SC attorney general makes embarrassingly bad move to stop marriage equality challenge

Wilson

You simply have to give up props to SC Attorney General Alan Wilson. He may not be on the right side of history regarding marriage equality, but he is brazen:

South Carolina's attorney general is asking a federal judge to toss out a challenge to the state's gay marriage ban.

Attorney General Alan Wilson argues in court documents filed Monday that a federal case brought by a same-sex couple in Charleston should be dismissed. He cites last week's federal appeals court decision upholding such bans in other states.

Wilson said the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that states have the right to set rules for marriage supports South Carolina's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Wilson noted the decision came in a case in which a court found no fundamental right to same-sex marriage.

The Charleston couple has asked a federal judge to rule in their favor without a trial.

There is just one problem with that. South Carolina does not fall in the jurisdiction of the Sixth District Appeals Court. The state is in the jurisdiction of the Fourth District Appeals Court. And it was that court which, earlier this year, ruled in favor of marriage equality, affirming a lower court's decision.

Last month, the Supreme Court refused to listen to challenges to that particular decision, thereby upholding the Fourth District Appeals Court's marriage equality ruling for the state's in its jurisdiction, which includes South Carolina.

The only reason why gay couples aren't getting married in the Palmetto State is because Wilson has been hemming and hawing and jumping through every hoop in an effort to keep it from happening.

It's safe to say that Wilson's attempt today affirms just how desperate he is.

Come on, Alan. Give it up and turn it loose.

'AFA angry at Kellogg's support of gay pride' & other Monday midday news briefs

So the American Family Association is angry at Kellogg for sponsoring Atlanta's Gay Pride march and festival. One would think the organization would've have been angry about the strange relationship between those three elves promoting 'Rice Krispies.' What does "snap, crackle, pop" mean anyway?

Hat tip to Jeremy Hooper

In other news:

Religious Right Aiming To Block All Obama Judicial Nominations - History repeats itself. Every time the Republicans win an election, the religious right take it as a cue to act the fool. Then they take it too far. They always do . . .

Uganda Could Pass Another Draconian Anti-Gay Law - And this one could be worse than the last monstrosity.

Two Brides Tie The Knot In Russia, Prompting Outrage - Bravery does not come from pleading victimhood status when you know you are in an insulated environment. It comes from things like this - putting yourself on the line for basic freedom.

My Lesbian Mom Died Terrified of Going to Hell - It's not right how people use religion to scare each other.

Transgender child's rap song devastates ignorance

 If you have seen this video, so what. See it again. In fact, view it every time you feel depressed, despondent, or overwhelmed by the anti-gay machine. Having the courage to stand up for yourself  knows no race, no age, and definitely no sexual orientation or gender identity.

From the Huffington Post:

Alex hasn't even left elementary school but he already has a firm grasp on his identity and what it means to be transgender. He wrote a rap about coming out to his mother and shared it on stage at Camp Aranu’tiq, a camp for transgender and gender-variant youth.

According to its website, Camp Aranu'tiq focuses on, "building confidence, resilience, and community for transgender and gender-variant youth and their families through camp experiences."

Missouri gays closer to marriage, The Advocate choose Putin' & other Friday midday news briefs

Federal Judge Rules Missouri Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional - Boom! We haven't lost the momentum in spite of yesterday's ridiculous appeals court ruling. 

You'll Never Guess Who The Advocate's Person Of The Year Is - Anti-gay Russian president Vladimir Putin. There are so many questions with this pick and deservedly so. Did The Advocate give such attention to all of the anti-lgbt persecutions efforts in Africa. And why not someone more positive. While I'm sure the magazine made the choice on what is considered as impact, I still feel a more positive choice would have been in order. Personally I see nothing wrong with Laverne Cox. Why not put Putin in a category about those who seek to harm the lgbt community? Just my opinion.

In Blistering Dissent, Appeals Court Judge Slams Colleagues Who Upheld Gay Marriage Bans - Speaking of yesterday's ridiculous appeals court ruling, the dissent deserves another read. Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey NAILS what's wrong with the ruling, i.e. the justices didn't see lgbts as people needing redress of a wrong done to them.  

Tyler's Story From The Let Love Define Family Series - A single gay father talks about adoption and his son. Awesome story.  

Dallas adds LGBT protections to city constitution in landslide vote - Sweet!!

Family Research Council's president' won't stop lying about organization's 'hate group' designation

Beltway media wrongly gives Perkins, FRC free pass to lie.

In a recent fundraising letter to followers, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins pulled out all of the stop to weasel as much money as possible. Of course he used the usual lie about how Christians' "religious liberty" was being attacked. Perkins also brought up the awful incident in which the group was targeted by a deranged gunman named Floyd Corkins. In 2012, Corkins sought to begin a mass shooting at FRC headquarters but was stopped by the security guard before anyone was seriously hurt.

The fact that Corkins was prevented from carrying out his plot was a good thing. The unfortunate thing is how FRC has continuously exploited the incident, such as in the fundraising letter when it said:

On August 15, 2012, Floyd Corkins walked into FRC’s Washington offices and opened fire. His intent was to kill as many FRC employees as he could. And he had the ammunition to murder or maim dozens. But thanks to divine intervention, and the quick actions and bravery of the unarmed Leo Johnson, who took a bullet as he subdued Mr. Corkins, no one else was hurt.

What instigated this unprovoked attack? The website of the wealthy liberal organization misnamed the Southern Poverty Law Center. You see FRC was targeted on the SPLC “hate map” for its stand against same-sex “marriage.”

Uh no.

Probably for the thousandth time on this blog, NO.

Corkins was man off of his medication who had thought about harming anti-gay groups long before SPLC called out FRC as an anti-gay hate group. And also, FRC earned the designation not because of its stand against marriage equality, but for something much more sinister and enduring.

According to SPLC's Richard Cohen right after the Corkins incident:

Contrary to what the FRC has repeatedly claimed, we do not list the FRC as a hate group because of its opposition to gay marriage or because of its religious beliefs. Instead, we list the FRC because it engages in baseless, incendiary name-calling and spreads demonizing lies about the LGBT community.

The FRC portrays gay people as sick, evil, perverted, incestuous and a danger to the nation. It insists that gay people are “fundamentally incapable” of providing good homes for children – a myth that has been rejected by all relevant scientific authorities. One of its key leaders has actually said that homosexual behavior should be criminalized.

Perhaps the FRC’s most dangerous lie is its claim that pedophilia is a “homosexual problem,” to use Perkins’ words. Here’s what the American Psychological Association says: “Despite a common myth, homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.” The APA adds, “There is no scientific support for fears about children of lesbian or gay parents being sexually abused by their parents or their parents’ gay, lesbian or bisexual friends or acquaintances.”

Linking the LGBT community to pedophilia is not an expression of a religious belief, as Perkins would have it. It’s simply a lie – and a particularly ugly one at that. Constantly portraying gay people as sick, evil, perverted, incestuous and a danger to the nation simply adds fuel to the fire.

It's one thing to be bullheaded and stubborn when it comes to beliefs, but this issue of why SPLC designated FRC to be a hate group has been covered repeatedly. Enough times to for Perkins to know that his claim is false.

In other words, Tony Perkins is lying. And he knows that he is lying every time he makes that claim.

GLAAD has compiled a list of comments by FRC president Tony Perkins and spokesperson Peter Sprigg which more than proves SPLC's points about FRC. For example:

Tony Perkins:

 Says about gay people: “They are intolerant. They are hateful. They are vile. They are spiteful"..."pawns" of the "enemy.” (See 1:30 mark.)

Claims LGBT activists are going to "start rolling out the boxcars" and carting away Christians (a reference to the Holocaust)

Claims gay parents ''provide distorted values to innocent adopted kids"

Despite what health experts have said, insists that pedophilia is “a homosexual problem.”

Peter Sprigg:

 “I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them into the United States, because we believe that homosexuality is destructive to society.” (See 0:11 mark here.) [*NOTE: A week later, Peter rolled back his statements, saying he "used language that trivialized the seriousness of the issue and did not communicate respect for the essential dignity of every human being as a person created in the image of God"]

Says he wants to see being gay punished by law: “I think that the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned the sodomy laws in this country, was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.”

Claims: “There is, for example, a single and simple solution for smoking-related illnesses, and we have all heard it—‘If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quit.’  It’s long past time for public health authorities to say the same” (about being gay)

Claims transgender men and women "are people who DENY who they really are;" says laws protecting transgender individuals "force private actors to affirm delusions"

It's relatively sad to consider that Perkins and the Family Research Council have gotten away with what they have been doing for so long. One reason may be because they are so deeply entrenched in the jaded Washington D.C. Beltway that they are given somewhat of a free pass by the media. After all, many members of that group has referred to Perkins as an evangelical or faith leader on a number of occasions, in spite of his vicious dehumanization of the lgbt community.

But every time Perkins is referred to as a "faith leader" and every time he gains access to the media without having to answer for his statements against the lgbt community is a poor indictment on not just the Washington D.C. Beltway media, but all American media in general.

To the Supreme Court we go - Sixth Circuit Appeals Court upholds marriage equality bans in four states

Looks like the issue of marriage equality may have to be finally decided by the Supreme Court thanks to an absolutely ridiculous ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

From Buzzfeed:

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld four states’ bans on same-sex couples’ marriages on Thursday, splitting with the decision of four other appellate courts and likely setting up a Supreme Court showdown on the issue.

Judge Jeffrey Sutton, writing for the 2-1 majority of the court, wrote the opinion upholding the constitutionality of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee’s bans.

“When the courts do not let the people resolve new social issues like this one, they perpetuate the idea that the heroes in these change events are judges and lawyers,” he wrote. “Better in this instance, we think, to allow change through the customary political processes, in which the people, gay and straight alike, become the heroes of their own stories by meeting each other not as adversaries in a court system but as fellow citizens seeking to resolve a new social issue in a fair-minded way.”

That statement is just plain ridiculous. What does Sutton think judges are for? If we left it up to him, segregation would have had to have been decided through African-Americans waiting on the benevolence of white voters. It is an absolute shirking of his duty.

According to Talking Points Memo, Sutton also said the following:

"[T]he right to marry in general, and the right to gay marriage in particular, nowhere appear in the Constitution. That route for recognizing a fundamental right to same-sex marriage does not exist." 

Sutton sounds like one of those types who believes that the Constitution should be interpreted as it was when it was written and not taking into account that it has to be a "living document" such a belief is impossible in terms of the multitude of changes taking place in American culture over rhe years.

The one judge who voted against upholding the bans, Martha Craig Daughtrey, called out her colleagues in what The Huffington Post called a "blistering dissent:"

The majority opinion "treats both the issues and the litigants here as mere abstractions," Daughtrey wrote.

"Instead of recognizing the plaintiffs as persons, suffering actual harm as a result of being denied the right to marry where they reside or the right to have their valid marriages recognized there, my colleagues view the plaintiffs as social activists who have somehow stumbled into federal court, inadvisably, when they should be out campaigning to win 'the hearts and minds' of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee voters to their cause," she wrote.

"But these plaintiffs are not political zealots trying to push reform on their fellow citizens; they are committed same-sex couples, many of them heading up de facto families, who want to achieve equal status ... with their married neighbors, friends, and coworkers, to be accepted as contributing members of their social and religious communities, and to be welcomed as fully legitimate parents at their children’s schools," she continued. "They seek to do this by virtue of exercising a civil right that most of us take for granted -- the right to marry."

Citing the Supreme Court ruling that struck down key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act in 2013, Daughtrey said that the majority of the federal appeals court ignored the damage to the children of same-sex couples whose unions were not recognized.

People familiar with the Supreme Court ruling in the Windsor case, Daughtrey wrote, "must have said to themselves at various points in the majority opinion, 'But what about the children?' I did, and I could not find the answer in the opinion."

She added that it was "ironic that irresponsible, unmarried, opposite-sex couples in the Sixth Circuit who produce unwanted offspring must be 'channeled' into marriage and thus rewarded with its many psychological and financial benefits, while same-sex couples who become model parents are punished for their responsible behavior by being denied the right to marry."

In concluding her dissent, Daughtrey cited the oath of office she took more than 20 years ago when she was sworn into office. She said her colleagues "seem to have fallen prey to the misguided notion that the intent of the framers of the United States Constitution can be effectuated only by cleaving to the legislative will and ignoring and demonizing an independent judiciary." She wrote that the judiciary existed to "ensure that rights, liberties, and duties need not be held hostage by popular whims."

"If we in the judiciary do not have the authority, and indeed the responsibility, to right fundamental wrongs left excused by a majority of the electorate, our whole intricate, constitutional system of checks and balances, as well as the oaths to which we swore, prove to be nothing but shams," she wrote.

To the tell the truth, this piecemeal approach was annoying. Hopefully the Supreme Court will deal with this soon.

'Marriage equality a silent winner in midterm elections' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Midterm exit polls show marriage equality's momentum, staying power - I see why the Family Research Council didn't talk about marriage equality during their gleefest about the midterms. Turns out marriage equality was a big, but quiet, winner. 

State Judge Overturns Missouri’s Ban On Same-Sex Marriage - By the way, THIS happened. The march goes on. 

 How Did Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual People Vote? - That's a good question. I'm scared to find out the answer but it is still a good question. 

 Laverne Cox Named A Woman Of The Year By Glamour Magazine - Congratulations Laverne Cox!

Family Research Council 'forgets' to mention marriage equality in election night bragging fest

The end result of the 'religious freedom argument'

Just as I figured, the Family Research Council is crowing like a crowd of roosters because of Republican election night wave:

Via an email from FRCAction:

President Obama has bailed out a lot of things in six years -- but last night, the Democratic Party wasn't one of them.

By night's end, his policy failures accounted for one of the largest Republican waves to hit Capitol Hill since World War II, as the GOP won back control of Congress. With a 12-seat cushion in the House and seven-plus gains in the Senate, conservatives sent more Democrats packing than the city has moving vans.

The message from an angry electorate was clear: the experiment in lawlessness has gone on long enough. And while Republicans were the beneficiaries of the country's outrage, Tuesday's victories were not so much an endorsement of the GOP as they were a repudiation of Senator Harry Reid's (D-Nev.).

Angry voters used Republicans to remind the White House that the President and his party can bypass Congress. They can even ignore the Constitution. But as long as democracy exists, they cannot silence the people. With a 52-45 edge in the Senate and a comfortable double-digit majority in the House, a new political dynamic is already taking shape. This morning, voters woke up to even more surprises, as Democrats continued to fall like dominos in liberal strongholds like Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

It goes on like this, except for in one unexpected place. There is nary a mention about marriage equality. There is an offhand comment about the recent 'I Stand Sunday' event but even then there is no mention of marriage equality or the argument about "religious liberty:"

 For all the talk that the evangelical movement is dead or irrelevant, last night's results should put those rumors to rest. Thanks to the momentum from I Stand Sunday, Star Spangled Sunday, and unprecedented church engagement, 26% of the voters in yesterday's midterms were evangelicals (1% higher than their turnout in 2010). A whopping 78% of them broke for the GOP. And that's just the tip of the evangelical iceberg. Experts believe there's plenty of untapped potential in the pews, especially if a third of possible evangelical voters stayed home. Imagine the growth possibilities for the GOP if it did more to mobilize its social conservative religious base! Meanwhile, the non-churchgoing vote fell heavily Democratic -- a reminder of how important the evangelical movement is to the Republicans' success. Once again, the youth vote was an unreliable one for either party, with a 12% turnout for 18 to 29-year-olds (a seven-point drop from 2012).

It's fascinating that an organization so invested in exploiting people's inaccurate fear and religious opposition to marriage equality would go out its way to exclude mentioning it on its post election night gleefest.

Could it be that FRC recognizes that marriage equality was not a large factor the Republican victories? Could it be that the organization is tacitly scaling back its vocal commitment against marriage equality because it recognizes it can't stop the progressive onslaught of  the issue?

Naw.  FRC is planning something and I bet that it will be huge.

In the meantime, let's do what we can to make the above picture the true face of the "religious liberty,"  "religious freedom" argument.

Photo taken from BradPritch on Instagram via Goodasyou.org

Anti-gay talking head who wants to 'recriminalize homosexuality' elected to Michigan legislature

I hate to be the bearer of such news but Gordon Klingenschmitt wasn't the only insane anti-gay spokesperson to win a seat in a statewide legislature:



This is Gary Glenn. He was former head of the Michigan chapter of the American Family Association. He is now a Michigan state legislator. The above video of him telling Christians to ignore court rulings supporting marriage equality should give you an idea where he stands.

And according to Right Wing Watch:

Glenn has denounced efforts to curb anti-LGBT bullying in schools as a “Trojan Horse” plot by “homosexual activists” who want to “segregate students” and suggested that schools ban clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance for “promoting behavior that [is] self-destructive and harmful to young people.” Instead, Glenn thinks that if schools “truly cared about young people who are ensnared by deviant behavior, they would tell them the truth that homosexuality is harmful and to be avoided.” In previous election cycles, Glenn has attempted to defeat gay Michigan candidates. In a robocall against one gay candidate, he used the word “homosexual” no less than ten times.

 But the main you should know about Glenn is this:

Glenn . . . wants to recriminalize homosexuality, which he says is “a proven threat to public health and safety . . ."

It was that lovely wish which led Glenn and I to clash on my blog in 2010 over not only his belief that homosexuality should be recriminalized,  but his opinion of the so-called "homosexual lifestyle."

 I whipped his ass using information which I later put in my book, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right on Gay America  which you can download from here - (howtheyseeus.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/howthey-see-us-with-index2.pdf )  or  here (https://www.scribd.com/doc/119413856/HowThey-See-Us) - hint! hint! about our potential method of attack when these folks start spilling their lies.

To put it nicely, if I had whipped Glenn any worse with regards to his errors he tried to pass off as truth, he would have volunteered to go out on the street at night to "make me some money."

Generally speaking though, Glenn's and Klingenschmitt's election to their state legislatures promises some interesting times for the lgbt community. Interesting and successful times to demonstrate the need for  lgbt equality if we play it right.

So swallow your shock and anger and get ready for the game.

'Zany anti-gay activist now state legislator' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

If you ask me, a bunch of huge planes flew over America yesterday and sprayed the entire country with poppies and opium. You want proof of that? This guy is now a Colorado state legislator:

Meet 'Dr. Chaps' Gordon Klingenschmitt: Colorado's New Anti-Gay, Demon Hunting State Legislator - Hey, don't get discouraged. Give anti-gay figures room to talk. They always make the case for lgbt equality.

 In other news:

The 2014 midterms - Thank you Jeremy Hooper (the Tully Blanchard to my Arn Anderson. Yes, I am putting the "band" back together ) for your concise and excellent look at last night's . . . thing.  

Maura Healey Becomes First Openly Gay Attorney General In The Country - Oh yeah, this happened. 

 Brittney Griner attacked in China - And unfortunately this. 

 What does Republican Senate takeover mean for LGBT issues? - Lastly, take a breath, brothers and sisters. A setback doesn't mean a loss and when you look at it, last night was not necessarily a setback, although it can set the stage for a potential setback. But that can be averted.

Lgbts shouldn't pull back our demand for equality because of mid-term election results

It's over, done and through like a root canal or a colonoscopy. Amid all of the blaming, finger pointing, weeping, and grinding of teeth, let me remind folks of something:

Yesterday, a judge ruled for marriage equality in Kansas and in South Carolina, it looks like marriage equality will be coming any day now as a federal judge is poised to rule in our favor.

Progress in the arena of marriage equality continues to march forward. Although with this new Republican Senate coupled with the Republican House, I suspect that there will be new roadblocks put in the way via an attempt to push an anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment or pushing an extreme idea of  "religious exemptions" as a bill.

Whatever the case may be, the question I asked yesterday still stands. What is the lgbt community prepared to do? We have the momentum and at least partly knowledgeable of the roadblocks that will try to be put in our way. Sometimes greatness, survival, and immortality comes from how one handles adversity.

Are we going to cower in the corner waiting for the boogieman to come in our house and attack us or are we going to defend what we earned while at the same time planning to get more?

You know where I stand. At the front door with my hair rolled up, one hand on my hip, and the other holding a huge rolling pin.

Bring it on.

Editor's note -  I have a real feeling that the lgbt community will be needing this in the next two years. I say start now. If you are faced with an army who you know will attack, go after them first . For those who want to skip the site and go straight to the booklet, GO HERE:

howtheyseeus.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/howthey-see-us-with-index2.pdf

Get off of your butts and vote

Okay, it's election day, folks and if the prognosticators are to be believed, the Republicans will take over the Senate. With them already the majority in the House, that could spell for bad times ahead for President Obama and the lgbt community.

IF (which is the greatest Laconian answer of all time - look it up) the prognosticators are to be believed.

To tell the truth, though, whatever happens doesn't scare me. I've seen it before. If the Republicans succeed, one can count on various parties overdoing the analysis thing - the religious right will be bragging, Fox News will be lying, and almost everyone will falsely wonder is this the end of the Democratic Party and President Obama's agenda.

If Republicans don't succeed, then I look forward to enjoying many youtube videos of Republicans raging about "voter fraud" or crying over the "future of the country."

Then less than a year from now, something will happen which will cause everything said today to shift to the other direction.

The main thing to remember is your vote is powerful and very symbolic of the fact that in spite of the insanity and craziness today will launch, you are a citizen of this country and you matter.

Also, regardless of what happens, the lgbt community should never get discouraged. With all due respect, if Republicans do get what they want even after you voted, I am not the best person to come crying to. I don't want to hear it. That's not to be completely harsh, but I just want folks to be reminded that what we are achieving isn't supposed to be easy.

No matter who is in office, lgbt equality will not be handed to us. We are going to fight for every inch, every law in every state, and for the lives of every young lgbt who could either change the world for the better or be discouraged from all of the anti-lgbt negativity. Their choice is up to what we do and what attitude we take.

If things don't go how we want it today, then look to it as a setback but not an ending. If you must weep and cry, do it to get it over with and then come out swinging.

One thing that doesn't change regardless of today is that lgbts are on the road to equality (and not just with marriage equality) and once you are on that road, you can't be stopped from reaching your destination. Sure, there are some who can delay but every delay doesn't last that long.

Wait, I was wrong. If you are on the road to equality, you can be stopped from reaching your destination. But the only person who can do the stopping is you, if you choose to give in to discouragement and such.

The question today is what it has always been for the lgbt community. What are you prepared to do? Give in or keep moving forward?

'I Stand Sunday' event was fraudulent misdirection

'I Stand Sunday' was actually an event defending election fraud

The sponsors of last night's 'I Stand Sunday' would have you to believe that the event was simply about defending their freedom of religion against encroachment by an city government.

However, thanks to Carlos Maza of Equality Matters, who analyzed the event, we now know that there was something else going on. According to him, the sponsors and speakers of this "Christian" event was attempting to defend and force through election fraud:

Texas conservatives failed to submit enough valid signatures to put Houston's city-wide non-discrimination ordinance up for a public vote in November. Now those conservatives, led by Fox News, are pressuring the city to accept signatures determined to be improperly collected or otherwise irregular in order to "let the people vote" to repeal the measure.

In August, opponents of Houston's recently enacted Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) reportedly submitted more than the seventeen thousand signatures needed to qualify put the measure on the November ballot. However, upon review of the petition under the City Charter, City Attorney David Feldman determined that thousands of the signatures failed to meet the legal requirements set by local and state law for a voter referendum

 . . .  On November 2, thousands of conservatives met in Houston at the "I Stand Sunday" rally to demand that the city government allow for a public vote on the ordinance, despite the failure of the repeal petition. The event, which was hosted by the anti-gay hate group Family Research Council (FRC), was widely promoted by Fox News and featured speeches from Fox's Todd Starnes and Mike Huckabee.

At the rally, speakers demanded that the city of Houston "let the people vote" on the ordinance, accusing openly gay Mayor Annise Parker of violating the religious liberty of HERO's opponents by refusing to count their improperly collected signatures.

And just how improperly colllected were those signatures? Maza goes into great detail:

The city of Houston declared the signatures in question invalid after several weeks of reviewing the thousands of signatures submitted. City Secretary Anna Russell's published a thorough report on the petition effort, finding that over half of the submitted signatures failed to meet the City Charter's requirements to be considered valid. Pages of signatures were disqualified for being improperly notarized, including signatures collected before the allotted start date, and including unregistered and non-Houston area voters.

 . . .   A public policy analyst helping lead an independent review of the signatures called them a "mess," adding "they are the worst petitions I've ever seen."

In audio captured by TransAdvocate's Cristan Williams, one petition circulator was found illegally gathering signatures on government property and knowingly accepting a signature from an unregistered vote.

So that was the gist of last night. In spite of all of the posturing and great speeches about America's "Christian heritage" and "standing up to persecution," the entire thing was just a puppet show, a performance of histrionics put on by a crowd of ecclesiastical liars for the benefit of a bunch of willfully gullible folks who cling so hard to their Bibles that they refuse to recognize that they are being taken for a bad ride which will only end in an upsetting crash.

Go here for more details, including video of the 'I Stand Sunday' event.

'Top 5 lies told about lgbt non-discrimination laws' & other Monday midday news briefs

A sad lesson to carry away from the 'I Stand Sunday' event:

.@memeographs @BettyBowers Sadly not the first time people have used their kids like this. #IStandSunday pic.twitter.com/QaySY9wjqG
— Matt Algren (@MattAlgren) November 3, 2014

The Top Five Myths About LGBT Non-Discrimination Laws Debunked - This an old piece by Equality Matters but after last night's religious hot mess, it bears repeating and as well as another reading. 

Phil Robertson Helpfully Announces That He Won't 'Take A Leak' In The Women's Restroom - Speaking of which, this idiot's appearance at the event last night made it nightmarishly surreal. I mean we are talking "Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair" surreal. 

Kyrgyzstan's 'Homosexual Propaganda' Law Proposal Sparks Gay Community Fears - Oh good grief! Another country?! 

 Transgender man says police threatened genital search during traffic stop - There is NO excuse for this type of humiliation.

  'We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To Homosexuals' - Let's talk more about that lovely t-shirt from the above tweet. In fact, let's make people REMEMBER that t-shirt from the above tweet.

Lgbt activists, allies add a bunch of truth to 'I Stand Sunday' event

T-shirt worn by 'I Stand Sunday' supporter. It says "WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO HOMOSEXUALS"

Anti-gay groups led by the Family Research Council held their "I Stand Sunday" event in Houston last night and, as predicted, it was a drag.

Earlier this year, the city of Houston passed an equal right ordinance which included lgbts. Opponents quickly labeled it a "bathroom bill," playing up to fear and ignorance about the transgender community. They also attempted to get enough signatures to force a referendum. However they failed due to many signatures being thrown out because of illegal irregularities.

They then sued the city and in the process of preparing for this lawsuit, the city's lawyers subpoenaed the sermons of pastors who was involved in the petition gathering process.

And that's when the fun began.

 Led by Fox News personality Todd Starnes (who has a history of creating false religious panics), anti-gay groups and their allies blew the situation up into a nationwide freak out, accusing Houston and its mayor, openly gay Annise Parker of attempting to silence or scare Christians, especially pastors.

Mayor Parker said she thought the subpoenas overreached and rescinded them. However, that didn't quell the controversy because once anti-gay groups get a moral panic going, they tend to milk it for all its worth.

The 'I Stand Sunday' event, led by the Family Research Council, included speakers such as Fox News personalities Mike Huckabee and Todd Starnes, reality tv star Phil Robertson from "Duck Dynasty, and a video message from Texas Senator Ted Cruz

However, the message of the event was confusing. One moment speakers were talking about how the so-called religious liberty of Christians were being threatened and in an instant, they would shift to demanding that Houston put the equal rights ordinance to a vote even though they had not legally gathered enough signatures.

All and all, it was a confusing hodge podge of general jingoistic nonsense about America's founding fathers, our so-called Christian heritage, with a few Bible verses and customary red meat speeches thrown in.

To be honest, how lgbts and our allies highjacking the twitter feed of this event was the only true exciting thing to happen. A day before the event, activist Scott Wooledge of Memeographs and several others (disclosure - myself included) used the #IStandSunday hashtag to put out the facts about the Houston controversy as well as a few other facts about the speakers.  Soon, a large scale offensive took place on the #IStandSunday hashtag which ended up probably more interesting than the event itself. Other tweets also included were photos of same-sex couples and their children and pictures from other events held in Houston whose messages served to combat the negativity of the 'I Stand Sunday' event.

The following were some of the tweets:

#IStandSunday for #SundayService #SpreadLove pic.twitter.com/wPhpSsCIJF
— Fran Watson (@franjwatson) November 2, 2014

#IStandSunday pic.twitter.com/v4j86y3VhR
— Liberty (@LibertyS999) November 2, 2014

Anti-Gay Group's #iStandSunday Hashtag Backfires, Becomes Pro-LGBT Campaign On Twitter - http://t.co/E1IxaZyV01
— STOP-Homophobia.com (@WipeHomophobia) November 3, 2014

Every speaker at #IStandSunday warns that their First Amendment rights are being violated. Doesn't this event prove exactly the opposite?
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) November 3, 2014

Religion is not a blank check for discrimination. We Stand For Love #IStandSunday pic.twitter.com/R9CteQXz5h
— GetEQUAL Texas (@getequal_tx) November 2, 2014

#IStandSunday Speakers don't speak for ordinary Christians; Collective rhetoric is frighteningly extremist. #LGBT http://t.co/CX4apJmjKP
— Scott Wooledge (@Clarknt67) November 2, 2014

#IStandSunday because true Christians don't bear false witness against their lgbt neighbor pic.twitter.com/WW0mCM1ZIc
— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) November 2, 2014

'What folks need to remember about the anti-gay right' & other Friday midday news briefs

Three Days In Nashville Talking To Southern Baptists About Homosexuality - Zack Ford is a better man than me. I understand that these conversations have to take place but geez! 

What most people aren't getting about the fake non-troversies of the anti-gay right - Jeremy Hooper NAILS a point which has constantly been driving me crazy for years (and that is not an exaggeration). We are going to HAVE TO DO BETTER than simply calling the anti-gay right bigots and making jokes about how they are secretly gay. It's like tossing tennis balls at tanks because we are talking about people and groups with intricate, long-term goals to mess us over.

Idaho Governor Vows To Keep Fighting Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Same-Sex Marriage - Hell, Butch (that is his real name), if you want to waste money, you could always cut me a big check.

Tony Perkins: Gay Rights Part Of Population Control Agenda - I just can't with this man . . .

Anti-gay activist Peter LaBarbera becomes victim to his double standard

LaBarbera

By now, no doubt, you all are aware that anti-gay activist Peter LaBarbera has been detained again in Canada. Earlier this year, he was detained, released, and then arrested for distributing anti-gay and anti- abortion material at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan and not leaving when asked to by campus security.

LaBarebera was returning to Canada for the trial based upon the above incident. This time when he was detained, his computer, laptop, and other materials were searched thoroughly. According to LaBarbera, Calgary Border Service agents confiscated a DVD of a Russian anti-gay documentary entitled Sodom on the grounds that it could be hate propaganda, which is in violation of Canadian law.

Naturally, LaBarbera is milking the incident. In a press release, he raged about the supposed lack of free speech in Canada:

In Canada and across the Western world, laws based on homosexuality-based ‘rights’ have ushered in tyranny against people of faith who affirm historic, Judeo-Christian morality and man-woman marriage. It is outrageous for a major public university to ban opposition speech on this issue in the name of ‘protecting’ students—who should be allowed to hear ALL sides of this, or any, debate. “Today we will see if Canada upholds its professed Charter commitment to free speech and religious freedom. But this much is clear: the Western world’s war against faith and biblical morals in the name of homosexuality and gender confusion (transgenderism) is not a model that many nations across the world want to follow.”

Poor Peter.  I would feel sorry for him, except for a couple of things. One - he pushes some of the most vicious anti-gay lies. Two - he is a hypocrite.

LaBarbera feels that Canada shouldn't have the autonomy to decide its own laws when it comes to free speech. However, he also feels that countries such as Uganda and Jamaica should have the autonomy to persecute lgbts.  In June of this year, he defended these countries and actually spoke against the United States' attempt to stand against anti-lgbt persecution.

According to Right Wing Watch:

VCY America’s flagship radio show “Crosstalk,” Peter LaBarbera expressed outrage over Joe Biden’s recent remarks in support of LGBT rights, accusing the vice president of “neo-imperialism.” LaBarbera, the head of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, defended draconian anti-gay laws in Uganda and Jamaica: “The American government has embraced a neo-imperialism where we arrogantly override the beliefs of countries like Jamaica and Uganda and other countries with the idea that we, America, know what’s best for the world.” 

I'm sure that if he is ever questioned on his lack of consistency with regards to foreign laws, LaBarbera will think up a good excuse to explain away his double standard. In his mind, at least.

But the bottom line is all about that old adage of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

If LaBarbera is all about defending the autonomy of foreign countries to persecute their own gay citizens, then he should show that same support of foreign countries deciding their own laws regarding free speech. Even if the latter demands that he is to be punished for violation of those laws.

Fox News is the propaganda arm of anti-gay right in Houston controversy

Todd Starnes began the lies about Houston subpoenas

I made a prediction a while back about Fox News becoming the network where anti-gay spokespeople can repeat their lies without courtesy of correction. However, based upon the recent pseudo controversy involving subpoenas in Houston, the situation is worse than I could ever imagine. Several personalities on the network are exploiting their roles as news figures to become part of the story by not being accurate and then directing audience members to courses of action.

According to Carlos Maza at  Media Matters:

Fox News helped turn a bogus story about subpoenas sent to a handful of Houston pastors into a national rallying cry for religious liberty. Now the network is helping promote an event that will pit some of the country's most extreme anti-LGBT voices against the city's nondiscrimination ordinance.

In May, the city of Houston made history by enacting the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), a measure that prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and several other categories. The ordinance was championed by the city's first openly gay mayor, Democrat Annise Parker.

Opponents of HERO -- led by the Houston Area Pastor Council -- responded by launching an effort to put a repeal of the ordinance on the ballot in November. Their campaign peddled the myth that HERO would allow men and sexual predators to enter women's restrooms -- a myth that was widely circulated by local media. Though opponents submitted the required number of signatures to put the repeal on the ballot, City Attorney Dave Feldman determined that many of the signatures were collected improperly, and the city announced that not enough valid signatures had been collected.

Opponents quickly filed a lawsuit to have the signatures reviewed, prompting the city to respond by issuing subpoenas to five local pastors for a broad range of documents -- including sermons and personal communications -- related to their opposition to HERO.

On October 14, Fox News reporter and serial misinformer Todd Starnes broke the news of the subpoenas, misleadingly characterizing them as an "attempt to deconstruct religious liberty" and describing HERO as a "bathroom bill." Starnes' report relied heavily on spin from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the extreme right-wing legal group representing the pastors in their effort to quash the subpoenas. ADF attorney Christina Holcomb called the subpoenas "an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of [the city's] actions."

Before long, Starnes' report made the jump to Fox News' airwaves. On October 15, Starnes appeared on The Kelly File to discuss the story, describing HERO as a measure that would let "men who identify as women" to use women's restrooms.

 Starnes' appearance was followed by a barrage of misleading segments about the story, all of which depicted the subpoenas as an attack on religious liberty. Multiple Fox personalities incorrectly described the subpoenas as part of the enforcement of HERO, suggesting that the ordinance might criminalize anti-gay speech. Others repeated Starnes' lie that HERO would allow men to use women's restrooms. By the end of the week, in just three days of coverage, Fox had spent nearly thirty minutes of airtime peddling its Houston horror story

Fox's panicked coverage was grossly misleading and left out crucial details about the anti-HERO lawsuit. But it worked perfectly as a right-wing horror story about Christians being victimized by a city's attempt to protect LGBT people.

Soon, Houston had become -- as one Fox anchor put it -- "ground zero for religious liberty." Conservative media outlets quickly regurgitated the victimization spin from Starnes and ADF. Conservative groups -- led by the notorious anti-gay hate group the Family Research Council (FRC) -- began organizing "I Stand Sunday," a November 2 rally in Houston to support the pastors who had been "unduly intimidated by the city's Mayor."

In a press conference on October 15, Parker clarified that she had not seen the subpoenas before they were filed, explaining that they were drafted by outside counsel. She also agreed that the language of the subpoenas -- which asked for any materials relating to the pastors' teaching on homosexuality and gender identity -- was overly broad. Days later, the city narrowed the scope of the subpoenas to only materials directly related to the anti-HERO effort.

Huckabee exploited the lie to raise his profile.

But it was too late to stop the tidal wave of conservative outrage birthed by Fox's misleading coverage. Starnes immediately decried the amended subpoenas. During the October 20 edition of his Fox News program, long-time HERO opponent Mike Huckabee urged his audience to bombard Parker's office with Bibles and copies of sermons. The address for Parker's office was displayed on screen, and hundreds of his supporters obeyed his request.

  . . . Later that afternoon, Parker announced that the city had withdrawn its subpoenas of the five pastors. At a press conference, Parker explained that she wanted to avoid having a "national debate about freedom of religion"

 . . .  The move hasn't appeased HERO's Fox News critics. In a report on the subpoenas' withdrawal, Starnes urged his readers to still attend the "I Stand Sunday" rally and advocated for a public vote to repeal the ordinance. During the October 30 edition of Fox & Friends, Huckabee took credit for Parker's reversal and once again took aim at HERO -- which co-host Anna Kooiman described as allowing "40-year-old men to share restrooms with a fourth-grade girl"

You can go to the Media Matters site to read the rest of the story as well as see video footage. But the main thing is that the lgbt community should be forewarned. Fox News did not present this story as a debate between two sides. This was a full-fledged campaign of lies and deceptions buoyed by folks who don't have a problem with lying in God's name and helped by their employer - a network with no accountability or ethics.

If they can raise this much hell and tell these many lies involving this situation, just imagine what Huckabee, Starnes, and the rest can do in any other lgbt equality fight.

We got an enemy in Fox News and the lgbt community had better not take it lightly.

'Poll - Most Americans oppose religious exemptions in hiring practices ' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Most Americans Say Employers Should Never Discriminate, Even on Religious Grounds, According to Latest Harris/Out & Equal Poll - How long will it be before the religious right whine about a "skewed survey?" Or maybe they will just ignore it. Let's not let them ignore it. 
 
 Apple CEO Tim Cook comes out: “I’m proud to be gay” - By the way, THIS happened.  

Russian Official Says Apple CEO Should Be Banned From Russia After Saying He Is Gay - And Russia is ever so pissed about it. 
 

Turek: States Should Defend The Institution Of Marriage Just Like The South Defended Slavery - Why not? Slavery is now seen as a hideous blight in American history. And hopefully soon, marriage discrimination will follow that path. 
 
Woman's Day Magazine Features Groundbreaking Article About Transgender Family - Niiiice!!!!

 It's About Time Someone Other Than Straight White Males Got To Be Superheroes - Ya damn skippy!

Gay marriage will soon lead to adult-child marriage?

You want to know one of the reasons why the anti-gay right is losing the battle over marriage equality. They can't formulate new arguments. It's the same crap over and over again. This time its Julaine Appling of Wisconsin Family Action on Voice of Christian Youth America’s “In Focus” talk show with host Jim Schneider. Imagine saying this junk in a courtroom:

 Editor's note - this post initially has the wrong video spotlighted. It has been corrected.