Posts Tagged ‘gay rights’
Voters approve a new cabinet in Tunisia.
How will young voters be heard in 2012?
Voter ID Laws: Justice Department – 1, South Carolina – 0.
Michigan takes a step back in gay rights.
Image from FDA.gov
Don’t get burnt: FDA announces new requirements for sunscreen labels.
Another one in! Former Ambassador to China set to join the 2012 Republican field.
The ruling stands: Federal judge upholds judge’s decision in Prop 8 case.
New York is expected, by many, to become the next state to legalize same-sex marriage.
As of Tuesday evening, a bill to recognize unions between same-sex couples was one vote away from being passed in the state senate. Putting the Empire State on the verge of being the 6th state in the nation, along with Washington, D.C., to recognize such unions.
The bill was introduced earlier the same day by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who campaigned on a platform of civil rights for gay and lesbian New Yorkers.
‘For too long, same-sex couples have been denied the freedom to marry, as well as hundreds of rights that other New Yorkers take for granted,’ Cuomo said.”
The New York State Senate has voted … now it’s your turn. Cast your vote in this USDemocrazy Poll:
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Thanks to Wikicommons.
President Obama (perhaps copying Facebook’s attitude) has changed the US governments policy on homosexual marriage.
The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act defined marriage as
only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ’spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.
Mr. Obama declared yesterday that this act was unconstitutional as it failed to provide equal protection under the law. Although this does not repeal the law (that is a job for the courts) it does mean that the Federal government will not fight legal challenges to the law.
This reversal is getting attention of people on both sides.
Republican Rick Santorum issued a strongly worded statement that
President Obama’s refusal to defend a law that was overwhelmingly supported on both sides of the aisle and signed into law by a president of his own party is an affront to the will of the people. This is yet another example of our president’s effort to erode the very traditions that have made our country the greatest nation on earth
The Human Right Campaign, America’s largest gay rights organization, hailed the Presidents decision with the organizations president, Joe Solomese, stating that
This is a monumental decision for the thousands of same-sex couples and their families who want nothing more than the same rights and dignity afforded to other married couples
Before anyone gets too excited (or up in arms) change is not coming immediately and may not at all.
For one thing, as a spokesman for the President noted, this only changes the legal defenses of the law as
the enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act continues — the President is constitutionally bound to enforce the laws and enforcement of the DOMA will continue.
The law’s future is now out of Obama’s hands and into those of the nations courts.
The New Julian: Thanks to NY Magazine.
“Girls Who Like Boys Wh0 Like Boys.” This is a reality TV show.
Prop 8 went to court, and you should check out what’s happening.
Julian Assange’s makeover: Necessary?
It’s been difficult to read the news lately ( the world seems crazier than usual lately ), but here at US Democrazy, it’s our job – so we’ve stuck it out to bring you some gems from the kooky world of American media and politics.
From the “It Must Be still Halloween” department:
Death Panels are Back! Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle from Nevada is hurling the same lies about the so-called “death panels” in the health care reform bill that were settled months ago. What gives?
Check out the flier-clipping for yourself here. Pre-election tactic obviously, but should there be some sort of regulation on the spread of blatant misinformation? Or is this really what makes America the great place it is?
The Attack of The Governator
“WHAT WIMPS. NO GUTS,” is exactly what California Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger said of Washington politicians on Wednesday. This bold words speak of the frustration that many have with the lack of response to the BP oil spill. He went on to say:
I said, that’s disgusting. You promised the people you’d represent them. You didn’t promise the people you’d represent the oil companies and the special interests.
Man, oh man. We like the bold move on the Governor’s part. Now, only if politicians would take it seriously and ensure healthier environmental policy for the country and world alike. Read more and catch the video here.
It’s the Environment, Stupid!
Speaking of BP, reports are trickling in of people getting really sick from the dispersants used in the water to try and break up the oil on the surface after the spill. “Brown vomit, brown urine, copious diarrhea, skin rashes, sore throats and even internal hemorrhaging” are among the symptoms. This is really tragic, but can we say we’re surprised?
Obama still has Hope?
Now for some optimism – Obama seems ready to take a powerful stand on gay marriage. We just don’t know when. He made a comment to liberal bloggers last week in which he talked about his evolving opinions. Many are predicting an embrace of gay rights in his 2012 campaign, something that would be huge for the political capacity of the movement. Do you think he’ll actually do it? Or are the politically pressures too high otherwise?
A Fighting chance? Courts order US military to accept gay applicants…for now.
Nations defense HQ under attack? Shots fired into the Pentagon, minimal damage and no injuries reported.
Hopes for an end in Afghanistan? Taliban and Afghan government leaders discuss peace with NATO approval.
“I just really want the President to read my book! Honest!” Book is thrown at the President. Enough said.
Sarah Palin is still probably going to go ahead and run for the presidency in 2012. Also, the earth orbits the sun.
“Every speech should begin with a shot of tequila.” A candidate after a college student’s (21+ of course) own heart.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate (and Tea Party-endorsed, too) for New York’s governor made an interestingly-timed statement against gay marriage to a Jewish Orthodox crowd on Sunday, much to the dismay of gay rights advocates and some Republican strategists alike.
Paladino is getting a lot of flack for his comments and is working to defend them, albeit carefully. Here’s a taste of Mr. Paladino’s remarks that incited all of this newsworthiness:
I just think my children and your children would be much better off and much more successful getting married and raising a family, and I don’t want them brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option — it isn’t.
(Watch:)
New York Magazine cheekily offered the GOP gubernatorial candidate a better way to put those remarks.
The Week compiled list of reactions to Paladino’s remarks. Pretty much thumbs down across the board. Of course, Paladino is entitled to his opinions on the issue of gay marriage, but with the run up to elections in November, he might have been better off sticking to something a little less contentious at this point in time.
Doing some damage control, Carl Paladino appeared with Matt Lauer on The Today Show. There he proclaimed his views on homosexuality were “unequivocal” and that he has “absolutely no problem with it whatsoever”… EXCEPT when it comes to marriage. And letting children be exposed to things like gay pride parades. The whole interview is worth watching:
There’s no doubt that the issue of gay marriage is complex for plenty of people, but this blogger thinks that what isn’t complicated is the idea of equality and non-discrimination. ForeverPlaid can’t speak for everyone at USDemocrazy.net to be sure, but perhaps Mr. Paladino might have chosen his words more carefully and respectfully to reflect his opinions that he is supposedly fine with homosexuality (just not marriage equality).
For those of you who missed it, Monday was National Coming Out Day in the United States and during this week, the LGBTQ community and its straight allies will be promoting awareness of the importance of coming out and support for the community.
In honor of National Coming Out Day (and the week of awareness that follows), ForeverPlaid would rather listen to Harvey Milk’s take on gay issues and the importance of coming out rather than Carl Paladino’s…
How do you think Carl Paladino handled this uproar? Let us know in the comments section.
You might have heard of the famous phrase from World War II “Loose Lips might Sink Ships!”
The phrase was advice to GIs on what to say and not say when writing home, carrying on a conversation, or if captured during World War II.
Now another famous phrase is rattling the US military.“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) is the military’s policy on handling the controversial issue of gays in the military.
The Pentagon’s has commissioned a study on DADT to assess whether and how a possible repeal of the policy might affect the military.
One argument declares this is a human rights issue and that other western countries have no problem integrating Gays into their services. Others claim repealing DADT would negatively impact the morale of troops, which are essential in our current overseas combat missions.
The US Senate made an early attempt to repeal DADT and failed yesterday, September 21, 2010.
The vote might come up again in the months ahead however if more Republicans win (as expected) in the November mid term elections, the chances of repeal will diminish.
It seems now DADT is now DBNO… “Down But Not Out”.
It is customary for the media to scrutinize new nominees to the Supreme Court. But little did Elena Kagan realize when she accepted President Obama’s invitation to join the august body of intellect that her softball batting stance would be the center of a national media frenzy. This came after a 17-year-old picture of Kagan playing softball was posted on the cover of The Wall Street Journal last week.
In the above clip, which aggregates the media response to the photo, includes quotes like:
- “She plays a mean game of softball.”
- “She likes to play softball. She likes to play poker.”
- “A softball bat symbolizes a certain lifestyle.”
- “It is clearly an allusion to her being gay.”
- “Please tell us if your nominee is or not. It’s a legitimate question.” …read more.
Keep that naughty stuff out, Google!
Obama is controversial on gay rights. He can do neither all good nor all bad.
Mapping viral videos: Not even internet entertainment can escape major analysis.
“One Nation Under Medicare” is a daunting proposition.
We at USDemocrazy are glad for the rights we have, since without them, we wouldn’t be able to help you digest all this ridiculous stuff that keeps happening in the world.
It turns out, we’re not the only ones who like having rights in America. The gay community appreciates rights too!
President Obama has taken heat recently by many people for many things. One unhappy group (thus far) has been a constituency that greatly supports him: gay Americans. They are unhappy because he has been slow to fulfill campaign promises to address gay rights issues. (Of course, he has been a little busy of late…)
On Wednesday President Obama made his first nod in their direction. He signed a bill extending some rights to homosexual federal employees and their partners. This bill, according to the Washington Post,
grants employees’ same-sex partners access to a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. They also would be allowed to take sick leave to care for a sick partner or non-biological child.
Mr. Obama noted at the signing ceremony,
“Many of our government’s hard-working and dedicated, patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy, for one simple reason: The people they love are of the same sex.”
Sure, this is progress, but it is nothing close to what gay rights activists are going for.
John Aravosis wrote for Salon that the gay community is pretty fed up with President Obama, specifically for acting as a protector of equality during the campaign, but doing little since then. He writes,
And while gay and lesbian Americans were initially willing to cut our new president some slack, the president’s now-clear reticence to follow through on even one of his many campaign promises to the gay community has put the Democratic Party on the precipice of an ugly and very public divorce with this once-solid constituency.
And then, there’s this: http://www.obamasplanforgayrights.com/
The White House resents all of this negative representation of the Obama stance on gay rights.
Marc Ambinder points out for The Atlantic, Obama is simply prioritizing right now. Like we said… the guy has been a little bit busy of late.
Ambinder suggests what gays want from Obama isn’t “long-term health care:”
They want Obama to expend his political capital to get super-majorities in the Senate for legislation getting rid of the ban on gays in the military and ending discrimination against gays in the workplace.
And so, it is up to all of us to decide: is Obama being overly cautious with this controversial cultural issue? Or is he just not as big supporter of gay rights as advertised?
(Just an aside… It’s worth noting that this article in the New York Times points out that people becoming less enchanted with Obama… Gay rights activists included…)
And Obama thought things were tough before…
