News Roundup

A bit of news from the week that I didn’t get to write about:

• The Senate has included an extension of Hate Crimes to the Department of Defense reauthorization by amendment.  The effort still faces opposition from religious conservatives who wrongly thing that this will prevent them from preaching hate (though, they still won’t be able to preach violence, sorry).  Their opposition to hate crimes legislation is pretty ironic considering hate crimes based on sexual orientation is the third most prevalent kind of hate crime AFTER ones based on religion and race.  Sadly, Obama may veto the entire bill if it includes funding for F-22s, which he (and McCain) vehemently oppose.  If this happens, let’s hope Hate Crimes expansion doesn’t fall to the way side.

• Framing wars: The language used to describe a position is often as interesting and revealing as the issues themselves (pro-life/pro-choice).  In the debate over marriage, new language is popping up.  “Marriage Restoration” versus “Marriage Equality.”  Interestingly, restoration is about going backwards–much like where they want to take society.

• The problem with the fundraising efforts in Maine won’t be who is giving, but where they live.  With a fiercely independent streak, I think many “swing voters” –i.e. not evangelical or close with a gay person–will be less than pleased with outside forces trying to influence them.

• The Episcopal Church bucks the Anglican Communion and grants the right for churches to bless same-sex marriages. (h/t Daily Beast via Debbie)

• Media Matters catches Pat “the racist historian” Buchanan on the Rachel Maddow Show arguing that because the signers of the Declaration of Independence were all white men, it makes sense that almost every one of our Supreme Court Justices have been white men.  Oh yeah, and apparently only white men fought in the Civil War and WWII (apparently he missed Denzel Washington in Glory…).  via Americablog