GOP and Their Rantings About LGBT Families

Since losing the election and several of their Senate seats, topped off with the surprising victory in the four states for same sex marriage, the Tea Party flopheads have begun to forcefully attack the gay marriage issue. Tony Perkins, well known hater and President of the Family Research Council recently went on record, and outright attack, against legalizing gay marriage.

As seen here in this video posted by the Advocate, he compares "homosexuality to abortion, saying both 'run counter to natural law,'...", followed by, "I'm telling you what, I think you will create a firestorm of opposition. I think that could be the straw that broke the camel's back.When you look at a nation that is so divided along these moral and cultural issues, that you could have — you know I hate to use the word — but, I mean, a revolt. A revolution. I mean, I think you could see Americans saying, 'You know what? Enough of this.' And I think it could explode and just break this nation apart."



So it begins anew, against the obvious wishes of the populace, and at a time when the opposition could be focusing on more pressing issues...like bipartisanship in Washington...like letting women decide for themselves when it comes to their own bodies...like a lot of issues more pressing than what's already been decided.

London Gay Men’s Chorus kick-starts video campaign for gay youth

A new campaign in London against bullying, very similar to the "It Gets Better" project here in the US, the London Gay Men's Chorus recorded a video as part of the Proud2Be Project, which aims to encourage gay youngsters to be proud of their sexuality.

The Proud2Be Project, which was founded by Matt and Jon Price last year, aims to include more videos from organisations and individuals as well as continuing to petition for change. It is hoped the project will also put on workshops, produce documentaries and exhibitions, and initiate Proud2Be centres.

                            

The founders encourage anyone who supports the project to send in videos and the identical twins explain their reasons for initiating the project on their website: “As children, the overriding message we received from our school, our church, the media and society was that being gay was something to be ashamed of. Although many would argue that times our changing, for us change could not come fast enough,” they say.

“Still the messages our LGBT youth receive are not too dissimilar to the ones we heard as children. When a child is told at school to ‘act less gay’ to avoid being bullied, the message is loud and clear. When a teacher fails to challenge a student who uses the word ‘gay’ as a put down, the message is loud and clear. When public figures continue to use derogatory and offensive language to describe the transgender community, the message is loud and clear.

They add: “Our desire is for our LGBTQ youth to access a new loving message and for that message to be as loud and as clear as the rest.”

We wish them all the success that the same project has achieved here in the states and hope that this movement will spread to the corners of the globe. There is a long road ahead, especially in view of the upcoming elections and the potential for a backslide in LGBT rights should the GOP gain control of hte government.

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Tennessee Bill: It’s OK To Bully Gay Kids If You’re A Christian Or A Republican

Seems that our bigoted friends are at it again in the great state of Tennessee. With an anti-bullying law already on the books, the bigots in charge (spelled GOP/Republicans) want to pass an amendment that will allow just about any person the right to bully anyone else, for just about any reason, and be lawfully covered in doing so. The hatred and bible-toting "Christians" (spelled GOP/Republican) just have to make sure that the serfs perform according to their plan of worldwide domination... or else!

via TPMmuckraker:

The proposed bill would amend the state’s current anti-bullying laws to specify that the anti-bully policy should “not be construed or interpreted to infringe upon the First Amendment rights of students and shall not prohibit their expression of religious, philosophical, or political views” as long as there’s no physical threat or threat to another student’s property.

I personally think that 2012 is going to be a very backward year concerning LGBTQ rights and the return to the days of open hatred, physical beating, law-enforced bullying, and so many other anti gay actions returning to life. Hopefully not, but it seems that state by state, the GOP gay-hate agenda is marching forward one step at a time.

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How do I cope with my 14-year-old son being gay?

Here's some advice from Daily Mirror writer Coleen Nolan (London) about a father who thinks his son is gay. Unfortunately, it's a fairly typical reaction from parents as their "dreams and hopes" for their sons/daughters are dashed when they realize that they might be gay. But Coleen offers some good advice (although short on offering information) on how to handle the surprise.

If you are having the same thoughts or your parents are responding in the same way, contact a local LGBT , PFLAG or other gay-friendly organization for more information. If you need to talk to someone you can call The Trevor Project anonymously and talk to a trained counselor.

by Coleen Nolan, Daily Mirror 3/01/2012

Dear Coleen,
My 14-year-old son is displaying strong homosexual tendencies. I discovered he’d been looking at gay porn on the web and I approached him about it verbally then via email (I’m divorced from his mum and he lives with her).

He’s reacted well and I’ve taken a comforting, supportive approach, advising him that he must have found this confusing and it doesn’t necessarily mean he is gay, it’s all part of ­experimentation.

But while I’m trying to tell myself it’s just a phase, he’s told me other things – that he masturbates to gay images and has urges to kiss his mates at sleepovers.

I told him not to worry about the urges to kiss his friends, as this could just be the excitement of having a good time. I also advised him to be wary of acting upon the urges to protect his friendships. And I’ve tried to encourage him to immerse himself in activities away from sex and relationships.

My problem is I’m hiding my real feelings. I know I might sound homophobic and I am not anti-gay or ­judgmental, it’s just that most men have hopes for their sons and this was never on the agenda.

I haven’t told his mum and don’t know whether I should. And should I block the porn sites or just monitor what he’s looking at? I don’t want him to think there’s anything wrong with himself.
I have considered trying to stir up heterosexual feelings by encouraging him to visit regular porn sites. This is ­probably a daft idea but I’m confused.

I am beating myself up that I’ve facilitated this situation by leaving my wife and children. I feel it’s my fault.

Coleen says..

The way your son is feeling is nothing to do with what you have or haven’t done. You should be patting yourself on the back because you’ve handled it brilliantly.

And I don’t think you’re homophobic – I think this has just come as a shock and all parents tend to map out a future for their children. Your son’s life is simply taking a direction that you didn’t expect.

I don’t think he should be looking at any porn at 14, so I would block those sites, but explain to him that it’s to do with his age, not his sexual feelings for boys. While we’re on the subject, pictures of topless women are not going to stop him from being gay!
Keep lines of communication open, tell him you love him and I do think you should talk to his mum. Talk about it as a family. If your son is gay, it has nothing to do with you leaving. Carry on doing what you’re doing.

Havea problem with this response or another question for Coleen? 

Email her at dearcoleen@mirror.co.uk or write to Coleen Nolan, The Daily Mirror, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP

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Gay.net - Give This Letter to a Homophobic Parent

Just in time to remind everyone of what not only Christmas is about, but what it really means to be a Christian. I can't add anything to this article other than the perfect message it brings...

"You raised us to believe that God loves us. You told us that Jesus died to provide forgiveness for all of our sins (presumably, whether you and I define "sin" in the same way or not). One of the first songs you taught us in Sunday school was "Yes, Jesus loves me…For the Bible tells me so." And you told us that our place in Heaven was guaranteed, as long as we just believe that.

Then, somewhere along the way, you realized that we were lesbian or gay. And at whatever point we found the courage to tell you, you did an immediate 180, and now you tell us we are an abomination, and our place in Hell is guaranteed.

The most fundamentalist among you claim that you reject your children because you take the whole Bible literally. But that is not true -- and it’s time for you to just get honest about that. If you are aware of the content of the Bible you must know that there is much in there that you do not take literally. How can you not know that? How can you not admit that? You must, at some point, have read where Jesus said that in order to follow Him, one must hate mother, father, sister, brother. (Luke 14:26) But not one of you feels any less a Christian because you love your family. Clearly, scripture must be interpreted in a broader context than its literal words.  It amazes me that you still claim to take it all literally."...

NOTE: this is from SheWired.com. It's written by Reverend Marilyn Bowens, former attorney and professor of Constitutional Law who is a dually ordained minister of the Metropolitan Community Church and The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. She is also a lesbian.

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West Virginia Moves to Protect LGBT Students - Model for Other States

The great state of West Virginia has led the way in ending bullying against almost every group habitually discriminated against with the passage of new language by the W. Virginia Board of Education. These new regulations, enforceable across the state, very clearly state that:

"Acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying that are reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics, shall be reported using the following list: race; color; religion; ancestry; national origin; gender; socioeconomic status; academic status; gender identity or expression; physical appearance; sexual orientation; mental/physical/developmental/ sensory disability; or other characteristic."

This appears to be, on the outside, a model that other states can follow if they choose that will hopefully transform the current social non-acceptance of LGBT students, as well as those who fall under the categories specified in the new rules.

All I can say is...it's about time someone got the message!

 

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I'm Christian, unless you're gay, fat, ugly, smelly...

One of the most eloquently, passionate and loving articles I've seen online, in the news, or publicized in a long, long time. This is a MUST READ! A must read for all those who believe they're right, they're perfect, they're "Christians."

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A Major Milestone? DOMA Repeal Advances in Senate | News | The Advocate

I don't like to 'copy and paste', but this information needs to be disttributed as quickly as possible, so here it is from the ADVOCATE.COM:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to move forward a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

The Senate Judiciary Committee's Nov. 10 meeting

The committee voted 10-8 along party lines in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act. Its prospects on the Senate floor remain unknown, however. Introduced in the Senate in March by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the bill currently has 30 cosponsors.

In opening remarks, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said that as a result of DOMA, "thousands of American families are now being treated unfairly by the federal government. They are shunted aside — singled out from all other marriages recognized by the states."

But Republican senators including Ranking Member Chuck Grassley of Iowa criticized the intent of the legislation. Grassley used common arguments against marriage rights for same-sex couples including concerns about child welfare — rhetoric discordant with the body of social science research.

As expected, there was no GOP support for the bill among committee members. Grassley said it was unlikely that the full senate has sufficient time to vote on the bill and doubted adequate support for the bill exists. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) concurred, and asserted in remarks that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has no intention of bringing the legislation to the floor in the current session.

Click on the header for the full story...

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Texas Man Burke Burnett Speaks Out About Vicious Anti-Gay Attack: VIDEO

 
Posted by: Bobby | Nov 3, 2011 12:03:39 PM
The local bubbas are trying to dodge responsibility for simply charging it as a hate crime by pawning it off to the grand jury to decide that.

If you'd like to contact the mayor to remind him that the world is watching the backwaters of Reno, Texas, please feel free to do so at:
William (Buddy) Heuberger, Mayor
160 Blackburn St Reno, TX
75462 903-491-5867
wsh@wheuberger.com

Only ongoing attention and pressure will compel them to do the right thing. This is good old East Texas after all.

Courtesy Towleroad

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Two 14 year Old Students Sent Home for a Hug?

The "Moral" right sometimes goes even farther than we've come to expect them to go. This example of their "righteous indignation" crosses the line of any such morals and over into the realm of absurd, anti-family (which they so proudly wave in front of themselves like a big banner), and confirms the absolute hypocrisy  that is - being "right."

Two 14-year-olds in Palm Beach, Florida weren’t expecting to be sent home from school when they greeted each other with an innocent hug.

Nancy Crescente was shocked to find out that Palm Bay Southwest Middle School suspended her son, Nickolas Martinez, and his friend.  “I thought it was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard,” Nancy Crescente told WOFL. “We’re a cultural family and this is what we do.”

Students suspended for hugging: MyFoxORLANDO.com

“They said this is what they do across the board, it is what it is. And that was that.”
School administrators say there are no plans to update the “no hugging” policy that was approved by a committee of parents years ago.

“‘Public Displays of Affection’ is a school board policy,” Brevard County School spokesperson Nancy Davis explained. “It relates to kissing and holding hands and hugging. It is a blanket-wide policy across all schools here.”

But Nancy Crescente thinks that its time for that policy to change. “There was nothing inappropriate. Hugging is mutual. It was a mutual hug, and I just don’t understand how something so innocent can be turned into this chaos.”

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Michigan GOP Gives Anti-Bullying Bill A Loophole

Jillian Rayfield November 4, 2011,

(Image from Heider Almeida / Shutterstock)

Michigan Dems say the Republican Senate gutted an anti-bullying bill when they added a clause that allows bullying based on “moral convictions.” SB 137, also called “Matt’s Safe School Law” after 14-year old Matt Eppling who committed suicide in 2002 after being bullied, was approved in the state Senate by a 26-11 party line vote, and will now head to the House.

The bill lays out what exactly constitutes bullying, but in one key part it says that the legislation does not prohibit First Amendment rights, and “does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil’s parent or guardian.”

The Detroit News reports that Senate Dems tried to add language that would specifically prohibit bullying on the basis of race, gender, sexual preference, etc., but were unsuccessful. “I am ashamed that this could be Michigan’s bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a ‘bullying is OK in Michigan law,’” Kevin Eppling, the father of the bill’s namesake, said in a letter.

Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D) called the final version of the bill a “blueprint for bullying” in a floor speech. “Here today you claim to be protecting kids and you’re actually putting them in more danger.”

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Houston Chronicle Blogger Mom Says Gay Teens Should Stay in Closet to Avoid Suicide

A November 3rd  article from the Houston Chronicle Blogger, Kathleen McKinley, has incensed a lot of people, including me as a bullied, gay person. This rant goes way beyond rational thinking and blames the victim, instead of the bully, for being bullied and ending their own life as a result of it.

To think that someone could even think this way is beyond comprehension, logic, whatever you want to call it. Possibly the best way is the rantings of a bully (using Jesus as their namesake?)

Here is a little of her "Christian" thinking:

"...Am I mad at the hateful mean kids who bully and tease these teens? You bet I am. But I am just as mad at the idiotic adults who force our adult views on kids, and pull them into our adult world long before they are mature enough to handle it. The 13 year old that killed himself told his Mom he was gay. She said she already knew and hugged him. She said she just assumed that everyone else would be as accepting as she was.

Really? Have you been around teenagers? They are cruel and mean. They constantly tear each other down. It was bad when I was a teenager, I can only imagine what it's like now. No, I don't have to imagine how it is now. This is how it is now. Why in the world would you give teenagers a REASON to tease you? Oh, yes, because the adults tell you to embrace who you are, the only problem? Kids that age are just discovering who they are. They really have no idea yet. The adults tell you to "come out," when what we should be telling them is that sex is for adults, and there is plenty of time for figuring out that later. Figure out yourself first. Focus on the kind of person you want to be, not the kind of person you want to sleep with. A 13 year old should not be building his life around his sexual orientation. He should be being A KID ... We have sexualized our kids with movies, music, and culture, and now we have viruses like HPV running rampant before they even go to college. We should all be ashamed of ourselves. [...]

Let's let kids be kids, for God's sake. Remember the gay young boy's last message said, "How do you know it will get better?" He was a KID! Kids can't see around the corner. They just aren't mature enough yet. They don't see it getting better no matter how many times Lady Ga Ga says it will. So, enough with our politically correct campaigns aimed at kids.

It's killing them."

Of course any sensible, educated person (who follows and ascribes to this ***holes views of right and wrong) knows that by suppressing these feelings, especially those of making the choice to be gay, everything will be better and all will be happy.

I'm not sure what planet Ms. Kathleen comes from, possibly the same one as our Republican slate of gay-haters, but her thinking is dangerous to everyone who is being bullied for any reason and also dangerous advice to parents who don't open conversation with their children about these issues. As parents we are responsible for preparing our children to face the "real" world, one filled with hate, discrimination and violence against those who, whether by choice or not, are different.

Please read the full story for all the comments to follow her thinking as it becomes more idiotic and illogical, ending in a total mess of bullying crap. Where are those laws outlawing cyberbullying?

Following is an excellent reply from the long comment thread to this bully  :

Spoken like a woman who has never in her life met or had more than a twenty second conversation with a gay person. Sexuality is all about sex? Really? Kids aren't "sexual" at 13? Well, I guess all that psychology and a little hormonal shift called "puberty" must all be wrong.

You should be ashamed of accepting your kid for who they are? What the fuck kind of bullshit are you on, woman? Look, many people who were gay knew they were different even before they can clarify why. My best friend watched Elvira at age seven and knew she was attracted to her (she still is). She literally knew she liked girls before she knew what sex even was. She wasn't confused, she wasn't "mislead" or "coached"--it was something she knew, deep down. So what are we supposed to do, you idiot, when your kid tells you they are gay? Tell them they're wrong? Tell them they're "too young to know"? Yeah, that'll learn them, and not make them suicidal at all.

What are we supposed to say when they come home at eight years old and say, "Daddy, what does 'gay' mean?" Are we supposed to say "gay is a bad word" (Ooh, psychological damage when they get older--either self-hatred or scorn for others). Are we supposed to change the subject, so they think they can't trust us? Because we're obviously not supposed to simply state what gay is--their tender little brains couldn't handle it!



Dear Kathleen McKinley: Every single mental health expert, psychologist, child development expert and teacher with a bare minimum of education would shore me up when I say you are completely, totally, and dangerously wrong in absolutely everything you said. See attached video.

Edited by senselocke: superinsomniac at 11/03/11 11:48 PM

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More schools take action to stem anti-gay bullying | Latest National Headlines | News fr...

The awareness of bullying in schools, the passing of Same-sex marriage in New York, and the spate of "It Gets Better" video's from celebrities and other people have slowly begun to raise awareness about bullying and teen suicide. California recently passed legislation that ordered teaching to be incorporated into the classroom about LGBTQ contributions and the history of same. Even more in the news was the recent passing of DADT, allowing gays in the military to come out of the closet without fear of being thrown out of the service.

Although we have a long way to go, the California legislation is having an effect on school bullying and also intervening legally in cases where guidelines have not been followed.  For example, instead of a teacher simply telling kids to quit using a disrespectful name, stopping taunts is more effective when the teacher explains why teasing hurts and getting bullies to recall instances when they were taunted or acknowledge that they would feel hurt if they were, experts said.

"It's about making them realize what it's like," said Travis Brown, an anti-bullying speaker now on a 200-school tour.

Students must be told to intervene if they witness bullying and to accept others' differences even if they don't agree with them. That goes for teachers, too. It is illegal, for instance, to order a boy to wash off makeup if girls are also allowed to wear it.


There remains a long, slow haul to spread informative and educational programs across the country's schools, but with the help of the ACLU and other legal eagles watching over the growing movement, it will happen and we might, just might, see the near end of bullying as we know it now.

Now if we could get politicians to end bullying among their ranks and setting a poor example for the bullies of today.

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Another Suicide - Zach Harrington, Norman, OK

From: edgephiladelphia

A gay teen in Oklahoma killed himself following a "toxic town meeting he attended at which residents debated a resolution naming October "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History Month." The rhetoric spouted at the meeting was "toxic," the family of 19-year-old Zach Harrington says. They maintain that the anti-gay remarks were so hurtful to the young man that they pushed him over the edge.

Zach Harrington -2011

In the end the resolution was adopted, but the one-sided debate of the town meeting had already taken its toll on the young man who was continually subjected to bullying in school. So we lost another young, promising soul to bullying in October of this year. There just seems to be no end to this, and what's more horrifying is that many people don't seem to care (until it touches their lives...which we all know is different.)

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US House group files motion in gay marriage suit - KiiiTV3.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend

Posted: Oct 15, 2011 4:56 PM EDT  
Updated: Oct 15, 2011 7:26 PM EDT  
By SUDHIN THANAWALA
Associated Press 

It's getting confusing when it comes to whether the White House is defending or supporting DOMA. This is the case they apparently have based the order not to defend DOMA on, yet it seems to be being enforced in many circumstances. Hopefully this case will produce some sort of direction when it comes to DOMA and lead to its repeal, allowing those who have married (same-sex) to be recognized in every state.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Gays and lesbians are not entitled to the same heightened legal protection and scrutiny against discrimination as racial minorities and women in part because they are far from politically powerless and have ample ability to influence lawmakers, lawyers for a U.S. House of Representatives group said in a federal court filing.

The filing Friday in San Francisco's U.S. District Court comes in a lesbian federal employee's lawsuit that claims the government wrongly denied health insurance coverage to her same-sex spouse. Karen Golinski says the law under which her spouse was denied benefits - the Defense of Marriage Act - violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.

Golinski's case has received support from the Obama administration. In a brief filed in July that urged the court to find DOMA unconstitutional, the administration argued that it reflected Congressional hostility to gays and targeted an immutable characteristic - sexual orientation - that has nothing to do with someone's ability to contribute to society.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press

Dealing With Gay Students, Bullying In Different Ways - Education News Story - KFOX El Paso

By Chris Welch CNN

Posted: 1:33 pm MDT October 12, 2011 

 Updated: 4:36 pm MDT October 12, 2011

A success story related to LGBT students seems to always be followed by a, "but." The success experienced by Jared Pettingill in finding a school where he wouldn't be harassed by bullies for being gay has worked out for him. Strangely enough, it's right next to the infamous Anoka-Hennepin School District (just outside the Twin Cities) that made headlines in recent years after seven students committed suicide between November 2009 and May 2011. It's also the home district of presidential hopeful, Michele Bachmann.

In January, the school board district where Jared is now attending unanimously passed a unique resolution instructing administrators to track bullying incidents related to the harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. The measure also requires all staff to be trained on LGBT issues. It injects LGBT topics into the curriculum, which includes adding an LGBT component to sex ed. They will eventually add an elective high school course on LGBT history.

This sounds like progress finally being made in the "war against bullying." But, several miles away and in the midst of Bachmann's efforts to thwart such acceptance, the controversy is not so clear. The district's curriculum policy, adopted in 2009, bars teachers from taking a position on homosexuality in the classroom and says such matters are best addressed outside of school. It's become known as the neutrality policy. Anoka-Hennepin, which encompasses the Twin Cities' northwestern suburbs and is the state's largest school district, is the only Minnesota school district known to have such a policy.

More.....

Punching, Burning, Electrocuting And Stabbing Your Gay Son Will Probably Not Make Him Straight / Queerty

From queerty.com is this tragic, but very important article about the theory that homosexuals can be "converted" to straight. This is a true story of torture, emotional and physical abuse fostered on their son by Southern Baptist missionary parents. Samuel Brinton, now a student at KSU, was the unfortunate and sad son of a Bapatist minister who, upon discovering that his son Sam might like boys instead of girls, subjected him to electric shock therapy by sticking needles in his fingers and then shocking him when he was forced to look at gay porn and other inhumane trials.

Sam, an incredible and shining example of the forgiveness that his parents ought to have shown him, has in return tried to repair the relationship with his family. His father has threatened to shoot him if he tries to contact the family or any of his siblings. This is such as sad story revolving around the idea that gays can be "converted" and that being gay is a choice.

Sam has his story here at ImFromDriftwood where he shares his story with many others in celebration of National Coming Out Day.

New Trial for Brandon McInerney for the Cold-Blooded Murder of Gay Classmate

Brandon McInerney                            Lawrence King        

Brandon McInerney, the teenager accused of killing a classmate in California will be re-tried after the original trial failed to produce a verdict. In September the jury in the trial of McInerney failed to reach a verdict, forcing the presiding judge to rule a mistrial. This time the hate-crime charge is being dropped by Chief Deputy District Attorney Mike Frawley to focus the trial on a first-degree murder charge, a special allegation of use of a handgun, and a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
 The news of the re-trial comes three years after King was shot twice in the back of the head at his Oxnard high school on 12 February 2008. McInerney, supposedly raised in a violent home, maintained that King made sexual advances towards him. However, McInerney came to school with a gun and shot King twice in the back of the head as fellow classmates watched on. Fairly clear that it was premeditated and thought out.

If convicted of all the new charges, McInerney would face a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.  A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 21 November.

Equality California: No Return to Ballot Over Prop 8 | News | The Advocate

In a somewhat confusing move California state’s largest LGBT rights group, Equality California, will not lead any effort to repeal Proposition 8 on the 2012 ballot. This leaves a void in the fight to repeal Prop 8, a ballot initiative narrowly passed on November 8, 2008 (52.5 to 47.5) that states: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." 

On August 4, 2010 United States district court Judge Vaughn R. Walker overturned Proposition 8 on the basis that it violated both the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the United States Constitution.  He issued an injunction prohibiting enforcement of Prop 8 pending a review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. However, on August 16, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit indefinitely extended the District Court's stay, stopping new same-sex marriages in the state of California pending appeal. It also scheduled an accelerated time table for hearing an appeal of Walker's ruling. In February of 2011 the California Supreme Court was asked to review the appeal and stay, which it has started with oral reviews on September 6, 2011.

By dropping out of the effort to repeal Prop 8, Equality California has left a void in the effort to repeal the proposition, stating that, “[G]iven what we know about public opinion and the significant challenges of the current political and economic climate, Equality California will not lead an effort to return to the ballot in 2012 to overturn Proposition 8.”

Another advocacy group, Love Honor Cherish, said it would “fill the void” if Equality California “abdicates their responsibility to fight for equality for the LGBT Community in California and to honor their prior commitments,” according to Tom Watson, the organization's acting executive director. 

We hope that Prop 8 will eventually be overturned and same-sex marriage in California will become a positive part of the history of equality in hte LGBTQ community.

October is LGBT Celebration Month!

Every day in October, featured on this website, will be an "icon" - someone who has distinguished themselves as making significant contributions to LGBT rights. There’s also going to be a video, biography, bibliography, downloadable images and other educational resources, available as well.

At the top of this blog is the video that changes every day during the month of October. I hope that you will take the opportunity to watch each video and learn more about the contributions of LGBTQ people over the years to the human race.

Part of the goal of LGBThistorymonth.com is to encourage high schools, colleges and community centers to download the materials and create exhibits.