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Methodist Bishops Back Choice on LGBT Clergy, Same-Sex Marriage
Bishops recommend that the church allow individual clergy members and regional bodies to decide on these policies.
www.advocate.com/religion/2018/5/05/methodist-bishops-back-choice-lgbt-clergy-same-sex-marriage
This Rachel Maddow Segment on Rod Rosenstein’s Refusal to Be Extorted by GOP Trump Allies in Congress is a Must-Watch
On last night’s Rachel Maddow Show, Maddow noted that all the discussion this week about Rudy Giuliani and the payments to Stormy Daniels were just noise obscuring the real “existential threat” to the Trump presidency.
Maddow took a fascinating look at the battle Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is waging against Trump-allied members of Congress who are determined to extort documents from the Justice Department related to the Mueller investigation so, as the NYT noted this week, that they can tip off the president.
Rosenstein gave remarks this week that made clear he will not entertain those requests amid threats from those Republican members of Congress that they will try and impeach him for not handing those documents over, early next week.
Maddow’s brilliant segment illuminating this battle is one that should not be missed.
Said Maddow of his remarks this week to the Bar Association of Montgomery County which you can read in full below: “He is taking his stand here. While the president and congressional Republicans are taking aim at him. This is his defense. We should notice that he is doing this in public. In terms of his offense, well, we saw that for the first time last night with this in The New York Times. ‘A former federal law enforcement official familiar with the department’s views says that Mr. Rosenstein and top FBI officials have come to suspect that some lawmakers are using their oversight authority to gain intelligence about the Mueller investigation so it can be shared with the White House.’”
She added:
His defense is ‘you’re not going to pressure me into monkey-wrenching this investigation. I’m not going to be extorted. I will not violate my oath.’ His offense is, ‘and you know what? Your efforts to do that look suspiciously like you in Congress are using your powers as members of Congress to try to obstruct an ongoing FBI investigation.’ Now, has a member of Congress ever gotten busted for something that serious when it comes to an open law enforcement matter? I’ve learned not to make assumptions about these things.”
Watch Maddow’s full segment above.
You can read Rosenstein’s remarks in full below:
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein Delivers Remarks at the Bar Association of Montgomery County’s Law Day Celebration – Rockville, MD
Remarks as prepared for delivery.
Thank you, Chief Judge Barbera, for the kind introduction. You are an inspiration for all Maryland lawyers. We deeply appreciate your exemplary leadership of our state judicial system.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to spend this time with so many friends and colleagues. My parents raised me in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. My wife and I raised our children in Montgomery County, Maryland. Both were named for Richard Montgomery, an American patriot killed in action in 1775, while serving as a general during the Revolutionary War. A few years ago, I took my daughters on a road trip to Montreal, and we visited the spot where Montgomery died. His final orders were recorded as follows: “Come on, my good soldiers, your General calls upon you to come on.”
As you know, I have been working in our nation’s capital for the past year. There’s no place like home! But do not believe everything you read in the news or see on television. Almost every day is a great day in my job. It is a tremendous honor for me to serve in the Trump Administration and to assist Attorney General Jeff Sessions in leading the 115,000 men and women who compose the United States Department of Justice. We are accomplishing great things for America, and that is what really matters. Just yesterday, I met with the President and the Attorney General at the White House to discuss some of the important progress we are making to keep America safe.
Today, I am elated to be with you to celebrate Law Day. The rule of law is definitely worth the time to celebrate. More importantly, it is worth the effort to sustain.
President Eisenhower first designated Law Day on May 1st, 1958. Three years later, Congress passed a resolution codifying it.
Congress stated that Law Day “is a special day of celebration by the people of the United States … in appreciation of their liberties and … rededication to the ideals of equality and justice under the law.” The resolution goes on to recognize that “cultivation of the respect for law … is so vital to the democratic way of life.”
On Monday, President Trump issued a Law Day Proclamation. The President said, “Law Day recognizes that we govern ourselves in accordance with the rule of law rather [than] … the whims of an elite few or the dictates of collective will. Through law, we have ensured liberty.” The point is that we do not achieve justice by polling the opinion of any person or group. We achieve justice through a process that seeks objective truth based upon credible and admissible evidence.
Each year, the American Bar Association suggests a theme for Law Day events. This year’s theme is one I particularly value — the separation of powers.
During my confirmation hearing last year, my daughters were studying American government at a high school not far from here. The hearing was a valuable illustration for them about the appropriate role of the constitutional separation of powers. Some of the senators expressed skepticism and concern about the executive branch, as you would expect, but almost all of the senators were respectful.
Each of the three branches of our government has a distinct but vital role to play in upholding the rule of law. The legislative branch enacts the laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. The judiciary interprets the laws. If you have children, as I do, you may be familiar with the Schoolhouse Rock jingle. But they chose to analogize our thoughtful system of checks and balances to a three-ring circus.
Of course, it is not that simple in practice. The interplay among the branches is incredibly complex, and our Constitution contemplates numerous checks and balances.
In the executive branch, we take an oath. We pledge to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We promise to bear true faith and allegiance to the same. We attest that we take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And we commit to well and faithfully execute the duties of the office, so help me God.
Faithfully enforcing the law is not about following a simple set of instructions. As the great champion of the law Robert H. Jackson put it, “law enforcement is not automatic.” Enforcing the law requires discretion and judgment.
When carrying out our enforcement duties, the executive branch is required to enforce the law as written by the legislature, and as interpreted by the judiciary.
I spent one year in the judicial branch, as a law clerk to D.C. Circuit Judge Douglas Ginsburg. Since then, I have worked in the executive branch.
It is a great honor to serve the Department of Justice. When you enter the courtyard of the Main Justice building, you pass beneath a depiction of the scales of justice and an inscription that reads, “Privilegium Obligatio.” It means that when you accept a privilege, you incur an obligation.
Prosecutors exercise considerable discretion. A legal opinion by former Seventh Circuit Judge Richard Posner put it this way: “The Department of Justice wields enormous power over people’s lives, much of it beyond judicial or political review. With power comes responsibility, moral if not legal, for its prudent and restrained exercise; and responsibility implies knowledge, experience and sound judgment, not just good faith.”
The point is made more concisely in a remark attributed to French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
If that quote sounds familiar, it was also said by another legendary person – Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben.
The point is that government officials who exercise discretion have a special obligation to make the right choice.
That requires experience, good judgment, and wisdom.
At the Department of Justice, our duty is in our name. Attorney General John Ashcroft famously said that we are the only cabinet department with a name that articulates a moral value.
Justice is not measured in the number of convictions secured. Our prosecutors and investigators learn from day one that their duty is to gather the facts, seek the truth, apply the law, and respect the policies and principles of the Department of Justice.
It is a bedrock principle, with very few exceptions, that we do not discuss investigations. The Department’s longstanding practice of keeping information about our investigations confidential has often been the source of disagreement with Congress.
In 1941, Congressman Carl Vinson wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert Jackson. He requested FBI and DOJ reports made in connection with an investigation of labor disputes involving Navy contracts. Vinson’s committee had oversight for such issues, which is why he wanted the documents.
Attorney General Jackson flatly refused the request. He did not compromise at all. Jackson explained that disclosing investigative reports would harm the national interest in a number of different ways.
First, it would “seriously prejudice law enforcement” by providing defense counsel with the government’s confidential impressions of the case.
Second, disclosing certain investigative reports would give aid to our enemies and jeopardize our national security.
Third, investigative reports often contain information about witnesses and informants. Releasing the information could stifle the FBI’s ability to obtain sources and could even put lives at risk.
The fourth reason is often overlooked. Jackson explained that handing over the documents could harm the reputations of innocent people. Being a subject of an investigation – or even a target – is not the same as being guilty of a crime. The Department of Justice conducts many investigations that never see the light of day because there is insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
When we conclude an investigation without filing charges, we do not announce our findings. We are not the judge and jury. If we cannot prove our case beyond any reasonable doubt, there is no case.
When Attorney General Jackson responded to the Congress in 1941, he referenced case law, statements by prior Presidents, and letters from six other Attorneys General.
Jackson explained that declining to open the FBI’s files to review by congressional members and staff is an “unpleasant duty,” but it is in keeping with the separation of powers embodied in our constitutional system. To illustrate his point, Jackson quoted a Supreme Court opinion explaining that it is “essential to the successful working of this system that the persons intrusted with power in any one of these branches shall not be permitted to encroach upon the powers confided to others, but that each shall by the law of its creation be limited to the exercise of the powers appropriate to its own department.”
We all work for the American people, and we need to be held accountable for mistakes and misconduct. That is one reason why our Department includes an Inspector General. The Inspector General was established to ensure accountability without eliminating confidentiality. The Inspector General’s employees include sworn federal agents, attorneys, and other executive branch officers who have full access to Department files and personnel, but who are prohibited from making unauthorized disclosures.
Like the Deputy Attorney General, the Inspector General is accountable to the President. Within the next few weeks, I anticipate that our Inspector General will complete a comprehensive, fair and nonpartisan report that answers many questions about how the Department of Justice handled a high-profile investigation during the last presidential campaign. We will learn from it, and our Department will do better in the future.
Congressional oversight is important. Congress must be able to hold hearings, conduct inquiries, and require reports so that it knows the laws are being faithfully executed and the money it appropriates is being properly spent. But oversight is not intended to eliminate the line between executive branch authority and legislative branch authority.
Our Constitution has provided us with the most stable and resilient legal system on Earth. According to the World Bank, the average constitution has a lifespan of about 19 years. Ours has lasted more than 12 times that—and it has endured through the most dynamic period of change in human history. It has served a big and diverse Union from the horse-and-buggy age to the space age to the digital age. No other Constitution has achieved that.
Our Bill of Rights, containing the first ten amendments, is often regarded as the pride of American government. But the Constitution originally had no Bill of Rights. The issue was considered during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, but the Constitution was ratified without it.
The Framers were more concerned about our government’s structure than a written guarantee of rights, because a written guarantee is only as powerful as the system in place to protect it. Our constitutional structure, and the separation of powers embodied in that structure, represents our government’s defining feature.
Justice Scalia explained that “it is those other humdrum provisions—the structural, mechanistic portions of the Constitution that pit, in James Madison’s words, ‘ambition against ambition,’ and make it impossible for any element of government to obtain unchecked power— that convert the Bill of Rights from a paper assurance to a living guarantee.”
The Founders dispersed power both horizontally and vertically. The three branches of the federal government check one another. The states and the federal government check one another. And the people check both the federal and the state governments.
Separation of powers can be frustrating. Prosecutors are sometimes disappointed when the judicial branch acquits someone it thought was guilty of a crime. But that is part of the genius of our system. Prosecutors collect evidence and decide whether it establishes a crime that warrants prosecution. We do not determine guilt.
I know that judges and legislators are sometimes frustrated by executive branch decisions, such as prosecutorial charging decisions.
The push and pull among and between the branches is bipartisan. It exists regardless of which party is in power. Justice Scalia explained that Americans should “learn to love the separation of powers,” even though it frequently leads to controversy. That tension – the power of each branch to say no – is one of the things that protects liberty.
Each of us has a role to play in protecting this unique and indispensable feature of our constitutional order.
Ultimately, in our system, sovereignty rests in the people. When “We the People” established the Constitution, it was a relatively novel concept. And “We the People” remain responsible for protecting it.
Our system of government is not self-executing. It relies on wisdom and self-restraint. In a democratic republic, liberty is protected by cultural norms as well as by constitutional text.
Lawyers and judges bear great responsibility for implementing and explaining those principles. The further we get from the founding generation, the less we appreciate how much everything depends on people rather than paper.
Abraham Lincoln believed that the best way to ensure the survival of our “edifice of liberty and equal rights” is to enshrine reverence for the rule of law in the hearts of the citizens.
“Let reverence for the laws,” he implored, “be breathed by every American mother … let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs — let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice.”
And, Lincoln concluded, “let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions” keep the rule of law.
We are privileged to live in a country that is governed by the rule of law. It is easy to take for granted. I am thankful for Law Day and events like this because they provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the genius of the American Constitution.
Thank you.
The post This Rachel Maddow Segment on Rod Rosenstein’s Refusal to Be Extorted by GOP Trump Allies in Congress is a Must-Watch appeared first on Towleroad.
GLAAD Honors LGBTQ Youth Leaders at Rising Stars Luncheon NYC
On Thursday, GLAAD awarded three driven and talented LGBTQ young adults with Rising Stars Grants for their leadership and activism to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance at the Rising Stars Luncheon, hosted by Nico Tortorella. Thanks to partners Barilla, Telemundo, and Delta, these future waymakers are the latest additions to a growing number of young activists poised to drive change forward. Meet GLAAD’s newest rising stars:
Photo Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty
Kosoko Jackson (he/him/his) is a Maryland native. He is the author of A Place For Wolves, a diverse Historical Thriller Young Adult Novel, coming out Summer 2019 by Sourcebooks Fire, and advocates for an increase in diverse authors and characters within the YA literary canon. Kosoko will continue championing literary diversity by using the Rising Stars Grant to create a mentorship program for queer authors, who can learn from a published queer author about craft, brand management, and the world of publishing for two months, culminating in a pitch event to literary agents & sponsored attendance at a literary convention.
Akila Prayaga (she/her/hers) is a senior at Cornell University. On campus, she has helped lead several LGBTQ+ organizations and events. Akila has continued her outreach off campus through her involvement in diversity organizations and conferences like Grace Hopper and Out for Undergrad. As a Rising Star grantee, Akila will expand her website, “The LGBTQ Agenda,” that promotes opportunities, conferences, and other resources for queer students interested in professional careers. to include interviews with queer professionals from a variety of backgrounds, professional skills webinars, and broadening the scope of the website to be the best resource it can be for queer students. She hopes to empower LGBTQ+ students to be the representation that the corporate world currently lacks.
Priscila a.k.a. Pea (they/them/theirs) is a non-binary cinematographer and documentarian. Born in Trujillo, Peru, Pea grew up with with an activist mom, who brought them to the streets to protest corruption and unemployment, the aftermath of an era of terrorism and dictatorship they were born into. In search for greater opportunities, Pea arrived in the U.S. at 15 and they began their journey as a visual storyteller. Now a proud graduate of UCLA’s film school, Pea has shot documentaries, short narratives, and is about to embark on their first VR docudrama with their team and the generous contribution of GLAAD’S Rising Stars–all to make their mama and Pachamama proud.
The luncheon also featured appearances by Auli’I Cravalho (Rise), Ellie Desautels (Rise), Joshua Rush (Andi Mack), Milk (RuPaul’s Drag Race), activist Blair Imani, Jackie Evancho (singer), Juliet Evancho (activist), Frankie Grande, and Zeke Smith (Survivor).
GLAAD also announced that CBS’ Survivor: Game Changers received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program. Accepting the award was contestant Zeke Smith, with presentes Jackie and Juliet Evancho and Frankie Grande.
Exclusive: @SurvivorCBS Game Changers wins GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program t.co/2QmKqU7pxo pic.twitter.com/6trSjibgK9
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 4, 2018
The GLAAD Rising Stars program is presented by Barilla, Comcast, NBCUniversal | Telemundo, Delta Air Lines, Turner, and Wells Fargo.
Recipients of GLAAD Rising Stars Grants will also attend the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City, which honor media for fair and accurate representations of LGBTQ people and the issues that impact their lives.
To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.
The 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards corporate partners include Presenting Partners Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. GLAAD is also grateful to: Official Partner Bud Light; Platinum Partners 21st Century Fox, Allstate Insurance Company, AT&T, Creative Arts Agency (CAA), Comcast NBCUniversal | Telemundo, Disney ABC Television Group | ESPN, Hyundai, Kaiser Permanente, Kelley Drye, MetLife, NBA | WNBA, Netflix, Omnicom Group, Sheppard Mullin, Southwest Airlines, and Turner; Gold Partners CBS | Showtime, Facebook, Nielsen, PwC, UM, Univision, Warner Bros.; and Silver Partners Coca-Cola, Hornet, Major League Baseball, Morgan Stanley, Pride Media, Skadden, Variety, and WWE. For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.
www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-honors-lgbtq-youth-leaders-rising-stars-luncheon-nyc
A Beautiful and Unexpected Love Story
“ I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once. ” ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars Nikki and I met at a time when neither of us were looking for commitment and certainly not for love . What was supposed to be something casual ended up turning into a beautiful and unexpected love story , a story we’re still happily writing. As Rita Ghatourey
www.noh8campaign.com/article/a-beautiful-and-unexpected-love-story
GLAAD slams the Trump Administration for pandering to the NRA instead of addressing the crisis of gun violence
Today both President Trump and Vice President Pence will speak at the NRA annual meeting in Dallas, TX
NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today denounced President Trump and Vice President Pence for speaking at the NRA’s annual meeting in Dallas, TX. Both Trump and Pence are scheduled to take the stage this afternoon during the NRA Leadership Forum, further displaying how the Trump Administration is giving into the NRA’s lobbying influence instead of listening to the growing demand for sensible gun control sparked by youth-led activism following the February 14th school shooting in Parkland, FL.
“President Trump and Vice President Pence are putting pandering to partisan politics over protecting the lives of Americans, while refusing the accept the reality that there is a direct correlation between how easy guns are to obtain and the horrifying frequency mass shootings take place in our country,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “American lives are not a partisan issue. From Columbine to Parkland, Pulse Nightclub to the high rates of gun violence faced by transgender women of color, too many Americans already know the devastating impact and heartbreak of gun violence.”
“Now more than ever, LGBTQ+ youth are recognizing that gun violence is a direct threat to our community with queer and trans youth even more vulnerable,” said GLAAD Campus Ambassador Leah Juliett. “While this administration wishes to push us back into the closet, we refuse to feel threatened by them, the NRA, or by bias-motivated violence in our call for comprehensive gun reform. We are on the right side of history, and we will never be silenced.”
Following the Parkland shooting, Leah Juliett (pronouns: they/them) penned a powerful open letter to Congress calling for them to enact sensible gun control that was co-signed by 100 of their follow GLAAD Campus Ambassadors.
GLAAD stands in solidarity with “Never Again,” March for Our Lives, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas students and all those impacted by gun violence mobilizing the movement for gun control. At the same time as the NRA annual meeting, GLAAD will be honoring and investing in the next generation of LGBTQ change makers, whose advocacy is transforming their local communities and the culture at large at the 2018 Rising Stars Luncheon.
Congratulations to Teresa and George from Nebraska!
The beauty of life is in each precious moment. Teresa understands this. She writes: “One day, I was using the Carousel feature on Zoosk and I matched with George. I noticed that he had an adorable smile and played guitar. But, he lived in a different state. So, I sent him a message saying, ‘I
The post Congratulations to Teresa and George from Nebraska! appeared first on Zoosk.
about.zoosk.com/en/blog/success-stories/congratulations-teresa-george-nebraska/
DISCRIMINATION IN KANSAS: Legislature Sends Anti-LGBTQ Child Welfare Bill to Governor’s Desk
HRC blasted the Kansas legislature for passing a patently discriminatory bill, SB 284 (known until this afternoon as HB 2481), which would create a license to discriminate with taxpayer funds against LGBTQ foster or adoptive parents, single parents, or other qualified families. The bill passed out of a conference committee today, was approved by both chambers and is now headed to the governor’s desk. HRC urges Governor Jeff Colyer to veto this bill.
SB 284 could have a sweeping, harmful impact in child welfare services by enabling discrimination against LGBTQ people, same-sex couples, interfaith couples, single parents, married couples in which one prospective parent has previously been divorced, or other qualified parents to whom an agency has an objection. The biggest barrier to placing children with families is a lack of qualified prospective parents; having the state give contractors and subcontractors a license to discriminate, thereby limiting the pool of prospective parents for no legitimate reason, is unconscionable and an unacceptable use of taxpayer dollars.
“To be clear: SB 284 is a ‘license to discriminate’ that targets youth, first and foremost,” said JoDee Winterhof, senior vice president of policy and political affairs. “This insidious bill will make it harder for kids to find qualified loving homes and it could be used to discriminate against LGBTQ Kansans. Business leaders, child welfare advocates, faith leaders and ordinary Kansans have all spoken out against this bill because they understand that needless, discriminatory bills only serve to harm Kansans and the reputation of the Sunflower State. Now, we urge Gov. Colyer to do what the legislature could not and stop this shameful bill from becoming law.”
Many of the country’s top child welfare organizations have spoken out in opposition of the bill, including the Child Welfare League of America, North American Council on Adoptable Children, National Center for Adoption and Permanency, Foster Club, Voice For Adoption, Foster Adopt Connect, Kansas Appleseed, and Children’s Alliance of Kansas. This bill most harms children in the system who are awaiting placement in qualified, loving homes and are instead denied placement with a family due to a lack of prospective parents. Experts agree that child welfare services should be guided by the overarching principle that guides all family law: all determinations should be in the best interest of the child. SB 284 clearly violates this principle.
HRC recently released a report, titled Disregarding the Best Interest of the Child: License to Discriminate In Child Welfare Services, detailing the harms of efforts to write anti-LGBTQ discrimination by child welfare agencies into law. Statistics suggest that an estimated two million LGBTQ adults in the U.S. are interested in adoption, but the LGBTQ community often remains an untapped resource when it comes to finding families for children and youth in foster care.
Research consistently shows that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system, as many have been rejected by their families of origin because of their LGBTQ status, and are especially vulnerable to discrimination and mistreatment while in foster care. SB 284 will only exacerbate these challenges faced by LGBTQ young people.
Banning Conversion Therapy Will Save Lives
Conversion therapy denies people their identity, and that’s why it must end, writes transgender musician Ryan Cassata.
www.advocate.com/commentary/2018/5/04/banning-conversion-therapy-will-save-lives
Zach Strong: Today is a Wonderful Day: *
because today I am super in love with a beautiful woman that I love her too much that is my dear mother who for some time I did not see her and today I found her I shared with her and I could see her for a long time thanks God for giving me that wonderful woman thanks ajjjaja: *
www.flirt4free.com/models/bios/zach_strong/about.php?mp_code=f48t&service=guys
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