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.
In a Red state, here's a pol who supports equality -- Wyoming U.S. Senate candidate Nick Carter. In this video he debates anti-gay incumbent John Barrasso on marriage equality. Via the Casper Star-Tribune:
"As an avid constitutionalist hailing from 'the Equality State' of Wyoming, I understand that, like any other group of people that have been discriminated upon, the LGBTQ community needs constitutional advocacy. I will bring that advocacy to Washington and fight for full marriage equality."
Obama was expected to take Wyoming, and he did -- by a huge margin. Only 12 delegates were in play, so with that and the fact that it was a caucus means "it doesn't count" in the Clinton/Mark Penn playbook.
Obama had 61 percent, or 5,378 votes, to Clinton's 38 percent, or 3,312 votes, with all 23 Wyoming counties reporting.
Obama won seven delegates and Clinton won five. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama led 1,578-1,468, according to the latest tally by The Associated Press. It will take 2,025 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.
The big story here is about turnout -- again, the crowds willing to participate reached overflow proportions.
From the first caucuses of the day, it became clear the state's Democrats were showing up in large numbers. In 2004, a mere 675 people statewide took part in the caucuses.
In Sweetwater County, more than 500 people crowded into a high school auditorium and another 500 were lined up to get inside.
"I'm worried about where we're going to put them all. But I guess everybody's got the same problem," said Joyce Corcoran, a local party official. "So far we're OK. But man, they keep coming."
What kind of sh*t is this? In Wyoming, which has had good news coming from the state of late with the pro-equality votes of GOP state legislators Dan Zwonitzer and Pat Childers, a reminder that the some residents of the Equality State don't have that sentiment in mind.
Lynne Huskinson and her spouse Leah Vader were married in Canada, and have been open supporters of marriage equality in Wyoming. They have now found out that their public political opposition to anti-gay legislation is all that it took for their church to ban them from communion. Rev. Cliff Jacobson, the pastor of St. Matthew's Catholic Church wrote them a letter (Gillette News-Record):
The letter said that "because of your union and your public advocacy of same-sex unions, that you are unable to receive communion."
...Jacobson said the main reason the church had taken action now, and the Cheyenne Diocese had weighed in on this decision, is that Vader and Huskinson have been so public in their advocacy in recent newspaper articles, speaking out against a same-sex marriage bill that would barred Wyoming from recognizing gay marriages from other states.
"We're not the bedroom police. That ultimately comes between the person and God," Jacobson said. "But it puts it in a much different light with a public nature."
"It's the idea of scandal, we profess our faith and belief as Catholics on one level, and practice something else at a public level."
Vader sees the move as discriminatory.
"This is just so easy," Vader said. "It sends a big fat message to gay people."
Well, Papa Ratzi sent a message to us a while back, saying gays are "disordered," and that gays are welcome in the church as long as they aren't sexually active and don't publicly talk about their orientation. That's outreach, huh?
Anyway, explain to me how taking a political position about a civil matter is grounds for this sort of discrimination? Has Jacobson decided to withhold communion women in his flock on birth control, or adulterers, for instance? I'm assuming that if he found out someone wrote a letter to the editor about the right of women to have access to Plan B, that would get the person on his hit list.
If it is ultimately up to God to decide the weight of their sin, why is Rev. Jacobson so riled up over these two long-time parishioners?
The fact of the matter is that the Vatican knows full well that Huskinson and Vader are actually welcome in other, more progressive Catholic churches -- the cafeteria-style Catholicism that vexes those who wish the church to be reined in with one socially conservative voice on doctrine to avoid a schism. It's only a matter of time before it all comes to a head.
***
Oh look -- it's the weekly papal bleating on celibacy and homos after the flip...
As Michael Petrelis says, "what is in the water out in Wyoming?"
After the amazing support by Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, who took a stand (here and here) voting to defeat a bill that would have allowed the state to ban recognition of legal same-sex unions, Wyoming State Representative Pat Childers, a self-described "straight, happily married for 44 years, three children (one gay), two granddaughters and a Republican," shares his recollection of what he said in favor of equality.
Zwonitzer, you'll recall, is the straight Republican lawmaker who stood up to bigotry and voted to defeat a bill that would have allowed Wyoming to ban recognition of legal same-sex unions. He also gave an amazing speech in favor of equality.
Zwonitzer mentioned how grateful he was for the support that he's received regarding his speech (he acknowledged the role of blogs in spreading the word), and he firmly believes that the struggle for gay equality is the civil rights struggle of his generation. Zwonitzer is also sure that in 30 years people are going to wonder why people were fixated on the issue at all -- change is coming, even in states like Wyoming.
This is a great interview -- his sincerity and believe in equality is genuine. Allies like Dan Zwonitzer are why the right wing religious zealots are worried. He represents the positive cultural shift by twenty-somethings of both parties who are coming into power, and can't understand the bigotry -- and that attitude must be fostered and supported with wide public praise (as Miss Wild Thing noted in the comments, a press release is a much more effective way of spreading the word). The right will do all it can to shut these people out of power.
The Dan Zwonitzers are out there putting themselves on the line in Red State America for us, and we need to have their backs.
Hey, Andy, did the text of that speech fall out of the sky? How did you find it, dude? One of your friends from HRC post it to the HRC blog? Of course not, since HRC has no blog and is ignoring the speech altogether. Not only do we need more Republicans like Zwonizter, we also need gay leaders who can share credit when necessary.
Oh well...I always try to share link love with folks who pass on items; I guess when you breathe the rarified air taken in by the political heavy hitter types, those little bloggy social graces don't matter. Such is life.
Anyway, it's sad that HRC still hasn't managed to release even a simple statement of support for Zwonitzer's stand -- after all isn't the point of an advocacy organization to support and show public respect for all pols who put themselves on the political line for our civil rights, not only Democrats who "support" our civil rights (only when it suits them)? Or am I missing something? Oh, I guess I'm just naive because I believe that to win the battle and the war we need to encourage every ally working for equality, regardless of party affiliation.
I think Pam is expecting way too much from the Democratic Party hacks running HRC. Four days after Zwonitzer delivered his plea for gay equality, HRC remains silent about it.
I wish our advocates could do better on this front and see the big picture for the long-term political health of our movement. Fostering more pro-equality support in the GOP brings no negatives, only more choices (Dems will continue to take our votes and wallets for granted). There may be ample reasons to vote for a Democrat outside of equality matters, but there is no incentive for Dems to risk anything as long as sense zero competition for our votes.
It's time to recognize a politician with a spine: Dan Zwonitzer, a straight state rep in Wyoming -- a Republican -- who voted to defeat a bill that would have allowed Wyoming to ban recognition of legal same-sex unions -- it died in committee.
Activist Michael Petrelis dropped him a kind note for his bravery, and Zwonitzer in his reply said that -- no surprise -- the Rep. is receiving the expected awful emails from the voices of intolerance (he emailed me and said that the majority aren't coming from folks in his district).
What makes Zwonitzer inspiring and so deserving of praise is that the risk he took, in Red State America, as a straight ally. He was willing to put his neck and political career on the line to do what is right -- he is a Republican doing so at a time when Democrats in much more favorable political environs are spineless, calculating and treating us like ATMs and pariahs as it suits them.
Even more, Zwonitzer not only voted against the measure, but he gave an impassioned speech in favor of equality that I am sharing with you after the fold.
Some good news in Darth Cheney country -- a discriminatory bill that would have allowed Wyoming to ban recognition of legal same-sex unions died in committee -- by one vote. (365gay):
House Speaker Roy Cohee (R) cast the deciding vote, breaking a tie in the House Rules Committee.
The measure passed the Senate last month. If passed it would have meant that Wyoming gays could not travel to Canada or any of the European countries where same-sex couples can marry.
...The Wyoming measure would also have meant that couples from areas were they were allowed to marry could not come to the state, which calls itself 'The Equality State' and have their marriages recognized either by the state or by private businesses.
The state already has a DOMA on the books, so this legislation would have simply nailed the coffin shut on marriage equality.
Michael Petrelis has more, and noted that it was significant that three straight GOP legislators helped voted this bill down -- it's a message to spineless Dems.
What a magnificent development this is for us gays and our allies who endorse full marriage equality, that in Cheney's home state, we have not one, not two, but at least three straight GOP legislators to thank for delivering us some very good news!
Many thanks to both Rep. Childers in standing up for his lesbian daughter, and to Rep. Zwonitzer, who is willing to risk his seat for gay equality. If that ain't bravery, I don't know what is.
The wingnuts of Darth Cheney country -- Wyoming, the Equality State -- voted today to make sure that if Mary and Heather go to Canada to get married, that they legally have no relationship to one another when they visit Pa on the ranch. (365gay):
The bill passed 21-8 generally along party lines, with most Democrats opposed and most Republicans in favor of the bill.
If the bill passes the House and signed into law by the governor it would mean Wyoming gays could not travel to Canada or any of the European countries where same-sex couples can marry and have their marriages recognized when they return home.
It also would mean if a same-sex couple moved to Wyoming because of work or even visited the state their marriages would be considered void in Wyoming.
As Blender Laurel said in her email to me this AM, "Mary Cheney & family better not marry if they want to come home to WY for a visit with Papa 'freedom means freedom for everyone' Dick."
No kidding. I wonder if Darth cares to comment on the Wyoming legislature's consideration of a bill that would ensure that the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples from Massachusetts (or those who have married Canada or any of the European countries where it is legal) are null and void in the state. It also mandates that private businesses may not recognize them either. (365gay):
"If a couple came from Massachusetts, or wherever they allow same-sex marriage, we would not have to recognize it here," said Sen. Gerald E. Geis (R) one of the bill's sponsors.
Geis said he signed on to the bill after hearing from people in his district. "They didn't want people from other states that say (homosexual couples) can be married to come in and say they get the same status in Wyoming. ... I'm just representing my district."
The House sponsor, Rep. Owen Petersen (R) said the measure is for "the betterment of our society."
"In the past 30 years, most of the statistics support the fact that with the loss of marriage and a stable home environment there are more adverse impacts on society with crime and with various other things that cause a deterioration of our whole country," Petersen said.
What does that last statement have to do with gay and lesbian couples at all? What an assclown.
