Sunday, February 15, 2009

Combined Gay News Headlines (T5T-1)

"Southwest Airlines is denying that it donated money to the Yes on 8 campaign. The gay-friendly airline appeared as a non-monetary donor on reports filed by the Mormon church. The information was made public by the California Secretary of State." [Instant Pride] Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us Tagged: prop 8, Southwest Airlines, yes on 8
There might have been Milk and Pineapple Express, but there was also The Wicker Man. And its for his career mistakes that James Franco was awarded the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year at Harvard, a ceremonial roast he attended that put him into a gold bra, eye patch, and one hand on a cow's [...]
Yesterday Queerty broke news about an Orange County high school whose principal allegedly banned the drama department from producing Rent because of its portrayal of gay characters. (No word on whether the AIDS storyline scared her!) But now Corona del Mar High School's Principal Fal Asrani is speaking out, saying her decision had nothing to [...]
Well, there’s only two more days to Valentine’s Day, and you know what that means! It’s flower time for lots of people. If you’re looking for a flower or a gift for someone special then please don’t forget one of QF’s sponsors: Chase Flower Shop. They are located in the Tower District, they do offer [...]
Vagina Monologues 2009 Transgender Piece Included! Saturday, February 14 @ 7:00pm Sundam Sunday, February 15 @ 7:00pm Doors Open at 6:00pm Fresno State Satellite Student Union Students $5 - General Public $10 Click on Flyer for More Info

From "Good As You"

Audio: Matt's inconvenient truth

Matt Barber dedicates his days to demonizing gays. He abhors marriage equality for gays and lesbians, fighting any progress he sees in that regards. Among the stats we've heard him quote to back up his objections is the supposedly heightened instability of same-sex relationships.

[...]

Yes, that's right -- Matt Barber is on his second marriage. Guess in all of his years of sticking his nose in our lives and attacking our unions, that little point just kinda slipped his mind. Oopsie.

Now, of course we don't fault folks for divorce. Even Matt. However, if it was one of our leaders or celebrities, can you even IMAGINE how he would use that person's separation as an example of our lack of relationship sanctity?

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2009/02/audio-matts-inconvenient-truth.html



David W. Ogden is President Obama's nominee for Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). It would be difficult to find a person less desirable to be second in command at the nation's top law enforcement agency.
--Janet Crouse, Senior Fellow of the Beverly LaHaye Institute (the think tank for the Concerned Women For America)

There's an interesting opposition take on the David W. Ogden nomination for the number 2 spot at the DOJ. It's from Janice Shaw Crouse of the Concerned Women For America. Some excerpts:

Our new president has another big problem with one of his nominees. This one hasn't made headlines yet, but if he is voted through this week by the Senate Judiciary Committee, you'll hear plenty - and it's a nightmarish possibility. David W. Ogden is President Obama's nominee for Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

...Throughout his 20-year legal career, David Ogden has argued for the rights of the pornographers over the protection of women and children...

...Ogden goes far beyond the left into radical territory regarding pornography and obscenity. Burch's memo states that Ogden, while an attorney in private practice, "filed briefs pushing for gays in the military, for continued racial preferences, and for a virtually unlimited abortion license." Worse, Ogden argued for Playboy, Penthouse and the ACLU in obscenity and pornography cases. According to Fidelis, Ogden opposed the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act (CPOEA). The CIPA Act includes a provision requiring Internet filters in federally-funded libraries. The CPOEA Act requires verification that models in pornographic films be certified over age 18. Ogden argued that these requirements placed too heavy a burden on pornographers and infringed on filmmakers' Constitutional rights. Ogden pushed for taxpayer funding to publish Playboy in Braille, he tried to get Playboy off the list of "pornographic" magazines, he argued for "consenting adults" to have telephone sex, and the list goes on and on in terms of his advocacy for lowering the barriers to moving pornography and obscenity into America's mainstream...

...Legal activism is always a concern, but when coupled with Ogden's views, it becomes dangerous. In the DOJ position, he could use the courts as a vehicle for advancing the pro-abortion and homosexual agendas. A person in the DOJ position with his views could unleash the porn and obscenity industries and allow them open access to media and public spaces. The DOJ job would give him the opportunity to favor the pornographers over the people in a major way. It would allow him to open up the airways to obscenity and pornography and remove the last protections for our children...

Crouse significantly cites a Brian Burch paper in her article, a paper that argues against Mr. Ogden's appointment. Burch, by the way, is the president of Fidelis, a Catholic-based group of political, legal, research, and educational organizations that seek to defend life, faith, and family -- you know where that paper is going without even reading the it.  

So yes, yes, let's jump up and scream about decaying morals while "thinking of the children," blah blah blah. But y'know, that gosh darn legal activism that the CWA is railing against -- well, the CWA tries to use the same kind of legal activism in attempts to impose their morals of conservative "Christians" on the rest of American society. The CWA and their conservative "Christians" only appear to hate legal and judicial activism when the lawyers or judges are being "activists" against creating "Christian" theocracy in America.

Without a doubt, just as the CWA (and many other other conservative publications and organizations) find David Ogden "less desirable" in the DOJ number 2 spot than most anyone else they could imagine, at this point -- as a progressive -- I don't imagine there are too many better choices in the DOJ number 2 spot than David Ogden.

Call me crazy, but after Monica Goodling's alleged unlawful stuffing the DOJ with conservative, Republican ideologues, I want political appointees at the DOJ who will guide the ideologues in defending the rule of law, and not defending the ideals of a "Christian" theocracy.

My guess is that the CWA and I just won't agree to disagree on this nomination.

Even Bill O'Reilly admits the opponents of gay marriage don't have any other card to play except the bible-beating one, and it's irrelevant to civil law. Believe it or not the Faux News bully even shredded one of the talking heads who tried and failed repeatedly to come up with a reason not based on religion, to deny gay and lesbian couples federal, state and local rights that heterosexual couples enjoy.

They have no argument and they know it. Suze Orman also laid out an airtight case on this front yesterday. It's not about morality or freedom of religion -- it's the bottom line -- we pay taxes and there is no reason why we should be denied these rights and resulting benefits.


"We are taking away a birthright, if you ask me, for people to get the most out of the money that they have spent their lives working for. These people are making money, they pay taxes on the money, every single one of us deserves to have the same financial benefits, whether we are gay or whether we are straight. And therefore, we have got to do everything we can to turn that around.

Every single one of us deserves to be loved. Every single one of us deserves to love. And every single one of us deserves to make the most out of the money that we have. And that is my Valentine's Day wish for every single one of us."


All week, people across the country have been celebrating Freedom to Marry Week. There’s a ton of ways t 1e0 All week, people across the country have been celebrating Freedom to Marry Week. There’s a ton of ways to get involved.  Start with a visit to Freedom to Marry’s website and you’ll find great ways to take action and make a difference. Next, add your voice to the online discussion at the Straight Talk on Marriage blog. Finish by celebrating [...]
SALEM — State officials announced Thursday they are investigating whether ballot initiative activist Bill Sced Thursday they are investigating whether ballot initiative activist Bill Sizemore violated election laws during his campaign to put five measures on the ballot last November. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/02/state_investigates_whether_siz.html
Several LGBT & allied student groups at Portland State University have put together what’s shaping up to be a fantastic day of trans-specific events this Monday, February 16th.  The best part?  The day’s activities, trans-specific events this Monday, February 16th.  The best part?  The day’s activities, titled “F to eMbody,” are free and open to the public!   Here are all the details: Workshop“A workshop that emphasizes how deeply [...]

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