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The National: Prop 8 Trial – Discrimination Over Because of “Brokeback”? / Cameras Banned, Again

By James Sanna 14 January 2010 12 views No Comment

Hey guess what? Prop 8 isn’t intended to be discriminatory because Brokeback Mountain won a bunch of Oscars!

Thompson, the smug attorney for the Proponents of Prop 8, is taking the position that gays are not being discriminated against any more and so that cannot be the reason that Prop 8 passed.

He makes a point and then asks [plaintiff's wittness and Yale faculty member] Professor Chauncey if that is correct.

He’s mentioning Will and Grace, the movie Philadelphia, and Brokeback mountain as evidence that LGBT people are not being discriminated again.

Thompson – “You all have Brokeback Mountain and it even got awards! Gay discrimination is over!”

(via The Bilerico Project)

In other, less sensational Prop 8 news, the US Supreme Court voted 5-4 to continue the ban on live broadcast of the trial. Instead of addressing the main issue – whether or not important trials ought to be broadcast – the court ducked the issue by confining its opinion to the Perry v. Schwarzenegger case, and ruling on a small technicality that the Federal District Court hearing the case did not follow proper procedure in permitting the broadcast. Daily Kos (h/t Towleroad) has pulled some money quotes from the court’s opinion. Echoing many, the New York Times’ editorial board slammed the decision:

[The trial] “could have been a moment for the entire nation to witness a calm, deliberative debate on a vitally important issue in the era of instant communications. Instead, the United States Supreme Court made it a sad example of the quashing of public discourse by blocking the televising of the nonjury trial.”

Elsewhere…

D.C. – The Associated Press got their hands on an internal Pentagon memo saying “hold off” on a DADT repeal. The AP says a repeal’s prospects in the Senate are decidedly mixed, with many favoring a slow, deliberate approach, with lots of studies, facts, and figures. (h/t Towleroad)

D.C. – GLAAD fires back at Michelangelo Signorile’s accusation that it’s nothing but an entertainment industry lapdog. Meanwhile, GLAAD has announced nominees for its 21st annual media awards. (The Advocate)

D.C. – A congressional human rights committee is looking into the Ugandan “Kill Gays” bill. (The DC Agenda)

China – State media covers the country’s first gay wedding. (Joe.My.God)

Haiti – Pat Roberston says Haiti’s earthquake was due to a pact made with the devil to secure independence 200 years ago. “Screw You!” says the Haitian ambassador. (Towleroad, Americablog)