Tag Archives: LGBT

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must see Whitehouse vids


President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Spectrum Report Release

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology releases a report on realizing the potential of government-held spectrum to spur economic growth. July 20, 2012.More
In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control issued its first warning about a new disease. We had trouble naming this disease, understanding and caring for the people who were infected, and facing down our own fears. But people would not be silent. Communities mobilized to fight HIV/AIDS. We gained the knowledge to create stronger medications, and found new tools to prevent HIV transmission. Instead of helping people die, we turned to helping people live. Now, together, we are saving lives and scaling up. We can see an AIDS-Free Generation. We can turn the tide on this epidemic.More
The White House honors ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things across the country to ensure safety, dignity, and equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, as demonstrated by their inspiring video entries in the LGBT Pride Month Video Challenge. July 19, 2012.More
The Obama Administration brings together sports league and team leaders, stadium operators and supply chain companies to celebrate success stories in making our sports facilities more energy efficient and raising the profile of the importance of going green. July 19, 2012.More
The Obama Administration brings together sports league and team leaders, stadium operators and supply chain companies to celebrate success stories in making our sports facilities more energy efficient and raising the profile of the importance of going green. July 19, 2012.More
The Obama Administration brings together sports league and team leaders, stadium operators and supply chain companies to celebrate success stories in making our sports facilities more energy efficient and raising the profile of the importance of going green. July 19, 2012.More
Vice President Biden speaks to community leaders representing seniors organizations from across the country. July 16, 2012.More
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End the Boy Scouts of America ban on gays.


                          The Boy Scouts of America shouldn’t allow an anonymous “secret committee” to uphold a ban against openly gay Scouts.                       
      Sign Zach’s Petition

Boy Scouts: Stop the secrecy! Allow your Board to VOTE to end the ban on gay scouts and leaders

Started by: Zach, Iowa City, Iowa

I am a proud Eagle Scout. I’m also the proud son of two lesbian moms. It’s time for those two things to stop being contradictory.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have announced that a “secret committee” has confirmed the Scouts’ long-standing policy barring openly LGBT individuals from involvement in its organization, either as youth participants or adult leaders. This shocking “announcement” comes on the heels of a three-month campaign against that policy by various groups — including Scouts for Equality, of which I am a co-founder — and people like Jennifer Tyrrell, a gay den mother ousted from the Boy Scouts in April.

Secret committees do not speak for three million Scouts.

Last month, I delivered nearly 300,000 petition signatures to the Boy Scouts’ annual convention, and days later, a resolution was introduced that could allow openly gay scouts and leaders for the first time in the history of the BSA. But instead of allowing that resolution to be voted on by the executive board, the BSA instead decided to maintain their anti-gay ban without a vote. Because a secret committee said so.

Above all, what’s most disappointing is the secretive nature surrounding how this “decision” was reached. The very first value of the Scout Law is that a Scout is trustworthy. There is absolutely nothing trustworthy about unelected and unnamed committee members who are unwilling to take responsibility for their actions.

In June, an Associated Press story said that BSA spokesperson Deron Smith indicated that “the process would likely be completed by May 2013” at the next annual BSA convention. But that was before two prominent BSA executive board members — Ernst & Young CEO Jim Turley and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson — announced that they would oppose the ban and work to overturn it.

Something here doesn’t add up.

We need transparency. We need accountability. More than 3 million individuals deserve more than the one-off musings of a subcommittee that has supposedly existed for more than two years but has not published a single report, has published no minutes and has, as far as anyone can tell, no official documentation.

That’s why I’ve started this petition demanding that the Boy Scouts of America allow the resolution to allow openly gay scouts and leaders to come to a vote at the next BSA convention, in May of 2013.

A secret committee should not silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Let the BSA Executive Committee decide–let the resolution come to a vote in May 2013.

 

Click here to sign Zach’s petition, “Boy Scouts: Stop the secrecy! Allow your Board to VOTE to end the ban on gay scouts and leaders”.

You can also check out other popular petitions on Change.org by clicking here.
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Pelosi – House Dems and Congress in the Newsroom JUNE 2012


During LGBT Pride Month, we celebrate how far we’ve come in the fight for civil rights, we pledge to keep working to ensure our nation lives up to the American ideal of equality, our heritage and our hope.

Since the dark days of the Stonewall riots more than four decades ago, millions of Americans have joined the struggle for equal protection under the law; the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; respect and dignity for all Americans.

Despite setbacks and obstacles along the way, we have made progress.

Just in recent years, in Congress we passed a fully-inclusive hate crimes law and made historic investments in HIV/AIDS treatment, research, and prevention. The discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy took its rightful place in the dustbin of history. President Obama made it the policy of his administration to no longer defend the shameful Defense of Marriage Act in court.

And we all witnessed history just last month when the President of the United States spoke out in favor of marriage rights for LGBT couples. We look forward to the day when all American families are treated equally in the eyes of the law.

But more must be done. We must keep up the charge for an end to discrimination in all its forms — in the workplace, in schools, in government, and in our laws. We must protect and preserve the rights of all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation.

This LGBT Pride Month, let’s recommit to building a future of freedom, liberty, and progress for LGBT Americans and all Americans.

Thank you.

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 May 17, 2012 by

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in opposition to House Republican’s obstruction of consideration of the McGovern Amendment in the Defense Authorization bill which simply adopts the withdrawal timeline signed by President Obama and Afghan President Karzai earlier this month.

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May 16, 2012 by

Leader Pelosi on the House floor speaking strongly against H.R. 4970, the House GOP version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization. The GOP bill is a partisan bill that provides far fewer protections for domestic violence victims than the strong, bipartisan Senate-passed bill.

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May 10, 2012 by

Leader Pelosi floor speech against House Republican bill to begin implementing their out-of-touch budget for special interests. This GOP reconciliation bill slashes vital services — and the middle class, seniors, women and children will pay the price.

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Apr 27, 2012 by

Leader Pelosi urging House Republicans to act to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling by ending subsidies to Big Oil rather than furthering their assault on women’s health.

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The anti-gay video that’s going viral … Dan Rafter, Human Rights Campaign


Human Rights Campaign

Have you seen this video yet? Have you shared it?

It’s shocking footage of a North Carolina pastor’s plan “to get rid of all the lesbians and queers” – by putting them all in a concentration camp until they die.

I’m completely serious. Over 30,000 HRC supporters have spoken out against this rank bigotry since we posted about it on Facebook this week. We need to triple that total before we deliver the messages next week – will you help?

WWW.HRC.ORG

Watch this horrifying video, share it with everyone you know, and sign the petition.

Watch the video now.

Here’s what he says:

“Build a great big large fence, a hundred fifty, hundred miles long… put all the lesbians in there… Do the same thing for the queers and the homosexuals and have that fence electrified so they can’t get out…”

“…And you know what, in a few years, they’ll die out… Do you know why? They can’t reproduce.”

Don’t let him get away with these sickening, hateful remarks – speak out and share this with everyone you know.

Please forward this email, share the video on Facebook and Twitter, and help spread the word. We can’t let this kind of thing go unanswered.

Thanks for standing against hate,

Dan Rafter, Online Campaigns Manager
Human Rights Campaign

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Senator Patty Murray & Education – Washington State


Keeping College Affordable

Last week, I joined with students and administrators at South Seattle Community College to host a rally in support of the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012. Unless Congress acts, interest rates for over 100,000 students across Washington state will double on July 1 st , which would add $1,000 to the cost of these loans for millions of Americans and will be one more strain for students and families already fighting to afford college in this tough economy. At the rally, I called on Republicans to end their filibuster of this bill and work with Democrats to keep rates low for millions of students. I will continue to fight to make sure we avoid the automatic increase on July 1 st. We should be working to make it easier for students to afford college, not harder.

Read more

“Senator Murray rallies SSCC students to fight for student loan interest rate protection”
– West Seattle Herald

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Continuing to Push for Stronger Violence Against Women Legislation

Last week, House Republicans released their version of the Violence Against Women Act. The House bill, which passed with only Republican support and with strong bipartisan opposition, not only stripped the Senate version of the bill’s provisions making needed progress for LGBT, immigrant, and tribal victims, but also included dangerous rollbacks of existing protections for immigrant victims.

I believe the House Republican version of VAWA is a giant step backward for victims of domestic violence. This is dangerous and irresponsible and leaves women across the country more vulnerable to domestic abuse. Where a person lives, who they love, or what their citizenship status may be should not determine whether or not their perpetrators are brought to justice. I’m glad that in the Senate we were able to come together around an inclusive, bipartisan bill, and I remain committed to fighting to make sure my colleagues in the House of Representatives will do the same. We’ve made a lot of progress since VAWA was first passed in 1994, and I hope that my Republican colleagues will not insist on putting partisan politics ahead of protecting victims of domestic violence. I will continue to fight in support of the Senate’s bipartisan bill, and to make sure that Republicans do not turn back the clock on the important progress that has been made.

Read more

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Celebrating the Anniversary of Title IX

Megan Rapinoe, midfielder for the Seattle Sounders Women, recalling how Title IX opened the door for her as a young athlete.

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of joining with members of the Seattle Sounders Women and student athletes at Garfield High School in Seattle to mark the upcoming 40 th anniversary of Title IX, historic legislation that fundamentally changed the lives of women and girls across the country by allowing them equal access to athletic opportunities. Members of the Sounders Women talked about the ways this legislation helped open doors for them when they were younger, and I discussed legislation I am currently cosponsoring The High School Sports Information Collection Act in the Senate , that will strengthen the rights provided by Title IX, to ensure that future generations of young women are able to continue expanding opportunities and leveling the playing field.

“Sen. Murray teams up with Sounders Women to discuss Title IX”
– Bothell Reporter

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