Yesterday– April 2, 2013– the Bisbee, Arizona City Coucil made history by being the first city in Arizona to buck state law and heavy-handed conservative pushback by approving same-sex civil unions.
You can read the story here. Watch Loneprotestor videos of the process after the jump.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I guess God doesn't hate gays after all, it's just the self-righteous Christian Taliban. Bisbee passed its civil unions ordinance last night, and the city was not destroyed by fire and brimstone as Mullah Cathi Herrod and her Christian Taliban at the Center for Arizona Policy prophesied. Maybe people should stop listening to these false prophets. Bisbee legalizes civil unions, pushes aside AG's legal warnings:
Ignoring vociferous opposition and threats of lawsuits, the small southeastern Arizona city of Bisbee legalized civil unions for same-sex couples Tuesday night in an historic council vote that turned into a political circus, as nearly 100 people packed the chambers in both opposition and support.
The City Council pushed aside legal warnings from the state’s attorney general and a conservative advocacy group and voted 5-2 to become first city in the state to offer civil-union certificates for all couples that would extend to same-sex partners some of the same rights as married couples within the Bisbee boundaries.
The ordinance, which goes into effect in 30 days, would cover joint property ownership, property inheritance, guardianship and adoption rights.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Bisbee City Council is scheduled to cast a final vote Tuesday night on an ordinance allowing civil unions for gay couples. Bisbee council is poised to recognize civil unions.
Naturally, this has caused unhinged apoplexy among the "God hates gays" crowd, including Arizona Attorney General Tom "banned for life by the SEC" Horne. Geezus, hasn't this poster boy for political corruption been indicted yet? AG Horne threatens legal action against Bisbee over civil union vote:
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne warned Bisbee on Tuesday that his
office would take legal action against the city if council members
approve an ordinance tonight allowing civil unions for gay couples.
The unions would be recognized only within the city limits and would
grant rights given to a married couple, including property ownership,
inheritance, guardianship and adoption.
Horne opposed the measure in a letter to city officials, saying Bisbee doesn’t have the authority to offer such unions and that “the impact goes beyond (city) boundaries.”
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
A couple of weeks ago, Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) revealed that his son is gay and that he has now decided to support gay marriage. By Sen. Portman’s own account, he opposed gay marriage
until he realized that opposition to gay marriage stands in the way of
his own son’s happiness.
The Washington Post reports today, Rep. Matt Salmon: Gay son hasn’t changed my views on marriage:
In an interview aired over the weekend, Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.) told a
local news station that his son’s homosexuality has not led him to
change his position on gay marriage.
“I don’t support the gay marriage,” the social conservative said. But
Salmon emphasized that he loved and respected his son and did not
consider homosexuality a choice.
“My son is by far one of the most important people in my life. I love
him more than I can say,” an emotional Salmon told 3TV. “It doesn’t
mean that I don’t have respect, it doesn’t mean that I don’t sympathize
with some of the issues. It just means I haven’t evolved to that stage.” (video below the fold).
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Technically, the first game of the 2013 Major League Baseball season will be played Sunday night on ESPN, Texas Rangers v. Houston Astros at 8 p.m. ET.
But the "official" Opening Day is Monday, April 1, with the World Champion San Francisco Giants v. Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox v. New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies v. Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners v. Oakland Athletics, St.Louis Cardinals v. Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Detroit Tigers v. Minnesota Twins.
The 84th All-Star Game will be played at the New York Mets stadium, Citi Field in Queens, New York City on July 16.
Opening Day remains to this day an almost religious experience for
me. It is the one day of the year when every team is tied for first
place and everything is possible. The failures of the past season are
forgotten and forgiven, and the hopes and dreams of every fan are that
"maybe this year our team will win the pennant and go to the World
Series." There is a sense of possibility and hopeful optimism, a sense
of renewal and rebirth with the coming of Opening Day.