Rod 2.0:Beta

White House Denounces Anti Homosexuality Ugandan Bill

Responding to a request by The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld, the White House finally issues a statement denouncing the proposed Ugandan legislation that seeks to execute gay men for the crime of "aggravated homosexuality." The statement was released late Friday evening:

"The President strongly opposes efforts, such as the draft law pending in Uganda, that would criminalize homosexuality and move against the tide of history," read the statement that came late Friday in response to an inquiry from The Advocate. The bill in question would extend the punishment for engaging in gay sex to life imprisonment and introduce the death penalty for those who do so repeatedly or while HIV-positive—acts termed "aggravated homosexuality” within the bill.

The United States Embassy in Kampala also lodged a formal complaint against the bill.

Earlier this week it was announced a "refined" anti-gay bill would be submitted to the Ugandan parliament that would not seek the death penalty or life imprisonment for gays. Instead, the rabidly anti-gay government in Kampala is reportedly considering mandating reparative so-called "ex-gay" therapy.

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Alcee Hastings Seeks Immunity for Gay Troops to Testify on DADT

Florida Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who has been one of the loudest voices to repeal the military's failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", hasintroduced novel legislation that would protect gay soldiers who come forward to testify.

Gay service members who reveal their sexual orientations during congressional testimony would be immune from forced discharges under a bill introduced Wednesday, as lawmakers prepare to consider repealing the ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. military. The legislation's author, U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., said the bill is needed to ensure that Congress has reliable and relevant witnesses at its disposal if the House holds hearings next year on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

The bill also would protect from retaliatory personnel actions any members of the military who testify for or against lifting the 16-year ban. "How can there be anything more important than a gay member of the service having the right to testify before the Armed Services Committee of the Congress that he is under the aegis of," Hastings told The Associated Press. "But if they come and testify, that testimony could be used against them under 'don't ask, don't tell.' In my judgment, it's just a question of fairness."

Hastings has secured 27 co-sponsors for his bill. Servicemembers United, the gay servicemembers group, opposes the bill, saying immunity from government reprisals won't protect gay soldiers from becoming "pariahs in their own units." On the other hand: The Palm Center, the think tank devoted to gay studies at the University of California Santa Barbara, likes the idea and says Hastings' proposal could become the first dent in the 16-year-old policy.

In July, Hastings submitted and then immediately withdrew an amendment that would have de-funded the DADT investigations. Hastings says congressional leadership and the White House "pressured" him to kill the amendment. Hastings later took the extraordinary step of writing a letter to President Obama to publicizing his frustrations with the Administration's lack of progress on "Don't Ask Don't Tell".

The Background:
Hastings "Disappointed" Obama Ignored Request to End DADT
Hastings "Pressured" to Withdraw DADT Amendment 
Hastings and 76 Congressmen Call for End 
Gates: Pentagon "Looking for Flexibility" in DADT 
Gates: Administration Will Delay Change to DADT 
Tauscher Introduces Bill to Repeal "Don't Ask"  

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Uganda Law Would Execute HIV+ Gays, Will Obama Cut AIDS Funds?

The short answer: No.

Over the weekend, Rod 2.0 updated the growing international backlash against Uganda's latest and most extreme, anti-gay proposal: The proposed offense of "aggravated homosexuality" where an HIV-positive gay men has sex with another man. The penalty would be death. The prime ministers of Britain and Canada have formally protested the proposal.

Last year, the small East African nation received some $287 million in funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Several members of Congress, including Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), want the Obama Administration to withhold funding for AIDS programs in Uganda unless legislators abandon the extreme legislation. Sorry but we don't tell countries how to legislate, PEPFAR Chief Coordinator Eric Goosby tells Newsweek.

My role is to be supportive and helpful to the patients who need these services. It is not to tell a country how to put forward their legislation. But I will engage them in conversation around my concern and knowledge of what this is going to do to that population, and our ability to stop the movement of the virus into the general population.

The Anti Homosexuality Bill proposes a three-year prison sentence for anyone who knows of the existence of a gay man or lesbian and fails to inform authorities. The penalties for failing to inform authorities of HIV-positive gay men are even more severe and would "criminalize key aspects of comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention education and imprison health-care workers who refuse to report sexually active gay patients to the police," notes Truth Wins Out.

Will the Obama Administration's official policy on executing HIV positive gay men in Africa become "We don't tell countries how to legislate?" That's not much "change" from the Bush Administration which was also giving taxpayer money to fund violence and discrimination against gay men. Not much change at all.

Thanks MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE

Some Background ... 
Uganda's Museveni: European Gays "Recruiting" in Africa
Uganda: Death Penalty for "Aggravated Homosexuality"
Anti-Gay Activists March on Parliament
Uganda Anti-Gay Conference Day Two
UG Anti-Gay Conference
Rare Court Victory for Uganda Gays
Uganda Launches Major Anti-Gay Offensive
Uganda' Muslim Cleric: Exile Gays
Uganda Ethics Minister Advises Gays to Leave

FBI: Sharp Increase in Anti Gay Hate Crimes, Up 11 Percent

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released the latest annual statistics on U.S. hate crimes reported in 2008. The 2008 numbers "are up slightly—7,783 incidents and 9,691 victims" were reported last year. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation have the largest increase of nearly 11 percent. A breakdown of the 1,706 victims of sexual-orientation hate crimes: 

– 59 percent:  Victims of offender’s anti-male homosexual bias.
– 26 percent: Victims because of an anti-homosexual bias.
– 12 percent: Victims because of an anti-female homosexual bias.
– 2 percent: Victims because of an anti-heterosexual bias.
– 2 percent: Victims because of an anti-bisexual bias.

Hate crimes based on religion (mostly targeting Jews and Muslims) rose by 9 percent and the "largest category, racially-motivated hate crimes, fell less than 1 percent."

In recent weeks there have been a rash of reported anti-LGBT hate crimes, especially targeting black and Latino LGBT. The past month has seen attacks against teens in Puerto Rico and Texas, as well as against several gay menin New York and transgender women in Wisconsin.

The Bureau notes that with the recent passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, it will now "begin the process of adding the collection of hate crimes motivated by gender and gender identity and incorporating them into our annual report."

Black Unemployment at 28 Yr High

While some economists have suggested the recession could be ending soon, that is certainly not the case in the inner cities. Via AMERICAblog: Latinos and African-Americans across the country are facing spiraling unemployment rates that "could spiral to levels not seen in decades", analysts and urban policy advocates tell the Boston Globe.

New data show the unemployment rate among black workers soared last month "to a 28-year high of 15.7 percent and the rate has risen to 13.2 percent for Latino workers". Both are well above the overall 10.2 percent national average.

Some big-city mayors and community activists complain that the $787 billion federal stimulus package that the Obama administration promised would preserve or create jobs has not put a significant dent in urban unemployment, threatening to leave blacks and Latinos behind when the economy finally turns around. The Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights organizations are calling for a targeted aid package to put minorities back to work and stepping up pressuring on the White House ahead of its jobs summit next month where corporate CEOs, academics, labor leaders, community activists, and others have been invited to suggest any and all ideas to spur hiring.

The national unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent in October—the highest overall unemployment rate in 26 years. Analysts and advocates believe the unemployment rate for black gay men and transgender women is much higher than the overall black unemployment rate.

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Recap: Clifford Stanley Undersecretary DoD Hearings

On Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for Clifford Stanley, the retired Marine general who has been nominated as the Department of Defense's Undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness. That is the position that oversees the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and will be tasked to implement its repeal—if and when that comes.  Stanley served 33 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and became the Marines' first black regimental commander. He retired in 2002 as a two-star general.

Stanley did not provide much insight into his thoughts on DADT, which was one of the hearing's main points of inquiry. Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, ranking member on the committee, said he believed the current policy is "working successfully" and "would be opposed to any attempt at modifying the existing policy." HRC Backstory reports:

Senator Levin followed McCain’s pro-DADT position by asking simply if Dr. Stanley would provide his best objective opinion over the repeal of DADT, to which Dr. Stanley responded with a simple yes. An opportunity to elaborate was provided with Senator Udall (D-CO), who asked – while noting gays and lesbians already serve in the armed services, and that thousands of gays and lesbians are civilian employees working with military personnel – if Dr. Stanley was prepared to support a push by the White House to include repeal of DADT in policy recommendations in the defense budget next year. Dr. Stanley didn’t quite answer the question, recognizing this is a sensitive issue and that he would be seeking input from all sources, particularly the service chiefs and military personnel “from deck plate to squad level,” and provide a recommendation to Secretary Gates. Dr. Stanley admitted he did not know what that recommendation would be, and will bear no preconceived notions as to the direction he will go in recommending action on DADT. Senator Burris (D-IL) asked what Dr. Stanley would do about pending discharge cases immediately upon confirmation. Dr. Stanley – correctly – responded that the pending cases would fall under existing statute, and that he was unaware that he would have any role in these pending discharge cases (he wouldn’t)."

The Servicemember's Legal Defense Network (SLDN) was disappointed that Stanley "punted" on the issue. SLDN's Aubrey Sarvis remarks: "When given the opportunity by Senator Mark Udall (D-Colo.) to support his commander in chief’s position to overturn the ban, Dr. Stanley did not do so. However, as is the case with most nominees, Dr. Stanley did not delve into any of the policy issues in his portfolio. We look forward to Dr. Stanley becoming fully aligned with President Obama on repeal."

Last week, Rep. Barney Frank suggested the DADT repeal would most likely be an amendment to next year's Defense Authorization. The Administration has not commented on that report.

More at The Advocate and HRC Backstory.

Did a Top Obama Advisor Indicate Support for Marriage Equality?

Following a Monday speech at Boston College's School of Law, President Obama's senior domestic policy aide implicitly acknowledged that she differed with Obama on the issue of gay marriage. Or did she?

Melody Barnes is the President’s Domestic Policy Adviser and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House. Barnes reportedly told a gathering of students that she sympathized with a questioner who expressed support for marriage equality, attendees tell the Huffington Post.

"Paul Sousa, a co-founder of the GLBT rights organization Equal Rep, and the individual who asked Barnes the question, described the scene this way. "I ended with this, 'I know there isn't much you can say right now because it's your job to defend President Obama even if he is wrong on a domestic policy stance. What I would like to know is - whether or not you support equal civil marriage rights for gay and lesbian Americans and if so, are you speaking or will you speak with President Obama on this civil rights matter?' For her response, Ms. Barnes did state that she supports marriage equality and can appreciate the frustration that our community is feeling. She [said she] is trying to move the ball forward with other action items (DOMA, DADT, ENDA)."

An "anonymous" White House disagrees with Sousa's account and maintains Barnes stayed on message. Sousa, the Facebook-based activist who is one of the organizers behind the online LGBT donor boycott of the Democratic National Committee, now says there is "proof" the anonymous staffer "lied".

John Aravosis at AMERICABlog: "It's been 4 days. Why has the video of the event not been released publicly? You'd think it was a scandal that a White House official might have been support of the g-a-y-s."

Before working for the White House and the Obama campaign, Meldoy Barnes was an official at the Center for American Progress, the progressive think tank that publishes Think Progress. It's probably not a stretch to imagine Barnes is pro-marriage equality. But is she advising the White House to move quicker on gay rights such as ENDA and DADT? And why the big mystery about what she said Monday?

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal in FY 2011 Defense Authorization?

The repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't tell" will most likely be an amendment to next year's Defense Authorization, Rep. Barney Frank tells the Washington Blade.

Frank said in an interview with the Blade that repealing the 1993 law barring gays from serving openly in the military would happen as part of the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill. 'The House will take up and the Senate will take up ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal,' he said. 'That will again, like hate crimes, even more so, will have to be done, I believe, in the context of the defense authorization. You can’t do the standalone bill. It belongs in the defense authorization.' Frank said lawmakers would seek to amend the defense measure to include a provision repealing 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.' Such a move would mimic the way Congress recently enacted the hate crimes measure."

The openly gay congressman tells The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld this has been the "strategy" for overturning the policy all along. That may be news to Pennsylvania Democrat Patrick Murphy whose DADT repeal bill that has 177 co-sponsors. The White House and Senate leadership have not confirmed this strategy.

Frank criticized Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (IL), who recently re-suggested that Congress was "too busy" to repeal the "controversial" DADT: "Frank is among the supporters who have asserted Congress would take up repeal in 2010. 'I think that’s a terrible mistake for him to say that and I believe that it will be a great injustice to wait any longer,' Frank said. 'I don’t think he has that option.'"

Hmm. Wonder why Barney randomly dropped this tidbit ...

In related news: The RAND corporation and the University of Florida release a new study which shows support for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has declined within the military ranks. "The study surveyed military personnel who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and found that having a gay or lesbian colleague in their unit had no significant impact on their unit's cohesion or readiness. Just 40 percent of the military members surveyed expressed support for the policy, while 28 percent opposed it and 33 percent were neutral—less support than seen in previous surveys."

Americablog Calls for LGBT Donor Boycott of DNC

Under the headline "Don't Ask, Don't Give", John Aravosis and Joe Sudbay at AMERICABlog call for an LGBT donor boycott of the Democratic National Committee over the lack of action on the Party's LGBT rights agenda.

"This campaign is temporary, and is only meant to help some friends—President Obama and the Democratic Party—who have lost their way. We are hopeful that via this campaign, our friends will keep their promises. We are asking voters to pledge to withhold contributions to the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign until the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is passed, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) is repealed, and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is repealed—all of which of which President Obama repeatedly promised to do if elected."

AMERICABlog and AMERICABlog Gay publish a comprehensive list of reasons and say donations should "pause" until promises are kept: "Democrats should not have promised to support gay civil rights rights in exchange for our votes if they never intended to keep the promise. If we're not controversial during the campaign, when politicians are happy to accept our votes and our money, we cannot accept being labeled controversial after our candidates win. We kept our part of the bargain, we voted for Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress. It’s entirely reasonable for us to ask our elected officials to keep their part of the bargain too."

The announcement comes only days after it was revealed openly gay DNC treasurer Andy Tobias misled Maine voters. Emails from the DNC's OFA revealed the DNC asked Maine contributors to support New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and there was no corresponding request to support Maine's marriage equality effort.

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Health Care Bill Passes House 220-215, Key LGBT Provisions

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system. The House passed the $1 trillion the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, on a 220 to 215 vote late Saturday night. Thirty-nine Democrats voted no. Only one Republican, Louisiana's Joseph Cao, voted for the bill.

The bill requires individuals to have health insurance and for larger businesses to provide it to their employees. It also includes a public health insurance option not tied to Medicare.

While it is unlikely LGBT families will be included in definitions of "family" for health care coverage, the LGBT community will receive some key benefits, such as non-discrimination protections and some tax advantages. Most importantly: The bill incorporates the Early Treatment for HIV Act and allows states to cover early HIV treatment under Medicaid programs instead of withholding treatment for Medicaid recipients until they develop full-blown AIDS. That's important for black gay men, who often learn they are HIV positive in later stages. LGBT benefits are fully explained here. 

The bill now moves to the Senate where conservatives and Sen. Joe Lieberman threaten a filibuster.

Watch the final moments of the vote AFTER THE JUMP.

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