Friday, September 06, 2013 4:16:47 AM
Sweet Cakes By Melissa Bakers Speak Out After Anti-Gay Controversy Prompts Business To Close
Posted: 09/04/2013 11:16 am EDT | Updated: 09/04/2013 4:13 pm EDT
The Oregon bakers who shuttered their business [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/02/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-closed-_n_3856184.html ] after their decision to turn away two lesbian brides-to-be [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/aaron-klein-oregon-bakery-owner-lesbian-wedding-cake_n_2615563.html ] created a national controversy are speaking out.
Sweet Cakes by Melissa co-owners Aaron and Melissa Klein told the Christian Broadcasting Network [ http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/September/Oregon-Bakery-in-Gay-Wedding-Cake-Controversy-Closes-/ ] (CBN) that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates used "militant, mafia-style tactics" to shut down the business.
"I didn't want to be a be a part of her marriage -- which I think is wrong," Aaron told the news channel of his decision to turn away the lesbian couple earlier this year. Meanwhile, wife Melissa echoed those sentiments: "I am who I am ... I choose to serve God."
Though Sweet Cakes by Melissa reportedly saw an uptick in business [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/11/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-oregon-lesbian-couple-business-booms_n_2664036.html ] after news of the controversy broke in January, the Kleins now tell CBN that the wedding cake division of their bakery suffered a major loss.
The shop's closing came on the heels of news that the lesbian couple that Klein rejected had filed a complaint with the state [ http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2013/08/lesbian_couple_refused_wedding.html ], alleging that Sweet Cakes by Melissa discriminated against them based on their sexual orientation, according to Oregon Live.
In response to the complaint, Melissa Klein argued that turning away the couple was "definitely not discrimination at all."
"We don't have anything against lesbians or homosexuals," she said in August. "It has to do with our morals and beliefs. It's so frustrating because we went through all of this in January, when it all came out."
(H/T Joe. My. God. [ http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/09/oregon-bakers-speak-to-christian-tv.html ])
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-controversy_n_3866216.html [the YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB9Yfh9IfF8 , as embedded; with comments]
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Texas Gay Rights Groups Seek Anti-Bias Victory Despite GOP Lawmakers' Opposition
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks with reporters as he leaves the closed Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to receive a classified briefing on the situation in Syria from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013.
(Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
By PAUL J. WEBER
09/05/13 10:28 PM ET EDT
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio's leaders on Thursday approved anti-bias protections for gay and transgender residents, over the disapproval of top Texas Republicans and religious conservatives who packed a City Council hearing and occasionally shamed supporters for comparing the issue to the civil rights movement.
The 8-3 City Council vote in favor of the ordinance was a victory for gay rights advocates and for Democratic Mayor Julian Castro, a top surrogate of President Barack Obama. Castro has called the ordinance overdue in the nation's seventh-largest city, where there is a stronger current of traditionalism and conservatism than other major Texas cities that already have similar gay rights protections.
San Antonio joins nearly 180 other U.S. cities that have nondiscrimination ordinances that prohibit bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
"This ordinance is about saying there are no second-class citizens in San Antonio," Castro said.
Supporters in red shirts and opponents in blue sat on opposite sides of the ornate council chamber Thursday. Church leaders vowed petitions to recall council members, and the shouts of protesters outside City Hall often carried through the stone walls of the century-old building.
More than 700 people registered to speak Wednesday during a marathon session of citizen testimony that stretched past midnight. Just a few hours later, 100 people signed up Thursday morning to get in a final word before the vote.
Dee Villarubia, 67, said she's a former Air Force officer whose landlord at a San Antonio apartment evicted her two years ago because she is gay.
"When I say the pledge of allegiance, I say `justice for some' because there's an asterisk that means not me," Villarubia said. "Today, I would take that asterisk away and finally say `justice for all.'"
The local measure roiled conservatives nationwide and was opposed by big-name Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Abbott, a Republican who is seeking the governor's office, predicted a lawsuit over religious freedoms, though he has not said the state will challenge the ordinance.
Attention intensified after City Councilwoman Elisa Chan was caught on tape calling homosexuality "disgusting" and arguing that gays should not be allowed to adopt. Chan has defended her comments.
"Just because I disagree with the lifestyle of the LGBT community doesn't mean I dislike them," Chan said before the vote. "Similarly, just because one opposes this ordinance, does not mean one is for discrimination."
San Antonio City Attorney Michael Bernard told the council the ordinance would apply to most city contracts and contractors. It prohibits council members from discriminating in their official capacity and forbids workers in public accommodation jobs, such as at restaurants or hotels, from refusing to serve customers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Opponents say the ordinance – which takes effect immediately – would stifle religious expression and does not have the support of most of the city's residents.
"The problem I have is that you criminalize us if we speak our faith," said Marc Longoria, 42, a pastor at My Father's House Church. "We are Christians all the time. We don't have an on and off switch."
One side of the room would erupt in cheers or give a standing ovation depending on the remarks toward the 11-member council. Some turned around to address their opponents in the audience directly.
"My parents and my grandparents rode the back of the bus," said Sylvia Villarreal, who urged the council to vote no. "And I say shame on them for comparing this to civil rights."
The measure passed by the council amends protections already in place for discrimination based on race or gender.
Victories for gay rights advocates have been elusive in the Republican-controlled Texas Capitol. They've had more success on a local level: Houston has a lesbian mayor, and Austin offers health benefits for same-sex couples. Dallas, Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso are among the Texas cities that already have anti-bias ordinances of varying scope.
Conservative pushback in San Antonio was notable coming on the turf of Castro, a rising star who delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention last year. The opposition in his backyard was a weed in Castro's narrative that San Antonio embraces the kind of political values that will soon spread statewide and turn Texas blue.
© 2013 Associated Press
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/texas-gay-rights_n_3874490.html [with comments]
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VICTORY: San Antonio council passes LGBT protections
By Sam Sanchez
Posted on 05 Sep 2013 at 2:44pm
Despite loud and vocal opposition from Christian extremists, the San Antonio City Council on Sept. 5 passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes protections for LGBT citizens and veterans. The vote was eight in favor and three against.
The newly passed ordinance amends sections of the city code that cover public accommodations, fair housing, city employment, city contracts and appointments to city boards and commissions. The language in the code now includes sexual orientation and gender identity, and veteran status as protected classes. The changes will take effect immediately.
“It has been a long, hard struggle, but we are happy that truth, justice, fairness and equality have prevailed and that San Antonio has joined the 180 other cities across the country who treat their LGBT residents with dignity and respect. Now the time for healing has begun and we invite those who opposed this ordinance to meet with us in the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation and mutual education,” said Dan Graney, co-chair of CAUSA, the coalition of LGBT groups and allies that was promoting the nondiscrimination ordinance.
Voting yes on the ordinance were Mayor Julian Castro and council members Shirley Gonzales, Rey Saldana, Diego Bernal, Ray Lopez, Ron Nirenberg, Cris Medina and Rebecca Viagran.
As expected, no votes came from Elisa Chan and Carlton Soules. Ivy Taylor, who was previously undecided, also voted no.
Councilwoman Chan said she was disappointed that the ordinance was a “triumph of politics over policy, that political correctness prevailed over freedom of speech.” She made a motion to have the ordinance tabled — which failed.
Taylor, the only black member of the council, earlier in the week was quoted in the San Antonio Express-News as saying that she though being gay was a lifestyle choice, something that earned her considerable criticism in the local press and in the LGBT community.
In her remarks from the dais, Taylor said that all human beings deserved respect without harassment but said she was unable to cast a vote in favor of the ordinance because she could not promote anything that “goes against our basic religious beliefs.”
“I really wanted to vote yes,” said Taylor, “but I know my heart. I am not a coward, I am not ignorant and I am not a bigot.”
Soules, who would not even meet with his constituents over the measure, for the most part nitpicked the details of the ordinance with City Attorney Michael Bernard.
Soules said he was disappointed in his colleagues because they did not insist on anything the “could have been better” adding that the measure had not been properly vetted.
In voicing his support for the ordinance, Mayor Julian Castro said: “San Antonio is prosperous, fast-growing city. This ordinance is about insuring whether you are white or black, Christian or Jew, straight or gay, this city belongs to you.”
There was considerable doubt and anxiety for LGBT activists in the days leading up to the passage of the ordinance — not so much because they feared its failure but because of language that was added to the draft on Aug. 21 that made it permissible to deny use of public restrooms to transgender citizens.
The text of the new edit read, “Nothing heron shall be construed as directing any policy or practice regarding the use of restrooms, shower rooms, or similar facilities which have been designated for use by persons of the opposite sex.”
CAUSA held an emergency phone conference shortly after the new language was added to the ordinance draft. In that meeting, they decided to ask City Councilman Diego Bernal, who was leading the effort to enact the ordinance changes, to reconsider the new language.
Opponents of the ordinance were unhappy with the language as well. Soules and Chan said the new language did not go far enough in clarifying who could use public restrooms.
Rumors swirled that the language might be changed. However, because of the Labor Day holiday, the city was not able to post a copy of the new draft in time for proper public review. So no one knew what changes, if any, would be adopted.
In the end, Councilman Rey Saldana made “friendly amendment” that addressed the bathroom issue with the following language: “Nothing in Division 5 shall be construed as allowing any person to access to any sex-segregated place for any unlawful purpose.”
On the night before the vote, at the Citizens to be Heard session, over 700 people spoke before the City Council. The meeting which began at 6 p.m. did not conclude until about 1:30 a.m. the next morning.
On the day of the vote, over 120 people spoke prior to the item being open for council discussion and approval.
Anti-gay Christian groups formed a loud “vocal minority” in opposition to the ordinance. One source told this reporter that the churches leading the opposition were busing in protestors from surrounding cities and had received funding from organizations outside San Antonio.
Some opponents sought to demonize LGBT people by warning that it would become a crime to disagree with the “homosexual lifestyle” if the ordinance was approved. Others said the ordinance would limit religious freedoms.
One group initiated an effort to recall Councilman Bernal and Mayor Julian Castro, and in a ploy to get petition signatures, told voters the changes would allow men to use women’s restrooms.
Robert Rivard, publisher of the Rivard Report, a local online magazine, posted to the publication’s Facebook page, “This is a hate-filled disinformation campaign and a terrible black eye for San Antonio. A ‘no’ vote will define those officeholders forever.”
Elected officials and local organizations on both sides of the controversy added their comments in the final week.
Both the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce endorsed the ordinance as did Spurs Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the city’s much-loved basketball franchises the Spurs and the women’s Silver Stars team.
Tea party darling, state Sen. Donna Campbell, sent a letter to Mayor Julian Castro in which she declared: “Any ordinance that ostracizes a majority of it’s citizens for their personal religious beliefs is wrong, whether you agree with those beliefs or not. It threatens our liberty and epitomizes the worst of Big Government. This ordinance doesn’t strengthen our rights as citizens. It weakens them.”
Eight members of the Bexar County delegation in the Texas Legislature, including Mike Villarreal, Ruth Jones McClendon, Justin Rodriguez, Joe Farias, Roland Gutierrez, Trey Martinez-Fischer, Phil Cortez and Jose Menendez, signed a statement of support for Bernal’s proposal.
In a letter to Councilman Bernal, Congressman Lloyd Doggett wrote, “The failure to address discrimination at the state and federal level makes action by San Antonio all the more important. And actually, some of the recent comments made in opposition to you demonstrate why prompt action is necessary.”
© 2013 dallasvoice.com
http://www.dallasvoice.com/breaking-san-antonio-council-passes-nondiscrimination-ordinance-10156336.html [with comments]
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The Gay Christian Mingle
If you're gay, God has a match for you. As long as you know how to game the system.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/44274464b3/the-gay-christian-mingle [the above YouTube of the video at "Gay Christian Mingle Spoof Has Just As Much Kitchen Dancing As Regular Christian Mingle Ads", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blvubpwGNNI , with text from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/gay-christian-mingle-video_n_3860137.html (with comments)] [and see http://www.jdate.com/ ]
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ChristianMingle.com TV Spot, 'Lori & Curtis' Song by Jars Of Clay
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7whX/christianmingle-com-lori-and-curtis-song-by-jars-of-clay [with comment]
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Barry Smitherman, Texas Attorney General Candidate, Says Abortion Will Bring Divine 'Reckoning'
Texas Attorney General candidate Barry Smitherman addressed abortion in a speech last week.
By John Celock
Posted: 09/05/2013 10:50 am EDT | Updated: 09/05/2013 3:42 pm EDT
A Republican candidate for Texas attorney general told an anti-abortion group last week that China's so-called one child policy could unleash a plague on the country similar to the one described in the Bible.
Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman, who is seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general, appeared last week before the Texas Alliance for Life to deliver a wide-ranging speech that largely centered on his opposition to China's abortion practices. He touched on a number of other abortion- and sex-related issues, arguing among other things that abortion rates have hurt the American economy. Smitherman's speech is posted [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ] at his campaign website and was reported by the Dallas Observer this week [ http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/09/attorney_general_barry_smither.php ].
Smitherman discussed the Chinese policy, saying that it has hurt that nation, and then compared it to the Old Testament narrative about the enslavement of the Hebrews in Egypt. He noted that in the Bible, after pharaoh orders the drowning of the first-born sons of the Hebrews, some years later Moses warns the pharaoh that "10 plagues" would come to Egypt, including the death of the first-born sons, if he does not release the Hebrews.
"Attempts at genocide, like pharaoh's, do not go without inevitable 'reckoning.' In the case of the Egyptians, all their first-born, including pharaoh's son, were killed, and once mighty Egypt became merely a footnote in human history and a place where we used to visit (but not anymore since the 'Arab spring') the pyramids," Smitherman said [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ]. "In the case of China's one child policy, we have a modern-day example of what happens when a society does not honor 'life.' And like what happened to the Egyptians under pharaoh, this too, I predict, will end badly for the Chinese."
He also cited a Chinese professor as saying that the one child policy will bring about "Mother Nature's revenge."
Smitherman, who has four children [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/about-barry/ ], encouraged people to have lots of children in order to help the U.S. economy. He also argued that society needs to give more to help those with many children, and called for tax breaks for large families. He said that abortion caused a loss of 80 million Americans, which has impacted the economy.
"At a time when our federal debt is almost $17 trillion, having another $82.5 mm [sic] people, hitting their stride in the work force, would help to reduce our per capita debt obligations, but most likely would also produce meaningful additional GDP to propel our economy and I bet they would vote Republican," he said, according to the transcript posted to his website [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ].
Smitherman told young men in the audience that they need to practice abstinence, but that they should be prepared to marry the woman if she becomes pregnant. But he encouraged them to marry at a young age in order to start having children.
Smitherman made headlines earlier this year [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/12/barry-smitherman-texas_n_3069881.html ] for retweeting a tweet from a self-described "crazy writer" that included a photo that depicted nooses around the necks of Republican U.S. senators who voted to open debate on a gun control bill.
Smitherman was appointed [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/about-barry/ ] to the Railroad Commission by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in 2011 and was elected to the seat in 2012. Republicans state Rep. Dan Branch and state Sen. Ken Paxton are also seeking the attorney general nomination.
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/barry-smitherman-abortion-plagues_n_3872732.html [with comments]
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Alex Wagner, Ron Paul Have Extremely Tense Argument
Posted: 09/05/2013 1:41 pm EDT | Updated: 09/05/2013 4:28 pm EDT
Alex Wagner and Ron Paul got into an extremely heated debate on Thursday after she questioned his speaking engagement at what she said has been called an "anti-Semite group."
The former Congressman was on to talk about his new venture, the Ron Paul Channel. Wagner asked Paul about his upcoming speaking gig at the Fatima Center [ http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/20/ron-paul-to-headline-september-anti-semitic-conference/ ] in Canada, saying that it has been called a "hard-core anti-Semite group." For its part, the organization has denied [ http://www.fatima.org/news/enlarchive/press_release090313.pdf ] that the conference has anything to do with anti-Semitism.
"Is this something that you would reconsider doing?" Wagner asked on Thursday.
"No," Paul began, adding that he talks to Republicans who disagree with him. "I'm going to a conservative, Catholic group that is pro-peace, and wants to hear my foreign policy and my take on economy," he said. "I wouldn't be on this station if I had to have a litmus test. I mean, you have --"
"This station --" Wagner tried to interject.
"-- Why can't I go there?" Paul shouted.
Wagner said that there was a difference between MSNBC and the Fatima Center, citing the group's views. Paul said that he had "nothing to do with" the Fatima Center's beliefs, adding, "Sounds to me like you have me on here to bash Catholics!"
Later, he questioned why she brought the subject up, saying, "It astounds me." Wagner proceeded to explain her line of questioning. Watch the debate unfold in the [embedded] video above.
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/alex-wagner-ron-paul-anti-semite_n_3874640.html [with embedded video, and comments]
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Posted: 09/04/2013 11:16 am EDT | Updated: 09/04/2013 4:13 pm EDT
The Oregon bakers who shuttered their business [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/02/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-closed-_n_3856184.html ] after their decision to turn away two lesbian brides-to-be [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/aaron-klein-oregon-bakery-owner-lesbian-wedding-cake_n_2615563.html ] created a national controversy are speaking out.
Sweet Cakes by Melissa co-owners Aaron and Melissa Klein told the Christian Broadcasting Network [ http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/September/Oregon-Bakery-in-Gay-Wedding-Cake-Controversy-Closes-/ ] (CBN) that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates used "militant, mafia-style tactics" to shut down the business.
"I didn't want to be a be a part of her marriage -- which I think is wrong," Aaron told the news channel of his decision to turn away the lesbian couple earlier this year. Meanwhile, wife Melissa echoed those sentiments: "I am who I am ... I choose to serve God."
Though Sweet Cakes by Melissa reportedly saw an uptick in business [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/11/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-oregon-lesbian-couple-business-booms_n_2664036.html ] after news of the controversy broke in January, the Kleins now tell CBN that the wedding cake division of their bakery suffered a major loss.
The shop's closing came on the heels of news that the lesbian couple that Klein rejected had filed a complaint with the state [ http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2013/08/lesbian_couple_refused_wedding.html ], alleging that Sweet Cakes by Melissa discriminated against them based on their sexual orientation, according to Oregon Live.
In response to the complaint, Melissa Klein argued that turning away the couple was "definitely not discrimination at all."
"We don't have anything against lesbians or homosexuals," she said in August. "It has to do with our morals and beliefs. It's so frustrating because we went through all of this in January, when it all came out."
(H/T Joe. My. God. [ http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/09/oregon-bakers-speak-to-christian-tv.html ])
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-controversy_n_3866216.html [the YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB9Yfh9IfF8 , as embedded; with comments]
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Texas Gay Rights Groups Seek Anti-Bias Victory Despite GOP Lawmakers' Opposition
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks with reporters as he leaves the closed Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to receive a classified briefing on the situation in Syria from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013.
(Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
By PAUL J. WEBER
09/05/13 10:28 PM ET EDT
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio's leaders on Thursday approved anti-bias protections for gay and transgender residents, over the disapproval of top Texas Republicans and religious conservatives who packed a City Council hearing and occasionally shamed supporters for comparing the issue to the civil rights movement.
The 8-3 City Council vote in favor of the ordinance was a victory for gay rights advocates and for Democratic Mayor Julian Castro, a top surrogate of President Barack Obama. Castro has called the ordinance overdue in the nation's seventh-largest city, where there is a stronger current of traditionalism and conservatism than other major Texas cities that already have similar gay rights protections.
San Antonio joins nearly 180 other U.S. cities that have nondiscrimination ordinances that prohibit bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
"This ordinance is about saying there are no second-class citizens in San Antonio," Castro said.
Supporters in red shirts and opponents in blue sat on opposite sides of the ornate council chamber Thursday. Church leaders vowed petitions to recall council members, and the shouts of protesters outside City Hall often carried through the stone walls of the century-old building.
More than 700 people registered to speak Wednesday during a marathon session of citizen testimony that stretched past midnight. Just a few hours later, 100 people signed up Thursday morning to get in a final word before the vote.
Dee Villarubia, 67, said she's a former Air Force officer whose landlord at a San Antonio apartment evicted her two years ago because she is gay.
"When I say the pledge of allegiance, I say `justice for some' because there's an asterisk that means not me," Villarubia said. "Today, I would take that asterisk away and finally say `justice for all.'"
The local measure roiled conservatives nationwide and was opposed by big-name Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Abbott, a Republican who is seeking the governor's office, predicted a lawsuit over religious freedoms, though he has not said the state will challenge the ordinance.
Attention intensified after City Councilwoman Elisa Chan was caught on tape calling homosexuality "disgusting" and arguing that gays should not be allowed to adopt. Chan has defended her comments.
"Just because I disagree with the lifestyle of the LGBT community doesn't mean I dislike them," Chan said before the vote. "Similarly, just because one opposes this ordinance, does not mean one is for discrimination."
San Antonio City Attorney Michael Bernard told the council the ordinance would apply to most city contracts and contractors. It prohibits council members from discriminating in their official capacity and forbids workers in public accommodation jobs, such as at restaurants or hotels, from refusing to serve customers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Opponents say the ordinance – which takes effect immediately – would stifle religious expression and does not have the support of most of the city's residents.
"The problem I have is that you criminalize us if we speak our faith," said Marc Longoria, 42, a pastor at My Father's House Church. "We are Christians all the time. We don't have an on and off switch."
One side of the room would erupt in cheers or give a standing ovation depending on the remarks toward the 11-member council. Some turned around to address their opponents in the audience directly.
"My parents and my grandparents rode the back of the bus," said Sylvia Villarreal, who urged the council to vote no. "And I say shame on them for comparing this to civil rights."
The measure passed by the council amends protections already in place for discrimination based on race or gender.
Victories for gay rights advocates have been elusive in the Republican-controlled Texas Capitol. They've had more success on a local level: Houston has a lesbian mayor, and Austin offers health benefits for same-sex couples. Dallas, Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso are among the Texas cities that already have anti-bias ordinances of varying scope.
Conservative pushback in San Antonio was notable coming on the turf of Castro, a rising star who delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention last year. The opposition in his backyard was a weed in Castro's narrative that San Antonio embraces the kind of political values that will soon spread statewide and turn Texas blue.
© 2013 Associated Press
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/texas-gay-rights_n_3874490.html [with comments]
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VICTORY: San Antonio council passes LGBT protections
By Sam Sanchez
Posted on 05 Sep 2013 at 2:44pm
Despite loud and vocal opposition from Christian extremists, the San Antonio City Council on Sept. 5 passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes protections for LGBT citizens and veterans. The vote was eight in favor and three against.
The newly passed ordinance amends sections of the city code that cover public accommodations, fair housing, city employment, city contracts and appointments to city boards and commissions. The language in the code now includes sexual orientation and gender identity, and veteran status as protected classes. The changes will take effect immediately.
“It has been a long, hard struggle, but we are happy that truth, justice, fairness and equality have prevailed and that San Antonio has joined the 180 other cities across the country who treat their LGBT residents with dignity and respect. Now the time for healing has begun and we invite those who opposed this ordinance to meet with us in the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation and mutual education,” said Dan Graney, co-chair of CAUSA, the coalition of LGBT groups and allies that was promoting the nondiscrimination ordinance.
Voting yes on the ordinance were Mayor Julian Castro and council members Shirley Gonzales, Rey Saldana, Diego Bernal, Ray Lopez, Ron Nirenberg, Cris Medina and Rebecca Viagran.
As expected, no votes came from Elisa Chan and Carlton Soules. Ivy Taylor, who was previously undecided, also voted no.
Councilwoman Chan said she was disappointed that the ordinance was a “triumph of politics over policy, that political correctness prevailed over freedom of speech.” She made a motion to have the ordinance tabled — which failed.
Taylor, the only black member of the council, earlier in the week was quoted in the San Antonio Express-News as saying that she though being gay was a lifestyle choice, something that earned her considerable criticism in the local press and in the LGBT community.
In her remarks from the dais, Taylor said that all human beings deserved respect without harassment but said she was unable to cast a vote in favor of the ordinance because she could not promote anything that “goes against our basic religious beliefs.”
“I really wanted to vote yes,” said Taylor, “but I know my heart. I am not a coward, I am not ignorant and I am not a bigot.”
Soules, who would not even meet with his constituents over the measure, for the most part nitpicked the details of the ordinance with City Attorney Michael Bernard.
Soules said he was disappointed in his colleagues because they did not insist on anything the “could have been better” adding that the measure had not been properly vetted.
In voicing his support for the ordinance, Mayor Julian Castro said: “San Antonio is prosperous, fast-growing city. This ordinance is about insuring whether you are white or black, Christian or Jew, straight or gay, this city belongs to you.”
There was considerable doubt and anxiety for LGBT activists in the days leading up to the passage of the ordinance — not so much because they feared its failure but because of language that was added to the draft on Aug. 21 that made it permissible to deny use of public restrooms to transgender citizens.
The text of the new edit read, “Nothing heron shall be construed as directing any policy or practice regarding the use of restrooms, shower rooms, or similar facilities which have been designated for use by persons of the opposite sex.”
CAUSA held an emergency phone conference shortly after the new language was added to the ordinance draft. In that meeting, they decided to ask City Councilman Diego Bernal, who was leading the effort to enact the ordinance changes, to reconsider the new language.
Opponents of the ordinance were unhappy with the language as well. Soules and Chan said the new language did not go far enough in clarifying who could use public restrooms.
Rumors swirled that the language might be changed. However, because of the Labor Day holiday, the city was not able to post a copy of the new draft in time for proper public review. So no one knew what changes, if any, would be adopted.
In the end, Councilman Rey Saldana made “friendly amendment” that addressed the bathroom issue with the following language: “Nothing in Division 5 shall be construed as allowing any person to access to any sex-segregated place for any unlawful purpose.”
On the night before the vote, at the Citizens to be Heard session, over 700 people spoke before the City Council. The meeting which began at 6 p.m. did not conclude until about 1:30 a.m. the next morning.
On the day of the vote, over 120 people spoke prior to the item being open for council discussion and approval.
Anti-gay Christian groups formed a loud “vocal minority” in opposition to the ordinance. One source told this reporter that the churches leading the opposition were busing in protestors from surrounding cities and had received funding from organizations outside San Antonio.
Some opponents sought to demonize LGBT people by warning that it would become a crime to disagree with the “homosexual lifestyle” if the ordinance was approved. Others said the ordinance would limit religious freedoms.
One group initiated an effort to recall Councilman Bernal and Mayor Julian Castro, and in a ploy to get petition signatures, told voters the changes would allow men to use women’s restrooms.
Robert Rivard, publisher of the Rivard Report, a local online magazine, posted to the publication’s Facebook page, “This is a hate-filled disinformation campaign and a terrible black eye for San Antonio. A ‘no’ vote will define those officeholders forever.”
Elected officials and local organizations on both sides of the controversy added their comments in the final week.
Both the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce endorsed the ordinance as did Spurs Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the city’s much-loved basketball franchises the Spurs and the women’s Silver Stars team.
Tea party darling, state Sen. Donna Campbell, sent a letter to Mayor Julian Castro in which she declared: “Any ordinance that ostracizes a majority of it’s citizens for their personal religious beliefs is wrong, whether you agree with those beliefs or not. It threatens our liberty and epitomizes the worst of Big Government. This ordinance doesn’t strengthen our rights as citizens. It weakens them.”
Eight members of the Bexar County delegation in the Texas Legislature, including Mike Villarreal, Ruth Jones McClendon, Justin Rodriguez, Joe Farias, Roland Gutierrez, Trey Martinez-Fischer, Phil Cortez and Jose Menendez, signed a statement of support for Bernal’s proposal.
In a letter to Councilman Bernal, Congressman Lloyd Doggett wrote, “The failure to address discrimination at the state and federal level makes action by San Antonio all the more important. And actually, some of the recent comments made in opposition to you demonstrate why prompt action is necessary.”
© 2013 dallasvoice.com
http://www.dallasvoice.com/breaking-san-antonio-council-passes-nondiscrimination-ordinance-10156336.html [with comments]
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The Gay Christian Mingle
September 03, 2013
If you're gay, God has a match for you. As long as you know how to game the system.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/44274464b3/the-gay-christian-mingle [the above YouTube of the video at "Gay Christian Mingle Spoof Has Just As Much Kitchen Dancing As Regular Christian Mingle Ads", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blvubpwGNNI , with text from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/gay-christian-mingle-video_n_3860137.html (with comments)] [and see http://www.jdate.com/ ]
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ChristianMingle.com TV Spot, 'Lori & Curtis' Song by Jars Of Clay
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7whX/christianmingle-com-lori-and-curtis-song-by-jars-of-clay [with comment]
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Barry Smitherman, Texas Attorney General Candidate, Says Abortion Will Bring Divine 'Reckoning'
Texas Attorney General candidate Barry Smitherman addressed abortion in a speech last week.
By John Celock
Posted: 09/05/2013 10:50 am EDT | Updated: 09/05/2013 3:42 pm EDT
A Republican candidate for Texas attorney general told an anti-abortion group last week that China's so-called one child policy could unleash a plague on the country similar to the one described in the Bible.
Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman, who is seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general, appeared last week before the Texas Alliance for Life to deliver a wide-ranging speech that largely centered on his opposition to China's abortion practices. He touched on a number of other abortion- and sex-related issues, arguing among other things that abortion rates have hurt the American economy. Smitherman's speech is posted [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ] at his campaign website and was reported by the Dallas Observer this week [ http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/09/attorney_general_barry_smither.php ].
Smitherman discussed the Chinese policy, saying that it has hurt that nation, and then compared it to the Old Testament narrative about the enslavement of the Hebrews in Egypt. He noted that in the Bible, after pharaoh orders the drowning of the first-born sons of the Hebrews, some years later Moses warns the pharaoh that "10 plagues" would come to Egypt, including the death of the first-born sons, if he does not release the Hebrews.
"Attempts at genocide, like pharaoh's, do not go without inevitable 'reckoning.' In the case of the Egyptians, all their first-born, including pharaoh's son, were killed, and once mighty Egypt became merely a footnote in human history and a place where we used to visit (but not anymore since the 'Arab spring') the pyramids," Smitherman said [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ]. "In the case of China's one child policy, we have a modern-day example of what happens when a society does not honor 'life.' And like what happened to the Egyptians under pharaoh, this too, I predict, will end badly for the Chinese."
He also cited a Chinese professor as saying that the one child policy will bring about "Mother Nature's revenge."
Smitherman, who has four children [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/about-barry/ ], encouraged people to have lots of children in order to help the U.S. economy. He also argued that society needs to give more to help those with many children, and called for tax breaks for large families. He said that abortion caused a loss of 80 million Americans, which has impacted the economy.
"At a time when our federal debt is almost $17 trillion, having another $82.5 mm [sic] people, hitting their stride in the work force, would help to reduce our per capita debt obligations, but most likely would also produce meaningful additional GDP to propel our economy and I bet they would vote Republican," he said, according to the transcript posted to his website [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/smithermans-remarks-at-the-texas-alliance-for-life/ ].
Smitherman told young men in the audience that they need to practice abstinence, but that they should be prepared to marry the woman if she becomes pregnant. But he encouraged them to marry at a young age in order to start having children.
Smitherman made headlines earlier this year [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/12/barry-smitherman-texas_n_3069881.html ] for retweeting a tweet from a self-described "crazy writer" that included a photo that depicted nooses around the necks of Republican U.S. senators who voted to open debate on a gun control bill.
Smitherman was appointed [ http://www.barryfortexas.com/about-barry/ ] to the Railroad Commission by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in 2011 and was elected to the seat in 2012. Republicans state Rep. Dan Branch and state Sen. Ken Paxton are also seeking the attorney general nomination.
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/barry-smitherman-abortion-plagues_n_3872732.html [with comments]
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Alex Wagner, Ron Paul Have Extremely Tense Argument
Posted: 09/05/2013 1:41 pm EDT | Updated: 09/05/2013 4:28 pm EDT
Alex Wagner and Ron Paul got into an extremely heated debate on Thursday after she questioned his speaking engagement at what she said has been called an "anti-Semite group."
The former Congressman was on to talk about his new venture, the Ron Paul Channel. Wagner asked Paul about his upcoming speaking gig at the Fatima Center [ http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/20/ron-paul-to-headline-september-anti-semitic-conference/ ] in Canada, saying that it has been called a "hard-core anti-Semite group." For its part, the organization has denied [ http://www.fatima.org/news/enlarchive/press_release090313.pdf ] that the conference has anything to do with anti-Semitism.
"Is this something that you would reconsider doing?" Wagner asked on Thursday.
"No," Paul began, adding that he talks to Republicans who disagree with him. "I'm going to a conservative, Catholic group that is pro-peace, and wants to hear my foreign policy and my take on economy," he said. "I wouldn't be on this station if I had to have a litmus test. I mean, you have --"
"This station --" Wagner tried to interject.
"-- Why can't I go there?" Paul shouted.
Wagner said that there was a difference between MSNBC and the Fatima Center, citing the group's views. Paul said that he had "nothing to do with" the Fatima Center's beliefs, adding, "Sounds to me like you have me on here to bash Catholics!"
Later, he questioned why she brought the subject up, saying, "It astounds me." Wagner proceeded to explain her line of questioning. Watch the debate unfold in the [embedded] video above.
Copyright © 2013 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/alex-wagner-ron-paul-anti-semite_n_3874640.html [with embedded video, and comments]
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Greensburg, KS - 5/4/07
"Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty."
from John Philpot Curran, Speech
upon the Right of Election, 1790
F6
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