GLAA Forum

AP video: raw footage of Oklahoma tornado

Associated Press says that this footage is from Sunday. So the big one on Monday was just one in a series. Life in Tornado alley.

Coburn wants disaster relief to be offset

(Photo by Steve Gooch / AP)

The deadly tornado in Oklahoma has already reportedly claimed 91 lives, and rescue efforts are still ongoing, but Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is already insisting that federal disaster relief be offset by spending cuts. Emily Pierce of Roll Call reports.

At least Coburn is being consistent. He voted against relief after Hurricane Sandy for the same budget-hawk reasons. He voted against federal relief after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. I can't believe this will go over well. There is something to be said for consistency, but this is consistently wrong. The aftermath of a devastating natural disaster is the worst time to be holding emergency services hostage to ideology.

Rep. Trent Franks wants to expand his DC abortion ban nationwide

Tara Culp-Ressler reports in ThinkProgress:

Not content with attempting to impose his anti-abortion agenda upon the women who live in the nation’s capital, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) now intends to push for a nationwide bill to criminalize abortions after 20 weeks. Franks, who invoked the illegal abortion provider Kermit Gosnell to justify his decision to re-introduce a 20-week abortion ban in DC, now says that Gosnell’s crimes have compelled him to amend his bill so it applies to women across the country....

However, that’s a gross mischaracterization of the state of legal abortion services throughout the country. Abortion opponents have repeatedly attempted to twist the facts surrounding Gosnell’s high-profile murder trial to make it appear as if his crimes are rampant throughout legal abortion clinics. But that’s simply not the case. The Philadelphia-area abortion doctor was guilty of much more than simply breaking Pennsylvania’s law that criminalizes abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy; he was also able to offer discounted prices for his services because he didn’t employ medical professionals or adhere to safety standards. Gosnell’s “house of horrors” isn’t analogous to the way that legal, sanitary late-term abortion clinics provide care to the women who need it.

I can't believe we have to fight this all over again, 40 years after Roe v. Wade. I am so tired of the religious fanatics and bullies in this country.

Video: Anti-violence rally in NYC

A brief excerpt from yesterday's anti-violence rally in honor of Mark Carson, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime early Saturday morning.

(Hat tip: Joe Jervis)

President Obama's gay-inclusive remarks at Morehouse

President Obama's commencement speech over the weekend at Morehouse College, the all-male liberal arts school and one of the nation's most renowned Historically Black Colleges and Universities, included these remarks:

Keep setting an example for what it means to be a man. Be the best husband to your wife, or your boyfriend, or your partner. Be the best father you can be to your children. Because nothing is more important. [...]

As Morehouse Men, many of you know what it’s like to be an outsider; know what it’s like to be marginalized; know what it’s like to feel the sting of discrimination. And that’s an experience that a lot of Americans share. Hispanic Americans know that feeling when somebody asks them where they come from or tell them to go back. Gay and lesbian Americans feel it when a stranger passes judgment on their parenting skills or the love that they share. Muslim Americans feel it when they’re stared at with suspicion because of their faith. Any woman who knows the injustice of earning less pay for doing the same work — she knows what it’s like to be on the outside looking in.

So your experiences give you special insight that today’s leaders need. If you tap into that experience, it should endow you with empathy — the understanding of what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, to know what it’s like when you’re not born on 3rd base, thinking you hit a triple. It should give you the ability to connect. It should give you a sense of compassion and what it means to overcome barriers.

From Kenya: courage is beautiful

On May 17, Kenyan LGBT activists marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHO) by marching for their rights. Before I head off to set up GLAA's table at DC Trans Pride, I wanted to share this inspiring video. Bravo to these brave people. The persecution of LGBT people in Kenya and other countries is a reminder that it was not homosexuality but homophobia that was spread by colonialism. And as long as American missionaries of hate use foreign aid to spread their malign influence abroad, those of us who are rightfully ashamed of such exploitation must not forget our brothers and sisters in the Global South.

All witnesses support birth certificate bill at D.C. Council hearing

About 20 witnesses testified at the May 16 hearing on Bill 20-0142, the "JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certificate Equality Amendment Act of 2013," and all were in favor. It was a joint hearing by the Committee on Health and the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary. Read GLAA's testimony, in which we endorsed the bill with the changes requested by the DC Trans Coalition.

With the recommended changes, this is going to be model legislation and help fulfill DC's promise of trans equality. Kudos to all, especially Andy Bowen, Lisa Mottet, Bob Summersgill, our Council allies, and Health and Judiciary committee staff. I am so proud of our coalition. And the three students from Cesar Chavez Public Charter School who testified were great.

BTW, one of the Cesar Chavez students was a friend of JaParker. And JaParker's parents testified. So the hearing took on the aspect of a memorial in addition to a legislative hearing. I thought it was rather remarkable that not one person showed up to oppose the bill. The haters are obviously out there; but they did not crawl out from under their rocks to attend the hearing.

The practical question is whether the changes can be made to the bill and a markup scheduled to allow for the two requisite readings of the bill is legislative sessions before the summer break. It's iffy. Then there's the much more complex surrogacy bill, which will almost certainly not be done and passed before the break. But the Judiciary staff are working apace.

June 12 - MPD and hate crimes targeting LGBT people

From the DC Center:

An independent committee is currently conducting a review of the relationship between the Metropolitan Police Department and Washington, DC's LGBT communities and how police are handling hate crimes targeting the LGBT community. Please join us in a safe and confidential space. Tell us what you have seen, experienced or heard about. We want to hear from you. Your input is very important!

When: Wednesday June 12th

Where: The DC Center for the LGBT Community
1318 U Street, NW | Washington, DC 20009

UPDATE:  The time for this meeting is 6-7:00 pm

Gohmert: Holder cast "aspersions on my asparagus"

Well, we can't have that.

Video: Gov. Mark Dayton signs Minnesota marriage equality bill

It is done. The law allowing same-sex couples to marry in Minnesota will take effect August 1. Below, the I-35W bridge is lit in rainbow colors in recognition of marriage equality in Minnesota.

Don't do this

Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper runs face-first into a wall. The Nats won the game, but let's hope he recovers and doesn't forget the reason for the warning track again.

Brazil clears way for marriage equality

AFP reports:

A top judicial panel cleared the way for same-sex marriage in Brazil on Tuesday, ruling that gay couples could not be denied marriage licenses.

The National Council of Justice, which oversees the Brazilian judicial system and is headed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, said government offices that issue marriage licenses had no standing to reject gay couples.

The Supreme Court "affirmed that the expression of homosexuality and homosexual affection cannot serve as a basis for discriminatory treatment, which has no support in the Constitution," said Chief Justice Joaquim Barbosa on the council's website, referring to a 2011 ruling by the top court.

Matt Barber: liberalism gives you gonorrhea

Liberty Counsel attorney Matt Barber blames a new strain of drug-resistant gonorrhea on liberals.

UN human rights office releases anti-homophobia message

"LGBT rights are human rights. Together we will build a world that is free and equal."

Still Creating the United States

We're gonna make it after all

(Hat tip: Jonathan Capehart)

Bittersweet victory

Half a lifetime ago, I was on a flight back to DC from the GALA Choruses festival in Minneapolis when I read Justice Harry Blackmun's stirring dissent in Bowers v Hardwick. 17 years later, Bowers was overturned and we were no longer habitual criminals. Ten years further on, Minnesota becomes the 12th marriage equality state. How incredibly fast. Yet so many did not live to see it. The more victories we rack up, the more I think of vanished friends. Tonight I will raise a glass to them.

Our friend Joe Cantor especially raises a glass to our late friend Steve Endean, the founder of the Human Rights Campaign who's been gone twenty years now, whose home state did him proud today.

In performance, 250 miles up

Commander Chris Hadfield performs David Bowie's "Space Oddity" aboard the International Space Station.

Minnesota senate passes marriage equality, Gov. to sign Tuesday

(Photo by Jim Mone/Associated Press)

The Minnesota senate today passed the marriage equality bill by a vote of 37 to 30. The State House passed the bill last Thursday. The bill now heads to Gov. Mark Dayton, who will sign it on Tuesday. This brings us to 12 marriage equality states plus D.C. NYT reports. Congrats to all who made it happen.

Below, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman renamed the Wabasha Bridge the "Freedom to Marry Bridge" for the day, and city workers on Monday morning raised rainbow flags along it.

Watch live: Minnesota Senate votes on marriage equality today

Watch live streaming video from uptakemnsenate at livestream.com

Live at 1 pm Eastern Time, noon Central Time, the Minnesota Senate will debate and vote on the marriage equality bill.

(Hat tip: Andy Towle)