Brody's Notes... Gaga Launches Anti-Bullying Foundation

Born Brave Bus at Harvard University
Photo courtesy of the Born This Way Foundation

By Brody Levesque | CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS -- Cultural singing icon, Lady Gaga, née Stefani Germanotta, along with her mother Cynthia Germanotta and media magnate Oprah Winfrey officially launched the pop diva's new foundation Wednesday on the campus of Harvard university. Gaga was also joined by U. S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, author Deepak Chopra, and the sister of the Buffalo, New York, teenager Jamey Rodemeyer- who took his life after being bullied for being gay- Alyssa Rodemeyer.

In her speech before an audience of Harvard University students and invited guests, Gaga said, "If you have revolutionary potential, you must make the world a better place and use it."

The Born this Way Foundation, named after her 2011 hit album and single, aims to raise public consciousness about the need for support and acceptance of everyone — “a youth empowerment foundation ... about transformative change in culture over time,” Gaga said. Her mother will serve as its president.

Earlier, during a panel session on bullying prevention, the singer told participants: “I want it to be part of the natural fabric of schooling, so that someone knows that it is not OK to be intolerant of your children, it is not OK to be unaccepted, it is not OK to be violent because you don’t understand. If you teach your kids to love everyone, hopefully that will, over time, branch out.”

The foundation is expected to include specific outreach to LGBTQ youth. The singer's chart topping single,"Born This Way" has quickly become an unofficial anthem for the LGBTQ community.

The three pillars of her foundation are to promote "safety, skills and opportunities" for young people, Gaga said adding;

"Once you feel safe in your environment and you acquire the skills to be a loving, accepting, tolerant person, the opportunities are endless to be a functioning human in society."

As of Wednesday's launch, are no official events announced, but the singer said some very specific “programs” will be rolled out in the coming weeks. The website is already active and running online and the foundation's mobile advocacy resource, the Born Brave Bus is scheduled to follow along on the singer's "Born This Way Ball" musical tour for the North American portion.

Last year the 25 year old singer topped the Forbes list of the most powerful people in the entertainment business - ironically, knocking talk show host Winfrey from the No. 1 spot she had held three times in the past seven years. During a press event for the kick-off of the foundation Wednesday, Winfrey told reporters she had joined forces with Gaga's foundation because it shared some of her core beliefs, including kindness, compassion and care for others.
Gaga said she knew there was "no one answer" or single law that could be passed to stop bullying and hate, or mandate acceptance.

"I wish there was because, you know, I would be chained naked to a fence somewhere to try to get one passed."                  

~ Reuters

In Brief

Staff Reports

Tennessee Lawmaker Delays “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Says He Needs Three Weeks To Work Out Bill’s Language

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -- Republican Representative Joey Hensley, a leading sponsor of legislation to ban the teaching of LGBTQ issues to elementary and middle school students in the state's schools, told the Associated Press Tuesday he’s not backing off the legislation despite concerns from GOP leaders and outrage from LGBTQ activists and their allies. The bill was scheduled to be heard by the House Education Committee today, but Hensley said he plans to delay the measure for up to three weeks to work out its language.

The legislation, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, would limit all sexually related instruction to “natural human reproduction science” in kindergarten through eighth grade. House Speaker Beth Harwell has called for further review of the bill and Governor Bill Haslam would prefer for it to be dropped. Hensley, however, said he’s moving forward with the proposal this session. The legislation, originally authored by Republican state senator Stacey Campfield, limits all sexually related instruction to "natural human reproduction science" in kindergarten through eighth grade, when students are 13 to 14 years old. The original version of the bill would have prohibited public elementary and middle schools from providing "any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.” An amended version would limit instruction to "natural human reproduction science,” but has left those terms undefined. Opponents are concerned about the implications across the United States as well as in Tennessee, where two teenagers, Jacob Rogers and Phillip Parker, have recently killed themselves after being bullied over their sexuality. ~ The Associated Press via The Tennessean 

The measure has also run into opposition from local employers who fear that passage of the bill will chill efforts to increase recruitment by firms doing business in the state. FedEx and Dell are among the largest employers in Tennessee and both have strict non-discrimination policies.

Chris Sanders, chairperson of the local Nashville chapter of the Tennessee Equality Project has argued that the bill would leave Tennessee schools to possible legal actions if staff members and faculty discuss LGBTQ issues with students whose parents may not know or approve of their children's sexual orientation.

"On top of that, this legislation sends a very clear message from the top that there is something wrong with being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender," said Sanders. 

He also noted that the bill was an openly transparent attack on LGBTQ people, and there were not any current issues dealing with sexuality in the state's school systems. "I can assure you that there are no elementary or middle school children in Tennessee that are getting a 'how-to' in gay sex," he said.

LGBTQ Friendly Moderate GOP Senator Announces Retirement

Maine Senator Olympia Snowe,(R) 

WASHINGTON -- Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, whom most political insiders agreed is one of the few remaining Republican moderates, announced Tuesday that she will retire at the end of her current term.

"Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term," she said in a statement [Full text Below] explaining her decision to retire.

Snowe said her ability to win re-election was not at issue—she was heavily favored to win re-election. Her exit gives Democrats a new opportunity to be pick up a GOP-held seat in a year where they are fighting to hold on to control of the Senate. Democrats currently control the chamber with a 53-47 split, with 2 independent senators caucusing with Democrats.

Maine's other Republican senator, Susan Collins, reacted saying she was "absolutely devastated" by Snowe's decision to leave the Senate. Snowe has held her Senate seat since 1994. Senator Collins was first elected in 1996.

The Human Rights Campaign has given the Maine Senator a 78% rating on LGBT issues, citing her support of The Matthew Shepard-James C. Bryd Hate Crimes Act, her vote to repeal "Don't Ask-Don't Tell," and her voting against the Federal Marriage Amendment. In 2009 she was the Senate cosponsor of the fully-inclusive ENDA.

Full text Of Senator Snowe's Announcement:

After an extraordinary amount of reflection and consideration, I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for re-election to the United States Senate.

After 33 years in the Congress this was not an easy decision. My husband and I are in good health. We have laid an exceptionally strong foundation for the campaign, and I have no doubt I would have won re-election. It has been an indescribable honor and immeasurable privilege to serve the people of Maine, first in both houses of Maine's legislature and later in both houses of Congress. To this day, I remain deeply passionate about public service, and I cherish the opportunity I have been given for nearly four decades to help improve the lives of my fellow Mainers.

As I have long said, what motivates me is producing results for those who have entrusted me to be their voice and their champion, and I am filled with that same sense of responsibility today as I was on my first day in the Maine House of Representatives. I do find it frustrating, however, that an atmosphere of polarization and 'my way or the highway' ideologies has become pervasive in campaigns and in our governing institutions.

With my Spartan ancestry I am a fighter at heart; and I am well prepared for the electoral battle, so that is not the issue. However, what I have had to consider is how productive an additional term would be. Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term. So at this stage of my tenure in public service, I have concluded that I am not prepared to commit myself to an additional six years in the Senate, which is what a fourth term would entail.

As I enter a new chapter, I see a vital need for the political center in order for our democracy to flourish and to find solutions that unite rather than divide us. It is time for change in the way we govern, and I believe there are unique opportunities to build support for that change from outside the United States Senate. I intend to help give voice to my fellow citizens who believe, as I do, that we must return to an era of civility in government driven by a common purpose to fulfill the promise that is unique to America.

In the meantime, as I complete my third term, I look forward to continuing to fight for the people of Maine and the future of our nation. And I will be forever and unyieldingly grateful for the trust that the people of Maine have placed in me, and for the phenomenal friendship and assistance I have received over the years from my colleagues, my supporters, and my staff, both in Maine and in Washington.

Brody's Notes... Maryland Priest Leaves Funeral Service Because Of Lesbian Mourner

Father Marcel Guarnizo
Photo via WUSA 9 News Washington 

By Brody Levesque | GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND -- An openly lesbian woman, Barbara Johnson, who was attending the funeral of her mother, was refused communion at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in this suburban Washington D.C. city two weekends ago. Then, the priest, Father Marcel Guarnizo, bothered by the daughter's inclusion in the services for her mother walked out of the funeral service and later refused to preside at the graveside rites. Political Blogger Ann Werner reports:

My friend Barbara, the daughter of the deceased woman, was denied communion at her mother’s funeral. She was the first in line and Fr. Guarnizo covered the bowl containing the host and said to her, “I cannot give you communion because you live with a woman and that is a sin according to the church.” To add insult to injury, Fr. Guarnizo left the altar when she delivered her eulogy to her mother. When the funeral was finished he informed the funeral director that he could not go to the gravesite to deliver the final blessing because he was sick.

Werner adds:

I will tell you a little about the woman who drove that priest from the altar. She is kind, she is smart, she is funny and she works hard promoting the arts. She pays her bills, she cares deeply for her family and she loved her mother and her mother loved her right back. And now she will never set foot in a Catholic church again and who can blame her? 

As the story broke this past weekend, noted author Anne Rice weighed in via Facebook with the following reaction:

"This is all so hypocritical. No priest giving out communion at a funeral mass examines each and every person for sins, for adultery, for living out of wedlock with a lover, for having embezzled money, for having committed sins of greed or anger. And yet this priest dares to refuse communion to an openly gay person? Why? What if the woman had gone to confession that morning? It's outrageous to stigmatize and treat gays in a persecuting way."

As the outrage grows- the story is now viral- Brie Hall, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Washington released the following:

"In matters of faith and morals, the Church has the responsibility of teaching and of bringing the light of the Gospel message to the circumstances of our day. When questions arise about whether or not an individual should present themselves for communion, it is not the policy of the Archdiocese of Washington to publicly reprimand the person. Any …issues regarding the suitability of an individual to receive communion should be addressed by the priest with that person in a private, pastoral setting. The archdiocese is looking into the incident at a funeral Mass that was celebrated by Fr. Marcel Guarnizo and will handle this as a personnel issue.”

The priest's superior at St John Neumann's, Reverend Thomas G. LaHood, refused to comment when contacted by LGBTQNation.

In Brief

Staff Reports

U. S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal By NOM Over Maine Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws

U.S. Supreme Court
Photo By Brody Levesque

WASHINGTON -- The U. S. Supreme Court Monday refused to hear a constitutional challenge to Maine's campaign finance laws by the National Organization for Marriage,(NOM)- National Organization for Marriage v. McKee (11-599)- whose laws requires those seeking to raise and spend money in state election campaigns to organize as a political action committee, (PAC) and make public disclosures about their financial operations. The justices let stand an appellate court ruling that upheld the laws as constitutional. NOM had argued that the Maine statutes were "vague and too broad."

The U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit had said in its ruling:[...] "These provisions neither erect a barrier to political speech not limit its quantity. Rather, they promote the dissemination of information about those who deliver and finance political speech, thereby encouraging efficient operation of the marketplace of ideas."

Maine's Campaign Finance laws require the registration of political action committees and disclosure of certain contributions to individual candidates and expenditures in elections. The statutes also require that all political advertisements and some other types of political messages must contain statements of attribution and on whether it was authorised by the candidate.

NOM, an organization set up solely to promote the traditional view of marriage as being reserved solely for "one-man & one woman" couples, was the principal donor in 2009 to Stand for Marriage Maine, a PAC that helped in a successful repeal of Maine's law legalizing same-sex marriage in a statewide ballot referendum in November of 2009. By its own accounts, NOM spent $1.8 million in 2009 on the effort to repeal the law.

After state officials moved to enforce the campaign finance disclosure laws, NOM filed the lawsuit (2009) claiming those laws violated its constitutional free-speech and due process rights. Maine defended its laws and noted during legal filings that the campaign financial disclosure laws were designed to inform the state's voters about who is spending money to influence their votes. The state also said that the federal government and most other states have similar requirements.

This case, National Organization for Marriage v. McKee, No. 11-599. was separate from another U.S. appeals court ruling earlier this month that could force NOM to disclose its donors who gave more than $100 to support its campaigning against same-sex marriage in the state.

Brody's Notes... Family Research Council Launches Massive Fundraiser To Stop "Fake Marriages"

By Brody Levesque | WASHINGTON -- The virulently anti-gay Family Research Center has launched an aggressive new fundraising campaign this week to 'Stop Fake Marriages' in the U. S. According to the FRC, "2012 could be the "tipping point" year in the battle for marriage. The Left has launched the deceptive "Commitment Campaign" to mislead Americans and impose affirmation of same-sex "marriage"-fake marriage- on every state, county, city, school, and workplace. Family Research Council needs your immediate help to tip events for marriage by exposing and opposing the Left's campaign, which could stop fake "marriage" permanently."

The campaign includes e-mail blasts, robo-calls, and a video plus website campaign where the FRC tells its supporters that should same-sex "marriage" be legalised, sex-ed classes from K-12 will be required to teach that same-sex relationships are virtuous, and that anyone who disagrees "such as parents or pastors" are bigots. 

According to the campaign, FRC claims that "one homosexual opinion leader, Daniel Villareal, admitted, "Recruiting children? You bet we are! We wanted to deliberately educate children to accept queer sexuality as normal." FRC experts have documented this agenda, and your donation will help us inform more lawmakers, courts, and parents."

The FRC also claims that "Fake Marriage Means Americans will loose religious freedoms:"

Same-sex marriage at the local level has already been used to shut down Christian adoption agencies in Boston and the District of Columbia. Consider that. If same-sex marriage is imposed nationally, church facilities, family ministries, Christian officials "like county clerks and justices of the peace" and Christian-run wedding businesses and more will be pressured to compromise their views or face crushing legal consequences. Your donation will help FRC experts expose these dangers.

Rounding out the alarmist viewpoints expressed by the Family Research Council, FRC states that "Fake Marriage Means Lives will be ruined by deception."

Decades of social science research shows that same-sex relationships do not have the same level of commitment as traditional marriages. Promiscuity, mental and physical health problems, and other turmoil in same-sex relationships vastly exceed that of heterosexual relationships. That is not message of hate, as homosexual activists claim. Ours is a message of fact-based, loving concern for all, including those trapped in homosexuality. Silence is not loving. Your donation will help FRC speak the truth in love.

The FRC has had a long history of demonising the LGBTQ community, which has led to its inclusion on the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of organisations that espouse hateful views without merit or basis, in many cases by fabrication of data promulgated by individuals or organisations that have themselves been discredited.

In recent weeks as the issue over same-sex marriage has become a focus point for states like Washington and Maryland where legislation has been passed legalising same-sex marriage, coupled with judicial rulings that have overturned anti-gay marriage laws in California along with federal challenges to the Defence of Marriage Act, (DOMA) the Family Research Council has reacted by ratcheting up its extreme rhetoric.

Calls and e-mails by LGBTQNation to the Family Research Council for comment and further clarification on this latest effort went unanswered.

In Brief

Staff Reports

Speaker Boehner Orders Appeal In California DOMA Case Ruling

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a court filing Friday with the U. S. Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals, a group of congressional Republicans defending the federal same-sex marriage ban- known as the Defence of Marriage Act or DOMA- filed an appeal of U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White's finding that Section Three of DOMA is unconstitutional.

With Friday's filing, the 9th Circuit will become the second federal appeals court to now consider the constitutionality of DOMA. In his decision earlier this week, Judge White concluded the federal law violates equal protection rights because it denies the same benefits available to heterosexual couples.

The ruling came in the case of Karen Golinski and Amy Cunninghis, a San Francisco couple married in the brief window of time when same-sex marriages were legal in California prior to the 2008 passage of Proposition 8. Golinski, a lawyer, argued in her lawsuit that she was unable to secure health benefits because of DOMA's restrictions. The Obama Justice Department sided with Golinski in her case, arguing that DOMA is in fact unconstitutional.

Legal analysts predict that with this many DOMA related cases unfolding in several federal courts, the issue will wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 9th Circuit is also considering an en banc request to reconsider a ruling earlier this month by a three Judge panel of the court that ruled that Proposition 8, California's voter-approved same-sex marriage ban, was unconstitutional.

Efforts To Overturn Maryland Same-Sex Marriage Legislation Begins

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND -- The Associated Press via The Washington Post is reporting Friday that opponents of the same sex marriage legislation passed this week by the state's Senate and earlier House- which is headed to Governor Martin O'Malley's desk for his promised signature- have filed the requisite paperwork with the Maryland Board of Elections for a referendum petition to let Maryland voters decide the issue.

Delegate Neil Parrott said he filed draft language for a referendum petition with the state board of elections Friday; one day after the Senate joined the House in approving a bill to allow same sex marriages. Governor Martin O’Malley endorses the measure and plans to sign it next week. The board has a week to consider the submission and if it is approved, Parrott and others will begin collecting the 55,736 signatures needed to bring the measure to the November ballot. “The process is started and really the goal is to make sure the citizens of Maryland can vote on this very important bill,” Parrott said.

In a statement released Friday, Lisa Polyak, Chairperson of Equality Maryland said: “It’s sad to me that anyone would think that it’s OK to put up the rights of a minority to a popular vote.

Parrott also told the AP that he will use the website created for that drive, mdpetitions.com, to bolster signature collection on the same sex marriage bill. “It makes it much easier for people to get involved who could never have gotten involved before,” he said. “Before you had to know someone or know where the petitions were going to be. This allows people from the furthest parts of Maryland to be able to get on their computer and participate in the referendum process.” ~ The Associated Press

Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, head of the Archdiocese of Baltimore told reporters that the Catholic Church would join forces with other religious organisations to defeat the legislation:

"Now, Maryland’s politicians unconscionably have chosen political expediency over the good of society–the fundamental charge of their office–by daring to redefine this sacred union between one man and one woman. Their action poses a grave threat to the future stability of the nuclear family and the society it anchors. The Archdiocese will continue to advocate for the preservation of both and will eagerly and zealously engage its 500,000 members in overturning this radical legislation, and will join with the hundreds of thousands of others in this Archdiocese and throughout Maryland in aggressively protecting the God-given institution of marriage."

Dallas County Texas Judge Says No To Performing Straight Marriages

Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker
Picture Courtesy of Judge Parker 

DALLAS, TEXAS -- Openly Lesbian Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says she will not marry heterosexual couples until the state of Texas allows same-sex partners to wed. Parker, who was the first openly lesbian judge elected to the bench in 2010, said to a gathering of Stonewall Democrats in Dallas that it's “oxymoronic” to only be able to perform weddings for a certain group of people.

“It’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it. I do not perform [marriages] because it is not an equal application of the law. Period.” Parker added 'I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away."

On Thursday, the Judge released a statement offering further clarification on her position:

"I faithfully and fully perform all of my duties as the Presiding Judge of the 116th Civil District Court, where it is my honor to serve the citizens of Dallas County and the parties who have matters before the Court. Performing marriage ceremonies is not a duty that I have as the Presiding Judge of a civil district court.

It is a right and privilege invested in me under the Family Code. I choose not to exercise it, as many other Judges do not exercise it. Because it is not part of our duties, some Judges even charge a fee to perform the ceremonies.

I do not, and would never, impede any person's right to get married."

Maine Marriage Equality Activists Secure Required Number Of Signatures For Second Ballot Referendum

AUGUSTA, MAINE -- Maine’s Secretary of State, Charlie Summers, confirmed Thursday that same-sex marriage advocates had gathered the requisite number of verified signatures to put the measure on the November 2012 ballot for a vote by Maine's citizens.

Equality Maine had gathered 85,000 verified signatures with another 30,000 left to be checked as of Wednesday according to state officials. However, only 57,000 were required for the measure to a state-wide ballot yesterday.

Maine’s legislature passed equal marriage laws in 2009 but, in a state-wide ballot with echoes of Proposition 8, nearly 53% of Maine citizens voted against allowing same-sex marriage reversing the legislative decision before the law took effect.

Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director of Freedom to Marry, issued the following statement in response to the news Friday: “Over the past few years, marriage supporters have been talking to their friends, families, coworkers and neighbors about why marriage matters.

As we work to win at the ballot, Freedom to Marry will be there every step of the way alongside Equality Maine, GLAD, and others to continue telling the stories of why marriage matters to loving, committed gay and lesbian couples in Maine, and secure a win at the ballot this November.”

Betsy Smith, EqualityMaine Executive Director said: “Same-sex couples want to marry for the same reasons other couples want to marry: because they love each other and want to spend their lives together. There’s no question that momentum is growing for same-sex marriage in Maine.”

In Brief

Staff Reports

Hawaii's Governor Believes His State's Ban On Same Sex Marriage Is Unconstitutional

HONOLULU, HAWAII -- Hawaii's Governor Neil Abercrombie believes the state ban against same sex marriage is unconstitutional but his Attorney General’s office said will defend it in federal court. The governor signed into law last year a measure which permits same-sex couples to enter into state-sanctioned “civil unions” but Hawaii's constitutional ban of same-sex marriages is still in effect. Under the current statutes, a heterosexual couple in the state may choose to enter into either a marriage or a civil union. A same-sex couple, however, is only permitted to enter into a civil union.

In a news release Wednesday, the Attorney General’s office said it has filed separate court responses for the governor and Health Department director Loretta Fuddy to a lawsuit that challenges the state constitutional ban of same sex marriages.

Governor Abercrombie noted, " My obligation as Governor is to support equality under law. This is inequality, and I will not defend it,” Abercrombie said. Health Department director Fuddy told the local press that it is her job to administer the law now on the books and that is what she must do. “The Department of Health is charged with implementing the law as passed by the Legislature.,” said Fuddy, adding that, “Absent any ruling to the contrary by competent judicial authority regarding constitutionality, the law will be enforced. Because I am being sued for administering the law, I will also defend it.” Fuddy said her legal position was drawn up after consultations with the governor.

According to The Hawaii Reporter:

The lawsuit was filed in November by same sex couple Natasha Jackson and Janin Kleid after they were denied a marriage license by the Health Department. Another plaintiff, Gary Bradley, said that he and his partner were the first couple to enter into a civil union in Hawaii but did not apply for a marriage license as that would have been “futile.” 

Attorney General David Louie said his office will represent both Abercrombie and Fuddy in the lawsuit, despite their divergent positions. Louie said his office “must erect appropriate firewalls” inside the office between the attorneys for the respective parties in the case. 

“In this case, both the Governor and the Director are being represented by separate teams of attorneys general, and appropriate protections have been put in place to ensure that both clients are being vigorously, and separately, represented,” Louie’s office said.

Nebraska Senate Judiciary Committee: LB912, Proposed Law Banning Local LGBTQ Rights Ordinances Not Likely To Advance

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA -- Nebraska Senate Judiciary Committee members heard testimony Wednesday on a bill that its sponsor claims would ensure that businesses not be subjected to piecemeal regulations made by cities or counties. Senate bill LB 912 would prevent the state's counties and cities from enforcing their own anti-discrimination laws according to its sponsor, Republican State Senator Beau McCoy of Omaha who told colleagues "I would like to see uniformity where we the legislature, debates about adding a group of citizens as a protected class."

Should the measure pass, a county, municipality or other political subdivision would not be allowed to enforce a local law or rule that deviates from the state's anti-discrimination policies. Those include protections in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Nebraska Fair Employment Act and the Nebraska Fair Housing Act.

Critics of McCoy's proposed law charge that McCoy is simply trying to prevent Omaha, Lincoln, and some of the state's other large municipalities from passing ordinances that would protect LGBTQ people.

McCoy argued that it was needed to prevent a patchwork quilt of discrimination ordinances across the state.

"Discrimination does not stop at a city or county border," he said. "If adding or removing a protected class is the right thing to do, it is the right thing to do border to border across Nebraska, not just in one city or one municipality."

But Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray said the bill would harm the city and businesses concerned about attracting workers. "I find the timing of this law very suspicious, I also know that if we pass this law, it will cause a negative image for the state, as a state that is unwelcoming. We need to have our best face on," he said. "We need to have a welcoming city, a welcoming state."

The Councilman noted that local control means the city should be able to act even if the state does not. He has been working on a proposed ordinance to ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. That measure is set to be heard by the city council in a public hearing set for March 6. The proposal would apply to employers, employment agencies and labor organizations in the city and to businesses that sign contracts with the city. Religious organizations, including religious-affiliated colleges or schools, would be exempted.

Testifying against LB 912, Councilman Gray also said "The University of Nebraska Medical center has given data that there is a problem and it does need addressing. Gary stated the Omaha public schools already has protections based on sexual orientation, and has had so for 15years, this would make that null in void, and prevent the Omaha public school district from protecting it's staff, and this would Increase bullying, rather then reduce the amount of incidents related to bullying."

One person, speaking on behalf of the bill drew the ire of Senator McGill after claiming that should Nebraska add sexual orientation to a protected class in one city, why not pass the same protections for drug addicts, people with tattoo's and other things that make them stand out. Senator McGill fired back saying; "I take offense that you, just classified the LGBTQ community the same as a drug addict."

John Chatelain, representing the Statewide Property Owners Association, said local ordinances would add burdensome regulations and open up landlords to more discrimination complaints.

He said he did not believe there has been a case made that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents suffer discrimination.

Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha questioned how the bill would apply to Omaha's current ordinances, which protect people from housing discrimination based on age and marital status. State law currently does not provide housing protection for those groups.

McCoy said he didn't know whether LB 912 would conflict with those ordinances but would be willing to address the issue if need be.

State Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha, the Judiciary Committee chairman, said he does not expect the panel will act on this bill during this legislative session.

Texas Republican Senatorial Candidate: Being Gay Is A Choice And They Will Answer To God

DALLAS, TEXAS -- A GOP candidate running for the U. S. Senate in Texas, ex-pro football player Craig James, told his opponents and the audience during a Republican candidate debate in Dallas Wednesday night that he feels that believes being gay is a choice and gays will have to answer to God. 

Another contender for the Senate seat, former Dallas mayor, Republican Tom Leppert was forced to defend his record on LGBTQ Equality while serving as mayor. Leppert had marched in Dallas’ gay pride parade in 2007 and 2009 and he also had employed an openly gay chief of staff — Chris Heinbaugh — and repeatedly expressed support for the community.

Recently he had come under attack from LGBTQ activists for his stance on same-sex marriage coming out in opposition to both same-sex marriage and civil unions on his campaign website.

Tea party favorite Ted Cruz, the former Texas solicitor general, hammered Leppert for joining two of the Pride marches, which prompted a question to Cruz that he sidestepped during Wednesday’s debate.

Moderator: Are you saying Mayor Leppert is in favor of gay marriage?

Cruz: What I am saying is that when a mayor of a city chooses twice to march in a parade celebrating gay pride, that’s a statement - and it’s not a statement I agree with.

Former Mayor Leppert has complained that Cruz has distorted his position on gays, and Leppert wanted to clear up misconceptions for the conservative voters who were listening.

Leppert: The mayor is against gay marriage. I believe marriage should be defined as one man and one woman. But I had the responsibility to represent everybody, but everybody understood where my faith was. I will tell my role as a Christian is to reach out and touch everybody.

Former television sports analyst Craig James then weighed in.

James: I think right now in this country, our moral fiber is sliding down a slope that is going to be hard to stop if we don’t stand up with leaders who don’t go ride in gay parades. I can assure you I will never ride in a gay parade. And I hear what you’re saying, Tom, but leaders - our kids out there people need to see examples.

Moderator: Do you think people choose to be gay?

James: I think it’s a choice, I do.

Moderator: It’s not in the genes?

James: I think that you have to make that choice. But in that case right there, they are going to have to answer to the Lord for their actions. We should not give benefits to those civil unions.

Leppert says government shouldn’t be involved in deciding whether gay partners have legal benefits given spouses which might include property inheritance or making medical decisions.

LGBTQ rights has become an important test in this primary contest as hardcore Texas Republicans demand candidates take more socially conservative stands.

Brody's Notes... Prop 8 Rehearing: What it Means

By Matt Baume | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA -- Big news in the Prop 8 case -- the Proponents have officially challenged our Ninth Circuit victory. So let's talk about what that means for the Prop 8 case, what comes next, and when we can finally start getting married again.

In Brief

Staff Reports

Gays Compared To Paedophiles, Necrophiliacs At Georgia State House Hearing

ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- The Georgia House Judiciary subcommittee tabled a House Bill 630 that would provide workplace protections to all state employees, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers by a 3-2 vote on Tuesday. The sponsor of the bill, Democratic State Representative Karla Drenner, said after the committee's vote: "Tabling it is not as not as bad as beating it. But tabling it means they killed it."

The Georgia Voice reported that Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality- which has been lobbying heavily for the bill- said it is too soon to say the bill is dead.

"The bill is very much still alive," said Graham, who was among several supporters of the bill who testified at the hearing. "We had as conservative a group as we could have had and they voted to table and not end it."

In 2010, the state passed an anti-bullying bill after it was first tabled, Graham said. So, he said, Tuesday's action does not mean the end of HB 630. But it won't be easy to get it passed, he admitted. Georgia Equality is urging people to call their local legislators to lobby on behalf of the bill.

"It is going to be a huge challenge to get it through this year," he said.

During the course of testimony in support and in opposition to HB 630, one witness urged lawmakers to oppose the bill, saying that passage would increase the likelihood of increased paedophilia in Georgia's schools.

Tanya Ditty, state director for the anti-gay Concerned Women for America, testified saying:

"What's going to protect our children if a pedophiliac comes in and gets a teaching job, is a bus driver, is a custodian? And they could be people that just want to prey on children and they would be protected by this law," she said.

Ditty stated that "sexual orientations" included paedophilia, transsexuality, zoophilia and necrophilia and that "we do not believe the government should have a special protected minority class."

Georgia Equality's Graham said "he hoped people would better understand what Georgia faces at the General Assembly every day when working for LGBT equality" after listening to Ditty's comments.

"I think it certainly shows there is reasonable argument why this bill should pass.

It is up to the members of the committee and the legislature to do what is right or cave into the ridiculous fears of our opponents. Our opponents can't even make a reasonable argument against this. That's why they have to distort the facts and go as extreme as they do," he said.

WATCH DITTY'S TESTIMONY: 

Chicago Alderman Will Introduce Transgender Protection Measure

Chicago Alderman Moreno 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- Chicago Alderman Proco Joe Moreno will “introduce an ordinance that establishes a transgender issues commission in the Chicago Police Department as well as set guidelines for police to follow while handling transgender people.”
Moreno confirms on his Web site he plans to introduce the ordinance at the March City Council meeting. The ordinance would also set up guidelines for police to follow in interactions with transgender people. The Police Treatment of Transgender Individuals Ordinance would require officers to respect each person’s unique gender identity, and add gender identity to the definitions specified in Police Department policy, the Chicago Phoenix reported.
Alderman James Cappleman (46th), a supporter of the proposed ordinance, told the Phoenix even basic questions such as which restroom a transgender person will use are not settled right now.
A 2010 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force study revealed that nearly half of transgender respondents were uncomfortable seeking help from police, and about a fifth said they were harassed by police officers, the Phoenix reported. The study also found that 60 percent of transgender women of color reported being abused by police, and 20 percent said they were denied equal services, the Phoenix reported.
Moreno’s proposed ordinance comes just a few weeks after state Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) introduced a bill that would add gender identity to the Illinois hate crime law. Cassidy’s proposed bill would also add military status and immigration status.

Brody's Scribbles... The Chicken Or The Egg

By Bart Vogelzang | VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA -- If you are more than 7 years old you have almost certainly heard the question, “Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?” It is meant to be a thought provoking challenge, in that the chicken lays the egg and the egg hatches out a chicken, so that (supposedly) neither one can be first, as they are dependent on each other’s existence.

Of course that is not really the case at all, but not many people really want to get into deeper discussions of genetics, mutations, and environmental influences. Whichever comes first isn’t even that important; what is important is the realization that one must necessarily precede the other.

In our daily lives, we often encounter situations that, if we don’t recognize them for what they are, will be very similar to the chicken and the egg situation. We don’t see and deal with the originating cause and end up swirling in a nearly endless circle of reaction, often one with increasing severity. I’m talking about anger and aggression.

It may be as simple as getting out of bed and finding that you are out of your favorite breakfast food. You feel aggrieved and act a bit nasty with the next person you talk to, and that person, in turn, reacts a bit more aggressively than normally. Your response is to ‘up the ante’ and the circle has started. The difficulty of breaking this cycle is enormous; so it is best to prevent it in the first place. Critical to that is your ability to recognize that originating cause and dealing with it effectively, thereby not creating the vicious cycle.

We can see many examples of these types of escalating cycles of anger and aggression around the world, from simple bullying in the schoolyard, to economic rivalry, to gang violence, to international posturing, to the battling of religious beliefs, and maybe even outright war and genocide. Breaking the cycles can be nearly impossible, but it can be done. It can be done by outside forces that are greater than those within the maelstrom of aggressors, by slow, careful, but willing actions by those involved, or by complete capitulation by one of the parties involved. But is that the case with the worst situation of all?

When one has been indoctrinated with a belief in ones own unworthiness, the circle can easily become a downward spiral. Because you feel you are unworthy, you don’t try to achieve anything, and because you don’t achieve anything, you prove yourself unworthy. Because you don’t respect yourself, you do things that show that disrespect of yourself, and cause you to lose the little that was left. You show that, and before you know it, others treat you with disrespect. This virtually ensures the downward spiral into an abyss of darkness and despair, eventually leaving you feeling unworthy of even being alive.

It could have been stopped at the beginning, at that initial response to the belief in ones own unworthiness. Whether poor parenting, ugly religious bigotry, unchecked bullying, or continual discrimination from others installed it, stopping that circle from starting is essential to our personal welfare. It is up to us to notice the start, and head it off, deal with it, and be able to live our lives without being dragged down into the abyss. It is also up to us to notice that start when it is happening to someone else, to help them deal effectively, so that our community does not suffer the same fate. Indeed, we need to see this same thing happening on the largest scale and head it off from happening globally. Our personal survival, and our global survival, depends on it.

In Brief

Staff Reports

NJ Governor Chris Christie on Same-Sex Marriage Issue: “I won’t compromise"

NJ Governor Chris Christie

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- In an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan- due to air Tuesday evening- New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie tells Morgan; “I won’t compromise my principles for politics," regarding the issue of the same-sex marriage bill passed by the New Jersey legislature which he vetoed last Friday. Christie has publicly stated that he regards marriage as an institution which is between a man and a woman and he says that his position is guided by his strong religious beliefs.

CNN has released a partial transcript of Tuesday's interview:

[...] “And so what I’ve suggested to the legislature is, in a way, the only way we have to amend our constitution in New Jersey - which is by referendum - let’s put it on the ballot, let’s let people decide.”
“And if the people in New Jersey, as some of the same sex marriage advocates suggest the polls indicate are in favor of it, then my position would not be the winning position, but I’m willing to take that risk because I trust the people of the state,” he said.
When asked if he would ever change his mind on this issue as public opinion swings to supporting same-sex marriage — Washington state recently became the seventh in the nation, along with the District of Columbia, to allow gay marriage — Christie said he would not.
“I won’t compromise my principles for politics,” he said.
“You would never change your mind about this?” Morgan asked.
“I would not compromise my principles for politics. You’re saying, will it become politically unpopular to have the position I’m having? If it does, so be it. I don’t compromise my principles for politics,” Christie said.
Christie admitted he has gotten some flak from gay friends for his stance, but said it is guided by his Catholic faith. The governor added that his position is “absolutely not” bigoted and slammed the suggestion that anyone might say otherwise.
“It’s my belief, it’s my core belief,” he said. “And I tell people that. And my friends, whether they be homosexual or not, they know me and they know I’m not bigoted.”

The New Jersey legislature has until January 2014 to muster enough votes for an override of the governor's veto.

Prop 8 Supporters Ask For Appellate Review By Entire U. S. 9th Circuit Court

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA -- The legal team for the proponents of California's ban on same-sex marriage are petitioning a review by the entire 9th Circuit Court after a three-judge panel of the court ruled the marriage ban as unconstitutional. Charles Cooper, lead attorney for the defendants- Protect Marriage & Yes On 8- Charles Cooper, announced Tuesday that the request for an en banc review by the circuit court had been made. It usually takes months for the en banc reconsideration to be completed. 

If a party asks for en banc review, the request is sent to all of the 20-something active judges on the court. Memos are often exchanged between the judges before a vote takes place on whether to take the case en banc. If they take it, names are drawn for the panel and a whole new series of briefs are usually filed, which takes a few more months. Then they hold oral argument and issue a decision. It is really almost like starting the whole appeal all over again.

The proponents' decision today means that the road to a final decision on Prop 8 just got much longer. Nonetheless, the plaintiffs' attorneys have made it clear that they will seek to have the stay lifted, now that Prop 8 has been struck down by two separate courts. In the Ninth Circuit's own guidelines, the court says that an en banc rehearing should only be heard if 

1) there is a need for "uniformity" in the court's decision, 

2) the matter is a "question of exceptional importance," or 

3) the ruling "directly conflicts with an existing opinion by another court of appeals or the Supreme Court." The proponents are likely to argue that the Prop 8 case is a matter of "exceptional importance," but they may face an uphill battle convincing a majority of the Ninth Circuit that the appeals panel's decision needs to be reconsidered, especially given how narrow the ruling was. ~ Statement by Chris Stoll of the National Center for Lesbian Rights

Brody's Notes... Virginia Senate Passes Gay Discrimination Measure

By Brody Levesque | RICHMOND, VIRGINIA -- The legislation allowing private agencies to deny placements that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, but specifically targeting same-sex couples in Virginia, passed in a 22-18 vote of the state's Senate Tuesday. The lower House had already passed the measure which now only requires Virginia's governor, Republican Bob McDonnell's signature to take effect July 1.

Supporters of the measure claim that the bill will protect the rights of religious agencies, including those who have state contracts. Critics charge that this so-called "conscience clause" legislation could be used to discriminate against non-christian couples or even non-believers and that the state of Virginia should not sanction discrimination.

Currently North Dakota is the only other state with such a law.

Brody's Scribbles... Cultivating Fear

By Bart Vogelzang | VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA -- As far as I’m aware, there is not a single human baby that is born afraid. It may experience pain, uncomfortable distress, and upsetting hunger, but their reactions to situations of all kinds indicates that they don’t have fear.

Indeed, one of the more difficult aspects of raising a child is that they get into all sorts of trouble simply because they have no fear and therefore no warning system to provide caution. Parents work hard to instill caution in their kids, and they’ve found that instilling a fear of pain, distress, or hunger is a workable tactic.

“Don’t do that, or you’ll get burned,” “If you run on the stairs, you’ll fall and get hurt.” “Don’t play with that knife or you’ll cut yourself,” and the list goes on. Fear, in the guise of caution, is what is used to control the child’s more risky actions, to prevent them from getting in harm’s way, at least initially. However, a more ominous side soon develops.

Before very long, that same fear tactic starts to be used to control the child in situations where they are not at risk at all, but purely as a convenience to the parent. “Don’t interrupt me when I’m on the phone, or you’ll go to bed hungry,” “If you don’t do your chores you’ll get a lickin’,” “If you don’t get good grades you’re going to be a very sorry kid…” It usually works, and if it doesn’t the parent will sometimes resort to actually following through with their threat, thereby reinforcing the lessons of fear. Sadly, it doesn’t stop there.

Before you know it, and admittedly, almost simultaneously, there is a push to control the child’s thinking. It is not good enough to just prevent harm to the child, or prevent inconvenience to the parent, but now it becomes purely a mechanism to control the mind. “If you don’t get a better attitude, you’re going to suffer,” “When you don’t think pure and devout thoughts, God will punish you with everlasting pain and suffering,” “If you feel love for another boy (or girl) you will burn in Hell forever…” At this point we have come full circle, and are now actively using fear in a way that is not preventing harm, but is actually creating harm.

The lessons learned, that fear works, is only too effectively incorporated into our whole society; intruding into the management of corporations, the doctrine of almost all religions, the machinations of politicians, the dire warnings from the medical community…indeed, almost every organization in this world uses fear for behavioural control of people.

It’s not an accident; they know full well that it works. And it works because we’ve been trained from just after birth to accept that fear, acquiesce to the fear, to fear the fear. We will do just about anything to avoid our fear, except actually confront it.

And yet for some of us we must. We have absolutely no choice but to stop, gather our resolve, and denounce the fear; not doing so simply causes us to effectively stop being alive. Maybe literally for those who cannot cope and kill themselves, or figuratively, and nearly as devastatingly, for those who bury their inner psyches to live their lives in futile depression, often resorting to chemical dependencies and other destructive behaviours.

When you are confronted with a fear of yourself, or a fear of taking an action that is crucial to your very existence, you really don’t have much choice. You confront the fear, or you submit to it…fail to remain alive, or fail to remain a vital and loving human being. Ironically, the fear itself, once confronted, shows as the bigger danger, not nearly the threat that the fear would have had you believe was the danger. The biggest danger though, is those who continually wield this mighty weapon upon us.

We must be constantly vigilant, and fight against those who seek to strike us, and our neighbours, with fear. There is only one reason for them to use this powerful weapon, and that is to control us, make us do exactly what they want, and enslave us to their every whim.

In Brief

Staff Reports

New Jersey's Governor Vetoes Same-Sex Marriage Bill As Anticipated

New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie 

TRENTON, New Jersey -- New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie Friday afternoon conditionally vetoed the bill six hours after it reached his desk. Christie had publicly promised swift action with a veto on the bill and has said that he feels that the issue should be settled in a state-wide ballot referendum by the voters.

"I have been just as adamant that same-sex couples in a civil union deserve the very same rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples — as well as the strict enforcement of those rights and benefits,’’ Christie said in a prepared statement.

"Discrimination should not be tolerated and any complaint alleging a violation of a citizen’s right should be investigated and, if appropriate, remedied."

The Governor also suggested that an ombudsman be appointed to address complaints that New Jersey's same-sex civil union law be strengthened.

The New Jersey Star-Ledger reported:

"Thousands and thousands of New Jersey families are denied financial security, health security and fundamental equal rights every day because of a failed civil union experiment,’’ said Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Bergen). "And yet in spite of their second-class citizenship, the governor singlehandedly — through the stroke of his pen — seeks to codify discrimination against them.’’

Christie continued push his suggestion of the gay marriage issue to a referendum in November to allow New Jersey voters to decide. Republicans fell in line with his recommendation; not a single Republican present on Thursday voted for the gay marriage bill.

Two years after voting the bill down, the Senate on Monday passed the measure 24-16, with two Republicans crossing the aisle.

The veto ends legislative action for now. Gay rights activists say they will now work to secure enough votes for an override by the noon Jan. 14, 2014, deadline — the end of this legislative session. They’ll need nearly a dozen more votes in the Assembly and a handful in the Senate.

Democrats say they’re hopeful they’ll reach their goal in 1½ years because they won the Senate over and they convinced nearly a dozen Assembly members in recent weeks to get their victory on Thursday.

The same-sex marriage activist and advocacy group, Freedom to Marry, in reaction to the Governor's veto said via a press release:

By vetoing the bill that would ensure that all loving, committed New Jersey couples and their families can share in the freedom to marry, with all its protections and meaning, Governor Christie planted his feet firmly on the wrong side of history. Fortunately, his ‘no’ will not be America’s – or New Jersey’s – last word. It is simply an obstacle we overcome as we continue on the road to liberty and justice for all. Freedom to Marry will work steadily over the next months – and throughout the entire remainder of the legislative session, as necessary – supporting local families, leaders, and advocates as they make the case to their lawmakers and win the extra handful of votes needed to override the veto and do right by all families.

Maryland Governor's Bill To Legalise Same-Sex Marriage Passes House of Delegates

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND -- Maryland lawmakers Friday evening approved Governor Martin O’Malley's Civil Marriage Protection Act in a 72-67 vote, which will legalise same-sex marriage in the Free State,sending the measure to the Senate, where its approval is expected. The Senate passed a similar measure last year's legislative session.

Delegate Tiffany Alston, (D-Prince George’s County), who helped kill the measure last year by walking out of a critical committee voting session offered an amendment, which was accepted in a compromise deal, that stays a same-sex marriage law until any court challenges to the validity of signatures was resolved.

Political analysts are calling this vote a major win for the Governor, who threw the weight of his office behind the measure, appearing before committee hearings and working the halls of the House of Delegates office building at all hours to convince wavering delegates. Passage of this bill puts Maryland on the verge of being the eighth state to legalise same-sex.

Brody's Notes... Attorney General Holder: Justice Department Won't Defend Blocking Military Benefits From Same-Sex Couples

U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder

By Brody Levesque | WASHINGTON -- U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder in a letter written Friday to House Speaker John Boehner, notified the Speaker and congressional leaders that the Justice Department has concluded that current federal statutes banning same-sex couples from receiving military and veterans benefits violates the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment and will no longer defend the statute in court.

“The legislative record of these provisions contains no rationale for providing veterans’ benefits to opposite-sex couples of veterans but not to legally married same-sex spouses of veterans,” Holder wrote. “Neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Veterans Affairs identified any justifications for that distinction that would warrant treating these provisions differently from Section 3 of DOMA.

The legislative record of these provisions contains no rationale for providing veterans’ benefits to opposite-sex couples of veterans but not to legally married same-sex spouses of veterans,” Holder wrote. “Neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Veterans Affairs identified any justifications for that distinction that would warrant treating these provisions differently from Section 3 of DOMA.”

The Attorney General notes that the Justice Department will also discontinue defending the provisions in Federal Title 38, which prevents same-sex couples who are legally married from obtaining benefits.

Specific to military and veteran's benefits, the AG wrote that the benefits in question “included medical and dental benefits, basic housing allowances, travel and transportation allowances, family separation benefits, military identification cards, visitation rights in military hospitals, survivor benefits, and the right to be buried together in military cemeteries.”

Holder allows that the congressional leadership will be provided a “full and fair opportunity” to defend the statues- outlined as unconstitutional by the administration- in the currently pending McLaughlin v. Panetta case if they wished to do so.

Copy of Holder's Letter via Talking Points Memo here.

Brody's Notes... New Jersey Assembly Passes Historic Same-Sex Marriage Legislation

By Brody Levesque | TRENTON, NEW JERSEY -- The New Jersey Assembly has approved its version of the marriage equality bill in a 42-33 Thursday afternoon, although political analysts note the vote falls short of the necessary 54 votes for an override of Governor Chris Christie's promised veto.

The Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act passed the State Senate earlier this week by a bipartisan vote of 24-16.

“Today, the New Jersey State Legislature sent a powerful message that all its citizens should be treated equally under the law, and that all families deserve the same protections,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Governor Christie may veto this legislation, but he is out of step with the majority of voters on this issue. We will not give up until marriage equality becomes a reality in New Jersey.”

According to new polling from the Eagleton Center, 54 percent of New Jersey voters support marriage equality, an upswing of nearly ten points in two years.

Today’s legislative win for marriage equality comes at a historic moment: in the past two weeks, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled California’s discriminatory Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional; Governor Christine Gregoire signed marriage equality into law in Washington State; and momentum continued in Maryland with the House expected to vote soon on marriage equality legislation. Six states and the District of Columbia recognize marriage equality, with Washington State’s law set to go into effect in three months.

Brody's Notes... Faithful America & Bishop Gene Robinson Protest MSNBC's Constant Airing Of Tony Perkins As A Guest

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- On Tuesday, Bishop Gene Robinson, New York faith leaders, and Faithful America members delivered 20,000 petition signatures calling on MSNBC to stop inviting Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on their network because of his track-record of telling hateful lies about the LGBT community -- a record that has led to his organization being named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In Brief

Staff Reports

FAMOUS FACES 'COME OUT' FOR EQUALITY WITH GLAAD AND BRETT RATNER

Brett Ratner

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- Film Director Brett Ratner, whose homophobic slur during a Q&A session following a film screening last year that caused considerable controversy forcing him to step down as the Co-Producer of the 2012 Academy Awards Show, has teamed with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to direct and produce a LGBTQ supportive video campaign.

The upcoming video series will feature a diverse group of Hollywood celebrities, athletes, musicians and politicians ‘coming out of the closet’ as supporters of equality. Participants will share personal stories about why and how they support the LGBT community and call on Americans to do the same.

Teaming up with GLAAD in an effort to re-build his image after last year's debacle- The notoriously sharp-tongued director had stated that "Rehearsing is for fags," which quickly drew criticism from GLAAD and Entertainment Weekly columnist Mark Harris, along with other LGBTQ rights advocates and allies- in a statement today said:

“Working together with GLAAD has been a very positive and enlightening experience for me, and I could not be more pleased to be developing this crucial campaign to help educate people that we all share the same humanity,” said Ratner. “I am excited to get to work on this program and hope that minds and hearts are opened by what we create.”

Ratner later apologised for the comment he made saying; "It was a dumb way of expressing myself," he wrote at the time. "Everyone who knows me knows that I don't have a prejudiced bone in my body. But as a storyteller I should have been much more thoughtful about the power of language and my choice of words."

Ratner met with GLAAD’s Board of Directors this weekend in a meeting that included producer of the 84th Annual Academy Awards Brian Grazer along with director and producer Bryan Singer (pictured below with GLAAD's Acting President Mike Thompson and Senior Director of Programs Herndon Graddick).

“Straight allies are crucial to creating a culture in which LGBT people are respected and supported,” said Herndon Graddick, Senior Director of Programs and Communications at GLAAD. “We look forward to working with Brett and these other inspiring Americans who are speaking out and standing up for their LGBT friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers.”

Ratner is known for directing films including the Rush Hour film series, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist.

Oklahoma Elects First Openly Gay State Senator

State Senator Al McAffrey

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA -- Democratic Representative Al McAffrey, 63,was elected a State Senator Tuesday in a special election. McAffrey was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives becoming the state’s first openly gay member of the legislature in 2006. He later ran for reelection in 2008 and 2010, and won by significant margins in both contests. In Tuesday's special election, he won with more than 66 percent of the vote and is due to be sworn into office next week.

Senator McAffrey was endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund whose president and CEO Chuck Wolfe said;

“Al’s election to the State Senate is another milestone for LGBT Oklahomans, and we are proud to support his campaign. There are still a number of states that have never elected any openly LGBT state legislators, so Oklahoma can be proud that Al has been elected to both the House and the Senate.”

Oklahoma media outlets reported that McAffrey was a leader on legislation supporting senior citizens, education issues and access to affordable health care. He was also one of the state House’s most vocal critics against Republican Rep. Sally Kern and her anti-gay agenda.

The Senator's constituency includes almost all of the metropolitan Oklahoma City area and with his election, the Democrats now have 16 seats in the state Senate. Currently the Republicans hold a 32-seat super-majority.