Lowlights & Highlights: December 14, 2012

We have this idea that judges are men and women of very high intellect, smarter than your average person. Given that they often hold the fates of people in their hands, this is the hope. It turns out that reality is far less pleasant and some of these judges are idiots. Take Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia for example. When asked by Princeton student Duncan Hosie about marriage equality, Justice Scalia compared laws banning marriage equality to laws against bestiality and murder.

Such comparisons are standard fair from conservative people, conservative politicians, etc (and for the record, Scalia is considered a conservative jurist). These people do so to scare people who do not know any better into being against marriage equality specifically and homosexuality/LGBT equality in general. A Supreme Court justice should know better. They should look at actual facts instead of dogma, they should look at law and not personal prejudices. The difference between murder and bestiality on the one hand and marriage equality on the other should be self-evident for anyone with functioning neurons. Scalia is clearly lacking in this department. Obviously murder is the act of taking the life of another in cold blood, and murder and bestiality are both acts that involve something happening to another with no legal consent. What do either have to do with a consensual relationship between two people of the same gender? Absolutely nothing. I did not have to go to law school or take a bar exam to understand this. All it takes is simple logic and a mere moment of thought. A Supreme Court justice should be more than capable of making these easy distinctions.

If Justice Scalia can not get that, then he needs to resign from the Court immediately. He is obviously not intelligent enough to serve on the highest court in the land.

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Update: I wrote this just before news of the school shooting in Connecticut broke. Obviously what happened there was an absolute tragedy and the only reason I'm not really addressing it is for personal reasons. My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.

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Marriage equality has taken huge steps forward this year, North Carolina notwithstanding. Equality was enacted in three states by way of popular vote, which has never happened before. The tide is certainly turning, and even folks against equality are seeing this fact.

This week saw the Supreme Court decide to take up the issue on two fronts: California's Proposition 8 (Prop 8) and the constitutionality of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DoMA). One of the most outspoken critics of marriage equality is the co-founder of the National Organization For Marriage (Discrimination), Maggie Gallagher. She issued an interesting statement on SCOTUS taking up the aforementioned pieces of legislation. While she said that the court will quite likely uphold Prop 8, she also said the court will likely throw down DoMA.

Of course there are many people on the other side of this issue that are still saying this fight is not over and they will win in the end. Ever so slowly however, there are fewer people of that mindset. Increasingly they are reading the signs: voters supporting equality on the ballot, younger people supporting equality more than older voters, more emboldened states taking up the cause of equality like Illinois (which plans a vote in January). Hearing social conservatives conceding these facts (even though they continue to fight against them) is certainly heartening. Yet we should not take all of this for granted. The battles will go on even if SCOTUS throws down both Prop 8 and DoMA, and we can not stop fighting.

An Open Letter to Maggie Gallagher

From After Elton:

...When we met a few months ago at a reception following a gay marriage debate you had with Andrew Sullivan, you were really quite charming, and we had a perfectly affable conversation on matters mostly unrelated to marriage equality. I have endeavored since that meeting to be more civil in discussions about your advocacy and have become more sensitive to (and distressed by) the personal attacks I sometimes see directed at you. I've tried to stick to what you say, while attempting to understand what you mean, since they are two entirely different things in most cases. You're a master of knowing your audience, and you were honestly an engaging person to talk to at that Washington & Lee reception. We agree on nearly nothing, but I took from that evening that you were a human being, and deserved to be treated as such. I still believe that.

But the things you say are monstrous. Particularly because they put a polite and kindly gloss on something that at its heart is very ugly and does damage to a lot of people. "Not this, not now?" Sorry, but marriage equality is NOT an affront to civilized society, and when you hold it out as such, you make it harder for gay youth who through no fault of their own are stuck in communities and families that say they and their relationships are "less than" their friends who are straight...

I think that Ed Kennedy, this letter's author, is being kinder to Gallagher than she deserves. You can read the letter in its entirety HERE.

The Wrap-Up: June 7, 2012

Wondering why you should care about the Wisconsin recall election if you live outside of that state? There are definitely many reasons why we should ALL care.

Miss Pennsylvania USA resigned over the Miss Universe Organization's apparent support of transgender candidates. Between her, Rick Santorum, and the Philadelphia Eagles, that state is looking less and less pleasant.

Short of stories that include suicide, this is probably the worst bullying story I have heard, in part, because it was also the school system bullying the student and their family.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is saying that it is more likely that someone will be struck by lightning than it is for voter fraud to take place in the state, contrary to the statements of Governor Rick Scott.

Even though the USDoJ has ordered Governor Scott to end the purge, Scott would rather have a showdown on the issue (the deadline to respond to the DoJ's order was yesterday).

Republicans have learned nothing from the assassination attempt against Rep. Gabby Giffords as another gun oriented ad pops up (and it has nothing to do with the NRA).

Yet another federal judge has ruled that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, specifically article 3, is unconstitutional. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is spending lots of tax-payer dollars to defend this discriminatory law and not getting much bang for his our buck.

The state of California will be investigating the National Organization for Marriage Discrimination over allegedly breaking campaign finance laws. You can thank Fred Karger for this.

And lastly, there will be a live stream tonight at 6PM of a debate between Maggie Gallagher (co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage Discrimination) and John Corvino (associate professor of philosophy at Wayne State University)

Maggie Gallagher Defends Race-Baiting

The Wrap-Up: March 29, 2012

While voting fraud incidents are very few and very far between, incidents of people being denied the right to vote are on the rise. Thanks Republicans!!!

More details from NOM's documentation: get stupid/pretty spokespeople. Because the Bible says so...right?

Speaking of NOM spokespersons, Maggie Gallagher was a no-show yesterday for an MSNBC interview. The show went on without her...somehow.

Mitt Romney's latest foray into (what he thinks is) humor: talking about his dad closing down a factory. Hardy-har-har...

With the Supreme Court ending it's hearings in the Affordable Care Act, the Washington Post takes us through 3 possible scenarios if the mandate falls.

Fox actually said something pro-envirnoment. In related news, Hell has frozen over.

President Obama probably wishes that the election were today instead of in 8 months. That's a political eternity.

Rick Santorum's home-state lead over Mitt Romney is virtually gone. Come on Rick, even Gingrich won his home state.

And lastly, I believe that this video will speak for itself.

The Wrap-Up: March 27, 2012

Did you know that when a reporter asks a question you don't like, that's called harassment? Rick Santorum said so, so it must be true.

There is actually a coalition of Republicans for the "Obamacare" mandate? Will wonders never cease...

Speaking of the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare's" actual title), yesterday was the day the mandate hit the Supreme Court.

Ever wonder what may have happened if the Clinton health care plan had passed?

Some Albanian officials aren't too happy with gay pride parades. I feel like that place has bigger (and actual) problems on which to concentrate.

Another conservative, anti-gay boycott is a Super Nova sized failure.

Slate.com asked its reader when they think the glass closet of men's professional sports will be broken (and you can find the original article HERE).

One would think that Rick Santorum being from Pennsylvania would give him home-field advantage in the state's April 24th primary...right?

Andrew Sullivan and Maggie Gallagher are throwing down here in the Commonwealth.

And lastly, Rick Santorum ignores yet another part of the Bible, like that part about turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).

The Wrap-Up: February 20, 2012

Garden State Equality had an interesting response to Gov. Chris Christie's veto of marriage equality.

North Carolina's anti-equality amendment doesn't just affect marriage, it's effects are far more reaching and dangerous.

In other far-reaching legislation, several states are pushing back against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which allows for indefinite detention of Americans without trial AND allows for the U.S. military to operate within the United States.

To whom it may concern, THIS is how one makes up for saying something homophobic, instead of a half-assed "I'm sorry IF I offended anyone." Are you reading this athletes (not all, but they know who they are)?

New Mexico's version of DoMA (the so-called Defense of Marriage Act) is dead. My condolences (well...not really).

President John Adams

The Obama administration takes another pro-gay step  that we KNOW would not happen under a Republican president (and may be undone under one).

Speaking of Obama, he really can't catch a break with the GOP. Something bad happens and it's all his fault. Something good happens and it's a conspiracy. So much for giving props where props are due I suppose.

There is some interesting information on socialized medicine and health care mandates...from the 1700's...and passed/signed by the founders.

And lastly, got up early to get grilled on marriage equality. She's seriously spinning faster a windmill in a tornado.

Marriage in New York: Backlash

The two main problems Gallagher faces:

-Money. She says NOM has pledged $2 million to defeat the Senate Republicans who voted for marriage equality as well as the Senate Democrats that flipped from no to yes on equality. However, it has been reported that money is flowing into the coffers of these Senators already, including lots of money from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Which will outweigh which only time will tell.

-Time. It is not on NOM's side. Gallagher mentioned that there is a 4 year plan to reverse marriage equality in New York. Trends have shown that in virtually every demographic, people have found gay rights, up to and including marriage equality, more agreeable. There is no reason to believe that this trend will change in the foreseeable future. The more time that passes, the less likely it is that NOM's plan will successfully come to fruition.