ROUNDUP 706 - DADT, AK, lots on CA, FL and Crist, NY, NC, OR, PA, tons on TX, WA, WI, INDIA, IRAQ, RUSSIA, SINGAPORE, UGANDA, MENNONITES, SAKS, NPH, OURhistory and more!
FIRST|| CLICK HERE TO MEET WITH YOUR US LEGISLATORS IN AUGUST--OR KISS ENDA GOODBYE! YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO CONTACT 20 REPUBLICANS ON THE FENCE!
In.D.C|| LAWDORK talks about Andrew Sullivan's excellent Sunday Atlantic column on where Obama stands with the LGBT community. Read Chris' analysis and then check out the column. America's favorite mayor, Marion Barry, was arrested in a DC park this weekend for stalking a woman. No word on whether or not the "bitch set [him] up" though I will keep you updated. On DADT, former Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell has called for a 'review' of the dangerous and discriminatory policy. Joint Chiefs Chair Adm. Mike Mullen says that repealing the rule would affect the families of the enlisted somehow. Video here on Blender Pam's post. Iraq vet, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) gets busy getting the bill passed! Meanwhile, the new softened stance on DADT enforcement put forth by Sec. Gates could spell good news for Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach! ON ENDA, Dr. Jillian Weiss tells us where we're at on ENDA. On HATE CRIMES, 2008 was the most dangerously violent year for LGBT people in a decade. Still no Hate Crimes Bill. WEDNESDAY the House will hold hearing on the DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS AND OBLIGATIONS ACT (HR 2517), as well as STRENGTHENING SCHOOL SAFETY THROUGH THE PREVENTION OF BULLYING.
STATE2STATE|| ALASKA Governor Sarah Palin stepped down last week, and her spokeswoman tells Anderson Cooper she didn't even know in advance! In CALIFORNIA, Representative Bob Filner (D-CA) suspects that the murder of August Provost at Camp Pendleton in near San Diego was an anti-gay hate crime. The Navy is denying this is a hate crime. Some evidence says this could just be a case of wrong place, wrong time. However, Provost's family--commenting on stories that August had reported his harassment to the military previously--are blaming the military for ignoring his complaints. Did DADT kill this soldier? Meanwhile, on the Olson and Boies Prop 8 Challenge, both the Judge and Olson agree the case will end up before the US Supreme Court--OH BOY! Michael Petrelis analyses what the statements mean. Rumor has it that US District Court Cheif Judge Vaughn Walker is gay--but does it matter if he is if the argument is strong enough? And Chief Justice Ronald George says suggests that California make the amending process harder.
In FLORIDA, Charlie Crist could be planning a defection from the GOP. A young Bronx NEW YORK lesbian couple (in Senator Diaz' district) is voted best couple by their high school class! NYC Anti-Violence Project warns public after collection of anti-gay attacks on Upper East Side. NORTH CAROLINA has a packed slate of gay trailblazers running for office there! Sadly for OREGON, the former executive director of Love Makes a Family, Bonnie Tinker, died in a bike accident on the campus of Virginia Tech University. RIP Bonnie. PENNSYLVANIA is celebrating this week now that the Human Relations Commission is a reality in Allegheny County. Bruce Kraus on the ordinance. Dan Frankel on the ordinance.
In TEXAS, the Fort Worth Police Department has ordered sensitivity training for its cops and is suspending "bar checks." The mayor of Fort Worth has asked for a Federal Review of the entire fiasco. They are reacting to the growing fury over the botched code inspection which has been reported all over the world--including coverage in the New York Times--for the past week. As the news continues to spread, details of more injuries--with very specific description of Chad Gibson's violent arrest leading to his hospitalization on permanent injuries--have come to light. Chad Gibson would like to see the officers who hospitalized him prosecuted.
WASHINGTON's Catholic Bishops are against "unjust discrimination" but they want to take away rights of same-sex domestic partners. WISCONSIN welcomes the new Domestic Partnership law, signed on Independence Day!
AROUND/THE/GLOBE|| In INDIA, Manohar Elavarthi is running for local political office in next year's elections; inspired to become India's first openly gay politician by Harvey Milk! Balaji Ravichandran tells PinkNews.co.uk that the Delhi High Court decriminalization of homosexuality is a 'step in the right direction.' About IRAQ, the BBC airs "Gay Life After Saddam." In RUSSIA, the LGBT activists that were to demonstrate during the Obama visit to Moscow have called off their protest because of increased safety factors. SINGAPORE will ignore but not repeal their anti-gay Section 377 criminalizing homosexuality, according to Law Minister K. Shanmugam. Too bad Arthur Miller is dead--the stories coming out of the UGANDA anti-gay witch-hunt would make a hauntingly-fitting analogy to the Crucible--NOW the coach of the Horizon, Charles Ayiekoh has been suspended after an accusation by a player.
SPIRITq|| Mennonites in Columbus Ohio protested their church's exclusion of gays and lesbians, dressed in bright pink at the church's official convention Thursday. Pope Benedict has turned to discovering lesbians among the church's nuns.
PINK$BUCK|| Saks Fifth Avenue gives their support for LGBT Equality a VERY visible endorsement!
ON/THE/CALENDAR|| TUESDAY DC will begin recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions.
OFF/THE/MAP|| M. Butterfly--better known as Shi Pei Pu--has passed away. Gays gallop, growl and glide! Are all the gay animals a sign that God is 'slightly gay?' Gay-loving Conservative Meghan McCain joins NO H8! NEIL PATRICK HARRIS TO HOST THE EMMYS!
OURstory|| You've heard--and probably sang--America The Beautiful. However, did you know that the song was composed by a lesbian--Katherine Lee Bates? AND Follow the gay plaques of The Castro--living gay history!
FINALLY, I'm looking to do a series of columns from a diverse group of writers on the LGBT community and race issues. I think this is an important subject, but rather than just proselytize to you, I'd rather get a conversation going on Ameriqueer from a few different voices. If you're interested, contact me. I have a LOT of source material to share with you, and I'd love to get as many DIFFERENT voices--black, white, conservative, progressive, straight, gay, lesbian, transgender--as possible.
TOAST TO MY TWO BUDDIES RETURNING FROM THEIR LEGAL WEDDING IN IOWA THIS WEEKEND! WAY TO GO, BOYS!
In.D.C|| LAWDORK talks about Andrew Sullivan's excellent Sunday Atlantic column on where Obama stands with the LGBT community. Read Chris' analysis and then check out the column. America's favorite mayor, Marion Barry, was arrested in a DC park this weekend for stalking a woman. No word on whether or not the "bitch set [him] up" though I will keep you updated. On DADT, former Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell has called for a 'review' of the dangerous and discriminatory policy. Joint Chiefs Chair Adm. Mike Mullen says that repealing the rule would affect the families of the enlisted somehow. Video here on Blender Pam's post. Iraq vet, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) gets busy getting the bill passed! Meanwhile, the new softened stance on DADT enforcement put forth by Sec. Gates could spell good news for Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach! ON ENDA, Dr. Jillian Weiss tells us where we're at on ENDA. On HATE CRIMES, 2008 was the most dangerously violent year for LGBT people in a decade. Still no Hate Crimes Bill. WEDNESDAY the House will hold hearing on the DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS AND OBLIGATIONS ACT (HR 2517), as well as STRENGTHENING SCHOOL SAFETY THROUGH THE PREVENTION OF BULLYING.
STATE2STATE|| ALASKA Governor Sarah Palin stepped down last week, and her spokeswoman tells Anderson Cooper she didn't even know in advance! In CALIFORNIA, Representative Bob Filner (D-CA) suspects that the murder of August Provost at Camp Pendleton in near San Diego was an anti-gay hate crime. The Navy is denying this is a hate crime. Some evidence says this could just be a case of wrong place, wrong time. However, Provost's family--commenting on stories that August had reported his harassment to the military previously--are blaming the military for ignoring his complaints. Did DADT kill this soldier? Meanwhile, on the Olson and Boies Prop 8 Challenge, both the Judge and Olson agree the case will end up before the US Supreme Court--OH BOY! Michael Petrelis analyses what the statements mean. Rumor has it that US District Court Cheif Judge Vaughn Walker is gay--but does it matter if he is if the argument is strong enough? And Chief Justice Ronald George says suggests that California make the amending process harder.
In FLORIDA, Charlie Crist could be planning a defection from the GOP. A young Bronx NEW YORK lesbian couple (in Senator Diaz' district) is voted best couple by their high school class! NYC Anti-Violence Project warns public after collection of anti-gay attacks on Upper East Side. NORTH CAROLINA has a packed slate of gay trailblazers running for office there! Sadly for OREGON, the former executive director of Love Makes a Family, Bonnie Tinker, died in a bike accident on the campus of Virginia Tech University. RIP Bonnie. PENNSYLVANIA is celebrating this week now that the Human Relations Commission is a reality in Allegheny County. Bruce Kraus on the ordinance. Dan Frankel on the ordinance.
In TEXAS, the Fort Worth Police Department has ordered sensitivity training for its cops and is suspending "bar checks." The mayor of Fort Worth has asked for a Federal Review of the entire fiasco. They are reacting to the growing fury over the botched code inspection which has been reported all over the world--including coverage in the New York Times--for the past week. As the news continues to spread, details of more injuries--with very specific description of Chad Gibson's violent arrest leading to his hospitalization on permanent injuries--have come to light. Chad Gibson would like to see the officers who hospitalized him prosecuted.
WASHINGTON's Catholic Bishops are against "unjust discrimination" but they want to take away rights of same-sex domestic partners. WISCONSIN welcomes the new Domestic Partnership law, signed on Independence Day!
AROUND/THE/GLOBE|| In INDIA, Manohar Elavarthi is running for local political office in next year's elections; inspired to become India's first openly gay politician by Harvey Milk! Balaji Ravichandran tells PinkNews.co.uk that the Delhi High Court decriminalization of homosexuality is a 'step in the right direction.' About IRAQ, the BBC airs "Gay Life After Saddam." In RUSSIA, the LGBT activists that were to demonstrate during the Obama visit to Moscow have called off their protest because of increased safety factors. SINGAPORE will ignore but not repeal their anti-gay Section 377 criminalizing homosexuality, according to Law Minister K. Shanmugam. Too bad Arthur Miller is dead--the stories coming out of the UGANDA anti-gay witch-hunt would make a hauntingly-fitting analogy to the Crucible--NOW the coach of the Horizon, Charles Ayiekoh has been suspended after an accusation by a player.
SPIRITq|| Mennonites in Columbus Ohio protested their church's exclusion of gays and lesbians, dressed in bright pink at the church's official convention Thursday. Pope Benedict has turned to discovering lesbians among the church's nuns.
PINK$BUCK|| Saks Fifth Avenue gives their support for LGBT Equality a VERY visible endorsement!
ON/THE/CALENDAR|| TUESDAY DC will begin recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions.
OFF/THE/MAP|| M. Butterfly--better known as Shi Pei Pu--has passed away. Gays gallop, growl and glide! Are all the gay animals a sign that God is 'slightly gay?' Gay-loving Conservative Meghan McCain joins NO H8! NEIL PATRICK HARRIS TO HOST THE EMMYS!
OURstory|| You've heard--and probably sang--America The Beautiful. However, did you know that the song was composed by a lesbian--Katherine Lee Bates? AND Follow the gay plaques of The Castro--living gay history!
FINALLY, I'm looking to do a series of columns from a diverse group of writers on the LGBT community and race issues. I think this is an important subject, but rather than just proselytize to you, I'd rather get a conversation going on Ameriqueer from a few different voices. If you're interested, contact me. I have a LOT of source material to share with you, and I'd love to get as many DIFFERENT voices--black, white, conservative, progressive, straight, gay, lesbian, transgender--as possible.
TOAST TO MY TWO BUDDIES RETURNING FROM THEIR LEGAL WEDDING IN IOWA THIS WEEKEND! WAY TO GO, BOYS!
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