The Kitchen Table - Violence Against Gay Americans

As a nation we just helped an unlikely community activist get elected to the White House. Many of us were part of a movement that gave us hope and made us feel included. And in the midst of this rising tide of optimism we endured a painful loss against California’s Proposition 8. Milk reminded me again of how ballot initiatives, fueled by self-righteous bigots shrouded in biblical arguments, have been used for decades to strip gay Americans of their basic civil rights. It makes me shudder to imagine what would have become of Civil Rights for African Americans had our humanity been adjudicated by popular vote.

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Obama Supporters Assaulted In D.C.

Two gay men said an unidentified man assaulted them on election night as they carried a rainbow flag to an outdoor gathering near the White House to celebrate Barack Obama’s presidential victory. Channel 7 News, which captured part of the assault on video, reported that police arrested the assailant on a charge of assault. A broadcast report of the incident noted that the two victims believed the attacker approached them on the street after he left a Republican Party gathering at the Capitol Hilton Hotel. Acting Lt. Brett Parson, who oversees the D.C. police Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, could not confirm whether an arrest had been made, but said detectives were following up on the case after police took a report from the victims.

Obama Launches Website to Reach Public

From CNN.com:

Barack Obama had a formidable online presence during his quest for the White House, and he is once again turning to the Internet to communicate with the American public as president-elect.
President-elect Barack Obama has launched a Web site to chronicle his transition.

President-elect Barack Obama has launched a Web site to chronicle his transition.

Within 24 hours of last week’s historic vote, his transition team rolled out change.gov, a Web site that promises to be “your source for the latest news, events and announcements so that you can follow the setting up of the Obama administration.”

The site is still a little thin on content, but there’s a blog, a newsroom and a countdown to the January 20 inauguration.

Visitors can fill out a form to share their stories about what the election meant to them, or they can give their vision of an Obama presidency. They can even apply for a job.

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White House Travel Paid for By Religious Groups

A review of White House travel records shows churches and other religious entities paid for close to a quarter of the privately funded trips taken by White House aides since late 2006.

Critics, who see this as evidence the administration is mixing faith and public policy, say religious groups may feel pressure to sponsor aides’ travel in order to secure government funding for their own work.

“I think there would be very few circumstances where a religious organization or church paying government officials wouldn’t lead to a conflict of interest,” said Terri Schroeder, a senior lobbyist at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Groups like the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), which paid for former White House aide Tim Goeglein to travel to its annual convention in 2007 for a speech, counter that the White House has a responsibility to connect with religious organizations.

“People of faith make up a crucial American demographic. Frankly, we would think it rather odd if an administration neglected religious groups in its sphere of contacts,” said Craig Parshall, the NRB’s senior vice president and general counsel.

Barney Frank: Legalize It, Don’t Critisize It.

Barney Frank, D-Mass, who is an openly gay congressman, announced a proposal on Wednesday (HR 5843) that would legalize marijuana. The proposed bill would put an end to federal punishment for Americans caught carrying less than 100 grams of marijuana.

At a news conference in D.C., Frank said, “The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government’s business. I don’t think it is the government’s business to tell you how to spend your leisure time.”

Frank, also stated the laws aimed at marijuana users place undue burdens on law enforcement resources, punish ill Americans whose doctors have prescribed the substance and unfairly affect African-Americans.

Franks was careful to also site use, not abuse, of marijuana, would be decriminalized under his plan.

On the opposing side, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which oppose legalizing marijuana, list it as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Read more at see him talk about it at CNN.com.