WATCH: Maddow Calls Out Obama On “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

Reacting to yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court to not hear a case challenging the constitutionality of the military’s longstanding “don’t ask don’t tell” policy, Rachel Maddow featured a segment that broadly called the Obama administration’s oft-stated commitments to ending the practice into question.
Maddow points out that the case itself doesn’t hurt the cause of ending DADT. Advocates for a change in policy were of the mind that the Supreme Court challenge would not be a game-changer. Nevertheless, Maddow opined that the case was “a big deal” because for all of President Barack Obama’s past advocacy in support of ending DADT, he now has a lawyer of his very own arguing that the policy is “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.”
Which is, of course, ridiculous. All “don’t ask don’t tell” is, is a policy by which everyone pretends that the gay and lesbian soldiers that are already serving in the military aren’t really there, and that everything is okay provided that those gay and lesbian soldiers agree to participate in the Grand Shenanigan of Pollyanna Pretense. So, no, Mr, President. No, Mr. President’s lawyer. No. No. And, no. It simply cannot be said that “don’t ask don’t tell” is rationally related to a single blessed thing.

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California parole board appointee rejected over homophobic comments

An appointee selected by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the state’s parole board has been rejected over homophobic comments he had made in 1993, despite apologising for his words.
Douglas Drummond had voiced his support for Fidel Castro’s isolation of the AIDS population in Cuba.
He also said of gay rights issues: “How do we deal with it short of killing them?”
At a private conservative group meeting, he said: “Do you know why I don’t worry about gay activity? I’m going to give you a clue. So far in San Francisco, over 10,000 have died. In Long Beach, over 1,000 have died. I’m serious.” See California parole board appointee rejected over homophobic comments
PinkNews.co.uk * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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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

FRESNO, CA – In the first statewide demonstration following the California Supreme Court rulings which upheld the ban on same-sex marriage, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) advocates and allies will gather in Fresno on Saturday, May 30th in solidarity to support full federal equality. This all-inclusive event will attract supporters of social justice and equality from across California and ask them to renew their dedication to fight for the rights of LGBT individuals who currently struggle to have their rights protected. Moreover, progressive leaders and activists will be setting goals for a new movement which will call upon organizers and attendees to continue the fight and call upon the federal government to provide full equality to LGBT individuals.

Meet in the Middle is the beginning of a civil rights movement for today’s generation. In a symbolic sign of respect to the social movements of the past and present, the event begins with a five-hour 14.5-mile Equality March from Selma, California to downtown Fresno, California. The march and rally is the result of a major grassroots effort, modeled after President Obama’s campaign relying on the Internet and word of mouth. Traditionally, the LGBT rights movement has concentrated efforts in major metropolitan cities, but California voter demographics from November 2008 reflect that this approach did not garner the expected results. Consequently, organizers for Meet in the Middle have created an inward-working-out geographic strategy based upon the belief that the “Selma” or “Montgomery” of the LGBT rights movement will be in smaller communities needing equality education, resources and support – communities like Fresno who are at the epicenter of middle-American values.

Meet in the Middle for Equality is the brainchild of Central Valley organizers and a growing coalition of partners that include the Courage Campaign and hundreds of other organizations. The event’s lead organizer is Fresno resident Robin McGehee, a lesbian mother of two who was forced from her post as President of her child’s PTO due to her advocacy efforts for the No on Prop. 8 campaign.

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.

Meet in the Middle for Equality is a group of Central Valley equality activists and grassroots organizers who are working to raise awareness of progressive issues in middle-America-type communities. The group was founded by Robin McGehee, a Fresno-based mother who was forced out of her position as PTO president at her child’s school after speaking out against Proposition 8. From McGehee’s public yet peaceful protests of Proposition 8 in November 2008, a group of supporters emerged with the common goal of taking action in order to protect individuals’ civil rights and to create a statewide response to the California Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage. It is the long-term goal of Meet in the Middle for Equality to work with other organizations’ leaders to create a working group that actively addresses LGBT outreach and equality issues across America. www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com

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

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WATCH: “Daily Show” Takes On Army, White House Over Gay Translator’s Firing

A storm is brewing over President Obama’s refusal to intercede on the behalf of Dan Choi, an Arabic translator and lieutenant in the U.S. Army who was just dismissed for being gay. Choi went on the “Rachel Maddow Show” last week and said he intends “to fight it tooth and nail,” and that this kind of behavior “weakens the military.” 54 Arabic translators (and hundreds more servicemen) have been dismissed from the Army due to their sexuality.
Jon Stewart excoriated President Bush for his policies and President Obama for flip-flopping on the issue, saying:
“So it was okay to waterboard a guy 80 times but God forbid the guy who could understand what that prick was saying has a boyfriend? Waterboarding may make a prisoner talk, but it ain’t gonna make him talk English.”
He then introduced the following segment on the issue, in which John Oliver supported the Army’s choice with the “he’s gay” defense. He eventually screamed at Stewart saying, “I will not let you Cramer me.” See WATCH: “Daily Show” Takes On Army, White House Over Gay Translator’s Firing

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Broad Coalition Collaborating on Poll to Assist Community on Timing, Efforts to Repeal Prop. 8 Should Court Uphold Marriage Ban

Representatives from a diverse coalition of faith, civil rights and LGBT organizations will host a conference call to announce the launch of an innovative, collaborative polling project to help determine the timing and targeting of efforts to repeal Proposition 8, should the California Supreme Court uphold the constitutional amendment banning marriage for same-sex couples.

The polling project will share qualitative and quantitative polling data with community members and stakeholders as part of a larger strategy to involve the community in the decision making process and engage the broad coalition of organizations to better coordinate and partner with on-going efforts to restore marriage for same-sex couples in California.

Expected at the session are:

Tawal Panyacosit Jr., Director, API Equality
Rick Jacobs, Founder and Chair, Courage Campaign
Marc Solomon, Marriage Director, Equality California
Luis Lopez, President, Honor PAC
Ron Buckmire, Board President, Jordan/Rustin Coalition
Molly McKay, Media Director, Marriage Equality USA
Reverend Eric Lee, President and CEO, Southern Christian Leadership Council of Greater Los Angeles

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Kayne West takes ‘South Park’ gay fish barbs to heart, gets humble?

After seeing himself skewered on the “South Park” fish sticks episode earlier this week, Kayne West took to his blog.

But he didn’t exactly rip Kenny, Cartman and the crew a new gill, like you might expect.

He actually sounded more mature, circumspect and actually took the barbs like a man, not a gay fish.

“South Park murdered me last night and it’s pretty funny. It hurts my feelings but what can you expect from South Park!” he wrote. “I actually have been working on my ego though. Having the crazy ego is played out at this point in my life and career. I use [sic] to use it to build up my esteem when nobody believed in me. Now that people do believe and support my music and products the best response is thank you instead of ‘I told you so!!!’ ….

“I just wanna be a doper person which starts with me not always telling people how dope I think I am. I need to just get past myself. Drop the bravado and just make dope product,” the post continued. “As long as people think I act like a … , this type of … will happen to me. … I’m not actually a huge douche but I’m up for the challenge. I’m sure the writers at ‘South Park’ are really nice people in real life. Thanks for taking the time to draw my crew. That was pretty funny also!!”

Click here: Kayne West takes ‘South Park’ gay fish barbs to heart, gets humble?

Los Angeles Times

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Suspect in NY reporter’s stabbing pleads not guilty

(New York) A 16-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and weapons charges in the stabbing death of a New York City newsman.

John Katehis (KAY’-tis) is being held without bail. He was arraigned Wednesday night in Brooklyn.

Police say Katehis told them he was answering an online ad offering $60 …

California Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Has Its Day in Court

SAN FRANCISCO — Under intense pressure from both sides in the debate over same-sex marriage, the California Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday on the ballot initiative passed by voters last November that outlawed such unions.

For opponents of the measure, Proposition 8, the three-hour hearing is a critical legal test. But it is also, they say, a prime moment to rally their forces and demonstrate resilience after a stinging election loss that many among them believe could have been avoided.

“It’s a need for the community to show that we will not be passive participants to our own struggle,” said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “I think it goes to the heart of what we’ve seen since Nov. 5, and what we’ve come to appreciate as the critical importance of everyone stepping up and stepping out.”

To that end, Thursday’s hearing is being treated by some activists as a combination of Election Night and Super Bowl. In San Francisco, for example, Proposition 8 opponents have erected a Jumbotron screen in front of the courthouse for spectators unable to squeeze into the courtroom.

“This is our lives on the line,” said Molly McKay, media director of the volunteer group Marriage Equality USA. “We don’t want them to have to worry about getting in.”

See California Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Has Its Day in Court
New York Times

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Gay men can enter the Philippine Army

Gay men can go to war with brave Filipino soldiers, a military spokesman said as he announced Wednesday that members of the third sex can apply for enlistment in the Philippine Army.

“We welcome them. We welcome everybody. We don’t discriminate [gay] people here,” Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Army spokesman, told ABS-CBN’s morning show, “Umagang Kay Ganda.”

Brawner said as long as an applicant is physically, emotionally and mentally fit, the Army would be proud to enlist them, including gay people.

“They are allowed [and] of course they will have the same assignments. They can also go to war,” the Army spokesman added.

Gay men can enter the Army

ABS CBN News -