Rainbow Reflections

Quote of the Day

2012-01-12T08:31:00.002-05:00

Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Those "Repost This" Postings on Facebook

2012-01-11T18:43:00.000-05:00

If you have a Facebook page, you know what I'm talking about. Everyone gets them...you know the "If you ever had someone you love die of Cancer, you must repost this as your status, etc." Some are cute, some are funny, some tug at the heartstrings and some just make you wince. I usually try to ignore them, but one recently crossed my Facebook page that I just could not ignore, and I most certainly don't agree with. I received it for the first time yesterday and again from a completely different person today. Before I go into any more detail, here is the posting:

Here... let me piss some people off... Did you get drug tested today? Thank you Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, which are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare. Some people are crying and calling this unconstitutional. How is this unconstitutional? It's ok to drug test people who work for their money, but not those who don't?... Re-post this if you'd like to see this done in all 50 states. I just did.

This was today's version. The only difference of this one from yesterday's version is that yesterday had the added comment of wishing this could happen in Canada too.
Both people who posted this are my friends (otherwise they would not be on my Facebook list of friends) and I don't want to hurt their feelings with this post, but I have some major problems with the sentiment and the meaning behind this posting. The post is supposed to make the reader mad about all the people who abuse the welfare system (in Ontario the equivalent is the Ontario Works Program) and tells the reader they should want to add another hurdle that welfare applicants must go through to receive help from the government. The post also mentions that three states in the U.S. have added laws that would require this drug test be added to the rules for applying for welfare, and at least one of the states actually was enforcing the rule until a Federal judge issued a ruling on Oct. 24, 2011 stopping its enforcement until the courts rule on its constitutionality. Judge Mary Scriven had this to say in her ruling:

If invoking an interest in preventing public funds from potentially being used to fund drug use were the only requirement to establish a special need, the state could impose drug testing as an eligibility requirement for every beneficiary of every government program. Such blanket intrusions cannot be countenanced under the Fourth Amendment.

Michigan tried to enact a similar law requiring random drug tests for welfare recipients in 1999 which was also litigated and resulted in the law being declared unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment, the same amendment that will probably be used to declare these laws unconstitutional. Kentucky actually has not passed or tried to enforce a drug law yet. A bill similar to Florida's drug law was introduced in one house of the state legislature, but it has not been brought to a vote yet. They may try again this year but most observers think the Kentucky bill has some high hurdles to jump over before it has a chance of becoming law or enforced.
Missouri's law was also signed and put into effect in July of 2011. The main difference in this law is that drug tests are done only when officials have reasonable cause to believe that an applicant or recipient is using illegal drugs. That means, unlike the other laws, this is Not a blanket "you must take a drug test to receive benefits" law like Florida.

These are Tea Party endorsed laws. They are laws that several Tea Party/Conservative Republican politicians used as wedge issues to help get themselves elected. Florida's governor Rick Scott used this law among others to get himself elected as governor of Florida. Then he rammed the bill through the statehouse with the promise that it would save Florida taxpayers millions each year and get the "lowlife drug users" off the welfare rolls. It was signed into law in June, 2011 and enforced starting July 1, 2011 until Oct. 24, 2011 when Judge Scriven halted the enforcement of the law.
Now remember, Rick Scott said that this law would find all the many drug users and abusers of welfare, get them off the welfare lists and save millions of Florida taxpayer money. However, using the information of what actually occurred from July 1 to Oct. 24, one Tampa newspaper did some simple math and came up with some startling numbers. It seems that 96% of the welfare applicants who were tested passed the drug test and went on to collect welfare. Of the remaining 4%, two percent simply didn't finish the application for reasons unspecified. The remaining 2% did fail the test. All of those who passed the test had to be reimbursed for the cost of the testing by the state. The newspaper figured that would cost taxpayers around $178,000,000 a year. That is 178 MILLION DOLLARS folks! The savings the taxpayers will receive for the estimated 2% of drug failures will amount to between $40,000 to $60,000 a year in taxpayer savings. Let me repeat this one more time. The taxpayers of Florida will spend 178 million dollars a year to save 60 thousand a year. Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me either.
Meanwhile every welfare applicant will be treated by the state with suspicion; they will be treated as guilty of drug abuse until they can prove to the state that they are innocent. The laid off factory worker who has used up his unemployment insurance but still can't find steady work with a family and mortgage to pay will be treated like that. The mother whose abusive husband left her with an empty food cupboard and a pile of overdue bills will be treated like that. The grandmother who is having to raise her grandkids because of family troubles or a death in the family will be treated like that. They will all be treated as guilty until they can prove they are innocent. Does that sound right to you? It does NOT to me.
No citizen of the United States, or Canada, or any other country should be treated like that, and I will always speak up for them if I can. That is why I will answer the repost statement above whenever I see it posted to my Facebook. That is why I will admit to all that, yes, you did piss me off, and here are the reasons why. I love you all, but before you repost statements like the one above, think for a moment and ask yourself if you truly wish to be treated like that...if you truly wish to lose your right to privacy, your right not to have to endure an unreasonable search of your body without cause. Don't let gut feelings that such posts try to elicit blind you to the freedoms you might lose. Once lost, our freedoms and rights are extremely hard to regain, and we have lost too many freedoms in the last few years. Enough is enough!

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/24/2470519/florida-welfare-drug-testing-halted.html#storylink=cpy

New York Pride

2011-06-26T12:32:00.001-04:00

HAPPY PRIDE

NEW YORK!

And what a happy day it is now that you have

Marriage Equality!

Congratulations!

It Gets Better!

2010-10-05T15:14:00.000-04:00

Jan Brewer Finally Admits There Is No Headless Horseman!

2010-09-04T13:19:00.000-04:00

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer finally decided to admit that illegal immigrants are not decapitating people and leaving headless bodies lying around in the desert. Of course, she still managed to qualify her answer when she talked with the Associated Press yesterday afternoon. Her words were, "That was an error if I said that. I misspoke, but you know, let me be clear, I am concerned about the border region because it continues to be reported in Mexico that there's a lot of violence going on and we don't want that going into Arizona."

So she lied, but not really because she only misspoke, if she said that, which she never really and truly admits that she did, but if she did, it's only because she is concerned that the border patrol is too inept to keep that violence from spreading across the border, which of course the patrol obviously has been doing a good job of stopping the violence for quite a while now since there really aren't any headless bodies lying around the Arizona desert, but we won't mention that because it doesn't fit in with Jan's election bid. Sorry for the run on sentence but political idiots seem to bring that out in my writing. Besides, it sounds just like something Jan might say, if she could get past the giggly 16 second frozen "OMG my mind is blank!" moments.

And did you notice she managed to admit this little white lie (snort) on a Friday afternoon right before a holiday weekend when a lot of people are probably not looking at the news? It's sometimes called the bad news dump day. Sorry Jan. I don't think that's going to help you too much.

Quote of the Day!

2010-08-31T12:40:00.000-04:00

I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others.
Thomas Jefferson

Maggie Gallagher Meets St. Peter

2010-08-30T12:47:00.004-04:00

A cute new video by Rob Tisinai over at Waking Up now. Make sure yu check out his blog and his other great videos!

Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents Speak Out

2009-06-29T08:28:00.002-04:00

There is a good article over at CNN discussing the children of gay and lesbian parents. It is a good read and I encourage you to check it out. Here is the link:

'Gayby boom': Children of gay couples speak out

Happy Pride

2009-06-28T13:31:00.001-04:00

Here is hoping that you have a fun, happy and wonderful Pride Day today! I know I've been offline for the past few months and a lot has happened during that time, but hopefully I will be back a bit more now. Enjoy your Pride Day!

My Letter to The Ethics Committee

2009-03-29T11:47:00.002-04:00

Rep. Mike Doogan and Possible Ethics Violations

March 29, 2009

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this email to you to express my concern and outrage about the recent actions of Rep. Mike Doogan in outing an anonymous Alaskan political blogger in the Alaskan Democratic Party newsletter. It is very clear from all who have knowledge of Mr. Doogan's actions that this was done with malice and in revenge for this blogger criticizing him in a post on the blog Mudflats.

It seems quite likely that Mr. Doogan may have broken some state laws in his quest for revenge. At the very least he has made ethic violations and has shown himself to be morally bankrupt. His actions show that he is unfit to hold the title of Representative of the great state of Alaska. It is apparent to most that Mr. Doogan in his thirst for spite used state time, money and possibly a state political publication to stalk, hunt down and try to destroy a citizen of your state simply because she was using her First Amendment rights to free speech online and also choosing to use her state rights (per your state constitution) to privacy.

AKM has broken no laws. She was simply stating her opinions and giving facts online. She did nothing to deserve this treatment from one of her own politicians. She is innocent of any wrongdoing, but because of the treatment by one of her own elected politicians, she is now afraid for herself and her family. This is wrong.

As a fellow citizen of The United States, I am asking you to please investigate this horrendous deed to see if Mr. Doogan has violated any ethics provisions of the state, or if indeed he has broken any state law. Public officials need to be held accountable for their deeds. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Name Redacted here

P.S. You will notice that I did not send a copy of this email to Rep. Doogan. The reason I did not is that Mr. Doogan is gleefully replying to all emails sent to him with the information that he is adding their emails to "His List." Considering what he did to AKM, I would prefer that my email not get into his hands and therefore be subjected to anything he might do with "His List".

Mudflats Blogger Outed by a Tool named Doogan

2009-03-28T22:07:00.005-04:00

I'm sure that by now you have read about the despicable action of outing the blogger AKM over at Mudflats. I've been reading AKM's blog since I found it not long after McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Mudflats is a good blog to visit for news about Sarah Palin, Alaska and all the politics of the state. Many others also have found her blog to be a good source of news and her site, which she started about a year ago exploded in popularity until she had to move it to a larger server that could take the traffic she was getting.

AKM chose to remain anonymous on her blog. Until today I didn't even know that she was a she. It didn't matter to me. I enjoyed her blog posts. I gained knowledge from her site that I wouldn't have had otherwise. She performed an important function in the blogosphere. She reported what she saw, heard and felt about what was and is happening in her state and our country.

That fact that a state representative used his power to out her in his political newsletter is appalling to me. I think it may also be illegal because I believe he used state time, funds, and power to hunt AKM down and expose her to the world. He did so for revenge because she reported on a snide and offensive email that he sent out en masse to a bunch of his constituents who had emailed him about the Troopergate issue. He saved up all the emails and then sent out this reply CC'ing everyone so that all the email addresses were visible to everyone who received the reply:

Are you people nuts? You send me -- and everybody else in the legislature, from the looks of things -- Spam and then lecture me on email etiquette -- as if there were such a thing? Here's an etiquette suggestion: Abandon your phony names, do your own thinking and don't expect everybody to share your obsessions.

Yep. That is exactly what he sent to his constituents who had emailed him. When AKM and others called him out about this lack of netiquette, Alaska Representative Mike Doogan (LD-25) of Anchorage decided to get even and this is the result. He is a vile pitiful excuse for a human being, and I hope that he not only loses his seat in the Alaska House of Representatives, I also hope that he is found to be guilty of ethics violations (which I believe he may be since it looks as though he used state resources to do this dirty deed).

Bloggers who wish to remain anonymous should be allowed to do so. It may be necessary because of safety reasons. Some people could be trying to hide from abusive husbands, some might lose their jobs if they are found out, and some just might like to be out of the limelight in real life. Whatever the reason, no one should be outed who doesn't wish to be.

If you feel as I do and would like to express your outrage, below are some emails that you might wish to send letters to. I will tell you that it might not be the best idea to actually email the bastard Doogan, since I hear he is adding all emails into a list that he will do God knows what with. Instead, you might want to express your outrage to the Alaska Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics. Their emails are:

Representative_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us
Representative_Berta_Gardner@legis.state.ak.us
Senator_Gary_Stevens@legis.state.ak.us
Senator_Thomas_Wagoner@legis.state.ak.us

If you must write to Doogan, here is the info:

Rep.Mike.Doogan@legis.state.ak.us
PHONE: (907) 465-4998
FAX: (907) 465-4419
ADDRESS: AK State Capitol
Room # 112
Juneau, AK 99801

Also some people are calling CNN's Rick Sanchez and suggesting that he report on it. The number to call for suggestions and comments is:

1 877 692 - 6609

It is toll free.

I do hope that this will be picked up by Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann and seen on their shows as well.

And don't forget our own Celtic Diva up in Alaska as well. She is also getting hate mail galore since it became known on some fundie sites that she has made a couple of ethic complaints about their Dear Sarah. Who knew the fundies could talk/write trash like that. Check the sites out below for more info and tell Celtic Diva and AKM that we are all behind them 100%.

The Mudflats

Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis

Huffington Post Article

Daily Kos Article

Portia De Rossi "Apologizes"

2009-03-22T11:45:00.002-04:00

Link

It's Been A While

2009-03-16T13:17:00.002-04:00

I see that it has been quite a while since I've posted here. Life has been very busy the past month or so, and that has kept me away from the computer more than I would like. Hopefully, things are starting to settle down now (looking fearfully around) and I will be around to post more.

Even though I've not been online as much as I would like, I've still tried to keep informed about the happenings in the LGBT world. I'm concerned about the fate of Prop H8 in California. I got to see about half of the proceeding and was not encouraged by the questioning from the judges. I know that eventually there will be marriage equality in California, but we may still have some fighting to do yet. I think the judges will uphold H8 but allow the couples already married to stay that way. Oh well, the fight will go on until we finally prevail. I'm absolutely sure of that.

Speaking of moral, upstanding heterosexuals and their wonderfully perfect marriages that protect the children from "teh gays" and other perverts (snark), Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man accused of keeping his daughter in a cellar for decades and fathering her seven children pleaded guilty to incest today. When it came time to plead on the charge of raping his daughter repeatedly over the years, he pled only "partly guilty." No one explained his reasons for being only partly guilty. He is also charged with murder of a child he fathered with his daughter while she was imprisoned in the cellar. The infant died a few days after he was born and the body was burned in an oven located in the house. Besides the incest, rape, and murder charges, Fritzl is also being charged with involvement in the slave trade, withdrawal of liberty (of Elizabeth, his daughter and the three children that remained in the cellar with her until they were freed last year), and assault which included threatening Elizabeth and the three children in the cellar with poison gas and booby traps if they tried to escape. What a fine example of heterosexual one man one woman marriage! The sad thing is, there are so many more that I could talk about. What a shame!

President Obama has set himself a busy schedule and seems to be accomplishing many of his promises. I'm very glad the stimulus plan managed to get passed even though some economists are wishing it was bigger while the Rethuglicans are whining about how bloated it is. I'm also very glad that Obama has reversed the stem cell research ban. It's about time on that one. I'm pleased with many of his accomplishments so far, but I am concerned that he seems to be forgetting about the LGBT folk who helped put him in office. I really hope he isn't planning on throwing us under the bus the way his predecessors did. Let's see some action on DADT and DOMA repeal soon please!

I'm back so keep checking for more updates. I'll try to post as often as I can and whenever I see or hear something I really feel strongly about.

Don't Divorce Us!

2009-02-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

You Tell 'Em Barney!

2009-02-02T10:09:00.002-05:00

From Think Progress:

Barney Frank: Iraq was the biggest spending program ever.

The Link

Get To Know Us First

2009-01-25T14:03:00.002-05:00

The following ads were shown on tv stations across California on Tuesday, January 20th before, during and after the inauguration of President Obama. It was shown on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Despierta America (Univision), Levantate (Telemundo) broadcasts as well as on regional news stations, CNN, and even Fox News during it's evening news coverage that day. However, one station, Los Angeles Affiliate KABC-TV thought the ads were too controversial and refused to show them at all. What do you think? here they are:

The Link

I don't see anything wrong with them myself. Honestly, I've seen more controversy in ads about dating services or "the little blue pill" or even tampon commercials (Have you ever had a 6 year old come to you and ask what is a Tampax tampon that he saw on tv?) than these about American families living normal American lives. I wonder how many executives at KABC-TV are Prop 8 supporters? I wonder if that had anything to do with their decision? Hmmm.

The Whitehouse Website

2009-01-21T11:45:00.002-05:00

At 12:01 P.M yesterday, the official Whitehouse website updated itself and changed to reflect the new administration. I really like the new site, and especially the new information on the site. Of course it is now President Obama's site and so reflects the administration of our new president.

What pleases me most is on the Civil Rights page. Check this out:

Support for the LGBT Community

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. President Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.
Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. President Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

It's a good beginning.

Inauguration Day - Some Thoughts

2009-01-21T10:24:00.003-05:00

I spent a good portion of yesterday glued to the tv watching the inauguration ceremony and later some of the inauguration balls that were shown on tv. I must say that the Obama team did a good job with the day. The day was stirring, emotional and inspiring. President Obama was poised, confident and presidential.

It was so nice to see the former president leave. I could almost feel the weight of his presidency lift off of our shoulders and the breath of fresh air that hopefully will be President Obama's term fill our lungs as we breathed a sigh of relief.

The crowds were huge, but with the exception of some booing for President Bush (and some singing of Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey, Goodbye) the crowds were happy, polite, and respectful. I think I heard that there were no arrests made by the police involving the crowd yesterday. Considering there were around two million or more people there, that is amazing! It was a wonderful ceremony.

The music was great. I especially loved the instrumental piece. I placed the video of the performance below. Aretha Franklin was wonderful too, but I did have a problem listening to her. I was too busy looking at her hat. Ms. Franklin, I love you and your voice dearly, but please, lose the hat.

President Obama's speech was timely, to the point and just right for the occasion. Our president is a great speaker, and he lived up to that yesterday with his inauguration speech.

There were only two jarring moments in the whole day. One was the disturbing news that Senator Ted Kennedy took ill during the inaugural luncheon and had to be transported to the hospital. The word is that he is doing better and may be discharged from hospital sometime today. My family and I send our prayers and good thoughts to Senator Kennedy and his family.

The other jarring moment came at the beginning of the ceremony as I figured it would with the invocation by Rick Warren. His prayer was the only thing that seemed out of place in the entire ceremony. There was a clear difference between his opening invocation and the closing invocation performed buy the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery. One was inclusive while one preached only to a narrow portion of our population. One spoke for us all, while one spoke for himself. One reached the crowd and had them in his hand agreeing with his words and saying, "Amen!" and "Amen!" while the other had the crowd glad he was finished, and why didn't he finish sooner? Just in case you can't figure out which preacher said which prayer, I've included the videos of both below. I really don't like having Rick Warren's words and voice on my blog, but I think it is important that we see the two men side by side. Then it is easy to see who is the better preacher (and person).

Now the work comes; not just for President Obama, but for all of us. Obama can't do it alone. He needs everyone working with him and sometimes keeping his "feet to the fire" to make sure that we return our country to the proud democracy that it should be, used to be, and can be even better.

Yes We Did

Yes We Can

Let's Get to Work!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Mr. President!

2009-01-20T08:24:00.001-05:00

Gene Robinson's Invocation and The Gay Men's Chorus

2009-01-19T11:18:00.003-05:00

Since the Obama Inaugural Committee decided that it would be better to keep Rev. Robinson's invocation off the HBO's televised concert yesterday (Shame on You!) and HBO decided it wasn't important to identify the Washington D.C. Gay Men's Chorus during the show even as they were managing to identify every other group, I thought I would let you see both here today. I don't know how long the video of Josh Groban and the chorus will be up. HBO may make You Tube yank it soon, but while it is up, enjoy.

The Link

Are You Listening Rick Warren?

2009-01-17T17:01:00.002-05:00

You Need To Listen.

The Link

The Link

The Link

Joe the (NOT) Reporter

2009-01-12T10:17:00.009-05:00

I used to think that Sarah Palin was the Queen of Word Salad with maybe that poor beauty contestant from South Carolina coming in a close second, (though in Miss SC's case, I will let her use the stage fright excuse this once) but after today, Sarah will have to do much better to keep her title of the dumbest speaker. Someone else has taken the title from her.

I'm sure you are asking, "How can anyone take that title away from one of the best word salad speakers that we have seen in years?" Well, it had to be someone who is even dumber than the current title holder, but who is delusional enough to think that he/she knows all the answers and that the world is waiting with bated breath for every pearl of wisdom to burst forth from his/her massive and knowledgeable brain. And who is this deluded fool of a Republican? You know it has to be a Republican.

Ta Dah! It's Joe the ~~Plumber~~, um, Joe the ~~Singer~~, no, Joe the ~~Author~~, that's not right, um, Joe the ~~Reporter~~, oh heck, it's Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber!” but who should truly be called "Joe the Dumber." Joe has been trying on the hat of reporter, and with the blessing and I assume financial backing of a neoconservative website has gone to Israel to "report on the war."

You want proof that Joe has managed to snatch the title of Word Salad Queen, er, King away from Bible Spice Sarah? Well, here it is in black and white:

I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think journalists should be anywhere allowed war. I mean, you guys report where our troops are at. You report what’s happening day to day. You make a big deal out of it. I think it’s asinine. You know, I liked back in World War I and World War II when you’d go to the theater and you’d see your troops on, you know, the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for’em. Now everyone’s got an opinion and wants to downer–and down soldiers. You know, American soldiers or Israeli soldiers.

I think media should be abolished from, uh, you know, reporting. You know, war is hell. And if you’re gonna sit there and say, “Well look at this atrocity,” well you don’t know the whole story behind it half the time, so I think the media should have no business in it.

And just in case you can't believe your own eyes or your monitor, here is Joe in all his mighty glory making an ass of himself on camera:

The Link

I rest my case. I realize that whether Sam/Joe, whatever his name is has managed to get the title of King of Word Salad is debatable, but there is one title he may be very close to getting. That title would be "Dumbest Person in the World!"

I do have one question that I would love for Sam/Joe to answer:

"Hey Joe! Have you paid your taxes yet?"

Thanks to Think Progress for the quote.

Let's Give Thanks

2009-01-11T14:08:00.002-05:00

Check out this blog post over at Queers United about thanking the New York Times for their increased and positive coverage of LGBT issues. This is a good idea, not just for the NYT, but for all of the companies and businesses that do what is right even in the face of whiplash from the homophobes in our midst. A fine example is Pepsi which is now under the evil eye of the homophobes who are designating Pepsi as their next futile boycott for helping the "homosexual agenda." Click on the article below and afterwards go thank a company or business that you feel deserves a pat on the back.

Tell the NYTimes What YOU Think About Their Editorial!

Nine More Days!

2009-01-11T12:24:00.004-05:00

Nine more days that we have to endure before we are finally rid of the worst president and worst vice president in the history of the United States of America. Nine more days to listen to these men and their minions whine about how all of the problems that have happened in the past eight years are not really their fault. Nine more days to watch them as they work on their campaign to rewrite history so their criminal behavior is denied or placed on someone else's shoulders. Nine more days before we finally have a president who has the intelligence, the energy, the ability and (I pray) the strength to turn this country around from the disaster of the last eight years. It's going to be a bumpy ride. We have a lot to overcome both politically as well as socially, (is that Rick Warren I see with all of his homophobic buddies, the evangelicals?) but I'm still optimistic about our future.

President Obama, don't make me eat my words. Be a president to all of us; black, white, Hispanic, Indian, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Jewish, Pagan, straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, democrat, republican, independent... The list could go on and on. We are a nation of blended people. We are a nation of immigrants. With the exception of The First Nations, we probably could all trace our family history back to an immigrant though some were forced and some were voluntary. We are probably one of the most diverse nations in the world. That's both a blessing and a curse. It's your challenge Mr. President. Lead us well. You have the capability. You have the drive.

We want change. We need change. We worked hard and voted for change. You have a lot of work ahead of you to make that change happen. We have a lot of work ahead of us to help you. Together we can make that change. Nine more days! We can do it. Yes we can!

This and That

2009-01-07T13:59:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Holiday Season. It's been busy around here with the holidays, Santa, New Year's and getting the kids back to school. I'm not been able to be online as much as I would like, but hopefully things are settling down (looking around fearfully) and I can be online a bit more now.

A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks in politics as well as around the world. It's a shame that 2009 had to start out with a war in the Middle East. I understand Israel's desire to stop the rockets coming from Gaza. I also fear for the innocents in the line of fire in Gaza. My hope is that there will soon be peace in the region; a lasting peace for everyone. I know. I'm an optimist.

It looks like we will have Mr. Burris in the Senate soon. I really have questions about the man's good judgement but I see no way that Reid will be able to keep him out of the Senate. It may take a few days or weeks, but they will eventually have to let Mr. Burris in. Blago got the last laugh here. Let's hope he does his laughing from jail soon.

Mr. Warren is still on track to ~~spit in LGBT people's faces~~ pray for our souls on January 20. I never figured that Obama would go back on his invitation. I still hope that those who will be there that day will turn their backs to him during the prayer in silent protest of Warren's homophobic deeds. I know I will be turning the TV off during that time. Joe. My. God. has a good post about Warren's Real AIDS work in Africa. You might want to check it out.

Soapblox was hacked sometime last night and it has affected several very good blogs including one of my favorites, Pam's House Blend. Her site is back up right now, but things are still not right. Pam is concerned that she may lose several years of posts since they are all stored on the Soapblox server. The owners of Soapblox are talking about just letting everything go. It sounds like a real mess! You can read more about it at Daily Kos.

Finally I saw Keith Olbermann give Ann Coulter a big smackdown last night on his show. It was so good that I thought I would let you have a peek at it too, just in case you missed it. Enjoy!

The Link

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T11:23:00.003-05:00

Our Wish For You

2008-12-25T09:52:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

The Link

Barack Obama's Inaugural Program

2008-12-21T14:17:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Radical Russ for the photo above.

Rachel Maddow on Homobigot Warren

2008-12-20T20:01:00.002-05:00

The Link

What a Really Nice Man is Our Homobigot Ricky Warren

2008-12-20T16:58:00.004-05:00

Bigot Ricky told a Jewish woman she was going to hell!

When it came time for questions, a woman stood up, proclaimed her Judaism, and asked Warren if she was going to burn in hell. He paused before responding--and then answered her question the only way it could be answered. Yes, he said to audible gasps.

And this is the man Obama wants to pray for him on his special day?

Hat Tip to John Aravosis at Americablog

And While You Are There

2008-12-20T15:32:00.003-05:00

While you are at Bob Geiger's site, check out his views on the selection of Homobigot Rick Warren to give the invocation on January 20, 2009. He has some very good thoughts. There are two posts there and they are under the Saturday Comics. Scroll down to the second post "Rick Warren??? What Is Team Obama Thinking?" and then move up to the first of the two posts called, "A Reader Asks That I Reconsider Obama-Warren." Mr. Geiger's homepage is below.

BobGeiger.com/home

The Saturday Funnies

2008-12-20T14:53:00.003-05:00

Enjoy!

BobGeiger.com

Homobigot Ricky Warren to Lead Us in Prayer

2008-12-19T08:17:00.006-05:00

So Obama wants homophobic bigot Rick Warren to give the invocation at the beginning of his inauguration. Rick Warren. The slime ball who along with the LDS played a major role in taking away the civil rights of LGBT persons in America. Rick Warren is the money grabbing, slick, ~~car salesman~~, I mean televangelist style preacher who equates homosexuality to pedophilia, incest and bestiality. The Rick Warren who thinks it's OK to use all his power and money to make us second-class citizens because he "loves us" and feeds us donuts when we protest at his big bucks mega church. Oh yeah, and he has gay friends and even lowers himself to eat at their house with them! Note the dripping sarcasm in the last statements.

Changing the subject for a moment, I really want to know who these gay people are that seem to always be friends with homophobes. Just about all homophobes have them. Every one of the slimy bigots claim to have gay friends. The bigots love them. They eat with them. They have conversations with them and pray for them, but the bigots never seem to produce them. We just hear about them as the bigots get up to proclaim our abomination and call us names and take away our rights. If these gay friends of bigots really exist, then someone should sit them down and have a stern talk with them.

I'm tired of hearing, "You can't call me homophobic because I have gay friends."

And I always want to answer, "Yes you are a homophobe, and I sincerely doubt that any gay person would call you a friend!"

OK, back to the subject of LGBT's and others being thrown under the Obama bus of change. (It looks like more of the same.)

I've actually waited to start posting on this until today because I was so disappointed that I thought I would end up posting way too much vitriol. I wanted to see the reaction of others as well. Maybe I should have waited a little longer because there still seems to be a lot of vitriol left. I am more disappointed and outraged than I thought I would be. After the Donnie McClurkin debacle I really had serious questions about Obama's words of hope for equality for LGBT's, but I listened to Obama and let him convince me that he meant what he said.

Maybe he does, but he sure has a funny way of showing it. He claims to be on our side but he then he sits down and associates himself with our opponents and oppressors. Obama claims he wants equality for LGBTs and then gives the bigots a platform to spew their hatred of us. There were many people who warned us of the possibility of this happening. Many said that as soon as Obama got what he wanted (elected president) he would lurch to the center and throw the progressives and the LGBTs under the bus. Is this happening even before he gets into office? (checking my back in the mirror) Yep, I'm pretty sure I see tire marks there.

As soon as I heard about Bigot Warren giving the invocation I wrote to the Obama team telling them of my disappointment. This is what I had to say:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment and outrage at the choice of the homophobic pastor Rick Warren to perform the invocation for President Elect Obama January 20, 2009. This decision is a slap in the face to all of us who listened to Mr. Obama's words of hope and change. This is not change. This is truly more of the same that we have endured for the last eight years and more.

This is truly a poor choice for inclusion. This pastor stands for divisiveness and homophobia. This man publicly equated LGBT people to pedophiles.This man believes that women should not have control over their own bodies. He believes the federal government should be in our wombs, our bedrooms and every other aspect of our lives. He believes stem cell research should be outlawed. He does not believe in the separation of church and state, and he believes the only church that should matter to government is evangelical Christians. Pastor Warren represents all that is bad in the last eight years, and now Mr. Obama wants to allow him the bully pulpit to spew his bigotry at his own inauguration?

This action disappoints me in more ways than I have the time or room to write. I am now sitting here wondering why exactly I believed Mr. Obama's promises and wondering why I voted for him. Is Mr. Obama just another crooked politician willing to say anything to get himself elected only to break those promises and turn his back on his followers and those who believed in his words once he has what he wants? This choice he has made of Pastor Warren makes me wonder. I gave Mr. Obama the benefit of the doubt when he made the terrible choice of letting Donnie McClurkin up on his stage in South Carolina to spew his bigotry and homophobia. Donnie McClurkin was a really bad decision. This one about Pastor Warren is much much worse. This provides Pastor Warren a much wider audience to spew his hate and bigotry. It also causes many of Mr. Obama's followers to wonder if we have been cast aside now that he has been elected.

I will be writing about this terrible decision on my blog in the coming days. I will be urging Mr. Obama to change his mind on this terrible course of action. And if Mr. Obama chooses not to change his mind, I will be urging everyone who is present at the inauguration to rise and turn their backs to Pastor Warren during the invocation as a silent protest and a rejection of his homophobia and bigotry.

Now I will end this letter so I can go and (figuratively) clean off the tire marks on my back where I have been thrown under the Obama bus.

Sincerely,

If you wish to write to express your displeasure, then use the emails below.

Parag Mehta is Obama's LGBT liaison on the transition team - parag.mehta@ptt.gov.

This is another email that will get back to the Obama team:
emmett@pic2009.org

There is commentary about this terrible decision all over the web as well as the MSM. I probably will be posting some of the comments and letters to Obama and his team in the coming hours and days. You will probably see some video as well. As I said, this is definitely being discussed everywhere. However, I think I will end this post with the statement from Congressman Barney Frank. It is a good statement and I agree with it completely:

STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN FRANK ON PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA CHOOSING RICK WARREN TO GIVE INAUGURATION INVOCATION
"I am very disappointed by President-elect Barack Obama's decision to honor Reverend Rick Warren with a prominent role in his inauguration. Religious leaders obviously have every right to speak out in opposition to anti-discrimination measures, even in the degrading terms that Rev. Warren has used with regard to same-sex marriage. But that does not confer upon them the right to a place of honor in the inauguration ceremony of a president whose stated commitment to LGBT rights won him the strong support of the great majority of those who support that cause.

"It is irrelevant that Rev. Warren invited Senator Obama to address his congregation, since he extended an equal invitation to Senator McCain. Furthermore, the President-Elect has not simply invited Rev. Warren to give a speech as part of a series in which various views are presented. The selection of a member of the clergy to occupy this uniquely elevated position has always been considered a mark of respect and approval by those who are being inaugurated."

Let the Shoe Fall...

2008-12-15T08:29:00.002-05:00

I really wasn't going to post this video because I hate putting our pitiful excuse for a president up on my blog, but it is just too good to miss. Remember that to the Iraqi people, hitting someone with a shoe, especially the sole of the shoe is an insult to that person. Even sitting so that you are showing the bottom of your shoe to another person is an insult. So this Iraqi journalist was showing his disdain to old Georgie. These are his translated words he yelled as he threw the shoes:

First Shoe:
"This is the gift from the Iraqis -- this is the farewell kiss you dog."

Second Shoe:
"This is from the widows, the orphans and those killed in Iraq."

Check out the video, but I suggest you do like I did and turn off the audio . I'm sure you've heard enough of "dear leader's" voice.

Jon Stewart is My Favorite Person Today

2008-12-11T08:58:00.003-05:00

Mike Huckabee gets owned on the Daily Show 12/9/08

The Link

And for the record, I do NOT recommend that anyone buy Mike Huckabee's book. Your money could definitely be spent in much better places. No need to give your hard earned cash to a homophobe like Huckabee.

Don't Forget!

2008-12-09T12:46:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is Day Without a Gay. Will your workplace look like this?

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

Sunday Musings - Canadian Politics - A Lesson

2008-12-07T12:38:00.003-05:00

As an American currently living outside of the U.S. in Canada, I find myself involved not only in what is happening in my own country, but the political goings on of Canada as well. For those of you in the U.S. who haven't been following Canada's politics lately, it has gotten pretty wild around here too. In fact, I guess you could say that Canada has it's own government crisis going on right now. In fact, the government is 'shut down' until the end of January. Yep, shut down; in the middle of an economic crisis; just a day or so before the unemployment figures came out that show Canada lost 71,000 jobs last month, mostly in Ontario.

Now, believe it or not, many people (including many Canadians) don't seem to have any idea of exactly how the Canadian government runs, or the rules that the government follows. We Americans may have a bit of an excuse (Not really. We should know how our neighbors govern.), but in the past week or so, I've learned that many Canadians don't know the rules and procedures of their own government, so I'm about to send you to a blog that explains it very well and very simply in plain English. The really funny thing is, I'm sending you not to a political or government site. I'm not even sending you to an educational site. I'm sending you to a knitting blog. Yes, a knitting blog!

The Yarn Harlot (AKA Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) is a Canadian blogger out of Ontario who is an accomplished knitter and blogger. She has also written several books on knitting. Believe it or not, this (in my view) has made her a good source for learning. Think of it this way. She has had to learn to write books teaching people to knit and showing them how to follow knitting patterns. That's not always easy to do. Knitting can be very complicated (frustrated knitter/crocheter here) so as an author she has learned to take a subject and explain it in easy terms that the average person can understand. She would make a great teacher, whatever the subject. So, head on over to the Yarn Harlot's blog using the two links below and enjoy your civics lesson on Canadian politics. I'll go ahead and mention that I think she is right on in her thoughts of what is happening in Canada right now.

What is Happening in Canada

And Update the Next Day

And for those of you who are interested in knitting and would like the main page of her blog, here is the link for that too. Enjoy!

The Yarn Harlot

Don't Forget!

2008-12-05T11:42:00.005-05:00

December 10, 2008 is a

Day Without a Gay

Join us on this day to let the world know how you feel about the treatment of LGBT folk in the U.S. and around the world. Check out the link above or go to the sites below to learn more about this day and how you can be involved. Also check out the protest activities occurring today and this weekend at Queers United. They are very good at keeping us informed with up-to-date lists of protests and rallies around the country.

Join The Impact

More Day Without a Gay

Prop 8 The Musical

2008-12-03T10:52:00.003-05:00

This is too funny...and so true! I couldn't resist posting it here. I first saw it over at Good As You.org. It's also posted at Towleroad. Enjoy!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Today is World AIDS Day!

2008-12-01T10:04:00.006-05:00

Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise-

Lead - Empower - Deliver

World AIDS Campaign

Gotta Have MILK

2008-11-30T12:25:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are in an area where the movie MILK is already showing, I hope you make sure you go see the movie. It looks to be very well done and needs all the support we can give it. Also visit the links below to learn more about the movie and about Harvey Milk himself, or as the biographer at Film Focus says of Harvey:

Gay Rights Activist. Friend. Lover. Unifier. Politician. Fighter. Icon. Inspiration. Hero. His life changed history, and his courage changed lives.

Enjoy the movie trailer at:

FilmFocus.com/video

To read about the film including background history of the story and characters:

FilmFocus.com/HarveyMilk

575 Castro St. from FilmInFocus on Vimeo.

This and That, Some Quotes and Snippets of a Letter

2008-11-23T11:18:00.005-05:00

It's been an interesting weekend with several bits of news on the LGBT front. Join the Impact have their plans for the next three month of protest, and let us know how they plan to evolve. Check out their plans at:

Join the Impact

Together We Can Make A Difference!

I also found an interesting article by Maureen Dowd over at the New York Times that this quote comes from:

The movie [Milk], chronicling the rancorous California fight of gay activists against church-backed forces in the ’70s to prevent discrimination against gays, is opening amid a rancorous California fight of gay activists against church-backed forces to prevent discrimination against gays.

The entire article is well worth a visit to the Times, so click the link above and check it out.

I was also very pleased to see Candace Gingrich take her brother Newt to task over his latest gay bashing in a public letter over at Huffington Post. A few snippets of the letter are below. If you would like to read the entire letter, click the link above to visit Huffington Post.

Dear Newt,
I recently had the displeasure of watching you bash the protesters of the Prop 8 marriage ban to Bill O'Reilly on FOX News. I must say, after years of watching you build your career by stirring up the fears and prejudices of the far right, I feel compelled to use the words of your idol, Ronald Reagan, "There you go, again."
However, I realize that you may have been a little preoccupied lately with planning your resurrection as the savior of your party, so I thought I would fill you in on a few important developments you might have overlooked.

The truth is that you're living in a world that no longer exists. I, along with millions of Americans, clearly see the world the way it as -- and we embrace what it can be. You, on the other hand, seem incapable of looking for new ideas or moving beyond what worked in the past.

Welcome to the 21st century, big bro. I can understand why you're so afraid of the energy that has been unleashed after gay and lesbian couples had their rights stripped away from them by a hateful campaign. I can see why you're sounding the alarm against the activists who use all the latest tech tools to build these rallies from the ground up in cities across the country.

(snipped)

This is a movement of the people that you most fear. It's a movement of progress -- and your words on FOX News only show how truly desperate you are to maintain control of a world that is changing before your very eyes.

Then again, we've seen these tactics before. We know how much the right likes to play political and cultural hardball, and then turn around and accuse us of lashing out first. You give a pass to a religious group -- one that looks down upon minorities and women -- when they use their money and membership roles to roll back the rights of others, and then you label us "fascists" when we fight back. You belittle the relationships of gay and lesbian couples, and yet somehow neglect to explain who anointed you the protector of "traditional" marriage. And, of course, you've also mastered taking the foolish actions of a few people and then indicting an entire population based on those mistakes. I fail to see how any of these patterns coincide with the values of "historic Christianity" you claim to champion.

Again, nothing new here. This is just more of the blatant hypocrisy we're used to hearing.

What really worries me is that you are always willing to use LGBT Americans as political weapons to further your ambitions. That's really so '90s, Newt. In this day and age, it's embarrassing to watch you talk like that. You should be more afraid of the new political climate in America, because, there is no place for you in it.

In other words, stop being a hater, big bro.

You Go Candace!

The Saturday Funnies

2008-11-22T12:56:00.001-05:00

Enjoy!

BobGeiger.com

This is So Cute!

2008-11-18T21:51:00.001-05:00

7-year-old Pianist Emily Bear on Ellen's Show (2008-11-17)

The Link

Obama's Support for the LGBT Community

2008-11-18T10:20:00.002-05:00

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

It is definitely a positive sign; one that we haven't seen in that office for at least eight (or more) years. Check out the Obama/Biden plan for Civil Rights here:

Change.gov

This and That Plus Reminders and some Links

2008-11-17T11:10:00.005-05:00

This weekend has been a busy one for me, and I was not able to get online to do much more than check out the news. My wife has been promoted and moved to manage a new store in our area. We spent most of the weekend helping her get ready for the move. We are so proud of her!

We also had our first real snowfall of the season. Winter is coming! I love the snow.

This weekend also saw probably over a million people in 300+ cities in the U.S. protesting against H8 and for our civil rights. That made me proud too. I'm posting links at the end of this post if you want to see some of the video and pictures of the protests that have been posted around the web.

The protests have not ended though. They will continue until we finally do have civil rights for ALL Americans. Queers United is keeping a list of the events as they receive them. Check the link below to see if there is an event near you and join in if you can. Remember to keep it peaceful. We don't want to give the bigots fuel to use against us. End the H8!

Pictures and Video of National Day of Protest

Pam's House Blend

Good As You

Page is full of video and may load slowly

Towleroad

Check for a Future Event Near You

Queers United

Join the Impact

Together We Can Make A Difference!

No to H8! Day of Protest

2008-11-12T14:19:00.002-05:00

Check here for your area!
Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8
Protest Locations Listed Here

Thanks to Blue Truck, Red State: All Americans Are Equal for the graphic above.

Keith Olbermann is my Best Person in the World Today!

2008-11-11T10:50:00.002-05:00

Keith Olbermann made me cry last night with the following special comment. We need more people to take up the cause in this way. Thank you, Keith. You made my day!

For those who may have trouble watching the video, I'm including the transcript below. I got the transcript at The News Hole at MSNBC.

I've put in bold print some of the sections that meant the most to me. By the way, I could have easily put the entire comment in bold. It was hard not to when I started looking for what appealed to me most. Thank you again Keith!

Finally tonight as promised, a Special Comment on the passage, last week, of Proposition Eight in California, which rescinded the right of same-sex couples to marry, and tilted the balance on this issue, from coast to coast.

Some parameters, as preface. This isn't about yelling, and this isn't about politics, and this isn't really just about Prop-8. And I don't have a personal investment in this: I'm not gay, I had to strain to think of one member of even my very extended family who is, I have no personal stories of close friends or colleagues fighting the prejudice that still pervades their lives.

And yet to me this vote is horrible. Horrible. Because this isn't about yelling, and this isn't about politics.

This is about the... human heart, and if that sounds corny, so be it.
If you voted for this Proposition or support those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because, truly, I do not... understand. Why does this matter to you? What is it to you? In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option. They don't want to deny you yours. They don't want to take anything away from you. They want what you want -- a chance to be a little less alone in the world.

Only now you are saying to them -- no. You can't have it on these terms. Maybe something similar. If they behave. If they don't cause too much trouble. You'll even give them all the same legal rights -- even as you're taking away the legal right, which they already had. A world around them, still anchored in love and marriage, and you are saying, no, you can't marry. What if somebody passed a law that said you couldn't marry?

I keep hearing this term "re-defining" marriage.

If this country hadn't re-defined marriage, black people still couldn't marry white people. Sixteen states had laws on the books which made that illegal... in 1967. 1967.

The parents of the President-Elect of the United States couldn't have married in nearly one third of the states of the country their son grew up to lead. But it's worse than that. If this country had not "re-defined" marriage, some black people still couldn't marry...black people. It is one of the most overlooked and cruelest parts of our sad story of slavery. Marriages were not legally recognized, if the people were slaves. Since slaves were property, they could not legally be husband and wife, or mother and child. Their marriage vows were different: not "Until Death, Do You Part," but "Until Death or Distance, Do You Part." Marriages among slaves were not legally recognized.

You know, just like marriages today in California are not legally recognized, if the people are... gay.

And uncountable in our history are the number of men and women, forced by society into marrying the opposite sex, in sham marriages, or marriages of convenience, or just marriages of not knowing -- centuries of men and women who have lived their lives in shame and unhappiness, and who have, through a lie to themselves or others, broken countless other lives, of spouses and children... All because we said a man couldn't marry another man, or a woman couldn't marry another woman. The sanctity of marriage. How many marriages like that have there been and how on earth do they increase the "sanctity" of marriage rather than render the term, meaningless?

What is this, to you? Nobody is asking you to embrace their expression of love. But don't you, as human beings, have to embrace... that love? The world is barren enough.

It is stacked against love, and against hope, and against those very few and precious emotions that enable us to go forward. Your marriage only stands a 50-50 chance of lasting, no matter how much you feel and how hard you work.

And here are people overjoyed at the prospect of just that chance, and that work, just for the hope of having that feeling. With so much hate in the world, with so much meaningless division, and people pitted against people for no good reason, this is what your religion tells you to do? With your experience of life and this world and all its sadnesses, this is what your conscience tells you to do?

With your knowledge that life, with endless vigor, seems to tilt the playing field on which we all live, in favor of unhappiness and hate... this is what your heart tells you to do? You want to sanctify marriage? You want to honor your God and the universal love you believe he represents? Then Spread happiness -- this tiny, symbolic, semantical grain of happiness -- share it with all those who seek it. Quote me anything from your religious leader or book of choice telling you to stand against this. And then tell me how you can believe both that statement and another statement, another one which reads only "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

---

You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of...love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate. You don't have to help it, you don't have it applaud it, you don't have to fight for it. Just don't put it out. Just don't extinguish it. Because while it may at first look like that love is between two people you don't know and you don't understand and maybe you don't even want to know...It is, in fact, the ember of your love, for your fellow **person...

Just because this is the only world we have. And the other guy counts, too.

This is the second time in ten days I find myself concluding by turning to, of all things, the closing plea for mercy by Clarence Darrow in a murder trial.

But what he said, fits what is really at the heart of this:

"I was reading last night of the aspiration of the old Persian poet, Omar-Khayyam," he told the judge.

"It appealed to me as the highest that I can vision. I wish it was in my heart, and I wish it was in the hearts of all:

"So I be written in the Book of Love;

"I do not care about that Book above.

"Erase my name, or write it as you will,

"So I be written in the Book of Love."

---

Good night, and good luck.

Day Six of Protest H8

2008-11-11T08:39:00.002-05:00

From Queers United

Tuesday, Nov. 11th

Rancho Cucamonga CA
Rally at 1pm. We're meeting at the corner of Haven and Foothill.

3:00pm MN State Capitol (Meet on Old Main Lawn)
Saint Paul, MN

Redlands
4:00pm - 6:00pm
In front of the Redlands Mormon Temple
1761 Fifth Avenue
Redlands, CA

Rally on Santa Monica Pier
5 pm Meet at the pier, hang on the beach, show that we won't go away.
321 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401 Map

March to Fresno Courthouse
5 pm Meet at Fink-White Playground
Amador St and B St Map
(Needs Organizer, Please email brandon@milliongaymarch.org if interested)
IN DANGER OF CANCELLATION!

San Francisco, CA
Time: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr Carton B Goodlett Pl
San Francisco, CA

San Diego, CA
5:00pm - 10:00pm
Mormon Temple7474 Charmant Drive

March on Mormon Temple in San Diego
5 pm Meet at Doyle Park
8175 Regents Rd
San Diego, CA 92122 Map
(Needs Organizer, Please email brandon@milliongaymarch.org if interested)

Los Angeles
LA CIENEGA BL. AND CENTINELA AVE @ 6PM

More Protests Planned

2008-11-11T08:16:00.004-05:00

From Michelangelo Signorile:

Wednesday (tomorrow) there will be a protest at the Mormon Temple in Manhatttan:

Tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters are in the streets in California and Salt Lake City and around the country protesting the votes banning same-sex marriage in California.

Join them! Make your voices heard right here in New York City.

We will tell the Mormon Church how we feel about its relentless campaign to condemn and control our lives. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
was, by far, the biggest financer of California's heinous and hateful
Proposition 8. The Mormon Church begged their members to donate money to Prop 8, pouring 20 million dollars into the campaign. And their attacks on us didn't start there and aren't about to end. They're plotting right now to bring their money and influence to bear against the LGBT community everywhere in this country, including trying to prevent marriage equality in New York.

Join us in speaking out against Mormon hate! Stop them taking away your rights!

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: New York Manhattan Mormon TempleStreet: 125 Columbus Ave at 65th Street
City/Town: New York, NY

If you can, please join and help our cause of equality for all.

Also, don't forget that Saturday (Nov. 15) is National Prop 8 Protest Day. Check the link below for details. Together we can make a difference.

Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8

Protest Locations Listed Here

Another Site Listing Protests for H8

2008-11-10T07:53:00.003-05:00

Click on the link below for the latest planned protests for Prop H8. I've copied and pasted todays list below the link. If you are in the area and are able, please attend one or more of these protests. Together we can make a difference!

Queers United

Todays Planned Protests:

Monday, Nov 10th.

Salinas4:30pm protest at Monterey County CourthouseCorner of Church Street & West Alisal, Salinas (map)

Palo Alto 5-6:30 pm at the corner of El Camino Real & Embarcadero -
Click here for map

San Jose 5-6:30 pm at S. Bascom and Hamilton Ave. (just west of 17; south east corner) - Click here for map

San Jose Downtown5-6:30pm downtown at the Metropolitan Community Church, 65 South 7th Street - Click here for map

San Mateo 5-6:30pm corner of El Camino Real and Fifth Avenue -
Click here for map

Belmont5-6:30pm corner of El Camino Real and Ralston Avenue (on CalTrain side of street) - Click here for map

Redwood City 5-6:30 pm corner of El Camino and Jefferson Ave. -
Click here for map

Phoenix, Arizona. Vigil will be held from 6-8pm on the corners of Camelback Ave and Central Ave in Phoenix.

A Request and an Update on No on H8 Marches

2008-11-09T10:16:00.002-05:00

Jon Aravosis posted this over at Americablog and I thought I would add it here. It is a note from an Americablog reader named Joe and it reads:

OK, I need your help,

Tonight was a wonderful Protest in Utah against the Mormon church's involvement in Prop 8. I noticed that California is having repeated protest against the Mormons.

There is a golden chance for another protest in Utah on Sunday night. President Boyd K. Packer will be speaking Sunday night at 6:30 at the Weber State University LDS Institute of Religion, in Ogden, Utah. Just google his name in connection to gay rights and he is the leading church authority pushing this issue from the inside. It would be a good rally and protest, I just need the word to get out and circulated.

PLEASE HELP!

Thank you,

Joe

That would be tonight folks. If you are in the area, please try to help out.

Also, I've found another place online that is planning on getting Prop H8 protests going November 15th all over the country, in all fifty states. Check out the site and see where your protest is planned. If you can't find one near you, plan one for your area. Together we can make a difference!

Join the Impact - Protest Prop 8

Prop 8 Protests Continue

2008-11-08T16:51:00.002-05:00

The Link

The Saturday Funnies

2008-11-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

Enjoy!

BobGeiger.com

LDS Church Didn't Expect Their Hate to be Returned

2008-11-08T11:54:00.007-05:00

The LDS Church (Mormons) were an integral part of the passage of Proposition H8 in California as well as the Arizona Amendment 102 and the Florida anti-gay Amendment. They funneled money and people to help in the passage of all three amendments and pretty much encouraged (translation: intimidated and coerced) their church members to do this. Now, the church and the LDS members do have the right to participate in the democratic process. However, they do not have the moral right to use intimidation tactics on their own members or lie, coerce and use misinformation to get what they want at the expense of equality for an entire group of people. And the LDS Church is not alone in this bigotry. The Catholic Church as a whole and many evangelical protestant churches participated as well, but the LDS church, because of their immense control of their members, had an advantage that many other churches did not. The LDS Church keeps detailed records of all their members including tithing so they basically know what their members make each year. They used those records to make sure that these people made contributions to the passage of these amendments. These church members were "encouraged" (translation: coerced/intimidated/forced) to comply both with money and with volunteering to aid the passage of these amendments.

From Box Turtle Bulletin:

We know Arizona state Senators who didn’t want to be present for the vote to place Prop 102 on the ballot, but were coerced and harassed by their bishops and other church members into cutting short their vacations to cast their vote.
Once on the ballot in California and Arizona, we know that Mormon prophets called on their followers to give of their “time and means,” and that this call went out to all Mormons in California and Arizona, as well as in Utah.
We also know that the Arizona anti-gay campaign was under the direct leadership of some of the most prominent LDS members in the state.
By some estimates, more than $20 million of Mormon money went to fund the $36 million California campaign, while an additional estimated $3-7 million funded Arizona’s $8 million campaign.

But now that the LDS and Catholic Church are being called on their bigotry, they are crying foul.

From the Leaders of the Mormon Church:

It is disturbing that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is being singled out for speaking up as part of its democratic right in a free election.

Members of the Church in California and millions of others from every faith, ethnicity and political affiliation who voted for Proposition 8 exercised the most sacrosanct and individual rights in the United States - that of free expression and voting.

While those who disagree with our position on Proposition 8 have the right to make their feelings known, it is wrong to target the Church and its sacred places of worship for being part of the democratic process.

Once again, we call on those involved in the debate over same-sex marriage to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other. No one on either side of the question should be vilified, harassed or subject to erroneous information.

And from the leaders of the Catholic Church we get the following flat out lies:

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church was also a target for supporting Proposition 8.
"Proposition 8 is not against any group in our society. Its sole focus is on preserving God's plan for people living upon this earth throughout time," Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, said in a statement Thursday.

Excuse Me? Pardon my French, but WTF? What other group beside LGBTs were they targeting? The answer: no other group. All three of these amendments were designed specifically to take away the right of same sex couples to marry. End of discussion. The Catholic Church LIES. Isn't that against their religion? Oh, but of course these are the church leaders and they don't have to follow the rules they lay out for all of their members. That's only for the little people to obey. (Add a whole bunch of other swear words here.)

Well, I've got news for all of the fundie religious leaders from the LDS to the Catholic Church right down to the little fundie evangelical churches around the corner. We will not take your lies and your deceit and your legislating against us lying down. You want to be a part of the political scene? You want to try to legislate against us with scare tactics and lies? Then expect to be called out by us. You want to dish it out, then be prepared to take it.

As I said in a post before:

This fight is just beginning. We will not stop. We will not rest. We will not give up until we have the equality that we deserve as American citizens!

There are marches and gatherings being planned for the California area. Keep track of what is planned by checking the link below. If I find other links for other places, I will add them. Some gatherings already planned are listed below also. If you are in the area and can go, please do so. We need everyone to help.

Community Gatherings

Saturday November 8

San Diego12 Noon 1st Avenue & UniversityMarch to 30th Street & University Avenue in North Park.

Laguna Beach,5:30 p.m. City HallMarch to Main Beach for candlelight vigil.Parking available at Act V parking lot at 1900 Laguna Canyon Road Shuttle busses will be running every 15 minutes. Bring signs, flags, candles (or flashlights), whistles, and dress for a cool evening.

Los Angeles6 p.m. Sunset Junction in Silver LakeSunset Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd

Sunday, November 9
Sacramento, California.1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Capitol West Steps
San Jose2 p.m. Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center938 The AlamedaQuestions? gloria.defrank@gmail.com

Update: Towlerroad also is keeping a list of marches and gatherings and promise to add info as he hears of it. Check him out as well:

Towlerroad

Our New Stonewall?

2008-11-07T11:47:00.013-05:00

Some Quotes:

Via Fox News:

Ellen DeGeneres says she is "saddened beyond belief" a ban on gay marriage has been approved by Californian voters. DeGeneres married Australian actress Portia de Rossi in August, three months after the Californian Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage. Yesterday's vote for Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage, leaves the stars and thousands of other gay couples in legal limbo. "Barack Obama is our new president. Change is here. I like millions of of Americans, felt like we had taken a giant step toward equality," the talk-show host said on her website. "This morning, when it was clear that Proposition 8 had passed in California, I can’t explain the feeling I had. I was saddened beyond belief. "Here we just had a giant step toward equality and then on the very next day, we took a giant step away."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement regarding the passage of California Proposition 8:

“I am deeply disappointed by the passage of Proposition 8. This ballot measure takes away individual rights and freedoms, and is rooted in the politics of division.
“The passage of this measure diminishes the California Constitution. We must continue to fight for equal treatment of all of California’s citizens and families. I strongly support the legal challenges underway to halt this dangerous revision of our State Constitution.”

From Lee Tucker, a blogger and friend to Joe. My. God.:

"To the kind souls who decided that I’m not equal, and voted to strip me, and others in my community of their constitutional rights, congratulations. Your bigotry and fear have won this day. In 40 years, when viewed through the prism of history, you’ll find yourselves as respected and loved as the racists and segregationists of the 1960s. In 40 years, when the first gay or lesbian wins the highest office in the land, you’ll be sharing the same lonely corner as those folks who yesterday couldn’t “vote for a n*gger,” and woke up to discover that an African American was president, and that history had passed them by.

"Until that day, I fear for the lives of your gay sons and lesbian daughters. The ones who can’t talk to you about it, and suffer silently. They’ll be dying for your choice, because teen suicide rates in gays and lesbians is driven by fear, and by feelings of worthlessness that proposition 8 reinforces. No doubt the ones who finally do come out, will suffer the indignity of either the scam of “reparative therapy” or homelessness, as so many do. Until that day, I fear for the children of gays and lesbians, who will face ridicule and discrimination at school because their families “aren’t real” and their mommies or daddies “aren’t really married.”

"Finally, I fear for you. If the God you worship is the one about whom I’ve read, you’ve got some serious explaining to do. Like the woman in John 8, I’d offer you the first stone, but I’m already bloodied by Proposition 8."

Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project:

Even in famously liberal San Francisco, we had to go through the process of trying to pass a simple domestic partnership law five times, and we lost twice. If you run up an unbroken string of victories in any battle for civil rights, that simply means you waited too long to get to work. Change that matters is never smooth or easy.

It will be important to go over the campaign carefully and learn from our mistakes. But we need to resist the temptation to blame ourselves for the loss. The perfect campaign hasn’t been run anywhere yet. Thousands of very good people worked their hearts out on this, and they deserve our thanks. The victims of an injustice should never be blamed for failing to end it unless they don’t try. And you can’t say that we didn’t try, and try damn hard.

We didn’t lose by much. Eight years ago, on virtually the same question, we could only get 39 percent. On Tuesday, we got over 48. While our opponents may be celebrating now, the handwriting is on the wall. They won’t be able to hold on much longer. There are other states where we’ll be able to get marriage in the next few years, and others where we’ll get domestic partnerships and civil unions.

We’ll be back in California. And we’ll win. You can depend on it.

There is more, much more and I will continue to post more quotes and pictures as I find them. If the right-wing, knuckle-dragging, bible-thumping, homophobic bigots think they have won, they have another "think" coming. This fight is just beginning. We will not stop. We will not rest. We will not give up until we have the equality that we deserve as American citizens!

CNN Takes A Look At The Campaign That Was

2008-11-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

The Link

Some Thoughts on Yesterday's Election

2008-11-05T11:22:00.004-05:00

This election was amazing in so many ways, and last night's dramatic and historic end only added to the history. More people voted in this election than any other election in our country's great history. 64% of the American population made their voices heard. We elected the first African American to the highest office in our land. A little more than 150 years ago this same man could have been sold as a slave to some plantation owner to be used as a servant or field worker. He would have been considered as something less than human. Even in the first half of the 20th century he would have been looked down on by many. Barack and his family would have been made to use a different water fountain than white people, and never allowed to eat at the same table as whites. He would have had to sit in the back of the bus, would have been banned from many cafes and restaurants, and perhaps not even allowed to worship in many churches in America. He definitely wouldn't have been allowed to sit with the whites in the congregation. To even invite Barack and his family to visit the White House would have caused a major scandal. Now he will live there as our elected president! How the world has changed!

For the LGBT family it is a bittersweet day. While we managed to help elect a president that may help us to gain our civil rights in this land, we lost ground in several states. Florida and Arizona passed amendments to their state constitutions that ban same sex marriage. Arkansas passed a law banning same sex couples from adopting, and as I write this, it doesn't look good for the No on Proposition 8 in California. We have to look at the bigger picture though. Yes, we have lost ground, but we elected a president who will probably be appointing at least two judges to SCOTUS. I feel hopeful that Obama will appoint judges who will be fair and see that LGBT people deserve the same rights as our straight brothers and sisters. If McCain had won, there is no way that would have happened. We would have been in a position to lose everything we have gained and more. There is a silver lining in this, though I know many of us are disappointed now. I still look to Obama for Change and Hope for LGBT folks too.

President Obama, don't forget that we helped elect you. Don't forget the civil rights that you have today. Those rights had to be fought for, and many people died for them. Don't allow another segment of the U.S. population to be denied the same rights and privileges that you enjoy today. Remember that you promised Change and Hope for ALL Americans. We helped elect you in the hope that you would see us as fellow Americans who deserve the same rights as all other Americans. We listened and responded to your words of Hope and Change. Don't let us down.

Our New First Family!

2008-11-05T08:49:00.002-05:00

If You Haven't Already...

2008-11-04T08:16:00.004-05:00

Get out and

Barack Obama's Grandmother Passes Away

2008-11-03T19:41:00.002-05:00

Our condolences to Barack and his family on the untimely death of his grandmother.

Making it Count: How to Protect Your Vote & Spot Dirty Tricks

2008-11-03T08:06:00.002-05:00

The Link

Two New Videos

2008-11-02T11:44:00.002-05:00

Here are two new videos, one for the No on Propositions 8 campaign in California and a very good new ad for Obama.

Home Invasion - Vote NO on Prop 8!

Delighted - Vote Obama/Biden

Palin as President Revisited

2008-11-01T22:23:00.002-04:00

I know I sent you to this site once before , but you would be wise to visit it again. The site owners have added to the page, and you really don't want to miss the additions. Enjoy!

Palin as President

My Friends the Musical

2008-11-01T12:49:00.002-04:00

This is hilarious!

You tube Link

The Saturday Funnies

2008-11-01T12:44:00.004-04:00

Don't miss them. They are good this week.

BobGeiger.com

The Robots Are Attacking!!!

2008-10-31T11:28:00.000-04:00

Ghosts and Goblins Abound!

2008-10-31T07:50:00.002-04:00

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 31
October 31, 1968 - Silent film star Ramon Novarro was found murdered. A bathroom mirror had the words “US GIRLS ARE BETTER THAN FAGGITS” smeared with blood. Hustler Paul Ferguson and his brother Tom Ferguson were convicted of the murder and both received life sentences. During the trial, Novarro’s sexual orientation was called into question with more vigor than the guilt or innocence
of the defendants.
October 31, 1969 - Time magazine ran a cover story on “The Homosexual in America” that included a report on the Stonewall Riots. It was protested by the Gay Liberation Front because the writer said homosexuals are mentally ill and immoral.
October 31, 1977 - Halloween brings thousands of queer-bashers to Toronto’s Yonge Street looking for the annual drag parade. Gay representatives meet with police beforehand to try to prevent crowd from gathering. Operation Jack-o’-Lantern, a gay street patrol is organized to monitor situation but police do little to control crowd.
October 31, 1980 - For the first time, Toronto police do not allow queer-bashers and spectators to congregate outside St Charles Tavern to wait for drag queens. Traffic and pedestrians are kept moving with help of large numbers of police officers. Not a single egg thrown.
October 31, 1987 - The Associated Press reported that several nursing homes in King County Washington were under investigation for refusing to accept AIDS patients or those suspected of being likely to have been exposed to HIV.
October 31, 1992 - The coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights held a march in London.

His Choice Ad

2008-10-30T18:00:00.001-04:00

Eeeeeek!!! Scary thought.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 30
October 30, 1976 - The first gay civil rights group in Quebec, Association pour les droits de la communauté gaie du Québec (ADGQ) is formed.
October 30, 1987- A panel discussion on gays and the constitution was held during the inauguration of the new Lesbian and Gay Studies Center at Yale University.
October 30, 1992 - New Ways Ministry, a Mt. Rainier Maryland group led by three Roman Catholic bishops, announced it would release a statement of disagreement with the Vatican’s call for gays and lesbians to be barred from becoming adoptive or foster parents, teachers, coaches, or military personnel. 1,500 lay persons signed the statement.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 29
October 29, 1979 - Gay activists hold “mince-in” at Ontario legislature in Toronto to draw attention to inaction on human rights protections for gays and lesbians.
1995 - In Iran, a 31 year old man was convicted of “ugly and improper conduct” and sentenced to twenty lashes for cross-dressing.
1997 - Representatives from the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization, and the Gay Lesbian and Straight Educators Network met with House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt to discuss the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and funding for AIDS care and research.
1997- US House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt met with several leaders of national gay and lesbian organizations to discuss ways in which the party could assist gay and lesbian candidates through the coming election cycle.
1997- Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced a bill calling for the extension of health insurance coverage to the domestic partners of US federal employees through the federal employee health program.
1997- Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals unanimously overturned Circuit Court Judge Lawrence H. Rushworth’s decision prohibiting a divorced gay man from seeing his children in the presence of his partner.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 28
October 28, 1903 - British writer Evelyn Waugh is born in London. The writer of “Brideshead Revisited” kept diaries of his affairs.
October 28, 1970 - Author Kate Millet came out.
October 28, 1987 - The Human Rights Campaign Fund began running ads in response to an amendment introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) and passed by the house and senate to restrict funding to AIDS organizations which distributed gay-related prevention literature.
October 28, 1987- At the University of Vermont in Burlington nineteen people were arrested in a demonstration protesting the CIA’s exclusion of gays and lesbians.
October 28, 1990 - During a campaign speech, US Congressman Jesse Helms referred to gays and lesbians as “disgusting people marching in the streets demanding all sorts of things, including the right to marry each other.”
October 28, 1990 - Placido Domingo and Andre Watts raise $1.5 million at a fundraiser for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
October 28, 1992 - Episcopal bishop A. Theodore Eastman issued an order to clergy in Maryland not to bless same-sex unions.
October 28, 1992 - The lesbian comic book “Hothead Paisan #7″ was seized from Toronto Women’s Bookstore. Officials sited “sexual degradation” as the reason for the seizure, though it contained no sex. The prohibition would be lifted seven months later.
October 28, 1997 - The National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum condemned gospel singers Angie and Debbie Winans for their anti-gay song “It’s Not Natural” and BET-TV for providing them with a one-sided forum to promote their homophobic views. Earlier in the year, BET-TV refused to air MeShell NdegeOcello’s video “Leviticus Faggot,” about a black gay teenager’s struggle to come to terms with his sexuality.
October 28, 1998 - Welsh secretary Ron Davies resigned after British tabloids reported he was robbed at knifepoint in a London park while looking for a male sexual companion.
October 28, 1998 - Glen Murray, an out gay man, was elected mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ted Stevens Found Guilty on All Counts of Corruption Charges

2008-10-27T16:56:00.002-04:00

According to CNN:

The jury found Stevens guilty of "knowingly and willfully" scheming to conceal on Senate disclosure forms more than $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts from an Alaska-based oil industry contractor.

Stevens faces a maximum sentence of up to to 35 years in prison -- five years for each of the seven counts.
...The 84-year-old senator is locked in a tight race for re-election against his Democratic challenger, Mark Begich. Stevens hopes to retain the seat he has held since 1968. The longest-serving Republican senator in history, Stevens becomes the first senator to be convicted of a felony since 1981.

All I can say is Congratulations to the soon to be new Senator Begich!

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 27
October 27, 1903 - In “Die Zeit”, Sigmund Freud was quoted as saying homosexuals are not sick and should not be treated as sick.
October 27, 1951 - The French postal service issued stamps with gay lovers Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud.
October 27, 1970 - Forty members of the Gay Activist Alliance invaded the offices of Harper magazine to protest an article which presented homosexuality as a mental illness. GAA president Arthur Evans verbally attacked editor Midge Decter for publishing an article which would add to the suffering of homosexuals. The protest led to a three part television news series on gay liberation.
October 27, 1977 - A meeting between Quebec Human Rights Commission and representatives of gay group ADGQ results in public recommendation that government amend Human Rights Charter to include sexual orientation.
October 27, 1990 - US Congress repealed a law barring homosexuals from being admitted to the United States on grounds of mental illness.
October 27, 1992 - The Federal Court of Canada ordered the military to lift the ban on gay and lesbian service personnel. The Defence Department declined to appeal the decision.
October 27, 1993 - Allen Schindler, a gay American sailor, was beaten to death by his shipmates.
October 27, 1997 - BET-TV withdrew an invitation to Keith Boykin to appear on a show with Angie and Debbie Winans. The Winans objected to his presence on the show, which featured their anti-gay song “It’s Not Natural.”
October 27, 1999 - The Ontario provincial government changed 67 statutes to give same-sex couples equal treatment to heterosexual couples.October 27, 1999 - Democratic presidential nomination candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley promised that if elected they would do everything in their power to ensure equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans.

Happy Birthday

2008-10-26T14:09:00.002-04:00

Happy 86th Birthday to Barack's grandmother

Madelyn Dunham

We hope that today is a happy one filled with joy and ice cream and cake. May you have many more.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-26T00:00:00.003-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 26
October 26, 1990 - A U.S. Army colonel was discharged and sentenced to 90 days in Leavenworth for appearing in drag at an AIDS benefit and kissing another man.
October 26, 1992 - Portland Oregon police chief Tom Potter testified before a state senate committee, saying many victims of anti-gay assaults do not report the crimes because of fear that their identities will be made public.

The Vet Who Did Not Vet

2008-10-25T19:48:00.002-04:00

This is really cute.

The Saturday Funnies

2008-10-25T15:14:00.001-04:00

Enjoy!

BobGeiger.com

Joe McCain Calls 911 About a Traffic Jam!

2008-10-25T12:48:00.003-04:00

I almost didn't post this because when I first heard about it, even with the video from the local news media below. I didn't believe that someone could be this stupid. I honestly figured it had to be a plant of some sort; someone trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame like Ashley Todd or Joe the Plumber who I'm really getting tired of hearing about. Joe the Plumber's fifteen minutes was up long ago.

Anyway, as I said, I first thought this was just some kind of prank, but the evidence says otherwise. Check out the video first:

Now, just in case (like me) you still have questions about the reality of this person being John McCain's brother and not some prankster pretending to be him, check out this article from Yahoo News:

After Joe the Plumber, Joe the Hothead?

It's True! It really was Joe (The Idiot) McCain, John's brother. What the heck was this idiot thinking? You don't call 911 to ask/complain about a traffic jam! 911 is for emergencies only! Does he not realize how this makes him (and by extension his brother) look? Care to use the terms elitist, snobbish, and dare I say it: uppity? And coming right after the Ashley Todd fiasco, this is a disaster for the McCain/Palin campaign. How many more nails do they need in their coffin, and who will be the next bozo from that side to nail it?

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-25T12:21:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 25
October 25, 51 AD - Titus Flavius Domitianus was bon in Rome. The Emperor is the first recorded case of a married man ditching his wife for his boyfriend. The young man was the mime, Paris. After a public outcry he killed off Paris and went back to wife. It didn’t last long though. Domitian kept up his affairs with young men, and the wife had him assassinated.

Opie, Richie and The Fonz for Obama!

2008-10-24T18:11:00.002-04:00

You have to see this video over at U Tube. The embed feature has been disabled for this video so you will have to click the link to see it. You really don't want to miss this one Check it out!

Opie Taylor Richie Cunningham The Fonz for Barack Obama

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-24T18:10:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 24
October 24, 1926 - The New York Times printed a book review of “The Doctor Looks at Love and Life” by Dr. Joseph Collins. In the chapter on homosexuality, Dr. Collins countered the claim that homosexual love is pathological and that homosexuals are psychopaths or neurotic, saying that he knew many well-balanced homosexuals of both sexes who have distinguished themselves in various fields from arms to the pulpit. He also stated that “Genuine homosexuality is not a vice, it is an endowment.”
October 24, 1981 - The first National Conference on Lesbian and Gay Aging was held in California.
October 24, 1987 - Elizabeth Kirby Lewallen was named the new president of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays at the organization’s Sixth International convention in Washington DC.
October 24, 1992 - Thirty-five religious leaders in northwest Vermont joined to condemn two acts of hate-motivated violence, one anti-gay and one anti-Semitic

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-23T14:13:00.002-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 23
October 23, 1766 - Christoffel Bosch van Leeuwarden, a seventy year old porter in the Netherlands, was convicted of seduction to sodomy and sentenced to three years of prison labour.
October 23, 1907 - The Molte v. Harden trial began in Germany. Journalist Maximillian Harden accused General Kuno Count von Moltke of being in a homosexual relationship. Moltke filed a civil suit, and though Harden was acquitted the verdict was later overturned and he was found guilty.
October 23, 1937 - Mattachine Society founder Harry Hay’s former lover Stanley Haggart wrote to him after marrying a woman in an attempt to change his sexuality, “To think it had to take a marriage with its wedding night experiences to show me where my real affinity lies. Every cell in me screamed out in protest at my desecration of my body. At that time I knew that I belonged to you and you to me.”
October 23, 1977 - Two thousand people demonstrate in downtown Montreal to protest October 22 bar raids. Police attack the demonstrators with motorcycles and billy-clubs and made further arrests.
October 23, 1979 - Former Winnipeg Free Press publisher Richard Malone pleads guilty to charges of buggery and obstructing justice. He is given a one-year sentence, following “juvenile sex ring” investigation in February 1979.
October 23, 1993 - In Helena Montana the state supreme court ruled that transvestitism is not a sufficient reason to deny a father joint custody of his 3-year old child.
October 23, 1998 - The Los Angeles City council condemned the “Making Sense of Homosexuality” conference, organized by the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, saying that claims of “curing” homosexuals create an atmosphere that can lead to anti-gay violence.
October 23, 1999 - Religious right leader Rev. Jerry Falwell and evangelical Christian supporters met with Rev. Mel White and gay Christians for an anti-violence forum.
October 23, 2002 - Pioneering gay activist Harry Hay dies. A founder and architect of the modern gay rights movement in 1950, Hay and four others formed one of the nation’s first gay rights organizations, the Mattachine Society.

What is Wrong With McCain?

2008-10-22T11:43:00.002-04:00

I'm serious. This is not an anomaly. We are seeing this type of behavior from McCain more and more. I'm truly concerned that there is something seriously wrong with John McCain, and considering how close he is to the presidency, and who his running mate is, behavior like this becomes even more frightening.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-22T11:38:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 22
October 22, 1870 - Lord Alfred Douglas is born near London. Forever known as Bosie, the boy lover of Oscar Wilde was regarded at the time as a mincing queen intent on self-destruction. In the end it was Wilde who was destroyed.
October 22, 1916 - Police in New York City raided an all-male Turkish bath after agents from the New York Society for the Prevention of Vice, who had infiltrated the establishment, filed a detailed report. Thirty-seven men, including the manager, were arrested. Twenty-five of them were convicted and sentenced to prison. The manager committed suicide.
October 22, 1986 - U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop advised that sex education that includes information on both gay and straight relationships would help prevent the spread of AIDS.
October 22, 1977 - Montreal Police raid gay bars Truxx, and Le Mystique charge 146 men with being found-ins in common bawdyhouse. More than fifty uniformed and plainclothes police in bullet proof vests from the divisional morality, mobile and technical squads carried off the raid. It was the largest mass arrest since War Measures Act during the FLQ Crisis. The 146 men arrested were held for up to 15 hours at police headquarters “while ‘compulsory’ VD tests were administered
October 22, 1992 - A report on hate crimes in Michigan was rejected by the US Civil Rights Commission because it included documentation of anti-gay hate crimes.
October 22, 1993 - US Air Force Lt. Heide De Jesus announced that she was dropping her lawsuit challenging her discharge from military service under the ban on gay and lesbian service personnel because the fight had left her literally broke.
October 22, 1999 - Boeing announced it would begin offering domestic partner benefits to its gay and lesbian employees. The company explained that unmarried opposite sex couples would not be included because marriage is an option for them, which brought criticism from union leaders.
October 22, 1999 - San Francisco archbishop William Levada announced he would make a $30,000 contribution to a California ballot initiative to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite sex couples.

14 Days to Change

2008-10-21T09:51:00.003-04:00

We have 14 days to go before America can vote for president. Early voting has already begun in many states, and if you have the chance to vote early, please do so. Several states that do have early voting have already seen some glitches including breakdowns of voting machines and problems with ballots (one problem in Florida, they supposedly put the wrong name down on the ballot in a race for a judgeship.) I've also heard that in North Carolina some people who thought that by marking the straight democratic or republican ticket box ended up not voting for president because in North Carolina, you have to also mark the box for president separately. Those in other states, it may be different so check very carefully when you go to vote and make sure you understand the rules for your voting system.

Also, we have heard distressing news about Barack Obama's grandmother who is reportedly in serious conditions. Barack plans to take a couple of days off later this week to visit her. We hope that he finds her improved in health and we will have her in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-21T09:46:00.002-04:00

And yesterday too since I didn't have a chance to post yesterday. Enjoy. Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 20
October 20, 1969 - The National Institutes of Mental Health released a report based on a study led by psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hooker. The report urged states to repeal sodomy laws.
October 20, 1987 - Over fifty ACT-UP members were arrested during an act of civil disobedience protesting President Reagan’s lack of action in the AIDS epidemic. Another demonstration of about 150 people was held across the street from the United Nations building during the UN General Assembly’s first debate on AIDS.
October 20, 1987 - The US House of Representatives voted 368-47 to approve an amendment to withhold federal funding from any AIDS education organization which encourages homosexual activity. The senate approved a similar amendment the previous week by a vote of 94-2. It was introduced by Sen. Jesse Helms.
October 20, 1987 - The US House Judiciary Committee voted 21-13 to approve a bill requiring the justice department to collect statistics on hate crimes, including anti-gay violence.
October 20, 1992 - The San Diego Police Department announced that it was severing its ties with the Boy Scouts of America due to a local chapter’s dismissal of a gay police officer who was involved with the Explorer program.
October 20, 1993 - Roman Catholic priest Rev Andre Guindon died of a heart attack at age 60. In his book “The Sexual Creators” he wrote that heterosexuals should look to same-sex couples to learn about tenderness and sharing.
October 20, 1997 - Portugal’s first Gay and Lesbian Community Centre opened in Lisbon.
October 21
October 21, 1797 - Reinder Pieters van Workum of Frisia Netherlands was convicted of seduction to sodomy and sentenced to flogging, ten years in prison, and banishment for life.
October 21, 1893 - Alice Mitchell and Freda Ward made the cover of “The Mascot,” a New Orleans periodical. It read, “Good God! The Crimes of Sodom and Gomorrah Discounted.” The editors referred to it as a “story of the love of two women-licentious, horrible love.”
October 21, 1939 - In New York, police raided a masked drag ball and arrested 99 men and charged them with masquerading as females.
October 21-22, 1977 - Days of Protest Rallies are held across Canada protesting job discrimination with focus on John Damien a judge with the Ontario Racing Commission who was fired for being gay.
October 21, 1979 - Letters between Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena Hickok were made available. Many of the letters are of a romantic nature.
October 21, 1985 - Dan White, who murdered San Francisco mayor George Moscone and gay City Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978, committed suicide by asphyxiating himself in his wife’s car. White served just over 5 years for the murders.
October 21, 1992 - The University of Iowa in Iowa City’s school board approved a policy to extend spousal insurance benefits to same sex couples and unmarried heterosexual couples.
October 21, 1993 - Yale University announced that it would extend spousal health benefits to the domestic partners of its gay and lesbian faculty members, administrators, and managers.
October 21, 1993 - Openly gay author James Leo Herlihy died in Los Angeles at age 66. Herlihy wrote “Midnight Cowboy” and “Season of the Witch.”
October 21, 1998 - US Surgeon General David Satcher released a report with recommendations for suicide prevention. The report recognized that gay and lesbian youth are a high risk group and recommended target prevention efforts

Obama 08 - Vote For Hope Music Video

2008-10-19T18:07:00.000-04:00

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

Sarah Palin on SNL

2008-10-19T17:43:00.001-04:00

This is the opening for Saturday nights SNL:

And here is the Sarah Palin rap:

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama!

2008-10-19T15:38:00.002-04:00

This is very significant folks. This is Four Star General Colin Powell. War Hero. Confidant of presidents. Republican. And he is endorsing Barack Obama for president in 2008. Watch here:

This next video is Colin Powell's press conference right after his appearance on Meet the Press. Check it out:

Obama Raises $150,000,000 in September

2008-10-19T14:55:00.003-04:00

Yes, that is the correct number of 0's. We are talking millions here. This is a record in political fundraising. And what is even more wonderful, there were 632,000 new donors involved in raising this amount, and most of the donations were less than $100.

YES WE CAN!

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-19T14:32:00.001-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 19
October 19, 1946 - Harris Glenn Milstead, better known to the world as Divine, is born in Baltimore. The queen of shock starred in Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble and a raft of other films.
October 19, 1955 - Daughters of Bilitis, the first long-term American organization for lesbians, was founded in San Francisco by Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon.
October 19, 1981- Former Toronto mayor John Sewell wins junior aldermanic seat in Ward 6 byelection. It is the first time the gay issue has not played a role in an election in the mainly gay area.
October 19, 1993 - Massachusetts state education officials announced that they would use $450,000 in funds raised from a new state cigarette tax to fund programs to stop anti-gay harassment in public schools.
October 19, 1996 - Representatives of the American Psychiatric Association met with approximately fifty transgender activists who voiced their concerns about reforming the diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder.
October 19, 1999 - A rape center in Vancouver organization was ordered to pay $2,030 in damages for banning a transgendered person from its drop-in center.

What Happened to the Grand Old Party?

2008-10-19T11:45:00.013-04:00

I have a confession to make. There was a time I considered myself to be a Republican. It was many years ago, pretty much at the time of the Reagan Administration. I knew even then that there were elements of the party that were radical right extremists, but I thought that they would always be a fringe element of the party and would never be able to take over and gain power. How wrong I was.

From a very young age, I believed in women's rights, a woman's right to choose what happens to her own body, and equality for all. I'm not sure why I gravitated to the Republican Party except for the fact that I grew up and lived in one of the most conservative states in the Union and it was (and still is) the dominate party. I also believed that there was a place in the GOP for more progressive people to belong. I believed it was an inclusive party that accepted different beliefs and ideals. Maybe at some point in the past the Republican Party did believe in those things...but not the GOP of today.

I don't even recognize today's GOP. It is certainly NOT the party of Lincoln anymore. President Lincoln would turn over in his grave if he could see what his party has become and what they condone. The Grand Old Party is not grand anymore. This party isn't even a glimmer of the once proud institution. It is now the party of repression, ignorance intolerance and bigotry. it is the party of the KKK and racism. It is the party of homophobes. It is the party of religious intolerance that treats anyone who is not an evangelical Christian as the anti-Christ, a Muslim terrorist, a Communist, and Socialist. No one is allowed to believe differently from them or speak freely (not even their VP nominee who has been obviously muzzled, though I will grant you that the main reason she isn't allowed to speak is because the GOP doesn't want the world to have proof that she is unqualified to be president).

Look at the rallies that McCain and Palin have been having. The hate filled rhetoric that has spewed from the mouths of the attendees has been frightening to say the least. They have targeted not only the Democrats and Obama with their vitriol, but these crowds have also verbally and physically attacked the media sent to cover these events. They wave toy monkeys with Obama stickers around until they see themselves in front of the MSM cameras when they then try to hide their racist bigotry. They yell threats of "Kill him!" and "Off with his head!" whenever Obama's name is mentioned by the speaker. The preacher who opened one rally actually Told God in the prayer that if Obama wins the election then God will have lost because only the Republicans can do God's will for our country. He seemed to say that God would lose face if the Republicans lost the election. I think that prayer actually broke one of the ten commandments. The Republicans and their followers have also produced visuals like these:

Then the Republicans of today have members like Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (MN-06) who made this paranoid rant about hunting down "Anti-American members of Congress":

This is a Republican Party I don't recognize. This is a Republican Party that no longer deserves the title of Grand Old Party. They should change the name of the party from Republican to Rethuglican because the second term more accurately describes what this party has become. It's very sad to see. It's very frightening to behold. God help us if they actually manage to get elected and get any power in their current form.

WOW!!! 100,000 People at St. Louis Rally Today!!!

2008-10-18T18:20:00.004-04:00

I saw this photo at Huffington Post and I had to post it here. All I could say was WOW! A Sea of People!

Obama/Biden 08

Signs of Hope and Change

2008-10-18T14:19:00.002-04:00

Signs of Hope and Change

Some Thoughts

2008-10-18T13:03:00.004-04:00

There are only 17 days until the election and while things are looking good for Obama in general, we must keep in mind that without everyone taking the time to do their civic duty and vote, the end result could be disastrous for our nation. Do not get complacent and think that Obama is a "shoe in" and therefore you don't need to go vote. Your vote DOES matter. If enough people thought like that and didn't vote...well, do you really want "Mrs Mooseburger" one 72 year old cancer patient away from the Oval Office? It could happen if you don't

VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!

November 4

The Saturday Funnies

2008-10-18T12:57:00.002-04:00

Check out the Saturday political cartoons from Bob Geiger at the site below and have a great Saturday!

BobGeiger.com

Today in LGBT History

2008-10-18T12:31:00.002-04:00

Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 18
October 18, 1907 - 2,000 people attended a debate on the repeal of Paragraph 175, Germany’s sodomy law.
October 18, 1977 - Citizens United to Protect Our Children, an organization in Portland OR, announced they had failed to get enough signatures to get a recall election of Mayor Neil Goldschmidt after he declared Portland Gay Pride Day.
October 18, 1990 - Former Supreme Court justice Lewis Powell declared that he believed he made a mistake by voting to uphold Georgia’s sodomy laws in the 1986 Bowers v Hardwick case.
October 18, 1990 - Three white supremacists were convicted of conspiring to blow up a gay bar in Boise, Idaho.
October 18, 1991 - Admiral Frank B Kelso, chief of naval operations, announced that the explosion of the USS Iowa which killed forty-seven men had been proven not to have been caused by a wrongful intentional act and apologized to the family of Clayton Hartwig. Hartwig had been accused of intentionally causing the blast as an act of suicide following the break up of a homosexual affair. (It was not proven that he was homosexual.)

Today in LGBT History Month

2008-10-17T14:16:00.001-04:00

Actually today and yesterday since I didn't get much time online yesterday. Enjoy.
Thanks to 365Gay.com for the following:

October 16
October 16, 1856 - Oscar Wilde is born in Dublin. Great writer, greater wit, gay martyr.
October 16, 1975 - During a raid on a Hollywood gay porn theatre the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles was arrested.
October 16, 1987 - AIDS quilt organizer Cleve Jones was named “Person of the Year” by ABC anchorman Peter Jennings.
October 16, 1993 - OutRage attended the Anti-Nazi League/Anti-Racist Alliance march in Plumstead England.
October 17
October 17,1920 - Actor Montgomery Clift is born in Omaha Nebraska. Clift brought in intensity to the screen that was studied by and copied by others, most notably Marlon Brando. His sexuality was carefully guarded from fans but few in Hollywood did not know. Clift burned himself out and was dead at the age of 46.
October 17-18, 1975 - Five Montreal gay bars, The Lime Light; Le Mystique; P.J.’s; Le Rocambole; and Au Taureau d’Or. are raided by police.
October 17, 1977 - An appeal of an obscenity conviction against Vancouver’s Gay Tide is heard before the Supreme Court of Canada. It is the first time a gay civil rights case heard by Supreme Court.
October 17, 1980 -The first Black Lesbian Conference began in San Francisco with nearly 200 women in attendance.
October 17-18, 1981 - In Fredericton, the third regional conference of the Atlantic Lesbian and Gay Association brings together the largest assembly of gays in New Brunswick.
October 17, 1990 - US Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL) insulted openly gay congressman Barney Frank during a budget debate, saying Frank does not know what is going on in Congress because he is too
busy performing quickie sex acts.
October 17, 1995 - The Advocate published an interview with Barney Frank, Gerry Studds, and Steve Gunderson, the three openly gay members of Congress.
October 17, 1997 - Donald Goor was installed as senior rabbi of Temple Judea of Tarzana in Los Angeles. The synagogue became the largest Jewish congregation to have an openly gay rabbi.
October 17, 1997 - The International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Championship opened in San Diego California.
October 17, 1998 - Melinda Whiteway was appointed co-chair of the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, making her the first transgendered person to co-chair a national gay and lesbian organization.