Glenn Beck: Prop 8 Will Be Overturned

Fox wingnut blowhard Glenn Beck tosses out that "reports are that Prop 8 is about to be overturned." What reports, Glenn?

RNC: Nancy Pelosi = Pussy Galore

The Republican National Committee goes after Nancy Pelosi with this clip featuring split-screens of the James Bond Goldfinger character Pussy Galore.

Politics Daily reacts:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can sit back and enjoy her Memorial Day picnic basket after all, because the Republican National Committee has thoughtfully provided her with a pre-holiday gift-pack in the form of a video so sexist that – no joke – it compared her to the Bond movie bad-girl Pussy Galore. (Pelosi Galore, get it? What will these kidders think of next?) Take the next coupla days off, Madam Speaker. Because ill-advised as it was, claiming you hadn't heard jack about waterboarding -- well, this classic and classless bit of woman-hating is just the diversion you were no doubt praying for. As the Washington Post reported earlier this week, the RNC posted a YouTube video, "Pelosi versus the CIA,'' that used the theme music from the 1964 Bond movie "Goldfinger" in which Bond, James Bond, goes up against, ahem, the criminal mastermind (and lesbian!) Pussy Galore.

Obama And McCain

John McCain IV, that is, meeting the president after his Naval Academy graduation yesterday.

Unshocking: NYC Is Most Neurotic

The Map Scroll has overlaid some study of personality traits on a map of North America. Result: NYC really is a town of Woody Allens. Other personality maps here. Atlanta seems to be very agreeable, which seems about right.(Via - Richard Florida)

Bucharest Sees "Normality" March

Skinheads and other charming Romanians marched in opposition to Bucharest's gay pride parade yesterday, declaring their event a "Normality March."

"Romanians, wake up! Sexual perversions are contagious mental diseases" or "Romanians, stop the homosexual epidemic! It is more dangerous than the flue" are just some of the messages written on the placards. The participants also chorus "Romania is not Sodom." We have nothing against homosexuals, but it bothers us so see that they make public their options and attitudes that should remain private, one of the participants at the march told NewsIn. The organizers of the normality march said they will not try to sabotage the march of sexual minorities that will take place this afternoon at 5 p.m, and added they are just trying to express their points of view through this action, said Alexandru Nastase, the leader of Noua Dreapta Bucharest. This is the fourth year in a row when such a march is organized. According to a poll carried out by Gallup Organization Romania in June-July last year, homosexuality is seen as a bad thing by 68 percent of the Romanians. About 36 percent of them deem homosexual relations should be sanctioned, through prohibiting some rights. The same poll indicates that 56 percent of the Romanians say homosexuals should not be allowed to organize public events and 36 percent of them wish they would stop showing on television.

Although Romanian society is largely anti-gay, the country has made great strides in LGBT rights in recent years and in 2006 was lauded by the Human Rights Watch for making "exemplary progress in combating rights abuses based on sexual orientation or gender identity." Gays can serve openly in the military (although few do), but same-sex relationships are not recognized by the state in any fashion.

"Liberty" University Bans Democrats Because They May Support Dirty Homos

Liberty University, the Christian college founded by Dead Jerry Falwell, has told the school's Democratic Club that they must disband. Here's what they told the student Dems in an email:

The Democratic Party Platform is contrary to the mission of LU and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, Hate Crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc). The candidates this club supports uphold the Platform and implement it. The candidates supported are directly contrary to the mission of LU. By using LU or Liberty University and Democrat in the name, the two are associated and the goals of both run in opposite directions. We are removing the club from the Liberty website and you will need to cease using Liberty University's name, including any logo, seal or mark of Liberty University. They are not to be used in any of your publications, electronic or internet, including but not limited to, any website, Facebook, Twitter or any other such publication.

Talk about "liberty"! Rachel Maddow reacts.

Day Of Decision Rallies To Occur Tuesday Nationwide After Prop 8 Ruling

Go to Day Of Decision for a rally in or near your hometown. New Yorkers will gather at 6pm at Sheridan Square at Christopher Street and march to Union Square.

Mike Rogers & Outrage Director Kirby Dick Appear On The View

Rogers feels the conversation was "thoughtful and respectful" and they got their message out.

Harrah's Comes Out For Nevada's Gays

The Harrah's chain of Las Vegas casinos and hotels has written a letter to Nevada's legislature warning about a potential loss in gay tourism if Gov. Gibbons vetoes that state's pending domestic partners bill.

In a letter to lawmakers, Harrah's Senior Vice President Jan Jones said that Nevada must compete with other destinations for the growing gay and lesbian business and that there could be a "negative economic impact" if the bill does not become law. "Our state cannot afford to lose any more revenue to other destinations because of a reputation as a place which is not socially or politically the right place to do business or to vacation," Jones stated in the letter, dated Tuesday. Gays and lesbians have the highest disposable income of any segment of the population, according to Jones. "Our company does aggressive marketing to this community," Jones said Wednesday. "How can we say to them 'we want your business, but we don't care about your rights.'"

The Nevada ACLU hailed Harrah's move: "This is not just a civil rights issue; it is an economic issue. The defeat of SB283 would send a terrible message to a segment of the community that we work hard to attract to our travel and tourism destinations."

30+ House Reps Introduce DC DOMA

Two Democrats and about 30 Republican House members have co-sponsored a Defense Of Marriage Act for Washington DC in response to the DC City Council's recent vote to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

A Republican-led group of lawmakers wants to define marriage in the District of Columbia as between a man and a woman. The group introduced a bill in the House on Thursday, hoping to thwart a city council vote this month recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. Five states — Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont — allow gay marriage. Congress, which has final say over laws in the nation's capital, has until July to act against the district measure. Otherwise, it automatically becomes law. Some council members have said the legislation is the first step toward eventually allowing gay marriage in Washington.

With a Democratic majority in the House, the bill will face stiff opposition.

BREAKING: Prop 8 Ruling TUESDAY

IT'S ON. (PDF) The California Supreme Court will issue its ruling on Proposition 8 at 10am Tuesday, west coast time.

Meghan Mccain Tweets And Writes In Support Of Same-Sex Marriage In NY

From rising GOP star Meghan McCain's opinion piece in today's NY Daily News:

As Republicans, we understand the importance of strong communities. Last week, the New York Assembly passed the marriage bill with the support of five Republican Assembly members. Now, the bill goes before the state Senate, where Republican senators will make the difference on whether the bill becomes law or dies. Once again, New York has the opportunity to make a statement about Republican values and fairness by passing the marriage bill. I believe marriage equality will soon come to New York. My hope is that Republican senators will offer their support and make the difference to pass the marriage bill. By voting for the marriage bill, they will make a strong statement about supporting New York families, strengthening New York communities and demonstrating that equality and fairness are fundamental values of New York Republicans. It will leave a legacy that will make us all proud.

Maine's Catholic Diocese May Be Violating Tax Laws In Gay Marriage Attack

Maine activists have filed a complaint with the IRS charging that the Maine Catholic diocese is violating its tax exempt status by funding a ballot referendum drive to repeal same-sex marriage.

The Empowering Spirits Foundation said its challenge was filed Wednesday at an Internal Revenue Service office in Dallas. The San Diego-based group said the diocese is engaging in political activity by collecting signatures for the referendum, violating IRS rules applying to nonprofits. The ballot question would overturn Maine's gay marriage law. Gay marriage foes need the signatures of at least 55,087 registered voters to get the question on the ballot. The petitioners have until three months after the Legislature adjourns, which is expected to happen in mid-June, to collect the signatures. IRS policy allows the diocese to participate in the campaign and help collect signatures, said Marc Mutty, public affairs director for the diocese. He rejected the IRS challenge as a "bogus attempt to sidetrack the campaign." Leonard Cole, a Portland attorney who specializes in tax and nonprofit issues, suggested that the church's involvement could put it at odds with IRS rules that restrict lobbying by tax-exempt nonprofits. "It's hard for me to imagine how you seek someone's signature on a petition without it arguably at least being an attempt to influence their vote once the measure was on the ballot," Cole said.

It's been my understanding that nonprofits may campaign on social issues, but not for specific candidates, as we saw with Prop 8. Does the challenge by Maine activists hold water?

Washington State Domestic Partners Repeal Effort Will Be....Weighty

The haters behind Referendum 71, the petition effort to repeal Washington state's new "everything but marriage" domestic partners law, have a little problem on their hands. State law requires that repeal petitions carry the full wording of the law they are trying to turn back. But how are they going to accomplish that when the domestic partners bill is 114 pages long? Dominic Holden at Slog reports:

Large bodies of text have been printed on petitions before--but nothing like this. Initiative 1029, which concerned health-care workers, ran a petition last year that included the equivalent of 21 regular pages of copy. “They took a large piece of paper and folded it four times,” says Ammons, adding the text was in minute six-point type. “If the text got too small [on Referendum 71] … it would be subject to challenge,” he says. Referendum 71, however, contains more than five times the text as 1029. The petition “is under design at the moment," Gary Randall, a board member of Protect Marriage Washington, writes on his blog. "Our printing costs will be unusually expensive.” He then asks people to donate.

In the words of Dominic: HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Idols Rock iTunes Chart

Three tracks from Kris Allen, one from Adam Lambert, one from last year's winner David Cook, as well some of the guest performers from American Idol's final all crowd the top of today's iTunes national downloads chart, although Wednesday's premiere of Glee provides the country's top downloaded tune - a cover of Journey's Don't Stop Believin'. Really. Via Billboard:

Multiple cuts, in fact, by Allen and Lambert, including the latter's version of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," look likely to bow on next week's Hot 100 and Digital Songs charts. The cast of Fox's "Glee," which premiered after "Idol" Tuesday, is also set for a lofty launch on each list with its cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," currently No. 1 on iTunes. "No Boundaries" additionally appears headed for a run up the Adult Contemporary chart. The RCA Music Group digitally serviced the studio version of the song to radio at 1 a.m. ET this morning. After less than a day, the song already ranks just below the No. 30 anchor position on the format's building chart. In the meantime, three of last week's "Idol" performances spur movement on this week's Hot 100. "Waking Up in Vegas," Katy Perry's tale of hazy Sin City recollections, soars 51-13, while "Battlefield," the first single from Jordin Sparks' forthcoming second set, bows at No. 32. Foreshadowing Allen's win, his cover of Kanye West's "Heartless" enticed consumers to download the Fray's similar organic rendition, which enters at No. 79.

Baghdad: U.S. Embassy To Host Pride Party As Local Gays Cower In Darkness

The U.S. Embassy in Baghad will be hosting a gay pride celebration which include a drag show. Meanwhile local gays continue to be rounded up and murdered. Insensitive?

Change has certainly come to Baghdad. And it appears that includes the U.S. Embassy, where they are holding what the invitation says is the first-ever U.S. Embassy Gay Pride Theme Party next Friday at Baghdaddy's, which is the embassy employee association's pub. "Come celebrate the start of Summer with color . . . and in costume!" the May 10 invitation says. "Dress in drag or as a gay icon. All are welcome." The invitation was attached to what was called an "All Hands Alerts" e-mail. An embassy spokesman said by way of explanation: "This is an event organized and sponsored by a group of employees. Given the lack of places to meet in Baghdad, the embassy allows groups to use its social facilities for events on a first-come, first-served basis." The invitation says, "Prizes will be awarded for two contests: Best Dressed Gay Icon and Best Lip Synch Performance." Unclear what the prizes are, but don't forget to "order costume supplies now in time for May 29th," we're told. "For more info and costume ideas, check out the next edition of The Tigris Times."

While it's definitely cool that a government agency of the United States is so open to a gay pride event on their premises, I'm a little bothered that there seems to be no acknowledgment of the plight of gay Iraqis.

Male Pair Auditions On Season Premiere Of So You Think You Can Dance

And homophobia reigns. In a first for the show, last night's season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance featured a male couple (one straight, one gay). Who both fell on their asses. Damn. The judges didn't like the idea of a male pair at all, with one saying, "I think you'd probably alienate our audience" and "I like to see guys be guys and girls be girls on stage." Another said, "I'm confused because I see that sometimes you're both being the female role." Argh. Starts around 5:00. And yes, the producers played them in with It's Raining Men. Double argh.

UPDATE: AfterElton rips the hosts and interviews one of the dancers who says:

It was more offensive than what they showed. Nigel said that he's not sure that the fathers watching this at home would be encouraged to take their sons to allow them to learn to dance. Nigel told me that they [the show] has spent all these seasons trying to build up the idea that a male can dance and make it more acceptable, and we didn't really help the cause. I told him that I have a father, too, and I went through that. I told him that the country is already going through a lot of changes and could handle some more. Nigel didn't say anything to that.

Texas Mayor Resigns To Move To Mexico With Undocumented Immigrant Partner

Mayor J.W. Lown of San Angelo, Texas sent a FedEx to his city council to let them know he had moved to Mexico so that he could be with his partner, who had been in the United States illegally.

J W Lown was elected in 2003 as the city's youngest ever mayor at the age of 32. He has been re-elected three times, gaining 89 per cent of the latest vote, held ten days ago. He told the San Angelo Standard-Times he fell in love with his partner in March, after he announced he would be standing for re-election. It is thought the unnamed Mexican man had a student visa which has now expired. Lown said he had chosen not to take the oath of office while “aiding and assisting” a person who was illegally in the country. “I made the final decision when I knew it was the right decision to make for me and my partner and our future - and for the community,” he said. He added he planned to stay in Mexico to try to obtain a visa so that his partner can return with him if “the people of San Angelo will welcome me back.”

City officials say they hope to welcome him back soon. Now if only the U.S. had immigration equality....

Dog-O-Matic

From the French, a coin-operated dog wash. Maybe this works for those cheese-eating surrender dogs they have in France, but I think American dogs would take a very dim view of being shoved into a washing machine.

(Via - By The Bayou)

White Nights Riot: 30th Anniversary

Thirty years ago last night, in the largest violent disturbance in the history of the LGBT movement, thousands of gay people rioted in the streets of San Francisco after Supervisor Dan White was given only a 7-year sentence for the murder of Harvey Milk. After the crowd burned more than a dozen police cruisers in front of City Hall, dozens of SFPD officers retaliated by storming Castro gay bars and beating patrons. Today would have been Milk's 79th birthday.

Bankruptcy For GM

General Motors will get another $30B in bailout loans as it steers the company into bankruptcy next week.

The Obama administration is preparing to send General Motors into bankruptcy as early as the end of next week under a plan that would give the automaker tens of billions of dollars more in public financing as the company seeks to shrink and reemerge as a global competitor, sources familiar with the discussions said. The move comes as the administration prepares to lift the nation's other faltering car company, Chrysler, from bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, industry sources said. The shifts into and out of bankruptcy are landmarks in the Obama administration's attempt to broker a historic restructuring of the American auto industry in the space of months.

The UAW retiree health fund will own 39% of the newly structured company as it forgives $10B that GM owes it.

Natalie Cole Gets New Kidney

Natalie Cole, who was clearly in pain and out of breath during a recent American Idol appearance, received a kidney transplant yesterday in Los Angeles.

Cole, the 59-year-old daughter of R&B legend Nat "King" Cole, underwent surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The kidney came from a deceased organ donor, the spokeswoman said in a statement. She has been receiving kidney dialysis three times a week since September, even as she toured the world to promote her new album, "Still Unforgettable." Cole will recuperate for the next three to four months, forcing her to postpone a summer tour, the statement said. The singer revealed her Hepatitis C diagnosis last July, saying she probably contracted the liver disease from drug use more than 30 years ago.

UNRELATED: I saw Ms. Cole in concert in at Disney World's Grad Night in 1976 when I was a junior in high school. Cole was by far the less known of the other performers in the park that night and Disney put her stage up in Fantasyland between the Flying Dumbo ride and the teacups. Aw. The other acts were K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Ohio Players, and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, One of the greatest nights of my life. Always will remember little Natalie and her red dress.

Ana Marie Cox On Maddow Re: DADT

Vancouver Salutes Michael Phelps...

..with their doobie-shaped Olympic torch.

(Via - BStewart23)

Quote Of The Day - Ron Reagan Jr.

"Limbaugh hasn't had a natural erection since the Nixon Administration; think he's compensating for something? Now, I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection—none of that stuff—to me, off limits until! until! Mr. Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else—once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess. You're just fair game, and you're going to get it, too." - Ron Reagan Jr., responding to Rush Limbaugh saying that putting a photo of Nancy Pelosi in every hotel room would cut the nation's birth rate, because no man could get it up with her face visible.

(Via - Dan Savage)

Illinois Close On Civil Unions

The Washington Blade is reporting that the Illinois General Assembly is set to approve civil unions next week.

Rick Garcia, political director for Equality Illinois, said Thursday he's "absolutely" expecting the full state House and the Senate to pass a civil union measure either Tuesday or Wednesday. The bill has support from Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D). The House Youth and Family Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Harris, who's gay, intends to attach an amendment legalizing civil unions to a "shell bill" that's already been approved by the Senate, Garcia said. If the full House votes in favor of the legislation, the bill would be sent to the full Senate within hours for a vote of concurrence.

Garcia said Illinois lawmakers often use "shell bills" to pass legislation expediently. He said it's necessary to legalize civil unions through this method because the legislative session ends May 30 and the approach limits the time that opponents of civil unions can lobby lawmakers. "We get it out of the House and then senators only have a few hours of being beat up by our opponents rather than three days or a long weekend," he said. "Since there is a perfectly legitimate way of doing it in one day, that's what we're going to do."

Wow. Kinda outta nowhere, huh? Shell bills. Talk about a fast lane!

Spatial Relationships

Here's a visual depiction of the city space required to provide transportation to 72 people.

(Via - Richard Florida)

NAMES Project Creator Cleve Jones Endorses Call For March On Washington

Cleve Jones, the creator of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and former campaign worker for Harvey Milk, has endorsed David Mixner's call for a new March On Washington. Via Towleroad:

"Sadly, at the very moment we are poised to reach our greatest goals, President Obama and the Democratic leaders of Congress have turned their backs, forgotten their promises and betrayed our trust. In recent weeks House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has stated that repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act is “not a priority.” President Obama has ignored the appeals of brave young people serving in our military as they are drummed out of the services for being gay or lesbian. Indeed, Lt. Daniel Choi who recently “came out” publicly, was dismissed from the army, even though he is a highly valued fluent Arabic speaker and a veteran of the Iraq war. Apologists for the Democrats counsel caution and patience. They speak of “political reality.” The time has come to change that reality. I applaud and endorse David Mixner's call for a national march..."

Jones goes on to recommend that any march demand "“Full Equality Now - full and equal protection under the law for LGBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.” Let's stop settling for fractions of equality. Every compromise undermines our humanity. We must declare our equality." Mixner's plan focuses more on a demand for marriage equality. Jones wants the march to take place on the weekend of October 10th & 11th - which is National Coming Out Day.

RELATED: A very young Cleve Jones was played by Emile Hirsch in Milk.

Birthers Launch Billboard Campaign

Sponsored by Christianist site World Net Daily, the "birthers," a particularly nasty subset of wingnuts who believe that Barack Obama was not born in the United States, have launched a national billboard campaign demanding "Where's The Birth Certificate?"

The idea behind the billboard campaign is to make sure Obama cannot avoid this question any longer. He must be asked to produce it at every turn, [WND founder] Farah says. Billboard space is currently being hunted in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Sacramento, San Francisco, New York-New Jersey, Des Moines, Seattle and other metro areas. "Is it unusual for a news agency to launch such a campaign?" asks Farah. "Yes it is. But we live in very unusual times. The founding fathers built special protections into the First Amendment for the free press. The reason they did that is because they understood a vibrant 'Fourth Estate' was necessary as an independent watchdog on government. It is in that tradition that WND assumes this role – since nobody else in the press will do it."

The birthers claim that the president's birth certificate is an obviously photoshopped forgery, that he was actually born in Indonesia, and that he is therefore ineligible to be president.

GOP Urges Gov. Lynch To Veto New Hampshire Marriage Bill

After yesterday's surprising failure of the New Hampshire House to reapprove a marriage equality bill with religious exemptions requested by Gov. John Lynch, state GOP leaders are now urging Lynch to veto the bill should it reappear on this desk.

Republicans also called for a non-binding referendum on the same-sex marriage to go before voters in the 2010 election. New Hampshire forbids binding voter referendums. “Now is the time to allow the citizens of New Hampshire to vote on a same-sex marriage referendum,” said Sen. Minority Leader Peter Bragdon, R-Milford. Former House Speaker and current House assistant minority leader Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, said the proposed budget is half a billion dollars out of balance and there is only six weeks to resolve it before the new fiscal year begins. “However you feel about same-sex marriage it is time to move on and deal with the budget of the State of New Hampshire,” Chandler said this morning at a news conference.

After voting the bill down, the NH House approved a resolution referring the item to committee, meaning it can be voted on again in the current session.

My New Drinking Buddy

Last night I interviewed the charming and hilarious Rachel Maddow for the cover story of the next issue of Pride '09 Magazine. I'll post the interview here once the mag comes out - but I will tell you now that she is exactly as she appears on the air - just the funniest, sharpest person you'd ever want to bend an elbow with. That's Rachel's drink I'm holding, she had me try some bizarre green thing which still has me a little lightheaded this morning.

Nevada Legislature Approves Domestic Partners Bill, Gov Promises To Veto

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has promised to veto the domestic partners bill passed by that state's legislature on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 283, sponsored by state Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, would allow domestic partners, including same-sex partners, equal rights with married couples on issues such as estate planning, medical decisions, community property and children if they enter into a civil contract and obtain a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership from the secretary of state. The bill had passed the Senate and Assembly, but the Senate had to vote Tuesday on an amendment attached in the Assembly. Senators did so with a majority voice vote. Gibbons spokesman Daniel Burns said the governor has several reasons for his veto. "The governor believes that government has no business in your medicine chest or your bedroom," Burns said. "He also believes there are existing contracts that can be created, so no change to the law is needed. If there are people who want to be domestic partners, they can do so under existing laws. "He is also mindful of the fact that voters of this state on two occasions have said that marriage is between a man and a woman, and it's part of our Constitution."

The state Senate is thought to have to votes to override Gibbons' veto.

UK To Churches: You Must Hire Gays

In what is sure to become the newest talking point for the American right, churches in the UK are being told that under the new Equality Bill, they cannot refuse to hire homosexual employees.

Church leaders had hoped to be able to push for exemptions from the new laws but deputy equalities minister Maria Eagle has said the laws will cover almost all church employees. Previously, any roles necessary "for the purposes of an organised religion" are exempt for gay protection laws. But the Equality Bill will define this as applying only to those who lead the liturgy or spend the majority of the time teaching doctrine, such as ministers, bishops and their equivalents.
Speaking at the Faith, Homophobia, Transphobia, & Human Rights conference in London, Eagle said: "The circumstances in which religious institutions can practice anything less than full equality are few and far between."

Get ready.

Press Secretary Gibbs Lies About DADT

Former Wonkette editor Ana Marie Cox puts the screws to Robert Gibbs on DADT again. Wait for the end as Rachel Maddow points out Gibbs' big lie.

What DADT? U.S. Military Uses Openly Lesbian Joan Jett to Promote Fleet Week

I find it more than a little annoying that while the Obama administration continues to kick out highly skilled soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi and Lt. Col. Victor Fehrehbach, the U.S. Navy has NO problem using openly lesbian rocker Joan Jett to promote NYC's Fleet Week.

Over on the website of the Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, you'll find several photos of Jett (whom I adore, by the way) in flight gear and posing for photos with soldiers from several branches. Why, it's almost like they realize that Joan Jett is a lesbian icon and would be a great recruitment tool for young lesbians considering military service.

No Wal-Mart For Union Square

The Virgin Megastore space in Union Square will not become a Wal-Mart after all, much to the relief of many New Yorkers. Via Gothamist:

While the shuttered Times Square Virgin Megastore transitions into a Forever 21, WWD is reporting that the Nordstrom folks might be taking over the Virgin Megastore space. The real deal high price Nordstrom department store you've seen in the mall isn't looking to move in, however, it's their discount shop called The Rack that would be unpacking there. A spokeswoman for Nordstrom told WWD, “We looked at Union Square and would like to have a Rack in Manhattan. Nothing is signed yet. We are talking to them.” But word is the lease is "very, very close" to being signed.

Nordstrom Rack? Nevah hoid of it.

Friendly Voices - Marie Osmond

"I love my daughter! She's my baby girl, come on. So what if she's gay? She's my daughter and she's an amazing woman and a good kid. I raised her, she better be good. I think it's sad when we have to separate something from society. Whether it's, 'Oh you're Jewish,' and then it was 'Oh you're a Mormon,' or 'Oh you're gay.' I love real people. A lot of women out there have gay children. Who cares? I want love. I'm a Christian and Christ loved everybody." - Marie Osmond, talking to Entertainment Tonight. Pretty amazing, considering the views of her brother.

Open Thread Thursday

What are you doing this weekend? Sailors? Sand? Staycation?

America Says "No Homo"

UPDATE: Well...shit. That was disappointing.

Tonight's American Idol final isn't slated to end until about 10:15pm EST, so no update here until at least 1:15am Gotham time. Even if you have no interest in the competition, you must allow that the pitting of a devout Christian folk singer against a glam, guylinered and GAY rocker is a fascinating window onto the evolution of American pop culture. We may see some history tonight.

Whoopi Calls Glenn Beck A Liar, To His Face, Live On The Air

Barbara Walters gets a few punches in too. Good stuff. Too bad it's about something as silly as seating on Amtrak instead of Beck's outrageous statements against gays and immigrants.

NH House Marriage Bill Fails, Revote Being Sought

The New Hampshire House has voted 188-186 against the revised marriage equality bill requested by Gov. John Lynch. More:

The Senate earlier approved the amendment on a 14-10 party-line vote, but the House rejected the change, 188-186. The House was left with the choice to kill the amendment or send it to committee, and it elected to send it to committee. That means the amendment could come to the floor again this session. The House will attempt to negotiate a compromise with the Senate. Critics have said that the amendment reflects religious protections already guaranteed on the state and federal constitutions and that the bill would not protect other businesses that don't want to participate in same-sex marriages. Supporters argued that the bill should not be written to allow discrimination.

Over 20 House members were absent for today's vote. The bill can be voted again during the current session.

No Prop 8 Ruling Tomorrow

The website for the California Supreme Court nearly buckled under the traffic from anxious gays around the country this morning, but they have finally updated the site to indicate that no rulings will be issued tomorrow. Many had expected such, including Equality California and other groups that issued statements. As the Court only issues their rulings on Mondays and Thursday (or Tuesday next week, due to the holiday), this leaves only four possible dates before the deadline in two weeks.

UPDATE: Towleroad is reporting that SF Mayor Gavin Newsom asked the Court to delay their ruling so that it did not coincide with anniversary of the White Night Riots, as I speculated last night.

UPDATE II: Via JMG reader Justin and my pal Ned: Mayor Newsom's office is denying intervening in the ruling's release.

HomoQuotable - David Mixner

"My plea is for our LGBT leaders to call a March on Washington for Marriage Equality this November and if they won't do it, I appeal to our young to come together and provide the leadership.

"We need to come together in a display of powerful community unity to empower our young and to show the nation that anything less than full freedom is unacceptable. Clearly there are other issues that should be on the agenda for the march but marriage equality is the lynchpin that deals with so many of those issues. The most striking outside that institution would be the freedom to serve in our nation's military - and that weekend I think we could have a separate powerful event to highlight that.

"Having organized a number of major marches in my near 50 years of activism, I don't take this call lightly. Trust me, I know that there are times when such marches are ineffective and poorly timed. Yet, I have also seen them be extremely effective both in message and building momentum within the movement. For the first time, we have the opportunity to have tens of thousands of our straight allies and straight students join us and we should organize the march to make it easy for them to be by our sides." - Noted activist and former Bill Clinton campaign organizer David Mixner, writing on his personal blog. I recommend reading the entire piece.

Pam Spaulding Wins First Women's Media Center Awards

Noted LGBT activism blogger Pam Spaulding joins MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and CNN's Christiane Amanpour as a winner of the first annual Women's Media Center Awards. Spaulding won in the category of online journalism. The Women's Media Center was founded in 2005 by Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and Robin Morgan. Congratulations Pam!!

Georgia School District Rules That Dead Boy Was Not Bullied

Unbelievable. Over the cries of his mother, who says she complained to the school numerous times, the Dekalb County school district has ruled that there is no evidence that Jaheem Herrera was ever bullied. Herrera's mother found her 11 year-old son hanging from an extension cord.

Retired Fulton Superior Court Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore, who headed the review, said at a press conference the findings show Jaheem Herrera, 11, actively participated in several fights at Dunaire Elementary School during the school year. Jaheem hanged himself at home April 16. His mother, Masika Bermudez, broke down crying 13 minutes into the press conference. Bermudez has insisted her son killed himself after being constantly bullied at Dunaire and that she had complained to school officials several times. “My conclusion is there is no evidence of bullying at Dunaire,” said Moore, whom the school district brought in to oversee an internal review. “There is name-calling and teasing, but it is almost always done outside of any adult [being present]. There is a code of silence among the students.” More than a dozen people showed up to hear the findings at the school district’s headquarters on North Decatur Road near Clarkston, and reaction was swift and harsh. One man was forcibly removed from the building after he started shouting, “Shame!”

Six of Jaheem's teachers signed a statement saying that they had witnessed no bullying and that Jaheem appeared to be well-liked. The Herrera family is proceeding with a civil suit against the school district.

(Tipped by JMG reader Richard)

NH Senate Re-Approves Marriage Bill

Via New Civil Rights Movement:

The NH Senate, by a 14-10 vote, approved Governor Lynch's language strengthening religious institution protections in the gay marriage bill it had passed May 6th. Now, on to the House, for a vote expected today.

State #6 by the end of the week?

Is Carrie Prejean's Mother Gay?

Gossip rag Star Magazine is reporting that Carrie Prejean's mother was involved in a "steamy lesbian love affair" that lasted until the night of the Miss USA pageant.

Beauty queen Carrie Prejean has become the poster girl for opponents of gay marriage. But in a shocking exclusive, Star has learned that the reigning Miss California USA's own mother, Francine Coppola, was entangled in a steamy lesbian love affair right up until the night Carrie placed second in the Miss USA contest! During the April 19 pageant, Carrie told the judges and a TV audience of millions, "You know what... in my country, in my family, I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there." That statement didn't sit so well with her mom's new girlfriend. Openly gay sales rep Valerie Vetrano tells Star exclusively, "Yes, Francine and I dated." However, the affair was doomed, says a source. "Francine explained how she was a Christian and that her loved ones would never accept her if she were gay," the friend says. When Valerie asked her what would happen if she told her daughter Carrie about the two of them, Francine responded, “Carrie would never believe it!”

I'm not holding my breath for this story to be true, but it will be somewhat amusing to follow the wingnut reactions. Star Magazine promises "amazing photos of Carrie's mom on the night she seduced Valerie at a California bar’s lesbian night!"

You KNEW He Couldn't Pick The GAY Boy

Fleet Week 2009 Hits Gotham

NYC's Fleet Week begins today, but times are hard even for the military.

Some 13 warships and other craft are sailing into New York Harbor this week for the annual observance of Fleet Week. The annual naval review that starts Wednesday is a sparse gathering compared to past years, with only three major U.S. combat vessels in the lineup. That's the smallest contingent in Fleet Week's 22 years. Navy spokeswoman Lt. Lesley Lykins says the service is trying to cut costs this year. The largest and most familiar vessel slated to parade up the Hudson River this year is the USS Iwo Jima, named for the bloody 1945 battle. The missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf and missile destroyer USS Roosevelt will also make an appearance.

The parade of ships sails up the Hudson this morning, after which an expected 20,000 sailors will have several days of shore leave. Manhattan's titty bars are gearing up.

Jesus Nominated For Supreme Court

LOVE the bit about Rep. Michelle Bachman.

Sunday's Sermons: "Patriot Pastors" To Call For "Crushing" Of Hate Crimes Bill

Pastor Paul Blair of Reclaiming Oklahoma For Christ is spearheading a national drive for the nation's "patriot pastors" to call for a "crushing" of the Senate's hate crimes bill this Sunday.

"Just think, if pastors would get up on their pulpits and teach folks about how the issues of today are going to affect them and then lead them, we can make a difference," he said. "The problem is we don't hear the truth. We don't hear it in the media, we don't hear it in schools and our pastors have been taught to remain silent." But Blair said he intends to change that. "Brethren, it's our turn," he said. "As we reflect this Memorial Day weekend on the great price paid for the liberty that we enjoy, let us not lose that same liberty on our watch. Join with a group of patriot pastors across our nation and teach your flock about this dangerous hate crimes legislation and lead them in combating this brazen effort to criminalize Christianity in America."

Janet Porter's Faith2Action claims to have deluged the Senate with 450,000 letters demanding a "no" vote on what they continue to call the "Pedophile Protection Act." The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S.909) to the full Senate in coming weeks.

Maine Gets Potential Ballot Question

Here is the question that Maine election officials have drafted to appear on the November ballot if the haters get enough petition signatures: "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Maine citizens have an amount of time, from when a bill is signed by the governor until it is effective, to collect and have verified a number of signatures of registered Maine voters equivalent to 10 percent of the total votes for governor in the last gubernatorial election in order to force a statewide vote on the measure. The current threshold to force a so-called "people's veto" is 55,087 certified signatures. Petitioners have until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns to collect 55,087 signatures. The secretary of state then has 30 days to certify the signatures. If the secretary of state rules that sufficient signatures have been affixed on the instrument of petition, the stay continues until after the voters decide on the question at a statewide election.

NY Marriage Opposition Unorganized

Despite Sunday's massive Hispanic evangelicals rally in NYC, the New York Times says that same-sex marriage opponents in the state are remarkably unorganized and underfunded.

“Frankly, the governor caught us all by surprise when he put this bill out there,” said Dennis Proust, communications director for the New York State Catholic Conference, the bishops’ political arm. “We weren’t expecting it.” Other groups that typically take the lead on conservative causes, like New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms and the Conservative Party of New York State, say they lack the resources to mount a broad media campaign. And the state does not have the large numbers of evangelical Christians and Mormons that have helped fuel movements to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples in other states, like California. “It’s been a little bit of a challenge in New York,” said Peter S. Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, the Washington-based conservative advocacy group led by Tony Perkins. “The pro-family network in New York is not as well organized as it is in other states.”

Even just-installed Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who said some ugly things about same-sex marriage in his first interviews, now says he does not plan to enter the public debate.

Dial Idol Shows Slight Edge For Kris Allen

Rachel Maddow: Another High Ranking DADT Discharge

After 18 years of service, highly-decorated Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach is being discharged for being gay.

If Prop 8 Decision Comes Tomorrow....

A rally/protest will take place in NYC. Via Facebook:

Rumors are circulating that the California Supreme Court will hand down their decision on the validity of Proposition 8 on Thursday, May 21st.

If this happens -- New Yorkers will be meeting at 6 PM on Thursday, May 21st at Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village (Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue South) to either protest or celebrate the decision and continue to call for the New York State Senate to pass marriage equality before the end of this legislative session in June.

We will meet at Sheridan Square and march to southern steps of Union Square for a rally.

We will stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in California and continue to draw attention to the fact that marriage equality should be passed in the Empire State.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW IN NEW YORK!

PLEASE BRING SIGNS AND INVITE FRIENDS and ALLIES!

SFPD Drops Off Barricades In Castro, All Eyes On California Supreme Court

An SF City Hall insider tipped me earlier tonight that the SFPD was dropping off racks of barricades in the Castro in advance of an expected Thursday ruling on Prop 8 from the California Supreme Court. No confirmation at this point, but similar reports are coming in from San Diego. We'll know around midday when the Court posts its list of rulings for the next day.

VERY RELATED: Thursday will also be the 30th anniversary of the White Night Riots, and Friday is Harvey Milk's birthday. You have to wonder if the Court is aware of that timing and what it may mean if they've decided to rule this week.

(Photo via JMG reader Craig)

Vote Adam!

Everybody is Facebooking and Twittering over the meaning behind Adam's performance of Sam Cook's civil rights anthem A Change Is Gonna Come. Interesting selection.

HomoQuotable - Christine Quinn

"Today, after meeting with Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and members of the State Senate, I am very optimistic that we will see equal rights come to the State of New York very soon. Our state has long been a moving force in fights for equal rights, and this crucial bill keeps us at the forefront of this movement.

“During these meetings, I told each of them that I was in Albany to express my unequivocal support for Gov Patterson’s program bill to legalize same sex civil marriage. I urged each to pass this bill in this session. I shared how important this vote is to me and my family, and so many other same sex couples across New York State. We must keep our momentum alive and now, with the legislation in the Senate’s hands, we are going to do just that. I believe that after continued discussions and the work we will do in the weeks to come, Governor Paterson will put pen to paper and make marriage equality a reality." - New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, via press release.

UPDATE: Elizabeth Benjamin at the NY Daily News has more.

2 Girls, 1 Sub

Quiznos seems to be trying to make up for their Toasty Torpedo ad, which was criticized as "either a tasteless exercise in homophobic humor or camp genius. Or both."

ACLU Wins Another One: CA Student Gets $25K For Anti-Gay Harassment

A 16 year-old California lesbian has won a $25K settlement from her school district after the ACLU threatened a lawsuit for the way she was harassed by teachers and school employees.

The agreement between the Vallejo City Unified School District and the American Civil Liberties Union was reached without litigation, said ACLU attorney Elizabeth Gill. In agreeing to the settlement, the district is not admitting liability, Gill and district Superintendent Mary Bull said. The student, Rochelle Hamilton, now 16, was a sophomore at Jesse Bethel High School in the fall of 2007, when teachers allegedly verbally harassed her and forced her to attend a counseling session for gay students. Gill said the counselor tried to discourage Hamilton and other students in the session from being gay.

The alleged harassment included a staff member telling Hamilton she was "ungodly" and "going to hell" as she embraced her then-girlfriend. The alleged comments transformed the "social butterfly" into a teenager on the verge of suicide, Hamilton's mother Cheri said Monday. Rochelle Hamilton, who came out as a lesbian when she was 13, said Monday she became depressed because of daily negative comments from teachers and staff about her sexual orientation and her appearance. Her standard dress is stereotypically male, with baggy jeans. The teen said a teacher held a girls' locker room door closed and would not let her in, but then let in other girls who had on more stereotypically feminine attire.

As part of the settlement the school district has agreed to rewrite its anti-discrimination policies.

President Obama: Don't Flip Flop On DOMA

Via press release:

The first ever federal lawsuit against Section 3 of DOMA ("Defense Of Marriage Act") was filed on March 3, 2009 by GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders) on behalf of eight same-sex married couples and three surviving spouses from Massachusetts who have been denied federal legal protections available to spouses. They served the government with the lawsuit the week of April 27th and now the Department of Justice, under President Obama's authority, has until the week of June 22nd to respond.

President Obama now has a choice -- direct Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department to defend DOMA in court or keep his campaign promise by asking Holder not to defend this unconstitutional law.

A national grassroots effort has been released on May 18, 2009 known as the DOMA Flip Flop campaign. Endorsing organizations include Join The Impact , Change.org , Join The Impact MA , and the Cambridge Democratic City Comittee . Organizers are asking participants to print out a 'flip flop card' with the the statement, "President Obama, please don't flip flop on DOMA!" on it. Participants are asked to mail the 'flip flop card' to the White House from now until President Obama makes his decision on the DOMA lawsuit.

Join the DOMA Flip Flop Facebook group and visit DOMAFlipFlip.com.

Yesterday U.S. Rep. John Conyers said that he has the votes to push a DOMA repeal through the House Judiciary Committee, but that getting votes in the full House and Senate remains in question.

Ellen DeGeneres At Tulane

Ellen DeGeneres spoke at Tulane University's commencement this weekend and spoke eloquently about coming out (amidst her usual hilarity).

(Via - Towleroad)

O'Reilly: Will Christians Vote Out Adam Lambert On Tonight's American Idol Final?

Fox's Bill O'Reilly thinks that a Christian voting block may hurt Adam Lambert's chances in tonight's American Idol final because he is gay.

Interestingly, last week when Christianist site World Net Daily published an editorial on the same issue, the author seemed to favor Adam Lambert.

Debbie Egan, from North Carolina, however, admits that faith does factor into her voting, just a little bit. "I tend to vote for someone whom I know to be a believer," only if they have skills, she insists. "I have been supporting Kris Allen over Danny Gokey because I prefer Kris' style over Danny's, even though both are believers." But faith isn't the only factor, and talent wins out in the end. And that means that a lot of Christians are voting for Lambert. His over-the-top, theatrical performances have drawn both praise and criticism from viewers and judges, but overwhelmingly everyone agrees that his vocal talent is unparalleled.

I just want Adam to win and see his BF bound up onto the stage for a big long wet kiss.

Swag Tuesday

Courtesy of Penetration Inc, today's Swag Tuesday giftie is Beautiful Mess, the ninth studio album from Swing Out Sister, which is available nationwide today.

There are few artists in the pop music landscape who manage to stand the test of time while remaining completely unique and relevant. Swing Out Sister has managed to do this over their remarkable 20-plus year career and as a result has built a devoted international fan base. On May 19, 2009, Shanachie Entertainment will release Swing Out Sister’s highly anticipated ninth studio album, Beautiful Mess, showcasing the band’s ability to create fresh cinematic sound-scapes with their sophisticated, intimate and jazz/Latin tinged pop and surprise-filled arrangements that pay homage to the great soul tradition. Fronted by the stunning vocalist and fashionista Corinne Drewery and keyboardist Andy Connell, Swing Out Sister celebrates the eclectic cultural mix of the UK’s constantly changing music scene on Beautiful Mess. With a clever mix of jazz fusion, hip hop hooks, sixties pop, 70’s R&B/funk and free flowing Latin groves, Swing Out Sister concocts the ultimate Beautiful Mess over a twelve track recording that gives a glimpse into the minds of two creative geniuses who never tire of finding new ways to make us dream through their music.

We have five copies of Beautiful Mess to give away. Enter to win by commenting on this post. Please remember to leave your email address in the text of your comment. Entries close on Wednesday at midnight, west coast time. Publicists: If you'd like to take part in Swag Tuesday on JMG, please email me.

Swing Out Sister US Tour
June 3 | San Francisco | Bimbo’s | 8:00pm
June 4 | Los Angeles | The El Rey Theater | 8:00pm
June 6 | Washington, DC/Columbia, MD
Capital Jazz Fest @ Merriweather Post Pavilion | 7:00
June 7 | Philadelphia | Café Live | TBC
June 8 | New York City | BB King’s | 8:00pm