Friday, October 4, 2013
Top Dems Call on Pentagon to Deal with Rogue National Guard Units on Gay Spousal Benefits
From The Towleroad:
The top Democrats on the House and Senate armed services committees
are asking the Pentagon to take action on the growing number of National
Guard units that are refusing to process gay spousal benefit
applications, the Washington Blade reports:
In
a letter dated Sept. 30, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Sen. Carl Levin
(D-Mich.) write to the Defense Department to express “deep concern” over
the unwillingness of certain state National Guard units to process
spousal benefits for troops in same-sex marriages.
“Recently, the states of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma have
refused to issue or have stopped issuing ID cards in state facilities
to same-sex spouses of service members,” the lawmakers write. “Citing
statewide bans on marriage for same-sex couples, local policymakers have
forced these spouses to travel to federal military installations to apply for their military benefits.”
The letter is the first time federal lawmakers have weighed in on the growing issue.
Smith and Levin urge Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to take action to
reaffirm guidance he issued in August saying spousal benefits for troops
in same-sex marriages should be available nationwide following the
Supreme Court decision against the Defense of Marriage Act.
This week, South Carolina said that because of the gay benefits order, it was ending all state processing of military benefit applications and directing that process to federal facilities.Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Only Fifteen 'Ex-Gay Activists' Show Up For 'Ex-Gay Awareness Month' Lobby Day
Despite
claims that “there are more ex-gay people in the world than there are
gay people in the world” and that there are “thousands of ex-gays” ready
to march on Washington and make their voices heard, ex-gay gatherings
always seem to assemble just a small handful of people. And it’s always
the exact same people.
Ex-Gay Awareness Month, which immediately
followed the disastrous Ex-Gay Pride Month lobby day, managed to muster
“about 15 ex-gay activists to lobby Capitol Hill” yesterday.
The pathetically unsuccessful lobby day was followed by an equally
feeble First Annual Ex-Gay Awareness Dinner and Reception for 60 people,
that attracted such "Christian" haters of Mathew Staver of the Liberty
Counsel, and Bishop Harry Jackson, the Christian Post reports.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Theater Of The Absurd: After Signing Anti-Gay Laws, Russia's Vladimir Putin Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize
According to Reuters, a group of former politicians and academics are calling on the Nobel Committee to award the Peace Prize to Putin.
Beslan Kobakhiya, vice president of the Academy of Spiritual Unity and Cooperation Between the World's Nations, told reporters that Putin's leadership makes him a strong candidate.
“Vladimir Putin did everything possible for the peace settlement in Syria,” Kobakhiya said. “He led by his personal example and his devotion to peace. Not just with his words but with his actions. At the cornerstone of all his life there are no short-term political goals or vested corporate interests of his own country. His only interest is maintaining peace in the whole world.”
State Duma MP Isosif Kobzon said that Putin was more deserving of the prize than President Barack Obama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.
“Barack Obama is the man who has initiated and approved the United States' aggressive actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, now he is preparing for an invasion into Syria,” the Interfax news agency quoted Kobzon as saying. “He bears this title nevertheless. Our president, who tries to stop the bloodshed and who tries to help the conflict situation with political dialogue, is in my view more worthy of this high title.”
Over the summer, Putin signed laws which prohibit gay and lesbian couples from adopting Russian-born children and the public promotion of gay rights where minors might be present, effectively shutting down public demonstrations of support. Russia's “gay propaganda” law has provoked worldwide protests and calls for a boycott of the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi.
Last month, Putin reacted to the protests, many of which were directed at him, arguing that the law is “no infringement on the rights of sexual minorities.”
He added that “gay marriages don't produce children” and that he cannot be homophobic because he has awarded gays “state prizes or decorations for their achievements in various fields.”
Maddow Nails The GOP's Tit's To The Floor
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