Mr. Albaugh, who successfully fulfilled all of the child & youth protection requirements of the Archdiocese, including a criminal history screening.
The deacon was busted thanks to Verizon, who found the porn loaded onto their cloud storage service. So he's a pervert AND really, really stupid.

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Superman Artist Pulls Out Over NOM

The artist scheduled to draw the upcoming issue of Superman has withdrawn from the project after widespread complaints due to the hiring of NOM board member Orson Scott Card to write the text.
"It took a lot of thought to come to this conclusion, but I've decided to step back as the artist on this story," Chris Sprouse said in a statement released Tuesday. "The media surrounding this story reached the point where it took away from the actual work, and that's something I wasn't comfortable with. My relationship with DC Comics remains as strong as ever and I look forward to my next project with them." Due to the creative change, the Card story will not appear in the first collected issue out May 29. Instead, it will feature a story by writer Jeff Parker and artist Chris Samnee, as well as a tale by Jeff Lemire and one by writer Justin Jordan and artist Riley Rossmo. DC is also looking for a replacement illustrator for Card's story.
DC Comics says they "support, understand, and respect" the decision by Sprouse.

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Bloomberg's New Campaign: Loud Earbuds

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is launching a new public health campaign:
Bloomberg — who has already cracked down on smoking, junk food, trans fats, salt and super-sized drinks — is embarking on a new crusade: preventing New Yorkers from going deaf. Hizzoner’s health officials are planning a social-media campaign to warn young people about the risk of losing their hearing from listening to music at high volume on personal MP3 players, The Post has learned. “With public and private support, a public-education campaign is being developed to raise awareness about safe use of personal music players . . . and risks of loud and long listening,” said Nancy Clark, the city Health Department’s assistant commissioner of environmental-disease prevention.
The campaign is kicking off with a $250,000 grant from the Department of Health.

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Two Minutes Of British Hate #8

Dr. Sharon "Kalley Yanta" James is back to declare that she's totally not a bigot just because she opposes civil equality for gay people. Her proof: There are four homosexuals who agree with her!

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Valerie Harper Has Terminal Brain Cancer

Horrible news. People Magazine reports:
A battery of tests revealed she has leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition that occurs when cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain. Her doctors say she has as little as three months left to live. Resolved to face her last days with courage and humor, "I don't think of dying," says the actress, 73, who previously battled lung cancer in 2009. "I think of being here now."

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How DOMA "Defends" Marriage

Visit the pro-gay March 4 Marriage page on Facebook.

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Morning View - Eighth Fairway

I'll be spending the rest of the week blogging from the Fort Lauderdale lanai of my ex and his partner, who live in a golf course condo complex just west of Wilton Manors.  Usually I stay with Father Tony over on the beach, but he's busy with the papal conclave.  The weather is gorgeous, so suck it, snowquester.

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HomoQuotable - Christopher Doyle

"When I was a young man, I lived a gay life. But my dream was to marry a woman and have a family, so I sought to change my homosexual attractions. Today, I'm living my dream! I am married to a beautiful woman, and together we have three wonderful children. As a psychotherapist, I am passionate about helping other persons who struggle with their homosexual feeling. Some want to change, while others just want to be heard, understood, and loved. I believe in equality and respect for all views of sexuality, and that's why I defend everyone's right to live their lives according to their own values. Although the gay life wasn't for me, I sincerely love the entire Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community." - "Ex-gay" crackpot Christopher Doyle, who loves our people so fucking much, he earns a living advocating against our civil rights, working to ensure that our youth are bullied and beaten in schools, and torturing and brainwashing our most troubled people.

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New App: Gay Haiku

Joel Derfner's hit book is now an iPhone app.

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97% Of Marriage Backers Got Re-Elected

Here's a nifty little stat that NOM will surely ignore.
Based on election results in the two states that passed freedom to marry laws in the 2011-2012 legislative cycle and whose members stood for reelection — New York and Washington — the analysis, “Pro-Marriage Legislators Win Elections,” finds that pro-marriage legislators who ran for reelection won 97% of the time. This is significantly higher than the national incumbent re-election average of 90% in 2012.

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Bicyclists Pollute The Air

"You claim that it is environmentally friendly to ride a bike. But if I am not mistaken, a cyclists has an increased heart rate and respiration. That means that the act of riding a bike results in greater emissions of ;carbon dioxide from the rider. Since CO2 is deemed to be a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, bicyclists are actually polluting when they ride. I know, you own a car and drive so are paying gas tax — but not while you are riding your bike." - Washington GOP state Rep. Ed Horcutt, explaining his support for a proposed bicycle tax to a bike shop owner. 

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Headline Of The Day

Delicious.

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Bill O'Reilly Screams At Alan Colmes

Mediaite has a recap:
Bill O’Reilly brought on Alan Colmes and Monica Crowley to talk about President Obama‘s seeming reticence to offer any meaningful spending cuts, but most of the segment involved O’Reilly getting into a shouting match with Colmes over Colmes not being able, as O’Reilly viewed it, to provide concrete examples of what Obama wants to cut. O’Reilly repeatedly shouted at Colmes, called him a liar, and declared his claims to be “bull-blank.”

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Clementi's Parents Want NOM Apology

The parents of Tyler Clementi want NOM to apologize after their repulsive spokesperson Jennifer Roback Morse referenced their son in a speech to Catholic students at Iowa State.  Morse said:
Sometimes you hear about these things and, you know, you don’t hear the whole story in the media. That kid Tyler Clementi who killed himself — who threw himself off the George Washington Bridge — do you know this story? Okay, then I'm not going to tell it. I mean, there was a much older man in the picture. In other words, there's usually more to the story, right? And so I think friendship is what you have to offer. There are a lot of situations where people are doing something sexual that’s probably not the best thing for them.
Clementi's parents wrote to NOM:
"To exploit our late son's name to advance an anti-equality agenda is offensive and wrong By doing so, National Organization for Marriage prove that not only is there no low they will not sink to, to advance their cruel agenda — but that neither they nor Ms. Morse have any grip on reality. The very idea that Tyler's tragedy happened because of too much support — instead of not enough — is ludicrous. Shame on them."
Roback, you may recall, has testified against LGBT rights before numerous state legislatures. Don't hold your breath for an apology.

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God Sent The Locusts For Obama

"Is it by coincidence that a swarm of locust from Egypt have [sic] moved across the border into Israel today just weeks before Mr. Obama’s arrival in the Holy Land? Tens of millions of locust have attacked Egypt in recent days. A plague of locust was one of the ten plagues that God used to punish Egypt for refusing to allow the Hebrew people to depart, the story is recounted in Jewish homes and synagogues each year at Passover. Passover begins at March 25th; Mr. Obama is scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem on March 20th.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Israel is covered with locusts when he arrives in Jerusalem in three weeks. How many biblical signs do we need to see to know that this man is evil?" - Pastor Rick Wiles, right on schedule. (Via Right Wing Watch)

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Quote Of The Day - Robert Jeffress

"Any day we are being attacked by the American Atheists, we consider it to be a good day. It only proves that we are doing our job." - Pastor Robert Jeffress, responding to the above billboard.

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Census Issues Commuting Study

From a newly released study by the US Census, which categorizes a "long commute" as longer than 60 minutes:
Among U.S. workers who did not work at home, 8.1 percent had commutes of 60 minutes or longer in 2011. An estimated 61.1 percent of workers with “long commutes” drove to work alone, compared with 79.9 percent for all workers who did not work at home. New York shows the highest rate of “long commutes” at 16.2 percent, followed by Maryland and New Jersey at 14.8 and 14.6 percent, respectively. The District of Columbia has the highest rate of out-of-state commuters among its resident workers at 25.2 percent, followed by Maryland at 18.3 percent. Among all people who work in the District of Columbia, 72.4 percent live outside the District of Columbia.
(Via Gothamist)

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Tuesday, March 05, 2013

AFA: We're Still Boycotting Home Depot

Today's press release from the American Family Association:
The Home Depot just gave $8,500 to the Atlanta chapter of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as a "Silver" sponsor of the Atlanta Gala Dinner and Auction in May.  HRC is the nation's largest and most aggressive gay marriage advocacy group, leading the charge to the Supreme Court against California's constitutional amendment protecting marriage as between one man and one woman.  Customers who shop at Home Depot should know that a portion of their purchase will be used to help push the legalization and promotion of homosexual marriage in America. AFA is promoting a boycott of Home Depot until it agrees to remain neutral in the homosexual culture war.
The boycott launched a couple of years ago and since then Home Depot's stock value has just about tripled.  No wonder the company won't return calls from the AFA!

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Venezuela's Hugo Chavez Dead At 58

Just announced by Venezuela's vice president.

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Trump To Speak At CPAC

You may recall that now-banned GOProud launched a write-in campaign for Trump during CPAC 2011's straw poll of presidential candidates. As GOProud was one of that year's co-sponsors, Trump was there to speak at their invitation. Which worked out great for them, as he sure doesn't mind going back without them.

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NOM Welcomes "Death To Obama" Pastor To Attend SCOTUS Hate March

You might remember Pastor Wiley Drake, who made national news in 2009 when he began publicly praying for God to murder President Obama.  Drake, the former vice president of Southern Baptists Convention, has also called for God to murder the leaders of secular groups like Americans For Separation Of Church And State.

Today Good As You blogger Jeremy Hooper has posted an email exchange between Drake and a NOM staffer who welcomes his interest in attending their hate march on the Supreme Court and asks him to help promote the event. Hooper acknowledges that this staffer may not have known about Drake's history, but they surely do now. Will they rescind their warm welcome?

Here's a clip of Drake telling radio host Alan Colmes that he doesn't care if the Secret Service "puts me on a list" for praying for the president's death.

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MISSISSIPPI: Gay Panic Defense Floated In Murder Of Gay Mayoral Candidate

Last week the body of Marco McMillian, a mayoral candidate in a small Mississippi town, was found beaten and burned.  Police almost immediately announced that they had a 22 year-old suspect in custody.  Today we get a disturbing update via press release:
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has learned that a “gay panic” defense might be used by the suspect in the homicide of Mississippi Mayoral Candidate, Marco McMillian. McMillian was found dead on Wednesday, February 27th near the bank of the Mississippi River just west of Clarksdale, Mississippi, the town where he had been a mayoral hopeful. Lawrence Reed was arrested for the homicide, and it is being reported that the two men may have had an intimate relationship during the approximately two weeks that they knew one another. It is also being reported that Reed, who identifies as straight, may have “snapped” as a result of sexual advances on the part of McMillian. Police have ruled out a hate crime in this case so far, something that some of McMillian’s friends and family members want reconsidered due to the brutal nature of the homicide.
The NCAVP notes that Mississippi does not have a state hate crimes law, meaning that federal charges would be required. McMillian was thought to have been the first openly gay political candidate in the history of Mississippi.

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Environmentalists Are Religious Crazies

Says the most un-self-aware crackpot ever.

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Today In Gay Etiquette

From Steven Petrow's Civil Behavior column in the New York Times:
Dear Civil Behavior: Someone I knew decades ago when I was in college identified as transgender pre-op. Lately, this person looked me up online and started an e-mail chain. They informed me they had changed their name from a distinctly masculine one to a gender-neutral name, but didn’t really explain. On the one hand, since we discussed the transgender issue quite extensively back in the day, I feel that basic politeness and, of course, an interest in catching up would suggest that I inquire about whether the person has fully changed gender. On the other hand, one doesn’t want to be intrusive around a potentially delicate topic. Is there a polite way to ask, “Did you have surgery?”
Give us your own response, then hit the link and see what Petrow had to say.

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MICHIGAN: State Health Department Secretly Collecting Names Of HIV+

In what could completely upend all attempts to get at-risk members of the public to be tested for HIV, the Michigan Department of Community Health has been accused of storing the identities of HIV+ residents for possible use in criminal prosecutions for exposing others to the virus.  Todd Heywood reports at American Independent:
While MDCH claims the database does not contain personally identifiable information, a recent study, published last month in the University of California Press’ journal Social Problems, has found that some Michigan local health departments with access to the database are using it to pursue both civil actions – known as “health threat to others” actions – and criminal prosecutions against people living with HIV.

The study, authored by University of Michigan Ph.D. candidate Trevor Hoppe, found that the database has been used specifically to identify and target sexual or needle-sharing partners of newly diagnosed HIV-positive persons where the infected person may not have disclosed his or her status to partners; women who are HIV-positive and have become pregnant; and HIV-positive persons who have been diagnosed with other sexually transmitted infections.
Heywood notes that at least 800 state employees have access to at least part of the "confidential" HIV testing data.

RELATED: Last month a federal advisory panel passed a resolution calling on Washington to help states with efforts to decriminalize the transmission of HIV.  Thirty-two states presently have such laws. In some cases, HIV+ people have been convicted and imprisoned even though safer sex practices were adhered to and no transmission occurred.

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Andrew Sullivan Vs Douglas Wilson

Pastor Douglas Wilson debated Andrew Sullivan on marriage equality last week in an event that was moderated by Peter Hitchens, brother of the late famed anti-theist.  The debate is quite long and both participants open with a ten minute statement.

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Viral Today On Facebook

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Mainstream Outlet Buys Gay Sports Site

The long-running Outsports has a big announcement.
Outsports has been purchased by Vox Media, which publishes SBNation.com and its 320 fan-focused and team oriented sports blogs along with tech/culture site The Verge and gaming site Polygon. Outsports will now be a part of SB Nation. Cyd and Jim are still running the site and we have editorial control. Vox gives us the technical resources and reach that we were sorely missing being independently owned. We think this might be the first time a mainstream media company has purchased a gay-oriented website.
Outsports has already launched its new look and logo.

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New Texas Billboard Campaign

Source.

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Don't Call Her, Not Even Maybe

Yesterday GLAAD reported that the band Train has also pulled out of the event.

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Brown: IL Marriage Would Be Disastrous

"It would be disastrous if a well-funded push by the same-sex marriage activists got bills passed at exactly the time the most important legal case of our generation was under consideration by the Supreme Court! You and I can stop them! We have before.and we can again! So please make an immediate donation to support NOM's work to defend marriage wherever it is threatened all across the country.

"We need to reframe the issue — for far too long we've been letting our opponents get away with shallow rhetoric reducing marriage to nothing more than issues of 'equality' and 'civil rights.' Marriage is so much more than that! It is, for starters, the only institution we have that ties children to their biological mother and father!" - Hate group leader and de facto Vatican employee Brian Brown, in today's money beg.

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New From Karl Rove

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VA Pastor Sentenced To Prison For Aiding Kidnapping Of Child Of Lesbian Mom

Pastor Kenneth Miller has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role in the kidnapping of the child of a lesbian mom whose former partner "renounced homosexuality" and fled with their child to Nicaragua in violation of a court-ordered custody sharing arrangement. Miller spent 30 days in jail for contempt earlier this year after refusing to name his accomplices, telling the court, "If I were to bring testimony against a fellow member of Christ’s kingdom, for honoring Christ’s kingdom’s laws, I would be disloyal to his kingdom and to Christ."
Mr. Miller was convicted last fall for helping to arrange the covert flight to Nicaragua of Lisa A. Miller with her daughter, Isabella Miller-Jenkins, in 2009.  Ms. Miller, who is not related to the pastor, had won support in conservative Christian circles for refusing to permit court-mandated visits with Isabella by her other legal mother, Janet Jenkins, Ms. Miller’s former partner in a civil union in Vermont. After the couple split up, Ms. Miller moved to Virginia, said she was a born-again Christian and denounced her former lesbianism as a sin. In 2009, as an exasperated family court judge threatened to transfer primary custody to Ms. Jenkins, Ms. Miller and her daughter, then 7, disappeared and a warrant was issued for Ms. Miller’s arrest.
The pastor remains free as his attorneys plan an appeal.  You may recall that the case also involves Liberty University and law professor Mat Staver, the head of the virulently anti-gay Liberty Counsel, whose secretary is alleged to have assisted in the kidnapping. In August 2012 Liberty Counsel and numerous other parties were named in a civil suit filed by Janet Jenkins.  The suit notes that the named parties have signed the infamous Manhattan Declaration, whose supporters vow to disobey laws that protect LGBT people.  At the time the suit was filed, Staver threatened to retaliate and sue Jenkins for defamation, but it's not known if he ever did. The whereabouts of Lisa Miller and the child remain unknown. (Tipped by JMG reader Blair)

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Police Brutality Mars Sydney Mardi Gras

A spokesman for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras this morning sent us the below press release.
Late Tuesday evening, SGLMG received and viewed footage  involving NSW Police arresting a spectator with excessive force at the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade on March 2, 2013. This incident is quite distressing and our thoughts are with the individual, his family, friends and those that witnessed this. The Board and Management of SGLMG assure the community and parade viewers that we have requested a meeting tomorrow with the Minister of Police and that we are working with the state Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, MP Sydney, to have this incident investigated and addressed.
Minutes before the above statement arrived, I was tipped to the below video by JMG reader Dennis. While we don't yet know the backstory regarding this young man's arrest, I must warn you that I literally gasped when the cop slammed his head into the pavement. Unforgivable.

UPDATE: The Australian gay news site Same Same is on the story. The victim claims he was arrested for attempting to cross the road during the parade.
Same Same has also been contacted by witnesses to another alleged police assault in the same vicinity on the night, with claims that a young man was punched and left bleeding after his head was smashed against concrete after he had already been handcuffed by police officers.

A witness at the scene with her two teenaged sisters says the violent actions of the officers involved left her younger siblings seriously traumatised. “They were crying while the police bashed the boy’s head into the cement,” she said. “It was horrible, disgusting behaviour.”

Another witness adds: “They picked him up by the throat and slammed him into the ground with his head hitting the ground that hard it sounded like a bowling ball hitting the ground,” she said. “This was while he was in handcuffs.”
The victim also claims the he was kicked by several officers. The Sydney Morning Herald is now reporting the story.

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Lesbians Wed At Tokyo Disney

Flanked by Mickey and Minnie, a lesbian couple was (not legally) married on Friday at Tokyo's Disney Resort.
The event on Friday was the first homosexual wedding in the popular amusement park even though gay marriage has no legal standing in Japan.The couple first hit the headlines after the theme park initially told them there would be no problem with the ceremony provided they dressed "like a man and a woman". A staff member said a same-sex wedding would create "repercussions" among visitors if both brides wore wedding dresses or both grooms donned tuxedoes. But just few days later the resort operator got back in touch to say their initial response had been wrong and gay couples were free to mix and match their attire.
Walt Disney Company, which signed onto last week's corporate SCOTUS brief, has allowed same-sex ceremonies on its properties since 2007.

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Macklemore Parody: The AIDS Thrift Shop

Towleroad provides the recap: "Pauley Perret, Anika Noni Rose, Verne Troyer, Kat Graham and Josie Loren are among those in a new HIV awareness clip for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation parodying Macklemore's 'Thrift Shop' at the 'Out of the Closet' thrift stores."

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Church Sign Of The Day

Source.

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Spot The Fake Bishop

That's him on the left.
Ralph Napierski, a self-appointed bishop from an apparently fictional order called Corpus Dei, managed to get through a checkpoint manned by Swiss Guards but was stopped before entering the Paul VI Hall, where the cardinals were gathering. Dressed in fake bishop’s vestments, complete with a purple sash, Mr Napierski smiled to photographers as he mixed with more than 140 cardinals from around the world as they filed into the hall to discuss the challenges facing the Church and possible “papabili” or papal candidates. He said that he was a member of the “Italian Orthodox Church”, which does not exist, and said the Catholic Church had made grave errors by allowing priests accused of child abuse to move around different parishes.

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