Benedict Garrett a.k.a. Johnny Anglais

Thirteen years ago, a religious education teacher in Britain’s Oakmead College of Technology in Bournemouth, was discovered stripping to the Full Monty in pubs and private parties. Forty-six year old Robert Fraser explained at the time that he had tried various part-time jobs to supplement his teaching income, but stripping paid the most. “Striptease is an art form – it’s not sex,” he said, “There is nothing illegal or dishonest about what I was doing. If I had been a roofer or a bricklayer it would have been viewed differently.” As head of personal social education for 1,100 pupils, Fraser admitted that “I always accepted there was a moral contradiction in what I was doing.”

Rather than fight the system over his part-time job, Fraser resigned.

Now, another British teacher has been found to be earning money on the side by stripping and has appeared in porn films as well. Benedict Garrett, 31, was head of personal, social and health education at Beal High School in Ilford from January, 2008, to July of 2010. The General Teaching Council discipline board was told that some of Garrett’s pupils had seen him in a trailer for one of his porn films. Ignoring the question of how underage students had viewed a porn trailer, the board found Garrett guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” but said he could continue teaching. Garrett, who strips and porns under the name Johnny Anglais, said “I don’t think I’ve done anything that goes against my values and I worked incredibly hard as a teacher. What a teacher chooses to do in their life outside that work is up to them.” He did admit that it “might be slightly embarrassing” if his students had seen any of the films, but no more embarrassing than if he had been seen “starring as a monkey in the school musical.” He challenged the idea that any of his students would see films they are not legally supposed to see, but said that what he does is “perfectly natural. Get over it.”

Garrett doesn’t see himself as anyone’s role model and thinks teachers shouldn’t be held up as role models for students. “If teachers are role models, why do we tolerate teachers who smoke, when smoking is linked to thousands of deaths? Do we look at teachers who are fat and say you shouldn’t be teaching? Obesity is linked to thousands of deaths. However, I’ve heard from students who have told me they believe I’m a role model because I’m standing up for what I believe in.”

But, the puritanical among us do not consider drinking, smoking or overeating as damaging to young minds as viewing a well-muscled, attractive young man in the buff. It might cause young people to think the human body is a beautiful thing instead of something to be hidden in shame. After all, isn’t that what it says in the Bible. After eating of the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness. Honestly, I’ve never understood that one – God thought it was okay for them to be naked and they didn’t think there was anything wrong with that until after the apple.

Garrett has not announced if he plans to return to teaching or earn more with his side job. But, seriously, of all the bad things teachers can do that can damage their students, earning good money on the side, enough money to be able to continue teaching, as long as that job is legal, ranks way at the bottom. Neither of these men were having sex with their students, or verbally abusing them in the classroom, or playing stupid head games on their students, or messing around with grades because of bigotry, or teaching them misinformation to support a personal agenda. They were earning a living, and one that probably most of their students would not only have accepted, but gotten a real hoot out of. Adults really need to get realistic about teenagers.

Related articles

• Stripper teacher defends actions (bbc.co.uk)
• Porn star teacher in strip act (telegraph.co.uk)
• Schoolteacher who worked as stripper uncovered by students (guardian.co.uk)
• Porn star teacher shows skills (telegraph.co.uk)
• Porn actor/sex-ed teacher allowed to keep teaching (theglobeandmail.com)

Most network and cable news programs today have mentioned a study which shows that not only do marriage and long-term committed relationships improve partners’ health, they may have a detrimental effect. Okay, the obvious ones are a smoker whose partner spends twenty years inhaling second hand smoke and the guy whose “I hate veggies” fetish reduces a woman’s vegetable intake.

But there was a small aspect to the study which no one has mentioned – the statistics about the respondents. Those are far more interesting than that the impact of each other’s bad habits.

There were 122 people involved in the study, 31 straight couples, 15 gay couples and 15 lesbian couples. The couples had been together between 8 and 52 years.

The average age of the straight couples was 53 years, and they had been together an average of 25 years. The gay couples averaged 49 years of age and 21 years in the relationship, and the lesbian couples averaged 43 years old and 14 years together. Look at those numbers again – 53/25, 49/21 and 43/14. Take all of them up to 53 years of age and you get gay couples together 25 years and lesbian couples together 24 years. Wow, awesome.

Small, overlooked statistic, just part of the explanation of study method, but very important in the debate about same sex marriage…same sex partners, even without the benefits of legal marriage, stay together just as long as straight couples. It is something that really needs further investigation. Every time a state gains same sex marriage, we see couples who have been together for decades tying the knot. We now have the opportunity to explore this issue openly, even in states that don’t have same sex marriage. We can separate the experimental “living together” couples in both straights and gays/lesbians from the committed couples and get some hard numbers.

For far too long the anti-same sex marriage battalion has used irrelevant studies to support their positions. The most public, before Sen. Al Franken challenged a witness in a committee hearing, was former Sen. Rick Santorum using studies of straight parents comparing single-parent and two-parent households to “prove” that children need opposite sex parents and a study called “The Death of Marriage in Scandinavia” that used statistics from the 1970′s and countries that didn’t even have civil unions. At the time, the Netherlands was the only European country with same sex marriage and it is not in Scandinavia. We do have studies about same sex parents – the ones that show that same sex parents raise kids who are healthier, better adjusted and more affluent than straight parents raise, but we don’t have solid studies that show that a same sex couple can be as committed for as long as a straight couple.   It’s time we did. 

Related articles

• Marriage matters to same-sex parents (topix.net)
• Estimate: One Quarter Of All NYC Marriages Last Month Were Same-Sex (lezgetreal.com)
• Taiwan to host same-sex marriage celebrations (topix.net)
• Poll: Over half of all Americans favor national recognition for same-sex marriages (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• NOM Leader Jennifer Roback Morse: “Anal Sex Is Icky” (lezgetreal.com)
• American Psychological Association Endorses Same-Sex Marriage (lezgetreal.com)
• Maine To Gather Signatures To Allow Pro-Same-Sex Marriage Vote (lezgetreal.com)
• Mexico City reaches 1,000th gay marriage (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• Data Suggests 1400 Same-Sex Couples Have Married in NYC (towleroad.com)
• Lesbians Marry More Often Than Gay Men (towleroad.com)

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08/09/11 by LGR World News Staff

Australia’s first openly gay federal cabinet member, Finance Minister Penny Wong, has announced that she and her partner are expecting a baby.

According to the Australian Associated Press, Wong released a statement on Tuesday revealing her long-term partner Sophie Allouache is expecting.

“Like any expecting parents, the prospect of welcoming this child into our lives fills us both with joy,” she said.

“We are extremely grateful to our IVF service and staff, and to our donor, for giving us the opportunity to raise a child together.

Wong added she had gone public with the pregnancy because  “as we understand there may be public interest due to my position.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has in the past said she believes that marriage should be limited to unions between men and women only and who has bucked her own Labour party to oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage in Australia, nevertheless, congratulated the Wong and her partner.

“I’m very pleased for Penny and her partner Sophie as they look forward to a new baby and the next phase of their lives,” Gillard told reporters in Canberra.

However, when was pressed on whether it bothered her that the child would have parents who could not marry under Australian law Gillard said, “Clearly there are strong views about same-sex marriage in the community, and we’ll have a debate at national conference about those strongly held views. I’ve made my views clear”.

Pressure has been building on Gillard, who is unmarried, but lives with her male partner in the prime minister’s official residence in Canberra, to get in step with many in her party who want the law changed.

A policy change will be voted on at the Labour Party’s annual national conference in December.

Related articles

• IVF baby joy for Penny Wong (heraldsun.com.au)
• Wong pregnancy sparks gay marriage debate (news.theage.com.au)
• Senator’s joy and nerves on baby role (theage.com.au)

7/7/2011

Most people know how controversial the world of child beauty contests can be.  The Learning Channel‘s Toddlers and Tiaras reveals to the world what parents will do to help their child succeed in the ruthless world of beauty and competition.  Sometimes the show is extremely hard to watch, because some of the things the parents put their children through are harsh and cruel.  However, most episodes show how dedicated the children really are when it comes to competitions like this.  Some of them actually love the spot light, and the work, including a 7 year old boy who loves to compete up on stage with the girls.

Last night, on the premier of the latest episode, the show introduced self-described “diva” Brock Ritter.  According to his mother, Tori Ritter, he became interested in pageants at the age of 2, and when expressing his dream at the age of 5 was bullied by fellow students.

“We dealt with it in kindergarten,” Tori explains during an interview on E!. “A couple of boys in his class said dancing was a girls thing. It took the teacher telling them that football players take ballet for them to understand.”

During the E! interview Tori talked about her son very proudly.

“He loves school, he loves to read,” She said.  She also explained that he is currently in a “hardcore” advanced reading program that has him reading way beyond his age group.

He is also a “tap dancing machine,” she explained, “I asked him ‘What kind of dance do you want to do?’ and he said tap. He’s been dancing for six years now.”

As anyone would ask, where is the father in all of this, and how does he feel about it?  Well according to Tori, Dad is the one mixing and cutting all the music Brock dances to, and his routines are a family affair.  “We don’t work with a coach, we play around at home.”  She said.

Brock has already become a pro at dance and gymnastics, and has earned a half dozen first-place trophies.  He also dreams of performing on stage on Broadway one day.  He even makes up his own routines and songs at home according to Tori.

“He’s not your typical kid.”  She explained.

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June 11, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

People usually surround themselves with others that have identical morals, values and goals whether it be as friends or colleagues. That is why I feel obligated to share a few grim reminders here, just in case anyone has missed the connections between Uganda and Minnesota.
Yesterday, the Minnesota Independent posted an article which included a picture of Bradlee “kill the gays” Dean with Minnesota Family Council President, Tom Prichard. This sounds innocent enough (if that’s even possible) until, of course, you look at the rest of their circle of friends. Dean is also pals with Bryan Fischer from the American Family Association, who has also been a guest on Dean’s radio talk shows. In one such interview, he promotes a book called “The Pink Swastika,” which is really nothing more than hate propaganda attempting to once again demonize homosexuals. He promotes it because he is friends with the author, Scott Lively.
In 2009, Lively and two associates traveled to Uganda to talk about what he calls “the gay agenda” to basically destroy everything we touch. This country already condemned homosexuality, but now they were being told that their families and even their health, would be threatened as long as gays existed in their society. Easily influenced by a man who they saw as a honest American minister, the people demanded action. Homosexuals in Uganda insist it was the message brought by Lively and his pals that caused panic to turn into what we refer to as  the Uganda “kill the gays” Bill. Written by Ugandan Parliament member David Bahati, this bill called for the execution of homosexuals not willing to endure so called  “ex-gay therapy.”
I know that this may seem like nothing more than a series of coincidental acquaintances, that is until you throw the Minnesota Family Council and Tom Prichard into the mix.
Last month, the MFC had an article on it’s site that accused homosexuals of “aberrant behavior such as those who commit incest, adultery, bestiality or pedophilia ” and added that we “ingest urine and feces.” Most American’s know these accusations are ridiculous and such acts are not due to homosexuality. The  MFC quickly deleted the article, but Prichard still defended the sentiments afterward. Some of these words have been used before in recent history, by none other than Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa, who is also a top “kill the gays” activist in that country. No wonder  the MFC was so quick to hit the delete button.
I know this is the United States, and there are laws that protect homosexuals from being rounded up for execution. We need to keep in mind however, that not only do all these guys have a hateful bond, a few of them also have direct ties to political figures such as Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann. The link between them and Bradlee Dean is more than obvious after his “prayer” on the MN Legislative floor, and both of them have even been on  Bryan Fischer’s radio talk show. I find it very unsettling that these members of our political parties are spending time with people such as Dean and Fischer, both of whom think homosexuals are monsters that need to eliminated for society to be pure. What exactly is the big picture in all of this?
I feel that these hate groups and individuals think Minnesotan’s are simple minded and closed off from the world. Why else would they not even bother to pretend that they don’t run in the same circles? Why did the MFC use language on their website reminiscent of things used to mobilize hate in Uganda?  Did they want to see if Minnesotan’s would react in the same way Ugandans did, or do they just think that Ssempa is a great role model to base their “Christian“ ministries on? I can’t help but worry about what could happen if anyone in this circle of hate were to hold a major office such as President, especially now that we are seeing a major push across the country for religious domination of our rights. Writing discrimination into a document meant to protect citizens can open doors to laws and dangers we never thought would be possible here.

Lively insists the Ugandan’s took his message much further than he ever intended. Some people think however, that Uganda was a test, a sort of warped experiment on human nature.  Maybe, maybe not-  I‘m beginning to think anything could be possible. Either way the fact remains that these people definitely know each other in one way or another, and like I said, we do seek friends that share our morals, values and goals.

Related articles

• The Bachmann and Friends Death Squad (lezgetreal.com)
• Alert: Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill is Getting its Hearing Today (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda – Watch Martin Ssempa Explain Homosexuality as TWO Calls for Investigation (lezgetreal.com)

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June 9, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

St. Paul/Minneapolis Archbishop, John Nienstedt defends the Minnesota Catholic Conference decision to become involved in the Minnesota (un)Constitutional Marriage Amendment.  According to the Minnesota Independent, he used the old discredited claim that kids need a mom and a dad, adding that this measure is “not anti-gay, mean spirited or prejudicial,” even though it will ban Minnesota’s LGBT community from a fundamental right allowed to heterosexual citizens. This is not the first time that the St. Paul/Minneapolis Archdiocese has been in the Minnesota news this week.
On Tuesday, a federal lawsuit was filed in MN by a man alleging that former St. John’s Abbey Abbot Timothy Kelly (deceased) abused him when he was an altar boy in New York at St. Anselm’s Church between 1966-67. The man decided to come forward when he learned of his abusers death.  Kelly even  co-founded the “Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute” (no longer operating) at St. John’s Abbey in 1993, which was created to deal with sex offenders in the Catholic Church. I can understand why St. John’s would decide it needed to step up on this issue, after all, it is known as  dumping grounds for “holy” sex offender’s .
BehindthePineCurtain.com, is a site dedicated to “more than 300 victims of sexual abuse and misconduct by monastic and other personnel” in Minnesota. St. John’s itself has faced over fifty allegations, and ten of the accused were allowed to stay under “restrictions.” I would like someone to explain exactly what a “restricted sex offender” is, because I thought children were the ones we were suppose to protect, not their abusers.

The Abbey “Policy on Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation” states, “Monks of Saint John’s Abbey are vowed to a celibate way of life.” A vow is nothing more than a promise and I do not feel like a promise to not molest children should even be considered, no matter who you are. Under “Intervention with the Accused Monk” this policy states that “if a psychological evaluation recommends professional treatment” and the monk receives said treatment, he will be allowed to “live at the monastery” where they will “establish appropriate limitations.” When they say “professional treatment” do they mean the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, because I can not imagine that the church is capable of dealing with the rehabilitation of sex offenders. Honestly, the state provided rehabilitation doesn’t seem to work either, according to a November 2009 Minnesota Independent article titled “MN Sex Offender Program costs $70 million a year but rehabilitates no one.” Either way it seems, these “holy” sex offenders shouldn’t have been allowed to return to any position in the Catholic Church.
Where is the justification in this? I thought sex offenders in Minnesota were not allowed near any environment where children may be present? Why are these pedophiles so different? I know that the Catholic Church has used all of this to further stigmatize homosexuals, most specifically gay men, because most allegations involved men and young boys. I need to point out that the abuse reported is said to have happened years ago, in a day when girls were nearly nonexistent in the lives of the accused. It has nothing to do with homosexuality, and a lot to do with opportunity. Once you look at child molesters in other denominations, the number of female victims greatly increases.
The days of using the LGBT community for a scapegoat for their crimes are over, so now they have decided to attack our families by supporting what I think has been most appropriately referred to by MN DFL members as the “Bradlee Dean Amendment.” How does Archbishop Nienstedt know what is best for anyone else’s family? And why is he involving Catholic Churches across Minnesota in his agenda to help write discrimination into our state Constitution? If he wants to participate, maybe he should volunteer his personal time outside of the Church instead of labeling every Minnesota Catholic as someone who does not believe in equal rights. Though, I think an even better idea would be for him to concentrate less time on ruining the lives of kids with same sex parents, and more on protecting  children in the church that allows sex offenders to stick around on “sex offender restrictions.”

Related articles

• Nine victims of clergy abuse settle with St. John’s Abbey (reuters.com)
• NY man sues Minn. monastery, alleging clergy abuse (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

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June 8, 2011

By:Jamie Clark

Target Corp. held its annual shareholders meeting today and there was some explaining to do on their part. Last year, after they  contributed $150,000 to MN Forward, a group that was backing the anti-gay Tom Emmer for Governor of Minnesota, the backlash was heard acorss the country. There was the  boycott, decrease in stock, thousands of emails, a lot of disappointed LGBT Target employees, and angry stockholders want to be sure it doesn’t happen again. Lady Gaga lit a fire under them also by revoking the exclusive privileges they had for the special edition of her new album, Born This Way, which by the way has  sold 2 million copies since it’s May 23 release.  The message that Target was given did not go unnoticed by other businesses and corporations across the country. For example, take the spankings the NBA has been giving players for using anti-gay slurs.

Here in Minnesota, newspapers  have either directly spoken out against the Amendment or they have stated there are much better things to worry about besides discriminating against minorities.  I’m not saying some newspapers either, I’m saying as of last month, not a single editorial board in any newspaper in this state had backed the MN Marriage Amendment (“Bradlee Dean Amendment”). Speaking of Dean, he has not dodged the bullet on the backlash lately either. Salem Communications stepped up  and told Bradlee Dean to take a hike, along with his “Sons of Liberty” radio talk show. Minnesota WalMarts also took a stand against Dean,  a move that I am still shocked over, and told him he can no longer hold fundraisers in their parking lots. Salem Communications, which is a Christian Broadcaster here, was  disgusted by his  extremist rants and wanted nothing to do with it. WalMart spokeswoman Ashlie Hardie stated that Dean” falsified documents” by registering his kill the gays ministry under a fake name, to gain permission to solicit outside their stores. The smack down against hate in Minnesota is well underway.

Target has stated that it will not be getting involved in the fight for human rights in Minnesota, and they now have new policies in place to prevent such a donation “mishap”  from happening again. I guess only time will tell.

Related articles

• Bradlee Dean’s “Moral” Obligation To Execute Gays In the Name of Jesus (lezgetreal.com)
• Target CEO: Company Will Be Neutral on Marriage Vote (advocate.com)
• MINNESOTA: Anti-Gay Preacher Told To Stop Raising Money At Walmart (joemygod.blogspot.com)

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June 7, 2011

By: Jamie Clark
Right now, I can’t help but wonder why the Minnesota Republican Party members who are connected to Bradlee Dean didn’t remember to pay him to keep his mouth shut. I am thankful however, that they didn’t, because he has managed to open the eyes of many people who thought he was nothing more than a harmless, arrogant threat. Turns out, Minnesota has a political mafia on our hands.

Today, the Minnesota Independent posted an article titled, “Bradlee Dean takes credit for passing anti-gay marriage amendment.” The harbinger of death (aka Dean), wrote on his June 4th blog that he believes he has “done his duty.”  He continued by saying, “The people of the great state of Minnesota now have the power to vote.” I find this quite telling since he has direct ties to  Minnesota Republican Party members who helped push the overthrow of our state Constitution, including Michele Bachmann, who has been fighting for years to let people vote on the human rights of others. Also, lets not forget Tom Emmer and the Target boycott that brought demonstrations outside their stores due to their major contribution to his campaigns, which include anti-gay proposals.  Emmer and Dean run in the same circle, which apparently has meetings (“prayers”) right in front of everyone, and so far, the joke has been on us for not seeing all of this. This inside joke was not funny and, due to Bradlee Dean and his big mouth, we are in on it now too.

Dean thinks that homosexuals “engage in illegal activities” that he calls “immoral,”  and due to his “christian” beliefs, he finds that it is “moral” to imprison or execute them. He also uses the youth involved in his “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide” ministries to go out and collect money for what he calls “suicide prevention,” when really he is stealing from uninformed citizens looking to help a good cause. Of course, Dean defends this because he apparently feels that homosexuality  will lead to suicide, never mind the fact that gay kids (and adults) are killing themselves due to people like him, not homosexuality.  Dean will be bringing his “suicide prevention” team to the Minnesota State Fair this summer to collect more money for his kill the gays ministry. I would like to urge you to contact them and inform them that he is taking money from people under false pretenses, which actually is an illegal activity.

I need to know that I am painting a clear enough picture for everyone to see just how involved the man that wants to kill homosexuals is with the Minnesota Marriage (un)Constitutional Amendment. Not only is he backed by several Republican Party members, many in the MN DFL have even referred to this Amendment as the “Bradlee Dean Amendment.“ Senate District 44 DFLers took to Twitter to share their sentiments about the situation. They tweeted “MNGOP knows they are on the wrong side of history by passing the Bradlee Dean Amendment. It WILL be defeated in 2012.” Right here on the Iron Range of Minnesota, DFL-Hibbing Representative Carly Melin had tweeted “Bradlee Dean Amendment placed on the calendar this evening.” How’s that for a crystal clear picture?

I really do not enjoy giving a false prophet like Bradlee Dean attention, he has already had too much. The problem is that the focus has been merely on the horrible things he says and not the people that he has supporting him, and what is really going on with the hijacking of our state Constitution. Even if you disagree with same sex marriage and homosexuality, do you really want us dead? Do you really want to give these people the chance to write discrimination into the document that protects us all? I think decent people and good Christians will need to think about  their votes very carefully. This is not a decision to take lightly because, in the end, the lives of people could be at stake, and it‘s hard to think otherwise anymore. This Amendment is just the beginning of something that may be very hazardous to the well being of your neighbors. Changing a Constitution to discriminate against a minority due to your personal feelings is not only wrong, but it is dangerous. He is the stunning example of the term “sociopath.”
“Sociopath- (noun)-a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.” – This word is also used to describe Charles Manson, who was another  false prophet. He convinced his  followers that he was Jesus reincarnated and was able to get them to murder innocent people based on his word. People are easily brainwashed, which makes the situation in Minnesota even more urgent. Yes, Bachmann, Dean and the other hijackers of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, have been very busy here. Michele is “talking to God” and Dean wants to kill homosexuals in the name of Jesus, but to keep the blood off their hands, the GOP is putting it on the hands of Minnesota voters.

Bradlee Dean makes a mockery out of Christianity, which is based on the morals and teachings of Jesus Christ.  He even states in the introduction to “My War,” that the “ultimate message of My War is Jesus Christ” adding that the so called homosexual “illegal agenda” is “aimed at demoralizing children.“ Don’t forget that this is the same guy using kids to steal money from people, while he points the finger elsewhere when child corruption is sitting on his shoulders.  It sounds like he feels that he is obligated, in the name of Jesus, to kill gay people to make sure they get into Heaven. Good, true Christians should be angry that this man is spitting on the sacrifice Jesus made that day on the cross. Right now, I am asking myself ‘who would Jesus kill?’

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”-Luke 23:34

Related articles

• The GOP’s “How To Manipulate A Nation Like the Third Reich” Handbook (lezgetreal.com)
• The Bachmann and Friends Death Squad (lezgetreal.com)
• MN Marriage Ban In Jeopardy After Anti-Gay Prayer By Bradlee Dean (joemygod.blogspot.com)

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June 7, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

Bradlee Dean is often called an attention seeker with a love of controversy. I can agree but, when you look between the lines he is more like a harbinger of death and destruction, set loose on Minnesota with the full support of Michele Bachmann and friends. The war on America runs deeper than some people take the time to realize.

Dean is the founder of “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide” (YCRBYCH) ministries. Honestly the name is perfect in a way, especially since he thinks homosexuals should be imprisoned or even executed. There is no escaping the fact that he could  be the doppelganger of Fred Phelps, at least that’s how crazy he sounds. The biggest difference is the fact that quite possibly all of America despises Phelps, but a lot of  people actually buy into Dean’s garbage. The fact that the original Fred rants about God “hating” America so much that he is even thankful for dead soldiers, is enough to anger pretty much anyone because only a monster would do that. Dean’s trick is that he claims to be a person of God trying to save the United States from the evil that he calls homosexuality. He doesn’t push the line that Phelps does so people seem to think he is more credible, even though he thinks gays and lesbians need to be wiped out.

Last month Minnesota was in the spotlight after the Republican majority had Dean deliver an opening prayer at a state legislative session. Apparently they thought it was okay to have the kill the gays guy do this, otherwise they wouldn’t have asked him to come. There was no turning back once he gave his discriminatory prayer, no matter how much they tried to act like they felt guilty. Michele Bachmann however, must love this guy because she prays for him, helps fund his programs and even  recommends his ministry,  according to the YCRBYCH website.

Dean is also friends with fellow gay hater Bryan Fischer, who supports  claims that Hitler was a homosexual, therefore the the slaughter of millions of innocent people was the fault of gay people. Fischer gets this disgusting, ungrounded sentiment from another leader in the full out assault on homosexuals from a man named Scott Lively. I get a very unsettled feeling in my soul when I know that a man who has ties to the “Uganda Kill the Gays” bill, which calls for the imprisonment or execution of homosexuals in that country, has connections like this with people like Dean.

I can almost see Minnesota in the year 2014 if Bachmann’s evil scheme to sabotage the state Constitution works. Homosexuals would be running with no where to hide, while Bradllee Dean and his brothers in arms gather us up for our eradication. I would hope the federal government would step in, but one can not be sure of even that, especially if a GOP candidate takes the presidency. I wonder  if it would be cheaper to get rid of us here, or to ship us to Uganda and let them deal with us?

I hope I don’t regret putting that question here.  You never know when Michele or Dean might be taking notes to share at their next tea party with the boys.

Related articles

• The GOP’s “How To Manipulate A Nation Like the Third Reich” Handbook (lezgetreal.com)
• Radio talker Bradlee Dean accuses Keith Ellison (D-MN) of trying to overthrow the US Constitution and replace it with Shari’a law. (barenakedislam.wordpress.com)
• Watch: Anti-Gay Minister Sneaks In Jesus References During Non-denominational Prayer AT Minn. House, Slams Obama (towleroad.com)

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June 5, 2011
By: Jamie Clark
Minnesota-What can two LGBT teens do when they are bullied by an entire school district that has a “don’t say gay” policy?Personally,  I suggest following the example of Desiree Shelton and Sarah Lindstrom who fought back by saying “gay” in Minnesota’s most intolerant school district.

Desiree and Sarah knew LGBT students needed their help if they were going to survive in the Anoka-Hennepin school district long enough to make it to graduation. Kids were being bullied to death  not only by other students, but also by an intolerant school district that believes ‘don’t say gay’ policies are a safe alternative to gay/straight alliances. Students were committing suicide after being endlessly bullied by peers who had spent their school years being taught that being gay is so wrong that it’s an unmentionable word. It was a tragic case of bullies creating bullies to be sent out into the world to spread intolerance and discrimination, and the outcome was heartbreaking.

Nine students killed themselves, seven within a year, in this district after being horribly bullied, four were openly gay. Families were destroyed and it was still not enough to get these school officials to see the dangers in silenced children. They simply refused to address anti-gay sentiments in their schools. Things were not improving either as the school district not only denied any responsibility in anything that transpired but they also insisted no bullying had occurred to begin with. A brave young man named Jacob Tighe  stood up at the December 2010 school board meeting to share his own experience of being bullied for his perceived sexual orientation.  He told them he had also watched a personal  friend be tormented for who she was until she took her own life only to have her bullies say she “deserved to die.” Jacob finished by stating,” You tell us to report things, but when people come forward, like some have done in this very boardroom, you say that what we say isn’t true.” He  asked the school board “Why should kids come forward if you aren’t going to believe them?” This young ally’s words couldn’t get through to them, and neither could the words Tammy Aaberg, whose son hanged himself in his closet after being endlessly harassed for being gay. The school board felt a full assault on the rights of students was better than any idea that outraged parents or distraught teens could come up with to solve the problem.

The Anoka Hennepin school district decided the best way to combat LGBT student suicide was by letting Barb Anderson, who represents The Minnesota Family Council and the Parents Action League, push her anti LGBT fears even deeper into their already stained reputation. Barb Anderson bragged that her work with these organizations  had kept the “real” threat out of the schools, and according to her the real danger is LGBT advocacy groups that promote tolerance and distribute school saftey materials that help combat gay youth bullying. Anderson said that these groups are the ones that caused the bullying in the first place because they were basically helping kids feel secure enough to come out of the closet. She specifically spoke against GLSEN (Gay Straight Lesbian Education Network) by calling them the “driving force, really the clearing house for all of the homosexual propaganda” and stated that they are a “real dangerous organization” comparable to a “child corruption organization.”

By January of this year, all of this intolerance being thrown around  was exactly why Desiree and Sarah realized something needed to be done to reach out to kids whose lives were suddenly thrown into the spot light. They felt they needed to know that their peers would give them support and a voice. The teens ran, and were elected by the student body to walk together as an “out” couple for the Champlin Park High School Snow Days coronation ceremony, which is an annual event that allows the students to elect who enters the Ball together. The school district retaliated and attempted to silence these young ladies too, by changing the student election policy after the fact and claiming it was against the rules. They thought they were pretty smart.  Desiree and Sarah proved that they were smarter by getting ahold of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the  National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). These advocate groups informed the school district that not only were they violating the First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights of the newly elected couple, they were also violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act. They warned school officials that the girls either got their rightful place next to their peers as a couple, or they would ask a judge his opinion. Before the end of the month the school district agreed to let the LGBT couple enter together in procession with their classmates in front of an audience of peers and family, making them the first LGBT couple to ever  beat the Anoka Hennepin school district “don’t say gay” policy.

The “silencers of hate” were invited to  be special guests at the NCLS 34th Anniversary Celebration this May where they were referred to as “champions in the movement for equality and justice.” Desiree has said that they knew they had to stand up “for the kids that are closeted, the ones that are scared or feel worthless because of harassment or torment.”

The Minnesota Family Council and the Anoka Hennepin school district obviously had no idea who they were up against when they denied these girls their rights. They obviously thought Desiree and Sarah could be bullied into silence through intolerance but didn’t take into account that they were up against  two out and proud MN LGBT teens helping the silenced speak.

Remember, Silence is Acceptance when the able say nothing.

Related articles

• Minnesota Mom vs School District of Death (lezgetreal.com)
• Minnesota Family Council and NOM Promote Anti-Gay Bullying (lezgetreal.com)
• NCLR Speaks on Video about their Work Against Bullying in Minnesota (lezgetreal.com)

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

June 4, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

Michele Bachmann was in Washington D.C. yesterday speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. She applauded Minnesota lawmakers for “carrying the torch” of discrimination, and said “This is the time to outlaw gay marriage” and called on other states to begin the overthrow of their Constitutions. This, of course, from the woman that claims “God” is speaking to her. In March of 2004, when speaking about the possible chance to hijack the Constitution to permanently ban gay marriage, she even said that it would be an “awesome day” to have the opportunity to “beseech the Lord.”

Maybe, I should not be so hard on Michelle, after all, it’s not like she is the only person in politics who has had one on one talks with the Big Guy. One man in particular comes to mind. Here are a couple of his quotes.

“Who say I am not under the special protection of God?” and “Hence today, I believe that I am acting in accordance with the Will of the Almighty Creator.”
No, those are not the words of a saint or holy prophet, quite the opposite actually. These are both quotes from the mass murderer, Adolf Hitler (A.H.).  Now, I’m not saying that Bachmann is a reincarnation of pure evil, but honestly,  she does sounds a little like him, leaving me to wonder where her true inspiration comes from. As I have researched this thought more, I can’t help but feel perhaps she has a “this is how to brainwash in the Third Reich way” handbook and she has made copies that she sent out to her buddies. After all, you can’t overthrow freedom all by your lonesome. That kind of tactical take over needs reinforcements.

One of Bachmann’s go to guys is Bradlee “Fred Phelps is my hero” Dean, the man responsible for the “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide” anti-gay ministry. Right now Dean is using young members of his organization to go in the community and ask unknowing citizens for donations to assist in suicide prevention.  People think this is a great cause and don’t mind giving a few bucks, not realizing they are helping fund an anti-gay hate group. This guy is bad enough that even Wal-Mart no longer wants him gracing their parking lots with his hate agenda.  Bachmann however,  fully supports Dean’s dangerous ministry. After he did the now notorious opening prayer on the Minnesota Legislature floor, there were complaints from all over the state. Pathetically, Michelle  feels that Dean is an upstanding citizen, so much so, in fact, that not only does she contribute funds to his campaign of hate, she also offered some kind words to those that oppose him and his beliefs. She said, “This ministry ‘You Can Run But You Can’t Hide,’ they are not sidetracked, they are on course. They’re way on course, because they get it. They get what this is all about.” ……Wait a minute, hold that thought.

Bradlee Dean is the “Christian” that believes homosexuality should be punishable by death  in this country. A year ago Dean said the following  “Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America,” Dean said on YCR’s May 15 radio show on AM 1280 the Patriot. “This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination.”  This is when I began to think about other things that  Bachmann and her “Christian” extremists have done and said , after all, I am a lesbian in Minnesota. The big picture does not look pretty, in fact it  looks down right disturbing .

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.”  A.H.

Well, obviously this works because, a lot of people think homosexuals recruit and molest children, something that is said time and time (and time and time) again by people like Bachmann, Dean, and many religious leaders, particuarily in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The involvement of the RCC in this smear campaign reminds me however, of the old saying that  ‘the one pointing fingers is usually the guilty party.’ Here is a nice site that shows just who is really destroying the lives of innocent children. We are living in a sad time when there is a need to have a website that tracks pedophiles in the church. Sure there have been a large reports of men in church positions who have molested boys, however, these child molesters are nothing but opportunists. They take what they can get. Honestly, how many alter girls have you seen running around churches these days anyway?….

“Thus inwardly armed with confidence in God and the unshakable stupidity of the voting citizenry, the politicians can begin the fight for the ‘remaking’ of the Reich as they call it.” A.H. (from Mein Kampf)— I think this one simply speaks for itself.
“Demoralize the enemy from within by surprise, terror, sabotage, assassination. This is the war of the future.” A.H.

Well, here we are in that future. The parts about demoralization, surprise, terror and sabotage definitely hit the mark. These people and organizations have been doing all of these to the gay community for years, rather successfully I might add. What about the “assassination” part though?

Have you heard of the “Minnesota Shoot First Bill?” Republican legislators were also working on this unnecassary and dangerous bill at the same time they were arguing about the the hijacking of the MN state Constitution (aka the Minnesota Marriage Amendment). The bill, which didn’t make it past the Senate but will most likely rear its ugly head again in January, would allow a person to “shoot whenever there is a perceived threat, even if the shooter could safely walk away.” Now let me take you to the story  Michele told about being held “captive” by lesbians that she thought were a threat to her life. Imagine a state that you could shoot someone just for a perceived threat then, think about this bathroom hostage story one more time. Hmmm… See where I’m going here?

Now, I’m not saying that these mercenaries are necessarily planning a modern day “Third Reich” vs the homosexuals in Minnesota and the rest of the country, but when you break things down it’s pretty noteworthy, especially when the GOP (and friends) have sentiments like “locked and loaded“- “if ballots don’t work bullets will“- “execution” of homosexuals being “moral”- and of course my pal Michelle Bachmann, who keeps saying that “God” is telling her to do things, including pushing the overthrow of the Minnesota Constitution. I just hope her voice is not the same one that the face of evil heard, for her sake and ours.

Michelle, please do us a favor. First, burn all of the “brainwash through propaganda” how-to books that you have been handing out, and then listen closer to your “voice of God” and make sure you can’t hear the crackle of hell fire in the static. If you do these things, you might sound a little more trustworthy, though not a whole lot. At least then, you and your pals won’t sound so much like war criminals…

After reading so many horrible truths, I think it is necessary to close this with words that can inspire the gay community to stand against these truth bending hijackers of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” -  E.E. Cummings

Related articles

• MINNESOTA: Anti-Gay Preacher Told To Stop Raising Money At Walmart (joemygod.blogspot.com)
• Bachmann’s Christianist BFF (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)
• Bachmann Agenda May Bring Hate Group Invasion To MN Churches (lezgetreal.com)
• Minnesota Family Council and NOM Promote Anti-Gay Bullying (lezgetreal.com)

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June 4, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Minnesota Family Council are merely disguising themselves as groups that think families need to be protected from homosexuals. Really, they are the ones that families need to be protected from.  Perhaps they need to add “suffer the little children”  to their motto.

National Organization for Marriage (NOM) President Brian Brown has a new “Dear Marriage Supporter”  blog letter (June 2)on their website that does nothing more than use school children by saying homosexuals are using children.  The only part of the letter that talks about these “at risk from the gay community” pupils takes about ten seconds to read. There  is however, plenty written about the typical “sanctity of marriage” delusion mixed in with other ways homosexuals are supposedly harming kids across America. The letter includes a clip from FOX News about an Oakland school  “anti-bullying and anti-discrimination focused on gender diversity” program.  Brown describes this as “weird” and “disturbing” and states that same sex marriage advocates are teaching grade school children about “multiple genders” “under the banner of preventing bullying.” Perhaps they are worried that if children learn about gender diversity to early they will have a tough time explaining the how to guide of gay discrimination.

— “Coming to a public school near you?”

My favorite part is the way he manipulates the story about the closure of the Rockford Catholic Charities adoption and foster care program making the suffering of children the fault of gay people who just want to give them a chance for life in a loving home. When it comes down to it, they would rather shut their doors and let those kids become property of the state than let them go to loving same sex parent homes. And to make it worse, property of the state gets paid for by the state, leaving me to wonder how much it will cost the tax payers to care for those “rejected by the church” pawns that decent Americans call children.

NOM’s fellow “use the kids to terrorize emotions” organization, the Minnesota Family Council, manage to really get to the gooey center of this one though. The top researcher for this gang of Constitutional mercenaries, Barb Anderson, sent ABC Newspapers a letter to the editor this week that is only a small taste of the way they are targeting children to protect their agenda. She stated,  “Under a banner of combating homophobia, GSAs become breeding grounds for hostile attitudes toward anyone who objects to homosexual behavior, including parents. This hostility extends toward traditional religions and morals, as well as school authority.” In other words she wants you to think a place where gay students find acceptance and safety (gay/straight alliances) in schools infected by their lies, are nothing more than “dangerous nonsense”

As I said, that was just a small taste of the MFC war on children.

I recently wrote about the Anoka-Hennepin school district “don’t say gay” policy that leaves LGBT students vulnerable to bullying.

“Minnesota Mom vs School District of Death”

Gay teens, such as Justin Aaberg,  are literally being bullied to death across our country. A poll conducted last year by the Public Religion Research Institute found that a majority of American’s feel that negative messages about homosexuality in “places of worship” lead to “higher rates of suicide in gay and lesbian youth.”  —– related article

I find it very enlightening to know that the Minnesota Family Council is involved in the attempt to make sure LGBT youth remain in the line of fire in this school district. Not only are they fighting to make sure the Anoka-Hennepin school district doesn’t adopt a policy that may protect youth from bullying, they think implementing “ex-gay therapy” is the more appropriate path for these schools to take. This article from the Minnesota Independent should make you feel as enlightened as I am about the truth of these “protect families and marriage” organizations. Notice it’s from last year. They have been at this for awhile.

What kind of legitimate  “family” organization would  pride itself in blocking anti-bullying policies of any kind? Whether you have an issue with same-sex marriage or homosexuals in general, there is no justification in this. Policies can’t  hurt people and really anti-gay bullying policies will not magically make little Johnny gay. These policies are meant to keep kids safe and these organizations are using them in their attempt to convince people that homosexuals will recruit children. What decent human being would use youth  tormented by other students until they feel the only escape is suicide, as a tool to push their own agenda? The answer is that decent people would not do that, and neither would organizations truly concerned about families.

The National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council obviously see children as disposable resources in their agenda. No matter how many are bullied, or bullied to death, they will not step up and protect them in anyway. Turns out the “protect your family” organizations are the biggest bullies of all.

Related articles

• NOM pledges to give ‘resources’ in Minnesota anti-gay marriage vote (pamshouseblend.com)
• NOM showing large scale hypocrisy in Minnesota (pamshouseblend.com)
• Minnesota Mom vs School District of Death (lezgetreal.com)
• ‘Big Bullies’ report on conservatives and LGBT youth issued by People For the American Way (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• NOM’s methods of ‘defending marriage’ are unchristian (pamshouseblend.com)
• NOM playing the astroturf game against marriage equality in NC (pamshouseblend.com)
• ‘Homosexuals want your children’ – the lie that keeps on giving (pamshouseblend.com)

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June 2,2011

By: Jamie Clark

St. Cloud–  In a strange twist, Michele Bachmann’s Minnesota Marriage Amendment has brought same sex marriage to the MN United Methodist Church.

Today, Rose French of the Star Tribune reported that forty Minnesota United Methodist clergy members have stepped up to protect the Minnesota Constitution and human rights at their annual conference held in St. Cloud. The Reverend Bruce Robbins of the Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church in Minneapolis called upon his colleagues to join him in marrying all couples that ask for their service- including same sex couples. Robbins stated that “With the possibility of a Constitutional amendment in the state of Minnesota, this seems important.” The United Methodist Church doesn’t allow same sex marriage, so this brave stand could cost any clergy involved their conference membership, or even perhaps their clergy credentials. Reverend Robbins knows all of this but, according to the Star Tribune he said that will not stop him from “offering the grace of the Church’s blessing to any prepared couple desiring Christian marriage.” Bishop Sally Dyck confirmed that they would be putting their credentials at risk but added that “it is important for us to be mindful of each other and recognize differences and hold each other in grace.”

I have a strange feeling that Michele “I hear God in my head” Bachmann will see this as an opportunity to mention that the so called “gay agenda” is making its way into Minnesota churches. I would like to take a moment however,  to repeat the above quote by Reverend Robbins.– “With the possibility of a Constitutional amendment in the state of Minnesota, this seems important.”

I think it is quite obvious who is bringing gay marriage to the United Methodist Church. It is not homosexuals or even the good Reverend Robbins. It turns out that our pal Michele made this great occasion possible for LGBT couples in Minnesota. The gay community is not asking for our state Constitution to be to be changed, she is. Obviously, the clergy who signed this feel that our state Constitution is important enough to protect from Bachmann and her loyal band of mercenaries at the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Minnesota Family Council.

Sadly, this will divide many in the Minnesota Methodist Church because so many feel that same sex marriage does not belong there, even though it is apparent that those who actually do talk to God are seeing that this needs to change.  There are 365 United Methodist Churches in MN that serve about 75,000 people across the state. In one way or another, this will effect all of them. As Christian turns against Christian in the wake of this, let it be known that no one is to blame for the turmoil except those who are making a joke out of the freedom of ALL Minnesotans. Homosexuals are not hijacking the Constitution or dividing churches. Michele Bachmann is. The Minnesota Marriage (Constitutional) Amendment was her doing. She pushed it time and time again even though Minnesotans kept telling her no.

Right now my  hope is that a trained to hate national group doesn’t start a war against the United Methodist Church the way the Presbyterian Layman Committee turned on the Presbyterian Church (USA). Their campaign to close down the PC (USA) has caused a lot hate in churches across the country. Places of worship are being turned into battle grounds by people like Michele Bachmann. Apparently it is not enough for them to get good people to discriminate against minority groups, they also want good people to discriminate against those that support minorities. They call themselves good “Christians” but really they are using Christians to push their agenda just like they are using our Constitution. They will risk anyone and anything to make sure that tax paying citizens are denied the equality promised to them under law just because of who they are and love. Churches and Christians are no exception.  This really has to stop. Terrorism doesn’t belong in church. Christianity itself is at stake here.

Be vigilant Christians of Minnesota. There really is an agenda coming to your local place of worship. It’s called “divide and conquer” and the General hears voices who disguise themselves as God,  that are telling her to do it.

Related articles

• United Methodist Clergy Vow To Marry Gay Couples (advocate.com)
• Methodist Clergy Pledge to Marry Same-Sex Couples in Minnesota (towleroad.com)

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June 1, 2011

By: Jamie Clark

Minnesota- The Minnesota “gay’s eat feces” Family Council has officially registered with the state campaign finance board to begin their war of lies and deceit in MN. They are joined by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Associated Press noted that the Minnesota Catholic Conference, which handles policies here for the Roman Catholic Church, are also locked and loaded for the assault.

This article however, is not about who is playing. This article is about who is sleeping while the Minnesota state CONSTITUTION IS BEING HIJACKED right under our noses. The very same Constitution that guarantees my freedom AND yours is being used as a piece of scratch paper that they think is theirs to do a rewrite on as needed.  If these anti-LGBT, anti-family organizations are allowed to do this to the gay population in this state, who is to say that the rest of you will not be next. WAKE UP Minnesota. They are not coming, they are already here. They are ready for battle so it’s time for us to be to.

They will lie to you. They will say that voting yes won’t change anything since gay Minnesotan’s are already denied the “sanctity” of marriage, so this is just a technicality. True, we are not allowed to get married, but voting yes will make our Constitution a joke, because it will seem like it means nothing to us. Do you really want billion dollar organizations who are paid to hate others and wage wars on minorities to use you to push their agenda through the very thing that protects you from people like them?

They have already shown us that their “we will play the Minnesota nice way” strategy was just a tactical maneuver to convince Minnesotans that they won’t act like the Westboro Baptist Church. They told all of us that the “focus of this campaign is the nature and purpose of marriage” meaning, what will define it. They said it would be a clean fight. Despite this the Minnesota Family Council posted an article which referred to homosexuals as pedophiles that practice bestiality. They were even kind enough to say that we eat human excrement and drink urine. So much for the “Minnesota nice” way.

These anti freedom “Christian” groups even turn on Christian organizations, so why wouldn‘t they turn on you?  Just look at what the Presbyterian Layman Committee is doing to the Presbyterian Church (USA). This “Christian” group didn’t like PC (USA) policies so they have  started a hateful smear campaign against them in an attempt to get good Christians to leave their welcoming churches. Will they come after single mothers in Minnesota next? Perhaps it will be our unions. Maybe next time, it will be your loved one and then finally you.

This war is dirty, mean and full of lies. It is the exact opposite of everything we stand for. They are taking advantage of people that are known as good, hardworking American’s, and honestly, right now they are laughing. They know that no Minnesota organization has registered the way that they did today. They hear how quiet our National anti hate organizations are being on this matter. They are laughing as we take our time getting things together and I don’t like the idea that our state and my neighbors are a  joke to people like them. I am angry and you should be too!

We need to protect our state and our freedom and right now there are too many of us that think someone else will do it for us. The MN Marriage Amendment is not like what happened in California and all the other states that these groups have trampled on. This time it is not about heterosexuals and homosexuals. This time it is about protecting the very document that keeps them from waging war on every Minnesotan. Now take a minute to ask yourself ‘who will they come for next if we let them win?’

The answer however, just might scare you.

Related articles

• Minnesota- to Bigotry And Beyond! (lezgetreal.com)
• Raising Funds To Hate (therainbowpost.com)
• Presbyterian Layman Committee Calls MN Paper “Intolerant” For Refusing Discriminatory Religious Ad (lezgetreal.com)

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by:Jamie Clark

Minneapolis- Something is happening in Minnesota and certain religious entities are refusing to take the hint. So, Minnesota’s largest newspaper thought they would clear things up with a little stand that says a lot by doing what other papers around the country didn’t do. Now the Star Tribune is in the religious hot seat for their committed support of same sex marriage.

The Presbyterian Layman Committee recently launched an ad asking congregations to end their support of the Presbyterian Church (USA) for adopting an Amendment that allows gay clergy in their parishes. The Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal printed it so Layman Committee President Carmen Fowler LaBerge thought the Star Tribune would follow the leader. After all, they have let her run her God fearing Christian ranting words before. No such luck Carmen. Not this time. The MN paper sent the Lay Committee a letter stating that upon review by their advocacy specialist they would not run their ad as it was written. They told LaBerge to remove two lines and they would see what they could do for her.

The two lines are the second and third ones in the ad, which can be found on the Layman Online. (line 2) “Why does the PC(USA) no longer require its ordained leaders to limit their sexual activity to Christian marriage?” (line 3) “Why has the PC(USA) abandoned Scripture and 2,000 years of Christian faith and moral teachings?”

So, instead of simply removing these lines so their ad could run, LaBerge instead launched a ‘smear the Star Tribune campaign’ on the Layman Online, Friday May 27. The article is titled “Psst… your bias is showing” and complains that the Star Tribune “vaunts the First Amendment as its guiding light and tolerance as its north star” yet seems to be “unashamedly intolerant” of others views.  After all they won’t print the Layman Committee’s ad but ran a recent article stating that a marriage amendment here would “wrongly enshrine bigotry and discrimination in the state Constitution.” LaBerge needs to wake up and look at it this way.

Those pesky devils at the Star Tribune just know what Minnesotans want and anti gay rights propaganda rooted in religion is not it. I’m not saying that MN is not a religious state, trust me it is. My town on the Iron Range (with a population of about 20,000) has 28 churches of different faiths in it. I will also admit that we too have our fair share of religious fanatics that would love to see our rights be demolished. In my experience however, we have more Christians that know Christianity was founded on the morals of Jesus Christ and America was founded on freedom. We also have many that actually follow the concept of “hate the sin, love the sinner” and that means that the “sinner” is no more and no less than anyone else. To make it more clear. We have a lot of good and loving Christians in this state that do not want to use their savior to harm others.

The fact is that the “Christian right” and the GOP quit paying attention to the people of MN a long time ago. They don’t know what the people here want any more than the Star Tribune wants to run ads that spread religious based discrimination. They haven’t been listening  America, and that’s why Minnesota is a new start in the movement for our rights.  The people here are a quiet, mostly uncontroversial  bunch that don’t want our state to be a stomping ground for hate from either side of the movement. Tell yourselves, ‘handle Minnesota with care’ and keep that thought in your mind no matter what. We can win here, just remember that Minnesotan’s are watching.

Related articles

• Majority of Minnesotans Oppose Marriage Ban (advocate.com)
• Minnesotans Opposed To Anti-Marriage Amendment, Bigots Continue To March Forward (lezgetreal.com)
• Minnesota Paper Comes Out For Marriage (joemygod.blogspot.com)

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May 27, 2012

Jamie Clark

The Minnesota Republican Party has launched a new website that lays the blame of a possible state government shutdown entirely on the shoulders of (D)Governor Mark Dayton.
The site, www.daytonshutdown.com, boasts that “When the Going Gets Tough, Mark Dayton Gets Gone” and compares him to a child throwing a tantrum over dessert. Meanwhile, Gov. Dayton spent Thursday touring Minnesota to personally propose his budget to the people.
Minn. Republicans spent valuable time pushing House Representative Michele Bachman’s “one man/one woman” constitutional amendment onto the 2012 ballot, as the legislative session quickly passed them by, causing quite a stir amongst state voters worried about jobs and education. Now, with no budget solution in sight, they seem too willing to throw stones at Dayton for vetoing their  proposed budget. Governor Dayton has already stated that he felt that Republicans were “singling out” cities with a democratic majority such as St. Paul and Duluth, for larger cuts in Government Aid. He also noted that three school districts in these areas would  also suffer from “drastic cuts” if the Republican proposed budget was signed, and offered three budget compromises that were swiftly rejected by the GOP.
Governor Dayton turned heads this week when he stood in support of the LGBT community in Minnesota with  his “symbolic veto” of the MN marriage amendment. During his speech he urged Minnesotans to remember that all people have the right under law to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and stated that he knows “Minnesota and Minnesotans are better than this.”
The Republican funded site also proposes that “Republicans understand compassion better than Gov. Dayton understands economics.” This statement alone gives their effort a sarcastic tone that is rather inappropriate considering their effort to destroy Minnesota’s LGBT families and communities instead of working on the things that really matter.

Northern Ireland's Gerry Adams

I’ve always said I don’t do LGBT stories, but there are times when the history in my field relates to the present in the LGBT community. So, another observation from the straight lady on the Lesbian blog……

One of the most important figures in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations was internationally recognized activist Gerry Adams. He was a hero of the cause of Irish Catholic equality. We all knew and ignored the fact that he had been an IRA terrorist with blood on his hands. We tunneled our vision to see the politician. But for years, the negotiations went nowhere. No one would give a single effing bloody inch.

Then, one morning, Gerry woke up and had an epiphany – he could have a life after the conflict. He did not have to live his whole life defined as a warrior. He could have a fulfilling life without the battle. That day, the nature of the negotiations changed. That epiphany made peace possible. Gerry brought his wife home from her 18 year protective exile. They quickly had a little girl in addition to the son they had before they separated for so many years. He has built a good life since the peace accord, a fulfilling life.

There can be life after the conflict. The battle does not have be a person’s whole identity. Only when the warriors realize that, can they do two things – fight to win and fight to make peace.

There has been virtually no reaction from the major LGBT groups about the amendment passed in Minnesota. Aside from MSNBC, where is the outrage? When the legal challenge to Georgia’s same-sex-marriage-banning amendment failed in the state supreme court, why wasn’t it taken to the Federal courts? The Georgia constitution clearly states an amendment can have only one clause. The same sex marriage ban had two. That’s about as legally simple as it ever gets. It’s freaking rare that a legal issue is that simple. Over and over, the battles never go far enough, or they appear, to anyone who actually knows the Constitution, to be conducted on the wrong battlefield.

In Oklahoma, the anti-Sharia amendment is being challenged in Federal court on the grounds that it is a backdoor establishment of a state religion. Any law that forbids religious worship has in effect stated that only one form of religion is acceptable. That is the proper grounds for fighting anti-gay and anti-abortion laws. They are based in religious belief, not in science or civil secular law principles. According to the non-establishment clause of the First Amendment, we should not be allowing clergy to have the right to certify the civil contract of marriage. It grants civil legal power to clergy. So why aren’t the legal challenges to those laws being fought on those grounds? Why are we bothering with the vague parameters of civil rights when we have the clear, indisputable First Amendment? Why are setbacks accepted so calmly?

There is a growing feeling in some parts of the LGBT grassroots that those big, moneyed groups that are supposed to be fighting for LGBT rights don’t really have their hearts in it. It is beginning to be believed that they are stalling and procrastinating because they can’t see how they could ever earn as good a living doing anything else. It’s a nasty, catty thing to rumor, but it has an unfortunate basis in evidence. What have they done for you lately? Not bloody much.

Do you remember in May of 1990, when Doonesbury comic strip character Andy Lippincott died of AIDS in his earthquake-damaged apartment as the Beach Boys “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” played in the background? The song is so relevant to the battle for same sex marriage rights. The moment was so poignant, so pure in its expression of the hope for equality. “Wouldn’t it be nice if WE….” That was 21 years ago this month. Twenty-one years have been spent giving money to lobbyists, giving money to legal experts, and falling farther and farther away from the goals. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’s elimination is still being held up by fanatical anti-gays in Congress. Those same fanatics want to use taxpayers’ money to hire an outside law firm to defend the indefensible in DOMA. We are losing ground to the religious rightwingnuts every day, both on gay rights issues and women’s rights issues.

If you can imagine how nice it would be if you were equal, if you can see a future without the conflict, with the battles won, with all men and women free and equal and able to determine their own futures, then you should be the one leading the charge, not a bunch of overpaid “activists” who can’t imagine that they could have fulfilling lives without that identity of “activist.”

Related articles

• Faith Leaders Speak Out Against Anti-LGBT Marriage Amendment in North Carolina (hrcbackstory.org)
• Minnesota House Passes Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment (lezgetreal.com)
• New HRC Poll Shows Majority of Christians Support LGBT Equality (hrcbackstory.org)
• Equality NC’s faith leaders press conference challenges anti-gay lawmakers, counters fundie rally (pamshouseblend.com)
• As Anti-Marriage Group Wants ‘Adult’ Debate, Senator Frankin Expresses Dismay Over Minnesota Vote (lezgetreal.com)
• Minnesota Marriage Battle Begins (advocate.com)
• Poll: Christians Support LGBT Equality (advocate.com)

Time To Hit UGANDA Hard

David Bahati, the member of Parliament is so keen to push it through that he has even said he would and I quote “consider” taking the death penalty out.   That would not help the witch hunts, the persecution and life terms in prison.

After speaking to a spokesperson at the Department of State – all I can say is that the State department is aware of what is going on. I would presume that they have had people on the ground in Uganda attend the hearings.

I also have been informed from a source in Uganda that the Sexual Minority Civil Society group will be allowed to testify on Monday.

Imagine testifying before a committee that could render one guilty of a crime the very following week, by mere provision of such testimony. Could these LGBT activists in Uganda be more brave? Now we the Global community must rally and show our support.

Grassroots and LGBTI Organizations worldwide it is time to mobilize; to protest  outside buildings of prominence.  Call on President Museveni to stop LGBTI persecution through street savagery and now impending legislation.   Call on Museveni to Stop killing and torturing all Ugandans.   It is imperative that Gay and Lesbian (LGBTI) America  show the people of Uganda that we are here to support all Ugandan victims of oppression – those who  suffer because of the criminalization of their existence and others who may be straight who have suffered human rights infractions over these post election months.

So read this and see what you are willing to do:-

IN THE NAME OF OUR BROTHER DAVID KATO; END HOMOPHOBIA IN AFRICA

Dear Fellow Activists, Organizations et al;

This is critical and Urgent… I am especially asking the pre-eminent LGBTI Orgs on my list to respond with urgent action and any member of clergy or others involved in the fight for LGBTI Equality and human rights advocacy. IFor some and you know who you are this is merely an FYI.

In my capacity as MEUSA Ambassador to Africa and for the Purpose of my report on LezGetReal – I need your urgent Assistance

This week we saw the anti-gay bill in Uganda actually – better believe it – find its way into a committee hearing. When I spoke to David Bahati – he told me it would probably be a two day hearing. Then it will go to Parliament for a vote.

Although Bahati is in his seat until 201, they are trying to push the Bill through to a vote before the conclusion of this 8th Parliament – set for May 12, 2011.

The hearings continue on Monday. The State Department will be making a BIG statement if the law passes.

The impact will be tremendous on the community there. The State department informed me they are taking these developments very seriously.

I think we need to show the same from our community but we must act now – maybe we can actually stop it from passing.

OUR community outcry is critical and I believe it is helpful NOT to wait until after the Bill passes – as it may well do – but to try and impact it now.

ACTION PLAN RE UGANDA

• I am asking all of you to please submit a statement directly to me condemning the action in committee
  
• Statement and Comments could be unified or separate –
• Please e-mail same to me as a matter of urgency-

I also plan to publish the statements in LezGetReal, which is also widely read in Africa and Uganda – our articles get picked up by Ugandan Press-

The US State Department reads my work as a matter of course and so will see the statements as well-

I would also then submit the statements to one of the local newspapers in Uganda -

PS .Longer term – ACTION PLAN if the Bill passes and perhaps even if it does not…
We need to prepare for the eventuality as it could happen quickly
Need to Reach out to DHS and the Administration to explore and ask for a special refugee category / fast track – for LGBT people in Uganda   More later…

Here are some articles that could provide some direction.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/05/alert-ugandan-anti-homosexuality-bill-is-getting-its-hearing-today/

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/05/uganda-president-museveni-heading-straight-into-idi-mode-anti-gay-bill-kidnapping-torture-of-straight-people/

http://www.gayapolis.com/news/artdisplay-news.php?artid=8433

If you want to hear David Bahati the MP and author of the Kill the Gays Bill,  on homosexuality go to www.sworlradio.comn and listen to the Podcast from 5/7/20100 – it should be up tomorrow.

Thanking you all in advance for your kind consideration and participation in ths action…. please feel free to pass on as you deem fit.

If you are concerned or outraged feel free to send your own private statements directly to the email adds I have provided below. Please send us your statements so we can show them on site and we will email them to every member of Uganda’s parliament.  Also please be polite and purposeful. It is important to impart that we are born LGBTI and cannot be recruited.  If you have seen any studies, then reference them.

Thank you also to those friends of equality and Human rights in the international community for participating in this. Best wishes and

in extreme solidarity,

mel

MELANIE NATHAN
BA LLB LLM

www.lezgetreal.com

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First Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for East Africa     Hon. Eriya Kategaya ekategaya@parliament.go.ug

Second Deputy Prime Minister &  Public Service     Hon. Henry Kajura kmuganwa@parliament.go.ug

Third Deputy Prime Minister &  Internal Affairs     Hon. Kirunda Kivejinja kkirunda@parliament.go.ug

Minister for Security     Hon. Amama Mbabazi mamama@parliament.go.ug

Presidency     Hon. Beatrice Wabudeya wmukaye@parliament.go.ug

General Duties (Office of the Prime Minister)     Hon. Mukwaya Janat jmukwaya@parliament.go.ug/jm@mtti.go.ug

Gender, Labour and Social Affairs     Hon. Opio Gabriel gopio@parliament.go.ug

Trade and Industry   Hon. Kahinda Otafiire kotafiire@parliament.go.ug

Water and Environment     Hon. Maria Mutagamba mmutagamba@parliament.go.ug

Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries     Hon. Hope Mwesigye hmwesigye@parliament.go.ug

Defence     Hon. Crispus Kiyonga ckiyonga@parliament.go.ug

Relief and Disaster Preparedness     Hon. Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere kabwegyere@parliament.go.ug

Lands, Housing and urban Development     Hon. Omara Atubo oatubo@parliament.go.ug

Health     Hon. Stephen Malinga smallinga@parliament.go.ug

Foreign Affairs     Hon. Sam Kutesa skutesa@parliament.go.ug

Education and Sports     Hon. Geraldine Bitamazire bnamirembe@parliament.go.ug

Energy and Minerals     Hon. Hillary Onek honek@parliament.go.ug

Communication & Information Communication Technology     Hon. Aggrey Awori awori@parliament.go.ug

Information & National Guidance     Hon. Kabakumba L. Masiko klmasiko@parliament.go.ug

Local Government     Hon. Mwesigye Adolf amwesige@parliament.go.ug/ mwesigeadolf@yahoo.com

Minister Without Portfolio     Hon. Dorothy Hyuha shyuha@parliament.go.ug

Finance, Planning and Economic Development     Hon. Sydda Bbumba sbbumba@parliament.go.ug

Works     Hon. John Nasasira jnasasira@parliament.go.ug

Justice, Constitutional Affairs & Attoney General     Hon. Khiddu Makubuya mekhiddu@parliament.go.ug

Government Chief Whip     Hon. Daudi Migereko dmigereko@parliament.go.ug

Leader of the Opposition –    Hon. Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo latigo@parliament.go.ug

The Opposition Chief Whip    Hon. Kassiano Wadri ekwadri@parliament.go.ug

The opposition Deputy Chief Whip    Judith Franca Akello jakello@parliament.go.ug

THE SHADOW CABINET MINISTERS

Presidency and Ant-Corruption     Hon. Fungaroo Kaps Hassan kfungaroo@parliament.go.ug

Justice, Constitutional Affairs and Attorney General    Hon. Erias Lukwago elukwago@parliament.go.ug

Information and National Guidance    Hon. Christopher M. Kibazanga ckibanzanga@parliament.go.ug

Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries   Hon. Christine Bako acbako@parliament.go.ug

Local Government    Hon. John Arumadri Drazu jarumadri@parliament.go.ug

Finance, Planning and Economic Development    Hon. Okello Oduman aoduman@parliament.go.ug

Defence and Security    Hon. Angiro Gutomoi cangiro@parliament.go.ug

Internal Affairs and Human Rights    Hon. Hussein Kyanjo hkyanjo@parliament.go.ug

Foreign Affairs, Regional and East African Cooperation    Hon. Geoffrey Ekanya gekanya@parliament.go.ug

East African Cooperation      Kiyonga Francis fkiyonga@parliament.go.ug

Health    Hon. Dr. Fransis Epetait fepatait@parliament.go.ug

Education and Sports    Hon.Alice Alaso aalaso@parliament.go.ug

Public Service    Hon. Micheal Nyeko Ocula mnyeko@parliament.go.ug

Gender, Labour and Youth    Hon. Susan Nampijja nsusana@parliament.go.ug

Works and Infrastructure Development    Hon. Eng. Patrick Amuriat pamuriat@parliament.go.ug

Lands and Physical Planning    Hon. Nabilah Nagayi Sempala nsempala@parliament.go.ug

Housing and Urban Development     Hon. Matia Nsubuga nbirekeraawo@parliament.go.ug

Tourism, Trade and Industry    Hon. John Baptist Kawanga jkawanga@parliament.go.ug

Water and Environment    Hon. Beatrice A. O. Atim cogwal@parliament.go.ug

Energy and Mineral Development   Hon. Harry Kasigwa hkasigwa@parliament.go.ug

Communication, ICT and Technology     Hon. Loius Opange lopange@parliament.go.ug

Rehabilitation, Relief and Disaster Preparedness    Hon. Betty Aol Ocan baol@parliament.go.ug

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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Melanaie Nathan, Tlali Tlali and Ndumie Funda March 2011

A 13-year-old lesbian  was raped in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, the Department of Dustice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD) announced today.  How many more South African men are cowards?  Today the South African Department of Justice came out in probably one of the strongest statements we have seen to date, calling men who rape women, cowards.

“Government condemns this senseless and cowardly act of criminality,” department spokesperson, Mr.  Tlali Tlali said in a statement. He said the girl, who was open about her sexuality, was raped in what seemed to be an act of “corrective rape” on Thursday.

SAPA reports  that according to activists, lesbian women are often victims of “corrective rape”, which is forced sex with a man to “cure” their sexuality.The department said every South African had the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice.

Tlali said police and the National Prosecuting Authority’s sexual offences and community affairs unit would investigate the case. The girl and her family would also receive assistance from the department of justice and the department of social development.

“Gay and lesbian rights are human and constitutional rights which must be protected and respected at all times,” he said.

Just two weeks ago, Noxolo Nogwaza, a 24-year-old member of the Ekurhuleni Pride Organising Committee, a gay rights group, was brutally raped and stoned to death in Kwa Thema township outside Johannesburg, targeted because she was a lesbian. Neighbors report hearing that  the men threatening to rape her to  take away her lesbianism.

Activists  have held two meetings with Mr. Tlali Tlali, one such meeting just this past Monday,  to bring reforms and awareness and shed light on homophobia with particular reference to so called corrective rape.

Ndumie funda, director of Luleki Sizwe said “It kills me. It tears my heart apart. Especially a 13 year old, it is almost an infant. It is time that the entire community stood together, also gay friendly people, churches and leaders. This task team needs to act now. We cannot sit and fold our arms. We need to act ASAP. Justice is all we are asking for, this bastard needs to be ARRESTED, prosecuted to the full extend of the law. We ask the community to help the SAPS getting this person.

We also need to see justice for Nxolo. We need to beyond just task teams, we need an imbizo where the whole community comes together and where we protect and govern vulnerable people like. In this regard we need to act immediately. We ask President Zuma to speak out at the soonest in this time of sorrow. ”

Melanie Nathan of LezGetReal, who attended one such meeting reported: “We have been imploring upon Minister Radebe to openly condemn Corrective rape of lesbians and to legislate such rapes as hate crimes. To date this is the strongest statement from the office of the Minister.  However we would like to have Minister Radebe himself stand before a microphone and call all South African men who rape women  “cowards” as well as call upon the people of South Africa to stop the homophobic attacks on lesbians and other LGBT people.”

Mel Nathan and Ndumie at parliament Corrective Rape Meetings And the SA Gay Flag

Mr. Tlali Tlali, from the department said every South African had the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice.

The meeting held with DOJDC and National Prosecuting Authority this week, with Luleki Sizwe and other activist groups, rendered a commitment to effect the sought after LGBT Task force on the issue in partnership between the DOJDC, DPA, SAP and grass root activists aqs well as NGO’s. The meetings have been held under the leadership of Mr. Tlali Tlali.

As part of the team talking with government, Henry Bantjez (Luleki Sizwe ) commented, “We can categorically state that we are confident that the Department of Justice and president Zuma’s ANC Government condemns this cowardly act.” A spokesperson in the DOJ (Tladi Tlali) stated that the government would like to reiterate that everyone in South Africa has the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice. “Gay and Lesbian rights are human and constitutional rights which must be protected and respected at all times.”

Our sources informed us that Department of Social Development is assisting the young girl and her family during this trying time and interacting with the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority’s Sexual Offences and Community Affairs unit in an effort to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Luleki Sizwe is calling for maximum sentencing in this case, given prosecution. Eugene Brockman (Gay flag of South Africa) commented “We are saddened by this violent act against this very brave young girl who did nothing wrong but being herself. Enough is enough and we are not ending our plight (and talks) with the government to escalate issues of corrective rape…”

We extend our love and support to the young and her family. No longer will we tolerate any form of discrimination or violence against the lgbti community,” Bantjez said.

Studies by the government-funded Medical Research Council in 2009 and 2010 found that one in four South African men admitted to committing rape, and one in three in north-central Gauteng province, where Nogwaza and Simelane were attacked.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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NCLR, EQCA, and Lambda Legal File Amicus Brief in California Supreme Court in Proposition 8 Challenge – Groups Argue that Proposition 8 Sponsors Do Not Speak for the State.  The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, and Lambda Legal filed a friend-of-the court brief with the California Supreme Court arguing that the proponents of Proposition 8 have no power to override the decision of elected state officials about whether to appeal a federal court decision that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. The brief explains that initiative proponents are unelected and have no right to act as representatives of the state. It also explains that regardless of how the California Supreme Court rules, the supporters of Proposition 8 have no “standing” to pursue an appeal in federal court because they are not harmed by allowing same-sex couples to marry and because their interests were limited to having the measure put to a vote.

“California law does not permit the unelected proponents of a constitutional initiative to step into the state’s shoes when elected officials appropriately decide not to appeal a decision striking down an unconstitutional measure,” said Equality California Interim Executive Director Jim Carroll. “We are hopeful that the appeal will soon be dismissed, restoring marriage equality as soon as possible, and that same-sex couples and their families will once again be able to enjoy equality and dignity under the law.”

NCLR legal director Shannon Minter explained, “Under the California Constitution, the state Attorney General must decide whether to appeal a federal court holding that a state law is unconstitutional, based on her conclusions about whether an appeal would be in the state’s interest. Nothing in California law gives unelected initiative sponsors the power to make that decision on behalf of the entire state.”

“There is nothing in California’s Constitution or statutes that provides proponents of initiatives any rights to defend those measures if they pass and are later challenged in court,” said Jon Davidson, Legal Director of Lambda Legal. “At best, initiative proponents are like legislators who sponsor a bill, whom courts have repeatedly said are not entitled to appear in cases to defend the constitutionality of laws they drafted. To allow the proponents of Proposition 8 to represent the state would usurp the role of the attorney general, who is sworn to uphold the rights of all Californians, not just the 20 percent of state residents who voted in favor the initiative.”

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional in August 2010, and the sponsors of Prop 8 sought to appeal that judgment to the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On January 4, 2011, the Ninth Circuit asked the California Supreme Court for guidance on whether the sponsors of Prop 8 have legal standing to pursue the appeal under California law. The California Supreme Court said that it would consider the question on an expedited basis with oral arguments to be held as early as September.

Mel Nathan: I feel harassed- How about you?

Are you e as frustrated as I am with all the Court Actions being shoved at us by the Right wing Bigots who think we are NOT entitled to our Constitutional rights and equal treatment under the civil laws of the USA ?   Please consider sending a few dollars to each of these groups as a sign of appreciation for there deliberate and consistent action on behalf of  EQUALITY.

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

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Equality California has passed more than 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. www.EQCA.org

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. www.LambdaLegal.org

2011-05-02 EQCA, NCLR, Lambda Legal, Amicus Brief, California Supreme Court, Perry Case

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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We need this lesson in the context of bigotry. We on the side of what is right and constitutional may understand better when we look at how LGBT equality can be used against basic  rights by bigots and sadly this view of same-sex immigration has been given the open door by Immigration Equality Activists who have messaged that same-sex greencards is an immigration issue, when it is in fact an equality issue.  It is an issue where those same sex couples who are living apart, in exile or in detention/ deportation proceedings have been targeted by their own activists for new immigration law  reform rather than for equality to which they are already entitled.

For the best part of twenty years LGBT activists have been touting immigration equality for same-sex couples.  There have been various incarnations of the current Uniting American Families Act,  now reintroduced into this unfriendly to progress Congress – previously introduced into Congress as the Permanent Partners Immigration Act.   In simple terms the Bill seeks to amend the current Immigration & Naturalization Act, so that same-sex couples are in parity with heterosexual couples – allowing for green card sponsorship from a same-sex partner-spouse.

However as well all know anything gay will be fought with rancor and vicious opposition by right wing bigots who think that gays and lesbians and transgender people will disappear off the face of the earth if they have no legal rights.  The fact remains that no matter what they say or do – this will never happen. So while de facto can never be changed and hence – de jure – civil rights – implemented through law and in conformity with for the US Constitution must prevail.

Binational same-sex  couples are victims of severe discrimination when it comes to immigration and what people like William Gheen of ALIPAC do not understand is that the same-sex couple right to sponsor a foreign born spouse for a green card is entrenched in the constitution via parity to the American partner who ought to have the same  rights as heterosexual American spouses.

This is not an immigration issue it is a discrimination against  fellow Americans issue!  That has been the problem in the advocacy of the issue.  LGBT organizations, by attaching this LGBT equality issue to Immigration Reform, have trapped us in a phony and inaccurate position- UAFA has little to do with Immigration and everything to do with Equality.  Advocated for LGBT immigration have failed in this messaging.

This is the mission of the anti- immigration stance of Mr. Gheen, who now gleefully attaches parity for  gay and lesbian / same-sex couples  to the immigration issue:-

“Illegal Immigration must be stopped and reversed! Join Americans for Legal Immigration Today! OR so says the bigoted blog site of one

Tired of illegal immigration? Americans for Legal Immigration PAC ALIPAC has formed to address the disparity between the public’s desire for more control of illegal immigration and the actions of lawmakers.

News about illegal immigration, illegal aliens, terrorism, national security, border patrol, crime, immigrant gangs, Americans, Congress, laws, and campaigns are Updated here Daily!

Here is the quote from  William Gheen in the Article in OneNewsNow the  bigoted perspective ofan ignoramus who does not have a clue how to truly be an American -  as you can see in his mind he infers that people who have same gender attraction are mere chattels – “imports” things – that can be simply tossed to the wind- and he makes the cardinal mistake of  of … relying on his version of Christianity – denying the faith and belief of so many LGBT Christians. and members of other faiths – who have the same right as he does to revel and enjoy in their own versions of their faiths.

“Targeting anybody for importation into the country based on their sexuality doesn’t sound like something that Congress should be messing with at all,” contends William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC).

But he says this legislation fits right into the left’s agenda of changing the traditional values that made America great.

“They’re looking to bring in anybody challenging the established culture inside the United States that they want to bring down,” Gheen suggests. “And though the majority culture of the United States for the last 200 years has been predominately European Christian…they are looking for anybody that would take issue with that. And, of course, Christianity preaches against sodomy.”

Exposing the radical arguments of bigots – in the context of a civil rights perspectives and basic equality- in my opinion illustrates just how un-American these people are – as they cower behind organizations named to hide what they truly represent.

If you are going to take anything away from this piece – I would like it to be an acknowledgment and understanding that same-sex green cards is a matter of American equality – and is not an immigration issue, per se.

This is why, contrary to the strategy of the LGBT Organization purportedly at the helm of this activism,  Immigration Equality,   UAFA should be separated from Immigration reform and its a crying shame that we lost the opportunity to  pass it during the full house in the last Congress.

Now UAFA may well be a waste of time, while support for the bill is divided across party lines, and Democrats are  seeking the Repeal of DOMA – which in event will allow for same -sex couples to sponsor foreign born partners.

“Today thousands of committed same-sex couples are needlessly suffering because of unequal treatment under our immigration laws, and this is an outrage,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution. “Our Constitution guarantees that no class of people will be singled out for differential treatment — and LGBT Americans should not and must not be excluded from that guarantee.”

Under current law, one member of a married couple may sponsor their partner for U.S. citizenship, but same-sex couples have no such rights, and are often forced to live thousands of miles apart.

“It’s cruel,” said Nadler of the current policy. “It’s gratuitously cruel.”

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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Today's Funeral for Noxolo Picture by Imana Thuto Ditaba

TODAY we all stood on a mound of God’s Earth and held the Rainbow Flag – We held it close to our hearts and flew it high above the hallowed ground – now home to a battered and a savagely brutalized body – while we screamed into the sunny African sky – farewell beloved sister.

Noxolo – may your beautiful and loving soul, child of G-d,  soar in peace free and safe; and  the ravages of your murderous exodus pale to the brightness of your new star.

Your suffering shall not be for nought, dear sister, because we will fight till the last lesbian draws her last proud breath – for justice sought is righteousness gained and your legacy will empower our promise and indulge our pursuit.

No child of God should have suffered to the extent you did, our dear little sister;- and we cannot understand why – yet we know what we must do- while we find justice, advocate for change, we must hold your family in loving embrace, because we are people who love, nothing more and nothing less.  We are not the ones who hurt or cause pain – we are the ones who talk about love and it matters not who we love….

Global sisters stand as one -in solidarity – on that mound of sand next to the hole that refuses your soul,

Make your voice heard because Noxolo  is me, you – we are all one!

Rest In Peace NOXOLO – brave and beautiful sister, Child of G-d.

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Note: The meaning of the name Noxolo is Peaceful

The body of Noxola Nogwaza, a 24 year old lesbian was found on Sunday morning. This is just 4 weeks after the body of 20 years old Nokuthula Radebe was discovered and which has not even been reported in the media.  The pain of these brutal attacks grows and my heart goes out to their family and friends.  May both Nogwaza and Nokuthula Rest in Peace. Note the South African Main Stream media has failed to cover this – even in the wake of the the Government seeking to establish change via a series of meetings between activists and the MINISTRY of Justice and Constitutional Development.  The next meeting is scheduled for May 03, 2011.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/updated-points-to-extreme-brutality-in-the-horrific-corrective-rape-murder-of-24-year-old-lesbian/

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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Nerina Penzhorn’s upcoming documentary, “Waited For” centers around stories of South African lesbians (the majority of which, happen to be white) that adopt across racial lines by adopting mostly black children.

The documentary is starting to make the festival circuit rounds, staring with Frameline and New Zealand in the June months. Afterward, it will be featured at the Out in Africa Film Festival in South Africa in August.

WAITED FOR preview from Nerina Penzhorn on Vimeo.

Image by lez get real via Flickr

04/26/2011 – by Cynthia S. Wright

Some days, it is hard to glean whether 700 Club host Pat Robertson even knows where he is. In a recent episode, he mentioned why he feels liberals support abortion.

He believes that liberals only support abortion is because if straight women abort their babies, they are on the same level as lesbians because – in his mind – lesbians can’t have children. So by doing that, they cancel each other out – level field for all!

Not sure what meds Robertson’s doc’s have him on as of late, if he isn’t taking anything – well, not sure how to take this recent “revelation”.

Are you saying that since lesbians don’t have sex with men, that means we aren’t able to have children? How about straight couples that are trying to have kids but for whatever reason, they aren’t able to conceive? Are you hinting that straight women that do get knocked and decide to abort are supported by liberals because they want everyone to feel equal? It isn’t about the woman choosing to not have the child or to be pregnant?

How does that even make sense? Lesbians do have children, some use the same methods that infertile straight couples use – the babies are planned and are wanted. We are not denied childbirth – the only thing we are denied is the ability to accidentally get pregnant – two totally different things. Sorry to break it to you Robertson, at the end of the day it is about choice. Liberals choose to support a woman’s right to choose, a lady chooses to have an abortion, and lesbian parents choose to become pregnant and have children.

(San Francisco, CA, April 25, 2011)—Today, King & Spalding LLP, the law firm hired earlier this month by the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, announced it is withdrawing its representation because the vetting process was “inadequate.” The move prompted the lead King & Spalding lawyer in the case, Paul Clement, to resign from his position at King & Spalding.

A Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell:

“The Defense of Marriage Act is indefensible and King & Spalding’s withdrawal from its defense is a clear illustration that on occasion a law is so repellent and contrary to our values and ideals, no self-respecting lawyer or law firm can defend it. DOMA does not deserve a lawyer. The Sixth Amendment guarantee of the right to counsel applies to individuals in criminal cases. That critical right assures that when individuals face a loss of liberty through imprisonment, they are entitled to an attorney to argue their defense. But this guarantee has no application to unjust laws. The withdrawal of King & Spalding is a critical tipping point in the legal fight to win freedom and equality for LGBT people. It is now clear that no law firm deserving of the respect and support of the mainstream legal and political community will stand on the side of discrimination. We applaud the decision to withdraw and mark this day as a landmark moment in the history of our nation’s commitment to realizing the democratic ideal of equality under the law.”

###

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

The arrest today of alleged accessory in the Lisa Miller abduction case renders a complaint with a bevy of names and revelations that can only serve to shock – how people are willing to risk defying the law of our Country in the name of religious anti-gay dogma.  What we suspected has in fact come to light and can be noted from the Complaint in the case of the Abduction of Isabella Miller.

Lisa Miller absconded in defiance of a Custody Order, abducting the child Isabella. It has been years since her non-biological mother, who has custody via the US Courts, has been able to see her daughter.  Had Lisa Miller the biological non custodial mother allowed jenkins visitation/ shared custody – none of this would have happened. It was that simple.  Instead with the help of the  ex-gay movement and right wing Christian groups around her, Miller was provided with the ability to abscond the USA – to abduct Isabella – in essence depriving her other lawful parent of her rights – Miller could not have done it alone.

The person arrested in the case is one, Timothy Miller, no relation to Lisa Miller, – read the complaint below.

Reading back on LGR’s articles over the past years on the case one notes the challenges LGR made to the Groups we believed were involved.

The FBI has done an amazing job of keeping on this case , in their determination to seek justice for Janet  Jenkins and the child Isabella.  The imperative of holding ALL people responsible to uphold the law of our Country cannot diminish because of someone having a separate religious ideology.   This shows that not even super wealthy right wing evangelical Christian Ministries will get away with crimes such as this.

Names, via emails and evidence indicated in the Complaint is extensive  – e.g.
“a. Philip Zodhiates is a wealthy man and a “Liberty Leader” who has a beach
house in Nicaragua. Lisa Miller and Isabella Miller have been staying at the home of Zodhiates.
b. Victoria Hyden is the daughter of Zodhiates. Zodhiates asked Hyden to
disseminate a request to get Lisa Miller supplies.”

THE  ARREST   As it broke has been reported by LGR here -

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/arrest-made-in-abduction-of-isabella-miller-by-lisa-miller/comment-page-1/#comment-157004

It seems the connection to Miller being in Managua – via other countries is explained in the detailed complaint below.

THE COMPLAINT

I am a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBn. I have been a
Special Agent since October of2008. I am currently assigned to the Burlington, Vermont Resident Agency. 2. The facts in this affidavit come from my personal observations, my training and experience, information obtained by other law enforcement officials and witnesses, and court documentation. This affidavit is intended to show merely that there is sufficient probable cause for the requested criminal complaint and arrest warrant and does not set forth all of my knowledge about this matter.    3. Based on my training and experience and the facts as set forth in this affidavit, there is probable cause to believe that Timothy David Miller has violated 18 U.S.C. §§ 1204, 2; aiding in   international parental kidnapping of minor Isabella Ruth Miller-Jenkins (IMJ) by Lisa Miller and  other unknown persons. This crime involved removing a child from the United States on or about September 22, 2009, and retaining a child who has been in the United States, outside of the United States from September 2009 to the present, with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights by Janet Jenkins. I have reason to believe that Timothy Miller violated 18 U.S.C. §§ 1204, 2 in that: a. Timothy Miller had knowledge of the parental rights litigation in the United States involving Lisa Miller and regarding IMJ.

FULL DOC Below…

Miller Jenkins Criminal Complaint

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Virginia Atty. Gen. Ken Cuccinelli

Sometimes, great legal minds are so focused on one aspect of a law, they fail to see the rest of its implications. That’s what just happened in Virginia.

In Virginia, only married couples – hetero of course – and single men and women regardless of sexual orientation can adopt or foster children. Former Governor Tim Kaine proposed changing the rules to allow same-sex couples to adopt or foster and requiring faith-based adoption services to allow it. The current Republican Governor Bob McDonnell opposed the changes. On Wednesday, the Virginia Board of Social Services voted to reject the changes. Their decision was reinforced by a memo from the state’s Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II. According to Cuccinelli, the changes would violate Virginia law. Since adoption and fostering are not barred according to sexual orientation or even marital status, one can only assume that the law Cuccinelli thinks would be violated is the one against same-sex marriage.

Other than a slap in the face, though, this ruling does nothing to stop prospective adoptive gay and lesbian parents. Virginia does not have same-sex marriage, so technically, Virginia doesn’t have same-sex couples. The law allows single gays and lesbians to adopt and foster. If there is no such thing in Virginia as a gay couple, then there really is no barrier to adoption or fostering by gays and lesbians. They just have to do it singly, technically. How the family is constructed after that is not governed by the law.

Yes, this ruling imposes a monetary burden on same-sex couples. First, being able to use only one income impacts meeting whatever income requirements the state or agency has for adoption or fostering. Second, the couple will have to come up with the money to have a whole lot of contracts created to protect the rights of the non-adoptive parent. In many ways, it will be no different from the situation faced by a second spouse when the birth parent refuses to surrender parental rights, or even by a first spouse if the child involved was born out-of-wedlock.

We are probably a couple of decades away from the legal system recognizing not just same-sex parenting rights, but the rights of blended families. We need a uniform, streamlined way to deal with the complications of unwed parents, divorced parents, step-parents, surrogacy, artificial insemination and adoption. As long as there are states that think of themselves as a state first and a nation second, we’re stuck with this nonsense. Each state will continue to think of itself as a singular entity and capable of writing laws according to “community standards.”

There really are some issues that cross the straight-LGBT divide and this is one of them. The rights of adopted children to find their birth parents, the rights of parents who have given up their children to find and contact them, the rights of grandparents, the rights of step-parents in the convoluted world of blended families, the rights of non-married parents, these are not just gay issues. We no long are born and die within a five mile radius. We are a very mobile society in which people cross state lines all the time. These are universal issues that are a consequence of our modern society.

Those three words “our modern society” are at the hub of these issues. Conservatives, and especially the religious right, believe in a myth of a perfect little Christian nation where only straights lived, no one earned their living in prostitution, no one ever beat or killed their spouse or children, everyone was white, bluebirds sang in the trees and the skies were not cloudy all day. There is this really stupid e-mail that has been circulating for a few years. It’s main message is about taxes, but it alleges that we were a perfect nation and women stayed home and raised their children just 100 or 60 years ago, depending on the version. When my aunt sent it to me, I reminded her that 70 years ago, my father’s single mother was scrubbing toilets in the same Empire State Building where she had worked thirty years later because she too was a single mother. Duh.

We can’t go back to that perfect world because it never existed. The longer we treat family law according to that myth, the longer we hurt our children. We all agree that children need stable, loving homes. The only way that is going to happen is for us to put the needs of those children above the prejudices of the religious fanatics and above the interests of adults.

On the other hand, LGBT rights should not be granted at the cost of the rights of others. Again, this is one of those cases. Any church that believes that homosexuality is a sin should not be forced to place children in same-sex families, any more than it should be forced to perform same-sex marriages. It is a violations of the religious rights of those churches. Sorry, but no one can truly be free if their freedom is bought at the price of another’s oppression. If the LGBT community ever gets its act together and starts arguing for its rights on the grounds that this is a secular nation and anti-gay laws are back-door establishment of a state religion, then it must be willing to let churches exercise their right to freedom of worship, and that includes just backing away and letting them live in their perfect myths. We can legislate against violence, harassment and discrimination within the secular world, but we should not even try to legislate tolerance, anymore than they should try to legislate intolerance. The best we should be doing is trying to legislate a separation of the secular rights of citizens from the religious rights of other citizens.

On any given issue, one will find literally dozens of advocacy groups. There is no strength in being divided. There is only strength in unity. Those advocating for LGBT parental rights would benefit from working with those who are advocating for single-parent adoption, ease of establishing legal rights for un-married parents, fairness in child support, a whole raft of issues. There is more to be gained from working together to solve the myriad problems of children in a “non-traditional” situation than from narrowing the focus to just gay adoption and gay marriage.

Related articles

• Homophobic Attorney General Derails LGBT Adoption Rights In Virginia (lezgetreal.com)
• Cuccinelli: Va. Should Reject Antibias Policy (advocate.com)
• Virginia Social Services Panel Votes 7-2 to Reject Changes That Would Allow Adoptions by Gay Couples (towleroad.com)
• NOM Goes Ballistic Over Virginia’s New Foster Care And Adoption Regulations (lezgetreal.com)
• State Board of Social Services Fails to Serve the Best Interests of Virginia’s Children (hrcbackstory.org)
• Va. Official Opposes Antibias Rule (advocate.com)

President Obama rocked San Francisco and is on his way to Las Vegas. After Black Eyed Peas and an evening that that for $25.00 topped the one for $38,000 – (not that I was at both – but can only imagine!)  the President took the stage around 9 p.m., delivering a rousing speech, and a crowd asserting support : “I love you Obama,” and “I love you back,” by the President.

This all after an  historic meeting and Town Hall at the FaceBook headquarters, where the President joked at having been the cause of Mark Zuckerberg dressed in tie…. the President went into San Francisco to his speech at the Masonic Center, Nob Hill, having completed his $38,500 per person event in Pacific Heights,

President Obama was much fun and inspiring :”I have 19 million friends, which is just a half-million behind Sponge Bob,” Obama said. “That’s something to aspire to.”

Clearly unhappy with the Washington DC  milieu : “In Washington, the conversation is just different than the conversation you hear around the kitchen table or the water cooler,” Obama told the crowd. “I don’t want a campaign heard by pundits and cable channels.” The President does want to speak to the people – and he wants the people to support his billion dollar campaign.

My plan as an LGBT writer is to endorse the President to the fullest extent (I may not have but for the repeal of DADT)  and to ask the President to apply himself first and foremost to helping binational same-sex couples remain in the USA together via a special visa program pending the repeal of DOMA – to immediately STOP deportations of LGBT spouses and fiance’s.

We MUST support President OBAMA and also work to get progressive Democrats elected in every realm possible….

I am Angry beyond measure at the insanity of the Republican party  -  and the people in this country who voted TEA PARTY (Although the latter will see the demise of the Republicans as we knew them!) The only possible excuse (if that be one at all) is that Boehner and his gang of obstructionists are suffering PTS at the shock of the election of an African American President. Still!   Example – 1. Insanity?  Boehner wants to use DOJ money to Defend the constitutional rights of same-sex couples in the DOMA cases that the Obama administration has refused to defend.  He wants to spend tax payer money out of the DOJ on  a quest to prevent a LOVING event, that will provide civil rights.   AND to add insult to injury he want to take money from  the Justice for victims of serious crime such as rape and murder!

During December 2010 I was approached by the Bay Area Reporter for my annual predictions and I said President Obama will change his mind on Gay marriage.  I truly believe he is headed in that direction.  When we see our men and women serving openly in the military without equal rights want to live in shared quarters or bring spouses home from foreign countries, in parity with heterosexual servicemenbers, there will be very little choice but to make the change of mind…. it simply must happen.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

About To Exile to be with Partner

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Protesting the failure to Provide Same-Sex Spouse Green Cards:  This evening, Out4Immigration, GetEQUAL, and Marriage Equality USA are teaming up to draw attention to the need for urgent passage of the Uniting American Families Act — legislation that would solve the problem that binational same-sex couples face because LGBT American citizens are unable to “sponsor” their partner to stay in the country. Over and over again, binational same-sex couples are forced to flee the country in order to keep their relationships intact, while heterosexual Americans face no problem at all sponsoring partners who are not yet American citizens. IT must be noted that currently The Defense of Marriage Act that prevents the same-sex couples from obtaining green cards is also up for repeal,; Whichever  occurs first will be a matter of strategy on the part of the Democrats and a matter of the usual opposition by Republicans.

NOTE: TIME CHANGE 7:00 PM at  Nob Hill Masonic Center (1111 California Street) from 7pm-8.30pm

While couples are forced to fight court case after court case to avoid being deported, more and more couples are growing weary of the legal battles — and legal fees — they must incur in order to remain in the United States. American citizens like Gina Caprio, who is leaving the country next week to be with her partner in the United Kingdom, are forced to choose between the person they love and the country they love. Gina has spent thousands of dollars in unfair and unjust expenses to spend time with her partner, all the while keeping well within the confines of the law – never breaking it – only to be expelled via this injustice – by her own Country’s inept laws.

President Obama has a clear pathway to solve this problem. By either putting presidential power behind the recently-introduced Uniting American Families Act or by issuing an Executive Order to halt deportations while the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is in question, the President could take action to allow same-sex bi-national couples relief from the impossible choice between love and country. Just a few weeks ago, deportations were halted for a few days before being picked up again — the advocacy community hopes that the President will again halt these deportations…this time, permanently.

“The Obama administration has already indicated that DOMA section 3 is unconstitutional and that they will not defend it in court,” said Amos Lim, founding board member of Out4Immigration. “However, until that issue is settled, LGBT families are still needlessly suffering and being torn apart because we are being treated unequally under the law. We urge President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to stop the deportations and stop separating LGBT binational families until the issue of DOMA is resolved. We also hope that President Obama will urge Congress to finally pass the Uniting American Families Act as soon as possible!”

Gina Caprio, an American citizen in a binational relationship, said, “Immigration reform must include a focus on what is happening to Americans in same-sex binational relationships and the Federal government must stop tearing families apart or, as in my case, must stop forcing U.S citizens to choose between love or country. As an American citizen in a same-sex binational relationship who is about to leave her country to be with the person I love because I cannot legally sponsor her to immigrate to the U.S., it saddens me to think how my country has turned its back on me by denying me and my partner access to the same Federal immigration rights granted to heterosexuals in binational relationships.”

“The Uniting American Families Act has been introduced in Congress over and over again — with bi-partisan support — but has never made it over the finish line,” said Dennis Veite, an activist with GetEQUAL. “It’s time for the President to say, once and for all, whether he supports the right of couples to remain in the United States in order to build their lives here together, or whether he and the Department of Homeland Security will continue to force American citizens into exile simply because of the person they love. Enough is enough.”

I personally take the stand that the Repeal of DOMA is the answer and that the focus of advocacy groups and the President must  be on it repeal , while pushing for urgent remedy via a definitive plan to provide for a special interim visa process for same-sex spouses – while DOMA cases are being pursued and while DOMA pends repeal.  I do not think our families who are forced to make life changing decisions should be expected to wait any longer.  It is not enough to advocate for STOP THE DEPORTATIONS without also providing for those who are currently stranded on other continents or leaving the USA to start new lives abroad.

Tonight’s event will take place outside the Nob Hill Masonic Center (1111 California Street) from 7pm-8.30pm Pacific. More information can be found at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114167805332846.

Out4Immigration is a volunteer grassroots organization that addresses the widespread discriminatory impact of U.S. immigration laws on the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV+ people and their families through education, outreach, advocacy and the maintenance of a resource and support network. For more information, go to www.out4immigration.org.

Founded in 2010, GetEQUAL is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information go to www.getequal.org. For more information, go to www.getequal.org, www.facebook.com/getequal, or www.twitter.com/getequal.

Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information, go to www.marriageequality.org.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

President Obama will arrive in San Francisco today on his California Fund-raising endeavor, to raise big money from hefty donors. At least that is the hope of his recently launched campaign in the bid for re-election- 2012.  But the question is to what is the same as 2008 and what is different.  Will the President receive the laud and accolade he enjoyed last campaign? The  money needed – or will his  donations reflect the wrath of those bitter by the failures at the lost opportunities when the Democrats had both houses and the President’s Pen?

Money came from high tech, movie and music moguls and celebs in general.  What will this California trip yield?  I know that here in San Francisco we expected the passage of UAFA, the Repeal of DOMA, ENDA and the repeal of DADT. We wanted the DREAM ACT and the better part of immigration reform.  While The Don’t Ask Don’t tell Policy was  repealed – much was missed while the President and Speaker played volleyball with HealthCare – now though dubbed Obama-care is rolled  around in a batter of desperate compromise!

The  President has sold out venues at $38000 per plate – and that should bring a chunk of change – but will hands reach as deeply into pockets as in 2008 when Obama seemed to hail the dawn of a new era….. and that he did … but lets look at the score card – Equality is barely nigh for us gays, lesbians, transgender and queerish people. We are sick of being second class citizens – but we must still apply our cash to the slaughter of the Republicons.

Three years after a campaign that featured actors fanning out across the country to stump for Obama, and employees from Google and other high-tech companies joining his team, there have been some signs that fervor for Obama in Hollywood and Silicon Valley has ebbed.” Reports the Washington Post.  “Political strategists say his base of supporters is more sober, perhaps fatigued by recent high-profile state elections.

Certain Hollywood progressives have also been disappointed by the President’s handling of issues such as same-sex marriage.

His packed, star-studded two days on the West Coast include six fundraisers and two town halls, including one Wednesday at the Palo Alto headquarters of Facebook.

On Wednesday evening, he will attend a small dinner hosted by Salesforce.com chief executive Marc Benioff in San Francisco’s regal Pacific Heights neighborhood that will require each guest to donate $35,800 to Obama’s reelection campaign.

The next morning, Obama will attend another expensive fundraiser, fly to Reno, Nev., for a campaign-style speech in that swing state before going to Los Angeles for three fundraisers, including one at Sony Pictures Studios featuring actor Jamie Foxx.

Also on his schedule is a dinner at the Brentwood restaurant Tavern, which film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg and recording executive Berry Gordy are expected to attend, according to the Hollywood newspaper Variety.

While all this is going on, we the people will show up holding our signs saying – what about us? STOP the deportation of same-sex partners? Do not let Boehner wast tax money on defending DOMA cases.  Let the Bush tax cut for the rich die!  Give our kids their DREAMACT – repeal DOMA.

However let me make it clear fellow dissatisfied ‘s we must we must support this President while we speak our our signage – we must raise the requisite billions – because I truly believe and I make this predication – that by the very seating of the 112th Congress, President Obama’s entrenchment in a second term is ensured – AS LONG AS WE GIVE the MONEY!!! So we must because rest assured the Republicans may well have stewed their final goose and guess where – at A TEA PARTY!

There is no option but to support the President – as I believe there may be a good chance we could recoup the House as Tea Party madness impacts even the Republicans who hoped they could make something of their time in Congress. However as they continue to obstruct, Boehner is unable to move the hard right,  and while they try outrageous ploys – such as the Boehner attempting to use DOJ money to fund HIS Defense of the Defense of Marriage Act – we can be assured he is  knocking nails one by one into the coffin of the Republican Majority – for a very long time to come….

That said when the day comes the Democrats must be ready for the repeal of DOMA and issues well developed for the completion of the promise of the “Yes We Can”!

I have always said give the Republicans enough rope and they will… you know the rest of the cliché’ and they are well on their way.

So lets get out our purses while we shout from the street –  to hope for the very least or dare we say YES WE CAN?

PS – Despite holding the President’s feet to the fire – I have resolved to support him to the maximum of my capacity; I will be unwavering.  That does not mean I will not continue to critique his tardy equality record.  I do see that he can be influenced and I predict that he will repeal DOMA in a second term…

PRESIDENT OBAMA LGBT FAMILIES ARE IN EXILE AND PAIN
HERE IS MY DONATION
CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE
A PLAN!!

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Have you ever thought to ask your Senators:  AND especially do if they are one of these…..
Al Franken, Patrick Leahy,  Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.);

all sponsor the newly introduced UAFA into the current :

The QUESTION:-

• Why are you bothering to co-sponsor UAFA?
• Do you Co-Sponsor the repeal of DOMA?
• Why Both?WHY not Just DOMA?

Yes, READ all About It – The REINTRODUCTION of the 16 year old UAFA (Former incarnation “Permanent partners Immigration Act”):-  Sen. Al Franken is the newest co-sponsor of legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate late last week that would give binational same-sex couples the same rights as married couples for immigration purposes. The Uniting American Families Act is authored by Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont and is sponsored by 18 other Democrats. Even though same-sex marriage is legal in seven jurisdictions in the United States, couples in which one partner is not a citizen do not have any right under current federal law.

The bill would make immigration laws equal for same-sex couples, including allowing same-sex partners of refugees and asylum seekers to immigrate to the United States. It also provides for the same penalties for same-sex couples who misrepresent their relationships for immigration purposes as current law does for married couples. The bill makes provisions for same-sex couples to provide documentation of their partnership.

“A core tenet of our immigration policy is preserving family unity. Yet gay and lesbian Americans are still forced to choose between their country and being with those they love,” said Leahy in a statement. “I hear from Vermont couples who face this difficult decision every year. No American should face such a choice. I hope that my colleagues who supported this important civil rights reform will join me in calling for fairness and equality in our immigration laws.”

LOOKING FOR REASONS:-

1. The Repeal of the Defense of Marriage ACT  (DOMA) is currently in both the House and Senate.
2. DOES UAFA stand a better chance of passing than DOMA in this republican majority House of representatives?
3. DOMA’s repeal will enable gays and lesbians – same-sex spouses – to sponsor foreign spouses for green cards so why do we need both bills before an unfriendly house at the same time?
4. Does UAFA derogate from the force and attention of the repeal of DOMA
5. Does UAFA introduction make DOMA more attractive?
6. Are we dividing resources and donor monies?

THE ANSWERS: (fill in the blanks) Senators-
Al Franken, (D-MN)_____________________________________
Patrick Leahy, (D-VT)_____________________________________
Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)_________________________________
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)______________________________
Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.)___________________________________
Ben Cardin (D-Md.)_____________________________________
Robert Casey (D-Pa.)_____________________________________
Christopher Coons (D-Del.)________________________________
Richard Durbin (D-Ill._______________________________________
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)___________________________________
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa),_______________________________________
John Kerry (D-Mass.)_______________________________________
Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.)______________________________________
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)__________________________________________
Patty Murray (D-Wash.)_______________________________________
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)______________________________________
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)____________________________________
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) _________________________________________

While I am grateful for the support of any and all LGBT legislation – do not get me wrong – I still want to know why!

THE REAL  QUESTION ?
1. is this ultimately about the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill and the attachment of UAFA thereto?
2.Who is playing who?

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

HELP! Wednesday 20th of April, President Obama will be in San Francisco for a Fundraiser for his Presidential Campaign. This is an important visit and we on the street will make our priorities and concerns known.  Gays and lesbians cannot sponsor their foreign born spouses causing untold hardship. It is time to end the suffering!

This is going to be a big event and we want you there San Francisco; join Melanie Nathan, Michelle Meow, Swirl Radio, Molly McKay of MEUSA, Amos Lim, Kathy Drasky, Out4Immigration and their amazing grass roots teams for an imperative – essential- critical Protest.  It is time for all LGBT people and our entire community to come out and speak up for our same-sex married couples who cannot sponsor the foreign partner for a green card.

This is a Protest to repeal DOMA, Pass UAFA, and to scream for immediate Visa relief – including the stopping of deportations of our married spouses.

OUT4Immigration, GetEQUAL and MEUSA are now on board as cosponsors of the event.

The Facebook event is located here https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114167805332846.

The event is on April 20^th from 4 to 6 PM at the Masonic Center in San Francisco located at 1111 California Street between Jones and Taylor.

I look forward to seeing all of you at the Masonic Center on Wednesday and let’s try to give this as much attention as we can.

Anonymous Binational foreign partner:  “It is time Please come and tell President Obama that we expect swift action.  We have too many couples suffering. Our friends are leaving for exile this month, – our kids wanna come home…- we are the most horrifically impacted by the Defense of marriage Act- no one knows how desperate we are. It is so sad for me to see my American partner in so much pain because she does not have the same right to sponsor me, her lawful sppouse, for a green card, like other Americans who are married!”

Every Gay San Franciscan -LGBTQI – and allies – Must Come to this Protest We can tell Obama we love him and we can tell him what he needs to do for us. Please comment in ideas for signs…. – PLEASE be there.  !!! SPREAD THE WORD…..

If you are a binational couple wear a mask or cover your face to show who you are… if you are an ally wear a mask or cover your face to show you support same-sex green  cards

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

“The best 10,000 we ever spent was when we paid to become ex-gay and met each other instead,”  says the Jansons a Gay married couple.  They note that there is another option rather than being shamed and ex-gay. You can love G-d and Jesus Christ and be loved by G-d and Jesus – and live your life happily gay in a monogamous relationship with someone of the same sex, great job, children, career and life.

But, says Janey Boynes, ex-lesbian Ministry – if you want Christ and G-d you have to accept their terms. That means don’t be gay.

The debate raged forth when the Jansons answered – what about Women?  According to the bible you should not be a Minister.   Are you accepting G-d’s terms?

Since starting his show, CNN ‘s Dr. Drew has failed to attained my interest. Tonight he did; he ended the  program – “Now you will understand why I prayed before this program.”

A subject of major importance according to my priorities as an activist and writer. What was encouraging to me was the in depth detail and well mixed group of speakers that Dr. Drew included into the conversation.

Dr. Drew had a bundle of well qualified guests on his show – Alan Chambers, the Executive Director of Exodus, self proclaimed Christian Ministry – that purports to counsel people with alternatives to homosexuality -  in truth a mask to their promotion of so called reparative therapy; Dr Alicia Salzer , a Psychiatrist who helps people traumatized by homophobic related reparative treatment;  Rev Doctor Neil Thomas from MCC Church; a married Gay couple who met at the Exodus Ex-Gay Conference;  Janey Boynes from her self named Ministry for ex-gays.

Reparative therapy comes from a conservative standpoint.  Dr. Salzer noted – “I see harm coming from it as a Psychiatrist.” The producer of a   documentary called “Abomination” she noted that she met hundreds of people who had tried such so called therapies which had ” resulted in very harsh circumstances.  Janey Boynes , describes herself as an ordained Evangelist, who gives spiritual guidance, to those looking to change!

“Very disturbing and sad, ” said the  MCC. Reverend.  Christians who love G-d are subjected to  psychology and spiritual violence with Exodus like ex-gay programs.  Why cant people be gay and Christian?

To compare it to disease and addictions is harmful was the consensus between those  guests who were vehemently opposed to the Exodus and ex-gay movement.   “Christians are not qualified to do such work in the name of Christianity.  It must stop. we must bring an end to this harm.

Alan chambers:  “We are a christian ministry – we are simply offering an alternative.  We cannot say it GAY  can be changed guaranteed. We are giving people  a chance to make a decision for themselves.   This remark was countered by the references to Exodus’ website and the billboards that  refer tacitly  to  the need to change – it was countered further by the comments stating that if Exodus is indeed offering alternative why do they fail to help confused people by shaming them about being Gay. The only way to not shame people – is to note that Gay is an okay way to stay – because its basically bullshit that Gay people when finding love – are unable to lead productive and happy lives.

Not everyone is Christian and yet Exodus expects people to live their lives based on their concept of death. The going to hell aspect is pervasive in conference, and everywhere.  It was even reiterated by Jayne on the show.  That was her message.  So while purporting to offer alternatives the reality is they are offering shame as the only alternative to so called reform and within the context they are denying that they are participating in what is known as reparative therapy.

Dr. Salzer noted that although  Chamber says that he is not a proponent of raparative therapy,  you will see books on – and referrals to reparative  therapy.

What is disconcerting is that while asserting counseling – what Exodus does is not therapeutic but  faith based and based on prayer. It is very confusing to ascertain precisely what they do.  Prayer or counseling – unclear?

Kids are killing hemselves because of the shame infused by people and groups like Exodus. They are  suicidal – not because they are born gay and ARE gay, lesbian, transgender, but because they are shamed into thinking it is not normal nor okay to be Gay by faith based groups.

The young  married couple , Larry and KC Janson assured that People are being detrimentally impacted, harmed and affected by faith based groups suggesting and messaging -that unless you are ex-gay you are diseased, addicted !- That the  programs to HELP to become ex-gay -  message: “Be gay and you will  get AIDS and have no kids and never attain a loving monogamous relationship – go to hell etc. -  of course they are going to want to be changed – but will  feel conflicted about their sexuality nonetheless and what could be more harmful than that message?

Larry Janson found love as did his husband KC  who comes from a Southern baptist Christian family.  They both believe that G-d loves them and are very strong in their faith – fully embracing their Christian religion. ” I can be who I am and have a relationship with G-d and still be gay.”

We have to find a way to eradicate these ministries that say G-d cant love LGBT people for being gay. ” Your conferences and billboards say you can change people, ” asserts Janson .  I dont understand how you can run that kind of ministry and d say you are not  touting reparative therapy.

Janey Boynes: “It is important to let viewers know that God loves everybody therefore G-d can change your life (burp !-oops that was me!) – that was a blupse  no on her part… I mean she just basically implied hell right – that change is a must!!!  That is exactly what Jansons and Dr. Salzer were asserting – that is the message of shame.  “I am a good friend of Alan  and support Exodus international-” and there is the buddy link – Birds of a feather. Chambers cannot escape the fact that Exodus and ex-gay provides in reality no alternative – but rather an imperative – “come to us because you must change.” Therein lies the danger – the spilled blood -!

UHUH Janey?

Her website:

“Let me share my testimony as I tell how God called me out of homosexuality.

I believe that what God has done for me, He can also do for you.

If you are struggling with homosexuality, I’m living proof that there is hope through Jesus Christ.

I can offer insight and help provide resources for those seeking a way out.”

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Dr. Drew ended the show by noting the huge amount of internet interest and the any questions.  We will post the Video as soon as we can.

I am now a fan Dr. Drew! It was clear that you are on the side of truth and science  – a realist and you also gave those crazies a fair shake!! Now lets just give them a shake….. comments please…

LETS TELL THE TRUTH ANYONE ONCE GAY IS NOW BISEXUAL – They admit the attraction is still there but in abatement and are in heterosexual relationships = BISEXUAL in my book.

This what appears on the Exodus website in FAQ’s – and show Mr Chambers up as a cowardly liar. To try and have us believe that EXODUS is not involved in shaming and reparative intent is plainly a lie.  I say thank goodness Apple refused his APP.  If you want your freedom of speech Mr. Chambers, then please dont speak with forked tongue!

What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

December 18, 2009 

The Bible is very clear about its condemnation of homosexual conduct. Both the Old and New Testaments speak with one voice on this subject. In spite of the publicity given to pro-gay theologians in recent years, serious and consistent exegetical study still allows no other interpretation.

Those who take seriously the authority of God’s Word should be aware that perhaps no subject poses a greater threat to the place of Scripture in our world today. If the world (and too often, even the church) can be convinced that we can ignore what the Bible teaches about homosexuality, then every other teaching of Scripture can be rationalized. Rejecting its teachings means confidence in the Bible as the inspired Word of God will be seriously eroded.

Unfortunately, Christians have not taken the time to prepare to defend the truth we believe. We may be familiar with the relevant passages, but simply quoting those passages will do nothing for those who have taken the time to understand the pro-gay arguments.

Those arguments usually will be based on one or more of the following approaches to the Bible:

1. References to homosexuality are simply relics of the culture at a certain time and place. Generally this argument does not deny what the Bible says; it just relegates it to a particular era of ignorance and prejudice.
2. The words used for homosexuality have been misunderstood and/or misinterpreted. These words don’t refer to homosexuality as we know it today.
3. Those who wrote the relevant passages of Scripture had no knowledge or understanding of committed gay relationships. Consequently, these passages only refer to specific homosexual acts and not homosexuality as a whole.
4. Jesus never said one word about homosexuality.

These arguments conveniently overlook several key factors. The passages that speak against homosexuality were written over a span of almost two thousand years. From the theocentric Old Testament tribes of the Judean wilderness to the cosmopolitan, multicultural and idol-saturated  cities of New Testament Greece and Rome, God clearly intended to call all cultures throughout all times to conform to His Word.

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

WASHINGTON, DC: As millions of Americans file their income taxes, hundreds of LGBT Americans will participate in National Tax Day Protests on April 15 and on April 18. These protests are being organized to call attention to tax inequities facing same-sex couples as a result of the state and federal laws that deny civil marriage protections to same-sex couples. These actions highlight the ongoing moral and financial costs of marriage discrimination—as well as the consequences paid by all Americans as a result of these unequal state and federal laws. In addition to on-the-ground actions organized by Marriage Equality USA and GetEQUAL, a campaign called “Refuse To Lie” has been launched to challenge the IRS’ requirement that gay married couples file as single.

“We are encouraged by the recent successful legal challenges to Section 3 surrounding the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ (DOMA) and the introduction of the ‘Respect for Marriage Act’ in Congress. However, same-sex couples are sitting down at their dining room tables to figure out how to file their taxes as ‘single’ in good conscience – despite spending decades together,” said Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA Media Director. “Even in the six states in which marriage equality is the law of the land, the IRS does not allow same-sex couples to file as married, despite having a valid marriage license.”

“The IRS is awkwardly trying to recognize community property law for same-sex couples while not recognizing the rest of our relationships, resulting in mass confusion and more expensive tax preparation costs. Even Turbo Tax has thrown up their hands and confirmed they can’t figure out how to create software that can comply with the disparity in how the government treats same-sex couples,” said GetEQUAL Director Robin McGehee. “This is a ridiculous way to treat law-abiding Americans who simply want to share their lives together, file their taxes together, and be recognized as full citizens of this country.”

“More people are refusing to lie on those forms, even though the government is telling them to,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, who plans on filing as married with her wife, Andrea. “It would be both dishonest and deeply humiliating to now disavow each other or our marriage and declare ourselves single on our tax form.”

The awkward situation created by this disparity between federal law, state law, and tax code has been covered at the national level. The New York Times reported Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, as saying, “As a lawyer and a legal advocate for the L.G.B.T. community, I am often in a position to advise people to exercise great caution and to comply in most cases with the letter of the law, even when that means denying who we are. This is my small way of saying, where we can, we are not going to play the game anymore.”

Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information go to www.marriageequality.org.

Founded in 2010, GetEQUAL is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information go to www.getequal.org. For more information, go to www.getequal.org, www.facebook.com/getequal, or www.twitter.com/getequal.

Refuse to Lie is a grassroots campaign that aims to make visible the impossible choice gay married couples have in choosing between the truth and the law. In addition to highlighting this injustice, the Refuse to Lie campaign provides resources on what other couples might face if they to “refuse to lie” on their tax returns. The campaign also provides an opportunity for individuals and gay or straight married couples to sign a petition and stand in solidarity with those who are risking their freedom to demand their equality.

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
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Gleefully Gayly Acceptable

Talk about a wedgie? Wedge attempt? Wedge issue attempt -whatever – Acts in support of the LGBT community were listed among the 10 things the RNC cited on the page as “The Case Against Obama: Social Issues.” The page went online the day Obama officially declared his intent to seek re-election in 2012.

The LGBT-related items were “Despite It Being the Law of the Land, Obama Refused to Continue Defending the Defense of Marriage Act in Court,” “Obama Repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ While U.S. Troops Are Still on the Battlefield” and “Obama Opposed California’s Prop 8 and Has Expanded Government Recognition of Same-Sex Couples.”

Now the Republican National Committee has removed from its website that page criticizing President Obama for the pro-LGBT stance of his administration.

The link to the page, which was titled “Hope Isn’t Hiring,” now redirects to the main page for the RNC’s website. According to the Human Rights Campaign, a link to the anti-gay page that was on the RNC main page now goes nowhere.

A RNC spokesperson didn’t respond to the Washington Blade’s request to comment on why the “Hope Isn’t Hiring” page is no longer active.

Last week, HRC sent a letter to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus condemning the anti-gay page. Log Cabin Republicans said they communicated with the RNC that the anti-gay page would hurt the Republicans in 2012.

seems the wedgie will not work anymore you silly guys – take it down it will backfire – no other good reason to remove it-!” (Imaginary quote)

“Hopefully the Republican Party leadership has come to their senses and realized that attacking LGBT families offends the great majority of Americans,” Joe Solmonese of HRC  said. “Polling overwhelmingly shows that Americans support LGBT equality and the Republican Party would be foolish to campaign on a platform based on discrimination and ignorance.”

We like that quote…..

Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

MEL AND TEAM KAAPSTAD
Ecclesia de Lange, Fired Methodist Minister
Melanie Nathan, LGR
Francois Nel, Mr. Gay World 2011
Gareth Dallas, Director Cape Town pride
Ndumie Funda, Activist and ED of Luleki Sizwe

Minnesota congresswoman and potential Republican presidential contender (URGH) Michele Bachmann delivered Scripture-crazed speech Monday in Iowa, where she said that marriage equality defied “5,000 recorded years of human history.”

Politicoreports on the speech.   In addition to her comments about marriage, she called for abolishing the tax code, the Department of Education and labeled Planned Parenthood the “LensCrafters of big abortion.”

Quoting from scripture, the congresswoman said it was her faith that drove her to push for a ballot measure to criminalize same-sex marriage in the state — something she said might be possible this year because both state legislative houses are held by Republicans.

“In 5,000 years of recorded human history… neither in the east or in the west… has any society ever defined marriage as anything other than between men and women,” Bachmann said during the latest installment of the Iowa Family Leader’s presidential lecture series. “Not one in 5000 years of recorded human history. That’s an astounding fact and it isn’t until the last 12 years or so that we have seen for the first time in recorded human history marriage defined as anything other than between men and between women.”

Judges are “black-robed masters,” she said, echoing a line she used during another recent trip to Iowa to lambaste the state Supreme Court justices whose ruling effectively legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

“That’s what you had here in Iowa: black-robed masters,” Bachmann said. “They are not our masters. They are not our morality. They are not put there to make the decisions.”

“For seven generations, we had our family born here, raised here, all in northeastern Iowa,” she said. “I feel like I know you, I’m one of you, and it’s wonderful to be able to be here today.”

What Bachmann fails to realize is that she has blown her OATH to uphold the Constitution of the USA – and all its related terms- in favor of scripture – now THAT IS what ought to be criminalized!!

melanie nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

Equality California to Honor Judge Victoria Kolakowski,  and also Council-member Todd Gloria at San Diego Equality Awards – Equality California has  announced that it will be honoring Judge Victoria Kolakowski and San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria at the 2011 San Diego Equality Awards, presented by AT&T, set to take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011.

Kolakowski made history last year by becoming the nation’s first openly transgender judge. A trailblazing pioneer and inspiration to the LGBT community, Kolakowski has been a longtime advocate for LGBT equality, previously serving on the board of the Transgender Law Center and Equality California, where she was a founding board member.

LezGetReal interviewed the Judge at the EQCA awards in San Francisco. The event is highly recommended and the group must be supported for the amazing work they do in this State.

Gloria has worked tirelessly to increase protections and housing opportunities for LGBT people. Last year, Gloria introduced an equal benefits ordinance that requires city contractors to offer their employees domestic partner benefits, which the city council approved with unanimous support. The awards celebration will include an open-bar reception hosted by Blue Angel Vodka, silent auction, gourmet dinner and after party.

The event will be held at the San Diego Hall of Champions, Balboa Park, 2131 Pan American Plaza, San Diego.

Sponsors include Statewide Presenting Sponsor AT&T, Bank of America, Blue Angel Vodka, Sweet, State Farm Insurance, Joyce Rowland and Pam Morgan, Sempra Energy, Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside Counties, Tom Maddox & Randy Clark, the BottomLine, Pulp Magazine, and Graphics Business Media.

Advance ticket purchase required. For event table and ticket information please visit www.eqca.org/sandiego. For sponsorship information, contact Kenny Cassady at 760-641-0082 or Kenny@eqca.org.

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Equality California has passed more than 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Portland -  A  Multnomah County Judge, County Circuit Court Judge Tennyson issued a ruling in  in the Shineovich v. Kemp case, ruling that Sondra Shineovich consented to the artificial insemination of her former domestic partner, Sarah Kemp, resulting in the pregnancies and birth of two children and that the two intended to raise the children as co-parents.

The ruling noted that the evidence showed much weight that Shinovich had contributed  with her  “actions, emotions and money.” and that the two had a partnership intending to raise the children together.

Ms. Shineovich had previously failed at trial court level to win her right to  the acknowledgment that she is the legal parent of the children, carried  by Ms. Kemp.  She took her case to the Oregon Court of Appeals, which sided with her, in July 2009, declared ORS. 109.243 unconstitutionally discriminatory on the basis of  gender and sexual orientation.

READ DECISION – Aa 11 Shineovich Sondra, Tennyson Decision

Aa 11 Shineovich Sondra, Tennyson Decision

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

(San Francisco, CA, April 5, 2011)—A majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults who answered a national online survey believe that staff of long-term care facilities would discriminate against an LGBT elder who was open about his or her sexual orientation, and more than half believe that staff or other residents would abuse or neglect an LGBT elder.

Released today, the groundbreaking report—LGBT Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities: Stories from the Field—utilizes survey results for the first glimpse into some of the issues faced by LGBT older adults in long-term care facilities. Of the 769 individuals who completed the survey, 328 people reported 853 instances of mistreatment in such facilities.

The survey, conducted from October 2009 through June 2010, did not use a representative or scientific sample, but includes hundreds of personal comments offered by the respondents, ranging from reports of staff harassment to staff refusals to provide basic services or care. Of the 769 individuals who completed the survey, 284 identified themselves as LGBT older adults. Others said they were family members, friends, social service providers, legal services providers, or other interested individuals.

The survey, website, and the report were prepared by the National Senior Citizens Law Center in collaboration with Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE).

“Administrators and staff members at long-term care facilities should see this report as a wake-up call,” said National Center for Lesbian Rights Elder Law Project Fellow Daniel Redman, Esq. “An extraordinary 89 percent of respondents—from across the country, from a variety of backgrounds—assert that LGBT people cannot come out in a nursing home without risking their safety. Better policies, more comprehensive training, and an aggressive litigation strategy are all needed to bring the nursing home industry into the 21^st century. As the report asserts, “Good care is possible.” By following the report’s recommendations and taking affirmative steps to make facilities LGBT-inclusive, long-term care facilities can do a lot to make their services welcoming to all seniors.”

Said National Senior Citizens Law Center Executive Director Paul Nathanson: “Our hope is that this report provokes thought, raises critical questions, and compels future systematic research that can be used to dive deeper into the issues raised by these findings and the many personal stories we received.”

Some of the comments point to possible violations of federal nursing home law, while others signify that far more training and awareness by staff is needed, in addition to enhanced consumer awareness. The report also points to a wide array of policy remedies that could be enacted to support LGBT elders better and improve the facilities where they reside. The report’s recommendations are directed toward policymakers as well as long-term care providers.

“In SAGE’s experience, LGBT older adults often fear that they will encounter providers who might be uncomfortable with, or even hostile, towards them, untrained to work with them or unaware that they even exist,” said SAGE Executive Director Michael Adams. “Even when providers are supportive, fear of discrimination keeps many LGBT elders in the closet and prevents them from seeking the care they need. This speaks to a great need for training on cultural competency and LGBT aging issues, available through outlets such as the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, for staff at long-term care facilities.”

Said Laurie young, a specialist on aging and the Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders remain a highly vulnerable and largely invisible aging population. We know that invisibility leads to greater social isolation, which can lead to increased vulnerability in many areas, such as the discrimination faced in long-term care institutions. This report highlights the issues faced by LGBT older adults in long-term care facilities and offers concrete recommendations on how aging advocates, policy makers, providers and social service agencies can meet them.”

Added Lambda Legal Deputy Legal Director Hayley Gorenberg: “Unfortunately, we are hearing far too frequently, all across the country, from LGBT seniors who are forced into isolation for fear of being out and vulnerable or older LGBT couples who are forced back in the closet when they visit their loved one in long-term care facilities. This report should shock our nation into action. As we continue to make great strides for equality, we cannot leave our elders behind.”

Survey results, comments and personal videos from LGBT older adults can be found, as well as profiles of the authors, at www.LGBTLongTermCare.org.

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

The National Senior Citizens Law Center is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to protect the rights of low-income older adults. Through advocacy, litigation, and the education and counseling of local advocates, we seek to ensure the health and economic security of those with limited income and resources, and access to the courts for all. For more information, visit www.NSCLC.org.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. www.LambdaLegal.org

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults. SAGE has pioneered programs and services for the aging LGBT community, provided technical assistance and training to expand opportunities for LGBT older people across the country, and provided a national voice on LGBT aging issues.  In 2005, SAGE became the first official LGBT delegate at the White House Conference on Aging.  In 2010, SAGE was awarded a three-year $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging to seed the creation of the nation’s only National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. Learn more at www.SAGEUSA.org and www.LGBTAgingCenter.org.

The National Center for Transgender Equality is a social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment. www.TransEquality.org

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the grassroots power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community by training activists, equipping state and local organizations with the skills needed to organize campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and building the organizational capacity of the movement. As part of a broader social justice movement, the Task Force works to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. www.TheTaskForce.org

Some same-sex married couples are refusing to file their federal tax returns separately this tax season, as part of a movement demonstrating that they’re no longer content to quietly comply with the federal law that does not recognize same-sex marriage. And in some cases, these taxpayers will pay Uncle Sam more when they do so. Prior to recent developments in the Courts and introduction of Defense of Marriage Act repeal legislation, same-sex couples have yet been as bold; now it seems the time is right!

Same-sex couples who have married, or who have a legal status equivalent to marriage in certain states, must still file separate federal returns because the government — and therefore the Internal Revenue Service — defines marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman. Say the Article by By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD in a NY Times BLog Post.

“Using that definition, federal tax returns ask taxpayers to check one of five options under their filing status: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household or qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. Married same-sex partners typically file their own federal returns either as single or, if they qualify, as head of household, which has more favorable rates than the single filing status.

But many same-sex couples contend that filing as single amounts to lying about their marriage status, and that’s the message behind the “Refuse to Lie” campaign created by gay activists, which is timed to coincide with tax season.

“More people are refusing to lie on those forms, even though the government is telling them to,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy group Equality Florida, who plans on filing a joint return with her wife, Andrea. “It would be both dishonest and deeply humiliating to now disavow each other or our marriage and declare ourselves single on our tax form.”

Nina E. Olson, the national taxpayer advocate who acts as an ombudsman for the I.R.S., acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding federal taxation of same-gender spouses in an annual report to Congress. In the report, she said that taxpayers may take a filing position without penalty if there is “substantial authority” to do so, such as a court case that hasn’t been overruled by the United States Court of Appeals. And there happen to be two such cases, which are currently on appeal.

In July 2010, the Federal District Court in Massachusetts declared the Defense of Marriage Act — the federal law known as DOMA that defines marriage as between a man and a woman — as unconstitutional in two cases; now being appealed in the First Circuit. “Thus, there may be substantial authority for same-gender spouses to take certain tax positions as married as long as the Massachusetts district court’s opinions stands,” Ms. Olson said in the report.

The Impetus clear and different to past years and now quite tempting!

The “Refuse to Lie” Web site warns same-sex couples of the risks of filing jointly, and explains different options to both adhere to the law while expressing that they disagree with it. One way to do that would be to put an asterisk by the “single” box, and then indicate at the bottom of the tax form that you are “only single under DOMA.” Another option, the site says, is to attach a note with a similar message.  Read the rest of the article here….

While at LezGetReal we assert the caveat  “Dont Try this at Home “  – and “buyer beware” and we suggest “contact your lawyer and CPA” – we do love the idea of this form of Financial (civil) disobedience!

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

San Francisco – Because legal experts are advising that the Proposition 8 federal challenge could take years to resolve, Equality California is launching a community engagement initiative to start a discussion on whether to return to the ballot in 2012 to repeal the marriage ban or whether to wait for a final decision by the courts. Before making any recommendation, Equality California will survey its membership, hold 10 town halls across the state and an online town hall, conduct a poll of likely 2012 voters, consult with political experts, coalition partners and engage with its members and the LGBT community. Equality California will announce results of polling and analysis by Labor Day.

“For two people who love each other and want to be married it is heartbreaking that an unfair law keeps them and their families apart,” said Jim Carroll, Equality California interim executive director. “We were truly optimistic that the court case to overturn Prop 8 would restore marriage equality by the end of 2010 or early this year, making a ballot measure unnecessary. Despite the amazing work of the dedicated lawyers leading this effort, there is no guarantee how or when the courts will ultimately rule.

“As a community, we will figure out together whether we wait until the courts rule or whether we repeal Prop 8 at the ballot box. We urge LGBT community members and our allies to join the conversation.”

Details and a complete schedule for community town halls are forthcoming with initial meetings scheduled for San Francisco on May 19, West Hollywood on May 25 and San Diego on June 2.

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional in August 2010. However, that same month the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, preventing same-sex couples from marrying while the case is on appeal.

On January 4, 2011, the federal appeals court asked the California Supreme Court for guidance on an issue related to whether the sponsors of Prop 8 have standing to pursue an appeal. The California Supreme Court said will consider the question with oral arguments to be held as early as September, meaning a decision likely would not come until the end of this year at the earliest.

To take the survey, please visit: www.eqca.org/Prop8survey

Suspect Tiven and Congressman Nadler -Think IE had some Lobby going here?

So Guess who is asking for more support for the same thing they screwed bi-nationals over and  over again previously?  Yes, It is Immigration Equality. They need your grassroots effort and/or money so you can get screwed yet again  – so they can mess with  our UAFA again and again and again – The question is this time do they plan on advocating for it or advocating for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the past modus operandi; the latter previously touted as the only way to achieve these rights.   But it did not work and now what crazy path will they explore with your hearts risking your soul mates?  Do they plan on placing UAFA and Binationals, same-sex green cards ahead of the DREAM ACT this time – because the latter may happen to include some gays and lesbians?

Julie Kruse, Policy Director has put out a call for you to tell your stories and to support UAFA!   Time warp 2009! Julie what have we been doing for ten years?

Buyer beware- what is wrong with this picture?

Kruse”s letter states “In just a few weeks, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) will reintroduce the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) — a critically important bill that would provide much-needed relief to LGBT families facing separation and exile under our discriminatory immigration laws. Will you help us build the support we need to ensure UAFA’s reintroduction is a success?”

AND WHY I ASK?

She continues ” As you know, UAFA would allow lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans to sponsor our foreign-born partners and children for residency in the United States. UAFA’s passage would immediately help all families with foreign-born partners. For families whose relationships aren’t recognized by state or local law – and for families currently living in exile — UAFA offers the only permanent solution for remaining together. ”

I have a feeling this jargon was copied from an email back in 2009 – c heck it OUT!  That said – when I was in DC with Shirley Tan, the lesbian mom saved from deportation under Private Bill #867, by Senator Feinstein two things did not occurred:-

1. Julie Kruse told us not to waste our time telling Republicans in Congress Shirley’s story – BUT now the Republicans have a majority and so should we still keep our stories from them Julie Kruse?

2. I informed Rachel Tiven and Julie Kruse in June 2009, after speaking with the Senator’s senior legislative staffer,  that the only way to get Senator Feinstein to sponsor and push  UAFA would have been for IE to acknowledge that the UAFA does not provide enough defining language demanding a CONTRACTUAL NEXUS between partners; and that mere evidence would not be enough to satisfy the Senator.   Understanding law the way I do the Senator’s requirement made complete sense to me.  But Immigration equality representatives fobbed me off.

a.  UAFA Language must change to  define Permanent Partner as someone who can prove a contractual nexus, via a DP or marriage document from a Jurisdiction or a written contract defining the relationship – beyond mere evidence of joint check accounts and rental agreements.   The impediment to UAFA has always been – not fear of fraud- per se- but rather the lack of provable contractual relationship or connection.  Roomates can share a bill but cannot a contract defining their relationship.

The language can and must work around this.  Immigration Equality basically told me I was wasting my time because and I quote “Senator Feinstein does not care about the  LGBT community.”  That was a horrible myth perpetuated by another organization which I care not to name as well as by Immigration equality.

b.  Senator Feinstein absolutely cares about gays  (LGBTI) and when I repeated that comment to a staffer in the Senators office two years ago, I was told it would break the Senator’s heart because she did care so much.  I believed that Senator Feinstein does care and did then and I deplore the fact that Immigration Equality failed to truly engage her office to provide the legislative solution for her sponsorship.

So much energy spent on fighting for so called immigration reform when all we wanted is equality.

c. Senator Feinstein is correct to go full out for the Repeal of DOMA at this point.  To split our advocacy once a repeal is on the table for DOMA is pure waste of of unity and advocacy time.    At this point IE should be asking for special visas and Private Bills to prevent deportations of a class to be named – pending the repeal of DOMA.   Instead they are trying to roll back the clock and hedge UAFA’s enactment  against DOMA’s repeal.

Yes Tell your stories and tell your representatives why you want your Federal benefits such as immigration. Tell them your stories.   But how can we do it in the name of UAFA which Immigration Equality may again hi-jack for their own invisible purposes.  Do it in the name of DOMA repeal.

Kruse  states then in her e-mail bvlast Help us honor those families by ensuring we have a strong coalition of lawmakers supporting UAFA in the new Congress.”  Yes, Julie Kruse, Rachel Tiven and Steve Ralls – et al – how are you going to regenerate support for UAFA in a Republican Congress when you failed in a Democratic one and took all binationals for the biggest ride of their life…. down CIR road to nowhere.   Do you plan on touting UAFA and switching to Comprehensive immigration Reform YET AGAIN?

How many times you take our community for suckers.

The Letter goes on to say: – “Ask your lawmaker to cosponsor UAFA, and add your personal story to your letter. Your story is the best, and most powerful, way to let Congress know how critical passage of UAFA is for our families.”

In case you were unaware OUT4IMMIGRATION has been doing just that since long before you let go of your grassroots respect and telling actual stories for UAFA.  But now its time to tell them our stories for the repeal of DOMA which will give same-sex spouses the same rights as gay spouses.

“We finished the last Congress with record support for UAFA.”   say Kruse with ultimate chutzpah – then why did you bandwagon and scurry after Immigration Reform and failed alliances?

“Help us begin this Congress by setting a new record again. With your help, we can take action to ensure LGBT families won’t be torn apart by unfair immigration laws.”    Does that sound familiar – like a pre immigration reform rewind?  A most disingenuous statement – do not expect support – we the grassroots are better off without your strategy mess ups and your inability to take responsibility – what you need to do is to be transparent.   This letter is another example of such lack of transparency , ignorance and the presumption that we are all a bunch of idiots.

UNLESS Immigration Equality shows the truth – and  tells same-sex couples what their FULL strategy and plan is – they have no place asking for Bi-national f support because same-sex couples who have been waiting for years and who you turn away when in need, do not trust Immigration Equality any longer.

What is Immigration Equality’s plan in the broad scheme of things? How is it addressing the repeal of the Defense of marriage Act  DOMA now that has strong support and has been introduced already – is UAFA a bey hedged against the repeal of DOMA and if it is what guarantee do we have that Immigration equality will not hijack the legislation yet again?

Will Immigration equality  chase the DREAM again or work for UAFA fully – or  CHASE comprehensive immigration reform with our UAFA stories and pleas for help.

Julie Kruse , If we want UAFA will you offer CIR  – again?    No one should follow this group without a fully transparent plan of intent and one that they honor.  No one should follow this group until they provide a financial disclosure of how money was spent over the past few years and how they plan to budget and allocate resources at this time.

Immigration equality-  the big glaring lie – is the offer that UAFA will provide a quick remedy. No it will not. It is simply not possible.   The only quick remedy will be a executive order by the President or some creative form of  Sunset Special Binat -VISA or Protocol to provide for the immediate relief suffered by our binational / same-sex couples – limited to those who are married – because marriage is now a relatively easy option, according to State and Foreign Laws.

Grassroots I ask you – are you going to allow your selves to be used again – like lambs to the slaughter ?

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

NOTE:-  An Aside: Who can depend on IE: If you have stories to tell please e-mail me – at nathan@privatecourts.com:

I recently sent an asylum seeker to Immigration equality who is within the small window of opportunity with a winning Asylum case.  They were excited to receive the case, my source informs me.   I then went to South Africa for a month and just arrived back – only to hear that the young person who is in great physical danger if returned home, is still waiting for a post interview call back.  She is panic stricken and under time constraints for filing.  It is a simple case to file and all they need is to find her an attorney to fill out the forms.

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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For quite some time I have been writing about creative alternatives – I would like to see the organizations getting your money doing some of the creative out od the box work!!!!

Here is the Body of my Past work on this subject

http://lezgetreal.com/page/2/?s=Binational

http://lezgetreal.com/2010/12/same-sex-green-cards-the-case-for-a-presidential-executive-order-2011/

REPEAT  -  I WROTE THIS BACK IN DECEMBER,……   WRITTEN BEFORE INTRODUCTION OF REPEAL OF DOMA

Melanie Nathan, Dec 30, 2010. At the federal level of government in the United States, laws are made almost exclusively by legislation. Legislation originates as an Act of Congress passed by the Congress of the United States; such acts were either signed into law by the President or passed by Congress after a presidential veto.

Legislation is not the only source of regulations which have the force of law. There is also judge-made common law and constitutional law. The President can issue executive orders pursuant to a grant of discretion from Congress, or under the inherent powers that office holds to deal with certain matters of foreign policy.

When it comes to immigration matters, the standing law is that covered by the Immigration and Naturalization Act of the USA.  This law cannot be changed, without the involvement of Congress through an amendment process.  However I believe that when it comes to the regulations to effect the intent behind the law or something that unexpectedly and detrimentally impacts the law, the President of the USA can provide an executive order to adjust the circumstances, so impacted.

I do not believe that it was ever the intention of the Defense of Marriage Act to deny the de facto relationships of same-sex couples. I believe President Clinton who signed it into law would attest that it was never his intention to cause American citizens and Residents in same-sex relationships to have to exile the USA to pursue their Constitutional right to happiness. However Americans in the USA, in same sex relationships are denied the possibility to sponsor a partner for a green card.

Accordingly I believe that President Obama has the power to effect an Executive Order on behalf of same-sex couples who are specifically excluded by DOMA, from participating in the US Immigration laws.   This  quest would specifically denote a right by way of process to an American (citizen or resident) and not a right to an immigrant; the right of the American to Petition for a same-sex partner to reside in the USA, that is currently excluded via laws that simply fail to include the de facto situation, thereby causing extreme  hardship to American Families.

I do not believe the Immigration law needs to change for this to happen in the short term; I do not believe that this reflects in any way shape or form on the marriage equality debate.  It does not seek to change DOMA and nor does it impact the Immigration Act as we know it, at all.

There have been many early executive orders during all Presidencies;  the State Department began numbering executive orders in the early 20th century, starting retroactively from President Abraham Lincoln’s Executive Order Establishing a Provisional Court in Louisiana issued in 1862. An executive order is an order issued by the President, the head of the executive branch of the federal government, generally to staff of the executive branch and not to the citizens of the country. Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution specifically reserves all federal legislative authority to Congress, not the president.

However here what would occur would be the President ordering the inclusion of same-sex partners under existing law, based on the de facto existence of relationships, the anomaly caused by State law that endorse such relationships, while the Federal government fails to secure the right of the American to remain at home in a relationship of their choice.

Examples of prior Immigration related executive orders -

• Employment of aliens under Federal contracts: EO 12989
• Grenada; revocation of naturalization exemptions: EO 12913
• Persian Gulf conflict participants; expedited naturalization: EO 12939

The Case for an executive order is easily made:

Urgent Need; Immediate Harm;

Without the passage of a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act the exclusionary legislation that caused the harm, or the passage of the Uniting American Families Act, (UAFA) the pending Legislation – which would fix the problem, there is little else that can happen to right this immeasurable harm in the near future.

Same-sex couples have been watching the introduction of legislation come and go for the best part of 15 years to no avail

Americans are living in exile to be with partners – separated from extended families, children etc.  Some are getting ready to leave the USA as I write this; some partners have not seen each other in years- partners are deported, living  jobless in hiding; the expense to maintain an international relationship is prohibitive and I can go on….

The Dream Act failed – Do you think Republicans will give a damn about gay and lesbian couples?

Now that DADT is repealed Military also need to a mechanism to bring home foreign born partners after serving abroad.

Now I have never written an Executive Order or anything similar before and so please do not take this as my expectation of what one would really look like or entail. In fact I may even be coming at it from the wrong angle – there may be a more direct way to do it than to Order a Special Board charged with a duty as I have done below.   I thought of doig it that way so that the ORDER would not be a blanket order, but would have built in measure for responsible actions, where evidence and contractual nexus helm the process.

EXECUTIVE ORDER

PREAMBLE:- Same Sex couples are a de facto part of American Society. The Defense of Marriage Act. specifically excludes Same-Sex partners from being included under the Immigration & Naturalization Act of 1952.

Some de facto same-sex relationships impacted by the Law include children who suffer hardship if parents are forced to separate or leave the United States;

No US citizen should be forced into exile or to leave their homes, careers and countries to be able to pursue a relationship with a same-sex partner;

The intention of the Defense of Marriage Act was define marriage as between a man and a woman only. In No way does this order derogate from that concept nor does it attempt to re-define marriage;

Predicated on the fact that DOMA was never intended to divide unmarried couples (who did not have the legal option to marry in accordance with the Federal definition established by DOMA)  and families or prevent them from living together.

It remains the policy of this Administration to enforce the immigration laws to the fullest extent, for all cases that do not conform to this Order;  including the detection and deportation of undocumented aliens.

IT IS ORDERED:-

I. Establishment of Emergency Board, to be led by personnel appointed by the President of the USA and office of the Department of Homeland Security for the purposes outlined as follows:-

I. Investigating the separation of same-sex partners whose relationships are excluded from immigration rights and privileges under the Immigration and Nationality Act of  1952 as amended ; with the specific purpose of providing remedies and urgent relief to specific couples and through general regulations and remedies for couples at large:-

a. To establish a Special Visa Program (similar to Fiancé Visa/ R1 Visa) to facilitate the reunification of same-sex partners in relationships where a contractual nexus can be proved within six months of entry by foreign partner into USA; and to to provide a path to citizenship upon conditions to be determined.

b. To provide a mechanism for the adjustment of Status for same-sex foreign partners who are currently in the USA undocumented, whose Visa has expired, who enter into same-sex relationships while in the USA, including those in Asylum or deportation proceedings, or under ten year re-entry ban, where other is a US Citizen or Legal US Resident, who can prove a contractual nexus;

c. To define contractual nexus (I have prepared my own)

d. To define and detail evidence required to prove contractual nexus:- (I have prepared a list)

II. Circumstances to Investigate:

• circumstances of American citizens forced leave the USA to be in relationship
• and live with a foreign born partner, where there is proof of contractual nexus;
• to review immigration cases of foreign same-sex partner, where other is a US
  Citizen or  legal US Resident,  who can prove a contractual nexus;
• to review deportation cases involving foreign same-sex partner, where other is a
  US Citizen or Legal US Resident,  who can prove a contractual nexus;
• to review asylum cases foreign same-sex partner, where other is a US Citizen and
  Resident,  who can prove a contractual nexus;
• to review Visa Applications

III Moratorium:

Immediate moratorium on all deportations involving foreign same-sex partner, where other is a US Citizen or Legal US Resident, who can prove a contractual nexus;  to include a retroactive waiver of 10 year ban on re-entry to USA.

The Power shall be vested in the Board and All Regulations stemming therefrom shall be subject to the oversight of a duly appointed Staffer and ratification by the President of the USA.

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CONCLUSION:

Maybe this is a pipe dream and I have written about this over a year ago – I hope to join with other advocates in the New Year to push for a creative remedy for the unconscionable and reprehensible inequity to same-sex couples and their families, immediate and extended.  This international community cannot wait any longer – not even for what it will take to repeal DOMA, Enact UAFA.  This is not an immigration reform issue – it is an immigration equality – as in parity- issue. Hence the bi-national same sex community which advocates, waits and prays for remedies should not be expected to wait any longer while an anti-immigrant weighted Congress plodders along with Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

A note from J. Bachelor  3/31/2011 : I had passed this on to others in the past, but the person to target is Obama and here is why:

A new strategy for helping out immigrants is outlined in a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) memo from last year. In that memo, staff members for USCIS catalogued the various options that are open to the President.

“USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place, deferred action and the issuance of Notices to Appear (NTA), and adopting significant process improvements,” the memo reads.

The text of the memo asserts that USCIS’s discretionary power to use deferred action is unlimited. In order to suppress opposition to the flexing of this muscle, the USCIS staffers who wrote the memo suggest that deferred action be used to exempt “particular groups” from being subject to removal proceedings. In this memo, they explicitly admit that “deferred action” — or using prosecutorial discretion not to deport someone — would be “a non-legislative version of ‘amnesty.’”

Fox News notes that deferred action is a “suspension of deportation hearings for illegal aliens. With “deferred action,” illegals are allowed to apply for employment authorization cards,” (http://nation.foxnews.com/amnesty/2010/06/23/obama-granting-amnesty-executive-order).

The President has the power to sign an executive order to exempt “particular groups”, such as gay binational couples who are married, from being deported. This would not make them legal, but would allow them to remain in the country with their significant others.
- http://www2.nationalreview.com/memo_UCIS_072910.html

Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the plaintiffs’ motion to lift the stay in the case challenging Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. That ruling means that the district’s court decision striking down Prop 8 remains on hold, and same-sex couples in California will be denied the right to marry while the litigation continues.

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughan Walker issued a decision in August 2010 holding that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. Before that ruling took effect, however, the Ninth Circuit put it on hold by issuing a “stay” while the decision is appealed. At the same time, the Ninth Circuit put the case on a fast track.

The plaintiffs who are challenging Prop 8 filed a motion last month asking the Ninth Circuit to lift the stay because the Ninth Circuit has asked the California Supreme Court to rule on an issue related to the case, thereby causing significant additional delay, and because same-sex couples in California suffer harm every day they are denied the right to marry.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, Lambda Legal, and ACLU Foundation of Northern California filed an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit in support of lifting the stay. The Ninth Circuit rejected that request in a very short opinion issued this morning.

Join us at NCLRights.org, our Out for Justice blog, Facebook, and Twitter for more updates throughout the day.

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

NCLR’s life- and law-changing work depends on the support of individuals like you. Donate now using our secure website.

Dear MELANIE,

We’re deeply disappointed. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals just decided not to lift the stay on marriages for same-sex couples in California – forcing loving couples to continue waiting for the freedom to marry as the federal case against Prop. 8 slowly progresses.

What a devastating decision for same-sex couples and their families! Every day that passes, LGBT people remain second class citizens, and real families experience real harm.

It’s time to speak out against this injustice and demand full equality now. We can’t stand around and wait while the courts, who are supposed to ensure equal treatment under the law, continue to deny us our basic humanity.

We know that personal conversations are the best way to help others understand why LGBT rights matter. Please, speak to three people you know today and tell them how denying loving couples the right to marry harms them and their families. Ask these three people to stand with you as the case progresses.

Then, tell us on Facebook or Twitter that you had these conversations, and let us know how they went. Having a conversation might seem like a small act, but we know it makes a tremendous difference in support.

Then, keep your eyes on your email in the weeks ahead for more ways to help overturn Prop. 8 and advance full equality across California. While today’s decision is disappointing, if we work together, all the heartbreak of waiting for the end of Prop. 8 will soon be a memory.

In solidarity, Geoff Kors

Today, the Ninth Circuit decided to uphold its stay and further deny gay and lesbian couples their constitutional right to marry. But, their decision in no way impedes the progress of our case to win the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian Americans.

AFER will continue to aggressively fight for the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian Americans with our court case challenging Prop. 8, and in the court of public opinion.

In court, AFER’s legal team, led by Theodore B. Olson and David Boies, is aggressively defending our August 2010 district court victory, which declared Prop. 8 unconstitutional. The proponents of fear and discrimination are using every trick and legal maneuver to keep discrimination on the books, and our legal team is countering every one of their attacks.

In the court of public opinion, AFER is changing the debate about marriage for gay and lesbian couples. We are bringing together people from across the political spectrum, conservatives and progressives alike, to prove that marriage is not a political issue, but an American value. We are gaining support in areas where few thought it was possible.

We must continue to work together with renewed vigor to show the state, and the nation, why equality means so much to gay and lesbian couples, their families, and everyone who believes that discrimination has no place in our laws.

Now, more than ever your financial support of our case is critical.

Become a monthly supporter of the case to win equality. Your tax-deductible gift will help us achieve lasting equality.
We are challenging Prop. 8 in court because we firmly believe that no American’s civil rights should ever be put to a vote. AFER will not stop until all Americans have the equal rights they deserve.  (AFER)

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Monica and Cristina SOURCE "Stop the Deportations"

Amidst an historic ruling, we need  President Obama to take a bold move.  Lavi Soloway, an Immigration Attorney who has been working on “Stop the Deportations” a project to prevent deportation of the foreign partner of same-sex married couples, announced on his website that Monica Alcota and Cristina Ojeda, became the first married, same-sex, binational couple to successfully argue that deportation proceedings should be adjourned until their marriage-based immigration case had been fully adjudicated.

The post reads: “The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement attorney and the Immigration Judge agreed that the couple should be given an opportunity to fight for a green card on the basis of their marriage and generously adjourned proceedings accordingly.  During their brief appearance in court, the discussion centered on an acknowledgment that the couple may have a long road a head of them, but that they should be allowed to pursue their case with U.S. Immigration and Customs Services, the administrative agency that processes marriage-based petitions.  Monica and Cristina will report back to the Judge in December to notify the court and the government attorney of the status of their case.  This is a tremendous victory for The DOMA Project and we hope it will signal a shift in how similar cases will be handled in Immigration Courts across the country.”

An immigration judge in Manhattan made an historic ruling this morning, according to Lavi Soloway at Stop the Deportations:

“This morning, Monica Alcota and Cristina Ojeda, became the first married, same-sex, binational  (bi-national) couple to successfully argue that deportation proceedings should be adjourned until their marriage-based immigration case had been fully adjudicated. The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement attorney and the Immigration Judge agreed that the couple should be given an opportunity to fight for a green card on the basis of their marriage and generously adjourned proceedings accordingly.

During their brief appearance in court, the discussion centered on an acknowledgment that the couple may have a long road a head of them, but that they should be allowed to pursue their case with U.S. Immigration and Customs Services, the administrative agency that processes marriage-based petitions.  Monica and Cristina will report back to the Judge in December to notify the court and the government attorney of the status of their case.  This is a tremendous victory for The DOMA Project and we hope it will signal a shift in how similar cases will be handled in Immigration Courts across the country.”

Gay City News interviews the couple:

For Alcota and Ojeda, the legal developments of the last eight months –– in Boston, Washington, and now Manhattan –– represent some respite from what has been “hanging over our heads,” Ojeda explained –– “that I would lose her.”

That’s exactly what happened to Ojeda –– for three months at least –– in 2009. As the couple traveled through upstate New York by bus to bring Ojeda’s belongings from Buffalo, where she had just finished up a master’s degree in social work, to Queens, where the two women now live, a spot border control check resulted in Alcota being detained by immigration officials. She ended up in a privately-run detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, from which she could have been deported at any time.

Finally, an Immigration Judge saw Alcota and determined she had “a reasonable fear” of persecution should she be returned to Argentina. She had fled her home country, where she lived in a region near the Chilean border, with her then-partner because the two believed their lives were at risk.

PRESIDENT OBAMA ITS UP TO YOU WE WANT OUR FAMILIES TO BE TOGETHER – WE WANT THE SAME RIGHTS AS YOU!!

My Opinion: This may be precedent setting.  There are other couples in the same predicament as I am writing this -  foreign same-sex  spouses who have cases before the Immigration Judges.  Perhaps if these couples  who are married, were to file such Petitions with Department of Home Land Security, based on Alien relative petitions for green cards, they too may enjoy such suspensions of their deportation orders.

However some may prefer to continue with their asylum proceedings so that their positions are declaratory and reach conclusive results.   This may or may not be advisable depending on the case.  I can attest to the fact that when one goes through a detention period of any length,  deportation hearings, asylum proceedings all the while scrambling to find willing pro bono attorneys,   it gets to a point where one simply wants to live life without the ongoing  drama of uncertainty.

Clearly until the  DOMA law repeals, the law changes via special visas,  or UAFA is passed, the situation of the Couple in this story remains open ended and they are still at great risk.

It is time for President OBAMA to issue an executive Order for these couples and all couples who want to stay with their same-sex spouses in the USA.  If the President is challenged,   let the government be the ones to spend money on lawsuits not the individuals. That is the kind of leadership the LGBTI community expects of this administration.

PS.   I am Still in South Africa! Returning home soon…….

MORE ON SAME  SEX GREEN CARDS by Melanie Nathan

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Next week a Ugandan Parliamentary Committee will be debating murder – legal killing by their government – the law will give power to Uganda to commit genocide of a minority via legislation.  Despite rumors that the opposition Parties in Uganda had succeeded in preventing a vote on the controversial Anti Homosexuality bill (AHB) – better known as the “Kill the Gays” Bill, it is now reported that it will indeed be one of a few bills that Members of Parliament on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee are set to debate when the House resumes business next week, during what could be termed a ‘lame duck session.’

Tabled in Parliament in 2009, by its author David Bahati, known for his homophobia and overt hate for homosexuals and lesbians, the latter masked by the right wing evangelical version of Christianity, the AHB  seeks to entrench the criminalization of  homosexuality, with death penalties for “repeat offenders/ aggravated homosexuality” and prison terms for gays and lesbians including those who fail t report them, beyond the current broader law “acts committed against the order of nature.”

Speaking to the media at Parliament today, the committee chairman, Stephen Tashobya said though the bill has created both local and international concern, it is up to Parliament to pass the bill.

“Tashobya says the committee will hold public hearings where stakeholders’ views will be heard and a report made to the House for debate and possible passing before Parliament closes the 8th Parliament.

Ndorwa West MP and mover of the bill, David Bahati welcomed the development and said he would continue to lobby Ugandans to support the bill, whose intention is to protect the Ugandan traditional family and children.”

The American State Department source told LezGetReal some months back, that they had been keeping a keen eye on the progress of a Bill that they find intolerable and unacceptable, and that the US State department had come out very strongly against it enactment.

A few days ago,  Congressman Barney Frank of the USA,  introduced legislation into the United States Congress for law preventing further US AID to Uganda.   Introduced by way of an amendment in the House Financial Services Committee,  Frank said in a statement on Tuesday the amendment received unanimous backing from the legislators” although most votes in the committee have broken along party lines.”

Although some opposition leaders have expressed they are against the Bill it would seem that it has widespread support in Uganda as well as that of President Museveni who has not come out to condemn, bearing in mind that he and Bahati share the same political party.

It is incumbent on the International community to make its voice heard at this time, especially as it will be debated in committee now.  I believe that The US Department of State should speak louder of its concerns at this time. I believe Secretary Clinton should bring her voice to President Museveni to warn of the consequences of such bill being passed.

I also believe that President Jacob Zuma of South Africa  has an imperative duty to recall SA Ambassador John Qwelane and if he were to take a true leadership role in Africa and around the world, he should speak out immediately for the principles so deeply entrenched in the South African Constitution; for Equality and human rights.

Pulling Qwelane, a known Homophobe, out of Uganda will signal that South Africa takes the matter of putting homosexuals, gays and lesbians to death, simply for their  sexual orientation, seriously.  Clearly, killing off a scapegoated group, institutionalized and mandated via legislation, is barely different from the genocide of Nazi regime law a matter of genocide.

Side Note: I am in Africa at the moment and have met personally with several Ugandan Refugees who have sought refuge here,  Their stories are shameful for the Ugandan government who are already infringing the Declaration of Human Rights for their persecution of LGBTI people.  Uganda must be taken to task and NOW is the critical moment – because soon a lot of people will die if we remain silent. Our leaders must come forward to shake things up while the Ugandans are debating this in Committee.  Evidence must be provided to prove Bahati wrong in his assertions ….

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

sources:

http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?about=MPs+to+discuss+anti+homosexuality+bill+&ID=18546

Ugandan MPs ramp up their state-sponsored anti-gay terror campaign … Next week the parliament begins debate on the extreme Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which seeks the death penalty or life imprisonment for  “aggravated homosexuality,” reports UG Pulse.

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1128350/-/c3vhijz/-/

UN- HR High Commissioner Navi Pillay

Melanie Nathan – March 12, 2011 -

Laws criminalizing homosexuality are incompatible with international human rights standards and fuel homophobia

CAPE TOWN – In light of the fact that the Ugandan pre-election parliament has been called to a seating on March 22nd, 2011 – a mere week away – where the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Bahati and Museveni will probably be voted upon, its is critical that the President of South Africa and the ANC Party – the bastion of an anti-discrimination promise – must come out (if you will) as a matter of URGENCY to stand behind the words of the High Commissioner and Secretary General of the united Nations, with a strong statement requesting the decriminalization of homosexuality.

In September 2010 a Statement was issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stating, inter alia, -

“In 78 countries individuals still face criminal sanctions on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The existence of criminal laws of this kind poses a serious threat to the fundamental rights of LGBTI individuals, exposing them to the risk of arrest, detention and, in some cases, torture and execution. Commonly, criminal sanctions are accompanied by a raft of other discriminatory measures that affect access to a wide range of rights—civil, political, economic, social and cultural.  We also know that criminalization perpetuates stigma and contributes to a climate of homophobia, intolerance and violence directed against LGBTI individuals.

Our first task, I believe, is to frame this squarely as a human rights issue and demand that it be tackled as such. As High Commissioner for Human Rights, I have a responsibility to encourage States to promote and protect the human rights of all people without discrimination.  Indeed, to believe in human rights is to believe in equality: equal rights for all people, regardless of who they are or where they are from.”

The General Assembly, in its resolution 60/251 establishing the Human Rights Council, entrusts the Council to promote “Universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner.”

The language of the Universal Declaration is also very clear in this respect. The preamble refers in its first line to the “inherent dignity” and the “equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” as the “foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

On March 10, 2011  the following was posted on the United Nations Human Rights Office of the Commissioner Website as follows:-

“Laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults remain on the statute books in more than 70 countries. They are an affront to principles of equality and non-discrimination and fuel hatred and violence—in effect giving homophobia a State-sanctioned seal of approval. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon have both called for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality and for further measures to counter discrimination and prejudice directed at those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). In recent months, a series of incidents and developments have underscored the extent and the urgency of the challenge.”

In February 2011, Malawi enacted a law criminalizing homosexuality among women. Homosexuality is already illegal for men in that county. If convicted, a defendant could receive up to five years’ imprisonment. Responding to the Malawian decision, the High Commissioner said “I have repeatedly argued that laws criminalizing homosexuality are inherently discriminatory and incompatible with existing international human right standards, including those enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Malawi has acceded, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Malawi has ratified.”

In Uganda, on 26 January 2011, leading gay human rights activist David Kato was beaten to death in his home outside Kampala. In the months leading up to his murder, he had been a target of a hate-campaign mounted by a local newspaper, The Rolling Stone, which printed his name, photograph and address alongside those of dozens of others the paper claimed were gay or lesbian, and called for them to be hanged.

“We must await the outcome of judicial proceedings to know who killed him and why. But whoever is responsible and whatever their motive, we know the fear felt by many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Uganda and elsewhere who continue to face widespread prejudice and the constant threat of homophobic violence. Kato’s death robs them of a brave and eloquent advocate. The Ugandan authorities must act to counter this climate of hate and ensure the safety of all Ugandans,” the High Commissioner said.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and a pending Anti-Homosexual Bill would broaden the criminalization of homosexuality, imposing life imprisonment or even the death penalty for anyone who is found to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or HIV positive. The Bill also includes a provision that could lead to a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone who fails to report within 24 hours the identities of any LGBT individual, including members of their own family.

Even where homosexuality is not subject to criminal sanctions, LGBT individuals continue to suffer discrimination and violence, fuelled by homophobia. In the United States, for example, the recent suicide of seven teenage boys in the space of a single month was attributed to homophobic bullying in schools. Homophobia also lay behind the shocking case of three young men, kidnapped, beaten and tortured in New York City in October 2010. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs in the United States, 2,181 hate crimes targeting LGBT persons were recorded in 2009, including 22 murders.

In Honduras, seven transgender persons were reported murdered during a two month period between November 2010 and January 2011, bringing a total of 34 LGBT persons killed in that country since June 2009, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States.

In Brazil, Grupo Gay da Bahia, a long established NGO working on LGBT human rights issues, recently reported that in 2010, 250 LGBT individuals were killed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity—equivalent to one person killed every day and a half. The same source reports that more than 3,100 homosexuals have been killed in Brazil since 1980.

“Decriminalizing homosexuality is an essential first step towards establishing genuine equality before the law. But real, lasting progress cannot be achieved by changing laws alone. We must change minds as well. Like racism and misogyny, homophobia is a prejudice born of ignorance. And like other forms of prejudice, the most effective long-term response is information and education,” the High Commissioner said.  (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Homophobia.aspx)

Notwithstanding the call to all world leadership to bring an immediate end to the criminalization of homosexuality in these countries, with this call, it is incumbent on President Zuma of South Africa, the only country on the continent of Africa, with a constitution that protects the human rights of LGBTI – people, to  assume a leadership role in Africa.

Bishop Christopher and Anglicans for decriminalization of Homosexuality

This can be accomplished in a myriad of ways to include:

1. An immediate  statement by President Zuma or the appropriate office of the ANC  Government, such as the Office of Foreign Affairs, calling on Countries in Africa to decriminalize homosexuality by way of legislation including significant protections of sexual and gender minorities;

2. The immediate recall of Jon Qwelane, South Africa’s ambassador to Uganda, who has gone on the record with anti-homosexuality remarks, indicative of the fact he may well be a victim of the homophobia to which the UN Commissioner refers – alternatively a statement by Jon Qwelane calling upon Uganda to adhere to the Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations by the immediate decriminalization of homosexuality in Uganda, and the withdrawal of the Kill the Gays Anti-Homosexuality Bill authored by member of Parliament David Bahati; In the latter event if Ambassador Qwelane were to issue such a statement, he may well be redeemed in the eyes of the international community and forgiven by LGBT communities in South Africa and around the world.

3. Direction from President Zuma to the appropriate offices of South African Ministers -Education, Home Affairs, and Communication to provide for national and local promulgation of protocols for the education required to help all South Africans reconcile cultural anti-homosexuality beliefs with the International standards of Human Rights as expressed by the High Commissioner, above.

4. A statement must also be issued honoring the Ugandan LGBTI Activist David Kato, by the appropriate South African Office.

In my conversations with MP of Uganda, David Bahati, he specifically told me and I am told that he expressed the same view on his recent appearance in a Johannesburg  taping of a BBC show for Television, that the Government and people of Uganda believe and I quote his words to me “homosexuality is not a human right; Uganda is a sovereign Country and can legislate its criminal law without interference from foreign governments.”

In light of the fact that the Ugandan pre-election parliament has been called to a seating on March 22nd, 2011 – a mere week away – where the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Bahati and Museveni will probably be voted upon, its is critical that the President of South Africa and the ANC Party – the bastion of an anti-discrimination promise – must come out (if you will) as a matter of URGENCY to stand behind the words of the High Commissioner and Secretary General of the united Nations, with a strong statement requesting the decriminalization of homosexuality.

Many young African LGBTI people have received asylum here in South Africa, – I have met personally met two gay refugees this past week.  Their soon to be published (by me) stories attest to the atrocities of homophobia and its impact on African youth – President Zuma, in providing refuge to these young people – and there will be thousands more to come- must speak out in  honor of their suffering and to curb much more.

____________________________________________________________________________________

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

______________________________________________________________________________________

Related articles

• WikiLeaks Precedes Ugandan Election to Reveal Meteroic Rise of Homophobia (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo Breaks Silence on Murder of David Kato (lezgetreal.com)
• Malawi Would Rather lose Aid & Funding than Decriminalize Homosexuality (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda Landmark: Restraining Order by Court in Newspaper Outing Case (lezgetreal.com)
• Wikileaks Cable Reveals Ugandan Mockery of Activist David Kato, Diplomatic Efforts to Fight ‘Kill the Gays’ Bill (towleroad.com)
• Wikileaks: Ugandan Activist David Kato Was Mocked At UN Human Rights Seminar (joemygod.blogspot.com)
• Ugandan Human Rights Activists Fight Back vs Ethics Minister (lezgetreal.com)
• Interview with Mr. Gay South Africa on his Way to Manila for Mr. Gay World (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Judge & ‘Blogger’ Precedent – “The Brenda Namigadde Effect”: Another Ugandan’s Deportation Stayed (lezgetreal.com)
• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)
• “Breakfast Without Bigotry” Protest Outside of National Prayer Breakfast (lezgetreal.com)
• Calls for UK to STOP Deporting Gays and Lesbians to UGANDA (lezgetreal.com)

e Nathan – March 12, 2011 -

Laws criminalizing homosexuality are incompatible with international human rights standards and fuel homophobia

CAPE TOWN – In light of the fact that the Ugandan pre-election parliament has been called to a seating on March 22nd, 2011 – a mere week away – where the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Bahati and Museveni will probably be voted upon, its is critical that the President of South Africa and the ANC Party – the bastion of an anti-discrimination promise – must come out (if you will) as a matter of URGENCY to stand behind the words of the High Commissioner and Secretary General of the united Nations, with a strong statement requesting the decriminalization of homosexuality.

In September 2010 a Statement was issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stating, inter alia, -

“In 78 countries individuals still face criminal sanctions on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The existence of criminal laws of this kind poses a serious threat to the fundamental rights of LGBTI individuals, exposing them to the risk of arrest, detention and, in some cases, torture and execution. Commonly, criminal sanctions are accompanied by a raft of other discriminatory measures that affect access to a wide range of rights—civil, political, economic, social and cultural.  We also know that criminalization perpetuates stigma and contributes to a climate of homophobia, intolerance and violence directed against LGBTI individuals.

Our first task, I believe, is to frame this squarely as a human rights issue and demand that it be tackled as such. As High Commissioner for Human Rights, I have a responsibility to encourage States to promote and protect the human rights of all people without discrimination.  Indeed, to believe in human rights is to believe in equality: equal rights for all people, regardless of who they are or where they are from.”

The General Assembly, in its resolution 60/251 establishing the Human Rights Council, entrusts the Council to promote “Universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner.”

The language of the Universal Declaration is also very clear in this respect. The preamble refers in its first line to the “inherent dignity” and the “equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” as the “foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

On March 10, 2011  the following was posted on the United Nations Human Rights Office of the Commissioner Website as follows:-

“Laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults remain on the statute books in more than 70 countries. They are an affront to principles of equality and non-discrimination and fuel hatred and violence—in effect giving homophobia a State-sanctioned seal of approval. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon have both called for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality and for further measures to counter discrimination and prejudice directed at those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). In recent months, a series of incidents and developments have underscored the extent and the urgency of the challenge.”

In February 2011, Malawi enacted a law criminalizing homosexuality among women. Homosexuality is already illegal for men in that county. If convicted, a defendant could receive up to five years’ imprisonment. Responding to the Malawian decision, the High Commissioner said “I have repeatedly argued that laws criminalizing homosexuality are inherently discriminatory and incompatible with existing international human right standards, including those enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Malawi has acceded, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Malawi has ratified.”

In Uganda, on 26 January 2011, leading gay human rights activist David Kato was beaten to death in his home outside Kampala. In the months leading up to his murder, he had been a target of a hate-campaign mounted by a local newspaper, The Rolling Stone, which printed his name, photograph and address alongside those of dozens of others the paper claimed were gay or lesbian, and called for them to be hanged.

“We must await the outcome of judicial proceedings to know who killed him and why. But whoever is responsible and whatever their motive, we know the fear felt by many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Uganda and elsewhere who continue to face widespread prejudice and the constant threat of homophobic violence. Kato’s death robs them of a brave and eloquent advocate. The Ugandan authorities must act to counter this climate of hate and ensure the safety of all Ugandans,” the High Commissioner said.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and a pending Anti-Homosexual Bill would broaden the criminalization of homosexuality, imposing life imprisonment or even the death penalty for anyone who is found to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or HIV positive. The Bill also includes a provision that could lead to a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone who fails to report within 24 hours the identities of any LGBT individual, including members of their own family.

Even where homosexuality is not subject to criminal sanctions, LGBT individuals continue to suffer discrimination and violence, fuelled by homophobia. In the United States, for example, the recent suicide of seven teenage boys in the space of a single month was attributed to homophobic bullying in schools. Homophobia also lay behind the shocking case of three young men, kidnapped, beaten and tortured in New York City in October 2010. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs in the United States, 2,181 hate crimes targeting LGBT persons were recorded in 2009, including 22 murders.

In Honduras, seven transgender persons were reported murdered during a two month period between November 2010 and January 2011, bringing a total of 34 LGBT persons killed in that country since June 2009, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States.

In Brazil, Grupo Gay da Bahia, a long established NGO working on LGBT human rights issues, recently reported that in 2010, 250 LGBT individuals were killed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity—equivalent to one person killed every day and a half. The same source reports that more than 3,100 homosexuals have been killed in Brazil since 1980.

“Decriminalizing homosexuality is an essential first step towards establishing genuine equality before the law. But real, lasting progress cannot be achieved by changing laws alone. We must change minds as well. Like racism and misogyny, homophobia is a prejudice born of ignorance. And like other forms of prejudice, the most effective long-term response is information and education,” the High Commissioner said.  (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Homophobia.aspx)

Notwithstanding the call to all world leadership to bring an immediate end to the criminalization of homosexuality in these countries, with this call, it is incumbent on President Zuma of South Africa, the only country on the continent of Africa, with a constitution that protects the human rights of LGBTI – people, to  assume a leadership role in Africa.

Bishop Christopher and Anglicans for decriminalization of Homosexuality

This can be accomplished in a myriad of ways to include:

1. An immediate  statement by President Zuma or the appropriate office of the ANC  Government, such as the Office of Foreign Affairs, calling on Countries in Africa to decriminalize homosexuality by way of legislation including significant protections of sexual and gender minorities;

2. The immediate recall of Jon Qwelane, South Africa’s ambassador to Uganda, who has gone on the record with anti-homosexuality remarks, indicative of the fact he may well be a victim of the homophobia to which the UN Commissioner refers – alternatively a statement by Jon Qwelane calling upon Uganda to adhere to the Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations by the immediate decriminalization of homosexuality in Uganda, and the withdrawal of the Kill the Gays Anti-Homosexuality Bill authored by member of Parliament David Bahati; In the latter event if Ambassador Qwelane were to issue such a statement, he may well be redeemed in the eyes of the international community and forgiven by LGBT communities in South Africa and around the world.

3. Direction from President Zuma to the appropriate offices of South African Ministers -Education, Home Affairs, and Communication to provide for national and local promulgation of protocols for the education required to help all South Africans reconcile cultural anti-homosexuality beliefs with the International standards of Human Rights as expressed by the High Commissioner, above.

4. A statement must also be issued honoring the Ugandan LGBTI Activist David Kato, by the appropriate South African Office.

In my conversations with MP of Uganda, David Bahati, he specifically told me and I am told that he expressed the same view on his recent appearance in a Johannesburg  taping of a BBC show for Television, that the Government and people of Uganda believe and I quote his words to me “homosexuality is not a human right; Uganda is a sovereign Country and can legislate its criminal law without interference from foreign governments.”

In light of the fact that the Ugandan pre-election parliament has been called to a seating on March 22nd, 2011 – a mere week away – where the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Bahati and Museveni will probably be voted upon, its is critical that the President of South Africa and the ANC Party – the bastion of an anti-discrimination promise – must come out (if you will) as a matter of URGENCY to stand behind the words of the High Commissioner and Secretary General of the united Nations, with a strong statement requesting the decriminalization of homosexuality.

Many young African LGBTI people have received asylum here in South Africa, – I have met personally met two gay refugees this past week.  Their soon to be published (by me) stories attest to the atrocities of homophobia and its impact on African youth – President Zuma, in providing refuge to these young people – and there will be thousands more to come- must speak out in  honor of their suffering and to curb much more.

____________________________________________________________________________________

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

______________________________________________________________________________________

Related articles

• WikiLeaks Precedes Ugandan Election to Reveal Meteroic Rise of Homophobia (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo Breaks Silence on Murder of David Kato (lezgetreal.com)
• Malawi Would Rather lose Aid & Funding than Decriminalize Homosexuality (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda Landmark: Restraining Order by Court in Newspaper Outing Case (lezgetreal.com)
• Wikileaks Cable Reveals Ugandan Mockery of Activist David Kato, Diplomatic Efforts to Fight ‘Kill the Gays’ Bill (towleroad.com)
• Wikileaks: Ugandan Activist David Kato Was Mocked At UN Human Rights Seminar (joemygod.blogspot.com)
• Ugandan Human Rights Activists Fight Back vs Ethics Minister (lezgetreal.com)
• Interview with Mr. Gay South Africa on his Way to Manila for Mr. Gay World (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Judge & ‘Blogger’ Precedent – “The Brenda Namigadde Effect”: Another Ugandan’s Deportation Stayed (lezgetreal.com)
• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)
• “Breakfast Without Bigotry” Protest Outside of National Prayer Breakfast (lezgetreal.com)
• Calls for UK to STOP Deporting Gays and Lesbians to UGANDA (lezgetreal.com)

Social isolation is a serious problem facing millions of students in America, and many are starting to take notice. Just this week, 14 year-old Oscar nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld shared her experiences dealing with bullying and social isolation with Parade Magazine.

During this past year, the Teen Board has:

• Facilitated discussions with middle school assemblies and other organizations in Marin County
• Presented their work to the Marin Youth Leadership Commission
• Participated on a panel discussion on Social Isolation Among Teens at the Book Passage
• Took part in a new video about the issue of social isolation, that will be presented at the April 2nd event
• Spoken with school administrators, teachers, parents, psychologists and other teens to discuss ideas on how best to deal with this epidemic

Much works lies ahead, as schools from all over are requesting presentations by our Teen Board.

As a whole, Beyond Differences is working on many fronts to address the issue of social isolation and begin a discussion where there was none before. This effort has been met with amazing success as it has become apparent that there is great need for this issue to be addressed in our schools and community. Sponsorship will not only help support BEYOND DIFFERENCES , in Marin to continue its unique and critical work, but will also undoubtedly serve to spread the concept.

So From LEZGETREAL – Please support the April 2nd annual event, “Dealing Kids Back In”, by signing up as a sponsor. This is their one and only fundraiser this year and will be an inspirational and wonderful experience for people and families of all ages! Meet and celebrate the teens who are being honored because they are truly making a difference and come hear our keynote speaker, California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

Please sign up as a sponsor today.

If you are unable to attend the April 2nd event, you can still make a secure online financial contribution to Beyond Differences by clicking here.  You can also make out a check to Beyond Differences, and mail it to: Beyond Differences, 336 Bon Air Center #436, Greenbrae, CA 94904.

THE BEYOND DIFFERENCES 2011 HOST COMMITTEE
Jacqueline Neuwirth and Stephen Swire, Co-Chairs
Collette Sell and Don Kline, Co-Chairs
Julie Brandt
Grace Alexander
Karin Chandler
Ruth Chavez
Mary Croughan
Liz Darby
Carol Goldberg
Davida Hartman-Griffin
Linda Kreitzman
Abbey Levine
Susan Lowenberg
Joyce Newstat
Joan Lubamersky
Elaine Neuwirth
Robert Rothman
Kjerstin Sandquist
Jeanie Schram
Ace Smith
Laura Talmus
Evie Talmus
Alyssa Taubman
Barbara Waxman
Barbara Zamost
Betsy Zimmerman

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Related articles

• When Kamala Harris Declared Victory – Karl Rove Lost (lezgetreal.com)

Okay. This one falls under the heading of truly dumb reasons to deny gays the right to marry….. it would deny them the right to procreate. Apparently, perpetual Presidential candidate Alan Keyes believes that there is only one way to create a baby, and that involves intercourse between a male and female.

Writing in WingNutDaily, Keyes postulates that “Government doesn’t endow people with the ability to procreate the species. The Creator takes care of that. Like all unalienable rights, those associated with the natural family exist in consequence of this endowment. A couple that cannot, by nature, procreate has no claim to those rights. Nor can government grant them a semblance of it without impairing the claims of one or both of the parents biologically implicated in the physical conception of the child. The DOMA simply makes more explicit the government’s obligation to secure the Creator-endowed unalienable rights of the natural family. This obligation precludes government from fabricating other rights that impair them. In this respect, granting homosexuals the right to marry is like granting plantation owners the right to own slaves.”

Mr. Keyes, would you like to explain to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban that they do not have the right to be married because Ms. Kidman has, in numerous attempts, only brought one pregnancy to term and they chose to use artificial means to bring a second child into their lives? How about other couples, straight couples, who cannot conceive, other women who cannot carry a pregnancy to term, men and women who have some medical condition that renders them sterile. Do you want to deny them the right to marry?

Or maybe, like Tom Cruise, you think men should be able get rid of any wife who can’t produce a child and then make sure the next one can before he marries her.

Keyes’ statement is the kind of jackass remark one can expect as long as liberals refuse to take on the right wing on the Constitutional grounds of freedom FROM state-imposed religion. Our government does not have an obligation to impose the tenets of any religion. Rather, it has an obligation to protect us from laws that impose religious laws over secular ones. In Keyes’ mind, the state should be demanding fertility testing before it issues a marriage license because procreation is God’s only reason for sanctioning marriage. A marriage license is a state-issued contract, not a religious one. The religious ceremony and the presence of clergy are not necessary to the validation of that contract. As long as someone authorized by the state – a justice of the peace, a judge, a municipal clerk – can validate a marriage license, can conduct a commitment ceremony in accordance with state law, marriage is a civil and secular matter, not a religious one.

The one question no one seems willing to ask is this: why are the lawyers who argue same-sex marriage and abortion cases so unwilling to argue them under the First Amendment? Aren’t these cases more important than Nativity scenes in public parks or Bible readings in schools? What are they afraid of, that God will strike them dead for demanding that our nation live up to the principles set out in our Constitution?

Related articles

• After Obama announcement, conservatives vow to make gay marriage a 2012 election issue (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• Keyes Lectures Palin on the Evils of The Gay [Dispatches from the Culture Wars] (scienceblogs.com)
• Most Irish Favor Gay Marriage (advocate.com)
• Gay marriage policy change: Question and answers (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• N.Y. Court Rules for Gay Spouse in Inheritance Case (advocate.com)

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Melanie Nathan Feb 24-2011

This has been a great week for marriage equality in all of the USA – and so it should be.  Today the Maryland Senate voted 25-21 to pass SB 116, the Civil Marriage Protection Act, legislation that would end the exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from marriage in Maryland. Equality Maryland, along with members of the Senate and everyday Marylanders who believe in fairness, celebrate this victory and acknowledge the work ahead to make marriage equality a reality.

Senator Rob Garagiola (D-15), Lead Sponsor

“This is a historic and proud moment in Maryland’s history.  The advocates for this legislation have worked tirelessly to this point and will continue to push through the final stages of this movement. I am honored to be a part of this effort and am confident that the Free State will realize full marriage equality in 2011.”

Senator Rich Madaleno, (D-18), Lead Sponsor

“The Maryland Senate’s vote today passing the Civil Marriage Protection Act is a reflection of the values we share as Marylanders and Americans. It demonstrates our commitment to civil rights and equality for all. The House of Delegates should act swiftly to provide loving families across our state with dignity and the respect we deserve.”

Senator Jamie Raskin (D-20), Lead Sponsor

“What a great day for freedom in the Free State. By establishing the right of all Marylanders to marry and the right of all Maryland churches to make their own decision about marriage, we have vindicated the principles of equality and toleration that go back to our Toleration Act of 1649. Our state led the way in showing how people of different values and creeds can live together peacefully. We have lived up to that tradition this week.”

Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland

“Today we thank Senators Garagiola, Madaleno, and Raskin for their tremendous leadership. We are proud of all the 25 senators who stood up for the fairness today and voted to support SB 116. We also thank the thousands of Marylanders who have not only worked tirelessly, but also opened their hearts to share their stories and their experiences with their senators to explain why marriage matters.

The majority of folks in the Free State support the freedom to marry. Today our State Senate proved they also stand for fairness for all Maryland’s families. Marriage and family are about love and commitment, and we are committed to helping pass marriage equality. Today we celebrate – tomorrow we focus our attention on the House hearing on HB 175.”

Senators voting yes:

Sen. James Brochin, Baltimore County Democrat
Sen. Joan Carter Conway, Baltimore Democrat
Sen. Bill Ferguson, Baltimore Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Jennie Forehand, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Brian Frosh, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Rob Garagiola, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Lisa Gladden, Baltimore Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Verna Jones, Baltimore Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Edward Kasemeyer, Baltimore and Howard counties Democrat
Sen. Delores Kelley, Baltimore County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Nancy King, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Allan H. Kittleman, Howard County Republican
Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, Baltimore County Democrat
Sen. Richard Madaleno, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Roger Manno, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Nathaniel McFadden, Baltimore Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Karen Montgomery, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Paul Pinsky, Prince George’s County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, Baltimore Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Victor Ramirez, Prince George’s County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Jamie Raskin, Montgomery County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. James Robey, Howard County Democrat
Sen. James Rosapepe, Prince George’s County Democrat
Sen. Ronald Young, Frederick County Democrat (sponsor)
Sen. Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore County Democrat (sponsor)

###

Equality Maryland is Maryland’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights group, with thousands of members across the entire state. Equality Maryland includes: a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that lobbies in Annapolis and across the state to create equal protection under the law for LGBT Marylanders and their families; a 501(c)(3) educational foundation that works to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity through outreach, education, research, community organizing, training and coalition building; and Equality Maryland PAC, which exists to influence elections. For more information, visit www.EqualityMaryland.org.

Related articles

• Maryland Marriage Equality Bill Picks Up One More Vote (lezgetreal.com)