Via JMG: Roy Zimmerman: George Rekers Is Completely Heterosexual

Musical satirist Roy Zimmerman updates his classic.

a classic repost from JMG

VIA JMG: Military Bloggers Call For DADT Repeal

Ben Smith reports at Politico that a coalition of military bloggers have called for the repeal of DADT.

The community of "mil-bloggers" -- often hawkish, critical of White House and military leadership, devoted to both the First and Second Amendments -- isn't easy to define politically, but has proven an increasingly powerful voice from the ranks. The statement, which says that there have always been gay soldiers and that "very little will actually change" with the repeal of "Don't Ask," carries the signatures of the authors of some of the most prominent: Blackfive, Q&O, Outside the Wire, and the US Naval Institute Blog, among others.

Here's an except of their statement.

We consider the US military the greatest institution for good that has ever existed. No other organization has freed more people from oppression, done more humanitarian work or rescued more from natural disasters. We want that to continue. Today, it appears inevitable to us that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and law restricting those displaying open homosexual behavior from serving will be changed. And yet, very little will actually change. Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that.

The service chiefs are currently studying the impact and consequences of changing the DADT policy, and how to implement it without compromising the morale, order and discipline necessary for the military to function. The study is due to be completed on Dec. 1st. We ask Congress to withhold action until this is finished, but no longer. We urge Congress to listen to the service chiefs and act in accordance with the recommendations of that study.

reposted from JMG

VIA JMG: IRAQ: Soldiers Show Support For Gays In The Military With Sexy Dance Video

Via Towleroad, soldiers in Iraq show support for gays in the military with a silly and sexy routine set to Ke$ha. From the clip description: "Created by Codey Wilson and his elite step team of volunteers. Don't give us a hard time for this, please? We're just a few good men trying to enjoy ourselves and get this deployment over with. No one is gay... that we know of. Not that there is anything wrong with that!"

Andy Towle opines: "Popped collars, go-go dancing atop heavy equipment, nudity, lip-dubbing in the showers. These are all things to be extremely concerned about if gays are allowed to serve openly in the military! Though it appears the straight guys have beat them to it."

Thanks JMG!

Via JMG: Laura Bush Comes Out For Gay Marriage

You may recall that in her memoir released early this month, Laura Bush wrote that she had asked Dubya not to make gay marriage an issue in his campaign, considering how many gay friends they had. Last night on Larry King, Laura expanded on that, saying she supported gay marriage and that it would eventually be legalized as the issue is a "generational thing."
reposted from JMG

Via JMG: Harvey Fierstein On Nurse Jackie

Harvey Fierstein guest starred on last night's episode of Nurse Jackie, playing the husband of a man being kept alive by a machine. Click over to this excellent commentary by Fierstein about the state of patient rights for LGBT people in New York.

reposted from JMG

Biden: Kagan 'Was Right' To Ban Military Recruiters From Harvard Law School

VIA JMG: Florida's Gay Dem Caucus To McCollum: Give The Rekers Money Back!

The Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus is demanding that Attorney General Bill McCollum pay back taxpayers for the $120K paid for George Rekers' fraudulent testimony.

Yesterday, McCollum said that on hiring Rekers, “I wouldn’t do it again if I knew what I know today.” But Rekers has built his entire career on peddling discredited junk science and demeaning taxpaying GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) citizens. McCollum knew better but personally requested Rekers to be hired anyway. Because of this, the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus calls on McCollum to immediately refund the state of Florida $120,000 whether it’s from his campaign account or his own pocket. “Bill McCollum showed incredibly poor judgment when he hired Dr. George Rekers to spew hate-filled propaganda on the stand,” said Phillip Perry, spokesman for the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus. “The only way that McCollum can make this right is if he immediately apologizes and pays back taxpayers for this egregious mistake. Floridians expect their leaders to spend taxpayer dollars wisely during these tough times, not waste it on hiring quacks posing as scientists to pursue a narrow, hate-inspired political agenda.”

McCollum's toadies continue to scrub his Facebook page of your comments today. Go after him on Twitter!

reposted via JMG

Via JMG: Disgraced Rentboy Patron Dr. George Rekers Resigns From NARTH

Everybody's least favorite homosexual, the publicly shamed Dr. George Rekers, has resigned from the board of directors of NARTH, the nation's most repulsive "ex-gay" organization. Talking Points Memo has the story:

NARTH vice president of operations David Pruden tells TPMmuckraker that Rekers first offered his resignation last Thursday, and officially resigned today. NARTH is a group that promotes the idea that homosexuality can, and should, be cured. Pruden also denied a report in the Miami New Times that NARTH had been involved in helping Rekers respond to the media. "NARTH has never had any role in advising Dr. Rekers except to suggest that if he is innocent he needs to get a good lawyer," Pruden said in an email. "He has friends who are members of NARTH and they are free to talk with, advise, and needless to say, they are free to help him in any way they might select." "NARTH as an organization has taken no official role in this other than asking him to explain to us what has happened and in accepting his resignation," he said.

Rekers' name and photo still appears on NARTH's list of officers.

UPDATE: On his personal site, Rekers acknowledges his resignation and pledges to move forward with a defamation lawsuit.

"I am immediately resigning my membership in NARTH to allow myself the time necessary to fight the false media reports that have been made against me. With the assistance of a defamation attorney, I will fight these false reports because I have not engaged in any homosexual behavior whatsoever. I am not gay and never have been.” (May 11, 2010)

Yesterday a source told me that Rekers had decided against legal action. The above could just be blustering. Or my source could be wrong.

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reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Can We Forgive Our Enemies? Should We?

Outing Aftermath: Can We Forgive Our Enemies? Should We?

JMG reader Stephen wonders if the LGBT community shouldn't extend an olive branch and a rainbow flag to homophobes like Dr. George Rekers after they've been outed. He writes:

In light of this most recent outing of an anti-gay conservative, I've had some thought that I'd like to share with you. Last summer, I saw that great documentary, Outrage, that actively outed several politicians and, then, I agreed with its justification. The bigoted, but closeted gay, politicians harmed us, so we'll ruin them so they can't do it anymore. However, now, I think there's a big flaw in this: when we get one and ruin them, trash talk them, and alienate them from both us and their conservative friends, it speaks volumes to all the others. Every time we shame and express our outrage at these people, we could be inspiring fear and be pushing others further into the closet. In fact, when we assassinate the character of these people, we are doing just what they would do to us. I well understand the pain that people like Dr. Rekers have brought to our community, but vengeance only engenders more pain. Would we fuel such hatred with our own?

Ironically, I think we should take a leaf out of Jesus' (real) message: forgiveness. If we, as a community, welcomed these people and forgave their political trespasses against us, I think it will demonstrate a much better side of our community and actually help others follow in the path of coming out and repenting their old homophobic ways. Moreover, I think it would help our community demonstrate the irony that, in some ways, the "Christians" follow less of Jesus' teachings than us. I'm not saying we should excuse Dr. Rekers right now. From what I understand, he isn't as of yet knocking on our door asking for an accepting shoulder to cry on or for a rainbow flag to wave, but at the same time, I think we ought to make it clear that when he's ready, we'll have it for him.

One could make the case that an outed notorious homophobe could be a powerful ally. And certainly many survivors of the "ex-gay" movement are today advocating fiercely for LGBT causes. But could we forgive Dr. George Rekers (or someone like him) if he came to us tomorrow as a repentant homophobe and openly gay man? Should we?

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reposted from JMG

Via JMG: The Evil Of Dr. George Rekers

Head over to Rob Tisinai's blog and read some excerpts from the 2008 gay adoption trial in Florida where "expert witness" Dr. George Rekers testified against a gay couple attempting to adopt two young brothers. We've had a lot of fun at Rekers' expense here over the last week, but let's not lose sight of the evil he has perpetrated against gay families.

reposted from JMG

Bryan Safi vs Faux 'Mo

Via Belrico: Be The Math

Filed by: Kate Clinton

May 9, 2010 4:00 PM

My dear girlfriend cheerfully admits she is a numbers nerd.

She can read, remember and interpret a pie chart or a power point graph like nobody's business.

While she's parsing the percentages, I tend to muse about the color palette they've chosen. Why that yellow with fuchsia?

Not to imply that she sees things in black and white. She loves data and thanks to the recent work of the Williams Institute, the Movement Advancement Project and many academic LGBT studies, she has hard data aplenty to mull over.

And I've decided a teal palette is universally appealing.

But check out these stats.

Continue reading "Be The Math" »

via : Pres. Truman's grandson: End the gay ban

May 9th, 2010

His grandfather desegregated the military - now he calls on Obama to do the right thing. Read more...

Quote of the Day

"a decent society is one that does not humiliate its members"

- Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

Why we love Betty White

Via JMG: Betty White's Dusty Muffin

Too much?



UPDATE: I've replaced the "Dusty Muffin" clip with this Hulu edit which contains all of Betty's bits from last night's show.reposted from JMG

Via JMG: National And State LGBT Organizations Step Up To Protect Rekers' Rentboy

An impressive group of state and national LGBT organizations have expressed their support for Jo-Vanni Roman, the Miami rentboy caught in the middle of the best/worst scandal to hit the anti-gay political machine in years. The above listed organizations and other skilled Florida-based professionals have all indicated their willingness to step in with their widely varied areas of expertise, should the situation become appropriate for their involvement. The leaders of these organizations have agreed to lend their names to this show of solidarity by the nation's LGBT community.

Equality Florida: Nadine Smith, Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights: Kate Kendall, Executive Director
Norm Kent: Civil Rights Attorney, Publisher and Editor, South Florida Gay News
Truth Wins Out: Wayne Besen, Executive Director
The Trevor Project: Charles Robinson, Executive Director
Lambda Legal: Gregory Nevins, Senior Staff Attorney, Southern Regional Office
Fifteen Minutes Publicity: Howard Bragman, Chairman

Noted Hollywood publicity agent Howard Bragman, who specializes in media crisis management, has volunteered to help Jo-Vanni Roman navigate the deluge of interview requests. They are scheduled to speak today. Florida-based attorney Ron Gunzburger has also made an offer of pro bono support, should the need arise. Other national and state organizations may be added to this list in the next few days.

Special thanks go out to Father Tony Adams, who worked as our point person in Florida on this effort. Of course, there is a hope that none of these esteemed groups will need to step in at all, but we MUST circle the wagons around this kid right now, lest our enemies sense that he is vulnerable to whatever repulsive plans they may have.

Thanks very much to all of the JMG readers who have contacted me with expressions of support, advice, and offers of money. We are trying to work through all of your emails and get back to every one of you. Later this week, we may create a PayPal account for young Jo-Vanni, should his financial situation become dire.

Today is a day to be proud of our people, I know I am.

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reposted from JMG

Via Care 2:

Shave Your Head and Donate the Hair! Hair Booms to the Rescue! Shave Your Head and Donate the Hair! Hair Booms to the Rescue! Environment (tags: oil spill, human hair, booms, hair mats, volunteers, Gulf of Mexico, donations ) Jenny - 1 day ago - dandelionsalad.wordpress.com Please donate your old pantyhose to the Gulf Coast oil disaster cleanup, right now; shave your head and donate the hair! Our goal is to carry a 3 room apartment U-haul from NYC to Gulf Shores 7 days from now. In order to keep what we have

Spectral Display - It Takes A Muscle