Wisconsin Calling

Our brothers and sisters next door in Wisconsin our calling out for our help. They're trying to fill around twelve hundred voluteer shifts in their Get Out The Vote effort to defeat the anti-gay marriage amendment there. The effort focuses on getting voters to the polls that have already been identified as being opposed to the amendment. The activities center on phone banking and door knocking and since the targets are already identified as friendly, it really isn't a scarey process at all. I've signed up for phone banking shifts on Monday and Tuesday in Eau Claire. If anyone is interested in joining me, I have room in the van for about 5 people. My email: dugby3@yahoo.com. Put "Wisconsin Volunteer" in the subject line so I don't delete it by mistake. Here is the link to Fair Wisconsin: http://www.fairwisconsingroups.com/gotv Hi Dilly!

Otto Campaign Treatens Suit

On Thursday I reported a quote from David Strand of Minnesota Lavender Greens stating that Rebecca Otto had indicated support for the anti-gay marriage amendment in a candidate survey of the Minnesota Family Institute. Since then, the Otto campaign has called David Strand and threatened to sue him, claiming that Otto did not take the MFI survey. Of course, they didn't bother checking the MFI's voter guide, they simply went after the messenger with their guns blazing. If they had taken the trouble to simply go the the MFI Voter Guide site (linked below) they would have seen the source of the information cited by Strand. It's right there in black and white. Otto answers "YES" to the following statement: Minnesota Marriage Amendment- Do you support passage of a state constitutional amendment recognizing marriage or its equivalent as only a union between one man and one woman? There are also answers indicated from Otto on two more questions in the voter guide.

But if the MFI is at fault, don't expect Otto to go after the them the way she's going after Strand. She wouldn't want to alienate all the bigot friends she's made there by having voted for the anti-gay marriage amendment. No. It's far more expedient (not to mention familiar) to just beat up on the queer.

http://www.mnvoter.com/votersguide/metro/MFI_outstate_guide.pdf

Thursday's Freeway Blogging In Hudson, Wisconsin

We had the "Gay Marriage Threatens Nothing" shower curtain. There was good support from motorists.

DFL State Auditor Candidate, Otto, Two Faced

Rebecca Otto is the DFL endorsed candidate for State Auditor. You may not be aware that she is a supporter of the anti-gay efforts of former State Senator Michele Bachmann and her counterparts in the Minnesota House. As a Representative in the Minnesota House, Otto has been a supporter of the anti-gay marriage amendment although she now wants gay people to support HER. And, she is apparently willing to say anything to get that support.

This quote from David Strand of Minnesota Lavender Greens regarding candidate surveys filled out by Otto: "In the State Auditor race, both Green Dave Berger and DFL'er Rebecca Otto answered the survey. However,Rebecca's answers have been thrown into question because she appears to be trying to play both sides of the fence since she also answered a survey from theMinnesota Family Insitute where she affirmed support for a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage at the same time she's telling Outfront MNAction that she opposes it. Regardless of your position on the issue at hand, this raises questions of personal integrity and honesty on the part of Otto. How can she be trusted to audit fairly when she so readily engages in such chicanery to get elected?"

Indeed. Dave Berger, the Green Party candidate for State Auditor is in full support of equal marriage rights for same sex couples.

NJ Supreme Court Takes Cowards Way Out

They ruled that Gays don't have a right to "marrigae" but that it is unconstitutional to deny all the rights and responsibilities to same sex couples. They directed the legislature to either change the existing marriage statutes to include same sex couples or create a new structure with all the same rights and responsibilites of marriage. Oh, and the legislature CAN call it something different if they want to. How about "Second Class Citizenship." Of course, if they have the guts, the legislature can call it marriage.

The New Jersey Supreme Court obviously regards the denial of equal marriage rights for same sex couples as unconstitutional. They just didn't have the guts to do the right thing.

New Jersey Marriage Case Announced Today

This afternoon the New Jersey Supreme Court will announce it's decision with regard to a gay marriage case it heard in February of this year. Since New Jersey does not have a law prohibiting out of state couples from getting married there, the case, if decided our way would make it possible for same sex couples from around the country to travel to New Jersey and get married. Then, they could go back to their home state and sue for recognition of their legal, New Jersey marriage. I'm not getting my hopes up again.

Back To Wisconsin

We will head back to Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon for a little gay marriage freeway blogging. We may don helmets this time in anticipation of another flying water bottle.

INSANELY HYPOCRITICAL REPUBLICANS

Duane and I had a piece of lit put on my door today from two Republicans running for the legislature in Minnesota District 45. Unbelievable! Their lit states "It's YOUR right to vote on marriage." The NEXT LINE is, "So, why should YOUR LIFE be a political football? Why should special interests and career politicians be allowed to play with your life?" What??? How arrogant can these people possibly be? They are claiming that citizens have the RIGHT to subject other citizens' most personal and important life decision to a PUBLIC VOTE and then claim political interference in THEIR OWN LIFE???? Did they forget to take their meds?

Wednesday's Star Tribune Blogging

It was cold, wet and breezy on the corner of 5th and Portland in downtown Minneapolis yesterday with cars and trains blowing by, but the interaction with the public was more invigorating than the weather. The first response we got immediately after unfurling the latest shower curtain was a honk and a thumbs up from a man in a car waiting for the red light. There were similarly positive gestures from the people packed into the passing southbound light rail trains and several motorists shouted support from their windows as they sped by. Some pedestrians that came out of the Star Tribune said, "Good question" as they passed. Employees? One motorist yelled, "I'm glad they do." So, we know he can read.

We got into a few discussions about free speech with people and our position basically was: The Star Tribune is a private business and has the right to publish whatever they want. And, we have a right to stand on the public sidewalk, holding up a shower curtain that questions their judgement and intentions. Simple.

I did make the point with one person that if Kersten came to the publisher with a column opposing interracial marriage, the column would be tossed out along with Kersten. But, publishing columns that degrade gays and their families seems to be perfectly acceptable to the Star Tribune. Remember this is not the editorial page we're talking about, it's the news section. And really, if providing readers with a diversity of views is the paper's excuse for Kersten, then why don't they hire a Nazi to right about Jews, a Klansman to right about blacks, a Communist to cover business, an Atheist to cover the religion beat, etc. They dump on gays because it's easy, we don't make enough noise, which is why we wanted to show up on their doorstep.

The nice man in the picture with his arm around me was not part of the demonstration. He was just an enthusiastic supporter of free speech that stopped to chat and have his picture taken.

Gerry Studds' Husband Denied Pension

The fact that the husband of recently deceased, openly gay Congressman, Gerry Studds is being refused the survivor's portion of Studd's pension by the federal government is an intolerable disgrace. The officials responsible for dispersing the pension have cited DOMA, the deceitfully named "Defense Of Marriage Act," as grounds for their refusal. That's right, the same DOMA that was supported by Paul Wellstone and signed into law by Bill Clinton. Minni me versions were passed by most states with the support of "Democratic" lawmakers. We expect it from Republicans but from the party that expects our money and our votes, it continues to be a deep betrayal and a deal breaker for my family that joined the Greens several years ago.

Perhaps this despicable mistreatment of the family of one of their fallen presents an opportunity for the Dems to redeem themselves. If by some miracle they don't fuck up another election cakewalk being presented to them on a silver platter, they might find it in their hearts to correct past misdeeds by moving to repeal DOMA. They could name the effort in recognition of the disgracefully discriminatory treatment of the family of Gerry Studds. Like that's going to happen.

Wednesday 4:00 Kersten Demonstration@Star Tribune

Bob and I will be outside the Star Tribune on Wednesday at 4 PM calling attention to the fact that the paper employs an anti-gay bigot to comment on gay issues. A bit like paying a Klansman to comment on African/American issues. The shower curtain will reflect such sentiment. We plan on being near 5th Street to catch the eye of light rail commuters. Those of like mind are welcome to join us with your own signs. We can guarantee at least two people being there. We'll probably knock off around 5:30.

More NCOD

This photo gives no indication of the mini blizzard that was going on minutes earlier while I was putting this shower curtain up yesterday afternoon. The snow was heavey for several minutes, then sun.

Matt joined me for this happy, above the freeway celebration of National Coming Out Day. We were waving to the nice motorists and they were waving and honking back. Being unprepared for the sudden wintery weather, we had one pair of gloves between us. So, one wore the right glove and waved on the right side of the sign and one wore the left glove and waved on the left side of the sign.

Why do this? Well, it's fun...and I think we homosexuals should each try to contribute to having a public presence on something called National Coming Out Day, even if it's a little thing, like this. It's another chance to show that we are proud to be what we are, plus...it pisses off the bigots.

National Coming Out Day!

Here's a good old shower curtain for this special day. We used this one when Fred Phelps came to town to bother that religious organization that elected the gay bishop. The Episcapelians(sp?) had a convention at the Minneapolis Convention Center. As I recall, we had a good response from most of the conventioneers passing by but of course we were just too sinful for some. They said our shower curtain should say "GOD Is Good." Get your own shower curtain.

The Phelps people are just so over the top. I remember thinking that with their signs about "god hates america" and such, that they're really damaging themselves much more than any counterdemonstration could. Still, it was entertaining to see them. They're just so silly.

A Word On FoleyGate

Brian Ross, the reporter who broke this story has stated on national television that Republicans brought the story to him. Hmmm. It seems to me that a party that knows it is about to lose power because it is riddled with unprecedented corruption, lied us into an illegal war, destroyed our country's image around the world, etc., etc., etc...would prefer to have their demise remembered as the result of an unfortunate sex scandal perpetrated by "one of those awful homosexuals who fooled us into thinking he was one of us." Much easier to recover from the latter public memory than the former.

The Republicans know what the polls are saying. They know they're going down anyway. Foleygate is damage control and an investment in their future. Just imagine every Republican talking head for the next two years and beyond, everytime they're asked about why they lost the 2006 election. The first words out of their mouths will be "we're being punished for the unfortunate actions of one person." And, the corporate media will be happy to assist them in their charade, moulding the false public memory that will allow the fascists a swifter return to power.

Do It Yourself Impeachment

One last shot of someone's sign at Thursday's Impeachment demonstration. (does not appear to be a shower curtain) :)

The group that organized this demonstration, Impeach For Peace has a neat tool that everyone can access and participate directly in the impeachment process. Apparently, citizens are able to submit a document to the House Judiciary Committee called a "memorial." This instrument has been used in the past by citizens to initiate the impeachment of a federal official and we can use it today to impeach someone else. Now, we know that the Republicans currently in control of our government have absolutely NO regard for the Constitution and are not likely to be impressed by things like rules and precedent, but this action may be an important enducement to members of the next Congress. If the Democrats gain control of Congress, they will need to have their extremely weak backbones stiffened so they can dare to whisper the idea of impeaching the most vile, treasonous, murderous criminals to ever soil public office. So, you can download and print these documents at http://impeachforpeace.org. There are explicit instrutions included. Spread it around.

IMPEACH BUSH Demonstration

Here's one scene from the big Impeach Bush demonstration yesterday in downtown Minneapolis. That's Jay Pond, another rare, Gay Marriage candidate. He is, in fact, gay and running for Congress from the 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis. Jay is endorsed by the Green Party, and supports full marriage equality for same sex couples, no separate and unequal civil union bullshit. Jay is a serious candidate who also supports single payer healthcare, an immediate end to the Iraq war and the impeachment and prosecution of the fascist Bush regime. See more at: JayPond.org.

This sign at the protest, I think, presents the most compelling reason not only for impeaching Bush but for overturning Congress. The government is no longer enforcing the Constitution. Neither you nor your family members have any protection from being picked up by agents of the government (and that includes local police) and being disappeared forever. No lawyers, no judges, no charges. Your husband or wife or child may go to work or school one day and never come home again. They or you can just disappear into some hell hole jail being illegally operated with your tax money and there is no recourse. This is the law Congress passed last month. This from a government "Of, By and For the People." And don't count on the Democrats to fix this. Think of how "bravely" and "vigorously" they've resisted this fascist onslought so far. We are on our own.

This one gets the "Most Original" award.

Bob Gets Quoted In Star Tribune

An article in today's edition of the Star Tribune regarding the "Stamp Out Gay Families" conference and our protest at Excel yesterday features a quote by our own Bob Halfhill. He said, "It (gay marriage) wouldn't harm heterosexual marriage...that's just silly. I'm tired of religious fanatics be they Christian or Muslim." Way to go Bob!

The article also says we both live in Minneapolis. I actually live in Robbinsdale with my husband, Duane.

GOOD FOR AMERICA - Queer Blogging the Excel

The religion reporter for the Star Tribune was nice enough to take our picture this afternoon before she interviewed us. We were situated across Kellogg Blvd. from River Center at the entrance to the main parking ramp, an ideal location for maximum exposure of our message to the queer-hating religious fanatics attending the Family Something Blah Blah Blah conference. Every car that went in from either direction had to pass within twenty feet of us. Some of the attendees found this rather distressing. One woman yelled from her car, "you're a disgrace!" I said, "Bob, did you hear what that woman yelled at you?"

There were many expressions of support from passing motorists and pedestrians. I suspect many of them were on their way to the demonstration sponsored by Outfront that was about two blocks away. We wanted to get over to that rally but we had such a sweet location we just stuck with it.

The Incredible Shrinking Venue

Interesting how this heavily marketed queer bashing event on Tuesday was originally scheduled for the "big room", then switched to the small, glorified gymnasium that is Roy Wilkins Auditorium. Can you say, "lack of interest?"