ON OUR GAYDAR — News, notes, clicks, and quips from around the web.
• Oklahoma Tax Commission sued by a one Keith Kimmel, who wants his license plate to read “IM GAY. The commission refuses, saying it would be offensive, because it’s “sexual.” First Amendment much?
• Did 26-year-old Harvard Law gay grad Brian Schroeder set fire to a 9/11 memorial inside a chapel (that houses the remains of victims) on a drunken dare?
• Vanity Fair reporter Sue Carswell wonders: Do my nieces and nephews know I’m gay?
• Big, scary animals are so much easier to deal with when there’s a hot Tarzan around.
• Republican gay rights supporter Dede Scozzafava quit Congressional race in New York just days before the election — and endorses her Democratic challenger instead of the Conservative Party opponent Doug Hoffman, who hates us.
• Gay marriage going to Wisconsin Supreme Court? And the case is being led by a straight guy?
• Trojan’s 2009 Sexual Health Report Card, “which measures access and availability of sexual health information and resources across 141 colleges and universities,” concludes the University of South Carolina, Stanford University, and the University of Connecticut are the top three schools (in that order) of sexual health. The bottom three? DePaul University, St. John’s University, and Providence College.
• Laura Ricketts becomes the first openly gay owner of a MLB team, The Cubs.
• Seventeen-year-old British teen, now in college, turned to anorexia after coming out led to bullying in school.
• One city that really does Gay Pride well? Rio. (Photo via)
• Charles Pugh is set to become Detroit’s City Council president (and its first openly gay elected official), but then everyone found out that his home has been foreclosed on and he has a history of missing the rent on another property. Goodbye, endorsements.
• Servicemembers United on DoJ moving to dismiss Log Cabin Republicans v. United States of America: “While it is understandable that the government usually has a duty to defend the laws of the United States, it is very disappointing that the Obama administration has gone beyond that duty in trying to thwart this case by way of this rare and unusual legal maneuver. In addition to the motion for interlocutory appeal, currently scheduled to be filed on November 16th, the administration is seeking to halt proceedings in the case and to block discovery by asserting the dubious claim that it would be burdensome to the Department of Defense.”
• In case you were wondering whether Rep. Virginia Foxx is just putting on an act, there’s this.
• Denmark goalkeeper Arek Onyszko fired — from a second team — for writing in his autobiography F**king Polak about hating the gays: “I hate gays, I really do. I think it’s f**king disgusting to hear them talk to each other as if they are girls. I can’t be in the same room as someone who’s gay. Look at them kissing each other – it’s sickening.”
Merv
What is the life expectancy of an Oklahoma driver with an “IM GAY” license plate?
Brian
Saying “I’m Gay” in Oklahoma is “offensive” because 75% of their residents make religion “important.”
If Keith does get that license plat, it would be best to put in on an inexpensive vehicle or a tank. I would suggest the tank.
Keith Kimmel
“Charles Pugh is set to become Detroit’s City Council president (and its first openly gay elected official), but then everyone found out that his home has been foreclosed on and he has a history of missing the rent on another property. Goodbye, endorsements.”
Heh, this is Detroit, mind you. Whose house isn’t being forclosed on up there. At the most recent tax sale, they had 300+ pages of lots that failed to get even a $500 opening bid. There were literally entire city blocks up for bid. Thats pretty damn bad. I was going to do some investing up there, but after I spent some time driving around and looking, I have to admit most of the stuff up there wasnt even worth a $500 bid.
“One city that really does Gay Pride well? Rio. (Photo via)”
Thats a very pretty, uplifting photo. Oh wait, according to comments in a past thread, South America is not safe for queers. In what is supposedly a hyper-homophobic country, why do they allow a pride celebration.
“Oklahoma Tax Commission sued by a one Keith Kimmel, who wants his license plate to read “IM GAY. The commission refuses, saying it would be offensive, because it’s “sexual.” First Amendment much?”
I haven’t sued them just quite yet. Previous proceedings were before an administrative law judge (who sided with me and said I get the plate!!) before the Commissioners poo poo’d on his recommendation and tossed it aside. Attorney is still researching whether its better to go state or federal. Oklahoma has a long and complex Constitution, its an important decision.
No. 1 · Merv
“What is the life expectancy of an Oklahoma driver with an “IM GAY” license plate?”
Please DONT jinx it. I hope to live a happy, long life.
Orpheus_lost
@Keith Kimmel
You’re one of the few posting here who actually can prove he’s standing up for what he believes in. Whether we agree on anything else or not, I just want to say one thing: Thank you!
Keith Kimmel
who the fuck are you
and why are you impersonating me?
so, of course, i officially changed the name given me to kEith
it’s even ™
but really?
reallY
theartofkEith.com
B
IN No. 2, Brian wrote, “Saying “I’m Gay” in Oklahoma is “offensive” because 75% of their residents make religion “important.”” …. not exactly. It seems it was the decision of a single individual who was deemed by a judge to not be representative of the general public.
It looks like QUEERTY reported very old news – http://www.gossip-boy.com/IM_GAY.html has what I presume is a more up-to-date description of what happened:
Mr. Kimmel appealed the Tax Commission’s decision, and the matter was heard by Administrative Law Judge Jay Harrington in Oklahoma City on May 7, 2009. After the hearing, Judge Harrington took his time reviewing the case and preparing a thorough opinion which was released on June 18, 2009—just a week before Pride celebrations kick off in Oklahoma City.
The Motor Vehicle Division of the Tax Commission had argued that “The word gay, or especially the phrase I’m gay, is an expression of sexual orientation or preference. It therefore has a sexual content—or connotation to it. The word gay or the phrase I’m gay may not be vulgar or crude or obscene. It doesn’t have to be any of those in order to still be offensive.”
Judge Harrington responds, however, that: “The flaw in the Division’s analysis is that is not what the Rule says. Under the present rule, a [Personalized License Plate] may still have a sexual connotation, but it may not be offensive to the general public under the Kahn test adopted by the Tax Commission…from the undisputed testimony in this case, the Division issues PLPs based upon an individual Encoder’s personal perceptions of the meaning of a word or phrase and/or the personal prejudices of the individual Encoder…”
Judge Harrington stated further, “the Division’s denial of his application for a PLP is incorrect pursuant to the Rule.”