American Bar Association endorses marriage equality

On the heels of Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling on the Proposition 8 lawsuit came not only celebratoins but the usual suspects' predictions of the end of the world/USA/universe as we know it, complete with the usual comparisons of same-sex relationships, even long-term ones, to bestiality. (These are NOT people you would want petsitting for you).  Talk radio and the blogosphere has seen a fresh regurgitation of demands for judicial impeachment and the passing of a first-ever Constitutional amendment drafted specifically to deny civil rights to a designated group.

And then, there's the American Bar Association's statement, released just two days ago:

"Gays and lesbians should have the right to marry in civil ceremonies, the ABA’s policy-making House of Delegates declared on Tuesday. The measure passed on a voice vote.


"A lineup of ABA leaders, both past and present, spoke in favor of the resolution. Incoming ABA President Stephen Zack asked 'Why would anyone in this country not want two people who love each other to enjoy the blessings of marriage and the protections of law?'

"Former ABA President Tommy Wells told the House that “our citizens of the same sex who are being denied the right to a civil marriage are only seeking to participate in an equal basis in a foundational institution of our civil life. They simply want to share in the legal blessings that we give to married couples. It can only strengthen marriage.”

"Only Leslie W. Jacobs, past president of the Ohio State Bar Association and a partner in the Cleveland office of Thompson Hine, spoke against the measure. He sought to table the motion, which was ruled out of order. “I have reluctantly concluded that silence on an issue of political correctness is cowardice,” he told the House.

“ 'What we do [in the House] seriously affects our perception in lawmaking forums. If we are perceived to be off-base on something that lawmakers readily understand, I don’t think they can be expected to defer to us on something on which they don’t understand,' he said.

Resolution 111 (PDF) had been gaining momentum in the House since a US District Court judge ruled last week in Perry v. Schwarzenegger that California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage violated the U.S. Constitution. On Saturday, Laurence Tribe, the U.S. Justice Department’s senior counselor for access to justice, speculated during a program at the annual meeting that there is a good chance the U.S. Supreme Court would uphold the district court ruling, with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy likely providing the swing vote.

In an interview after he participated in a Sunday morning program, David Boies, one of the lead plaintiffs attorneys in Perry, said it would be “significant” if the ABA comes out in support of marriage equality. “The ABA obviously is the most respected legal organization in the United States, and probably the world, and its opinion will be listened to by legislators and courts,” he said.

The House has long supported the legal rights of gays and lesbians. Among its actions:

• In 1989, it urged passage of statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

• In 1995, it opposed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in matters of child custody.

• In 2004, it adopted policy opposing efforts to enact a federal constitutional amendment that would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriage.

• Last August, it urged repeal of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act; that section denies federal marital benefits and protections to lawfully married same-sex spouses.

Vagabond Scholar: The Five Circles of Conservative Hell

Vagabond Scholar: The Five Circles of Conservative Hell

Dante updated: conservative circles of Hell

Check out the Vagabond Scholar blog for details --  detailed examples, background, likely inhabitants and overall danger level of each circle.

Billed as a 'ruder companion' (and somewhat more tongue-in-cheek one) to The Social Contract.

NBC recognizes gay-headed families in contest

Broadcast network NBC had formerly excluded same-sex couples from its "Modern Wedding Contest", whose winners get a televised wedding.  On Thursday, after meeting with LGBT civil rights groups and receiving a number of voicemails and email messages, the network announced that they were changing their policy and allowing same-sex couples to apply.

The reason given for excluding them previously had been that same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in New York.  However, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) had pointed out to network officials that a winning couple could get a marriage from a marriage-equality state or the District of Columbia and have a wedding in New York.  GLAAD had contacted supporters about protesting the exclusion, and NBC said it was responding to the voicemail and email messages it had received. A network spokesman stated that "moving forward, we ensure that our future wedding contests will be inclusive to all couples."

Predictably, the decision was met with threats of boycotts and negative feedback, with the usual comparisons of same-sex couples to a human being marrying an animal.

Read the full story at the Associated Press.

Tall Ships® Set Sail For the Midwest

If you want to enjoy the beauty of a graceful and eco-friendly form of sea travel, head for the Great Lakes, not the coasts, to see the Tall Ships® this summer. 

The Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge® 2010 race series is a partnership of Great Lakes United  and the  American Sail Training Association (ASTA).  Their mission is to engage and educate the public about water conservation and the importance of the Great Lakes -- the world's largest source of fresh surface water.

This year's international fleet will sail through all five

of the Great Lakes, stopping in both U.S. and Canadian ports.

ASTA focuses on training young sailors in this special form of water transportation. Great Lakes United, has "been a unifying voice for ensuring a healthy and vibrant future for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem. A diverse coalition of organizations and individuals, Great Lakes United is comprised of citizens, environmentalists, conservationists, labour unions, First Nations, tribes, hunters, anglers, academics, and progressive businesses working together to clean up toxic pollution, stop invasive species, and protect the waters of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River from damage and irresponsible use. Thousands of voices are calling for a healthier Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes United continues to be the coalition through which these voices are heard."

So far, up to 25 sailing ships will be participating, with many of the vessels offering public day sails.

The Brokeback Bank

from the  Dave Cullen Ultimate Brokeback Forum:


A winner of the movie-themed "Pride Bank" describes his prize:
“Dimensions: 5 1/2" high, 6" width, 6 3/4" length. 


“Materials: Various matboard and paper products, plastic, wood and reflective and holographic films. Theater "entrance" has glow-in-the-dark material. Painted, airbrushed and protected with numerous coats of acrylic varnish. Suede base so it is non skid and doesn't scratch surfaces. Interior is felt lined and bottom has "pillow" to silence coins dropping into bank.

“Description: Bank in the form of miniature building housing the Gay National Bank, Hot Eats Diner, and Pix Theater. Pix Theater is showing a double feature of "Brokeback Mountain" and "Latter Days". Coins can be dropped into bank through chimney on the roof. Section of roof with black handle lifts off to retrieve coins or put larger items into bank. Accented by shiny gold reflective film on bank along with glittering film to simulate electric signs. Two tiny rainbow flags dot the piece. Durable and very solidly built. Can survive falls with little or no damage.

“Signed by artist on the base.”


The contest was sponsored by the online studio of Rick Chris.  Visit the site's galleries for a collection of Pride photos, gay erotica and other gay-themed art, and "retro media, described as a "satirical and tongue-in-cheek 'what if' paintings of an alternative universe where gay topics are much more accepted in the media".


Brokeback fans will be sure to notice the excellent painting on the home page.

"Over the Cliff": How the Right went crazy

Anyone who's wondering why conservatives in the US seem to have gone insane in the past few years might want to check out a book recently published by the hosts of Crooks and Liars.

from the introduction:

"The Tea Partiers and their allies are tapping into the fear and anger that are washing over a country with over 10 percent unemployment on ongoing economic insecurity. And they are using the tried-and-true bogeymen and shibboleths of the paranoid strain in American politics to explain to their audiences who are and what is the cause of their angst: liberals, minorities and big government (not incidentally led by the first African-American president). "

Over the Cliff also focus on the schoizoid nature of the alleged hostility to government power:

"Just 8 years ago, drunk on vengeful bloodlust and convinced they had just ushered in a thousand-year reign, the right wing in America was united with their government as never before. Its members culturally enforced their peculiar form of chauvinistic patriotism and insisted that Americans unquestionably submit themselves to the president, a man their deified as a warrior god, and condemned anyone who questioned his decisions as a traitor."

And we all know what a sea change that went through.


From PoliPoint Press:

Over the Cliff examines the right wing’s eagerness, especially in the aftermath of President Obama’s election, to invent and propagate stories that are provably false. Noting that such stories are disseminated in large part by mainstream-media figures like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Lou Dobbs, the authors link that kookery to a wave of lethal violence and threatening behavior. They also explore the main drivers of this descent into nonsense, including a resurgence of extremist groups and the longtime Republican strategy of exploiting racial and cultural resentment. Finally, Over the Cliff details ways ordinary Americans can resist the madness.

Over the Cliff is already attracting attention.  The kudos include this remark from Rep. Alan Grayson:

At their hugely popular website ‘Crooks and Liars,’ John Amato and David Neiwert have helped to expose the fact that there is no conservative party in America any more. They show that the right wingers are not conservatives, they are anarchists.

The only law the right wing believes in is the Law of the Jungle. No schools, no hospitals, no job programs, no nothing. Their idea of nirvana is Mogadishu.

Available at Amazon and at PoliPoint Press.