The bill recommends penalties both for the applicants for marriage and the solemnizing officer.

Under the bill, the would-be partners face 15 years imprisonment and a P150,000 fine.

Likewise, anybody caught faking or trying to mis-declare his/her gender in order to secure a marriage license may be meted a 12-year jail term and a P100,000 fine.

If the offender is a public officer or employee, he/she shall be dismissed from government service and banned from re-employment in any public office.

Former Baptist minister turned lawmaker Bienvenido Abante Jr. introduced the bill last December saying that without the measure same sex unions would  “snap the remaining strand of our moral values.”

When serving as chairman of the Human Rights committee back in 2006 Abante rejected a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, calling it a “culture of death” and reverse discrimination against heterosexuals.

Really.

My husband who was born and raised in the Philippines chimes in…

Why am I not surprised about this, especially coming from a very religious country like the Philippines. This is just another example of the power and control organized religion has in poor countries like this one.

It is safe to conclude that Bienvenido Abante, Jr. has the strong backing of the church, so I am not at all surprised with what he is doing right now. It is sad if not laughable to have him as the chairman of the Human Rights committee. Seriously, how can you be the chairman of the Human Rights committee and try to pass a bill that violates the core meaning of your position. Really, can somebody please tell this man what his job is all about?

I believe that it is inhumane to discriminate against another group of people just because of their sexual orientation and I think this is a reaction to what is going on in Western countires like the United States. I hope that the Filipino people, and not only the LGBT pinoys, will wake up and rise up against this reprehensible bill.

“Huwag matakot mga kapatid. Magkaisa tayo laban sa mga masasama.” (Don’t be afraid my brothers and sisters to unite against all that is evil and bad.)

While Dolly Parton’s support of the gay community has hardly been secret, she does join other country music stars Reba McEntire and Martina McBride in supporting same-sex marriage.

Sen. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who spearheaded the law, called it “a great step forward for equality in Washington state.”

“I’m relieved,” he said. “I was very concerned that if the voters had said no, it would have been a major setback for gay and lesbian families in Washington state.”

The measure asked voters to approve or reject the latest expansion of the state’s domestic partnership law, granting registered domestic partners additional state rights previously given only to married couples.

Full-fledged gay marriage is still not allowed under Washington law.

Gary Randall of Protect Marriage Washington, which opposed the law and pushed to get the referendum on the ballot, said they weren’t ready to concede.

“We’re just going to wait and watch it play out,” he said.

It’s good to see at least one state not buy into the hate and fear. Congrats to Washington Families Standing Together and everyone else who fought to get Ref. 71 passed.

“The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation,” declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.

Gay-marriage supporters refused to concede, holding out hope that that the tide might turn as the final returns came in.

“We’re here for the long haul and whether it’s just all night and into the morning, or it’s next week or next month or next year, we will be here,” said Jesse Connolly, manager of the pro-gay marriage campaign. “We’ll be here fighting. We’ll be working. We will regroup.”

At issue was a law passed by the Maine Legislature last spring that would have legalized same-sex marriage. The law was put on hold after conservatives launched a petition drive to repeal it in a referendum.

Chris Bowers over at OpenLeft reported earlier this evening of the possibility of a recount. The numbers were much closer then so its unclear if they are still considering that option.

It’s a sad, sad day for Mainers, who worked so hard and bravely for equality. The rest of us, particularly those of us in California, grieve with you.

On a personal note, with every defeat we suffer at the hand of these people it grows harder and harder not to return their hate with more hate. I don’t know how much longer as a community, we can or should put up with it.

From the Bangor Daily News…

Everyone must be treated equally under the state and U.S. Constitution. Denying civil marriage rights to same-sex couples violates that tenet.

Further, extending the right of marriage to a small segment of the population that has been excluded furthers the state’s interest in promoting stable families and communities. The Maine legislation also took important steps, mirroring the state’s Human Rights Law, to respect religious freedom and traditions. No church will be compelled to perform or recognize marriages that run counter to its faith. This strikes the difficult balance of respecting religious freedom while ensuring equality.

From the Portland Press Herald…

While this change in the law could seem abrupt to some Maine voters, it reflects the way people are really living now in cities and towns all over our state. That’s why we urge people to vote “no,” to allow this reasonable law to go into effect.

Leaders of the people’s veto campaign argue that extending the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage to families headed by same-sex couples would have broad effects throughout society. We have listened to their arguments, but we just don’t buy them.

While it’s technically true that the law would change the wording of the definition of marriage in state statute, it would not change the institution as it exists in Maine for thousands of traditional couples. Those vows would not be any weaker if same-sex couples were allowed to take them. Marriage would remain the key foundation for creating families, with the rights and responsibilities that come with it spelled out in the law, whether those families are headed by same- or opposite-sex couples.

Limiting marriage to a man and a woman would not make families led by same-sex couples go away. It would just keep them in a legally inferior position that is inconsistent with Maine’s tradition of equal protection under the law.

Gay men and women already live together, own property and have children, both biological and adopted. They hold responsible jobs, they volunteer in churches and schools – they are full members of our communities. The only thing they cannot do is form the legal partnership that gives them the advantages and duties that other couples have when they start families. The same-sex couples are not the only losers. This also puts their children at a disadvantage.

Sound, sensible arguments to be sure, but since when has logic gotten in the way of those who use their faith as a means to justify their hate?

Stand For Marriage Maine has started running this ad.

This despite the fact that Maine’s own Attorney General published a Legal Opinion stating:

“Whatever the benefits and burdens of the civil institution of marriage, the state’s definition of marriage has no bearing on the curricula in our public schools, either under current law or under LD 1020. Neither the Parker decision nor passage of LD 1020 “requires” or “allows” the teaching of any particular subject in our schools, in answer to the citizen question attached to your letter.”

I suppose when you can’t make logical arguments to support your case, you have to resort to FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). I just hope the independent minded citizen of Maine take the time to read the Maine AG’s legal opinion and see this ad for the FUD that it is.

“That sentiment does not reflect White House thinking at all, we’ve held easily a dozen calls with the progressive online community because we believe the online communities can often keep the focus on how policy will affect the American people rather than just the political back-and-forth.”

Oh. No. They. Didn’t.

Nice try invalidating our march. Sure, we’re just like the fringe that believed women should have the right to vote. And the fringe that demanded civil rights for blacks.

From John Avarosis @ Americablog:

So the gay community, and its concerns about President Obama’s inaction, and backtracking, on DADT and DOMA, are now, according to President Obama’s White House, part of a larger “fringe” that acts like small children who play in their pajamas and need to grow up. (And a note to our readers: The White House just included all of you in that loony “left fringe.”)

I wonder how the Human Rights Campaign is going to explain how the White House just knifed our community less than 24 hours after he went to their dinner and claimed he was our friend.

Ditto.

If standing up for equality means I’m part of the Internet Left Fringe, then I wear the badge proudly, & so should everyone else. Badge below.

FBI spokesman David Beyer said the bureau is helping state police with the case.

“Our job is to determine if there was foul play involved — and that’s part of the investigation — and if there was foul play involved, whether that is related to his employment as a census worker,” said Beyer.

Beyer declined to confirm or discuss any details about the crime scene.

Lucindia Scurry-Johnson, assistant director of the Census Bureau’s southern office in Charlotte, N.C., said law enforcement officers have told the agency the matter is “an apparent homicide” but nothing else.

Census employees were told Sparkman’s truck was found nearby, and a computer he was using for work was found inside it, she said. He worked part-time for the Census, usually conducting interviews once or twice a month.

Video below is from Sept. 15, before details of Sparkman’s death were released…

It’s certainly to early to say whether growing anti-government resentment played a role in this “apparent homicide.” Clay County is part of the fifth district of Kentucky which happens to be one of the poorest in the nation. The region has been led by Republicans for decades, and is currently represented by Harold Rogers (R).

It is curious however that the body was found on Sept 12, 2009, tea party day. And folks like Glenn Beck and Rep. Michelle Bachman are heroes of that movement, aren’t exactly fans of the Census either… as in the clip below: