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."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
State Rep. Norm Johnson (R-14th) was one of the 93 (of 147) Washington state legislators who voted last Spring for the 2009 domestic partnership expansion law (SB 5688). SB 5688 made Washington state registered domestic partnerships parallel with civil marriage, and was ratified by over 53% of voters on November 3rd via Referendum 71.
Johnson's vote was a most basic expression of family values; he has two gay sons and has personal relationships with gay people in his district. "I feel I voted the right way, because to me it was pure and simple a vote of equality." Similarly, Senator Curtis King (R-14th) stated that his support for full domestic partnerships stems from his appreciation of gay couples in his district.
Johnson's vote for SB 5688 has drawn the ire of local business owner Michele Strobel. Addressing the crowd at the One Nation Under God Tea Party* in Yakima last month, Strobel said "I really believe that I am called. And I am seriously considering running for office...This isn't the country I knew when I was young. This isn't the country my grandparents fought for." Johnson is up for re-election in November, 2010.
Strobel's company website quotes her as saying, "Being the person, who likes to give and do things I thought, you know what? I have a huge opportunity to use the talents and gifts I have to help others."
Although over 53% of voters statewide approved R-71, Yakima County voted to reject it 65% to 35%. The vote result for Johnson's district has yet to be released, but it seems likely that Strobel is largely in sync with the district's majority on this issue. The question is, would voters support her candidacy based on her opinion on that issue alone? According to the actions of the state Republican party and the statements of local Republican office holders themselves, the answer is "unlikely".
Washington voters have accomplished a national first by ratifying a new law that makes state registered domestic partnerships fully parallel to civil marriage. The provisional election result for Referendum 71 is currently 52.6% to 47.4%. This story is huge and is already getting some well-deserved attention. And remember, we won by a comfortable margin in an off-year election when the likely voter pool is dominated by older, more conservative voters. We know support for domestic partnerships is much higher in the general electorate.
Much is being made of the geographic clustering of counties where the majority of voters have approved R-71 (right, in green). Vote results are dismissed by some folk with a "well of course Puget Sound counties...". It is true that election results do rather neatly support the stereotype of Washington's east-west divide. But putting the R-71 results in historical context reveals a deeper story: almost every Washington county shows an increase in pro-equality voting.
The last time Washington voters had the opportunity to ratify a pro-equality law at the polls was in 1997. Initiative to the People 677 proposed an employment non-discrimination law. The ballot title read Shall discrimination based on sexual orientation be prohibited in employment, employment agency, and union membership practices, without requiring employee partner benefits or preferential treatment?.
The measure was rejected 59.7% to 40.3%. Contrary to the current image of the Puget Sound area of Washington as progressive, not one single county - not even Seattle's home of King County - voted to approve I-677. Contrast that with the current election where the electorate as a whole approved R-71 and majorities in 10 of Washington's 39 counties have approved R-71. But the truly stunning statistic is that the rate of ballot measure approval increased between 1997 and 2009 in all but one county.
Another mark of progress is the fact that voters in 21 counties approved R-71 by over 40%. Forty percent was the average statewide approval rate for I-677 in 1997. Those 21 counties are: Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Whitman.
As you consider the graph, realize that in contrast to R-71, I-677 was rather narrow in scope. It dealt only with the employment discrimination of individuals. Voting yes on I-677 didn't ask voters to contemplate the meaning of family; didn't ask voters to recognize the existence of gay and lesbian parents; didn't ask voters to find the fiction in school-focused scare tactics. In other words, not only have Washington voters moved towards equality in virtually every county, they've shown by their R-71 vote that they're open to supporting equality much more comprehensively in the law. This is big.
In response to an inquiry from The Advocate, the White House issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's position on same-sex relationship recognition voter referenda in Maine and Washington.
"The President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples, and as he said at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, he believes 'strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away.' Also at the dinner, he said he supports, 'ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.'"
This just in from Equality California. EQCA, I could kiss ya! But you all already know the special place I hold in my heart for intrepid phone bankers.
Dear Lurleen,
Your help is urgently needed.
Current polls show that we are two points behind in Maine and have only 51% support in Washington.
If you can't make it to one of our phone banks, sign up to make calls from home for Maine or for Washington.
Victories in these two states are crucial for victory in California, and we have an opportunity and responsibility to support these critical fights.
So far, our movement has lost in every state where we've face a referendum on marriage. That's why we need to stop this here and now. Join us to call voters.
In solidarity,
Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California
Update:Blend reader David kindly reminded me that there was one more, very important item in that email!
National Day of Action for Maine
Keep Marriage Equality in Maine!
This Sunday, join a virtual phone bank to help the Maine NO on 1 campaign. All you need is a computer and a phone.
Domestic partnerships in Washington are about protecting families. All families. Grandma & Grandpa's included. Seattle Times staff writer Lornet Turnbull describes how anti-LGBT activists have framed the domestic partnerships debate around gays, sidestepping for them what must be an inconvenient truth: rejecting the domestic partnership bill would hurt heterosexual seniors.
John Boehrer and Lynn Elmore registered as domestic partners shortly after state law first allowed it two years ago because they wanted to be able to make critical decisions about one another's care, if it ever comes to that.
Together eight years and both in their 60s, they've chosen not to marry in part because Elmore, who is divorced, would lose certain benefits.
In Washington state, heterosexual couples can get a domestic partnership if at least one partner is 62 years old or older.
"I think people may not be very well-educated about the full scope of the law, that it affects more than just same-sex couples," Elmore said. "They may not consider what it means to people like us."
I've opined many a time that the religious allies of the transgender, bisexual, lesbian and gay community are too silent, too reticent. Well, our faith community allies in Washington state are making me eat my words, and I can tell you that the taste is so very sweet.
The undersigned religious leaders, from across Washington State, have come together to speak with one voice for all Washington families.
Religious leaders before us have spoken to end slavery, and to ensure equal rights to all persons regardless of gender, nationality, religion, and race. Today, we feel compelled to speak out in support of Washington's domestic partnership law which provides essential protections to families throughout the state.
As people of faith, we oppose any effort to take away the rights and protections provided to families through our state's domestic partnership law.
As providers of pastoral care to families, we know that gay and lesbian couples form loving, lasting, committed relationships, raise children and grow old together. These couples and their children have the same needs and deserve the same rights as their heterosexual peers. We also know that the domestic partnership law provides important protections to non-gay couples where one partner is at least 62 years of age.
As faith leaders, we care about all Washington families. We have seen first-hand the burdens on a family facing death or illness without important legal and financial protections, from access to healthcare, to the right to visit a partner in the hospital, to the right to make medical decisions for one's own children. We have felt the worry that exists when a parent who is a firefighter or police officer goes off to work each morning knowing that if something happens to her, there won't be support for her family.
The domestic partnership law is about the relationship between the State and families. Clergy and faith communities will remain free, just as they always have been, and always will be, to determine for themselves their own religious matters.
We join as the signers of this statement, as a principled expression of our deeply held religious convictions. We stand in support of all of Washington's families.
(A partial list of religious leaders and congregations signing on the Washington Families Standing Together campaign to preserve Washington state's domestic partnership law - as of 7-24-09)
RELIGIOUS LEADERS
* Organization listed for identification purposes only.
Reverend Melissa Anthony
Pastor Maynard Atik
Reverend Paul Benz
Rabbi Will Berkovitz
Reverend George Anne Boyle
Reverend Sandy Brown
Reverend John Cahall
Pastor Jocelyn K Carson
Pastor James Carter
Reverend Debra Conklin
Reverend Monica Corsaro
Pastor Craig Darling
Reverend Michael Denton
Reverend Lisa Domke
Rabbi Allison Flash
Reverend Catherine Foote
Reverend John Garlington
Executive Director Jessica Gavre - United Methodist Church*
Reverend Debbie George
Reverend Terry B. Hall
Reverend Bruce Harrington
Reverend Vicent Hart
Reverend Robert Henre
Reverend Gordon Hutchins
Reverend Dr. Beryl Ingram
Reverend Carol Jensen
Rabbi Bruce Kadden
Reverend Marilyn Kallshian
Reverend Elizabeth "Kit" Ketcham
Reverend Tamalyn Kralman
Reverend Vincent Lachina
Reverend Rich Lang
Rabbi Anson Laytner
Reverend Robert J. Lewis
Reverend John-Otto Liljenstolpe
Reverend John Lindsay
Reverend Silversity Madrazo
Rabbi Jessica Marshall
Pastor Joseph Miller
Rabbi Jim Mirel
Reverend Sharon Moe
Reverend Tad Monroe
Minister Peg Morgan
Reverend Weldon Nisly
Pastor Christopher A. Nolte
Program Coordinator Timothy O'Brien - Northwest Dharma Association*
Reverend Scott Opsahl
Reverend Tim Phillips
Pastor Darrell Reeck
Reverend John Reitan
Reverend Cheryl Rohret Unity
Reverend Laurie Rudel
Reverend Dr. Lon Rycraft
Rabbi Daniel Septimus
Cantor David Serkin-Poole
Reverend Gary Shoemaker
Reverend David Shull
Pastor James Simpson
Rabbi Beth Singer
Rabbi Jonathan Singer
Reverend Monty Smith
Reverend David Strong
Pastor Sharon Swanson
Reverend Arthur Vaeni
Reverend Douglas Wadkins
Father James Walley
Reverend James Watson
Reverend Steve Willis
Pastor Alice Woldt
Reverend Melvin Woodworth
ORGANIZATIONS Bethany United Church of Christ
Hillel University Washington/J-Connect Seattle
Micah Project of First United Methodist Church of Tacoma
Northwest Dharma Association
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Ravenna United Methodist Church
Saint Benedict Episcopal Church
Seattle First Baptist Church
Temple Beth Am
Temple B'nai Torah
Trinity United Methodist
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island
Wallingford United Methodist Church
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Powerful. These people and communities of faith are joining the more than 40,000 individuals and over 120 organizations of all types who have joined Washington Families Standing Together (WAFST) to oppose any attempt to repeal Washington state's Domestic Partnership law.
Of course we won't know until 2 PM tomorrow (Saturday) at the earliest whether Referendum 71 backers have gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Right now it doesn't look likely. But come what may one thing is for sure: Gary Randall and Larry Stickney have helped galvanize a solid, unified coalition for civil equality in Washington state. And we seem to just keep getting stronger and stronger.
If it didn't involve our basic civil rights, I'd be greatly enjoying the unfolding drama in D.C. Not the drama of the DNC fundraiser, but the Marriage Recognition Passion Play, starring Bigot Bishop Harry Jackson and Betrayer (former) Mayor Marion Barry. It is quite an extraordinary performance. A program synopsis is after the fold. To entice you there, here's a bit of dialogue from the last act before intermission:
Referendum backers seek more time to collect signatures.
Is Larry Stickney mismanaging the haters' campaign in D.C. too?
On May 8th, Washington students participated in the YMCA Youth and Government program in Olympia. This is a group that stages an educational mock legislative session with youth in all the roles of senator, representative etc. One senator, Ben Crowther, introduced SB 8, a Gay Marriage bill. It passed, and Ben was awarded the Outstanding Senator Award.
To view Sen. Crowther's opening statement and the ensuing debate, click here for the video and scroll ahead to the 26 minute mark.
A sign of good things to come. I am so proud of our Washington youth.
UPDATE: Look who else Larry can pad his list with: three wives!Gary Randall & Larry Stickney's organization to push Washington Referendum 71 is called Protect Marriage Washington. They haven't publicly announced the new org's website yet, probably because they're embarrassed that their online donation page still isn't working. Funny then that they're posting their threadbare list of endorsements in every email. Why funny? Because the list is padded with more fluff than Flat Aunt Freda's bra. Is it possible for the Crumbling Coalition of Fanatical Fringe not to embarrass themselves?
On that list is one Stephen Pidgeon, Esq. I guess if they're not embarrassed to glom onto the wingnutty Constitution Party, they'll accept about anyone. Stephen Pidgeon is one, um, interesting individual. If you:
enjoy paranoid tales of black vehicles stalking drama queen attorneys...
want to sample the latest in over-the-top evils LGBT people are being compared to...
delight at the thought of hearing how Mr. Pidgeon bilked disgruntled donors of $30,000 on a ridiculous "Obama ain't Amurikun" lawsuit...
Forty-two percent of Americans now say same sex couples should be allowed to legally marry, a new CBS News/New York Times poll finds. That's up nine points from last month, when 33 percent supported legalizing same sex marriage.
Support for same sex marriage is now at its highest point since CBS News starting asking about it in 2004.
This means that 67% of American voters think we should have civil unions or better. And the or better crowd is fast outstripping the civil unions crowd. (paying attention, Mr. President?).
The poll results Gary Randall released yesterday for Washington state, with 43% of Washington voters saying YES to marriage equality, seem to be right in line with national trends.
Washington's hate-crime law makes it a felony to threaten, damage the property of, or physically injure someone because of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. The law Gov. Gregoire just signed will expand the definition of sexual orientation to include "gender expression or identity" so that our hate crimes statutes protect transgender people too.
Washington is arguably one of the best states in the country for transgender people to live. Just look at this phenomenal track record.
In 2006 the legislature passed the inclusive non-discrimination bill that protects LGBT people from discrimination in the workplace, housing and public accommodation. Gov. Gregoire signed that bill into law.
In 2008, King County voters overwhelmingly (71%) approved amending the county charter to add disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression to the prohibited grounds for discrimination in county employment and county contracting.
In 2007, 2008 & 2009 the legislature created and then fully expanded domestic partnerships. The governor will sign the ultimate bill this week.
Kudos to Equal Rights Washington** for making this bill a top priority during the Equality Day of lobbying, and for helping identify the best people to testify at legislative hearings. ERW is fully committed to transgender equality, as is apparent by the list of successes above.
But SUPER KUDOS go the Washington Student Lobby, and David Iseminger in particular, who made passage of this bill a priority.
Hate crimes make campus feel less safe for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, [David] Iseminger said. Iseminger represents the WSL and graduate students at UW.
"Safety isn't a privilege; it is a right," said Iseminger. "You can't excel in an academic environment if you're worried about your own safety."...
"After hearing firsthand the stories of the attacks at Washington State University, I knew I had to do everything I could to pass this bill" said Iseminger.
If you ask me, the future of LGBT civil rights looks better than ever because David's generation is entering the fray.
The Washington state House has joined the Senate in passing the transgender hate crimes bill, SB 5952. Governor Gregoire supports the bill and is expected to sign it.
The state's hate-crime law says it's a felony to threaten, damage the property of, or physically injure someone because of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
At present, the hate-crime definition of sexual orientation covers gay, straight or bisexual people. The bill approved Wednesday adds "gender expression or identity" to that definition, making the law apply to attacks on transgender people.
Lawmakers who supported the change said broadening hate-crime protections was a matter of fairness and justice. Rep. Chris Hurst, D-Enumclaw, said the state has a duty to defend people who are targeted solely because of who they are.
"If we do not defend the rights of those individuals, we defend the rights of no one," said Hurst, a former police officer.
Note that this bill was passed the same year the major DP bill is being considered. This goes to show that the supposed trans rights v. marriage equality dichotomy isn't necessarily real.
p.s. Sorry it took me so long to get to this - been out of town until yesterday. Was sooo happy to return to this great news!
If you live in Washington, please take a moment and sign Equal Rights Washington's Marriage Equality Petition. Ask your friends and family in Washington to do the same. If you like to text 'n tweet, here's a tinyURL (http://tiny.cc/6jnGr) to make it easier to pass the link along.
Washington State's House Ways & Means committee met on April 4, 2009 to review the fiscal impact of ESSB 5688, the Domestic Partnership Expansion Bill of 2009. By now, everyone knows that the bill will become law, so the hearing was short and sweetly sedate. The only witness to testify in opposition, a representative of the Catholic Conference, couldn't even muster a topical criticism relating to the purvue of the committee, but simply repeated the same tired non sequitur: egg + sperm = zygote-American.
The committee debate during the executive session was equally brief, but the one objection raised by Rep. Alexander is worthy of examination as an object lesson in the complete lack of objectivity exhibited by The Washington Hate Coalition. Join me after the flip for a brief transcript and analysis.
Gary's had me giggling since The Washington Hate Coalition's anti-equality rally earlier this month. Surf over to the Temple of Gary to see the video Gary posted of himself single-handedly defending marriage from the homohordes. Oops! No, not that temple, his OTHER temple. Sure, Gary was there in Olympia for the rally. And sure, he gave a too-cute little speech. But the crowd wanted blood, not cute, and Gary was only 1 of about 20 speakers that afternoon. You sure wouldn't know it by watching that video.
Not that I'm much of a Larry Stickney fan, but I almost feel for the guy. He was the one mc-ing the rally and sending out organizing emails. And now that I think about it, it's Larry that's been doing the heavy lifting of threatening end times in legislative hearings and writing error-ridden homophobic rant lobbying letters for his followers to sign. But Gary takes all the credit.
I used to think Ken Hutcherson had the biggest ego in Cascadia. Must reassess.
Who knew that the executive session of a House committee could be so riveting? I only tuned in for the satisfaction of hearing SB 5688, the Domestic Partnership Expansion Bill of 2009, get the stamp of approval from the House Judiciary Committee. That happened, but not before the committee debated and voted on fourteen (14!) amendments** to the bill.
Reading the summaries of these amendments, I had to ask why in the world would their authors embarrass themselves by wasting valuable committee time debating what were redundant, out of scope, mean spirited and sometimes unconstitutional amendments? Well, the answer came, at least in part, in some emails today (see below flip).
**The amendments, WHICH ALL FAILED, did things like restate the state's DOMA law; make legal loopholes for religious people who discriminate; establish a 1 year residency req't for marrying or DPing here; establish a 1913 law; parental consent on any curriculum particle any parent may disapprove of; place a referendum clause in the bill.
On March 25th the House Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Cmte. reported SB 5952 out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation. The vote was 6 YES and 2 NO. Next stop, the House floor. SB 5952 has already passed in the Senate.
The committee session was brief (listen here), but rewarding and telling. Committee Chair Hurst, a veteran of law enforcement, gave a cogent explanation from that viewpoint as to why the bill is needed. Rep Appleton stated the too-true-to-be-obvious: that transpeople are just people. Rep Pearson apparently just doesn't understand or believe that identity-based assault is a form of domestic terrorism. And finally, Rep. Klippert, member of The Washington Hate Coalition, proved that he doesn't even understand how the underlying law works - that the crime is in the words and deeds of the assailant and has nothing to do with how the victim is dressed.
I finally got a chance to watch the Washington Senate's March 10th debate on SB 5688, the Domestic Partnership Expansion Bill. My transcript is below the fold. Some interesting words spoken on all sides of the debate. I especially liked what Senator Franklin and Senator Brandland had to say. Sometimes support comes from unexpected places.
Click here to see the video. (anyone know how to embed this sort of media??) Fast forward to time stamp 2 hours, 5 minutes and 50 seconds into the video to find the debate on SSB 5688.
State Rep. 
Johnson's vote for SB 5688 has 
Much is being made of the geographic clustering of counties where the majority of voters have approved R-71 (right, in green). Vote results are dismissed by some folk with a "well of course Puget Sound counties...". It is true that election results do rather neatly support the stereotype of Washington's east-west divide. But putting the R-71 results in historical context reveals a deeper story: almost every Washington county shows an increase in pro-equality voting.
Dear Lurleen,
Domestic partnerships in Washington are about protecting families. 
UPDATE: Look who else Larry can pad his list with: 
The Randall-Stickneys have announced the membership of their 
A new 
Washington's 
Kudos to 
