Quote of the Day

"I made the mistake of not having sex until I was 23! I loved being with another man and felt relieved that I finally knew who I was. I made the mistake of falling in love too soon because I was naive and romantic. My advice to you is to never chase love. It will find you when you least expect it. Have fun, have lots of safe sex and enjoy your sexuality. Be proud of who you are. I made a lot of mistakes. Stay away from drugs, they’re a waste of time. Stand up for every human being’s rights. Be loving, kind and strong. Set an example. You’re going to have one hell of a life!”

- Elton John, from a coming anthology titled Dear Me: A Letter To My 16 Year-Old Self.

House Bill Would Cut Funding To States That Oppose LGBT Adoption

Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) has introduced a bill that would restrict federal child welfare funding from any state that discriminates against LGBT people attempting to adopt.

Stark said in an interview that he introduced the legislation, H.R. 3827, in part because thousands of children each year "age out" of the child welfare system without finding homes. "We got 25,000 kids a year maturing out of the welfare system without permanent foster care or adoptive care, and the prospects of those children having a successful adult life are diminished greatly," he said. "These are kids who end up in the criminal justice system, or end up homeless."

States with explicit restrictions on adoption that the pending legislation would affect are Utah, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska and Mississippi. Florida, for example, has a statute specifically prohibiting gays from adopting, and in Arkansas, voters last year approved Act 1, which prevents unmarried co-habitating couples, including same-sex partners, from adopting children. The legislation, Stark said, also would restrict funds for states where restrictions are put in place by agencies, individual social workers or judges, or where restrictions are part of the common law of the state. For states that don't comply with the law, federal officials could withhold from the states funds provided to them for child welfare services. The bill also calls for a Government Accountability Office study within five years to examine how states are complying with the new rules.

Stark rates the chances of his bill passing as "pretty good," but no hearing is yet planned. A spokesman for the HRC said they'll get behind the bill if it gains traction in Congress.

Courtesy of JMG

20% Of Polled Identify As Republicans

From a story about an ABC News/Washington Post poll about attitudes on health care reform comes this little nugget: "Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983."

Courtesy of JMG

Subject: Stay off FOX

It's about time Democrats stood up to FOX! The White House communications director said FOX is a "wing of the Republican Party...let's not pretend they're a news network."

To draw attention to its biased coverage, President Obama will not appear on FOX for the rest of this year.

I signed a petition urging Democrats to support President Obama's stance by staying off FOX as long as he does. Can you join me at the link below?

http://civic.moveon.org/foxobama/?r_by=17603-538505-1HB2w4x&rc=paste

Thanks!

National Equality March: "Imagine"

"IMAGINE" featuring Eva Cassidy (music available on iTunes) National Equality March, October 11, 2009 Washington DC (additional pics from the Prop 8 March and DADT Rally in Washington DC)

SNL Spartans

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
CNN Leaves It There
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Another great find from JMG

The 20 Best Signs At The National Equality March

Another great find courtesy of JMG

Double Quote of the Day

“The first principle Bahá'u'lláh urged was the independent investigation of truth. "Each individual," he said, "is following the faith of his ancestors who themselves are lost in the maze of tradition. Reality is steeped in dogmas and doctrines. If each investigate for himself, he will find that Reality is one; does not admit of multiplicity; is not divisible. All will find the same foundation and all will be at peace."

– ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 276.

"The basic principle of the Cause is independent investigation of truth. This applies to us as much as to our children. They should be free to chose for themselves any religion they wish. To promise that they will belong to a certain Faith and not to another is therefore not only contrary to our precepts, but is also a futile promise to give. How can we make the future generation think as we do or follow our dictates. God has made them free. All that we can do is to open their eyes and tell them of what we think to be the truth."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 3, 1931)

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 155)

Why Homosexuality Should Be Banned

Takei and Husband Boldly Go on 'Newlywed Game'

Too cute...

What have you done today... play it loud!

Obama's Gay Outreach: All Talk, No Action

Saturday night President Obama charmingly delivered a rather bleak message to the gay community on the eve of its latest march on Washington. In a speech to the world's largest gay political group, the Human Rights Campaign, Obama essentially said two things: I'm with you. But I can't do much for you.

the the rest of the article here

Photos from the March

Courtesy of Huffington Post

From the march on Washington

Today's Double Post

Dear Daniel,

Just hours ago, President Obama took the podium at HRC's National Dinner to talk directly to the LGBT community and our many friends and allies. Find out what Obama said – and be sure to share the news with your friends >>

Today, thousands of people are marching on Washington to demand LGBT equality.

And last night, President Obama told LGBT Americans that his commitment to ending discrimination in the military, in the workplace and for loving couples and their families is "unwavering". He made it crystal clear that he is our strongest ally in this fight, that he understands and, in fact, encourages our activism and our voice even when we're impatient with the pace of change.

And we heard unequivocally about the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "I am working with the Pentagon, its leadership and members of the House and Senate to end this policy. I will end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. That is my commitment to you."

Finally, we heard something quite remarkable from the President: "You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men and two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.

It was an historic night when we felt the full embrace and commitment of the President of the United States. It's simply unprecedented.

In the days and weeks ahead we'll move quickly to capitalize on this momentum. But right now, please watch what President Obama had to say, share this email with your friends, and know that your commitment means that we're much closer to attaining real equality and protecting millions of Americans:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1061

Thank you for being part of this historic fight with us.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President