Supreme Court Takes Christian Group Case

On Monday, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear a case which many view as a test of the rights of religious freedoms and association, specifically when those rights interfere with a college’s policy of nondiscrimination against LGBT students.

The Christian Legal Society (CLS) at the Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco was stripped of its registered student organization status because they refused to allow LGBT students to become voting members or officers of the campus organization.

Under the school’s nondiscrimination policy, student organizations must allow fellow students to join and potentially seek leadership positions in any organization, regardless of their sexual orientation.

It seems to be a ‘no brainer’ being that Hastings is part of the University of California, a state university, and as the schools policy clearly stands against discrimination based on sexuality, but many from the religious right view this as an attack on their religious freedom. If this was a private college, I would argue the point.

What are your thoughts?

You can read more on this at: The LA Times!

San Francisco Company Making $600K To Fight Against Gay Couples

Hey, remember all the frustration voiced in the wake of Prop 8’s passing, when folks talked about how much of its support came from people who didn’t even live in California? Maine’s the next battleground for the right to marry, and the “out of town support” argument’s apparently rising again — this time, by a group that’s paying a San Francisco based company over half a million dollars to in an effort to take that right away. That’s right, this time, the call’s coming from inside the house.

The most recent email sent by Marc Mutty, Chairman of Stand For Marriage Maine (so we’re clear, the only marriages he’s standing for are the male-female kind, not the rest of ‘em), complains that the opposition to the marriage ban now on the ballot in Maine comes from “mostly from the gay activist political elite from all corners of the nation, including Hollywood, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts”

Read more at: SF Appeal!

Ammiano to Schwarzenegger: “Kiss My Gay Ass”

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown is lambasting what he calls “highly inappropriate” behavior by San Francisco Democrats Wednesday who greeted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with a hostile reception during a surprise drop-in at a San Francisco Democratic Party fund-raiser.

But outspoken State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco, who shouted “You lie!” to Schwarzenneger during the event at the Fairmont Hotel — and didn’t deny reports he walked out with a quip of “kiss my gay ass” — said the GOP governor’s “cheap publicity stunt” earned a very appropriate show of political theater, San Francisco-style.

Read more: sfgate.com!

Help On Equality? Thanks, But No Thanks

Yesterday, powerhouse attorneys David Boies and Theodore Olson officially rejected help from officials with the city of San Francisco along with three other groups advocating for the legalization of same-sex marriage by saying “thanks, but no thanks” for trying to join in to help with their federal lawsuit aimed at showing discrimination against gay marriage is unconstitutional.

Boies and Olson petitioned U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker, presenting him with legal arguments that would prevent the city and other groups from joining their cause at the upcoming trial. The two lawyers claim by allowing the city of San Francisco and others into the legal battle would only delay the case’s resolution.

The attorney’s also brought forth the argument against others joining the opposition, asking the conservative Campaign for California Families be barred from joining the fight against marriage equality, saying the group doesn’t have standing in the case. “Campaign has failed to offer any argument that differs from those raised by” the parties already officially fighting the lawsuit, Boies and Olson wrote. The lawyers said all of the opposition’s concerns would, and are being addressed by the legal team from the Alliance Defense Fund, the anti-gay group that Judge Walker has allowed to present arguments against the lawsuit.

The suit was filed on behalf of two gay couples seeking to marry in California. The supporting legal defense claims they are now in the best position to legalize gay marriage in the state as Proposition 8 violates federal anti-discrimination protections.

However, many gay rights groups are skeptical as they fear the case may ultimately end up before the U.S. Supreme Court made up of a socially conservative majority. They fear if that happens, the conservative judges could rule against marriage equality thus dealing the same-sex marriage campaign a significant setback.

See’s Candies not Sweet on LGBT Employee Benefits

San Francisco’s Union Square See’s Candies kiosk “was not providing all of the same benefits for domestic partners that it does for spouses,” according to the San Francisco Examiner. The California-based candy company also opted to not update its policy in compliance with the city’s calls for lesbian and gay domestic partner benefits, and thus vacated.

See’s Candies, per its website “are well known and loved throughout the West where the company was founded in 1921. See’s is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.”

Jordan Krueger, of grassroots activist organization Equality Network, contacted See’s, using its Customer Service phone number from the listing on their website, and requested to speak with someone about the closing of the Union Square location. A representative named Jessica informed him of the press release they had prepared and offered to read it. Krueger also received an email of the statement – which you can read at SheWired.com!

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