The Detroit that's not in the commercial.

While you read this, bear in mind that House Speaker John Boehner has just said that there must be “trillions of dollars” of cuts from the 2012 budget before the House Republicans will vote to raise the debt ceiling. If we do not raise the ceiling, if we default on our debts by so much as 24 hours, we will literally crash the world’s economy. The Republicans are insisting that all of the cuts come from the 12% of our budget that is “discretionary spending” – that means all our social safety net programs, and from Medicare and Social Security. None must come from defense (where we spend almost half the money spent in the world on defense) and there must be no changes to our tax code or increase in taxes. This is blackmail. In any other scenario, threatening an action that would cause devastating consequences unless a payment is received would be a criminal act.

I can’t really say that the Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest Americans ever interested me too much. That changed when I read that there are almost 500 billionaires in America. Billionaires? Whatever happened to millionaires? When did we hit the point where there were more billionaires than the 400? Just to put these 400 in perspective, they hold as much wealth as the bottom 155,000,000 Americans. Allegedly, if we stripped them of all their wealth, it still wouldn’t amount to the national debt. No one is suggesting they be stripped.

The 400 is an interesting list. Let’s get the good guys out of the way first. Forty-three of the 400 have taken the Buffett-Gates giving pledge. Four of them are in the top ten – Gates, Buffett, Larry Ellison and Michael Bloomberg.

The other six in the top ten are Kochs and Waltons. The exemplify almost all of the people who have a company or industry behind their names. These are the owners of companies that, because they are privately held are classified in the tax codes as “small businesses.” HCA Health, which owns hospitals, has 190,000 employees. Cargill has 130,500. The Kochs have 70,000. The Waltons are the largest employers in the world. These business owners qualify for every tax break that is sold to the public as helping “small businesses.” They also have the ability to keep their personal taxable incomes very low. It’s a little complicated. A company owner can draw only as much money as he or she actually needs for personal expenses. With a really, really good accountant and tax lawyers, H. Ross Perot paid less in personal income taxes in 1991 than a family of four with a median income. Twenty of these 400 made their money in the oil and gas industries, which have their own sets of tax breaks and incentives on top of those available to small businesses.

So, what would these small business owners want from our elected officials? The answer is in a simple phrase “tax expenditures.” Those are the hundreds, maybe thousands of tiny little tax breaks, incentives, deductions, exclusions, whatevers that are available to these companies and their owners. “Tax expenditures” is a true government oxymoron. There is nothing expended by the government. These are the things that prevent the government collecting taxes. Calling them “tax barriers” would be more accurate. Even publicly traded companies – companies that issue stock that can theoretically be purchased by anyone – have their own set of “tax expenditures.” Those are the breaks that not only made it possible for General Electric to pay no taxes, but got them over $3 billion from the U. S. Treasury in tax returns – on the taxes they didn’t pay.

103 of the 400 made their billions in hedge funds, money management, investments, leveraged buyouts, equity trading, and venture capitol. While my friend was watching her 401k lose over $60,000 in one day, these people were moving into the billionaire classification. They have one big tax advantage – the capital gains tax rate. Let’s just take one man – hedge fund manager John Paulson. One one deal, the one Goldman Sachs admitted was a shitty one, he turned over a $3 billion profit for his clients. He was gambling that our mortgages would be foreclosed because the people holding our adjustable rate mortgages decided it was better to foreclose than to keep the rates affordable. As the manager of the hedge fund, he only paid the 15% capital gains tax rate on his commission, instead of the 35% income tax rate. That’s a 20% savings. It isn’t just the investors who only pay a 15% tax on the profit they make when they sell stocks, it’s the people who arrange those sales who also benefit from those tax rates. One quarter of these people are on this list because of the deregulation of the financial industry. The capital gains tax was instituted to encourage people to invest in businesses, not to push their brokers into the Forbes 400.

So, what would these 103 want from our elected officials? Repeal of the financial reform law passed last year that didn’t really go far enough to protect us from another stock market dive.

In the #5 and #6 slots on the 400 are the Koch brothers. They are the most blatant and open about their contributions to political causes. They have funded some of the most “respected” conservative think tanks – The Heritage Foundation, The Cato Institute and others, most with very patriotic names. These groups direct conservative public policy. The also funded Americans for Prosperity, the big name in the Tea Party movement. Rupert Murdoch is at #38. He has a whole television and newspaper empire to help protect his $6.2 billion by twisting the news to make people vote for politicians who will then shaft them to help out the top 2%.

There are people on this list who are not doing everything possible to elect Republicans who will protect their “tax expenditures” and repeal financial services reform. George Soros is at #14. Buffett, Gates, the other 41 believe that they should give back in some way. Soros’ MoveOn.org isn’t enough. It isn’t any of these people who are funding organizations that are in the top ten groups funding elections. Only the three largest unions are funding Democrats and are in the top ten. Those unions are being attacked by the people on this list who don’t want to pay decent wages or give decent benefits.

They are also, amazingly, the people who are most resistant to the idea of nationalized health. For decades, other businessmen have said that a nationalized health system is what this country needs to compete in the global marketplace. Thirty years ago, Lee Iacocca said that health insurance added over $1,000 to the price of every American-made car. No one even talks about that anymore. We pay almost twice as much per person for health care as the next most expensive country and don’t crack the top ten for health care delivery. The difference in our costs is in the for-profit nature of our health care industry and the insurance industry, not in superior health care.

To give these people and their companies even more tax breaks, Florida Governor Rick Scott wants to cut $1.6+ billion from education and public services. Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin wants to cut $1 billion. These aren’t cuts that will balance their state budgets. They are just ways to give more money to that top 2% of Americans.

To achieve this, they have convinced a large part of the electorate that the goal is to cut taxes for the 98% of us, to cut off welfare to illegal immigrants who can’t get welfare, to cut off unemployement benefits because those subsistence payments make people lazy. To increase the Waltons’ share of those billions, they spread the doctrine that part-time jobs with no benefits is the new definition of employment. To protect the billions made by those owning retail chains, they are pushing the idea that unions are bad, so that the nascient movement to unionize their own stores will die. It’s been remarkably successful – persuading people that we should strip union workers of their pay and benefits to bring them down to the lower level all of us are supposed to accept. To fulfill the Kochs’ John Birch Society vision, they convince people that immigration is wrong and everyone who isn’t “like us” must be driven out – Jews, Muslims, Hispanics, Asians, everyone who isn’t white and protestant. And when all else fails, they hitch themselves to religious issues like abortion and gay rights to win votes, covering up what they will really do with a smoke screen of piety. They have focused in on two small aspects of the Bible to ignore the overwhelming messages of charity and rejecting wealth. When you’ve got Murdoch’s media network to spread the narrative, and the internet to spread the outright lies and conspiracy theories, it gets really easy to control what people think.

The consequences of allowing the Republican agenda to succeed are in our past – the past we don’t teach anymore because we have allowed history to be downgraded. Before unions, we worked in sweatshops where we died from unsafe conditions – fibers in the air crippling our lungs, locked doors that trapped us during fires, mines that collapsed. Before food stamps, our seniors ate cat food and poor children suffered developmental problems because of poor nuitrition. Before Medicaid and Medicare people died because they couldn’t afford simple medical care. Before Roe v. Wade, thousands of women were permanently maimed and died of illegal abortions. Before the Civil Rights movement, not only blacks, but Hispanics, Asians, Jews, anyone considered “different” suffered killings, physical abuse and denial of basic rights. Millions died of influenza in over-crowded tenements. There are real reasons these programs came into being. There are real reasons unions were founded. There are real reasons we took the promise of equality into new laws and new protections. In the world before World War I, that Pollyanna world that is evoked when Tea Party candidates talk about taking our country back, a few people became fabulously rich, a small number became comfortably rich, and the majority lived just one step ahead of starvation, disability, disease, and early deaths. Only one heir of those fabulously rich is still on the 400.

There are 303 million of us who are getting screwed by this agenda. The challenge is to make half of us see the facts and understand just what they are getting if they take back our country – to the 19^th century.

.

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Washington D.C. – LGBT Advocates Protest National Insurance Conference,Targeti ng American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) for Discriminatory Practices ; GetEQUAL Protests Injustices on Behalf of Lesbian Couple Denied Claim After Hate Crime Arson Fire.

Today, GetEQUAL — the national direct action and organizing group known for using nonviolent civil disobedience to drive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality forward  — has called for a protest of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) conference taking place in Washington, DC, on Thursday April 14. The National IIABA Conference — one of the largest insurance gatherings of the year — will be keynoted by current Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH).

The group is targeting the conference to put pressure on the discriminatory practices of one of the conference’s member companies, American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC).  After more than seven months, ANPAC — a company based in Springfield, Missouri — still refuses to pay out the homeowner’s policy of a lesbian couple whose house was destroyed in a hate-fueled, arson fire over Labor Day weekend last year.

What:
Protest of Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA) National Insurance Conference, targeting American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) for their discriminatory practices against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community
Who:
GetEQUAL, a national LGBT direct action and civil rights organization
Why:
Protest Injustices Against Lesbian Couple Laura and Carol Ann Stutte
When:
Thursday April 14, 7:00-8:00am, Grand Washington Hyatt (1000 H Street NW)

GetEQUAL is calling for this protest to pressure insurance giant American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) after the insurance conglomerate refused to pay out a policy on a lesbian couple whose Tennessee home is located outside of Knoxville, TN. GetEQUAL began working with the Stuttes, whose home was burned to the ground and whose garage was spray-painted with the word “QUEERS,” shortly after the incident. Returning from an anniversary celebration weekend over seven months ago to find ashes of their former life, they have been fighting with their insurance company, American National Property and Casualty, simply to honor their homeowner’s policy and allow their family to move forward.

After the fire, the couple filed a claim with their insurance company — American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC), a subsidiary of the giant insurance firm American National Insurance Company, based in Galveston, Texas. To date, the company continues to make the couple’s life a living nightmare — refusing to pay their claim, insisting that they continue to pay on their policy, refusing to pay the couple’s living expenses as detailed in a policy rider, and continually insisting that their paperwork has been lost and must be sent in again and again.

“The lengths that this couple has gone to simply to ask ANPAC to honor their fully-paid insurance policy are horrifying,” said Heather Cronk, managing director of GetEQUAL. “No insurance company should treat people the way the Stuttes have been treated, and we’re asking ANPAC’s peers and colleagues to dissociate themselves from such a soul-less and discriminatory company.”

The couple, with the help of GetEQUAL, has been pressuring the company privately and publicly to honor their policy, while the local community has chipped in to help the couple make ends meet and to provide a new insulin pump for their diabetic daughter. They have created an online petition asking the insurance company to pay the claim, which has garnered close to 50,000 signatures from across the country. (The petition can be found at http://bit.ly/f8POvz.)

READ MORE ON LEZGETREAL

GetEQUAL is a national, direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. Emphasizing direct action and people power, the mission of GetEQUAL is to empower the LGBT community and its allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information on GetEQUAL, please visit: http://www.getequal.org. You can follow GetEQUAL on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/getequal, on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/GetEQUAL, or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/getequal.

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

Eastern Gray Squirrel

A vicious rogue gray squirrel has been terrorizing a neighborhood in the quiet Ivy League town of Bennington, Vermont. The Bennington Banner reports that one man, Kevin McDonald was ambushed while shoveling snow and one woman is being treated for possible rabies exposure. The Vermont Public Health service, through veterinarian Robert Johnson says there has never been a report of rabies being transmitted by squirrel in Vermont.

The squirrel reportedly stalks its victims, launching itself repeatedly at innocent people going about their normal business. Johnson has speculated that the squirrel was raised as a pet and therefore is unafraid of people. Gray squirrels are territorial and will chase off other squirrels for violating tree-rights. They are also remarkably intelligent, with long-term memory capabilities akin to dolphins. Though squirrel-proof bird feeders are a large market among wildlife lovers, there really is no such thing as a feeder a squirrel can’t get at. There have also been reports of squirrels becoming dangerous when cornered while trying to defend their “ownership” of toilets.

Our neighborhood alpha-male is named Leonardo, for his habit of climbing on our garage roof, standing on his hind haunches and surveying his domain while raising his front paws in a perfect imitation of “I’m King of the World!” Thinking of squirrels as cute little rodents is naive. They are fully capable of bringing a 300-pound man to tears. My Dad never recovered from that one.

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Aspen, Colorado

During the Washington hearings into the financial wheeling and dealing by Goldman Sachs, one of their “shitty deals” was disclosed as having made a $3 billion profit for John Paulson. The deal involved gambling with our mortgages. Paulson was in the middle of the series of purchases and sales of bundles of mortgages. So, what did Mr. Paulson do with the $3 billion on which he would only have paid a maximum capitol gains tax of 15% instead of an income tax of 36%?

In 2010, as one million homeowners were foreclosed, Mr. Paulson bought a $24.5 million estate in Aspen, Colorado. It has a 13,000 square foot house, a sand beach, ponds, a 35-foot disappearing wall of glass, views of the four ski mountains and a media room with leather seats.

The capitol gains tax rate was intended to encourage investment in business. The use of it for taxing the profits in “financial instruments” and for the commissions paid to hedge fund and money managers saved Mr. Paulson $630,000,000 in taxes. I wonder how badly this hedge-fund genius would have had to down-size if he had had to pay taxes at the same rate as us mere mortals. By the by – Planned Parenthood only received $342 million in funding for 2002-2008. Just collecting a fair tax from Mr. Paulson would have funded Planned Parenthood for 13 years.

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Image via Wikipedia

Posted by Melanie Nathan- Feb 26-2011-

Returning from Nashville where Carol Ann and Laura celebrated their anniversary, they found a pile of rubble where their dream home once stood. Despite numerous police reports documenting a neighbor that had threatened to burn down their home and who repeatedly told them the “…only thing better than one dead queer was two dead queers…” no arrests have been made. The Stutte home had no gas service and was all electric.

Nearly six months have gone by, and no one has been arrested for the crime. Moreover, the FBI won’t confirm or deny whether they’re investigating the incident as a hate crime. And to top it all off, the Stutte’s insurance company, American National Property and Casualty (ANPC), has not processed the couple’s claim on their house, despite the fact that the Stutte’s ANPC policy guarantees coverage of living expenses for up to 24 months after a disaster like having your house burned to the ground by an arsonist.

Even with witness reports of two explosions and a fireball that could be seen above the treeline, that all waterhoses on the property had been cut and that “QUEER” had been painted on their garage the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, Tennesse Bureau of Investigation and FBI have yet to rule the fire as an arson. What is even more disturbing is that the Stutte’s insurance company, American National Property and Casualty has yet to pay on the claim.

Like many homeowners, Carol Ann and Laura had opted for additional coverage in case of total loss. This additional coverage would provide for housing as well as living expenses until the claim was settled. Five months later and not a single penny has been disbursed. Imagine, if you will, how hard it is for some to pay their mortgage from month to month. Now imagine, that not only do you have to pay a mortgage and insurance on a home that no longer exists, but you have to pay for an additional place to live. Why? If they default on their mortgage, their insurance coverage could be canceled.

The the insurance company would be off the hook. Demand that Demand American National Property and Casualty honor their policy with this family. Call them, fax them, or email them. Public pressure will force them to act. The fax link below will allow you to send an online fax using a free fax service. Please, tie up their phone lines, their fax lines. Add your name to this petition and show your support for the Stutte family and your outrage at American National Propery and Casualty (ANPAC). American National Property and Casualty 1949 E Sunshine St # 3-103 Springfield, MO 65899-0002 Phone: (417) 887-0220 Fax: (417) 887-1801 Email: (email form)

An updated petition shows that they were offered $610.00 by the insurance company – yes you read right!!!

This is the Petition that is being campaigned on change.org.  See if you can add to the already 1500 signatures…. Remember these campaigns go a long way to wake people up- especially those who believe discrimination and hate will disappear with silence and subterfuge… Believe that everyone’s fight is that of your own…

http://www.change.org/petitions/demand-american-national-property-and-casualty-pay-lesbian-arson-victims

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

Here is the press release sent to us about this particular set of surveys:

Sociologists at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton are conducting research into the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Two confidential questionnaires are on SurveyMonkey. The first survey examines parents in same-sex relationships. Researchers said an important part of the project is to determine how people feel about identities that are associated with being in these relationships.

The survey can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UWGparentingsurvey.

For questions, participants may contact the principal researchers: Associate Professor of Sociology Laurel Holland at 678-839-6331 or lholland@westga.edu; or Assistant Professor of Sociology Pam Hunt at 678-839-6336 or email: phunt@westga.edu.

The other survey explores the connection between same sex domestic violence and police response. It can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UWGperceptions.

Researchers said an important part of this project is to determine how people feel about the identities associated with authority figures and identities associated with the LGBT communities.
The information provided by participants will help sociologists understand relationships between authorities and same sex couples.

If participants have any questions about the study they may contact Sarah Bozeman Rhine at sbozema1@my.westga.edu or her advisor Pam Hunt.

Participation in either survey is voluntary. Participants may decline or not answer certain questions or withdraw at anytime. If participants choose to withdraw before completing the survey the information provided will be used, unless researchers are asked to destroy it.
Researchers in both projects stressed that no names or other indentifying information will be used. Also, no references to individuals will be made in any part of either study. No individual’s response will be linked to the results.

Each survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Written reports of both surveys will be available in the next year.

If participants are interested in reading a report of the findings, they may e-mail one of the researchers involved in the particular survey and provide a name and address. This information will not be linked to the surveys.

As an incentive for completing the questionnaires, participants will be entered in a pool to win a Visa Gift Card. At the end of the survey participants may enter their names, e-mail or phone numbers. This information will not be connected with participants’ answers.

Participants in the parenting survey will be entered in a pool to win a $100 gift card. Those in the LGBT authority figure survey will be in a pool to win a $50 gift card.

Melanie Nathan; Jan 20, 2011-  HUD Proposes New Rules for  Equality in Housing
REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today proposed new regulations intended to ensure that its core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. View the proposed rule announced today.

“This is a fundamental issue of fairness,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.  “We have a responsibility to make certain that public programs are open to all Americans.  With this proposed rule, we will make clear that a person’s eligibility for federal housing programs is, and should be, based on their need and not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

HUD is seeking public comment on a number of proposed areas including:

• Prohibiting lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower’s eligibility for FHA-insured mortgage financing.  FHA’s current regulations provide that a mortgage lender’s determination of the adequacy of a borrower’s income “shall be made in a uniform manner without regard to” specified prohibited grounds.  The proposed rule would add actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity to the prohibited grounds to ensure FHA-approved lenders do not deny or otherwise alter the terms of mortgages on the basis of irrelevant criteria.
• Clarifying that all otherwise eligible families, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, have the opportunity to participate in HUD programs.  In the majority of HUD’s rental and homeownership programs the term “family” already has a broad scope, and includes a single person and families with or without children.  HUD’s proposed rule clarifies that families, otherwise eligible for HUD programs, may not be excluded because one or more members of the family may be an LGBT individual, have an LGBT relationship, or be perceived to be such an individual or in such relationship.
• Prohibiting owners and operators of HUD-assisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD, from inquiring about the sexual orientation or gender identity of an applicant for, or occupant of, the dwelling, whether renter- or owner-occupied.  HUD is proposing to institute this policy in its rental assistance and home ownership programs, which include the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs, community development programs, and public and assisted housing programs.

Other actions:

HUD is conducting the first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing.  Every ten years, HUD does a study of the impact of housing discrimination on the basis of race and color.  HUD undertook this important research in 1977, 1989 and 2000 and is currently undertaking this study again. It is believed that LGBT individuals and families may remain silent because in many local jurisdictions, they may have little or no legal recourse. While there are no national assessments of LGBT housing discrimination, there are state and local studies that have shown evidence of this sort of bias. For example, a 2007 report by Michigan’s Fair Housing Centers found that nearly 30 percent of same-sex couples were treated differently when attempting to buy or rent a home.

HUD currently requires its recipients of discretionary funds to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that cover sexual orientation or gender identity.  In July, the Department issued new guidance that treats discrimination based on gender nonconformity or sex stereotyping as sex discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, and instructs HUD staff to inform individuals filing complaints about state and local agencies that have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination laws.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental, sales and lending on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status. Approximately 20 states, and the District of Columbia, and more than 150 cities, towns and counties across the nation have additional protections that specifically prohibit such discrimination against LGBT individuals. Under guidance announced last year, HUD will, as appropriate, retain its jurisdiction over complaints filed by LGBT individuals or families but also jointly investigate or refer matters to those state, district and local governments with other legal protections.

View the proposed rule announced today.

HUD DOC Proposal

###

HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

MELANIE NATHAN
nathan@privatecourts.com

Melanie Nathan – Jan 12-2011 – SAN FRANCISCO

Today the group – an imperative resource for LGBT refugees, is reaching out to the Bay Area for help, with an urgent call to for housing for a Gay Ugandan Refugee.  The young man (approximately late 20′s-30′s)  has fled Uganda and is being legally directed to San Francisco, where he will receive  assistance from ORAM and some  financial support from the US Government.  He will be seeking employment as soon as he arrives.  He will have a stipend and medical coverage – the most difficult to arrange is a place to stay.

I decided to write this appeal because I know that amongst our San Francisco, Bay Area community are the kindest and most generous people who may well understand the hardship of non acceptance and prejudice.  We have all felt the pain; imagine living in a country where being homosexual is considered a crime.

Proudly San Francisco  will host  this unique International  program, designed to help LGBTQI refugees; it is small but its a start.  The vision of the  international team, ORAM, is filling a much needed gap in social justice and services, by starting this pilot program.  As a community we ought to support their endeavors and go all out to make the pilot a viable program.   I am hoping that my readers will contact ORAM and ask how they can help our young Ugandan brother to settle in with a smooth transition.  Perhaps we can offer to host him – with events in his honor – as well as provide accommodation and other needs for his comfort.

What is most critical is housing  for him and ORAM must find affordable accommodation in a matter of  a few weeks. This is the letter that ORAM has sent out:

Dear ORAM supporter,

Do you live in the San Francisco Bay Area?  ORAM – Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration has begun its flagship resettlement program, helping vulnerable LGBTI refugees rebuild their lives in the San Francisco area.  Our first refugee, a Ugandan, is due to arrive in a few weeks and we are looking for volunteers to assist with many aspects of his resettlement.  Further information is available on our website.

We are especially looking for low cost, affordable housing.  Can you help?  We need LGBTI and refugee-friendly accommodation that is affordable on the small allowance offered by the US government.  You may know someone who has a room to rent for a small amount, or even have space in your home.  Our refugee is scheduled to arrive in February or March.

We would love to hear from you.  Please email us at info@oraminternational.org with any thoughts or suggestions.

If you yourself are unable to help, please send this message further to friends and colleagues.  Together, we can create a safe landing for our refugee.

If you have received this email in error, or would no longer like to receive mailings from ORAM, please let us know by replying to this email with the word ‘unsubscribe.’

Kind regards,
The team at ORAM

www.oraminternational.org

Posted by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

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I’ve been known to go on a bit about my recent losses: the ending of my long term relationship, kids growing up, friends dying, career sidelined, loss of youth – aching joints…I worry I’m beginning to sound like a character out of Oprah’s book club.

But things have started looking up. I’ve gotten settled in my beautiful new home, spent quality time with my sons and tried to wring every possible enjoyment out of the warmth and sunshine. I spent time surfing, wakeboarding, and hiking, and I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants — many times.

Learning to be on one’s own for the first time in 27 years isn’t easy, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. Occasionally however, while sleeping alone in my bed, I will become dimly aware of THE GREAT SADNESS slipping into my consciousness. This creepy early morning visit has been going on periodically for some time now, ever since life as I knew it so dramatically changed.  I used to panic, and tell it to Get The Fuck Out! But that didn’t go well, and I found myself wide-awake at 4:00 a.m.

Recently, I’ve changed my strategy. Now I say to myself “oh hi, it’s you again…” turn over and go back to sleep. I guess it’s about accepting the good and the bad. Major life changes seem to get harder with age. Staying light on my feet is something I have to work on every day. I have no idea what to expect, but I have enough faith to expect the unexpected. Life has always been wildly unpredictable, so why not now?

If I’m feeling low self-esteem, then its time to get busy doing esteemable acts.  I’ve been volunteering in the high schools to speak about coming out as a lesbian to help bust down stereotypes. It’s scary as hell but I figured out if I get out of my own head long enough, I will feel good about myself again.

Suddenly for the first time in many years, everything feels fresh and new, and I am awake and present like never before. I’m along for the ride wherever it takes me, and I’ll show up to acknowledge the joy and sadness as it comes. Trying to kick the process in the ass is ridiculous, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I’m working towards a day when I will be able to tell THE GREAT SADNESS “Come on in, sit down. Now, what how can I give you what you need?”  I’ll keep you posted on that but don’t hold your breath.

I’ve learned a couple things keeping my sanity this Summer; helping others helps me and a little Advil goes a long way.

By Robin Lowey

Robin Lowey is the creative mastermind behind the new lesbian website Epochalips – www.epochalips.com. Epochalips is all about the generation of Lesbians who cleared the way for all Lesbian/Gay/Queer/Bi/ Transgender youth.!

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Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary of Policy Development and Research, together with John Trasviña, Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

HUD HOSTS TOWN HALL MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO ON HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBT COMMUNITY

By Melanie Nathan 3-1-10; San Francisco;

With thanks to a directive from President Obama, Secretary Shaun Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (otherwise known as HUD) is preparing to launch a ground-breaking national study of housing discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the sale and rental of housing.

Before designing this unprecedented research effort, HUD is conducting a national listening tour with public meetings such as that which began in San Francisco today, to follow with Chicago and New York. In addition, HUD will provide an opportunity for public comment for those living outside these metropolitan areas.

Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary of Policy Development and Research, together with John Trasviña, Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity hosted the fact finding/discussion Town Hall meeting at the San Francisco LGBT Center. The Assistant Secretaries travelled far to spend a precious three hours hearing from leaders of the LGBT and non-profit communities. The gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender community was invited to explore the issue of housing discrimination and how it impacts individuals and the community.

In attendance were leaders and staffers including the offices of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, State Senator Mark Leno, Nick Panagopoulos, Mayor Newsom’s new LGBT community Liaison and Kenneth Stram, from the San Francisco LGBT Community Center.

I attended in my capacity as Vice President of Fair Housing of Marin, and had the great privilege of providing the Secretaries with a list of a few actual case situations that had been reported to our agency:

From the Fair Housing Notebook Housing Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation Housing Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is illegal in California. Discrimination on the basis of disability, including HIV disease, is covered by federal and state law. Fair Housing of Marin investigates complaints of suspected discrimination, counsels victims, mediates with

property owners and makes referrals to government enforcement agencies and attorneys.

Our office has received complaints from gays and lesbians who were not considered the stereotypical “family”. Persons with AIDS have been shut out of housing because of unfounded fears of communicability. The following are a few case studies handled for gays and lesbians by our office.

• An apartment complex owner told our office that she would not rent to 3 men, one a minister with a child, because they might give AIDS to everyone in the complex.
• A professional man and his partner’s lease was not renewed after he told the resident manager he was HIV positive. This case was settled by HUD for an undisclosed sum.
• A gay man and his partner, managers of an apartment complex, were fired without notice by the owner of the complex after he learned that one of them had AIDS, thereby losing their housing as well as employment.
• A gay couple living in a 2 DR unit were denied the ability to move to an available I BR unit in the same complex, with questions by the managers as to how they would “manage”.

• A lesbian owner of a rental unit refused to rent to a heterosexual woman because she only wanted lesbians.

What prompted President Obama’s request according to Assistant Secretary Bostic and a common expression by participants, is the hope that TITLE 8 of the Fair Housing Code – to be amended to include sexual orientation. When participants started speaking about HUD redefining a family, to reflect the recognition of LGBT families, Mr. Bostic advised that this was already in the works with HUD “exploring a rule to broaden the definition of Family.”

A well rounded mix of speakers shared the sorry state of resources available to LGBT community and most surprisingly the revelation of the extent of poverty amongst gay men in the city. There is a dire shortage of affordable housing, access to resources a challenge, and a desperate need for improved conditions and increase in the number of Shelters.

The plight of gay youth – those who have been beaten and thrown out of their family homes, making their way to San Francisco, in the belief they are headed to gay safe haven, yet finding themselves amongst the 70% getting beaten up in shelters and many others remaining stuck on the streets.

Mr. Bostic also mentioned that Secretary Donovan had made a pledge to find a way to get rid of homelessness altogether, noting the complications that are derived from the variables involved.

Also of interest was to hear that the Department of Justice has established a new division – A Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. My concern is that many choose not to recognize gay rights as a civil rights issue.

While discrimination was the subject of the meeting, it soon became apparent that discrimination is tied into the needs of the LGBT community; the availability of resources, with affordable housing in San Francisco at critical levels. With San Francisco the bastion of LGBT culture, historically, politically and socially – it is critical to this LGBT community that they have resources to remain in San Francisco.

Local government has been required to step in where HUD has lost its funding for certain Programs.

One topic that drew interest was the aspect of questioning of LGBT people with disabilities by Landlords. When asking for accommodations for disabilities, the Landlord is entitled to ask for proof of the disability and thereby inquire into medical conditions. However it is clear from some of the stories that this has lent itself to abuse of the HIIPA laws. The Assistant Secretaries took particular note of the need for a rule limiting the extent to which Landlords can go in such inquiries. This invasion of privacy often leads to the HIV /AIDS related discrimination I described above.

Part of the regimen for catching landlord offenders of anti-discrimination laws is to “test” a facility. For example if Fair Housing Group receives a complaint that a person of color suspects discrimination, the Group will send testers. First a person of color will be sent and that person will fill out an application. Then would be told the rental had been taken or there were no available units. A white person would then be sent to the same premises and would be approved.

So how does one test a landlord for HIV/AIDS discrimination? This question was posed by the Department Assistant Secretary – the audience was well versed and able to respond with examples such as when a landlord learns there is a subsidy involved for a prospective tenant, a red flag is raised and the landlord then can presume that the tenant has HIV/Aids.

Certain participants were asked to e-mail Mr. Bostic with examples of that would help develop a testing plan to catch Landlords who are discriminating against tenants with HIV/AIDS.

We will soon feature a separate report about the discrimination suffered by married same-sex couples when applying for a mortgage. A mortgage consultant/ broker provided insight into the mishaps in Title caused by lender ignorance. We are planning an educational article for LGR to follow soon.

Of course, in conclusion how could I not have mentioned the bi-national plight – albeit seemingly out of place? But what the heck… three ears away from the President – I must speak. I referred to one of my Bi-national cases – the one published here about Nancy C. I expressed that when one has no Federal rights and when spouses like Nancy C. are impeded by DOMA, they suffer further untold discrimination. In Nancy C.’s case she experienced an enormous amount of difficulty with her landlord, when they tried to characterize her wife as a “visitor.” The lease terms stated that a visitor could only live at the premises for 14 days. Nancy’s wife would visit for a few months at a time, because Nancy does not have a federal right to sponsor her spouse for a green card.

Nancy and her wife received discriminatory treatment when they tried to put the spouse onto the lease. Of course I told this story in the hope that any forum on LGBT discrimination will always take cognizance of the big picture and the negative impact that DOMA has on all departments, codes and laws.

The ultimate banishment of discrimination must happen at every level.

The community were really grateful for the opportunity to participate and expressed its appreciation to the Secretary and the Department. So my friends, President Obama is working for change. Lets look forward to the results of this research and the ultimate changes that must be made.                     Note: Photo by Melanie Nathan©

Melanie Nathan

Posted by Melanie Nathan©                              all rights reserved to LGR and Melanie  Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com
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Civil Rights and Human Rights Advocate;
Owner Private Courts Inc.
Conflict Resolution & Personal Advocacy firm at
www.privatecourts.com
www.fairhousingmarin.org

Visit LGBT Bi-National Column for Immigration equality

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Does marriage equality and more specifically same-sex marriage hurt traditional marriage? This most confounding question has yet to be answered by anyone, especially those who expound the rhetoric while seeking to ban same-sex marriage.  The derogatory impact of same-sex marriage on straight marriage has yet to be quantified.  I wonder how one would be able to figure it out.

Could it be that for every 4 gay marriages one straight person will not marry his fiancé; could it be that for every 4 gay marriages one straight couple will divorce?  Could it mean that allowing gay marriages will result in less straight people marrying and thereby reduce the numbers of married people?  I am trying so hard to come up with a formula, can someone please help me?   

Proposition 8 succeeded in California, and effectively removed a fundamental constitutional right, as endorsed by the Courts by way of popular vote – the right for any couple in California to marry regardless of gender was stripped.  Prop 8 was initiated in direct response and its mantra was  to “protect the institution of marriage” by keeping lesbians and gays out.  

After the barrage of voracious advertisements led 51% of voting Californians to believe that gay marriage would by its mere legality threaten straight marriages. Churches poured their money into the advertising coffers, tacitly claiming the interests of their God.   Silly them there is a better way to save the institution of marriage and just think it can be done without stripping other Americans of their inherent rights, as well as the advantage of quantification.  The obvious, unambiguous and only one absolute vehicle to sustain the precept of marriage is clearly the “The outlawing of Divorce.”  We must bring a new proposition to the voters in this earnest quest and that would be  ahh maybe -Proposition 9 – “Repeal of the Legislative Right to Divorce Act.”

Notably, divorce, unlike same sex marriage, can be easily quantified.  I believe in California the divorce rate is approximately 1 in 3. There you go – for every 60,000 marriages ending in Divorce, we can save 60,000 saved – see how easy that was. Not like our difficulty when we attempted to quantify the impact of same-sex marriage on ‘ traditional marriage.’ – that means we would have 60,000 out of every 180,000 marriages saved… How powerful is that!

This is a call to all those who truly believe in the sanctity of marriage. Support the rescue of marriage by ending divorce for good. Here is a safer and better plan – how about making that retroactive.  Anyone who has been divorced consider your good-selves remarried.

Indeed the next obvious step is legislation that prohibits one’s right to divorce.  Divorce is not an inherent right; it is one that is granted by specific statute. For example in California there would be no divorce if the Family Law Code did not deal create it. It gets worse – Divorce involves one spouse suing the other for divorce.  In California the first paper served by a plaintiff spouse on a defendant spouse reads “SUMMONS- You Are Being Sued.”  How bizarre – to separate church and State in this fashion.  It is an abomination to the sacred right of marriage to think that after spouses have said “till death do us part” that one may sue the other for divorce and that our law allows that to happen.

If Maine supports the ban of same-sex marriage tonight, I profess this to be the nest obvious step there too. 

Is this ban on Divorce a joke?  Not according to a Sacramento man, John Marcotte who is collecting signatures to place a new piece of legislation on the 2010 ballot for the people of California to decide on. He wants to make it illegal to divorce in California. Read his petition here.

Why? He contends that this is a natural extension of what religious conservatives did when they voted “Yes” on a ballot measure to ban gay marriage so that they could “protect traditional marriage”.

From John Marcotte’s Rescue Marriage website, here’s the statement announcing the new ballot measure:

“I loved Proposition 8, but felt it did not go far enough. So fresh from the office of our legal counsel, I present the 2010 California Protection of Marriage Act.

No party to any marriage shall be restored to the state of an unmarried person during the lifetime of the other party unless the marriage is void or voidable, as set forth in Part 2 of Division 6 of the Family Code.”

Marcotte has just launched his first couple of PSAs on the 2010 California Marriage Protection Act. Here they are:

Few Choice Quotes From the PSAs:

“My kids are being taught in school that divorce is all right.”

“You said ‘Till death do us part’. You’re not dead yet.”

“Hell is eternal, just like your marriage is supposed to be.”

“If we allow anyone to get divorced, before you know it, people will be divorcing their dogs.”

Lock Step-lock-jaw-Republicans-and conservatives- and those on the right – do not fail – put your money where your mouth is and support the BAN on DIVORCE.

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