The court wrote:

Plaintiffs, Oregon voters who signed Referendum 303, appeal the district court's denial of permanent injunctive relief against Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury ("Secretary"). The Secretary determined that Referendum 303, which sought a statewide vote on a legislative act establishing same-sex domestic partnerships, did not have enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Plaintiffs contend that the Secretary's procedures for verifying referendum petition signatures violated their equal protection and due process rights. The district court held that no constitutional violations occurred. We affirm.

Which means that vote isn't going to happen, so the domestic partnership law--which went into effect in February, after an initial court ruling in the state's favor--is safe for now.

With at least one of anti-gay groups behind the effort lacking cash, it's unclear if they'll make an effort next year to repeal the law (their only option now that it's in place; the early effort was technically a 'referral' before the law took effect). Otherwise, I suppose they could appeal the case to the Supreme Court...

See, Crowe apparently has two email lists. The one he hasn't scrubbed of media folks--there, I'm subscribed with my Mercury email address--and the one that he thinks is just his true followers. Usually, everything he sends out, like Sunday sermons, goes out to both lists.

Tonight, I got an email to the true followers list (which, obviously, has folks in there who aren't). It's panicky, and paints a picture of an organization that's extremely low on cash. Emphasis his...

Restore America exists to mobilize the millions upon millions of professed evangelicals to get up off their posteriors, REGISTER to VOTE, and VOTE!

There has never in my lifetime been a more important election to determine the future of America.

But I need your help! I cannot do this by myself with a few volunteers. We have less than $4000 in our bank account to:

1. Continue functioning as a ministry and pay our bills
2. Prepare, print, and mail the Value Your Vote, Vote Your Values Campaign information and challenge to 2000 Bible believing, God honoring Oregon churches this month and twice again before the election
3. Meet payroll and expenses
4. Expand our email reach

We need $50,000 more to serve all Oregonians, register and turn out the Christian VOTE, and restore the legislature to sanity in the face of what will happen in 2009.

When I KNOW that whoever is elected President will determine who is nominated to the Supreme Court and that those nominations will determine the nations future policy on abortion, homosexual intolerance, marriage, family, morality, freedom of speech and association, the law, and more, I shudder when I contemplate the possibility that Christians will continue to refuse to be good citizens on behalf of their children and neighbors.

Back in April, Crowe sent a similarly the-sky-is-falling note, chastising his flock: "Of the 8,000 Oregonians on this email list, only 40 have made contributions toward our efforts, totaling $4,385.00. That is not enough."

And that was when Crowe was raising money for the petition drive. This time, he's asking for payroll and marketing funds. I have a hard time believing his "Bible believing, God honoring" followers are going to open up their wallets to the tune of $50K for that.

Big ups to Fark.com for the video.

Austin Nimocks, attorney for the anti-gay coalition, is sitting in a wing-back chair here in the wifi-equipped courtroom annex, scribbling in his notes. I'd love to snap a picture of this for you, but the guards here are no-nonsense. I already screwed up by leaving my bag in the courtroom while I dashed to the restroom, only to come back and find out I couldn't re-enter the courtroom until lawyers were done arguing about something. What is this, a baseball game?

Meanwhile, that's Restore America's David Crowe (I'm pretty sure) in the middle, here from Tennessee to join the anti-gay crowd. And on the far right, that's the light of god shining on him, no doubt. Because Crowe does what Jesus would do.

Check back here soon for updates. We won't have a decision today, but I'll pass along the argument highlights and the judges' questions.

The case up now is about "nine baggies of marijuana," or approximately 6.2 grams says the government's attorney, which were found on a guy carrying $690. Oooo, interesting! How many ounces is 6.2 grams, one judge asks? "Now you're testing my math skills," says the attorney. "You're the government, aren't you supposed to know everything?" the judge shot back. These guys are a hoot.

In February, a federal judge told the anti-gay activist to piss off ruled that the petition effort fell short, even if the signature-verification process was a little fuzzy. An injunction was lifted, and couples began registering as domestic partners a few days later.

Fast forward to tomorrow, when the two sides--Basic Rights Oregon and the ACLU vs. the anti-gay activists a Concerned Oregonians, Defense of Marriage and Family Again, and Alliance Defense Fund--meet in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to argue again. If the activists win, the issue could still land on this November's ballot. I'll be in the hearing, and apparently laptops are allowed, so we could even have some live blogging.

In the meantime, enjoy this--it's an analysis of tomorrow's panel of federal judges, from Alliance Defense Fund's Austin Nimocks, that went out via a Concerned Oregonians email blast:

We need our arguments and efforts cloaked and soaked in immense prayer. We recently discovered the panel before whom I will be making our argument:

Alfred T. Goodwin- Appointed by Nixon. Wrote the majority opinion in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, which stated that the "under God" portion of the Pledge violated the establishment clause.

Harry Pregerson- Appointed by Carter. Characterized as a liberal judge. "Not surprisingly, Judge Pregerson has been a model of judicial activism for nearly a quarter-century." - Hugh Hewitt

Stephen Reinhardt- Appointed by Carter. Yale graduate. Known as one of the most liberal judges on the courts of appeals, is also one of the most-reversed judges before the Supreme Court.

However, I welcome this panel as our decision-makers here. I do this for the true and ultimate sovereignty of God. If we were to win with a conservative panel, everyone would question the victory as one born of a lucky draw. However, a victory flowing from this panel can be attributed only to God. We're running on faith alone, and that is more than enough.

EPISODE #4

PLANET UNICORN #1

PLANET UNICORN #2

(Main Stage) Sahara Dunes describes herself as a "burlesque performer," which means queer stripper, with more feathers and less clothes taken off than the girls at Sassy's. Dunes generally removes elaborate, Southern-style outfits to the likes of Shirley Bassey, Eartha Kitt, and Amy Winehouse, right down to a pair of nipple tassels. But fear not: She's crowd friendly, rather than wince inducing, unless you happen to be remarkably prudish. MD

"Be sure I'll be sending you an email as well. You wrote a little blurb about me in the Portland Mercury, and seeing as I'm pretty sure you've never seen me perform, your description of burlesque as being a queer stripper is completely wrong. So I would love to speak with you and educate you and see if you've ever seen what burlesque is. Be a man and call me.

Your turn. And yes, I do have all day for this. Also, coming off my meds was definitely the right decision. I am now 100% sure of it.

6/6
ˇGaytino!
Writer and performer Dan Guerrero brings his autobiographical one-man show to Portland, where he'll take the stage to chronicle his life: "From East LA in the '50s to New York's Great White Way in the '60s and '70s and back to Hollywood."
Miracle Theatre, 525 SE Stark, 8 pm, $22-28, 236-7253, latinogaypridepdx.com

Idols and Icons Opening Reception
A collaboration between artists Chris Haberman and Richard Schemmerer.
Q Center, 69 SE Taylor, 6 pm, free, pdxqcenter.org

Papis Dance Party
A "muy caliente" dance party featuring Seattle's DJ Luis spinning latin, hiphop, and dance music. Event organizers instruct you to "wear your papi underwear."*
Boxxes, 1035 SW Stark, 10 pm, latinogaypridepdx.com

The rest of this gaytastic weekend after the jump!

Yeah, that's not right. Other than the first date saying 6/5, that whole page is a wreck thanks to a printer error.

Here's what it should have looked like!

Ah, that's much better. And you can always check out the day's events in Found It under the events tab. (There's a Queer2008 sub-category.)