JMG Quote Of The Day - Richard Socarides

"Last night in Charlotte, the Democratic Party made history as the first national party to offer a platform endorsing marriage equality for all Americans. The move followed, of course, President Obama's personal endorsement of same-sex marriage in May. Both were important moments for me, here as a delegate for New York, and many others at the convention who have fought for full equality for gays and lesbians over many years. It was a completely different scene in Tampa last week.

"When Ann Romney spoke about her own 'real marriage' at the Republican National Convention, I wondered if this admittedly likable woman auditioning for a role as first lady would someday try to stand in the way of my marriage. I thought: can Mitt Romney stop gay marriage? Does he even want to? [snip]

"I asked Evan Wolfson, President of the group Freedom to Marry and the founder of the marriage equality movement nationally, whether he though Mitt Romney could stop marriage equality or if he thought Romney even cared. 'He has staked out a position, whether sincerely or otherwise, to the right of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush'” said Wolfson. 'We have no reason to think he's not serious.'

So while I welcome my pro-equality friends in the GOP to the cause—they see the future—I'm happier in Charlotte than I would have been in Tampa. And I hope that the country sticks with the president it's got." - Former Clinton White House advisor Richard Socarides, writing for the Daily Beast.

Read the full article.

Labels: Barack Obama, Charlotte, Democrats, DNC, LGBT History, LGBT rights, Mitt Romney, Quote Of The Day, Richard Socarides

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma September 5, 2012

Accessing Joy

Whether we are paying careful attention to wholesome states when they arise, reflecting on gratitude, or feeling the delight of living with integrity (which the Buddha called 'the bliss of blamelessness'), we can access joy by shifting the focus of our awareness to what uplifts the heart.

- James Baraz, "Lighten Up!"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through September 7th, 2012
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member

Via FB:

Via I love it when I wake up in the morning and Barack Obama is President. / FB:

Via America Blog Gay: Pro-Romney ad bashes gays

Well that didn't take long.The man who claimed to be more pro-gay than even Ted Kennedy, now has gay-bashing ads running that warn America that "gay marriage" will be forced upon them over their morning coffee.The ads were produced by a pro-Romney SuperPAC tied to fey religous right leader...

Read the whole entry »

Via Freedom to Marry / FB:

History has been made. Join us in thanking the Democratic Party for becoming the first major political party to include the freedom to marry in it's platform. http://bit.ly/Q30qDh

Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Andrew Tobias

"The Democratic Party under the leadership of Barack Obama has dramatically improved the lives of millions of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual Americans and at no cost to anyone else. In college, I thought I was the only guy in the world who liked other guys. Later I found there was someone else like me, our 26-year-old resident tutor. He and I never talked about it at the time. No one talked about being gay back then. People killed themselves over being gay. Tragically, some kids still do.

"But, the progress we have made. Eight weeks ago, I attended that young tutor's wedding! To a guy! He and I never talked about it at the time. Love that had been unspeakable 46 years ago was celebrated by hundreds of people—straight and gay, surfers and senators. In a way, it was a wedding that married my two topics—money and equality—because that young tutor had grown up to become the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank.

"Vote for equality, my friends. Vote for prosperity. Vote for Barack Obama. Vote Democrat." - Openly gay Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias, raising the issue of LGBT rights tonight within 30 minutes of the opening of the convention. Yeah, there's no difference between the two parties.

Labels: Andrew Tobias, Barney Frank, Charlotte, Democrats, DNC, gay politicians, LGBT rights

Reposted from Joe

Why I am extremely proud to be a Citizen of the USA tonight, and EQUALLY Proud to be a democrat!

Via Gay Politics Report:

• Democrats’ evolution on marriage to be finalized this week
   
• When the Democratic Party approves a new platform document this week embracing full marriage rights for same-sex couples, the vote will cap a complete transition on the issue since former President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Advocates say the platform language is a "societal cue" to those struggling with their own views about marriage equality. Some at last week’s Republican National Convention tried to get their party to ease its official opposition to partnership rights for same-sex couples, but they were not successful. San Francisco Chronicle (9/2), The Boston Globe/The Associated Press (tiered subscription model) (9/4)     

Via JMG: Scott Lively: We Need To Run Gay-Friendly Politicians Out With Tar And Feathers

"Now we know that when the leftists attempt to push a 'gay fascism bill' in politically conservative areas, our response must be to create controversy to draw public attention to the bill so that the people wake up and realize there’s a problem. Throw out the old playbook of acting nice and trying to persuade the public officials through reason. They think they are smarter than you all anyhow and have already made up their minds. They need to see angry crowds with tar and feathers in hand coming to run them out of office! Indeed, the Mayor of Springfield complained to the media that he was extremely bothered by threats of recall by the citizens.

"If you find out there’s a 'gay fascism bill'” coming to your conservative town and need help exposing it to the public, just give me a call and I’ll come to help. Invite me to give a speech on my book The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party or address the global threat of homosexuality – or to give a give a sermon or lecture on ANY aspect of the homosexual issue. When they hear I’m coming to town every left-wing fanatic for miles around will start wailing and gnashing their teeth, and normal people will start popping their heads up to see what’s going on. Once that snowball of public controversy starts down the hill it takes very little effort to keep it rolling till it smashes right through the doors of city hall like an avalanche." - Hate group leader Scott Lively, writing for World Net Daily.

Labels: bigotry, douchenozzles, evil, hate groups, LGBT rights, religion, Scott Lively, World Net Daily

Reposted from Joe

Via FB:

Via JMG: John Aravosis Vs Jennifer Rubin

Americablog founder John Aravosis appeared on CNN to debate convention coverage with wingnut blogger Jennifer Rubin. Things get "a little heated" as Aravosis put it. Watch this.

Labels: AmericaBlog, DNC, GOP, John Aravosis, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: DNC Button: Sluts Vote

Dana Loesch is outraged:

"Because nothing says 'respect women; like wearing a giant slut button. Respect women, even when they reduce themselves to nothing more than vaginas in a craft project gone horribly wrong and advocate for female genocide. Who's declaring a war on whom?"

You just have to laugh.

Labels: asshats, birth control, Dana Loesch, DNC

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Dublin Endorses Marriage Equality

Great news via press release from Ireland Marriage Equality:

Today Marriage Equality welcomes the news that Dublin City Council has passed a motion in support of civil marriage for same sex couples. Two motions in support of marriage equality were put forward - by councillors from Labour and Sinn Féin - and passed at last night's council meeting, having been considered jointly. Dublin City Council joins Cork City Council and Belfast City Council, who passed similar motions in June, as well as Omagh, Down, Moyle and Magherafelt District Councils who passed motions during the summer months.

"This is a wonderful step by Dublin City Council to raise awareness of this important issue at a local level. We'd like to thank the councillors from both Labour and Sinn Féin for their initiative, and our supporters in Dublin who spoke to their councillors over the last few months about raising the issue," said Marriage Equality Director Moninne Griffith. "Marriage equality is not just a national issue, it's a local one. It's about respecting and protecting loving couples and families who are part of our communities and treating them as equal. That is why putting the issue on the agenda at local level is so important."

The vote was 38-4!

Labels: Ireland, LGBT rights, marriage equality

Reposted from Joe

Via Buddhist Boot Camp / FB:

Meditating is the ability to control the mind from drifting away from whatever it is you want it to stay focused on. Gardening can be a meditation, building model airplanes, painting, or, of course, sitting down for a few minutes and focusing on the breath and nothing else. It's difficult at first because we've never trained the mind to listen to us. But once you are in control of your mind, everything else in life is a piece of cake... ooh, did someone say CAKE? see.. there goes that mind again. :)

Even if you sit for twenty minutes and spend twenty minutes trying to bring your mind back to the breath, you have not failed at meditation! Catching the mind as it drifts off and bringing it back IS mediation. Don't be discouraged.. keep going!

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Having applied himself to what was not his own task, and not having applied himself to what was, having disregarded the goal to grasp at what he held dear, he now envies those who kept after themselves, took themselves to task. - Dhammapada, 16, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma September 4, 2012

Be Who You Are

Don’t try to do anything at all except what you’re doing, which will seem like nothing to most observers. Little do they know! Even if what you’re doing is being distracted and hating sitting on your cushion accomplishing nothing—just do that. Don’t try to be anything other than who and what you are.

- Brad Warner, "How to Not Waste Time"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through September 6th, 2012
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member

Via FB: Bishop Tutu

Marriage Acording to the Bible: