Melanie Nathan,  2/08/10 .  On the 3^rd of February I posted the news that Senator Schumer will not be including our LGBT families in his immigration reform Bill.  Amongst the very many e-mails sent to me as a result, here is one example, sent to us by a very angry binational same-sex partner.  http://lezgetreal.com/?p=25829   I reported –  ” Have you ever wondered why a long silence actually starts to sound like a deafening noise? It is now that the silence from Senator Schumer is deafening, with the shocking revelation from a reliable source informing us at Lezgetreal that Senator Schumer will not be including UAFA or LGBT rights in his immigration reform bill to be introduced in the weeks ahead” 

  Perhaps this forthcoming exclusion is what sparked todays letter by 60 Congressional representatives to the President and Congress, urging inclusion of gay and lesbian families in immigration reform or via UAFA.  The effort led by Rep Tammy Baldwin sent a letter to the White House and Congress to urge support for UAFA and LGBT inclusion in comprehensive immigration reform. Soon thereafter our website, known for its assertive coverage of the binational plight was visited again by members of Congress and offices much higher than that.  Perhaps the White House is going to take action. 

 Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the lead House sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act, which would also end discrimination against LGBT binational families, asserts “We must take the government out of the business of singling out LGBT families for discriminatory treatment and live up to our democratic ideal of equality under the law,” Nadler said. “I join my colleagues in calling on Congress and the White House to include the Uniting American Families Act, which I have introduced in every Congress since 2000, in any immigration reform legislation, and end discrimination against binational LGBT families.” 

 What I find particularly disconcerting is that Immigration Equality, who holds itself out as the “pre-imminent” organization for immigration equality rights, has failed to come forward with the knowledge that Senator Schumer is not planning to include us, and continues to msilead us by their silence. 

  Does IE have a duty to play level with binationals?  I believe they do for as long as they find themselves in the number one  slot on the issue.    What has stopped them from keeping us fully informed?  

 This organization has led us down a treacherous and unwise path – into the corner we now find ourselves, and still they make decisions without our involvement as a community.  They have made a choice to side with those who do not want us and to try and convince the strongest of all faith based powers that it is a good idea to include gays and lesbians.   

 So now that the White House has been alerted to Act - 

 The question becomes: 

 1. Would you like to see quick and soon passage of UAFA as a standalone;  Or 

 2. Are you ready for the long and hateful haul of immigration reform; 

 The difference between the two lies in the philosophy: Whereas the first seems to rest on equality the second will rest on immigration. Which is the tougher argument.  Will the immigrant community be impressed by the fact that the house already has 60 on board for immigration reform?  Will that make them think we are worthy to their cause? 

  While much hated in the eyes of so many in this Country – gays and lesbians, et al, may now be coupled with  the other most disliked group – whom the conservatives choose to refer to as ‘illegal aliens,’ and progressives refer to as ‘undocumented workers/immigrants.’ 

 It is already apparent that even amongst those immigrants seeking respite from the woes of the system, resentment is building because some feel they have a much more worthy cause than ‘the gays’ – I have received emails to this effect – more worthy because we are maybe 100,000 and they are 12 million in number.   An example of some dialogue can be found at the comments at http://lezgetreal.com/?p=25829

 Schumer is known to have stated that he has chosen to abate the voracious displeasure of the Catholic community.  Can you imagine once we are included what is yet to come? 

 That said perhaps Schumer will be doing us a favor. 

 I too am calling on President Obama to PLEASE urge Congress to pass a stand-alone Bill right now – UAFA.  I for one will be glad to accept an amendment to the Current Nadler legislation – where the evidentiary proof of permanent partnership must include an affirming certificate from any Jurisdiction in the World. (eg. marriage certificate, DP or civil union certificate.)  That will dismantle the fraud argument because we will be on a level playing field with the straight spousal community. 

 Please help us avert a faith based immigration vs. LGBT equality battle – already emerging. 

A  READER’S LETTER (amongst hundreds);Sunday, February 07, 2010
TO;
President Obama
Senator Gillibrand
Senator Chuck Schumer
Congressman Peter king
State Department, Hilary Clinton
Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi
Congressman Steve Israel
CNN
Melanie Nathan at http://lezgetreal.com
New York Times
 

“To  Senator Chuck Schumer
Sir:  

I never thought that I would be calling you a liar and a cheat but I was wrong. When I watched you at the UAFA Senate hearing I was so happy that you where a senator from Long Island standing up to the right wing nuts, the church and all the bigots in this country. But after reading a story on Lezgetreal.com (http://lezgetreal.com/?p=25829 ) I was so wrong about you! I guess you are like all the rest that say something and turn around and do something else.  

After I talked to L. Fresco in your office I thought I could just sit back and just wait till you came out with the bill on Immigration reform but once again my government let me down. He had told me that you where not going to include the UAFA into your bill till the Latino senators and congressman were made happy and they got their way.  

 Because I was told they would block the bill and not support it. It looks like you couldn’t get there support so you turned your back on us. Because of you and senator Gillibrand and Congressman Peter King I now have to make plans on leaving my country for good to be with my husband, yes we are legally married in Canada and 20 other countries. I’ve sent your office my marriage Lic, faxed it to your DC office, and hand delivered it to your long island office.  

Not only that I had sent the forms from the US state department to sponsor my husband but didn’t get an answer from you, Gillibrand, Peter King and the white house. This was to proof that I am legally married to a non American and asking for help to sponsor him into this once great country. But since this is a gay issue and an immigrations issue no one will help.  

Just to let you know I am now going to contact ever single congressman, senator and newspaper in this country to let them know that you lied in a the senate hearing (6/2/2009) and because of your actions not including the uniting American families act into your immigration reform bill anther taxpaying US citizen has to leave his home land for good.  

I’m really mad and upset that I’m sitting here and my husband is half way around the world all because of the Republican Party and the church that has it in for gay rights and civil rights. I’m really mad and upset that the Democratic Party for not having a back bone and standing up to the right wing. I’m also mad and upset that I can be legally married in 20 countries and the country that claims civil rights has very little to gay people. I’m also mad and upset at Chuck Schumer for talking the talk but can’t walk the walk! I’m, also upset that the US state department is handing out visas like water to the people of Haiti and I can’t get one for my husband who has legal rights to one being married to an American. What a wonderful country this is, ya right!  

Thank you for your none help!
 I, am a  US Taxpayer who can’t get any help  

Action Alert -February 8th, 2010  

At 10:30am on February 11 — one week after our call-in to Senator Schumer’s office — the Long Island Immigrant Alliance will hold a rally outside of Schumer’s Melville office (145 Pine Lawn Road, Melville, NY 11747). The rally will show support for Senator Schumer’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, which would fix a broken immigration system, end the exploitation and demonization of immigrants, strengthen our economy by $1.5 trillion, and support our nation’s values. For more information about the rally, call 631-789-0720    Long Island Immigrant Alliance  …  

Melanie Nathan

LAST THOUGHT: None of this would be necessary as this would all be moot if DOMA were repealed and Sexual orientation was included in the Civil Rights Act.

By: Melanie Nathan  

nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com
Human Rights and Personal Advocacy.

 

 

 

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• BREAKING: SHOCKING REALITY- Senator Chuck Schumer Is Planning To Exclude Gay And Lesbians From Immigration Reform Bill. (lezgetreal.com)
• BREAKING: Out 4 Immigration Spearheads New All Inclusive Plan for UAFA (lezgetreal.com)
• Reblog from Me at LGR BREAKING: SHOCKING REALITY- Senator Chuck Schumer Is Planning To Exclude Gay And Lesbians From Immigration Reform Bill. (oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com)
• Senator Gillibrand LGBT Meet and Greet- binationals ask for UAFA answers. (topix.net)

  

 Senator Schumer has not confirmed, nor announced, what specific proposals will be in his immigration reform bill. We do encourage everyone, however – as we always have – to make sure they reach out to their representatives and urge them to support inclusion of our families in any immigration reform bill.
 If you haven’t already done so, you can click here to send that message to your Members of Congress.
 It is critical that everyone call on their Members to support our inclusion. Now – in the days and weeks prior to the bill’s introduction – is the time to take action.
 Once lawmakers announce the specifics of their legislation, we’ll have more information here. Comment by Steve @ Immigration Equality — February 4, 2010 @ 2:43 pm 

STEVE do not tell me that you and all at IE have not had the news for a month that UAFA was being excluded by Schumer’s Bill. Time to come clean is NOW!

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker

By Melanie Nathan, San Francisco, Febrruary 7, 2010- In today’s San Francisco Chronicle, the Matier and Ross column “outs” Judge Vaughn Walker, or so they think. But we all knew he is gay and it made no difference to us at all. Finally the chance without advance prejudice? Nope not even that, just a trust that Judges have integrity. However I imagine that the very insuations, albeit tacit and embedded in the Article, causes us as an unequal and oppressed minority to wonder if the same assumptions that the right will undoubtedly attribute to Walker, are true of the straight Judges when it come to LGBTQI issues, as well as in relation to other minority related issues.

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.

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. (SF Chronicle)

But who cares? We do not care here in San Francisco, mostly because we accept that being gay in high office is normal, being gay and abiding one’s oath is normal, being gay and applying law correctly and fairly is normal. As long as his religious views do not influence judgment, we do not care that Alito is a man, that Bader Ginsburg is a woman and nor do we care that Clarence Thomas is African America. We understand that their judgments are unlikely to be impacted by these facts. We also do not “out” Ruth Bader Ginsberg as a “straight women.”
“There is nothing about Walker as a judge to indicate that his sexual orientation, other than being an interesting factor, will in any way bias his view,” said Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is supporting the lawsuit to overturn Prop. 8.

I say to the expected barrage of right wingers, if you expect that the Judge rescues himself for this absurd reason, then every straight male should exclude themselves from rape cases, by way of example, just in case he does not get how the woman feels and then applies his male straight sexuality to his judgment.

If same –sex sexual orientation was included as a ‘minority’ worth of inclusion in the Civil Rights Act, none of this BS would be happening. All it is doing is derogating from our Court’s productivity.

Perhaps Judge Vaughn Walker is more qualified on Gay issues than Scalia on abortion issues, in terms of objectivity.

For those in the San Francisco legal community, this isn’t really much of a surprise at all. Vaughn Walker is not closeted, he just doesn’t talk about being gay because it is irrelevant in the same way as other Judges who are straight do not reflect on their sexuality at all. Who I choose for my wife or bed fellow will not impact my job tomorrow. Our sexual relationships do not feel unusual to us. I am sure Walker’s does not feel unusual to him. In the same way as I look at straight relationships and wonder what the big attraction is, I am not going to allow it to impact my thoughts as to the integrity of those straight people.

State Sen.Mark Leno D-San Francisco, who has sponsored two bills to authorize same-sex marriage that were vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,said that as far as he’s concerned, Walker’s background is a non issue. “It seems curious to me,” he said, that when the state Supreme Court heard a challenge to Prop. 8, the justices’ sexual orientation “was never discussed.”(SF Chronicle)

Judge Walker was randomly assigned this case, and has been reasonable throughout. But that said its now with thanks to the piece in the SF chronicle that the right wing will have flavor to add to their fervor.

Melanie Nathan

By Melanie Nathan, nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com

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Mike Bickle, Preacher, Hater, Cult Leader, Scammer

 By Melanie Nathan, San Francisco, February 6, 2010 – The video below is from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. It shows a young man named Jacob sharing his story of being set free from addictions to cocaine and heroine, as well as same-sex attractions.

When my dear friend Evan Hurst of  TWO (Truth Wins Out) uncovered this perplexing tribute to “Hate Who G-d Made You” he suggested we post it on our site too and I am grateful to Ev for the exposure.  I encourage our readers to go to TWO site to read the comments. Hopefully you will comment here too. This people must be exposed for the harm. 

Evan Hurst of TWO: “ Behold the power of  Fundamentalist Christian  delusion: – Jacob, I don’t know who you are, but these people are predators. Your sexuality is part of you, and it has nothing to do with your drug addictions. And you don’t beat addiction to drugs by exchanging it for a dependency on profit-based faux-spiritual experiences proffered by people who use your life as a way to get rich.

I could not have said better myself. Once you read and comment here and on Ev’s site, please join the WAR and visit the criminal abuserers directly at:-http://voiceofrevolution.askdrbrown.org/2010/02/06/responding-to-the-critics-ihop-testimony-on-deliverance-from-same-sex-attraction/  We are not victims of these sick and depraved bigot who clothe themselves in hate and greed.

The gay website Ex-Gay Watch declared the following in their post on the video:

“As a former charismatic, the type of religious experience shown in this video is very familiar to me. In this kind of heady, charged atmosphere, it is very easy to suppress one’s “sin” issues and live on a “victorious” spiritual plane – that is until the trappings of revivalist, Pentecostal worship aren’t there or just don’t work any more, and the subject is brought down to earth with a bump.

In this video from IHOP (International House of Prayer, not to be confused with the restaurant chain International House of Pancakes), a young man claims to have been delivered from homosexual attractions he has experienced since childhood. The odd behaviour and spasmodic movements (as well as the wailing, sobbing, shouting and laughter from the congregation) have been especially common in Pentecostal and charismatic churches since the mid-1990s, and are usually attributed directly to the Holy Spirit.”

 As The Kingdom of God on February 6th, 2010  Marcus French  tries to defend the crazy guy with these remarks….

“ Does this sound like someone getting rich of this young man? The idea is laughable! And I have personal knowledge that Mr. Bickle lives the same kind of lifestyle today, even with the ministry growing exponentially since 2001 (I wonder if Wayne Besen, head of Truth Wins Out, draws this kind of salary?). This same example could be multiplied throughout the IHOP leadership team, and well into most of the charismatic movement today (again, with a few exceptions). Rather than IHOP using this young man, they’ve simply set up an environment where people like him can come and experience the power of the living God through the gospel of Jesus Christ 24 hours a day (they have facilities open to the public around the clock with people praying continuously for America and the world). I pray that this young man builds on this experience in prayer and devotion to Jesus, yielding a life that is full of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”               

 WE UNCOVER  ……  the truth…………. is simply not so Mr. French your words mean nought  -   report on the indiscretions of Mike Bickle of IHOP.  See Part 1 here. Joanne Panettieri Editor, Kingdom Iconoclast …………. amongst many more such exposures…..   Mr. Bickle you are a Phony and we know it – stop abusing our kids NOW.  You are causing pain to those who would rather be left to live who they are. Further yet it is because of people like you and your inability to accept that G-d has chosen us to be who we are, that cause 100% of the suffering that youn gays and lesbians ought not to be going through.    

Bickle and IHOP – A CULT and look what they are doing to our kids….

 By Melanie Nathan, San Francisco, February 6, 2010
nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com
www.divorcemediators.us
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com

02/06/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Natalie Portman was “terrified” when she had to kiss Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, That 70’s Show, Family Guy) in her new movie ‘Black Swan’. Black Swan is a movie about two rival prima ballerinas in the high stakes world of ballet dancing. In the movie (spoiler alert, only if you are planning to see the movie, which I’m pretty sure you aren’t) Portman and Kunis have a sex scene together. In an interview Portman states:

“I was terrified. At the moment I lived in a state of inner terror.”

Inner terror? Kissing a beautiful accomplished actress is terrifying? Portman who has previously shot nude scenes and played a stripper in the movie “Closer” is also worried the lesbian sex sequence is overshadowing the plot of the film and worries it will make her be taken less seriously as an actress. She added: “Nudity is something absolutely natural and I’m not prudish – but in a film it can be distracting. But stripping isn’t? Portman goes on to say:

“Doing ‘Black Swan’ I couldn’t say no. The project is a huge opportunity for me to show a new me. I can’t always play the nice mothers. My other problem is that single pictures are being taken out of context and put on the internet.” Right, Portman is always playing the nice mother, or the nice stripper. Playing a nice lesbian is a huge leap for her. There is nothing wrong with strippers, but it’s sad that Portman regards playing a lesbian as her least family friendly role.

Portman studied psychology at Harvard has a reputation for being “I can guarantee you I’m not one of the most intelligent actresses of the world.” I completely agree with you Natalie and to prove it, I’m running some of Portman’s best quotes below:

“Star Wars hasn’t changed my life at all.”

Except for the millions of dollars you made and the wooden acting that eventually will become your legacy among the millions of Star Wars fans worldwide.

“When a guy tells me I’m cute, it’s not something desirable. Cute is more like what you want your pet to be.”

Cute is awesome. We can’t all be devastatingly gorgeous in a half-fed way.

And then there was the time she compared meat lovers to rapists: I say that Foer’s ethical charge against animal eating is brave because not only is it unpopular, it has also been characterized as unmanly, inconsiderate, and juvenile. But he reminds us that being a man, and a human, takes more thought than just “This is tasty, and that’s why I do it.” He posits that consideration, as promoted by Michael Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which has more to do with being polite to your tablemates than sticking to your own ideals, would be absurd if applied to any other belief (e.g., I don’t believe in rape, but if it’s what it takes to please my dinner hosts, then so be it).

Portman told Allure magazine in an interview, regarding being famous: “I’m not black, but I know what it feels like.” That quote speaks for itself. Natalie Portman: Not America’s Smartest Actress.

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Ny Melanie Nathan, San Francisco,   Unless there is a dramatic change in how the Gay and Lesbian (plus BTQI) minority perceives itself,   its political representatives, its leadership  and its part in its own fate, its existence will continue to be political scrap subject to constant pawn and barter of its uncertain future,’ ad infinitum.’

As a community, are we our own worst enemies?   Have we fallen prey to the slightness that has befallen our existence? I believe so; we have bought into our invalidity.  While our politicians assume back doors to our equality expedient and our advocacy organizations tread their furtive tightrope, we exacerbate our self administered nullity.

If the color of my skin were GAY, would I be asking to sit on a bench with “color straight” or would I be asking for full inclusion in “WE THE PEOPLE;” – friends WE ARE THE PEOPLE. Now is the time to let go of the shades and stand up for the Pride. Until such time as we stand up and say who we are and that we want it all NOW – we have nothing. Nothing! Nothing!

With that thought I present this example and in this instance it is based entirely on my own opinion, with an element of source information gnawing at my senses. 

Just this week I broke the news that Senator Schumer plans to exclude UAFA and hence same-sex spouses from inclusion in his about to be introduced Comprehensive immigration Reform Bill. (CIR)  It is obvious, given the Senators support of UAFA that he in fact does believe that same-sex spouses ought to have equal rights under the immigration laws. So why is he doing this?

Well there are only two logical reasons and perhaps a combination of both:  1. If I did not believe that Senator Schumer had LGBT interest at heart (and actually I do believe that does have our interest at heart) then I would say he is simply pandering to the Catholic Church’s threat to pull all support for the CIR Bill if the Senator includes gays and lesbians, especially given his record low ratings at this time; or 2. The good Senator has a plan and that is to introduce the Bill in a manner that pleases the masses of faith based ,  Latina immigrant communities and conservatives in the Senate to a point where he gets a sixty plus support,  and then ‘voooop’  under the radar,  plugs us in  at the committee stage of the Bill. 

This is indeed the perfect example of what we are allowing to happen. We are marginalized and ‘may’ be slipped in somewhere.   What will we do about it?  All the while we have binationals suffering dire hardship. Some are in exile, some are in hiding, some are away from their beloved spouses and/or families and others are being detained.  The airports are turning gays and lesbians away – those with visitor and other visas are being profiled at the airport and sent home, notwithstanding the validity of their visas.   New equal rights legislation, such as SB 54, in California is finding its hiccups in the gigantic anomaly created by the conflict between State and Federal law.

Now we must take responsibility for our part in this debacle of an existence; where we cannot marry here, but we can marry there; where we are married, but it means nothing where we live; where we cannot mention the name of our spouse when suffering an enemy bullet; where we must exile from our country to be with our foreign born partners, and where an employer can fire us for merely existing.   

It is now time to rise from the comfort of beneath radar strategies– and bring this all down to one simple cohesive position.   We can only be saved by extreme visibility and demanding the maximum, an Omnibus Bill – that imparts America grants full equality to and the LGBT community realizes its position as a minority with equal protection to sexual orientation under the Civil Rights Laws of the USA. Otherwise we will be rattling around at the discretion of a bunch of old buzzards until my four year old daughter, is President of the United States.

Instead of hiding behind piecemeal ‘tidily -bits’ and pats on the back – “yeah one more sponsor for UAFA!” or “ Whoopee  DADT got a hearing”  or “Don’t worry about Schumer’s exclusion -UAFA will be included in Committee..” or  Rep. Barney Frank’s “We must get DADT and ENDA, before I agree to Jerold Nadler’s repeal of DOMA legislation.”  This is crazy – it is all crazy. 

So are we not tired already of being THE political pawn; THE one who has to suffer someone else’s perspective wrapped in expedience? Any way you look at it – it is an impossible battle in the Washington D.C. of today.  We ARE THE PEOPLE- with an obstructionist Congress – a Democratic President –who cares about us- has breakfast with a bunch or crazies and zealots inciting gay hate in the most vulnerable places of this Earth and all the while we are expected to remain in our seats with our safety belts harnessed.

This is the vortex now is the time for a dramatic change – the change must be a fight for nothing short of full equality.  We, THE PEOPLE, must rise now and demand that our color be noticed; and included.  We are a minority and are no longer willing to fly to nowhere on the wings of nothing under the radar of prejudice. 

No civil rights have ever been attained without a comprehensive core theme, without anger, without a revolution.  Do you think apartheid would have ended in South Africa or Segregation in the USA if the oppressed had asked for one bench at a time?  How long should we sit around waiting for the perfect D.C. or some bright spark in a group to make a mark!   A few making decisions for millions of us – based on a little bit first and then maybe more later – what did that ever accomplish?  “We have made in -roads?” – Yes we have and so let us seize those outlets now instead of spending another 10 years making more in-roads. 

Are you willing to settle for what is politically expedient in the estimation of members of Congress?  Why are we being led by Congress and not by our own community?  Who are our leaders, may I ask reader who do you perceive to be your leader?  This is not to slight any of the advocacy groups or their amazing work, and without them we would be nowhere at all,  but rather to draw attention to the fact that we have indeed dived way too deep into the one piece at a time modality, by leaving it up to the groups who each subscribe to particular separate issues.

To add insult to injury, our Congress issues a resolution condemning Uganda’s Kill Gay Bill– I challenge congress with a simple question– what gives you a mouth to other nations when you barely give credence to your own gay citizenry?  Today President Obama mentioned at the Prayer Breakfast that the way Gays are treated in Uganda is unacceptable, but Sir I ask humbly, “what do you expect?” We came out of the most hateful and unlawful regime in terms of government and unless we show up for LGBT community in an all encompassing way, we will never get out from under the cloud we share with Uganda.

To lead the world on matters pertaining to human rights and basic civil rights, you have no legitimate voice until you clean your own house…. That means full equality for your own homosexual, gay, lesbian, LGBTQI community – an Omnibus Bill – “wow why didn’t I think of that,” said the chicken to the hen, an amendment to the Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation.  Just imagine – we would not need ENDA, UAFA, repeal of DADT and DOMA will float away by virtue of its vulnerability.

 Not only have we all failed miserably to affect full inclusion, but this Country has created a milieu where American bred hatred is inciting universal abhorrence, with a professed “license to kill,” homosexuals.

When the USA Congress and laws validate the rights of Gays in America with full equality, your resolutions and reprimands will carry weight in the World.   Until such time our Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, are actively participating in the discrimination and prejudice of our minority here in the USA thereby endorsing the relegation of Gays worldwide to ‘persona non grata.’  

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton asked Uganda to pull the Hate Kill Gay Bill.  Unfortunately the Secretary lacks credibility when Uganda can point the finger right back at the USA, asserting American influence. Scott Lively had the impertinence, fuelled by endorsements and support of Liberty Council, the Family et al, and empowered by an atmosphere here in the USA, conducive to their indiscretions, to incite and directly influence one of the worst legislative actions in modern history.

This brings me back to Now and us and our reason for being in this position. It is all a clear indication that nothing but all is acceptable.  This Congress  and this President must end the folly and the political ploys and the only way that is going to happen from our end of the responsibility is to change our thinking, take responsibility and all get involved as a movement that only stonewall knew.  We want an Omnibus Bill and we want it now.  Unless we try we will never know that we could not do it!  Much of my advocacy success has been because I have never been afraid to fail and if I am told “no” then I find another way until I can and yes I believe we can accomplish full equality, but only through an all round Bill that gives us absolute equality.

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By Melanie Nathan, Private Courts, Inc.  Conflict resolution, Strategy Consultant,  Human Rights and Personal  Advocacy
www.privatecourts.com; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com; Follow me on Twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

By Melanie Nathan, san Francisco, February 3, 2010, –  The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, started today, with events planned through Sunday at Sheraton Dallas Hotel.  

This conference is starting on his very day when I broke this story “Shocking Reality” - many of my readers called Senator Schumer’s office only to be shunned off with comments such as “Oh yes, Melanie Nathan’s article is just an opinion piece… and said that Senator Schumer is a sponsor of UAFA anyway…. “ 

Well, well as if we did not know that and if  so why not then include us? Is that a message that we should pursue UAFA as a stand alone only?   We will be looking for answers…     That said, my source was informed of this directly by the Senator himself. 

I am hoping that when the conference attendees get together and realize that the entire movement is screwed by lack of cohesive planning,  and piecemeal legislation, our brothers and sisters will, ‘carpe diem’ and all come to a simple conclusion – 2 words “OMNIBUS BILL.”   Amend the Civil Rights Act to include all Americans.   This rediculous state of affairs with a Senator sponsoring a bill and then possibly thwarting its progress through an alternate venue, is illustrative of my point…. piecemeal be damned – we want our CIVIL RIGHTS and now.  “The Color of my skin Senator, is GAY!!!”

The Creating Change conference at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel downtown will feature Army National Guard Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran who faced discharge after announcing on television that he is gay.  They seem to be focusing a lot of attention on DADT because Lt. Dan Choi will be speaking.  This is great and hopefully more Americans will be reached through further visibility. ( I am not sure how much more visible Dan can get in our community.)

Also on the agenda this week: gay marriage, which will probably be top of mind among conference attendees. In California, a trial is under way seeking to overturn that state’s voter-approved measure that bans same-sex marriage – a case that could make its way to the Supreme Court.   

Other sessions will feature workplace equality, HIV in older adults and creating safer environments for gay youth.  They will also explore aging issues among gays and lesbians and homophobia in nursing homes and extended-care facilities, according to the spokesperson Sue Hyde.  Great! But…. 

I researched interviews and comments with Task Force’ the organizers - noting some basic information in  articles in Dallas Press, including  The Dallas Morning News  and then also the Task force Press Release about the Conference  which I quote below:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 — National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey will present the annual State of the Movement address at the National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, in which she will present a vision for the year ahead in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. 

Just a week after President Obama delivered his State of the Union address, 2,000 LGBT activists will converge in Dallas, Texas, for the 22nd National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, Feb. 3-7. Activists will strategize on how to advance LGBT equality and acquire the skills needed to build the political power of the LGBT community in 2010 and beyond. 

“This is a critical and exciting time in our struggle for LGBT equality,” says Carey. “Having 2,000 LGBT rights supporters come together to plan and strategize is an unparalleled opportunity to create change.”

 The State of the Movement address is an opportunity to take stock of the past year and lay out a plan to move forward in the year ahead. It is one of the most anticipated events of the Creating Change conference. Carey will address critical legislative issues specifically affecting the LGBT community, including passing an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Other broader areas of focus will include the need for access to quality/affordable health care and racial and economic justice-related issues. Carey’s State of the Movement address will take place on Friday, Feb. 5, at 1:45 p.m. (CST) in the Dallas Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas.  

I was unable to find any publicity that specifically referred to the three most important things our community could possibly address right now, especially given the fact the Conference, according to its Executive Director (above),  will be an unaparalleled opportunity to strategize.    I am hoping these issues are in the State of the Movement Address – and if not that those at the Conference make the most of the opprtunity for transparent, reflective, remedial and productive co-ordination of efforts.  Its not a race to the finish line, my friends, its an opportunity for a hole in one!  

The Course…  

1. Piecemeal Legislation is working against us; our limited resources are too wide spread, affecting zero result;  

2. The need for a comprehensive and cohesive plan where we work to accomplish the repeal of DOMA – the inclusion of Sexual orientation in the Civil Rights Act;  

3. Immigration Reform for Gays and Lesbian spouses/ DP’s etc.  

My contribution to the Conference is breaking of the news about Senator Schumer’s Bill – that gay and lesbian immigration reform will be excluded from the Bill, just as it was by Guiterrez in the House Bill for comprehensive immigration reform.  My suspicion is that this fact may have been well known to some, yet not revealed.   The imprtance of this revelation is a call out to the entire LGBTQI community and America that this is unfathomable.  I dont give a continental brick about long term strategies, I want my inequality recognized for exactly what it is and NOW!!  So the 2,000 of you there in Dallas – pick up your courage and go for the BIG one!!

 Maybe my preceding , SHOCKING REALITY- article could help change Schumer’s stance – even though Senator Schumer’s staffers are informing callers that my article is merely an opinion piece.  I can tell you that it was the Senator himself who told my source that this was his plan.  

Wake up you guys at the conference – forget the bits and pieces and talk about CIVIL RIGHTS for us…..   Once same is accomplished everything else that smacks of LGBT discrimination will fall into place – because the law will then require, via one bill, that we be treated equally.  

How much louder can I yell..” THE   COLOR  OF   MY   SKIN   IS   GAY!”

Conference details : What: The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change  When: Today through Sunday at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel Highlights: Speakers include Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund; and Rea Carey, executive director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Kai Wright, a writer and editor, will moderate a panel of youths.  Cost: Full conference rate $350; daily rate $75

 

 Posted by Melanie Nathan,  

 nathan@privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com  
 www.privatecourts.com 

 @oblogdeeoblogda – I Twitter too! 

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02/01/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
There is an old truth about setting up a study in the government- you do it in order to delay actually taking action while making it look like you are taking action. The military in the United States is set to propose a year long study to determine the best way to implement a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The reason for this study is simple. It is to try and put off action on this repeal until such time as either Congress changes, the President changes, both change, or no one cares that this is going on any more. It is designed to look like something is happening while not actually doing anything.

Ten years ago, the British military lifted their ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. The majority of America’s NATO allies also allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, as does Israel. These are militaries that the United States is either deployed along side of in Afghanistan or routinely have joint military exercises with. Our troops already serve along side men and women who are serving openly despite being gay or lesbian, and yet, the American brass seem more than ready to kick the can down the road and let someone else take care of it- or not take care of it.

Implementing a repeal of DADT is likely not to strain the majority of the soldiers in the US military. The majority, after all, are more than willing to have this law repealed. Most of the push back against allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military comes from the upper echelons of the military hierarchy. Part of it has to do with the fact that the majority of the brass come from a time before even DADT existed and being gay or lesbian was grounds for dismissal from the military outright.

The plan for repealing DADT should have already been put together. It is not as if repealing DADT is not popular with the American people, and a necessary step at a time when losing even one experienced soldier over this law. It should be up to the military to implement and even push for a repeal at a time when the military is reduced to accepting recruits far below their normal standard. The military brass should be pushing for an end of DADT simply because of the financial pressures that the military is facing fighting two wars, and every single soldier that the military has to get rid of because of DADT costs the military thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars to replace.

Instead of studying how to implement a DADT repeal, the military should be raring to go and pushing to get this law repealed. Unfortunately, the brass want to delay this as long as possible.

1/29/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

In a public display of open homophobia rarely seen by large corporations today, CBS rejected an ad featuring two men kissing from the Super Bowl lineup. The ad was for the gay dating site, ManCrunch.com. CBS stated that the ad”is not within the Network’s broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday.” However, in the past Super Bowl ads have featured half naked women violently fighting with each other while being sprayed with water. These are the values that CBS feels are more appropriate to align themselves with.

 CBS is known for running the most entertaining and cutting edge commercials during the Super Bowl, as advertisers go all out in terms of both expenditure and creativity to catch the eye of the large viewing audience. Even news websites, such as Slate, run reviews of Super Bowl commercials, making the commercials more of a part of the viewing experience of the game than an afterthought.  Excluding representation of gay men from the airwaves during the event, is effectively exiling them from sharing in this Nationwide event.    

Advocates for CBS are making the argument that ManCrunch staged this as a publicity stunt. However, how could this stunt be staged without the presumption of anti-gay bias on behalf of both CBS and Super Bowl viewers? Refusing to air this ad during the Super Bowl is insulting to every straight man who watches the Super Bowl, who is comfortable with his own sexuality and with the gay community. CBS is assuming ignorance and homophobia on behalf of a large population of men. It’s unfair to paint football fans with the same brush.  Hopefully, with increased media pressure, CBS will change their stance and air the ad.

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1/29/10-by Paula Brooks
Harold Ford Jr. may or may not be running for the Senate against Kirsten Gillibrand, but he certainly seems to be more than willing to sound like it.

Of late he has been telling the LGBT community what a great pal he is to us… and is of course an avid and lifetime supporter of both gay marriage AND civil unions, whatever that means… But… When the rubber hit the road… Harold Ford voted for a constitutional ban on marriage equality while representing Tennessee in the House and that says volumes on his true stand on LGBT rights.

In addition to maybe running for the Senate, Ford is a vice chairman with the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a job he has held since February 2007.

This week Bank of America Merrill Lynch, along with the Royal Bank of Scotland helped to set up the shares for the initial public offering acquisition of Ugandan oil interests by Irish oil company, Tullow Oil that will infuse 1.35 billion USD into the Ugandan economy. Tullow, along with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and RBS are set to reap huge sums at in this investment – as much as a 35% return on their capital investment. That’s three times what’s internationally recognized as a fair profit. Unfortunately,coupled with this great investment news from Bank of America Merrill Lynch comes the story of the Ugandan military running villagers out of the oil regions and reports have nearly 30,000 people being displaced from their homes by this project so far and that number would be on top of an already existing 1.4 million internally displaced Ugandans.

One can only assume that that with this many angry displaced people it was becoming very clear to the Ugandan Government that they may have a lot of angry citizens on their hands how just might have something of a bone to pick with at Government. Then add in attacks on political freedom in the country that included the arrest and beating of opposition Members of Parliament, the jailing of Ugandan President Museveni’s main political opponent and that in 2006 he was accused of rigging elections in his favor…well, you probably know the rest of the story…

Culturally and traditionally in Uganda, we gays have never been a very poplar minority. Ugandans also have no real love for the “White Colonial Devils” either.

So after a well funded junket led by evangelist Scott Lively that held packed seminars, and told churches and rallies, that Ugandan homosexuals had lots of money, and backing from America and Europe and were a danger to the nations youth, on October 13, 2009, The government of Uganda proposed an Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would, if enacted, broaden the criminalization of homosexuality by introducing the death penalty for people who have previous convictions, are HIV-positive, or engage in same sex acts with people under 18 years of age. The bill also includes provisions for Ugandans who engage in same-sex sexual relations outside of Uganda, asserting that they may be extradited for punishment back to Uganda, and includes penalties for individuals, companies, media organizations, or non-governmental organizations that support LGBT rights.

Uganda ranks 9th in world AIDS deaths so the “Kill the Gays Bill” has been a fairly easy sell in Uganda and has done wonders to direct internal attention to away any possible wrong doings by the government in Kampala and on to that country’s gay population. However, learning lessons from the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, Dafur and so many other human rights disasters, many religious and world leaders have made it pretty clear that if this bill should become law, that they will hold Uganda and it leaders responsible for the resulting human rights violations.

Three openly gay members of the U.S. House of Representatives, along with 91 of their colleagues, have sent a letter to President Obama urging him to do everything he can to stop the bill and to hold the government of Uganda accountable for the resulting human rights abuses should it be instituted. Additionally, 12 US Senators- including Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), sent a letter to President Musseveni, saying, “by creating harsh penalties for homosexuality, this bill not only codifies prejudice, but could also foster an increase in violence towards people simply based on sexual orientation and they urged that he block enactment of the “anti-homosexual” bill pending in the Ugandan Parliament.

Last month U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also denounced the Ugandan legislation during an appearance at Georgetown University, as did the UN’s top human rights official.

Several Nation’s have also told Uganda’s government and politician that they with be held responsible for any human rights abuses resulting from “the kill the gays bill” and that they could face sanctions if they continue down this path.

But companies, like nations and individuals, should also be held accountable for their decisions. However, to date, Mr. Ford has not publicly expressed any concern over this investment by Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Ugandan Oil… or called for Uganda to roll back it’s “Kill the Gays Bill.”

It’s disappointing that any business would choose to put so much money into a country that has such disregard for basic human rights and dignity simply because it helps the bottom line of that company.
It is even more disappointing that Mr. Ford, who is now claiming to be the friend of the LGBT community, would have not been aware of this bill before his company, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, entered into this agreement with Tullow, and financed yet one more human rights abuser solely for the sake of profit.

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01/28/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Those Republicans who are, like Mark McKinnon, dismayed that President Obama did not abandon his liberalism after the election of Scott Brown of Massachusetts are misreading the Tea Bags…er tea leaves. As the Tea Party turns on their fellow members by going after Sarah Palin for endorsing John McCain in the Arizona Senate primary- a race he could lose, there are lessons to be learned from the election of Scott Brown, but also the debacle that was New York 23.

The typical sentiment out of the Republicans after the win of Scott Brown has been that their message- the message of obstruction- has resonated with the American people. This is not quite true. Yes, most people oppose Obama’s health care reform package, but not for the reasons that the Republicans want to think. It is sort of like a scene out of Futurama. “I say your three cent titanium tax goes too far,” one Presidential candidate said. “And I say that your three cent titanium tax does not go too far enough,” said the other. Those who oppose Obama’s health care package are split between two groups. One sees it as going too far, and one sees it as not going far enough. The majority of those opposing Obama’s health care package feel that it does not go far enough. The people who voted for Scott Brown in Massachussets were against Obama’s health care reform package because it did not go far enough. The people who voted for Martha Coakley voted for her because they were against Obama’s health care reform package because it did not go far enough. Wait- WHAT?! That is right, most Massachussans are opposed to Obama’s health care reform package because it does not go far enough and is worse than what they have in their own state. Even Scott Brown, in a FOX News interview made it clear that he was in favor of universalized health care and health care reform. Is this man a Republican or a Democrat?

In some ways, Scott Brown is a Moderate to Center Left Republican. If he was a Democrat, he would be called a Blue Dog.

The other lesson is from the New York 23 debacle for the Republican Party. While many Republicans- and even Democrats- are more interested in ignoring this race, it is important. What happened there was that the Conservative candidate was the darling of the Right, and even pushed out a moderate Republican who could have won the race with ease. In Massachusetts, Brown was unopposed from the Right, and with the lack luster run by Coakley, Brown was able to win over many Democrats and Independents who were willing to vote for him.

Right now, the sentiment in this nation is one of anger, but it is not exactly the anger that many Republicans are trying to steer in their direction. People are suffering from an excess of the Conservative ideals which are embodied by Ronald Reagan- namely unfettered capitalism coupled with deregulation and hobbled government agencies. Small government is wonderful in principle, it is often very bad in practice, and what is worse is the fact that the small government that was proposed by the Republicans is mostly for a limited group of people. Often times, people find themselves watching as big business interests are able to do whatever they want while small businesses are hobbled by regulations, paperwork and taxes. Small businesses often pay far more than big corporations in taxes, and yet big corporations provide fewer jobs in total than small businesses, but provide a far bigger strain on the economy than small businesses. In many ways, too big to fail means too big to succeed as big businesses become bloated behemoths. There hits a point where big corporations slash their work forces in order to make up for their overblown fixed costs such as rent, electricity, and so on.

Right now, the people of the United States are angry, but there really is no one who is taking up the cause in either party to fix the real problems. On the Republican side, the politicians would have to give up their ideas that the corporations are what is good for America, and on the Democratic side, the leadership is busy saying “don’t hit us anymore.”

What needs to happen in this country is a return to balance. It is time to ignore the ideas of big government vs. small government and have efficient, balanced government coupled with businesses which support the country rather than stuff their foreign bank accounts with tax-free money. It is time to end the farce that small government means better government and realize that small government is nothing but a code word for allowing the big corporations to run rampant.

President Obama did not move to the Right last night so much as embrace the true Center in politics. This is something that many Republicans are unwilling to do, and something that many Republicans are unwilling to understand. Perhaps Scott Brown will embrace the center as well and be willing to stand up to the rampant corporate interests.

1/28/10-by Paula Brooks

Gay West Point Grad Disappointed in Obama’s DADT “Mention”

Claiming to be a “fierce advocate” for gays and lesbians, when President Barack Obama was running for office, he called for the repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay members, known to all as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

This was a big campaign promise, and one that many of us in the LGBT community hoped would be completed within the president’s first 100 days.

However, soon after Obama was inaugurated, the language on the White House Web page changed so that instead of promising to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, he instead supported “changing it in a sensible manner.”

Since Barack Obama has been President he has addressed other issues, such as national security, Haiti, jobs as a commander in chief … and many of us in the community has hoped when we heard he would be addressing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in last nights State of the Union Speech… that would be exactly that again… The Commander In Chief…. Our Commander In Chief.

But last night, when it came to repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, President Obama buried his “big” DADT repeal announcement deep in his State of the Union Address, was conspicuously lacking in specifics and, yet again abrogated his leadership on DADT to a do nothing congress.

“This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It’s the right thing to do,” said the president.

“When I first heard he was making it a priority to put this in the speech, my heart jumped,” Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Arabic linguist, who was discharged from the military earlier this year for being gay, told News Weeks Eve Conant last night.

“I had thought—I’m going to keep my job, I will keep my job this year,” said Choi.

But after hearing Obama would “work with congress” and do it “this year”, Choi said, “I was so excited, but then he said he was going to ‘work with Congress.’” …. “I was hoping he might have come in with an executive order, already signed….”

But Choi went on to say… “With everything Congress is failing to do? I took on a lot of impatience when I heard that…. Obama could have talked about this issue in every single one of those paragraphs. He could have simply said, ‘No gay soldier is going to lose their job this year.’ ”

After last night speech, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow asked senior policy adviser to the president, Valerie Jarrett, when and how the president planned to follow through on his promise regarding Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell.

Jarrett told a skeptical Maddow she was “very heartened” by the applause in the chamber in reaction to the president’s statement of commitment, and the president would “begin the process right away”, that he was “very clearly” committed to the promise. However Jarrett, like Obama, did not elaborate on the plan to end the policy.

Choi’s statements after Obama’s speech echo’s the disappointment felt by many in the LGBT community that more decisive action on DADT was not taken by Obama last night… and as you can tell, from his comments, President Obama broke Lt Choi’s heart, as he did many other LGBT hearts as well.

All I can say… Valerie Jarrett had better be right about Obama being “very clearly” committed to ending DADT… because if Obama lacks leadership on DADT repel and congresses lacks direction and mirrors their ineptness shown during health care reform debate… it will not be a good idea for either the Obama Administration or the Dems in congress to go fishing with many LGBT’s should they not get this done.

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 by Melanie Nathan, January 27, 2010.  The President’s State of  the Union Address was uplifting, sincere and an earnest attempt to deliver the imperative message - There is hope but the Republicans better get off their campaign trail and into Congress.   As I looked across the Republican side all I saw was a bunch of fuddy duddy old white men who all looked the same, totally baffled by their own purpose.  I thought, ‘yup the lockstep clan.’   It was the first time I have ever seen such an admonishment in a State of the Union. 

The brilliant well crafted speech heralded two concepts, firstly context of the first year of Presidency and secondly if you want to help the American people then you must choose out of politics and into governing.

The likes – Helping Haiti; tax incentives for middle class; deficit reduction; college loan reform with public service incentive; repeal of DADT; big banks taxed; help for small local banks to provide loans to small local businesses; lobbyists not biz as usual; hope for health care reform and a challenge for anyone with a better idea to step forward; immigration – a small mention; troops will come home- eventually; national security priorities; more clean energy; jobs – many more to come! 

The dislikes: Not enough detail re immigration; not enough mention of LGBT equality after all its not just DADT – how about a time line, what about the DOMA campaign promise?   What about the oppressed – the unequal?

The sad reality is that this President, who has potential to lead in a manner like no other, is faced with the most careless, unethical, disconnected uncompassionate, self serving  group of Republicans ever to serve in Congress; and it is no wonder – born and/or raised/ and or matured in the culture of the Cheney/Bush Administration – these are the remnants!

President Obama:  “…Now, I am not naïve.  I never thought the mere fact of my election would usher in peace, harmony, and some post-partisan era.  I knew that both parties have fed divisions that are deeply entrenched.   And on some issues, there are simply philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways.  These disagreements, about the role of government in our lives, about our national priorities and our national security, have been taking place for over two hundred years.  They are the very essence of our democracy.

 But what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day.  We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent – a belief that if you lose, I win.  Neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can.  The confirmation of well-qualified public servants should not be held hostage to the pet projects or grudges of a few individual Senators.  Washington may think that saying anything about the other side, no matter how false, is just part of the game.  But it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party from helping the American people.  Worse yet, it is sowing further division among our citizens and further distrust in our government.

 So no, I will not give up on changing the tone of our politics.  I know it’s an election year.  And after last week, it is clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual.  But we still need to govern.  To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills.  And if the Republican leadership is going to insist that sixty votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well.  Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership.  We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let’s show the American people that we can do it together.  This week, I’ll be addressing a meeting of the House Republicans.  And I would like to begin monthly meetings with both the Democratic and Republican leadership.  I know you can’t wait.”

So DOMA -DADT – ENDA-UAFA-CIR-HEALTH CARE  … Did you see those geezers sitting in their chairs -?  Nothing this potentially extraordinary President will do will move them toward a decent vote.  Something needs to change.  I hope the voters in mid term elections realize that adding more “R’s” to the bunch will only make things worse.

“Melanie –

I just finished delivering my first State of the Union, and I wanted to send you a quick note.

We face big and difficult challenges. Change on the scale we seek does not come easily. But I will never accept second place for the United States of America.

That is why I called for a robust jobs bill without delay. It’s why I proposed a small businesses tax credit, new investments in infrastructure, and pushed for climate legislation to create a clean energy economy.

It’s why we’re taking on big banks, reforming Wall Street, revitalizing our education system, increasing transparency — and finishing the job on health insurance reform.

It’s why I need your help — because I am determined to fight to defend the middle class, and special interest lobbyists will go all out to fight us.

Help me show that the American people are ready to join this fight for the middle class — add your name to a letter to Congress today:

http://my.barackobama.com/SOTU

We have finished a difficult year. We have come through a difficult decade. But we don’t quit. I don’t quit.

Let’s seize this moment — to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.

President Barack Obama”

So to the LGBTQI community all I can say is SIGH – the oppression will continue… until we do something about it…. in solidarity/…

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

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1/24/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Gay bashing suspect, Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ford, was tracked down by the NYPD in England. The incident occurred September 26^th, 2009 outside McCoy’s bar on Ninth Ave.  McCoys is a Hell’s Kitchen anchor. The last sports bar, a man’s bar, with scratched up wooden tables and a barely used women’s bathroom, in the increasingly trendy Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.  Ford allegedly flicked a lit cigarette at victims, Blake Hayes, Alec Bell, and Danny Calvert and said “Keep moving faggot”. The victims retaliated by making sun of Ford’s baldness. Ford shoved the victims and punched one in the face.

The NYPD assigned the Hate Crimes Task Force to the case, who tracked Ford down at an Air Force base in England. Ford maintained that the victims were actually the instigators of the brawl, however the NY Daily News maintains that there is surveillance camera footage of Ford attacking the victims.

Despite statements by City Council Member Christine Quinn that this case will send a message that “hate crimes will not be tolerated. The NYPD has decided to let Ford be tried by the Military Tribunal. Expect Ford to get a slap on the wrist.

The main question that this article raises in my mind is, do members of the United States Military enter the service with the inclination to hate gays or is this something that is polarized by the phenomena of groupthink that accompanies the military attitude towards gays that is verbalized in “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT)? How much of the past discrimination towards the LGBT community is perpetuated by the older generation refusing to let go of the perceptions of the past and forcibly hammering it into the minds of the next generation? These questions, while crucial, will be impossible to answer until the institutionalized bias towards LGBT by the Military is abandoned.  

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SAN FRANCISCO.   — Melanie Nathan in Marin County tonight –

We have previously reported on today’s highly controversial witness, one Hak-Shing  William Tam.  Tam was called as a Plaintiff (hostile)  witness to reveal his connection to the Prop 8 Campaign.  Although a Prop 8 proponent, Mr. Tam has turned out to be the thorn in the tuchus of the Prop 8 Defendants’ – their worst nightmare.  

Tam had already been deposed and so could not escape having to testify, allowing attorney David Boies to successfully elucidated the explicit craziness of this man’s assertions.

He was repeatedly exposed on his hostile views toward gays and lesbians and their fundamental rights.    Prop 8 was on the ballot as a response to the Court ruling that gays and lesbians have a basic right to marry.  The Plaintiffs’ lawyers consider Tam’s brutal standpoint on same-sex marriage important to proving that Proposition 8 was fueled by hostility and animus toward gays and lesbians, providing reason to give them greater protection under the U.S. Constitution.  Tam could do all but  prove that bias toward gays fueled the campaign to pass the measure.

Tam testified he equated same-sex marriage to pedophilia, polygamy and legalizing sex with children, and that California would fall into the “hands of Satan” if same-sex couples could wed. It is no wonder the 8 campaign tried to dispel this witness as irrelevant. However the Prop8’ers could not escape the trap – the connection to their campaign was inextricable proven, through powerful evidence.

Today Tam’s seat was hot – if he did not repeat what he had stated in his deposition he could be impeached and face perjury. 

Imagine, the Prop 8 proponents are distancing themselves from the very type of antagonism that was specifically used to incite Yes on 8 Voters and that was used to attract millions of dollars through out of State Churches.   It is clear to us out here living Prop 8 that this alienating language was simply ‘par for their course.’ We all heard it, saw it and felt it; the ads, the comments on BLOGS,  to the flyers, and so on.  Yet now they grovel behind their own assertions because in truth it is now ‘nipping them in the tuchus.’

Today was a huge victory for plaintiffs when this man was compelled to repeat and admit his hateful verbiage.  Even the lack of in court cameras will not stand in the way of our reporting – texting live – blogging,  as we expose him to America anyway.    More satisfying is that there is simply no way that the Defense can get around it. The connection has been made.

Proposition 8 lawyer, Nicole Moss, through her questions, failed to distance the campaign from Tam’s statements, when they tried to depict him as going rogue with his statements about gays and lesbians without the consent of Proposition 8 campaign officials.

So as the feeble and fearful Prop 8 campaign tries, in vain, to wriggle themselves free of Tam,   this man is clearly who he is – a leading proponent of Proposition 8 and they simply cannot detach him from the campaign.   Boies showed that Tam was inextricably linked to the campaign, showing e-mails in which he regularly communicated with ProtectMarriage.com officials and evidence Tam mobilized the Asian community and organized rallies against same-sex marriage.

Even if the connection had not been made by direct evidence – it is very difficult to separate a campaign from the speakers that show up with the megaphones – so to speak – they take on the tone, the attitude and the purpose of the campaign. When a guy like TAM shows up to shout and you give him a cup of coffee – he is part of your campaign.  A campaign that fails to distance itself at the relevant time, tacitly endorses the message.

So as TAM found himself on trial today, together with the rest of the Prop 8 supporters, I am able to make a shift in my own thinking.   For a while I thought it was us on trial, the LGBT community – but instead I am now taking a different stand – through the words of TAM I believe that the entire religious right-bigot-wingers are on trial.   It is them – not us – they are on trial for their despicable detestation – they are being exposed and America will be the Judge. 

So when TAM lies and says  ”I was acting independently,” on the stand – he is committing perjury as his words fly in the face of the evidence proving otherwise. Tam said the statements he made were not approved by ProtectMarriage.com and Proposition 8’s leadership.  However, we all know better than that; we know that they ‘rah-rah’ed’ behind each other with the very specific intent to rob us of our rights, whether through act or omission they got what they wanted.  Then! Now? Now it is our turn. 

Sourced – Howard Mintz, Mercury News. Great work Howard thanks.

Melanie Nathan LGBT ADvocate /Activist

By Melanie Nathan. nathan@privatecourts.com

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Posted by Melanie Nathan  -    African Anti-Gay Hate is spreading rapidly-  When South Africa – “the new South Africa” starts spewing at its own all inclusive Constitution – purporting return to Africanism – and whose head is on the chopping block Mr. and Mr. Gay and Mrs. and Mrs. Lesbian – not to forget the rest -BTQI -!

Read this Press release below and then my prior piece about the SA appointee to UGANDA of an openly gay-Hating Ambassador - by President Zuma of South Africa. 

So while South Africa is touting an all inclusive constitution – they are barely behaving accordingly.  South Africa is a sports crazy country and this 2010 World Cup means everything to ALL of the people and politicians there.

“I am calling all my fellow Bloggers and Mainstream Press to Publish a Call for a BOYCOTT of the World Cup in SA until such time as Zuma withdraws his appointment of Ambassador Jon Qwelane; and rebukes comments made by PAC Youth League.  Stand up for the Gays Mr. Zuma or we will boycott South Africa for the World Cup……… Melanie Nathan.

Press release: SA GLAAD Condemns PAC Youth League and Leader for Homophobic hate speech and attack on the SA Constitution

SA GLAAD condemns in the strongest terms possible the statements made by Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania (Payco) leader Pitso Mphasha, in which the league said the SABC1 soapie Generations has “declared war with African cultures and practices” and that “Africa is not the home of gays and lesbians”.

We take very seriously the accusation that South African people have no right to call the land of their birth “home” simply because of the intolerance of a few malcontented individuals.

Mphasha’s statement implies that being gay or lesbian is “unnatural” and somehow alien to Africa and African people, which we believe is intended to isolate and target the pink community and incite hatred against us.

We take issue with the reference to people’s natural inborn characteristics and behavior as “practices”, which implies that gays and lesbians have any choice in being gays and lesbians, that there is anything wrong or unnatural in being gay or lesbian – and that these statements reduce our dignity and worthiness as people to nothing more than “promoting evil”.

This statement by Mphasha is a vicious attack on the SA Constitution which also grants these homophobic individuals equal rights to those of gays and lesbians.

This sort of blatant hate speech incites hatred and encourages violent acts against the pink community, particularly in the townships of South Africa, where victimization, murder and so-called “corrective rape” are daily features of the lives of Black gays and lesbians living there.

This sort of publicly expressed hatred is reckless and irresponsible and endangers the lives of innocent people for no reason other than the poorly thought out bigotry and prejudice of the sort which was responsible for Apartheid.

SA GLAAD would like to point out to Mr Mphasha and the PAC Youth the hypocrisy in wanting to have freedoms and rights for themselves, while wanting to deny the same equalities to others.

SA GLAAD expresses the sincere hope that the pink community will answer the call by SA Human Rights Commission spokesperson Vincent Moagato to lodge complaints against this group and its leader in order to facilitate action.

We thank the SA Human Rights Commission for their defence of the Constitution and urge them to take this matter further and to pursue justice for this outrage to the full extent of the law.

UPDATE ; SOUTH AFRICAN PRESS PICK UP LEZGETREAL CALL FOR BOYCOTT OF 2010 WORLD CUP SOCCER IN USA.
Well Known South African Journalist, Michael Trapido of the widely read  Richmark Sentinel reported that he had been approached by us to Announce the Boycott of the 2010 Games.      Here is his report: I especially like his opening line – that here in theUSA we are watching South Africa’s failure to take a leadership role in the HATE GAY KILL BILL debacle.

The South African governments previous and ongoing insensitivity in matters of foreign policy reaches audiences far wider than they believe or perhaps anticipate.

As a result acts such as supporting President Robert Mugabe, suggesting Jon Qwelane for the post of Ugandan ambassador and refusing the Dalai Lama entry until after the World Cup occasion a backlash against this country and calls to boycott the World Cup.

The Richmark Sentinel was approached by gay activists who are calling for a boycott of the football tournament pursuant to a renowned homophobe being suggested as our representative to Uganda.

The fact that it is a crime to be gay or lesbian in 38 African countries does not sit well with the international community but giving tacit endorsement to Uganda’s lethal policies by sending them Qwelane is proving to be a step too far .

Upon further investigation it soon emerged that this is by no means the only area in respect of which our policies are attracting resentment.

The government’s decision to bar the Dalai Lama from entering South Africa in order to attend a peace conference, with further confirmation that he would not be allowed to visit until the 2010 World Cup was over drew no less criticizm than that of David Wallechinsky of the Huffington Post.

“I would never call for an athletes’ boycott of the World Cup; but for spectators, that’s another story.

If the president of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe, wants to grovel at the feet of Hu Jintao and the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, that’s his choice. But if the Dalai Lama has to wait until the World Cup is over before he visits South Africa, I guess I can wait until then too.”

There are even some like Australian journalist Peter Roebuck who go a step further and suggest that South Africa has no right to host the World Cup as a result of their policies on Zimbabwe.

“South Africa has forfeited the right to stage the 2010 football World Cup. By supporting and sustaining the holocaust unfolding in Zimbabwe, the Government has aligned itself with the ranks of evil. It is one thing to refuse to intervene when cruelty is rife in a neighbouring country, quite another to fuel it with sympathetic words, pathetic policies and required resources.”

The Richmark Sentinel is proudly South African and stands 100% behind our bid to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

It would however serve the government well to factor in the resentment and bitterness they are causing when they make these sometimes startling decisions.

South African foreign policy occasions calls for World Cup boycott

Saturday, January 23, 2010 [ Reads:528 / Comments:10 / 3741 ] 

Melanie Nathan LGBT ADvocate /Activist

By Melanie Nathan,    Wits Alumni (B.A. LLB)  - Activist and Personal Advocate , USA.
Inactive Member of  Gauteng Bar. (TVL)

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I really believe this is the case. It will go to the Supreme Court – regardless of who wins.  What makes it so astounding is the parameters of the evidence.   Maybe a historian can answer – has there ever been any such spectacle, where an entire minority community has been put on trial and had their existence questioned in this way?   It hits me hard everytime I hear any of the evidence, whether it be a scientist, a young gay person who has been subjected to reparative therapy. Whatever is stated in that courtroom is a statement for tens of thousands more LGBT people out there.   I feel like a mother trying to protect her children.  I want to shake President Obama and wake him up.  Is he watching – is he seeing this testimony?  Please Mr. President help stop this craziness – its criminal for us to be raked over the coals in this way.  How do I tell my children that their family is less than?  That they do not have a valid family?   Please stop this trial now – you can do it, Sir.    Why should we wait 10 years?  Please repeal DOMA now!  I feel like I am in Salem at a witch trial.

Gregg Cassin reporting for LGR from Court today “”It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this case to the future of marriage in America,” said Ron Prentice of ProtectMarriage.com. “Not only is the constitutionality of California’s Prop 8 at stake, but so are the marriage laws of 45 other states and the federal Defense of Marriage Act.” 

That said if you have the stomach there will be a re-enactment of the trial and it will be found at http://www.johnirelandonline.com/Trial/Prop8Trial.html    in the meantime if you visit this site you can see the start as well as picyures of all the witnesses and attorneys.  

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Posted by Melanie Nathan

01/20/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The blame game has begun. Well, technically, the blame game over Massachusetts began before last night. Certainly the lack of a campaign from Martha Coakley hurt, but so did the national ground game which did little to push back against the “Tea Party” Protests, most of which were organized behind the scenes by people such as Dick Armey. There is a sense of desire to fix the blame rather than fixing the problem, but there is also the realty that those who want to assign blame often want to look at those who were already critical rather than looking for the person who brought about the disasters in the first place.

There is an old truism about being in the military, or for that matter, just about any confrontation. The soldiers do not respect the general who remains aloof from the fray. General Patton may have been a major jerk, but he was a true general. Admiral Lord Nelson did not command the battle at Trafalgar from outside the confrontation. Instead, the HMS Victory was right there in the fray, and when Nelson died in battle, Lord Collingwood did not move the HMS Sovereign out of the fray to command the finish of the battle, but rather was in the thick of the battle himself. General Grant was a drunken sot and a bad soldier, but he was in the thick of battle as well. Generals who sit in their tent sipping drinks do not win wars. Typically, they charge their troops into battles like the one celebrated as the Charge of the Light Brigade. For those who do not know, it was a famous charge of British troops against entrenched Turkish gun emplacements. Almost the whole brigade was slaughtered by the Turkish guns.

For the most part, the blame can be easily spread around, but some of the biggest problems lie with the general and the commanders in the field. Certainly, the complete botch job that Martha Coakley did as a campaigner hurt big time. She was arrogant; went on vacation in the middle of the campaign, and took for granted that she was going to win, but there were other problems which made matters worse. President Barack Obama is a great orator, a natural Senator, and a rather lousy leader. In some ways, he has a lot in common with his predecessor, George W. Bush. Bush was a lousy leader as well. Both men rushed through the political landscape without any real understanding of how to govern. Both men were loathe to wade into the actual governance in order to direct policy. This is the kind of situation which often leads to the commanders running amok. While this is not a problem for the Republican Party, which has always been a Party which functioned better in the absence of a strong central leader, this is a situation which will result in a Democrat being eaten alive.

While Republicans are often quite happy with the Party being the governing structure, Democrats often look to a strong leader to solidify the actual governance. In many ways, the two Parties are negative images. The Republicans have always operated best without a strong central leader, and a common vision. The Democrats have always operated best with a strong central leader to wade through and measure the various visions that the Democratic Party has. In many ways, this is why the best Democrats have always been men like Franklin Roosevelt, Bill Clinton and Lyndon Johnson. The best Republicans have always been people who have a vision, but others carry it out. This is why Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan are the better Republican Presidents of the last seven decades.

The problem for the Democratic Party is that they only respect trench politicians. If one isn’t in the trenches giving orders, then one isn’t going to get a lot of respect. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama and Tim Kaine are not trench politicians. They are hands off politicians who have always been best at being rank and file. Democrats are like cats, and herding them is difficult. The strongest of the House Speakers and Senate Majority Leaders have always been ones who could herd cats. Lyndon Johnson, as Senate Majority Leader, was one of the best. He was a dirty fighter who had dirt on everyone. Heck, Johnson probably even knew about J. Edgar Hoover’s little black strapless.

In the fall out over Coakley’s disastrous Senate run, there is a lot of blame being assigned. One of those being blamed is Governor Howard Dean. Supposedly he undermined President Obama on policy. What he did was air concerns like so many Democrats have. What he has not done, though, is undermine Obama. Obama did that on his own. Of course he had some help. After all, Pelosi, Reid and Kaine were all manning the shovels through their own inability to work from the trenches.

In a sense, the blame game often feels more like a game of kill the messenger. The problems were there, but a lot of people want to blame those who were trying to warn everyone else.

1/20/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, posed for the NOH8 campaign to raise awareness for marriage equality. Cindy McCain is not known for championing political causes and during her husband’s run for the presidency, remained quiet and reserved. Her daughter, Megan McCain, has been very outspoken about her support of marriage equality. It’s refreshing to see two strong women taking a stand for a cause they believe in, even if it flies in the face of the Republican Party’s value. Megan in particular has caused a stir in the Republican Party; calling for change in the party’s social policies in order to further fiscal policies.

Cindy and Megan McCain are raising awareness and supporting the LGBT community more than Michelle Obama or the Obama administration has. Considering the promises the Obamas made to us while they were on the campaign trail, this is surprising and dissapointing. I welcome and appreciate the support of the McCain women.   

To view Cindy McCain’s picture, click the link:

http://www.bouska.net/noh8/index.htm

Melanie Nathan:-  1/19/10 =5.00 pm San Francisco :- Judge Judy makes a BIG Lesbian / Gay faux pas– but she probably did not realize it.  I love having TV on in the background while I work. I never watch it though. (okay, okay only Bachelor and the News ok and Desperate Housewives…)  For some reason the erstwhile Judge was really annoying me and as I was about to change the channel when my remote froze – I could not help but hear the remark – and it was made at me?  

Am I over sensitive because of the prop 8 trial;  the disdainful and gut wrenching testimony directed at me –  where as a sister of an entire population am rendered invalid until the possible stroke of another Judge’s pen?   I am begging for recognition.  Now in the Gay Diaspora ,  that is the rest of the world, my safety is shirked as I hear that my life and love ought to be rolled back like an old classic movie on a reel; I keep hearing it “ undo you- undo who you are- you can change your ways–   you don’t count! ”  It is a self possessed mantra that does not leave me any peace.

Oh get out of me and back to my  real TV Judge – The case – Jennifer and Joanne are roommates.  They are not lovers, so that is not where I am going with this. Clearly straight roommates they opened a joint checking account for shared apartment expenses.  They came to Judge Judy’s Court with a related dispute – The Judge roared at them both – “How could you be so stupid, who opens a bank account with someone with who you have no marriage contract?   You open bank accounts with husbands and that’s tough enough said the well meaning Judge.

So here is my piece – Judge Judy what if they were lesbians and had no marriage contract available to them– because the law of the United States prevented them from having such?   Would they still be stupid to open a bank account together?   Without a marriage contract? 

Now I am not looking for an apology, only a little bit of sensitivity …. Notice – to America – We are a minority and the subjects of daily discrimination.  Be it words, be it laws, be it whatever.

 by Melanie Nathan   – nathan@privatecourts.com

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Natalie Cassidy is a British actress who appeared on the popular UK soap, EastEnders for 16 years. Cassidy played “Sonia Jackson” since she was ten years old, but left the show in 2007 after Sonia had an affair with Naomi, a fellow nurse.

Cassidy told Reveal Magazine that she left EastEnders because she didn’t feel comfortable with her character engaging in a same sex relationship.  She calls the relationship not true to the character of Sonia and calls the lesbian story itself “shocking.” Cassidy goes on to display her ignorance further when she says that she would consider going back to EastEnders, but only if Sonia was the star of a really “shocking” storyline. Basically, she is claiming she would return to the show for the same reason she says she left the show. Someone call MENSA, this girl is a genius. Obviously, Cassidy is upset that she was cast as a lesbian. I would like to applaud EastEnders for including lesbians in their stories, lesbians exist in real life and deserve to be represented on the screen. Only most of us are much more attractive than Natalie Cassidy. Cassidy has also appeared on the UK version of dancing with the stars, “Strickly Come Dancing.” I would like to nominate Cassidy to appear on Oxygen’s “Dance Your Ass Off.” That show is much more appropriate for her.

01/19/10- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
As the chaos of the Coakley Senate run comes to the final stretch, the finger pointing has already begun. Problems plagued this campaign, including the arrogance of the candidate who ran a more passive campaign than she should have. Ms Coakley also had other issues, including unwisely wading into sports when it appeared that she knew very little about it. As the Democrats begin to assign the blame, the problem is that they will not assign blame where it is due. Yes, Coakley ran a rough campaign, but there are systemic problems which are not being addressed.

While it is true that Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele is a fund raising disaster and an embarrassment to the GOP, he is not quite the disaster that Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine is. While people are fearful and angry at Obama, Kaine has done little to counterattack those seeking to undermine the DNC brand, and to sink Obama. He let fear hold sway over the August recess, and that fear turned into a situation where a handful of Democratic Senators were able to steamroll the ineffective Harry Reid into all but killing health care reform and exacerbating the situation. Governor Howard Dean did a better job countering the GOP propaganda machine with his own attacks, often from the sidelines. He had strong enough connections to the grass roots community that he was able to bring together a broad coalition of people to counter the Republicans and keep the demoralized party on the ropes. He was able to tap into them while also tempering their expectations, something that Governor Kaine has been unable to do.

Governor Dean, unlike Governor Kaine, was a full time DNC chairman. At a time when it was necessary to protect the majority in the Senate, Governor Kaine was wrapping up his final term as Governor of Virginia, a job which went to a Republican. While the GOP may gripe about Michael Steele’s day job selling his book, few people have really complained about Governor Kaine’s day job.

With two major losses, and a third more than likely on the way, one has to wonder just what kind of a leader Kaine has been, and whether or not the arrogance within the Democratic Party in the wake of Obama’s election lead to a series of losses.

Perhaps it is time for the Obama Administration, which arrogantly rode over the power of Governor Dean’s chairmanship, should be asking him to return to the office that let him turn the DNC into a competitive Party once again.

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Janaury 18, 1.56 pm PST: By Melanie Nathan;   As an ex-pat just when I was thinking I would send a letter to  South Africa’s President Zuma to ask if would kindly intervene and take a leadership role in assuring the full withdrawal in the Ugandan Hate Legislation, I received word that he has in fact appointed the most homophobic appointee possible to an ambassadorship in Uganda. What is he thinking that this Ambassador would be a good fit because he hates LGBTQI too?

In A press release ,  South Africa GLAAD Protests the appointment of Jon Qwelane as SA Ambassador to Uganda:

SA GLAAD condemns in the strongest terms possible the appointment of disgraced Sunday Sun journalist Jon Qwelane as South African Ambassador to Uganda.

SA GLAAD believes that Qwelane is in no way suitable for such an appointment because of his record of making homophobic and sexist remarks in his journalism, which in our view disqualifies him.

Uganda is at present a hot-spot for homophobic and transphobic activity on the part of social organizations, churches and the Ugandan government – which is under pressure from the UN and numerous countries to rescind existing laws and to not pass proposed laws which make life impossible for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Uganda. The proposed law would legalize the death penalty for people, purely based on their sexuality!

We believe that Qwelane, who is still facing charges in the SA Equality Court brought against him by the SA Human Rights Commission for matters arising from an article he wrote in the Sunday Sun in 2008 “Call me names but gay is not ok” would simply make matters worse. This matter has still not yet been resolved and is still outstanding after nearly 2 years.

SA GLAAD believes that this appointment by the President is in extremely bad taste, and a slap in the face to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex South Africans AND Ugandans.

What kind of message does it send to the world and a country like Uganda which is tearing itself apart on the issue of the human rights of GLBTI people when South Africa appoints a blatant unrepentant homophobe, who is still facing charges on hate speech against the pink community – as an ambassador to another country? It says, “We support you, Uganda – and your policies of discrimination!”

How can Jacob Zuma or the ANC in all good conscience appoint such a person – who is known for his hatred of gay people – to the post of Ambassador in a country which is boiling over with homophobic intimidation and violence and is currently STILL being slated for both existing and proposed draconian laws that rob GLBTIQ people of their equality and human rights – and even their lives?

SA GLAAD once again calls on Mr Zuma and the South African government to reconsider and to denounce and condemn beyond any doubt the Ugandan Genocide Bill currently being debated by the Ugandan Parliament, to sign the UN Declaration to Decriminalize Homosexuality it refused to sign in December 2008 on the grounds of “having principles”, and to NOT appoint a homophobic person to the post of SA Ambassador to Uganda.

In addition I wonder if Zuma realizes that the Americans are watching this one with huge interest and are condemning the legislation introduced by the Ugandans.  Not only is the UN Chief Pillay asking for the withdrawal of the legislation, but Gay rights activists are calling for boycotts and sanctions against Uganda unless the Bill is withdrawn. 

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton succeeded in getting the death sentence withdrawn from the Bill, but now we here in the USA expect the Obama Administration to respond vigorously and effectively.

We at Lez Get Real, fully support the work of SA GLAAD and urge them to continue their efforts to enlighten the South African public.                                                                               http://wp.me/pqRPa-Bj

    

 

      

   

 

 

Melanie Nathan LGBT ADvocate /Activist

 

By Melanie Nathan, Reporting from California. nathan@privatecourts.com

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We shall overcome some day…

By Melanie Nathan – I have an awful and selfish confession to make; my emotions are taxed. Truthfully and ashamedly, I cannot take the visuals coming out of Haiti. It has tapped into my highest sense of helplessness.  While the Asia Tsunami impacted me tremendously, I am just unable to cope with seeing these children under rubble alive, only to be rescued and then die.   Unable to look at the trauma ridden faces on the parents and the children.  They have not had any food, they are in severe physical and emotional pain. They have experienced the end of the world. 

One such example can be seen in a CNN report where even seasoned anchors and reporters are having a difficult time reporting this catastrophe.  What could be worse right now than this?  I am posting this because I want to help and I do not know how.  We appealed for money on day one and continue to do so.  

But it is not about the reporter or journalists – nor me- for that matter- and even though I must turn my television set off (something I have never done before – because I have wanted to feel close and in pain albeit in this inane way) I must ask that we keep praying for this small land and these good people and we send whatever we can that can help.  Nurses, doctors, supplies, food , water, money, helicopters – whatever we are doing is not enough and will never be enough.

When things get better and there is less confusion, I am sure that American progressives, individuals, congregations will rally in the same way as they did for Katrina.  We will go there and help them re-build; maybe we will bring some orphans home with us and open our country to ostracized gays and lesbians.   Whatever it is I am not going to allow my own inadequate emotional response to impact my usefulness, if only I can truly find it.

News Anchor Campbell Brown was hit hard by the images and stories and here is a very moving tape which can be found at Amricablog from yesterday:
http://www.americablog.com/2010/01/cnn-anchor-breaks-down-after-hearing.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+modurban_media+%28modurban_media%29

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Posted by Melanie Nathan. See me on Twitter. @oblogdeeoblogda

by Melanie Nathan, San Francisco;     YOU MAY BE DENIED WHEN YOU REALLY ARE ENTITLED. A MUST READ ARTICLE FOR EVERY LGBT CALIFORNIAN.

       While Proposition 8 is challenged in the current court action, Perry v Schwarzenegger and every LGBT relationship suffers its trial, a new California law became effective on January 1, 2010.  To some extent the Prop 8 case has distracted us and we have ‘awareness’ work to do with the new SB 54 Law. We have reported previously on this law,  however now that it is in effect there are practical hurdles to overcome and we will alert to some important information that will educate and empower.

“SB 54 tracks the decision of the California Supreme Court in Strauss v. Horton, which held that Proposition 8 “carves out a narrow and limited exception to [the] state constitutional rights [of same-sex couples], reserving the official designation of the term ‘marriage’ for the union of opposite-sex couples as a matter of state constitutional law.” 

However Proposition 8 did not invalidate any pre-existing marriages.  Proposition 8 also did not change the court’s previous ruling in the Marriage Cases that the California Constitution prohibits government discrimination based on sexual orientation and requires the state to treat same-sex couples equally under the law. The measure’s only effect was to prevent the state from licensing any new in-state marriages or using the name “marriage” to recognize any out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples entered after Proposition 8 passed.  SB 54 was carefully written to carry out the constitutional mandate that the state provide equal treatment for same-sex couples to the fullest extent allowed within the bounds set by Proposition 8.” http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/SB_54_FAQ.pdf?docID=6641  

There may be new rights in California that impact you, directly.   You may not know it.  It could cover many areas of your legal life, so to speak.

What does this mean for the prop 8 trial; nothing really. The trial is critical and we must win back our fundamental right to marry in California. Prop 8 must be exposed for what it is, and albeit unbearable to listen to or read about, it is clear that the Prop 8 bigots cannot escape the exposure of their injudiciousness and their sinister campaign.  

The new law in effect recognizes marriages (Domestic Partnerships, Civil Unions) from other Jurisdictions outside of California for the purposes of California Law.  The best explanation of the new law, which is to some extent confusing, is found in a PDF online FAQ sheet by NCLR (National Center for Lesbian Rights*) and EQCA who were  involved in the authorship and legislation process itself.

“SB 54, a bill authored by Senator Mark Leno and signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on October 11, 2009, clarifies the rights of same-sex couples who marry outside of California. SB 54 has two parts:

1 First, it clarifies that couples who married outside of California before November 5, 2008, are entitled to full recognition as married couples in this state.

2. Second, it ensures that couples who get married outside of California on or after November 5, 2008, will receive all of the rights, benefits, and responsibilities of marriage except for the name “marriage.””

This valuable link provides answers to some common questions about the rights of same-sex couples who marry outside the state:

http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/SB_54_FAQ.pdf?docID=6641

This new law has far reaching effect and it is critical that one understand how it can impact one’s particular circumstances.

From what I am seeing on the field and in the California real life trenches, it seems that many employers and officials have failed to reflect the changes in their respective policies, including informing staff in the hierarchy of changes.  Employers must provide their employees with the tools and education to treat people equally. An employee in a same sex marriage should be treated 100% in the same way as an employee in a different gender marriage.  They should not receive raised eyebrows if they merely ask for a form, or assistance in making inquiries into their benefits.   

In fact at this early time of SB 54’s inception, people seeking to obtain benefits there under may well find themselves either rejected or being misled.  These cases are actually already starting to  present themselves.

The ideal situation for an employer would be to check with an attorney before denying an employer, or for a landlord to check with a Fair Housing Group before denying a tenant.

I am alerting and encouraging our community not to take ‘no’ for an answer when discouraged by employers, pension plan administrators, banks, colleges landlords, hospitals or any authority who may either have no understanding of the new law or who may be purposely leading you away from your rights. This is already happening.  My suggestion is to consult an attorney or  a local agency with expertise in the issue at hand.  

If you are refused a form or turned away from any benefit or right to which you believe you may be entitled, please contact someone on the list. I recommend contacting NCLR and LAMBDA legal and they will explain the law to you, help you understand your rights and either assist you directly or refer you to the appropriate agency that can help.

Why is it important to contact NCLR or LAMBDA Legal?

1. You are entitled to your rights – and you must ask for them. No one is going to come up to you and tell you about a new law; it will not be handed to you. The law is there for you – if you qualify under the law, you may find that your marriage (or civil unionor DP)  is recognized in California and that your spouse is entitled to be on your medical insurance, pension plan,  lease, etc. in circumstances where you may not otherwise have thought possible.  Imagine yourself as a heterosexual spouse/partner and act in relationsh to your rights accordingly.  Basic but true – even a straight person has to ask for his/her benefits.

2. If all those who experience resistance or denials from benefit providers or administrators report their experience, it will help the LGBT groups identify patterns and systemic problems and this will provide the valuable information needed to target and help educate business, pension plans and small or large business employers and those who fail to amend /update their policy and procedures - to be fully inclusive.

3. It is important not be intimidated by authority – not to be misled into thinking that they have figured out SB 54. Do not presume anyone to be organized to handle the sudden influx of same-sex partners requesting implementation of their rights.  If you work for the County, the State, the City or  a Town – the likelihood is that they are not yet prepared for the changes and that they may not even know what these are.

Always insist on receiving the forms that you believe you are entitled to fill in.  If you receive any resistance, be sure to ask for what you need in writing,  keep all e-mails and related correspondence and call a resource.

It is imperative not to accept the word of a desk employee who is not trained, nor well versed with the law.  It is your responsibility to look elsewhere for your answers.  You may also find that some are simply prejudiced and cannot fathom your entitlement. 

SO here is an example.  Imagine if the guy who wrote this piece below, a blog post ( which I am quoting in red  below) also happens to be the person who will decide if your spouse can get onto your lease agreement or if this were the person who sat at the pension desk:

“This is the BLOG of one Randy Thomasson of - 

“What’s going on with the new attack on man-woman marriage? We all remember Prop. 8, which created Article 1, Section 7.5 in the California Constitution, reading, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” And we all know that the written Constitution is the highest law of the land, higher than the California Supreme Court, higher than the Governor, and higher than the State Legislature.The problem is, since the California Supreme Court already undermined Prop. 8 by validating some 18,000 homosexual “marriages,” the Democrat-controlled California Legislature is now trying to neutralize Prop. 8 even further. SB 54, authored by homosexual activist and Democrat state senator Mark Leno, would violate the clear reading of the Constitution by recognizing pre-Prop. 8 homosexual “marriages” from other states and nations — Massachusetts, Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Sweden — as fully-valid “marriages” in California.”

Thomasson continues in his anti-gay rhetoric and concludes

 “You and your friends must resist this corrupt violation of the California Constitution!”

So there are people out there who believe this and who may heed the call to “resist.”  If that is the type you have to face when seeking assistance for your rights, you had best know your rights or where to go if you do not.  Bottom line: accept no “no’s.”  Get help.

No one has the legal right to resist what is law and personal judgments are simply inacceptable. We all have our part to do in educating our community.     

For attorneys advising clients who have related disputes, my suggestion is that you too contact NCLR or LAMBDA Legal for clarity.  This will also help isolate the problems and forge education campaigns leading to amendments to policy in the individual, public and private sectors.  You may well find that given the choice the LGBT client may choose education and policy change over legal action or as a concomitant of settlement; and therein lies the value to the community as a whole.  

By way of introduction: *  From the Website of  the National Center for Lesbian Rights: “The audacity to fight for justice. The perseverance to win.”

“In 1977, two brave and determined women—fresh out of law school and eager to make a difference—decided to put their knowledge to good use. As legal scholars, Donna Hitchens and Roberta Achtenberg saw the courtroom as a way to change the world. As lesbians, they had experienced frustrations and fears—both personal and professional—and didn’t want others to suffer the same. And as future parents, they knew they would face even more challenges ahead.”

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.

NCLR is a non-profit, public interest law firm which litigates precedent-setting cases at the trial and appellate court levels; advocates for equitable public policies affecting the LGBT community; provides free legal assistance to LGBT people and their legal advocates; and conducts community education on LGBT legal issues.

They serve more than 5,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families in all fifty states each year, including LGBT seniors, immigrants, athletes, and youth. And our impact litigation serves all LGBT people in the United States.

 Further Resources: Post will be updated to include a list of fair housing groups, legal aid groups and more. Questions / regarding re-publishing – please contact Melanie at Nathan@privatecourts.com

Written by:- Melanie Nathan, a mom, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a niece, a cousin, an human rights advocate, a mediator, a writer/ an equality activist – Nathan@privatecourts.com www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com  – Twitter: @oblogdeeoblogda  / www.privatecourts.com / www.divorcemediators.com

1/16/10-by Paula Brooks
As Republican Scott Brown’s surge continues in the days leading up to the Massachusetts Senatorial Special Election, President Obama has finally weighed in on the race to succeed Sen. Edward M. Kennedy…

“Our Fierce Advocate” has put out an impassioned plea for Attorney General Martha Coakley and said his “very important” agenda depends on her getting elected… “They believe that by defeating Martha and by replacing Ted Kennedy with a Republican opponent, that they’ll be in a position to tie up the senate and prevent a vote on health insurance reform, financial reform and other issues so important for working families,” Obama says. “A lot of people don’t even realize there is an election Tuesday. So I need you to put on your walking shoes again.”

During last years Presidential campaign LGBT’s in large number indeed put on their walking shoes for Mr. Obama… because he promised us change… and most importantly he promised us HOPE.

We had Hope, because, when Candidate Obama was courting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters, he said that he would support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.

But for right now however… Mary Ritchie, a Massachusetts State Police trooper and lesbian, who has been legally married to her partner in that state for five years… is having to sue President Obama to get access to federal benefits that other married couples automatically receive when they get married in Massachusetts, such as tax benefits, pensions and health insurance.

Ritchie’s says she and her spouse have paid nearly $15,000 more in taxes than they would have if they had been able to file joint returns…. And she would like it back… as would the other dozen plaintiffs joining her in this suit.

Yet Obama’s Department of Justice lawyers say that the federal government needs to be “neutral” with regard to its treatment of married same-sex couples in order to ensure that federal tax money collected from across the country not be used to assist same-sex couples duly married by their home states and are defending the law with court filings in this Massachusetts case that argue, DOMA is constitutional and contended that awarding federal marriage benefits to gays in Massachusetts would infringe on the rights of taxpayers in the 31 states that specifically prohibit same-sex marriages…. And President Obama says he is committed to “the long followed the practice of defending federal statutes as long as reasonable arguments can be made in support of their constitutionality, even if the Department disagrees with a particular statute…” Notwithstanding the fact prior administrations have declined to defend laws in court they did not agree with.

So Mary Ritchie and her family are still light their 15k.

That fifteen grand would have bought more then a few pairs of LGBT walking shoes in Massachusetts to help advance Fierce Advocate Obama’s other… more important… agendas…

Now I don’t live in Massachusetts, but if I did, I would be telling President Obama I would gladly put on my walking shoes again… if he would only show me the money as it were, and do something about getting Mary Ritchie’s $15,000 back to her a little more expedient fashion… like withdrawing his Justice Department defense to Mary’s case… and to stop betraying my hopes for equality at every opportunity he gets.

However until he does… I would be telling every LGBT I know… come Tuesday… they should send Mr. Obama a loud and clear message about his dicking around with our civil rights and STAY HOME IN MASS on Election Day…

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01/15/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
President Barack Obama is now facing a very real problem in Massachusetts. He rushed there to try and shore up the flagging likelihood that Martha Coakley would, in fact, succeed Senator Ted Kennedy in the seat that he one held. What had once been a sure thing, now looks like it could be a loss. The why is simple. The base is upset and dispirited. They elected President Barack Obama to usher in a new era of liberalism in this nation. Instead, they got a man who was more willing to cut deals than to push what he campaigned upon through the Senate. Sure, he has managed to get almost everything he wanted, but rather than pushing through with health care reform, and pushing it hard, President Obama ceded that fight to the faux grassroots astroturfers who are less about fixing what is wrong, and more about ensuring what is wrong remains broken.

For the LGBT Community, Obama’s lack of spine has been a big problem. Instead of pushing through his promises of getting LGBT issues addressed in Congress, such as revoking Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, President Obama has been signaling that he is more than willing to wait for his second term in office before being willing to address those issues. For the millions of gays, lesbians and transpeople, the President’s lack of movement on key issues beyond the Matthew Shepard Act- an act that had to be attached to another piece of legislation in order to pass- has been frustrating in the extreme.

It is there that Massachusetts becomes a problem. Massachusetts is a state with some of the largest numbers of LGBT Americans in the country, and a large number of LGBT allies. The lack of movement on Obama’s part on these issues is discouraging, and many may be unwilling to vote for Coakley because Obama has been so timid when it comes to these battles. In many ways, it will not be the fact that the Democrats went too far with health care reform and financial reform and even the repeal of anti-LGBT laws that lost them this seat, and threatens to make 2010-2013 a legislative deadlock unlike anything this nation has seen in a long time, but rather the fact that the Democrats did not go far enough in pursuing an agenda of popular Progressivism.

Obama, Reid and Pelosi forgot to fight for the people who put them into power, and now they are at risk of being unable to do anything for years to come.

01/14/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

In a new interview on Afterellen.com, Lucy Lawless reveals that she regrets the way the series ended.

AE: I know you’ve spent the last ten years talking about Xena, but I have to tell you how much pleasure that show gave me. Sitting with you now, I’m reminded how moved I was in that final episode when Xena faded away, dead, and Gabrielle (played by Renee O’Connor) was left on the boat, alone.
LL: I kind of wish we hadn’t done that, actually. At the time, we thought that was a really strong choice, but I think it really hurt the fans.

AE: My theory has always been that Xena and Gabrielle traded places. They completed each other and Gabrielle became the warrior and Xena became the selfless person of total good, like Gabrielle.
LL: And isn’t it funny how when someone dies, you do somehow absorb them, and they are now available to you all the time. Maybe with the time that’s left, the fans will become less…

AE: They’re still angry.
LL: They’re still angry?

AE: They’re still angry…

Afterellen.com asserts that the fans are still angry and it shows in the comments left by readers on the interview:

“Yeap, I agree with everything you said. But more than angry, I think I was very sad and disappointed. That’s why I emersed myself in fanfiction trying to believe in an alternative ending…”

“Yeah… I’m still angry.  Was an avid fan.  Love Lucy… Love Renee… Not so happy with Rob.  Won’t watch reruns… ”

“Why did they have go and break my heart.  The end didn’t even make sense with the rest of the show.  Already wrote about this once… but someone wasn’t paying attention to continuity of story! ”

“The death of Xena was the death of Xena for me in everyway. If Xena haven’t died I’ll probably be watching the show on DVD right now. But no they killed her and killed it for me forever.”

“I have all the DVDs, a gift from my loving partner, but I was so pissed off at how Rob had killed Xena off — off with her head — that it was a really awful way to end the series. Us lesbigay fans had so much invested with these characters, the likes of which we had never seen before on our TVs, only to have Rob & Co. minimalize us by ending the show the way he did. It STILL hurts. Can’t watch the show ever again like I used to. LOVED Xena until that hurtful ending.”

“Yeah, I’m still angry too. And I haven’t even seen FiN in its entirety, the episodes were shown with a year’s delay here, so I had plenty of time to read the reactions online and prepare – but then I still couldn’t bring myself to watch it. I own all the DVDs and re-watch episodes frequently, and I’ve watched parts of FiN and listened to the commentary, but… no. I’m so glad she realizes how much it hurt the fans, though, she’s said things like this in interviews for a while now”

The comments range from sad to heart-breaking. So many women have invested pieces of themselves in this series. It’s easy to see why, there are so few positive relationships on television that it was easy to emotionally latch onto Xena and Gabrielle. It’s understandable that lesbians would be upset with the ending to the series. While it is a bold move, artistically, to have the main character of a series die at the end, to lesbians this is just another tragic lesbian ending among many. It’s clear that the lesbian audience is ready for their happy ending.  

 http://www.afterellen.com/people/2010/01/afterelton-lucy-lawless-interview?page=0%2C1

Architect of Prop 8

By Melanie Nathan  – 7.50 PM 1/13/10
Asking the Questions – oblogdeeoblogda - Readers of Lezgetreal Unite!    

This is the “Tweet at Two:  Proposition 8 = Church vs. Civil Rights”

Tweet twitter ask them to trend the PROP 8 TRIAL-  The more who tweet sites from Prop 8 trial the more chance it goes higher on trending.  

Not that I purport to really understand this, but we need Proposition 8’s trial to get more mainstream exposure. The LGBT community is outraged that The Supreme Court has blocked the frivolity, the recklessness, the hate and the constitutional lambasting from public view.  

Excuse my colloquialisms; all because a miserable group of cowardly defendant witnesses (my opinion and maybe yours too) have succeeded in their insidious blackmail – threats to not testify for fear of retaliation.   5-4, the Supreme Court ruled that Judge Walker was wrong to allow cameras.  The Court in effect will not allow the world and the US to see this, a trial about constitutional rights.  It must be seen by America and the World.  

It does my heart some good to think that at least 4 judges do not agree with the majority and that it is not one little flailing dissenting Judge. To me that speaks volumes, for now! The only positive aspect of this is that there is one less excuse the defendants can make on appeal if they were ever to allege they did not get a fair trial. So it at least takes that out of the equation on this particular issue.    

The good news is that our ever resourceful community has its creative ways and means and we are getting through to tens of thousands of people. Now we need the mainstream media to report the egregious content that is presenting through the evidence, such as the Video today which I have referred to in my earlier post.  

If you were in the Court and saw the evidence and heard the testimony for yourself – you would see why they do not want the rest of the World to see this; because it is damning, insulting, insensitive and offensive.  But there is no good real reason. In essence they are saying they are too afraid to publicly stand behind their assertions.  

I am outraged- How dare they!!  Look at what they have done with their money and manipulation of an entire 50% of voting State. Without their ads and lies, emanating from  a group of zealots whose hate belie their purported religious attributes and barely visible in California,  none of this would have happened.  They stripped all of California from a fundamental basic civil right; an LGBT right to equality under the law – a right to marry.  Worse yet, our children’s right to married parents and all the laws, validation and recognition that goes with it have vanished at the “X” of flippant insensible pens.  

It reminds me of a story my dad told me when I was a child living in apartheid South Africa. This has never left my fore-conscience – in decades. Dad came home from work one day and he was very upset. He said that his friend, Naidoo, who under South Africa’s (then) racial classification laws was classified as an “Indian/colored.”  This was just one category of apartheid categorization.  Naidoo told my dad that he was walking past the  annual Town Fair and that his five year old son pulled on his arm, excitedly, “daddy, daddy,  look, look a  ‘Big Wheel,’ (Ferris) please can I go on like the other kids.”  Naidoo said to my dad “Arthur, how do I explain this to my child?   What reason can I give my child for him not being able to take that ride?” That is how I feel about proposition 8 and our children; our right to marry is the ferris wheel and only some kids are allowed on.  

If you live out of California, this affects you too.  The right wing bigots are using their defense to indict our very existence. They are trying to say we can change –they are trying to say we are not a minority deserving of civil rights- they say we can “change our ways” – (in the argument.) imagine, we do not need to be Gay and Lesbian.  The gay community is unlike the African American population, according to these proponents of Prop 8 African Americans cannot change the color of their skins.  Hence the “Black Civil Rights” movement has validity and the LGBT Civil rights movement does not!  

What I do not get about this crazy argument is the fact that we exist in our relationships, like it or not we are here and we exist; we are a fact of life, our relationships and families are well formed. It cannot be undone.  In essence their argument is demanding that we all break up with our wives, husbands, domestic partners, permanent partners, lovers, etc; pronounced deviant we must reform!  If the court rules for the defense, then the Court will be agreeing with this thinking, at least in its practical expectations.   

The Defense is impeaching gays all over the globe – they are placing our country in International hot water. If citizens from the UK, such as Elton John, want to come into the USA as spouses, in essence they cannot.   This impacts our existence as a country inter connected with other countries through trade, commercial compatibility and more. For example if we outlaw a relationship recognized by a foreign country, then we are saying that if we invite medical professors, scientists, technology experts to come and work in the US, the spouses are not welcome! This plays out in reality, when our immigration laws, together with the arbitrary powers of border point Immigration and customs officials, discriminate against married same-sex spouses.    

The point is that our existence and function as family, partners etc. cannot be rolled into reverse. We cannot– ‘change our ways.’  There is no “way” to change.  It is not only a matter of genetic predisposition – but it is also a matter of de facto existence.  I am not sure if the latter argument is going to be incorporated into the trial, per se, or how it will come across, but to my way of thinking, this is a critical point.   That is why in essence we are ALL on trial.  I believe this to be extremely critical because either way it will end up in the Supreme Court.   

Oh do I ever BEG for the repeal of DOMA!  

Now in my own frustration I ask where are the straight people, where are ALL the gay people and the politicians- where is everyone?  Who cannot stand hearing all this? Why are we not protesting DOMA now!  Are we not sick of this State by State piecemeal stuff? It is costly and time consuming and quite frankly emotionally overwhelming.  

We are all worn out when all we want is parity – fairness, equality and to conduct our lives in peace with an equal chance to pursue our livelihoods and happiness.  

The 19^th floor of the Court Building is a place where one can hear the broadcasting. I recommend that if you can take time off work, to show up there and tweet and face book away, mentioning actual testimony so that the world can see what is going on here and maybe Twitter will in fact trend it.  

I implore – please all participate in showing America and the World that Animus did in fact fuel California Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriage.   Our entire community is on trial and each and every one of us MUST do something.   

By Melanie Nathan, Nathan@privatecourts.com/ www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com
Picture- Architect of Prop 8 Looking good in Pink!  

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01/13/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Harold E. Ford Jr. is hitting the media circuit as he considers a run for the senate in NYC. Ford (D) is formerly a representative from Memphis, Tennessee. Ford has historically been against gay marriage, going so far as to vote yes on the 2004 and 2006 movements to include a Gay Marriage Ban in the federal constitution.  However, he recently told today show “Matt Lauer” that he has changed his mind on the issue. He says that he has not changed his position, but has made a change in semantics by using the word “marriage” as he has always been in favor of domestic partner benefits.

Ford is challenging Kirsten Gillibrand for her seat. Gillibrand, known as a conservative Democrat, was appointed to Hilary Clinton’s Senate seat in early 2009. Since taking the seat, Gillibrand has been a surprising ally for the LGBT community, supporting gay marriage, the repeal of DOMA, and has expressed a desire to challenge “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Gillibrand is currently endorsed by the HRC.

Ford is not a native New Yorker and hasn’t been a long-time resident of the state and therefore doesn’t have very much of a reputation with the voters.  He is also pandering to the large liberal audience in NYC by radically changing his views on same-sex marriage. He is not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes by describing his change in stance as a “language issue.” The constitutional marriage ban wasn’t just a ban on gay marriage; it was a movement to permanently discriminate against a group of American citizens, using our Nation’s most revered document as a vehicle. Ford was part of this movement and going on the today show isn’t going to fool the LGBT community in New York into supporting him.

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The National Inquirer is reporting that Rosie O’Donnell and her new girlfriend, Tracy Katrick-Anders have moved in together. Rosie seems to be moving quickly with this relationship, as she announced her split from Kelli Carpenter in December.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I am a huge Kelli Carpenter fan and I liked her and Rosie together. I hope they find their way back together sometime down the road, especially since there are children involved.

01/11/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Should Senator Harry Reid resign over comments he made regarding President Barak Obama’s dialect? Peter Beinart over at the Daily Beast made an interesting article on this. “Barack Obama because he’s ‘light-skinned’ and has ‘no Negro dialect.’ Reid’s use of the word ‘Negro’ was, to be sure, unpleasantly retro.” Of course there are dozens of other places where the reader can find arguments regarding Reid’s statements- for, against, and indifferent. what follows is not an analysis of anything to do with the accuracy, inaccuracy, reality or unreality of the comments made by Senator Reid, but rather about something completely different.

And now for that something completely different. Is there wisdom in the attack on Senator Reid? The Republicans have seized upon this comment to push the idea that there is some sort of double standard going on regarding Senator Reid’s comments and the reaction from the Democrats regarding it. They point to the ousting of Senator Trent Lott for comparison. There is some problems with this comparison. First of all, Trent Lott had a strong history of voting against rights for African-Americans, he voted against renewing the Voting Rights Act, and was opposed to the continuation of the Civil Rights Act. He also voted against having Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday. At a birthday party for Senator Strom Thurmond, Lott stated “When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We’re proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn’t have had all these problems over the years, either.” Lott stated something similar at a 1980 rally. Lott was also facing problems from within the Republican Party at the time. He was in conflict with the Bush over much of the President’s policies. In many ways, Lott could have survived the controversy if it were not for the behind the scenes pushing by his own party to remove him.

For the Republicans, removing Harry Reid is actually a rather dumb move. Reid is an unpopular, ineffective Senate Majority leader that even many Democrats do not like. Reid has been loathe to push a Progressive agenda in the Senate, and has caved on a number of issues such as the Public Option in order to get Senators Ben Nelson and Joseph Lieberman behind the bill instead of threatening to pull their power and influence in the Senate. He has been reluctant to punish the Republicans for stalling legislation, and only just now been willing to bypass the Republicans in negotiating legislation such as the health care reform bill. If anything, many Progressives have been more than willing to see Reid leave due to a feeling that he is incompetent when it comes to ruling the Senate, and it is a perception which is causing a great deal of weariness and fear among the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The lack of enthusiasm in that wing could be the only way for the Republicans to make a come back in 2010 as the GOP is currently so lacking in money that it may not be able to effectively run a campaign for local rat catcher.

Should Reid resign his leadership position, his likely successor would be Chuck Schumer of New York. Schumer is far from being as willing to be bi-partisan as Reid is, and that would certainly whip up the base. Schumer is also more likely to push a Progressive agenda than Reid.

While the GOP has jumped on this scandal that most people really aren’t all that upset about, they risk dethroning their best asset in the Senate.

The state government of Sydney, Australia had been considering legislation that would make it possible for the LGBT community to adopt children. There was a parliamential inquiry into the matter that suggested allowing gay adoption would benefit the Australian State of New South Wales, of which Sydney is a part of. Unfortunately the legislation was shot down.

The Minister of Community Services, Linda Burney, has said that the reason the ban was upheld is because, “”There are very deeply held, divergent views on this issue and that is why a decision on this matter will not be taken at this stage.” [The Sydney Morning Herald]

Advocacy groups for same sex marriage in Australia are said to be outraged. Given the flimsy excuse for rejecting the measure, this is not surprising. There are always strongly held beliefs on both sides of any civil rights argument and the reason given by Burney does not address the discrimination faced by Australia’s same-sex couples.  

By  Melanie Nathan 1/10/10 :  A much anticipated day is about to dawn, Monday, January 11^th, as the contentious trial,  Perry v. Schwarzenegger will commence.  From inception of the idea,  this smacks of all that a Hollywood movie is made of,  starting with the birth of the idea, to the unlikely right/left team of  Olson and Boies. As Attorneys for Plaintiff s they will be arguing that marriage—and, by extension, the right to marry the person you choose—is a fundamental right. The hope is that precedent will serve to knock down Proposition 8 and Californians will have their right to get married in California, restored.   Two interesting and in depth articles can be found in the New Yorker and Newsweek, heralding the importance of this chapter in LBGT history. 

The  federal trial challenging Prop 8, is scheduled to begin on Monday January 11, 2010 at 8:30am in Courtroom 6 on the 17th floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave. in SF.  There will be very limited seating available in the courtroom and an overflow room on the 19th floor broadcasting the proceedings live. It is likely that the court will upload the trial daily to You Tube – Marriage Equality has assured supporters that they will do their best “to keep everyone in the loop.”

My sense of synchronicity tells me that we may be on to some equality here,- but then is that not what the courts are for?  Justice and the establishment of precedent, setting law.   This case has been touted as a possible Brown v. Board of Education for this Century.  Although initially, our LGBT organizations and community were somewhat concerned by what seemed a premature strategy, it seems that not only is everyone on board, but lending vigorous support.  What I find powerful is the fact that maybe for once the scales are indeed balanced -  in a sense – as the Plaintiff’s Team, at least,  have both right and left  in harmony.

The City of San Francisco has taken the lead in marriage equality, in an unrelenting committment for its residents and remains a vital ally with thanks to the original initiatives of Mayor Newsom and the leadership in the City attorney’s office by   Dennis Herrera who was sworn into office as City Attorney for a third term this past week. This office represents the only external amicus allowed by Judge Vaughn Walker in the Trial.  At the swearing-in ceremon, attended  by city employees, friends  and a ‘whose who’ of dignitaries, any mention of equality received standing ovations and rousing applause.

 This is a critical case and the concern was always that should we lose in the Court, the ripple effect could be damning.  The other concern has been that due to recent State losses on the issue, there is an indication that the popular sentiment is still anti-gay marriage. When this case ladders to higher Courts, the negative populace may impact the Courts’ decisions by swaying against same-sex marriage.  The contention is that the Supreme Court tends to follow what is popular. 

However, I draw one significant difference.  In this case, I believe we ought to credit our Justices with the ability to distinguish fundemental rights from the popular opinion, which in effect crosses over into the very crux os this case.  Imagine the double face slap of a populace idea impacting the Supreme Court, in a case that would seek in its effect to limit the ability of  a popular vote usurping the rights of a minority.

This will go on for years, of that I have no doubt, and maybe legislation will preceed a final outcome in the Courts, that is my hope – repeal of DOMA at the fore.  However I take my hat off to this daunting challenge and those who are up for the fight.  The success of the case  will all be in the argument  that is most deeply researched and  eloquently played and for that I have a sense that Plaintiff team will demonstrate a solid, creative, inspiring and profound case.  I also believe that  Judge Vaughn Walker’s call to the Defendants to show how same-sex marriage hurts traditional marriage, will yield fascinating responses by the Defendants, because in truth for years I have tried to wrap my head around the argument and simply cannot do so.

What fascinates me about the marriage equality fight in California is the fact that a core small group of activists, volunteers and grass root organizations do so much work organizing participation.  Showing up by the community is an essential aspect of our success and we should all do our small part. So with that please join Marriage Equality USA’s  leaders Molly McKay & Davina Kotulski and Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis, Courage Campaign leader Ksuzanne Massey, PFLAG parents Sam & Julia Thoron and Helen Laird, NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Lambda Marriage Project Director Jenny Pizer, couples who joyfully married, couples who want to marry, clergy leaders, musical performances by Veronica Klaus, Diane Larsen, local choirs and many, many more at the early morning vigil.

Marriage Equality has provided the following Statement: “Together we will share the spirit of courage, hope and strength that will herald in the light on this important next chapter of our civil rights movement.

There will be LOTS of strong coffee provided to those willing to get up that early and join us. Couples are encouraged to bring copies of their marriage licenses, photos from their weddings or anything that might help illustrate the importance of marriage equality and/or our experiences of getting married.     For more information and updates the vigil and court case go to www.marriageequality.org.

Recommend:  The New Yorker:http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/18/100118fa_fact_talbot?currentPage=1  By Margaret Talbert. (An extensive and worthy Read.)

SEE YOU AT
Federal Court Case Challenging Prop 8
Monday January 11, 2010
Morning Vigil for Hope and Marriage Equality
6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Phillip Burton Federal Building Plaza
450 Golden Gate Ave in San Francisco

Melanie Nathan, nathan@privatecourts.com

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This evening, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson, and his wife, MP Iris Robinson, released individual statements to the press. They both tell the story of why, on December 28th 2009, Mrs Robinson said she would not seek re-election as MP. They both told the story of her depression, extra-marital affair and her suicide attempt.

Mr. Robinson’s reads painfully, as one would expect. While it is horrible to find that your marriage vows have been broken, it would be immeasurably worse to know that once this is revealed, it will open up a whole new era of invasion into your private lives. To also have gone through a suicide attempt of a loved one — even one who has betrayed you — is a singularly defining experience, and one that is familiar, unfortunately, to far too many people. Anybody who has not spent the nights awake, worried a loved one would die by their own hand, can understand the life this man has lived while his wife recovered from her depression. He says that his wife has his forgiveness, and God’s. He asks that those who judge her do so with mercy and compassion. For many people, this will be very difficult.

Mrs. Robinson’s statement is more interesting. She describes her experience of “mental illness“. She says,

“… my illness led to severe bouts of depression which altered my mood and personality. I fought with those I love most – my children and friends; saw plots where none existed and conducted myself in a manner which was self-destructive and out of character.
During this period of serious mental illness I lost control of my life…

…Psychiatrists may suggest that my mental illness was a significant factor explaining my irrational behaviour – I do not, in any way, question or doubt their judgement — but in order to master my life I do not want to dilute the blame or resist taking full responsibility for my actions. I am completely ashamed and deeply embarrassed.”

I’m going to over-share a bit and say I know what she means. It’s a pretty good description of how our minds do lose touch a bit from time to time. I know I have said and done things when I have not been in good mental health that I certainly regret — especially mean, nasty things.

Iris Robinson attempted suicide, according to Peter Robinson’s statement around midnight on March 1st, 2009. She does not say when her mental illness started, but I’d like to think it was some time before she said this:

There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children.
from Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders June 2008

Around that time, she made a lot of comments on her perception of homosexuality and said some pretty horrific things, but the above quotation is sufficient to give a picture of what she believes. She also claimed that she knew people who had changed from homosexual to heterosexual with the help of a psychiatrist who is linked the discredited American ex-gay Richard Cohen.

There is of course, plenty of speculation that this announcement was tactical and aimed at diffusing some of the focus on the Robinsons. This BBC Newsline update is highlighted on the Slugger O’Toole blog:

During his interview Mr Robinson was also asked if his financial affairs were under investigation. In reply he said he had always acted “in the most professional and ethical way.” He also confirmed he had received a letter from the BBC which he said contained no allegations against him but “asked questions which are easily answered.”

The BBC Spotlight programme has confirmed it has been investigating matters involving Iris Robinson for some time.
In a statement the BBC added that allegations have been put to the Robinsons and their response is awaited.

While I’m eager to hear what the BBC have found and what response they get, what I want to know is if, in retrospect, Iris Robinson regrets saying these nasty and vitriolic things about people who — statistically — are far more likely to attempt suicide than privileged Christian philanderers. I’m wondering if the irrationality and malice of what she has said publicly about homosexuality was a symptom of her mental illness. And if so, is she willing to take it all back?

01/06/09-by Natasia Rose
The media has been in a frenzy covering the tragic death of Casey Johnson, the heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. Johnson first appeared on my radar when she began dating Courtenay Semel, another heiress who lived with Lindsey Lohan for a hot minute before Lohan met DJ Samantha Ronson. At the time, I thought it was great that two almost famous heiresses were out and proud. Johnson and Semel had a chance to be yet another example to the world of beautiful, successful lesbians. However, their erratic behavior that included violence and ended with one woman setting the other woman’s hair on fire, quickly excluded them from joining the ranks of positive, high profile celesbian couples.

After parting ways with Semel, Johnson became very publicly involved with Tila Tequila. Tequila is a bisexual who climbed her way up to fame from MySpace. She is best known for her MTV reality dating show, “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.” Tequila is also an ex-girlfriend of Semel’s. Johnson became more famous as Tequila’s fiancée than she had ever been before. They were all over red carpets, looking inebriated and making out in front of the paparazzi. Johnson got more airtime from gossip blogs than ever before. After her death, the media has sensationalized her story by frequently using terms like “Lesbian Lover” to describe her relationship with Tequila.

Johnson’s death is certainly untimely and sad. However, what I have been thinking about the most since her death is how she, and celebrities like her, have impacted the public view of lesbians and bisexual women. I don’t think that anyone takes these women seriously as role models, but they are very visible members of our community. Perhaps the tendency for most people is to assume that for most conventionally feminine women, lesbianism is a phase or done for the pleasure of men. Maybe no one takes party girls who look and act as if they are perpetually high seriously about anything, much less their sexuality. Thankfully, Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan aren’t rushing onto the scene to hold up Tila Tequila and Casey Johnson up as examples of insidious lesbians running rampant and spreading their depraved values on society.  

Johnson was never on the path to be a leading lesbian spokesperson. But, she did live her life loud and publicly, proving that lesbians are just like anyone else. We can make mistakes, be vulnerable, be bored, hang with the wrong people, and fall madly and desperately in love.

 

A Plea by Melanie Nathan

I am writing this as a plea to you Lisa, while you stand at this terrifying crossroad. Please do not make this worse for yourself and more importantly for your Isabella; please turn Isabella in to the authorities now, tonight.

It is not too late to make amends and I am sure the sooner you show up, the more lenient the Judge will be. If I were to hedge my bets, I would imagine that a good faith move on your part would do more for your bank than continued resistance to the Court Order. A quick resolution to avoid the enforcement orders could ultimately pave your way to a shared form of custody somewhere down the line. Time and good faith actions will bring healing and doors can open to different and more tolerable paths. You may find peace with Janet and as an experienced mediator in matters such as this, I can assure you there is a chance for custodial sharing in the future, but not unless you show a good faith desire to alter this tragic course.

I am sure that once you comply with the Order there will be time for healing and for forgiveness on both sides. In truth Isabella needs you BOTH, as she did from the day your nightmare began. If you can bring this to a rational path, you may find yourself with an agreed and hence ordered supervised visitation until trust is reestablished, and who knows what healing thereafter. But it is up to you now.

There can be redemption. Do not fight this any longer because if you were the good mom all these folks say you are, I am sure you would rather Isabella spend her visit time with you in a park playing or at Chunky Cheeses, rather than at a Jail house.

You are being used by these Christian groups for their self-serving agendas. The admission of indoctrination may even be your ultimate savior at this precise time – but as days go by there is less and less chance. The latter has nothing to do with your faith and religious beliefs.

Even if you don’t agree with what you term ‘Janet’s lifestyle,’ you made a promise to G-d when you committed that child to your mutual love. You can hold Jesus close to your heart – nowhere in the Bible does it say a lesbian relationship is unacceptable. So your faith will be safe no matter what. But who am I to preach – I am trying to find a way to reach you – your actions now will impact the rest of your life and that of the little child.

I am also urging those who may be helping you to hide or run, to re-think this strategy of defiance or what you term civil disobedience in the Manhattan Declaration. You are all in great danger of legal repercussions. Debbie Thurman – I have noted a somewhat confused or repentant tone on your face book page that supports Lisa Miller. You can extricate yourself by asking her to obey the law. I left this very message for Lisa on her Face-book page.

Without civil law we have no chance for a society where we can in fact practice our respective religions in peace.

I may be naive, but I have seen miracles – the only miracle for Isabella would be to have both her parents in her life and to experience whatever diversity results therefrom.

Melanie Nathan

melanie@megilamediation.com

]]> http://lezgetreal.com/?feed=rss2&p=24414 21 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24404 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24404#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:36:04 +0000 Melanie Nathan http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24404

Debbie Thurman

 Posted by Melanie Nathan, 11.05 p.pm PST  1/1/10

  Lisa Miller, ‘ex-lesbian,’ has fled from her legal obligation to hand her daughter over to the custodial parent Janet Jenkins. She has disappeared with the child and all the while egged on by a very righteous bunch of  Christians who deem their interpretation of the Bible superior to civil law of the United States of America.  See my colleague,  Bridgette P. LaVictoire, Ex-Lesbian” Lisa Miller Fails To Hand Over Custody of Isabella To Janet Jenkins Written on 1 Jan, 2010 at 16:05 

Ex-gay proponent,  disguised as mental health expert, Debbie Thurman, creator of a support group, today cheered the disappearance of Miller sometime earlier this Thurman’s blog called this apparent kidnapping an example of “true motherhood”:

Thurman’s BLOG clearly sought to aid and abet the criminal act of Lisa Miller, spurring her along with prayer () and G-d knows what else,  and now guess what like Miller Thurman’s BLOG has done its own disappearing Act, clear evidence of her assistance and encouragement of the sacrificial lamb Miller,  to commit a crime.

I kept a copy of her website BLOG because I knew that when today came if Miller would fail to hand over the child as ordered by a Vermont Judge, Cohen, , Thurman would be compelled to take her BLOG, evidence of her crime, down.  SO if the FEDS want me as a witness I am ready willing and able. There are hundreds of LGBT bloggers out there who have been reporting on this for some time. I am sure they too would be willing to provide any evidence that the Blogosphere may have produced.

It is about time that religions interference and stepping on civil law is exposed for what it is.  The LGBT community is ready to be active when the civil law discriminates and now we are ready to be good citizens to urge the upholding of the civil law when it is broken; and to add insult to injury broken in the name of Jesus.  

The Christian right has no authority to circumvent the  law of this country.  This is the perfect example of the danger in failing to honor the boundary between Church and State. This failure to separate the two and invoke the Bible in place of the law of the land would serve to give us license to stone adulterers, and you all know the rest of what the bible has to say.

This is what Debbie  Thurman’s now missing Post says about now missing Miller :

“Were I in Lisa’s shoes, I could only hope to have the faith and courage she has displayed for the past six years. …

Lisa obeyed God in seeking to raise Isabella in the Christian faith. Isabella learned Scripture, apologetics and the art of prayer at her mother’s knee and in church, to the extent that she found her Christian school Bible classes boring and “childish.” This is an intelligent, precocious 7-year-old, who knows her mind and can speak it. She would have given Janet Jenkins nightmares had she consented to live under the same roof.

I cannot answer the burning question on everyone’s lips: Where are Lisa and Isabella? Somewhere safe, I pray. How and when did they get there? Only God knows. ..

What happens now? A lot of frustration, recrimination and more lies on one side and a collective sigh of relief on the other. The courts still have a huge task set before them, meanwhile. Lisa and Isabella represent only one of many similar cases waiting to be resolved. We need precedents that honor the prevailing states’ rights, laws and constitutions. The majority of Americans overwhelmingly support traditional marriage. If the tyrannical minority wants to push against that, it can and will be met with civil disobedience. There is no other way.

Lisa Miller is a mother who would give up her life to save her child. Of that there is no doubt. She apparently has chosen to forfeit a large measure of her liberty, personal property and pursuit of happiness in assuring that child her God-ordained future, much as a group of patriots pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor more than two centuries ago to establish this nation.

I say God bless and long live Lisa and Isabella Miller. All who have known them are the better for it.

Thurman’s statement seems to confirm allegations that Miller is being used by Thurman and Christian Rightists at the Liberty Counsel as a test case for their Manhattan Declaration, which is a vow to violate any law that fundamentalists happen to disagree with.

MMM, what do you all think?  So go to her BLOG site http://theformers.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/this-is-true-motherhood/

and you will see nada gone bye bye!

And  then there is this guy who ought to be subpoenaed too.

“ I pray,” says  Drew Taggart  “people ‘along the way’ are brave enough and smart enough to render the necessary assistance to Lisa and Isabella so this girl can be raised in a healthy environment. I just hope Lisa did her homework and did this disappearing act properly.”

In a subsequent defense of this statement, Taggart says:

I doubt she’ll ever see a day of jail. Once word of this gets out, millions of people are going to be outraged. And there are plenty of local and a few state law enforcement agencies around the country, who will not waste a minute trying to find her. William Cohen is a leftwing hack and this ruling is a joke. Without the support of law enforcement, especially wherever Lisa opts to call her new home, this ruling is going nowhere.

So back to my having copied the  now barren BLOG as a keepsake, I find the comments  here revealed to show  this Mr. Taggert that sentiment is not always anti-gay but that we have a way of being on the side of what is fair and correct  and average Americans have no problem seeing the danger in what you preach.

Comments from Thurmans now missing BLOG:-

” Surely there are similar precedents to draw upon involving hetro couples. Namely, situations where the mother’s male partner/husband is not the biological father, and has not adopted the child, but at some point had a supportive relationship to the child as a stepfather.

Comment by Priya Lynn — December 30, 2009 @ 2:32 pm“

I can think of anecdotal cases involving people I’ve known (in which case the former stepfather has no rights), but I’m not a legal scholar so I’d appreciate any info on the matter. Anyone?

Comment by Brad — December 30, 2009 @ 12:02 pm

If a warrant is issued for her arrest, anyone providing her with assistance would be aiding a fugitive. Somehow I doubt Debbie Thurman wants to do state or federal time. Since the State of Virginia is now supporting the Vermont Court as they are required, I would guess that Miller would flee south (perhaps even to Mexico). If anyone helps Miller flee Virginia, they are looking at federal penalties. Judges hold a dim view of those who flout court rulings. I wouldn’t expect much leniency in sentencing.

Comment by John — December 30, 2009 @ 1:12 pm

Unbelievably someone on the page made sense in pointing out that Miller hasn’t put herself in a good position and being on the run actually hurts Isabella.

Comment by a. mcewen — December 30, 2009 @ 1:15 pm

So much for Thurman’s lame excuse that she didn’t give Miller any legal advice. Always knew you were a BS’er Debbie, thanks for coming out of the closet and admitting it.

Comment by Priya Lynn — December 30, 2009 @ 1:29 pm

If Miller does not comply with the law and wants to play martyr – I say fine. She can send a few years handcuffed and locked in the can to think about the sin of kidnapping.

What Miller is doing is not holy. She is a poor role model who is mentally abusing her child. There will likely be massive shrink bills in the future for Isabella, thanks to Miller.

Her lawlessness is not to be compared to our nation’s founders. It is criminal behavior, profoundly irresponsible and deeply immoral. It disgusts me that these frauds are cynically co-opting American symbols in their politically based criminality.

It is a shame that Miller allowed herself to be used as a pawn in the Culture War Syndicate. I doubt her friends will visit her much in the hoosegow once she is no longer useful to their political games.

Comment by Wayne Besen — December 30, 2009 @ 1:52 pm

“So much for Thurman’s lame excuse that she didn’t give Miller any legal advice. Always knew you were a BS’er Debbie, thanks for coming out of the closet and admitting it.”

   And you are deducing this how, exactly?

Comment by Debbie Thurman — December 30, 2009 @ 2:24 pm

You really are a piece of work Debbie. You just admitted the truth in your own blog, praising miller for the kidnapping, calling it “true motherhood”. Now of course in your Christian world where black is white and bad is good, you’ll have some pathetic excuse for how your actions are really the opposite of what you’ve done, but we’re not stupid and we’re not buying any of your BS. “ 

Comment by Priya Lynn — December 30, 2009 @ 2:32 pm

THURMANS WEBSITE  is located at http://debbiethurman.com/dt_files/aboutdebbie.php 

Last but not least important, I am urging the FEDS to investigate the Liberty Council, Debbie Thurman, Taggart, et al to see just how Ms Miller has financed her escape… Check the Banks and there is likely to be a trail and who knows that trail might lead to Isabella.

At the same time I urge Ms Miller to turn the child in, the damage is done and your only chance of leniency is that once you have done so you may be reprieved.  I urge also the Christian Ministries involved or not involved to encourage Ms. Miller to subvert the Manhatten Declaration and to obey the Civil Law especially those of you who may be implicated in this.  If you do turn yourself in pronto,  you may find a willing Judge let go of having you do time.  That would be a lot better for Isabella.    A good mediator may then help you with some supervised visitation, once Janet decides she is comfortable with such.  Or do you prefer Jail visits for Isabella?

Blogged by Melanie Nathan: nathan@privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com

 The  Prop 8, Monstermind,  Frank Schubert’s sister, Anne Marie Schubert has announced her candidacy for Sacramento County Superior Court Judge and her brother supports her campaign.

Frank Schubert asserts that his political activities have nothing to do with his sister.  “I tried to focus the Prop 8 and [Maine's] Question 1 campaigns on the various issues associated with redefining marriage, not on the personalities of the people involved on either side. Anne Marie and I disagree on the marriage issue. I am certain that she opposed Prop 8. Neither of us has allowed that single issue to define our relationship as brother and sister.” well jolly good show – but  the 2 apples stay close,  as they hit the ground,  because according to voter records, Anne Marie Schubert is a registered Republican and her campaign has hired one of California’s most formidable conservative political conculting firms- Gilliard Blanning.

While she has a decent record of prosecuting crimes against women and children.   Unfortunately in the US, Judges have political affiliations. To many in the world that is unusual and not desirable.      Her conservatism must impact the record.  How can it not?  Justice Sotomayor commented recently that once life’s experience definitely influences how one sees things as a Judge. 

Anne Marie Schubert is a supervising deputy district attorney for Sacramento County, and according to her website at, http://www.schubertforjudge.com/ : Direct quote-

“As a Prosecutor for 20 years, I have dedicated my career to keeping our community safe, successfully prosecuting murderers, serial rapists, child molesters and other dangerous criminals.  While assigned to the Homicide Team, I developed and implemented the Cold Case Prosecution Program, which has been highly successful in the identification and prosecution of old murder cases.

I am proud to be law enforcement’s choice for Judge. Numerous law enforcement leaders in our community have already endorsed my candidacy, including District Attorney Jan Scully, Sheriff John McGinness, former Sheriff Lou Blanas, Sacramento Police Chief Braziel, Galt Police Chief Loren Cattolico, the Sacramento Police Officers Association and the Sacramento Deputy Sheriffs Association. I have also received the endorsement of WEAVE.”

The aspiring 45 year old’s experience seems to be exclusively in the arena of crime , with Civil Litigation, Defense work, Civil Rights, Family Law all noticeably and critically absent from her record.   She highlights the following experience as prosecutor,  and it is impressive, yet if I were a  Sacramento voter I would be concerned about the fact that her career is steeped to one side and not well rounded.  

• People v. Scott Wright: Prosecution of serial rapist involving violent attacks on two women; trial consisted of six weeks of testimony, including two weeks of Kelly/Frye testimony regarding admissibility of DNA evidence; first case in Solano County to admit PCR DQalpha and Polymarker; first published opinion in California on Polymarker; see  People v. Wright (1998) 62 Cal.App.4th 31. Defendant was sentenced to 79 years in state prison.

• People v. David Funston: Prosecution of serial child molester involving six victims; trial consisted of lengthy testimony involving admissibility of RFLP DNA evidence, including the “product rule”; testimony included several world-renowned DNA experts, including Dr. Ranajit Chakraborty and several defense experts.  Defendant convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

• People v. Irvin Parnell:  Prosecution of serial rapist, who had been previously convicted of rape.  Case involves two separate sexual assaults occurring in 1996 and 1998.  This case involved STR DNA evidence, which was litigated in a protracted admissibility hearing.  The Defendant was convicted of 19 counts and sentenced to life in prison.

Although  Ms.  Schubert does not mention her family or sexual orientation on her website, Sacramento County tax records show that she purchased a residential property with her domestic partner,  Julie Greenberg, where the women live together raising two children.

Asked if he considered Greenberg and the children to be a part of his family, Frank Schubert replied, “Of course I consider them and their children to be part of my family, and I love them very much.” (Bay Area Reporter, Dan Aielo)

Ms.  Schubert declined to discuss same-sex marriage or Proposition 8, citing judicial code. “It is irrelevant what race, creed, sexual orientation, or gender someone possesses. What matters is that all participants in the judicial system be treated with fairness and respect,” she said. According to the Bay Area Reporter.

Geoff Kors of EQCA, according to the Bay Area Reporter commented that, ”It would be terrific to have a member of the Schubert family on the bench who understands the public danger and harm that Frank Schubert has helped inflict on so many,” 

This writer is unsure how Ms. Shubert qualifies for the likes of a family law seat. I am open to hearing more.  I do however express that her brother may serve as an embarrasing noose around her neck (bad cf) or should we simply say her achilles heel – Lets hope that she is judged on her merits and qualifications.

Posted by Melanie Nathan-
nathan@privatecourts.com

By Melanie Nathan; 
nathan@privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda,wordpress.com
www.virtualcv.com/melnathan

Image via Wikipedia

 By – Melanie Nathan

HEROES  -

BEST in Year:- Secretary of State Hilary Clinton  – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been the most vocal Secretary of State on LGBT human rights in history, denouncing international homophobia.   

 Best in Congress, Rep. Jerold Nadler , New York, – for re-introducing Uniting American Families Act ( UAFA )H.R. 1024, S. 424) a U.S. bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.

Also for  introducing the most courageous LGBT piece of legislation this year or ever, –   H.R.3567 – Respect for Marriage Act of 2009 –  despite objections and all against all odds.  Those who do not fear failure are the most courageous amongst us.  For jumping to help constituents, negotiating the release a lesbian binational immigration detainee.

Best in Senate – Patrick Leahy, Vermont for his warmth and compassion and willingness to work toward LGBT equality on all levels. Thank you for holding UAFA hearings. 

 Best new in Senate-Senator  Kirstin Gillibrand, (lezgetreal articles – http://lezgetreal.com/?p=22407 ; http://lezgetreal.com/?p=22419 ; http://lezgetreal.com/?p=23029 ; http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24048

Best new in Congress- Rep Jackie Speier, Pacifica California- for her courage, support of LGBT issues, holding pro LGBT Town Hall for gay leaders in San Francisco and Bay Area, for assisting to support and advocate for Shirley Tan and her extraordinary responsiveness. http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/congresswoman-jackie-speir-provides-valuable-opinion-on-uafa/ 

Best in compassion – Senator Dianne Feinstein for her hard work toward introducing Shirley Tan’s private Bill (see Oblogdee) ; a silent friend with valid concerns that the LGBT organizations are failing to address.  She also voted vs. DOMA  

Best in dignity   Caster Semenya , South African Athlete and World Champion– For enduring the invasion of privacy and embarrassment with such dignity. See  Article on LGR   

Best in Legacy – Sen. Edward (Ted) Kennedy, of memory, for shining a light on unconditional equality.

Best in Activism - Lt. Dan Choi and the entire Tan-Mercado family;  – for becoming the faces of critical LGBT plights and all The Binationals who speak their stories and endure the unspeakable.

Best on Bench –  U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker for his judgments on Prop 8 litigation- See Article. ” Judge Vaughn Walker, wants to examine other issues that are part of the political rhetoric surrounding same-sex marriage but rarely surface in courtrooms. Among the questions he plans to entertain at the trial are whether sexual orientation is a “fixed or immutable characteristic, whether gays are a politically powerful group, and if same-sex marriage bans such as Proposition 8 were motivated by anti-gay bias.”       Picture Judge Walker

Best in Court – Dennis Herrera for his work on behalf of LGBT marriage in San Francisco-  Voters have re-elected Mr.Dennis Herrera as the San Francisco City Attorney.  As City Attorney, Dennis Herrera leads what American Lawyer magazine described in 2004 as “one of the most aggressive and talented city law departments in the nation.  Under Herrera’s leadership the City Attorney’s Office has tackled several high-profile local issue – same-sex marriage, gang injunctions, the Mirant power plant, the “sanctuary” policy for illegal immigrants, and recently deceptive health claims in marketing of food products. Herrera also filed the first ever government lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of state marriage laws that discriminate against gay and lesbian couples. Over the course of four years of litigation, his leadership would prove instrumental in eventually uniting twenty-one California cities and counties — including 7 of the state’s 8 largest cities — to stand in support of marriage equality for same-sex partners. 

Best in Business – You know who you are! 

Ultimate Heroes – All the binational Americans and their Partners who endure the worst kind of hardship imaginable to stay together in their relationships and who make changes and sacrifices in honor of their love. Sign Petition. To help these Heroes!    

ZEROS  

Worst- Worst -Worst – and it cannot get worse: Dick Cheney, for hypocrisy, treason, racism, lies, insidious infiltration of the airwaves, failure to respect the office of the Presidency.    No  the one could say it better than Rachel Maddow tonight in an explosive revelation of well researched facts, exposing this onkey for his lies and deceit.  She challenges all Media to fact check and to stop letting him get away with his cow poop.  see the vidoe at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34637162

Worst amongst our own:-  Joe Solmonese HRC –Selling out the LGBT community and failed leadership, patronizing President Obama.  Rachel Tiven and Immigration Equality, for pulling the wool over our eyes by professing zero as victories and claiming ownership of victories not their own; Ellen DeGeneresfor distancing herself from the LGBT community – for not reaching out to binationals and supporting the cause. 

Worst Hypocrite Jeff Miller – Orange County California State Assembly Member for hypocrisy.  I gave testimony to a Resolution AJR 15, in the CA Judicial Assembly in support of UAFA. He lambasted my testimony with a salacious lack of solicitude  and he said his words were based on his desire to protect his constituents from gay marriage and the harm he would do to his constituents if he voted against their collective beliefs.  While that had little to do with LGBT immigration, he made a real ass of himself when a mere two weeks later – lo and behold- instant Karma- He was kicked off the Ethics Committee. Why? Remember the California Assembly open mike discussion between two reps. Well one, Michael Duvall was telling the other all about his sexual exploits with named lobbyists – mind you no detail spared.  Jeff Miller, the guy who thought voting  for my gay rights would let his Orange County, CA constituents down, did just that all by his duplicitous self,  by being caught on live TV, laughing and reveling in the lewd discussion about sex and adultery. see article Birds of a Feather.   watch?v=icrwU3Ak_SU    and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZRnOw45HR0

Worst LGBT Politician – Barney Frank – Thinking his way is the only way; criticizing Nadler’s DOMA repeal legislation instead of embracing it with his influence. Seems his ego for success in DADT and ENDA is more important than the most significant legislation for LGBT equality.

Worst in Congress-  ALL THE SCHMENDRICKS – I mean Republicans – each and every one of them for their lockstep, listless, brainless, racist, betrayal of the American people.

Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown –   anti-gay Mambas . (Sorry Snakes) Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown run National Organization for Marriage. They illegally avoid federal tax, pusillanimously concealing donor rolls, and trying to derail LGBT marriage equality. They are one of the lead organizations dedicated to taking civil rights away (or preventing them in the first place) from gays and lesbians.   

Worst Senator- Jeff Sessions , ranking GOP member of Senate Judiciary Committee- his hypocrisy, disgustingly rude snub and maleficent treatment of the witnesses at the UAFA hearings in the Committee, especially of Shirley Tan and her young twins. Also his abrasive and insulting. By the way he did the same to Judge Sotomayor.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5YJCDAVe2I   Watch this video and you will see what a completely ignorant idiot he is!     This man is anti immigrant and has zero feelings he is like a walking robot lockstep voting ah – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qSb1dzPQwk Agisnt Dream Act and just an all around piece of human garbage.

Worst Back Stabbers:  Joe Lieberman,  Congressman Louis Guiterrez leaving UAFA out of CIR ,  and also the Cowards who voted down marriage in NYC:  “THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE GUTLESS”  http://lezgetreal.com/?p=23463

Worst Representatives of Jesus Christ – The Catholic Church, Debbie Thurman  http://theformers.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/this-is-true-motherhood/  and those who participated in the Manhattan Declaration.  Mary-Jo Anderson – writer for trying to provide Catholics with a ridiculous ’secular’ argument against Gay Marriage. Read my rebuff of her ridiculous and furtive argument.  See Articles http://lezgetreal.com/?p=23371

Lisa Miller – for denying her ex lesbian Partner her visitation rights in the first place, causing immeasurable harm to their child, and using her new found Christianity as an excuse.   See Article – http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24267 

Worst Business – Wolf Car Dealership ,  Wheat Ridge, Colorado, owner Philip Wolf for using a insult against the USA (the Birth-er Billboard idiot)  in a sordid attempt  to advertize his business.  See Article  http://lezgetreal.com/?p=23428 

THE ULTIMATE ZERO- ALL who deny fellow Americans their pursuit of happiness in their inability to be loyal Americans by their failure to honor equality, civil rights and the separation of Church and State – you know who you are!

 I am not sure which of my writer colleagues here on LGR agree with my choices; it does represent my personal view- I invite comments – who would you add or delete.

Thanks to all my supporters and loyal readers please keep coming back to the site – thanks  to those for signing the Peition on Change.org,thanks to the wonderful team at LGR – for your encouragement and support  Paula, Bridgette, Julie- it has been a fun year to spend- thanks to all the binationals and activists for changing my life, my wife and kids , family and friends, for their patience through this extraordinary year.     All staffers in Congress – you are amazing.  Susan Young at People Magazine, Mike Swift at Mercury News, Out4Immigration, EQCA, Marriage Equality.

 THAT SAID A Very Happy New year and a BOLD and COURAGEOUS 2010.

Melanie Nathan – nathan@privatecourts.com
http://immigration.change.org/actions/view/special_visa_for_binational_lgbt_spouse-perma-partners
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com
www.virtualcv.com/melnathan

12/30/09-by Paula Brooks

JP Morgan Chase Board OF Directors

Last year many Americans were not very happy when they found out that JP Morgan Chase got $25 billion in tax dollars under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and then after it got it, preceded use their newfound monetary strength to acquire new businesses, all the while JP Morgan Chase continued to foreclose on residential mortgages, jacked up credit card rates and squeezed every penny they could out of hard pressed consumers.

It also made many taxpayers REALLY none too unhappy when they found out that JP Morgan Chase were also going to be paying out hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses with tax dollars to the boneheads that cause all of this country’s financial woes in the first place….

But while JP Morgan Chase could be considered the biggest bunch of pirates to  come on the American scene since Captain Jack Sparrow and company sailed the Caribbean…. it does appear to be kind of gay friendly…

The Matthew Shepard Foundation announced Monday that it will receive a $25,000 grant from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation thanks to votes cast by Facebook users in the bank’s Chase Community Giving program. Also receiving the grants are the Trevor Project and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network

The Shepard Foundation, Trevor Project, and GLSEN were among 100 charities receiving the highest number of votes during first-round balloting earlier this month. A second round of voting starts January 15. The top vote getter will be given a $1 million grant. Five runners-up will receive $100,000.

“The overwhelming show of support for the Matthew Shepard Foundation is deeply gratifying and will provide us a huge boost as we seek to double our outreach to schools and community groups in 2010,” said MSF executive director Jason Marsden. The grant will also help with the expansion of the foundation’s youth-oriented website, MatthewsPlace.com, Marsden said….. (via Advocate.com)

The Matthew Shepard Foundation and the others are  very good causes, and  don’t get us wrong here… but with friends like JP Morgan Chase on our side…  well?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Obama talks tough on banks (money.cnn.com)
• Telluride Gay Ski Week Welcomes Matthew Shepard Foundation as Presenting Sponsor for 2010 Event (prweb.com)

 By Melanie Nathan,   Dec 24th, 2009 :   Story # 2, In this my second post in the series: ”UAFA or 1,666 years of binational stories,”  my column presents in the form of my letter to President Obama, below.  It also reveals my own less told binational story, the one that prompted my advocacy and writing on the plight of binational couples.  

Dear Mr. President,

 My family of four,  including my two young daughters, aged 4 and 12 years, wish You, the First Lady and the First Daughters a very Happy Holiday and New Year. Not to forget Maya Lasso Absa to Bo, First Dog… best wishes.

With these wishes, I would be remiss to ignore this opportunity to alert you, with respect Mr. President, to the other families, less fortunate than mine, the same-sex families, who are unable to spend this Holiday Season together. 

 During January of 2002, I went into an online chat room for the first time ever and developed a friendship with a woman from Israel.  Coincidentally she was soon to arrive in the USA to study at a University in Texas.  I invited her to stop in California, en route, so we could meet and soon I realized that this was the person with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life. 

 Our relationship flourished while Dor was studying in Texas and soon she transferred to a college near my home in Northern California; and so we moved in together and married as soon as it was legal for us to do so.  At the time, my daughter, HC, from my previous relationship was five years of age.  Dor and HC developed a close relationship and they could not have loved each other more.

We were able to change Dor’s student visa to a very limited R1 visa.  Notwithstanding the fact that California recognized our domestic partnership and subsequent marriage, I the US citizen could not sponsor Dor in the same way as a different gender couple could.  

Dorit taught Jewish religious studies, Hebrew and Bible at a local congregation and was qualified for the R1 Visa. We were luckier than many others in the same-sex binational community because we had found a way, albeit expensive and fraught with difficulties.  With Dor the last in her family of Holocaust survivors, and biological clock ticking, we decided to extend our family and to inseminate so that Dor would carry a baby for us.  The birth of Refael was one of the most exhilirating moments in our lives, with HC, the big sister ecstatic at the arrival of her new baby sister. 

Our lives continued; and we were a tight family, notwithstanding our constant fear that we would have to part ways if Dor’s Visa did not lead to her intended immigration within the time constraints of the R1 termination date.  The termination date came and we advocated crazily for the renewal by Congress of the R1.   With mere days and then hours to the sunset of the law, and Dor’s process hanging severely in the balance, Congress did extend the Visa, setting yet another sunset date for March 06, 2009.

Dor’s lawyer informed us that our chances of success were remote as the timing was still not in our favor, as well as other aspects of the statute and rules that were so onerous and arbitrary on the part of DHS.  We were given low odds and another huge legal bill and a decision to make – should we continue on this Visa path?  The choices were dim; in fact there were no feasible choices.  I could not face the Sophie’s choice that had been haunting me for so many years.

How could I leave my then 11 year old (due to shared custody agreement with me ex) and go with Dor and the baby to Israel?  How could I say goodbye to the love of my life-my spouse, and my then three year old Refael.  How could I split the sisters? I went to see my member of Congress and there was nothing that could be done for our situation.  As an American Citizen and with both children American citizens there was no law to prevent the high probability of Dor having to leave the USA.    I had also determined that I would never prevent Dor from taking our baby with her; the attachment and bond between them would be forcibly broken and my baby would suffer irreparable harm. There were no choices, only extreme denial.

 So we paid and prayed… and then before the final impending sunset date, DHS showed up at our Congregation, with three official investigators to check that Dorit’s basis for her Visa to Immigrate was legitimate; and of course it was.  They approved her application and we were able to submit the finalizing Petition.  

 With 7  days to the sunset of the R1 process, we received a letter stating that the R1 Visa Law was going to sunset and this time there would be no renewal by Congress. This would not give enough time to process the final piece of Dor’s approved application.  Again I spun into denial determined to fight and not willing to think of my ‘Sophie’s choice.’ There was no plan B.  

 It was then that I went to Senator Feinstein for help and with mere hours to the sunset of the law, Dor’s file was given a priority position and viewed just before the 11^thhour.  Dor  was approved and received her green card about two weeks later. This four year hell cost us a great deal, emotionally stressful and financially debilitating. 

I calculated how much more it had cost us compared to that of a straight couple who could simply Petition because of their recognized marriage. I took into account legal fees, non-resident student fees, work limitation losses and Visa fees and renewals: A whopping total of $71,600  for us (over a six year period) compared to $1,500 for a straight couple over a six month period.

It was the spread of our good news that led to my introduction to Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado and my advocacy for them and other binationals has helmed my 2009 year.   

Mr. President, with great respect, I am mentioning this during the holiday season because this time for many is fraught with sadness, fear and pain.  Exiled Americans, who are with their spouses, cannot come home to spend Xmas with extended families and if they do, they have to leave spouses  abroad.  Tens of thousands of same sex couples are unable to spend these holidays together because they are stuck in different countries.  These families cannot wait any longer. Our binational spouses and partners are being turned away at US airports, even as I write these words, at the arbitrary instance of an ICE officer.

 We cannot wait any longer and this President  Obama is what we can do:  

 1. Ask Congress to formulate a special interim Visa for Same-sex Spouses, Domestic Partners, Civil Union Partners, for entry into the USA, and for the ability to remain and work in the USA – possibly subject to renewal  and/or- with a path to immigration.  This can be done in a similar manner to the R1 Visa Process.  It should however be less complicated and could be set for termination when UAFA or similar legislation is passed, or until DOMA is repealed.

 2. The burden of proof could be similar to a marriage – where, inter alia, the following is required:
a. Proof of certification of marriage, Domestic Partnership, Civil Union contract – from any jurisdiction, anywhere in the world, proving a contractual nexus between the spouses;  and also an Affidavit of suport from American Spouse;
b. The same two year conditional residency as spouses have – where the parties attend an interview where they prove that they have been living together in relationship, to back up the contract in the exact same way as straight people have to do;
c. Anyone who has a ten year ban – who was in a Same sex relationship at the time – ought to have their case reviewed to negate the ban and criteria for this should be established;
d. Same sex couples ought to have a process to convert Visas to this Visa status, regardless of waivers they may have signed.

(I have written a more detailed drafty of legislation for such a VISA and its available to anyone interested.)  UPDATED;  SIGN PETITION
http://immigration.change.org/actions/view/special_visa_for_binational_lgbt_spouse-perma-partners 

 I believe if this was done in the form of a special visa category and did not alter the Immigration and Naturalization Act in any way, it could perhaps work its way through the system quickly and differently.  The way it is written will not conflict in any way with DOMA and its tacit  restrictions on the Immigration and Naturalization Act.

The legitimacy would rest on the fact that de facto relationships and families exist, a simple fact of life; and that because they are specifically ousted by law, with their civil right to live together impeded, they should be allowed a special visa status, until such time as the law changes to include them, so that they no longer need to be considered a special class for special rights.   I say the argument here is to embrace an agenda of special rights,  as an interim necessity, and to counter the argument against it by admitting it to be just what it would be which is special rights! 

For as long as DOMA exists LGBT relationships are automatically a special class, simply because one cannot deny the factual existence, the contractual commitment and the ethical obligations these families have assumed.

Now while none of us want special treatment and would much rather have equal treatment, I guarantee that 95% of binational couples who are currently in jeopardy or suffering hardship by virtue of their non- status, would agree to a moratorium or interim visa so that they can live their lives in peace, in their own country and with whom they wish, as a matter of immediacy.

 This would in no way derogate from the work that needs to be done to amend this injustice in the long term.  All it would do is stop subjecting LGBT couples to immediate human rights abuses engendered by the lack of equality with regard to visas and immigration.

Regardless of my plea for binationals and certainly not to negate the urgency, what we need Sir, for the long term, is your leadership to pursue what you promised and that is the passage of repeal legislation for DOMA.

 Perhaps pursuing Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s “Respect for Marriage Act” ought to be the priority of all LGBT movements, organizations and leaders, above and beyond DADT, ENDA, UAFA, etc.     It  is my contention that the pivotal legislation detrimentally impacting the LGBT community is the insidious one that seeks to deny our de facto relationships, which to my way of thinking denies us the right to be gay.  If we are denied the validity of our relationships, it is tantamount to an overt endorsment  that we ought not have our relationships – what could be worse?

If  we cannot sponsor our spouses to be with us in our country, causing banishment from the USA, then we are thwarting those lesbian and gay relationships; – Silence by this Administration and the continued persecution of gays and lesbians, profiled and deported at the airports by suspicious ICE officers,  is the same as overtly stating that exiling our gays and lesbians is acceptable.  The relationships are the essence of who we are and the absolute benchmark  for acceptability, beyond mere tolerance.

 This situation, Mr. President,  is hardly known by mainstream America and I imagine once revealed more openly, through columns such as mine, where I am publishing this letter, the average American may feel compassion or perhaps even some guilt. The fact that America can exile its own is simply unconscionable. As a community we are hurt and sickened by the perception that a Democratic majority and President cannot rescue us from the throat hold of the religious right and from States that vote away our rights.

 So at this holiday time,  when families are gathering together  in happiness and joy, please find a way to remember those Americans. their beloved and children who, because of DOMA,  cannot share these days- and all our community can do at this time is beg and pray for something extraordinary, perhaps a miracle.  Our exiles and exiles-to-be cannot wait for the impending Immigration Reform battle or for UAFA to garnish more co-sponsors.  Our binationals do not want to be the “Public Option” of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. 

 Our binationals cannot wait to hold the hand of a dying parent, nor be on foreign turf if they themselves are ailing, nor be subjected to losing homes, jobs, and businesses, nor the separation of siblings. Our binationals are running out of money to support the long distance relationships.

 By XMAS time next year, it is my Holiday prayer that our binationals will all reunite through whatever means it takes – but here and now Mr. President we need your leadership and for you to take reach beyond business as usual in D.C. to accomplish what for us was also a “YES WE CAN.”   

Thank you for reading this and in Solidarity I say,

Happy Holidays and a Miraculous New Year,

Most Sincerely,
Melanie Nathan,

 American Citizen,  
Married Lesbian 
Mom of two daughters
Unable to Sponsor Spouse
Feature Picture taken by Melanie - of  Dorit, HC and Refael, 2008.

PLEASE NOTE – This Letter will be re-faxed to President Obama and mailed together with all comments that readers make.  I encourage one to two paragraph stories of binationals. 

 UPDATE; OUT OF THIS – Piece a Petition is born - The overwhelming response on my personal e-mail to this post has given me faith in the fight.  So I have taken a vision of mine, which many may think silly and naive,  and once again in defiance of  protocol, in defiance of all that (those who know better say) is possible, in defiance of the experienced, and veering off the beaten track…… here is my hopeful interim remedial solution to the crime against binational Americans and their partners/spouses/children.  PLEASE PARTICIPATE AND SIGN THIS experiment in grassroot power……   Lets take back the fight!!   Lets wake every American conscience to the Binational Plight.  We need 36,000 signatures.     CLICK HERE -  http://www.change.org/actions/view/special_visa_for_binational_lgbt_spouse-perma-partners

Posted and written by Melanie Nathan:

This week a Plane is leaving for Taiwan and one more American is forced to leave the Country he loves so dearly, simply because the love of his life is of the same sex.   He is about to be exiled and here is his story……. but first let me explain

In April 2009,    I advocated to help Shirley Tan obtain the introduction of a Private Bill from Senator Feinstein. Her story is well known to those who follow the plight of our bi-national brothers and sister and the desperate need for legislation to keep us in the US with equal rights to sponsor our partners for green cards.  Now that we have been left out of the current Immigration Reform Bill, as introduced this past week by Gutierrez, I pitched a special column to Paula Brooks of Lez Get Real and she said “Go for it!”   

Here is the plan – I will post a new true life story, bi- monthly featuring a story of one binational lesbian or gay couple who are either in hiding in the US, waiting for a visa to run out, living in exile or living alone unable to be with a beloved partner.  I vow to do this until one of two things happen first:  

a. UAFA (or equivalent) is passed into law, giving us our equal right to sponsor our partners for green-cards, equally;  or

b. I run out of binational couples – The estimate is between 40,000-100,000 binationals which means I can keep writing – lets see- 2 per month for 12 months – divide into – lets do the smaller amount in case the big amount is inaccurate – so divide 24 into 40,000 = 1,666 years – please check my math…..  okay I hope “a” happens first!  

My first bi-national story so published fell into my lap this week, through one of the very many responses I have received to my recent posts.  I have been given permission by Des and Jon to publish their story and my subsequent communications with them.   I hope you will share these stories with everyone you know. It is time to wake America up to what is going on.   We have been told by our representatives that the ONLY way we will get legislation passed is if we tell our stories –but that cannot stop at the door of our friends, only.  We must open the hearts and minds of all American; even the most progressive of Americans are completely unaware of the enormity and extent of the hardship to our community.  Many presume that we can stay together in the USA simply because a few States allow us to marry- but that is not the case…..

Please read the story of John and Des – in their own words and then read the correspondence that follows:-

This week a Plane is leaving for Taiwan and one more American is forced to leave the Country he loves so dearly, simply because the love of his life is of the same sex.   He is about to be exiled and here is his story….

“   Feb-  My name is ‘Des’*, I am a male U.S. citizen, born and raised here. In August 2002, after being largely unemployed for more than 2 years as a result of the dot-com bust, I went to Taiwan to support myself as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language.  In 2004 I got a job as a technical writer in the capital city, Taipei. In July of 2005, I met the love of my life, whom I shall call “John” (not his real name), in Taipei.

Eventually John was able to get a job in the US and after a brief separation we both moved here to my home.

Coincidentally, right about the time I met John, a friend and coworker of mine, “George,” (also a U.S. citizen), who had joined the same company just about the time that I did, met a young woman while on vacation in another country and soon fell in love with and married her.

John is on a very limited visa, which enables him to work for one single company only, on contracts that can be renewed for up to 5 years.  His company has notified him that his current contract will not be renewed after the end of 2009.  At that time, he will have to leave the USA, and I will have to choose between staying with the person I love or remaining in my home and the country I love.

We have been struggling for years now to find a way to stay in the same country, legally and permanently.

Right now, our best hope seems to be Canada, where we could legally marry – IF we can get in. Ironically, my former coworker, George, returned to the USA with his wife about 6 months ago. Because he is male and she is female, they were able to marry, and he was able to sponsor her for permanent residency in this country. Inexpensively and in a matter of mere months.

However, because John is male and I am male, even if we marry,   I cannot sponsor him for a “green card.” We have a committed, permanent, long-term relationship that is exactly like marriage in every way except in the eyes of current U.S. law.  I cannot sponsor John because of the discomfort that many people feel about the nature of our relationship in the abstract.

Meanwhile, in reality, John is a highly skilled worker, with a master’s degree in physics and rare expertise in integrated circuitry testing protocols, and our economy is being denied his contributions because as a U.S. citizen I am being denied our constitutional guarantee of “equal protection under the law.”  

George and his wife are now living peacefully in another state. John and I, however, are living with the daily stress that comes with not knowing when or where or if we will be able to safely live together in one country without the likelihood that one of us will have to leave at an unpredictable time because of immigration law.  (Dated 3/09)”

In July of 2009 I was contacted by Des and he was in great despair; he told me that there were no options available to them. He wrote:- 

“ Melanie,  I’ve followed your website for a while and just read your article on LezGetReal. My partner is a citizen of Taiwan and will have to leave the country when his work visa expires in December.     For about a year and a half, I’ve been trying to find a way for us to at least stay in North America, if not the USA, by immigrating to Canada. But that option continues to seem impossible, for many reasons.  It is not as easy as people think.  By now, I’m resigned to the strong likelihood that UAFA will not pass and that I will have to once again go and live in a polluted, overcrowded, sweltering developing country where I can barely speak the language in order to stay with my partner. I’ve tried repeatedly to talk to my Congressman (Pete Sessions, R-TX), but he has repeatedly been evasive and even deceptive and has refused to meet with me.   ………………….     Des.”

There have been exchanges between us over this past year, but adly, this is the latest exchange which I received just these past few days from Des:

“Melanie, I read your letter sitting here in a hotel after moving out of our apartment today.  Several days of making arrangements, two sets of movers, umpteen boxes and hands worn raw.

 So it really hit home with me when you say in your letter  (now on your blog at www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com ) that nothing can be worse than having to leave your home in order to flee to a foreign country just to be able to continue living with your partner.

We will be flying out to Taiwan in a few days.

 My Congressman, Pete Sessions is one of the hard-core cookie-cutter “conservative Christian Republicans” who will never spout off anything other than the latest GOP talking points. I tried on multiple occasions to lobby him on UAFA, but he won’t even be honest about stating what his position is.

We’ll be in Taiwan for god-knows-how-many years now. We are both sad, my partner maybe more so, because he feels like in some way he has “failed” in our attempts to live in America.

I don’t know what to say – am physically and psychologically exhausted. Thank you for all of your determined hard work on behalf of equal rights for all.  I hope that I will be able to contribute in some way, even from 8,000 miles away.

 Thanks again, and take good care,    Des”

 And my response:-

 Des,

 Your letter just broke my heart.   I literally weep for you right now.  Please keep in touch with me.   I feel like I am the one who has failed , as has all of the citizens of the United States – because essentially you are being booted out of your own country.   It is all of our responsibility.

 Every time I hear someone is exiled it eats at my sense of what is right and I continue to be dumbfounded by the injustice.

 I wish you both all the best. My thoughts and prayers are with you.  

Hugs and Hopefully some peace,

Mel.

 —————————————————–   

 Today..  December 19, 2009

“Hi Melanie, Thanks very much for your reply.  Please don’t despair — you’re one of our real heroes! John & I will be alright. It’s a drag, but at least we’ll be together, and I think we’ll at least eventually both be employed without any real ticking time-bomb for my having to leave HIS country (fingers crossed). ……….. (information intentionally left out)…………….”
 

Our brave exile went on to look at his glass half full and like many heroes and courageous exiles expressed his gratitude for at least having a place to go and being with his beloved.   There are many of you who cannot and I encourage you to send me your stories too.

 Des continues:   “I think that we’re relatively lucky compared to many, many other binational couples. I was overwhelmed by all of the people who wrote to me in support and solidarity. Even more amazing was the heart-breaking stories that so many of them have — far worse than our story!

I think you really captured it when you said, “Most of America has no clue and that is what is so outrageous; “   I honestly believe that if the average voter was aware of our plight–conservative, moderate, or liberal–a large majority would say, “Well, they should be able to sponsor their partner, sure.”  I think this because of my experience with my brother and sister in law, who are life-long conservative Christian Republicans. So many close friends — progressives — didn’t even realize that I couldn’t just “go to Massachusetts, get married, and then apply.” It’s like there’s this nationwide blanket of denial about the conscience-shocking unfair discrimination that a great many (50,000? 100,000?) U.S. citizens and their partners face because the U.S. Government still openly discriminates against its own citizens on the basis of sexual orientation.    So I think the task is to get even moderates and conservatives to agree that the status quo is wrong and to tell their won U.S. Reps just that. Maybe one or more national polls on the issue could help to both educate the masses and also supply empirical evidence to fearful legislators that voting for UAFA would not imperil their re-election chances.

Melanie – your tireless efforts —————intentionally blank——– You do so much for us already!  Re: LezGetReal, yes, I’d be honored to be the topic of one of your pieces exposing the plight of binational couples.  Des”

 Dear Des and John,

Bon Voyage my Brothers.

Mel.

 *Note:  Des and John (Real names withheld for their safety)

What you can do to Help others in Session’s Distirct – call and tell him how sad you are that his American constituent is now in Exile and he refused to help him:

Washington, D.C. Office:
Congressman Pete Sessions 
2233 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-4332
Phone: (202) 225-2231
Fax: (202) 225-5878

Dallas, Texas Office:
Congressman Pete Sessions
Park Central VII
12750 Merit Drive, Suite 1434
Dallas, Texas 75251-1229
Phone: (972) 392-0505
Fax: (972) 392-0615

Flo Helton 
Casework Administrator for Pete Sessions
Flo is originally from New Orleans but has spent the last 27 years in Dallas. Prior to working for Pete, she spent 23 years with Southwestern Bell Telephone as a secretary to the District Manager in Customer Services. Flo is responsible for community outreach and constituent service.

” Immigration – from Pete Session’s website

One of America’s greatest strengths is that we are a nation of immigrants. The immigrants that built this country did so by working hard to contribute to the economy and becoming productive members of American society. This country would not be where we are today if it had not been for the enterprising devotion and entrepreneurial spirit of legal immigrants.

  Posted by Melanie Nathan, Advocating for UAFA, as a ‘Stand Alone Bill’
A Bill for Equality - Using a few words to Provide equality for American  LGBT Partners
Under the current Immigration Law of the USA.

nathan@privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com
www.visualcv.com/melnathan

Tweet me @oblogdeeoblogda

 Posted by Melanie Nathan: -  While many may find e-mail letters and fundraising pleas overwhelming at this time of year, I always enjoy reading them.  Many are from non-profit organizations, some touting well deserved victories and others attempting to portray mistakes as miracles.  But it is that time of year and we are especially looking at the miracles.

 I have chosen one for you that I found particularly touching.  Maybe my subconscious triggered its own perceived miracle, because when I looked at the name on the picture of an elderly 88 year old, it reminded me that I had my very own bobba (grandma) Millie, of blessed memory.   After I read the piece I was hard pressed to imagine my own bobba Milly at my big  Jewish Lesbian wedding.   In fact all I could visualize was my dear bobba Millie (who passed away at age 90) doing cartwheels in her grave :” oy vey, how could she do this to me, oyayooiy how could she do this me?”   

 So now to the letter I want to feature as my favorite for the year of giving- to a group whose motto resonates, profoundly:-

“Building community locally, creating change nationally. ”

 Dear Melanie,

What a distance we have come! 

From the vantage point of my almost 88 years, I have witnessed firsthand how much things have changed for the gay and lesbian members of our community. Growing up, the word “gay” had an entirely different meaning and “lesbian” wasn’t even part of our vocabulary. Much has changed, but it’s still not always easy to talk about these issues in the same way that people talk about other aspects of their family life.

 For me, the most significant marker of this change was the wonderful Jewish wedding of my beloved granddaughter Rachel and her lovely, loving partner, Bonnie. It was a truly joyous occasion, shared by our families and friends. Seeing how happy these two extraordinary young women make each other, who could not be happy for them?

 And yet, when I first learned that Rachel was a lesbian I was totally surprised. Then I quickly realized that Rachel was still Rachel and that my love for her was unconditional.

Having gotten to know, respect, and love Bonnie over the years that she shared holidays, Seders, Shabbat dinners, and other occasions with us, we knew that she had become an integral part of our extended family. At some point, too, I’m sure I will be blessed with great-grandkids.

 So much progress has been made, but so much remains to be done. Thanks toKeshet’s vision, commitment, energy, and persistence, they have become the organization providing information, support, and outreach to the gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual members within our community.Keshet has raised the consciousness of all of us.

 But it is still so difficult for those, especially kids, who are unable to share who they really are. The existence of Keshet makes a huge difference in their lives. As individuals, and as a community, we should take great pride in the work of this amazing organization. Please join me in generously supporting Keshetthis Chanukah holiday season.

 Happy Chanukah from my family to yours,

Millie Guberman Kravetz”   – (reprinted with permission.)

Keshet’s mission is to ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews are fully included in all parts of the Jewish community.

In the Greater Boston area, Keshet offers social and cultural events for GLBT Jews ranging from Jewish text study to an annual GLBT Jewish speed-dating gala, Keshet Quick Dates.

Nationally, Keshet offers support, training, and resources to create a Jewish community that welcomes and affirms GLBT Jews.

Keshet is an extraordinary organization and their work, more than anything else, in my opinion, brings normalcy to who we are.  Imagine if more religious based groups could reach their members in this way? 

 This is not only about the dollars Keshet needs, but also about showing your parents and grandparents how our acceptance is increasing in the world, through the mitzvot of love, kindness, giving and compassion.

Posted by Melanie Nathan, – www.visualcv.com/melnathan  
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com
www.privatecourts.com
Tweet with me:- @oblogdeeoblogda

 Post Picture: Millie and Rachel

12/18/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Yesterday, I went a little ballistic over the Health Care Reform and joined the ranks of those who have called for the end of this bill. I did not explain the totality of why. The why of healthcare reform is something that no one seems to want to explain. Before I left Georgia, SCHIP went bankrupt. It ran out of money. The why of it running out of money is simple. Too many people had no choice but to put their children on that program because their employers would not give them health coverage. The largest reason was the Walmarticization of the American workforce where people are given part time work, no benefits and not enough money to pay for healthcare. In the end, this set up made it necessary for people to put their children on the only healthcare program that they could- SCHIP. When the attempt to scuttle the program went through under President Bush, Georgia’s SCHIP program ran out of money.

Americans are not earning enough to get insurance because corporations insist upon squeezing every last cent of profits that they can, often at the expense of employees. I do not mean small businesses, but the mega-corporations which often refuse to give their employees adequate pay, and adequate benefits. “If you take care of your employees, and you take care of your customers, your profits will take care of themselves,” as one person in my life use to say.

The growth that this country has so long enjoyed is an illusion. It exists, but only at the top. Yes, since Ronald Reagan took office, the economy has grown and grown. That is, until you walk through the rotting streets of downtown Brunswick, Georgia. The rich folk on Saint Simon’s Island desperately wanted to build a new bridge at the top end of the island so that people coming to their beaches would not have to see anything of the city, or drive passed the turpentine plant and its toxic cloud of fumes. They certainly did not want people to go down Norwich Street and see the boarded up buildings, vacant eyed residents, and crumbling facades. I lived in that city for eighteen years save for a few where I lived in Savannah and a six month sojourn in England. I saw people scrambling for crumbs who were not idiots and not stupid. Instead, I saw people who had been beaten down for so long by the businesses which told them that they would move the plant out of the country if anyone complained, and churches which promised salvation, eternal rewards, and a belief that contradicting the corporations was somehow wrong.

It would have been better if that turpentine plant had left. The chemicals it spewed into the air rotted roofs on the houses right near by and caused ash to fall like snow on bad days. If anyone complained about the smell, people would say “that’s our bread adn butter.” They fought the environmental regulations which required them to put in a reclamation boiler. They spent more fighting that boiler than it cost to install it! All the time, they did not care if their workers were being slowly poisoned by those self same fumes. They should move away, after all. Move somewhere safer. As if any of them could afford to do that. The plant eventually had to be sold because the company that owned it couldn’t make enough money off of it after the legal battles.

There was an Arco plant there. The land around the plant is so heavily polluted that one person recommended napalming the land in order to clean it. Those chemicals forced the closure of the drive in cinema next to it a long time ago. It did not, however, force the people near that plant to be moved. The soil was so toxic that working around that plant was dangerous. I found the location of a very rare Native American site marked on an old map. That site could never be excavated. The land it was on had been used as a toxic dump site for over a hundred and fifty years. That dump site sat right on the river too. The fish there could not and should not be eaten under any circumstances.

And into this, what I saw was simple. I saw people without hope, without health, and without a future. I saw a society which valued money over people, and did not care about the blood that money was made from. My great-grandfather was, by all accounts, a Marxist. He was a Marxist for largely the same reason I can be counted as such. He tried to help the people around him. He was a pharmacist. He owned drugstores across the Caribbean, and he employed people who could dispense medicine with enough training to also diagnose most basic ailments. He provided the poor with the medical services that they could not pay for at a clinic. According to what we know, he died of a heart attack in a Dominicanan prison soon after Raphael Trujillo took power in the Dominican Republic. He felt that the society should take care of its people irregardless of their age, their race, or their class. Poverty breeds crime. There was a time roughly two hundred years ago where it was believed that the poor were naturally inclined to being both poor and criminal. By “natural” I mean the belief was that the poor lacked jobs because they were naturally stupid, naturally lazy, and naturally criminal. If you wanted to solve a crime, just have the thief taker grab some poor person off the street, beat them until they confessed, and sentence them. Voila, justice was done. Of course, it was not done. In part, this is why the Constitution states that “cruel and unusual punishment” is prohibited. It is to stop mock justice from being done. Our Founding Fathers, and in this case I mean more specifically those Anti-Federalists who supported the inclusion of the Bill of Rights, knew then that torture only muddied up justice. I also muddied up the gathering of military intelligence.

Lloyd Bensen once, famously, told Dan Quayle “I knew Jack Kennedy and you are no Jack Kennedy.” My view of Kennedy is far from being rosy. I have always liked Lyndon Johnson. He may not have been perfect. He was far from the best President that the country could have had, and the era he lived in was almost ungovernable. Still, Johnson at least had courage. He had passion. He spent a stint working as a teacher in rural Texas. He saw first hand what poverty and prejudice do to people, especially young children. President Johnson said before a joint session of Congress on 15 March 1965:

My first job after college was as a teacher in Cotulla, Texas, in a small Mexican-American school…Somehow you never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scars on the hopeful face of a young child….I never thought then, in 1928, that I would be standing here in 1965. It never occurred to me in my fondest dreams that I might have the chance to help the sons and daughters of those students and to help people like them all over this country.

But now I do have that chance- and I’ll let you in on a secret: I mean to use it.”

I live in Vermont now. Outside my window is a view of the city I was born in. It is officially a city. It has seventeen thousand residents. I often hear talk about “Small Town America”. My friends live in small town America. I go to college in a small town north of here. Vermont is full of small towns. I listen to politicians who talk about small town America every day. It comes with the job. Somewhen, not too long ago, people created this myth about Small Town America. They started by taking all their beliefs and ascribing it to the people in small towns across the country. They then sold that vision to people. And then they took on a phony “folksy” accent to make it sound like they were one of “us”.

When I was in fifth grade my family and I lived in the Interbay. It’s kind of sandwiched in between McDill Air Force Base and Tampa in Florida. We lived in a house where the floor was rotting, the spiders were huge, and one good tropical storm, and we were in the ocean. We lived off of the charity of others. My father had lost his job recently. The area was crime ridden, filthy, and scary. Maybe it is because I am empathetic, maybe it is because I care about others, but I have always wondered what happened to those children I spent a year getting to know.

I attended Senator Sander’s town hall meeting in August. The majority of the folks wanted- even demanded a single payer plan because it would put an end to all of the problems that they face. Five years ago, I went into the primary election in Brunswick and cast a single, solitary, symbolic vote for one man, Governor Howard Dean. I did not live in Vermont while he was Governor, and I know that he is not loved by everyone. I do not agree with all of his policies or his political stances. He is, however, someone with guts. He is someone who turned the Democrats around in four years only to have Barack Obama and his crew snatch it away and give it to some schmuck of a Chairman who could not and did not support the base on important issues like marriage equality, but, instead, supported a candidate who barely had a chance of winning election anyway. Governor Dean has stated now on Morning Joe that he will not vigorously support Obama’s reelection. Perhaps, instead, Governor Dean will consider the unusual, and even the unthinkable. Perhaps he will run against a sitting President. Governor Dean knows that he is going to be attacked for his stance. Because of Governor Dean, I have health insurance. I have that dreaded “Socialized Medicine” everyone talks about, and it has not caused Vermont citizens any loss in freedom when it comes to health care.

Jacob Heilbrunn recently wrote about giving President Obama some slack. I have given him plenty of slack. Until the last twenty-four hours, I have given him his fair due. I have argued that he needs to be given time. Time, unfortunately, has shown that Obama is not willing to fight. Time has show that Obama is not willing to take the battle to the enemy. Instead, he has consistently caved in on issues where he needed to be strong. One can argue that had he pulled out of Afghanistan the Right would have gone after him- THEY ARE GOING AFTER HIM ANYWAY. One can argue that he should not have gone after single payer Medicare For All because the right would have called him a Socialist or a Communist- THEY ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT ABOUT HIM. One can argue that he needs to reach out and befriend the opposition or they will oppose him- THEY WILL OPPOSE HIM ANYWAY. President Obama has decided to reach out for his enemy and hope without thinking that they will, somehow, support him. They will not. They will continue to fight him because he is not one of them. They will continue to obstruct him no matter what he hands them.

It is always tempting to reach out to the enemy and offer them your hand in friendship. The problem comes when they will not reach out as well. When we live in a society that does not know the difference between “Socialist”, “Communist”, “Marxist”, “Fascist”, “Nazi” and “Dictator”, we cannot have a discussion based upon facts. Instead, we have an argument based upon propaganda. Hell Fire and Brimstone, we are not even having an argument. “An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition,” as Monty Python once said. What we have here is Contradiction, the automatic gainsay of what ever the other side says. Until the GOP is willing to actually have an argument, then there is no point in reaching out to them. As for those in his own party who are willing to scuttle the bill for personal gain, make it clear that there are consequences to their decision to throw this under the bus. There was an uproar on the Right over pulling Nebraska’s military base. Do it. Tell Nelson that the base will be pulled if he does not follow the will of the party. Politics is nasty, dirty, and painful. It is time President Obama figures out that he cannot get people to follow behind him if he refuses to lead.

In 2012, I will have trouble supporting President Obama. If the GOP wises up and supports someone like Joe Scarborough or if Mitt Romney wakes up and goes back to his old social positions, I will gladly vote for them. I will go further. I will support them. The Left is rumbling. The political storm is approaching.

(I do wish to apologize for the length of this. I usually try to go no more than five hundred words. Unfortunately, this is something I am passionate about. As much as LGR is a blog, I do not do a great deal of editorializing. Analysis, yes, reporting yes, but not much off the cuff opinion work.)

12/17/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
This is what happens when you cave in to one person who is having a snit. Another one comes along and demands that you cave in to him. In this case it is Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska who has decided to kill the bill. The time has come to ‘kill’ him and Lieberman. It is time to strip them of any and all power that they have within the Senate. The time has come to remove them from their committee assignments, and if needs be, the caucus as a whole. It is time to kill this bill. No ‘ifs’, no ‘ands’, no ‘buts’, no negotiation. And, if President Obama cannot learn to lead and Senator Reid cannot grow a spine, then it is time for them to leave or be removed. Senator Nelson has demanded that his amendment condemning women to die for lack of coverage for a legal procedure must be in the bill or he will filibuster. If that is his decision, then fine, remove him from everything. If he leaves to join the Republicans, great, replace him next election. Or replace him anyway.

One year and six months ago, or there abouts, I cast my ballot in the first primary in recent memory where Vermont was important. I cast my vote for Hilary Clinton. While I have held out hope that President Barack Obama would be better than he has turned out to be, I hate to say that he has lived up to my expectations. I voted for him in the general election because I saw in his opponent someone who was even less ready for the Presidency than Obama, and who chose a running mate who, in all honesty, seemed more of a caricature than a real person, especially in light of her transformation from the time she ran for governor to when she ran for Vice President. The why of my vote had mostly to do with History. Senators rarely make good Presidents, and one term Senators often make very weak Presidents. I knew in Obama we did indeed have a John Kennedy. The problem was that no one really goes beyond Kennedy’s assassination to look at the President. Kennedy has never impressed me as anything more than an decent orator. Johnson, at least, had guts. He had scars too and would show them off to anyone who wasn’t squeamish. Ok, that’s wrong, he would show them off to the squeamish as well.

I knew that Obama would not fight the way everyone thought he would. I knew that he would have trouble herding Democrats into doing anything. Obama was good at speeches, but not much else. It is because of that I have not been disappointed in his lack of movement. It is because I knew that Obama was not this great, grand Liberal leader that I have not been disappointed at the immobility of many LGBT issues, and many others. I knew that Obama was more interested in compromise than anything else. It has been painful to watch as Liberals come to the same place I was a long time ago.

Last night, Kieth Olbermann took what looked like and felt like a very difficult step. He called for the death of the health care reform bill and the creation of a new one. Until Senator Nelson made his demands, i was on the fence about this. Now, I am not. The bill must die and, as Governor Howard Dean said, be rewritten. It is time for the Democrats to fight back. It is time for it to be bluntly clear to people like Nelson and Lieberman that there are consequences for going against the majority of their party and the majority of the people. It is time for someone to make Joe Lieberman understand quite bluntly that his desire for revenge is not only unconscionable, but against everything that the Senate has ever stood for. This kind of petty politics is suppose to be confined to the House of Representatives not the Senate. Yet, it is in the Senate that we find more and more people who want to do nothing but hold their collective breaths until they turn blue in the face and then- and then Senator Reid will cave in and give them their treat. If the Republicans want to slow the bill to a crawl, then let them do so. Let there be no other business until this is done. If the government shuts down from their tantrum, then BLAME them. Make it clear that Senators Lieberman and Nelson are responsible for shutting down the government and starving our troops of the funds they need. If they shut down the government, make it clear that the Republicans with the help of Lieberman and Nelson are responsible for doing so. Blame them instead of capitulating. Perhaps then they will come to their senses and realize that compromise can be achieved on issues that they want.

But that is the problem, is it not. This is not about the Republicans WANTING anything policy wise. This is about them wanting power, pure and simple. They want to win the ideological battle that has been going on in this country since it was founded. They want power, and in order to get it they will do anything from lying, cheating and even shutting down the government. I have listened appalled at how the Conservatives spin History into something so out of shape and out of place that they it is unrecognizable. They talk about Our Founding Fathers as if they were some singular block that agreed upon a particular issue, and somehow, some way were of one mind and that mind was for small government without regulations to hold businesses accountable, and without the power to tax people. What they do not say is that we tried that form of government before the Constitution was written, and at that time, the states almost went to war with each other and the central government was so weak that it could not govern even enough to make this nation safe. What our Founding Fathers wanted was a balanced government, and they did not get there by decree or one side winning over the other. Instead, they created a government that was balanced by consensus and compromise. What we do not have here is any of that. The people who claim to speak for the Founding Fathers, or at least in their model of thought, do not any more than any Liberal in this country.

I am not a Liberal, and yet, no matter what I say or do in this blog, I will be branded as such. I am an academe, and that alone gets me attacked by people who have never understood that colleges are as diverse in their political thinking as any place out there. In fact, more so. Of all the colleges I have been to, only one was liberal, and that is not necessarily Liberal, but open minded in its approach to education. I have met professors who would not look me in the eye because I am a transwoman on some college campuses. Distrust Education, Distrust Government, and eventually what you have is anarchy. I often write on this blog in a Liberal manner because, no matter how much I may not be that label, it will be applied to me. That is what Olbermann said last night as well. No matter what he said or did, he would be labeled a liberal for daring to not follow lock step behind the Conservative mantra. When did Conservative become the same word as dictatorship?

You will forgive me if, by now, I am angry with how this has turned out. I had hoped that I was wrong about Obama, and I hate to admit that I was not. For me to be angry takes some doing, but I stand beside my Senator in condemning this mess. I stand beside Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont. In four years, should he choose to stay in the Senate, I will vote for him. It was an honor to hear him speak. Like him, I am angry now too.

I am including the video from Olbermann’s special comment last night. Please, enjoy.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Clouds On The Horizon (follow up editorial)

  Posted by Melanie Nathan- If you look at the history of my posts, you will see that I have been an avid critic of the strategy adopted by Immigration Equality who spearheaded the effort to have LGBT families included in all and any Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bills.  Yesterday, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced an immigration reform proposal in the House of Representatives that does not include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families.  I do believe that Immigration Equality and other activist groups worked hard for LGBT inclusion, but at the same time they backed the wrong horse.

To me the writing was on the wall. Although Rachel Tiven of IE states in her BLOG that there is still hope, I am terribly upset to have to note “I was right.”   The leadership acted as if this was the only strategy and as I said they effectively SHOT ALL BI-NATIONALS in the toe, with their off course (From Uniting American Families Act as a stand alone) strategy.

12/16/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Liberty Council is threatening to pull out of the Conservative Political Action Conference or CPAC if the Republican LGBT organization GOProud is allowed to attend. GOProud is running into the same problem that their predecessors, the Log Cabin Republicans. The Conservative wing of the Republican Party, which is the predominant wing at this point, has cultivated a fiercely anti-LGBT platform claiming that homosexuality is immoral while turning a blind eye to the immorality of a variety of different issues such as banking regulation where people are often tricked into all but fraudulent loans in order to boost the bank’s profits. It should not be surprising that the Liberty Council and others are threatening to pull out of CPAC if the LGBT organization remains a co-sponsor of the conference. In an article posted on the GOProud website: “GOProud looks forward to continuing to work with the conservative movement to promote policies that will improve the lives of all Americans – including gays and lesbians,”

Unfortunately for GOProud, this email went out to Conservatives from Matt Barber: “I was disturbed to learn that CPAC is allowing the ‘Republican’ homosexual activist group GOProud to sponsor a booth at the 2010 conference. Among other things, GOProud advocates in favor of both ‘gay marriage’ and ‘civil unions,’ against pro-marriage constitutional amendments ; is pushing for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and advocates in favor of federal ‘partnership benefits’ for homosexuals. This group is pushing a radical leftist agenda that is an affront to the GOP platform, conservatism and, most importantly, the Word of God.”

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality is leading an effort to try and pull the sponsorship of GOProud from CPAC, or to scuttle the whole thing entirely. GOProud has yet to make any statement regarding the effort to pull their sponsorship from CPAC.

GOProud is a fiscally conservative, foreign policy hawk organization which is not opposed to a more progressive social agenda. Unfortunately for GOProud and many other groups in the current environment of the GOP, any deviation from the absolute social, fiscal and foreign policy conservative agenda embodied by a number of different wings within the GOP results in their expulsion from the Party as a whole. Mike Huckabee faced the probability of being removed from the 2012 primary field due to his more liberal fiscal policies. Mitt Romney is a solid fiscal conservative, but has a strong history of social liberalism. Unless the groups follow the absolute beliefs of politicians such as Sarah Palin and Dick Armey, the tendency is to try to remove them in the name of ideological purity. This often leaves groups such as GOProud in the lurch. It means that GOProud is caught in the same problem that the Log Cabin Republicans were. Namely, they are a pariah to both the GOP and the LGBT Community by supporting a Party which has been strongly opposed to any expansion of LGBT rights.

It should not be surprising that these Conservative groups are either going to push GOProud out, or pull out of CPAC if they aren’t.

GOProud To Be CPAC Sponsor