Hate loses, as it should, as it always eventually does

Ten Points of Light


1. "Individuals do not generally choose their sexual orientation. No credible evidence supports a finding that an individual may, through conscious decision, therapeutic intervention or any other method, change his or her sexual orientation."

2. "California has no interest in asking gays and lesbians to change their sexual orientation or in reducing the number of gays and lesbians in California."

3. "Same-sex couples are identical to opposite-sex couples in the characteristics relevant to the ability to form successful marital unions. Like opposite-sex couples, same-sex couples have happy, satisfying relationships and form deep emotional bonds and strong commitments to their partners."

4. "Marrying a person of the opposite sex is an unrealistic option for gay and lesbian individuals."

5. "The availability of domestic partnership does not provide gays and lesbians with a status equivalent to marriage because the cultural meaning of marriage and its associated benefits are intentionally withheld from same-sex couples in domestic partnerships."

6. "Permitting same-sex couples to marry will not affect the number of opposite-sex couples who marry, divorce, cohabit, have children outside of marriage or otherwise affect the stability of opposite-sex marriages."

7. "Proposition 8 places the force of law behind stigmas against gays and lesbians, including: gays and lesbians do not have intimate relationships similar to heterosexual couples; gays and lesbians are not as good as heterosexuals; and gay and lesbian relationships do not deserve the full recognition of society."

8. "Proposition 8 increases costs and decreases wealth for same sex couples because of increased tax burdens, decreased availability of health insurance and higher transactions costs to secure rights and obligations typically associated with marriage."

9. "Proposition 8 singles out gays and lesbians and legitimates their unequal treatment. Proposition 8 perpetuates the stereotype that gays and lesbians are incapable of forming long-term loving relationships and that gays and lesbians are not good parents."

10. "The gender of a child's parent is not a factor in a child's adjustment. The sexual orientation of an individual does not determine whether that individual can be a good parent. Children raised by gay or lesbian parents are as likely as children raised by heterosexual parents to be healthy, successful and well-adjusted."


~ Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, August 4, 2010


Soon after I heard the news about Prop Hate being ruled unconstitutional in my beloved home state (YAY for Judge Walker) I ventured to a nearby Lutheran church to talk to them about why I love, accept, affirm, and am passionate about justice for LGBT persons.  The Lutherans voted last summer to allow ordination of gaybees and, unlike the Presbyterians, who have to approve such a vote in the local presbyteries before it becomes "law," it became the new policy for the Lutherans immediately.  What this means is that congregations don't HAVE to hire a gay pastor, but gay pastors who want to serve in Lutheran churches can now do so (if they can get hired).

So this little church is struggling with that new policy, as are many Lutheran churches, and trying to decide if they can stay part of the ELCA or if they need to leave and join the newly forming anti-gay-ordination Lutherans.  They are doing a "study" of the issue with seven members who will report their findings to the church council and then they will decide where to go from there.  The pastor does not want to leave the ELCA, tho at this point he was honest in telling me before the meeting (during our phone call to set this up) that he is against gay ordination -- and the study group, which includes him, has a mix of pro-gay, anti-gay, and "good lordy this is confusing" members.

What was neat about last night's conversation with them, besides the basic fact that they were doing this study in the first place, taking it seriously, and inviting someone like me to speak to them (because I am pastor of an open/affirming gay-friendly congregation) was that I couldn't really tell for sure who was who in terms of where they fell on this issue.  They were friendly, open to hear what I had to say. They asked me about my background, my education, my congregation, and how I came to my current position on the gay issue. I was able to express my passion for gays, and gay rights, in a way that was respectful of them and the fact that they weren't on the same page that I was.  I did it joyfully and non-judgmentally, and told them the story of my father's own conversion to the gay-loving train.  I felt really good about it, and of course, was buoyed by the decision on gay marriage in California earlier in the day.


I suggested they invite a gay/lesbian Christian to speak to them at some point, and they agreed that would be a good idea.  They thanked me for being there.  And I think I helped them a bit in their journey.  Another day -- second in a row -- that made me remember why there are times I do something helpful, and why I love this job.  And tomorrow -- the dearest man in my congregation is taking me to lunch (for a special occasion, was all he told me -- I suspect it is birthday related).  I'm a lucky almost 50 year old!


Former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson teamed up with David Boies, bringing together a pair of litigators best known as adversaries who respectively represented George W. Bush and Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election.

Reveling in their joint victory, Boies said he and Olson's alliance would prove valuable if the Proposition 8 case, known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger, reaches the Supreme Court.

"Ted and I have a deal — He is going to get the 5 justices that were for him in Bush v. Gore and I'm going to get the 4 justices that were with me in Bush v. Gore," he joked.