Minnesota Governor Issues Anti-Bullying Executive Order |
Today Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (DFL) issued an executive order creating a task force to address bullying in the state’s schools, calling on lawmakers to abandon party lines and imploring Minnesotans to “treat each other with dignity and respect.” Minnesota’s largest school district, Anoka-Hennepin, has had a particularly disturbing spate of suicides and earned much criticism for its faulty “neutrality” policy, which prevents teachers from talking about LGBT issues, even as students are being bullied for being gay. Tammy Aaberg, whose son Justin committed suicide last year after being taunted for being gay, has called for a new law enumerating protections for LGBT students as several other states have done. State Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL) showed his support for such a bill, but said he is “dubious about the opportunity for passage of a bill that’s meaningful in this coming legislative session.”
You’ve got to feel a little bad for onetime GOP front runner Gov. Rick Perry — his frequent gaffes and embarrassing ignorance of basic facts have driven him to the bottom of primary polls. Perry has consistently demonstrated his complete lack of understanding of a document he claims to revere, the Constitution, with bogus claims that programs like Medicare, Social Security, and, well, everything else are somehow unconstitutional.
Today, Perry made another pretty stunning constitutional mistake in New Hampshire, telling a group of college students that the voting age is 21. The 26th Amendment made 18 the legal voting age across the country.
At Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, Perry told the crowd, “Those who are going to be over 21 on November 12th, I ask for your support” — eliciting a few chuckles from the crowd. Watch it:
Perry also got the date of the election wrong — the general will be held Nov. 6, 2012, while the New Hampshire Republican primary, which brought Perry to the state, will take place on Jan. 10.
Barney Frank: ENDA Won’t Pass Unless Democrats Regain Control Of Congress, Hold White House |
Retiring Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) attributed the failure of Congress to pass a federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to a “crowded agenda,” health care reform, and “transgender inclusion” during a press conference in Washington, D.C. this afternoon. “Given the polarization on this issue…[the bill will pass] the next time you get a Democratic House, Senate and President,” Frank predicted in response to a question from Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner, adding that in his 32 years in Congress, Democrats controlled all three for just four years. Frank said that openly LGBT members can also influence their fellow legislators to vote in favor of equality. “Legislating is the most personal form of governance…and personal factors mean a lot. Voting on the abstract on an issue is one thing, telling someone with whom you had good personal relations that you think he’s inferior, that’s harder.” Watch it:
Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R) said that he will not introduce social issues like marriage and abortion in the next legislative session beginning Jan. 9 and will instead focus on the economy and jobs. “Right now, the primary focus of the caucus, make no mistake, is on jobs and the economy,” he insisted. The House passed a resolution calling for a referendum to deny marriage to gays and lesbians last session, but Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal (D) blocked the measure. Gronstal praised Paulsen’s decision:
“We’re not afraid to address those issues, but we’re also not interested in squandering Iowans’ time,” he said. “We have a job to do and we’re going to do it.” Gronstal said he also expected to focus on economic issues and avoid drawn-out arguments of social issues.
“Iowans would prefer that we all work on things that would get 100,000 Iowans back to work,” he said. “Kraig and I have talked and he seems to be in agreement that this session is going to be much shorter than last session.”
Not all state Republicans seem to agree with Paulsen’s focus. Earlier this month, Iowa’s Republican senate minority leader Jerry Behn insisted that Iowans should have the right to vote on gay people’s marriage rights, despite the GOP’s recent loss in a special senate election that failed to change the balance of power in the senate.
Student Commits Suicide Because Of Immigration Status |
In a heartbreaking story, Action 4 News reports that Joaquin Luna, an 18-year-old undocumented immigrant in Texas, committed suicide Friday night because of his immigration status, family members said. Letters Luna wrote before his death showed that he was worried his immigration status would keep him from achieving his dreams of being an engineer, and he had been frustrated after Congress failed to pass the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to citizenship for undocumented students who met certain criteria. Congress failed to pass the DREAM Act in 2010. Luna’s brother Diyre Mendoza said his brother didn’t see any other options because of his immigration status. “He was saying he was going to do this because he wasn’t going to be able to continue with his college,” Mendoza said. Watch a local news report about Luna:
NEWS FLASH
Illinois Couples In Civil Unions Can Files Taxes Jointly |
The Illinois Department of Revenue has announced that same-sex couples in civil unions will be able to file their taxes jointly starting next year. Unfortunately, because of the state’s flat tax, couples filing jointly won’t actually save any money. Plus, they will still have to file their federal taxes separately because the Defense of Marriage Act prevents the IRS from recognizing their unions.
NEWS FLASH
Republican Supporter Of DOMA Repeal Endorses Romney |
Mitt Romney has picked up the endorsement of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the first Republican to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which the former Massachusetts governor would preserve. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) also announced that they would be backing Romney. All three also disagree with Romney on immigration and supported the DREAM Act on Dec. 8, 2010.
The Tennessee Tea Party demonstrated yesterday that it has no reservations taking “bold” stands on social issues. Responding to the announcement that Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) would not seek reelection, the organization tweeted the following:
“Good riddance you perverted sodomite POS!! fb.me/1emMURmJa“
The Tennessee Tea Party’s own mission statement speaks to the financial accountability of government, and its “Core Objectives” make little reference to social issues.
Judge: Anti-Gay Pastor Can Proceed With El Paso Mayoral Recall |
Pastor Tom Brown is trying to recall El Paso mayor John Cook, as well as two of the city’s council members, for supporting domestic partnership benefits, which Brown has said would “reward fornicators.” Cook tried to block the recall, arguing that Brown had used resources from his Word of Life Church to collect signatures for the recall petition, but a judge has allowed the recall —set for April 14 — to proceed. (HT: Joe.My.God.)
NEWS FLASH
Michigan Senate Passes Anti-Bullying Bill Without ‘License To Bully’ Provision |
The Michigan state senate has passed an anti-bullying bill that requires “all Michigan school districts to enact an anti-bullying policy.” The measure does not include the so-called “license to bully” provision, which would have allowed bullying on religious or moral grounds, but also lacks specific protections for LGBT students, which can be effective in preventing anti-gay bullying. The legislation now heads to Gov. Rick Snyder (R) for his signature. Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled senate attracted national attention for exempting bullies who have a “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.”
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2012 and that he will be retiring from Congress. Frank leaves behind a storied legacy as only the second openly gay member of Congress who has championed numerous progressive caucuses from the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to financial regulation.
In announcing his retirement, Frank said he believes his leverage as a legislator has diminished and that he can better influence Congress as a private citizen and activist. ThinkProgress has assembled a list of Barney Frank’s last crusades — policy struggles that progressives should take up with even more vigor now that the congressman has announced his retirement:
1. Drastically Curtail Military Spending: Last year, Frank assembled a list of budgetary and military experts of every ideology to form the Sustainable Defense Task Force (SDTF). Under Frank’s tutelage, the SDTF laid out a trillion dollars worth of military spending cuts the United States could enact within a decade without undermining its security. More recently, when the super committee failed to reach a deal, Frank said it was “good” because the Defense Department “will take a big share of the cuts” that will automatically be enacted during the mandated sequester process.
2. Defending The Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Law: Last year, Congress passed into law the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. Frank has committed himself to defending this package of financial regulations from Republican attacks, even testifying before his colleagues in the Senate to defend certain parts of the law. With presidential contenders like Mitt Romney promising to repeal the law, it remains under attack.
3. Repealing The Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA): Earlier this year, Frank co-sponsored legislation that would repeal DOMA. When Republicans complained that the bill may hurt them politically, Frank remarked, “The fact that we’ve now evolved to the point where the Republicans are complaining about the fact that we introduced this bill because it causes them political problems is a great sign of progress.” In his retirement speech, Frank challenged GOP presidential primary candidate Newt Gingrich to a debate over DOMA, saying that he is an “ideal opponent for us, when we talk about just who it is, is threatening the sanctity of marriage.”
4. Passing The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA): Frank has repeatedly supported and introduced the ENDA bill, which would outlaw discrimination in the workplace against LGBT individuals. In a passionate moment while debating the bill in 2007, Frank, choking back tears, explained that he had “an obligation to fifteen year olds dreading to go to school, because of the torments, to people who are afraid they’ll lose their job at a gas station if someone finds out who they love, I feel obligated to use the status I have been lucky enough to get, to help them.”
5. Ending Federal Prohibition of Marijuana: Working with his Republican colleague Rep. Ron Paul (TX), Frank introduced a bill that would end federal prohibitions on marijuana and allow states to regulate it themselves. Frank said he was “particularly struck by the hypocrisy of public officials who will themselves talk about smoking marijuana, wink at it, and then make it criminal for other people.”
6. Establishing A Universal Health Care System: While he supported the health care reforms in the Affordable Care Act, Frank was ultimately an outspoken proponent of a single-payer health care system that operates like Medicare for all Americans. During an appearance on the Ed Show, Frank said, “I’m for single payer, which I think Medicare has shown is the best system. I will accept as second best a very good public option which, by the way, when the conservatives say will lead to a total public plan, they are conceding our point, namely that people will find that there is a better level of care.”
Frank was one of the 99 Percent’s best allies in Congress, and with his departure, progressives can honor his legacy by continuing to advocate for the causes of his unfinished crusades.
NEWS FLASH
Russia Calls America’s Condemnation Of Anti-Gay Propaganda Law ‘Inappropriate,’ Pushes Back Second Vote |
A Russian diplomat condemned the U.S. State Department for speaking out against St. Petersburg’s pending anti-gay propaganda bill, saying that American interference is “inappropriate.” “We view with bewilderment the American side’s attempts to interfere, what’s more, publicly, in the lawmaking process,” foreign ministry representative for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, told the Interfax news agency. The bill — which would fine groups and individuals for “public actions aimed at propaganda of pederasty, lesbianism, bisexuality, and transgenderism among minors” — has passed the first of three readings, but has stalled as lawmakers work to agree on specific language. The second reading had been tentatively set for Nov. 30, but has now been postponed “until after parliamentary polls on December 4.”
NEWS FLASH
Gingrich Campaigns For Social Conservative Votes In South Carolina |
Thrice divorced Newt Gingrich met with pastors in South Carolina yesterday in his ongoing effort to shore up support from Christian conservatives in the state. “They asked how does God influence, how does your religion influence your decisions. And he said that is very important to him, that faith is very important,” said a supporter, Dana Bertoluzzi. “They wanted to know just various things about what should happen at the state level, what should happen within the communities and how he plans to support various things.” Interestingly, Bertoluzzi said Gingrich was “not asked about his three marriages and extramarital affair,” having apparently satisfied pastors with his past explanations, in which he attributed his failings to fervent patriotism.
Welcome to The Morning Pride, ThinkProgress LGBT’s 8:45 AM round-up of the latest in LGBT policy, politics, and some culture too! Here’s what we’re reading this morning, but let us know what you’re checking out as well. Follow us all day on Twitter at @TPEquality.
- A new overdramatic propaganda film from ParentalRights.org called “Overruled” completely misconstrues classroom conversations about diverse families in Massachusetts.
- Vermont has sworn in the first openly gay member of its Supreme Court, advocate Beth Robinson.
- The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill that would punish same-sex couples who marry and anyone who witnesses or assists in that marriage.
- Activist Frank Mugisha describes what it’s currently like for gays in Uganda and reaches out to African Americans for assistance.
- The HIV infection rate in the UK has hit a record high, with one in 20 gay men living with the virus.
- The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance has settled a case and decided to open teams to an unlimited number of bisexual and transgender people.
- Staff and students at The University of Liverpool explain what “gay” really means:
You’ve got to feel a little bad for onetime GOP front runner Gov. Rick Perry — his frequent gaffes and embarrassing ignorance of basic facts have driven him to the bottom of primary polls. Perry has consistently demonstrated his complete lack of understanding of a document he claims to revere, the Constitution, with bogus claims that programs like Medicare, Social Security, and, well, everything else are somehow unconstitutional.
