I actually got this in email today: an appeal from the “Family Research Council” – which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This is part of what they sent:
“They are trying to portray homosexual couples as holding the same values and commitment as traditional married couples–thus deserving of legal marriage.
I believe we can defeat the high-dollar resources of the radical Left’s funding of “The Commitment Campaign.” By God’s grace, we have used your donations in the past to defeat the Goliaths of the opposition. But if we ever needed your financial help, it is now–when marriage and religious freedom are on the line in 2012.”
A new law passed last year permits same-sex couples to enter into state-sanctioned “civil unions” but the constitutional ban of marriages remains.
“Under current law, a heterosexual couple can choose to enter into a marriage or a civil union. A same-sex couple, however, may only elect a civil union. My obligation as Governor is to support equality under law. This is inequality, and I will not defend it,” Abercrombie said.
Fuddy said it is her job to administer the law now on the books and that is what she must do.
“The Department of Health is charged with implementing the law as passed by the Legislature.,” said Fuddy.
“Absent any ruling to the contrary by competent judicial authority regarding constitutionality, the law will be enforced. Because I am being sued for administering the law, I will also defend it,” said Fuddy.
The lawsuit was filed in November by same-sex couple Natasha Jackson and Janin Kleid after they were denied a marriage license by the Health Department.
Another plaintiff, Gary Bradley, said that he and his partner were the first couple to enter into a civil union in Hawaii but didn’t apply for a marriage license as it would have been “futile.”
Attorney General David Louie said his office will represent both Abercrombie and Fuddy in the lawsuit, despite their divergent positions.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) has told state lawmakers to drop the now infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill that has made nationwide headlines for the past few years.
The bill would make any discussion or acknowledgment of homosexuality illegal in Tennessee schools.
Yesterday a committee of state lawmakers put off dealing with so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation. That’s after hearing in private from an official with Governor Bill Haslam’s office.
The amendment that passed the state senate last year would limit all sexual instruction up through eighth grade to quote “natural human reproduction science.” Now some House lawmakers want to add some exceptions, or keep it from interfering with an anti-bullying law passed last year.
Asked about his administration’s reported intervention yesterday, Haslam told reporters he thinks there are simply better things for lawmakers to spend their time on.
“I’ve said before I don’t think that should be a priority of the legislature. I think there’s other things that we can and should be focused on right now, and I’ve been up front about that from the very beginning.”
With Tennessee’s unemployment rate higher than the national average, ranked 39th out of 50 states for child homelessness, plus being ranked 45th out of 50 states for state planning and policy, you have to wonder: is this the most important thing to be debating in Tennessee?
Anti-gay New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has pissed off her hair stylist to the point where he’s officially abandoning the lawmaker’s hair.
Antonio Darden, a Santa Fe-based hair stylist, refuses to cut Martinez’s hair after learning that the Republican governor is against marriage equality.
“The governor’s aides called not too long ago, wanting another appointment to come in,” Darden said. “Because of her stances and her views on this I told her aides no. They called the next day, asking if I’d changed my mind about taking the governor in and I said no again.”
“I think it’s just equality, dignity for everyone. I think everybody should be allowed the right to be together. My partner and I have been together for 15 years.”
Darden says he worked on Martinez’s mop three times before he launched his protest. (source)
Singing her favourite songs during the A Summer Night concerts is one reason and the other is having Daryl Braithwaite as her special guest. The two used to be classmates at Christ Church Grammar School in South Yarra and sang in the choir together.
Daryl Braithwaite
Best known as the lead vocalist of Sherbet, Braithwaite has also sustained a successful solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including the No. 1 hits “You’re My World” and “The Horses”.
”He was a sweet boy then and he’s a lovely man now,” Newton-John said. ”I get to sing a lot of my songs through the ages. I’m really excited because he’s a great singer.”
The way Braithwaite remembers it, they may have held hands for a second and he recalled the childhood crush in his Melbourne Life column last November.
Otherwise, Newton-John has a packed catalogue of songs to choose from: Hopelessly Devoted to You, I Honestly Love You, Have You Never Been Mellow?, Let It Shine, Xanadu, Magic and Physical.
The Grease star, who revived her movie career in the Australian A Few Best Men and features on the soundtrack, is happily married to John Easterling and after her fight with breast cancer in 1992, she’s fighting fit.
One day in June will also be momentous for the singer because her long-awaited Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre will be opened by Austin Health.
”It will be a wonderful place of healing,” she said.
