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.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Natalie Portman Terrified of Lesbian Kiss (inquisitr.com)
• Natalie Portman is Black Swan Serious (justjared.buzznet.com)
• Kunis + Portman = “aggressive sex” (wwtdd.com)

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.  

Related articles by Zemanta

• NYC Gay Basher Id’ed as Air Force Sgt Stationed Near London (towleroad.com)
• NYPD Ignored Hellish Gay-Bash Incident (topix.net)
• Is DADT repeal still on track? (washingtonmonthly.com)
• LGBT & STR8 Allies for Ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (thepetitionsite.com)

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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• The Coakley-Brown Intangibles (fivethirtyeight.com)

We shall overcome some day…

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

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.

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.  

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.

 

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

 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

 THE LGBT RECORDING ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOGO/MTV NETWORK
PRESENTS THE 2009 OUTMUSIC AWARDS  -NEW YORK CITY’S LEGENDARY WEBSTER HALL TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 2009                 

 POLITICAL HUMORIST KATE CLINTON AND NOAH’S ARC’S RODNEY CHESTER WILL HOST THIS NIGHT OF RECOGNITION OF LGBT MUSICAL EXCELLENCE  

New York, NY (November 18, 2009) – The OUTMusic LGBT Recording Academy and its Board of Directors today announced that the 2009 OUTMusic Awards will take center stage at New York City’s legendary Grand Ballroom of Webster Hall on Tuesday, December 8th at 8 p.m. The 2009 OUTMusic Awards will be hosted by Kate Clinton and Rodney Chester. This year’s milestone celebration will recognize and celebrate musical excellence while featuring performances from some of the hottest names in LGBT music. Nominations for the 2009 OutMusic Awards can be viewed at www.outmusic.com/awards.html.  

“We have cultivated new partnerships with some amazing organizations that know of our struggle,” said Diedra Meredith, OUTMusic executive director. It is my hope to create an equivalent presence in the music industry for these amazing artists and performers through the OUTMusic Awards. I’ve been waiting all my life for this moment to arrive! Our community is tenaciously strong, it’s been a long tough road, but with the OUTMusic Awards, we will make history during a time when LGBT Equal Rights is gaining momentum! This is our entry into the fight for LGBT Equal Rights.”  

This special night of celebration for LGBT recording artists will be filled with celebrity presenters to honor openly gay recording artists for their achievements and courage to be OUT and proud through their free expression of music. Throughout the night, special presentations will be made to Kevin Aviance, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Toshi Reagon with the Heritage Award. Also, the late Willie Ninja will be named OUTMusic Icon for his worldwide, inspirational, innovative and trendsetting contribution to the artistry of Vogue, fashion and performance. OUTMusic will also honor founders Dan Martin and Michael Biello with the Visionary Award.

The 2009 OUTMusic Awards Pre-Show will be hosted by Julie Goldman of LOGO’s Big Gay Sketch Show and DeMarco Majors of LOGO’s “Shirts and Skins.” DJ Shane Phoenix and the Rickster of Q Nation FM’s hit radio show “Q’s In The Biz” will broadcast LIVE from the Red Carpet and can be seen on www.qsinthebiz.com. DJ Stacy will broadcast LIVE from the Red Carpet on Girlscenenyc.com her popular show “Listen 2 Me” presented by JAMBOX.

For this year’s awards, OUTMusic has partnered with LOGO/MTV Networks to create three new, special award categories for those artists who have befriended the LGBT community and are seen as tastemakers by the LGBT community. The three award categories included NEXT GAY ICON, FIERCELY FASHIONABLE and KEEP BRINGIN SEXY BACK. The winner will be determined by the number of votes received by fans of the artists. To vote for your favorite artist in each category, please log onto www.logoonline.com.    

The evening will be filled with some of the best recording artists in the LGBT entertainment industry including a spectacular opening performance by Christine Martucci, whose song “There You Are” has been chosen as the theme song for the 2009 OMA. Also, performances by Jason Walker, Toshi Reagon, R&B crooner Nhojj, Rachael Sage, Jasper James, Levi Kreis, Deepa Soul and Kevin Aviance. Also, a Gay Hip-Hop Evolution segment will feature Tori Fixx, J.R., Soce The Elemental Wizard,Mack Mistress and Da Fresh Geex. 

Tickets for the 2009 OMAs can be pre-purchased for $25.00. Special Group discounts of 10 or more are available. Please visit www.outmusic.com to purchase tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door for $40.00.

OUTMusic is the premier 501c3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to honoring, supporting and advocating on behalf of under represented openly (LGBT) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Recording Artist & Performers. The organization was founded by life partners Dan Martin and Michael Biello over 18 years ago to provide a safe and supportive environment for LGBT recording artists & performers.

The organization is a network of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered musicians and supporters. Performers, composers, lyricists, producers, recording artists, activists, promoters, press/media and even non-musicians who believe in the importance of Queer Music History have joined Outmusic over the years.

The mission of OUTmusic is to ensure that underrepresented OUT artists/entertainers have equal and inclusive presence in the mainstream entertainment industry; an industry that has fostered the silent “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. This policy has perpetuated the stigma of homophobia & discrimination in the entertainment industry, the military and the work place. OUTmusic works to put an end to homophobia in the entertainment industry and the world we live in. They educate, advocate and raise awareness with the goal of bridging the gap between the mainstream and LGBT entertainment industries.   

Anyone can become a member of Outmusic, as they welcome fans as well as artists. If you support the idea that LGBT artists should have an organization that works to raise awareness of their music. 

Please go to OUTmusic Awards Website  (here) and see how you can support this extraordinarily important organizations.  These musicians and artists help provide critical visibility that our community must engage in our quest for Civil Rights.

OUTSTANDING ROCK SONG 2009 NOMINEES
(*) Stewed Tomatoes (*) Leather Daddy
Athena Reich Love is Love
Jen Urban & the Box Let’s Ride
Josh Zuckerman Got Love?
Phil Putnam I’m No Prize

OUTSTANDING POP SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Athena Reich Love is Love
Billie Myers I Hope You’re Happy Now
Ellen Rosner Ready, Steady, GO
Heiskell Sick Of Nothing
Rachael Sage Too Many Women (from the FAME Soundtrack)

OUTSTANDING HIP HOP/RAP SONG 2009 NOMINEES
baron. Feel Like Fashion
Jasper James ROCKET
Mack Mistress Make it Bounce
Soce, The Elemental Wizard Grossed Out
Tori Fixx I’m the Same

OUTSTANDING R & B/SOUL SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Kalup Linzy presents Asshole
Nhojj Love
Robert Anton Bigger Than Me

OUTSTANDING ELECTRO/DANCE SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Ari Gold Where The Music Takes You
Brian Kent Breathe Life
Christian Andreason Running Back to You – HITPLAY Mix
Jason Walker Can’t Stop (Joey Negro Remix)
Lori Michaels Meet Me At The Partay

OUTSTANDING FOLK/COUNTRY SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Blair Hansen & Vicci Martinez Break Away – (HANNAH FREE Soundtrack)
Crooked Willow Fall Away (Reprised)
Julie Clark Growin’ Up
Nick Granato Who I Am
Rachael Sage Hunger In John

OUTSTANDING JAZZ SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Avi Wisnia No Scrubs
Lucy Smith You Pause – (HANNAH FREE Soundtrack)
Rachael Sage Site-Seeing
Steven Franz Skins & Shirts

OUTSTANDING INSTRUMENTAL/SOUNDTRACK SONG 2009 NOMINEES
HANNAH FREE, Starring Sharon Gless Goodby Rachel
HANNAH FREE, Starring Sharon Gless On the Lake
HANNAH FREE, Starring Sharon Gless Meadow Waltz
Jon Gilbert Leavitt Lullaby Valkyrie (Lullaby (Walkure)
Jon Gilbert Leavitt Love Theme from “Heels”

OUTSTANDING CHORAL SONG 2009 NOMINEES
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Make Your Own Kind Of Music / New World Coming
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus We Looked To The Future
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus U.S.S. Metaphor Highlights
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus ensemble: The Lollipop Guild UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus with Joan Baez Swingin’ With The Saints

OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUAL SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Christian Andreason I Belong to You
Deepa Soul Stand Together
Levi Kreis Stained Glass Window
Sir Ivan Kumbaya

OUTSTANDING THEATRE/CABARET/COMEDY SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Brian Wilbur Grundstrom Pepe! The Mail Order Monkey Musical – Bridge Club
D. C. Anderson What’s Happened Since
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus My Gallant Crew
Terese Genecco The Man I Love
Vontanner A Shangri-las Girl

OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL SONG 2009 NOMINEES
Caera Suantrai (Seothin Seotho)
Isle of Klezbos/Metropolitan Klezmer Miracle Medley: Hasidic Nign/Poor Man’s Tune
Lee Adam Wilshier Last Of The Secret Agents
SONiA of disappear fear shorashim
Sugarbeach Mama I Love Her

OUTSTANDING PRODUCER 2009 NOMINEES
Jon Gilbert Leavitt Pride 2009
Rachael Sage Vertigo
Scott Free Equal
Soce, The Elemental Wizard Slippin Away
Tori Fixx CoExist (DJNB’s Club Video Mix)

OUTSTANDING SONGWRITER 2009 NOMINEES
Athena Reich Love is Love
Dudley Saunders Love Song for Jeffrey Dahmer

Posted by Melanie Nathan:
Keep your eyes open for my Gals
TOMBOY FRESH, California.

  By Melanie Nathan:  38-24 –numbers that may win someone the lottery some day but could not be more invidiously representative of anything other than the most pusillanimous* perfidy of the year…

 The people of New York State are not against Gay marriage, yet its representatives are; how does one explain such a phenomenon?  The deliberate duplicity of the eight democrats who voted ‘no’ was characterized by Senator Tom Duane as pure betrayal – and the infringing eight are:-

1. Joseph Addabbo (D) (518) 455-2322; 
2. Darrel Aubertine (D) (518) 455-2761;
3. Ruben Diaz (D) (518) 455-2511; 
4. Shirley Huntley (D) (518) 455-3531;
5. Carl Kruger (D) (518) 455-2460; 
6. Hiram Monserrate (D) (518) 455-2529;
7. George Onorato (D) (518) 455-3486; 
8. William Stachowski (D) (518)-455-2426.

CNN reports that the Marist College poll released the same day as Senate vote finds that a majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality at 51-42%.   It is quite ironic that their representatives left their spines at home the day of the vote. They chose to vote NO contrary to their supposed democratic ideals, regardless of fairness for their constituents, and in defiance of colleagues. What can they be afraid of if they are not fearful of re-election? Their ‘no’ votes will not please constituents, given the polls. Could it be a concomitant of their respective personal beliefs – anti-gay; anti-equality; church bonded, some bog donor dangling some big carrot?  I suggest that all the 51 % pro same-sex marriage supporters censure this disdainful crew, through the withdrawal of all support, to the point of bye-bye political careers.  Instead of assisting to make history in the interests of equality this group of schmendricks are now ensconced in the RAINBOW HALL OF SHAME.

 Anger aside, what is truly most hurtful to me is my own ebbing trust; a tide that is pulling me farther and farther out to sea and with every “NO you cannot,” my wedding cake icing, “Yes We Can” flails in its hopeless glaze, as my excruciating retort from the failure of the Democratic Party to hone a faithful and authentic crew, edges to that part of the ocean that slips beyond the horizon. 

 In viewing the roll, every single Republican voted NO – not one of them out of their usual and profoundly effective lock step. Reminiscent of Rex Harrison during ‘My Fair Lady’, “Why can’t the English learn to speak-” ‘why can’t the democrats learn to vote?” This malfunction is the Democratic Achilles heel and New York State is a tip of the iceberg.  If only the democrats could vote in sync each and every time maybe something will change here in ‘Retro-land.’

 Where is our Martin Luther King, to lead us through the streets of this unconscious wasteland; – where the GOOD are few, the BAD are many and the GUTlLESS prevail.

 P.S. Call the Gutless Crew and let them know what you think of their vote.

 (*showing a contemptible lack of boldness and resolve)

Authored by Melanie Nathan- (citizen,  mother, wife,  daughter, queer, a  niece, cousin,  Aunt, Sister, friend,  wise-fool, volunteer, in the box, out the box, – still planet earth, comparative privilege, ever-grateful, trying to feel pain, measured guilt,  abhorred by injustice, glass half full half the time, too well-read and out-traveled; lived in Africa, live in USA, mediator, advocate, activist, idealist, dreamer, doer, done! nathan@privatecourts.com ; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com

Maria Trumpler and Kathryn Dudley – Published: November 27, 2009 in NY Times.

Maria Jean Trumpler and Kathryn Marie Dudley were married Monday by the Rev. Johanna Nichols at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury, Vt.

Ms. Trumpler (left) 48, is the director of the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies at Yale and a senior lecturer in women’s gender and sexuality studies. She graduated from Princeton and received a Ph.D. in the history of medicine and life sciences from Yale. She is a daughter of Irma and William Trumpler of St. Pete Beach, Fla.

Ms. Dudley, 50, is a professor of American Studies and anthropology at Yale. She is the author of “Debt and Dispossession: Farm Loss in America’s Heartland” and “The End of the Line: Lost Jobs, New Lives in Postindustrial America.” She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and received a Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia.  She is a daughter of Jack Dudley of Racine, Wis., and the late Marcia Dudley, who lived in Guilford, Conn.

Congratulations to the Couple from Melanie Nathan and Lez Get Real.  Visibility is our true champion. Thank you.

Blogged by Melanie Nathan, www.privatecourts.com;
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com;
Contact Nathan@privatecourts.com

Joy Behar has her own show and what a stroke of happiness for us queers; she is her own person and clearly is at the helm of her nightly presentations.  Her strength and force will go a long way as notwithstanding her progressive sensibility, her VIEW always seems so correct in a matter of fact “how could it be any different “ kind of  way.   Hence she may reach those who have yet to be touched.

I watched the Joy Behar show on TV last night.  Her guests explored a “home for the hols” topic, with an emphasis on their personal coming out experiences and the difficulties in coming out to family, or having same-sex partner be invited to the family table. The guests included Judy Gold comedienne. The show can be viewed at  http://joybehar.blogs.cnn.com/.

Clearly Ms. Behar is a great advocate for the LGBT community, albeit perhaps inadvertent. She has a distinctive ability to address issues within the realm of acceptance and not mere tolerance.  In providing the voice to one who says he is sick at the thought of male and male sex, – and the humor that ensued as a result, enhances her credibility and showcases the issue. The concerns and hardships for the LGBT community are expressed through the personal experiences and stories of the of guests who wear their “out” badges so proudly on their sleeves.

This Thanksgiving I want to thank Ms. Behar on behalf of our community, for providing a forum where we do not feel we are portrayed as an oddity or slither of irrelevant society, despite the ratings risks that may result.   She has a special gift where her “chutzpah-esque” humor transcends any possibility of alienation by landing squarely on the side of the person who she perceives as just another person.  The talent is in her ability to highlight the issue without making it an issue. You go Joy Behar. We love you dearly and oh yes “thanks!” Happy Thanks giving to All at LGR – Writers, Publisher Paula, Lizzy, Bridgette, Sei – Readers, Fans, Bloggers, Activists, Binational couples in hiding or exile abroad.!

Blogged by Melanie Nathan, -
Mama- Wife- Writer- Activist – Lawyer- Friend
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com 
Contact:-  nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com, www.divorcemediators.us

Predictions from an  Activist    = Predictions from Melanie Nathan -  Triple MMM reveals my predictions…. lets see 2009 American Music Awards Nominations .

  POP/ROCK – Favorite Male Artist
 Eminem; Michael Jackson MMM,  T.I.

POP/ROCK – Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce 
Lady Gaga  MMM
Taylor Swift 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Kings of Leon
 Taylor Swift
 Lady Gaga  
Eminem
Michael Jackson   MMM

POP/ROCK – Favorite Band, Duo or Group
The Black Eyed Peas MMM
Kings of Leon
Nickelback

POP/ROCK – Favorite Album
Fame – Lady Gaga 
Number Ones – Michael Jackson MMM
Fearless – Taylor Swift

COUNTRY – Favorite Female Artist       
 Reba McEntire   23rd nomination wow   
 Taylor Swift MMM
 Carrie Underwood

COUNTRY – Favorite Band, Duo or Group
 Rascal Flatts
Sugarland MMM
Zac Brown Band

COUNTRY – Favorite Album
Unstoppable – Rascal Flatts 
Fearless – Taylor Swift  MMM
Foundation – Zac Brown Band

RAP/HIP-HOP – Favorite Male Artist
Eminem
 Jay-Z MMM
 T.I.

RAP/HIP-HOP – Favorite Album
Relapse – Eminem MMM
Blueprint 3 – Jay-Z
Paper Trail – T.I.

SOUL/R&B – Favorite Male Artist
Jamie Foxx
Michael Jackson MMM
Maxwell

SOUL/R&B – Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce MMM
Keyshia Cole
 Keri Hilson

SOUL/R&B – Favorite Album
I Am…Sasha Fierce – Beyonce MMM
The E.N.D. – The Black Eyed Peas
Number Ones – Michael Jackson

SOUNDTRACKS – Favorite Album
Hannah Montana: The Movie  MMM
Hannah Montana 3
 Twilight Soundtrack

ADULT CONTEMPORARY – Favorite Artist
 Daughtry
 Jason Mraz
 Taylor Swift  MMM

LATIN – Favorite Artist
Aventura
Luis Fonsi MMM
Wisin Y Yandel

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL – Favorite Artist
Jeremy Camp
 Brandon Heath
 Mary Mary MMM

 By Melanie Nathan:  With the potential to give all Church’s a bad rap, a diverse group of Christian leaders joined together Nov. 20 to declare a commitment to defend the sanctity of human life, biblical marriage and religious liberty without compromise. One hundred and fifty evangelical, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox signers said they were coming together to “embrace our obligation” to speak and act in support of the dignity of all human beings, marriage as the union of a man and a woman, and the freedom to express religious convictions. It is imperative that Church leaders and those of faith who disagree with this, not remain silent, but provide the backlash such hate deserves.

The 4,700-word statement, yet another reproach for the LGBT communities, named the Manhattan Declaration,  asserted: “[W]e will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act,” the statement says, “nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.”

 ”If you look at the Manhattan Declaration, we are clear that we see a genuine increase in the threat, especially on the sanctity of life front,” said Robert George, a Roman Catholic and a professor at Princeton University. “That’s the result of the federal government having an administration that is deeply committed to legal abortion and [government funding] and a majority in both houses of Congress that share that commitment…. We could have said many of the things that we are saying today a year ago, but some of the things we are saying today have an urgency to them as a result of the [Obama administration].”

 This declaration was drafted in last summer and was worked upon for several months before it was declared on Friday by the leaders of Conservative Christian communities.

The Conservative Christian communities in this declaration are implored to disagree with all rules and regulations that   accept any ideals against Christian doctrines, marriages in same sex and abortion. The leaders of Christianity supporting the declaration stated, “They are motivated and come from the deepest resources of our faith.” They also added that they could have made the declaration earlier but they consider this declaration to be more relevant for the present and future. According to the advocates of this declaration, ‘historic understanding of marriage’, ‘religious liberty’ and ’sanctity of life’ are the major highlights of this declaration.    

Yet, in snide hypocrisy these so called Leaders of Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox groups were present during the declaration and made it clear that the declaration does not have any political interest.

 So yes, those of a faith that declares its hate – you may – but do not take the majority of Americans for fools, for we believe that you are in truth endeavoring to impact politically. I trust that the majority of true Christians will declare opposition to this statement that purports to speak for all of faith- because it is simply not so for those who subscribe to G-d as a loving G-d.

 Let us not forget the way the various Churches and doctrines have been used to pronounce upon policy through the world over many an era; in modern times we can look to the abhorrent example of Apartheid.  Born from Calvinism in Europe and transported to South Africa via the arrival of Jan Van Riebeck in 1652 on the Shores of the Cape, developed a group who considered themselves a nation of people, the Afrikaner, a white minority in Southern Africa.  They used gunpowder and bible under the Dutch Reform Church’s teachings to ensure that black people were ruled undeserving of equality, that black Africans had an inferior place, one of servitude in a society of religious fervor. In 1949 Apartheid was born, a direct concomitant of these interpretations of the Bible and that birth was engendered in the form of LAW, yes legislation that declared racial prejudice legal, but also institutionalized the required compliance with its discriminatory codes.

 By: Melanie Nathan,
www.nathan@privatecourts.com 
www.visualcv.com/melnathan 
Note Photo: Consist of Archbishop Wuerl/

Updated – Donald William Wuerl (born November 12, 1940) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Washington, having previously served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006.  Evangelicals like Chuck Colson, Roman Catholics like Archbishop Donald Wuerl, and the other religious leaders who signed the “Manhattan Declaration” don’t seem to understand that justifying discrimination in the name of religious freedom is dangerous to society.

UPDATED: By now we have all heard about the Manhattan Declaration put out by various religious right figures and groups urging, among other things, non-cooperation with laws that in any way recognize same sex couples. It has been condemned in many circles and for good reason.  Wayne Besen of Truthwinsout.org said the following: “This is a disturbing call for anarchy from a group of radical clerics and activists who believe they don’t have play by the same rules as other taxpaying Americans.”  And according to the blog Instaputz, there is another reason to not only oppose this document but also raise the alarm about it.   Some of the names those signing the declaration aren’t a surprise. They are the usual folks who oppose lgbt equality – Tony Perkins, James Dobson, Maggie Gallagher, Gary Bauer, etc.

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• The Manhattan Declaration – Go Sign it! (liveactivecultures.net)

IN PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 40 TO RECEIVE MAMMOGRAMS, GILLIBRAND URGES FED TO CLARIFY NEW RECOMMENDATIONS

New Guidelines Released This Week Claim Only Women Over 50 Need Routine Mammograms As Part Of Breast Cancer Screening Many Doctors, Experts Object To Recommendations, Giving Women Conflicting Messages on How to Protect Themselves -

Washington, DC – After having participated in a public awareness campaign to encourage women over the age of 40 to receive mammograms, U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand today called on the federal government to clarify new recommendations for women on how to prevent breast cancer. New guidelines released this week by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force suggested that only women over 50 need to get routine mammograms as part of breast cancer screening. Many doctors and experts objected to these recommendations, sending conflicting messages to women about how they can prevent breast cancer.

“I am concerned that women are being given differing messages about how to prevent breast cancer,” Senator Gillibrand said. “In addition to getting my own mammogram each year, I have been involved in public awareness campaigns to encourage other women my age to do so. I understand that there were many independent scientists involved in making this decision, but that there are also many respected medical experts that are disagreeing with the recommendations. I plan to seek some answers here so that women are getting a uniform message about how to protect themselves.”

Doctors, medical experts, and news reports from around New York have raised concerns about the new recommendations.

“I think this would be a huge mistake,” said Dr. Paul Fisher, a radiologist at the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center at Stony Brook University Medical Center. “There’s almost unanimity that mammography saves lives.”

Dr. Jane Carleton, an attending physician specializing in breast cancer at the Don Monti Cancer Center at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, said cutting back on mammograms could allow some small breast cancers to become larger, more lethal growths. “We continue to see tragedies in women who present with much larger breast cancers because they have not had mammograms,” Carleton said.

At Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, Dr. Victor Scarmato, chairman of radiology, questioned the new recommendations. “Their conclusions are against the conclusions of the American Cancer Society and other cancer and screening advocacy groups,” Scarmato said.”There are many in that population whose lives are saved because of the procedures [mammograms] even if the yield is not as great as in older women,” Scarmato said.

“We are very concerned that the insurance companies will use this to restrict coverage for screening, taking away the option for what women and their doctors feel is best for them,” said Hillary Rutter, LCSW, Director of the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

Dr. Derek ten Hoopen of West Ridge Obstetrics and Gynecology said that his colleagues would continue to recommend screening for 40- to 49-year-olds until the data used by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was better analyzed.

Holly Anderson, executive director of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, said that screening guidelines trigger anxiety. “We’ve been dealt a breast cancer diagnosis. It sounds very scary to hear these guidelines and the recommendation is to not be screened in the 40 to 49 window.”

Full text of the letter is below.

Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Secretary Sebelius:

Earlier this week, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) came out with new recommendations that suggest that women ages 40-49 no longer need routine mammogram screenings. As I’m sure you’re aware, this has caused mass confusion among women who, like myself, have long been told that every woman over 40 should receive a mammogram every year. As a 42-year-old woman and Senator, I volunteered my time to speak in Public Service Announcements to remind women my age that they need to get screened. Therefore, I share my constituent’s confusion over this new message coming from the government.

I understand that these new recommendations were developed by independent scientists, however many respected medical experts and advocacy organizations such as the American Cancer Society, disagree with the recommendations. I, therefore, implore you to work with these respected patient advocacy groups, radiologists and oncologists across the nation to come up with a clear message to women about how best to protect themselves.

I would also encourage you to consider the weight that recommendations have across the medical and insurance industry. When the government changes their recommendations for screening, insurance companies will often choose to change their reimbursement policies as a result. I do not want women that are a high risk for breast cancer, because of their genes or family history, to be denied screenings because insurance companies refuse to reimburse the doctors.

I would encourage you to convene a meeting of interested parties so that this confusing message can be resolved and so that women can receive the best medical care that science can provide. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Note from Melanie Nathan, your blogger: I started my regular mamograms when I turned 40 and continued to have them each year thereafter. I used my birthday as a reminder of when the next one was due. No one in my family had ever had breast cancer, although there had been other types of cancer causing extended family and grandparents. Each year my Mamogram was clear and that did not deter me. In 2003 I went for my regular mammogram and the readiologist noticed a tiny calcification. Stating it was probably nothing I had a biopsy to be safe. Long story short it was VERY early stage Ductoral carcinoma in situ. After radical surgery, they found a little more than anticipated or more than had shown on the mammogram. I did not need Chemotherapy or radiation. That in itself was a huge relief. They had caught it so early. Seven years later, I have since married and we have a four year old together. I will see my 12 year old Batmitvah next year. I am alive. Had I not been diagnosed then and had they not had earlier base grams to diagnose from, I do not think I would be writing this piece today. The way I see this recommendation -? Well its tantamount to saying Melanie your life is worth nothing. Its okay if you would have died – because 1299 others would have lived – or whatever number they attribut to it. In fact I bet my fellow breast bearers out there will agree that their ten minute anxiety to save my life was worth every moment of said anxiety.

GALS- lets fight – this is not okay. Thank you Senator Gillibrand for your keeping a stern stand on this issue.

BY: Melanie Nathan

Ten days ago, the House passed the Stupak Amendment, which would be one of the biggest setbacks to women’s health and rights in recent decades; unless we stand together and stop it, this will provide license for our rights to be rolled back to where the right wing would have us. Do not think the backlash would stop at women’s issues. It will go every which way!

The Stupak Amendment is discriminatory, extreme, and just plain wrong. At Lez Get Real we have been reporting and commenting on the Stupak Amendment, and we are not letting up – why? Because it will take away health insurance coverage that women already have. This would be a huge step back for women’s health. Now this together with the suggestion by Government Task Force regarding Breast Cancer screening at age 50 as the new recommendation is simply unacceptable and worthy of a revolution for our health!!! The mere fact that they can think this up is disturbing to me….

We support Senator Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) launch of a petition because women must not be denied access to safe and legal medical procedures. If you want to join : click here -Senator Boxer wrote her supporters and saying: “For decades, a very difficult and delicate compromise has held firm: Women can use their own private funds for legal reproductive health care procedures, but federal funds cannot be used for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother. But in a stunning turn of events, anti-choice House members passed the Stupak Amendment as part of the health care reform bill and shattered that compromise. The House amendment would tell women who participate in the new health insurance exchange that they can’t even use their own funds to buy a policy that includes abortion coverage. We need to be sure that all our voices are heard clearly on this issue.”
Boxer asks: “How can we tell women that they will lose coverage that they already have? How can we tell women that they can’t buy insurance coverage for a legal health care procedure, even if it’s paid for with their own money?”

 SIGN THE PETITION and then visit our site in the next few days for my personal story on how Breast Cancer Screening in my forties saved my life…   

Blogged by: Melanie Nathan, nathan@privatecourts.com : Picture – Credit to Artist Benny Ovid, Tel Aviv, Israel – Thanks to  Dorit Israel, from her Personal Art Collection.

By Melanie Nathan  -   Maybe I did not get it. But watch the video of Dr. Ruth Jacobs on YouTube  to make your own assessment.  Let me know how you would title this post.  I will personally send a keepsake to the one whose title I will use on the BLOG.

I was absolutely flabbergasted when I heard this crazy woman under the guise of Physician;  a sad sorry being.  How did she get that seat to testify. Oh goodness help us. I sunk into deep despair – yes optimistic me – so depressed to see this video – it hits me like a ten ton truck – the fight – the battle.  Is this really happening?

How does one fight prejudice – hate- fear – insanity? Is there a formula?  I am not sure if there could be any worse sign of the times than a highly educated professional displaying such ignorance. 

I came to the US from South Africa 25 years ago- as Reagan was about to murder the middle class.  I thought America was diverse, tolerant, progressive.  I truly believed there was no racism here. I was proud to display my banned copy of the Life of Nelson Mandela on my West Hollywood coffee table.  I could not  be arrested here for that.  I could walk in West Hollywood holding my partner’s hand and I was safe.  This is America the law would protect me.

Then came the day my dream came true – In fron of Willy Brown, Mayor San Francisco I was sworn in as a citizen. What a celebration. The greatest Country in the World and I am its citizen.  I  vowed to do my bit – non-profit boards, commissions, volunteer, oh a lot more and I did.  but now I stand hated and marginalized and worse – my children considered unfit to have the relationship of their 2 parents  equated to that of their friends. Their college money spent on immigration attorneys, excess taxes and all the extra money it costs to be gay in America.

However today I awake to the reality of this Dr. Ruth Jacobs - a metaphor for the times – Maine, California, a never to be repealed DADT and DOMA – a few miserable tokenistic crumbs  hailed as progress;  - and what do we get Ruth Jacobs equating my right to marry to an anus and what should come out and not go in.  

Shame America! Shame that you allow such bigotry to taint the true value of this Country and the dream we all share.

g”>

Blogged by MELANIE NATHAN, CEO of Private Courts, Inc. Consulting, mediation & private advocacy ; motivated by injustice, I blog about family law/mediation, politics, news and LGBT equality and anything that ‘tickles my fancy.’ Otherwise blogging as O-blog-dee-o-blog-da. Websites and blogs include: http://www.privatecourts.com; http://www.divorcemediators.us; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com. Contact nathan@privatecourts.com

Promoting their new movie Whip It, Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page glammed it up for a photospread soon to be featured in the popular women’s magazine, Marie Claire.

During the shoot the two celebrity actresses shared a lesbian kiss with each other, producing some steamy shots. When asked about the upcoming movie in an interview with Marie Claire writer Jessica Henderson, the ladies had this to say:

DB: She was in her frickin’ bra with an open jacket and hot-pink shorts, skating around the rink with red lips and …

EP: I was having a really good time.

DB: … and she was sexy as a mother … a feral creature. It was great. And it’s so screwed up for girls to think, Oh, because I don’t have that cookie-cutter model body, it must mean I don’t have the right body shape. And I love model bodies, but I just want women to embrace several body shapes. That’s the thing I love about derby. It’s really welcoming.

Though the photoshoot slideshow on the Marie Claire website does not include the photo of the pair kissing, CelebrityRumors.com has posted the photo while accusing the pair of “faking that they enjoy kissing one another”. CelebrityRumors.com concluded the kiss was not a genuine lesbian kiss, stating that Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page “got into modern women’s club behavior”.

Blogged by MELANIE NATHAN, CEO of Private Courts, Inc. Consulting, mediation & private advocacy ; motivated by injustice, I blog about family law/mediation, politics, news and LGBT equality and anything that ‘tickles my fancy.’ Otherwise blogging as O-blog-dee-o-blog-da. Websites and blogs include: http://www.privatecourts.com; http://www.divorcemediators.us; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com.

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I have two year and a half old twins and getting them to put away their toys is not always a simple task, because when it comes time to pick up toys they’d rather not pick up, the two of them like to play a game called “not my toy”… it goes something like this…

This week I have been on Capitol Hill and have watched as President Obama, the Pentagon and Congress played a game “not my toy” with the issue of Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell with each saying they’re waiting for the other to pick up the first toy…

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, who is now fielding questions on the status of the repeal of DADT almost daily, reiterated earlier this last week that the administration will not take action on its own to end the Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell but it is working with members of Congress on finding a way to pass legislation to overturn the policy.

However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said that he is waiting on a legislative proposal from the White House before moving on the matter, and needs “presidential leadership and direction” on the issue. He also said he will move Senate to action once the House of Representatives sends something over.

The House of Representatives has had a bill to overturn DADT lounging around in committee since March, but no hearings have been scheduled and the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif. who collected 147 co-sponsors for the legislation, has said she wouldn’t push for passage without support from the president… just before being nominated by the president for a position in the State Department, and up on the Hill, we hear nothing from House Speaker Nancy Polesi or any of the other House Democrats on the topic at all since Ms. Tauscher got the call to head over to foggy bottom.

The White House said Thursday that…. “We’re pleased that this is a priority not just of the President’s but of those in Congress, and we’re hopeful that something can get done.” But Press Secretary Gibbs also repeated that repealing Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell is just one of copious aspiration the White House has for this year, and declined to name any of the lawmakers or military officials with who Fierce Advocate might have discussed the issue with… other than with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen, almost implying it is somehow their fault no visible plan for the repeal of DADT has yet emerged.

But not to be rolled under the bus, the Secretary of Defense soon made his position on Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell crystal clear Thursday… The Congress must act first on the policy before service leaders can make any changes…. “Until the law is changed, our ability to change the policy is extremely limited, if not nonexistent,” he said.

That is not my toy… and until I get mad and say enough is enough… not many toys ever get picked up around here.

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Yesterday in his first official overture to the LGBT community, President Obama granted a handful of benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

During White House ceremony Obama reiterated his “long-standing commitment” to try to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, the law which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

“It’s a day that marks a historic step towards the changes we seek, but I think we all have to acknowledge this is only one step. Among the steps we have not yet taken is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. I believe it’s discriminatory, I think it interferes with states’ rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it,” said Obama.

Earlier in the day during a phone conference with reporters, John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management and the administration’s top-ranking openly gay official, echoed that sentiment.

The Presidential Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination says that domestic partners of federal employees can be added to the long-term care insurance program; supervisors can also be required to allow employees to use their sick leave to take care of domestic partners and non-biological, non-adopted children. Foreign Service employees, can now use medical facilities at posts abroad, receive medical evacuation from posts abroad, and are now eligible for inclusion in family size for housing allocations.

The memorandum does not give LGBT federal employees health or pension benefits, in fact it really does not give them much they did not already have and until DOMA is overturned or the passage of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin’s Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, they are not going able to get much more either.

The memorandum the President signed Wednesday was a far cry from the full frontal assault on the 1996 marriage law, which denies those federal health and pension benefits to same-sex partners, or the 1993 “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on gays in the military that Obama the candidate talked so much about during the election and most in the community expected from him.

Yesterdays’ signing and statement of support by the president came, as the LGBT community furious over the Justice Department brief last week seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a gay California couple that challenged the DOMA and sought to have their marriage recognized by other states, threatened to take down a LGBT DNC fund raiser. And notwithstanding the fact the Justice Department has, in the past, refused to defend statutes that other president considered unconstitutional because they violate the rights of citizens, the Obama Department of Justice still argues that it was obligated to defend the marriage act until Congress repeals it and did so last week by filing a brief saying DOMA is “entirely rational,” that it was a savings of taxpayers money and cited as precedents states rejecting marriages from other states that involved under-age females or close relatives….

Obama’s action Wednesday has placated few in our community… the atrocious brief and its wording with its disgraceful full-fledged support of a demeaning law still exists and President Obama did not repudiate that brief. There is also no foreseeable end to Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell and there was no one in the bully pulpit yesterday calling for its end.

Nothing has changed on those fronts.

And while I am glad the LGBT employees of the Federal Government got some minor recognition, because a victory for one of our community, no matter how small, is a victory for all in our community, I did not see a my president remembering the words of Martin Luther King when he said, “a right delayed… is a right denied.”

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According to our sources on Capitol Hill… The U.S. Senate is expected to approve Shepard hate crimes legislation by Wednesday.

However Senators are expected to pass the bill by amending it to the Travel Promotion Act, a bill that is aimed toward setting up a national travel promotion program that will communicate U.S. travel policies and promote travel to the United States.

“The idea is that the Shepard Bill will be an amendment to the tourism bill we have going up on the floor sometime this week in the Senate, and I’m thinking the vote on it will happen probably… Tuesday or Wednesday,” said our source.

The hate crimes bill passed the House on April 29, by a vote of 249-175, as standalone legislation after some seriously brutal debate… that included a fair piece of hate mongering by some House Republicans….

A South Carolina Republican, Rusty DePass, has killed his Facebook page after being caught comparing First Lady Michelle Obama to an escaped gorilla.

Yeah… you heard that right… Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, the longtime GOP functionary wrote, “I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors – probably harmless.”

But after being busted by a South Carolina political blogger, DePass told WIS-TV in Columbia, “I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest.”

Then after that sort of apology, he added is an apparent reference to DePass’ belief that the First Lady held strong views on evolution, “The comment was hers, not mine,” and claimed Michelle Obama made a recent remark about humans descending from apes.

DePass, a regular face on South Carolina’s GOP political stage, is the former chairman of the Richland County South Carolina GOP, and was an early backer of George W. Bush.
Eric Davis, the current chairman of the Richland County Republicans, says DePass is just a good ol’ boy and was never meanin no harm, so we should all leave good ol’ boy Rusty alone… “Everyone says stupid things they regret later. I think the world should move on,” he said.

But let me get a big hell yeah… because a recent Gallup polls says thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

More then likely Fierce Advocate Obama or someone close to him reads these polls, and that could explain his recently amassed long and growing list of increasingly important flip-flops, not the least of these his flip flops on LGBT issues, illegal detentions, and healthcare in what is starting to appear to be an effort to court the good ol’ boys like Rusty DePass.

But a word of advice to Comrade Chairman President Obama… unless he suddenly wakes up one morning as a White, Bald, 60 something conservative Republican man and stops going to Egypt where he quotes the “Holy Q’uran”… he is wasting his time on this endeavor and is just pissing off the base he will need to get re-elected… who trust me… are rapidly becoming quite willing let Fierce Advocate go down in 2012 if he doesn’t get back to the platform sold to that base in 2008…

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Despite earlier reports to the contrary, organizer Cleve Jones has said permits have been secured for the National March for Equality, also known as “Meet on the Mall for Equality,” for October 10-11, 2009 in Washington, DC.

Jones said, “We should be saying, ‘Enough of this, we demand full equality under civil law.’ We should be marching, engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience every day. We have a window, but it’s already starting to close. If you think you’re going to get anything out of Obama in the second half of his term, you don’t know anything about political history. In a year, he’ll be in full re-election mode.”

Jones conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt which has become, at 54 tons, the world’s largest piece of community folk art as of 2009. In 1983, at the onset of the AIDS pandemic Jones co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation which has grown into one of the largest and most influential People with AIDS advocacy organizations in the United States.

Jones is not the only activist who’s called for a march on Washington. David Mixer, a gay Democratic activist, has called for a march for marriage equality in D.C. in November.

Robin Tyler, plaintiff in the California marriage lawsuits, has also been calling for a Washington march for some time, but previously said she thought that 2010 would be a more suitable year because it would give participants more time to prepare and put pressure on Congress before the mid-term elections.

Nevertheless, Jones said the march should take place this year because he wants Congress and the administration to advance on LGBT issues before the end of 2010.
Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said recently, “we shouldn’t wait” for a march in October “to do the critical grassroots organizing that can happen today.”

“As we understand it, the purpose behind the call for a march is to organize grassroots representation from every congressional district in the country and encourage people to organize in their home districts,” he said. “We encourage such efforts, but believe that organizing can’t wait until October, in fact, it can begin today.”

Solmonese said HRC has already been engaging in this kind of grassroots work in congressional districts.

This will be the fifth march on Washington for LGBT rights. The first was in 1979 and drew 75,000 people. The second, in 1987, drew half a million and was a reaction to the Reagan administration’s lack of action on HIV/AIDS. The NAMES project AIDS Memorial Quilt (an idea conceived by Jones) was displayed for the first time during that march. The third march in 1993 and the Millenium March in 2000 drew a million people each.

President Obama and the Democratic leaders of Congress have turned their backs, forgotten their promises and betrayed our community’s trust. They give us platitudes like inviting us to Easter Egg Hunts and telling us they support Pride month, all the while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi states that repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act is “not a priority,” and The Obama Justice Department issues homophobically worded briefs in its defense.President Obama promised to end the Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell policy during his election campaign, yet he ignores the appeals of brave American warriors serving in our military as his Department of Defense drums out them of the services for being gay or lesbian. Yet all the while Obama and the Democratic National Committee treat our community as if we their ATM and temporary labor service, coming to us time and again for money and election workers.

Personally, I think a combination of both approaches is necessary… We should be calling out the Administration, our congresspeople and the DNC everyday… by phone… e mail… and by setting up face to face meetings with them, both here in Washington DC and when they are in their home districts, to discuss our issues… and when they wont give us those meeting… we should protest them, stop sending them checks and actively oppose any other legislative agenda items supported by them at every opportunity presented till they do meet with us and address our concerns.

But we also need to show our numbers, strength and unity in the streets… to the Congress, the Administration, the media and the American public … and the Jones March would be the prefect vehicle to do this.

A promotional video… Watch:

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Thursday, The U.S. Justice Department moved to dismiss the first gay marriage case filed in a federal court, arguing that the specific legal questions raised by the couple do not belong in federal court….

In their brief the Obama Administration argued that the courts shouldn’t consider Loving v. Virginia, the miscegenation case in which the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to ban interracial marriages, when looking at gay civil rights cases, that the Supreme Court decisions of Roemer and Lawrence shouldn’t be interpreted to give us rights in any other area, that DOMA doesn’t discriminate against Lesbian and Gay couples because it also discriminates about straight unmarried couples, and invoked incest and people marrying children…

The courts have followed this principle, moreover, in relation to the validity of marriages performed in other States. Both the First and Second Restatements of Conflict of Laws recognize that State courts may refuse to give effect to a marriage, or to certain incidents of a marriage, that contravene the forum State’s policy. See Restatement (First) of Conflict of Laws § 134; Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 284.5 And the courts have widely held that certain marriages performed elsewhere need not be given effect, because they conflicted with the public policy of the forum. See, e.g., Catalano v. Catalano, 170 A.2d 726, 728-29 (Conn. 1961) (marriage of uncle to niece, “though valid in Italy under its laws, was not valid in Connecticut because it contravened the public policy of th[at] state”); Wilkins v. Zelichowski, 140 A.2d 65, 67-68 (N.J. 1958) (marriage of 16-year-old female held invalid in New Jersey, regardless of validity in Indiana where performed, in light of N.J. policy reflected in statute permitting adult female to secure annulment of her underage marriage); In re Mortenson’s Estate, 316 P.2d 1106 (Ariz. 1957) (marriage of first cousins held invalid in Arizona, though lawfully performed in New Mexico, given Arizona policy reflected in statute declaring such marriages “prohibited and void”).

The fact that States have long had the authority to decline to give effect to marriages performed in other States based on the forum State’s public policy strongly supports the constitutionality of Congress’s exercise of its authority in DOMA.

Now here is the official White House response sent to Lez Get Real yesterday about the Obama Justice Department’s decision to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court…

“As it generally does with existing statutes, the Justice Department is defending the law on the books in court. The President has said he wants to see a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents LGBT couples from being granted equal rights and benefits. However, until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system.”

Presidents Bush, Reagan and Clinton all filed briefs in court opposing current federal law they considered unconstitutional. Obama could have done the same. This case should say it all about him….

Obama’s Motion to Dismiss Marriage case

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Today, during a press conference, a high-ranking State Department spokesman issued a statement condemning violence and abuse against gays in Iraq.

“In general, we absolutely condemn acts of violence and human rights violations committed against individuals in Iraq because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Ian Kelly said.

“This is an issue that we’ve been following very closely since we have been made aware of these allegations, and we are aware of the allegations,” Kelly told reporters when asked about anti-gay violence in Iraq.

“Our training for Iraqi security forces includes instruction on the proper observance of human rights,” Kelly added.

“Human rights training is also a very important part of our and other international donors’ civilian capacity-building efforts in Iraq… And the US embassy in Baghdad has raised, and will continue to raise, the issue with senior officials from the government of Iraq, and has urged them to respond appropriately to all credible reports of violence against gay and lesbian Iraqis,” said Kelly.

Mr. Kelly did not however reply directly when asked about recent remarks by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr who reportedly ordered the “depravity” of homosexuality be eradicated.

International human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have long condemned laws that criminalize gay relations between consenting adults. In April the London-based Amnesty International wrote a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urging more government protection for gays in his country.

The letter said that as many as 25 boys and men have been killed in just Baghdad because they were either gay or believed to be and said that religious leaders may be inciting violence against Iraq’s gay community.

Homosexuality is prohibited in Islam, and generally looked down upon in Arab culture as a whole. It is also illegal in many Muslim countries, and same-sex relationships officially carry the death penalty in several Muslim nations including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Mauritania, northern Nigeria, Sudan, and Yemen. In other Muslim nations, such as Bahrain, Qatar, Algeria and the Maldives, being gay can be punished with jail time, fines, or corporal punishment. Iraq however has no law against it.

God, Gay and Guns have long been a favorite wedge issues for the GOP.

However, in a new spin on this theme, The Washington Independent is reporting that…

One month after successfully tucking an amendment into the credit card reform bill that expanded gun rights, a small number of Senate Republicans are looking at the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as another chance to score a victory for the Second Amendment. The possible plan — to add an amendment that would allow gun owners to carry their weapons from one state to another in accordance with concealed carry laws.

The rationale — to defend gay rights.

According to the WI article, one Republican Senate staffer has said, “It makes sense for a group of people who would be protected by hate crime legislation to support something that would let them defend themselves before or after the crime… It’s relevant, and we want to work together with gay groups to get the message out.”

This effort to arm gays is being seriously pushed by GOProud, a new gay rights group that broke away from the Log Cabin Republicans in April, and they are reportedly talking to staffers for Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) about how to make a gay civil rights case for conceal and carry reciprocity.

“We support this because we think it’s advantageous to make it legal and relatively easy for gay people to arm themselves so they can protect themselves,” said Jimmy LaSilva, the executive director of GOProud.

We contacted both Coburn’s and Thune’s offices to get their thoughts on this strategy, but at the time of publication neither office had returned our calls.

However, Gwen Patton, a spokesperson for Pink Pistols, a gay gun rights organization whose slogan is “Armed Gays Don’t Get Bashed,” told the Independent, “Self-defense with a firearm is a valid and viable method of self-defense and protection. Imagine that individuals follow you from a place known in the neighborhood as a GLBT gathering place. They follow you to your car, and when you try to open the door, they hold out pipes and yell – ‘Hey, faggot!’ You pull out a concealed weapon that you have a license to carry. They say, ‘He’s got a gun!’ They drop their pipes and run away. No shots were fired, but a beating was just averted.”

Now I am sure many in our community will say this amendment to the Hate Crimes Bill is a nothing but a contemptuous attempt to advance gun rights at the expense of a cherished piece of LGBT legislation.

But my feeling is the Shepard Hate Crimes Bill is at this point nothing more than feel good legislation anyway, and its passage will be used by the Dems to say that did something for our community and point to its passage when they come to the LGBT community looking for more money… all the while they continue blowing off far more significant LGBT issues like repealing Don’t Ask- Don’t Tell, and the Defense of Marriage Act, or passing the ENDA… Moreover, the more people know that members of our community may be armed, the less likely they will be to single us out for attack.

So as a Gay Girl in DC… who happens to own a Glock… and has a concealed carry permit from North Carolina… I could get on board with this…

By supporting this move we’d be working with folks we traditionally can’t find a lick of common ground with, showing them the LGBT community can indeed play well with others as well as demonstrating we understand how you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours Washington DC politics work… It would be bipartisanism at its finest.

Read the whole story: Washington Independent

“Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later… get squish just like grape.” ~ Mr. Miyagi… in the Karate Kid… 1981

Last this week, despite the fact that he has thus far left his campaign promises to the LGBT community wholly unfulfilled and he appears clearly concerned about alienating conservative and moderate voters by any substantive support of gay issues… President Barack Obama issued a proclamation recognizing June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month…

Then he jetted off to Egypt to fulfill his campaign promise to give a speech in a major Muslim capital… where he did not seem so clearly concerned about alienating conservative and moderate voters…

Obama arrived in Egypt with a message of peace. His words were intended to make people recognize and understand that violence, the occupation of another people land, and using religion justify it all are wrong and needs to stop.

But in his speech, Obama spared no one… Not the United States for past sins in the region or Israel, by telling them The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. He was also unequivocal in his condemnation of Palestinian terrorism and the human rights abuses of a whole host of autocratic leaders of the Muslim world.

Also, by liberally quoting from the Holy Quran, holding this country to some account for causing the problems in that part of the world and condemning Israel during his speech, Obama promptly pissed off every conservative Republican, Fundamentalist Christian preacher, and Jewish advocacy groups in the United States.

Those conservative Republican, Fundamentalist Christian preachers and Jewish advocacy groups are now saying his speech was “attempt by the president to pander to terrorist and was a betrayal of Christian America and Israel”… sentiments that Mr. Obama should note, have gained a good deal of traction with conservative and moderate voters.

However, Obama’s speech in Egypt did demonstrate that our President is not at all afraid grab political third rails or irritate the conservative and moderate voters in the country, a truth he has already well established…

On his first day in office Obama proclaimed that he was closing the detention facility at Guantanamo, sending conservative Republicans into a tizzy. In March he signed an executive order reversing federal opposition to embryonic Stem Cell research, angering the pro-life movement. He further infuriated conservatives by pushing congress to pass the Freedom of Choice Act that will allow abortions to be performed in the last trimester of the pregnancy. But these were all things he promised to do during the election, and while many were angry he took these actions, no one was especially surprised when he did do them, because he said he was going to do them when he was running for president.

While President Obama was running for his current office, he called himself a “fierce advocate” for LGBT rights. Promising to place the weight of his administration behind the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and a fully inclusive Employment Non- Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, Obama said he would use his bully pulpit to urge the states and the federal government to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. But so far that bully pulpit has been notably empty and our “fierce advocate” has been astonishingly low keyed on any issues concerning LGBT equality.

While most of us in the LGBT community are proud of our President for being a courageous peacemaker and applaud him for the courage to challenge the opinions of conservative and moderate voters, most of us also wish he would to start showing that willingness to grab the third rail and display the same courage when it comes to honoring his promises had made to the GAYS…

But by instead the LGBT community still largely sees just more of the exercise in timidity Obama has thus far shown when it comes to keeping pledges made to the LGBT community during the election and his Pride proclamation as nothing more then fluffy feel-good words with no real substance.

But even this week’s trace of non-action on behalf of the LGBT community in announcing he was supporting us being proud netted the president flack from the conservative right….

Dr. Albert Mohler, a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention and president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said the proclamation advocates more then we in the LGBT community thought… And Scripture, Mohler warns Obama, does not allow Christians to be proud of sin…

“The United States federal government, now by executive order, signed by the President of the United States, is declaring national pride in these lifestyles,” he contends. “This is not mere toleration; it’s not calling for legalization, an end to criminal sanctions. It’s not calling even for something like civil unions…it’s calling for pride.”

Now seeing as it is not illegal anywhere in this country to be gay or that there are no criminal sanctions for the “crime of gayness”, though I am sure Dr.Mohler desires there be, most of the LGBT community would much rather that President Obama’s Pride proclamation had indeed been a call for “something like civil unions”. With such a statement, most likely a failed civil unions bill in the Presidents home state of Illinois would be law today.

But the statement by Dr.Mohler aside, our “fierce advocate” should know that no matter how little he does for us, and make no mistake, so far he has done very little… We know that as long as he also going to Egypt and is quoting from the Holy Quran, or lifting the ban on stem cell research, or easing restriction on abortion, conservatives like Dr.Mohler and those in Evangelical and Catholic flocks across this nation are not going to be voting for him in the next election on any account, let alone sending him any campaign dollars for 2012…

Post-Prop-8… we are not your momma’s LGBT community anymore, we are not sitting by waiting for the straight world to accept us and toss us a few table scraps. We are exacerbated with Obama’s refusal to intervene in the DADT discharges, frustrated with the Presidents less-than-ringing reaffirmation of support for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, the Obama administration telling gays and lesbians to give things time, and expectations we will accept movement on lower-profile issues first… It all looks and sounds very Bill Clintonesque and is really not going to do it for us this time.

The LGBT community has been among Obama leading supporters, but there is now an overall impression in the gay community that we’ve been, or are about to be, had by this administration and that Obama is rolling gays under the bus in some ill-advised expectation he is going to mute the conservatives of the religious right and win their support.

Our community understands Obama is worried about conservative and moderate voters… but recent strides in LGBT equality in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Iowa and the District of Columbia should tell him it won’t be his stand on gay rights issues that causes him problems with these voters, but double digit unemployment and speeches in Egypt appearing to those voters as pandering to terrorists, and their perceptions he is betraying our allies and weakening our national security that will most certainly upset his apple cart come the next presidential election. However, Obama also needs to understand that most conservatives are never going to support him or his policies, and he is not going to win them over, no matter what he does or doesn’t do on LGBT issues.

Conversely what Obama further needs to understand, is if he keeps up this present timidity on our issues, and does not soon take substantive action on Don’t Ask- Don’t Tell, The Defense of Marriage Act and the other promises made to the LGBT community during the last election…. he is not going to find much money or support forthcoming from that community when the next election rolls around either.

Wax on… Wax off Obama-san…

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As some of you may remember, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan recently introduced a bill that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in the District of Columbia in response to the Washington D.C. City Council giving its final approval for recognition of legal same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. The council passed the measure on a 12 to 1 vote.

But thing are not all that rosy in the “honorable” congressman’s district….

This post was written by Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio on the Hills Congress Blog…

When Monday morning’s news of GM bankruptcy broke, I was already two hours from home, talking with patrons and local workers in a Bob Evans Restaurant in my district, just a few hundred yards away from our local GM stamping plant that was on the list for closure in June 2010.

Having visited the facility on multiple occasions, I have come to know it for a high quality of work with dedicated employees. My first thoughts that morning were with the affected workers and their families. I also had the opportunity to speak with a number of local elected officials that morning, who would feel the brunt of this decision as well.

A number of factors led to this fateful day, not the least of which was a series of misguided actions by the White House and Congress.

The lack of a comprehensive energy policy led to $4/gallon gasoline, which hurt the sales of GM trucks and SUVs whose body panels are stamped in our district.

The arbitrary move towards artificial CAFÉ standards have stacked the deck against larger vehicles as well, codifying an unwarranted government preference to smaller vehicles.

The shortsighted cap-and-trade policy being debated in Congress will unilaterally disarm American manufacturers by raising the cost of American-made goods (like cars and trucks) through artificial increases in energy prices.

Finally, President Obama’s Auto Task Force, whose members have exactly zero hands-on experience in the automobile industry, are now the de facto decision makers for major companies like General Motors. They rejected several versions of GM’s restructuring plans before finally accepting the one that likely will result in a major facility shutdown in our district.

My dad worked 30 years for GM. It was once a thriving company-the world’s leading auto company. I’m hopeful for the future of GM, but a federal government takeover will only cause its current problems to linger. With common-sense, pro-manufacturing policy from Washington, we can turn the ship around and get our economy, and the automobile industry, back on track.

Seems the congressman wants to convince the folks back home that none of the present problems in his district is his fault…

But an editorial in his local newspaper, The Springfield Sun seems to have gotten the scoop on Congressman Jordan pretty well….

As wedge issues go, gay marriage certainly nears the top of the list of things that get conservatives worked up.

Of course if you’re out of work, don’t have health insurance or the bank is foreclosing on your house, it may not be even one of your top ten issues.

That’s certainly true if you live here and the gay marriage issue in question is about Washington, D.C.

That’s why it might leave local voters a bit puzzled to learn of Rep. Jim Jordan’s decision to make the Washington, D.C., fight against gay marriage his own.

Jordan, R-Urbana, whose two-term career so far has been that of a back-bencher who has created a slight legislative legacy, recently has been moved forward by his party as a spokesman.

He has a long record of being a social conservative, and his stance on gay marriage is no exception and in tune with the right wing of his party.

He is leading an effort to pass a law that defines a marriage in the District of Columbia as only being between a man and a woman. The D.C. City Council has voted 12-1 to recognize gay marriages from other states.

Jordan says that his position is about “affirming the ideal” of children having a mother and a father, Cox Washington correspondent Jessica Wehrman wrote in a recent column.

If marriage is all about children, does he oppose marriage between people who are infertile, past childbearing age or just don’t want kids?

Would he prevent mothers who are in abusive marriages from leaving their spouses so his ideal can be maintained?

Does this conservative lawmaker believe Washington, D.C., issues should be decided by a benevolent federal government?

More interestingly, has Jordan looked around his district and noticed the widespread pain caused by the economic crisis?

No one expects Jordan to abandon the Republican policies of the base that elected him.

But leading the charge against gay marriage in a place like the District of Columbia – where someone with his views never could have been elected – smacks of political opportunism.

It would say more for his ideals if he expended his energy to do something to help the people from his district who are suffering in a time of unparalleled trouble. Spending time reversing the D.C. City Council is just silly grandstanding.

As a  Gay resident of Washington DC… I heartily agree with the editors at the Springfield Sun.

Congressman Jordan has been in the house since 2007… he was there while a Republican president was in the White House and long before it was considered even possible that now President Obama could get elected.

The gas prices Congress Jordan railed on about went up under his watch… but there was no mention of a lack of a comprehensive energy policy till now…

The decline of GM has been going on a long time… yet Congressman Jordan never advocated any form of common-sense, pro-manufacturing policy until he was faced with angry voters at the Mansfeild Bob Evans Restaurant Monday morning. And he has still not given any details on what his vision of a common sense, pro-manufacturing policy to help the GM workers in his district would be…

But what he has done is come to DC to involve himself in business that is not of his concern or that of his constituency, and he wastes his time supporting a bill that has no chance of passing… While the people in his district suffer… because he is a homophobe…

I call that shortsighted Congressman Jordan. And it looks like a few people in your district think so too…

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An LGBT friend needs your support… It looks as if Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak, who is an authentic Democrat, plans to challenge newly incarnated faux Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter in next year’s Democratic primary and won’t be deterred… Even though President Obama does not want him to run for the job.

Last month when Specter changed parties and before the threat of a primary challenge by Sestak looked genuine, the White House assured Specter they would back him for reelection and Barack Obama immediately became Benedict Specters new BFF.

Just this week, Specter gained benefit from that new BFF, when he attended fund-raising event in Los Angeles with Obama.

Now, according to TPM’s Greg Sargent… Jim Manley, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said, Obama, Joe Biden and Reid all intend to work for Specter against Sestak….

“Like President Obama and Vice President Biden, Senator Reid will work to raise money and campaign for Senator Specter.”

Sestak, a two-term representative from the Philadelphia suburbs and a retired Navy admiral, was a big supporter of Obama during the 2008 Presidential election and had not really been making it a secret he would like to try to un-seat Specter in 2010, but now it looks like Sestak, if he runs, will have to fight the full weight of the National Democratic organization big dogs in the primaries and the pressures on him to stay out of the race are massive.

Rumor has it those political big dogs from the Obama administration plan on “visiting with” Sestak soon. I bet Joe tells them to go to hell…

Sestak who graduated from the United States Naval Academy, served our nation for 31 years before he retired… And Joe was no political hack…

He led a series of operational commands at sea, including command of an aircraft carrier battle group with thirty U.S. and allied ships that conducted combat operations in Afghanistan and precursor operations to the war in Iraq. Then Sestak became the first Director of “Deep Blue,” the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit. He also served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and earned a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University.

Since President Obama’s election, Sestak has been an extraordinarily outspoken advocate for the Presidents Economic and National security agendas. He has also worked to improve and safeguard our environment and modernize our infrastructure and transportation systems using the Presidents the stimulus bill.

Additionally, Congressman Sestak has been long been a friend to our LGBT community and has shown himself to be a dedicated defender of equal rights no matter the gender, race, religious belief or sexual orientation of the person.

He is a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and he voted for the Mathew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill.

Joe has also been an important force for the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and is a co-sponsor of the bill calling for an end to DADT. Sestak has said. ‘I went to war with a number of individuals that were gay… we knew that because the statistics show that we have a certain percentage that were gay…. How can I come back here to the United States and then say they don’t deserve equal rights after they served our nation in war?’

A new poll released today shows Specter holding substantial lead, but a few months ago, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee commissioned a poll testing Sestak running against the then-Republican Specter in a general election… and that poll showed Sestak winning. So anything is possible.

Joe Sestak is a proven leader, a fighter and he has always been a good friend to LGBT issues… And we need to show we can support our friends… I am willing to put my money on this guy… how about all of you?

On D-Day, I awoke to a text message saying, “CA Supreme Court upholds Prop. 8. Honors 18,000+ marriages. It is now crystal clear that we must go back to the ballot, and we are going to win.” What a way to start a day; I wanted to go back to sleep.

I was nervous about the outcome of this decision; even though I mentally prepared myself for the worse, this injustice decision is still a kick in the head.

Congratulations to the couples that got married during the Marriage Equality limited time offer.

At least your marriages are still valid in the state and that gives us something to celebrate. People were already jumping to conclusions that this was going to divide our community but it has just brought us closer. We are in this together and we are going to keep fighting for Marriage Equality. Although this is a minor set back, it’s just giving us more time to build our army bigger and stronger and we will REPEAL PROP 8 IN 2010.

Yesterday afternoon, shortly after the decision, I attended a No On Prop 8 Protest Rally organized by the Latino Equality Alliance, with a little help from their friends, including Bienestar, in East L.A. I joined over a hundred people at the steps of the East Los Angeles Recorder Office (where marriage licenses are issued), just down the street from where the No On Prop 8 campaign office was. Outraged at the outcome, people gathered with their signs and chanted for equality. Yes we’re pissed off and we’re going to let everybody know it. The media was prepared for the aftermath of the Court’s decision and we were ready to share our history. CNN, L.A. Times and Advocate were just the few, of many, covering the rally.

Lt. Daniel Choi, Iraq War Vet being discharged from the military under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, was in attendance and he started out by sharing a love poem in Arabic and then translating it in English:

“You are free

You are free in front of the noon day sun

You are free before the moon and you are free before the stars

And you are free when there is no sun

You are free when there is no moon and there’s not a single star

But you are a slave; you are a slave to the one you love because you love him

And you are a slave to the one you love because he loves you back”

He said the author wrote this because, “LOVE IS WORTH IT.” His speech can be viewed at UniteTheFight.org and he will be attending the Meet in the Middle for Equality rally this Saturday in Fresno.

Robin Tyler & Diane Olson, one of the first to receive a marriage certificate, was in attendance along with Denise Eger, the rabbi that married them, and Gloria Allred, their attorney that represented them in the original case that won the LGBT population in California the right to marry. The couple stated that they will continue to fight for marriage equality no matter how long it takes. Gloria Allred had made a poster of a quad of the California Constitution Article 1 Declaration of Rights Sec 7. (A), with a picture of a lesbian wedding cake and a gay wedding cake. The quad quoted:

"A person may not be deprived of life, liberty, or

property without due process of law or denied equal protection of the

laws; provided, that nothing contained herein or elsewhere in this

Constitution imposes upon the State of California or any public

entity, board, or official any obligations or responsibilities which

exceed those imposed by the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th

Amendment to the United States Constitution"

As a result of the Court’s decision, after the “equal protection of the laws,” she had handwritten in, “except for gays and lesbians.” The crowd booed at the Court’s decision. She said, “This is wrong and we are going to change this.” We are going to fight this and we are going to win! Si Se Puede!

Girl Afraid, taken from a Smiths song, is in love with Flickr and obsessed with You Tube.

Two new anti-gay marriage bills were introduced in Congress last week before the Congressional Memorial Day break, both aimed at a recent DC City Council vote recognizing same-sex marriages preformed elsewhere.

The first bill, H.R.2608 or the D.C. Defense of Marriage Act would “define marriage for all legal purposes in the District of Columbia to consist of the union of one man and one woman,” and was introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan (R) of Ohio and Rep. Dan Boren (D) of Oklahoma. H.R.2608 and has gotten 33 co-sponsors so far, all Republican… except two.

The other measure, H.J.Res.54, says it “disapproves” of the DC Council’s decision to recognize gay marriages, was introduced by Rep. Paul Brown (R) of Georgia.

Five states… Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont… currently allow equal marriage. New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey are expected to join those ranks soon.

Considering the strong Democratic majority on the hill, it is unlikely either bill will get out of committee, much less reach the House floor… Congress, which has final say over laws here in DC, has until July to act against the district measure. Otherwise, it automatically becomes law.

Interestingly… Rep. Jordan, Rep. Brown and quite a few of these bills other co-sponsors come from congressional districts that while traditionally conservative, are also presently experiencing some pretty tough economic times.

So while they do nothing to help their constituents keep their jobs or stay in their homes, at least they will be able to go back home in 2010 and say they tried to protect “Family Values” for the voters in their districts by proposing and working on these bills that have no chance in hell of passing… notwithstanding those voters families maybe living under overpasses.

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The Democratic National Committee will be hosting a $3 million fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Southern California tonight with the star of the show as none other than President Barack Obama.

We know our country faces scores of serious problems and we in the LGBT community have endeavored to be patient.

We’ve waited for the slightest sign Obama would live up to his promises… to be a “fierce advocate” for our equal rights.

Obama pledged to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy… But we have watched as highly qualified and trained gay and lesbian members of our armed forces get discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell under his watch. And so far our “fierce advocate” has done nothing…. Except to send hand written notes saying how sorry he is.

Obama promised to support a “complete repeal” of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and pledged to advocate for legislation that would give same-sex couples the 1,100+ federal rights and benefits we are denied, including the same rights to social security benefits. He said, “Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples”…. And so far our “fierce advocate” has done nothing…. Except to invite a little over 100 LGBT family to an Easter Egg hunt at the White House.

We have watched as his “commitment” to repeal DOMA has been removed from the White House Web site. As his promise to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was replaced with an insipid version.

And in the aftermath of yesterday’s California Supreme Court ruling, Obama has remained silent while his press secretary summarily and causally writes off any questions on the issue.

Tonight President Obama comes to the Southland asking for more money…

But before we give anymore, we need his words… We need his deeds… And we need our “fierce advocate” to be our “fierce advocate” NOW.

Last year we hit the streets for Obama because he promised us change we could believe in… Tonight we hit the streets to tell him we want what he promised us…

If you’re in the area and would like to let the President Obama know for it is time for that change, show up with your anger, your voice and a sign at 7:00PM when he attends the DNC fundraiser at Beverly Hilton tonight….

http://lezgetreal.com/?p=13379

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Turmoil has engulfed The Gays. Proposition 8 has been upheld in California, and two classes of people have been codified into the states constitution. The Gays are now officially second-class citizens in California.

The entire Republic debates this alarming chain of events.

Hoping to clarify the matter, a reporter has asked Press Secretary Robert Gibbs what President Obama thinks about it all….

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Not So Long Ago… In A Pentagon Just Across The River

(Washington DC) Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week, ” the nation’s top military officer, Adm. Mike Mullen, says that if Congress changes the law to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, the Pentagon will comply.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says he’s working to provide Obama an objective assessment of what impact, if any, changing the law would bring to an already stretched-thin military fighting two wars.
Mullen also said that if the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law changes, he would advise President Barack Obama on how to integrate openly gay and lesbian military members into military operations.

Obama says he wants to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly but has taken a yeah we’ll get to that… someday… approach since taking office.

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Okay that about says it all.  Or maybe this will explain:

Tonight the fate of our marriage, albeit decided, hangs in my psychological balance….

A Long Time Ago…. In A State Department… Far Far Away…

Episode 3…. A New HOPE

Secretary Clinton: Years ago, you ran in a primary and promised to help us; again now we beg you to help us in our struggle for LGBT Equality. We regret that you did not win the election and are now repealing Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell, The Defense of Marriage Act, and using your bully pulpit to pass ENDA yourself, but next time you are running for President, we will listen to you, send you money and vote for you, we promise…. But right now President Obama has forgotten who we are and the promises he made to us in the LGBT community when he was running against you and we’re afraid our mission to get thru to him has failed. We need you to jog the memory systems of the President and remind him of those promises. You must see our message is delivered to Obama. This is our most desperate hour. Help us, Obi-Hil Clinton; you’re our only HOPE.

(Washington DC)… sources are telling LGR that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce that the partners of gay U.S. diplomats will be eligible for benefits currently denied them but allowed to spouses of heterosexual diplomats, according to lawmakers and others advocating the change.

These benefits are said to include paid travel to and from overseas posts, employment opportunities at the embassy, visas and diplomatic passports, mail privileges and evacuation in case of a security emergency or medical emergencies.

The Bush administration had eased some rules, opening up some training to same-sex partners, but had resisted efforts to treat gay partners the same as married couples.

In a draft memo to be issued soon, Clinton said: “At bottom, the department will provide these benefits for both opposite-sex and same-sex domestic partners because it is the right thing to do.”

Clinton had said during her confirmation hearings, she was willing to explore the issue.

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, last week dropped plans to legislatively require such a policy change, as part of the State Department reauthorization bill.

“It is my expectation, based on very recent conversations, that the Secretary of State will move forward with implementing all of the benefits provided in that provision in the very near future,” Berman said at a hearing on the bill last week.

The new policy is still only in draft form and will require additional inter-agency review, but policymakers on Capitol Hill and officials at the State Department are pretty confident that it will be finalized.

It is also hoped by some here in Washington that this policy change at the State Department will spur on and renew attention on the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

President Barack Obama has said he opposes the current policy that prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military; but officials at Defense have signaled that repealing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is not an immediate priority at this time….

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On June 25th there is going to be a Democratic National Committee LGBT Leadership Council fund raising dinner at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

It will be featuring Vice President Joe Biden as the guest of honor… the prices run from $30,400 to $1,000 per seat.

Today on Politico, Ben Smith published an e-mail from the openly gay Treasurer of the DNC, Andrew Tobias, asking that we support this event and defending President Obama as a “President we can be proud of,” he even pointed out we got invited to the White House Easter Egg Roll and said it was wonderful press for all of us LGBT’s….

A President we can be Proud of?

During the last election Barack Obama promised us change we could believe in. He promised us hope. He promised to be a leader and to address the issues of the LGBT community. So we took to the streets and to the phones asking our families, friends and neighbors to support him, because he would be a leader who would not shy away from hard issues. And we sent him money… tons of it.

However, while Easter egg rolls are fun and human interest PR is good, they do not really provide us or families with much in the way of protections… And are not the change we thought we were being promised…. the change we paid for with our money and our work. So I think there is either some kind of reality disconnect going on here or Andrew Tobias has a mouse in his pocket if he thinks we LGBT’s can be proud of anything President Obama or the Democrats have done for the LGBT community so far.

Anyone remember Rick Warren at the inauguration? Anyone remember the discharge of Lt Dan Choi? Anyone remember the half-heart press release just hours before the vote on the Mathew Shepard hate crime law? Or the surreptitious write out of our issues from the White House web site? Or National Security Adviser James Jones saying he did not know if DADT would be repelled in our lifetime?

Anyone remember seeing the total lack of any real leadership from President Obama or the congressional democrats on any of the issues that affect our LGBT community or our daily lives whatsoever?

The Democrats and President Obama must think we don’t…. Because they are coming to us for money again and don’t seem to get it… what we see is while they like gay dollars and votes, they don’t really like to do much on gay issues.

I hope Vice President Biden enjoys eating alone, because here is what I have been doing all afternoon since I read Ben Smith’ article… I have been e-mailing and calling my friends and contacts, asking them to join me in calling for a boycott on this event or any future Democratic Party fund raising effort targeted to the LGBT community.

I have also been asking my friends to call the folks at the DNC and let them know that they have a lot of nerve to even think they are going to support them in any way till we start see some movement our issues… as so grandly promised in the last election.

And I am asking everyone in the LGBT community to let the DNC know… “NO WE CAN’T… till they can.”

DNC- 202-863-8000
877-336-7200

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It is so difficult for me to comprehend that the weight of my marriage hangs in the balance. If my marriage and the other 17,999 California marriages are not overtly impacted by the decision, if others cannot marry hereafter, ours will be devalued in a most profound way because we will become a big anomaly, marginalized and invalidated in the Psyche of all. We will be in a category all of our own, like legal freaks of sort. Example comment: –“You know that group of people that had those three months to marry- yes those people- the ones that fall into THAT group – yes – Oh yes, them!”

However whatever happens I will keep the fight, because even if we do succeed, we need to fight for all those federal rights we do not have – we need to fight for binational couples and the Uniting American Families Act, (UAFA.) We are entitled to it all! That said, I urge all to be available when the decision is announced. We will be experiencing either one of two extreme emotions; anger or joy. See Marriage Equality website. “California awaits the State Supreme Court decision on whether Proposition 8 will stand. The court will give 24 hours notice of when they will issue their decision and across the state and nation, our community will respond to the ruling – win or lose. On the Day of the Decision, local community gatherings will provide an outlet for our emotions, show our continuing support for marriage equality, contextualize this moment in the larger civil rights struggle and prepare for taking the necessary next steps forward towards securing civil marriage equality at the state and federal levels. Download flyers for your own events .… ”
Some interesting quotes:

Rabbi Jeffrey Bennett of Temple Sinai, a Reform synagogue in Newington, “My goal is to create Jewish families and holiness – kiddushah – within a Jewish family,” he said, “and that certainly can be done best in a marriage situation, whether it is between a man and a woman, or two men and two women.”

Rabbi Fuchs said that he believes that Jewish same-sex couples should be able to marry, “While I know what the Torah says about homosexual union, I think that the Bible really knows no case of a loving, committed homosexual union. They only speak of homosexuality at least overtly, in terms of war and rape. And there is a prior and superseding instruction that we are created in God’s image. I believe homosexuals are homosexuals because that is the way God made them, if that is how God made them, who am I to question their rights to all of the comforts and privileges of a meaningful life, and to live with the inclination that God planted in them.”http://www.lmfct.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=-1&page=NewsArticle&id=5959

We embraced every aspect of our wedding, especially delighted by the invitation by our Rabbis to marry us under the “Chuppah” in the presence of our congregation  and in our Temple. Guests came from everywhere, across the country and from around the world. Our Rabbi was so moved by the California Court ruling (pre-prop that same-sex marriage was in fact an inherent right, that our union became the subject of a good few sermons and themes in the congregation newsletter.

Our Rabbi was determined to inform our mostly heterosexual community that embracing equality is indeed a Jewish value. At the risk of losing membership, her stance was that if anyone did not like it then they did not belong. It is with this reflection and the perfection of that day, that we await the decision of the Justices on the validity of Proposition 8.

Blogged by MELANIE NATHAN, CEO of Private Courts, Inc. Consulting, mediation & private advocacy ; motivated by injustice, I blog about family law/mediation, politics, news and LGBT equality and anything that ‘tickles my fancy.’ Otherwise blogging as O-blog-dee-o-blog-da. Websites and blogs include: http://www.privatecourts.com; http://www.divorcemediators.us; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com.

I was horrified by this article in the New York Times:

“The law enforcement posts are restricted to those ages 14 to 21 who have a C average, but there seems to be some wiggle room. “I will take them at 13 and a half,” Deputy Lowenthal said. “I would rather take a kid than possibly lose a kid.”

Since when do the boyscouts train kids with bloody guns for the government?

“This is about being a true-blooded American guy and girl,” said A. J. Lowenthal, a sheriff’s deputy here in Imperial County, whose life clock, he says, is set around the Explorers events he helps run. “It fits right in with the honor and bravery of the Boy Scouts.”

What in the world is going on!?

This is like xeroxed out of Hitler’s playbook, and I’m not just throwing around the Nazi word bomb, this is literally what happened. I know, I saw a whole series on the History channel about it. Now I’ve heard other people make these comparisons and have always brushed them off as crazy or inflammatory, but this is beyond the pale.

I cannot turn a blind eye to this kind of thing and not speak up.

How could anyone? What would our founding father’s think of something like this being celebrated on the front page of the New York Times? I think they’d be more revolted than I am. I can only hope you are too. We all need to start putting our foot down and say enough is enough with the decimation of America, and the Constitution. No War Tribunals! No Rendition! No Boy Scout Military and Police Training! No more scare tactics, and NO MORE TORTURE.

Whew. I feel a little better getting that off my chest, but this stuff really scares me. Here’s that documentary about the Hitler Youth I was talking about earlier, check it out for yourself. I think it will give you chills.

Hitler\’s Children

Jenime is an artist living in the SF bay area. You can watch her musings and ravings any time by visiting her channel on YouTube.

]]> http://lezgetreal.com/?feed=rss2&p=13085 0 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=13008 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=13008#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 15:55:39 +0000 Paula Brooks http://lezgetreal.com/?p=13008

Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a nonprofit policy and legal organization working to end “don’t ask, don’t tell,” wrote the following Op-Ed in the New York Times…

In 1993, Congress declared that it was O.K. to fire members of the armed forces because they’re gay.

But times have changed: a majority of the American people want this discriminatory law gone, and a solid majority of the younger generation of service members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan don’t see the big deal with serving with gay people.

If an executive order were issued, the next president could come along and wipe it away.
Congress, and only Congress, can repeal the law, and it should do so cleanly. This is no time to entertain legal theories, interim or temporary solutions – like President Obama’s issuing an executive order under his national security umbrella.

If an executive order were issued, not only would there be an unnecessary and distracting showdown with the legislative branch, the next president could come along and wipe it away. Moreover, repeal by an act of Congress, coupled with a non-discrimination policy for the military, is the only sure-fire way to protect against future employment discrimination in the ranks based on sexual orientation.

But some Congressional supporters of repeal – incorrectly thinking that “don’t ask, don’t tell” is still the hot potato it was the 1990s – are sitting on the sidelines. They haven’t heard from the president lately on the subject, and they want to know where he stands before they act.

To show where he stands, President Obama should cut “don’t ask, don’t tell” from the defense budget he will be submitting to Congress shortly. It takes money to discharge and replace service members kicked out under the law. Trust me, Congress will get the message.

President Obama is big on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament… a worthy goal, to be sure… “If we are serious about stopping the spread of these weapons, then we should put an end to the dedicated production of weapons-grade materials that create them. That’s the first step,” President Obama said in April.

However most of his military people, both civilian and uniformed don’t agree that putting an end to the dedicated production of weapons-grade materials and nuclear weapons should be a one-sided endeavor. But President Obama has refused to fund the Reliable Replacement Warhead program, which is intended to provide a more secure, more dependable and cheaper to maintain future nuclear force for the United States anyway…

A decision that many think effectively commits this country to unilateral nuclear disarmament by default and a decision that many think will make our country less safe.

You see, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, most of the Generals at the Pentagon and many in congress, believe this program is needed to maintain nuclear weapons expertise in order to rapidly adapt, repair, or modify existing weapons or develop new weapons as requirements evolve. They see that while nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament is a great concept, they also see no such commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament coming from… oh let’s say… China, North Korea, or Iran and think it is not such a really good idea to let our nuclear deterrence force to degrade to a level that we don’t know that this nuclear deterrence will even work, if god forbid we ever needed them to deter an enemy or potential enemy from using nuclear weapons on us.

They also know that our enemies or potential enemies know that the older and more out of date our nuclear deterrence force gets, the more likely this nuclear deterrence will not work if it is ever needed… because our enemies or potential enemies have nuclear bomb scientist too and those nuclear bomb scientist know this is the result as any nuclear deterrence force ages.

Now I am in no way advocating for the modernization of this county’s nuclear weapons… I am using this issue as an illustration how Obama is already is getting to one of his stated goals by simply not funding something. I am showing how Obama has already let the country and the world know where he stands on the issue of nuclear disarmament, that he is willing to buck his military establishment and that he will be a leader when it comes to this issue because he feels it will make us safer. I am saying Obama already knew how to end Don’t Ask- Don’t Tell if he really wants.

In April of 2008, at the height of his primary race against Hilary Clinton, President Obama did an interview with The Advocate, in which he said of the military policy against gays and lesbian serving openly in uniform… “I think there’s increasing recognition within the Armed Forces that this is a counterproductive strategy…we’re spending large sums of money to kick highly qualified gays or lesbians out of our military, some of whom possess specialties like Arab-language capabilities that we desperately need…. That doesn’t make us more safe.”

We need to keep letting President Obama and Speaker Pelosi know we want to be “more safe” and that in this time of economic crisis… spending money that does not do this is not something we need to be doing.

The White House (202) 456-1414
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Speaker Pelosi (202) 225-0100
http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

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Rupert Murdoch has let it slip that corporations hemorrhaging money are desperate to find a way to end the internet as we know it. Companies like Murdoch’s newspapers and TV networks, which include Fox News and the Asian Star Network, have seen profits plunge from $216m to just $7m year-to-year. The plans to drastically transform the internet are not just the choice move of print and television media though. Corporate giants like Youtube are going bankrupt, and even new fad Twitter is deep in the red. And let’s not forget that Rupert Murdoch also owns myspace, which is also failing fast.

That’s why the “You” is being taken out of Youtube. Everyone who vlogs has been pissed about the mass video censorship in progress. The corporate giant’s advertising is now all over youtube, and the user created content is being downplayed. Corporate America caught on to how youtube affected the last election, and by buying them up they can regain their vice grip on news and information that reaches the people unfiltered.

The corporate elite have been planning for a while to overhaul the unruly internet, with all it’s free content. What’s the point without profit, right? The Nation reported over two years ago:

“The nation’s largest telephone and cable companies are crafting an alarming set of strategies that would transform the free, open and nondiscriminatory Internet of today to a privately run and branded service that would charge a fee for virtually everything we do online.”

Murdoch, taking questions on a conference call with reporters and analysts, said that moves could begin “within the next 12 months‚” adding: “The current days of the internet will soon be over.”- The Guardian

So enjoy it while you can. If the powers that be get their way, the internet as we know it is on it’s way to becoming a fond memory.

Jenime is an artist living in the SF bay area. You can watch her musings and ravings any time by visiting her channel on YouTube.

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Second Lt. Sandy Tsao

Six days after President Barack Obama was sworn into office, he got a letter from one of his South Side Chicago homies… Second Lt. Sandy Tsao.

In her Jan. 26 letter to President Obama, Lt. Sandy Tsao, came out as a lesbian…

“I am a Second Lieutenant currently serving in the United States Army. In addition to being an officer, I am a Christian, a woman and a Chinese-American. I am proud of all these identities. Lastly, I am also a homosexual. On December 21, 2007, I was appointed as an army officer. In the oath of office I swore that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Unfortunately, I will not be able to fulfill this oath because the current policy regarding sexual orientation contradicts my values as a moral human being.

“Today is Chinese New Year day. I hope it will bring good fortune to you and your newly elected office. Today is also the day I inform my chain of command of who I am. One of the army values is integrity. It means choosing to do the right thing no matter what the consequences may be. As a Christian, this also means living an honest life. I cannot live up to this value unless my workplace ‘provides an environment free of unlawful discrimination and offensive behavior’. [ Excerpt from the U.S. Army's Equal Opportunity Branch ( EO ) Mission Statement. ]

“We have the best military in the world and I would like to continue to be part of it. My mother can tell you it is my dream to serve our country. I have fought and overcome many barriers to arrive at the point I am at today. This is the only battle I fear I may lose. Even if it is too late for me, I do hope, Mr. President, that you will help us to win the war against prejudice so that future generations will continue to work together and fight for our freedoms regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.

“Respectfully, Sandy Tsao, 2LT, MP.”

Tsao was told by her chain of command that her letter was received by Obama’s White House and on the 6th of may she received a handwritten reply from the President himself… which reads:

“Sandy- Thanks for your wonderful and thoughtful letter. It is because of outstanding Americans like you that I committed to changing our current policy. Although it will take some time to complete (partly because it needs Congressional action) I intend to fulfill my commitment!”

Lt Tsao is a first Generation American. Her mother is from Hong Kong and her father is from Burma. She understands the American dream, and has lived it. She loves her adopted nation so much she is willing to fight and perhaps even die for it. Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao represents one of the finest reflections of   both Army Values and American Values.

And she has shown that true heroes and leaders are people of integrity who do honorable and brave things….

Even so… Lt Tsao expects to be discharged because of homosexual conduct on May 19^th.

President Obama would do well to study the example of Lt Tsao and start doing some brave things when it comes to keeping the commitments he made to our community.

He needs to be a leader… Our leader… the one we voted for…. In the time it took the president to write the note to Lt Tsao, he could have picked up the phone, called Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid… and said he wanted them to do what they have to do to keep this brave American soldier serving honorably… because if they don’t he will…. He needs to grow a set….

Don’t think we are not keeping score, brother… YES WE ARE.

http://www.windycitytimes.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=20483

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President Obama, while campaigning in the presidential election, said that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was something that needs repealing. Today, the White House said that this is still something that Obama supports “changing”– although gave no timetable for when they would take up the legislation.”

Why is it that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell has yet to be removed? The issue was put front and center when Obama first came to office, but now he’s totally backed off. I’ve seen bunches of articles from major news media (like ABC NEWS) that the issue is no longer a focus of the President. We need to send a strong message that it is important, and that we’ve waited long enough! We shouldn’t just accept “Oh, we’ll get to it next year”, it could be done tomorrow, and should be done today.

In Nov. 2007 Obama promised: “As president, I will work with Congress and place the weight of my administration behind enactment of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which will make nondiscrimination the official policy of the U.S. military.”

The Service members Legal Defense Fund, the largest defender of the at least 12,500 gay service members who have been discharged under DADT, said: “Like many others in the LGBT and progressive blogosphere, we too were confused about the change in the White House website language from “repealing” “to “changing” “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Words matter, and these two words on this particular subject have dramatically different implications for gay and lesbian service members.” I have to say that I’m very disappointed in how this administration is going. I don’t believe that we can depend on them to act without us speaking up loudly and making them do it.

The President dodges this human rights issue far too cooly for my tastes. As he does the prosecution of Bush Administration officials for torture. As he does for continuing policies putting 20,000 troops on the streets of America, an entire batallion being integrated with our police forces ( A clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act). Fly by’s of Air Force one terrorizing people in New York, unreasonable Flu scare tactics, and many other things that smack of George W. Bush. They’re continuing predator drone bombing on innocent children in Pakistan; its all still going on!

More and more I feel like we’re trapped in a one party system, and the only way we can gain equal rights, and a better life, is by speaking up very, very loudly. This is not going to be business as usual. We should not be complacent, and need to organize a strong voice that can keep our government on track and working for the people. The legislation, the military readiness act by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) is being introduced and it is time for him to put his money where his mouth is.

It is time to place: “The weight of my administration behind enactment of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act.”

Jenime is an artist living in the SF bay area. You can watch her musings and ravings any time by visiting her channel on YouTube.

]]> http://lezgetreal.com/?feed=rss2&p=12215 0 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=11950 http://lezgetreal.com/?p=11950#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 19:00:04 +0000 Lezgetreal http://lezgetreal.com/?p=11950

For the last couple of weeks, I was have been on assignment with my day job up on Capitol Hill, covering the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Under this bill a “hate crime” will now be defined as: as those motivated by prejudice and based on a victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Better known as The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill, it is so named because of the murder in 1998 of an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming, who was tortured, tied to a fence and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming. According to testimony at his assailant’s trial, he was attacked because he was gay.

Last week the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed the House. The vote was 249 to 175, with most Democrats voting in favor and most Republicans against.

During the hearings and again in the floor debates it was evident to me there was true compassionate concern on behalf of many Democrats to protect LGBT’s and others who have always not been incorporated in other such protections. There was also much vitriolic hysterics from the Republicans about how “It’s all part of the radical homosexual agenda,” to penalize thought, put preachers who preach against homosexuality in jail and create a special class and status for LGBT’s.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act won’t put people in jail for what they think or even for what they say, but for what they do. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is not a law against thought… but one against actions.

What this bill does mostly is provide federal assistance and funding to those prosecuting crimes of violence motivated by prejudice and based on a victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability, but it also stands the federal government behind local prosecutors, looking their over shoulders sometimes, making sure they prosecute such crimes to the fullest extent of existing state laws as well.

Because as much as we all wish it were not so…. Justice has not always been forthcoming to some groups of people in all places. Local prosecutors are most times elected officials, at the mercy of their electorate and there was no clearer example of this state of affairs then the Mississippi Burning case of 1964.

That case involved the murders of three civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman in Mississippi.  They were taken to an isolated spot were shot to death. Their car was driven into a swamp and set on fire, and their bodies buried in an earthen dam.

At the time this happened, you really could not get away with killing civil rights worker in most parts of this nation, but local officials in Mississippi, however, showed they were hardly sympathetic to the situation, saw that in some way these three men had asked for whatever they had received by bucking the majority belief in Mississippi at the time that blacks deserved no civil rights and refused to investigate their disappearance.

It was only after the national uproar caused by the disappearance of the civil rights workers forced President Lyndon Johnson to send in the FBI to investigate the case that any justice came at all. After a six-week investigation, the FBI ended up arresting the local sheriff, his deputy and 16 others.

However, even then Mississippi officials refused to prosecute the killers for the murders.

It was not until the US Justice Department charged theses men under the 1870 US Force Act, with conspiring to deprive the three of their civil rights (by murder), did any justice come at all when seven were found guilty. Nevertheless, none of those convicted served more than six years and no one was charged and convicted of any of the actual killings until 2005. It was only after 41 years, when attitudes finally changed enough, that a jury in Mississippi convicted Edgar Ray Killen of three counts of manslaughter, a conviction Killen promptly appealed, claiming that no jury of his peers at the time the crime was committed would have convicted him on the evidence presented.

Fortunately, attitudes did change, and the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld the verdict in 2007, but this conviction nor the change in attitude would never have happened if in 1964 the federal government had not stepped in to investigate the crime and shine the light of day on what was going on in Mississippi at the time.

While the arguments that the Hate Crimes law is creating special classes maybe valid in most parts of this country, because most local officials will not tolerate crimes that appear to be motivated by prejudice and based on a victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Most judges in most places who tend to throw the book at the perpetrators of such crimes, really won’t need the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act and will only avail themselves of its use to help defray the costs for particularly lengthy cases.

But unfortunately that is not the case everyplace.

In this country, like in 1964 Mississippi, there are places where local attitudes and perception towards groups covered by the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act that are not always very favorable, and some local prosecutors even now, worry about getting a conviction for these types of crimes.

They know they can probably find no juries of peers willing to convict the perpetrators of these crimes because the local attitude say there is no crime because the victim “had it coming anyway”…. they plea-bargain and reduce the severity of the offense just to clear the case, save money and not aggravate their voting constituencies. It is those situations the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will help address and will not do anything but provide an avenue for equal justice to those aggrieved.

As for creating the thought police… the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will do nothing of the sort… the White Supremacists can still go around telling anyone who will listen how much they hate the “niggers and the Jews”, Black nationalist can still tell the world how much they hate “whitey and the Jews” and religious leaders can still tell their flocks how much “God hates fags” and is going to send them all to hell one day.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act changes none of that and their thoughts and speech will only be limited by the forbearances of their listeners.

The only thing this law may do is possibly shine a few lights in places some may not want to look, or have others look and may make some wonder… just how much of what they have said inspired their friends, fellow travelers and congregants to go out and commit crimes covered by the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act … While they visit their friends, fellow travelers and congregants in prison.

Hopefully… someday attitudes will change everyplace… and the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act and even hate itself, will no longer have a place in our country. One can only hope that day will come soon, but till then there is a need for this bill.

Paula Brooks lives in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You can visit her Blogger profile here.