Is this Heaven?

No, it's Iowa.

Defendant [the State of Iowa] is hereby enjoined from refusing to issue marriage licenses to Plaintiffs or any other same-sex couples who a) are otherwise eligible for said licenses pursuant to Chapter 595 as amendment… and b) who properly apply for such licenses.

You can read all about it at Lambda Legal's website. They've also posted the text of the court's decision.

Marriage equality has come next door to Iowa.

The decision is simply excellent, because it includes many direct arguments aimed at those who, for political reasons, successfully legitimize prejudice and ignorance on a range of social and health issues by discounting or cherry-picking the facts. This decision could be a watershed decision for sanity and truth in the courtroom on marriage equality, not unlike the Dover School Board decision was for those trying change science education into something else. Here's a taste:

[The state's witness opposing same-sex marriage] makes it clear in his deposition that he has not read the vast majority of the studies concerning gay and lesbian parenting, that he has performed no related research himself and that he is unaware of the existence of many recently published studies [that contradict his assertions]....

Because he admittedly is unable to evaluate current social science regarding gay and lesbian parenting generally or critique the methodology upon which that science is based, Dr. Hawkins apparently is not commenting upon the relative frequency of positive outcomes in child-rearing by heterosexual couples nor apparently is he commenting upon how children do by various measure where reared by stably married heterosexual couples as opposed to same-sex couples.

Translation: the State's case holds no water because they ignored the facts of the case and instead clung to prejudices and assumptions that, although they may be politically popular, carry no weight in court because they simply aren't true.

SO, Iowa (pending an expected appeal to their state Supreme Court) is now set to be the eleventh state to implement government recognition of same-sex relationships, and the third to do the right thing and implement marriage equality.

Here's another part of the decision; for South Dakota State legislators take note:

Court costs are hereby taxed to Defendant.

Maybe some Iowan refugees can come home, to the benefit of our great sister state.

And it could happen here too, if we can open our eyes and see the truth--that the campaign against marriage equality has been used as a political tool, and an ugly and unconstitutional one at that.

Iowa.

Could have sworn it was Heaven.

Aug 17 Rapid City tornado pictures

These pictures of the recent extreme weather in Rapid City are pretty cool. Many thanks to Kristen Bartell (kbat17-at-rushmore.com) for sharing these cool pictures. I added a little contrast in iPhoto and posted them on Picasa..

Many thanks to Kristin Bartell (kat17--at--rushmore.com) for sharing these! She says ...

I took these photographs shortly before 6 pm on Friday, 8/17/07 at the Pilot truck stop at Deadwood Ave. and the I-90 in Rapid City. A tornado warning was issued a few minutes later. These pictures are not all crystal clear, but conditions became very unfavorable toward the end, as you can imagine. There was almost continuous lightning and the sky became quite green. Winds were probably well in excess of 50 mph. Feel free to use/enhance/study these as you like, though I would appreciate credit if these are publicly used or posted. These are in chronological order and show the progression of a funnel cloud forming over the course of about 15 minutes until the wind, rain and hail became too intense to continue photographing and I had to seek shelter.

Separation of church and state

Lawrence Diggs writes from Roslyn, SD, in the Aberdeen American News opinion page:

If the religious community abandons its spiritual role to seek control through the power of politics, it is quite likely that it will find itself with nothing. And if we abandon our quest to find God for ourselves and fail to include that quest in all facets or our lives, we will find we are left with nothing.

Yeah. What he said.

The Truth About Denial from Newsweek

Don't miss this cover story from the indefatigable Sharon Begley from Newsweek. It explains what an uphill battle we're facing in an age where the truth (more than ever before) up for sale.

Ms. Begley also did an amazing response to questions, in this live chat. Wow, she can really write. I'm amazed that her lucid answers were composed live.

Whew

Looks like God was considering smiting Robbinsdale tonight.

The drama peaked when visual spotters confirmed a funnel cloud swirling in the sky over the Colonial House Restaurant and the Town and Country Best Western Motel, ironically, a structure badly damaged in Rapid City's last recorded tornado on Father's Day of 1967. This time however, the cloud, referred to in weather watcher parlance as a finger cloud, never touched ground.

I'm glad the area escaped unscathed--all the Thune and Schwiesow groupies in my neighborhood are suffering enough.

Bill Moyers

Bill Moyers weighs in today on Karl Rove's legacy, especially his faithless use of Christian piety in the service of politics -- along with homophobia, fear, and the selling of government influence. He observed that

Rove is riding out of Dodge City as the posse rides in.

Worth a view, I think.

Equal rights aren't special rights

The Rev. Susan Russell posted a great summary of a Dem candidate debate you may have missed (not found in the Rapid City Journal's National news section fo sure:

Stumbling to make separate sound like anything other than unequal the Democratic front-runners swore allegiance to civil unions for LGBT Americans in Thursday night's HRC/Logo sponsored candidate forum. I was privileged to be in the studio audience for the historic gathering of presidential candidates addressing LGBT issues to an LGBT audience — an event hardly even imaginable an election or two ago. It was an honor to be there and one of the questions a reporter asked me afterwards was "did you hear anything new?"

My favorite part is a comment by Lois to her post, which should be read by South Dakotans that still wonder what our shiny new Constitutional Amendment really means.

As the very proud mother who with her husband raised five children to adulthood -- four straight, one gay, all equally loved and cherished by us -- I find it abominable that the media and the population as a whole still speaks of 'gay rights' rather than EQUAL RIGHTS! Would we dare speak of 'black rights' or 'Hispanic rights'or 'women's rights' any more, in this country? You bet your life we wouldn't, and that's the way it should be.What in the name of God is it that keeps society from seeing our countless millions of gay children, grandchildren, siblings, friends as equal in every way to our straight children, grandchildren, siblings, friends?

My four straight kids married the person they loved; my gay son was 'allowed' to wear a wedding band, with nothing official attached to it, even though his life partner and he were together for years, until our beautiful son died. I've written to each Democratic candidate (the Republicans are a lost cause on the issue) who blithely speaks of 'civil unions but not marriage,' and have told them they will never get our vote.

Cherished gay family members are first class citizens in every way, and that includes marriage, nothing less. Civil unions? They're scarcely even 'marriage lite,' and are *not* acceptable. Equality is just that ... equality in all ways. As one of the questioners at the forum wisely asked (paraphrased, here): Would the panelists accept 'civil unions' for *themselves*, rather than marriage? I think we know the answer to that one.

SD Family Policy Council wants control...

of what you see, what you hear, and what you do. Yes, they still do.

I agree with folks like Dale Bartcher that pornography may objectify women, lead to immoral behavior, and generally be unhealthy for society. You are what you eat, so to speak. But in my opinion sex-related media and business especially destructive and loses any of its possible value when it is covered in a cloak of secrecy and shame. (That's why internet pornography is such a scary thing.)

Do-gooder efforts like the current initiative (reported by the Argus Leader yesterday) by the SD Family Policy Council only drives pornography underground, where it can do far more damage than in the light of day.

If only we could direct this energy to talk to our kids and the community about medically and spiritually healthy approaches to sexual issues, instead of trying to hide the reality that people, uh, LIKE, pornography, from view.

Sigh.

I just hope our response in the coming election season to these people (both Republicans and Dems) who have been working on social engineering through the law, is to engage in a conversation about how their efforts to "clean up" our communities, restricting family planning services, and hiding information about sex from kids may do far more harm than good. It's time for people who promote these policies to answer for the tragic failures.

I wait breathlessly at my mailbox

for my next copy of The Economist, which tells it like it is about the current sorry state of the American right going into 2008.

This quote is an atypically brutal observation from the normally right-leaning Economist:

The issues that people care about are also tipping the Democrats' way. A Pew Research poll in March discovered growing worry about income inequality combined with growing support for the social safety net.

Question is: what does this mean to South Dakota? Can the voters in South Dakota get out of the pattern of playing the role of abused spouse (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LINK) with the Republicans (and Dems) that vote against their interests year after year? Will finally stop sending the likes of "women are like cattle" Gordon Howie to Pierre, and allow mealy mouthed folks like Gov. Rounds and Julie Bartling continue to sit in office while not standing for anything?

Only time will tell.

Frankenfeld speaks on Equality South Dakota

Don Frankenfeld has offered an extremely eloquent guest post over at Denise Ross's Hog House Blog that is just excellent. He rightly points out that this is not about politics, it is way beyond that. As I would put it, in this time we need everyone--we simply cannot afford to exclude people from joining together to grow as as individuals, as a state, as a nation, as a species. Those of us working with the new organization Equality South Dakota (I am a board member too) very much appreciate his support and his good words.

More on the Cabela's deal

This is recommended reading. Thank you Shirley, for writing this and allowing me to post it... the facts are getting around, to the point where the Rapid City Council has been forced to call an election on September 18 on where the citizens of Rapid City stand. Cabela's for its part, is backpedaling, trying to save their tarnished image by offering to give back, uh, 3 of the 20 acres they would get for free.

THE FRAMING AND REFRAMING OF THE CABELA’S DEAL

By Shirley Frederick 8/6/07
(posted here by permission)

Rapid City has been negotiating with Cabela’s, a national corporation worth $1.35 billion that bills itself as the World’s Foremost Outfitter. As an incentive to Cabela’s to locate a retail store in Rapid City and not in Sturgis, Spearfish, or Box Elder, the council voted on June 18, 2007, to give Cabela’s the city Visitor Information Center, $2 million from the 2012 fund, and 30 acres of city-owned land at the VIC. State law prohibits cities from giving publicly owned property to corporations. Therefore Rapid City will transfer the property to the Black Hills Economic Development Foundation, an organization that represents developers. The foundation will transfer it to Cabela’s.
In negotiations Cabela’s said it would build on the VIC land, but Bill Gikling, president of the Rapid City Development Board, sold land to Cabela’s on June 25, 2007. The store will be located on the land purchased from Gikling. The city will lease VIC space in Cabela’s for $1 a year for 30 years.
As part of the deal the city plans to create a tax increment financing district (TIF). The 30 acres, the land purchased by Cabela’s, and 40 acres of undeveloped property owned by Gikling will be included in the TIF. The cost of entire package is estimated by the city at $22 million, which includes the estimated value of $3,672,108 for the land, $3,700,000 for the VIC building, $2 million in economic development funds, $2.5 million for lift station improvements, and $10 million in interest.

The difference between the taxes on the undeveloped TIF district land and the taxes on the developed land (the tax increment) will go to the city. Cabela’s will pay property taxes at the same rate as everyone else, but all the tax increment will go to the city to pay back the $22 million. The county, the school district, and the West Dakota Water District will receive their share of tax dollars based on the undeveloped value of the TIF district. This will not affect the school district because the state, through the state aid formula, will use tax dollars collected statewide to give the school district its full per-pupil allocation.

Opponents of the TIF say that the money from the TIF will not be nearly enough to pay off the $22 million and that the balance “will come from somewhere else.” That “somewhere else” is city sales tax plus property taxes from residents outside the TIF district. In effect, large amounts of TIF money that should go to the school district, the water district, the county, and the city for tax-funded services will go to the city to pay for development.
Most of us, as property taxpayers, pay for the city services we receive. If the TIF is approved, we also get to pay for city services for the property owners in the TIF district. The Cabela’s TIF is the city’s 65th TIF. Opponents say that multiple TIFs are the primary reason our property taxes continue to go up.

In an effort to refer the City Council’s June 18 action to a vote, opponents have filed 3,100 signatures at the County Courthouse. If the action being referred is determined to be an administrative action, it cannot be referred. If it is determined to be a legislative action, it can. City Attorney Jason Green will make the decision and announce it to the council August 6. The City Council is scheduled to approve the TIF at its August 6 meeting.

The following arguments are used by supporters of the $22 million incentive package and the TIF:

• The prestige and huge marketing power Cabela’s brings will be a major boost to the entire region.
  
• Cabela’s wants to invest in Rapid City’s future.
  
• This public-private partnership will be good for Rapid City.
  
• Through increased sales tax revenue and rising property values in the TIF district, the city will recapture the dollars given away.
  
• This partnership will improve the quality of life for the people of Rapid City.
  
• The Cabela family is giving the public an opportunity to share in their good fortune.
  
• The Council has to act quickly or Cabela’s will go somewhere else.
  
• The incentive package is bringing Cabela’s to Rapid City.
  
• The $2 million comes from the Opportunity Capture Fund.
  
• Cabela’s is a destination store.
  
• Economic development projects have to be completed on a very timely basis to meet the needs of corporations.
  
• Opponents just don’t understand what a good deal this is.
  
• Opponents are lazy negative whining naysayers who don’t want progress.
  
• This is the way business is done these days. Get with it.
  
• Cabela’s will create new high-paying jobs.
  
• It’s just common sense that Cabela’s will improve our community.
  
• The city will develop a reputation of being unfriendly to business if we let this deal fall through.
  
• John [an opponent] is spreading falsehoods faster than Bill Clinton at an impeachment hearing wearing Monica’s dress!
  
• Opposition like this is why we are still in the Dark Ages.
  
• Opponents are just shooting off their keyboards. This is a no-brainer. Let’s get moving.
  

SUMMARY: OPPONENTS ARE STUPID LIARS. IF RAPID CITY DOESN’T PAY TO PLAY, ANOTHER CITY WILL. BUILD CABELA’S AND REAP THE BENEFITS.

Opponents say the following:

• By creating this TIF the city transfers the tax burden onto the very people who have been paying their taxes for years.
  
• This is a shady deal hatched in secrecy and rammed through the City Council in a 72-hour hustle.
  
• This deal was made in closed meetings by an aggressive circle of insiders..
  
• City staff and officials are deliberately misleading the public and have created a confusion stew.
  
• Promoters make inflated claims of sales tax increments for which there is little evidence.
  
• City Council members chirped right in with the Cabela’s PR.
  
• Repeating slogans is no substite for well informed decisionmaking.
  
• What ever happened to equal protection under the law?
  
• In a rapidly developing area a TIF is a scheme to permit land speculators to cash in.
  
• Notice the J word. You can get public officials to support almost anything if they can claim credit for creating jobs.
  
• The TIF has nothing to do with public benefit. It’s about greed.
  
• It’s a betrayal of the public trust.
  
• Much of the cheerleading comes from the bankers and realtors who will benefit.
  
• If Cabela’s is such a tourist draw, why not tear down Mt. Rushmore and build it there?
  
• People visiting Cabela’s will see a fake mountain, a fake trout pond, a fake waterfall, and lots of stuffed animals. But didn’t they come to the Black Hills Hills to see the real thing?
  
• If you call yourself a destination store and promise to hang dead animals everywhere, you, too, can get free land.
  
• Cabela’s will not bring in new money. It will cannabalize other businesses.
  
• Cities in Idaho, Indiana, and Maine have refused to cave in to Cabela’s attempted extortion, but Cabela’s is going ahead in those states anyway.
  
• In its annual report Cabela’s brags about low labor costs. That means lots of part-time jobs with no benefits.
  
• There will be few new jobs. Many of the employees will come from existing businesses, lured by the opportunity to buy merchandise at a discount.
  
• TIFs were created to bring development to depressed areas. Anyone pretending that the I-90 corridor is depressed is detached from reality.
  
• Giving public property to a corporation is illegal.
  
• It’s a crime to give away that beautiful Black Hills Visitor Center with its good location, easy access, and excellent parking.
  
• Why would tourists come to Rapid City if it looks like strip malls all across the country?
  
• Where do we get this pro-growth mentality? And why does “growth” always refer to new buildings and better shopping? What about better education, a thriving arts community, improved transportation, renewal of aging buildings, parks throughout the city, support for local businesses and farmers? Those are the kinds of growth that build community.
  
• The city needs public debate on development, not shoddy name-calling.
  
• No amount of repetitions of false and misleading claims will make them true.
  
• Boosters seem to think that facts don’t matter.
  
• We opponents are not ignorant little twirps. We want open honest accountable government.
  
• City government has a duty to evenhandledly represent all businesses, not just those with hardball-playing dealmakers.
  
• Research shows that rapid development on the edge of a city leads to deterioration of older parts of the city.
  
• Big box retailers take money out of the city and send it to their out-of-state shareholders, while locally-owned businesses return profits to the community.
  
• The fundamental issue, here, is Who owns local government?
  
• The Giveaway Land Speculation Gravy Train can be stopped by the referendum.
  
• Stopping this particular abuse is a necessary first step toward a rational development policy focused on the downtown area and public places.
  
• When cronies get their claws in city government, it’s our job, in a democracy, to pull them out.
  
• They want to give away the farm, the keys to the machinery, and all of the cows.
  
• A TIF is like a black box. Public money goes in, development comes out. Who knows what happens in between?
  
• Government is like a five-year-old child. It needs a lot of supervision.
  

SUMMARY: GOVERNMENT DECISIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON FACTS, NOT HYPE. WE WANT OPEN HONEST ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT THAT REPRESENTS ALL THE PEOPLE.

Cabelas in Rapid City: can you hear that sucking sound?

If you've been following the huge Cabela's giveaway in Rapid City, you may want to read this piece from the Multinational Monitor.

The City Council will face a petition of 3100 Rapid City residents that think this deal is bad deal for a city but a good deal for the insiders that set it up.

Stay tuned...