Natalie Davis: Progressives and right-wingers don’t speak the same language (and the Right insists that everyone speak theirs and live under its rules and worldview). When I resist that, I AM THE BAD ONE. If I get angry at inequality, something obviously is wrong with ME. Of course, I reject that notion wholesale: Each of the two sides sees the other’s view as completely immoral, not merely as “misguided” or “wrong.”
Another Reason to Skip Wal-Mart
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The CEO of Wal-Mart, just like Mormons, can exercise his right to free speech and expression however he sees fit. I too have that right — and will exercise it by refusing to give the company that pays him my business and by saying so. Why? Well, I have many reasons for not shopping there, [...]
Media: Tell the Full Obama Story
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Conservative writer Andrew W. Smith, writing in Canada’s Chronicle Herald, reminds us that newspapers are supposed to give us the full story — not only positive highlights. Will Rogers famously pleaded that all he knew was what he read in the papers. If all a person knew of Barack Obama’s first 100 days as president [...]
US to Boycott UN Racism Forum
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A global conference devoted to addressing racism is having trouble attracting an audience. The event, slated to take place in South Africa next week, boasts Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a plenary speaker — and so far, only a handful of leaders have RSVP-ed oui. Others have announced they will not attend: Israel, Canada, some [...]
Equality Advances? Attack the Gays!
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Be warned: Those new National Organization for Marriage anti-GLBT “actor auditions” videos posted are gone. NOM noticed that its evil ruse had been exposed and demanded that YouTube take them down. Even a clip of a recent MSNBC Rachel Maddow clip that included the audition tapes is gone. NOM’s reason: copyright infringment. YouTube has to [...]
Court Rules Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional, Irrational
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Here is some great news that should be no surprise to anyone really paying attention — after the Proposition 8 kerfluffle, this was inevitable: A federal court ruling was just issued that is based upon the notion — one held by decent and intelligent people all along — that the un-American, anti-equality, anti-LGBT Defense of [...]
On Obama, the Hate-Filled Pastor, and Unity
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The progressive and GLBT communites are up in arms over President-elect Obama’s decision to have antigay, right-wing Christian evangelical preacher Rick Warren deliver his inaugural invocation. I share their dismay to be sure, but you know, whatever. Chalk Obama’s decision up to his move to try and create a landscape that appears to include everyone, [...]
Take the Lead: Help Stop HIV and AIDS
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For 20 years, people around the globe have observed December 1 as World AIDS Day. It’s a time to remember those we have lost, to thank the people who give of their time to care for those infected and affected by the disease, and to rededicate ourselves to finding a cure. AIDS has not gone [...]
More Prop 8 Supporters, Political Churches, & Notes on the Equality Boycott
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The Human Rights Campaign has a list of many California businesses that gave money to support to Proposition 8 campaign. Outraged, betrayed, offended, and legally diminished GLBT citizens and their allies across the country are fighting back against the absence of equality in the US for all by refusing to spend their dollars with companies [...]
God Files Suit to Support Prop 8
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The California Supreme Court is being hit with numerous lawsuits regarding Proposition 8, the anti-American constitutional revision disguised as an amendment voters passed November 4 to take civil-marriage rights away from GLBT citizens. Most of the cases rightly oppose the measure, and the high court has agreed to hear and consider them. One amicus brief [...]
Obama Transition (So Far) Not Friendly to Progressives
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by Natalie Davis – True progressive voters had a couple of actual progressive options in the November 4 election. They could have gone with Green hopeful Cynthia McKinney or Independent candidate Ralph Nader. We knew Barack Obama was no progressive messiah — his No on Prop 8 and anti-marriage-equality tap dance and flip-flops on FISA [...]
Federal Precedent Provides Logic to Nix Prop 8
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Brian E. Gray, writing for the Los Angeles Times, sees something cool: The long history of the battle for equality for all in this country includes many court fights — some that pro-justice forces have won. A particular early-1990s fight in Colorado, Gray says, may offer another avenue for challenging California’s unjust same-sex marriage ban. [...]
Prop 8: Join the Impact and Stand for Equality
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From coast to coast, from sea to shining sea, people are rising up. Outraged and heartsick over California’s recent passage of anti-gay marriage initiative Proposition 8 — the first time in US history when rights were snatched away from a particular group of citizens — men and women of all hues and orientations are taking [...]
Prop 8: Apportioning Blame & Fighting Back
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I am getting sick of hearing that African-American and Latino voters in California are responsible for the horrid result in Californian bigots’ successful bid to take rights away from citizens. That is a slap in the faces of all those dark-skinned people who voted in favor of maintaining legal equality for all. Let’s not turn [...]
Etheridge: No Taxation Without Equality
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“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. [...]
Joe The Plumber Eyes Record Deal
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He may not have a plumbing license, but word is out that Samuel Wurzelbacher — aka Joe the Plumber of McCain stooge fame — can croon a country tune. Politico reports that Joe is part of a new business partnership negotiating public-eye opportunities, and maybe a record deal. On Tuesday, Wurzelbacher joined country music artist [...]
Palin Hits SNL; Rebuttal Rap
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Credit where it’s due, what little Sarah Palin did on last night’s Saturday Night Live was funny, and who knew the Lipsticked Pitbull could groove like that? All the mav’ricks in the house put your hands up, indeed. Naturally, I had to answer back to that well-delivered rap that Amy Poehler did. (We heart Amy!) [...]
Ellen Comes Out Swinging Against California’s Bigoted Prop 8
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I take back everything negative I ever said about Ellen DeGeneres (and it hasn’t been much; we love Ellen in our family). The comedian and talk show host — and my son’s hero — is shelling out big bucks of her own to fight Proposition 8, the evil California ballot measure that would reverse marriage [...]
No on Prop 8: Two Views from the Same Side
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How could the Religious Wrong possibly be ahead in the polls regarding California’s anti-gay Proposition 8? How? If that dangerous, divisive bill is passed, it would render Ellen DeGeneres’ marriage – and thousands of other legal marriages — null and void. Now, some will say that the hate-mongering, religion-motivated measure is leading in surveys because [...]
Priestly Portrait of Courage
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Two weekends ago, a number of right-wing clergypersons took to their pulpits to endorse John McCain, in violation of Internal Revenue Service regulations. Though I disagree with their positions, my admiration goes to those conservative clerics for standing up for what they believe. Yes, they should lose their tax exemptions — I believe religious institutions [...]
Why Clay Aiken’s Coming Out Matters
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In and of itself, the fact that singer Clay Aiken finally came out as gay in People magazine means no more than if he had said he were right-handed or had blue eyes. In the larger sense, though, Aiken’s admission — hard on the heels of his new son’s birth — is extremely important. While [...]
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On The Use of “Teabagger”
Natalie Davis: Whether the GOP and its militant wing like it or not, they are Teabaggers. Theirs is the Teabag Movement. And this country is in deep trouble if they win. The Teabag Party/GOP oppose equality for women and gays — more than a few have said to me that despite their admiration for gun-totin’ TV star Sarah “Pitbull with Lipstick” Palin, they believe all other women should “get back in the kitchen.”