The info is from 2002 but I'll bet most of these companies are still ruled by the Magic Underpants crowd.
Indigo
· 1 year ago
Good for Melissa! Where's Leo and George and the gang? Oh, wait! We're not supposed to out them, are we? Sorry!
grandma
· 1 year ago
The Republicans Are Now the Stupid Party by Jeffrey Hart
Does any reasonable person not believe that gays and lesbians deserve respect and equality? Not today’s Republican Party. Expert translators from Arabic have been dismissed for being gay.
In its embrace of the religious right under George W. Bush, the Republican Party became the stupid party. And committing suicide along with it has been the conservative movement. The party united around god, guns and gays is finished.
Jeffrey Hart is professor emeritus of English at Dartmouth College. He wrote for the National Review for more than three decades, where he was senior editor. He wrote speeches for Ronald Reagan, when governor of California, and for Richard Nixon.
dula
· 1 year ago
It's not just Republicans who don't believe Gays deserve respect and equality, Grandma. It is many homophobic Democrats too...especially an overwhelming majority of Black voters in California (70% in case you didn't know). Unity and Change? Whatever.
grandma
· 1 year ago
Yes I had heard that...I was surprised by that too...one reason one of the media gave was that blacks are more religious/christian.
I surely do not see anything Christian or Godlike by denying any group of people equal rights. That is just nuts. Deplorable and disgusting.
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
I guess many of them are too young to realize that organized religion was also pushing to keep segregation.
I seem to remember hearing a religious teaching about Cain and Abel... Cain would be marked so that people would know him.
some religions taught that as his skin color.
amazing how religious people talk about tradition and the fundamentals of their faith... and don't realize or admit that those fundamentals have changed over the years.
they should be ashamed.
PAULinDC
· 1 year ago
If the Mormon and Catholic churches want to determine the tax structure in CA [by deciding who can and can't be married, they have decided who will or will not fall under certain tax laws], perhaps the churches should also be responsible for the taxes.
Butch1
· 1 year ago
I agree. This state can't have it both ways, our taxes and then no representation and equal rights.
PAULinDC
· 1 year ago
OK, so given the wording of Prop 8 [and I'm not certain what it is] ... if the only legal definition of marriage in CA is that marriage is between one man and one woman, then the CA legislature could strike the term "marriage" and replace it by, oh say, "family partnership", then everyone would be happy??
Topher
· 1 year ago
You got it. Although, most people who go with this typically call it "Civil Union" or "Civil Marriage" with the key feature being that both same-sex and opposite-sex couples enter into the same contract. The beef is with the two types of couples having "separate but equal" legal foundations to their relationships. However, I don't think this would resolve it, because I think a lot of heterosexuals want their relationships distinguished legally from same-sex relationships.
dcredhead
· 1 year ago
I wonder what would happen if all the gays in California left and came to Massachusetts (my state, where everyone is equal!). What would that do to the economy?
Remember the grassroots movement "A Day without a Mexican" in California, that basically highlighted the economic impact of HIspanics in California? That if they left the state, economically, California would be f'd?
What would happen if the gay community did the same?
Indigo
· 1 year ago
I do not recall having heard of "A Day Without a Mexican" but it makes sense. If every gay in Calif and Arkansas and Arizona and Florida stayed home on Monday . . . hummmm . . . it's a good concept.
dcredhead
· 1 year ago
Not just stay home -- someone should do an economic analysis of what they bring to the state (payroll taxes, property taxes, etc., sales taxes.).
Seriously -- you're always welcome in Massachusets! The winter's suck, but the summer's and spring are lovely.
Topher
· 1 year ago
Sort of like the "Day of Silence" but for adults. I think it's a good idea too. I honestly don't think that the anti-gay folks really understand (1) how many of us there are, and (2) the significance of our contribution to society. And that's just those of us who are out!
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
the major corporations in California would love it... with employees disappearing, they could move their entire operations overseas. its happening slowly in California anyway. Most people that do my job are in Bangalore or Singapore.
barts
· 1 year ago
The passage of prop 8 is a terrible thing and the repercussions will of this will be farther reaching than what the proponents and supporters thought. I think we need to start dealing with the "elephant in the room" and set our sights squarly on the religious right.
With that being said - and I'm going to risk taking on a very unpopular stance with this- I also think that a small percentage of the fault lies with us gays (lgbt crowd). We should do more to involve the straight community and break the misguided notions that we're creating some kind of hidden gay agenda and somehow going to secretly indoctrinate or exploit young children. A lot of advertisments in support of prop 8 were designed to scare the public about what will happen if we were allowed to marry. I know this is a rather simplistic approach, but isn't there any way our community can reach out and educate the public?
PAULinDC
· 1 year ago
Your solution has always been the right solution. The frame should have been that 'No On 8'was about making all CA "families" equal, about protecting children [expropriate the right's tactics], about the religious freedom of those who believe that God DOES bless loving unions, etc etc. Should have been str8 families, gay families, ALL families portrayed in 'No On 8' ads. Engage them at their strengths.
foxy
· 1 year ago
As someone said in a previous post "We need a Martin Luther Queen".
Indigo
· 1 year ago
Yes, breaking the misguided concepts is part of the program. Look carefully at where the misguided concepts come from and you'll find an even deeper layer of anti-gay activism that needs to be stopped. Um . . . hopefully you already catch on that that would be the Mormons and the Catholics and the Fundmentalists of every color and other bigots as well. Anti-gay stereotypes come from anti-gay people. That's where it has to be stopped. If that means standing in front of their churches and taunting them, so be it. If it means refusing to serve their soup hot, so be it. If it means not being able to take their service appointments, so be it. And a whole lot more . . . we already know polite education doesn't work so . . . Let's call a strike!
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
that works for her... however...
anyone with a job that gives you a W2?
California just garnishes your wages.
trust me, it wouldn't work for most people.
Milli
· 1 year ago
Obama makes no mention of GLBT issues on his new website. Let him know that he needs to include us. We donated, campaigned and voted for him.
Note the following from Mr. Obama's website agenda listings: "Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: Obama and Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section." Will that include ending the hate crimes of these anti-Gay election initiatives? Will Obama/Biden go after the law-breaking, Gay-hating and baiting churches that participate fully in politics and take away their freedom from taxation? As Milli says, the President-elect makes no mention of GLBT issues. We should not have to wait until his second term to end our second-class citizenship.
rextrek1
· 1 year ago
The time for playing nice is OVER - WAY OVER! With Ca, Az and Fla. passing these ammendments..plus Arkansas anit gay initiative reg. adoption & fostering..the RABID RIGHT NOW Feels Empowered to go after the last 20 states in OUR country to get Ammendments en-acted...by even Overturning MA...and Conn....they've already SAID SO,and have thier sites set on it...see Pams House blend site...they are Motivated to Eliminate ALL LGBT rights......the time for being Nice is OVER! It's WAR!
barts
· 1 year ago
I agree. Now that we have a democratic president and the congress is no longer led by republicans, we have nothing to fear! We can set our sights squarely on the religious right.
JPierce
· 1 year ago
Why not switch out your donation links to progressive LGBT non-profits? If we could shuttle a fraction of the money we gave to political campaigns this year into progressive causes we could really make something happen in the next 4-8 years.
barts
· 1 year ago
In my years spent living in the Bay Area in the 90's, on rare occasions while having a coffee on a Saturday morning at the corner of 18th and Castro, I'd see a truck full of Hispanics drive by with hand-painted signs in the windows saying "AIDS." I knew then we still have work to do.
By its very nature, voting process is anonymous. Nobody can say who exactly supported prop 8, except that polling showed a high percentage of blacks and hispanics voted for the proposition. They were probably directed by fear instilled by the religious wing nuts.
My neighbor at the time when I lived out there was hispanic. We never said more than 2 words to each other in our busy lives. I guess I could have had her and her husband over for a drinks or coffee to meet my partner. I could have taken care of her yard which set next to ours in the tightly packed block of victorian homes. I don't know how she voted but her face comes to mind when I think of who voted for/against prop 8. Perhaps, if she had gotten to know me she would have ignored those commercials and voted to protect gay families.
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
In my years spent living in the Bay Area in the 90's, on rare occasions while having a coffee on a Saturday morning at the corner of 18th and Castro, I'd see a truck full of Hispanics drive by with hand-painted signs in the windows saying "AIDS." I knew then we still have work to do. ---
they were just looking for a cup of coffee... you should've obliged them by throwing your mug through the truck window. I would've.
barts
· 1 year ago
LOL!
skwcw2001
· 1 year ago
one of the most important things is to focus on getting the tax exemption status of lds revoked, it isnt right that they where able to take tax exempt money apply it to a political voting decision against people that pay tax's. in one vote we have been shoved way back int he closet i mean noone high up is pointing out how stupid this sounds we need t shirts saying can we vote on your marriage or vote on your church's decisions.
RainbowPhoenix
· 1 year ago
Right on. If you don't make us full citizens then we don't pay taxes. Can you afford that America?
barts
· 1 year ago
How do you not pay taxes if it is already taken out of your earnings by your employer? I guess you don't file a tax return? Besides, why fault the state of CA. The CA supreme court and legislature are on our side.
I think trying to get the government to tax the Mormon churches is a better solution!
RainbowPhoenix
· 1 year ago
We have to find some way to force the states and feds to our side. Refusal to pay taxes will get their attention. Don't forget, money makes the world go round.
barts
· 1 year ago
See next Americablog post: TOURISM!
dcredhead
· 1 year ago
I've said it before, I'll say it again;
The gay community cannot fight this alone. You, must, must MUST engage the straight community. There are many of us who will fight this battle with you...
Searchee31
· 1 year ago
Yes, I can agree more on that. Gay community should include all genders and sectors in this battle. And may I add, I agree with the idea of taxing churches since they are using their power, influence and money on political issues. It is about time for them to share the responsibility of the taxing people and not to subjugate the rights of the other sectors of the society.
I am not an American but I am saddened with what happened in California. I also agree that the battle of the gay people should not end with in the ballot. I agree that series of protests must be launched to take back their lost rights. And this time, they should entice the straights, and also approach the blacks and latinos to enlighten them and be on their side.
kiddviciousss
· 1 year ago
;)
KISSman
· 1 year ago
It's probably not the best idea to not pay your taxes in protest. I understand the anger about Proposition H8. I'm angry too because I care a lot about civil rights and I can't stand it when the people who hate stand in the way of them. I hope that there is a way that we can ultimately win this battle, but a few Californians not paying their state taxes and risking jail isn't going to change anything.
While it would be great if same-sex marriage would start winning at the polls, I think the focus needs to be on the underlying issues that need sooner addressing. I think I recently heard that there are still 30 states where you can be fired for being gay. This NEEDS to be fixed. Imagine if we had laws that allowed people to be fired for being black. In 2008, this is something that has to be addressed. I would think that such an issue should be even more important than marriage at this moment in time.
And while civil unions might feel like a slap in the face to some, I think in many states that such a thing is the more likely path that will lead to same-sex marriage. While I support every attempt to achieve same-sex marriage, I also think that gaining some rights is better than being without them.
To me, the effort for increased gay rights needs to be like playing a football game. While you throw the occasional deep ball to keep the opposition on their toes (i.e. attempts to achieve same-sex marriage), the way you ultimately win the game is with a strong ground game that steadily pushes the ball down the field. Both need to be done to win, but I'm a big believer that the ultimate path to equality for the gay community is focused, steady, gradual approach.
xaander
· 1 year ago
I don't understand why religion is so involved in our government. I had this to say on my blog, http://www.HawkingTheScene.com :
I am proud that America took a great big step towards equality by electing Barack Obama this week. But I am also saddened and disappointed by the backward steps taken by the following states that wrote blatant discrimination into their constitutions: Arkansas, where unmarried couples are now prevented from adopting or fostering children; Florida and Arizona, where gay marriage has been banned; and most notably, California, where a law allowing gay marriage has been repealed, leaving the status of 20,000 marriages in question. I was under the impression that our constitution was created to protect our rights, not repeal them.
We currently live in a society where people are ignorantly learning about civics in church and where law is being dictated by religion (namely Christianity) with scripture passages arbitrarily chosen while ignoring others that they, themselves, are clearly breaking. But not all homosexuals are Christian, so who are Christians to judge and tell people what is right and what is wrong and what they can and cannot do (Judge not, lest ye be judged), when not all share their mistranslated beliefs? Orthodox Jews cannot eat pork and cannot mix meats with cheeses. What if they rallied a majority to prohibit ham and cheeseburgers, or worse, bacon cheeseburgers to protect their faith? The government plays no role in religion, so why is religion so largely playing a role in our government? It is time to start governing our nation on the ideas of the collective people and not the scripture of a single religion.
This is about rights and civil liberties: the right to marry, the right to employment non-discrimination, the right to hate crime protections, the right to fight for country, and the right to feel like a citizen of this country and not a second-hand citizen. Melissa Etheridge wrote in The Daily Beast, that because 51% of voting Californians find her to be a second-hand citizen, that she will no longer pay her state taxes. “I mean, that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing in the history books,” she says. “When did it become okay to legislate morality?”
Although funny and meant in jest, I would also have to agree with Margaret Cho, who once said, “We need to recognize that a government that would deny a gay man the right to bridal registry, is a fascist state.”
Jersey
· 1 year ago
March on Washington ala '93 for repeal of DOMA and civil union bill. Were you there John?
Millineryman
· 1 year ago
From a press release posted on Market Watch, not exactly a hot bed of political activity.
Merrill Lauds Melissa Etheridge The gay tax protest is gaining momentum
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Nov 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Charles Merrill, the cousin of the man who founded Merrill Lynch & Co., and who predicted (Wall Street Journal, 10/31/2007) a stock market crash that will put the 1929 crash to shame, has also been a key figure since 2004 resisting paying federal income tax. Merrill is legally married to Kevin Boyle in California, and his case is going to court. The docket at ustaxcourt.gov is 3058-08, Merrill vs Commissioner of Internal Revenue and is scheduled to be heard in 2009, at U.S. Tax Court, San Diego.
Here in Montana, I've been hitting businesses up for World AIDS day, asking for donations, gift certificates, etc. Having a damn hard time raising any money...so I asked my significant other if it would be appropriate to ask the Mormons to make a donation to our cause...as a goodwill gesture. Say, $30 million.
obrienr
· 1 year ago
Now all she needs to do is vacate the state.
Wcoke
· 1 year ago
I support Melissa and with the huge amount of taxes my partner and I pay we could be supporting equal rights causes. Instead we are paying for other peoples children to go to school when we are not allowed the right to even foster a child. We should all keep our money. I am amazed at the percentage of blacks who supported this ban. They of all people should understand what it feels like to be marginalized. I am from Jacksonville FL and there is a black church that hands out bumper stickers that says manPlus woman=marriage. This message is hateful. I have always supported the black community and did not realize the homophobia they generate. Of course this is directly related to the Black Church and the indoctrination of intolerance. We need a separation of Church and State to protect us from these awful random religions.
All Comments
The info is from 2002 but I'll bet most of these companies are still ruled by the Magic Underpants crowd.
by Jeffrey Hart
Does any reasonable person not believe that gays and lesbians deserve respect and equality? Not today’s Republican Party. Expert translators from Arabic have been dismissed for being gay.
In its embrace of the religious right under George W. Bush, the Republican Party became the stupid party. And committing suicide along with it has been the conservative movement. The party united around god, guns and gays is finished.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/...
Jeffrey Hart is professor emeritus of English at Dartmouth College. He wrote for the National Review for more than three decades, where he was senior editor. He wrote speeches for Ronald Reagan, when governor of California, and for Richard Nixon.
I surely do not see anything Christian or Godlike by denying any group of people equal rights. That is just nuts. Deplorable and disgusting.
I seem to remember hearing a religious teaching about Cain and Abel... Cain would be marked so that people would know him.
some religions taught that as his skin color.
amazing how religious people talk about tradition and the fundamentals of their faith... and don't realize or admit that those fundamentals have changed over the years.
they should be ashamed.
Remember the grassroots movement "A Day without a Mexican" in California, that basically highlighted the economic impact of HIspanics in California? That if they left the state, economically, California would be f'd?
What would happen if the gay community did the same?
Seriously -- you're always welcome in Massachusets! The winter's suck, but the summer's and spring are lovely.
With that being said - and I'm going to risk taking on a very unpopular stance with this- I also think that a small percentage of the fault lies with us gays (lgbt crowd). We should do more to involve the straight community and break the misguided notions that we're creating some kind of hidden gay agenda and somehow going to secretly indoctrinate or exploit young children. A lot of advertisments in support of prop 8 were designed to scare the public about what will happen if we were allowed to marry.
I know this is a rather simplistic approach, but isn't there any way our community can reach out and educate the public?
anyone with a job that gives you a W2?
California just garnishes your wages.
trust me, it wouldn't work for most people.
http://change.gov/
"Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: Obama and Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section."
Will that include ending the hate crimes of these anti-Gay election initiatives? Will Obama/Biden go after the law-breaking, Gay-hating and baiting churches that participate fully in politics and take away their freedom from taxation? As Milli says, the President-elect makes no mention of GLBT issues. We should not have to wait until his second term to end our second-class citizenship.
We can set our sights squarely on the religious right.
By its very nature, voting process is anonymous. Nobody can say who exactly supported prop 8, except that polling showed a high percentage of blacks and hispanics voted for the proposition. They were probably directed by fear instilled by the religious wing nuts.
My neighbor at the time when I lived out there was hispanic. We never said more than 2 words to each other in our busy lives. I guess I could have had her and her husband over for a drinks or coffee to meet my partner. I could have taken care of her yard which set next to ours in the tightly packed block of victorian homes. I don't know how she voted but her face comes to mind when I think of who voted for/against prop 8. Perhaps, if she had gotten to know me she would have ignored those commercials and voted to protect gay families.
---
they were just looking for a cup of coffee... you should've obliged them by throwing your mug through the truck window. I would've.
I think trying to get the government to tax the Mormon churches is a better solution!
The gay community cannot fight this alone. You, must, must MUST engage the straight community. There are many of us who will fight this battle with you...
I am not an American but I am saddened with what happened in California. I also agree that the battle of the gay people should not end with in the ballot. I agree that series of protests must be launched to take back their lost rights. And this time, they should entice the straights, and also approach the blacks and latinos to enlighten them and be on their side.
While it would be great if same-sex marriage would start winning at the polls, I think the focus needs to be on the underlying issues that need sooner addressing. I think I recently heard that there are still 30 states where you can be fired for being gay. This NEEDS to be fixed. Imagine if we had laws that allowed people to be fired for being black. In 2008, this is something that has to be addressed. I would think that such an issue should be even more important than marriage at this moment in time.
And while civil unions might feel like a slap in the face to some, I think in many states that such a thing is the more likely path that will lead to same-sex marriage. While I support every attempt to achieve same-sex marriage, I also think that gaining some rights is better than being without them.
To me, the effort for increased gay rights needs to be like playing a football game. While you throw the occasional deep ball to keep the opposition on their toes (i.e. attempts to achieve same-sex marriage), the way you ultimately win the game is with a strong ground game that steadily pushes the ball down the field. Both need to be done to win, but I'm a big believer that the ultimate path to equality for the gay community is focused, steady, gradual approach.
I am proud that America took a great big step towards equality by electing Barack Obama this week. But I am also saddened and disappointed by the backward steps taken by the following states that wrote blatant discrimination into their constitutions: Arkansas, where unmarried couples are now prevented from adopting or fostering children; Florida and Arizona, where gay marriage has been banned; and most notably, California, where a law allowing gay marriage has been repealed, leaving the status of 20,000 marriages in question. I was under the impression that our constitution was created to protect our rights, not repeal them.
We currently live in a society where people are ignorantly learning about civics in church and where law is being dictated by religion (namely Christianity) with scripture passages arbitrarily chosen while ignoring others that they, themselves, are clearly breaking. But not all homosexuals are Christian, so who are Christians to judge and tell people what is right and what is wrong and what they can and cannot do (Judge not, lest ye be judged), when not all share their mistranslated beliefs? Orthodox Jews cannot eat pork and cannot mix meats with cheeses. What if they rallied a majority to prohibit ham and cheeseburgers, or worse, bacon cheeseburgers to protect their faith? The government plays no role in religion, so why is religion so largely playing a role in our government? It is time to start governing our nation on the ideas of the collective people and not the scripture of a single religion.
This is about rights and civil liberties: the right to marry, the right to employment non-discrimination, the right to hate crime protections, the right to fight for country, and the right to feel like a citizen of this country and not a second-hand citizen. Melissa Etheridge wrote in The Daily Beast, that because 51% of voting Californians find her to be a second-hand citizen, that she will no longer pay her state taxes. “I mean, that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing in the history books,” she says. “When did it become okay to legislate morality?”
Although funny and meant in jest, I would also have to agree with Margaret Cho, who once said, “We need to recognize that a government that would deny a gay man the right to bridal registry, is a fascist state.”
Merrill Lauds Melissa Etheridge
The gay tax protest is gaining momentum
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Nov 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Charles Merrill, the cousin of the man who founded Merrill Lynch & Co., and who predicted (Wall Street Journal, 10/31/2007) a stock market crash that will put the 1929 crash to shame, has also been a key figure since 2004 resisting paying federal income tax. Merrill is legally married to Kevin Boyle in California, and his case is going to court. The docket at ustaxcourt.gov is 3058-08, Merrill vs Commissioner of Internal Revenue and is scheduled to be heard in 2009, at U.S. Tax Court, San Diego.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Merrill-L...