Saturday, March 24, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma March 24, 2012
The View From Above
Things simply happen—we do our rituals, we travel about, we bear children, live among them, and die. We can’t change these facts, but if we cultivate awareness that everyone, everywhere has similar experiences of life and death, it can take the urgency out of our responses, opening a space for equanimity to arise. |
- Manjusura, “The View From Above”
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Via AmericaBlogGay:
Adviser 1: So the gays are pushing hard on this gay marriage thing.
Advier 2: EEEK! [runs from room].
Adviser 3: Who are they gonna vote for, Romney?
Adviser 4: Uh, yeah.
I'm not voting for Romney. But a sizable minority of gays will. Remember that while only 23% of gays voted for Bush in 2004, 27% voted for McCain because he seemed vaguely more pro-gay. Fast forward to 2012. Romney is FAR more pro-gay than John McCain - well, to be precise, Romney WAS far more pro-gay than John McCain, back when he was pro-choice, pro- the health care mandate, etc. And it won't be a stretch for some gay voters, and some independents straight and gay, to say "oh Romney, he's just pretending to be a conservative, we know he's really liberal in his heart." After all, isn't that the message that everyone says about Romney, left and right?
So I think it benefits the President to come out for marriage equality for a variety of reasons.
Obama’s top political advisers have held serious discussions with leading Democrats about the upsides and downsides of coming out for gay marriage before the fall election, a Democratic strategist who has discussed these matters directly with Obama's campaign inner circle tells me.
This does not mean that it will happen, and there are plenty of reasons to assume it won’t. Indeed, it would be political malpractice if Obama’s top advisers didn’t discuss every permutation and possibility, no matter how far fetched. However, the fact that it has been discussed seriously at high levels means it’s not out of the question.
Those advisers are convinced that Obama will make this call based on his gut, and ultimately without regard to the fine-grained political analysis of the situation, the source says.
If this were just about the President's gut, then he'd already be announcing his support. After all, he was for gay marriage all the way back in 1996. The only plausible reason for his change is because he decided to run for national office. So this isn't about his gut. It's about whether his gut overrules his political calculus. And, as Joe and I have argued many a time, even the political calculus argues in favor of the President coming out again for marriage equality.
After all, the Republicans already say that the President is in favor of gay marriage. That's what they're going to tell black voters, southern voters, blue collar voters and all the rest. Why not own it and make it a positive?
Friday, March 23, 2012
Via JMG: NOM's Starbucks Boycott: Day One
On the first full official day of NOM's boycott, yesterday Starbucks' stock price Via JMG: Freedom To Marry Launches New Drive
Via press release: Today Freedom to Marry announced the Win More States Fund to raise at least $3 million dollars, every penny of which will be spent directly on the work of winning in five 2012 marriage battleground states: Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington. “Winning marriage at the ballot in even one state will take away the last desperate talking-point our opponents use to disparage the gains we are making across the country,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide. “In each of our battleground states, Freedom to Marry is taking a lead role alongside local families and leaders, adding talent and resources on the frontlines to do the critical work necessary to win.”With five states on the 2012 ballot, it's almost a rerun of 2004. This time, however, three of the state battles can end in legalization.
Via JMG: Finland Considers Gay Marriage
The government of Finland has begun debating a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage. Considered one of the most conservative Nordic nations, there is already a relationship register in the country for same-sex couples, which has been in place since 2002. The new amendment would end the separation between heterosexual marriages and same-sex partnerships and allow all couples to share a surname and adopt children. The amendment would have no bearing on religious groups, and would only redefine civil marriages. The Finnish Parliament have now sent the initiative to the Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, where its passage is uncertain. The draft amendment was signed by 76 of the 200 members of Parliament, with more lawmakers including Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen expected to vote for it, Reuters reports.Norway and Sweden have already legalized gay marriage.
Via JMG: RUSSIA: St. Petersburg Authorities Threaten To Arrest Madonna
Earlier this week Madonna vowed to break St. Petersburg's new "don't say gay" law during her coming concert. Today the bill's author declared that he will be at the venue and will charge Madonna, should she break the new law against promoting homosexuality.The law, which took effect March 11, in part prohibits “the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors.” Gay rights activists say it would criminalize even reading, writing or speaking about gay, lesbian, or transgender people. Violations can carry hefty fines, ranging from about $170 for individuals up to $16,700 or organizations and businesses. The bill’s author, city assemblyman Vitaly Milanov, says he wants Madonna charged under the new law if she speaks out against it during her concert. He said he was willing to attend the show “to control its moral content.” “I’m ready to personally suffer a couple of hours of her concert,” he told the Russian Interfax news agency.Some Russian LGBT activists have denounced Madonna's refusal to cancel. Famed activist Nikolai Aleksev:"“The law will stay in force, Madonna will leave and the Russian LGBT community will be humiliated even more." Other gay groups say they welcome any attention Madonna can bring to their plight.
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma March 23, 2012
Constant Vigilance
The crucial point is to maintain constant vigilance over and awareness of our mental state so that, at the moment that afflictive emotions rise up, they will not trigger a chain of deluded thoughts. Thus, we neither let desire overwhelm our mind, nor do we repress it while leaving it intact in a hidden corner of the mind. We simply become free from its alienating power. |
- Matthieu Ricard, “Working with Desire”
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Via JMG: SF Gay Men's Chorus: Testimony
Clip description: In writing TESTIMONY, Stephen Schwartz collaborated with Dan Savage, creator of the groundbreaking "It Gets Better Project." Schwartz has set the heartfelt words from the "It Gets Better" videos to music, weaving them into a breathtaking, emotional new masterpiece that speaks to anyone who has ever felt out of place. The song urges LGBT youth to hang on, telling them they're not alone, and showing them that life gets better. TESTIMONY was recorded and engineered by Leslie Ann Jones, the legendary multi Grammy award-winning Director of Music Recording at Skywalker Sound. Performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus under the direction of Dr. Timothy Seelig.Get a tissue. Get three tissues. Devastating.
posted by Joe
Via JMG: The Day Of Monologue
Yesterday I posted one of the "conversation cards" that Focus Of The Bully plans to use to bully gay kids on next month's Day Of Silence. Today the Friendly Atheist posts a reader-submitted satire, The Day Of Monologue.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Via JMG: European Court Of Human Rights: Gay People Have No Right To Marriage
In a surprising blow to Europe's same-sex marriage movement, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that gay people have no inherent right to the same civil marriage that their neighbors do. The ruling came in a case in which two French lesbians petitioned the court to jointly adopt a child as a married couple. With their heads up their European asses, the court cited the couple's civil union as proof that they are not discriminated against in France, where only married couples may adopt.
They declared: ‘The European Convention on Human Rights does not require member states’ governments to grant same-sex couples access to marriage.’ The judges added that couples who are not married do not enjoy the same status as those who are. ‘With regard to married couples, the court considers that in view of the social, personal, and legal consequences of marriage, the applicants’ legal situation could not be said to be comparable to that of married couples.’ The French civil partners, Valerie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, tried to secure marriage rights under clauses that prevent discrimination and protect privacy and family life. But the Strasbourg judges said there had been no discrimination against them because they were lesbians.The ruling is being praised by Britain's religious establishment, which is working to thwart Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to legalize same-sex marriage in England and Wales.
Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said: ‘For too long campaigners have been using the language of rights in an attempt to add moral force to what are nothing more than personal desires. ‘In many cases they have bypassed the democratic process and succeeded in imposing their views on the rest of the population by force of law. ‘We are seeing the same principle at work in the Government’s sham of a consultation on same-sex marriage.’ He added: ‘The ruling from the ECHR will embolden those whose concerns about same-sex marriage and adoption are not inspired by personal hatred and animosity, but by a genuine concern for the well-being of children and the welfare of society.And as you'd expect, NOM is doing handsprings.
Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Madonna
"I will come to St. Petersburg to speak up for the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed. I’m a freedom fighter. I don’t run away from adversity. I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity."- Madonna, announcing that she will break the new law against "promoting homosexuality" during her Russian concerts. LGBT activists have beseeched Madonna to cancel the Russian portion of the tour entirely, but I think they'll be happy with this response.RELATED: During Madonna's 2006 tour, the Russian Orthodox Church picketed her concerts because she performed Live To Tell wearing a crown of thorns while suspended on a cross.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
JMG HomoQuotable - Carl Siciliano
"Cardinal Dolan, I pray that you might be able to open your eyes and your heart to the cruel suffering LGBT youths endure when their parents reject them. I invite you to visit the Ali Forney Center, only 30 blocks from St. Patrick's Cathedral, and meet with youths whose Catholic parents drove them from their homes. I want you to hear them tell you what it is like to have their parents be ashamed of them, and tell them that they are against God. I want you to see what their lives are like alone, unloved, and abandoned in the streets. I hope that by meeting our kids you can understand the pain and anguish you help to cause."Decent people protect children from harm. I want you to be that decent person. I hope decent Christians will join me in demanding that religious leaders stop promoting homophobia. As the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, and as the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, you may well be the most influential religious leader in the country, and could make an enormous difference in this crisis of family rejection. I hope and pray that you can stop fighting the acceptance of LGBT people as equal citizens. I want you to understand how LGBT youth suffer because of such a fight. Please see these rejected children through the eyes of a pastor and figure out a way to stop causing them to be harmed." - Carl Siciliano, writing for Huffington Post.
Read the full essay.
Labels: Ali Forney Center, Carl Siciliano, Catholic Church, homelessness, LGBT youth, NYC, religion, Timothy Dolan
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma March 20, 2012
Practicing With Loss
Loss is a fact of life. Impermanence is everywhere we look. We are all going to suffer our losses. How we deal with these losses is what makes all the difference. For it is not what happens to us that determines our character, our experience, our karma, and our destiny, but how we relate to what happens. |
- Lama Surya Das, "Practicing With Loss"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Via AmericaBlog Gay:
Monday, March 19, 2012
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