Today’s Ammianoliner:
Tony and Tina’s Wedding, San Francisco style. Madonna Mia.
(From the home telephone answering machine of Sup. Tom Ammiano on Wednesday, June 18, 2008) B3
SFBG Blogs
I’m a highway star
By Dona Bridges
From Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof, the last great car movie
June is here at last, and the door to summer is swinging on its green hinges—we may even get one of those fabled, rare warm nights tonight. Last night I saw some girls optimistically wearing shorts and flip-flops after the sun went down and the temperature plunged, but I figured they were from England, like the guy who mythologized those almost non-existent “Warm San Franciscan Nights.” Or maybe they’re hot blooded, check it and see. Who knows?
Usually, I’m happy to stay in my fair city during the month of June even if I can sometimes still see my breath at night. We have summer sunshine all day long; we have gorgeous parks in which to sip (or chug) rose and High Life; and we have Pride, which I’m sure is going to be even more off the hook than usual due to righteous gay marriage hoopla.
This June, however, I’m going to make like a tree and get out of here.
SPORTS: Ron Hunt, baseball’s pincushion, reveals his secrets
By A.J. Hayes
If anyone can relate to John Mellencamp’s hit “Hurts So Good,” it’s former San Francisco Giants second baseman Ron Hunt.
While some batters hit for power and others hit for average. Hunt just got hit. And hit. And hit. And hit.
During his dozen seasons National League career with the Mets, Giants, Expos and Cardinals, Hunt was tattooed by an incredible 243 pitches.
He was nailed by future Hall of Famers such as Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Jim Bunning, as well as journeyman such as Mike Garman, Don Wilson and Bob Priddy.
No matter the hurler’s pedigree, Hunt said the thrown baseballs hurt all the same.
And on just about all of them Hunt had to suppress a grin as he hobbled to first base.
“Heck, getting plunked kept me in the big leagues for 12 seasons,” Hunt, now 67, said at a recent reunion of Giants infielders “I didn’t mind it one bit.”
Obama contingent can’t campaign at Pride
By Mara Math
An official contingent of Barack Obama supporters will be marching in the Pride Parade next weekend — but they’ve been told not to wear campaign buttons or t-shirts and not to carry campaign signs.
An internal email from Rebecca Prozan, a member of Obama’s national LGBT leadership committee, went out June 15th asking participants in the Obama contingent at this year’s parade to “refrain from wearing campaign-related materials in the march . . . to make sure the parade does not lose funds as a result of our participation.”
That surprised a lot of activists: The parade has always had its share of political campaigns. And some worried that the Obama camp, which has so far refused to support same-sex marriage, wanted to keep its distance from the community.
But the decision actually came from the Pride Foundation, which runs the parade. Pride argues that allowing direct promotion of one particular candidate would interfere with the group’s tax-exempt status and would violate the conditions of a $77,000 annual grant from Grants for the Arts, which administers the city’s hotel tax funds. And because of the group’s tax-exempt status,
In fact, Brendan Behan, Pride’s community mobilization specialist, told us that “Obama contingent participants can wear T-shirts of Obama as a senator from Illinois, but not as a presidential candidate.”
As a nonprofit education group with a 501 c tax exemption, Pride can spend a tiny fraction of its budget on lobbying or campaigning. The city’s rules also prohibit allowing unequal access to any one party or lobbying group.
It’s hard to make the unequal-access point stick, since queer supporters of John McCain could also march in the parade. But Pride Executive Director Lindsey Jones put it this way: “They have equal access to not campaign.”
Jones, who has been at the helm for five years, told us she didn’t recall any active campaigning at the parade. “We only have four years of notes in our records,” she said. “Maybe it’s happened in the past, but we’re all fallible.”
Sup. Tom Ammiano told us that the rules have been in place for years, but people have always found ways around them. “The first time I ran for School Board, we’d made a big school bus and they told us we couldn’t use it because I was a candidate,” he said. “So we made a big fuss and in the end the put us last in the parade.”
In other years, he said, “supporters of a candidate can just march along on the sidewalk. And sometimes they slip in and join you, and it’s not a big deal.”
Attorney Randy Shaw, founder of the nonprofit Tenderloin Housing Clinic, told us he thinks Pride’s stance is misinterpretation of the law: “Clearly, no public funds can go toward sponsoring a political activity. But funds are sponsoring security, bathrooms, publicity, insurance etc.— participants are not being “subsidized.”
In fact, he said, “event organizers have no ability to enforce such a restriction, so it clearly is not covered by city restrictions on the use of public funds.”
Jones disagrees: “When the Obama campaign questioned our guidelines, it was the first time we’d had a significant challenge to those guidelines, so I had people doing research, and the City Attorney affirmed our interpretation.”
“There’s a difference between having a standard guideline that we inform people about, and it’s another whether we follow it,” Jones was quick to add. “It’s not an expectation of Grants for the Arts that we have an entire enforcement squad.”
Prozan has a similar view. “If someone shows up to march in an Obama ’08 shirt,” she told us, “I’m not going to tell them to take it off unless they’re sweating.”
“To me it’s an issue of freedom of speech, what some people would call a Constitutional issue,” says activist Tommi Avicolli Mecca, an original member of Gay Liberation and a queer activist for almost four decades. “This is really discouraging coming from a community that in the past has itself been the victim of attempts to restrict its freedom of speech. Is $77,000 worth selling out for?”
To the question of whether the gain is worth the strain, Jones responds, “It’s the responsibility of the community to make the changes they want to see.” The Parade is 38 years old, she notes, and began as a gathering of 200 people; today, thanks to community demand, it has 20 stages and more than three-quarters of a million attendees.
The Parade has only had Grants for the Arts funding for 10 years. “If we come to feel that we need to forego that $77,000–that’s how Pride changes. Every conversation we have, including this interview, changes Pride.”
She urged those interested to “Pick up the phone and call me.”
You can also email her at info@sfpride.org
Humanize humanity! Theatre of the Oppressed workshop
A two-day Theatre of the Oppressed workshop is coming to the Bay Area in July. It’s open to anyone interested in learning how to use theatre as a way to get people to understand and care about social, environmental, and political justice issues. It’s been used in prisons, schools, war zones, rural villages, and urban streets. Founded in 1970 in Brazil by Augusto Boal, it’s now an international movement. There’s a short but sweet history of it here.
In short, it’s pretty frickin’ cool.
Details and how to apply in the jump.
Jonathan Richman makes out on his multiple-night stand in the Mission
Baby, you’re a Richman: Jonathan Richman back in the ’70s.
By Laura Mojonnier
One gets the sense that Jonathan Richman spends a lot of time alone in his room – staring at that telephone that never rings, practicing his Angus Young-style leg kicks, and listening to French lessons on tape. When he does get out of the house, his favorite activity is touring with longtime drummer Tommy Larkins, with whom he’ll play the last shows of a four-night stint at the Make Out Room tonight through Thursday.
From his days as a teenage Velvet Underground fan-turned-Modern Lover to his middle-aged flirtations with Spanish guitar and Romance languages, Richman has been a hero to suburban loners for more than 30 years. He documents his chronically broken heart and his love of painters like Vermeer and Van Gogh with geeky charisma and rare candor, revealing a self-effacing wit that somehow remains totally unironic. This is the guy who once sang, “I go to bakeries all day long / There’s a lack of sweetness in my life,” after all.
Richman was in top form last night at the Make-Out Room. The venue’s intimate atmosphere paired with a stripped-down setup – just Richman on acoustic guitar and Larkins on drums, peppered by the occasional cowbell solo – played to the songwriter’s strengths as a performer. His always-amusing lyrics (did he really just encourage us to “behold the lilies of the field” three times?) and legendary stage banter were supremely audible, even when they weren’t in English.
Towards Carfree Cities: “We’re not doing enough”
Steven T. Jones reports from the Towards Carfree Cities conference in Portland
“We’re not doing enough,” Gil Peñalosa told the Towards Carfree Cities conference during his keynote speech yesterday. Cities are facing multiple crises connected to over-reliance on the automobile – declining public health, environmental degradation, resource depletion, loss of community, not enough space in U.S. cities to handle the 100 million people they’ll need to accommodate in the next 35 years – and most are responding with baby steps that deny the scope of the challenge our species in facing.
Peñalosa is sort of a rock star among the carfree set. After spearheading the transformation of his native Bogota, Columbia into a healthy, forward-thinking community by overhauling parks and roadways and pioneering the carfree “Ciclovia” concept that San Francisco is now adopting, Peñalosa took to the international stage, serving as executive director of Walk and Bike for Life and working closely with pioneering urban design firms such as Gehl Architects.
Unlike many European cities that have aggressively moved beyond automobile-centered development models, Peñalosa said no U.S. city has demonstrated the political will to make carfree living a realistic option for all their citizens, particularly the very young and very old. He congratulated Portland for recently receiving the top-tier platinum designation for bicycle friendly cities from the League of American Bicyclists.
That’s very good, but he noted that it’s tough to go from good to great, which is what needs to happen now if we’re to slow global warming, reverse obesity trends, and prevent soul-sapping gridlock in our cities. “The reality is Portland is far from being great,” Peñalosa said. “You are only good. You’re far from being great.” He also commended New York City for announcing just a day earlier that much of Manhatten will be carfree for three days this summer. But again, good, not great.
San Francisco, by the way, is a tier below Portland’s platinum with a ranking of gold. Sure, we’re doing a Ciclovia for three days this August and talking about a congestion pricing fee for driving downtown (something New York City recently tried and failed to implement). But compared to cities such as Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Vancouver, Barcelona, and Melbourne – where well over half of all trips are taken by foot, transit or bicycle and the populations are far healthier – San Francisco, New York City, and Portland are living in the last century. He said it’s time for the best U.S. cities to start playing at the level of their international counterparts.
“That’s where Portland belongs and that’s the challenge,” Peñalosa said. “Under existing conditions, we have to make major leaps instead of baby steps.”
Quickies: Fast reviews of Frameline fest films
Still from The Lost Coast
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
The Lost Coast (Gabriel Fleming, US, 2008) Writer-director Fleming recorded location sound for Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy (2006), and all that time spent in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains must have rubbed off on him. His sophomore film is also steeped in a fog-kissed poetic naturalism, and it gives as much screen time to California’s rugged coastline — and its urban approximation in Golden Gate Park — as it does to the pair of longtime male friends at its center. Old Joy’s homosocial hiking retreat is swapped for a listless Halloween all-nighter, after which Jasper and Mark must confront the lingering memory of a high school tryst. Ian Scott McGregor and Lucas Alifano’s fine performances give this brief feature’s familiar premise unexpected emotional weight. (Matt Sussman)
10 p.m., Victoria
Saturn in Opposition (Ferzan Ozpetek, Italy, 2007) Keats’ epitaph “Here lies one whose name was writ in water” could just as well apply to Lorenzo, the handsome, successful sun around which orbit a fractious but loving circle of forty-something friends in Ferzan Ozpetek’s anticipated return to Frameline. Ozpetek (Steam, 1995) takes his time introducing Lorenzo’s makeshift family of ex-lovers, coworkers, yakhnes and admirers — each beautifully acted — before the character suffers a freak stroke. The sudden tragedy causes the group to reevaluate the forces that undermined and sustained their relationship with Lorenzo — and with each other — as they struggle to confront their grief. Ozpetek has crafted an unassuming but deft ensemble drama that earns every hanky it calls for. (Sussman)
9:15 p.m., Castro
Sonic Reducer Overage: RTX, RZA, Liz Phair, and more
Imaad Wasif waxes “Oceanic.”
Oh, Ess-eff, as if you ever stop unfurling the good times. Here’s a few more worthy shows that didn’t make it into print.
RTX and Imaad Wasif
Rasp-rock pied piper Jennifer Herrema lopes into town with RaTX (Drag City), alongside Imaad Wasif and his new combo, Two Part Beast, who’ll doubtless charm with his excellent, self-released Strange Hexes. With Bridez. Fri/20, 9:30 p.m., $10. Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, SF. (415) 923-0923
Sir Lord Von Raven
Times Flys meets Gris Gris for off-the-cuff rock in this new combo. With Apache and Toko-Ri Get High. Fri/20, 9:30 p.m., call for price. Knockout, 3223 Mission, SF. (415) 550-6994.
RZA
Backed by a live band, Bobby Digital give us a taste of Digi Snacks (Koch). With Stone Mecca, Zeph and Azeem, and Ben Flowz. Sat/21, 8 p.m., $30. 1015, 1015 Folsom, SF. www.1015.com
Same-Sex Weddings: A Love Story
Spencer Jones and Tyler Barrick, newly wed, June 17, 2008.
It’s their stories that bring you to tears, stories of love, commitment and a desire to wed that would all be very ordinary, except that these people are entering into state sanctioned same-sex marriages for the very first time. (For many more pictures and stories, visit our Guardian’s SF blog.)
“Amazing” says a youthful Tyler Barrick. “Overwhelming,” says the equally youthful Spencer Jones, as they emerge from the cool marble of San Francisco City Hall into the bright light of noon, June 17, 2008, as husband and husband for the very first time.
“This is our first, and hopefully, only attempt we’re going to make at marriage,” Jones says.
Inside City Hall, an immaculately dressed Paul Stevens and Ron Weaver are preparing to wed for the second time. Their first time occured February 13, 2004, when a newly sworn in Mayor Gavin Newsom decided to conduct same sex marriages at City Hall, stunning an entire nation and delighting its gay and lesbian communities.
Stevens and Weaver meet some of the running dogs of the media, inside City Hall
“We heard about it coming into work and we got married in our work clothes,” Weaver laughs, recalling that first happy wedding day.
In a relationship with Stevens for 17 years, Weaver also recalls becoming really depressed when their first marriage was nullified, on August 12, 2004, six months after their first fantastically spontaneous wedding day.
“I laid around for several days, I felt society had let me down, I took it very personally, I felt I was not good enough in their eyes,” Weaver says.
“I was surprised at my reaction to that first wedding,” Weaver adds. “I felt like a different person, so complete. I didn’t know that would happen , so when it was taken away from me, I felt as if the whole country was against me.”
Sharon Papo and Amber Weiss seal their marriage with a kiss.
Same-sex marriage: Supreme Court’s big “F- You”
The remarkable logic behind the historic legal decision
By Melissa Griffin of sweetmelissa.typepad.com. For more same-sex marriage photos, stories, and coverage than you can shake a lesbian stick at, visit our Guardian’s SF blog.
Photo by Charles Russo
I am positively giddy! As of yesterday at 5 p.m., the California State Supreme Court’s May 15th same-sex marriage ruling took effect. The County Clerk’s office began issuing marriage licenses at 5:01 p.m.
In this post, I’ma try to give you the basic reasoning in the ruling (which is here: Download supreme_court_opinion.pdf). Obviously, squeezing the 121-page ruling into a three-page word document necessitated leaving out a number of nuances. Specifically, I’ve tried to give you the affirmative reasoning here and will follow-up with a second piece on how the Court shot down the arguments against gay marriage.
As I walked to City Hall from the BART station yesterday to witness this marvelous moment, the first sign I saw was a large yelIow one that read “Recriminalize Sodomy.” And I had to chuckle because these folks had clearly not read the decision.
See, the California State Supreme Court’s decision contains a Technicolor “Eff You” that beats any chant or hiss I could muster. Not only did the Court summarily reject the notion that heterosexuals would be harmed by extending to gay people the right to marry, it also made quick work of the defendants’ argument that “tradition” is somehow a rational justification for preserving heterosexual marriage.
Thanks to prior civil rights movements, court cases are rife with precedent for change in the traditional way things have been done. (Women being afforded the right to serve on juries, for example.) One chant aimed at the religious folks holding anti-gay signs on steps of City Hall could have been written by the justices themselves:
“Racist, sexist, anti-gay; fascist Christians go away!”
Hitting up West Indian Girl
By Josh Rotter
Los Angeles space-rock outfit West Indian Girl captures – with their sunny sound and meditative lyrics — the duality of their alternately glitzy and gritty city, sandwiched between serene beaches and skid row. It’s an easy, breezy beautiful oasis for some – a boulevard of broken dreams for others. But West Indian Girl’s story begins in early-’90s Detroit, with the meeting of bassist Francis Ten and vocalist-guitarist Robert James. Moving westward, the two eventually signed with Astralwerks, adding vocalist and percussionist Mariqueen Maandig, drummer Mark Lewis, and later, keyboardists Nathan Van Hala and Amy White.
After the 2004 release of their self-titled debut and remix EP, West Indian Girl moved to Milan Records for their sophomore disc, 4th & Wall (2007), named for the unsavory downtown intersection that is home to their current recording studio. But it’s the entire LA landscape that intrigues this band on their latest album, evinced by both the memorable sand and surf-set pop track “Blue Wave,” and the more dire, downtown rocker “To Die in LA.” If beach living symbolizes success in the music capital, downtown’s homelessness – only a 30-minute drive away – hints at the greater potential for failure.
With a headlining gig as part of the LA Invasion tour at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, June 19, West Indian Girl co-founder Francis Ten took an hour and 10 to talk about the band’s upcoming performance, their latest album, and the immense difficulties of making it in today’s music climate.
Local Artist of the Week: Julie Chang
LOCAL ARTIST Julie Chang
TITLE Riding Home
THE STORY This is part of a series of 10 paintings interpreting the early Buddhist “Ox-Herding Pictures” describing the path to enlightenment. While the first depictions can be traced to the 12th-century Chinese zen master Kuoan Shiyuan, Chang’s translation is rooted in her experience as a first generation Chinese American growing up in Orange County. Recycled imagery — from family photos, textile designs, pop culture, and logos on Chinese takeout bags — forms the basis for much of the work.
BIO Julie Chang received her MFA from Stanford in 2007 and is currently an artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts.
SHOW “Summer Reading: Artists Interpret Literature.” Thurs/21 through August 9; Tues.–Sat., 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Hosfelt Gallery SF, 430 Clementina, SF. (415) 495-5454. Solo show at Hosfelt Gallery in New York in April 2009. www.hosfeltgallery.com
WEB SITE www. juliewchang.com
More day 2 pics: Fierce gay wedding bells aflame
Guardian photographer Charles Russo reports from City Hall.
Amber Weiss and Sharon Papo of Berkeley make their way to City Hall’s rotunda for their marriage ceremony.
After being together for 25 years, Tom Poon (left) and John Srinka celebrate as legal spouses.
Vanessa Angeles (left) and Michelle Julaton show off their marriage certificate.
Sunshine Task Force shoe-in shot down
Chalk this one up in the “take nothing for granted” category.
The Board of Supervisors at today’s meeting gave an empty seat on the Sunshine Task Force to James Knoebber, rather than David Waggoner — the candidate recommended by Rules Committee. The switch came from Sup. Sean Elsbernd, who happens to be sitting on the opposite side of the courtroom as Waggoner in a case currently before the Ethics Commission.
Yet, there was no discussion about the amendment from Elsbernd to vote in Knoebber over Waggoner. The supes voted 9-1 in favor of Knoebber, ignoring the recommendation from the Rules Committee.
As one witness told us, “Nobody said anything except Elsbernd. They just voted. It smacked of an insider deal. The proper thing to do would be to send it back to Rules.”
On May 15, the Rules Committee (comprised of Ammiano, Dufty, and Daly) recommended Waggoner to the seat — an attorney with experience using the Sunshine Ordinance and who other task force members had looked forward to working with.
Waggoner expressed some shock at the news. “I don’t really know the back story yet. I don’t know why the supervisors changed their votes,” he told us. “At the Rule Committee, the conversation was about former chair Doug Comstock [the incumbent for the seat] and myself. They barely discussed the other candidate.”
“Supervisor Daly in particular mentioned I was very well qualified,” he recalled.
Daly is apparently the only one that stuck to his guns and was the lone dissent on the vote (though Maxwell was out of the room.)
A call of Ammiano on why he changed his vote has not been returned.
But here’s the back story:
CFAC: Opening up China’s Great Firewall
By Bruce B. Brugmann
The California First Amendment Coalition (CFAC), a free press advocacy group, is testifying before a congressional commission in Washington on Wednesday, June 18, on the Chinese government’s system of internet censorship.
The testimony by Gilbert Kaplan, a free trade
law expert in Washington, is a key part of CFAC’s campaign contesting China’s censorship of many U.S.-based and other western websites that are deemed offensive by Chinese government censors. Here is CFAC’s press release explaining the campaign and the issue:
Continue reading for press release.
Homonuptial stories: Persian sugar cones, matching fedoras, and princess bouquets
Janna Brancolini reports from City Hall
Photo by Ariel Soto
At 3 pm, everyone in the City Hall rotunda erupted into cheers as two women in beautiful white gowns walked down the grand stairway.
I glanced over at a nearby sign, “Quiet Please. Business of the City and County of San Francisco is in progress,” which was being thoroughly ignored despite its strategic location.
Cameras flashed as the two women pumped their brightly colored bouquets in the air, grinning and cheering like excited kids at a birthday party.
String music floated through the air, and the hall’s echoing acoustics made it difficult to determine which direction it was coming from. I later identified the lone violinist on the second floor balcony, who was creating enough sound to be heard from everywhere in the room.
The women in white, like every other couple getting married today, were greeted with cupcakes, congratulations, and camera companies, in addition to the applause.
The marriage stations, unceremoniously identified with folding plywood chairs and “Ceremony Location X” printed on plain white paper, seemed to all be on the second floor.
2 cute. Photo by Charles Russo
Although the sites of the ceremonies were less than impressive, they afforded an incredible view and an attention-grabbing exit. Every couple had to descend the great stone steps.
During their descents, the couples were backlit by a small dome, stone carvings, and arches. Cherubic stone carvings in the walls decorated the scene, and the third-story windows leaked natural light into the room. The scene kept reminding me of a fairy tale wedding, as the princess gracefully leaves the balcony and walks down the stairs with all eyes on her.
City Hall day 2 pics: Love reigns supreme
Guardian photog Ariel Soto reports from City Hall
About every five minutes the air was filled with the sounds of cheering and applause as newly-wed couples made their way down the huge marble steps of San Francisco’s City Hall. Cupcakes were handed out, there was music and so many flashing bulbs that I think everyone felt like a celebrity. Love reigns supreme!
Homonuptial stories: Cupcakes and a chuppa for same-sex newlyweds
Maria Denzio reports from City Hall
Along with cheering demonstrators waving signs and banners of encouragement for the same-sex couples emerging from City Hall this morning were representatives of some local churches – religious leaders of various faiths, all showing their support in ways just as diverse.
The Unitarian Universalist Church delegation brought more than 200 celebratory cupcakes for couples and wedding party members. Members of the non-denominational Universal Life Church handed out flyers with scheduling information for wedding ceremonies.
Cupcakes! Photo by Ariel Soto
And for Jewish couples, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav was on hand with a chuppah, under which pictures were taken amidst much singing and cheering. “It’s a symbol of sanctity over the covenant of marriage,” said congregation member Chayarivka Mayerson, who held one of the canopy’s four supporting poles. The Ketubah was also present for couples to sign as a symbol of the marriage bond. “Anyone who supports the marriage signs it,” said Mayerson.
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav expects to see a bounty of marriage ceremonies performed in the coming weeks, according to Rabbinical Student Intern Rubin Zellman. “A lot of our members are using this window of opportunity to get married before November,” he said. But ceremonies are not limited to members of the congregation. Sha’ar Zahav, which has performed same-sex marriages for 30 years, is opening its doors to all Jewish couples, including ones from a sister congregation in New York. (If you want to make an appointment, you can call them at 861-6932.)
Mayerson’s brother will be marrying his partner next week. “I’m so excited,” she said. “Now my family is legitimate.”
Homonuptial stories: Marc and Charles
Maria Dinzeo reports from City Hall on some of the same-sex couples getting married today.
Marc Benson and Charles Sullivan descended the City Hall steps this morning amidst a thunder of applause and a flurry of flags and signs, one of which read, “It’s a Nice Day for Gay Wedding.” For this pair of high-school sweethearts, nothing could be more true. Although the two have been together 27 years, it wasn’t until today that a decision from California’s Supreme Court allowed them to formalize their commitment with a marriage ceremony.
Benson and Sullivan grew up together in Long Island, New York, and attended the same grammar and high schools, but did not become a couple until Benson went off to college. There, Benson befriended “a very persuasive lesbian” named Maxine. “She threatened me with bodily harm if I didn’t tell Charles how I felt about him,” said Benson.
The two married in 2004, when Gavin Newsom defied California law by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but as with all same-sex marriages performed at that time, it was voided in August 2004 by the state Supreme Court. “It bothers me that so many have tried to defeat this,” said Benson.
Sullivan said they registered for their marriage license online a month ago, as soon as they heard the court’s ruling. “I work for the city attorney who has been arguing this case, so I’ve been following it closely,” he said.
In spite of their many years together, Benson and Sullivan have had little difficulty maintaining the spark in their relationship. “I’ve never really stopped to think about why our relationship works so well,” said Benson. “Charles is very tolerant and patient with me. He lets me do anything I want.”
Though the two have no immediate plans to adopt children (their hectic work schedules prevent them), they plan to celebrate their nuptials with a party in October and a honeymoon in Patagonia.
Same-sex marriage: Supreme Court’s big “F- You”
The remarkable logic behind the historic legal decision
By Melissa Griffin of sweetmelissa.typepad.com
Photo by Charles Russo
I am positively giddy! As of yesterday at 5 p.m., the California State Supreme Court’s May 15th same-sex marriage ruling took effect. The County Clerk’s office began issuing marriage licenses at 5:01 p.m.
In this post, I’ma try to give you the basic reasoning in the ruling (which is here: Download supreme_court_opinion.pdf). Obviously, squeezing the 121-page ruling into a three-page word document necessitated leaving out a number of nuances. Specifically, I’ve tried to give you the affirmative reasoning here and will follow-up with a second piece on how the Court shot down the arguments against gay marriage.
As I walked to City Hall from the BART station yesterday to witness this marvelous moment, the first sign I saw was a large yelIow one that read “Recriminalize Sodomy.” And I had to chuckle because these folks had clearly not read the decision.
See, the California State Supreme Court’s decision contains a Technicolor “Eff You” that beats any chant or hiss I could muster. Not only did the Court summarily reject the notion that heterosexuals would be harmed by extending to gay people the right to marry, it also made quick work of the defendants’ argument that “tradition” is somehow a rational justification for preserving heterosexual marriage.
Thanks to prior civil rights movements, court cases are rife with precedent for change in the traditional way things have been done. (Women being afforded the right to serve on juries, for example.) One chant aimed at the religious folks holding anti-gay signs on steps of City Hall could have been written by the justices themselves:
“Racist, sexist, anti-gay; fascist Christians go away!”
Homonuptials: Roiling crowds on Day 1 — pics
Guardian photog Charles Russo shot the crowd outside City Hall yesterday.
A newlywed prelude to Tuesday’s wedding mania?
Though fairly small in number, the anti-gay marriage sect was highly visible Monday evening as several hundred gathered outside of San Francisco’s City Hall.
San Franciscan Jana Barber (“I’m here to support love”) gives an earful to Bill Hampsmire (“Perverts Repent”) of Christians for God — um, what else would they be for? — outside of City Hall on Monday evening.
Towards Carfree: Depaving Day
Steven T. Jones reports from the Towards Carfree Cities conference.
San Francisco architect David Baker depaves.
Depaving Day opened the Towards Carfree Cities conference here in Portland yesterday. One might call it a soft opening, given today’s kickoff speakers, if not for the hard work involved. With pry bars and shovels they tore up the pre-sectioned asphalt, turning a paved lot along the Williams Avenue bike route in North Portland into the precursor of a community garden.
Why? Because “asphalt is ugly,” Cassandra Griffith with the nonprofit Depave.org told the crowd, most of whom had already signed the waivers to volunteer in the transformation. “Besides being ugly, it’s not super eco-friendly.”
Indeed, she said the soil, fruit trees, and cover crops to come will help absorb the stormwater for both that property and a few of its neighbors. This is the first project for this depaving group, a genre within the larger carfree community here in Portland, but Gritth said, “We want to do a few demonstration projects and then we want to encourage everyone to do it at home.”
One of the depaving workers who calls San Francisco “home,” architect David Baker, was bleeding from the shin but still hauling wheelbarrows full of busted pavement to the bin. “It’s a good thing to do and a great way to kickoff the conference,” he told me.
Later, he was part of the group that had lunch back at my place for the week, the White Eagle Café, Saloon, and Hotel, before taking off on an afternoon bicycle adventure that took us on a tour of more depaved spots – after tending to a bloody victim of clash between bicycling and Portland’s extensive rail system.