It was a bizarre apparition. At the Con convention yesterday during a discussion on how to modernize the Harper Party, MP Marilyn Gladu came out dressed as the Grim Reaper. In what was apparently an attempt to make fun of the idea that the Cons are doomed after losing the last election. But as it turns out maybe Gladu did choose the right costume. And the right words. Because today the loser party will discuss same-sex marriage.
For almost ten years Stephen Harper never ceased to show his contempt for gay Canadians. He voted against every gay rights bill that came before parliament. He cut off funding to all LGBT groups. And he never changed the party platform that calls for same sex marriage to be banned. But now with their convention only weeks away, that issue may be coming back to haunt the Cons.
The timing couldn't have been better, coming as it did two days before the 46th anniversary of the so-called Stonewall Riots in New York City...
The revolt that is principally credited as the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the United States. And is celebrated every year with pride marches all over the world. But millions and millions of LGBT Americans still had to struggle for almost half a century against the most insane and brutish bigotry, to be granted this measure of human equality.
It's a great day to be Irish. A great day for human equality, a day when love defeated hate. Ireland became the first country in the world to adopt same-sex marriage by popular vote as 62 per cent of the electorate backed a referendum, official results showed on Saturday. Somewhere the spirit of its gentle poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, who was broken by bigotry, must be smiling. As are so many gay people...
I almost wish Margaret Thatcher was still alive so she could have seen the rainbow flag flying over government buildings in London today. Because her infamous Section 28 anti-gay law, which was similar to the one in Russia today, crushed a generation of young LGBT people. So the sight of those flags and all those happy couples probably would have killed her.
As you probably know I have appointed myself the unofficial campaign manager (in the heathen areas) of Jason Kenney's leadership campaign. In the firm belief that if he replaces Stephen Harper the Cons will be gone for a GENERATION. And so far we're doing well, the wind and the Lord are in our sails, and as you can see from his twitter feed Jason is campaigning all-out. One moment he's in Newfoundland, the next moment he's in BC, while still managing to hit every church, mosque, synagogue, and temple in between. So you can imagine how horrified I was to read this article.
I've been studiously trying to ignore anything that happens in the United States these days. Because it's summer, the place is a mad house, and if I need crazy I've got Harper eh? But I couldn't ignore the screams and the tears of joy of millions of gay Americans and their friends today. Or the sparkly unicorn of this great victory.
Glory Hallelujah. I see that Pope Benny has decided to take early retirement. "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," the Pope said. Leaving us to wonder whether it was his health, his conscience, or something the butler said.
I've been so busy celebrating Obama's big victory, that I haven't been able to do this story justice. For it too was an amazing victory, and a tribute to all those gay Americans who never gave up the struggle despite one bitter defeat after the other. Never gave up spreading the word that marriage equality is a human right. And love is love...
Show how much you hate General Mills for supporting gay marriage.
"We do not believe the proposed constitutional amendment is in the best interests of our employees or our state economy," the company's vice president for global diversity and inclusion, Ken Charles, is quoted by the publication as saying. "We value diversity. We value inclusion."
By turning up outside company headquarters, with a box of cheerios in one hand, and a blowtorch in the other.
“At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Mr. Obama said.
It won't make any difference to gay couples in many states like North Carolina.
But in a country as homophobic as the United States it was a courageous gesture.
First they were allowed to get married, and then they were told they couldn't. One day they had human rights, the next day they were stolen. But today in California they won another big victory.
“All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same sex-couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation ‘marriage,” the judge wrote, adding: “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in California."
I'm so proud of my brothers and sisters who refused to give up. And I'm so grateful to the plaintiffs who led the charge. Like this lesbian couple and their teenage sons.
"Today, the 9th Circuit [Court of Appeals] said to our family that we are equal under the law," she said, adding that now, "we can see over the dark wall of discrimination."
I don't know why the Unrepentant Old Hippie feels she has the right to dump on progressives, in such a foamy manner, for having the decency to defend the human rights of gays and lesbians.
Especially since she regularly accuses progressives who despise Stephen Harper and his foul Cons, of suffering from "Harper Derangement Symptom." And probably voted for him, because like him she thinks Big Government and taxes are bad, capitalism and greed are good, anyone left of Michael Ignatieff is a commie, the Canadian occupiers are spoiled kids and rabid animals, and Great Not So Bad leader promised to kill her hated gun registry.
He can try to hide behind big legal words. He can claim he didn't know. But nobody can deny that this is a brutal assault on gay people.
The Harper government is being accused of taking away same-sex rights by “stealth” in light of a surprise government stand that non-resident gay and lesbian couples who flocked to Canada to exchange vows really aren’t legally married after all.
He can claim he isn't reopening the gay marriage debate, when this stealth offensive, like the one on abortion, was carefully crafted by the religious fanatics that run the PMO. And he is reopening the debate, by sticking a knife into the side of gay equality.
For most Canadians, same-sex marriage is a settled issue and part of the landscape. Despite some people’s fears, Stephen Harper’s government hasn’t used its majority to reopen the marriage debate in Parliament. But in two recent cases, government lawyers are taking a position that is inconsistent with gay men’s and lesbians’ hard-fought equality.
Michele Bachmann believes that gays should be able to get married as long as they marry somebody of the opposite sex.
Jane Schmidt, a student at Waverly High School, in Waverly, Iowa, recently asked Michele Bachmann, “Why can’t same-sex couples get married?”
“They can get married,” Bachmann responded, “but they abide by the same law as everyone else. They can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”
It took a long time, even in the place where the gay rights revolution was born. Every homophobic group in Amerika tried to stop it. But tonight the state of New York finally legalized gay marriage.
Here's the historic vote as covered by Rachel Maddow:
Can you believe it? Almost 42 years to the day since the Stonewall Uprising, gays and lesbians in that state have finally won the right to celebrate their love.
I dedicate this moment to Patrick, and all those who could not live to see this day. But they are with us now in Heaven, and we can know at least we - and so many straight people - did not let them down.
You think it’s going to stop with this? You think now bigamists are going to want their rights to marry? You think somebody that wants to marry his sister is going to now say “I have a right”? I mean, it’s the same principle, isn’t it?
You know...the Empire State Building is decked out in the rainbow colours these days to mark Pride Week.
It was a grey and rainy Monday, so imagine how great it was to stumble home from work, and see this beautiful rainbow streaming down on my island.
Especially since I know that a sight like that must drive these rainbow chasers CRAZY.
A Canadian Catholic school has banned pupils from using rainbows, the symbol of the gay pride movement.
However, clever pupils led by 16-year-old Leanne Iskander found a novel way to get their message across – by using food dyes to make cupcakes with a secret rainbow centre.
But the way I see it eh? If those nasty bigots don't like that rainbow.
Can you believe those Reform homophobes? Voting unanimously to take away the rights of gay people, while calling themselves mainstream, and Canada's party. Gimme a break.
Oh sure. I know that a lot of people think they won't ban gay marriage or severely restrict access to abortion. But I don't believe that for a moment.
As I'm always pointing out, by cutting party subsidies the Cons will make themselves even more dependent on donations from their rabid religious base. And those crazed fanatics WILL demand their pound of bloody flesh. The writing is on the wall. And those who can't see it are either suckers or collaborators.
Oh well. What can we do ? Except help our LGBT kids any way we can.
And if the bigots don't like our freedom rainbow. And they won't choke on those cupcakes.
We'll just have to take to the streets.
And wave this one in their faces...
Because I couldn't be more ready eh?
The Gay Brigade will join forces with the Brigette Brigade.
"To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal... But I believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is my personal viewpoint. I do not hate anyone."
“I completely and whole-heartedly support Todd Reynolds and his support for the traditional and TRUE (sic) meaning of marriage,” he Tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Minutes later, he wrote: “Reynolds … Peter Vidmar … coming under the attack of the so-called liberal left.”
Great eh? No wonder the NHL world is one of the last bastions of homophobia in this country. No wonder it's such an ugly place of brutish violence, too many concussions, and Don Cherry. No wonder gay hockey players don't dare come out.
Do you really think gay marriage is safe in Harperland? Don't count on it.
