Civil Rights Group Divided Over Gay Marriage - You either believe in liberty and equality for everyone, or no one..... end of story.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the 50-year-old civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others, is seeking to remove the president of its Los Angeles chapter, Rev. Eric P. Lee, in response to his support of same-sex marriage in California.

The effort by the Atlanta-based organization is meeting stiff resistance in Los Angeles from both the board of the local chapter, whose chairman is secretary of the state’s Democratic Party, and the City Council president.

Well, kudos to Rev. Eric P. Lee for realizing that you 'cannot have it both ways.' You either believe in liberty and equality for everyone, or no one..... end of story.

Let us not forget that only 45 years ago black and white people could not marry in most states. In 1967 (42 years ago), the United States Supreme Court struck down all "Racial Integrity Acts," in Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia, thereby overturning Pace v. State of Alabama (1883*) and ending all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.

* In 1883 the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the State of Alabama's "Racial Integrity Act" statute was constitutional and legal; black and white people cannot marry. This ruling would stand until 1964 until McLaughlin v. State of Florida and in 1967 in Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia.

Worse still, black and white people even living together (without being married) often resulted in them being arrested for living "in a state of adultery or fornication" and being sentenced to prison terms that sometimes reached 10 years or more.

To sum things up, I quote Coretta Scott King, widow of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After her husband's assassination, she took on the leadership of the struggle for racial equality herself and became active in the Women's Movement, and an advocate for gay rights.

"Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood." - Coretta Scott King

The New York Times Reports More on this story:

While the Mormon Church raised a great deal of the money in support of the proposition, the role of African-American churches, and their voting parishioners, was not insignificant. The Edison/Mitofsky exit poll in California found that 70 percent of black voters backed the ban, which passed with 52 percent of the vote.

Mr. Lee said that his opposition to Proposition 8 had “created tension in my life I had never experienced with black clergy.”

“But it was clear to me,” he added, “that any time you deny one group of people the same right that other groups have, that is a clear violation of civil rights and I have to speak up on that.”

In April, Mr. Lee attended a board meeting of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Kansas City, Mo., and found himself once again in the minority position among his colleagues on the issue of same-sex marriage, but he was told, he said, by the group’s interim president, Byron Clay, that the organization publicly had a neutral position on the issue.

So a month later, Mr. Lee said, he was surprised to receive a call from the National Board of Directors summoning him immediately to Atlanta to explain why he had taken a position on same-sex marriage without the authority of the national board.

“The black church played a significant role in Proposition 8 passing,” Mr. Lee said. “The failure of the campaign was to presume that African-Americans would see this as a civil rights issue.”

Florida Supreme Court to rule on same-sex adoption ban

In 2008, two separate Florida Circuit Court Judge's ruled that Florida's 30-year-old gay adoption ban unconstitutional. In 2009, the Florida Supreme Court will have the final word.

According to a Fort Myers newspaper, thirty-seven foster children in Southwest Florida have no prospects for permanent, loving families.

Under current law, gay people are not allowed to adopt children, but a recent court ruling making its way to the state's Supreme Court may change that.

Click here to read the entire article.

Violence erupts as the gay marriage vote nears

Tensions are running high over election 2008. In California there are growing number of dirty tricks, vandalism and threats of violence. Carmichael resident Marge Otto had a McCain sign in her front yard. She found a threat written on it "Bleep McCain, Bleep you, vote Obama or die." The message was handwritten, along with a warning that her house would be vandalized if she dared re-plant her lawn sign. Marge's family was intimidated and convinced her to remove any political placards.

The increasing number of attacks are becoming more bold. And they are not limited to presidential politics. In San Jose, supporters of Prop 8, which would ban gay marriage in California, were victimized by graffiti vandals who didn't like their message. A message was written on their car which read "Bigots live here."

The leader of Kern County's campaign in support of a ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California was videotaped at a pro-gay marriage rally kicking and punching a protester.

Violence was also reported in other areas of California and isolated areas of Florida.

The latest prompted a response from Marriage Equality USA's President:

We must remember to take the high road, and not partake in any actions that result in violence. Marriage Equality USA has a very strong commitment to non-violence in its activities.

There have been some less than stellar instances of behavior on both sides of the issue ranging from stealing of signs, destruction of property, vandalism, and physical harm to individuals participating on both sides. Please remember to use caution and good judgment when canvassing and tabling at events. No one should be working alone, you should always be in pairs with others knowledgeable about your whereabouts.

Keep this in mind also when you watch the video:

"The plague of mankind is the fear and rejection of diversity: monotheism, monarchy, monogamy and, in our age, monomedicine. The belief that there is only one right way to live, only one right way to regulate religious, political, sexual, medical affairs is the root cause of the greatest threat to man: members of his own species, bent on ensuring his salvation, security, and sanity."


The Face of Proposition 8 from Theremina on Vimeo.

Time, and with it, the threat of losing civil rights is ticking away

Initiated Act 1, which Arkansas voters will decide on this November, would prohibit unmarried co-habitating couples from adopting or fostering children. Although this act is intended as an attack on the LGBT community, it also would prevent unmarried opposite-sex couples from adopting or fostering.

Act 1 has not received a lot of national attention. If it passes, right-wing groups across the country may try to replicate its success in other states. For additional information, visit www.arkansasfamiliesfirst.org.

Please also remember that we are fighting three (3) constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage this year! Check-out the following links:

• Arizona - Visit Equality Arizona for details.
• California - Visit VoteNoProp8.org or Marriage Equality USA's California Ballot Measure Committee for details.
• Florida - Visit say SayNo2.com for details.

Florida Judge Rules Gay Adoption Ban Unconstitutional

A Florida judge has found the state's 31-year ban on gay adoptions to be unconstitutional, reports the Miami Herald. The ruling from Judge David Audlin Jr. will allow a gay Key West resident to adopt the teenage boy he has raised as a foster parent since 2001.

Judge Audlin said the adoption was in the child's "best interest" and asserted that barring gays from adopting conflicted with the state constitution since it targets a specific group for punishment. Audlin had appointed the foster father to be the boy's legal guardian in 2006. At a hearing earlier this year, the order says the boy testified that he wanted the man to be his "forever father...because I love him," the Herald reports.

''Contrary to every child welfare principle,'' Audlin wrote in his opinion, ''the gay adoption ban operates as a conclusive or irrebuttable presumption that...it is never in the best interest of any adoptee to be adopted by a homosexual.''

Florida and Mississippi are the only two states that currently forbid gays and lesbians from adopting children. (The Advocate)

Fighting for equality

Three states will be voting on whether to approve or reject Constitutional Amendments to make gay marriage illegal.

In November, citizens in Arizona, California, and Florida will decide if same-sex couples will share the same rights heterosexual couples do under state law.

Political Action Committees are lining up to combat the measure in each state:

• Arizona - Visit Equality Arizona for details.
• California - Visit VoteNoProp8.org for details.
• Florida - Visit VoteNoOn2.com for details.

A similar constitutional amendment was approved by voters in Kentucky during the 2004 General Election.