In an 8-1 vote, the City Council of Greensboro, North Carolina approved a resolution opposing a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban any legal recognition of same-sex couples. Greensboro joins Raleigh and Chapel Hill all in opposition to Amendment 1, which comes to a vote on May 8. Watch a report on the resolution from WFMY News.
Great Quotes From The 9th Circuit’s “Prop 8” Opinion
I think Judge Stephen Reinhardt enjoyed himself writing this opinion, given the way he (subtly) sticks it to the Prop 8 supporters: 1. "[M]arriage is the name that society gives to the relationship that matters most between two adults. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but to the couple desiring to enter into a committed lifelong relationship, … Read More
Which Is It, NOM?
National Organization for Marriage, from its website, in support of Chik-Fil-A's opposition to same-sex marriage: "Buy a chicken sandwich, and thank the manager for the company's support of traditional family values." – National Organization for Marriage blog, April 27, 2011 National Organization for Marriage, through its President, in opposition to Starbuck's support of same-sex marriage: "Americans should be able to … Read More
Details On The Rutgers University “Gay Bullying” Case
In late September 2010, many — myself included — were disturbed by the story coming out of Rutgers University regarding a gay freshman named Tyler Clementi who committed suicide (jumping off the George Washington bridge) after he learned his roommate, Dharun Ravi, had used a hidden webcam to secretly film Clementi engaging in homosexual behavior. The New Yorker has a … Read More
Newt’s “Dirty Secret”
As mentioned below, GOP candidate Newt Gingrich's ex-wife (Marianne Gingrich) has given an interview to ABC news in which (she has alleged) will totally sing Gingrich's campaign. Oooooh. Just what "goods" does she have on Newt? Apparently, he wanted to have an "open marriage" — i.e., have his wife (Marianne) and his mistress (Calista, to whom Newt is now married). … Read More
NC Official Resigns In Protest of Marriage Amendment
Harnett County Director of Elections Sherre Toler has forcefully resigned so as to avoid having to facilitate North Carolina’s discriminatory marriage inequality amendment in May. In a letter of protest, Toler compared voting on same-sex marriage to voting on interracial marriage and announced she would be forming a political consulting business to “defeat the effort to write discrimination into the North Carolina … Read More
Tolerance Does Not Mean Tolerating The Intolerant
"Tolerance", I suspect, isn't a word that was thrown around much 50 years ago. But it does seem to be a buzzword today. Everyone accepts and agrees that tolerance is a value and virtue. But for some — those who haven't really gotten the memo on what "tolerance" means – the word means, in essence, "you must put up with my … Read More
File Under “Ookey”
I've never given much thought to my sexual orientation. Being straight in a largely straight world, I guess I never had to. I'd like to think that if I was gay, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Except that if I was gay, this would bother me to no end. A new book… Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story of America's … Read More
Short Takes
* Britney Spears – who used to be famous – is engaged. Uh, to be married. Uh, again. She's 16 years old still. * Naughty Republicans — the mayor of Grandaven, Mississippi for 14 years — a guy named Greg Davis — re-ran for mayor in 2008 on a family values platform. You know where this is going, right? He's in … Read More
Rick Perry’s Anti-Gay Ad
Rick, if you want to bash gays — in the military or elsewhere — perhaps you shouldn't wear a "Brokeback Mountain" jacket and use the music of the liberal gay 20th century composer, Aaron Copeland. The ad:
Michelle Duggar Miscarries
CNN gives the latest on the Duggars, the family that decided to leave the number of children they have "up to God", and now have 19 kids: A day of joyful anticipation has turned to anguish for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. At a routine check-up Thursday to find out the sex of their 20th child, their doctor was unable to … Read More
Michigan Passes Anti-Bullying Law
Referred to earlier in this post, the state of Michigan has passed its anti-bullying law… without the provision that carves an exception for people who bully on moral and religious grounds. That's good news. The legislation, now on its way to Gov. Rick Snyder, is a little weak: it requires districts to enact a policy but does not proscribe specific behavior. … Read More
CA Supreme Court: Prop 8 Supporters Have Standing
It's been a while since Prop 8 has been in the news, but here it is: The California Supreme Court on Thursday handed supporters of Proposition 8 the legal right to defend the state's ban on same-sex marriage, sending the case back to a federal appeals court to resolve the broader questions at the heart of the constitutional showdown. In … Read More
New Michigan Anti-Bullying Law Carves Out Exceptions For Christians Who Bully
A week or so ago, a cellphone video, showing a gay teenager being bullied and beat up in an Ohio high school, went viral. And the issue of bullying, particularly bullying against gays, was (albeit briefly) back on the radar. We don't like this kind of thing when it happens. The Michigan state legislature addressed the terrible phenomenon yesterday, passing the … Read More
Heroes
I don't think it's news (not to me, anyway) that Zachary Quinto (Spock of the rebooted Star Trek movies, Sylar from "Heroes") is gay. But I admire his public acknowledgement, and his stated reasons for it.