GOP Seeks Catholic Parish Directories

Time to sue ANY church that hands over its directory to the Bush campaign.

The Republican National Committee has asked Bush-backing Roman Catholics to provide copies of their parish directories to help register Catholics to vote in the November election, a use of personal information not necessarily condoned by dioceses around the country....

Parish directories often contain personal information about church members, including names of family members, home addresses and phone numbers. Iverson said she did not know if the GOP had sought similar directories from other religious organizations or how many Catholic directories it received in response to Gillespie's request.

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BREAKING NEWS: MASSIVE FLURRY OF OUTINGS IN THE GAY PRESS TODAY

Wow, the Washington Blade just released TWO amazing stories outing a flurry of gays who work for anti-gay Republicans.

The first story outed two gay advisers to anti-gay Republican Senate candidate Mel Martinez from Florida. Martinez, who recently ran a radio ad comparing gay marriage to life under dictatorship in Cuba, not only has a gay finance chair for his election campaign (Kirk Fordham) but he also had a gay adviser to his campaign WHO WAS THE FORMER HEAD OF THE FLORIDA CHRISTIAN COALITION, John Dowless.

The second story outs the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (Jay Timmons), the organization under the helm of anti-gay Senator George Allen (R-VA) that regularly uses gays to bash Democratic candidates.

But the more egregious story is clearly the first where it talks about the anti-gay gay who headed the Florida Christian Coalition. Check out what the Blade had to say about this piece of work:

As far back as 1994, Dowless, then the director of the Christian Coalition of Florida, was quoted in the New York Times opposing the popular Gay Days event at Disney World in Orlando because it allegedly was a threat to kids.

“This whole day is focusing on sex,” Dowless was quoted as saying, “and when you put these elements together, there is the greater possibility of illegal activities on children or some harassment.”

In 1997, Dowless, still in his role as director of the state’s Christian Coalition, cheered when the University of Florida rescinded a student spouse ID card that had been given to the partner of a lesbian student. The card gave spouses of students special advantages, such as use of the university’s libraries and recreational facilities.

“Marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman,” Dowless told the Alligator, the student publication.

In 1998, Dowless successfully blocked a move by the state legislature to write the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into the state Constitution. The move would have prohibited discrimination based on a variety of attributes, including gender.

But, according to the St. Petersburg Times, Dowless opposed the gender provision, saying it would be a possible loophole for allowing same-sex marriages.

And in 2002, Dowless created a misleading phone message for Gov. Jeb Bush. The message, sent to 50,000 social conservatives in the state, claimed that voters should cast their lot with Bush over Democratic rival Bill McBride because Bush was “the only candidate who supports traditional marriage.”

But the statement was false. McBride did oppose same-sex marriage, and after a public controversy, the phone message campaign was pulled.

Just last year, Dowless was scheduled as one of 25 guest speakers at a “Reclaiming America for Christ” conference held Oct. 24-25 in Fort Lauderdale. Promotional materials indicate he spoke about grassroots organizing among conservative Christians.

Other speakers included such conservative religious icons as Roy Moore, the ousted chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Interestingly, of the 25 speakers listed, only the Dowless entry did not include a photo with his bio.

Still feel sorry that this guy got outed? Read the rest of this post...

Bush-appointed judge is deciding vote against gays in adoption battle

Think voting doesn't matter? Think which judges the president picks for the courts isn't an issue you need to care about? The judge Bush recently forced on to the bench just screwed you out of having children. What a fitting thing to happen the same day the US House decides you shouldn't be married either. Vote these bastards out of office.

HRC's press release:

DISCRIMINATORY FLORIDA ADOPTION BAN UPHELD BY NARROWEST MARGIN

"This ban will continue to undermine the best interest of thousands of children," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques.

WASHINGTON - With a majority needed to grant a hearing on Florida's
discriminatory gay adoption ban, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal challenging the law in a 6-6 decision. Judge William Pryor - who was opposed by the U.S. Senate and recently appointed by President Bush during a congressional recess - voted to deny the rehearing.

"This ban will continue to undermine the best interest of thousands of children," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques. "Judge Pryor has a dismal record when it comes to our families and his vote made the difference in this case. This proves the importance of electing a President who will appoint fair-minded judges. If we defeat President Bush, Judge Pryor won't be reappointed after his term expires this year."

She added, "We commend the work of the American Civil Liberties Union in representing the plaintiffs in this case. There's no reason for preventing gay Floridians from adopting. Every major child welfare group agrees that these parents are just as capable as other parents. Plain and simple, this law is wrong."

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House passes gay-bashing bill

Nuremberg laws, anyone?

Update: Gay congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) voted against the legislation. Any connection between your phone calls to Foley's office, and the fact that Mike Signorile had listeners to his nationwide radio show call Foley'as office as well today, are surely just coincidental. Read the rest of this post...

Barney Frank on Bush and Gay Republicans

Newsweek July 21, 2004

NEWSWEEK: Some people think that except for President Bush's position on gay marriage, he has a good pro-gay record. Do you agree?

REP. FRANK: Oh, no, that's nonsense. People who say that don't know what they're talking about. He did one thing that was supportive of gay people and that was when a man who was a professional foreign service officer got to the point where he either had to be made ambassador or fired. Bush agreed with Colin Powell to name him as an ambassador. He has literally done not one other good thing for gay people.Saying that Bush has been supportive except for gay marriage is a little bit like saying he's a very nice man except for the time he murdered somebody. This constitutional amendment is a pretty grievous assault.

NEWSWEEK: How do you feel about Log Cabin Republicans?

REP. FRANK: I've been very unhappy with them in the past because they've just been apologists. Bob Dole in 1996 returned their check and they still supported him. They supported George Bush in 2000 saying he would be more moderate—well, now we know they were wrong. I think they just couldn't admit how little progress they were making. I do admire now that at least some of them are saying, OK, this is it. This constitutional amendment is such an assault on us we're not taking it anymore.

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Is a gay congressman about to vote for a gay-bashing bill on marriage?

I hear that gay congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) is thinking of voting for a gay-bashing bill that would take jurisdiction over gay marriage away from federal courts.

Time to call Mr. Foley and ask if a gay man is thinking of voting for gay-bashing legislation.

Rep. Foley's office
202-225-5792
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Secret Republican talking points: Gays are trees

Apparently, the Republicans now think gays are no better than trees. At least that's what their secret talking points (obtained from a friend) for today's latest legislative gay-bashing in the US House of Representatives say.

The theory goes: In the past Congress has taken rights away from trees, so it's only logical they do the same to loving gay couples. Uh huh. That's certainly taking the dehumanizing of gays to a new low. I guess by Republican logic we already burn one "faggot" in the fireplace, so why not burn the other legislatively.

Here's the snippet from the talking points:

"Senate Minority Leader Daschle has supported provisions that became part of Public Law 107-206 that would deny all federal courts jurisdiction over the procedures governing timber projects in order to expedite forest clearing. If Congress can deny all federal courts the authority to hear a class of cases to protect trees, certainly it should do so to protect a state's marriage policy."

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CBS censors Ron Reagan, Jr.

I am so sick of CBS. First they censored the Reagan miniseries because, horror of horrors, it might have suggested that Reagan was bad on AIDS (he was) and that Nancy used an astrologer (she did). Now CBS is refusing to air Ron, Jr's speech at next week's Dem convention because it doesn't have enough words in it. Not kidding. They said it just wouldn't be worth breaking in to their regularly scheduled programming to show Ron Jr's speech.

Wow, CBS must have some BIG STUFF airing next Tuesday when Ron Jr. is due to speak. What could it be? It's not clear what exact time Reagan is speaking, but we do know it's sometime between 7 and 10pm. So I decided to take a look at my TV Guide to see what amazingly important programming CBS had going on that evening:



Enough said. Read the rest of this post...

House Republicans propose FOUR MORE gay-bashing bills

They hate gays, period. They're willing to risk us getting AIDS so they can pander to the radical right, and they sure as hell don't want us to be in happy, loving, monogamous relationships. This is what we get with four more years of Bush. I don't care what anyone says about John Kerry - yeah, he's bad on gay marriage, who isn't? - there is NO WAY Kerry is going to be 1/10th as bad as these hateful Republican bigots. Time to clean house, then we can work on bringing our own folks up to speed.

From the Human Rights Campaign:

The House Committee on the Judiciary today marked up the so-called Marriage Protection Act (H.R. 3313) - a bill that purports to strip the federal courts of jurisdiction over challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act. The committee reported the bill to the full House by a vote of 21 to 13. A vote in the House is expected the week of July 19, 2004.

Two other bills were marked up today by the House Committee on Appropriations. One measure, the fiscal year 2005 D.C. appropriations bill, already prevents District of Columbia officials from using federal and local funds to operate scientifically proven HIV/AIDS prevention programs and prohibits federal funds from being used to implement a limited domestic partnership program in the nation's capital.

It is expected that language further prohibiting the ability of the district to make its own policies on marriage recognition may be added to the D.C. Appropriations bill during later consideration on the House floor.

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House panel to investigate Halliburton waste

I don't live in a fantasy land and think that governments are perfect but this ongoing ripoff by Halliburton certainly should raise questions about the GOPs plans to ditch all government programs and privatize everything, such as Social Security.  It scares the hell out of me to have major Republican donors and profit making corporations running programs like this.

Over the next three months, Mancini said in a recent interview, he watched as colleagues at Halliburton subsidiary KBR paid inflated fees for cell phone services, bought hundreds of rolls of duct tape for $60 each and obscured the waste by failing to file paperwork properly. In one case, he said, a fellow procurement employee recorded a multimillion-dollar purchase as a $200 order, then dismissed it as a mistake.

Committee Chairman Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) said "the so-called whistle-blowers" simply misunderstood the logistical reality of life during wartime. He said he was giving the Democrats a chance "to put up or shut up" on an issue that won't go away.

9/11 hickjackers security check video released

They set off the alarms twice but still managed to get through with the box cutters.  About a year later as I flew through LAX I was ushered into the special security check line to have all of my luggage checked.  It was so disorganized that security completely missed searching a massive suitcase that I had taped shut.  As mad as I was to be searched (and blacklisted) I was horrified to think of how easy it was to get anything through the security team.  I sure hope it's been improved by now.

The video shows hijackers Khalid al-Mihdhar and Majed Moqed, each dressed conservatively in slacks and collared shirts, setting off metal detectors as they pass through security around 7:18 a.m. Moqed set off a second alarm, and a screener manually checked him with a handheld metal detector.

Nawaf and his brother, each wearing slacks and Oxford shirts, were directed to a nearby counter, where they appeared to closely examine their tickets while another screener checked Nawaf's carryon bag with an explosive trace detector. Each was cleared to board Flight 77.