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WATCH: Civil Rights Legend Julian Bond: Long a "Raving Homophobe"

Veteran civil rights leader Julian Bond is speaking out for the first time on the four lawsuits filed against anti-gay mega-church pastor Bishop Eddie Long, whom he describes as a "raving homophobe." If the allegations are true, Bond says, it will it will be a "sad victory for gay rights."

Bond is the former chairman of the NAACP and a strong supporter of gay rights. In June 2006, Bond famously refused to attend the funeral of Coretta Scott King that was held at New Birth MB Church. At the time he said, "I knew her attitude toward gay and lesbian rights. And I just couldn't imagine that she'd want to be in that church with a minister who was a raving homophobe. And I couldn't see myself in my church either."

Bond, who was an early leader in the civil rights movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., amplified his remarks on the embattled anti-gay pastor. "He said that homosexuality is worthy of death. He is a raving homophobe," said the civil rights legend former longtime Georgia legislator. "If [the allegations] are true, it's just sort of typical of people who are raving homphobes who are secretly homosexual. And who are homophobes because they are filled with so much self-loathing and self-hate that they've got to let it come out in some way, and it comes out in homophobia."

Hear, hear. In recent years Bond as been very active on LGBT rights, speaking at the National Equality March and testifying to the New Jersey Senate on behalf of marriage equality. Watch AFTER THE JUMP ...

Video and Photos: DADT Protest, Lt. Dan Choi Arrested After Chaining Himself to White House Fence

Lt. Dan Choi, the decorated officer and Arabic linguist being discharged by the Army under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", was arrested and will spend the night in a Washington DC jail after chaining himself to the front gate of the White House in a protest of that policy.

Another soldier, Capt. James Pietrangelo, who appealed his discharged all the way to the  Supreme Court last year, also chained himself with Choi to the White House gate and was arrested. Choi and Pietrangelo will be charged with failure to obey a lawful order, according to the U.S. Park Police and reported by The Advocate.

The Choi-Pietrangelo protest began earlier at the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rally staged in Freedom Plaza by the Human Rights Campaign and Bravo TV for Kathy Griffin's "reality" show My Life on the D-List. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese was asked if Choi could speak at the rally and he sources say Solmonese said "no" because it was Kathy Griffin's rally, according to Tweets published at Towleroad. 

Choi took the stage anyway. "You've been told that the White House has a plan," Choi told rally attendees. "But we learned this week that the president is still not fully committed. ... Following this rally, I will be leading [the protest] to the White House to say 'enough talk.' ... Our fight is not here at Freedom Plaza, it is at the White House. We are walking to the White House right now to send the President a message. So…take out your cell phones and your cameras. Document this moment. Join us as together -- we make history."

"When asked by Choi if she would march with him to the White House, Griffin responded, 'Of course!'" reports The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld. "Neither Griffin nor Solmonese was seen at the White House protest, however"

Also arrested at the event: Robin McGehee, the California-based LGBT activist who was the co-director of the National Equality March and organized the post-Prop 8,  "Meet in the Middle 4 Equality" rallies in Fresno. McGehee's new group GetEqual organized today's DADT protest.

Kathy Griffin's camera crews for her "reality" show were also absent . They failed to capture the video of two decorated Army officers in a civil disobedience action calling attention to the lack of leadership by the Commander in Chief on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' But several reporters, the AP and CNN were there, more photos and video WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Seanmichael Rodgers and Damien Ramsey Profiled at BlackVoices

You may recall the beautiful photo of New York City Seanmichael Rodgers and Damien Ramsey (aka singer-songwriter Dy'Ari) at the National Equality March in October. The couple are engaged to marry in March. Atlanta-based blogger Darian Aaron has featured the couple in his popular "Coupled Up" series and has now published a profile of the fab couple at AOL BlackVoices. This may be the first same-sex couple profiled at the black news and lifestyle portal.

There is a segment of the black population whose love is rarely acknowledged within the broader community, but it exists nonetheless. Seanmichael Rodgers and Damien Ramsey, a couple residing in New York City and engaged to be married this spring, is an example of the love that challenges "traditional" models. Seanmichael and Damien have been in a committed relationship for three years. Their commitment will ultimately lead them down the aisle in March. Over the past three years, there have been several Valentine's Day memories with each one competing to top the last. "It's like falling in love again every week," says Damien, "sometimes for the same reasons and sometimes for new ones."

The profile concludes:

It's been said that black men loving each other is a revolutionary act, given the pervasive homophobia that exists in American culture and the black community . The fear of losing the support of family and friends, a vital element to the success of black unions can become a major hindrance for a black same-gender loving couple. But even with support of family and friends, there's still no guarantee of a successful relationship when both partners are of the same sex.

It's to BlackVoices credit that they are trying to feature some of the diversity in our community. Kudos to BV. On the other hand, the dozens of hateful comments, spewing fundamentalist, Bible-based bigotry and even wishing AIDS, death and stoning on this beautiful couple ... not so much. And given the skyrocketing HIV rates in black heterosexual communities, sad and ironic that many black so-called Christians continue to associate HIV/AIDS with being gay. Their loss.

Darian's BlackVoices profile of Seanmichael and Damien  is here. Congrats.

HRC Headquarters Vandalized

Cowards. Overnight, vandals attacked the headquarters of the Human Rights Campaign. "According to police the vandals used either paintball guns or balloons filled with paint," reports LetGetReal, which adding that it "appears to have been a drive-by" and police have no suspects.

The vandalism happened only hours after President Obama delivered the keynote address to HRC's annual dinner, and, hours before an estimated 150,000 people descended on the capitol for the National Equality March. An ugly incident but siimilar to what happens to LGBTs every day across the nation .... 

TwitPic via @JaySays

Live Tweet: National Equality March

We're live Tweeting the National Equality March. Please follow before the NEM wraps later this evening.

Spotted @ NEM ...

... These two guys marching with Faith in America. That's the advocacy organization devoted to fighting religious-based discrimination founded by philanthropist and furniture guru Mitchell Gold,.

This pic via Rod 2.0 friend and Washington DC political strategist Miguel Ayala.

NEM: The March Begins

Michael Crawford, the black gay activist, blogger and president of the same-sex marriage advocacy group D.C. For Marriage, begins Tweeting from the march route.

Watch the NEM live on C-Span 2pm ET.

NEM Photos: Staging Area

Thousands of people begin assembling at the National Equality March staging area near McPherson Square in Washington D.C. These Twitpics via Bilerico's @WaymonHudson who describes his #HairStatus as "Marching Mohawk"...

 

National Equality March messages have Twitter hashtag #NEM.  

Watch the NEM live on C-Span 2pm EST/11am EST.

WATCH: HRC President Joe Solmonese Introduces Obama

HRC President Joe Solmonese introduces the President's speech and says, "We have never had a stronger ally in the White House. Never." JUMP and via C-SPAN watch.

C-SPAN to Offer Live Coverage of Obama's Speech to HRC

HAPPENING NOW

President Obama's keynote address to the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner will be covered by C-SPAN. Coverage begins around 7:55PM ET. You may also listen live on SiriusXM's OutQ channel. Michelangelo Signorile is hosting a discussion and has details on how to listen free online or on your iPhone.

We're live-Tweeting ...