Tag Archives: Freedom To Marry

Mike Signorile: Grassroots Activists And NOT Gay Inc. Got Us To The Supreme Court – TESTIFY!

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Bitchslap

“Whether it was ACT UP organizing civil disobedience at the height of the government ignorance of the AIDS epidemic in the late ’80s, or Get Equal members chaining themselves to the White House fence to push the president on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ it took brave people who put their reputations, their privacy, their futures, their jobs, their families and sometimes literally their own bodies on the line to push things forward. They withstood attack not just from antigay zealots,the police and the media, but from the gay establishment, telling them to just be good little boys and girls.

“Sometimes these champions weren’t even gay themselves but were allies of gay rights as well: When San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom began marrying couples in San Francisco in 2004, the Democratic establishment, and the gay establishment which is very much a part of it, went ballistic. It affected Newsom’s political career, but there’s no doubt Newsom is a hero of marriage equality whose action was pivotal.

“If not for grass-roots activists pressuring President Obama, gay leaders seemed likely to have given him a pass on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal in his first term and on defending DOMA in court, let alone moving forward on marriage equality. So let’s not forget these brave people as we watch all the talk shows and read the media interviews which highlight the very gay leaders who were often opposed to the exact strategy they’re now embracing.” – Michelangelo Signorile

Remember way back when in May 2009, when AMFER (who as led by Chad Griffin before he sold out to HRC  lined up Ted Olson and David Boies to argue the  shit out of Prop 8′s unconstitutionality, America and California’s Gay Inc.  groups were furious.

HRC joined Freedom to Marry, ACLU, Lamda Legal, GLAAD,  Log Cabin Republicans, and PFLAG in  denouncing the Perry v. Schwarzenegger lawsuit, saying in an open  letter, “Rather than filing premature lawsuits, we need to talk to our friends,  family and neighbors, and help them understand why denial of the freedom to  marry is wrong.”

They bitched and moaned and wanted no part of it.  UNTIL it looked like it might actually win and then they made a 360 and started taking credit for it.

These Gay Inc. groups proved that while they remain sometimes SLIGHTLY useful, they  are not necessary to securing LGBT rights.

That has been proven,  And that is the way it should be.

Tory MP Against Gay Marriage, Fails Biology

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After yesterday’s announcement of a British Conservative campaign group, Freedom To Marry, in support of same-sex marriage, it was probably inevitable that an insignificant backbencher would say something daft. Take it away, Monmouth MP David Davies:

“I think most people are very tolerant and have no problem at all if people are gay but, and I hate to say this in a way because I expect it’s going to cause controversy, but I think most parents would prefer their children not to be gay, knowing most parents want grandchildren if nothing else.”

Not meaning to upset Davies’ delicate sensibilities, but your bits don’t know if you’re gay or not when you make babies. If they did, I wouldn’t have four stepchildren.

Davies took to Twitter to wag his finger:

Of course! How foolish of us to misinterpret statements like “most parents would prefer their children not to be gay” as meaning, well, that most parents would prefer their children not to be gay.

Davies then attempted to demonstrate either his egalitarianism or his half-naked non-gay body by posting a YouTube video of his boxing match with an actual homosexual. So he must really love gay people…because he once punched one of us?

Personally, I want to see Davies’ views on a placard – “NO GAY MARRIAGE BECAUSE GAY BABIES” has a nice absurdist ring to it, I think.

British Conservatives back same-sex marriage

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A campaign group of prominent British Conservatives has banded together to support marriage equality in England and Wales.

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government will change the law before the next election in 2015. Cameron himself is an advocate for same-sex marriage, though he is allowing his Conservative caucus a free vote.

Despite expectations that over 100 Tory MPs will vote against it, the legislation is expected to pass easily in the House of Commons with the support of the Liberal Democrats and the opposition Labour Party, but may face stronger opposition in the British House of Lords.

The Conservative group, Freedom To Marry, announced its launch in a letter to The Sunday Telegraph, arguing that civil partnerships – legal in the U.K. since 2004 – “are not marriages, which express a particular and universally understood commitment.”

The group includes Education Secretary Michael Gove, London Mayor Boris Johnson, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Foreign Office Minister Alastair Burt, and the openly lesbian leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson. Freedom To Marry was organized by former minister Nick Herbert who is himself in a civil partnership.

Two of the 19 members of Freedom To Marry are known for their strong religious beliefs; McLoughlin is a Catholic, Burt an evangelical Protestant.

Prime Minister Cameron has come under fire from members of his own caucus for his strong support for marriage equality, despite Cameron’s assurances that no church will be forced to perform same-sex marriages. In this clip, he makes his support crystal clear. Good show, Dave!

 

Lesbian GOP Lawyer Who Wrote DOMA “Feels No Guilt” While Now Lobbying for Freedom To Marry

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The New York Times this weekend reported on Kathryn Lehman, a recently out Republican lawyer who back in 1996 when she deep in the closet played a MAJOR role in the creation of Defense Of Marriage Act.

Today, Ms. Lehman, 53, no longer has a husband, and no longer identifies as straight. And she is a lobbyist for Freedom to Marry, which is devoted to overturning the very law she helped write, the Defense of Marriage Act. But Ms. Lehman is still a fervent Republican. “I’m trying to break the stereotype that all gays and lesbians, especially lesbians, are Democrats,” she said. [snip] Ms. Lehman said she felt no guilt over her role in the law banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Her motivation, she said, is her gratitude for those who fought for gay rights decades before she knew the cause was her own. If it were not for them, “I would not be living the wonderful life that I am right now with Julie,” Ms. Lehman said, referring to her partner, Julie Conway, a Republican fund-raiser, with whom she lives in Alexandria, Va.

Oh look, the female version of Ken Mehlman.

So here we have a lesbian closet case who was in the GOP and willing helped write one of the most unconstitutional pieces of law in the history of the United States that harmed millions of gays and lesbians in this country and made her a lot of money and got her the contacts and professional standing in the GOP.  And now that she’s “out” and most probably for no other reason than the fact that she can’t get married is now advocating for gay marriage and  probably being paid by Freedom to Marry as a lobbyist to do so?

Once again, a Republican whose personal motto is “Screw you all, I got mine”

Lerhman states that her motivation NOW is gratitude for all the people who fought for gay rights back when she was working for the people trying to ruin their lives and she fells no guilt about what she did and expresses no remorse.

Well Ms Lehman, if you feel no guilt or remorse for what you did you must be a sociopath, and a masochist to boot if you identify politically with a party within which a majority of its members consistently think of you as abominable trash, unworthy of the civil rights they themselves enjoy.

You say that you are “trying to break the stereotype that all gays and lesbians, especially lesbians, are Democrats,”

How about trying breaking the stereotype that all gay Republicans are self hating douchbags.

And as for Freedom to Marry allowing Lerhman to lobby for your integrity or lack their of is well and duly noted.

Gay Inc. at its WORST!

 

Barney Frank Takes On The Ridiculous Gay Inc. Meme Of Embracing Gay GOP For LGBT Equality Support

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For those of you who are not in the know or connected to the Gay A: List powers that be otherwise known as Gay Inc.  They have a new (insane) strategy that includes embracing gay republican groups like the Log Cabin Republicans to gain support for LGBT Equality and also gay republican candidates. (Nevermind the fact that the LCR and GOProud usually back anti-gay GOP candidates because they are fiscally responsible and have always chosen money over equality and always will.)  But now suddenly, out of nowhere Gay Inc. thinks that Gay Republicans are the answer and the way to gain our equality. ( After all their “changing the hearts and minds” strategy has worked so well.  NOT)

Today though the outspoken Congressman Barney Frank has released an essay on this bizarre electoral strategy.  In the piece, Frank argues that it makes no sense to back Republican candidates whose voting records on LGBT issues are worse than their opponents’.  He also demonstrates that it is a mistake to deny support to incumbents with excellent records on LGBT issues when they are challenged by gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender candidates.  (In an obvious reference to the LGBT Victory Funds recent endorsement of gay Massachusetts GOP candidate Richard Tisei over straight incumbant Democrat John Tierney who has a 100% Pro-LGBT voting record and is ranked the 8th most Progressive member in Congress just because Tisei is gay.)

Frank also refutes the argument proposed by the Log Cabin Republicans, that it is important to elect Republicans to Congress who are supportive of LGBT issues regardless of whether they are better on those issues than their opponents.  Frank shows that efforts to change the Republican Party from within have been an absolute failure.

The Human Rights Campaign recently released its 2012 Congressional Scorecard. The study shows that the voting records of Republican Members of the 112th Congress were substantially worse than they were in the 111th Congress.  Of the 240 Republican House Members, 211 of them received scores of 0%.  Those 211 Members receiving 0% ratings represent 87.5% of Republican House Members.  Less than 1% of Republican Members received a 100% rating.

In response to the HRC report, Congressman Frank writes:

“I recently saw the final results of The Human Rights Campaign’s Congressional Scorecard for the 112th Congress.  Having read it, I have to amend what I said about the Log Cabin Republicans’ efforts to win Republican support — the result of their efforts to build Republican support has been even more unsuccessful than I thought.”

Supporting Republicans, even gay ones is an insane strategy to gain LGBT equality that would take decades to fulfil and shows an extreme lack of integrity on our LGBT organizations part who would so easily do this and tunr thier backs on women’s reproductive rights and immigration issues which the GOP stands firmly against.

If this the best strategy that our LGBT organizational leaders have then they are the ones who need to be voted out of office.

Anne Hathaway Donates Proceeds From Wedding Photos For Marriage Equality

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In she continues to be an awesome human being news, The Princess Diaries and The Dark Knight Rises star Anne Hathaway, a longtime advocate of LGBT rights, is going a step further to ensure equality in our country. The actress Hathaway married boyfriend  Adam Shulman last month in a beautiful ceremony. Hathaway wants to help LGBT have the same opportunity by donating proceeds from the photos of her wedding dress to Freedom To Marry (and other non profit organizations). this is an effort to ensure the four states voting for marriage equality. But Hathaway hasn’t stopped there.

Along with husband Shulman, Hathaway has also shown support for marriage equality by being honorary host to the  National Engagement Party, an organization of Freedom To Marry that has raised $500,000 to help see that the four states voting on same sex marriage see a victory in November.

In 2008 Hathaway gave an enthusiastic acceptance speech when she was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Ally Award proving that she is a lifetime ally:

“I don’t consider myself just an ally to the LGBT community, I consider myself your family. And so, I’m doing what we should all do with our families – I’m loving you, I support you, I completely accept you as you are, as I hope you do me, and if anyone ever tries to hurt you, I’m going to give them hell.”

What ab exemplary human being. Thanks for the support Anne. And congratulations on the nuptials!

Gay North Carolinians Fight Back After Amendment 1 Loss, No More Mr. Nice Gay

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After fighting a valiant fight, but losing to Amendment One, which imposed a constitutional ban against gays and lesbians and their  freedom to marry in North Carolina.

Equality North Carolina is now going on the  offensive.  Gone are the insipid and uninspiring  “hearts and minds” strategy type commercials that have dragged this battle out for so long  and in its stead North Carolina gays and lesbians are fighting back.

They’re mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore.

Bravo to Equality North Carolina for standing up and fighting back.

(And to the national organization “Freedom to Marry” (ONLY in the states they deem fit) we have not forgotten that you turned your back on North Carolina when they needed you most.

Minnesota: Grandparents Yvonne and Fred Peterson Endorse Marriage Equality

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From FreedomToMarry.org:

Today, a new public education spot hit televisions in Minnesota, where voters face a ballot measure that could limit the freedom to marry in the state. On November 6, Minnesota voters must decide on a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution that would constitutionally ban same-sex couples from marrying. Same-sex couples are already excluded from marriage through a state statute passed in 1997.

The new ad features retired U.S. Marine Corps member Fred Petersen and his wife Yvonne, Minnesota residents whose grandson is gay.

Gay Marriage Support Increases In Ohio (No Thanks To Freedom To Marry or the Human Rights Campaign)

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Okay FULL DISCLOSURE here.

I have a chip on my shoulder against Freedom To Marry, the organization which “campaigns for the right of same-sex couples to marry in the United States”. That is unless you live in a throwaway state like Ohio or North Carolina where Freedom To Marry totally screwed the LGBT community, because they think that they might not win so it’s a waste of money and time and not worth the effort.

You see earlier in the year “Ohio Freedom to Marry” (no relation) won approval from Ohio’s Ballot Board to move ahead on a proposed amendment legalizing same-sex marriage.  Which is a long shot yes.  But is worth a try never the less.  But Freedom to Marry, the nation’s largest group devoted to the issue of marriage equality, told the Gay People’s Chronicle that it wouldn’t support the effort. because “Ballot measures are expensive and we need to do years of groundwork, hit benchmarks, and get the state to where we can win,”  

But I am sure they never said that to the people of Ohio, North Carolina or Maryland who donated money to FTM in the past that their help was conditional to if it was easy to pass same sex marriage in that state..

So without National Freedom to Marry’s backing, The Human Rights Campaign also refused to back it, and then in typical Gay Inc. style even Equality Ohio did a 360 and went from supporting the ballot initiative to refusing to back it.  (They just had to be in with the A Gay Inc’s after all)

Well today comes the news that without FTM, HRC, or EO support, that while these numbers are still below national polling  37 percent of people in Ohio now support same-sex marriage, while 50 percent oppose it.

While the numbers seems bad.  Thats a 10 POINT JUMP from a similar poll taken 9 months ago in October 2011.

Democrats’ support increased from 46/41 support to a 54/30 majority, and Independents have shifted from opposition (32/51) to support (42/38). A small sample of black voters shifted vastly from opposition (16/63) to support (42/35).  And while favor on the issue of marriage may be below average, 66 percent of Ohio voters do support some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples, such as civil unions.

A 10 point jump with no help in 9 months.  Imagine what the jump would have been with help and support from Freedom To Marry and the Human Rights Campaign?

In the end when we win same-sex marriage rights in Ohio.  And we will.  I want to put Freedom to Marry, the Human Right Campaign, and Equality Ohio on notice right now if they try to seek credit for any victories.

You turned your backs on us when we needed you the most and it won’t be forgotten.   And while some may be nice enough not to call you out in “polite company”.

Remember.  I’m not that polite.

(Oh and btw.  More people read this blog than you think)

Brian Brown Debates Freedom To Marry On FOX News, But No Word About Debating Dan Savage!

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God love you Freedom to Marry but just what the hell were you thinking today?

First to debate Brian Brown on Fox where a “fair and balanced” debate begins and ends with Brian Brown.  But to have Marc Solomon, who I am sure is a nice guy and does great work for the organization but is as milquetoast, monotone and invisible as they come and shows absolutely no passion at all on the subject.

Whoever at Freedom to Marry put Solomon in the position to do the debate with Brown  was either drunk, stupid or a Fox News operative.

NEVER put him on television again.  You and Gay Inc (HRC, GLAAD, ect.)  do more harm than good not using a strong speakers who will push back.  Stop with the professional “boardroom gays” already.

You are killing us.