Statewide Action: On Heels of Prop 8 Ruling, “Meet in the Middle for Equality” Rallies ,Civil Rights Advocates in Fresno for LGBT Equality on a Federal Level
WHEN:
Saturday, May 30, 2009, 1st Statewide Action After the Proposition 8 Decision
7:50 a.m. – Equality March Kickoff; 8:00 a.m. - March from Selma to Fresno
1:00 p.m. – Rally at steps of Fresno City Hall
WHERE:
March from the intersection of W. Front St. and Whitson St. in Selma, CA, then along the Golden State Highway to the Meet in the Middle rally location at Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721
WHO:
Equality March speakers at Selma Kick-off include:
Anne-Marie Williams of Jordan/Rustin Coalition
Nii-Quartelai Quartey of Courage Campaign
Yardenna Aaron of Here to Stay Coalition
Andrea Shorter of Equality California (EQCA)
Roland Palencia of HONOR PAC (English/Spanish-language)
Rally Speakers at Fresno City Hall Location include:
Robin Tyler, the original plaintiff in Tyler vs. the County of Los Angeles
Angelica Salas, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA
Christine Chavez, Latino and African-American Leadership Alliance and Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez
Kate Kendell, National Center for Lesbian Rights
Rabbi Denise Eger, Congregation Kol Ami & California Faith for Equality
Father Geoff Farrow, Former Catholic Priest for Fresno’s Saint Paul Newman Center
Lt. Dan Choi, West Point graduate, recently discharged under “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
Reverend Eric Lee, Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Reverend Dr. Amos Brown, Third Baptist Church, San Francisco
Rick Jacobs, Chair and Founder of the Courage Campaign
Cleve Jones, founder of Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and Harvey Milk intern
Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award Winning Screenwriter for Milk
“With this ruling, Californians are experiencing a great loss – a loss of justice, loss of compassion, and a loss of humanity. But rather than become disabled by our grief, we must shift our shame to strength and revitalize for the sake of the entire American LGBT community. We must use this ruling as a catalyst for an even greater goal and a greater good,” said Robin McGehee, lead organizer for Meet in the Middle.
Over 100 organizations from around the state have endorsed Meet in the Middle for Equality. The Courage Campaign and White Knot for Equality are providing buses to bring activists and progressive allies from San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco to the middle of California. Additional active participants include the California Nurses Association, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Equality Action NOW, Equality California (EQCA), Equal Roots, Freedom Action Inclusive Rights (F.A.I.R.), Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Network, HONOR PAC, Jordan/Rustin Coalition, Marriage Equality USA, Martin Luther King Legacy Association, NAACP Youth and College Division, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, and the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/statewide-act…
Gay advocacy groups press Obama
Gay advocacy groups, disenchanted by President Obama’s inaction so far on campaign promises on their issues, are launching a campaign to get his administration to take a stand on the federal anti-gay marriage law.
The first federal lawsuit against a key section of the Defense Of Marriage Act was filed on last month by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders on behalf of eight same-sex married couples and three surviving spouses from Massachusetts. Obama’s Department of Justice until the week of June 22 to respond.
During his campaign, Obama promised to seek a repeal of the act, which allows states to not recognize gay marriages from other states. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs reiterated the president’s position last month. He opposes gay marriage, but does support civil unions and equal treatment for gays. In recent weeks, New Hampshire and Vermont have moved to join Massachusetts in legalizing gay marriage.
In the grassroots effort, organizers are asking participants to print out a “flip flop card” with the statement, “President Obama, please don’t flip flop on DOMA!” and mail it to the White House.
“President Obama, the defense of this discriminatory and archaic law will be tantamount to nothing short of a flip flop from your previously stated intentions. We’re asking you Mr. President, to take a principled stand for equality under the law and be the bold leader that we voted into office,” Paul Sousa, who leads the Boston-based Equal Rep, said in a statement.
See Gay advocacy groups press Obama Boston Globe * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/gay-advocacy-…
Sean Penn: Is politics his next role? San Francisco Chronicle
Academy-Award winning actor Sean Penn met the media hordes Tuesday in San Francisco’s colorful mecca, the Tosca Cafe, to strongly endorse the official founding of a state “Harvey Milk Day” to honor the slain S.F. supervisor and gay activist.
But Penn left open the question on what might be his next big role: Does the thespian activist who has met Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, endorsed Rep. Dennis Kucinich for president and just generally rabble-roused about his ”Commie-loving” roots (we paraphrase his Oscar speech here) ever plan to run for office?
Surrounded by some of the real-life characters behind the biopic “Milk” — Milk’s friends and early activists Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg, state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (who had a cameo in the film) and a host of gay and lesbian leaders — Penn deftly sidestepped the question.
“The closet,” he said looking around at the leaders behind him, “is brimming with skills.”
But the actor — who won the best actor Oscar this year for his lead role in “Milk” — did speak strongly on his belief that a state day, May 22, to officially recognize the accomplishments of Milk. And he predicted his fellow actor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will get behind it.
“I trust that Gov. Schwarzenegger is an increasingly reasonable man,” he said. “And that he understands that passing on prejudices, as surrounds this issue … is poisonous to future generations.” A day to recognize Milk, he said, would “wake up that interest in activism and volunteerism … in every way imaginable” among school children in California, who would be encouraged to learn of Milk’s grassroots efforts. See Sean Penn: Is politics his next role? San Francisco Chronicle * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/sean-penn-is-…
Bid for gay commerce secretary ignored
(Washington) President Barack Obama on Wednesday named former Washington governor Gary Locke to head the Commerce Department, ignoring a grassroots effort by an LGBT group to have an openly gay man nominated for the job.
Equal Rep had been pressing to have Fred Hochberg appointed as Commerce Secretary.
After Obama’s first choice, …
Tags: barack obama, Bid, Commerce Department, Commerce Secretary, First Choice, Fred Hochberg, Gay Man, Governor Gary Locke, Grassroots Effort, Job, Lgbt Group, Washington Governor, Washington PresidentMaine gay marriage bill prompts responses
A Republican political action committee says it’s organizing a grassroots effort to defeat a gay marriage bill that’s just been introduced.
The Maine Republican Project is opposing a bill to repeal the “Defense of Marriage Act,” which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Democratic Sen. Dennis Damon’s bill seeks to repeal that act and allow “two persons” to marry. See Maine gay marriage bill prompts responses
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/01/maine-gay-mar…
