New From Target's BFF

Tom Emmer's got seven kids and he uses them all to shill for his bid for Minnesota governor.

Designing Women Nesting Dolls

From artist Ginger Williams, the maker of the Golden Girls Nesting Dolls. Ginger tells me that my first post about her dolls went rather viral, with mentions of her work popping up on MSNBC and garnering her an interview on Good Morning, Sacramento where she also displayed her Steel Magnolias dolls. Many of you have asked about purchasing the dolls, but Ginger says that she's still trying to figure out the licensing issues. Check out her above-linked artist site for updates.

Urban Legend Confirmed: Alligator Found In New York City Sewer

OK, so it was only 18 inches long. But still!

At least one alligator really does live in New York City's sewers. Cops apprehended an 18-inch gator that crawled out of an overflowing Astoria storm drain and hunkered down beneath a parked car this afternoon, delighting onlookers and giving fresh meat to the urban myth that the carnivorous critters are living below the Big Apple. The scaly spectacle began just after 3 p.m., when a passersby spotted the reptile on Newtown Avenue near 29th Street and yelled "Crocodile!" "That's the craziest thing I've ever seen," marvelled Elizabeth Ferguson, 25, who has lived on the block for three years. "He was really small, but mean looking."

RELATED: Gothamist recaps the start of the legend in this 2009 post.

Catholics For Equality Launches

A group of LGBT activists and allies have formed Catholics For Equality. From their about page:

Drawing on the rich tradition of Catholic social justice teachings, American Catholics are among the strongest supporters of equality for LGBT people of any religious group in the U.S. Yet the official voice of the hierarchy is increasingly one favoring discrimination and opposing just, humane, and reasonable efforts to secure legal equality for LGBT Americans. Far too often, that anti-equality voice is portrayed as representing the values of American Catholics. We believe this trend is a repudiation of Catholic teaching about the equal dignity of every person as well as the American and constitutional values of fairness and equality under the law. Catholics for Equality was founded in 2010 to support, educate, and mobilize equality-supporting Catholics to advance LGBT equality at federal, state, and local levels. We’re here to help pro-equality Catholics make a difference.

Catholics For Equality's board of directors includes our own Father Tony Adams and DC activist Phil Attey, who also serves as Executive Director. Yesterday the Catholic News Agency took note of the group in a fairly even-handed story. An excerpt:

Issues listed on the Catholics for Equality website include “marriage equality.” Claiming that same-sex “marriage” does not coerce any religious faith, it invokes the “separation of Church and State” and says “we affirm civil marriage for same-sex couples throughout the United States.” The group criticizes the U.S. bishops’ opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and advocates opening military service to open homosexuals. “Catholics in the United States live in this social context that allows the free exercise of conscience rather than enforced scriptural fundamentalism or bishops’ and pastors’ exhortations in making decisions regarding homosexuality and gay rights— as is often exercised in Protestant fundamentalist and evangelical denominations and now by increasingly doctrinaire Catholic bishops,” the website argues. It also claims that Catholic priests rarely mention homosexuality or homosexual issues in sermons “except when forced to by the bishops,” saying this coercion happened during the campaign to pass California’s Proposition 8 and Maine’s Proposition 1. Both successful ballot measures restored the definition of marriage to be a union of a man and a woman.

Lambda Legal Responds To Meg Whitman's Planned Defense Of Proposition 8

Meg Whitman surprised no one when she announced this weekend that if she becomes governor of California, she will defend Proposition 8 in court, something Schwarzenegger declined to do. However many are questioning whether the timing of both the election and the appeal to the Ninth Circuit would allow Whitman to do so. Karen Ocamb spoke to Lambda Legal's Jon Davidson:

“At the time of the oral argument that has been scheduled for December 6th, even were Whitman or Cooley to have won the election, they will not have taken office – the new officeholders don’t take office until Jan. 3. 2011. In addition, at that point, the time to file an appeal from Judge Walker’s ruling will have long passed. So, even were they to win, they would not be able to appeal Judge Walker’s ruling if Schwarzenegger and Brown do not – and they have indicated they will not. In addition, Whitman and Cooley would not be able to participate in the oral arguments as parties.

"They might seek to file amicus (friend-of-the-court briefs). The deadline for filing such briefs is 7 days after the brief is due from the party you are supporting. Amicus briefs in support of the proponents of Prop. 8 are due September 24th. It would be unusual for a candidate for political office to file an amicus brief on a measure that they might be in more of a position to weigh in on were they elected, though I guess it could happen. If they get elected, Whitman and/or Cooley might also seek to file an amicus brief after their election or after they are sworn in, which would be after the oral argument. They would need to seek permission to file late. There is no way of knowing whether the Ninth Circuit judges hearing the case would grant such a request to file late.

Davidson adds that there is precedent for newly-elected officials filing amicus briefs when their predecessors chose not to do so.

Quote Of The Day - Carl Paladino

"Instead of handing out the welfare checks, we'll teach people how to earn their check. We'll teach them personal hygiene ... the personal things they don't get when they come from dysfunctional homes. These are beautiful properties with basketball courts, bathroom facilities, toilet facilities. Many young people would love to get the hell out of cities. You have to teach them basic things — taking care of themselves, physical fitness. In their dysfunctional environment, they never learned these things." - GOP New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, saying that the state's poor should be housed in prisons.

Ann Coulter: The People At World Net Daily Are Fake Christians Out For Publicity

And it just gets better. You might also enjoy the reactions to this latest salvo over on Free Republic.

UPDATE: WND's Joseph Farah fires back:

"Coulter called me a 'publicity whore' for my decision. But look who is on television talking about this – throwing mud, name-calling, smearing not only me but my entire staff. I will not engage in the kind of ad hominem attacks that have made Coulter so famous and that are making her even more of a media darling in this age of reckless anger and character assassination for the sake of entertainment. Every day, since we made this decision at WND, I thank God for giving me the clarity of mind and discernment to make the right choice."

Ne-VAH-Dah, Ne-VEH-Dah Con't

While in Las Vegas last month, I noted the local controversy over the pronunciation of the state's name. The kerfuffle has now reached the state legislature.

Outgoing Assemblyman Harry Mortenson is proposing more tolerance. The Las Vegas Democrat is working on a resolution for the 2011 legislative session to make the ''Ne-VAH-da'' pronunciation equally acceptable to the one with the short "a". Mortenson says he's not asking Nevadans to change. He just wants the Spanish pronunciation recognized.

(Tipped by JMG reader Band)

MEXICO: Groups Clash Over Marriage

The Catholic Church is fostering protests against same-sex marriage and adoption in Mexico with Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez saying publicly, "Would you want to be adopted by a pair of faggots or lesbians?" Things got very heated yesterday in Guadalajara.

Gay rights activists and a group of Roman Catholics in Mexico have yelled insults at each other during dueling demonstrations over same-sex marriage. Some 200 gay rights activists waved rainbow flags and held signs reading "Thank God I'm gay" at a plaza next to the cathedral in Guadalajara on Sunday. A similar number of protesters opposed to gay marriage prayed at the cathedral's doors. One of them ripped up a sign held by a gay rights activist, prompting screaming by both sides. It was the second confrontation in two days in Guadalajara, where Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez stirred controversy by suggesting Mexico's Supreme Court was bribed to uphold a Mexico City law allowing adoptions by homosexual couples.

Here's a short clip of yesterday's rally.

Marriage Support By State

Even though thirty state have banned same-sex marriage by public referendum, support on the issue has been rising in all states. Support is lowest in Utah, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama. Support is highest in the states where it is legal (and New York, California, and most perhaps most notably, Rhode Island.) Embiggen the chart or go here for more.

Protest Rallies Over Cordoba House

Both sides rallied again yesterday in downtown Manhattan.

True Blood Spoiler Spoiler

Stay out of the comments if you haven't seen tonight's freakalicious episode. Otherwise dive in and dish.

Opening January 2011 - The Right To Love: An American Family

Facebook page here.

Afternoon View - Hillside Neighbors

Although we can hear Cher's greatest hits booming from somewhere up the mountain, things are otherwise quiet at the moment as folks get ready for this afternoon's Mad Hatter's Party. As usual, we are unprepared for a Hillside theme, so Aaron has fashioned a hat for himself out of newspaper. It's also Uniform Weekend or something and we've seen roaming groups of identically dressed cops and firemen go past our site. Next year I'm totally bringing a Burger King uniform. What?

Soldiers Punished After Refusing To Attend Army-Sponsored Christian Rock Concert

About 80 U.S. soldiers have been disciplined at Fort Eustis, Virginia after refusing to attend a "spiritual fitness" Christian-rock concert put on by the Army. The unit was first marched in formation to the concert, only after which were the soldiers given to option of attending or not. Those who chose to leave were punished.

The Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concert that Smith and others were told to attend was headlined by BarlowGirl, a "band of tender-hearted, beautiful young women who aren't afraid to take an aggressive, almost warrior-like stance when it comes to spreading the gospel and serving God," according to the group's web site. The group Smith marched with included at least two Muslim soldiers who fell out of rank and stopped marching on their own, according to a first-hand account published by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). Once outside the concert, Smith and the other trainees were finally given an option and told to split into two groups: those who wanted to attend, and those who did not. Smith and about 80 others decided not to attend, even though they were obviously being "pressured" to do so. Smith and the others were sent back to their barracks on "lockdown," a punishment that Smith said withholds even basic freedoms like using their own electronics. Barlow Girl band member Lauren Barlow said if she and the other members of the group knew soldiers were being forced to attend the concert and were then punished for refusing to attend "we would have said something." "That's horrible," Barlow tweeted in response to the revelations first published Thursday by MRFF's head researcher, Chris Rodda. "We never knew that. We thought they had a choice. If we would have known we would have said something."

Two of the soldiers have filed a formal complaint against their superior officers. The Army claims to be investigating.

(Tipped by JMG reader Kevin)

Focus On The Family Warns Parents About How To Spot Gay Activism In Schools

American Family Association: Ann Coulter Is The Godess Of Gayness

"Ann Coulter is the headliner at "Homocon 2010," a Sept. 25 gathering of so-called gay "conservatives." And Glenn Beck has folded his hand and cashed in his chips on the issue of gay marriage. Even Rush Limbaugh, who supports counterfeit same-sex marriages in the form of civil unions, won't go that far.

"Let's be clear: Endorsing homosexual behavior is not a conservative position, period. Supporting special rights based on aberrant sexual behavior is not conservative, period. Supporting either civil unions or marriages based entirely on using the alimentary canal for sexual purposes is not conservative, period. Even Darwinian evolutionists know better than to believe there is something healthy about homosexual conduct. They know it cannot lead to the propagation of the species, which, after all, is what evolution is supposed to be all about.

"Coulter justifies her Benedict Arnold impersonation by saying she speaks all the time in hostile environments, such as Harvard. OK, Ann, how exactly is this a hostile environment? You're being welcomed as a heroine, as the Joan of Arc of homosexuality, literally the poster child for 'Homocon 2010.' You are the goddess of gayness for the moment. You are taking money from people who want to destroy the U.S. military and destroy the institution of marriage. Good luck getting us to believe that's a good thing. " - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer.

And the lunatic fringe continues to eat its own. Delicious, delicious.

Alan Grayson: If We Got Invaded By Mars, The GOP Would Claim Obama's A Martian

I want to gay-marry Alan Grayson.

New Hampshire LOL

(Tipped by JMG reader Brian)

Meg Whitman: I'll Defend Prop 8

GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has announced that she will defend Prop 8 in court if elected.

"The issue right now is, as I understand is 'Will Proposition 8 have the appropriate support to actually make an appeal to the circuit court of appeals?' " Whitman said. "And I think the governor, the attorney general today has to defend the constitution and has to enable the judicial process to go along and has to enable an appeal to go through. So if I was governor, I would give that ruling standing to be able to appeal to the circuit court." The appeals court plans to hear the case in December, but Supreme Court appeals are planned by both sides, so Whitman would have plenty of time to intervene if she wins and takes office in January.

Whitman and Jerry Brown are essentially tied in the latest polls.

Franklin Graham: The President's Problem Is That He Was Born A Muslim

Billy Graham's son, for those that don't know.

Cee-Lo - Fuck You

From the Gnarls Barkley vocalist.

Beer Numbers

(Via - Andrew Sullivan)

Afternoon View - Hillside Check-In Cabin

I've just arrived with my loyal companions Aaron and Chris for three days under the trees at Hillside Campground in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. The guys in this photo have had the site next to ours for the last three summers and we always seem to get here at the same time. It's 75 and completely clear, which bodes for a quite chilly evening, as summer nights so often are up on the mountain. Do they make electric sleeping bags?

UPDATE: I've added a photo of our new tent, which much to Chris' everlasting frustration has more ropes and material than we know what to do with. Experience tells us that this will vex him mightily all weekend.

Whining About The Protest At Porno Pete LaBarbera's Hate Academy

From one of Porno Pete's Christofascist supporters.

The Sneaky Ting Tings

If you'd like to hear Hands, the new single by popular dance duo the Ting Tings, you must first "like" them on Facebook, which of course tells your friends that you "like" them. And if you want to hear the remix of Hands (and what fan wouldn't?) you must unlock the mix by sharing it to your page. Clever, clever. Never seen this before.

Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury

Obviously NSFW for the audio. Unrelated to and contrary to what you'd expect of someone getting such a tribute as this song, earlier this week Bradbury decried modern technology. "We have too many cellphones. We've got too many Internets. We have got to get rid of those machines. We have too many machines now."

HomoQuotable - Mark Leno

"This bill simply affirms that California is a diverse state, and that we can all co-exist and make space for each others' beliefs without compromising the tenets of any religious group or individual. With the recent federal court ruling, we know that marriage for same-sex couples in California is on the horizon. Under the Civil Marriage Religious Freedom Act, churches and clergy members who fear their religious views are threatened by marriage equality will have clear and solid protections under state law. In addition, churches that welcome same-sex couples will continue to fully recognize those families within their faith." - California state Sen. Mark Leno, on the state Assembly's passage of his bill guaranteeing that no member of the clergy will ever be forced to perform a same-sex marriage ceremony against their wishes.

Leno's bill has the backing of Equality California and will be signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger after a concurrence vote in the state Senate, who first approved the item in May.

Rachel Maddow On Iraq Withdrawal

Well, that was a few trillion well spent. Thanks, Dubya.

Signorile: Why Won't HRC Change Target's Corporate Equality Rating?

While the Human Rights Campaign has come out uncharacteristically forcefully against Target, the company continues to enjoy a 100% rating on HRC's lauded Corporate Equality Index. Yesterday HRC's Fred Sainz told Michelangelo Signorile that it's just too complicated to change the Index right now. Signorile:

Sainz went onto again explain how complicated it supposedly is to change the Corporate Equality Index criteria (something he told me a week earlier when I had him on the show) and how the group is trying to “grapple” with the new changes since the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United and that they don’t want to make a "knee-jerk" response and that they are working it through but in a "thoughtful” manner. That’s all well and good, but the boycott is now, and as it goes on, HRC is still telling people to shop at Target.

Listen to Signorile's interview with HRC's Fred Sainz.

UPDATE: HRC has issued the following response in which they state that both Target and Best Buy will be removed from their list.

The recent political contributions by Target and Best Buy are cause for reflection on the criteria used for future editions of the Corporate Equality Index (CEI). While considering all of this, it’s important to keep in mind that the CEI has made a tremendous impact in the real lives of LGBT people in large part because it has been a predictable and transparent roadmap for companies to institute fair workplace policies. Instead of making capricious decisions about scoring criteria, we believe that a responsible consideration of all of the facts is the smartest way to move forward.

Already complicated, the Citizens United decision has made campaign finance issues even more complex. HRC is thoughtfully studying the many ramifications of political giving by companies in this new reality. The CEI, upon which the Buyer’s Guide is based, was completed in June 2009. Under that set of criteria, both Target and Best Buy scored 100 percent. The Buyer’s Guide available on our website was released in November 2009 and is representative of the information known to us at the time. Because we understand the impact of leaving Target and Best Buy on the various products associated with the Buyer’s Guide, both companies will soon be removed from it. HRC will not encourage people to shop at either store and believes that consumers should make their own decisions after careful consideration of all of the information available to them.

Bigotry Special At Target

Queer Rising made a customer service announcement at a Target in Madison, Wisconsin, much to the annoyance of store management.

Today In Teabagger Music Videos II

Today In Teabagger Music Videos

Complete with shots of lower Manhattan. Sample YouTube comment:

Ok all you athiest fags who have nothing better to do than try and slander good people can go eat shit. Here' a question for all those libtard butwimps, why did you look up this song if you hate us so much? I know why, because you are too cowardly to say any of this to real men and women's faces so you look for a Christian video to prove yourself to people who aren't staring you in the face. Close enough? You people can kiss me ass! BRING IT ON FAGETS!!!

Musically, it's actually not terrible.

Sarah Palin Retweets Homocon Tammy Bruce In Defense Of Dr. Laura

Do you think Palin knows that Tammy Bruce is a big ole lesbian? Strange, strange bedfellows in Teabagistan these last few days, huh?

OMD - If You Want It

From the coming album History Of Modern. This is OMD's first release since 1996's Universal. My all-time favorite OMD single remains 1984's Talking Loud And Clear.

Morning View - Union Square

Photo Of The Day - Kylie's Happy Bear

The Advocate reports that Facebook took down Kylie Minogue's self-posted photo as too raunchy. A Facebook rep told the disco pixie: "We do not allow photos that contain nudity, drug use or violence." It's just a microphone, kids.

Howard Dean Compares "Civil Unions Compromise" To Mosque Controversy

Dean thinks the downtown NYC mosque should be located elsewhere, a "good reasonable compromise" he compared to the creation of civil unions when he was governor of Vermont.

NOM Loses Again In Maine

NOM has lost yet another court battle to cloak the names of their donors in Maine.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, said Thursday his group is disappointed in the ruling, but feels its arguments will hold sway with an appeals court. NOM will pursue an expedited appeal to the U.S. First Circuit Court in Boston, he said, because of the short time before the upcoming election season. Though Thursday's decision will delay NOM's plans for political activity in Maine, Brown said, the group is reviewing the decision to gauge a potential timeline for action. NOM plans activity in Maine both on behalf of candidates that support "redefining marriage," said Brown, and on candidates that support traditional marriage.

He declined to say whether NOM would be active in the state's governor's race, as well as the legislative races. Brown also expressed frustration at the legal hurdles spurred by what he called "frivolous" lawsuits filed by their political opponents, one of which, Californians Against Hate, asked the Maine ethics commission to investigate NOM. That group, one of the primary advocates for preserving California's gay marriage law that was repealed by voters there in 2009, questioned whether NOM raised more than $5,000 to directly repeal Maine's same-sex marriage law.

It's not a complete win for the good guys, however, as the judge also ruled some parts of Maine's campaign finance disclosure laws to be "unconstitutionally vague" and struck down the requirement that donations over $250 be reported within 24 hours.

Arch Homophobe Matt Barber Follows "Shemalevideos" On Twitter?

I noticed a rather interesting Twitter user on Liberty Counsel attorney Matt Barber's follow list last night. (I added his photo to the screen capture.) Fascinating. Like Matt Barber, I follow lots of my enemies on Twitter, but I don't feel the need to follow straight porn sites to know what the haters are up to.

Yale Researchers Discover What Circuit Boys Knew Fifteen Years Ago

Researchers at Yale have published a study touting the horse tranquilizer Ketamine as an effective anti-depressant at low doses. The drug's make-happy effect begins almost immediately, unlike regular anti-depressants which can take weeks to work.

Ketamine, a general anesthetic usually administered to children and pets but perhaps best known as a horse tranquilizer, is also highly effective in low doses as an anti-depressant, according a study published Thursday. Researchers at Yale University wrote in the August 20 issue of the journal Science that unlike most anti-depressants on the market which can take weeks to take full effect ketamine can begin to counter depression in hours. "It's like a magic drug -- one dose can work rapidly and last for seven to 10 days," said Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale and senior author of the study. The researchers noted that ketamine was tested as a rapid treatment for people with suicidal thoughts. Traditional anti-depressants can take several weeks to take effect, they noted.

A similar study at the National Institute of Mental Health found that 70% of patients who did not respond to traditional anti-depressants improved within hours of receiving Ketamine. Let's hope the ridiculous War On Drugs doesn't stifle this breakthrough. But don't rush out to self-medicate either, Ketamine remains a Schedule III drug in the U.S. with a penalty for possession of up to five years in prison.

Teabagger T-Shirts

Get them here.

Senate Candidate David Malpass: Obama & Gillibrand Are Destroying Your Way Of Life

He's the alternative, the Reagan alternative!

Olson & Boies May Ask Court To Force Protect Marriage To Pay Their Fees

In the event that Judge Vaughn Walker's overturn of Prop 8 is upheld by the Ninth Circuit, attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies are prepared to demand that Protect Marriage pay their fees. Via Advocate:

In court filings this week, the attorneys requested extended time to consider fees and court costs but have also asked Prop. 8 supporters for an expedited response in the matter—which they opposed in a Wednesday filing. "Plaintiffs seek to drastically shorten [our] time to respond to that motion so that they have more time to prepare an application for attorney’s fees in the event this Court does not grant their motion to enlarge time," Alliance Defense Fund attorney Brian Raum wrote. "Such a burden shift is unwarranted."

The amount that may be requested has not be disclosed, but you can bet that Olson and Boies do not come cheap.

The Minnesota GOP Would Like You To Know That Female Democrats Are Dogs

I looked at this yesterday and dismissed it as typical teabaggery. But today HuffPo reports this bit of assholery is actually the work of the Minnesota Republican Party.

Indian Pole Gymnastics

Wait for the hawt furry little cub.

This Isn't About Coffee

Nice work Oracle, especially the bit about jerking off to a photo of Bill Gates. But you could have at least given a hat tip to Sun Microsystem.

UPDATE: OK, so it's not from Oracle.

SAN DIEGO: 12 Activists Arrested In Marriage Protest At County Clerk's Office

A dozen activists were arrested today at a San Diego county clerk's office when they refused to leave without being issued marriage licenses.

On the day hundreds of gay and lesbian couples statewide planned to obtain their long-awaited marriage licenses, a crowd of about 50 people gathered at the county clerk's office Thursday to protest a federal judge's stay of a federal ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Three people were taken away in plastic handcuffs by sheriff's deputies early in the demonstration and an additional nine people were removed later. A deputy said they were detained for blocking access to a county office. Tony and Tyler Dylan-Hyde and at least one other couple came to the county clerk's office this morning at 8 a.m. asking to receive their marriage license. "We believe that county officials and the Attorney General have the authority and the obligation to allow marriage licenses to proceed based on both federal court findings and that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional and the governor's filings in Prop. 8 cases," Tyler Dylan-Hyde said. "We are asking you to do what's right."

According to the linked news story, those arrested had blocked the entrance of heterosexual couples with appointments to get licenses.

Servicemembers United Announces DADT Lobby Day To Occur September 16th

Servicemembers United announces via press release:

Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, announced today that it will host another "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" lobby day for repeal supporters on Thursday, September 16, 2010. The fall lobby day, affectionately nicknamed "The Final Assault," will come at a critical time after the Senate reconvenes but before the chamber is expected to take up the repeal-inclusive defense authorization bill. Participants can register for the September 16th "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" lobby day at Servicemembers United.

"This lobby day will be the last major opportunity for supporters of repeal to come to Washington, make the case for this amendment, and hold their senators accountable on this vote," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "Lobbying for repeal is now a lot more complicated than simply saying 'support repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' so we want to be able to explain the nuances of the current situation to repeal supporters and arm them with the detailed information they need to hold their Senators accountable."

Here is SU's just-released ad. Watch this, it's great.

The Australian Sex Party

Australia's just-launched pro-marriage equality Sex Party "wants the government out of our bedrooms."

Giggity Giggity

Fun with photoshop via Buzzfeed.

GOP Candidate For CA Attorney General: I Will Defend Prop 8 In Court

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley says that if he is elected as state Attorney General in November, he will defend Proposition 8 in court. Current AG Jerry Brown had declined to do so.

"The role of the attorney general is to defend the will of the people," says [Cooley spokesman Kevin] Spillane. "He would defend (Prop. 8) and appeal" U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling that found the anti-gay marriage ballot measure to be unconstitutional. Spillane says Cooley considers his position on Proposition 8 to be a matter of "general policy" if he became the next attorney general, not an issue of whether or not he opposes same-sex marriage. Two weeks ago, Walker found Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California, to be unconstitutional. The ruling has been appealed by proponents of Prop. 8, with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals taking the case. Legal experts are not certain what role, if any, the next attorney general or governor in California will play in the appeal, but there is a possibility those offices could get involved. California Attorney General Jerry Brown and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have both refused to defend Prop. 8 in court. Cooley did not endorse or oppose the ballot measure in 2008, Spillane says.

The Democrats' candidate for California AG, Kamala Harris, has been a vocal supporter of marriage equality. GOP candidate for California governor Meg Whitman has not yet said whether she would appeal Judge Walker's decision, were she to be given the opportunity. But we know she would, of course.

Afternoon View - Williamsburg Bridge

MSNBC Rejects MoveOn's Anti-Target Ad

MoveOn.org's national ad buy for their anti-Target campaign has been rejected by MSNBC.

MSNBC spokeswoman Alana Russo says the commercial submitted by the liberal group MoveOn.org violates its advertising policy by directly attacking an individual business. MoveOn announced plans earlier this week to spend $35,000 airing the ad on MSNBC nationally and on three networks in the Twin Cities. The group says the stations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market are running the ad. MoveOn head Justin Ruben says the rejection is "the height of hypocrisy." Minneapolis-based Target last month donated $150,000 to a political fund supporting conservative GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer in Minnesota. That triggered a national backlash from gay rights groups and liberals.

Very disappointing. View MoveOn's ad here.

Porno Pete To Ann Coulter: Give Your GOProud Money To Anti-Gay Hate Groups

"We at AFTAH have an idea: how about if Coulter donates her GOProud speaking fee to two worthy pro-family organizations whose mission (we hope) Coulter agrees with more than that of the phony 'conservatives' over at GOProud, who put 'gay rights' above traditional values. Here are two wonderful groups that could benefit from GOProud’s cash (via Coulter):

* Elaine Donnelly’s Center for Military Readiness, which has led the way in battling President Obama’s reckless plan to homosexualize the U.S. military in a time of war (GOProud supports the Democrat-led effort to repeal the ban on open homosexuals in the military)

* Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) — this worthy yet perpetually underfunded organization stands up for the rights of former homosexuals — who regularly get demonized and sometimes bullied by the supposedly “tolerant” Homosexual Activist Lobby.

"If Coulter insists on going forward with the GOProud speech — even though the organization supports many of the same homosexual-agenda goals of other 'gay' activist groups, then maybe she can make it count for some good by helping to sustain the noble work of these two fine organizations." - Porno Pete LaBarbera, writing from his dildo-strewn basement dungeon in suburban Chicago.

American Apparel Stock Value Plummets Amidst Talk Of Bankruptcy

American Apparel's stock value is plummeting upon news earlier this week that the company may be forced into bankruptcy over its vanishing credit line with vendors.

After warning this week that there was "substantial doubt that the company will be able to continue as a going concern," the company saw its stock fall 21.3% on Wednesday, ending at an all-time low of 81 cents. That was on the heels of a 26% plunge the day before. In recent months, the troubled company has been beset by sales declines, losses, a crackdown on undocumented workers, problems with its debt, delayed quarterly filings and, most recently, an investigation by the U.S. attorney's office in New York related to the company's abrupt change in accounting firms. Industry experts say the company's problems are so severe that nothing short of a major overhaul in its business practices and management, which could include a possible bankruptcy filing, can pull it out of its free fall.

Some analysts contend that the company could only be saved with the removal of mercurial CEO Dov Charney, who has also faced numerous sexual harassment allegations from staffers.

Hair Dye Company Offers Anderson Cooper One Million Dollars To Leave Gray Town

The Orlando Sentinel reports today that a hair dye company has offered CNN host Anderson Cooper one million dollars if he'll use their product to do away with his famous silver hair for five years.

The offer comes from Rise-N-Shine, the makers of Go Away Gray. “We feel like Anderson Cooper is a really visible and well-respected figure and thought he would be a great spokesperson for the product and the company.” said Cathy Beggan, the product’s developer And it doesn’t hurt that he’s a handsome gentleman.” Go Away Gray is a pill containing the enzyme Catalese. The company is willing to deliver the cash to Cooper after using the pills for 60 days and sharing his experiences with the new look via social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

It's a hair dye PILL? Yikes. The company suggests Cooper take the deal and donate the money to charity.

FLORIDA: Church Denied Koran-Burning Permit, Plans To Proceed Anyway

Gainesville's Dove World Outreach Ministries has been denied a permit to burn a pile of Korans on September 11th, but says it plans to proceed with the ceremony anyway.

Gene Prince, the interim chief of Gainesville Fire Rescue, said Wednesday that under the city’s fire prevention ordinance, an open burning of books is not allowed. Dove World has made international news since announcing its intention to burn the holy book of Islam to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Telephone and e-mail messages left for church officials were not immediately returned Wednesday. But permit or no permit, the church has indicated it will go ahead with its planned protest of Islam. In an e-mail newsletter sent out Wednesday, the church announced: “City of Gainesville denies burn permit -- BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS.” Prince said his department notified the church, which has fewer than 100 members, of the decision in a letter that was mailed Tuesday. He said the church could be fined if it went ahead and held the burning.

Dove World was also behind Gainesville's failed "No Homo Mayor" campaign. Openly gay Mayor Craig Lowe calls the church "an embarrassment to the community."

(Tipped by JMG reader Sozo)

HomoQuotable - Andrew Sullivan

"It seems pretty obvious to me...that the current Pope is a gay man (just as it was blindingly clear that John Paul II was straight). I am not claiming that Benedict is someone who has explored his sexuality, or has violated his own strictures on the matter. There is absolutely no evidence of that, or of hypocrisy of any sort. But that does not mean that he isn't gay.

"In fact, Ratzinger's command that gay priests should actively lie about their orientation makes any public statement about this on its face lacking in credibility. But when you look at the Pope's mental architecture (I've read a great deal of his writing over the last two decades) you do see that strong internal repression does make sense of his life and beliefs. At times, it seems to me, his gayness is almost wince-inducing. The prissy fastidiousness, the effeminate voice, the fixation on liturgy and ritual, and the over-the-top clothing accessories are one thing.

"But what resonates with me the most is a theology that seems crafted from solitary introspection into a perfect, abstract unity of belief. It is so perfect it reflects a life of withdrawal from the world of human relationship, rather than an interaction with it. Of course, this kind of work is not inherently homosexual; but I have known so many repressed gay men who can only live without severe pain in the world if they create a perfect abstraction of what it is, and what their role is in it." - Andrew Sullivan.

Facebook Goes Foursquare

For those who insist that the entire world know their precise whereabouts at every single moment. Do not get.

Mexico City Mayor Sues Catholic Cardinal Over Gay Marriage Accusations

Mexico City's Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has filed a defamation lawsuit against Cardinal Juan Sandoval after the cardinal told the press that Ebrard had bribed Mexico's Supreme Court justices to legalize same-sex marriage and gay adoption.

Sandoval made the allegations on Sunday during an event in Aguascalientes state. He also used a slur against gays while decrying the recent high court decisions that were called victories for the gay-rights community, as L.A. Times correspondent Tracy Wilkinson analyzes in this story. Church authorities were not backing down. Sandoval said Monday he would not retract his comments, and the archdiocese in Guadalajara later said it had proof of the allegations against the Supreme Court justices. Statements in support were issued from the archdiocese in Mexico City, while the Bishops' Conference of Mexico also said it supports Sandoval. In the secular institutional corner, the Supreme Court censured Sandoval's statements unanimously, and Ebrard issued a stark warning to the highest-ranking prelate of Mexico's second-largest city: "We live in a secular state, and here, whether we like it or not, the law rules the land," Ebrard said, according to La Jornada. "The cardinal must submit to the law of the land, like all other citizens of this country."

Earlier this month Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages performed in the nation's capital must be recognized in all 31 states. Last week the same court upheld the constitutionality of allowing gay adoption in Mexico City.

The Lands Of Human Sexuality

Everything from "Spin The Bottle" to stuff whose meaning I shudder to wonder. Visit the Human Sex Map to click off what you've already tried and liked, tried and hated, and so on.

Morning View - North On Fifth

SPAIN: Bull Turns Tables And Charges Into Spectator Stands, 30 Injured

RELATED: Last month Spain's Catalonia region, which includes Barcelona, banned bullfighting.

BRITAIN: Catholic Adoption Agency Must Serve Gay Couples

Britain's charity regulatory commission has ruled that the Catholic Care adoption agency must serve gay couples. The agency had demanded that it be exempt from the nation's anti-discrimination laws.

Catholic Care, a charity in Leeds, northern England, had argued that as a religious group it should be allowed to offer adoption-support services only to heterosexuals. It said its funding from the Roman Catholic church was dependent on its policy of helping only married heterosexual couples to adopt. In March, it won a High Court appeal of the original decision in the case, but in a final ruling Britain's Charity Commission said the group's policy was discriminatory and breached European human rights laws. The commission ordered the group to either cease its work to place children with adoptive parents or to abide by equality laws — meaning it would need to consider gay couples as prospective parents. "The charity is very disappointed with the outcome, Catholic Care will now consider whether there is any other way in which the charity can continue to support families seeking to adopt children in need," the group said in a statement.

American hate groups already scream about adoption agencies that have chosen to go out of business rather than serve gay couples. Expect them to leap upon this latest case as an example of homofascist suppression of religion.

Tonight In New York City

Meet and mingle with the FDNY firefighters of this year's City Of The Brave calendar. Facebook event page here. News story here. More photos here. Buy calendar.

Tweet Of The Day - Sarah Palin

Mama Grizzly don't appear to understand the First Amendment, do she?

Open Thread Thursday

If you could relive one day in your life, without any changes, what day would that be?