Video footage is coming in of that recent disastrous press conference held by “Porno” Pete LaBarbera and his crew of assorted nuts against the Southern Poverty Law Center. The press conference was held to protest SPLC calling so-called pro-family groups out for their deliberate inaccurate rhetoric about the gay community.

And it was just as everyone suspected – it was a colossal bomb. But the most interesting portion is the following. Rochelle Conner, a representative of Scott Lively’s Abiding Truth Ministries (an SPLC designated hate group), read a statement from Lively calling for “God himself to destroy” the SPLC:

Transcript – My prayer as one who really does hate irrational prejudice is that the Lord by His sovereign power will remove this dangerous, hate-spreading organization from our nation and its leaders and its members cause them to repent of their wickedness. Finally, to prevent the Southern Poverty Law Center from using my prayer as part of its perpetual fundraising campaign, I want to make clear that I am asking God himself to destroy their organization and I am asking that it be by His miraculous hand and not by human beings just so as with Sodom and Gomorrah, they will know that God will get the glory, and not man.

By the way, you will notice that standing next to LaBarbera – who is the only white male in the small group for those who have never seen him – is “diaper pastor” Patrick Wooden. I heard that they were filming their own press conference, so of course Wooden just had to position himself to be at the forefront of the camera.

My guess – and forgive if I am being sacrilegious here – is that the only reason why God didn’t strike these folks down for their lies is because he was laughing so hard.

The press conference was so pitiful that it’s not even worth getting angry about. However, I will say one thing.

I love girlfriend’s hat. And those boots? Smoking!

Speaking Friday at Creating Change, an annual national conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, NAACP President Ben Jealous announced that the Maryland gender identity anti-discrimination bill has his organization’s backing.

The bill (SB 212) was introduced late last week and awaits action in the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee. It is comprehensive in coverage, including public accommodations. Text of the bill can be read here.

Also supporting the bill is Gov. Martin O’Malley, who stated last year that its passage is a legislative priority for him. He reiterated his support last week, saying “I support it wholeheartedly”.

Momentum has been building for passage of a statewide law. Last month gender identity and expression anti-discrimination legislation passed in Howard County, and similar legislation was introduced this month in Baltimore County. Montgomery County and Baltimore City have already passed laws banning discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

In an MSNBC interview today about the status of the marriage equality bill, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire advises the state legislature that “it’s time” to pass the bill.

Thomas Roberts: Your bill in Washington state has passed a major hurdle getting through a senate committee. Still opponents though are promising a really tough battle to get this on the ballot if it passes the legislature. Do you believe that this should be on the ballot, or do you think that that’s just unfair?

Gov. Gregoire: You know, I’ve made it very clear to the legislators in my state that it’s time for them to step up and take the vote. So I’m very optimistic at this point that we believe we have at least the 25th vote if not more in our Senate and that we have enough votes in our House. But I don’t want them to say, ‘ok but rather than take the tough vote, I’m just going to send it to the voters’. I think they were elected to make these decisions, it’s time for them to do so, it’s time for us to have marriage equality in Washington state.

Then if the opponents want to put it on the ballot in the fall they are absolutely free to do so, and I believe the people of my state will stand up and say “it’s time for marriage equality”.

Mr. Roberts: I know that there have been a lot of stories done about what’s taking place in Washington state and we’ve seen a lot of major business entities come out now and back the bill that’s taking place there. Just to list a few which people will recognize right off the bat, we have
* Starbucks
* Microsoft
* Nike
* Google
Does it say anything to you that all of these people that are coming out to say that they support something like this, does it show that the fabric of society is ready for this, to have this implemented and lawmakers just need to get it done?

Gov. Gregoire: I absolutely agree with that, and in fact we’ve been on a long journey in my state. We started not all that long ago with a bill that simply said you can’t discriminate overtly in housing and in employment. And then we moved to Domestic Partnership, then we expanded Domestic Partnership. The voters of my state endorsed Domestic Partnership.

But now is the time for us to step up and say equality means just that, that same-sex couples receive the same license and benefits and rights. We recognize their love like we do the love of a heterosexual couple in Washington state. And the children of these parents should know that we appreciate, respect and admire the love of their parents as we do all parents in Washington state.

So I’m very optimistic right now that we can get it through our legislature and to my desk. But I learned a long time ago, don’t assume. Make sure it gets there and make sure it’s done in the legislature and that if it reaches the ballot, I am still very optimistic my people and my state have gone through a journey that has led them to the conclusion, we cannot be discriminating but we can also honor religious freedom in our state, and that’s the right way for Washington state to go.

Mr. Roberts: I know you’re optimistic, but through my research I think you’re going to get it done, so I want to make a date with you right now to come back so we can talk about it when it happens.