If you never thought in your life you would see a leprechaun or a unicorn I would take the bet that this is even more of a rarity.  Conservative talk  show host Bill O’Reilly came out on his show against the bigoted One Million Moms and in favor of Ellen DeGeneres and her new partnership with J.C. Penny.

One Million Moms, an offshoot of the American Family Association, has organized a group supposedly made up of more than one million family women who are calling on J.C. Penny to fire Ellen as one of their spokespeople for being a lesbian.

O’Reilly had one of the Moms on the O’Reilly Factor recently and compared the boycott to a “Witch Hunt” saying,

“What is the difference between the McCarthy era of the ’50s and the Million Moms saying, ‘Hey, JCPenney and all you other stores, don’t you hire any gay people. Don’t you dare.’ What is the difference?”

Watch Bill O’Reilly Defend Ellen DeGeneres and JC Penny

He was arguing with Sandy Rios a Fox News Contributor who was sticking up for the Moms.

She said,

“The problem is that Ellen DeGeneres has chosen to act out her lesbian lifestyle and marry her partner, it’s what that represents. And the fact that JC Penney is supposed to be middle America, the place where families shop…and people who believe that marriage is between a man and woman and children should not be exposed and propagandized in homosexuality have a moral problem with that.”

Watch Ellen Thank Bill O’Reilly on her Show

Ellen made it a point to specifically thank Bill O’Reilly for his support telling her audience (who was cheering Bill on),

“There’s somebody else who actually defended me that I’d like to mention: Bill O’Reilly. I already sent out a tweet to thank you…and you didn’t really make it clear if you were going to shop at JC Penney or not, but if you do, you can use my employee discount any time you want. That’s for you, Bill. Thank you so much.”

Do you think the One Million Moms are a bunch of bigots for going after Ellen DeGeneres for being gay?

Ellen Degeneres Thanks Bill O’Reilly For Defending Her and JC Penny [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, proposition 8 served no purpose other than to lessen the human dignity of gay and lesbian couples. The 9th Circuit Court ruled today that prop. 8, which banned gay marriage in California, was unconstitutional.

The court said in a statement:

“All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same-sex couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation ‘marriage,’ which symbolizes state legitimization and social recognition of their committed relationships. Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution does not allow for ‘laws of this sort.’”

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional in 2010, but his ruling was put into question after it was revealed that Walker was gay. The 9th Circuit Court upheld Walker’s ruling today, and in a separate ruling the court refused to invalidate Walker’s original ruling based on the grounds that he should have disclosed his sexuality.

The LA Times reports that the ProtectMarriage group can still appeal today’s ruling. ProtectMarriage can appeal to a larger panel of the 9th Circuit Court (today’s decision involved three judges) or they can appeal to the Supreme Court.

Do you agree with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court’s ruling on Prop 8? Should gay marriage be legal? Do you think the battle over Prop 8 is over or will ProtectMarriage try to file an appeal?

Prop. 8 Ruled Unconstitutional is a post from: The Inquisitr

Washington could soon become the 7th state to legalize gay marriage. Senator Mary Margaret Haugen released a statement today saying that she would support the measure which gives the senate the 25 votes it needs to pass the legislation.

The Associated Press reports that the House already has enough support and Governor Chris Gregoire has already come out in support of gay marriage.

In her statement, Haugen said that she has very strong Christian believes and believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. But Haugen acknowledged that this wasn’t about her personal beliefs. Haugen said:

“I have always believed in traditional marriage between a man and a woman. That is what I believe, to this day. But this issue isn’t about just what I believe. It’s about respecting others, including people who may believe differently than I. It’s about whether everyone has the same opportunities for love and companionship and family and security that I have enjoyed.”

The LA Times reports that Governor Chris Gregoire said earlier this month that she would introduce legislation to legalize gay marriage. Gregoire said:

“It’s time, it’s the right thing to do. I say that as a wife, a mother, a student of the law and above all as a Washingtonian with a lifelong commitment to equality and freedom.”

Gay marriage is currently already legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Gay Marriage Coming to Washington is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rick Santorum is really in his element now.  He is in South Carolina where all the questions about Gay Rights and other liberal banter can stop.  Well Not Really. Santorum was confronted Thursday by a transgender activist who stormed his press conference in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

Kneena Raheja, a female who was born a male screamed,

“Mr. Santorum, you have spilled queer blood!”

There was no reaction from Santorum and someone in the audience snickered.

Raheja said in an interview to Buzzfeed afterwards that,

“people like Rick Santorum are actively violent towards the queer population.”

This is the second time that Santorum was nailed by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lobby on Thursday. Real Clear Politic is reporting that a group of protestors glitter-bombed him at a rally hosted by the Family Research Council

Santorum’s stance on gay rights has earned him a reputation as being particularly hostile to the gay community.  In New Hampshire he compared gay marriage to polygamy, was asked whether he would abort a gay baby and got into a heated exchange with students at a progressive high school.

Gay Rights may turn out to be a big issue in the 2012 election.  While it won’t have even 1/10ththe effect as the economy will, a politician who is completely hostile to the gay community may turn off voters who have become more inclusive of them in recent years.

Several States have Gay Marriage on the books and it is picking up steam in many more.  Even Republican politicians are starting to take notice and tone down the rhetoric.

Do you think LGBT activists should continue to target Rick Santorum?

Rick Santorum Confronted by Transgender Activist is a post from: The Inquisitr

Michele Bachmann’s stance on gay rights has drawn its fair share of protesters. At a political stop at the The Hamburg Inn in Iowa City, about a dozen protesters, and one gay robot, showed up to confront the GOP candidate about gay rights.

According to the NY Daily News, the protesters chanted:

“You’re not wanted here. So go, just go.”

While the robot added:

“I am a gay robot. I oppose Bachmann’s position on gays, whether they are human or robot.”

The protesters, and the hecklers, weren’t appreciated at The Hamburg Inn. The restaurant’s manager played Christmas music in an attempt to drowned out the protesters, and eventually Bachmann fans booed the gay robot out of the room.

Here’s a video of the gay robot trying to voice his opinion to Michele Bachmann.

Bachmann is currently trying to visit all 99 counties in Iowa. She plans to visit 10 more today before taking a brief break for Christmas.

Jezebel believes that the gay robot, apparently called roboprof, is the same gay robot that heckled Bill Clinton a few years ago. That mechanical protester turned out to be Kembrew McLeod, a communications professor at the University of Iowa.

Do you think Bachmann should stand up for robot gay rights? Or was the gay robot a little annoying?

Gay Robot Heckles Michele Bachmann in Iowa [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In yet another example where the modern Catholic Church is shown to be out of touch with changing times a Cardinal in Chicago, Illinois this week likened the gay rights movement to the Ku Klux Klan.

According to MyFox Chicago Cardinal Francis George was speaking about a dispute between a local pastor and the timing of a gay rights pride parade when he told the local news station:

“You don’t want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism.”

When asked about his statement for clarification purposes he told his interviewer:

“The rhetoric of the KKK and the rhetoric of some of the gay liberation people—who is the enemy? The Catholic Church.”

While many of the Cardinal’s supporters will likely focus on the type of public rhetoric campaigns being used his choice to specifically compare gay rights to such a hateful group seems ultimately planned.

In response to his hate filled comments an LGBT rights group called his choice in wording “crude” and ”further evidence of just how insensitive and out of touch the hierarchy is.”

In responding to the remarks a diocesan spokesman said:

“Whether it was the best choice of analogy I don’t know. Taken out of context the meaning can be misinterpreted,” while they added, “I would suggest people read the whole interview.”

Even if the ultimate message from Cardinal Francis George was to show the similarities in rhetoric between two groups his crude position against gay rights with a close tie-in to the KKK was a poor choice in analogy.

Do you think the Cardinal could have found a less disrespectful analogy to get his point across?

The last thing the Catholic church needs at this time is more bad publicity which is exactly what they are receiving thanks to this message of misinformed hate.

Chicago Cardinal Says Gay Rights Movement Is Just Like The KKK is a post from: The Inquisitr

President Obama has issued a presidential order to have foreign aid funds used for the purpose of strengthening gay rights around the world.

In a memorandum on the issue President Obama wrote:

“I am deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting LGBT persons around the world.”

President Obama then added:

“Central to the United States’ commitment to promoting human rights.”

The Presidential order marks the first time that the US Government has used American funds to promote gay rights abroad.

As the New York Times points out, it’s still unclear if nation’s who deny the gay rights fight are sanctioned by the US government.

The presidents memorandum comes less than a week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about LGBT rights during a speech in Geneva. Hillary’s speech came just ahead of International Human Rights Day.

In her speech Clinton says that while gay people are just as likely to commit crimes as straight people “it should never be a crime to be gay.”

Secretary of State Clinton then added:

“No practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us, and this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people,” she said. “It is a violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave.”

Directing her message squarely at international communities she said:

“Gay people are born into — and belong to — every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths. They are doctors, and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes,” she said. “Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality.”

Under the Presidents directive the State Department and various other agencies have been directed to fight the direct criminalization of LGBT status abroad, protect LGBT regugees who are vulnerable to their countries anti-homosexuality laws and to provide help to asylum seekers.

According to the decree the U.S. is to respond to “serious incidents” that are threatening the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people outside of the Unites States.

Speaking to Voice Of America Darlene Nipper, Deputy Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said:

 ”I think it is a fantastic culmination of what is clearly a progressive position on the White House’s part to make a clear stance, and to take a leadership role on these issues internationally and worldwide.”

Not everyone agrees with the Presidents decision Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council says the plan:

“Throws the full weight and reputation of the U.S. behind the promotion overseas of the radical ideology of the sexual revolution.”

While the point of the federal spending overseas was launched because of a Uganda band on homosexuality it also didn’t take long for GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry to jump on the order, noting:

“This administration’s war on traditional American values must stop.”

Mr. Perry then added that President Obama has:

“Mistaken America’s tolerance for different lifestyles with an endorsement of those lifestyles.”

No response has been issued by the White House in response to Rick Perry’s message.

Further into his memorandum President Obama adds:

“Our deep commitment to advancing the human rights of all people is strengthened when we as the United States bring our tools to bear to vigorously advance this goal.”

The administration has set to the side a $3 million fund which will be used to support  civil society and non-governmental organization activists working on the subject.

Regardless of whether you agree with LGBT rights or not, the issues that homosexual people face on a daily basis both in the United States and abroad are a matter of human rights set forth under article 2 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A declaration that the United States has promised to uphold to the best of its abilities.

I leave you with article 2 from the declaration:

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Do you think funds to protect human rights should have been given to protect LGBT individuals around the world?

[Image via Filip Fuxa / Shutterstock.com]

President Obama Orders Foreign Aid For Gay Rights Support is a post from: The Inquisitr

It goes without saying that in an era when everyone is on Facebook and knows how to do screenshots, you should be careful what ugly parts of your personality you reveal in the undoubtedly public space.

But as controversy swirls in one Michigan jurisdiction, another question has arisen after an injudicious Facebook post by a mayor- should an elected office be resigned if it’s found that the person elected to the position holds prejudicial views about a certain group of people? It seems the answer is obvious- how can someone serve a group of constituents if they don’t like black, Latino or gay people? One would think they really can’t. But mayor of Troy, Michigan Janice Daniels is hoping her constituency (which inevitably has some gay residents) will forgive her openly hateful comments on Facebook just a few months ago when gay marriage was legalized in the state of New York. Daniels- who had not yet been elected Mayor of Troy- said something I hope many people reading this post will find shocking and appalling in 2011:

“I think I am going to throw away my ‘I love New York’ carrying bag now that queers can get married there.”

Since the post was uncovered last night by local blog “Keep Troy Strong,” calls for Daniels’ resignation have come from all over the country. But Troy’s mayor thinks that it’s okay to say things like that and still remain in an office where she is expected to serve residents, queer and not queer alike. She hedged:

“I may have said something like that… I probably shouldn’t have used that kind of language, but I do believe marriage should be between one man and one woman.”

Daniels also says she “regrets having said it,” and added:

“I’m hoping because I’m expressing my regret, that people will accept that I’m human… And that’s what I’m asking for is forgiveness.”

While mistakes are understandable, it’s difficult to forgive what appears to be clear animosity toward a group that includes literally millions of tax-paying Americans. It’s not that she used the word “queer,” albeit derisively, but she also indicated ill-will towards the entire State of New York for granting gay couples the same civil rights enjoyed by their straight counterparts. While most scandals that end political careers, minor and major, seem to be down to personal business, there’s no way in the world someone who feels that way should be in a decision-making position. Do you think Daniels should resign her post as mayor?

Janice Daniels, Michigan Mayor, Faces Calls For Resignation After Gaycist Post on Facebook is a post from: The Inquisitr

In 2008 San Francisco’s D2 softball team finished second in the Gay Softball World Series and now three players from that team have won a settlement against the league after their second place trophy was stripped when they were told being bisexual made them “not gay enough” to win the trophy.

According to the players the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance asked them “intrusive” questions to determine exactly how gay they are. After questioning was completed the panel of questioners determined that the three men were “non-gay” and therefore they had exceeded the two heterosexual players rule.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle one of the three men was married at the time but all three men said they are bisexual. At the time that their second place award was stripped the league allegedly told them:

“This is the Gay World Series, not the Bisexual World Series,”

As part of their victory their second place finish was given back and they will receive an undisclosed amount of money.

After the victory the attorney for all three men said:

“This is an amazing result,” and “It’s also an opportunity to put a spotlight on significant discrimination in sports against the LBGT community.”

While it’s a win for the men US District Judge John Coughenour ruled in a preliminary decision that it’s:

“Reasonable that an organization seeking to limit participation to gay athletes would require members to express whether or not they are gay athletes.”

The sports organization has now changed their bylaws to welcome all gays, bisexuals and transgendered players.

Do you think it was right to award the three bisexual men monetary damages based on the leagues actons.

Softball Players Win Court Settlement After Being Told They Weren’t Gay Enough is a post from: The Inquisitr

Axel Axgil fought for decades to make Denmark the first country to fully legalize same-sex marriages and now the gay rights pioneer has succumbed to old age, passing away at the age of 96.

After decades of fighting Axel saw his fight come to fruition in 1989 when he became the first citizen to enter into a same-sex union under the countries new law.

Axgil was also responsible for founding one of Europe’s longest standing gay rights organizations in 1948.

According to the Associated Press Axil’s fight eventually led to the loss of his home and his job.

When speaking about Axil a spokeswomen from the organization he helped co-found said he:

“Was a modest man who never cast himself as a lonely warrior,” while adding, “He always underscored that there were many involved in the work and that it was a common cause.”

Axel’s partner Eigil Axgil passed away in 1995, the men were together for more than 40 years.

Gay Rights Pioneer Axel Axgil Dead At 96 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gay rights advocates in California are celebrating today after a vote to repeal the “gay history law” failed to gather enough votes to overturn the ruling. The gay history law requires public schools to teach about the contributions gay people have made throughout American history.

If the vote would have passed the repeal would have been placed on the next cycle of election ballots.

Because the repeal vote did not meet the required number of votes the law will go into effect in January 2012, while analysts believe it will be challenged once again for a spot on the November 2012 ballot.

One Stop SB48 group member said of the failure:

“In the end, 90 days was too short a time to accomplish such a large task,” while they told supporters “While we did not overturn this very bad law, we built a small army of dedicated volunteers that collected an incredible amount of signatures. There will be a next battle.”

Given the support for gay rights in California the group will likely face an uphill battle to overturn the law in the state, especially after it has already been in place for nine month come the November 2012 elections.

I personally want my kids to know as much about U.S. history as possible, as long as the accomplishments of those people are not framed as “and here’s what a gay guy did.” Are you for or against the gay history law?

California Voters Keep Gay History Law, Shoot Down Repeal is a post from: The Inquisitr

If members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance have their way there will soon be an LGBT floor at the University of Iowa.

The LGBT Allied Union has petitioned the university for the floor and say they need 50 people to apply for the request to become a reality.

The organization had also asked that the ability to request a room in the LGBT friendly dorm be added to the University Housing and Dining request form, however only 10 students took advantage of that option. The group believed they will gain better traction if the LGBT floor becomes “better advertised.”

The University of Iowa currently offers more than a dozen lifestyle floors however until this time they have all been focused on specific areas of learning such as business, engineering, education and others. Should the floor become a reality it will be given the same Living Learning Communities (LLC) classification as educational based floors.

If the new residence floor become a reality the University of Iowa will be the first state university in Iowa to offer an exclusive LGBT living environment.

Some opponents say it will only serve to breed hate and animosity among students living on the floor. Do you believe having an LGBT floor is a good idea?

University of Iowa LGBT Students Want Their Own Lifestyle Floor In The Dorms is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fox News Keeps Gay GOP Candidate Fred Karger Out Of Debate, Despite Qualified Scoring is a post from: The Inquisitr

Another day, another gay hating comment from GOP and Tea Party presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann. Speaking on Meet the Press the Minnesota lawmaker noted that she will not call gay couple’s who adopt children a “family” while insisting that the gay rights issue isn’t what people “are concerned about right now.”

David Gregory pointed out after her comment that she once called gay issues one of the “defining political issues.”

While Bachmann was attempting to take a victory lap from her Iowa straw poll victory Douglas pressed her repeatedly about her stance on gay rights, noting that during a 2004 address she said being homosexual was was a choice of “personal enslavement.”

Responding to Gregory she wouldn’t answer the question, instead repeating, “I am running for the presidency of the United States,” while insisting she doesn’t judge gay people, a decidedly different response from her enslavement comment years earlier and the comment she made during the show.

Here’s the Meet The Press interview so you can examine Backmann’s responses on your own:

Appearing on Fox News on Sunday Bachmann then used decidedly Tea Party based rhetoric to reveal that the tax code was the “job-killing center of the United States,” while revealing that ”We have to lower tax rates considerably on job creators (really rich people for those unfamiliar with the GOP’s new name for the rich) and with everything from the death tax to alternative minimum tax to 100% expensing immediately for small business.”

Bachmann can preach all she wants about taxes, medical care and other issues, but until she learns to better address the gay rights issue and keep her mouth shut when appropriate those issues will be over shadowed by her past and present comments.

Anyone else feel that the “cut taxes for the rich” comments to be a political race killer for Michele Bachmann? I don’t think the millions of unemployed American’s are going to agree with her comments as CEO pay increased by 27% in 2010, while corporations earning record profits continued to shut down entire divisions of their operations.

Michele Bachmann: Gay People With Kids Are Not Families, Rich People Need More Tax Cuts is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alexander Skarsgard, who plays the sexy alpha-vamp Eric Northman on HBO’s hit series True Blood, has contributed a clip to the “It Gets Better” project- the video series started by Dan Savage as a response to gay teen suicides.

Skarsgard, who is not gay, pledged to be a father whose kids are accepting and tolerant- adding that he doesn’t have any kids yet (with a “that I know about” eyebrow waggle.) The clip is below, and it seems he’s trying to “put the whammy” on us, as Sookie would say. (“You will be nice to gay people! It is the right thing to do!)

Skarsgard joins a very diverse group of contributors- according to the “It Gets Better” project homepage, participants so far have included:

President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Adam Lambert, Anne Hathaway, Colin Farrell, Matthew Morrison of “Glee”, Joe Jonas, Joel Madden, Ke$ha, Sarah Silverman, Tim Gunn, Ellen DeGeneres, Suze Orman, the staffs of The Gap, Google, Facebook, Pixar, the Broadway community, and many more.

Best “It Gets Better” entry so far?

Alexander Skarsgard Contributes to the “It Gets Better” Project is a post from: The Inquisitr

New York Rangers winger Sean Avery, a vocal supporter of the recently passed gay marriage legislation in New York State, hasn’t dropped the gay rights gauntlet yet.

Speaking to the New York Post, Avery commented that the NHL should be “progressive” in adopting a more encouraging atmosphere for gay players. Avery said:

“I understand that the NHL represents 30 different owners who come from different backgrounds and hold different viewpoints, but I think it would be meaningful for Gary [commissioner Bettman] and the Board of Governors to open themselves up for conversation about this issue… The support I received from the Garden, Mr. [James] Dolan, Glen [Rangers general manager Sather] and [president of MSG Sports] Scott O’Neil meant everything to me, but it was a little disappointing not to have heard from anyone connected with the league.”

Avery continued:

“It would be great for the NHL to take the lead among professional sports leagues in terms of social equality and justice and be out front and progressive regarding issues like this.”

He also said:

“You don’t have to be gay to know when something is fundamentally not right.”

You can read Avery’s entire commentary over at the New York Post.

Sean Avery Calls For Gay Rights Awareness in NHL is a post from: The Inquisitr

Congratulations, gay people! Even though you still can’t get married officially in most states, you have now have equal standing to better classify your relationship to people you vaguely know on Facebook!

One of the larger modern tenets of relationships is that it isn’t official until it’s on Facebook. (And indeed, breakups and divorces become all the more humiliating when you realize an inevitable stream of pity-posts will follow having to do the update of shame indicating you’ve been unceremoniously given the elbow- far more publicly nerve-racking than just filing some papers with your local court.)

Although the new relationship status option was added “quietly,” the news spread virally over Twitter and Facebook, with mostly straight people changing their relationship status to “in a civil partnership” to “show solidarity” with their gay brothers and sisters who still do not have the right to marry. Which feels a little patronizing considering many of these people have availed themselves of the aforementioned right- the gesture makes sense, but I don’t know many hetero people really can understand what it’s like to lack that option. (“Jane is in a civil partnership- JK, I had a wedding and it was so totally awesome and fun!”)

Still, the acknowledgment of committed gay relationships is an important social one, and the move is worth commending. Do you think changes like this will help further the acceptance of gay rights?

Facebook adds civil partnerships to relationship options is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has admitted he himself cannot get the Santorum out…

…of the Googles. Early in the 00s, Santorum made some anti-gay rights statements, earning him the ire of sex columnist Dan Savage. Savage could have left it at ranting in his column, but being a man of incredible foresight, Savage called upon his readers to come up with a very explicit sexual term to link with the former Senator’s name in Google results. Fans of Savage Love came up with the following definition, now the top result when a search for Santorum occurs:

“The sometimes frothy, usually slimy, amalgam of lubricant, stray fecal matter, and ejaculate that leaks out of the receiving partner’s anus after a session of anal intercourse.”

Santorum- the man, not the substance, defeatedly acknowledged the Google pollution was a serious issue for his campaign efforts:

“It’s one guy. You know who it is. The Internet allows for this type of vulgarity to circulate. It’s unfortunate that we have someone who obviously has some issues. But he has an opportunity to speak,” Santorum told Roll Call.

Unfortunately for Santorum, it’s harder to scrub the term from the internet than it is to eradicate the substance from white sheets:

But Roll Call has learned that former staffers consulted technology experts years ago about their options. Ultimately, they found there was little they could do.

“You can bury anything on the Internet,” said David Urban, a Santorum ally and former chief of staff for former Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.). “But at what financial cost and at what political cost? You can bury a bad story. But how do you bury your own name?”

At the moment, a Google search for “Santorum” calls up the Wikipedia page devoted to the “sexual neologism” ahead of the Wikipedia page for Rick Santorum himself.

[Roll Call via Gawker, Image]

Former Senator Santorum acknowledges Google problem is a post from: The Inquisitr

In an issue gay people would file under “problems we would like to have,” a straight British couple is going to court for the right to essentially gay-marry each other.

While some jurisdictions recognize gay marriage, and some allow “civil partnerships,” gay marriage is not a right recognized nearly as widely as same-sex marriage. But the opportunity to marry one another, a right denied gay people in many places, is not enough to satisfy the couple, both of whom are 26:

“The titles of husband and wife and all the things that pop into people’s heads when you say you’re getting married don’t appeal to us,” said (Katherine) Doyle, a student. “In our day-to-day life we feel like civil partners — we don’t feel like husband and wife, and we want the government to recognize that.”

An activist who commented on the case cited a larger motivation to have “one law for everybody,” but also implied that the fight to legalize gay marriage is somehow harmful to straight couples, roughly half of whom don’t even see fit to honor the vows they take in the first place:

“Denying heterosexual couples the right to have a civil partnership is heterophobic,” Peter Tatchell said.

As someone who has watched close gay friends genuinely suffer due to lacking the option to marry, this seems to me to be a bit of a slap in the face to the movement to legalize gay marriage. Setting the debate back to whether marriage, a mostly heterosexual institution, should even exist will only serve to delay gay people being granted equal rights as well as bolster arguments from gay marriage opponents that allowing gay people to marry somehow tears at the fabric of the institution of marriage.

Does this fight advance smarter marriage and civil union related policy, or is it a setback for the fight to allow gays to marry?

[via Fark]

Should straight people also be able to get gay married? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Okay, so it’s not a contest, but Star Trek‘s openly gay George Takei would totally take first place if reassuring struggling gay teens was a winnable thing.

Also, he single-handedly put the sting back in the word “douchebag.”

George Takei pwns Clint McCance, wins ‘It Gets Better’ project is a post from: The Inquisitr