Michelle Obama reminds audience of the impact Supreme Court decisions play in our lives
First Lady Michelle Obama, campaigning for her husband at two fundraisers in New York City, said Monday that his Supreme Court picks will impact whether people can “love whomever we choose.”
The First Lady campaigned for her husband Monday in New York City. At a TriBeCa fundraiser, Mrs. Obama stressed the importance of the next four years on the Supreme Court: “Let us not forget what [the Supreme Court’s] decisions — the impact those decisions will have on our lives for decades to come — on our privacy and security, on whether we can speak freely, worship openly, and, yes, love whomever we choose.”
The First Lady made a similar statement at a fundraiser earlier in the day in Chelsea: “Let’s not forget the impact [the Supreme Court’s] decisions will have on our children’s lives for decades to come — on their privacy and security; on whether they can speak freely, worship openly, and love whomever they choose.”
The First Lady’s communications director is Kristina Schake, a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Ms.Schake explained: “That line in the First Lady’s remarks has been in her campaign speeches since last summer and refers to the importance of the Supreme Court for deciding many issues. The President and First Lady firmly believe that gay and lesbian Americans and their families deserve legal protections and the ability to thrive just like any other family,” she said. “The First Lady has said she is proud of the President’s accomplishments for gay and lesbian Americans on a range of issues, including repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, ensuring hospital visitation rights and calling for the repeal of DOMA. “
Olivia Newton-John releases statement on the passing of Aussie legend Jim Stynes
“I am extremely saddened to hear about the passing of my dear mate, Jim Stynes. Though we didn’t know each other long, we formed a close bond and I admired his courageous spirit and passion for life. I have never met anyone so open and so brave – he truly touched my life. Jim’s determination to make a difference for others strengthens my resolve even more to secure the funding for additional research that will end cancer. I really cared about Jim – he fought like the warrior he was and my heart goes out to his beautiful wife Sam and their two children. I will miss my friend.” – Olivia Newton-John on the passing of Australian football legend Jim Stynes
In May of last year, while battling cancer, Jim Stynes sang with Olivia to raise funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.
Coming up on Ab Fab: Patsy tells Kate Moss she’s 39
The next Absolutely Fabulous episode will feature supermodel Kate Moss and one of Edina’s favorite designers, Stella McCartney.
On Tuesday, The Telegraph released a preview of the upcoming episode (set to air on March 23rd), releasing this video featuring Patsy chatting up Moss, McCartney, and male supermodel David Gandy.
Denver Broncos sign Peyton Manning
The Denver Broncos introduced Manning as their new starting quarterback at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Manning earlier reached agreement on a five-year, $96 million contract on Tuesday, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
“I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my playing career with the Denver Broncos,” Manning said.
Instinct Magazine featuring Jason Mraz – April 2012 issue
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| Photo: Emily Shur – Click for larger view |
Make sure you pick up the April issue of Instinct Magazine featuring the talented LGBT ally Jason Mraz.
From Instinct: While Mraz is known for his passionate songwriting, what is less known is his equally passionate support for equality. And after years of his quiet support for numerous LGBTQ organizations and charities—from the Trevor Project and True Colors Fund to the American Foundation For Equal Rights and many others in between—we thought it was time for this unsung ally to get a little respect.
“My weakness is seeing someone sad or seeing someone suffer. Seeing someone not have the same opportunities and privileges that I have. Whenever I see people not being given the opportunity to play, be free and love, that’s when I feel this is my problem to deal with, too. That’s something I have to figure out how to get over or channel, or I’ll spend a lot of time worrying about others,” Mraz says with a laugh.
When I moved to California, I moved to San Diego, and I was immediately embraced—mostly by the gay community first. My manager and his partner, lots of people from that community took me in, gave me a home and basically championed my career. So that always felt like my community,” he adds. “I was able to be my free self thanks to the free expression that all my gay friends seemed to live.”
Read more about Jason in the April Issue of Instinct — out now!
Jason’s newest CD – Love Is A Four Letter Word – will be released April 17th.
TLC’s My Crazy Obsession: A Real Life Adult Baby
TLC introduces a real life, adult baby on an all-new episode of MY CRAZY OBSESSION premiering this Wednesday, March 21 at 10/9c.
Stanley is 31 years-old and has been completely obsessed with being an adult baby for the last eighteen years of his life. He has immersed himself into all things baby: pacifiers, baby bottles, diapers, sleeping in a crib and even eating baby food in a highchair to help him live out his fantasy of being a two year-old toddler.
MY CRAZY OBSESSION pulls back the curtains to reveal some of the nation’s most extreme and unique obsessions. The series takes viewers behind-the-scenes of homes that are dedicated entirely to the owners’ infatuation with various objects, people, or lifestyles.
Sen. Scott Brown: “Move on” from same-sex marriage
In an interview last night with Piers Morgan on CNN, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) explained that marriage equality is settled law in his state and “everybody’s moved on”:
MORGAN: Massachusetts is one of the states that’s approved gay marriage. How do you personally feel about that?
BROWN: Well, it’s settled law in Massachusetts. Quite frankly, everybody’s moved on.
MORGAN: Do people care that much? I mean, those who argue against it say this is like the end of civilization as we know it.
BROWN: Certainly some people care. And others have moved on. But they’re really concerned about how they’re going to pay their mortgage. Both people, gay and straight, they’re wondering about how they’re going to pay their mortgage, or if their kids and families are going to come home safe as they travel around the country and the world.
It’s debt, deficit, taxes, spending, jobs, national security. We’ve moved on. I encourage everyone else to move on. It should be decided state by state basis. I’m focusing on those other things.
As much as he’d like to “move on” from the subject, I’m sure Sen. Brown would like us to forget that just two weeks ago, Massachusetts Democrats were urging Brown to change his position, but he dismissed it as a “social issue.”
He has voted to ban same-sex marriage twice before, and he even refused to participate in an “It Gets Better” video for LGBT youth with the Massachusetts Congressional delegation.
I think he’s tip-toeing around the subject so he doesn’t become the next Kirk Cameron in an election year.
Organic Ketchup is Better For You
The big difference between store brand and organic ketchup has nothing to do with the amount of calories, sodium, or sugar in either – rather, it’s the amount of the cancer-fighting pigment called lycopene in the organic brands which acts as an antioxidant in the body.
Organically-grown tomatoes have twice as much lycopene as regular tomatoes.
Lycopene, which gives tomatoes (and other fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and apricots) their red color, is not produced by the body. It has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men.
So next time you’re grocery shopping, maybe consider the “organic” thing isn’t a fad – it’s actually better for you.
(source)
Carl Siciliano writes to Cardinal Dolan on behalf of homeless LGBT youth
From JMG: Carl Siciliano, director of the Ali Forney Center – the nation’s largest organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth – has written an essay for Huffington Post. Everyone should read this.
Here’s just part of the essay:
“Cardinal Dolan, I pray that you might be able to open your eyes and your heart to the cruel suffering LGBT youths endure when their parents reject them. I invite you to visit the Ali Forney Center, only 30 blocks from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and meet with youths whose Catholic parents drove them from their homes. I want you to hear them tell you what it is like to have their parents be ashamed of them, and tell them that they are against God. I want you to see what their lives are like alone, unloved, and abandoned in the streets. I hope that by meeting our kids you can understand the pain and anguish you help to cause.
“Decent people protect children from harm. I want you to be that decent person. I hope decent Christians will join me in demanding that religious leaders stop promoting homophobia. As the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, and as the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, you may well be the most influential religious leader in the country, and could make an enormous difference in this crisis of family rejection. I hope and pray that you can stop fighting the acceptance of LGBT people as equal citizens. I want you to understand how LGBT youth suffer because of such a fight. Please see these rejected children through the eyes of a pastor and figure out a way to stop causing them to be harmed.”