(Via - Good As You)
reposted from Joe
Friday, September 23, 2011
Via JMG: Keith Olbermann Rips Rick Perry's Anti-Gay Florida Campaign Leader
Olbermann takes on Rick Perry's Florida campaign leader, who says God sends natural disasters to express displeasure with gay marriage. She can also raise the dead! SRSLY. Glory! Praise Jeebus!
(Via - Good As You)
reposted from Joe
(Via - Good As You)
reposted from Joe
Via JMG: Frothy Mix: I Never Heard Any Boos
"I condemn the people who booed that gay soldier. That soldier is serving our country, I thank him for his service to our country. I’m sure he’s doing an excellent job. I hope he is safe, and I hope he returns safely, and does his mission well. I have to admit, I seriously did not hear those boos. Had I heard them, I certainly would have commented on them. But as you know, when you’re in that sort of environment, you’re focused on the question and formulating your answer. And I just didn’t hear those couple of boos that were out there. But certainly, had I, I would have said that that was — I would have said, don’t do that, this man is serving our country, and we are to thank him for his service." - Rick Santorum, speaking on Fox News.Via AmericaBlog:
Thursday night, during the Republican presidential debate, an American soldier serving in Iraq was booed by the audience simply for saying that he was gay, and for asking a question about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
And none of the GOP candidates on stage said a word in his defense.
Please join former Army Captains Tanya L. Domi, James E. Pietrangelo, II, Brenda S. "Sue" Fulton, Jonathan Hopkins, and former West Point cadet Katherine Miller in signing an open letter demanding that all the Republican presidential candidates denounce the disrespect that was shown to soldier Stephen Hill during the Republican debate.
Click here to watch the shocking video, and to read and sign the open letter.
The media is all over this story now, and everyone is talking about the tacit silence of the GOP candidates. If enough of you join Tanya, Jim, Sue, Jonathan and Katherine in signing the open letter, we have a real chance at publicly shaming each and every one of the candidates into doing the right thing.
As you already know, this isn't about politics, it doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat, and it has nothing to do with where you stand on the issue of gays in the military. This is about showing an American service member a basic level of respect for serving this country.
Please join me in signing the open letter, signed by four former military members and a former West Point cadet, asking the Republican presidential candidates to speak out against the disrespectful way in which soldier Stephen Hill was treated during last Thursday night's debate. Click here to watch the video and to sign.
Thanks so much,
John Aravosis, AMERICAblog
Via Ben Betz, People For the American Way:
Perhaps the only thing scarier than the Republican presidential candidates are the right-wing crowds at their debates. At last night's Fox News debate, the crowd actually booed a gay soldier who asked a question about Don't Ask Don't Tell! At the first debate, mention of Rick Perry's record-setting number of state executions as governor drew huge applause. And the crowd at the first official Tea Party debate cheered just as raucously for the suggestion that the way to deal with a sick person without health insurance is to "let him die." Of course, in all these instances, the candidates said nothing to dissuade the crowd.
Don't let these people pick the next President! We need your help now to keep Perry, Romney and Bachmann OUT of the White House. Renew your support today and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, DOUBLING your impact!
Don't let these people pick the next President! We need your help now to keep Perry, Romney and Bachmann OUT of the White House. Renew your support today and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, DOUBLING your impact!
Via JMG: GOP Debates Recap
Three major GOP debates so far and what have we seen?
CHEERS for the death penalty.
CHEERS for letting people die without insurance.
BOOS for active duty gay soldiers.
All the blah-blah-blah from the candidates - almost ignored. It's the audience reactions that keep garnering the press. It's the unbridled gleeful hatred of the Tea Party that keeps earning all those cable news video clips.
'Barb' posted September 16, 2011 letter to U.S. National Spiritual Assembly regarding "homosexual lifestyle"
'Barb' posted September 16, 2011 letter to U.S. National Spiritual Assembly regarding "homosexual lifestyle"
Dear Baha'i Friends,
Dear Baha'i Friends,
In your January 3, 2011 letter to the American Baha'is, you shared the following guidance from the Baha'i Universal House of Justice:
The purpose of the Faith of Baha'u'llah is the realization of the organic unity of the entire human race, and Baha'is are enjoined to eliminate from their lives all forms of prejudice and to manifest respect towards all. Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the Faith.
The term “homosexual lifestyle,” which has been used by both individual Baha'is and Baha'i institutions, exemplifies regarding homosexuals with prejudice and disdain, as it is always used in a negative sense. The term has no inherent meaning and makes no more sense than “heterosexual lifestyle.”
Consider the infinite variety of “lifestyles” of the heterosexual: bar-hopper or tee-totaler, sexually promiscuous or celibate, monogamous or advocate of free love, drug addict or avoider of even an aspirin, organic gardener or fast-food fan, greedy or philanthropic, convicted criminal or saint of church/synagogue/mosque, religious or atheist, hardworking or slothful, morally degenerate or of high moral fiber, etc.
It is apparent that the term “heterosexual lifestyle” has no meaning. The word “heterosexual” refers to one's sexual orientation, the word “lifestyle” to one's habit of living. The term “homosexual lifestyle” is just as meaningless, for the variety of lifestyles of homosexuals is just as great as for heterosexuals – it would make as much sense to refer to a “brunette lifestyle” or “left-handed lifestyle.”
In addition, the term “homosexual lifestyle” has the effect of making gays/lesbians feel as if their sexual identity is supposed to be something trivial which can be discarded at will, as one would a suit of clothes – it trivializes the identity of a significant segment of the world's population. It's like saying to Black or Jewish people that their identity is a trivial thing.
In summary, “heterosexual” and “homosexual” are terms denoting a person's sexual orientation, as the Universal House of Justice acknowledges. To associate one or the other with a particular “lifestyle” is unfair.
You should know that this letter will be posted on the website “Gay/Lesbian Baha'i Story Project” because it deals with a subject of interest to many of our readers, and that any reply will be posted as well, for the same reason.
Respectfully,
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Via JMG: Sesame Street Takes On Glee
Complete with at least one obviously gay character and a protest glittering at the end. SRSLY. Stand by for some outraged screeching from the professionally butt-hurt.
(Tipped by JMG reader Danielle)
reposted from Joe
(Tipped by JMG reader Danielle)
reposted from Joe
Via AmericaBlogGay: Obama mentions gays during UN address in NYC
Yes, actions speak louder than words, but a US president speaking this way to an international body is actually quite significant. Here's the relevant part of what he said:
And to make sure our societies reach their potential, we must allow our citizens to reach theirs. No country can afford the cancer of corruption. Together, we must harness the power of open societies and open economies. That is why we have partnered with countries from across the globe to launch a new partnership on Open Government that helps ensure accountability and empower their citizens. No country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere. And no country can realize its potential if half its population cannot reach theirs. This week, the United States signed a new Declaration on Women’s Participation. Next year, we should each announce the steps we are taking to break down economic and political barriers that stand in the way of women and girls. That is what our commitment to human progress demands.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Via JMG: "Peace Is Hard" President Obama UN Speech To The General Assembly pt.3
Via AmericaBlogGay: I heart Rob Reiner
http://gay.americablog.com/2011/09/i-heart-rob-reiner.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AMERICAblogGay+%28AMERICAblog+Gay%29
After today, our enemies can no longer claim we don't serve openly in our military, as well, when attempting to make the case we should be second class citizens. We are able to openly fight and risk our lives for our country in our nation's armed forces. We should be able to marry our spouses as well.
After today, our enemies can no longer claim we don't serve openly in our military, as well, when attempting to make the case we should be second class citizens. We are able to openly fight and risk our lives for our country in our nation's armed forces. We should be able to marry our spouses as well.
Via AmericaBlogGay: DADT: Lest we forget who the true villains were
President Clinton gets a lot of flack for instituting the policy of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," but I remember who the true villains of the day were. It is instructive to note that it was conservatives in the Democratic party, like Sam Nunn, who were instrumental in overturning Clinton's desire to openly integrate the military.
I remember, as a submarine veteran, how horrified I was that conservative Senator Nunn had a press briefing onboard a submarine to prove how incompatible service would be for those of us who might be gay serving "in close quarters on a ship that spends lots of time underwater." I wish some of those press stenographers would have interviewed me, inadvertently serving as Protestant Lay Reader while proving gays could serve in any environment.
Why is this important? Easy answer. Our relatively progressive Democratic party is only as intelligent and strong as the most backwards conservative member of the Democratic caucus when it comes to social policies. The Democratic party cedes inordinate amount of power to conservative Blue Dogs who continuously undercut its ability to move our country forward, and provide the opportunity to more starkly contrast itself to the ultra conservative Republicans.
For instance, I remember the pathetic response from my Democratic representative in congress, Dan Boren, regarding open military service for gays and lesbians. Of course, Dan NEVER served in the military, but does serve on the House Armed Services Committee, and his conservative principals, and maybe all those persistent rumors about his dad, Senator David Boren, guided him to decide open service wasn't a good idea.
One needs to ask themselves, "How many times does President Clinton, instead of Senator Sam Nunn, get blamed for 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'?" and you will have your answer as to just how damaging it is to allow conservatives to craft policy.
Also, we would be remiss to not remind ourselves the overturning of DADT didn't happen in a vacuum. The gay blogs and activists were directly responsible for stopping conservatives from ruining the potential to finally realize this victory. It is instructive to google "slow walk AMERICAblog Gay DADT" to read the number of times, here, here and here, this particular gay blog PUSHED AND PRODDED the Obama administration to do the right thing while conservative "Chicken Littles," within the Obama Administration and Democratic caucus, pushed for Obama to back away from this obvious victory.
It would serve President Obama well, in the future, to use this example to note just how much attention needs to be paid to the conservative voices advising them to not move forward. If I were Obama, I would provide conservatives in the Democratic party attention indirectly proportional to the amount of noise they make while gnashing their teeth over any policy that would please his base and move this country forward. In fact, his reelection might just hinge on his finally ignoring the wrong way conservatives in his own party.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
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