Evening open thread

Lateisha Green Trial

I had considered blogging about my impressions of what has happened thus far, but I don't feel right making theoretical points at the moment.

I highly recommend that you read Laura Vogel of TDLEF's summary of today's testimony.  I would add that it's incredibly disturbing and potentially triggering, and I can see how many folks may want to avoid it.  However, it speaks volumes on the reality of anti-queer violence...  I can't really sum up the impact it has, it's just... OMG, ugh...

The summary is here.

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by: eastsidekate @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 20:27:37 PM CDT

Westboro Baptist

Someone pointed out (I think on this site) the best counterexample to this hysterical fear:  Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church.

They're not just anti-gay preachers, they are the MOST offensive, nasty, aggressive anti-gay preachers out there.  Yet they haven't been shut down.  

They haven't been put in jail for their hate speech.  

They haven't been killed by mobs of pro-gay vigilantes.  

They roam the country freely (admittedly, they have had problems getting their passports stamped for non-First-Amendment countries like Canada and the UK), have police protection for their protests, get covered on the news, and generally remain perfectly free to spew their hatred at will.

Now, if THAT group of people remains completely protected by the First Amendment, what the hell are these people so afraid of?

(Unless, of course, they aren't really afraid of these supposed fascistic, violent consequences to their "expressing their religious views" - unless they're just trying to appear to be victims and to play on their uneducated followers' basest fears.)

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by: popebuck1 @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 20:45:36 PM CDT

very good point

A great American, Larry Flynt the pornographer, once said that, "If the First Amendment will protect a scumbag like me, it'll protect all of you. Because I'm the worst."

Not the worst by far compared to the Most Rev. Phelps, but the point, QED, is obvious.

Ask your doctor if Drano is right for you.

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by: coram nobis @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 23:00:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

non-First Amendment?

admittedly, they have had problems getting their passports stamped for non-First-Amendment countries like Canada and the UK

The Westboro Wingnuts are been banned from the UK under British anti-terrorist legislation, the same legislation that bans entry of Islamist hate-clerics, foreign fascists and others who would encourage or commit acts of violence against British citizens and/or residents. In the case of the wingnuts, they have advocated violence against LGBTs, of which there are around 3.5 million in the UK, and so are banned on the basis that they pose a physical threat to British citizens and residents.

British hate speech legislation is separate, relatively limited in scope (it requires incitement of others to hate, not simply expression of hate) only applies once an act of hate speech has occurred in the UK (so it can't be used to ban people from entry) and includes a carte blanche exemption for religious belief.

So anti-gay religious bigotry (as long as it doesn't involve or advocate violence) is actually protected under UK law - and still will be even with the single equality bill (which is fast turning into just another of the numerous pyres Labour seem intent on cremating themselves on).

____________________________________
Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum.

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by: tavdy79 @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 06:36:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

a time warp

There is a danger that they could be in power and make "Gods law" a reality.  Not now, but in 10 years with a Palin as head of the country?  Mass hysteria is a reality as long as there is a demon that can be targeted.  Gay activists are their demons.

Same-Sex Marriage is good for the economy.

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by: CharlesMerrill @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 20:48:23 PM CDT

Religious persecution? Try belonging to a non-Abrahamic faith

in America today.....

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 21:05:30 PM CDT

We should counter that protection of hate crimes including sexual orientation includes HETEROSEXUALS

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 21:19:05 PM CDT

blogwhoring again...oh not tonight honey....I'm tired

Blazing Saddles (1974): I'm So Tired Scene (Madeline Kahn)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 21:27:37 PM CDT

Meghan McCain "I Love Gay Men"

from HuffPo and out.com
  http://www.out.com/detail.asp?...

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:01:35 PM CDT

White Man's Last Stand .....Maureen Dowd

column of Sotomayor facing GOP White Men

  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07...

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:07:12 PM CDT

For any who feel extra sassy and want to go trolling...

There is a facebook page "Save Traditional Marriage'  tinyurl.com/l45gn4
where we are leaving
....ummmm instructional comments. Apparently not 'moderated.' 

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:19:56 PM CDT

Unmoderated Religious Causes...

You should see what we did to the "Keep God in Schools" cause. Somehow, even in the same-sex marriage threads, ends up in a debate about evolution vs creationism, lol.

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by: LostMetroid88 @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 23:36:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thought for the day

http://www.misfile.com/?page=598

My America includes LGBT families.

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by: Mena @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:24:22 PM CDT

thanks Mena

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:27:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Fundies...

What I always say to them is that they lost their so called constitutional right to lynch gays. Then I say find another minority to scapegoat. It pisses them off, and makes my laugh. :)

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by: LostMetroid88 @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:45:37 PM CDT

Ken Hutcherson takes his anti-gay "Obama has no black experience" bit on the air

He was recently interviewed on a show called RealityCheck.  Audio is here.  Hutcherson's nonsensical rant starts 12:30 into the show.

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 22:53:45 PM CDT

family values, certified copy

Paul Krugman is asked to prove he's married, for the sake of medical insurance, and here we have the juncture of two issues. The comments thread raises some interesting points.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.c...

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by: coram nobis @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 23:04:05 PM CDT

Happy Cat Update,

  I do still read and keep up with the LGBT news.  I am glad PHB is back to normal

 Since I have been back to work, I have been given over time hours and am being very successful in my work.  

 My family is doing well, but the love of my life has been under the weather.  I hope all at PHB have happy and brighter days.

 Love and HUGGS always,
  HappyCat and Family.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 23:41:26 PM CDT

YOU WIN!!!

.
And these idiots lose, every time. This blog wins a July Cosie!

Congrats.
.

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by: cosanostradamus @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 00:46:30 AM CDT

Sarah P

Is in a world of hurt now.  The rumored Fed investigation is about Medicaid and the number of people who have DIED waiting for help.

Check out my blog at the Chronicle.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/...

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by: miss wild thing @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 02:28:39 AM CDT

Ashley Horne can't possibly be a Christian, can she?

Focus on the Family is an anti-Christian organization masquerading as a "Christian" one - it is a Christianist group dedicated to the perversion of the Christian message - which message was distilled by Jesus Christ Himself into "Love God above all" and "Love your neighbor as (you love) yourself."

I can't believe that a real Christian would hate their gay neighbors so much that they would defend inciting people to kill other people by using Old Testament citations such as "do not suffer a witch to live" or exhorting a congregation to go forth and stone a suspected gay man to death because of a quote from Leviticus.

What about Romans 1 - which Christianists misinterpret, but real Christians know that the sin is for people to act against their nature as that nature was given to them by God.  That does not mean that God created all human beings with the same sexual nature - the call to go forth and multiply in Nature, includes many examples of individuals whose involvement in the activities and behaviors natural to the species are not reproductive - in some cases, such as with hive insects, reproduction is limited to a single "queen" while all other females are not reproductive.  In humans, a small percentage are same-sex-oriented, or have a different gender identity, and this is ina ccordance with God's Plan for people.  God's design for human sexuality is far more complex than Christianists seem to be able to grasp.

If the Matthew Shepard Act is becomes law, Christianists will still be free to believe their anti-Christian beliefs that homosexuality, or homosexual activity, is sinful.  They will continue to be able to call on gays to "repent."  What they won't be able to do, is stir up violent behavior among their adherents against anyone - the freedom of religion does not include the freedom to incite murder, or riot, or mayhem, or assault, or the freedom of association.  It will not prevent them from "believing" that gays, witches and adulterers should be stoned - it could be held to prevent them from acting on those beliefs or exhorting others to do so.

It is not merely preaching that homosexuality is a "sin."  It is taking certain literal passages from the Bible and using them to encourage violence.

This is the freedom that Ashley Horne and her (or his) cohorts wish to protect - not just their beliefs but the right to act on them and to exhort others to do so.  They wish to raise their "freedom of religious expression" to a level at which it overrides any and all constitutional rights of others - including the right of "freedom of religious expression" that others who do not agree with them might hold.

No, Ashley is not, and cannot be, a Christian, no matter how much she (or he) insists.

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by: Joann Prinzivalli @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 13:18:46 PM CDT

fascinating article about queers in the black church

FYI

http://www.commercialappeal.co...

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by: chiefscribe @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 15:17:28 PM CDT