After some moving and eloquent testimony, the Main Senate voted to approve same-sex marriage 20-15 this morning. There is a possibility however that the legislation may get tabled because of a late amendment that would put the issue before Maine voters in November. From the Sun Journal:

Immediately, however, one of the senators who voted No – Republican David Hastings of Fryeburg – introduced an amendment from the floor that would send the issue directly out to statewide voters in November.

That move prompted Democratic Majority Leader Philip Bartlett of Gorham to request a recess. The House of Representatives has already adjourned until next Tuesday, so the bill can’t come up for preliminary consideration there until then.

A recent poll shows Maine voters are evenly split on the issue. And, while it remains unclear if Governor Baldacci would sign the bill  should it reach his desk, he has suggested recently that he would favor the legislation.

UPDATE: It appears the amendment to put the issue up for referendum in November has failed, and the revised vote is now 21-14 in favor of same-sex marriage!

As  reported earlier Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the murder of Matthew Shepard because he was gay, a hoax. Watch the video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWm2zGTZBM0[/youtube]

Foxx has since responded to the uproar. She doesn’t express regret—which is common for her ilk—nor apologizes—which almost never happens—she simply backtracks, trying to save her own ass.

“It has come to my attention that some people have been led to believe that I think the terrible crimes that led to Matthew Shepard’s death in 1998 were a hoax,” she said. “The term “hoax” was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill. Mr. Shepard’s death was nothing less than a tragedy and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received.

“The larger context of my remarks is important. I was referring to a 2004 ABC 20/20 report on Mr. Shepard’s death. The 20/20 report questioned the motivation of those responsible for Mr. Shepard’s death. Referencing this media account may have been a mistake, but if so it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts.”

While Judy Shepard has yet to respond to the original remarks, others in Congress have. From Politico:

“Matthew Shepard’s mother was in the gallery yesterday and I believe she was back today — so I’m sorry she had to be around to hear it,” said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). “It’s an urban myth… And I’d tell her that man did land on the moon and the moon wasn’t made out of green cheese.”

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who supports the hate crimes bill, stared in disbelief before answering a question about the statement.

“It’s just sad the Republican caucus has been reduced such a fringe,” she said. “It’s sad they would go out of their way to prevent people from getting justice.”

This isn’t the first time Foxx has put her foot in it. Two weeks ago she made some racially charged statements on the House floor. I’m sorry Virginia, but you are an ignorant, hateful bigot, and you need to immediately apologize for your remarks, especially to Judy Shepard. And then do us all a favor and walk out the f*cking door and never come back. And please, please, take Michelle Bachmann with you.

Virginia Foxx can be contacted via the methods below, and please, show her at least the same amount of respect she showed Judy Shepard.

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Phone: (202) 225-2071
Fax: (202) 225-2995

CLEMMONS, N.C.
Phone: (336) 778-0211
Fax: (336) 778-2290

BOONE, N.C.
Phone: (828) 265-0240
Fax: (828) 265-0390

I’d like to start by apologizing to the fine people of Minnesota… but really how could you send this woman to Washington?

First up, Michelle Bachmann, congresswoman from Minnesota, about 50 seconds in.

And now Barney Frank, congressman from Massachusetts

[youtube width=”320″ height=”265″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAzReB_KTeA[/youtube]

I’m sorry. It’s no contest. Not even close.

An Iowa couple has stepped forward with an editorial in the Des Moines Register and a video produced by the Iowa Family Policy Center, both claiming that their son was recruited by homosexuals and later died from AIDS because of it.

From the editorial:

The single most tragic event in our years together has been the untimely death of our oldest son, Randy. Our firstborn was a blessing that brought so much joy into our lives. He was extremely smart, he participated in extracurricular activities, graduated with many honors and went on to college. After college, he moved to Omaha and took a job. It was while he was living in Omaha that one of Randy’s co-workers recruited him into the homosexual “lifestyle.”

We loved our son as much as any parents have ever loved a son. Even when we became aware of his homosexuality, we assured him of our love. That is not to say that we condoned or accepted what we knew to be a dangerous “lifestyle,” but we always maintained our relationship with the son we had raised and the man we prayed would be delivered from homosexuality.

…

It was interesting to note that once Randy was diagnosed HIV positive, the homosexual community who had actively recruited him and had claimed to be his “family” were nowhere to be found. As his health declined, he spoke frankly about the homosexual experience. Randy said, “It is not an alternate lifestyle. It is a cult.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9sKC7yZpE[/youtube]

While I can’t help but have sympathy for their loss, the notion their son was “recruited by homosexuals” is ridiculous, and eagerly await Randy’s friends to step forward and dispute the charge. I also feel sorry for them, allowing a group like the Iowa Family Policy Center  use them to further their own anti-gay agenda.