Public officials to Ohio judge - DO THE JOB YOU ARE BEING PAID TO DO!

McConnell

Kudos to Equality Toledo for this. It is called striking back at those who would deny the lgbt community our constitutional rights:

Nearly 30 public officials signed a petition, released today, calling on Toledo Municipal Court Judge. C. Allen McConnell to “fulfill the duty of his elected position” after he refused to marry a same-sex couple last week.

The signatures, collected by Equality Toledo, include several Toledo City Council members, all three Lucas County Commissioners, and former Mayor Mike Bell. Equality Toledo plans to post the petition on social media.

“We are disappointed that Judge Allen McConnell has refused to fulfill the duty of his elected position,” the statement reads in part. “If he does not agree with the laws of the United States of America, he is free to work to change them — either as a citizen or as a member of a legislative body. But as judge, he has absolutely no discretion — he must apply and follow the law, including the ones with which he does not agree.”

 . . .  Judge McConnell refused to marry a same-sex couple July 6 when the two came to his duties court. He released a statement the next day saying his “personal and Christian beliefs” prevented him from performing the marriage. The Toledo women were married by Toledo Municipal Court Judge William Connelly, Jr. later that afternoon. 

The irony of the entire situation is that the Family Research Council added in its two cents before the petition, exploiting the fact that the judge is an African-American as if to imply racism on behalf of those wanting McConnell to do his job:

 The African American judge, who says the civil rights struggle is what "inspired his career," explained, "On Monday, July 6, I declined to marry a non-traditional couple during my duties assignment. The declination was based upon my personal and Christian beliefs established over many years. I apologize to the couple for the delay they experienced and wish them the best." As Alliance Defending Freedom pointed out, "The ability of the couple to find someone to solemnize their ceremony in 45 minutes illustrates that there is no substantial government interest in forcing this judge to violate his sincerely held beliefs." Yet, liberal activists -- the same ones who insisted the country could find common ground between marriage and religious liberty -- will accept nothing less than complete capitulation on faith. If that means trampling a man's sincerely-held beliefs, so be it.

Whatever. Since when does the Family Research Council actually give a #@^!# about issues affecting the African-American community?  Just like Mike Huckabee, FRC only supposedly plays "defense" for black people when they want to pit them against the lgbt community.

'Anti-gay groups still planning, hubris knocks out the Duggar family' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Hubris smacks down the Duggar family.

Inside The Conservative Plan To Continue The Fight Against LGBT Equality - If you even THINK that the anti-gay right will give up simply because we won the right to marry, you are living on another planet. Kudos to Carlos Maza for this report and pay special attention to this part:

 In a presentation titled "Dealing With Media," conservative author and right-wing activist Jason Mattera suggested that the key to winning public opinion was to invert the dominant media narrative about LGBT equality by decrying LGBT activists as intolerant bullies while painting religious conservatives as the real victims in the culture war. Leftists are "the most intolerant, bigoted people on the planet. And that is, they want Christianity purged from the public square," Mattera declared. He urged his audience to portray the fight for LGBT equality as intolerant when talking to reporters or appearing on TV: "Why do they hate diversity? Why do they hate tolerance? I'm for a multiplicity of viewpoints. Isn't that what America is about? Why does that person want to compel me to do something I don't want? What is it about fascism that appeals to them?" That "flip the script" tactic -- essentially calling LGBT activists bullies -- has been widely successful in influencing conservative media coverage of the fight for LGBT equality in recent years. Stories about anti-gay bakers and florists who are fined for refusing service to gay customers have helped motivate the recent wave of "religious freedom" laws and gin up opposition to non-discrimination efforts that protect LGBT people. 

TLC officially cancels ’19 Kids and Counting’ after Josh Duggar admits to molesting girls as a teen - Everyone KNEW this would be the end result. The Greeks had a word this entire scandal - hubris.

The Past Repeats: Christian Right Turns to Nullification to Counter Marriage Equality - IF the anti-gay right attempts this, they are going to be marching straight down the road to self-destruction. But the question is how much havoc will they cause before the end comes.  

How Obamacare Is Helping Protect Trans People’s Right To Health Care - Wonderful news part 1.

 Judge rules Utah should put 2 moms on baby's birth certificate - Wonderful news part 2  

How Scott Walker's Gay-Bashing Blew Up in His Face - Take a big ole bite, Scotty.

Caitlyn Jenner steals the show at the ESPYs with eloquence and courage

If you missed Caitlyn Jenner receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs last night, you missed an awesome moment. It was wonderful how she used her moment to talk about the problems the transgender community faces, particularly the plight of transgender children.