Steve Who?

Monday, December 21, 2009

Mexico City Legalizes Same-sex Marriage

The big news from south of the border is that Mexico City has become the first city in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage. The city assembly approved the bill with a 39-20 vote on Monday.

With Canada, Mexico City and the District of Columbia now recognizing the inherent right of all people to marry the one they love, without regard to gender, and the pending anti-gay legislation in Uganda and Rwanda, will the president feel the increased pressure to do right by the LGBT community, or will he serve up more empty promises?

365Gay reports:

"Leftist Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of the Democratic Revolution Party is widely expected to sign the measure into law. The bill calls for changing the definition of marriage in the city’s civil code. Marriage is currently defined as the union of a man and a woman. The new definition will be “the free uniting of two people.” The change would allow same-sex couples to adopt children, apply for bank loans together, inherit wealth and be included in the insurance policies of their spouse, rights they were denied under civil unions allowed in the city."

DC Mayor Fenty Signs Marriage Bill

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Wesley Gann and J...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

In a major victory for marriage equality, DC mayor Adrian Fenty signed a bill on Friday, making same-sex marriage legal in the nation's capital.

What makes this victory especially unique is that there is no residency requirement, meaning that gay and lesbian couples from anywhere can get married in the nation's capital, even though those marriages may not be recognized in their home states. This could set the stage for our next battle when/if DOMA is finally repealed.

dcAgenda reports:

With about 200 spectators cheering from the pews, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed a bill Friday to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington during a ceremony at a church that played a leading role in pushing for black civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s.

“To the world, today an era of struggle ends for thousands of residents of Washington, D.C., who have been denied the fundamental right to marry the person of their choosing,” Fenty told the gathering at All Souls Unitarian Church in Northwest D.C.

“I say to all those residents who watch the nation’s capital today that our city is taking a leap forward in ensuring freedom and equality to all residents.”

Fenty signed the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 four days after the D.C. Council gave its final approval of the measure, 11-2.

Don't celebrate just yet, though. Congress has the final say over new legislation in the district and the enemies of freedom are hard at work lobbying conservative lawmakers to intervene and put a stop to liberty and justice for all. With all eyes focused health care reform, there just doesn't seem to be enough interest in congress to stop the new law, which could go into effect by summer.

In a related story, The Washington Post has an Op Ed story written by husband and wife pastors, Dennis and Christine Wiley, called, "Why two black DC pastors support gay marriage".

The couple writes:

"For us, the courage to perform same-sex unions is in keeping with the proudest traditions of our Baptist and congregational heritage. Within the Baptist tradition of freedom and autonomy, Covenant Baptist Church has a long history of progressive ministry emphasizing social justice, service to the community and inclusion."

Read the full article here.

Big Snow Hits East Coast (For those of you who hadn't noticed)

Just in case you've been in a coma for the last few days, the Roanoke region, and most of the northeast, got dumped on by a major winter storm. The official snowfall here at Morning Wood Acres is 14 inches.

When the snow started on Friday afternoon, I was at work in Roanoke. The boss let me leave early, before she let everyone else go and finally closed for the weekend. I left at about 3:30 for the 29-mile trip, which usually takes 40 minutes. I got home at 7:00 pm.

It took an hour and a half just to find a passable route out of town. The major roads were blocked by stuck vehicles and I had to turn around and change my route twice before finding my way back to Rte. 221, which is the road up Bent Mountain (elevation, about 2500 ft.) that takes me home. The traffic moved slowly, but steadily at about 10-15 miles per hour until I got about 2/3 up the mountain. Traffic slowed to the point that that I started to lose forward momentum and stid into the left lane on a steep curve. Soon two other cars did the same. It was scary as hell. Fortunately, there was no traffic coming down the mountain.

I waited for other cars to pass before backing up to a more level area and attempted to get back on my way, assisted by two other motorists who were pushing other cars through, even though their own vehicles were stranded at the side of the road. In all, I was stuck on the mountain for 45 minutes.

Once at the top, I slowly made my way along the 15 miles toward home. I'd been keeping on touch with Paul by cell phone the whole time and he met me at the bottom of the final hill that leads to our road.

The rest of the weekend was spent snugly inside by the fire, digging out the cars and looking in on the ducks, who have spent the last three days inside the coop with plenty of food and water.

On Sunday, we attempted the move my car out, only to have it stuck halfway in a ditch by the driveway. Rescue came in the form of our handy mechanic, Tim, who we had called to come plow the driveway. He hooked up the the chains to my car and pulled me out after several attempts, after which he cleared the driveway. I might add here that our driveway is essentially and earthen dam, holding the pond water in place. One false move to the left and "Splash!". A slip to the right and it's a 15 foot drop into the woods.

At this time, all is well and our little family is fine. The cats are going stir crazy, although our little white kitty, aptly named "Snowball", has been having a great time in the snow during her short trips outside. I think it's mostly due to the birds gathering around the food we put out for them.

Florida is looking better and better all the time.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

What English sounds like to non-English speakers (video)

When I was a kid, my uncle Charlie would entertain us with his version of Italian, which was nothing more than gibberish with an Italian accent. Well, in a case of "turn about is fair play", if you've ever wondered what Americans sound like to people around the world, this is it.

See more funny videos and Music Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Breaking: Rwanda Minister of Justice Disputes Reports of Anti-gay Legislation

Image via Wikipedia

I just received the following press release from Frank Mugisha at IceBreakersUganda.org, an LGBT support group based in Kampala, Uganda. Is the Rwandan government backing down from criminalizing homosexuality in the face of increasing international pressure and scrutiny? Or are they trying to save face by claiming the reports of the pending homophobic legislation are either overblown or merely rumors? Time will tell.

"Gov’t cannot criminalise homosexuality"- Minister Tharcise Karugarama

BY EDWIN MUSONI

KIGALI - The Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama has condemned and refuted reports that government intends to criminalize homosexual acts saying that sexual orientation is a private matter not a state business.

His reaction comes after international organizations, including rights groups and gay communities across the world raised an alarm in several reports accusing the government of trying to consider a law against homosexuality.

“The government I serve and speak for on certain issues cannot and will not in any way criminalize homosexuality; sexual orientation is a private matter and each individual has his or her own orientation - - this is not a State matter at all,” said Karugarama.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), and Rwanda’s Horizon Community Association (HOCA), recently issued statements demanding that that the Rwandan Parliament withdraws article 217 of the penal code regarding homosexuality.

The Minister accused the ‘groups for either acting in total ignorance or intentionally presenting wrong facts for their own political motives.’

“They allege that the law was to be passed in Parliament on December 16, but sincerely there was nothing like that in the parliament that day.”

He clearly stated that; “these people should distinguish between issues debated by private parties and concrete proposals from the government.”

He hastened to add that the government has held a meeting with its development partners on this particular issue and told them their position ‘which is that the government has no intentions whatsoever to criminalize homosexuality.

Friday, December 18, 2009

DC Mayor Fenty Scheduled to Sign Same-Sex Marriage Bill Today

According to DC mayor Adrian Fenty's schedule, posted online, the mayor is schedule to sign the district's same-sex marriage bill into law at 10:45 am today at All Souls Unitarian Church on Harvard St., NW.

OnTop reports:

Opponents of the law have called on members of Congress to block the law. Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah, has said he will introduce a resolution of disapproval. But passage in the Democratic-controlled Congress remains unlikely. A point even Chaffetz, a freshman representative, has conceded: “It's going to be exceptionally difficult because Democrats have us outnumbered by large amounts,” he told the Salt Lake Tribune Wednesday. “Nevertheless, we're going to try.”

Jury to Deliberate Today in Roanoke Neo-Nazi Case

I don't know about you guys, but I am sick to death of the Roanoke region only making national news because of racism, hate crimes, bigotry, school shootings, corrupt school officials, homophobic politicians and back-woods 19th century thinking in general. What's it going to take for the rational people of the commonwealth to take control Virginia and move us into the 21st century??

Our state motto is "Virginia is for Lovers". Really? Prove it! Hangin' is too good for this piece of filth.

Roanoke.com reports:

"William A. White could learn as early as today whether the free speech rights of a racist agitator will make him a free man.

When the trial for White, a neo-Nazi leader charged with threatening people from across the country, resumes this morning in Roanoke's federal court, the jury is expected to hear closing arguments and then begin deliberating.

The question will be whether the words of White -- delivered by telephone, letter, e-mail and online, but never in person -- amounted to "true threats" as defined by federal law.

If the jury finds that White stopped short of making threats, the First Amendment will protect his practice of using the Internet to promote his white supremacist views while targeting those who offend them.

White, the self-proclaimed commander of the Roanoke-based American National Socialist Workers Party, has been held without bond almost continuously since he was arrested in October 2008."

Read the full story here.