Welcome to the new America! State the fact that your mom is gay in Louisiana, and you earn a trip to the principal's office where you have to sign a contract promising not to use the word gay again.

Oh, and if you're a university in Alabama, a law has been proposed that would make it illegal for you to have books in your library with gay protagonists, or to perform plays with gay characters. Oh, and any scientific evidence of a genetic component to homosexuality better not be in your textbooks either.

Meanwhile, in Michigan, the state wants to re-negotiate contracts with its workers to take away same-sex partner benefits in the wake of that anti-gay marriage vote a few weeks ago. Wait a minute, I thought we were all told that was only about protecting marriage, not taking away existing protections.

While the three stories above make me want to throw up, at least the United Church of Christ is standing up for what's right, and making clear that they welcome everyone into their church. It's too bad that NBC and CBS won't run the ad though, because letting minorities or gays into your church is "too controversial".

[via Andrew Sullivan]