The religious conservative culture warriors in the American South have what may be the biggest target ever for their slings and arrows; the Muslim Congressman from Minnesota, Keith Ellison, has joined the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, claiming that the mission of the caucus is in keeping with his fight for equality for all people.  The caucus, which at the moment only has three members, welcomes Ellison as the first straight member alongside Barney Frank and Tammy Baldwin.

The concept of the caucus system in use in American politics is rather straightforward, allowing voting blocks to form around causes within—and sometimes across—political parties.  The members of the caucus by necessity give up some of their individual power—when the caucus is being wooed, the idea of crossing the line is taboo—but gain far more in terms of ability to push through bills and introduce successful legislation.  This system has been used most famously by the Congressional Black Caucus and the Blue Dog Democrats,  and now an LGBT element is being introduced in an attempt to further not only equality in America, but also through foreign policy initiatives worldwide. 

By Pinke.biz writer Ben Ray. Check out his blog at What's Required.

Do you want to write for Pinke? We're looking for writers all over the world to write about the gay issues that matter all over the globe. We're particularly looking for travel writers and writers in Asia/Africa/the Middle East, but we'll consider anyone with great writing skills and an interest in the subject. Email Pinke editor Robert Knox for more information.