KKK Endorses Perry and His Hate Amendment

Governor Perry must be so proud to have the endorsement of the KKK. He and his party of bigots spent most of the 79th Legislature working on passing or trying to pass bills which discriminate against the GLBT community or limit a woman’s choices when it comes to her own body instead of working on Tax Reform or Education Funding.

The KKK will be in Austin on November 5th to show their support for Constitutional Amendment 2 to stop “legal Fag Marriages”. This endorsement alone proves beyond a shadow of a doubt what this amendment is being used for and what type of people it appeals to.

Fair Minded Texans do not support this type of hate and bigotry. Any politician who has the endorsement of the KKK has lost sight of the Values of Texas, Texas Families, and the Texas People. I urge everyone to go out and vote against Constitutional Amendment 2 and let the Governor know that Texas Voters are disgusted with the direction his administration and the Republican Party have taken in Texas.

Below is a message from Soulforce Austin and the No Nonsense in November. You can check their web sites for more details.

Come join thousands of Texans in a peaceful vigil Saturday, November 5, at 1:00 p.m. in Austin at Auditorium Shores located at South 1st Street and Riverside Dr.

Followed by a vigil on the 1st Street bridge from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. (We have Austin Police Department and City of Austin clearance to use the 1st Street Bridge).

This will define who we are as Texans and bring together a diverse coalition
of fair-minded Texans in opposition to the hate message of the Klan and
against Prop. 2.

We will speak for ourselves and not engage the Klan because our peaceful, non-violent demonstration is not about hate. It is about love and respect - which is what marriage, is really all about. Our rally will be a powerful witness to truth and justice. During the final 72 hours before Texans vote against Constitutional Amendment #2, we will show America that Texans are fair-minded.

The Texas Constitution is a sacred document that always has bestowed rights and protections upon citizens of this state. Constitutions were never meant to be used for discriminatory practices. If the amendment passes, it will do just that.

The Klan will be at City Hall. We will meet at Auditorium Shores, and as we sing songs of hope and love, we will extend peace like a river. We will walk halfway across the S. 1st St. Bridge, where our peaceful message will speak volumes.

SO,

Stand with us in peaceful solidarity
Against Hate
Against Violence
Against Constitutional Amendment #2

In the words of George W. Bush, "You're either with us or you're against us."

My soul is tired and my hearts aches.

I have worked for 32 years to bring about Equality for all people – men, women, children, blacks, and especially the GLBT community.

I am a 46-year-old gay male who came out at the age of 15 in a small North Carolina town. When I was 26, I marched with Pride down Hillsborough Street in Raleigh with my friends and with strangers letting the world know I was gay, proud and worthy of respect and love. The following year when North Carolina had it’s first organized state wide Pride Parade my mother walked with me and cried as she told me how much she loved me. I have marched in Pride Parades in 6 states as an adult. I have marched in more parades than I ever watched because I thought it vital to be involved. I have done sit ins at Jessie Helms’ office, Pink Flu Days in California when Domestic Partnership laws were vetoed and worked my ass off campaigning against hate crimes, discrimination, and begging for benefits.

In the past few years, I watched as many states have passed constitutional amendments to change their bill of rights to make the GLBT community second class citizens for all time. I watched as a President of the United States broke his oath of office to protect the constitution by asking Congress to pass an amendment to ban “gay” marriage in the United States Constitution. The few highlights have been legalization of marriage for all in Massachusetts, Civil Unions in New Hampshire, and the legalization of gay marriage in several countries.

Hate crimes go up as national leaders and religious leaders spread their “moral” view that we are evil and an abomination to the lord. But please don’t get them wrong, they are not homophobic. They are doing this to protect the world, the sanctity of marriage, and their children from us. We are okay as long as we stay hidden and don’t ask for equal protection under the law. Laws protecting rights are being done away with, displays, books and even cartoons about gay families are being removed from public libraries, and hatred, fear and lies are being spread. I watch in shock and dismay as Gay Rights look to be a thing of the past in the Land of the Free. I have worked so damn hard for what we have achieved and cry in frustration as it seems to fade into a memory of happier times.

In Texas, we are fighting Constitutional Amendment 2. You can read the bill your self at www.nononsenseinnovember.com or at www.lrg.org. It basically says that marriage is between one man and one woman and that nothing similar or could be considered similar to marriage can be recognized in the state. I have been fighting the good fight as well as I can and as much as I can. Thanks to a car wreck in July I have not been able to do as much as I would have liked to do in this battle and battle it is.

Early voting has started in Texas. I am asking everyone who reads this to please call, email, write or message anyone you know who lives in Texas and ask them to get out and vote against this hate bill. We can stop this but we need everyone’s help.

Legislative Blunder Annuls ALL Marriage

Have you heard the disturbing news about Proposition 2?

Any greedy insurance company, tricky divorce attorney or liberal
activist judge could use this Constitutional Amendment to annul all
marriage in Texas. Only your vote can fix it.

DON'T RISK IT - VOTE AGAINST IT!
READ IT FOR YOURSELF!

Proponents of Proposition 2 keep telling us it would protect
traditional marriage by writing into the Texas Constitution a
prohibition on marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples, but
it actually does much more - if passed it annuls ALL marriage in
Texas, even for heterosexuals.

That's because the language that would be written directly into the
Texas Constitution if this passes is flawed.

Don't take our word for it, read the language for yourself:

Article I (The Bill of Rights), Texas Constitution, would be amended
to read as follows:

Sec. 32. (a) MARRIAGE in this state shall consist ONLY OF THE UNION
OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.

(b) THIS STATE or a political subdivision of this state MAY NOT
create or RECOGNIZE ANY LEGAL STATUS IDENTICAL or similar TO
MARRIAGE.

By leaving out key words, legislators are invalidating all marriage!

The language is clear:
(a) defines marriage between one man and one woman, and
(b) prohibits the recognition of (a)

Therefore prohibiting marriage between one man and one woman!

Legislators in other states that have passed similar amendments got
it right, when trying to prohibit marriage between same-sex couples.
They included key language that clarifies marriage between one man
and one woman would still be recognized:

For example, in Utah, they defined marriage as between one man and
one woman, and then said, "NO OTHER domestic status or union, however
denominated, between persons is valid or recognized or may be
authorized, sanctioned, or given the same or substantially
equivalent legal effect as a marriage."

In Kentucky, the language read, "A legal status identical or
substantially similar to that of marriage FOR UNMARRIED INDIVIDUALS
shall not be valid or recognized."

DON'T RISK IT - VOTE AGAINST IT!

For more information, visit www.SaveTexasMarriage.com

To get involved and help spread the news about the Flawed language of
Proposition 2, contact Save Texas Marriage at
info@SaveTexasMarriage.com

You can also visit the Save Texas Marriage web site and to volunteer
to educate voters

Early Voting Has Begun

Early voting began today and I was one of the 1st in Williamson County to cast my vote for Equal Rights in Texas. Amendment 2 is nothing but bigotry on a grand scale. It is a hate bill. The amendment’s only purpose is to appease the ultra-right and bring about more fear, hate and intolerance while gaining money and support for a party that cares nothing for Texas, Texas Families or Texas Values.

I urge everyone to go out and vote what you feel in your heart. Fair Minded Texans do not believe in discrimination. Do not let this smoke screen issue fool you into believing Perry and the rest of the hate mongers have done anything for Texas or ever will. Their record speaks loudly to their ineptitude. Tell the Governor and the Legislature you expect good government not lies, fear, and hatred. Vote No on Amendment 2.

Strategic Planning, Message Refinement, Idea meeting for Final Week to Defeat Prop. 2

Texans will be hitting the polls next Monday (Oct. 24) to vote on a Constitutional Amendment that would write into the Bill of Rights a prohibition against marriage and civil unions for gay and Lesbian Texans. As early voting begins, No Nonsense In November, the campaign working to defeat the amendment, has many positive developments and a strategy that point to us doing the unthinkable: WINNING. The smell of victory is in the air, but we need you to make defeating this amendment a reality.

I rolled out these new developments to key community leaders this past weekend in Austin. The response was so amazing that I have decided to travel across the state this weekend to share our exciting new strategy with all fair-minded Texans who wish to be involved in the making of political history.

I promise that you will want to be a part of this – you’ll be just as amazed as they were on what will be happening soon. Information outlining this exciting new game plan will be shared at this weekend’s high-level strategy meetings. We also really need creative, energetic new ideas to help deliver our exciting and just a little bit shocking new message.

No matter where you live in Texas, you can play a key part in ensuring victory.

Curious? Then show up and get involved in the new game plan!

Austin:
Saturday; Oct. 22nd, 10:30 a.m.
Ventana Del Soul Coffee House
Texas Espresso Auditorium
1834 E. Oltorf Dr. (East of I-35 near Parker Ln.)
To RSVP: Celia@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 512-236-0843

Dallas:
Saturday, Oct. 22nd; 11:00AM
IBEW Union Hall
7940 Northaven
To RSVP: Suzanne@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 214-821-2511

Fort Worth:
Saturday, Oct. 22nd; 2:30PM
Agape Metropolitan Community Church
4615 E California Parkway
To RSVP: Keith@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 817-335-8683

San Antonio:
Saturday, Oct, 22nd, 12:00 noon
Madison Presbyterian Church
319 Camden (at Lexington and Camden by I-35 and Hospital Center)
To RSVP: Melanie@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 210-320-4682

Houston:
Sunday, Oct 23, 3:30PM
Star Pizza
77 Harvard, (1 block east of Heights & Washington Ave.)
This does not conflict with the vigil at city hall at 2pm. So come have pizza and cold one after the vigil and join us for a strategy session.
To RSVP: Emily@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 713-522-4372

Beaumont:
Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005, 1:30pm
Spindletop Unitarian Universalist Church
1575 Spindletop Road
Beaumont, Texas
To RSVP: Liz@NoNonsenseInNovember.com or 512-443-2027

While sending an RSVP is encouraged, it is OK if you decide to join us at the last minute and have not RSVPed.

You do not need to live in one of these cities to join us. Come to the city nearest you, learn the new strategy and take it to your home town and implement the winning game plan there. Your involvement in the next few weeks will be critical to our success on November 8th. Join us and become a part of political history.

Can’t wait to see you there!

Bill Moyers on the Texas Observer

Bill Moyers was in Austin a few weeks back and gave a speech hosted by the Texas Observer. The speech was taped by someone with a radio show in Houston, and I stumbled on it when I was down there for a conference last week. It was so good that I spent half an hour eating my delicious bag of fried food and listening to the speech in my car in the motel parking lot instead of going in and watching baseball.

Anyway, I know that there are fans of the Texas Observer in this group and I assume that there are Bill Moyers fans so I tracked down the link to the show's archives. Moyers starts around the one hour mark with an intro by Molly Ivins. Enjoy.


http://kpftx.org/archives/kpftsignal/mp3/051006_190002pf.MP3

Proposition 2: Bigotry wrapped up in cruelty

I recieved this in an email and had to share.

Jacquielynn Floyd:
Proposition 2: Bigotry wrapped up in cruelty
07:32 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 5, 2005

If you're opposed to gay marriage, you can take a stand: Don't go to any gay weddings. If you really want to signal your disapproval, don't send a present.

But don't vote for the mean and meddlesome proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot that would amend the state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage. Proposition 2 is a cruel piece of ideological bigotry that attempts to create and solve a problem that doesn't exist.

It's hard to understand why so many otherwise sensible people have seized on gay marriage as the most menacing potential threat that American society faces. And it's hard to understand why otherwise decent people see a need to purposely discriminate against couples who want the same workaday legal safeguards as everybody else.

So far, this particular ballot measure is cruising a little beneath the public radar – we've been too preoccupied with natural disasters and Supreme Court vacancies to get whipped up in a big front-page frenzy on this one.

But there's a steady grassroots campaign going on, targeting specific interest groups with direct mailers and e-mail "alerts." The rest of us will just be left to make up our minds in the voting booth.

Sadly, a lot of people will vote in favor of it because it's worded simply as a "definition" that limits marriage in Texas to "the union of one man and woman."

Sounds OK; sounds like marriage as most of us know it. But there's a little extra language in there that also bans "any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

In other words, no marriage for gay people, and nothing that even legally resembles it. This could mean real legal trouble for, say, sick people who want to assign benefits or powers of attorney to a partner.

Look, I understand the visceral discomfort some people experience when they see two guys kissing on TV. Sexual orientation is part of your hard wiring, and it's pretty difficult to go against the grain.

That's exactly the reason that it's disingenuous and downright spiteful for gay-marriage opponents to suggest, as they do in their campaign literature, that "homosexuals have the same right to marry as we all do. They choose not to marry members of the opposite sex, but they could if they wanted to."

Never mind that this would mean perpetrating a fraud on the other marriage partner. They could if they wanted to.

A lot of people seem to view the "threat" of gay marriage as emblematic of everything that seems to be deteriorating in our selfish, vulgar, navel-baring popular culture. Marriage sometimes looks less like a sound foundation to our societal structure than it does a tabloid soap opera.

They see marriage cheapened by partner-swapping celebrity dimwits, by selfish jerks who don't stick around long enough to watch the kids grow up, by the cartoonish Anna Nicole Smith and her late husband, J. Howard Marshall II, who was 90 when he died.

Or they believe the hysterical predictions that gay marriage is the first step in a long decline toward institutionalized polygamy, or weddings uniting people and donkeys.

It seems to me that if you're worried about all those things, there's a real benefit in extending the franchise to stable couples who see marriage as a serious commitment. That's a matter of character, not of sexual orientation.

Of course, there are those who just flat don't like gay people, who consider homosexuality offensive and amoral.

Thus, they would limit somebody else's rights to protect themselves from being "offended." Aren't these the same people who wring their hands over out-of-control "political correctness"?

Proposition 2 will not stop people from being gay. It won't stop them from moving in together or throwing housewarming parties or joining the PTA. All it will do is make life a little harder for them, and why do you want to do that to people you don't even know?

Same-sex marriage is already illegal in Texas, and even if it weren't, it wouldn't change your life.

But if you really want to take a stand, go ahead and boycott gay weddings. There'll be more cake for everybody else.

E-mail jfloyd@dallasnews.com

Help a New Orleans Artist

One of the artist I know from Cafe Press is from New Orleans. He is still living outside of New Orleans and working on repairing his home and studio. He is currently using a friend's computer to continue to design and sale shirts and gifts on line through cafe press to off set some expenses and get back on his feet. He has created some beautiful " I Love New Orleans" designs for survivors.

Please check out Fig Street Art Studio

ABC gives primetime exposure to James Dobson group!

by: JamesB3 from myleftwing.com

Sorry for the hysterical headline, but it took everything I had to not write "GAY HATE," so this is subtle for me.

ABC has had an increasing number of ties to anti-gay talking points and organizations. Most (in)famous was the 20/20 special which attempted to rewrite the tragedy of Matthew Shephard's murder and give sympathy to his killers. Next came last spring's accepting a primetime ad for extremist theocrat group Focus On the Family, even though earlier in the year the network refused to air a pro-gay ad from the United Church of Christ. In August, daytime talk show "The View" had a lengthy interview with ex-gays from Exodus International, a major lobbying group which has strong ties to Focus on the Family. And now the popular series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is featuring Focus on the Family in their October 2 episode. In FotF's own words:

In addition to its participation in the October 2 episode, Focus hosted the Barrett family yesterday at its Colorado Springs campus for a special visit. The highlight of the day was a meeting with Focus founder and chairman Dr. James Dobson. The Peyton, Colorado family of eight also enjoyed a VIP tour of the Focus on the Family campus, lunch with the staff, a visit with Focus on the Family president and CEO Jim Daly, a trip to the broadcasting studios for a behind-the-scenes look at the popular Adventures in Odyssey children's radio program, and interviews with the Brio and Breakaway teen magazine staffs.

"There is nothing more rewarding than helping others, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a great example of this principle in action," says Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family. "We at Focus on the Family are honored to participate in such a worthy cause."

--

ABC seems to want stronger and stronger ties to a group that has declared war against "tolerance" and "diversity." If you want to ask Endemol, which produces Extreme Makeover Home Edition, why they want to associate with this kind of hate, here is the contact information:

Endemol USA 9255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1100 Los Angeles, CA 90069

Telephone: +1 310 860 9914 Fax: +1 310 860 1417

E-mail: Tina.Hoover@endemolusa.tv

Management: David Goldberg, President

The contact information for ABC:

ABC Media Relations: Alison Rou (818) 460- 7798
email alison.rou@abc.com

You might think that your words won't make a difference, but those who have called Endemol reported that the person on the other end of the line was not very happy with FotF's self-promotion, and that a photo of Pennington which once appeared on the FotF site has now been taken down.

Please let them know that you do not tolerate hate or attempts to put a fuzzy, warm puppy in place of what is really a rabid dog. ABC continues to give credence to one of the most hostile and influential hate groups in America. Tell them you won't put up with it anymore.