January 11, 2010

Today’s the Day

SAN FRANCISCO — January 11, 2010 — The federal trial over the unconstitutionality of Proposition 8 will begin Monday, January 11 with an opening statement by attorney Theodore Olson, who with David Boies is leading the legal team assembled by the American Foundation for Equal Rights to litigate the case, Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Opening statements will be followed by testimony from Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, who comprise two couples who wish to be married but who were denied marriage licenses because of Proposition 8.

Available info: please contact press@equalrightsfoundation.org

NOTE: POLICE OR COURTHOUSE CREDENTIALED MEDIA ONLY

• For courthouse access information, visit: https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cand/09cv2292/

• For information about remote viewing locations, visit: http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/news/watch-prop-8-trial-live/

• Visit http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org for updates regarding potential broadcast of trial, photos, any available footage, court filings, live tweets from the courthouse and more.

• Plaintiff’s case is outlined at http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/legal-filings/plaintiffs-trial-brief/

Olson and Boies notably represented George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore respectively in the 2000 Supreme Court case that decided the presidency.

At trial, Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, will weigh witness testimony, a multitude of documents and other evidence, and arguments presented by some of the nation’s most distinguished attorneys.

“This unequal treatment of gays and lesbians denies them the basic liberties and equal protection under the law that are guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution,” the plaintiffs’ suit states.

According to the suit, Prop. 8:

• Violates the Due Process Clause by impinging on fundamental liberties.

• Violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

• Singles out gays and lesbians for a disfavored legal status, thereby creating a category of “second-class citizens.”

• Discriminates on the basis of gender.

• Discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.

Olson and Boies will also point out the “crazy quilt” of separate, unequal and unconstitutional classifications of people that Prop. 8 has compelled the California government to create:

• Opposite-sex couples who have full marriage rights

• Same-sex couples who have no marriage rights

• Same-sex couples married between May and Nov. 2008 whose current marriages are recognized, but who will be unable to remarry if widowed or divorced

• Same-sex couples married in other states who may petition California for recognition.

The defendants have the burden of demonstrating that Prop. 8 is narrowly drawn to serve a compelling government interest. Olson and Boies will demonstrate at trial, however, that the initiative fails to advance even a single legitimate interest. Tellingly, when asked by Chief Judge Walker at an Oct. 14 hearing to identify any harm to opposite-sex marriage that would result from marriage equality, the defendants’ attorney answered “I don’t know.”

The case against Prop. 8 has proceeded with uncommon speed toward trial. In an order issued after the first hearing in the case, Chief Judge Walker stated: “Given that serious questions are raised in these proceedings … the court is inclined to proceed directly and expeditiously to the merits of plaintiffs’ claims. … The just, speedy and inexpensive determination of these issues would appear to call for proceeding promptly to trial.”

“More than 30 years ago, the United States Supreme Court recognized that marriage is one of the basic rights of man,” the suit states, referring to the Court’s decision in Loving v. Virginia.

Chad Griffin, board president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, noted that near the time when the Supreme Court struck down interracial marriage bans with its 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, a Gallup poll found that 73 percent of Americans did not approve of interracial marriage.

While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown were named defendants in their official capacities, along with other state and county officials, Prop. 8 is being defended in court by a prominent conservative organization, the Alliance Defense Fund. Gov. Schwarzenegger earlier filed a brief that did not dispute the unconstitutionality of Prop. 8, and called for swift action by the courts. Attorney General Brown, the state’s chief law enforcement officer, filed a brief agreeing with the plaintiffs’ position that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional.

The ACLU, Lambda Legal, and National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) are participating in the case as amici (friends of the court) in support of the plaintiffs. The City and County of San Francisco, led by City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart, are supporting the plaintiffs’ team as co-counsel, with a specific focus on the negative impact Prop. 8 has on government services and budgets. Herrera and Stewart led the legal battle toward the California Supreme Court decision that struck down California’s previous same-sex marriage ban.

The American Foundation for Equal Rights Advisory Board, which was announced January 9th, includes Julian Bond, Lt. Dan Choi, Margaret Hoover, Dolores Huerta, Cleve Jones, Stuart Milk, David Mixner, Hillary Rosen and Judy Shepard. For more information, see http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/press-releases/american-foundation-for-equal-rights-names-advisory-board/.

Olson is a former U.S. Solicitor General and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent constitutional lawyers, and has argued 55 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court. Boies ranks as one of the leading trial lawyers of his generation, having secured landmark victories for clients in numerous areas of the law. This is the first time they have served alongside each other as co-counsel.

Kris Perry and Sandy Stier have been together for nine years and are the parents of four boys. Perry is Executive Director of First 5 California, a state agency that promotes education and health for children under five. She holds a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an MSW from San Francisco State University. Stier is Information Technology Director for the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services Agency. She is originally from Iowa and is a graduate of the University of Iowa. Perry and Stier first tried to marry in 2004, after the City of San Francisco began issuing licenses. They live in Berkeley, CA.

Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo have been together for eight years. Katami is a fitness expert and business owner who graduated from Santa Clara University before receiving his graduate degree from UCLA. Zarrillo is the General Manager of a theater exhibition company. A native of New Jersey, Zarrillo graduated from Montclair State University. Having wanted to marry each other for more than two years, they considered options including traveling to other states for a “civil union,” but felt any alternative fell short of marriage. They live in Burbank, CA.

They have issued the following joint statement: “We and our relationships should be treated equally under the law. Our goal is to advance the cause of equality for all Americans, which is the promise that makes this nation so great.”

Source: American Foundation for Equal Rights

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September 10, 2009

Just Sign It This Time, Arnold

…unless you’re trying to Gaslight us with an annual case of déjà vu.

Harvey Milk Day Bill Headed To Governor’s Desk

A bill to establish a statewide day honoring slain former San Francisco city supervisor and gay civil rights leader Harvey Milk is headed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk. …

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August 13, 2009

Speaking of Doug Manchester’s Money Troubles…

…and we were, the boycott of Manchester properties only continues to gain momentum.

Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it, Doug?

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July 26, 2009

Charlotte Pride: So, How Did Michael Brown’s Pray-Away-the-Gay Day Go?

It was only about half as big as he’d hoped it’d be — and, we’re sure, zero-percent “successful”… although we have a hunch that within the next few days, a ringer or two may emerge, claiming to have been “delivered out of homosexuality”:

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July 23, 2009

“God Has A Better Way’s” Michael Brown Uses ALL CAPS to Clarify Remarks (So He MUST Be Telling the Truth!)

Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

— Jeremiah 14:14

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July 21, 2009

Can You Imagine the Uproar if Gays Decided to “Surround” the Pentecostals?

Can you say “intimidation tactics”? How about “domestic terrorism”? ‘Cause, babes, that’s exactly what they’d call it if we did it to them:

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July 3, 2009

“Asking Nicely Isn’t Working”

The Real Stonewall Legacy

Waiting our turn isn’t working.
Asking nicely isn’t working.
What will work is what worked
that fateful night at Stonewall.

Forty years ago, a raucous group of transvestites, queens, dykes, hustlers, and homeless queer kids gathered at their local bar in Greenwich Village: The Stonewall Inn. This wasn’t a political meeting — and contrary to the common historical narrative, they weren’t leaders in the nascent gay-rights movement. (Those leaders were far too concerned with convincing the powers that were that gay Americans were “just like everyone else” to set foot inside the Stonewall.) No, this was just an average Saturday night in 1969, and the Stonewall’s patrons had gathered for the same reasons that most people gather at a bar — to dance, drink, hang out with friends, and maybe get lucky.

Then something extraordinary happened.

It wasn’t the police raid. Raids were pretty average then, too, as cops made a habit of targeting gay hangouts. What was extraordinary was that, for whatever reason, on that night everyone at the bar began to fight back. …

Worth the full read? Oh, yeah. Click the link.

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June 28, 2009

So, What Are We Doing for Stonewall Today?

Well, my lovely wife and I stayed home. Nope, we didn’t go to Pride. Perhaps we should have lent two more warm bodies (and I do mean warm — it’s hot as hell here on the Peninsula), but we’re tired, man, tired. I wouldn’t say “burnt out,” but really, really tired. I won’t speak for Buffy here, but I’m also not in the right frame of mind at all. Last year was such a joyous event, this year going seemed like… like it would just hurt. So, call me selfish — I get to be once in a while. As every one of us has, I’ve done more than my share of hurting over the past year, and… I’m tired.

I also figure I’d be doing something a lot more productive for the cause by staying home today and continuing to work on Base8. I’m trying to ferret out the last of the education-related entries out of some 27,000 “unknown” records so I can get the next section (right, “Education”) up and running. It is a slow, frustrating, lonely process. But I am committed to it.

I probably should have written something to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Stonewall today. I didn’t. But jurassicpark at Brilliant at Breakfast did, and it’s really worth your time to click and read the whole thing. There’s also a couple of great pictures of the riots:

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June 25, 2009

House Dorothys Dutifully Fork Over Cash, Presence at DNC Fundraiser

What shall we do about House Dororthys (and Dorothyettes) Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Joan Garry (who first struck me as utterly spineless when she was head of GLAAD in the early days of the “Stop Dr. Laura” campaign), and Jared Polis (who’s becoming quite the cojone-free party apologist; read the article, not merely the headline) — all of whom were slated to attend tonight’s Gay ATM Fundraiser for the backstabbing DNC?

(Andy Tobias has a plausible excuse; he’s the treasurer of the DNC. But — even though I’ve had casual contact with Andy over the years, and know him to be a good, earnest sort — he really needs to grow a set.)

Meanwhile, Queerty wants to know why the SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) is attending, yet plans to march on the White House two days later. We’d like to know why, too.

There was indeed a protest, small but vocal, with a memorable warning-chant for the Democrats:

“We’ll remember in November…”

The Boston Herald has the story, and a very good photo gallery.

Related:

Obama’s Meaningless Memorandum = Desperate Attempt to Stop Johnstown Flood of Gay Dollars Flowing Away from DNC
June 16, 2009

More A-List Gays Boycott DNC Fundraiser, While Barney Frank Plays House Dorothy
June 18, 2009

Stampp Corbin: “I am boycotting the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Democratic National Committee event honoring Vice President Biden to drive home my discontent.”
June 19, 2009

Howard Dean, All Is Forgiven (For Now)
June 24, 2009

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June 24, 2009

AARP Commemorates Stonewall, Pays Tribute to Our History

Very cool — and a nifty place to send folks who need a crash course in our heritage, with some very worthy pieces about Frank Kameny and the Mattachine Society, and a great photo-illustrated timeline of milestones in LGBT history since 1958. (Click the image to go there.)

Incidentally… A few months ago, as my wife and I were talking about health insurance — and how we could expect Obama to write us a check for a million dollars before we’d ever see single-payer — I contacted AARP to ask if I became a member (which I’ll be eligible to do in just a couple of years — gulp!), would the AARP health plan cover my wife as well? I explained that we were married, but only in California, and she’s a fair bit younger than I am, and… yada yada yada… The answer was short, simple, and perfect (and I paraphrase): AARP recognizes the diverse needs of all families… so the answer is “yes.”

Nice. I’ve had issues in the past with AARP — all over its advocacy of private insurance, but nothing having to do with equality — but since knowing my wife and I will be able to get health insurance (we just need to stay healthy and uninjured for another couple of years!), and now, seeing this big, positive tribute to Stonewall… Well, nothing’s going to make me feel better about hitting my 50s, but it looks like AARP is going to ease some of the pain and horror.

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Howard Dean, All Is Forgiven (For Now)

Ben Smith says Howard Dean “is dropping out of tomorrow’s embattled LGBT fundraiser with Joe Biden in Washington, D.C.” — due to a “family commitment.”

Well, doesn’t everybody use the ol’ “family commitment” / “family matters” / “personal reasons” excuse?

Thank you, Dr. Dean.

Related:

Obama’s Meaningless Memorandum = Desperate Attempt to Stop Johnstown Flood of Gay Dollars Flowing Away from DNC
June 16, 2009

More A-List Gays Boycott DNC Fundraiser, While Barney Frank Plays House Dorothy
June 18, 2009

Stampp Corbin: “I am boycotting the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Democratic National Committee event honoring Vice President Biden to drive home my discontent.”
June 19, 2009

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June 22, 2009

Our Next Dirty Martini Will Be Made with SKYY

Sure, Skyy gets free advertising from us via a self-congratulatory press release — but we’re always happy to give a free plug to a company when we like what they’re doing… and we like what they’re doing:

SAN FRANCISCO — June 17, 2009 — SKYY® Vodka has announced its increased support of events and programs supporting the national Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities and a cause near to their hearts, HIV awareness. For 2009, SKYY is devoted to developing and expanding its partnerships with numerous gay and lesbian organizations across the country, including the STOP AIDS Project in San Francisco, Frameline33 — San Francisco’s International LGBT Film Festival, Equality California, Heritage of Pride in New York, amfAR — The Foundation for AIDS Research, AIDS Project Los Angeles and the LGBT Center in New York.

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June 19, 2009

Stampp Corbin: “I am boycotting the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Democratic National Committee event honoring Vice President Biden to drive home my discontent.”

You don’t get more A-List than Stampp Corbin, “a San Diego City Commissioner, LGBT rights activist and former Co-Chair of the Obama LGBT Leadership Council during the presidential campaign”:

Related:

More A-List Gays Boycott DNC Fundraiser, While Barney Frank Plays House Dorothy, June 18, 2009

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June 18, 2009

More A-List Gays Boycott DNC Fundraiser, While Barney Frank Plays House Dorothy

Good gays:

Pulling out out of the DNC fundraiser: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey, Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, and WordPerfect founder (and million-dollar donor to No On 8 ) Bruce Bastian. John Aravosis is keeping track.

Good, BIG gays: Caught this just before I went to post: We’re stunned — and thrilled — to learn that the National Stonewall Democrats (there is no bigger or more influential organization of LGBT Democrats) has pulled out as well.

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June 17, 2009

Fred Karger: Community Still Missing the Boat on Voter Registration

I can’t begin to voice my disgust at what our friend Fred Karger found — or rather didn’t find — at L.A. Pride last weekend:

I remember last year that there was no one registering voters the entire weekend of LA Pride. Odd I thought, since one year ago we knew in advance that Proposition 8 was very likely going to be on the November 4th ballot. …

This year I went into the Pride Festival to do a little test. I wanted to see what all was going on with voter registration.

I had assumed that our wonderful LGBT organizations (and they are incredible organizations) would have hundreds of people out registering LGBT voters and all our friends at LA Pride this year. I figured that they would be taking advantage of this mostly younger crowd, and get everyone at Gay Pride registered to vote. After all we very likely will be back on the ballot to repeal Prop 8 in less than 17 months.

As I went to my first LGBT political booth, I asked gently if there was a way to register to vote? A young bewildered volunteer said, “not really sure.” I visited the over 20 more LGBT political booths, out of over several hundred at the festival. Sadly, I could not find one voter registration card! Not even one!!!

During my wanderings, I finally met a very nice girl who had heard that the Stonewall Democrats booth had some voter registration forms. She marched me right over there, and I was thinking bingo, but alas, after some searching around they first said “we ran out,” then said, “sorry, we don’t have any.” Then the cute volunteer added, “good idea though.”

200,000 to 300,000 LGBT individuals and so many of our friends were in one place, who all agree that marriage equality should return to California. You do the math. Talk about a missed opportunity!!! …

It’s simple. Elections are won by who gets the most votes. We narrowly lost last year. Let’s put on the biggest, most successful most fun voter registration program in California history. Let’s give it a catchy name like “Milk the Vote” or “Register for Equality.”

More: “How to Win Back Same-Sex Marriage In California - Voter Registration“

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June 13, 2009

Are You Ready to Go?

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June 12, 2009

DObaMA: Memorable Observations, and Why We MUST March on D.C.

Backstory: “Obama Defends DOMA; Invokes Incest, Rape, Child Marriage; Ditches Loving, Roemer, & Lawrence; And More That Will Make You Sick to Your Stomach,” June 12, 2009

Pam Spaulding, “The Obama admin defends DOMA in a brief comparing marriage equality to incest“:

Today is the anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision that struck down state laws against interracial marriage. How has the Obama administration recognized it? By lobbing this bomb right into the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. …

This is a President who said he is a “fierce advocate” for our rights. This doesn’t look much like an advocate, it looks more like an enemy pulling the pin on the grenade and tossing it at us. While this may not be the perfect test case for DOMA, the Obama administration, in its defense of the Act, has filed a brief that is a roadmap for every fundnut anti-gay argument against the right of same-sex couples to marry. …

Friends, is this is the watershed mark, the line in the sand, the utter moral betrayal of this administration in black and white? Does this mean that we are not only expendable to this Administration, but that it has decided we can also be vilified as a constituency at will and not receive any blowback? That’s balls. A brief with language like this could have been written by Liberty Counsel it’s so homophobic; that it’s written in legalese doesn’t blunt the arguments being made here. It will be used to cause lasting damage to future civil rights gains.

Law Dork, 2.0, “Obama’s DOJ Did Not Have To Go This Far“:

Even if one argues, as I often have, that a government lawyer — from the Department of Justice to state attorneys general — must defend even those laws with which one disagrees*, such a lawyer needn’t overstate his or her case. The government lawyer defending a statute with which she disagrees needn’t add gratuitous demeaning statements into the legal brief she files.

Unlike the Obama Administration’s brief filed in the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell case turned away by the Supreme Court this week, last night’s filing in Smelt v. United States goes too far. It’s offensive, it’s dismissive, it’s demeaning and — most importantly — it’s unnecessary. Even if one accepts that DOJ should have filed a brief opposing this case (and the facts do suggest some legitimate questions about standing), the gratuitous language used throughout the filing goes much further than was necessary to make its case. …

Perhaps the simplest way to express my anger at this filing is to reprint what is easily the most disingenuous line of the brief, at p. 32:

DOMA does not discriminate against homosexuals in the provision of federal benefits.

There you go.

(Needless to say, I’m not wearing my Obama T-shirt today.)

foxsucks81, “Happy Loving Day! (And How Obama Just Lost My Support)“:

What is so troubling about these briefs is that they are so avoidable. First, the Obama DOJ could have simply argued that since DOMA is unconstitutional, it will decline to uphold the law. This would not be an unusual move as every president since Reagan has made these arguments, and the Obama DOJ has made similar arguments regarding the federal prohibition against medical marijuana licensing.

Second, even if the administration didn’t want to draw the line in the sand over this issue here and now, it had the option to argue against the suits on technicalities. The DOJ could have raised “improper standing”, or some other issue, and avoided taking sides on the matter. But that’s not what Obama did.

Call it the Audacity of Nope. …

I’m afraid this is the end of road for Obama. My time and money will no longer go to helping him pursue his agenda.

Marc Ambinder, “Obama Admin Hearts DOMA (For Now). Do Gays Still Heart Obama?“:

A lot of the same rhetoric used to justify actual discrimination against gays is cited in the brief as a reason why DOMA is necessary. (Child abuse precedents, all of that.) The brief even resorts to the argument that DOMA doesn’t deny gays anything because they’re still entitled to all the benefits that heterosexuals get — if they act heterosexually. The brief also suggests that gays accessing federal benefits will be free riders. …

The Department of Justice insists that Obama wants Congress to change DOMA (he called it “abhorrent” during the campaign), but in the absence of a new law, the government is duty-bound to enforce the laws of the land unless they are clearly unconstitutional. This is the same argument the administration is using to justify its aggressive defense of the states secrets privilege. Joe Solomnese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement that if Obama wants to change the law, he should send legislation repealing DOMA to Congress. He won’t do that. …

The response from Obama aides has generally been a version of the following: Trust us. We’re doing what we can. We’ll get this stuff done. But it will take some time. We’ve got a lot on our plate.

Andrew Sullivan, “The Most Egregious Line“:

“DOMA does not discriminate against homosexuals in the provision of federal benefits. …”

This only makes sense if you hold the view that gays are not being discriminated against because they can choose to marry someone of the opposite gender. This is the kind of argument I’ve had to counter for twenty years from the hardcore Christianist right, who emphatically reject the notion of homosexual dignity and homosexual relationships. To hear it come back to us in the mouth of the Obama administration - even in a pro forma case - is brutalizing. And it is all the more brutalizing sine Obama has said nothing and done nothing to support our civil marriages across the nation, since he took office.

Dave’sDailyDump, “Subject: Resignation” (long letter, more than worth the full read):

TO: XXXX XXXX, XXXX County Democratic Party Chairman
From: David Greer, Precinct XXX Chairman
CC: XXXX County Democratic Party Executive Committee
Subject: Resignation

After long and serious deliberation, I feel it is necessary to resign my position as a Precinct Chairman. I cannot continue to support the current administration and its abdication of its campaign promises, particularly to the GLBT Community.

In 1996, now-President Obama declared his support, in writing, to Marriage Equality. As a candidate for President, he withdrew that support in favor of “Civil Unions”. This is tantamount to being diametrically opposed to the decision of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, establishing clearly, that “separate but equal” is unconstitutional. Today, by his actions, President Obama has told me clearly that he actually believes “separate but equal” is bad for everyone…unless you are gay.

Today, Obama’s DOJ has stood up to defend DOMA as Constitutional (after pledging to repeal DOMA), even going so far as to equate my 15-year relationship with incest and rape…

I love my Party. I have loved the time spent in service to the Party and to our local community. This is, without doubt, one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made and this is also one of the saddest days in my life.

With tremendous respect,

David Greer

Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com, commenting at Queerty:

The issue here is NOT “marriage equality.”

It IS that the plaintiffs simply asked for the two rights OBAMA HIMSELF PROMISED TO FIGHT FOR in this campaign [with one caveat].

1. They want their relationship recognized in every state. Herein is the Obama Caveat…aka political magic trick so many fell for.

He claimed over and over…and gays too lazy to look behind the curtain wet themselves in glee…that he was “better than Hillary on DOMA” because he wanted to repeal “all of DOMA” while she hesitated on DOMA Section 2 which is nothing more but a reaffirmation of “states rights” to do what they want. Which, note, was EXACTLY his position [reiterated in his limp statement about the Iowa Supremes marriage decision], too.

DOMA was such a scalding hot buzz word that by even PRETENDING he was against the substance of Section 2 he “sounded” better. But the contradictory positions [NO on S-2; YES on “states rights] was there all the time for anyone who bothered to look.

2. The plaintiffs also want the same federal benefits as married straight couples. NOT to be declared “married” by the government simply the rights of others…the EXACT same promise Obama made and many of his defenders always applauded saying the substance of the benefits is more important than the label on the relationship.

NOW, Obama Inc. is echoing virtually every RIGHT WING homophobic legal argument against universal state recognition and simple equality benefits such as those administered by the IRS and Social Security.

With “fierce advocates” like this who needs Fred Phelps?

Ameriqueer, “The president’s idea of being a fierce advocate: Let them on the lawn to find chocolate eggs, then tell them to get the ‘ef out of here!“:

So when Obama campaigned for the LGBT vote and in the early days after the election claimed he would be a FIERCE advocate for LGBT people, what he meant was, “I’ll allow them on the lawn for Easter Eggs.” Because that’s what we’ve got from him on his campaign promises.

Dan Savage, “Obama Defends DOMA“:

Maybe he meant to say “fierce apathy.” Or “fierce antipathy.” Because if this shit is “fierce advocacy,” Mr. President, we’ll take benign neglect.

The New Civil Rights Movement, “DOJ: ‘What’s Past Is Prologue.’ Indeed.“:

On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder, once heralded by the gay community as someone who would work to achieve President Obama’s promise to repeal DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, on Wednesday stood in front of his Department of Justice’s LGBT employees and, as reported in an article just released by The Washington Blade, spoke to the Obama Administration’s promise of equality for all…

That was Wednesday. …

So, Attorney General Holder, in a celebration called, “What’s Past is Prologue: Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future,” on one day claims to fight for us, the next day takes away all our arguments. I don’t think we can afford to have him or Obama leading the charge. …

It’s time to recognize that Obama has used us. Obama - while we never expected him to complete his promises within his first one hundred days, or even wthin his first year - has not ignored them, but actually broken, stomped on, and thrown his broken promises at our feet. Attorney General Holder has taken one of our most sacred pieces of history and all but used it against us. What’s past IS prologue, Mr. Holder, Mr. Obama. You too should know that better than most Americans. We certainly do.

It’s time to march. It’s time to fight for our rights. It’s time to win.

Joe Mirabella (Washington State Community Organizer, Join the Impact), “Obama defends DOMA, we defend our families“:

The LGBT community supported President Obama and his campaign with our money, our valuable time, and our votes. We believed the President when he promised us he was going to repeal DOMA, end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Pass the Employment Non Discrimination Act, support Hate Crimes Legislation, and more. We believed the President because he offered the country hope and our community needed hope more than any other community in America. We needed a friend in the White House who was willing to lead us through the civil rights movement of the century. We needed someone who was not going to stab us in the back.

Mr. President you flip-flopped. We should have known. You started your Presidency with one of the most anti-gay Pastors in the country giving your inaugural prayer, Rick Warren. You further hurt us by remaining silent on proposition 8. The one moment you mentioned our advances in Iowa and other states was in jest at the correspondence dinner. You asked the Supreme Court to ignore an appeal on Don’t Ask Don’t tell for “unit cohesion”. You did all these things and yet your promises remained on Whitehouse.gov (FYI his promise to repeal DOMA is no longer there.) Some of us still hoped, myself included, that you would do the right thing and not defend DOMA.

I no longer have hope for you President Obama. I no longer believe you are on my side. Your adminstration is using the arguments of our worst enemies to uphold laws that destroy our families. I should have known. I should not have been so enchanted by your beautiful speeches and colorful campaign posters. Mr. President you are no different than the rest. You used our community to get to the White House and now you have pushed us aside. This time is different though, because we won’t take it anymore!

I was once on the fence about the October march on Washington. It is clearer to me now more than ever we can not wait. We need to show up and stand up. We need to destroy our worst enemy — apathy. We need to mobilize our communities to fight locally and nationally. We need to demand that our leaders not only say they are going to protect our families, but they must prove it through action. Flowery speeches will no longeer woo us. Colorful posters are a red flag now. …

Obama reminded us today that we are the only ones we can depend on to fight for our rights. Apathy is no longer an option. Either stand up for yourself now or don’t be surprised when we are left with nothing. …

So, what about the October March on Washington? Just as Obama chose Loving v. Virginia Day to take a gigantic, steaming dump all over equality, ever so serendipitously, Cleve Jones tells Joe.My.God. “We Have The Permit, The March On Washington Is Definitely On“:

Speaking with me by phone this afternoon, activist Cleve Jones confirmed that despite earlier reports that the National Mall was previously booked and unavailable, he does have a permit from the Parks Department for a Columbus Day weekend March On Washington. “We put in a request for the West Lawn of the Capitol, where the Obama inauguration took place, and we got it. Nobody else had applied for it,” said Jones.

Jones added, “We’ve been getting nothing but complete cooperation from all the authorities - the DC police, the mayor, the Parks Service. They told us, ‘Go ahead, you’ve got it. Put the word out.’ They are happy to work with us and are expecting a lot of people.” …

As to the cost of putting on the weekend, Jones stresses that the MOW will be a stripped down, no frills, purely activism-focused event. …

Regarding the MOW’s timing, Jones has this to say: “It’s a three day weekend, it’s easier to travel, and the weather is usually very good. …” Jones estimated that “most people on the west coast will be able to come to this march for less than $700.” …

Jones issued this call to action: “We should be saying, ‘Enough of this, we demand full equality under civil law.’ We should be marching, engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience every day. We have a window, but it’s already starting to close. If you think you’re going to get anything out of Obama in the second half of his term, you don’t know anything about political history. In a year, he’ll be in full re-election mode.”

Referring to today’s DOJ-DOMA news, Jones closed with this: “It’s so clear that Obama and the Democratic leadership are turning their backs on us. If we don’t go for it now, we’ll get nothing. It’s beginning to smell a lot like Clinton.”

Read the rest of Cleve’s remarks at Joe’s — especially the part about the gay “leadership” opposed to the march.

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June 8, 2009

U.K.: Will Doncaster Suffer for Electing Homophobic (& Xenophobic) Mayor?

Frankly, the only reason we know Doncaster even exists is its annual Pride fest — so we figured it would be, you know, a cool place to visit someday. But now, not so much:

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Our Santa Cruz Family Puts “Proposition 8 Front and Center at 35th Gay Pride Festival”

As we expect every Pride Fest will this year — but S.C., while never as huge as S.F. or even S.J., is among the most dedicated LGBT communities in the state:

Proposition 8 front and center
at 35th Gay Pride Festival

SANTA CRUZ — Hundreds of gay-rights supporters paraded through downtown Sunday trying to assuage the sting of last month’s state Supreme Court decision upholding the voter ban on same-sex marriage. …

The celebration kicked off at 11 a.m. with a parade that featured a kaleidoscope of floats and marchers strutting down Pacific Avenue. Groups like the Santa Cruz Roller Girls and the Soquel High Gay Straight Alliance entertained the onlookers, as pulsating disco music played from the slow-moving caravan.

The WoMen’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana also earned a warm response from the crowd. Parade favorites Dykes on Bikes and Cheer San Francisco were also on hand.

Afterward, many people made their way across the river to San Lorenzo Park for the festival, where they listened to a number of speakers, including Watsonville City Councilman Luis Alejo.

In his speech, Alejo stressed that the city of Watsonville and the Latino community would continue to support gay rights. …

More at the link.

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June 7, 2009

Charlotte Christers Plan to Pee on Pride Parade

Jeremy reports on “a Spirit-birthed” anti-gay rally planned to coincide with the Charlotte, NC, Pride fest July 25th, where the local christers (only Jesus-lovers “qualify”) will “intercede in prayer” (translation: “pray the gay away”), and “proclaim that God Has a Better Way.”

One thing’s for sure: God needs a better publicity machine than these bigots; they’re making him look like a real jerk.

Can you imagine the reaction if a bunch of big, gay floats rolled through the middle of their “soul-winning” homophobathon? (Nice image, that, but as I imagine their idea of conducting themselves in a manner “law-abiding, safe, and honoring to the Lord in spirit and in word” probably includes carrying conceal weapons, I wouldn’t risk it.)

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June 3, 2009

Obama’s Pride Month Declaration: Disses Achtenberg, Then Splits Hairs to Cover Gaffe

In the midst of being annoyed about everything else that’s wrong with Obama’s declaration of June as LGBT Pride Month, this, I am ashamed, completely escaped my attention — but Joe Garofoli caught it:

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President Bertha

“Berthas,” as Eric told it, were the Welsh ladies of class (insofar as you can be a lady of class in Welsh, Louisiana), and they were striking not only for their pretension but for another feature: the ability to charm the pants off you in one breath and slice your heart out with a butter knife the second your back was turned.

“It’s why I want to get the hell out of Louisiana,” Eric said. “You never know where the Berthas are, and, hell, around here they’re probably all Berthas.” …

According to the Theory of Berthas, a Bertha is skilled at giving people a sense of camaraderie, of support, of solidarity. Berthas excel at sounding committed to the things that matter to you but never giving any concrete ways in which their help will manifest. Berthas smile and receive respect from those around them for doing nothing but talking about what a good person they are — not actually doing anything.

And then, when your back is turned, they actively work against you and talk about how badly you dress. …

So, what do you do with a Bertha? This is Eric’s solution.

“Here’s what I do,” Eric said. “Berthas thrive on polite, they live for it, they eat it for breakfast, they can’t do anything without it. So when I know someone’s a Bertha, I stop being polite, and I call it what it is.”

More from Cody Daigle on Obama’s declaration of June as LGBT Pride Month:

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June 1, 2009

A Couple of Bratts (Peter and Benjamin) Kick Off L.A.’s Outfest

Benjamin Bratt, whose
beauty is matched only
by Johnny Depp’s

The Hollywood Reporter has the details on Outfest 2009, the 27th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which “will kick off July 9 with Peter Bratt’s ‘La Mission’ at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The film stars the director’s brother Benjamin Bratt as a single father who discovers his son, played by Jeremy Ray Valdez, is gay.”

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Obama Declares June Pride Month (But He Doesn’t Get Brownie Points from Us)

Make no mistake: Bringing back the official presidential declaration of June as LGBT Pride Month is a very, very good thing indeed, for which Barack Obama deserves some praise — but only some. He does not deserve Brownie points for it, for the simple reason that it’s something he should do anyway; even we took it for granted he would (and you’d better believe we’d have been all over his case if he hadn’t). That, and he’s only continuing what Bill Clinton began in 1999 (and Chimpy McCokespoon refused to do for the last eight years).

Which is the long way around of saying: It’s the least he could do. The very least.

Nevertheless, we’re happy about it — although we are not at all impressed with the way the official statement claims Obama has “partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives,” when in reality his administration has done nothing to advance anything, and in fact has backtracked on nearly everything:

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May 30, 2009

So, Can We Get A Million to March on Washington Again?

The MSM (at least in our neck of the woods) has picked up on the planned National Equality March — a.k.a. LGBT March on Washington V — promoted by the Meet in the Middle folks.

Speaking of which, as you can see, we didn’t go to Fresno today; we have our reasons, which I’ve explained before, and which I’ll probably explain again — but as things seem to be going well down there, I won’t poop on anybody’s good day.

As for Washington, I’m kind of het up on the idea. First, a national march is a national march — not limited to one backwards state that has failed its citizens, miserably, and whose Supreme Court has turned the very concept of equal rights — and itself — into a cruel joke. Second, past LGBT marches on Washington have been a good thing. (Third, it doesn’t hurt that Cleve Jones is in favor of the idea. I trust Cleve’s judgment. If you can’t trust Cleve Jones on a thing like this, who can you trust?)

I don’t know what we’re going to do yet — National Coming Out Day is four months off — but already I like the idea, a lot. If you’re on the fence about going to Washington, maybe these stories of past marches will help you make up your mind:

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