by Dana Miller

Can marriage follow sodomy? Here comes the judge!

This magazine’s Karen Ocamb is practicing excellent journalism in her reporting of the Prop. 8 trial in San Francisco. She is by far (both in these pages and on her blog, lgbtpov.com), delivering the most thorough and thought-provoking content for our community on the complicated subject.

As one of the 18,000 couples that were married when it was legal to do so here in California, I certainly carry some guilt of exclusion for many over not only the vote but the denied appeal of the issue. Moving this along is most certainly the right thing to do, and we owe a debt of gratitude to attorneys David Boies and Theodore Olson and funders like Bruce Cohen and his husband Gabriel Catone for pushing this forward. It is imperative that our community and friends continue this fight as well.

While pundits predict we will likely win in San Francisco, this battle will surely end up before the United States Supreme Court. There, nine Justices will have arguably the last say on the matter. At least for awhile.

Way back in 1778 Thomas Jefferson wrote a law containing castration as punishment for men who engaged in sodomy. In 1986, the Court upheld a state anti-sodomy law and it stood for another 17 years. In 2003, just seven years ago, the Supreme Court struck down Texas’ same-sex sodomy law, thus making the dirty deed a protected act. Ultimately, we are betting on nine folks to permit us to wed. Our community has always marched towards our victories draped in a great deal, including fear. It scares the hell out of me. Now, bring it on!

In other courtroom news, the trial for the murder of Linda Stein began in Manhattan last week. Linda was a former rock manager turned realtor to the stars who at one time was married to music impresario Seymour Stein, the guy who founded Sire Records and discovered and signed Madonna and the Talking Heads.

Linda was a total trip and I loved the broad. Brash, foul-mouthed, funny ... a real New Yorker. Her favorite word was f-ck. She used it every which way. Linda was once referred to as “Buddy Hackett mixed with Don Rickles with tits.” Her real estate clients included Sting, Billy Joel, Calvin Klein, Jann Wenner, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan and on and on. I met Linda through Elton John. Elton is godfather to one of her daughters. Linda would come to town for our annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar party and she was always wonderfully eccentric, crazy generous and delightfully kooky. I loved hangin’ with the dame. We would shop, eat, drink and gossip and no matter where we were, from the Abbey to Neiman’s Bar on 4, if she didn’t know you, she did by the time we left. You know someone like Linda; over-the-top, raging, unbridled, aggravating, exasperating and just a joy to be with. One would have to rally big-time and muster all spirit to return her call or meet up with her but you never regretted it. She was not particularly nice to “the help,” but she wasn’t evil.

I can see cursing under your breath when she left the room, but not killing her. But that is just what her former assistant is charged with—bludgeoning her to death with an exercise bar in her 5th Avenue apartment and then confessing to the whole thing on video. Natavia Lowery claims Linda cursed her and blew marijuana in her face. Lord, so quit. After apparently crushing her skull, she used Linda’s ATM card to withdraw $800 minutes later. She faces 25 to life if convicted. I loved and miss Linda’s capacity for violent enthusiasm. Her uninhibited passion for life, tossed out every day for all to see, was snuffed out by violence of a different sort. It won’t get Linda back, but I do hope Ms. Lowery rots in Bedford Hills prison for a very long time.

Speaking of Elton, I do believe the concept floating about that he replaces Simon on American Idol is brilliant. He is caring, bitchy, funny, opinionated and never hesitates to speak his mind. Plus, who the hell really knows more about singing and music that EJ? He would be a magnificent replacement!

I’m shocked! Remember when our beloved GLAAD initially came out in support of ABC’s decision to ban Adam Lambert’s live performance on The View and taped performance on Rockin’ New Year’s Eve after his salacious live performance on the American Music Awards? Their brass elected to adopt and fondle corporate support rather than the community they pretend to bulwark. Well, now for the fourth year in a row, ABC leads the nominations for GLAAD’s annual media awards. Awards, the almighty dollar and artificial legitimacy sure make for strange bedfellows.

On a good day, Haiti is a horrible country for those who live there. These days it is much, much worse. For those who passed, sleep peacefully and let the earth become soft for you. For the survivors, please let’s pledge our prayers and blessings daily.

contact me: malibudana@aol.com