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EQCA CALLS FOR END OF ATTACKS ON GOVERNOR FOR SUPPORTING EQUAL RIGHTS
OIA Newswire
SACRAMENTO – Equality California calls on leaders of the Yes on 8 campaign to end their attacks on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for saying he believes Proposition 8 should be overturned. Prop 8 eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.
In an interview with CNN earlier this week, the governor said he hopes supporters of equal rights never give up in their quest for full equality, including the freedom to marry. He also said the California Supreme Court should repeal the measure, which passed with slim majority support.
"The claim that our governor advocates anarchy simply because he supports the repeal of Prop 8 is not only absurd, it's offensive," said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. "Just as they did during the campaign, the proponents of Prop 8 continue to launch lies and assaults at those who oppose writing discrimination into the constitution. These lies and attacks are being used to spread fear and hateful rhetoric against same-sex couples, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and their allies. We welcome the support of Gov. Schwarzenegger and the 44 California legislators who have expressed their support for marriage equality."
Founded in 1998, Equality California celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2008, commemorating a decade of building a state of equality in California. EQCA is a nonprofit, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. www.eqca.org [11/17/2008]
GAYS, LESBIANS, TRANSGENDER, THEIR FAMILIES AND SUPPORTERS UNITE – LARGE SCALE NATIONAL PROTEST PLANNED FOR NOVEMBER 15
Over the last week, tens of thousands of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)community and their Supporters have taken to the streets of California to show their outrage with the outcome of California Proposition 8. Prop 8 provides for a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage rights; Similar amendments and propositions were passed in Arizona and Florida. The outcome of these propositions has angered the national gay community and their supporters. Many feel as if they are now second-class citizens, but, according to the No on 8Campaign, the fight is not over. The final statement released by the No on 8 Campaign stated,"Victory was not ours today. But the struggle for Equality is not over." > Full Story. [11/14/2008]
GOVERNOR CALLS PROPOSITION 8 PASSAGE “UNFORTUNATE”
In CNN Interview, Gov. Schwarzenegger Says Prop 8 Should be Invalidated Because Court Has Ruled that Banning the Right to Marry is Unconstitutional > Full Story. [11/10/2008]
NATIONAL PROTEST OF PROP 8
Join the Impact is a group that is organizing a nationwide protest against Proposition 8, the measure which banned gay marriage in California last Tuesday. > Full Story. [11/10/2008]
REGENT MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE “ROCK THE FOLK OUT” TOUR
November 6, 2008 (Los Angeles) – Regent Media announced today the partnership of OUT magazine with here! Tunes to present the Rock the Folk OUT Tour. This East Coast tour showcases incredible, live music from three gifted, gay singer songwriters. The fantastic bill boasts here! tunes recording artist Stewart Lewis, Los Angeles scene favorite Jake Walden, and acoustic performer Tom Goss. Each artist brings a unique flavor to the tour with their varied performance styles, but they are unified by an exceptional level of talent and poignant songwriting styles. This show is not to be missed! > Full Story. [11/7/2008]
FOLLOWING STATE BALLOT VOTES ON LGBT EQUALITY IN THREE STATES, PFLAG AWAITS OUTCOME IN CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, DC - Following disappointing votes rolling back or denying
full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens in
Florida, Arkansas and Arizona, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians
and Gays (PFLAG) eagerly awaits the official results of Proposition 8 in
California, and vows to continue working with pro-equality families and
allies to build support for full, fundamental rights for the LGBT
community. > Full Story. [11/6/2008]
GAY CANDIDATES ELECTED ACROSS THE U.S.
Washington, D.C.-Dozens of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates won election to public offices across the U.S. on Tuesday, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. The group, which endorsed a record-breaking 111 candidates in 2008, said more than 70 percent of its endorsed candidates had won their races by early Wednesday. > Full Story. [11/6/2008]
FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL REACTION TO OBAMA VICTORY
Family Equality Council Congratulates President-Elect Obama
First Presidential Candidate to Directly Address LGBT Family Issues
Boston, MA Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of Family Equality
Council, released this statement following the election of President-Elect
Barack Obama: > Full Story. [11/5/2008]
CALL TO ACTION APPALLED AT CATHOLIC BISHOPS' DONATION
CALL TO ACTION APPALLED AT BISHOPS' DONATION > Full Story. [10/31/2008]
NO ON PROP 8 WEBSITE UNDER ATTACK
SACRAMENTO – 10/30/08 – Today the NO on Prop 8 campaign's Web site (http://www.noonprop8.com/) was the victim of what appears to be a coordinated attack designed to bring the system down. According to http://www.calitics.com/, the denial-of-service attack (DoS) on the NO on Prop 8 website occurred before 11:30pm, Wednesday, October 29th and coincides with a similar attack on Florida's NO on 2 campaign, the Constitutional Amendment Against Marriage Equality. > Full Story. [10/30/2008]
2008 WALTER CRONKITE FAITH AND FREEDOM AWARD HONOREES ANNOUNCED JUDY SHEPARD, ASRA NOMANI, AND RABBI IRWIN KULA
Washington, DC Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of Interfaith Alliance
and Interfaith Alliance Foundation announced today the 2008 recipients of
the Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award. This year¹s honorees are Judy
Shepard, Asra Nomani, and Rabbi Irwin Kula. Rev. Gaddy and Mr. Cronkite will
present the awards at a ceremony in New York City on November 11 at the
world famous Rainbow Room. > Full Story. [10/23/2008]
THE WORLD IS COMING OUT IN COPENHAGEN
Copenhagen, Denmark – After a fantastic event in Montreal in 2006, World Outgames moves across the Atlantic to Copenhagen, Denmark from 25 July to 2 August 2009. One of the largest multidisciplinary events on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) event calendar, World Outgames 2009 includes 38 sports tournaments, a wide range of cultural activities and parties, and a human rights conference. > Full Story. [10/22/2008]
SAVVY NAVIGATOR LLC OFFERS GAY TOURS TO SOUTH AFRICA FOR SOPHISTICATED MALE TRAVELERS
WASHINGTON, October 20, 2008 – Jeffrey Ward, a 20-year travel industry veteran and executive coach, has launched a specialized gay tour company catering to sophisticated male travelers. With three departures planned in 2009, Savvy Navigator offers 12-day experiential, life-changing journeys for small groups to sample some of South Africa's lesser-known attractions and meet with leading artists, naturalists and intellectuals.
Mr. Ward combines his executive experience in the trade with a passion for deeply enriching travel to create total immersion adventures for clients around the world.
"I started Savvy Navigator Tours because I saw a need among affluent gay men for escorted, one-of-a-kind travel experiences that would allow them to go beyond the standard vacation," said Mr. Ward, whose background includes more than a decade with American Airlines, where he concentrated on improving the customer experience. "Savvy Navigator will take select groups on exhilarating journeys through areas known only to the most devoted chowhounds, wine enthusiasts, cultural critics and nightlife connoisseurs."
Highlights of the "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" South Africa package, January 13-26, 2009, include a gourmet dinner hosted by a leading South African playwright and a safari at the luxurious Londolozi Private Game Reserve in Sabi Sands next to Kruger National Park. Other South Africa tours will depart in May and November 2009.
"My concept for Savvy Navigator is the best dinner party imaginable extended over 12 days in settings of startling beauty," said Mr. Ward. "Sophisticated travelers are craving something different and want the opportunity to have a transformative adventure that includes getting to know interesting locals, and not just have a traditional tourist experience."
Mr. Ward also noted that low air fares, combined with the value of the South African Rand currency, make January an excellent time for a South Africa vacation.
About Savvy Navigator Tours
Savvy Navigator Tours, LLC is a U.S.-based provider of luxurious, experiential journeys to Southern Africa, appealing to a sophisticated, gay, male traveler. Intimate groups consist of no more than 12 guests and are fully inclusive of all accommodations, tours, wine-tastings, many meals, and all sightseeing with a local guide. These escorted, one-of-a-kind trips offertravel experiences that are unmatched by any other tour operator or travel agent. For more information, please see http://www.savvynavigator.com.
### > Full Story. [10/21/2008]
THE AIDS INSTITUTE SUPPORTS NATIONAL LATINO AIDS AWARENESS DAY
Washington, DC – The AIDS Institute is proud to support the sixth annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), which is being held on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. > Full Story. [10/15/2008]
BLUES GUITAR GODDESS MICHELLE MALONE ANNOUNCES FALL TOURDATES
October 7, 2008 (New York, NY) Armed with a bottleneck slide, blues harmonica, and her signature gut-wrenching vocals, Moanin' Michelle Malone ( a nickname given to her by Albert King after hearing her sing).was born in the dirty south and grew up listening to her mother sing in the church choir every Sunday. When it came time to craft her own sound, she took those religious roots, blended in enough rock and soul to keep the devil satisfied. The result is a high-spirited stripped down blend of rootsy acoustic slide, gritty electric blues and explosive vocals that sounds like Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones meeting up in Susan Tedeschi's garage for a late night jam session. > Full Story. [10/7/2008]
STUDY SHOWS THAT OVERUSE OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS MAY DISENFRANCHISE THOUSANDS OF VOTERS
(September 24, 2008, WASHINGTON DC) - Today, Advancement Project, a leading voter protection organization, released "Provisional Voting: Fail-Safe Voting or Trapdoor to Disenfranchising Voters." This report explores whether the administration of elections─ specifically in the area of provisional voting─ has improved since the 2000 presidential election, when scores of eligible voters were turned away from the polls because their names did not appear on voter registration rolls, resulting in the disenfranchisement of a significant number of American voters. In particular, the investigation, research, and analysis of provisional voting in the report focus on select counties in Ohio and Florida during the 2006 general elections.
"The goal of this report is to highlight the recurring need to reform provisional balloting implementation and other election administration procedures so that no voter is wrongfully disfranchised in 2008 and future elections," said Elizabeth Westfall, Voter Protection Program deputy director, Advancement Project.
Key findings of the report show:
1. Flaws in the Voter Registration Process and Voter Registration Records Resulted in the Overuse of Provisional Voting and the Rejection of Ballots Cast by Eligible Voters.
2. Misinterpretation and Misapplication of the "Wrong" Precinct Rule Resulted in the Disenfranchisement of Voters.
3. The Provisional Voting Process Is Fraught with Confusion, Errors, and Misinformation.
4. The Provisional Voting Process Is Not Scrutinized or Transparent, Resulting in Continued Problems.
For example in Ohio, during the November 2006 general election, Ohio voters cast 4,186,206 ballots, 127,758 of which were provisional. Approximately 104,696 of these provisional ballots were counted, and 23,062 (about 18%) were rejected. Over half of the provisional ballots cast (65,239), and 65% of the rejected ballots (15,000), were cast in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, Montgomery, and Summit counties, counties with substantial populations of voters of color. The use of provisional ballots in Ohio, as measured by the percentage of ballots cast, appears to be increasing. In 2004, provisional ballots made up 2.7% of the total ballots cast during the general election. In the 2006 general election, it was up almost a full percentage point, to 3.6%.
In Florida's 2006 general election, 14,550 provisional ballots were cast, 3,857 (almost 27%) of which were rejected. This trend in Ohio and Florida may portend an increase in the use of provisional ballots in the 2008 general election unless state and local election officials institute measures to combat the overuse of provisional ballots.
"Our investigation reveals that instead of functioning as a fail-safe means of voting, provisional voting often creates a serious risk of disenfranchisement," continued Westfall. "As the country approaches the second presidential election with a federally mandated provisional balloting system in place, government officials and election administrators should make certain changes and improvements to ensure that provisional ballots are used and are recognized in a manner that achieves their original intent."
Advancement Project's report makes several key recommendations to reduce the over-reliance and over-use of provisional ballots in Florida and Ohio.
Reduce the Use of Provisional Voting, in the First Instance, by Eliminating Barriers to Voter Registration.
Eliminate the "Wrong" Precinct Rule.
Improve Poll Worker Training.
Improve the Administration of Provisional Voting on Election Day.
Increase the Scrutiny and Transparency of the Provisional Voting Process.
The report methodology included requesting, and to varying degrees receiving, specific data on the provisional ballots cast in particular jurisdictions, including the names of voters who cast provisional ballots, the reasons such ballots were cast, whether they were counted, and, if not counted, the reasons for their rejection. Advancement Project also requested copies of the provisional ballot envelopes in these jurisdictions, which provided additional details from poll workers and voters as to the circumstances under which individual provisional ballots were cast.
"Some may not be concerned about the misuse of provisional ballots since such ballots comprise only a fraction of the national vote," concluded Westfall. "But this year, where the presidential and other elections may be determined by a few hundred votes, provisional ballots could prove decisive."
For a copy of the report visit www.advancementproject.org
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> Full Story. [9/24/2008]
GSA NETWORK, TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER, AND EQCA SADDENED OVER SHOOTING OF GAY JR. HIGH STUDENT IN OXNARD
GSA Network, Transgender Law Center, and EQCA Saddened Over Shooting of Gay Jr. High Student in Oxnard > Full Story. [2/14/2008]
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