Rod 2.0:Beta

Los Angeles At the Beach Canceled, Organizers Cite "Harassment"

This weekend will be the 20th anniversary for Los Angeles’ black, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride extravaganza known as At the Beach Los Angeles Black Pride. Unfortunately, after a proud two-decade history of throwing a huge beach party at Point Dune Beach in Malibu, and, becoming the mid-summer destination on the black gay circuit, the event has been abruptly canceled. Those in the know  place the blame on the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department.

Reportedly, the authorities are demanding so-called "Special Conditions" that includes a 200% increase in fees  "to the tune of $18,000 and a reduction in the hours and operation of Pride, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this year," says Los Angeles-based Jasmyne Cannick. "They are claiming this is needed because of an incident that occurred last year, an incident in which the Sheriff’s are claiming a gun was brandished and a near riot erupted." Cannick says she attended last year's event and does not "recall" a handgun or any disturbance.

Organizers say the sheriff's department has forced them to jump through hoops for years. "The fact that ATB was not informed of the exorbitant increase until June 06, 2008 is obscene," says Wendell Carmichael, President of Los Angeles Black Pride. "It ... demonstrate[s] the unprofessional and relentless inequity this organization has had to endure over the past 17 years." Carmichael and others allege a pattern of "harassment and racism" well-known to many black gay men and lesbians, such as "including having their cars towed, getting ticketed, and unwarranted searches."

On a related note, organizers in Seattle canceled their black gay pride function scheduled July 18-20 due to "lack of interest." One black gay pride event has problems attracting a crowd, the other has too much of a crowd and can't afford the ridiculous licensing fee. Hopefully these events will resume next year. Hopefully.

City of Malibu and Sheriff’s Department to Black Gays: Not This Year [Jas Cannick]

Lawsuit Hopes to Remove California Marriage Initiative from Ballot

On Monday, the Associated Press published this photo as part of its coverage on San Francisco's gay pride. Sherri Black-White (left) and partner Shidiva Black-White were one of hundreds of newly married California couples. Luckily, they were able to the knot but there are several new developments in the fight to amend California's constitution to ban same-sex marriage, and, prevent other gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

The Los Angeles Times reports gay rights activists and marriage equality supporters have filed a lawsuit asking "the state high court to take the initiative off the ballot, partly on grounds that voters who signed petitions were misled about the measure's potential effect."  The lawsuit claims when voters signed petitions for the Proposition 8, the November initiative "to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, they were told the measure would not change state law, which at the time banned same-sex marriage." The suit is considered a "longshot",

Both sides on the California marriage issue pour money into the fight. Backers of Proposition 8, had, as of last week, "raised nearly $2.3 million, its foes about $1.3 million. Consultants predict that by the time voters go to the polls 4 1/2 months from now, each side will have raised $15 million or more." The Human Rights Campaign has contributed $242,600 to defeat the initiative so far.

In May, the California Supreme Court ruled that denying gays the right to marry violated the state constitution. Same sex marriages began two weeks ago and a report found county clerks issued "more than 8,500 marriage licenses in the first week same-sex marriage was legal in California, more than two and half times an average June week."

Lawsuit seeks removal of marriage measure [LAT]
Competing images in the fight over same-sex marriage [LAT]

Thanks KEITH

McCain Supports California and Arizona Marriage Bans

Happy Gay Pride from John McCain!

In a move that wasn't entirely unexpected, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain endorsed Thursday the controversial California Marriage Protection Act initiative expected to go before the state's voters this November.

"I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona," McCain said in a message widely distributed via PRNewswire. "I do not believe judges should be making these decisions."

McCain also supports recent attempts by the Arizona legislature to offer an anti-gay marriage amendment to voters in the fall. That proposal was narrowly rejected this week and could be re-voted over the weekend.

Meanwhile, CNN confirms the presumptive Republican presidential nominee had an off-the-record meeting with Log Cabin Republicans, the gay Republican group, presumably to wish them a happy gay pride. Still no announcement of the meeting on the virtual Log Cabinette  ... nor any mention of McCain's support for the proposed California and Arizona marriage bans. Happy pride!

McCain endorses CA Marriage Protection Act [Politicker]
McCain reaches out to gay Republican group [CNN]

More POLITICS
More JOHN McCAIN

You May Want to Read ...
McCain Secret Meeting with Log Cabin [R20]
McCain Highlights Opposition to CA Marriage [R20]
McCain to HRC: I "Was Proud to Receive" Log Cabin Endorsement [R20]
Log Cabin Defends McCain's Anti-Gay Record [R20]
HRC Blasts McCain's Gay Rights Record [R20]
"Straight Talk" for John McCain's Gay Supporters [R20]
McCain (Finally) Rejects Hagee and Parsley [R20]
McCain Silent on Hagee's Homophobic Slurs  [R20]
McCain Campaigns with Singer Who Compared Gay Marriage to "Incest" [R20]
McCain to Ellen: No "Right" to Get Married [R20]
McCain in Selma, Recalls Historic Civil Rights March [R20]
DNC Debuts First Ad Against McCain [R20]
McCain Will "Criticize" Obama's "Elitist" Comments [R20]
McCain in Memphis: "Wrong" to Oppose Holiday [R20]
Republican Senators Block Stimulus Package [R20]
McCain Targets Romney with Anti-Gay Robo-calls [R20]
NH Voters Targeted by Anti-Mormon "Push Polls" [R20]
Romney, McCain Offer More Anti-Gay Rhetoric [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain Hires Producer of Racist Ads [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]

News: Supreme Court, Wall Street, HRC, Models, Arizona Marriage

· By a 5 to 4 ruling, the Supreme Court strikes down the District of Columbia's ban on handgun possession, and, for the first time in our nation's history, rules the Second Amendment guarantees an individual's right to own a gun for self-defense. The opinion on  D.C. v. Heller is written by by Justice Anton Scalia and is here. Jeralyn at Talk Left provides selected quotes from the opinion and discussion here and here. For the conservative reaction, Red State has analysis and discussion, as well as commentary by Mike Huckabee.

· Gay conservatives at the Log Cabin Republicans applaud the decision.  "Unfortunately, too many LGBT Americans still face the threat of anti-gay violence," says president Patrick Sammon. "We're happy the Supreme Court has affirmed the right for us to protect ourselves and our families from harm."

· Stocks plunge and oil soars to a record high. "The Dow slides about 360 points to a 21-month low as ... oil surged above $140 a barrel in New York trading, compounding fears that soaring inflation will hamper a global economy already on the ropes."

· Technology shares hammered "as investors reacted to a disappointing profit outlook from the maker of BlackBerry smartphone" Research in Motion.

· Arizona: "Gay marriage opponents lost a key battle when the senate rejected a proposed ballot measure to amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. With the measure failing by two votes, the lawmaker who proposed putting the proposal on the November ballot for voters to decide said he will try Friday to resurrect it."

· Survey: One in five gay men and lesbians in Britain suffer anti-gay attacks.

· Out.com's Model Citizen is Courtney, recently seen on Rod 2.0 in Paper's Obama-inspired fashion editorial. He prefers "briefs", not boxers, and "good sex, love, and trust."

· The fashionistas at Late Boots on DSquared's S/S 2009 collection. "This show included all the heavy hitters, the new school and the old. Supermodel Tyson Beckford leaded the pack showing that he still has it as the youngsters marvel at the possibility. All types of black hit the runway, showing that you can book a whole show and variety still stands."

· Poll: 59% of Californians, compared to 50% of Americans, "believe homosexuality should be accepted, not discouraged by society."

·  Over pride weekend in San Francisco, activists "plan to be on the streets during the festivities to inform people of the boycott and protest of the Human Rights Campaign's annual fundraising dinner in San Francisco next month, a major event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for the organization. ... The controversy stems from the HRC's decision last fall to support" the proposed version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in Congress that did not include the employment protections for the transgender. The trans-exclusive ENDA passed the House but has stalled in the Senate.

News: Noah's Arc, Lawrence King, Black Gay Youth, DADT, Norway

· This is good news. In the next two weeks, cable network BET J will air a Noah's Arc marathon. Unfortunately, the time slots are gawd-awful so set your TiVo.  Despite the graveyard programming, syndicating the show to a non-gay themed network opens the series—and the upcoming film—to an entirely new audience. No word yet if the network will edit some of the more sexier scenes. This should be interesting to watch.

· Are Democrats reluctant to take on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"? "Since taking control of Congress in January 2007, Democrats have not convened hearings on the matter or taken up legislation that would let gays serve openly [in the military], although most party members favor repealing the prohibition." One Democratic congressman who tried to advance legislation "met quiet resistance among the more conservative Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee who feared the issue would prove too divisive among their constituents, particularly those on military bases."

· Op-ed at Scripps-Howard newspapers: The Pentagon policy is a "relic" that "belongs in the Museum of the 1990s, wedged between the Nirvana CDs and shares of WorldCom stock."

· Norway's parliament adopts a new marriage law that allows gays "to marry and adopt children and permits lesbians to be artificially inseminated. ... The new law is expected to enter into force at the end of this year or early next year."

· Report: Conjugal visits and condoms "could help reduce homosexual sex and slow the spread of HIV in Caribbean jails." Officials estimate 3 percent of male prisoners are HIV positive in Caribbean prisons.

· An update to the tragic story of Lawrence King, the 15-year-old openly gay California student shot to death by a classmate. KNBC-TV reports the arraignment of 14-year-old suspect Brandon David McInerney is postponed because prosecutors want the trial moved from juvenile court into the criminal courts.

· Cincinnati's CityBeat interviewed gay youth to understand "what it's like to be young and gay in the Queen City." Ryan Clark, 23, who is black, attended an all-white high school and "came out when [he] was 14 years old. ... I was considered the "gay kid" at my school as well, but the "gay black kid." There were already two minority labels I was struggling with." Ryan says there are fewer options for black gay youth in Cincinnatti because the city has few black gay men and "for some people, that's a struggle."

· Southern Voice profiles three gay youth centers in Atlanta, including the Evolution Center and its board members Joshua Robinson (left) and Anthony Jones. The center is "reaching out to historically underserved gay populations, like the many young black and Latino gay youth who make up Atlanta’s thriving ballroom scene. The Evolution Center hosted its own house ball in December, and partnered with another gay Atlanta house last month to help produce the Comic Book Ball."

Anti-Gay Former NBA Player Running for Sacramento Mayor

Former professional basketball player Kevin Johnson discovers politics is just as rough as the NBA. The 42-year-old Sacramento native played 12 seasons for the Phoenix Suns and recently decided to run for mayor of his hometown. But now the former NBA guard is now keeping his guard on sexual abuse allegations and problems with anti-gay remarks.

In 2007, a student at the school Johnson helped develop, Sacramento Charter High School, accused him of touching her inappropriately. Police investigated after a teacher reported the allegation and found the claims to be without merit. As in Phoenix, no charges were filed.

Johnson has refused to address the accusations in detail, citing confidentiality. He also emphasizes that he was not charged in either case.

Johnson upset local gay and lesbian activists recently 'when he said marriage should remain restricted to a man and a woman. Activist Steve Hansen said gay rights are a key issue in California's seventh-largest city, where there have been several high-profile hate crimes against gays.'

One of the most recent high-profile gay-bashings in Sacramento happened on May 15th, only hours after the California Supreme Court delivered its landmark same sex marriage ruling. Police say three men attacked a gay man and his cousin, beating and cutting their face. They were booked into jail on suspicion of five felonies, including two dealing with hate crimes, according to online jail records.

At least two of the suspects in that case were black, which is unfortunate, because mayoral candidate and former NBA player Kevin Johnson could be a great role model for the city's youth. Unfortunately, with California rapidly moving toward gay marriage, the would-be-mayor should be campaigning to be a mayor of all the people.

Ex-basketball star running for Calif. mayor race [AP]
EX-NBA'er 'K.J.' Makes Break for Mayor [ABC News]

Gov Paterson Orders New York to Recognize Same Sex Marriages

This morning, a major step forward for marriage equality in New York state. Gov. David A. Paterson orders "all state agencies to revise their policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions", such as Massachusetts, California, Canada and South Africa.

In a directive issued on May 14, the governor’s legal counsel, David Nocenti, instructed the agencies that gay couples married elsewhere "should be afforded the same recognition as any other legally performed union."

The revisions are most likely to involve as many as 1,300 statutes and regulations in New York governing everything from joint filing of income tax returns to transferring fishing licenses between spouses.

The move is highly significant because "short of an act by the Legislature, the directive ordered by Mr. Paterson is the one of the strongest statements a state can make in favor of gay unions."

Gay couples in the Empire State could travel to Massachusetts and wed, or, California, whose state supreme court just paved the way for same sex marriage beginning in mid June 17.

This new directive is the strongest message yet that the new governor will aggressively push to legalize same-sex unions. Gov. Paterson developed strong ties to the gay and lesbian community as a state legislator representing Harlem. Last year, Paterson's predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, introduced a bill that would have legalized gay marriages.

At the Empire State Pride Agenda's Spring Dinner in Rochester on May 17, the governor announced his intention to issue the directive. Here is video of the announcement:

This is brilliant news. David Paterson is an incredible friend to the LGBT community and is a role model for other governors across the country. The governor has also managed to act as bridge between the black community, black churches and the LGBT community to get things done. Bravo.

New York to Back Same-Sex Unions From Elsewhere [NYT]
New York to recognize out-of-state gay marriage [AP]

Some Background ...
Paterson Promises Support for Same Sex Marriage [R20]
Paterson and Wife Admit Extramarital Affairs [R20]
Paterson Sworn In as NYs First Black Governor [R20]
Spitzer Implicated in Prostitution Ring [R20]
Spitzer Keeps Promise: Gay Marriage Bill Introduced [R20]
Spitzer Will Introduce Gay Marriage Bill [R20]
News: Same-Sex Marriage in New York [R20]
Court: No Gay Marriage in New York [R20]
News: Meet New York's Lt. Governor [R20]

CA Poll: Majority Back Gay Marriage

Earlier this week, a poll by The Los Angeles Times suggested a narrow majority of California residents would vote to ban marriage equality. There is better news today. A brand new Field Poll finds a majority of Golden State voters support the right of same-sex couples to marry.

According to the Sacramento Bee, "by 51 to 42 percent, state voters believe gay couples have the right to marry." However, the findings revealed California voters remain sharply divided over gay marriage, mostly split by age, political affiliation, religion and region. "68 percent of voters between 18 and 29 years old said they favored allowing same-sex couples to marry. Fifty-eight percent of voters 30 to 39 and 51 percent of voters 40-49 favored gay marriage. That compared with 47 percent of voters 50-64 and 36 percent of those over 65 who supported the idea."

Two weeks ago, the state supreme court made a landmark ruling on same sex marriage that paves the way for gay couples to marry as soon as June 14. There is a proposal on the November ballot to amend the ballot to ban same sex marriage. "The bottom line is to get a massive turnout of voters 18-49 to defeat that ballot initiative," notes Pam Spaulding.

Field Poll: Majority of CA Supports Gay Marriage [Sac Bee]

Some Background
Poll: Slim Majority in California Want to Ban Gay Marriage [R20]
CA Supreme Court Overturns Marriage Ban [R20]
Schwarzengger: Gay Marriage Good for Economy [R20]
Clinton, Obama's Bland Statements on CA Marriage [R20]
Pope  Reiterates Opposition to Same Sex Marriage [R20]

Poll: Slim Majority in California Want to Ban Gay Marriage

At the same time news emerges that same-sex couples in some California counties will be able to marry as soon as June 14, there is potential bad news on the backlash against the state supreme court's landmark same sex marriage ruling. A new poll shows the majority of Californians would vote to ban marriage equality.

The Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll finds 54 percent of the voters surveyed would vote for a proposal on the November ballot to amend the constitution to a ban same sex marriage. Some 35 percent would not vote for the ban. "If the amendment qualifies for the ballot and passes in November, it would overturn the Supreme Court's decision and set the stage for further legal wrangling that would leave the validity of same-sex marriage performed between now and then in doubt."

The survey findings show only a slim majority prefer banning gay marriage. The MOE (margin of error) is plus or minus 3 percentage points, and, given the fact the court's decision is only a week old and there are many months before the election, the survey results suggest support for the initiative could evaporate, says the newspaper's poll director.

Times Poll: Californians narrowly reject gay marriage [LAT]
Gay Californians able to marry June 14  [P1Q]

Some Background
CA Supreme Court Overturns Marriage Ban [R20]
Schwarzengger: Gay Marriage Good for Economy [R20]
Clinton, Obama's Bland Statements on CA Marriage [R20]
Pope  Reiterates Opposition to Same Sex Marriage [R20]

McCain to Ellen DeGeneres: You Do Not Have the "Right" to Get Married

 

John McCain continues his "kinder, gentler" rebranding tour and today appears on the set with Ellen DeGenres, who recently announced that she will take advantage of the California Supreme Court’s same sex marriage ruling and wed her longtime girlfriend, actress Portia di Rossi. The openly lesbian talk show host pressed the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on his shifting stance on gay marriage.

Via Think Progress is video. McCain says he is opposed to gay marriage, but, believes same sex couples "should be able to allowed to enter into legal agreements." Whatever that means.

McCAIN: Well, my thoughts are that I think people should be able to enter into legal agreements, and I think that is something that we should encourage, particularly in the case of insurance and other areas, decisions that have to be made. I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman. And I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue.

DEGENERES: Yeah, I mean, I think that it is looked at, and some people are saying that blacks and women did not have the right to vote. Women just got the right to vote in 1920, blacks didn’t have the right to vote until 1870, and it just feels like there’s this old way of thinking that we’re not all the same. We are all the same people. All of us. You’re no different than I am. Our love is the same.

(APPLAUSE)

Ellen Degeneres asked Sen. McCain if he would walk her "down the aisle." McCain smiled and said "touche" and wished her the best with her nuptials.

McCain has a shifting stance on gay rights and marriage. Although he initially opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment, the senator actively campaigned for a state marriage amendment in Arizona, which, ironically, was the only marriage amendment ever rejected by the voters. Think Progress adds, "In 2006, he also told the late Rev. Jerry Falwell that would support a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, even though he opposed such a measure in 2004.

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