I’ve been watching and waiting for this ruling to come down today. A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of appeals just struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage. This issue is now headed for the United States Supreme Court, where Justice Kennedy is likely to be the deciding vote. That ruling could come as [...]

Friday, there was a press conference at which five former mayors of Anchorage pledged their support to the One Anchorage Voter Initiative–one that will provide the same legal protections to gay and transgender folks in employment, housing, finances and business that other folks already receive. Per the press release: The bipartisan group consists of: US [...]

by Linda Kellen Biegel When “One Anchorage” was preparing to file their now-successful petition with the city to place their initiative on the April 3rd ballot, most supporters and those experienced with similar campaigns agreed that it would be very difficult to provide a rational argument against the initiative itself. As it states on the [...]

~Jim Minnery of the Alaska Family Council By Shannyn Moore I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent in church, but it’s a lot. I guess it doesn’t matter since they’re not counted as frequent flier miles for admission into heaven. Some of my greatest life lessons were learned at the foot of a pulpit. [...]

The other day, presidential hopeful Rick Santorum was quoted singling out black people for entitlement reform by saying to an Iowa audience, “I dont want to make black people’s lives better by giving them someone else’s money.” His point was about putting people to work, rather than welfare, but the racial characterization of the problem [...]

[Former candidate Michele Bachmann, with her husband Marcus (in pink shirt and tie) says farewell to the race. Photo by Chris Carlson/AP] Let’s do a quick Countdown of Crazy, and touch base with the best of the best of the Republican party and what they have to offer us in country leading potential. 6) Michele [...]

Yesterday, I was on the Shannyn Moore Show (1020koan.com) for my weekly segment, Thursdays in the Mud. I’d just come from the press conference held by the One Anchorage campaign which will put basic equal rights for the LGBT community on this spring’s Municipal ballot. It proposes the radical notion that gay and transgendered people [...]

Remember when Ordinance 64 came before the Assembly? It stated that the LGBT community should have basic equal rights when it comes to housing, education, employment and use of public facilities. Pretty basic stuff, right? Well, after almost 24 hours of public testimony (including testimony from people who didn’t even live in Anchorage, yet were [...]

You might remember that in September, a coalition of organizations launched the One Anchorage Campaign: The One Anchorage campaign filed an application this morning with the Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s Office to place an initiative on the April 2012 ballot asking voters to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Alaskans in the same legal protections [...]

Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student spoke about the strength of his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Wahls has two mothers, and came to oppose House Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa. The fight to to keep marriage [...]

This afternoon in Anchorage, several hundred people gathered in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protesters. A crowd this size was a fantastic turnout for an event that was promoted largely on Facebook and by word of mouth. The weather cooperated beautifully. It was a gorgeous sunny autumn day in the 50s, and spirits were [...]

You don’t hear THAT every day. But today, we did. It seems that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the property tax exemption that benefits seniors and disabled veterans violates that amazing document known as the Alaska Constitution. Glory be. The ACLU was on the case and challenged the exclusion of same sex families on [...]

Last week, an organization called Equality Works launched the One Anchorage Campaign for a ballot initiative to be voted on by Anchorage residents in the Spring 2012 Municipal Election. The initiative would add sexual orientation and transgender identity to the Municipality’s Equal Rights Code. Per the Press Release from Equality Works: One Anchorage Files Initiative [...]

Yesterday was the first day that same-sex marriage was legal in New York. Phillis Siegel (76) and Connie Kopelov (84) were the first to marry at Manhattan’s City Clerk’s office. They have been partners for 24 years. Congratulations to all the couples who tied the knot today in New York, the sixth and largest state [...]

  In this clip, Keith Olbermann talks to Ken Vogel of Politico about the potential trainwreck, or elevation of the Bachmann campaign. With the less than inspiring, less than electable GOP lineup, Michele Bachmann is actually rising in the polls. What kind of “First Dude” would this oft-compared to Sarah Palin potential candidate bring to [...]