On April 29, the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted plaintiffs' motion for expedited review in Lemons v. Bradbury, the lawsuit filed by out-of-state groups seeking to revive last year's failed referendum against Oregon's domestic partnership law by forcing elections officials to change the way they treat signatures on voter petitions. The original review schedule set by the Court likely would have resulted in a decision sometime next year, but Friday's order means the case could be decided as early as July.

Basic Rights Oregon has more information including updated Lemons v Bradbury timeline, court docs etc. That's here.

Related posts from Gay Rights Watch:

BREAKING: Basic Rights Oregon Files Motion to Intervene

Judge Mosman Grants BRO's Motion to Intervene in Lemons v Bradbury

Right Now In Oregon Federal Court Your Future is Being Decided

I'm Sorry. This is Bullshit, I Need to Vent.

OREGON WINS: DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS GO INTO EFFECT

Labels: anti gay, appeal, basic rights oregon, domestic partnership, federal court, lemons v bradbury, oregon

Shocking. Blue Oregon has the dirt on McCain's keynote address at a 1993 fundraiser for the Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) headed up by Lon Mabon. The OCA was responsible for numerous anti-gay ballot initiatives up until their last attempt in 2000. If you've lived in Oregon for any amount of time, you know the OCA and their hateful and often violent ways.


From Blue Oregon:

It seems that the media is having a lot of fun these days digging up old acquaintances of presidential candidates, finding an objectionable comment, and then badgering the candidates into denouncing those folks.

It doesn't seem to matter how tenuous the "relationship", how long ago it was, or anything.

So, courtesy of Jeff Mapes (who has an excellent post about John McCain's temper), here's a little snippet from a long-ago Oregonian article.

It seems that in 1993, John McCain was the keynote speaker at a fundraising banquet for the Oregon Citizens Alliance, the notorious anti-gay organization that was causing all sorts of trouble in Oregon in the 1990s.

McCain quickly got a first-hand flavor for the OCA. Marylin Shannon, the vice chairwoman of the Oregon GOP, had a spot on the program to give an opening prayer. In short order, she praised the Grants Pass woman accused of shooting an abortion doctor in Wichita and thanked the Lord ``for Lon Mabon and the vision you put in his heart.''

Let's check that again. Marilyn Shannon praises a terrorist who shot a doctor while introducing John McCain, and not only does he stay, he stands up and gives a fundraising address for these terrorist-lovers?

Outrageous. Will John McCain do what he should have done 15 years ago - and denounce the domestic terrorists who shoot doctors who provide legal medical services?

America is waiting.

[via Blue Oregon]

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, anti gay, mccain, oregon

I want to say that it blows my mind that over 1000 people came to "demonstrate" at the Oklahoma State Capitol to show just how anti-gay they are, alas I'm not surprised at all. It is quite saddening though that the 'over 1000 people' took time out of their day to see who can be the loudest about being bigots.

via 365gay:

More than 1000 people demonstrated at the Oklahoma Capitol on Wednesday in support of state Rep. Sally Kern (R) and her recent remarks that gays are more dangerous than terrorists.

A sign saying "We Stand With Sally Kern" was placed in the rotunda of the capital during the rally that organized by socially conservative groups.

Kern (pictured) was cheered when she told the crowd that their support affirmed the rights of conservative Christians "who want to stand up for the truth of God's word."

"What has happened to me has served to advance the gospel," said Kern, who was greeted with chants of "Sally, Sally" and was frequently interrupted by shouts of "Amen."

Kern made the remarks in a speech to a small gathering but did not know they were being recorded. The tape fell into the hands of The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund which then posted it on the video sharing site. (story)

In the speech Kern said gays have become more dangerous to the American way of life than terrorists.

"The homosexual agenda is destroying this nation; it's just a fact," Kern went on to say in the speech.

The Victory Fund, who posted the original video (at end of post), made comment about today's gathering of Sally Kern supporters. I wonder if they all look like birds too?

From the Victory Fund:

As some of you no doubt heard, Sally held a rally today inside the Oklahoma State Capitol building along with some of the country's most vocal anti-gay leaders. Together, they quoted scripture and decried so-called attempts to silence her.

Of course the irony of this is almost laughable. These folks are complaining about limits on their freedom of speech-at a public rally inside a state capitol building. You really can’t make this stuff up. Over the past few weeks, Sally Kern has said to any reporter who will listen that she is proud of the speech we broadcast on YouTube. She should be thrilled now that nearly 1.1 million people have listened to it.

Today Sally and her admirers trotted out their favorite talking point-they don't hate gay people, they love us and want us to change. Well, nobody who ever loved me talked to me the way she did when she compared us to terrorists and cancer. That's not the language of love or even tough love. It's the language of fear, division and yes, hate.

Across America, Sally and her friends in the anti-gay industry are backing narrow-minded, extremist candidates who want to implement her world view - a world in which gay people are encouraged to fake being straight or to simply disappear altogether. If you're gay, or if you are related to or know people who are gay, you understand how dangerous and misguided that message is.

Here is the original video released by the Victory Fund:

Labels: anti gay, oklahoma, sally kern

Officials in the Poway school district near San Diego did not violate the First Amendment rights of a student they punished for wearing a homophobic T-shirt to class, a federal judge ruled.

Tyler Chase Harper sued the school district in 2004, arguing that his rights were violated when he was removed from class for wearing the anti-gay shirt on the Day of Silence, which is intended to promote tolerance of gays and lesbians. The shirt read "I Will Not Accept What God Has Condemned" on one side and "Homosexuality Is Shameful, Romans 1:27" on the other side.

The next day, he wore the same shirt, but it had been altered to read "Be Ashamed [of What] Our School Has Embraced." School administrators asked him to remove his shirt on the second day because they said it violated their dress code, which bans promotion of "violent or hateful behavior."

Harper refused, and he was removed from class and assigned to the front office to complete his day's remaining schoolwork.

"The main point of the case is free speech, and students have their right to be heard on campus," Kevin Theriot, one of Harper's attorneys, told The Advocate in May. "Just because other students don't agree, doesn't mean that he can't voice [his opinions]."

The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which eventually nullified it because at that point Harper had already graduated from high school. His sister Kelsie then took his place in the case, where it is now. When her brother first went to the federal court, he won.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John Houston overturned the court's earlier decision. Houston decided not to issue an injunction to stop the district from enforcing the policy in 2006. A year later, he threw out the case against the district.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Houston's decision not to issue an injunction, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Houston wrote Tuesday that Poway school district's "interest in protecting homosexual students from harassment is a legitimate pedagogical concern that allows a school to restrict speech expressing damaging statements about sexual orientation and limiting students to expressing their views in a positive manner."

Free-speech advocates and the Harpers' legal team are distraught over the decision, which states that school districts are within their rights to protect students by limiting freedom of expression.

David Blair-Loy, the legal director for San Diego and Imperial County American Civil Liberties Union, told the newspaper that the ruling is troubling. The organization filed a friend-of-the-court brief on the student's behalf, siding with religious groups they normally argue against.

"And let's face it: What about high school is not psychologically damaging?" Blair-Loy said in the article. "This student wore a T-shirt that expressed an idea. It's an idea we don't agree with at the ACLU, but that is the essence of free speech. It's not just for ideas you like."

Via Planetout

Labels: anti gay, california, federal court, lawsuit

So the truth is in and voter fraud has occurred by Oregon's anti-gay extremists. See part one of this story for the reasons.

Here are the groups and individuals who gave money ($100 or more) to assist and force a public vote on Oregon's Domestic Partnership and Anti-Discrimination laws. Believe it or not this is all that is shown on the contribution and expenditure reports. we're leaving out those personally involved in the Chief Petitioners PAC's.

Anti-Discrimination Referendum (#304):

World Harvest Church: $779.00
120 SE 172nd Ave
Portland, Oregon 97233

Concerned Oregonians (aka Restore America): $4922.01

Vicki Lynn Davis: $300
4240 SW Parkview Ave.
Portland, OR 97233

Kevin Mannix: $400
About Kevin Mannix - Republican, twice failed candidate for Oregon Attorney General and twice failed candidate for governor. Currently Mannix spends a large amount of his time in corrupt politics - mainly shady ballot initiatives, he is also an attorney in Salem.

Also for #304 there were "Miscellaneous cash contributions of $100 or less: $1211.00", meaning individual donors.


Domestic Partnership Referendum (#303):

Concerned Oregonians (aka Restore America): $4922.02

Kevin Mannix: $352.92


I know this is a bit shocking - but they had nearly no contributions. To me this again goes to show that Oregonians simply aren't that into the politics of hate and fear.

See the full reports here (#303, #304).

Labels: anti gay, anti-discrimination, domestic partnership, oregon

David Crowe of the defunked and illegal 'political action committee' called Concerned Oregonians is crying fowl weeks after his failed referendum attempt.

From OregonLive today:

Opponents of the domestic partnership bill that passed the Legislature are still trying to get the law referred to the ballot, even though the secretary of state's office ruled earlier this month that they fell 116 valid signatures short of the 55,179 required by law.

The Medford Mail Tribune reports that opponents of the law - which allows same-sex couples to form domestic partnerships that include many of the legal protections given to married couples - are pressuring the Jackson County Clerk Kathy Beckett to count several signatures she had earlier invalidated.

Because the secretary of state validates petitions by using just a sample of the signatures, opponents figure they can make up their deficit by persuading the clerk to allow just six of the invalidated signatures to be counted. The group seeking the referendum, Concerned Oregonians, has rounded up eight people who say they signed the petition but had their signatures unfairly invalidated.

At this point, Beckett gives no indication she will change her mind. But if nothing else, it's a sign of how every angle of Oregon's initiative and referendum process is coming under intense scrutiny and pressure.

Give up already. When gay and lesbian Oregonians lost Constitutional Amendment 36 in 2004, sure we cried and were deeply upset - upset for very good reasons. Oregon's Constitution was scarred that fateful day. It was no longer the Constitution of the people, it was the Constitution for some.

Now, after your blatant failure to put the 26th and 27th (I think) anti-gay measure on the ballot (more than any other state in the nation) you are crying fowl. Take your defeat as just that. Oregonians simply aren't into your politics of bigotry and fear. That was so 2004.

You claim that Oregon's new Domestic Partnership law "violates the intent of Oregon voters who in 2004 adopted a constitutional ban on gay marriage." So why go through all these months of collecting tens of thousands of signatures?

If it was violating Measure 36 then you would file a lawsuit. If in fact it did violate Measure 36, you would win. I will give you some credit here though. Deep down you know that Domestic Partnerships in no way violate Measure 36--nor the "spirit of Measure 36". Hence why you and your fellow self-righteous bigots have failed to do so.

You also fail to notice that the proponents of Measure 36 have stepped back and are not participating in the referendum attempt. They even know that Domestic Partnerships are a far cry from marriage.

"The spirit of Measure 36"... what exactly is that? The way I see it the spirit of Measure 36 is damn evil by not only permanently inscribing blatant discrimination in Oregon's most sacred document, by locking Oregon families out of vital rights, protections and responsibilities.

I think families are the backbone of society, whereas you could not be further away from this belief. Selectively shutting out couples, especially with children from protecting one another is just plain wrong. As one of your cohorts said in a voter guide statement: "Speaking of families, raising a successful and loving family in the '90's can be challenging".

Damn right--10 years later it's even harder.

Now you are also falsely claiming that:

"...the legislature's results fail to provide a sufficient religious exemption to protect churches and religious organizations from being forced to hire homosexual individuals, and further it leaves to "a court to decide what is or is not closely connected with the primary purposes of the church."

The pair of plans also would require school districts to teach homosexual, bisexuality and transgenderism in their classrooms, and the domestic partnership proposal itself, would create discrimination."

Must I again remind you that the proponents of Measure 36, the Oregon Family Council decided not to involve themselves in the referendum attempt. In fact they called the religious expemtion "iron clad."

Let it go. Oregonians just aren't that into you.

Labels: 2008 elections, anti gay, anti-discrimination, domestic partnership, HB 2007, house bill 2007, oregon, referendum, SB 2, senate bill 2

The Boy Scouts of America's refusal to bend its rules to permit gay scouts will cost the organization's local chapter $200,000 a year if it wishes to keep its headquarters in a city-owned building on Logan Square.

Representatives of the Boy Scouts of America's Cradle of Liberty Council were notified that to remain in their 79-year-old landmark headquarters, they needed to pay the city a "fair market" rent, Fairmount Park Commission president Robert N.C. Nix said Wednesday. Currently, the rent is $1 a year.

The city decided on the rent proposal after it was unable to reach a compromise with the local scout council in talks that have gone on since May.

"Once we know what the Cradle of Liberty Boy Scouts want to do, we'll probably want to weigh in with the city about how to proceed," Nix told the park commission.

Barring a resolution, the Cradle of Liberty Council - about 64,000 scouts in Philadelphia and parts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties - must vacate the property at 22d and Winter Streets after May 31.

"It's disappointing, and it's certainly a threat," said Jeff Jubelirer, a spokesman for Cradle of Liberty Council, referring to the rent's impact on the scouts' chances of staying on the site.

Jubelirer said that $200,000 a year in rent "would have to come from programs. That's 30 new Cub Scout packs, or 800 needy kids going to our summer camp."

Nevertheless, Jubelirer said, scouting officials will ask City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. for details on the real estate appraisals that yielded the $200,000 rent figure.

Cradle of Liberty officials have said they could not renounce the scouts' long-established policy of not opening membership to atheists or openly gay people without running afoul of their charter with the scouts' National Council.

Keep reading the entire story over at Philly.com

Labels: anti gay, boy scouts, discrimination

Very unfortunate story.

Former 'Top Chef' constant Josie Smith-Malave is accusing police on Long Island of doing little to arrest the men she says beat her and two other women outside a bar in Sea Cliff.

Smith-Malave, who is openly lesbian and was featured on season 2 of the Bravo network show, said through her attorney that she and the other women had been asked to leave the bar on Sept 1 after a patron objected that two of the women were dancing together.

Attorney Yetta Kurland says that about 10 or 12 patrons, mostly young and some under age, followed the three women out of the club where the assault occurred.

Kurland says that the crowd began yelling anti-gay epithets, then spat on the women and threw debris on them.

At that point several in the crowd began beating the women. The three suffered bruises. One woman had a head injury, and Kurland says that a video recorder that one of the woman had was stolen from her.

When police arrived at the scene several of the attackers were still there but Kurland says there were no arrests, and police still have not laid any charges.

Read the rest over at 365gay.com.

Labels: anti gay, entertainment, hate crimes

Jerry Lewis has apologized for calling an audience member at the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon a "faggot." The incident only happened last night, live on television, but found its way online this morning and on cable news this afternoon. Lewis' apology comes after comments from GLAAD president Neil G. Giuliano in a press release issued this morning.

From Yahoo

Lewis issued a statement later in the day through organisers of the telethon saying he was sorry "to anyone who was offended."

"I obviously made a bad choice of words. Everyone who knows me understands that I hold no prejudices in this regard," he said.

"The success of the (telethon) and all the good that will come from it shouldn't be lost because of one unfortunate word. I accept responsibility for what I said. There are no excuses. I am sorry."

Just earlier today: Jerry Lewis Calls Audience Member "Faggot"

Labels: anti gay, entertainment

Last night during a telethon benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association, comedian and actor Jerry Lewis referred to a cameraman's family member as an "illiterate faggot."

GLAAD's president Neil G. Giuliano condemned the on-air remark in a press release this morning.

"Jerry Lewis' on-air use of this kind of anti-gay slur is simply unacceptable," said Giuliano. "It also feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm's way. Our nation's media have done an admirable job this year holding public figures accountable for their use of anti-gay slurs, and I hope they continue to do so with Mr. Lewis."

Giuliano said that GLAAD is contacting Lewis' representatives today to request a meeting with him. "We want to sit down with him, help him understand why these words are so hurtful, and give him an opportunity to raise public awareness about the destructive impact of these kinds of anti-gay slurs, even more so in attempted humor."

Below is a video of the incident. It should be noted that it is possible that Lewis said "fatty" as opposed to "faggot." Lewis has not released any comment.

Labels: anti gay, entertainment

This video is from the College Republican convention... not sure I need to say more.

Labels: anti gay, republican, video

So I'm hoping this will be the last that I have to talk about this ridiculous Senator... unless he resigns (watch for that post next week) but here is a cartoon that was too good to pass up.

Thanks to JustOut for the link.

Labels: anti gay, idaho, larry craig, republican, scandal

So over at World 'Nut' Daily they're reporting about a gay pride organizer from Wisconsin who is now facing a felony charge after police say he sought to meet a 14-year-old boy via the internet for a sexual encounter. Is this ok? Of course not. The folks here at Gay Rights Watch couldn't be more against this type of thing. BUT...

First, why is this a big news story to them? If our blog reported on every single straight man who did this, we wouldn't have time to do anything else but type-type-type. I mean come on now, don't you watch To Catch a Predator? Straight man after straight man who get caught in stings trying to have sex with 12, 13 and 14 year-old girls.

Second, just look at the following list of recent youth pastors (World Net Daily's peeps) who got busted...

Battle Creek, Michigan: Youth pastor arraigned for child solicitation.

Farmington, New Mexico: Youth pastor arrested for alleged rape.

San Diego, California: Youth pastor sentenced to life for molesting four kids.

Spokane, Washington: Youth pastor guilty of eight sex felonies.

Murrells Inlet, South Carolina: Youth pastor gets two life sentences for molesting children.

And in a little good news for youth pastors…

Pocatello, Idaho: Youth pastor charged with lewd conduct and sexually abusing a minor acquitted on all charges. Church officials, quoted by the AP, “say he will now return to his previous duties.”

Video of To Catch a Predator on Dateline NBC is below. So World Net Daily, I'll see you and raise you 20.

Labels: anti gay, religion, video

Ohio State Representative Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati) is being tied to a petition fraud case, petitions that were circulated were to overturn an equal rights ordinance. Petition circulators falsified signatures in order to meet the qualifying number necessary.

From 365gay.com:

A Republican lawmaker behind an unsuccessful bid to repeal Cincinnati's ordinance protecting gays from discrimination has been accused of knowing names to get the issue onto the ballot in 2006 were fraudulent.

"It's terrible," said Judge Robert Ruehlman from the bench. "It takes away the right to democracy. It takes away the right for people to decide issues when you cheat like that."

Brinkman denies any wrongdoing.
"I personally did not touch a single address or date or signature or name or anything," he told the Associated Press.

Mingo and Ward, who worked for an outside firm hired to collect the signatures, were charged following a seven-month investigation.

Equal Rights Not Special Rights had collected thousands of names on petitions to have a repeal measure put to voters last November. But when it emerged that many of the signatures were fake the group voluntarily withdrew the measure.

More than 7,600 signatures that were validated by the Hamilton County Board of Elections but the phony names were discovered during a second check before a challenge from Restore Fairness, a pro-gay rights group, was to begin before the Board of Elections.

Among the phony signatures were "Fidel Castro" and Cincinnati Reds owner "Bob Castellini."

Labels: anti gay, ohio, republican

This is too good not to post. John Stewart discusses the stupidity that is... Dr. James Holsinger, President Bush's Surgeon General nominee.

Labels: anti gay, bush, federal, video

Today in the Washington Post there is an editorial entitled "Dr. Dodgy" and it rips Dr. Holsinger a new one.

DR. JAMES W. Holsinger Jr. wants to be the next surgeon general of the United States. On paper, he's nearly perfect. His distinguished career spans nearly 40 years in Kentucky and Washington, D.C. If confirmed, Dr. Holsinger said, his three priorities would be combating smoking and childhood obesity and improving how the public health system responds to emergencies -- excellent goals. But his prurient 1991 paper for the Methodist Church on what he imagined to be the sex lives of gay men has gummed up his effort to become the nation's top doc.

The hope was that his confirmation hearing last week would bring some clarity to Dr. Holsinger's views on homosexuality. No such luck. Instead, he expressed his "deep appreciation for the humanity of everyone, regardless of their personal circumstances or their sexual orientation." That's excellent, but it doesn't answer the question.

"Pathophysiology of Male Homosexuality" is a six-page romp through sexual practices that would be extreme for anyone regardless of sexual orientation. Yet Dr. Holsinger ascribed these practices to all gay men and decreed that the practices marked all homosexuals as promiscuous and diseased. The idea that two people of the same sex could establish a relationship based on love was never broached. Instead, he concluded his NC-17 report by saying the hardware store popularity of male and female pipe fittings proves the primacy of heterosexuality.

[...]

Dr. Holsinger struck a that-was-then-this-is-now pose. "The paper does not represent where I am today," he said. Fine. But the question remains: Does Dr. Holsinger still believe that homosexuality is unnatural and unhealthy? If the answer is yes, he should not be confirmed.

Read the editorial in it's entirety here.

And here is some more enjoyable reading from some great gay blogs:

Queerty: Ex-Gays Love Ex-Gay Loving Holsinger

Surgeon General Nominee Holsinger Has Broad Anti-Gay Bias

Labels: anti gay, bush, federal, holsinger

I don't personally think he is the worst--just a complete dumb ass.

Labels: anti gay

Ann Coulter tells host Glenn Beck that she does not believe the word "faggot" is a slur and says "it's a comedic word, a schoolyard word." Coulter also says the "word means wimp, wuss, pathetic."

Labels: ann coulter, anti gay, bitch

This comes after calling John Edwards a "faggot". For a refresher on that story. Click here.

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, ann coulter, anti gay, bitch

This story just makes my stomach go into knots. A brutal hate crime of Aaron Hall in Jackson County, Indiana where the barbaric murder of this young man took place. Police found Hall's body 10 days after his death wrapped in a tarp in the garage of Jackson County Deputy Coroner Terry Gray, whose son is one of the accused. The accused are only 18,19 and 21 years old.

From DailyKos

Two young men in Jackson County Indiana said they were so 'freaked out' when 'propositioned' by Aaron Hall on April 12th, that they proceeded to beat the 100 pound, 5'4 man for hours, using their fists, boots, dragging him down a staircase while his head slammed into each step, and then throwing him in a ditch and leaving. Aaron managed to crawl out of the ditch and out into a nearby field, where he died, alone and naked.

You see, the story is even stranger than it appears. Some contend that the young men made up the story about having been propositioned so as to use the 'gay panic defense,' in hopes of getting a more lenient sentence. Apparently the thinking was that exposure to homosexuality is so frightening that well... heck, anyone would go crazy and beat the hell out of a guy for hours, then toss him in a ditch to die.

A number of Hoosier bloggers have wondered at the lack of local coverage. In the interest of promoting this case, I thought I'd bring it out here for your perusal. This is a horrific crime, and while I don't promote the kind of overdone sensationalism (carried on for weeks at a time) evidenced on CNN and Fox News, this man's death should draw some notice. It should serve as a warning, at the very least. Whether Hall was or wasn't gay isn't the point. The fact that the teenagers used this as their defense... speaks volumes.

The so-called "gay panic" defense has been used by Matthew Shepard's killers, as well as by Gwen Araujo's murderers. The "gay panic" defense has been ruled moot in California.

So does this mean that if a straight person were to come onto me I could kill them and use the "straight panic defense"? Come on now people. Turn it around. It's ridiculous.

There is a full account of the investigation so far over at The Bloomington Alternative.

Labels: anti gay, crimes, hate crimes, violent

First the facts. eHarmony.com does not accept gay or lesbians on their site which is one of the larger net based dating sites. It was founded by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren.

eHarmony was sued on Thursday for refusing to offer its services to gays and lesbians.

A lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Linda Carlson, who was denied access to eHarmony because she is gay.

Lawyers bringing the action said they believed it was the first lawsuit of its kind against eHarmony, which has long rankled the gay community with its failure to offer a "men seeking men" or "women seeking women" option.

The lawusit looks as if it will be a class action suit. So what do I really think about this? Who cares if the site is only for heteros? I'm no attorney, although I would assume that if this business is operating in California, they must adhere to California law.

But come on now folks. Who really cares? Let them discriminate. There are tons of other dating sites if you must find a mate online. PLUS, then we wouldn't get these funny commericals from eHarmony's competitor Chemistry.com

Labels: anti gay, business

Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration announced on their website that the current lifetime ban on donating blood will remain in effect for gay and bisexual men. In March of 2006, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), America's Blood Centers (ABC) and the American Red Cross (ARC) testified before the FDA that the lifetime ban for men who have sex with men "is medically and scientifically unwarranted" and that "it does not appear rational to broadly differentiate sexual transmission via male-to-male sexual activity from that via heterosexual activity on scientific grounds."

"Yesterday's affirmation of this policy by the FDA reflects a commitment to prejudice over science," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Our nation's leading blood services organizations agree that there is no rational justification for treating gay and bisexual men different than straight men. Given modern testing and the fact that anyone can be vulnerable to infection, there is no medical or scientific rationale for this discriminatory policy.

"Natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the threat of catastrophic terrorist attack make our nation's need for a robust and safe blood supply even more acute. The real public health threat is closing the door on countless numbers of men who selflessly want to donate blood. We are extremely disappointed that the Food and Drug Administration chose not to heed the advice of the Red Cross and other groups and put science and our nation's security over misguided prejudice."

The FDA policy dictates that even a single incident of MSM (men who have sex with men) activity since 1977 places that potential donor on a lifetime deferral list, a policy that was established in the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic before the advent of sophisticated DNA and serologic testing mechanisms that eliminate the risk of introducing HIV and other harmful agents into the general blood supply.

Via a press release from the Human Rights Campaign.

Labels: anti gay, discrimination, federal

Sean William Kennedy, 20, was leaving Brew's Bar in Greenville County, South Carolina, when a car pulled up next to him. Deputies believe 18 year old Stephen Andrew Moller jumped out of the car, punched Kennedy, and then took off.

Sean Kennedy fell after the getting blind-sided by the coward who hit him and hit his head on either a curb or the pavement below. He died less than 24 hours later from his injuries.

Yet another example of why The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed and signed by Bush this year. More about that here.

Here is a photo of the asshole (Stephen Andrew Moller) who attacked and killed Sean William Kennedy because he was gay...

Labels: anti gay, hate crimes

Oh the irony.

From 365gay.com:

Westboro Baptist Church says it intends to state a protest at the funeral of Rev. Jerry Falwell.

Falwell died died Tuesday at age 73. The funeral will be Tuesday at the Thomas Road Baptist Church, the church he founded, in Lynchburg, Virginia.

On its Web site, Westboro says it will "preach" outside the funeral "of the corpulent false prophet Jerry Falwell, who spent his entire life prophesying lies and false doctrines like 'God loves everyone.'"

The church is run by the Rev. Fred Phelps (pictured) and its 70 members are made up mostly of Phelps' relatives. Although it professes to be Baptist it is not affiliated with any national Baptist group.

In attacking Falwell the church says he "warmly praised Christ-rejecting Jews, pedophile-condoning Catholics, money-grubbing compromisers, practicing fags like Mel White (of Souflorce), and backsliders like Billy Graham and Robert Schuler, etc."

The Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro operates Web sites including GodHatesFags and GodHatesAmerica and has been described as a cult.

Phelps and the church first came to national attention when he organized a protest by his followers outside the 1998 funeral for Matthew Shepherd, the gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming. The killing, Phelps' protest, and the reaction of townsfolk led to the play "The Laramie Project."

Church members routinely demonstrate at the funerals of AIDS victims and most recently at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq.

Lately it has pointed its criticism overseas. Last month the Swedish royal family hired a lawyer after hundreds of threatening faxes clogged the offices of various members of the royal family threatening they will "spend eternity in hell" and suggesting various members of the family, including King Carl Gustaf, are gay.

Falwell for his part was no friend to the gay community.

Following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in 2001 Falwell declared that gays and pro choice advocates were to blame.

In 2003 Falwell announced that he was putting aside everything to devote his time to passage of a federal constitutional ban on gay marriage and in the 2004 election campaign he worked with Republicans to use same-sex marriage as a wedge issue.

Soulforce founder Mel White at one time worked with Falwell but the two split after White came out.

Labels: anti gay

I really want to be ecstatic about this, though it is death and it seems wrong to rejoice in the death of another. The problem is that he has caused so much pain among hundreds of thousands, if not millions. One of his best moments was when he blamed 9/11 on gays and lesbians.

Amen. The horrible man is dead.

From CNN:
Falwell has found himself at the center of several controversies, such as the one sparked by his comments two days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in which he seemed to blame "abortionists," gays, lesbians, the ACLU and People for American Way for causing the attacks, saying they "helped this happen."

Evangelist Jerry Falwell died Tuesday after he was found unresponsive in his office, an official at Liberty University told CNN.

Falwell, 73, was rushed to a Lynchburg, Virginia, hospital, where he was given CPR.

Labels: anti gay

To no surprise, Representative Richardson continues to sling disparaging remarks about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. In a recent press release he sent out regarding Basic Rights Oregon calling him out on his comparison between the massacre at Virginia Tech and the passage of Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 2007. He said, "It is regrettable that Basic Rights Oregon continues it's policy of providing misinformation to the public."

Ech hem.

A 'policy of misinformation' seems to be the standard protocol for Richardson's office. Whether comparing the GLBT community to smokers and drug addicts, or stating on the floor of the Oregon House that 'gays were more likely to commit crimes against children', it is painfully clear that his erroneous rhetoric is nothing but bigotry and completely uninformed.

For a man who claims to stand for pro-family values, he sure has no problem tossing thousands of Oregon families to the wolves--left to fend for themselves in times of extreme crisis.

As Oregon's Domestic Partnerships bill (HB 2007) heads to the Senate floor, I hope that all Senators are able to see through the fabrications of propaganda of which Rep. Richardson's blurred belief system in regards to gay and lesbians and their families.

As Basic Rights Oregon said in a recent their statement condemning Rep. Richardson's remarks, "While our nation mourns the unprecedented loss of life at Virginia Tech, and tries to recover from the enormity of this loss, Rep. Richardson makes a vulgar comparison insulting to not only Oregonians, but to those most deeply impacted by the massacre. For Richardson to say that protecting Oregon families in times of crisis is equivalent to the mass murder of some of the best and brightest America has to offer is beyond extremely distasteful--it is outright abhorrent."

BRO also said, "Oregonians know the value of being able to protect your family--and this bill directly reflects that long-held belief. Basic Rights Oregon is very optimistic that Oregon's Senators vote will in favor of basic fairness for all Oregon families, a value very much in step with the majority of Oregonians."

Enough said.

Labels: anti gay, basic rights oregon, discrimination, evangelical, gay rights, HB 2007, legislature, oregon

In a newsletter to his constituents, Oregon State Rep. Dennis Richardson (R - Central Point) made a statement comparing the horrific events at Virginia Tech to the Oregon House passing Senate Bill 2 (Anti-Discrimination) and House Bill 2007 (Domestic Partnerships).

This is surprisingly low--even for Rep. Richardson.

Here are his statements:

This past week has been like no other. On Monday the world witnessed the tragedy at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. On Tuesday Oregon witnessed the passage of Domestic Benefits for same-sex couples (HB 2007) and Civil Rights based on sexual orientation. I will address each of these issues below and end will a postscript on last week’s Rachel story.

If that quote makes you feel the same way it made me feel, here is his office phone number in Salem: 503-986-1404 and his email rep.dennisrichardson@state.or.us.

Rep. Richardson owes Oregonians an apology.

Labels: anti gay, gay rights, HB 2007, oregon, republican, SB 2

As first written about over at Loaded Orygun, the lastest news as of today is that the Molalla principal approves gay-straight alliance, despite objections from people like the devil's spawn, Tootie Smith, the lobbyist for the Oregon Family Council.

Despite their hate for real Oregon families... (I will save that post for later)

Here it is from the Oregonian:

After weeks of local controversy, Molalla High School Principal Kevin Ricker this week approved students' request to launch a Gay-Straight Alliance club.

Two students originally proposed the club in February to promote tolerance of diverse sexual orientation, said Tanya Earle, a teacher and club adviser. The students drafted a constitution and submitted it to student leaders, who approved it after some debate, and forwarded it to Ricker for final approval.

In recent weeks, a group of concerned parents gathered signatures on a petition opposing the club and met with school officials. Tootie Smith, who helped circulate the petition, declined to comment on approval of the club. Smith is a district parent, former state representative and a lobbyist for the Oregon Family Council.

Wayne Kostur, superintendent of Molalla River School District, said Ricker's decision was in line with school standards governing student organizations: "It appears to me that the students who wished to form that group did so in the appropriate fashion, and once they met the criteria that were established, the principal approved it."

Sorry Tootie. Homophobia lost. You lost.

Labels: anti gay, gay rights, oregon, school

So I'm sitting here at the Capitol waiting for the hearing on Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 2007 to begin. I got here pretty early and was lucky to witness the "Youth Morality". It was quite disgusting. If they were a "shining example" of youth morality--it's pretty damn sad. These 16, 17 and 18 year old kids had no clue why they were there other than to be used as pawns by the Oregon Family Council.

They came by the hundreds with stickers that read SB 2 & HB 2007 with a big "X" through it. Many of them are wearing about 5 of those all over their bodies and some had "One Man. One Woman. Yes on 36" bumper stickers on their backs. It is quite disgusting. I wanted to say to them, "That was so three years ago". But the humor would have been lost on them for a number of reasons. The main reason being that 95% of them only spoke Russian. Another funny observation was that many of these people were not even of voting age. Half of them didn't know why they were there and the other half would say "fag" or "dyke" as people on our side of the argument walked by them (which is a bit unavoidable as they are all out in the galleria).

Another funny thing that I noticed is that these boys are wearing these anti-gay stickers all over there body-yet sporting Dolce & Gabanna from head to toe. Did I mention Senate Bill 2 would cover perceived or real sexual orientation? 'Nuff said.

And finally the sad reality of the night was that you know there were plenty of closeted young adults there who are dragged out by their parents or by their Russian Orthodox youth group. I truly feel sorry for them.

-G.S.

Labels: anti gay, anti-discrimination, civil union, domestic partnership, gay rights, HB 2007, legislature, oregon, SB 2

In what has thankfully become national headlines, Largo, Florida should be thoroughly ashamed of itself for firing long time City Manager Steve Stanton.

Steve Stanton has worked for as a public servant for over 14 years. He has served his community so well that just recently he was given huge praise for his work and a sizable raise for his outstanding work. So why was he fired?

Steve Stanton was fired by the Largo City Council because he was forced to announce that he was transgender and planning on transitioning to a female, the gender of which he was not physically born into, but that he was mentally born into. Not familiar with transgender issues? Go read up on the subject on Wikipedia. (Transgender, Gender Dysphoria)

Stanton served. Served with a great passion for his community. Served so well, that as we stated below was recently just given a very respectable raise in salary. He was and still is view by many as an exemplary employee of the city. But late last night after hours of testimony, Stanton's appeal to his termination was upheld, 5-2.

The Commission's decision to terminate is a stunning demonstration of bias and intolerance. By choosing discrimination over inclusiveness, the City Commissioners failed Stanton and failed their city.

Largo directly violated THEIR OWN non-discrimination policy as well as state and federal laws.

Steve Stanton, we stand behind you. We applaud your bold and courageous stand against blatant discrimination.

Shame on you Largo, Florida, shame on you.

Labels: anti gay, discrimination, florida, steve stanton, transgender

Well at least that is what the Under Secretary of Defense is claiming, or not claiming--then claiming.

From Slate.com

For years, the Pentagon has defended its ban on gays and lesbians by repeating the mantra that "homosexuality is incompatible with military service." But as evidence has mounted that gays serve openly in dozens of countries including the United States without harming unit cohesion, the military has grown increasingly incoherent in defending the "don't ask, don't tell" gay exclusion.

For some years, the military has been trying to pass the buck back to Congress, suggesting the gay ban isn't the fault of the Pentagon, which merely "implements a federal law" from 1993, as obligated. But in recent weeks, the military has unveiled several new defenses of the gay ban. Each of them is bizarre, and as a group they make no sense at all.

Yesterday, Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Chicago Tribune (registration required) that open gays should not serve in the military because homosexuality is "immoral." Pace said, "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts." He said he did not think the military was "well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way" and compared homosexual conduct to adultery. Today, Pace retreated from his comments, saying, "I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views."

That would have been a good idea.

Even so, Pace's frank acknowledgement that his opposition to gay service is moral signals a departure from the carefully constructed "effectiveness" argument that the military used for more than a decade. In 1993, when military leaders developed a strategy to prevent President Clinton from lifting the gay ban, some members met with leaders of the religious right, who urged them to oppose gay service on moral grounds. But Colin Powell and other senior officials decided it would be more effective to resist the change on the grounds of military effectiveness. The "unit cohesion" argument was born of this conversation, which argues that straight soldiers dislike gays so much that unit cohesion would suffer if known gays were allowed to serve.

Pace was also contradicting the Pentagon's own brand new justification for leaving the ban in place. According to the military, even talking about gays in the military will undermine the war on terror. In a February letter to Sen. Ron Wyden, Undersecretary of Defense David Chu said that a "national debate" on lifting the gay ban, "with the accompanying divisiveness and turbulence across our country, will compound the burden of the war." As a result of this conclusion, he "question[s] the wisdom of advocating a change."

This is an astonishing claim for Chu to make—that not only must gays conceal their homosexuality to protect unit cohesion, but the entire country must avoid discussing homosexuality or else it will undermine the war effort. By this reasoning, we should ban discussion of whether to increase troops in Iraq and prohibit an inquiry into conditions at Walter Reed.

Read the rest over at Slate.com.

Labels: anti gay, bush, DADT, discrimination, military

Ann Coulter begins to see the backlash of her anti-gay slurs that she made last week at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Three large companies have pulled ads from her website... more expected. Republicans and Democrats alike have released statements condemning Coulter for calling John Edwards a "faggot".

At least three major companies want their ads pulled from Ann Coulter's Web site, following customer complaints about the right-wing commentator referring to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards as a "faggot."

Verizon, Sallie Mae and Georgia-based NetBank each said they didn't know their ads were on AnnCoulter.com until they received the complaints.

A diarist at the liberal blog DailyKos.com posted contact information for dozens of companies with ads on Coulter's site after the commentator made her remarks about Edwards at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Friday.

"One of the best ways to communicate one's distaste for Coulter's repeated incidents of hate speech is to respectfully but firmly let her advertisers know you are deeply troubled by their indirect support of bigotry through their advertising on Coulter's Web site," the blogger VolvoDrivingLiberal wrote on DailyKos.com on Sunday.

Verizon, Sallie Mae and NetBank said the ads were put on a variety of sites by a third party company. In many cases, advertisers do not know which sites feature their ads.

"Per our policy, the networked Web site ad purchases are supposed to be stripped of certain kinds of Web sites," said a Verizon spokesperson. "This one could be considered an extreme political Web site, should be off the list, and now it is off the list."

A Sallie Mae spokesperson said the company was only testing an online advertising agency, and that their ads were not meant to show up on Coulter's site. The company said they planned to pull ads from other political and religious Web sites as well.

A spokesperson for NetBank said Coulter's page "is not the kind of site we want to be on."

via CNN

Labels: ann coulter, anti gay, evangelical, republican

In a follow up to yesterday's story, here is the video...



So disgusting.

Labels: anti gay, evangelical, mitt romney, republican

Disgusting. Ann Coulter is absolutely vile.

Today, at the Conservative Political Action Conference sponsored by the American Conservative Union, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter spoke saying, "I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,' so I--so kind of an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards."

Audience members said "ohhh" and then cheered.

The Conservative Political Action Conference was attended by 2008 Republican Presidential candidates: Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and former Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA). Vice President Dick Cheney also attended the event.

See a video here.

The Human Rights Campaign made the following statements:

"To interject this word into American political discourse is a vile and disgusting way to sink the debate to a new, all-time low," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Make no doubt about it, these remarks go directly against what our Founding Fathers intended and have no place on the schoolyard, much less our country's political arena."

"It is clear that some in the Republican Party plan to run in 2008 the same way they did in 2004, by using discrimination to divide the country and rally their base," said Solmonese. "But, 2008 is not 2004, and this time the politics of fear and smear will not work. The American people are tired of those who would rather divide than unite."

"We demand that every single Presidential candidate in attendance at this conference, along with Vice President Cheney stand up and publicly condemn this type of gutter-style politics," continued Solmonese. "If not, then their silence will be deafening to the vast majority of Americans who believe this type of language belongs no where near the discussions about the future of our country."

Labels: anti gay, mary cheney, mitt romney, republican