Arizona citizens to vote on banning same-sex marriage

After failing in April in the Arizona House of Representatives after Democrats changed the measure to tie it to expanded legal rights for domestic partners, causing most Republicans to withdraw their support, the Senate approves a measure to ban same-sex marriage in the final hours of one of the longest state legislative sessions on record.

Arizona voters rejected a similar state constitutional amendment in 2006. That measure would have also stopped the state from recognizing civil unions of same-sex couples.

The long-anticipated vote came just before adjournment and followed hours of angry, raucous debate in which the Arizona Senate rule book was used as a weapon to both stall the vote (Democrats) and cut short debate (Republicans). Senators on both sides of the aisle and of the issue lamented a meltdown in the higher chamber, as most of the day's work was scrapped so that the marriage amendment could be voted upon while key senators were present.

Senate President Tim Bee, a Tucson Republican, cast the decisive, 16th vote in favor of the referendum that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

After the vote, conservative activists rejoiced that voters would get a chance to vote on the issue this fall. A similar measure, which also banned governments from offering benefits to employees' domestic partners, gay or straight, failed at the polls in 2006.

Democratic Sen. Paula Aboud accused leadership of "cheating," while Harper derided Democrats for "dilatory" stall tactics.

"To end this session today means we all walk out of here tainted, besmirched," Aboud said. "That's what will be remembered about this session."

Aboud, who is openly gay, accused the amendment's supporters of being "afraid of me and my relationship."

Bee and other members decried the lack of decorum.

After the vote, conservative activists cheered while gay rights activists blasted lawmakers for pushing a measure that would divide Arizonans.

Barbara McCullough-Jones, executive director of Equality Arizona, warned that anti-gay rhetoric from lawmakers could fuel anti-gay violence. She pledged that her group would work to defeat the election of lawmakers who supported the referendum, as well as the referendum itself.

"We as an electorate, we are going to say no again," she said.

Righteous is as righteous does; Lexington Pride

The fanatic blogger at Righteous in Kentucky returned earlier this month after a 6 month absence; just when we thought we had one less conservative blogger, he returns. This blogger isn't just conservative however, he is a fanatic.

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." - Winston Churchill

If his readers believe his posts and follow him, why trash pro-gay organizations and draw attention to them since they obviously know about us and don't like us anyway?

In his latest pro-Family Foundation of Kentucky post, he actually says he will remain inside this weekend because of Lexington Pride. He goes on to say he will have any homosexual who steps on his property arrested! Littered with religious rhetoric that makes no sense, this blogger jumps from subject to subject that makes understanding him near impossible.

Fred Phelps and his clan have stated they will protest Lexington Pride. I wouldn't could on it however; it's a long drive from Kansas to protest for only an hour, and they haven't shown up at any of the Kentucky events they claimed they would attend in years (story).

Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco: LGBT Community protests against the Human Rights Campaign

The self proclaimed largest gay rights organization in the United States continues to draw fire from LGBT people around the nation.

• Andrew Sullivan, one of the most respected and most read gay bloggers slammed them in his post: HRC Busted.
• Log Cabin Republicans issued a statement denouncing the HRC's YouTube video of John McCain.
• Organizers of Atlanta pride refused money from the HRC.
  

Forget about political maneuvers and electoral games; ignore the platitudes and moralisms of extremists. Leaving members of our community behind isn't acceptable, and that's what most people remain upset about.

What else can go wrong for them? Plenty! This is hot off the press:

As gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people prepare to celebrate gay pride in San Francisco this weekend, many of them also are organizing a boycott and protest of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Activists plan to be on the streets during the festivities to inform people of the boycott and protest of the Human Rights Campaign's annual fundraising dinner in San Francisco next month, a major event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for the organization.

Similar actions took place at fundraising dinners in Philadelphia and New York City earlier this year.

The controversy stems from the Human Rights Campaign's decision last fall to support a bill in Congress that would bar employers from firing a person because of his or her sexual orientation. The bill, which passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, did not include the same protections for transgender people. More than 370 gay rights organizations condemned the bill for that reason.

On Tuesday, San Francisco Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Bevan Dufty introduced a resolution at City Hall calling for a bill that includes transgender people and recognizing the boycott.

"The Human Rights Campaign should not be human rights cowards," Ammiano said at a news conference at the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center. He said the organization seems uneasy with transgender issues.

Dufty said he will skip the fundraising dinner for the first time in 23 years and instead will make dinner at his home for people protesting outside the event.

The city's two LGBT Democratic clubs support the boycott, as does the San Francisco Labor Council. Assemblyman Mark Leno and state Sen. Carole Migden, both of San Francisco, also are not attending the event.Matt Foreman, who was executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force when the congressional vote took place, called the actions of the Human Rights Campaign "a monumental betrayal."

Foreman said it raises questions about the effectiveness of the organization, which raised $28 million last year.

"What is going on here is an emperor-has-no-clothes moment," said Foreman, who said he will be outside protesting but is "pained" to be doing so. "We still don't have one single federal law that protects gay people, let alone transgender people."

Theresa Sparks, who is president of the San Francisco Police Commission and is transgender, said she returned an award she received from the Human Rights Campaign.

Sparks, who attended the news conference with Dufty and Ammiano, noted the contributions of transgender people to the LGBT movement. The 1969 Stonewall riots in New York that sparked the modern LGBT rights movement were promulgated by transgender people, she said.

She dismissed the political argument that the nondiscrimination bill was more likely to pass Congress if it didn't mention transgender people.

"To me, this is less about strategy and more about integrity," Sparks said.

Freedom Rings in California

All same-sex couples and members of Marriage Equality USA have been celebrating a major victory in the State of California since yesterday evening, a victory activists and volunteers fought long and hard for: the civil right to marry the person they love.

Marriage Equality USA's president, Mr. David Janis-Kitzmiller and his partner Jeff had the honor of being the first Fairfield residents married in Solano County yesterday. (story)

In other California counties:

• "I'm really amazed and happy," said Jason Scott, leader of Marriage Equality USA's Fresno chapter. "It's something you might not expect in Fresno." (story)
• Monday night's marriage was the second one for Ryan James, 32, and Moe Perez, 39, leaders of the Alameda County chapter of Marriage Equality USA. They lined up for a license on Valentine's Day 2004 in San Francisco after Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed same-sex marriages in that city.
• Jamila Tharp and Michelle Hasting crossed the Canadian border two years ago to commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. Both sides of their families attended the Vancouver wedding ceremony, as did their daughter, who was the flower girl, “3, and very excited,” Tharp said. Tharp sits on the Marriage Equality USA board and is on a state advisory board for the Unitarian Universalists Legislative Ministry of California. The stay-at-home mother also sits on the Humboldt County Human Rights Commission. (story)

Congratulations to everyone in California!

"No one can rain in our parade. This is an absolutely fantastic day, it's a historic milestone for California as we move forward in the civil rights struggle for our generation." - Marriage Equality USA Media Director Molly McKay

Andrew Sullivan slams the HRC

Andrew Sullivan slams the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in his post "HRC Busted." (more)

> In late 2000, Sullivan began his blog, The Daily Dish. In the wake of September 11, 2001, attacks, it became one of the most popular political blogs on the Internet. By the middle of 2003, it was receiving about 300,000 unique visits per month.

Liberty Council tires to stop gay marriages in California (again)

An anti-gay group on Thursday made a last-ditch effort to stop gay marriage from becoming legal in California by asking a midlevel appeals court to temporarily prohibit county clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The Liberty Counsel, in a petition (view) with the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, argued that the wording of the California Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriages allows the lower court to set the terms and schedule for implementing the decision.

Liberty Counsel argued that the high court's May 15 ruling put dozens of state laws addressing marriage into conflict and that the Legislature needs time to address those issues.

Barring any further legal intervention, gay couples will be able to start marrying in California at 5:01 p.m. Monday, when the Supreme Court's decision becomes final.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera called Liberty Counsel's filing "absurd."

"I am not aware of a process in American law that enables parties to effectively appeal a higher court ruling to a lower court," Herrera said.

The Liberty Council sent a blast email asking the following:

Will you help me flood Governor Schwarzenegger's office with phone calls? I want to literally shut down his switchboard right up until the 5pm Sunday deadline when the ruling permitting same-sex "marriage" will go into effect.

From Liberty Council's website, for $15.00, you can send faxes to California Governor Schwarzenegger, and California lawmakers. Senator Gil Gedillo of California angered Liberty Council by returning a fax to them with the words, "do not send" written across the page (view). Liberty Council responded by calling Senator Gedillo "arrogant." Great job Senator Gedillo!

Liberty Council claims to be a nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family.

Did you catch that? Traditional? As I have said before and must say again, traditions' must sometimes be broken in favor of progress. Without progress, this nation could still be a colony that uses slave labor, filled with women who cannot hold public office or vote.

Log Cabin Republicans disagree with HRC on McCain

Log Cabin Republican blogger disagrees with the Human Rights Commission (HRC).

• HRC and John McCain

Log Cabin Republicans blog:

We understand the general election starts today and Log Cabin will do its part to educate gay and lesbian voters about Sen. McCain in the weeks ahead. Contrary to what many Democrats are saying, Sen. McCain is not George W. Bush. Most gays and lesbians understand that fact. Sen. McCain isn’t going to use gay people as a wedge issue. He won the GOP nomination with no help (and with outright hostility) from many so-called “social conservatives.” This is a significant achievement for all gay and lesbian Americans.

HRC glosses over McCain’s principled stand against the anti-gay federal marriage amendment. As I pointed out in this column for the Washington Blade, McCain didn’t just vote (twice) against the marriage amendment. He put himself on the line, bucked his own party leadership and President Bush, and took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to speak against the proposal. In 2004, he gave one of the most impassioned speeches from the Senate floor on the issue. That isn’t insignificant.

Is his record perfect? No. But it’s inclusive and shows positive signs. We will hear more about his priorities and record in the months ahead. Stay tuned…

Many bloggers think the Human Rights Campaign's high-stakes strategy hints at a developing split within the gay community over McCain.

Although the Log Cabin* hasn't decided whether to endorse McCain, he's signaling he wants to be viewed as a Big Tent Republican comfortable with gay people. McCain seems intent on coming across as likable to election-deciding independents, who tend to be gay-friendly, polls show. Notice how he has been nearly silent about the upcoming gay marriages in California.

Though many people in the LGBT community claim you cannot be Republican and gay....this simply isn't true; the ideals of the political party you're part of go a lot deeper than your sexual orientation.

Gay Marriage foes divorced reality