Equality Florida May Challenge State Gay Marriage Ban

Equality Florida sent out a press release stating that they are willing to challenge the Florida constructional ban against gay marriage.

"As the entire country awaits the Supreme Court's rulings, it is time for all who believe in equality and fairness to take a clear stand on the right side of history," the organization's executive director Nadine Smith said in a conference call.

More:

"While the fastest path to marriage equality in Florida is not yet certain, we do know that we will not just wait," Smith said. "We intend to win marriage, and all options are on the table including new legal challenges and the possibility of going back to the ballot to overturn Florida's discriminatory ban."

I change in the Florida constitution would require 60 percent approval from voters. You can thank Republicans for making that undemocratic 60 percent threshold.

Equality Florida On Dubious Rubio Not Backing ENDA

Nadine Smith of Equality Florida sent out this press release. Equality Florida takes exception with Sen. Marco Rubio not supporting ENDA. Rubio made this statement about ENDA to Think Progress.

RUBIO: I haven’t read the legislation. By and large I think all Americans should be protected but I’m not for any special protections based on orientation.

The Equality Florida press release.

Senator Rubio's statements are indefensible and heartless. I challenge Sen. Marco Rubio to meet with families torn apart by current laws. Let him sit with couples who have been forced apart and children who are denied access to both parents because the law does not recognize their family.

Thankfully the Senator does not reflect the majority of Americans or Floridians who, by an overwhelming margin of 67%, believe “it is important that the US immigration system keeps families together regardless of sexual orientation.”1 Nearly two-thirds of Hispanic voters support the inclusion of same-sex bi-national couples in immigration reform, and 70% of Hispanic Catholics support these provisions. Rubio's recent rhetoric about pulling his support for immigration reform if same-sex couples are included is a slap in the face to his constituency and the families directly harmed by the current laws. The Senator’s opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is also out of sync with the country and Florida voters who believe people should not be fired based on prejudice.

Nearly three-quarters of voters (73%) support protecting gay and transgender people from workplace discrimination. This support cuts across political party affiliation, with 81% of Democrats, 74% of independents and 66% of Republicans supporting workplace nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people. - See more at: http://www.freedomtowork.org/?page_id=39#sthash.yJOZfeOx.dpuf

1 April 2013 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), one of the most accurate polling companies in the country. http://bit.ly/13FDHRq

City of Tampa May Soon Have Domestic Gay Rights

The Tampa City Council voted to have its legal department formulate a domestic partner registry ordinance. This doesn't mean domestic partnership marriages. What does mean is legal language will be crafted. Creative Loafing's Mitch Perry cites the Orlando domestic ordinance. The fact is the City of Tampa ordinance has not been written yet.

In Perry's defense, Council member Yolie Capin cited was inspired by the Orlando domestic ordinance.

The proposal was brought forth by Council member Yolie Capin, who told CL after the meeting that she had been thinking of bringing the issue up for awhile, but was inspired to do so after the city of Orlando passed an ordinance in December and enacted it last month.

The Tampa City Council still has to vote for the final ordinance.

Nadine Smith with Equality Florida says the city of Tampa is doing the right thing. "Domestic partnership policies provide a handful of vital protections that are critical for couples at the most vulnerable times in their life, " she wrote CL in an email. "In taking this step, Tampa will join communities across the state who recognize that people need the legal rights necessary to take care of their loved ones."

Equality Florida Endorsements

Equality Florida has their endorsements for candidates online. I will make note of the local Tampa races.

Pinellas County Commission District 4 - Susan Latvala (REP)

Hillsborough County Commission District 1 - John Dingfelder (DEM)
Hillsborough County Commission District 5 - Linda Saul-Sena (DEM)

Pinellas County School Board District 7 - James Jackson
Hillsborough County School Board District 6 - April Griffin

House District 44 - Diane Rowden (DEM)
House District 49 - Darren Soto (DEM)
House District 51 - Janet Long (DEM)
House District 53 - Rick Kriseman (DEM)
House District 57 - Stacy Frank (DEM)
House District 60 - Russ Patterson (DEM)
House District 69 - Keith Fitzgerald (DEM)

The big story is how did Bob Hackworth lose out on an endorsement to Susan Latvala. I hope to get an answer to that question shortly. Hackworth mentions nothing about gay rights issues on his campaign web site. I do take exception with Hackworth's claims that the Tampa Bay Rays have had a "huge economic impact to the county and to the region." I have blogged about how tax subsidized stadiums bring money only to sports franchises. The taxpayer is left paying the bill.

The April Griffin is of great interest to me. Griffin is running against Terry Kemple. The latter's campaign is so broke that Kemple's web site has been suspended.

Please contact Inspyre at (813) ***-**** and follow the prompts to our
Billing Department for assistance with this matter. We are sorry for any
inconvenience this has caused.

Kemple is against the teaching of evolution and billboards of the bogus quotes the Founding Fathers never made about the separation of church and state. This blog has also had great joy mocking Kemple. I usually don't do endorsements, but I want to see Griffin win big.

Update: Nadine Smith of Equality Florida sent me this email to explain the endorsement.

"Both candidates are strong supporters of equal rights. Susan Latvala led the push to expand the human rights ordinance in Pinellas County and Bob Hackworth helped pass the Dunedin HRO. Our PAC criteria gives weight to incumbancy and found Susan to be the stronger candidate to endorse."

Thanks to Ms. Smith for responding to my email.

Nadine Smith Delivers Letter to Obama

Praise goes out to Nadine Smith for delivering a letter from young Florida boys that do not want to be taken away from their gay parents. I am not sure if these were the boys adopted by Frank Martin Gill.

Jim Johnson had a great right-of-center take on Florida's gay adoption ban.

Heck, removing the ban would actually SAVE money. Foster parents get more financial assistance from the state than adoptive parents do — so if more foster parents, even homosexuals, want to adopt AND the court system agrees it would be best for the kids, then let them adopt.

This isn't about fiscal conservatism. The Republican dominated legislature does not want to be on the bad side of the Christian Right. The end result is too many kids end up without adoptive parents.

Equality Florida Protests WFLA

WFLA-Ch. 8 aired the informercial Silencing the Christians the day the Tampa LGBT community celebrated Gay Pride Day. The informercial was created by the American Family Association. The AFA has come out in opposition of the Matthew Sheperd Hate Crimes bill.

WFLA and it's parent company Media General have a long history of conservatism. Glenn Beck got his big break on WFLA Radio. The Media General company the Tampa Tribune has never endorsed a Democrat for President.

Personally, I think the protest is giving AFA and Silencing the Christians more attention than it deserves. People don't watch informercials. Don't believe me, I dare you to watch this Erik Estrada informercial. Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9 11 gained greater box office success because of the negative publicity.

I understand why Nadine Smith and Lorna Bracewell are upset. No amount of protests are going to change WFLA. Boycotts never work. The best thing to do is tell people Media General provides shitty news and entertainment. WFLA TV and Radio should be the unhip equivalent of Eric Cantor attending a Britney Spears concert. No human being over the age of 13 years old has an excuse for listening to Miley Cyrus. The same should hold true for WFLA. Their audience should be dwindled down to the Eric Cantors of the world.

Fred Thompson Supports Florida Gay Marriage Ban

Fred Thompson comes out in support of the Florida ballot amendment banning gay marriage.

I applaud the work of Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage. Their efforts will give the people of Florida a voice on this very important subject. I strongly believe in the time honored principle of marriage being a union between one man and one woman, the foundation of any civilized society. Florida’s Marriage Amendment will have my support in 2008. As President, I will appoint judges who apply the law, not make it up from the bench. We should not be held subject to judicially created social policy, and I will use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to defend the institution of marriage.

Thompson is going into pander overdrive after saying the state and federal government should not have intervened in the Terri Schiavo medical case. If Thompson really wants to win he should avoid flip flopping, firing campaign staff and pretending he actually gives a shit if he wins.

Nadine Smith of Equality Florida urges urges voters to sign the Pledge to Vote "NO" petition and join the Fairness to All Families Facebook group.

The good news is 60 percent approval is difficult. Civil rights groups and lefty activists can mount a good campaign to defeat the ballot amendment. Opposition to the gay marriage ban helped Democratic turnout for Jim Webb. It's time the Left used wedge issues against the GOP. Republicans certainly aren't going to run on the economy.

Pam Spaulding has a lengthy blog post on the ballot amendment.

Ron Sanders Latest Hate Rant

The Rev. Ron Sanders speaks about the Steve Stanton appeal tomorrow and takes the time to go on a hate-filled tirade.

During the City Commission meeting on March 20, the Rev. Ron Sanders, pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Largo, said God has protected Largo over the years from killer hurricanes because of the abundance of prayers.

But, he warned, “The Lord wants me to say some things.”

“God’s wrath is on America right now,” Sanders said.

He pointed to the 911 terrorist attacks and the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.

Sanders said the gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyle is “an abomination against God.” He said if the city allows Stanton to stay in office, “He will be a hero to all of those weirdos from New Orleans who are looking for a new home.”

What kind of Christian condems people who suffered and were left homeless during Katrina. Would Sanders feel the same way if he was stranded in the Superdome?





Sanders claims that every New Orleans resident is not a God-fearing Christian and deserved being displaced. I'm curious as to how Sanders was able to look into the souls of all these people and make this blanket judgement. For that matter: what does Steve Stanton's status have to do with Katrina?

Sanders says this stuff to the media. Imagine what he preaches in the confines of his church.

Update: What is interesting in the article is the lack of support other commission members have for Mary Gray Black.

Commissioner Mary Gray Black read a lengthy legal brief to the commission in which she argued that the hearing be quasi-judicial. She wants witnesses sworn and cross-examined and to have a legal transcription of the meeting.

City Attorney Alan Zimmet countered that this would give Stanton an easy avenue to appeal to the courts.

Several commissioners objected to having received Black’s prepared statement during the meeting and having to listen to her read it.

There was no support voiced for Black’s arguments.

To make matters more ridiculous, Largo has created a free speech zone. Those wishing to distribute literature will be fenced out. This is their reactionary idea to avoid another Nadine Smith incident.

Nadine Smith Interview

Pam Spalding sat down with Nadine Smith to talk about the Steve Stanton firing. Smith describes the scene in the lobby of the day of Smith's termination as "a mob scene."

The anti-gay marriage amendment is discussed. Smith said people are understanding that gay marriage is a cycle GOTV for the GOP.

Smith does not discuss her arrest.

HRC and NGLFT Joint Statement

Here is the HRC/NGLTF joint statement on Nadine Smith's arrest.

“HRC joins the Task Force in condemning these actions by Largo police. Arresting a community leader for simply handing out a flier is disgraceful,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “The city’s bigoted action against Steve Stanton was shameful in and of itself; its treatment of a citizen standing in support of Stanton is doubly appalling. We hope actions are taken immediately by city leaders to remedy both intolerable situations.”

“We condemn this outrageous and unprovoked attack on one of our community’s leading advocates,” said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “This directly associates the police department of Largo with the appalling bigotry expressed by the hundreds attending the poisonous hearing attacking an outstanding public servant, Steve Stanton. We honor Nadine’s courage and dignity through this ordeal.”

Hat tip to Pam. I couldn't find the press releases.

More On Nadine Smith

365Gay has an eyewitness report on Nadine Smith's arrest. The witness is an anonymous source. So I'm not 100% on the sourcing. True or not, the arrest was uncalled for.

Smith was in the lobby and arrested when a man approached her and asked for a flier she has holding that said "Don't Discriminate".

According to witnesses, Sgt. Butch Ward confronted Smith and ordered her to take back the flier.

When Smith asked why, Ward reportedly forced her into a side room where several officers violently shoved her to the floor and arrested her.

She has been charged with resisting arrest with violence, a felony, and disturbing others’ assembly, a misdemeanor.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Human Rights Campaign condemned Smith's arrest in a joint statement. The latter is asking people to share their stories of being discriminated against in the workplace to help educate lawmakers.

Safety First

Litbrit pointed out this gem on Nadine Smith's arrest.

Fliers present a fire hazard; plus, when they end up on the floor, people can slip on them, McMullen said.

"Flyers are a safety hazard." So that is why they arrested Smith. Truly Daily Show material. I wonder if someone would have gotten arrested on a felony charge for leaving a banana peel on the floor. People can slip on those.

Nadine Smith Arrested

This is amazing. Wayne Garcia was at the Largo City Commission meeting and saw Nadine Smith of Equality Florida get arrested for handing out flyers. Smith was handing out a flyer that said "Don't Discriminate." That led to four Largo police officers arresting her.

Smith was changed with a felony resisting arrest and misdemeanor of disturbing others' assembly. It is not hard to pick up a felony resisting arrest in Florida. An officer can grab a person from behind. The person will instinctively pull away. Legally in Florida that is resisting arrest. It's doubtful Smith will do state time.

Smith was released on $5,250 bail.

Related posts: Steve Stanton Fired

Steve Stanton Targeted For Being Transexual