Free Republic

City Manager Sheryl Sculley calls herself an agent of social change. That is not her job, but she is using the budget to do it. Her budget proposes insurance benefits for same-sex domestic partners. The plan is bad on several counts. [. . .] . . . this proposal is an insult to 6,000 years of law codes, prevailing social traditions and the religious beliefs and moral code of most residents of San Antonio. It is one thing to tolerate or countenance the practice of homosexuality; it is quite another to give it tax support. It is not the role...

In November 1987, two Gay Activists penned an article published in a Gay Magazine titled THE OVERHAULING OF STRAIGHT AMERICA, which was essentially the outline of “a propaganda campaign to confuse and deceive the American people about their objectives.” Tactics mentioned include “intimidation, lies, and fear to silence opposition.” Nowhere is then seen any better than in California after passage of their Proposition 8, overturning the legislative action allowing same-sex marriage in that state. It can also be seen quite vividly today in Washington State as a measure allowing Domestic Partnerships legal standing, laughably referred to as “Everything but marriage,”...

Well, on Tuesday two people filed an initiative to get the state of California out of the business altogether. The initiative, filed by Kaelan Housewright and Ali Shams, replaces the term "marriage" with "domestic partnership" throughout California statutes, while preserving the rights of marriage. Shams and Housewright are students, 22 and 21 respectively, the AP reported. The next step would be to gather roughly 700,000 valid signatures to place the measure on the ballot -- a tall task. But hey, they have a Facebook group...

The New Mexico Senate just voted down a bill that would have recognized domestic partnerships by a 25-17 vote. Ten Democrats joined the body’s 15 Republicans in voting against the bill, which would have given many of the same benefits enjoyed by married couples to couples who don’t currently have the right, or the desire, to marry.

Alimony still required after ex-wife enters domestic partnership ASSOCIATED PRESS July 24, 2007 LOS ANGELES – A judge has ordered a man to continue paying alimony to his ex-wife – even though she is in a registered domestic partnership with another woman and uses the other woman's last name. California marriage laws state alimony ends when a former spouse remarries, and Ron Garber thought that meant he was off the hook when he learned his ex-wife had registered her new relationship under the state's domestic partnership law. An Orange County judge didn't see it that way. The judge ruled that...

Earlier this morning there was a debate on two ballot initiatives here in Colorado, the 'Domestic Partnerships', Referendum I and the 'Marriage Amendment', Amendment 43. Mike Rosen of 850am KOA radio here in Denver was host and moderator. Mike Rosen is FOR 'Amendment 43' and UNDECIDED on 'Referendum I'. Mike is not a social conservative. He is a fiscal conservative and pro-military. --- Before the debate I thought "Ref I" was going to allow same sex couples visitation rights at hospitals, ability to will death benefits and a few other "rights". It is WAY WAY beyond just that. It will...

"... same-sex marriage has advanced so far as an issue that even Republicans like Knight, a senator from Palmdale, seem to be changing their minds. In 2000, California voters overwhelmingly approved Knight’s Proposition 22, which said the state would recognize only marriages between a man and a woman. Knight once wouldn’t even consider civil unions and expanded rights for domestic partners, but now he’s willing to compromise--under certain conditions. Since Proposition 22 passed in 2000, he's seen its power erode--most notably when his gay son recently got married in San Francisco. Today, Knight says he might be willing to accept...

Recent moves toward legal recognition of same-sex marriage in two Canadian provinces and Massachusetts, as well as the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses by the City and County of San Francisco, have confused the picture for employers trying to understand their legal obligations under California's broad new domestic partnership law. Domestic partnership is not a marriage. It is an alternative to marriage. In general, employers whose employees marry same-sex partners in Canada (which currently allows same-sex marriage) and Massachusetts (which may soon) will not have any legal obligations as a result. The federal Defense of Marriage Act, like the laws...

<p>A California judge has ruled that the state can begin implementing its sweeping domestic partnership law next month, despite legal protests that the new law illegally creates same-sex "marriage."</p> <p>Sacramento Superior Court Judge Thomas Cecil's decision Thursday was hailed as a victory by homosexual rights groups. But traditional values groups, which are suing to block the new law, were heartened that Judge Cecil did not throw out their case altogether.</p>

<p>Driving will be on the minds of state lawmakers as they convene today in Trenton, where they are scheduled to consider bills that would toughen the definition of drunken driving, ban motorists from using cell phones and mandate cleaner-running cars.</p>

<p>Two Republican legislators won the right on Friday to begin circulating petitions to overturn a law signed last month by Gov. Gray Davis that extends many benefits of marriage to same-sex domestic partners.</p> <p>The secretary of state's office said Friday that the referendum backed by state Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murietta (Riverside County), and state Sen. Pete Knight, R-Palmdale (Los Angeles County), had met with the necessary requirements to begin collecting signatures to place the issue on the ballot. If they are able to gather the 373,816 signatures necessary to qualify, it will probably appear on the general election ballot next November.</p>

My title: But How Would This Play in Peoria? When I went over to the bookstore to get coffee in preparation for many hours ahead tonight on the microscope, I glanced across the rack of newspapers and saw a picture of the two IL Democrat candidates for governor and attorney general. They were on the front page of The Windy City Times, a gay/lesbian newspaper. From the story on Rod, Rod: 100% Record on Gays: For progressive groups of all kinds, from Equality Illinois and HRC and Personal PAC and NOW, Blagojevich is their man for governor. He also scored...