Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Two Videos about the Prop 8 Trial

So this post will be short, but it includes a couple of videos that you should all watch if you don't like to read all the stuff I've posted on Prop 8 in the past.

The first one is the entire history of Prop 8 in less than 5 minutes from Matt Baume. I'd give you a link to his site, but unfortunately I don't have one.



The second one is from Rob Tisinai and explains why you should fight against marriage equality.



Both videos are pretty great.

-Andy

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Dare We Hope?

So today Alex accepted a job at a company that has agreed to sponsor him for a work permit. I can not tell you what a load is starting to lift with this news! This will give us 6 more years to try to find a way to get him the ability to stay here permanently, and with any luck, we'll be able to make it happen.

In the mean time, tomorrow Alex will start working with the company's attorney on getting the H1-B paperwork filled out and sent in. Right now, according to the USCIS database, it looks like if he gets his application in it will fall under the cap, which is even better news. We still do have some time left where we'll have to wait and see whether the visa is approved, and there will be some anxiety about whether they will actually give him the visa when he shows up at the embassy in his home country, but it appears we may be almost ready to start really planning for what our future will look like.

We still have some waiting to do before we'll know if this is going to be the temporary solution we've been hoping for, but I know I already feel less stressed. I'll let you all know once we have final word on the visa situation!

-Andy

Why the Republican Party Will Never Get My Vote

The Texas Republican Platform was recently updated and released. It lays out the GOP's plan for the future of Texas.

There are serious problems with it. Problems that are so large that it is impossible for me to even consider any Republican for any vote. I've had things to say about Republicans in the past, mainly based on their actions, but their platform goes so far in attempting to codify absolute hatred and disdain for gay people that I can not in good conscience put a check next to the name of any Republican in any race, even dog catcher.

I've never been a Democrat, and I don't think I ever will consider myself a Democrat, but when given a choice between the two, there is really no choice at all for me.

Anyway, let's go through the relevant sections bit by bit.

It starts off well:

1. Strict adherence to the Declaration of Independence and U.S. and Texas Constitutions.
2. Preserving American Freedom and Texas Sovereignty.


Those are laudable goals.

They are the top 2 stated priorities of the Texas GOP.

Yet, this section (Strengthening Families, Protecting Life and Promoting Health), this abomination, flies in the face of both of those ideals. The Texas GOP is ate up with the inability to mind its own business and allow Americans to be free to live their lives. Specifically:

CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

Family and Defense of Marriage – We support the definition of marriage as a God–ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a natural man and a natural woman, which is the foundational unit of a healthy society, and we oppose the assault on marriage by judicial activists. We call on the President and Congress to take immediate action to defend the sanctity of marriage. We are resolute that Congress exercise authority under the United States Constitution, and pass legislation withholding jurisdiction from the Federal Courts in cases involving family law, especially any changes in the definition of marriage. We further call on Congress to pass and the state legislatures to ratify a marriage amendment declaring that marriage in the United States shall consist of and be recognized only as the union of a natural man and a natural woman. Neither the United States nor any state shall recognize or grant to any unmarried person the legal rights or status of a spouse. We oppose the recognition of and granting of benefits to people who represent themselves as domestic partners without being legally married. We advocate the repeal of laws that place an unfair tax burden on families. We call upon Congress to completely remove the marriage penalty in the tax code, whereby a married couple receives a smaller standard deduction than their unmarried counterparts living together. The primary family unit consists of those related by blood, heterosexual marriage, or adoption. The family is responsible for its own welfare, education, moral training, conduct, and property.


This on its own is expected, and I'm not going to give them too much shit for that. Its a dumb policy, but its not anything you wouldn't expect. They are telling companies that they shouldn't be allowed to recruit gay people by offering domestic partner benefits, even if that company has decided, in its freedom to do so, that this is a good recruiting tool for talented workers.

Family Values – We affirm that this section is a response to the attacks on traditional family values. These include wellfunded, vigorous political and judicial attempts by powerful organizations and branches of the government to force acceptance, affirmation and normalization of homosexual behavior upon school children, parents, educational institutions, businesses, employees, government bodies and religious institutions and charities. These aggressive, intolerant efforts marginalize as bigots anyone who dissents.


So get this, gay people want to be treated equally under the law, and this is agressive and intolerant behavior on the part of the gays. It is not agressive and intolerant behavior to say that gay people don't deserve to have a family, that gay people shouldn't be allowed to provide health benefits for their partners, that gay people shouldn't be allowed to even have relationships, that gay people should be thrown in jail if they ever have an intimate moment. Oh wait, you haven't read far enough to see that bit yet.

Marriage and Divorce – We believe in the sanctity of marriage and that the integrity of this institution should be protected at all levels of government. We urge the Legislature to rescind no–fault divorce laws. We support Covenant Marriage.


Hmm, at least they are consistent. You straight people prepared for divorce costs to skyrocket?

Marriage Licenses – We support legislation that would make it a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and for any civil official to perform a marriage ceremony for such.


Awesome. So not only am I not worthy to get married, but anyone who would agree to issue me a marriage license or even is willing to preside over a service in which I am married, even ceremonially with no force of law, should head for the slammer. It's all about Freedom!!!!

Homosexuality – We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle in our public education and policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, refuse to recognize, or grant special privileges including, but not limited to: marriage between persons of the same sex (regardless of state of origin), custody of children by homosexuals, homosexual partner insurance or retirement benefits. We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.


Yup, this is to be expected. I like the scare quotes. It really is just pathetic that they can't allow people to be in love unless that love fits into very specific categories. More freedom loving right there.

Texas Sodomy Statutes – We oppose the legalization of sodomy. We demand that Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S. Constitution to withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy.


Oh wait, they want to lock me up if I ever have sex with my boyfriend. Never mind health benefits or marriage, they think I should go ahead and go to jail just for being in love and expressing it in a way that they don't approve of. What happened to item #2 in their list of ideals?

Pornography – We urge our governmental bodies to enforce laws regarding all forms of pornography. We urge more stringent legislation to prohibit all pornography including virtual pornography and operation of sexually–oriented businesses. We oppose the sale of “Not Rated” (NR) movies and video games to minors.


Now back to the straight guys too. You ready for a severe restriction on your ability to look at boobies and vagine? If they get their way, get ready for that struggle.

This is not the platform of a freedom loving party.

Democrats have their own major major problems, but the GOP is doing its dead level best to push me into the category of buying into the saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I am dangerously close to voting straight ticket for Democrats because I am more and more concerned about my ability to live as a free American with Republicans in charge, especially the strain of Republican who has gained so much prominence over the past few years.

If you are a Republican, think about this. You are supporting this. Please get your party under control on these issues. Make them realize that a small government leaves people alone, not just to make money, but to make private decisions about their personal lives. Make them understand that a whole bunch of gays would naturally be more inclined to be Republican because of tax policy and small government ideals if the rest of the platform wasn't so openly hostile to gays. Let them know that libertarian minded gays are more and more going to vote Democrat, whether they like it or not, because throwing their vote away on 3rd parties is getting to be too risky. They are chasing voters away with this language, and it is going to continue to cause bigger and bigger problems for them as more and more older people die off.

And for my Republican friends and family, remember that this is the party you are voting for. Yes, you may get to keep a few extra bucks in your pocket when Republicans are in charge, but you are risking my future ability to stay out of jail to get those few bucks. Remember that when you vote.

To read more of this insanity, click the linky

-Andy

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Catholics Really Hate Gays

So the Catholic Church really has shown over the last several years that they can't really truly be happy unless they are oppressing the gays.

In Massachusetts and in Washington, DC, the Church has chosen not to offer adoption and foster services at all just in case they might one day have to allow a gay couple to foster or adopt a kid. Meanwhile, I can think of a lot more gay people I would trust around children, but whatever.

They also recently cut off all health benefits for all spouses of their employees in Washington, DC, because they don't want to accidentally support the spouse of any potential gay employees they may one day have. That's just fucked up.

So it should go without saying that in any discussion of immigration reform, the Catholics are really super against adding any kind of gay recognition to whatever bill ends up in Congress. This would be concerning, except they may not have the ability to stop our cause.

Have a look at the percentage of Catholics in these countries that already allow gays to sponsor their partners for immigration:


1. Australia - 25.8%
2. Belgium - 75% - (gay marriage also legal)
3. Brazil - 73.6%
4. Canada - 42.6% (gay marriage too)
5. Czech Repu. - 26.8%
6. Austria - 73.6%
7. France - 83-88%
8. Germany - 34%
9. Netherlands - 30% (gay marriage too)
10. Spain - 94% (gay marriage too)

Soon to be added:

* Ireland - 87.4%
* Portugal - 84.5%


By comparison, the Catholic population of the US sits at just 23.9%.

There is a whole strategy at Bilerco from blogger J. Todd (Tif) Fernandez which goes into quite a bit of detail on why the Catholic Church is going to have a hard time backing away from supporting immigration reform, even if the gays are included.

Strategically, the Catholic church hierarchy is in a classic conundrum. In this storm, the Catholics are threatening to walk away from the coalitions if they support our inclusion. But this time they have no where to go and they have a horrible position to maintain in doing so because the immigration reform messaging is all about "fairness and family cohesion" - "coalitions and human rights" - and "comprehensive" reform. People instantly understand that it is messed up when the USCCB says "fairness for everyone but THEM" - "coalitions of everyone but THEM" and "family unification for everyone but THEM". Simply put, we win this argument because it exposes the injustice so clearly.


I encourage you all to head on over to Bilerco to read more about it.

-Andy

Post Trial Press Conference

Just ran across this press conference after the Prop 8 trial wrapped witness testimony. Thought it might be interesting to some of you, so here it is.



-Andy

Vote for Immigration Equality

It's an internet poll, but it could mean valuable resources for the cause of immigration equality. Change.org is currently running a contest to help with visibility of different political movements. I'm sketchy on the details, but so far immigration equality has made it past the first round into the second round. It looks like the issues that wins will get added support from this group.

For that reason, I've added a widget to this site that will make it super easy for you to click and vote. However, in case you are looking at this in a reader, you can go to this link to vote manually.

-Andy

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Boies and Olson on PBS

David Boies and Ted Olson, the lawyers that teamed up to challenge Prop 8 in court, were in Bill Moyers' PBS program The Nation. It's a 40+ minute interview and was very powerful.

I hope you can watch the embedded video here, but just in case that's not working for you, you can head over to PBS.org to have a look.

-Andy

Friday, February 19, 2010

World Net Daily and the Gays

In case anyone has forgotten about Uganda's planned law that will start the genocide of gay people and their allies in that country, World Net Daily is here to give you more information, and to support that law!

How far away are we from the day that these wackos start calling for our deaths in this country as well?



If you give any credibility to World Net Daily, please keep this in mind as you read their news. They really are full of shit and shouldn't be trusted. And they shouldn't be supported in any way financially because of their stance towards gay people.

-Andy

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Alex had an Interview Today

So Alex went to an interview today for an internship. From the sound of it, it went very well. We should be hearing more next week.

While this is an unpaid internship that likely won't turn into a job with a visa attached, it will at least stop the clock that is quickly ticking towards April 1, the day he must either have found a job and started work or else start making plans to leave the country. So this is great! Another really good piece of news here is that this internship is directly in his field, and could lead to some very good contacts that might lead to one of those visa-providing jobs. So keep your fingers crossed everyone!

-Andy

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Meanwhile, in Uganda

So yeah, it sucks being treated differently under the law, but at least we have one thing to be happy about...

Gays in Uganda are about to be put up for genocide. We all thought that was the worst of it. It turns out that it is even worse. Not only will gays be put to death, but anyone who can be found guilty of failing to turn in gays to the government will also be eligible for the death penalty.

And this new law was cooked up with plenty of help from American evangelicals! Religion is just a shining light of beauty and peace, isn't it?



-Andy

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

New Sites added to Blogroll

In case you care what other sites might have information about immigration equality, I have several sites that are either dedicated exclusively to the cause, or at least mention it as a topic when there is news.

I added a couple new sites to the blogroll today, one of them being the Love Exiles Foundation. If you want to see more examples of people affected by US immigration inequality besides Alex and I, you can go to their stories section to see many more examples. It is heart breaking, but it is also empowering.

It is heart breaking, because Alex and I don't really want to leave our home and our friends behind, but it is empowering, because we have examples of others who were successful in finding a way to stay together and thrive in new homes. I know that if we have to, we'll be able to make that transition as well.

-Andy

New Immigration Equality Documentary

So Immigration Equality has created a new short documentary about the importance of the Uniting American Families Act. I hope all of you can take the 3 or 4 minutes to watch it and pass it around.



-Andy

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Whither my Representative?

Just a quick update...

On Tuesday, I sent a note to Congressman Doggett via email. I posted it here after I sent it. 4 days later, I have no response. I'm wondering how long I should wait before determining that my representative in Congress has no interest in our plight and no plans to take any action? How long should I wait before deciding that there is nothing worse than a Democrat, because at least a Republican is honest about the fact that they wish me ill because I'm gay.

I'm curious as to your thoughts out there.

-Andy

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

My Letter to Congressman Doggett

Because both of my Senators are Republicans, and because I harbor some concern that Republicans would actively work to deport Alex because he's caught the gay, even though he is here legally and is doing nothing wrong, I hesitate to write them directly.

However, in support of my previous request, I have practiced what I preached and sent another letter today to my Congressman, Lloyd Doggett.

Here it is:

Congressman Doggett,

I am writing to you today to reiterate my request that you support and sponsor the Uniting American Families Act. I was reminded of your stance when I read today of a letter that was sent by the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus to President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Schumer, and Chairwoman Lofgren.

In that letter, they asked that the text of the Uniting American Families Act be included in any comprehensive immigration reform bill. I would ask that you wholeheartedly support such an action.

I have a very personal stake in this. On February 15, I will celebrate my 7 year anniversary with my partner. During that time, we have run the gauntlet of immigration issues, and we have been pretty successful so far, though it has come at great economic cost. However, we will be out of options as of February 1 of next year and be forced to find another country to call home. He comes from a Muslim country, so we can't go there. That leaves us with either splitting up or finding a new country to call home. This would be a new country without our families, without our friends.

I am asking that you recognize that I as an American am just as deserving of equal rights to sponsor the person I love as my straight next door neighbor, who did sponsor his wife for permanent residency. Please support this cause so that we can get on with our lives without waiting for the other immigration shoe to drop.

Thanks for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Andy


-Andy

How You Can Help!

So today, 60 members of Congress took a stand that any comprehensive immigration reform should include gay couples. The group said that failing any comprehensive immigration reform, that the Uniting American Families Act should be passed immediately.

So, if you want to help, you can call your member of Congress. If they are on the list of below, call them or write them to let them know that you appreciate their support on this issue. If they didn't sign this letter, please call or write your Congressman to let them know that you want them to support comprehensive immigration reform that acknowledges gay bi-national couples and that you want them to support the Uniting American Families Act. You could also recommend that they join the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, something I did not know existed until today.

For those of you that follow through on this, I would love to see the response from your members of Congress (unless it's Lloyd Doggett, I get all the mail I want from that guy).

Below is the text of the letter, and after that, the names of all 60 representatives that signed the letter.

Dear President Obama, Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Schumer, and Chairwoman Lofgren:

As members of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, we are writing to express our strong support for a comprehensive immigration reform bill which would end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) binational families. We urge Congress to include the Uniting American Families Act (H.R. 1024/S. 424) in any comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

Currently, U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents may sponsor their spouses (and other immediate family members) for immigration purposes. But, same-sex partners committed to spending their lives together are not recognized as “families” under U.S. immigration law and thus do not have this same right. As a result, tens of thousands of binational families are either already living separately, face imminent separation, or have left the U.S. entirely in order to remain together. This is unacceptable, and we believe comprehensive immigration reform legislation must include a strong family reunification component inclusive of LGBT families.

According to 2000 census data compiled by the Williams Institute, an estimated 36,000 LGBT binational families are impacted by the inability to sponsor their partners for residency, and nearly half of those (47 percent) are raising children. Our existing, discriminatory immigration laws hurt not only those individuals, but their extended families, communities, and employers, as well. Not only would an inclusive family reunification provision strengthen American families, it would bolster the competitiveness of businesses in the U.S. by allowing corporations to attract, employ, and retain the very best talent from across the globe. Indeed, the U.S. lags behind 19 countries that already recognize same-sex couples for immigration purposes, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany.

In truth, no immigration reform bill can be called “comprehensive” unless it includes all Americans, including those who are LGBT. This is recognized in the Reuniting Families Act (H.R. 2709), which includes LGBT families in addressing the broader immigration problem of family unification.

We urge you to include LGBT binational families in comprehensive immigration reform legislation. No one should be forced to choose between the person they love and the country they call home. It is time that our immigration laws kept families together instead of tearing them apart.


Baldwin, Tammy WI-2
Polis, Jared CO-2
Frank, Barney MA-4
Honda, Mike CA-15
Nadler, Jerrold NY-8
Quigley, Mike IL-5
Abercrombie, Neil HI-1
Berkley, Shelley NV-1
Berman, Howard CA-28
Blumenauer, Earl OR-3
Brady, Robert PA-1
Capps, Lois CA-23
Capuano, Michael MA-8
Carson, Andre IN-7
Chu, Judy CA-32
Clarke, Yvette NY-11
Davis, Susan CA-53
DeGette, Diana CO-1
Delahunt, William MA-10
Doyle, Mike PA-14
Ellison, Keith MN-5
Engel, Eliott NY-17
Filner, Bob CA-51
Grijalva, Raul AZ-7
Gutierrez, Luis IL-4
Hare, Phil IL-17
Harman, Jane CA-36
Hastings, Alcee FL-23
Hirono, Mazie HI-2
Holt, Rush NJ-12
Israel, Steve NY-2
Kennedy, Patrick RI-1
Kucinich, Dennis OH-10
Lee, Barbara CA-9
Lewis, John GA-5
Lowey, Nita NY-18
Maloney, Carolyn NY-14
Matsui, Doris CA-5
McDermott, Jim WA-7
McGovern, James MA-3
Moran, James VA-8
Norton, Eleanor Holmes DC
Pallone, Frank NJ-6
Pingree, Chellie ME-1
Rothman, Steve NJ-9
Sánchez, Linda CA-39
Schakowsky, Janice IL-9
Serrano, Jose NY-16
Sherman, Brad CA-27
Speier, Jackie CA-12
Stark, Pete CA-13
Towns, Edolphus NY-10
Tsongas, Niki MA-5
Velázquez, Nydia NY-12
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie FL-20
Waxman, Henry CA-30
Weiner, Anthony NY-9
Welch, Peter VT
Woolsey, Lynn CA-6
Wu, David OR-1

You can find more information at the Immigration Equality Blog.

-Andy

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

More Republican Stuff

Whoops, I forgot about part 2.

Research 2000 did a survey of over 2,000 self-identified Republicans. Here are there results on gay issues:


Should openly gay men and women be allowed to serve in the military?
Yes 26
No 55
Not Sure 19


So, that's 45% that either think or might decide to think that I should be able to serve my country in uniform. Really, that's higher than I would think, but its only barely over one quarter of Republicans who already think that way...


Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?
Yes 7
No 77
Not Sure 16


23% in favor or might eventually decide to be in favor, but fewer than 1 in 10 would say yes today.


Should gay couples receive any state or federal benefits?
Yes 11
No 68
Not Sure 21


32% in favor or might eventually decide to be in favor. So there is only an 11% spread between gay marriage and any rights at all...


Should openly gay men and women be allowed to teach in public schools?
Yes 8
No 73
Not Sure 19


27% are ok with me being a teacher. 73% think that all gay teachers should be fired. I don't even have the words.

Here's the link to those questions and more.

Don't ever pretend like you are surprised that I believe that there is a special place in hell for Republicans. For you "fiscal conservatives," no tax cut is worth supporting those policies, in my opinion. Work on kicking those people out of your party if you truly want to help me.

-Andy

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

For My Republican Friends and Family

I've been frustrated for awhile now on how to approach this issue, and I saw a video today that really kind of put it in perspective for me, so I'm going to approach this post in two parts.

Let me start by saying that it is really exceedingly difficult for me to hold my tongue and avoid making you feel as bad as you make me feel whenever you gloat about your team winning. My team can't win, but at least my team doesn't get beat up as much when the Democrats are in power. I haven't made this explicitly clear in the past, and I know that I'm too polite most of the time, so I haven't given you the opportunity to know how deeply you are offending me when you start in with your partisanship. Well, I'm telling you now. Every vote for a Republican is a vote to ensure that I leave the country. That's not hyperbole, it's just the truth. With Democrats in charge, there is some small hope that the laws might someday be changed, but with Republicans there is no hope at all. So, when you gloat so that I can see or hear it, what I hear is that you are in favor of us leaving.

I'm not going to ask you to change your voting habits. I'm not even going to ask you not to talk about your team in front of me. I am going to ask that you think about that for at least a millisecond before your joy over your ridiculous team winning causes you to say things in my presence that makes me feel that way.

I am writing this to let you know that every time you have done this, it takes all my will to ignore those comments and try to pretend like they weren't said. The alternative would not be healthy for our relationship and at least so far our relationship has been more important to me than saying what I really want to say. I'm not sure how much longer that will be true. As Alex continues to look for a job, I continue to grow more frustrated and angry that it has to be this way. Republicans, especially the religious ones, are the #1 reason that this is the case today.

So now you know what you've been doing to me. I've not held it against you in the past because there is at least some chance that you haven't realized what your statements implied. Just know that I'm not going to listen to it anymore. Feel free to shout from the rooftops how awesome Republicans are and how horrible Democrats are, but when you do, please take me into consideration. If you can't do that, I'll try not to hold it against you, but I'm no longer going to listen to it. So don't be surprised if our phone call is disconnected in mid-sentence, don't be surprised if I walk away in the middle of a conversation, don't be surprised if I turn off your status updates on Facebook. And don't be surprised if I start saying things to you as mean as the things I am hearing you say.

Now that that is said, I'd like to add one more thing...When you vote for a Republican, you are voting for the attitude displayed in the clip below.



That's right, the Family Research Council thinks I should be in jail. It's not that I shouldn't be allowed in the military, it's that I should be rotting away in a prison. To me, that is the face of the Republican party today. These are the people that drove me away. Until those people are kicked to the curb, don't expect me to have any sympathy for your team. They have caused too much damage in my life for me to ever be on their side.

So, yeah, it's probably better if you just don't talk about Republicans around me, because frankly, you aren't going to make me suddenly support them, and you are just going to make me want to lump you in with that guy in the clip. I don't want to do that to you, but if you talk about it enough, I probably will.

-Andy

P.S. - I still love you

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Our Destination?

Alex and I have about decided that should the worst happen, and we be required to leave the country, Vancouver is where we are going to end up.

I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with that destination based on this video:



Absolutely beautiful work.

-Andy

Monday, January 25, 2010

Gay Stigma


In case you were wondering whether gay stigma is fading, we have news from Wyoming that a school district has banned an Anti-Defamation League program called "No place for hate." This program is an anti-bullying program that is being piloted in 26 schools. One of the pilot schools in Wyoming removed the signage associated with the program and that was when it all started falling apart.

I'm hoping there is more to this story, but the story I'm reading says that the problem was that listed on one of the signs was one of the co-sponsors of the program, the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado. Since the words "gay" and "lesbian" were on the signage, the signs were deemed to be outside the bounds of moral society and were removed. It is really hard for me to wrap my head around such an attitude, but here's a quote from the article, "The board thought it was inappropriate to have that sponsorship hanging up in the school," said Stuart Nelson, the district's superintendent.

It really feels like a story out of the Onion...Here's a link to the story.

Don't read the comments section after the article, because you are likely to see more of the same along the lines of this: "Homosexuality is a behavior or lifestyle that one choses. It is something I chose not to accept, believe in or support. I find it quite offensive and deplorable. But I am force to keep my mouth and opinions to myself and I fake smile when I'm around them. Any other type of lewdness or lustfulness is not tolerated in public, and many are jailed and fined for doing so inappropriately. There's a place and time for sort of behavior, not in the public, school, church or other public setting."

That was written by the user "local" on that news site. I just copied and pasted so don't blame me for any spelling mistakes.

-Andy

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Videos of Prop 8 Trial!

So if you would rather watch or listen to the Prop 8 trial, rather than slogging through the transcripts, you can go to this website to watch it!

This outfit put together a team of actors, and using the transcripts, have been filming a re-enactment of the trial. The trailer for what you can expect is embedded below:



-Andy

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Transcripts of Prop 8 Trial

I've finally found them! There is a website that is keeping a complete transcript of the proceedings in the Prop 8 trial. It's a whole bunch of reading, but some of you might be interested enough to follow along.

You can find them by clicking right here.

-Andy

Hypocrites in Charge of Prop 8 Trial

Remember when we were discussing how the Prop 8 team is claiming they are removing witnesses because those witnesses are scared of the gays?

I think maybe they are forgetting when they were turning to extortion to try to get No on 8 supporters to switch teams. Enjoy!



-Andy

McCain and the Complicated Issue of Marriage Equality

So John McCain is against marriage equality. He's made that clear over and over again.

We all know that his daughter has become as much of a talking head as she has, mainly because she is very openly both a Republican and a supporter of marriage equality.

When Cindy McCain, the senator's wife, weighed in on the issue, she decided not just to make her opinion known, whether for or against. No, she's joined the NOH8 campaign, and is appearing in ads in favor of marriage equality.



You can read all about it here.

-Andy

Anti-Marriage Equality Experts

Very soon we'll be treated to the witnesses for the defenders of Prop 8, the ones who think that gays being allowed to get married is super bad.

Several of the planned witnesses have been withdrawn, and we've been informed it is because the evil gays are so scary that they are scared for their lives. I know we are a big monolithic scary bunch who have no control over our desires to kill people, so I can see why this might be true.

Today over at Towleroad, depositions from two of the withdrawn witnesses was posted. I'm finding out that the reason we have been told by the Prop 8 supporters might have been a big pack of lies.

Watch these videos of two of the witnesses in favor of continued discrimination, and then try to explain to me, after the answer they gave, what state interest there possibly could be for the continued discrimination against gays and lesbians.



Saturday, January 16, 2010

Is the Tide Really Turning?

I haven't decided if the future platform of the Republican party as it relates to the gays is tied to the stances of Dick Cheney and Meghan McCain or if they are outliers.

Let's add one more Republican to the list, though; Margaret Hoover is a Republican contributor to Fox News and published the following article to Foxnews.com:

Why I’m Joining the Fight for Marriage Equality

Some Republicans support gay rights, but prefer progress through legislative action or majority rule at the ballot box, rather than judicial action. But what if a democratic election imposes mandates that violate a citizen’s constitutional freedom? In the event that majority rule insufficiently protects individual liberty, our system of checks and balances puts forth that it is the role of the courts, to guarantee and protect the rights to individual Americans.


Is the tide turning on this question for Republicans?

Hoover also pointed to a couple of FaceBook pages. If you are a Republican, you can sign up for the group Republicans for Marriage Equality if you'd like to show your support.

-Andy

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The United States Supreme Court

Today, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, denied another court's request to broadcast video of the proceedings of the Prop 8 trial which is happening now in San Francisco.

They made this decision, in part, because of the "irreparable harm" that will befall those against marriage equality if they are completely honest when testifying. Let's forget for just a minute that the people being called to the stand weren't concerned about such harm when they were campaigning across California to end marriage equality. They weren't concerned about such harm when making numerous public speeches and writings either before or after that campaign.

The other reason for the denial, according to the majority, was that the trial judge did not give enough notice that this was planned. In fact, he gave a little over a week when historically most government agencies give 30 days or more. That may be true. I know that in that window I was one of the people that took the time to voice my support of cameras, and 130,000+ people who also supported cameras were able to do the same thing. There were 32 people who contacted the court to let them know they were against cameras. I'll leave it to you to decide what that means.

I would like to address the Supreme Court of the United States directly, specifically the 5 justices who voted in favor of banning video of the trial, and specifically as it relates to irreparable harm. First, one of the harms that the prop 8 side claimed to be so horrendous that it deserved protections is that one of the defendants once had a pro-Prop 8 yard sign almost stolen out of his yard. The woman who was trying to steal it ran away, sans sign, when she was interrupted trying to take it. Oooh, that's so fucking scary and I can see why that would scar someone for life!

Meanwhile, millions of GLBT folks are irreparably harmed every single day because in many places we can't tell our bosses we are gay without fear of retribution. In many places we can't tell our landlords we are gay without fear of eviction. In many places we can't speak up about injustices for fear of a beating or death. In many places we can't get married. And nowhere in this country can we get married and attain the federal rights associated with marriage. This causes hardship on our families when they need help the most. It cuts children of gay parents off from all the benefits that they could have. It separates loved ones during moments of crisis in hospitals across the country. It denies spousal benefits should one partner die. It makes it possible for mortuaries across this country to deny the right of a same-sex spouse to claim the body of their departed loved one. It splits up families and puts them on different continents, if one member of that family doesn't happen to be American.

You tell me, which harm seems more irreparable to you, Supreme Court? Is it the momentary fright of some stranger trying to steal a yard sign out of your yard, or is it crying in the waiting room while your partner dies alone because the hospital doesn't recognize your marriage?

The majority opinion is highly offensive because of that context. Since none of the majority was willing to sign their name to it, I think they realize that. I certainly hope this is not an indication of how this court will vote when this case eventually reaches the SCOTUS on appeal. I hope, but I'm not optimistic.

-Andy

This is it

So Alex completed school in December, and now it's a full court press to find him a job. He's officially eligible to work on February 1. He's got a master's degree in global issues, 2 undergrad degrees, one in public administration and one in international relations and he has a year of work experience.

The career center at his school has not been helpful in helping him figure out what kinds of terms to search for and I'm incredibly disappointed with their performance. But, we're making do.

He made some connections in grad school, and is working with a couple of his professors to help him land somewhere, so we are hopeful.

In the end, if we can get him into a position by May 1, then he can stay here til April 1, 2011. If we can't, then he's got to leave, which means that I'll be looking to leave too.

The Prop 8 trial in California is going strong, and looks really good for us at the moment, but it will be a good 2-3 years before that gets to the Supreme Court, and it would only be after a positive ruling there before it would have an positive effect on our lives. So, we're holding our breath and hoping that a job will be coming soon.

It's a shame that the government provided rights and benefits associated with being a committed couple are being held hostage because 250 years ago the government decided to give a secular contract a religious name.

Dealing with American immigration laws is by far the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with in my life.

Sorry for the disjointed post, just wanted to vent a little and give a quick update.

-Andy

Love this video

This was filmed outside the court house in San Francisco before the start of the Prop 8 trial.



-Andy

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Prop 8 Lawsuit Starts Monday

Since the lawsuit to overturn prop 8 will kick off on Monday, I wanted to post a couple of links of interest.

The Conservative Case for Gay Marraige

This is a Newsweek article written by Ted Olson, one of the lawyers hired to overturn Prop 8 in federal court. It lays out a high level view of the It's a good read.

A longer read comes from the New Yorker. This one also profiles Olson, but goes into more back story about the case, more of the concerns and arguments about the timing of the case. I'd recommend both articles.

A Risky Proposal

-Andy

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