Join the Impact on November 15th.
Join the Impact
Keith Olbermann's Prop 8 special comment:
Finally tonight as promised, a Special Comment on the passage, last week, of Proposition Eight in California, which rescinded the right of same-sex couples to marry, and tilted the balance on this issue, from coast to coast.
Some parameters, as preface. This isn't about yelling, and this isn't about politics, and this isn't really just about Prop-8. And I don't have a personal investment in this: I'm not gay, I had to strain to think of one member of even my very extended family who is, I have no personal stories of close friends or colleagues fighting the prejudice that still pervades their lives.
And yet to me this vote is horrible. Horrible. Because this isn't about yelling, and this isn't about politics.
This is about the... human heart, and if that sounds corny, so be it.
If you voted for this Proposition or support those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because, truly, I do not... understand. Why does this matter to you? What is it to you? In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option. They don't want to deny you yours. They don't want to take anything away from you. They want what you want -- a chance to be a little less alone in the world.
Only now you are saying to them -- no. You can't have it on these terms. Maybe something similar. If they behave. If they don't cause too much trouble. You'll even give them all the same legal rights -- even as you're taking away the legal right, which they already had. A world around them, still anchored in love and marriage, and you are saying, no, you can't marry. What if somebody passed a law that said you couldn't marry?
Source: Keith Olbermann's Prop 8 Special Comment: It's "About The Human Heart" (VIDEO)
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Hope will never be silent.
- Harvey Milk
Is a Gay President in Our Future?
We asked everyone at the Milk premiere if we’d ever see a modern day Harvey Milk in the White House, meaning an openly gay guy as the leader of the free world. Hey, for all you doubters out there, when did ya think a black man would be elected president, 3008? So there. Here’s the sass they spat back:
Awful Truth: Think we’ll ever have a gay president?
James Franco: I dunno! It would be great!
A.T.: Knew you were a smart fella, college boy.
Stuart Milk, Harvey’s Nephew: It’s amazing electing our first African-American president. I think we sent a huge message to the world [that] anything is possible in the U.S.”
Cleve Jones, gay activist: I suspect we’ve already had a few.
A.T.: Wow. Maybe it was prez No. 15, James Buchanan, who never married? And there are some rumors floating around that Abe Lincoln and Mary Todd were never all that hot ‘n’ heavy in their log cabin...
Marissa Jaret Winokur: I hope we have a woman president! I hope we have a Jewish president! This has opened the doors for so many minorities that haven’t been seen.
A.T.: Who would be a great gay president?
MJW: My son, Zev Isaac Miller! That’s if he’s gay, but he’s only four months old, he doesn’t know yet. We’re hoping!
Awful Truth
We’re hoping!
They're hoping the kid is gay? :)
Prop 8 boycott
Sundance Film Fest's Prop 8 Headache
Will the ultraliberal, gay-friendly Sundance Film Festival be hurt by the passage of California's antigay Prop 8?
It's a possibility.
Earlier this week, John Aravosis, editor of liberal political blog Americablog, posted a story suggesting the state of Utah be boycotted in order to punish the Mormon Church for its rabid support of Prop 8, the ballot initiative that has now banned same-sex marriages in California.
The Robert Redford-founded not-for-profit Sundance is located in Park City, Utah, and relies on the yearly festival as its major fundraiser to support its programs and services. Next year's run in January is expected to draw at least 50,000 people, according to festival rep Brooks Addicott.
"Unfortunately, Sundance is located in a really bad state," Aravosis said.
And things got even sticker earlier today... Turns out that Alan Stock, CEO of movie chain Cinemark, donated almost $10,000 to Yes on 8. Sundance uses the local Cinemark-owned Holiday Village Cinema as one of its biggest screening venues. "Our friends," Aravosis said referring to the festival, "are giving money to the enemy." Even so, a Sundance rep said there are no plans to pull out of its deal with Cinemark because, quite simply, there's nowhere else to go. "There's nothing we can do," Addicott said. "We have a commitment to our filmmakers to show their films."
Cinemark is trying to distance itself from Stock's contribution, insisting in a statement that the company has no opinion on Prop 8. "Any individual act or contribution is just that, individual acts of personal expression and do not reflect company positions or policy," the statement reads in part. Aravosis predicts protesters will target the theater come festival time.
"Are filmmakers—even apolitical ones—going to want to walk into and use a theater that's being protested?" Aravosis asked. "I just don't know how you can defend using that theater."
Sundance has a long-running history of supporting gay and lesbian filmmaking, including being the launching pad for the Oscar-winning Boys Don't Cry, among many other projects.
Marc Malkin
Boyzone have become the first boyband to feature a gay couple in their video.
Boyzone's "Better" video
Good luck today everyone!
I really love this artwork too. :*
Pete Wentz to talk Prop 8 on Larry King Live
"due to breaking news and scheduling conflicts i will not be appearing on larry king live tonight, though i am a big fan of the show and look forward to appearing on it in the future. i also look forward to the chance to continue supporting civil rights and speaking out against the passing of proposition 8 and others like it (im looking at you arizona and florida) whenever and wherever i can."
http://petewentz.com/
Yay, Pete! :)
'I Don't Care What Your Spiritual-Religious Beliefs Are, It Should Not Interfere With Our Government'
Say what you will about Ashton Kutcher — What Happens In Vegas, Guess Who, and the list goes on — but it's nice to see the guy's on the side of gay folk, and willing to drill down the entire notion of Proposition 8 so succinctly: That in a country founded on the separation of church and state, we refuse to separate church and state. (Oh, and the religious guy in the beginning is hell-a interesting too.)
Ashton Kutcher is pissed off (video)
Is a Gay President in Our Future?
Remember this?
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
OMG, I HAVE THE BEST IDEA EVER!
Dear Jake,
So how are you? Besides sad that I rarely write posts to you in letter form anymore? I know. But we've been so busy lately debating the merits of your enviously large pool of assumed sexual partners that you've sort of been put on the back burner of late. Sorry about that. If it's any consolation, I'm of the mindset that if it's not me, I can't be bothered.
Anyway, I was sitting around reading a copy of The Guardian, which britpopbaby dutifully air-mails to me once a week on the off-chance that there's an interview with you inside, when lo and behold! There was an interview with you inside! I was particularly interested to see that, being the kindred, mid-twenties, lefty, opinionated spirits that we are, we shared a similar idealogical confusion over Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Which one is more in tune with our political views? Which one should we give $20 to (your campaign contribution will possibly have more zeros than mine)? Which one is more likely to make Stephen Colbert's Threatdown?
So I'm sitting there thinking, 'hey, I know Jake's from California where they're all "progressive" and shit, but those of us from the South know an uphill political battle when we see one. What we need is a Democratic candidate who is so utterly wholesome and baggage-free that the American people will literally run to the polls just for the opportunity to vote for this person.'
What we need is Jake Gyllenhaal. President Jake Gyllenhaal. (Sample campaign poster below.)
I see only one minor flaw in this scenario and that is that you are not technically eligible to be President. According to lawkids.org, the President must be a) a natural-born citizen; b) at least 35 years of age; and c) have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. It's that second qualification that might prove difficult. This is where your acting skills and a professional make-up team come into play. We know from Brokeback Mountain that you can be aged to look up to 39 years of age, years beyond the required minimum. Hey, I'd totally be willing to vouch that you were born sometime in the early 1970's. I'm known some circles to be at least semi-trustworthy. Look, if you don't tell, I won't tell. I really don't think we should let the Constitution slow us down on this one.
I'm so sure that you're going to agree to this plan that I've not only coined your slogan ("Jake in 'o8!") but I've also made up a bumper-sticker-ready logo:
In addition, I've preemptively appointed myself as your Chief of Staff for when the day comes. I figure britpopbaby can be your speechwriter and head up the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms so that she can immediately rid the world of the latter two. I've also decided your campaign song should be "This Is Why I'm Hot" by Mims because you told everyone you wrote it that one time you were on MTV. Excellent campaign move. The younger voters will love a gangsta President.
Any objections? Didn't think so. The first Democratic candidate debate is tonight in South Carolina, but don't worry! I've already signed you up and made out some notecards on the more important issues. See you tonight. Over and out!
Prophecy Girl
White House Chief of Staff (what? too soon?)
Jake Watch
I'll be there. Thanks Jackie, you are a good soul!
11:39 AM
Take care and let us now how it went!
Everyone should see this - know your rights!
http://www.domawatch.org/index.php
^^^
DOMA Watch is a joint effort by the growing coalition of Americans and their various organizations that support the preservation of marriage as a union of one man and one woman. A number of the pro-marriage organizations listed as “For DOMA” have contributed information to this website.
We have created DOMA Watch because of escalating efforts to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.
"Revolutionary Road" trailer
It's good to be aware of what the opponents of gay marriage are doing!
Yay for Ashton, and I also liked what the gentleman from Newsweek said, marriage and family is beneficial to society, for all couples, not just straight. :)
CNN iReport
Your thoughts on same-sex marriage
Voters weighed in on California's Proposition 8 on Election Day, which eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry in the state. Similar measures also passed in Arizona and Florida.
We want to hear how this is affecting you. Did you vote in favor of Proposition 8, or do you oppose it? Share your stories, photos and videos and they could end up on CNN. If you have wedding pictures, we'd like to see them too.
CNN - Your thoughts on same-sex marriage
LA City Hall Protest Starting
Anti prop 8 protest in Houston
"Every 10th Jesus is a Mary"
LA City Hall Prop 8 sign
Fight H8 Rally - Dallas, TX
Dear Ted:
Is Oded Good-Head from One Unmanageable Blind Vice Adam Levine of Maroon 5?
—Lance
Dear Sing On:
Nope, A.L. wines and dines plenty of ladies, trust.
Dear Ted:
Please just shoot straight. Why all the hints about our favorite showmance lately? We're not feeling the heat either, but are seeing the icy cold stiff look Orlando has when called in to make his appearances. Just spill it already, please. Will this joke be over by Xmas?
—BetTina, ChrisTina,and PaTina.
Dear Homance:
Too close to call. But yes, they’ll be over sometime.
Dear Ted:
Is Gerard Butler gay?
—Daria
Dear Queer-isitive:
Why in the world are you asking me? Ask the chicks he shot all those lame pickup lines to.
Equal Rights March - San Diego
Equal Rights March - San Diego - Video
It rained all day today where I am - but at about 2:30 EST, a HUGE rainbow came out - a huge, remarkable rainbow arc. A blessing for all the protests today! :)
Wow, a sign from God Himself :)
I thought so too - especially with the rainbow. It was huge, people were taking pictures. God loves gay marriage, and gay people! :*
I hope we get to see those pictures.
I hope thoses at the protests were able to see it and get pictures - where I saw it wasn't at the protests, I wasn't able to go, unfortunately, but I hope that those who were able to be there, saw the rainbow too. It was so remarkable that people got their phones out to take pics. My heart and spirit were there, tho. :)
Gus Van Sant is getting married?
Just Add Milk
Director Gus Van Sant delivers the story of the gay-rights movement’s patron saint in his most political film to date.
Gus Van Sant is getting married? It’s hard to picture this outsider, the lone wolf of American cinema, walking down the aisle like talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. But he said it himself.
“I proposed to someone last week,” said Van Sant, revealing a smile that turned into a full-blown laugh. Apparently it’s good to be Gus Van Sant.
...
Gus Van Sant
^^ :)
Nov 15
Gay Rights Supporters Protest Ban
Gay rights supporters in the first state to allow same-sex couples to exchange wedding vows gathered Saturday to protest the California vote that banned gay marriage there and to urge supporters not to quit the fight for the right to wed.
Crowds gathered near public buildings in small communities and major cities including New York, San Francisco and Chicago to vent their frustrations, celebrate gay relationships and renew calls for change.
''Civil marriages are a civil right, and we're going to keep fighting until we get the rights we deserve as American citizens,'' Karen Amico said in Philadelphia, holding up a sign reading ''Don't Spread H8''. ''We are the American family, we live next door to you, we teach your children, we take care of your elderly,'' said Heather Baker a special education teacher from Boston who addressed the crowd at Boston's City Hall Plaza. ''We need equal rights across the country.''
Massachusetts and Connecticut, which began same sex weddings this past week, are the only two states that allow gay marriage. All 30 states that have voted on gay marriage have enacted bans. Protests following the vote on Proposition 8 in California, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, have sometimes been angry and even violent, and demonstrators have targeted faiths that supported the ban, including the Mormon church.
However, representatives of Join the Impact, which organized Saturday's demonstrations, asked supporters to be respectful and refrain from attacking other groups during the rallies. The mood in Boston was generally upbeat, with attendees dancing and signing to the song ''Respect.'' Signs cast the fight for gay marriage as the new civil rights movement, including one that read ''Gay is the new black.''
But anger over the ban and its backers was evident at the protests. One sign in Chicago read: ''Catholic Fascists Stay Out of Politics.'' ''I just found out that my state doesn't really think I'm a person,'' said Rose Aplustill, 21, a Boston University student from Los Osos, Calif., who was one of thousands at the Boston rally.
Planning for the nationwide protests was started by a Seattle blogger, Amy Balliett, just days after the California vote, which took away gay marriage rights that had been granted by the state's high court. The idea rapidly spread online and Join the Impact predicted that Saturday's protests would involve tens of thousands of people in hundreds of communities.
In North Dakota, where voters in 2004 overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, low-key protests were held Saturday in Grand Forks and Fargo, where people lined a bridge carrying signs and flags. ''It's been very peaceful,'' said Josh Boschee, who helped organize the Fargo protest.
In Chicago, Keith Smith, 42, a postal worker, and his partner, Terry Romo, 34, a Wal-Mart store manager, had photos of their wedding ceremony which they held even though gay marriage is not legal in Illinois. ''We're not going to wait for no law,'' Smith said. ''But time's going to be on our side and it's going to change.''
NY Times
Yay yeah it's good to be Gus! ! !
It's gonna be a very good year!
Young protester in Boston
Another young protester in Boston
Oh, how very sweet. Some people are teaching their children well. :)
November 15
4,000 In Boston Protest Calif. Gay Marriage Ban
BOSTON (WBZ) ― Four to five thousand people gathered in the rain on City Hall Plaza Saturday to protest the recent vote in California which reversed that state's legalization of gay marriage. The rally was among hundreds planned by gay marriage advocates in all 50 states this weekend.
The Boston rally took on special significance because of Massachusetts' distinction as the first state to legally recognize gay marriages. The show of support on City Hall Plaza included same sex couples from all over the state who have married in Massachusetts since May 2004.
The rally was organized in part by MassEquality in hopes of demonstrating that gay marriage can be a benefit to families, children and society.
The first gay marriages began in Massachusetts in 2004, after the state's high court ruled same-sex couples had the same right to marriage as heterosexual couples. A citizen-initiated ballot question that would have ended gay marriage in Massachusetts was killed last year when it was blocked by the state Legislature.
http://wbztv.com/local/gay.marriage.protest.2.865418.html
Fantastic! :)
Posted on OMG
destiny said...
I went to the rally in NY, another great turnout. This time it was a traditional rally with speakers, not a march. It was mostly local politicians (but only at the city council and state legislature level) and a lot of gay activists. Celebrity-wise Heather Matarazzo spoke and was very passionate on the subject, and even got teary-eyed. I loved her. There were also some people I can't recall the names of--a former Miss America who does a lot of Broadway and described herself as mostly conservative but not on this issue, and someone who was on one of those model realty shows and is now a newscaster for MTV.
I do wonder though why we did not see people like the mayor, any openly gay male stars from Broadway, etc. I wonder if it has to do with the organizers, who are mostly young college students, timing, reluctance to speak up....
I think a lot of it is timing - it's a huge effort to pull together in such a short time, and this was done in a WEEK - that's phenomenal to me. Probably a lot of people had previous commitments, but there seems to have been a huge turnout. The internet can be amazing in getting out info fast! There's going to be another national protest in January, so maybe more celebs and even more supporters can take part.
I was going to cross-post over here since there is so much discussion on Prop. 8 on this site, but I see someone already beat me to it. :-)
that's phenomenal to me
I think so too.
Who knows, this could be the beginning of the national gay Equality for All civil rights movement.
Oops, sorry Destiny.
Thanks for sharing the good news from NYC :)
Who knows, this could be the beginning of the national gay Equality for All civil rights movement.
I sure hope so too!
:)
Grandson of Mormon Polygamists Happily Married to JUST One Man!
Join the Impact - one of "What Happens Next?" ideas / suggestions:
"Next steps: A Thanksgiving Day Action–a proposal
We need to start discussions about gay rights not just among those of us who already are close with gay people. We need to extend out to churches and “red areas” of the state and country. So on Thanksgiving, I suggest we print up yard signs and buttons with slogans along the lines of:
I’m Thankful for my gay son/daughter/mother/cousin/friend/colleague.
or
Ask me why I’m thankful for my gay son/daughter/mother/father/cousin/friend/colleague
The idea is to let everyone know that they know someone who is gay. I believe that the biggest shift in mindset comes when any despised minority goes from being a faceless other onto which people can project their greatest fears to just people. It’s happened in my own family. It’s happened with people I’ve worked with. We need this movement to include more than LGBT people who are angry about being second-class citizens. We need straight people motivated by love and familial protection.
We need to remind the public that being gay is about forming a family, and being part of a family.
I also believe we need to reach out to groups that have been discriminated against and encourage them to be public in their support. We need interracial couples to come out and be public about how grateful they are this Thanksgiving that they can marry. I think just that adds to the discussion. Something like:
I’m thankful I can marry the person I love, regardless of race.
I haven’t organized anything since college, but if anyone is interested in helping with this–graphic design, sending these out to family and friends–contact me at organizerheather at gmail dot com."
http://jointheimpact.com/2008/11/what-happens-next/#comments
Wow, excellent idea. :)
We need this movement to include more than LGBT people who are angry about being second-class citizens. We need straight people motivated by love and familial protection.
Yes, he/she has a valuable point.
"Just back from a very full day here in L.A. The protest downtown was INCREDIBLE. Thousands of people, tons of them young gays and lesbians. And you know what?
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT!
They know what they're doing and why, and the sheer joy they're experiencing in declaring themselves and fighting back is infectious. I'm really really happy."
"The Oakland rally was great.
There was a powerful speech from the young son of a lesbian couple. He couldn't have been more than 10 years old.
He said that he didn't know his family was any different than anyone else's family until he learned that people wanted to discriminate against his two moms.
It was incredible."
Nicked fron DL:
It happened on November 15th
1636 - The Plymouth Colony (in present-day Massachusetts) issued the first complete legal code in the colonies. "Sodomy, rapes, buggery" constituted one of eight categories of crimes punishable by death.
1941 - Heinrich Himmler announced a decree that any member of the Nazi SS or the police who had sex with another man would be put to death.
1989 - Massachusetts passed a statewide gay rights law.
1995 - The Florida Baptist state convention approved a resolution to encourage members to boycott the Walt Disney Co. because of the company's extension of domestic partner benefits to its gay and lesbian employees. The boycott did not put Disney out of business.
No problem 6:46.
One other thing I forgot to say about the rally in NYC. Double-decker tourist buses kept going by, the kind where the top is open to the air (and after a rainy morning we had a couple of hours of warm sunny weather), so there were a lot of tourists on the upper deck who got to see and hear the rally as they slowly drove by, or stopped for people to get off and on. More than a few of them signaled their support.
I don't know if anyone saw it, but I kept thinking of a bit on The Daily Show a few weeks ago with Rob Riggle taking one of those buses through New York and showing off all the exotic liberal elites in New York, including the "gays" in Chelsea. I sort of felt that way, but I also felt like we got a lot of attention for the cause.
Equal Rights Rally - Los Angeles
Today the nation marched together to support Equality For All. Equal Rights for the GBLT community. I was amongst the 40,000 Californians at the Prop 8 Rally in Los Angeles, CA. I headed out of Studio City, CA on the subway towards the civics center, the subway was so packed they let all of us protesters on for free. Even the train operator yelled out "Good Luck! And NO ON 8!" as we exited the train towards the rally. Thousands of protesters marched out of the subway station towards the main stage.
Celebrities came out in support today including T.R. Knight, Matt Lucus (Little Britain USA), Lucy Lawless, Ricki Lake, and even our mayor took time from the wild fires to speak in front of the massive crowd delivering a message of hope, change and support. The crowd was as diverse as Los Angeles; representing people from all ethnicities, religious views, young, and old. We came together today under one message; Equality For All! I'll let the photo's tell the story from here!
Equal Rights Rally - Los Angeles - The youngest protester?
Good link
Equal Rights Rally - Los Angeles - The youngest protester?
'Milk' Men Premiere New Film
The men of 'Milk' -- Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and James Franco -- stepped out in Beverly Hills Thursday night for the movie's premiere.
In the biopic Sean plays Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, and the film charts the last eight years of the politician's colorful life after he relocated to the Castro neighborhood and became personally involved with the fight against injustice.
"What originally drew me to it was Gus Van Sant ... a wonderful film maker, and I think he's told this story beautifully," Penn tells ET about choosing to work on the film. "And all of us got very involved with the story once we exposed ourselves to it."
Armed with tenacity and a solid group of friends and supporters behind him, the larger-than-life Milk fought for equal rights until he was tragically gunned down along with the Mayor of San Francisco by fellow supervisor Dan White.
'Milk' opens in theaters December 5.
'Milk' Premiere
Equal "Revolutionary Road" trailer
Good trailer, but rather depressing subject.
Happy Birthday Maggie!
Official trailer of The new series Prince of Persia games
New Prince Of Persia 4 Games Video Trailer
ET video - a bit better quality and without you-know-who introduction:
ET Prince of Persia Set Visit video
There is more!
Prince of Persia Trailers Bonanza
3 Prince of Persia game trailers
Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg talks about adapting 'Twilight':
...
MM: I saw in an interview you spoke about how Brokeback Mountain influenced you…
MR: It’s interesting when we first started off, often we think of a movie or a story that has been told before and look at its structure or the model of how you might tell a story and initially we thought, ‘Ok, it’s Romeo and Juliet.’ But then one of the producers said it’s more like Brokeback Mountain and I realized he’s absolutely right. It’s that forbidden love, it’s that deeply kept secret where life depends on whether or not you can keep it secret and the fear of getting involved and yet the enormous draw and purity of the romance. It actually ended up being a great model.
MM: That makes a lot of sense.
MR: And I also thought that Brokeback was just an extraordinary movie.
MM: It’s also a short story as opposed to a novel, so the adaption process must be more extending than condensing.
MR: Yes, it is; there are some things that I learned. I saw Brokeback and then I read the story and it truly was a magnificent adaptation. Have you ever read the short story? They took what was maybe a sentence in the short story and expanded it into a storyline. It was really such an impressive job and there was some of that in the adaptation of Twilight, not that I would dare compare myself to those guys. (laughs) We’re very different, but there was, for instance, the evil vampires. In the book they show up in the last 25 percent of the book or even less than that: The last several chapters of the book. That is fine in the book. It works beautifully in the book; it was great. But if the movie ends with a confrontation with evil vampires, you really need to drop them in and you need to get that sense of impending doom and impending conflict. You need to layer that in from the beginning.
They really didn’t have a lot of page time in the book, although all three of them [the evil vampires] are exceedingly important in not only this book but moving forward, so it was taking this suggestion—the characters Stephenie created in those last few chapters—and expanding on them and expanding on their relationships between with each other. It was taking what she had implied and moving it forward and saying, ‘OK, she created this character; what might he have been doing 60 pages earlier that we didn’t see in the book?’ So again, it’s not veering away from the author’s vision or the author’s characters, it’s just expanding on them. She’s quite happy with the movie so I think it’s very gratifying that’s she’s thought we did an alright job on that.
...
http://www.moviemaker.com/articles/print/twilight_melissa_rosenberg_catherine_hardwicke_robert_pattinson_20081110/
^^I'd really like to read Twilight.
Decisions, decisions - should I see Quantum of Solace today, or Apaloosa? I also want to see Defiance with Daniel Craig when that comes out, it seems very romantic and inspiring, although quite sad.
Defiance - hopefully it will be more successful than "Flashbacks of a Fool":
"Daniel Craig made a flick called Flashbacks of a Fool which opened October 17, played in two theaters and is already on DVD. It made barely any money, but he's NAKED in it, hello. But Bond's getting all the attention. PS: Bond opens today! [Fox 411]"
Decisions, decisions - should I see Quantum of Solace today, or Apaloosa?
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" sounds like a better choice!
^^ :)
The previews for Defiance looked excellent - there's a scene of a secret wedding in the forest that is just beautiful. I hope it does well, and Quantum too, for Daniel. He's hot! :')
Yes, first reviews are good but the question is who will want to see a World War II movie.
It will be interesting to see if Tom Cruise can sell "Valkyrie".
I know! I wonder if he can - the subject matter is interesting in that one too.
Pathetic: From the NY Times:
Such window dressing aside, there remains only one Republican idea for reaching out to minority voters: Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention, recommends pandering to socially conservative blacks and Hispanics with yet more hyperventilation about same-sex marriage. Weird though it may be, gays were the sole minority group that actually voted slightly more Republican this year (though still going Democratic by 70 to 27 percent). Pitting blacks and Latinos against them could open up a whole new bloody front in the G.O.P. civil war.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/opinion/16rich.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Very pathetic - people are smart enought not to fall for that, I hope.
It was so encouraging to see same-sex marriage supporters get together on Sat., especially on short notice. :(
Southern Baptist Convention, recommends pandering to socially conservative blacks and Hispanics with yet more hyperventilation about same-sex marriage
Nate Silver, Statistical Genius, Says Prop. 8 Passed Because of Old People
The latest wrinkle in the Prop. 8 whodunit blame game comes from FiveThirtyEight's adorkable Nate Silver, who breaks down the demographics on the California vote. "Certainly, the No on 8 folks might have done a better job of outreach to California's black and Latino communities. But the notion that Prop 8 passed because of the Obama turnout surge is silly", he claims. Instead, he says the numbers place the blame at the feet of older voters across all demographics:
"The good news for supporters of marriage equity is that — and there's no polite way to put this — the older voters aren't going to be around for all that much longer, and they'll gradually be cycled out and replaced by younger voters who grew up in a more tolerant era. Everyone knew going in that Prop 8 was going to be a photo finish — California might be just progressive enough and 2008 might be just soon enough for the voters to affirm marriage equity. Or, it might fall just short, which is what happened. But two or four or six or eight years from now, it will get across the finish line."
Queerty
Coming out
Wanda Sykes Gay As The Day Is Long
At the Las Vegas rally for Proposition 8 yesterday, comedian and Adventures of New Christine ingenue Wanda Sykes told a massive crowd of onlookers that she'd gotten married on October 25...to a woman. After divorcing her husband in 1998, many had hoped Sykes would break up Larry David's marriage and claim him for her own. While it looks like that hilarious coupling will never come to pass, we wish the brilliant Sykes all the happiness in the world. Here's what she told the crowd:
"You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation. I didn't feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life...Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay. But that's the way people should be able to live their lives...Now, I gotta get in their face. I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."
We probably should have already known, as Sykes and New Christine co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus often had jokes in the script about their two characters being married. Go Wanda!
UPDATE:: You can hear Wanda's speech and an interview afterwards here. And here's some video for you:
Wanda Sykes
I don't know, a lot of the generations don't bother to get involved as much as those "older" people who grew up in the 60s and learned to question authority, during a terribly repressive era. When they go, I don't know if succeeding complacent generations have the balls to challenge the way people did back then, or are too involved in their own day-to-day activities to get involved. It's better to reach out and educate people instead of assigning general blame to entire groups of people - isn't that what we're fighting against, really? Did anyone get out there when DoMA passed in 1996?
^^And DoMA was signed into law by Bill Clinton, I might add. Those older people will show you how it's done, challenging authority.
Some of the civil rights people take for granted today were fought for by those "older" people. :)
I can see that ignorance is one of those equal opportunity offenders, cutting across all barriers. :(
So let's put the blame squarely where it lies on this issue - complacency. What else could be the reason for such an outcry, as lovely as it is, after the fact? And not before the election? Get off your complacent asses the next time around, and don't listen to the so-called pundits who claim to be able to predict the future - they were wrong, as we can see. :(
We need this movement to include more than LGBT people who are angry about being second-class citizens. We need straight people motivated by love and familial protection.
I think that's a good way to win over "older voters", to put a face on gays who "don't deserve the right to get married".
ITA - it's been the same with every minority group. A human face, instead of a nebulous group of "them" who they will never be affected by, but your co-workers, friends, friends' children, etc.
It's what happens to children that bother me the most - growing up feeling they are not as good as a majority, or their parents' relationship isn't. It's been the same from time immemorial. It makes it worse IMO if same-sex couples are given the same rights as opposite sex couples, but the union still isn't called a marriage. It makes it seem second, and it should be equal. :)
Posted on OMG - Not just a pretty face!
Wilmingtonians join protest over gay marriage bans
More than 140 people assembled on the steps of the Federal Building in downtown Wilmington Saturday to protest the gay marriage bans recently approved in states across the country. The event was part of a planned nationwide network of protests, from Anchorage to Raleigh, largely organized via online word-of-mouth. Wilmington organizers Kati Heffield and Mary Eller assembled the Federal Building protest in just three days, primarily using the social networking Web site Facebook.
“I can’t imagine how many more people would have come if we’d had more preparation time,” Heffield said. “Even though this isn’t a voting issue here yet, the fact that people showed up in such large numbers is a preview of how much support there would be if it were up for a vote.” North Carolina’s laws against same-sex marriage make it one of more than 40 states with either constitutional bans or laws outlawing the unions. With the passage of Proposition 8 in California earlier this month, Massachusetts and Connecticut are now the only states where same-sex marriage is legal.
Local protestors carrying signs saying “equality for all” and “love will overcome,” cheered loudly when a passing driver honked in support. A few people protesting the demonstration stood across the street, holding signs that said “one woman + one man = marriage.”
“One Tree Hill” actress Sophia Bush spoke at the event to voice her disappointment in the “devastating” news of the passage of gay marriage ban Proposition 8 in California. “It sickens me that any mortal man would say that they had the right to judge any other person this way,” Bush said. “Nobody should tell anyone who they can and cannot love.”
Husband and wife Sal Marsico and Jessica Probst held a hand-lettered sign reading “our marriage is not threatened by gay marriage.” The two said that they chose to attend the protest to show that as a married couple, they in no way felt threatened by gay marriage. “It would make our marriage even more meaningful, because everyone would have that right,” Probst said. “If people really wanted to protect the sanctity of marriage, they would make a proposition against divorce.”
Probst said that she recently moved to Wilmington from San Francisco, and has been pleasantly surprised by Wilmington’s support for the gay community. Cape Fear Community College student Terry Rivenbark, however, said that she felt the gay community in Wilmington was hidden and not accepted. She sees potential for improvement, however. “With the film industry coming in, it gives me hope,” Rivenbark said. “We have more diversity now, so maybe there will be a change.”
The protest lasted from 1:30 p.m. until about 3 p.m.
“Today, we’re not gay, we’re not straight, we’re not bisexual, we’re not transgendered – we’re Americans,” Heffield said to a cheering crowd Saturday afternoon. “And we’re fighting for the right to marry another American, male or female.”
StarNewsOnline
“One Tree Hill” actress Sophia Bush spoke at the event to voice her disappointment in the “devastating” news of the passage of gay marriage ban Proposition 8 in California.
Thanks sweetie!
Sophia really is a sweetie. I love her in OTH with Austin. Thanks much to the lovable Wanda Sykes too. :*
I loved the article from the Advocate posted here earlier, but one thing that bothered me about it - the implication that certain other ethnic groups are "offended" by being included as an example in the fight for gay equality - as if there are different degrees of bigotry. IMO, discrimination isn't about who has suffered the most at its hands throughout history, discrimination is a principle. Lord knows, there's been enough suffering to go around over the centuries. The ADL seems to agree, as they have joined the fight against Prop 8. I am humbled that they have decided to join, absolutely humbled. :')
^^I should say "discrimination is a matter of principle." Thanks!
or better yet - fighting against discrimination is a matter of principle. Sorry! ;)
Posted on OMG
Many of the anti-Proposition 8 signs mixed humor with anger, often targeting Mormons who supported the measure.
“If heaven discriminates, I don’t want to go.”
“The same Bible was used to justify slavery.”
“Hmm. . . . What’s so traditional about polygamy?”
“Where’s My Gay Tax Break?”
“Joseph Smith had 33 wives. Gays only want one.”
“I was born gay. You were taught religion.”
“My brother is getting married . . . again. Why can’t I get married once?”
“Straight but not narrow.”
“Only my wife should care if I marry a man.”
I don't know if anyone saw it, but I kept thinking of a bit on The Daily Show a few weeks ago with Rob Riggle taking one of those buses through New York and showing off all the exotic liberal elites in New York, including the "gays" in Chelsea.
I did. It was the funniest satire on Sarah Palin's bs about "real America" being "small-town America", i.e straight, white, Christians are the only real Americans.
Rob points at the flags flying on Wall Street and says "they're just drying them out so they'll burn better later".
Eureka, CA, Population in July 2007: 25,396
Hundreds in Eureka, thousands across nation protest Proposition 8
EUREKA -- Sounds of honking horns and jubilant cheers filled the downtown air Saturday as hundreds of gay rights advocates joined in a nationwide day of protest against California's Proposition 8 and other bans on same-sex marriages.
”This is very important -- it's the start of the new civil rights movement, and we're not going to stop, we're not going to rest, until it's over,” local Marriage Equality chapter co-leader Stan Smith-Hanes told a crowd gathered in front of the Humboldt County Courthouse on Saturday morning.
Crowds large and small gathered Saturday near public buildings in small communities and major cities, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, to vent their frustrations, celebrate gay relationships and renew calls for change. A string of protests in California have followed Election Day, which saw the passage of Proposition 8 with 52.2 percent of the vote, creating a constitutional amendment explicitly stating that only marriages between a man and a woman are valid or recognized in the state. The vote essentially overturned, at least temporarily, a state supreme court ruling earlier in the year that cleared the way for same-sex couples to wed.
A day after the June court decision, Martin Joaquin, who attended Saturday's protest, jumped at the chance to marry his partner of 29 years, Lawrence Gragg. ”It was validation,” Joaquin said, adding that the couple had declined for years to settle for the civil union designation. “I didn't want to get married until it was really marriage.” Then, less than five months after Joaquin and Gragg wed, came Election Day, when Joaquin said he watched measures banning gay marriage pass in California, Arizona and Florida, and felt his heart sink.
”I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I knew action had to be taken,” he said.
On Saturday, many felt the same way, and they filled streets coast to coast with signs with such slogans as “Don't Spread H8,” “How do my rights hurt you?” and “We are not turning back,” many of them printed in rainbow lettering. In San Francisco, some signs were more pointedly directed at the perceived impact of religion on politics, with the Mormon Church, which sent volunteers to California and encouraged its members to donate money, as a favorite target. “Leave your church out of my state,” read one sign. “You have three wives; I want one husband,” read another.
In Eureka, Carole Beaton, a self-described 63-year-old heterosexual, said the amount of money religious organizations spent on the “Yes on 8” campaign is mind-boggling. ”Think what the Mormons and Catholics spent on taking away rights,” Beaton said. “They could have fed, clothed and helped countless people. Instead, they spent millions on taking away people's rights.”
Proponents of Proposition 8, many churches included, say it was aimed at preserving the institution of marriage. Local businesses and individuals that contributed to the “Yes on 8” campaign were also targeted at Saturday's protest, with some speakers calling for boycotts.
”Support the businesses that supported us,” Susan McGee urged the crowd, drawing loud cheers of support. Linda Atkins, who won a city council seat representing Eureka's 2nd Ward on Election Day, also urged those in the crowd to use their power as consumers to effect change. ”We have a big economic impact on this state -- let's use it,” she said.
Atkins told the crowd that the proudest moment of her life came when she recently married her wife at the Humboldt County Courthouse. ”We can't let anyone take this away from us,” she said. “We need to stand firm.”
While some seemed intent on focusing on the divisions that Proposition 8 has laid bare, others encouraged those attending Saturday's protest to reach out, bridge divides and make connections. ”Talk to your neighbors,” Smith-Hanes said. “Tell them your stories. If they voted 'yes,' tell them why it hurts. We've got to meet people one-on-one until their resistance crumbles.”
After the marchers gathered at the Old Town gazebo, amid a sea of protesters, Beaton took a moment to reflect on her 63 years on this planet. ”I've seen a lot of change in my lifetime,” said Beaton, who grew up at a time when segregation was the law of the land and who said she wasn't considered for some jobs because of her gender.
”Look how far we've come,” Beaton continued, clutching a ”No on 8” sign in her hands. “This is our last step.”
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_10998462
Rob points at the flags flying on Wall Street and says "they're just drying them out so they'll burn better later".
LOL
or better yet - fighting against discrimination is a matter of principle
True. It's incredible how so many people don't see anything wrong with treating gays differently.
”Think what the Mormons and Catholics spent on taking away rights,” Beaton said.
Mormons Tipped Scale in Ban on Gay Marriage
SACRAMENTO — Less than two weeks before Election Day, the chief strategist behind a ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage in California called an emergency meeting here. “We’re going to lose this campaign if we don’t get more money,” the strategist, Frank Schubert, recalled telling leaders of Protect Marriage, the main group behind the ban.
The campaign issued an urgent appeal, and in a matter of days, it raised more than $5 million, including a $1 million donation from Alan C. Ashton, the grandson of a former president of the Mormon Church. The money allowed the drive to intensify a sharp-elbowed advertising campaign, and support for the measure was catapulted ahead; it ultimately won with 52 percent of the vote.
As proponents of same-sex marriage across the country planned protests on Saturday against the ban, interviews with the main forces behind the ballot measure showed how close its backers believe it came to defeat — and the extraordinary role Mormons played in helping to pass it with money, institutional support and dedicated volunteers. “We’ve spoken out on other issues, we’ve spoken out on abortion, we’ve spoken out on those other kinds of things,” said Michael R. Otterson, the managing director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormons are formally called, in Salt Lake City. “But we don’t get involved to the degree we did on this.” The California measure, Proposition 8, was to many Mormons a kind of firewall to be held at all costs.
“California is a huge state, often seen as a bellwether — this was seen as a very, very important test,” Mr. Otterson said. First approached by the Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco a few weeks after the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in May, the Mormons were the last major religious group to join the campaign, and the final spice in an unusual stew that included Catholics, evangelical Christians, conservative black and Latino pastors, and myriad smaller ethnic groups with strong religious ties.
Shortly after receiving the invitation from the San Francisco Archdiocese, the Mormon leadership in Salt Lake City issued a four-paragraph decree to be read to congregations, saying “the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan,” and urging members to become involved with the cause. “And they sure did,” Mr. Schubert said.
Jeff Flint, another strategist with Protect Marriage, estimated that Mormons made up 80 percent to 90 percent of the early volunteers who walked door-to-door in election precincts. The canvass work could be exacting and highly detailed. Many Mormon wards in California, not unlike Roman Catholic parishes, were assigned two ZIP codes to cover. Volunteers in one ward, according to training documents written by a Protect Marriage volunteer, obtained by people opposed to Proposition 8 and shown to The New York Times, had tasks ranging from “walkers,” assigned to knock on doors; to “sellers,” who would work with undecided voters later on; and to “closers,” who would get people to the polls on Election Day.
Suggested talking points were equally precise. If initial contact indicated a prospective voter believed God created marriage, the church volunteers were instructed to emphasize that Proposition 8 would restore the definition of marriage God intended. But if a voter indicated human beings created marriage, Script B would roll instead, emphasizing that Proposition 8 was about marriage, not about attacking gay people, and about restoring into law an earlier ban struck down by the State Supreme Court in May.
“It is not our goal in this campaign to attack the homosexual lifestyle or to convince gays and lesbians that their behavior is wrong — the less we refer to homosexuality, the better,” one of the ward training documents said. “We are pro-marriage, not anti-gay.” Leaders were also acutely conscious of not crossing the line from being a church-based volunteer effort to an actual political organization. “No work will take place at the church, including no meeting there to hand out precinct walking assignments so as to not even give the appearance of politicking at the church,” one of the documents said.
By mid-October, most independent polls showed support for the proposition was growing, but it was still trailing. Opponents had brought on new media consultants in the face of the slipping poll numbers, but they were still effectively raising money, including $3.9 million at a star-studded fund-raiser held at the Beverly Hills home of Ron Burkle, the supermarket billionaire and longtime Democratic fund-raiser.
It was then that Mr. Schubert called his meeting in Sacramento. “I said, ‘As good as our stuff is, it can’t withstand that kind of funding,’ ” he recalled.
The response was a desperate e-mail message sent to 92,000 people who had registered at the group’s Web site declaring a “code blue” — an urgent plea for money to save traditional marriage from “cardiac arrest.” Mr. Schubert also sent an e-mail message to the three top religious members of his executive committee, representing Catholics, evangelicals and Mormons.“I ask for your prayers that this e-mail will open the hearts and minds of the faithful to make a further sacrifice of their funds at this urgent moment so that God’s precious gift of marriage is preserved,” he wrote.
On Oct. 28, Mr. Ashton, the grandson of the former Mormon president David O. McKay, donated $1 million. Mr. Ashton, who made his fortune as co-founder of the WordPerfect Corporation, said he was following his personal beliefs and the direction of the church. “I think it was just our realizing that we heard a number of stories about members of the church who had worked long hours and lobbied long and hard,” he said in a telephone interview from Orem, Utah.
In the end, Protect Marriage estimates, as much as half of the nearly $40 million raised on behalf of the measure was contributed by Mormons. Even with the Mormons’ contributions and the strong support of other religious groups, Proposition 8 strategists said they had taken pains to distance themselves from what Mr. Flint called “more extreme elements” opposed to rights for gay men and lesbians.
To that end, the group that put the issue on the ballot rebuffed efforts by some groups to include a ban on domestic partnership rights, which are granted in California. Mr. Schubert cautioned his side not to stage protests and risk alienating voters when same-sex marriages began being performed in June. “We could not have this as a battle between people of faith and the gays,” Mr. Schubert said. “That was a losing formula.”
But the “Yes” side also initially faced apathy from middle-of-the-road California voters who were largely unconcerned about same-sex marriage. The overall sense of the voters in the beginning of the campaign, Mr. Schubert said, was “Who cares? I’m not gay.” To counter that, advertisements for the “Yes” campaign also used hypothetical consequences of same-sex marriage, painting the specter of churches’ losing tax exempt status or people “sued for personal beliefs” or objections to same-sex marriage, claims that were made with little explanation. Another of the advertisements used video of an elementary school field trip to a teacher’s same-sex wedding in San Francisco to reinforce the idea that same-sex marriage would be taught to young children.
“We bet the campaign on education,” Mr. Schubert said. The “Yes” campaign was denounced by opponents as dishonest and divisive, but the passage of Proposition 8 has led to second-guessing about the “No” campaign, too, as well as talk about a possible ballot measure to repeal the ban. Several legal challenges have been filed, and the question of the legality of the same-sex marriages performed from June to Election Day could also be settled in court. For his part, Mr. Schubert said he is neither anti-gay — his sister is a lesbian — nor happy that some same-sex couples’ marriages are now in question. But, he said, he has no regrets about his campaign.
“They had a lot going for them,” Mr. Schubert said of his opponents. “And they couldn’t get it done.” Mr. Otterson said it was too early to tell what the long-term implications might be for the church, but in any case, he added, none of that factored into the decision by church leaders to order a march into battle. “They felt there was only one way we could stand on such a fundamental moral issue, and they took that stand,” he said. “It was a matter of standing up for what the church believes is right.”
That said, the extent of the protests has taken many Mormons by surprise. On Friday, the church’s leadership took the unusual step of issuing a statement calling for “respect” and “civility” in the aftermath of the vote. “Attacks on churches and intimidation of people of faith have no place in civil discourse over controversial issues,” the statement said. “People of faith have a democratic right to express their views in the public square without fear of reprisal.” Mr. Ashton described the protests by same-sex marriage advocates as off-putting. “I think that shows colors,” Mr. Ashton said. “By their fruit, ye shall know them.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/us/politics/15marriage.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
“We’ve spoken out on other issues, we’ve spoken out on abortion, we’ve spoken out on those other kinds of things,” said Michael R. Otterson, the managing director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormons are formally called, in Salt Lake City. “But we don’t get involved to the degree we did on this.” The California measure, Proposition 8, was to many Mormons a kind of firewall to be held at all costs.
Oh my, what a waste of time and money.
In Eureka, Carole Beaton, a self-described 63-year-old heterosexual, said the amount of money religious organizations spent on the “Yes on 8” campaign is mind-boggling. ”Think what the Mormons and Catholics spent on taking away rights,” Beaton said. “They could have fed, clothed and helped countless people. Instead, they spent millions on taking away people's rights.”
And look who spoke out against hate, an "older" person.
Careful there, Nate Silver, you're sounding a bit like Hitler. You're right, talking about the demise of a certain group of people not only isn't polite, but not decent either. Quit looking for someone to blame.
^^Plus with that kind of logic, you'd think we'd have no bigots with us today, what with all the older, bigoted people dying off.
Homosexuality has been with us since the dawn of humanity, and wherever there has been a minority, bigotry rears it's ugly head. And guess what? It's still with us today! The only thing that combats it is humanity, and education, not shifting the blame for the way things are to another group.
^^The only thing that combats bigotry is humanity and education, that should read. It's a lot more complex of an issue than just statistics.
Unfortunately older people are a lot less likely to change their opinions; there is some truth to the adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Which is not to say there are not older people who are enlightened or willing to change.
Then you just negated your own argument.
Somebody taught you how to use a semicolon correctly, 10:51, so there is hope, after all. ;)
Somebody taught you how to use a semicolon correctly, 10:51, so there is hope, after all. ;)
OH no! the grammar police is back and she has out her RED Pen.
Yes, the history deputies - are you the one who said WWII was the war nobody ever heard of? ;)
and the history deputies
Must have been before the young pup's time, therefore it doesn't exist. ;)
I don't seen how saying some older people are liberal or can change contradicts the fact that the vast majority of those over 65 voted yes on Prop. 8 and are not likely to change their opinion. Given that young people are traditionally less likely to vote than those over 65, it's an issue.
And I see no problem with "blaming" people who want to take away my rights.
Plus, if you're going to talk about Hitler and blame then you've got your analogies wrong. It was Hitler who did all the blaming--he blamed Jews for ruining the economy in Germany, among other things. It's not all that different from straight people blaming the threat of gay marriage for the poor state of heterosexual marriage. It's the gays fault that there is a low marriage rate in the black community (that's what a black minister said on Larry King on Friday) and its the gays fault that people divorce, etc.
No, I do not have my analogies wrong. I don't need anyone to correct my world history. You are correct, he did place the blame on an innocent minority group for Germany's problems, and that was my analogy about the statistician putting all of the blame for the passage of Prop 8 on older people. It's a lot more complicated of an issue than merely statistics. Once you start placing blame on any one group society's problems, for example the passage of Prop 8 on everybody and anybody, that's when you get into trouble. Old people, straight people, black people - everyone else's fault. It's not all their fault, because some of them voted a certain way - you can't blame the entire group of people. That was my point. Any kind of blaming from either side is wrong.
Even Queerty found it a bit humorous, calling the guy adorkable, as in someone with no tact in the latest whodunnit in the passage of Prop 8. Talking about the demise of a group of people isn't a good thing, especially since statistics can be manipulated to prove just about anything.
And I see no problem with "blaming" people who want to take away my rights.
Well, maybe you should start blaming those who did such a poor job on the NO campaign. And not voting, to me, is just as bad as a vote against your rights. It means that the nonvoters don't care about your rights either.
Well, maybe you should start blaming those who did such a poor job on the NO campaign.
Or blaming Mormons for doing such a good job :)
"Jeff Flint, another strategist with Protect Marriage, estimated that Mormons made up 80 percent to 90 percent of the early volunteers who walked door-to-door in election precincts. ... Volunteers in one ward, according to training documents written by a Protect Marriage volunteer, obtained by people opposed to Proposition 8 and shown to The New York Times, had tasks ranging from “walkers,” assigned to knock on doors; to “sellers,” who would work with undecided voters later on; and to “closers,” who would get people to the polls on Election Day."
OH no! the grammar police is back and she has out her RED Pen.
:)
Grammar Nazi
NY Post Cartoon (Follieri)
E!
The Billion-Dollar Batman
It's going to happen. Maybe it already has.
As of midweek, The Dark Knight's worldwide haul stood at a reported $997.6 million. Box office experts said that $1 billion, a mountain of money amassed by only three other movies in Hollywood history, was perhaps two weeks away.
"Dark Knight’s at a trickle now with no new territories," Box Office Mojo's Brandon Gray said in an email. "[But] it’s possible that it already has [hit the billion-dollar mark], as unreported grosses can suddenly come in."
Exhibitor Relations' Jeff Bock speculated that Warner Bros. was perhaps waiting for the right moment—like, oh, say, the movie's Dec. 9 DVD release—to spring the announcement. As for the studio, when asked how far its movie had to go to reach $1 billion, its answer was: "Not yet."
The only three current members of Hollywood's billion-dollar club are Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. On the domestic side, The Dark Knight is, with Titanic, one of only two movies to pass $500 million. (Titanic, of course, also topped $600 million to claim its box office crown.) After setting box office land-speed records in the summer, The Dark Knight has spent the last several weeks gutting out five-figure days. By comparison, at the same point in its run, Titanic, even with 1998 ticket prices, was still capable of $1 million days.
In an apparent attempt to spur on its marathon runner, Warners is boosting The Dark Knight's release by 200-plus theaters this weekend. Even (almost) billionaires can use a hand.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b68963_billion-dollar_batman.html
Fri., Nov. 14, 2008
Mormons: California's New Breed of Scientologists?
When I was talking to Milk star Josh Brolin about the hatred so rampant in the new movie Milk (about slain gay-rights activist Harvey Milk), Diane Lane’s hubby said to me, quite evenly: “I have no connection with the Mormon Church. A Mormon may feel differently, they feel differently about coffee than I do. Just because gay people can’t get married doesn’t mean they can’t be kissing in the street. I come from a Republican place, so I’ve seen both sides, and I understand both sides. For me, I don’t care as long as people are happy.”
Hey, Josh, how ‘bout helping us stage a major kiss-in in the streets of Sacramento? It may be necessary, as I’m hearing the next major-money target of the Mormon Church is the California Supreme Court.
“That’s where they’re concentrating next,” revealed a connected lawyer who’s monitoring the Prop 8 architects’ every move. “As soon as [the justices] come up for re-election, the Mormon Church and their money are going to do everything they can by getting those justices voted off, they’re particularly gunning for every justice who voted to overturn the gay-marriage ban in the first place. And they might succeed. Do not underestimate them.”
This is gearing up to be major showdown, what with Mormon-owned Marriott (among myriad other Mormon-run businesses) being boycotted and now Sundance possibly being picketed by anti-Prop 8 Hollywood. Who do these churchgoers think they are, getting involved with government and constitutional rights, anyway? Reminds me of when the Church of Scientology had to prove so vigorously why they deserved tax-exempt status. And now the Mormons will have to be proving that designation all over again themselves, apparently, since their organization clearly discriminates against minorities, a major state no-no.
We need Sean Penn, who’s come out quite zealously against Prop 8 (a man who has a family, by the way), to help lead this kiss-in by sucking face with one of his Milk costars!
Agree, Mr. Brolin? Don’t worry, Sean’s not very good at it, I hear.
Mormon Church and their money are going to do everything they can by getting those justices voted off, they’re particularly gunning for every justice who voted to overturn the gay-marriage ban in the first place.
Great.
"Sign this petition to support the legal effort to amend our tax laws such that the Mormon Church, and other transgressing churches, would lose tax-exempt status if they continue lobbying for state propositions."
Petition
Happy Birthday Danny, my little big man!
Prince Says God Against Homosexuality
It's been known for more than five years that Prince is a Jehovah's Witness who goes door-to-door trying to win converts to the austere faith, as mentioned in this week's New Yorker. Less appreciated: the musician's growing distance from the liberal artistic values that pervade show business, despite his move to Los Angeles seven years ago. As Claire Hoffman writes, Prince has a budding relationship with Christian conservative media mogul Philip Anschutz, of Denver, and seems to be opposed to gay marriage and adoption. These can' be popular views among Prince's fellow California-based rockers:
When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”
If Prince wants to get attention for his views, airing them amid nationwide demonstrations against the passage of a California anti-gay-marriage initiative will probably do the trick. What that does for the "celibate" musician's sales and popularity is another matter.
http://gawker.com/5090339/prince-says-god-against-homosexuality
Angelina Jolie is "embarrassed" that her father was among the few celebs who supported John McCain. She's supposedly especially dismayed that he called Sarah Palin as running mate "a beautiful choice." Sigh. [Daily Express]
Prince tapped his Bible and said...
Oh boy! Brainwash, rinse, repeat.
Prop 8
Arnold Schwarzenegger on Marriage Equality and Prop 8 Protests
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, one day after thousands protested across the nation for marriage equality.
Schwarzenegger said he would not be joining Democrats who are filing a challenge in the court. He also said that although his personal belief is that marriage is between a man and a woman, he thinks the Supreme Court was right when they declared it unconstitutional, and he believes they'll do it again when looking at Proposition 8. He told Stephanopoulos that boycotts and protest are not the way people should be approaching the passage of Prop 8.
Schwarzenegger also says he'll declare a legal edict if advised to do so by Attorney General Jerry Brown that declared existing same-sex marriages valid in the state. A week ago, Schwarzenegger told CNN's John King that opponents of Prop 8 should not give up in their quest to have Proposition 8 overturned.
Watch the Stephanopoulos clip and read the transcript, AFTER THE JUMP...
***TRANSCRIPT***
STEPHANOPOULOS: Proposition 8 here in California, it passed, defining marriage as exclusively for men and women. I know you've said you hope the court overturns it. Will you join Democrats who are filing a challenge in the court?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No. I mean, I have been asked to join this fight, and I had my own fight with Proposition 11, and that's what I've focused on.
But I made it very clear. I personally am -- for me, marriage is between a man and a woman. But I don't want to ever force my will on anyone.
I think that the Supreme Court was right by saying that it's unconstitutional. And that everyone should have the right, just like we had the battle in 1948 and the Supreme Court decision came down, that, you know, it was unconstitutional for blacks and whites not to be able to get married with each other, and they overturned that. And since then, that has been taken care of.
And now the Supreme Court says that it's also unconstitutional to not let gay people get married, the same-sex marriage. So to me, that is the important decision here, and everything else is not that important. So people can pass initiatives, like Proposition 187 passed under Wilson that said we should not give, you know, Latinos and those that are illegally here any educational services or any kind of medical services. The Supreme Court said, well, the people maybe had some intentions there, but it's unconstitutional.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you think the courts should overturn Proposition 8?
SCHWARZENEGGER: The court has overturned it. And now they went back. And the people have voted for it again, against the gay marriage. So the Supreme Court, you know, I think ought to go and look at that again. And we'll go back to the same decision, basically.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And you believe they will.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I think that they will. And I think that the important thing now is to resolve this issue in that way.
SCHWARZENEGGER: In a peaceful way, rather than, you know, going out and protesting, and going out and boycotting and all those things. I think that's not the best way to go about it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: In the meantime, some legal experts have suggested that you should, if you believe that, issue an edict, a ruling, that says that the marriages that have already taken place in California are absolutely legal. Will you do that?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I have to get together with Jerry Brown, our attorney general, and see what the legal opinion is, because he's my lawyer, basically. And so, we always do those things together.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you're inclined to do it?
SCHWARZENEGGER: It's a conversation that I can have with him about the -- if that's the legal way to go.
Towleroad
Go Governator! :)
I personally am -- for me, marriage is between a man and a woman. But I don't want to ever force my will on anyone.
Nice and tolerant Republican. Or Arnie just doesn't want to piss off his Hollywood friends?
BI
Which Hollywood hunk has a secret boyfriend? The hoards of women vying for his attention will be blubbering into their hankies.
[Mirror]
Arnie just doesn't want to piss off his Hollywood friends?
and his very Democratic wife! ;-)
It's still big progress - go Arnold! :)
11:32 AM - Ay, bad link!
Be fair. This would piss off anyone of any political party - the taking away of a civil right. :(
and his very Democratic wife! ;-)
Schwarzenegger: Since GOP Lost, I'm Allowed "Back Into The Bedroom"
Barack Obama's victory was good for Arnold Schwarzenegger's sex life, the California governor told CNN today.
Schwarzenegger, a McCain supporter married to Democrat Maria Shriver, said, "I can get back into the bedroom, so there's one big advantage" to Obama's success on Election Day.
Asked about who had bragging rights in the Schwarzenegger household, he also added that his wife has been "gloating now for these last few days" and running around the house with a "life-size cutout of Obama" saying, "We won."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/09/schwarzenegger-since-gop-_n_142501.html
Barack Obama's victory was good for Arnold Schwarzenegger's sex life
President Obama is amazing!
All six Episcopal diocesan bishops in California jointly issued a statement opposing Proposition 8 on September 10, 2008. Southern California's largest collection of rabbis, the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, voted to oppose Proposition 8. Other Jewish groups who opposed Proposition 8 include Jewish Mosaic, the American Jewish Committee, Progressive Jewish Alliance, National Council of Jewish Women, and the Anti-Defamation League. Los Angeles Jews were more opposed to Prop 8 than any other religious group or ethnic group in the city. Jewish Angelinos voted 78 percent against the ban while only 8 percent supported the ban; the remainder declined to respond.
On November 15, 2008, five civil rights groups asked the California Supreme Court to annul Proposition 8 on the grounds that Proposition 8threatens the legal standing of all minority groups. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, California State Conference of the NAACP, and Equal Justice Society petitioned the state Supreme Court to issue a stay preventing the ballot initiative from taking effect.
It's good to see minority groups standing together to support each other. :')
Why are Jews more (gay) tolerant?
I don't know if all of the information is available yet on the other groups. I'm just thankful that people are tolerant, and I think a lot of the opposition to Prop 8 by all people is just beginning. People who may not have gotten on board initially, may be rethinking it. :)
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I have to get together with Jerry Brown, our attorney general, and see what the legal opinion is, because he's my lawyer, basically. And so, we always do those things together.
CA Attorney General to Respond to Suits Over Prop. 8 Today
California Attorney General Jerry Brown has until noon today to repsond to suits filed by marriage equality activists that seek to overturn Prop. 8. The question at hand is not whether the Proposition is valid, but whether the Supreme Court should accept the suits. Members of the Yes on 8 campaign have so far been unsuccessful in being added as parties to the suit. They are concerned that Brown won't be aggressive enough in fighting the suits. [NBC]
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Gay-Marriage-Battle-Takes-Legal-Turn-Monday.html
Oh thank G*d! :)
Jews are more tolerant because they know what it's like to have their rights taken away under the guise of "democracy", and although they have not suffered the same kind of discrimination as blacks, they were often excluded from certain companies, hotels, coutry clubs etc.--including, at one time, the hotel McCain used on election night.
Most Jews also believe very strongly in the separation of church and state. Principles of justice and equality are also stressed more in Judiasm and the Jewish community.
However, many Orthodox Jews are not as tolerant on the issue of gay marriage, nor has Israel been the most tolerant place for gays and lesbians.
All in all - just a beautiful thing, making justice and equality a priority, and supporting each other. It's awful what human being do to one another, but we have the awareness to do something about it. :)
Posted on OMG
"I'm in a relationship... I'm not getting married..." something like that
ET Online - Reese video
Laws such as Amendment 2 (a 1992 referendum in Colorado prohibiting claims of discrimination by gay people) "raise the inevitable inference that the disadvantage imposed is born of animosity toward the class of persons affected," (US Supreme Court Justice) Kennedy wrote. "... desire to harm a politically unpopular group cannot constitute a legitimate governmental interest."
Los Angeles Times article including above quote
Desire to harm a politically unpopular group cannot constitute a legitimate governmental interest.
- The United States Supreme Court, 1996
Given the current members of the United States Supreme Court, cases involving gay marriage have to be based on state constitutions and kept away from the federal courts, or we'd lose for sure--and for decades to come.
I tend to agree, even though that means the majority on the US Supreme Court would rule based on their prejudice rather than the law and their own previous judgments.
I heard that the decision whether to hear the arguments was to be made by 3pm Eastern, noon Pacific today. Any news?
"On the Supreme Court, six of the current nine justices will be 70 years old or older on January 20, 2009. There is a widespread expectation that the next president could make four appointments in just his first term, with maybe two more in a second term. Here too we are poised for heavy change.
These numbers ought to raise serious concern because of Mr. Obama's extreme left-wing views about the role of judges. He believes -- and he is quite open about this -- that judges ought to decide cases in light of the empathy they ought to feel for the little guy in any lawsuit.
Speaking in July 2007 at a conference of Planned Parenthood, he said: "We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom. The empathy to understand what it's like to be poor, or African-American, or gay, or disabled, or old. And that's the criteria by which I'm going to be selecting my judges."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515067227674187.html
I heard that the decision whether to hear the arguments was to be made by 3pm Eastern, noon Pacific today. Any news?
No.
It's because of DoMA, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1996, which pre-emptively removed this issue from the Federal level altogether -which says that no state has to recognize a same-sex marriage, or a marriage from another state. it has nothing to do with the current setup of the US Supreme Court, directly anyway. DoMA has to be repealed before anything can happen. Once it is repealed, as the Obama administration has promised, then cases can be brought before the US Supreme Court, but strategically, I don't know if the climate is right. The wheels of change are turning, tho. Justices have a duty to rule based on law and precedent.
The other thing is that the judges who would be reappointed are the liberal judges, so you'd only be replacing like with like, not gaining any significant ground.
Fort Myers, Florida Sees Marriage Equality Protest of One
I'd just like to take a moment to salute our reader Jack, who was the sole protester at Fort Myers, Florida's City Hall on Saturday.
He writes: "Not much of a turnout in Ft Myers. I was the only one there at city hall. I did represent though."
Hooray for Jack!
^What a great story. All it takes is one to get the ball rolling.
That's kind of thing Jack Twist would do :)
^^I'm glad he did. :) The wording of Prop 8 is scary, isn't it? "Eliminating the Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry". Sounds strange when you are talking about the a constitution. I know they had to reword it to even get it on the ballot. :(
LOL!
President Obama and a baby
Blab Blab Blab: Obamarazza!
“Who is that, the black guy?”
—Richard Dreyfuss sarcastically shot back after we asked him if he voted for Obama. Ha ha, Dick. Oh, and how was it playing almost-ex-V.P. Dick Cheney in W.? Hear ya hated it. “Oh, it was fun! There’s a little bit of Cheney in all of us.” Yes, Prop 8, proves that one beautifully.
Prop 8
California AG Asks Supreme Court to 'Rule Quickly' on Prop 8
As reported earlier, Attorney General Jerry Brown submitted his response to three lawsuits made my marriage equality advocates seeking to overturn Prop. 8. The Attorney General:
"Steered clear of taking a position on the validity of the voter-approved ballot measure, which restored California's ban on gay marriages. Instead, the attorney general argued that the justices must agree to review legal challenges to Proposition 8 to "provide certainty and finality in this matter."
While Brown's position is that all the marriages performed before Nov. 4 are still legal, he asked the court not to issue a stay on the gay marriage ban as it would cause further confusion. None of the proceedings today dealt with the issue of the validity of Prop. 8, but rather, whether the court should address the question.
In related news, UC Hastings College law professor Brian E. Gray believes a Colorado case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court may have a better argument for repealing Prop. 8 than the current process-based argument presented in the suits. The case, Romer vs. Evans was over Colorado's Proposition 2, which barred the state from passing any law which "whereby homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships" are the basis of a claim of discrimination. Gray writes:
Following the enactment of Colorado's Amendment 2, its opponents filed suit claiming that it unlawfully singled out gays and lesbians as a class to deny them rights that other citizens not only possess but take for granted. These rights include access to housing, government services, public accommodations and public and private employment opportunities without regard to an individual's race, sex, religion, age, ancestry, political belief or other characteristic that defines each of us as a unique human being. Amendment 2, the opponents argued, therefore denied gays and lesbians the equal protection of the laws, which is a guarantee of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
To the surprise of many, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed.
He argues that Prop. 8 has the same flaws as Prop. 2, namely that "it provides that gays and lesbians — alone among consenting adult couples — shall not have the opportunity to enjoy the rights, privileges and social approbation conferred by the status of lawful marriage" and points to Justice Kennedy's decision on Romer vs. Evans, where he concluded "a classification of persons undertaken for its own sake, something the equal protection clause does not permit."
http://www.queerty.com/california-ag-asks-supreme-court-to-rule-quickly-on-prop-8-20081117/
Prop 8
Attorney General Brown Urges California Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Proposition 8
SACRAMENTO—California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today urged the California Supreme Court to accept review of the legal challenges to Proposition 8 and for this matter of widespread concern to be “promptly resolved.”
“The profound importance of the issues raised by Proposition 8 warrants that this matter be reviewed and promptly resolved by the California Supreme Court.” Attorney General Brown said.
In a set of briefs filed with the Court today, Attorney General Brown wrote that: “review by this Court is necessary to ensure uniformity of decision, finality and certainty for the citizens of California. The constitutionality of the change created by Proposition 8 impacts whether same-sex marriages may issue in California and whether same-sex marriages from other states will be recognized here. There is significant public interest in prompt resolution of the legality of Proposition 8. The Court can provide certainty and finality in this matter.”
Typically, matters are brought before lower courts before the Supreme Court hears the case. However, petitioners have asked the Supreme Court to accept the review directly to bring an early resolution to the matter.
Attorney General Brown opposes a stay on Proposition 8, arguing that it would increase uncertainty related to marriages performed in California. The Attorney General’s brief states that “the public interest would be best served not by issuing a temporary stay, but by an expedited resolution of the important issues raised by the petitions.”
Attorney General Brown continues to believe that same-sex marriages performed between June 17 and November 4, 2008 remain valid and will be upheld by the Court.
Attached are the briefs that were filed today with the Court.
Office of the Attorney General
Oh Thank G*d! A stay would have been nice, but prompt review and resolution is the best! :)
This is the only blog on the Internet without this link. Not any more!
Puppies!
^^ :)
Former presidential rival Hillary Clinton has accepted an offer to join the president-elect's cabinet as Secretary of State, according to a report in Britain's Guardian.
David Hyde Pierce is Gay, Married ... and Marching Against Prop. 8
As Dr. Niles Crane on the hit sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce had a great deadpan. That also extended to his own life: For years he wouldn’t confirm or deny being gay. Since then he thawed enough to thanked his longtime partner, Brian Hargrove, in his 2007 Tony Award acceptance speech.
And on Saturday, Pierce was one baseball-capped protester among maybe 20,000 others marching for equality in Los Angeles. He was still deadpan -- dead serious. But in five minutes he told me more than he’s ever said in his stellar career.
As we talked, I noticed Pierce was wearing a wedding ring. I asked, and he confirmed: “Yeah, we got married three weeks ago.”
Advocate.com: David, why are you here now? For a long time you’ve chosen to be circumspect about -- I remember you saying, “My life is an open book, I just don’t choose to read it.” Why now?
David Hyde Pierce: For one thing, I said that 15 years ago, so life has changed a lot in 15 years. But this is not about being gay. This is about having the basic right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and having that put up for a vote, not only here in California but across the country, and that is just fundamentally not what this country is about. And I completely understand the passions on both sides of this issue, but like I said, those rights are not negotiable no matter whether people like it or not. We’re not trying to force anything on anyone. We’re trying to go about our lives and live them the best that we can. So that’s why I’m here, and that’s why all these people are here.
Advocate.com: Do you foresee now that more celebrities will become involved in speaking out against Prop. 8, now that it’s passed?
David Hyde Pierce: I have no idea what celebrities will do. I think the real issue for me is that this should never have been something that people voted on. This is not a country where people get to vote on people’s private lives, where people vote on whether we get to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. That’s part of the fundamental right of being an American. And so that, to me, is the miscarriage of justice -- not the way the vote went. I’m proud that at least in California it was close. There are other states where it wasn’t close at all, and they even took away the right to adoption. To me, the issue is, this should not be an issue divided by voters.
Advocate.com: When friends ask you to separate or distinguish between religion and civil law on this issue -- it seems to be a point of confusion for so many people --what do you tell them?
David Hyde Pierce: Religion and civil law are already separated in this country. And I actually don’t think it’s so much an issue of separation of church and state; I think it’s a separation of emotion and fear, and passions getting stirred, from reality. The reality is, this whole marriage thing doesn’t affect anyone but the people getting married. And people have been led to believe and the passion’s been stirred up that it’s going to affect their children and it’s almost as they think, if gay people can get married, then the whole country has to turn gay. It’s craziness, and it doesn’t deal with the simple reality. The reality of the vote, what people were really voting on here, was, do you believe that the people of California should have a right to vote on who you choose to marry, whether you’re straight or gay. That was the vote. And miraculously, the people of California voted yes, we think everybody should get a vote in our marriage. They can’t have meant that. They can’t have really understood what they were voting for and voted for that, because it doesn’t make any sense.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid66271.asp
Great piece about how the marriage equality movement needs to use new techniques, just like the Democrats did in this election, and how the traditional gay rights groups fell down on the job.
Daily Kos
^^^
The key to an effective protest effort is to have a clear message (no "free Mumia" bullshit), clear, achievable goal, and to make that protest effort part of a broader multimedia campaign. The protest can't be the goal in and of itself, rather, it's a tool in a broader toolbox.
Couldn't agree more.
In this case, these protests have served as a wakeup call to equality-minded people all over the country. It is an empowering act. But rather than people feeling they've done their part by marching for a few hours, I'm willing to bet that, just like here in California, the seeds were planted for further organizing all over the country. There is nothing more dangerous for the status quo (the "system") than people suddenly feeling empowered.
California will have marriage equality back soon enough -- either this week if the Supreme Court takes action, or the next time we have an election in the state (either 2010 or next year if a special election is called).
But I suspect history will show that the defeat of Prop 8, rather than halt momentum toward marriage equality (as I once feared), will prove the spark that launches the movement nationwide.
I hope so too :)
ET Online - Reese video
Blah.
Dear Ted:
Adore your column, retina-burning yellow and all. I've never written before, but finally now have a little stack of issues to address: First, Toothy Tile. Everyone knows who he is. Why are your lawyers making you stay so coy about it? You'd have a pretty damned strong defense in a libel/slander suit (you know, what with you telling the truth and all). Second, I'm really sorry about Prop 8. My mom is gay and although we don't live in California, she took it pretty hard. We'll get there eventually. You're a great role model and I hope you keep fighting the good fight. And third, I caught the Madonna concert in Denver this week. Good show, despite being 90 minutes late for no apparent reason. But I had to tell you—she had no fake accent. She sounded all American to me and my girlfriends. Interesting for her to dump the Brit husband, address and accent all at once, no?
—J-Dub
Dear Get It Off Your Chest:
Since M has rid herself of anything London, what’s she gonna pick up while with A-Rod? Let’s hope she doesn’t try baseball with the same chutzpah she did acting. And thanks for the kudos, babe!
First, Toothy Tile. Everyone knows who he is.
Bad, bad Ted :)
NY Daily News BI
Which recently rehabbed actress is still dabbling in the hard stuff? Whatever she put up her nose the other night was so toxic, it melted the Blackberry screen she was using to cut up her drugs.
A Bit of Good News
More than 100 retired Generals and Admirals call for Obama to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell..."
More than 100 retired generals and admirals called Monday for repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays so they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality," the officers wrote.
While President-elect Barack Obama has expressed support for repeal, he said during the presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own -- an indication that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag on his agenda. Obama said he would instead work with military leaders to build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.
The list of 104 former officers who signed the statement appears to signal growing support for resolving the status of gays in the military. Last year, 28 former generals and admirals signed a similar statement.
The officers' statement points to data showing there are about 1 million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States, and about 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in the military. The military discharged about 12,340 people between 1994 and 2007 for violating the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a military watchdog group. The number peaked in 2001 at 1,273, but began dropping off sharply after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Last year, 627 military personnel were discharged under the policy.
http://www.insidesocal.com/outinhollywood/2008/11/retired-generals-and-admirals.html
"As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality," the officers wrote.
Hopefully others will join retired Generals and Admirals and this shameful policy will soon be history.
DiCaprio: 'Titanic nearly ruined me'
Hollywood actor Leonardo Dicaprio was too young to handle international fame after he starred in hit movie Titanic - insisting he nearly went off the rails. The 34-year-old became a heart-throb all over the world at the age of 23 after landing the lead role in the 1997 film alongside Kate Winslet.
But DiCaprio admits he was not mature enough to cope with turning into a major Hollywood star overnight - and the years following the movie's release saw him become a completely different person.
He says, "Titanic began a period of rebellion for me. As soon as people give you enough compliments and you suddenly have more power than you've ever had in your entire life, it's not that you become an arrogant p***k, or you become rude to people, but you get a false sense of your own importance. You're treading in dangerous territory when you begin thinking you've altered the course of history. It was like a runaway train. I didn't understand what was happening to me."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/1/20081117/ten-dicaprio-titanic-nearly-ruined-me-c60bd6d.html
OK Leo, we got it, you are a nice, humble guy.
I noticed Pierce was wearing a wedding ring. I asked, and he confirmed: “Yeah, we got married three weeks ago.”
Congratulations David!
Out Broadway badunk-adunk Cheyenne Jackson has revealed that he will be playing the lead in Mormon Musical, a project being workshopped next month by the creators of South Park and Avenue Q. Please tell me there's a number about sacred underpants that really gets to the [crotch] heart of the issue...
After Elton
Actress Heather Matarazzo was supposed to marry girlfriend Caroline Murphy in California, but now that Prop 8 has passed, she jokes, "We're breaking up. I'm going to get together with [MSNBC's] Keith Olbermann. We'll have babies, lots of babies!" [Rush & Molloy]
Coming to Broadway: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the musical! [UPI]
David Hyde Pierce is the best. Congrats on his marriage! :*
"Yes, I have solar panels and all that sort of stuff. However, the more I learn about the subject matter, I also realise that people find it patronizing. They feel like they're being told what to do when somebody like me talks about the fact I have solar panels. Not everybody can get solar panels and not everyone can drive a hybrid car. It's not about blame or telling people how to live, it's just about saying, 'Let's all be aware of these issues.'"
— Leonardo DiCaprio. [Daily Express]
PR BI
Which celebrity is publicly photographed hanging all over her boyfriend, but is secretly seeing others on the side? Being part of a celebrity couple doubles her exposure, so she likes being photographed with and being interviewed about her current beau. The truth is that, despite her very public declarations of love, their relationship is not going well, so she flees into the arms of old boyfriends on a regular basis. One of them has nicknamed her “Tweety” because she Twitters him constantly during the day. [BlindGossip]
Mormon Musical
What?
Out Broadway badunk-adunk Cheyenne Jackson has revealed that he will be playing the lead in Mormon Musical
Actor Cheyenne Jackson talks to The Advocate:
"Though Jackson always had girlfriends, his heart belonged to Chuck, his best friend in high school. "I was in love with him," Jackson recalls. "I truly thought that we would be together. If he got a girlfriend, I’d purposely make sure that my girlfriend was best friends with his girlfriend so that we could always do shit together. He was a Mormon, and right before he left on his mission, I took him to lunch and said, ‘Chuck…’ And he said, ‘I know. I’ve always known.’ And I was like, ‘You have? Oh, my God!’ To this day, he’s still a friend, but now he’s married and has five kids."
FIRST LOOK: Johnny Depp As Mad Hatter
I can't wait to see - he'll be fabulous. :)
Can't wait to see Anne as the White Queen :)
"Hathaway is playing the White Queen, a benevolent monarch who is deposed and banished by her sister, the Red Queen (to be played by Carter), who has an affinity for crying out, ‘off with their heads!’ The White Queen needs Alice to slay a creature known as the Bandersnatch," said a source.
Can't wait to see Anne either! :)
Is Obama promising enough? Too little?
The Obama Plan for Gay Rights (And What He Really Means)
President-Elect Barack Obama has posted his plan for LGBT Rights on the Change.gov website and it's pretty comprehensive. It is by far, the most far-ranging civil rights agenda for the gay community ever offered by a President. Because the page is swathed in a combination of hopey vagueness and legislation you may have never heard of, here's a translation of the plan from Obamican to English:
Expand Hate Crimes Legislation
Obama offers no promises.
While Obama points out that gays and lesbians are the 3rd-highest target of hate crimes and that in Illinois he voted on a few hate crimes bills, he offers up no new legislative ideas or supports any existing bills. The gist here is "Hate crime is bad." Um, thanks.
Fight Workplace Discrimination
Obama wants to sign The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) comes in two flavors: Transgender and Transgender-Free. After watching ENDA fail, Congressman Barney Frank introduced a version of the bill into the House that did not provide protect against discrimination based on gender identity. It passed 235-184 and set off a small war within the gay community. Obama says he supports the version of ENDA that includes gender identity. With the new composition of the House, Frank would be inviting a firestorm if he chooses to introduce a version of the law that doesn't include transgender protection.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples
Obama wants to repeal DOMA and create federal recognition for civil unions.
In the wake of Prop. 8, Obama's position will please some in the gay community and anger others. Anyone who supports marriage equality will want to see the Defense of Marriage Act repealed. Not only does it prevent states from recognizing same-sex marriages in other states, it prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages anywhere. It set off a wave of mini-DOMA's which were enacted in states across the country. It may not be Constitutional. It's really bad, see?
The question of civil unions is a thorny one. Many (including Queerty) feel that creating a special class that confers the same rights as another institution for the sole purpose of excluding a group of people is both unconstitutional and immoral. That is, some of us will only accept equal rights under marriage.
Anti-marriage-equality advocates are also aware of this and with the Supreme Court composition likely to drift back to the center over the next several years, the fear is that civil unions are just a step on the way to legally recognizing gay marriages. With both the gay community split on the issue and conservatives looking to kill anything which would confer rights to gay Americans, the battle for federally recognized civil unions would be an uphill one.
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
Obama won't support the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Politically, this position is only slightly harder than kissing a baby and offering "change". The Federal Marriage Amendment exists for one reason only– to help conservative Republicans get elected. The measure has limited support, would never pass Congress and would never get the votes from U.S. state legislatures needed to enact it.
Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell
Obama might appeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell if military commanders okay it.
The key phrase here is that Obama "will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy." Obama is unlikely to make a decision without support from the Pentagon, which is not keen on the idea of repealing Don't Ask-Don't Tell. This is smart. Bill Clinton tried to get gays in the military without getting military support and Don't Ask-Don't Tell was the compromise that resulted after commanders accuses Clinton of putting the troops.
The policy has been a disaster: Over 11,000 soldiers have been discharged from the military for disclosing their sexuality, with 'disclosure' being a term that includes things like writing a letter to your partner. Whether or not Obama moves quickly on the issue, he is promising to change the policy, which counts for something. If 2012 rolls around and it's still in place, the gay community should hold him accountable.
Expand Adoption Rights
Obama offers no promises.
Obama's position is that gay parents deserve the same rights as straight parents, but offers up no new ideas or support for existing legislation.
Promote AIDS Prevention
Obama will direct his administration to develop a comprehensive national strategy to deal with HIV/AIDS. He supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange programs and intends to speak publicly about HIV/AIDS related issues.
The only real meat to this position is Obama's support in lifting the ban on needle exchanges. That said, the vague "national AIDS strategy" could be something really large and extensive, or it could be three cubicles on Constitution Ave. He offers a laundry-list of things he seeks to promote: better safe sex education, education and contraception availability and there's no reason for him to lie. George Bush spent over $48 billion to combat AIDS in Africa and only a stupid politician would stand in the way of HIV/AIDS-related policies.
Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS
Obama supports the Microbicide Development Act
This is a pet project of Senate Democratic leaders like Obama, Clinton, and Dodd. The number of women who are infected with HIV has quadrupled in the last decade. The bill mentions that "In Sub-Saharan Africa, 76 percent of the young people (between ages 15 and 24) with HIV are girls under 20."
The bill would directed the National Institute of Health to set up a research arm focused on microbiocides, which could be administered as a cream, vaginal ring or other easy-to-apply method and prevent the spread of HIV among women, who are often at risk from infection by their own husbands. This bill would benefit women in the U.S. as well, but it is focused specifically as a way to address AIDS in Africa– a reminder that AIDS is not a gay issue, but a human issue.
Queerty
^^^ Comment:
"Expand Hate Crimes Legislation - Obama offers no promises" - It says right on change.gov that the Obama/Biden plan includes passing the Matthew Shepard Act. That would be a promise to expand hate crimes legislation to include gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, no?"
^^Yes. I think there is something in the works on this, they've been trying to add gender and sexual orientation to this. I love the idea of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as well - what kind of progressive country, a world leader, could hold this policy? Other countries allows gays and lesbians to serve openly, those who want to join the military. Our country would be the better for it. :)
The measure [Federal Marriage Amendment] has limited support, would never pass Congress and would never get the votes from U.S. state legislatures needed to enact it.
Never say never here - depending upon the leadership and social climate, I wouldn't want to leave this to chance. Case in point: Prop 8
DoMA passed by Congress in 1996 by the most ridiculous of margins, a vote of 85-14 in the Senate and a vote of 342-67 in the House of Representatives. You just never know abour FMA.
Wow, they really hated the idea of gay marriage.
"Bob Barr, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, took a lead in legislative debate concerning same-sex marriage. He authored and sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act, a law enacted in 1996 which states that only marriages that are between a man and a woman can be federally recognized, and individual states may choose not to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in another state.
At the 2008 Libertarian National Convention, he apologized for the part of the Defense of Marriage Act which prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
He now opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, contending it is a violation of states' rights."
Good! :) Love is a beautiful thing, but you need your benefits so you can have a happy life, be there when the other is sick, keep your homes, have your own or adopt and raise families if you want to, file your taxes together, get the tax breaks that straight couples get. :*
It's a lot more than a violation of states' rights, I'm afraid. :(
" Oops said...
Wow, they really hated the idea of gay marriage"
Well, sure, let's be realistic USA is a really big piece of country and there are many that fear homosexual rape of themselves (and worry that they might enjoy it!) and their children, that their lil darlin's might grow up to be a..effers, oh horrors! - and they themselves be "made female" by aforesaid penetration of their precious posteriors.
do not underestimate the madness in some sectors!
however! - we've come a fur piece -and as Bill Mayers said on a talk show yesterday, he's change his tune from God damn America! to God damn! America!
Civil rights for GLBTs is not far from being on the books, in my humble view.
Yes, gays are about to conquer the world! :)
^ ^ ^
I gather you are being sarcastic.
Im not being romantic. justice happens.
It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
A change gon' come oh yes it will
Gays in Space!
Yup, Star Trek is gonna be exactly as gay as expected
Premiering in front of Quantum of Solace this weekend and bowing in HD on the internets yesterday, the first real teaser for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot is short on plot but confirms what we already knew the movie would contain: hot space battles, retro-fab production design, and the resurrection of science fiction TV's most legendary Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name.
Kirk and Spock are the ultimate sci-fi man-love pairing (often credited with creating the entire slash fiction pheneomenon, aka everything you think know about gay subtext but were afraid to ask). The glimpses we get of their origin story in this trailer look to follow in that proud tradition of innuendo -- especially with Heroes' Zachary Quinto as the half-Vulcan and okay-probably-not-gay-but-damn-pretty-anyways Chris Pine as his Captain.
Abrams' track record for emphasizing character over plot (see Lost, Alias, etc.) means that his new take on the franchise is poised to emphasize male bonding over inconsequential stuff like space exploration, and despite one sweet boxer-briefed shot of Pine giving some lucky lady a taste of Little Tiberius, it's all about Kirk and Spock here: "Then why don't you stop me?" Kirk grits out at one tense moment, before we cut to a shot of Spock diving at him. Sure, all the gayness of the actual movie will probably be between the lines (even if vocal supporter of gay rights John Cho honors his predecessor George Takei's true sexuality). But it's nice to know that as long as America needs to sublimate unabashed homoeroticism with a smokescreen of Orion slave girls and comments about the port thrusters, Star Trek will be there.
Star Trek trailer
Oh man, I always found Spock so hot! ;)
His personal struggle between the Vulcan logical self and the human emotional self is the centerpiece of the character and created some evocative drama.
I found this endlessly fascinating about Spock. :)
do not underestimate the madness in some sectors!
"There are two things that are endless, human stupidity and the Universe. Whereby, I am not so sure about the latter."
- Albert Einstein
it's all about Kirk and Spock here: "Then why don't you stop me?" Kirk grits out at one tense moment, before we cut to a shot of Spock diving at him
Boys are cute, slashers must be pleased.
^^ :)
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