Category: Uncategorized

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Chris Kluwe quits the Twin Cities Pioneer Press

Chris Kluwe, the staunch LGBT ally and Minnesota Vikings punter, left his freelance post at the St. Paul Pioneer Press over that publication’s op-ed supporting an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as one man, one woman.

Kluwe’s outrage comes not from the Pioneer Press having an opinion on the amendment; it comes from pretending that the op-ed wasn’t endorsing one side when it clearly was.

Kluwe wrote one more blog post for the paper explaining in detail after detail why he felt the op-ed was dishonest and downright lied. 

From Chris Kluwe’s final post on TwinCities.com:

How does this piece lie? It lies, most simply, in this sentence, “the Pioneer Press is not endorsing one way or another.”

You have made your endorsement, gentlemen. You chose your side. What you did not choose, what you refused to face, was the courage to stand for your convictions, to attach your names to the position your actions claimed. That is why I will no longer associate with you, why I decline to give you page views and ad revenue any longer. The only reason I’m posting this piece here, and not somewhere else, is because I said I would, and I believe that one’s word is not something to be given lightly.

I will not stand for the continual eroding of society. I will not tolerate the presentation of a biased argument under a thin coat of presumed neutrality. I will not contribute to the cheapening of discourse and thought that decays every single news as entertainment outlet in this country. I absolutely will not compromise my ethics and morality, ideals that lead me to treat others with empathy and honesty, to demand truth not only from myself but from those around me.

You can see Chris’ tweets from Saturday below:

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Invisible Parents

“Look back, and then look forward…”

This beautifully touching short film shot by UK director Mike Buonaiuto, the award-winning director of the ‘Homecoming’ marriage equality video commissioned by the Coalition for Equal Marriage, questions the inequality of gay families as part of a new campaign called ‘Invisible Parents’ from the activist group AllOut.

The film shows a daughter sharing memories with her two dads, and asks, “Why isn’t their family legally recognized in the majority of Europe?”

(source)

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Minnesota: Madonna tells audience to vote “no” on anti-gay amendment

Madonna was at the Twin Cities on Saturday night and asked fans at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul vote “No” on Minnesota’s anti-gay marriage amendment this Tuesday.

Said Madonna: “Vote ‘no’ on the marriage amendment. Vote ‘no’ on the marriage amendment. Why? Why? Because we are a democracy and we should have the freedom to choose who we want to marry. Thank you very much. Did you hear what I said? Are you gonna vote no? Are you gonna vote no? Are you gonna vote no?”

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NYC: LGBT teen homeless center suffers major damage from Sandy

Among the casualties of Hurricane Sandy in New York City is an institution for homeless LGBT youth, the Ali Forney Center’s drop-in center on West 22nd Street in the West Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.

Four feet of water from the Hudson River, just half a block away, surged into the facility when the storm hit Monday, executive director Carl Siciliano told the Washington Blade. “Everything is destroyed — all of the electricity in the place, the floors, the computers, the laptops, the phones, files, all the furniture,” he said.

“Everything is just destroyed. The refrigerator was floating and knocked over, all the food was out. The space is uninhabitable.”

If possible, please make a donation to the Ali Forney Center to help these most vulnerable.

Use this email address – mramos@aliforneycenter.org – to donate via Paypal

Donate via credit card: click here.

Siciliano said to the Blade, “The kids that come into that space are like our most vulnerable kids. They’re the ones who are out on the streets with nowhere to go. And that program’s really a lifeline for them. They get food and clothing and showers and bathroom facilities, medical care [and] HIV testing. It’s kind of our triage place in the city for kids who are chucked out on the streets.”

In the meantime the organization is finding alternatives for these young people, such as sending them to “storm centers” set up in Sandy’s wake, Siciliano told The Advocate. He has appealed to the federal, state, and local governments for assistance, and the Ali Forney Center is accepting donations on its website.

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OhioL Final PPP poll has President Obama 52%-47% Romney

President Obama leads Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling’s (PPP) final survey of Ohio, pushing past the 50 percent mark. Obama sees 52 percent of the overall total to Romney’s 47 percent.

A week ago, PPP found another 5-point lead, but with Obama at 50 percent and Romney at 45 percent.

(source)

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Final Pew Poll: President Obama 48%-45%

President Obama holds a 48% to 45% lead over Romney among likely voters in the final Pew Research Center Poll.

Pew’s final estimate of the national popular vote is Obama 50% and Romney 47%, when the undecided vote is allocated between the two candidates based on several indicators and opinions.

Obama’s increases in likely voter support are most notable among women, older voters, and political moderates. Women now favor Obama by a 13-point margin (53% to 40%), up from six points a week ago and reflecting a shift toward Obama since early October. Right after the first presidential debate, the women’s vote was split evenly (47% each). Men, by comparison, favor Romney by a 50% to 42% margin, with little change in the past month.

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Same Sex Legal Kit for Dummies

JoeMyGod points out that the popular “For Dummies” line of how-to books next month will release a title aimed at same-sex couples looking to negotiate the often complicated legalities of protecting their relationship and property.

Michael and I have already spent $$$ putting trusts and directives in place.  Wish we’d had this some years ago.

From the book description:

Same Sex Legal Kit For Dummies is a practical, plain-English guide to the legal information and guidance lesbian and gay couples need—from making practical decisions about living together and obtaining domestic partner benefits, to making medical decisions, taking care of each other’s finances when one partner is incapacitated, leaving property to each other, having and raising children, and much more.

  • Discusses power of attorney, health directives, and real estate and personal property ownership
  • Covers considerations for bank accounts, investments, and estate planning
  • The book’s accompanying CD-ROM includes dozens of helpful tools, forms, and letters
  • Brings you up to speed on the latest in civil unions, workplace rights, rental agreements and leases, and much more

The information contained in Same Sex Legal Kit For Dummies is invaluable for anyone in a same-sex relationship who needs to grasp the laws and regulations that apply to their unique situation.

You can find more info and pre-order on Amazon.