random quotes ... to amuse, inspire, enrage:
The fact that nobody seems to know what's going on with telecommunications deregulation seems to me to play right into the hands of the few big companies that are looking to run all our media. Ironically, this concentration of control is coming at a time when we're told that soon there will be 500 stations available on our TVs -- 500 stations, yes, but one train of thought. Eventually, both co-hosts on debate shows like 'Crossfire' will come from the right. In the first five minutes of the show, they'll join in heated agreement that it's the kids today -- especially the toddlers -- who are ruining everything. Since that's finally settled, they'll show an Arnold Schwarzenegger film for the rest of the half-hour. I don't know about you, but my TV doesn't exactly carry a dazzling variety of programming now. Have you flipped through the channels at 2 p.m.? That's when the Sally Jessy Ricki Montel Oprah show comes on almost every channel.
tagged: telecommunications deregulation, Telecommunications Reform Act, media, media ownership, media consolidation
—Paula Poundstone, "What's the Big Secret: The Poundstone Report," Mother Jones v. 20.
Friday, May 16th, 2008
Two things annoyed me in the last 24 hours. Well, two media things. First, this morning in an article about same-sex marriage in the NYT, there was utter stupid cluelessness that led me to conclude the article must have been written by a straight person. And indeed, But then I just looked at the byline [...]
Tagged
media,
Adam Nagourney, affirmative action, election 2004, gay marriage, McCain, media criticism, NYT, same-sex marriage, SSM, white men.
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1,982 views |
7 Comments »
Friday, May 16th, 2008
Well, I loved the California same-sex marriage decision. Not just because it granted same-sex marriage, and not just because it said that the state needs to use the same term to refer to same-sex and opposite-sex unions, but because it significantly expanded Equal Protection jurisprudence. For the non-law-geeks out there, federal and state constitutional guarantees [...]
Tagged
law, queer,
California, equal protection, gay marriage, jurisprudence, litigation, same-sex marriage, SSM.
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2,325 views |
2 Comments »
Friday, August 10th, 2007
In last night’s Democratic candidate debate about The Gays, Clinton explained that she’s not anti-gay marriage: “I prefer to think of it as being very positive about civil unions.” As Michele (my Massachusetts spouse) said: “If she’s so positive, why doesn’t *she* get one.”
Tagged
politics, queer,
civil unions, Clinton, commentary, election 2008, gay marriage, government, marriage, queer, same-sex marriage, SSM.
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837 views |
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Wednesday, October 25th, 2006
The NJ Supreme Court is releasing its SSM decision today @ 3pm. [available at NJSC website] Will they help us out but energize the Republicans and lead to queers being blamed if the Dems don’t take the House or Senate? or will they fuck us over leaving everyone, but us, happy? (And if I’m writing [...]
Tagged
queer,
commentary, gay marriage, litigation, marriage, New Jersey, politics, queer, SSM.
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995 views |
2 Comments »
Thursday, July 6th, 2006
NY’s Court of Appeals just handed down its no-same-sex-marriage decision, holding that denying marriage licenses on the basis of gender to same-sex partners does not violate New York’s Constitution. In my opinion, this is a big setback for equal protection and individual autonomy. We had a certain momentum going forward in terms of courts accepting [...]
Tagged
Q-notes,
commentary, equal protection, gay marriage, litigation, marriage, New York, queer, SSM.
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1,946 views |
2 Comments »
Friday, June 9th, 2006
* Alas (a blog) has deemed Father’s Day “queer sex day” for very good reasons. * Jon Stewart points out the obvious to Bill Bennett’s proffered state rationale for recognizing only male-female marriages: Divorce doesn’t occur because 50% of marriages end in gayness. * New York’s highest court (the confusingly named “Court of Appeals”) heard [...]
Tagged
blinks, queer,
divorce, gay marriage, Jon Stewart, litigation, marriage, queer, quotes, same-sex marriage, SSM.
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948 views |
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Thursday, March 30th, 2006
The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts finally issued its ruling on out-of-state residents marrying in Massachusetts, upholding a previously moribund statute that had been dusted off especially for same-sex marriages. [nyt 3/30; Cote-Whiteacre v. Mass. Dept. of Public Health, SJC-09436 (Mass. SJC 2006/3/30)]
Tagged
blinks, law,
gay marriage, litigation, marriage, Massachusetts, queer, SSM.
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1,010 views |
1 Comment »
Monday, May 16th, 2005
on may 17th, it will have been a whole year since Mass. started providing same-sex marriage licenses, and i’m still waiting for the quick and appropriate heavenly response. maybe the very cold weather here in mass., which seems unseasonable to me, is the heavenly response? my same-sex semi-lawfully wed spouse & i will keep a [...]
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religion,
commentary, gay marriage, marriage, Massachusetts, queer, religion, SSM, unsmited.
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565 views |
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Thursday, December 9th, 2004
Canada’s Supreme Court has given its official advisory opinion re: same-sex marriage, basically giving the green light to federal legislation to authorize same-sex marriage nation-wide. The Yukon Territory and six of ten provinces have already struck down opposite-sex-only marriage requirements, allowing couples to marry regardless of gender. [cite - from ping] — News | canada.com [...]
Tagged
blinks,
Canada, gay marriage, litigation, marriage, queer, SSM.
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860 views |
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2004
god what a great state i come from. on nov 2 they — unbelievable — actually retained the state constitutional language mandating segregation. now this: MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A lawmaker seeking to ban gay marriages also wants to prohibit state money from being spent on any materials or programs that “recognize” or “promote” homosexuality. [...]
Tagged
freespeech,
Alabama, censorship, gay marriage, government, legislation, queer, SSM.
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784 views |
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Monday, November 29th, 2004
11/29 update: not surprising but the Supreme Court denied a cert petition to overturn the Mass marriage ruling. [cnn 11/29]
Tagged
law,
gay marriage, litigation, marriage, Massachusetts, queer, SSM.
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833 views |
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Monday, November 29th, 2004
The Christian Right and the Sanctity of Marriage As we all know, the Christian Right has now made defense of the institution of marriage, as defined as a union of a man and woman, not only its top political priority, but the very touchstone of Christian moral responsibility. I’ve always found this rather ironic, since [...]
Tagged
religion,
Christians, church-state separation, excerpta, gay marriage, hypocrisy, marriage, queer, religion, SSM.
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1,260 views |
3 Comments »
Wednesday, October 6th, 2004
Newfoundland, Canada: lawsuit launched for same-sex marriage [365gay.com 11/5] 2004-11-05: Saskatchewan legalized same-sex marriage, the 7th Canadian province to do so (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon Territory). Four of the plaintiff couples sought to get married in Saskatchewan and a fifth couple sought recognition of its British Columbian marriage. Oral [...]
Tagged
blinks, law, queer,
blinkographies, gay marriage, legislation, litigation, marriage, queer, same-sex marriage, SSM.
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1,128 views |
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