We are extremely disappointed that our allies did not put their anti-LGBT colleagues on the spot and force a vote on the measure that remains popular with the American people. We will continue to work hard to include bi-national same-sex couples as the bill moves to the floor and remain committed to the underlying principles of inclusive and comprehensive immigration reform.A statement by The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group • Expressing dismay at today’s news that Sen. Patrick Leahy’s amendment to the immigration reform bill (which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier today), ensuring equal rights for immigrant LGBT spouses, has been withheld so as not to cause a potentially bill-killing revolt by Republicans. Said GOP Senator Lindsay Graham, one of the “Gang of Eight” who negotiated the bill: “When it comes to passing this immigration bill, to interject a redefinition of marriage would be a bridge too far.” source
The three judge panel ruled that the 20-week ban violates the constitutional right to receive an abortion, as stipulated by Roe v. Wade — fetal viability (that is, a fetus’ ability to survive outside the womb) is generally considered to begin around 24 weeks into a typical 9 month pregnancy. Nine other states have similar (in some cases even more restrictive) bans in varying states of legal challenge.
New spectacular and symbolic actions are needed to wake up the sleep walkers and shake the anaesthetised consciousness. We are entering a time when acts must follow words.Far-right historian Dominique Venner • From a post on his blog earlier today, denouncing the legalization of same-sex marriage in France, which was signed into law by President Francois Hollande last week. His words are now being viewed as a possible explanation for Venner’s grisly public suicide later in the day, when he fired a shotgun into his own mouth near the altar at the Notre Dame cathedral. Bystanders were evacuated, and authorities did discover a note near Venner’s body, though its contents have not been disclosed. “It’s unfortunate, it’s dramatic, it’s shocking,” said Monsignor Patrick Jacquin, rector of the famed cathedral. source
Right as the conductor was taking my ticket, the train went right off the tracks. It started tipping to one side, constantly bumping up and down and back and forth like crazy. I saw sparks right outside my window. Thirty seconds later, the train going the other way came and jammed right onto us. It scraped the side of our car and gave us another bad jolt. …Life goes on, and it’s not like we’re going to get rid of trains. But you have to figure out what caused this. The accident was right in the middle of what looks like a construction zone — did that play a part? You have to ask the questions.Scott Bartelson • Describing his passenger’s view of yesterday’s frightening train crash and derailment in Connecticut, which hospitalized over 60, some critically — but mercifully, no deaths reported. source
This is no doubt a momentous day for Hollande, who had pledged to legalize same-sex marriage during his first year in office, and succeeded in doing so despite vociferous protests from swaths of his citizenry. No actual same-sex marriage figures to be conducted until the 29th, as French law states that a marriage license must be filed ten days prior to the ceremony.
To resign would be to flee. I don’t know if Kerry or anyone else has received the power of the Syrian people to talk in their name about who should go and who should stay. That will be determined by the Syrian people in the 2014 presidential elections.Bashar al-Assad • Insisting, in an interview with Argentinian newspaper Clarin, that he will not relinquish power over Syria until the 2014 presidential election (that is, unless he wins the election). This spurs a number of questions, chiefest among them whether Syrian presidential elections are fair and open, and whether such an election is even truly possible in the midst of a brutal civil war. In the first case, the answer is almost certainly no, sad to say — not many fair and open elections feature an incumbent netting better than 97% of the vote, which Assad accomplished by referendum (itself a bad system for democratic outcomes) in 2007. He also denied, in a very roundabout way, his government’s alleged use of chemical weapons: “If they were used in a city or a suburb with only 10 or 20 victims, would that be credible? …[It] would mean the death of thousands or tens of thousands of people in a matter of minutes. Who could hide something like that?” source
The scandal surrounding Lopez is centered around his career as a legislator, as he’s accused of sexually harassing female legislative employees. The claims against him were made public last August, by way of a censure by Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver. On Friday he had said he planned to hang on for five weeks, and then run for a City Council seat — whether that quick return to politics remains the plan is unclear.
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Tumblr this morning. [h/t anne]
#@#$%!.tumblr.com
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The video itself is far too grisly for us to post here without warning, as it appears to contain a horrifying instance of cannibalism by a commander within the Syrian opposition, the removal and eating of a dead opponent’s heart, while espousing sectarian insults towards Bashar al-Assad. Said Nadim Houry, the Middle East deputy director for Human Rights Watch: “It is not enough for Syria’s opposition to condemn such behavior or blame it on violence by the government,” Houry said. “The opposition forces need to act firmly to stop such abuses.”
In the circumstances in which bullets are flying like rain and wind, the soldiers are running around at the risk of losing their lives. If you want them to have a rest in such a situation, a comfort women system is necessary. Anyone can understand that.Toru Hashimoto, Mayor of Osaka, Japan • Claiming the necessity of Japan’s World War II-era so-called “comfort women,” a collection of 200,000 or so females (many Chinese, South Korean and Indonesian), forced into sex slavery for soldiers. Hashimoto’s statement of apparent sympathy with forced prostitution has been decried internationally, with Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei speaking in condemnation: “The conscription of sex slaves was a grave crime committed by the Japanese military. We are shocked and indignant at the Japanese politician’s remarks, as they flagrantly challenge historical justice.” Hashimoto, age 43, is leader and co-founder of the nationalist Japan Restoration Party. source
Trenton hostage situation passes 24 hours
(Photo: Eduardo Munoz / Reuters)
A hostage situation in the New Jersey capital of Trenton passed its 24th hour on Saturday as police worked to coax out an unidentified armed man who has taken “multiple” hostages amid reports of fatalities.
The Trenton police have confirmed that at least one person inside the house is dead, amid unconfirmed reports of another fatality. They declined to disclose any names or ages of the people still inside.
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