Bisbee, AZ Fights for Same-Sex Unions
Like Alaska, Arizona has a constitutional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. And like Alaska, their Constitution doesn’t say anything about civil unions. And although Arizona has a reputation for leaning far-right on many social issues, there are progressive communities who don’t believe that civil rights only apply to heterosexuals. One such community is Bisbee, Arizona. An old copper mining town that was reinvented as an artists’ colony in the 1970s, Bisbee sits close to the Mexican border just southeast of Tucson. It’s a charming community (pop. 5,633) full of old historic buildings, cute eateries and…
The Story Behind the Meme: Equal Rights Equal Sign
As a person who’s worked on branding and social media in the non-profit sector I’ve always admired the Human Rights Campaign. Their branding, use of social media is at a level that most corporations can’t match. In a country where it seems there’s a 100 groups for every cause the HRC stands out and has become the go to organization on GLBT rights. So this past week when the HRC logo went viral I was wondering to myself – how did they decide on something as elegant and straightforward as the equal sign. Well I’m guessing they’ve been asked that…
Begich Supports Same-Sex Marriage
Alaska Senator Mark Begich has come out with a definitive statement in support of same-sex marriage. Monday night, the Senator’s office sent the following statement to BuzzFeed: “I believe that same sex couples should be able to marry and should have the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other married couple. “Government should keep out of individuals’ personal lives—if someone wants to marry someone they love, they should be able to. Alaskans are fed up with government intrusion into our private lives, our daily business, and in the way we manage our resources and economy.” The comment comes after…
GOP Responds to LOLing at Civil Unions
[A similar story is cross-posted at The Huffington Post HERE] Well, that didn’t take long. Apparently, the House Majority Caucus got an earful, and learned that laughing out loud at the mere thought of Alaskans having legal recognition of same-sex partnerships was inappropriate. That’s what happened Friday during a press availability in Juneau. Late this morning, a statement was released to the press by Majority Leader Lance Pruitt (R-Anchorage) and Speaker of the House Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski). Caucus leaders were asked for their position on providing legal recognition for same-sex partnerships, a position which 70% of Alaskans favor….
Same-sex Civil Unions? Republicans LOL.
[A similar story is posted at The Huffington Post HERE] Oh, it was a rollicking good time at the House Majority press conference this week. Mark Miller of the Juneau Empire pointed out that only 30% of Alaskans were opposed to legally recognizing same-sex partnerships in some way. That means 70% of the population in our great state thinks that gay people should have the right to a legal union. That’s what they call, in statistical terms, “a ginormous majority.” In light of these overwhelming results, Miller asked the Republican House caucus if they would support legally recognized civil…
FOX Punks Self with Same-sex Couple
Oh, Fox News. In a video about how nobody will be happy until we admit that the sexes are not equal, and “traditional” gender roles in marriage, Fox News went to the internet and nabbed a gorgeous photo of a gorgeous couple taking their traditional vows atop New York’s Empire State Building. One problem. The happy couple just happens to be two women. Lela McArthur and Stephanie Figarelle from Anchorage, Alaska won a contest last year for their dream wedding, and got married last Valentine’s Day at the famous landmark, on the first day that gay marriage became legal in…
The NRA Board – It’s WAR!
Wayne LaPierre, the Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Rifle Association has been front and center in the public discussion about gun rights, and gun control. His extremist rhetoric has drawn criticism, and he’s become an iconic symbol of what progressives believe to be a tone-deaf and radical agenda in which “the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” LaPierre may be the one most often in front of the cameras, but the board of the National Rifle Association actually has 76 directors who call the shots,…
Jesus Gets Punked by Exxon
Election day may be over here in Alaska, but now is when the fun begins. The results of a couple close races are hinging on absentee and questioned ballots yet to be examined, and shiny new lawmakers are angling for committee assignments and chairmanships. Pundits, meanwhile, examine and expound upon the results of the Citizens United meets Big Oil meets Jesus campaign machine. Let me be one of them. During this time, it’s good to remember the lessons of the past. The genius of Ronald Reagan was his ability to unite two completely different groups of people—with completely different policy…
Post Election Grief from “That Guy”
We’ve seen all kinds of wailing, and sobbing, and rending of garments since Tuesday’s Presidential election. We witnessed Karl Rove’s own mental denial of service attack on Fox News, and we’ve seen whatever right wing Facebook friends we have left indulging in a variety of reactions from head shaking at the idiocy of their fellow Amurrikans, to downright racist screeds about the President. But not until I read through my own emails, and saw this forward of a forward from a friend of a friend, had I seen such a comprehensive, and straightforward regurgitation of right wing gripes, talking points,…
Dismantling Alaska Bipartisanship
Alaska Family Action, the political arm of the Alaska Family Council, recently welcomed Governor Sean Parnell to a fundraiser. The event brought together social conservatives who seek to add their voices to those supporting the governor’s oil tax plan. With the specific goal of destroying the State Senate’s bipartisan coalition next month, the organization is banking on a new fundraising strategy and new access to personal data about voters to fuel its “Reclaiming Juneau Initiative” in November. Jim Minnery addressed the event’s roughly 25 attendees, explaining that his Alaska Family Council became frustrated by the political limitations it encountered via…