Brad Pitt donates $100K for same-sex marriage effort
WASHINGTON (AP) - Brad Pitt has agreed to donate $100,000 to help the Human Rights Campaign raise money for its efforts to support same-sex marriage initiatives in several states.
The nation's largest gay rights group said Wednesday that Pitt agreed to match contributions from members up to $100,000.
It was a rare political donation for Pitt. In an e-mail to members of the Human Rights Campaign, Pitt wrote that it's "unbelievable" that people's relationships will be put to a vote on Election Day.
Same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington state.
The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign says it has spent $8 million to push for marriage equality for gays and lesbians over the past two years, including $5 million in the four ballot measures this year.
The nation's largest gay rights group said Wednesday that Pitt agreed to match contributions from members up to $100,000.
It was a rare political donation for Pitt. In an e-mail to members of the Human Rights Campaign, Pitt wrote that it's "unbelievable" that people's relationships will be put to a vote on Election Day.
Same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington state.
The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign says it has spent $8 million to push for marriage equality for gays and lesbians over the past two years, including $5 million in the four ballot measures this year.
So how much money does the lobby group bring in and what is their expenses? some lobby groups take any where from 3% to 95% of their donations for staff expenses and spend very little on the cause. So let's see the books!
What a waste of money...supporting something that is not normal.
 @sortbait So what is normal? 1/3 of the population is straight, 1/3 is gay and 1/3 is Bi-sexual so were is the normal?
I'm for adopting children, but why not buy domestic. American kids need homes too. I know it's not the chic thing to do, why go over seas for your good deed? You pay big bucks bucks for these foreign kids.
A 2 percenter...98% should occupy Angie's lips. A case of more money than sense. Go buy another baby! Yeah Brad we get it, you're a lib and filthy rich. Go hot tubbing with your bud Barack .
 @The Resistance He's adopted three orphaned children. How many unwanted kids have you welcomed into your home and family? If you're a real conservative and good christian, I can only assume your number makes his pale by comparison...?
 @badcat  @The Resistance badcat - your kidding, right? Those kids are part of the show. The baby mama, one percenter hypocrite elitist Brangelina show.Â
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Brad Pitt demanding all of us support his tax shielding donations to causes? Come on. Just marry the mother of your illegitimate children, Pitt. You hypocrite. One percenter hypocrites who live in mansions and who write off their lifestyles and force all of us to supplement their hypocritical lifestyles - should not be preaching a danged thing.Â
 @englishdaisy By all means show us the copy of his tax return that you seem to have showing whatever write off's you think he has. Otherwise you are just making stuff up.
What a waste of money.
A sad but typical display of the distorted values Hollywood holds on to.
 @Robert Hope you never patronize the cinema. You know it's all produced by Jews, gays, and liberals, right? Creative people always fall into the "evil" classes. You should go to church instead. Nothing but boring repetition there, but at least you know it's "clean".
 @badcat  @Robert Badcat - are you even thinking about the lifestyle of hypocrite one percenter progressives - and how it is they mandate all of us pay for their tax shielded causes?Â
Come on, badcat - what kind of human form is Brad Pitt? Not someone resembling any of us tax paying middle class shmoos who are forced to pay for all of Pitt's tax shielded this and tax shielded that. But then - it's all about sticking it to the middle class - under Obama's hypocritical middle class PUNITIVE tax code. That Obama has spent four years protecting and pandering to. Because one percenters turn out to be - Obama's best friends.Â
@englishdaisy Obama has the same tax code and rates as Bush. There is no Obama "PUNITIVE tax code", especially considering that 47% don't even pay federal income taxes. That 47% is made up of many in the middle class. Your whole comment is delusional.
I allways knew he was a frufru.
@2easy2berightback He could still probably kick your a-- though if he were.
It's sad when all of this money is spent on a political party's red tape. Â Certain lifestyles might not be to one's taste, but looking at it from a religious aspect, who are we to judge? Â At the same time, we are facing a tough economy, where money fighting an issue like this, can be funded elsewhere into areas that effect all of us: Â schools, poverty, etc. Â Instead of worrying what goes on behind closed bedroom doors, why don't we just let it go, and worry about what's in front of us? Â Heck, we'd probably bring in more revenue this way, where things like lowering senior and disabled's social security, where'd they'd end up on the streets would no longer come into play. Â Priorities!
@my2cents This isn't about "what goes on behind closed bedroom doors" -- this is about civil rights, and the human right to be legally married to your partner and share all the benefits that come with the state granted license -- insurance, inheritance, taxes, medical priviledges, and everything that straight people take for granted. It's not about god, it's not about sex. This is about human rights. I don't know why that is so difficult to understand.
 @badcat OK,lets see here what you say they are being denied,insurance,ever hear of domestic partners,insurance covers them,next inheritance: you can leave your money to a cat if you so desire,taxes again domestic partners,medical priviledges ,you can tell the doctors who can see you if your in a hospital.Again they have as much as the rest of us do but it never is enough,gotta have special rights!
 @badcat  @podunk.2 I'm still waiting to hear what words of gay bashing I wrote. Please do get back to me at your earliest inconvenience.
 @podunk.2 I'm still waiting to head what "names" I called you. Please do get back to me at your earliest inconvenience.
 @podunk.2 I haven't called you any names. You need to work on reading comprehension. Or maybe that's just the best diversion tactic you have? You still haven't answered my question as to why you're opposed to granting them equal protection. Don't have a good answer, do you? And as far as maintaining a discussion I thought we were talking about tax law...
 @badcat Again,back to the name calling and the assumptions,good way to maintain a discussion.Oh,I forgot has to be your way or the highway no other opinions left in your reality.
 @podunk.2 Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were aetheist. In that case, what is your reason for denying gay people their civil rights and equal protection under the law? Is it just because you think they're icky?
 @pdxd  @badcat Ahh we cant have an intelligent discussion so lets call names, back to Cali with you and your politics.
 @badcat Maybe you should read the post more carefully, where in the post does any religion on get mentioned? Jump to conclusions as normal.
@podunk.2 @badcat Okay, you little hillbilly, the domestic partner who has the employer health insurance must pay the health insurance premium for their partner, post-tax, so the premium is considered part of their income, and this is only in the event you live in a state that has domestic partnership laws, or if not, then your employer offers those benefits. Inheritance to a spouse, no estate tax, leave the inheritance to a non-spouse, then they have estate tax. And yes, you can fill out the medical forms, but then it's up to you to make sure you carry those EVERYWHERE if in the event the unthinkable happens. Put down the jug of shine, and do some research next time.
@podunk.2 Special rights like joint tax returns and Social Security survivor benefits. Maybe not so special, so what's the problem?
 @podunk.2 You couldn't be more wrong about inheritance and real estate transfer taxes. In fact, that's exactly why the Supreme Court is hearing the case at all -- equality in the tax code. You want to take away people's civil rights all because straight people should own the word "marriage"?? Talk about special rights!! Your religion cannot be used to deny civil rights to others. Please read up on the tax laws before you post about things you don't understand.
Snore, Man up Pitt - and marry your baby mama.
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For starters. And then golly gee, Mr. Pitt whenever a one percenter hypocrite like yourself opines - I wonder why. Your opinion is no more credible than mine. Your MONEY on the other hand - you get to take credit and then tell your accontant to make sure - under Obama's messed up tax code - to make the struggling middle class pay for all of his generosity and good intent.
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What a waste of news space, KATU.
@englishdaisy His donation is non-tax deductible, the tax-code for the political activism arm of the Human Rights Campaign is not eligible for tax deductions.
@englishdaisy Obama didn't change the tax code and you can't deduct donations to political causes. I've mentioned this to you before, but feel free to research it yourself.
@JTesla She won't, she's too busy sniffing her daisy.
@pdxd Wait, thatâs an euphemism right?
 @englishdaisy  What? How exactly is the middle class paying for his generosity? I'm pretty sure he earned that money and can spend on whatever he wants ... just like Mitt did when he bought himself the GOP nomination.Â
And it's hilarious that you presume to tell him he needs to get married, when you tell others they aren't allowed to. Conservatives are all about telling people how to live their personal lives, but regulating the banking industry is unexceptably intrusive. Peh!
It is absolutely ridiculous that we're having to vote on whether or not everyone deserves basic human rights. Even more ridiculous that many are going to vote no, and say that some people aren't worthy of human rights because the invisible sky captain will get angry. Superstitious people shouldn't be allowed to vote at all.
 @badcat If you mean by the word "superstitious" those who believe in God, that would mean you would need to silence 78.4% of America. In the world, there is 20+ billion born Again Christians. I suppose they are all wrong and you have it correct. BTW ~ years ago, there were many people that had a similar (like minded) prejudice you hold against believers. They also were angry. "Blacks and women shouldn't be allowed to vote at all."
@NiKnowZ @badcat Fortunately the entire population of Christians isn't made up of fundamentalis evangelical freaks like yourself who believe god has made you ruler of the entire universe where you can tell complete strangers how to go about their lives.I know for a fact that there are some really decent freedom loving Christians out there.
@NiKnowZ @badcat, WoW!!! I didn't realize that in a world of maybe 7 billion people, that there were over 20+billion born again Christians. So there are more than 13 billion more Christians than the population of the earth? WOW!!!
 @badcat  @pdxd Mocking and making fun of me and my faith and calling me a fool. This kind of treatment has been going on against believers since the days of Noah. I'm okay with that, I understand from your perspective how it looks. We are fools in the eyes of the world.Â
 I'm not sure how this got derailed into conservatives verses liberals. Personally i don't like those terms in how they are used. From what I've personally experienced from my relationship with God, i would put him more on the liberal side. He is most liberal with His Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness. God is not stingy when it comes to His grace. He wants to give Mercy to all.
 @pdxd I apologize. I made an error. It's only 2 Billion not 20.Â
 @pdxd  @NiKnowZ Well, when you try to add up how many of them died from the plague and contaminated water, because they believed that "earth science" was of the devil, it's hard to calculate exactly how many "believers" perished during the dark ages -- they didn't believe in math either (much like modern conservatives) so no one kept track. Romans and Greeks had basic sanitation all worked out, but the Christians decided it was better to die a righteous death of dysentery or bubonic plague than to explore "earthy desires" like clean water. So maybe he's correct that there were tens of billions of fools. Of course it takes one to know one. And conservatives love to make up numbers -- it's their version of "creativity".
 @NiKnowZ @badcat How the holy heck do you figure there's 20 billion dead Christians? Considering about 1 billion of the current population is actually muslim? And if you ask me, the only thing that is rising in any near future, is going to be with the help of pretty figures or a little blue pill.
 @NiKnowZ HAHAHAHA!!!!! Yes, let's do remember to count the christian zombie vote.
 @badcat  @pdxd You got my point then!  It's so much more then that, because the dead in Christ will Rise again!
 @pdxd He must be doing a future census and counting all the zombies that will be reanimated after the apocalypse. LOL
 @NiKnowZ I can always count on you when it comes to gay-bashing, Nik. =)
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Pretty sure the ones denying civil rights to women and blacks were Christian men. Religious men are very good at deciding which groups don't deserve the same priviledges they do.
 @badcat I guess I lean more toward thinking the best of people.
 @NiKnowZ Your memory is fading in your old age. Go check my comments from four years ago on intensedebate. I didn't delete all my old posts like you did.
 @badcat I'm not pretending when I said I don't remember you being so angry and bitter., not like this. So yes things with you have changed unfortunately. I do hope your heart heals. God Bless.Â
 @NiKnowZ Aww, gee whiz, we've been fighting about this for years, Nik. Don't pretend anything has changed. See you around...
 @badcat Wow. You don't have a clue who I am, but talk about bashing. The only constant bashing I see is coming from you. None of your false accusations against me has any substance. All that is coming from your mouth is continual "bashing" of me and my faith fueled by deep seated bitterness, anger and hatred. All you have done here on this page is falsely accuse, throw words of mockery and hate. I stand in awe of your own self-righteousness. I've seen a lot of this in churches but your hypocrisy is truly outstanding. What makes it more interesting is you're completely blind to it. Whenever you feel "backed into a corner" you start relentlessly hissing and clawing. It's odd behavior. I feel sorry for you. I'm sorry you've been so hurt, that you automatically feel threatened. Whoever has hurt you in the past, I hope you can seek out forgiveness and healing. This is no way to live and if you continue down this path, you're going to be one of those cliche old, very lonely lady with a dozen cats you can't take care of. Just so you know God is always there for you when you're ready to come to Him. He does love you.
 @NiKnowZ I can always count on you when it comes to gay bashing. Just because you haven't done it yet on this particular page doesn't mean that I can't count on you for it. You're very reliable on that front, which is why you're always trolling stories about gay rights, looking for any opportunity to share your disgust with them and belief that they need to burn in hell and do not deserve basic human rights in our society. Saying someone isn't worthy of equal protection under the law means they're less than human -- that certainly counts as bashing in my opinion, and I can always count on you to have that opinion and share it whenever someone else comes out in favor of their humanity and civil rights. Just like, as you pointed out, your fellow religious conservatives felt that women and blacks were less than fully human. In fifty years, it will be common wisdom that people with your views on gay rights were as bigotted as those opposed to the Civil Rights movement in the 60s. In the meantime, enjoy your bashing, and I'll see you the next time this topic comes up, because as I said, I can always count on you to never miss an opportunity.
 @badcat BTW I've been banned once as have you and have had only one other handle.
 @badcat No, no I don't. But let's just concentrate on this article. Since it is here you made the comment that you "could always count on me to gay bash" So where here and now are you referring?
 @NiKnowZ  C'mon, Nik. We've been having this same conversation for at least two years. I don't have time to keep a file on all your comments, and it's not worth my time to go back through all your intensedebate pages and remind you of what you said -- plus you've been banned repeatedly and I can't remember all your handles. But there's still around, so log in and take a look if you need a refresher. You and I know both know it's true.
 @badcat You forgot one other term. Faith. My faith is on the Creator of the universe, savior of mankind through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. All anger God had toward sin and mankind was thrown upon His Son Jesus Christ. I do apologize for incorrect stats. I read it wrong, it's only 2 billion Christians in the world, not 20. Sorry for that. I really don't care how I "come off as". It's of no consequence how other people judge or think of me. The fact is I am at times insecure and I'll never claim to have a high IQ.  I've been in church long enough to know the judgements and what other people think of you is not the same as how my Father thinks of me in Christ. Church people are just as good as judging their own as they are the world.
 @badcat Translation: I don't have any evidence of you gay bashing. I just made it up because it's my only line of defense, accusations and insults, it's all i got. Not too mention I'm too proud to concede.
 @NiKnowZ Here you go -- from a source YOU can trust: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/09/protestants-no-longer-majority-in-us-study-says/
How's it feel to be in the minority?Â
Incidentally, "superstitious" = "the invisible man in the sky will get angry and punish the US if we allow equal marriage rights" (aka, god hates f*gs).
"Spiritual" = "there's more to life than what we can see, but I'm not going to pretend to know enough about that to make laws that take away other people's rights".
Just admit to being superstitious, Nik. No reason to make up fake statistics to pretend there are more people in your club than are actually on the planet. That just makes you come off as insecure and unintelligent. =(
 @NiKnowZ You've been gay bashing for years. I don't have time to look up the hundreds of your stupid quotes. As to diversion, do you really epect a serious answer to your insanely flawed statistics? Give me a break Nik.
 @badcat Please quote my "gay bashing"  words so all can be witness, then we can move along to the point I was making, which you, as I can always count on was deflecting.  You have become more of an angry person then I remember.
 @badcat What about ignorant people voting then?
@FreedomRocks @badcat That's easy, put them in a round room, and tell them to wait in the corner for free Krispy Kreme (or in Portland, Voodoo donuts)
 @FreedomRocks Eliminating the superstitious ones covers a big chunk of that.