Free to Love Equal Rights

Just last week, North Carolina voters passed a bill strictly defining marriage as between a man and woman. The day after, President Obama stated that he personally agreed with same-sex marriage.

Last year, my friend, Tom Bridegroom, suddenly died. He was gay and had been living with his partner for several years in California. They had promised to marry as soon as it was legal. Tom’s family never agreed with his homosexuality, and after his sudden death, they decided to cut all contact with his partner, Shane. After an entire year, Shane decided to speak through a YouTube video, about his experience with not only Tom’s family, but with the laws as they currently are.

For some insight on the state of the marriage equality fight, I spoke with LGBT advocate with Milwaukee’s Pathfinders, Julie Brock, about her reaction to the ban in North Carolina, the President and the video, “It could happen to you.”

“I was sad North Carolinians passed the ban, but not surprised,” Brock said. “Oppression is institutionalized in America.”

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Ife

Political Quick Hits: December 9th Edition

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The Obama administration announced Tuesday that they will be using the enticement of foreign aid to other countries as a way to promote gay rights around the world. The administration also vowed to combat efforts by other countries that criminalize homosexual conduct or abuse/ignore abuse on gay citizens. “Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct, but in fact they are one in the same,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. (NY Times)

• Rod Blagojevich, former Governor of Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison this week on federal corruption charges that related to him trying to sell/trade a United States Senate seat that was left vacant when President Obama was elected to the White House. Blago is expected to serve at least 12 of the 14 years in federal prison. (NY Times)

• The Obama administration rejected a request to let anyone of any age buy the morning-after pill, Plan B, directly off of drugstore and supermarket shelves. The Department of Health and Human Services vetoed the FDA’s decision to make the contraceptive available without any restrictions. This split decision stunned both women’s health advocates and abortion opponents. President Obama said that he agreed with Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ decision though he “did not get involved in the process.” (Washington Post)

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Justin Burkhardt

Political Quick Hits: July 22nd Edition

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Debt Ceiling: There is still no agreement on the debt ceiling, with August 2nd quickly approaching. However talks continued this week between the president, Democrats and Republicans. On Thursday CNN reported a possible deficit reduction deal could be emerging. Talks are now  reported to be focusing on a deal to cut $3 trillion in the federal deficit over the next 10 years and this would be accompanied by a debt ceiling increase. New polls show that Americans support a combination of of both spending cuts and tax increases as part of an agreement on the debt ceiling. Also, an increasing amount of Americans say that action is needed on raising the debt ceiling… Still confused about the debt ceiling? Here is the debt ceiling made easy.

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Justin Burkhardt

Pentagon Gives OK On Gay Military Applicants

It’s been a long time coming, sort of.

The Pentagon is finally giving the OK for military recruiters to accept openly gay and lesbian applicants, BUT!

(There’s always a but)

Potential recruits will be informed that the ban on “don’t ask, don’t tell” can be lifted at anytime. Because of that, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group representing men and women who are currently in the military, have been cautioning gays from applying at this time.

There has been a ban on gays serving openly in the military for 17 years, so this comes as a milestone in the progression of equal rights.

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krysten

When Martin Luther King Jr. said he had a Dream, did it exclude Gay People?

With the recent developments within the Gay Rights legislation, repealing the military’s long-time “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and the breaking news scandal of homosexuality involving Bishop Eddie Long, I found one particular reoccurring video clip on CNN very disturbing. The clips depict Bishop Eddie Long’s crusade against homosexuality where he walked hand and hand with Elder Bernice King who is the daughter of famed civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The question that comes to mind is that when Martin Luther King Jr. said he had a dream of people of all color living peacefully and in unity, did that not encompass gay people too?

Having a brother who serves in the United State Army, I personally know of the tolls it takes for a loved one to make the commitment to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, not knowing if they would ever come home alive again. I found it grossly appalling and disgusting that the United State of America would even dare adopt a policy filled with such hatred as one that would discriminate against any man or woman who was brave enough to suit up in our military’s finest uniforms and fight for the protection of our nation because of their sexual orientation.

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Adner Marcelin