Committed Bonds of Affection: What's Not to Love?

Today there have been rallies across the country in a "National Day of Protest" marking the passage of Proposition 8 in California, as well as ballot initiatives in Arizona, Arkansas, and Florida outlawing same-sex marriage.

You can find stories, videos, and photos about the day's events at Join the Impact, as well as information about "ways to promote love and equality in your own community."

Ellen Degeneres and John McCain talked about gay marriage – "the elephant in the room" – last May, and that video is here.

I've been watching some of the television interviews this week featuring Dan Savage, a gay activist who has long held his own against some pretty harsh attacks from the right. (Click here to see him on The Colbert Report.) The most intense this week was from Tony Perkins on Anderson Cooper 360º. Perkins is president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian think-tank and public policy foundation.

From a strictly visual standpoint, it's interesting to hop over to the Family Research Council, with its absolutely bland and colorless faux official government branding. Their tagline claims to defend faith, family and .... freedom. Hmmm.

Here in Bloomington Indiana, there was an election night party at Rachael's Café, owned by Rachael, a transwoman who has created a welcoming, spacious café on East Third Street. The word on the street is that Barack Obama called the café a couple of days ago, thanking Rachael for hosting that bash. That's a thrilling way of honoring sponsors, and it gives me hope regarding the future of civil rights for our GLBT citizens.