Obama's Speech To The HRC

Tomorrow: National Coming Out Day

Tomorrow is National Coming Out Day. In the clip below, an Australian boy named Jack lets his mother tell his coming out story. Sweet stuff.

C-SPAN To Air Obama's HRC Speech Live

C-SPAN will air President Obama's speech to the Human Rights Campaign tonight live beginning at 7:55PM eastern time. You can also listen live on SiriusXM's OutQ channel.

NEM Travel Advisories

Tomorrow DC police will implement rolling street closures to accommodate the National Equality March. Here is some advice for attendees.

The National Equality March is scheduled to take place at noon on Sunday, Oct. 11. The March will begin at McPherson Square and reach the west side of the U.S. Capitol at approximately 2 p.m. The planned route is south on 15th Street, NW, West on H Street, south on 17th Street, east on Pennsylvania Avenue, to 3rd Street, NW. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) plans to implement rolling street closures along the march route.

Anyone leaving the National Equality March from the U.S. Capitol and returning to Union Station and all Red Line stations should walk north on 1st St., and make a right onto Louisiana Ave., NE, to Union Station.

Those leaving the National Equality March from the U.S. Capitol and traveling to RFK Stadium should walk south on 3rd St., to the Federal Center SW Metrorail station and board the Orange Line toward New Carrollton or the Blue Line toward the Largo Town Center.

Other major events taking place tomorrow include the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and Bike For The Heart. Additionally, major track work is underway on several Metro lines. Metro authorities recommend adding a minimum of 30 minutes to your anticipated travel times. Tips about the affected lines and stations can be found here.

Cleve Jones Vs. Joe Solmonese

Last night Cleve Jones and Joe Solmonese went head-to-head over the Obama administration's commitment to LGBT rights.

Arlington: Gay Veterans Lay Wreath At Tomb Of Unknown Soldier

DADT victim Lt. Dan Choi joined a group of LGBT veterans today for ceremonial laying of a wreath at the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. More photos by Eric Politzer are here.

Maddow On Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)

Classic!

Solomonese Explains

HRC executive director Joe Solomonese has issued an update of his widely criticized statement about judging the performance of President Obama.

I’ve seen some reactions to my weekly message, that I gave the President a free pass not to fulfill his campaign promises until 2017. Here’s something from what I wrote that the authors didn’t include in their pieces: “I predict great things coming out of our work with this President, but that does not mean that I am satisfied today. Our community cannot be satisfied so long as DOMA is on the books and an inclusive ENDA is not.“

I am not satisfied. HRC is not satisfied. Our community is not satisfied and that’s why thousands of LGBT people and our allies are in Washington this weekend to demand more. That’s our position. Stopping here would mean losing. But stopping here is not what we intend to do.

We are pushing for much more. It is our job to dog them, but it is also our job to make sure that success is possible. As I wrote, “To do the work, we have to work with our supporters in Congress and with the Administration. Whatever you think of the Administration’s first nine months, you don’t pass laws by sitting out. You pass laws by sitting at the table.”

Do I believe we’ll have a good track record by 2017? Yes. But the President can’t deliver on his promises alone. It will take all of us working together.

Morning View - 2400 Fulton Street

In 1968 the Jefferson Airplane moved into 2400 Fulton Street on the north side of Golden Gate Park, hence the title of their 1987 greatest hits package.

Laura Ingraham On Obama's Nobel Prize

HomoQuotable - Joe Solmonese

"But what has he [Obama] done? I've written that we have actually covered a good deal of ground so far. But I'm not going to trot out those advances right now because I have something more relevant to say: It's not January 19, 2017.

"That matters for two reasons: first, the accomplishments that we've seen thus far are not the Obama Administration's record. They are the Administration's record so far....

"I am sure of this: on January 19, 2017, I will look back on the President's address to my community as an affirmation of his pledge to be our ally. I will remember it as the day when we all stood together and committed to finish what Senator Kennedy called our unfinished business. And I am sure of this: on January 19, 2017, I will also look back on many other victories that President Barack Obama made possible." - HRC executive director Joe Solmonese, saying that we shouldn't be critical of President Obama so soon into his tenure. (And maybe not at all until 2017?)

John Aravosis at AmericaBlog reacts:

It's the kind of thing that someone who doesn't have to worry about getting kicked out of the military would write. Someone who doesn't care about getting married. And, it's the kind of thing someone who is more concerned about image and connections would write. It is simply astonishing from an organization that is supposed to be dogging this president to secure our civil rights. You don't telegraph that it's okay for him to wait until 2017 to keep his promises. That is, if he gets re-elected, if we still control the Congress, if we're not having more "distracting" wars, if it's not a close election... Good Lord.

Twelve New Yorkers Walk Into A Bar....

Here's the NYC contingent of the JMG Half-Century Express, at the lovely house we've rented on Noe Street near Duboce Park in the Castro. Back row, from left: Father Tony, David, Mystery Man*, JMG, Little Tom, Chris C., Craig, Nick. Seated, from left: Chris A., Aaron, Tim, Mark. The guys from LA, Philly, and Chicago are all staying in hotels within a few blocks of here. Tonight the complete crew will be careening around SOMA. Beware.

*Sick days are not meant for vacations to San Francisco, Mystery Man!

Carrie Prejean Defends New Jersey

The New Jersey Family Policy Council has enlisted Carrie Prejean as the keynote speaker at their "Defenders Of The Family" event, a $50 per person hate fest where an additional "free will" collection will be taken. You can order tickets online here, please make sure you use a totally real and valid credit card.

Mister Marcus Dies At 77

Bay Area Reporter columnist Marcus Hernandez, known internationally to the leather community as Mister Marcus, has died at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness. His snark and gossip-filled column ran in the BAR for 38 years.

The cause of death was complications from diabetes and arteriosclerosis. Mr. Hernandez was known to his legions of readers by his pen name "Mister Marcus" and dubbed the "dean of leather columnists." His weekly columns of contest goings-on and gossip were a must-read for leather community leaders, titleholders, and newcomers alike for 38 years. Mr. Hernandez had been hospitalized since the summer, when his health condition worsened. He was surrounded by friends at the time of his death; one of his sons had traveled from North Carolina to be at his bedside earlier this week. "Mr. Marcus has been a San Francisco institution for decades," said B.A.R. publisher Thomas E. Horn. "He unapologetically brought his message of pride for the LGBT community in general and his beloved leather community in particular not only to San Francisco but to all the United States and even the world.

I've attended uncountable events emceed by Mister Marcus, where no one was safe from his rapier wit. He always made even the most mundane goings-on amusing. A memorial in celebration of his life will be held on November 21st at City Lights, 715 Harrison Street, San Francisco.

CA State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano To Governator: Kiss My Gay Ass!

GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received a hostile reception on Wednesday when he dropped to at a San Francisco Democratic Party fundraiser, where openly gay state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano yelled for the governator to "kiss his gay ass."

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown is lambasting what he calls "highly inappropriate" behavior by San Francisco Democrats Wednesday who greeted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with a hostile reception during a surprise drop-in at a San Francisco Democratic Party fund-raiser. But outspoken State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco, who shouted "You lie!" to Schwarzenneger during the event at the Fairmont Hotel -- and didn't deny reports he walked out with a quip of "kiss my gay ass" -- said the GOP governor's "cheap publicity stunt" earned a very appropriate show of political theater, San Francisco-style.

Later Ammianno said, "This isn't a chamber where someone suffers through. This is our house -- and it's like someone came in and took a big dump. He showed up; it was rude, he got up there and it felt to us that he was trivializing all the issues we care about. You have a few options, and along with the labor people, we walked out."

Watch the video of the melee here.

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Gotta say, this is a shocker.

President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” a stunning honor that came less than nine months after he made United States history by becoming the country’s first African-American president. The award, announced in Oslo by the Nobel Committee while much of official Washington — including the president — was still asleep, cited in particular the president’s efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons. “He has created a new international climate,” the committee said. For Mr. Obama, one of the nation’s youngest presidents, the award is an extraordinary recognition that puts him in the company of world leaders such as Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who won for helping to bring an end to the cold war, and Nelson Mandela, who sought an end to apartheid. But it is also a potential political liability at home; already, Republicans are criticizing the president, contending he won more for his “star power” than his actual achievements.

WA: More Lies From Protect Marriage

How many lies can you find in this clip from God's loving people?

HomoQuotable - Evan Wolfson

"In campaigning for the White House, President Obama committed himself to many gay civil rights priorities -- passage of an inclusive federal civil rights bill, toward which the pending Employment Non-Discrimination Act is an important start; ending the oppressive regime under which gay military personnel today serve our country in the armed forces; undoing current federal discrimination against legally married same-sex couples, including the full repeal of so-called "DOMA;" and moving the nation toward equal protections and respect for our families, youths, and seniors. In his speech, I want to hear some specific timetables for action: a commitment to pass ENDA in 2009 alongside health care reform, a plan for undoing military discrimination by 2010, an endorsement of the Respect for Marriage Act and a pledge to build congressional support to bring it to his desk this term.

"But I also want to hear that case for why America needs to do this. As I urged in a Huffington Post piece in honor of Lincoln's 200th birthday, I want this President to summon the nation to, in Lincoln's words, "think anew" about ending anti-gay discrimination and exclusion. President Obama has the perfect context in which to make that case: a clear and unequivocal call on the people of Maine to vote no in November on the anti-gay ballot measure aimed at undoing the freedom to marry enacted earlier this year." - Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson, on what Obama should say at the HRC dinner tomorrow. Wolfson goes on to provide a sample text for the president.

Barney Frank: March Is Useless, Stay Home

Appearing on Michelangelo Signorile's SiriusXM show yesterday, Barney Frank dismissed the effectiveness of the National Equality March, saying it would be better if folks stayed home and lobbied locally. Signorile:

Barney Frank believes the march this weekend and rally on the mall are "useless" and don't put pressure on the White House. "I literally don't understand how this will do anything," he said. "People are kidding themselves. I don't want people patting themselves on the back for doing something that is useless." Besides, he says, "Barack Obama does not need pressure." He says we should model ourselves as lobbyists on "the National Rifle Association." He says people should not come to Washington and should stay home and lobby their members of Congress. "Nobody in Congress even knows they're there, he says, and he is not attending the March: He is going to California to raise money for himself and other Democrats.

UPDATE: Last night Cleve Jones appeared on CNN to talk about the March and respond to Frank's comments.

New From Maine's No On 1

This one effectively hits on Mainers' notorious distrust of outsiders.

Maddow Goes After WingNutDaily

WorldNetDaily is now calling for Obama's impeachment and the GOP has paid for their mailing list. Whee!

Morning View - F Line

Montana Supreme Court Grants Parental Rights To Lesbian Partner

In a landmark 6-1 decision, the Montana Supreme Court has ruled that the lesbian ex-partner of a woman is entitled to share in the parental rights over the children legally adopted by the woman during their relationship.

While a state Supreme Court decision Tuesday on a former same-sex couple's parental rights didn't directly address homosexual rights in Montana, Justice James Nelson did - in the strongest of language. In his specially concurring decision, Nelson denounced discrimination against gays and lesbians as "bigotry" and called it "a prevalent societal cancer grounded in bigotry and hate." "I remain absolutely convinced ... that homosexuals are entitled to enjoy precisely the same civil and natural rights as heterosexuals, as a matter of constitutional law," he wrote. Nelson sided with the 6-1 majority that upheld a ruling giving parental rights to a Missoula woman who had been in a 10-year lesbian relationship that included two children legally adopted by the other woman in the partnership. The other woman had left the relationship and married a man, and did not want to grant parental rights to her former lesbian partner. The court ruled that the former partner has a "parental interest" in the children and a right to joint custody. Nelson said the case shows that until the courts recognize homosexuals as "equal participants with heterosexuals in our society ... with exactly the same civil and natural rights, lesbian and gay citizens will continue to suffer homophobic discrimination."

The Montana Family Association said the decision "damaged the law for natural parents across the state."

80's Flashback

The Weather Girls, It's Raining Men, 1982. On Tuesday, David Letterman's band leader Paul Shaffer took an unusual turn as Dave's guest to promote his new book, recounting an amusing chapter which highlights his co-writing of the gay disco anthem It's Raining Men with the late (and brilliant) Paul Jabara, who died of AIDS in 1992. Jabara had won an Oscar and a Grammy for writing Last Dance for Donna Summer and intended It's Raining Men for her. However, the newly reborn Summer objected to the "amen" and "hallelujah" bits of the lyrics, leading Jabara to eventually enlist Sylvester's backup singers Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead, who were then recording as Two Tons Of Fun.

Rechristened as the Weather Girls, the duo took the track to #1 in much of Europe, #2 in the UK, but only #46 here, although it topped the dance chart. Selling an eventual six million copies, the song went on to become a common sitcom device used when gay themes are introduced. Izora died of heart failure in 2004, but her daughters Dynell and Ingrid now record and perform as the Weather Girls. It's Raining Men has been covered several times, most notably by former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who took it to #1 in the UK in 2001, her most successful single to date. For the record, I never cared for It's Raining Men, although I appreciate its place as (arguably) the most famous gay anthem this side of Over The Rainbow.

PhoboQuotable - Tim Wildmon

"In its never-ending quest to shred America's Judeo-Christian value system, the left is planning to hurriedly push through a 'thought crimes' bill. So-called 'hate crimes' laws are really laws that criminalize thought, because they punish an individual not for what he did but for what he thought. Politically incorrect thoughts about homosexual behavior will result in enhanced criminal sanctions under this law. Everywhere hate crimes laws have gone into effect, they have been quickly used to intimidate, silence and punish people of faith who express deeply held religious objections to the normalization of homosexuality.

"Such laws not only punish officially disapproved speech and thought, they create two tiers of victims. Under hate crimes laws, some victims get more protections than others, which violates the fundamental American principle of equality under the law. In fact, such laws actively discriminate against heterosexual Christians who are victims of crime, since they will get less legal protection than homosexual victims. And since 'sexual orientation' is nowhere defined in the legislation, this law will give pedophiles, voyeurs, and exhibitionists special protections, which is why the bill has correctly been called "The Pedophile Protection Act." - American Family Association president Tim Wildmon, in an emailed ActionAlert! to his fellow bigots.

Poll: One-Third Of Parents Oppose Swine Flu Vaccine For Their Kids

A new poll by the Associated Press reveals that over one-third of the nation's parents don't want their kids immunized against the swine flu, despite reassurances from the government that the vaccine is safe.

Some parents say they are concerned about side effects from the new vaccine — even though nothing serious has turned up in tests so far — while others say swine flu doesn't amount to any greater health threat than seasonal flu. Jackie Shea of Newtown, Conn., the mother of a 5-year-old boy named Emmett, says the vaccine is too new and too untested. "I will not be first in line in October to get him vaccinated," she said in an interview last month. "We're talking about putting an unknown into him. I can't do that." The AP poll found that 38 percent of parents said they were unlikely to give permission for their kids to be vaccinated at school. The belief that the new vaccine could be risky is one federal health officials have been fighting from the start, and they plan an unprecedented system of monitoring for side effects. They note that swine flu vaccine is made the same way as seasonal flu vaccines that have been used for years. And no scary side effects have turned up in tests on volunteers, including children. On Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appealed for widespread inoculation against swine flu, vouching unconditionally for the vaccine: "We know it's safe and secure."

Some parents cite the unproven theory that other vaccines have caused autism as reason not to trust the swine flu shots.

Shepard Smith: The Donut Burger Is A Sign Of Apocalypse

HomoQuotable - Michael Glatze

"But, what about my desires? People constantly complain: 'I'm just not attracted to women! And, I'm SO attracted to guys!' No, you're not. You're obsessed with the lustful desires of a fallen body, the body that – ultimately – hates itself and hates the truth. You know the way out, but you're selfishly unwilling to take it. You would rather pull the covers over you – in the form of liberal lawmakers who will attack the truth with 'hate crime' violations – than sit up, like a man, and BE a man. [snip]

"I have seen the forces of darkness as they have, swiftly, overpowered the minds and bodies of otherwise good-hearted souls, kind folks, wonderful friends and even family members. And I know this is what others are up against. I can't imagine what others must be going through, those trying to get out of the mind-vice of homosexual sin. I can't IMAGINE what their challenges are. I can only tell them: Be strong, my brothers and sisters. Be strong, my friends. Be strong." - Michael Glatze, the "ex-gay" former publisher of the defunct XY Magazine, from a lengthy, rambling piece just published on World Net Daily.

Glatze declared himself "ex-gay" in 2007, resulting in a whirlwind tour of Wingnutia, shepherded by Peter LaBarbera himself, where Glatze was hailed as a "major gay rights leader" who'd seen the light. (Christianists dropped Glatze like a hot potato shortly afterwards when he temporarily converted to Mormonism.) An excellent piece just posted on Ex-Gay Watch dissects Glatze's bizarre journey and points us to his just-created personal Twitter-like blog, where he makes racist commentary against President Obama, something that apparently doesn't trouble his fellow bigots at World Net Daily.

When I last quoted Michael Glatze in 2008, I closed with this:

I know some of you don't like reading the words of "ex-gay" idiots like Glatze or James Hartline, but I think it's important to recognize that these guys are lionized by the Christianists as shining examples of what is possible for all gay people. That's why these relative nobodies get so much ink in right-wing publications.

Like James Hartline and virtually all of of these "ex-gay" examples so beloved by the Christian right, Michael Glatze appears to be mentally ill. The question is, do the Christianists even see this? And if so, do they care? Or are they perfectly happy to exploit obviously unwell people to further their sinister campaigns of hatred? I think we all know the answer.

Levi Johnston Signs With Playgirl

After fielding numerous offers from straight and gay porn outlets, Levi Johnston has signed on for a nude pictorial with Playgirl.

To get ready for his close-up, Johnston is training three hours a day, six nights a week at an Anchorage gym with a local body builder. A formal agreement hasn’t been reached with the online magazine, but the photo shoot is a “foregone conclusion,” said Johnston’s attorney, Rex Butler. After Sen. John McCain chose Palin as his running mate, Johnston was thrust into the national spotlight early in the campaign after Palin abruptly announced her unwed daughter was pregnant and the couple would marry. The couple broke up after the birth of their son, Tripp, in December. The relationship between the Palins and Johnston since then has often been strained, mostly over visitation issues.

Sarah Palin has declined to comment on the news that the penis that was once inside her daughter will soon be seen by the world.

Maddow: "ConservaDem" Senators Key To Health Care Reform Bill

Wayne Besen Talks Obama On O'Reilly

Last night Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen appeared on the O'Reilly Factor to discuss President Obama's speech at the HRC. Besen on the HRC picket: "It's important for us to be inside and outside that dinner."

NOTE: I've replaced the hilariously wrong clip with the above correct one. Sorry about that, I was on a plane all day and couldn't moderate the posts as they went up.

Governator Poised To Veto Milk Day Bill

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is prepared to again veto the bill creating a Harvey Milk holiday, saying he will issue a mass veto of hundreds of bills at once unless lawmakers come to an agreement on reorganizing the state's water system.

Seven hundred bills on issues including education, hospital funding, ammunition restrictions, and a day dedicated to Harvey Milk currently sit on the governor’s desk. The deadline for Schwarzenegger to sign or veto the myriad measures is Sunday at midnight. Members of the California legislature are concerned that the governor will issue a mass veto on the bills unless the lawmakers reach an agreement on reorganizing the state’s water system, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico, a Democrat from Fremont, called on Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown on Tuesday to investigate the governor, saying his veto threat amounted to extortion. "These threats are akin to extortion or vote trading, which is illegal," said Torrico, reportsthe Los Angeles Times. "The governor should be very, very careful."

Schwarzenegger first vetoed the Milk holiday bill last year, saying Harvey Milk was not well known enough outside of San Francisco. The Oscar-winning film about Milk's life has surely changed that, but it remains unknown how the governor will vote, should the bill get a stand-alone opportunity.

Harry Connick Jr Schools Aussies On Blackface In America

While judging an Australian talent show, Harry Connick, Jr. was appalled when an act performed in blackface as the "Jackson Jive." Connick gave the group a "zero" score, then came back later to school the audience on how offensive blackface is considered in America, saying he would "definitely not have done the show" had he known about the performance. According to the blog Queer Two Cents, Connick is being criticized in Australia for "over-reacting."

(Via - Pam's House Blend)

Tory Leader David Cameron: Our Allies Are Not Homophobic

British celebrities including Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, and Ewan MacGregor sent a letter to the UK's Conservative Party leader David Cameron, urging him to repudiate the homophobic policies of the Polish Law and Justice Party, a Tory ally. Cameron responded by denying the charges, but also said that Poland is a Catholic country, so what can you do?

Speaking to Sky News, Cameron said he would respond "very clearly" to the letter. He said: "I don't believe the Law and Justice Party are homophobic." "Poland is a Catholic country. Most of the parties in Poland do take a stance like that on issues like gay marriage. "I don't happen to agree with them but they're not a homophobic party." Cameron broke away from an alliance with the EPP in Europe to honour an election promise he made but his new allies have been accused of homophobia, racism and anti-semitism. He invited Polish Law and Justice Party MP Michal Kaminski, to speak at Conference yesterday. Kaminski was filmed calling gay people "fags" in an interview in 2000. He is now the president of the Tories' new bloc in Europe, the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.

Over six hundred gay men attended the Tory-run disco club night on Tuesday during their annual conference, despite the flap.

Them Eye-Talians Is Comin' Ta Get Ya

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell gets some help from the NRA, who uses a Sopranos-type character to warn Virginians that the mafia (or something) will be coming for their guns if they don't vote for him.

Fred Karger Challenges NOM To Sign Oath Promising Not To Lie

Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate, who is being harassed by NOM's attorneys for demanding their financial records, has issued a challenge for Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown to be completely truthful about their funding.

What’s wrong with these people? Why are they working so hard to harm so many? What is their true motivation? Why do they continue to lie and cover-up at every turn? Well, I for one am fed up with their whining about being the victim here, when in fact, the very opposite is true. They raise millions and millions of dollars to take away the rights from a minority. They beat down people and cast an entire minority as 2nd class citizens – not equal to them. They hide their federal tax returns for two years until just before Thursday’s hearing in Maine. NOM's IRS 990 filings for 2007 and 2008 magically appeared on its web site during the wee hours of Thursday morning. I got tipped off right before the hearing, and I was able to point out the truth to the Ethics Commission. Commission members questioned Brian Brown about that. He said that he wasn’t sure when they were posted. And still no sign of the NOM 501(c)3 Educational Fund's (Tax ID Number 26-0240498) 2008 return.

Here is Karger's oath challenge. Anybody think they'll sign?

Jesus Wrote The Constitution, The Remix

Someone very clever has created a parody version of John McNaughton's One Nation Under God interactive portrait. A sample: "Professor: He's holding tight to his copy of Charles Darwin's Origin Of Species, which none of the people in this image has read, but they heard things about it on Fox News, so!"

Obama To Appoint Gay Man As Ambassador To New Zealand

Let's hope this isn't Obama's big surprise at the HRC dinner.

An administration official says President Barack Obama plans to nominate an openly gay lawyer as the United States' ambassador to New Zealand and American Samoa. The administration official says Obama plans to nominate David Huebner to the post. The official would speak only on condition of anonymity ahead of an announcement. If confirmed by the Senate, Huebner would the administration's first openly gay ambassador. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush both had openly gay ambassadors during their terms

Joy Behar Interviews Gay Teens

On her new HLN show, last night Joy Behar interviewed three gay teens about coming out in middle school. Project Runway winner Christian Sirano sits in (and promotes his new book.)

Open Thread Thursday

So. What's everybody doing this weekend?

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX): Hate Crimes Bill Will Legalize Bestiality, Corpse-Fucking, Pedophilia, Lead To Nazism

Protect Marriage's R-71 Ad

Protect Marriage Washington's ad against Referendum 71 is one of the most bombastic we've seen yet, and that's saying something. Over on Pam's House Blend, commenter Abraxas Bear notes:

The intro pic of Adam and Eve is a painting by Lowell Bruce Bennett, and the painting happens to be the intellectual property of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. See the copyright notice here, on their official website (especially note if you click the picture to enlarge, you get a separate copyright attached to the image itself). It so happens that the LDS/Mormon church is vociferous about protecting its intellectual property, so if this ad doesn't get promptly pulled, you can count on it having been used by LDS church permission!

Required Reading

It's too perfect to excerpt here, but please check out this Daily Kos diary entry titled, I'm Heterosexual And It's Just Freakin' Fantastic!

American Family Association Claims 500K Are Boycotting Pepsi Over Gay Support

The American Family Association is claiming that 500,000 of its members have signed a pledge to boycott PepsiCo because of the company's support of the "homosexual culture war."

American Family Association asked PepsiCo to be neutral in the culture war and not support the homosexual agenda. PepsiCo refused. The company continues to give financial support to homosexual organizations. PepsiCo gave $500,000 to Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and another $500,000 to the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The total of $1,000,000 was used to help promote homosexuality in the workplace. HRC and PFLAG were major supporters of efforts to defeat Proposition 8 in California, which defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. HRC gave $2.3 million to the effort to defeat Prop 8.

Via Raw Story:

The Pepsi boycott seems to be having some effect within the Christian conservative community. Last month, the Westboro Baptist Church, of "God hates fags" fame, protested in downtown Atlanta with signs that read "God hates Diet Pepsi." Last month, Bell Shoals Baptist, a mega-church in Brandon, Florida, removed its Pepsi vending machines and replaced them with Coke machines. "We fight this battle one skirmish at a time," said Terry Kemple, the Bell Shoals member who organized the vending machine change, in an interview with the Brandon News & Tribune. "Our forefathers came here for religious liberty, not sexual liberty." But the church's switch from Pepsi to Coke -- which other Florida churches joined -- may have been a strategic mistake. As Bridgette LaVictoire reported on the LezGetReal blog, "Coca Cola has consistently scored higher on the Human Rights Campaign’s list of LGBT friendly businesses" than Pepsi. "The AFA [is] furious with PepsiCo over their diversity training, which is actually not quite as good as Coca Cola’s, and their work place support of LGBT individuals, which is not quite the same level of support as seen in Coca Cola Corp.," she wrote.

Hate Crimes Bill On Verge Of Passage

Last night the House of Representatives voted down a GOP motion to strip the hate crimes act from the defense authorization bill to which it's attached. The vote was 234-178, virtually exactly along party lines. Tomorrow the House will see a final conference vote on the bill, after which the Senate will see a conference vote before the bill lands on Obama's desk. That may not happen until next week, but there appears to be a chance that President Obama may have something very nice in his pocket when he appears at the HRC dinner on Saturday. Below, Barney Frank defends attaching the hate crimes act to the DOD authorization.

80's Flashback

Pat Benatar, Love Is A Battlefield, 1983. Written by Holly Knight and producer Mike Chapman (both of whom also co-wrote Tina Turner's Better Be Good To Me), this was Benatar's biggest and most enduring hit, reaching #5 on the pop chart, a height she later tied with the less memorable We Belong. The track earned Benatar a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal, but it was accompanying dance video that broke the single, as girls and gay boys nationwide copied the Defiant Hooker Shimmy. (My buddy Ken loves to tell the story about meeting one of the clip's dancers, who told him she was credited as "Disgruntled Whore #3.") Benatar was such a famously bad dancer, it reportedly took many, many takes to get her steps right. Love Is A Battlefield has been covered numerous times by artists such as Cher, Mary J. Blige, White Doves, and Queen Latifiah (who recorded a rap version). Via Durban Bud, here's the literal version.

Westboro To Picket NEM & HRC Dinner

Westboro Baptist Church has posted a list of pickets planned for this weekend in Washington DC. Among their targets are a local synagogue, the HRC-Obama dinner, and the National Equality March. If you are attending any of these events, take care not to engage the Westboro nutters. They would love the national attention of any tiny incident and will sue anybody that interferes with them in any manner.

Interestingly, the next item on their picket list is NYC's massive Columbus Day Parade, where they intend to scream at a couple of million Italian-American New Yorkers. Not to paint with too broad a brush, but I suspect they just miiiiiight see a little bit of trouble for that. Just a little.

No Golf For Obama

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that President Obama definitely will not attend the Presidents Cup golf tournament this Sunday. I was thinking it would be hard for him to make it after speaking at the HRC's dinner in DC the night before. What are the chances of a surprise appearance at the March? The president will be in SF next week for a Democratic fundraiser on the 15th.

Friendly Voices - Scott Fujita

"A year ago or two years ago, I remember reading about an initiative that was proposed in the state of Arkansas. It was some kind of measure that was aimed at preventing adoptions by single parents. Now, the way I read that and the way that I translated that language was that only heterosexual, married couples could adopt children. As an adopted child that really bothered me. I asked myself, what that is really saying is that the concern with one's sexual orientation or one's sexual preference outweighs what's really important, and that's finding safe homes for children, for our children.

"It's also saying that we'd rather have kids bounce around from foster home to foster home throughout the course of their childhood, than end up in a permanent home, where the parent, whether that person's single or not, gay or straight. Either way, it doesn't matter. It's a home that's going to be provided for a kid who desperately needs a home. As an adopted child, that measure really bothered me. It just boggles my mind because good, loving homes for any child are the most important thing." - New Orleans Saints star linebacker Scott Fujita, in a Huffington Post interview titled Why I Support The National Equality March.

Jon Stewart On DADT

Jon Stewart nails it, as usual.

The Swine Flu Snap

NPR shares some really silly ways to say hello without shaking hands, in order to protect against swine flu. A foot smack?

Drag Queen: 2, Street Punks: 0

I watched this about ten times last night on Live Leak, where the comments are great.

Two thugs who attacked what they thought were a pair of transvestites picked on the wrong men - when their intended victims turned out to be cage fighters on a night out in fancy dress. Dean Gardener, 19, and Jason Fender, 22, singled out the two men walking along a street in wigs, short skirts and high heels. Bare-chested Gardener was caught on CCTV confronting one of the men in a pink wig, black skirt and boob tube - then seen swinging a punch, a court heard. But the other cage fighter, wearing a sparkling black dress and matching long wig, sprang to his friend's help, delivering two lightning-quick punches to the two stunned yobs. The cage fighters were then seen teetering away in their high heels, stopping only to pick up a clutch bag they dropped during the melee. Gardener and Fender were left dazed and seen staggering to their feet after their failed attack. CCTV cameras followed the pair as they weaved along The Kingsway in Swansea, South Wales, before being arrested by police.

After trying to fight just about anybody passing by, the two pick on the drag queens at the 1:00 mark.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX): Hate Crimes Act Is Holding Soldiers Hostage

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) vehemently opposes the Matthew Shepard Act and says attaching it to a defense appropriations act is "holding soldiers hostage." He then go on to spout the usual lies that preachers will be dragged from the pulpits and charged with hate crimes for preaching against homosexuality.

UK Conservatives Go Gay: Tories Throw Giant Gay Club Night

The party of Margaret Thatcher wooed LGBT support yesterday by throwing a massive gay club night in Manchester, where the Tories are holding their annual party conference. "Party with your fellow conservatives" read the poster.

Skin-tight T-shirts, posters of semi-naked men and buckets of condoms on the tables. This was not a typical fringe event at the Conservative party conference. Last night, though, the Tories glammed up for “Conference Pride”, the party’s first official gay club night. Protesters gathered outside with placards reading “Queers against Tories”, outraged that the party had crashed Manchester’s gay scene. Inside, hundreds packed two dancefloors and a roof terrace. They drank cocktails created for the occasion: the “Cameron PM” (double vodka, blue Curacao and lime juice) and the “Tory Martini” (vodka, gin, Midori melon liqueur and lime juice). Both were selling well. In defiance of a ban on party triumphalism there were also four different types of champagne on offer, including Laurent-Perrier at £57 a bottle.

But it wasn't an entirely happy gay time on Canal Street, as noted above. Not only were there queer anti-Tory protesters outside their own event, the newly-minted LGBTory group is pissed that the nearby club Poptastic simultaneously hosted a night called "Tory Shame," which featured a Thatcher lookalike drag queen.

Matthew Sephton, chairman of LGBTory commented: “It is a shame that Poptastic has chosen to hold this event which appears to aim only to stir up negativity and political division in the LGBT movement, at a time when we need to be as united as possible.” He went on: “Conference Pride is an official part of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and has attracted lots of interest from those both within and outside the party. It is the first time an official event has been organised on this scale and it is a clear signal to the LGBT community that we are valued and have a valid part to play in the future of our country and the Conservative Party.

Meanwhile, Ben Summerskill, the executive director of the LGBT charity Stonewall, has pulled out of his scheduled speech at the conference over the Tories' alignment with homophobic parties in the European Parliament.

The party has invited Polish Law and Justice Party MP Michal Kaminski, to speak at its conference this week. Mr Kaminski was filmed calling gay people "fags" in an interview in 2000. He is now the president of the Tories' new bloc in Europe, the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. Pulling out of the event, Mr Summerskill told Channel 4 News: "There is no doubt the progress that has been made in the last couple of years has genuinely been historic. "It would churlish of anyone not to welcome the apology a couple of months ago over Section 28." "But the event tonight has been overshadowed by the presence, not just at conference but on the same platform as some senior members of the party, of people of such extreme and offensive views."

JMG readers from the UK and elsewhere have commented that comparing the Conservative Party to the GOP is unfair in light of their recent improvements in LGBT policies. The mere existence of Tory-run gay club night might be considered evidence as such. But from this distance, inviting speakers to your national conference such as the above-noted extremist Polish representative makes it hard to see that big of a difference, gay disco nights and their Section 28 apology notwithstanding. Window dressing, as local gay cynics have said.

It can't be overlooked that the overall state of LGBT rights in the UK is far, far ahead of what we have here in America. Gays serve openly in the military, England and Wales have a version of ENDA, gay adoption is allowed, and civil partnerships have been legal since 2005. (Hate crimes legislation is proving thornier.) What needs to happen now is for the Tories to help duplicate those successes by using their influence across the European Union, not prop up violently anti-gay movements. Disco parties may buy a few local votes, but the biggest fight for LGBT rights, now, is elsewhere.

Subway Announcement Of The Week

1. This is the clearest subway announcement you'll ever hear. 2. This woman kills me.

Prop 8 Backers Seek To Boot CA Attorney General From Their Side

California Attorney General Jerry Brown is refusing to defend Proposition 8 from a lawsuit contending that it is unconstitutional. Because he agrees. Therefore Protect Marriage now wants him listed as a plaintiff in the suit, rather than a defendant.

In court papers filed late Friday, Proposition 8 backers argue that allowing Brown to remain as a named defendant in the case "unfairly advances" the challenge to the same-sex marriage ban because, like the plaintiffs, the attorney general maintains California's law against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. "As matters now stand, plaintiffs have a party on the other side of this dispute who shares their ultimate goal of invalidating Proposition 8," lawyers wrote in court documents. "Plaintiffs might well turn the old adage on its head and ask: With enemies such as these, who needs friends?" Scott Gerber, Brown's spokesman, said the office's lawyers are reviewing the motion and had no further comment. In numerous legal briefs, Brown has sided with the plaintiffs' central legal argument that Proposition 8 violates the equal protection rights of same-sex couples seeking the right to marry. It is a rare example of the state's top lawyer declining to defend a California law in the courts.

A federal district court has scheduled the case for trial in January, which some expect may eventually offer SCOTUS an opportunity to finally hear the issue.

GA High School Ejects Cross-Dressing Boy

Before he enrolled, school officials at a Kennesaw, Georgia high school assured Jonathan Escobar, 16, that he would be allowed to cross-dress as he pleased. But after a fight erupted between one of Jonathan's supporters and one of his tormentors, the school told him that he was in violation of their "no disruptive clothing" policy. He dropped out after four days rather than comply.

Survey: R-71 With Slight Lead

A new SurveyUSA poll shows Referendum 71 with a slim 3-point lead in Washington state.

Voters are divided on Referendum 71, which would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of registered domestic partners and their families. The referendum asks voters to approve or reject a state law, signed by Governor Christine Gregoire in May 2009, which expanded the state's domestic partnership laws. Today, 45% of likely voters say they are certain to vote to approve Referendum 71; 42% are certain to reject; 13% are not certain. Among men, the measure is rejected by a 4-point margin; among women, it is approved by 12 points -- a 16-point gender gap. 72% of Republicans say they will vote to reject; 72% of Democrats say they will vote to approve; independents reject by a 13-point margin. In Metro Seattle, the measure is approved by 18 points; in Eastern Washington, it is rejected by 18 points. Western Washington voters outside of Metro Seattle are more divided, with an 8-point margin voting against the referendum.

Remember, to KEEP domestic partners legislation you must vote to APPROVE R-71.

Rachel Maddow Takes On Astroturf Kingpin Rick Berman

And he actually sits there and defends his industry-backed websites which say that mercury in fish is OK for you, transfats UNclog your arteries, high fructose corn syrup isn't fattening, and on and on.

Morning View - E/V At E.53rd

I don't often connect to the E from my home line of the 6 because of the two-block underground connection and the super-deep level of the E at that point. That can be hell when it's hot, especially when the E's escalators are broken, which seems to be a 50-50 shot on any given day. (When built, they were the longest escalators in the world.) Climbing eight stories in 100+ degree heat makes one not so fresh for the rest of the day.

TRIVIA: Built in 1911 at 180 feet deep (about 18 stories), the 191st Street station for the 1 train is the deepest in NYC's system.

Once A Quitter....

Just as he resigned from the U.S. House in 2006 because he didn't see himself winning re-election, last night Tom DeLay resigned from Dancing With The Stars because he didn't see himself winning. No, wait, scratch that, he has a "stress fracture." Come to think of it, "stress fracture" is a pretty good description of what happened in 2006, too.

Mary Cheney Pregnant Again

Mary Cheney, spawn of Satan and sister of a birther, is pregnant with her second child.

Mary Cheney, the former vice president’s daughter, and her long-time partner, Heather Poe, are expecting their second child, a source close to the family told True/Slant. [Ed. Note: Since publishing this piece, Cheney has confirmed that she and Poe are expecting their second child in mid- to late November.] Cheney has worked as a principal at Navigators Global, a bi-partisan communications firm, but recently announced that she would be leaving the company for maternity leave and to begin a new consulting firm with her sister, Liz. Close friends were informed that she was expecting a second child about four months ago and she is now visibly showing her pregnancy, the source says.

Cheney was last in the news in August when she donated $1000 to the Senate campaign of former Rep. Bob Portman, who has consistently voted against LGBT rights.

Sparks Fly During CNN's DADT Debate

The always impressive Lt. Dan Choi took on Slytherin House alumnus Elaine Donnelly of the anti-gay Center For Military Readiness over DADT as Anderson Cooper tried to referee. Dan Choi, FTW. Again.

Paris: Amateur Gay Soccer Team Snubbed By Muslim Competitors

Paris Foot Gay, an amateur gay soccer team has been told by a team comprised of Muslim players that their scheduled game cannot take place due to "religious principles."

The Paris Foot Gay team says Tuesday it received an e-mail from the Creteil Bebel club canceling a match scheduled for last Sunday. "Because of the principles of our team, which is a team of devout Muslims, we can't play against you," the e-mail said, according to Paris Foot Gay. The e-mail received Saturday said, "Our convictions are much more important than a simple football match." Paris Foot Gay said in a statement that it asked the amateur league to sanction Creteil Bebel.

A spokesman for Creteil Bebel says he's sorry if "anybody feels upset or hurt."

Lady Gaga Wants To Meet You At The National Equality March

(Tipped by JMG reader Sean Chapin)

80's Flashback

David Bowie, Loving The Alien, 1985. A vivid depiction of Bowie's famous dislike for organized religion, Loving The Alien was the second single off 1984's Tonight. Unlike the first single, Blue Jean, it was not a hit, failing to chart everywhere but the UK, where it reached #19. Bowie's label had resisted it releasing as a single at all, probably due to its subject matter, but he insisted after reading a review calling it an overdue return to form after 1983's Nile Rodgers-produced dance-heavy smash album Let's Dance. In 2002 an excellent remix by Scumfrog finally landed Loving The Alien on American charts when it reached #9 on dance.

DC Marriage Bill Introduced

Openly gay DC City Council member David Catania today introduced his marriage equality bill, which will considered for a vote later this month. Catania's bill would eliminate the city's domestic partners registration effective January 2011.

(Via - MetroWeekly)

Donut Burger Comes To New England

This 1500-calorie Krispy Kreme + cheeseburger item was a huge hit this weekend at a state fair in Massachusetts. Popularized by celebrity chef Paula Deen, the Craz-E-Burger is also known as The Luther, for the late Luther Vandross, who some credit with inventing it. Krispy Kremes and cheeseburgers are two of my favorite things in the world, but even I would hesistate. For a minute.

Palimony-Type Suit For Navratilova May Set Florida Precedent For Gays

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova's ex-partner can't get access to half of her assets as Florida doesn't recognize same-sex relationships. So Toni Layton is trying a novel approach, contending that their partnership was akin to a business relationship, therefore all monies earned in that joint business must be split.

Experts say the lawsuit could set a precedent for same-sex couples. "The case could have very broad implications," said Bruce Carolan, a visiting professor with the Stetson University College of Law and an expert in business partnership law. Rafool said Florida's "archaic laws" regarding same-sex couples forced him to be creative. "In the law, that's what you have to do in Florida in order to receive fair compensation," said Rafool, a Coral Gables attorney who has represented high-profile divorce clients, including Linda Bollea, former wife of professional wrestler Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea. Navratilova is not commenting on the case. She sold her residence on Casey Key last year and no longer lives in Sarasota County, according to her publicist. "We're taking the position this is a private matter and we're not going to be making any statements," said Navratilova's lawyer, Barry Greenberg. But according to legal documents filed by Greenberg, the case is a "thinly disguised action for palimony" and baseless because "neither gay marriage nor a cause of action for palimony is recognized by the State of Florida."

Navratilova settled a palimony suit brought by her previous partner in 1991.