VIDEO: Yes On 1 Continues To Lie About Marriage

Despite the Attorney General of Maine releasing a legal opinion this week that the marriage law LD 1020 will not have an impact on what is taught in Maine schools, the people who brought you Proposition 8 are (surprise!) continuing to create and air new television ads with that false claim:


Have you no shame, Paul Shubert? have you no decency, sir?

White House Issues (Weak Statement) On ME and WA Anti-Gay Referenda

The Advocate's Washington Bureau reporter Kerry Eleveld was able to get the White House to issue a statement on the anti-gay referenda currently facing two states: Washington (Referendum 71 if not APPROVED would repeal a comprehensive domestic partnership law) and Maine (Question 1 IF PASSED would prevent a marriage equality law from going into effect)

“The President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples, and as he said at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, he believes ‘strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away.’ Also at the dinner, he said he supports, ‘ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.’"

So, to reiterate, the President of the United States is urging people to Approve Referendum 71 in Washington state and Vote NO on Question 1 in Maine.

Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill Includes Death Penalty

This news reveals a level of homophobia which borders on the paranoid and hysterical: there is proposed legislation in the Uganda Parliament which seeks to ban homosexuality and includes the death penalty as a punishment!

From the actual text of the bill courtesy GayUganda:

PART II: PROHIBITION OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND RELATED PRACTICES

3. Prohibition of homosexuality

(1) Homosexuality is prohibited.

(2) Any person who engages in homosexuality contrary to sub-section (1) commits an offense and on conviction is liable to a fine not exceeding 500 currency points or imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or both.

4. Aggravated homosexuality

(1) Any person who commits the offense mentioned in section 3 above with another person who is below the age of 18 years in any of the circumstances specified in sub-section (2) of this section commits the offense and on conviction is liable to suffer death.

(2) The circumstances referred to in sub-section (1) are as follows: -
(a) Where the person against whom the offense is committed is below the age of 14;
(b) Where the offender is infected with HIV;
(c) Where the offender is a parent or guardian or a person in authority over, the person against whom the offense is committed;
(d) Where the victim of the offense is a person with disability; or
(e) Where the offender is a serial offender.

(3) Any person who attempts to commit the offense of homosexuality with another person below 18 years in any of the circumstances specifies in sub-section (2), commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.
(4) Where a person is charged with the offense under this section, that person shall undergo a medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
(5) Any person who without the consent of an adult victim being under their authority or not commits the offense mentioned in this section

The bill is proposed by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati (NRM) and appears to face limited opposition in Parliament, according to press reports.

In the comments at Box Turtle Bulletin there is contact information for ways people outside of Uganda can attempt to put diplomatic pressure on the country:

In the US the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda can be reached at:

5911 16th Street, NW,
Washington DC 20011
Tel: (202) 726-7100
Fax: (202) 726-1727

A complete list of contacts (including email addresses) is here.

In the UK the Ugandan High Commission can be reached at:

Uganda House
58-59 Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DX
Tel : (207) 839-5783
Fax: (207) 839-8925
info@ugandahighcommission.co.uk

The US Ambassador to Uganda can be reached here:

Steven A. Browning
P.O. Box 7007,
Kampala
Uganda
Tel: +256 414 25 97 91
Fax: +256 414 259 794

A list of Ugandan Embassies and Consulates in other countries can be found here.

This story puts the situation of LGBT rights in the United States in stark perspective, doesn't it?

VIDEO: Mormon Leader Comparing Their Homophobia To Racial Oppression

Here's the video of Mormon Elder Oaks saying his crazy mess comparing protests of church efforts on passing Prop 8 to racism against African-Americans in the 1960s.

Prop 8 Federal Case Heading To January 2009 Trial

Wednesday was a big day in the Olson-Boies federal lawsuit better known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger: U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker denied motions to dismiss the lawsuit which means that there will most likely be a federal trial in January 2009 on whether Proposition 8 violates the United States Constitution.

From Law Dork:

Judge Walker ruled that a trial, or at least more evidence, is necessary before he can make a determination about what standard of review to apply when judging whether Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantees of due process or equal protection based on either sex or sexual orientation claims.

Importantly, Judge Walker struck a blow today to proponents’ claimed state interest of protecting “traditional” marriage, finding that “tradition alone is not enough.” He likewise dismissed proponents’ claim concern about California becoming a “marriage mill” if same-sex marriages were allowed in the state. Finally, Walked found that furthering male-female procreative protections was “suitable for a fuller development at trial.” The Proposition 8 proponents had asked the judge to rule that the Plaintiffs had failed to show that Proposition 8 is unrelated to a legitimate state interest, which he refused to do.

Walker stated that neither Romer v. Evans nor Lawrence v. Texas foreclosed what level of scrutiny to apply in this case as to the claimed sexual orientation discrimination, but found instead that the determination requires a full factual record. He noted that the Proposition 8 proponents’ failure to address the first two Carolene Products factors – immutability of the characteristic and political powerlessness of the affected group – impairs their argument against strict scrutiny. These factors, Walker stated, are thus “prime issues for trial.”

Interestingly, Judge Walker also left open the door to a sex-based discrimination claim of Plaintiffs, stating that it was not possible to make a determination on this question as a matter of law and that a further factual record was necessary.

It should be fascinating to see how this lawsuit develops.

Protest in LA Tonight Against Buju Banton at 8:30pm

There's a protest set for tonight, October 15th in Hollywood to protest a quietly rescheduled show by reggae artist Buju Banton, who is unabashedly homophobic and is most well-known for singing what is commonly called "murder music."

What Buju Banton is most well-known for is the song "Boom Bye-Bye" which is basically all about the killing of gay men.

Here's an ACTION ALERT from the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Lorri Jean:

Despite the Cabana Club’s initial decision to do the right thing and cancel Banton’s concert, the venue has quietly re-booked him for a show TONIGHT (Thursday, Oct. 15).

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A PEACEFUL PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE CLUB TONIGHT, and remind Sunset Entertainment Group (SEG), which owns and operates the club, that it is not acceptable to profit from hate-peddlers like Banton.

Where: Cabana Club
1439 Ivar Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
When: 8:30 p.m.

Bring your signs and show your solidarity with activists around the world—especially in Jamaica, where prominent LGBT activists have been murdered—against musicians whose hateful lyrics foster this anti-gay sentiment.

Spread the word by joining the “Cancel Buju Banton's Los Angeles Show!” Facebook group, and watch www.lagaycenter.org/stophatelyrics for developments.

You can also contact the Cabana Club’s owners directly and let them know we’re outraged that they are profiting from a singer who won’t apologize for his vile hate speech or promise to stop performing violently anti-gay songs.

Cabana Club owners
Phone: 323-463-1473
Chris Breed – chris@sunseteg.com
Drew Greeley - drew@sunseteg.com

Please join me in demanding that SEG silence murder music!

Interestingly, earlier this week Buju met personally with a bunch of LGBT activists in Northern California that was widely publicized.

Perhaps he thinks that because of that, the boycotts and protests will diminish? Hardly, likely!

Today is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

October 15th is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, el Dia Nacional Latino Para La Concientizacion del SIDA.

Here's a PSA featuring a friend of mine named Freddy Ceja who is a staffer for State Senator Gil Cedillo:

POLL: Maine Question 1 on Marriage Very Close

The latest poll results from Maine:

Question 1 - "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?" If today was Election Day, how would you vote on this issue?

40.9% would vote YES
2.0% lean YES
50.6% would vote NO
1.2% lean NO
5.2% are undecided

So, with 19 days to go we have a very narrow lead on protecting marriage equality in Maine. The margin of error if +/- 4.9 percentage points.

Today is the last day to raise money in the MONEYBOMB for Maine Protect Equality/NO on 1. The goal is $1.125 million on ActBlue. Please help if you can!

Mormons (Again) Reveal Their Ignorance Of Civil Rights

Dallin H. Oaks, member of the
Quorum of the Twelve of the Mormon Church

Another day, another verbal eruption from an influential Mormon revealing their ignorance and opposition to civil rights, the concept that all people are treated equally by their government. Last time it was the Mormon Governor of a predominantly Mormon state of Utah, this time it is one of the most powerful leaders in the rigidly hierarchical church, Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Oaks said the free exercise of religion is threatened by those who believe it conflicts with "the newly alleged 'civil right' of same-gender couples to enjoy the privileges of marriage."

"Those who seek to change the foundation of marriage should not be allowed to pretend that those who defend the ancient order are trampling on civil rights," Oaks said. "The supporters of Proposition 8 were exercising their constitutional right to defend the institution of marriage ..."

Oaks said that while "aggressive intimidation" connected to Proposition 8 was primarily directed at religious people and symbols, "it was not anti-religious as such." He called the incidents "expressions of outrage against those who disagreed with the gay-rights position and had prevailed in a public contest."

"As such, these incidents of 'violence and intimidation' are not so much anti-religious as anti-democratic," he said. "In their effect they are like well-known and widely condemned voter-intimidation of blacks in the South that produced corrective federal civil-rights legislation."

Wow! Where to begin with refuting these statements when there is so much misinformation and ignorance displayed? Earlier I blogged about the white-hot homophobia and misogyny of the Catholic Church and now comes this insanity from a spokesperson a certifiably racist and misogynistic institution.

Happily, there were responses from two gay people included in the article about Oaks' speech, which the author claims Mormon church officials told them would be a "significant commentary on current threats to religious freedom."

Marc Solomon of Equality California:

"Blacks were lynched and beaten and denied the right to vote by their government," said Marc Solomon, marriage director for Equality California, which spearheaded the No on 8 campaign. "To compare that to criticism of Mormon leaders for encouraging people to give vast amounts of money to take away rights of a small minority group is illogical and deeply offensive."

Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate:

Fred Karger, founder of the gay rights group Californians Against Hate, said Oaks' speech is part of a public relations offensive to "try to turn the tables on what has been a complete disaster for the Mormon church ... They are trying to be the victim here. They're not. They're the perpetrators."

Pretty good responses, but both comments fail to address the key issue that Oaks speech reveals: he fundamentally does not believe in full equality for LGBT people and he either doesn't know or doesn't care to find out about the extent of the persecution of African-Americans in the civil rights era of the 1960s, but he still wishes to overlay his own bigotry with the mantle of civil rights. This from a lawyer who clerked at the United Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren!

Hopefully, more people will follow Fred and Marc's lead and call out Elder Oaks statements for the affront they are to all fair-minded Americans who understand and believe in civil rights for all people.

Maine Heterosexual Supremacists Losing Money Battle

The campaign finance report filing deadline passed yesterday and the heterosexual supremacists who are trying to prevent Maine's marriage equality law from going into effect were forced to reveal their pathetic fundraising numbers.

Yesterday, NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality reported it raised $2.7 million from nearly 12,000 donors.

The AP coverage of the money race:

Meanwhile, Stand for Marriage Maine, which petitioned to get the repeal measure on the ballot, reported it had collected $1.1 million and spent more than $941,000 on its campaign. The group also said it has debts of more than $419,000. No on 1 reported no debts.

[...]

Jesse Connolly, campaign manager for NO on 1, said the figures show the amount of support is "amazing, and folks are excited about the opportunity to protect marriage equality for our citizens."

A message left with a Stand for Marriage Maine spokesman was not immediately returned.

Stand for Marriage Maine has drawn criticism from a group active in last year's successful gay marriage referendum in California. Californians Against Hate claims some organizations contributing to the repeal campaign are circumventing state law by not reporting the names of the donors. The ethics commission is investigating the complaint.

[...]

Stand for Marriage's report listed numerous contributions in the $100 to $500 range. Among its biggest contributors were the National Organization for Marriage of Princeton, N.J., which accounted for about $425,000, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which gave more than $270,000.

Emphasis added by MadProfessah. So, if you do the math, the heterosexual supremacists attempting to deny marriage equality to all of Maine received more than one third of their money from one out-of-state source, the *cough* Mormon-front group *cough* National Organization for Marriage. Combined with the money from the Catholic Diocese of Portland, more than half of the Yes on 1 money comes from religious extremists.

Yes on 1 has a paltry $66k of on hand, while NO on 1 has over $460k for the last twenty days of the campaign.

This is no time to get complacent, the Money Bomb For Maine Marriage Equality is in effect until October 15, 2009.

U.S. Catholic Bishops Issue Incredibly Homophobic Statement

The U.S. Catholic Bishops are planning on issuing a new statement on marriage soon which claims that the existence of same-sex marriage is an assault on every human being in the world.

Here is an excerpt from the section in "Marriage: Love and Live in the Divine Plan" (pdf) which is devoted to same-sex unions:

One of the most troubling developments is the proposition that persons of the same sex can "marry." This proposal redefines the nature of marriage and the family, and, as a result, harms the intrinsic dignity of every person and the common good of society.

Marriage is a unique union, different from other relationships. It is the permanent bond between one man and one woman whose two-in-one-flesh communion of persons is an indispensable good at the heart of every family and every society. Same-sex unions are incapable of realizing this specific communion of persons. Therefore, redefining marriage to include such relationships empties the term of its meaning, for it excludes the essential complementarity between man and woman, treating sexual difference as it were irrelevant to what marriage is.

[...]

The legal recognition of same-sex unions poses a multifaceted threat to the very fabric of society, striking at the source of from which society and culture come and which they are designed to serve. Such recognition affects all people, married and non-married: not only at the fundamental levels of the good of the spouses, the good of the children, the intrinsic dignity of every human person, and the common good, but also at the levels of education, cultural imagination and influence, and religious freedom.

The statements expressed above are so antithetical to my own beliefs and the beliefs of so many people that I do not even know where to begin to refute the claims within the text.

First, notice the scare quotes over marry in the first sentence. Are the Catholic bishops denying that marriages in the predominantly Catholic jurisdictions of Spain, Massachusetts and Connecticut (all of which allow same-sex couples to marry) are any less valid?

Second, there is a claim of harm to the "intrinsic dignity of every person and the common good" (emphasis added). This is simply insanity. You don't get to define my intrinsic dignity and the claim that same-sex couples are harming other people's "intrinsic dignity" is simple balderdash. What, exactly, is the harm caused by a same-sex marriage to ANY person who is not a party to that marriage?

The second paragraph is obsessed with the union of man and woman, which are claimed to possess an "essential complementarity." I presume this means that men possess something that women lack, and vice-versa. I would love to hear what these characteristics are. I do notice that whenever the text uses a masculine phrase and feminine phrase, it (almost) always places the male phrase first, in the primary, superior position: for example, "man and woman" and "husband and wife." This paragraph can clearly be interpreted as an expression of (and full-throated defense of) patriarchy, explicitly.

As Michael A. Jones of Gay Rights@Change.org says about this document that "the U.S. bishops just might have made the Catholic Church the most anti-LGBT religious institution in the country."

Indeed.

NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality Raised $2.7M from 12,000+

The fundraising numbers are out from NO on 1 /Protect Maine Equality: $2.7 million dollars raised from just about 12,000 donors. From the press release:

NO on 1 Announces 12,000 Donors, $2.7 Million Raised
2,000 Mainers volunteer to protect Maine equality

Portland, Maine (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)---NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality announced today that nearly 12,000 donors have contributed nearly $2.7 million to its campaign to defeat Question 1 and allow all committed Maine couples to marry and be treated equally under the law. NO on 1 also announced that since July 1, nearly 2,000 Mainers have actively volunteered on the campaign, engaging in activities ranging from phone banking, to leaflet drops, to door-to-door canvassing.

In addition, more than 8,000 Mainers have signed up to volunteer with the campaign. An additional 120 people from out of state, or less than one percent of the total volunteer base, have committed to come to Maine for the final days of the campaign. To date, NO on 1 volunteers have made more than 270,000 phone calls and knocked on more than 13,500 doors throughout the state. And in the last 10 days, over 1,600 Mainers signed up for more than 2,100 volunteer shifts on the campaign.

In terms of financial contributions, nearly half of the money raised came from supporters in Maine, with most donors, both in state and out of state, contributing during the Third Quarter (Q3) which began July 6th and ended September 30th.

“This level of support is gratifying and it’s from every corner of Maine and from people across the country who care deeply about treating all families equally,” said Jesse Connolly, NO on 1 campaign manager. “Although ours is primarily a grassroots campaign, with Mainers talking to Mainers about equality, it costs money to run a field program and it’s costly to rebut the distortions in the Question 1 campaign’s ads.

“What we've seen is that as more and more people have focused on Maine, more and more people have wanted to participate, whether that’s writing a check or staffing a phone bank,” added Connolly.

The NO on 1 campaign, which released its campaign revenues and expenditures in accordance with Maine campaign finance laws, offered these highlights from Q3, the latest reporting period:

-- Nearly 50 percent of the money raised in the Q3 came from Maine donors and, in fact, 80 percent of the contributions raised off line, through fundraising events and individual contributions, came directly from Mainers.

-- 97 percent of the individual donors made their contributions in the third quarter. (11,723 donors contributed in Q3, with 11,976 total donors since the campaign began). In fact, 94 percent of the nearly $2.7 million YTD was raised during Q3.

-- 29 donors gave more than $10,000 for $875,000 in Q3. Of those 29 individuals, 18 donors -- or 62 percent -- are Maine residents who collectively contributed $515,000 of that total.

-- While the NO on 1 average online donation is $95.45, the campaign's volunteer field team has collected more than 1,200 contributions with an average donation of $17.25.

-- The NO on 1 Finance Committee, a group of 38 Maine residents, is responsible for raising more than $470,000 of the total.

-- There were 29 NO on 1 fundraising events in the Q3, with only three of those conducted out-of-state in Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Miami.

-- The NO on 1 campaign only solicited funds during the last two months of the Second Quarter, raising $143,290 from 373 donors.

-- $537,393 in both in-kind and cash donations was contributed by 13 state and national organizations which support marriage equality.

The heterosexual supremacists have until 11:59pm EDT to release their fundraising numbers, and have so far sent out a panicked email claiming they have only raised $1.1 million and begging for a "white knight" (of Columbus?) to save them.

STAY TUNED.

CA-GOV: Brown Has Huge Lead In Field Poll

A recently released Field poll confirms that Jerry Brown is leading all his potential rivals for the California governorship.

Jerry Brown (D): 47
Gavin Newson (D): 27
Undecided: 26

Meg Whitman (R): 22
Tom Campbell (R): 20
Steve Poizner (R): 9
Undecided: 49
(MoE: ±4.5%)

Jerry Brown (D): 50
Meg Whitman (R): 29
Undecided: 21

Jerry Brown (D): 48
Tom Campbell (R): 27
Undecided: 25

Jerry Brown (D): 50
Steve Poizner (R): 25
Undecided: 25

Gavin Newsom (D): 40
Meg Whitman (R): 31
Undecided: 29

Gavin Newsom (D): 38
Tom Campbell (R): 33
Undecided: 29

Gavin Newsom (D): 39
Steve Poizner (R): 30
Undecided: 31
(MoE: ±3.2%)

This poll was conducted between September 18-October 6 and confirms the huge lead which was previously revealed in the Rasmussen poll.

Obama Approval Rating Inches Up

Principles of Comprehensive Immigration Reform Unveiled

The principles of comprehensive immigration reform legislation are being unveiled today and I am happy to report that they are LGBT inclusive:

25 KEY PRINCIPLES TO MEANINGFUL REFORM

1. End policies that rely only on enforcement and deterrence as the sole means of regulating migration.
2. Address the root causes of immigration, and change US policy so that it doesn't foster and produce conditions that force hundreds of thousands of people each year to leave their countries of origin in order to simply survive.
3. Tie all current and future trade, military, and foreign aid agreements to not only worker protections both here and abroad, but also to their ability to foster economic progress and social justice for the working class and poor in sender nations.
4. Formulate a reasonable, humane, fair and practical method for determining the levels of immigration going forward. Establish an independent commission free from the pressures of political expediency and business interests to review all the pertinent data and set admission numbers based on labor, economic, social, and humanitarian needs.
5. Provide a path to legalization for all current undocumented immigrants living and working in the US, free of restrictions based on country of origin, economic status, education, length of residency, or any other “merit based” criteria.
6. Secure the borders by first ensuring that the vast majority of new immigrants have the ability and opportunity to legally enter the country through legal ports of entry by increasing the availability and equitable distribution of green cards. This would curtail the flow of migration through illegal channels. Only after that, should enforcement begin to ensure compliance, or any work to physically secure the border take place.
7. Increase the focus on enforcement of all labor and employment laws. Increase penalties on employers who engage in unfair or illegal labor practices. Increase funding for government oversight and inspection.
8. Opposition to a "temporary guest worker" program on the grounds that it provides no benefit to the American people or the immigrants themselves. It only provides big business with a disposable work force, and prevents immigrants from becoming a viable force in the workplace or full fledged members of society.
9. Foster an immigration policy that strengthens the middle and working class through encouraging unionization, increased naturalization, and immigrant participation in the electoral process.
10. Include the language of the DREAM Act that would allow children and young adults brought here as children, and raised in the US, a conditional path to citizenship in exchange for a mandatory two years in higher education or community service. Undocumented young people must also demonstrate good moral character to be eligible for and stay in conditional residency. At the end of the long process, the young person can have the chance to become an American citizen or legal residency by completing their educations and contributing to society.
11. Included the language of the Uniting American Families Act that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow permanent partners of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, including same-sex partners, to obtain permanent residency.
12. Include the language of the AgJobs bill that seeks to relieve chronic farm labor shortages by supplying undocumented migrant agricultural workers a legal opportunity to enter the county and a path to legal status and eventual citizenship. It also bolsters labor rights and protects workers from exploitation.
13. Repeal the sections of the 1996 law that redefined vast numbers of crimes as deportable offense when committed by immigrants. Imposing harsh penalties--often permanent exile--on immigrants for minor criminal convictions like shoplifting or possession of marijuana.
14. End permanent detention of all migrants for immigration violations not related to violent crimes.
15. Simplify the immigration system by eliminating and condensing the hundreds of various visa classes into a smaller, more manageable, classification system that allows for not only easier navigation of the system, but better analysis of current immigration needs.
16. End policies and programs that rely upon state and local law enforcement agencies to usurp the role of the federal government and engage in the enforcement of federal immigrations codes.
17. Bring U.S. immigration law in line with international human rights law by reforming asylum and refugee law and strengthening protections for children, crime victims, and victims of human trafficking
18. Modernize and streamline the immigration process and eliminate the backlogs for those already in the queue. Simplify the paperwork process and utilize technology to cut wait times and bureaucratic delays.
19. Make family reunification simpler by expanding the “immediate family” classification to reflect the cultural realities of many non-western or traditional societies from which immigrants come.
20. Allow immigration judges the discretion to treat cases on an individual basis and make decisions based on the specific the circumstances and outcomes of the case.
21. Make punishments of immigration crimes commensurate with comparable crimes in other areas of the law. A misdemeanor or civil violation of immigration law should not carry with it a punishment that would be comparable to a felony in a criminal case.
22. End, or raise, the per-country cap that favors smaller nations with fewer immigrant applicants over larger developing nations and those countries that have long traditional ties to the US.
23. Update the Registry Date in Sec 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to reflect the historical pattern of periodic updating. Current date should be updated to 1996.
24. Eliminate 'crimes involving moral turpitude,' an amorphous legal holdover from Jim Crow
25. Recognize that immigration is a vital part of maintaining a healthy and vibrant America. It is what has set this nation apart from all others since its inspection. To close our borders to new immigrants is to cut off the lifeblood that has always made this nation grow and prosper.

You didn't think the heavy lifting would stop after health care reform gets done, did you?

New Ad from NO ON 1 / Protect maine Equality

BREAKING NEWS: Governator Signs Marriage Bill SB 54

This is huge news. The Governor, after twice vetoing marriage equality bills in 2005 and 2007 has signed Mark Leno's SB 54 into law.

From Equality California's press release:

The Marriage Recognition and Family Protection Act, also signed today, holds that same-sex couples married before the passage of Proposition 8 must be recognized as married spouses in California, regardless of whether they married in California or in another state or nation. In addition, the new statute also confirms that same-sex couples married outside of California after November 5, 2008, must be given all of the rights, protections and responsibilities of married spouses under California law, with the sole exception of the designation of "marriage."

"We are grateful that the Governor has signed this critical bill, which provides much needed protections for same-sex couples who have legally married out of state, or will in the future, and who deserve to be treated like any other married couple," Kors said. "This bill will allow same-sex couples to get married in other states and countries and ensure they are treated equally under the law when they return to California. Ultimately, however, restoring the freedom to marry is the only way to ensure that all Californians receive the dignity and respect that comes with marriage."

"When California offered marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2008, spouses who were already married in another state or country were prohibited from re-marrying in California," said Senator Leno. "Now those couples and their families are in limbo because their rights and protections under law are not clear. This new law will ensure that same-sex couples are protected by existing California law that recognizes all marriages equally, regardless of where they are performed."

The heterosexual supremacists are going to lose their **** over this one.

Washington Post Editorializes In Favor of DC Marriages

The Washington Post editorialized in favor of the District of Columbia's bid to allow its residents access to same-sex marriage on Friday.

BY INTRODUCING the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009, D.C. Council member David A. Catania (I-At-Large) has started the District's long-awaited effort to permit same-sex marriage. The bill is short on pages, but its impact on the lives of gays and lesbians, and on the advancement of civil rights generally, is immeasurable.

Think of this as part two of a considered strategy by Mr. Catania and the council. The first was passage of a law earlier this year that recognized same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. An effort to nullify the measure before it took effect in the spring failed when the Board of Elections and Ethics ruled that a referendum on the subject could not go on the ballot because it violated the District human rights law's prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation. A similar fate most likely awaits a proposed ballot initiative that would "provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized" in the District. As D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles wrote to the board this week, "asking voters to distinguish between same-sex and opposite-sex marriages, which are legally indistinguishable in the jurisdictions where the marriages were performed, authorizes, or has the effect of authorizing, discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation."

Ten of 13 council members, including Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, are sponsoring the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. The legislation would honor the Constitution's guarantee of religious freedom by stating that no member of the clergy or official of a nonprofit religious group would be required to solemnize any marriage in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The District's domestic partnership registry would sunset on Jan. 1, 2011. Those who are currently domestic partners would be able to apply for and receive a marriage license free of charge.

A public hearing will be held on Oct. 26. A vote of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary is expected next month, with a full vote of the council possible by mid-December. Then, as with all District laws, Congress has to review the same-sex marriage statute. If we're to believe the Capitol Hill chatter, Congress is unlikely to thwart its implementation. We hope that proves true. Same-sex marriage is legal in four states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont. New Hampshire's law goes into effect Jan. 10. If the District's elected representatives want it to join their ranks, as it should, Congress should not interfere.

This is important to show that there is support for marriage equality in one of the nation's most predominantly Black jurisdictions.

Governator Signs Harvey Milk Day Bill Into Law

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger surprisingly signed into law Equality California's Harvey Milk Day bill, AB 2567. This means that "the governor proclaim May 22 each year as Harvey Milk Day. It would encourage public schools and educational institutions to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on that date (which was Harvey Milk's birthday).

The Governor vetoed similar legislation last year, but that was before the movie Milk was released and was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and won Oscars for Sean Penn (Best Actor) and Dustin Lance Black (Best Original Screenplay). It was one of MadProfessah's Top 10 movies of 2008.

As State Senator Mark Leno said earlier his year: "If there's one thing Arnold Schwarzenegger understands, it's box office. And Harvey Milk now has box office."

Indeed.

Eye Candy: Emil Dostovic

Ahhh, Eastern Europe! Enjoy the Eye Candy of Emil Dostovic, courtesy Queerty.com, as usual.