A Blanchard Family Christmas
Derek Penton joins our family of contributors today. Derek will give us an insider’s view on his lawsuit asking Louisiana to recognize his marriage.
On a December night just prior to Christmas in 2009, friends were gathering, families were snuggling, and New Orleans Saints fans were preparing for possibly the best Christmas gift Santa could bring – a Black and Gold Super bowl.  In the middle of all this Christmas cheer, a family I now love and hold dear was just starting to take shape.
Nadine and Courtney Blanchard met, fell in love, and were living what seemed to be the perfect life.  They had good careers, a stable relationship, and a home for themselves just like countless other couples. They soon began to realize that their goals and how they saw the future were pretty much in sync.  After two years of being a happy couple, they wanted to complete their family with a child.  In November 2011, after weighing all the options and deciding what would work best, they sought a doctor to help make their dreams a reality.  The couple underwent in vitro fertilization using Courtney’s egg, an anonymous sperm donor, and Nadine’s uterus as the vessel. The decision for Nadine to carry the child was an important one, not only because they both wanted to have a part in the creation of this child, but also because it would have legal complications down the road.
On May 2, 2012, the couple got the news that many couples dream. Their hopes of a child were coming into shape.  They were PREGNANT!  In the coming months, like normal expectant parents, the two soon-to-be moms would begin that old-fashioned parenting skill passed down from generation to generation without fail: They would begin to worry.  They worried about having a healthy child.  They worried about being good parents.  They worried, as a lesbian couple, how the child would fare out in a society and community in south Louisiana that doesn’t always accept “non-traditional†families.  As a paramedic, seeing the many family situations I have seen, I can attest that stability isn’t traditional or non-traditional, nor is family.  Like many people of my generation, I am a product of divorced parents; people tend to turn out just fine, no matter the family unit, when they are raised right! But I digress.
On May 19, 2012, Courtney and Nadine had a private ceremony in their hometown in Louisiana to solidify their family unit in front of friends and family. Â Ask Courtney about her wedding dress if you get a chance and how much she LOVED wearing it.
As fall became winter (as much as that actually happens down here in Louisiana), Courtney and Nadine would receive the best present just five days after Christmas. Â On December 30, 2012, they delivered a beautiful baby boy. Â As the new baby was settling into his new life, and the moms were realizing that their own lives had changed forever and for the better, the bitter realities of what families like this go through every day begin to surface.
Courtney’s egg had produced this beautiful child who, by all biological appearances, blood, genetics, and mere spitting image was hers. Nadine carried the child to term and, in the eyes of the law, is the legal mother of this child.  Under Louisiana law, Nadine’s name was the only one that would be allowed to be on the birth certificate. Joint adoptions are possible in situations like this, but we are talking about the state of Louisiana, where you can marry your cousin, but two women cannot be on the same birth certificate. Louisiana does not allow same-sex marriage, nor does the state recognize the marriages of same-sex individuals from other states.  Joint adoption is out of the question, so Courtney has no legal say whatsoever in her child’s life.
Louisiana Civil Code Article 3520:
A. A marriage that is valid in the state where contracted, or in the state where the parties were first domiciled as husband and wife, shall be treated as a valid marriage unless to do so would violate a strong public policy of the state whose law is applicable to the particular issue under Article 3519.
B. A purported marriage between persons of the same sex violates a strong public policy of the state of Louisiana and such a marriage contracted in another state shall not be recognized in this state for any purpose, including the assertion of any right or claim as a result of the purported marriage.
Acts 1991, No. 923, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1999, No. 890, §1.
Nadine and Courtney had always felt that they would not be satisfied until they had a legal marriage, whether recognized in certain locations or not.  Knowing that a piece of paper does not confirm or validate love or a family, and that Louisiana would not recognize it, the couple still wanted a legal marriage. Fate seemed to step in.  In late August 2013, with some days off around Labor Day, the couple remembered they had a trip planned to Chicago to visit Nadine’s niece.  They decided to search for states near Illinois to find the closest one with legal same-sex marriage.  The couple discovered that the neighboring state, Iowa, had legalized same-sex marriage in 2009 and, with that in mind, they decided to make a day trip to a small county just across the state line.  Having in tow the two witnesses required for the marriage license, Nadine’s niece and a friend of Courtney’s from high school, along with their son, they had a ceremony that legalized their marriage.
Upon returning to Louisiana, the couple’s marriage was by all intents and purposes nothing but a piece of paper. See Frustrating Louisiana Civil Code Above.  The couple decided it was time for a change and time to stand up for what they believed was right and just.  One night on their local news they saw a story of a married couple in New Orleans that was suing to have their out-of-state marriage recognized and the fire started to burn. They contacted acting counsel Scott J. Spivey and joined a federal lawsuit, the lawsuit my husband and I brought, Robicheaux v Caldwell .  Knowing that this process could take years, they were up to the challenge.  They knew that the road was long and bumpy, but wanted to join a cause that touched them personally.
Courtney has said, “So, you ask me why we are fighting for our rights here in Louisiana? The answer is simple.  My family is no different than yours.  We make decisions together, we live together, and we love together.â€
We have been told time and time again by both friends and strangers alike that it is not time here in Louisiana, and that to do this in a state that is so socially conservative is ridiculous. So as we wait for what the future brings for our case and our families, we ask you this: Â What is your bottom line? Where do you draw your line in the sand? Will it be when something so terrible happens and you have no protection under the law? “Wills” and “powers of attorney” are not always enough to cover every situation. What time is the right time for Louisiana to recognize your family?
For my husband, Jon, and me – NOW IS THAT TIME, NOW IS THAT HOUR.  For Courtney, Nadine, and their son – NOW IS THAT TIME, NOW IS THAT HOUR. We will not wait until we are granted permission by organizations and public opinion to do what is best for our family.  We will fight for our family and all LGBT families in Louisiana, until the right side of history is in the books.  We hope that every one of you will join us on the journey.  You deserve no less.  We deserve no less.  Courtney and Nadine’s son deserves nothing less.
To keep up with our case, watch for my updates here every other Saturday. You can also visit us on Facebook or check out our website.
Editor’s Note: If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to catch up with Derek’s original piece for the New Civil Rights Movement: Robicheaux vs. Caldwell – Why We Are Suing To Be Married In Louisiana Â
Photo via the Courtney and Nadine Blanchard
  
Derek Penton, 35, is a native of Mississippi and a longtime resident of New Orleans. Â He holds degrees in computer information systems and paramedicine. Â After more than five years together, Penton and his husband, Jonathan Robicheaux, were legally married in Iowa on Sept. 23, 2012.
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U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, Republican of Georgia, is under fire after praising University of Mississippi students, some wearing American flag outfits, mocking a Black woman protester by making monkey sounds and shouting, “lock her up.”
“Counter-protestors at the University of Mississippi made racist remarks — including monkey noises and comparisons to Lizzo — towards a Black woman who was part of a planned protest against the war in Gaza,” Los Angeles Magazine reported Friday.
Collins, who tried to defund Vice President Kamala Harris’ Office in November, declared his support for the counter-protesters at “Ole Miss,” as the University is called.
“Ole Miss taking care of business,” he wrote on social media, atop the video (below).
The counter-protesters, as evidenced in the video, appear to be mostly white.
A large number of users on the social media platform X responded, accusing the Congressman and the counter-protesters of racism.
“When is the inevitable ‘I don’t have a racist bone in my body’ tweet coming,” wondered Rewire News Group editor-at-large Imani Gandy.
“Which part is your favorite, Mike?” asked Fred Wellman, the former executive director of The Lincoln Project. “Is it the white kid acting like a monkey at the black woman or the white security guy acting like she’s a threat? I’m trying to figure out which flavor of racism has you all excited the most?”
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Harvard Law Cyberlaw Clinic clinical instructor Alejandra Caraballo responded to the Georgia GOP congressman, “Thanks for confirming you’re a massive racist piece of sh*t.”
Mississippi Free Press news editor Ashton Pittman wrote: “Rep. Mike Collins, R-Georgia, praises a video showing a University of Mississippi frat boy dancing like a monkey and making monkey noises near a Black woman student who was protesting for Palestine while other frat boys chant ‘lock her up.'”
In a separate post describing a separate video taken of the same group Pittman wrote: “Frat bros at @OleMiss chant, ‘Lizzo! Lizzo!’ and shout, ‘F**k you fatass, f**k you b*tch’ at a Black woman who was protesting for Palestine. Do people really think these counterprotestors are doing it to support Jews?”
Journalist John Harwood did not mince words, writing, “Congressman proud of the racism.”
“Okay, Mike. We get it,” wrote podcast host, documentary director, and author W. Kamau Bell. “You want to be famous for being a racist. Fine. I’ll help you become a famous racist. You’re welcome.”
The original video is here.
See Rep. Collins’ post and the video below or at this link.
Caution: the video is disturbing.
Ole Miss taking care of business. pic.twitter.com/JiL9hs2pHz
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) May 3, 2024
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Amid more damning revelations from her soon-to-be released book, embattled South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem will head to Mar-a-Lago this weekend as ex-president Donald Trump auditions potential vice presidential picks in front of high-dollar donors. Noem was also slated to attend a Republican fundraiser in Colorado this weekend but it was canceled over alleged safety concerns after news broke she had bragged about shooting her 14-month old dog.
While Noem’s shooting to death of her wirehaired pointer, Cricket, which she detailed in the book, is still making headlines overnight a new revelation made news: Noem falsely claims in her book she met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.
A spokesperson for Noem “seemed to concede that the Kim story was false Thursday night,” and notified her publisher, Politico’s Ryan Lizza reported in his exclusive.
But less noticed appears to be the actual text of Noem’s false story, in which she brands children she ministered in church “little tyrants,” and compared them to the murderous North Korean dictator.
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“Through my tenure on the House Armed Services Committee,” Noem wrote, according to Politico, “I had the chance to travel to many countries to meet with world leaders. I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I’m sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all).”
CNBC reported this week Trump “will mingle with potential vice presidential running mates and wealthy Republican donors at the Republican National Committee’s spring donor retreat. The meetings are likely to act as informal tryouts for a short list of politicos in the running to join the Trump ticket.”
The list of Republican “special guests” includes U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, and J.D. Vance, Rep. Elise Stefanik, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.
Also expected to attend are House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Wesley Hunt of Texas, former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and other elected Republicans along with RNC co-chair Lara Trump.
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NBC News, which says Rep. Donalds is also under consideration, on Friday added there will be “a fundraising retreat that could serve as a screening session” for potential vice presidential running mates.
Meanwhile, the Jefferson County, Colorado Republican Party chair announced a fundraising dinner Noem was slated to attend was canceled after threats were made, The Denver Post reports.
“We understood there was a planned organized protest outside of the hotel, led by Progress Now,” Nancy Pallozzi said. “I felt that our event would be negatively impacted, and we could not take the risk that those who made threats would cause physical harm.”
Over the weekend independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke at a fundraiser for a far-right anti-government group in Erie County, New York – a slice of the country that had a large proportion of residents arrested and charged for crimes related to the January 6 insurrection. Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist and vaccine denialist, increasingly is embracing the far-right.
“That group, Constitutional Coalition of New York State, has founders who not only have ties to Donald Trump but are also connected to the stop-the-steal movement through their activist network, which includes groups that had a presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6,” The Daily Beast reported Friday. “It’s yet another instance of Kennedy—who is mounting one of the most well-funded third-party presidential threats in decades—serving as a peculiar bridge between his own anti-establishment movement and Trump’s.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center includes the Constitutional Coalition of New York State (CCNYS) on its page of anti-government groups. Political Research Associates, which detailed the high proportion of January 6 residents arrested and charged, included the Constitutional Coalition of New York State in its February report on “The Rise of the Far Right in Western New York.”
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“If you don’t think the government is lying to you, you’re not paying attention,” Kennedy told attendees at the CCNYS fundraiser, The Buffalo News reports.
“CCNYS founders Nick and Nancie Orticelli are also affiliated with the Watchmen, a nearby militia who Nick has encouraged his social media followers to join. The Watchmen had several members at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and one member, Pete Harding, is still facing charges for violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,” The Daily Beast noted. “Nancie Orticelli has also hosted the Watchmen’s founder, Charles Pellien, on her weekly radio show on several occasions.”
One of Kennedy’s goals in traveling to New York was to get on the ballot for the November presidential election. Various polls show him taking votes from both President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump, but Kennedy currently has only qualified to be on the ballot in three states, Utah, Michigan and Hawaii, the newspaper reported.
But The Washington Post on Thursday reported The American Independent Party of California, which has a history of “far-right ties,” and “backed segregationist and former Alabama governor George Wallace in 1968, nominated Kennedy for president.”
Kennedy “said this week that he has qualified to be on the ballot in California and will accept the nomination of the American Independent Party, which has a history of associating itself with far-right figures and individuals who have expressed racist views.”
Some news reports and RFK Jr. himself say the Trump campaign was actively courting Kennedy, attempting to convince him to consider being the ex-president’s 2024 vice presidential running mate.
“That MAGA dalliance with Kennedy could be coming back to bite the Trump campaign, some Republicans close to the former president worry,” The Daily Beast also reported.
“’They can only blame themselves,’ a Trump-aligned strategist told The Daily Beast, requesting anonymity to speak candidly about private conversations about the risk Kennedy poses, ‘because they cozied up to him and thought it was funny.’”
Watch WIVBTV’s report on Kennedy’s trip to New York below or at this link.
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Congressman Pummeled for Praising Students Mocking Black Protester With Monkey Sounds
Noem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’
RFK Jr., Embracing Far-Right, Spoke at Fundraiser for Anti-Government Group With J6 Ties
Election Denialism Embraced by ‘Large Proportion’ of Trump’s Followers: Report
Trump Won’t Commit to Accepting Election Results if He Doesn’t Win State He Falsely Claims He Won
News2 days agoCongressman Pummeled for Praising Students Mocking Black Protester With Monkey Sounds
News3 days agoNoem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’
News3 days agoRFK Jr., Embracing Far-Right, Spoke at Fundraiser for Anti-Government Group With J6 Ties