I've made it to the initial round for favorite progressive blogger in the Air America Cruise Contest. I have to stay in the Top 5 before the second voting round begins, so your vote is appreciated! First voting round:
The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend: "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
And the sky is blue. We have control of the Senate, yet Nevadans and many others think Harry's not up to the job. Where do you stand?
Weak/ineffective:
52% of voters think Harry Reid is a weak leader, 24% strong. Among Democrats - his base - 47% weak, 39% strong. Among Independents, 53% weak, 22% strong.
54% of voters think Reid is ineffective, 23% effective. Among Democrats, 51% ineffective, 37% effective. Among Independents, 54% ineffective, 21% effective.
Reid's 2010 political vulnerability linked to weakness on the public option:
Unfavorable opinion of Harry Reid is 54%, 35% favorable. This includes 34% unfavorable with his Democratic base, 59% unfavorable with Independents.
The Research 2000 Nevada Poll was conducted for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee from Oct.17 through Oct. 19, 2009. A total of 600 likely voters who vote regularly in state elections were interviewed statewide by telephone. Margin of error is 4%.
There are a lot of other findings at the link to peruse.
Update: I added thumbnails of the two letters that Sen. Reid sent. Selecting the thumbnails will bring up PDF's of the letters so one can read for oneself the letters that Sen. Reid sent to President Obama and Secretary Gates.
~~Autumn~~
Not from, say, military personnel affected by this policy (natch) or families of said personnel, or even American citizens who feel strongly that DADT should be repealed immediately.
No, he wants feedback from President Obama and Robert Gates, as to how to proceed with introducing legislature to finally repeal DADT.
Forgive me for being glib, but isn't this kinda like a carpenter asking his supervisor how to close a door? No wonder jack sh*t ever seems to get done correctly or quickly in Washington...
WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to hear from the Obama administration on how to overturn the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving openly in the military.
The Democratic-led Congress is considering repealing the 1993 law but isn't expected to act on the issue until early next year.
In the meantime, the Nevada Democrat is asking President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to share their views and recommendations on the controversial policy.
In Sept. 24 letters to Obama and Gates, Reid also asked for a review of the cases of two U.S. officers who were discharged from the military because of their sexuality.
A spokesperson for Majority Leader Reid said he had not received a response from either President Obama or Secretary Gates.
A White House spokesperson said, "The president appreciates the majority leader's letter and looks forward to working with him and other members of Congress as they move towards a legislative repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell.'" Last week, the White House declined to comment on whether they were discussing introduction of a repeal bill with any senators.
The Pentagon did not respond to inquiries in time for the posting of this article.
Perhaps the White House and Pentagon might comment after next week's scheduled activities:
DADT Events During National Equality March
SLDN will be participating in the National Equality March on October 11. Here are some DADT-focused events to check out:
Repealing DADT: Lobbying Tactics DADT trainings taught by lobbyists from LGBT Military Advocacy groups
Oct 10, 2009 - 10:00am-12:00pm
Wreath Laying at Tomb of the Unknowns Arlington National Cemetery
Oct 10, 2009 - 12:00pm
DADT Protest & Memorial Service Honoring Leonard Matlovich Speakers Span Four Decades of Fighting the Ban on Gays in the Military
Oct 10, 2009 - 2:00pm
Students for the National Equality March Flash Protest Student-led protest calling for repeal of DADT
Saturday, October 10 - time TBA
Cadence Run Run with LGBT service members and veterans military style, around the memorials/monuments
Oct 11, 2009 - 8:00am
National Equality March March for Equality!
Oct 11, 2009 - 12 noon
Today Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was asked about a proposed amendment to the Department of Defense reauthorization bill by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to suspend the discharge of gay and lesbian service members under DADT for 18 months. What is surprising is that he went further -- he wants the moratorium to be permanent. (Wash Blade):
Reid declared his support for the amendment when asked about it by the Blade at a news conference Tuesday.
"I feel on this issue that we're having trouble, we're having trouble getting people into the military and I think that we shouldn't turn down anybody that's willing to fight for our country - certainly based on sexual orientation. I feel strongly that - I support the president. I support the members of the Joint Chiefs who have not spoken out publicly. If Kirsten offers this amendment I will support it, at least as far as I understand it. What you've just told me, it would basically change the current policy for 18 months, is that right? I would support that. My only difference I would have is I would make it permanent."
A "don't ask, don't tell" repeal bill has never been introduced in the U.S. Senate, which means there's no point of reference on support for repeal. Gillibrand's potential measure would be even more of a wild card because it does not amount to full repeal but rather a temporary cessation of the policy. On the one hand, it could attract the senators who are leaning toward full repeal but want more time to study the long-term implications. On the other, senators who want to overturn the policy entirely might view the measure as an inadequate fix.
But [Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey] Sarvis said it's one way to stop the discharges while a more thorough review process ensues.
"This would keep the pressure on Congress and the White House to vote on full repeal," Sarvis said.
SLDN has proposed language that could accomplish this suspension of DADT investigations if attached to the DOD authorization legislation:
"Directs the Secretary of Defense to instruct the Secretaries of each of the armed services that there may be no investigations of or inquiry into, of any administrative action relating to, conduct described in 10 U.S.C ยง 654(b), 'Policy concerning homosexuality in the armed services,' until the end of the 111th Congress, provided that, this shall not limit the authority of the Secretaries of the armed services with respect to conduct that would violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid speaking at a press conference Monday said he has no plans to introduce a bill to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" in the Senate.
"I haven't identified any sponsors," he said. "My hope is that it can be done administratively."
How many Senators do Dems need to have in the Senate to find ONE willing to sponsor repeal of a policy that even conservatives say needs to go. It's time to cut the crap, close the wallets. Clearly our "leadership" doesn't understand we mean it when we say "No Delay, No Excuses." I'm with Mike Rogers on this one:
How long we are expected to wait? To what end do we support the Administration without knowing anything of its plan (and worse, its lack of action)? Do we wait until after the 2010 midterms to 'protect our majority'? Do we wait until the end of 2012 after he is reelected? Or do we wait until the 2014 midterms to keep Congress? Perhaps we are expected to wait until year 7 of his administration (assuming he hasn't tossed aside so many supporters that he loses). Perhaps they will ask us to hold off until 2017, because, after all, we don't want to lose the White House.
Let's look at exactly what we are asking for:
1. DADT: Repeal of a law that Congress passed and the President signed to shaft gays.
2. DOMA: Repeal of a law that Congress passed and the President signed to shaft gays.
3. ENDA: Job protections that leave us without protection from housing, lending or public accommodation discrimination.
(Hate crimes don't count. Not one life has been saved by them and I want protections before my skull is bashed in on a sidewalk. Plus, does anyone really think the increased funds for local law enforcement will go to protect gays where the protections are needed most? And as Frank Rich said "fighting AIDS is not a get-out-of-homophobia-free card." )
No doubt that Obama is (was?) better than the alternative, however it was simply not necessary to submit to the Court what is the most harmful (and hurtful) governmental attack on us as a people that I have seen in my lifetime, without an explanation.
Sean Bugg isn't impressed at all by Reid's statement today. He's also calling for the fundraising spigot to be turned off. They seem unwilling to listen to anything else:
I have been angry -- and rightfully so -- at Obama over the past few weeks. I'm even angrier at this idiocy from Reid. Seventy percent -- more than two-thirds -- of Americans support repealing DADT. A majority of freaking evangelicals support repealing DADT, for god's sake, but Reid wants to pussyfoot around it like it's a radioactive turd from Chernobyl?
If Harry Reid and, frankly, Nancy Pelosi, are the best options that Democrats have to offer us as gays and lesbians at this point, then it's time to turn off the financial spigot. You may not have the option or desire to support an Republican alternative, but if the best Reid, et al, can offer us on LGBT issues is cowardice, then at least let us offer apathy in return.
(The questions we have to ask ourselves -- is there any indication that the LGBT community is any more prepared to deal with painful wound torn open by the trans-free ENDA last go-round? Are our friends on the Hill aware of the work needed to be accomplished in order to avoid aiding and abetting the well-funded religious right, which is eager to watch us splinter and toss out the very same epithets they are prepared to scare elected officials with? - promoted by pam)
How quickly the lessons regarding how the Democratic Congressional Leadership managed to publicly divide the LGBT community over ENDA -- how much energy and resources were wasted by LGBT civil rights and other LGBT non-profit organizations battling over the "real or perceived gender" language that was first in, then out of ENDA -- have been apparently lost on Sen. Kennedy.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is expected to push for a Senate vote in 2008 on the same gay-only version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that the House of Representatives passed in 2007, a Kennedy spokesperson said this week.
Kennedy stated on the Senate floor on Nov. 8, one day after the House passed ENDA by a vote of 235 to 184, that he hoped the Senate would follow suit by passing the employment protection bill in the current Congress, which lasts through 2008.
But until this week, Kennedy's office had not stated publicly where Kennedy stood on the demands by many gay and transgender organizations that Congress should withhold any action on ENDA unless it includes protection for transgender persons.
"Although Sen. Kennedy strongly supports protections against job discrimination for transgender workers, inaction won't advance justice for anyone, and will just make it harder to pass any version of ENDA in 2009," said Kennedy spokesperson Melissa Wagoner.
"We will most likely work to move the House-passed bill, rather than introducing a separate Senate bill," Wagoner told the Blade by e-mail. "Because the same legislation must pass both the House and Senate, now that the House has acted, the only realistic way to get a bill to the president's desk this Congress is to have the Senate pass the House bill."
Further into the Blade piece, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he's in favor of an ENDA vote in 2008 -- he's looking for a bipartisan "super majority" to protect the gay-only ENDA from a filibuster.
Speaker Pelosi, Rep. Frank, and Rep. Miller were surprised by how grassroots LGBT activists organized and fought against the sexual orientation only version of ENDA. Senators Kennedy and Reid should be under no such illusion -- what Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Reid are contemplating is a prescription for dividing the LGBT base for a second time in the same presidential election cycle. A sexual orientation-only Senate ENDA bill will also likely expose Democratic Senators to preexisting backlash on this controversial issue; it will expose Senators Obama and Clinton in particular to either voting for a civil rights bill that intentionally leaves parts of the LGBT community behind, or vote against a bill that would increase the protections of most LGB people -- a no win vote. Secondly, presenting a gay-only ENDA for will provide a fairly significant distraction for LGBT activists at a time when the community is trying to focus on the 2008 presidential election.
[More on Senate sexual orientation-only ENDA, and the Gov. Huckabee/Evangelical/Social Conservative Christian factor]
Today Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was asked about a proposed amendment to the Department of Defense reauthorization bill by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to suspend the discharge of gay and lesbian service members under DADT for 18 months. What is surprising is that he went further -- he wants the moratorium to be permanent. (
This is f*cking rich -- Reid and Obama 
