Eurovision 2012: Ukraine's Gaitana

Gaita-Lurdes Essami was born and raised in Ukraine, but her dad was born in the Congo, leading local racists to scream that somebody "authentically Ukrainian" should have been selected for Eurovision. Ugh. Anyway, does anybody else hear Kelly Rowland's When Love Takes Over in this track? TRIVIA: Gaitana performed at the Ukrainians For Obama 2009 inauguration ball in Kiev.

SLIDESHOW: St. Patrick's Day Protest

Millions of spectators, hundreds of thousands of drunken, chanting, singing, vomiting douchebags. And in the middle of it all, the Irish Queers. Full-screen photos are here..

Afternoon View - Park Avenue

Men Kiss And Get Booted At Frothy Rally

Brandon K. Thorpe writes at Towleroad:

Rick Santorum was 15 minutes into his very gloomy speech in the Grace Gym at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, IL, when -- suddenly! From the bleachers! "Mic check! Mr. Santorum! Mr. Santorum!" And the crowd's heads turned, and a storm of booing filled the gymnasium's air as two men stood and kissed, rather langurously. The crowd was grossed out. The booing coalesced into a chant of "USA! USA! USA!" as the kissers -- Timothy Tross and Ben Clifford -- were escorted from the building. It's unclear if the men are gay, or if they were straights out to make a political point.

At the 3:30 mark.

Another Google Change At JMG

A couple of months ago, Google began redirecting some readers to Blogspot addresses that ended in the country code of the user. Last night they added Canada, France, and several others to that list.

Google explains:

Q: Why is this happening?
A: We are doing this to provide more support for managing content locally. If we receive a removal request that violates local law, that content may no longer be available to readers on local domains where those laws apply. This update is in line with our approach to free expression and controversial content, which hasn’t changed.

Most readers will see no change, but for those of us using non-Google add-ons such as the comment provider we use at JMG, comments may not be available in the countries affected by the change. There is a work-around for that.

Q. Can users outside of the United States still access the service’s .com domains?
A. Yes, we allow anyone to view the .com version of a Blogger blog by typing: http://[blogname].blogspot.com/ncr – which always goes to the .com version of the blog. The “no country redirect” (ncr) will temporarily prevent Blogger from redirecting readers to the local version of the blog.

For now, I recommend that those affected add "/ncr" to the JMG URL and save that new address in your bookmarks. We should have a more permanent fix shortly.

RELATED: As I've mentioned here in the past, JMG remains on Blogger (for now) due to persistent hacking attempts by our enemies. Such attacks have brought down other well-known gay/progressive sites and destroyed their archives, but I'm told that to get to JMG on Blogger, the entire service would have to come down.

Focus Praises KONY 2012

Yesterday Focus On The Family posted this clip praising Invisible Children, but made no mention that they are secretly funding the group. Such a pity that this clip went up at the precise hour that the KONY 2012 filmmaker was busted naked, raving, and masturbating on the streets of San Diego. Tragic, really.

GOProud Has A Solution For Bullying

GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia says if we'd just pull all the gay kids out of public schools and learn 'em at home, then POOF! No more bullying!

“I think that this is an example of how a conservative policy proposal that’s good for everybody can have a unique benefit to gay kids and gay parents,” LaSalvia said. “Down the list of our agenda, you see examples of how conservative policies that benefit everybody may have unique benefits for gay Americans. This policy [of school vouchers and home schooling] that’s put forth by a lot of conservatives can help make sure gay kids are safe.”

And the long-running performance art piece called GOProud rolls on....

Breitbart Seen At Occupy Protest

Not only have thousands of douchebags changed their Twitter avatars to images of their dead leader, Breitbart fans are now plastering stickers with his image and most infamous quote anywhere progressives gather. The above were seen at an Occupy The Midwest rally.

Eurovision 2012: Holland's Joan

Former Voice Of Holland contestant Joan Franka's Eurovision 2012 entry is presently #1 on the Dutch charts. As for her Native American outfit, we're told the song is about playing "Indians" with her five year-old friends. Cute enough track, but lacking in the Eurovision cheese. My money is still on the Bubushkis.

Santorum: That's Me In The Photo

Right wing radio douchebag says "some tourist" snapped the photo. He won't mention that the tourist was part of an all-gay cruise. SNORK!


RELATED: My earlier post of the photo has been picked up by Buzzfeed, Gawker, Wonkette, Atlantic, Drudge, etc. Be advised that an avalanche of trolls may follow.

Headline Of The Day

Not only do the KONY 2012 people get funding from anti-gay groups and work with Uganda's "kill the gays" advocate Martin Ssempa, their leader has got some serious mental problems.

UPDATE: Here's 10 seconds of video.

Scamvangelist Bill Keller: Gay Celebrities Pushed Tyler Clementi Off That Bridge

"Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, Ellen DeGeneres, the media, and gutless pastors are guilty for the death of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, not Dharun Ravi! It is those in the media who glamorize and promote this choice as normal and acceptable, along with gutless pastors too afraid to speak out against this sin, and faux churches that glorify this deviant, unnatural, and unhealthy choice of sexual activity, who are the real guilty parties in Clementi's death. While those in the media want to blame people like myself who take a Biblical stand on this issue, the fact is, they are the ones most responsible!" - Scamvangelist Bill Keller, clutching at today's news to promote his website, Gold For Souls.

God Is Going To Rapture Christian Airline Pilots And Crash Everybody Else To Death

And now, here's a song about just that. You seriously should watch this, if just for the line about "astonished liberals" amongst the wreckage.

UPDATE: The video has been yanked.

Stop Oppressing Ratty Hairpiece Woman!

"I found it fascinating to read the announcement yesterday that I had been included in a list of 36 dangerous radicals who should be banned from national television and print outlets. That’s definitely a first. But rather than feeling the shame it was intended to create, I guess I’m feeling rather honored to be included alongside the likes of Focus on the Family President Jim Daly; Prison Fellowship’s Chuck Colson and the head of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler. All of whom are compassionate, biblically minded leaders who unabashedly proclaim the redemptive truth that we’ve all fallen short of God’s plan for humanity and that we are all equally in need of a Savior." - Focus On The Family spokeshrew Candi Cushman, who is so not bothered by GLAAD's list, she wrote 2000 words about it.

NOTE: In Cushman's linked article, she quotes several lines that rotten anonymous meanies have posted to her Facebook page. That's SO terrible, you guys! That's WAY worse than organizing national annual campaigns to encourage and make legal the daily bullying and beating of gay kids in public schools.

The Latest Lie From David Barton

"If a teenager wants to earn $370,000 more in their lifetime than all their neighbors, you know what they need to do? A study now shows that if you are not sexually active as a teenage, you do earn $370,000 more in your lifetime than others. Now explain that ... it just shows God's ways work." - Anti-gay activist David Barton, pulling a number out of his ass that Right Wing Watch notes is completely fictional.

WASHINGTON: George Clooney Arrested Outside Sudanese Embassy

New York To Collect DNA From Felons AND Those Convicted Of Misdemeanors

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature have agreed to expand the mandatory collection of DNA samples to include both felons AND those convicted of misdemeanors. New York will be the first and only state to demand such samples from those convicted of petty crimes.

The bill Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to sign passed overnight Wednesday in the Legislature. It would require collecting a saliva swab from everyone convicted of any felony and all but one misdemeanor statewide starting Oct. 1. The legislation would also expand defense access to the databank in efforts to exonerate suspects through pretrial discovery and post-conviction applications to judges. "I think it will do what I describe as serve as both a sword and a shield," said Sen. Stephen Saland, a Poughkeepsie Republican and sponsor. "It will enable gathering more DNA for purposes of apprehending more people. It will provide, I believe, for greater public safety." He said it would also clear some criminal suspects. All states take DNA from most felons and most also get samples from people convicted of misdemeanor sex crimes.

Shoplifters, turnstyle-jumpers, and pot smokers: OPEN WIDE.

TOMORROW: Activists To Protest HRC Fundraiser In Los Angeles

Tomorrow's HRC fundraiser in Los Angeles will be jointly protested by GetEQUAL and Occupy Wall Street. Via press release:

[We] will protest the HRC’s Los Angeles fundraising gala in response to their selection of Goldman Sachs CEO, Lloyd Blankfein, as the national corporate spokesperson for marriage equality and for honoring Sachs with the HRC Corporate Equality award. Additionally, the protest will focus on HRC’s role in the equality business that, for the past 32 years, has focused on piecemeal legislation and splintered the community. Activists will wear hazmat suits to reflect HRC’s hazardous practices and to demand that HRC dump Goldman Sachs and utilize its Washington influence to fight for full federal equality.

The action takes place at the Los Angeles Ritz Carlton at 5pm. Facebook page.

Eurovision: Iceland's Salóme & Jónsi

Feels like Andrew Lloyd Weber in Icelandic. Pop rocker Jónsi represented Iceland as a solo act in 2004, finishing 17th. I posted one of his solo clips here back in 2010.

Maddow Confronts GOP Sen. James Inhofe Over Uganda's Gay Death Penalty Bill

Zack Ford sets up the clip at Think Progress:

In an interview with Rachel Maddow last night, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) claimed to have no knowledge of David Bahati, the Uganda legislator sponsoring the “Kill The Gays” bill. In the book he was shilling, Inhofe had taken a swipe at Maddow for criticizing his affiliation with The Family, a powerful secret society of evangelical Christian political organizers, of which Bahati is also a core member. When Maddow tried to set the record straight about her comments, Inhofe claimed he had never heard of Bahati nor had any interaction with him.

HomoQuotable - Michelangelo Signorile

"It's 2012, and in the state of New York gays and lesbians have full civil rights, including marriage equality. Moreover, gays are no longer banned in the U.S. military. But they are still banned from Fifth Avenue's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in an embarrassing throwback for everyone involved.

"It's frankly appalling that NBC, and now its parent company Comcast, still sells the broadcast rights (on its local affiliate, WNBC) to the intolerant bunch that runs the parade (in 2007 that amount was $300,000) and then helps the organizers sell advertising to major companies. More than that, one of NBC's top executives, a man who aids the organizers in getting those ad dollars, was chosen as this year's Grand Marshal. [snip]

"The truth is, most LGBT activists weren't focused on the St. Patrick's Day Parade all these years, with bigger fish to fry. But many are now looking at this as unfinished business -- as I said, an embarrassment in a state where we now have marriage rights -- and they are also seeing Comcast as a company that is vulnerable. If Comcast doesn't want a battle on its hands, a battle it will ultimately lose, after much PR erosion, it will make sure that March 18, 2012 is the beginning of the end of the ban on gays in the St. Patrick's Day Parade." - Michelangelo Signorile, writing for the Huffington Post.

RELATED: Irish Queers will protest tomorrow's parade from NYPD pen across from St. Patrick's Cathedral. I'll be there.

TRAILER: Dark Shadows

Squeee!

Rick Santorum Lounges Poolside In PR

Shortly after telling Puerto Ricans that they are unworthy of statehood unless they make English their official language, Rick Santorum soaked up the poolside rays at a local resort. Also staying at that resort were passengers from an Atlantis all-gay cruise, who snapped the above photo. Thanks to JMG tipsters James and Guy for sending this along.

UPDATE: As I noted elsewhere, this post has been very widely linked. That means we're seeing a lot of comments from racist, homophobic Republicans. I've deleted at least a hundred, but for now, please do not engage them. An ignored racist Republican is an unhappy racist Republican.

(Mostly) Guilty Verdict In Spycam Trial

A New Jersey jury has found Dharun Ravi guilty of invasion of privacy for live-streaming the sexual encounter of his Rutgers roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later leaped to his death from the George Washington Bridge. Ravi was also found guilty of several counts of tampering with evidence, witness tampering, and hindering prosecution. It appears that the jury also found Ravi not guilty of hate crimes against Clementi's sex partner, but guilty of bias intimidation against Clementi himself. Story developing...

UPDATE: ABC News reports on the verdict.

Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of the most serious charges for spying on his roommate, Tyler Clementi, having a gay sexual encounter in 2010, a New Jersey jury ruled today. Ravi was convicted of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering, and hindering arrest, stemming from his role in activating a webcam to peek at Clementi's date with a man on Sept. 19, 2010. Ravi was also accused of encouraging others to spy during a second date, on Sept. 21, 2010, and intimidating Clementi for being gay. Ravi, who faces 10 years in prison and deportation to India, was was found not guilty of some of the 15 counts of bias intimidation, attempted invasion of privacy, and attempted bias intimidation, but was found guilty of the majority of crimes. Ravi's attorney, Steven Altman, put his arm around Ravi's shoulder shortly before the verdict. Ravi showed little reaction as the jury read out the verdicts to his crimes.

UPDATE II: Lambda Legal reacts via press release.

"This is a tragic story in which there can be no happy ending. A young gay man took his own life,and other LGBTQ youth still live in a culture where they are too often made to feel fear and shame for simply being themselves. This case has focused the nation on how critical it is that we ensure every young person can feel safe and proud. "Hate crime laws are public statements that our government and our society recognize the deep wounds inflicted when violence is motivated by prejudice and hate. The actions of Dharun Ravi were inexcusable and surely added to Tyler Clementi's vulnerability and pain. The verdict today demonstrates that the jurors understood that bias crimes do not require physical weapons like a knife in one's hand.But there is no sense of victory in this conviction - only a renewed urgency to do what we can to prevent the next tragedy. "As this trial closes, let us each mark this day by rededicating ourselves to fighting discrimination and hate against LGBTQ youth -- and to educating all of our youth about respect for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity."

France Has A Homocon Problem Too

According to a just published survey about France's upcoming presidential election, one of out five gays polled said they plan to vote for Marine Le Pen, the new head of France's National Front Party, a far far right organization that many have characterized as fascist. In fact, the National Front polls better among gays than it does overall.

Latest opinion polls suggest put President Sarkozy and his Socialist rival, François Hollande, ahead of other candidates. Each is polling around 27 percent of first round votes. Behind them sit Marine Le Pen of the Front National, polling around 17 percent, and centrist François Bayrou on around 13 percent. The new survey shows that 78 percent of gay people plan to vote and around half will opt for Socialist Hollande. After that Nicolas Sarkozy can expect 21 percent of the gay vote, lower than his national score. However, Front National leader Marine Le Pen performs better among gay people than nationally, capturing 19 percent of the vote.

Marine Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, ran for president several times under the National Front banner with an extremist platform that opposed LGBT rights, advocated for banning immigration by Muslims, and endorsed a return to the death penalty, which has been banned in France since 1981. Marine, for her part, has courted gay racists.

In December last year, Le Pen spoke out in defence of the gay community – something previously unheard of from her traditionally homophobic party. “There are some towns in France where it’s not a good thing to be […] homosexual,” she said in a speech on Islamism. Her ploy was an obvious one, but Boring believes that some gay voters may have fallen for it. “She’s playing on people’s fears of Islam as a menace to gay rights – people who feel threatened may indeed be tempted. These are the kind of people who are not interested in getting married, they’re only concerned about public safety as a homosexual.”

One right wing Christian group believes gays will vote for Le Pen and put national politics over personal rights.

“Right now, the real priority in France is not opening marriage and adoption up to homosexuals, it’s restoring confidence in the economy and politics,” he tells FRANCE 24. “I can understand the demand for gay marriage and adoption, even if I strongly disagree with it, but it is simply not the topic of the day, and there are plenty of gay people who recognise that and act on it.”

NOM: The Kings Of Hypocrisy

The very hate group that has gone to federal court over and over to cloak the identity of their donors is now telling clueless New Hampshire voters that mysterious gay billionaires secretly bribed gay marriage into existence. They are beyond shameless.

His Scientific Experience Tells Him That He Must Vote Against Same-Sex Marriage

Here's another clip in the interesting marriage series from Minnesota Public Radio. The last two featured couples, this one stars a Minnesota father who opens by vowing that if any of his daughters were to be a lesbian, "It would be a lot like Katrina hitting New Orleans. It would not be good. I know that it would be a bad day."

Brazilian Hate Leader Defends Scott Lively

Infamous anti-gay activist Julio Severo, the Brazilian counterpart to Peter LaBarbera, has published a blog entry defending evangelist Scott Lively, who this week was sued in U.S. court for inciting the murders of Ugandan homosexuals.

Gay activists live risky lives with their lovers and male prostitutes, and should Christian ministers be blamed for their immoral choices? I supposed that if Lively were a Muslim cleric visiting Uganda and preaching death to all homosexuals, he would be left in peace by homosexualist groups, by George Soros-funded groups and even by American hate crime laws. Capital punishment is used frequently against homosexuals in Muslim nations, even when these homosexuals did not commit any rape of children or another major crime. Yet, international groups never charge these nations of “Crimes against Humanity”.

Certainly, there are Muslims preaching death to homosexuals. Where are the Western “human rights” groups to say that these Muslims committed “Crimes against Humanity”? The lawsuit against Rev. Scott Lively is a very dangerous precedent for all Christians fighting the gay agenda. A powerful orchestration of homosexualist and socialist individuals and groups is using a gay group in Uganda to have Lively prosecuted as a “Criminal against Humanity”! If their efforts succeed, no pro-family Christian in the West will be safe. You will not be safe. I will not be safe.

Daily Mail Rants Against Marriage

Britain's widely-read Daily Mail tabloid, which is a combination National Enquirer / New York Post, today published an unsigned editorial denouncing Prime Minster David Cameron's plan for same-sex marriage.

The Prime Minister and Home Secretary are enthusiastic supporters of the plan, quite happy to trample over the vehement opposition of the mainstream churches and many grass-roots Conservatives. But is being doubtful about gay marriage really the same as being anti-gay? This legislation – which not even Stonewall the most persistent gay rights group was agitating for – is not just about allowing homosexual couples to have a wedding rather than a civil partnership. It is about redefining an ancient and precious institution and recalibrating the entire way we speak about it.

The paper also claims that a member of Parliament has received death threats for opposing Cameron's plan.

Tory David Burrowes, a ministerial aide to Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, said he has been sent scores of intimidating emails and messages on social networking sites over his opposition to gay marriage. Mr Burrowes, a Christian father of six, was forced to pass on the messages to police. He said he was more worried about the intolerance displayed in the threats than the actual risk to his life. But the North London MP has had to seek security advice after one website published details of his travel arrangements and urged campaigners to confront him.

Photo Of The Day

Dr. Jeff snapped this as he landed at LGA yesterday. Embiggen and dig how huge the new WTC tower is getting.

NC Hate Group: Marriage Ban Vote Is The Most Important In Our Lifetime

Quote Of The Day - Bishop Thomas Tobin

"God created two different genders for a reason – so that males and females could come together, complement one another, procreate, and continue the species. And be very clear about this – same-sex marriage isn’t about procuring civil rights for beleaguered homosexual persons. The recently adopted civil-unions legislation, as ill-advised as it was, it provided the legal protections activists have been lobbying for, but the opportunity has been widely ignored.

"Same-sex marriage legislation is about distorting a venerable institution – not about civil rights. Please be assured, dear readers, that if the debate over same-sex marriage finds its way to the State House once again, the Diocese of Providence, joined by its allies in our community, will be fully engaged in the battle. We will work hard and pray hard for the defeat of this immoral, misguided proposal that erodes the foundation of our society and offends the moral values we cherish." - Bishop Thomas Tobin, writing for Rhode Island Catholic.

Santorum: I Will Ban Pornography

Rick Santorum said yesterday that if elected he will appoint an Attorney General who will vigorously enforce existing obscenity laws.

The former Pennsylvania senator argues that "current federal 'obscenity' laws prohibit distribution of hardcore [obscene] pornography on the Internet, on cable/satellite TV, on hotel/motel TV, in retail shops and through the mail or by common carrier." “The Obama administration has turned a blind eye to those who wish to preserve our culture from the scourge of pornography and has refused to enforce obscenity laws,” the statement read in part. “While the Obama Department of Justice seems to favor pornographers over children and families, that will change under a Santorum administration.”

Santorum's website declares that porn causes brain damage: "A wealth of research is now available demonstrating that pornography causes profound brain changes in both children and adults, resulting in widespread negative consequences."

Email Of The Day - Eugene Delgaudio

"Dear Joe, It's hard to write you this. My office is in trouble. And I need your help. I have been working overtime fighting against the radical Homosexual Lobby. Today, I'm worried. Despite passing Thought Control and repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the radical Homosexual Lobby is drooling for more this year in Congress. And with this Congress, they have adopted new tactics. I see well-known agents of the radical Homosexual Lobby everywhere. They are huddled in dark corners scheming and plotting.

"These people admit that they want to molest our children. They admit that they want special rights that no American has. They admit that they want to infiltrate and weaken our military's moral fiber. They admit that they want complete control over the national law enforcement apparatus. They admit that they're deviants. I need to know I can still count on you. So I need to ask you again: please send a one-time gift of whatever you can afford today. I'm not saying I won't ask again. I've never been one to make promises I can't keep." - Eugene Delgaudio of Public Advocate, who last week was added to the SPLC's list of hate groups.

NOTE: Delgaudio's email actually goes on for about 5000 words and includes a claim that gay activists from ACT-UP once tried to run him down with a car. In September Delgaudio claimed that a gay activist invaded his home, threw a blanket over his head and pummeled him with a rock. And then there's that infamous story about the long-haired homosexuals in the warehouse on that loading dock...

Debbie Wasserman Shultz - It Gets Better

Trans Activist Runs For NV Assembly

Transgender activist Lauren Scott has filed to run for the Nevada Assembly. If elected, she would be the first transgender state legislator in the nation.

Formerly a Democrat, Scott registered as a Republican for the first time last year. She decided that as a Republican she can more effectively work to overcome the gridlock in Carson City. Scott was as an active-duty member of the US Air Force for nearly seven years. She served three years in Nevada at the Tonopah Test Range as a military firefighter in support of F-117A Stealth Fighter operations. She was awarded two Achievement Medals and a Commendation Medal for her service during Operation Desert Storm. She received an honorable discharge in 1994. By working with the Nevada legislature for over three years to successfully pass groundbreaking legislation, Lauren says she has gained a detailed understanding of the legislative process in Nevada. She has been recognized on the floor of both the Assembly and the Senate.

Last year Scott worked for the successful passage of the Nevada Assembly's bill to outlaw discrimination against transgender people.

Red Bull Ad Offends Christians

The comment war at YouTube is as you'd expect.

St. Vincent's To Become Condos

As all had expected, the shuttered St. Vincent's Hospital in the West Village will be turned into luxury condos. 350 of them.

It also includes 95 parking spaces, down from 152, Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced yesterday. “The loss of St. Vincent’s was a terrible tragedy in our neighborhood,” said Quinn, who represents the area. “The ultimate agreement we have reached is a major step forward.” The compromise, which came after a lengthy and contentious council hearing last week, also entails creating a park at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and 12th Street and constructing an AIDS memorial in that open space, as well as preserving the hospital’s historic Reiss Building. Quinn said she will keep pushing for a new hospital, although the deal includes a plan for a 24-hour emergency room, run by North Shore-Long Island Jewish, in the O’Toole Building.

RELATED: Thousands of gay men died at St. Vincent's over the worst of the AIDS years. Despite horror stories about mistreatment at other hospitals, gay men were always treated respectfully at St. Vincent's, whose AIDS ward became a national model. When the hospital closed, its front door was festooned with grateful notes from survivors and loved ones.

FRC Cheers Judge Roy Moore

Remember the Alabama Supreme Court justice who was booted from office for refusing to remove a two-ton statue of the ten commandments? He's back...almost.

Gingrich Vs Obama

$2.50 gas. Guaranteed.

Evening View - World's Gayest Corner

Houston Meet-Up On Saturday 3/24

After going back and forth with Twitter, Facebook, and meatspace pals, the consensus is that JR's Houston will be the best spot for next Saturday's meet-up. I'll be in Texas for the Haas LGBT Journalists Convening, which this year is sponsored by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Hosting the whole shebang is NLGJA board member Bil Browning, the founder of Bilerico, so this will be a big ole Texas-sized joint meetup of JMG + Bilerico + LGBT journalists. Prepare for an orgy of tweeting. We'll be there from 8pm until we're not.

SLIDESHOW: Ali Forney Fundraiser

Last night my loyal companion Aaron accompanied me to the Soho Housing Works Cafe for an Ali Forney Center fundraiser, where I finally met Frank Selvaggi and Bill Shea (above), the JMG readers who donated $100,000 to Ali Forney after reading about them here. Lots of bold-face names were in the house. Via press release from Renna Communications:

The attendees included a number of noted actors: Sarah Jessica Parker; Ally Sheedy; Jon Robin Baitz; Ron Rifkin; Jordan Dean; Jon Benjamin Hickey; Kathy Najimy; and Dan Finnerty. Moreover, a number of activists attended, including: Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund; Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry; Jonathan Lang of the Empire State Pride Agenda; youth of the Ali Forney Center. Political figures present included Alphonso David, Governor Cuomo’s Deputy Secretary of Civil Rights, who praised the Ali Forney Center for their leadership in protecting and serving LGBT homeless youth, and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who called on the attendees to take action to address the crisis of youth homelessness. Representatives of the Calamus Foundation, which recently contributed a $500,000 Challenge Grant to the Ali Forney Center, were also present.

I didn't bother the movie stars too much, so here are few shots I got of the folks on the LGBT activism side.

RELATED: AFC's Broadway Beauty Pageant is this Monday. Get tickets here. You can donate to Ali Forney Center online or by mail. They need everything!

This Guy Wants To Replace Barney Frank

You may recall that GOProud endorsed Sean Bielat's failed 2010 bid to unseat Barney Frank, even though Bielat vehemently opposed the repeal of DADT as well as most other LGBT rights issues. Now that Frank is retiring, Bielat is trying again.

APPROVED: Out Gay Federal Judge

After months of obstructionism by the GOP, the U.S. Senate today finally approved President Obama's nomination of Michael Fitzgerald to the federal bench, making him the fourth openly gay federal judge in the nation. Chris Geidner reports at Metro Weekly:

Fitzgerald's confirmation will make him the first out LGBT Article III judge serving outside of New York City. Article III judges -- referencing the judicial powers detailed in the Constitution -- are nominated by the president, given consent by the Senate to serve and have lifetime tenure. The vote, which began a little after 2:24 p.m. today, came after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Monday, March 12, announced that he would be forcing debate and votes on 17 of Obama's judicial nominees if no deal was reached. On Wednesday, March 14, an agreement was reached between the parties' leaders to have the Senate vote in the coming weeks on 14 of President Obama's judicial nominees -- including Fitzgerald.

She's Got A New Camping Hat

From the appropriately titled Cult Of Mac. There's already a long line camping out at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue. Online pre-sales are sold out.

Video Games Make Kids Gay

"What makes this so dangerous is despite what the labels say, the actual purchasing market for these games is often young males ages 11-16. This age group is not yet mature enough to not be impacted by these life decisions. There is no argument that video gaming is an extremely effective training tool. These young minds will be indoctrinated to homosexual relationships as normal lifestyles with homosexual characters being portrayed as heroes in warfare and in romantic situations." - American Decency Association board member Steve Ensley, who is ever so pissed about video game makers that allow users to create gay characters.

RELATED: Game maker Electronic Arts is among the many companies dubbed "cultural polluters" for introducing a Star Wars game with the option of gay players.

The latest attack on our culture from gaming is the result of a small, yet very vocal, group insisting that homosexual behaviors and lifestyles be introduced into a Star Wars game. If they are successful, their actions could further indoctrinate children into the belief that homosexual behavior is completely natural, before their minds have developed fully enough to make their own choices and decisions.

COLORADO: Christian Hate Group Launches Ballot Drive To Legalize Discrimination Against Gays

Focus On The Family has launched a ballot petition drive that, if successful, will ask Colorado voters to make it legal to deny housing, employment, and services to any person on the basis of religious objections. (Gosh, who COULD they be talking about?) Focus has engaged the legal assistance of the Alliance Defense Fund.

The Denver Post reports:

Focus on the Family will build a coalition to back a constitutional amendment prohibiting state government from interfering with the religious freedom of a person or religious organization. The draft language states that government may not directly or indirectly burden a person or organization by withholding benefits, assessing penalties or excluding a person or group from government programs or facilities. The Alliance Defense Fund, a nonprofit Christian advocacy group dedicated to religious liberty, sent the proposed initiative to the Colorado Legislative Council on March 7.

LGBT rights group One Colorado responds:

The initiative’s language — which focuses on “religious liberty” — is incredibly deceptive. It doesn’t make clear the widespread implications of enacting this law. Implications that don’t just impact LGBT people — but all Coloradans. Imagine a law that allows a pharmacist to refuse to fill a birth control prescription. A law that permits an employer to refuse to hire people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. A law that gives protection to teachers who refuse to teach sex education or evolution. All for the sake of so-called religious freedom.

One Colorado says they are in dire need of financial assistance to file a legal challenge to the Focus petition request. The deadline to object to the petition is this coming Monday. They only need $5000! I'm kicking in $25 to get us started.

GOProud Opposes Anti-Bullying Bill

GOProud's 2012 agenda hits all the usual Tea Party talking points:

End judicial activism!
Repeal Obamacare!
Destroy Social Security!
Guns for everybody!

Their just-issued agenda also restates GOProud's oft-spouted position that states should have the right to ban same-sex marriage without federal meddling in campaigns to thwart the civil rights of LGBT Americans.

RESPECTING STATES RIGHTS – Supporting a strong 10th Amendment that limits the scope of the federal government and empowers states; repealing the federal Defense of Marriage Act and return power to regulate marriage and family law to the states.

But here's a new one: GOProud opposes federal anti-bullying laws.

EDUCATION REFORM – The answer to the serious problem of bullying is not more federal intervention in education. Instead, we support empowering parents and families by supporting school choice initiatives and protecting the right of parents to homeschool their children.

After a horrific year of bullying-related suicides in which the anti-gay Christian hate machine mobilized in numerous jurisdictions, installing or bidding to install laws that force teachers to watch silently while LGBT kids are beaten, GOProud says "Let the local schools do as the local anti-gay groups command."

And here you thought they couldn't be more repulsive.

Tweet Of The Day - Porno Pete

Damn that Joe Jervis! Always spreading hate by quoting "family leaders" verbatim and posting screencaps of exactly what they are doing! It's an outrage. OUTRAGE!

PhoboQuotable - Scott Lively

"I am an American citizen [being targeted] over the persecution of homosexuals as they define it as a crime against humanity for speaking the truth of the Bible in a foreign country. Frankly, I don’t this is actionable. They make it clear that this suit is premised on speeches or writings. I spoke to members of parliament in their assembly hall, and advised them to focus on therapy and not punishment. What they’re suggesting here is that the duly elected legislative representatives of Uganda, the cream of Ugandan society, cannot be responsible for their own actions – that they adopted legislation because a white evangelical came and said something to them." - Hate group leader Scott Lively, who was yesterday sued in Massachusetts for inciting violence and hatred against Ugandan gays.

Warren Throckmorton responds:

If you read the suit, you will find that the other people who went to Uganda with Lively (Don Schmierer and Caleb Brundidge) are not being sued. Those guys put out some misinformation too and indicated their belief that homosexuality is a sin but did not tell the audience that gays animated the Jewish Holocaust and were probably behind the Rwandan genocide as well. Those men did not tell the Ugandan audience that the best way to overcome public sympathy for gays is to portray gays as recruiters and threats to children. Where does the Bible say that homosexuality is responsible for the Holocaust? For the Rwandan genocide? That gays are pedophiles? Are those Biblically based beliefs?

Box Turtle Bulletin's Jim Burroway points us to this interview Lively yesterday gave the Associated Press.

The complaint claims Lively issued a call in Uganda to fight against a "genocidal" and "pedophilic" gay movement, "which he likened to the Nazis and Rwandan murderers." The suit asks for a judgment that Lively's actions are illegal and violate international law and human rights. Lively said in his email that his words have been taken out of context. "Most of the ostensibly inflammatory comments attributed to me are from selectively edited video clips of my 2009 seminars in Kampala," he said. "I challenge the plaintiffs and their allies to publish the complete footage of the seminar on the Internet. They will not do this or their duplicity would be exposed."

Burroway notes:

It’s my understanding that the Kampala-based Family Life Network, who sponsored the 2009 [seminar], owns the copyright to the video. While it is legal to publish excerpts of the video under the “fair use” clauses of U.S. copyright law, it would be illegal for anyone who is not the copyright owner to post the entire video. Why hasn’t Stephen Langa’s Family Life Network published the video? Who knows. It’s theirs to do as they wish. But by not publishing it, they leave the door open for Lively to complain about “selectively edited clips.”

AFA Host: Nobody Is Gay

American Family Association radio host Kevin McCollough is pissed that GLAAD called him out as part of yesterday's Commentator Accountability Project. McCullough says he's being "grossly misrepresented" but then goes on agree that he said everything that GLAAD says he did. All that is OK, though, because nobody is really gay anyway.

FLASHBACK: Lawrence V. Texas

Just out from Lambda Legal:

In 1998, on a September night in Houston, police stormed into John Lawrence's home and arrested him and Tyron Garner for violating Texas' "homosexual conduct" law. "Overruled!" highlights their story and the courtroom drama behind Lawrence v. Texas -- the case that led the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down all remaining state sodomy laws and launched a new era in the LGBT rights movement.

Today In Christian Love™

Slog's Dominic Holden posts the message that came with the above photo.

Last week the University of Washington's FoQus group for Queer Students held a food drive for the Lifelong Aids Alliance. We raised a lot of money and food that they desperately needed, all the while being picketed, loudly, in the middle of Red Square by church folk, who were yelling that people with AIDS did not deserve to eat, condoms would not save you from hell, and that "Queers shall experience hell, along with the drunkards, druggies, STD havers, and church gossips!" While it was horrible to hear them say as many homophobic things as they did, we'd really like to thank them for picketing so hard, because so many people came up to us and handed us a lot of cash and food donations, just to piss them off.

The protesters reportedly handed out pamphlets from Seattle's infamously anti-gay Mars Hill Church, although the church later issued a statement denying any official involvement.

RUSSIA: Judge Bans "Pride House" For Athletes At 2014 Sochi Olympics

Saying it would endanger local children and lead to the destruction of the federation, a Russian judge has banned the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics from creating a Pride House for gay and gay-friendly athletes.

"The aims of the organization contradict the basics of public morality and the policy of the state in the area of family motherhood and childhood protection,’ said Svetlana Mordovina in her ruling. The judge continued: ‘The activities of the [Pride House] movement leads to propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation which can undermine the security of the Russian society and the state, provoke social-religious hatred, which is the feature of the extremist character of the activity. ‘Moreover it can undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation due to the decrease of Russia’s population. ‘Such aims as creating an understanding of the necessity to fight against homophobia and the creation of positive attitudes towards LGBT sportsmen contradicts with the basics of public morality because they are directed towards the increase of the number of citizens of sexual minorities which breaches the understanding of good and evil, good and bad, vice and virtue,’ Mordovina concluded.

The Pride House at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics was considered a huge success and garnered heavy positive press coverage. Russian gay activists have vowed to take their case to the International Olympic Commission.

ITALY: Supreme Court Rules That Gay Couples Are Entitled To "Family Life"

The Italian Supreme Court today issued a ruling that gay activists say may help clear the road for same-sex marriage.

In its first case regarding a gay couple who wed abroad, the Supreme Court rejected their appeal to be recognized legally in Italy yet said the two men still had the "right to a family life". "Today's Supreme Court judgement is important," said Fabrizio Marrazzo, spokesman for activist group Gay Center. "The ruling says that gay couples must also enjoy the same legal rights as any heterosexual couple. The words are clear and sharp. Parliament and the government must give an answer".

(Tipped by JMG reader Boris)

#1 Twenty-Five Years Ago Today

When I saw them perform this at Uncle Charlie's in Miami, the bartenders all wore white wigs too. At least, that's how I remember it.

NH House Squashes Bill To Allow Refusal Of Wedding Services To Gay Couples

The New Hampshire House has resoundingly defeated a bill that would have allowed wedding businesses to refuse to serve gay couples on the basis of religious objections.

Supporters of House Bill 1264 said a person or business should not have to provide services if it is contrary to their religious tenets or would violate their beliefs. “This should be a very alarming warning,” said the bill's prime sponsor, Rep. Jerry Bergevin, R-Manchester. “It means we are moving into a brave new world. It may not be your ox being gored at the moment, but just wait, it will be.” Bill opponents said the bill would codify discrimination. Rep. Barry Palmer, R-Nashua, who was a member of the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission, called the bill unconstitutional, illegal, immoral and mean-spirited. “I have a rough idea of what discrimination is,” he said. “This bill is illegal by state statute and illegal by federal law.” The House killed the bill Wednesday by a 246-85 vote.

Juden verboten! Praise Jesus!

Seen On World Net Daily

"They hate Jesus Christ and they hate the South." WND headline: "If You're Not Left Wing, You're A Hate Group."

Now Seen In Australia

Via Friendly Atheist.

Keith Haring At The Brooklyn Museum

Opening tomorrow at the Brooklyn Museum:

Keith Haring: 1978–1982 is the first large-scale exhibition to explore the early career of one of the best-known American artists of the twentieth century. Tracing the development of Haring’s extraordinary visual vocabulary, the exhibition includes 155 works on paper, numerous experimental videos, and over 150 archival objects, including rarely seen sketchbooks, journals, exhibition flyers, posters, subway drawings, and documentary photographs.

Repeal Petitions Launch In Maryland

Hate groups yesterday began gathering the petition signatures to place a repeal of Maryland's same-sex marriage law on the November ballot.

Maryland Marriage Alliance officials announced Wednesday that they have launched the petition drive to collect the nearly 56,000 signatures needed to bring the law to referendum on the November ballot. The group, which is leading the referendum effort, is working with mdpetitions.com, an organization and website developed last year by a Maryland delegate, to collect signatures. Voters can visit the website and request a petition form be mailed to them. The website uses information from state voter rolls to ensure a signer’s printed name and address will match Maryland records, a standard used by the state Board of Elections to validate the signatures.

Maryland has one of the nation's strictest petition systems, but only 55,000 names will be required.

Obama's PowerBall Winner Announced

The Obama campaign has been raffling off a dinner with the president, a populist schtick I find rather undignified for the office. Today they announced their first winner.

BRITAIN: Government Opens 12 Weeks Of Public Comment On Marriage Equality

The British government has launched a 12-week period of "consultation" with the public over Prime Minister David Cameron's proposed marriage equality law. As always, the Catholic Church is leading the charge against the proposal.

During Commons questions about the consultation, Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, said: "Wouldn't it just be very simple to write back and say: 'Marriage is between a man and a woman so this is completely nuts'?" Meanwhile, senior members of the clergy have complained that politicians should not be allowed to redefine marriage. Earlier this month, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said the "grotesque" plans would "shame the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world" if implemented. A week later, Roman Catholic congregations across England and Wales were read a letter from the Church's two most senior archbishops saying the change would reduce the significance of marriage and it was the duty of all Roman Catholics to make sure it did not happen.

Hit the link for a PDF of the complete survey.

Communion Priest: My Diocese Is Lying

"If a Quaker, a Lutheran or a Buddhist, desiring communion had introduced himself as such, before Mass, a priest would be obligated to withhold communion. If someone had shown up in my sacristy drunk, or high on drugs, no communion would have been possible either. If a Catholic, divorced and remarried (without an annulment) would make that known in my sacristy, they too according to Catholic doctrine, would be impeded from receiving communion. This has nothing to do with canon 915. Ms. Johnson’s circumstances are precisely one of those relations which impede her access to communion according to Catholic teaching. Ms. Johnson was a guest in our parish, not the arbiter of how sacraments are dispensed in the Catholic Church." - Father Marcel Guarnizo, who says that contrary to the press release issued by his diocese, he was indeed suspended for refusing communion to a lesbian during her mother's funeral.

In a lengthy statement published by Catholic News, Guarnizo adds that he briefly left the funeral services due to a migraine headache and that he didn't "walk out" as reported.

How To Sell Floors To Gay Men?

Via Copyranter.

Headline Of The Day

Details.

Barber: GLAAD Is Trying To Silence Us

"They need to understand -- liberals and secularists -- that as Christ followers, we will never, ever stop speaking God's truth in love. We appreciate when they reveal who they really are here and reveal the weakness inherent within their own arguments by attempting to silence those who would dare to dissent with their radical secular socialism. Since they cannot win the debate on the merits, the only thing left for these activists to do is try to silence those who disagree with them." - Liberty Counsel spokesdouche Matt Barber.

Focus: GLAAD Is Trying To Silence Us

"This is an attempt to stifle freedom of speech and freedom of religion by trying to intimidate the media into forfeiting their constitutional right to freedom of the press. They’re seeking to saw three of the five legs of freedom off the stool that holds up the First Amendment. America was founded on debate and discussion; that formula has worked pretty well for us for more than 230 years. It makes you wonder why GLAAD would want to eradicate it." - Gary Schneeberger, of Focus On The Family, who doesn't seem to understand that by definition, only the government can grant or suppress freedom of speech.

NOTE: The linked article is titled: "Gay Activists Try To Suppress Biblical Viewpoint From The Media."

Eurovision 2012: Ireland's Jedward

Remember the totally not-gay disco twins that finished eighth for Ireland last year? They'll be back this year. You don't see many acts that can do a one-handed backflip while holding the microphone.

Billboard Mag Rejiggers Hot 100

In recognition of the way many people listen to music these days, Billboard Magazine this week began compiling its famed Hot 100 singles chart with the inclusion of data about the tracks that are the most popular on streaming services such as Spotify. They've also added a new chart that exclusively ranks the most-streamed songs.

Billboard, Nielsen and NARM's digitalmusic.org announced today the launch of the first-ever subscription services "On-Demand Songs" chart, and that this data will also be included in the Billboard Hot 100. On-demand streaming data is now factored into the chart's ranking, enhancing a formula that includes digital download track sales and physical singles sales, as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan; as well as radio airplay and other streaming services, as tracked by Nielsen BDS.

Nielsen BDS, which began tracking streaming activity in 2005, measures every on-demand play request and plays from unlimited listener-controlled radio channels on MOG, Muve Music, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker and Spotify; data from Zune and Sony Music Unlimited is expected to be added in the coming weeks. The plays tracked for the On-Demand Songs chart include streams and tethered downloads by both paying and free/trial tier users. Through the first 70 days of 2012, Nielsen BDS has captured more than 4.5. billion audio streams.

The first version of the Hot 100 under the new system is here. Below is the first week of Billboard's On Demand Singles chart.

Open Thread Thursday

One of out ten Americans has an Irish ancestor, including me. What's your own background?

RELATED: In 2010 I discovered my Welsh roots.

The Real Housewives Of South Boston

Apple: Bigger Than All Retail Combined

Well, not all retail. But OMFG still!

A company whose value is dependent on the continued success of two key products, now has a larger market capitalization (at $542 billion), than the entire US retail sector (as defined by the S&P 500). Little to add here.

(Via Think Progress)

NEW YORK: Openly Gay Former Aide To Gov. Eliot Spitzer To Run For Congress

Sean Patrick Maloney, the openly gay former aide to New York governors Spitzer and Paterson, has announced his intent to run for Congress. The Advocate reports that Maloney wants the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey, whose district includes Binghamton and Poughkeepsie.

RELATED: Longtime JMG readers may recall that we closely followed Maloney's 2006 bid for New York Attorney General, where he placed third behind winner (and present governor) Andrew Cuomo. Six years ago Maloney grabbed our attention with this campaign quote: "I'm tired of relying on straight politicians. No one would say to an African-American, 'Don't run; a white guy knows this stuff better than you.' This is a hostage mentality. We've got the numbers and the resources to push the arc of history towards justice."

CORRECTION: The Advocate has updated their story:

An earlier version of this story identified the seat that Maloney may be in contention for was the one that was vacated by Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who represents parts of lower New York state including Binghamton and Poughkeepsie. Due to redistricting, the area has been overhauled to create a new Congressional distr

NOM Enters WA Marriage Repeal Bid

"We are excited to finally begin this referendum petition drive and look forward to working alongside Preserve Marriage WA to collect the required signatures to put marriage on the ballot. We are confident that voters will have a chance to vote on redefining marriage, and they will reject it, just as voters in 31 other states have done. We call on all supporters of traditional marriage to sign the R-74 petitions. Voters can go to [online] to request petitions, volunteer or contribute much needed funds." - NOM president Brian Brownshirt.

RELATED: Good As You already has NOM's first expense report for their campaign in Washington state.