Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
JMG Quote Of The Day - Rep. Alan Grayson
"As the Knave's horse says in Alice in Wonderland, 'dogs will believe anything.' I'm sure Sarah Palin knows all about politics in Central Florida, since from her porch she can see Winter Park. I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them." - Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), responding to Sarah Palin's attack on him. (Winter Park is just north of Orlando.) This bit from Grayson's site is priceless too: Palin, the former half-term Governor, current-nothing and future-even-less, charmed the all-Republican audience with her folksy folksiness and her homespun homespunnery. Atypically, Palin was wearing clothes that she had paid for herself. At the end of the event, she shared her recipe for mooseface pie. In response to Palin's attack on Rep Grayson, Grayson actually complimented Palin. Grayson praised Palin for having a hand large enough to fit Grayson's entire name on it. He thanked Palin for alleviating the growing shortage of platitudes in Central Florida. Grayson added that Palin deserved credit for getting through the entire hour-long program without quitting. Grayson also said that Palin really had mastered Palin's imitation of Tina Fey imitating Palin. Grayson observed that Palin is the most-intelligent leader that the Republican Party has produced since George W. Bush.(Tipped by JMG reader Craig)
Labels: Alan Grayson, bimbos, Florida, FTW, Sarah Palin
From JMG: Alber & Goss
This Is Who We Are
Gay singer/songwriters Matt Alber and Tom Goss team up on This Is Who We Are, which they are offering for download in return for a donation to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Last month I posted a early version of the song.
Visit the official site for the single for more information and the SLDN donation link.Singer-songwriter buddies Matt Alber and Tom Goss teamed up recently with videographer Zack Rosen of Washinton DC’s TheNewGay.net to shoot the video for their anti-DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell) anthem, “Who We Are.” The video features discharged servicemen Mike Almy and David Hall. Matt and Tom are offering the song as a free download in return for a donation to The Service Members Legal Defense Network, the organization spearheading the effort to repeal DADT. David Hall, mentioned above, is now Development Director & Information Technology Manager at SLDN. Following the download/donate link is a brief Q&A with Matt and Tom about "Who We Are."
Labels: DADT, gay artists, Matt Alber, SLDN, Tom Goss
From JMG: Barney Frank on DADT
The White House Doesn't Want DADT Repealed This Year
According to Rep. Barney Frank, the reason the DADT repeal wasn't attached to a defense appropriations bill is that the White House doesn't want it repealed this year. Kerry Eleveld at the Advocate:As Rep. Barney Frank told me Friday, “I’m disappointed with the administration talking about delaying legislation for a year. But I’m working with Patrick Murphy [the lead sponsor of the House repeal bill] on it and I’m hoping we can push ahead.” Like many pro-repeal advocates, Frank has consistently pinpointed the National Defense Authorization Act as “the only vehicle” for overturning the ban legislatively. When I noted that the White House has failed to designate the defense authorization bill over a stand-alone bill as its preferred method for repealing the policy, Frank responded, “That’s because they don’t want it done this year, not because they want it done separately.” If Frank is correct, that would help clarify two things: (1) why administration officials declined to comment on the introduction of Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s new repeal bill — because they actually prefer the defense authorization act over a stand-alone bill; (2) why they haven’t advocated for a repeal measure to be included in this year’s authorization act — because they would prefer the issue recede into the shadows until next year.(Via - AmericaBlog)
Labels: Barack Obama, Barney Frank, DADT, DOD, military, White House
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Exclusive video: Olson and Boies Q&A on Prop 8
Last Wednesday, the New York Times hosted an intimate question and answer session with the lawyers currently working to overturn Proposition 8 in California, Ted Olson and David Boies. (Our earlier recap of the discussion).
Even if you’ve read stories about the evening, Boies and Olson speak with such passion and persuasion that the video is worth watching. Being in the same room with them was like being in the presence of history.The Times was kind enough to send us over the video – we’ve encoded it below. Pix on the post are courtesy of Sara Krulwich from The New York Times.
From JMG: Texas Rewrites History
Christianist extremists have successfully rewritten American history. Here's just a few of the textbook changes approved by the Texas State Board of Education.-The Board removed Thomas Jefferson from the Texas curriculum's world history standards on Enlightenment thinking, “replacing him with religious right icon John Calvin.”
-"Teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state." “I reject the notion by the left of a constitutional separation of church and state,” said David Bradley, a conservative from Beaumont who works in real estate. “I have $1,000 for the charity of your choice if you can find it in the Constitution.”
-The Board refused to require that “students learn that the Constitution prevents the U.S. government from promoting one religion over all others.”
-McCarthyism will be taught as an example of how communism was rooted out of the federal government.
-Students will learn about the "patriot movement" of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.
-"Board members also rejected requiring history teachers and textbooks to provide coverage on the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, while the late President Ronald Reagan was elevated to more prominent coverage."
The TSBOE is by far the most influential in the nation, which is why religious extremists have stacked the board with its members. Textbooks manufactured in Texas are sold to school systems nationwide.
Labels: Christianists, education, liars, separation of church and state, Texas, theocracy, TSBOE
The War at Home
Saturday, March 13, 2010
From PHB: The official Vatican line: the Pope is being set up
We're really heading into weird territory now. In what is supposed to be a defense of Pope Benedict from accusations of covering up pedophile priest cases, the Vatican spokesbots are handling this with complete ineptitude. The Vatican spokesman, speaking to Vatican Radio and Associated Press Television News, defended Benedict.Wow. Do they think we've all forgotten how Cardinal Law was shipped out of Boston as he was about to face charges for abuse cover up, all the secret settlements? Amazing."It's rather clear that in the last days, there have been those who have tried, with a certain aggressive persistence, in Regensburg and Munich, to look for elements to personally involve the Holy Father in the matter of abuses," the Rev. Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio.
"For any objective observer, it's clear that these efforts have failed," Lombardi said, reiterating his statement a day earlier noting the Munich diocese has insisted that Benedict wasn't involved in the decision while archbishop there to transfer the suspected child abuser.
Lombardi told The AP that "there hasn't been in the least bit any policy of silence."
"The pope is a person whose stand on clarity, on transparency and whose decision to face these problems is above discussion," Lombardi said, citing the comments by Scicluna, who works in the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, which was long headed by Benedict before his election as pontiff.
"To accuse the current pope of hiding (cases) is false and defamatory," Scicluna said. As Vatican cardinal in charge of the policy on sex abuse, the future pope "showed wisdom and firmness in handling these cases," Scicluna said.
Jump here to read the full article on PHB
From JMG: Police Find 11 Other Victims On Video Of SF's Anti-Gay BB Gun Attackers
The men have been charged in San Francisco with a hate crime and assault for allegedly firing a BB rifle Feb. 26 at the face of a man they believed was gay. The man, who was walking on 16th Street near Guerrero Street, was not badly hurt and later identified the three suspects. The three were freed on $50,000 bail soon after their arrest. But on Friday, Mohammad Habibzada, Shafiq Hashemi and Sayed Bassam, all 24, appeared in court and were immediately rearrested. They were all being held late Friday on $450,000 bail. They were returned to custody after prosecutors viewed a video that police found in the three men's car when they were arrested. Brian Buckelew, spokesman for District Attorney Kamala Harris, said the video showed the 16th Street attack and BB rifle shootings aimed at 11 other men. Police say the video depicts the suspects laughing as they fire. Investigators say they have been unable to find any of the additional alleged victims. Still, Buckelew said prosecutors may file additional charges against each of the three defendants.The three men are cousins. Police believe they drove around the Castro and other gay neighborhoods looking for men that appeared to be gay.
Labels: bigotry, hate crimes, San Francisco, The Castro
reposted by JMGPORTUGAL: Lei de Igualdade no Casamento enviada ao Presidente para ...
Portugal Gay
A lei que consagra a igualdade no casamento civil para gays e lésbicas foi enviada para promulgação no dia 5 de Março. Em teoria Aníbal Cavaco Silva terá 8 ...
Veja todos os artigos sobre este tópico
Friday, March 12, 2010
From JMG: Johnny Weir: Too Gay For Stars On Ice
Olympian Johnny Weir has not been asked to join the Star On Ice tour because organizers don't find him "family friendly."GLAAD has learned from a source that wishes to remain anonymous that sponsors of the Stars on Ice Tour, which include Smuckers and IMG Entertainment, have refused to allow 3-time US National Champion and 2-time Olympian Johnny Weir to participate because they claim that he is “not family friendly.” To say that Weir is “not family friendly” would be a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation. Weir is extremely involved with his family. He is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father’s disability prohibits him from working. Weir’s dedication to his family can be clearly documented in the Sundance series, Be Good Johnny Weir, which follows him and his family and friends through his life and career as a championship skater.GLAAD's petition to Stars On Ice sponsors Smuckers and IMG is here.
Labels: bigotry, figure skating, gay athletes, GLAAD, Johnny Weir, sports, Stars On Ice
From JMG: Friendly Voices - Desmond Tutu
"Uganda's parliament is debating legislation that would make homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment, and more discriminatory legislation has been debated in Rwanda and Burundi. These are terrible backward steps for human rights in Africa. Our lesbian and gay brothers and sisters across Africa are living in fear."And they are living in hiding -- away from care, away from the protection the state should offer to every citizen and away from health care in the AIDS era, when all of us, especially Africans, need access to essential HIV services. That this pandering to intolerance is being done by politicians looking for scapegoats for their failures is not surprising. But it is a great wrong. An even larger offense is that it is being done in the name of God. Show me where Christ said "Love thy fellow man, except for the gay ones." Gay people, too, are made in my God's image. I would never worship a homophobic God." - Desmond Tutu, in an editorial published in today's Washington Post.
And what has Pope Palpatine said about Uganda? NOTHING.
Labels: Africa, Desmond Tutu, Friendly Voices, religion, Uganda
reposted by JMGFrom Savage
There's Just No End to the Hate
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 3:46 PM
Glaad reports that sponsors have “refused to allow” American figure skater Johnny Weir to join the Stars on Ice Tour because they deemed him “not family friendly.” While Weir — a three-time national champion — has never “officially announced his sexual orientation, he has garnered a significant amount of LGBT fans” and is also known for his flashy costumes. Weir won an online poll that asked fans who they wanted to see in the tour, but Stars on Ice seems to have barred him because of his “perceived sexual orientation."
Says GLAAD:
To say that Weir is “not family friendly” would be a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation. Weir is extremely involved with his family. He is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father’s disability prohibits him from working. Weir’s dedication to his family can be clearly documented in the Sundance series, Be Good Johnny Weir, which follows him and his family and friends through his life and career as a championship skater.
You know what would be family friendly? A bunch of pissed of queers and Weir fans buying tickets to Stars on Ice and tossing bags of rock salt and dog shit onto the ice from their seats before the show.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Quote of the Day
"During an interview with the cast of The Hurt Locker on Monday, I turned to actor Anthony Mackie and made a joke about "man hugging" in reference to a hug he and fellow actor Jeremy Renner had shared a few weeks earlier on our air. It was meant to be lighthearted, but some were offended by what they believed to be a homophobic comment. That was never my intent, but that doesn't matter. Words are extremely powerful and should never be chosen lightly, even in a lighthearted moment. I apologize to any and all that I offended. My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented. It has not and will never waver."
-- The Today Show's Meredith Veira apologizing for her unintentionally homophobic comment in a post-Oscar interview.