The coat of arms is encircled by the Latin text "Sigillum Reipublicæ Massachusettensis" (literally, The Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts). The Massachusetts Constitution nevertheless designates the name of the government as Commonwealth, not Republic.

U.S. President Obama is taking additional heat from gay and lesbian couples. Nationally he has been denounced, condemned, and called a liar after refusing the sign an executive order preventing gay and lesbian discrimination for companies who accept federal contracts.

Now, Administration officials in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are taking another run at the U.S. Administration, as well as citizens:

Tom Bourdon and his husband Jimmy have been legally married for seven years and are raising two children in a home they jointly own in suburban Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2004.

But this weekend, as they finish up their taxes, filing a joint state return as a married couple, they will have to essentially lie to Uncle Sam about the most essential aspects of their life. They will file two separate tax returns and “divide up” their two children — Lukas, 2, and Maya, 6 months — so that they can claim child-related exemptions, deductions, and credits.

Married same-sex couples cannot file jointly, and instead must misrepresent themselves as “single” on their federal tax forms, sacrificing the $1,000 deduction for married couple

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), enacted by Congress in 1996, does not legally recognize their marriage and so the couples can’t take advantage of any of the tax breaks afforded other families in the United States.

“It feels really strange to be forced to lie,” said Bourdon, 36 and director of the LGBT Center at Tufts University.

“Ethically speaking, we are doing what we are supposed to do and at the same time be accurate,” he said. “It’s a Catch-22. The government forces you into it and there’s no way around it … but we are literally not recognized.”

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, convened a committee to defend the act, in spite of President Barack Obama’s directive to the U.S. State Department to no longer uphold the constitutionality of the law.

“It is regrettable that the Obama administration has opened this divisive issue at a time when Americans want their leaders to focus on jobs and the challenges facing our economy,” Boehner said in a statement to the Washington Post. “The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts — not by the president unilaterally — and this action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a manner consistent with our Constitution.”

“In enacting DOMA, Congress overstepped its authority, undermined states’ efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people.” – Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley (2009 statement when the Commonwealth sued the U.S. Government)

Two million American children are being raised in families where either an adult or a couple is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, according to the U.S. Census. They are part of the changing cultural landscape where only 69 percent of children live with married heterosexual parents.

The federal government provides families with important tax credits and deductions — worth about $133 billion — to help them raise their children, according to the report.

The Tax Foundation estimates an average-income family gets about $16,781 in tax relief each year.

The report estimates that the LGBT families can be shortchanged anywhere between $1,490 and $6,209 a year, compared with heterosexual families.

“LGBT families raising kids have an unfair burden, simply because of what their families look like and who they love,” said Emily Hecht McGowan, director of public policy at the Family Equity Council.

“The law has many unintended consequences,” she said. “Kids are getting hurt by these laws.”

U.S. Census data reveals that same-sex parents are most likely to raise children in Mississippi, followed by Wyoming, Alaska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, Montana, South Dakota and South Carolina. In about half of those states, an estimated 1 in 4 children live in poverty.

Same-sex families also have difficulty securing legal ties to their adopted children in many of these states, posing an additional economic and emotional burden. The IRS requires a child to be biologically related or legally adopted to declare tax credits.

In 2010 U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act’s denial of federal rights and benefits to lawfully married Massachusetts couples “offends” the notion of states’ rights as enshrined in the 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

A Justice Department spokesperson said that Obama administration was “reviewing the decision,” and had not yet decided whether to appeal to defend a law against same sex marriage that President Obama says he opposes. Tracy Schmaler, a U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman, said by e-mail they are also reviewing the decision.

U.S. District Court Judge Tauro, nominated to the bench by President Richard Nixon, ruled that DOMA violates the U.S. Constitution “by intruding on areas of exclusive state authority, as well as the Spending Clause, by forcing the Commonwealth to engage in invidious discrimination against its own citizens in order to receive and retain federal funds in connection with two joint federal-state programs.”

The decision will have immediate benefits for gay couples in Massachusetts, as well as ripple effects around the nation. Any state that recognizes gay marriage or civil unions, the federal government must also recognize.

Now the the Obama Administration is fighting the ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Tauro, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the issue. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has restricted the authority of Congress and the President to interfere in the jurisdiction of the states.

An estimated 49 percent of LGBT people live in states with laws banning marriage, and 37 percent live in states with constitutional bans on any form of relationship recognition.

Same-sex marriage is legal in six states and the District of Columbia. Maryland and Washington state are poised to enact laws doing the same.

Working a a gay cure.

In the United Kingdom, along with help from people from the state of California, a Christian charity which sponsored a conference promoting the idea that gay people can be converted to heterosexuality has funded interns for an estimated 20 Members of Parliament (MPs), including some who are now ministers in the coalition government.

No statement has been issued by Queen Elizabeth II nor her representatives.

The Christian Action Research and Education charity (Care) has provided staff to the parliamentary offices of Caroline Spelman, Alistair Burt and Steve Webb (members of the United Kingdom’s Parliament and recently made members of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, a formal body of advisers to the Queen Elizabeth II).

In 2009 it sponsored a London conference about homosexuality and Christianity which included sessions on “mentoring the sexually broken”. The event in London was also organised by Anglican Mainstream, one of the conservative Christian charities that was blocked this week from showing adverts on London buses that supported the idea that with therapy, homosexual people can become “ex-gay”.

The conference featured a keynote by Joseph Nicolosi, a Californian psychologist and founder of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality in the United States (NARTH).  The organisers said they were “very worried about the continued progress of the gay – and in fact the LGBT – agenda across the board in the UK. Social, cultural, political and religious sectors are being targeted and most of them are capitulating”.

MPs (Member of Parliament) involved in accepting assistance from Care under its educational leadership program are now facing pressure to sever their ties with the charity. None of Spelman, Burt or Webb were available for comment.

“It’s a complete disgrace that any elected representative would have associations with an organisation that promotes a ‘gay cure’ in the 21st century,” said Phillip Dawson, who launched a campaign when he discovered his local Members of Parliament, David Burrowes had an intern sponsored by Care. “The Royal College of Psychiatrists has explicitly stated that discussions of a ‘gay cure’ fuel discrimination and prejudice. MPs should be fighting homophobia wherever it occurs but by associating themselves with Care they are actually helping to fuel it. We have to be clear that there is no place for groups that promote a ‘gay cure’ in the corridors of power.”

The register shows that Spelman, now secretary of state for the environment, declared an intern sponsored by Care from 2007 until July 2009. Both Burt, a Foreign Office minister, and Steve Webb, pensions minister, declared they had interns sponsored by the charity between October 2009 and July 2010. Each of them estimated the value of the support to be £8,880.

Care has said interns on its leadership programme are not involved in lobbying. The Rev Lyndon Bowring, the organisation’s executive chairman, wrote in a foreword to the internship scheme’s latest brochure: “Christian graduates are given the opportunity to explore how to live out their faith as they meet and learn from leaders in the public arena; and actively engage in the world of policy whether in Westminster, in Edinburgh, in media or in the third sector.”

A spokesman for Care said the programme was “a well-respected training initiative for Christian graduates”. Asked about the organisation’s belief in reparative therapy for gay people in the church, he said: “If there are people who want to change their sexual behaviour or orientation, who have an unwanted same-sex attraction and voluntarily seek help, there is no reason why they should not be at liberty to do so.”

Care interns are currently recorded for Conservative MPs John Glen and Gary Streeter, Labour’s Sharon Hodgson and Catherine McKinnell and the Lib Dem president Tim Farron. The register for the 2009-2010 parliamentary session showed that the Lib Dem MPs Alan Beith and Alan Reid as well as Labour MP David Drew also employed Care interns.

Some Members of Parliament who employed interns from Care, including Labour’s David Lammy, have already cut their links with the charity. Farron has told Care that he will not employ another of their interns because, he said on Friday night, “I don’t agree with the idea of a gay ‘cure’ and I think it is grossly offensive, homophobic and wrong. It shows the church in such an awful light.”

The extent of the internship programme’s reach inside Westminster provided fresh evidence of conservative Christian organisations’ desire to address what they feel is an increase in secularism. On Thursday an attempt by Anglican Mainstream and Core Issues Trust to run adverts on London buses promoting the possibility of gay people using therapy to change their sexual orientation was stopped by the London mayor, Boris Johnson. Anglican Mainstream said on Friday it had instructed a lawyer to prepare action against the mayor and CBS Outdoor, the company that booked the adverts, unless they reverse their decision.

“It is of deep concern that there can only be one point of view and that is the point of view of individuals who are determined to push through gay marriage and apparently believe that homosexuality cannot be altered in any possible way,” said Core Issues’ co-director Mike Davidson. “That is not a universally held view. This is a disturbing development and it is disappointing the UK finds itself in this position.”

In January, Core Issues staged conferences in Belfast and London backed by Anglican Mainstream, entitled The Lepers Among Us. The lead speaker was Dr Jim Reynolds, an evangelical preacher from the US, and the programme explained that homosexuality, or as he it put it “same-sex sin”, is “a disease of epic proportions, a malignancy that spreads”. Sessions included “naming the sin, lifting the shame” and “normal sinfulness or a sickness”. The event drew protests from gay groups appalled by the title and the content of the conference.

Speaking at the event at Belfast’s Orangefield presbyterian church, Reynolds said of gay rights protesters: “We disagree about the fact they want to live their life in a homosexual relationship and we do not think that is the will of God.”

Jeremy Marks, founder and director of Courage, a Christian group that supports same-sex partnerships, said: “I find some of Anglican Mainstream’s messages and the way they set about things to be extremely offensive and unpleasant.

“They are marginal in the Christian community but they have a lot more influence than their size suggests.”

The executive order, which activists said had support from the U.S. Labor and the U.S. Justice Departments, would have applied to gay, bisexual and transgender people working for or seeking employment from federal contractors. Current law does not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and legislation to do so, which Mr. Obama endorses, lacks sufficient votes in Congress.

“While it is not our usual practice to discuss executive orders that may or may not be under consideration, we do not expect that an executive order on LGBT nondiscrimination for federal contractors will be issued at this time,” said an administration official who would speak about the controversy only if provided anonymity.

That stance departs from the White House’s prominent “we can’t wait” campaign: Since last fall, Mr. Obama has signed executive orders on a variety of issues, arguing that “we can’t wait” for legislation that Republicans in Congress refuse to let pass.

By not acting on the employment nondiscrimination order, Mr. Obama has newly angered a gay constituency that has been a source of campaign cash and that had been willing to overlook his failure so far to endorse same-sex marriage, given his actions on its other priorities, like repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy against openly gay service members.

Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign and one of the gay-rights activists who attended a White House meeting on Wednesday called by Valerie Jarrett, one of Mr. Obama’s closest advisers, said afterward: “We are extremely disappointed with this decision and will continue to advocate for an executive order from the president. The unfortunate truth is that hard-working Americans can be fired simply for being gay or transgender.”

Winnie Stachelberg, another attendee and executive vice president at the liberal Center for American Progress, issued a statement expressing disappointment and citing studies “that gay and transgender people face disproportionately high rates of discrimination in the workplace.”

Logo of Kentucky Equality Federation.

April 12, 2012 will forever be a day to remember in the history of the gay and lesbian community especially for Kentuckians. Two Eastern Kentucky men are the first in the nation to be charged under the section of the federal hate-crimes law that makes it illegal to attack people based on their sexual orientation, said U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey.

The push however to get the case to a federal level came from Kentucky Equality Federation, and advocacy and public advocate non-profit.

“The bigger picture here is that the U.S. attorney’s office is sending a message that you don’t try to hurt someone and you don’t injure them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Jordan Palmer, president of the Kentucky Equality Federation, a civil-rights group that lobbied the Department of Justice to intervene in the case. (reported by the The Associated Press)

After multiple disputes with Harlan County Commonwealth Attorney Henry Johnson, Kentucky Equality Federation officially requested the case be federalized on August 24, 2011.  Thanks to Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer and Southeastern Kentucky Regional Director Will Taylor, Kentucky will be the first state the federal hate crimes law will be used.

History of Recent Hate Crimes in Harlan County

Tracking press releases issued by Kentucky Equality Federation, as well as considerable media coverage, Jordan Palmer the president of Kentucky’s largest advocacy group was apparently unhappy with the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

On April 04, 2011 Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer orders Assistant Southern Kentucky Regional Director Will Taylor to begin an investigation into a hate crime involving Kevin Pennington after Kentucky Equality Federation’s Discrimination, Hate Crimes and School Bullying Committee was notified when someone called their toll-free number (877) KEF-5775.

On August 22, 2011 Kentucky Equality Federation condemns the brutal attack of a lesbian couple and their children in Harlan County, questions the integrity of the presiding Judge, and urges the Kentucky Chief Justice John T. Minton, Jr. to remove the Judge from the bench and begin an investigation into his conduct.

On August 24, 2011, Kentucky Equality Federation after continued frustration with Harlan County Commonwealth’s Attorney Henry Johnson, Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer officially requests federal intervention stating:

As you are aware, Kentucky Equality Federation received a hate crime complaint from the County of Harlan, a subdivision of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The victims in this complaint believe this to be a hate crime as outlined in our press release dated August 22, 2011 (http://community.kyequality.org/2011/08/kentucky-equality-federation-condemns.html) that you received a copy of and we have corresponded by email.

Though the Commonwealth has a hate crime law, which has been used in Judicial Circuits throughout the Commonwealth, we are not aware of it ever being used in Southern or Southeastern Kentucky.

Southeastern Kentucky communities are primarily rural communities with municipal populations less than 10,000 citizens. Kentucky Equality Federation and its legal representation have witnessed before the manner in which these courts operates because Judges as well as the County and Commonwealth’s Attorney are elected to office and not appointed by the Governor or Chief Justice of the Commonwealth. As such, the Judges, County and Commonwealth’s Attorney must keep the bulk of the population happy with their service to the Commonwealth or they risk not being re-elected to office and taking a stand to protect victims of hate crimes, especially members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex community is politically dangerous to them, thus, justice rarely prevails.

Kentucky Equality Federation was contacted by the victims of this case to act as their public advocate because they do not believe justice will prevail. In addition, the victims have reported they have already been informed of alleged ex parte meetings taking place in reference to this case in which the prosecutor was not involved or invited.

Kentucky Equality Federation, at the request of the victims hereby requests the United States Department of Justice move to this case to federal court where neither prosecutors nor Judges are elected to office. This case clearly falls within the hate crimes legislation signed by U.S. President Obama.

On August 26, 2011, Kevin Pennington communicated with Assistant Southern Kentucky Regional Director Will Taylor who refers Mr. Pennington to the Office of the President.

On September 02, 2011, Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer reorganizes the Southern Kentucky Region, creating a “special operating region” for Southeastern Kentucky.

On September 19, 2011, Kevin Pennington contacts Kentucky Equality Federation for help with his pleas for action from the Harlan County Commonwealth’s Attorney going unanswered.  Until this point, Kevin Pennington was afraid to contact Kentucky Equality Federation with local officials telling him that Kentucky Equality Federation could do nothing to help him. (Kentucky Guardian™ is sure they are eating those words now)

On September 19, 2011 Kentucky Equality Federation reported: Kentucky Equality Federation continues to communicate with officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, including Walter Atkinson, Senior Conciliation Specialist for Region IV with the Community Relations Service, Robin Dull, with the Civil Enforcement Section, and Bobbi Bernstein, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division.  We now have two (2) hate crimes in the same county of the Commonwealth.

On September 20, 2011 Kentucky Equality Federation issued a media blackout. Neither the Turner nor the Pennington family may speak to any reporter because of ongoing investigations.

David Jason Jenkins and Anthony Ray Jenkins in federal custody.

Also on September 19, 2011 Kentucky Equality Federation Vice President of Policy & Public Relations Joshua Koch echoed the frustrations of President Palmer, stating: “The Kentucky Equality Federation demands that the Commonwealth of Kentucky defend Pennington, an innocent citizen who was kidnapped, beaten, threatened with rape, and who must now live in fear of his attackers, who are free to do as they please with no sort of restraint or intervention. The integrity of Kentucky’s criminal justice system is now under a microscope and jeopardized by abandoning such a man to the whims of four individuals with a demonstrated propensity toward extreme violence,” stated Kentucky Equality Federation Vice President of Public Relations and Media, Joshua Koch. “Pennington reports that attorneys for the defendants have badgered Pennington to drop charges or accept a summary judgment from the bench rather than seeking a jury trial, Pennington has been prevented from seeking an emergency protection order. Kentucky Equality Federation is the Commonwealth’s largest advocate for equal treatment of all citizens. As our mission statement explains, “Kentucky Equality Federation believes all people are endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment free from oppression, discrimination, school bullying, and hate crimes, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other defining characteristic.”

• See notes below for events that occurred on November 09, 2011.

On March 14, 2012 the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kentucky State Police respond to Kentucky Equality Federation’s request for assistance by arresting four people.

On April 12, 2012 a federal grand jury indicted people involved in the case.  However, none of this would have been possible without Kentucky Equality Federation.

Federal Mediation

The exchanges became so heated that the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service held some sort of mediation meeting between the Harlan County Commonwealth’s Attorney and Kentucky Equality Federation officials at an undisclosed located in November as reported by WKYT-TV 27 Newsfirst. Attending for Kentucky Equality Federation was President Jordan Palmer, Southern Kentucky Regional Director Shannon McKinney, Transgender Outreach Director Tyler Watts, and Religious Communities Outreach Director Minister Edith Baker, Ph.D. The names of the representatives from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the U.S. Department of Justice were not released to the media at the request of both parties.

On November 09, 2011, Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer stated: “This meeting has been planned for months, reaching a date acceptable to everyone was the most difficult part,” stated Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer. “We applaud officials from the Commonwealth and the United States Department of Justice for addressing our concerns. Mr. Walter Atkinson with the United States Department of Justice Community Relations Service has worked very hard to make this meeting possible.”

Conclusion

Obviously, Kentucky Equality Federation has left out due to the nature of the crimes and to prevent hindering a federal investigation. Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer and Southern Kentucky Regional Director Will Taylor maintain their primary responsibility is to protect Mr. Pennington and to pursue justice.

The Kevin Pennington Hate Crime

Pennington suffered injuries to his back, face, neck and ear in the attack at Kingdom Come State Park, a mountaintop park covering more than 1,200 acres of pristine pine-covered wilderness in the mountainous Appalachian region. He was subsequently treated and released from a hospital.

An FBI affidavit said Pennington went for a ride with the two men and two other women, but asked to be taken home after a few minutes. Pennington told investigators that David Jenkins demanded a sexual favor from Pennington, which was refused. Then the man said David Jenkins threatened to violently rape him, according to the affidavit.

The truck stopped in the park because a tree had fallen across the road and Anthony and David Jenkins pulled Pennington out of the truck and attacked him. The women in the truck, Alexis Leann Combs Jenkins and Mable Ashley Jenkins, have been charged with kidnapping and aiding a kidnapping, authorities said.

The men pulled Pennington out of their truck, hit him and kicked him while “making anti-homosexual statements,” according to the FBI affidavit.

“During the attack (the victim) was covering his face and they were all screaming ‘how do you like this faggot?’” the affidavit said.

Additional Stories

Washington Post

Lex18 (exclusive interview)

Lexington Herald-Leader

Louisville Courier-Journal

The Seattle Times

Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice

The Central Kentucky Council for Peace & Justice held an anti-hate candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 10 to call attention to the increasing amount of hate speech and hate-driven violence in the U.S. and Kentucky.

Dozens of people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds gathered Tuesday night to call attention to what they see as a growing atmosphere of hatred.

The event was held at Courthouse Square in downtown Lexington (corner of Main & Limestone) and will highlighted Islamophobia, homophobia, and racism.

Central Kentucky Council for Peace & Justice spokesperson Richard Mitchell commented: “No group of people should be the subject of repetitive and irresponsible hate-based speech – especially hate that is sent out over the public airwaves or internet. No person should have to live in fear of a hate-based attack because they are part of a minority group. Being a Muslim woman in a hijab, a gay or lesbian, or a young African-American male in a hoodie should not put your life endanger,” he said.

“Hate is killing our brothers and sisters. We will stand with our brothers and sisters; we will stand with one another; we accept you and we will protect you,” Mitchell said.

Lez Get Real has their press release, issued by their President, Jordan Palmer, their Vice President of Policy and Public Relations, Joshua Koch, their Southeastern Kentucky Regional Director, Will Taylor, and their Religious Communities Outreach Director, Minister Edith Baker who apparently holds a Ph.D.

Below is a copy of the joint statement Kentucky Equality Federation officials issued:

Harlan, KY – The legend surrounding the supposed repeal of the interracial marriage ban at Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church far exceeds the reality of the situation. Regardless of the position of any church, marriage (for legal purposes) is a contract between two people and the Commonwealth; only the Commonwealth can make it legal or dissolve it.

The supposed recent repeal of the ban is not a repeal at all. Rather, it is a judgment from a denominational church body outside the confines of the offending church. The supposed repentance of the moment is no more than a statement of opinion on Robert’s Rules of Order by the Sandy Valley Conference of Free Will Baptists.

While we would gladly applaud true repentance and reconciliation in this situation, we are candid enough to realize that this statement is not that. This is merely a procedural public relations move to deflect attention from the overt racism exhibited at Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church, which has drawn unpleasant national attention to the church.

The situation in Pike County is an embarrassment to the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky and we can only imagine what Stella Harville’s finance, Ticha Chikuni, originally from the Republic of Zimbabwe in Africa thinks of Kentucky now. From wars, the burning of witches, torture of heretics, the treatment of women, interracial discrimination, and same-sex discrimination, churches been the source of discrimination from the very beginning.

Robert’s Rules of Order can be handy in maintaining parliamentary procedure; however, banning a member of the church from full participation because she is engaged to a man of African ethnicity transcends the bounds of Robert’s Rules, offending, instead, the laws of human decency and faith. Why must a church appeal to a parliamentary procedural standard to justify revoking such a decision, when the tenets of its own faith condemn racism? The Bible, which explicitly condemns racist discrimination, should be a more relevant standard in such a reversal, and it would be if this were a truly repentant congregation.

True repentance includes acknowledging a sin for what it is and turning from it. Acknowledging a sin means admitting that the action was wrong according to a rigid standard, not merely contrary to parliamentary procedure. This has not been done by the church, as of the time of this statement. Driving someone away from those they know and love because of their choice to build a life with someone of another race is just plain wrong, regardless of whether its manner of adoption pleases parliamentarians or not.

This is yet another issue that churches use to remain segregated, just as most also refuse to perform same-sex ceremonies.

We encourage Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church to take responsibility, reach out to the offended couple, and build a true bond of openness and acceptance with all citizens.

The damage to the name of the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church is now tarnished because the vote to ban marriages on interracial couples should never have occurred to begin with.

# # # # # #

NOTE: Kentucky Equality Federation is a member of “ILGA,” the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, a non-government observer at the United Nations with consultive status. ILGA is the world’s largest and oldest Federation with more than 800 affiliates worldwide. ILGA continues to be active in campaigning for LGBTI rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and regularly petitions the United Nations and governments. ILGA is represented in around 110 countries across the world.

Even though Black churches across the United States have apologized to the gay community and now accept them, discrimination against Black people still takes place and the bulk of Black churches still condemn and forbid gay marriages and gay couples from being involved in church activities.

The Beshear Campaign snubbed the LGBTIQ community in an email tonight.  They completely ignored endorsements from the Louisville Fairness Campaign’s PAC: C-FAIR as well as the states deflated social organization, Kentucky Fairness Alliance who has over the past five years lost every chapter it had [which is happening now to Equality California].

The Beshear Campaign also snubbed Kentucky Equality Federation, the states largest all-volunteer civil rights organization which has in recent years leaned less on lobbying and become the states “bulling, hate crimes, and discrimination police.”

Perhaps the vote of the LGBTIQ community is unimportant to Governor Beshear, or perhaps he needs the votes in Republican strongholds like Northern, Southern, and extreme Western Kentucky even though the bulk of the Commonwealth’s population resides in the Central Kentucky.

Apparently newspaper endorsements are more important than endorsements from non-government organizations or perhaps only if the organizations are LGBTIQ.

The Governor did reinstate an executive order protecting the LGBTIQ community from discrimination if you work for the state, but has yet to issue an executive order granting hospital visitation rights or have an openly LGBTIQ person as part of his government.

Logo of Equality California.

The recently hired executive director of Equality California, the state’s major lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights organization, has resigned and will leave as of Friday, the group said Monday night.

The Marriage Director who Equality California recruited from Equality Massachusetts is also gone.

The news comes amid a deep cut in staff that the organization had not previously announced.

The evening e-mail statement came as opponents of SB48 face a Wednesday deadline to qualify a referendum to repeal that law, approved by Governor Jerry Brown earlier this year. That law mandates the teaching of the historical accomplishments of LGBT people and people with disabilities. Equality California appeared to be ready to defend it, though that is now in question.

In the e-mail, the organization’s Board of Directors said Roland Palencia “will step down as of Friday.” It also stated that the organization would release a “transition plan” by the end of this week.

Reached by phone, Palencia said, “I literally made a personal decision that I wanted to move on. There’s really nothing more to it.” He said he was not forced out by the board.

About the group’s financial situation, he said, “Right now a lot of nonprofits are having problems,” but he maintained that the organization has “a lot of support.”

Cathy Schwamberger, Equality California Institute board chairwoman, said its members were grateful for Palencia’s service “and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.”

The organization appears to be in turmoil. Its recently laid-off Capitol office manager said staff has been cut drastically.

Matthew Bunch, who was the government affairs manager from January until he was laid off last month, said, “Everybody’s leaving,” adding that the organization has “a vacuum of leadership and a vacuum of staff.”

Rebekah Orr, Director of Communications for Equality California, said staff has shrunk from 18 to 11 this year, though she said more are “transitioning out of the organization.”

Former logo of the closed Equality Mississippi.

Equality Mississippi completely closed its doors in 2008 after eight years of being the only statewide LGBT civil rights organization in Mississippi.

Equality Mississippi’s Board of Directors decided, due to financial hardships, the organization was to be closed.

The “9 to 5,” actress, singer and songwriter who also recorded and wrote a song Whitney Houston would later record again, “I Will Always Love You,” stated: “Everyone knows my personal support of the gay and lesbian community,” Parton’s statement said. “Dollywood is a family park and all families are welcome. We do have a policy about profanity or controversial messages on clothing or signs. It is to protect the individual wearing or carrying them, as well as to keep down fights or problems by those opposed to it at the park. We even offer free shirts in exchange to those who want to remain in the park.”

Dollywood officials have offered a refund the lesbian couple that a Dollywood employee asked one of the women to turn her T-shirt reading “marriage is so gay” inside-out to avoid offending others. Park officials were going to meet with the couple in person, but it was called off when Jennifer Tipton and Olivier Odom wanted to bring a representative from Campaign for Southern Equality, a gay rights organization.

Dollywood park spokesman Pete Owens told The Knoxville News Sentinel that the park didn’t want to meet with the representative, who wasn’t at the park at the time of the incident, so they sent the couple a letter and gave them a refund.

The couple complained after a park worker at Splash Country last month asked Odom to reverse her shirt.

Owens provided the couple with a statement from Dolly Parton, who said she was sorry for any hurt or embarrassment they felt over the request.

Odom and Tipton said they were glad to see Parton’s supportive statement, but were disappointed that Dollywood officials declined to meet with them and their equality advocate.

“I think it’s an opportunity for Dollywood to come out and publicly support their LGBT staff and visitors,” Odom said.

“We still want to see policy changed,” Tipton said.

Owens had previously said the park has a dress code policy to ask people with clothing or tattoos that could be considered offensive to change or cover up, and that the couple was not asked to leave and they complied with the request to turn the shirt inside out.

The couple sent a letter to Dollywood officials asking the park “to implement policies that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; conduct staff sensitivity training; and issue a public statement indicating that the park is inclusive of all families.”

Controversial T-Shirt

Wearing a T-shirt “marriage is so gay,” is controversial and contradictory to public service announcements by Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, Miley Cyrus, Wanda Sykes, and other celebrities asking people to refrain from saying “that’s so gay,” “queer,” and other offensive language to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgende​r community. The theme for the public service announcements are intended to get people to “think before they speak.”

Prop. 8 supporters argue that a U.S. Appeals Court exceeded jurisdiction.

If last month’s ruling overturning Proposition 8 survives, same-sex marriage should be available only to the two homosexual couples who challenged the ballot measure and should remain barred for the rest of the state’s gay and lesbian population, sponsors of the measure told a federal appeals court.

In written arguments filed Friday night, ProtectMarriage.com, the group that sponsored Proposition 8, urged the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s ruling against the 2008 ballot measure.

Failing that, the group argued, the court should rule that the Aug. 4 decision affects only the couples named in the suit because it was not filed as a class action on behalf of all gays and lesbians, ProtectMarriage.com argued.

“At a bare minimum, the U.S. district court exceeded its jurisdiction to the extent its judgment extends beyond the four plaintiffs who were before the court,” lawyers for ProtectMarriage.com said.