When the courts do not let the people resolve new social issues like this one, they perpetuate the idea that the heroes in these change events are judges and lawyers. Better in this instance, we think, to allow change through the customary political processes, in which the people, gay and straight alike, become the heroes of their own stories by meeting each other not as adversaries in a court system but as fellow citizens seeking to resolve a new social issue in a fair-minded way.This will most likely be appealed. I would imagine that this will eventually be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. I'm rarely happy about these court gambles -- even though they have been working out in our favor for the past couple years.
I'm left with some options:Most people told Ian that they would stay home. I have some other advice.
- Do as previously planned - attend the wedding with my husband but skip the reception. This would frustrate my brother, stress out the bride, but show that I'm committed to being at family events and also demonstrate my commitment to being at them with my husband.
- Skip the wedding completely. This would probably placate my brother and his fiancee, but it would mean missing a significant event in my family and could send a message that I've stooped to his level by just not attending a family event when I don't agree with everything.
- Attend the wedding alone. This would allow me to support my brother, show interest in his relationship with his future wife, and be with my family. However, it disrespects my husband because I am attending a family event he is excluded from.
The “Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act,” introduced Wednesday (Nov. 5) by Chris Alexander, minister of citizenship and immigration, would set 16 as the minimum national age for marriage in Canada.Leave it to social and religious conservatives to use this as an opportunity to attack same-sex marriages and gay families.
If passed into law, the measure will make it a criminal offense to participate in or officiate at the marriage of an underage child. Removing a child from Canada for the purposes of arranged marriage would also be a crime. In addition, those practicing polygamy would no longer be allowed to immigrate to Canada with any of their spouses. Polygamists already living in Canada would be deported. The government also seeks to prevent honor killings by amending the Criminal Code to eliminate the defense of provocation.
Hey Canada, if you’re going to ban polygamy, please BAN YOUR GAY MARRIAGE MESS as well!! That’s how you clean up “barbaric practices”, baby!!
So polygamy is ‘barbaric’ (where a man is responsible for more than one wife), but gay ‘marriage’ legalizing prostitution is not. One night stands in bars and clubs are not barbaric either ey? LOL yea okay!
Of course all the cultural barbarism being unleashed is caused by the insane idea that marriage can be between 2 people of the same sex. Just because some power hungry judges and a corrupt media (again repudiated in the last conservative electoral wave) propagandizes for various insanities doesn’t make those insanities less barbaric.
John Abarr (has) started a new KKK group called the Rocky Mountain Knights. Though he won't say exactly how many members this new KKK group has, the organization will not discriminate against people because of race, religion or sexual orientation. "The KKK is for a strong America," Abarr said. "White supremacy is the old Klan. This is the new Klan..."The linked article indicates that Abarr is busy organizing a 2015 "peace summit" with the NAACP and other religious groups.
Abarr said his chapter of the KKK is a fraternal organization seeking members who want to fight against a "new world order" or a one-world government, which he is afraid the federal government is trying to achieve. Members who join still would be required to wear the robes and hoods and participate in the secret rituals, but Abarr said the Rocky Mountain Knights will be an open and non-discriminatory group.
Abarr's latest actions have enraged the United Klans of America, said Bradley Jenkins, imperial wizard for the organization. He agrees with the Montana Human Rights Network that Abarr should not be using the KKK title for his new organization — but for completely different reasons.Would you join the KKK if you knew that it was now open to people of all races, religions, and sexual orientations?
"That man's going against everything the bylaws of the constitution of the KKK say," said Jenkins. "He's trying to hide behind the KKK to further his political career."
Iowa City resident Jon Trouten said he is not surprised Iowa City ranked so high on the index. In the 20 years he has lived here as an openly gay man, Trouten said he hasn’t experienced problems over his sexuality in the workplace, in housing, in social relationships “or even in faith relationships.”Unfortunately, there continue to be unique health care access challenges for transgender individuals in this community, though there have been efforts to make improvements.
Trouten said a good next step for Iowa City government, however, would be to provide transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits for city employees and to continue to expand communication with the local transgender community.
The couple, Kenneth Barner and Scott Chappell, charge Carpenter under the Book of Discipline with “failure to perform the work of ministry.” Their complaint also accuses Carpenter of “gender discrimination” in not officiating at their ceremony. Gender discrimination is also a chargeable offense under church law.It's worth noting that this complaint was filed within the United Methodist Church court processes and not as part of any municipal nondiscrimination ordinance.
The United Methodist Book of Discipline, the denomination’s book of church law and teachings, also states that all people are of sacred worth but the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” It is a chargeable offense under church law for clergy to preside at same-sex unions.
In the complaint, the couple says the denomination’s rules are contradictory.
“God’s grace is available to all and so should the pastoral ministry (be),” the complaint said.
Carpenter said he has followed the church’s prohibition against same-gender weddings because he does not want to jeopardize his work for the church or harm the other ministries of Green Street Church.
However, he is sympathetic to Barner and Chappell.
“If there was a way for me to be a co-signer with the complaint, I think it’s right on the money,” he said. “It really calls out the contradictions in our Book of Discipline, which calls us to be ministry with all people.”
According to Mama June, she has only seen McDaniel twice since his release, once at a coincidental meeting and the second time at an arranged meeting to give closure to her daughter Pumpkin, 14, who was raised believing McDaniel was her biological father.Shannon also revealed that Lauryn "Pumpkin" and Jessica "Chubbs" Thompson share the same biological father. He is Michael Anthony Ford. He, too, is a sex offender who was convicted of sexual exploitation of minors and was actually caught on "To Catch a Predator" back in 2005.
"Since two months to almost six years, she knew nobody but him," Shannon explained. "She was starting to resent Anna and she was starting to ask me questions. I can't answer those questions for Pumpkin."
Shannon says that she arranged a second meeting with McDaniel so that Pumpkin could ask him questions in an attempt to get closure and move on.
"I was sitting right there with twelve other people," she told ET. "It was a conversation that she wanted her answers: what happened, why did he leave, you know, if he was her real father. He admitted to her, no. I had already told her that but, you know, she wanted to hear from both sides of the story."
"It is provocative and eye catching, but it's generic," Rory Moe, coordinator for the central Iowa coalition in Des Moines, said of the message. "We're not attacking any religion. The idea is to reach out to like-minded individuals."The billboards will remain in these three cities through mid-December.
One of the posts is from a fan asking if Sugar Bear has his own Facebook page. Uncle Poodle is responding on his own verified account. He says that yes he does if June didn't make him shut it off. The comment that has everyone talking though is how he said that Mama June actually set up Sugar Bear by making him a Plenty of Fish account. She tried to say that he cheated on her by finding women to date online, but if she made up the account that would make it where that is not true at all.Despite the drama, I eventually went to sleep and woke up to the following lengthy post by Alan, Uncle Poodle's fiance:
Next June started posting pictures of phone conversations between herself and her daughter Anna. The worst part about is that she is sharing her phone number for all of the world to see. Mama June and Uncle Poodle are arguing back and forth with each other over how the pictures of June and sexual offender Mark McDaniel even got out in the media. Poodle says he did not sell the photos and that he was not the only one who had these pictures. He also calls June a liar more than once saying she bought Mark a car and even rented him one time.
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Even if same-sex marriage becomes legal in both Missouri and Kansas — a matter now working its way through the courts — same-sex couples will not be allowed to stay as couples at City Union Mission’s family shelter.This doesn't surprise me. I have one friend who is currently struggling with homelessness in Kansas City, MO, and is sadly connected with the City Union Mission. Additionally, I work with a variety of individuals who have struggled at one point or another with homelessness. One of those folks stayed for a while at the City Union Mission.
“I knew this day would come, especially when the media would begin asking that question,” Doty said, deeply concerned about what effect the nonprofit’s decision could have on its broad community support and donations. “I truly hope you understand the can of worms this could open.
“…We are a Christian, faith-based organization that really does adhere to biblical standards. Our view is that it (same-sex marriage) is inappropriate. Our intent is not to shelter same-sex couples together.”
Married, same-sex couples who insist on being housed together will be referred to another area organization willing to accommodate them. Such organizations might include the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph and reStart Inc.
