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Blend-o-licious endorsements...
The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend: "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
While this is not a gay issue per se, I have to point something out about the situation involving SC Governor Mark Sanford's fight against President Obama's stimulus package.
One reason is that I am resident of South Carolina and it affects me as well as every other resident of the state be they lgbt or heterosexual.
The second reason is because of what I saw on the editorial page of The State, South Carolina's main newspaper.
To put it nicely, Governor Sanford is being destroyed, annihiliated, and figuratively tarred and feathered for his stance against taking stimulus money to help education.
While the most recent scientific poll conducted on the issue of gays in the military shows a supermajority of American's supporting repeal of laws banning open service, there are still a few bigots who beleive allowing openly gay troops into the ranks will "break the All-Volunteer Force."
This week, Elaine Donnelly and her cohorts at the Center for Military Readiness, released a letter urging President Obama to support "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The letter was signed by nearly 1,000 retired military officers, including retired Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr.
Some may remember Mundy as the former commandant of the Marine Corps who once explained away the lack of African-American officers in the Marines by telling60 Minutes:
"in the military skills, we find that the minority officers do not shoot as well as the non-minorities. They don't swim as well. And when you give them a compass and send them across the terrain at night in a land navigation exercise, they don't do as well at that sort of thing."
So when Mundy says allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly,
"would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force."
The Iowa Supreme Court this morning unanimously upheld gays' right to marry.
"The Iowa statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution," the justices said in a summary of their decision.
The court rules that gay marriage would be legal in three weeks, starting April 24.
The court affirmed a Polk County District Court decision that would allow six gay couples to marry.
The ruling is viewed as a victory for the gay rights movement in Iowa and elsewhere, and a setback for social conservatives who wanted to protect traditional families.
I'm opening up a thread for those of you who are eager to know how the Iowa Supreme Court will rule on marriage equality. The Iowa Judicial Branch web site will have the news, expected 8:30 AM CT. Share your thoughts -- and breaking news.
This is a piece by Marty Rouse, National Field Director of the HRC, who urges readers to take action and thank those Vermont legislators who shared their moving stories last night (and it was hard not to shed a tear if you watched or listened. Many Blenders in the chat room were). A victory for equality is still within reach. --Pam
Five Votes From Making History in Vermont - From Marty Rouse, National Field Director of the Human Rights Campaign
I just watched live streamed video of 95 out of 150 members of the Vermont House, Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, married, divorced, single, gay, straight, voting minutes ago for marriage equality.
Most of the legislators spoke and many gave moving testimony. Their words and stories demonstrated that this vote was much more than a political vote; it was a deeply personal one. Hearing some of the stories, from mother of gay kids, hearing the personal stories of the openly gay and lesbian legislators, seeing my friends talk about their personal struggle and path to voting for fairness tonight brought tears to my eyes.
Having worked in Vermont to elect a fair-minded majority in the state Senate in 1996 (the Clinton White House sent me there to run his re-election campaign), and then returning in 2000 to protect the pro-Civil Union majority in the state Senate (and then returning in 2002 to rebuild a pro-equality majority in the House after they lost control in 2000). And as a former resident of Vermont who also adopted one of our two sons from that wonderful state, this vote was both political and deeply personal for me, too.
I helped elect many of the legislators that voted tonight (and tried to defeat a few as well). I shared meals in their kitchens; I slept in their homes; I read and played with their kids.
Many of these legislators were simply farmers, teachers, retirees, grandmothers, before they decided to serve their state. Some still remembered the divisive vote of 2000. Take Back Vermont! yardsigns were sprinkled across the state. It was an ugly time to be in Vermont. That vote tore families apart. I know one man who still is not talking to his Uncle because of his vote nine years ago against civil unions.
Whatever we feel about this "issue," it is very, very personal.
What amazes me most about tonight's Vermont vote, the first state to vote to ban slavery and the first state to grant all the state's benefits of marriage to gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, was that the term civil unions was created in the Vermont legislature only nine years ago. Think about that; we now have marriage equality in two states, and may have it in five in a few weeks (Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont). In nine short years, we have made civil unions seem so......20th Century.
Governor Jim Douglas has said he intends to veto the bill. The bill heads into final technical passage in the House tomorrow and then returns to the state Senate for concurrence (remember last week's overwhelming 26-4 vote there). The bill should land on Governor Douglas' desk next Tuesday; he'll likely immediately veto and then the House will likely try to override on Tues, Wed, or Thurs of next week.
Since some Democrats who voted against the bill tonight may vote with their party to override (and some Rs who voted for the bill may not want to vote to override their Governor), it is not completely clear how close the votes are to override. If all 150 members show up, 100 votes are needed for override. Advocates believe they are very close to having the votes to override. We could very well be only 5 votes short of an overide, and we have less than a week to get them. Vermont could very well be the first state in our nation to enact marriage equality by the legislature....or not. One vote could make the difference.
Vermont Freedom to Marry has done an amazing job in getting us to this place today. We owe Beth Robinson everything. We should all crack open a pint of Vermont maple syrup in her honor.
What can we do to help get this bill over the finish line and enacted? Email, post on facebook, call, everyone you know who lives in Vermont and urge them to call their state Representative and ask them to vote to override the Governor on the marriage bill. This really may come down to one vote. So please take action today.
Here we go again...the e-blasts of lies about hate crimes legislation, courtesy of KKK mailing list-procurer Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council. As expected, they are back to laying the "religious persecution" groundwork.
From: Tony Perkins [mailto:reply@frcaction.org] Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 4:01 PM To: xx Subject: Stop the hate crimes bill
Stop President Obama's Agenda to Silence Your Beliefs March 31, 2009 | Share with Friends
Dear xx,
Please help FRC Action persuade conservatives and centrist Democrats in the Congress to stop a proposed federal "hate crimes" law that could lead to the criminalization of the biblical view of homosexuality in sermons and elsewhere.
With your secure online gift, FRC Action -- the legislative advocacy arm of Family Research Council -- will be your voice to protect the gospel and tell Congress: "The Bible is no hate crime!"
Our expert staff on Capitol Hill will talk to members and their staffs. We will talk to policy-makers such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Sen. McConnell is the man most able to rally the 40 votes needed to filibuster the so-called "hate" crimes bill and stop it.
Please give, and please pray for our efforts (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
Many members of Congress are simply unaware of how dangerous the proposed "hate crimes" law is. FRC Action will warn them that this could lead to simple expressions of religious faith-including sermons and radio broadcasts-being prosecuted as "hate."
Our nation is at a danger point. In 2007, such a "hate crimes" bill actually passed the House (HR 1592) and the Senate (SB 1105)-but died when President Bush threatened a veto.
Now, President Obama has made passing the Hate Crimes law a top priority.
A "hate crimes" law is really a "thought crime" law that punishes a person's beliefs-part of the Left's intolerant agenda to silence the voice of Christians and Conservatives in America and eliminate moral restraint.
How would it happen?
A federal "hate crimes" law prohibiting "bodily injury" could be construed by many law enforcement officials and judges to include words that inflict emotional or psychological distress.
That means an "offended" homosexual could accuse a religious broadcaster . . . a pastor . . . Sunday School teacher . . . or other individual of causing emotional injury simply by expressing the biblical view that homosexual behavior is morally wrong and unhealthy.
That's all it could take to trigger a wave of federal prosecutions and begin an era of censorship like America has never seen!
Remember, all violent criminals should be prosecuted but we already have laws for that.
Sincerely, Tony Perkins President
P.S. After you give here, you can go to FRC Action's website www.FightHateCrimes.com to learn more - and inform others!
FRC Action is a tax-exempt corporation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Financial contributions to FRC Action are not tax-deductible.
The truth -- and FRC's broken record -- are below the fold.
The heartwrenching personal testimony of gay and lesbian legislators and allies was not enough to sway enough votes to stave off a veto by Republican Governor Jim Douglas. The bill passed 95-52.
Vermont's House of Representatives gave preliminary approval tonight to a historic same-sex marriage bill, setting up a showdown with Gov. Jim Douglas.
After nearly four hours of passionate debate from supporters and opponents of the measure, the House approved the bill shortly after 9 p.m. The legislation, S.115, gives same-sex couples the right to marry in Vermont.
The bill will be brought up again Friday for final approval, then return to the Senate, where changes to language must be approved. Should the Senate OK those changes, the bill will head to Douglas' desk and a promised veto.
A veto override is still possible, of course, but the bill's supporters need 99 votes -- can they find five minds to change?
My, my, is this what we call progress in the New World Police State? Taser International has convinced our friends across the pond to deploy the "electronic control device" in London this week, where protestors can feel the burn, as it were, if they get too out of hand. (AlterNet):
Months after the Republican National Convention in the U.S., such sweeping security measures may seem to be par for the course. But in the UK -- where police forces have traditionally not carried guns -- it was not that long ago that Tasers were new to the streets. Since their arrival in the spring of 2003, however, their popularity has skyrocketed; last fall, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith unveiled a plan to spend £8 million on Tasers and Taser training for 30,000 police officers, providing some 10,000 new Tasers to police across England and Wales. "I am proud that we have one of the few police services around the world that do not regularly carry firearms," Smith said, "and I want to keep it that way." But an arms expert at Amnesty International UK called the move "a dangerous step in British policing," citing "numerous" taser deaths in North America as a cautionary example.
There are plenty of cases to review right here on the Blend. But Taser International is now offering a model with new and enhanced capabilities that is surely going to be attractive to the sadist set...
On March 31, the company's latest Taser model -- called the Shockwave -- hit the market; according to Taser International website, it "allows for both increased safety and stand-off capability during hostile situations, minimizing risk with a stand-off distance of up to 100 meters." But as Dalia Hashad, director of Amnesty International's USA Program focusing on domestic human rights, wrote about the product last falll, the Shockwave "belongs in my 'You've Got to Be Kidding' file along with Taser International's leopard-print MP3 player that doubles as a taser and their employment of Playboy Bunnies for promotion." The company's literature shows it to be a powerful crowd-control weapon:
"With the push of a button at a stand-off distance of up to 100 meters, the Shockwave unit deploys multiple standard TASER® cartridges that are oriented across an area arc. Full area coverage is provided to instantaneously incapacitate multiple personnel within that region."
En masse Tasing capability -- when law enforcement cannot even educate cops on the beat to use a single-stun device appropriately -- is unbelievable. Take a look at this device in action (via EnGadget):
The first (gulp) generation of Taser remote area denial systems consists of a Taser 6-shooter module covering a 20-degree arc at 25-feet. Best of all, they can be daisy-chained into an apparently endless array of hot neuro muscular incapacitation action.
(Thanks to my friend kellyanon, I saw this post over at the California Ripple Effect. Well, I got a hold of Daniel, and asked him to crosspost it here at Pam's House Blend. Graciously, he accepted. :) - promoted by Autumn Sandeen)
Daniel Gould is the Health and Human Services Network Coordinator for Equality California Institute. He and Government Affairs Director Alice Kessler attended the Transgender Leadership Summit last weekend, presented by EQCAI. Here’s what happened:
The Transgender Leadership Summit started on Friday night with an impressive pair of speakers: the fabulous Susan Striker and a heartfelt talk by Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of Gwen Araujo. Following the bright pink Transgender Leadership Summit signs across the UCSD campus, I found the Student Services Center Auditorium packed with all kinds of trans folk and allies from across the state.
The Vermont House is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state and hundreds of people have already arrived at the statehouse for the historic vote.
It's expected the bill will pass the House, but it's unclear if the bill will receive a minimum of 100 votes, the margin needed to override a promised veto by Gov. Jim Douglas.
The Des Moines Register reports that the long-awaited ruling on same-sex marriage in Iowa is about to hit on Friday around 8:30 AM.
The case, Varnum vs. Brien, involves six same-sex Iowa couples who sued Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien in 2005, after his office denied them marriage licenses. Polk County District Judge Robert Hanson sided with the couples in a ruling last year, but he suspended his decision until the high court speaks.
The case would have consequences outside the state's borders. Iowa would become the first Midwestern state to allow same-sex marriage and the fourth in the nation if the court sides with the gay couples. Legal experts say such a decision would echo across the country and strengthen the gay rights movement.
...If the court tosses the issue back into the hands of the Iowa Legislature, there are only about two weeks or so left in this session. Openly gay state Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, said he doubts lawmakers would take any action on gay marriage this late.
"I would not anticipate that this body would want to take any action in the final, waning days of the session because there's so many other issues involving the budget and taxes but that would be a decision for the leaders to make," McCoy said.
Court administrators are already making preparations for rallies and protests around the judicial building, saying "the judicial branch reserves the right to restrict private activities in the building and on its adjoining grounds to ensure the administration of justice at all stages is free from disruption, interference, and undue influence."
More here. Lambda Legal will hold a press conference tomorrow:
Who: Camilla Taylor, Senior Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal and lead architect of the Iowa marriage case will debrief the media on the impact of the Court's ruling. Clients will share their reaction. Carolyn Jenison, Executive Director of One Iowa will provide official response from Iowa's statewide gay and lesbian advocacy organization.
When: Friday, April 3 at 9:15 a.m.
Where: Hotel Fort Des Moines, 1000 Walnut St., Des Moines
History of Lambda Legal's Lawsuit:
In December 2005, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit with the Polk County Court on behalf of six same-sex couples and their children who were denied marriage licenses in Iowa, arguing that denying marriage to same-sex couples violates the liberty and equality guarantees in the Iowa Constitution. In August of 2007 the district court ruled that denying marriage to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Oral argument at the Iowa Supreme Court was held on December 9, 2009.
The Iowa case is: Varnum v. Brien
Camilla Taylor, Senior Staff Attorney and Kenneth Upton, Jr., Supervising Senior Staff Attorney are handling the case for Lambda Legal. They are joined by former Iowa Solicitor General Dennis Johnson of Dorsey and Whitney in Des Moines.
Today is World Autism Awareness Day- please check out the various information and scheduled events. And share with those who may be overwhelmed and in search of information and hope.
The on-the-clock behavior of Chicago Police Officer Richard Fiorito is going to be the focus of a press conference held by the Gay Liberation Network. Multiple federal lawsuits have benf filed against the cop, who is accused of hurling anti-gay and racial epithets and falsifying DUI and traffic charges, focusing on harassing LGBTs.
According to one of the attorneys, Brendan Shiller, Dean was arrested on Oct. 7, 2007 for driving on a suspended license and taken to the Town Hall District station, where he spent about 1 1/2 hours before bonding out.
His car also had been towed there, and after he was released Dean was standing in the parking lot wondering how he was going to get his car home when Fiorito approached and ordered him to move the vehicle, the lawyer said.
Dean complied and drove "around the corner," where Fiorito allegedly pulled him over, Shiller said. According to the suit, the officer cited Dean for several offenses, including operating a vehicle without insurance, driving on a suspended license and DUI. Shiller said Fiorito called Dean anti-gay names and used a racial slur in his report.
In Rauch's case, Shiller said Fiorito made a traffic stop on April 17, 2007 in which he "manhandled" Rauch and calling him anti-gay names. Though Rauch was charged with DUI, the lawyer said, Fiorito didn't perform field-sobriety tests, nor did he conduct a breathalyzer test.
Shiller is one of four attorneys also representing Susan Kolinek, who was stopped by Fiorito on Jan. 10 and allegedly called anti-gay names.
Rauch's attorney, Jon F. Erickson, said "[Fiorito] grabbed Rauch's throat, slammed him up against the wall and called him a faggot."
Some of the victims of Fiorito's alleged misconduct, their attorneys, and community activists will appear at the GLN press conference at 11 AM in the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Court Building, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago. From its press release:
According to several of Fiorito's victims, the transport officer from the 23rd to the 19th Districts routinely informs defendants that "Fiorito is an overtime whore and the arrestee should get a lawyer." No official action has been taken to curb Fiorito, 60, who is assigned to the 23rd District "Town Hall" police station at Addison and Halsted. Fiorito is among the state's highest writers of DUI tickets and arrested over 300 people for DUI last year.
On Thursday, four more federal lawsuits will be filed against Fiorito, in addition to three already filed, alleging that he targets lesbian and gay for false charges, frequently using anti-gay epithets during arrests, and occasionally uses excessive force. Attorney Jon Erickson says that as many as 11 more similar suits will be filed against Fiorito over the next six weeks.
In two separate cases of lesbians arrested by Fiorito, the lock-up officers at the Belmont and Western 19th District station made entries on the arrest report that directly contradict Officer Fiorito's account.. In one report, the lock-up officer wrote that the subject was "not under the influence of alcohol/drugs," and that "Chicago Police Officer Neita was unable to detect the smell of alcohol coming from subject." In another report, the lock-up officer wrote, "arrestee entered women's lockup she seems to be fine at this time is speaking clearly."
In two other cases, Fiorito insisted on conducting field sobriety test which test the subject's ability to listen to and follow instructions even though the arrestees told Fiorito they are deaf. Lawyers claim Fiorito made bogus arrests to rack up overtime pay by appearing in court when he wasn't on duty.
I cannot bring myself to watch Glenn Beck, particularly since he has been unleashed in all his paranoid, weeping, untethered-from-reality glory on Faux News, but Stephen Colbert managed to catch the rant-fest host's reveal of his "9-12 Project to save the nation."
"My Glenn Beck fantasy came true," Colbert announced on Tuesday. "The fantasy where a hysterical Glenn Beck tells his audience of desperate shut-ins through tears and spittle that vague unnamed enemies have failed them and that it's time to take angry action."
"Are you ready to be that person that you were that day after 9/11?" Beck tearfully asked his audience.
Colbert helpfully explained that Beck is attempting to get us to move "beyond the fear we felt on 9/11 to the compassion we felt on 9/12. And hopefully, we'll all eventually get to the way Glenn felt on 9/9 of 2005."
On that date, Beck said, "You know, it took me about a year to start hating the 9/11 victims' families. ... When I see a 9/11 victim family on television of whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."
Bonus points for the appearance of Chuck Norris!
You have to read some of the comments from Glenn's army of fans...
(Thanks so much, Mike, for crossposting this from your blog: the Mike Tidmus Blog. This is a really well researched and well written piece! - promoted by Autumn Sandeen)
Walking in Hillcrest Monday afternoon, the cover of the San Diego Reader caught my eye. On a bright yellow background was a photograph of the back of a human being, topped with what appeared to be a papier-mâché rabbit head, seated at a desk while talking on a red telephone. I groaned when I read the headline “My Gender is Bunny,” because I knew that particular issue hit the stands just in time for the Transgender Leadership Summit that took place in San Diego last weekend.
I kept walking. The truth is, I’d sooner choke to death on a Dominos pizza than pick up a copy of the Reader, and neither prospect holds much appeal. Dominos founder Tom Monaghan is a well-known backer of the radical religious right and its anti-woman, anti-GLBT crusades — including Operation Rescue and the Thomas More Law Center. The Reader’s local rival, CityBeat, niftily summed up Jim Holman, the owner of the Reader, in an editorial a couple of years back:
The Catholic Crusader of Coronado is at it again. Jim Holman, the reclusive publisher of the San Diego Reader and San Diego News Notes (a rabidly religious publication that rails against Planned Parenthood and gay people), and his pro-life gang have been given the go-ahead by the state to gather signatures once again for a ballot measure aimed at keeping teen girls from having abortions until their parents have been notified.
That evening I got an email from San Diegan Autumn Sandeen, a respected, transgender blogger at Pam’s House Blend, who asked me to take a look at the Reader article and possibly respond by writing something. It took a couple of readings to understand what was going on. Between sections that read like a third-hand retelling of a William Gibson short story, the piece was peppered with nasty asides and innuendo about the subject of the article — an accomplished, transgender artist working on her MFA at UCSD named Micha Cárdenas and her work, Becoming Dragon, that is performed in an online virtual world known as Second Life.
The anti-transgender asides are hardly surprising given the folks behind the article.
Hoo-Rah! 
There are plenty of cases to review 
