Topic: Gay Rights

The tyranny of the majority

By David W. Shelton | June 17, 2008 |

I recently read an article by Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle on Chief Justice Ronald George, who wrote the decision which granted same-sex marriage for California gay couples. It was an in-depth story on the life of this man, and what led to his ultimate belief that equality for all people is a fundamental, constitutional right. One particular segment stood out to me.

In the article, Egelko outlines how George and three other California Supreme Court justices pulled from another marriage quality issue from history, interracial marriage:

George’s same-sex ruling relied heavily on the court’s 1948 decision on interracial marriage, written by a renowned liberal, Justice Roger Traynor. No other state’s court had ever recognized a constitutional right for interracial couples to marry, and the U.S. Supreme Court did not do so until 1967.

A lesson from that case, George said in the interview, was that laws denying “certain basic rights could not be justified just because of history and tradition.”

He recalled a trip with his parents to the still-segregated South as a teenager, when he was shocked to see whites-only signs on drinking fountains and restroom doors.

“It sensitized me to the fact there are minorities of all sorts of types who can be victimized by the majority,” George said. Protecting vulnerable minorities, he said, is “one of the purposes of the courts and of our Constitution.”

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TEP schedules organizational meeting

By Todd Hughes | November 11, 2007 |

Organizers for the Tennessee Equality Project will be in Clarksville on November 12 at the Borders Bookstore Cafe at 2801 Wilma Rudolph Blvd. at 7:00 PM.

This will be our first organizational meeting for TEP Montgomery County. We’ll discuss formation strategy, things that we can do to help bring about equality in Montgomery County and some future activities!

To find out more about the Tennessee Equality Project, visit us at www.tnep.org. If you have any questions, contact Todd Hughes at todd@tnequalityproject.com.

Sections: Events, Issues | No Comments

An Open Letter to Senator Bob Corker regarding the Matthew Shepard bill

By David W. Shelton | May 21, 2007 |

Dear Mr. Corker (And staff):

I’m extremely disappointed to know that your office is more concerned about protecting your image than in protecting those that have been abused, beaten, and even killed. Your refusal to support Senate Bill 1105 is as heartbreaking as it is wrong.

You already know of the events surrounding the death of Matthew Shepard, after which this bill has been named. You might also know of the murder of Alabama teenager Scotty Joe Weaver, who was killed by his own friends because he was “a faggot.” Mr. Corker, this isn’t a rare thing at all. In fact, there have been people in your own state that have been killed just for being gay. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »

Three bills for gay equality should be passed

By David W. Shelton | April 25, 2007 |

Three bills that would put an end to serious injustices against GLBT people have been filed over the last few months in Washington, DC. The first, a bill that would repeal the failed “Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell-Don’t-Pursue” law that bans openly gay people from serving in the military, was filed a few months ago. The second is a bill that would add sexual orientation to hate crime laws. The third, a sweeping Employment Nondiscrimination Act which includes “sexual orientation” was just filed yesterday by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA).

All three of these bills should be passed. These are basic issues on equality which address some much-needed protections for GLBT people across the country. The sad reality is that every one of them has been filed before, and either held up or stymied by a Republican-controlled congress. «Read the rest of this article»

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Tennessee Equality Project Foundation

By Debbie Boen | January 29, 2007 |

The Tennessee Equality Project Foundation presents the following Lobbying 101 event to prepare you to advocate for equality. We need you at these events: Lobbying 101 in Clarksville & Advancing Equality Day on the Hill!

Lobbying 101 in Clarksville

Thursday, February 1, 7-9 pm
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clarksville
3053 U.S. 41-A

Advancing Equality Day on the Hill

Tuesday, February 20 at 8:30 a.m., the Tennessee Equality Project presents the 3rd annual Advancing Equality Day On The Hill, a day in Nashville meeting with your legislators to express your views on proposed legislation affecting the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community.

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What’s next? Where will the discrimination end?

By Michael Covington | September 19, 2006 |

My life is not that different than yours. I get up (usually quite some time after the alarm has gone off); grab a quick shower and a bite to eat before dashing off to work or school (usually unbelievably late). I work in customer service for a major cell phone corporation as an extension of the management team and take escalations from customers all day.

Overall, I enjoy my job. I come home, eat dinner, watch my DVR recorded TV shows (The West Wing, The Simpsons, and Eureka), read a chapter or two from a book, and fall asleep until the next day. I truly hope that my “gay lifestyle” is not offending anyone reading this quite yet. I have a townhouse near the hospital, a loving partner (Whom I don’t see enough of as I’d like.), and a kitchen table that has more paperwork than the IRS director’s desk. «Read the rest of this article»

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Vote No on 1 campaign kicks off

By David W. Shelton | September 1, 2006 |

This November, we have been given the choice of whether or not we’re going to change the Tennessee constitution to define marriage as being an “historical institution between one man and one woman.” Or, at least, that’s what it seems to be on the surface. But what is it really? It’s discrimination, pure and simple. But is it right for Tennessee?

Marisa Richmond of the Tennessee Equality Project’s Vote No on 1 campaign spent some time with us here in Clarksville to discuss the coming election, and specifically, the proposed amendment to the state’s constitution. Richmond has met with groups in all of the major cities to help with the finer points of organizing a grass-roots effort to turn the tide in the onslaught against gay and lesbian families nationwide. «Read the rest of this article»

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Gay rights back in the news

By David W. Shelton | July 26, 2006 |

So yes, it’s been a great day. Why on earth would I say such a thing? The Supreme Court in a largely liberal state has ruled against gay marriage. That’s supposed to be a bad thing. Isn’t it? Compound that with recent big losses in New York and right here in Tennessee and you have a huge blow to gay activism everywhere.

Well, maybe not. Consider this: with every loss to a state’s Supreme Court, the Reich-wing has one of their toys snatched away. As it turns out, those “activist judges” aren’t such activists after all. Now, as much as some of us would like to disagree with them, we can’t ignore the reality that the great “activist judge” mantra is backfiring in a big way. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Politics, Spirituality | No Comments