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The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend:
"a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."

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"A nutty lesbian blogger."
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Open thread - Massachusetts

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 12:00:00 PM EDT


[UPDATE (2PM): Equality is preserved! The final vote was 45-151. The amendment is now dead. Freeper wailing is below the fold -- they're blaming Mitt. Reactions: NGLTF, HRC.]

Comment about the Massachusetts ConCon or anything else on your mind. Opponents of marriage equality need at least 50 votes today to put an amendment on the ballot.

As Lurleen noted down the page, the floor debate will be webcast at 1PM.

Liveblogging:
* Bay Windows
* Ryan  @ BlueMassGroup.com (and his pad).
* GLAD
* NGLTF

From one of Ryan's posts:

The threat that justice faces today must be met with a righteous fury; it's time that the people who want to take away the rights of others be gone. We've gone this far, Constitutional Convention - Part 17, no further.

Sadly, we may have a way to go. I'd like to think there are enough decent human beings on Beacon Hill to kill this at present - over 150 of them - but one can never quite tell. The only way legislators will learn better is by hearing from us that enough is enough. They need to know that Massachusetts has woken up to reality: anyone who doesn't support the full equality and civil rights of every citizen in this state has no claim to decency at all. We, as citizens who think equality is something to cherish, must do everything in our power to protect those rights - protect them from the cowards who are too afraid of their own inner demons to allow equality to exist.

...Despite the fact that same-sex marriage doesn't effect heterosexual families, we're here today. Despite the fact that it doesn't effect children (except to enhance the lives of children who are or will be living with same-sex parents), we're here today. Despite the fact that there is no legitimate reason to be against marriage equality at all, we are here today - once again - defending marriage equality for all.

Pam Spaulding :: Open thread - Massachusetts

Actual Freeper Quotes

Mitt's legacy?

The homosexual agenda is incompatible with our democracy, period.

More business as usual at Mass. State House I can't wait to see who flipped and what the payout was.

If Mitt Romney had dedicated himself to his job, this amendment would have been on its way to the ballot. I hope his Presidential race was worth it.

I've heard that before. I certainly can't blame Mitt for the lousy MA courts, but he did not appear to do too much to fight this thing.

And now for the persecution of those who backed the ban.

Doesn't have anything to do with Romney.....it's the lowlifes in the legislature..........

If the voters of Massachusetts are too liberal, lazy or just clueless to keep returning these same bozos to office at every election, they're going to deserve what they get.

I agree, and might add that there is absolutely no reason for me or my family to ever travel to or through Massachusetts. amen.

What a disgrace. I'm so glad I got out of Mass when I did. Theses slimebags make NJ look conservative.

And they're Romney's fault. While Romney spent millions of dollars on Republican campaigns across the country in 2006, he spent not one dime to help Massachusetts Republicans. As a result, there are practically no conservatives in the state leg -- in fact, in 2006 the Rainbow-Green Party fielded more candidates in Massachusetts than the GOP, because Romney made sure that the Mass GOP was bankrupt. If he had done his part, it would have been easy to get 5 more votes to put this thing on the ballot. Instead, Romney dropped the ball.

All that's left is the repercussions, which will be many! Increase of the exodus out of MA. Increase in children being pulled from public schools. Increase in folks allowing their properties to go into foreclosure rather than sell them and help the MA economy. Increases in homes that don't sell. Increase in disgruntled voters. Decrease in tourism. Decrease in spending in MA. Decrease in revenue from conventions (empty convention centers) Decrease in businesses operating or opening in MA. Lose/Lose situation! All the way around. Where socialism/communism reigns, the economy/standard of living decline rapidly.

Doesn't have anything to do with Romney.....it's the lowlifes in the legislature..........

Yes it does. If he had fought it tooth-and-nail, it need never have come to this. Mitt Romney is a phony. He did just enough to make it look like he was against this travesty, but in the end, gosh darn it, he just couldn't win. Right....Flip Romney is no conservative. If you want a repeat of this debacle in Washington, vote for him.

You can't honestly believe these folks are voted into office. There is no state where enough people are irrational enough for that to occur. The seats are bought through corruption, intimidation, voter fraud and again corruption! We have all heard people say their votes do not count so they gave up trying. In MA, there is the very real possibility that that is true.

Oh I know massgop, and that is so sad! I have a brother who works for a huge company who had their convention in Boston, and has said no way ever again.

I agree Andy'smom. This will NOT help him win the Presidency. In fact in may very well hurt him. Not that I see that as a bad thing. 32 posted on 06/14/2007 10:55:20 AM PDT by gidget7 (2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:)

Just wow. The Democrats who claim to want everything decided by the voters and ballot, deny the citizens of Massachusetts a vote on this. How freaking hypocritical - but typical - of the RAT party.

Unfortunately if the federal courts decide to overturn the federal DOMA because of the full faith & credit clause of the U.S. Constitution (very good chance), we will all get what they force on us.

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more info from MA
Latest Massachusetts update from Marty Rouse, HRC National Field Director (via Chris at HRC):
Just got out of a closed-door meeting of 30 or so of the legislative leaders who support marriage equality and are whipping for final vote. Scarfing down sandwiches held together with toothpicks adorned with American flags. The meeting is in the basement of St. Paul?s Episcopal Church across the Boston Commons. The mood is serious as every possible move is being plotted. It is almost reverent as legislators are keenly aware of what is about to happen is less than one hour. The leaders, Senator Stan Rosenberg and House Member Byron Rushing, gave the directions. The vote is expected to happen at 1:00 sharp and to be over quickly, if all goes well. The legislators in the church are silent and seem to struggle to swallow their lunches. They stream out in silence and now head to the Statehouse. One by one, legislators say to me, ?Welcome home.? The crowd outside the Statehouse, now in the thousands, is rather quiet, sensing the seriousness of the moment as the legislators file by them. I am now walking into the Statehouse to, hopefully, see history made in our country.


They might have 57?
According to the Idaho Village Idiot, they have 57 signatories lined up. 

I sure hope not.  I'd like to see this attempt go down in flames without the Governor of Mass having to step up and shut it down.


Let's hope they avoid Constitutional Convention
not only for our sakes, but for the chaos that could ensue - EVERYTHING is up for discussion at a CC. Every single law on the books, every single provision of the current constitution.

this IS a constitutional convention
but the only thing affecting lgbt people directly will be the anti-marriage amendment.  don't worry - we have waaaya to many supporters of equality in the MA legislature for anything new to be dropped on us during the concon.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
this IS a constitutional convention
but the only thing affecting lgbt people directly will be the anti-marriage amendment.  don't worry - we have waaaya to many supporters of equality in the MA legislature for anything new to be dropped on us during the concon.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
voting immediately
they went to an immediate vote.  senate rollcall results:
34 NO
5 YES
now they are in a 4-min House voting period.  stay tuned, this will be over in about 3 minutes!

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


That brought a tear to my eye
And just made my day.

Same here,
 

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

[ Parent ]
I can hear the whining
I can hear the whining from Camenker and crew already. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of the MassResistance and VoteonMarriage headquarters.

Here ya' go. Just be sure they don't have a flyswatter!
It's a link to LaBarbera's group, with other links to MassResistance, et. al.

http://americansfort...

The hyperbole is really quite exquisite.


[ Parent ]
I can't wait for Camenkar
He's promising all of the nitty gritty details soon...
http://www.massresis...

I turn to him pretty frequently for detailed election information, updates on what is going on in the legislature, tips on which towns and businesses are the most gay friendly, etc.

It reminds me of an old joke:

An elderly Jewish man is sitting on a bench reading an anti-semitic rag. A younger man walks up and sits down next to him, then notices the paper. After several perplexed glances he finally turns to him in frustration. "Why do you read that filth?" he asks. "It makes me feel better", the old man replies. The young man bursts out, "Feel better? Why does it make you feel better?" The old man gestures at the headlines, "The Jews control the government, the Jews control the banks, the Jews control the media..."

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?


[ Parent ]
Cute joke but...
...from what I have read, Camenker is a Jew, and orthodox Jews in Jeruselem are going to riot if a gay pride parade occurs there.  Jews aren't necessarily open to equal rights for gay people.  Most--at least in the US--are, but many aren't.

[ Parent ]
I know that he is Jewish
and that being Jewish doesn't make you an automatic supporter of gay marriage (although congregations in the US have been much more supporting than their Christian counterparts) 

It was just a very rough analogy. Sometimes I like to read homophobic blogs because all of the research into gay influence that they do and all of the wailing and moaning about the successes of the gay agenda cheer me up. In MA especially there is a lot of good news that doesn't get reported, and its not like his rantings are a real threat anyway. Camenkar probably has more gay readers than straight ones.

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?


[ Parent ]
The number of gay readers is...
...irrelevant.  The number of contributors, and their identities is.

Camenker is likely making money off his jihad.  Who is contributing to him?


[ Parent ]
I guess
They may as well throw their money in the toilet though. MassResistanceWatch calculated that he was pulling in money in the low six figures at his peak and has now dwindled to 20,000 or so annually. Since he has a staff of two, including himself, it basically just goes in his pocket. Nice work if you can get it, eh?

I'm not too worried about his influence. This is the guy who hates Mitt Romney for being too liberal almost as much as he hates gay people. He opposes any constitutional ammendment because his "purist" strategy is to simply declare the Goodridge decision illegal and pretend it doesn't exist. He can keep fighting to get the justices impeached by the legislature until the day he dies for all I care. He ends up helping us by fueling conservative infighting.

I would rather let this be the face of homophobia in Massachusetts than a lot of smug coded talk about "traditional marriage" and being a "good Catholic" and "hating the sin, not the sinner".

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?


[ Parent ]
I wish all legislation was that fast
And I'm soooo happy right now.  The rights of some of Massachusetts's citizens are retained.

Now if only they'd get better "not doing anything" music.

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." -- Thomas Jefferson


not so fast!
this was the 17th session dedicated to stripping gays of civil marriage.  it's been going on for years.  but this should be decisive.  the dark side can't re-initiate another amendment on the same subject for 3 years.  and this was was defeated with 151 v 45.  they needed 50 to win, the didn't get that.  we needed 151 to block, we got that!  marriage is here to stay in MA!  Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
Hurrah!
From the Boston Globe: 151-45 against:
http://www.boston.co...

Yeah!!!
There is nothing quite so sweet as a slam dunk win.  Congratulations to Lurleen and all who made it happen!

MA vote
This is wonderful news!  I really held my breath on that one.  Just maybe legislators aren't all so blind after all. 

The fundy-bigots will be coming out from under their rocks now! 


Great
Suddenly it seems like it was a good idea to actually vote on this rather than kill it procedurally in January. Great work was done in Massachusetts... we need to replicate in state by state.

There's No Joy in Mudville
http://www.freerepub...

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." -- Thomas Jefferson

Freeper Insanity
My fave:

GQuagmire
All that?s left is the repercussions, which will be many!
Increase of the exodus out of MA. Increase in children being pulled from public schools. Increase in folks allowing their properties to go into foreclosure rather than sell them and help the MA economy. Increases in homes that don?t sell. Increase in disgruntled voters.

Decrease in tourism. Decrease in spending in MA. Decrease in revenue from conventions (empty convention centers) Decrease in businesses operating or opening in MA.

Lose/Lose situation! All the way around. Where socialism/communism reigns, the economy/standard of living decline rapidly

Do they really think that MA is going to lose tourism dollars because of this?  If anything, tourism is going to increase because lots of glbt couples with potential higher expendible income will come to a tolerant MA to spend money.  If a few regressives become too creeped out by the queers, let 'em leave.

Who is able to let a house go into foreclosure rather than sell it?  The only people who could afford to do that is the top 1%, and most of them are more interested in the bottom line rather than some regressive notion of morality.

Freedom has reigned in Mass.  At last I have some hope for this country.


[ Parent ]
Sounds like Michigan
Our economy is tanking with antigay constitutional marriage amendment in place.

How do people link increased equality with bad economic outcomes?  I just don't get it.  In Michigan we have the worst economy in the country, at present, *and* have moved farther from equality.

Three cheers for Massachusetts, my other home.



[ Parent ]
That's just it
The places with the worst records of equality have less than desirable economies.  In fact, you think they would have better things to do in the state houses than playing "smear the queer," but I guess exploiting fears pays untold dividends.

[ Parent ]
Not surprising...
...do a google search using keywords "Richard Florida creative class gay"  You might be surprised at what you find.

Several years ago, economist Richard Florida (yes, that's his name) did a study that found a correlation among states' and localities' gay-friendliness, the size of the "creative class" and the economic vibrancy of those states and localities.


[ Parent ]
Let 'em move to SC!
That's where the rest of their freeper, nutcase friends are going.

[ Parent ]
Heh
I think some of our friends in South Carolina would have words about that.  "Don't throw your trash in my backyard, my backyard is full!" as the old song goes.  :)

[ Parent ]
Yeah
Josh, I was struck by the freepers beliefs that MA is now going to face economic repercussions and that this victory was won by "buying" legislators (either their votes on this, or their elections in general).  The freepy really think we are out there stuffing money in the pockets of state legislators and lobbyists.

I like that marriage equality somehow equals communism too. 

If MA experiences the rapture over this, that's where I'm going!

Electricity's for light bulbs!


[ Parent ]
screen shots
for what it's worth, you can look at computer screen shots i took of the webcast here.  it's snapfish, so you'll have to register, but it's free.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


Wow congrats MA equality
From 57 down to 45!!!!!  The suspense was killing me I couldn't even commet before.  Everyone should be so pround...thanks Lurleen for the updates and especially thanks to those 151 legislators who knew the right thing to do.

My fav comment from the Freepers:
"increase in folks allowing their properties to go into foreclosure"

lol, now inflation and housing slowdowns (read people overextending themselves) is to blame equality.


Wow congrats MA equality
From 57 down to 45!!!!!  The suspense was killing me I couldn't even commet before.  Everyone should be so pround...thanks Lurleen for the updates and especially thanks to those 151 legislators who knew the right thing to do.

My fav comment from the Freepers:
"increase in folks allowing their properties to go into foreclosure"

lol, now inflation and housing slowdowns (read people overextending themselves) is to blame equality.


"Foreclosures"
Great, not only is MA leading the charge in equality, it will have plenty of homes available.  It is, indeed, the promised land!

[ Parent ]
Oh goody!
Now I may be able to actually live in MA instead of just dreaming about it!!! :)

[ Parent ]
HA!
Even the Freepi know that DOMA is unconstitutional.

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." -- Thomas Jefferson

Love this!!
The Freepi agenda:

"Unfortunately if the federal courts decide to overturn the federal DOMA because of the full faith & credit clause of the U.S. Constitution (very good chance), we will all get what they force on us."

They are anti-constitution.  They need to be stopped.  I'd love to force the constitution on them...on them...up them...etc...

YAY FOR US!!!!

If only MA could end winter, then Id move there...for now, I'll take California...but only for now.

p


GOOD NEWS FROM MICHIGAN, TOO!
An appeals court today upheld the ruling of a lower court that the fascist, homophobic, Michigan Family Council has no standing to sue Michigan State University over its domestic partner benefits.

See:

http://courtofappeal...

Let freedom ring!

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report


yaaay!
will the appeal to the supremes?  in any case, this will buy time for people needing those bennies.

Lev, and sense of buyers remorse in MI over the constitutional amendment?  Or have the heteros forgotten all about the queers they kicked in the face?

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
Well....
...sadly, Lurleen, I think it's the latter.

But the commitment at Michigan universities to not abandon their commitment to gay faculty and staff has not been crushed and they will work something out.

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report


[ Parent ]
Today is a good day
Thanks for the news.

[ Parent ]
JOY, RAPTURE! (Not the fundie kind)
Hooray for democracy in action. These wing-nuts cynically regard due process of law a a tool to wield against the principles of democracy.

Then they whine and kick their feet when the law protects itself from their assaults.


Right
And they call Scooter Libby's crime either minor or trivial or nonexistent even and decry a miscarriage of justice and moan about how loving a father he is, how he worked so hard, was so smart, and worried about our safety.

The legal system is only good and valuable when it does what they want.

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report


[ Parent ]
Exactly
I know there is debate whether we should even vote on issues like this, but IMHO it's great to win playing by the rules.

This way, they are less able to complain that "anti-democratic " forces stopped them from winning.  We voted, we won.  Awesome!


[ Parent ]
The fundies don't know whether to cry or celebrate.
Don't be fooled, this is not a total loss to the religious right.  MANY of them were hoping for this result.  You see, if they win all of these ?battles? they have a harder time scaring their sheep with the ?advancing radical Homa-sek-shul agenda? meme and then fleecing them of their hard earned cash.

I guarantee you that they are ramping up their phone banks and email alerts, even as we speak, railing about Christians, Families, America and the CHULDRUN are under attack and losing battles in THEIR "culture war". 

URGENT!  SEND CASH NOW TO SAVE YOUR CHILDREN FROM THE HOMA-SEK-SHUL MENACE!

They are crying in public but laughing hysterically and wringing their greedy little hands behind closed doors.

Bet on it!


i'd bet that
the true fundies really are weeping, but the pseudofundie cash cow milkers are rubbing palms together.  i'm counting the seconds until Americans for Truth Against Ho-Mo-Sexshuls sends out the funding plea that you describe.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
This only protects the status quo
Not that I'm not thrilled. I'm ecstatic! I literally cried when I saw that we won.

But really, its not the most potent fundraising material. "Massachusetts still marrying gay couples" Not so urgent.

Now, when the 1913 law gets overturned, as it might this year, and out-of-state couples can marry here you will see them weeping tears of masochistic (or is that sadistic?) joy.

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?


[ Parent ]
The Pelosi Factor
It was widely reported in MA that Speaker Pelosi and Sen Kennedy (and probably others) made some calls to state legislators.  Our Number One is now on record in support of marriage equality.  How can we use this to encourage national candidates to take a firm and principled stand for civil rights?  Speaker Pelosi has set a standard whcih I believe they should all meet.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


Speaker Pelosi
Should have been on the AfterEllen Top 100 list. What a great woman.

[ Parent ]
What I'd Love
I would love to see a candidate say, "You know what?  Even if you believe that marriage is only about having children, and not historically a property arrangement, let me say this very clearly: Our world is overpopulated.  So why should it matter if gays and lesbians want to get married?"

I'd like to see candidates talk about this issue without prevaricating or hemming and hawing, with the kind of clarity in which Howard Dean addressed the war in Iraq, and got destroyed for, or the clarity with which Gore discusses global warming.

Listening to Edwards, for instance, go on and on about his background and faith is depressing.  I want to shake him (and them all) and say, "Spit it out!"

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report


Fan-flippin-tastic!!!
And if M.R. gets "blamed" for this by conservatives, I'd say we have an awfully nice two-fer.

Thanks to Lev for bringing up overpopulation.  That may be the world's/the future's true #1 problem.


Time to pull out the happy dance graphic?
:)

Yes, yes to the happy dance graphic!!!
Yippee!!!!!

[ Parent ]
I've been needing a happy dance lately!
Thanks for bringing it out on such a momentous occasion!

[ Parent ]
Kerry
Do get me wrong, I am happy to have people joining our side... but when did John Kerry grow a spine on this issue?

"This is an important victory and a clear statement that the old politics of division, distraction, discrimination and wedge issues will not find a home in Massachusetts. Brave legislators recognized that this amendment was wrong. They voted down a kind of politics that was nothing but punitive. They stood against an effort that didn't even purport to provide for equal rights. A lot of hard work went into this victory and I applaud Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray, Speaker DiMasi and all who were involved in ensuring that a discriminatory and misleading ballot initiative was kept off the ballot in Massachusetts.?


Next time, Kerry,
stand up for principles when it's less politically safe to do so.  Be a true leader.  Be closer to Deval Patrick.

[ Parent ]
Whaaa?
Didn't Kerry support the STATE amendment a couple of years ago?

[ Parent ]
Yay for my former state!
And if this gets used against Mitt, well, that's just icing on a tasty, tasty cake!

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