This Flew Over Me

I didn't hear this, but it's very interesting.

When asked by moderator Gewn Ifill, “Do you support, as they do in Alaska, granting same-sex benefits to couples?”

Biden replied, “Absolutely. . . . Look, in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.”

He added: “The fact of the matter is that under the Constitution we should be granted - same-sex couples should be able to have visitation rights in the hospitals, joint ownership of property, life insurance policies, et cetera. That’s only fair. It’s what the Constitution calls for. And so we do support it.”

“We do support making sure that committed couples in a same-sex marriage are guaranteed the same constitutional benefits as it relates to their property rights, their rights of visitation, their rights to insurance, their rights of ownership as heterosexual couples do,” he added.

I didn't hear that statement, but I like it. Biden provided an interesting piece to the political puzzle. We are all people and we should have the same rights as everyone. I applaud Joe for putting that out there. We need the truth to be shouted out loud.

Source

A Warrior

Sad News, folks.

Great lesbian activist Del Martin, died today in San Francisco. She was 87. Phyllis Lyon, Martin's partner of 55 years will continue representing their love and their activism.

"Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn't be by my side. I am so lucky to have known her, loved her and been her partner in all things," Lyon said. "I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be able to get married.

"I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed."

They met in 1950 in Seattle, Washington, where they worked as editors of construction trade publications. They fell in love, moving in together on Valentine's Day 1953.

Martin fought to have the American Psychological Society declare that homosexuality is not a mental illnesses and advocated on behalf of battered women.

In 1955, the couple founded the nation's first lesbian organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, and launched the first lesbian publication, The Ladder.

In the 1960s, they tried to get California lawmakers to introduce anti-discrimination bills and persuaded some police officers to stop harassing gays and lesbians at bars as part of a group Martin co-founded called the Council on Religion and the Homosexual.

Martin was also a founding member of several other organizations, including the Lesbian Mother's Union, the San Francisco Women's Centers and the Bay Area Women's Coalition. She and Lyon were co-founders of the first gay political group in the United States, the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, named for author Gertrude Stein's long-time partner.

After she and Lyon were the first lesbians to join the National Organization for Women with the couples' membership rate, Martin was the first open lesbian to be elected to NOW's board of directors. From that spot, she was instrumental in guiding the organization to pass a resolution recognizing lesbian issues as feminist issues.

She will be missed, and never forgotten.

SOURCE

Don't Pray, Don't Tell

Army Spc. Jeremy Hall believed in God, until he went to war. Now he's an atheist. But that little "showtime synergy" act cost him his job in the military. Also Hall said his life was threatened by other troops and the military assigned a full-time bodyguard to protect him out of fear for his safety.

So with all the drama on who he prays to, Hall filed a lawsuit U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, among others. He claims his rights under the First Amendment were violated and believes that the United States military has become an all-mighty Christian super group.

And I thought Don't Ask, Don't Tell was bad.

A Victory? Or a bigger battle to come

I just had a thought. Although, we have the right to marry in California now. Will this be used against us in the big election?

They (Repubs) have used this tactic before and it worked. But will people be fooled again? Will they worry about an issue that has nothing to do with the economy, education, or health care?

Let's pray to Athena for guidance.