Will Phillips - take a little risk. get into a little trouble

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Well, kinda bummed that they removed the "Husbands and Husbands" vid from Youtube.

So, here is another young man who has clearly done some thinking and reflecting. And, then he chose to ACT.

I hope his words spring to my mind when I need a little nudge out of my comfort zone.

Thanks Will!

Interview with Marriage in America re: gay-marriage

Prof. Nancy Cott is currently testifying in Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, the "Prop 8 Trial."

She's an expert on the history of marriage in the US.

Here's the blurb from NPR's Fresh Air page, from 2004.

"Cott is a professor of history at Harvard University. She testified before Vermont's judiciary committee. Vermont became the first state in the country to make civil unions legal for gay and lesbian couples. Cott is the author of Public Vows: A History of Marriage and the Nation (Harvard University)."

what applies?

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Here's a fun little vid to kick off the week.

I ran across it at thomascwaters.com.



Brings up the question: what applies?

And: who decides?

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act

The good news just keeps rolling in...

(check out HRC.org for the whole article)

The House and Senate introduced the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act. The The DPBO Act would afford same-sex partners of Fed Employees the same benefits that "opposite marriage" spouses get.

As it stands, and has been for lo these many years, same-sex partners are denied access to retirement programs, life and health insurance benefits, and family and medical leave.

“This legislation would allow the federal government to keep pace with other top employers,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “It is not only a matter of equal pay for equal work, but also the best way to ensure that the government has access to the top talent on the same basis as the nation’s leading corporations.”

(rebuttal, GOP Chairman Steele?)
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If you would like to learn about the 1138 Rights Denied to GLBT Americans....

click, learn, talk!

How much do UNequal rights cost?

Following up on my last post.

(big nod to Autumn Sandeen's article on pamshouseblend.com)

When we last left GOP Chair Steele, he was declaring that Marriage Equality would cost too much... not in dignity, pursuit of happiness, sanctity of relationships, civil rights, integrity of the nation, etc etc, but in cold hard cash.

Cut to this scene in Dr. King's I Have A Dream speech:

"When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice."

Back to the future...

As long as Steele is bringing up concern for costs- for the cost of health care and equal benefits to GLBT families- let's consider that DONT ASK DONT TELL is costing the taxpayers a fortune.

In just one instance, $25 million in training is being blown to kick out a decorated war hero b/c he is gay.

You can see Lieutenant Colonel Victor J. Fehrenbach's story here.

Also booted out:

Arab linguist Dan Choi

2nd Lt Sandy Tsao

over 200 other service members since Obama took office, after campaigning to put an end to Don't Ask Don't Tell

equal rights cost too much, suggests GOP chairman

From the AP: RNC chief: Gay marriage will burden small business

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So we'll send service members out to pay the ultimate price to defend our rights and freedoms...
but when it comes to "denting our pocketbooks," we draw the line?

We'll throw bazillions bailout $ at the big banks, but when it comes to paying a relatively tiny amount of money to ensure that ALL Americans are treated equally, the RNC wants to scare small businesses & financially struggling citizens with this garbage.

Apparently, GOP Chairman Michael Steele believes that its too great a cost to extend these rights to a minority group here in the good ol' US of A.

If only he could put himself in the place of a minor...i... ty.....? wait....