The old 10,000 Maniacs song “Jezebel” seems appropriate this week. Look for a piece from me early Monday morning which will explain exactly why it’s so appropriate, but for now, let’s just base this week’s random ten off of this great song.
More videos after the jump.
1. Cry Cry Cry – “Cold Missouri Waters”
2. Avett Brothers – “A Lover Like You”
3. Sarah McLachlan – “Fallen”
4. Throwing Muses – “Freesia”
5. Dar Williams – “Flinty Kind of Woman”
6. Neko Case – “Red Tide”
7. Rachael Yamagata – “Letter Read”
8. Rufus Wainwright – “14th Street”
9. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?”
10. Joanna Newsom – “You And Me, Bess”
He backpedalled over the degree to which he supports Uganda’ anti-homosexuality bill after he spoke at a rally in the country’ capital last month. And Engle is now conducting prayer meetings at the Gateway House of Prayer in St. Louis through July 12.
A veil of secrecy has enveloped the nightly gatherings he and Michael Brown, who co-chairs his The Call ministry, have conducted. Both Gateway and Engle’ Web sites have removed any mention of the them, but activist Evan Hurst, who blogs for Truth Wins Out, attended a meeting on Tuesday, June 22.
He told EDGE in an exclusive interview Engle spoke for approximately an hour and a half before an audience of approximately 250 people; whom he described as surprisingly young.
Hurst said Engle spoke forcefully and convincingly, drawing cheers from the audience assembled in Gateway’ main meeting room. He said the pastor spoke of the “battle” or “warfare” in which they needed to engage through fasting and prayer. Engle’ comments focused on the idea of “reclaiming” the next American generation as a Christian, evangelical one.
“Lou Engle truly believes every word he says,” said Hurst. “He believes he is the prophet and believes he has been chosen to fight the gay ‘ideology.’ These people truly believe they are doing the work of God and that they are the only true Christians.”
Hurst further recalled the 90 minute prayer meeting.
“There is no amount of correct information that will convince them otherwise,” he said. “But I don’t think they see themselves as haters. You don’t have to be a malevolent person to get caught up in this type of ideology and that’ the scary part of it all.”
The Call has hosted prayer gatherings in other parts of the country. These include events in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Cincinnati and Houston. But the timing and depth of the St. Louis engagement, however, coincides with the National Organization for Marriage’ Summer for Marriage cross-country tour.
Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, hopes LGBT people will speak out against Engle’ ministry, recognizing him as “an incredible danger to not only the movement, but the entire country.” He sees Engle’ rhetoric as part of a trend toward more radical speech as anti-gay leaders find themselves facing an increasingly more progressive national stance toward LGBT issues.
“As people like Engle realize they’re losing, they’re getting crazier, more radical, more rabid and more extreme,” said Besen. “This rhetoric borders on dangerous and people like this need to be closely monitored and watched. We need to take what they say seriously and continue to speak out against them.”
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a lineup of speakers‚Äîand one bona-fide comedian‚Äîtestified to the idea that sexuality is immutable while blasting Exodus International, the “ex-gay” ministry that would bring its yearly Freedom Conference to Irvine’ Concordia University from June 23 to 26. Organized by local and statewide gay-rights groups such as Equality California, Courage Campaign and the Orange County Equality Coalition, the LGBT affirmation conference cut a sharp contrast with the event it was meant to critique, right down to slogans: One was labeled “It’ Not a Choice,” while Exodus’ website has the tagline “Freedom is possible!”
I reported this morning that the American Family Association was attacking ten year-old Will Phillips, who is set to grand marshal Fayetteville’s pride parade this weekend, and who you all know as the kid who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in solidarity with his LGBT brothers and sisters who don’t yet have full “liberty and justice for all.” The AFA sent out an e-mail blast to their followers encouraging them to bark and stew at the Fayetteville mayor’s office to pressure them to cancel the celebration/rescind their proclamation of support. Fayetteville wasn’t having any of it:
According to city officials, the pride parade planned for this weekend will not be rained on.
Despite receiving over 300 emails Wednesday afternoon urging Mayor Lioneld Jordan to withdraw the city’ support for the parade and other festivities including a mayoral proclamation, Fayetteville Communication Director Lindsley Smith said Saturday’ activities will go on as scheduled.
“The Mayor is still excited,” said Smith. “Everything’ still on.”
Most of the messages included identical body copy which came pre-loaded in an online action form set up by the American Family Association. Nearly all of them began with the statement, “I am shocked to learn that the city of Fayetteville is issuing a proclamation in support of the homosexual activist group, Northwest Arkansas Pride.”
Smith said the majority of the emails were from non-Fayetteville residents.
I’d say your movement is on its last legs when a city of under 75,000 in the state of Arkansas is openly telling the American Family Association to get bent.
The ethics commission today rejected a request from the National Organization for Marriage to end an investigation of the group’s finances.
The group, which was the biggest contributor to the successful Yes on 1 campaign to repeal the state’s same-sex marriage law, argued in a letter to the commission that it did not have the legal power to conduct an investigation.
But on a 4-0 vote this morning, the commission rejected that argument.
“It seems to me if this was such a compelling issue for them they would have brought it earlier,” said Commission Chairman Walter McKee. “I have no doubt this will be appealed to Superior Court.”
They’re going for broke here, obviously. As Joe Sudbay said, Brian Brown and Maggie Gallagher obviously have something major to hide.
The Lisa Miller/Janet Jenkins saga continues, as the case was argued before the Vermont Supreme Court, with Lisa Miller and Isabella, of course, still likely out of the country:
(Dillon) This is the second time that the Supreme Court has heard arguments in a bitter child custody battle between two women who were former partners.
But the case took a new turn in January, when Lisa Miller – who now lives in Virginia – failed to appear to hand over the child in a court-ordered custody swap.
Miller’s lawyer is Rena Lindevaldsen. She says she hasn’t heard from her client in months and doesn’t know where she is. And she told the state Supreme Court that a Vermont trial judge was wrong to award custody to Miller’s former partner. (Lindevaldsen) You’re switching from the first time anywhere in this nation from a fit biological parent that individual’s child and switching to somebody who has been declared to be a parent who is not that child’s biological or adoptive parent.
(Dillon) But associate Justice John Dooley challenged the lawyer on a number of points. First, Dooley asked: what about men whose children were conceived through reproductive technologies.” (Dooley) “So I take it your position would be the same to a father, to a husband, for whose spouse was impregnated by artificial insemination – he could not ask for custody in a proceeding if they went through a divorce? Is that right?”
(Lindevaldsen) “Unless of course he adopted the child in the meantime.”
(Dillon) But Dooley said because the couple had been joined in a Vermont civil union the child did not have to be adopted in order for Jenkins to be considered a legal parent.
Then Chief Justice Paul Reiber weighed in. Reiber brought up the issue of Lisa Miller’s contempt of court citations. The Virginia woman faces arrest because she defied a court order and disappeared with the child. (Reiber) “You said a few moments ago that your client, your referred to her as a “fit parent.” Hasn’t she had seven or eight contempt orders issued against her?”
That’s the trouble with anti-gay fundamentalists trying to be heard in courts of law. Since everything they believe is preposterous nonsense, it doesn’t tend to go well for them.
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the names of people who signed petitions in an attempt to overturn a new gay rights law in Washington must be made public, a victory for state officials who said the case was a test of open government laws.
Justices ruled 8-1 in a case called Doe V. Reed. Only Justice Clarence Thomas dissented.
Interjecting: Because Clarence Thomas is pretty much a dingus. When even Scalia understands, and Thomas still doesn’t…
“This is a good day for transparency and accountability in elections–not just in Washington but across our country,” Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said. “We’re pleased the Supreme Court ruled in favor of disclosure, upholding the public’s right to double-check the work of signature gatherers and government — and giving them the ability to learn which voters are directing the state to hold an election on a new law. Citizen legislating is too important to be conducted in secret.”
“I wonder if they’ll call Roberts, Alito and Scalia ‘activist judges’.”
Heh.
UPDATE II: If you’d like to read the ruling, it’s here. Thomas’s dissent (AKA “the funny part”), starts on page 49. I had no idea he knew so many words!
It’s your weekly “Homophobic religious leader is gay” story!
Remember when a tornado struck downtown Minneapolis last year and broke the cross atop a downtown church?
Minneapolis Pastor Tom Brock made a whole bunch of waves by suggesting that the twister was God’s retribution for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America voting at its national convention in Minneapolis that day to take up — and pass — a resolution that allows for openly gay clergy could serve as ministers.
“The apostasy is now complete” in the ELCA, he told conservative Christian radio host David Wheaton not long afterward.
