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Showing posts with label Washington State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington State. Show all posts
Friday, December 20, 2013
Headline Of The Day
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Anti-Gay Activist Ken Hutcherson Dies
He frequently was at the center of public controversy as an opponent of homosexual activism. He organized a “Mayday for Marriage” rally in Seattle in 2004 that drew 20,000 participants and spearheaded a similar event in Washington, D.C., later that year that attracted 140,000. A year later, he mobilized citizens to oppose state legislation that would have made it illegal to fire an employee due to their “sexual orientation.” He vowed to organize a national boycott of Microsoft products if the locally headquartered software giant didn’t withdraw its support, sparking protests. A close friend of family advocate Dr. James Dobson, Hutcherson raised his voice when he saw Dobson’s successor at Focus on the Family, Jim Daly, signal a more conciliatory approach to social issues.Shortly after Washington state voters approved same-sex marriage in November 2012, Hutcherson declared that NOM was a racist organization and had excluded him from their campaign because he was black. He also led annual public school walkouts in protest of the Day Of Silence, a campaign against the bullying of gay kids. In 2010 Hutcherson officiated at Rush Limbaugh's fourth marriage.
PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Hutcherson claims to have cost Microsoft billions from his anti-gay boycott. Hutcherson says Satan loves openly gay NBA player Jason Collins. Hutcherson says God hates effeminate men. Hutcherson says that if you are gay, God will murder you. Hutcherson says that the only reason he played football was so he could hurt white people legally. Hutcherson says gay people are going to marry horses. Hutcherson says gay men are going to marry little boys. Hutcherson says the governor of Washington is like Lincoln's killer because she signed the marriage bill. Hutcherson says Christians are so oppressed, they are "the new Negroes."
Thursday, December 6, 2012
And Now for Some Good News: Progress
There have been great advancements in the US and neighboring Mexico for the limited same-gender freedom to marry! This brings us closer and closer to full marriage equality.
In last month's US election, the people of three US states voted FOR this freedom to marry, and the results are taking effect! Check out this Associated Press article at mynorthwest.com...
Yay!
Exciting.
There is coverage at cnn.com, too from Michael Martinez.
Andrew Sullivan notes the progress in Mexico.
In last month's US election, the people of three US states voted FOR this freedom to marry, and the results are taking effect! Check out this Associated Press article at mynorthwest.com...
Two by two, dozens of same-sex couples obtained their marriage licenses in Washington state early Thursday, just hours after Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a voter-approved law legalizing gay marriage.When are the weddings?
King County, the state's biggest county, opened the doors to its auditor's office in Seattle just after midnight PST to start distributing marriage licenses. But hundreds of people had lined up hours earlier, snaking around the downtown Seattle building on a chilly December night. By 10 a.m., 364 licenses had been issued and the line was gone.
Because the state has a three-day waiting period, the earliest that weddings can take place is Sunday.
Yay!
"This is a very important and historic day in the great state of Washington," Gregoire said before signing the measure that officially certified the election results. "For many years now we've said one more step, one more step. And this is our last step for marriage equality in the state of Washington."Eh... not quite. It is a great day for some same-gender couples. But there are still some same-gender couples who can't marry, and polycules of any gender or sexual orientation formations can't marry. It's a great day for freedom, but it isn't marriage equality because equality just for some is not equality.
Last month, Washington, Maine and Maryland became the first states to pass same-sex marriage by popular vote. They joined six other states _ New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont _ and the District of Columbia that had already enacted laws or issued court rulings permitting same-sex marriage.More to come!
Maryland's law officially takes effect Jan. 1, however couples can start picking up marriage licenses on Thursday, as long as the license has an effective date of Jan. 1. Whether clerks of court issue a postdated license is up to them, however. They are not required to do so. Maine's law takes effect on Dec. 29. There's no waiting period in Maine, and people can start marrying just after midnight.
Exciting.
There is coverage at cnn.com, too from Michael Martinez.
Pete-e Petersen (left), 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty, 77, have been a couple for 35 years.
With 162 years between them, Petersen and Lighty can recall the dark days of being gay in America."Of course, we were in the so-called closet," Petersen said. "Fortunately, we're blessed by nice looks so people didn't know right off the bat we were gay or homosexuals."They can leverage the unpleasant moments into humor.For example, Petersen was an Air Force nurse in the Korean War. Stationed in Japan, she flew all kinds of air missions to retrieve wounded troops in Korea and take them to Tokyo -- similar to what television's "M*A*S*H" depicted.She was eventually promoted to captain in the Air Force and also was put in charge of a clinic in San Antonio, Texas.During that time, she recalls the military hunts for gay men and women. Military brass never suspected her, she said. Lighty enjoyed the same illusion as a young woman."I was fortunate," Petersen said. "We passed.""People would come up in the hospital, and they were always hunting for gay people," she continued, talking about the military.Captain, the investigators asked, "Do you have any ... people being gay here?""I said, 'Not a one,'" she recalled.
"It was just awful. It was a witch hunt, just really trying to oust people. If a military person, like an airman first class (woman), had short hair or walked like a tough person, they were questioning them and always quizzing them," Petersen said.Thankfully, that has changed.
Posted in: boundaries,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,love,Maine,Maryland,Mexico,same-sex,Washington State
And Now for Some Good News: Progress
There have been great advancements in the US and neighboring Mexico for the limited same-gender freedom to marry! This brings us closer and closer to full marriage equality.
In last month's US election, the people of three US states voted FOR this freedom to marry, and the results are taking effect! Check out this Associated Press article at mynorthwest.com...
Yay!
Exciting.
There is coverage at cnn.com, too from Michael Martinez.
Andrew Sullivan notes the progress in Mexico.
In last month's US election, the people of three US states voted FOR this freedom to marry, and the results are taking effect! Check out this Associated Press article at mynorthwest.com...
Two by two, dozens of same-sex couples obtained their marriage licenses in Washington state early Thursday, just hours after Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a voter-approved law legalizing gay marriage.When are the weddings?
King County, the state's biggest county, opened the doors to its auditor's office in Seattle just after midnight PST to start distributing marriage licenses. But hundreds of people had lined up hours earlier, snaking around the downtown Seattle building on a chilly December night. By 10 a.m., 364 licenses had been issued and the line was gone.
Because the state has a three-day waiting period, the earliest that weddings can take place is Sunday.
Yay!
"This is a very important and historic day in the great state of Washington," Gregoire said before signing the measure that officially certified the election results. "For many years now we've said one more step, one more step. And this is our last step for marriage equality in the state of Washington."Eh... not quite. It is a great day for some same-gender couples. But there are still some same-gender couples who can't marry, and polycules of any gender or sexual orientation formations can't marry. It's a great day for freedom, but it isn't marriage equality because equality just for some is not equality.
Last month, Washington, Maine and Maryland became the first states to pass same-sex marriage by popular vote. They joined six other states _ New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont _ and the District of Columbia that had already enacted laws or issued court rulings permitting same-sex marriage.More to come!
Maryland's law officially takes effect Jan. 1, however couples can start picking up marriage licenses on Thursday, as long as the license has an effective date of Jan. 1. Whether clerks of court issue a postdated license is up to them, however. They are not required to do so. Maine's law takes effect on Dec. 29. There's no waiting period in Maine, and people can start marrying just after midnight.
Exciting.
There is coverage at cnn.com, too from Michael Martinez.
Pete-e Petersen (left), 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty, 77, have been a couple for 35 years.
With 162 years between them, Petersen and Lighty can recall the dark days of being gay in America."Of course, we were in the so-called closet," Petersen said. "Fortunately, we're blessed by nice looks so people didn't know right off the bat we were gay or homosexuals."They can leverage the unpleasant moments into humor.For example, Petersen was an Air Force nurse in the Korean War. Stationed in Japan, she flew all kinds of air missions to retrieve wounded troops in Korea and take them to Tokyo -- similar to what television's "M*A*S*H" depicted.She was eventually promoted to captain in the Air Force and also was put in charge of a clinic in San Antonio, Texas.During that time, she recalls the military hunts for gay men and women. Military brass never suspected her, she said. Lighty enjoyed the same illusion as a young woman."I was fortunate," Petersen said. "We passed.""People would come up in the hospital, and they were always hunting for gay people," she continued, talking about the military.Captain, the investigators asked, "Do you have any ... people being gay here?""I said, 'Not a one,'" she recalled.
"It was just awful. It was a witch hunt, just really trying to oust people. If a military person, like an airman first class (woman), had short hair or walked like a tough person, they were questioning them and always quizzing them," Petersen said.Thankfully, that has changed.
Posted in: boundaries,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,love,Maine,Maryland,Mexico,same-sex,Washington State
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Good News in the US
I almost couldn't say it better than this from the Gay Marriage USA Facebook page:
I would only qualify that the limited same-gender freedom to marry, which is what President Obama has publicly supported, is what won in most of the votes, although defeating the Minnesota constitutional amendment was also potentially good for poly people. It isn't really marriage equality unless every adult is free to marry any consenting adults (and have protections against discrimination) because equality "just for some" is not equality. There will be more freedom to marry in Maine, Maryland, and Washington, but not full marriage equality.
It's definitely a victory and lots of progress! Congratulations to monogamist nonconsanguineous LBGT people! And congratulations to all Americans for progress!
Tonight was truly AWESOME! (1) The first president to support marriage equality, Barack Obama, was re-elected (2) We won marriage equality in Maine, Maryland and Washington (3) Minnesota rejected a proposed ban on same-sex marriage and (4) Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay/lesbian person to win a US Senate position! We are moving FORWARD indeed.
I would only qualify that the limited same-gender freedom to marry, which is what President Obama has publicly supported, is what won in most of the votes, although defeating the Minnesota constitutional amendment was also potentially good for poly people. It isn't really marriage equality unless every adult is free to marry any consenting adults (and have protections against discrimination) because equality "just for some" is not equality. There will be more freedom to marry in Maine, Maryland, and Washington, but not full marriage equality.
It's definitely a victory and lots of progress! Congratulations to monogamist nonconsanguineous LBGT people! And congratulations to all Americans for progress!
Good News in the US
I almost couldn't say it better than this from the Gay Marriage USA Facebook page:
I would only qualify that the limited same-gender freedom to marry, which is what President Obama has publicly supported, is what won in most of the votes, although defeating the Minnesota constitutional amendment was also potentially good for poly people. It isn't really marriage equality unless every adult is free to marry any consenting adults (and have protections against discrimination) because equality "just for some" is not equality. There will be more freedom to marry in Maine, Maryland, and Washington, but not full marriage equality.
It's definitely a victory and lots of progress! Congratulations to monogamist nonconsanguineous LBGT people! And congratulations to all Americans for progress!
Tonight was truly AWESOME! (1) The first president to support marriage equality, Barack Obama, was re-elected (2) We won marriage equality in Maine, Maryland and Washington (3) Minnesota rejected a proposed ban on same-sex marriage and (4) Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay/lesbian person to win a US Senate position! We are moving FORWARD indeed.
I would only qualify that the limited same-gender freedom to marry, which is what President Obama has publicly supported, is what won in most of the votes, although defeating the Minnesota constitutional amendment was also potentially good for poly people. It isn't really marriage equality unless every adult is free to marry any consenting adults (and have protections against discrimination) because equality "just for some" is not equality. There will be more freedom to marry in Maine, Maryland, and Washington, but not full marriage equality.
It's definitely a victory and lots of progress! Congratulations to monogamist nonconsanguineous LBGT people! And congratulations to all Americans for progress!
Monday, November 5, 2012
US Can Advance Freedom to Marry on Tuesday
It is important that people vote...
"Yes" on Question 1 in Maine
"For" Question 6 in Maryland
"No" on "Recognition of marriage solely between one man and one woman" in Minnesota
"Approve" Referendum 74 in Washington.
Not only will this help some same-gender couples living in those states, but it will sent an important message that we are moving towards nationwide full marriage equality sooner rather than later. None of these votes will provide full marriage equality, as there will still be many adults denied marriage rights in those states, still not allowed to marry the persons they love, but it is a step in the right direction.
The same can be said for President Obama, who has finally endorsed the limited same-gender freedom to marry. His opponent has been been regressive on this issue. We don't want to go back, we want to go FORWARD!
So if you are eligible, be sure to vote in those races, and vote for candidates for other offices who are friendliest to relationship rights for all adults.
Let's send a message that bigotry is dying out!
US Can Advance Freedom to Marry on Tuesday
It is important that people vote...
"Yes" on Question 1 in Maine
"For" Question 6 in Maryland
"No" on "Recognition of marriage solely between one man and one woman" in Minnesota
"Approve" Referendum 74 in Washington.
Not only will this help some same-gender couples living in those states, but it will sent an important message that we are moving towards nationwide full marriage equality sooner rather than later. None of these votes will provide full marriage equality, as there will still be many adults denied marriage rights in those states, still not allowed to marry the persons they love, but it is a step in the right direction.
The same can be said for President Obama, who has finally endorsed the limited same-gender freedom to marry. His opponent has been been regressive on this issue. We don't want to go back, we want to go FORWARD!
So if you are eligible, be sure to vote in those races, and vote for candidates for other offices who are friendliest to relationship rights for all adults.
Let's send a message that bigotry is dying out!
