News 9/11/10

(For no good reason: Here's a Rhinoceros!)

• People react to Judge's ruling striking down Don't Ask Don't Tell. But not the President.

• The Democrats hold the House, the Senate and the Presidency and repeal of DADT is favored by at least 75% of the public, including a majority of Republicans; and we now have a federal judge ruling that the ban is unconstitutional. But the Dems aren't sure they can pass such "controversial" legislation.

• It's Saturday and a little cloudy in Portland. I need to buy a new pair of jeans today and maybe some shoes. I may even have time to bake some bittersweet chocolate brownies with walnuts. I think it's going to be a good day.

News 9/10/10

(Earl Warren. Nice robe and nice ruling on that "separate but equal" thing.)

• Federal Judge rules Don't Ask Don't Tell unconstitutional violation of the rights of gay and lesbian service members. Obama's justice department continues to defend this disgusting and inexcusable stain on the ideals of equality and human dignity.

• GetEqual plans protest for Speaker Pelosi's appearance at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. Nancy won't do anything about ENDA until Don't Ask Don't Tell is taken care of, which leaves the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, the Uniting American Families Act and repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act way off on some future agenda that we all need to sit around and wait patiently for.

• Candace Chellew Hodge over at Religion Dispatches criticizes recently-out, phobe-for-pay Ken Mehlman who suggested that gays should share the republican value of hating Muslims. Right on Candace. Kenny may not be a professional homophobe any more, but it looks like hate for a living is a hard habit to break. As I said back when Kenny first came out: "No thanks."

• The Holy Month of Ramadan is coming to an end as that idiot pastor from Florida decides not to stage a mass burning of the Holy Q'uran. Unfortunately the hatewads from Westboro Baptist Church have offered to leap in and burn a big stack sacred books, just to make sure that the fires of hatred and anger stay stoked. It's what Jesus would have wanted.

News 9/09/10

(An Orangutan laughing. Photo by Malene Thyssen.)

Regarding the Pacific Justice Institute's attempt to force CA state officials to appeal judge Walker's decision overturning Prop 8:

• The California Supreme Court asked the Governator and AG to explain their positions in the matter:

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to California Supreme Court: "Nothing in the California constitution...imposes a mandatory duty...to appeal decisions of any court, let alone a federal court."

• California Attorney General Jerry Brown to California Supreme Court: "I am not a potted plant." Brown went on to explain that part of his oath of office is to defend the US Constitution and that his refusal to defend an unconstitutional law honors that oath. (Are you listening President Obama?)

• The California Supremes have refused to order Schwarzy and Brownie to defend Prop 8.

Suck on that Pacific Justice Institute.

•  GetEqual to protest Nancy Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote on the Employment Non Discrimination Act. What are the Democrats waiting for?

• ...And it looks like we might be out of luck on passing the Defense Authorization Bill which includes the Don't Ask Don't Tell "compromise."

News 9/08/10

("If what I did helped gay people, then I'm glad."

Photo of Seymour Pine by Josh Weiner originally appeared in the New Jersey Jewish News July 28th, 2010 in an article on the Stonewall uprising. No copyright infringement intended.)

• The cop who lead the raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28th 1969 has died at 91. The New York Times reports at a 2004 talk at the New York Historical Society Seymour Pine apologized for the raids and said, "If what I did helped gay people, then I'm glad."

• Terminally ill Roi Whaley can't sponsor his partner Aurelio Tolentino for citizenship in the US. Their story is just one of over 36,000 gay binational couples whose problems would vanish if marriage equality was the law of the land.

• Giant space rocks will not smash into the Earth today. Whew!

• Sri Lankan Parliament passes law granting President a whole lot more power than he already has.

News 9/07/10

(Dame Anne Rankin's 1954 photograph of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, on their way to throw another shrimp on the barbie and perhaps hoist a few brewskies.)

• Australia has its first minority government in seventy years. Balance of power held by four independent MPs who are not in a formal coalition with Prime Minister Gillard's Government. This means she's going to have to get their backing for almost everything she wants to do.

• Former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater's legal counsel reportedly in talks about a plea deal.

• Twenty five year old documentary about gay parents, Choosing Children, to play in San Francisco. Madonna! Shoulder Pads! Turkey basters! Ronald Reagan!

• Democrats are having trouble articulating a "clear set of policy goals" as midterms loom. One example Nate Silver of 538 mentions is Don't Ask Don't Tell, which overwhelming majorities favor repealing. Democrats could use this as a popular rallying cry, "(b)ut perhaps hamstrung by Mr. Obama, who has taken a series of half-steps on the issue, few of these Democrats have chosen to do so." Nice analysis from Silver about the contrast in messaging between Democrats and GOP on a host of issues including health care reform, immigration and the economy.