NOM Has A Hissyfit, Part Five Thousand

This is an exciting year for queers in Washington State, as it appears that the legislature is finally on the brink of approving same-sex nuptials for all residents of the Evergreen State. Numerous politicians have voiced their support for a measure legalizing marriage equality, while a number of large corporations based in Seattle and outlying areas have endorsed the proposed law, to include Starbucks:

Starbucks is proud to join other leading Northwest employers in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. Starbucks strives to create a company culture that puts our partners first, and our company has a lengthy history of leading and supporting policies that promote equality and inclusion.

This important legislation is aligned with Starbucks business practices and upholds our belief in the equal treatment of partners. It is core to who we are and what we value as a company. We are proud of our Pride Alliance Partner Network group, which is one of the largest Employer Resource Groups for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employees in the U.S., helping to raise awareness about issues in the communities where we live and work.

While I'm not a HUGE fan of corporations, I DO get a tickle when they (whatever their other practices) get their heads out of their collective asses and fall on the right side of history regarding LGBT rights. One organization (which seems to have forgotten it was effing broke recently) has weighed in heavily against the measure, specifically targeting Starbucks for their support. Who is it? Our old friends over at National Organization for Marriage:

 

Today, Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), sharply criticized Starbucks' decision to wade into the gay marriage fight in Washington State. That decision comes on top of an earlier decision by Starbucks to ask the Supreme Court to strike down the federal definition of marriage as one man and one woman as well.

"Americans should be able to drink a peaceful cup of coffee without worrying that a portion of the company's profits is going to be used to push gay marriage without a vote from the people," said Brown. "This is a gratuitous leap into a hot button culture war issue; respect for diversity touted by Starbucks ought to include respecting the diverse views of all its customers and employees."

Meh. I'm not sure that Starbucks has actually contributed a dime to marriage equality, but can't you just HEAR Miss Bond's hissyfit in NOM's hatequarters?

Ding Dong, The Witch Is... Resigning

The news broke today that one of the foremost visible opponents in the fight for LGBT equality, Maggie Gallagher, is stepping down as chairwoman of the National Organization for Marriage, the secretive yet outspoken group credited with the passage of Proposition 8 in California and defeating marriage equality in the state of Maine.

*cue applause*

She is slated to be replaced by John Eastman, a professor of law who has participated in numerous high-profile cases addressing social issues, to include the Boy Scouts controversy over their anti-gay policies.  From NOM blog:

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) announced today that John Eastman, a distinguished Constitutional law scholar, is taking on the role of Chairman of the Board for NOM. 

Dr. John Eastman is the former Dean of Chapman University Law School in California and is the Founding Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public interest law firm associated with the Claremont Institute. He has participated in over 50 cases in our nation’s highest courts, including such landmark cases as the Pledge of Allegiance case, the Boy Scouts of America case, the Ohio school vouchers case, the Kelo case involving property takings, and the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act case. Dr. Eastman is a former clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in government and political philosophy from Claremont Graduate School. 

Brian Brown, President of NOM, stated, “John Eastman is one of America’s foremost constitutional scholars and has distinguished himself as a fierce advocate for families and religious liberty. As a legal scholar, he has participated in dozens of cases before our nation’s highest courts, including the United States Supreme Court. When important constitutional principles are on the line, people frequently turn to John Eastman to advocate a conservative, pro-family position. He will be a great asset to NOM.”

LezGetReal notes that John Eastman was a failed candidate for California's Attorney General, something not lost on many liberal readers assessing the situation.  With Maggie's tenure as chairwoman being characterized as combative and negative to her cause, has NOM picked a loser to replace a loser?  Only time will tell.  

Maggie says she will continue on NOM's board and will continue to be involved in the fight against marriage equality, but one has to wonder... did she just get tired of being lambasted for her idiosyncrasies?  She recently attended Dustin Lance Black's star-studded staged reproduction of the Proposition 8 trial, in which her involvement in the case and the press storm surrounding it was scripted with her laughable and oh-so familiar tactics of "bulldoze the opposition."  It drew laughs from the crowd, and one has to wonder if maybe this signified that it was time for Gallagher to go?

Whatever the reason, she's going, and good riddance.  I can only hope that with her departure as their chairwoman and spokesperson NOM will hasten its slide into irrelevance.  

Today In Creepy Asshole Weirdoes

Televangelist John Hagee below, warning his flock about the dangers of secular humanism.  Is he really comparing rape crisis centers and shelters for battered women to single's bars and penitentiaries?  Plus: I've tried the magic spells in Harry Potter (oooooh, some days I want to Expelliarmus the hell out of Adam) and sorry, they don't work.  No danger of teaching your children witchcraft there.

Joe Jervis of Joe. My. God. reminds us that John Hagee is the dude who blamed Katrina on the gays and has called for a pre-emptive nuclear strike against Iran.

Westboro Baptist Church Counter-Protested By AIDS Denialists

The Foo Fighters had a concert on the 30th in Kansas City, MO, but received some unwelcome attendance from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, who naturally showed up with their usual "God Hates Fags" schtick. The band, to their credit, responded by coming out of their trailer and serenading America's least favorite church with "Keep It Clean," including one lyric:

I've got a hankering for something, think I'm in the mood for some hot man-muffins.

Video:



Cute.

Towleroad, however, reminds us that the Foo Fighters are no stranger to dangerous propaganda that affects the gay community. This particular musical group has notably supported the theory of AIDS denialism, a movement which nonsensically denies that HIV has any connection whatsoever to AIDS. In fact, Mother Jones reported in 2000 that the Foo Fighters had a benefit concert for Alive and Well, an organization that urges people to forgo HIV testing and drug treatment:

The multimillion-album-selling alternative rock outfit has thrown its weight behind Alive and Well, an "alternative AIDS information group" that denies any link between HIV and AIDS. In January, Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel helped organize a sold-out concert in Hollywood to benefit the group. Foo fans were treated to a speech by Alive and Well founder Christine Maggiore, who believes AIDS may be caused by HIV-related medications, anal sex, stress, and drug use, and implies that people should not get tested for HIV nor take medications to counter the virus. Free copies of Maggiore's self-published book, "What If Everything You Thought You Knew About AIDS Was Wrong?," in which she declares "there is no proof that HIV causes AIDS," were also passed out to the concert-goers.

While the Foo Fighters' hearts were in the right place with WBC, one wonders when Nate Mendel and crew will address this dangerous misinformation that they have espoused? Who knows how many people living with HIV attended that concert and are now dead from refusal to take their meds?

While Alive and Well is no longer listed as one of the group's pet causes on their website, if Dave Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters want to be seen as role models for heterosexual allies of the LGBT movement, they should repudiate this dangerous and factually incorrect vision of HIV/AIDS.

Santorum: Homophobia And Anti-Islamic Sentiment In One Sentence? Yes Please!

Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum has stepped in it yet again.  Evidently not happy with the fact that Dan Savage has forever linked his name to poopy lube, Rick is continuing his ride on the Waaaaahmbulance by accusing the gay community of issuing a jihad on him.  Because, of course, we do that.

"So the gay community said, 'He's comparing gay sex to incest and polygamy, how dare he do this,' and they have gone out on a, I would argue, jihad against Rick Santorum since then," the former senator said at a campaign stop in Spartanburg, S.C., on Friday.

Okay, fine, Rick.  No, we don't like you.  Yes, we changed the definition of your name-- not once, but twice-- to mean something real icky.  We laugh at your nonsensical "towel, napkin, tree, car" arguments against marriage equality and call you an idiot.  All those things are true. But, really?  A jihad?

Hey, though, congrats on being both anti-gay AND anti-Muslim all in one sentence.  You get extra asshole points for that one.

Also In Irrelevant Posturing...

Rick Perry has joined Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney in signing the anti-marriage equality NOM pledge.

He signed the pledge this weekend, affirming that if he wins the presidency, he will:

• Push for a federal ban on same-sex marriage.
• Nominate strictly conservative Constitutionalist judges.
• Defend DOMA in court.
• Investigate the "harassment" of anti-gay bigots at the hands of LGBT activists.  McCarthy what?

Well, at least we know he has at some point learned to sign his name.  Other than that, I don't really think this has much bearing on his race to obscurity.

Super Cute Birds Illustrate Reproduction Isn't Necessary To Mating

One of the biggest arguments anti-gay organizations and politicians make when trying to whip up some haterade on LGBTs is that BUTTSECKS DOESN'T MAKE CHIRREN!  Which, of course, is clear evidence that gays are unnatural, evil, etc.

Yet another scientific study, however, has illustrated that nature doesn't necessarily mate for reproduction, with uber cute zebra finches showing that same-sex pairings are still desirable, even when opposite-sex pairings are available.

First, she and her colleagues, Clementine Vignal and Nicolas Mathevon from the University of Saint-Etienne, raised young finches in same-sex groups. More than half of the birds paired up with another bird of the same sex. 

The team then closely monitored the birds for signs that they had bonded fully.
Bonded birds, Dr Elie explained, perch side by side, nestled together. They also greet each other by "nuzzling" beaks. 

In the next stage of their study, the scientists brought novel females to a group of bonded male-male pairs. Out of eight males that were engaged in same-sex pair-bonds, five ignored the females completely and continued to interact with their male partner. 

The findings indicate that, even in birds, the drive to find a mate is far more complicated than simply the need to reproduce.

So there.  Also, aren't Zebra Finches cuddling adorable?!

Rick Santorum Defending The Gays?

What the fuck ever, dude.  Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum had the balls to attack Iran on its gay rights record at the Ames GOP candidate debate.  That's right, the man who compared gay nuptials to paper towels and homolove to man-on-dog sex had the nerve to say that Iran oppresses the gays.



Just.  Just shut up.  Shut up for good.

And Igor Volsky at ThinkProgress put together a video highlighting all the anti-gay bibble babble in the debate:


Yawn.

T-Shirts Pwn Neo-Nazis At Rock Concerts

Who doesn't love a free T-shirt?

A concert was held in Gera, Germany, this summer, sponsored by the German Neo-Nazi group the National Democratic Party.  For reasons I don't really have to go into, there are many Germans concerned about right-wing extremism, and some of those concerned citizens came up with a novel way to suggest alternatives to extremist haterz.

Free T-shirts were handed out to about 300 Neo-Nazi rock fans which read "Hardcore Rebels—National and Free" with a skull-and-crossbone flag emblazoned across it.  However, when those fans went home and washed the shirts, the right-wing logo dissolved in the wash and a new message was revealed:

"If your T-shirt can do it, you can do it too – we'll help you get away from right-wing extremism," reads the slogan on the shirts after their first washing. 

The shirts were handed to 250 people at a "Rock for Germany" festival in Gera by organisers after they had been donated anonymously. They were provided by Exit, a group which helps people disassociate themselves from the far-right.

This clever idea was suggested by Hamburg-based marketing expert who wishes to remain anonymous.  

Who wants to make T-shirts and hit up the Tea Party Express?

One Of The Many Reasons I Love Labor

Just about everyone who is not affiliated with the Koch brothers can agree that the Labor movement is good, having established important worker's rights that benefit about everyone from pregnant mothers to children to low-income employees.  Need another excuse to like Labor?  They love the gays!

There's a huge fight going down in Michele Bachmann's home state of Minnesota in which some A-grade haterz are attempting to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage.  The Minnesota chapter of the AFL-CIO (heavy hitters in the labor discussion) have now released a resolution opposing the amendment:

WHEREAS: State-sanctioned civil marriage provides rights and responsibilities set out in over 500 Minnesota laws available to opposite sex couples, but not same sex couples; including negotiated health coverage for state and local public employees, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits paid to a survivors, and laws affecting couples during illness and even death; and 

WHEREAS: Trade unionists believe that our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters undeniably deserve the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts; and 

WHEREAS: The Minnesota Constitution has never been amended to discriminate against any group of people by denying them civil rights; now, therefore be it 

RESOLVED: That the Minnesota AFL-CIO opposes the 2012 general election ballot question recognizing marriage as only between one man and one woman.

Thanks, Labor!

GOProud Crowns Ann Coulter The Queen Of Fabulous

GOProud, which bills itself as the "only national organization of gay conservatives and their allies," today proudly announced the appointment of my favorite comedian, Ann Coulter (cuz she really can't be serious) to their Advisory Council as its Honorary Chair.

From the GOProud website:

"Coulter’s official title will be 'Gay Icon.' 'Ann Coulter is a brilliant and fearless leader of the conservative movement, we are honored to have her as part of GOProud’s leadership,' said Christopher Barron, Chairman of GOProud’s Board. 'Ann helped put our organization on the map. Politics is full of the meek, the compromising and the apologists – Ann, like GOProud, is the exact opposite of all of those things. We need more Ann Coulters.'"

The Advisory Council appears to be a who's-who of young conservative thinkers, and at first glance it appears that Ann Coulter fits right in, as she'll be joining such "fresh" voices as Margaret Hoover, Grover Norquist, Andrew Breitbart, Liz Mair, Chuck Muth, and Lisa De Pasquale.  Ann gleefully accepted GOProud's honor, declaring "I am honored to serve in this capacity on GOProud’s Advisory Council, and look forward to being the Queen of Fabulous."

Honey, you're going to have find something to wear other than black cocktail dresses before you're going to be the Queen of Fabulous, plus!  The word "fabulous"?  Officially OVER.  As of NOW.

Coulter has been a frequent friend to GOProud, headlining their Homocon event in New York City last year and allowing their organization to sell autographed copies of her most recent book for fundraising purposes.  However, while Ann Coulter is an ally of GOProud, it's important to remember that this political jokester is NOT a friend to the gays.

For instance, she once used the term "faggot" in reference to John Edwards:

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,' so I'm – so, kind of at an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards, so I think I'll just conclude here and take your questions."

That particular slur ended up losing her ad revenue from Verizon, Sallie Mae and Netbank on her website, and even drew ire from John McCain, whose spokesperson called the statement "wildly inappropriate."

She has even made disparaging remarks about the LGBT civil rights movement, commenting at GOProud's Homocon "Marriage is not a civil right. You're not black."  Her remarks were not well-received by the crowd at the time, and I have to wonder: what is with GOProud's love affair with Ann Coulter?

Barry O To Anti-Gay Bigots: "Haterz, Stay Out!"

The Obama administration has taken a firm stance against human rights abusers seeking entry to the United States today, proclaiming that verified bigots who work to oppress LGBTs are not allowed.

"The proclamation bars entry of immigrant and non-immigrant aliens who organize or participate in war crimes or serious violations of human rights — which could include those seeking to pass legislation in Uganda that would institute the death penalty for homosexual acts.

"'The United States’ enduring commitment to respect for human rights and humanitarian law requires that its Government be able to ensure that the United States does not become a safe haven for serious violators of human rights and humanitarian law and those who engage in other related abuses,' Obama states."

The benefits of this proclamation are twofold:  Not only are we protecting our citizenry from assholism from overseas, we pressure foreign legislators (like those jerks trying to execute gays in Uganda) to lighten up on their LGBT citizens.

NOM: Mean Ol' Al Franken Bullied Tom Minnery!

Advocates and activists for LGBT equality crowed with delight when, during the DOMA congressional hearings, Sen. Al Franken called out Focus on the Family's Tom Minnery for submitting an inaccurate and misleading representation of scientific research.  Essentially, Minnery tried to say that a certain study proved children did better in heterosexual families, which was a big load of bullcrap.  Just because it's awesome, watch the video again:




Now, the National Organization for Marriage is promoting a piece written by Carrie Daklin of Minnesota Public Radio in which she whines that Al Franken should have avoided embarrassing Tom Minnery and that Franken's criticisms constituted an "ambush."

"I [would] hope that if I did have to testify before the Senate, whoever was questioning me would be kind, would recognize that this was his sandbox, not mine, and that, as a representative of our country, he would not embarrass me for his own purposes.

"Sadly, when Tom Minnery testified, that was not the kind of treatment he received from Al Franken.

"Sen. Franken [...] chastised Minnery's assumption of the definition of nuclear families, and stated, essentially, that if Minnery had so misinterpreted the information in the HHS report, then all of his testimony was subject to question.

"A fine performance, Sen. Franken, but here's the rub: In case you missed it in those DOMA hearings, the federal government doesn't recognize same-sex marriage. So I would think it might have been reasonable for Minnery to assume that a federal report had followed federal law.

"... Humiliation and respect are mutually exclusive. I am afraid that in his zest for the issue at hand, Sen. Franken, wittingly or not, fostered humiliation instead of respect."

In her analysis, Daklin is essentially claiming that it's not Minnery's fault that he assumed the federally funded scientific study was in contrast with the federal government's political position, a complaint that illustrates perfectly the fatal flaw within the anti-gay movement.  Science is not going to find in favor of the politically expedient, unfortunately, and Minnery's misrepresentation of the facts showed sloppy work and a disrespect for the study that he was attempting to quote.  

Really?  Minnery humiliated himself, and any attempt to foist this off on Franken is amateur politicking at best.  Minnery received the respect that his testimony deserved which, unfortunately for him, was a round of laughter and jeering.  

Ruben Diaz Can Suck It

Seriously, dude, you lost.  Simmer down.

Ruben Diaz had an extra helping of haterade this week, vowing to destroy the recognition of gay weddings performed in New York State via a lawsuit.

"State Sen. Ruben Diaz, a minister who was the sole Democrat to vote against gay marriage when the Legislature approved it, told a crowd near the United Nations that he and other opponents would try to get Sunday’s marriages annulled, saying judges broke the law by waiving the 24-hour waiting period without a good reason.

"'We’re going to show them next week that everything they did today was illegal,' he said, speaking in Spanish."

This guy is starting to make me sick.  So now he's going to not only attempt to prevent committed couples from marrying, but he's going to try and snatch that recognition back?  At this point, Diaz looks like nothing more than a spiteful ass grasping at straws.  Good luck, Diaz.  You're probably going to need it, as marriage equality seems pretty entrenched in the Empire State.

The Archbishop Of Maryland Says Something Pointless

Since the advent of marriage equality in New York State and Washington DC, the state of Maryland is gearing up for a similar debate that will hopefully bring gay marriage to the thousands of LGBTs living in that state.

LifeSiteNews (an anti-gay online rag that invalidates same-sex marriage by putting the word in quotes) reports that Archbishop Edwin O'Brian isn't so happy about it, and had strong words for the states Catholic governor.

"'Maryland is not New York,' wrote Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore in a statement to LifeSiteNews Tuesday. 'During the 2011 session, Maryland lawmakers chose not to redefine marriage because they listened to their Maryland constituents and stood by their deeply-held moral convictions.'

"A Maryland same-sex 'marriage' bill passed the State senate in February, but it failed in the House of Delegates in March. At that time, Gov. O’Malley had promised to sign the bill if the House had approved it.

"But he has now pledged to step up his efforts following the example of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow nominal Catholic. 'There are times in Annapolis when a governor’s support can move an issue over the goal line,' O’Malley said Friday."

I lived in Baltimore when O'Malley ran for governor, and I have to say I'm a fan.  Congrats to O'Malley for standing up for civil rights.  Also: Edwin O'Brian might be disappointed.  Baltimore has a thriving gay population, not to mention its proximity to Washington DC, one of the great gay meccas in our country.  

Sally Kern Hearts Ruben Diaz

Does anyone else hear wedding bells?

Ever since Sen. Ruben Diaz's impassioned "no" to marriage equality-- followed by some bizarre ramblings on the floor of the Senate and ensuing defeat-- he's been the focus of intense scrutiny from the liberal press, even notably complaining vociferously about the "hatred" he experiences at the hands of one of my favorite bloggers, Joe Jervis of JoeMyGod.

It seems that there's a whole support group for marriage haterz who vote against gay rights (and then get roundly denounced by the left), as he's now blathering on about how all the other anti-gay bigwigs are writing letters of support to him, including Archbishop Dolan.

He released a list of these arch-villains and their "statements of support."  None, however, neatly demonstrates the unholy alliances that take place in order to deny LGBTs the same rights as everyone else as the missive from renowned crazy person, Sally Kern.  Just a reminder-- she once asserted that gays are a worse threat to America than terrorists.

"Sen. Diaz, you are in my prayers. Three years ago I was the target of the homosexuals because of statements I made regarding the dangers of the homosexual agenda. So I know what you are going through. Continue to stand strong on God’s Word. What the homosexuals mean for evil toward you, God will use for His glory, your good, and the benefit of others. God bless you and your family."

Awww, isn't that precious?  I can't shake the image of Diaz, Dolan, Kern, Bryan Fischer, Rick Santorum and friends all gathered together in a church basement, chainsmoking and chugging coffee all while detailing the horrors they experienced at the hands of the "radical gay agenda."

Cuz There Are Haterz Everywhere

Today OAQ hit a snag: some jerkwad flagged my blog posts as spam, meaning I can't post any of my work to either my personal page or my fan page.  Super shitty, right?  I mean, couldn't they have just hidden my posts from their feed?

Anyway, I'm not going to let myself be hamstrung by some hater.  You can follow me at @OneAngryQueer on Twitter, plus my personal page is allowing me to post links from Tweetdeck.  Feel free to friend me on Facebook on my personal page!  My name is Ian Finkenbinder.

I've emailed Facebook about the issue and hopefully it will get resolved, but until then, keep coming back!

Brian Brown And The Infinite Sadness

Poor guy!  This shot is of National Organization for Marriage's Brian Brown as he weeps in Albany about the passage of marriage equality in New York.  AWWWWWWWW.

Woman Charged With Assault For Kissing Anti-Gay Preacher

A 74-year old gay rights supporter is now the focus of a criminal assault case stemming from an incident at a local LGBT Pride event in Salisbury, North Carolina.

The woman, Joan Parker, was one of 2,000 gay rights supporters that showed up to the rally, with the "victim", James Edward Belcher, being one of 200 protesters that came in order to speak out against the gay lifestyle.

From the AP:

"'He was just waving his arms and has a Bible in one hand, up and down, and screaming at the top of his lungs, "sodomites" and "you're going to hell,"' Parker said in a phone interview. 'I thought he needed a hug. S'o I gave him a hug.'"

Belcher claims she tried to kiss him on the lips (which she vehemently denies), and has now charged her with assault.  He claims her embrace "was just one of many attempts to silence the preaching to those in need of salvation who practice a death style that they call a lifestyle."

The police chief was as surprised as anyone else involved that the preacher has decided to press charges, but acceded that the act of unwanted touching could indeed constitute assault.  Parker's "offense" could earn her up to 30 days of community service.

NOM Outlines Four Year Plan To Waste Donor Money

Oh, will these b-holes ever learn?  

The National Organization for Marriage Hatred has published some more haterade after their announcement that they would pledge $2 million to combat the dreaded same-sex marriage in New York.  Their squawking is nothing short of a master plan (sinister music) to reverse gay rights in the Empire State.

"We're putting together a 4-year campaign strategy that will reverse same-sex marriage in New York. We'll have many more details, and ways for you to get involved, in the days ahead but the overall plan will have three phases:

"PHASE 1:
Elect pro-marriage majorities next November that will approve a marriage amendment in both the Assembly and Senate during the 2013 legislative session.

"PHASE 2:
Protect pro-marriage candidates in the 2014 elections, so that the amendment can receive final legislative approval in the 2015 legislative session.

"PHASE 3:
Successfully pass the ballot measure when it goes before voters in November 2015."

Laurel at PHB makes some very good points (IE, that it's a big fucking waste of time and money):

"Recall that the Assembly passed the Marriage Equality Act by a vote of 80-63 and the Senate passed it by a vote of 33-29. To accomplish this mean-spirited plan, NOM would have to replace at least 18 pro-equality Assembly members and 3 pro-equality Senators (incumbents all) with anti-equality challengers, get a majority of both chambers to approve a proposed amendment, maintain the anti-equality majorities through another election, then get the majority of both chambers to vote anti-equality for a second time.

"Then the question would go to the voters, who already overwhelmingly support marriage equality."

They should just call it "Our Plan To Keep Getting Paid."