Rockstar Energy Drink has reached an agreement with various LGBT groups and bloggers affirming their support for LGBT rights, by expanding internal corporate policies and donating $100,000 to LGBT rights organizations. Recently the company has come under fire due to its association with hate-talk radio host Michael Savage, who is father of Rockstar’s CEO Russell Weiner and husband of Rockstar CFO Janet Weiner. From the press release:

The contribution [100K donation] will be shared among the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and The Trevor Project, and ROCKSTAR Energy Drink will also financially sponsor the National LGBT Bloggers Initiative. The donations and affirmation of LGBT-friendly corporate policies mark steps by ROCKSTAR to demonstrate support for the LGBT community.

“It has recently come to ROCKSTAR’s attention that there might be a misconception about our company’s policy and my personal support for LGBT rights,” said Weiner. “We apologize for that misunderstanding, and want to make clear today that our company fully supports our LGBT employees and our LGBT customers.”

“Some have erroneously associated our company with offensive language directed at LGBT people, specifically statements coming from Michael Savage, who is not and has never been a shareholder or officer of ROCKSTAR Energy Drink. On behalf of our company and directors, including myself and CFO Janet Weiner, I would like to take this opportunity to disavow any offensive statements directed toward LGBT people, including statements from Michael Savage. ROCKSTAR assures our customers and the general public that our brand will never be associated with any language that does not affirm the essential dignity of every person in our diverse national community.”

Among those groups involved in negotiating the agreement with Rockstar: Change.org, The Bilerico Project, The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), The Trevor Project, and Michael Rogers of PageOneQ.com.

At this time the press release is still unavailable at Rockstar website.

Brave New Foundation has produce in new episode in their “In their Boots” series called “Silent Partners,” which explores the effects of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on the partners of deployed service members. Watch a preview clip below…

There is a also a particularly moving clip at the New York Times.

The episode premieres tomorrow, July 4th, at www.intheirboots.com.

Oh dear, Sally Kern is at it again. The notoriously intolerant and homophobic Rep. from Oklahoma held a rally at the state Capital yesterday formally announcing her “Proclamation for Morality.” Mostly written by Kern herself, the document blames various forms of debauchery on the moral decline of the nation, and urges a national re-awakening of righteousness. Oh please.

Some of the choicer bits from the Proclamation for Morality:

WHEREAS, the people of Oklahoma have a strong tradition of reliance upon the Creator of the Universe; and

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and

WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

If anyone here is deeply disturbed… it’s you Ms. Kern and your supporters. Video from the rally below.

And if you need a reminder as to why this bigot is even on our radar…

While there is cause for much celebration today  for the LGBT community in India, today’s landmark ruling only applies to the New Delhi… the nation’s capital. But it is progress…

Update: Contrary to initial reports, it appears the ruling DOES apply nation-wide.

The Delhi High Court ruled that treating consensual gay sex between adults as a crime is a violation of fundamental rights protected by India’s constitution. The ruling, the first of its kind in India, is not binding outside New Delhi.

Hours after the ruling was issued dozens of members of New Delhi’s gay community — some with rainbows painted on their faces and others holding signs that read “Queer and loving it” — gathered in the heart of the capital to celebrate.

…

But some religious leaders quickly criticized the ruling. “This Western culture cannot be permitted in our country,” said Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, a leading Muslim cleric in the northern city of Lucknow.

Sex between people of the same gender has been illegal in India since a British colonial era law was issued in the 1860s classifying it as “against the order of nature.” According to the law, gay sex is punishable by 10 years in prison.

New Delhi is home to over 300 million people, nearly one quarter the entire population of India, so yeah, it’s definitely progress.