Pam's House Blend - Front Page

Breaking News: Sarah Palin is Stepping Down

Louise — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:47:10 GMT

UPDATE: MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell makes it sound like Palin is stepping down for family reasons and is sick of politics... has told backers she wants OUT.

UPDATE 2 (by Pam): She figures Mark Sanford self-immolated, Charlie Crist (ha) is going for the Senate, Mitt's Mormonism won't pass the fundie test, and Bobby Jindal looks like a featherweight. I guess that leaves Huckabee. What a field that is for 2012. From the NYT:

Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska announced Friday that she would step down by the end of the month and not seek a second term as governor, fueling speculation that she is seriously weighing whether to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.
Ms. Palin, who was Senator John McCain's vice presidential running mate last year and solidified the support of the party's conservative base, explained her decision at a news conference at her home in Wasilla, Alaska, accompanied by her husband, Todd, and other family members.
"We know we can effect positive change outside of government," she said in making the announcement.
There had been wide speculation that she would seek to be the Republican Party's presidential candidate in 2012. Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who is also considered to be a leading Republican candidate for president in 2012, announced last month that he would not seek re-election.

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Of course the real story will be the "WHY??"

Holy Hannah...

She is speaking live in Alaska right now... will be updating this.

Her last day will be in a few weeks; she is stepping down on July 26.

Video here via MSNBC.
=================================

She's apparently been listening to Mark Sanford speak; this presser is remarkably off the cuff and disjointed in nature.

And for some reason, it sounds like there are a heard of hungry goats behind her. WTF???

CanNOT wait for the text on this train wreck...
The bleating in the background continues, as Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell speaks.

He is a far better public speaker and is reading off of cards, instead of the confusing blathering of his predecessor...

Michael Carey of Anchorage Daily News talking w/MSNBC and he also agrees that Palin was rambling, disjointed and all over the map.

That she was not running for re-election isn't a surprise- but the timing of this stunt is odd.

As was the timing of the info released in Vanity Fair this week, which pretty much eviscerated the Governor.

Is she ramping up THIS early for 2012? Is she that delusional?

My money is on "Yes and Yes"...

Related- The Sarah Palin Files

Black gay men, AIDS, and no community support

The Author — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:10:48 GMT

crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

AIDS is killing off black gay men and lack of lgbt community support may an unfortunate factor:

Black gay men have less choice when it comes to sexual partners than other groups and, as a result, their sexual networks are closely knit. These tightly interconnected networks make the rapid spread of HIV more likely. In a study1 looking at social and sexual mixing between ethnic groups in men who have sex with men, H. Fisher Raymond and Willi McFarland, from the San Francisco Department of Public Health in the US, show that social barriers faced by Black gay men may have a serious impact on their health and well-being.

. . . Black gay men are the least preferred of sexual partners by other races. Black men are perceived to be riskier to have sex with, which can lead to men of other races avoiding Black men as sexual partners. They are also perceived as less welcome in the common social venues of gay men in San Francisco. As a result, Black men are three times more likely to have sexual partners that are also Black, than would be expected by chance alone.

In the authors’ view, the combination of attitudes on the part of non-Black gay men, friendships and social networks that are less likely to include Blacks, and the environments found in gay venues serve to separate Black gay men from other groups.

So the personal ad phrase "no fats, no olds, no fems, no blacks" is now taking on sinister proportions. It's not that I'm passing judgement on people's personal dating choices. But it does go farther than that. The lgbt community can sometimes be consumed with the gay ghetto clique mentality. And as you can see, it's killing those who are generally not allowed to be in the "clique."

But hey, at least the black community supports us . . . when we seem to be at death's door. That's when folks make these lovely speeches about "it's not just a gay disease," and "let's not stop until we find a cure."

I got an idea - how about giving us a little support while we are healthy. How about not isolating us or making our lives seem dirty by using the word "lifestyle" like it's a pooper scooper.

So both the lgbt and black community have work to do. I can only hope the work gets done before too many lgbts of color suffer.

Book Review: The Progressive Revolution

waymonhudson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:46:50 GMT

When I was asked to review The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be by Michael Lux of Openleft.com fame, I expected another partisan rehash of "Yay Liberals! Boo Conservatives!" with little depth. Instead, what I got was one of the most insightful and exciting historical looks at America's ongoing battle with itself and its ideals I have ever read.

The book takes an illuminating walk through American history, from our founding to modern day, highlighting "Big Change Moments" that have altered the course our country, for good or bad. Filled with quotes, facts, and long-lost historical tidbits, the book could come off as dry, but Lux's voice and humor bring the reader along and make it nearly impossible to put down.

To be completely honest- this is the first book since college that I have found myself taking notes on and highlighting passages in, just because it was filled with so much amazing information.

This book is much more, however, than just an interesting read. It is a timely cautionary tale on what has become the troubling buzzwords of the current administration: "compromise" and "bipartisan."
The book weaves a tale of progressive ideas pushing for the expansion of the original American Dream and the conservative backlash that seeks to use fear of change to keep the stale status quo.

From the Declaration of Independence & the Bill of Rights to Emancipation, the New Deal, and the Civil Rights Movement, it shows how progressive ideas have always sought to expand personal freedoms, help the common man, and improve America. It also shows the damage that's been done to that advancement when progressives give in and "compromise" with conservatives, often ending up with damaged, skewed laws that cause more harm and take decades to undo.

These historical tales will resonate with everyone, but it is particularly illuminating for the LGBT community. Historical tales of compromise legislation for woman's suffrage (with shades of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell") and leaving behind parts of minority groups in attempts to pass some laws (ENDA battle, anyone?) will make every LGBT person reading the book shudder with familiarity.

While the book has an obvious liberal/progressive slant, it never veers too far in the direction of being preachy or strident, something that will make those in the mushy middle, and even on the right, able to appreciate the book and challenge them to think about their conservative views.

That might be the true power of this book: it gets across important ideas and messages that our country needs to hear right now in a way that is completely accessible to everyone reading it, whether they are political junkies or just looking for an illuminating read.

It truly shows that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, a lesson the progressives in this country and in government right now desperately need to learn.

In conclusion, this book is quite simply a must-read.

Overall Rating: A++

For more information on "The Progressive Revolution", visit their website: http://theprogressiverevolution.com or their FaceBook Group.

Check out the author talking about the book:

Pivotal LGBTQ Civil Rights Victory in Western Pennsylvania

PghLesbian — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:31:06 GMT

More details at http://snipurl.com/allegco

Last night, Allegheny County Council became the 15th municipality in Pennsylvania to extend non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ persons through the creation of a Human Rights Commission. The 8-6 votes was not strictly along party lines, but was a significant advance considering five years ago the measure had 2 supporters on Council.

The original ordinance was amended twice to insert "religious" exemptions and then to eliminate unconstitutional elements which would have created a registry of homophobic religious organizations and specifically permit public funding of discriminatory bodies. The final version, modeled after Philadelphia's ordinance, does allow exemptions but makes no mention of funding which allows compliance clauses to be tied to individual funding contracts.

The debate was heated, but civil rights progress has taken a step forward in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Kudos to the hard work of the many folks who worked on this project.

Now onward to the House Bill expanding the Commonwealth's protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Barack the Wilsonian?

kevinchi — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:40:14 GMT

I was at my activist meeting the other day when one of my activist buddies showed me an interesting snippet from a Woodrow Wilson speech.

The speech was given at a women's suffrage meeting in 1916.I wish I had noted the book that I copied the speech (simply for proper citation purposes).

"...we rejoice in the strength of it, and we shall not quarrel in the long run as to the method of it. Because, when you are working with masses of men and organized bodies of opinion, you have got to carry the organized body along. The whole art and practice of government consists not in moving individuals, but in moving masses.

It is all very well to run ahead and beckon, but after all, you have got to wait for them to follow. I have not come to ask you to be patient, because you have been, but I have come to congratulate you that there was a force behind you that will, beyond any peradventure, be triumphant and for which you can afford a little while to wait."

Of course, President Wilson did not endorse a federal amendment for the women's right to vote at this suffrage meeting, though he would endorse women's suffrage publically two years later.

I will come back to that in a moment...

my activist buddy noted strong parallels between Wilson's speech to women's suffrage and President Obama's speech at the A-gays cocktail party:

"For we know that progress depends not only on changing laws but also changing hearts. And that real, transformative change never begins in Washington."

"It's not for me to tell you to be patient..."

"we must recognize that real progress depends not only on the laws we change but, as I said before, on the hearts we open. For if we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that there are good and decent people in this country who don't yet fully embrace their gay brothers and sisters -- not yet."

************************************************************

No, this isn't Presidental plagiarism but it is interesting that both Wilson and Obama struck similar themes. But the best part, though, was not Wilson's words to the is the response of suffragist Anna Howard Shaw:

"We have waited long enough for the vote, we want it now." she said. and turning to the president, added, "and we want it to come in your administration!"

yet the A-list gays clapped and clapped and clapped again for President Obama without issuing anything like the words of Anna Howard Smith, apparently.

And what did the women suffragists do?

1917	Beginning in January, NWP posts silent "Sentinels of Liberty" at the White House. In June, the arrests begin. Nearly 500 women are arrested, 168 women serve jail ti their jailers. North Dakota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Michigan grant presidential suffrage; Arkansas grants primary suffrage. New York, South Dakota, and Oklahoma state constitutions grant suffrage.
1918	The jailed suffragists released from prison. Appellate court rules all the arrests were illegal. President Wilson declares support for suffrage. Suffrage Amendment passes US House with exactly a two-thirds vote but loses by two votes in the Senate.
1919	In January, the NWP lights and guards a "Watchfire for Freedom." It is maintained until the Suffrage Amendment passes US Senate on June 4. The battle for ratification by at least 36 states begins.
1920	The Nineteenth Amendment, called the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, is ratified by Tennessee on August 18. It becomes law on August 26.

http://dpsinfo.com/women/history/timeline.html

Women forced Wilson and the states to ratify the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, that's what they did.

Anyone who knows any history of this period in time of the CD actions of American women suffragists, feel free to add your comments.

Oakland Park FL Passes Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" City Resolution

Anthony Niedwiecki — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:56:25 GMT

At the July 1st commission meeting, the Oakland Park City Commission, working with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER), Fight OUT Loud, and many other organizations, brought forward a city resolution calling for the President and the United States Congress to adopt the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009 (House Resolution 1283), which eliminates the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (DADT) policy, which bans brave and dedicated Gay and Lesbian Servicemembers from serving openly in the Military.

The resolution passed unanimously.

SLDN has been working on a nation-wide effort to get local governments to pass resolutions requesting adoption of this Federal legislation to show the overwhelming support for lifting the discriminatory ban. Brian Fricke and Matt Sampson, with SLDN and AVER, have been working with various local officials, including me and Vice Mayor Flippen of Wilton Manors, to pass these resolutions.

Oakland Park becomes only the second city in Florida and the eleventh in the Country to pass such a resolution.

I am so proud of my city and my fellow commissioners in Oakland Park for passing this resolution. Fighting for the equality of our citizens, supporting strong national security, and making sure everyone has the freedom to serve our country openly and honestly, without fear of discrimination or harassment, are important values for Oakland Park.

The resolution (available in full here) directs City Administration to transmit a certified copy of the resolution to the President of the United States, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Reid, the Broward League of Cities, the Florida League of Cities, and the Broward County Legislative Delegation. It also will send certified copies to Representatives Ellen Tauscher, Kendrick Meek, Robert Wexler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ron Klein, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Alcee Hastings, and Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez, asking them to fully support the repeal of DADT.

Oakland Park has made many moves towards greater equality for all its residents in recent months, including having Non-Discrimination Policies added to all city contracts that include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, a review of city ordinances to ensure they are inclusive of LGBT families, passing the city's first ever Pride Month Proclamation, and hosting the first LGBT Pride event in the city.

Guess what's missing from this DCCC "Priority Issues Survey"!

popebuck1 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:32:44 GMT

The other day, I received in the mail the following "2009 Priority Issues Survey" from the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee). The idea is to gather our input ("us" being happy Democratic donors, presumably) about which topics the Democrats in the House should prioritize in the coming year or so.

The brochure is reprinted below in its entirety. See if you can guess WHICH Democratic issue, heavily campaigned on by Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential race, is completely missing.

Pretty thorough, isn't it? And yet, there's something missing. Can you guess what?

WaPo cancels event selling powerbrokers, lobbyists access to its reporters for $25K and up

Pam Spaulding — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:28:47 GMT

Holy crap -- conflict of interest, please?

For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few" - Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper's own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer is detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he feels it's a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its "health care reporting and editorial staff."
The offer - which essentially turns a news organization into a facilitator for private lobbyist-official encounters - is a new sign of the lengths to which news organizations will go to find revenue at a time when most newspapers are struggling for survival.

Honestly, the MSM looks down on blogs as some sort of quasi-news sewer, but we've haven't the budget or access to go onboard an ethics Titanic like this. Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth called the event a "salon" -- she was seeing dollar signs before the whole shebang was exposed and was canceled.

You see, the WaPo is thirsty for cash (the paper lost $19.5 million in the first quarter). Look at this incredible naked pitch that went out:

"Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate...Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. ... Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders."

Incredible.

Buck-naked man on US Air flight forces detour

Pam Spaulding — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Gee, this event would have made my American Airlines dual flight cancellation drama the other week much more entertaining.

A passenger who stripped naked aboard a Los Angeles-bound US Airways jet, forcing its diversion to Albuquerque, will be arraigned Thursday and possibly be ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination, the FBI confirmed today.
Keith Anthony Wright, 50, a resident of New York, was being held in federal detention in New Mexico pending his appearance in court on charges of interference with a flight, said FBI spokesman Darrin Jones in Albuquerque.
"He removed his clothing during the flight and refused to put them back on," Jones said of the disruption aboard US Airways Flight 705 on Tuesday.

Video from WNCT:

H/t, Rod 2.0

Mental Junk Drawer TWO....open topics

peteyPornpig — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:42:27 GMT

Here's a question I thought might be of interest.

What websites were you on before Pam's House Blend, and which forums/blogs are you currently on?

I began in chatrooms on Gay.com, usually in the POZ (HIV/AIDS) room. I was on John Edwards' site before that the Kerry/Edwards' site, then that morphed to Common Grounds/Common Sense. I was on Huffington Post, and still post there. There was a bizarro site Volcanvo I was on for awhile, (I don't recommend it.)

If this questions doesn't generate interest just post things which interest you, that don't fit another thread....I'm Easy....not cheap but I'm easy.

The Top Ten Ways You Know You're A Christian Fundamentalist

RadicalRuss — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:11:14 GMT

(Top Ten Top Ten) 1 - You are a christian fundamentalist when you actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.
2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.
3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

Sailor killed at Camp Pendleton may have been target of hate crime

Pam Spaulding — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Seaman August Provost, 29, is dead. His body was found on June 30 at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego, CA. At this time the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is calling it an apparent homicide and are looking for a "person of interest" in custody. There is evidence that this could be a hate crime.

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) said today he had asked the U.S. Department of Defense and the Marine Corps to investigate whether the killing of a sailor, who was gay, at Camp Pendleton was a hate crime...Gay leaders in San Diego had asked Filner to intervene. Nicole Murray-Ramirez, chairman of the San Diego Human Relations Commission, said Provost's family said the sailor had been harassed by other personnel on the base.
Filner said initial indications are that Provost was shot and his body burned. He said his committee also will investigate the case.
Provost's partner found out about the death from a newspaper reporter, Murray-Ramirez said.

Rod McCullom of Rod 2.0:

Provost enlisted in the Navy in March 2008, and was a boatswain mate seaman who worked on hovercrafts. Provost's Facebook page confirms he is 29-years-old and interested in "men and women." On his MySpace page, Provost referenced dating men and identified another Houston man as "the love of my life."
...The homicide of August Provost III came on the same day Defense Secretary Robert Gates claimed the Pentagon hoped to make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" investigations-and attitudes toward gay and lesbian servicemembers-more "humane."

Well, now this young man is dead. So much for humane policy. HRC, which has just launched a DADT repeal tour, put out this statement:

"Our thoughts are with the Prevost family at this time as authorities work to learn what happened in the early morning hours this past Tuesday," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "The Human Rights Campaign has confirmed Congresswoman Susan Davis has been in touch with officials at the base and is tracking the investigation. We know that every day members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are targeted for simply being who they are. Furthermore, our gay or lesbian soldiers struggle with the extra burden of not serving openly and honestly based on the discriminatory policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' As we monitor the investigation, our community must continue to raise awareness on a law that we know hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers at risk."

In the SD Union-Tribune, the real crux of the story is revealed:

Provost's partner, Kaether Cordero, said Provost was openly gay but kept his private life quiet for the most part.
"People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew," Cordero said from Houston. "He didn't care that they knew. He trusted them."
Provost had recently complained to family members about a person who was harassing him, so they advised him to tell his supervisor, said his sister, Akalia Provost of Houston.

If Provost was gay, then clearly if he went to complain to his supervisor, he would have to "Tell" about his sexual orientation. How on earth are service members placed in this position supposed to ask for help? I hope someone asks Robert Gibbs about this at the next presser -- or the President or Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. How should a harassment dilemma of this kind should be addressed if one is to be truthful? If Provost's death turns out to be a hate crime, the blood will be on their hands for the inaction -- leaving gays and lesbians in uniform in harm's way for the sake of affirming homophobia in the ranks.

Referendum 71 Authors NOT Hiding Expenditures

Lurleen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:41:00 GMT

CORRECTION: An astute Blend reader has notified me that the reporting deadline for expenses incurred in June by referendum PACs is July 10th. I've re-read the PDC documents, and he is correct. I have, therefore, made a regrettable error in calling out Stickney and Randall for not yet reporting their printing and related expenses. They have not earned the accusation of hiding their campaign expenditures. I am sorry for this error and I do apologize.

Now the question is, do I yank the diary, or leave it up with corrections? After some deliberation, I have decided to leave it up but strike out the erroneous text and correct the title. This is my way of accepting responsibility for my mistake. However, I will remove the diary entirely if either Gary Randall or Larry Stickney request me to via e-mail.

Oregonian Gary Randall and his Washington operative Larry Stickney ~~are hiding something: their Referendum 71 campaign expenses~~. The Olympian reported weeks ago that

Larry Stickney...said he printed 60,000 of the R-71 jumbo petitions June 5 and circulated all but 2,000 by Friday.

Gary Randall subsequently pitched an additional plan to "[P]ut out a large mailing...to over 50,000 homes that are known to be social conservatives. We want mail a petition to every home on that list.". That plan would have required printing 50,000 additional petitions. The fate of the plan remains unremarked upon by Randall.

So we know that Stickney's and/or Randall's organization(s) paid for the printing of 60,000 petitions, and perhaps up to another 50,000. To date, ~~however,~~ Stickney's organization Protect Marriage Washington has ~~only~~ reported $3.61 in expenses. Randall's Faith & Freedom PAC, which is "dedicated" to the referendum effort, has ~~only~~ reported $1,553.51 in expenses, $1,119 of which Gary Randall apparently paid to himself to set up a redundant website. ~~Neither organization reports design or printing expenses. It's hard to believe that 60,000 to 110,000 petitions got printed for free.~~
Neither organization has trouble reporting donations~~, so the lack of information on expenses may be attributable to an unwillingness rather than inability to report~~. Stickney's organization has managed to file 6 donation reports and Randall's 18 reports since the referendum was announced. Clearly, they want to give the impression that theirs are financially sound organizations with broad public support. A closer look shows that the referendum effort is far from popular, and probably not even solvent.

To date, only 124 individuals have donated to either of the anti-family referendum PACs, and only a few referendum endorsers have bothered to donate themselves. In contrast, over 30,000 Washingtonians have pledged not to sign the anti-family petition.

The combined donations of almost $22,000 to both PACs seems noteworthy until one remembers that the printing of at least 60,000 petitions had to be paid for. Something tells me that the $1,900 loan Protect Marriage Washington had to solicit on June 15th tells a truer story: if Randall & Stickney reported their campaign expenses, their numbers would be in the red. Theirs is not a widely supported effort. No surprise that we've heard nothing more about Randall's scheme to print and mail an additional 50,000 petitions. He probably hasn't even paid for the first 60,000 yet.

Cross-posted at Washblog.

God not only made Adam & Steve, he made Roy & Silo, Fido & Spot, Ms. Whiskers & Precious, and...

RadicalRuss — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:46:56 GMT

(SF Gate) Behold, the ongoing, increasingly startling research: homosexual and bisexual behavior, it turns out, is rampant in the animal kingdom. And by rampant, I mean proving to be damn near universal, commonplace across all species everywhere, existing for myriad reasons ranging from pure survival and procreative influence, right on over to pure pleasure, co-parenting, giddy screeching multiple monkey orgasm, even love, and a few dozen other potential explanations science hasn't quite figured out yet. Imagine.
Are you thinking, why sure, everyone knows about those sex-crazed dolphins and those superslut bonobo monkeys and the few other godless creatures like them, the sea turtles and the weird sheep and such, creatures who obviously haven't read Leviticus. But that's about it, right? Most animals are devoutly hetero and straight and damn happy about it, right?
Wrong.
New research is revealing so many creatures and species that exhibit homosexual/bisexual behavior of some kind, scientists are now saying there are actually very few, if any, species in existence that don't exhibit it in some way. It's everywhere: Bison. Giraffes. Ducks. Hyenas. Lions and lambs, lizards and dragonflies, polecats and elephants. Hetero sex. Anal sex. Partner swapping. The works.
Let's flip that around. Here's the shocking new truism: In the wilds of nature, to not have some level of homosexual/bisexual behavior in a given species is turning out to be the exception, not the rule. Would you like to read that statement again? Aloud? Through a megaphone? To the Mormon and Catholic churches? And the rest of them, as well? Repeatedly?

Well, you didn't need animal research to tell me the Mormon and Catholic lifestyle choices are unnatural. I can't speak for the Catholics, but my Mormon upbringing tells me the critters are mocking God's law because we can't manage to keep the sacred underwear on them.

Sean Kennedy's murderer released one week early

Pam Spaulding — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Sean Kennedy, a young gay man in South Carolina was brutally murdered in SC in 2007 (a state with no hate crimes law). After Sean's death his mother Elke Kennedy founded Sean's Last Wish, and she has toured the nation to recount the tragic murder and to educate people about the need for federal hate crimes legislation. Here is what happened to Sean...

Well his murderer has been released from prison a week early after his short stint:

Stephen Andrew Moller was released from his 5-year suspended sentence on July 1. His sentence had already been reduced by two months after receiving a good behavior credit for receiving his GED while in prison.
"Again the judicial system failed they say one thing and do something else," Sean's mother Elke Kennedy said in a release. "He should have served every single day of the already short sentence, instead he was released from prison today, one week early. Where is the justice?"

HRC:

Both Elke Kennedy and Joe Solmonese submitted written testimony at the hearing in support of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909). To read the testimony, visit www.HRCBackStory.org. The legislation, which was passed in the U.S. House by a vote of 249-175 in April, would provide local police and sheriff's departments with federal resources to combat hate violence. The legislation is currently awaiting a vote in the U.S. Senate.
"Sean is among many American's who are targeted just because of who they are. These crimes not only harm individuals, they terrorize entire communities," said Solmonese. "After more than a decade and nine successful votes in Congress, there is no good reason for any delay on bringing hate crimes legislation to the President's desk. We must finally pass this bill and start the important steps to erasing hate in our country."
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), the Kennedy family's senator, recently wrote a shocking letter to local priests and pastors advocating against hate crime legislation. DeMint, who has regularly spoken out against the LGBT community, wrote the following in reference to hate crimes legislation: "Many pastors hesitate to explain that government policies have helped cause the decline of America's culture, morality and spirituality. ... I am writing you today to remind you that religious principals and biblical teachings produced the values and polices that made America exceptional, prosperous, and good."

Below the fold, Elke Kennedy speaks about Sean.
Here is my video of Elke Kennedy at 2008 NC Pride: