Mary Fallin Says The GOP Platform Isn’t Anti-Gay Cuz They Had a 'Gay' On The Committee

Mary Fallin, Oklahoma’s goose-stepping anti-LGBT bigot governor, wants y’all to know that the GOP platform to be introduced at this year’s Republican National Clusterf**k isn’t at all homophobic or anti-LGBT.

The platform says that marriage should still be between a man and woman; it says that children should be raised in “traditional” i.e. heterosexual, homes; it says that parents can force their LGBT children to undergo “conversion therapy”.

But, yeah, Mary, it’s not anti-LGBT is it? And she says, ‘No,’ because, … wait for it … there were “gay people on the committee” that drafted it.

Well, not gay people, but one gay person; that lone gay voice was Rachel Hoff Rachel. The first — and no doubt last — openly gay person to sit on the Republican Party’s Platform Committee.

Hoff, a delegate from the District of Columbia, offered an amendment to the Republican platform that would have encouraged a “thoughtful conversation” within the party on same-sex marriage; it received just 30 votes from the 112-member committee.

You know, because the GOP Hates fags.

But, back to Mary Fallin, who declared the GOP isn’t anti-LGBT because there’s one gay on the committee — out of 122 members so did she really have a chance — and then who also said:

“We’re an inclusive party; we’re a big tent. The main thing is: We think all human beings, no matter who you are, deserve respect, deserve equal treatment, and should be respected in all that we do, and be respected.”

Unless you’re a gay woman on the committee, or a gay person in America.

Or an immigrant.

Or a woman.

Or a Muslim.

Or the Middle Class.

Or an environmentalist.

Joe My God

UPDATE: Oklahoma’s Asshat Governor, Mary Fallin, Says The Ten Commandments Will Stay

Overruling the state’s Supreme Court, Teabagger darling and rightwingnut, Oklahoma Governor, and Republican of course, Mary Fallin will not removed the Ten Commandments statue from the statehouse grounds.

“Oklahoma is a state where we respect the rule of law, and we will not ignore the state courts or their decisions. However, we are also a state with three co-equal branches of government.” — Mary Fallin

Co-equal, unless the Supreme Court follows the letter of the state Constitution, then Marry Fallin does whatever the hell she wants to do while crying Jesus and Bible and God.

See, the courts made it very clear in their ruling, calling the statue “obviously” religious and noting that the state constitution specifically prohibits state funds or property … like the statehouse grounds … from used “for the benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.”

That would seem to include the statue, Mary.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma:

“We along with no doubt a large number of Oklahomans were astonished at the governor’s reaction and the statement today pretending that she has the authority to enforce the laws of some hypothetical future instead of enforcing the laws as they are today. Governors do not get a blank check to make up the laws as they see fit. That’s not the way that our democracy works and the governor’s statement is unprecedented.”

So it appears the case will go on appeal, and that the state Supreme Court will hear it again — the case has already dragged on more than two years through the courts; and the process of changing the state constitution could take well over another year.

In the meantime, Mary, say Hello to the satanic statue that was scheduled for the statehouse grounds, and then scuttled after last week’s ruling. And, while you’re at it, make way for the Torah and the Quran and any other religious icon that a subset of Oklahomans will demand be displayed on government property, because you cannot say 'No' to a bunch of religions and faiths and beliefs after saying 'Yes' to the one you like.

Washington Post

Oklahoma? Okay!

I was stunned when marriage equality became legal — however briefly … for now — in Utah, but I am equally shocked now after a federal judge in Oklahoma — let that sink in — ruled this week that the state’s constitutional amendment which banned same-sex marriages violates the US Constitution.

Now, that doesn’t mean The Gays are flocking to Oklahomo to tie the knot, because that Oklahoma Judge, Terrence Kern — obviously no relation to Sally, though that would have been something eh? — stayed his decision in anticipation of an appeal by the state to the same appeals court where the Utah case is being heard. But Kern did say, in his ruling, that Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage is “an arbitrary, irrational exclusion of just one class of Oklahoma citizens from a governmental benefit.”

Arbitrary. Irrational. Word.

The amendment, Kern said, is based on “moral disapproval” and does not advance the state’s asserted interests in promoting heterosexual marriage or the welfare of children. And by that he means, that old anti-marriage equality chestnut that allowing The Gays to marry somehow weakens opposite-sex marriage, or somehow damages the children, is a ridiculous, unfounded, and possibly stupid argument.

The challenge to Oklahoma’s Hate Amendment was filed by two lesbian couples: Sharon Baldwin and Mary Bishop who sought the right to marry in Oklahoma, and Gay Phillips and Susan Barton, who were legally married in California, who sought to have their marriage recognized by the state.

Kern’s decision marks the third time a federal court has acted to void a state constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage, following the Utah decision last month, and the 2010 ruling in California that eventually overturned Proposition 8. It was the state courts of New Mexico, in December, and New Jersey, in October, which ruled in favor of marriage equality, calling it illegal discrimination under those state constitutions; Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts all had similar rulings form their state courts. In the eleven, eleven, other states same-sex marriage was approved by legislatures or by popular vote.

Still, there are some 30 states that have passed amendments or laws restricting marriage to a man and a woman but after the Supreme Court decision last June that declared parts of DOMA unconstitutional, nearly all of those states are being subjected to lawsuits by same-sex couples of LGBT advocacy groups.

Naturally though, not all Oklahomans are cheering Judge Kern’s ruling. The states’ virulently anti-LGBT Governor, Marry Fallin—who, you’ll remember ordered the National Guard to refuse to register all spouses, straight and gay, for benefits rather than allow the spouses of gay National Guard soldiers to do so—is unhappy:

"In 2004, the people of Oklahoma voted to amend the state's constitution to define marriage as ‘the union of one man and one woman.’ That amendment passed with 75 percent support. The people of Oklahoma have spoken on this issue. I support the right of Oklahoma's voters to govern themselves on this and other policy matters. I am disappointed in the judge's ruling and troubled that the will of the people has once again been ignored by the federal government."

Oh Mary, dear sweet shy stupid naïve Mary. Why don’t we let the people of Oklahoma vote on your rights as an American? How would you like that? How would you like strangers deciding what you can and cannot do based on some irrational argument about sanctity of marriage and God’s law and procreation?

The arguments against same-sex marriage are illogical and we are seeing the results now, with legislatures, state legislatures, the people of certain states, and the judicial branches of both the state and federal governments, realizing that denying same-sex couples the right to marry is discrimination.

And that’s wrong, no matter how you try to slice it. 

via HRC and NYT

Chris Christie ... How Do I Loathe Thee ... Let Me Count The Ways

It’s no surprise to anyone who stops in here that I am no fan of new jersey Governor Chris Christie; in fact, I have often referred to him as Krispy Kreme, even after the lapband. But, let me take a moment to explain why I, well, loathe him.

Hurricane Sandy. Did he help? Sure. Was it good that he was praising President Obama and going all bipartisan in the days following the storm? Sure. But, that was over a year ago, and Krispy, er Christie, is still using that to win elections. And you can bet when he runs for the White House — saying Suck it, New Jersey in the process by not finishing his term — he’ll trot out how much he did for the state. It’s reminiscent of Rudy Giuliani slapping himself on the back when he ran for president, by acting as though he single-handedly saved New York City in the days after 9/11/ Sure, Christie helped, but, um, isn’t that his job as governor?

So, there’s one reason I don’t like him.

Reason Two? Same-sex marriage. This is a man who’s against it, which is his right, but he tried goose-stepping all over it until he realized people were pushing back and then did nothing. And when he said he’d tell any of his own kids, who might be gay, that he loved them, would treat them equally, but felt they didn’t have the right to marry, well, he sealed his fate with me.

But then he goes and does this, another slap in the face to the LGBT community and same-sex couples: Christie went to Oklahoma to help Governor Mary Fallin campaign for reelection. 

This is the same Mary Fallin who sought to block the state National Guard from offering spousal benefits to same-sex couples. And when this looked like it might not work, Fallin denied all marriage couples — straight and gay — from receiving benefits. Yes, she punished everyone because she couldn’t punish just The Gays, and then Chris Christie rolled into town to help her campaign.

Christie has also come out saying, that electing and re-electing GOP governors is "priority one, two and three." So much for that bipartisanship thing he espoused when touring storm-damaged New Jersey with president Obama.

But if you need another reason, I have one.

When Governor Fallin, whose boots Krispy is currently licking — I guess they’re covered in gravy — likened the Dream Act to "amnesty", Christie agreed with her. In fact, in his own state he opposed extending in-state tuition to the children of people who came to this country illegally, but then, big surprise, just before the election — which he won by a landslide, garnering some 51% of the Latino vote — Christie changed his mind, saying he supported the idea. This week, though, he changed it back, now saying he opposes a state Senate version of a bill working its way through the Legislature.

So, there you have it, a plethora of reasons why I loathe Chris Christie. And all of those reasons will come back in future blog posts when he decides to throw his considerable weight into a run at the White House.

I mean, do we need a president who thinks The Gays are less than? Do we need a man in the White House who bragged about bipartisanship when it suited him, but now says all governors should be Republican? Do we need a president who said he was against allowing children of undocumented workers in-state tuition, then changed his mind while running for office, only to change it back after a win?

The simple, answer is No.

ISBL Asshat of the Week: Oklahomophobic Governor Mary Fallin

Earlier this month, Oklahoma Republican — of course — Governor Mary Fallin announced that state-owned National Guard facilities will no longer allow any married couples to apply for spousal benefits, regardless of whether they are same-sex or opposite-sex.

Yes, even though the Supreme Court dumped DOMA, meaning that servicemembers with same-sex spouses are now eligible for federal benefit, Mary Fallin, asshat extraordinaire, changed her own rules to circumvent the law. See, if the law says you have to give same-sex couples spousal benefits and, well, that’s the law, Mary decided that no one gets spousal benefits, gay or straight.

“Oklahoma law is clear. The state of Oklahoma does not recognize same-sex marriages, nor does it confer marriage benefits to same-sex couples. The decision reached today allows the National Guard to obey Oklahoma law without violating federal rules or policies. It protects the integrity of our state constitution and sends a message to the federal government that they cannot simply ignore our laws or the will of the people.” — Mary Fallin

She thinks she’s so smart, but then most bigots and homophobes do; she’s probably sitting in her office cackling like a hen at her switcheroo, punishing all married couples so she doesn’t have to recognize the same-sex couples.

Punish everyone because you don’t like someone? Eh, Mary?

Fallin and Oklahomophbia are not alone; the Texas Military Force says it will not allow same-sex couples to apply for a housing allowance at state-run National Guard facilities; Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia have also refused to comply, while other states that previously had balked have begun complying, like West Virginia.

But let’s get back to Oklahomophobia and Homophobe-in-Chief Mary Fallin. She thinks she’s pulled a fast one on the US Guv’mint, but has she?

Her decision is a direct contradiction to an order by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, which syas states must provide same-sex couples with the federal benefits they deserve under the law. But because Mary thinks she pulled a fast one, all married couples, opposite- and same-sex will have to travel to one of the five federal facilities in Oklahoma to apply for benefits.

Incidentally, Mary thinks it’s the state’s National Guard, but point of fact, the state’s facilities were built almost entirely with federal funds and 90% of the Oklahoma Military Department — including the National Guard — is funded by the federal government.

So, Mary Fallin, in an effort to deny same-sex couples with the rights that they are legally entitled to under the federal government, is breaking the law and deserves to be punished for it. 

I mean, how is that a way to govern? Punishing everyone because you don't like the fact that DOMA is dead? 

Ass.Hat.

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