6/10 Michigan

So, "nearly six out of 10 voters" in Michigan support gay marriage.

Minnesota, #12

12 down!!!

Delaware!

One of the first 13 has become the 11th to legalize gay marriage. Let's keep the love train going!

It's not only okay to be Takei, it's great!

Well, the Huffington Post comes through once again and posted a hilarious anti-bigorty PSA filmed by George Takei and FunnyOrDie.com. It's called 'Gays Beware', and it is fab. Takei narrates over black and white footage of a gay couple dealing with the neighborhood bigot. But they win him over in the end, with kindness and continued efforts. It's actually a little heartwarming.

So, until I can figure out how to post it here, enjoy this older but no less awesome Takei video.

Rhode Island joins the party!

Rhode Island is the 10th state to legalize Gay Marriage. WOOT! 1/10 of the country!


And I just made myself sad. :( Still, any good news...

The Daily Huff: Government edition

A small town in Ohio is losing its homophobic mayor.  78 year old Mary McAngus submitted her resignation after complaints about calling Officer Kyle Calendine ‘Queer’. She also reportedly said “I don’t like a Queer working for the village [of Pomeroy].” The village Police Chief Mark Proffitt told her that such remarks could open them to a lawsuit.

I don’t know how to feel about this report. On the one hand, a discriminatory leader was removed from power. On the other hand, the removal probably had more to do with money and its potential loss rather than action on behalf of civil rights. There is no apology hinted at for  Office Calendine.   We’ll just have to hope the village he serves doesn’t turn on him for ‘losing their mayor.’

On a much happier note, another step down the long path to civil rights has been taken.  ThePentagon has announced it will extend certain rights to same-sex couples andtheir families serving in the military. According to the Huff, “. The benefits include commissary privileges, access to family support initiatives and joint duty assignments.” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is responsible for this.

God bless him.

Said Panetta “It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country.”

YES! YES! YES

This is not the end of the road by any means. Homosexual couples in the military still can’t get burial rights at national cemeteries, on-base housing or certain travel expenses for spouses, due to DOMA and its definition of what makes a spouse. This is part of a bigger struggle. But there’s no shame in the joy of small victories. Every step takes us a little closer to the future.

It is coming. And we will be there to see it.

The Daily Huff

Well, my Daily Showing may have been iced last night, but at least there’s the Huffington post!

AOL runs Huff news in its feed daily. This morning I found two stories about religion and homosexuality. The first was heartening: A grandmother standing up in front of her pastor and the whole congregation on behalf of her grandson. Quote the Huff:

A kid that attends the church and is in high school is gay, and apparently his parents wrote to the pastor asking what should be done about this. The pastor took the letter the parents wrote, and read it to the entire congregation, outed the kid, and told everyone that they would "work together to address this problem of homosexuality."

My grandmother stood up at this point, said "Thereare a lot of problems here, and him being gay is not one of them." She apologized to the boy, then walked out the door. She just got back from turningin all the stuff she was responsible for for the church's yard sale and BibleSchool activities.

So, not only did the Pastor out the kid in front of the community, he condemned him. The pastor (and I use that term loosely) was apparently pretty ticked off, but Grandma is sticking to her guns. You go Grandma!

This type of thing saddens me beyond belief. The Church is supposed to be a place of love and acceptance. Even if you believe being Gay is a sin, to publicly shame this child is beyond the pale. It could easily end in an attack on him by ‘pure’ Christians, schoolmates, or God only knows.

If this turns into a suicide, I hope that pastor is tried for murder.

At least the kid has ONE family member he can turn to.

I know the pain of an intolerant pastor. I have all but stopped my church attendance because of his views on homosexuality. “Gays will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.” These are words that have been spoken at my church by the man on the pulpit. It makes my heart ache that such a man of God could be so misled and wrong. In everything else, he is a model pastor, dedicated to his flock. If I were Gay, would he have outed me thus? I think not. I think he would have had more kindness and discretion…all while considering me a sinner.

The other story is equal parts sad and hilarious; sad that a man can say such nonsense and be believed, and hilarious in that someone in this day and age can believe women on the pill are full of dead babies. Kevin Swanson, another candidate for Pastor of the year Quote the Huff:

Said Swanson:

What’shappening is they want homosexuals to be able to be involved in adoption andfoster care as much anybody else. So picture a nice little home-school family,just trying to do the right thing. An anonymous tip comes in, social servicesswoops in, they grab the kids in the year 2022, and the kids get remanded intoa home with homosexuals, and these particular homosexuals happen to be tiedinto NAMBLA and other things.

I am so sick of hearing about how NAMBLA is entrenched in the gay community and all gays are pedophiles. More straight men are pedophiles! In fact, 90% of pedophiles are straight. You don’t have to be gay to molest little boys. You have to be SICK. He also implied that gays will burn Christians at the stake. That’s not what flaming means, buddy.

Oh, but the fun with Swanson doesn’t end with the homosexual community. Quote the Huff:

Meanwhile,Kevin Swanson has made Right Wing Watch headlines two more times since hisinflammatory "burning at the stake" comments: for claiming that women on birth control have wombs "embedded with dead babies", and for saying that allowing gay Boy Scout troop leaders islike allowing convicted child molesters and serial killers to teach in preschools.

Wha—Jhu—Haps---Sorry, just having a Grandpa Simpson style breakdown. I mean…HOW CAN SOMEONE BE THIS DUMB?!

Worse yet, how can people BELIEVE HIM?!

I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.

Actually…I like this planet….YOU get off!

HOORAY!

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed into law his hard fought measure to legalize same-sex marriage at 5 p.m. in the State House.

A marriage bill came within a whisker of passage in 2011, but was shelved in the House of Delegates at the last minute when leaders determined they were a few votes shy. Securing those "few votes" this year took up much of the first 45 days of Maryland's General Assembly's legislative session.

CONGRATULATIONS MARYLAND

Dear Customer Who Stuck Up For His Little Brother

This story starts out a bit sad, but becomes absolutely heartwarming.

Open letter (not by me) to parents: Your child might be gay.

A must read.

5 Reasons Against Gay Marriage Disputed Logically

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1LY7Rl66V4&list=PL2213F4D480302C4E&index=1&feature=plcp

A look at 5 major arguments against gay marriage, and logically why they are wrong.  Short and sweet.

Delaware's new Civil-Union Law began on New Year's Day.

Yesterday in Wilmington, more than 400 people gave a loud and rousing standing ovation as they witnessed
 Delaware's first Same-Sex Civil Union. Lisa Goodman & Drewry Fennell, partners for 14 years, were joined in union by Rev. Patricia Downing, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church where the Sunday afternoon ceremony took place ... 


Congratulations to Lisa & Drewry.

Gonna try to lighten the mood a little bit, with hope for the future

Archie's Gay Wedding.

Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in Archie comics, is set for an interracial Gay marriage. The character is set to get his own miniseries as well.  I used to read Archie a lot as a kid, so this is kinda cool. 

It Gets Better: Chris Armstrong Announces Scholarship for Victims of Bullying at University of Michigan

Something good happening in my state. FINALLY! This is the guy who last year was bullied by Michigan's former Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shrivell.  U of M supported him during this terrible event. Now, U of M has a scholarship in his name. Finally, action, not just words.  Go U of M!

Want to find GLBT friendly establishments?

http://www.dailygaypon.com/home.php
Seems like a cool site.  Give it a look!