Daily Archives: 06/17/2009

(Community Matters) Wow, all of a sudden I’m understanding the increased popularity of watching tennis!

Rafael Nadal photo Getty Images

(Community Matters) Comment from my friend Prof Michael Brandl about Obama’s DOJ DOMA brief

Now I understand: it’s just too “expensive” to protect civil rights.

Isn’t that the explanation for defending DOMA? From the Administration: “To deny federal recognition to same-sex marriages will thus preserve scarce government resources, surely a legitimate government purpose.”

Now this?

We can find $700billion for the TARP but they can’t find money to extend civil right to gays & lesbians? Okay…

How about this: gay marriage as an economic stimulus? Require all gay marriages to conclude in formal wedding reception. If gay wedding receptions are anything like the Holiday parties thrown by some my gay friends in Houston…oh my! No expense spared. Thus, unemployed home builders could now find jobs creating ice sculptures for gay weddings. Government spending on unemployment benefits falls, federal income tax revenues for the government increase.

See: gay marriage would more than “pays” for itself.

gotta love Michael

(Community Matters) Sorry to read of Tina’s passing. She was an important contributor to Austin’s art scene and an important contributor to the 10 years of the Austin Festival of Dance.

AAS story

(Community Matters) Disturbing reports (unconfirmed) that today’s announcement of federal benefits may not include healthcare for partners of LGBT federal workers. This would be bad – fuel on a fire.

I’d been urging patience, imagining the President was saving as much political capital as possible to pass universal healthcare legislation – even a couple of pissed off Southern Democratic Senators could derail plans – which, of course, benefits our LGBT community as much as anyone. However, the offensive DOMA brief and the White House’s incompetent remarks defending the brief have changed the game. They’ve lost most of the community’s trust and must move substantially forward on LGBT equality in order to regain it. Perhaps this won’t resonate with many advisors in the WH, but I believe it will with BHO and Michelle – at least I’ve believed this all along and hope not to be wrong.

(Community Matters) Nico Pitney @ Huffington Post

3:45 AM ET — Journalist defies the crackdown on foreign media. Via readers John, Pejman, and Colin: the pugnacious British reporter Robert Fisk witnesses a stunning scene in which Iranian soldiers keep a group of plainclothes paramilitaries away from Mousavi supporters:

In fact at one point, Mousavi’s supporters were shouting ‘thank you, thank you’ to the soldiers.

One woman went up to the special forces men, who normally are very brutal with Mr Mousavi’s supporters, and said ‘can you protect us from the Basij?’ He said ‘with God’s help’.

It was quite extraordinary because it looked as if the military authorities in Tehran have either taken a decision not to go on supporting the very brutal militia – which is always associated with the presidency here – or individual soldiers have made up their own mind that they’re tired of being associated with the kind of brutality that left seven dead yesterday – buried, by the way secretly by the police – and indeed the seven or eight students who were killed on the university campus 24 hours earlier.

Quite a lot of policeman are beginning to smile towards the demonstrators of Mr Mousavi, who are insisting there must be a new election because Mr Ahmadinejad wasn’t really elected. Quite an extraordinary scene.

(Community Matters) Andrew Sullivan publishing many real time tweets.

Pardon, I’ve just copied & pasted. No better way to communicate:

many many arrests in tehran 2day. hundreds. – now is dark baseej start to make trouble.

1000’s on balconys – tehran is alive with sound of freedom

on the eastern side of Tehran, Narmak, many people were shouting “Allah o Akbar” at 10-11 PM. That’s was heart-warming

From Iran martial law in Iran! TV just announced that ppl should stay at home after 8pm!

Not allowed to leave the hotel, but I think I can see small# of protesters on Vanak Sq

now i hear news that between Tajrish sq & Vanak sq are full of Moosavi Fans with green dress

continued here

(Community Matters) It’s a good start – and, they still need to retract the DOMA brief

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama plans to extend health care and other benefits to the gay and lesbian partners of federal employees. White House officials say Obama plans to announce decision on Wednesday in the Oval Office. story

(Community Matters) Rats, mine’s on backorder – unexpectedly high demand. They say it’ll arrive with two days to spare prior to travel to Asia – fingers crossed

(Community Matters) We have a dinner in Washington on June 25. I’m unable to attend since traveling to meet Steven that weekend; however, I committed to participate financially. Representatives from gay lesbian organizations as well as many prominent gays & lesbians are/were expected as are Vice President Biden, Chairman Barney Frank and others.

In protest for the DOJ DOMA brief, lots of folks calling for a boycott. Already, HRC’s Marty Rouse has pulled out – as have David Mixner, Alan Van Capelle (ED, NY’s Empire State Pride Agenda), Andy Towle (top blogger), Mitchell Gold and former top Clinton aide, Richard Socarides.

(Community Matters) The DCCC has named Jack’s race for Congress one of the top 10 races in the country. CongressDaily