<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995</id><updated>2009-12-11T00:31:06.847-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Gay Marriage Watch</title><subtitle type='html'>Welcome to gay marriage watch - news about gay marriage around the world, and why everyone should get behind the civil rights movement of the 21st Century.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/atom.xml'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default?start-index=26&amp;max-results=25'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>1386</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-2467940530876823901</id><published>2009-12-10T08:26:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T08:29:17.112-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='passes'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='civil unions'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='austria'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='law'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='parliament'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><title type='text'>Austria: Parliament Passes Gay Civil Unions Bill</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Austria's parliament passed legislation Thursday allowing homosexual couples to enter into civil unions, a move hailed by proponents as a historic win for gay rights in the country. The bill, slated to become law Jan. 1., will give same-sex couples a series of rights enjoyed by their heterosexual counterparts, including access to a pension if one partner dies and alimony in the event of a split. It bans the adoption of children or artificial insemination.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"We are living in the 21st century and I'm very glad this step is being taken today," Justice Minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner said during parliamentary debate leading up to the vote.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Christian Hoegl, co-president of the Homosexual Initiative Vienna, Austria's oldest group of gays and lesbians, agreed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the AP: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDt8Yq8oetIOgJKLxdZGsNAvWNDwD9CGHIAO1"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDt8Yq8oetIOgJKLxdZGsNAvWNDwD9CGHIAO1&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-2467940530876823901?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/2467940530876823901/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=2467940530876823901' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/2467940530876823901'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/2467940530876823901'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/austria-parliament-passes-gay-civil.html' title='Austria: Parliament Passes Gay Civil Unions Bill'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-2181726650534836418</id><published>2009-12-10T08:12:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T08:18:41.288-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='civil unions'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='official recognition'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='australian capital territory'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='act'/><title type='text'>Australia: Feds Force Changes to ACT Law: Gay Couples Not Officially Recognized Until Days After Ceremony</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The ACT Greens have succumbed to a "veiled threat" from the federal government and will pass amendments to laws legalising same-sex weddings. It's a victory of sorts, said Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, but he's disappointed the fight for marriage equality has failed to go the full distance.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The Greens had hoped gay partners would be able to be legally pronounced a couple in a ceremony under laws passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly in November.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;But the federal government, threatening to veto the laws, forced changes that require same-sex couples to first register, then send back their signed papers after the ceremony before being recognised as a partnership.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from TheAge.com.au: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/act-greens-to-ok-gay-wedding-laws-20091210-kl0d.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/act-greens-to-ok-gay-wedding-laws-20091210-kl0d.html&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/spacific/australia.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-2181726650534836418?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/2181726650534836418/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=2181726650534836418' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/2181726650534836418'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/2181726650534836418'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/australia-feds-force-changes-to-act-law.html' title='Australia: Feds Force Changes to ACT Law: Gay Couples Not Officially Recognized Until Days After Ceremony'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-4899601329219953391</id><published>2009-12-10T08:04:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T08:08:41.105-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='radio ads'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='national organization for marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='robocalls'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nom'/><title type='text'>NJ: NOM Spends $600K to Fight Gay Marriage Bill</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The race is on in New Jersey -- in both lobbying and spending -- as advocates on both sides fight try to gain advantage in the latest same sex marriage battleground before the new chief executive takes office. Supporters of gay marriage are frantically pushing to get a bill to outgoing Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine before he leaves office next month. His successor, Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, has vowed to veto any such measure passed by the Legislature after he takes office Jan. 19.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;But if Corzine can sign the bill into law before then, Christie and opponents of same sex marriage will have to wait at least until the next state legislative elections in 2011 to fight back.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"This is the whole ballgame," said Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, which has spent more than $600,000 in radio and TV ads and robo-calls against same-sex marriage.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Fox News: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/advocates-tap-war-chest-battle-sex-marriage-new-jersey/?test=latestnews"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/advocates-tap-war-chest-battle-sex-marriage-new-jersey/?test=latestnews&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-4899601329219953391?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/4899601329219953391/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=4899601329219953391' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/4899601329219953391'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/4899601329219953391'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-nom-spends-600k-to-fight-gay.html' title='NJ: NOM Spends $600K to Fight Gay Marriage Bill'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-7354752751098973732</id><published>2009-12-10T07:57:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T08:00:13.995-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='same sex marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='philippines'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lawmaker'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='criminalization'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='criminalize'/><title type='text'>Philippines: Lawmaker Wants to Criminalize Gay Marriage</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A GROUP pushing for gender rights yesterday urged Congress to dump a proposed measure, criminalizing same-sex marriage. On Monday, Manila Sixth District Rep. Bienvenido Abante filed a bill to penalize the act which he described as “highly immoral, scandalous and detestable” in society.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Lawyer Clara Rita Padilla, executive director of EnGenderRights, said the measure was misplaced.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;“The bill proposed by Rep. Abante imposing criminal penalties on same-sex marriage should be immediately junked. House Bill 6919 has no place in the halls of Congress for being clearly discriminatory against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders,” she said in a statement.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Manila Standard Today: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2009/december/10/metro2.isx&amp;d=/2009/december/10"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2009/december/10/metro2.isx&amp;amp;d=/2009/december/10&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-7354752751098973732?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/7354752751098973732/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=7354752751098973732' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/7354752751098973732'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/7354752751098973732'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/philippines-lawmaker-wants-to.html' title='Philippines: Lawmaker Wants to Criminalize Gay Marriage'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-1509270488723930747</id><published>2009-12-10T07:29:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T07:32:23.107-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='evangelical alliance ireland'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='irish evangelical group'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='civil partnerships'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='supports'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ireland'/><title type='text'>Ireland: Evangelical Group Supports Civil Unions Bill</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The Evangelical Alliance Ireland has urged Christians to back the Civil Partnership Bill, which would introduce legal recognition of same-sex relationships in the Republic of Ireland. The Alliance’s stance on the issue is likely to win praise for its courage, as well as criticism from those who expect evangelicals to oppose gay people’s rights.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;“We suggest that evangelical Christians should support the basic thrust of the Bill,” said the Evangelical Alliance Ireland in a statement signed by its General Director, Sean Mullan.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;It goes on to say, “We may disagree on the detail of the legislation, but as followers of a just and compassionate God we can recognise the justice and fairness of providing some legal protection for the reality of both same-sex and opposite-sex cohabiting relationships”.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Spero News: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&amp;idsub=124&amp;id=24032&amp;t=Irish+Evangelicals+support+Gay+marriage"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&amp;amp;idsub=124&amp;amp;id=24032&amp;amp;t=Irish+Evangelicals+support+Gay+marriage&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-1509270488723930747?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/1509270488723930747/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=1509270488723930747' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1509270488723930747'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1509270488723930747'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ireland-evangelical-group-supports.html' title='Ireland: Evangelical Group Supports Civil Unions Bill'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-6558557599128522186</id><published>2009-12-10T07:24:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T07:27:32.930-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ca'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='california'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='curriculum'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='religion'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='anti gay bullying'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='discrimination'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='alameda'/><title type='text'>CA: Alameda Changes Anti Gay Bullying Lessons Under Pressure from Religious Parents</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A San Francisco Bay area school board will use broad lessons against bias to replace a curriculum against bullying gay people that had become a national centerpiece in the opposition to same-sex marriage. The vote by the Alameda Board of Education on Tuesday did little to ease tensions in the island city near Oakland. A lawsuit and threats of recalling school board members accompanied debate over the so-called Lesson 9 curriculum adopted in May to prevent anti-gay bullying.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Gay parents in the community wanted their children protected from bullying, while other parents argued that elementary school is too early to talk to students about gay people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The new anti-bullying lessons approved by the board, at the recommendation of School Superintendent Kirsten Vital, will be supplemented by children's books that explicitly address six specific forms of bias, including against gays.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the AP: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRm7ZQzVXwOfReFsukHhUIQCdOzgD9CGGI300"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRm7ZQzVXwOfReFsukHhUIQCdOzgD9CGGI300&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/_california.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in California.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-6558557599128522186?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/6558557599128522186/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=6558557599128522186' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6558557599128522186'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6558557599128522186'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ca-alameda-changes-anti-gay-bullying.html' title='CA: Alameda Changes Anti Gay Bullying Lessons Under Pressure from Religious Parents'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-9025569512982142977</id><published>2009-12-10T07:16:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-10T07:20:09.954-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay marriage vote'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='delayed'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><title type='text'>NJ: Gay Marriage Vote Delayed</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Supporters of gay marriage are hoping they can change the minds of New Jersey lawmakers who are on the fence.  Today's much-anticipated vote in the state Senate was postponed amid rising speculation that it would have gone down to defeat. The measure cleared committee by one vote.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Proponents said they wanted the bill to receive parallel consideration in the Assembly. Lawmakers also want more time to consider an amendment strengthening the religious exemption.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The amendment clarifies that religious organizations would not have to perform same-sex weddings or allow them on their property.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from WCBS TV: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://wcbstv.com/topstories/nj.gay.marriage.2.1361606.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://wcbstv.com/topstories/nj.gay.marriage.2.1361606.html&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-9025569512982142977?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/9025569512982142977/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=9025569512982142977' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9025569512982142977'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9025569512982142977'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-gay-marriage-vote-delayed.html' title='NJ: Gay Marriage Vote Delayed'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-6617489529876705639</id><published>2009-12-09T14:02:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T14:03:50.529-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='senate'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vote'/><title type='text'>NJ: Marriage Equality Alert - Call These Senators Today</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Passing this along:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Phone for Marriage Equality in New Jersey&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;   The Human Rights Campaign is asking all concerned NJ citizens to call the office of five key state senators whose vote is critical to passing marriage equality legislation tomorrow:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Senator Nicholas Sacco: (201) 295-0200&lt;br /&gt;Senator Sean Kean: (732) 974-0400&lt;br /&gt;Senator Fred Madden: (856) 232-6700, (856) 401-3073, (908) 232-2073&lt;br /&gt;Senator Tom Kean: (908) 232-3673, (908) 918-0414,&lt;br /&gt;Senator Shirely Turner: (609) 530-3277&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;HRC notes "if you are told by the office that you are not a constituent you can say: I am calling your office because the Senator will be voting on an issue that impacts me and the entire state." With a strong will and determined effort, perhaps we can make history tomorrow!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-6617489529876705639?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/6617489529876705639/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=6617489529876705639' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6617489529876705639'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6617489529876705639'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-marriage-equality-alert-call-these.html' title='NJ: Marriage Equality Alert - Call These Senators Today'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-9047653910609706156</id><published>2009-12-09T08:27:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T08:35:43.114-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ang ladlad'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay party'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='philippines'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='catholic priest'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='moralitycommission on elections'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='comelec'/><title type='text'>Philippines: Gay Group Seeking Official Status Finds Possible Ally in Catholic Priest</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Gay party list group Ang Ladlad has seemingly found an ally in the Church. Father Melvin Castro of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said in a statement on Monday that homosexulity "does not equate with immorality", contrary to a Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision saying that gays are immoral.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;And Ladlad claims to represent gays, lesbians, and transgender communities in the Philippines. The Comelec refused to accredit the Ang Ladlad as a party list since the group reportedly promotes immorality and gays are threats to the youth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Castro's seeming defense of gays ends there, however, since he opposed same-sex marriage in a statement dated December 7.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from ABS-CBN: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/12/08/09/church-not-anti-gay-says-priest"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/12/08/09/church-not-anti-gay-says-priest&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-9047653910609706156?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/9047653910609706156/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=9047653910609706156' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9047653910609706156'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9047653910609706156'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/philippines-gay-group-seeking-official.html' title='Philippines: Gay Group Seeking Official Status Finds Possible Ally in Catholic Priest'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-1362737670054618211</id><published>2009-12-09T08:22:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T08:24:56.346-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='advertising'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='abercrombie and fitch'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='victoria&apos;s secret'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='american decency'/><title type='text'>Christian Group Targeting Abercrombie &amp; Fitch, Victoria's Secret Advertising</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A group called American Decency has sent out a call for a boycott of Abercrombie &amp;amp; Fitch, telling adherents that the company exploits teen consumers with eroticized advertisements that present sexuality in a context that could imply a "lifestyle agenda" to which the group objects.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Such a "lifestyle agenda," as well as a "hidden agenda" that the group claims A&amp;amp;F to promote, steers clear of overt marketing to gays, notes media watchdog Gay &amp;amp; Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAAD): "With nonstop pictures of beefcake, clothing retailer Abercrombie &amp;amp; Fitch has not only taken the gay community by storm but straight young men in college as well," a posting at the GLAAD Web site reads.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"Although the Reynoldsburg, Ohio retailer’s advertising appeared in OUT magazine over the years," the text continues, "A&amp;amp;F spokesman Hampton Carney said the company doesn’t target the gay market. ’We really market to 18-22 year old college students,’ he said.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Edge Boston: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;sc=&amp;sc2=news&amp;sc3=&amp;id=99875"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;amp;sc=&amp;amp;sc2=news&amp;amp;sc3=&amp;amp;id=99875&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-1362737670054618211?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/1362737670054618211/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=1362737670054618211' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1362737670054618211'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1362737670054618211'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/christian-group-targeting-abercrombie.html' title='Christian Group Targeting Abercrombie &amp; Fitch, Victoria&apos;s Secret Advertising'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-3972669961947528208</id><published>2009-12-09T07:36:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T07:40:03.471-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new york'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='senate'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vote'/><title type='text'>NY: Gay Marriage Lost the Vote But Won the Fight</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Supporters of same-sex marriage sadly lost the 38-to-24 vote in the state Senate last week, but they won the argument. On the merits, the debate wasn't even close. In fact, with the lonely exception of Bronx Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., opponents literally said nothing to justify denying equal marital rights to tens of thousands of New Yorkers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The only word 37 of them spoke was "no." Their collective silence was shameful. Before casting such a momentous vote, they owed the state at least one valid argument as to why gay and lesbian couples should be treated as second-class citizens.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Apparently, they didn't have one - at least, not one they cared to utter in public.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the NY Daily News: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/columnists/hammond/index.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/columnists/hammond/index.html&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newyork.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-3972669961947528208?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/3972669961947528208/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=3972669961947528208' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/3972669961947528208'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/3972669961947528208'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ny-gay-marriage-lost-vote-but-won-fight.html' title='NY: Gay Marriage Lost the Vote But Won the Fight'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-6060072564093035787</id><published>2009-12-09T07:28:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T07:30:31.460-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='julian bond'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='naacp chairman'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><title type='text'>NJ: NAACP Chairman Speaks Out for Gay Marriage Bill</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;“Gay rights are civil rights,” Julian Bond said, invoking during his testimony the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the women’s suffrage movement and the abolition of slavery. Bond was one of many people to provide testimony on marriage equality, and about 1,000 people gathered at the capitol to rally over the issue.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The New Jersey state Senate Judiciary Committee subsequently voted 7-6 to approve the gay marriage bill in that state.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Steven Goldstein, Executive Director of Garden State Equality, said “The marriage-equality movement in America starts again right here.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Out &amp;amp; About: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://blogs.outandaboutnewspaper.com/samjones/?p=345"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://blogs.outandaboutnewspaper.com/samjones/?p=345&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-6060072564093035787?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/6060072564093035787/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=6060072564093035787' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6060072564093035787'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6060072564093035787'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-naacp-chairman-speaks-out-for-gay.html' title='NJ: NAACP Chairman Speaks Out for Gay Marriage Bill'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-1223400733973306556</id><published>2009-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T07:26:46.503-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='the boss'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bruce springsteen'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><title type='text'>Bruce Springsteen Backs Gay Marriage Bill in New Jersey</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A gay marriage bill that's up for a crucial vote Thursday in New Jersey has the backing of "the Boss." Rock legend Bruce Springsteen say he supports the legislation, which would legalize same sex marriages in the Garden State. On his Web site, the New Jersey born Springsteen says he's "always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples," adding that he urges "those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The New Jersey state Senate is expected to vote on the bill Thursday. It passed through the state Senate's Judiciary Committee earlier this week by one vote. Democrats concede the measure may fall short of the 21 votes needed to pass the state Senate. The state Assembly hasn't considered the bill yet.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The timing is important since Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who takes office next month, says he would veto the bill. The man Christie beat in last month's election, out-going Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, says he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk before he leaves office.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from CNN: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/09/the-boss-backs-legal-gay-marriage-in-new-jersey/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/09/the-boss-backs-legal-gay-marriage-in-new-jersey/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-1223400733973306556?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/1223400733973306556/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=1223400733973306556' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1223400733973306556'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1223400733973306556'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/bruce-springsteen-backs-gay-marriage.html' title='Bruce Springsteen Backs Gay Marriage Bill in New Jersey'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-5798172270422133559</id><published>2009-12-08T05:48:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-08T05:52:44.219-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='immigration'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='marriage fraud'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='foreign partner'/><title type='text'>FL: Attorney Suspended After Conviction for Trying to Keep Partner in US</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Eric Affholter, an attorney who practices in Pompano Beach, has had his law license suspension upheld by the Florida Supreme Court, based on Affholter's arranging a fraudulent marriage designed to make his partner, a Peruvian man, a legal resident. It was a real-world consequence in the often abstract debate over whether same-sex partners should have the right to legally marry.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Late Monday, I left a message for Affholter on a voicemail box he shares with his partner, Pedro Cerna-Rojas. I hope to hear back today, and when I do I'll post it on the blog. The felony marriage fraud case against Affholter dates to 2007, and it was filed in a court in St. Louis, Missouri, where he had been assistant public defender. After the jump, excerpts from a local news report about Affholter's case.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;According to local news reports, Cerna-Rojas had been staying in the U.S. on a student visa, which expired in June 2004. To allow him to stay legally in the U.S., a female friend of Affholter's, who also worked in the public defender's office, volunteered to marry Cerna-Rojas in a Las Vegas chapel.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the New Times: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2009/12/eric_affholter_gay_marriage_immigration.php"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2009/12/eric_affholter_gay_marriage_immigration.php&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-5798172270422133559?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/5798172270422133559/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=5798172270422133559' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5798172270422133559'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5798172270422133559'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/fl-attorney-suspended-after-conviction.html' title='FL: Attorney Suspended After Conviction for Trying to Keep Partner in US'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-5737278576234811327</id><published>2009-12-08T05:40:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-08T05:42:15.956-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='civil unions'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ireland'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><title type='text'>Ireland: Civil Unions Bill Likely to Pass This Month</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;As the United States engages in a heated debate over gay marriage, European Union countries are rapidly striding toward total recognition of same-sex civil unions, if not marriage. The most recent example is Ireland.Last Thursday saw Ireland become the latest country to edge toward marriage equality for homosexual couples. The Irish parliament read and debated the Civil Partnership Bill 2009, introduced by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Despite Ireland’s socially conservative image, opposition to the bill is virtually non-existent and will likely pass into law this month with widespread support from opposition parties Fine Gael and Labour as well as the governing coalition of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;If passed, the bill would see Ireland join a club of nine EU members that officially recognize civil unions. In addition, a further four EU countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden – fully recognize same-sex marriages.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the Christian Science Monitor: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/12/07/ireland-once-a-catholic-bastion-promises-civil-unions-for-same-sex-couples/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/12/07/ireland-once-a-catholic-bastion-promises-civil-unions-for-same-sex-couples/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-5737278576234811327?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/5737278576234811327/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=5737278576234811327' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5737278576234811327'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5737278576234811327'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ireland-civil-unions-bill-likely-to.html' title='Ireland: Civil Unions Bill Likely to Pass This Month'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-5990423679482724498</id><published>2009-12-08T05:33:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-08T05:36:33.305-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='marriage certificates'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mn'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='quakers'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='minnesota'/><title type='text'>MN: Quakers Stop Signing Marriage Certiticates Until Gay Marriage Legalized</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A group of Twin Cities Quakers has decided to stop signing marriage certificates for opposite-sex couples until the state legalizes gay marriage. "We're simply trying to be consistent with the will of God as we perceive it," said Paul Landskroener, clerk of the Twin Cities Friends Meeting, in an interview with MPR's All Things Considered on Monday.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The congregation will continue to hold both opposite-sex and same-sex weddings at its meeting house, but will no longer sign the legal marriage certificate for opposite-sex couples. Instead, couples will need to have the certificate signed by a justice of the peace.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"Everything else proceeds as it normally has, except that we will not sign the marriage certificate," Landskroener said.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from MPR: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/12/07/quaker-marriage/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/12/07/quaker-marriage/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/minnesota.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in Minnesota.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-5990423679482724498?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/5990423679482724498/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=5990423679482724498' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5990423679482724498'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5990423679482724498'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/mn-quakers-stop-signing-marriage.html' title='MN: Quakers Stop Signing Marriage Certiticates Until Gay Marriage Legalized'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-4788205280442004860</id><published>2009-12-08T05:23:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-08T05:25:58.078-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='costs'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='being gay'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay men'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lesbians'/><title type='text'>What Does Being Gay Really Cost?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The authors of a widely discussed article published in The New York Times, "The High Price of Being a Gay Couple were the main attraction at a panel discussion at New York’s Gay Center on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009. Finance reporter Tara Siegel Bernard and colleague Ron Lieber estimated the additional expenses incurred by two hypothetical gay couples over a fifty-year period, compared to the same expenses incurred by two hypothetical heterosexual couples. The worst-case couple would earn a combined $70,000 annually. The best-case scenario couple earned a combined $160,000.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The article, which was highly praised by mainstream and gay readers, examined every detail of how the lack of legal union and other legal restrictions wreaks secret havoc on our financial well being.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Two months and 900 fictional tax returns later, Bernard and Siegel emerged with a wide-ranging profile which shattered the myth that gays are more financially robust and advantaged than their heterosexual peers. The two reporters (who are heterosexual), detailed the metholodology of how they crunched the numbers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Edge Boston: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;sc=&amp;sc2=news&amp;sc3=&amp;id=99842"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;amp;sc=&amp;amp;sc2=news&amp;amp;sc3=&amp;amp;id=99842&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-4788205280442004860?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/4788205280442004860/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=4788205280442004860' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/4788205280442004860'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/4788205280442004860'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/what-does-being-gay-really-cost.html' title='What Does Being Gay Really Cost?'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-3581673237580535243</id><published>2009-12-08T05:13:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-08T05:17:57.463-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='panel'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='senate'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vote'/><title type='text'>NJ: Gay Marriage Bill Clears Senate Panel</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A state Senate committee voted narrowly Monday night in favor of a proposal to permit gay couples to marry in New Jersey, a bill supporters hope to have Gov. Jon S. Corzine sign before he leaves office in six weeks. An hours-long hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee packed with emotional testimony, both from couples who long for the right to marry and opponents who say that would undermine traditional marriage, started low-key but got testy as it continued late into the night.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The vote on the bill, S-1967, was 7-6. Four of the five Republicans — Sens. Kip Bateman, Jennifer Beck, Gerald Cardinale and Joseph Kyrillos Jr. — voted against the bill, and Sen. Bill Baroni Jr., R-Mercer, voted in favor. It advanced by a one-vote margin, after two of the eight Democrats — Sens. John Girgenti and Paul A. Sarlo — voted against the bill, though its chances Thursday before the full Senate are less certain.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"It is not often that we have a chance to change society and how we treat each other as human beings. It occurs a few times in our lifetimes, if it occurs at all. We have that opportunity today," said Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union. "We can change fear to love, hate to compassion, cruelty to kindness. Those who oppose gay marriage are not unloving, hateful or cruel. But our law, which does not allow for gay marriage, provides a safe haven for those who are."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from the Daily Record: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091208/UPDATES01/91208009/State-Senate-panel-OKs-N.J.-gay-marriage-bill"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091208/UPDATES01/91208009/State-Senate-panel-OKs-N.J.-gay-marriage-bill&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-3581673237580535243?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/3581673237580535243/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=3581673237580535243' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/3581673237580535243'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/3581673237580535243'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-gay-marriage-bill-clears-senate.html' title='NJ: Gay Marriage Bill Clears Senate Panel'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-9207497219174873986</id><published>2009-12-07T11:11:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T11:13:33.735-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='proposition 8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='noh8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='prop 8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='campaign'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='wrestler'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lillian garcia'/><title type='text'>Wrestler Lillian Garcia Joins NoH8 Campaign for Gay Marriage</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Recently departed Diva, Lilian Garcia has joined a slew of celebrities to take part in the NOH8 campaign petitioning against anti-gay marriage laws. By doing so, the Decade Diva is the first wrestling personality to shoot for the campaign which has attracted Hollywod stars including the Kardashians and Perez Hilton. Okay, maybe not the best company but you get the sentiment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;It’s great to see Lilian lend her support to such a great cause and this is no doubt a high profile campaign to be part of. Check out the full picture below.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Sidebar: Did anyone else do double take? I could have sworn that was a picture of Kelly Kelly!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Diva Dirt: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.diva-dirt.com/2009/12/06/lilian-garcia-is-first-wrestling-personality-to-join-noh8-campaign/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.diva-dirt.com/2009/12/06/lilian-garcia-is-first-wrestling-personality-to-join-noh8-campaign/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-9207497219174873986?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/9207497219174873986/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=9207497219174873986' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9207497219174873986'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/9207497219174873986'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/wrestler-lillian-garcia-joins-noh8.html' title='Wrestler Lillian Garcia Joins NoH8 Campaign for Gay Marriage'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-5857926549135420087</id><published>2009-12-07T11:07:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T11:09:34.777-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='maine'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ca'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='me'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='losses'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='california'/><title type='text'>Why We Lost Gay Marriage Fights in California &amp; Maine</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Should the November 2009 result in Maine -- a 53/47 victory by the forces seeking to overturn marriage equality -- have come as a surprise? After all, No on 1 raised much more money than Yes on 1 did. They out-organized their opponents. They ran a positive, upbeat campaign. And still the result, just like California last year: a loss.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;This report will examine the reasons behind the Maine loss. Then it will undertake demographic analysis of the results from Maine, California (Proposition 8) and Washington State (Referendum 71) to assess whether there were consistent demographic factors in play. Next, based on the results of the demographic analysis, a simple model will be suggested to estimate probability on a state-by-state basis of marriage equality being adopted at the ballot box. Finally, a going-forward strategy for marriage equality advocates will be proposed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Maine: What Went Wrong?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Given the type of campaign marriage equality advocates waged in Maine, and the realities of running such a campaign in a state like Maine, the No on 1 forces did about the best they could have. But close does not count, and a loss is a loss. There are five reasons the No on 1 forces lost Maine. Advocates of marriage equality must re-think what they are doing, or more electoral defeats are forthcoming. However, if they make some adjustments, they will obtain the result they seek, eventually.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Nolanchart.com: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.nolanchart.com/article7109.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.nolanchart.com/article7109.html&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-5857926549135420087?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/5857926549135420087/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=5857926549135420087' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5857926549135420087'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/5857926549135420087'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/why-we-lost-gay-marriage-fights-in.html' title='Why We Lost Gay Marriage Fights in California &amp; Maine'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-7698392053799070021</id><published>2009-12-07T10:55:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T11:02:29.365-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='wa'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='signatures'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='referendum'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='washington state'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='domestic partnerships'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='public record'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bill'/><title type='text'>WA: Seattle Lawmaker to Introduce Public Record Bill for Referendum Signatures</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;A Democratic state lawmaker from Seattle plans to pre-file a bill Monday for the 2010 legislative session that would clarify that signatures, names and addresses of people who sign initiatives and referendums are part of the public record. The issue of releasing names of people who sign referendums and initiatives surfaced earlier this year in the fight over the new "everything but marriage" law that expands rights for gay domestic partners in Washington state.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"I'm not sure how our state action might impact things," Rep. Reuven Carlyle said in an e-mail. "But I feel it's a vital piece of democracy to take a stand in favor of openness, transparency and access. One would assume a state Legislature's view on an issue holds some consideration for the courts."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Conservative groups circulated petitions to get a measure on last month's ballot that attempted to block the new law. However the state's voters upheld the new law through Referendum 71.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Seattle PI: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/187330.asp?from=blog_last3"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/187330.asp?from=blog_last3&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/washington.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-7698392053799070021?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/7698392053799070021/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=7698392053799070021' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/7698392053799070021'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/7698392053799070021'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/wa-seattle-lawmaker-to-introduce-public.html' title='WA: Seattle Lawmaker to Introduce Public Record Bill for Referendum Signatures'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-6598700177620719842</id><published>2009-12-07T10:49:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T10:53:47.111-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fred karger'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ca'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='proposition 8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay marrage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='yes on 8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='california'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lawsuit'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='prop 8'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='californians against hate'/><title type='text'>CA: Yes on 8 Targeting Californians Against Hate Founder With Lawsuit</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;In a lawsuit against state election officials, Proposition 8 supporters have targeted the man who first exposed the financial role the Mormon Church and the National Organization for Marriage played in the referendum’s passage in Nov. 2008.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;In a subpoena, Yes on 8 and NOM want Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, to surrender all records associated with his investigation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Karger, who is seeking financial help to mount his legal battle, founded his organization to oppose Prop. 8. He initially went after a San Diego hotel owner who put up $125,000 to help marriage opponents launch a successful petition drive to get the referendum on the ballot and a self-storage company magnate who gave the the pro-Prop 8 campaign $693,000.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Edge Boston: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;sc=&amp;sc2=news&amp;sc3=&amp;id=99777"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&amp;amp;sc=&amp;amp;sc2=news&amp;amp;sc3=&amp;amp;id=99777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/_california.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resourcesi in Californi.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-6598700177620719842?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/6598700177620719842/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=6598700177620719842' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6598700177620719842'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6598700177620719842'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ca-yes-on-8-targeting-californians.html' title='CA: Yes on 8 Targeting Californians Against Hate Founder With Lawsuit'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-8854508948709384901</id><published>2009-12-07T10:36:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T10:38:40.930-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='senate vote'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new jersey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nj'/><title type='text'>NJ: Will Gay Marriage Pass This Week?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The New Jersey Legislature will take up a gay marriage bill one week after New York rejected a similar measure. The decision to act on the bill comes after gay activists pressure lawmakers to act. New Jersey state Senator Ray Lesniak announced the decision on Thursday.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;“On Monday in the Judiciary Committee, we're going to vote on marriage equality,” he told a crowd of over 650 gay marriage supporters who had gathered at the Statehouse.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Events in nearby New York appear to have influenced the decision to put the measure on a fast track. After defeat of gay marriage in the Senate, gay activists vowed to oust Senate Democrats who they accused of “betrayal.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from On Top Magazine: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=4966&amp;MediaType=1&amp;Category=26"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=4966&amp;amp;MediaType=1&amp;amp;Category=26&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newjersey.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources in New Jersey.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-8854508948709384901?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/8854508948709384901/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=8854508948709384901' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/8854508948709384901'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/8854508948709384901'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/nj-will-gay-marriage-pass-this-week.html' title='NJ: Will Gay Marriage Pass This Week?'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-1368892804717550293</id><published>2009-12-07T08:13:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T08:16:17.781-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='kenya'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='churches'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new constitution'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay marriage loophole'/><title type='text'>Kenya: Churches Threaten to Reject New Constitution Over "Gay Marriage Loophole"</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Kenyan Evangelical Churches have once again threatened to reject the Harmonised Draft Constitution but this time on the premise that it failed to outlaw gay marriages and abortion. Kenya Christian Constitutional Forum Chairman (KCCF) Bishop Gerry Kibarabara said on Monday that by stating that every adult has a right to marry, the draft as presented leaves a loophole for the two vices.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The leaders urged the Committee of Experts (CoE) on Constitution to clearly outlaw the two illegalities before presenting the draft for a vote. “We state categorically that life begins at conception and ends in natural death and the draft should be amended to include those specific words,” Bishop Kibarabara said after a meeting of the forum.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;“The marriage and family should be clearly defined as between persons of the opposite sex.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Capital News: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Kenyan-churches-in-new-threat-over-law-6741.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Kenyan-churches-in-new-threat-over-law-6741.html&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resources.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-1368892804717550293?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/1368892804717550293/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=1368892804717550293' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1368892804717550293'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/1368892804717550293'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/kenya-churches-threaten-to-reject-new.html' title='Kenya: Churches Threaten to Reject New Constitution Over &quot;Gay Marriage Loophole&quot;'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1343807079389036995.post-6922113997872463342</id><published>2009-12-07T07:55:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-07T08:06:21.715-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Gay Marriage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gay activists'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='democrats'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new york'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vote'/><title type='text'>NY: Gay Activists to Fight to Remove Democrats Who Betrayed Gay Marriage Vote</title><content type='html'>&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;The rhetoric is ratcheted up to 11 after last week's overwhelming rejection of same-sex marriage in the state Senate, which left gay-rights activists reeling. "It's going to be a bloodbath," one gay "operative" tells the Daily News. "We're going to use every single weapon in our quiver to take these people out. We either need to replace them or scare the hell out of them so they do the right thing." Activists say they'll focus their efforts on the Democrats who they feel betrayed them, and number one on the list of Senator Joseph P. Addabbo of Queens.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Some analysts believe that because the alphabetically-advanced Addabbo voted second in the roll call, his "no" sent a message to subsequent swing voters that the measure would not pass, creating a domi-no effect. Addabbo has sought to draw a line between his personal opinion on same-sex marriage (which he refuses to divulge) and the will of his constituency. Speaking to reporters about his vote, he said:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;"To this day, I have kept my personal belief out of it, and it's still personal...It is my belief, and it's only my belief. I voted, again, the will of the people in my district. First and foremost, I am very thankful to everyone who got me to where I am as a state senator. I am grateful to all those in the gay community that supported me—whether it be financially or with the hours of volunteer work. I'm grateful to them, but never once did I say to anyone or any particular entity what my position was on the issue..."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Full Story from Gothamist.com: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/12/07/gay_activists_promise_bloodbath_aft.php"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://gothamist.com/2009/12/07/gay_activists_promise_bloodbath_aft.php&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.purpleunions.com/usa/newyork.html"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Click here for gay marriage resourcesi in New York.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:info@purpleunions.com"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;info@purpleunions.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;. Or find us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=53aa53ab4650a368270363adecde020e&amp;gid=52673932437&amp;ref=search"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt; - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1343807079389036995-6922113997872463342?l=gaymarriageforall.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/6922113997872463342/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1343807079389036995&amp;postID=6922113997872463342' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6922113997872463342'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1343807079389036995/posts/default/6922113997872463342'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.purpleunions.com/blog/2009/12/ny-gay-activists-to-fight-to-remove.html' title='NY: Gay Activists to Fight to Remove Democrats Who Betrayed Gay Marriage Vote'/><author><name>Scott at PurpleUnions.com</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06893539163975272261</uri><email>info@purpleunions.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='12092356577891726307'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry></feed>