In the ongoing historic Perry vs. Schwarzenegger trial, the defense for Prop 8 brought forth one helluva dork, one complete idiot named David Blankenhorn:
Star defendants' witness David Blankenhorn today was just-barely allowed to testify after he admitted under questioning from David Boies that he does not possess a doctorate; has never taught a college or university class; has only two peer-reviewed publications, none of which are germane to this case; that his masters degree thesis, one of those two publications, focused on two Victorian cabinetmakers; and has never conducted any scientific research on same sex marriage. His cross examination by Boies will start off the morning in court.
Along with undermining his credibility, Blankenhorn's testimony helped make the plaintiffs' case. "I believe homophobia is a real presence in our society," he testified. "We would be more American on the day we permit same-sex marriage than the day before."
Blankenhorn also testified that allowing gays and lesbians to marry would improve the wellbeing of their households and their children. Among the reasons cited for opposing marriage equality, he testified, was the specter of polygamy and polyamory.
"This is the game that they're playing," Ted Olson said. "They define marriage as a man and a woman. They call that the institution of marriage. So if you let a man marry a man and a woman marry a woman, it would de-institutionalize marriage. That is the same as saying you are deinstitutionalizing the right to vote when you let women have it. It's a game. It's a tautology. They're saying, 'this is the definition. You're going to change the definition by allowing people access that don't have it now, and that would change it so that people who currently have access won't want it any more because it's changed.' This is all nonsense. They are not proving that. This is a syllogism that falls apart. The major premise, minor premise and conclusion are empty."
Pam's House Blend has more.
So does JoeMyGod, natch.
Boies went after Blankenhorn’s credibility immediately, noting that he apparently had only one peer-reviewed article to his credit and that was a thesis on a labor dispute between cabinetmaker unions in Britain. Although Blankenhorn was being offered as an expert witness on how same-sex marriages are detrimental to heterosexual marriages and children, Boies noted that Blankenhorn’s education had been in history. “You’ve never taught a course in college,” said Boies, “and you have no degree in psychology, psychiatry, sociology, anthropology.…” “No,” said Blankenhorn, interrupting. “And in preparation for this testimony, did you undertake any scientific study of what effects permitting same-sex marriages have been in any jurisdiction where same-sex marriages have been permitted?” asked Boies. “No,” said Blankenhorn.
Basically, it will take another measure of bias and rightwing fraud for the Yes on H8ers to win this. And they'll try to do just that.
I could post more, like 1000 funny Tweets from peeps in the courtroom, but I gotta get to work, where we'll post more articles daily.
I'd rather not post more pics of the uglies from Yes on H8. Instead, how about this? At Sundance Film Festival, Jon Hamm (still bearded, literally) and James Franco talked about gay marriage and its publicity in comparison to the Prop 8 trial and the subject of their new film together, Howl, about the obscenity trial over Allen Ginsberg's famous poem.
Watch it at EW Online.
Yes, I'm only using the Prop 8 trial to contextualize how sexy Jon Hamm is with a beard. He could lose the golf cap, though.
By the way, a repeat of Hamm's hosting of Saturday Night Live is on January 30.
Oops. It's not a rerun. It's a whole spankin' new show. But Damn! Jon shaved his beard for the show! He could have done a lumberjack sketch in the first half.
Damn.
Apparently, I'm not the only one obsessing about Hamm's hot beard. NY Magazine has two articles about it, Here and Here.
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