I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The LGBT community continues to seethe nearly 24 hours after the announcement that Dr. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif, would provide the invocation at the inaugural ceremonies of President-elect Barack Obama.
Warren supported the controversial ballot initiative Proposition 8 in California, claiming that allowing gays to marry would infringe on his free speech rights.
Not only has the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights organization, issued a letter calling the appearance by Warren an act of “disrepect,” but other national lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender organizations are weighing in as well.
Wayne Besen, executive director of New York based Truth Wins Out which is an organization dedicated to monitoring the right wing, confronting what it calls the “ex-gay” myth and educating the country about gay Americans, put out a press release this morning. In the release he said:
“Choosing Rick Warren to deliver the invocation may be an olive branch to evangelicals who largely opposed the election of Barack Obama, but it is poison ivy to the gay and lesbian voting block who overwhelmingly supported him. Far from an act that will unify, this is a stick in the eye to lesbian and gay Americans who played a key part in Obama’s victory. For all of Obama’s political gifts, he has an odious track record in picking preachers.”
Most interesting however has been the leaked talking points memo from the Inaugural Committee on how to address the controversy. Pam Spaulding at PamsHouseBlend.com, a leading LGBT blog, posted the memo early this morning.
* This will be the most open, accessible, and inclusive Inauguration in American history.
* In keeping with the spirit of unity and common purpose this Inauguration will reflect, the President-elect and Vice President-elect have chosen some of the world’s most gifted artists and people with broad appeal to participate in the inaugural ceremonies.
* Pastor Rick Warren has a long history of activism on behalf of the disadvantaged and the downtrodden. He’s devoted his life to performing good works for the poor and leads the evangelical movement in addressing the global HIV/AIDS crisis. In fact, the President-elect recently addressed Rick Warren’s Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health to salute Warren’s leadership in the struggle against HIV/AIDS and pledge his support to the effort in the years ahead.
* The President-elect disagrees with Pastor Warren on issues that affect the LGBT community. They disagree on other issues as well. But what’s important is that they agree on many issues vital to the pursuit of social justice, including poverty relief and moving toward a sustainable planet; and they share a commitment to renewing America’s promise by expanding opportunity at home and restoring our moral leadership abroad.
* As he’s said again and again, the President-elect is committed to bringing together all sides of the faith discussion in search of common ground. That’s the only way we’ll be able to unite this country with the resolve and common purpose necessary to solve the challenges we face.
* The Inauguration will also involve Reverend Joseph Lowery, who will be delivering the official benediction at the Inauguration. Reverend Lowery is a giant of the civil rights movement who boasts a proudly progressive record on LGBT issues. He has been a leader in the struggle for civil rights for all Americans, gay or straight.
* And for the very first time, there will be a group representing the interests of LGBT Americans participating in the Inaugural Parade.
The group representing LGBT Americans in the parade will be the Pride Marching Band. Their participation has been criticized by Americans for Truth, a right wing organization which believes gays can change their sexual orientation.
From Americans for Truth’s Peter LaBarbera,
Bob [sic] oh boy! A band created by the Lesbian and Gay Band Association — built around men and women who share disordered sexuality and, for some, gender confusion — is marching in Barack Obama’s inaugural parade — the first ever “gay” Inaugural marching band! What a civil rights achievement — the Democrats should be so proud. Despite the enormity of this “progressive” milestone, apparently it is only somewhat of a technical “first”: the Aberrant Sex Band played twice for Bill Clinton but reportedly never marched for the … Aberrant Sex President.
Emails to the Pride Band were not returned.
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