Gay Wedding Video of the Day: Eli and Dave

Eli Puterman writes us:

"I just got married to the love of my life, Dave Shortt, this past Sunday in Rigaud, Quebec. On the wedding day, Dave featured the following 6 minute animated video about our families and our life together as a couple for the first time. I had never seen it before, and it was a total surprise and gift to me at our wedding in front of 100 and some people."

Check out the STUNNING clip which follows the ancestry of Dave and Eli (sometimes in split screen) to their meeting. This obviously took a ton of work. Congrats guys!

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Don't miss our other recent Gay Wedding videos...
Gay Wedding Video of the Day: Robert and Nathanael [tr]
Gay Wedding Video of the Day: JoAnna and Jenny [tr]
Gay Wedding Video of the Day: Kenton and Johnny [tr]
Gay Wedding Video of the Day: Jeff and Joe [tr]
Gay Wedding Video of the Day: Tim and Nic [tr]

Ed Koch Wants Larry Kramer to Get Presidential Medal of Freedom

Ed Koch reviews How to Survive a Plague but fails to mention his own failed response to the AIDS crisis and its role in the film. Koch suggests, too, that Larry Kramer and other AIDS activists should get the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Kramer responds in the post's comments, calling the closeted Koch "a murderer of his very own people."

Koch writes:

The person who makes the greatest impact in the film because of his superb speaking ability is Peter Staley. In his New York Times review of this movie, Stephen Holden describes Staley as: "A former closeted Wall Street bond trader with H.I.V. who left his job and helped found the Treatment Action Group, an offshoot of Act Up. Self-taught in the science of AIDS, the group collaborated with pharmaceutical companies like Merck in the development of new drugs."
 
Others named in the Times' review as major leaders of Act Up, which began its activities in 1987, are Larry Kramer, Robert Rafsky and Ann Northrop, all of whom appear in the film. I don't know if these individuals were ever honored by the White House for what they did in fighting government and powerful corporations. If not, I urge President Obama to do so by presenting them and other leaders recognized by Act Up with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Staley responds, in Poz:

Amazing how he fails to mention his own shameful role in this film, or this history...

And Larry Kramer responds, in the Poz post's comments:

What is this evil man up to as he approaches his death? Is he trying to make up to us? National Medals of Freedom from the White House! Would these provide a big enough enema to clean out his rotten insides? We must never forget that this man was an active participant in helping us to die, in murdering us. Call it what you will, that is what Edward Koch was, a murderer of his very own people. There is no way to avoid knowing that now. The facts have long since been there staring us in the face. If we don't see them, then we are as complicit as he.

The Obama Campaign Calls Out Ryan's 'Troubling Pause' on Abortion; The RNC Mocks Biden's Laugh: VIDEOS

Two new videos are out in response to last night's Vice Presidential debate, one from the Obama campaign and another from the RNC. The Obama video calls out the Romney-Ryan strategy of doubling down on repeatedly debunked attacks, making its centerpiece the "troubling pause" when Ryan was asked by Martha Raddatz if those who believe abortion should remain legal should be worried.

The RNC video focuses on Biden's constant laughter.

Which is more effective? Watch them both, AFTER THE JUMP...

Florida Log Cabin Republicans Chapter Uses Slain Libyan Ambassador's Body in Ad Attacking Obama

The Broward County Log Cabin Republicans this week published an Obama attack ad containing a photograph of the body of slain Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens in the Florida Agenda (p. 27) billed as Florida's largest LGBT newspaper, the Bilerico Project reports:

The ad claims that the Obama administration isn't protecting "gay/gay-friendly American citizens from the terror of Islamic radicalism" and suggests that Sharia law will be forced on America if Obama wins a second term.

The advertisement also insinuates that Ambassador Stevens was gay. Rumors about Steven's sexual orientation were started by Kevin DuJan, a gay Republican known best for his outrageous claims about President Obama. DuJan, who writes for the right wing blog HillBuzz, has also alleged that the President is also secretly gay.

The ad was condemned by National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis:

"The Log Cabin Republicans of Florida have cravenly disrespected the life and legacy of a United States civil servant with this ad. Put bluntly, they have crossed the line of civil discourse and good taste by including an image of the corpse of slain US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens being carried through the streets of Benghazi, Libya. It is simply unimaginable to me how any political message, let alone the muddy and ludicrous message of this ad, in any way justifies disgracing the memory of a man who gave his life in service to his country. This level of depravity and moral indifference must not be allowed to enter our political discourse."

Log Cabin Republican Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper distanced the organization from the inflammatory ad:

"This ad does not represent the position of Log Cabin Republicans, and we reject it completely.The 9-11 attack on Americans posted in Libya was a straight up act of terrorism. There are plenty of reasons to vote Republican on protecting US interests abroad, but such an ad is fallacious, simple minded and irresponsible."

Radio DJ Aaron Rogers Comes Out as Gay on the Air: VIDEO

Nothing like a good coming out on National Coming Out Day!

Aaron Rogers, a radio DJ at Madison, Wisconsin's Z-104 told his listeners yesterday that he would now be living his life as an openly gay man.

Said Rogers to his listeners:

"For anyone listening right now, know that you are not alone and that it's okay to feel the way that you do. Life is very short. Know that  you are loved, appreciated, and respected by more people than you realize. It really does get better, and you have my support always."

Watch his coming out, AFTER THE JUMP...

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Gives $250,000 to Fight for Marriage Equality in Maryland

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made the largest individual contribution received by proponents of same-sex marriage in Maryland, the NYT reports:

Mr. Bloomberg, a billionaire who attended college in Maryland at Johns Hopkins, dipped into his personal fortune to help persuade New York lawmakers to approve same-sex marriage in 2011, and he has supported a similar effort in New Hampshire. His contribution came after discussions with Maryland’s governor, Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who has spearheaded the effort to pass the referendum, known as Question 6.

“The fact that someone of Mayor Bloomberg’s national stature and recognition would care about our referendum campaign for civil marriage equality, I think, tells people all over our country that this is a serious and real campaign,” Mr. O’Malley said in an interview on Thursday evening from Kentucky, where he was attending the vice-presidential debate.

In related news, HRC added an additional $1 million to the state marriage battles:

 This brings HRC’s total contributions to the four ballot measures to $4.4 million and $7.3 million overall during this election cycle.

Today, Towleroad is joining with The Four to help raise money for the state marriage battles. If you wish to help out, please click HERE.