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Massachusetts Videos

JohnHosty-Grinnell — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:12:59 CST

Click EasyEdit to add videos from Massachusetts rallies here


National Equality March with JTIMA Add a caption	Add a caption

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White Plains, NY

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:33:30 CST

NYS Senate Vote this Tuesday, Nov 10th- candle light vigils across NYS on Nov 8th and Nov 9th
More Details go to:
phone calls to make on monday and tuesday- http://www.meny.us/a.php
Vigils across the state- http://www.meny.us/ltw.php
Sign up to be Albany Nov 10th- http://www.meny.us/nysdayofdecision.php

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

REGISTER TO ATTEND MARRIAGE EQUALITY DAY

Website: www.meny.us

Email: info@meny.us

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

On December 20th, we ask that you join us again for a nation-wide demonstration that will make an impact on the private sector. Candlelight vigils will be held at commercial centers in cities across the country in remembrance of the rights that once were for 18,000 marriages, and in honor of the rights that one day will be again - for EVERYONE.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

STILL NEED AN ORGANIZER - SIGN UP HERE TO HELP!

Organizing is easy, but if you don't have an organizer in your city, get a group of 5-10 friends together, print out the Light Up the Night Holiday Cards, and head to your local mall and start passing them out. Don't forget to keep count of how many cards you passed out. There will be a place to report the numbers soon!

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: White Plains, NY Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Organizer: Jean-Charles Contact info: e-mail, facebook or via this site (if you're a wetpaint member) Supporting Organizations:The LOFT LATEST UPDATE (4:21 p.m. of Friday) 1) This event is confirmed and we got a lot of positive feedback! RAIN OR SHINE! 2) The LOFT is going to bring extra signs. THANK YOU, LOFT! 3) The local media has been contacted 4) The local police is aware of the event. According to the police officer who answered the phone, it is too late for a permit, but as long as we protest peacefully we should be fine. 5) Parking -- there should be plenty of parking nearby. There are plenty of parallel streets and public parking lots 6) NATIONAL MOMENT OF SILENCE 11AM PST / 12 PM MST / 1PM CST / 2PM EST -- PLEASE observe at your event. LET'S PROTEST FOR OUR RIGHTS! See you in White Plains!	City Hall: 255 Main Street, White Plains, NY 10601 Google Maps with above address	Nationwide Protest Against Proposition 8 and Pro Marriage Equality! News coverage: a) The Journal-News: http://www.lohud.com/article/2008811160368 b) News 12: http://www.news12.com/WC/topstories/article?id=220882 c) CNN iReport: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-148263 d) Photo Album: http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/album/64556/White+Plains%2C+NY#View%20slideshow SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 2008 1:30 PM–4:30 P.M. CITY HALL 255 MAIN STREET WHITE PLAINS, NY 10601 Westchester County, NY ____________________ Facebook EVENT page: For those who would like to RSVP to help us have an idea of how many plan to attend! We will be there no matter how big or how small the crowd will be! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=15880094956 ____________________ Facebook GROUP page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34704243612#/group.php?gid=34704243612 For those supporting the event, but not necessarily will be attending

Utica

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:33:13 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

STILL NEED AN ORGANIZER - SIGN UP TODAY TO HELP!

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Utica Time: 1:30 Organizer: Sarah Cannon, Rose Drake Contact info: zazzemblop@yahoo.com Supporting Organizations:	City Hall: 1 Kennedy Plaza, Utica, NY	facebook event

Syracuse

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:32:53 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

REGISTER TO ATTEND MARRIAGE EQUALITY DAY

Website: www.meny.us

Email: info@meny.us

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

<if this is not filled in, an event is not planned>

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Syracuse Time: 1:30pm Organizer: Ashley Wysocki Contact info: anoel_43@yahoo.com Supporting Organizations: CNY Pride, Marriage Equality NY, Syracuse University LGBT Resource Center	City Hall: 233 E Washington St Syracuse, NY 13202	Facebook page

ROCHESTER

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:31:55 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

STILL NEED AN ORGANIZER - SIGN UP TODAY TO HELP!

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Rochester Time: 1:30pm Organizer: Neil Houghton Contact info: Neil Houghton IntegrityNEVP@mac.com	Monroe County Building: 39 West Main Street Rochester, NY	Facebook page

Ithaca

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:30:59 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

REGISTER TO ATTEND MARRIAGE EQUALITY DAY

Website: www.meny.us

Email: info@meny.us

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

LOOK BELOW

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

ITHACA FOOD DRIVE

To participate in this drive:

1. Set-up paper bags with the sign "JOIN THE IMPACT: LGBTQ FOOD DRIVE FOR EQUALITY" in your office, workplace lunchroom, or any appropriate place where people will see it.
2. Spread the words to friends and colleagues about what you're doing. You might also start by dropping a few non-perishable items in yourself.
3. On Dec. 20th, take all of the items you've collected to the Salvation Army and tell them that you're donating on behalf of Join The Impact!
4. Sign in as a member of Join The Impact (http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/), click on "Easy Edit" at the top of this page and then scroll down to fill-in the information below in order to be recognized as part of the team. Also, it helps us keep track of how many items Ithaca donated in the spirit of equal rights!

115 Cans! With the help of local businesses we
collected 115 cans and donated them to the
Salvation Army!

We need volunteers to help deliver food on Dec 20th! If you have an automobile and would like to help, contact Amy Gonzales.
Organizer contact info: Amy Gonzales, alg49@cornell.edu.

Directions to Salvation Army food drop-off. Please drop off betw 10am-12pm, and 1pm-3pm.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&q=Salvation+Army++ithaca&fb=1&sa=X&oi=local_group&resnum=1&ct=image

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Ithaca, NY Time: 1:30pm EST Organizer: Sharice Davids Contact info: sld77@cornell.edu http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=52784602792&ref=mf Supporting Organizations:	Ithaca Commons: E State St, Ithaca, NY

New York Thread

Binghamton DOMA Protest Jan 10, 2009

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:30:15 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a bus captain for Rochester contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Freedom To Marry Day- February 12, 2009

About Freedom to Marry Day

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a lead organizer contact us or add your info here: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	TBA	February 12, 2009 Additional Info- TBA

This event is being worked on by Marriage Equality New York, Join The Impact, and Empire State Pride Agenda.

Binghamton, NY DOMA Protest|JANUARY 10, 2009| 6PM

WHAT IS IT?

NOTE: Protest Cancelled due to extreme weather, instead print and sign the "Open Letter"

On January 10th, we ask that you join us again for a nation-wide demonstration. Protests against DOMA will be held in cities across the country in remembrance of the rights that once were for 18,000 marriages, and in honor of the rights that one day will be again - for EVERYONE.

DOMA Protest Video

Binghamton, NY DOMA Protest at City Hall Facebook Link

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Come to Binghamton City Hall at 38 Hawley Street,Binghamton, NY 13901 on January 10th, 2009
E-mail: Binghamton.Equality@gmail.com
Speakers and Personal Stories welcome.

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

We will be protesting against DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act). DOMA is a reactionary federal law passed on September 21, 1996 defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman only. This nation-wide protest is meant to send a message to Barack Obama, that he must deliver on his promise to repeal DOMA.

And, for New York specifically, this protest is meant to demand that NYS does not wait until it's convenient; but instead must give us our rights now. We demand that NYS fully legalizes same- sex marriage in 2009.

The time for equal rights is always now.

LOCATION

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

City of Binghamton·38 Hawley Street· Binghamton, NY · 13901

Binghamton.Equality@gmail.com

Get & print the Open Letter.

- Prior to DOMA Protest, pass out fliers (available on facebook through following link:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=39071312269)

- Bring Signs.. Be Creative! (Some Suggestions: REPEAL DOMA, MARRIAGE EQUALITY NOW, D iscrimination O f M inorities A lways is wrong, Do Ask/Do Tell, etc.)

- We will be signing an 'open letter' addressed to Barack Obama. Signatures will be sent to him, to remind him of his promises to the LGBT community. The goal is one million signatures nationwide!

This is a peaceful protest

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Click here for LUTN Videos
DOMA PROTEST VIDEO
USA refuses to sign UN Gay Rights Declaration

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

>>learn more

New York State Initiatives

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:19:24 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Initiatives, Laws, and Legislation in New York

Click EasyEdit in the upper left corner to add to the New York Initiatives timeline
*Right click to add a new row to the timeline*

Date	Initiative/Law Name	Description and/or Link
2/3/09	Marriage Equality Day in Albany	www.marriageequalityny.org/marriage_day.html

Buffalo

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:18:41 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

3rd Annual Valentine's Day Action

February 14, 2009 (in lieu of freedom to marry day)

About Freedom to Marry Day

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
Want to help? Need More Info? Want to get involved with us? Call Kitty; 716-578-3782 Email Kitty; OUTspokenforequality@hotmail.com YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD! We used to just be Fabulous!!!... But they messed with our civil rights and our families ~ NOW WE ARE FURIOUS!!!! If YOU are not fighting for YOUR rights ~they win!!~	Valentine's Day Rally! February 14th, 2009 1 pm (sharp!) to 1:45pm In Niagara Square (Delaware in front of City Hall) Don't want to stop there? Join us at the After Party! Cupid's Arrows Aren't Always Straight!!! The After Rally Party! 2 pm to 5pm at Pilgrim St. Luke's Church (Utica and Richmond) $5.oo Admission A little money does a lot of good... ALL PROCEEDS GO TO OUTspoken For Equality to continue the fight for PASSAGE OF LGBT RIGHTS in NY! Love IS out there! Come out and play! Great Music! Enjoy a glass of sparkly and some Kisses and Hugs (Hershey's, of course!) Single? Take a chance at QUEER SPEED DATING ($2.oo gets you a speeding ticket and who knows....!) Dance a little! (or a lot!) Chinese Auction and 50/50 raffle! The VERY BEST Pizza & Wings available for purchase from our friends at Main Menu Cafe!	Cupid's Arrows Aren't Always *Straight!!!* Yes! We know how cold it is out there...Our Local, State and Federal Governments have locked our families out in the cold for more than 3 years now! We gotcha covered... Hot chocolate will keep you warm while you help us send the message! *DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBT FAMILIES HAS* TO END! Join us at this FREE event as we make it CLEAR AS BUFFALO BLACK ICE, WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY! WE WILL NOT GIVE UP! WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE HAVE EQUAL PROTECTION FOR OUR FAMILIES!!! Don't want to stop there? Join us at the After Party!**

This event is being worked on by Marriage Equality New York and OUTspoken For Equality.

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

Rally in Bidwell Park (between W. Delavan and Potomac, along Elmwood Ave.) at 1:30 pm

contact kara.defranco@yahoo.com if you have any questions

Albany

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:14:49 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

THE "DAY OF DECISION" ON PROPOSITION 8 \| DATE: Unknown...Yet.
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION
Day of Decision (DoD) Main Site: http://www.dayofdecision.com/ Wiki Site: http://dayofdecision.wetpaint.com/page/Albany Patrick Harkins: patrickrharkins@gmail.com Read more about this Day of Decision on Prop 8. Event Details can be found at the following pages. They will be continuously updated, so please check back often for the latest information and news. Thanks! National Facebook Group Page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134526760157&ref=mf Albany Facebook Event Page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=74145355131	Rally: Time: Place: Albany City Hall, 24 Eagle Street March: Time: Place: Map:

A Stand Against the Westboro Baptists Church Coming to Albany UNITED AGAINST HATE - UNITED AGAINST BIGOTRY
Organizers	Location & Times	Details
Join the Impact - Albany Gay-Straight Alliance of Siena NYCLU Marriage Equality New York Capital Districy Gay and Lesbian Community Council & many others	1) "Response Training and Sign Making" Sunday, March 1 from 6-8pm and Monday, March 2 from 6-8pm Location: Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Center (332 Hudson Ave Albany) 2) Candelight Vigil Thursday March 5th 5pm, Albany City Hall 3) Westboro Baptists Church Protest Friday, March 6, 2009 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48433037865 353 Broadway, Albany, 8:15 AM This is the safest and best location for all of us to show up. I would like to suggest you show up representing whatever it is that Phelps hates about you. If you support President Obama, or your gay or African American or anything really. Please also feel free to do the Angel Action idea - that is coming with angel wing to surround Phelps. Unity Brunch @ the UAlbany uptown campus, 10:00 AM The Brunch is at the Terrace lounge in the campus center	1) "Response Training and Sign Making" Call 518-462-6138 for more information. 2) Candlelight Vigil - Please if you are able bring your own candle - A community-wide vigil for unity and caring will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 5PM at the steps of Albany's City Hall. Bring a candle, bring a friend. We will stand together as a community in a peaceful gathering to demonstrate our unity against hate and bigotry. 3) Westboro Bapists Church Protest Please do not go to Albany High School. We are trying to keep the kids safe by not having thousands people show up there, there will be an appropriate response coming from the teachers and students but unless you are personally tied to the school we ask that you don't go there. The Unity Brunch is open to the community for people to gather and express their feelings and ideas about community activism, and ways we can strengthen our bonds of unity. OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE: 1) Letters to the Editors of all the local newspapers are great ways to express a message of unity and love as a stance against bigotry. 2) Emailing Phelps at any of his many websites is another way to let him know that thousands, maybe even millions, are not willing to passively watch by as he marches his messages of hate to communities across the country. 3) You can get in touch with local non-profit groups such as the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council or Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood and volunteer. You can join a group at your high school or college campus.

February 3, 2009

REGISTER TO ATTEND MARRIAGE EQUALITY DAY

Website: www.meny.us

Email: info@meny.us

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info contact: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Peter Mesh albany@meny.us	We will be organizing in Albany at approximately 10:30am to anticipate bus arrival at 11:00am from all over the state. This day should wrap up by no later than 4:00pm for Albany residents. Exact location TBA.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Freedom To Marry Day- February 12, 2009

About Freedom to Marry Day

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info or if you are willing to be a lead organizer contact us or add your info here: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Peter Mesh albany@meny.us	TBA	February 12, 2009 Additional Info- TBA

This event is being worked on by Marriage Equality New York, Join The Impact, and Empire State Pride Agenda.

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
<Organizer: Add your contact info here. If this cell isn't filled in, we still need an organizer. If you're interested in organizing this event, add your contact information to this page. Questions about organizing? Contact the previous organizer (below) for tips, contacts and to make sure they haven't already gotten started.>	<Organizer: Add time and location details here>	Even if there's no rally organized you can still contribute to our goal of obtaining 1 MILLION SIGNATURES on the Open Letter to Obama (linked and explained here) asking him to keep his promises to the LGBTQ community. Some easy ways to get signatures on this letter are: 1. Take them to ally rich places such as gay bars, allied church and organization mtgs, college campuses 2. Print a copy and carry it wherever you go (work, class, meeting friends, family gatherings, etc) 3. Send the letter to everyone you know by email asking them to print it and get signatures and forward your email 4. Make sure you're using the official signature page please. It's important for legal and continuity reasons. You can start collecting signatures today! They must be mailed by 1/12 for us to take them to Barack Obama. Adding your contact info is a great way to get volunteers to help you. Get & print the Open Letter. Learn more about the DOMA protest

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

FIND YOUR NEAREST LIGHT UP THE NIGHT LOCATION

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

Wolf Road, Sidewalk, across the street from Colonie Center 630PM

justshootme18@aol.com

Event Link!
http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=63296324224

630 PM!!
DRESS WARMLY! Come with tasteful signs hung around your neck or plastered to your body (as TShirts will probably not be an option) and candles for you and to share (battery powered will probably work best) and without your voice. This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays. Plan on silently holding your candles, demonstrating your support for same-sex marriage equality across the nation. We will stay silent unless asked a question. Instead we will let our printed message do the talking and our candles pay our respects. Our signs will read “First Class Citizens, Second Class Rights”

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

Albany Photo Album - November 15th Rally

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

11/15 Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Albany Time: 1:30pm Organizer: Patrick Harkins Contact info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48186896290 Supporting Organizations:	City Hall: 24 Eagle Street Albany, NY	Facebook Event Page MENY, CDGLCC, and ESPA will be holding a Town Hall Meeting on Friday night before the protest.

New York City

ronzacchi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:13:48 CST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

State Wide Marriage Equality Day in Albany on February 3, 2009

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info contact Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	We will have buses traveling from: Huntington- Long Island Midtown Manhattan Buffalo Rochester Syracuse And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations. This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am for certain bus points and arriving back in the evening, so please plan accordingly.	February 3, 2009 Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters! We will email specific information to registered participants before the day of the event- so please register asap.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Freedom To Marry Day- February 12, 2009

About Freedom to Marry Day

On National Freedom to Marry Day, Thursday, February 12, 2009, at local marriage counters in cities all over New York State, same-sex couples will request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk's Offices to raise awareness of the harms and impact that the inability to marry causes on their families. This national event is hosted yearly by Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA), in New York State by Marriage Equality New York (MENY), and this year they have asked Join the Impact for our help to make this their largest Marriage Counter Action yet!

New York,NY 10013
Subway: Brooklyn Bridge Station on the 4, 5, & 6 lines; Park Place Station on the 2 & 3 lines; City Hall Station on the N & R lines; Chambers Street Station on the A & C lines
Buses: M1, M6, M15, M22, M103, B51, & express buses serving City Hall areaSubway: Brooklyn Bridge Station on the 4, 5, & 6 lines; Park Place Station on the 2 & 3 lines; City Hall Station on the N & R lines; Chambers Street Station on the A & C lines
Subway: Brooklyn Bridge Station on the 4, 5, & 6 lines; Park Place Station on the 2 & 3 lines; City Hall Station on the N & R lines; Chambers Street Station on the A & C lines

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more info: Renee Richardson info@meny.us Ron Zacchi ron@meny.us Volunteers contact Mike Atoria mike@meny.us	7:30am-10:00am Manhattan Marriage Bureau 141 Worth Street New York,NY 10013 Subway: Brooklyn Bridge Station on the 4, 5, & 6 lines; Park Place Station on the 2 & 3 lines; City Hall Station on the N & R lines; Chambers Street Station on the A & C lines	Additional Info- TBA

This event is being worked on by Marriage Equality New York, Join The Impact, and Empire State Pride Agenda.

Email: ImpactNYC@gmail.com

Website: Join the Impact NYC on Facebook or www.jointheimpactnyc.wetpaint.com

NATIONWIDE DOMA PROTEST \| JANUARY 10, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
ImpactNYC@gmail.com matt.flanders@jointheimpact.com	January 10th	We will not be holding an official rally. We are asking everyone to print the open letter to President-elect Obama and signature pages on their own. Take them to work, to church, to the bars, to the streets. Get as many signatures as you can. If you'd like to go in a group, go to our website, www.jointheimpactnyc.wetpaint.com, to check the discussion board for where people are meeting on Saturday. Get & print the Open Letter and Signature Sheet. You can either bring your signatures to our next meeting on January 14th at 7:30 p.m. (check the website for details) or you can mail them yourself to: Join The Impact PO Box 141491 Columbus, OH 43214 Please note that we will be planning the 2/12 Marriage Bureau protest at our next meeting. We hope to see you there.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008

WHAT IS IT?

Time and Place

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

6PM - March from Heral Square (34th St./6th Ave.)
7PM - Rally near Times Square (Broadway/42nd St.)

Bring a light source to light up the night!

Join the Impact NYC
ImpactNYC@gmail.com

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations is the Soundview Health Care Network, Bronx, NY

If you would like to volunteer to help with food collection or delivery, please go to jointheimpactnyc.wetpaint.com

>>learn more

Aaron's Story

aaglaas — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:59:40 CST

A snapshot of ignorance, and the great divide within the U.S..

An invitation to your thoughts on homosexuality..
Nov 18, 2008 | 4:22 PM
Category: News
Featured On: MyFoxMilwaukee

This is a webshot of a 2-day conversation I had with a number of people on a public Fox News blog forum concerning equal rights for homosexuals. I decided to go into the den of the proverbial beast and blanket as many Fox sites as I could. It appears there exactly as you see it here, although the part about lacking mental capacity to read it is intended towards those who hate homosexuals or who could care less about the issue of equality and freedom for homosexual American citizens, but who would feel compelled to leave a nasty comment anyway. Although their comments are sometimes humorous in their simplicity, some are extremely violent as well. I believe this snapshot of a conversation shows the long road ahead we have to eradicating these type of typical misinformed beliefs about gay people.

Their statements are in black and bold, and mine are in normal type-face and blue. My screen name is 'aaglaas'. Since I like to believe that all human beings, no matter how indoctrinated by a certain form of religion, or geographically isolated they might be, still retain the ability to use their mind and their reasoning, I am posting this. I need to notify you that this is a VERY long post by the way. If you lack the mental capacity and cannot take the time to read anything you'd like to refute, then don't take the time to make a comment that is probably already addressed in this post. Just ignore it and go on to easier reading. I invite any comments you might care to give, but only after reading the entirety of it which includes both historical, and biblical points to consider. Thank you and have a great day.

Aaglaas, the last time I read the constitution, it was very evident that our nation has been, from the very beginning, founded on CHRISTIAN principles. If you look at our legal system, our laws are in fact, based on the Dreaded 10 Commandments. Morality has always been the strong suit, if not of our elected officials, at the very least, the majority of our unelected population. You can read in both Leviticus (old testement for you non-readers), and in the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, that the practice of homosexuality is an abomination to our God. My point is this.... we have for too many displays of immorality in front of our young people now, with throwing flamer in front of them too. Excersize your christian principles.....Love the person, but HATE the action. I prove my po int.......we are now the "hateful" ones according to Democrats. Yes, I am proud to be "hateful" too.......I hate the sin, as does God. I just wish I could hate all sin like he does. I`m human and still sin in different areas. The difference? I know it is sin and repent and try again to do right. I don`t go in the streets protesting for my right to enjoy sin. You guys just want to drop your drawers and make all of us see your sinful behavior and try to take away our right to own guns. You are abnormal and sinful.

Your reading of our Constitution is incorrect. The Founding Fathers were not blindly religious men, and they fought hard to erect, in Thomas Jefferson's words, "..a wall of separation between church and state." John Adams opined that if they were not restrained by legal measures, Puritans (the Christian fundamentalists of their day) would "whip and crop, and pillory and roast."

The historical epoch had afforded these men ample opportunity to observe the corruption to which established priesthoods were liable, and as Jefferson wrote " ..the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time."

The argument here is that you can believe that that is a sin because your own church or faith tells you so, but what you cannot do, is force that religious view on someone who does not view themselves as a 'sin'. That's why our country is special as in it guarantees in the totality of our Constitution the right to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" as originally stated in the Declaration of Independence. My particular pursuit of happiness would have been to grow up in a country where I didn't have to go to some special area of a major city that might be hours away from where a person lives, just to be able to safely meet someone with the same feelings as myself. Does that sound like 'equality' to you?

Try for even a few seconds to imagine some stranger trying to separate you from your wife or girlfriend because in their religious views, your relationship is a sin.... hopefully you would rise up and demand justice if that were tried upon you. You are not my God, your religious views are not my own, and the White House, and this country's laws, are not a white church, and a bible. Governments and countries that have tried to enforce one religion are contrary to our American values and ethics.

Let me make this as clear as possible. Unless you view the fact of you being able to first openly meet, then date, then marry, share a life with your wife, have a sexual relationship as well, and all the other integral human needs of having that essential relationship in your life as a 'right'... then you take it for granted. The only way to understand is for you to try to imagine that 'right' being denied or taken away from you. It's inconceivable I know. But, let's say in some alternate universe that were done, and the utter anguish, rage, and bewilderment you would feel over another human or group of humans trying to deny you that. You're talking about apples and oranges man. This isn't about 'dropping drawers' or owning a gun, or something that a 'majority vote' even should have the right to vote on.

You are supporting the notion that this most integral need to have a 'mate' same-gender or not, can be 'allowed' or 'taken-away' by a group of citizens who find it a 'sin' based on their own personal religious beliefs. You have stated that you do not have a degree or are a student of history. You've seen enough of my posts to hopefully know that I'm not a bull-******* and I tell you this: the 'abnormality' on this subject is the current time-period, and the last 1600 years or so. The 'normal' view of this subject, based upon the entire scope of human history, which has been my passion and area of study, is that this is something entirely natural. The 'ancients' would have been puzzled to the point of bewilderment at the thought that this is something that can legislatively be denied a group of humans.

Nov 8, 2008 | 11:00 AM
Aaglaas, for those of you who keep comparing this homosexual rights issue to the civil rights movement concerning blacks you need to find a new platform. First of all the civil rights movement was made on the behalf of all persons oppressed, women, blacks, hispanics and any other minority groups who were being blocked from reaching their full potential. You guys want special rights, not equal rights! This putting together homosexuals and blacks and bring up the topic of civil rights is used as a platform by homosexuals and people who support their lifestyle. I don·t want homosexuals to start marrying which will affect all normal marriages. It's agains God's law.

Ah.... "the civil rights movement was made on the behalf of people who were being blocked from reaching their full potential".... wouldn't you say if someone tried to deny 'your' right to live life in marriage with the person you love as being denied your 'full potential'??? Wouldn't you say if you were attacked, beaten, or murdered over being the way you were born as being denied your 'full potential'?? What disgusting hypocrisy.

Me getting married to another guy or anybody else getting married to the same gender doesn't affect you at all except for your own personal ignorance and hatreds. Unless you spend your time peeping in people's windows, or having some listening device so you can hear if the neighbors are engaging in a 'God-approved' style of sex... this doesn't affect you at all. Do you worry endlessly about your heterosexual married neighbors, and how their marriage affects your own? Of course not. This affects ME... this affects anyone like me... this doesn't affect you. You cannot say 'choose a better platform other than the Black civil issue in the past'... they were beaten, they were killed, they were arrested.

Your party was on the wrong side of history then, and gave the same arguments you're giving now, and your party is once again on the evil and wrong side of history on this issue, using the same old religious arguments to validate your own hatred and prejudices against other American citizens... the election has shown that, and I only try to enlighten you so that your grandchildren will not be ashamed that you allowed your life this time period, to be on that wrong side... that hateful side.... Your party hasn't been on the right side of history on social issues, since the Civil War. The Republican Party today has fallen away from its former greatness.

It would be interesting for the ones mentioning that every society that embraced homosexuality has fallen to list their examples. I'd like their list of those 'societies', how they fell, and how it related at all to homosexuality. I have a strong feeling they might mention Greeks or Romans (or more likely the Sodom story), but not really be able to say more. As to 'special rights'... The day I can walk into any courthouse in any state and legally get married to the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, then I will need no 'special rights'. They probably aren't even aware that this is a moral issue the major churches are grappling with, with more and more realizing they have been wrong. Don't mention Leviticus unless you're willing to kill any shellfish eaters, or wearers of mixed-fiber clothes. A very few passages before the one you're mentioning, lists those as 'abominations' in the eyes of 'God' as well, and the penalty is death. I'm starting my weekend now. Have a great one people, even the hateful and misguided ones. :-)

aaglaas, taking scripture out of context is the answer. LOL With past societies it is from the spiritual level they were allowed to fall in the natural. Man sins and God will bring consequences. What may appear to stem from a natural source totally unrelated to the sin is usually caused by that very sin. One example is the sins of the fathers being passed down to the children and a few more generations after that. Sin isn`t just isolated to the original sinner many times. In ancient times when something bad would befall a person the first question asked many times would be, what did his father or grandfather do? The tower of Babel shows us what happens when humans try to go past God's law.. Please take a good bible study course before you attempt to dissect and argue scripture with well known propaganda. Do you think you're a Christian or something?

No, I no longer call myself a Christian, although I have always had, and have, a deeply spiritual life. How could I align myself with a religion that tells me that what I was born, is an abomination or a sin? Your particular religious beliefs cannot be forced upon other American citizens. There are many religions with no concept of 'sin', and as the freedom to practice whatever religion is best suited to your nature is enshrined in the Constitution, you do not have the right to use your concept of sin to deny my human rights... the right to join with a partner being foremost amongst them. Mentioning the tower of Babel, some Old Testament law, or anything else from the Bible holds no weight over me, because it's just one religion out of many. If I started using Vedic scripture to dictate how you should live your life, I'm sure you would resist, so don't try to do the same to me or anyone else with your particular religion.

Since you have a very dim grasp of human history, I'm including some knowledge for you concerning homosexuality among the original Native Americans and the Japanese, and some famous life-long partners from Greece and China. I could go with a list of almost every human civilization but that would be too much for you to absorb. It goes on and on. You have no idea of history because all you know is what your pastor has told you, and the poor fare offered in public high-schools prior to university. I doubt you'll take the time to read this, but here are many examples proving that you are the ones misled about the normalcy of homosexuality:

NATIVE AMERICANS:

Gay traditions were prevalent in most American Indian tribes. There are reports of both women and men living in same-sex marriages, of women who dressed and acted as men and men who acted and dressed as women. The European chroniclers who first came across such behavior and customs described them in terms that belonged to their own world. So American Indian homosexual men were called 'berdaches' - French for 'slave-boys', used to refer to passive male homosexuals. The name stuck - although its servile connotations were quite inappropriate in the Native American context where berdaches were accorded considerable social prestige. Indeed, gay transvestites were often the shamans or healers of the tribe. Sometimes they had specific religious duties. Among the Crow Indians, for example, the tree that was used in the Sun Dance ceremony would be cut down by homosexual men. Berdaches were regarded as having special intellectual, artistic and spiritual qualities.

They were also reputed to be hard workers. Their ability to combine female and male qualities often put them into the role of mediators between the sexes. When asked 'when you die ... what will you be in the spirit land? A man or a woman?', one Sioux 'berdache' naturally replied 'both'. It appears to have been fairly easy for women in North American Indian societies to take traditionally male roles and live as men. Girls in the Yukon who declined marriage and child-bearing would dress as men and take part in hunting expeditions, reported Edward Carpenter in the late nineteenth century. This was also true of Sioux women who became warriors and married women. In the Kaska Indian families of Canada, parents would raise one of their daughters to become a warrior. Her sexual experiences would be with other women. Indeed, if there was sexual contact with a man it would ruin the lesbian's luck with game. But it was not all hunting and war-making. The Kutrenai Indians of the Plateau speak of a woman who left the tribe for a year and married a white man. When she returned she had changed her name to 'Gone to the Spirits' and from then on behaved 'as a man'. She went on to achieve fame not only as a hunter and warrior, but also as a shaman, healer, prophet and guide.

The distinction between homosexual and heterosexual was not always clear or constant. Friendship rather than identity could determine the course of events. As women spent most of their time with women and men with men they were often emotionally closer to members of their own sex than to members of the opposite sex. A nineteenth-century army officer, who studied Indian customs closely, reported on male pairs, saying: 'They really seem to fall in love with men and I have known this affectionate interest to live for years.' The union of two men was often publicly recognized in a 'friendship dance'. Historian Walter M Williams argues that these friendships were not necessarily homosexual, but that for all males who felt erotic attraction to other men, these relationships provided a natural avenue for same-sex behavior. He cites a report from the 1920s saying that for the Yumas: 'Casual homosexuality among both men and women is well known. This is not considered objectionable.'

GREEKS:

Here, then are textual references for long-term (in some cases life-long) homosexual relationships in the Greek texts.

Orestes and Pylades, -Orestes is the hero of the Oresteia cycle. He and Pylades were bywords for faithful and life-long love in Greek culture. -see Lucian (2nd C. CE): Amores or Affairs of the Heart, #48
Damon and Pythias -Pythagorean initiates -see Valerius Maximus: De Amicitiae Vinculo
Aristogeiton and Harmodius -credited with overthrowing tyranny in Athens. -see Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, Book 6
Pausanias and Agathon -Agathon was an Athenian dramatist (c. 450-400 BCE). He was famous as an "effeminate" homosexual. It was in his house that the Dinner Party of Plato's Symposium takes place. -see Plato: Symposium 193C, Aristophanes: Thesmophoriazusae
Philolaus and Diocles -Philolaus was a lawgiver at Thebes, Diocles an Olympic Athlete -see Aristotle, Politics 1274A
Epaminondas and Pelopidas -Epaminondas (c.418-362 BCE) led Thebes in its greatest days in the fourth century. At the battle of Mantinea (385 BCE) he saved the life of his life-long friend Pelopidas -see Plutarch: Life of Pelopidas
Members of the Sacred Band of Thebes, -one of the classical world's most feared professional armies, composed entirely of male couples sworn to each other.. -see Plutarch: Life of Pelopidas
Alexander the Great and Hephasteion -Atheaneus, The Deinosophists Bk 13

CHINESE:

The names of the emperors, with their acknowledged favorites were recorded in the official histories of the period by Sima Qian and Ban Gu.

The Ten Han Emperors (with "favorites")

Emperor Gao r.206-195BCE and Jiru
Emperor Hui r.194-188BCE and Hongru
Emperor Wen r.179-141BCE and Deng Tong, and Zhao Tan, and Beigong Bozi
Emperor Jing r.156-141BCE and Zho Ren
Emperor Wu r.140-87BCE and Han Yan, and Han Yue, and Li Yannian
Emperor Zhao r.86-74BCE and Jin Shang
Emperor Xuan r.73-49BCE and Zhang Pengzu
Emperor Yuan r.48-33BCE and Hong Gong, and Shi Xian
Emperor Cheng r.32-7BCE and Zhang Fang, and Chunyu Zhang
Emperor Ai r.6BCE-1CE and Dong Xian

Following emperors from later periods also had open homosexual relationships:

Pei Kai 237-291
Yu Xin 513-581 and Wang Shao
Zhang Hanbian c.265-420 and Zhou Xiaoshi
Emperor Jianwen c.550
Emperor Xizong r. 874-889 and Zhang Langgou
Emperor Wuzong r.1506-1522
Emperor Shenzong r.1573-1620
Emperor Xizong r.1621-1628
Emperor Pu Yi - the last Qing [Manchu] emperor

JAPAN, SAMURAI TRADITION:

A well-known example of samurai 'bonding' is Oda Nobunaga, one of Japan's most revered and powerful daimyo. He was killed in an ambush in 1582, along with his teenaged lover, Mori Panmaru. This is but one example in a long history of same-sex relationships between daimyo and their "beloved retainers". (Leupp, 42) The love of the shogun has been referred to as "martial homosexuality" (Leupp, 27), developing out of relationships of fealty between warriors and their younger page-youths. Often, these lord-vassal relationships were valued above those between men and women, since dandoshi or 'male bonding' extended to the loyalty of the sword-bearer, who would fight--and even die--for his lord.

During this period, the Chinese characters (ai - love) and (chu - loyalty/fealty) were nearly interchangeable. (Tanaka et al) In exchange for loyalty, the younger partners received education and military training. There is some evidence that the younger partner in these relationships assumed a 'feminine appearance'--a possible precursor to the adrogyny of the later Tokugawa period. Furthermore, the importance of same-sex relationships may have flourished, in part, due to the lack of female influence in the battlefield. Nevertheless, many of the lord-vassal relationships among the samurai were highly valued, and exhibited strong commitments and bonds between the men. Furthermore, they built on a long history of same-sex traditions that existed in monastic communities.

MONASTIC LOVE:

"By the time of increased samurai ascendancy from the thirteenth century, there was already a well-established homoerotic tradition in Japanese monasteries in which young men, not women, were constructed as fitting objects for adult male desire, a tradition which was well suited to the masculine ideals of an increasingly militaristic society."(Jnanavira) Even before its adoption by the samurai, male-male love was a common practice in the Buddhist monasteries. Sexual relationships between a monk and his acolyte were widespread. These acolytes or 'youth-lovers' were also known as chigo, and a collection of stories known as chigo monogatari ("acolyte stories") details many of these relationships.

"Though the Buddhist code of discipline prohibited monks from any sexual activity, many monks felt that this did not apply to same-sex relationships. This inspired art and literature centered on the young male ideal and the love which sprang between monks and youths." Although chastity among monks is one of the precepts of Buddhism, in Heian era Japan this came to be understood as sex with women. Sex between monks and their acolytes came to be viewed as the 'beautiful way' (bido), and the idea developed that homosexuality was "a reasonable and forgivable compromise between heterosexual involvements and complete sexual abstinence" (Leupp 35). Because Japanese

Since Buddhism focused on the intentions or outcomes of acts, rather than the acts themselves, same-sex involvements could be identified as a way of communicating with Buddha.

The prevalence of monk-acolyte relationships in monastic communities, particularly in the Buddhist centers of Mt. Koya and Mt. Hiei, is said to have originated with the monk Kukai (774-835), also known as Kobo Daishi, who brought back Buddhist teachings from his travels in China to found the Shingon sect. Folk tales accrediting Kukai with the beginnings of shudo or 'The Way of the Young' did not emerge until the 11th century, but Kukai's insistence on celibacy makes such assumptions questionable. However, the fact that China itself had a long history of revered same-sex relationships suggests that such beliefs may have been imported from the mainland. At the same time, as Buddhism blended with the existing Japanese indigenous beliefs, so did the acceptance of homosexuality. ("Kukai) So, although those are probably too many examples for you to take in, it just goes to show you that your limited understanding of homosexuality throughout human history is extremely flawed, not to mention skewed. It's your very recent view of it as a 'sin' that is the abnormality, the norm is quite apparent to anyone who knows history.

Nov 10, 2008 | 1:11 PM
aaglaas...so all of these 'societies' are in existence and flourishing today? you are right i do not know my history well...and correct me if i'm wrong...but aren't these societies with the indigenous people almost non existent today? if in fact they are...i believe former_detroit was correct in her statement that all homosexual embracing societies fall. i don't believe that just because something has been around for a long time, makes it right...Satan for example.

The only degradation or fall of those cultures, which aside from the Greek and Roman ones, all exist today, is from Western cultures forcing their morals, military might, or colonization upon them. Homosexuality itself had and has nothing to do with it. Your argument has no foundation or basis in fact. Again.... your concept of 'Satan' and/or religious beliefs are yours to hold in your personal life, not to inflict or force upon other American citizens who have different religious beliefs than yours. This is not Iran or Saudi Arabia where the government is a theocracy and can inflict harm or force to make people conform to a religious doctrine. If you attempt to do so, you are as bad as they are.

Another strong point: Those civilizations flourished for thousands of years with homosexuality being either an honored part, or well-accepted part of humanity, and in the Native Americans' case, for tens of thousands of years. This country is barely over 200 years old. The case that homosexuality brings down a civilization holds no weight at all. You might mock the knowledge of history, but you cannot rationalize the comparison of our fledgling civilization's current view on this topic to ones that lasted so many thousands of years without having a problem over it.

Nov 10, 2008 | 1:56 PM
well i don't know where setting guidelines if you will, is inflicting harm. no one is talking about killing or maiming homosexuals here. i just don't want a 'sin' to be embraced as being normal. and you are right that it is my religous beliefs which leads me to the conclusion that the act of homosexual sex is a sin...but without such beliefs and morals...where do you draw the line? Who decides what is right and just? You? Me? No One?

Again... 'normal' ?? I've just given you a small slice of the majority of human history showing you that homosexuality is completely 'normal', but to religious fanatics such as you, it's as if you don't even see what is before your very eyes. You are perceiving an entirely natural variant of humanity as a 'sin'... 'You' or some church does not get to decide what is right or wrong for American citizens.

If you haven't noticed, this hold-over from the Christian past of burning people at the stake for being 'heretics', or killing them for daring to translate the Bible into English, or saying the world isn't flat, or all the other injustices that have been perpetrated upon certain groups of people for perceived 'sin' and in the name of Christianity has been cast aside by most modern nations in Europe, Canada, and two very enlightened states, that I must point out were two of the founding entities of this great nation. I believe the spirit of true liberty flourishes naturally on that harsh but beautiful coastline..

Christians of your type were against woman being able to vote, and were against blacks being given true equality. You can see that educated and fair-minded people here in this country have realized that stigmatizing homosexuals, and their right to share in the full benefits of life-partnership is morally wrong, and goes against our Constitution. You can think it's a sin all you want, but since it is not a sin to people who do not believe as you do, and as to what our Constitution says, our right to live our lives as openly as you do will be protected in the future. You are on the wrong side of history if you keep clinging to the old hatreds that Christianity has fostered. The election has shown that most Americans are ready to move forward into an enlightened society, and not one where one religious group gets to meddle in the private lives of others.

I don't see Christians marching to oppress murderers, thieves, adulterers, shell-fish eaters, people who wear polyester and cotton clothing.... all the multitudes of 'sins' listed in the Bible, it's okay for your children to see that all around them, and yet this one 'sin' is the one you pick out of all of them to scare each other over. Question where that fear comes from on this one particular issue. Most likely you are afraid of facing the empathy you will find inside you.

Nov 10, 2008 | 2:58 PM
Aaglaas, you still haven't addressed the question (neither has detroitlover)...where do you draw the line? who gets to decide what behavior is acceptable? you? me? no one? the government? who? what kind of society do you have without laws?

I, and Americans who want our country to be true freedom and justice for all, will draw the line at religious extremists attempting to interfere with mine, or anyone else's human rights to openly find, love, and spend our lives with a mate, with the same legal benefits and honor accorded towards a heterosexual couple. Since there is nothing abnormal about it, or sinful, that is where the line will be drawn. It will be the same as allowing blacks to have full equality, women to vote, and reason and education to speak openly without a particular religion's attempts to suppress it, and after that legislation has been passed, it will take another couple decades before the hate and irrationality that you spout, to be erased, and the younger generation to accept all natural variants of humanity as equal.

I have addressed the question, but you didn't see it. Hopefully this is so glaringly clear and simple that you can finally 'get it'. The laws will be the exact same in nature as the Civil Rights act of 1964, except for that they will be specifically addressing homosexuals' rights to full equality in all aspects of life as you get to enjoy so unthinkingly.

Nov 10, 2008 | 5:32 PM
well aaglaas...i don't know why you accuse me of being hateful...i haven't called you names...I only have a different opinion than you...Proposal 8 was defeated...so I guess I and America have drawn the line...and for now you'll jusst have to deal with it.

Your kind has been on the wrong side of social issues every single time. People like you have been prominent in the Inquisition, in beating down blacks, in suppressing women... some character flaw inside you can't stand the notion of someone who doesn't share your particular beliefs of religion or sin as being looked-upon as a fully equal human being. You can't just live your life, practice your religion in private, and allow others to live their lives without endlessly worrying about how they love or have sex with each other. You are not God, you are not Jesus, you are not the only religion in the world. You do not have the right to interfere with my life, or any person's like me.

You will not get it, since you've already been brainwashed from an early age in a virulent form of Christianity, and all the past examples of people like you oppressing people like me in the name of your religion flies in one ear and out the other. I don't worry about it. I and anyone like me have had to put up with people like you every day of our lives. You can see when states, judiciaries, and entire countries are finally agreeing with what I'm saying, that you are again on the losing side of history. It's only because people like you in the 50's and 60's were forced through legislation to respect Americans that were a different color or gender, that you cannot act that way today, because that hate has been greatly eradicated by the passage of time, and children growing up here being taught that it is wrong to hate someone of a different color. It will be the same with legislation being enacted now and in the near future.

Even your Republican governor of that state is speaking out against the passage of Proposition 8, and you can rest assured that with our new Democratic Party in power, these type of legislations that deny equal rights to all Americans will be struck down, and on a Federal level. I'm not worried in the slightest. The time of your party and attempting to mix your extreme form of religion with government has ended.

Nov 10, 2008 | 6:14 PM
you are right aaglaas....Jesus said there would be a great falling away before his return...

You've fallen away from Christ's message long ago..

Since you keep bringing up Scripture, and ignore historical facts, here's something you might actually listen to... I have never found anyone, in print or in person, who follows through on the argument that all the laws in the Bible should be observed. By this, I do not mean that people fail, from human weakness, to observe the commands in their own life. Rather, I refer to the universal practice of rejecting some laws while insisting on others. Those who argue that homosexual proof texts must, without question be obeyed, will, often in the same argument, wave away other legal texts.

Proof-texting is common, and done by all political persuasions. The conservatives are easiest to skewer. Leviticus 18:22 says "you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination," and Leviticus 20:13 says "if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them." Yet, almost no conservatives favor enforcing the punishment, why? Where in the Bible does it say the punishment is not applicable? Leviticus 18:19 says "You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness" and we all agree this is unimportant now, but where is the warrant for saying that verse 19 is irrelevant and verse 22 is God's holy word, tampered with at risk of condemnation?

Where are the literalists thundering about obeying God's holy word at the church's ignoring the ·clear word· on treatment for leprosy (Lev. 14) or shaving the edges of beards (Lev. 21:5)? One verse certainly implies that a fetus is not a person (Ex. 21:22, in imposing a reduced punishment for causing a miscarriage), yet it has not stopped those who oppose abortion.

Even more amazing is Proverbs 11:1: "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight." Why does the word "abomination" mean in Leviticus a situation on which our whole faith stands or falls, but when the same Hebrew word appears in Proverbs it is "politics" or "social action" and therefore to be waved away? This is all the more significant as there are more verses in the Old Testament devoted to false weights than there are verses devoted to homosexuality.

Various figures in the Old Testament are allowed moral practices that would not be considered acceptable by those opposed to homosexuality: multiple wives, aggressive military campaigns, and slaves. Strangely, no one seems to think there is any problem with rejecting these practices, yet they are in the "law book" of scripture. Conservatives tend to advocate strict application of the rules on homosexuality, but do not tend to feel that way about ·economic· texts that command tithing (Deuteronomy 14:22) or the forgiveness of debts (Deuteronomy 15:1) Flogging when done by followers of Islam many consider to be primitive or ungodly, yet it is commanded for certain offenses by Deuteronomy 25:1-3.

Nor is your selective application limited to the Old Testament. What opponent of homosexuality considers Matthew 5:39 (" do not resist an evildoer") normative, either for personal conduct or for a nation's foreign policy? Sodom, Gomorrah and Sodomites: The assertion is often made that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is primarily about homosexuality (as opposed to gang rape or inhospitality which is what the story actually refers to). We ·'all know'· that it is about homosexuality, except that the Bible doesn't seem to know this. When the story is referenced later in the Bible, the focus is not on homosexuality but usually using the fate of the city as a warning of the ultimate punishment God can inflict. Still more compelling is the point that if the attackers are homosexual, then the tactic of offering them a woman will not likely be effective. Yet, because Sodom, in modern usage, is considered a synonym for homosexuality, it is common to assume these verses condemn homosexuality.

Here are the literal meanings of some translated words:

Certain words about prohibited sexual behavior do not always literally mean what they are assumed to mean. Examples would include the words often translated as 'fornication' and 'Sodomite.' 'Fornication,' (ponhro,j,) then and now apparently means 'sexual immorality.' We tend to assume that 'sexual immorality' means what our society has traditionally condemned, but there is no explicit definition of this word in the Bible that would show it includes homosexuality. The word translated (especially in older English Bible versions) as 'Sodomites' (avrsenokoi/tai, lit, 'soft man') is not a reference to Sodom at all. The underlying word likely refers to a type of homosexual behavior, perhaps specifically the man who is penetrated by another male, but the word is not a Greek form for 'Sodom.' If you had asked someone in Biblical times what a 'Sodomite' was, they simply would have said, -someone who lives in Sodom.

Since most of you will use the argument that 'God' and 'Scripture' is against me to try to negate what I'm trying to share with you, here are some scriptures on which those Christians who find it so easy to hate can dwell upon instead to truly follow Christianity's message. If you can't follow these as well, you are not a 'Christian'....you would be a 'hypocrite'....

Here you go:

Isaiah 56. God·s welcome of foreigners and eunuchs into God's 'house of prayer for all peoples.'
Book of Ruth and 1 Samuel 18 through 2 Samuel 1. A modeling for same-gender couples in the love relationship heralded in scripture in the stories of Ruth and Naomi (Ruth) and Jonathan and David (Samuel).
Micah 6:8. The emphasis of justice in the prophets: "God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."
Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18 and Luke 10:25-28. As other rabbis of his time would have, Jesus blended Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (·Love God·) and Leviticus 19:18 ("Love your neighbor as yourself" -note this comes between Leviticus 18 and 20!) in Matthew 22:34-40 as one of the greatest commandments, and the lens through which to interpret all of the law and the prophets. To confirm this was a common pairing, see Luke 10:25-28, in which Jesus solicits the same conclusion from an expert in religious law.
John 9. Jesus dissociates a human condition from a sinful cause when he declares a man was not born blind because of his sin or that of his parents, but so that the glory of God may be made manifest.
John 4. Jesus reveals his messianic identity to the outcast Samaritan woman at the well who had had five husbands and was living with a man unmarried. She becomes the first evangelist, bringing others from her village to meet Jesus.
Luke 10:25-37. The parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the most hated person to Jesus' listeners ·loved his neighbor as himself· in helping a victim of robbers...what a priest and a lay priest failed to do.
Acts 10 and 11. The full welcome of uncircumcised Gentiles into the church, whose lifestyles were repugnant to the Jews. Galatians 5:1, etc. The many letters of Paul that assert freedom from law and custom in Christ, such as Galatians 5:1, "For freedom Christ has set us free."
1 John 4:16. "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." What follows repeats the theme emphasized throughout scripture to not be afraid, 'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.' We love because God commands us to.

I do not call myself a Christian because of the reason stated before and because of all the people who call themselves Christians, and instead practice hate that I've encountered in my life, but wanted to see if you practice what you preach. I not only invite you, but truly welcome you to bring at least the biblical portion of my post, to your pastor or priest because I do not believe he or she could refute them.

The reason major churches are splitting apart right now over this issue, is because you cannot support your point any longer using Scripture on this, than self-professed Christians in the past who were ultimately unable to use scripture to justify slavery, racism, torture of heretics, or burning at the stake to civilized and rational-minded people any longer.

midevil Nov 13, 2008 | 1:10 AM
Aaglaas, there's nothing wrong with homosexuality that a sharp knife, a flat stump, a hammer and two nails, some fuel and a match wouldn't correct. Just for insurance, a gun with 1 bullet to ease the transistion after the fire, the cut, and the bleeding.

Chuck_U_Farley Nov 14, 2008 | 9:39 PM
aaglaas, what needs to be done with homosexuals is just like you would do with diseased livestock propagating maladies within the herd. Put'em all in a pile and burn'em.

mechany144 Nov 16, 2008 | 9:46 PM
My friend, I served this country for 30 years. In that time I learned one great truth. I serve all. I do not make a judgement in what another person believes or does. If someone does, it weakens us all. I am in no position to judge another. I have done some things that I am not comfortable with. Killing tops all that. To condemn a person for the Love in their lives? That is just not me. To protect a person? That is me. I may not agree with you. But, I would die for you to be what you are. Or, to have the right to be who you are.
That, my friend, is the soldiers creed.

I had posted on every Fox site I could find under the Blogs tab, and then under ‘News’. Some sites such as My Fox Kansas City, MO would immediately take it down each time. I, and the entire campus of my company as well, can no longer log in to any Fox site from this location because they’ve blocked not only my IP address, but our entire domain. Now, I have to go to an internet café to log in to their sites, and usually it’s too much hassle so I’ve been expanding to other networks recently.

I would LOVE it if that fount of ‘fair and balanced’ reporting got a good dose of some of that ‘balance’. ;-) Regardless, this is what I believe is currently occurring all around us. ‘We’ are part of the change that is coming soon to our country. Too many long-closed doors on addressing the legality and constitutionality of the most basic of human rights being denied us have been forced open and the issue cannot be allowed to remain unaddressed. Our adversaries' stance cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny of the highest legal order….not left to popular vote, but to the highest standards of legal ethics.

Here are some of the links I have on hand: (these links have since been taken down by Fox News)

http://community.myfoxkc.com/blogs/aaglaas1/2008/11/20/An_invitation_to_your_thoughts_on_homosexuality7 http://community.myfoxdc.com/blogs/aaglaas http://community.myfoxdetroit.com/blogs/category/NEWS?page_no=4 http://community.myfoxtwincities.com/blogs/category/NEWS http://community.myfoxboston.com/blogs/aaglaas http://community.myfoxmilwaukee.com/blogs/aaglaas
http://community.myfoxhouston.com/blogs/aaglaas/2008/11/14/An_invitation_to_your_thoughts_on_homosexuality
http://community.myfoxaustin.com/blogs/aaglaas1/2008/11/20/An_invitation_to_your_thoughts_on_homosexuality2#comments
http://community.myfoxdfw.com/blogs/aaglaas/2008/11/13/An_invitation_to_your_thoughts_on_homosexuality

Transgender Journey

EthanMich2007 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:06:37 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Connecticut State Organizations

justjero — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:24:29 CST

Triangle Community Center

GLBT Organizations in Connecticut

Click EasyEdit in the upper left corner to add another LGBT organization from Connecticut

Organization	Description	Website
People of Faith CT	People of Faith CT articulates faith-based values as a foundation for progressive politics and mobilizes constituents for social justice and peace activism.	http://faithct.net/
CT Civil Rights Defense Coalition	The Coalition works to defend and expand the rights of women, African-Americans, Latinos, Immigrants, People Living in Poverty, Public Employees, Ex-Offenders, Workers, Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Gay people, to name but a few minority groups.	http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CT_Civil_Rights/
Metropolitan Community Church, Hartford	Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford exists to offer everyone the opportunity to experience the liberating love of Christ.	http://mcchartford.com/
Queers Without Borders	a radical queer blog space that defies spatial, physical, religious, gender, political and all other imposed boundaries.	http://queerswithoutborders.com/wpmu/
Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition	Working for Freedom and Empowerment in Gender Identity and Expression since 1996.	http://transadvocacy.com/
Love Makes A Family		http://www.lmfct.orgStudents for Equality
Students for Equality	This year, we saw record numbers of young voters at the polls. Students for Equality is an organization that is focused on helping the youth of America get involved in the fight for Marriage Equality.	www.studentsforequality.com

Humboldt County

ColeMachado — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:31:30 CDT

Keep Informed! Keep Involved!
Main Humboldt County Page
Impact Humboldt Blog * Calendar * Contact Us

Info

Notes & Updates

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Organizer: Cole Machado
Join The Impact Humboldt
Impact Humboldt Blog

Contact info:
707-633-4570
info@impacthumboldt.com

Supporting Organizations:
Impact Humboldt
707 Progressive
Humboldt Pride
Queer Humboldt
Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Marriage Equality USA

Past Events:
National DOMA Protest
January 10, 2009
Humboldt Food Drive for Equality
Nov 28th- December 20th, 2008
Humboldt Light Up the Night For Equality
December 20, 2008 Bayshore Mall
National Day of Protest
November 15, 2008

ORDER YOUR FREE TRUE HATE CRIMES DVD

Order your FREE True Hate Crimes DVD compliments of
True Hate Crimes Co-Founder and Join the Impact Humboldt Director Cole Machado. This really is tottaly free you dont even pay shipping!

-------------------------------------------
FREE TRUE HATE CRIMES DVD FOR MEMBERS OF JOIN THE IMPACT:

Watch the film True Hate Crimes made by our friends at the True Hate Crimes Awareness Campaign.
You can watch it right here on the JTI WetPaint. If you are a member of the JTI wetpaint and would
like to request a free DVD of the film send your mailing address to JTI Moderator and True Hate Crimes Co-Founder
Cole Machado. Expect to recieve it within 1-2 weeks* or less. If you are not a free member of the JTI wetpaint and would like a free DVD fill out this form or email your mailing address to:
cole[AT]truehatecrimes[DOT]com Expect to receive it with in 2-3 weeks* or less. If you live in the Humboldt County area by request you may have the option of Personal Delivery of your DVD to your home by Cole Machado.
*Expectations are set based on current backlog and current budge

Join our friends at the Courage Campaign to
Help Voters in Maine Get Out to Vote No on 1, Voters in Washinton to Vote Yes on R71 and Voters in Kalamazoo Michigan to vote against discrimination.

Were looking for a few awesome Impact Humboldt volunteers!

Contact info@impacthumboldt.com for more info!!

Please sign up for our Email Newsletter and follow us on Twitter so you can get a SMS Text Messages to your cell phone about future events!
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Facebook 1/10 Event Page
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Humboldt Light Up The Night for Equality

Other Pages of Interest:
Impact Humboldt Blog

All submitted photos from the 11/15 Event

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HARVEY MILK

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Claremont

RainbowUnity — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:32:03 CDT

GET INVOLVED IN JOIN THE IMPACT IN CALIFORNIA!

Looking for the latest event in your city? Click on your city's link below. If there are no events planned or if your city does not have a page, don't wait for someone else to get the ball rolling--volunteer to be the organizer for your city!
NEED HELP?==>If you do not know how to add (or edit) a page, visit the Wetpaint FAQs for instructions. Also feel free to contact michaelbeezner for assistance.
Potential City Organizers:==> If you have any questions about city organizing in California contact Brandon for assistance.
City Organizers, please put contact info in the JTI database

Let's rise above the debate over the date
and join together in KEEPING THE FAITH.
Claremont rally in support of marriage equality and LGBT rights

map link: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104356882425978455128.00047514223f35953ec41&ll=34.100007,-117.707348&spn=0.028358,0.054846&z=14

ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more information contact rainbowunity@earthlink.net http://equalityevents.ning.com/events/claremont-keeping-the-faith	Monday November 2, 2009 gathering from 6:30 - 7:00 pm running until about 8:00 pm Memorial Park in Claremont (on Indian Hill Blvd; between 8th & 10th St)	Interfaith candlelight vigil in support of marriage equality and LGBT rights To mark the passage of one year of repressive marriage restrictions imposed by Prop 8 To honor and respect the committed relationships that continue to flourish despite determined efforts of the misguided To give hope to those that yearn for a full and dignified presence in society with the legal rights all are entitled to To stand in solidarity with our fellow seekers of truth and justice who are facing their own trial at the polls in the states of Maine and Washington To stand in celebration of the power of love that gives us faith and enriches us

Support the November 2010 Gubernatorial Election ballot initiative - the California Marriage Equality Act
PROPONENT of ballot initiative:	ORGANIZER info, time, and location:	EVENT details:
Proponent of ballot initiative: Charles Lowe Office phone number: 1-800-778-2998 Official website: http://www.yesonequality.com/ Official Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48303085809 Secretary of State website (ballot initiative page): http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm Learn more about the California Marriage Equality Act (.pdf file).	Host of this rally/protest: Time of rally/protest: Location of rally/protest (include Google map): Contact info: Facebook group (or website)- Host's phone/email- Invite as many people as you can. Bring homemade protest signs and accessories. Buy products (yard signs, bumper stickers, banners, etc.) and donate to the 'California Marriage Equality Act' ballot campaign. Have refreshments: Bottled water, snacks, etc. Remember: Please be respectful and civil with people who may disagree with you. Have police authorities with you during the protest/rally. This is to help keep civility and stability.	California has a huge diverse population and its up to this ballot initiative campaign to reach out and speak up for the Golden State's diversity. What can you do to support marriage equality NOW? Speak to at least three people you know whether it be a friend, relative, or acquaintance from California. Keep up the conversation for months and don't give up. Please note that this event is just a plan. Grassroots protests and rallies won't begin probably until the start of the 2010 Gubernatorial Election, which is next year. But it never hurts to start grassroots conversations NOW and begin gathering supporters when the event comes. Take care! ~ADD YOUR UPDATES!

LETS PUT THE FACES OF THE REAL PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE 'CALIFORNIA MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACT', please watch these two videos. Meet some of my favorite same-sex couples, who are both my friends and my heroes, and see their families---(courtesy of http://www.gettoknowusfirst.org/ )

Meet the Leffew Family!

Meet Xavier and Michael!

DAY OF DECISION the day the Calif. Supreme Court releases its Prop. 8 decision
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION	EVENT DETAILS
For more information contact rainbowunity@earthlink.net	date: "Day of Decision" - the day the Calif. Supreme Court releases its Prop. 8 decision time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm place: Memorial Park In Claremont (Indian Hill Blvd; between Arrow Hwy & Foothill Blvd)	There will be an interfaith "Day of Decision" candlelight vigil in Claremont on the evening of the day the decision is released. We’ll rally along Indian Hill Blvd by Memorial Park in Claremont for a peaceful family friendly show of community love, a call for including LGBT people in our communities, and a demonstration of unity among us.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT FOR EQUALITY | DECEMBER 20, 2008 | 5PM

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Please take to your local commercial district at 5PM--be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it.
This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
We'll dress alike: make or buy a "Second Class Citizen" t-shirt.
This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality event (see below for details)

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside).
Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

LOCATION (mall, shopping area, etc.)

Organizer Contact Info

Event Details

City of Upland!
At the intersection of
Foothill Blvd and Euclid St.
31 W FOOTHILL BLVD
UPLAND, CA 91786
(a VERY busy intersection, high visibility, and a lot of open areas for us to gather on)

Thuan P. Nguyen: ThuanAgainstH8@gmail.com

FACEBOOK

There will be plenty of parking behind Washington Mutual and in the surrounding shopping areas.

Please bring a candle (and a small Silicone/plastic cup to place the candle in), or bring battery operated candles, flashlights, or glow sticks.

MAKE SURE to bring a blanket or chair so that you will be comfortable. DRESS WARMLY!!

Remember that this is a non-violent protest.
We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs.

Our shirt will be our sign; Follow the instruction from above, or be more creative in what you write on your shirt. You can mark your shirt with a marker, iron-on paper, glitter, pinto beans, or whatever. (Do to the current cold weather, feel free to wear a jacket. It will be too old to wear just a t-shirt.)

Please wear a white knot!
www.whiteknot.org

Riverside
Place: Canyon Springs Shopping Center
-This is a busy shopping area on the cusp
between Riverside and Moreno Valley

Gene Moynier

gene4equality@gmail.com

Facebook page:

Meet at the Lowes parking lot on the North East corner of Day Street & Canyon Springs Parkway at 5pm. Bring a candle, or tea-light in clear plastic cup, or led candle, or glowstick. We will have extras. This is a peaceful rally & march. Do not bring a sign. Let your shirt be your sign. Be creative. Mark your shirt with a marker, iron-on paper, glitter, pinto beans, or whatever.

This will be a silent vigil unless we are asked a question. We will not be bated into confrontation. Be polite, respectful, and VISABLE.

GOT PHOTOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT VIDEOS TO SHARE?

Add them here

GOT STORIES TO SHARE?

Add them here

OUR CITY'S FOOD DRIVE

The Organization that we are going to support with donations <insert name of organization(s) here>

Organizer contact info <add your info here if you are interested in coordinating the food drive>

>>learn more

New York

mamaba — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:42:02 CDT

GET INVOLVED!

Looking for the latest event in your city? Click on your city's link below. If there are no events planned or if your city does not have a page, don't wait for someone else to get the ball rolling--volunteer to be the organizer for your city! Learn more about becoming an organizer.

NEED HELP?==>If you do not know how to add (or edit) a page, visit the Wetpaint FAQs for instructions. Also feel free to contact michaelbeezner for assistance.

State Wide Events (for city listings check below)

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO LOBBY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THREE IMPORTANT BILLS. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER NOW, CLICK BELOW:

Equality and Justice Day in Albany, April 28, 2009

CITY PAGES

Albany	New York City	Utica
Buffalo	Rochester	White Plains
Ithaca	Syracuse	Binghamton

STATE ORGANIZATIONS

Civil Rights Front

Empire State Pride Agenda

Marriage Equality New York

See All State Organizations...

STATE INITIATIVES

See All State Initiatives...

-National Media Coverage

-Local Media Coverage

EVENTS
-Upcoming National Events
-Share your event ideas

DOMA - NEW YORK 01/10/09

Binghamton	Binghamton Doma
Albany
New York City
Rochester
Buffalo
Syracuse
Utica
White Plains
Ithaca

___________________
~~Archive of Past Events~~

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT EVENTS December 20th, 2008

City	Location	Contact	Other
Albany	Wolf Road, Sidewalk, across the street from Colonie Center 630PM	justshootme18@aol.com (Ryan Fish) Event Link! facebook	Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 1) Please dress warm!!! 2) Come with tasteful signs (see Albany page for more details) and candles for you and to share (battery powered will probably work best) 3) Plan on silently holding your candles. We will let our printed message do the talking and our candles pay our respects. Our signs will read “First Class Citizens, Second Class Rights”
New York City	6PM - March from Herald Square (34th St./6th Ave.) 7PM- Rally in Times Square (Broadway/42nd St)	For more info: www.jointheimpactnyc.wetpaint.com	Please bring a candle (battery powered?) or flashlight to light up the night.

November 15, 2008
National Marriage Equality Protest and Rally

New York Photo Album

Rochester Photo Album

Albany Photo Album

-city photo album-

- Your State's Videos from the National Marriage Equality Rally

-Find out how many people attended in your city!

West Palm Beach

eqflpbc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:24:47 CDT

Protest Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: West Palm Beach Time: <insert time> Organizer: Lynn GSA Contact info: <insert email> Supporting Organizations Equality Florida, Palm Beach County MeetUp PFLAG Lambda United:	City Hall: <insert address> <*to embed a google map of your protest location, click EasyEdit, then click Widget, select Other widget, then paste in the embed code from Google Maps.>

Santa Maria

out4equality — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:34:39 CDT

GET INVOLVED IN JOIN THE IMPACT IN CALIFORNIA!

Looking for the latest event in your city? Click on your city's link below. If there are no events planned or if your city does not have a page, don't wait for someone else to get the ball rolling--volunteer to be the organizer for your city!
NEED HELP?==>If you do not know how to add (or edit) a page, visit the Wetpaint FAQs for instructions. Also feel free to contact michaelbeezner for assistance.
Potential City Organizers:==> If you have any questions about city organizing in California contact Brandon for assistance.
City Organizers, please put contact info in the JTI database

Support the November 2010 Gubernatorial Election ballot initiative - the California Marriage Equality Act
PROPONENT of ballot initiative:	ORGANIZER info, time, and location:	EVENT details:
Proponent of ballot initiative: Charles Lowe Office phone number: 1-800-778-2998 Official website: http://www.yesonequality.com/ Official Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48303085809 Secretary of State website (ballot initiative page): http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm Learn more about the California Marriage Equality Act (.pdf file).	Host of this rally/protest: Time of rally/protest: Location of rally/protest (include Google map): Contact info: Facebook group (or website)- Host's phone/email- Invite as many people as you can. Bring homemade protest signs and accessories. Buy products (yard signs, bumper stickers, banners, etc.) and donate to the 'California Marriage Equality Act' ballot campaign. Have refreshments: Bottled water, snacks, etc. Remember: Please be respectful and civil with people who may disagree with you. Have police authorities with you during the protest/rally. This is to help keep civility and stability.	California has a huge diverse population and its up to this ballot initiative campaign to reach out and speak up for the Golden State's diversity. What can you do to support marriage equality NOW? Speak to at least three people you know whether it be a friend, relative, or acquaintance from California. Keep up the conversation for months and don't give up. Please note that this event is just a plan. Grassroots protests and rallies won't begin probably until the start of the 2010 Gubernatorial Election, which is next year. But it never hurts to start grassroots conversations NOW and begin gathering supporters when the event comes. Take care! ~ADD YOUR UPDATES!

Meet the Leffew Family!

Meet Xavier and Michael!

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY \| MARCH 4, 2009
ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO	TIME & LOCATION
Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) http://www.marriageequality.org/ Pacific Pride Foundation serves the LGBTQ community of Santa Barbara County. Our contact # is 805-963-3636. SAME is the Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality and is a sub group of volunteers working to overturn Prop 8 on a local and state level. our extension is 121. www.pacificpridefoundation.org	Gather at 5:30-7pm. North-East corner of Main & Broadway [Google Map]. Bring candles and friends! Read more about this Candlelight Vigil for Marriage Equality.

Event Info	Address & Map*	Notes & Updates
City: Santa Maria, CA Time: 5:30pm Wednesday, March 4th Organizer: Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.) Contact info: 805-349-9947 Supporting Organizations: Pacific Pride Foundation	Perlman Park North-east corner of Main & Broadway Santa Maria, CA 93458	On March 5th, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on why Proposition 8 should be repealed. The night before this historic moment, we invite supporters of marriage equality, their friends and families, and most especially the 18,000 couples married last year, to join us in a showing of faith and support that love. Please bring a friend, a candle and wear a white ribbon. We will have ribbons available.

SUPPORT SOMEONE THAT SUPPORTED US!

p.Johanna — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:17:27 CDT

Remember who was our defender. Who stood staunchly against those that not only criticised us, but him as well. He took the punches for us...he sat there and opened up marriage in Frisco. He was in the media debating on behalf of us. Let's show our appreciation and start organizing now! He needs our help. Let's not repeat the same mistakes we did during the Prop 8 campaign, for example our leaders listened to "consultanst" that told them to keep quiet, then in the last minute we were scrambling to raise money for advertisment. We rallied AFTER we lost, and finally a lot of voters stated they didn't know the impact this would have on those they know.

Let's start now. Put aside that carton of cigarette, that one beer or entrance to the club, and even that dollar. If you can't then let's start organizing now with thoughts on how to show our appreciation for him, and finally, please pass the word. Remind people that even those that where out of state were contributing against us in the Prop 8 fiasco. Finally, the main reason I am concerned about this: we all know that our voice for the white house isn't dependant on us (popular vote) but the electoral, or the Elite. Let's start voting where our votes count and vote for leaders that will DEFEND US IN THE WHITE HOUSE! Look at Bill Clinton now suddenly changing his mind about our rights.

THANK YOU AND PASS IT ON!
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