GLAA Forum

Eagle Forum decries the coming non-white majority

A brazen display of racism by an organization that thinks white heterosexuals have a monopoly on family values.

NAACP endorses marriage equality

The NAACP announced today:

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today released a resolution supporting marriage equality. At a meeting of the 103-year old civil rights group’s board of directors, the organization voted to support marriage equality as a continuation of its historic commitment to equal protection under the law.

“The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure the political, social and economic equality of all people,” said Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NAACP. “We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law.”

“Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and equal protection of all people” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP.

The NAACP has addressed civil rights with regard to marriage since Loving v. Virginia declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional in 1967. In recent years the NAACP has taken public positions against state and federal efforts to ban the rights and privileges for LGBT citizens, including strong opposition to Proposition 8 in California, the Defense of Marriage Act, and most recently, North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which changed the state constitution’s to prohibit same sex marriage.

I never thought I would cry over marriage equality twice in ten days. First it was the President, now the NAACP. This was presaged, of course, by a number of NAACP leaders and chapters, and the National Black Justice Coalition has worked with NAACP President Ben Jealous on LGBT issues. This is a fruition of those long efforts by many people. It is a very big deal and fills me with joy. Wind, fill our sails; we've got some winning to do.

Malawi's president vows to repeal gay ban

AP reports:

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — President Joyce Banda declared Friday she wants to repeal Malawi's laws against homosexual acts, going against a trend in Africa in which gays are being increasingly singled out for prosecution.

Banda, who assumed the presidency in April when her predecessor died, made the announcement in her first state of the nation address.

"Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed," she said. But repealing a law requires a parliamentary vote, and it is unclear how much political support Banda would have for sweeping changes in this impoverished and conservative nation in southern Africa.

Adult supervision

Jake Tapper at ABC News reports:

Fred Davis, the GOP media guru who pitched the attack ad campaign against President Obama focused on Rev. Wright ... describes McCain in the document as a "crusty old politician who often seemed confused, burdened with a campaign just as confused..."

Davis was a media consultant for McCain's unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008, having come up with the "celebrity" ad that generated some buzz, and am attack ad focused on Wright that McCain refused to green-light. But he retained his relationship with the Senator and came up with the media for McCain's successful Senate re-election campaign in 2010, including the "complete the dang fence" ad.

Mark Salter, a close friend and top adviser to McCain, says of Davis, "Fred is a creative guy, but he requires round-the-clock adult supervision. If you take your eyes off him for a moment, you're chasing demon sheep, witches and the yellow peril."

I would like to point out that this stuff comes to the Obama campaign cost-free from his opponents. It is a good day.

Announcement II

I have no idea what the hell I said yesterday at the coffee shop, but I stand by what I said, whatever it was.

Announcement

I just want to let everyone know that this November I will proudly vote for a metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.

Rosendall released from Kameny estate lawsuit

Lou Chibbaro of the Blade reports on the May 11 "show cause" hearing in the probate division of DC Superior Court in which yours truly (Rick Rosendall) was released from the lawsuit over the estate of my longtime friend and associate, gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny.

Here's a fine quote from Judge John Campbell, who presided over the hearing:

"I don't know where we are going with this," the judge told the attorneys at the hearing. "You can say to these folks give the items back," Campbell said to Ackerman and Barger. "They can say we did. You can say they didn't ... But we're not sitting in a criminal court. I can't convict someone of theft."

Here is a PDF image of the cover of the January 1967 issue of The Homosexual Citizen, published by the Mattachine Society of Washington, which I mentioned in my testimony and which Chibbaro mentions in his article. As you can see, it is inscribed to me by Frank in his own hand, and dated October 14, 2006. This was about a week after the ceremony at the Library of Congress in which the first portion of Kameny's Papers were formally received by the library. Beginning in that year, I assisted Kameny Papers co-founders Charles Francis and Bob Witeck in helping to preserve Frank's papers and other memorabilia for posterity. Among the collection which was appraised and purchased from Frank in 2006 were picket signs from the first gay protest outside the White House, which Frank organized in 1965. The Smithsonian chose several for its collection. Others were purchased by other historical or archival organizations. All monies from those sales went to Frank. Frank's will specified that his remaining papers also go to the Library of Congress.

The historic picket sign that Mr. Francis gave to me with Frank's blessing was one of the remainders after the Smithsonian received the ones it wanted for its collection. The sign says, "Private Sexual Conduct Is Irrelevant to Federal Employment." As I told Judge Campbell, this has personal meaning for me because my own 32-year federal career was made possible by Frank's pioneering efforts. It also reminds me of my association with Frank for over 33 years, during which I learned much from him and was privileged to help carry on his work. I have nothing but the highest opinion of Charles Francis, Bob Witeck, and Marvin Carter, all of whom helped Frank as volunteers out of respect for him and a desire to help preserve his legacy. I do hope that my involvement in the recent unpleasantness over the estate is now at an end.

Lipton's advice for Romney

James Lipton of Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio" offers unsolicited advice to Mitt Romney on being more authentic. Very funny.

McDuffie wins Ward 5 seat in landslide over Hunter

Mike DeBonis reports on the early results in today's special election for Ward 5 D.C. Council member. Of 1,897 ballots cast at Turkey Thicket, "McDuffie 43.2%; Hunter 18.7%; Wilds 15.7%; Day 5.4%; Gardner 5.1%; no other candidate >5%."

Get the latest results from the DC Board of Elections and Ethics.

Update: McDuffie beats Hunter by more than 2 to 1. DeBonis tweets, "Election Day unofficial results: McDuffie 4,085 44.50%; Hunter 1,850 20.15%; Wilds 1,360 14.81%; Day 490 5.338%"

This is a huge margin given such a crowded field of candidates, and gives Kenyan McDuffie a big boost as he takes his seat on the Council. Congratulations to him. He took the initiative to reach out to GLAA early in the race. We look forward to working with him. The results are also a repudiation of Delano Hunter, who now respects our victory for marriage equality but was happy to get the help of the National Organization for Marriage when he ran in 2010. Tim Day's poor showing is unsurprising in the heavily Democratic ward; there has also been word that there is lingering resentment over Day's role in bringing down Harry Thomas, Jr. That attitude seems to me self-defeating, if unsurprising.

Rep. Norton not allowed to testify on Hill's DC abortion bill

The GOP's latest demonstration of contempt for democracy. DCist reports.

Well, why should their voter suppression efforts leave us out? How anyone could reward these unscrupulous people and call themselves patriots I do not understand.

White House issues veto threats over anti-gay provisions in VAWA, defense bills

The Obama Administrations rips Republican members of Congress for anti-gay provisions in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and the Defense Authorization bill. The Blade reports here. Metro Weekly reports here.

Bomb threat leads to evacuations by LGBT groups

Everyone appears to be safe. Metro Weekly reports. The Blade reports.

Wave goodbye, Ron Paul

Ron Paul will no longer actively campaign for the Republican presidential nomination,  He is not expected to endorse Mitt Romney's campaign.

Vindication

Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry greets fellow Harvard Law graduate Barack Obama during commencement ceremonies at Barnard College, where both men were honored yesterday.

Chris Geidner interviews Wolfson. Congrats, Evan, and thanks for your many years of advocacy and leadership on marriage equality.

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III speaks out about Marriage Equality

The pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ reads from a letter he sent to an anti-gay fellow minister. Very well said.

(Hat tip: James Crutchfield)

Abused woman gets 20-year sentence

This is nuts.

Have another scoop

Dye your hair strawberry blonde and get in the middle of this Neapolitan ice cream. It's a quasi-religious experience.

(Hat tips: H. Alexander Satorie-Robinson)

Update: Stephen Colbert discussed a previous religious-themed ad by the same ice cream maker, Antonio Federici, in September 2010. That clip is below.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Moral authority

I would have posted this a few days back had I not gotten distracted by other matters. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), veteran of the Freedom Rides and Selma half a century ago, shames Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) into withdrawing an amendment that would effectively gut the Voting Rights Act. Here is a transcript from Ways and Means Democrats of Lewis's remarks:

it is hard and difficult and almost unbelievable that any member, especially a member from the state of georgia, would come and offer such amendment. there's a long history in our country, especially in the 11 states that are -- of the old confederacy from virginia to texas, a discrim -- of discrimination based on race. on color. maybe some of us need to study a little contemporary history dealing with the question of voting rights. just think, before the voting rights act of 1965, it was almost impossible for many people in the state of georgia, in alabama, in virginia, in texas, to register to vote, to participate in the democratic process. the state of mississippi, for example, had a black voting aged population of more than 450,000 and only about 16,000 were registered to vote. one county in alabama was more than 80% but not more than -- but not a single registered african-american voter, people had to pass a literacy test. one man was asked to count the jelly beans in a jar. it's shameful to come here tonight and say to the department of justice you must not use one penny, one cent, one dime, one dollar to carry out the mandate of section 5 of the voting rights act. we should be opening up the political process and letting all our citizens come in and participate. people died for the right to vote. friends of mine. colleagues of mine. speak out against this amendment. it doesn't have a place. i yield to the chairman. this is -- i agree with the chairman. this is not the place. i will not yield. i urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

It is rare to see someone back down in this manner. Thank goodness Lewis and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) were vigilant. Rep. Broun, though, even as he backed down, was awfully patronizing -- talking as if it was merely about Rep. Lewis's feelings being hurt. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports here. The Raw Story reports here.

Irritating Newsweek cover

This upcoming Newsweek cover is just wrong. I haven't yet seen the associated cover story by Andrew Sullivan, so I will withhold judgment on that. But while I recognize that Barack Obama is being called the first gay president in the same way that Bill Clinton was once called the first black president, and I know it isn't meant literally etc. etc., I still think both phrases were and are stupid and patronizing.

And what's with the halo? Those of us who have long been arguing about the importance of not abandoning imperfect allies are NOT helped by that halo. Here's hoping the article itself is better.

Update: I found Andrew's article thoughtful and perceptive. Here's a sample:

The interview, by coincidence, came the day after North Carolina voted emphatically to ban all rights for gay couples in the state constitution. For gay Americans and their families, the emotional darkness of Tuesday night became a canvas on which Obama could paint a widening dawn. But I didn’t expect it. Like many others, I braced myself for disappointment. And yet when I watched the interview, the tears came flooding down. The moment reminded me of my own wedding day. I had figured it out in my head, but not my heart. And I was utterly unprepared for how psychologically transformative the moment would be. To have the president of the United States affirm my humanity—and the humanity of all gay Americans—was, unexpectedly, a watershed. He shifted the mainstream in one interview. And last week, a range of Democratic leaders—from Harry Reid to Steny Hoyer—backed the president, who moved an entire party behind a position that only a few years ago was regarded as simply preposterous. And in response, Mitt Romney could only stutter.

Andrew also discusses Obama's early struggle to find his own identity as a multiracial child raised by white grandparents and a single white mother, and suggests that this helped him to identify with the sense of otherness experienced by gay children. Overall, I find nothing to fault in the article. The cover appears designed to sell copies. It certainly got attention. Actually, some of the right-wing responses to it, including a fake letter from Mitt and Ann in WaPo, are so over-the-top that they annoy me more than the cover itself.

Jonathan Capehart offers his take on the Newsweek cover.

Great-grandson of polygamist, with no show of irony, says "Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman"

Mittens the shameless liar strikes again, this time at Liberty University. Jerry Falwell would be proud (though he still wouldn't vote for a Mormon).