Via JMG: Obama On DADT Anniversary

Via press release from the White House:

A year ago today, we upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality by finally and formally repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Gay and lesbian Americans now no longer need to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love. It is a testament to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform that this change was implemented in an orderly manner, preserving unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness. As Commander in Chief, I've seen that our national security has been strengthened because we are no longer denied the skills and talents of those patriotic Americans who happen to be gay or lesbian. The ability of service members to be open and honest about their families and the people they love honors the integrity of the individuals who serve, strengthens the institutions they serve, and is one of the many reasons why our military remains the finest in the world.

Labels: Barack Obama, DADT, LGBT History, military

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma September 19, 2012

Sharing Happiness

Whatever realization may come by way of silence, our happiness is never won that way. Happiness is not happiness unless it is shared. For happiness is the one thing in all the world that comes to us only at the moment we give it, and is likewise increased by being given away.

- Clark Strand, "The Wisdom of Frogs"

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Via The Christian Left / FB:

Via JMG: TORONTO: Blue Jays Order Three Day Suspension For "Maricon" Player

GLAAD reports:

Today, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that shortstop Yunel Escobar will work with GLAAD and the You Can Play project, after he was seen with an anti-gay slur written in Spanish on his eye-black over the weekend. The team also announced that Escobar will serve a three-day suspension. GLAAD has been in conversations throughout the day with the team and with Major League Baseball (MLB) about the incident. In announcing Escobar's suspension and intent to work with GLAAD and You Can Play, the team today stated "The Blue Jays want to reaffirm that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. The club looks forward to supporting the efforts of You Can Play and GLAAD to help promote education for players and fans alike and to help keep language like this out of the game and society."

RELATED: The Toronto Blue Jays are owned by Rogers Communication, the same company that last year fired Sportsnet host Damian Goddard, who then told the world that he was let go because of "a single tweet supporting one-man one-woman marriage." Rogers dismissed that claim as ridiculous, but has refused to discuss the real reason for the firing because "we do not discuss personnel issues with the press." Goddard, who is Catholic, has since become a martyr to and spokesman for Vatican front group NOM and has a case pending before the Canadian Human Rights Commission. He just posted the below tweet. UPDATE: Escobar may have been forcing into working with GLAAD, but he's clearly not quite apologizing. My pal Andres Duque just translated a press conference response. 

Labels: baseball, Canada, faggot, sports, Toronto

Reposted from Joe

Sandra Bernhard and John Waters On TheFour.Com & Marriage Equality

Clint Eastwood on Criticism, Gay Marriage and his Daughter's Boyfriend

Via JMG: Tony Perkins: Compulsive Liar

"A gay-rights activist entered the building of our organization, Family Research Council, where he told our operations manager that he objected to our politics and opened fire with a handgun. Our political beliefs reflect our Christian faith.This comes in the context of the Southern Poverty Law Center designating FRC a 'certified hate group' because of our biblically-based beliefs regarding marriage and human sexuality. We encourage love and respect for all people including those seeking to redefine marriage, and we have made clear we abhor and reject all violence directed against anyone for their sexual behavior. This war of words launched by the SPLC as cover for its allied organizations on the left has led to an open assault upon those with whom they disagree. This type of demonizing must stop." - Tony Perkins, writing for Fox News.

NOTE: As the SPLC has pointed out countless times, "biblically-based beliefs" are NOT among the criteria for being named a hate group. If that were true, there would be thousands of so-named groups, not the mere three dozen that currently hold that distinct dishonor. But don't expect Fox News or the mainstream media to call Tony Perkins a liar to his face.

Labels: Fox News, FRC, hate groups, liars, Tony Perkins

Reposted from Joe

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Whatever happiness is in the world has arisen from a wish for the welfare of others; whatever misery there is has arisen from indulging selfishness. - Buddhist proverb More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Occupy Borders (Bi National couples unite / FB::

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma September 18, 2012

When Pain Happens to Us

We suffer because we marry our instinctive aversion to pain to the deep-seated belief that life should be free from pain. In resisting our pain by holding this belief, we strengthen just what we're trying to avoid. When we make pain the enemy, we solidify it. This resistance is where our suffering begins.

- Ezra Bayda, "When It Happens to Us"

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Via JMG: Toronto Blue Jay: Tu Ere Maricón

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar took the field on Saturday with "You are a faggot" written in Spanish in his eye black.

Several messages seeking comment from Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos were not immediately returned. The Jays are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon in New York, before their game against the Yankees. Escobar, 29, was originally in Sunday’s starting lineup, but was scratched before game-time. A club spokesman said he had the flu. The photo generated a flurry of responses on Twitter, mostly critical of Escobar, some urging that he be suspended for the rest of the season, some urging fans to reserve judgment until “context” became available. Others speculated that he had been pulled from Sunday’s lineup as a disciplinary measure.

Escobar was drafted into the Major League by Atlanta in 2005 and was traded to Toronto in 2010. Last year he signed a two-year contract extension worth $10M. Last year a Change.org petition was launched asking the Blue Jays to join the eight other MLB teams to make an It Gets Better video, but that has not yet happened.

Labels: baseball, faggot, sports, Toronto

Reposted from Joe

Via Paulo Coelho / FB:

Paulo Coelho

Feche algumas portas. Não por orgulho, incapacidade ou arrogância - mas simplesmente porque já não levam a lugar nenhum

Via JMG: Romney Campaign Turns Right

Romney campaign advisers are telling Buzzfeed that their new strategy is to focus less on the economy and more on social issues.

This shifting campaign calculus has produced a split in Romney's message. His talk show interviews and big ad buys continue to offer a straightforward economic focus aimed at traditional undecided voters. But out stumping day to day is a candidate who wants to talk about patriotism and God, and who is increasingly looking to connect with the right's intense, personal dislike for President Barack Obama. Three Romney advisers told BuzzFeed the campaign's top priority now is to rally conservative Republicans, in hopes that they'll show up on Election Day, and drag their less politically-engaged friends with them.

The earliest, ambiguous signal of this turn toward the party's right was the selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as Romney's running mate, a top Romney aide said. "This is going to be a base election, and we need them to come out to vote," the aide said, explaining the pick. Another adviser, who also discussed strategy on the condition of anonymity, described the campaign's key targets as Republican activists: "The people who are going to talk to their neighbors, drive them to the polls on Election Day, and hold their hands on the way in to vote." 

Labels: 2012 elections, GOP, Mitt Romney

posted by Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma September 17, 2012

Living Beyond Words

Zen practice is always about returning to that place where there are no words. Early on, I realized that to use words, you have to live life beyond words, before words, without words. Only then do you have the right to speak.

- Seido Ray Ronci, "No Words"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through September 19th, 2012
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Via Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center / FB:

 

"Famine occurs as a result of greed, pestilence as a result of foolishness, and warfare as a result of anger." -The Buddha

Via JMG: FRC's Prayer Of The Day

As the FRC's hate fest continues in Washington DC, they've posted the below prayer request for God to stop LGBT rights in America.

The dedicated Christian staff at FRC does not hate homosexuals. Indeed, by publishing Biblical and scientific truth, our aim is redemptive. We pray for those caught in this destructive lifestyle for their liberty. We labor to advance public policy that strengthens faith, family and freedom, and physical, moral and spiritual safety for our children.

Please pray that God will give FRC and our friends courage ceaselessly to proclaim truth as it pertains to marriage and human sexuality. May God grant us favor in fashioning public policy that fosters marriage and human sexuality that reflects God's wisdom and righteousness! (Dt 17:18; Ps 5:11; Is 10:1; Mt 19:3 ff; Eph 5:22-33; Titus 1:8 ff; Heb 13:4; Jude 7)

(Via Good As You)

Labels: FRC, hate groups, LGBT rights, religion

Reposted from Joe

Maddow On Gay Obama Claims

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

JMG Photo Of The Day:

Matt Stopera has the caption: "Ricky Watson of Littleton, Colorado wipes tears from his eyes after he thanked U.S. President Barack Obama for repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' at a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado. Watson was kicked out of the Air Force 25 years ago for being gay."

Labels: Barack Obama, Colorado, DADT, military

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: SF's Gold's Gyms Keep Their Word

From an October 2010 JMG post:

San Francisco's four Gold's Gyms announced on Facebook today that they will be ending their franchise agreement with the company in response to the news that CEO Robert Rowling had donated millions to Karl Rove's anti-gay American Crossroads PAC. The locally-owned Gold's still have almost two years on their contract, but have vowed to "match every dollar" in their remaining franchise fees with "equal or greater" donations to LGBT causes.

As you can see by the above photo, those four gyms have kept their word. As I wrote two years ago: "THAT, my buff kittens, is how you run a business." (Tipped by JMG reader Aaron)

 

Labels: exercise, good work, Karl Rove, San Francisco

Reposted from Joe