Gay people from New Mexico can marry in Massachusetts

The AP Reports:
Gay couples from New Mexico can marry in Massachusetts because their home state has not explicitly banned same-sex marriage, according to Massachusetts records officials.
New Mexico joins Rhode Island as the only states whose gay residents are allowed to marry in Massachusetts, the only state that allows same-sex marriage.
In a July 18 notice, city [...]

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Home of Senator Stevens Raided by the FBI

The home of Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), former Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, was raided by FBI and IRS agents yesterday as a part of a corruption probe.
This is the same Senator who placed a secret hold on a bill that was aimed at increasing government accountability by requiring the government to publish [...]

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UPS Desists its Discriminatory Policy in New Jersey

Due in large part to a letter written by Governor John Corzine about two weeks ago, UPS has decided to extend health insurance benefits to civil unionized couples in New Jersey.
Just another small step toward equality—though one would have thought an unnecessary one since New Jersey’s civil unions were supposed to be equal to marriage [...]

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50 Most Beautiful People on the Hill

The Hill came out with its fourth anniversary issue of the 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill last week. It’s an amusing distraction. I think I’d have to say the Republicans take the prize for the most beautiful party. At least there’s something for them to hold on to.

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More on Christians United for Israel

Max Blumenthal attended the Christians United for Israel conference that was held last week. The first link contains video coverage of the event– a must see.
Money quote from Blumenthal:
I have covered the Christian right intensely for over four years. During this time, I attended dozens of Christian right conferences, regularly monitored movement publications and radio [...]

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Men Speak, Women Stay Silent?

Leslie Morgan Steiner wrote a blog post that appeared in Washingtonpost.com today about how in academic and professional settings when men and women are together, women tend to keep to themselves more, while men tend to speak up. Steiner notes:
What I found is that 1) in a free-speak forum, women speak publicly about 25 percent [...]

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Lack of gay rights causes alimony abuse

Another blogger’s take on the inadequacy of civil unions and domestic partnerships.

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A random look at the Bible

Today’s installation for those who practice bibliomancy, comes from Corinthians 1:21:
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

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Virginia police appointed to position of tax collector

Virginia’s steep driving violation fees go into effect today. The new penalties will reach as high as $1050 for driving 20 mph over the speed limit. Other fines include $1050 for include using the wrong turn signal, driving too fast for conditions, and having below-standard tires, among many more.
The Washington Post reports:
The licenses of tens [...]

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Another tale of Christianist hypocrisy

Former NC state legislator Coy C. Privette, a Cabarrus County commissioner and retired Baptist minister, was charged with aiding and abetting prostitution last Thursday.
Coy Privette is currently the President of the Christian Action League, which represents conservative evangelicals from 15 Christian denominations in NC. From the Christian Action League’s website:
We discourage the promotion and use [...]

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Judge dismisses child rapist

The Washington Post reports:
A 7-year-old girl said she had been raped and repeatedly molested over the course of a year. Police in Montgomery County, acting on information from a relative, soon arrested a Liberian immigrant living in Gaithersburg. They marshaled witnesses and DNA evidence to prepare for trial.
What was missing — for much of the [...]

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Domestic partnerships in Washington

Gay couples in Washington State began to register as domsestic partners today. According to the Associated Press, “couples that register as domestic partners receive enhanced rights, including hospital visitation, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations, and the sbility to inherit in the absence of a will.”
‘Enhanced rights’ is good, but it’s still not [...]

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The House acknowledges gay hate crimes victims

Yesturday, the House of Representatives passed H.RES. 535, Commending David Ray Ritcheson, a survivor of one of the most horrific hate crimes in the history of Texas.
The text of the resolution reads:
No human being deserves to be tortured and victimized like David Ray Ritcheson simply because he is of a different background, race, religion, ethnic [...]

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Sullivan on the Democrats’ gay responses

Andrew Sullivan provides a nice brief response to the Democratic candidates’ responses to the gay questions at the Youtube debate:
It still frustrates. They still won’t actually answer the simple question: Why do you oppose equal marriage rights? I’m sorry but I’m not interested in John Edwards’ “personal journey”. In fact, I’m extremely uninterested. I want [...]

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The Democrats on religion

More from the Democratic Youtube Debate: Senator Biden (D-DE) says one of the most sane things I’ve heard from a politician on religion in a long time:
Religion informs my values, reason dictates my outcomes…I don’t find anything inconsistent about my deep religious beliefs and my ability to use reason.
I did not like what Senator [...]

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The Democrats on gays at the Youtube debate

At the Democratic Youtube Debate, which aired tonight on CNN’s Situation Room with Anderson Cooper, Americans were allowed to submit their questions to the Democratic candidates via Youtube.
Rev. Reggie Longcrier of Hickory, NC submitted the following video to Jon Edwards:
Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by his Southern Baptist background. Most [...]

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Government gives $1.1 billion to dead farmers

From today’s Washington Post:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture distributed $1.1 billion over seven years to the estates or companies of deceased farmers and routinely failed to conduct reviews required to ensure that the payments were properly made, according to a government report.
In a selection of 181 cases from 1999 to 2005, the Government Accountability Office [...]

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More on the inadequacy of civil unions and domestic partnerships

In California, a court ordered that a man must continue to pay alimony, even after his ex-wife entered a domestic partnership with another woman.
The LA Times reports:
Ron Garber knew his former wife was living with another woman — and had taken her last name — when he agreed to pay her $1,250 a month in [...]

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Civil Unions: Separate and Not Equal

Gay couples in New Jersey are still not treated as equals to their straight counterparts, in spite of the civil unions law past last year. The authors of the legislation intended civil unions to be equal to marriage in all but name.
However, it is becoming clear that civil unionized couples in New Jersey do not [...]

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Ferrets fight back

In response to Giuliani’s hatred, PBS has come out with the documentary Ferrets: Pursuit of Excellence.
For more of the Ferret Song, click here.
You can buy the full documentary here.

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