Archive for the ‘Current Events’ Category
Shalikashvili Calls for End of DADT
“Studies have shown that three-quarters of service members say they are personally comfortable around gays and lesbians. Two-thirds say they already know or suspect gay people in their units. This raises important questions about the assertion that openly gay service would impair the military. In fact, it shows that gays and lesbians in the military […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
NOH8
There has been some rejoicing on the side of equality (and some pursed-lipped tsk-tsking on the anti-equality side) since Cindy McCain came out in support of marriage equality and joined the "NOH8" campaign. I suppose it's gratifying to have a prominent Republican do the right thing, but how many gold stars must one dispense to […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Reflections
Sanders on his Move towards Equality
Jerry Sanders, mayor of San Diego, appeared this week as a witness for plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, and he's written about the experience and his own conversion to equality. The pull-quotes: "I realized that all opposition to same-sex marriage, including my own opposition, was grounded in prejudice." "When government tolerates discrimination against any class […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Merkley on Republican Anti-Science "Political Stunts"
Today one of my Republican colleagues introduced a proposal to brazenly overturn sound scientific work done by our nation's leading public health experts and prohibit the Environment Protection Agency from doing its job to protect the health and welfare of the American people. This extremely damaging proposal is a political stunt designed to effectively strip […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events
Nathanson's Almost Testimony: Equality Popping up Everywhere
Today, I watched* a snippet of video deposition of one Paul Nathanson, who was to be called as a defense witness (i.e., supporting the anti-equality side of the argument) in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, until his name was withdrawn. The given reason for withdrawing his name, of course, was incredible fear of persecution at the hands […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Olson & Boies talk to Maddow
So that I can locate it easily, here is the short segment of Rachel Maddow talking with Ted Olson and David Boies, Perry v. Schwarzenegger lawyers for plaintiffs. I have to admit that it thrills me to listen to Ted Olson say, "If you listen to these individuals and you hear our arguments, you are […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Perry v. Schwarzenegger : A Note
Yesterday morning, in a federal courtroom in San Francisco, began the trial of the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger, widely known as the "gay-marriage trial". This is the lawsuit brought against the state of California, challenging the constitutionality of proposition 8, the sate constitutional amendment that outlawed same-gender marriages in that state when they were already […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Reflections
He Doesn't Know
For example, one of the arguments that the anti-gay-marriage side has increasingly turned to outside the courtroom is that allowing same-sex marriage would hurt heterosexual marriage. At the pretrial hearing, Judge Walker kept asking Charles Cooper, the lawyer defending Proposition 8, how exactly it did so. “I’m asking you to tell me,” he said at […]
In: All, Briefly Noted, Current Events, Faaabulosity
BBC Claims: Not Embarrassed by Own Stupidity
The BBC like to be on top of current issues and engage their public by running opinion polls at their website, generating some interactive excitement for their public discussion boards. More than a few jaws around the internet dropped in surprise, horror, and disgust at yesterday's poll question. Perhaps you've heard of it by now: […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish
Episcopal Bishops In NJ Support Marriage Equality
The Episcopal Church in America continues to demonstrate its support for civil rights and human dignity. Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey [Bishop] George Councell, Episcopal Diocese of Newark Bishop Mark Beckwith and other Episcopalians joined more than 1,000 others in Trenton Dec. 7 to urge the New Jersey state Senate to pass a marriage equality […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Voting on Civil Rights
Some will argue that we [in New Jersey] need a referendum on the issue, as if the legal rights of a minority should be subject to approval by the majority. A historical note: When the Supreme Court struck down state bans on interracial marriage, 73 percent of American were opposed to mixed marriage, according to […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Episcopal Presiding Bishop's Statement on Ugandan Situation
We recently mentioned the deplorable attempt by factions in Uganda to pass a bill that would impose unconscionable punishment on gay and lesbian people. We also mentioned, all too briefly, how the fires of homophobia are being fanned by American anti-gay forces: some radical evangelical clergy and related elements of the so-called "ex-gay" political movement, […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Moyers on Obama's Afghanistan Strategy
Sometimes I say I'm a Bill Moyers groupie, but I'm thinking that might not be quite accurate. "Groupie" suggests that I idolize Mr. Moyers and laud whatever comes out of his mouth because I am enamored of his celebrity. However, that's not really the case. I listen to Bill Moyers and hear a great deal […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Plus Ca Change...
Deadly Silence on Ugandan Homophobia
For the past year or two the cauldron of homophobia in Uganda has been boiling, stoked and stirred by American career anti-gays who apparently aren't getting enough satisfaction our of American voters on oppressing homosexuals. The current situation has gone much, much too far. The incursion of anti-gays into Uganda to stir up homophobia was […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish
EDOW Pride!
Following up on my previous note about support for marriage equality by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington–and its inclusive attitude generally towards LGBT people–this short note: the Episcopal Diocese of Washington is launching a new project / website: EDOW Pride! Quoting from the welcome page: With many congregations being served by Women, Persons of Color, […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Episcopal Bishop Favors Marriage Equality in DC
Last week there was the news that Catholic Charities, an organization that administers some of Washington, DC's services to the poor, abused, and hungry, threatened to suspend its activities if the DC City Council passed a proposed bill establishing marriage equality in the District. Apparently they feared actually having to provide services to, or benefits […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Houston: Vote for Parker
Why? Because she's a lesbian, that's why. There could be other reason, and I'm no single-issue voter, but this seems to be the approach taken by her opposition. Think of the number of times we've heard talk–demonstrably empty talk–about "loving the sinner, hating the sin", not really being homophobic ("some of my best friends…"), and […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Prejean? Postjean!
I've seen a bit more of the latest Carrie-Prejean hilarity than I really needed to read about; her bench just didn't have the depth for a nine-inning game. (Sorry; my sports metaphors probably suck because, well, because I know nothing about sports.) One does wonder, though, how a person could forget having made a video […]
In: All, Current Events, Reflections
Julian Bond at National Equality March 2009
No people of good will should oppose marriage equality. We have some real and serious problems in this country; same-sex marriage is not one of them. Since when did we believe that trust, loyalty, and love are bad things? –Julian Bond, Chairman, NAACP, speaking on 11 October 2009 to the National Equality March in Washington, […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
When I awoke this morning I thought I was hearing unusual sounds coming from outside the house, sounds I couldn't quite identify. Now I realize it must have been the sounds of conservatives' heads exploding. I have to admit that I didn't really expect this news this morning. It does make me try to remember […]
In: All, Current Events, Raised Eyebrows Dept.