A blog by a Black Gay Caribbean Liberal Progressive Moderate Fit Married College-Educated NPR-Listening Tennis-Playing Feminist Atheist in Los Angeles, California
Inmates call Ron Osorio "West Hollywood" because the words are printed on the cream-colored cloth bag he carries inside Men's Central Jail each Friday.
The bag is filled with 300 Lifestyle condoms. Osorio, who works for the nonprofit Center for Health Justice, has been visiting the jail almost weekly since 2001, when Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca approved a small but groundbreaking program that allowed the health group to pass out prophylactics to inmates in a segregated unit for gay men.
"We go to the dorms and a guy hands out the bagged lunches. There's another guy that hands out the juice. . . . and I stand between those two as they go through the line. They get their lunch, they get a condom, and they get their juice," Osorio said. [...] Eight years after Baca first approved the program, the sheriff is pondering whether to expand it by doubling the number of condoms distributed to the 300 inmates within the segregated unit.
His decision comes as a yearlong pilot condom distribution program at the California State Prison at Solano enters its eighth month.
Health advocates say that a successful review of that program could lead to widespread distribution of condoms in prisons throughout the state.
It would be one of the most aggressive measures in the nation's jails and prisons to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, experts say.
Sheriff's officials acknowledge that the virus is a prominent problem in the jails.
They spend about $2 million each year in federally refundable money on HIV/AIDS medication and identify about 65 new cases each month.
On average there are about 1,400 people in L.A. County jails with HIV each year, said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department.
Great coverage for the great work that Center for Health Justice does (MadProfessah is Board President of the agency).
These shots of the pop star dressed as a man are for the video to Mariah Carey's "Obsessed," the first single from her next album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.
The White House released a transcript of the remarks the president made to 250 invited LGBT leaders in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary ___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 29, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT LGBT PRIDE MONTH RECEPTION
East Room
4:35 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Hello, hello, hello. (Applause.) Hey! Good to see you. (Applause.) I'm waiting for FLOTUS here. FLOTUS always politics more than POTUS.
MRS. OBAMA: No, you move too slow. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: It is great to see everybody here today and they're just -- I've got a lot of friends in the room, but there are some people I want to especially acknowledge. First of all, somebody who helped ensure that we are in the White House, Steve Hildebrand. Please give Steve a big round of applause. (Applause.) Where's Steve? He's around here somewhere. (Applause.)
The new chair of the Export-Import Bank, Fred Hochberg. (Applause.) Where's Fred? There's Fred. Good to see you, Fred. Our Director of the Institute of Education Sciences at DOE, John Easton. Where's John? (Applause.) A couple of special friends -- Bishop Gene Robinson. Where's Gene? (Applause.) Hey, Gene. Ambassador Michael Guest is here. (Applause.) Ambassador Jim Hormel is here. (Applause.) Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown is here. (Applause.)
All of you are here. (Laughter and applause.) Welcome to your White House. (Applause.) So --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.) (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Somebody asked from the Lincoln Bedroom here. (Laughter.) You knew I was from Chicago too. (Laughter.)
It's good to see so many friends and familiar faces, and I deeply appreciate the support I've received from so many of you. Michelle appreciates it and I want you to know that you have our support, as well. (Applause.) And you have my thanks for the work you do every day in pursuit of equality on behalf of the millions of people in this country who work hard and care about their communities -- and who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. (Applause.)
Now this struggle, I don't need to tell you, is incredibly difficult, although I think it's important to consider the extraordinary progress that we have made. There are unjust laws to overturn and unfair practices to stop. And though we've made progress, there are still fellow citizens, perhaps neighbors or even family members and loved ones, who still hold fast to worn arguments and old attitudes; who fail to see your families like their families; and who would deny you the rights that most Americans take for granted. And I know this is painful and I know it can be heartbreaking.
And yet all of you continue, leading by the force of the arguments you make but also by the power of the example that you set in your own lives -- as parents and friends, as PTA members and leaders in the community. And that's important, and I'm glad that so many LGBT families could join us today. (Applause.) For we know that progress depends not only on changing laws but also changing hearts. And that real, transformative change never begins in Washington.
(Cell phone "quacks.")
Whose duck is back there? (Laughter.)
MRS. OBAMA: It's a duck.
THE PRESIDENT: There's a duck quacking in there somewhere. (Laughter.) Where do you guys get these ring tones, by the way? (Laughter.) I'm just curious. (Laughter.)
Indeed, that's the story of the movement for fairness and equality -- not just for those who are gay, but for all those in our history who've been denied the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; who've been told that the full blessings and opportunities of this country were closed to them. It's the story of progress sought by those who started off with little influence or power; by men and women who brought about change through quiet, personal acts of compassion and courage and sometimes defiance wherever and whenever they could.
That's the story of a civil rights pioneer who's here today, Frank Kameny, who was fired -- (applause.) Frank was fired from his job as an astronomer for the federal government simply because he was gay. And in 1965, he led a protest outside the White House, which was at the time both an act of conscience but also an act of extraordinary courage. And so we are proud of you, Frank, and we are grateful to you for your leadership. (Applause.)
It's the story of the Stonewall protests, which took place 40 years ago this week, when a group of citizens -- with few options, and fewer supporters -- decided they'd had enough and refused to accept a policy of wanton discrimination. And two men who were at those protests are here today. Imagine the journey that they've travelled.
It's the story of an epidemic that decimated a community -- and the gay men and women who came to support one another and save one another; and who continue to fight this scourge; and who demonstrated before the world that different kinds of families can show the same compassion and support in a time of need -- that we all share the capacity to love.
So this story, this struggle, continues today -- for even as we face extraordinary challenges as a nation, we cannot -- and will not -- put aside issues of basic equality. (Applause.) We seek an America in which no one feels the pain of discrimination based on who you are or who you love.
And I know that many in this room don't believe that progress has come fast enough, and I understand that. It's not for me to tell you to be patient, any more than it was for others to counsel patience to African Americans who were petitioning for equal rights a half century ago.
But I say this: We have made progress and we will make more. And I want you to know that I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps. And by the time you receive -- (applause.) We've been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration. (Applause.)
Now, while there is much more work to do, we can point to important changes we've already put in place since coming into office. I've signed a memorandum requiring all agencies to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as current law allows. And these are benefits that will make a real difference for federal employees and Foreign Service Officers, who are so often treated as if their families don't exist. And I'd like to note that one of the key voices in helping us develop this policy is John Berry, our director of the Office of Personnel Management, who is here today. And I want to thank John Berry. (Applause.)
I've called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act to help end discrimination -- (applause) -- to help end discrimination against same-sex couples in this country. Now, I want to add we have a duty to uphold existing law, but I believe we must do so in a way that does not exacerbate old divides. And fulfilling this duty in upholding the law in no way lessens my commitment to reversing this law. I've made that clear.
I'm also urging Congress to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, which will guarantee the full range of benefits, including health care, to LGBT couples and their children. (Applause.) My administration is also working hard to pass an employee non-discrimination bill and hate crimes bill, and we're making progress on both fronts. (Applause.) Judy and Dennis Shepard, as well as their son Logan, are here today. I met with Judy in the Oval Office in May -- (applause) -- and I assured her and I assured all of you that we are going to pass an inclusive hate crimes bill into law, a bill named for their son Matthew. (Applause.)
In addition, my administration is committed to rescinding the discriminatory ban on entry to the United States based on HIV status. (Applause.) The Office of Management and Budget just concluded a review of a proposal to repeal this entry ban, which is a first and very big step towards ending this policy. And we all know that HIV/AIDS continues to be a public health threat in many communities, including right here in the District of Columbia. And that's why this past Saturday, on National HIV Testing Day, I was proud once again to encourage all Americans to know their status and get tested the way Michelle and I know our status and got tested. (Applause.)
And finally, I want to say a word about "don't ask, don't tell." As I said before -- I'll say it again -- I believe "don't ask, don't tell" doesn't contribute to our national security. (Applause.) In fact, I believe preventing patriotic Americans from serving their country weakens our national security. (Applause.)
Now, my administration is already working with the Pentagon and members of the House and the Senate on how we'll go about ending this policy, which will require an act of Congress.
Someday, I'm confident, we'll look back at this transition and ask why it generated such angst, but as Commander-in-Chief, in a time of war, I do have a responsibility to see that this change is administered in a practical way and a way that takes over the long term. That's why I've asked the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a plan for how to thoroughly implement a repeal.
I know that every day that passes without a resolution is a deep disappointment to those men and women who continue to be discharged under this policy -- patriots who often possess critical language skills and years of training and who've served this country well. But what I hope is that these cases underscore the urgency of reversing this policy not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it is essential for our national security.
Now, even as we take these steps, we must recognize that real progress depends not only on the laws we change but, as I said before, on the hearts we open. For if we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that there are good and decent people in this country who don't yet fully embrace their gay brothers and sisters -- not yet.
That's why I've spoken about these issues not just in front of you, but in front of unlikely audiences -- in front of African American church members, in front of other audiences that have traditionally resisted these changes. And that's what I'll continue to do so. That's how we'll shift attitudes. That's how we'll honor the legacy of leaders like Frank and many others who have refused to accept anything less than full and equal citizenship.
Now, 40 years ago, in the heart of New York City at a place called the Stonewall Inn, a group of citizens, including a few who are here today, as I said, defied an unjust policy and awakened a nascent movement.
It was the middle of the night. The police stormed the bar, which was known for being one of the few spots where it was safe to be gay in New York. Now, raids like this were entirely ordinary. Because it was considered obscene and illegal to be gay, no establishments for gays and lesbians could get licenses to operate. The nature of these businesses, combined with the vulnerability of the gay community itself, meant places like Stonewall, and the patrons inside, were often the victims of corruption and blackmail.
Now, ordinarily, the raid would come and the customers would disperse. But on this night, something was different. There are many accounts of what happened, and much has been lost to history, but what we do know is this: People didn't leave. They stood their ground. And over the course of several nights they declared that they had seen enough injustice in their time. This was an outpouring against not just what they experienced that night, but what they had experienced their whole lives. And as with so many movements, it was also something more: It was at this defining moment that these folks who had been marginalized rose up to challenge not just how the world saw them, but also how they saw themselves.
As we've seen so many times in history, once that spirit takes hold there is little that can stand in its way. (Applause.) And the riots at Stonewall gave way to protests, and protests gave way to a movement, and the movement gave way to a transformation that continues to this day. It continues when a partner fights for her right to sit at the hospital bedside of a woman she loves. It continues when a teenager is called a name for being different and says, "So what if I am?" It continues in your work and in your activism, in your fight to freely live your lives to the fullest.
In one year after the protests, a few hundred gays and lesbians and their supporters gathered at the Stonewall Inn to lead a historic march for equality. But when they reached Central Park, the few hundred that began the march had swelled to 5,000. Something had changed, and it would never change back.
The truth is when these folks protested at Stonewall 40 years ago no one could have imagined that you -- or, for that matter, I -- (laughter) -- would be standing here today. (Applause.) So we are all witnesses to monumental changes in this country. That should give us hope, but we cannot rest. We must continue to do our part to make progress -- step by step, law by law, mind by changing mind. And I want you to know that in this task I will not only be your friend, I will continue to be an ally and a champion and a President who fights with you and for you.
Thanks very much, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.) Thank you. It's a little stuffed in here. We're going to open -- we opened up that door. We're going to walk this way, and then we're going to come around and we'll see some of you over there, all right? (Laughter.) But out there. (Laughter.)
But thank you very much, all, for being here. Enjoy the White House. Thank you. (Applause.)
Rishi Idnani caught my eye on Queerty.com awhile ago and was a featured Eye Candy model here at MadProfessah.com way back in January. The South Asian hottie is a New York-based model. In honor of Gay pride in India being celebrated throughout that country yesterday (despite the existence of an archaic anti-sodomy law) I thought we should feature him again. Enjoy!
A new poll showing a huge lead for former Governor Jerry Brown over San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has California politicians buzzing.
With Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosadeclining to enter the California Governor's race it is now less than a year before the June 2010 primary election, the race seems to be pretty set. Dianne Feinstein is not expected to run, and the entry of Jack O'Connell or even Loretta Sanchez is unlikely to upend the Brown versus Newsom dynamic.
Carwin Jones, Jesse Ray Beard, Robert Bailey Jr., Bryant Purvis and Theo Shaw pleaded no contest to misdemeanor simple battery and were sentenced to seven days probation and fined $500 plus court costs. The 6th member, Mychal Bell, was previously sentenced to 18 months in jail on a separate second-degree battery charge.
ColorOfChange.org said Friday that the plea deal marked in acknowledgement by officials that the Louisiana justice system initially treated the then-teenage boys too harshly, privileging white students’ accounts of a schoolyard fight over those of black students in the largely segregated town of Jena.
“Today’s plea deal shows that the original charges in the case were unfair and vastly overblown,” said James Rucker, ColorOfChange.org’s executive director. “The story of the Jena 6 was an extreme example of what can happen when a justice system biased against black boys operates unchecked. But it’s also an example of what can happen when hundreds of thousands of people across the country stand up to challenge unequal justice. Together, we drew the country’s attention to this case and raised the money necessary to fund a strong legal defense.”
ColorOfChange.org, the first national organization involved in supporting the Jena 6, was instrumental in drawing national attention to the case, working alongside local activists in Jena and black bloggers across the country to spread word of the excessive charges and the story behind them.
More than 300,000 ColorOfChange.org members signed petitions to elected officials, urging that the charges be dropped and that then-Governor Kathleen Blanco intervene. The group organized more than 10,000 of its members to march in Jena on September 20, 2007. The same day, thousands of members in over 150 cities across the country held rallies and vigils and distributed flyers about the case; they also made more than 6,000 phone calls to public officials in Louisiana.
ColorOfChange members also contributed more than $275,000 toward high-quality legal teams, which succeeded in getting a biased judge removed from the cases and ultimately achieved today’s victory.
Here is a picture from last week's Juneteenth Pride Celebration and Awards organized by Jordan/Rustin Coalition. The openly gay Mayor of Manhattan Beach, Mitch Ward, is picture with Vallerie Wagner and Doug Spearman, winners of the first annual Barbara Jordan Award and Bayard Rustin Award, respectively.
The weather has been lovely in London at this year's Wimbledon Championships. There are 16 men and 16 women left when play resumes on Monday.
On the men's side of the draw most of the favorites remain, as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, andAndy Roddick are all still in the hunt. Here's who plays whom in the Fourth Round:
I predict the quarterfinalists will be Hewitt, Roddick, Murray, Simon, Haas, Djokovic, Karlovic and Federer. I would not be surprised if Berdych, Andreev and Ferrero pull upsets. I think there's a very good chance of a Murray-Federer final, but the 14-time major champion will have to get past the 2009 French Open finalist, the 6'10 giant and the World #4 player to make it there.
Dinara Safina RUS (1) versus Amelie Mauresmo FRA (17)
Caroline Wozniacki DEN (9) versus Sabine Lisicki GER
Venus Williams USA (3) versus Ana Ivanovic SRB (13)
Agnieszka Radwanska POL (11) versus Melanie Oudin USA
Virginie Razzano FRA (26) versus Francesca Schiavone ITA
Elena Vesnina RUS versus Elena Dementieva RUS (4)
Victoria Azarenka BLR (8) versus Nadia Petrova RUS (10)
Daniela Hantuchova SVK versus Serena Williams USA (2)
Here my predictions for the quarterfinalists are: Mauresmo, Wozniacki, V. Williams, Radwanska, Razzano, Dementieva, Azarenka and S. Williams. I would not be too surprised if Lisicki, Oudin and Petrova win instead.
I am predicting another all-Williams women's final, but I need to see more before I predict which Williams will win the title this year!
Steaming hotMehcad Brooks has done the impossible, growing even hotter in his appearances on HBO's True Blood. MadProfessah has been ogling Mr. Brooks since 2005, when he appeared on Desperate Housewives.
Brooks is one of the best things to look at on the intriguing HBO show which is already chockful of hot man flesh. His character's name on True Blood is Eggs Benedict Talley.He has clearly been spending time in the gym and now features what looks like an "eight pack."
It seems like state legislative sessions are extending forever this year. Well, better late than never: the Delaware legislature has completed passage of Senate Bill 121 (26-14 in the House and 14-5 in the Senate), a bill which would prohibit discriminmation on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing, insurance and public accomodations.
Michael Jackson suffered cardiac arrest on Thursday and died suddenly in Los Angeles. The Pop Icon was 50 years old and is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.
I support: 1) Reducing costs and expanding coverage
2) Prohibiting the denial of insurance because of pre-existing conditions
3) Moving toward either a non-profit model of medical insurance or to one where premium costs can be controlled, either through competition in a public or cooperative model or through a regulated authority.
4) Assuring the financial survival of Medicare, because it is slated to run out of money in 2017.
5) Preventing the transfer of Medicaid costs to states, which could result in billions of dollars of additional loss to the State of California.
6) Establishing means testing for programs like Medicare Part D, which pays for prescription drugs
Clearly, the individual mandate - and how it is funded - is the critical, and as yet unanswered, question.
Jason Rosenbaum over at Calitics.com is not impressed:
Feinstein wants to control costs? The Commonwealth Fund estimates a health reform bill with a public health insurance option will save an extra $2 trillion over 11 years.
Feinstein wants to expand coverage? Jacob Hacker argues [pdf] that the public health insurance option in conjunction with reform is the way to best provide expanded and quality coverage, while preserving choice.
Feinstein wants to stop insurance industry abuses? Then she'll have to help pass a law that mandates these things, because the insurance industry will never voluntarily accept these concessions, as their testimony before Congress made abundantly clear.
And Feinstein wants to save Medicare and Medicaid? Well, the only way to do that is to aggressively control costs, as Budget Director Peter Orszag points out, is to reform health care in a real way.
In short, if Senator Feinstein wants to achieve any of the goals she says she wants to achieve, she's going to need to support robust health reform, including the choice of a public health insurance option.
[...]
So keep calling her office at (202) 224-3841 and sign the petition and ask her to just come out and say it, "I'm with the President and commit to using all my muscle to pass real health care reform this year, including a choice of a public health insurance option, to achieve the goals I've laid out for our health care system."
I'll say it once again: Senator Feinstein can either make history, or stand in the way.
In all about 300 films were eligible for awards in 2008. Were that to hold going forward, roughly one of every 30 films would become a best-picture nominee.
While a best-picture nomination now becomes a bit easier for makers of documentaries, animated films and foreign-language films to aspire to, it may also dilute the value of that nomination. In the past studios have built the marketing campaign for many films around a coveted best-picture nomination.
In a phone interview Mr. Ganis said support for the change had been very strong among the academy’s governors. He said the academy, which has about 6,000 voting members who work in the film industry, did not consult studios about the possible implications for business. “We’re the arts organization, not the business organization,” he said.
It wll be interesting to see the impact the change has on year-end Top 10 lists. I have only seen four movies this year that would qualify, and only Up would likely to make my year-end list.
Although last year's Milk was widely celebrated (and was one of my favorite movies of 2008), years ago the documentary The Life and Times of Harvey Milk is an even more extraordinary documentation of the life of the openly gay civil rights leader who was assassinated. Now YouTube has the entire documentary available for viewing. Check it out!
2008 Wimbledon finalists Serena Williams and Roger Federer have made it without incident to the third round. Venus Williams won her first match easily and will play her 2nd Round match today, along with other MadProfessah favorites like Andy Roddick. Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Fernando Verdasco all have won two rounds.
Maria Sharapovawas upset by Gisela Dulko on Wednesday in a 6-2 3-6 6-4 match on Wednesday.
Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of LCCR flanked by
openly gay U.S. Reps Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Jared Polis (D-Col.)
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), H.R. 2981, which would prohibit employment discrimination in the United States based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on Friday, but publicized in a press conference today attended by all three openly gay Congressmembers Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Jared Polis and several representatives from civil rights organizations.
“Today marks a critical milestone for our community and our country. Introduction of this important legislation signals the beginning of the end of a long-fought battle. For decades, a majority of people in this country have supported protecting their friends, family and neighbors from discrimination. Congress must act, at long last, this year. “Passage of this critical legislation would help ensure that people are allowed to participate on a level-playing field in the workplace. ENDA reflects our country’s core values of fairness and equality. It is immoral to deny lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people the ability to earn a livelihood and provide for their families. People should not have to fear losing their job simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. “We are pleased that President Obama has expressed support for this legislation and expect the administration to play a role in assisting with its passage in both the House and Senate.”
As long as she can remember, Khadijah has floated from shelters to motels to armories along the West Coast with her mother. She has attended 12 schools in 12 years; lived out of garbage bags among pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers. Every morning, she upheld her dignity, making sure she didn't smell or look disheveled.
On the streets, she learned how to hunt for their next meal, plot the next bus route and help choose a secure place to sleep -- survival skills she applied with passion to her education.
[...]
Khadijah was in third grade when she first realized the power of test scores, placing in the 99th percentile on a state exam. Her teachers marked the 9-year-old as gifted, a special category that Khadijah, even at that early age, vowed to keep.
"I still remember that exact number," Khadijah said. "It meant only 0.01 students tested better than I did."
In the years that followed, her mother, Chantwuan Williams, pulled her out of school eight more times. When shelters closed, money ran out or her mother didn't feel safe, they packed what little they carried and boarded buses to find housing in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ventura, San Diego, San Bernardino and Orange County, staying for months, at most, in one place.
She finished only half of fourth grade, half of fifth and skipped sixth. Seventh grade was split between Los Angeles and San Diego. Eighth grade consisted of two weeks in San Bernardino.
At every stop, Khadijah pushed to keep herself in each school's gifted program. She read nutrition charts, newspapers and four to five books a month, anything to transport her mind away from the chaos and the sour smell.
At school, she was the outsider. At the shelter, she was often bullied. "You ain't college-bound," the pimps barked. "You live in skid row!"
In 10th grade, Khadijah realized that if she wanted to succeed, she couldn't do it alone. She began to reach out to organizations and mentors: the Upward Bound Program, Higher Edge L.A., Experience Berkeley and South Central Scholars; teachers, counselors and college alumni networks. They helped her enroll in summer community college classes, gave her access to computers and scholarship applications and taught her about networking.
It's exactly programs like these that will be threatened by California's financial mess. How many more Khadijah Wlliams will not be able to be rescued because the safety net has been slashed by budget cuts?
This is simply "unhelpful." As DailyKos mentions, why is the Senior Senator from California expressing "grave concern" about health care reform in 2009, when she didn't do so about going to war in Iraq in 2002.
Here's the transcript of the above clip:
KING: Is your president trying to seize this political moment because he has the votes right now and the political capital in the first year in office? And might he as a result potentially do more harm than good if you try to do this all at once?
FEINSTEIN: Well to be candid with you, I don’t know that he has the votes right now. I think there’s a lot of concern in the Democratic caucus. Senator Lugar’s point about the economy, the trillions of dollars that have gone into buttressing the economy, now we’re going to be dealing with regulation of the financial sector. What all of the impact of this is not yet known.
I didn't vote for her in 2006 and will never vote for her for anything ever again. Is it November 2012, yet?
Led by Congressional Black Caucus member Alcee Hastings, Jr., the letter asks for a moratorium on "separations" for military service of LGBT servicemembers who have been deemed to have "told" their sexuality.
Dear President Obama:
The United States of America prides itself on having the finest military in the world because of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices of our brave servicemen and women. And yet, under 10 U.S.C. § 654 (Policy Concerning Homosexuality in the Armed Forces), better known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the talents and contributions of our openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members continue to be ignored simply because of who they are. Every day, we lose approximately two service members to this misguided, unjust, and flat-out discriminatory policy. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not only an injustice to them, but a disservice to the U.S. military and our country as a whole.
As you know, Don't Ask, Don't Tell was signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton as a compromise to allow gay and lesbian service members to serve in the military -- so long as they did not disclose their sexual orientations. Fifteen years later, Don't Ask Don't Tell is instead negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of these military professionals and depriving our Armed Forces of their honorable service. Since you took office on January 20, 2009, more than 250 gay and lesbian service members have been discharged under this law, which continues to undermine and demoralize the more than 65,000 gay and lesbian Americans currently serving on active duty.
Although we are confident that you will remain true to your campaign promise to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell, our LGBT service members and our country's national security will continue to suffer if initial action is delayed until 2010 or 2011. We urge you to exercise the maximum discretion legally possible in administering Don't Ask, Don't Tell until Congress repeals the law. To this end, we ask that you direct the Armed Services not to initiate any investigation of service personnel to determine their sexual orientation, and that you instruct them to disregard third party accusations that do not allege violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That is, we request that you impose that no one is asked and that you ignore, as the law requires, third parties who tell. Under your leadership, Congress must then repeal and replace Don't Ask, Don't Tell with a policy of inclusion and non-discrimination. This bilateral strategy would allow our openly gay and lesbian service members to continue serving our country and demonstrate our nation's lasting commitment to justice and equality for all.
As the United States continues to work towards responsibly ending the War in Iraq and refocus on the threat from al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, our LGBT service members offer invaluable skills that enhance our country's military competence and readiness. Despite the great strain on our military's human resources, the Armed Forces have discharged almost 800 mission-critical troops and at least 59 Arabic and nine Farsi linguists under Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the last five years. This is indefensible. The financial cost alone of implementing Don't Ask, Don't Tell from Fiscal Year 1994-2003 was more than $363.8 million. Our nation's military has always held itself to the highest standards, and we must recruit and retain the greatest number of our best and brightest. To do anything less only hurts our country's military readiness and our service members.
We also want to bring to your attention the most recent examples of the failed Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy in action. New York National Guard First Lieutenant Dan Choi and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach are two exceptional servicemen who have dedicated their lives to defending our country and protecting the American people. Their bravery and abilities have been tested in combat, and now they face impending discharge under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
First Lieutenant Choi, a current National Guardsman with the 1st Battalion of the 69th Infantry in Manhattan, is a West Point graduate, Arabic language specialist, and Iraq War veteran who is under investigation for refusing to lie about his identity.
Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, Assistant Director of Operations for the 366th Operations Support Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, has honorably served his country for 18 years as an F-15E pilot. He has received nine air medals, including a Medal for Heroism during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and was hand-picked to protect the airspace over Washington, D.C. after the Pentagon was attacked on September 11, 2001. Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, who has flown combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan against the Taliban and al Qaeda, continues to serve while the recommendation for his honorable discharge moves forward to a review board, and eventually to the Secretary of the Air Force. Just two years away from his 20-year retirement, he stands to lose $46,000 a year in retirement and medical benefits for the rest of his life if discharged.
The American people and service members of the Armed Forces overwhelmingly support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. According to a national Gallup poll conducted in May 2009, 69% of Americans, including 58% of Republicans, favor allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve in the military. Furthermore, a 2006 poll of 545 troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan by Zogby International and the Michael D. Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, revealed that 73% are personally comfortable with gay men and lesbian women. John Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Clinton administration, and more than 100 retired admirals and generals support this repeal, in addition to the Human Rights Campaign, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, and Knights Out, an organization of LGBT West Point alumni cofounded by First Lieutenant Choi.
Mr. President, we cannot afford to lose any more of our dedicated and talented service members to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On behalf of First Lieutenant Choi, Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, and the more than 12,500 gay and lesbian service members who have been discharged since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was implemented in 1994, we stand ready to assist you in repealing this dishonorable and debilitating law as soon as possible, and in restoring justice and equality in our Armed Forces.
Please know that we will continue to monitor this situation and are hopeful that, together, we can address this urgent issue soon. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
The letter was authored by Rep. Hastings and signed by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), José Serrano (D-NY), James Moran (D-VA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), James Clyburn (D-SC), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Donna M. Christensen (D-VI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rush Holt (D-NJ), John Larson (D-CT), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), David Wu (D-OR), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Mike Honda (D-CA), James Langevin (D-RI), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Diane Watson (D-CA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D-FL), André Carson (D-IN), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Phil Hare (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Gregorio Sablan (D-MP).
The mayor, who was re-elected earlier this year, told Blitzer "the answer's no. I make that decision, as I've said many times, because I love the city I was born and raised in."
"I can't leave this city in the middle of a crisis, it's as simple as that," added Villaraigosa. "I was elected mayor are re-elected by the people of this city. They've given me the honor of a second term and I feel compelled to complete the promise that I've made to them."
Villaraigosa's exit leaves the race on the Democratic side between announced gubernatorial candidate San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and unannounced candidate (former Governor and current California Attorney General) Jerry Brown. Newsom quickly issued a statement:
As a fellow big-city mayor, over the past four years I have gotten to know and respect Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. He is a dedicated public servant who is making a difference for the people of Los Angeles every day.
His leadership is valuable to the people of California and the nation, regardless of the office he chooses to hold. His life story is an inspiration to millions of Californians and especially to Latinos everywhere.
I look forward to continuing to work with him, sharing our experiences as mayors, and collaborating on innovative solutions that will take California in a new direction.
As Mayor Villaraigosa has said so eloquently recently, state government needs to change and I believe we can work together to make that a reality.
And the plot thickens. MadProfessah has not endorsed a candidate (yet) but has been impressed by Newsom so far.
The Other Half wanted to see a movie this weekend so we went and saw The Hangover. The film is directed by Todd Phillips and stars Bradley Cooper (ABC's Alias), Ed Helms (The Daily Show, The Office) and two guys I had never heard of before, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha.
The Hangover is most definitely an "adult comedy." It is chock full of ribald jokes, foul language, sexual situations, male frontal nudity, depiction of massive alcohol consumption (and its after effects).
The movie's plot is surprisingly simple but effective. Four friends (well, 2 friends of the groom-to-be plus his future brother-in-law) go to Las Vegas for a Bachelor Party and wake up the next day with a hilariously awful situation: their hotel suite has been ransacked, the groom is missing, and there are strange objects left in the room (an infant, a chicken, a live tiger) and none of them have any memory of what transpired the night before.
Instead of a "whodunit" this is a "what the **** did we do?" kinda movie. Surprisingly, it is very watchable and almost unwatchable at the same time. You can't believe what a horrible situation the guys have gotten themselves into, but you also can't stop watching.
The Hangover is lots of fun, with a standout performance by Helms. Cooper is always easy on the eyes and Galifianakis weird brand of humor takes awhile to get used to, but is (mostly) effective.
MPAA Rating: R [See Full Rating] for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material. Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.
Steve Jost, a spokesman for the Census Bureau, said same-sex couples would be counted, “and they ought to report the way they see themselves,” adding, “In the normal process of reports coming out after the census of 2010, I think the country will have a good data set on which to discuss this phenomenon that is evolving in this country.”
Same-sex couples could not be married in the United States during the last decennial count. But last year, after two states had approved same-sex marriages, the bureau said those legal marriages would go uncounted because the federal Defense of Marriage Act prevented the government from recognizing them.
Interestingly, by the time the Census gets underway in March 2010, there will exist married same-sex couples in at least 7 states, and possibly 9. Right now, there are legally married gay and lesbian couples in Massachusetts, California, Connecticut and Iowa with Vermont and Maine having laws that go into effect in September 2009 and New Hampshire has a law that goes into effect January 1, 2010. The legislative battles over legal same-sex marriage in New Jersey and New York may have been resolved by then as well.
Rea Carey, executive director of The Task Force sent around a list of Frequently Asked Questions:
Why should I care about the Census?
The U.S. Census creates an essential portrait of our nation, every ten years. This data is used to determine the appropriate number of seats in the House of Representatives. It provides key population numbers for Congress and the Administration to determine how federal dollars flow to the states and the data is used by researchers, advocates and policy makers to develop reports, social service programs, and make critical policy decisions. Accordingly, the Census has a big impact on the political power and economic security of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Since 1990, when the Census added the “unmarried partner” designation on its form, people in same-sex relationships have provided the first visible record of our partnerships in the history of our nation. This data has been very important in countering misconceptions about the LGBT community. For instance, the 2000 Census showed that same-sex couples live in nearly every county in the nation, and that Black and Latino same-sex couples are raising children at nearly the rates of their heterosexual peers, while earning lower incomes.
Is there a sexual orientation or gender identity question on the 2010 Census?
No. Two Reasons:
(1) Questions on the Census take years to advocate for, and must be funded by the passage of legislation through Congress. We are just emerging from the anti-LGBT years of the Bush administration, when this was impossible.
(2) There are only 5 questions on the 2010 Census. They are big, general questions that give over-arching demographic information about every single household in the U.S. They pertain to:
Age
Sex
Race/Ethnicity
Relationship
Tenure (rent/own your home)
While we cannot as individual LGBT people make our sexual orientation or gender identity visible on the 2010 Census form, those of us who are partnered can check the “unmarried partner” box, and those couples that have legally married can check the “husband or wife” box.
A note for bi/multi-racial couples: It is not widely known that the race of the household member who fills out the Census form determines the racial designation of a family in one of the Census’ major statistical tables. Given that people of color are often undercounted by the Census, couples or families may want to consider having a person of color identify as household member #1 when filling out the form for a family.
How do I know that the government won’t use this information to target me or my family for discrimination?
The Census must ensure absolute confidentiality of these records in order to carry out its monumental task every ten years. There is no record of any LGBT individual or family being persecuted for checking the “unmarried partner” box.
Another interesting thought experiment is how many states do you think will have gay marriage in 2020? Ten? Twenty? All 50 (51)?
Today is the "JRC Celebrates Juneteenth" event in the Hancock Park section of Los Angeles from 2 to 5pm benefiting the Barbara Jordan/ Bayard Rustin Coalition, the only Black LGBT advocacy organization in Southern California.
MadProfessah will be there (with The Other Half), and hope that you will attend also. Admission costs $50 and there are awards going to Doug Spearman and Vallerie Wagner.
In the state's continuing political battles over gay marriage, both sides are targeting Latino voters, and a new Los Angeles Times poll illustrates why. Overall, the poll showed, a substantial majority of voters in Los Angeles support the right of same-sex couples to legally marry, with 56% in favor and 37% opposed.
That finding closely tracked the results of November's election in which Proposition 8, which limited marriage to unions of a man and a woman, won statewide but lost in Los Angeles. [MadProfessah Note, this is factually incorrect! Proposition 8 passed by less than 3,000 votes out of more than 3 million cast.] But the poll also showed that within the city, views on the issue differed widely among racial and ethnic groups.
White voters were most emphatic in their support for same-sex marriage, with 68% supporting it and 27% opposing. African American voters were strongly against it, with 54% opposing same-sex marriage and 37% supporting it.
Opposition to gay marriage by African Americans was widely seen as a major factor contributing to the passage of Proposition 8. Latinos in the current poll were split, with 45% supporting same-sex marriage and 46% opposing.
Oy vey. Black opposition to marriage equality "was widely seen as a major factor contibuting to the passage of Proposition 8"? Really? Only by people who believe in the zombie meme, which apparently includes Cathleen Decker of the Los Angeles Times.
However, the important result here is hard data on the majority opposition to marriage equality among African Americans, which MadProfessah and others are fighting to change. Additionally, the knowledge that Latinos are basically evenly split on the question (the margin of error was given 2.6 percentage points) is also useful information.
I was just informed in an unrelated meeting that <b>Rafael Nadal</b> defending Wimbledon champion and world #1, has withdrawn from this year's tournament, which starts on Monday.
Nadal was in Andy Murray's half of the draw, with Roger Federer in Novak Djokovic's half.
Gael Monfils injured his wrist and will skip Wimbledon for the second consecutive year
2008 Wimbledon champion and World #1 Rafael Nadal is seeded #1 at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, which start Monday June 22 in London. Dinara Safina who has never been past the third round at the tournament but is currently World #1 and has lost in 3 Grand Slam finals in the last year, is also seeded #1.
Nadal is seeded #1 ahead of World #2 and 5-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer who he beat in last year's final; a match that John McEnroe called the best tennis match he had ever seen and sportwriter Jon Wertheim has written a book about called Strokes of Genius.
Safina is seeded #1 ahead of 2-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams at #2 and 5-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams at #3. The All-Englnad Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club basically followed the world rankings for the Top 10 seeds on the women's side (and only 8 of the Top 10 seeds on the Men's side, with Fernando Verdasco and Gilles Simon swapping places at #7 and #8).
Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans.
Whereas, during the history of the Nation, the United States has grown into a symbol of democracy and freedom around the world;
Whereas the legacy of African-Americans is interwoven with the very fabric of the democracy and freedom of the United States;
Whereas millions of Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and the 13 American colonies from 1619 through 1865;
Whereas Africans forced into slavery were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized, and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage;
Whereas many enslaved families were torn apart after family members were sold separately;
Whereas the system of slavery and the visceral racism against people of African descent upon which it depended became enmeshed in the social fabric of the United States;
Whereas slavery was not officially abolished until the ratification of the 13th amendment to the Constitution of the United States in 1865, after the end of the Civil War;
Whereas after emancipation from 246 years of slavery, African-Americans soon saw the fleeting political, social, and economic gains they made during Reconstruction eviscerated by virulent racism, lynchings, disenfranchisement, Black Codes, and racial segregation laws that imposed a rigid system of officially sanctioned racial segregation in virtually all areas of life;
Whereas the system of de jure racial segregation known as `Jim Crow', which arose in certain parts of the United States after the Civil War to create separate and unequal societies for Whites and African-Americans, was a direct result of the racism against people of African descent that was engendered by slavery;
Whereas the system of Jim Crow laws officially existed until the 1960s--a century after the official end of slavery in the United States--until Congress took action to end it, but the vestiges of Jim Crow continue to this day;
Whereas African-Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws--long after both systems were formally abolished--through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty;
Whereas the story of the enslavement and de jure segregation of African-Americans and the dehumanizing atrocities committed against them should not be purged from or minimized in the telling of the history of the United States;
Whereas those African-Americans who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws, and their descendants, exemplify the strength of the human character and provide a model of courage, commitment, and perseverance;
Whereas, on July 8, 2003, during a trip to Goree Island, Senegal, a former slave port, President George W. Bush acknowledged the continuing legacy of slavery in life in the United States and the need to confront that legacy, when he stated that slavery `was . . . one of the greatest crimes of history . . . The racial bigotry fed by slavery did not end with slavery or with segregation. And many of the issues that still trouble America have roots in the bitter experience of other times. But however long the journey, our destiny is set: liberty and justice for all.';
Whereas President Bill Clinton also acknowledged the deep-seated problems caused by the continuing legacy of racism against African-Americans that began with slavery, when he initiated a national dialogue about race;
Whereas an apology for centuries of brutal dehumanization and injustices cannot erase the past, but confession of the wrongs committed and a formal apology to African-Americans will help bind the wounds of the Nation that are rooted in slavery and can speed racial healing and reconciliation and help the people of the United States understand the past and honor the history of all people of the United States;
Whereas the legislatures of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the States of Alabama, Florida, Maryland, and North Carolina have taken the lead in adopting resolutions officially expressing appropriate remorse for slavery, and other State legislatures are considering similar resolutions; and
Whereas it is important for the people of the United States, who legally recognized slavery through the Constitution and the laws of the United States, to make a formal apology for slavery and for its successor, Jim Crow, so they can move forward and seek reconciliation, justice, and harmony for all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the sense of the Congress is the following:
(1) APOLOGY FOR THE ENSLAVEMENT AND SEGREGATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS- The Congress--
(A) acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow laws;
(B) apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws; and
(C) expresses its recommitment to the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and calls on all people of the United States to work toward eliminating racial prejudices, injustices, and discrimination from our society.
(2) DISCLAIMER- Nothing in this resolution-- (A) authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or (B) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States
For Black Gay people, we can celebrate Juneteenth AND LGBT Pride simultaneously at a Jordan/Rustin Coalition BBQ this Sunday, June 21st. Hope to see you there!
According to TowleRoad, a couple with names Hakim (Kimah) Nelson and Jason Stenson were issued a marriage licence and married by a city clerk in New York City on May 26. Of course, the journalist-challenged New York Post is on the case:
After The Post's inquiries, the city's marriage bureau stopped two more people with male names from marrying Friday, requesting birth certificates.
Stenson, who has two children by his former domestic partner, does not consider himself gay. He sees his new spouse as a woman.
Experts say the marriage is not legal.
"Gay marriage is not lawful here in New York, so they're technically not married," said matrimonial attorney Raoul Felder.
Evan Wolfson, head of Freedom to Marry, a local advocacy group devoted to legalizing gay marriage, saw the Stenson/Nelson example as "one more illustration of why the New York Senate needs to move quickly to pass the marriage bill and end this discrimination in New York."
The "newlyweds," meanwhile, have already run into trouble. They took their new license to the Adult Family Intake Center in Manhattan hoping to qualify for couples' housing. But Nelson's name immediately drew suspicion.
"Are you a man or a woman?" the intake officer demanded.
"I'm a transsexual," he lied.
For now, the pair is living as a married couple in a Brooklyn shelter.
"People in Albany can say, 'Look, it's already happened, so let's just make it legal,' " Stenson said. "We're all human beings. What makes me and my wife different?"
What do YOU think? Will this help or hurt the fight to get marriage for same-sex couples legalized in New York?
Here is the text of President Barack Obama's statement on dometic partner benefits for federal employees:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2009
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM ON FEDERAL BENEFITS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION, AND SUPPORT OF THE LIEBERMAN-BALDWIN BENEFITS LEGISLATION
In 2007, Michael Guest, the first openly gay Ambassador confirmed by the United States Senate, resigned from the Foreign Service. He loved his career, but he had to leave it in the end -- because he believed that the country he served was failing to implement the principles of equality it espoused abroad. His partner was ineligible for training provided to Ambassadorial spouses; he bore the costs of his partner's transportation to his placements abroad; and his partner did not receive the overseas benefits and allowances given to spouses of Ambassadors.
It is too late to prevent Ambassador Guest from having to make the choice he made, but today I am proud to issue a Presidential Memorandum that will go a long way toward achieving equality for many of the hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic LGBT Americans serving in our Federal Government -- Americans like Ambassador Guest. In consultation with Secretary Clinton, who in her role as Secretary of State oversees our foreign service employees, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, who oversees human resource management for our civil service employees, my Administration has identified a number of areas in which greater equality can be achieved under existing law by extending to the same-sex partners of Federal employees many of the same benefits already available to the spouses of heterosexual Federal employees. I am therefore requesting the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend the benefits they have identified to the same-sex partners of Federal employees where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. I am also requesting the heads of all other executive departments and agencies to conduct a review of the benefits they administer to determine which may legally be extended to same-sex partners.
But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.
I am also proud to announce my support for an important piece of legislation introduced in both Houses of Congress last month -- the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. This legislation will extend to the same-sex partners of Federal employees the same benefits already enjoyed by the opposite-sex spouses of Federal employees. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors in both Houses of Congress, but among those many sponsors, I want to recognize one in particular -- Representative Tammy Baldwin, who has been a real leader on this issue, and more broadly on the LGBT struggle for equality. Representative Baldwin, I look forward to working with you to achieve the important objectives set out in this bill as it moves through the legislative process. I also look forward to working with the bill's Senate champions, Senators Lieberman and Collins; I know that they will approach this process with the same spirit of cooperation in pursuit of our shared goals that they bring to all of their work in the Senate.
Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do. It is also sound economic policy. Many top employers in the private sector already offer benefits to the same-sex partners of their employees; those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The Federal Government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue.
As Americans, we are all affected when our promises of equality go unfulfilled. Through measures like the Presidential Memorandum I am issuing today and the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, we will advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded and continue to perfect our Union.
MadProfessah predicted this would be what the president would say, yesterday.
Mrs. Nick Cannon, umm, excuse me, Mariah Carey is releasing the first single "Obsessed" from her upcoming album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angelto radio today.
The track is apparently another dig at Eminem, who Mariah last slapped down with one of my favorite tracks from her Charmbracelet album called "Clown" and who (in return) dissed Mariah on the track "Bagpipes from Baghdad" from his latest album Relapse, which was released earlier this year to very little notice. Mariah's husband made headlines by complaining about the track on his blog at the time.
Anyway, courtesy Love B Scott here are the lyrics to Mariah Carey's latest single "Obsessed":
OBSESSED (Mariah Carey – C. Tricky Stewart – Terius “The-Dream” Nash)
I was like, “Why are you so obsessed with me?”
So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh
Will the real MC please, step to the mike?
So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh So oh oh oh oh
All up in the blogs Saying we met at the bar When I don’t even know who you are Saying we up in your house Saying I’m up in your car But you in LA and I’m out at Jermaine’s. I’m up in the A You so so lame and no one here even mentions your name It must be the weed. It must be the E Cause you be popping hood You get it popping, Oh
Why you so obsessed with me (Boy I wanna know) Lying that you’re sexing me (when everybody knows) It’s clear that you’re upset with me Finally found a girl that you couldn’t impress Last man on the earth still couldn’t hit this You’re delusional, you’re delusional Boy you’re losing your mind It’s confusing yo, you’re confused you know Why you wasting your time Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex Seeing right through you like you’re bathing in Windex Boy why you so obsessed with me?
You on your job You hating hard Ain’t gon’ feed you I’m gonna let you starve Gasping for air I’m ventilation You out of breath Hope you ain’t waiting Telling the world how much you miss me But we never were So why you trippin’ You a mom and pop I’m a corporation I’m the press conference and you a conversation
Why you so obsessed with me (Boy I wanna know) Lying that you’re sexing me (when everybody knows) It’s clear that you’re upset with me Finally found a girl that you couldn’t impress Last man on the earth still couldn’t hit this You’re delusional, you’re delusional Boy you’re losing your mind It’s confusing yo, you’re confused you know Why you wasting your time Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex Seeing right through you like you’re bathing in Windex Boy why you so obsessed with me?
Why you so obsessed with me Lying that you’re sexing me It’s clear that you’re upset with me Finally found a girl that you couldn’t impress Last man on the earth still couldn’t hit this You’re delusional, you’re delusional Boy you’re losing your mind It’s confusing yo, you’re confused you know Why you wasting your time Got you all fired up with y our napoleon complex Seeing right through you like you’re bathing in windex Boy why you so obsessed with me?
You can also hear the track by playing the video below:
Joe.My.God does a good job of covering the reaction of the three openly gay members of Congress to the ongoing flap over the Obama Department of Justice defending DOMA in court in a way that offended LGBT activists:
Barney Frank (D-MA): “I think the administration made a big mistake. The wording they used was inappropriate. I’ve been in touch with the White House and I’m hoping the president will make clear these were not his views.” Frank says that the DNC fundraiser boycott is wrong. “There are a lot of people who aren’t boycotting. I think it’s a mistake to deny money to the DNC.”
Rep. Tammy Balwin (D-WI): "Last week the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of DOMA. I was profoundly disappointed by this action, particularly coming from this administration. I still take President Obama at his word that he is committed to the repeal of DOMA. I also recognize that he cannot do it alone. Congress has the responsibility on its shoulders to pass legislation that would give the opportunity to the President to keep his word and ensure that all married people, including those in same-sex marriages, enjoy the same rights under federal law."
Rep. Jaris Polis (D-CO): "I was shocked and disappointed to learn that President Obama chose to defend DOMA in federal court, especially given his campaign promise to call for a full repeal of DOMA. My sadness turned to outrage when I read the Justice Department’s brief that not only defended this hurtful law but seemed to embrace it. Comparing my loving relationship with my partner, Marlon, to incest was unconscionable coming from a president who has called for change. Since this filing, I have called on the President to issue a statement or give any sign that would clarify his position and am disappointed in his lack of reply"
"This is a good thing for the small percentage of . . . people that work for the federal government, but it leaves out the vast majority of people who are in same-sex relationships," said Geoff Kors, head of Equality California, one of the state's largest gay rights groups.
[...]
Although there is some sympathy for the president's position -- "he has enormous stuff on his plate that requires a lot of political capital," said Steve Elmendorf, a gay Democratic strategist -- many think the concerns of gays and lesbians are once again being shunted to second- and third-tier status.
Ken Sherrill, a Hunter College political scientist and gay activist, recalled how the Clinton administration started with great hope but ended in disappointment when the president, for tactical reasons, retreated on gay rights. President Clinton approved both the marriage bill and the policy preventing gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
"There's a fear that Obama will prove to be a heartbreaker as well," Sherrill said.
A White House spokesman said Tuesday that the president was not retreating from his campaign promises. "The president remains fully committed to the . . . proposals he made," Adam Abrams said. "We have already begun work on many of these issues."
[...]
Nothing, however, matches the outrage provoked by last week's court filing in Santa Ana supporting the Defense of Marriage Act. The fact that the brief was filed during Gay Pride Month, which Obama saluted with a formal proclamation, only compounded the sense of insult.
"You have some appointments that have been good and a proclamation," said Sherrill, who has written extensively on the history of the gay rights movement. "And then two tangible areas where the administration has done something wrongheaded and offensive. Doing nothing at all would have been a helluva lot better."
Monsters vs. Aliens was released in March but MadProfessah and the Other Half saw it in late May. It was created by Dreamworks Animation, the people who made the Shrek movies and last year's Bolt (see review).
Monsters vs. Aliensfeatures the voice talents of Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Rainn Wilson, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Keiefer Sutherland and Stephen Colbert. It was written and directed by Rob Letterman.
Monsters vs. Aliens is currently the #2 grossing movie of 2009, (right behind Star Trek)having made just about $195 million dollars to date, but it will almost definitely be passed by Pixar's Up(see MadProfessah's review) very shortly. It is nowhere as good as these two critically acclaimed summer blockbusters, but it is enjoyable, passable entertainment.
The film is both a spoof of 1950s alien invasion films as well as a loving homage. The main character Susan Murphy (well-voiced by Reese Witherspoon) gets hit by a falling meteor and turned into a canonical "50-foot woman" and gets kidnapped by the US government to a secret military facility where she meets other monsters the US government has been holding for decades. When an alien invades the USA, the government deploys their monsters to attempt to defeat the alien invasion. Fun and chaos ensues.
Running Time: 1 hour, 34 minutes. MPAA Rating: PG [See Full Rating] for sci-fi action, some crude humor and mild language.
Mr. Obama, in an Oval Office announcement, is expected to offer details about which benefits will be provided. It is the most significant statement he has made on gay issues, and it comes as he faces intense criticism from several gay rights leaders over what they suggest has been a failure to live up to campaign promises in the first months of his presidency.
Mr. Obama will be weighing in for the first time on one of the most delicate social and political issues of the day: whether the government must provide benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. While he will announce a list of benefits, officials said, they are not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which could require legislation to achieve.
The initial reaction from some gay rights advocates was mixed.
“Extending benefits to partners of gay federal employees is terrific, but at this point he is under enormous pressure from the gay civil rights community for having promised the moon and done nothing so far,” Richard Socarides, an adviser to the Clinton administration on gay issues, said Tuesday evening. “So more important now is what he says tomorrow about the future for gay people during his presidency.”
Presumably, the President will announce his support for H.R. 2517/S. 1102, the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, co-authored by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis) which would extend health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of federal employees.
The gay blogosphere is all over the story, and many of them are not impressed. Many people are pointing out that this first announcement of an LGBT initiative is occurring after a furor has blown up over an LGBT Democratic National Committee fundraising event scheduled for next week started receiving high profile defections.
In Jeff Zeleny's article in the Times it is revealed that
"the timing of the announcement was intended to help contain the growing furor among gay rights groups. Several gay donors withdrew their sponsorship of a Democratic National Committee fund-raising event next week, where Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to speak."
Emphasis added by Pam Spaulding over at The Blend. John Aravosis at AmericaBlog is one of the main sparks fanning the flames of the furor.
Equality California, Jordan/Rustin Coalition Launch Mobilization Effort on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples in African-American Communities
Campaign Includes TV ad, on-the-ground organizing
Los Angeles – As same-sex couples who were able to legally marry last year celebrate their one-year-anniversaries, Equality California (EQCA) and Jordan/Rustin Coalition (JRC) are together launching an education and mobilization campaign on the freedom to marry in LA’s African-American communities. The effort includes a TV commercial, on-the-ground organizers as well as an office dedicated to the campaign, which will be based in South Los Angeles, a predominantly African-American community.
“Jordan/Rustin Coalition is happy to partner with Equality California as we do the work to open the hearts and minds of all Californians, including those in the Black community, on the question of marriage for same-sex couples,” said Ron Buckmire, JRC board president. “Our partnership includes a multi-media campaign, outreach and public education and even the nuts and bolts of staffing and supplies. I am confident that together we will see the day when full LGBT equality is restored to our state.”
As part of today’s launch, the organizations released a television ad that features a gay African-American couple, Xavier and Michael Boykin-Haggood, along with three of their five children, Dante, Emmanuel and Fatima. The family lives in LA’s Leimert Park neighborhood. Their ad is scheduled to air statewide starting the week of June 22nd.
“As we celebrate this one-year-anniversary of marriages in California, we are proud to be working with the Jordan/Rustin Coalition to have conversations with African-Americans about marriage for same-sex couples,” said EQCA Marriage Director Marc Solomon. “As people really get to know our families, they will see they have the same hopes, dreams and concerns as any other family and simply want the protections and dignity that marriage affords.”
The office is slated to open later this summer. JRC, EQCA, and a coalition of grassroots and community leaders rooted in South Los Angeles will work collaboratively to organize outreach events and lead door-to-door efforts to talk with African-American Californians.
Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
The mission of the Barbara Jordan / Bayard Rustin Coalition (or Jordan/Rustin Coalition) is to empower Black same-gender loving, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and families in Greater Los Angeles, to promote equal marriage rights and to advocate for fair treatment of everyone without regard to race, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. www.jordanrustin.org
MadProfessah and His Husband will be appearing at an event in West Hollywood City Park commemorating the occasion at 4pm today. There are also other big announcements coming....
ESSENCE.com: Do you see the same-sex issue similarly to the civil rights issues African-Americans have faced in the past?
BASS:No, in fact I think that it would be helpful if the LGBT community didn't compare our struggle to theirs because it's harder to win African-American support when you do that. I do believe it's a struggle for equality but I don't believe that every struggle for equality is identical to the African-American struggle. (emphasis added)
ESSENCE.com: There are rumors that conservative blacks in California are responsible for passing the measure in the first place. As someone who is black and works in the state government, what would you say to those who believe we're the reason why this measure exists?
BASS: I resent that tremendously. I believe there was an element of racism there. I was shocked at how quickly White, gay activists blamed us. Within 24-hours after the measure passed, it was decided that black voters are the reason for Prop 8.
Some White, gay activists said, we voted for your guy, how can you disrespect us and vote the other way? Last I checked Barack Obama was voted in as the President of the United States, not the president of just black people.
ESSENCE.com: What did this mean for people who are both black and gay?
BASS: Among black LGBT activist who went out to protest the "Yes" vote some of them had to leave because they were having racial epithets yelled at them. I was angry by the fact that some gay activists have such an immediate, visceral reaction without even questioning whether or not it was true.
Some gay activists called me up and asked me to intervene with the African-American community and explain why black people voted the way they did. I tried to tell them that they needed to go to the black LGBT community. One of the mistakes they made is not getting these black activists involved from the very beginning.
ESSENCE.com: So it's wrong to think that we caused this to happen?
BASS: When the vote was analyzed later, it was discovered that African-Americans were not the reason why Prop 8 passed. The analysis also showed a big divide in the way we voted based on generation. You had younger African-American voters who were against Prop 8 while the older African-American voters voted it in. Of course, we know the church plays a huge role within our community as well.
ESSENCE.com: What do you think will happen next regarding this issue in California?
BASS: You have to understand, California is in the middle of a financial meltdown right now. This is not the number one issue on people's minds but those who are actively in support of marriage equality will go back to the ballot and go through the legislative process again. But ultimately this is a national issue and states are going in different directions
I greatly respected Karen Bass before, and I still do. As board presidentof the only Black LGBT political advocacy organization in Southern California I get asked similar questions by the media frequently and I completely understand her answers. I am very pleased that Speaker Bass did not repeat the "zombie meme" that "the Black vote" caused Proposition 8 to pass and pushed back hard on the (primarily white) LGBT activists who were trying to blame this civil rights setback at the feet of Black people.
Another point Bass made that I agree with is calling out people who EQUATE the struggle for LGBT equality with the struggle for civil rights based on race and gender. As I have said multiple times (and been quoted in numerous papers) the struggles are related but they are not equivalent.
I like Dan Savage's characterization as the LGBT rights movement as "a civil rights movement" but the struggle for African-American equality was "The Civil Rights Movement." The direct quote, from Savage's appearance on D.L. Hughley's CNN talk show on Saturday November 15, is:
I think African-Americans will always have claim to the civil rights movement, capital "T," capital "C," capital "R," capital "M." Ours is not the civil rights movement. But ours is a civil rights movement, lower case C-R-M. It is a struggle. You get fired because you're gay, you get fired because you're black, you're still out of a job. If your house gets burned down because you're gay, burned down because you're black, you're still out of a house and maybe dead. Hate is hate. I'm not equating the experience with the history at all. But we are making a civil rights demand.
Lesbian reporter Kerry Eleveldinterviewed OPM Director John Berry yesterday at an LGBT pride festival in Washington, D.C. and he gave this extended answer on behalf of the White House:
We have four broad legislative goals that we want to accomplish and legislation is one of these things where you've got to move when the opportunity strikes, so I'm going to list them in an order but it's not necessarily going to go one, two, three, four. Obviously, I think the first opportunity is hate crimes and we're hopeful that we can get that passed this week. We're going to try, but if not, we're going to keep at it until we get it passed. The second one ENDA, we want to secure that passage of ENDA, and third is we want to repeal legislatively "don't ask don't tell," and fourth, we want to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
Now, I'm not going to pledge -- and nor is the president -- that this is going to be done by some certain date.
He also went on to discuss the controversy du jour, the DOJ brief defending DOMA:
Finally, I want to talk to you about the DOMA brief. Our strongest argument against “don’t ask, don’t tell” is that we stand with the truth. And that we, more than anyone, know the cost of lying and the terrible pain it invokes.
This president took a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and he does not get to decide and choose which laws he enforces. He has to enforce the laws that have been enacted appropriately and that he has inherited. It would be wrong for me or any of our community to advise him to lie or to shirk his responsibility. He’s doing his job. He has made clear that he stands for the repeal of DOMA. It will be part of this administration’s agenda to accomplish that act. We ought not waste energy and angst attacking him when we should be focusing the energy and effort on getting 218 votes in the house and 60 votes in the Senate, and that’s where we ought to target the energy and the strength of this community and this president is with us, this is our agenda and it’s his agenda.
I find it bizarre that the Obama White House thinks that it doesn't have the votes to pass legislation (DADT repeal and trans-inclusive ENDA) which has huge popular support.
However, what this John Berry interview reveals is that the White House strongly needs to hear the appeal by former Clinton adviser that they need to appoint a senior White House aide to deal with LGBT issues. It's not John Berry's job to be the mouthpiece for the Obama administration simply because he's the highest ranked openly gay Obama appointee. Berry is the head of the agency which manages the 1.9 million strong federal workforce. Someone else should be tasked with interfacing with "senior Administration officials" when LGBT issues arise.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ran into his Los Angeles counterpart Antonio Villaraigosa at Los Angeles Pride on Sunday June 14th. Also present is outgoing Los Anegeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, who is one of the masses running for State Attorney General in 2010.
Andy Murray beat James Blake 7-5 6-4 in the finals of the Queen's Club tournament (now sponsored by Aegon). He became the first British player to win the title since 1938 and increased speculation that the World #3 could become the first British player to win Wimbledon, which starts on Monday June 22.
Peter Le is not the first Asian model to be featured as MadProfessah's Eye Candy but he may be the hottest! As usual, I found pictures of this hottie at Queerty.com, which has even more shots of Mr. Le.
Andy Roddick retired from his semifinal match at the Queen's Club grass court warm-up against fellow American James Blake, who will face British citizen Andy Murray in the final. Roddick injured his ankle after he had successfully retrieved a lob from Blake and was walking in the back of the court when the freak accident occurred. The former #1 says that he does not think the injury is too serious and should not negatively impact his chances at Wimbledon, which starts June 22nd.
Murray defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-2 6-4 and could become the first British man to win the Queen's Club tournament in 71 years if he beats James Blake, who reminded the British press that they should be rooting for him as well--Blake's mother is a British citizen.
Kevin Drum and Joe.My.Godbothblogged about the above graph from Andrew Gelmanat FiveThirtyEight.com in the last few days. The key paragraphs are:
Jeff Lax and Justin Phillips put together a dataset using national opinion polls from 1994 through 2009 and analyzed several different opinion questions on gay rights. Here I'm going to talk about their estimates of state-by-state trends in support for gay marriage.
In the past fifteen years, gay marriage has increased in popularity in all fifty states. No news there, but what was a surprise to me is where the largest changes have occurred. The popularity of gay marriage has increased fastest in the states where gay rights were already relatively popular in the 1990s.
In 1995, support for gay marriage exceeded 30% in only six states: New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, and Vermont. In these states, support for gay marriage has increased by an average of almost 20 percentage points. In contrast, support has increased by less than 10 percentage points in the six states that in 1995 were most anti-gay-marriage--Utah, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Idaho.
These are definitely important and interesting observations, but digging deeper, there is even more.
Most other commenters did not also discuss this even more interesting graph, which shows the current percentage of people who, when polled who support marriage for same-sex couples and/or civil unions.
Looking closely at the dark red dots, notice that marriage for same-sex couples is basically only legal in the states where it is above 50 percent. The three states which have marriage (within margin of error) at 50 percent but do not have marriage equality right now are Rhode Island, California and New York.
Other interesting data to include here would be to indicate the states which have comprehensive non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation (and gender identity).
"As it generally does with existing statutes, the Justice Department is defending the law on the books in court. The President has said he wants to see a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents LGBT couples from being granted equal rights and benefits. However, until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system."
The Obama Administration finally responded in court today in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, and the so-called "fierce advocate" for LGBT rights had his Justice Department argue that DOMA is constitutional and serves a legitimate governemental purpose: saving money. Needless to say, the LGBT groups are NOT AMUSED:
We are very surprised and deeply disappointed in the manner in which the Obama administration has defended the so-called Defense of Marriage Act against Smelt v. United States, a lawsuit brought in federal court in California by a married same-sex couple asking the federal government to treat them equally with respect to federal protections and benefits. The administration is using many of the same flawed legal arguments that the Bush administration used. These arguments rightly have been rejected by several state supreme courts as legally unsound and obviously discriminatory.
We disagree with many of the administration’s arguments, for example that DOMA is a valid exercise of Congress’s power, is consistent with Equal Protection or Due Process principles, and does not impinge upon rights that are recognized as fundamental.
We are also extremely disturbed by a new and nonsensical argument the administration has advanced suggesting that the federal government needs to be "neutral" with regard to its treatment of married same-sex couples in order to ensure that federal tax money collected from across the country not be used to assist same-sex couples duly married by their home states. There is nothing "neutral" about the federal government’s discriminatory denial of fair treatment to married same-sex couples: DOMA wrongly bars the federal government from providing any of the over one thousand federal protections to the many thousands of couples who marry in six states. This notion of "neutrality" ignores the fact that while married same-sex couples pay their full share of income and social security taxes, they are prevented by DOMA from receiving the corresponding same benefits that married heterosexual taxpayers receive. It is the married same-sex couples, not heterosexuals in other parts of the country, who are financially and personally damaged in significant ways by DOMA. For the Obama administration to suggest otherwise simply departs from both mathematical and legal reality.
When President Obama was courting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters, he said that he believed that DOMA should be repealed. We ask him to live up to his emphatic campaign promises, to stop making false and damaging legal arguments, and immediately to introduce a bill to repeal DOMA and ensure that every married couple in America has the same access to federal protections.
The U.S. State Department has finally issued a statement condemning the violence against gays and lesbians in Iraq, according to this article in the Indian Times:
In general, we absolutely condemn acts of violence and human rights violations committed against individuals in Iraq because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
This is an issue that we've been following very closely since we have been made aware of these allegations, and we are aware of the allegations. Our training for Iraqi security forces includes instruction on the proper observance of human rights.
Human rights training is also a very important part of our and other international donors' civilian capacity-building efforts in Iraq. And the US embassy in Baghdad has raised, and will continue to raise, the issue with senior officials from the government of Iraq, and has urged them to respond appropriately to all credible reports of violence against gay and lesbian Iraqis.
MadProfessah checked out Derrick's Jamaican Cuisine (6806 La Tijera Blvd. Los Angeles, CA, 90045; 310-641-7572) the other day and was pleasantly surprised.
As regular readers of the blog will know, I have a long standing quest to find authentic, cheap, good West Indian/Caribbean food in Los Angeles. So far, the best Caribbean food in Los Angeles County I have found is Ackee Bamboo in Leimert Park.
I had visited Derrick's a long time ago (before this blog started) and was not terribly impressed. However, this visit was different. I ordered the coconut shrimp as an appetizer, followed by the brown stew chicken (which is a traditional and very common West Indian dish).
The coconut shrimp was deliciously crunchy and was matched with a delicious sweet, spicy and tangy sauce for dipping. The brown stew chicken was also excellent, well-matched with rice and peas, fried plaintains and some pretty sad steamed vegetables. The brown stew chicken is not overwhelmingly spicy-hot (that would be the jerk chicken) but instead is filled with what seems like dozens of subtle spices that delight the senses. It is also perfectly cooked, moist and falling off the bone.
Derrick's is definitely a place to get decent Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine, with a fancier (and less authentic) ambiance than other sources of West Indian fare in Los Angeles, like the Caribbean Treehouse, Juicy's and Wi Jamminthat MadProfessah has also sampled recently.
On the women's side I was correct in 1 of 4 quarterfinal matches, 2 of 2 semifinal matches and 0 of 1 final matches, that's 3 of 7 correct predictions. I did not predict Kuznetsova defeating Serena, Stosur defeating Cirstea and Cibulkova defeating Sharapova. I am happy that Kuznetsova defeated Safina, but I expected the World #1 to come through in that match instead.
Overall, my record was 9 correct calls out of 14 predictions.
Here are my grades for the new members of the Top 10 (Men's and Women's rankings released on Monday June 8th).
1 Rafael Nadal ESP. 4th Round loss (to Robin Soderling).It was only a matter of time before The King of Clay would be dethroned at Roland Garros, but very few people felt that it would be this year. It should be interesting to see how Nadal bounces back from winning in places very few ever expected him to (Melbourne and Wimbledon) and losing in a place very few ever expected him to (Paris).Grade: B. 2 Roger Federer SUI. Champion. After being the second best player on clay for the last five years, finally Federer was able to sieze on the stumble of his greatest rival to complete his career grand slam and (mostly) silence the naysayers who would deny his place in the pantheon of tennis greats. Grade: A+. 3 Andy Murray GBR. Quarterfinal loss (to Fernando Gonzalez).Did pretty well until he ran into the buzzsaw that is Gonzalez' forehand. Murray is still showing that he is still improving and it is probably only a matter of time before he breaks through and wins a major title like his contemporaries.Grade: B+. 4 Novak Djokovic SRB. 3rd Round loss (to Phillip Kohlschreiber). A very disappointing result for an alleged top 4 player, who had played very well during the run-up clay court season, especially in an absolutely stunning match that he lost against Nadal in the Madrid semifinal. Grade: C-. 5 Juan Martín del Potro ARG. Semifinal loss (to Roger Federer). Demonstrated that despite being the most physically dangerous of the "up and comers" he is not happy with having achieved his highest ever ranking and best ever result at a slam, but wants much much more, as demonstrated by manging to impressively claw his way back to even in the 5th set of his winnable semifinal match against the Great Roger Federer.Grade: A-. 6 Andy Roddick USA. 4th Round loss (to Gael Monfils). The recently married American had his best ever result at the clay court major, losing to a resurgent Monfils who appears to be the only French player to relish playing in front of his home crowd. This result bodes well for Roddick's chances in his strongest section of the year, which is yet to come. Grade: A-. 7 Gilles Simon FRA. 3rd Round loss (to Victor Hanescu). A weak result for the top-rated French player at his home country's slam.Grade: C-. 8 Fernando Verdasco ESP. 4th Round loss (to Nikolay Davydenko). The vastly improved Spaniard was unfortunate to run into the Russian on a day when he was simply playing flawless tennis (6 unforced errors in 3 sets!)Grade: B. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA. 4th Round loss (to Juan Martín del Potro). Unfortunately, the always fun to watch Frenchman was simply overpowereed by someone stronger, faster and hungrier.Grade: B+. 10 Fernando Gonzalez CHI. Semifinal loss (to Robin Soderling). Gonzalez made a lot of tennis fans into believers by his demolition of the latest addition to the Nadal-Federer conversation in the quarterfinals and his nearly complete come back against Soderling in the semifinals, only to lose the last five games of the match not due to weakness on his end, but due to strength of his opponent. Grade: A-.
Here are the Women's grades:
1 Dinara Safina RUS.Finalist (lost to Kuznetsova). Lived up to her seeding by making the Roland Garros final for the second consecutive year, then demonstrated why she probably will not remain at the top of the game for much longer by completely disintegrating right before our eyes. Grade: B+. 2 Serena Williams USA. Quarterfinal (lost to Kuznetsova). Did well to make the fourth round of the clay court major despite zero matches on clay beforehand, although her curious lack of resolve leading 3-1 in the 3rd to the eventual champion may indicate troublesome fissures in her confidence as she tries to repeat her appearance in the last two major finals of the year.Grade: A-. 3 Venus Williams USA. 3rd Round (Lost to Agnes Szavay). For the third year in a row Venus lost in the third round, disappointing her legion of fans who want her to perform as well at the beginning of the summer as she does at the end of it, in odd-numbered years. Grade: B-. 4 Elena Dementieva RUS. 3rd Round (lost to Samantha Stosur). Another disappointing major from the Beijing Olympic singles gold medallist. Grade: C. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS. Champion. Finally Sveta exceeded her seeding and took advantage of her opportunities to overcome her well-publicized demons, both by defeating Serena Williams in a tight three-set match (the best of the tournament) and following it up with a demolition of the World #1 to win her second major title, her first in five years. Grade: A+. 6 Jelena Jankovic SRB. 4th Round (lost to Sorana Cirstea). The former World #1 is now in serious danger of not even being considered of ever being a one-slam wonder.Grade: C-. 7 Vera Zvonareva RUS. Did Not Play. Grade: INCOMPLETE. 8 Victoria Azarenka BLR. Quarterfinal (lost to Safina). For one set Azarenka beat the **** out of the ball and made the #1 player in the world look like the confused and unsteady player she is.Grade: A. 9 Caroline Wozniacki DEN. 3rd Round (lost to Sorana Cirstea). The hard-hitting Danish youngster did not play up to expectations, but was another one of the victims of the true standouts in this year's tournament: Romanian Sorana Cirstea. Grade: B. 10 Nadia Petrova RUS. 2nd Round (lost to Maria Sharapova). Petrova had an excellent opportunity to finally defeat the most successful of her Russian peers, but again blinked when faced with the finish line. Her consolation prize was to take out the Williams sisters in doubles.Grade: B-.
Sleiman co-starred in last year's Oscar-nominated The Visitor(one of my favorite movies of 2008) and has also appeared as an "improbably hot Arab terrorist" on Fox's 24 television series.
Below, some video of him talking about his role on Nurse Jackie, which started airing on Showtime this week (Mondays)
Anthony Woods is a young African American man with impressive credentials who is currently running for Congress: he is a West Point grad, attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and served two tours of duty in Iraq before the age of 29. MadProfessahmet him at the California Democratic party convention in Sacramento in April. Oh, and Anthony Woods is gay and was kicked out of the miltary due to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy.
There are much bigger names (Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi) running to replace Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District of California as Woods hasn't been given much of a chance but he is starting to get widespread blogosphere notice. Andrew Sullivan called him "A Very New Democrat" and he was described as "the Best Political Resume Ever" by a blogger at The Daily Beast, a story that was tweeted by influential political reporter Marc Ambinder and appeared in The Huffington Post.
This week, Woods was also endorsed by Lieutenant Dan Choi, who has also been in the news due to his public fight against the DADT policy.
MadProfessah endorses Anthony Woods for Congress in CA-10.
Hello! You may have noticed an advertisement for the book Precious Cargoon MadProfessah.com. Please support our advertiser(s). I haven't read the book but I appreciate the business.
Interestnigly, you may have noticed that I updated the section of the blog that contains Madprofessahmovie reviews and MadProfessah book reviews. Interested publishers and movie companies who want to send me stuff to review, you know how to contact me/
There's also an ad running for Jordan/Rustin Coalition's JRC Celebrates Juneteenth fundraiser on Sunday June 21st where longtime Black LGBT activists Vallerie Wagner and Doug Spearman will be honored. MadProfessah.com is donating that ad space.
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As the name implies, the new iPhone 3G S is supposed to be faster. Apple boasts that you can load Web pages and launch apps twice as fast as the previous model. It also promises improved 3D graphics for games.
A 3-megapixel camera with autofocus. You can also focus by tapping on the screen. It will also have settings for white balance, exposure, low-light sensitivity, and a macro mode for close-up photos.
A camcorder. You can shoot VGA-quality video in 30 frames per second, and after you're done, you can trim the video by adjusting the start and end points. You can then send the video via MMS (included in iPhone OS 3.0) to a friend, to your MobileMe account, or even to YouTube, directly from the phone.
Voice control, but not just for calls. Not only can you manage phone calls with your voice, you can use your voice to play music. You can ask the phone what song is playing, ask it to play a particular song from an artist or an album, and even to play songs that are similar to the currently playing track.
A built-in digital compass. It automatically reorients the map to the direction you're facing. It works in conjunction with Maps to give you street view as well.
Bluetooth tethering is allowed, which means you can use the iPhone 3G S as a wireless modem with your laptop. However, this is not available from AT&T for now.
Voiceover, an accessibility setting on the new iPhone 3G S that acts as a gesture-based screen reader.
Compatibility with Nike+ iPod, where it detects the Nike+ sensor in your shoe to track your runs.
Improved battery life. Apple promises that the iPhone 3G S can hold up to 9 hours in Wi-Fi, 10 hours on video playback, 30 hours on audio playback, 12 hours talk time on 2G networks, and 5 hours talk time on 3G networks.
The 16GB model will be $199 with a new contract and the 32GB model will be $299 with a new contract. They will be available June 19, 2009.
The new iPhone 3.0 operating system will also be available for older versions of the iPhone for free starting June 19th. It contains all sorta of goodies like copy and paste, multimedia messaging and voice recording.
Oscar Grant was an African American, 22-year-old father of two who was shot to death by a BART police officer named Johannes Mehserle in the wee hours of January 1, 2009. The killing was caught on video and was a cause celebre earlier this year. The Barbara Jordan/Bayard Rustin Coalition (a Black LGBT organization that MadProfessah is the board president of) organized a candlelight vigil in Liemert Park in support of justice being done for the man who shot a Black man at point blank range in full view of hundreds of other people for no apparent reason.
Today comes word that Mehserle will be tried for murder in the Oscar Grant case and the defense's motion for a change of venue was denied:
After listening to seven days of testimony, Judge C. Don Clay concluded that Mehserle hadn't gotten his stun gun and his service pistol mixed up when he shot Oscar Grant in the back at the Fruitvale Station in Oakland early New Year's Day.
"There's no doubt in my mind," Clay said at the close of the former officer's preliminary hearing in Oakland, "that Mr. Mehserle intended to shoot Oscar Grant with a gun and not a Taser."
The decision set up the first murder trial of a California peace officer for a line-of-duty killing in nearly 15 years. It prompted sobs of relief from Grant's family members, who spoke of having a sense of justice restored.
"This is going to be huge for people of color," Cephus Johnson, Grant's uncle, said outside court. "The community lacks faith in the judicial system when it comes to police officers.
2. Vote for the videos you like by clicking the "Like" button in the top right corner of the video screen.
3. Each video can receive only one vote per user account.
4. There are more than 60 videos in the competition. View more videos by clicking additional page numbers in the bottom of the main page.
5. Voting ends on June 15.
6. The 10 videos receiving the greatest number of votes will be named finalists and submitted to our jury for selection of the Grand Prize winner.
7. Winners will be announced no later than June 24.
The Grand Prize is $2,500. The People's Choice Award is $1,000. MadProfessah will be featuring my favorite videos every day for the next week. Today's favorite is "Just Like Anybody Else."
Today, June 8, is National Caribbean-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. MadProfessah was born in Grenada and grew up in Barbados so I consider myself Caribbean-American or West Indian. Here are some facts about HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean and among Caribbean-Americans:
* HIV infection rates in the Caribbean are the highest in the world outside of Africa, with an estimated prevalence of 2.1%
* Unaids estimates that there are 440,000 adults and children living with HIV/AIDs in the Caribbean
* Haiti has the highest prevalence rate - over 6% of the adult population is living with HIV/AIDS
* AIDS is the leading cause of death among sexually active adults in Haiti and other Caribbean countries
The guys at Queerty finally return with some lovely milk chocolate Eye Candy for you MadProfessah.com readers! The model's name is Ramel Murphy and he is today's featured Morning Goods model at the popular, gossipy blog. So, head on over there to find even more revealing (and some ridiculous) shots of Mr. Murphy!
Roger Federer won the French Open on Sunday, winning his 14th major title, completing the career grand slam by defeating Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6(1) 6-4.
Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Dinara Safina6-4 6-2 to win her second major title, the 2009 French Open, in Paris on Saturday. Safina is the World #1 and will remain there on Monday. She has appeared in 3 major finals, 2008 French Open, 2009 Australian Open and the 2009 French Open and lost all 3. She also lost the Gold Olympic medal match to Elena Dementieva in Beijing in August 2008.
Kuznetsova won the 2004 US Open and lost the 2006 French Open final and the 2007 US Open finals to Justine Henin. She is now at 2-2 in major finals, with a surprising 11 wins and 18 losses overall in WTA tour finals.
Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs. Roger Federer SUI (2). For the fourth year in a row, Roger Federer is in the Roland Garros final, his 19th career final, matching Ivan Lendl's career record. However, for the first time, Federer will not have his arch-nemesis standing in the way of a major title in Paris. The new opponent is Robin Soderling, who executed one of the great tennis upsets of all time last Sunday when he dismissed World #1 Rafael Nadal (who had neverlost a match at the French Open!) in four sets 6-2 6-7(2) 6-4 7-6(2).
When 4-time defending champion Nadal lost in the fourth round, most people thought that Federer became the prohibitive favorite to win the 2009 Roland Garros title. However, since then Federer needed 5 sets to get past a spirited challenge from Tommy Haas in the fourth round and another 5 sets to get past Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals. Federer was 5-0 and had never lost a set to the Argentine kid but the del Potro who competed on Friday easily won the first set and put up stiff resistance for nearly 3 and a half hours, finally succumbing 3-6 7-6(2) 2-6 6-1 6-4. And this wasn't even the best match of the day, that honor was bestowed upon the barnburner Fernando Gonzalez and Soderling threw down.
Soderling started off very well, winning the first two sets by blasting winners and serving big and got himself to within 6 points of winning during the 3rd set. Then Gonzalez managed to hold, break and hold and suddenly Soderling went through a bad patch and found himself down 0--3 and 1-4 in the fifth and final set. Amazingly, Soderling was able to win 5 consecutive games to clinch his first ever Grand Slam final. He and Gonzo combined for a mind-boggling total of 143 winners, 75 by the eventual winner of the match.
Sunday's final will be huge for both players, but there's no question more of the pressure is on Federer. Everyone expects him to win, since he is no longer facing nadal. If Federer does win, he can silence (most of) the naysayers who would deny him title of the Greatest Of All Time by winning his 14th major title and completing his career Grand Slam. If Soderling wins, he will ensure his name will be enshrined in the history books, as one of the other men who denied (or delayed?) Federer achieving from achieving this status and who beat and replaced Nadal as the King of Clay.
Head-to-head Federer has played Soderling nine times on multiple surfaces and only ever lost one tiebreak set to him but very many of the sets have been close, showing that even before his Paris breakthrough the Swede was a dangerous opponent. The new Soderling is even more lethal, because he surely believes he is on a Mission with Destiny and he now also possesses a powerful, fit body to complement his powerful groundstrokes and nervy serving (120-plus mph second serves).
However, Federer is the most talented player of his generation and at the end of the day he should be able to use his versatility and variety to come up with a solution to win the match. It is also likely that since Soderling is playing in his first Grand Slam final, mentally he will be satisfied with the Finalist label, while Federer will settle for nothing less than his hands on the trophy at the end of the day, for the fourteenth time in a major.
The two best players on clay this season are Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova and they will meet in the 2009 Roland Garros final tomorrow. It should be a classic match, but all-Russian matches, like all-Williams matches, disappoint more often than not.
Safina has been plowing through the draw like a scythe, with only one slight hiccup against Belarussian youngster Victoria Azarenka who had the World #1 plaintively asking her coach "I don't know what to do, tell me what to do!" Kuznetsova, because of her now-deserved reputation for mental infirmity late in important matches has not been the favorite of most tennis pundits. However, since she was able to beat Serena Williams in one of the best matches of the year in the quarterfinals: 7-6(3) 5-7 7-5 and despite showing some mental weakness again in her semifinal against Samantha Stosur Kuznetsova again was able to gut out a win 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3. Can she make it three in a row? I doubt it.
It is fascinating that the 2006 finalist (Kuznetsova, lost to Justine Henin) is playing against the 2008 finalist (Safina, who lost to Ana Ivanovic). The 2007 finalist (Ivanovic) won the title the following year. Can the 2008 finalist (Safina) repeat this effort? Most likely.
Both Russians are closely matched physically, with huge serves, excellent forehands and backhands as well as exquisite movement on clay. I still believe that Kuznetsova is the most talented, but tennis is also (at least) 50% mental, and by getting to #1 in the world, Safina has demonstrated the mental toughness required. While Kuznetsova has demonstrated improvement in that area in this tournament I still give Safina the edge in this category.
Head to head, Safina leads their rivalry 8 to 5, although they are tied 4-4 in matches on clay and 1-1 at matches on clay at Roland Garros. I believe the match will be close but Safina will win her first major title on Saturday in Paris.
Dinara Safina RUS (1) vs. Maria Sharapova RUSDominika Cibulkova SVK (20). "Marat's little sister" no more, Dinara Safina is playing like she is a woman on a mission to win her first major title. Although she finally lost a set (to a Victoria Azarenka playing out of her mind) in the quarterfinals, she should have no difficulty getting past giant-killer Dominika Cibulkova to get to the Roland Garros final for the second consecutive year, and her second consecutive Grand Slam final of 2009. Cibulkova was lucky to face a Maria Sharapova who had completely run out of gas but the diminutive youngster took advantage of her opportunity and is in her first Grand Slam semifinal. When you're 5 foot, 3 inches taking out one 6-foot-plus Russian is a surprise, but taking out two in a row is an impossibility.
PREDICTION: Safina in 2 sets.
Serena Williams USA (2)Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (7) vs. Sorana Cirstea ROU Samantha Stosur AUS (30). This is the semifinal I did not see coming at all. After seeing how well Cirstea dealt with the pressure against Jelena Jankovic to reach this point I picked her to take out doubles specialist Samantha Stosur however, instead experience bested youthful exuberance.
In one of the best matches of the tournament, Sveta finallywon one of those heart-breakingly close matches that she has been losing for years. She beat Serena Williams for only the second time in 8 meetings despite the fact that Serena had come back from facing imminent defeat in the second set to be up a break in the final set. Sveta finally hung tough and was able to claw back to even and surprisingly, Serena was the first to crack under the pressure at 4-all and 5-all in the final set.
Against Stosur, I am confident that Sveta will find a way to make it to the final for the second time in four years, where the 2006 Finalist and 2008 Finalist will face each other for the 2009 title.
As you may have heard, the Governor has proposed to eliminate funding of state general funds to the State Office of AIDS. I do not need to tell you how detrimental that would be to our clients and our community. The Los Angeles Community is organizing a rally to protest the proposed cuts to the Office of AIDS.
We really hope to have representation from the communities who will be most impacted by these cuts. I’m thinking about how devastating this is going to be to transwomen, who have virtually no other social service funding aside from HIV funding. I’m thinking of non-transwomen in already underserved communities. I’m thinking about my boys, and all of those ACT UP folks who died, fighting in the streets to create the safety net which is now being eviscerated. Who are you thinking about? WE NEED TO ALL SHOW UP TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
The rally is scheduled for Friday, June 5th from 4pm-6pm at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 90038
Please forward this information to all of your clients, friends, and colleagues. We need a huge turnout in order to make a statement that cutting funding for HIV/AIDS programs will have a devastating impact on our community and our state. Please review the attached document, which highlights what would happen to our prevention and CARE programs should the governor’s proposal pass.
Also, please inform folks who plan on attending that this rally is to protest the cuts for HIV/AIDS programs ONLY. I know marriage equality is still a hot button issue, but we do not want to confuse people by having Prop 8 or marriage equality signs at the rally. Please make signs that highlight the negative impact that these cuts would have on our community.
Madprofessah is currently out of town (for a board meeting), but I hope that y'all check out the rally and make your voice heard in opposition to the Governor's budget cuts.
Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs. Andy Murray GBR (3)Fernando Gonzalez CHI (12). Soderling followed up his unthinkable 4th Round dismissal of 4-time French Open champ Rafael Nadal by delivering a vicious beat down to former World #3 Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals to reach his first careeer semifinal. The powerful Swede will next face the brilliant Chilean Fernando Gonzalez who knocked out The Great White Hope of the British Isles, Andy Murray. Gonzo was scintillating in victory, winning a 6-0 third set, although serving for the match at 5-3 in the 4th set he was promptly broken. Happily, Murray decided to gift him the very next service game by repeatedly dumping balls into the net and losing the match.
Soderling versus Gonzalez is an intriguing match-up. They both have very strong forehands, but Soderling also has a very powerful (two-handed) backhand, while Gonzalez also has an excellent one-handed backhand (both topspin and slice) but is probably overpowered on that wing. At 6'3", the Swede is at least 3 inches taller than the Chilean and has the powerful serve to show for it. Gonzalez definitely has the edge on movement and feel but Soderling is currently in the middle of one of the great historical momentum sweeps through a major tournament. Soderling has lost to Gonzalez the last 4 consecutive times (of 7) they played, including their very last match on clay in 2007. But this Robin Soderling is a completely different player. This should be the better of the two semifinals, almost definitely 4 or 5 sets, with the man with more nerve the final one standing.
Once Federer got past Tommy Haas to make the final 8 there were only two players left in the draw who had ever beaten him and they were facing each other in the same quarterfinal (Andy Murray and Fernando Gonzalez). Happily for the 13-time major champion, Gonzalez won that battle. Federer has played The Kid from Argentina 5 times in the last two years and never lost a set. In fact, just a few months ago in a 2009 Australian Open quarterfinal the Swiss player humiliated del Potro 6-3 6-0 6-0. He also dismissed The Kid in the semifinals of the Madrid clay Master tournament on his way to winning the title.
However, del Potro is the real deal, a 20-year-old who is 6'5" with overwhelming firepower in multiple departments: service, forehand amd backhand. He is starting to improve his movement as well as his mental toughness. I have no doubt that he will win a major title eventually, just not this one.
The Human Rights Campaign salutes the work of key state groups and leaders, including: Gov. John Lynch, Senate President Sylvia Larsen, Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Deb Reynolds, House Speaker Terie Norelli and Representatives Jim Splaine, Ed Butler, Paul McEachern, Barbara Richardson, New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, MassEquality, GLAD, and the many activists, including HRC members, who have been working to build support for this legislation, and the majority of New Hampshire voters who support marriage equality.
"When the National Organization for Marriage [a group opposed to marriage equality] started making $50,000 ad buys in New Hampshire, I put out a call for help and HRC answered. We could not have done this without them," said Mo Baxley, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition.
[...]
In addition to New Hampshire, five states have recognized marriage for same-sex couples under state law: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont (effective September 1, 2009), and Maine (effective September, 2009, pending a possible referendum). California recognized marriage by same-sex couples between June and November of 2008, before voters approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to prohibit marriage equality. The Proposition 8 vote was challenged, but the state supreme court upheld the amendment last month. The 18,000 marriages of same-sex couples performed before the passage of Proposition 8 remain valid.
Five states-California, New Jersey, Oregon, Nevada (effective October 1, 2009), and Washington (as of July 26, 2009, pending possible repeal effort)-plus Washington, D.C. provide same-sex couples with access to the state level benefits and responsibilities of marriage, through either civil unions or domestic partnerships.
Hawaii provides same-sex couples with limited rights and benefits. New York recognizes marriages by same-sex couples validly entered into outside of New York. The New York legislature is considering marriage legislation that would permit same-sex couples to marry in those states, and the D.C. Council has passed legislation that would recognize marriages by same-sex couples legally entered into in other jurisdictions (that legislation is going through a Congressional review period).
For the next 24 hours I'm participating in an online debate over the Sotomayor nomination at Bloggerheads between me (Democrat) and a Republican and a Libertarian. Check it out!
On Wednesday morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold the first-ever Congressional hearing on obstacles faced by lesbian and gay couples under U.S. immigration law. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the committee, has scheduled a 10 a.m. hearing on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). The bill, sponsored by Leahy in the Senate and Congressman Jerold Nadler (D-NY) in the House, would modify immigration policy to end discrimination against lesbian and gay Americans who want to sponsor their permanent partners for residency in the United States. Such couples are often separated, or torn apart, because current U.S. law does not allow for the same sponsorship rights for lesbian and gay citizens as for heterosexuals.
"Every day, an estimated 36,000 binational couples, nearly half of whom are raising children, are facing separation, or already living separately, because our country refuses to treat them equally under the law," said Rachel B. Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality. "These loving, committed families are faced with an untenable choice between the person they love and the country they love. Many are forced to uproot their lives and leave their extended families, jobs and communities behind. It is long past time that Congress fixed our broken immigration system, including this pervasive discrimination against so many families. Senator Leahy's hearing, coming just as President Obama and Congress prepare to address comprehensive immigration reform, is a step in the right direction."
Wednesday's hearing will feature Shirley Tan, a Filipina mother of 12-year-old twins from Pacifica, Calif., who is facing deportation despite having been with her partner for 23 years. Though Tan's children and partner are American citizens, she cannot be sponsored for residency because her partner is female. Unless Congress takes action to pass UAFA, Tan will be forced to return to the Philippines.
Joining Tan as a witness will also be Gordon Stewart, a native of Vermont who was forced to sell his family's farm and relocate to London to be with his partner, who is Brazilian. Stewart, who transferred his job with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals to the United Kingdom, has been welcomed in that country, where his partner received a visa to be with him. Under U.S. immigration law, his partner was unable to join him in the United States, and Stewart was forced to leave his family behind to be with the person he loves. Other witnesses include Julian Bond, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and attorney Christopher Nugent, who will represent the American Bar Association (ABA).
"The cost of discriminating against lesbian and gay families is staggering and personal," Tiven noted. "Children are being separated from their mothers. Companies are forced to relocate employees or lose their talent altogether. In many cases, Americans must live on separate continents, thousands of miles from their immediate and extended families. All the while, this blatant discrimination could be fixed, and families could be brought together, simply by passing UAFA."
President Obama has said he supports the legislation. In a statement issued in March, the White House noted, "The president thinks Americans with partners from other countries should not be faced with a painful choice between staying with their partner or staying in their country. We will work closely with Congress to craft comprehensive immigration reform legislation."
"No reform can be truly called comprehensive," Tiven agreed, "unless it includes our families, too."
The entire witness list of the hearing, which starts at 10am EDT, can be viewed here:
Witness List
Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee
on
“The Uniting American Families Act: Addressing Inequality in Federal Immigration Law”
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Dirksen Office Building Room 226 10:00 a.m.
Shirley Tan Pacifica, CA
Gordon Stewart London, England
Julian Bond Chairman National Board of Directors National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Washington, DC
Christopher Nugent Co-Chair Committee on the Rights of Immigrants Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities American Bar Association Washington, DC
Roy Beck President NumbersUSA Education & Research Foundation Arlington, VA
Jessica M. Vaughan Director, Policy Studies Center for Immigration Studies Franklin, MA
LA Observedis reporting that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is dating KTLA weekend anchor Lu Parker. Parker, who is also a former Miss USA, has a blog and Twitter account but the news was revealed when the two were seen looking friendly in a Larchmont Village bookstore last Saturday. She told her bosses the two have been dating since March. And, yes, in her role as television reporter, Parker did read a story about Villaraigosa on the air regarding his role in the 2010 California Governor's race but KTLA claims all interviews Parker did with the Mayor were done before they became romantically linked.
You may recall that this is not the first time the mayor has been romantically linked with a TV anchorwoman. Previously it was Mirthala Salinas of Univision--and the Mayor was married!
Dinara Safina RUS (1) vs. Victoria Azarenka BLR (9)Ana Ivanovic SRB (8). Dinara Safina has been playing like she is the best player in the world. Oh, wait, she IS the #1 ranked player in the world! Safina has been improving in every round, losing a mere 5, then 3, then 2, then 1 games in her first four straight set victories. However, I don't think Victoria Azarenka is (or even should be) scared of being double bageled in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. The talented and fearless Belarussian took out Serena Williams in the 5th slam in Miami in straight sets earlier this year and thrives on big matches. However, although the youngster is indomitable she is not unbeatable. This will be a prototypical Big Babe tennis match--Mary Carillo should be ecstatic and, as she says, "the better athlete will win." PREDICTION: Safina in 2 (close) sets. Dominika Cibulkova SVK (20) vs Maria Sharapova RUS. Cibulkova is a deceptively difficult opponent to beat, but Sharapova has done it twice in their only two meetings, last year, both on clay. Sharapova (listed at 6'2" but probably taller) has nearly a foot on the diminutive Dominika (listed at 5'3" but probably shorter) and this may very well turn out to be a straight set rout. However, Sharapova is nowhere near match tough, having had to go the distance in her first four matches (including choking on a middle set bagel served by hard hitting Li Na in her previous match) and I expect the Drama Queen will not advance without more drama, but advance she will, right into the buzz saw that is Dinara Safina. PREDICTION: Sharapova in 3 sets.
Jelena Jankovic SRB (5)Sorana Cirstea ROUvs. Virginie Razzano FRA Samantha Stosur AUS (30). The surprise quarterfinalists. Cirstea was two points away from losing against former World #1 Jelena Jankovicmultiple times in the third set and kept on bashing away at the ball, painting the lines in a manner reminiscent of a young Monica Seles. Jankovic "served" for the match at 5-4 and was promptly broken, eventually going down 3-6 6-0 9-7. Stosur is more well-known as an excellent doubles player and so I had put my money on the French veteran Razzano getting to the quarterfinals in front of her countrymen. This one is really a toss-up which is likely to include some truly horrendous tennis as the two fight to see who really wants to stand on the big stage of a Grand Slam semifinal more. In these cases it is often the veteran who comes out the loser because they more firmly understand the significance of the moment and I expect this case to be no different. Youth will be served. PREDICTION: Cirstea in 3 sets.
Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (7)vs.Serena Williams USA (2). This should be the best match of the tournament to date. But "How do you solve a problem like Sveta?" Sigh. Long famous for being singled out as "the most talented" of the Russians by none-other than Living Legend Martina Navratilova Kuznetsova (Sveta to her friends, which includes basically everyone on the Tour) has been in three major finals but has started to garner a reputation for being mentally weak deep in the final deciding set when it really counts. These two champions have looked at the draw and know they are really playing for a slot in the 2009 Roland Garros final; Serena Williams is very cognizant of her place in tennis history books and would like to add another unique entry with a win in Paris for a "Williams slam" and maintain the possibility of a calendar grand slam sweep.Serena has only lost once to Kuznetsova in 6 previous meetings and actually beat the Russian in the Quarters of the first Grand Slam event of 2009. I suspect histiry will be repeated, and made, here. PREDICTION: Williams in 3 sets.
Rafael Nadal ESP (1)Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs. Nikolay Davydenko RUS (10). After pulling off one of the most stunning upsets of the year decade (possibly ever?) everyone is watching to see what the tall, newly muscled (and generally disliked) Swede will do in his very next match. He will play against the very steady Russian who has been ranked as high as #3 in the world but spent most of last year under a cloud due to an alleged match betting charges. Davydenko had an ungodly 6 unforced errors in his straight set demolition of the always dangerous Fernando Verdasco.It is unlikely that either Soderling or Davydenko will be able t repeat the magic of their 4th round victories in this round, but Soderling will not need it to make his first ever major semifinal. PREDICTION: Soderling in 4 sets. Andy Murray GBR (3) vs.Fernando Gonzalez CHI (12). The Chilean has been silently cutting through the draw like a Ninja but will now run into a much improved and loud Scot, who is now the #3 player in the world and has nowhere to go but up. Gonzalez has an insanely huge forehand and is very good on clay but Murray possesses many powerful weapons in a deceptively innocuous-looking package: excellent movement, surprisingly powerful serve and a brilliant court sense. It seems very bizarre to say this, but it is very possible the first Grand Slam singles title by a British (male) subject since 1936(!) may be onFrench terre battue instead of the hallowed grass of Wimbledon. Murray knows the stakes and is itching to have another shot at facing Federer in a major final, having lost to him in the 2008 US Open Final. The 22-year-old Brit has won all three matches he has played against the Swiss 13-time major champion since. Easily. PREDICTION: Murray in 5 sets.
Juan Martin Del Potro ARG (5) vs. Tommy Robredo ESP (16).The two surprise quarterfinalists. Who would have thought that the lone handsome Spaniard left in the draw during the 5th Round would be Tommy Robredo? Del Potro is not really a surprise, but I had thought that French favorite Tsonga would use the crowd and his aggressive groundstrokes to take out the 6'5" Argentine like he defeated Juan Monaco in the second round. Alas, Le Mome (French slang for "The Kid") lost to the 20-year-old, the youngest of the quarterfinalists. Robredo definitely has some skills on clay but del Potro will blast him off the court. PREDICTION: Del Potro in 3 sets.
Gael Monfils FRA (11)Andy Roddick USA (6)vs.Roger Federer SUI (2).Sadlythis was not André Roddique's year as the pulchritudinous Parisian took out The Quiet American in straights sets 6-2 6-2 6-3 in the fourth round before an increasingly boisterous and partisan crowd. Of course this quarterfinal match-up is a rematch of 2008's semifinal in which Federer took out the young Frenchman in his first Grand Slam semifinal and the Swiss G.O.A.T.-wannabe's sixteenth. Even with the entirety of the French nation behind him I doubt that the powerful and crafty Monfils will be able to withstand Federer's inevitable march to his fourth consecutive final at Roland Garros, and mind-blowing twentieth consecutive major semifinal. PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets.
President Barack Obama released his official presidential declaration of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, a few hours after Secretary of State Hillary Clintonissued her official declaration.
Here it is:
For Immediate Release June 1, 2009
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
So, what do you think? Already, The Advocateis pointing out that the Clinton Administration was the first to appoint Senate-approved openly-LGBT candidates (Roberta Achtenberg and Bruce Lehman), not the Obama Administration, as the Presidential Proclamation claims.
However, as Joe.My.God points out, these sentences are significant:
Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security.
So, what do you think? Are you sated by the President's verbal commitment to LGBT equality?
Republican Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman made headlines this week when she was endorsed by failed Republican presidential candidate John McCain in her bid to become the next Governor of California.
“The woman standing beside me represents all of the qualities that will attract people to our party,” McCain told a crowd of about 500 supporters at the Marconi Auto Museum. “We will not only tolerate, but accept people whose views are different than our own.”
Whitman, former CEO of eBay, has an early lead in the race for the GOP nomination for governor, leading Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell in the election to be held next year. Her campaign focuses on job creation, state spending cuts, and education reform.
[...]
“I’m pro-choice,” Whitman said, receiving applause for a significant portion – if not the majority – of the audience. “It’s not that I want more abortions. But I don’t want to take that choice away from women and their doctors.”
Whitman talked about other aspects of diversity needed by the party as well. She pointed out that Republicans [re]present just 31 percent of registered voters in the state and noted her campaign’s outreach programs targeting woman, Latinos and 18- to 29-year olds.
“There are people who share our core values who don’t feel welcome in the Republican Party,” she said. “I want to make everyone feel welcome in the Republican Party.”
Really? She wants everyone to feel welcome in the Republican Party? Then why do the leaders in the Republican Party keep denying equal rights for LGBT citizens?And why does she support efforts to divorce me and my husband?
I notice that African Americans were not on the list of people that Republican outreach efforts are targeting. I wonder why? Isn't the Chair of the GOP a Black man?
Upis another worthwhile addition to this list. Although it is no Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, it is also no Cars.
The latest Pixar film features an old crotchety white guy with glasses AND a chubby Asian kid as the lead characters that the audience is supposed to identify with! Their sidekicks are a talking dog named Doug and a huge, exotic bird called Kevin.
As with last year's WALL-E, Up begins with a brilliant prelude which absolutely delights the audience, and strengthens the emotional connection to the characters.
The story is about the adventures that the old man named Carl Fredricksen and the young boy named Russell have when Fredrickssen ties thousands of helium balloons and flies off to South America to make good on a life-long promise to his beloved wife Ellie.
The film is surprisingly action-packed and very enjoyable. Although my Other Half enjoyed WALL-E more, he was still happy that we saw Up on opening day, and you will not be disappointed either, if you are a fan of smart, funny animation.
Running Time: 1 hour, 36 minutes. MPAA Rating: Rated PG for some peril and action. In Disney 3D in some locations.
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