Gay Rights?

You don't often see "gay rights" mentioned on homocon sites, which are typically more concerned about "wealth preservation" and screwing the poor. So I had to follow the tweet that heralded the above story. It turns out that the right to carry a concealed handgun anywhere you please is a gay rights issue. At least it is in the bizarro world of Gay Patriot.

WI Judge Upholds Domestic Partners

Saying the system does not violate the state's ban on same-sex marriage, a judge has upheld Wisconsin's domestic partners registry.

Dane County Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser ruled that the 2009 law does not create a legal status for partners that is identical or substantially similar to that of marriage and therefore it does not violate the constitutional ban approved by voters in 2006. “The state does not recognize domestic partnership in a way that even remotely resembles how the state recognizes marriage,” Moeser said in the ruling. “Moreover, domestic partners’ have far fewer legal rights, duties, and liabilities in comparison to the legal rights, duties, and liabilities of spouses.”

The anti-gay Christian group that brought the suit says they will now appeal to the state Supreme Court.

WISCONSIN: Gov. Scott Walker Wants To End Hospital Rights For Gay Couples

Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker has ordered the state to stop defending a 2009 law granting gay couples the right to visit each other in the hospital and make end-of-life decisions. The anti-gay group Wisconsin Family Action is suing the state to overturn the law.

On Friday, Walker filed a motion to stop defending the case. "Governor Walker, in deference to the legal opinion of the attorney general that the domestic partner registry...is unconstitutional, does not believe the public interest requires a continued defense of this law," says the brief, filed by Walker's chief counsel, Brian Hagedorn. Hagedorn told Dane County Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser that if he could not withdraw from the case, he would like to amend earlier filings to reflect Walker's belief that the registries conflict with the state constitution.

The LGBT group Fair Wisconsin will continue to defend the case in court.

Wisconsin Judge To Defendant: You Are Gayer Than A Sweet Smelling Jockstrap

From the clip description:

A Wisconsin judge on Monday said he didn't believe a molestation defendant who insisted he was heterosexual, making his point with references to a jock strap and a prom dress. Judge Philip Kirk of Waupaca commented before sentencing former New London school bus driver Delton Gorges to seven years in prison. During the sentencing hearing, the judge said "I think you were born gayer than a sweet smelling jock strap," Kirk said. Gorges, who drove a school bus for 33 years, pleaded no contest to four counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. "I think that if anyone believes that in the last 10 years or 15 years all of a sudden you developed an interest in homosexuality and young boys, then I must have looked ravishing in my prom dress this year," Kirk said.

WISCONSIN: Andrew Breitbart Tells Pro-Union Protesters To "Go To Hell"

As he prepared to introduce Sarah Palin over the boos of Wisconsin's pro-union protesters, wingnut blogger and GOProud backer Andrew Breitbart told labor supporters, "Go to hell!" Because "class warfare" (which, hello, is what the Tea Party stands for) is "un-American." Raw Story has a much better clip (non-embeddable) taken from the rear of the crowd.

WISCONSIN: Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Union Busting Bill

A Wisconsin judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the bill stripping state employee unions of their collective bargaining rights.

The decision, issued by Judge Maryann Sumi of the Dane County Circuit Court, temporarily bars Wisconsin’s secretary of state from publishing the controversial law, one of the procedural requirements for it to come into effect in the state. Publication had been expected late next week, but Judge Sumi’s ruling delays that until at least March 29, when she plans to hold a full hearing on a lawsuit that questions the validity of the collective bargaining law based on the speedy manner in which it was carried out earlier this month. An appeal is possible even before then. Opponents of the measure said they hoped the decision was but the first of many that would ultimately undo a measure that has split the state and has drawn tens of thousands of demonstrators to the state capital over a matter of many weeks. Supporters of the measure, however, said that the judge’s decision was merely a blip, certain to be overturned as various legal efforts make their way fully through the court system.

The bill was signed by Gov. Scott Walker last Friday.

A Teabagger's View Of Unions

WISCONSIN: Republicans Break Law To Strip Collective Bargaining Rights

Things begin to go nuts at 2:30.

WISCONSIN: State GOP Senator Calls Union Protesters "Smelly Slobs"

That Fox Reporter That Got "Punched"?

Never happened.

Union Workers Defend Their Rights As GOP Goose-Steps For Tea Party Billionaires

WISCONSIN: Pro-Union Protesters Sing Number From Les Miserables

Teabaggers are chortling about this on Twitter with comments like "You know the country’s gone to hell in a handbasket when Wisconsin protesters break out in a song based on a book about the French Revolution." Family Research Council douchenozzle Tony Perkins just tweeted out the video link with the message: "Funny or just sad?"

WISCONSIN: Fox News Reporters Complain About "Hateful" Pro-Union Protesters

WISCONSIN: Ad Slams Gov. Scott Walker Over Comments Made To Fake Koch

FLASHBACK: Ronald Reagan Declares Union Membership To Be A Basic Right

WISCONSIN: Assembly GOP Pulls Sneak Attack Vote To Ban Bargaining Rights

The vote took place at 1am with most of the Democrats out of the chamber, sending the entire room into chants of "Shame! Shame! Shame!"

Scott Walker Channels Charlie Sheen

Sign-Bombing CNN

The CNN reporter was unaware of the man parading back and forth behind her with his "Walker sucks Koch" sign. I had to dive for my camera and take a screen shot.

WISCONSIN: Black Gay Teabagger Denounces "Lazy Union Members"

Rod McCollum points us to this video shot yesterday in which a black gay Tea Party supporter tells pro-union protesters: "I've been a Republican all my life. And I've worked with unions and union members and they're all lazy." In other news, there are black gay teabaggers in the world.

WISCONSIN: Blogger Claims To Have Called Gov While Posing As David Koch

Mother Jones reports that New York-based journalist/blogger Ian Murphy claims to have had a 20-minute phone conversation with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker while posing as billionaire Tea Party kingpin David Koch. The Koch brothers were major backers of Walker's campaign and are known to have donated millions to astroturf groups posing as ordinary citizens.

According to the audio, Walker told him:
* That statehouse GOPers were plotting to hold Democratic senators' pay until they returned to vote on the controversial union-busting bill.
* That Walker was looking to nail Dems on ethics violations if they took meals or lodging from union supporters.
* That he'd take "Koch" up on this offer: "Once you crush these bastards I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time."

Mother Jones isn't 100% convinced this is real, but most are saying that the voice on the tape does sound like Walker.


(Tipped by JMG reader Birdie)