GayWatch, International Edition (6/13/13)

Homophobia Claims Another Life

From The Guardian: 

A French leftwing activist has been left braindead after he was attacked by a group of skinheads, in an attack that has raised fears of increased far-right violence. 

The interior minister, Manuel Valls, said a fight broke out on Wednesday evening between two groups of young people in a street just steps away from the famous Printemps department store in Paris. 

Clement Meric, a 19-year-old student at Sciences Po, one of France's most prestigious universities, was beaten by several skinheads, according to Valls.

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Political tensions are high in France after months of protests against legalising gay marriage, that sometimes ended with troublemakers from the extreme right clashing with police. 

Gay rights organisations have also warned that gay people were being targeted before the Socialist government's "marriage for all" bill was passed.

The young man has since passed away.

Anti-Equality Protesters Turn Violent

From The Local: 

Police said 150,000 people turned out to protest, a figure immediately contested by organizers who said one million opponents of the law had shown up. 

Some of the far-right activists briefly unfurled a banner at the ruling Socialist party's headquarters urging President Francois Hollande to resign. 

As the protesters dispersed, after a largely peaceful march, police said up to 500 people began attacking them by throwing metal barriers, smoke flares and beer bottles. 

The youths shouted slogans against the government such as "Socialist dictatorship" and also threw objects at journalists covering the event.

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Fears of unrest at Sunday's protest had been fueled by violence that erupted earlier this month during celebrations marking football club Paris Saint-Germain's league victory, which saw tourists attacked and shop and car windows smashed.

Some 4,500 security forces were mobilized for Sunday's demonstration that was billed as a last-ditch show of force by opponents of the bill allowing same-sex marriage and adoption, which was voted into law on May 18th following months of bitter protests.

Protesting Marriage Equality...By Committing Suicide

Anti-Gay Protesters Turn Violent

From Times Union: 

Earlier in the day, there appeared to be more police than protesters outside the Parliament building on Paris' Left Bank, but that calculation soon shifted as night fell and thousands gathered to protest the bill. The protest dwindled to a few stalwarts shortly before midnight, when the violence began among a few hundred demonstrators including some who carried signs saying "Socialist dictatorship." 

Claire Baron, 41, a mother of two, said that she "will oppose the bill until the end."

"I'll keep going to the protests, I don't give in. The bill is not effective yet, the president of the Republic must listen to our voices. We are here to defend family values. Children need a mom and a dad," Baron said. 

In recent weeks, violent attacks against gay couples have spiked and some legislators have received threats — including Claude Bartelone, the Assembly president, who got a gunpowder-filled envelope on Monday. 

One of the biggest protests against same-sex marriage drew together hundreds of thousands of people bused in from the French provinces — conservative activists, schoolchildren with their parents, retirees, priests and others. That demonstration ended in blasts of tear gas, as right-wing rabble-rousers, some in masks and hoods, led the charge against police, damaging cars along the Champs-Elysees avenue and making a break for the presidential palace.

France Approves Marriage Equality!!!

The lower house of the French parliament had their final vote today which was 331-225 in favour (that is a lot of MP's). The upper house has already approved the bill and President Hollande has already pledged to sign the bill into law. Despite all of the homophobic violence the country has seen in the past few weeks, or may be because of it, it is great to know that the forces of hate failed miserably. The vote was not even close. Congratulations France. Now, if only the land of the free would follow this example and stand up for equality.

Pro-Equality French Politicians Face Terrorist Threats

From The Local: 

  Claude Bartolone, the Socialist president of France’s Assemblée Nationale (lower house of parliament) on Monday received a threatening letter containing gunpowder and demanding he defer a parliamentary vote, expected to definitively legalize gay marriage on Tuesday... 

  "...Allowing marriage for all would be the same as destroying all marriage," the letter says, before making the chilling threat: "If you were to carry on regardless, your political family will have to suffer physically." 

Last week, Socialist deputies Sylviane Bulteau and Hugues Fourage were sent letters from anti-gay marriage extremists, threatening to kidnap and kill them or their loved ones, if the gay marriage bill is not withdrawn. 

Earlier this month, Senator Esther Benbassa said her car was trashed – a move she believed was linked to her support for the bill – and that she had received threatening phone calls, emails and letters. 

Erwann Binet, a Socialist MP who supports the bill, has been forced to cancel planned debates for security reasons after being heckled by far-right militants, who have taken a front seat in the current furore over the bill.

And no, I do not believe that terrorism is not too strong a word for what is going on in France with these threats. It is one thing to say "If you vote for this, we will vote you out of office." That is democracy in a nutshell. It is quite another thing to say "If you vote for this, we will physically hurt you." That  is terrorism, pure and simple. The lengths that these violent people are willing to go to stop equality exemplifies how important that equality actually is. No one should be subject to this whether it is because of who they are or what they believe, especially if they believe that we should all be seen as equals under the law. Of course, the irony is that many of these people are doing what they are doing in the name of Christ, who would never advocate or participate in such actions.

Marriage News Watch: April 15, 2013

Marriage News Watch: April 8, 2013

French Assembly Passes Marriage & Adoption Equality

From Think Progress:

The French National Assembly just voted to approve both marriage equality and same-sex adoption with a vote of 329-229. This is perhaps not surprising given the support for the bill’s most essential article earlier this month. It now proceeds to the Senate, which is similarly controlled by the Socialists that took power last year. A poll conducted last month shows that 63 percent of French voters support the freedom to marry. France and the United Kingdom are racing to be the 12th and 13th countries to legally recognize same-sex marriage. The British House of Commons advanced similar legislation last week with a 400-175 vote.

Marriage New Watch: February 11, 2013

Marriage News Watch: October 15, 2012

Marriage News Watch: July 2, 2012

The Wrap-Up: May 25, 2012

President Obama is making a significant push for the LGBT vote.

New York state is considering a ban on anonymous internet comments. I suggest they familiarize themselves with the a little thing I like to all freedom of speech

There a Catholic group that is (vainly) attempting to de-gay men by using sports. I'm no prophet, but I see failure as being imminent (for that matter, it might just confirm to these guys that they're gay).

A New Jersey mayor was caught (allegedly) hacking into the website of an organization seeking to recall him. I'm guessing this guy is unfamiliar with Watergate.

Mitt Romney received a less than warm welcome when he went to an inner-city charter school yesterday.

Rep Ted Deutch (D-FL) thinks that Gov Rick Scott (R-FL) is attempting to purge the state's voting rolls by up to 180,000 voters. Given what I have heard about Scott, I would not put this past him, especially as this seems to be a GOP theme.

The new Prime Minister if France is making some big promises to the French gay community.

I think Newt Gingrich was running for president of the wrong country.

While many are saying that President Obama's support of marriage equality is pretty much a wash, the evidence speaks to the contrary,

And lastly, another Palin related fail.

The Wrap-Up: February 6, 2012

New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning

Congrats to the New York Giants on their Super Bowl win. There is definitely something to be said for those down-to-the-wire games. I remember last year when it was my Green Bay Packers...

The jobs reports that came out on Friday has really good news...unless you're a GOP politician that is.

A member of the Reagan administration explains why "Reaganomics" won't work this time around. Of course, I don't expect Republican to pay attention to him.

The French government gave Scientology the smack down.

I guess Rick Santorum was so busy telling gay people they don't deserve the same rights as everyone else that he missed yet another ballot.

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

While I wish that this statement by Senator Chuck Grassley were true, it just isn't. Another Republican who completely dismisses facts.

Believe Out Loud has a breakdown of support for marriage equality by religious affiliation.

We should all pray that this does NOT happen.

Jan Brewer (R-AZ) may be the next governor to get the recall treatment.

And lastly, Romney makes another colossally incorrect (and rather arrogant/ignorant) statement. It amazes me how he said something so wrong with such confidence.