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Feral
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 Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:34 am Post subject: |
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I'm not seeing the point of the comparison. The US state laws forbidding cousins marrying have few parallels anywhere in the world (there are some). Certainly the history of how those laws came to be is interesting in itself. Probably one could conjure up some relationship to Gay marriage, but I won't be the one to do it.
The Gay blogosphere seems to have adopted this particular bit of thumb-wagging and taken it to heart... as if there were something obviously and inherently imprudent about "allowing" cousins to marry. The science isn't exactly behind that proposition. Unless, of course, you're fond of nonsense involving "micro-tears" or cooked statistics on life-expectancy. I'd have thought the Gay people would have had their fill of crap science and revisionist history. On that point I seem to be deluded. I find that disconcerting. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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Lesbian Sister Of Prop 8 Mastermind Announces Run For Superior Court Judge
| Quote: | Proposition 8 and Yes On 1 (Maine) campaign manager Frank Schubert has a domestically-partnered lesbian sister with two kids, not that he cared about his own family when he went about wrecking and ridiculing the lives of gay people. The Bay Area Reporter notes that Anne Schubert is now running for Superior Court judge in Sacramento, but she says that campaign rules prevent her from commenting on Prop 8 or her rotten brother.
| Quote: | | Because I am running for a judicial seat, I am bound by the California Code of Judicial Ethics. This code applies to both sitting judges and attorneys running for judicial office," Anne Marie Schubert said in an e-mail. "This code makes it clear that 'Candidates may not make statements that commit the candidate with respect to cases, controversies, or issues that could come before the courts.' This code also states, 'Judges involved in judicial campaigns must also avoid comment concerning a matter pending or impending in any court.' In all honesty, I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to give you my personal opinion on Prop 8. |
Frank Schubert says that of course he loves his sister and her family. Funny way to show it, fuckweasel. Watch out, Anne - he'll be coming after your domestic partnership next. |
In other equality news, New Hampshire's gonna be issuing marriage licenses to the 'mos as of midnight tonight, and there's a group of people all ready to get hitched on the steps of the state house at the stroke of 12!
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pogovio
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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N.J. Assembly defers to Senate for marriage vote
http://dcagenda.com/2009/12/31/n-j-assembly-defers-to-senate-for-ma...
| Quote: | The leader of the New Jersey Assembly has pledged to bring a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the Garden State directly to a floor vote — provided the full Senate votes to approve the legislation first.
... the Senate is seen as the more challenging chamber for advocates of same-sex marriage in New Jersey. |
If I'm not mistaken, the Senate kicked it over to the Assembly because they claimed that the Assembly would be a more challenging place to get it passed. The reality is, nobody wants to go on record as supporting gay marriage and then have it turn out to be wasted effort putting their own political neck at risk. Then they can be accused of being way out on the far left supporting things that the majority don't want.
Strategically, the best approach is to first pass it in the chamber that's most likely to approve it, and then it will go into the other chamber with some momentum. Success breeds support.
EDIT: More details about the political maneuvering:
Gay marriage bill moves to shaky ground
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-15/126231...
| Quote: | A bill to legalize gay marriage was dealt a major setback yesterday when the state Assembly speaker tossed it back to the Senate, leaving the measure in limbo as supporters and opponents watch time run out for it to become law. ... That sent the bill's Senate sponsors scrambling to get a vote scheduled before Gov. Jon Corzine leaves office.
Instead of setting a Senate vote, leaders there then called upon the Assembly judiciary committee to debate the issue. ... "Obviously there's a lot of punting going on," he said. "Sounds like a ballgame, and somebody's got to decide who's going to take the kick." |
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voice of the damned
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | The Gay blogosphere seems to have adopted this particular bit of thumb-wagging and taken it to heart... as if there were something obviously and inherently imprudent about "allowing" cousins to marry. |
Yes, and Canada, which pretty much beat the rest of the world in recognizing SSM, also allows first-cousins to marry...
| Quote: | | No European country prohibits marriage between first cousins. It is also legal throughout Canada and Mexico to marry your cousin. The U.S. is the only western country with cousin marriage restrictions. |
I think the taboo against cousin marriage is sort of an aesthetic objection that some people insist on dragging into political discussions about the American Deep South. Sorta like "Oh those awful rednecks, they mistreat blacks, drive pick-up trucks, bash gays, watch football, and marry their cousins." It very much has an H.L. Mencken, self-styled urban sophisticate air about it.
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pogovio
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| Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Gay Marriage to Get Senate Vote in NJ
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/Gay-Marriage-to-Get-Vote-in...
| Quote: | There will in fact be a vote on gay marriage in the lame duck session of the New Jersey state legislature on Thursday, NBCNewYork.com has learned.
"We're gonna post the bill and see what happens," Senate President Dick Codey told us.
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If the bill does pass the State Senate, it would go to the Assembly which would also have to debate, and then hold a final vote on Monday, the last day of the session. |
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pogovio
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| Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:16 am Post subject: |
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As expected, the NJ Senate defeated the bill allowing same sex marriage. The vote was 20-14. There were 6 senators who did not vote. One is known to be seriously ill and not attending, another has become a mayor and has given up the seat. But 4 should have voted and didn't. There was only 1 new vote - there were 13 who had long been on record as supporting the bill.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/n-j-senate-kills-marriage-legislation/
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Hephaestion
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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Divorce Rises In States With Same-Sex Marriage Ban
| Quote: | Stats guru Nate Silver has crunched the numbers and reports that states with bans on same-sex marriage have a higher rate of divorce. In Massachusetts, the divorce rate has plunged over 20% in the five years since same-sex marriage became legal there. States with a constitutional ban have seen an overall increase in divorce.
It would be fantastic to get Nate Silver into the witness chair at Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, wouldn't it? |
table of stats @ link
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Raos
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm a bit concerned that those stats aren't really telling the whole story. The average "age" of a same-sex marriage is significantly shorter than the average opposite-sex marriage, there's a huge opportunity for confounding. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:32 am Post subject: |
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Puerto Rico Governor Wants Marriage Ban
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Governor McCreepy's ex-wife against marriage equality, but presumably still thinks three-ways are between a woman, her closeted gay husband and another man...
| Quote: | She was OK with fucking her way to the top with clearly gay husband, including having three-ways with him. But Dina Matos McGreevey does not support same-sex marriage. Because that's against God.
| Quote: | | “I was raised a Catholic. I grew up in the church, so I believe in traditional marriage between a man and a woman,” Matos added. McGreevey, who left office three months after disclosing his sexual orientation, is in a gay relationship and has said he would marry his partner if possible. A bill that would have legalized gay marriage was defeated, 20-14, in the state Senate last Thursday, ending efforts to secure passage prior to the inauguration of Gov.-elect Chris Christie, a gay marriage opponent, next Tuesday. Matos, 43, has not remarried but acknowledged Wednesday she is dating. |
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pogovio
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Hawaii Lawmakers Decide Not to Vote on Same-Sex Civil Unions
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/29/hawaii-lawmakers-decide-...
ENTIRE ARTICLE
| Quote: | HONOLULU -- Lawmakers in Hawaii have decided not to vote on a bill that would have allowed same-sex civil unions in the state, a move that effectively kills the measure.
The state's House of Representatives indefinitely postponed a vote on the bill to grant gay couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married couples.
Civil union supporters in the House gallery on Friday shouted, "Shame on you!" while opponents cheered.
The state Senate had approved a civil unions bill last week. But House leadership wavered on pushing the controversial issue during an election year.
Last year, 33 of 51 House members voted in favor of civil unions.
Republican Gov. Linda Lingle had refused to say whether she would veto a civil unions bill or let it become law, if lawmakers had approved it |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:54 am Post subject: |
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ACLU & Lambda Legal To Sue Hawaii
| Quote: | After nonstop harassment by Catholic and evangelical groups protesting at the state capitol building, last week the Hawaii House indefinitely postponed a vote on civil unions after approving such an item twice in previous years. The ACLU and Lambda Legal are suing the state.
| Quote: | | Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai`i Foundation (ACLU) today announced they are planning legal action against the state of Hawai'i following last Friday’s failure by the Hawai`i Legislature to enact a law providing broad legal rights and duties to the state’s lesbian and gay couples. The Hawai`i Senate had approved H.B. 444 — a bill to create “civil unions” — by a veto-proof 18 to 7 majority the week before, sending the bill back to the House for a conforming vote. Although the House had passed H.B. 444 by an emphatic 33 to 17 margin last year, House members used an anonymous voice vote to kill the bill last Friday. “Enough is enough. Infinite patience in the face of discrimination is irresponsible,” said Jennifer C. Pizer, Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal. “Our clients suffer every day from unfair taxes and denial of basic legal protections that every family in Hawai`i needs. Although same-sex couples can’t hope today for the full equality of marriage, Hawai`i’s constitution still guarantees equal rights and responsibilities to everyone, gay and heterosexual alike. Because the Legislature has ducked its responsibility multiple sessions in a row, we have no choice now but to bring our clients’ legal claims to court.” |
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pogovio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:44 am Post subject: |
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Judge being gay a nonissue during Prop. 8 trial
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/07/BACF1BT...
| Quote: | The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay.
Many gay politicians in San Francisco and lawyers who have had dealings with Walker say the 65-year-old jurist, appointed to the bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, has never taken pains to disguise - or advertise - his orientation.
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He [another federal judge] said it was hard to ignore the irony that "in the beginning, when (Walker) sought to be a judge, a major obstacle he had to overcome was the perception that he was anti-gay."
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Opponents of Prop 8 may think this is a non-issue, but if Walker rules against Prop 8, the right will certainly think it is an important issue. I can't say that I blame them. From a tactical standpoint, I think it would have been better if Walker had suggested to the Circuit Court that it would be better to assign the case to someone else, in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
UPDATE: from the National Review
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Nzk5N2QzNDAwYmRjMzJlYzRkZT...
| Quote: | | ... Walker’s entire course of conduct has only one sensible explanation: that Walker is hellbent to use the case to advance the cause of same-sex marriage. Given his manifest inability to be impartial, Walker should have recused himself from the beginning, and he remains obligated to do so now. |
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Tehanu
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Do they ask female judges to recuse themselves in cases involving the sexual assault of a woman by a man? Black judges for cases when a black man is murdered? Straight white male judges when ... oh, never mind. |
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pogovio
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Tehanu wrote: | | Do they ask female judges to recuse themselves in cases involving the sexual assault of a woman by a man? Black judges for cases when a black man is murdered? Straight white male judges when ... oh, never mind. |
Those trials you mention serve the single purpose of justice in the incident being tried.
This trial, whether intended or not, will also serve a purpose of a social transformation. When the nation becomes well enough educated on the reality of homosexuality and the injustice it incurs, then civil rights for gays will become a fact. This trial will play a significant role in the ongoing education of the nation.
But that educative role is largely nullified if it's possible for a those who need it to dismiss the court's ruling as an expression of the judge's self-interest, rather than an advance in civic consciousness.
That's why I specified "from a tactical standpoint". The Court assumes (correctly) that a gay judge can rule without prejudice on a gay issue - I agree, and that's not the issue I was raising. For me, the real goal is a change in society.
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voice of the damned
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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This kind of makes me wonder what qualifies as a "conflict of interest". If the judge had been married to his same-sex partner pre-Prop 8, that would clearly be a conflict of interest, since he'd be ruling on the validity of his own marriage.
But I don't see that the mere fact of being gay would qualify as a conflict, since he has no direct personal stake in the matter. Having said that, what about a case where the there has been a tax increase levied on people above a certain income, and someone challenged the constitutionality of the increase in the courts. Would they have to find a judge making less than the top tax bracket to hear the case? Might be difficult, given what I would assume about judge's salaries. |
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pogovio
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:04 am Post subject: |
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| voice of the damned wrote: | This kind of makes me wonder what qualifies as a "conflict of interest". If the judge had been married to his same-sex partner pre-Prop 8, that would clearly be a conflict of interest, since he'd be ruling on the validity of his own marriage.
But I don't see that the mere fact of being gay would qualify as a conflict, since he has no direct personal stake in the matter. Having said that, what about a case where the there has been a tax increase levied on people above a certain income, and someone challenged the constitutionality of the increase in the courts. Would they have to find a judge making less than the top tax bracket to hear the case? Might be difficult, given what I would assume about judge's salaries. |
I'm not talking about a conflict of interest - I'm talking about something that may be perceived as a conflict of interest.
I'm not talking about a legal matter, I'm talking about the effect on our campaign for equal rights.
I imagine a person who has been stuck in the homophobic prejudices instilled in him by his upbringing. But he has been reflecting on those prejudices, and wondering if maybe they are just self-perpetuating relics of less enlightened era. And he has been thinking it might be better for him and his children if he could to some degree rid himself of this gut reaction prejudice that he recognizes is not grounded in rationality. Maybe, he thinks, gays actually are an oppressed and disempowered class, and deserving of the protection of the law.
Then he finds out that this far-reaching gay issue has been secretly put into the hands of a gay judge for a ruling. He would likely think he had been tricked - gays are not disempowered, they occupy the halls of power and are surreptitiously making decisions on gay issues that will be imposed on all, gays and non-gays alike. I imagine he would feel much that same as I felt when I learned that Newt Gingrich had invited leaders of various industries into his office to write the legislation by which their industry would be governed.
My point is that there is a large block of people in this country who have been on the other side of the fence, and are beginning to tentatively climb over to our side, and the revelation of a gay judge on this case could repel quite a lot of them back over to the other side of the fence for years to come.
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TS.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:12 am Post subject: |
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"Secretly"? How was anything done secretly? Were the usual processes for the assignment of cases to judges not followed?
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voice of the damned
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | I'm not talking about a conflict of interest - I'm talking about something that may be perceived as a conflict of interest.
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Yeah, I know. The whole issue just kind of got me wondering what does and does not qualify as a conflict of interest. |
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Feral
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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The US courts have guidelines in that regard.
| Quote: | | A judicial employee should avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of official duties. A conflict of interest arises when a judicial employee knows that he or she (or the spouse, minor child residing in the judicial employee's household, or other close relative of the judicial employee) might be so personally or financially affected by a matter that a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question the judicial employee's ability properly to perform official duties in an impartial manner. |
The word "should" there ought not be taken in its vernacular sense of "ought."
There's also federal law. It's Title 28, with the most pertinent sections being § 455 and § 144. There the word "shall" appears quite often.
| Quote: | | (a) Any justice, judge, or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. |
| Quote: | Whenever a party to any proceeding in a district court makes and files a timely and sufficient affidavit that the judge before whom the matter is pending has a personal bias or prejudice either against him or in favor of any adverse party, such judge shall proceed no further therein, but another judge shall be assigned to hear such proceeding.
The affidavit shall state the facts and the reasons for the belief that bias or prejudice exists, and shall be filed not less than ten days before the beginning of the term at which the proceeding is to be heard, or good cause shall be shown for failure to file it within such time. A party may file only one such affidavit in any case. It shall be accompanied by a certificate of counsel of record stating that it is made in good faith. |
It's a trifle late to be fussing over Judge Walker's orientation. It was reported on months ago by Queerty and Michael Petrelis. This is only "the biggest open secret" if one insists on ignoring every time it's been mentioned. Given that the defendants have a certain interest in this case and the issues around it (they are, after all, intervenors), I'd think they would have had all manner of reasonable opportunities to file the "timely and sufficient" affidavit.
| voice of the damned wrote: | | If the judge had been married to his same-sex partner pre-Prop 8, that would clearly be a conflict of interest, since he'd be ruling on the validity of his own marriage. |
Had Judge Walker married in California prior to the passage of Proposition 8, his marriage would be currently valid anyway. The California courts specifically denied that Proposition 8 affected existing marriages. If Judge Walker had realized that he wished to marry after the passage of Proposition 8, or had his marriage plans been delayed and not been completed at the time of its passing, he'd be in very much the same position as the plaintiffs. Whether this would be a 'clear' conflict of interest or not is arguable; many people are quite capable of interpreting the law fairly even when interpreting it unfairly is manifestly in their best interests. The standard, however, is 'reasonable.'
| Tehanu wrote: | | Do they ask female judges to recuse themselves in cases involving the sexual assault of a woman by a man? Black judges for cases when a black man is murdered? Straight white male judges when ... oh, never mind. |
They 'ask' quite frequently. Sometimes they get it. More typically, they do not. After all... that's not all that reasonable. In this case, however, the defendants most assuredly could have filed their affidavit and, assuming it was sufficient, gotten a different judge. They didn't. |
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bagkitty
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:56 am Post subject: |
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 Of course this all leads me to wonder, were he to be a married heterosexual, would he not have a conflict of interest to deal with there too... after all, it would be his marriage that was under attack - at least according to the proponents of Prop 8.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| bagkitty wrote: | | Of course this all leads me to wonder, were he to be a married heterosexual, would he not have a conflict of interest to deal with there too... after all, it would be his marriage that was under attack - at least according to the proponents of Prop 8. |
Don't be silly. Straight people are normal, so there's no conflict there...
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bagkitty
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:45 am Post subject: |
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Guess I am just dense Heph, I always forget they are supposed to be the normal ones. 
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:44 am Post subject: |
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Protesting marriage inequality by marrying a complete stranger.
Part I -- Florida: the Straight Protest
Orlando Performance Artist Brian Feldman to Marry Random Stranger in Marriage Equality Protest
| Quote: | Orlando Performance artist Brian Feldman plans to marry Hannah Feldman (below), a stranger he chose from three women who showed up to his call for wives on February 8, as a demonstration of the inequalities faced by gays and lesbians who want to marry.
[...]
Writes Feldman:
| Quote: | | Is this entire project a mockery of marriage? Not at all! It’s completely within the legal rights of Brian and any other heterosexual couple with $123.50 (plus $6 for a standard marriage certificate). Sound absurd? Not nearly absurd as denying the equal right to marry for same-sex couples who truly care about each other; who’ve been in committed, productive and, most importantly, loving relationships for upwards of 20+ years. That, to Brian, and millions of Americans who believe in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, is truly absurd - to say nothing of a civil injustice. |
They plan to marry this Friday at 3 pm at the Orange County Courthouse. |
Part II: New York -- The Queer Protest
Buffalo: Strangers Marry After Denial Of Same-Sex Marriage License
| Quote: | Denied a license to marry her partner Cheryl, Buffalo, New York lesbian Kitty Lambert turned to ask if any random man would marry her. Here's how it went down.
| Quote: | | In an act of civil-sorta-disobedience, local LGBT activist Kitty Lambert received a marriage license to a stranger named Ed at Buffalo’s City Hall today, after being denied a license to marry her same-sex partner. A small group gathered in the lobby before proceeding to the 13th floor. Entering the City Clerk’s office, Kitty and long-time partner Cheryl attempted to apply for a marriage license. Armed with the appropriate documents City employees informed them due to New York State law, they would be unable to grant them a license. As the clerk’s office employees gathered to watch, a tearful Lambert explained the benefits only available to straight couples with a marriage license. With news cameras rolling, Kitty then turned to the crowd and asked for any male who would be willing to get married to her. A gay man named Ed stepped forward and volunteered. They briefly exchanged information and presented the appropriate documents along with $40. City staff verified the information, and proceeded to give them a marriage license. |
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video clips for both stories at the respective links
It's interesting how this same method of protest seemed to occur to both Mr. Feldman and Ms. Lambert independently, yet at much the same time. Of course, the point will go right over the heads of many straights. Indeed, I would be surprised if these stories are even picked up in the "mainstream" (a.k.a. straight) press much beyond a purely local level, so most straights will likely never even hear of these stories.
In any case, I appreciate the support of Mr. Feldman and his bride-to-be.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| bagkitty wrote: | | Of course this all leads me to wonder, were he to be a married heterosexual, would he not have a conflict of interest to deal with there too... after all, it would be his marriage that was under attack - at least according to the proponents of Prop 8. |
Here's an article that references the same ridiculous mentality, whereby Rachel Maddow is accused of being biased because she's been persistent about covering DADT all while being -- *choke* -- a lesbian!
I liked the simple common sense of the final two lines:
| Quote: | Maddow accepts the fact that some critics believe she must be biased on the subject. But she offers a simple response:
"I can't do the show as a non-gay person. I don't have that option." |
As an aside, I don't accuse Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly et ilk of being biased on DADT, DOMA and equal marriage just because they're straight; it's got far more to do with the fact that they're fuckwits.
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Raos
volatilis vir
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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| Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:39 am Post subject: |
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DC Catholic Archdiocese Kills Foster Care Program Over Same-Sex Marriage
| Quote: | Citing the coming legality of same-sex marriage, Washington DC's Catholic Charities today announced the end of its foster care program rather than be forced to license gay couples to care for desperate children in need.
| Quote: | | Catholic Charities, which receives $20 million from the city, had sounded alarms in the run-up to the council vote, saying programs serving tens of thousands of people were in danger. Being forced to recognize same-sex marriage, church officials said, could make it impossible for the church to be a city contractor because Catholic teaching opposes same-sex marriage. The church and some experts said the city's measure has narrower exemptions for religious groups than other same-sex marriage laws across the country, particularly when it comes to requiring benefits for the same-sex partners of employees. City officials knew of no other faith-based groups that said their city contracts were in jeopardy. |
Their foster care program in DC had been running for 80 years. |
Wow... the Salvation Army must be SO proud of these single-minded Roman Catholic bigots today.
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Hephaestion
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:09 am Post subject: |
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Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley asks federal judge to declare DOMA unconstitutional without a trial:
| Quote: | | Coakley's office filed a lawsuit in July challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act. In papers filed late Thursday, Coakley asks a judge to deem the law unconstitutional without holding a trial on the lawsuit. Coakley argues that regulating marital status has traditionally been left to the states. She also says the federal law treats married heterosexual couples and married same-sex couples differently on Medicaid benefits and burial in veterans' cemeteries. |
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Hephaestion
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TS.
Delicious schadenfreude
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| Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:19 am Post subject: |
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As commenters on JMG point out, this is an advisory opinion and carries no definite legal weight until approved or rejected by the MD Court of Appeal. But it is definitely a positive step.
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Hephaestion
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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Hephaestion
Deeply Shallow
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| Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Catholic Church Cuts Off Funding for Group That Helps Homeless as Revenge for Group's Gay Marriage Support
| Quote: | The Catholic Church in Maine, led by Bishop Richard Malone (below), has cut off funding for a group that helps the homeless as revenge for the group's support of the Maine "No on 1" campaign last fall. Question 1 sought to invalidage Maine's marriage equality law, and was approved by voters. The Press Herald reports:
| Quote: | | Preble Street's Homeless Voices for Justice program has lost $17,400 this year and will lose $33,000 that it expected for its next fiscal year. Officials with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and the Washington-based Catholic Campaign for Human Development say that Preble Street violated its grant agreement by supporting Maine's 'No on 1' campaign last fall...Catholics for Marriage Equality has begun an effort to replace the lost funding by raising $17,400 for Homeless Voices for Justice. Anne Underwood, a co-founder of the group that advocates for same-sex marriage, said Bishop Richard Malone is punishing the homeless because of politics. 'This is petty vindictiveness,' she said. 'After the election is over, suddenly the money is revoked from poor people because of a political opinion held by the bishop.' Underwood said that many Catholics in Maine will now think twice before donating money to the church to help fight poverty. 'People who are homeless should not be used in political games,' she said. |
You may recall that Malone instructed every Catholic Mass across the state to play a video "homily" asking churchgoers to fight against marriage equality, taking up second collections at churches to defeat it. |
x-posted in the "pope scope" thread
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:01 am Post subject: |
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Preble Street Homeless voices for Justice receives almost $10,000 from 150 new donors:
| Quote: | | The group lost $17,400 for this fiscal year when the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and the Washington-based Catholic Campaign for Human Development canceled grants because of Preble Street's support for same-sex marriage in last fall's statewide gay marriage referendum. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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"Not a big gay marriage supporter" Rufus Wainwright has had a change of heart, wants to get hitched:
| Quote: | I have been with Jorn for five years and he's the light of my life. He's my inspiration, support and he's good in the sack, too! But I am very aware of living in the U.S., of the conundrum that you can't marry your gay partner and give him citizenship. He has to apply for a green card and he may or may not get accepted, which is annoying when you're in a committed relationship. If we were straight, we could get married and he'd get his American passport and it would make a lot of sense.
I wasn't a huge gay marriage supporter before I met Jorn because I love the whole old-school promiscuous Oscar Wilde freak show of what 'being gay' once was. But since meeting Jorn that all changed. |
And going by the pic @ the link, Rufus is hoping to marry a Neanderthal... [me-YOW!]
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pogovio
Fulltime enMasse Member
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| Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Majority in California support gay marriage, Times/USC poll finds
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/majority-in-californi...
| Quote: | | Registered voters surveyed in the latest poll said 52% to 40% that “same-sex couples should be allowed to become legally married in the state of California.” |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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Video: Jane Lynch, of "Glee" fame, and her fiancee show off their rings
| Quote: | | Jane Lynch and her fiancee Lara Embry celebrate their engagement in a video invite to the National Center for Lesbian Rights' anniversary celebration. |
omigawwwwd! They're so cuuuuuuuute!
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TS.
Delicious schadenfreude
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| Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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Lynch is absolutely awesome! She is the very best part of Glee. I wish her and her fiancee all the best.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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A Case Of Gay Senior Abuse
| Quote: | Here's a timely story in light of last night's hospital directive from President Obama. The National Center for Lesbian Rights is helping out in the case of two gay seniors, one of whom has since died, after the two were kept apart when one was hospitalized. The case report is heartbreaking.
| Quote: | Ignoring Clay’s significant role in Harold’s life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold’s “roommate.” The court denied their efforts, but did grant the county limited access to one of Harold’s bank accounts to pay for his care.
What happened next is even more chilling: without authority, without determining the value of Clay and Harold’s possessions accumulated over the course of their 20 years together or making any effort to determine which items belonged to whom, the county took everything Harold and Clay owned and auctioned off all of their belongings. Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from his home and confined him to a nursing home against his will. The county workers then terminated Clay and Harold's lease and surrendered the home they had shared for many years to the landlord.
Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died in the nursing home. Because of the county’s actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life. |
A trial has been set to begin in July in Sonoma Country, California. |
   (why don't we have a plate-smashing smilie?!)
x-posted in the thread "gay aging issues"
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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JMG reader ZhyKitty comments:
| Quote: | The case docket says:
"Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. Clay and Harold made diligent efforts to protect their legal rights, and had their legal paperwork in place—wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives, all naming each other. Harold was 88 years old and in frail medical condition, but still living at home with Clay, 77, who was in good health."
So it looks to me like they DID do everything they legally could to prevent this.....and that makes my stomach hurt even more...
http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=issue_caseDocket_... |
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sparqui
Dog tired
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| Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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^^^ That is such a tragic story. I will never understand the vindictiveness of the anti-gay movement. Their wholesale lack of empathy just shocks me.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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This is what "faith-based initiatives" and federal funding to "promote marriage" gets you:
Anti-gay hate group got $3M from feds
| Quote: | The virulently anti-gay Iowa Family Policy Center has received over $3M in federal funding in the last five years.
| Quote: | | In 2004 and 2005 the IFPC received a total of $850,000 from the Administration for Children and Families’ Compassion Capital Fund. From 2006 to 2009 they received $2.2 million through the U.S. Healthy Marriage Demonstration Fund, which is doled out in yearly increments of $550,000 and will be awarded to IFPC through 2011. The Iowa Family Policy Center’s 2007 tax return claims $558,337 of their $1.1 million revenue came from federal grants. Tom Campbell, a representative at the Administration of Children and Families (ACF), the awarding agency within the HHS, said this money must be passed from the IFPC to a third-party to execute the Healthy Marriage Demonstration — the name under which the grants were awarded to IFPC — as part of the government’s Healthy Marriage Program. |
The funding was uncovered by local Des Moines blogger Erich Riesenberg. Aside from funding the fight against marriage equality, the Iowa Family Policy Center has said that all homosexual acts should be outlawed by constitutional amendment. Spokesman Bryan English: "This isn’t a civil rights issue. [Homosexuality] is a choice in behavior and as a Christian organization we don’t believe this is a right, it is a sin against Jesus Christ."
We have GOT to put a stop to this. I will follow this story closely and let you know what action needs to taken to ensure that no further federal money funds this hate group. |
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sparqui
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| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:21 am Post subject: |
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Further reason for being outraged that the feds and Winnipeg City supported the generous funding of the Youth for Christ Centre here. I am still shocked that happened here.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Laura Bush: I told George not to make gay marriage an issue, 'coz of all our dear gay friends, don't'cha know...
| Quote: | | Quote: | | In 2004 the social question that animated the campaign was gay marriage. Before the election season had unfolded, I had talked to George about not making gay marriage a significant issue. We have, I reminded him, a number of close friends who are gay or whose children are gay. But at that moment I could never have imagined what path this issue would take and where it would lead. |
-- Laura Bush, writing in her forthcoming memoir.
The path this issue took, of course, was Laura's husband using the issue of gay marriage to demonize millions of gay Americans. Despite his "close gay friends." |
from the comments:
| Quote: | She also defends Bush's handling of Katrina. She is detached from reality, like her mother-in-law, whose now famous observation about the Katrina 'refugees' sums-up how they feel about "the little people"
| Quote: | | What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them. |
Put these people in jail. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Hephaestion wrote: | SCOTUS May Hear R-71 Appeal On Release Of Petition Names
| Quote: | | On January 15th the U.S. Supreme Court will decide if it will hear the appeal of Protect Marriage Washington over the decision to force the release of the names of those who signed Referendum 71..... |
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TODAY: Supreme Court Hears R-71
| Quote: | The Supreme Court will hear the case of the terrifying homofascists today, as Protect Marriage Washington pleads to keep the names of the supporters of Referendum 71 shielded from public review. The Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders note the horrifying examples cited in one amicus brief. Via press release:
| Quote: | - A country club member in California, a supporter of Proposition 8, noted that "the openly gay members of the country club have changed their attitudes toward me. They used to greet me warmly; now, they give me looks of disdain and do not greet me as I pass."
- A person with a yard sign supporting Proposition 8 was disturbed on Halloween that some people "pointed and whispered to one another in disapproval" during trick-or-treating.
- A woman was upset that her brother, who is gay, would no longer speak to her after she told him she might vote for Proposition 8.
As the amicus brief says, these complaints "are not only trivial, they reflect a fundamental refusal to accept the legitimacy of speech that disagrees with the complainants' viewpoints, deeming it 'hateful' or 'harassing' simply because they do not like hearing it."
"There's nothing to see here, folks," said Jon Davidson, Legal Director of Lambda Legal. "There's no comparison between a few scattered instances of whispers and disapproving glares and the very real discrimination, harassment and even violence LGBT people experience every day all over the country. After all, more hate crimes are reported against gay people than any other group per capita in the United States." "The Petitioners are attempting to create a through-the-looking-glass world in which the aggressors are the victims and the victims the aggressors," said Gary Buseck, Legal Director of GLAD. |
It's completely laughable from end to end. A ruling isn't expected for several months. |
Un. Fucking. Real.
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