Hillary Clinton: Presumptive 2016 Democratic Party Nominee for President

And um, yeah. We kinda knew that. Hillary Clinton didn't want it announced yet. Bernie Sanders certainly didn't want it announced yet. And Sanders' supporters have frankly lost their fricking minds by this point (I'm voting Jill Stein! I'm writing Bernie in!, I'm not voting! I'm voting Trump! All the same thing, by the way). But the time has finally come, bad timing or not, we have our first major party presidential nominee who is a woman. And that woman, Hillary Clinton, is--for reasons I've yet to comprehend, despite living in America for 50 years--despised by roughly half of Americans.

I really, seriously will never understand the Hillary Hatred that has existed in this country for more than half my life. I didn't get it then, don't get it now. I've seen her in person. She commands a room. She's smart. She is, near as I can figure, a heck of a lady, maybe even a broad. So, what's the problem? Damned if I know.

Fortunately, Hillary is running against another despised famous human, Donald Trump. The reasons for despising The Donald are many, and obvious. But this blog--as left to lie fallow as I've allowed it--has long had a feature called Captain Obvious (yes, before that hotel chain stole it) for the express reason that what should be obvious to sentient humans isn't always obvious. Trump's default mode is: this is so wrong on so many levels, you'd have to be deaf, dumb, blind, stupid and half-past insane not to see it, but still some people somehow don't see.

Hillary was fortunate though, that on the very same day that she hit the magic number, Trump seems to be self-destructing. I won't declare it outright, as nothing about his campaign has been "normal." But even some diehards have been awakening from a Trump high to a Drumpf hangover. And this bit about not understand how judicial conflicts of interest works (or how racism is bad, or much of anything about how anything really happens in government) is showing as glaringly as Trump's fiberglass hair weave/combover, and bad orange fake tan. So, assuming a Bernie mutiny doesn't happen, and that something even weirder doesn't happen, Hillary should win this by default. It's certainly hers to lose.

[Excerpt]

BREAKING: Hillary Declared Presumptive Nominee

NBC News reports: Striding into history, Hillary Clinton will become the first woman to top the presidential ticket of a major U.S. political party, capturing commitments Monday from the number of delegates needed to become the Democrats’ presumptive nominee. The victory arrived nearly eight years to the day after she conceded her first White House campaign to Barack Obama. . .

Read more at: Joe.My.God.

The Gay Thing: LGBT Employment Rights Federally Mandated All Along?

Well, this is kind of nifty. And no big hoopla, or anything. I've used the 1964 Civil Rights Act as an example for quite a while when arguing against discrimination in public accommodations. You know, those oddly religiously sensitive bakers and florists who won't sell to gay folks getting married? Though sexual orientation wasn't part of that act nationally, it's illustrative. But who knew it applied to discrimination in employment already? This is such new news, I wonder if it might not also apply to public accommodations? If so, this is a rather nifty end-run around all of those RFRA thingies, isn't it? I'm hoping so.

Image from source, Buzzfeed

[Excerpt]

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Is Barred By Existing Law, Federal Commission Rules
 
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that existing civil rights law bars sexual orientation-based employment discrimination — a groundbreaking decision to advance legal protections for gay, lesbian, and bisexual workers. . .

Read more at: Buzzfeed

Gay Boy Scouts Now Allowed to be Honest (and Stay in Scouts)

All right gays! Time to get cracking, and fix up that
uniform! Image from source, USAToday.

This story is good news for any Boy Scout who is a) gay and b) unable or unwilling to hide that fact. It is of less help to devoted scouts who happen to be gay, and were hoping to move from membership to leadership. Gay scout leaders are still verboten. Or rather, they can't be open, which means they have to lie, which pretty much wrecks the scout oath.

The funny part is, there have always been and will always be both gay scouts and leaders. I was a Cub Scout and a Webelo and though I may not quite have put a name to it, I was most certainly a gay kid. I first started trying to "cover" for that when I was maybe 4 or 5, though I identified it as "don't let them know you're a sissy." A lot of us seem to have that inborn. It might be why I was in scouts in the first place, to toughen up.  Anyway, there was never any hanky panky, none involving me anyway. But we did have a raging alcoholic den leader who had to let his wife take over, so there's that.

[Excerpt]

Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members

The Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to allow gay youth to participate in scouting. The historic vote, with 61% in favor, signals another shift in American public opinion about homosexuality but still leaves the organization with many future hurdles.. .

Read more at: USAToday

Gay Marriage in the USA: Minnesota Makes 12 (Plus DC!)

Image from source, ABC News

Whatever spin the anti-gay groups like the badly named National Organization for Marriage come up with, there is no denying it. There is a wave of momentum in the struggle for marriage equality. On top of four (out of four!) successful electoral fights in November 2012, and both DOMA and Prop 8 about to be decided by the Supreme Court in June, we've had three states affirm same-sex marriage in the space of two weeks.

While no one knows what to expect from SCOTUS, it is widely believed that one way or another, California will be added to the tally to make thirteen states plus the District of Columbia. Whether the DOMA ruling expands that number further, paves the way, or puts up a road block remains to be seen. Almost nobody expects a broad ruling that expands marriage equality in one fell swoop (though that would be great!). But few expect for DOMA to be outright upheld either. In fact it's ironic that the DOMA case hinges upon an unfair tax law, a usually conservative issue.

But while we wait, we can celebrate! Same-sex married couples are now legally recognized in over 25% of the country (by state/district). When California joins that column, we will really add to the tally, not just of states but of people. Now, if my home states of Ohio and Nevada could step it up a little (the ground troops are working on it!).

[Excerpt]

Minnesota Senate Votes to Allow Same-Sex Marriage

After a day of passionate yet respectful speeches on both sides of the issue, the Minnesota State Senate voted 37-30 to legalize same-sex marriage today, overcoming the last hurdle before the bill moves on to Gov. Mark Dayton, who supports giving same-sex couples the freedom to marry. Minnesota would join 11 other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing same-sex marriage, meaning that about 18 percent of the country’s population has the option to marry regardless of gender. . .

Read more at: ABC News

Delaware Passes Marriage Equality (Tally: 11 States Plus DC)

Image from The Coloradoan

So, we're off of guns and back on the gay, again! Sorry, but could I pass up the fact that we have crested 20% of US states with marriage equality? Delaware--five days after Rhode Island--passed marriage equality on Tuesday, making it a current 11 states plus the District of Columbia on board for legal same-sex marriage.California is almost certainly back in the pack after SCOTUS rules in June, making 13 out of 51. . .which pushes us past 25%! I know my mind tends to break things into percentages, and I place more importance on these kinds of details more than others. But I've got to think that with marriage equality in over one quarter of the nation, it's got to start to be. . .dare I say it? Normal? Usual? Ordinary? Unremarkable? I hope so!

[Excerpt]

Delaware becomes 11th U.S. state to allow gay marriage

Delaware legalized gay marriage on Tuesday, making it the 11th U.S. state to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. The state Senate approved the bill by a vote of 12-9 on Tuesday and Governor Jack Markell signed it into law half an hour later. . .

Read more at: Chicago Tribune

Hillary Clinton for Gay Marriage

Thanks, Hill! I'll vote for you in 2016, don't worry. It was your tougher supporters here in Nevada who pushed me into the Obama camp at our caucus in 2008, but I'll brave them next time. Maybe I'll hire a bodyguard. . .

Marriage Equality in Washington State!

Thank you, Governor. Image from LA Times

Though it is sure to be contested by busybodies, the Governor of Washington State has signed same-sex marriage into law. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn't do anything more than expand the number of couples eligible to be married. It doesn't take anything away from anyone. It doesn't damage existing or future opposite-sex marriages. Except for the fuss raised by the afore-mentioned busybodies, there will be no effect except for the happy couples, their families and friends, experiencing marriage equality.

It's funny though, to see Washington named the seventh state (plus Washington, DC) to legalize gay marriage. It's actually the eighth. California is not currently performing marriages, but it legalized them. The proposition that undid that has been found unconstitutional. Twice. They'll be back in place eventually, after the appeals run out. Mark my words.

[Excerpt]


Washington state makes 7: Governor signs gay marriage law

"My friends, welcome to the other side of the rainbow!" state Sen. Ed Murray declared Monday as Washington became the seventh state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

In a boisterous ceremony at the state Capitol in Olympia, Gov. Christine Gregoire -- a Catholic who weathered strong opposition, including a last-minute "action alert" from the state's Catholic Church leadership -- signed legislation to give same-sex couples the same right to a marriage license as anyone else. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Welcome to FAAAAABULOOOUUSSSSSS Las Vegas

 Las Vegas finally decided to capitalize (read: cash in) on the "Fabulous" portion of their welcome sign.

It would appear the cash strapped, & oddly conservative, Las Vegas has decided that "Teh Gay" ain't so bad. At least "Teh Gay" money that is.
Finally, it looks like the number crunchers are going to the top with the facts.
"Them crazy homos is out there & they've got money to spend."

And in all honesty with $5-6 billion dollars of disposable income floating around the LGBT community, they would be stupid not to capitalize on it.

Hotels, like the MGM, are now offering 'Gay Getaways'. Not like those in the '40s that the Germans ran... But more like the ones that Ricardo Montalban might run. Friendly, fantastic, a guaranteed lei followed by the chance that there would be more than one 'straight' dude (or dudette) that would leave there in love. 

I could just see Tattoo yelling to Mr. Roarke... "De gays... de gays!!!"... 

Caesars could have a "Go Greek Week"... 

Excalibur... I guess speaks for itself... I digress.

The great thing about this type of courting by the hotels is that it sort of makes the general public get used to the idea of openly LGBT monkeys interacting amongst them. People from all walks of life essentially have to 'deal with it'. I think with that, the idea of gays actually existing in the same paradoxical world becomes more acceptable to the public at large. Almost like the subliminal messages pasted into the reel to reel movies of old.

Especially in Vegas which caters to the ADD, AADD, AA, GA, depressed, drunk & heavily medicated society at large. Really there is no better way to influence someone than when they are vulnerable & loose.

Imagine you get John & Marsha walking down 'The Strip' saying, "Wow, Did you see those two dudes were kissing?!?!?..."

Followed by John exclaiming... "There was naked chicks in that glass truck!!!" (banned for now...)

Marsha then notices 100 illegal aliens handing out call girl flyers, followed by a dog act, magic act, some guy stuffed into a small glass box & a lemonade stand.

But maybe with all of that it opens the doors to more of a "Meh" attitude towards gays... Seriously, we're all just "Meh" monkeys after all... No one more special than the other... Some of us are just better dressers.

Maybe it is just wishful thinking, but I think it would be just Faaabuuuulooouusssssss!!!


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Video from Channel 8 News Las Vegas - www.8newsnow.com