Our State of Unions: Maine, Religion and Human Rights.

My apologies dear readers,

I have not been able to write about Tuesday's narrow vote in Maine that repeals the rights of marriage to same-sex couples. People's dignity, their rights, were put to a vote. The Constitution has many provisions to prevent such measures and yet they are carried out in the name of the very document that warns against it. The rights of the few should not be voted on by the many. Look at the history of this nation. We took rights away from the native Americans, slaughtering them as inhuman savages. We took away rights of any non-Protestant Christian in our colonial days. We murdered innocent women in the name of God to save their souls from witchcraft. We castrated out sons to stop them from masturbating in the 1880s. We brutalized with unspeakable cruelty African slaves for financial gain. We sent innocent Japanese-Americans to CONCENTRATION camps here the West for the crime of being Asian during the war. We are a nation built on blood, bigotry and segregation.

The civil rights movement of the 1960s led to great change great leaders emerged who unified and energized the fight for freedom. Young Jewish kids in the north flocked to Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia to assist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was a call to arms for one and all to join together for equality. I, for one, would have gladly joined the fight. Dr. King's words speak to me, a gay Jewish (slightly) punk rock artist born a decade after his assignation. I think he's be ashamed of us today. Same goes for the legendary commander and chief of that great era of change: John F. Kennedy. We are committing sexual McCarthyism in America today.

Civil Unions, Registered Domestic Partnerships (RDP), these small steps forward are consolation prizes, they are not equality, they are not marriage. Marriage is not a religious institution. It was , is and most likely will all was be a legal contract, not a religious institution. It is one based on the exchange value of property-historically the value of a woman. Those who quote God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve should be mindful of all of the polyamory and polygamy (as well as incest, rape, and murder) in the Bible. Also if God created Adam and Eve, the logic goes he created Steve as well- Dumb ass.

A wedding (if one chooses to make it so) is a religious ceremony, a symbolic joining of two souls, bodies etc. I have absolutely no issue what so ever with a church saying they will not perform a same-sex wedding. It's their right as a religious institution. That's why we have separation of church and state. "Keep your government out of my church" was the original intent but it soon became clear that it was needed conversely to keep the church out of our government. Well that is not what is happening these day. No one is trying to take away the rights of "Christians" but it is abundantly clear so-called christian groups are attempting to warp law in their deluded bigoted hate-filled mindset. LGBT Americans are not asking for special treatment or special laws. We are not asking for a redefinition of marriage. We are not a threat to marriage. Actually statistically "straight" marriage is a danger to marriage. You've managed a staggering 65% divorce rate all on your own. LGBT Americans just want access to what is our right as law abiding , tax paying citizens of this supposedly great nation of ours. We pay taxes that support all the institutions and privileges of marriage that we do not have access to. This is not equality. If Civil Unions and RDP's were truly the same as marriage why have "straight" couples not taken advantage of those laws? Why? Because they are not equal, simply separate-and in most states - non-existent.

We will achieve equality someday, and proudly proclaim our great progressiveness, when we are far behind most western 1st world nations. Canada did not fall apart when same-sex marriage was allowed nationally. How about Spain, the catholic nation home to one of the greatest historical religious based atrocities ever-the Spanish inquisition- legalized gay marriage? Nope- did not fall. Get over the tired Roman empire analogies neoconservative America, you simply want empire- and it is not going to happen. I am not proud to be an American today. I wish I were, we have many great liberties I take full advantage of daily, but we are a nation of racists, sex-phobic bigots and morally corrupt leaders who rally their religious based troops in the name of God and then shame God with their behavior. Your Christianity has no Christ left in it. I hope soon I can be proud again. We have made a few steps forward with President Obama's election, his signing of the Matthew Sheppard act, something his predecessor vetoed. So-called Christian groups are even planning to incite hate-crimes against LGBT Americans to test the law to prove it somehow discriminates against their religious freedoms. Um I'm sorry but inciting violence is not protected by freedom of religion nor freedom of speech. Check the law books, and not the ones provided by Bob Jones or Regent University- I mean real ones!. You don't have a leg to stand on legally and you are nothing more than deranged hate-mongers at this point. They also have the nerve to use terms like so-called hate crimes. I'm Jewish, but my mother is now devout Christian, she taught me a many many things. The most important thing she taught me was that we are God's children and it is his place to pass judgement on our lives, out ours to pass judgement on others. Christians are to lead by example and strive to be Christ like- Jesus was radical Jewish Rabbi who taught compassion, forgiveness and love for all those on the outside of society -the sick and needy, the poor, prostitutes, and all those discriminated against by the government of that day. Keep that in mind when you read the piece below from World Net Daily about Pastor Gary Cass from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission and his response to the passing of the Matthew Sheppard act, the hate-crimes legislation that so-called christian conservatives are calling Hate Christians Laws followed by a data base of hate-crime victims from StopHate

"We're basically going to defy the law, and challenge it," Cass told WND. "We're going to declare the whole counsel of God, including those parts that some may consider 'inciting a hate crime' to see if the attorney general is going to come down and arrest a group of peaceful clergy exercising their First Amendment rights."

The law, long sought by homosexual activists who claim they are targeted by so-called "hate crimes," was signed last week by Obama, who then followed with a White House celebration of the event.

List of Victims of Hate and Violence

Onxard, California
Lawrence King
February 12, 2008
15 year old gay man killed for being gay

Edmond, Oklahoma
Steven Domer
October 26, 2007
62 year old gay man killed for being gay

Sacramento, California
Satender Singh
July 5, 2007
26 year old gay man killed for being gay

Brooklyn, New York
Michael Sandy
October 8, 2006
29 year old gay man died for being gay

Iraq
Ahmed Khalil
May, 2006
14 year old Iraqi gay teen executed by police

Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Female Engineering Students
December 6, 1989
Fourteen young women were killed. They were killed because they were perceived to be feminists. The students killed that day include:

Genevieve Bergeron
Helene Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik
Maryse Leclair
Annie St.-Arneault
Michele Richard
Maryse Laganière
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Annie Turcotte

Iran
Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni
July, 2005
Two gay Iranian teenagers executed for being gay.

Tucson, Arizona
Philip Walsted
2002
Young man who is thought to have been murdered because he was gay.

New Jersey
Sakia Gunn
2003
Lesbian teenager stabbed to death, because she was gay.

Mexico,
Octavia Acuna
January, 2005
Gay rights and health activist stabbed to death in Mexico.

Florida
Ronnie Antonio Paris
January, 2005
Three year old baby killed by father.

Kentucky
Richie Phillips

Richie was a 36 year old man, who the prosecution felt was lured to motel room and murdered for being gay.

Waterloo/Cedar-Falls area, Iowa,
Jason Gage
March, 2005
Gay man murdered.

Justin Enos
2000
Young man murdered because he danced like a girl.

Sierra Leone, Africa,
Fannyann Eddy
September, 2004
African Lesbian activist raped and murdered.

Unknown Victim of Hate Crime
2005
Teen who took his life after being bullied and tortured for being gay. This young person represents one of the many people who take their own lives due to hate and are the real unknown victims of the hate war.

Alabama,
Scotty Weaver
July, 2004
Gay teen was murdered. He was beaten, strangled, stabbed, cut and burned.

Vancouver, Canada,
Aaron Webster
March, 2005
Gay man murdered by a gang of people. One judge described the murder as sounding like Nazi youth gangs looking for victims.

Steen Fenrich
2000
Gay teenager murdered by his step-father, because Steen was gay.

Brownwood, Texas,
Leon Laureles
May, 1996


Grant Town, West Virginia,
Carl "J.R." Warren, Jr.
July 4, 2000

Los Angeles, California,
August, 1999

Joseph Ileto


Skokie, Illinolis
2 July, 1999
Ricky Byrdsong, age 43


Bloomington, Indiana
4 July, 1999
Won-Joon Yoon, age 26


Redding, California
1 July 1999

Gary Matson

Winfiel Mowder

gay couple murdered in their beds while sleeping.


Alabama,
Billy Jack Gaither, 39 - 19 February 1999
James Primus, 35 - 21 June 1993

Nebraska
Brandon Teena, 21 - 31 December 1993

Nevada
Anton Walker, 54 - August 1994
William Metz - 8 July 1994

Arizona
Michael Despain, 24 - 6 June 1994
Thomas Frazee, 28 - 12 December 1994
Robert Haines - 4 April 1994
Joseph Charles Holleran - May 1994
Duane Linsley - 16 January 1994

New Hampshire
Eric Balagot, 29 - 24 July 1998

Arkansas
Chris Miller, 23 - 30 July 1993
Ronnie H Smith, 58 - found 25 February 1994

New Jersey
Harold Draper, 29 - 30 May 1994
Thomas Mulcahy, 57 - 13 July 1992
James Septimphelter - 5 March 1994

California
Mauricio Bassa (AKA PJ Blake) - 22 May 1993
Therman Brown, 50 - 22 January 1993
John Garfield - 30 May 1992
James Graves - 22 December 1993
Father Ronald Maupin - August 1993
Harvey Milk, 47 - 27 November 1978
Mayor George Moscone, 51 - 27 Nov 1978
John Duncan O'Friel, 46 - 8 July 1993
Keith Michael Ogden, 31 - 7 July 1993
Louis Pearson, 44 - 3 May 1998
Tony Ray - 24 March 1994
Jon Simmons - 17 October 1994
Cameron (Tina) Tanner - fall 1992
Tommy Wenger, 24 - 28 March 1994
Brian Wilmes, 45 - 13 march 1998

Colorado
Poul Anderson, 54 - found 23 May 1994
Mark Butts, 35 - 15 May 1998
Anthony Carr, 33 - 26 December 1992
Robert Ferrell, 57 - 15 September 1992
Randy Gonzales, 26 - 22 January 1993
Steven R. Heyman, 47 - 2 November 1993
James Holman, 36 - 13 February 1992
Bruce Hutchinson, 31 - 8 May 1994
David Stewart, 2 June 1992
Benjamin Zesch, 61 - 16 July 1992

New York
Lawrence Andrews, 44 - 11 March 1993
Victor Bones, 20s - 27 July 1992
Brian Burke, 36 - found 25 October
Salvatore Caggiano, 50s - 26 December 1992
Pauline Campbell, 34 - 23 February 1992
Stephan "Stephanie" Chapman, 20 - Dec 1992
Jeannie Fenmore, 48 - 23 December 1993
Bernard Friedman, 56 - 20 April 1994
Dwight Greene, 44 - 8 July 1993
Jimmy Hawkins, 50 - found 15 August 1993
Robert Kase, 44 - 16 October 1994
Charles Lee - 17 April 1993
Roosevelt Lewis, 30s - found 3 April 1993
Anthony Marrero, 44 - 16 May 1993
Malcolm Michaels, Jr, 46 - 6 July 1992
Javier Munsuri, 40 - found 28 May 1994
George "Joe" Ortiz, 40 - 27 March 1993
Martin Parian, 20s - 13 July 1994
Vanathan Pleasant III, 21 - 19 July 1992
Julio Prado, 39 - 11 January 1992
Eric Price, 25 - 29 June 1993
Nelson Rawlins, 48 - 30 July 1994
Julio Rivera - July 1990
Benjamin Rosario, 45 - 3 August 1994
Michael Sakara, 56 - 20 April 1994
Jesus Santiago, 24 - 2 February 1992
David Schwartz, 55 - found 9 November 1992
Milton Setzer, 60 - 29 June 1993
James Seward, 42 - 28 July 1993
Paul Steckman, 45 - March 1994
John Stella, 33 - 1 May 1994
Gary Trzaska, 41 - 2 October 1998
Mervin Wallace, mid 50s - found 30 Sep 1993
Bernie Walsh, 28 - 12 April 1992
Richard Whitesell, 32 - 13 June 1994

Connecticut
Jame Maile, 25 - 10 December 1993

North Carolina
James Buchanan, 52 - 2 October 1994
Jerry Lee Dowdy, 50 - 2 October 1994
Carlos Stoner, 33 - 27 May 1992
Gerald Taylor, 66 - 20 July 1992


Delaware
Stebven Wilson, 9 - October 1995

North Dakota

District of Columbia
Jack Cowles, 74 - 21 December 1992
Rogers Donahue, 25 - 16 September 1993
Ricky Godbolt, 33 - 16 September 1993
Marvin Greenwell, 55 - found 10 May 1994
Alan Haskell, 30 - 3 February 1993
David A. Jarman, 38 - 4 April 1994
Charles Logan, 47 - 8 January, 1994
Kenneth Love, 42 - 21 December 1992
Paul McClure, 47 - 5 February 1994
Eric Moore, 22 - 3 January 1993
Stuart Jerome Moses, 33 - 17 May 1994
Ana Maria Rosales, 24 - 7 January 1993
Andrew Rowe, 53 - found 9 May 1994
Sanford "Sam" Swift, 31 - 11 June 1992
Shelton Thigpen, 74 - found 23 June 1994
Frank W. White, 56 - 18 March 1994

Ohio
Dante Evans Brown, 13 - 1980
Eric Farrow - found 20 November 1993
Darrell Lane, 14 - 1980
George S. - 10 January 1993
Unidentified gay man, 13 October 1992

Florida
Michael Cooper - 11 March 1993
Craig Duncan, 20s - March 1994
James Flaherty, 52 - 14 February 1993
Steven Goederis, 30 - 27 April 1998
David Gunn - March 1993
Kavens B. Hall, II, 16 April 1998
Walter Jammell Hinton, 43 - 20 Nov 1994
Albert Alcie Morris, 37 - 19 May 1994 *********
John Hardy Roberts, 59 - 15 March 1994

Oklahoma
Unidentified gay man - March 1993

Georgia
Milton Bradley, 72 - 5 May 1994
Elizabeth Kelle Davidson, 25 - 14 Jan 1993
Unidentified male transvestite - December 1992
Unidentified gay man, May 1994

Oregon
Hattie Mae Cohens, 25 - 26 September 1992
Brian Mock, 45 - 26 September 1992

Hawaii

Pennsylvania
Robert Hagan - found 9 August 1993
Robert Harris - 5 October 1994
Paul Steekman, 47 - 3 April 1994

Idaho

Puerto Rico

Illinois
Robert Harris - 2 February 1993
Dennis Johnson - 31 October 1993
William Lemke - 9 April 1994
Richard Skelton, 48 - 10 August 1998
Unidentified gay man, 70s - December 1993
Unidentified gay man - 22 April 1994
Unidentified male prostitute - 31 Dec 1993
Unidentified transvestite - 18 December 1993

Rhode Island
Roger Oliver, 23 - 2 May 1994

Indiana
Pamela Agee - 8 November 1992
Leta Dains - 8 November 1992
Unidentified gay man, 22 - 31 May 1993
Unidentified gay man, 50 - June 1994

South Carolina
Andre Jones, 33 - 23 July 1994



Iowa South Dakota

Kansas
Unidentified gay man, 20s - 29 October 1994

Tennessee
Martin Luther King, Jr. - 4 April 1968
William Tatum - 1978
Unidentified gay man, - 21 July 1994

Kentucky
Jack Gilman - 9 May 1993

Texas
Larry David Allen - 18 August 1994
Michael Benishek - January 1994
John Anthony Burwell, 26 - 2 April 1994
Michael Burzinski, 29 - 30 July 1994
James Byrd - 6 June 1998
Jeffrey Davis, 38 - 20 April 1998
John Dobbs, 73 - 3 February 1988
Lary Leggett - 25 January 1994
Fred Mangione, 46 - 4 January 1996
Tommy Musick, 48 - February 1994
Thanh Nguyen - 1991
Leopoldo Quintanilla, 29 - 23 June 1993
Amy Robinson - 15 February 1998
Jose Rubio - 1 July 1992
Joe Trevino - 3 March 1994
Randall Tubb, 40s - 1994
Nicholas West, 23 - 30 November 1993

Louisiana
Joe Balogg, 22 - 12 November 1993

Utah
Doug Keohler, 31 - 15 August 1993

Maine
Charlie Howard - 1984


Vermont

Maryland
Marvin Johnson, 29 - 2 January 1994 *************
Joey H. Jordan, 31 - 6 July 1992

Virginia
Harold Coon - 17 December 1994
Henry Northington, 39 - March 1999
Garland Leroy Taylor, 24 - 17 Sep 1994
Gary Watts, 34 - 10 June 1994
Henry Weatherford, Jr., 50 - 13 June 1994
Julie Williams - May 1996
Lollie Winans - MAy 1996
Unidentified gay man, 27 - 28 June 1993
Unidentified gay man - 3 September 1993

Massachusetts
Thomas Carey, 39 - 14 May 1993
William "Rita" Hester, 35 - 28 Nov 1998

Washington
Bradley Wantdler - 20 June 1993

Michigan
Scott Amedure - 9 March 1995
Bruce Andrews, 28 - October 1992
David Converse, 51 - 16 July 1994
Jeffrey Dansby - March 1993
Susan Pittman, 56 - May 1992
Christina Puckett, 39 - May 1992
Gary Rocus, 41 - November 1994

West Virginia
Vicki Durian, 26 - 1984
Nancy Santomero, 19 - 1984



Minnesota
Steven Fox, 25 - 20 July 1994
Craig Green, 34 - 26 May 1993
Howard Liebhaber, 34 - 25 October 1992
Terry Oliver, 27 - found 29 January 1993
Duane Swalve, 23 - 29 April 1993
Johnnie Williams, 48 - 15 July 1994

Wisconsin

Mississippi
Stanley King, 24 - 15 December 1994
Joseph Shoemake, 24 - 8 October 1994
Robert Walters, 34 - 8 October 1994

Wyoming
Roger Melner, 60s - fall 1994
Matthew Shepard, 21 - 12 October 1998

Missouri
William Childs, 27 - 22 April 1993
Craig Johnson, 23 - 15 December 1994
Gerald Gordon, 42 - 1977

U.S. Territories

Montana

U.S. Military, Abroad
Allen Shindler - 27 October 1995


Louisiana
Gay Pride Day 1973 - The Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans was destroyed by afirebomb. Thirty People were killed.

North Carolina, 6 August 1993 -
A soldier from Fort Bragg entered a restaurant and, in response to President Clinton's attempt to end the ban
on homosexuals in the military, opened fire.
Eightpeople were wounded.
Killed were:

James F. Kidd, 46
Peter Parrous, owner, 73
Ethel Parrous, 65
Wesley Scott, 26



Charlotte Wetzel was 16 months old when she was murdered in 1998 by her day care provider.




Matthew Shepard was 21 years old. He was tortured
and subsequently died from his injuries in October of 1998.
His face was covered in blood except where tears flowed.
Tortured and left to die because he was gay.
We have not received word from his family as to whether they will participate in the hike from Alaska to Wyoming to raise awareness and funds for the Foundation they have set up in his name.

Jim Byrd was a victim of racial motivated violence
and was brutally murdered in 1998 by being tied and dgragged
behind a vehicle for over a mile and a half.


Bill Clayton
1978-1995
Another child driven to suicide
and his incredible mom.
"When you come to the edge of all that you have known, there
will be two possibilities awaiting you: There will be
something solid to stand on or you will be
taught how to fly."

-- A Turtle Creek Chorale member
(After Goodbye: an AIDSStory, PBS)

Robbie Kirkland "Remember Me"
This page tells an incredible story that is far too common.
Please visit.



Robert Drake

Robert Drake, A prominent American writer on gay themes was severely beaten on January 31 in Silgo, Ireland. His
condition was improving slightly, but he remained in critical
condition. His current health is not known.




Billy Jack Gaither

Billy Jack Gaither was brutally beaten to
death with an ax handle by two men, then his body set
ablaze on a pyre of old tires. He was
from Sylacauga, Alabama, and was killed on
February 19, 1999. He was 39 years of age.