Monday, April 27, 2015
Gay Republican hoteliers face backlash over fundraising dinner for homophobic GOP candidate
The hoteliers who own New York’s Out NYC hotel and a commercial strip on Fire Island, among other ventures, have faced widespread calls for a boycott after hosting an intimate evening function at their home with Ted Cruz.
Cruz is a Republican Senator who has been very vocal in his opposition to same-sex marriage.
According to Human Rights Campaign, Cruz ‘has consistently opposed equality for LGBT Americans … attacking fellow Republicans for marching in pride parades, and using his opposition to marriage to win his first Senate campaign.’
The New York Times reported that Cruz and wife, Heidi, attended an evening event for a dozen guests last Monday at a Central Park South penthouse owned by Mati Weiderpass and Ian Reisner.
Weiderpass and Reisner are long-time business partners who were once a couple. They are regarded as two of New York’s most prominent gay businessmen.
People present at the event said that Cruz talked about same-sex marriage. He allegedly said ‘If one of my daughters was gay, I would love them just as much,’ but went on to re-iterate that he believed it should be left up to individual states to decide their stand on gay marriage.
The evening’s ‘fireside chat’ was allegedly more concerned with a discussion on gay rights in Israel as opposed to the rest of the Middle East, foreign policy issues, and opposition to President Obama.
Weiderpass later published a photo [pictured] on his Facebook page of him and Cruz at the event.
Given Cruz’s previous comments with regard to LGBT issues, The New York Times’ report was met with disbelief by many in the LGBT community – shocked that the businessmen should host such an intimate gathering for a politician with such notoriously anti-gay views.
This was compounded on Thursday when Cruz announced that he wanted to propose two bills: one would amend the US constitution to protect any state that seeks to define marriage as being between a man and woman only, while the second would prevent any federal court making rulings on same-sex marriage equality until his constitutional amendment was passed.
Reisner took to Facebook himself on Thursday to defend himself, saying: ‘For my entire adult life, I have been an ardent supporter and activist for gay rights and LGBT organizations worldwide.
‘I was given the opportunity to have a candid conversation with Senator Ted Cruz on where he stood on issues including the state of Israel and national security, which are the only places where we share common ground.
‘Senator Ted Cruz and I disagree strongly on the issue of gay marriage, but having an open dialogue with those who have differing political opinions is a part of what this country was founded on. My tireless support of the gay community and its causes worldwide hasn't changed and will not change.’
A Facebook group calling for a ‘Boycott Fire Island Pines & Out NYC Hotel’ was quickly launched, and – at the time of writing – had attracted over 9,000 likes.
The site is calling for a boycott of ‘Fire Island Pines Establishments (Pavilion, Low Tea, High Tea, Botel, Botel Barracks, Pool Deck, Harbor Club, Blue Whale, Cultured Elephant), Out NYC Hotel, and XL Nightclub’.
Subsequently, on Friday, the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS announced that it was cancelling a fundraising event that it had booked on 10 May at 42West, a club owned by Weiderpass and Reisner.
In a Facebook posting, the organization’s Executive Director, Tom Viola, spelled out the reasoning:
‘We do business with and accept fundraising support from a variety of people across a wide spectrum of political and religious affiliations. The rich diversity of our community makes what we do together so special.
‘It is a rare instance where the actions of a donor negatively impacts us as an organization and potentially jeopardizes our relationship with others whose support is integral to our success. But when it does occur, in a way that’s blatantly against all we stand and work for, we can’t pretend it doesn't come with consequences. Silence is not a neutral position. It is complicit.
‘We cannot in good conscience hold an event at a venue whose owners have alienated our community.’
On Saturday, the New York Gay Men’s Chorus cancelled a fundraising event that it was due to hold at Out NYC later that day.
Yesterday (Sunday), it was confirmed that a pep rally for AIDS Walk NYC, due to take place at XL on 5 May, had also been pulled. Host Bianca Del Rio took to Twitter to say that the event had been moved to Stage 48 instead.
Yesterday, Reisner took to Facebook to apologize, saying: 'I am shaken to my bones by the e-mails, texts, postings and phone calls of the past few days.
'I made a terrible mistake. I was ignorant, naive and much too quick in accepting a request to co-host a dinner with Cruz at my home without taking the time to completely understand all of his positions on gay rights.
'I've spent the past 24 hours reviewing videos of Cruz' statements on gay marriage and I am shocked and angry. I sincerely apologize for hurting the gay community and so many of our friends, family, allies, customers and employees. I will try my best to make up for my poor judgement. Again, I am deeply sorry.'
Shortly afterwards, Weiderpass took again to Facebook to post his own defense, saying: ‘I share in Ian's remorse.
‘I, too, lay humbled with what has happened in the last week. I made a terrible mistake.
‘Unfortunately, I cannot undo this. You taught me a painful but important lesson. The people that know me know that work that I have done over the last 20 years for the advancement of gay rights.
‘Today, I came to realize that I might have nullified my past efforts and accomplishments in just one week. On the eve of this momentous legal occasion at the Supreme Court, I dedicate myself to work even harder to advance our cause that I share with the LGBT community; our community. Again, to all that I have hurt, please accept my sincerest apologies.’
At the time of writing, a protest rally is scheduled to take place outside The Out NYC this evening.
What a load of BS, Reisner and Weiderpass didn't know Cruz was so anti-gay?
Then why did they both state the intended purpose of the dinner was to reach out to the opposition?
The fact is, both are log cabin Republicans and this isn't the first time they have backed anti-gay Republicans; their only concern is their wealth and procuring more.
Any and all gay charities they have allowed to use their facilities (and I'm betting they made money from these events) should cease any involvement with either of these back stabbing asshats.
They were sucking Cruz's dirty asshole and were PROUD of the fact they were allowed to donate and contribute to his campaign, they knew ever nuance of his anti-gay stances and like any other gay Republican, didn't care...
I have always equated this phenomenon with the Jews who sympathized with the Nazi party, even turning on their own and helping them march their fellow Jews into the death camps and ovens.
May they live long enough to know the true depth of their betrayal.
Prop 8 Lawyers Predict Marriage Equality Win At Supreme Court
The lawyers who represented gay couples
in a lawsuit challenging California's now-defunct gay marriage ban,
Proposition 8, predicted Sunday that the Supreme Court will strike
down state marriage bans as unconstitutional.
On Tuesday, the nation's highest court
will hear arguments in a case challenging bans in four states –
Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky. A ruling is expected in
June.
David Boies and Ted Olson said during
an appearance on Meet the Press that based on the 2013 case
that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which led to the
federal government recognizing the marriages of gay couples, a
majority of justices will rule to overturn the bans.
“If you read what the Supreme Court said in that case, there's really no other way for the Supreme Court to come out in the case that's up for argument on Tuesday,” Olson said.
“If you read what the Supreme Court said in that case, there's really no other way for the Supreme Court to come out in the case that's up for argument on Tuesday,” Olson said.
“The first part of that case is
whether states have to recognize the rights of individuals who wish
to get married in that state. I think that will end the debate right
there.”
Boies said that a unanimous or
near-unanimous ruling would send a strong message.
“I think civil rights cases ought to
be decided 9-0 or 8-1, the way the racial and civil rights decisions
were largely made,” he said. “It sends a message that this
country doesn't tolerate discrimination. So, I think the more
justices that sign on, the better.”
Olson said that he was optimistic
“it'll be more than five votes.”
“But we can count the justices that
already decided the Defense of Marriage case and their explanation
for why they decided that,” he said.
He added that increasing public support
for marriage equality “makes it easier now for the Supreme Court to
make that total decision.”
Sunday, April 26, 2015
A Bill By Any Other Name...
Out Congressman Jared Polis, a Democrat
from Colorado, has responded to a Republican's anti-gay marriage bill
with a proposal to “restrain” his ability to introduce
legislation.
Iowa Representative Steve King, a vocal
opponent of gay rights, last week introduced a proposal that if
approved would prohibit federal judges from ruling over any cases
involving marriage.
Polis responded to King's “Restrain
the Judges on Marriage Act” with his “Restrain Steve King from
Legislating Act.”
“For too long, Steve King has
overstepped his constitutionally nonexistent judicial authority,”
Polis
said in announcing his legislation. “Mr. King has perverted the
Constitution to create rights to things such as discrimination,
bullying, and disparate treatment. These efforts to enshrine these
appalling values as constitutional rights were not envisioned by the
voters, or by King's colleagues who must currently try to restrain
his attempts to single-handedly rewrite the nation's founding
principles on a bill-by-bill basis.”
“I urge the House to bring this bill
to the floor. If passed, my bill would preserve the right of
millions of voters in all 50 states who would prefer that Steve King
refrain from legislating a role for himself in their marriage
decisions.”
In 2003, King compared gay men and
lesbians to fairy tales: “Unicorns, leprechauns, gay marriages in
Iowa – these are things you will never find because they just don't
exist.” Iowa began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples in
2009.
Gay Marriage Foes March Ahead Of Supreme Court Hearing
Opponents of marriage equality marched
on the Mall on Saturday, just days before the Supreme Court hears a
case challenging gay marriage bans in four states.
The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) claims that more than 7,000 people were bused in to participate
in its March for Marriage.
The march wound its way up the Mall to
the Supreme Court Plaza, where “several knelt to pray,” according
to The
Washington Post.
Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville,
Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB), told the crowd: “Children don't need experiments. They
need the love of their mother and father, wherever possible.”
The Post reported that the crowd
was overwhelmingly Latino.
New York State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr.,
a Democrat from the Bronx and an ordained minister of the Church of
God, led opposition to New York's marriage law. In 2011, he led a
rally of marriage equality opponents in the Bronx.
In
a press release, Diaz said that more than 6,000 people were being
bused in from New York to participate in the march.
NOM President Brian Brown told the
crowd that marriage equality supporters might not win at the Supreme
Court.
“They think that they've won, but
they thought they won Prop. 8, too,” he said, a reference to
California's now-defunct voter-approved constitutional amendment
limiting marriage to heterosexual unions. Ironically, it was a
Supreme Court ruling that toppled California's ban.
NOM's website claims 10,000 showed for yesterdays rally, people who actually attended said it was smaller than last years attendance and that was estimated at 2k.
Like last year, once again, many in attendance were brought in by buss and largely Latinos, who when questioned, didn't even know why they were there.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Pope Francis rejects France’s gay nominee to be ambassador to the Vatican
Laurent Stefanini met with Pope Francis for a 15 minute audience over the weekend, according to the Le Canard Enchâiné newspaper, and was told that France’s legalization of same-sex marriage in 2013 was part of the reason he could not accept him into the Vatican’s diplomatic community.
Stefanini was previously a deputy ambassador to Vatican City from 2001 to 2005 so it may be possible that Pope Francis is worried about the prospect of a gay ambassador to the Vatican getting married during the period of their diplomatic posting.
The French Government confirmed the meeting had taken place at a regular press briefing on Wednesday but denied that Stefanini has been rejected by the Vatican as France’s candidate.
‘There was a meeting between the Pope and Mr Stefanini,’ French Government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said on Wednesday, according to the Reuters news agency.
‘But nothing has changed. France has proposed a candidate and for the time being we are waiting for the Vatican's reply after the usual discussions and review of his candidacy.’
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Anti-gay Baptist Pastor Spent His Youth Raping Women...But That's Okay, He Found Jesus!
Acra Lee Turner, 60, is part of a group calling for a repeal of Eureka Springs, Arkansas' Ordinance 2223, which protects LGBTI people from discrimination.
He claims gay, and especially trans people, are dangerous pedophiles, violent rapists and 'sex offenders'.
In a newspaper ad placed by the group, they say: 'If you think tourists are going to be excited about even the possibility that their wives, daughters and girlfriends will be sharing a bathroom with a guy who decides he’s "transgender" just to have a little fun (or worse) at the ladies’ expense, you don’t know tourists and you don’t know sex offenders.'
And in a video, starring Turner, he claims LGBTI people 'are not lynched, no one is forcing them to sit at the back of the bus'. 'This is not a human rights issue, this is a human behavior issue,' he says. 'Nothing against the gays, I love 'em, but as far as the law itself I don't feel like it's a very good law.'
The city will vote on the ordinance on 12 May.
Turner was convicted of three counts of rape in Oklahoma and sent to prison in 1977. It was found, as a 22-year-old man, he raped an 80-year-old woman who was beaten so badly by him she was unrecognizable. He was released in August 2000.
This is even though the son of the his victim called for Turner to stay in prison, blaming him for his mother's deteriorating health and death after she was raped. The pastor admitted to the crime to the Arkansas Times, claiming God has turned his life around. 'All that does is just show the same thing I show now: How God can change a man's life,' he told the newspaper. 'That's 40 years ago. That's behind me.' He added: 'Whatever comes, it's not up to Eureka Springs to forgive me. Eureka Springs has their own problems.'
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