Tag: Georgia

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Georgia: House Judiciary Committee Cancels Meeting For “Religious Liberty” Bill

A Georgia state House Judiciary committee meeting scheduled for Monday morning to further consider a “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (RFRA) was abruptly cancelled last night.

With only two more days left in Georgia’s legislative session, it’s possible the cancellation was due, in part, to a disastrous appearance by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on ABC’s This Week.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The back-and-forth on the bill comes as Indiana deals with the backlash from adopting a similar law that has led to calls of boycotts and the potential loss of tens of millions of dollars in tourism and economic development. Indiana Gov. Mike Spence on Sunday told ABC News the law is not about discrimination but refused to say whether it would permit a business owner to refuse service to someone with whom they disagree.

In Georgia this past Thursday, in a surprise 9-8 vote, the Judiciary Committee voted to amend Senate Bill 129 to add language making clear the bill could not be used to discriminate against anyone already protected by any local, state or federal law. It was quickly tabled by supporters who said adding anti-discrimination language “gutted” the bill.

The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, who said at the time, “I take at face value the statements of the proponents that they do not intend discrimination with this bill but I also believe that if that is the case, we should state that expressly in the bill itself. That is what the amendment does.”

Perhaps Georgia doesn’t want to be the next Indiana.

RFRA legislation has become the new means to attack the LGBT community by conservatives who see the writing on the wall with the impending decision coming soon from SCOTUS on marriage equality.

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Georgia: Anti-Gay “Religious Freedom” Bill Passes In State Senate 35-17

The bill, S.B. 129, had been tabled last week. But GOP state Sen. Josh McKoon put the legislation to a quick vote on Monday when Democratic committee members were taking a bathroom break.

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Georgia: Young man who experienced physical abuse in coming out to family shares with Dr. Drew

Daniel Ashley Pierce, whose coming out to his family turned into physical abuse resulting in his being “disowned” and thrown out of his home, was interviewed via phone by Dr. Drew Pinsky on HLN today.

Pierce was asked about his outlook at life having experienced both the ugliness of his family’s reaction and the widespread positive support he’s received, in part through a GoFundMe campaign set up by his boyfriend to help him get on his feet.

Via the Advocate:

“I am so overwhelmed with joy,” Pierce told the panelists of the massive outpouring of support sparked by the video’s viral fame. “I am very blessed to have all of the comments and the messages and everything that everyone has done — the donations, all of that — has been a big surprise. It’s helping me get through the day.”

“I want to give a portion of it back to the cause,” Pierce said. “I’m going to get actively involved with as many organizations as I can. My main focus with the video was … I want to bring awareness that this is still happening. If it saves one kid the misery of what I went through, I will be satisfied.”

At this writing, the GoFundMe campaign – originally set up with a goal of $2,000 has raised more than $80,000. Pierce says he plans to use part of the funds to help other LGBT youth.

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Georgia: Lawsuit filed challenging state ban on marriage equality

Today, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Georgia challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

From The Georgia Voice:

April 10 was not your usual Thursday at Fulton County Probate Court. Because at one point during the day, Midtown couple Shane Thomas and Michael Bishop strolled in and applied for a marriage license.

“Everyone there was friendly, but they still said no,” Bishop tells GA Voice.

In 2004, Georgia voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage as well as recognizing same-sex unions from other states. But since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year striking down a major portion of the Defense of Marriage Act in the renowned Windsor case, judge after judge after judge in states across the country are ruling that state bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional.

With that marriage license denial to Bishop and Thomas this month, in coordination with the actions of two other same-sex couples and one widowed lesbian, a chain reaction started which will lead to the April 22 filing of a massive class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia. The plaintiffs will enter this fight with the backing of Lambda Legal and the law firms of Bryan Cave and White & Case.

From the lawsuit: “The marriage bans send a purposeful message that the State views lesbians and gay men and their children as second-class members of society who do not deserve the same legal sanction, legal protection, respect, support, responsibilities, and obligations as different-sex spouses and their families.”

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Georgia complies with same-sex military benefits order

From The Washington Blade reports:

Major Jon Craig, a National Guard Bureau spokesperson, said Georgia had agreed to process applications to grant same-sex spouses military IDs last week in a decision along the lines of Texas and Louisiana.

“With Georgia, what it came down to was the authorization to put some state employees on temporary federal status,” Craig said.

Georgia had been one of two remaining states that had refused to enroll the spouses of gay troops into the benefit system in the aftermath of an edict for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel saying military spousal benefits should be available to troops in same-sex marriages nationwide. These states had cited state constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage as the reasons why they couldn’t comply.

Only Mississippi continues to ignore the Defense Department’s order. Talks are ongoing and the state is not commenting.

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Georgia citizen asks “Who’s going to shoot Obama?”

PaulBroun

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) was asked at a town hall meeting Tuesday, “Who is going to shoot Obama?”

The question was met with laughter, and Broun did not immediately condemn it. Several eye witnesses say Broun laughed as well.

Broun said in response at the time: “The thing is, I know there’s a lot of frustration with this president. We’re going to have an election next year. Hopefully, we’ll elect somebody that’s going to be a conservative, limited-government president that will take a smaller, who will sign a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.”

Broun issued a statement days later –

“Tuesday night at a town hall meeting in Oglethorpe County, Georgia an elderly man asked the abhorrent question, “Who’s going to shoot Obama?” I was stunned by the question and chose not to dignify it with a response; therefore, at that moment I moved on to the next person with a question. After the event, my office took action with the appropriate authorities.’

‘I deeply regret that this incident happened at all. Furthermore, I condemn all statements — made in sincerity or jest — that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the President of the United States or any other public official. Such rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated.”

A law enforcement source confirmed that the Secret Service interviewed the constituent and determined that he now regrets making a bad joke.

Ummm… yeah. A very bad joke. Ask Congresswoman Gifford and her family.