After failing on their first attempt to overturn Oregon's Anti-Discrimination and Domestic Partnership laws, Oregon's anti-gays (who actually live in Tennessee) have admitted possible failure. More importantly they are claiming a possible failure on IP 146 which is Oregon's Domestic Partnership law. This means that Oregon's Anti-Discrimination law would be the only one on the ballot come November if they can muster up the signatures for it.

I have to question their logic. Have they not done polling? Quite obviously they haven't - as multiple polls indicate a record number of Oregonians support this anti-discrimination law.

For more background on the whole debacle, see our post from yesterday (here & here). I highly recommend reading it as it explains all the background details.

In an email to supporters, David Crowe from "Restore America" said the following:

Initiative 144 is legally flawed and apparently beyond use. Now corrected, it has been refiled by Marylin Shannon, as Initiative 146.

The process described above is underway on 146, and it may well be too late to get to the people for signature and then to the Elections Division by the deadline, which is July 3rd.

The likelihood is that we will have just enough time to get enough signatures for 145 on the ballot, but not 146.

Again, they need about 83,000 signatures to qualify - meaning they need to shoot for well over 100,000 to actually make it unless they have an incredibly clean list without many mistakes.

If they do make it even just an attempt to repeal the anti-discrimination law then I predict a very nasty campaign from their side, the likes of which we haven't seen since the days of Lon Mabon. At the same time I do wonder how they will finance their anti-gay crusade. It could easily cost millions if history is correct. Back in 2004 Basic Rights Oregon spent roughly 3 million dollars to fight Measure 36 and the opposition group is struggling to even get $25,000 and they are almost 7k in the hole.

Oy vey. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday folks.

Labels: anti-discrimination, anti-gay, domestic partnership, oregon

In just about a month (May 30) the Sex and the City movie will be in theaters! I for one cannot wait. Take a look at this new trailer.

Labels: entertainment

Could it be? Shall we plan celebration parties already? Well not quite yet - but on the heels of Basic Rights Oregon appealing (to the Oregon Supreme Court) the language of two initiatives (IP 144 & IP 145) that would aim to repeal Oregon's newly enacted Domestic Partnership and Anti-Discrimination laws, and the possibility of the same thing happening to the third filed by anti-gays... they may be up shit creek.

Yesterday we talked about the group "Concerned Oregonians" who actually happens to be led by David Crowe who now resides in Tennessee. Make of that what you will. In any case - their desperate pleas for tens of thousands of dollars, even if answered, would still leave their anti-gay crusade in limbo. And funny enough currently it looks as though they are in debt.

Giving credit where credit is due.
Basic Rights Oregon has proven once again that it will relentlessly fight these initiative attempts to strip families of their basic rights as citizens of this state. Thanks BRO! (ech hem - donate here)

Credit should also be given to everyday Oregonians. Oregonian's don't see this as a Measure 36 - and rightly so. They see this simply for what it is, workplace protections against blatant discrimination and as I said above, the ability to legally provide and care for your family.

No victory dance yet folks.
Again, lets not get our hope up too high. But come July when anti-gay forces must turn in over 83,000 valid signatures to qualify and they can't do it - I'll be the first cracking open that bottle of bubbly.

Counting down the days.
Just think, each and every day that this bigoted attempt to strip Oregon families and individuals of their basic human rights is delayed, that's just another day these folks cannot gather signatures.

Related:
Appeal to Oregon Supreme Court Sparks Delay in Anti-Gay Plans

Labels: anti-discrimination, basic rights oregon, domestic partnership, oregon, supreme court

Basic Rights Oregon delivered today. They're taking the fight to the Oregon Supreme Court. Just Out is reporting that BRO may in fact be holding up the anti-gay initiatives by appealing to the OSC.

Via JustOut:

Basic Rights Oregon's legal representation - Margaret Olney, of Smith, Diamond and Olney, representing BRO's Jeana Frazzini and Frank Dixon - have just filed appeals to the state Supreme Court regarding Attorney General Hardy Myers' certified ballot titles for Initiatives 144 and 145, initiatives designed to repeal the Oregon Family Fairness Act and the Oregon Equality Act, respectively, according to documents obtained from the Secretary of State Elections Divisions Office.

According to state Elections Division compliance specialist Summer Davis, the Supreme Court could take "up to several months" to deliver an opinion on the appeals," depending on what other items "are on the Court's plate," though state law charges the Court to address the appeals "in an expeditious manner," although, she added: "Expeditious is not defined."

This could prove to be a major setback for Concerned Oregonians, the umbrella group organizing behind the repeal initiatives. In a recent email to supporters, the organization had said it was anticipating having petitions "printed and delivered to distribution sites hopefully by April 26th," though the current Supreme Court appeals could set their efforts back at least several weeks' time, if not longer - as petitions cannot be circulated until the Supreme Court's final judgment is delivered. Locations of potential petition distribution sites and self-described "collection goals" are posted on the Concerned Oregonians website.

Davis also said the Court was not required to take into consideration in its decision the final deadline by which the initiatives' sponsors were required to turn in their signatures: the deadline (82,769 valid signatures are required) is 5 pm on Thursday, July 3. “They’re under no obligation to issue their opinion or final judgment based on when signatures are due," Davis said.

And in other news Amy Ruiz at the PDX Mercury had this to say on the anti-gay group "Concerned Oregonians" lack of funding. It sure seems like they have bigger concerns than just stripping away the rights of families. They have no money. I have to question how far they will get if they were to get on the ballot. It's going to be a multi-million dollar campaign and they are begging and pleading for a mere $50k?

The campaign to repeal Oregon's new domestic partnership and anti-discrimination laws is in bigger trouble than I thought. For starters, though the groups involved only have until early July to gather up tens of thousands of signatures on each of the two initiatives, they haven't been cleared to start collecting signatures yet. Clock's ticking, as they say.

[...]

Yep, the sky is falling in Concerned Oregon. It takes a lot of cash to fund a statewide signature gathering campaign, and they've only collected $4,385.00. The Concerned Oregonians PAC-which, according to their filing, exists to oppose the land use Measure 49-has $517.06 in the bank as of this writing, but enough outstanding accounts payable to put them in the hole by $6,191.70.

Labels: anti-discrimination, basic rights oregon, domestic partnership, oregon, supreme court

Check. Check and uhh - check. Here is the first national ad from the DNC.

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, mccain, video

Shocking. Blue Oregon has the dirt on McCain's keynote address at a 1993 fundraiser for the Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) headed up by Lon Mabon. The OCA was responsible for numerous anti-gay ballot initiatives up until their last attempt in 2000. If you've lived in Oregon for any amount of time, you know the OCA and their hateful and often violent ways.


From Blue Oregon:

It seems that the media is having a lot of fun these days digging up old acquaintances of presidential candidates, finding an objectionable comment, and then badgering the candidates into denouncing those folks.

It doesn't seem to matter how tenuous the "relationship", how long ago it was, or anything.

So, courtesy of Jeff Mapes (who has an excellent post about John McCain's temper), here's a little snippet from a long-ago Oregonian article.

It seems that in 1993, John McCain was the keynote speaker at a fundraising banquet for the Oregon Citizens Alliance, the notorious anti-gay organization that was causing all sorts of trouble in Oregon in the 1990s.

McCain quickly got a first-hand flavor for the OCA. Marylin Shannon, the vice chairwoman of the Oregon GOP, had a spot on the program to give an opening prayer. In short order, she praised the Grants Pass woman accused of shooting an abortion doctor in Wichita and thanked the Lord ``for Lon Mabon and the vision you put in his heart.''

Let's check that again. Marilyn Shannon praises a terrorist who shot a doctor while introducing John McCain, and not only does he stay, he stands up and gives a fundraising address for these terrorist-lovers?

Outrageous. Will John McCain do what he should have done 15 years ago - and denounce the domestic terrorists who shoot doctors who provide legal medical services?

America is waiting.

[via Blue Oregon]

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, anti gay, mccain, oregon

Ok boys and girls. Check out this new clothing line from Portland. It's got hot and sexy written all over it.

I thought this was a joke when I saw it on another blog. Could it be that my high school in a little suburb of the Bay Area would really be putting up an exhibit of gay athletes? That's huge. You see the school is located in Danville, CA. About 40 minutes outside of San Francisco. It's a place with a lot of money and sometimes, but not always that can breed conservatives. This should be interesting to hear about the reaction. Time to call mom and dad!

And wait - they're also having gay pride week? Lord have things changed. This makes me feel old and I graduated less than 8 years ago!

DANVILLE - Students at San Ramon Valley High School are ready to teach their classmates and the community that saying something is "so gay" is so uncool.

Members of the school's Gay-Straight Alliance, which has been on campus for about 10 years, have designated this week Gay Pride Week on campus.

Students will be spreading awareness during the week about accepting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

As co-presidents of the Gay-Straight Alliance, seniors Nick Pittarides, 17, and Sammy Brenner, 18, have been passing out rainbow ribbons on campus, telling classmates about National Day of Silence and preparing for this weekend's photography exhibit.

Photographer Jeff Sheng, a lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is bringing his "Fearless" exhibit to San Ramon Valley High School to encourage people to open their eyes and minds to people who are gay.
Pittarides found Sheng's artwork online and saw the exhibit had visited many colleges across the country, including Yale and Columbia universities.

The nearly 100 photos in the exhibit are all of athletes - mostly college students with a few high school students - who are openly gay. By having athletes in the photos, Pittarides said, sends the message that homosexuality is just one part of someone.

Labels: school

Portland's very own Gossip made an appearance on David Letterman last night. Beth Ditto, Gossip's queer lead vocal can sure belt it out.

Video below:



Check them out on iTunes and hear the rest of their music.

Hat tip to Stephen at JO.

Labels: entertainment, queer artist, video

For those of you in Portland, I highly recommend heading out to Mississippi Pizza tonight to see Eric Himan perform at 9pm.

Eric's an amazing talent and queer to boot. Mississippi Pizza is a very intimate venue, perfect to watch him up close and personal.

Here's a video of Eric:


Come tonight! Mississippi is located at:
3552 N Mississippi Ave
Portland, OR 97227

Labels: entertainment, queer artist, video

Last week California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came out and came out strong against an anti-marriage equality initiative currently in the works in California. His strong opposition to the anti-marriage initiative surprised many of us as he vetoed two marriage equality bills within the last two years. Here's the video in case you missed it. More about a possible victory in the Supreme Court after the jump.



Today, there are rumors that a source close to the CA Supreme Court said something like this:

Sources wishing to remain anonymous in the California Court System indicate that the court, which has until June 2, 2008 to issue it's marriage ruling, is considering issuing it on Friday, May 23, 2008, with the decision being written by Chief Justice Ronald George. The Court is readying itself for a backlash that may follow the rumored and bold decision. There is talk that the Court will not simply strike down Proposition 22, but will move the State of California toward full marriage, if not even granting full marriage rights for gays and lesbians outright.

Obviously aware of what's coming, Gov. Schwarzenegger came out swinging against the FRC's proposed amendment...

While little can be said about the credibility of the 'source' - it does give fair-minded Americans hope for equality for all. It's crazy to think back to my senior year of high school (in 2000) while living in the Bay Area and Prop. 22 passed.

Maybe there is hope. Stay tuned.

Labels: california, marriage, supreme court

After all the speculation including the possibility he was dating T.R. Knight, 28 year-old Luke Macfarlane has come out of the closet. The Brothers and Sisters star's interview is below.

Though no secret to his family and close friends, Macfarlane has, until now, been guarded about his personal life as a gay man. Over lunch in Los Angeles, where he lives, he initially insists that he has no concerns about his public revelation - but a few seconds later he is shifting nervously in his chair, and concedes that he is "terrified."

"I don't know what will happen professionally... that is the fear, but I guess I can't really be concerned about what will happen, because it's my truth.

"There is this desire in L.A. to wonder who you are and what's been blaring for me for the last three years is how can I be most authentic to myself - so this is the first time I am speaking about it in this way."

Read the entire interview at Globe and Mail

Labels: entertainment

That's right. I was just as surprised to hear it. Of all the places Chelsea decided to swing by on Saturday night was Portland's annual famed Red Dress Party. Though she didn't wear a red dress (as required) she was wearing a Product RED t-shirt under her suit jacket.


Photo via Marty Davis at Just Out.

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, portland

Via Queerty:

Bill O'Reilly probably thinks himself the straightest man in America, but he's sure got a strange fixation with the homosexuals.

If that video isn't enough to job your memory, we all remember how windbag Bill blasted the Padres' gay day, fabricated anarchic lesbian gangs, ragged on two teenage gays and, most recently, derided pregnant trans man Thomas Beatie. Okay, so that last one's not "gay," but it's queer, and so is O'Reilly's lucrative, hateful shtick.

Now, after years of documenting his bile, Media Matters has launched a crusade against the Fox News commodity O'Reilly.

Labels: anti-gay, bill o'reilly, fox news

Labels: entertainment, video

That's right - right here in the grand ol' United States of America a committed couple could face jail time for wanting to be married. Their trial started this morning.

The trial for lesbian couple Kate Burns and Sheila Schroeder is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 14th at the Denver City and County Building located at 1437 Bannock Street, in Courtroom 117M. The two were arrested for trespassing on September 24, 2007 when they peacefully remained at the Denver Clerk and Recorder Office after being denied the opportunity to apply for a marriage license. Burns and Schroeder will be represented by lead counsel Mari Newman of Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP. Their sit-in protest was an effort to achieve basic fairness and marriage equality for all of Colorado's families. Numerous religious leaders have registered their endorsement for the couple by submitting affidavits in support of marriage equality.

"Ms. Burns and Ms. Schroeder are proud participants in one of America's greatest traditions: speaking out publicly against injustice. Strong and committed individuals like Kate and Sheila are responsible for some of our greatest civil rights achievements from the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to the end of racial segregation, to the legalization of multiracial marriages. One wonders what the current state of our country would be without civil rights heroes like Kate and Sheila. I am proud to represent them," said attorney Mari Newman.

When asked about her decision to participate in their September 24 action, Sheila said, "In the four years since my partner and I had our commitment ceremony, we have experienced numerous acts of discrimination. We are denied the ability to file taxes together. We experienced panic when I had a potentially dangerous health crisis and we had no security that she could attend to me in the hospital. We have spent thousands of dollars in legal fees to combine our property and insure our rights as a couple-when heterosexual couples are granted all of this free without question. This discrimination is unconstitutional and unconscionable. It is my patriotic duty to stand against this discrimination. The world needs more love and more support for loving couples. My church supports this fundamental notion and now it's time my government does too."

Speaking about the continuation of this campaign in Denver and her participation in the action on Sep 24, Kate Burns said, "As a life-long Unitarian Universalist, I seek to practice my religion by marrying my life partner in the church where I grew up. My religion does not condemn love simply because it happens between partners of the same gender. Legislation that prevents me from marrying my partner interferes with the free exercise of my faith tradition and imposes the viewpoint of one religious view-which opposes our union-on all citizens. My union with my partner, Sheila, is a life-long commitment founded on love and respect for each other. I will not allow an unjust law tell me that we are not worthy of being married. Following the principles of nonviolent resistance, I will do whatever it takes to shed light on the immoral and discriminatory legislation that denies basic human rights to us as a couple, and to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people."

Absolutely ridiculous that they are even in court. So much for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Labels: colorado, marriage

After 17 years of trying, Detroit has become the latest city to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity. City council voted 8-1 to amend the city's nondiscrimination ordinance which already bars discrimination against lesbians and gays.

City Council President Kenneth Cockrel, Jr. said, "The practices and policies of the City of Detroit should promote a public confidence in the fairness and equal treatment of any and all human beings."

via 365gay

Labels: anti-discrimination, detroit, michigan

This morning Basic Rights Oregon weighed in on the U.S. Senate race between Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick. Basic Rights Oregon announced that it has endorsed Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate in Oregon's Democratic Primary.

"Jeff Merkley has been a strong ally on issues important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community," said Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Jeana Frazzini. "As House Speaker, Jeff led the charge on passing Oregon's domestic partnership law, giving committed couples the legal recognition they need to care for one another in a crisis. And he championed a nondiscrimination law ensuring that no one in Oregon can lose their home or be fired from their job just because they are gay or lesbian. We need a fighter like Jeff Merkley in the U.S. Senate."

The endorsement decision was made by a vote of the organization's Board of Directors on the basis of written questionnaires and in-person interviews with the two major candidates.

Frazzini said Merkley's record makes him the clear choice in the race. "Jeff's leadership brings people together to do what's right for Oregon," she said.

On another note today is BRO's Executive Director, Jeana Frazzini's birthday. Happy birthday Jeana!

Labels: basic rights oregon, endorsement, oregon

Must watch. Now.

Labels: entertainment, video

OUT Magazine has published its list of the 50 most powerful gay and lesbians in America. Note that Anderson Cooper is #4... though not officially out to the American public.

The rankings were determined by scoring each candidate on these criteria: (1) political clout; (2) pop-cultural resonance; (3) individual wealth; and (4) current personal profile.

We rescored the 2007 list based on the events of the past year, moving those folks up or down - or off the list entirely. Lest you think we took our task lightly, the calculus for the seemingly mercurial changes involved some serious debating: e.g., while Ellen's puppy palaver didn't even dent her popularity, Rosie's score dropped significantly when she stepped down as The View's lightning rod.

Here is the complete list:
50. Kelly Bush
49. Benny Medina
48. Brian Swardstrom
47. Susan Arnold
46. Martina Navratilova
45. Jonathan Burnham
44. Bob Greenblatt
43. Adam Rose
42. Bryan Lourd
41. Carolyn Strauss
40. Christine Vachon
39. Jon Stryker
38. Lorri L. Jean
37. Simon Halls & Stephen Huvane
36. Annie Leibovitz
35. Randy Lovely
34. Craig Zadan & Neil Meron
33. Jim Nelson
32. Jeremy Bernard & Rufus Gifford
31. Rosie O'Donnell
30. Sheila Kueh
29. Adam Moss
28. Tim Gunn
27. Jasper Johns
26. Fred Hochberg
25. Tom Ford
24. Suze Orman
23. Anthony Romero
22. Nick Denton
21. Nate Berkus
20. Andrew Sullivan
19. Greg Berlanti
18. Christine Quinn
17. Martha Nelson
16. Perez Hilton
15. Brian Graden
14. Rich Ross
13. Jodie Foster
12. The New York Times Gay Mafia
11. Scott Rudin
10. Peter Thiel
9. Marc Jacobs
8. Joe Solmonese
7. Jann Wenner
6. Andrew Tobias
5. Tim Gill
4. David Geffen
3. Anderson Cooper
2. Barney Frank
1. Ellen DeGeneres

Go here to read more about each of the people on OUT's Power 50 list.

In a video posted on Friday, Ed Kelley, the editor of The Oklahoman newspaper, blasted Sally Kern, her supporters, last week's "Sally Rally", and her distracting bigoted message.

Said Kelley: "What if instead of 1,000 people gathered to praise her, 1,000 people - smart, law-abiding people who really care about Oklahoma and its future - came instead to insist that our state can and must send legislators to the capitol who will focus on real issues that affect Oklahoma. In other words, 1,000 voices that said we've had 100 years of Sally Kern, and 100 years of that is enough..."



via Towleroad.

Labels: oklahoma, sally kern

I know this isn't a new video but I just came across it. Ellen openly discusses Lawrence (Larry) King's death. Lawrence King is the 8th grade boy shot in the head by his 8th grade classmate because he was gay. This video is definitely worth the 2 minutes to watch.

Labels: ellen degeneres, hate crimes, video

I want to say that it blows my mind that over 1000 people came to "demonstrate" at the Oklahoma State Capitol to show just how anti-gay they are, alas I'm not surprised at all. It is quite saddening though that the 'over 1000 people' took time out of their day to see who can be the loudest about being bigots.

via 365gay:

More than 1000 people demonstrated at the Oklahoma Capitol on Wednesday in support of state Rep. Sally Kern (R) and her recent remarks that gays are more dangerous than terrorists.

A sign saying "We Stand With Sally Kern" was placed in the rotunda of the capital during the rally that organized by socially conservative groups.

Kern (pictured) was cheered when she told the crowd that their support affirmed the rights of conservative Christians "who want to stand up for the truth of God's word."

"What has happened to me has served to advance the gospel," said Kern, who was greeted with chants of "Sally, Sally" and was frequently interrupted by shouts of "Amen."

Kern made the remarks in a speech to a small gathering but did not know they were being recorded. The tape fell into the hands of The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund which then posted it on the video sharing site. (story)

In the speech Kern said gays have become more dangerous to the American way of life than terrorists.

"The homosexual agenda is destroying this nation; it's just a fact," Kern went on to say in the speech.

The Victory Fund, who posted the original video (at end of post), made comment about today's gathering of Sally Kern supporters. I wonder if they all look like birds too?

From the Victory Fund:

As some of you no doubt heard, Sally held a rally today inside the Oklahoma State Capitol building along with some of the country's most vocal anti-gay leaders. Together, they quoted scripture and decried so-called attempts to silence her.

Of course the irony of this is almost laughable. These folks are complaining about limits on their freedom of speech-at a public rally inside a state capitol building. You really can’t make this stuff up. Over the past few weeks, Sally Kern has said to any reporter who will listen that she is proud of the speech we broadcast on YouTube. She should be thrilled now that nearly 1.1 million people have listened to it.

Today Sally and her admirers trotted out their favorite talking point-they don't hate gay people, they love us and want us to change. Well, nobody who ever loved me talked to me the way she did when she compared us to terrorists and cancer. That's not the language of love or even tough love. It's the language of fear, division and yes, hate.

Across America, Sally and her friends in the anti-gay industry are backing narrow-minded, extremist candidates who want to implement her world view - a world in which gay people are encouraged to fake being straight or to simply disappear altogether. If you're gay, or if you are related to or know people who are gay, you understand how dangerous and misguided that message is.

Here is the original video released by the Victory Fund:

Labels: anti gay, oklahoma, sally kern

Racist and homophobic Oregon State Senator Gary George and Sal Esquivel made a stupid mistake when filing IP 144 to repeal Oregon's Domestic Partnership law - the language in the initiative petition read "civil unions". Not surprisingly it took them this long to figure out the problem. They just re-filed, making it IP 146.

Based on IP 144, Basic Rights Oregon and the ACLU filed comments with the state to throw out IP 144 due to the fact that it was, well - without fact.

So here we go. Oregon's most extreme are officially going after a repeal of something as basic as Oregon's Domestic Partnership law. Maybe they should follow in the footsteps of some other evangelical organizations in the news recently who are going after issues that people actually feel a moral obligation to combat. See Evangelical Group Seeks To Move Away From Anti-Gay Focus.

More to come.

Labels: basic rights oregon, domestic partnership, oregon