COLUMBIA COURT ALLOWS SAME-SEX COUPLES EQUAL COMMON-LAW RIGHTS

Colombia's Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that same-sex couples must be granted the same rights as heterosexuals in common-law marriages.

Columbia's "common-law" marriage has been a legal means of recognizing two people who have lived together as married for two years or more to be considered married whether or not they have gone through a ceremony or registered with the state. And they have the same rights and protections as married couples.

That recognition has always been meant for only a man and woman coupling. Last April, the Colombian LGBT rights group Colombia Diversa, human rights group Dejusticia, and the Group for Public Interest Rights from the University of the Andes filed a lawsuit challenging that discriminatory classification.

The suit was a reaction to the 2007 defeat of the Colombian legislature's attemp to enact civil unions. According to Box Turtle Bulletin, the expected success of that measure was thwarted by intense pressure from the Catholic Church that involved threatening to deny the sacraments to any senator who voted for it. That threat scared off enough formerly supportive senators to defeat it.

Fortunately, for the sake of justice, equality and democracy, the Columbian court's judges had a little more backbone than the senators. Which proves that when the threat of political reprisal is removed or ignored, most lawmakers and justices will do the right thing.

The Church has proven, over and over again, to be the biggest threat to justice and democracy in America and, indeed, the world. The time for religion to get out of politics is long overdue.

SOULFORCE FOUNDER AND SON TO COMPETE ON AMAZING RACE

Soulforce founder Mel White and his son Mike are scheduled to compete on the highly popular CBS game show Amazing Race. The show's season premier is set for Sunday, February 15th, at 8:00pm ET/PT.

Soulforce is a GLBT spiritual organization dedicated to "freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance."

One of the group's most successful campaigns is an annual activist outreach bus tour called The Soulforce Q Equality Ride. On this ride, about 20-25 young adults travel across the county visiting religion-based schools and institutions in an effort to educate and enlighten student's understanding of the GLBT community.

Last year's trip, launched in October, focused on the South, journeying to fifteen schools of various denominations, including some faith-based, historically black colleges and universities. Stops included both undergraduate schools and graduate level seminaries. According to its participants, it was a very rewarding and successful trip and they're eager to do it again this year.

I haven't watched the last couple of seasons of the Amazing Race but you can bet that this season, on February 15th, I'm going to be watching! Mark your calendars or set your Tvos. It should be a lot of fun.

Click here to read CBS's bio on Mel and Mike.

MORMONS ONCE AGAIN GO BACK ON THEIR WORD

Remember when the Mormon church leaders said that they didn't object to "rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches?"

At the time they expressed that seemingly benevolent sentiment, they were in the midst of a heated, nationwide backlash against their inordinate involvement in and substantial financial support of the now infamous Proposition 8 in California and Proposition 102 in Arizona. They were desperately trying to defuse the highly negative publicity they were receiving around the world.

Well, the GLBT rights organization Equality Arizona, working with openly gay Utah State Senator Scott McCoy, took them at their word (which, for a mormon, is supposed to be sacrosanct). They introduced legislation that addressed one specific area of injustice.

The bill's intention was to amend state law so that financial dependents could sue if a breadwinner suffers a wrongful death. Since spouses, parents and children already have that right, the bill would not only protect same-sex couples but also other nontraditional households, such as one where a grandmother (currently not covered by existing laws) relies solely on a grandson or granddaughter for financial support.

According to a report by Proud Parenting:

A standing-room-only crowd listened to nearly two hours of testimony before the committee, led by Republican Sen. Chris Buttars, voted 4-2 against sending the measure to the Senate floor. Only McCoy [pictured], who is openly gay, and fellow Salt Lake City Democrat Ross Romero voted for the bill. Buttars, who was lobbied by a group of gay and bisexual activists at his West Jordan home earlier this month, didn't comment on McCoy's proposal during the meeting.

Opponents likened the bill to a 'slippery slope' and a 'dirty shirt' in a laundry basket of marital rights that could lead courts to justify legalizing same-sex marriage, similar to rulings in Massachusetts, California and Connecticut.

By that logic, virtually any legislation that would benefit a GLBT couple in any way would be voted down.

By the way - all four senators who voted against the bill were - yep, you guessed it - mormons.

When I was younger, I used to admire and respect the mormon church. I have since come to realize that they're just as hypocritical, underhanded and sleazy an organization as the catholic church has made itself into. It seems that these religious institutions, as well as most of the rightwing, for-profit, evangelical organizations, have become the bane of mankind - NOT its savior.