Design Flaws of the Human Condition

Pride Law recently received a letter from author Paul Schmidtberger, a graduate of Stanford Law School, about his book, Design Flaws of the Human Condition. I have yet to read it but apparently it has received excellent reviews. I know with finals around the corner, we all have little time to read for leisure but this might be something you can pick up over winter break!

You can check out reviews of his book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Design-Flaws-Human-Condition-Schmidtberger/dp/0767926757/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195589023&sr=1-1

For further information about the author, you can check out his personal site at:

http://paulschmidtberger.com/

Woo-hoo! Let's hope Bush's veto gets overridden.

November 7, 2007

House Approves Ban on Anti-Gay Discrimination

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 6:44 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House on Wednesday approved the first federal ban on job discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

Passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act came despite protests from some gay rights supporters that the bill does not protect transgender workers. That term covers transsexuals, cross-dressers and others whose outward appearance does not match their gender at birth.

The measure would make it illegal for employers to make decisions about hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee based on sexual orientation. It would exempt churches and the military.

After the 235-184 vote, supporters are expecting a tough fight in the narrowly divided Senate, where Massachusetts Democrat Edward Kennedy plans to introduce a similar version.

A veto from President Bush is expected if the proposal does pass the Senate.

Backers of the House bill proclaimed it a major civil rights advance for gays. ''Bigotry and homophobia are sentiments that should never be allowed to permeate the American workplace,'' said House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C.

Habitat for Humanity

This is a message from Jenn. Please let her know if you're interested by emailing her at jmauri-10@sandiego.edu.

Hi everyone!

Hopefully everyone is doing ok after everything last week. I wanted to ask again, is anyone available to do Habitat for Humanity on a friday? Habitat is booked for months in advance for saturday volunteers, so it's extremely unlikely that we will be able to volunteer on a saturday.

We would be volunteering in Jan or Feb.

Please email me and let me know, so I can coordinate with LaRaza and figure out a date.

Thanks to everyone who is willing to donate their time and energy to Habitat.
-Jenn

Hate Crimes Awareness Week

Hello Everyone, I wanted to be sure that you got this e-mail about Hate Crimes
Awareness Week. Pride (the undergrad LGBTQ group) is tabling in front of the UC
today, tomorrow, and Wednesday from 11-2... this is a great chance to show our
support and introduce ourselves; also, if you're hungry or in need of some
queer keychains/ bracelets/ etc., they're selling baked goods and pizza along
with all kinds of rainbow merchandise... (I would also recommend the Laramie
Project showing tonight to anyone who hasn't seen it yet...)

Best,
Michelle

> HATE CRIMES AWARENESS WEEK

> Monday, October 15th 2007
> Table Display
> 11-2pm University Center
> Movie Night: "The Laramie Project"
> 8pm UC 107
> Discussion Facilitated by Jesse Mills, Ethnic Studies
>
> Tuesday, September 16th 2007
> Discussion Group: Breaking the Silence
> Come join in dialogue - for those communities affected by hate crimes and
incidents… email kfernandes@sandiego.edu for location.
> Lunch will be provided.
>
> Wednesday, September 17th 2007
> Student Leader Luncheon with Shane Windmeyer
> 12:15pm UC107
> Student dialogue with guest Shane Windmeyer regarding Hate Crimes, Hate
incidents, and a just community.
> RSVP required to kfernandes@sandiego.edu
>
> Keynote Speaker: Shane Windmeyer
> The Impact of Hate
> 7pm IPJ Auditorium
> Table Display
> 11-2pm University Center

ACLU Internship

Dean Mitnick (from Career Services) sent this along. She said that she'd be willing to help people out with applications, looking for funding, etc. Her contact info is at the bottom of the posting...

2008 Summer Legal Internship-ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project, NY (8/24/2007)

2008 SUMMER LEGAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Notice to Second and Third Year Law Students
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project, NY
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, NY

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project of the American Civil Liberties Union seeks law clerks to work full-time in New York City for the Summer of 2008.

OVERVIEW:
America’s foremost advocate of individual rights, the American Civil Liberties Union is a nonpartisan organization founded in 1920. With national offices in New York and Washington and 52 affiliates throughout the country, it is widely regarded as the nation’s premier public interest law firm.

Founded in 1986, the Project is a special division of the national office of the ACLU. The goal of the LGBT and AIDS Project is the creation of a society in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and people with HIV enjoy the basic rights of equality, privacy and personal autonomy, and freedom of belief, expression and association. This means an America where there’s the ability to live open and honest lives without fear of discrimination or abuse, where there’s respect for our identities, relationships and families, and where there’s fair treatment in employment, schools, health care, housing and public places and programs.

The Project brings “impact” lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout the country – cases designed to have a significant effect on the lives of LGBT people and those with HIV/AIDS. The Project’s legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means not only persuading judges but also ultimately changing the way people think. As we litigate for change, we implement targeted media, online and outreach campaigns to change public attitudes through education and to give people on the frontlines the tools they need to act.

As a part of the ACLU, the Project is in a unique position to work for equality. The ACLU’s national network of affiliates broadens the Project’s reach into every locality and into the federal government. Today, the ACLU brings more LGBT cases and advocacy initiatives than any other national civil rights organization. The Project strives to ensure that the racial and economic diversity of the LGBT community is reflected in its work and continues to explore ways to make its efforts more sensitive to the needs of people of color and people who are economically disadvantaged. The Project’s work as part of the broad civil liberties agenda of the ACLU exemplifies the notion that the LGBT community and the community of those living with HIV/AIDS must work in concert with other social change movements in order to achieve a just society for all.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Law clerks will help with the litigation and legislative/policy work of the Project. They will do legal and other research, work with clients, draft policy and legal memos, and help write pleadings, briefs and other litigation documents.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Second and third year law students are invited to apply. Familiarity with lesbian gay bisexual and transgender civil rights and liberties, the civil rights and liberties of those living with HIV/AIDS, and other civil liberties issues is desirable; commitment to those issues is essential. Excellent research and writing skills and superior analytical ability are required. Applicants should be self-motivated, dedicated, and have the proven ability to work with a wide range of people.

COMPENSATION:
Students are highly encouraged to seek Public Interest Fellowship funds for the internship. Arrangements can also be made with the student's law school for work/study stipends. Summer interns who do not secure funding, or who receive less than $500 per week from alternative sources, will be eligible for a stipend provided by the ACLU for the amount of the differential.

HOW TO APPLY:
The deadline is February 1, 2008, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and therefore candidates are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadline. Send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, transcript, and list of references to:

Summer Law Internship Coordinator
ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, New York 10004-2400
(212) 549-2650 (fax).

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”

Cara Mitnick, Esq.
Assistant Dean for Career Services
University of San Diego School of Law
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 260-4152
cmitnick@sandiego.edu

Friday Mixer

Pride Law is getting together this Friday night in University Heights. At 6pm, we're meeting at El Zarape for a pre-gathering before heading over to Bourbon Street for the Thomas Jefferson Outlaw networking event. This should be a great opportunity to meet other law school students and network with attorneys in the community.

Parking will definitely be hard to come by in Friday night. If you're interested in attending, reply to this post so we can try and set up a carpool. Hope to see you there!

An open invitation from Thomas Jefferson

Outlaw at Thomas Jefferson would like to invite you to an evening out with our LGBT students. We are holding a gathering on Friday, October 19th at 6:30pm. We will be meeting at "Bourbon Street" in University Heights for some drinks and fun (4612 Park Boulevard--down from Monroe Street).

Additionally, we are inviting attorneys from the Tom Homann Law Association to come to the event. We hope that the event will be a time to relax and also network with LGBT attorneys. Furthermore, we are eager to build a better relationship with other LGBT students at the law schools here in town. We all face the same difficulties, joys, and challenges. So, we should definitely get to know each other in solidarity.

Please pass the information on to your members. We sincerely hope that you will come and join us.

Gay Days at Disneyland Reminder

I'm bumping up the post from 2 weeks ago. Let Jenn know if you're interested in going on Saturday.

The 10th annual unofficial Gay Days at Disneyland will be held on October 5-7 this year. I know some people expressed interested in going and organizing a carpool, so reply to this post if you're interested. The UC Ticket office sells "discounted" Disneyland tickets for $59, instead of the door price of $63. Yes, what a bargain. If you have any questions, check out this website www.gaydaysanaheim.com or you can also contact Jenn at jennmauri@aol.com.

Lavender Law Photo Gallery Now Online

The photos from the Chicago Lavender Law conference are now online. USD funded five PrideLaw members' attendance this year. Next year's conference will be in San Francisco; hopefully we'll have even more people there!

Here is the photo gallery site http://www.lavenderlaw.org/gallery.html.

FYI: Noted Scholar Andrea Smith will be delivering a talk at the UC, next Friday (Oct. 5th) at noon.

FYI: Noted Scholar Andrea Smith will be delivering a talk at the UC, next Friday (Oct. 5th) at noon.

A bio of Andrea Smith

A cutting-edge scholar and cofounder of INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, the largest grassroots, multiracial feminist organization in the country, Andrea Smith (Cherokee) is an emerging leader in progressive political circles. In Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide, Smith places Native American women at the center of her analysis of sexual violence, challenging both conventional definitions of the term and conventional responses to the problem.

Beginning with the impact of the abuses inflicted on Native American children at state-sanctioned boarding schools from the 1880s to the 1980s, Smith adroitly expands our conception of violence to include the widespread appropriation of Indian cultural practices by whites and other non-Natives; environmental racism; and population control. Smith deftly connects these and other examples of historical and contemporary colonialism to the high rates of violence against Native American women-as a group, the poorest women in the US, and the most likely to suffer from poverty-related illnesses and to survive rape and partner abuse.

Essential reading for scholars and activists, Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide is the powerful synthesis of Andrea Smith's intellectual and political work to date. By focusing on the impact of sexual violence on Native American women, Smith articulates an agenda that is compelling to feminists, Native Americans, other people of color, and all who are committed to creating viable alternatives to state-based "solutions."

Diversity Admissions Workshop - Oct 20th

The Diversity Committee is hosting a Diversity Admissions Workshop
on Sat, Oct 20th. We will have over 150 attendees from various
undergraduate schools. As always, we are offering these students the
opportunity to bring their personal statements along if they would
like USD Law students to review and critique them. Last year we had
about 2 students per reviewer. As it stands this year, we have only
23 reviewers!

WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF MORE ESSAY REVIEWERS. It would only take
about an hour of your time. You needn't stay for the entire workshop.
We will be providing lunch and we're working on getting pro bono
hours for those that choose to volunteer their time.

The Diversity Committee is committed to achieving and maintaining a
more diverse, accepting, and cooperative environment here at the
University of San Diego School of Law. Your involvement would help
further that goal. If you are interested in participating in this
event then please e-mail Michael Chu, at chum-10@sandiego.edu.

Oprah blames same-sex tendencies on divorce

A post from Jessie:

I generally love Oprah and found myself tearful while watching most of her guests on yesterday's show, but for different reasons.

I felt the pain of all the children who had experienced some rough family issues, but was crying out of frustration and anger regarding the third guest, a young woman who came out to her parents about "hanging out with a girl," implying a romantic interest.

The way this was handled was shocking. Though it seemed the guest wanted to tell her parents about her self-blame in her parents' divorce, her purposeful acting out, and her consequential miscarriage, her "feelings session" with her parents rapidly turned into a sex-confession. Further and worse, the overarching message with this particular guest was, "If you don't talk to your kids about your divorce, they're going to turn gay/lesbian." And, as we know, being queer is almost always condemned as bad and wrong.

The expert and Oprah ensured the guest that she was not to blame, which simultaneously implies that even the inkling of interest in someone of the same sex entails or should entail blame.

This is both ridiculous and shameful. And, frankly, I'm surprised that the expert and Oprah were not more sensitive to this issue, as they should have been and must be in the future.

Transcript of Mayor Sander's Gay Marriage Press Conference Speech

I just got back to town and heard the great news. Click here for a transcript of Mayor Sander's emotional speech.

Mayor Sanders Signs on to Support Same-Sex Marriage!

Yea! Mayor Sanders signed on to the amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage. He gave an emotional speech about his change of heart, saying that his daughter is a lesbian and he couldn't say that same-sex relationships were less valuable than his own relationship with his wife... I'll try to attach some articles later, post some if you find any good ones...

If you'd like to take some time to thank Mayor Sanders and the city council members who signed on to the brief, here is their contact info:

You can write to the Mayor and the Councilmembers at 202 C St., San Diego, CA 92101.
Mayor Jerry Sanders
(619) 236-6330
jerrysanders@sandiego.gov
District One – Scott Peters
(619) 236-6611
scottpeters@sandiego.gov
District Three – Toni Atkins
(619) 236-6633
toniatkins@sandiego.gov

District Six – Donna Frye
(619) 236-6616
donnafrye@sandiego.gov
District Seven – Jim Madaffer
( 619) 236-6677
jmadaffer@sandiego.gov
District Eight – Ben Hueso
(619) 236-6688
benhueso@sandiego.gov

Gay marriage backed

Council OKs measure, Sanders promises veto

By Jennifer Vigil
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

September 19, 2007

The struggle over same-sex marriage has landed in San Diego, where the City Council agreed yesterday to signal its support for the concept, only to have Mayor Jerry Sanders pledge to veto the action.

Sanders' decision could result in an override of his veto, which requires a simple majority vote of the eight-member council. Councilwoman Toni Atkins said she expects “the votes will hold” to set aside the veto.

Atkins' attempt to have the city take a stand in favor of gay marriage has been bumpy. Two weeks ago, the council deadlocked 4-4 on the issue, a tie that killed the measure, until Atkins called for another chance.

Councilwoman Donna Frye, citing fears that the public had not had enough of a chance for input, voted against Atkins' proposal on Sept. 4, but changed her vote yesterday, resulting in a 5-3 decision to offer support for gay marriage.

Council President Scott Peters, and Councilmen Ben Hueso and Jim Madaffer joined Atkins and Frye on the winning side. Councilmen Kevin Faulconer, Brian Maienschein and Tony Young repeated their earlier no votes.

The council's decision – which would result in the city stating support for same-sex marriage in a case to be decided by the state Supreme Court – could be overturned as early as today.

Sanders' spokesman, Fred Sainz, said the mayor prefers civil unions, which offer some, but not all of the legal protections found in marriages. Sainz also noted that 62 percent of city voters backed Proposition 22, the statewide measure that bars California from acknowledging same-sex marriages performed in other states.

Mayoral vetoes, per city law, are required to be scheduled for review, so the council is likely to tackle the issue for a third time Monday or Tuesday. Documents must be submitted to the court by Sept. 26.

San Diego is not a party to the potentially landmark litigation, which could end the ban on marriages between gays and lesbians, but other cities and agencies throughout the state are submitting briefs stating their stances.

Atkins had asked that the city join Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Jose and Santa Cruz – cities that also are not formally involved in the case before the Supreme Court – in filing what is known as a “friend of the court” brief supporting those in favor of same-sex marriages.

Doing so, she argued, would ensure that state residents would be treated equally regardless of their sexual orientations.

“The right to marry the person of your choice is a fundamental constitutional right that has been recognized by many courts,” Atkins said.

Nearly 200 people appeared before the council, which spent more than three hours addressing the issue. Atkins, Frye and Hueso also shared carefully prepared remarks with those in attendance; the three council members who voted in opposition did not explain their positions.

Patricia Washington, a grandmother who stood up with her partner, described her support of same-sex marriage as “a continuation of the unfinished business of equality for every one of us in the city.”

Opponents, however, were angered by those who compared the pursuit of marriage rights with the civil-rights movement. Several also noted the passage of Proposition 22.

“This is not a struggle for civil rights,” said Luis Mendoza, one of nearly 80 people who opposed the effort to send the brief. “This is an attack on family.”

Volunteer Opportunity- American Indian Recruitment Mentorship

This is a volunteer opportunity sent to us by the Native American Law Student Association. If you have any questions, you can e-mail them at usdnalsa@gmail.com.

American Indian Recruitment (AIR) Programs
P.O. Box 880471 ~ San Diego, CA 92168
www.airprogram.org ~ airprograms@verizon.net

Dwight K. Lomayesva (Hopi Tribe), Executive Director


To: Student Participants, Educational Programs, Universities and Colleges
From: Dwight K. Lomayesva, Executive Director
Re: AIR Program Fall 2007 Semester
Date: September 17, 2007


On behalf of the AIR Program, we are pleased to announce the start of the “Fall 2007 AIR Program” on October 1, 2007. Staff and mentors will begin on October 1 and students will begin on October 15. Students who wish to enroll will have until October 15, 2007 to return their completed applications and permission forms (please go to www.airprograms.org “student info” section for the application). AIR will be mailing application packets to former students and partners in the next few days. If you would like to request an application packet be mailed, please contact us as directed below.

The American Indian Recruitment (AIR) Program was established with the ideals of promoting higher education in the American Indian community. To successfully achieve such an ideal, the AIR Program is dedicated towards the successful completion of high school for our student participants. The AIR Program, therefore, offers supplemental educational instruction through tutoring, mentoring, and various activities designed to achieve success within high school and higher education. The program provides high school students an opportunity to adjust to campus and academic life before attending the university along with providing the student with academic assistance for high school. The AIR Program firmly believes that education is fundamental for success in the leadership of our American Indian community and we look forward to seeing our student participants this upcoming semester.

If you are interested in being a part of the AIR Program this semester please visit our website at www.airprogram.org to see the exciting activities our students have engaged in over the past few years. We hope you find our accomplishments as exciting as we do and hope you will add to our successful program. To contact the AIR Program, email us at airprograms@verizon.net or call 619-819-5580. We look forward to meeting you this semester.

Breakfast with U.S. Rep. Davis at the Center!

Attend The Center's September
LGBT Community Coalition Breakfast!
Featuring U.S. Representative Susan Davis

Congressmember Davis will provide an “Update from Washington,” including information on Congressional efforts on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the federal hate crimes bill

Friday, Sept. 21st
7:30 - 9:00am
At The Center --- 3909 Centre St

A full breakfast is available for a $10 donation
Coffee and tea are complimentary.
RSVPS are not required.




U.S. Representative
Susan Davis


This LGBT Community Coalition is sponsored by Wells Fargo, The Gay & Lesbian Times and San Diego LGBT Pride.

For more information, contact Kristi Shaw at (619) 692-2077, ext. 206 or at kshaw@thecentersd.org.

Tomorrow-- San Diego City Council Votes on Marriage Equality

A message from the Center's Marriage Equality Project:

On Tues., Sept 18th the San Diego City Council will vote on whether to sign on to a friend-of-the-court (amicus) brief in the marriage equality case currently before the California Supreme Court. This measure was first brought up on Sept 4th and the Council Members voted 4-4, which forced another vote on Sept. 18th.

Having the City of San Diego (the state’s second largest city, which has, as we know, a reputation for being moderate to conservative) signing in favor of marriage equality in this case will make a HUGE impact and not only further bolster the case, but will likely help persuade other cities to sign on to the amicus brief as well.

I am 100% positive if you are reading this you have already e-mailed all the Council Members and either thanked them for their support or encouraged them to vote yes on Sept 18th, but what we really need is SUPPORTIVE FACES at the Sept. 18th hearing.

The hearing starts at 2:00pm on Tuesday Sept. 18, 2007 and is located on the 12th floor of the City Hall in Downtown San Diego (202 C Street San Diego, CA 92101).

Pride Law BBQ '07

Hope everyone enjoys!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

LGBTQQ Counseling Center Group

Come join us for an informal discussion made up of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students sharing their concerns and experiences.

If you're interested, please contact Erinn Tozer at the USD Counseling Center at (619) 260-4655. She will determine the time of the meeting based on members’ schedules. The first meeting should being starting the week of September 24th, 2006.

Gay Days in Disneyland

The 10th annual unofficial Gay Days at Disneyland will be held on October 5-7 this year. I know some people expressed interested in going and organizing a carpool, so reply to this post if you're interested. The UC Ticket office sells "discounted" Disneyland tickets for $59, instead of the door price of $63. Yes, what a bargain. If you have any questions, check out this website www.gaydaysanaheim.com or you can also contact Jenn at jennmauri@aol.com.

Lavender Law

This year, 5 of USD's brightest attended Lavender Law in the great city of Chicago. USD Pride Law members participated in the career fair, a main draw attracting dozens of employers from across the country. Equally exciting were the work shops which covered a wide range of issues, whether unique to the LGBT community or the legal profession at large. Hopefully USD will continue to participate in the Lavender Law conference for years to come!

Welcome!!!

Hello Everyone!

This blog will be a space for folks to post upcoming Pride Law events or community activities as well as a general sounding board for anyone who'd like to leave some comments or suggestions!

Stay tuned for updates!

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