Join The Impact - A National Success!

Gay rights supporters waving rainbow colors marched, chanted and danced in cities coast to coast Saturday to protest the vote that banned gay marriage in California as well as constitutional amendments in many stated to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.  They also used the demonstrations to urge supporters not to quit the fight for the right to marry.

Crowds gathered near public buildings in cities large and small, from Boston to San Francisco, Chicago to Los Angeles, and every city in between to vent their frustrations, celebrate gay relationships and renew calls for change, demanding equal rights for all tax paying citizens, including the GLBT community.

“Civil marriages are a civil right, and we’re going to keep fighting until we get the rights we deserve as American citizens,” Karen Amico said in Philadelphia, holding up a sign reading “Don’t Spread H8″.

“We are the American family, we live next door to you, we teach your children, we take care of your elderly,” said Heather Baker a special education teacher from Boston who addressed the crowd at Boston’s City Hall Plaza. “We need equal rights across the country.”

Join the impact was a nationwide success and has brought the human rights movement to the forefront of national issues.

This is not about “gay” rights.  This is about equal rights for all citizens in this country.  The time has come for the nation which was build and fairness and equality to live up to its founding beliefs.

Those in opposition to equal rights for all citizens have made claim the majority of people have voted against extending equal rights to all citizens, but as it’s been made clear, this mob mentality is not only wrong, it’s un-American!

Arkansas Puts Cruel Ballot Measure Up for Vote

There’s been a lot of attention to anti-marriage ballot initiatives in Arizona, California and Florida this year.  But you might not have heard about a terrible anti-family ballot initiative in Arkansas.  It’s called Initiated Act 1, and it’s a first-of-its-kind ballot initiative that would ban unmarried couples living together – both gay and straight – from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

At a time when thousands of Arkansas children are in foster care, many waiting for permanent homes, this right-wing initiative seems particularly cruel.

Read the rest at hrc.org.

UPDATE:

From ThePhoenix.com:

A new poll — which shows McCain leading Obama by 13 in Arkansas, a poor omen for my  35-state prediction — shows 55% opposing a ballot initiative aimed at preventing same-sex couples from adopting, or being a foster parent. The initiative’s chances are probably not helped by the broad wording, which tries to avoid the appearance of homophobia by prohibiting couples cohabiting outside of a legally valid marriage.

Anti-Gay Church Raided for Child Pornography

As reported on blogout.justout.com;

The Tony Alamo Christian Ministries was raided by Arkansas and federal authorities Saturday, in search of child pornography.

As a result, six minors were temporarily placed in state custody.

Courts will decide the children’s status in the event of any “long-term separation” from the property of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries in rural Fouke.

Alamo, who is also under investigation for tax evasion, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the investigation was part of a federal push to legalize same-sex marriage while outlawing polygamy. He also said for girls having sex, “consent is puberty.”

Arkansas to Vote on Gay Adoptions

A ballot proposal aimed at banning gays and lesbians from being foster or adoptive parents has been accepted for this November’s election. The ballot measure would prohibit unmarried couples from becoming foster parents or adopting children.  Currently it is illegal for same-sex couples to marry, and Arkansas refuses to recognize those marriages conducted in other states. Charlie Daniels, the Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, certified the proposal for the ballot by claiming to have verified the Arkansas Family Council Action Committee had submitted 85,389 valid signatures of registered voters. The President of teh committee, Jerry Cox said: “Arkansas needs to affirm the importance of married mothers and fathers. We need to publicly affirm the gold standard of rearing children whenever we can.” Arkansas Families First is campaigning against the measure and has said it plans to sue to keep it off the ballot.

Openly Gay Man To Run For Little Rock Council

Drew Pritt, a Democrat and local activist, has announced he will run for Little Rock City Board, At-Large, Position # 10. The position is currently held by Joan Adcock.

Pritt says it’s time for a “new perspective and a new vision” in Little Rock City politics. He also is not demurred by the title of “gadfly” bestowed on him by Arkansas Times Editor, Max Brantley, or by the fact he garnered 8 votes in a recent Little Rock City School Board race.

“Yes, I do have obstacles to overcome….but overcoming obstacles and finding a solution is key to this position I now seek,” said Pritt. “I didn’t have the funding in the race for School Board that my two opponents had. That certainly did not devalue the worth of my ideas then or now. As far as being called a gadfly, I am relatively good company, as Socrates,
Mohandas Gandhi, Oscar Wilde, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. all were called gadflies by their opponents. Being a gadfly is a thankless task but a gadfly sees a wrong in society. The gadfly pricks and stings the conscience of a society. If the individual keeps at it, society will eventually make the necessary change for the better.”

Find what his issues of importance are at arktimes.com.