Rev. Irene Monroe: After nearly two decades of LBT women of African descent’s invisibility on a national level Zuna is causing a revolution by taking the bold step in this era of single-issue queer politics to remind us all we, too, matter.
“Facts are Stubborn Things” – The Value of Judge Walker’s Decision
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Paul Hogarth: What taking this case to trial – rather than expedited summary judgment hearings – allowed us to do was to set up a factual framework, which cannot be reversed on appeal.
Religion’s Ugly Head
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Carl Matthes: After speaking directly with God, the current Leading Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 86-year-old Boyd Packer revealed last year that Mormons must form an alliance with Catholic Bishops in California to stop the desecration of Christian teaching. The aim of this unholy alliance? Stop same-sex marriage.
Amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Would Give Equality to All Americans
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Tracy Emblem: As a society, we should consider amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” placed next to the words “race and gender.”
Rescuing God
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Carl Matthes: It’s Springtime in America. Rebirth is rampant and organized religion is in the news. Unfortunately, it’s not the good news of renewal, faith and understanding. But rather, the church is in the spotlight over the worst possible actions and charges: child molesting and hate have engulfed church leadership. Victimimzed are the faithful and the innocent. From the Catholic Church and the Pope to Westboro Baptist Church and Minister Fred Phelps, God, to borrow the phrasing of Sinead O’Connor, needs to be rescued.
Going After the “Movable Middle” on Gay Marriage
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Paul Hogarth: Same-sex couples have largely won the battle for civil unions, but there’s something about “marriage” that makes moderates uneasy – and it’s time that we speak directly to their concerns.
Bumpy Legal Road Ahead for Marriage Equality
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Paul Hogarth: For years, civil rights groups had carefully kept the federal courts out of gay marriage fights – and the prominent lawyers in Perry filed the suit without consulting them. But with most of marriage’s legal benefits coming under federal law, it was only a matter of time before the federal courts weighed in on this issue.
Oldest State Was “Test Run” for Repealing Prop 8
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In Maine, we lost in ways that lay the groundwork for an eventual victory. Maine may be the oldest state in the nation, but California is 46th. It will only be a matter of time.
Will Rev. Bernice King’s SCLC Bully Pulpit Bash Gays?
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While many in the LGBTQ community now gasp at the reality of Rev. Bernice King being at the helm of SCLC, I gasp at SCLC’s audacity to still call itself a civil rights organization.
Black Queers Tying Knot
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An idea that was once thought of as an anathema to black queer identity — marriage — in our LGBTQ communities, is being celebrated and on the rise. And many of us are now proudly walking down the aisle to tie the knot.
No Nonsense Census
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There’s been another informed and intelligent decision by the Obama administration. In August 2008, in an LA Progressive article entitled “Census Nonsense,” which decried the Bush administration’s move to exclude legally married same-sex couples from being counted as married couples during upcoming the 2010 census, I wrote, “…to capsulize the situation, as it stands now, [...]
Civil Rats Are Human Rats!
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I watched the movie Gettysburg again the other day. It is one of my favorites because the producer was a Mexican American and it is about the real reasons why democracy exists. In the movie, there is a scene where a New Hampshire officer is talking to two rebel soldiers. He asks them why they [...]
What Blacks Can Learn From Gays
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Before you open that bottle of champagne, can of beer, or bottle of Hennessy in celebration of last week’s decision by the California Supreme Court upholding Proposition 8 and the ban on gay marriage, did you ever stop to think maybe the joke’s on us? I mean, think about it. Last November, Blacks voted overwhelmingly [...]
LA Progressive: May 24 to May 30, 2009
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Single-Payer Health Care versus Individual Mandates: A Dilemma for Democrats. –Gene Rothman What’s Not Being Said About the Obama-Netanyahu Talks. –Carl Bloice A White Gay’s Guide for Dealing with the Black Community. –Jasmyne Cannick Lieutenant Dan Choi Takes “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Directly To Obama. –Linda Milazzo A Tip Without An Iceberg: Americans, Not Canucks, [...]
A White Gay’s Guide for Dealing with the Black Community: Chapter 9: Take a Chill Pill
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THE PROBLEM: Strong feelings of entitlement, refusal to work with others, racism, extreme issues with class, sudden temper tantrums THE PRESCRIPTION: Take as needed one chill pill with a large glass of reality… The gay community needs to take a chill pill…seriously. Protesting President Barack Obama outside of the Beverly Hilton Hotel during a fundraiser [...]
Marriage Equality, Beyond the Lying
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My first essay for the L.A. Progressive was about Proposition 8 and the lies that self proclaimed Christian activists were telling in order to promote their bigotry. It seems almost ridiculous to catalog the number of violations of the Commandment against bearing false witness that these “Christians” embraced in order to sell their ballot measure. [...]
Proposition Hate Redux
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The California Supreme Court ruled again on same-sex marriage. This time it did to uphold Proposition 8, restricting marriage to one man and one woman. In a 6-to-1 decision, the justices decided that Proposition 8 would remain part of the state constitution. And the 18,000 same- sex couples that ran to the altar to legally [...]
Who Celebrates Our Queer Servicemembers on Memorial Day?
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There will be parades all across the country this Memorial Day commemorating our U.S. servicemembers who died while in the military. But not all of our servicemembers will be honored for their acts of bravery and patriotism. Back in the day, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer servicemembers who served our country were either closeted [...]
Special Election: Dear Los Angeles Black Mega Church Pastor
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I didn’t say anything when I drove down Crenshaw Boulevard two Sunday’s ago and that truck with that big sign in support of the upcoming measures on the May 19 California Special Election was conveniently parked in front of your church. But after this past Sunday’s “dog and pony show” I can’t takes it no [...]
The LA Progressive: April 26 to May 30
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100 Days: Is Obama’s Probation Period Over? When the brotha tried to be positive and upbeat, they said he smiled too much during these tough economic times. –Anthony Asadullah Samad Anti-Immigrant Hysterics’ Swine Flu Blame-Game Generates Blowback. Any long-term solution at the U.S. border must include reforming immigration-and a great majority of the American people [...]
When Queer Communities of Color Are Not Needed to Win Marriage Rights
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With Iowa being the fourth state to approve marriage equality, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Americans’ optimism is high, believing many more states will follow suit. “We’re hoping this momentum is contagious,” Daniel Richards of Rhode Island told me. And should Rhode Island soon approve of same-sex marriage, it would be the fourth New [...]
Can You Imagine?
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Can you imagine the pickle we’d be in if George Bush still occupied the White House? Or if we had a McCain-Palin administration making the problems facing America today that much worse? That thought kept crossing my mind as I listened to Barack Obama’s press conference on my drive home from work this evening. America’s [...]
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 [...]
This Week in the LA Progressive: March 2 to 8
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Budget Obama Rescuing Capitalism: That’s a Lot of Weight for One Brother. Obama is present at the re-creation of the global economic system. “It is a challenge he has to take up,” Like I said, that’s a lot of weight. –Carl Bloice Is Obama Responsible for Wall Street’s Meltdown? Where Populist Rage Is Heading. The [...]
Court Should Strike Down Proposition 8
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The California Supreme Court finds itself center stage this Thursday when it will hear oral arguments on whether it should uphold Proposition 8′s ban on same-sex marriage. The case touches the heart of our democracy and poses a profound question: can a bare majority of voters strip away an inalienable right through the initiative process? [...]
Prop 8: 18,000 Same-Sex Marriages Hang in Balance at California Supreme Court Hearing
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Within the next week, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments to help determine the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the November 2008 election ballot constitutional amendment that removed the right of same-sex couples to legally marry in California. The Court will convene in San Francisco on March 5, at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. [...]
The Election of Barack Obama and the Politics of Interracial and Same-Sex Marriage
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The election (and now the inauguration) of Barack Obama has inspired a widespread sense of awe at the scope and scale of change in race relations in America—and more than a hint of self-congratulation. The news media just can’t seem to resist trumpeting the example of interracial marriage. When Barack Obama’s white mother married his [...]
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 [...]
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