Hundreds Protest Outside of St. Louis’ Cathedral Basilica
November 30, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · 1 Comment
Grey skies framed the Neo-Byzantine dome of St. Louis’ Cathedral Basilica on Nov. 29 as hundreds of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and allied supporters protested the archdiocese’s donation of $10,000 to the successful effort to reverse marriage equality in Maine.
The protest, which took place on the public portion of sidewalk in front of the New Cathedral, was organized by St. Louis based GLBT rights organization, Show Me No Hate. A smaller contngent of protesters was on hand for morning mass and the organization plans to rally outside the iconic edifice each Sunday throughout Advent — the period of preparation and waiting for Christmas.
In response to the protest, St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson issued a statement saying that the donation came from a “special needs fund” endowed from “private gifts.” According to Carlson, the fund is not used for formal church operations and can be used at the archbishop’s discretion.
“No longer will we tolerate the religious funding of hate,” stated Show Me No Hate founder Ed Reggi. “The Archbishop showed no mercy for the poor, sick and homeless in St. Louis. The $10,000 Carlson wired to Maine could have helped the empty food pantries and local toy drives this Christmas season.”
Remaining Hopeful for Equal Rights in the GLBT Community
November 19, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
I know a lot of you know someone who is gay, or you support the equal rights campaign.
However, we need more than your support. We need you to speak up. We need you to stand by us.
I have gone to several rallies for equal rights in several different states and time after time I see that the majority of the group that is there in protest is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered—not straight.
The sad truth is that there aren’t very many GLBT people.
The population of the GLBT community has grown, and is growing, but we need people beyond our four letters.
We need to say that our forefathers would be appalled and disgraced by our lack of equality as it pertains to how much our country and culture has progressed.
That’s how they created the constitution, knowing that people and time would change and grow.
More at: University Chronicle!
On Gay Marriage, Empathy is a Two-Way Street
November 8, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · 1 Comment
Once again, state voters – this time in Maine, hardly a conservative stronghold – have voted down same-sex marriage. Leaving what she thought would be a victory party after last week’s balloting, an emotional Cecelia Burnett said, “I don’t understand what the fear is, why people are so afraid of this change.”
That’s a big part of the gay marriage side’s problem: They cannot imagine why, aside from bigotry, anyone would disagree with them. To be sure, anyone on the traditional marriage side who doesn’t understand that denying marriage to same-sex couples imposes a serious burden on them is either willfully ignorant or hard-hearted. The thing is, empathy should go both ways.
Leaving aside that there is undoubtedly a significant number of people who vote against gay marriage because they flat-out don’t like gay people, there are serious and important reasons to vote against same-sex marriage – and these deserve to be taken seriously.
For starters, gay marriage represents a cultural revolution, a fundamental redefinition of what marriage means. Until the past 10 or 20 years, no society had ever sanctioned marriage between same-sex partners. It was unthinkable outside of a small radical fringe. Now, in the twinkling of an eye, it’s coming to pass in a few countries, though the vast majority of humankind still finds it unthinkable.
That’s not an argument against gay marriage, but it is an explanation for why gay marriage remains unpopular in this country. Culture precedes politics. If you cannot change culture, you’re reduced to arguing, as same-sex marriage supporter Linda Hirshman did in the wake of the Maine defeat, that people shouldn’t have the right to vote on the definition of marriage.
What does Maine’s rejection of gay marriage mean for California?
November 8, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
Question 1, a repeal of the New England state’s law allowing same-sex marriage, passed with 52.7 percent of voters in favor; nearly parallel to the 52 percent of California’s voters last year that passed Proposition 8, the Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the Golden State.
Maine’s vote resonates in California, where gay rights activists are divided whether to push for a repeal of the same-sex marriage ban in 2010, or wait until 2012, and many wonder what Maine’s rejection of same-sex marriage means for California’s movement.
“Maine was supposed to be the way the gay marriage movement overcame the loss in California with Proposition 8,” said Brian Brown, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage in California, the largest donor to the ProtectMarriage.com-Yes on 8 campaign, and an executive committee member for Stand for Marriage Maine, the largest donor to the Yes on 1 campaign. “Everything was in their favor … (and) they still lost. The people of Maine do not support same-sex marriage, just as the people in 31 states in this country do not support same-sex marriage. In 31 states where same-sex marriage has been put to a vote, supporters of traditional marriage have won.
Need To Sound Off? Do It on GA’s Blog Talk Radio Show
November 4, 2009 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
So…the elections were a bit of a blow to the LGBT community, to say the least. Yes, progress has been made. Yes, change takes time. Yes, steps have been made in the right direction and yet it seems, we (the LGBT community) are moving at a snail’s pace when it come gaining equality and first-class citizenship…Two steps forward, one step back. First the Mormon church, along with Maggie Moo Gallagher’s National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which was set up with the help of the G W Bush administration, took the right of marriage away from LGBT Californians with Prop 8. Then last night, NOM along with the Catholic Church, prevented legislation passed in Maine from taking affect…Legislation that would end marriage discrimination in that state.
Even though this may feel like we’ve been punched in the face and the gut, now more than ever is time to fight and fight hard! We need to come together collectively to dispel the myths and lies of how marriage equality will ruin the nation, force gay marriage to be taught in schools and gain the equality we are entitled to. WE ARE TAX PAYING AMERICAN CITIZENS THAT DESERVE NOTHING LESS THAN EQUALITY!
But, we can NOT let our frustrations get the better of us…In order to move past the unfair discrimination we have been forced to deal with, let’s get it out. Let’s yell, scream and release that anger and frustration so we can concentrate on putting positive efforts forward toward getting what should rightfully be ours. If we yell and scream at our opposition, that will only fall upon deaf ears and make us look bad at the same time. So again, let’s release so we can move past the anger and frustration!
What better way to do so then live on air! Join gayagenda.com every Wednesday night from 8-9 pm EST, for The Gay Agenda on Blog Talk Radio, where yours truly, hosts an hour of talk about issues that affect the LGBT community.
Feel free to call in between 8-9 pm EST @ 646-929-0506 to let your voice be heard, sound off and release! You can also listen to the show live and join us in the chat room by clicking here!
Let your voice be heard and let it OUT!
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