With the list of marriage equality states doubling in the last six months and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s introduction this week of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act which would remove barriers to same-sex couples who wish to foster or adopt children, it is fitting that The New Yorker honors mothers this year with a Happy Mothers’ Day cover.

He disappeared more than a decade ago, just 18-years-old and teaching abroad, separated from his family for the first time in life. His mother and father, sick with worry, heard nothing. For all they knew he was dead. Then, one day they opened a newspaper and learned their son was being held in a military prison run by the US of A, accused of – but never charged with – being an enemy of the state.

Tom Jones – She’s a Lady

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Ladies…!

A bit of the history of Mothers Day and a tribute to some of the Mother’s who have been instrumental in furthering the cause.

Happy Mother’s Day! May your flowers be fresh, your candy be chocolate, your breakfast in bed, and your children at home – with you.

Of course the topic on the network shows this morning is the death of Osama bin Laden. No surprise here, but the ratio of Bush officials to Obama officials on the Sunday shows this morning is 6 – 1. As Marcy notes, the torture apologists are out in force today. Will they be challenged? If only. *big heavin’ sigh*

Moving on, our friends Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband Joe host today’s FDL Book Salon: Apocalypse Never: Forging the Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World. Please join in at 5pm ET. Movie Night Monday presents Bag It with director Suzan Beraza. And don’t forget, David Dayen and Cliff Schecter are Virtually Speaking this evening at 9pm ET. Support progressive talk, tune in.

Afghan women and children face the worst conditions according to global survey.