*Downtown Los Angeles: St. John's Episcopal Church will have an inclusion mass at 10:30 am on Sunday, then a march. It is near USC.
*TONIGHT from 6 to 9 pm in Silver Lake at Sunset Junction (Where Sunset blvd and Santa Monica blvd meet) is a rally and march. More info on both events here.
Also - because the "gays must understand and accommodate people of faith" meme is pissing me off no end I am linking a PDF of my church's marriage equality resolution here.
Some people of faith do not think religion and bigotry mix.
Religious belief DOES NOT justify or mitigate or soften bigotry. Not now - not during slavery, (the bible was used repeatedly to justify the enslavement of Africans.)
not in white supremacist churchs,
not in black separatist churches...
No way. No how. No one gets to hide behind religion on this one. NO ONE.
Bigotry won the day in California on equal rights for gay Americans. And the victory FOR discrimination came from those who have felt its sting most harshly.
Ironically, the huge voter turn out by black citizens to vote for Obama may have provided the Yes on 8 forces the cushion they needed. Black Californians (10% of the population) voted to ban equal marriage rights for gays by a huge 70%-30% margin. Hispanics (19%) - widely thought to be more socially conservative - voted for the ban by a much smaller 51%-49% margin. Whites and Asians voted against the ban by 53%-47% margin.
Ah - here is the second Gay of the Day I actually know! Jeff Key. And the third I've actually met! Am I cool or what?!!! (You have to guess who the other 2 are. One hint: I have never met Alexander the Great.)
Onward:
Jeff Key is an Iraq War Vet who married his partner 2 years ago - before it was legal. (I might add - it was the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen.) Jeff signed up, went to Iraq and served with distinction and yet he came back to discrimination and bigotry because of his sexual orientation.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we've been here before. 1945. Blacks fought and died in Europe and the Pacific. Blacks came home to second class status, hatred and discrimination.
Here is Jeff Key, U.S.M.C.'s simple, direct, plea for people to do what is right and Vote No on 8.
Previous Gays of the Day:
Kate Hutton John Amaechi Martina Navratilova Richard the Lionhearted Alexander the Great Lily Tomlin. Bessie Smith Daniel Tammet Marlene Dietrich Ellen Degeneres Chad Allen James Dean
The Gay of the Day is Daniel Tammet. He's is a high functioning autistic savant - and a business man - who lives with his spouse in the U.K. Read about him here. His website is here. And watch the clip below.
Gays and lesbians deserve the exact SAME rights as everyone else. No more. No Less. If you are in California Vote No on 8. Tammet on Letterman:
Previous Gays of the Day: Richard the Lionhearted Alexander the Great Lily Tomlin. Bessie Smith
*Downtown Los Angeles: St. John's Episcopal Church will have an inclusion mass at 10:30 am on Sunday, then a march. It is near USC.
