Tuesday 30 March 2010

UK's New Law Against HOMOPHOBIC HATRED


This March 2010, UK once again has taken a step forward to show equality in their country particularly on treating homosexuals living there. The law takes in effect, which makes it criminal to 'stir' homophobic hatred, be it in words,behaviour or material that is threatening in nature.

This new law is very important to address the many websites and material stirring anti-gay hatred. Due to words being included in this new law, another area that will be put under scrutiny is song lyrics. This has the potential to stop, or at least minimise it.

It is also important to note that in London alone, 1,192 homophobic offences were reported in the year to September 09, up from 1,008 the previous year - a rise of 18.3% and an average of almost 3 per day. Most attacks go unreported.

There have been several concerns from religious leaders and comedians, that with the passing and implication of the new law, they will be criminalised by it.

However, the law will not impede freedom of speech, and the House of Lords have passed an amendment that will protect those who “urge gays to turn straight” or who “criticise homosexuality”. The amendment was tabled by Conservative party member Lord Waddington, the former Home Secretary under Margaret Thatcher. The amendment was made in such a way that it “allows the ‘discussion or criticism’ of sexual practices”, without those participating being prosecuted for it.

The new law will, however, “help prevent and tackle acts of serious hatred against individuals defined by reference to their sexual orientation, with a high threshold for prosecutions which must be approved by the Attorney General and heard before a jury.” Convictions of such offences could lead the offender to a fine, or up to a 7 year prison sentence.

Wednesday 24 March 2010

ROCK for EQUALITY

The other day, I posted about the huge group lobbying for the equality in social security benefits in the USfor same sex couples. The gay centre is a general group for LGBT but it is also in support of another huge group working especially on the issue of social security equality. It is called ROCK FOR EQUALITY. L.A.Times had just runs a front page article about it and it's primary mission to fight discrimination. The group is in the front row lobbying the recognition of rights same-sex couples in access to social security. Here is the link for their website to know more and a video of testimonies of couples's experience about the social security benefits they struggle to access: http://rockforequality.org
 

It is worth knowing the issue and the people who have been silenced for years and are now out in search for respect and equality.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Social Security Revolution?

The issue on the revision of the social security in the US is once again the talk of the town. Yes, many suggestions and speculations but who knows really what will happen or have happened? My big question is: how is it taking into account ALL citizen of the country? All tax payers particularly those who are same-sex couples? There is a huge group lobbying for this and they should be heard. This is the situation that is currently very hot, not only in the US but as well in many European countries. If US wants to be a role model for protecting every citizen of the country, then I think that it is about time to listen to this growing number of people wanting to protect their love ones and hoping to offer a secured future for their family. One can learn more by exploring the website of the LGBT group:
http://www.gaycenter.org/

The fight of same-sex couples to be given equal rights as any other couples in the US has become a serious concern not only of the gay community, but also of many straight people who believe that human rights should be enjoyed by everyone regardless of one's sexual orientation.

Sunday 21 March 2010

Loans and credit cards and a game card!



Recently in my emails, I have been bombarded with offers from different agencies of a fast track loans. This seems to be the next trend in the net and even in many societies. Credit cards are just one example bombarding the developing countries. How good are they? Well, for someone who has a hard time making both ends meet, applying for credit cards seems to be a fast solution...that is if you have a good standing with your bank. But I discovered while having a nice time out and strolling in a mall, a good looking guy approached me. He was nice and quite insisting! He asked me to go to their stall. I was in a hurry but did not want to be impolite, so I followed. He asked many questions, giving me no time to think about my answers. This guy was selling credit cards from a well know insurance company. I was not interested really and he knew that from the very start so, he came up with his plan B...or is it the main objective? I understood that you do not want to buy their offer, they have an alternative...umm quite interesting! They have a coupon for you to play some cards for FREE or more, a great slot machine for FREE too...well not really. I discovered that all is about sales talk. You play for free provided you buy an item in their other stalls and the price? Well, it's like buying their insurance! In the end, I found a good way to escape and said to be back with someone else and never returned! So men and women out there, beware of such a trick. If you are too shy to say no, at least be ready to have a strong excuse to avoid getting into the trap!

Equality for Constance McMillen

This video of Constance at Ellen Degeneres has been the hot topic of the web, a new issue of struggle to get one's equality. Keep the courage Constance and we need people who will stand on her side so that a change can happen. It is about time that we wake up!!! Decades after, our children will tell us how silly we had been!

Thursday 18 March 2010

ONLINE DATING for 30 something?

Yesterday. I bumped into a couple of friends who are surprisingly still in the bachelor mode. I remember them being so 'in demand' when it comes to boyfriends and girlfriends. Well, after a couple of sips and some nibblings, I found out that they are still 'in demand' but  not as how I imagined it to be.

One of them is an everyday visitor of an online dating. She leads such a very hectic professional life and almost impossible to take a night and go dating, searching for Mr. Right. But she does not want to remain single all her life. In fact, she said that online dating has saved her from plunging into the pit of depression.
I think this is the struggle of many who are in their 30's and more and who are in the peak of their careers.  Going out for a date and meet someone seems to be too complicated to do now. I won't say it is bad. In fact I am glad that we can chat and meet virtually someone and get to know the person a bit through the comforts of our living room or computer room! So those who are soon be out of the calendar... surf the web and try to go online and date! It's fun but be careful as many 'escroques' are lingering in the WWW.

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Finally an apology... Is it?


The Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris, has finally addressed the violence from catholic extremists during the Valentine’s Day ‘kiss-in’ against homophobia at the Notre Dame Cathedral.
A Much-Anticipated Condemnation of the Violence:
Several associations had voiced expectations of a strong condemnation of the violence that occurred on February 14th. On February 17th, the Christian gay activist group David & Jonathan stated, “we are concerned by the spectacle of avowed staunch Catholics, and we implore Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois to publicly condemn these violent homophobic acts perpetrated on the grounds of its Cathedral”.
A few days later, Stéphane Lavignotte, a Pastor and leader of the group Crossroads of Inclusive Christians, wrote an open letter to the Archbishop in the editorial section of the French newspaper Libération, entitled “The Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois and his homophobic followers.” “What leads certain Christians to feel free to act in such a savage manner? I cannot bring myself to believe that you have remained silent on the matter. Your absence may make the perpretrators feel justified in their acts and thus validate their acts based on confusing the differences between the Catholic heirachy’s position on homosexuality and the actual legitimacy on homosexuality.”
The Archbishop finally made a statement after Clémence Houdaille, a journalist at Radio Notre-Dame, questioned him about the letter from Lavignotte. In her interview with him, she spoke of the young Catholics who ‘proffered homophobic insults”, but initially neglected to mention the physical violence, the alliances between these violent groups and France’s extreme right, and the Nazi salutes that accompanied their verbal insults and physical attacks.

DON’T TURN MORAL JUDGEMENTS INTO VIOLENCE
The Archbishop’s response to the journalist’s inquiry: “The kiss-in protest organizers, in agreement with the city hall, specifically to avoid trouble in the square in front of Notre Dame, agreed to move the protest to Place Saint Michel (a location not far from Notre Dame). So I find it very surprising that some of the kiss-in participants were at Notre Dame since the kiss-in did in fact take place as planned at Saint Michel. You cannot say that the protesters were followed by the Catholic extremists who harrassed them. If they had been, the harrassments would have occurred at Saint Michel.”
 source: Yagg.com

Audio-Visual History of Immigration in France

I lived in France for almost 4 years and saw a reality that a usual tourist would not see when he or she travels there and be charmed by the beauty of the Tour Eiffel! That reality of the immigration. Being part of those thousands of immigrants living in France, I found how challenging it was to be ‘integrated’ as what is expected to most immigrants. Luckily, my friends, mostly French, encouraged me a lot. So, the challenge was short-lived but for others, it is like being locked in a cellules, unable to get out of it and ending up so isolated. This is mostly happening to those who are in illegal status or what the French say: “sans papiers”.
Now the French government wants to be stricter on letting non-French, especially non Europeans from entering their territory: a pattern happening in many developed countries, though. In retrospect, France has been a country faced with immigration since time immemorial. It is part of its reality and evolution of its society. Who can stop this phenomenon?

While in this thinking, I found this film by chance in the www. It speak of the history of the immigration in France dated since 2 centuries. The narration is in French so those who speak and understand French, have a good viewing. For those who are English speakers, I will try to have a text translation of the narration and so please be patient but you can already view the image. To watch the film, you can click on the link below or you can copy and paste on your internet browser. Happy viewing!

http://www.histoire-immigration.fr/main.php?period=0&sous_sequence=0

D.C. New Law on Marriage: What a joy! BUT...

A new law takes effect today in the nation’s capital, granting equal rights in marriage licensing for gay couples.

Washington, D.C.’s marriage equality legislation becomes law in spite of a Herculean effort by opponents to block its implementation through both legal action—including a last-minute Hail Mary pass to the U. S. Supreme Court and Chief Justice John Roberts for a stay—as well as law maneuvering in the House and Senate.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday evening denied a request to stop the District of Columbia’s new law from going into effect Wednesday, March 3. Marriage opponent Harry Jackson and others had petitioned the high court to intervene to stop the “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act” from taking effect until voters could address the issue through referendum.

While Roberts said he thinks the argument Jackson’s group makes “has some force,” he said the high court typically defers to the local courts about “matters of exclusively local concern.” He also noted that Congress, which has the power to review D.C. laws for 30 days before they take effect, took no action against the measure. And he pointed out that Jackson’s group still has the option to seek a ballot measure through an initiative process, and not a referendum.

The implementation of the new marriage equality law makes Washington, D. C, the sixth jurisdiction—along with Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont—to issue licenses to same-sex couples. The District is also the first place for marriage equality below the Mason-Dixon line

(source: keennewsservice)