And the Number One Sexist Ad of 2008 Is . .

Here's TGW's pick for the Number One Sexist Ad of 2008. . . the honor goes to Dolce and Gabbana for selling shoes by promoting rape.

Jon Favreau might want to send Dolce and Gabbana his resume.

Aren't you glad we've left those bad old sexist days of the 1950s so far behind?

Alex Leo on sexist ads of 2008:

RAPE -- The world of high fashion has been the worst offender in the violence-as-art game. Cavalli had pirates, Chanel had a wife beater, and now Dolce and Gabbana has this.

Let's get this out there now: It's not edgy, it's ridiculous. This is a gang rape, and any woman that sees those shoes instead of that message deserves those shoes. Any man who doesn't see that this is rape is probably looking at one of the hard bodies in the background and therefore not really a threat to women.

Feminist Politics Gender News Misogyny Patriarchy Year of Misogyny 2008

CA Woman: ‘I’m Gonna Blow Your Balls Off’ (Video)

The woman said the robber punched her before attempting to get behind the wheel of her van in order to drive it away. That is when she began stabbing him in the leg, shoulder and neck area with scissors she had in the center console.

Gender Politics Feminist News

Best Viral Video of 2008

Born Free Animal Politics Christian the Lion News

George Wallace, Bull Connor, & Lynching Invoked in Bizarre Blagojevich Drama

Like they say, yesterday's solutions are today's problems. And Rep. Bobby Rush is making a mockery of everything that MLK ever stood for. According to Rep. Bobby Rush, if Harry Reid and his band of Democratic senators fail to seat a Blagojevich appointee, the Democratic senators will be proved to be racist -- or the equivalent of George Wallace and Bull Connor!

I guess I have to face it, the Carnival of Insanity did not end with the Democratic primary, nor will it end with 2008.

A day after making racially charged remarks warning critics of Roland Burris's appointment to the U.S. Senate to "not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate" disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush said today that senators "don't want to see themselves in the same position" as George Wallace, Bull Connor and others who promoted segregation in the Civil Rights era. . . in his interview this morning, he harkened to the days of segregation and the civil rights battles in Little Rock, Ark., and in Alabama in the 1950s and 1960s in warning the U.S. Senate Democratic majority shouldn't try to block Burris.

"You know, the recent history of our nation has shown us that sometimes there could be individuals and there could be situations where schoolchildren -- where you have officials standing in the doorway of schoolchildren," Rush said. "You know, I'm talking about all of us back in 1957 in Little Rock, Ark. I'm talking about George Wallace, Bull Connor and I'm sure that the U.S. Senate don't want to see themselves placed in the same position."

Bobby Rush, Not Done Yet
graphic via The Heretik
Lynn Sweet: Davis said thanks, but no thanks - 'TOO MUCH TURMOIL' | Congressman had sought seat, but when offered turned it down

Blagojevich Chicago Burris Politics Race Democratic Senate News Obama

Angry Moms Revolt: Facebook Thinks Breasts are for Hooters, Not Breastfeeding

I'm so glad to see moms fighting the anti breastfeeding idiots at Facebook. I hope they go after anti breastfeeding misogynist Bill Maher next.

Like the Facebook fratboys, Bill Maher thinks breasts are for fratboys and Hooters. Maher and the Facebook frat-boys prefer for women's breasts to be 24/7 sexualized objects readily available at all times for their own personal use. And that explains why moms who breastfeed in public are so often treated like lepers.

The photo below is one of the many breastfeeding photos removed from Facebook due to its "obscenity!!"

Anyone want to guess how many sexually explicit photos of breasts the Facebook fratboys have removed??? The lengths this culture goes to in the fratboy mission of keeping women always in the role of sexualized objects can best be described as Stark Raving Mad Misogyny. Seriously, I don't know why we women put up with this shit!

Check out the online angry mom protest and petition where there are now 3,245 breastfeeding photos: Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!(Official petition to Facebook)

Facebook has become the target of an 80,000-plus protest by irate mothers after banning breastfeeding photographs from online profiles. Facebook's policy, which bans any breastfeeding images uploaded that show nipples, has led an online profile by protestors - called "lactivists" in some circles - called "Hey Facebook, breast feeding is not obscene".

The online petition, which accuses Facebook of instituting the policy to "appease the closed-minded", has attracted almost 82,000 supporters.

Censoring Breastfeeding on Facebook
Facebook is Against Breast Feeding
Facebook: A No Breastfeeding Zone
Bill Maher is a Misogynistic Anti-Breastfeeding Pig (Video)
Bill Maher = Woman-Hating, Child-Hating Idiot
Bill Maher Agrees With 'Facebook': Breasts Are For Fondling, Not Feeding
Facebook facing protest over removal of nursing photos
Hey, Facebook, what have you got against breast-feeding?
Anger After Breastfeeding Pics Deleted By Facebook
Breastfeeding is NOT obscene~Facebook's attitude is! : Indybay
Breast feeding mums ready to storm Facebook
Lactivists wage breastfeeding war on Facebook

Gender Politics Sexism Bill Maher Breastfeeding Protest Misogyny Feminist Patriarchy News Bill Maher Sucks Facebook

Dump Rick Warren

Something tells me that this little Obama-esque Rick Warren poster is the start of something, or that we are going to be seeing a lot of these pretty little posters demanding change over the next four years. We need a poster like this for Jon Favreau!

Add your voice to the voices at Equality California and ask or demand that Obama rescind his invitation to Rick Warren.

And check out this letter from DumpRickWarren:

Dear President-elect Obama:

The gay and lesbian community, our millions of friends and all other fair minded Americans are extremely hurt and angry with your choice of Reverend Rick Warren to give the invocation at your Inauguration next month. . So today we are asking you to dump Rick Warren from delivering the invocation at your swearing in ceremony.

We will be launching a new web site www.dumprickwarren.com to ask others to join in our effort to help persuade you to choose another man or woman to take this place of honor at your historic Inauguration.

Continue reading at DumPrickWarren

via Californians Against Hate & CA NOW

Inaugeration Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage

Psycho Blagojevich to Fill Obama's Senate Seat With Apparent Fellow Psycho Today

The Chicago press reports that their psycho governor plans to appoint someone to Barack Obama's senate seat today. That would be former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris, yet another apparent psycho.

I know nothing about Burris, but I'm assumung that he's Blagojevich's kind of guy. Surely only an ego-maniacal psycho pol would stand at the podium with Rod Blagojevich and accept a senate appointment from the psycho infamous for trying to sell that senate appointment.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.

But wait... Roland Martin is arguing on CNN - right now - that Democratic Senate leaders will have a very hard time refusing to seat Burris because, and only because, Burris is black! Gawd help the Democratic Party (and Roland Martin).

Senate Leadership: Burris ‘unacceptable’
White will try to reject
Sources: Senate Democrats to block Burris appointment
Blagojevich to name Roland Burris to Obama's Senate seat
Roland Burris to be named to replace Obama in Senate; may face fight in the Senate to seat him

Chicago Burris Politics Race Democratic Senate News Obama

MSNBC: It Wouldn't Be Funny If Someone Called Me 'Tamron Hall the Magic Negro Anchor Lady' (Video)

Today on MSNBC, anchor Tamron Hall hosted a segment discussing RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman’s Christmas greeting this year that contained a CD with the song “Barack the Magic Negro” on it. During the discussion, Kate Obenshain, vice president of Young America’s Foundation, defended the song, calling it “a parody.” But Hall, an African-American, quickly interjected, saying there is nothing “funny or amusing” about it (see video below).

HALL: Well let me tell you this — if someone referred to me as “Tamron Hall the Magic Negro Anchor Lady,” I would never see it as anything funny or amusing. Hall later told Obenshain, “you’re not going to win a lot of people over calling them ‘Magic Negros.’”

I agree. It's not funny. There is nothing funny about calling Barack Obama a "Magic Negro." And it wouldn't be funny if Tennessee's own Chip Saltsman called Tamron Hall a "Magic Negro." It's a racially insensitive term, and it's a sure-fire way for the GOP to lose the 3 African Americans who are, for some reason, still in the Republican Party.

And it wouldn't be funny to make a Jon Favreau style joke about date-raping or sexually assaulting Tamron Hall.

And it wouldn't be funny to accuse Tamron Hall of being an incestuous pedophile. Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, they're all equally offensive. Too bad MSNBC is guilty of so much sexism that it is known as the Misogyny Channel. And it's too fucking bad that President-Elect Barack Obama leads only on the one offense that applies personally to him.


"What we have to do is be able to create an atmosphere where we can disagree with out being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans. ....."

--Barack Obama

Update: Reclusive Leftist: Homophobia: bad! Racism: bad! Sexism: eh
GOP reaction divided over controversial Obama song
Barack the magic negro

Racism Sexism Homophobia Jon Favreau Hillary Clinton Inaugeration Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage Misogyny Chip Saltsman

Lesbian Vampire Killers: The Trailer

For those of us who consider ourselves to be the wounded survivors of the Year of Misogyny, Lesbian Vampire Killers may well be the feel good film of 2009. Hot hungry lesbian vampires, hungry for some straight misogynists, I'm sure.

I wonder if Democratic misogynists are more tasty than Republican misogynists. I am so ordering the DVD.

The British Quad for Phil Claydon's Lesbian Vampire Killers has crept out of the coffin and online for your gawking pleasure. James Corden and Mathew Horne lead the cast as two slackers in a village populated by an army of hot, hungry lesbian vampires. The Descent's MyAnna Buring co-stars.




via Jezebel

Feminist Politics Gender Sarah Palin News Misogyny Hillary Clinton Year of Misogyny 2008

Bristol Palin Gives Birth - Is Andrew Sullivan on a Plane to Alaska?

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol Palin has given birth to "a healthy 7 lb., 4 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska." The babe's name is Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

Sarah Palin is a grandmother.

Prepare for Andrew Sullivan's pathetic case of womb envy to kick back into gear. I hope the Palin family is watching for Sicko Sully as he is no doubt already preparing to slink through the halls of the Alaskan hospital still trying to prove that the babe came from Sarah Palin's womb.

via memeorandum

Womb Envy Feminist Politics Gender Sarah Palin News Misogyny

Caroline Kennedy Grants Interviews to Media, You Know (Video)

Caroline Kennedy is not the front-runner in the competition to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to Gov. David Paterson.

In the words of the Democratic governor, "How is she a front-runner? This whole thing sounds more like the prelude to a high school musical than the choosing of a senator."

She may not be the front-runner, but you'd never know it from the intensity of the media criticism. After loud criticism, Caroline Kennedy relented and granted interviews. And then the criticism intensified.

Not to pile it on, you know, but, um, if she keeps talking like, you know, um, this, the criticism can only intensify. If Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton talked like Caroline Kennedy, Chris Matthews would be mocking and jeering for 3-4 weeks - because politics, as we know it, is absurdly and childishly brutal. As David Paterson suggests, it's like high school. Reportedly, 'you knows' and such gibberish are usually edited out by our women-loving media vultures. Or maybe male pols don't talk so imperfectly?



The Caroline backlash
Caroline Kennedy: Kennedys Work Twice as Hard

Feminist Politics Gender Sarah Palin News Hillary Clinton Paterson Media New York Senate

Sarah Palin Would Win 2010 Senate Race By Landslide (Video)

Sarah Palin would clobber sitting Senator Lisa Murkowski - 55 to 31 percent - if the Alaska GOP primary was held today, according to a new poll. Oh, and the Sarah Palin calendar is a best seller at Amazon.com.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Feminist Politics Gender Sarah Palin News

Herstory: Sufferin' 'Til Suffrage (Video)

A quick and light-hearted look at some of many foresisters who fought so hard and so long for the right of all women to vote in this patriarchal (cowboy) country. "And when the time rolled around to elect a president, what did they say, sisters? . . "


via CA NOW

Feminist Politics Gender Women's History News

Misogynists of 2008: Happy Holidays Jon Favreau

Here it is almost 2009, and I find myself wondering if misogynist Jon Favreau is having a good time playing at sexually assaulting women at the season's holiday parties. Perhaps Jon Favreau has found a Sarah Palin look-alike to demean and sexually objectify and laugh and joke about. Perhaps Jon Favreau has graduated to the real thing.

I haven't forgotten that President-elect Obama's chief speechwriter is a misogynist. I haven't forgotten Barack Obama's silence, and I won't forget.

Heart explains why we should not forget:

. . . If women would just let it go when they are mistreated, badgered or abused by men, or when they come across sexist imagery in media or on billboards, if they’d just turn off the music when it’s misogynist, why, things would be absolutely copacetic and fine and dandy, but what do women do, they make this HUGE DEAL. They won’t just forget about it. They’re vindictive and vengeful. They have rage problems. They have no sense of humor.

And by way of this particular reign of terror, really, this standard to which girls and women have been held since time immemorial — just don’t talk about it, just forget it, don’t cause problems in the family, don’t make a big deal of it — it is 2008 and women remain second class citizens and we are abused and battered and raped in numbers greater than anybody ever suspected. It goes on and on and on.

The problem, you know, is not that women are talking about what harms us. In fact, it is only when women make a big deal of things that ANYTHING ever changes for us, and even then, things rarely change much and never quickly.

Those who suggest we should just let the Jon Favreau incident go, forget about it, are not thinking about women’s history, this bigger picture or the implications for women when we are told to be quiet and stop making such a big deal of misogyny. They aren’t thinking about women at all. The problem isn’t that feminists are talking about the photo and posting it; the problem is that the incidents leading to the taking of the photo occurred in the first place, were photographed and posted to the internet. The problem is the misogyny of the President’s “Speechwriter in Chief.”

Read more . . .

Obama Misogyny Feminist Politics Gender Speechwriter Sexist Jon Favreau Hillary Clinton News Patriarchy

Gay Marriage Equality Protest: DOMA National Rally - 1/10/09

Stand up for marriage equality on January 10, 2009, and urge Obama to repeal DOMA!! Protest DOMA National Rally will be held at city halls everywhere in the United States at 1:30pm EST/ 10:30am PST. The LGBT community and allies are protesting the Defense of Marriage Act and urging President-Elect Barack Obama to repeal this act. For more information, go to http://www.jointheimpact.com.


Gay Protest Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage Same Sex

Anti Gay Rick Warren Calls Critics 'Christophobic' (Video)

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow says Obama's Homophobic Inaugeration problem is getting worse. Maddow catches Rick Warren in blatant lies about his recent comparison of gay marriage to incest, pedophilia, and polygamy. And Rick Warren adds fuel to the story by releasing an incendiary video, in which the homophobe says he loves the gays, but gays who criticize him are suffering from "Christophobia" . . or fear of Christians! Warren doesn't explain how this fits with the undeniable fact that many of his harshest critics are also Christian.



Obama's Anti-Gay Pastor Relishing The Spotlight
Maddow: Rick Warren scandal 'getting weirder'

Inaugeration Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage California Homophobia

Jesus Posers Wearing Crowns of Thorns Wander the Malls (Video)

No, this is not an Onion story, but it's weird enough to be one. In an apparent defense of Christianity, dudes put on their best messiah look and wander up and down the escalators at malls, all the while wearing crowns of thorns and long flowing Jesus style white robes.

Don't be surprised if you see "Get Your Photo With Jesus" booths in the malls in time for Christmas 2009.

Christmas News Religious Costume Politics News of the Weird

The Obama Party's Over

Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen says his sister's Obama Inaugeration Celebration party is off. In Cohen's family, like mine, there's the factor of being sick to death of bigots like Rick Warren in the White House. There's also the undeniable fact that honoring a bigot is a stunning sign of exceedingly poor judgment. With leaders like this . . .

Not that he was planning to attend, but Barack Obama should know that my sister's inauguration night party -- the one for which she was preparing Obama Punch -- has been canceled. The notice went out over the weekend, by e-mail and word of mouth, that Obama's choice of Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation had simply ruined the party. Warren is anti-gay, and my sister, not to put too fine a point on it, is not. She's gay. .

She's been in a relationship with another woman, the quite wonderful Nancy, for 19 years, and she resents the fact that Warren has likened same-sex marriage to incest, pederasty and polygamy. . .

He went on to say, "We can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans." Sounds nice.

But what we do not "hold in common" is the dehumanization of homosexuals. What we do not hold in common is the belief that gays are perverts who have chosen their sexual orientation on some sort of whim. What we do not hold in common is the exaltation of ignorance that has led and will lead to discrimination and violence.

Finally, what we do not hold in common is the categorization of a civil rights issue -- the rights of gays to be treated equally -- as some sort of cranky cultural difference. For that we need moral leadership, which, on this occasion, Obama has failed to provide. For some people, that's nothing to celebrate.

The party's off.

EJ Dionne: A Gamble for Obama
Rising Hegemon: Putting Morons in their place
Pam's: Mike Rogers makes mincemeat out of Warren defender's argument on Hardball

Inaugeration Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage Massachusetts

Environmental Catastrophe Strikes Tennessee

The long-awaited money for our falling-apart infrastructure comes too late for some of us: "This is a huge environmental disaster of epic proportions, approximately 500 million gallons of nasty black coal ash flowed into tributaries of the Tennessee River - the water supply for Chattanooga TN and millions of people living downstream in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. We’re “lucky” it was sludgy, or thousands would have died."

Tennessean: Flood of sludge breaks TVA dike

Pharyngula: We're looking at a major environmental catastrophe, bigger than any oil spill, and most of the news media are silent about it. I checked CNN, MS-NBC, even Fox News…not a word. The local newspapers have a few articles, and the regional blogs are trying to follow it, but otherwise, I guess we're going to pretend it didn't happen.

Ash Christmas / Huffington Post: Massive Coal Ash Spill in Tennessee puts the lie to Clean Coal / Coal ash tsunami in Tennessee / Youtube video from the Knoxville News Sentinel / Toxic Ash Pond Collapses in Tennessee

Tennessee Coal News Politics Chattanooga

Men Dominate Obama's Cabinet

There are 5 women and 16 men in Obama's cabinet! (And it's only 5 women if you count Susan Rice, whose UN Ambassadorship was elevated to cabinet status by Obama.)

Five women and 16 men? This is Obama's New Politics? This is pathetic. Barack Obama's cabinet does not look like America.

It sure as hell doesn't look like Spain. The Prime Minister of Spain has a cabinet comprised of 9 women (see photo) and 8 men. And Spain is infamous for being a macho country. What does that make America?

How many decades will it take before America catches up to 'macho' Spain?

Bonnie Erbe:

Since women are 52 percent of the U.S. population and Obama's transition team promised a cabinet that "looked like America," one would have to say that, in terms of gender, Obama has failed. The stark reality is shown in living color on this New Agenda page link, which sports photos of the Obama cabinet members and makes an important visual point. . .

And then there's this: "Women's groups who have been hoping for an historic breakthrough in the numbers of women and feminists in the cabinet are looking at a Cabinet now that has lower numbers of women than the Clinton Administration," said Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal.

This is the same Eleanor Smeal who claimed, during the general election, that Obama "looks like a feminist!"

Photo: Prime Minister Zapatero of Spain and the 9 women of his female majority cabinet.

Feminist Philosophers: Is Obama building a basketball team or a cabinet? ...
Unapologetic Feminist: What Those Other “Feminist” Blogs Aren’t Talking About
Strong Feminist Chosen for Labor Secretary

Feminist Gender News Equality Politics Obama New Politics Zapatero Spain

Happy Birthday Rebecca West

I'm a day late, but Rebecca West, feminist, suffragist, author, critic, was born on December 21, 1892. In 2008, her feminist sentiments remain all too relevant:

"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat."

Rebecca West (1892-1983): West wrote about the suffragist Emily Davidson, who threw herself in front of the king's horse at the Derby. The essay 'The Sterner Sex' (1913) records her thoughts at the wedding of her cousin, her sympathy for the women working for the Army Clothing Employees' Union, and her anger: "I saw a world of women struggling as the American capitalist men of today struggle, to maintain a parasitic sex that is at once its tyrant and its delight..." West's essay about Emmeline Pankhurst, 'A Reed of Steel' (1933) is among her best works on the period. Her first book was about the writer Henry James. . . In the autumn of 1913, at the age of 19, West started her turbulent love affair with H.G. Wells, although she had called him in an article from 1912 "the old maid among novelists".

Feminist Politics Gender Herstory News Patriarchy Women's History

Barney Frank: Rick Warren Is Offensive

Quote of the Day

"Mr. Warren compared same-sex couples to incest. I found that deeply offensive and unfair. If he was inviting the Rev. Warren to participate in a forum and to make a speech, that would be a good thing.

But being singled out to give the prayer at the inauguration is a high honor. It has traditionally given as a mark of great respect. And, yes, I think it was wrong to single him out for this mark of respect."

-- Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass),
Late Edition, CNN

Barney Frank is the first openly gay member of Congress; his remarks were made on CNN's Late Edition. Obama defended his preference for the homophobic Pastor Rick Warren, insisting that America needs to "come together."

Queerty: Rick Warren Loves You! He even has gay friends!

Inaugeration Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage California

NOW Condemns Obama's Choice of Bigot Rick Warren, While Silent About Favreau

Like pretty well everyone else on the left, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has condemned Obama's selection of Rick Warren as the official deliverer of the inaugural invocation.

The Human Rights Campaign and People for the American Way are among the many lefty groups that have condemned the choice of Rick Warren in no uncertain terms.

And the Feminist Majority Foundation has offered "feminist concern." Well, I guess that beats feminist apathy.

Not one of the above groups said a critical word of "feminist concern" about Obama speech-writer Jon Favreau's 'little joke' about sexual assault and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Why do you think that is?

Were groups like HRC and PFAW merely following NOW's failure to lead? NOW's silence was, and continues to be, deafening. It appears that NOW waits to see the response of the boyz groups before making a move.

graphic via Guerrilla Girls

Misogyny Feminist Politics Gender Sexist Democrats 2008 Hillary Clinton Obama News Patriarchy Male Dominated Culture

The Audacity of Democracy (Trailer)

A film by Brad Mays, chronicling the sexist outrage of 2008, starring Darragh Murphy and Riverdaughter.


via Puma P.A.C.

Misogyny Feminist Politics Gender Sexist Democrats 2008 Hillary Clinton Obama News Patriarchy Male Dominated Culture

Gay Rights: Vigil for Equality in Nashville Tonight at Riverfront Park - Be There!

ACTION ALERT: Demonstrations for equality are being held across the nation tonight. Here in Nashville, second-class, or gay and lesbian, citizens and their allies will gather for a candlelight vigil at Riverfront Park at 5pm to 'Light Up The Night For Equality.' Bring candles and "vigil for the rights of 18,000 same-sex couples who married and look forward to the day when those rights are available again - for EVERYONE."


A Movement Reborn:
The sense of loss and disillusionment from the election results isn't limited to the gay community. For those who support the equal rights of gay citizens, One Orlando's candlelight vigil is about a movement being reborn. . "People have to stand up -- not just the gay community, but the straight community that is caring and sensitive," said the Rev. Bryan G. Fulwider, senior minister of First Congressional Church. "We have to stand and be with those who are being marginalized by society for unjust reasons. It's a matter of compassion and justice for me."

Protest Equality Demonstration Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage California Obama Rick Warren Nashville Tennessee

Obama Supporters Want Their Money Back (!)

President-elect Obama hasn't even taken office yet, and already people want their money back. It's definitely getting ugly over at Change.gov. Obama supporters are so angry about Obama's endorsement of homophobe Rick Warren that they are demanding refunds:

We gave thousands of dollars-- despite the tough economy- in hopes that are community would no longer be marginalized. Despite the passage of prop 8, we celebrated on election day. Today we feel betrayed. There are so many christian leaders who are advocates for the gay community-- why choose one who is not?

Please return our donations immediately. We made donations over a number of occaisions, frequently in response to "urgent" pleas from your campaign. Consider this an "urgent" plea as well.

Please remove us from your mailing lists and never ask us for your support again, unless you stand with us and reject homophobia once and for all.

hat tip to myiq2xu

Obama Rick Warren Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage California

In a Surprise Move, CA Attorney General Urges Court to Axe Prop. 8

California Attorney General Jerry Brown has had a dramatic change of mind. Although he originally said that he would defend Proposition 8, Brown now recognizes that basic liberties, including the right to marry, are guaranteed by the California Constitution.

In the battle between the tyranny of the majority and the rights of minorities to equal treatment under the law, the California Attorney General is coming down on the side of equal treatment. In Brown's view, the California Constitution does not permit putting "a group's right to enjoy liberty to a popular vote."

Would that the rest of the country enjoyed such an enlightened constitution [snark].

SAN FRANCISCO -- California Attorney General Jerry Brown changed course on the state's new same-sex marriage ban Friday and urged the state Supreme Court to void Proposition 8.

In a dramatic reversal, Brown filed a legal brief saying the measure that amended the California Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman is itself unconstitutional because it deprives a minority group of a fundamental right. Earlier, Brown had said he would defend the ballot measure against legal challenges from gay marriage supporters.

But Brown said he reached a different conclusion "upon further reflection and a deeper probing into all the aspects of our Constitution."

"It became evident that the Article 1 provision guaranteeing basic liberty, which includes the right to marry, took precedence over the initiative," he said in an interview Friday night. "Based on my duty to defend the law and the entire Constitution, I concluded the court should protect the right to marry even in the face of the 52 percent vote."

Towleroad: Jerry Brown Tells Court to Throw it Out
LA Now: Jerry Brown: Gay-marriage ban should be invalidated
Kenneth Starr to defend gay marriage ban before state S.C.
Calif. AG urges court to void gay marriage ban
via memeorandum

Jerry Brown Equality Politics Gender Gay Prop 8 Lesbian News Gay Marriage California

Misogyny's Greatest Hits & Other Low Moments of 2008 (Video)

What did women learn in 2008? Clearly there are a lot of American men who are exceedingly anxious about their masculinity, and far too many women who have internalized the male dominated culture's contempt for all things female. It was a horrendous year for women, a year of misogyny that women will be telling their daughters and granddaughters about for generations to come.


There's more at: Where's the Line? Sexism in the 2008 Presidential Campaign: A slideshow for use as a discussion starter with book clubs, house-of-worship groups, classrooms, and other groups.

Misogyny Feminist Politics Gender Sexist 2008 Hillary Clinton Sarah Palin News Patriarchy Male Dominated Culture

Gov. Blagojevich: Take this Job from My Cold Dead Hands (Video)

Governor Blagojevich held a defiant press conference today and in a Charlton Heston moment told the world that despite his 13 percent job approval rating and despite being caught on tape trying to sell Barack Obama's senate seat, the mafia-esque Governor is holding on to his job. To hell with the people of Illinois.

This is just one more reminder of the joke that the outdated antiquated American political system has become. As we witnessed in the example of trainwreck George W. Bush, once a pol gets into office, they are there for the duration -- regardless of the number of horrendous unconstitutional crimes committed and regardless of the wishes of the public.

Here in America, we don't correct our mistakes, we live with them.

Meanwhile, in the advanced nations, crooks and dysfunctional leaders can be swiftly kicked out of office with a quick vote of non-confidence. But here in the U.S., land of the cowboys, impeachment is such a cumbersome and lengthy process that a pol's term will likely be finished before the impeachment process is done.

"I will fight, I will fight, I will fight, until I take my last breath," said Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.


"I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing. I will stay on the job and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight, until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong. I will not quit a job the people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob. I'm dying to answer these charges — I am dying to show you how innocent I am."

-- Gov. Rod Blagojevich

CNN: Blagojevich: ‘I will fight until I take my last breath’

Chicago Politics Obama News Blagojevich Scandal Illinois Senate Seat U.S. Political System Impeachment

Resistance to Caroline Kennedy's 'Legacy Appointment' Continues (Video)

Why is the press suddenly able to give a pol a thoroughly hard time whenever there's a woman behind the podium? Caroline Kennedy is not my first pick, but I hope the press has challenged comedian Al Franken's senate qualifications to the same dirty degree they are about to challenge Caroline's. Oh, and Congressman Charlie Rangel says Governor Paterson told him who he's going to pick, and according to Rangel, Hillary's replacement will be a 'he.'


Kennedy faces a bit of resentment in NY
Five questions Washington has for Caroline Kennedy
Caroline Kennedy Is No Sarah Palin
Kennedy - An Author, A Mother - Starts Making Her Case

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Obama Defends Homophobe Rick Warren (Video)

Here's the video of President-Elect Obama defending his choice to have a bigot deliver the invocation at the upcoming inauguration. According to Obama, it's about inclusiveness. And we wait for the KKK to be invited. Pastor Rick Warren is a supporter of California's Proposition 8. Pastor Rick Warren has compared gay relationships to incest and paedophilia.

But Obama says diverse viewpoints are cool. Barack Obama also says he is "a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans . . It’s something I’ve been consistent on.” Really?



video via Daily Beast

“Can you imagine if he had a man of God doing the invocation who had deliberately said that Jews are not going to be saved and therefore should be excluded from what’s going on in America? People would be up in arms.”

--Rick Jacobs, gay rights activist

Report: Obama, Not Feinstein or Committee, Made Warren Choice
Anderson Cooper 360 on the 'Big Tent' Theory and Rick Warren
Pro-Lifers Rip Rick Warren on Obama Invocation

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Obama Picks Pro-Life Homophobe Rick Warren to Deliver Inaugural Invocation

Obama has chosen Homophobe Rick Warren to deliver his inaugural invocation. Warren was a big supporter of California's Proposition 8, the ballot initiative -- outlawing gay marriage in California -- which passed on the same day that Obama won the election.

Warren says he's not a homophobe. Warren says "has gay friends and has even eaten dinner in 'gay homes.'"

And over at Firedoglake, this is rightly judged to be "another Donny McClurkin moment."

Extreme Hillary hater Andrew Sullivan says:

. . if anyone is under any illusion that Obama is interested in advancing gay equality, they should probably sober up now. (via)

Warren is also pro life and pro lifers are rejoicing! John Aravosis is getting what he asked for.

Hillary Rodham Clinton would not have picked a pro-lifer, nor a homophobe, not in a million years. Rick Warren is supposed to be a new and improved Jeremiah Wright? I'd rather have Jeremiah Wright.

Update #1: In a blistering condemnation of the decision, People for the American Way said: Rick Warren "has said that the real difference between James Dobson and himself is one of tone rather than substance. He has recently compared marriage by loving and committed same-sex couples to incest and pedophilia. He has repeated the Religious Right's big lie that supporters of equality for gay Americans are out to silence pastors. He has called Christians who advance a social gospel Marxists. He is adamantly opposed to women having a legal right to choose an abortion."

Update #2: Politico: Gay activists furious with Obama
TPM: Top Liberal Group Hammers Decision For Rick Warren To Deliver …
Huff Post: Rick Warren, Obama Invocation Choice, Causing First Real Rift With Progressives
The Swamp: Obama's Rick Warren pick irks liberals
The Caucus: Aretha Franklin to Participate in Inaugural Ceremony
Think Progress: Anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-assassination pastor to give inaugural invocation.»

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