Dan Choi At Netroots Nation

At Netroots Nation, a bisexual Obama volunteer hands former U.S serviceman Dan Choi a flyer. Choi was forced out of the military because of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. The bisexual Obama volunteer told Choi that he couldn't support gay marriage because Obama doesn't support gay marriage. Choi rips the man's flyer. The exchange is fantastic.

Lt. Dan Choi ripped up an Obama For America (OFA) flyer this afternoon during a panel at Netroots Nation when he was confronted by an Obama volunteer who attempted to explain away the President's opposition to same-sex marriage:
NICK (Obama volunteer): I can't say I'm for marriage equality, but as a bisexual man, I would take a bullet for both of you.

CHOI: You say you're not for marriage equality?

NICK: I can't, no as a....

[RIPPING SOUND]

CHOI: Did you not understand? Here! I believe that I'm an equal citizen.

NICK: understand that, but Obama hasn't gone officially on record for it...

CHOI: Then, don't tell me that I'm a bad person, go tell him that he should believe in my full equality and then report back.

NICK: Civil unions?

Sorry, but civil unions aren't gonna cut it with Choi and many other progressive activists.

Blogger Pam Spaulding caught words said by Choi after the video.

"I think if Obama doesn't endorse my full marriage equality and my personhood in this country, then I have no business supporting him and I don't think a lot of the people who are first time votes will either."

Obama is more concerned with triangulation and not offending the sensitive ears of Wall Street executives.

Obama Heckled at DEM Fundraiser

Via Pam Spaulding: President Barack Obama is heckled at a DSCC/DCCC fundraiser. The President is experiencing the disappointment of "The Professional Left" up close.



I detailed how Obama killed an earlier attempt to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This time around Obama spent zero political capital when the vast majority of Americans support ending the military policy.

It is hard for Obama to convince the protesters that enough money is being spent on AIDS research when banks are getting bailed out and some Democrats want to extend the Bush tax cuts. For many of these protesters increased funding could mean the difference between life or death. It is irreverent whether or not Obama started the TARP bailout. (Obama did not.) The base is pissed off at Obama and he is so isolated from the real world that he can't understand why.

Netroots Nation: 'Has Feminist Blogging Gone Mainstream?' Panel

Feminist blogging has gone mainstream. The women on the panel has been gracious enough to link to this blog. Samhita Mukhopadhyay is the only blogger I haven't communicate with. Lindsay Beyerstein helped me immensely on the "Faith In Teaching is A Paper Nonprofit". The feminist bloggers deserve credit for having open dialogues and linking to smaller bloggers like myself.

Check out their blogs.

Feministe
Feministing
Majikthise
Pam's House Blend
Pandagon

Update: Jill mentions the infamous pie fight. FYI: Daily Kos ran a Blogad that feautured two women dressed as Mary Ann and Ginger from Gilligan's Island. Many people found the ad tasteless. I was a part of the pie fight. My old post reprinted.

Markos Moulitsas Zúniga: Proud Member of the Men's Studies Set 2005-06-09

As far as I'm concerned, Kos can write whatever pleases him. I support free speech. That means I have to support the right for people to say things I don't necessary agree with. Kos should follow the same credo.

So over the weekend, certain segments of the community have erupted in anger over the TBS ad for their reality show, the Real Gilligan's Island. Apparently, having two women throw pies at each other, wrestle each other in a sexy, lesbianic manner, then having water splashed on their ample, fake bosoms is degrading to women. Or something like that.
Whatever. Feel free to be offended. I find such humorless, knee-jerk reactions, to be tedious at best, sanctimonious and arrogant at worst. I don't care for such sanctimony from Joe Lieberman, I don't care for it from anyone else. Some people find such content offensive. Some people find it arousing. Some people find it funny. To each his or her own.

But I am not Lieberman. I won't sit there and judge pop culture and act as gatekeeper to what I think is "appropriate", and what isn't.

And I certainly won't let the sanctimonious women's studies set play that role on this site. Feel free to be offended. Feel free to claim that I'm somehow abandoning "progressive principles" by running the ad. It's a free country. Feel free to storm off in a huff. Other deserving bloggers could use the patronage.

Me, I'll focus on the important shit.

Many that complained about the ad were women. I personally don't have a problem with things like porn. News flash: I've seen a few in my time. I do wonder why Markos feels so threatened that he has to lash out at his female readers and call them the "women's studies set."

Glenn Reynolds ran the same blogad on his site. I don't expect his readership to complain. Most of Instapundit's readers fear gays getting married. I don't expect him to stand up for the rights of women. Progressives are different and are not going to hang on to every word by Markos as if it is the gospel truth.

I too worry about pop culture becoming censored by the likes of James Dobson. Markos could have kindly said he needed to run the ad to pay for the bandwidth for his site. Instead, he lashed out at women. Not cool. It's a matter of tone. There a difference between saying, "please pass me the salt," and "gimme the fucking salt bitch!"

Here is reactions from female bloggers.

Dru Blood

I think comrade Kos should be commended for bringing his sexist thoughts out into an open forum, thus encouraging the other cockroaches to crawl out from the patriarchal rock they were hiding under. Next time, it might be a better idea to wave a tentacle or two, rather than swinging yr weenie around like you own the place.

Lauren

Is the ad in and of itself offensive? Not necessarily. What is offensive is Kos’ dismissal of feminist complaint, concern and criticism regarding a pretty sexist ad designed for het male titillation run on the most widely-known progressive blog for his own personal profit.

Objectifying and demeaning any minority group for the sake of profit, be it corporate or personal, is abhorrent. This is exactly why I resist the Democratic party and most of its advocates. Women and women’s opinions don’t matter if they run contrary to the bottom line.

Amanda

I'm not gonna dodge it like a coward, which was my first inclination. And I'm not gonna mince words, either--as someone who gets called a man-hater and a sexist on average once a day, if not more, I can safely say that Kos was being a big weenie about being called out for honest-to-god sexism in touting out the tedious stereotype that feminists are humorless wretches. Suck it up, dude.

Markos also attacked NARAL for endorsing pro-choice Republican Lincoln Chafee. Markos thinks that Democrats should be a party of ideals and not issues. He must not be familiar with the Will Rogers quote: "I belong to no organized political party -- I am a Democrat." I make this simple for him to understand. Republicans are about protection the establishment. Democrats are everyone else that falls through the cracks. The Donkey Party is about protecting the little guys and girls. I say that is a fine ideal. Someone who thinks that you must only vote for one party, even if you don't like a candidate, is an ideologue.

Main Entry: ideo·logue

1 : an impractical idealist : THEORIST
2 : an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology

Female members of Daily Kos have left and started their own blog call Women Kossacks. Good luck with the blog, ladies.

Several links for this post stolen from the wonderful Media Girl.

I get misty eyed for when the progressive blogosphere was a smaller space.

Pam Spaulding Interview

Ron Reagan of Air America interviews blogger and LGBT advocate Pam Spaulding. Discussed is going into the black and Latino community to garner support for LBGT rights.

Charlie Crist: the Undecider on Sonia Sotomayor and Gay Adoption

Herald/Times video: Charlie Crist and the press | Naked Politics- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Charlie Crist was asked about his opposition to Sonia Sotomayor and his position on gay adoption. Crist cited the Second Amendment as his reason for his opposition to Sotomayor. Crist ducked the gay adoption question. The video doesn't show Crist's statement. The Governor said on gay adoption: "I'd have to think about it." LGBT blogger Pam Spaulding responded forcefully.

That's kind of you, Charlie, to give up a few firing off of the synapses in your brain regarding the issue for the homos. How about doing it for the children who are languishing without enough loving homes to be placed in because of homophobia.

My prediction is Crist will soon come out (again) against gay adoption. Crist refused to offer an opinion on Sotomayor. He was attacked for his undecisiveness by opponents Marco Rubio and Kendrick Meek. Crist responded to the pressure by announcing his opposition to Sotomayor.

“While I have not had the opportunity to meet personally with Judge Sotomayor—a crucial step in the selection process—I have reviewed and reflected upon her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and come to the conclusion that I cannot support her appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor is worthy of respect for her many accomplishments and her remarkable story of success. However, I have strong concerns that Judge Sotomayor would not strictly and objectively construe the constitution and lacks respect for the fundamental right to keep and bear arms. For these reasons, I cannot support her appointment to the highest court in the land.”

Crist's campaign activity is attending fundraisers. The Governor has made no attempts to meet with constituents. That will change in 2010. Right now Crist is a fundraising machine and a political blank slate. Crist is a political shape shifter. Crist will become a Christian Right candidate one moment and a moderate reformer the next. No one really knows what Crist stands for and that is the problem.

Vermont!

Vermont is official the fourth state to make gay marriage legal. The Vermont legislature overrode Republican Governor Jim Douglas' veto. The Vermont House of Representatives voted 100-49 in favor of legalizing gay marriage. The State Senate voted 23-5.

Democrats will finally grow a pair, as gay marriage becomes politically more mainstream Democrats will finally grow a pair.

The outcome in the House of Representatives, 100 to 49, was not clear until the final moments of a long roll call, when Rep. Jeff Young, a Democrat who voted against the bill last week, reversed his position. After the final tally, cheers erupted in both legislative chambers of the State House and in the hallways outside, and several lawmakers on both sides of the debate looked stunned.

Conservative reaction has been either silence or anger.

Silence: Conservative blogger Glenn Reynolds has repeatly stated he supports gay marriage. Gay blogger Andrew Sullivan has accused Reynolds of catering to his conservative readership. Reynolds has not blogged one post about the Vermont story on this slow news day. Since the story broke Reynolds has posted about a driveable airplane and a photo taken by Michael Yon. Stop the presses!

Anger: Pam Spaulding has documented the Freeper response to Vermont making gay marriage legal. This was written by the charming Manc:

for the record to you homo's I ma not old nor am I religious, I just think you are mentally perverted and sick and guess what so does most folk so stop trying to say it is only religious types against you

Another post by Manc:

notice now one state has voted FOR homo’s to be married.

that is because the majority of folk do not think it is normal for a man to poke another man up the arse or a woman wear a strap on pretending to be a woman.

not normal and not natural, so for those homo’s reading this.

you are certainly not accepted nor are you normal, you can pretend you are married but you are far from the truth.

If what you do is your business then stop the freak parades, stop telling us that you like to poke men up the arse or wear a strap on, stop telling us how you have special rights when you clearly do not according to the constitution

A woman needs a strap-on penis to pretend she is woman? That is insane logic.

This question by Kabumpo answers itself.

Vermont....what happened to the farmers and generations of poor rural people? Are they ultra liberal now? I don’t get it

Yep. People getting fucked over for generations by trickle down economics became more progressive. These Vermont residents are less obsessed with gay marriage and conservative message boards. (Thank God.) They want to get out of poverty. The GOP hasn't done anything to help them. I get it. Kabumpo doesn't and never will.

Update: The gay bashing Michelle Malkin has no posts on the Vermont story.

Joel Award: Michael Steele (Again)

It is time to give out the Joel Award. The award goes any celebrity, pundit, blogger or politician that purposely contradicts himself or herself.

Michael Steele told GQ abortion is a woman's medical right. In fairness, Steele said he is personally anti-choice.

Explain that.
The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.

Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.

You do?
Yeah. Absolutely.

Steele quickly hoped on the contradiction express. "The only question is whether Michael Steele will reverse himself on his 'Not me Baby, No way, no how' proclamation and step down," wrote Pam Spaulding. "Or he will have a giant wingnut bootprint on his back as he sails out the door." The third option is spin like mad.

I am pro-life, always have been, always will be.
I tried to present why I am pro life while recognizing that my mother had a "choice" before deciding to put me up for adoption. I thank her every day for supporting life. The strength of the pro life movement lies in choosing life and sharing the wisdom of that choice with those who face difficult circumstances. They did that for my mother and I am here today because they did. In my view Roe vs. Wade was wrongly decided and should be repealed. I realize that there are good people in our party who disagree with me on this issue.

But the Republican Party is and will continue to be the party of life. I support our platform and its call for a Human Life Amendment. It is important that we stand up for the defenseless and that we continue to work to change the hearts and minds of our fellow countrymen so that we can welcome all children and protect them under the law.

Steele quickly went from pro-choice to anti-abortion at whiplash speed. Steele becomes the first two-time winner of the Joel Award.

Related: Joel Award: Michael Steele

Pam Spaulding Has Been Hacked

Blogger Pam Spaulding has been hacked by Astalavista Team. Pam's House Blend is hosted on Soapbox. Other Soapbox sites such RadicalRuss.net, American Liberalism, BeThink.org have been hacked. These hack attacks were sophisticated. The Astalavista Team left this image on the sites they hacked.



Soapbox has announced they are shutting down.

It was a good ride, but it's over.
Thanks for all the fish.

All these hackers messing with our stuff, and we here at SoapBlox have no clue what to do. We don't have enough knowledge, time, money, or care to fix it.

So I hope the Hackers are happy.

If you want the data from your blog, we will get it. But we are not going to try and restore anything.

Consider this the "We're Out of Business" post.

Most of the servers have been taken off line because they were being used to hack and exploit other websites. The hackers install this crap on servers after they get in. SoapBlox's ISP then takes the servers off line.

We do not know when they will come back online.

We do not know if they will come back online.

It is sad how a few bullies can end the hard work Soapbox did to build a community for progressive bloggers. The Astalavista Team hacked into these to show theyt can "destroy online communities." That is it. The same reason a bigger kid pushes a smaller child into the mud, because he can. How sad.

Pam will be moving her site. It is up currently, but who knows for how long.

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Colin Powell grows a spine and endorses Barack Obama.

On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at problems like this and picking a vice president that, I think, is ready to be president on day one. And also, in not just jumping in and changing every day, but showing intellectual vigor. I think that he has a, a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well. I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines--ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values, not just small towns have values.

Update: the Meet the Press panel discusses how the Powell endorsement hurts John McCain. Joe Scarborough makes a strong case on how the endorsement will help Obama with Florida's retired military voters.



Update: Pam Spaulding has quotes of Freepers dissing Colin Powell. The General partly endorsed Obama because the GOP has become less inclusive. Free Republic is proof of the fringe taking over the Republican Party.

Libby Dole Has Lost Her Mind

This is too bizarre for words. Pam Spaulding informs us that Elizabeth Dole is sponsoring an amendment to name an AIDS bill after Jesse Helms. I will give you a moment to absorb that last sentence.

SA 5074. Mrs. DOLE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2731, to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: On page 1, line 5, strike ''and Henry J. Hyde'' and insert '', Henry J. Hyde, and Jesse Helms''.

For the sake of journalistic fairness, Helms did have a change of heart about using federal funding to combat AIDS.

"I'm so ashamed that I've done so little," Helms said.

Helms did so little because he used his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to block AIDS funding and bash the LGBT community.

"There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy, Helms said. Arthur Ashe contracting AIDS from blood transfusions is proof of Helm's willful ignorance. Even if Helm's was corrert, his Christian ideology excluded compassion. Helm's believed if you were gay you deserved to die from AIDS. End of story.

I doubt Senate Democrats will let the Helms amendment pass.

Pam Spaulding on Blog Buzz

Pam Spaulding and conservative blogger Mary Katherine Ham discuss the South Carolina primary on the CNN show Blog Buzz.



Spaulding, Ham and moderator Tony Harris agree on the stupidity of Hillary Clinton attacking Barack Obama on Martin Luther King.

Mrs Clinton, trying to make a point about presidential leadership and Mr Obama’s constant references to Dr King, the civil rights icon, said: “Dr King’s dream began to be realised when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It took a president to get it done.”

The comment is telling on what Hillary thinks of executive power. She dismissively views grassroots activism and King's struggles as secondary. Political scientist Daniel Drezner believes Hillary will pay a political price for the racially-tinged attacks against Obama.

This presidential cycle has gone against the convention wisdom. Mike Huckabee's attacks on John McCain failed to deliver South Carolina. The Hillary smears failed big time in Iowa. I couldn't be happier.

Fred Thompson Supports Florida Gay Marriage Ban

Fred Thompson comes out in support of the Florida ballot amendment banning gay marriage.

I applaud the work of Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage. Their efforts will give the people of Florida a voice on this very important subject. I strongly believe in the time honored principle of marriage being a union between one man and one woman, the foundation of any civilized society. Florida’s Marriage Amendment will have my support in 2008. As President, I will appoint judges who apply the law, not make it up from the bench. We should not be held subject to judicially created social policy, and I will use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to defend the institution of marriage.

Thompson is going into pander overdrive after saying the state and federal government should not have intervened in the Terri Schiavo medical case. If Thompson really wants to win he should avoid flip flopping, firing campaign staff and pretending he actually gives a shit if he wins.

Nadine Smith of Equality Florida urges urges voters to sign the Pledge to Vote "NO" petition and join the Fairness to All Families Facebook group.

The good news is 60 percent approval is difficult. Civil rights groups and lefty activists can mount a good campaign to defeat the ballot amendment. Opposition to the gay marriage ban helped Democratic turnout for Jim Webb. It's time the Left used wedge issues against the GOP. Republicans certainly aren't going to run on the economy.

Pam Spaulding has a lengthy blog post on the ballot amendment.

Tom Tancredo Boycotts Univision Debate (Snore)

Tom Tancredo is insanely hateful towards Hispanics. He refered to Miami as a third world country. Tancredo is boycotting the Univision debate. He released a silly press release.

Tancredo released this statement: “It is the law that to become a naturalized citizen of this country you must have knowledge and understanding of English, including a basic ability to read, write, and speak the language,” Tancredo said. “So what may I ask are our presidential candidates doing participating in a Spanish speaking debate? Pandering comes to mind...America has been a melting pot of people from all over the world but it can not survive as a nation if our immigrants do not assimilate. A common language is essential to that goal. Bilingualism is a great asset for any individual but it has perilous consequences for a nation. As such, a Spanish debate has no place in a presidential campaign.”

Neither does hatemongering, Congressman. Check out Tancredo's Congressional website. It reads like a white supremist site. The photo of Tancredo with John Bolton is my favorite touch.



Personally, I think Tancredo is wussing out because he knows the Hispanic crowd will boo him off stage.

Update: Tancredo's latest campaign ad is out. To call the ad fearmongering would be kind. It's racist and factually bogus. In Tancredo's world, every illegal immigrant is a gang member.



Pam Spaulding has a good post about the Democratic presidential candidates discussing immigration like grown adults. Something Tancredo is unwilling to do.

Tammy Baldwin Interview

Pam Spaulding has an exclusive interview with Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. She is the only gay woman serving in the House of Representatives. Baldwin explains how Republicans are attempting to kill.

The lack of success passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is something Baldwin is attempting to rectify. Republicans have used the bogus argument that Christian book stores would have to hire Atheists. The First Amendment specificly states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It's doubtful Atheists and Muslims would suddenly flock to Christian bookstores to work as clerks. What Conservatives fear is not being able to hide behind religion to practice bigotry.

Bob Jones University lost their tax exempt status for a racist admission policy.

The Court found that the IRS was correct in its decision to revoke the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University and the Goldsboro Christian School. These institutions did not meet the requirement by providing "beneficial and stabilizing influences in community life" to be supported by taxpayers with a special tax status. The schools could not meet this requirement due to their discriminatory policies. The Court declared that racial discrimination in education violated a "fundamental national public policy." The government may justify a limitation on religious liberties by showing it is necessary to accomplish an "overriding governmental interest." Prohibiting racial discrimination was such a governmental interest. Hence, the Court found that "not all burdens on religion are unconstitutional."

I love nothing more than scam artists losing their tax exempt status.

Progressive Blogosphere Covers Candidate Fasano

The progressive blogosphere backlash against Congressional candidate Tim Fasano has started. Pam Spaulding and Kenneth Quinnell are pointing out Fasano's xenophobic and misogynistic rantings.

Pam

Well, I don't think it's the whole cab driver matter. Fasano's writings might have been the problem.

Kenneth

As if you needed a reason to donate money to Kathy Castor, the Democrat who will demolish Fasano in the general election (if Fasano makes it).

There is a good chance Fasano will get the GOP nomination. No one else is stupid enough to run against her. But then this is really about Fasano promoting his porn photography and giving himself a platform to spout his batshit insane views. Because he isn't running anything resembling a real campaign.

Fasano has a problem with people quoting his own words and pointing out how hateful his views are. Welcome to politics, Tim. The DCCC will put you through a grinder before your campaign is through.

My question is will the conservative blogs Peer Review and The State of Sunshine endorse a porn photographer and vocal supporter of genocide against all Muslims? Jim Johnson has run favorable posts on Fasano. I'm betting they would rather swallow their pride than endorse Castor. Tommy Duncan constantly tells the media that the main goal of Sticks of Fire is to get readers interested in politics. (That would explain his post on lesbian cheerleaders.) Why hasn't he blogged about a local blogger who is a candidate? Duncan has Fasano on his Myspace friends' list. He has no problem attacking the Tampa Tribune for firing his friends. He has never taken Fasano to task for his bigoted and sexist posts.

It will be interesting to see how certain bloggers try to weasal around the Fasano issue. It's humorous to see bloggers acting like politicians ducking tough questions.

Lack of Progressive Coverage On Jena6

Pam Spaulding has a post taking the progressive blogosphere and Glenn Reynolds to task for not covering the Jena6 story.

* DailyKos features a handful of posts about injustice in Iraq today -- but not a single entry on its main page, or even its user-generated "diaries," about this important case.

* TalkingPointsMemo, a favorite of the DC wonk set, is similarly incensed about foreign policy, but apparently not about racial justice in the South -- nothing there either.

* Long-time progressive blogger Atrios doesn't have a lot of posts up,but found time to touch on Paul Krugman, Iraq and the state of the Euro -- but not this major issue.

* Surely TalkLeft -- which has positioned itself as the leading progressive blog about criminal justice issues -- would have something? Think again -- not a single mention, not even in the quick news briefs!

* What about another progressive favorite, FireDogLake? A rant about Republicans being "little bitches," but nothing on the Jena 6.

When the Jena 6 does make an appearance on progressive blogs today, it's little more than a passing nod. Huffington Post has a blog post buried below the fold; ThinkProgress gives it a two-sentence news brief.

However, many of these blogs are eagerly pointing to news stories which suggest the Republican candidates don't care about black issues.

Jane Hamsher protested Spaulding's post. She felt she was being accused of being a racist and would have to defend herself if she wrote about the Jena6 controversy. I don't think that was the intention of Spaulding's post. The point was minorities and the poor are often neglected in news coverage. That doesn't mean Hamsher is a racist. (I have seen no evidence to lead me to believe that.)

I have been guilty of not covering the Jena6 story. I wrote this comment at Pandagon.

I have learned about the Jena6 story from media reports in the last few days. I admit that I haven’t blogged about it myself. I think Jane Hamsher is being overly defensive. The truth is there are a lot of stories the blogosphere doesn’t cover. I try to write about Florida and Tampa politics because very few people do. If people say I haven’t blogged enough about Jena6 I’ll take it as a valid criticism.

I’m trying people. Believe me.

What is interesting is Facebook has activists very involved in getting the word out on Jena6. That is how I first learned about it.

Students Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, and New Orleans are protesting the legal treatment Mychal Bell and other black high school students in Jena, Louisiana. Bell was convicted of second-degree battery by an all-white jury. His conviction was overturned. The court ruled he should not be tried as an adult.

Jean has a history of racially-charged fights. White youth would either not get charged or face misdemeanors. Black teens would face harsher penalties. Six teens are facing second degree murder charges for assault on Justin Barker.

There is something extremely dysfunctional about the community. Black and whites long had contempt for each other. Nooses were hung at a high school. This is not the way for people to live.

Jim Naugle Strikes Again

Like a headache that won't go away, Jim Naugle continues his anti-gay crusade. Pam Spaulding has the details. I'll write more about this later.

Hillary At HRC

Pam Spaulding expresses her disgust at Hillary Clinton pitching civil unions to the Human Rights Campaign.

Anyway, back to the speech. She spends a good deal of her address patting herself and HRC on the back for the defeat of the federal marriage amendment. To spare you watching the whole 18 minute speech, she later discussed civil unions; she declares that gay and lesbian couples should have equal benefits:
* health and life insurance
* Social Security
* property rights
* visitation rights
* adoption rights

She mentions her support of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (which would give partners of federal worker all benefits of received by spouses of het married couples), and mentions the hate crimes bill, the repeal of DADT, and ENDA. Whether the latter three will be fought for in this Congress, it's not clear.

Missing from the Clinton speech was any inkling of what she believes should be done about DOMA. Perhaps someone will get a chance to ask her a direct question about this.

Hillary mentions she will end the U.S. military's don't ask, don't tell policy. That was created by her husband's wishy-washyness. Ditto the Defense of Marriage Act. Which Hillary supports.

I mentioned before that opposition to Virginia's gay marriage amendment helped voter turnout for Jim Webb. Democratic candidates can use the issue against Republicans. John Kerry's nonstance on gay marriage did not help him. Democrats have no choice, but to take the issue back. Republicans will continue to use it as a wedge issue if they don't.