Box Turtle Bulletin

CNN asks “What did MLK think about gay people?”

CNN’s John Blake asks

We know what King thought about race, poverty and war. But what was his attitude toward gay people, and if he was alive today would he see the gay rights movement as another stage of the civil rights movement?

It’s a careful consideration that seeks input from those who worked closest with Dr. King – while also acknowledging the position of those who claim his mantle but barely knew the man.

Brazilian activist takes on the Pope

This phrase, “The Jews are our Misfortune”, attributed to nationalist German historian Heinrich von Treitschke, became a motto of Der Stürmer, a Nazi publication. But the seeds planted by von Treitshke, though planted in a fertile ground of existing anti-Semetic hostility, didn’t bloom until long after his 1879 declaration (incidentally, three years after my German Jewish ancestors decided to find a new life in California).

Brazilian politician and activist Jean Wyllys sees parallels between von Treitscke’s demonization of German Jews and the Pope’s declaration that gay marriages threaten “the future of humanity itself”: (Ocio Gay)

Benedicto XVI no puede continuar difundiendo el odio y el prejuicio contra los gays. No puede decir que nosotros, sólo por amar, sólo por reclamar que nuestro amor sea respetado y reconocido, somos “una amenaza”. Por otra parte, porque ese tipo de frases tiene una historia. “¡Los judíos son nuestra desgracia!” (“Die Juden sind unser Unglück!”), dijo el historiador Heinrich von Treitschke, y esa desgraciada expresión, publicada en la revista alemana Der Sturmer y luego usada como lema por los nazis, terminó en lo que terminó. Los homosexuales también lo sabemos: nuestro destino en la Alemania nazi, donde Benedicto XVI pasó su juventud, era el mismo de los judíos, sólo que en vez de la estrella de David, lo que nos identificaba en los campos de concentración era el triángulo rosa. La tragedia del nazismo debería haber servido para aprender que el otro, el diferente, no es una amenaza, ni una desgracia, ni el enemigo. Y nosotros, los homosexuales, no amenazamos a nadie. Nuestro amor es tan bello y saludable como el de cualquiera. Y merecemos el mismo respeto y los mismos derechos que cualquiera.

De la misma manera que sucede ahora con el “matrimonio gay”, el matrimonio entre blancos y negros —llamado, en la época, “matrimonio interracial”— ya fue considerado “antinatural y contrario a la ley de Dios” y una amenaza contra la civilización. En una sentencia de 1966, un tribunal de Virginia que convalidó su prohibición usó estas palabras: “Dios Todopoderoso creó a la razas blanca, negra, amarilla, malaya y roja y las colocó en continentes separados. El hecho de que Él las haya separado demuestra que Él no tenía la intención de que las razas se mezclaran”. El matrimonio entre alemanes “de raza aria” y judíos también fue prohibido por Hitler. Hasta los evangélicos tuvieron el derecho al matrimonio negado en muchos países durante mucho tiempo, porque eran, también, una amenaza —para la Iglesia católica. Parece que algunos pastores no se acuerdan, pero fue así.

Google translation:

Benedict can not continue spreading hatred and prejudice against gays. You can not say that we only love, only to claim that our love is respected and recognized, are “a threat.” Moreover, because such words have a history. “The Jews are our misfortune!” (“Die Juden sind unser Unglück!”), The historian Heinrich von Treitschke, and that unfortunate expression, published in the German magazine Der Sturmer and then used as a slogan by the Nazis, ended in it ended. Homosexuals know: our fate in Nazi Germany, where Benedict XVI spent his youth, was the same as the Jews, only instead of the Star of David, which we identified in the concentration camps was the pink triangle . The tragedy of Nazism should have served to learn than the other, the different, not a threat, not a misfortune, not the enemy. And we, the homosexuals, not threaten anyone. Our love is so beautiful and healthy as anyone. And we deserve the same respect and rights as anyone else.

In the same way as happens now with the “gay marriage”, marriage between whites and blacks, called at the time, “interracial marriage” – and was considered “unnatural and contrary to the law of God” and a threat civilization. In a 1966 ruling of a court in Virginia upheld its ban used these words: “Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red and placed them on separate continents. The fact that he has separated the shows that he did not intend for the races to mix. ” The marriage of German “Aryan race” and was also banned Jews from Hitler. Even the evangelicals were denied the right to marriage in many countries for a long time, they were also a threat, the Catholic Church. It seems that some pastors do not remember, but it was so.

Huntsman drops out and what it means

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has dropped his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Huntman, though from one of the most socially conservative states in the union, had taken positions that were far more favorable to the gay community than most other candidates. In pulling out of the race, Huntsman threw his endorsement to Mitt Romney and called for Republican unity.

Remaining candidates are:

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, is relatively moderate. He supports civil unions which, depending on the day and the audience, appear to be either worthless or the complete equal of marriage. He endorses a Federal Marriage Amendment banning equality but it isn’t clear which version (some versions only ban court rulings, some ban the state legislators from enacting equality). Mitt kinda dislikes open service of gay personnel in the military but would do nothing to revert back to DADT. He “supports equality” but is pretty vague about what that means. He signed NOM’s anti-gay pledge, including the clauses supporting a commission to look at religious discrimination and the pledge to defend DOMA in court.

Rick Santorum, former Senator from Pennsylvania, is an obsessed social conservative. While Santorum has opinions on fiscal issues he primarily sees government as one aspect of society and firmly believes that society should be strongly influenced and directed by the teachings and positions of the Roman Catholic Church. In short, his perspective on the role of President is probably something akin to colonial governor serving at the direction of the Holy See. He’s also significantly dumber than a box of rocks.

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is also a social conservative. But his religious devotion appears to be secondary to his personal advancement. Gingrich is intelligent, cunning, and articulate. He is also reviled by a significant stripe of the population and comes with more baggage than can fit in a Pullman coach.

Rick Perry, governor of Texas, seems unaware that he has no support. What few votes he gets are probably from voters who confuse him with Perry Como.

Ron Paul, is a libertarian. Well, more so than most other candidates, anyway. He believes marriage should not be determined by government but should be up to churches. However, until that unlikely even occurs, he would probably oppose any equal treatment of gay and straight couples. Paul’s libertarianism has appeal, but he has been an outsider and contrarian for so long that he’s racked up a pretty impressive list of gaffes, faux pas, wacky positions, questionable statements, and downright lunacy. He’s now discovering that statements which garner attention as a challenger and opponent of the status quo can get you attention of a different kind when considered in terms of a credible candidate.

Which candidate is best for our community depends on what you think will happen in November.

While he is far from perfect, the continuation of President Obama’s administration for four more years is probably more likely to result in increased equality for gay and lesbian Americans than any of the Republican alternatives, if for no other reason than that the President will not defend DOMA in court and each Republican option is likely to do so (yes, including Ron Paul). So, on one hand, the weakest Republican – the one most likely to lose – is the best choice. Under that thinking, we should hope for Rick Santorum to be the nominee.

But if you are not a gambler and if you have witnessed far too many “unelectable” candidates win races, you will want the Republican nominee to be the candidate that will do the least damage. Should an “unelectable” candidate like Santorum by some fluke win, rough days would be ahead. Unlike President George W. Bush – whose advocacy for a Federal Marriage Amendment pretty much dried up on the day of the election – Santorum would actively seek ways to harm the lives and freedoms of gay Americans. And little things like separation of powers or the limitations of the office would certainly not deter him. If we are uncertain that Obama will prevail, Romney is probably best – though Paul supporters may challenge that claim.

But irrespective of who might be best for us, Mitt Romney seems at this point to be the likely Republican Nominee. And once he cinches that position, look for a change in rhetoric. Romney’s opposition to marriage will take lower status to his support for civil unions (of some sort) and he will increasingly talk about equal rights (though probably not actually endorsing policies that would achieve such).

From the perspective of the long run, a Romney candidacy is probably a good thing.

If Romney utilizes the language of civil equality – even if it is solely for cynical manipulation – it is valuable to our community to have such language heard from the Republican nominee. If Romney speaks favorably of civil unions – especially if he commits to federal recognition of such – this is a game changer. It shifts the mid-point and establishes “the Republican position” to be at a place which has until very recently been the home of moderate Democrats – and which is, as of today, the official position of President Obama.

The coronation of Pope Rick marred by dissent

When the collection of social conservatives met, the public perception was that the purpose was to coalesce around one Republican candidate, shifting support from a variety of ‘non-Mitt’s to just one not-Mitt in hopes of having a social conservative as the Republican candidate. In reality, they met so each could try and convince the others to support they guy they supported. And just a few days after the white smoke went up, it now seems that all that was really accomplished was a sharp division into two not-Mitt camps.

Which is not very surprising. The collection of “leaders” who met are not known for their humility; in fact, they mostly exist for the purpose of being disagreeable and opposing things they don’t like. Concession is not part of their vocabulary.

But what is a bit surprising is that the conservative evangelical theocratic alternatives are narrowed down to Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. Neither really seem to be ideal choices. They are both Catholic, you see. Papists, devotees in the cult of Mary, the tools of a foreign dictator, and worshipers of Mystery Babylon the Great Harlot. While that cultist polygamist Romney might be completely unacceptable, the pagan idolaters Santorum and Gingrich should be only marginally more acceptable – and that simply because Catholicism is a cult more familiar than the secretive Mormonism cult. *

(It is rather amusing when people who hate each other find common cause only in hating someone else even more.)

But it didn’t take long for the American Family Association to set the record straight. (OneNewsNow)

“The Evangelical community still holds a divergent opinion on who the nominee should be,” Rick Tyler, senior advisor to Winning Our Future PAC, a pro-Gingrich group, told OneNewsNow.com. “Rick Santorum won a straw poll that had a questionable methodology.”
…
“Rick has a very good record on evangelical issues but has no ability to beat Mitt Romney and less so for Barak Obama,” said Tyler. “Endorsing Rick only serves to help Romney who has a terrible record on the issues evangelicals care about.”
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Tyler added that at least nine Gingrich supporters did not attend the meeting. He also said such notable evangelicals like Don Wildmon, American Family Association founder, Beverly LaHaye, founder of Concerned Women of America, Pastor Tim LaHaye, Jim Garlow, senior pastor of Skyline Church and Prop 8 organizer, leading Christian researcher George Barna, former congressman JC Watts, Thomas Sowell, a conservative thought leader, Richard Lee, founding pastor of First Redeemer Church in Atlanta, Georgia and Mat Staver, dean of Liberty Law School have all endorsed Gingrich.

It’s hard to say why they are so devoted to Gingrich. Maybe it’s because his background is Protestant and they have doubts about the sincerity of his devotion to the Catholic Church. Maybe it is because they suspect that Rick Santorum truly would take any position or do without question any action directed by the Vatican. Or maybe they recognize that in a debate with a box of rocks, that Gingrich has hope of coming out on top.

But whatever the reasons, the advocates of theocracy are demonstrating what many of us have known for a while: their supposed influence and power has long been more theater and bluster than substance.

[* I’m not expressing my views, but the views of many evangelical fundamentalist Christians who view both the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church as being heretic.]

The Daily Agenda for Monday, January 16

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of the great civil rights legend and his work in securing the blessings of liberty and equality for all people. While it has been a federal holiday since 1986, only about a third of American employers make this day a paid holiday for their employees, which makes the goal of this day being a day of community service a difficult one to attain. It’s strange, this ambivalence we Americans seem to have for him. Perhaps its because he reminds us that he fought for the very same principles we pat ourselves on our collective backs for on the Fourth of July, despite our uneven history of ensuring those freedoms for everyone. He is our uncomfortable reminder that as a nation we have feet of clay; we don’t always live up to our promises. But he also reminds us of what we aspire to be. Not just us, but all lovers of freedom and equality around the world — even in places (perhaps especially in places) where his image has been co-opted by those who have no respect for freedom. So let’s pause and reflect on Dr. King’s fight for a nation of justice and equality for all, and redouble our efforts wherever there is a failure to uphold his vision and that of our forefathers more than two centuries ago.

TODAY IN HISTORY:
Louisiana Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Lesbians for “Unnatural Carnal Copulation”: 1967. Convictions of women for “crimes against nature” have been exceedingly rare in our nation’s history, but  the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1967 upheld two such convictions. In 1966, Mary Young and Dawn DeBlanc were arrested and charged with “having committed a crime against nature” under Louisiana law during the course of a prostitution sting. A police officer testified in court that he had spoken with DeBlanc over the phone about arranging to meet her and Young at a motel. As they settled on a price for services rendered, DeBlanc said that sometimes they “gave a show” for an additional charge. The evidence at trial for the crime against nature charge was slim: A photo of the girls naked in the motel room when they were arrested and certain comic books in one of the girls’ purses which was labelled obscene. Judge Frank Shea refused to throw out the flimsy evidence, and in stead instructed the jury that the law defining “crimes against nature” included any joining or connection of a genital organ of one person with the mouth of another. He also refused to instruct the jury on laws on entrapment.

Young and DeBlanc were convicted and sentenced to thirty months in the Orleans Parish prison. They appealed the case to the Louisiana Supreme Court on the grounds that the charge was vague. In 1967, the court ruled:

The statute, of course, requires proof of an “unnatural carnal copulation.” As pointed out by this court … this phrase simply means “any and all carnal copulation or sexual joining and coition that is devious and abnormal because it is contrary to the natural traits and/or instincts intended by nature, and therefore does not conform to the order ordained by nature. … Oral copulation by and between two women constituted “unnatural carnal copulation” within statute proscribing such conduct.

[From Jonathan Katz’s Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the USA (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1976): pp 127-128.

Republican support for marriage grows in Washington State

Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat notes a Republican county official who is taking a risk by supporting equality.

Reagan Dunn on Monday also said he supports allowing gays and lesbians to marry.

Dunn is a King County Council member. His blood bleeds so Republican his mother named him after Ronald Reagan. And he’s running statewide this year, to be attorney general — which means he is this state’s highest-profile Republican, by far, to come out for gay marriage.

It also means he’s out stumping for GOP money and votes not just in liberal King County, but in the reddest of red counties. Not to mention trying to rally the party’s base of social and church conservatives to his cause.

Westneat notes that there are now five elected Republicans who have in the past week come publicly on board. Let’s hope it’s a trend

Campaign for civil unions gets underway in Colorado

Colorado’s legislative session began last Wednesday and while most of the excitement was in Denver, equality org One Colorado held their civil union campaign kickoff in Colorado Springs that evening.  It was a low profile event, not designed for the media but rather for community members who’s excitement and passion is an absolute must in the effort to get civil unions passed into law.

Approximately 125 local supporters, community members, and activists assembled in the atrium of the Cornerstone Arts Center at Colorado College Wednesday evening.

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Since last year’s effort Public Policy Polling has reported support for civil unions has grown from 71% to 76%.  That makes civil unions more popular than even Tim Tebow who polls at 59% favorability.  And that support for civil unions is not confined to urban centers like Denver, in advance of Wednesday’s legislative kickoff the Durango Herald editorialized in support. Also attracting positive media attention is a new group of Republicans for civil unions called Coloradans for Freedom which approaches the issue from traditional GOP philosophies of individual liberty and fiscal responsibility.

But back to One Colorado’s kickoff – speakers included:

Brad Clark, executive director of One Colorado

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Pastor Wes Mullins of Pike Peak Metropolitan Community Church

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Daneya Esgar, Vice President of Southern Colorado Equality Alliance

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Jennifer Jackson, mother, straight ally, and community member

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James Dodd, local business leader and Human Relations Commission Member for the City of Colorado Springs

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Rosemary Harris Lytle, President of the Colorado Springs branch of the NAACP and Communications Director of the ACLU of Colorado

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After the event attendees enjoyed light refreshments and lingered to chat — I was able to reconnect with several people I hadn’t seen since last year’s campaign.  One Colorado is setting a decidedly different tone in this year’s push for civil unions.

Oh I should add that the following day in his state-of-the-state address, Governor John Hickenlooper endorsed civil unions, saying:

“We don’t believe we should legislate what happens inside a church or place of worship, but government should treat all people equally,” Hickenlooper said. “It’s time to pass civil unions.”

If you’re interested in adding your voice to call for civil unions feel free to sign One Colorado’s petition here.

Box of Rocks on Pope Rick

In response to the ecclesiastical selection of Rick Santorum as the exalted one, the boxs of rocks didn’t have much to say. However a spokesman noted that the Box of Rocks has little support from the theocratic minded as it generally tries to avoid those who are likely to cast the first stone.

Email of the Day: Send Money So I Can Send More Money-Raising Emails

It's all in the emails.

The shockwaves from Public Advocate’s email campaign are still breaking down major doors. The Washington Post has now joined in the attack on Public Advocate. They have condemned me for daring to speak the truth to the American people! You see, last week I sent an email warning to the subscribers of a major political news source about the terrors the Homosexual Classrooms Act holds for our nation. And the radical Homosexual Lobby can’t stand it! They immediately launched a campaign to get Public Advocate banned from mainstream media. But it didn’t work. You and I are still here! A reporter actually called me and bitterly asked me to just quit and give up. I told them: “I’m not backing down. I’m going to stick to my guns.”

And he’s doing all of this on emails alone, apparently. A one-time $20 donation will allow him to email 1,000 more people so he can ask them for $20 donations to email 1,000 more people, so he can ask him for $20 donations so … you get the idea. That’s the only stated purpose of this email and all the others in his “email campaign.” They say that anti-gay activists make a lot of money off of demonizing gay people. Delgaudio proves the point and goes further: you can make even more money if you don’t do anything else.

The Daily Agenda for Sunday, January 15

John S. Torell and Scott Lively

TODAY’S AGENDA (Theirs):
Scott Lively Webcast On “The Global Threat of Homosexuality”. The Resurrection Life of Jesus Church in Carmichael, CA, is run by a guy by the name of Pastor John S. Torell, who says he is the founder and president of European-American Evangelistic Crusades, Inc. Torell is something of a conspiracy theory connoisseur, with things to say about the Bilderbergers, the Jews and the New World Order. On the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski, Torell wrote, “Whenever politicians die ‘accidentally’, it’s worthwhile to see if the deceased politicians had been doing anything that may have angered the Jews or the New World Order, which in Europe takes the form of the European Union (EU).” He says the Jews, which runs the Secret World Government, hates the Tea Party. As for the Occupy Wall Street Movement, it is the product of a conspiracy involving Estonian-born Kalle Lasn, Barack Obama, ACORN, North Korea, the American Nazi Party, the Communist Party, Iranian Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamene, Venezuela president Hugo Chavez, and Roseanne Barr (who is, in case you missed it, a Jew who was born in the Mormon capital of Salt Lake City).

Also, HIV is manmade, created in “an ultrasecret government project called the Special Virus Program.” Another secret government program, in cooperation with that Jewish-run Secret World Government, is responsible for the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti. As for 9/11, the people who did it aren’t the people you think did it. To find out who did it, you have to watch this video, which I haven’t, so I don’t know who did it. Mormonisms are a cult, United Pentecostals are a cult, Seventh Day Adventism is a cult, Unitarian Universalism is a cult, Catholicism is a big time cult, and Judiasm, in addition to controlling the Secret World Government, is also a cult. And anybody who doesn’t read the King James Bible will probably end up in hell if they’re not careful.

And so it should come as no surprise that the Resurrection Life of Jesus Church will host Scott Lively for a live webcast this morning on the topic of “The Global Threat of Homosexuality.” Lively has traveled the world peddling his own brand of conspiracy theories including these in Uganda in 2009. His main schtick is to claim that Nazism was, in its essence, a gay movement, and that the inevitable result of equality for gay people is violent fascism. In Uganda, he pinned the blame for the genocide in neighboring Rwanda on “super macho” homosexuals. When it comes to paranoia, the aphorism about birds of a feather always springs to mind. The web cast, if you’re interested, begins at 10:30 a.m. PST.

TODAY’S AGENDA:
Ugandan Pro-Gay Pastor To Speak: Washington, D.C. As we noted the past two days, Rev. Mark Kiyimba, pastor of the New Life Kampala Unitarian Universalist Church, is currently on a speaking tour in the U.S., spending this weekend and part of next week in the Washington, D.C. area. He has been a consistent voice for LGBT equality in Uganda. If you have a chance to hear him, you should avail yourself of the opportunity. Here is his schedule:

• Sunday, Jan 15: He will speak at both services at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA at 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
• Monday, Jan 16: Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday celebration at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA from 12:00 p.m. to and 1:15 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan 17: Featured speaker at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, MD, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Celebrations This Weekend: Aspen Gay Ski Week: Aspen, CO; Melbourne Pride’s Midsumma Carnival: Melbourne, VIC.

If you know of something that belongs on the agenda, please send it here. Don’t forget to include the basics: who, what, when, where, and URL (if available).

And feel free to consider this your open thread for the day. What’s happening in your world?

Habemus Santorum!

A group of 150 cardinal (meaning primary or major) leaders of the Evangelical movement met in conclave in Texas to choose their standard bearer for the Republican presidential nomination. The white smoke has cleared and Rick Santorum emerged as their Vicar:

CBN confirms the report. Slate has this quote from Tony Perkins:

“What I did not think was possible appears to be possible,” said Perkins. After three rounds of balloting, “there emerged a strong consensus around Rick Santorum as the preferred candidate of this room.” It was a “clear, clear majority,” 115 out of 150, by the time other candidates were dropped off the ballot.

Sounds like it was straight out of the Sistine Chapel, doesn’t it? Team Santorum is ecstatic:

The Daily Agenda for Saturday, January 14

Today is Makar Sankranti, one of the most popular holidays in India and among its diaspora. The day marks the transition of the Sun into Capricorn, which means that it is on its transit into the northern hemisphere marking the start of longer days. While the day has religious significance among Hindus, it is has huge cultural significance throughout India, where it is celebrated under different names and traditions depending on local customs. In Gujarat, Rajastan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra (where Mumbai is located), people fly thousands of colorful kites which signify their reaching up to God. In Bihar and Gujarat, the holiday is celebrated over two days, in West Bengal it is a three-day celebration, and in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, it is part of a four-day holiday. Through much of India,  Makar Sankranti is celebrated with special foods and delicacies, and in many areas observances include some form of ritual bathing. In Punjab, where the holiday coincides with the coldest months of the year, huge bonfires are lit in celebration.

TODAY’S AGENDA:
Ugandan Pro-Gay Pastor To Speak: Washington, D.C. As we noted yesterday, Rev. Mark Kiyimba, pastor of the New Life Kampala Unitarian Universalist Church, has been a consistent voice for LGBT equality in Uganda. He is currently on a speaking tour in the U.S., spending this weekend and part of next week in the Washington, D.C. area:

• Saturday, Jan 14: He will preach the afternoon service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, VA from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Jan 15: He will speak at both services at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA at 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
• Monday, Jan 16: Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday celebration at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA from 12:00 p.m. to and 1:15 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan 17: Featured speaker at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, MD, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Celebrations This Weekend: Aspen Gay Ski Week: Aspen, CO; Melbourne Pride’s Midsumma Carnival: Melbourne, VIC.

If you know of something that belongs on the agenda, please send it here. Don’t forget to include the basics: who, what, when, where, and URL (if available).

And feel free to consider this your open thread for the day. What’s happening in your world?

France to upgrade couple recognition

Of those European nations which offer recognition to their same-sex couples, France’s form, Pacte civil de solidarité (PACS), is probably the weakest. And while they do offer protections and rights and there are some amusing advantages to a nation providing such a structure (many young heterosexual couples enter PACS as a sort of pre-marriage tryout), they simply do not provide equality. Gay couples are stuck in the “tryout” phase.

But that seems likely to change.

A poll to be released tomorrow will show that about two-thirds of the French (63%) support opening marriage to same-sex couples. And French politicians are scrambling to show that they are in alignment with the will of the French people. (Bloomberg)

Francois Hollande, the Socialist Party candidate and front- runner before the two-round election in April and May, supports homosexual marriage and will add it to his platform, Manuel Valls, head of communication for the Socialist campaign, said on RMC radio today.

And President Nicolas Sarkozy, while continuing to oppose same-sex marriage, has discovered a new-found interest in establishing a civil union provision that contains all of the rights, privileges, and duties of marriage.

Regardless of who wins which position in French Government, it is inevitable that the shame of offering less liberté, égalité, or fraternité than their ancient frenemies the Spanish, Dutch and British (especially the British) will eventually lead to change.

Equality in WA picks up 23rd supporting Senator

Yesterday we reported that Democratic Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe of Bothell was undeclared on whether to support the proposed marriage bill. She has now read the bill, discussed the matter with her constituents, and KEPRTV is reporting that she has pledged her support to its passage: “Now is the time to support marriage for all families.”

Two more to go.

All Canadian Marriages Declared Legal and Valid

The Globe and Mail today reports that Canada’s Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has reiterated that all marriages in Canada are “legal and valid,” and will be regarded as such even for non-resident couples who live in areas where same-sex marriage isn’t recognized.  Nicholson, a Conservative, laid the blame on the the predecessor Liberal government for the “legislative gap” which he said left thousands of same-sex couples in the lurch. A government lawyer in a divorce case noted that Canada’s law does not provide for divorce for couples who do not meet residency requirements. But that filing appeared to go further by declaring that the couple’s marriage itself was not valid because they lived in Florida and England, two places which do not recognize same-sex marriage.

Nicholson said that the Civil Marriage Act will be changed to eliminate the “legislative gap” in how Canada handles divorce cases. It’s unclear how long it will take for the law to be changed and what impact that has for same-sex couples in the meantime.