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moonshaz.livejournal.com
Legal Battle Over Gay Marriage Hits The Supreme Court Tuesday
Audio of the 2.5 hours of oral arguments will be aired live on CSPAN-3, beginning at 4:00pm EDT, and will also be available online later (that evening, I presume).( Read more... )
telemann.livejournal.comRegarding Indiana's new law enacted to allow discrimination against gays and lesbians and transgender people, under the guise of "religious freedom," Governor Mike Pence was asked 8 times a simple yes or no question about the law. He couldn't answer the question.
telemann.livejournal.com
The day after the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling, a group of religious leaders sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking that he exempt them from a forthcoming executive order that would prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT people. The letter, first reported by The Atlantic, was sent on Tuesday by 14 representatives, including the president of Gordon College, an Erie County, Pa., executive and the national faith vote director for Obama for America 2012, of the faith community. "Without a robust religious exemption," they wrote, "this expansion of hiring rights will come at an unreasonable cost to the common good, national unity and religious freedom." The leaders noted that the Senate-passed Employment Non-Discrimination Act included a religious exemption.
Source: Talking Points Memo.
Christian Protestors at Gay Pride events
Jul. 2nd, 2014 01:00 pmtelemann.livejournal.com
Given the recent ruling on free speech and buffer zones, I've noticed a bit of a ramp-up in Christian protestors who seem fine with bringing their battle to gay events.
A few weeks ago, at the Folsom East Street Fair in New York, someone protesting with a sign from the Highline Park (see photo below). The sign read "Jesus Saves from Hell." Usually such protests aren't allowed from the vantage point of New York City parks, and if you're blocking pedestrian traffic, the NYPD has no reluctance telling someone to move, which is what happened here I believe, this person was gone after an hour.
The protestor was heckled a bit by some MCs on the stage, but nothing major happened. I was more surprised the protestor knew about Folsom East, and its location. While it's no secret, it's mostly advertised in gay publications in New York and word of mouth. But I Googled around and lo and behold, I found a website encouraging protests with an article "NYC Folsom Street Homosexual Perversion". In an effort to manipulate the city from granting a permit, the website suggests the street fair has hundreds of nude men (LOL I WISH!) and public sex. It doesn't.
Meanwhile in Seattle: On Sunday a group of Christian protesters disrupted the start of Seattle's gay pride parade and got in the face of local drag star Mama Tits, who was not having it. The drag queens formed a wall and blocked the protestors. The protestors may have a right to free speech, but don't expect some push-back either and a dose of their own medicine.
telemann.livejournal.com
On Friday morning, a CNBC segment of “Squawk on the Street” turned awkward after co-anchor Simon Hobbs accidentally “ outed” Apple (AAPL +1.18%) CEO Tim Cook as being openly gay. “I think Tim Cook is fairly open about the fact that he’s gay at the head of Apple isn’t he?” asked Hobbs to columnist Jim Stewart. During the segment, The New York Times journalist was discussing his upcoming column on John Browne, the former CEO of oil giant BP whose book, The Glass Closet: Why Coming Out Is Good For Business, details his life as a closeted executive. “No,” Stewart answered after an awkward silence. “I don’t want to comment on anybody who might or might not be,” he added. “I’m not going to out anybody. I called a lot of people and no one at any major company would allow their names to be used.” Cook has never confirmed nor denied his sexual orientation.
More here, with video of the segment.
I think it's one thing to out a closeted politician who is consistently hurting people in their day-to-day lives by the legislation they're advocating and enacting into law (Charlie Crist was horrible in that regard in Florida, when he was governor). But I'm not sure about businessmen or executives. If their company's business policies are fair, sane, and not hurting anyone, I think outing them is unfair and a breach of their privacy.
telemann.livejournal.com
Actor George Takei posted this today on Facebook.
I've spoken often about the "ick" factor — the visceral reaction many have to the sight of something unfamiliar, like two men kissing. When I was growing up, the reaction toward interracial couples was similar, and that disgust over white/non-white intimacy was used to justify laws against interracial marriage.
Many use their irrational discomfort over gay intimacy to justify discrimination. This video, shot in a restaurant in Mississippi, illustrates that all too clearly, underscoring deep social and religious divides over this question. But there is cause, too, for hope — especially among young people. The ick is fading away, as it inevitably will. So watch and ask yourself, "Do I have a bit of the 'ick' in me?"
The reactions are pretty much what you'd expect, but there is a surprising reaction supporting the gay couple, especially when they're asked to leave, due to offending the religious sensibilities of patrons. Worth watching the entire clip. I was pretty emotional by the end.
telemann.livejournal.com
On Friday, a gay CBS journalist accused Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL) of being gay and in the closet. Itay Hod said in a long Facebook post that he is fed up with closeted anti-LGBT politicians and the media the shields and coddles them, then named Schock as one such politician. “People always say, ‘No one has the right to out anyone,’” he wrote, “that coming out is a private matter. I disagree. As you can imagine, not a very popular opinion. But bear with me.”
“Here’s a hypothetical,” he continued. “What if you know a certain GOP congressman, let’s just say from Illinois, is gay? And you know this because one of your friends, a journalist for a reputable network, told you in no uncertain terms that he caught that GOP congressman and his male roommate in the shower…together?”
Raw Story.
Earlier this week, Schock's Instagram account was featured on a gay rights' blog "The 7 gayest Aaron Schock Instagram posts of 2013," and that Instagram account was made private just a few hours ago. Rep. Schock actively opposes gay marriage, and when asked by reporters why his only response was "I just haven't." His record for gay rights is pretty dismal:
Schock voted against adding sexual orientation to the already-existing hate crimes law.
Schock opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Schock opposes the repeal of DOMA.
Schock is against gay marriage; and
Schock is for the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would add language to the US Constitution banning gay marriage and likely striking down every gay rights law and ordinance in the country.
The documentary Outrage looks in depth at the issue of outing closeted lawmakers, providing a detailed history and voting records. "They have been chasing us for years; we're going to chase back."
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