It is possible, even from the great distance of Maine, to hear the DC press corps exhale with a collective “OMiGod” at the remarkably ignorant declaration of Republican Congressman Trent Franks, who Aaron Blake and Laura Bassett and Garance Franke-Ruta explain, available research indicates that rape does not result in a lower pregnancy rate than consensual sex, and tens of thousands of pregnancies in the United States every year occur as the result or rape. In short, Trent Franks couldn’t be more wrong — and it’s on the back on his simply wrong claims that he’s trying to pass H.R. 1797, bill to force the criminalization of abortion upon the citizens of the District of Columbia, even in the case of rape.

The Incidence of Trent Franks Thinking is Very Low ButtonAs you hear partisan spinners declare Trent Franks’ counterfactual assertions to be an anomaly among Republicans, remember that it was less than a year ago that Republican Senator Todd Akin made the same claim.

As you watch his fellow Republicans back away rapidly from Trent Franks due to his impolitic manner of speaking, remember that until this afternoon, Trent Franks’ efforts were well-supported within Republican ranks. His bill to punish victims of rape out of ignorance is supported by a group of 171 cosponsors, a group that is overwhelmingly male and overwhelmingly Republican.

As Republican leaders everywhere feign shock that a member of Congress like Trent Franks could dream up such a thing, look at the long-standing record of Trent Franks’ kooky extremism — it’s all a matter of public record.

These are just a few examples of Trent Franks’ extremist political practices. It’s been fairly clear for some time that Trent Franks’ thought-starved agenda was out of step with mainstream American ideals. But until he proved an embarrassment, the Republican Party held Trent Franks in a tight embrace as one of its own.

Today I discovered Taksim Solidarity, a website at which the movement against authoritarianism in Turkish government shares its messages with the world in German, Turkish and English. The word “solidarity” seems apt, as a major theme of today’s communication has to do with the authorities’ attempts to split the movement along traditional lines of distinction. This Taksim protest group refuses to jettison its members based on their gender, their sexuality or their secularism:

They hope that dividing the park-savers and the marginal groups among those, who stand shoulder to shoulder for any kind of solidarity in Gezi Park, would help. Nobody should think that such a division among people who protect their park and living space would be helpful. We are going to stay together, and build our legitimate and righteous demands with solidarity. AKP government tries to create a polarization among public by holding alternative meetings, threatens its own citizens and rejects the demands of hundreds of thousands of people who in 77 cities of the country, primarily in Kizilay (Ankara), cries out their wishes in the streets, people who dance, sing and read poems to express their demands in Gezi Park and in squares; people among whom are women, children, LGBT’s, workers, religious people and non-believers.

That’s a movement worth watching.

There’s good news for Americans who care about freedom from discrimination in the workplace. In the U.S. Senate, Al Franken has introduced S. 1088, a bill that would prohibit discrimination in public schools based on the sexual orientation, or perceived sexual orientation, of students.

But then, only 33 Senate Democrats actually have signed their names to support the bill. That’s not something to be proud of.
The Senate Democrats who seem not to give a damn about discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans are:

sneering donkeyMax Baucus
Tom Carper
Joe Donnelly
Dianne Feinstein
Heidi Heitkamp
Mazie Hirono
Tim Johnson
Tim Kaine
Mary Landrieu
Carl Levin
Joe Manchin
Claire McCaskill
Robert Menendez
Bill Nelson
Mark Pryor
Harry Reid
John Rockefeller
Jon Tester
Mark Warner

These Democrats are the congressional equivalent of the kids in high school who would look the other way while the gay kids got beat up. They’re cowards.

By the way, independent senator Angus King is refusing to support this legislation as well. How are you feeling about that, Maine voters?

france marriage protestThis month, France joined the global movement to recognize the legal equality of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. It legalized same-sex marriage. Most people in France were happy with the decision.

Large crowds of angry right wing protesters gathered in the streets this weekend, however. They demanded that everyone else follow their way of living. They insisted that the government revoke marriage rights for large numbers of French couples. They shouted for a return to inequality.

Why should anyone listen to them? It was all about moral values, the French anti-equality protesters said.

To prove their loyalty to moral values, the protesters threw bottles and bricks at the police, and chased after journalists, carrying sticks threatening the reporters with a beating. The French right wing moral code: Allowing people who love eachother to get married is wrong, but engaging in violent riots is morally upright.

I think French protesters would keep more of the world’s respect if they stayed with the occasional angry farmer blocking traffic with his tractor.

Number of prominent Christian pastors who insist that deadly weather disasters are the means by which Jesus shows his hatred for gay people loving judgment against same-sex marriage: at least six.

Date of the UK House of Commons’ vote to legalize same-sex marriage: May 21 2013

Weather disasters over the United Kingdom on May 21 2013: zero

Weather in London on May 21 2013: overcast and a small bit of rain with a high of 61.

“Delaware should be, is and will be a welcoming place to live and love and to raise a family for all who call our great state home.” So said Governor Jack Markell last night, upon signing into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.

Still, there are those, like the Boy Scouts and their allies, who remain loyal to out-of-date anti-homosexual bigotry. Even some supposedly gay-friendly families get involved with the Boy Scouts, because they just can’t imagine childhood without dorky-looking uniforms covered with badges.

“I know they’re knuckle-walking jerks,” they say with a shrug, “but the Boy Scouts help fathers bond with their sons.” Is there no other way for fathers and sons to get together and share an experience? Dave and Joseph McGrath found an alternative. They’re riding their bicycles together, over 1,800 miles, to the Boy Scouts headquarters in protest against the continuing anti-gay discrimination of the Boy Scouts of America.

Speaking of bicycles, it’s National Bicycle Month, a time for people to leave their automobiles behind, stop burning gasoline for a while, and roll down the road on their own power. You may not be able to go as far as the McGraths, but you still have the power to get out and move without paying Exxon or BP for the privilege.

Number of prominent Christian pastors who say that weather is the instrument through which God delivers His Divine Judgment regarding homosexuality: at least 6

smiling sunNumber of days since Rhode Island legalized same-sex marriage: 4

Number of warm, sunny days since Rhode Island legalized same sex marriage: 4

The National Day of Prayer is not a national holiday. Yet, the right wing organization that has created the National Day of Prayer has used its contacts with military and congressional leaders to create the appearance of a federal government endorsement of the event, held yesterday at the Pentagon and in Congress (though Congress was out of session).

This year, the National Day of Prayer was transformed into an especially outlandish affair, as religious preacher Greg Laurie was given leadership of the events. Laurie has become well known for his wild conspiracy theories about same-sex marriage. He claims that the popular movement to recognize the equal legal right of gays and lesbians to get married, now supported by the majority of Americans, is an evil plot with the purposeful intention of destroying the United States from within. Laurie warns that Satan himself is the leader of the marriage equality movement, using little demons, devils and other evil spirits to communicate with lesbian and gay activists, and give them their satanic marching orders.

greg laurieAccording to the bizarre beliefs of Greg Laurie, Rhode Island, along with the rest of New England is now directly controlled by Satan himself. Yesterday, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed legislation recognizing the legality of marriage between same-sex partners. Same-sex marriage is now equal in one out of every five states. The state of Delaware is now organizing to expand this group.

For those of us who don’t believe that red-skinned, horned, bat-winged supernatural creatures carrying pitchforks and bullwhips are secretly in control of state governments, this is good news. We don’t perceive wicked djinnis behind every piece of legislation. We simply see that Americans are finally moving toward the position where we can be nice to other people, even if they don’t do things in quite the same way that we do.