On the Liberal Front

+menu -


  • Category Archives Civil Rights

  • Suit Says Obama Can’t Run In Alaska Because He’s of the “Mulatto” Race

    Posted on by G 3 Comments

    A man from Juneau, Alaska, has filed suit with the state’s Division of Elections to bar President Obama from appearing on that state’s ballot on the basis that the President is a “Mulatto“, and “Before the [purported] ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, the race of ‘Negro‘ or ‘Mulatto‘ had no standing to be citizens of the United States under the United States Constitution,” according to the lawsuit.

    This is not a joke.

    According to a lawsuit filed February 21, 2012 by a Mr. Gordon Warren Epperly, who lists his address as a P.O. Box:

    Barack Hussein Obama II, Aka Barack Hussein Obama, Aka Barack H. Obama has the race status of being a “Mulatto.” Barack Obama’s father (Barack Hussein Obama I) was a full blood Negro being born Nyang’oma Kogelo, Nyanza Province, Kenya and raised in the Colony of Kenya. Barack Obama’s mother (Stanley Ann Dunham) was a white Caucasian woman being born in Wichita, Kansas on November 29, 1942 and raised in the state of Washington and in the State of Hawaii.

    Therefore:

    As stated above, for an Individual to be a Candidate for the Office of President of the United States, the Candidate must meet the qualifications set forth in the United States Constitution and one of those qualifications is that the Candidate shall be a “natural born Citizen” of the United States. As Barack Hussein Obama II is of the “Mulatto” race, his status of citizenship is founded upon the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Before the [purported] ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, the race of “Negro” or “Mulatto” had no standing to be citizens of the United States under the United States Constitution.

    View the entire complaint here. (PDF)

    This entry was posted in Barack Obama Civil Rights Conservatives Democratic News Elections Legal Republicans Bookmark the permalink

  • Ron Paul’s Views Finding Support Among White Nationalists

    Posted on by G Comment
    Ron Paul with white Supremacists Don and Derek Black
    Ron Paul with white Supremacists Don and Derek Black

    Ron Paul says he “wouldn’t be happy” with support from the white supremacists, survivalists and anti-Zionists who have rallied to his support, but he will not disavow their support, saying, “They’re endorsing what I do or say — it has nothing to do with endorsing what they say.”

    So Ron Paul will accept support from Neo-Nazis. He simply won’t endorse anthing they say, except, of course, that, for whatever reason, they support Ron Paul.

    From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

    The American Free Press, which markets books such as “The Invention of the Jewish People” and “March of the Titans: A History of the White Race,” is urging its subscribers to help it send hundreds of copies of Ron Paul’s collected speeches to voters in New Hampshire. The book, it promises, will “Help Dr. Ron Paul Win the GOP Nomination in 2012!”

    Don Black, the director of the white nationalist website Stormfront, said in an interview that dozens of his members were volunteering for Mr. Paul’s campaign, and a site forum titled “Why is Ron Paul such a favorite here?” has no fewer than 24 pages of comments.

    “I understand he wins many fans because his monetary policy would hurt Jews,” read one. Far right groups like the Militia of Montana say they are rooting for him as a stalwart against government tyranny.

    This entry was posted in Civil Rights Conservatives Constitution Ethics Evangelicals Race Religion Republicans Strange Violence Bookmark the permalink

  • ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ Repealed, And The President Says, “Thanks.”

    Posted on by G Comment
    President Barack Obama

    The following was sent from President Barack Obama after the United States Senate voted to repeal the infamous "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" and allow our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to serve in our military with a clean conscience, no longer forced to hide or lie.

    President Obama fulfills yet another campaign promise.

    From the President of the United States:

    Moments ago, the Senate voted to end "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell."

    When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.

    Gay and lesbian service members — brave Americans who enable our freedoms — will no longer have to hide who they are.

    The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.

    This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.

    Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.

    This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.

    Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.

    Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America’s letter?

    I will make sure these messages are delivered — you can also add a comment about what the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" means to you.

    As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.

    But this victory is also personal.

    I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.

    But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me — many I will never meet, and can never thank.

    I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.

    But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another — the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.

    Today, I’m proud that we took these fights on.

    Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" repeal possible:

    http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed

    Thank you,

    Barack

    I clicked and thanked Congress. Amen to that all day long.

    This entry was posted in America Barack Obama Civil Liberties Civil Rights Congress Constitution Democratic News Ethics GLBT Liberals Military Republicans White House Bookmark the permalink

  • ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Is Now History

    Posted on by G Comment

    This today from the United States Department of Defense:

    Openly gay men and lesbian women now can apply to join the military, Defense Department officials said today.

    The department issued guidance Oct. 15 to process paperwork for openly gay men or lesbian applicants. The instructions come from a California federal judge’s decision that the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law is unconstitutional.

    On Oct. 12, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips enjoined DOD “immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation or other proceeding that may have commenced under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Act or its implementing regulations.”

    Pentagon officials said the department will abide by the judge’s order, and that part of that compliance is allowing openly gay people to apply to join the military. But citing uncertainty over final disposition of the matter in the courts and on Capitol Hill, a DOD spokeswoman said potential applicants must be aware that the situation may change.

    “Recruiters are reminded to set the applicants’ expectations by informing them that a reversal in the court’s decision of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law/policy may occur,” Cynthia Smith said.

    Phillips said yesterday that she is leaning against granting the government’s request for a stay of her order. The Justice Department has indicated it will appeal her decision declaring the law unconstitutional to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

    The Defense Department wants a deliberative, long-range look at any changes in the law, said Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates set up a working group to examine the ramifications of a possible repeal of the law that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The group is scheduled to submit its report Dec. 1.

    “The review that is going on would look at all the far-ranging impacts of what changing the law would mean,” Lapan said.

    A long-range plan for changing the law would include a period of transition to conduct training, to ensure that everybody was informed about new policies and procedures, Lapan explained.

    “In the current environment with the stay, you don’t have the time to go through all these processes and make sure you determine what effect this has on housing, benefits, training on individuals across the board,” he said.

    The legislative remedy would allow that work to move forward, Lapan said, as the department would have “the chance to study the impacts, to get the input from the force and to make adjustments and changes before an abrupt change in the law occurs.”

    Lapan said it is too early to draw any conclusions about Phillips’ stay and what is happening in the force.

    “I would caution against conclusions made from just a few days of having a stay in place,” he said. “A repeal of the law will have far-reaching effects. Now we are sort of in a holding pattern on discharges and proceedings related to enforcing the current law.”

    Nod to ENEWSPF.

    This entry was posted in Barack Obama Civil Rights Democratic News GLBT John McCain Legal Liberals Military Philosophical Republicans White House Bookmark the permalink

  • NAACP Takes It Up A Notch Against Tea Party

    Posted on by G Comment

    The NAACP today stepped up it’s criticism of what the organization perceives as "racist acts of Tea Party protesters." In an email to members today, President and CEO of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization asked Americans to unify and "stop the racism."

    From Ben Jealous at the NAACP:

    We are not backing down.

    Yesterday, the NAACP passed a resolution condemning the racist acts of Tea Party protesters. The backlash from the Tea Party has been furious.

    But we are not an organization that shies away from controversy. The NAACP was founded on hope, not hate — and we will not stand idly by as racists work to divide our nation.

    Add your name to our pledge to unify America and stop the racism:

    http://action.naacp.org/PledgeToStopHate

    The NAACP does not have a problem with the Tea Party, nor its existence. We have a problem with their acceptance and their welcoming of prejudice into their organization.

    And in case there is any misunderstanding about what defines racism, let me be clear.

    In March, racial slurs were hurled at members of the Congressional Black Caucus as they passed by a Tea Party health care protest in Washington, DC. Missouri Representative Emanuel Cleaver was spat on. People at the rally held signs covered in bigotry.

    That is racism. That is racism filled with hate, ignorance and acts of violence. And we will not stand for it.

    We are calling on all Americans to stand for the values that have made our country the land of the free and the home of the brave. Sign the pledge now:

    http://action.naacp.org/PledgeToStopHate

    The past year has been one of major triumphs and major setbacks in the fight for racial equality. But we will not let bigotry silence us.

    We are one people. We are one nation. And we are all NAACP Americans.

    Thank you for your support,

    Ben Jealous
    President and CEO
    NAACP

    This entry was posted in America Civil Liberties Civil Rights Conservatives Ethics Liberals Race Bookmark the permalink

  • Federal Law Against Same-Sex Couples Ruled Unconstitutional

    Posted on by G Comment

    From our friends at the ACLU via ENEWSPF:

    In two related cases, a federal district court in Massachusetts has ruled that critical portions of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violate the federal Constitution. In striking down the section of the statute that bars federal legal protections to legally married same-sex couples, Judge Joseph Tauro found that the law violates states’ rights to define marriage and violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause by treating married same-sex couples differently from married different-sex couples. Prior to the passage of DOMA, the federal government always recognized the states’ right to define marriage. The cases were brought by the Massachusetts attorney general and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).

    A bill is currently pending in the House of Representatives that would repeal DOMA and respect state marriages by providing federal protections for married same-sex couples. The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure that, once the federal government recognizes the marriage of a same-sex couple, it would continue to recognize that marriage even if the couple moved to another state that would not have allowed the couple to marry in the first place.

    The following can be attributed to James Esseks, Director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project:

    "Today’s decision is an important step forward for marriage for same-sex couples. There are thousands of same-sex couples lawfully married in the five states and Washington, DC that currently allow them the freedom to marry. Today’s ruling recognizes that the federal government has literally no justification for refusing to respect those marriages.

    "To finish the job, Congress should pass the Respect for Marriage Act, which is pending in Congress and would completely repeal DOMA. We applaud this decision and congratulate GLAD and the Massachusetts attorney general for their work in bringing the cases."

    This is good news for all of us who hope for true equality in this country. We are very happy for all of our GLBT friends.

    One day, this will all seem oh-so-silly.

    DOMA has got to go.

    This entry was posted in Civil Liberties Civil Rights Conservatives GLBT Legal Liberals Supreme Court Bookmark the permalink

  • Best Unintentionally Sexual Right-Wing Headline Evah: ‘Congress bows to gay agenda…’

    Posted on by G Comment

    Kudos to Eric Smith for catching this headline from the American Family Association:

    Congress bows to gay agenda, repeals ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

    Congress has given in to pressure from gay activists and the White House and voted to repeal the "don’t ask, don’t tell" ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military…

    And I’m just amazed the variety of categories I was able apply to put this tiny blog post.

    Yup.

    This entry was posted in Barack Obama Civil Liberties Civil Rights Congress Conservatives Democratic News Ethics Humor John McCain Legal Military Republicans Bookmark the permalink

  • Rand Paul Says Discrimination by Businesses is ‘Free Speech’

    Posted on by G Comment
    Rand Paul

    Oh yes he did.

    From Change.org:

    As the standard bearer for the Tea Party crowd, it’s no surprise that Rand Paul likes his taxes small, and his government even smaller. But his recent comments on the 1964 Civil Rights Act are calling into question whether the hero of Tea Party activists nationwide believes it’s OK for private businesses to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.

    Asked by the Louisville Courier Journal whether he was supportive of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — you know, the piece of legislation that ended institutional racism in the United States — Paul told the paper that while he was supportive of some of the provisions in the Civil Rights Act, he took issue with the Act’s requiring all businesses (public and private) to adopt anti-racism policies.

    "I abhor racism," Paul said. "but at the same time I believe in private ownership."

    In other words, according to Rand Paul, private businesses like Wendy’s, Aetna, Comcast, the local furniture store down the street from you, or your neighborhood grocery store should be allowed to refuse service to people who are black, Latin@, gay, lesbian, transgender, Buddhist, female, Asian or any other sort of characteristic that individual business owners might not be cool with.

    Which brings us to Rand Paul’s new campaign slogan: If you wish it was 1860 again, vote for Rand Paul this November.

    Continue reading →

    This entry was posted in Civil Liberties Civil Rights Congress Conservatives Constitution Ethics Legal Race Bookmark the permalink

  • Relax, Mom: House Approves Landmark Bill to Extend Health Care to Millions (Video and Text)

    Posted on by G Comment

    Yes, I cried a bit. Now my Mom and Dad don’t have to worry about losing their health insurance and not getting another policy because of pre-existing conditions. That’s what I thought of first.

    From the New York Times:

    Congress gave final approval on Sunday to legislation that would provide medical coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and remake the nation’s health care system along the lines proposed by President Obama.

    By a vote of 219 to 212, the House passed the bill after a day of tumultuous debate that echoed the epic struggle of the last year. The action sent the bill to President Obama, whose crusade for such legislation has been a hallmark of his presidency.

    Democrats hailed the vote as historic, comparable to the establishment of Medicare and Social Security and a long overdue step forward in social justice. “This is the civil rights act of the 21st century,” said Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House.

    From the Chicago Sun-Times:

    Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.

    Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote, with Republicans unanimous in opposition.

    Congressional officials said they expected Obama to sign the bill as early as Tuesday.

    A second measure — making changes in the first — was lined up for passage later in the evening. That measure would go to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes to pass it.

    Crowds of protesters outside the Capitol shouted "just vote no" in a futile attempt to stop the historic vote taking place inside a House packed with lawmakers and ringed with spectators in the galleries above.

    Across hours of debate, House Democrats predicted the central bill, costing $940 billion over a decade, would rank with other great social legislation of recent decades.

    From the Chicago Tribune:

    Delivering a hard-fought victory in President Barack Obama’s year-long pursuit of a national healthcare overhaul, a divided House tonight narrowly voted to approve a Senate-passed healthcare bill which both supporters and opponents call historic in its sweep.

    The 219-212 vote will deliver to the president’s desk an initiative for which he has fought on Capitol Hill and campaigned across the country: A healthcare bill that he finally can sign.

    This was the first step of a two-part drama unfolding in the House this evening, with another late vote expected soon on a package that reconciles differences between this Senate-passed and now House-approved bill and another measure which the House approved in November.

    Together, the two bills would present the president with a long-sought triumph for the signature domestic agenda of his presidency, a bid to offer health insurance to an estimated 32 million Americans who are uninsured and improve the coverage of those with insurance.

    The second measure, also expected to pass the House tonight, will have to go to the Senate, where leaders hope to approve it by a simple majority vote under a process of "budget reconciliation.” Any changes made in the Senate, however, will return that legislation to the House before the president can sign the second bill.

    "I know this bill is complicated, but it’s also very simple,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) during the final debate. "Illness and infirmity are universal, but we are stronger against them together than we are alone…. In that shared strength is our nation’s strength.”

    "Tonight, we will make history for our country and progress for the American people,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in the leadership’s closing argument. Crediting Obama for his "unwavering commitment to healthcare for all Americans,” the speaker said "this legislation… if I had one word to describe it tonight, it would be opportunity.”

    This entry was posted in America Barack Obama Civil Rights Congress Conservatives Constitution Democratic News Economy Ethics Health Care Homelessness Illinois Jobs Legal Liberals Philosophical Religion Republicans White House Bookmark the permalink