Former Mississippi Governor Endorses Marriage Equality

This certainly isn't a headline you see every day. The Clarion Ledger is reporting that former Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove (a Democrat, of course) has endorsed marriage equality nine years after leaving office in a piece for the Huffington Post. Now, he says, he not only believes that was wrong, but he believes LGBT families deserve equal treatment in all respects:

Former Miss. Governor Ronnie Musgrove

In my own upbringing, my family lacked the ability to provide a stable, nurturing environment. After my father died when I was seven and my mother entered into an abusive relationship, I shuffled between houses -- staying with friends, families from church, and relying on the kindness of teachers and people throughout my community to help me grow up essentially without parents. 

As I thought about this issue, I came to understand that in order to do everything possible to keep another child from growing up like I did, we cannot continue to blindly disqualify people from becoming parents -- just as we should not deny an entire group of people the basic civil right of marriage -- simply because many of us fear what we do not understand.  

Like a majority of Americans in recent years, I came to understand that fear of homosexuality was leading our governments -- including the one I ran as Governor of Mississippi -- to deny the equal rights to an entire segment of our population that are afforded all of us under the Constitution. 

Like Sen. Portman, my evolution on LGBT adoption came from intensely personal reflections on my own life. What is sad to me is that my understanding of this issue did not come until after I had left office and no longer had the power to right this wrong. This reality weighs heavily on me to this day.

Musgrove reminds readers that he was the governor who once supported a law in Mississippi that made it illegal for LGBT couples to adopt. He obviously deeply regrets that decisions.

Thank you, Governor.

Read more here.

Crystal Craven Has Died. Her Family Needs Your Help.

Jessica Powell (left) and Crystal Craven (right) hold hands on their wedding day in Laurel, Miss.
Crystal wore a cowboy hat to conceal her surgery scars. Photo by Cassidi Bush.

In February, Crystal Craven married the love of her life, Jessica Powell, in Laurel, Mississippi. They celebrated their love in a wedding ceremony in front of family and friends, just like any other couple dreams of doing. Even the local controversy their wedding caused couldn't stop them from celebrating their love. But a month later after Crystal married the love of her life, Crystal would die from the stage 4 brain cancer she'd been battling for over a year. Crystal passed away Monday, March 11. 

When I first blogged about the hateful backlash the Laurel Leader-Call received after the initial story about Crystal and Jessica's wedding, so many of you came forth with an awesome outpouring of love I can't even describe. You donated to the Laurel Leader-Call in droves, people from all over the world payed for subscriptions of a small Mississippi paper a world away just to say, "Thanks." Emails and physical letters poured in from around the world, so much, in fact, that in days the letters of love outnumbered the hate mail 500-1. You all did the global gay community – and the global love community – proud. Oh, and, did I mention, the Leader-Call is going to be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for the bravery they showed in covering this story? The Laurel Leader-Call thanks you so, so very much, as do I.

But now, the Laurel Leader-Call has another request – this time for Crystal's family. From Laurel Leader-Call writer Cassidi Bush, who followed Crystal and Jessica's story:

"Crystal was only 34-years-old and she didn't have insurance, so her family will have a hard time paying funeral expenses. We really appreciated the new subscribers supporting us, but we would love to share that support with Crystal's family. Donations can be made to Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, Miss."

You can send gifts, flowers, and cards through the funeral home page here. But what Crystal's family really needs are monetary donations to help cover funeral costs. You can do this by calling Colonial Chapel Funeral Home at 601-649-3342 or by contacting them at the address: 4593 Indian Springs Road, Laurel, MS, 39441.

For now, you can read a selection from this beautiful followup article written by Cassidi Bush earlier this month. In the article, Jessica explained why Crystal had made the choice to stop fighting her cancer:

Crystal Craven, 34, and Jessica Powell, 24, had a wedding ceremony in downtown Laurel on Feb. 2. Even though they're in a state that doesn't legally recognize same-sex marriages, they wanted to have a public celebration of their love. Craven, who has Stage 4 brain cancer, wore a cowboy hat to cover scars from recent surgeries and treatments. 

About a week later – as an article about their "Historic Wedding" was on local newsstands – Craven was feeling weak on her left side and continued to have headaches. The couple went to the hospital and Craven's surgeon ordered a CAT scan. The results came back with bad news. The tumor on Craven's right side had come back, and there is a new one on the left side. 

Craven had a decision to make: Should she try chemo again or live out her remaining days at home? The decision has been tough on both women. 

"Crystal told me that she was tired of hurting, tired of being sick and tired of fighting," Powell said. "Of course we cried about it, but she decided not to do chemo again, and I have to respect that." [...]

"We have so much support from other states," Powell said. "The world can't get better unless change is in it."  

"Powell said she and Craven were not trying to make a political statement – they were just trying to make a public expression of their love. [...] 

Powell said she doesn't want to think about life without Craven, but faced with the realities of cancer, she knows she has to. 

"After this is over, I'm going to do me and hang out with my son," Powell said. "I've already been with the person I was supposed to be with, and some people never get that chance. I'm grateful for the time I have spent with her."  

She recalled their wedding day: "My vow to her was forever, not until death do us part."

How could you not cry? Please, if you have anything to spare – and I already know that many of you have huge hearts – please, one more time, help them out. They've been through a lot, but through it all, they shined a light in a state full of darkness. Let's shine our light right back at them as they go through this dark time.

Hospital's Chief Medical Officer Roasts Bryant Over Medicaid Expansion

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.

Forrest General Hospital's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joe Campbell, wrote a blistering op-ed in today's edition of the Hattiesburg American, blasting Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant for refusing to agree to the Medicaid expansion that, as part of the Affordable Care Act, would allow many poor and uninsured Mississippians access to healthcare at little cost to the state.

Campbell says he was no fan of the Obamacare, but argues that it makes no sense to refuse to accept the Medicaid expansion. In fact, he says, Bryant's actions will be highly detrimental to, not only the poor, but to the state's healthcare facilities. From the Hattiesburg American:

By deciding not to expand Medicaid here in the poorest and highest uninsured state, your tax dollars will be sent to Chicago and California among other places to fund their Medicaid program expansions. 

Gov. Bryant must be proud. 

He says that all of our poor working folks who have no insurance can get their “health care” in the emergency room. 

While this may be true (we never turn anyone away) ... He doesn’t talk about who pays for this “care,” your local hospital. 

He also doesn’t bring up the fact that these folks don’t show up in the ER until their problem is so bad that the cost to treat them is multiplied many times over.

Since I don’t think poor uninsured citizens of Mississippi are going to leave the state in large numbers, this will result in many smaller facilities closing and loss of services at the larger ones.

At a time when we have a severe doctor shortage in Mississippi, UMC and Forrest General Hospital (the two hospitals in the state with the most Medicaid patients) are facing many millions of dollars of cuts, which threaten the viability of the two medical schools in the state and the future supply of physicians here. (Read more)

Hopefully, as more medical professionals in Mississippi begin to speak out, the idiots running our state will start to listen to all that talking money. It seems to be the only thing that can ever get their attention – especially when proving how much their hate President Obama is their number one aim.

Girls Say Accused Killer of Marco McMillian Claimed Rape Defense

Lawrence Reed, who is accused of killing

gay Clarksdale mayoral candidate  Marco 

McMillian last month.

Days after it was first revealed that the defense team for Lawrence Reed might be planning to use a "gay panic" defense in the killing of Clarksdale candidate Marco McMillian, two unidentified witnesses are now claiming that Reed told them he killed McMillian because he thought he was going to be raped:

However, the sisters say Reed told them everything. Just after midnight on February 26, their youngest sister received a panicked call from Reed. One sister says, "He called at 12:11am and he told her that the dude (McMillian) was trying to rape him. He was exposing himself to him, playing with himself, telling him to do things and then he'll take him home."  

He told the girl he was on a back road and couldn't get away. A few minutes later a bruised, bloody and broken Reed showed up at their back porch. "He just looked like he had been through war..." one sister describes, "He was standing in the back, back here, telling God to forgive him. He didn't mean to do it, and he was saying that he just wanted to die." 

She says when Reed couldn't get away from McMillian, he used the chain on his wallet to choke the 200 pound politician. "He was shaking real hard, he was crying real hard, he was circling, begging for somebody to talk to him."  

The sisters say Reed was inconsolable and, they believe, suicidal. "When he left out, he just drove out, sped up and hit a white truck head on."

New details also emerged regarding a more accurate description of the condition of McMillian's body than previously reported:

On Sunday, McMillian's family released a statement saying the politician was dragged, beaten and burned. A source close to the investigation told abc24.com the family's description of the death was inaccurate. His face was swollen. He had a black eye, he was dragged by hand a few feet and there were burn marks on small areas of his skin.  

Theoretically speaking on the basis of these reports, it's hard to imagine a scenario where a person who is faced with rape decides that, instead of attempting to escape, it would be easier to choke his "attacker" with a wallet chain, beat him, apparently burn him in some way, steal his truck, drag and dump his body, run cry to some friends, then leave again in his "attacker's" truck only to wreck it.

It seems that, if someone had the ability to do all of that, that person should've also had the ability to get away and call 911. Certainly, being in the same room as someone who might have been "playing with" himself isn't the same as being helplessly attacked by a rapist, and it wouldn't be any more of a justification for kill someone than, say, whistling at a white woman.

The story, as told by these two girls, simply doesn't add up. It'll be interesting to see if the story from the Lawrence defense team bears any resemblance.

Rand Paul Supported Use of Drones for Border Enforcement

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) led a 13-hour-long filibuster over the drone program on March 6, 2013.

While I've commended Sen. Rand Paul for taking a stand and finally getting answers from the White House on the topic of drones, and for standing against many of his Republican colleagues, I do now have a question for Rand Paul myself: If you are against the use of armed drones on American soil – and I believe you sincerely are – then why, in 2011, is it that you supported the use of drones as a border security enforcement measure? Uh oh:

That worry about drones is not universal for Paul, however, as he’s less concerned when it comes to enforcing border security via drone. Laying out his stance on comprehensive immigration reform, Paul published an op-ed in the Washington Times making clear that he felt that border security had to be addressed before a path to citizenship could be enacted: 

"Border security, including drones, satellite and physical barriers, vigilant deportation of criminals and increased patrols would begin immediately and would be assessed at the end of one year by an investigator general from the Government Accountability Office." 

Though he did not make it clear, it can be assumed that Paul was referring to drones of the unarmed variety, rather than advocating launching Hellfire missiles at immigrants attempting to cross the border.

Looks like somebody in Kentucky has got some explaining to do. I wonder if Mr. Paul would be willing to send over to Deep South Progressive an Eric Holder style response? I won't hold my breath.

No Healthcare for Poor Mississippians, Phil Bryant Insists

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R)

As the debate over Obamacare and Medicaid expansion rages on in Mississippi politics, Gov. Phil Bryant has taken a page from the national GOP playbook. When Democrats offered a compromise on the Medicaid expansion, Bryant chose instead to dig his heels in even deeper, the Hattiesburg American reports:

If the Obama Administration cuts payments to hospitals for treating the indigent, Gov. Phil Bryant says he won’t cave in on expanding Medicaid — he’ll sue. 

“The first thing I’d do is sue (the federal government),” Bryant said Wednesday after state House Democratic leaders offered what they call a compromise to the governor and House GOP leadership on Medicaid expansion. 

As some other GOP governors are backing down on their stance against expanding their states’ Medicaid programs as part of Obamacare, Bryant appears to be digging in. 

“I do not see expansion of Medicaid in Mississippi as it exists today, with all its waste, fraud and abuse,” Bryant said. “Republican governors are looking at other alternatives — medical savings programs … other options. The Supreme Court said they can’t punish states for not participating in Obamacare. That’s exactly what (cutting indigent care payments) would be doing, punishing us. ” 

The Mississippi Legislature is in a standoff over Medicaid. House Democrats want to expand it to cover hundreds of thousands of the working poor in the state, per Obamacare. The GOP leadership opposes expansion. Each side has killed measures to reauthorize Medicaid to operate for the coming year. Each side at this point lacks the number of votes to win the day.  

Democratic lawmakers said Wednesday they want to craft a bill that would have a “trigger” mechanism for Medicaid expansion. If the federal government cuts hospital payments for treating the indigent — as was the initial plan with the 2010 Affordable Care Act — then the state would expand the Medicaid program. The hospitals and other medical lobbies, fearing the loss of millions in federal funds, are pushing lawmakers to expand Medicaid.

Democratic Rep. Steve Holland

When you're Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, it is your duty, after all, to ensure that your citizens suffer the most. It's your duty to make sure they know that life is really, really, really bad under the Kenyan, socialist, secret-Muslim, also known as President Barack Obama. I mean, what else could we expect? Laws actually aimed at improving the lives of Mississippians? Ha. Perish the thought.

This all comes days after Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville) responded to the Medicaid debate, writing to Bryant: "I think you're a fool for turning your back on the poor. Plus, you're a hypocrite to promote medical economic development and not have this means to pay for it. This is simple minded on your part. Get a life. :-)"

I love you, Steve Holland.

Because Christians Are So Persecuted in Mississippi, House Passes Prayer Bill

Rep. Kevin McGee (R) supported
a school prayer bill because, he
said, "We all need to pray."

No one is stopping Mississippi schoolchildren from praying. But that isn't stopping the Mississippi House from passing another iteration of the "anti-discrimination" school prayer law that, not only "legalizes" activities that are already legal thanks to the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty, but also introduces very questionable language into law because, as one legislator said last year, "We all need to pray." The text of SB 2633, which is now headed to Gov. Phil Bryant's desk after it passed the House 108-6:

"An act to enact the 'Mississippi Religious Liberties Act of 2013'; to provide for voluntary student expression of religious viewpoints in public schools; to provide that public school districts shall allow religious expression in class assignments; to provide that public school districts shall provide students with the freedom to organize religious groups and activities; to provide that public school districts shall provide a limited public forum for student speakers at non-graduation and graduation events; to provide a model policy for voluntary religious expression in public schools; and for related purposes."

First of all, while gays, lesbians, transgender people, black people, Hispanic people, Native Americans and women face actual and structural discrimination in Mississippi, evangelical Christians most certainly do not. It's quite disingenuous for these people, who often advocate for and uphold discrimination against real minority groups, to pretend that Christians – of all groups – need some sort of special protection against discrimination in Mississippi. Sorry, a 108 vote majority says you're not eligible for a slice of the victimhood pie.

Secondly, unless something has seriously changed since I graduated high school in 2008, most of those things are already recognized rights. Students can pray in schools. In fact, at my high school, See You At the Pole was a regularly held prayer event in which students held hands around the flagpole to pray together, and students were given a "moment of silence" (translation: "Moment to pray to Jesus Christ") every morning. Students aren't penalized for airing religious viewpoints in class. Au contraire, my high school biology teacher was shouted down by my classmates for even attempting to broach the topic of evolution (she ended up teaching it as if it didn't pertain at all to humans). Students can already organize prayer groups and religious clubs. In fact, I was part of one – First Priority – in my high school, and there was at least one more – Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I'm not sure what "related purposes" entails.

What you can't do – and many schools in Mississippi violate this anyway without the need of a law – is force others to participate in a certain religious practice. You can't allow students to walk around, vocally projected loud, boastful, disruptive prayers. You can't make students listen to a reading of the Bible (even though that was a daily part of my primary school education, along with collectively saying the blessing at lunch). You can't give students special privileges to excuse them from the same curriculum as everyone just because they feel scientific reality is at odds with their religion (even though students at my high school obviously got away with it when it came to evolution). You can't force students to attend religious functions (even though students at my high school were given no option but to attend several religion-centered, school-hosted speaking engagements).

My point is, there are many things public schools in Mississippi already do that they aren't supposed to do Constitutionally, but that doesn't mean the Mississippi House should recognize, as a matter of law, blatant Constitutional violations. Certainly, it doesn't need to pass a law purporting to "legalize" religious freedoms that public school students already enjoy without question thanks to the Constitution.

Let's remind ourselves of the text of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Clearly, Mississippi Christians are not suffering the denial of the free exercise of their religious beliefs (although other religious groups probably are). But protecting Christians from that prohibition isn't the aim of the law, and it's not the goal of the lawmakers behind it. Rep. Kevin McGee (R-Brandon) explained the real motivation for the 'Mississippi Religious Liberties Act' when a nearly identical bill was introduced last year:

"We all need to pray," said Rep. Kevin McGee, R-Brandon. "Hopefully, if this bill passes, we will be able to do that in many different places."

You see, that's the true intent behind the law: "We all need to pray." So even if a student is atheist, agnostic, Hindu, or Muslim – the Mississippi Republican House wants that student to pray, and that's why they've passed the Mississippi Religious Liberties Requirements Act of 2013. Because the free exercise of religion shouldn't simply be "not prohibited"; it should be requisite.

Sadly, Rep. Kevin McGee couldn't join his colleagues in voting for the Religious Liberties Act of 2013. He resigned in November in order to avoid over $400,000 in fines after he was charged with ethics violations. Clearly, we all need to pray for him.

"Gay Panic" Defense May Be Used in Marco McMillian Homicide Case

Left: Marco McMillian, slain gay Clarksdale mayoral candidate.

Right: Lawrence Reed, suspect in McMillian's homicide.

Even as local law enforcement continues to contend that the killing of gay Clarksdale mayoral candidate Marco McMillian likely wasn't a hate crime, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs is reporting that the defense team for suspect Lawrence Reed may be considering a "gay panic" defense:

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has learned that a “gay panic” defense might be used by the suspect in the homicide of Mississippi Mayoral Candidate, Marco McMillian.  McMillian was found dead on Wednesday, February 27th near the bank of the Mississippi River just west of Clarksdale, Mississippi, the town where he had been a mayoral hopeful.  Lawrence Reed was arrested for the homicide, and it is being reported that the two men may have had an intimate relationship during the approximately two weeks that they knew one another.  It is also being reported that Reed, who identifies as straight, may have “snapped” as a result of sexual advances on the part of McMillian.  Police have ruled out a hate crime in this case so far, something that some of McMillian’s friends and family members  want reconsidered due to the brutal nature of the homicide.  According to his family, McMillian had been beaten and burned. "Marco's death is a tragedy.  He was a champion for justice and now he needs justice.  State hate crime law in Mississippi does not include sexual orientation. To date, it appears his accused will not be charged with a hate crime,” said Dr. Ravi K. Perry, friend of McMillian and former advisor to his campaign. “This tragedy brings to light the inequitable protections for LGBT persons throughout various states, where literally you can cross states lines and lose rights. We need to ensure Marco's life and legacy is given the same attention he gave so many others' lives."

The "gay panic" strategy has been used in the past. If this strategy was used, it would essentially mean that the victim, Marco McMillian, would be put on trial and the defendant would be treated as a victim of unwanted homosexual advances. But if the defense did indeed use such a strategy, Mississippi law still doesn't consider crimes motivated by anti-gay sentiment as hate crimes.

However, reports also indicate that the FBI is considering getting involved in the case. If so, that could open the door to federal hate crime charges:

The agency "will assess evidence to determine whether federal prosecution is appropriate," Deborah Madden, an FBI public affairs specialist, said Wednesday. 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the National Black Justice Coalition, both separately urged the federal government Tuesday to seek potential hate crime charges in a case that has grabbed national attention. Mississippi has a hate-crime law that covers race, religion and gender but doesn't extend to sexual orientation. 

However, local and state agencies can seek assistance to pursue a federal hate crime under the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which does cover homosexuality. Or the FBI can come in to investigate at the request of an outside source, as in the McMillian case.

Marco McMillian, 34, was thought to be one of the first viable openly gay candidates to run for office in Mississippi.

Unprecedented: Republican Demands Obama Answer Question, Happy When He Gets an Answer

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul did more than simply defy the GOP's love of wimpy, behind-closed-doors, non-talking filibusters Wednesday. Indeed, not only was Rand Paul's old-fashioned, 13-hour long, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington style filibuster the first of its kind since Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) did it in 2010, he followed it up the next day with actions that seemed to repudiate a tactic the GOP has relied on for the past four years.

What did he do? Well, when he actually got a response from the White House, Rand Paul acknowledged it instead of pretending that no response had been given. Not only did he admit that he'd gotten an answer, he said he was "quite happy" with the answer he got.

Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder responded to the ninth longest filibuster in Senate history with the following letter:

"It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: 'Does the president have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?' The answer to that question is no."

Rand Paul responded:

"Hooray!" Paul said on Fox News, where he learned of the letter and its contents. "For 13 hours yesterday, we asked him that question. So there is a result and a victory. Under duress, and under public humiliation, the White House will respond and do the right thing." 

Shortly after, Paul said during a CNN appearance that he is "quite happy" with Holder's response, and that he only wished it didn't take so long to get an answer. 

It's quite sad when it's shocking to see a Republican demand something and then not deny reality when the president gives him exactly what he asked for. "Quite happy"? Amazing.

That's a far cry from the worlds inhabited by people like Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Ever since the Benghazi attacks, they have constantly demanded that President Obama give them "answers on Benghazi." But every time President Obama has given them "answers on Benghazi," they have completely ignored his answers, instead using each answer as another opportunity to demand "answers on Benghazi."

In fact, John McCain missed an intelligence briefing on Benghazi back in November because of a scheduling conflict in which he was too busy standing at a podium blasting Obama and demanding "answers on Benghazi" to attend a briefing that would've provided him with... answers on Benghazi.

Incidentally, John McCain and Lindsey Graham, neocons who think that every day is a new opportunity to invade another country and to spread freedom and democracy with bombs and bullets, were both displeased with Rand Paul's filibuster. They accused Republicans who participated in the filibuster of attacking Obama for mere political reasons. Oh, really? For sure, some of those who suddenly feigned concern about drone strikes were just hijacking the filibuster for another opportunity to attack Obama and couldn't care less about Rand Paul's concerns. But, really Madame Graham – Pot, meet kettle.

If more Republicans and conservatives would actually acknowledge it when the president responds to their concerns and questions (which he often does), it might encourage a better working relationship with the White House and more substantive, constructive cooperation. But most Republicans aren't concerned with answering important questions or doing something productive – they're just concerned with politically undermining the president at any and every opportunity.

As much as I often find myself disagreeing with Rand Paul and as much as I often think he can be a colossal jerk, good on you, Rand Paul. Good on you for acknowledging the reality that you honestly did get an answer. Good on you for seeming to appreciate the answer, instead of moving the goal posts in search of endless political games.

And good on you for reminding us that, unlike the GOP's petty behind-closed-doors filibusters of recent years, there is power in a real talking filibuster that comes from genuine conviction.

Although I don't think anyone should be thanked for something that should be common practice in politics, thanks. Sen. Paul.

Rand Paul's Old School Filibuster on Brennan Nomination Over Drones

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R), son of Ron Paul, is currently doing an old school style, speaking filibuster against the nomination of John Brennan as CIA Director. You can watch the filibuster LIVE here.

Personhood Mississippi Announces New Personhood Amendment: "Life at Conception Citizen's Initiative"

The "Life at Conception Citizen's Initiative" was announced today in a press conference call with Personhood USA Communications Director Jennifer Mason. The Life at Conception Citizens Initiative is the followup to 2011's failed Personhood Amendment, also known as Initiative 26. The new amendment is improved and "based on science and technology," according to Les Riley of Personhood Mississippi. The text of the amendment is as follows:

"Be it enacted by the people of the state of Mississippi: Article 14 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is hereby amended by the addition of a new section to read . . . The right to life begins at conception. All human beings at every stage of development are uniquel, created in God's image and shall have equal rights as persons under the law."

According to Steve Crampton, Constitutional Attorney for the Liberty Council, the new Mississippi Personhood Amendment "does little more than recognize that life is created at conception." Personhood USA said that the initiative won't ban in-vitro fertilization or contraception, pre-empting arguments they expect from opponents.

However, Mason said in response to a press question, "what that means with in-vitro [is that] if that baby is created, that baby should not be killed." She said the amendment would outlaw in-vitro practices that involve the use of multiple fertilized eggs, wherein multiple eggs are fertilized to increase the chances of a pregnancy resulting. Doctors, she said, "would be cautious and not put quite so many [fertilized eggs] in there." The amendment would mean that the number of fertilized eggs would be limited to "just the number of babies that a woman is comfortable with being pregnant with."

The problem is, as Deep South Progressive explained during the debate in 2011, this is exactly the process that is used in order to give in-vitro fertilization a reasonable chance at resulting in a pregnancy:

[T]he process of in-vitro fertilization involves multiple microscopic eggs being fertilized in a lab in order for a couple to have a reasonable chance at getting pregnant. After three-to-five days, some of the eggs are transferred to a woman's uterus with the hope that one will implant and result in a pregnancy. But in the process, extra fertilized eggs are often left over; these eggs are frozen and stored in the event that further attempts at implantation are necessary. Some are damaged in the process, many are never used. But since the Personhood Amendment would define a fertilized egg as a legal 'person,' anything that endangers them, such as freezing, could be considered a criminal violation.

Earlier today, Parents Against Personhood warned that even an amendment like the one now being proposed could not be implemented without essentially outlawing effective in-vitro.

Another problem involves the definition of "conception." Jennifer Mason clarified that, while "eggs aren't people," Personhood USA considers a fertilized egg a person even before implantation:

"We use the scientific definition for conception, which is the moment of fertilization, not implantation. At the moment of conception there is a new unique individual human being with eye color, hair color, gender, and much more determined. That human being exists before implantation."

As the New York Times points out, there is no pregnancy until a fertilized egg implants. In fact, most fertilized eggs don't result in pregnancies. So by Personhood USA's definition, and by the implications of this new law, you would indeed have a person before you would have a pregnancy. This was a central problem in the previous debate, and it appears it will continue with this amendment, too.

Les Riley said that, even if the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's last remaining abortion clinic, is closed because of Gov. Phil Bryant's recent laws that intentionally make it difficult for it to continue operations, the Personhood Amendment is necessary. Why? Riley explains:

"We understand that Planned Parenthood spent nearly $2 million in out of state funds to defeat this previous amendment . . . Now it's become more clear with the fact that the Hattiesburg Planned Parenthood operation has expanded their clinic and it appears they're planning to do clinical abortions in Hattiesburg if the Jackson clinic closes."

It's an "insidious plot," Riley said.

Mississippians Against Personhood responds:

Ultimately, the wording of this amendment differs very little from the failed Initiative 26. It doesn’t “clear up any confusion”, at least not in the sense that the organizers mean. Voters didn’t oppose Initiative 26 because they didn’t understand the wording about “fertilization or the functional equivalent” — they voted against it because they had serious concerns about its unintended consequences for infertility treatment, pregnancy complications, and birth control. 

By pointing at the enacting legislation as evidence of their intentions, Personhood Mississippi has made it perfectly clear that these are not “unintended consequences”, and that the new initiative would do exactly what we’ve always claimed Initiative 26 would have done: restrict doctors from being able to treat patients with infertility or serious pregnancy complications, and potentially impact some forms of birth control. 

We appreciate their clarification of these important issues, and look forward to discussing them in depth with Mississippi voters over the next 18 months as we work to defeat this initiative.

In 2011, the Personhood Amendment was defeated by a 58%-42% vote via ballot initiative. Jennifer Mason expects the initiative to appear on the 2014 election ballot, which is the earliest possible date it could be voted on. The 2013 deadline has passed.

Dem Lawmaker to Gov. Phil Bryant: 'You're a fool' and a 'hypocrite' for 'turning your back on the poor'

Mississippi State Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville)

The front page of the Hattiesburg American this morning featured one of the more delicious headlines from Jackson as of late: "Dem: Miss. gov a 'fool' not to expand Medicaid." Those words were said by Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), who is the former chairman of the state's House Public Health Committee. Holland held no punches:

He said expanding Medicaid would provide coverage for people who work hard but can’t afford insurance. He also said expansion would support thousands of health care jobs. 

“I think you’re a fool to turn your back on the working poor,” Holland said in a hand-written note he was delivering to the governor Monday. “Plus, you’re a hypocrite to promote medical economic development and not have this means to pay for it. This is simple minded on your part.” Holland closed the note by saying to Bryant: "Get a life." 

Holland's signature included a smiley face, which he often uses on official documents, but he said the criticism is serious. 

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant.

Holland is right – Bryant is a bitter fool and a hypocrite. While we already know that Bryant and other Republicans hate the Affordable Care Act (colloquially, Obamacare), the act is in place regardless and it appears that it's there to stay.

Under the act, states have the option of expanding Medicaid so that it includes people making as much as 138% of the federal poverty level, which means that Mississippians making up to around $15,000 a year would be eligible. Considering the fact that the current cutoff is about $5,500, this would mean that many previously uncovered, lower income adults in Mississippi – which has some of the worst healthcare results in the nation – would now have health insurance.

With that in place, accepting the expansion of Medicaid is a no-brainer. Even Republicans in other states who were staunchly opposed to Obamacare, including Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, have agreed to the Medicaid expansion. Why would they agree to this? Won't this cost their states more money? Not really, as the Hattiesburg American points out:

"The 2010 law says the federal government would pay 100 percent of medical expenses for the newly qualified enrollees from 2014 to 2017. The federal share would be reduced to 90 percent by 2020, with each state paying the balance."

That's why accepting the Medicaid expansion is a no-brainer for sensible governors like Chris Christie and even normally senseless governors like Jan Brewer. Unfortunately, when it comes to Mississippi's governor, "no-brain" might be the operative term: Gov. Phil Bryant, staunchly opposed to Obamacare (ostensibly as a matter of principle), continues to refuse to accept the expansion that would save and improve the lives of thousands of his state's citizens. Because, when you're the Republican governor of Mississippi, opposing anything and everything Barack Obama does is the only acceptable action – even if the poor in your state suffer because of it.

Steve Holland has it right: Phil Bryant is a fool and hypocrite. :)

Slain Gay Candidate Beaten and Burned in 'Hate Crime,' Alleges Marco McMillian Family

The family of Marco McMillian wants the death investigated as a hate crime, according to the front page of the Clarion-Ledger today. McMillian, who was running for mayor in Clarksdale. He is thought to have been one of Mississippi's first viable openly gay candidates.

McMillian's family said Monday that he was beaten and burned before his body was found dumped alongside the Mississippi River. His Godfather, Carter Womack, said that the information came from the Coahoma County corner, but the coroner and the Sheriff weren't available for comment.

“We know that Marco was brutally murdered. His body was found on Wednesday, February 26, 2013, beaten, dragged and burned (set afire). This was reported in our meeting with the local coroner on two occasions. We were informed that the official autopsy report could take two to four weeks to complete. 

“We feel that this was not a random act of violence based on the condition of the body when it was found. Marco, nor anyone, should have their lives end in this manner."

According to the statement, McMillian had previously shared concerns for his safety with family members before his death.

Lawrence Reed, who is charged with
Marco McMillian's murder.
(Source: Reed's Facebook)

"He was very concerned about his safety; people had tried to talk him out of the race," Womack said.

The family called for a "full and thorough" investigation that would include the possibility that his death was a hate crime.

That might be difficult, however, because Mississippi law doesn't recognize crimes against gay people as hate crimes. Even if it could proved that his death was the result of an anti-gay attack, Mississippi law would not classify it as a hate crime because Mississippi hate crime law only covers race, religion, and gender. Local and state law enforcement could pursue federal hate crime law, which, under the 2009 Matthew Shepard  & James Byrd, Jr. Act, does cover sexual orientation. So far, however, local and state agencies have declined to do so.

The man charged with his murder, Lawrence Reed, 22, was found after he crashed McMillian's SUV. According to Chris Talley, whom Reed crashed into, family members of Reed's girlfriend said that Reed had confessed to murdering McMillian over the phone.

Personhood Mississippi Set to Announce Filing of New Personhood Amendment

Two years after Mississippi voters soundly defeated Initiative 26, the so-called "Personhood Amendment" that would've banned, not only all forms of abortion, but also certain types of birth control and even in-vitro fertilization, Personhood Mississippi is set to announce Tuesday the filing of a new Personhood initiative in Mississippi via telephone conference.

Initiative 26 sought to enshrine, within the Mississippi State Constitution, a definition of person that would include "every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." Since a fertilized egg isn't even a pregnancy until it implants, this would've meant that, under Mississippi law, you would have a person before you even had a pregnancy. The extremity of this measure was what, ultimately, killed the Personhood Amendment, even in Mississippi.

While Personhood USA says the new Personhood Amendment will have a different sponsor, it's not clear how the new Personhood Amendment will differ from the old one. But when we find out during the telephone conference tomorrow at 2:30 CST, I'll be the first to let you know.

Former McCain Aid: Smart Young People Don't Want to Work for a Bigoted Party

In an appearance on Bill Maher's show, former McCain 2008 campaign aid and GOP tactician Steve Schmidt offered a blistering explanation for why the GOP has a difficult time catching up with technological advancements and recruiting smart, young people who know how to politic for the 21st century: Bigotry.
Quoting Steve Schmidt:

If you look at your first guest on talking about brilliant young people in computers who understand all this stuff [and] be at the cutting edge, it's difficult to make the case to work for a political party that wants to discriminate against their friend who happens to be gay. So we have an enormous problem because of some of our issues in the Republican party that are so out of step whether its with regard to women, gays, the anti-immigrant rhetoric, and it makes it difficult to attract the best and the brightest in this space."

Schmidt, of course, was famously at odds with McCain's VP choice, Sarah Palin, in 2008, despite having helped recruit her. The icy relationship is detailed in both the book and the film "Game Change."

Source: Towleroad.

The Ultimate Anti-Gay Marriage Ad

(Good As You)

Mississippi Child Cured of HIV, Doctors Say

This is huge. A little girl born in rural Mississippi with HIV has been functionally cured, according to doctors at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. While it doesn't seem to offer a method for curing adults, it is certainly a huge step forward. This would be the first known case of a child being cured of the virus. The New York Times has the story:

The Mississippi child's surprising cure came about from happenstance – and the quick thinking of a University of Mississippi pediatric infectious disease specialist named Hannah Gay. 

"The child came to our attention as a high-risk exposure to maternal HIV," Gay tells Shots. Her mother hadn't had any prenatal care, she says, so didn't get antiviral drugs during pregnancy. 

The fact that the newborn tested positive for HIV within 30 hours of birth is a sign she was probably infected in utero, HIV specialists say. 

Gay decided to begin treating the child immediately, with the first dose of antivirals given within 31 hours of birth. That's faster than most infants born with HIV get treated, and specialists think it's one important factor in the child's cure. 

In addition, Gay gave higher-than-usual, "therapeutic" doses of three powerful HIV drugs rather than the "prophylactic" doses usually given in these circumstances. 

Over the months, the baby thrived and standard tests could detect no virus in her blood, which is the normal result from antiviral treatment. 

Then, her mother stopped bringing the child in for checkups. 

"The baby's mom was having some life changes, that's about all I can say," Gay reports. "I saw her at 18 months, and then after that did not see her for several months. And we were unable to locate her for a while." 

Gay enlisted the help of Mississippi state health authorities to track down the child. When they found her, the mother said she'd stopped giving antiviral drugs six or seven months earlier.

Talk about progress in the Deep South.

 Read more here.

No, Mississippi Isn't Ready to Move Beyond Race Training Wheels

Attorney General Jim Hood is the
only Democrat in Mississippi to
hold statewide elected office.

Mississippi isn't ready to move beyond its racial training wheels – even if some simple minded folks on the United States Supreme Court think we are.

The high court, led by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, seems prepared to strike down Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prevents states with god-awful racial pasts like Mississippi from making changes to election procedures without federal approval. That's why Mississippi's voter ID law, which amounted to a modern day poll tax, was blocked from taking effect before last year's election.

Conservatives argue that, while Section 5 may have been necessary in the past at a time when overt racism was commonly put into law, Mississippi has since moved on and left its dark past behind; now we're colorblind just like everyone else! From USA Today:

"In his 2008 speech on race, Obama quoted the writer William Faulkner, a Mississippi native: 'The past is never dead. It's not even past.' 

Hogwash, says former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour, a Republican who spoke in 2004 at an event in Philadelphia to mark the 40th anniversary of the 'Freedom Summer' murders. 

'Over 50 years, we've gotten that behind us,' Barbour says, insisting that the South deserves equal treatment. 'The same rules ought to apply to Massachusetts, Minnesota and Montana that apply to Mississippi.'"

So now we're moving on from State's Rights to state personhood; that is, since Mississippi has now officially ratified the 13th Amendment and officially outlawed slavery (yes, that happened last month), racism is dead and the question is no longer whether we treat racial minorities equally; the question is whether the United States treats Mississippi equally.

But how can it? Were it not for the Voting Rights Act, there likely wouldn't be a single black or Democratic U.S. Congressperson from the State of Mississippi – the state with the largest African American population in the country. Instead, Mississippi – like Alabama, South Carolina, and Louisiana – has one black Congressman representing one majority black district. And that's because Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires minorities to be given even so much as a fair shot at representation. Were it not for the Voting Rights Act, it's quite easy to see a scenario where black Mississippians would be redistricted out of any sort of national representation; just look at recent state redistricting for a teaser.

Opponents to the Voting Rights Act argue that, because Mississippi actually has the most black elected officials in the country (29% of legislators are black), our state is in a better shape when it comes to our racial stigma than progressives are willing to let on. Yet the 29% figure only serves to indicate that the Voting Rights Act is working as intended. After all, while 29% may seem like a big number, 37% of the Mississippi population is black, which means there remains a significant disparity.

Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood joined California, New York and North Carolina in filing briefs to the Supreme Court in support of Section 5. "Pre-clearance has historically been a vital safeguard, and it remains today an essential tool for preventing voting discrimination," the brief argued. McComb's weekly newspaper, The Enterprise-Journal, couldn't believe Hood's audacity, whining:

"Jim Hood doesn't think his fellow Mississippians can be trusted to run elections fairly. Even with more black elected officials than any state in the country, even with courthouses and city halls around the state under majority-black control, the Democratic attorney general still believes that Mississippi could revert back to its segregationist past if left to its own devices."

First of all, if black people really controlled so much of Mississippi's state government, Jim Hood wouldn't be the only statewide elected Democrat in Mississippi. But secondly, to be honest, why should Jim Hood trust us? And why should anyone believe that Mississippi wouldn't revert to segregation era policies (albeit under the guise of shiny new motives)?

Mississippi's past isn't just in the past. Even when black people are elected in Mississippi, it's almost always by other black Mississippians. White Mississippians simply don't vote for black candidates, no matter what:

Elections are still driven by racially polarized voting, and most white voters do not vote for black candidates in black-white elections no matter their qualifications. [In statewide elections in 2003], the state's forty-six-year old Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, a black man named Gary Anderson, was defeated in the State Treasurer's race by a twenty-nine-year-old white bank employee who had no experience in governmental finance.

There are many reasons to believe Mississippi hasn't moved beyond its racial past.

You could consider the fact, that although we just ratified the 13th Amendment to officially join the rest of the Union in outlawing slavery, the Mississippi flag still retains the symbol of the Confederacy in its upper left hand corner.

Or you could consider the fact that, in 2011, Public Policy Polling found that 46% of Mississippi Republicans want interracial marriage banned.

Or how, also in 2011, a black man named James C. Anderson was murdered by a mob of angry white teenagers in Jackson who had said they were looking for a "nigger" they could "mess with." They shouted "white power" as they beat him.

Or you could consider the fact that, in response to Obama's re-election, hundreds of students at Ole Miss rioted and shouted racial slurs, fifty years after anti-black riots on the campus that occurred as segregationist Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett personally sought to stop James Meredith from becoming the university's first black student.

Or you could consider the fact that, in Mississippi, black people earn only 69% as much as whites earn (nationally it's 80%).

The pecan tree where 17-year-old Raynard
Johnson was found hanging from outside
 his parents' house in Kokomo, Miss.

Or you could consider the fact that, in Mississippi, black youth are incarcerated at twice the rate of white youth, often for minor non-violent offenses. Several cities in Mississippi are being charged with setting up a "pipeline to prison" system that funnels mostly black youth from schools to prison, often for minor infractions.

Or you could consider something that it's a little more personal: You could grow up here with an awareness of the world around you. In 2000, I was still in elementary school when a neighbor in Kokomo, Mississippi walked outside one morning to find his son, 17-year-old Raynard Johnson, hanging in a tree by a belt in the front yard of his house. Despite all evidence to the contrary, police were quick to rule the death a suicide and sweep it under the rug. To this day, there has been no justice for Raynard and likely never will be. That's a lynching, folks, a lynching that happened right down the street from me at the dawn of the new millennium.

All day long, you could consider facts about Mississippi – facts that reinforce the fact that Mississippi has not moved beyond its race problem, and facts that reinforce the continued need for Section 5 to remain intact. We do not live in a perfect world, and we certainly don't live in a perfect state. As much as I would like the "colorblind" utopia to exist where there is no need for a Section 5, the fact is, we don't live in that world or in that state.

Mississippi, no, you're not ready. You've got a lot more to prove. But don't worry. There's a growing progressive movement here that is working – quite hard – to help you grow up so that, one day, you'll be worthy of the big boy bike.

Mitt Romney: Maybe Opposing Obamacare, Offending the Poor, and Shunning Minorities Were Bad Campaign Tactics

In an interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney offered some reflection, admitting that perhaps campaigning against minorities and offending the poor wasn't such a swell idea after all. On his infamous 47% comments: 

"It was a very unfortunate statement,” Romney told Fox. “It's not what I meant. I didn't express myself as I wished I would have. You know, when you speak in private, uh, you don't spend as much time thinking about how something could be twisted and distorted."

And it could come out wrong. … There's no question that hurt and did real damage to my campaign. He also acknowledges he and his campaign failed to reach out to minorities as well as the Obama campaign. 

"We weren't effective in my message primarily to minority voters, to Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, other minorities,” Romney said. “That was a real mistake.”
In the interview, which was taped Thursday and aired Sunday, Romney also his campaign also underestimated the appeal of Obama's new health care law to low-income voters. 

In his typically  awkwardly offensive manner, Mitt Romney explained that his team "underestimated the attractiveness" of Obamacare to the "lower incomes," also known as "you people."

The sad thing is, Mitt Romney honestly thought he had a winning message. The reason it took so long for him to concede the 2012 election was because of sheer shock; team Romney had been confident that they would win despite what the polls were saying about his chances. Romney himself admitted to Chris Wallace that, until it became apparent that Obama might win Florida, he thought he had 2012 in the bag.

Meanwhile, we in the progressive community were optimistic that we would win 2012 from the early stages of the GOP primaries. Why? Because the GOP field was a disaster, and the candidates had bought into the comfort of the conservative echo chamber. By sequestering themselves into a world where Tea Party rhetoric was the norm and all even modestly dissenting viewpoints were forced into ideological exile (see Jon Huntsman, Buddy Roemer, Gary Johnson), conservatives convinced themselves that theirs was the mainstream viewpoint.

In reality, it was simply a vocal fringe view amplified by its own isolated walls. But those walls convinced candidate Romney that opposing the very healthcare law that was once his signature and proudest achievement in Massachusetts was a good idea; that stigmatizing 47% of the population as dependent welfare queens was helpful; and that dismissing the existence of Hispanics and blacks in favor of culturally disgruntled and fearful whites was still a viable political strategy.

And it also allowed Romney to ignore the polls the rest of the world was seeing and to believe that he was really destined to be elected president last November.

Romney appears to have emerged from the conservative echo chambers, even if a little too late to etch-a-sketch his mistakes away. But the rest of the Republican Party has not emerged alongside their failed nominee, having actually dug their heels into their ideological isolation since the election, more determined than ever to reject a reality that has already rejected them.