First Day of Marriage Equality in New York - Connecting Rainbows Video
The Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-LGBT hate group, organised a hate rally outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office on Sunday, to protest the first day that same-sex couples can legally marry each other in New York state. Connecting Rainbows organised a counter-protest. Here is video of what it was like outside of the Manhattan marriage bureau -- and then later of the counter-protest.
On Monday, State Senator Shirley L. Huntley announced her support for marriage equality in New York State.
Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Queens) made her announcement in support for marriage equality on the same day that three other state senators, who had each voted against legalizing same-sex marriage two years ago voted, also reversed course, The New York Times reported. The senators said that their constituents’ thinking had evolved on the this important stepping stone toward full LGBT civil rights had evolved.
The Times described the move as "significantly" improving the odds that New York state legislature will pass a law that legalises marriage equality, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Citizens in New York state stand on the cusp of charting a new course for LGBT civil rights nationally, and the state itself is on the verge of becoming the largest state in the nation to allow gays and lesbians to wed.
Meanwhile, Sen. Huntley made her announcement less than two months after a daring civil disobedience protest against her and her legislative office by two LGBT civil rights activists, Iana Di Bona and Alan Bounville, who are members of Connecting Rainbows.
Bigot Bell - Episode 2 - Failure of Adequate Protections
The LGBTQ civil rights group Connecting Rainbows has announced a world-wide boycott of Yum! Brands restaurants following a case of alleged employment discrimination against a member of Connecting Rainbows.
In April 2011, Jason Smith, an openly gay employee of Taco Bell in Louisiana, who is a member of Connecting Rainbows, was dismissed from his job, after another employee made a threat against Mr. Smith based on his sexual orientation. A Taco Bell manager witnessed the threat. After Mr. Smith was dismissed, Taco Bell conditioned Mr. Smith’s return to his job only after Mr. Smith deleted each of his Facebook profile and the entire website of Connecting Rainbows, the former which Mr. Smith refused, and the latter over which Mr. Smith has no control. Connecting Rainbows is a democratic collective of LGBTQ activists and allies, with no hierarchy.
To read more about the incident, please read Mr. Smith’s own description of the events on Connecting Rainbows website.
Connecting Rainbows is outraged by this discriminatory treatment and has launched a parody campaign that lampoons Taco Bell for its apparent bigotry.
To spread word of the injustice that Mr. Smith has suffered, members of Connecting Rainbows launched a petition on Change.org, to publicise Mr. Smith’s plight.
Connecting Rainbows demands that :
Connecting Rainbows also demands legislative remedies :
Connecting Rainbows is a group of active people organizing civil rights walks and other actions in America. The group’s mission is to create a mass movement, demanding full civil rights for LGBT Americans. Connecting Rainbows uses the power of a social media platform, where people create online profiles, meet others, plan events, join groups, blog, and participate in online forums.
Visit : http://connectingrainbows.ning.com/ or http://www.bigotbell.com/
Connecting Rainbows Members Launch Parody YouTube Campaign Against Taco Bell
The LGBTQ civil rights group Connecting Rainbows has announced a world-wide boycott of Yum! Brands restaurants following a case of alleged employment discrimination against a member of Connecting Rainbows.
In April 2011, Jason Smith, an openly gay employee of Taco Bell in Louisiana, who is a member of Connecting Rainbows, was dismissed from his job, after another employee made a threat against Mr. Smith based on his sexual orientation. A Taco Bell manager witnessed the threat. After Mr. Smith was dismissed, Taco Bell conditioned Mr. Smith’s return to his job only after Mr. Smith deleted each of his Facebook profile and the entire website of Connecting Rainbows, the former which Mr. Smith refused, and the latter over which Mr. Smith has no control. Connecting Rainbows is a democratic collective of LGBTQ activists and allies, with no hierarchy.
To read more about the incident, please read Mr. Smith’s own description of the events on Connecting Rainbows website.
Connecting Rainbows is outraged by this discriminatory treatment and has launched a parody campaign that lampoons Taco Bell for its apparent bigotry.
To spread word of the injustice that Mr. Smith has suffered, members of Connecting Rainbows launched a petition on Change.org, to publicise Mr. Smith’s plight.
Connecting Rainbows demands that :
Connecting Rainbows also demands legislative remedies :
Connecting Rainbows is a group of active people organizing civil rights walks and other actions in America. The group’s mission is to create a mass movement, demanding full civil rights for LGBT Americans. Connecting Rainbows uses the power of a social media platform, where people create online profiles, meet others, plan events, join groups, blog, and participate in online forums.
Visit : http://connectingrainbows.ning.com/ or http://www.bigotbell.com/
Was ''Marriage Equality'' just another fairy tale ''promise'' by Candidate Andrew Cuomo to be faithful to the LGBTQ community -- the way straight people recite their wedding vows to one another, nowadays, only to father babies with their maids ?
Because of campaign promises, everybody has been expecting New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to use his political capital to lobby for the passage of a marriage equality law by the New York state legislature.
The reality is that, now, marriage equality activists are losing patience with Gov. Cuomo, because he seems to be backpedalling. Over two months ago, Gov. Cuomo ''vowed'' to make a personal ''push'' for a marriage equality law.
Gov. Cuomo's marriage proposal was met with a resounding, ''Yes,'' because, for this engagement, he got down on one knee and opened a little velvet box : ''Mr. Cuomo’s commitment to using his political savvy and muscle could give advocates something they had long lacked: a unifying, persuasive leader who understands the wiles and ways of Albany,'' reported The New York Times.
But since making his proposal in March, LGBTQ New Yorkers have been left standing at the alter, waiting for Gov. Cuomo to show up at our wedding.
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club - Queer Rising - Marriage Equality Press Release - Gov. Cuomo
Under the weight of heavy social opression that suffocates all LGBTQ New Yorkers -- including closeted gay legislators such as Sen. Carl Kruger, who is now facing corruption charges -- now come LGBT affinity groups such as the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and Queer Rising to demand that Gov. Cuomo read up on wedding etiquette.
Another LGBT civil rights group, Connecting Rainbows, has already turned up the pressure on key ''NO'' vote senators, such as Sen. Shirley Huntley, who claims she is ''inbetween'' on equality.
In the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., :
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
(See also Andy Humm's poignant letter to the editor of The New York Times, which was reprinted by Michael Musto in The Village Voice.)
When Gov. Cuomo first made public his wedding announcement, LGBTQ New Yorkers celebrated, as if the trip down the isle was going to be imminent. Haven't we been invited to a similar fairy tale wedding before ? The wedding song that keeps getting played over and over is Stephen Sonheim's ''(Not) Getting Married Today'' from the musical, Company.
When are we going to hear Felix Mendelssohn's ''Wedding March'' from A Midsummer Night's Dream ?
Senator Shirley Huntley Marched in Selma and Didn't Learn a Thing : Epic YouTube Video of Daring Protest in Jamaica, Queens, in Support of Marriage Equality
At noon on Wednesday, LGBTQ activists demonstrated in front and visited the office of Queens Senator Shirley Huntely in Jamaica Queens calling upon her to be a champion for full civil rights, including marriage equality for LGBTQ Americans.
Protesters unfurled a 20' banner that stated, "Sen. Shirley Huntley Marched in Selma and Didn't Learn a Thing," while blaring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, giving her a much needed wake-up call.
In 2009, Senator Huntely voted "No" on the marriage equality bill, which would grant same-sex couples the same 1,324 legal protections that opposite-sex couples already have. When asked the reason for her vote, she explained that she was speaking on behalf of her constituency in district 10.
This protest was organised by members of Connecting Rainbows.
Join us for an LGBT civil rights walk that is being organised by Connecting Rainbows. The walk will take place on April 24 during the 2011 Easter Parade in New York City. We need your help to create a mass movement to legally recognise LGBT civil rights.
Create profiles, form and join groups, and plan LGBT civil rights actions at our social media site at : Connecting Rainbows.
You are invited to register to participate in the LGBT civil rights demonstration that is being planned by Connecting Rainbows to take place on April 24 during the 2011 Easter Parade in New York City. We need your help to create a mass movement to legally recognise LGBT civil rights.
