Quickclick: Storming Air Force One in Defense of Traditional Marriage
POLITICO 44 reports that a woman tried to get to the President as he was boarding Air Force One in Los Angeles, causing the Secret Service to drag her away. Politico says:
The individual was identified as Brenda Lee, who works for the Georgia Informer in Macon, Ga….Lee said the letter intended for Obama was about “traditional” marriage.
Lee, who claims to be a Roman Catholic priestess, said a Secret Service agent refused to give the letter to the president. After protesting and refusing to leave the press area, Lee was carried away by two security officers.
More from the LA Times, with link to video.
Loading ...Quickclick: AT&T Stacks Idol for Kris Allen?
The New York Times has a report AT&T employees in Arkansas provided free “power” text messages to voters at Kris Allen American Idol viewing parties. It seems likely this was an action by local employees not cleared with the head office. And it’s not clear that it influenced the results. But seen through the prism of the American Idol finals “good old Southern Church boy” vs. “sexually ambiguous California boy” match-up, it’s food for thought.
Update: More from CNN.
Quickclick: Nevada Governor Vetos LGBT Equal Rights
Nevada’s governor, Republican Bill Gibbons, vetoed a bill which would give domestic partners in Nevada (whether gay or not), rights similar (but not identical) to those married couples have.
Mind you, we’re not taking marriage here. Just DP rights like oh-so-many other states have. But, no, He says “it conflicts with a state constitutional amendment approved by Nevada voters in 2002 supporting marriage between a man and a woman.”
And lest you think he’s pandering to gambling interests, well, no. They’re up-in-arms over the veto:
Harrah’s Entertainment has called for an override if Gibbons vetoed the measure.
The casino giant pointed to an estimated $700 billion in buying power among potential lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers.
The bill also had support from of the powerful Nevada Resort Association, and drew praise from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.
This all per the Associated Press (via the San Francisco Chronicle).
Quickclick: Human Sperm Is Good For Skin?
One for the “oh my” file. This just in from NYMag.com:
Spermine, a powerful anti-oxidant originally discovered in, yes, human sperm, is said to diminish wrinkles and smooth the skin. The substance is now being synthesized in laboratories and sold by a Norwegian company called (seriously) Bioforskning.
They report Spermine facials start @ $125 in NY spas. Really.
F* You, Homophobes
France’s GayClib Collab Against Homophobia has a video response to all those haters out there. Set to “Fuck You” by Lily Allen.
Quickclick: Republicans Say Gay Marriage Hurts Economy?
Remember all that data about the economic infusion that came from legalizing gay marriage in California, Massachusetts, Iowa… Forget it, says the Republican chairman: gay marriage is bad for your pocket book. Huh? His argument, as reported by the Associated Press:
Republicans can reach a broader base by recasting gay marriage as an issue that could dent pocketbooks as small businesses spend more on health care and other benefits, GOP Chairman Michael Steele said Saturday.
Steele said that was just an example of how the party can retool its message to appeal to young voters and minorities without sacrificing core conservative principles. Steele said he used the argument weeks ago while chatting on a flight with a college student who described herself as fiscally conservative but socially liberal on issues like gay marriage.
“Now all of a sudden I’ve got someone who wasn’t a spouse before, that I had no responsibility for, who is now getting claimed as a spouse that I now have financial responsibility for,” Steele told Republicans at the state convention in traditionally conservative Georgia. “So how do I pay for that? Who pays for that? You just cost me money.”
The secret sauce back to power: convince college kids they should oppose same-sex marriage because they’re going to be paying for my husbands health insurance? It’s just not true and I hope people aren’t going to buy it. Read the full story from the AP.
Maine Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
Maine’s governor, John Baldacci, signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine. Maine becomes the fifth state in the country to legalize gay marriage, following Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ioa and Vermont. A gay marriage bill is pending in New Hampshire’s legislature, and California’s Supreme Court has yet to rule on the legality of Proposition 8. which banned same-sex marriage.
The governor’s statement, from Pam’s House Blend:
“Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ‘no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of that person’s civil rights or be discriminated against.’”
“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State,” Governor Baldacci said.
“It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”
“Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize that this may not be the final word,” Governor Baldacci said. “Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people.”
More on the news from Maine via the Associated Press, Gay Rights Watch, the Human Rights Campaign, and The New Civil Rights Movement.
Maine House Approves Gay Marriage, Bill to Gov
On the heels of last week’s vote in the Maine Senate, the Maine House has voted to allow same-sex marriages in the state. The house votes 89 – 58 in favor of the bill. It now moves back to the Senate for a final vote and then on to the governor for his signature. (Sources: WCSH6.com and WMTW.com)
Maine Governor John Baldacci has not indicated whether he would sign the bill, but a detailed report at Pam’s House Blend suggests he’s giving it due consideration.
The New Civil Rights Movement chronicles the touching and passionate debate in Maine House.
DC City Council Votes To Recognize Marriages
By a margin of 12 (yes) to 1 (no), the Washington, DC City Council voted to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. DC itself does not perform same-sex marriages. Mayor Adrian Fenty, a proponent of same-sex marriage, now needs to sign the measure into law. After that, per the Washington Post, ”If Fenty signs it, the District will put the same-sex marriage issue directly before the Congress. Under Home Rule, the District’s laws are subject to a 30-day congressional review period.”
The Post notes in its article that there was some minor mayhem at the meeting: yelling right-wing protesters and Councillor Marion Barry, who was opposed to the measure, accidentally voted for it. (The vote was later corrected.) Towleroad has more on the Marion Barry drama.
So when would DC start performing its own same-sex marriages? The Post says: If Congress does not try to block the bill to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, [openly gay councillor David] Catania has said he will introduce a separate bill later this year to allow same-sex marriages to be conducted in the District.”
CNN Poll: Young People Pro Gay Marriage
Proving once again that the older you are, the less tolerant you are of same-sex marriage, the latest CNN poll shows that opposition to gay marriage is centered in those 65. Overall, 54% of those polled thought same-sex marriage should be illegal, compared to 44% who thought it should be legal. The break-down by age is where it gets interesting:
- Of those 18-34, 58% support same-sex marriage
- Of those 35-49, 42% support same-sex marriage
- Of those 50-64, 41% support same-sex marriage
- Of those 65 and over, only 24% support same-sex marriage
Interestingly:
Forty-nine percent of those questioned say they have a family member or close friend who is gay. That’s up eight points from 1998 and 17 points from 1992. Fifty-eight percent of those aged 18 to 34 say they have a family member or close friend who’s gay. That drops to just one in three of people 65 or older.
Put simply: the ratio of support for same-sex marriage in CNN’s poll almost exactly mirrors the percentage of people in each age bracket who support gay marriage. If you know someone gay or lesbian, you’re more likely to see marriage rights and a fundemental human right affecting people you know.
