About Buddhism

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

Atisha (11th century Tibetan Buddhist master)

Via JMG: Arizona Legislators Give Standing Ovation To Gay Shooting Hero Daniel Hernandez

Moments ago, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer led her state's legislators in a standing ovation for openly gay hero Daniel Hernandez, who is credited with saving the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Labels: Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, heroes, Tucson

reposted from Joe

Via Courage Campaign:

"I think it's important for all leaders... not just leaders of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party... to say, look, we can't stand for this...we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is that the way that she has it depicted has the cross-hairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they've got to realize there's consequences to that action." -Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, March 25, 2010 Dear Daniel: I know something about senseless violence. I have never met Congresswoman Giffords, nor Judge Roll, nor any of the other victims of the shocking massacre that occurred Saturday in Tucson. But I recall as though it were yesterday the assassinations in 1978 of my friend and mentor Harvey Milk along with San Francisco Mayor Moscone. As if that were not enough, only seven years later, I was stabbed by a group of skinheads screaming "faggot." For me, political violence has never been hypothetical. Harvey received so many death threats that he stopped looking at them. He almost assumed he would be killed, because of the hate speech and incendiary language that foes of equality hurled with impunity. On Saturday, it happened again. While no one knows for sure what drove Jared Loughner to commit this heinous act, we do know that the toxic political discourse in this country today- candidates talking about "second amendment remedies", news networks featuring anti-government conspiracy theorists, and national political figures like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin describing themselves as "progressive hunters" and urging followers to "reload"- lays the groundwork for this kind of violence (1, 2, 3, 4). We shouldn't stand for it. It has to stop. That's why today the Courage Campaign calls on Rep. Darrell Issa, the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to investigate the ties between violence and increasing calls for it in our national political dialogue. Mr. Issa has promised to hold a hearing every day on various Obama administration programs and legislation. What about hearings on what led to this attack? How about an investigation into increasing calls for violence from national political figures, organizations, and the media? It's time for him to call hearings now on the environment that led to the deaths. We know that law enforcement and the judiciary will bring the perpetrators to justice. But that's only this time. What about next time? We will never end this violence until we have an honest national dialogue about who and what is feeding it, and determine the steps that can be taken to prevent more violence. Will you join me in calling on Chairman Issa to investigate how overheated political rhetoric can contribute to such violence? Let us do more than bring the shooter to justice. Let us put the spotlight on those who are teaching the next shooter that violence is the answer. Join me in calling on Chairman Issa to convene hearings, so that we may again become a nation of democracy and debate, rather than mob rule and violence. Together, Cleve Jones (1) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/politics/09giffords.html (2) http://twitter.com/sarahpalinusa/status/10935548053 (3) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/1016/Did-Glenn-Beck-s-rhetoric-inspire-violence (4) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/16/sharron-angle-floated-2nd_n_614003.html

Melissa Etheridge - I'm The Only One (Live at the Kodak Theatre)

Via HimalayaCrafts:

Wall Photos

Looking at the faults of others only embitters the heart.

♥ Om Mani Padme Hum ♥

By: HimalayaCrafts

Via JMG: Here's How Giffords' Opponent Sold Himself In The 2010 Campaign

Andrew Sullivan: "If you are not disturbed by what it proclaims as the essence of true conservatism - a sunglasses wearing soldier with a machine gun in his open crotch - you should be."

NOTE: For those unaware, "RINO" means "Republican in name only." The acronym is commonly used on sites like Free Republic to mock members of the GOP who express anything other than hard-right philosophies. Similarly, some Democrats have taken up "DINO" to describe Blue Dog Dems and other Democrats who support right-of-center ideals.

Labels: 2010 elections, Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, teabaggers

reposted from Joe

CNN - Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' Intern Credited For Saving Her Life!

Via JMG: Tweet Of The Day - Lt. Dan Choi

Labels: Barack Obama, Dan Choi, Gabrielle Giffords, heroes

reposted from Joe

MSNBC - Tucson mayor looks for 'return of civility' - Giffords Arizona Palin Loughner

Via JMG: Openly Gay Intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. Credited With Saving Life Of Rep. Giffords

Daniel Hernandez Jr., the 20-year old student intern credited with saving the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, confirmed to the Dallas Voice this morning that he is openly gay.

Hernandez, who confirmed that he is gay in an interview with Instant Tea on Sunday morning, is a member of the City of Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. “She’s been a great ally to the LGBT community,” Hernandez said of Giffords during the brief interview across a bad connection. According to the Arizona Republic, Hernandez was standing about 30 feet from Giffords during the “Congress on Your Corner” event outside a Safeway store near Tucson. When the gunshots began, Hernandez ran toward them and began checking the pulses of people who’d been hit. When Hernandez got to Giffords, he used his hand to apply pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap and held her upright so she wouldn’t choke on her blood. Hernandez used his hand to apply pressure to the wound until someone brought clean smocks from the meat department of the grocery store. He stayed with Giffords until paramedics arrived, then climbed into an ambulance with her. On the way to the hospital, he squeezed her hand and she squeezed back

Hernandez is a junior at the University of Arizona where he is a political science major. Drop by his Facebook page and let him know how proud of him he all are.

NOTE: The website for the Dallas Voice is presently showing an "Account Suspended" message. It's possible that this news has caused the site to temporarily exceed its hosting agreement. I'll update this post if more is learned.

Labels: Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, heroes, Tucson

reposted from Joe

Kate Clinton...

Via JMG: Cindy Jacobs: God Will Destroy CA With An Earthquake If Prop 8 Is Repealed

"A pastor of a large Nazarene Church had a dream of a very large earthquake on the central coast. He shared this at the Christmas gathering for all the Santa Maria Pastors and 5 cities area. Because of the destruction and intensity of the quake he thought he should tell the Pastors so they could pray into it. Another intercessor in the area had a dream and saw a map of California. She noticed on the map how Pt. Conception juts out into the water. As she looked she saw an 8 with a circle beside it in the waters off Pt Conception. Prop 8 is a foundational covenant issue, i.e. issue of marriage, in the state. If the state supreme court does not uphold it, a covenant issue is broken with God. Judgment is looming." - Whackadoodle preacher Cindy Jacobs, who says God will split California in half if Proposition 8 is repealed.

Labels: bigotry, California, crazy people, Proposition 8, religion

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Andrew Breitbart

"The point is to welcome people into the big tent. I'm working on getting a venue. The first annual Roy Cohn CPAC Breitbart Homocon Welcoming 80's Extravaganza. I'm thinking of DJ-ing." - Wingnut commentator Andrew Breitbart, invoking the name of the most detested self-loathing homosexual in history to describe the party he says he'll throw for GOProud at this year's CPAC.

Breitbart, who says he supports GOProud's inclusion at the event, is using the controversy to ramp up his long-running feud with World Net Daily. We thank him for making the GOProud-Roy Cohn connection.

Labels: Andrew Breitbart, CPAC, GOProud, homocons, kapos, Quislings, Quote Of The Day, Roy Cohn, World Net Daily

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Gore Vidal

"She is too stupid to deserve an answer." - Gore Vidal, responding to Michele Bachmann's claim that she became a Republican after being horrified by Vidal's "trashing" of the Founding Fathers in his 1973 novel, Burr.

Labels: crazy people, Gore Vidal, HomoQuotable, Michele Bachmann

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Chick-Fil-A Has Deep Anti-Gay Affiliations

Yesterday Chick-Fil-A finally addressed the news that it was sponsoring an anti-gay marriage seminar hosted by the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

"To our Facebook community: First and foremost, thanks for your patience as we made sure we gathered the facts in regards to recent postings. We have determined that one of our independent Restaurant Operators in Pennsylvania was asked to provide sandwiches to two Art of Marriage video seminars," said the restaurant. "As our fans, you know we do our best to serve our local communities, and one of the ways we do that is by providing food to schools, colleges, civic groups, businesses, places of worship, not-for-profit groups, etc. At his discretion, the local Operator agreed to simply provide a limited amount of food. Our Chick-fil-A Operators and their employees try very hard every day to go the extra mile in serving ALL of our customers with honor, dignity and respect."

That seems to be a reasonable response, right? Oh, but hang on. Good As You's dogged Jeremy Hooper has uncovered extensive ties between Chick-Fil-A's charitable arm, the WinShape Foundation, and virtually all of the major organizations fighting marriage equality, including NOM's Ruth Institute, which famously demanded that gays return the "Christian rainbow." So much for "honor, dignity and respect." Chick-Fil-A's press release is nothing by lying bullshittery. Hit the link for the evidence.

Labels: bigotry, fast food, liars, NOM, religion, Ruth Institute

reposted from Joe

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