Burnt Orange Report

Hello #5: South Africa

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

South Africa's highest court, in a 10-1 decision the other day ruled that the country's very progressive constitution, demands that the state recognize same-sex unions on par with heterosexual ones. They have set a deadline of one year for Parliament to comply. The one odd vote was not against the decision, rather opposed to it because they felt it should go into affect now, not in a year.

South Africa will become the fifth country in the world to permit same-sex marriage, behind the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and Canada; but the decision is not only at odds with the views of the vast majority of its own citizens, but also the rest of Africa, where homosexuality remains largely taboo.

In neighbouring Zimbabwe, President Mugabe frequently attacks homosexuals and lesbians as “worse than dogs and pigs”. Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, has outlawed homosexual sex, declaring it to be “against the order of nature”. He recently ordered detectives to find gays and “lock them up and charge them”.

In a landmark ruling, the Johannesburg-based Constitutional Court ordered that the definition of marriage be changed from a “union between a man and a woman” to a “union between two persons”.

Remember, here in Texas, the Attorney General the other day denied the marriage of a Kerr County Heterosexual couple, based on nepotism laws.

When Kerr County Tax Assessor-Collector Paula Rector decided to get married, she sought permission - not from family or friends, but from the state attorney general.

And she didn't get it.

Rector, 54, wanted to marry one of the district's tax appraisers. But the couple worried that their marital union would violate the state's nepotism law, so they brought the case before Attorney General Greg Abbott.

In an opinion released Tuesday, Abbott confirmed their fears, ruling that the couple could not marry and simultaneously retain their positions.

"Isn't that crazy? We thought it was funny that we had to wait for an attorney general's opinion to tell us whether we could or couldn't," Rector told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday. "I bet that's never happened before."

Join the club Paula. You'll make a fine addition to "Can't Get Marriage" brigade.

Arnold Backtracks

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has stated previously that he supports same-sex marriage, has now caved to the right wing of his party in order to shore up his diminishing political base as California voters have a serious case of buyers remorse. He has stated that he would veto the landmark legislation passed by both bodies of the California legislature and supported by 46% of the state's population, in order for either the people or the courts to decide. I think the following highlights the issue perfectly and the type of people the Governator is siding with.

"Marriage should be between a man and a woman, end of story. Next issue," said Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, a Monrovia Repubican. "It’s not about civil rights or personal rights, it’s about acceptance. They want to be accepted as normal. They are not normal."

Schwarzenegger is facing plummeting popularity just two years after chasing Democratic Governor Gray Davis out of office in a recall election in 2003. He has taken on nurses, teachers, and state workers and has called a special election for November, the centerpiece of which is a ballot measure that would redraw the lines of the state’s districts to reduce the Democrats’ majority in the Legislature. But the idea of the election is not faring well with voters, and the Democrats are pressing legislation that would allow him to cancel it. Recent polls show that only about 27 percent of the state’s voters like the idea of the election at all.

So advocates claim Schwarzenegger is using the issue of gay rights to shore up eroding support in his right-wing fundamentalist base. On Tuesday, the governor also vetoed a minor bill that would have added sexual orientation to a voluntary list of prohibited topics in political campaign advertising.

Just before going into a meeting with the governor’s staff on Wednesday evening, Geoff Kors, who heads Equality California, said that “with two vetoes of gay rights bills in one day the governor has shown that he is a George Bush, Karl Rove Republican who will sell out his principles and the gay community in a desperate attempt to save his failing political career.

"California voters will finish the job," Kors threatened.

"He made a politically expedient move that in the long run is going to hurt him," charged lesbian Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, a Los Angeles Democrat.. "No right-wing base has ever elected a governor."

The Texan ran a reaction piece in which I was quoted today with the following...and the Campus Alliance Against Inequality, which is working to defeat Prop 2 here in Texas, got a plug in as well (new website next week).

"There is a combination of hope and joy in something being passed that is a signal of a society moving forward," he said. "But there is also a sense of anxiousness because our battle is moving toward equality. It is a shame to be overjoyed ... because it highlights that we are not there in so many other parts of the country, especially in Texas where we're moving backward."

...

A gay and lesbian rights advocacy group, Stand Out, formed the Campus Alliance Against Inequality in August to campaign against the proposed amendment.

"Most of the people the Campus Alliance talks to haven't even heard of the amendment," said Jake Holbrook, director and founder of Stand Out. "People are still quite misinformed about it."

Holbrook said their biggest opposition will not come from their traditional antagonists, Republicans and fundamentalist Christians.

"It's the people who are with us and won't vote just because they think the issue is already a lost cause in Texas," he said.

California OKs Same-Sex Marriages

By Phillip Martin

In case you've missed it, the California legislature has OK'ed same-sex marriages. Whether or not the Governator will sign the bill remains to be seen. Apparently, he wants to let the voters decide, but as the article mentions, they decided once five years ago...

But opponents repeatedly cited the public's vote five years ago to approve Proposition 22, which prohibits California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states or countries.

What are people saying about the new law? There's those on the left...

"As the debate today shows, love conquers fear, principle conquers politics and equality conquers injustice, and the governor can now secure his legacy as a true leader by signing this bill."

...and those on the right:

"Schwarzenegger can't afford to sign the gay marriage license bill...He'll actually become a hero to the majority of Californians when he vetoes it."

So what will the Governor do? Well, according to an article posted on Fox News, what he does may not matter, as around 56% of the people want him out of office anyway.

My take on it? I still can't believe the Kindergarten Cop is a Governor.

No Nonsense Austin Kick-Off

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

No Nonsense In November
&
Austin Alliance for Social Justice

KICK-OFF FUNDRAISER
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2005
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
MOTHER EGAN’S PUB; 715 W 6th St.

The Texas Legislature has voted for the first time to amend the Texas Constitution and write discrimination into the Texas Bill of Rights. The Alliance for Social Justice and the No Nonsense in November campaign have mobilized in Travis County to educate the public about this proposed Constitutional Amendment.

Accepting any contribution, large or small
$15, $25, $50 or $100

Come and be a part of Texas History!

ALL FRIENDS WELCOME
FREE APPETIZERS – CASH BAR

Glen Maxey Release

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

God save us from the homosexuals.

We should be honored that we rank up there with Chuck Wagons, Sexy Cheering, and Ineffective Government. Because real problems are solved in the Regular Session. Stop the Nonsense.

(Austin)—As the Texas Legislature prepares to end its second special session to address education reform, Glen Maxey, Director of the No Nonsense In November campaign against the Constitutional Amendment banning civil marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples, responded today to the Legislature’s inability to get the job done for Texans.

“As a former legislator, I am appalled that, in three tries, legislators couldn’t come together on something as important as Texas schoolchildren, but found a way to come together on the Marriage Constitutional Amendment that would write discrimination against some Texas families into the Texas Bill of Rights,” said Maxey.

No Nonsense in November is a coalition of individuals, organizations and businesses that are working together to mobilize fair-minded Texans to vote against the Constitutional Amendment that would ban civil marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships between same-sex couples in Texas.

No Nonsense Newsletter #2

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

The next newsletter sent today. Remember, please sign up for the campaign to defeat the Marriage Amendment. There are some juicy comments about Rick Perry and some other inside details. But I wanted to highlight first a comment made by Rick Perry political consultant Dave Carney who compared "opposition to gay marriage to aversion to communism" in response to a statement by Glen Maxey that Perry would use this election to ID conservatives to turnout against Comptroller Carol in the Primary next year.

Maxey expects legislators and Republican leaders to be penalized by voters for lofting the amendment but failing to lower local school property taxes or bolster school funding.

He speculated that Perry will use the amendment to identify social conservatives he can energize against Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn in the Republican gubernatorial primary in March.

"Silly," Carney said, comparing opposition to gay marriage to aversion to communism, galvanizing voters of all stripes.

The No Nonsense group intends to remain active in the 2006 elections by tapping voters whom Maxey expects to rouse against the marriage amendment.

Maxey likened the public to a snake that's been provoked by legislators who have advanced marriage to the polls while stalling on school finance.

"This snake can bite. It's going to bite them all over this state."

Maxey, who earlier in his career coordinated Get Out the Vote efforts for former Gov. Ann Richards, said, "There are campaigns and there are campaigns, and I know how to run a campaign."

Since I last wrote you … No Nonsense in November has picked up solid financial support, generated a lot of buzz in the media and even picked up a few clues on what the opposition’s planning.

* Members of the Human Rights Campaign have committed to raise $120,000 to support the infrastructure of the campaign. This is a fantastic boost to our efforts!! Clear your calendars for the middle of September and watch our web site as we’ll soon be posting dates for major fundraising events inAustin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. Next week, you’ll be able to donate towards one of those events on our web site, www.NoNonsenseInNovember.com!

* We had several great stories in the media – all in cities critical to the campaign.

Political reporter Kristen Mack wrote about the campaign in her column in today’s Houston Chronicle entitled, Marriage amendment foes have 'No Nonsense' plan, and noted the city school district elections could increase turnout.

Austin American-Statesman political columnist Gardner Selby wrote about our campaign on August 11, in a story headlined, Marriage amendment foes at work. Selby’s story has the opposition praising our quick start-up efforts with “a prominent conservative” quoted as saying, “The other side seems way ahead. The question is whether those in favor of the amendment are going to wake up before it’s too late.”

The president of the Dallas-based Texas Eagle Forum echoed that sentiment in David Webb’s article in the Dallas Voice, “No Nonsense Campaign Off to Fast Start.”

We’re glad our efforts are being noticed because we have been working hard to build a strong coalition to do what no other state has done – defeat a marriage constitutional amendment. It’s going to take all the strength we can muster and then some.

* Opposition Rears Its Ugly Head. If there was ever any doubt about where the right is going with this issue, consider what Rick Perry’s political consultant, Dave Carney, says in Selby’s article.

Carney, who is confident the amendment will pass, compares opposition to gay marriage to an aversion to communism, describing it as “something that would galvanize voters of all stripes.”

Is he suggesting that the right’s game plan will use the same hate-mongering tactics we saw during the McCarthy era?

Word on the street is that the “grand old party” will be deploying “strike teams” to churches to do Voter I.D. As usual, they’ll rally support for the amendment by portraying themselves as the party that’s “for family values.”

With your help, we’ll be ready for them.

* Volunteer to fight … we need people to host House parties, volunteer in our field offices and be part of our Speakers Bureau, which is in formation. Within days, you’ll be able to download speeches and talking points from the web.

The Speakers Bureau will keep the focus where it belongs – on the Texas Legislature’s failure to address real issues and on our zeal to Defend, not Amend, the Texas Bill of Rights.

While they may be able to afford television ads, showing people around a dinner table talking abut family values, we’ll be organizing around our own dinner tables, and talking to Texans in churches and temples, in offices and at civic group meetings, letting them know that our families have value, too.

We’ll counter their claim to be a party that supports limited government by pointing out that there is nothing more intrusive than government telling Texans who they can marry.

And we’ll show them that the real power of the people is to defend a Constitution and a Bill of Rights that protects all people.

We’ll stand up to them in the same way people stood up to McCarthy-ism.

* We’ll show them that Texas voters are like a snake that’s been provoked by legislators who have advanced marriage at the polls while stalling on school finance. We’ll show them this snake will bite and it will bite them all over the state.

We will galvanize our people to vote against this amendment. We will vote against the purveyors of this hate in 2006. And we will support those good legislators in 2006, who took the right stand and stood with us.

* Where’s Rick?

One thing “the buzz” isn’t clear on is whether Gov. Perry will actually campaign for the amendment. His smiling face and good hair are all over the opposition’s web site, www.txmarriage.com, but inquiring minds want to know whether he’ll get out in front of this, and use this wedge-issue to identify social conservatives to vote for him and not One Tough Grandma in the Republican primary?

Word has it that some GOP movers and shakers are afraid that all their GOTV efforts for the constitutional amendment election will be used to fuel – and finance - a “Re-Elect Rick Perry” campaign, and they’re not happy campers.

The election will definitely come down to who can turn out the most voters. Help us increase our numbers by sending the Pledge to Vote page to five of your friends and get them pledge to vote against the Nonsense Constitutional Amendment.

And help keep up us on “the buzz” by letting us know when your local paper or broadcast station covers the campaign. We want to post those stories on the web site, and keep all of you updated.

Thanks again for all you are doing … now go back and click on these links!

Glen Maxey
Campaign Director

No Nonsense Newsletter #1

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Glen Maxey who is heading up the No Nonsense in November campaign has been very active in putting together an awesome team in major urban areas of Texas to help defeat the Anti-Gay Texas Marriage Amendment. The campaign is going to get some funding from Texas and to a degree, some national support so when all is said and done, it should run into 7 figures by Election Day. His newsletters to No Nonsense subscribers are actually really interesting reads (so one, sign up) and I'll post them from time to time here on BOR. Things are moving impressively fast with no reaction from the Right...yet. But as we are 12 weeks away from Election Day, there becomes less and less time for them to effectively do so.

Following is the first newsletter from Monday.

Most political pundits say this is an impossible task. However, I’ve done the analysis, and I assure you we CAN shock the political world on November 8th. To accomplish this task, we need the support of fair-minded Texans like you – and so we are glad that you have signed on, pledged your support and committed to work with us against this amendment.

One way we’ll involve you is to keep you informed. This is the first of the weekly newsletters I’ll be sending to you and all our supporters - updating you on what’s going on with the campaign and what you can do as a critical part of this dynamic, grassroots effort.

Things are moving fast and furious since we opened the state headquarters in Austin.

Here are just a few highlights!

· Nearly 2,000 individuals have visited our web site and pledged to vote against the Constitutional Amendment. You can help us build on that success by getting five of your friends to visit our web site www.NoNonsenseInNovember.com to pledge to vote AGAINST the Constitutional Amendment and get involved!

· More than 115 organizations from all over state have endorsed us, including the Green Party of Texas, American Veterans for Equal Rights, Potter/Randall Democratic Club, and Soulforce San Antonio. One of the most recent additions to our list of coalition members is Democracy for Texas bringing with them 25,000 activists! Check out the web site for a complete list and watch as our numbers continue to grow!!!

· We have staffers on board in Austin, Dallas and Houston, with San Antonio and Fort Worth staff soon to follow.

· The Austin/Travis County effort is being headed up by Ken Stewart and Celia Israel. Ken is an active member of the Austin community and has worked on numerous local campaigns. He currently serves as president of the Stonewall Democrats, as a Council Member on the Austin HIV Planning Council and as a precinct chair in Travis County. Celia is the owner of a local public affairs consulting firm and has represented a variety of businesses and Hispanic entities at the Texas Legislature. She’s an active volunteer in various nonprofits and political campaigns, and ran for public office herself. In addition to working with Ken in Travis County , she will coordinate our statewide outreach to the Hispanic Community. Ken and Celia are setting up offices even as you read this. You’ll be able to find them soon week at 1210 Rosewood; their phone number is: 512-236-0843.

· Reed Bogle is already hard at work as our Dallas Area Regional Coordinator. Reed has been a full-time volunteer with GLBT organizations ever since she moved to Dallas almost four years ago. Her focus has been shifting more and more to political volunteerism, so she’s in a great position to get others involved in grassroots activism. Reed serves on the Board of LGRL and Stonewall Democrats of Dallas. Folks can find out more about what’s going on with Dallas area campaign by e-mailing Reed at Reed@NoNonsenseInNovember.com

· Two local activists are heading up our field operations in the Houston area. Kathryn Chace McNiel and Emily Langdon will serve as Houston Area Regional Campaign Coordinators, organizing voters in one of the state’s largest metropolitan areas. Kathryn has more than twenty years experience managing political advocacy, fundraising and communication campaigns. A Houston native, she is an active member of the Houston community, serving on the board of directors of the Montrose Clinic and the Citizens Environmental Coalition. Emily, a graduate of the University of Houston, is a founding member of the Houston Equal Rights Alliance and most recently worked on the Howard Dean campaign. Houston should have its office open by mid-August.

· The BIG news is that we’ll soon have our statewide database ready. This robust tool will give us critical information we can use for block walking and phone banking. The database project has been really fun – and challenging - to work on. It is really important to our “get-out-the-vote” efforts and will make us extremely effective.

· Another element critical to our effectiveness is that we deliver a consistent message. We’re getting results from our early polling and starting to incorporate what we’ve learned into collateral items, such as speeches, talking points, flyers and other tools you will be able to download to help you speak up against the Constitutional Amendment. Once those items are ready, we’ll let you all know, and we’ll activate our Speakers Bureau, with a very pro-active outreach effort.

· I am already out there talking to folks every chance I can. It was great to go live last week on "Lambda Weekly" with a whole hour devoted to talking about the campaign on the KNON-Dallas talk-radio show. Next week, I am speaking to the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to everyone who’s already helping to get the word out! The buzz is starting, and we are fueling it!

It’s great to have you with us as we work together to stand up for all Texas families and defeat the Constitutional Amendment in November!!

And, as always, please feel free to respond by email or using the links provided at www.NoNonsenseInNovember.com to send us your concerns, ideas, actions and your money … we need all of those resources to mount a successful campaign!

Glen Maxey
Campaign Director

Posted at 01:11 AM to GLBT | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Jews: Check, Homos: Still Outsourcing Them

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

I can't believe that I didn't notice this in the past couple of days. Apparently Gov. Goodhair has apologized for his Jewish Representative at the Christian school in Fort Worth where he signed HJR 6 into 'reality' (though it didn't need a signature at all), a Jewish leader who is actually the head of a Christian Church that seeks to convert Jews to Christianity...

So I read here.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has issued and apology over the way his office handled the signing of a bill that sends to voters a proposed amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Perry apologized to the Jewish community for inviting the leader of a so-called Jews for Jesus group to the event to represent the Jewish community, but he has not apologized to gays for saying that if they want to marry they should get out of Texas.

The governor's signature was not needed on the legislation, but Perry's office organized an "official signing" ceremony anyway and decided to hold it at a Christian school in Fort Worth so the event could become a photo opportunity for Perry.

Representatives from the major church groups and religions were invited. Among those asked to attend was David Stone, the leader of a group that calls itself the Beth Yeshua congregation in Fort Worth. But, Stone's group is no synagogue. It's a Christian Church that seeks to convert Jews to Christianity.

Stone was introduced as a rabbi and representative of the Jewish community. The nature of Stone's ministry was not known, Perry's office says, until he gave the benediction at the event.

The Anti-Defamation League immediately complained.

Perry apologized for having Stone represented as a rabbi, but dismissed the organization’s complaint that the signing should not have held at a religious school.

But while Perry has apologized for the fake rabbi he is not taking back remarks he made to reporters about gays following the signing.

I can't even make up shit that's more outrageous than this.

Current Coalition to Defeat Texas Same-Sex Marriage Amendment

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Below is a list of partnered organizations that will be coming together under the leadership of Glen Maxey to help defeat the Nonsense in November that HJR 6 will morph into. I have bolded some organizations of note, either because they will probably provide a lot of funding, volunteers, or logistical support as well as others that I'm glad to see as part of the coalition and show how broad it is.

This isn't an amendment for the homosexuals to fight; it's one for all reasonable people to fight (progressive to conservative) if they believe that making Civil Marriage in Texas double secret illegal is hardly necessary to the function of the state.

In the extended entry there is a list of individual endorsers as well, which includes most of the staff of the Texas Democratic Party, including Chairman Soechting.

Organizations
ACLU of Texas, Inc.
ALLGO, Inc
Alori Properties
Austin Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus
Austin Stonewall Democrats
BAHI Design
Central Texas MCC
Collin County Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Collin County Libertarian Party
Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance
El Paso Hope Fellowship
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Fort Worth ACLU
Foundation for Family & Marriage Equality, Inc.
Freedom to Marry
Happy Foundation
Houston ACLU
Houston GLBT Community Center
Human Rights Campaign
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund - South Central Regional Office
Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas
Log Cabin Republicans of Texas
MCC Lubbock
Molnar Communications
McKay-Keller Consultanting
National Association of Social Workers – Texas
National Council of Jewish Women –Texas State Public Affairs
Nechman, Simoneaux & Frye, PLLC
Pastors For Peace
People for the American Way-Texas
PFLAG Austin
PFLAG Bryan-College Station/Brazos Valley
PFLAG Dallas
PFLAG Denton
PFLAG El Paso
PFLAG Houston
PFLAG Waco
PFLAG Wichita Falls / Texoma
Rainbow Real Estate
Robert Wade Brown & Associates
San Antonio PFLAG
San Antonio Stonewall Democrats
Spencer Nutting Productions
Soulforce Austin
South Texas Stonewall Democrats
Stephen Kubenka Architects
Take Back Texas
Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats
Texans for Public Justice
Texas Freedom Network
Texas National Organization of Women
Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus
That All May Freely Serve
The Atticus Circle
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Transgender Advocates of Central Texas
Travis County Green Party
UCC Spirit of Peace Church

Individual Endorsers

Dave Adams
Richard Dave Adams
Lew Aldridge
Josh Allen
The Honorable Roberto Alonzo
Annie Alvarez
Carl Amundson
Lorain Amundson
Joan Anderson
Rebecca Anderson
Robert Andrews Esq.
Jimmie Andrews
Melody Aragones
Carol Armstrong
Allan Baker
Bruce Barrcik
Dwain Beaty
Mark Beavers
Stanley Beck
Scott Bellen
Marti Bier
Rabbi Barry Block
Chad Bourquin
Matthew Bradford
Brady Bragg
Cherie Brannan-Russell
Lauren Brigance
Janna Brown
Beth Brozowsky
Mirjam Burleson
The Honorable Lon Burnam
Hans Calkins
Bayliss Camp
Fred Campbell
Kate Campbell
April Chase
Ben Chavez
Anna Christofells
Brittany Clair
Holli Clardy
Taylor Cleghorn
Charlie Cleomosh
Paulita Climax
Alfredo Contreras
Maria Contreras
Denise Costello
John Courage
Katherine Cowan
Brenda Culver
Colin Cunliff
Mark Daly
Theresa Daniel SDEC
Cindy Davis
Cynthia K. Davis
Daryl Davis
Carlos De Avila
Isabel De La Riva
Rachel De La Rosa
Andrew Dobbs
Paul Dodd
Kip Dollar
Toni Dollinger
Stephanie Drileck
Leslie Eaton
Steve Edwards
Michael Eitel
Susan Eller
Juneau Embry
Mark Erwin
The Honorable Jessica Farrar
Michelle Feigenbaum
Claudia Fernandez
J. Nile Fischer
Erin Fitzgerald
Adolph Flores
Roberto Flores
Theresa Ford-Eaton
Virginia Ford-Eaton
Tina Fouse
William Robert Gaddis
Melissa Gallegos
Delia Garcia
Sarah Garrett
Deborah Gillis
Matt Glazer
Ilene Goldman
Blanca Gonzales
Bren Gorman
Lois Graham
Daniel Chris Graney
Linda Gray
Linda and Grace Gray
Rebekah Griffin
Erika Grinius
Monica Guajardo
Brian Guenther
Scott Haltom
Cindy Halve
Crystal Hamilton
Jeri Hamilton-Draper
Donna Hardin
Ken Harris
Heather Hartman
Mary Hartmann
Teresa Hawks
Courtney Hendrix
DeWayne Hevelone
Julie Hevelone
Anna Hey
Nancy Hickman
Chris Hightower
Jan Hill
Yvette Hinojosa PharmD.
Ed Hoff
Randa Hope
Doug Hopkins
Jamie Huff
John Huffman
Barbara Hutzler
Celia Israel
Andrew Jacobson
Colette Jacquot
Paul Jentz
Dee Jay Johannessen
William Johnson
Jillanne Johnson
Toby Johnson
William Johnson
Anita Jones
Charity Jones
Deona Jordan
Mark Kaestner
Mitchell Kaliff
Randee Kaitcer
Mitchell Katine
W.D. Kimzey
C.M. Kingston
Irene Kirkendoll
Cheryl Kitts
Katy Koonce
Stephen Kubenka
Gordon Lamb
Susan L. LaMere
Karen Langsley
Daniel Lares
Joanne Limas
Jeanne Lindsay
Torelyn Lipford
Sue Lovell, DNC
Jeff Lutes
Nancy Machen SDEC
Perla Magdalene
Debra Marks
Grant Martin
Sheila Martin
Kathy Massey
Michael Massey
Glen Maxey
John Mc Cheney
Cassandra McDaniel
Melissa McDermott
Melissa McDonnell
Ryan McFarland
Claudia McKnowlen
Mark B McMurry
Margaret Anne Meacham
Ralph Mecklenburger
Denise Mejia
Max Mensing
Dawnetta Miller
Lydia Miller
Corrie Mitchell
Ken Molberg SDEC
Charles Morrison
Louise Morrison
Chris Moss
David L. Muck
Brandi Mullany
Josh Mullany
Bettie S. Naylor
Paul Nelson
Michael Nelson
Tracy Oglesby
David Ogern
Michael O’Neill
Jay Oppenheimer
Joe Origonales
Morris Overstreet
Kay Pacheco
James Parker
Alice R. Parrish
Marilyn Parson
Bob Parsons
Elia Pena
Ben Penglase
Cynthia Pierce
Mart Pool
Melissa Portillo
Benjamin Prat
Carly Quattlebaum
Seja Rachael
Chris Randolph
Bonnie Reed
Ramona Reeves
Rev. Andrew Reichert
Alan Reynolds
Susan Rial
Mary Richardson
Steve Richardson
Hannah Riddering
Heath Riddles
Elizabeth Rnon
Jimmy Rocha SDEC
Roxana Rosado
Jeanne S. Rubin
Christina Rustigan
Ellen Sable
Mark Sadlek
Anthony Saldivar
Graciela Sanchez
Kristi Sarber
Paige Schilt
Robert Scott
Rose Lynn Scott
Neal Shotwell
Jerry Simoneaux
Gary Slovacek
Chuck Smith
Angela Snyder
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles E. Soecting
Thomas Squiers
Carlotta Stankiewicz
Nancy Stevens
Ken Stewart
Cheryl Strange
Courtney Sulak-Zahid
Andrew Sutton
Randy Thomas
Carol Thompson
Steve Tillery SDEC
Erin Tilton
Carrie Tilton-Jones
Carolyn Timmerneyer
Phyllis Trigg
Gay Troutman
Zada True-Courage
David Van Os
Jan Van Praag
Gina Vincenzo
Paul Von Wupperfeld
Kimbery Wadsworth
Elena Waters
Anne Webb
Steve Whichard
Jessica White
Jill Wilcox
Jessica Wilferel
Oscar Willhite Jr.
Wayne Williams
Robert Young

Here a Marriage, There a Marriage

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

So goes Canada, so goes... Spain?

First, from the North...

The Liberals' controversial same-sex marriage legislation has passed final reading in the House of Commons, sailing through in a 158-133 vote.

Supported by most members of the Liberals, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP, the legislation passed easily, making Canada only the third country in the world, after the Netherlands and Belgium, to officially recognize same-sex marriage.

But the passage of Bill C-38, once again, came with a political price tag for the government. Joe Comuzzi, resigned from the cabinet so he could vote against the bill – an open rebuke of the government legislation.

And then to Western Europe...

The Spanish Parliament gave final approval today to a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making Spain only the second nation to eliminate all legal distinctions between same-sex and heterosexual unions, according to supporters of the bill.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, left, Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, right, and members of Spain's Parliament applauded after a vote to legalize same-sex marriage.

Leader of the conservative opposition Popular Party Mariano Rajoy made a statement against the bill legalizing gay marriage in the Spanish parliament.

Same-sex marriage supporters react in Spain's parliament after a vote to legalize same-sex marriage.

The measure, passed by a vote of 187 to 147, establishes that couples will have the same rights, including the freedom to marry and to adopt children, regardless of gender.

"Today, Spanish society is responding to a group of people who have been humiliated, whose rights have been ignored, their dignity offended, their identity denied and their freedom restricted," Prime Minister José Luis Rodíguez Zapatero told Parliament.

Spain is the fourth country to legalize gay marriage, after Canada, Holland and Belgium.

But only Canada's law, which was extended nationwide by Parliament this week, contains language as liberal as Spain's, according to gay marriage advocates.

The Spanish measure simply adds one sentence to existing law: "Marriage will have the same requirements and results when the two people entering into the contract are of the same sex or of different sexes."

The laws in Holland and Belgium, by contrast, create a separate category of rights for same-sex couples that fall short of full equality on issues like adoption, these advocates say.

And here is a quick list of where all the countries stand in relation to each other as well as the US. Spain actually gets to claim 3rd in the world status for legalizing gay marriage because Canada still has another vote to go through in their upper chamber.

Of course, here in Texas, we are looking forward to letting the citizens vote on banning it altogether, because we like overkill in our state statutes. Oh, and gay veterans can just go find some place else to return home to after their tour of duty defending the right of their fellow citizens to strip them of their rights.

Oh Canada!

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Tonight at around 9 pm CST, the Canadian Parliament will likely approve Equal Marriage Rights legislation to bring the nation in line with court orders in 8 of its 10 provinces. After approval from the Liberal Party dominated Senate, Canada would become the 3rd nation in the world to permit gay marriages after Belgium and the Netherlands (though Spain is moving towards this position as well).

Canada's more relaxed stance on gay marriage and other social issues stands in contrast to that of the United States, where President George W. Bush wants Congress to back a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages.

"What it says is that ... we understand pretty well that the biggest challenge that all of us have is to try to find ways of getting along, of understanding the other person," Social Development Minister Ken Dryden told reporters on Tuesday...

Some Liberal lawmakers say they fear they will be punished by voters at the next federal election, expected early next year. Conservative leader Stephen Harper says opposing gay marriage will form a major part of his election platform.

But Harper's stance could also be risky, since the Liberals won elections in 2000 and 2004 in part because they were able to portray their right-wing rivals as extremists who would hack away at civil rights if elected.

So refreshing to have a country that views right-wing extremists that hack away at civil rights as a bad thing instead of leadership material.

New Brunswick Extends Marriage Rights

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

The Canadian Province of New Brunswick has ruled that marriage rights must be extended to it's gay citizens, after Judge Judy Clendenning found that the province's current definition of marriage violated their rights.

The ruling leaves P.E.I., Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories as the last jurisdictions in the country that do not recognize same-sex marriage.

It gives New Brunswick a 10-day grace period to get the new marriage definition into place.

Premier Bernard Lord has said he personally believes in the traditional view of marriage. But he said the province wouldn't put up a fight if the courts or Parliament ordered it to make a change.

I bold that last paragraph to highlight a difference between our Northern neighbors and the US governing party. They calmly state that they don't agree, but respect the ruling of the courts. Here, we state we disagree but attack the judicial system, attempt to strip it of powers, or change our constitutions to override them.

What a land we live in, eh?

An Update from LGRL

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Currently, LGRL is assembling a broad-based coalition as the nucleus of a statewide campaign against the proposed constitutional amendment on marriage. This coalition includes national, state, regional and local groups who, working together, will wage a smart and strategic campaign. An announcement of the coalition's formation and its membership will be forthcoming. The interest in the coalition has been tremendous, and we want to make certain all our allies are included.

Simultaneously, LGRL is providing a substantial sum of seed money to conduct a search for a statewide campaign manager. Several top prospects have been identified, and an announcement of the hiring of the campaign manager is expected very soon. A portion of the seed money is also earmarked for the retention of a pollster, and upon hiring of the campaign manager, polling research will commence to assist the campaign in messaging.

What can you do now? Organize within your local community to bring every stakeholder to the table. Endorsement forms are available on our website at www.lgrl.org

This comes at the same time that LGRL Executive Diretor Randall Ellis moves on from the organization.

The announcement comes 2 ½ years into what has been an extremely productive term for Ellis. The organization has seen substantial growth and maturation under Ellis’ leadership. Ellis says he’s looking forward to some time off. “I am going to take a few weeks break. The first thing I plan to do is plant and keep my lawn alive this summer,” Ellis said.

“Next, I am going to finish working on my thesis for my master’s in public health as I contemplate my next move. I already have a few projects lined up to make sure we continue to elect progressive candidates at the local, state, and federal levels. My time at LGRL has been an incredible experience. I believe we will look back upon this era as the turning point in our movement. I am glad to have played a role in LGRL’s incredible growth and in our battle for equality.”

San Antonio Elects 1st Openly Gay Official

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

By almost a 10 point margin, in the reliably Democratic district Julian Castro vacated to run for mayor, voters elected Elena Guajardo, the first openly gay candidate to ever even run in San Antonio.

I didn't even know about this until researching it tonight, but her background is impressive to say the least. Elena serves as an officer in several political and community organizations including: Bexar County Tejano Democrats, League of Women Voters and Human Rights Campaign and formerly Stonewall Democrats. On top of that she was endorsed by Labor, the Sierra Club, NOW, Women's Political Caucus, SA Police Officers Association, National Association of Social Workers, Stonewall Democrats (unanimous), and Tejano Democrats (unanimous), and even posts to the Jeffersonian blog's endorsement of her! I'll take a mixture like that over the Express News any day of the week!

So congrats to Elena, and all those who supported her. It's the victories like this that give me hope, even when the GoodHair-i-nator thinks otherwise (a la HJR 6).

HJR 6 Lives Again

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

WHAT: Senate State Affairs Committee hearing to receive public testimony on House Joint Resolution 6, the anti-gay Texas Marriage Amendment. This is the only occassion where public testimony is invited by the Texas Senate. The Senate suspended all normal notification rules and posted the hearing on Saturday night in an attempt to catch the LGBT community off guard.

WHO: The Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs
WHERE: The Texas Senate Chamber, room 2E.8. This is the Senate Floor.
WHEN: Monday, May 16, at 8:30am. The hearing will run until the full Senate convenes at 11:00am. The hearing may resume after the full Senate completes its business for the day.

1. Come to the Senate Chamber at 8:30am Monday and Sign a Witness Affirmation Form. There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for Austinites not to come to the Capitol and fill out a Witness Affirmation Form against HJR 6. It's incredibly powerful and it takes 5 minutes to fill out.

2. You can show up at the hearing on Monday morning to sign in against this devisive amendment- Texas Senate Chamber, room 2E.8 starting at 8:30 AM.

3. Fax the Senate using this feature here.

4. Call the members of the Senate State Affiars Committee now and leave a message. Sen. Todd Staples is the Senate Sponsor.

Sen. Duncan, Robert (R-28) (Chair)
3E.12 Capitol Building
512-463-0128 or 800-322-9538

Sen. Williams, Thomas (R-4) (Vice Chair)
GE.7 Capitol Building
512-463-0104

Sen. Armbrister, Kenneth (D-18)
1E.14 Capitol Building
512-463-0118

Sen. Ellis, Rodney (D-13)
3E.6 Capitol Building
512-463-0113

Sen. Fraser, Troy (R-24)
1E.15 Capitol Building
512-463-0124

Sen. Harris, Chris (R-9)
3S.5 Capitol Building
512-463-0109

Sen. Jackson, Mike (R-11)
E1.806 Capitol Extension
512-463-0111

Sen. Lucio, Eduardo (D-27)
1E.5 Capitol Building
512-463-0127 / 1-800-394-0127

Sen. Madla, Frank (D-19)
E1.610 Capitol Extension
512-463-0119

This information was forwarded to me, if you have updates or corrections please leave a comment.

Quick Facts

The Texas Marriage Amendment hurts Texas families. It would deny thousands of families access to healthcare, fair inheritance and survivor rights, and the ability to make life-saving medical decisions for loved ones.

Our Constitution should be used to protect people, not hurt them. But that is just what the Texas Marriage Amendment would do. Our Constitution is for protecting our most basic and important rights. It should never be used to settle partisan, religious or ideological disputes. There is no question that many Texans disagree about marriage for gay and lesbian couples, but those disagreements do not belong in our Constitution.

Changing the Constitution is never simple. There are over 1000 protections, rights and responsibilities that go along with civil marriage. Many, like immigration rights and veterans death benefits, cannot be covered by contracts or legal planning. The Texas Marriage Amendment would permanently deny access to each of these family protections to gay and lesbian couples and their families.

This bill DOES NOT "reinforce" heterosexual marriages. The typical reason legislators give for supporting this legislation is that it reinforces traditional marriages. However, they have provided no reasoning to support the idea that barring same-sex marriages in any way contributes positively to heterosexual marriages, or that recognition of same-sex marriages threatens existing opposite-sex marriages. It seems the real motivation behind such legislation is homophobia.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ)

Q: I don't support gay marriage/ Marriage is between man & woman/ I'm not sure about gay marriage.
A: Many people have just begun to think about how they feel about the issue of marriage for gay and lesbian couples, but changing the Constitution is not the way to settle the debate over marriage, particularly when it means real people would get hurt. We may disagree or be unsure about marriage for gay and lesbian couples, but we can all agree that our Constitution is no place for unequal treatment for one group of our citizens. You do not have to approve of marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples to vote no.

Q: Will my church have to perform gay weddings if the Texas Marriage Amendment is defeated?
A: As Americans, we believe in the separation of church and state. No church or religion has ever been required to perform a ceremony or sacrament outside its tradition. Every faith has different standards for who they will marry, and a No vote will not change this in any way.

Q: If we don't draw the line now, where and when will we draw it? What will we allow next?
A: A No vote does not change marriage in Texas. Marriage will remain a committed relationship between two unrelated, otherwise-unmarried adults, who agree to share love, commitment and responsibility.

Q: I think we should leave marriage alone and just push for civil unions.
A: Civil unions, even at their best, do not provide the same protections as marriage. And we can't assume the Legislature will ever pass civil unions. If you support extending any rights to gay and lesbian couples, you should know that this amendment could foreclose any future hope for civil unions too. We shouldn't put unequal treatment of gays and lesbians into our Constitution, especially without any assurance that their rights will be protected by future legislation.

Q: Can't gays and lesbians get everything they need from legal contracts?
A: No. There is no truth to the claim that gay and lesbian Texans can get all of the benefits and protections of marriage from contracts. There are some cases when legal contracts have been effective at protecting families in times of crisis, but even the most ironclad documents don't work in every case. Gay and lesbian Texans should not be treated unequally by having to seek out costly and complicated legal protections for their families.

Q: Gay people can't marry in Texas now, so if this passes it doesn't really change anything right?
A: A Yes vote on the Texas Marriage Amendment does change the Texas Constitution-both the letter of the Constitution and the spirit of the Constitution-to say that it is OK to treat gay and lesbian Texans unequally. That is a marked departure from the way our Constitution is now. Voting yes does nothing to protect families or marriage in Texas. What it does do is hurt real Texas families by denying gay and lesbian Texans access to important family protections like health care, inheritance rights and the ability to make life-saving medical decisions.

Q: Don't we need to put this in the Constitution to prevent activist judges from making gay marriage legal?
A: Changing the Constitution to treat Texans unequally isn't the best way to resolve the debate on this issue. When an issue divides Texans, as this one does, it's better to take the time to examine all the consequences, rather than act rashly in a way that hurts people. Voting No on the Texas Marriage Amendment will not make marriage for gay and lesbian couples legal, it will only keep unequal treatment out of the Constitution.

Nebraska Gay Marriage Amendment Overturned

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

It's nice to see that the US Constitution still has some power.

Link: A federal judge on Thursday struck down Nebraska's anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment, which also banned recognition of gay domestic partnerships and civil unions.

"The court finds [the Nebraska constitutional amendment] is a denial of access to one of our most fundamental sources of protection, the government," Judge Joseph F. Bataillon wrote in his decision.

"Such broad exclusion from an almost limitless number of transactions and endeavors that constitute ordinary civil life in a free society is itself a denial of equal protections in the literal sense."

The Texas version is stalled in the Senate as it has no sponsor yet. And in any case, the Texas version is just as poorly worded (if not worse, possibly knocking out our Commen Law marriage system). Hopefully this won't be the last of these amendements to be killed off.

Anti-Gay Foster Care Argument Debunked by WSJ

By Byron LaMasters

I was out of town for the weekend, so I'm first catching up from some things I didn't catch last week.

Last week the Lesbian, Gay Rights Lobby of Texas faced off against a woman from the Texas Eagle Forum on CNN regarding the Talton amendment that would ban gays and lesbians from serving as foster care parents. As you may remember, CNN refused to call out the Eagle Forum lady on her bullshit, but Jon Stewart did (see Gaywatch).

Now, LGRL points out that the study that the Eagle Forum used was a Paul Cameron study. That study claimed that gay and lesbian foster care parents were 11 times more likely to sexually abuse children.

Rushing to take on the claim was none other than a column in the liberal Wall Street Journal which pointed out that the study was "a textbook example of how flawed numbers can gain national attention if advocates work hard enough". In fact, another study linked less than 1% of sexual abuse of children to gays and lesbians:

The best available study I could find on this subject, led over a decade ago by Brown University pediatrics professor Carole Jenny at a Denver hospital, found that only two of 269 cases of sexual abuse over a year's time could be traced to a perpetrator who was identifiably gay. (Incidentally, Dr. Jenny told me she was prompted to conduct the study after reading an article that cited Dr. Cameron's research about gay sexual abuse, which didn't square with her clinical experience.) But her study itself is hampered by several factors, including its age and limited geographical scope, and that the overall proportion of same-sex households in Denver wasn't known.

As Dr. Jenny and her co-authors wrote, a better study would track a randomly selected, large group of either children or of adults and measure incidence of sexual abuse. I asked her if she thought it would be worth conducting such a study. She replied, "Would a big, expensive research project convince folks that gay people are not an unusual threat to children? I don't know, but research hasn't done much to inform the debate on evolution."

Paul Cameron's work also came up when the University Democrats debated the Young Conservatives of Texas on the issue of gay marriage equality last year. One of YCT's arguments was that homosexuality was an unhealthy lifestyle, and they cited a 1980s study by Paul Cameron. After a little bit of research, we discovered that the Omega study to which YCT referred was debunked not only by mainstream scientific organizations, but also by the oh-so-liberal Centers for Disease Control and the American Enterprise Institution.

Linking Talton

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

It's hard to think things are funny about Rep. Talton when it comes to his gay parent hating ways, but apparently it can be funny, according to another austin blogger.

As a side note, there will be a protest of HJR 6, the anti-gay marriage amendment tomorrow (Sunday) at noon. Meet at the TX DOT parking lot down at South Congress and Riverside, they are going to march up to the Capitol.

There's fascism and then there's Fascism

By Jim Dallas

Good Lord, if you're going to ban and/or burn books, at least do it for a good reason.

Republican Alabama lawmaker Gerald Allen says homosexuality is an unacceptable lifestyle. As CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann reports, under his bill, public school libraries could no longer buy new copies of plays or books by gay authors, or about gay characters.

"I don't look at it as censorship," says State Representative Gerald Allen. "I look at it as protecting the hearts and souls and minds of our children."

Books by any gay author would have to go: Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Gore Vidal. Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" has lesbian characters.

Allen originally wanted to ban even some Shakespeare. After criticism, he narrowed his bill to exempt the classics, although he still can't define what a classic is. Also exempted now Alabama's public and college libraries.

Librarian Donna Schremser fears the "thought police," would be patrolling her shelves.

"And so the idea that we would have a pristine collection that represents one political view, one religioius view, that's not a library,'' says Schremser.

Rep. Allen goes on to go through the whole "the homosexuals are destroying America" spiel.

Personally, I favor banning people like Rep. Allen from holding public office. "It's not healthy for America, it doesn't fit what we stand for... they will do whatever it takes to reach their goal." But then again, that just wouldn't be right, would it?

Correction / Apology

By Byron LaMasters

In recent weeks I've been interviewed twice - once by the Waco Tribune-Herald and once for a senior thesis - with questions relating to how blogs are accountable, and how inaccuracies are corrected. I've stated before that blogs have a self-correcting nature to them, as corrections can be posted in comments, or are often received via email.

With that in mind, it came to my attention via email that there was an inaccuracy in my characterization of State Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)'s vote on the 2001 James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act. Keffer did vote to table the bill (as the YCT voting record suggests), but ultimately voted for final passage of the act as can be seen in the official record. It's something of a flip-flop, but Keffer voted the right way on final passage. You will note that I have revised my original post on this significantly.

I tend to separate the James Byrd Hate Crimes Act and same-sex marriage equality in the way that I view things. The Hate Crimes Act sent a strong message that crimes of hate - crimes directed at one particular race, ethnicity, religion or sexual "preference" will not be tolerated in the state of Texas, and such crimes should receive certain recognition and increased penalties. I would find it inexcusable for someone with a gay son or daughter to vote against such a bill.

As for same-sex marriage equality, it is my opinion that the GLBT community must do a lot more work before we can expect politicians to embrace the issue. It would be disappointing if State Rep. Jim Keffer votes against allowing his son to have the same marriage rights that he or any other straight person has, but regardless, it is obvious that he loves his son, and I apologize for giving the impression that I was questioning that.

Civil Unions Ban Stripped from HJR 6

By Byron LaMasters

This is a little bit of good news. I guess the 12+ hours of testimony on Monday made a difference with some folks.

State Rep. Jim Keffer's Gay Son Testifies Against HJR 6

By Byron LaMasters

[This post has been edited from the original post to correct an inaccuracy that was brought to my attention.]

It is interesting how some of the most conservative legislators and elected officials have gay children. Dick Cheney and Alan Keyes are examples of conservative politicians with vocal and out gay children.

Another incident of a conservative Republican's son or daughter speaking out can was seen here in Texas yesterday. At hr:min 8:13 of the state affairs committee meeting (available in ram format here), the son of State Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland), Rob Keffer stated that he was the gay son of state rep. Jim Keffer and the gay nephew of State Rep. Bill Keffer (R-Dallas) in the hearing on HJR 6.

State Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland) voted against to table the 2001 James Byrd Hate Crimes Act (PDF format) before ultimately voting for the bill. Keffer has certainly been more moderate on GLBT interests than other politicians and ought to be commended for that. However, I wonder if he will decide to vote for or against the human and civil rights of marriage equality for his son that he has himself?

HJR 6 Hearing

By Byron LaMasters

Speaking of gay marriage equality.... HJR 6, the amendment to the Texas constitution banning gay marriage is scheduled for a hearing next Monday, April 4. I would encourage people to attend the hearing. I may stop by for a little bit to fill out a witness affirmation form. The Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas has more information:

HJR 6, the Anti-Gay Texas Marriage Amendment, would put unequal treatment for gay and lesbian Texans into our Texas Constitution by permanently banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples. It would deny thousands of Texas families access to health care, fair inheritance and survivor rights, and the ability to make medical decisions for loved ones. We believe HJR 6 will be scheduled for a hearing to take public testimony on Monday, April 4, 2005. We need people to do one of three actions:

1. Testify verbally,
2. Submit written testimony, and
3. Sign a witness affirmation form.

HJR 6 will officially post for a hearing on March 30, and we will have more details at that time. The committee hearing will start "at 2pm or upon adjournment," and it could last well past midnight. We need families from across the state to testify that HJR 6 hurts real families!

LGRL also has some "quick facts" on HJR 6. They're good talking points for all of you out there. Read them in the extended entry:

The Texas Marriage Amendment hurts Texas families. It would deny thousands of families access to healthcare, fair inheritance and survivor rights, and the ability to make life-saving medical decisions for loved ones.

Our Constitution should be used to protect people, not hurt them. But that is just what the Texas Marriage Amendment would do. Our Constitution is for protecting our most basic and important rights. It should never be used to settle partisan, religious or ideological disputes. There is no question that many Texans disagree about marriage for gay and lesbian couples, but those disagreements do not belong in our Constitution.

Changing the Constitution is never simple. There are over 1000 protections, rights and responsibilities that go along with civil marriage. Many, like immigration rights and veterans death benefits, cannot be covered by contracts or legal planning. The Texas Marriage Amendment would permanently deny access to each of these family protections to gay and lesbian couples and their families.

This bill DOES NOT “reinforce” heterosexual marriages. The typical reason legislators give for supporting this legislation is that it reinforces traditional marriages. However, they have provided no reasoning to support the idea that barring same-sex marriages in any way contributes positively to heterosexual marriages, or that recognition of same-sex marriages threatens existing opposite-sex marriages. It seems the real motivation behind such legislation is homophobia.

Exactly. Please attend the hearing if you're in Austin, and if you're in Houston give Martha Wong's office a call (see below).

Martha Wong Feels the Heat from the GLBT Community

By Byron LaMasters

GLBT activists in Houston have targetted State Rep. Martha Wong (R-Houston) as a possible vote against a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage equality. Wong serves on the State Affairs Committee where she is a possible swing vote. Wong represents the wealthiest state house district in the state including West University Place, Bellaire, River Oaks, etc. Wong also happens to probably represent the gayest district in Harris County as she represents much of the Montrose area.

Despite this, Wong voted against the Dignity for All Students amendment to HB 2 earlier this month proposed by State Rep. Garnett Coleman (D-Houston), which would provide more protection for GLBT students in schools. Even Rep. Todd Baxter (R-Austin) voted for this amendment - I guess Todd Baxter learned something after coming within less than 200 votes of losing, and having the GLBT community raise roughly $30,000 for his opponent. Still, Wong is a potential swing vote on the marriage issue, and Houston activists are taking the lead in educating her district on the issue. KHOU reports:

Texas lawmakers are expected to begin debate this week on a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. And that's throwing Houston Representative Martha Wong into a political minefield.

Gay activists have been blockwalking in Montrose to put pressure on State Rep. Martha Wong.

Back in her home district, gay activists have been blockwalking for a cause dear to their hearts. And they're talking to neighbors about their state representative.

Wong could be the gay marriage swing vote on the State Affairs Committee.

So the activists are burning up shoe leather to get the message out to sympathetic voters.

"These people understand how destructive it is to have an anti-gay marriage amendment being discussed for the next six months," said Maria Gonzalez, president of the Houston Gay-Lesbian Political Caucus.

Representative Wong has twice convinced voters to send her to the state legislature in a district Republicans redrew to defeat a Democrat. But now, she faces a dilemma over gay marriage.

For Wong, this is a classic no-win situation. Her district is mostly Republican, but it includes the Montrose area -- the heart of Houston's politically active gay community. No matter how Wong votes in Austin, she's going to tick off a lot of her voters here in Houston.

"But, more importantly, I think some of her more moderate Republicans take a dim view of government regulating certain types of privacy issues," said 11 News political analyst Bob Stein. "We've seen this in the Schiavo affair and it may very well be that this may come back to haunt her."

Wong told us by phone she hasn't decided how to vote on the gay marriage amendment. She wouldn't talk to us on camera because she says she's trying to keep a low profile on this issue.

But gay activists won't let her.

They say they've printed up 5,000 door hangers, which they're circulating throughout Wong's district. They're targeting homes that they've previously identified as sympathetic to gay causes.

Martha Wong has an easy decision to make. She represents a district with more gay people than any other in Harris County. Will she actually represent her constituents? Or will she toe the party line?

Politically, it is certainly in her best interest to side with the gay community. She represents the wealthiest and one of the best educated districts in the state. Yes, it leans Republican, but these are County Club Republicans that care the most about low taxes - not the social conservatives that could hijack her in a Republican primary. If she votes with the gay community on this issue, Wong will greatly lessen the scale of attacks and money leveled at her by the gay community come election time.

It's doubleplusgooder!

By Jim Dallas

Once you join this group, you'll be eligible to join this one:

Students will also have a positive outlet for participating in pro-ex-gay activities instead of anti-gay behavior. For example, why tear down a gay club flyer? The problem of homosexual struggles still remains. Instead, post an Ex-Gay & Everstraight Club flyer.

Now, I'm in to women as much as a fellow can be, but... "everstraight"? Are they trying to creep me out?

Guilty Pleasures

By Byron LaMasters

Before I started my own blog, I often entertained myself by engaging in debate with conservatives on various blogs – notably the original Political Wire several years back when comments were enabled. Now, that I’ve had my own platform in which to write, I tend to focus on my own posts, and limit my comments elsewhere, but sometimes I still engage in the guilty pleasures of taking on the right-wingers and pointing out their inconsistencies. Yesterday was one of those days, so go ahead and read the exchange I had with Chris Elam, and some of his readers on the issue of same-sex marriage equality. So, check it out and entertain yourself.

Maya Keyes Officially Comes Out

By Byron LaMasters

Via Political Wire is news that Maya Keyes, daughter of anti-gay Republican firebrand Alan Keyes officially came out of the closet today. Maya's personal blog was discovered by bloggers back in September, but Maya only made the decision to publicly come out of the closet at a rally today.

Two weeks ago, Maya was thrown out of her home, lost her job with her father's political organization, and told by her parents that they would not pay her college expenses (Maya was accepted into Brown University for the Fall 2004, but deferred in order to volunteer for her father's U.S. Senate campaign).

When I heard of Maya's situation, I hoped that some GLBT organization would come to her aid, and offer her money for her education. Fortunately, today The Point Foundation did just that:

Maya Marcel-Keyes, the daughter of Alan Keyes, a conservative political commentator who recently lost his bid for an Illinois Senate seat, came out publicly for the first time at a rally in Annapolis, MD today. Disowned by her family because of her sexual orientation, Maya is receiving support from The Point Foundation. Keyes has been accepted to Brown University in Providence R.I., and the Point Foundation is committed to helping the 19-year old with an honorarium scholarship and other emotional and financial support.

Good for them. Maya accepted the support at a rally in front of the Maryland State House today:

Keyes spoke at a rally organized by Equality Maryland, Maryland's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, which occurred in front of the Maryland State House to coincide with the organization's annual lobby day on February 14. Other speakers included Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard and Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, as well as several state and local community officials.

The situation is still sad and unfortunate. Maya Keyes is lucky to have a semi-celebrity status because of the well-documented, militantly anti-gay rhetoric and actions of her father, but it's important to note that for every scholarship that The Point Foundation gives out, they have to decline thirty others. This is their mission statement:

Scholarship opportunities for exceptional students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Point Foundation is the first and only nationwide LGBT scholarship organization that focuses exclusively on granting assistance to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students of distinction. Point Scholars are chosen for their demonstrated leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, involvement in the LGBT community and financial or emotional need.

You can help them do more by donating here.

Sheriff Holcomb is, Odd.

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

In the category of odd things I have read, this trascript takes the cake. It is in reference to this website for the Sherrif of Guntersville, Alabama where he states...

I was raised in era, the 1940's as a child and the 1950's as a teenager, which I remember with great affection. During this era, love of God, family, and country abounded. Men were men and women were women and there was no mistaking which was which. Both were proud of their individual roles. Homosexuality was very queer and a despicable act… an abomination.

AmericaBlog has the audio of an interview between Sirius radio jock Mike Signorile and the Sheriff while The Last Midnight has a full transcript. A couple of choice parts to get you started?

H = Sheriff Holcomb; M = Michael Signorile

M: Well, do you believe that gay men and lesbians should be protected against being fired in their jobs? Do you believe there should be anti-discrimination laws?
H: Oh, yes! I don't-- I'm-- I've had four homosexuals work for me in my administration. Knowing. I hired them knowing. That doesn't mean that I'm for it. I'm against [unintelligible]

M: Ah, So you believe they should be protected with anti-discrimination laws and with other laws that protect them and their families?
H: Sure. But no special rights. I don't give anybody any special rights.

M: Okay. So what do you mean by--
H: --If a straight person or a homosexual breaks the law in Marshall County, Alabama, they're going to-- they're going to go to jail.

M: But do you think there should be a law? Cause there's not one in Alabama. There are in six states.
H: Giving them special rights?
M: No. Not a special right. A law that says it is illegal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation.
H: There is a Federal law against that, my friend.
M: No, there isn't. There's no Federal law protecting people who are gay.

Which is correct, there is no Federal Law (or law in Texas) that protects workers from being fired based on their sexual orientation. But of course, it wouldn't be an interview if the Sherrif didn't dig himself a deeper hole.

H: What you're talking about, Michael, here, and you audience (I hope Hillary Clinton's listening), is a most despicable, most despicable act. I don't have to go into it, because apparently most of your audience understands this and are for it, and they know what homosexuals do. Nothing could be more despicable. If there was no God, if there was no Bible-- Even animals don't do this despicable act. If a dog, a male dog, tried this with another male dog, he would probably lose a vital organ.