This is coverage of today’s protest on the passage of Proposition 8 in California. It was huge!
| So far, according to KNX Election Results Coverage
Proposition – 8-Same Sex Marriage Ban – Ballot Issue |
|
| 22608 of 25429 Precincts Reporting – 89% |
| Name | Votes | Vote % | |
| Yes | 4,846,706 | 52% | |
| No | 4,522,259 | 48% |
I am participating in online election night parties at Green Change and Green Party Watch.
Matthew Britton over on Green Change has reported this from Massachussetts:
There are several interesting propositions on the ballot in MA tonight. First of all, a proposition to remove the state income tax was defeated. More importantly though, ballot question 2 would decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana (it would still be subject to a $100 fine) and ballot question 3 would prohibit the inhumane practice of greyhound racing in the state. Both of these look like they are going to pass by large margins, check out the latest stats for these questions and all other ballot initiatives at news.aol.com/elections/2008/ballot. There’s also a lot of interesting, but somewhat less hopeful news on gay marriage questions around the country.
Today’s Deseret News has a piece on the Utah Senate race in West Jordan in which incumbent Butt-arse (my pet name for Chris Buttars) is fighting to retain. According to the article, A Dan Jones poll reveals that the race is statistically a tie.
Butt-arse has demonstrated, through his words and actions over the years, that he is against anything that involves people making choices for themselves. His mission is to have as much government interference in peoples’ private lives as possible.
Butt-arse’s past positions resulting in proposed legislation include anti-gay clubs in schools, anti-gay marriage or gay rights, and anti-evolution and pro-creationism theory ("Intelligent Design" – an attempt to refute evolution), as well as tuition tax credits (the precursor to vouchers).
Here’s a quote by Butt-arse that I found on the website linked below:
“Well, there’s a lot of things we vote on that we don’t understand, but I would rather stand on the principle of ‘let’s go for it.’ “ — Salt Lake Tribune quotes Chris Buttars
Be sure to check out this site and encourage everyone in District 10 to vote against Chris Butt-arse!
Save Me From My Senator – Chris Buttars Scares Me.
It was started as a result of dire frustration by a constituent of his. It’s chock full of really useful information, including
101 Reasons to Get Rid of Chris Buttars, Tools for Citizens to use in the Fight, news and blog articles, and lots more.
See my past posts on this candidate: Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged chris buttars, education, gay issues, gay rights, human rights, politics, Utah, utah legislature
Fight back against the lies and protect the fundamental rights of Californians
It’s time for Californians to fight back against the dishonest attacks of the “Yes on 8” campaign funded
by the Mormon Church. On Tuesday, we will deliver a letter to President-Prophet Thomas Monson at the Los Angeles Mormon Temple, demanding that his church stop funding the blatant lies of the “Yes on 8” campaign.
UPDATE WITH CBS NEWS VIDEO: ProtectMarriage.com — the organization leading the “Yes
on 8” campaign — is now embroiled in a shocking new scandal involving a blackmail letter to California businesses that donated to Equality for All, the organization leading the “No on 8” campaign.
Mark Jansson, a “Yes on 8” Executive Committee member and self-described member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was one of four signers to this blackmail letter.
Although the CBS News video here does not address Jansson’s involvement, it does describe
the Prop 8 campaign’s scheme to shake down California businesses. This latest episode is yet another example of intimidation by the Mormon Church to pass Prop 8 and dictate public policy
to Californians.
Utah has a 6 month old mutual commitment registry, which, if taken advantage of, should permit non-married couples (including same sex partnerships) the opportunities afforded of married couples. I’ve pasted a description of the registry at the end of this post.
Today’s Salt Lake Tribune’s article on the registry highlights a gay couple and their impressions so far of the registry. Mostly, it seems, it’s more of a symbolic gesture at this point. No concrete benefits have been realized yet by couples and no employer has yet to offer domestic partner benefits
Still, for Utah, this is progress.
What is the mutual-commitment registry?
Unmarried couples, both same sex and opposite sex, and other pairs of financially interdependent adults, such as person who cares for an aging parent, can sign up. The voluntary registry allows Salt Lake City to recognize nonmarried relationships of mutual commitment and support.
What are the benefits?
Employers who offer domestic-partner benefits can use the registry to determine a worker’s eligibility. Registered individuals will be allowed visitation rights at city hospitals and access to family discounts offered at city-owned facilities, such as recreation centers.
What do residents have to do to enroll?
– Sign a statement, provided by the city recorder, declaring you are “solely and mutually committed to each other.” – Document that both partners are at least 18 years old, unmarried and share a primary address in Salt Lake City. – Pay a $25 fee. – Agree to terminate the mutual-commitment contract if the relationship ends. – Prove financial interdependence by providing three supporting documents.
Source: Salt Lake City Recorder’s Office
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged domestic partnership rights, gay issues, gay rights, politics, Utah
A new site has popped up in the Blogosphere:
Save Me From My Senator – Chris Buttars Scares Me.
It was started as a result of dire frustration by a constituent of his. It’s chock full of really useful information, including
101 Reasons to Get Rid of Chris Buttars, Tools for Citizens to use in the Fight, news and blog articles, and lots more.
I live just outside of District 10, so I can’t help vote him out, but I sure can do all I can to get others in his district to do just that.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 2008 elections, chris buttars, gay issues, gay rights, politics, Utah
Last Sunday was the annual PRIDE parade in Salt Lake City – one of the biggest PRIDE celebrations around. This year the parade broke Utah’s parade record ever by being the biggest parade in Utah History!
Pom Poms Not Bomb Bombs, Utah’s Radical Cheerleaders (of which I am a member) participated in the parade
I had great fun being in the parade and then tabling for the Desert Greens Green Party of Utah!
| You Are 0% Homophobic |
 You’re open minded, tolerant, and accepting. And you’re not homophobic in the least 🙂 |
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged gay issues, gay rights, politics, transgender issues, Utah
From Equality Utah
In a vote of 41 to 29, with 5 Representatives absent, the House of Representatives voted to accept the Senate’s 4th Substitute of HB 236, Student Clubs Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Tilton and Sen. Buttars. 38 votes were needed for the 4th Substitute to be adopted.
Senator Buttars and Representative Tilton have each expressed opposition to Gay Straight Alliances in public schools. HB 236 does not specifically prohibit GSAs, but ambiguous language about why a school can ban a club may give school administrators the impression that they can ban GSAs.
Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged gay issues, gay rights, politics, school clubs, transgender issues, Utah
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 