Bill allowing same-sex marriage in DC introduced
(Washington) Same-sex couples would be allowed to marry in the nation’s capital under a bill introduced Tuesday by a District of Columbia councilman.
The bill was almost certain to pass and had been expected for some time. But whether it becomes law is more complicated because Congress gets to review D.C. …
Tags: Congress, Councilman, District Of Columbia, marriage, Marriage Sex, Same Sex Couples, same sex marriageAnti-Gay Marriage Crusader Marion Barry Arrested for Stalking Queerty
Washington D.C. City Councilman Marion Barry, who’s devoted the last few weeks to rallying against the city’s recognition of same-sex marriage from other jurisdictions, just added to his controversy hash marks. Barry was arrested last night on stalking allegations, made by a woman who says the former mayor was “bothering her.” Barry is expected to deny the charges in typical fashion: He’s calling a press conference tomorrow. See Anti-Gay Marriage Crusader Marion Barry Arrested for Stalking
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Congressional Race in California Draws a High-Profile Cast
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — With competitive races in Congress a rarity in California, the unexpected availability of a seat here has set off a sudden and furious chase, with at least a dozen candidates and a mélange of political styles and personal storylines.
California’s 10th Congressional District, a sprawling inkblot made up of a collection of suburbs east of San Francisco, has been represented since 1997 by Ellen O. Tauscher, a Democrat who resigned after being confirmed on June 25 to a top post in the State Department.
The field to succeed her includes the lieutenant governor, two state lawmakers, a decorated Iraqi war veteran who is openly gay and a former newspaper reporter. And that does not even include the Republican candidates in this Democratic-leaning district.
The crush of hopefuls, said Henry Brady, a professor and dean of the public policy school at University of California, Berkeley, might stem in part from the diversity of the district, which extends from the liberal Bay Area to more conservative territory inland.
“These seats don’t come available very much, and the reason is very simple: geography,” Dr. Brady said. “The Democrats are primarily on the coast, and the Republicans are in the Central Valley and the mountains, so it’s very hard to build a competitive district. But this has the potential to be one.”
The lieutenant governor, John Garamendi, is considered the early favorite to replace Ms. Tauscher. Mr. Garamendi, a Democrat who had considered running for governor next year, said he opted instead for Congress in large part because of the abbreviated campaign. A primary, followed by a special election, to complete Ms. Tauscher’s term must be held within 126 days of the governor setting the date. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a proclamation Friday declaring Nov. 3 the date for the special election.
“I thought, How am I going to spend two valuable years of my life?” said Mr. Garamendi, 64, who previously served as the deputy secretary of interior in the Clinton administration as well as the California’s first elected insurance commissioner. “Am I going spend two years dialing for dollars, or am I going to spend four months out ringing doorbells and campaigning person to person and the other 20 months working on issues?”
Mr. Garamendi’s principal challengers among the Democrats, some polls show, are State Senator Mark James DeSaulnier and Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan. Both were elected to their current posts last fall.
Mr. DeSaulnier, 57, is a former mayor, city councilman and assemblyman, who says his career comes in spite a devastating personal experience with politics: a scandal involving his father, Judge Edward J. DeSaulnier Jr., who was removed from the bench of the Massachusetts Superior Court and disbarred in 1972 after being accused of rigging a sentence for the Mafia. The older Mr. DeSaulnier was never charged with a crime but was disgraced nonetheless and committed suicide in 1989.
“I’ve been very affected by my father’s journey,” said Mr. DeSaulnier, who worked as a restaurateur before running for office. “And I’ve loved my public life.”
The rest of the Democratic field is not as well known, though one candidate has attracted some national attention: Anthony Woods, a 28-year-old graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a veteran of the Iraq war who was awarded the Bronze Star for two tours of duty. Shortly after his return from combat, while at Harvard working toward his master’s degree, Captain Woods told military superiors that he is gay, resulting in an honorable discharge.
While considered a long shot for the Congressional seat, Mr. Woods would be the first openly gay black man in Congress, though he has been careful on the campaign trail to trumpet more than his sexuality.
“The first thing I talk to voters about is their priorities, universal health care and economic security,” he said. “I’m not hiding who I am, but they’re just as interested in talking about the issues as I am.”
See Congressional Race in California Draws a High-Profile Cast
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Gay Activists, Black Ministers Seek Common Ground in DC
WASHINGTON — When the District of Columbia city council voted 12-1 recently to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, a raucous protest led by African-American ministers erupted in the hallway outside council chambers.
Security officers quelled the pandemonium, but not before video and cell phone cameras captured images of the confrontation — with councilman Marion Barry, who cast the lone dissenting vote, predicting “civil war” over the issue in the D.C. black community.
Watching the commotion was the Rev. Robert Hardies, who happened to be in City Hall on another matter when the ministers stormed the corridor.
“I was heartbroken,” says Hardies, a gay man who is senior minister at the city’s historic All Souls Church, Unitarian.
“I had vowed to myself that after what happened in California, when the gay marriage issue came to Washington, D.C., we would do it differently and prevent the racial divide,” he said.
See Gay Activists, Black Ministers Seek Common Ground WBUR * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Out Houston City Council candidate qualifies for runoff election
Out Houston City Council candidate qualifies for runoff election
Out candidate Maverick Welsh, a former chief of staff for the Houston City Council who is endorsed by the Victory Fund, will face former police officer Ed Gonzalez in a runoff election for a City Council seat. In other election news, voters in Fort Worth, Texas, re-elected out City Councilman Joel Burns, who was running unopposed. GayPolitics.com (5/11) , KHOU-TV (Houston) (5/11) * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Former DC Mayor Marion Barry Lone Dissenter On Gay Marriage
Listen Now [12 min 6 sec] Tell Me More, May 15, 2009 · City council members in the nation’s capitol voted recently to recognize the marriages of gay couples who relocate to the area from states that have legalized the unions, such as Iowa and New Hampshire. Former Mayor and current councilman Marion Barry was the only member to vote against the provision, making him both the subject of praise and criticism.
Barry defends his stance and explains how his predominantly black constituency influenced his decision. See Former DC Mayor Marion Barry Lone Dissenter On Gay Marriage
NPR * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Busy First Day For Cleveland’s Gay Partner Registry
Cleveland city leaders offered a warm welcome to gay and lesbian couples arriving at City Hall to take advantage of a new domestic partner registry taking effect Thursday.
Gay advocates celebrated with a rally on the steps of City Hall. Six council members attended the rally, including Council Members Jay Westbrook, Joe Cimperman and Joe Santiago.
Registering with the city is mostly a symbolic act. Registered couples receive no guaranteed benefits or protections; any benefits gained would be strictly voluntary.
The registry’s shortcomings, however, appeared to be lost on the steady stream of couples lining up for it. Sixty-four couples, mostly gay or lesbian, had paid the $55 registration fee by 2PM, openly gay Councilman Santiago told On Top Magazine.
Opposition to the registry appears to have diminished since ministers called for its repeal in January. A group of mostly black ministers lead by Rev. C. Jay Matthews failed in an effort to stop the registry from taking effect. And while the group has vowed to place a referendum on the November ballot, it appears they missed a March deadline. See:
- Busy First Day For Cleveland’s Gay Partner Registry On Top Magazine
- Cleveland begins domestic partner registry for gay and other … Cleveland News - Fox 8
- Cleveland’s Domestic Partner Registry a powerful symbol — Regina … The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com
- Historic Day As Cleveland Opens Domestic Partner Registry Today E-Portage
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Council agrees marriages should be recognized in nation’s capitalThe
Washington, D.C., City Council today overwhelmingly agreed to recognize marriages of gay and lesbian couples that were conducted outside the district. Councilman Marion Barry was the sole dissenter in the 12-1 vote in favor of recognizing the marriages. The Washington Post (5/5) * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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“Traditional Marriage” Resolution Passes - Sioux City Sides with the Bigots
One of today’s most controversial topics drew passionate comments from Sioux City residents Monday, as the City Council debated a resolution supporting the “traditional” definition of marriage, between one man and one woman. “Because character, in my opinion, is all about faith and beliefs.” Councilman Ferris talked for several minutes Monday, explaining why he re-introduced the resolution after voting to table the measure in December, 2008. “Our belief system is at the base of those decisions.” He said morality is more important than being politically correct. He claimed the council ’skirted’ the issue when it tabled the resolution. “I have an obligation to my faith,” he explained. But after opening to public comment, some residents agreed with Councilman Rixner, echoing his argument that the resolution is none of the City’s business. “The separation of church and state, is that sacred, anymore,” said one resident. But voices like hers were outnumbered a dozen times over, in a room with few chairs to spare. Many argued for traditional marriage, but for different reasons. ”We will most certainly face the issue of polygamy,” said another supporter, continuing, “If we give them an inch, they’ll ask for a mile.
KPTH - Correctionville,IA,USA
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Ministers Oppose Cleveland’s Gay Partner Registry
A group of ministers is leading an effort to repeal Cleveland’s recently passed gay domestic partner registry, reports Cleveland daily The Plain Dealer.
United Pastors in Mission, a group of mostly black ministers led by president Rev. C. Jay Matthews of the Mount Sinai Baptist Church and director Rev. Marvin McMickle of Antioch Baptist Church, made the announcement at a Tuesday press conference at Matthews’ church. Cleveland city leaders approved the registry at a Monday December 8 session by a 13-7 vote. All of the seven lawmakers who voted against the measure were black. Ward 1 councilman Terrell Pruitt admitted he was pressured to vote against the registry: “I couldn’t risk having the ministers, who don’t have all the facts, on the pulpits preaching against me on Sunday.” Cleveland’s domestic partner registry allows gay and straight couples to seek recognition of their union from the city. Ohio passed one of the toughest gay marriage bans in the country four years ago. To ensure that the registry does not run afoul of the state’s prohibition it lacks any force of law and guarantees no protections whatsoever. Any benefits given to couples would be strictly voluntary. Over 70 cities and counties nationwide offer gay domestic partner registries. Lawmakers in the Mormon stronghold of Utah will take up the question next month.
On Top Magazine, OH -
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