Via JMG: About Those "GetEQUAL" Comments

I've been getting quite a few emails complaining that someone purporting to represent GetEQUAL has been spamming the JMG comments with requests for donations. Last night I'm grumbled about it on Facebook, after which GetEQUAL's Robin McGehee immediately called to let me know that they are NOT behind these donation requests, which have been appearing across the LGBT blogosphere.

As it turns out, the spamming campaign is being done to discredit GetEQUAL, rather successfully so, considering how you folks have reacted. In fact, multiple sockpuppet accounts have been created on LGBT blogs wherein the same anonymous person or persons then attack GetEQUAL for daring to request donations. Pretty clever, eh?

According to numerous folks, this dumbass campaign is the work of "AndrewW", a prolific commenter recently banned on sites such as The Bilerico Project and Pam's House Blend. McGehee has tried in vain to learn of AndrewW's true identity, even offering a personal $500 reward to anybody that can out him. Some IP traces have placed AndrewW in Plano, Texas, but searches I performed on three different IP's left here on JMG turned up locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara. That suggests that either AndrewW has cohorts or that he is adept at spoofing IP addresses.

Jump into the comments on this post with your tips and information about this issue, including clues (and there do appear to be some) to AndrewW's identity. Regardless of what you may feel about GetEQUAL's political tactics and mission, they don't deserve this bullshit. As I told Robin McGehee last night, we here at JMG have an army of of very, very smart IT bear geeks at our disposal. Fly, my winged monkeys! Fly!

Labels: blogging, GetEQUAL, JMG, JMG community

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Billboard Of The Day

JMG reader Gavin snapped this billboard on Interstate 90 near Albany, New York. More about the sponsoring organization can be found here. I love it.

Labels: advertising, Albany, New York state

reposted from Joe

Lead with Love -- Trailer

LEAD WITH LOVE follows four families' experiences in learning that they have a gay or lesbian child. Created for parents who are working through this news themselves, this poignant and informative film shares real stories from parents and children, factual information from psychologists, educators, and clergy, and concrete guidance to help parents keep their children healthy and safe during this sometimes challenging time.

Watch the film online for free.

http://www.leadwithlovefilm.com/film.html

It Gets Better - Gareth Thomas.mov

Via JMG: GUYANA: Religious Groups Unite To Condemn LGBT Film Festival

A coalition of religious groups in the tiny South American nation of Guyana has issued a condemnation of a local LGBT film festival, calling the event a "new form of Western colonialism."

"We cannot allow the Western world to come and foist their lifestyles and thinking on to us; this will simply mean that we are just allowing a newer form of colonialism," said Inter-Religious Organization (IRO) spokesman Juan Edghill, a bishop. Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Baha'is make up the IRO. The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), which is organizing the week-long festival, would not immediately comment on the IRO's criticism. The disagreement comes as the mostly former British colonies in the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have made repeated calls to scrap laws against buggery as part of efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination against groups vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Edghill said the religious community wants gays and lesbians to have rights to health care, education and housing, but that the IRO worried youths were being exposed to unnatural sexual activities with the dissemination of material about homosexuals.

RELATED: The U.S. State Department has issued a strong caution for visitors to Guyana, where street crimes, abductions and murders by organized gangs are common.

Labels: LGBT rights, religion, South America

reposted from Joe

Victory! U.S. Passport Applications Now Reflect All Families

Back in July 2010, I wrote of my experience getting a new passport for my son, who has two moms, and the difficulties presented by the “Father’s Name” and “Mother’s Name” blanks on the application. Over 900 of you signed the petition asking the State Department to revise the passport application to say “Parent” and “Parent” -- making it more inclusive of all families.

make the jump here to read the full article

a big Bedankt to my angel for the heads up!

Guyana religious community condemns gay film festival

Guyana's multi-religious community strongly condemned on Monday a gay and lesbian film festival, branding promoting homosexuality as a new form of Western colonization. "We cannot allow the Western world to come and foist their lifestyles and thinking on to us; this will simply mean that we are just allowing a newer form of colonialism," said Inter-Religious Organization (IRO) spokesman Juan Edghill, a bishop. Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Baha'is make up the IRO. The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), which is organizing the week-long festival, would not immediately comment on the IRO's criticism. The disagreement comes as the mostly former British colonies in the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have made repeated calls to scrap laws against buggery as part of efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination against groups vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Edghill said the religious community wants gays and lesbians to have rights to health care, education and housing, but that the IRO worried youths were being exposed to unnatural sexual activities with the dissemination of material about homosexuals. The IRO insisted its position would not aggravate homophobic sentiment in Guyana, where gays and lesbians usually do not face routine assaults but are generally frowned upon and taunted in public. Several months ago, SASOD made a court filing challenging the constitutionality of colonial laws against cross-dressing after several gays were arrested by police and prosecuted for the offense. make the jump here to read the full article

Via JMG: ENDA Named #1 "Anti-Christian" Event Of 2010 By Christian Anti-Defamation Group

Even though the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was never voted on, much less passed, the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission has named it the most anti-Christian event of 2010. Six of the group's ten "worst" events are related to LGBT rights. In their press release below, of course, the "Commission" completely LIES about ENDA, which specifically and broadly exempts religious institutions.

10. 88 Pro-Lifers were arrested for protesting President Obama’s participation at a leading Catholic university, Notre Dame, and await trial for standing up for true Christian values.
9. Southern Poverty Law Center; A liberal ACLU-like organization that has continued to label many Christian organizations that hold traditional values as “hate groups” in lists that include violent racists groups.
8. Larry Grard; Christian journalist fired from his job for sending an e-mail from his personal account on his own time in support of traditional marriage.
7. Stephen Ocean and Tite Sufra; two young men who were murdered in Boynton Beach, Florida while out sharing the gospel in their neighborhood.
6. Chai Feldblum; a liberal law professor and open lesbian, appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Feldblum stated that in any conflict that might arise between religious liberty and homosexual “rights” she would have a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win; or “Gay’s win; Christians lose.”
5. Michigan Muslims attack AGAIN; Christians attacked, denied their civil rights and falsely arrested for disorderly conduct at a public festival for peacefully sharing the gospel. This happened the previous year, too. They were again acquitted of all charges.
4. Elena Kagan; President Obama’s radical appointment to the Supreme Court bench. While serving under the Clinton Administration, Kagan successfully corrupted unfavorable evidence on partial birth abortion to deceive the Supreme Court. Read more here.
3. Julea Ward and Jennifer Keeton; two women expelled from their respective Master’s programs in counseling at two different universities because they wouldn’t deny their faith and affirm the validity of the homosexual lifestyle.
2. Vaughn Walker; California judge who overturned Proposition 8, a State Constitutional Marriage Amendment, and the will of the people by making homosexual marriage legal.
1. Employment Non-Discrimination Act; a proposed federal bill that would force ministries to hire people who oppose their beliefs or who live in open defiance of their values.

The group's #1 "anti-Christian event" of 2009 was the passage of the Hate Crimes Act, something that actually did happen.

Labels: 2010, bigotry, Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, ENDA, Gary Cass, liars, religion

reposted from Joe

it gets better-----a music video by rebecca drysdale

Via JMG: Doom And Gloom For LGBT Rights As The New Congress Takes Office Today

The Human Rights Campaign gloomily assesses the new Congress.

As the new Congress is sworn in this week, there is no denying that pro-LGBT numbers have shrunk on Capitol Hill. A Human Rights Campaign analysis shows a pick-up of 53 House seats to anti-LGBT lawmakers as well as a 5 seat addition in the Senate. Not only do those opposing basic equality hold positions of power as House leaders and committee chairmen, their ranks have swollen to 225 – a solid majority of the chamber. This presents not just a roadblock to progress but also the threat of legislation that could be damaging to the community.

HRC warns that in addition to blocking any progress on pending LGBT rights legislation, the GOP may attempt to roll back recent advances by cutting funding for the Hate Crimes Act or by attempting to block the recent edict allowing hospital visitation privileges.

Labels: Congress, GOP, HRC, LGBT rights

reposted from Joe