Florida Agenda

Click On Image to View Fullscale

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At last week’s conservative Value Voters Summit, there was a table set up by PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays), an organization dedicated to combating prejudice against people who say they’ve stopped being gay.

Mother Jones reported that the group’s literature states that “without PFOX, ex-gays would have no voice in a hostile environment.” Ex-gays have long been part of a campaign of the religious right and conservative gatherings, but the organization has found a sense of purpose following last spring’s criticism over Rep.

Michele Bachmann’s Christian therapy clinic. As The Nation first reported, clinics owned by the Minnesota congresswoman and her husband have practiced so-called reparative therapy, designed to cure patients of their homosexuality.

ATLANTA, GA – In a conference call with supporters of Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition last week, presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said she would reinstate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, agreeing with a caller who said that allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military would “destroy the armed forces.”

Bachmann said that as a follower of Lord Jesus Christ since aged 16, she is also committed to the pro-life cause. Bachmann also spoke of her work opposing same-sex marriage in which an amendment that will appear on the Minnesota Constitution ballot in 2012.

Bachmann also stated that of all the candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination, she has been the most outspoken and steadfast against equality for gays.

A&F Asks “The Situation” to Wear Another Brand

NEW YORK, NY – Us Weekly reported that Abercrombe and Fitch is worried that “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino has been wearing its clothing out and about. So worried, in fact, that they’re willing to pay Sorrentino, 29, and the rest of the “Jersey Shore” cast a “substantial” amount of cash to stop wear A&F clothing in public.

“We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino’s association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image,” the company said in a press release. “We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans,” the statement continued.

“We have therefore offered a substantial payment to Michael ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino and the producers of MTV’s “The Jersey Shore” to have the character wear an alternate brand. We have also extended this offer to other members of the cast, and are urgently waiting a response.”

Transgender Woman Settles DMV Suit

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A transgender woman who went to the Department of Motor Vehicles in San Francisco to record her sex change and then got a letter from a DMV clerk saying homosexual acts were “an abomination that leads to hell,” will receive a $55,000 legal settlement, according to her lawyer. Amber Yust’s settlement includes $40,000 from the state and $15,000 from Thomas Demartini, who was suspended with pay by the DMV shortly after the incident and quit his job in December.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Yust went to the DMV’s Fell Street office in October to record her new name and gender on her driver’s license. She said Demartini expressed no objection while processing her application. But four days later, she said, she got a letter from Demartini that warned her of eternal damnation and referred her to the website of a fundamentalist church, the Most Holy Family Monastery. Yust said she received a DVD from the church the same day, predicting hellfire for anyone “possessed by demons” of homosexuality.

Her lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, accused the DMV of violating her privacy and civil rights by disclosing personalinformation.

Sean Hayes to Return to TV

BURBANK, CA – Sean Hayes, former star of “Will & Grace,” will be working with co-creator Peter Tolan on a series for NBC about two gay men raising a 12-year-old. The show is currently in the development stage.

According to Entertainment Weekly, NBC’s entertainment chief Robert Greenblatt reportedly confirmed the project to reporters at the Television Critics Association Press Tour.

Hayes has stepped behind the cameras recently, producing series like NBC’s upcoming fall show “Grimm” and TV Land’s “Hot in Cleveland”. He also starred opposite Kristin Chenoweth in “Promises, Promises” on Broadway in 2010, and has been cast to play Larry in the upcoming “Three Stooges” movie.

Same-Sex Marriage Initiative Clears First Major Step

PORTLAND, ME – Same-sex marriage advocates in Maine announced that a citizen initiative campaign for a law allowing same-sex couples to marry cleared its first major hurdle with the Secretary of State’s approval of the language of the proposed statute. This allows campaign volunteers and supporters to begin collecting the signatures required to put “An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom” on the November 2012 ballot.

If it qualifies for the 2012 ballot and is approved by voters, “An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom” would permit gay and lesbian couples to obtain licenses to legally marry in Maine. It would not require churches to perform such marriages in violation of their religious teachings.

At Least 100 Gay Priests Targeted by Blackmailers

ISERNIA, ITALY – At least 100 gay priests across Italy were blackmailed by two men who used social networking websites to meet them, according to the Italian weekly, Panorama.

The pair asked the priests for up to 10,000 Euros each to keep quiet about their virtual sex sessions via webcam and, in some cases, actual encounters, Panorama said.

The newspaper said a judicial probe, spearheaded by magistrates in the town of Isernia in Italy’s southern Molise region, led to the arrest of Diego Maria Caoggiano, 35, and Giuseppe Trementino, 30. The men live together in the town of Bagnoli del Trigno, where they have been granted house arrest.

North Carolina to Put Gay Marriage Up for a Vote

RALEIGH, NC – North Carolina’s State House Speaker Thom Tillis (R), is ready to put a gay marriage ban on next year’s ballot. At a town hall meeting in Cornelius, NC, Tillis was asked about a legislative proposal expected to be debated next month during a special session. The proposal would define marriage as a heterosexual union in the state’s constitution.

The legislation was introduced in the Senate in February and in the House in April.

The Senate version also bans other unions in addition to marriage, which could include civil unions and domestic partnerships, but the House version only covers marriage. Gay rights activists worry that the Senate version could outlaw domestic partner benefits currently offered by private sector employers.

Christine O’Donnell Walks Out on TV Interview

NEW YORK, NY – Former U.S. Senate candidate from Delaware Christine O’Donnell walked out on a telephone interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan.

O’Donnell was the Tea Party favorite during the election last November, but her popularity dramatically fell as more became known about the candidate, including her dabbling in witchcraft and her being an outspoken opponent against masturbation. O’Donnell is promoting her new book, Troublemaker.

O’Donnell was willing to discuss much of what she had said during her campaign, but once she was asked about her views on same-sex marriage, O’Donnell yanked out her earpiece and said she had somewhere else to go, repeatedly refusing to answer Morgan’s question.

Log Cabin Republicans to Honor Susan Collins

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Gay GOP group, The Log Cabin Republicans, announced that they will honor LGBT-friendly U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) at their annual dinner in Washington next month.

“Senator Collins is the reason why the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy will be relegated to history,” said the group’s executive director, R. Clarke Cooper, in a written statement. “We have always been proud of her leadership on behalf of gay and lesbian Americans and we are excited for the opportunity to honor her work.”

He went on to say “Senator Collins has further demonstrated her steadfast commitment to fairness through her support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and achieving tax parity for health care. She remains the tip of the spear in the fight for equality.”

Census Data Reflects Greater Acceptance of Florida’s LGBT Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the reported number of same-gender households in Florida has seen a dramatic increase, up 60% over the past ten years. The data also shows that LGBT families live in every county and every city of Florida.

Equality Florida, a statewide LGBT civil rights group, worked with both national and local partners in a first-ever “Our Families Count” campaign to educate Florida’s LGBT community on the importance of being counted in the 2010 Census.

While some portion of the increase can be attributed to Florida’s general population growth, up 17% statewide, the real story behind these numbers is that they reflect a much greater willingness on the part of same-gender couples to be out and open about their families.

Michele Bachmann Comes Up with Gay Marriage Proposal (Sort Of)

COLUMBIA, SC – According to Addicting Info, GOP presidential hopeful, Representative Michele Bachman, has come up with a plan for gay marriage that she could support: gay men should marry women. Bachmann continues her stance that marriage must only be between one man and one woman. She also added, “I do not have anything against homosexuals. Some of my best hairdressers are part of that lifestyle. But that does not mean they should be allowed to marry those of the same gender.”

Recently, Bachmann indicated that she believes that homosexuality is “part of Satan” and that one of her first acts as president is that she would reinstate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

Gay GOP Presidential Candidate Sues Fox News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Presidential candidate Fred Karger has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against Fox News and its owner, Rupert Murdoch.

Fox News, which ran the Ames, Iowa, debate held on August 11, would not allow Karger, who is openly gay, from entering the debate, saying that he hadn’t met the necessary qualifications.

Karger, a Californian, claimed that he met all the qualifications: his campaign was registered with the Federal Elections Commission, he met all the U.S. Constitution requirements and that the most recent polls prior to the debate he garnered at least an average of 1% in the five national polls.

“I am the first openly gay major party candidate to ever run for President of the United States,” Karger wrote in his letter to the FEC. “I have experienced many doors slammed in my face by individuals and outside political organizations during the past eighteen months, but this blatant affront by Fox News executives smacks of discrimination and I hope the Commission will investigate post-haste.”

Tim Hardaway Helps Pro-Gay Candidates

EL PASO, TX – Former Miami Heat player, Tim Hardaway was in El Paso, Texas this week (where he went college) to lend his support to a trio of politicians who are in danger of being recalled due to their stance on supporting gay rights.

In town for a golf outing, Hardaway attended a press conference urging citizens to oppose recall efforts against Mayor John Cook and city Representatives Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega. The three are being recalled by a group of religious conservatives who are angry the three voted to restore health benefits for gay and unmarried partners of city employees, despite a ballot initiative in November that had abolished them.

During a February 14, 2007, interview on a Miami sports radio show, in response to the coming out of former NBA player John Amaechi, Hardaway remarked that he would try to distance himself from a player he knew was homosexual. When asked by the radio show host whether he realized that his remarks were homophobic, Hardaway responded by saying: “Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States. “He also said that if he found out he had one or more gay teammates, he would try to get them fired.

Later in the day, Hardaway apologized for the remarks during a telephone interview with WSVN-7. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said I hate gay people or anything like that.” He further apologized on February 15 in a statement released by his agent. On the same day, the NBA responded to Hardaway’s comments by removing him from its All-Star Weekend activities later that week. Hardaway’s employer, Trinity Sports, owner of the Anderson-based CBA Indiana Alley Cats, dismissed him from his position as Chief Basketball Operations Advisor and they issued a statement distancing itself from Hardaway’s remarks.

In a September, 2007, interview, Hardaway spoke about his February comments, saying he “had no idea how much I hurt people. A lot of people.” He described the controversy as “the biggest bump [in the road] in my life” and added, “I’m going to do whatever I can to correct it. That’s all I can do.”

In an interview on February 11, 2010, on Hardcore Sports Radio on Sirius, Hardaway spoke about his recent work with The Trevor Project and The YES Institute, which he has done to educate himself on gay, lesbian and transgendered issues.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Dr. Marcus Bachmann, husband of U.S. Representative and Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, referred to homosexuals as “barbarians” and that they “needed to be educated.”

According to Think Progress, last summer Dr. Bachmann explained his position on homosexuality while offering theoretical advice to parents concerned that one of their children was gay.

“We have to understand: barbarians need to be educated,” Bachmann said. “They need to be disciplined.

Just because someone feels it or thinks it doesn’t mean that we are supposed to go down that road. That’s what is called the sinful nature. We have a responsibility as parents and as authority figures not to encourage such thoughts and feelings from moving into the action steps…”

SAN FRANCISCO, CA/MINNEAPOLIS, MN – GOP presidential candidates Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann became the second and third Republican hopefuls to be glitter-bombed by a protester at an appearance in San Francisco. Bachmann was glitter-bombed as she was stepping off stage at the RightOnline conference in Minneapolis. Newt Gingrich was the first candidate to be glitter bombed recently.

By  BOB KECSKEMETY

I’m not sure that then-Presidential candidate Senator John McCain knew what he was unleashing on this country when he introduced us to Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his V.P. running mate in 2008. So many of my friends have told me how much they dislike the former governor, but I’m very honest when I tell them how much I love her. Who else, but Sarah Palin could have introduced us to the new fresh faces of GOP women. Here are some of my favorite quotes from my favorite candidates:

Michele Bachmann, Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District: Michele Bachmann has to be one of my favorite people.

Her deep thinking and her love of country moves me every time she speaks because I admire her for not allowing facts to get in her way. My first introduction to Bachmann was when she appeared on the MSNBC program “Hardball” with Chris Matthews: “I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro- America or anti-America?”

“I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out under another — then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. I’m not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it’s an interesting coincidence.” (April 28, 2009, referring to the 1976 Swine Flu outbreak that happened under Republican President Gerald Ford.)

“I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back.” (March 2009, speaking out against Cap and Trade legislation)

“Does that mean that someone’s 13- year-old daughter could walk into a sex clinic, have a pregnancy test done, be taken away to the local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus?” (October 2009, speaking out against a woman’s right to choose)

Sharron Angle, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate from Nevada: Sharron Angle won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator from Nevada after she beat out frontrunner, Sue Lowden whose campaign imploded when Lowden suggested that we pay for our healthcare with chickens. But, as they say, out of the frying pan and into the general election — Angle won.

“… you know if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies and saying my goodness what can we do to turn this country around? I’ll tell you the first thing we need to do is take Harry Reid out.” (January 2010 to talk radio host Lars Larson)

“You can make more money on unemployment than you can going down and getting one of those jobs that is an honest job, but it doesn’t pay as much. And so that’s what’s happened to us is that we have put in so much entitlement into our government that we really have spoiled our citizenry and said you don’t want the jobs that are available.” (July 2010 on unemployment benefits, interview with KRNO)

“… I have been in the situation of counseling young girls, not 13 but 15, who have had very at risk, difficult pregnancies.

And my counsel was to look for some alternatives, which they did and they found that they had made what was really a lemon situation into lemonade.” (July 2010, explaining why she is against abortion even in cases of rape or incest)

Now my personal favorite: “They [Republicans] say, ‘You’re too conservative.’ Was Thomas Jefferson too conservative? I’m tired of some people calling me wacky.” (March 2010)

Christine O’Donnell, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate from Delaware:  Last week, most of us were treated to our first meeting to Christine O’Donnell. O’Donnell’s no stranger to television as she’s been a semi-regular on Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect”. Though she may be relatively new to the national scene, she has a trail of quotes behind her. After all, how many candidates do you know that would go on television to further her campaign against masturbation?

“You know, these are the kind of cheap, underhanded, un-manly tactics that we’ve come to expect from Obama’s favorite Republican, Mike Castle … Mike, this is not a bake-off, get your man-pants on.” (September 2010 on her opponent for the Republican nomination Mike Castle’s allegation that she illegally coordinated campaign activities with the Tea Party Express and denying that she has referred to Castle as a homosexual)

”We took the Bible and prayer out of public schools and now we’re having weekly shootings practically. We had the ‘60s sexual revolution and now people are dying of AIDS.” (1998 appearance on Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect”) “

They follow me home at night. I make sure that I come back to the townhouse and then we have our team come out and check all the bushes and check all the cars to make sure that — they follow me.” (September 2010 in the Weekly Standard claiming that unnamed political opponents are following her)

These just happen to be my favorites. To be fair, many Republican men have made just as outlandish statements — so have Democrats of both genders. Perhaps it’s like Michele Bachmann said in November 2005, “Not all cultures are equal.”