And the sun still RISES! No end of days. No falling sky… no Armageddon.

Bravissimi tutti, Boston, Massachusetts! I remember the day WELL!

Thank you for all you’ve done, and continue to do! ♥
-Marcinho Savant

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF
PUBLISHED: MAY 17, 2013

http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=15287&MediaType=1&Category=26

BREAKING: the Supreme Court WILL take up the DOMA and the CA Prop. 8 cases to determine constitutionality!!!!!

Could rule by JUNE!

READ MORE:  http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/07/supreme-court-will-tackle-same-sex-marriage/?hpt=hp_c1

Well today is a huge day for marriage equality!  Our sisters and brothers in Washington are finally able to become whole. After an incredible effort, today is the day when marriage licenses… I’ll repeat that…  MARRIAGE LICENSES (!!!!) are being granted to gay and lesbian couples, Trans and Bi couples… who want to tie the know! Thanks to the heroes and heroines at LAMBDA LEGAL, here is a FAQ to tell you how it’s done! Kudos to Lambda, to the state, and  to the residents of  Washington State! http://www.lambdalegal.org/publications/fs_marriage-for-same-sex-couples-in-washington-state

 

North Carolina will regret their, now cemented, place in history. With their disingenuous mantra, “We’re not anti-gay. We’re pro-marriage”, they prove their bigotry beyond a shadow of a doubt. Attempting to hide behind that spineless, false slogan is laughable! It is so laughable in its dishonesty, that it warrants tears of sadness.  You’ve outlawed my love?  I, my friends, neighbors and family members are not outlaws.

What this state now has done is cut off it’s own nose to spite it’s face. There was already a law on the books banning marriage equality. This vote reinforced the law, and cast it in bronze, so that it could never evolve to change with the reality of today’s society. Not only have they written, and bolstered, blatant discrimination into law, they have flung the pendulum of destruction and harm to those who had, for a time, been protected under the law. Those persons once covered by domestic partner benefits on the municipal level, now are in line to lose those benefits. You have thrown out the baby with the bathwater.

Those benefits aided children and families— whether or not you approved of their composition. The kids of the “illegal”, same-gender loving families in their state will suffer. So enormous was the hatred of “the gays” by the State (and its voters), they even wrote into the amendment the fact that no other relationship than one between a male and a female, would be recognized or matter. Ever.

Further, those in any other form of relationship than the one now, officially, sanctioned by the State of North Carolina, and it’s majority voters, do not exist in their eyes. Much like the careless, disinterested tuna fishermen, you’ve also caught tortoises, manatees and dolphins in your nets. You have done so with impunity.

How well will you sleep tonight? I withdraw the question. The guileless are not insomniacs on any level. This is a clearly punitive and vengeful action.

This means that any domestic partnership or any relationship or domicile-state not falling under the name “marriage” per their definition, is valueless and without meaning, or protections, no matter what. So, now, will the elderly and disabled, in “unsanctioned” unions or relationships suffer as well.

Who, in this day and age, could possibly stand up, boldly, and say “you don’t matter”— and get away with it? North Carolinians who voted for this amendment look like the poor relations that were once secreted away in basements, attics and asylums once upon a time. You are shameful and shameless. If I had an appetite for Lemming stew, I’d surely never starve with you all in my pot.

The last time this obvious hatred was endorsed by a State was when, in this very state, calling a black person “nigger” was as condoned, and natural, as asking the time of day— and with complete impunity.  You are hurtling the world backward a hundred years with this action… and for what? The sanctity of marriage? Really? Really.

I have two words:  John. Edwards. You people are so jaded and blinded that you actually chose to vote this issue in the throes of a federal trial of John Edwards, his infidelity, adultery, theft and dishonesty. What is wrong with you people? He is, certainly, the poster child for Marriage Sanctity!

Clearly you are so focused on harming those who, in no way harm you, that you failed to recognize that you had no right to attempt to remove a speck of sawdust from your ‘brother’s” eye, while you battled a gigantic plank in your own. Shame on you. Your logic is non-existent, bogus and doleful on its face. You did it just to do it. 

Are you happy now? Are you pleased that you finally stuck it to those dykes and faggots? Did you protect the sanctity of your marriages? Or did you just start doing a victory dance because you bullied, with the government’s full sanction, a segment of society that has zero impact on the sanctity of anything related to you? Did it make you feel bona fide? Sanctified? Favored by God? Do you truly feel righteous and happy now? What, then, have you really achieved. Something of which to be proud?

The “majority” are free to marry, divorce, marry again, divorce, marry anew, cheat on their spouse, spit and repeat. Yet you are so concerned about what Jane and Julie or Bob and Bill are doing down the road, that you would choose… choose, to write hatred into the law behind the weak mantle of biblical dogma? Shame on you. Separation of church and state… look it up, for a start.

As the wheel of life spins back around to you… when you have to answer for your sins at the gates, will you be able to bear the shame of your actions today? How will you handle your offspring and future generations as they look back on grandmother and grandfather, mom, dad or Uncle Chuck… and roll their eyes in disgust at the unjustifiable actions you’ve just taken?

If you hate gay marriage… don’t marry a dude!

For the sane, loving, open-hearted, unbigoted residents of that beautiful state, I thank you for your diligence and heartfulness. Your generosity was drowned by the ugliness of the majority voters. An ugliness which, in the twenty-first century, is entirely beyond the pale.

There is no gray area in equality! Time will bear this out.

“Forgive them,Father, for they know not what they do.”

Editor’s Note:

The opinion expressed above is entirely that of Marcinho Savant and does not, necessarily, reflect the view(s) held by savvyplanners.com™, LLC, its principals, affiliates or subsidiaries.

About Marcinho Savant:

GLBTQIA-wedding, event, sales professional, lifestyle guru and author, Marcinho Savant, has been a lifelong “Equalist” and protector of LGBTQ couples in terms of the dignity and honorable respect and care with which  their weddings and events are treated.  As a representative of the firm, he and the company have been mentioned, featured or quoted in outlets such as: “The Washington Times, The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, The UPI, The AP, The Miami Herald, Edge Magazines (MA, NY, NE, Provincetown), “Next” Magazine, “Obama and the Gays” (Baim), “NJ Bride” (New Jersey’s Bridal Best), NY Resident Magazine, ”The New Essential Guide to Gay and Lesbian Weddings” (as a national LGBT Weddings resource)(Ayers/Brown), and several others as well as interviews on radio.

The General Manager and Senior Event Designer for savvyplanners.com, arguably America’s first gay and lesbian-specific, full-service wedding and event firm in history.  He is the host of  ”SavvyLiving!™ with Marcinho Savant” on Blogtalk Radio.  Among his diverse skill set,

Savant is also a playwright, author and novelist known for his writing on themes of equality and social matters.  He is also an indefatigable voice for the maltreated.

For Immediate Release to all Media

Contact: Nico Pelligrini

e-Mail: nico.pellegrini {at} savvyplanners (dot) com

Telephone: 318-402-4697

Bossier City, LA – January 25, 2011 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce savvyplanners.com™ has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning/Unique Services (Other)!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

savvyplanners.com™ stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud savvyplanners.com™ for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that savvyplanners.com™ is among the very best Wedding Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, GayWeddings.com, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

According to Senior Event Designer and General Manager, Marcinho Savant, “It is a pleasure to have been awarded this distinction for the third year in a row!  With all that we do and embrace, it is the client and their happiness that is at our core.  It feels amazing to have that effort recognized in such a way!  We would certainly like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. We do it all for them.”
For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

-30-

About savvyplanners.com™

savvyplanners.com™, LLC is America’s first full-service, bespoke, GLBTI-specific Wedding and event planning & concierge firm.

They proudly fulfilled the role of being the ground breaking, international, first-mover providing exceptional event planning services especially meeting the event planning needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) community. They have been selected to orchestrate many traditional ceremonies as well.

While they are GLBT owned/operated, their staff and affiliates are made up of persons from many different backgrounds making them reflective of the diversity of the world community. They do not discriminate against non-GLBT couples. With teams in New York, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Hawaii, Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Key West & the ArkLaTex, they serve clients in those areas with ease and will travel the world to be of service.

In January of 2011, their company has been mentioned in articles with more than 13,500 outlets and publications worldwide.

Their Core Values:

Client Protection • Integrity • Ethics • Respect • Punctuality • Service • Quality • Commitment • Innovation • Professionalism • Joy

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire.com, the nation’s leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

I give thanks today!  Thanks and gratitude for the fact that Proposition 8 has been overturned this afternoon.

Thanks to the Governor, Arnold Schwartzenegger, and AG Jerry Brown for their tireless support in the matter.  I give thanks to Mayor Gavin Newsom for his leadership and courage. I also give thanks to the universe for reminding me that miracles happen, beyond all coapacity to hope and against all odds.  And, of course to the brave plaintiffs in the case: 

KRISTIN M. PERRY, SANDRA B. STIER, PAUL T. KATAMI and JEFFREY J. ZARRILLO!  Thank you all so very much!

There is more to be done and we’ll continue to be here in the trenches, as we have been all along, standing with Californians in the battle for full marriage equality.  I’ll have more specific comments in the very near future, however, I am enthralled at the ruling and remain focused, prayerful and devoted to serving couples which have been so disgustingly abused and mistreated.

I rejoice today!  A cautious, heartful and encouraged joy, with the knowledge that the war isn’t yet won!

via Big Gay News

April 14th, 2009 | Category: Headlines

Gov. David A. Paterson on Thursday will announce plans to introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, according to people with knowledge of the governor’s plans. Mr. Paterson’s move, which he first signaled last week after Vermont became the fourth state to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed, reflects the governor’s desire to press the issue with lawmakers in Albany as other states move ahead with efforts to grant more civil rights to homosexuals.

The action in Vermont, where state legislators overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’s veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, came less than a week after the Iowa Supreme Court granted same-sex couples the right to marry. …

Read the full story from The New York Times.

via OnTopMagazine

The Associated Press is reporting that a gay marriage bill has won unanimous approval by a Vermont House and Senate committee studying the issue.

After listening to a week’s worth of testimony, the committee approved 5-0 to advance the bill.

Leaders in both houses have enthusiastically endorsed the bill. Senate President Pro Temporate Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Shap Smith announced two weeks ago they would make the legislation a priority in the Legislature.

The bill – introduced by Representatives Mark Larson (Democrat) and David Zuckerman (Progressive) – grants gay and lesbian couples the right to marry in the first state to offer civil unions for gay couples in 2000.

Vermont Governor James Douglas opposes gay marriage, saying civil unions suffice, but has not indicated he would veto the bill. Many believe he would let the law take effect without his signature.

The bill now heads to the Senate where a full vote is expected next week. If passed, Vermont would become the first state to legislatively extend marriage to gay and lesbian couples. Gay marriage became available in Massachusetts, Connecticut and briefly in California as a result of state Supreme Court decisions.

via Gay TV Blog

Lucy Lawless narrates a PSA that discusses the differences between marriage and domestic partnership. Many people believe that domestic partnership is equivalent to marriage. This is not true. No on Prop 8 supporters urge the California Supreme Court to abolish the discrimination of Proposition 8.

This piece was written by Jennifer Medvin and directed by three-time Emmy nominee, Karen Wilkens. “I wrote this piece because I feel like I still have to answer the ‘What is the difference between domestic partnership and marriage?’ question on a daily basis,” says Jennifer. “I’m hoping this video will help to open the eyes of those on the proverbial gay marriage fence.”

According to Jennifer, getting Lawless and Tamargo to participate made sense. “It was fantastic that Lucy Lawless and Eva Tamargo agreed to narrate for us,” says Jennifer. “They are both strong supporters of the LGBT community.”