This image was posted as part of Anonymous' hack.

The hacking group Anonymous hacked two websites of the Ugandan government today, objecting to its anti-gay policies, including continued consideration of a “Kill The Gays” bill that would elevate the punishment for homosexuality to the death penalty. Attacking the website of the prime minister and Justice Law and Order Sector, the hackers issued the following statement about their motivations:

Today’s hack and deface of the Ugandan Prime Minister’s site was the latest in a long list of actions against the government and infrastructure of Uganda for crimes against LGBT people. [...]

We will not stand by while LGBT Ugandans are victimized, abused and murdered by a ruthless and corrupt government. #TheEliteSociety and #Anonymous will continue to target Ugandan government sites and communications until the government of Uganda treats all people including LGBT equally and with respect, dignity and immediately ends the arrest and harassment of LGBT.[...]

The government of Uganda will not stop us or LGBT people from standing up to their hatred and fighting against their abuses. To: Uganda → Equal treatment for ALL people, or you can expect us again.

Another message appeared on the Office of the Prime Minister, including an image from Uganda’s recent celebration of Pride:

You have been warned, repeatedly to expect us.

Your violations of the rights of LGBT people have disgusted us. ALL people have the right to live in dignity free from the repression of someone else’s political and religious beliefs. You should be PROUD of your LGBT citizens, because they clearly have more balls than you will ever have.

Real Ugandan Pride is demonstrated in standing up to oppression despite fearing the abuse, torture and murder inflicted on LGBT at the hands of the corrupt government.

Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Second in a series examining how anti-LGBT Senate candidates have worked to hurt the cause of equality.

With his primary win last Tuesday, nine-term former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) will be the Republican nominee against incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D). Unlike the incumbent, who has had a solid record in support of equality, Hoekstra has consistently worked to oppose the LGBT community on every major issue.

Over 18 years in Congress, his unsuccessful 2010 campaign for Michigan governor, and this Senate race:

1. Hoekstra actively pushed anti-LGBT bills. At least nine times, he signed on as a co-sponsor of anti-equality measures including the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, a proposal to amend the U.S. constitution to prevent states from voluntarily recognizing same-sex unions, and a radical proposal to take away the right of same-sex couples to challenge discriminatory laws in state or federal courts.

2. Hoekstra backed an effort to restrict same-sex adoption. In 1999, he voted in favor of an amendment adding a rider to the District of Columbia Appropriations Act that would have prohibited “any funding for the joint adoption of a child between individuals who are not related by blood or marriage.”

3. Hoekstra has been a virtual zero on LGBT rights. He earned a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign, voting against LGBT equality 100 percent of the time, in the 104th, 105th, 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. In the 111th Congress, he earned just a 10 percent score after voting against one anti-gay procedural motion.

4. Hoekstra has not even practiced non-discrimination personally. In addition to voting against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, he refused to even adopt a non-discrimination policy against LGBT discrimination for employees in his own Congressional office. He also voted for an amendment in 1998 that would have effectively nullified President Clinton’s executive order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal civilian workforce.

5. Hoekstra proudly boasts of awards he received from a designated hate group. His Senate campaign site highlights that he voted 93 percent of the time with the Family Research Council (FRC). His 2010 gubernatorial campaign site biography page noted that he received both the “Family, Faith and Freedom Award” and “True Blue Award” from the organization. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated FRC as a hate group for its record of “false claims about the LGBT community based on discredited research and junk science.”

6. Hoekstra has proudly promoted his anti-LGBT backers. In this Senate campaign, he said “I could not be prouder to announce the endorsement of Rick Santorum. This is a major endorsement and shows that our campaign continues to build momentum.” In his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Hoekstra ran an ad in which Focus on the Family Founder and anti-LGBT activist James Dobson praises him for supporting “traditional marriage.”

Listen to the Dobson endorsement ad:

Hoekstra has often attacked judicial rulings in favor of LGBT equality as “egregious judicial activism,” finding it inexplicable that courts could rule in favor of equal protection when he “firmly” believes marriage “is uniquely and essentially the union of one man and one woman.”

Hoekstra’s record is not just one of opposing LGBT rights, but one of actively seeking to take them away. His election to the U.S. Senate would be a huge threat to LGBT people and families.

Log Cabin Republicans cannot ignore the anti-gay elephant in the room.

The Log Cabin Republicans were quick to defend Paul Ryan on Saturday when Mitt Romney picked him as his vice presidential running mate, despite Ryan’s abysmal voting record on LGBT issues. Now, LCR’s R. Clarke Cooper is again defending the GOP ticket by clinging to Ryan’s one pro-LGBT vote — a vote for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that was preceded immediately by a vote to kill it — with the absurd belief that Romney might change his position and give gay voters a reason to vote Republican.

Here’s Cooper writing today for the Daily Caller:

Romney is not ready or willing to support same-sex marriage, but there are still concrete steps that his campaign can take to counter the liberal strategy of painting the GOP as anti-gay that would also provide tangible benefits for LGBT Americans… By vowing to sign an executive order preventing federal contractors from firing people for being LGBT, and joining Paul Ryan in support for ENDA, Romney can draw a favorable contrast between himself and the president.

By supporting ENDA and the federal contractor executive order, Romney and Ryan can turn the conversation about LGBT equality back to the economy. It’s a message that unites Americans, provides real benefits for millions of LGBT people and plays to the strengths of the Romney-Ryan ticket. Romney and Ryan both have records of supporting these protections, and for practicing nondiscrimination in their own leadership roles, so this step is entirely in line with the Romney-Ryan campaign’s “promise of equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.” Even for gay voters, the 2012 election is about restoring economic prosperity, growth and jobs.

The distortion Cooper attempts is nothing short of delusional. There is no liberal strategy to paint Republicans as anti-gay — they proudly own that in all of their position statements, much as it may chagrin the Log Cabin Republicans to admit it. Romney openly opposes ENDA, and given Ryan’s refusal to offer a nondiscrimination statement for his own Congressional office, it seems that neither has truly demonstrated “leadership” on the matter. Despite the fact that President Obama has not signed the executive order Cooper mentions, it would take a whole lot more than that for Romney to “draw a favorable contrast”;  his opposition to ENDA, marriage equality, and all other LGBT issues would easily maintain a significant imbalance. Cooper’s clinging to a position that neither Romney nor Ryan actually holds.

Cooper’s motives are clear: he’s a Republican, he identifies with other Republicans, and he wants Republicans in power for economic reasons, even if LGBT equality has to take a backseat. The lines seem to be blurring between the Log Cabin Republicans, which used to prioritize “representing the interests of gay and lesbian Americans and their allies,” and GOProud, which splintered off because there were some gay Republicans who couldn’t be bothered with defending their own community. Maybe Cooper is just speaking on behalf of the wrong group.

Sporting and camping goods company REI is the latest corporation to endorse marriage equality in Washington state. REI president Sally Jewell explained the decision:

JEWELL: REI is taking a position in support of marriage equality — an issue that is important to the co-op as an inclusive organization and a welcoming place to work and do business. A referendum on this issue will come before Washington State voters in November after passage through the Washington State Legislature earlier this year; marriage equality is also gaining momentum nationally. Why is this important to the co-op? Let me begin my answer with a personal perspective. A few weeks ago, my husband Warren and I celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. We’ve been on a journey through life together since our first date on my 18th birthday, raising our two children, changing jobs, moving to various places, and witnessing the challenges and joys of our relationship and those of our parents, three of them through end-of-life.

For heterosexual couples, it is very easy to take for granted the legal and societal benefits of marriage— health care benefits, retirement benefits, insurance, death benefits, healthcare decisions, child-rearing and custody, and many more, not to mention the meaning of the commitment of marriage that was so vivid to us as we introduced each other as husband or wife for the first time. As executrix of my mother’s estate, the legal benefits of marriage in estate and health issues became even clearer to me over the past year. Marriage equality is important to the co-op because the benefits, legal clarity and societal understanding that Warren and I have enjoyed these past 34 years should be available to any two people who want to express their love and make a permanent commitment to each other that is so clearly provided for in the legal definition of marriage.

Jewell added, “I want to ensure that our colleagues and customers who have beliefs that run counter to the position the co-op is taking on this issue feel respected in their right to disagree.” REI joins other Washington-based companies in supporting Referendum 74, including Amazon.com, Starbucks, Microsoft, Vulcan, and Nike.

Peter Cooke

Peter Cooke, Utah’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate, has distanced himself from the social issue planks of the party’s national platform. Vowing to represent “Utah values” in accordance with his membership in the Mormon Church, Cooke declared his opposition to same-sex marriage, civil unions, and a woman’s right to choose:

COOKE: To me gay marriage is part of my religious belief and I support that and I respect other religious beliefs and I support and love those who are in the gay community. I think what needs to be done in Utah is for us to all live together, be compassionate. That’s what the Democratic Party is showing.

On abortion, Cooke tow’s the Church’s position that women should only be allowed to terminate a pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman’s life is in danger. Despite his opposition to recognizing same-sex couples’ relationships, he does support allowing them to adopt children, which is currently prohibited under Utah state law. Just last month, a poll found that 71 percent of Utah voters support either civil unions or marriage equality for same-sex couples, demonstrating growing support: