tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29246169528162192682024-03-12T20:28:39.255-07:00Where is Kirsten ?Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says that she supports extending civil rights to all LGBT Americans, and we have to make sure that Sen. Gillibrand makes good on her support by filing legislation, which would add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Call : 1 (212) 688-6262.NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-90529212457854181552014-01-23T09:39:00.001-08:002014-01-24T06:50:42.662-08:00After LGBT Twitter Activism, Is Sochi Olympics Social Media Marketing Dead ?<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23LGBT&src=hash">#LGBT</a> Advocates Hijack <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@McDonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CheersToSochi&src=hash">#CheersToSochi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SocialMedia&src=hash">#SocialMedia</a> Campaign. <a href="https://twitter.com/bilericoproject">@bilericoproject</a>: <a href="http://t.co/HrYRqW6gfH">http://t.co/HrYRqW6gfH</a> <a href="http://t.co/JZ536iQnlC">pic.twitter.com/JZ536iQnlC</a></p>— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/QueerNationNY/statuses/426142643098107904">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">LGBT Activists Twitter Bomb McDonald's Olympic Hashtag Campaign Until McDonald's Apparently Gives Up.</font></b></p>
<p>The <b>Sochi Olympics</b> corporate sponsors, who have been coldly indifferent to President <b>Vladimir Putin</b>'s <b>violent crackdown on LGBT Russians</b>, have become targets of online protests by LGBT activists. </p>
<p>Ever since the fastfood chain <b>McDonald's</b> announced a Twitter hashtag campaign around <b>#CheersToSochi</b>, LGBT activists have been reappropriating that hashtag for messages about McDonald's callous response to the ongoing state-sponsored violence and discrimination against LGBT Russians by their very own government.</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://storify.com/freedom2marry/lgbt-activist-hijack-cheerstosochi" title="A social media campaign gone terribly wrong" target="_blank">LGBT Activists Hijack #CheersToSochi</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>LGBT activists have been challenging Olympic sponsors, like McDonald's, to break their silence around the violent crackdown against LGBT Russians. When multiple users coordinate tweets with the same hashtag on Twitter, it's called <b>Twitter bombing</b>, a term used to describe either activism or a form of guerrilla advertising, as a way to increase visibility about connotations surrounding a particular hashtag. In the case of McDonald's, activists were trying to convert the commercial aspect of McDonald's Twitter hashtag into a protest about cold, corporate callousness. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>If u believe in equality & dignity of ur <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23LGBT&src=hash">#LGBT</a> employees, u would press Putin to repeal discrimination laws. <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@McDonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CheersToSochi&src=hash">#CheersToSochi</a></p>— LGBT Civil Rights (@lgbtcivilrights) <a href="https://twitter.com/lgbtcivilrights/statuses/425716676382822400">January 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/Queer-Nation-NY-Protests-Outside-NBC-The-Today-Show-Over-Olympic-Coverage-And-Silence-On-Russian-LGBT-Crackdown.html" title="Queer Nation NY Protests Outside NBC's The Today Show Over Olympic Coverage And Silence On Russian LGBT Crackdown" target="_blank">Queer Nation NY Protests Outside NBC's The Today Show Over Olympic Coverage And Silence On Russian LGBT Crackdown</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>The effort of some LGBT activists to challenge McDonald's gained the attention of one prominent openly gay media figure, <b>Michelangelo Signorile</b>, who has been following the LGBT Twitter bombing.</p>
<p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Clarification: The hijacking of <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@McDonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CheersToSochi&src=hash">#CheersToSochi</a> hashtag by <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23LGBT&src=hash">#LGBT</a> activists is fascinating. Seems <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@McDonalds</a> has given up entirely.</p>— Mike Signorile (@MSignorile) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSignorile/statuses/426397253721653248">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p>After about three days of the Twitter bombing campaign, McDonald's has appeared to have ceased using #CheersToSochi on Twitter, leading LGBT activists to believe that the large fastfood giant had seen its <b>online goodwill</b> deteriorate beyond salvation.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>How are any Olympic sponsors going to be able to promote their brands after the <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@McDonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CheersToSochi&src=hash">#CheersToSochi</a> disaster? <a href="https://twitter.com/CocaCola">@CocaCola</a> beware!</p>— Mike Signorile (@MSignorile) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSignorile/statuses/426399405630304256">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p>The damage that McDonald's is doing to its own reputation following it's deadly silence on the violent Russian LGBT crackdown comes at a time when the world's largest hamburger chain is <a href="http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/24527483/mcdonalds-sees-fewer-customers-sales-disappoint" title="The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company reported disappointing sales for its fourth quarter, as fewer customers visited its established restaurants." target="_blank">losing customer loyalty and is facing an embarrassing sales slump</a>. "We've lost some of our customer relevance," CEO Don Thompson told Wall Street analysts during a conference call this week.</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2013/10/Queer-Nation-NY-protests-against-Russian-LGBT-discrimination-enablers-continue-this-time-at-Carnegie-Hall.html" title="Queer Nation NY protests against Russian LGBT discrimination enablers continue, this time at Carnegie Hall" target="_blank">Queer Nation NY protests against Russian LGBT discrimination enablers continue, this time at Carnegie Hall</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>Activists from around the world are questioning why the media and people in the media are refusing to acknowledge the human rights abuses taking place against LGBT's in Russia. Last year, the <a href="http://louisflores.canalblog.com/archives/2013/11/06/28370986.html" title="La chute d'une icône gay : Sans contrefaçon, nous somme d'une génération bien abandonnée" target="_blank">French pop superstar Mylène Farmer was in Russia when anti-LGBT violence broke out in Saint-Pétersbourg</a>. Ms. Farmer, who enjoys a huge LGBT fan base, remained mum about each of the violent attack and the over-all crackdown that claims as victims her very own LGBT Russian fan base.</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://www.demotix.com/news/3552567/london-gay-rights-protest-over-coca-cola-sochi-sponsorship#media-3552552" title="London gay rights protest over Coca-Cola Sochi sponsorship" target="_blank">London gay rights protest over Coca-Cola Sochi sponsorship</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>LGBT activists have also been targeting special <b>NBC</b> Olympics commentator <b>Johnny Weir</b>, the former figure skater. Mr. Weir has been using many media appearances to deny that the violent LGBT crackdown is taking place in Russia -- leading activists to label Mr. Weir as a "Putin apologist." </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Putin apologist, Sochi 2014 Winter Games shill, Comrade Johnny Weir wants you to know you hurt his feelings. <a href="http://t.co/FTNOTKTGuT">http://t.co/FTNOTKTGuT</a></p>— LGBT For Change (@lgbt4change) <a href="https://twitter.com/lgbt4change/statuses/423921964323831809">January 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14082262726617319881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-57865508879519884162013-11-06T18:56:00.001-08:002013-11-06T18:56:51.644-08:00Senator Elizabeth Warren Floor Speech on ENDA<iframe width="525" height="295" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ApXH5nN4h64" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Senator Elizabeth Warren delivered remarks about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) on the Senate floor, on November 6, 2013</p>
<p>Read also : <a href="http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/11/06/asterisk-equality-isnt-real-equality-fighting-for-an-enda-without-exemptions/" title="There is a bill pending in the Senate right now that would end workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. " target="_blank">‘Asterisk Equality’ Isn’t Real Equality: Fighting for an ENDA Without Exemptions</a></p>
<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Senator Elizabeth Warren : Floor Speech on the Employment Non-‐Discrimination Act (ENDA) November 6, 2013</font></b></p>
<blockquote><p>Madam President, I rise today to speak about the importance of passing the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a bill that I am proud to co-‐sponsor and to support.</p>
<p>It has taken us far too long to arrive at this day. For nearly forty years, Members of Congress have worked to pass legislation that would protect LGBT Americans from discrimination in the workplace.</p>
<p>Much has changed since Bella Abzug introduced the Equality Act of 1974. Equal marriage is now the law in fourteen states. Twenty-‐one states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to protect against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, and sixteen states and the District of Columbia also protect against gender identity discrimination. The Supreme Court has rejected DOMA, a law that legalized discrimination against same-‐sex spouses, by calling that law exactly what it was – unconstitutional.</p>
<p>In the private sector, a majority of Fortune 500 companies have adopted policies to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and polling data show that a majority of small businesses have similar policies in place. By nearly every measure, we have made progress in the long march toward equality.</p>
<p>And yet, in the face of all of this progress, nearly a half-‐century since Congress first enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act – prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin – we still have not extended these basic federal protections to LGBT Americans. Let’s not mince words here. The failure to treat all our citizens with the same dignity is shameful. In America, equal means equal.</p>
<p>Many have tried hard to reach this day, and our legislators from Massachusetts have long been leaders in the fight. Senator Ted Kennedy and Congressman Barney Frank both spent decades working on this issue. Senator Paul Tsongas from Massachusetts introduced the first Senate bill to prohibit employment discrimination against LGBT Americans all the way back in 1979.</p>
<p>But progress has been slow. The last time the full Senate voted on ENDA was seventeen years ago, when a version of the law championed by Senator Kennedy failed to pass by a single vote – 49 to50 – back in 1996. In 2007, the House passed a version of ENDA introduced by Congressman Frank, but the bill made no progress in the Senate. Today, there are 55 cosponsors of ENDA in the Senate – Democrats and Republicans – representing the broad majority support for the bill, signaling that tremendous progress has been made.</p>
<p>It is all the more shameful that it has taken us this long to arrive at this day because Americans believe in equality. According to one survey, some 80% of Americans believe that it is already illegal to discriminate against workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Unfortunately, however, this is one of the rare instances where the American people are giving Congress way too much credit, because the truth is – we haven’t acted yet. And the consequences of Congressional inaction remain all too real for millions of LGBT Americans.</p>
<p>Despite the successful efforts in many states to pass nondiscrimination measures, Americans living in over half the country can still be discriminated against in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And it happens. Between 15% and 43% of LGBT individuals have reported experiencing discrimination or harassment in the workplace.</p>
<p>A quarter of transgender Americans have reported being fired from a job due to their gender identity, and a whopping 90% have reported experiencing harassment and mistreatment. There’s been a lot of progress toward a more inclusive nation, but for LGBT workers, a law to stop employment discrimination can’t come fast enough.</p>
<p>The Employment Non-‐Discrimination Act pending in the Senate will protect LGBT individuals in the workplace, update the law to reflect what the vast majority of Americans already believe is the law, and help fulfill our constitutional responsibility to protect equality in this nation. ENDA doesn’t provide any special rights to any particular groups of Americans. It does not compel any religious organization to change its views. It just creates a level playing field for LGBT workers; it makes sure that all workers are judged by the work they do, not by who they are or whom they love.</p>
<p>America is ready for this day. An overwhelming majority of voters, both Democrats and Republicans, support the enactment of this law. They know it reflects the values of our nation.</p>
<p>And America’s businesses are ready too. Recent polling shows that a large majority of small businesses supports the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. As for big businesses, 88% of Fortune 500 companies have already implemented policies prohibiting discrimination against gays and lesbians in the workplace.</p>
<p>Raytheon, one of the nation’s top defense contractors and a proud Massachusetts-‐based company, bars LGBT discrimination. One executive at Raytheon was quoted as saying that the organization’s “culture of inclusion absolutely gives us a recruiting edge” when it comes to hiring the best and the brightest.</p>
<p>Shortly before his death, in March of 2009, Senator Kennedy joined with Senators Merkley, Collins, and Snowe in what would be his final attempt to push this bipartisan legislation over the finish line. At the time, Senator Kennedy eloquently explained his continuing support for the ENDA by noting that “the promise of America will never be fulfilled as long as justice is denied to even one among us.”
Those words were true in 1974 when Bella Abzug introduced the Equality Act. Those words were true when the Senate came within one vote of passing ENDA in 1996. Those words were true when Senator Kennedy offered them in 2009. And those words are true today. The promise of America will never be fulfilled so long as justice is denied to even one among us.</p>
<p>We deal with a lot of different kinds of legislation in the Senate. This week we have a chance to vote on a law that is a measure of who we are as a people and what kind of world we want to build. I believe in a world where equal means equal, and that is why I will be voting to outlaw employment discrimination against my neighbors and my friends.</p>
<p>Senator Kennedy, Senator Tsongas, and Congresswoman Abzug, are no longer with us, but like so many others, they fought so hard to get us here – to get us one step closer to equality for all of us. It has taken us far too long to arrive at this day. But we are here now, and we are not going back.</p></blockquote>
<p>Read Sen. Warren's press release : <a href="http://www.warren.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=279" title="FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : Senator Elizabeth Warren Urges Colleagues to Pass ENDA" target="_blank">Senator Warren Urges Colleagues to Pass ENDA</a></p>
NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-20456476002172116952013-10-14T18:17:00.000-07:002013-10-15T14:05:49.794-07:00Are Angela George and Sanjay Sola thwarting a FOIA request about Lt. Daniel Choi ?<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Why won't the the US DOJ answer the FOIA Request about Lt. Dan Choi's arrest ?</font></b></p>
<p>I'm sharing with you an update on the freedom of information request sent to the U.S. Department of Justice. </p>
<p>On May 6, 2013, the DOJ received my FOIA request. The request sought information and records pertaining to serious questions of the government's prosecution of Lt. Daniel Choi. Since that time, the DOJ has denied my application for expedited processing, and it has delayed the production of any information and records. After several attempts to determine when the DOJ was going to answer the FOIA request, I have produced a YouTube video about the history of the request. I'm also asking you for your help.</p>
<iframe width="525" height="394" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JfqJ8FncI9Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Please send an e-mail to : angela.george@usdoj.gov or call : (202) 252-6038 and ask the DOJ to answer FOIA Request 13-1506.</p>
<p>What you can do : </p>
<p><ul>
<li>Kindly send an e-mail to Angela George, the prosecutor in Lt. Choi's case, at : Angela.George@usdoj.gov -- and ask her for her help to
expedite the DOJ's response to the FOIA request. Please refer to the DOJ's FOIA Request No. 13-1506. - and/or -</li>
<li>Kindly call Sanjay Sola at : (202) 252-6038 and ask him when the DOJ plans to answer to the FOIA request.</li>
</UL></p>
<p>Prior to the government shutdown, it appeared that the DOJ was not going to provide any information or records in response to my request. Indeed, the Obama administration now has a track record of not answering FOIA requests. </p>
<p>See : <a href="http://news.firedoglake.com/2013/07/16/obama-administration-failing-to-meet-transparency-pledges-with-foia-requests/" title="Obama Administration Failing To Meet Transparency Pledge With FOIA Requests (Firedoglake)" target="_blank">Obama Administration Failing To Meet Transparency Pledge With FOIA Requests (Firedoglake)</a></p>
<p>There are several problems with the government's case against Lt. Choi. The most serious issue is that a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to show that the government was carrying out a "vindictive prosecution" against Lt. Choi. </p>
<blockquote><i><p>The third day of the U.S. government's trial of former Lt. Dan Choi ended with a 10-day delay for the government to seek an order from a higher court stopping the decision made today by U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola to allow Choi's lawyers to argue the government singled out Choi for "vindictive prosecution."</p>
<p>Facciola said this morning that he had found there was prima facie evidence for "vindictive prosecution," meaning enough evidence was presented to allow Choi's lawyers to pursue such a claim. As a result, Choi's lawyers would be able to ask for more documents and evidence from the government in order to investigate if higher-level officials advised their subordinates to try Choi in federal court rather than district court. </p></i></blockquote>
<p>See : <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/31/1012290/-Updated-Judge-Allows-Lt-Dan-Choi-s-vindictive-prosecution-Defense" title="Updated : Judge Allows Lt. Dan Choi's ''vindictive prosecution'' Defense (Daily Kos)" target="_blank">Updated : Judge Allows Lt. Dan Choi's ''vindictive prosecution'' Defense (Daily Kos)</a></p>
<p>The mixed motivations of the government's case against Lt. Choi seem to follow a pattern of other federal prosecutions of activists. Examples of the government's questionable persecution of activists are mentioned in the YouTube video and are cited in the FOIA request.</p>
<p>Link to YouTube video : <a href="http://youtu.be/BZ1qRLZRLP0" title="Why won't DOJ answer FOIA Request about Lt. Dan Choi ?" target="_blank">Why won't DOJ answer FOIA Request about Lt. Dan Choi ?</a></p>
<p>Link to FOIA request : <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/138957103/2013-04-30-Lt-Daniel-Choi-DOJ-FOIA-Request-Louis-Flores" title="Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (Scribd)" target="_blank">Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (Scribd)</a></p>
<p>If you are able to e-mail the Hon. Madame Prosecutor or are able to speak with or leave a message for Mr. Sola, I would greatly appreciate it. Even if there is a government shutdown, your e-mail or voice-mail message can help us. Please let me know if you make contact with anybody.</p>
<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> <a title="View 2013-04-30 Lt Daniel Choi DOJ FOIA Request Louis Flores on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/138957103/2013-04-30-Lt-Daniel-Choi-DOJ-FOIA-Request-Louis-Flores" style="text-decoration: underline;" >2013-04-30 Lt Daniel Choi DOJ FOIA Request Louis Flores</a> by <a title="View Connaissable's profile on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/Connaissable" style="text-decoration: underline;" >Connaissable</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/138957103/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-2bd2ellrpfqg1b6s4b7q&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.767461669505963" scrolling="no" id="doc_25050" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<p><ul>
<li><a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2013/03/lt-dan-choi-dadt-trial-update.html" title="Lt. Dan Choi DADT Trial Update (March 28, 2013)" target="_blank">Lt. Dan Choi DADT Trial Update (March 28, 2013)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2013/05/Lt-Daniel-Choi-Vindictive-Prosecution-DOJ-FOIA-Request.html" title="Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (May 2, 2013)" target="_blank">Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (May 2, 2013)</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>Please share this video, the information, and the link. Thank you for any help you can provide.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-49578736558383943282013-02-18T19:35:00.001-08:002013-02-18T19:39:31.476-08:00A Gay Man Shuts Down Hateful Urban Preacher on NYC Subway<p>A man, who identified himself as gay, spoke up for himself and on behalf of all LGBT people, after an urban preacher began to shows hateful religious messages. The other straphangers applauded several times in a show of support to the gay man.</p>
<iframe width="525" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2epltMSLjZc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>The video was posted on YouTube on Saturday, February 16, and it has begun to go viral.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-51051581748895862792013-02-17T09:51:00.001-08:002013-02-17T10:06:56.752-08:00Transgender teacher fired from Queens Catholic school<object id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=fw1000&station=wabc§ion=&mediaId=8986920&parentId=8988031&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site=" ></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=fw1000&station=wabc§ion=&mediaId=8986920&parentId=8988031&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></embed></object>
<p>Sign the petition : <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/st-francis-preparatory-high-school-formally-apologize-to-mark-marla-krolikowski-for-sexual-discrimination" title="St. Francis Preparatory High School: Formally Apologize to Mark (Marla) Krolikowski for Sexual Discrimination" target="_blank">St. Francis Preparatory High School: Formally Apologize to Mark (Marla) Krolikowski for Sexual Discrimination</a></p>
<p>From WABC Eyewitness News :</p>
<p><blockquote><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news%2Finvestigators&id=8988031" title="Transgender teacher fired from Queens Catholic school" target="_blank">Transgender teacher fired from Queens Catholic school</a><br>
By : Sarah Wallace, Eyewitness News<br>
Web produced by Cristina Romano, Eyewitness News</p>
<p>QUEENS (WABC) -- Meet <b>Marla Krolikowski</b>. She no longer has any reason to hide. For 32 years, Krolikowski lived a dual life, teaching at St. Francis Prep School in Queens as a man, Mark, who professionally dressed in a suit and tie.</p>
<p>"I valued the job so much that I was willing to internalize everything, because the job met so much to me," said Krolikowski.</p>
<p>Krolikowski says she did start to add more feminine touches over the years, but claims no one seemed to mind. There are plenty of yearbook photos of her like that.</p>
<p>"I noticed it was a bit more feminine, but I mean, I didn't think it was anything to write home about," said former student Christina Guarino, "so it didn't matter, no."</p>
<p>Apparently, a parent did care. Krolikowski says in October of 2011 that school officials brought her in and confronted her.</p>
<p>"They said, 'are you a drag performer, are you a female impersonator?'" Krolikowski said, "they gave me all these different things, so finally I said 'I'm transgendered and I identify as a woman. Then everybody's jaw dropped, and then, I said, 'Oh God, what did I do?'"</p>
<p>Krolikowski said that someone told her "it sounds like you're worse than gay", and it took all her strength not to cry.</p>
<p>Krolikowski claims she was told to tone down her appearance, and did, but was fired anyway.</p>
<p>When September came, she was not going back to school for the first time in 32 years.</p>
<p>In a statement denying the allegations, St. Francis said: "Mr. Krolikowski's employment was terminated for entirely appropriate and professional reasons, and in no way discriminatory."</p>
<p>"All he wanted to do was to be judged by who he is and not what he is, and it's a horror that in this day an age, the school has chosen to judge him by what he is and not who he is," said Krolikowski's attorney, Andrew Kimler.</p>
<p>"My time is running out. I'm 59 years old and I want to live the way I was intended to be," adds Krowlikowski, "which is as a woman."</p>
<p>Krowlikowski has had breast implants, has started hormone treatments, and plans to have more surgery. She says she doesn't want people to look at her as a freak, because she didn't get to do all the things that girls got to do.</p>
<p>Krowikowski says she has been overwhelmed by support from thousands of current and former students who have signed an on-line petition on change.org. She doesn't have long-term plans but does have an immediate goal - to attend Lady Gaga's Born Brave bus tour that is coming to New York later this month.</p></blockquote>
<p>Sign the petition : <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/st-francis-preparatory-high-school-formally-apologize-to-mark-marla-krolikowski-for-sexual-discrimination" title="St. Francis Preparatory High School: Formally Apologize to Mark (Marla) Krolikowski for Sexual Discrimination" target="_blank">St. Francis Preparatory High School: Formally Apologize to Mark (Marla) Krolikowski for Sexual Discrimination</a></p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-57063081814276786072013-02-14T13:53:00.002-08:002013-02-14T13:53:21.204-08:00LGBT Community Center Bans Sarah Schulman<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>The @<a href="https://twitter.com/lgbtcenternyc">lgbtcenternyc</a> bans Sarah Schulman from speaking about her new book <a href="http://t.co/MWHJsBEq" title="http://gaycitynews.com/lgbt-center-bars-sarah-schulman-reading/">gaycitynews.com/lgbt-center-ba…</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23GlenndaTestone">#GlenndaTestone</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23censorship">#censorship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23MichaelLucas">#MichaelLucas</a></p>— LGBT Civil Rights (@lgbtcivilrights) <a href="https://twitter.com/lgbtcivilrights/status/302112221662679040">February 14, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-35310148310172400142013-01-21T16:44:00.001-08:002013-01-23T10:07:11.130-08:00Opening Digital Firehoses On LGBT Activists<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Confronting the President of Magical Thinking : A Vocation of Agony</font></b></p>
<p>Barack Obama and his family, the vice president and his family, other government officials, and their supporters celebrated the president's second inauguration today, which coïncided with the federal holiday commemorating the life and accomplishments of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.</p>
<p>LGBT Americans were jubilant, because the president said some aspirational words in the second half of his inaugural address.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>"Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as well."</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>Immediately, the president's supporters acted in lock-step to express support for this expression of a longing for equality.</p>
<a href="http://s203.beta.photobucket.com/user/maslow25/media/Corey-Johnson-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at130513_zps0280c1b5.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Corey-Johnson-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at130513_zps0280c1b5.png" border="0" width=340 height=416 alt="Corey-Johnson-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update photo Corey-Johnson-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at130513_zps0280c1b5.png"/></a>
<p><b>Corey Johnson</b> is an up-and-coming LGBT politician, who is patterning himself after New York City Council Speaker <b>Christine Quinn</b>'s doctrine of putting <a href="http://christine-quinn-sold-out.blogspot.com/2011/08/christine-quinn-betrays-gays.html" title="Queers Against Christine Quinn" target="_blank">politically-expedient identity politics</a> before having to deliver any government reforms. Note how the president failed to say the words lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered in "LGBT," but already the president's supporters were having to say the words that the president found unspeakable.</p>
<p>It appears that Mr. Johnson's excitement could be being based not so much on the president's promise of legal reforms that would result in LGBT equality, but, rather, on political party discipline that calls for a self-motivated unity in messaging to sway Progressive voters into believing that the Democratic Party was on their side.</p>
<p>But for the incomplete messaging that the president's words offer, there is no plan attached to how the president plans to "complete" our "journey."</p>
<p>On Facebook, some LGBT activists picked up on the incomplete messaging in the president's rhetoric, because they had noticed a pattern in his prior speeches.</p>
<a href="http://s203.beta.photobucket.com/user/maslow25/media/Peter-Equality-Frank-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at132820_zps7eeddfbf.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Peter-Equality-Frank-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at132820_zps7eeddfbf.png" width=525 height=646 border="0" alt="Peter-Equality-Frank-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update photo Peter-Equality-Frank-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at132820_zps7eeddfbf.png"/></a><p></p>
<p>Some LGBT activists were already picking up how President Obama was unable to utter the words lesbian, bisexual, and transgender.</p>
<p>To the president's army of speech writers, did those words lack any dignity and respect, and, therefore, did not need to be mentioned ?</p>
<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">In his speech during his second inaugural ceremonies, President Obama seemed to be channeling the "great communicator," who, we may all remember, was notable for his failure to uttered the word "AIDS" until after thousands of people had died.</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/01/17/news/doc50f856e169101047570404.txt" target="_blank" title="Barack Obama receives his conservative bonafides from Ronald Reagan : Six times President Obama has quoted Reagan" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Barack-Obama-Ronald-Reagan_zpsdcee3945.jpg" border="0" width=525 height=269 alt="Barack-Obama-Ronald-Reagan-Creation-Painting photo Barack-Obama-Ronald-Reagan_zpsdcee3945.jpg"/></a>
<p>Many of the president's supporters have made a choice to be excited for the president's re-election. But ... </p>
<p>"By the time President Reagan had delivered his first speech on the epidemic, of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 36,058 Americans had been diagnosed with the disease; 20,849 had died," <a href="http://www.bilerico.com/2011/02/ronald_reagans_real_legacy_death_heartache_and_sil.php" title="Ronald Reagan's Real Legacy: Death, Heartache, and Silence Over AIDS" target="_blank">Randy Shilts once wrote</a>. Along a similar vein, when will President Obama say all the words in LGBT ?</p>
<p>So many people want to believe in the hope, change, and love that the president so skillfully articulates in his scripted speeches. We are supposed to want to believe in the magical thinking that the president really is on our side, because doesn't he, after all, say so many nice things that he knows that we want to hear ?</p>
<p>While President Obama's lack of clear communication during this inaugural address may not lead to the deaths of tens of thousands of our "gay brothers and sisters," he nonetheless sets the tone for that which the American people become familiar : either feelings of shame and embarrassment that prevent a president from mentioning lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered Americans, or feelings of equality and respect by dignifying and acknowledging the journeys still being made by lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered Americans. </p>
<p>Some activists on Facebook took a more diplomatic, but forward-looking approach to the editing of the president's words : by using the occasion of the president's rhetoric to build forward momentum on the social movement for LGBT equality in the United States. </p>
<a href="http://s203.beta.photobucket.com/user/maslow25/media/Get-Equal-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at125359_zpse0265865.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Get-Equal-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at125359_zpse0265865.png" width=525 height=132 border="0" alt="Get-Equal-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update photo Get-Equal-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at125359_zpse0265865.png"/></a>
<p>The hopes and <i>actions</i> of LGBT Americans and their allies are to fulfill on our shared <i>dream</i> for equality.</p>
<p>But LGBT activists and allies already exchange amongst ourselves the vision and prayers for equality.</p>
<a href="http://s203.beta.photobucket.com/user/maslow25/media/Nadine-Equality-Smith-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at135407_zps678bc08c.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Nadine-Equality-Smith-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at135407_zps678bc08c.png" border="0" width=344 height=494 alt=" photo Nadine-Equality-Smith-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update2013-01-21at135407_zps678bc08c.png"/></a>
<p>For all the president's rhetoric, we already seem to have, at first blush, the president's love and affinity for our community, at least that which could be expressed in his own way. What we need now is <i>action</i>.</p>
<p>The longer LGBT Americans have to wait for full federal recognition of their equal rights, the more that members of our community remain fully exposed to legally-permitted forms of discrimination in broad areas of their life, including in the workplace.</p>
<p>The skepticism within the LGBT community about President Obama's commitment to true LGBT equality stems from some major examples of actions that the president refuses to take, which <i>contradicts</i> his rhetoric. </p>
<p>For example, the president refuses to sign the <b>Federal Contractor's Employment Protections Executive Order</b>. National LGBT civil rights groups, such as GetEQUAL, have been mounting a multi-prong campaign to pressure the president to sign the executive order, but the <a href="http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/04/white-house-no-federal-contractor-nondiscriminatio.html" title="President Obama does not plan to sign an executive order at this time banning federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity." target="_blank">president refuses</a>.</p>
<p>President Obama embarrassed both his administration and the Democratic Party by once having said that while he was nominally committed to the idea that all Americans shared the same civil rights, he still had to "<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/timeline-of-obamas-evolving-on-same-sex-marriage/" title="Timeline of Obama’s ‘Evolving’ on Same-Sex Marriage" target="_blank">evolve</a>" on marriage equality. It was as if President Obama was admitting that his thoughts on civil rights resembled that of someone <i><b>a little bit ignorant and a little bit intolerant</b></i>, like former commissioner <b>Bull Connor</b>, who once, among other depraved acts of discrimination, ordered the opening up of firehoses on African American civil rights activists. </p>
<iframe width="525" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hPrHwmiUMH0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Surely, President Obama was not seriously putting himself into the same league as Bull Connor, but why was the president torturing hisself by proclaiming in speech his support for LGBT equality that could not be matched by his actions ?</p>
<p>And lest we neglect to mention how so many people conveniently seem to forget to remember how it took a national campaign of civil disobedience, among other actions, for national Democratic Party legislators to repeal the military's discriminatory policy known as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/29/dan-choi-trial-dadt-white-house_n_941287.html" title="Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran, is charged with disobeying police orders to leave an area in front of the White House during a November 2010 protest of the military's ''don't ask, don't tell policy.'' During the protest, 13 people handcuffed themselves to the fence, some in uniform, chanting slogans including ''let us serve.''" target="_blank">Don't Ask, Don't Tell</a>. The president's political operatives love to mention how the president "repealed" DADT, but they overlook what it took to get a bill introduced in and voted by Congress.</p>
<p>And if the constant push and pull amongst LGBT activists and civil rights groups to define a winning national strategy to deliver a full federal equality bill through Congress wasn't enough, activists must contend with the political trappings of trying to challenge a president who says all the right things and knows how to manipulate support for his administration. And then there are the other unknown, but nonetheless predictable, obstacles for LGBT activists as they set out to challenge power holders, who fail to act to end de jure and de fact discrimination.</p>
<a href="http://s203.beta.photobucket.com/user/maslow25/media/Robin-GetEqual-McGehee-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at154835_zps7571456a.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Robin-GetEqual-McGehee-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at154835_zps7571456a.png" border="0" width=343 height=443 alt="Robin-GetEqual-McGehee-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-Update photo Robin-GetEqual-McGehee-Obama-Inauguration-Facebook-UpdateScreenShot2013-01-21at154835_zps7571456a.png"/></a>
<p>While community organising and activism has evolved since the 1960's with the advent of online tools and other empowering platforms of the Internet like Facebook, YouTube, and blogging, every now and then activists must overcome the occasional opening up of digital firehoses. </p>
<p>Read also : <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-becker/president-obama-must-evolve-again-on-marriage-equality_b_2287172.html" title="While the Obama administration has filed friend-of-the-court briefs in lower courts arguing that DOMA forces the federal government to adopt an unconstitutional and exclusionary definition of marriage, it has not yet done so before the Supreme Court. And it has remained silent on the Proposition 8 case, a case that could potentially address the fundamental question of whether the freedom to marry for LGBT Americans is a right protected by the U.S. Constitution." target="_blank">President Obama Must Evolve Again on Marriage Equality</a></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>RT @<a href="https://twitter.com/occupylondon">occupylondon</a> Obama is no Martin Luther King! <a href="http://t.co/YzXBGes2" title="http://n0.gd/10S4rAe">n0.gd/10S4rAe</a> <a href="http://t.co/5gX7sl6C" title="http://n0.gd/WWZLk2">n0.gd/WWZLk2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23mlk">#mlk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23mlkday">#mlkday</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23occupy">#occupy</a></p>— OccupyBot (@occupybot) <a href="https://twitter.com/occupybot/status/294143494740643840">January 23, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-53868223664654442652012-10-17T03:58:00.002-07:002012-10-17T03:58:48.744-07:00Presidential Debates and LGBT Equality Questions<a href="http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2012/10/16/maybe-debate-moderators-need-few-ideas-questions-lgbt-issues" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2012-Presidential-Debates-1-2-3_zps6406c164.jpg" WIDTH=525 HEIGHT=394 border="0" alt="The Advocate magazine : 3 debates, 0 questions on LGBT issues. (2012-10-16)"/></a>
<p>In France, LGBT activists organized a national platform, <a href="http://where-is-kirsten.blogspot.com/2012/05/presidential-debate-lgbt-equality.html" title="" target="_blank">Meeting LGBT pour l'Égalité</a>, where major candidates were questioned on issues related to LGBT equality. And then the activists posted questionnaires online. But not before they held a national forum of major candidates. And just like that, they helped to alter the national conversation around LGBT equality. Two measures of their impact : activists elected the progressive candidate (François Hollande), and now <a href="http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/france-to-unveil-gay-marriage-bill-on-october-31_242749.html" title="The French government will present legislation on the legalization of gay marriage by the end of October, the office of Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said." target="_blank">Hollande will deliver legislation soon for nation-wide marriage equality</a>. Meanwhile, in the United States presidential debates, NOT ONE question has been asked about LGBT equality. What are nationally or regionally elected LGBT politicians and allies doing about keeping the Commission on Presidential Debates accountable ?</p>
<iframe width="525" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/htk5Net4jpA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-90779137863970253222012-09-25T11:27:00.002-07:002012-09-25T19:12:19.904-07:00Dan Choi's Judge Steps Down<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Dan Choi's Judge Recuses Herself</font></b></p><p>BREAKING NEWS: JUDGE STEPS DOWN, HEARING VACATED <br>
Tuesday, September 25, 2012, <br>
12:00pm EST<br>
PRESS CONTACT: press@ltdanchoi.org </p>
<p>WASHINGTON, D.C. - Only 23 hours before Lt. <b>Dan Choi</b>'s scheduled criminal hearing, Magistrate Judge <b>Elizabeth C. Wingo</b>, recused herself. The recusal and unprecedented delay is based upon Lt. Choi's motion related to Government Misconduct. Over 30 officials, including Former Press Secretary <b>Robert Gibbs</b> and Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff <b>Jim Messina</b> were subpoenaed to testify about their political roles in the Repeal of <b>Don't Ask Don't Tell</b> (2010) and the <b>Tarsands Keystone XL Pipeline Protests</b> (2011).</p>
<p>Lt. Choi has been on trial for over one year and is prohibited from stepping foot on the White House Sidewalk. Lt. Choi's attorney, former Army JAG Officer Capt. <b>James E. Pietrangelo II</b>, remarked "there is something very wrong here. We subpoenaed White House Officials and all of a sudden the hearing is cancelled." Professional Process Server Mr. <b>Daniel Portnoy</b> of D.C. Legal Process has "never seen this before in over 700,000 high level subpoenas served in over a decade."</p>
<p>The hearing tomorrow is cancelled, incurring Lt. Choi over $5,000 in legal preparation and travel fees. </p>
<p>Lt. Choi is still on trial for protesting Don't Ask Don't Tell in federal court, and a hearing in that separate case is still set for October 17, 2012. Further details about the rescheduling of the vacated Tarsands Case will appear on this site. The Tarsands case will likely go before the Chief Judge of the Superior Court, Chief Judge <b>Lee Satterfield</b>, unless he reassigns it.</p>
<p>PRESS CONTACT: press@ltdanchoi.org<br>
ALTERNATE: MR. BRAD LUNA, brad@lunamediagroup.com</p>
NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-63395766874659337312012-09-08T06:25:00.004-07:002012-09-08T18:10:00.581-07:00Open E-mail to Emmett Burns Regarding Baltimore Ravens Marriage Equality Advocacy<p><object width="420" height="245" id="msnbc3c96e" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=48948944&width=420&height=245" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc3c96e" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=48948944&width=420&height=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 420px;">Visit NBCNews.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.nbcnews.com">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">news about the economy</a></p></p>From: lflores22@gmail.com<br>
Subject: Chris Kluwe Explains Gay Marriage To The Politician Who Is Offended By An NFL Player Supporting It<br>
Date: 8 septembre 2012 08:46:21 UTC-04:00<br>
To: emmett.burns@house.state.md.us<br>
Cc: lflores22@gmail.com<br>
<br>
Dear Hon. Delegate Mr. Burns :<br>
<br>
Many of my friends are spreading links to a viral news story about you on Facebook : <a href="http://deadspin.com/5941348/they-wont-magically-turn-you-into-a-lustful-cockmonster-chris-kluwe-explains-gay-marriage-to-the-politician-who-is-offended-by-an-nfl-player-supporting-it?post=52502026" title="Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has spoken out in favor of a Maryland ballot initiative that would legalize gay marriage. Yahoo has published a letter that Maryland state delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. wrote last week to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, urging him to ''inhibit such expressions from your employee.'' This is Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe's response to Burns." This is Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe's response to Burns." target="_blank">http://deadspin.com/5941348/they-wont-magically-turn-you-into-a-lustful-cockmonster-chris-kluwe-explains-gay-marriage-to-the-politician-who-is-offended-by-an-nfl-player-supporting-it?post=52502026</a><br>
<br>
The language is crude, but I think it was inspired by your shocking attempt to stifle free speech on the fight for marriage equality.<br>
<br>
I'm also posting this on my blogs this morning. I hope that there is a way that you can meet with LGBT community leaders. The only way we can put an end to de facto and de jure discrimination is by opening up a dialogue to achieve a greater understanding about the ways that people's lives are diminished by prejudice and bigotry. <br>
<br>
If we are all born equal, why should any American put up with government attitudes to make some people "less than" equal to others ?<br>
<br>
Louis Flores<br>
1 (646) 400-1168<br>
lflores22@gmail.com<br>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-36709888001361325122012-08-26T08:09:00.000-07:002012-08-26T08:09:52.152-07:001,138 federal rights denied to LGBT couples because of DOMA de jure discrimination<p>Letter from US General Accounting Office (GAO) to Sen. <b>Bill Frist</b> (R), the Senate Majority Leader, about the <b>1,138 marriage rights</b> denied to <b>LGBT</b> committed couples, who cannot be legally married under the <b>Defense of Marriage Act</b> (DOMA). The GOA described these as : "1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the United States Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges."<p><a title="View 2004-01-23 Defense of Marriage Act-USGAO List of 1138 Marriage Rights-d04353r on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/103995102/2004-01-23-Defense-of-Marriage-Act-USGAO-List-of-1138-Marriage-Rights-d04353r" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">2004-01-23 Defense of Marriage Act-USGAO List of 1138 Marriage Rights-d04353r</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/103995102/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-12r3btnphgpff9j7hwxe" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_32577" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-38209873576838089982012-08-20T18:17:00.000-07:002012-08-20T18:17:28.573-07:00Frank Mandelbaum's Dying Torture To Gay Son : Get Married To Woman !<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Businessman's will orders gay son to marry woman, or else son will lose $180,000 inheritance. How's that for de factor LGBT discrimination ? </font></b></p><p>Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2190595/Frank-Mandelbaum-death-Businessmans-orders-gay-son-marry-surrogate-mother-grandchild.html" title="" target="_blank">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2190595/Frank-Mandelbaum-death-Businessmans-orders-gay-son-marry-surrogate-mother-grandchild.html</a></p><p><blockquote>The late <b>Frank Mandelbaum</b>'s dying wish was that his son marry the mother of his grandchild. Only <b>Robert Mandelbaum</b>, 47, a Manhattan Criminal Court Judge, is already married - to a man. Robert Mandelbaum is now fighting to overturn his father's will, arguing that the only 'mother' his two-year-old son knows is his longtime partner <b>Johnathan O'Donnell</b>, 39.</blockquote></p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-87278430786403445902012-08-19T14:45:00.001-07:002012-08-19T14:46:09.804-07:00Barney Frank Strategy Visionary Failure<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Political Party Polarization Is Now Complete</font></b></p><p>Reaction to a published essay by Rep. Barney Frank has stirred up criticism about the Washington strategy of LGBT political insiders, who are blocking wider gains in the realm of LGBT equality.</p><p><blockquote>"There is literally no issue in the United States today in which the gulf between the two parties is wider than on the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to legal equality. This is a relatively new fact in American political life," wrote Rep. Frank.</blockquote></p><a href="http://www.glreview.com/article.php?articleid=1443" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/LGBT%20Civil%20Rights/Barney-Frank-Todd-Tif-Fernandez-Facebook.png" border="0" WIDTH=525 HEIGHT=316 alt="Barney-Frank-Todd-Tif-Fernandez-LGBT-Strategy-Facebook-Screenshot, Barney-Frank-Todd-Tif-Fernandez-LGBT-Strategy-Facebook-Screenshot"></a><p><blockquote>"Only Barney Frank could brag that "Party Polarization Is Now Complete" - because this has been his sole strategy - to link LGBT hope to the DNC. And this is why he opposes Full Equality anytime soon - to keep us feeding at the political trough. But his game has not worked for us. He & the DNC gave us DADT & DOMA on the down side, with only Hate Crimes on the plus side, and this means 17 years (and counting) of bad federal losses, and one small gain to enhance penalties for violent crimes, but not one non-discrimination bill, for which he offers excuse after excuse. If it were not for Frank, we might have a two-party movement, and much broader support. But he fueled this polarization, and like a proud father now announce it is 'Now Complete' as he exits branding his legacy. How sad for all of us," wrote an LGBT civil rights activist on Facebook.</blockquote></p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-49210905864523739202012-08-12T13:03:00.000-07:002012-08-12T13:05:24.989-07:00Billy Graham Hospitalised With InfectionEvangelist Billy Graham, 93, was admitted to a North Carolina hospital after he developed a fever Saturday night and is now being treated for bronchitis, said his long-time spokesman, A. Larry Ross. ¶ Graham was alert and in good spirits when he was admitted to Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., Sunday, according to the pulmonologist treating Graham, Dr. David Pucci. He said Graham is resting comfortably in stable condition. (<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-08-12/billy-graham-hospitalized/57011346/1" title="Evangelist Billy Graham in hospital with bronchitis" target="_blank">USA Today</a>) * <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/26/evangelist-billy-graham-defends-chick-fil-a/" title=" Billy Graham, the dean of American evangelists, has once again broken his usual silence on hot-button issues, defending the president of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain for his opposition to same-sex marriage days after issuing a letter decrying what he sees as the nation's moral decay." target="_blank">Evangelist Billy Graham defends Chick-fil-A</a> (CNN)NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-85140411608351550662012-08-12T10:42:00.004-07:002012-08-12T10:42:49.075-07:00David Plunkett Finally Released : HIV Discrimination Update"The criminalization of HIV continues throughout the U.S. and the world, though many organizations and advocates are fighting these laws, which are murky at best and whose application precariously pivots on proving such things as intent, maliciousness, and so-called recklessness," wrote <a href="http://www.housingworks.org/advocate/detail/a-free-man-david-plunkett-finally-released-and-speaks-to-housing-works" title="A Free Man: David Plunkett Finally Released and Speaks to Housing Works" target="_blank">Housing Works</a>. Even though the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that <a href="http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/New_York/News/2012/06_-_June/NY_high_court_rules_HIV-positive_saliva_is_not__deadly_weapon_/" title="NY high court rules HIV-positive saliva is not 'deadly weapon'" target="_blank">body parts cannot be considered to be deadly weapons</a>, a social construction continues to be perpetrated against people, who are HIV-positive. After years of fighting the legal system, <a href="http://www.housingworks.org/advocate/detail/a-free-man-david-plunkett-finally-released-and-speaks-to-housing-works" title="A Free Man: David Plunkett Finally Released and Speaks to Housing Works" target="_blank">David Plunkett</a> is finally a free man, and advocates on behalf of HIV/AIDS patients are trying to organise the repeal of HIV discrimination laws.NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-35226501577324438332012-07-28T07:45:00.003-07:002012-07-28T07:48:09.434-07:00Sarah Palin Visits Chick-fil-A<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/79080.html?hp=r5" title="Sarah Palin waded into the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A and gay marriage by tweeting a picture of herself and her husband Todd visiting one of the the fast-food chain stores Friday after a Texas campaign stop." target="_blank" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ie5ZDSttZiQ/UBP5gAppbdI/AAAAAAAAAjc/3_tssv0YHXg/s320/sarah-palin-chick-fil-a.jpg" /></a></div>
<p><b>Sarah Palin</b> visited a <b>Chick-fil-A</b> fast-food restaurant in The Woodlands, Texas, in a show of support of bigotry and hate speech. * “Stopped by Chick-fil-A in The Woodlands to support a great business,” the former Alaskan governor and vice-presidential candidate tweeted following an appearance at a rally for Republican Senate primary challenger <b>Ted Cruz</b> outside Houston. Palin urged Cruz’s supporters to visit Chick-fil-A, which has been mired in controversy since its president said the chain supports “the biblical definition of the family unit.” (<a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/79080.html?hp=r5" title="Palin visits Chick-fil-A in Texas" target="_blank">Politico</a>) * <b>Dan Cathy</b>, the restaurant chain's president, made last week, saying that his company supports "the <b>biblical definition</b> of the <b>family unit</b>" and that he prays "God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about." (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/chick-fil-a-president-anti-gay-comments-inspire-movements_n_1710506.html" title="Chick-Fil-A President's Anti-Gay Comments Continue To Inspire Movements Across The Country" target="_blank">HuffPost</a>)</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-33887742788413887312012-07-22T13:53:00.000-07:002012-07-22T13:54:43.666-07:00Uganda Kill The Gays Update<p>Right Wing American evangelicals are fanning the flames of homophobia in Uganda. Watch this disturbing YouTube video, and then speak out against this !</p><iframe width="525" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VnQvRzPY3r4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-55161491013207970252012-07-21T17:11:00.000-07:002012-07-21T17:12:54.986-07:00Dallas LGBT Marriage Case Update<a href="http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/hsn-network/details/gay-couple-arrested-in-texas-for-demanding-right-to-marry-face-elevated-cha/17218/" title="Texas, where Mark Jiminez and Beau Chandler live, has a ban on same-sex marriages—and officials who issue licenses can face criminal charges. The Dallas County clerk teared up when they explained how they’d met and how in love they were, but she couldn’t give them a marriage license. So Jiminez and Chandler sat down on the records office floor, handcuffed themselves together, and refused to leave until they were granted license to wed. When the police arrived, the two men were arrested and hauled to jail." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/LGBT%20Civil%20Rights/mark-jiminez-beau-chandler-GetEQUAL-Texas-Marriage-Equality.jpg" WIDTH=525 HEIGHT=318 border="0" alt="mark-jiminez-beau-chandler-GetEQUAL-Texas-Marriage-Equality, mark-jiminez-beau-chandler-GetEQUAL-Texas-Marriage-Equality"></a>
<p>BREAKING: <b>Mark "Major" Jiminez</b> and <b>Beau Chandler</b> announce that they have lawyered up on their marriage equality case which started with a July 5th arrest for sitting in the <b>Dallas County</b> Clerk's office after being denied their marriage license. Their case will be defended by <b>Dax Garvin</b> and <b>Kimberly Butler</b>. A state wide and national call to action has been released in solidarity. More details about the call to action will follow.</p><p><i>Source : <b>Tiffani Equality Bishop</b>, via <b>Facebook Status Update</b></i></p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-83144601761804570942012-07-13T05:12:00.000-07:002012-07-13T05:12:24.463-07:00Same-Sex Marriage France Update<p>PARIS — Gay couples in France will be allowed to get married and to adopt children from next year, Prime Minister <b>Jean-Marc Ayrault</b> announced last week.</p><p>“In the first half of 2013, the right to marriage and adoption will be open to all couples, without discrimination,” he told parliament, confirming an election promise by Socialist President <b>Francois Hollande</b>.</p><p>“Our society is evolving, lifestyles and mentalities are changing,” he said in a speech outlining the new Socialist government’s agenda. “The government will respond to that.”</p><p>The confirmation came just days after Paris held its annual <b>Gay Pride parade</b>, which this year was buoyed by the promise of the new government to legalise gay marriage and adoption rights. And the announcement follows just a few short months after LGBT activists in France staged a <a href="http://where-is-kirsten.blogspot.com/2012/05/presidential-debate-lgbt-equality.html" title"Presidential Debate On LGBT Equality" target="_blank">national LGBT equality summit</a> in the setting of a French presidential debate.</p><p>Read more : <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/04/same-sex-marriage-gay-adoption-allowed-in-france-from-2013/" title="Same-sex marriage, gay adoption allowed in France from 2013" target="_blank">Same-sex marriage, gay adoption allowed in France from 2013</a></p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-21233252006436188382012-07-05T19:11:00.000-07:002012-07-05T19:11:48.292-07:00Dallas County LGBT Marriage Sit-In Leads To Arrests<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lCBKIJ-8F38/T_ZHLK-KZ-I/AAAAAAAAAes/svhC5khWRWc/s1600/Dallas-County-Clerks-Office-Marriage-License-Arrest-Protesters-GetEQUAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lCBKIJ-8F38/T_ZHLK-KZ-I/AAAAAAAAAes/svhC5khWRWc/s320/Dallas-County-Clerks-Office-Marriage-License-Arrest-Protesters-GetEQUAL.jpg" /></a></div><p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Gay Dallas couple Mark Jiminez, Beau Chandler arrested after being denied marriage license at Clerk’s Office in Independence Day protest</font></b></p><p>Mark Jiminez and Beau Chandler have been arrested for refusing to leave the Dallas County Clerk's office without their marriage license. They are awaiting a bail hearing. The LGBT equality group <b>GetEQUAL TX</b> organised this protest.</p><p>Read <i>The Dallas Voice</i> article : ''<a href="http://www.dallasvoice.com/arrest-10119663.html" title="Gay Dallas couple Mark Jiminez, Beau Chandler arrested after being denied marriage license at Clerk’s Office in Independence Day protest" target="_blank">This is about not being treated equal</a>''</p>
<iframe width="525" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mVOw_ndFLcI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-26023579048704889822012-07-04T09:21:00.000-07:002012-07-04T09:21:02.370-07:00LGBT Bill of Rights ResolutionLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer bill of rights - resolution submitted On July 2, 2012, by <b>Ricardo Lara</b> (D-Bell Gardens). Assemblyman Lara introduced a measure in the California State Assembly to urge the federal government to include the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in federal anti-discrimination laws that have evolved to protect discrimination based on race and sex, among other traits. <a title="View 2012 07 02 Ricardo Lara CA Assembly LGBT Bill of Rights Resolution on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/99113281/2012-07-02-Ricardo-Lara-CA-Assembly-LGBT-Bill-of-Rights-Resolution" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">2012 07 02 Ricardo Lara CA Assembly LGBT Bill of Rights Resolution</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/99113281/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-12sfkjpqzi9snyh4j37y" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.761194029850746" scrolling="no" id="doc_73585" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-57908369715361810082012-07-01T19:45:00.003-07:002012-07-01T19:51:24.020-07:00California Assemblyman Lara To File Resolution Calling For LGBT American Bill of Rights<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Assembly Member Lara to Urge President Obama, Congress to Pass Historic LGBTQ American Bill of Rights </font></b></p><p>Historic Resolution seeks to include “sexual orientation, gender identity” in landmark federal anti-discrimination laws</p><p>From a press release issued today : </p><p><blockquote>On the week we celebrate American Independence, Assembly Member <b>Ricardo Lara</b> (D-Bell Gardens) will call on President Obama and Congress to institute an historic <b>LGBTQ American Bill of Rights</b>, which would extend federal laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of <b>sexual orientation</b> and <b>gender identity</b>. The Joint Resolution will put the California State Legislature on record in support of updating all federal civil rights laws to include the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) population. </p><p>WHO : Assembly Member Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens)
</p><p>WHAT : Introduction of Joint Resolution urging the President and Congress to adopt an American Bill of Rights for LGBTQ people.</p><p>WHEN : Monday, July 2, 2012</p><p>CONTACT : JULIA JUAREZ (323) 839-2091</p></blockquote><p>California Assemblyman Lara's resolution would call for an introduction of a bill, which <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-c-F58ElSg" title="Alan Bounville - Vigil for LGBT Civil Rights - Outside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's NYC Office" target="_blank">Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand</a> turned her back on, back in 2010.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-29974055706737430912012-06-24T14:34:00.001-07:002012-06-24T14:34:44.263-07:00Repeal HIV Discrimination Act<p><a href="http://www.queerty.com/act-up-protests-hiv-transmission-laws-at-new-york-pride-20120623/" title="ACT UP Protests HIV Transmission Laws At New York Pride" target="_blank">Queerty</a> reported that, "ACT UP is joining local activist group Queerocracy to raise awareness about HIV transmission laws, which criminalize not disclosing one's HIV+ status before engaging in sex."</p>
<iframe width="525" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AqleDSRlvUU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>"The laws, in effect in 34 states and two U.S. territories, have been used to imprison people who used condoms, had undetectable viral loads and didn't actually transmit the virus—based solely on the allegation they didn't tell their partner they were positive," the Queerty report added.</p>
<p>Call to action : Call Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand : ask her to lead the charge to end HIV discrimination : (202)-224-4451.</p>American Equality Bill - Where is Kirsten ?http://www.blogger.com/profile/04219935898481075455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-56480868017867999822012-06-17T18:43:00.001-07:002012-06-17T18:53:35.473-07:00Marriage Equality in France ?<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">A couple of months following the Meeting LGBT national presidential debate in France, the government spokeswoman makes a stunning announcement about marriage equality.</font></b></p>
<p>While attending the LGBT pride festival in Lyon, the spokeswoman for the <a href="http://actup.org/news/france-ariage-gay-vallaud-belkacem-promet-une-loi-avant-le-printemps-2013-si-cest-possible/" title="France - Gay Marriage: Vallaud-Belkacem promises a law by spring 2013, ''if possible''" target="_blank">French government promised that marriage equality would be adopted</a> by spring 2013, reported ACT-UP. </p>
<p>The government spokesman, <b>Najat Belkacem-Vallaud</b>, said that the marriage equality bill to be drafted and adopted before spring 2013, "if possible."</p>
<p>Marty Edwige, the head of Fierté, the Lesbian & Gay Pride de Lyon, called on the government to schedule a vote "as soon as possible" on marriage equality and on LGBT parenting.</p>
<p>This breakthrough in French LGBT civil rights comes less than three months after LGBT activists in France organized a presidential debate on LGBT equality called <a href="http://where-is-kirsten.blogspot.com/2012/05/presidential-debate-lgbt-equality.html" title="Presidential Debate On LGBT Equality : Meeting LGBT pour l'égalité" target="_blank">Meeting LGBT pour l'egalite</a>.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2924616952816219268.post-84189872618333252032012-06-06T09:38:00.003-07:002012-06-06T09:38:52.381-07:00Prop 8 Case SCOTUS bound ?<a title="View Kristin Perry, et al v. Edmund G. Brown, Jr.: Ninth Circuit clears way for SCOTUS hearing on Prop 8 on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/96041966/Kristin-Perry-et-al-v-Edmund-G-Brown-Jr-Ninth-Circuit-clears-way-for-SCOTUS-hearing-on-Prop-8" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Kristin Perry, et al v. Edmund G. Brown, Jr.: Ninth Circuit clears way for SCOTUS hearing on Prop 8</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/96041966/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-1tl6x4hnjyd6vwtllox1" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_94379" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0