Well it certainly seems so. In the Lone Star State, the nation's broadest PI (Public Intoxication) law lets cops go virtually anywhere and arrest anyone for drunkenness—even if they're quietly nursing a beer in a bar. The latest victims were at the Rainbow Lounge.

"A half-dozen police cruisers, an unmarked sedan, and the prisoner van slid to a stop in front of the Rainbow Lounge, Fort Worth's newest gay club, at about 1:30 a.m. on June 28, 2009 -- 40 years, almost down to the minute, after New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn with billy clubs and bullhorns. Inside the bar, the officers fanned out, grabbing and arresting six patrons for public intoxication."

Says Robert Guest, a criminal defense attorney in Dallas. "Having no standard allows the police to arrest whoever pisses them off and call it PI," he says, adding, "If you have a violent, homophobic, or just an asshole of a cop and you give him the arbitrary power to arrest anyone for PI, you can expect violent, homophobic, and asshole-ic behavior."

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (CBS13) "Sources tell CBS13 a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving Faces, a gay nightclub in midtown Sacramento, early Wednesday morning."

The big deal is this Senator Ashburn is a father of four representing parts of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino Counties with a history of opposing gay rights.

Ashburn issued a statement on the arrest Wednesday afternoon:
"I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did. I am also truly sorry for the impact this incident will have on those who support and trust me – my family, my constituents, my friends, and my colleagues in the Senate."

According to Project Vote Smart, Ashburn's voting record shows he has voted against every gay rights measure in the State Senate since taking office including Recognizing Out-Of-State Same-Sex Marriages", Harvey Milk Day and Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws.

Can you say "hypocrite"; thought you could!

On Thursday, January 21, 2010, a Supreme Court was leased deciding that corporations can use money from their general treasury to finance campaign advertisements. View original post here:
Emma Ruby-Sachs: Supreme Court Campaign Finance Decision Puts Gay … Take the time to read the above post and make your own decision on whether it is good or bad for gays.

For myself, It is a scary. More money interests making large donations to Campaign funds and the political process, means the worse off minorities and the poor will be. Corporations are concerned about one thing, maximizing profits. For the Supreme Court to make a decision based upon the premise that corporations are an association of persons in American society (and that campaign-finance limits violate free speech), does not take it account that they are much more than that.

“As an LGBT person in the United States, more Republican donations should be a scary thing. Money equals advertising time and advertising often translates directly into votes. Rarely does a candidate suffer from too much funding in an election. More Republicans in office means more opposition to equality measures (despite what your favorite Log Cabin Republican might tell you).”

"With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. ... We are going to talk with bipartisan congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision." - President Barack Obama.

Let the fundraising begin!