Pam Spaulding's Blog, page 104

Tweets of the day: Porno Pete's complaint list

The Peter gets so hot over my Tweets that he decided to not only follow me, but to belch out some Tweets in my direction that are hilariously paranoid and hypocritical, considering the slurs he hurls against LGBTs over at AFTAH.

For your entertainment...you can click the image to see some of his hissyfit comments to GOProud's Chris Barron and others he's mad at this week.

@peterlabarbera: While ur at this new "civility" thing @Pam_Spaulding u could apologize for smearing religious conserv's as *American Taliban" -- and this -- "@Pam_Spaulding @goodasyou #NOM #lgbt well a good start Pam would be to apologize for using hate term "Jeebus" on ur blog"

Thanks, Pete, I'll take that under advisement.

Maryland introducing gender identity anti-discrimination and marriage equality bills

Next week Equality Maryland, along with key legislative partners and community groups, will formally announce the introduction of two bills, the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act and the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (SB116).

Lead Sponsors of the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act are Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk and Del. Ariana Kelly.  The bill would prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and credit.  Lead sponsors of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act include Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, Sen. Jamie Raskin and Del. Kumar Barve.

This morning Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland, explained the smart strategy behind how the two bills are being introduced.  "We purposely had each bill start and move first in a different chamber.  We want to be able to tell the important story of each bill.  That's why the marriage bill is first in the Senate, the gender identity bill is first in the House where we have such an amazing champion and a very, very favorable committee composition.  So they each have their moment in the sun, then move over to the other chamber with the momentum of an initial passage."
The marriage bill was introduced this week in the Senate.  Bill co-sponsor Sen. Raskin serves on the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee were both the gender identity and marriage bills will be heard.

The gender identity bill will be introduced next week into the House by Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk and Del. Ariana Kelly.  Described, as "a tireless champion", Del. Pena-Melnyk is on the House Government and Operations Committee that the bill will be referred to. "The composition of that committee is incredibly strongly in favor of this bill," said Meneses-Sheets, so EQMD expects the bill to be voted out of committee and receive a vote on the House floor in late February or early March.

Meneses-Sheets considers Del. Kelly to be an especially valuable co-sponsor of the gender identity bill because she is a Montgomery County delegate and "Montgomery County has been such a leader in providing gender identity protections in the state" and it is important to illustrate "how that's been beneficial and why that's the right thing to do."

In response to my question "Will the non-discrimination bill get the same sincere backing as the marriage bill, or is it vulnerable to being used as a bargaining chip to get the marriage bill passed," Meneses-Sheets said

We put a lot of thought into everything, from who should be sponsors to where we should start bills, which should start in which chamber. That was a very strategic conversation because we are passionately committed to both bills.  So this strategy that we've created on the timeline of each having a different chamber in the beginning is aimed at insuring that that happens.  So we are genuinely very committed to both.

Our field team has gone from 2 people at the end of December to 12 people who are field organizers working every day.  Every one of them work on both issues.  We have a legislative plan with our target swing votes for both bills that we track and are monitoring and working on every day.  So the commitment and the work behind that commitment - not just the words but also the actions - every day are aimed at both.  That's another reason too why when we got the gender identity bill back this week and were circulating it for co-sponsors, we didn't want to have them introduced on the same day.  We want to be sure they each have their proud push, that they each have their very important story told about the need for the bill.

EQMD has taken the extra step of having NGLTF's Transgender Civil Rights Project train the entire staff on how to best message the gender identity bill.

EQMD and legislative leaders are speaking optimistically about both bills, but we can expect the opposition to throw the kitchen sink at them both.  Besides National Organization for Marriage and probably bishop Harry Jackson, EQMD expects heat from the Maryland Catholic Conference, a new affiliate of NOM and the Family Research Council as well as another organization that has grown from the effort to oppose the passage of the 2007 Montgomery Co. gender identity ordinance.  

All hands on deck!  Let's help Equality Maryland get the job done!

Eleveld in WaPo op-ed: Next up for Obama - marriage equality

"Like a lot of people, I'm wrestling with this. My attitudes are evolving on this. What I know is that, at minimum, a baseline is that there has to be a strong, robust civil union available to all gay and lesbian couples."

-- Barack Obama to Kerry Eleveld in the first one-on-one interview with him as president by a journalist from a LGBT news outlet.

So publicly, he hasn't, as John Edwards said, "crossed that bridge yet" re: marriage, but DOMA is on the table because of the legal challenges mounting in the queue. Kerry Eleveld in an op-ed in today's WaPo:

While I felt it important to give the president the opportunity to elaborate on this singular achievement - one that would help restore his relationship with LGBT Americans and with his broader progressive base - I also wanted to discuss marriage equality. Nearly every country in the world that has legalized same-sex marriage began first by allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Given that openly gay men and women would soon be fighting and, in some cases, dying for their country, I wondered whether the president thought it was time that those women and men be entitled to full marriage rights.

His current position on gay marriage - that this is an issue he struggles with as he watches his gay and lesbian friends marry and create loving households - goes beyond his 2008 campaign stance, which was simply to support civil unions. (Earlier in his political career, as a candidate for the Illinois state Senate, Obama supported full marriage rights for same-sex couples.)

But the president is facing new terrain now that some gays in the military will undoubtedly be lawfully wedded to their partners. For example, will the families of those service members have access to the same benefits and support networks that their heterosexual counterparts have? Will their spouses be the first informed if they pay the ultimate sacrifice in the course of defending their country?

There is a serious flaw in the president's position of viewing civil unions as a path to giving same-sex couples equal relationship recognition: The federal government does not recognize civil unions for the purposes of spousal benefits. In fact, no legislation to formalize civil unions exists at the federal level.

That means that advocates of civil unions, Obama included, are suggesting for lesbian and gay couples a status for which the federal government has no definition and no frame of reference within its codes, and one that provides no path to legal recognition.

The floor is open to discussion; click over to read the rest.

Baltimore, MD: Twin teens on trial for torching of a pit bull puppy

Regular members of the coffeehouse know that I'm a pit bull advocate, and in fact own a rescue named Casey.

This maligned breed has among its champions, The Dog Whisperer's Cesar Millan. I've written many posts, as well as a newspaper column that garnered many reactions along the spectrum, some based on fear rather than facts.

However one may feel about pits, no dog deserves what happened to a pit puppy in Baltimore. Sociopathic behavior by twin 18-year-olds has resulted in the tortuous death of poor Phoenix.

With nearly two dozen animal-welfare advocates looking on and more waiting in the hall Wednesday morning, Baltimore Circuit Judge Lynn K. Stewart set a trial date for teen-age twins Travers and Tremayne Johnson, who are accused of setting fire to a pit bull puppy in 2009, leading to the dog's death.

The 18-year-olds - one in custody on new attempted murder charges, the other free on bail in this case - are to appear Friday for a trial on animal cruelty and mutilation charges for allegedly dousing the pit bull, nicknamed Phoenix by rescue workers, with gasoline and setting her on fire. The dog was later euthanized.

"We're very concerned about the outcome of this case," said Caroline Griffin, who led the task force, which recently became the Mayor's Commission on Animal Abuse under Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. Griffin attended Wednesday's proceeding, along with representatives from the Baltimore Humane Society, the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, known as BARCS, and Maryland Animal Advocates.

Marilyn Hall, a volunteer at BARCS, grew emotional after Hankin asked her to stay away. She lifted her glasses, wiped away tears and said, "Whatever is best is what I'm going to do, so I'm not coming."

..."If you don't have respect for the animals, for life, for something alive, then you can't have respect for human life," Hall said.

The fact is that pit bulls are often on the receiving end of violence precisely because pits and pit mixes (or anything that looks like a bully breed) are often seen as valueless menaces, cast-off trash.

I weep for the innocent dogs we humans bred to love and live with us, so many who never have a chance to rise above their breed's reputation, in this case the long-forgotten rep of the pit bull as a "nanny dog" for its love of children. The dad in the video below recounts how his pit saved his child's life.

Related:

* NC Governor Perdue Signs Susie's Law

* My thoughts on the passing of Cesar Millan's late great Daddy the pit bull

* Say no to breed-specific legislation

David Pakman interview: Gordon Klingenschmitt - favors gay exorcisms, says gay men are women

Former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, who was a proponent of DADT, provided The David Pakman Show with enough batsh*ttery to have a full reel of "Best of." David had him on to discuss the repeal of DADT, which segued into how he says it will force a draft. Then the discussion took a turn to the bizarre as he explained the need for "gay exorcisms" to treat homosexuality.

Perhaps the worst aspect of this blather is that it's clear Klingenschmitt hates women (pity his wife). He believes gay men who say they are gay are actually lying and/or "being women." Ah, misogyny. The taste that refreshes...

Follow David's show on Twitter: http://twitter.com/davidpakmanshow

The Thursday Coffeehouse open thread

Just a few headlines I don't have time to write up, but surely want to see your comments on. Feel free to post news and use this as an open thread.

***

* Robert Gibbs Dodges Reporter's Question About ENDA. Nothing much changes; pack your bags already, Gibbs. Via Think Progress.

* Iowa Independent: Marriage amendment introduced in Iowa House. Well they beat NC to the punch. Hopefully it won't go anywhere.

A constitutional amendment that would mandate that marriage between one man and one woman is the only legal union that is valid or recognized in the state was introduced Wednesday in the Iowa House, marking the beginning of what promises to be one of the most contentious debates of the 2011 legislative session.

Fifty-six of the GOP's 60-member majority signed on as co-sponsors to House Joint Resolution 6. Four Republican lawmakers - Peter Cownie, Steven Lukan, Scott Raecker and David Tjepkes - and all 40 Democrats refused to sign on as co-sponsors. The legislation goes beyond just banning same-sex marriage. It would also ban civil unions, domestic partnerships and any other legal recognition of same-sex couples.

The amendment would invalidate the Iowa Supreme Court's unanimous 2009 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage.

* Stars and Stripes: Government Accountability Office says DADT cost military $53,000 per dismissal. What a waste:

According to the report, the majority of the expense came from recruiting replacements and retraining the new troops. More than a third of the discharged troops held "skills in critical occupations." That included 23 language experts, whose training included years of language proficiency work prior to their dismissal.

But GAO researchers also estimated that the ban on openly gay troops also cost almost $8 million in administrative expenses. That includes legal work, commanders' inquiries, pastoral counseling of servicemembers, and processing of separation paperwork.

* Think Progress: Police Seize 'Large Amount' Of Weapons From Blogger Who Praised Gifffords Shooting: '1 Down And 534 To Go'. I don't want to hear any more BS about how there's equal propensity for threats and violence on the Left.

Police in Arlington, MA this week seized a "large amount" of weapons and ammunition from local businessman Travis Corcoran after he wrote a blog post threatening U.S. lawmakers in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). In a post on his blog (which has since been removed) titled "1 down and 534 to go" - 1 referring to Giffords and 534 referring to the rest of the House of Representatives - Corcoran applauded the shooting of Giffords and justified the assassination of lawmakers because he argued the federal government has grown far beyond its constitutional limits. "It is absolutely, absolutely unacceptable to shoot indiscriminately. Target only politicians and their staff and leave regular citizens alone," he wrote in the post.

...Corcoran calls himself "an anarcho-capitalist" and while his blog has been taken down, based on his Twitter page, he appears to hold views similar to those of many in the anti-government libertarian wing of the conservative movement, like many tea party activists.

* And this story I completely missed earlier this month (I was probably out of it from surgery). This is an outrage covered by AC360. 5200 Pentagon Employees PURCHASED Child Pornography .

HUD releases updated policies to ensure equal access in housing

Equality in hospital visitation went into effect this week, and now we see HUD policies establishing non-discrimination policies. Fingers crossed - this is one of those Cinderella Crumbs that can be undone by a future President. But until then, this is a sorely-needed matter that is being addressed by this administration. Via WH Press release:

 

HUD PROPOSES NEW RULE TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING

REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY  

 

            “This is a fundamental issue of fairness,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.  “We have a responsibility to make certain that public programs are open to all Americans.  With this proposed rule, we will make clear that a person’s eligibility for federal housing programs is, and should be, based on their need and not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

 

            HUD is seeking public comment on a number of proposed areas including:

Ø Prohibiting lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower’s eligibility for FHA-insured mortgage financing.  FHA’s current regulations provide that a mortgage lender’s determination of the adequacy of a borrower’s income “shall be made in a uniform manner without regard to” specified prohibited grounds.  The proposed rule would add actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity to the prohibited grounds to ensure FHA-approved lenders do not deny or otherwise alter the terms of mortgages on the basis of irrelevant criteria.

Ø Clarifying that all otherwise eligible families, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, have the opportunity to participate in HUD programs.  In the majority of HUD’s rental and homeownership programs the term “family” already has a broad scope, and includes a single person and families with or without children.  HUD’s proposed rule clarifies that families, otherwise eligible for HUD programs, may not be excluded because one or more members of the family may be an LGBT individual, have an LGBT relationship, or be perceived to be such an individual or in such relationship. 

Ø  Prohibiting owners and operators of HUD-assisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD, from inquiring about the sexual orientation or gender identity of an applicant for, or occupant of, the dwelling, whether renter- or owner-occupied.  HUD is proposing to institute this policy in its rental assistance and homeownership programs, which include the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs, community development programs, and public and assisted housing programs.

NY: Long Island principal blocks Gay-Straight Alliance - 'faggot' isn't that offensive

Via Change.org, another reminder that at the local levels, there is still a lot of work to be done, even in "Blue" states like New York. This principal is wholly unqualified to provide leadership when it comes to diversity and support of the LGBT students in her school.

A principal at a Long Island high school has blocked a group of LGBT and straight students from forming a gay-straight alliance at Valley Stream South High School. The principal, Maureen Henry, denied the request after three students -- with the support of several hundred of their classmates -- submitted a proposal to form an official school club. The students had been working on the proposal since October, and tell the Long Island Herald that they followed all proper protocols and procedures.

Still, Principal Henry denied their request. And here's an added insult to injury: when the students told Principal Henry about rampant anti-gay slurs, including use of the word "faggot" in the school, the Principal said it wasn't that big of a deal. "Principal Henry told the students that she too called people 'faggots' when she was young and didn’t mean anything bad by it," says a press release from LIGALY, the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth organization.

 ...How about sending Principal Henry, as well as Superintendent Marsh, a message that blocking your students from forming gay-straight alliances is irresponsible behavior from educators that are supposed to look out for the welfare of all of their students. Moreover, for Principal Henry to suggest that calling people "faggots" is no big deal shows exactly why a gay-straight alliance is needed in a place like Valley Stream South High School.

This just in:

RALLY & DEMONSTRATION FOR GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE AT VALLEY STREAM SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

Bay Shore, NY

 – Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) along with dozens of students and supporters of a proposed Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club at Valley Stream South HS will hold a protest and rally in front of the school on Thursday, January 20 at 3:15pm to call on the bullying tactics of its school principal to stop. 

WHO:

  LIGALY will join with students and supporters of the GSA Club in front of the school to call attention to Principal Maureen Henry’s refusal to allow the GSA Club form.  Speakers to include: David Kilmnick, CEO and Founder of Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY); Joseph Kofler, 17-year-old Senior at Valley Stream South High School who has been leading the attempt to form the GSA club with his classmates; her students and representatives from the New York Civil Liberties Union

 

WHAT:  Student Rally and Protest to raise awareness of the need for the club in the school and the homophobic resistance the students have faced from the school’s principal. 

WHEN:  Thursday, January 20th, 3:15pm
WHERE:  The Rally and Protest will take place outside the entrance to the Valley Stream South High School campus, 135 Jedwood Place, Valley Stream, NY 

WHY:  Despite more than 96 GSA Clubs current active in high schools across Long Island, including one at another school in the Valley Stream Central High School District, the principal of the school has been blocking the formation of the Gay-Straight Alliance club, whose mission is to create safer schools and address anti-GLBT bullying.  

Valley Stream South High School students, who have been trying to form a GSA at the school since October 2010, have had their proposal rejected by the school’s principal Maureen Henry, despite following proper procedures and numerous discussions with Ms. Henry. When talking about why the club was important and sharing their own personal experiences of being bullied, including being called a “faggot”, Ms. Henry told the students that she too called people “faggots” when she was young and didn’t mean anything bad by it.

Joseph Kofler, 17, one of the students organizing the club was shocked by the reaction, lack of support and felt Ms. Henry’s response was an endorsement of the bullying that takes place everyday in his school. Joseph says “this school really needs a GSA and not because it’s a ‘gay club’. In fact it’s the opposite of our goals, which is to bring about understanding and acceptance for all of our students. And I want to feel safe coming to school everyday and this club will help toward reaching these goals” said Kofler, a senior at the school.

Kofler and other students circulated a petition signed by more than 300 students. “Ms. Henry must be living under a rock with her rejection of these students seeking to start this club, her appalling and homophobic response and her lack of awareness of the rampant bullying and suicides that have been taken place and garnering attention in the past year”, said David Kilmnick, CEO of LIGALY. “There are over 90 GSA’s that already exist in Long Island schools and by allowing a GSA for students to feel safer is not something revolutionary – in fact, the school is way behind the times and these brave students should be commended for trying to make a difference” said Kilmnick. 

Fed judge rules CA state employees can pursue DOMA suit re: same-sex benefits

More fun for the Obama DOJ as the cases will keep on coming:

In a victory for gay rights advocates, a federal judge has ruled that state employees in California can sue for discrimination over the federal government's exclusion of their same-sex spouses from a long-term health care program.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken of Oakland denied an Obama administration request to dismiss the suit Tuesday and signaled that she is likely to overturn provisions of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal benefits to same-sex couples.

A federal judge in Massachusetts declared the law unconstitutional in July, a ruling the administration is appealing.

President Obama has criticized the law, but his Justice Department is defending it in court. The administration says Congress was entitled to preserve the status quo in federal law while states debated the marriage issue.

Rick Santorum begins an ignorant war on same-sex families

crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Another GOP presidential candidate seems to be jumping on the homophobia train.

Former Pennsylvania representative Rick Santorum had a two hour long video with the conservative CNS News. This video, created by People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch, captured his comments about not just marriage equality but gay adoption and same-sex households:

 Basically Santorum said that gay adoption shouldn't be allowed because it is "common sense" that we should not "defy nature" just because "a certain group of people want to be affirmed by society"

There are so many things wrong with Santorum's position. First of all, he and the interviewer seem to be implying that children are being taken away from perfectly good homes in order to supposedly suit the "selfish needs" of the lgbt community.

This is a lie. The irony is that Santorum's interview came out the same day as the following:

After a successful fight to overturn Florida’s ban on adoption by gay men and lesbians, the two young brothers adopted by Martin Gill participated in an adoption ceremony in Judge Cindy Lederman's chambers in Miami-Dade County Juvenile Court today, marking the final step in their adoption process. Gill and his partner had served as foster parents to the two brothers for six years. Gill worked with the American Civil Liberties Union to fight for the right to adopt them by challenging Florida’s 33-year-old ban on gay people adopting. As a result of the ACLU lawsuit on behalf of Gill, the ban was ended last year.

“We are thrilled that after so many years, we are officially a family in the eyes of the law,” said Gill. “All children deserve a permanent, loving home. This is a happy day.”

To Santorum, no matter how much love and support the Gill family entails, it is inferior to his version of  "family" because the fathers are "dirty homosexuals" who only adopted children in order to "force society to affirm their lifestyle. "

All of that other stuff about children being entitled to a "permanent, loving home" is simply a dodge propagated by National Homosexual Headquarters.

What a load of nonsense.

Perhaps before talking about something which he clearly has no knowledge of, Santorum should educate himself on the simple reality of same-sex households. They are here, they are numerous, and they are filled with love and support, just like every normal household should be.

As for now, Santorum wouldn't know common sense if it grew teeth and bit him on his homophobic rump.

And if he steps anywhere near the White House with that attitude - even for a visit, I suggest a serious fumigation of the premises.

UPDATE - Santorum is also catching much well-deserved criticism for his other comments during the interview, including an offhand comment racial comment against President Obama on the subject of abortion.

Related posts:

Same-sex families are growing rapidly, can no longer be ignored

NOM needs to stop peddling in fantasy and face reality about same-sex families