Today In Mildly Interesting Trivia

(Source)

TONIGHT: DJ Rich Morel In DC

DJ Rich Morel (one-half of the wildly popular Blowoff team) debuts a new party tonight in Washington DC at Club Liv. Doors open 10pm, $7. Facebook page. Guaranteed to be a sweaty furry mess! In a good way!

JMG EXCLUSIVE!!! Here's DJ Rich Morel's brand new mix for Yoko Ono, Wouldnit (I'm A Star). This is Rich's fifth production for Yoko and three of them have gone to #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance chart. Loving it!

Save California: Thomas Jefferson Would Have Imprisoned Walker For Treason

"Walker knows that his ruling will be appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and could be overturned, yet he seems to care little about a peaceful process. By demanding that homosexual 'marriages' begin Aug. 18, Walker is demanding his own way, despite normal legal processes, despite his oath of office, and despite the written words and contextual origins of the U.S. Constitution. If these were the days of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, federal marshals would arrest and imprison Vaughn Walker as a traitor and domestic enemy of the United States Constitution." - Save California president Randy Thomasson, upping the hate another notch.

World Net Daily Covers Prop 8 Stay Lift

In typical fashion, the nation's most widely read Christofascist site covered yesterday's Prop 8 news with bile, contempt, and a lovely photo of two Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Because the only thing more repulsive than a man in a dress is a man in a dress wearing kabuki makeup. And note the insulting subhead "Homosexual Told State..."

And The Next Seven Too

Family Research Council Election Advisory: There Is No Morality Without Religion

Rep. Louis Gohmert: Zombie Mexican Terror Babies Are Going To Kill Us All!

If you can get past Lady Skeletor at the beginning of this clip, hang on for a positively feisty Anderson Cooper taking on Texas racist Rep. Louis Gohmert. Silver Fox FTW!

Protect Marriage Files 95-Page Emergency Motion For Stay Pending Appeal

Note that the first citation is an article from San Diego's Gay & Lesbian Times.
Protect Marriage Appeal

Broadway Friday

-New attitude! Patti Labelle will join the cast of the Tony-winning Fela! on September 14th and will perform there until the show's scheduled closing in January. She will replace Tony winner Lilias White in the role of Fela's mother.

-A Broadway version of Glee will definitely happen, according to the show's co-creator Ryan Murphy, who says he is already auditioning the cast. No opening date has been disclosed. Murphy is also slated to direct the movie version of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart.

-Hairspray Tony winner Marisa Winokur will co-cost the coming CBS talk show about motherhood with openly lesbian Rosanne star Sara Gilbert.

-Patti Lupone and Brian Stokes Mitchell will star in the musical version of Pedro Almodovar's Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, which begins previews at the Belasco Theatre on October 2nd.

-Turn around bright eyes: Tony nominee Justin "Kiki" Bond will perform a series of dates at Joe's Pub beginning on September 12th. If you haven't seen Justin Bond, you are missing one of the truly unique theatrical experiences of our days.

-Spider-Man: Turn Of The Dark will finally begin previews on November 14th after almost a year of delays related to its record-breaking $50M production cost.

-Tony winner Beth Leavel (Drowsy Chaperone) and George Wendt (Cheers) have been cast in the musical version of Elf, set to open at the Hirshfeld on November 14th. Wendt will play Santa, the lead role of Buddy has not yet been cast.

The Next Susan Boyle?

A ten year-old opera singer blew away the competition on America's Got Talent on Tuesday night. She so scarily good, half of the commenters on YouTube are screaming, "Fake! Lip-sync!"

Family Research Council Election Advisory: Make Sure You Only Vote For Christians

Tweet Of The Day II

DISCLAIMER: While my mole in the SF courthouse did allow me to scoop everybody by 20 minutes or so, it was not until at least ten minutes later did I learn that the lift order doesn't go into effect until Wednesday. I quickly updated my posts here and on Facebook and Twitter, but I must apologize to everybody for my premature ejacutweeting. This is why bloggers aren't considered "real" journalists, I'm afraid.

UPDATE: The National Gay & Lesbian Journalist Association's Michael Triplett has weighed in on this post.

UNRELATED: You should totally add Armistead Maupin to your follow list on Twitter. The musical version of Tales Of The City is on the way with music/lyrics by Jake Shears and Jeff Whitty!

Tony Perkins Rides The Waambulance

"Once again, Chief Judge Walker has disregarded the will of the people of California by interpreting the U.S. Constitution in a way that imposes his own personal beliefs. We support Protect Marriage's immediate appeal to the Ninth Circuit to stay this decision until the conclusion of the case.

"Voters in 30 states have protected marriage in their state constitutions because they understand the importance of a mom and a dad to children. The social science data is overwhelming and clear - children do best when raised by a mom and dad. Judge Walker's opinion completely stepped over these findings by the international research community. Now, by refusing to stay his ruling until all appeals are adjudicated, Judge Walker is cynically attempting to limit the options of the appellate courts by creating a legion of same-sex couples whose marriages could be nullified. In essence, Judge Walker is presenting an unnecessary challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court." - Tony Perkins, douchenozzle-in-chief of the Family Research Council.

NOM Rides The Waambulance

Reactions To Lifting Of Prop 8 Stay

Equality California

Monumental! U. S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has denied Yes on 8 proponents their request that he stay his decision which declared that Prop 8 unconstitutional, paving the way for couples to get married. This is an incredibly joyful moment in our history, not only for all of the committed couples who will finally be able to get married, but also because a fundamental constitutional freedom has been restored in our great state. Our victory today is due in no small part to the State of California’s stance on the case. Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown both asked the court to lift the stay and allow marriages to commence. Both have refused to defend Prop. 8 in court, preventing the State’s talented attorneys and vast legal resources from playing a role in this case.

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the same-sex couples who will again be free to experience the joy and celebration of legally marrying in California. This is a remarkable moment, stemming from the landmark ruling declaring Proposition 8 unconstitutional. That decision came down to a simple yet profound principle: People should be treated equally under the law. Lifting the stay puts that principle into practice. We thank the judge for his continuing sense of fairness and sound reasoning in this case.”

Stonewall Democrats

"At a time when a majority of the American public believe that same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry, Judge Walker’s decision to lift the stay on marriage for same-sex couples is simply a natural expression of a Constitution that guarantees equality for all Americans,” said Michael Mitchell, Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats. “It only seems radical to a shrinking minority of people who are on the wrong side of history.” “As we head into midterm elections, it’s important to remember that in large part, it’s been the Republican party that has used marriage equality as a wedge issue, Republican governors who vetoed marriage equality measures and Republican Members of Congress who pushed for a Constitutional amendment that would forever keep LGBT people as second-class citizens. We, of course, welcome and applaud any elected official of either party who supports marriage equality, but time and again, it’s pro-equality Democrats who are doing the lion’s share of the work that will ultimately result in full marriage equality.”

Faith In America

"We applaud Judge Walker's responsible handling of the stay regarding Prop 8. Clearly his ruling that Proposition 8 violates Constitutional rights is a landmark opinion and it deserves careful deliberation. No longer will religious-based objections to marriage be a justification for the government to keep the right to marriage away from same-sex couples,² said Mitchell Gold, founder of Faith in America. Judge Walker¹s ruling last week in which he found that banning marriage between same-sex couples was unconstitutional, also acknowledged that religion has been misused to justify harm to gays and lesbians and their families. "We are so happy for the LGBT couples in California who wish to marry the love of their life, just as I was able to do a few short weeks ago in the State of Iowa," Gold continued. "Same-sex couples deserve the same freedom and rights allowed by the Constitution. Today is another historic day."

Lambda Legal

"Although we're disappointed that Judge Walker elected today to give the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals a chance to consider the issue of the stay, we are gratified that he has denied the request to put his historic ruling on hold during any appeals. He has applied the standard legal tests in the standard way and reached the only logical conclusions given the overwhelming evidence produced at trial: nobody is harmed - especially not the backers of Prop 8 - by restoring equality in marriage to California's same-sex couples. Nobody suffers when everyone is treated equally. There's enough equality to go around. "To maintain the stay, the Ninth Circuit will have to find that Prop 8's proponents are likely to win on appeal or will suffer irreparable harm if same-sex couples again are allowed to marry. But at this point, the truth is crystal clear, as last week's decision explains: the only people suffering harm are lesbian and gay couples whose constitutional rights are violated every day that Prop 8 remains in force, and who simply seek the same rights everyone else already enjoys."

Tweet Of The Day

Source.

Here's The Ruling Lifting The Stay

Final Stay Order

Wedding Bells To Ring! Proposition 8 Stay LIFTED By Judge Vaughn Walker!!! Marriages To Resume On August 18th

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The stay does NOT expire until August 18th.

The stay is LIFTED. California's same-sex couples may begin marrying on August 18th. Stand by for the ruling, photos, videos and reactions!

LIVE VIDEO: San Francisco City Hall

UPDATE: As many of you noticed, both the USTREAM and ABC feeds have abruptly switched to an unrelated story. I'm not finding any other embeddable live streams from SF at the moment, dammit all to hell. Stand by.

UPDATE II: The below feed is back, for now.

UPDATE III: The live stream is concluded.

F5 F5 F5 F5 F5

The stay ruling will come here. Although last time the site crashed and this here website thingy scooped most of the blogosphere thanks to our courthouse insider.

Gay Couples Lining Up At SF City Hall

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Lesbian and gay couples were lining up this morning at the San Francisco clerk's office, hours before a judge is expected to rule on whether same-sex marriages can resume while his landmark decision in the case is appealed. Ron Wood and his boyfriend of seven years, Roger Hunt, were the first in line at San Francisco City Hall. The San Francisco couple said they wanted to be there in case the window of opportunity to wed was small. Wood proposed to Hunt two days ago, and if they get married, they plan to celebrate their honeymoon by taking a motorcycle trip to the Sierra. "I'm trying to remain calm, but I don't want to be devastated if the stay is lifted," Hunt said.

Sovereign Citizens

Today the Southern Poverty Law Center issues a report on the growing "sovereign citizen" movement, a growing group of about 300,000 Americans who declare themselves completely exempt from the laws and controls of all governments, local, state and federal.

They call themselves sovereign citizens, U.S. residents who declare themselves above state and federal laws. Many don't register children's births, carry driver's licenses or recognize the court system. Some peddle schemes that use fictional legal loopholes to eliminate debt and avoid foreclosures. A few such believers are violent: Two police officers in Arkansas died in a shootout in May after stopping an Ohio sovereign citizen and his son. Hate group monitors say their numbers have increased thanks to the recession, the foreclosure crisis, the growth of the Internet and the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Adherents expect the current American system of government to end one way or another. "I'm the Patrick Henry of the 21st century. I'm here to regain our freedom," James McBride said in a jailhouse interview. "I'm going to, or die trying." At the heart of their belief system: The government creates a secret identity for each citizen at birth, a "straw man," that controls an account at the U.S. Treasury used as collateral for foreign debt. File enough documents at the right offices and the money in those accounts can be used to pay off debt or make purchases worth thousands of dollars.

From the wacko Restore America Plan's Declaration of Independence:

We the People inhabiting the North American continent, free men and women convened under God, having been granted by the Creator dominion over all the earth, to restore the blessings of liberty for ourselves and the posterity, do hereby invoke our sacred right to alter or abolish destructive government as memorialized in The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, c. 1776 by declaring herewith this solemn declaration to the people of the earth and all governments and nations derived there from.

PhoboQuotable - Maggie Gallagher

"American politics are in a quasi-revolutionary phase. The people, symbolized first in the eruptions of Tea Parties, are rebelling against elites who believe they can ignore our voices and our values.

"Rush Limbaugh had his finger on the truth. In the nearly half-hour speech he gave after the Proposition 8 ruling ("the American people are boiling over!"), Rush said that Walker "did not just slap down the will of 7 million voters. Those 7 million voters were put on trial -- a kangaroo court where everything was stacked against them. ... Those of you who voted for Prop 8 in California are guilty of hate crimes. You were thinking discrimination. That's what this judge has said! Truly unprecedented."

"Yes, it is. We are entering into a new phase in the battle not only for marriage, but for self-government, for the legitimacy of the views and values of the Ameircan people. This is a fight we cannot dodge, and must and will win. Buckle down, it's going to be a ride!" - Maggie Gallagher, calling for revolution over same-sex marriage.

Maddow On DADT: Why Aren't We Holding Off On The Ruination Of Careers?

Last night Rachel Maddow devoted nearly her entire show to the repeal of DADT, interviewing several of its most high-profile victims, including Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach, who has just filed suit to stop his dismissal. Here's how Maddow closed out the show.

GOP Sues Florida Tea Party

World Net Daily has rescinded its sponsorship of the Florida Tea Party's 2010 convention after the GOP sued the group in state court. Because the Florida Tea Party is secretly full of Democrats. Via the Orlando Sentinel:

The state Republican Party launched an attack on the Florida Tea Party on Wednesday, paying for lawsuits against several Tea candidates with the hope of ejecting them from races for a congressional seat and three state House seats. It's the latest twist in an escalating battle that pits the Republican establishment and grass-roots tea-party activists against the Florida Tea political party and the firebrand Democratic congressman from Orlando, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.

The Florida Tea Party, established by Windermere attorney Fred O'Neal and political consultant Doug Guetzloe, has put up candidates in races across the state. Most are Florida House races, but Florida Tea Party candidate Peg Dunmire is running against Grayson. Some activists in the tea-party movement — who oppose establishing a formal political party — allege the Florida Tea Party is bogus, and meant to draw conservative votes away from Republican candidates to give Democrats an edge.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) responds: "I once saw a dying iguana with an arrow through its skull. It was thrashing around in a way very much like the Republican Party of Florida does today. As for all these whining Tea Parties factions, or fractions of factions, as Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet, 'a plague on both your houses.' ''

Gay Porn Company Sues BitTorrent Users

As part of the industry's continuing crackdown on piracy, gay porn outfit Lucas Entertainment has filed lawsuits against 53 users of the peer-to-peer file-swapping network BitTorrent. Lucas is asking the users' ISPs to disclose their names and addresses.

The time between the alleged infringement and the filing of the federal lawsuit was amazingly short: three or four days. The infringements were detected on August 5-6, and the Lucas lawsuit was filed on August 9. In addition, the company has already asked the judge to force ISPs to respond to subpoenas in 15 days or less. Clearly, speed is an issue. The suit also claims the copyright infringement here was "intentional," which opens the door to much higher statutory damages that top out at $150,000 per infringement. More defendants will be added to the case before it's over. Lucas suggests that "information obtained in discovery will lead to the identification of additional infringing parties," and its ongoing "monitoring" may contribute more names, too. These sorts of schemes generally rely more on settlement letters than actual trials to collect the cash, however; something that may be doubly true when gay porn is the issue.

JMG tipper Davecool notes that the final sentence of the story implies that Lucas feels that "gay porn shame" may force faster settlements.

More Double-Speak From Sharron Angle

In this ad Angle claims to want to save Social Security (from Harry Reid, of course), but that's certainly not what she's said in the past: "We need to phase Medicare and Social Security out in favor of something privatized. I'm saying it can't be fixed. It's broken."

Nate Silver On Marriage Polls

Nate Silver:

Something to bear in mind is that it's only been fairly recently that gay rights groups -- and other liberals and libertarians -- shifted toward a strategy of explicitly calling for full equity in marriage rights, rather than finding civil unions to be an acceptable compromise. While there is not necessarily zero risk of backlash resulting from things like court decisions -- support for gay marriage slid backward by a couple of points, albeit temporarily, after a Massachusetts' court's ruling in 2003 that same-sex marriage was required by that state's constitution -- it seems that, in general, "having the debate" is helpful to the gay marriage cause, probably because the secular justifications against it are generally quite weak.

I know you freaks are dying to comment on the shape of the graph.

(Via - Towleroad)

Restless People - Days Of Our Lives

Underworld meets Chicane.

Has Glenn Beck Changed His Tune On Same-Sex Marriage?

Last night Glenn Beck dismissed gay marriage as an unimportant issue.

Why doesn't Glenn Beck cover gay marriage? Because he doesn't believe it's a threat to the nation. In a conversation with Bill O'Reilly on why he avoids culture war issues, Beck admitted that he doesn't think marriage should be a political issue. "Honestly, I think we have bigger fish to fry," Beck said. "You can argue about abortion or gay marriage or whatever all you want. The country is burning down...I don't think marriage, that the government actually has anything to do with...that is a religious right." "Do you believe gay marriage is a threat to the country in any way?" O'Reilly asked. "A threat to the country? No, I don't," Beck said, laughing, adding mockingly, "Will the gays come and get us?" Beck quoted Thomas Jefferson: "If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, what difference is it to me?"

That's certainly not what Glenn Beck has said in the past.

R-71 Petition Names Remain Sealed

Even though the Supreme Court ruled in June that forcing Protect Marriage Washington to disclose the names on their petitions was not unconstitutional, yesterday a federal judge blocked the release of the names as the bigots continues their bid to show that violent homofascists will rain down retribution if R-71's signers become known.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle ruled Wednesday to extend a restraining order that bars public release of the signatures while the case moves forward. He said that if the names were disclosed before a hearing on the case, it would essentially make the case moot. "The release of the names and addresses could not be undone," he said. Stickney's attorney said that the case centered on how the public records act is balanced against First Amendment issues when people want to voice their opinion on a volatile issue. "If you're talking about a nonvolatile issue, like adjusting the sales tax, in most cases that's not going to rise to a constitutional challenge," said Steven Pidgeon, an attorney for Protect Marriage. "But when you have a situation where people are saying 'I'm not going to sign a petition because if I do, my car is going to get keyed, my windows will get broken,' it becomes a different issue."

Rep. Alan Grayson Calls On President Obama To Fire Robert Gibbs

Out-Doing Greg Gutfeld

Found on Tumblr by Dr. Jeff:

Continuing the chain of imaginary offensiveness to stereotypes, I plan to open a Babies R Us next to the gay bar next to the mosque next to Ground Zero. Next to the Babies R Us I will open a pornographic bookstore, and next to that I will open a police station. Next to the police station I will open a hip-hop recording studio, and next to that I will open an Applebees. Next to the Applebees I will open a TGI Fridays (those guys HATE each other) and next to the TGI Fridays I will open a methadone clinic. Next to the methadone clinic I will open a crack house, and finally, next to that, I will open a Catholic church adjoining a daycare center for attractive boys, adjacent to which I will just blow up whatever’s there so I can erect a memorial, and next to that memorial I will open a community center dedicated to a locally inconvenient ethnicity that I hired to blow up the original structure on the memorial site. Next to that I’m just going to put up some condos.

New From Denny's

The fried cheese melt. Not as gross looking as the Double Down or the Donut Burger.

Barney Frank On NOM Violence

“People have a constitutional right to express themselves as they wish, and that right obviously applies even to people who for some reason have dedicated much of their lives to trying to diminish the lives of others. I do not understand what it is that drives people to spend so much time trying to take away the rights of those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, but they should understand that the freedom to do so in no way insulates them from those who disagree with their agenda from making their presence clear.

"For someone engaging in that right of peaceful counter-demonstration to be assaulted by a NOM attendee is wholly unacceptable and the leaders of this organization should be taking steps not simply to prevent any such behavior in the future, but to exclude from their ranks anyone who was engaged in it in the past.” - Rep. Barney Frank, responding to the news that a young lesbian was punched in the stomach by a NOM supporter at their Indianapolis rally.

Sam Seder On Net Neutrality

What do we have to fear from Google and Verizon?

Open Thread Thursday

Is legal marriage for you? Why or why not?

BREAKING: Prop 8 Stay Ruling Tomorrow

The announcement will come between noon and 3pm EST.

U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker will issue a Thursday morning ruling on whether to stay a decision in the Proposition 8 federal case pending appeal, according to a late Wednesday e-mail from the court. The ruling will be issued between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Pacific Time. If Walker rules against the stay, the state of California will presumably allow same-sex couples to wed once again. Such unions have been illegal since voters in the state passed Prop. 8 in November 2008.

Here we go again!

California County Appeals Prop 8 Ruling With Backing Of Christianist Group

Imperial County, in far southern California, has filed an appeal of Judge Vaughn Walker's overturn of Proposition 8, thanks the help of an anti-gay Christianist legal group. But do they have standing to do so?

The County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 earlier in the day to approve the appeal, according to the Imperial Valley Press. Close to 70% of Imperial County voters approved Prop. 8, which enshrined a definition of marriage as between one man and one woman in the state Constitution. Attorneys for official backers of Prop. 8, ProtectMarriage, have appealed the ruling. Walker last week denied Imperial County's effort to intervene in the case, saying the county lacked sufficient interests in the matter to do so. The county, represented by the Christian legal group Advocates for Faith and Freedom, pledged to appeal that denial. Separately on Tuesday, the county filed an appeal challenging Walker's core ruling on Prop. 8's constitutionality. "The personal opinion of a single judge in San Francisco should not be substituted for the opinion of over 7 million voters," Advocates for Faith and Freedom General Counsel Robert Tyler said in a statement. The appellate court will determine whether Imperial County has a right to move forward with its appeal.

Imperial County is mostly desert and has only 140K residents.[Photo credit: Rex Wockner]

Elton John & Mrs. Limbaugh IV

Wingnut site World Net Daily has posted the just-released wedding photos of Rush Limbaugh and his wife du jour. Caption what Elton is thinking here.

Best Facebook Page (So Far)

Team Slater

On sale now. His Facebook fan page has 137,000 members already.

M.I.A. - XXXO

STOP! Mecca Time!

In Mecca, Saudi Arabia is building the world's largest clock atop what will be the world's second-tallest building. The structure is meant to help further Saudi Arabia's goal to establish Mecca as the replacement for the global standard of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Bearing a striking resemblance to both St Stephen’s Tower, which houses the bell of Big Ben, and the Empire State Building, the Saudi upstart aims to outdo its revered British rival in every way. The clock’s four faces are 151ft in diameter and will be illuminated by 2million LED lights along with huge Arabic script reading: “In the name of Allah”. The clock will run on Arabia Standard Time which is three hours ahead of GMT. When a glittering spire is added, topped with a crescent to symbolise Islam, the edifice will stand at nearly 2,000 ft, making it the world's second tallest building. The clock of Big Ben, by comparison, is just 23ft in diameter, while its tower stands at a mere 316ft.

Residents of Mecca will also be reminded that it is time to pray when 21,000 green and white lights, visible at a distance of 18 miles, flash five times a day. But Islamic scholars hope the clock’s influence will stretch far further than the sands of Saudi Arabia, as part of a plan for Mecca to eclipse the Greenwich Observatory as the “true centre of the earth”. For the past 125 years, the international community has accepted that the start of each day should be measured from the prime meridian, representing 0 degrees longitude, which passes through the Greenwich Observatory. A standard time by which other clocks were set was needed to organise global travel and communications, but in the Islamic world the idea that it should be centred on a part of London is seen as a colonial anachronism.

Saudi Arabia's leading cleric contends that Mecca is the correct choice because "it's in perfect alignment with magnetic north." The world's scientists disagree.

HomoQuotable - Jonathan Rauch

"Walker was right to say that separate isn't equal. Civil unions are hardly ideal. But his decision treats civil unions as if they were trivial or worthless. By refusing to give them any weight and declaring them not just inadequate as a matter of policy but prohibited as a matter of law, Walker uses the Constitution to put compromise out of bounds. [snip]

"So I think the decision is a radical one, but not, ironically, as it pertains to homosexuality or to marriage. No, Walker's radicalism lies elsewhere: In his use of the Constitution to batter the principles of its two greatest exponents - Madison and Abraham Lincoln, a Burkean who was steadfast in his belief that ideals must be leavened with pragmatism.

"History will, I believe, vindicate Walker's view of marriage. Whether it will see him as having done gay rights a favor is less clear. For all its morally admirable qualities, his decision sets the cause of marriage equality crosswise with moderation, gradualism and popular sovereignty. Which, in America, is a dangerous place to be." - Jonathan Rauch, writing for the New York Daily News. Rauch, who gay-married in Washington DC in June, is the co-founder of the homocon site, Independent Gay Forum.

Designing Women In The Park

One of the more unusual fundraisers to hit my inbox this week:

Men in dresses, drinks in hands... it's summer in Brooklyn as we take to the stage for our second summer production "Designing Women in the Park." Join us on August 15 for an evening of truly classic theater as we *drag* ourselves through an episode of Designing Women. The party starts at 7pm and runs to 10:30, with three shows. Your suggested donation of $10 gets you into the party, a seat (or a stand) to see the show, and a WHOLE LOT OF BEER, lovingly provided by Brooklyn Brewery. Our efforts this evening all benefit RightRides, an organization dedicated to building safer communities by ending gender-based harassment and sexual assault. We'll see you in Red Hook on the 15th!

About RightRides:

RightRides offers women, LGBTQ and gender queer individuals a free, safe, late night ride home on Friday and Saturday nights from 11:59 PM - 3 AM, (early Saturday or Sunday morning) in up to 45 NYC neighborhoods across four NYC boroughs. To call for a ride, the dispatch number is (888) 215-SAFE (7233).

West Hollywood: We Are Ready To Resume Gay Marriages If We Get The Word

As we all wait on Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling about a stay, West Hollywood City Hall is putting the word out that they are ready to resume officiating same-sex marriages at a moment's notice. Via Karen Ocamb:

West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Duran says he is ready to start officiating again. “As soon as the federal judge lifts the stay, Weho is ready for the sequel ‘Summer of Love II.’ We will marry as many happy couples as we can until another judge tells us we can’t. Like drops of water becoming a mighty torrent…..” West Hollywood City Clerk Tom West says the five city councilmembers have been deputized but because of work schedules, it is imperative that couples call his office to schedule an appointment: 323-848-6409. Dean Logan, the Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk for Los Angeles County, is prepared to “take immediate action to implement the court’s orders if the stay is lifted and judgment is entered.” That means county offices will issue marriage licenses to same sex couples as soon as they as the judge’s ruling is clear.

Walker's ruling could come at any time. Lambda Legal cautions that there may only be a very short window of legalized same-sex marriages before the Ninth Circuit Court issues a stay of its own.

Email Of The Day

"Hey, Joe. My name is Morgan Tepsic, I'm 20 years old and my dream is to jump around the world naked. Here's 2,600 shots in motion showing what I've done so far...it's not very long, and the music is really great. Thanks and have a good day, Morgan."

OK, then. NSFW, y'all.

The Potatoe Doesn't Fall Far...

(Via - Andrew Sullivan)

Afternoon View - Flyover Necessities

American Family Association Calls For Ban On Building ANY Mosques In America

"Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America, let alone the monstrosity planned for Ground Zero. This is for one simple reason: each Islamic mosque is dedicated to the overthrow of the American government. Each one is a potential jihadist recruitment and training center, and determined to implement the 'Grand Jihad' of which Andy McCarthy has written.

"Because of this subversive ideology, Muslims cannot claim religious freedom protections under the First Amendment. They are currently using First Amendment freedoms to make plans to destroy the First Amendment altogether. There is no such thing as freedom of religion in Islam, and it is sheer and utter folly for Americans to delude themselves into thinking otherwise." - AFA radio host Bryan Fischer.

Please remember to quote the American Family Association every single time they scream about homofascists infringing upon freedom of religion.

Inside Porno Pete's Hate Academy

Last week Friendly Atheist Hemant Mehta sent two undercover spies to Porno Pete's Hate Academy. Today Mehta posts the first in a three-part series exposing what went on. Here's a haters quote recap from "Perry and Maria":

Matt Barber: We should not be politically correct. It’s natural for gays to be reviled. It’s important to focus on the health risks of homosexuality, but we need to be aggressive and unapologetically loving.
Greg Quinlan: If you Bible-thump or talk about sex, it turns pro-gays off. If you give them the science, you sound like somebody in authority and they don’t know how to respond to that.
Arthur Goldberg: We need to use the term “homosexual” instead of “gay” because it has a more negative connotation. No one is gay; they’re only “gay identified.”
Cliff Kincaid: This issue of homosexuality affects you because gays are demanding to give blood. The hemophiliacs are outraged by the homosexual lobby saying they have a right to give blood. They want to force themselves into the blood supply in a callous and arrogant manner. Mothers need to speak up. Mothers, your children are at risk!
Laurie Higgins: Parents need to remove their children from public schools. Even after doing that, they need to make law changes because our taxes go to the public schools. When we are silent on this issue, we teach our children through role-modeling to be cowardly conformists. We bequeath a legacy of much greater oppression to our children and our grandchildren. At least I can say to my children that I did everything I could.
Rena Lindevaldsen: We need to work to completely eliminate public schools — government schools — and push a Christian/Biblical model of educating our children.
Ryan Sorba: We need to unify behind common winning talking points. Boycott the term “gay.” They are in no way attached to any kind of identity because it’s not an identity. They’re not functioning in accord with their design. We need to repeat over and over and over again that there is no scientific evidence that people are born gay. There is no study that proves causation. Psychiatrists need to reclassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.
Matt Barber: At gay pride parades, they have sex in the street in front of children.

Read Hemant Mehta's entire expose. With these two spies, the spies from Truth Wins Out, and the other spy that outed herself to Hemant's people, how many actual students were even there?

NOM's Hate Tour Draws Tens In Raleigh

JMG reader Rob sends us a great photo gallery of yesterday's NOM Fail™ in Raleigh, where ace blogger Pam Spaulding took on some of her local wingnuts. Read Pam's hilarious account of her run-in with the mentally ill woman below.

Pastor Olden Thornton: Jeebus Is Coming Back To Fuck A Woman, Not A Man!

North Carolina televangelist Olden Thornton wants you to know that when Zombie Jeebus returns from the dead, he's coming for a bride. Just in case you were wondering. Thornton is a part of a new anti-gay group pushing for a voter referendum on marriage equality in North Carolina.

(Via - Good As You)

American Family Association: Allowing Gays To Adopt Is Inhumane To Children

But it's perfectly OK to allow those kids to wallow their entire lives in the substandard and inattentive state care that they've been placed in, NOT INCIDENTALLY, because their heterosexual parents abandoned, abused, and/or molested them.

Did Dinner With A Male Porn Star Bring Down Minnesota's Gay State Senator?

Openly gay Minnesota state Sen. Paul Koering lost his GOP primary reelection bid yesterday in a campaign that got ugly and personal after Koering was seen dining with a young male porn star.

The race between Gazelka, a former state representative, and Koering, R-Fort Ripley, was notable for its focus on Koering’s personal life, and for efforts by state Republicans — who endorsed Gazelka — to investigate Koering’s past. Koering, Minnesota’s only openly gay Republican senator, made headlines in June by dining with a gay adult-film actor. Reports of the date surfaced on Twitter and made national news. Social issues were a factor in the race, as Gazelka made his opposition to same-sex marriage and benefits a leading issue. Koering blasted the Minnesota Republican Party last month for what he called its effort to “dig up dirt.” A party researcher wrote sheriffs in Morrison and Crow Wing counties, asking if they had law-enforcement records on Koering. Gazelka distanced himself from those tactics, saying he didn’t endorse the state party’s investigation of Koering.

RELATED: Koering angered many in January 2009 when he announced that he would not only not work for marriage equality in Minnesota, he wouldn't even vote for it if it was presented to his chamber. Koering's top aide said at the time that if anybody complained about his boss's stance on marriage equality, their letter would just go in the trash "where it belongs." Koering's 2010 campaign page is blank under the "issues" button, so it's unclear whether he changed his tune. However even Koering's opponent denounced NOM for their "mean-spirited" flier campaign earlier this year, so it's possible he did.

Tweet Of The Day - Roger Ebert

Today In Crazy Teabaggers

Washed up wingnut '70s racist pop star Ray Stevens wants Jeebus to save Arizona "from our own federal government."

Rush Limbaugh On Steven Slater: America Would Like Its Own Escape Chute From Barack Obama

HomoQuotable - David Mixner

"First of all, lets be extremely clear. Public Option was not a fringe issue. The desire for human rights and freedom for the American LGBT community is clearly rooted in the Constitution of the United States. Wanting our young not to die in useless foreign wars doesn't appear to me to be radical. Not wanting 14% of America's children to go to bed hungry at night seems like a reasonable expectation. And yes, waking up in the morning and knowing you have the dignity of a job is essential for the soul of America.

"These issues are not fringe, not left and not unreasonable. President Obama promised us if we believed again he would take us there. Maybe it is time in the White House and in the Obama administration to seriously examine their behavior, let some people go and try and start anew." - Former Clinton White House adviser David Mixner, responding to Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' denouncement of the "professional left" to The Hill.

Gibbs says of America's progressives: "These people ought to be drug tested. They will be satisfied when we have Canadian healthcare and we’ve eliminated the Pentagon. That’s not reality. They wouldn’t be satisfied if Dennis Kucinich was president."

Morning View - The Corner Deli

It has a secret/mysterious underground dining room.

Christianists Versus Science

COSTA RICA: Supreme Court Rules Marriage Referendum Unconstitutional

Andres Duque translates the good news.

The Supreme Court in Costa Rica ruled (today) that a referendum scheduled for December 1st which would have banned marriage rights for same-sex couples was unconstitutional. The article does not give the vote total but says that the majority determined that the issue of marriage rights was a judicial issue and not an electoral issue and that the rights of minorities should never be subjected to a referendum process where they might be subjected to the wishes of a majority.

Emphasis motherfucking mine, Maggie.

Greg Gutfeld Explains His Ground Zero Gay Bar Plan To Glenn Beck

The Ballad Of Steven Slater

The chorus is pretty catchy!

MEXICO: Supreme Court Rules That All States Must Recognize Same-Sex Marriage

The wins keep pouring in! Late this afternoon Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that all 31 states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in the nation's capital, which at the moment is the only place they are legal. Mexico City is a separate federal entity, much like Washington, DC.

In a 9-2 decision, the tribunal cited an article of the constitution requiring states to recognize legal contracts drawn up elsewhere. It did not specify what degree of recognition must be granted to same-sex couples. Mexico City's same-sex marriage law, enacted in March, extends to wedded gay couples the right to adopt children, to jointly apply for bank loans, to inherit wealth and to be covered by their spouses' insurance policies. Some of those may end up applying only in the capital. The Supreme Court ruled last week that same-sex weddings are constitutional — though it is holding separate discussions this week on the adoption clause. One of the justices, Sergio Aguirre, argued against adoptions by same-sex couples Tuesday, saying children might suffer discrimination as a result.

The ruling does not force any of the states to allow gay marriage, but surely helps clears the way for the more liberal parts of the country to move forward.

The Animated Steven Slater

Taiwan's Apple Action News' specialty is computer animations of breaking events. Here's their take on JetBlue folk hero Steven Slater, complete with that "sexual embrace" with his boyfriend.

Rep. Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann Signs Resolution Condemning Judge Walker

(Via - Good As You)

American Bar Association Announces Support For Marriage Equality

The 410,000 member 132-year old American Bar Association, arguably the most influential legal group in the world, has announced its firm support for same-sex marriage. The Advocate reports:

In a resolution adopted less than one week after a federal judge in San Francisco struck down California's Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, the group acknowledges that same-sex couples "are only seeking to participate in an equal basis in a foundational institution of our civil life," former ABA president Tommy Wells told the organization's house of delegates. "They simply want to share in the legal blessings that we give to married couples. It can only strengthen marriage.”

The ABA's statement: "RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges state, territorial, and tribal governments to eliminate all of their legal barriers to civil marriage between two persons of the same sex who are otherwise eligible to marry."

Snake Eggs & Saddam Hussein

Pastor Chuck Pierce, head wacko of the Glory of Zion International Ministries, says that his prayers to God allowed U.S. troops to capture Saddam Hussein. Right Wing Watch has posted this excerpt from Pierce's book, which recounts a prayer meeting between Rev. Cuckoo and other pastors:

The Lord then showed me a nest of snake eggs. He said "There are four snake eggs that are lying in wait, and from this state I am giving you the power tonight to crush those snake eggs. In this state tonight, you will be able to decree to Babylon that the strongman that has not been found will now be found in the next seven days." Then Pastor Dutch said "Expose him. We declare exposure. We declare the eggs are being crushed under our feet in Jesus' name. Under our feet, under our feet, under our feet. Break it! We say witchcraft is broken that hides him in Jesus' name."

Members of the local pastoral leadership and the national military agreed with the prophetic decree. Pastor Darrell Feemster declared that the Fourth Infantry Division from San Antonino would be blessed to bring down the spirit of Babylon and to raise up a Christian nation in Iraq. Greg Jackson, a representative of the military, proclaimed "As a witness to this prophetic word in this house, as a representative of the Armed Forces in the state of Texas, I declare in the name of the Lord, it shall be!" A roar went up from the crowd. That roar entered the atmosphere and, I believe, traveled by the Spirit of God all the way to Iraq ... Troops from the Fourth Infantry went in and found Saddam Hussein three days later! Even though many were praying around the world, I believe it takes corporate gatherings at times to express God's purpose in the earth. I could see why God had wanted this revelation decreed in San Antonino, Texas.

Pierce's book, The Future War of the Church: How We Can Defeat Lawlessness and Bring God's Order to the Earth, is now available in paperback.

ALASKA: Sarah Palin Denies Rolling Her Eyes At That Teacher

The tape says otherwise, Mama Grizzly.

If The Hate Fits...

Angered by NOM's cries of victimization during the national Hate Tour, JMG commenter AdBo sends us his comparison of the signs recently seen at marriage rallies around the nation.

UPDATE: SEN. TED STEVENS DEAD Former Sen. Ted Stevens Missing And Feared Dead In Alaska Plane Crash

UPDATE: CNN confirms that Sen. Ted Stevens was killed.

Former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens is feared to be among eight missing persons aboard a plane that went down near Dillingham, Alaska last night. Severe weather is restricting the search for survivors.

The Alaska Air National Guard was called to the area about 20 miles north of Dillingham at about 7 p.m. after a passing aircraft saw the wreckage, spokesman Maj. Guy Hayes said. Eight people were reported to be on board the aircraft, though their status wasn't immediately known, he said. There were possible fatalities, he said. National Transportation Safety Board reported that it will send a "Go Team" from Washington, D.C., to Dillingham to investigate the crash. The teams can consist of up to a dozen or more specialists from the board's headquarters staff and are responsible for investigating major cases -- they are the arm that responds to "catastrophic airline crash sites" -- for the board, according to the NTSB.

Steven lost his seat in 2008 days after being convicted for failing to report gifts from supporters.

FreeStevenSlater.com

Already. And Facebook too. Slater was arraigned on charges of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment in the Queens Supreme Court. The judge set bail at $2500. Letterman and The View are doubtlessly next.

UPDATE: There's also a legal defense fund.

Send In ALL The Clowns

Since I dissed Send In The Clowns as my most hated Sondheim number last week, it's only fair that I post this amusing send-up by impressionist Carly Sakolove in which she channels Bernadette, Patti, Carol, Liza, Judy and others. Elaine Stritch made me LOL, literally. I'll leave it to our true show queens here to assess which impressions are best.

Afternoon View - 46th & Seventh

Embiggen for the madness.

Darth Cheney Leaves Hospital

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was released from the hospital yesterday one month after being fitted fitted with a heart pump called a ventricular assist device.

The battery-powered pump is mainly used for short periods by a heart transplant candidate awaiting a donor organ. Such devices are being studied for use by people with severe heart failure who aren't candidates for transplants. The pump relieves pressure on the heart by rerouting blood. Cheney said last month that he chose the surgical procedure after testing and consultation with doctors.

The machine leaves patients with no discernible pulse or heartbeat. Have all the "undead" jokes already been made?

Messiah Cat Haz Arisen

(Via - Copyranter)

Serial Adulterer Newt Gingrich Inches Closer To Announcing 2012 Prez Bid

Karl Rove thinks Newt is a "visionary and an idea factory."

Thank You For Your Call

Watch this gay man's story about being denied his late partner's Social Security benefits, funds that are automatically transferred to any straight spouse that has been married for ten minutes.

(Tipped by JMG reader Bradley)

Janelle Monae - Cold War

A Hat, A Brooch, A Pterodactyl

Over at Boy Culture, Matthew Rettenmund thinks JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater could play Johnny in a remake of Airplane! Below is Young Turks host Cent Uygur's take on the incident.

Fox Host Greg Gutfeld: I Plan To Open A Muslim Gay Bar Near Ground Zero Mosque

Homophobic Fox News host (redundancy redundancy) Greg Gutfeld says he's put together a team of investors to open a Muslim gay bar next door to the planned mosque near Ground Zero. He claims that he's totally serious about his plan.

I'm announcing tonight, that I am planning to build and open the first gay bar that caters not only to the west, but also Islamic gay men. To best express my sincere desire for dialogue, the bar will be situated next to the mosque Park51, in an available commercial space. This is not a joke. I've already spoken to a number of investors, who have pledged their support in this bipartisan bid for understanding and tolerance.

As you know, the Muslim faith doesn't look kindly upon homosexuality, which is why I'm building this bar. It is an effort to break down barriers and reduce deadly homophobia in the Islamic world. The goal, however, is not simply to open a typical gay bar, but one friendly to men of Islamic faith. An entire floor, for example, will feature non-alcoholic drinks, since booze is forbidden by the faith. The bar will be open all day and night, to accommodate men who would rather keep their sexuality under wraps - but still want to dance. Bottom line: I hope that the mosque owners will be as open to the bar, as I am to the new mosque. After all, the belief driving them to open up their center near Ground Zero, is no different than mine. My place, however, will have better music.

In 2008 Gutfeld was rated by GLAAD as one of the "worst anti-gay voices" of the year.

MTA Caves On Anti-Mosque Ad Campaign

Wingnut Atlas Shrugged blogger Pamela Geller has forced NYC's public transit authority to accept her bus ad campaign against the mosque near Ground Zero. The MTA initially forced Geller through several revisions of her image, asking her to remove the smoke, flames, and plane from the photo, saying that "images of 9/11 are too controversial" for city buses. Geller responded: "I was floored. I said, 'It is American history. How can it be banned? What about Pearl Harbor? Is that censored too? On what grounds are 9/11 images banned?' It is unconscionable." Geller sued and today announced that her original image will run as submitted.

(Via - Gothamist)