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	<title>Asterisk &#187; Christianity</title>
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	<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com</link>
	<description>A gay Christian moving the forbidden from the footnotes.</description>
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		<title>Ken Mehlman and Saul of Tarsus: Parallel Paths?</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/ken-mehlman-and-saul-of-tarsus-parallel-paths/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/ken-mehlman-and-saul-of-tarsus-parallel-paths/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:14:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1191</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Acts 7:54-58; 8:1, 9:17-21 (NLT) The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen&#8217;s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God&#8217;s right hand. And he [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.youversion.com/bible/nlt/acts/7/54">Acts 7:54-58; 8:1</a>, <a href="http://www.youversion.com/bible/nlt/acts/9/17">9:17-21</a> (NLT)</p>
<blockquote><p>The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen&#8217;s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God&#8217;s right hand. And he told them, &#8220;Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God&#8217;s right hand!&#8221;</p>
<p>Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.</p>
<p>Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.</p>
<p>[...] So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, &#8220;Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.&#8221; Instantly something like scales fell from Saul&#8217;s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.</p>
<p>Saul [also called Paul] stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, &#8220;He is indeed the Son of God!&#8221;</p>
<p>All who heard him were amazed. &#8220;Isn&#8217;t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus&#8217; followers in Jerusalem?&#8221; they asked. &#8220;And didn&#8217;t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p><a id="aptureLink_JzHi8kKTUE" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/08/bush-campaign-chief-and-former-rnc-chair-ken-mehlman-im-gay/62065/">Marc Ambinder</a>, <em>The Atlantic</em></p>
<blockquote><p>Ken Mehlman, President Bush&#8217;s campaign manager in 2004 and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, has told family and associates that he is gay.</p>
<div id="attachment_1192" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 432px"><a href="http://www.life.com/image/56633851"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ken-mehlman.jpg" alt="GWB&#039;s 2004 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman" title="GWB&#039;s 2004 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman" width="422" height="275" class="size-full wp-image-1192" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">GWB's 2004 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman</p></div>
<p>Mehlman arrived at this conclusion about his identity fairly recently, he said in an interview. He agreed to answer a reporter&#8217;s questions, he said, because, now in private life, he wants to become an advocate for gay marriage and anticipated that questions would arise about his participation in a late-September fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the group that supported the <a id="aptureLink_TqRPXr9vNf" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/eight-must-see-videos-about-the-prop-8-decision/">legal challenge</a> to California&#8217;s ballot initiative against gay marriage, Proposition 8.</p>
<p>Mehlman&#8217;s leadership positions in the GOP came at a time when the party was stepping up its anti-gay activities &#8212; such as the distribution in West Virginia in 2006 of literature linking homosexuality to atheism, or the less-than-subtle, coded language in the party&#8217;s platform (&#8220;Attempts to redefine marriage in a single state or city could have serious consequences throughout the country&#8230;&#8221;). Mehlman said at the time that he could not, as an individual Republican, go against the party consensus. He was aware that <a id="aptureLink_9NgboPBU4j" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/12/homosexuals-destroy-karl-roves-marriage/">Karl Rove</a>, President Bush&#8217;s chief strategic adviser, had been working with Republicans to make sure that anti-gay initiatives and referenda would appear on November ballots in 2004 and 2006 to help Republicans.</p>
<p>Mehlman acknowledges that if he had publicly declared his sexuality sooner, he might have played a role in keeping the party from pushing an anti-gay agenda.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a legitimate question and one I understand,&#8221; Mehlman said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t change the fact that I wasn&#8217;t in this place personally when I was in politics, and I genuinely regret that. It was very hard, personally.&#8221; He asks of those who doubt his sincerity: &#8220;If they can&#8217;t offer support, at least offer understanding.&#8221;</p>
<p>Mehlman is the most powerful Republican in history to identify as gay.</p></blockquote>
<p>Sometimes our worst enemies become our greatest advocates. </p>
<p>Keep that in mind as you debate whether we should accept Mehlman&#8217;s help, or the help of other high-profile anti-gays who come out of the closet in the coming years.</p>
<p>(P.S. <a id="aptureLink_D15BLfLsgm" href="http://blog.blogactive.com/">Mike Rogers</a> still has a <a id="aptureLink_mOQjnAl81V" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKZE2qPaXIQ">100% perfect record</a>. When he says someone is gay, they&#8217;re gay.)</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/ken-mehlman-and-saul-of-tarsus-parallel-paths/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>The Real Reason LGBT Rights Matter.</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/the-real-reason-lgbt-rights-matter/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/the-real-reason-lgbt-rights-matter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1033</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note: I&#8217;m a terrible judge of my own stuff, but something I wrote on a message board as a reaction to another &#8220;Obama has a lot on his plate so just be patient&#8221; argument got a pretty good reaction, so I&#8217;m bringing to the blog. I&#8217;ve modified it for clarity and sourcing, and to clean [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Note: I&#8217;m a terrible judge of my own stuff, but something I wrote on a message board as a reaction to another &#8220;Obama has a lot on his plate so just be patient&#8221; argument got a pretty good reaction, so I&#8217;m bringing to the blog. I&#8217;ve modified it for clarity and sourcing, and to clean up some mixed metaphors.</em></p>
<hr />
<p>The most frustrating part of the fight for LGBT rights is that many people, both inside and outside the community, view it as a grab bag of issues. It isn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s One Issue with many moving parts, and it really doesn&#8217;t matter to me where we succeed first. The work will continue until the One Issue is completed, because in truth the One Issue is more than the sum of its parts.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a reason LGBT people suffer depression and anxiety <a id="aptureLink_YEd9kH7Ech" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/01/an-interview-with-perry-expert-witness-dr-ilan-meyer/">so much more often than straight people do</a>. There&#8217;s a reason we&#8217;re <a id="aptureLink_fyCg8bUAqf" href="http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2010/04/gay_men_lesbian.html">twice as likely to suffer PTSD</a>. There&#8217;s a reason our youth are three to seven times (depending on environment) more likely to die by suicide.</p>
<p><a style="margin: 0pt auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding: 0px 6px;" id="aptureLink_FDuFvyCaVF" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvSsyDbyA1s#t=125"><img title="The Bible told me so (7/9)" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zvSsyDbyA1s/hqdefault.jpg" style="border: 0px none;" height="285px" width="340px"></a></p>
<p>It&#8217;s <a id="aptureLink_RKkVdIxm3f" href="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/06/homelessness_numbers.html">no coincidence</a> that our statistical 5-10% of the nation&#8217;s youth make up 20-40% of all homeless youth, that LGBT homeless youth are 56% more likely to abuse alcohol than straight homeless youth and 76% more likely to have been sexually assaulted.</p>
<p>Solving the One Issue has the side effect of bringing people back from the edge. That&#8217;s the real reason the fight is so important. It&#8217;s not about me getting married (I won&#8217;t) or joining the Marines (it is to laugh). It isn&#8217;t about me not getting a job because I&#8217;m a fag or being politely turned down for a loan or <a id="aptureLink_SWCQX6GOTi" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/in-29-states-you-can-be-refused-service-at-any-restaurant/">being turned away from a restaurant</a> or <a id="aptureLink_j2d11runB1" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/02/gay-man-donates-kidney-most-donations-illegal/">being told my blood is tainted</a>. </p>
<p>It&#8217;s about people knowing that they exist, that their lives are real and important, that their government won&#8217;t assault them, and that it actually considers them in the same way it considers their parents and siblings and friends. That One Issue is the keystone to all the others.</p>
<p>The U.S. government is, right now, today, harming us with its codified discrimination because people in the majority approve of it. I want that harm to cease, quite selfishly, because I&#8217;m one of those people being harmed and I know a lot of other people who are being harmed. And though it irks me to no end, I suppose I shouldn&#8217;t think too poorly of people, <em>even those who think they&#8217;re our allies</em>, for not wanting it to change badly enough because of their own selfishness.</p>
<p>That doesn&#8217;t mean, however, that I&#8217;m going to shut up and bow my head until that far off, imaginary, never-to-come day when people in the majority have everything they want and decide it&#8217;s okay to finally make the government stop harming people. </p>
<p>No sir.</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/08/the-real-reason-lgbt-rights-matter/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>Does NOM Support Genocide?</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/07/does-nom-support-genocide/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/07/does-nom-support-genocide/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:04:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1184</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hey guys, remember that one sign from Monday&#8217;s Indianapolis NOM rally? The one that advocated genocide as a &#8220;solution&#8221; to gay marriage? (Photo by Alice Hoenigman for Bilerico.) And remember the interview Arisha Hatch of Courage Campaign&#8216;s NOMTour Tracker got with Larry Adams, the man who made that sign? You know what I wonder? I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey guys, remember <a id="aptureLink_H0Tz2SRTVT" href="http://prop8trialtracker.com/category/nom-tour-tracker/">that one sign</a> from Monday&#8217;s Indianapolis NOM rally? The one that advocated genocide as a &#8220;solution&#8221; to gay marriage?</p>
<div id="attachment_1185" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/gay-hate-sign.jpg" alt="The attention to detail on those nooses is almost impressive." title="The attention to detail on those nooses is almost impressive." width="400" height="450" class="size-full wp-image-1185" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The attention to detail on those nooses is almost impressive.</p></div>
<p>(Photo by Alice Hoenigman <a id="aptureLink_Kq5KZ2SOrD" href="http://www.bilerico.com/2010/07/nom_bus_rolls_into_indianapolis.php">for Bilerico</a>.)</p>
<p>And remember the interview Arisha Hatch of <a id="aptureLink_4Au2C81kr0" href="http://twitter.com/couragecampaign">Courage Campaign</a>&#8216;s <a id="aptureLink_H0Tz2SRTVT" href="http://prop8trialtracker.com/category/nom-tour-tracker/">NOMTour Tracker</a> got with Larry Adams, the man who made that sign? </p>
<div id="aptureLink_s1pnr8DMuK" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer2" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="456" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hqOIHugX4dk&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hqOIHugX4dk&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="456" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer2" name="apture_embedPlayer2" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2"/></object></div>
<p>You know what I wonder? </p>
<p>I wonder why those three people, including at least one NOM staffer (popped collar guy), who interrupted the interview to tell Larry not to talk to Arisha didn&#8217;t just look her in the eye and tell her that Larry&#8217;s pro-genocide stance is wrong.</p>
<p>Doesn&#8217;t that seem weird to you?</p>
<p>I&#8217;m left with the logical conclusion that they didn&#8217;t have a problem with what he was saying; they just didn&#8217;t want him to say it <em>on camera</em>. They know that having that kind of hate on film reveals NOM&#8217;s true goal more honestly than most people would find acceptable. </p>
<p>(In the days since the Indianapolis rally, NOM accounts of the day have carefully steered clear of Larry Adams and his sign, even as outside groups have called for NOM to repudiate the message of genocide.)</p>
<p>By the way, my case is only strengthened when you consider NOM&#8217;s reaction to calls for genocide on their facebook page last month. When confronted with people openly advocating the mass murder of gays, they just said <a id="aptureLink_PjZfTCu8Q1" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/06/nom-strategist-louis-marinellis-hate-speech-moratorium-not-going-so-well/">&#8220;bite your tongue&#8221;</a> instead of telling the offending supporters to take a hike.</p>
<p>Make no mistake, Larry&#8217;s sign tells what NOM is all about: Making gay people disappear from society, even if it means killing us. The proof is starting to mount up. The only question is how long it&#8217;ll take for people to understand that.</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/07/does-nom-support-genocide/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>NOM Strategist Louis Marinelli&#039;s Hate Speech Moratorium Not Going So Well</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/06/nom-strategist-louis-marinellis-hate-speech-moratorium-not-going-so-well/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/06/nom-strategist-louis-marinellis-hate-speech-moratorium-not-going-so-well/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:41:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Catholic]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1170</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[First, a screencap taken early this morning. Then we&#8217;ll get into the WTF of it. Brittney Hansen: We need this injustice to stop but the only way to do so is to put ALL gay people on an island with a weekly drop of food and supplies and let them all die off. We dont [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>First, a screencap taken early this morning. Then we&#8217;ll get into the WTF of it.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-full.png"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-hansen.png" alt="no-hate-speech-hansen" title="no-hate-speech-hansen" width="450" height="265" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1173" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bettboop1989530">Brittney Hansen</a></strong>: We need this injustice to stop but the only way to do so is to put ALL gay people on an island with a weekly drop of food and supplies and let them all die off. We dont have to deal with them and they dont have to deal with us.</p></blockquote>
<p>On Monday, Good As You&#8217;s <a id="aptureLink_DXLwGTwML3" href="http://twitter.com/goodasyou">Jeremy Hooper</a> published a killer post <a id="aptureLink_TOyD4uLbzo" href="http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2010/06/exclusive-national-org-for-marriage-officially-linked-to-louis-gays-want-prostitution-pedophilia-and-polygamy-marinelli.html">concurring with me</a> that Louis Marinelli III can reasonably be <a id="aptureLink_HRoZHQPjQF" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/">identified as an agent</a> of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). To use Marinelli&#8217;s term, he is a &#8220;NOM Strategist,&#8221; and his rhetoric is wildly off-message for NOM.</p>
<p>Now that someone with a higher profile than mine has called Marinelli and NOM out on the connection, Marinelli&#8217;s been trying to hide what he&#8217;s been saying for the last few months since NOM aligned themselves with him. A few hours after the post went up, most of the group&#8217;s <a id="aptureLink_mslao42yGn" href="http://www.youtube.com/marriageprotection/">youtube videos</a>, including the ones I embedded <a id="aptureLink_oon1oOQMeK" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/">here</a> in early May, joined the group&#8217;s <a id="aptureLink_qg9Rz3A5BP" href="http://twitter.com/NOMupdates">twitter account</a> on the scrap heap. </p>
<p>What was Marinelli trying to hide? I&#8217;ll let Jeremy <a id="aptureLink_prnmeSygUu" href="http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2010/06/exclusive-national-org-for-marriage-officially-linked-to-louis-gays-want-prostitution-pedophilia-and-polygamy-marinelli.html">tell you</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>So once we had that confirmation that Mr. Marinelli is, in fact, in NOM&#8217;s inner circle, we started considering all of the eye-opening things that he had seen Marinelli tweet over the past few months.  And frankly, we were shocked.  Because in addition to the &#8220;gays have shorter life spans&#8221; one, there was a retweet that <a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/11360925260" target="_blank">declared all gays to be single</a>.  There was the time that Mr. Marinelli said that Peter LaBarbera and his fringe &#8220;Americans For Truth&#8221; group merely &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/11158661352" target="_blank">tell the truth about homosexuality.</a>&#8221;  There was the determination that marriage equality is &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/10594493167" target="_blank">a mockery and a hijacking of the civil rights movement.</a>&#8221;  There were times when he flat-out <a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/6763406571" target="_blank">called us an abomination, citing Leviticus</a>.  There was this one: <a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/6671555539" target="_blank">&#8220;Deviance&#8221; describes actions or behaviours that violate cultural norms &#8211; homosexuality is far from a cultural norm. Therefore, it is deviant</a>.&#8221;  And this: &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/6648052387" target="_blank">Homosexuality and gay marriage are wrong and harmful to society.</a>&#8221;  And this: &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/6512610530" target="_blank">#iaintafraidtosay that there shouldn&#8217;t be any recognition of homosexual relationships because that is saying that homosexuality is OK</a>.&#8221;  There was this one, accompanied by a smile: &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/4403105327" target="_blank">What they do is blantantly [sic] immoral. :)</a>&#8221;  There were times when Mr. Marinelli <a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/4000673141" target="_blank">compared our unions to that which might exist between a sterile brother and sister</a>.  And other times when our very character was assaulted: &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/OneMan_OneWoman/status/3198082766" target="_blank">#nevertrust activists of the homosexual agenda &#8211; they are deceitful people who care only about themselves and not what&#8217;s best for society.</a>&#8221;  <em>And so on and so on.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>After Marinelli tried to erase evidence of that paragraph and more, he took to his group&#8217;s facebook page and made this request (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/oneman.onewoman?v=wall&#038;story_fbid=132728356750703&#038;ref=mf">link to the thread</a> and <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-full.png">a screencap</a> from about 2:00 AM EST):</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-full.png"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-marinelli.png" alt="no-hate-speech-marinelli" title="no-hate-speech-marinelli" width="450" height="73" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1171" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/oneman.onewoman?v=wall">Protect Marriage: One Man, One Woman</a></strong>: No hate speech, no derogatory comments against homosexuals. Show your support for one man, one woman marriage. That&#8217;s what this page is about. If you&#8217;ve got something negative to say, bite your tongue. Just play nice, please.</p></blockquote>
<p>A good suggestion, even if Marinelli was just trying to save face because people were connecting him with NOM. But as I showed you at the top of the post, it&#8217;s nigh impossible to rein people in after you&#8217;ve spent so much time and effort teaching them how to, you know, go nuts with hate speech and derogatory comments. </p>
<p>By the way, Marinelli&#8217;s been actively involved on the NOM facebook page since this message was posted, and that usually includes deleting posts that he considers off-message. And yet we have <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bettboop1989530">Brittney Hansen</a> showing the world what she&#8217;s learned from NOM Strategist Louis Marinelli III.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-full.png"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/no-hate-speech-hansen.png" alt="no-hate-speech-hansen" title="no-hate-speech-hansen" width="450" height="265" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1173" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bettboop1989530">Brittney Hansen</a></strong>: We need this injustice to stop but the only way to do so is to put ALL gay people on an island with a weekly drop of food and supplies and let them all die off. We dont have to deal with them and they dont have to deal with us.</p></blockquote>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/06/nom-strategist-louis-marinellis-hate-speech-moratorium-not-going-so-well/">Permalink</a><br />
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(It's totally worth the click, I promise.) </small></p>

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		<title>Malawi Couple Jailed for Marrying; NOM Supporters Cheer</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/malawi-couple-jailed-for-marrying-nom-supporters-cheer/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/malawi-couple-jailed-for-marrying-nom-supporters-cheer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hate Crimes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1150</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By now you&#8217;ve probably heard of the couple in the southeastern African country of Malawi sentenced last week to 14 years in prison with hard labor, the maximum sentence, for &#8220;unnatural acts and gross indecency.&#8221; Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza were symbolically wed December 28, 2009 and were arrested shortly thereafter. Chimbalanga has been ill [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By now you&#8217;ve <a id="aptureLink_eb0IGPqE21" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37248649/ns/world_news-africa?GT1=43001">probably heard of the couple</a> in the southeastern African country of <a id="aptureLink_eDk8f9NxFn" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?om=0&amp;iwloc=addr&amp;f=q&amp;ll=-13.254308%2C34.301525&amp;hl=en&amp;z=3&amp;ie=UTF8">Malawi</a> sentenced last week to 14 years in prison with hard labor, the maximum sentence, for &#8220;unnatural acts and gross indecency.&#8221; Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza were symbolically wed December 28, 2009 and were arrested shortly thereafter. Chimbalanga has been ill for much of the time that the two have been incarcerated (separately), but has so far been refused medical treatment.</p>
<p>Neither is expected to survive prison.</p>
<p>Many western nations, including the United States and England, have officially condemned the conviction, and <a id="aptureLink_ciogFRpuh1" href="http://twitter.com/amnesty">Amnesty International</a> has called for <a id="aptureLink_lR2KupfkSq" href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2010052016888&amp;lang=e">the couple&#8217;s release</a>. As far as I have heard, no one expects that to happen.</p>
<div id="attachment_1149" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/steven-monjeza-tiwonge-chimbalanga.jpg" alt="Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga arrested earlier this year." title="Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga arrested earlier this year." width="450" height="300" class="size-full wp-image-1149" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga arrested earlier this year.</p></div>
<p>After reading of this monstrous blight on the history of the humankind, I wondered what response the National Organization for Marriage, the ranking anti-marriage group in the United States, would have. Though NOM doesn&#8217;t seem to have <em>officially</em> responded to the Malawi conviction, a link to the story did appear on the group&#8217;s Facebook page.</p>
<div id="attachment_1148" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nom-malawi-reaction-full.png"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nom-malawi-reaction-1.png" alt="Click for full screencap in context" title="Click for full screencap in context" width="450" height="234" class="size-full wp-image-1148" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Click for full screencap in context</p></div>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Marcela100">Marcela Lazarte Rodriguez</a></strong>: I just found this in MSN and I thinkis <em>(sic)</em> great what the judge did in Malawi. Zero tolearnce <em>(sic)</em> to this behavior is perfect. </p>
<p>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37248649/ns/world_news-africa?GT1=43001</p></blockquote>
<p><em>(sick)</em></p>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000558805476">Shelah Bumgarner Wik</a></strong>: I commend the judge for his strength ! God please protect him and others in this country,who are trying to enforce Gods laws.</p></blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1147" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/oneman.onewoman#!/posted.php?id=90378027462&amp;share_id=123846690977240&amp;comments=1#s123846690977240"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nom-malawi-reaction-2.png" alt="Click for live Facebook thread" title="Click for live Facebook thread" width="450" height="38" class="size-full wp-image-1147" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Click for live Facebook thread</p></div>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000300146821">Michael Thorpe</a></strong>: Malawi sounds like a good place to move to.</p></blockquote>
<p>I hasten to reiterate that this is <em>not</em> an official NOM stance. I would point out, however, that the NOM group&#8217;s administrator regularly deletes comments that disagree with NOM&#8217;s general principles, including some comments in the quoted thread. Also, remember that NOM has, <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/#comment-49997010">according to him</a>, given the page&#8217;s administrator the responsibility of promoting NOM&#8217;s point of view online.</p>
<p>He has chosen not to delete the comments above. They are now over four days old. And he didn&#8217;t just <em>not</em> delete &#8220;Attaboys&#8221; for the imprisonment of gays, he was present and joking around in that very thread. (Click <a class="aptureNoEnhance" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nom-malawi-reaction-full.png">here</a> for a full page shot of all comments.)</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know what NOM&#8217;s leaders think of imprisoning gay people. But thanks to this exchange in a NOM-operated forum, I have a pretty good idea what their supporters think.</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/malawi-couple-jailed-for-marrying-nom-supporters-cheer/">Permalink</a><br />
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(It's totally worth the click, I promise.) </small></p>

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		<title>VIDEO: 1996&#039;s Kids Taught Tolerance; 2010&#039;s NOM Strategist Not One Of Them</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 04:00:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Safe Schools]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1133</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have some wonderful video for you today. Louis Marinelli, a National Organization for Marriage (NOM) strategist*, uploaded these videos to youtube last night, claiming that they show &#8220;how teachers started indoctrinating the homosexual agenda to children as early as 1994.&#8221; The clips come from Debra Chasnoff&#8217;s award winning 1996 documentary It&#8217;s Elementary: Talking About [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have some wonderful video for you today. <a id="aptureLink_tjnLRom1Lu" href="http://twitter.com/NOMupdates">Louis Marinelli</a>, a National Organization for Marriage <a id="aptureLink_CYUWLKRRLT" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/10/marriage-opponents-knowledge-base/">(NOM)</a> strategist*, uploaded these videos to youtube last night, claiming that they show &#8220;how teachers started indoctrinating the homosexual agenda to children as early as 1994.&#8221; </p>
<p>The clips come from Debra Chasnoff&#8217;s award winning 1996 documentary <strong><a id="aptureLink_Mlfdtfw41p" href="http://groundspark.org/our-films-and-campaigns/elementary/ie_clips">It&#8217;s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School</a></strong>, which appeared on public television stations in 1999. <a id="aptureLink_LUwUjsVTn8" href="http://groundspark.org/our-films-and-campaigns/elementary/ie_clips">Click here for more clips from the film&#8217;s official home.</a></p>
<p>Based on these clips, I can&#8217;t wait to see the rest of the film. It looks like a fantastic study of how critical thinking, social skills, and tolerance should be taught. I understand why Louis is all in a tizzy (they aren&#8217;t teaching the kids to shame gay people, after all), but it&#8217;s so bizarre when you compare his commentary on <a id="aptureLink_VqtUajc4GN" href="http://www.youtube.com/marriageprotection/">youtube</a> and <a id="aptureLink_lgucWjygBV" href="http://www.facebook.com/oneman.onewoman">facebook</a> to what&#8217;s actually happening in the clips.</p>
<p>(I love how he&#8217;s &#8220;uncovered&#8221; the video. It hasn&#8217;t exactly been heretofore hidden away under lock and key, passed from dark alley to dark alley.)</p>
<div id="aptureLink_YntwAs5VS5" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer2" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PsTRcKm3cRQ&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PsTRcKm3cRQ&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="340" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer2" name="apture_embedPlayer2" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2"/></object></div>
<blockquote><p>I explained to them why, as a straight man, I would be interested. And I like to answer the question because I think that it pushes them to think of this as more than just a lesbian and gay matter.</p></blockquote>
<div id="aptureLink_hDhCAcQNZb" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer3" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bCRqyJeLPI4&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer3" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bCRqyJeLPI4&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="340" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer3" name="apture_embedPlayer3" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer3"/></object></div>
<blockquote><p>That&#8217;s how their life is! They&#8217;re gay, so what? That&#8217;s how their life is; I don&#8217;t think people should be strict about them, &#8217;cause if they were gay they wouldn&#8217;t want to be getting beat up. &#8230;or stuff&#8230; Can I go to the bathroom?</p></blockquote>
<div id="aptureLink_GcgYk2CZEb" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer4" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P18Q9u6LBXA&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer4" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P18Q9u6LBXA&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="340" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer4" name="apture_embedPlayer4" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer4"/></object></div>
<blockquote><p>A lesbian mom said, &#8220;You may lose your job over this. Do you want to go forward?&#8221; &#8230; I&#8217;m not a flagbearer, but I felt strongly that the children in this community needed to be educated around this topic.</p></blockquote>
<p></p>
<hr />
</p>
<p>* For several weeks I&#8217;ve been trying to figure out if Louis Marinelli actually works for NOM. He uses their logo and certainly presents himself that way, including listing himself as a NOM independent contractor in his profile. Today I found a post by Marinelli that bears that out (see below), in this case listing him as a &#8220;strategist.&#8221; </p>
<div id="attachment_1134" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><a href="http://apps.facebook.com/causes/posts?_method=GET&amp;context_id=5030&amp;context_type=Cause&amp;m=&amp;page=2"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/louis-marinelli-official-nom-strategist.png" alt="click image for live facebook page" title="click image for live facebook page" width="600" height="188" class="size-full wp-image-1134" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">click image for live facebook page</p></div>
<p>In addition, Marinelli claimed to be working &#8220;directly&#8221; with NOM <a id="aptureLink_axuGtk9g1K" href="http://twitter.com/NOMupdates/status/10620940478">on his group&#8217;s twitter account</a> in March 2010. Also, he is facebook friend to both current NOM President Brian Brown and former President Maggie Gallagher according to <a id="aptureLink_QWgOdWfzsq" href="http://www.facebook.com/louisjmarinelli">his facebook page</a>, and Brown is a member of his <a href="http://www.facebook.com/oneman.onewoman">NOM page</a>, which is different than the group&#8217;s <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Nation4Marriage">original page</a> listed on NOM&#8217;s blog.</p>
<p>And now I&#8217;m dizzy.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that Louis Marinelli speaks for NOM in an official capacity. (Folks at NOM, feel free to correct me if I&#8217;m wrong.)</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/05/video-1996s-kids-taught-tolerance-2010s-nom-strategist-not-one-of-them/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>Lutheran Church to LGBTs: You Are Welcome In Worship, Service, and Ministry!</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/lutheran-church-to-lgbts-you-are-welcome-in-worship-service-and-ministry/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/lutheran-church-to-lgbts-you-are-welcome-in-worship-service-and-ministry/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:10:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lutheran]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1118</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has taken its final step in the long journey to full corporate LGBT inclusion. You may remember that the General Assembly approved policy changes last August to include lesbian and gay Lutherans in their churches and their ministries. Following another required round of voting by the Church Council [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/lutheran-logo.gif" alt="lutheran-logo" title="lutheran-logo" width="390" height="100" class="alignright size-full wp-image-784" />The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has taken its final step in the long journey to full corporate LGBT inclusion. You may remember that the General Assembly approved policy changes <a id="aptureLink_s1b8IWekyZ" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/08/historic-day-for-elca-gay-marriage-clergy-approved/">last August</a> to include lesbian and gay Lutherans in their churches and their ministries. Following another required round of voting by the Church Council on April 11, those changes have now taken effect.</p>
<p>Incoming Soulforce director Rev. Dr. <a id="aptureLink_j5jYH7nTwb" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindi%20Love">Cindi Love</a> explained the <a id="aptureLink_K6c61erlVm" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-dr-cindi-love/the-lutheran-church-embra_b_543142.html">developments</a> today on the Huffington Post:</p>
<blockquote><p><div id="attachment_1119" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/cindi-love.jpg" alt="Rev. Dr. Cindi Love" title="Rev. Dr. Cindi Love" width="150" height="200" class="size-full wp-image-1119" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rev. Dr. Cindi Love</p></div>After twenty-five years of deliberation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council has abolished its anti-gay policies, effective immediately. Following from discussions at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last summer, the ELCA will now allow people in same-sex relationships to serve as rostered leaders. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) human beings are no longer considered abominations but blessed church members with full standing. Same-sex partners and families can now fully participate in the ELCA Pension Plan.</p>
<p>Best of all, the ELCA is reinstating people who were removed from ministry positions because they were truthful and came out of the closet, as well as those who conducted holy unions for non-heterosexual couples. The ELCA has practiced restorative justice.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m particularly grateful to the ELCA for adding restoration to its reforms. My colleague, Rev. Paul W. Egerston, faithfully pastored and served as Bishop in the Lutheran church for 31 years. He resigned one month before the end of his term in 2001. Why? He ordained a lesbian as a Pastor and took a public stand for justice in opposition to the official anti-gay policy of the ELCA. Now, Paul and his wife, Shirley, and their six children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren can take a day off. I believe that through the ELCA&#8217;s restoration, God has sent them a message, &#8220;Well done, my good and faithful servants.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>For decades, Lutheran LGBT advocacy groups have been working to get this done. Quoting very briefly from two statements, beginning with <a id="aptureLink_AxYMzQ7pQm" href="http://www.lcna.org/news/365-news-2010-04-11">Lutherans Concerned</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/lutherans-concerned.jpg" alt="" title="lutherans-concerned" width="180" height="95" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1120" />The ELCA has reached two milestones long sought by the movement for full inclusion. First, it has eliminated all prohibitions against qualified people in a same-gender relationship serving on the ELCA’s roster of ministers. Second, and more importantly, it created a pathway that frees the gifts of ELCA members to pursue ministry and mission with new vigor. Each of these steps is crucial for both our continued healing and our bold walk into a more just future.</p>
<p>Since the August decision to change policy, we have heard from many of you that it feels as though celebration is “stuck in our throats.” Verily, the time has come to clear our throats. Currently, censures are being lifted from congregations, for which we can celebrate. Soon, we will start to see pastors received and reinstated across the whole church. By the time we gather together in Minneapolis at <a id="aptureLink_m1GFepRrlu" href="http://www.lcna.org/news/ljr">Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters</a>, we will be ready to shout out in holy joy! We hope that you can join us in July to add your voice to the chorus of people singing praise and thanksgiving to God.</p></blockquote>
<p>And from <a id="aptureLink_CjcJccjQfN" href="http://extraordinarylutheranministries.blogspot.com/2010/04/elca-council-authorizes-rite-receives.html">Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries</a>.</p>
<blockquote><p><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/extraordinary-lutheran-ministries.jpg" alt="" title="extraordinary-lutheran-ministries" width="180" height="225" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1121" />Twenty years ago two ELCA congregations, St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church, broke with ELCA policy to call an openly gay man, Jeff Johnson, and two openly lesbian women, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. The actions of these congregations and pastors began a movement now known as Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Their vision has made it possible for dozens of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to follow a call to ministry. It is a joyful time in the church as the ELCA opens wider its doors to the fullness of God&#8217;s creation.</p>
<p>We express gratitude for the congregations and individuals who have long supported gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pastors during times when they were punished and alienated for doing so and for those who continued to follow a call to ministry despite incredible barriers. We give thanks for the Goodsoil Legislative Team, Lutherans Concerned/North America, the voting members of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, staff, Church Council, Conference of Bishops and the leadership of Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson.</p>
<p>We give thanks to God and pray that one day all may find that the doors of the ELCA are open wide to them.</p></blockquote>
<p>Finally, we return to Dr. Love&#8217;s article for a final thought.</p>
<blockquote><p>The ELCA <a id="aptureLink_aw3rksolZK" href="http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4501">press release</a> about the decision reads:</p>
<blockquote><p>These actions are important because they are a major milestone along the journey of full inclusion. We have a policy that recognizes the gifts of its members [...] and that will allow the return of those who have been removed or alienated [...]. [There will] be new life in the church through new leaders. [...] [W]e have lifted up crucial questions for the church: What is the relationship of sexuality to salvation in Christ? What is the diversity in God&#8217;s wondrous creation? What is sinful? [...] Who continues to face barriers to ministry and mission? How do we journey together faithfully, in spite of so many differences? What some people have dismissed as a narrow issue has both opened up and profoundly deepened our moral and theological life.</p></blockquote>
<p>Amazing. It sounds like the Lutherans think LGBTQ people have helped them get closer to God. A great truth has been realized today that Jesus Christ demonstrated throughout His ministry 2000 years ago. It is not blasphemous to include and embrace the prayers and relationships and service of those outside society&#8217;s gate. In fact, it&#8217;s a blessing.</p></blockquote>
<p>Thank you ELCA for reaffirming the entire mission of the Christian Church. The rest of us have a lot of work left to do, and we can now look not only to the example of the <a id="aptureLink_qmJeHovHL0" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/07/episcopal-church-doors-open-wide-for-all-people/">Episcopal Church</a>, but to yours as well.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a good day to be a Christian. </p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/lutheran-church-to-lgbts-you-are-welcome-in-worship-service-and-ministry/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>Gainesville, FL Westboro Wannabe Releases &quot;Thanks Mom for not being a Homo&quot; Video</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/gainsville-fl-westboro-wannabe-releases-thanks-mom-for-not-being-a-homo-video/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/gainsville-fl-westboro-wannabe-releases-thanks-mom-for-not-being-a-homo-video/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:14:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hate Crimes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1116</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s a stealth hate video disguised as a Mother&#8217;s Day video, uploaded to youtube on April 11, 2010. The real message doesn&#8217;t appear until 00:40. (Language NSFW) I&#8217;m stunned that they&#8217;re using kids to spread such a divisive and hateful message, but I guess that&#8217;s what happens when you&#8217;re competing with Westboro and Fred Phelps. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here&#8217;s a stealth hate video disguised as a Mother&#8217;s Day video, <a id="aptureLink_6zdu2wormu" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgg351gDxKM">uploaded to youtube</a> on April 11, 2010. The real message doesn&#8217;t appear until 00:40. (Language NSFW)</p>
<div id="aptureLink_UttRI07itO" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer2" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="400" height="244"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.apture.com/media/mediaplayer.swf" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="width=400&amp;fullscreen=false&amp;stretching=uniform&amp;file=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.mattalgren.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F04%2Fmothers-day-card-2010.flv&amp;height=244&amp;autostart=false&amp;type=video&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://cdn.apture.com/media/mediaplayer.swf" width="400" height="244" id="apture_embedPlayer2" name="apture_embedPlayer2" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="width=400&amp;fullscreen=false&amp;stretching=uniform&amp;file=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.mattalgren.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F04%2Fmothers-day-card-2010.flv&amp;height=244&amp;autostart=false&amp;type=video&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2"/></object></div>
<p>I&#8217;m stunned that they&#8217;re using kids to spread such a divisive and hateful message, but I guess that&#8217;s what happens when you&#8217;re competing with Westboro and Fred Phelps.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, Gainesville, Florida&#8217;s &#8220;Dove World Outreach Center&#8221; put up a &#8220;No Homo Mayor&#8221; sign. It was a response to Craig Lowe, a gay man, running for mayor. When people complained about the sign, pastor Wayne Sapp <a id="aptureLink_STg7dBHmUf" href="http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2010/03/video-using-the-f-word-as-jesus-would.html">made the following video</a>. It was removed by Youtube for compliance issues, but someone saved and posted it elsewhere. </p>
<p>(Again, language NSFW)</p>
<div id="aptureLink_2RDzJVr4JV" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer2" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?file=http://blip.tv/rss/flash/3411191" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="videoType=BlipTV&amp;videoid=3411191&amp;autoplay=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?file=http://blip.tv/rss/flash/3411191" width="340" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer2" name="apture_embedPlayer2" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="videoType=BlipTV&amp;videoid=3411191&amp;autoplay=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2"/></object></div>
<p>The <a id="aptureLink_BJrDMt3uPu" href="http://citylimits.blogs.gainesville.com/10803/recount-in-mayoral-race-underway/">Gainesville Sun is reporting</a> this afternoon that the automatic recount from the election has been completed, with Craig Lowe winning by a 42 votes, a 0.3% margin.</p>
<p>Interested to see what pastor Sapp would have to say, I looked up his <a id="aptureLink_mjIfgiEHt4" href="http://www.youtube.com/mwaynesapp/">youtube channel</a> and found nothing new. But with a little Encyclopedia Brown detective work, I found Sapp&#8217;s <em><a id="aptureLink_N1f2zFYHQt" href="http://www.youtube.com/pastorwaynesapp/">new</a></em> youtube channel. And that&#8217;s when I found the Mother&#8217;s Day  Homo video. </p>
<p>(I also found some videos from one of the kids in the new video, but out of respect for his age I&#8217;m not posting them. Let&#8217;s just say that he&#8217;s clearly been brought up on pastor Sapp&#8217;s rhetoric.)</p>
<p>Congratulations to Mayor-elect Lowe and the voters of Gainesville, Florida for standing up to hate. I hope you&#8217;re up to continuing the fight. </p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/gainsville-fl-westboro-wannabe-releases-thanks-mom-for-not-being-a-homo-video/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>Jennifer Knapp Comes Out, Releases First Mainstream Album</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/jennifer-knapp-comes-out-releases-first-mainstream-album/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/jennifer-knapp-comes-out-releases-first-mainstream-album/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:19:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1113</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I heard the exciting news yesterday that retired Christan singer Jennifer Knapp has come out of the closet as a lesbian and will release Letting Go, her first mainstream album, in May. For the uninitiated, Knapp&#8217;s music has a Melissa Etheridge quality, both in her voice and in the folk rock vibe that comes with [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I heard the exciting news yesterday that retired Christan singer <a id="aptureLink_5keIklVVCt" href="http://twitter.com/jennifer_knapp">Jennifer Knapp</a> has come out of the closet as a lesbian <em>and</em> will release <em><a id="aptureLink_cY13uoHGIu" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E1QC2M?tag=asterisk09-20">Letting Go</a></em>, her first mainstream album, in May. For the uninitiated, Knapp&#8217;s music has a Melissa Etheridge quality, both in her voice and in the folk rock vibe that comes with it.</p>
<p>Like I said, exciting news. Exciting to hear her voice again, exciting to hear it broadcast to a larger audience, and most of all exciting to hear her speak and sing so eloquently of personal integrity.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll have some of Knapp&#8217;s interview with <em>The Advocate</em> further down the page, but first a bit of her interview with extraordinarily rude <em>Christianity Today</em> interviewer Mark Moring to discuss why she left, why she&#8217;s back, and why she came out. Kudos to her for not knocking Moring&#8217;s block off. (Aside of his borderline offensive questions and persistence, Moring starts his article by using the term &#8220;lifestyle choice&#8221;. Ugh.) </p>
<p><div id="attachment_1112" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 360px"><img src="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/jennifer-knapp-letting-go-cover.jpg" alt="New album available May 11. Pre-order yours now!" title="New album available May 11. Pre-order yours now!" width="350" height="350" class="size-full wp-image-1112" /><p class="wp-caption-text">New album available May 11. Pre-order yours now!</p></div><br />
The exchange I&#8217;m quoting here quite literally made me cheer when I read it. Moring starts in with the ex-gay script (It&#8217;s always framed in terms of a &#8220;struggle&#8221; and they change the terms from identity to &#8220;same-sex attraction&#8221;.) and she parries <a id="aptureLink_CUnyrJ9XP8" href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=87412">quite elegantly</a>.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Moring:</strong> Have you been with the same partner for a long time?</p>
<p><strong>Knapp:</strong> About eight years, but I don&#8217;t want to get into that. For whatever reason the rumor mill [about me being gay] has persisted for so long, I wanted to acknowledge; I don&#8217;t want to come off as somebody who&#8217;s shirking the truth in my life. At the same time, I&#8217;m intensely private. Even if I were married to a man and had six children, it would be my personal choice to not get that kind of conversation rolling.</p>
<p><strong>Moring:</strong> I understand. But I&#8217;m curious: Were you struggling with same-sex attraction when writing your first three albums? Those songs are so confessional, clearly coming from a place of a person who knows her need for grace and mercy.</p>
<p><strong>Knapp:</strong> To be honest, it never occurred to me while writing those songs. I wasn&#8217;t seeking out a same-sex relationship during that time.</p>
<p>During my college years, I received some admonishment about some relationships I&#8217;d had with women. Some people said, &#8220;You might want to renegotiate that,&#8221; even though those relationships weren&#8217;t sexual. Hindsight being 20/20, I guess it makes sense. But if you remove the social problem that homosexuality brings to the church—and the debate as to whether or not it should be called a &#8220;struggle,&#8221; because there are proponents on both sides—you remove the notion that I am living my life with a great deal of joy. It never occurred to me that I was in something that should be labeled as a &#8220;struggle.&#8221;</p>
<p>The struggle I&#8217;ve had has been with the church, acknowledging me as a human being, trying to live the spiritual life that I&#8217;ve been called to, in whatever ramshackled, broken, frustrated way that I&#8217;ve always approached my faith. I still consider my hope to be a whole human being, to be a person of love and grace. So it&#8217;s difficult for me to say that I&#8217;ve struggled within myself, because I haven&#8217;t. I&#8217;ve struggled with other people. I&#8217;ve struggled with what that means in my own faith. I have struggled with how that perception of me will affect the way I feel about myself.</p></blockquote>
<div id="aptureLink_bF3NGs3HWS" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer4" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="456" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lc2dAiNlxLs&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer4" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lc2dAiNlxLs&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="456" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer4" name="apture_embedPlayer4" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer4"/></object></div>
<p>As I mentioned, Jennifer Knapp also sat down with The Advocate for a much <a id="aptureLink_hjBESqljR0" href="http://advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Music/Christian_singer_Jennifer_Knapp_Comes_Out/">friendlier article</a>.</p>
<blockquote><p>Knapp no longer feels like being gay and being Christian are in opposition, even if others do. “I’m quite comfortable to live with parts of myself that don’t make sense to you,” she says. She acknowledges that such peace is hard-won in her community. “I keep running across people living closeted, who have literally chosen one or the other,” Knapp marvels. And she knows she risks losing some of her biggest fans when word of her sexuality goes public. “I think it’s going to be shocking and feel like a betrayal to some people who live their spiritual lives through the music they listen to,” says Knapp. That’s part of why she’s decided to come out in advance of the record — she doesn’t want people to love her music and then discover that their own values won’t let them sing along full-throated. </p>
<p>Ultimately, though, the risk is worth it. For Knapp, coming out means the chance to live honestly, to be “wholly myself.” She’s uncomfortable with the idea that she might be a political figure or a flash point for debates in the Christian music community. Then she recounts some of the e-mail she’s received from fans during her shadowed absence from the stage. Some have been full of righteous anger at the thought that she might be a lesbian. Others have urged her to “unfurl the banner,” as she says, to come out and lead a revolution among gay Christians. But then there’s the e-mail Knapp receives from a young fan asking, if she is a lesbian, to please come out: “That would help me feel less alone.” Over the free-ranging hour we’ve spent together, it’s the first time Knapp’s voice cracks. No matter how personal her transformation might be, telling the world is inescapably, publicly important.</p></blockquote>
<p>Jennifer Knapp is currently touring with <a id="aptureLink_sFufxHY4w7" href="http://twitter.com/derekwebb">Derek Webb</a> (who I&#8217;ve previously applauded for his <a id="aptureLink_bgBsNLy94i" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/07/singer-derek-webb-tells-christians-to-act-like-christians-too-far-for-record-label/">anti-anti-gay message</a>) for a few more weeks, and will be touring with  the <a id="aptureLink_Y07yM8FzsA" href="http://twitter.com/lilithfair">Lilith Fair</a> tour this summer.</p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/04/jennifer-knapp-comes-out-releases-first-mainstream-album/">Permalink</a><br />
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		<title>Impressive Cast Reenacts Prop 8 Trial</title>
		<link>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/03/impressive-cast-reenacts-prop-8-trial/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/03/impressive-cast-reenacts-prop-8-trial/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:05:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christianity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mattalgren.com/?p=1076</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This morning, Towleroad released an exclusive interview that Corey Johnson got yesterday with Perry v Schwarzenegger attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson. It&#8217;s an insightful ten minutes that you should watch. Here, I&#8217;ll help. Toward the end of the interview, Mr. Olson had a request for the community: This case is an education, and it&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This morning, <a id="aptureLink_i31oX3rt0u" href="http://twitter.com/Tlrd">Towleroad</a> released an <a id="aptureLink_64zrA6fhBG" href="http://www.towleroad.com/2010/03/olson-and-boies.html">exclusive interview</a> that Corey Johnson got yesterday with Perry v Schwarzenegger attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson. It&#8217;s an insightful ten minutes that you should watch. Here, I&#8217;ll help.</p>
<div id="aptureLink_UpVfczbmZB" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><object id="apture_embedPlayer2" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="456" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/30VhC9rw_dE&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/30VhC9rw_dE&amp;rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3" width="456" height="285" id="apture_embedPlayer2" name="apture_embedPlayer2" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="start=0&amp;domId=apture_embedPlayer2"/></object></div>
<p>Toward the end of the interview, Mr. Olson had a request for the community:</p>
<blockquote><p>This case is an education, and it&#8217;s an opportunity for the American people to learn things that they&#8217;ve avoided thinking about. &#8230; What I would encourage people to do is to read the transcript of this trial, listen to what we&#8217;ve had to say, and make sure that the words that David and I are uttering and the message that we&#8217;re sending out gets distributed as widely as possible, because we&#8217;re not only trying to persuade the courts, we&#8217;re trying to help educate and persuade the American people.</p></blockquote>
<p>As it happens, while they were taping this interview, I was catching up on <a id="aptureLink_QOTjB3mxbm" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/01/reenactment-of-prop-8-trial-released/">MarriageTrial.com</a>&#8216;s reenactment of the trial using the official court transcripts. It&#8217;s really turned into a fantastic production with some fairly big names from Hollywood taking part. In researching <a id="aptureLink_rkmiQqdWiR" href="http://www.johnirelandonline.com/Trial/cast.html">the cast</a>, a dozen cast members stood out to me. </p>
<ul>
<li>Plaintiff Sandy Stier played by <a id="aptureLink_3JGKAtPurH" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002128/">Tess Harper</a>
<ul>
<li>Oscar-nominated for her role in <em>Crimes of the Heart</em> and recent SAG award winner for <em>No Country for Old Men</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Dr. Letitia Peplau, Professor of Psychology University of California played by <a id="aptureLink_NipMM7M3pO" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000105/">Adrienne Barbeau</a>
<ul>
<li>Nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of Rizzo in the original Broadway production of <em>Grease</em>. Known to The Gays as <a id="aptureLink_ggNdfeM9o6" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2009/04/a-tribute-to-bea-arthur/">Bea Arthur</a>&#8216;s daughter on <em>Maude</em>. Known to The Straights for her <a id="aptureLink_AT0JTfXNGS" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/adrienne-barbeau.jpg">1978 poster</a>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Gregory M. Herek, Professor of Psychology University of California, Davis played by <a id="aptureLink_RiYxT1Pw6U" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0523116/">Scott Lowell</a>
<ul>
<li>Best known for his turn as Ted on <em>Queer as Folk</em>. (I <em>sobbed</em> when I found out he was straight.)
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a id="aptureLink_RewyLSvIJA" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/01/an-interview-with-perry-expert-witness-dr-ilan-meyer/">Dr. Ilan Meyer</a>, Professor of Sociomedical Sciences Columbia University played by <a id="aptureLink_5oRUCmrlcY" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0343325/">Arye Gross</a>
<ul>
<li>You might remember him for his role on <em>Ellen</em> as her roommate Adam. The show became stunningly unfunny when he left.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>San Fransisco City Attorney Danny Chou played by <a id="aptureLink_lQkGUaJ6zJ" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809590/">Peter James Smith</a>
<ul>
<li>Best known for his supporting role on <em>The West Wing</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>ProtectMarriage.com attorney and all around creepy lying nutjob Andrew Pugno played by <a id="aptureLink_eU7b36kMTg" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693090/">Brian Poth</a>
<ul>
<li>Spent three years playing supporting character Tyler Jensen on <em>CSI: Miami</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Defendant-Intervenor attorney Nicole Moss is played by <a id="aptureLink_JMeXIWX11x" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0387432/">Judith Hoag</a>
<ul>
<li>Currently appearing as Cindy on HBO&#8217;s <em>Big Love</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>William Tam attorney Terry Thompson played by <a id="aptureLink_A4fLJVGOYl" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914424/">Tuc Watkins</a>
<ul>
<li>Recently left the role of David Vickers on <em>One Life to Live</em>. Continues to appear as Bob Hunter on <em>Desperate Housewives</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Defendant Intervenor and <a id="aptureLink_V5obXWocN3" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/01/the-letter-perry-defendant-william-tam-doesnt-want-you-to-see/">Prop 8 author</a> <a id="aptureLink_NrDMRtiioy" href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/01/narth-william-tam-and-the-key-to-anti-gay-hate/">Hak-Shing William Tam</a> played by <a id="aptureLink_YBxQz2qHAi" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0913797/">Gedde Watanabe</a>
<ul>
<li>Best known for his roles as Long Duk Dong in <em>Sixteen Candles</em> and the voice of Ling in <em>Mulan</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lead plaintiff&#8217;s attorney David Boies played by <a id="aptureLink_koA16xdwp9" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490811/">Jack Laufer</a>
<ul>
<li>You might recognize him from his recurring part on Showtime&#8217;s <em>Huff</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>California Dep. Attorney General Tamar Pachter played by <a id="aptureLink_uyevEClh0N" href="http://twitter.com/susynandfolsom">Susyn Duris</a>
<ul>
<li>Not nearly as seasoned as the others on this list, but I noticed that she was lead in a play several years ago in a town close to mine, presumably with actor-types I used to know in that town. Cool.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>David Blankenhorn, Founder &#038; President, Institute for American Values played by <a id="aptureLink_WJMnnY9MWM" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411857/">Gregory Itzin</a>
<ul>
<li>Fantastic character actor probably best known these days for his Emmy-nominated role of President Charles Logan on <em>24</em>.
	</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The reenactment isn&#8217;t quite completed, but the opening days and closing days of the trial are completed and online. Gedde Watanabe,  Scott Lowell, and Ayres Gross&#8217;s parts aren&#8217;t up yet. </p>
<p>If you have to watch just a part (this thing is longer than <em><a id="aptureLink_cSRfPBXa13" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002MFGDC?tag=asterisk09-20">North and South</a></em>, for crying out loud), check out the last day. Greg Itzin captured the frustrating combative witness that we heard so much about from people in the courtroom. He was so maddening, in fact, that I had to shut it off and walk away in the middle.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the beginning of the final day, with a link to MarriageTrial.com&#8217;s youtube channel below.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jss6yO9LwUg" id="aptureLink_g93i1RZa7T" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; "><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Jss6yO9LwUg/hqdefault.jpg" width="480px" height="295px" title="Prop 8 Trial Re-enactment, Day 12 Chapter 1"></a></p>
<p><small><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/">(cc)</a> Matt Algren for <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com">Asterisk</a>, 2010. | <a href="http://blog.mattalgren.com/2010/03/impressive-cast-reenacts-prop-8-trial/">Permalink</a><br />
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