» Kalamazoo, Kalamazaam
"The city of Kalamazoo [Michigan, a generally conservative area,] has stepped beyond existing state and federal laws, making it illegal to use sexual orientation to discriminate in housing, public accommodations and employment. The Kalamazoo City Commission voted 7-0 Monday night to adopt an expanded anti-discrimination ordinance that makes it a municipal civil infraction to discriminate against gays, lesbians and transgender citizens." [Kalamazoo Gazette] |
» Pulling Back…
"John McCain is pulling out of Michigan, according to two Republicans, a stunning move a month away from Election Day that indicates the difficulty Republicans are having in finding blue states to put in play. McCain will go off TV in Michigan, stop dropping mail there and send most of his staff to more competitive states, including Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida." [Politico] |
» Reading Tabled.
"City planners [in Grand Rapids, Michigan] want more legal advice before they approve or reject a private club for gay men above an adult bookstore on South Division Avenue. The Planning Commission on Thursday tabled a special land-use request for the Falcon Lounge. While the applicant's lawyer compared the club to the Detroit Athletic Club he belongs to in his hometown, City Attorney Catherine Mish told commissioners she suspects something less upscale." [The Grand Rapids Press] |
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» Inclusion…
"Michigan’s hate crime law would expand to include intimidation of gays and lesbians and people with disabilities, and would make hanging a noose or burning a cross on someone else’s property specific crimes, under changes urged by civil rights groups today. Those changes will be put on a fast track in the House next month, said Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He said he would introduce a bill today to strengthen the state’s ethnic intimidation law." [Free P] |
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The rollercoaster started on Saturday, when DNC leaders and lawyers converged in Florida, where they hashed out a deal on whether to seat that state and Michigan's delegates. Both states held their primaries early, thus breaking Democratic party rules. The Democratic National Committee, of course, was not pleased and threatened not to seat any delegates from those states. But, as could be predicted, they didn't want two irate states on the loose and agreed to seat delegates, but with some penalties:
Despite the compromise and satisfaction on Florida, Clinton's campaign remains defiant on Michigan. |
» No "Nuke."
Hillary Clinton's "nuclear option," which would have seen her pals on the DNC's rules and bylaws committee push for a Florida and Michigan delegate count, has met much opposition within the party. A decision on those contentious states, which were penalized after moving their primaries forward, will likely be reached when the committee meets at the end of the month. [HuffPo] |
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» Yikes.
"The Triangle Foundation said Tuesday that the number of violent crimes against Michiganders because of their sexual orientation that was reported to the Detroit-based group jumped 133% last year over 2006." [Free Press] |
» Pleas, Demands
Senator Hillary Clinton wrote a letter to rival Barack Obama today pleading with him to count Michigan and Florida. Because, you know, she needs a bit of a boost to win this thing. An unfriendly excerpt: "Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated." Really, Hillary? [HuffPo] |
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» Ill Will.
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that governments and state universities can't offer health insurance to the partners of gay workers. The court ruled 5-2 on Wednesday that Michigan's 2004 ban against gay marriage also blocks domestic-partner policies affecting gay employees at the University of Michigan and other public-sector employers." [AP] |
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The Senator's campaign today confirmed a report that they plan to use their pals on the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee to validate Michigan and Florida's previously invalidated primary counts. Those state weren't meant to count because they broke rank and held their primaries early. Both Clinton and Obama previously wagged their finger at those states, and Obama even yanked his name from the Michigan ballot. Now that she's down, however, Mrs. Clinton's hoping her allies can push her over the edge: With at least 50 percent of the Democratic Party's 30-member Rules and Bylaws Committee committed to Clinton, her backers could — when the committee meets at the end of this month — try to ram through a decision to seat the disputed 210-member Florida and 156-member Michigan delegations. The former first lady's campaign initially refused to publicly comment on this "nuclear" tactic, but have no released a statement confirming their backstage dealings. Some wonder whether such a move would create the oft-referenced "rift" with black voters, but others suggest that Mrs. Clinton will attempt to quell anger by taking Obama on her ticket. |
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» Pioneering.
Michigan's Triangle Foundation grows and shows. The gay non-profit today celebrates the opening of a new office in West Michigan. [M Live] |
» Guilty!
Steven Scarborough, the Michigan man who claimed gay panic led him to kill Victor Manious, has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. [MLive] |
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Steven Scarborough stands accused of beating 62-year old Victor Manious to death last July. Scarborough claims the Manious sexually assaulted him, so it wasn't murder, but self-defense. Manious family calls bullshit on Scarborough, however, and insist that Manious, who was heavily involved in the church, wasn't gay. Twenty-two year old Yustina Manious described her late father as "peaceful" and expressed deep disbelief about Scarborough's accusations: "I can't imagine something like this was even said. I will never, ever believe it. Honestly, it's an insult." Oh, please, there are worst insults than being called gay. While young Yustina may sincerely believe her father wouldn't try it on another man, journo Barton Deiters reports that both prosecutors and the defense team have talked with at least one other person who corroborates that Manious liked men. |
» Westboro Headed To Michigan
The hellraising Westboro Baptist Church plans to protest a Kalamazoo high school's production of The Laramie Project next week. And they're facing a bit of opposition: "The Stop the Hate in Kalamazoo Coalition began a week ago in response to the possible protest from Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church, which is known for picketing gay-pride events and military funerals. Late Wednesday afternoon, the coalition of a dozen member organizations issued a press release urging people to buy tickets to "The Laramie Project," which opens Feb. 22." The tickets symbolize solidarity, says the group. [M Live] |
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