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"I meet with the gays here and there. They were in my house two weeks ago. I don't mind gays. But I don't want 'em stuffing it down my throat all the time. Certainly not in my kid's face."
Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars (R) opens his mouth and inserts his foot. (via ThinkProgress)
''We haven't yet heard one politician or religious leader condemn the brutal killing of this young man and it's been a week since his body was discovered.''
Rev. Dr. Samuel Cruz of the Union Theological Seminary appearing at a protest outise of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Office in NYC. Many US citizens are shocked by the death of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, who was 19 when his body was found in the street said to have been burned, cut to pieces, even decapitated. A 26-year-old man, Juan Martinez Matos, has been arrested, and some news sources say he may have been looking for female prostitutes, but instead took home Lopez Mercado. Other news agencies are coming forth with news that a "gay panic" defense may be used by Matos. (NY1)
''What happened happened because I defended myself. I cut him and beheaded him and I accept it as a man.''
Martinez Matos reportedly speaking to Telemundo about his alleged action the night he is said to have met and murdered Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, a gay or transgender 19-year-old, that Matos may have picked up for sex, possibly thinking Lopez Mercado was a woman. Headlines this year paint the island nation in a near state of lawlessness, with enforcement officials claiming the more than 800 murders there this year are due to a culture of drug use and reliance on public assistance. (CNN International) (Latin American Herald Tribune)
''I've only been on hormone therapy for about eight months now, so there's been definite changes, and I feel so much more comfortable than I've ever been.... It came down to realizing that I've got to live my life for myself: Life is short, and life is precious, and this is who I am. I finally need to be who I am.... I felt male as far back as I can remember.... A lot of F-to-Ms end up doing a stint in the lesbian community because it just kind of 'makes sense.' ... At 13 or 14, I was real clear at that point that I was attracted to women. So, I was like, 'I'm attracted to women, I am a woman, I guess I'm a lesbian....' Who you're attracted to has nothing to do with your gender identity.... Life is just really great now. ... If by being public about it, other people can see this and not have to struggle as much as I did, then I'm really happy to do that.... I've been an activist in the LGBT community for a long time. I don't really think that anything has changed. I'll continue to do this. I'm just a little bit more on the 'T' now, than I was on the 'L' and the 'G.'''
Chaz Bono, 40, speaking with ''Good Morning America,'' and presenting a striking new presence since most people last saw him, before his transition from Chastity Bono to Chaz. GMA showed photos and mentioned Chaz's girlfriend, Jennifer, several times, but there was no current mention of famous mother, Cher. According to the show's host, 1 in 30,000 women has a sex change, and that Chaz's physical and mental process will take 4-5 years. (Good Morning America)
''I shave about once a week now... It started to come in, just like peach fuzz... Oh, my God, yeah. It was great.... I'm literally going throug puberty.''
Chaz Bono, 40, speaking with Mary Hart of ''Entertainment Tonight'' last month, about his transformation from female to male. He said he could not speak for Cher, but that everyone around him have been nothing but supportive. (ETOnline)
"I still say that tennis is ripe for an active player to come out. It's an individual sport, so athletes need not worry about homophobic teammates freezing them out of the offense or razzing them on bus rides. The top players, from whom the rest of the field takes a cue, are non-cavemen. (Do you think, for instance, that Roddick, who invites Elton John to his wedding, is really homophobic?) There's already a sizable gay contingent on the tennis caravan -- coaches/officials/tour employees/journalists/hangers-on. Any smattering of disapproval or ugliness would be offset by support."
Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim, responding to a reader question: "When is a high ranked men's player going to come out of the closet? Is the world that close-minded that one can admit to illegal drug use, but being openly gay in an individual sport is still going to ruin one's career? Why can't a gay dude be 'out' in the top 20?"
''What was once @WashingtonBlade is now @DCAgenda.''
Twitter post from former staff of the now defunct gay newspaper, Washington Blade. It appears to indicate the name of their new venture, launching tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe in DC. A website domain name of the same title has been registered by Lynne Brown, the Blade's former Publisher. (Twitter.com)
''It's not a mission of hate. It's a mission to protect godly boundaries.... Some of the smartest people I knew in college were gay.... I don't know of anybody black who says, 'I hate gay people.' We're more accepting generally. But you overlap that -- homosexuality and gay marriage -- with broken families, and we don't know how to put it back together.... I believe that the Bible teaches that same-sex marriage is an oxymoron. If you redefine marriage, you have to redefine family. You'd have to redefine parenting. I'm looking at the extinction of marriage. And black culture is in a free fall.... In my church we have a gang-prevention group. We're concerned with all those things -- social ills. But the reason the gay marriage issue is so polarizing is that, from a theological construct, it is clear that gay marriage shouldn't be the order of the day.''
Just a few of the many unchallenged quotes provided by Harry Jackson, a preacher from the Maryland-based Hope Christian Church, to the Washington Post faith writer Wil Haygood. (Washington Post)
In April Jackson held a public protest against gay marriage in DC where many of the speakers called gay people ''immoral,'' disgusting, and ''perverted.'' They accused gays of destroying families and trying to ride on top of the black community's civil rights struggle. Then they all gathered around the Council's building and waved their hands and chanted, "No Same Sex Marriage!" In October he testified that the City Council must allow the District's residents to vote on same-sex marriages, and lectured the Council on the historic struggle for voting rights in DC. Yet, when Councilman David Catania asked Jackson how many times he himself had voted in the District, Jackson had to admit that he has never voted, because he has never been a District resident until very recently.
''It has been my usual experience that people who stridently accuse others of things are themselves often most guilty of the attitudes they most decry in others. And now today we see just such an example in the looming actions of an increasingly extreme contingent of the DC City Council in reference to same sex marriage. The crafters of the Bill have chosen to significantly narrow religious exemptions and thereby force religious organizations into the untenable position of accepting and even promoting so-called same-sex marriage.... But the true fact is that the Bill would force us out since to accept or administer even $1.00 of DC money would put us under a whole series of unacceptable rules requiring us to recognize or even facilitate aspects of Gay "marriage."... By severely reducing religious exemptions members of the City Council and their allies are simply bullying and forcing their will.... It is also an example of intolerance toward the traditional religious community.... It is an irony that many who have marched under the banners tolerance and open-mindedness, now that they have power, show that it never really was about either of those things. It appears it was really about power and imposition.''
Angry blog entry from Monsignor Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington. You'll have to guess at what the spin is on what he's saying here. First, he says all accusers are likely guilty themselves, then he immediately tosses out numerous accusations that the Council is forcing religious organizations into accepting gay marriages. Unsurprisingly, his claims are both false and misleading. No one in the government ever forced Catholic Charities or the Archdiocese to request money from the government or to agree to any government contract. Nowhere in Mr Pope's commentary is there a mention of this. His fiery argument appears to be written in a way that makes it seem like the government is taking money away from the church -- money that they somehow deserve. Nowhere in his article does he mention that Catholic Charities has an extremely well-paid president, Ed Orzechowski, who testified that his "nonprofit" organization refuses to share any type of spousal benefits with its own gay and lesbian employees even after they get legally married. (Archdiocese of Washington Blog)
''Under the bill, religious organizations would be exempt from participating in ceremonies or from teaching about same-sex marriage in religion classes and retreats in accord with their faith beliefs, but they would be required to recognize and promote same-sex marriage everywhere else, including in employment policies, and adoption and foster-care policies, against their beliefs.... Despite the headlines, there has been no threat or ultimatum to end services, just a simple recognition that the new requirements by the city for religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages in their policies could restrict our ability to provide the same level of services as we do now.... Since Catholic Charities cannot comply with city mandates to recognize and promote same-sex marriages, the city would withhold contracts and licenses.... This legislation won't end Catholic Charities' services, but it would reduce unnecessarily the resources available for outreach. We recognize that the council is likely to legalize same-sex marriage. It is the hope of the Archdiocese and Catholic Charities that council members will work with us to find a way to better balance interests so religious organizations that have served this city well for many decades may continue to provide services without compromising the tenets of their faith.''
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl's op-ed for the Washington Post. Though his tone seems more conciliatory when compared with many other statements that have come out of the DC Archdiocese and the Catholic Church in the last few days, Wuerl still appears to plays the victim card here. He never once states in plain terms either of the two main options that his religious organization has in their disagreement with the DC Council over gay marriages: 1) Don't ask for the millions of taxpayer dollars that they have apparently come to rely on, or 2) Offer equal treatment to their own married gay employees and to gay couples who are willing to foster or adopt wards of the city. The Council has already made a huge change to the bill after listening to days worth of testimony from the Archdiocese and other organizations. Yet, the US Council of Catholic Bishops responded to all this by issuing a bizarre pastoral letter that strongly condemns same-sex marriage and homosexuality, and instructs gay Catholics to remain chaste and relate to one another in nothing closer than neighborly ''friendship.'' Catholic Charities is the Church's nonprofit organization that admitted to getting 75% of its funding from governments. And its president, Ed Orzechowski, testified in blunt terms that he will not provide equal services to married gay and lesbian employees or to gay and lesbian families in the District. (Archdiocese of Washington Blog)
''Is there something in you tent that needs assasinating?... Mmm, that's quite an offer, especially coming from another man, if we are both speaking of the same thing.... I was raised to take my pleasures where they could be found, for they do not come very often.
Cut scene of a naked gay romp between warriors in a ''Dragon Age: Origins'' a new and highly-rated video game of the ''Dungeons and Dragons'' role-playing genre. The company, Bioware, got in some hot water earlier this year with the LGBT community when, at least temporarily, it shut down chat discussions in their ''Star Wars'' forums that included the words ''gay,'' ''lesbian'' and ''homosexual.'' (Bioware)
''When those pictures came out online, I got freaked out. I was like, "Great, that's gonna fuck things up." 'Cause I just figured, you know, this is a national television program and people are conservative in our country, aside from L.A. and New York and a couple of other places.... Some people in the gay community might look at it like, 'You really should've owned that. You didn't hide it, but you didn't admit it and that's weak.' My whole point is, I'm not trying to lead the fucking way for the civil rights movement that we're in right now. I just happen to be a gay man -- and I'm not ashamed of that at all. Regardless of how I handled it, it became a huge issue. And I knew it would. So I figured, you know what, I'm just not going to label myself, I'm going to own the pictures, I'm going to get past it and just keep being myself on the show.''
Singer Adam Lambert who came in as runner up on the US's most popular television entertainment program, "American Idol." He gave an interview and appeared in a cover photo for the magazine's ''Out 100,'' but there appears to have been some questionable insistence from Lambert's publicist that he not come off as too gay. He is currently promoting his new music album, ''For Your Entertainment.'' (Out Magazine)
''The legal recognition of same-sex unions poses a multifaceted threat to the very fabric of society, striking at the source from which society and culture come and which they are meant to serve. Such recognition affects all people, married and non-married: not only at the fundamental levels of the good of the spouses, the good of children, the intrinsic dignity of every human person, and the common good, but also at the levels of education, cultural imagination and influence, and religious freedom.''
From a pastoral letter approved by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday. The letter says homosexuality is contrary to natural law and is under no circumstance to be approved. It makes a number of arguments against gay marriage, primarily that male-female marriages alone can produce children, and then backs up their logic with some amorphous usage of the terms like ''original sin,'' ''sacrament,'' and a ''communion'' between a man, a woman, and the Church, Jesus and their interpretation of God's will. Homosexual persons, it claims, deserve acceptance with ''respect, compassion and dignity,'' then immediately says gay men and lesbians should only exhibit chastity -- that same-sex relationships are to remain as just ''friendship,'' like with a ''neighbor.''
A recent report showed a significant decline in heterosexual couples seeking marriages within the Catholic Church, both here in the US and abroad, over the last several years. This USCCB letter also strongly criticizes cohabitation, the use of contraception, and the availability of divorce. It does appear to permit divorce in the case of violence, yet said that the Church could not recognize any subsequent marriages even in those cases. The Church and the Washington Archdiocese are currently trying to prevent the DC City Council from ending the discriminatory exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from receiving equal marriage recognition. (USCCB)
''The church focuses on the right to discriminate, but refuses to consider the effect on the couple. They provide these services in other states where same-sex marriages are permitted, I do not understand why they would not be able to provide them here.... I think it is important that we continue to have a discussion with the archdiocese and other churches as they wish. But I do have to say, the way this issue has been approached by the archdiocese in the past week was tantamount to drawing a line in the sand and it may be hard for them to show some flexibility.''
DC Councilman Phil Mendelson speaking for the City Council of the District of Columbia which plans to pass the ''Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009'' which will grant full access to marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Some religious groups have pestered the city's attempt at inclusiveness with complaints that same-sex marriage will stomp on their religious liberties. The Catholic Church and their nonprofit, Catholic Charities, in particular, have threatened to stop providing services to those in need of food, health care and education if they are not given millions of taxpayer dollars and the ability to say gay men and women are not worthy of spousal benefits. The city has already made one huge change to the law allowing far greater religious flexibility than it had originally planned. But the Archdiocese refuses to recognize that change, and the fairness that the bill provides to gay families, and their own need to concede or compromise for the sake of the needs of the people they claim they serve. The Council plans to vote on the bill on December 1, 2009 anyway. (Washington Post)
''It's a dangerous thing when the Catholic Church starts writing and determining the legislation and the laws of the District of Columbia.''
Tommy Wells, Ward 6 Councilman for the District of Columbia, who received his JD from Catholic University Columbus School of Law and is a strong supporter of the DC same-sex marriage bill. (Washington Post) (Tommy Wells)
''The demand for same-sex marriage has gone from toleration to tyranny. The DC government is prepared to force Christians to violate church teaching and become complicit in behavior that the Bible calls sin. This is just the kind of abuse against which opponents of same-sex marriage have been warning.... If Catholics are not allowed to be Catholic, none of us can rest secure in our liberty.... Wherever same-sex marriage has been available, only a small number have taken the opportunity. Yet, in order to satisfy that small minority, the DC council seems ready to put at risk 68,000 needy city residents. We see no signs of homosexual groups offering to open homeless shelters and medical clinics to fill the void if the Catholics are purged from the roll of city contractors.''
Alan Wisdom of the Institute on Religion and Democracy complaining for the Catholic Church about DC's upcoming same-sex marriage law. (Christian Wire News) His argument against the bill leaves out many of the facts and presents false assumptions:
It is the choice of the Catholic Church to request public funds. It is their choice to reject government contracts that require fairness and equality. It is the choice of the Church's leadership to vocalize and act upon their discriminatory belief system. And it is their choice to stop providing an alleged 68,000 residents with much needed assistance.
The head of Catholic Charities, Ed Orzechowski, is paid $268,000 per year according to Washingtonian magazine. From the millions of dollars that the taxpayers of DC have granted to Catholic Charities, that amount appears to indicate a significant portion is going to his paycheck alone. And Orzechowski, in return, testified on the record last month that he will not place parentless children with same-sex couples nor would he provide spousal benefits to gay and lesbian employees who are in legally committed marriages. David Catania, an openly gay member of the DC City Council, pointed out that Catholic Charities provided just six (5%) of the wards of the DC last year. Catania also pointed out that he had been (up until the Archdiocese delivered it's ''offensive'' testimony) the strongest supporter of Catholic Charities at the Council.
''I eventually, very solemnly, with a little bit of malice in my voice, said [to my substitute teacher], 'Ma'am, with all due respect, you can go jump off a bridge.... I've grown up with a lot of people, and good friends with a lot of people that are gay. And I really -- I think they should have the rights all people should, and I'm not going to swear that they do.... They've taken from what I said, an assumption that I'm gay, and in the halls and the cafeteria, I've repeatedly been called a 'gay wad.' ... I really don't know: A discriminatory name for homosexuals.''
Will Phillips, a 10-year-old boy in West Fork, Arkansas, who has opted not to stand for or say The Pledge of Allegiance. He feels that gays, because they are not allowed to get married, are not included as part of a nation that provides ''liberty and justice for all,'' plus there's a lot of racism and sexism. It is reported that Phillips skipped the 4th grade, and he says he wants to be a lawyer. His father says his son sat for four days facing criticism, until he lost his temper with his substitute teacher. (CNN)
''Yes, my son is 10. But he's probably more aware of the meaning of the pledge than a lot of adults. He's not just doing it rote recitation. We raised him to be aware of what's right, what's wrong, and what's fair.... The principal said we have to talk about Will, because he told a sub to jump off a bridge. My first response was: Why? He's not just going to say this because he doesn't want to do his math work.''
Laura Phillips, mother of 5th grader, Will Phillips, who refuses to say the pledge in part because gay men and women are not allowed to get married. Will tell the Arkansas Times that ''Freedom of speech. The freedom to disagree,'' is what being an American represents. (Arkansas Times)
''Homosexuality is not an illness. You shouldn't be treating it because there's nothing to treat.... We identify the church as the people in it, not the hierarchy that runs it. Besides, we've been Roman Catholics all of our lives. It's part of our lives. It's who we are.''
David McCaffrey, a founding member of Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, objecting to a ''reparative therapy'' program that gay Catholics are allegedlyl being referred to in St Paul, MN. McCaffrey, here, is also answering why Catholics don't pick up and leave the church behind. Speculation is that the Church as a whole has taken a hard turn toward the conservative right because of Pope Benedict's wishes. Complaints arose last week that the Church is stepping over the line from being a religion and into a political organization when they were seeing complaining to Congress about abortion and the proposed Health Care Bill, and also in DC where they are actively trying to pressure the DC City Council from enacting a widely-supported gay marriage bill. (Star Tribune)
''We are very happy, moved, but we also feel the heavy weight of responsibility because it's not just about us, it's encouraging legal equality in Argentina and the rest of Latin America.''
Jose Maria Di Bello, who was just granted the right to marry in the Latin American country of Argentina. He and his partner, Alejandro Freyre, will be able to marry starting on December 1, 2009. The rather sudden and surprising ruling for this mostly Catholic country hasn't had time for political opposition to develop yet, but one Catholic Bishop there there is claiming that same-sex unions ''seriously endanger'' the common good. (AFP) (AFP)
''I've been terminated by Window Media.... The staff is meeting for coffee tomorrow to reorganize and re-launch.... In adversity, there is great opportunity. The name 'Washington Blade' has been ruined and is in bankruptcy, but the staff and people are alive and well and living in Washington, looking for local ownership.''
Lynne Brown, Publisher of the Washington Blade, telling Metro Weekly that the 40-year-old gay newspaper for the District of Columbia has permanently ceased publishing. (Metro Weekly)
''Certainly we knew finances were tight, but none of us were expecting this today.... We had been told the impact on us would be minimal and that the company would be sold.''
Laura Douglas-Brown of the Southern Voice, one of several LGBT publications that were closed down today after a parent organization, Window Media, said they'd file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Window Media acquired the Washington Blade and New York Blade in 2001. (WIBW)
''Although the comments by Mr. Lambert were not aired on our station, we find the comments by him to be completely out of line and unacceptable, and we will not allow Mr. Lambert the opportunity to continue to air his show on our radio station.''
Rob Fulmer, regional manager for Nassau Broadcasting which has cut ties with one of its hotheaded right-wing radio shows, ''Meet The New Press.'' The host, Doug Lambert, let loose on New Hampshire Democratic Chair, Ray Buckley, on the tail end of the webcast of his radio show where he referred to Buckley as, ''Yeah you faggot'' and danced around to mock a gay man. It is reported that Buckley is openly gay. (WMUR) (Daily Kos)
''To be blunt, what I said is something that never should have been said in any kind of a public setting, or, quite frankly, in a private one either. Being human, and an honest person that is used to freely speaking my mind, my passion got the best of me. Politically correct? Nah, that's not my style. Calling people names, THAT'S usually not my style, either, as I prefer to debate the issues in a battle of ideas.''
Doug Lambert on his blog GraniteGrok regarding his incredibly inappropriate on-air rant against Ray Buckley. (GraniteGroK)
''Southern Voice With deepest regret, as editor of SoVo, I have to tell you that we arrived at the office to learn that our parent company, Window Media, has shut down. While the 20 years of SoVo have come to an end, our civil rights movement is only beginning. I am personally grateful to all of the staff, and to all of you who have had the courage to share your stories. It has been the honor of my life to help you tell them.''
Facebook page entry from the Southern Voice, a gay newspaper that had served the Atlanta region. The parent company, Window-Media, has apparently been changed the locks on the doors without notifying staff in advance. According to the company's website, Window-Media also published The Washington Blade, South Florida Blade, and 411 Magazine. (Facebook)
Metro Weekly has a full story with quotes from the former publisher and staff at MetroWeekly.com.
''NOTICE
It is with GREAT regret that we must inform you that effective immediately, the operations of Window Media, LLC and Unite Media, LLC have closed down.
Please return to the office on WEDNESDAY to collect personal belongings and to rceive information on your separation stipulations. Please bring boxes and/or containers that will allow you to collect all your personal belongings at one time.
Regretfully,
Steve Myers
Mike Kitchens''
Content of notice posted on the door of Southern Voice newspaper. (Project Q Atlanta)
''I think it's because they know that I'm different, too, and it took a long time fore me to be accepted. And I think that they just kind of relate to that. And, plus, a lot of my gay guy friends love to dress up or they're very sensitive and very creative, and I think they relate to that side of me, as well. But I think they just appreciate the fact that I just love everybody for who they are. We don't -- we're not supposed to try to change people. We should allow people to be who they are, and love them as they are.... I always say, 'Well, sure! Why can't they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us, too.' ... Well, I don't really get into talking this [religious] issue to those degrees. But I don't want to talk about [Joel Osteen]. I don't want to talk about them. But like I said, I think God made us who we are and how we are. And I don't think that if he was a religious person, he wouldn't be judging people.
Country singer, songwriter, and actress Dolly Parton talking with Joy Behar's new show about her gay fans, her thoughts about how her background influences her thoughts on gay marriage, and answering a viewer's question about prosperity televangelist Joel Osteen who recently said again that gays are ''not God's best.'' (Joy Behar SHow /CNN)
''We have -- everybody's welcome. Gays and straights and all different religions. You know, I believe they're all welcome, but I come back to what I believe the scripture teaches is that homosexuality is not God's best. And so, I come from that value system of the Scripture. I can't pick and choose. I love everybody. I can't say I don't have friends that are gay. They're some of the nicest people in the world.... I don't believe God would create you against something he tells you not to be. You know I don't understand it all.... I do [try to accept them] but I try to share what I believe is God's best for us.... I do think he has a best plan for everyone of our lives. We all make mistakes, I've made mistakes, but I believe if you stay in faith, if you have the heart to do what's right, then God will still get you to where you're supposed to be.''
Feel-good prosperity preacher Joel Osteen repeating that he thinks gay men and lesbians are not living their lives the right way. In April he said marriage is only between a man and a woman. His technique of answering questions about gay people is to say he welcomes them all but, then says he doesn't understand everything, but that the Bible definitely looks down on gay and lesbian relationships and sexuality. Whoopi Goldberg seemed annoyed at his answer asking if it's possible that God doesn't necessarily have "a best" and Joy Behar followed saying if God has a best, and God made gays the way they are but that they're making a mistake by being gay, then there is a conundrum in his logic. (The View via YouTube)
''I thought that it was just a bad situation. The fact that I was just let go, and if I was intoxicated, and I couildn't drive, why was I instructed to leave and go home?''
Lex Leaks, one of the many plaintiffs filing a lawsuit against Chicago police officer Richard Fiorito. Many have accused Fiorito of harassing drivers for no particular reason who are in "Boystown," a favorite area of gay bar patrons in East Lakeview. Some dash-cam video from Fiorito appears to conflict with the officer's report of one June incident that someone was swerving near parked cars, but no such image appears on the video. These latest plaintiffs are in addition to several that filed earlier this year, and since then, it is reported that Fiorito has been assigned a desk job. (MSNBC)
''The governor's office has agreed to put resources towards the gay community. They are willing to look at our issues, and they are willing to talk to us more.''
Susan Heroux of Queer Action of Rhode Island which met with Governor Donald Carcieri. The Governor has positioned himself as a staunch adversary of the gay community's needs in that state, which is currently surrounded by other New England states that have accepted same-sex marriages. Carcieri reportedly vetoed a bill to allow same-sex partners to plan funeral arrangements, saying first that there were other ways they could achieve end of life wishes, and then saying that he didn't approve of a piecemeal approach to gay issues. He stated after his meeting with the gay group, "I think it would be better to find a way to deal with these more globally, as apparently did Washington state.'' (WPRI)
''I've got to be honest, I'm thrilled. I think to a lot of people it seems like a little thing, because it's not full acceptance, clearly. It's sort of a step towards tolerance. It's just about non-discrimination. But, if you're in the church, if you know that church, you can see that it's a signal. And you can see that it's a signal to the entire population saying, 'It's not okay to discriminate anymore.' Which is just such a huge change from when I was in the church.''
Dustin Lance Black, writer of ''Milk'' and ''Big Love'' and an ex-Mormon, commenting on the LDS apparent approval of a Salt Lake City nondiscrimination law that includes sexual orientation. (Joy Behar Show)
''We would not place children with same-sex couples.... We would not provide employees with spousal [health care] benefits in terms of same sex unions.''
Edward Orzechowski, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of DC, speaking at the October 26 hearing on Washington, DC's same-sex marriage bill. Today, November 12, the Archdiocese threatened the Council to withdraw services to thousands of District residents over gay marriage. At the Council hearing, was answering questions from Councilmen Phil Mendelson and David Catania. As was discussed, Catholic Charities gets 75% of its money from public funds, and according to Washingtonian, Orzechowski has a paycheck of $268,000. As Catania stated, that's taxpayer dollars going to an organization that says it will not comply with public law. The Archdiocese of Washington and Catholic Charities are saying they must be allowed to break away from non-discrimination ordinances regarding employment and public services provided, yet still accept public dollars, and be able to call that religious freedom. (Washingtonian) (DC Council) (MetroWeekly YouTube)
''If the city requires this, we can't do it. The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem.''
Susan Gibbs, of the Archdiocese of Washington, saying that the church, would no longer be able to help the homeless, adoption, and health care through Catholic Charities, because gay men and lesbians will likely have the right to marry in DC. Today's statement from the Archdiocese comes despite a huge change to the bill that would give Catholic and other religious organizations the right to decide whether to offer services to same-sex ceremonies or not. (Washington Post)
They don't represent, in my mind, an indispensable component of our social services infrastructure.... If they find living under our laws so oppressive that they can no longer take city resources, the city will have to find an alternative partner to step in to fill the shoes.''
David Catania responding to the threat from Catholic Charities that they will no longer provide services to needy persons in the District because they cannot comply with an upcoming same-sex marriage law. The proposed bill originally stated that religious organizations did not have to perform ceremonies, nor did they have to provide rentals or other services to couples when it is against the beliefs of their faith, with an exception in cases where those services or accommodations were regularly offered to the general public. The latter portion of that regulation was dropped, but Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese have made it clear that their opposition is to same-sex marriage -- which leads many to conclude that it really has nothing to do with the services they provide, or the benefits they'll be required to offer to married gay and lesbian couples. Catholic Charities received millions of dollars from District residents, and they stated publicly at an October 26 meeting that 75% of their operating expenses come from public funds. The President and CEO of Catholic Charities, Edward Orzechowski, personally receives a yearly compensation of $268,000 according to Washingtonian. (Washington Post)
''Sarah Palin is my hero! ... You look at Sarah Palin and Congresswoman Michelle Bachman, they are relentlessly torn down by the liberal media.... There's this double standard that conservative women are fair game, to be attacked, and it's not right, and it needs to stop. [Conservative media does tear down liberal women] to the extent that liberals do to conservative women. I think that they get away with it.... I think there definitely is this bias against conservative women. It's fair game, and if they don't like what you have to say, they have to attack your personal life.... It's a confidential agreement and I am not allowed to talk about that.... Larry, you're being inappropriate, so, I'm not gonna talk about anything that was discussed in mediation.... I think you're being extremely inappropriate right now, and I'm about to leave your show.''
Carrie Prejean, former beauty queen and title holder of Miss California USA, losing her cool on the Larry King show last night. The talk show host was asking Prejean to explain why she settled -- not about the terms of her settlement. She became visibly shaken and removed her microphone and ignored a call that came in from a gay viewer. She apparently later said she was told she didn't have to take any questions from callers. (CNN)
Greg Gutfeld: You always have to remember, guys are turds.
Carrie Prejean: Yeah.
Gutfeld: And if you do a sex tape with them, and you're beautiful, they can't help but show people. You learned a lesson. Don't eve do that again young lady.
Prejean: Oh, trust me, I will never do that again.
Gutfeld: On a scale of one to ten -- one being harmless, to ten being 'Holy Crap, that's hot!' Where would you put the tape.
Prejean: You know what, I was by myself, and there was no one else in the room with me, and I sent it to him. So, I guess you could be the judge of that.
Carrie Prejean speaking with Fox News Channel's host of ''Red Eye'' and happily responding to questions that would seem to be way more inappropriate than Larry King asking why she settled her case against the Miss California USA pageant.
Prejean has boasted repeatedly about being a conservative woman and the daughter of a Christian preacher. She has painted herself as the hapless victim of smear tactics from a "political correctness machine,'' and undeserved liberal criticism. She can be seen in anti-gay conference videos saying that she could hear both God and the Devil speaking to her at the Miss USA pageant, but she hasn't said yet which of the two led her by the hand when she created an explicit, sexual video a few years ago. Her ex-boyfriend who has the tape reportedly disputes Prejean's claim that this video was made when she was 17, he says it was made much more recently, when she was 20. (Fox News via YouTube)
''We're discovering who the enemy are, and I do think we do have an enemy. It means that everyone's got to go on fighting. And in what way you fight, well, it depends who you are. You can write a letter, you can talk about it to your congressperson, you can talk to people in bars. Or you can go on marches, or you can go and break windows.''
Sir Ian McKellan speaking with IMRU, an LGBT radio program in L.A., regarding the fight over gay marriage. (ContactMusic)
''When I act, some people fancy me and some of them are women. There we are! What's the problem? They don't believe me when I say I am in love with a woman?...They don't believe me when I say I am a wizard? They believe me even though they know I am not. It's all nonsense. Everyone knows we are acting.''
Actor Sir Ian McKellen talking to younger gay actors who still fear that coming out publicly may hurt their career. (Reuters)
''I don't know what I did right with my career, but the minute I came out and said I was gay, my film career took off, and here I am.... Not Gandalf the Gay, Galdalf the Gray.... We're going to do more, because there's that wonderful book, 'The Hobbit,' which was writted before 'Lord of the Rings.' And were going to make movies out of there in New Zealand, and I'm gong to be there. I haven't got a contract yet, so if there's any problem, please support me.''
Actor Sir Ian McKellen on The View last week discussing his career, his new AMC TV series, ''The Prisoner,'' and the probability of him reprising the roll of J.R.R. Tolkien's wizard, Gandalf. Unfortunately, a rather ill Whoopi Goldberg confused his role as the wizard Gandalf with the wizard Dumbledore from ''Harry Potter.'' McKellen seemed a wee bit annoyed when he explained that they were different actors. (The View)
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