Via JMG: Americans Agree: DOMA Discriminates

Source. Hit the link for a bigger version.

Labels: DOMA, marriage equality, polls, SCOTUS

Reposted from Joe

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Do not choose bad friends. Do not choose persons of low habits. Select good friends. Be discriminating. Choose the best. - Dhammapada 78 More Buddhism Quotes >>

Gay Man Decides to Yell Back at Anti-Gay Subway Preacher, Train Applauds

Standard operating procedure for dealing with subway "preachers," whether bigoted or merely insane, is to pretend they don't exist. Don't argue; don't take their literature. It'll be over soon. Just ignore them until they move on to the next car and you can hear your podcast again.
That's not the approach one gay man took two days ago in response to a preacher's homophobic rant, which included gems like "Michael Jackson died because he was gay." Instead, he met the preacher shout-for-shout.

"I'm a man," the gay guy, identifiable in the video by his large fuzzy hat, replies at one point (1:33). "And I'm a good man. And I'm a gay man and Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me!" The train broke out into spontaneous applause.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/gay-subway-preacher-video.html

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	You really have to know your own fundamental mind before you can stop and rest. If you know your mind and arrive at the fundamental, that is like space merging with space. - Ta-tu More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 18, 2013

The Purpose of Mindfulness

Mindfulness allows us to watch our thoughts, see how one thought leads to the next, decide if we’re heading toward an unhealthy path, and if so, let go and change directions.

- Sharon Salzberg, "Mindfulness and Difficult Emotions"

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through February 19th, 2013
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Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 17, 2013

A Foundation of Presence

Through mindfulness, we develop greater composure and a heightened sensitivity to nonverbal communication. Then, to the extent that we ourselves are present, we can radiate that same quality outward to the people around us. It is hard to be generous, disciplined, or patient if we are not fully present. If we are present and attentive, and our mind is flexible, we are more receptive to the environment around us.

- Judy Lief, “On the Contagious Power of Presence”

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through February 18th, 2013
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Via JMG: Soccer Stars Rally For Robbie Rogers

Professional soccer players have poured onto Twitter to express support for Robbie Rogers, who yesterday came out and announced his retirement from the sport. The New York Times has posted a lengthy recapping of the messages to Rogers, whose number of Twitter followers swelled by the tens of thousands following his announcement.

RELATED: Some of the messages to Rogers express hope that he returns to professional soccer.  Rogers' contract is currently owned by the Chicago Fire and yesterday their head coach issued this statement: "Yesterday I thought he was a very good player and I still think that today. Should Robbie want to return to the game, we would still be open to him being part of the Fire."

Labels: coming out, gay athletes, soccer, sports

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Via JMG: Pro Soccer Player Comes Out

 

Major League Soccer player Robbie Rogers simultaneously came out and resigned from his sport today.  Rogers writes on his personal blog:

Secrets can cause so much internal damage. People love to preach about honesty, how honesty is so plain and simple. Try explaining to your loved ones after 25 years you are gay. Try convincing yourself that your creator has the most wonderful purpose for you even though you were taught differently.
I always thought I could hide this secret. Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity. Football hid my secret, gave me more joy than I could have ever imagined… I will always be thankful for my career. I will remember Beijing, The MLS Cup, and most of all my teammates. I will never forget the friends I have made a long the way and the friends that supported me once they knew my secret.
Now is my time to step away. It’s time to discover myself away from football. It’s 1 A.M. in London as I write this and I could not be happier with my decision. Life is so full of amazing things. I realized I could only truly enjoy my life once I was honest. Honesty is a bitch but makes life so simple and clear. My secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended.

Rogers played several seasons for Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew before joining Britain's Leeds United team last year.  In 2007 he played for Team USA in the FIFA World Cup tournament.  In 2008 he competed for the United States at the Beijing Olympics.
UPDATE: Athlete Ally founder and former collegiate wrestling champion Hudson Taylor has issued a statement in reaction to Rogers' announcement.

"I applaud Rogers’ courage and honesty in what continues to be a struggle for gay and lesbian athletes around the world. With yet another athlete coming out and feeling the need to retire, it is time that we, as an athletic community, realize the responsibility we have in making athletes feel comfortable and confident being themselves. Sports participants and fans are central to the greatest civil rights cause of our time, and I urge all members of the sports community to recognize the important role we play."

Labels: coming out, gay athletes, soccer, sports

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Tim Tebow's Hate Date

On the left is how the New York Daily News headlines Tim Tebow's upcoming speech at the church of notorious crackpot and homophobe, Pastor Robert Jeffress, who may be most famous for telling the Values Voters Summit that "70% of all gay men have AIDS."

The wildcat quarterback is slated to speak at the 11,000-member First Baptist Dallas Church’s April 28 Sunday morning service, according to the church’s website. While Tebow is known for wearing his religion on his sleeve and his prayerful onfield gestures have been dubbed “Tebowing,” he’s made a practice of not offending his teammates with his faith. But Tebow’s peace-and-love message could be tested by the megachurch’s evangelical Christian pastor, the Rev. Robert Jeffress. He once accused gay activists of trying to hide “the link between homosexuality and pedophilia.” In November, the preacher warned his flock that President Obama’s reelection “would lead to a rise of the antiChrist.” While endorsing Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential bid in October 2011, Jeffress bashed Islam, Judaism and Mormonism as heretical religions “from the pit of hell.”

After Perry dropped out of the race, Jeffress decided that maybe all Mormons weren't hellbound sinners. He then endorsed Romney.  When a New York City newspaper denounces someone like Jeffress as "anti-Jew," one wonders if Tebow even wants to keep playing here.

Labels: crackpots, football, liars, NYC, religion, Robert Jeffress, sports, Tim Tebow

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 16, 2013

Practice is Planting Seeds

When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.

- Thubten Chodron, “Meditator’s Toolbox”

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through February 17th, 2013
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Via JMG: Gallup Ranks Gayest States

Gallup today issued the results of a poll conducted last year in which they asked over 200,000 people if they "personally identify" as LGBT.   As with all such self-disclosure surveys, the numbers are somewhat skewed by those who decline to out themselves to pollsters.

The percentage of U.S. adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) ranges from 1.7% in North Dakota to 5.1% in Hawaii and 10% in the District of Columbia, according to Gallup surveys conducted from June-December 2012. Residents in the District of Columbia were most likely to identify as LGBT (10%). Among states, the highest percentage was in Hawaii (5.1%) and the lowest in North Dakota (1.7%), but all states are within two percentage points of the nationwide average of 3.5%.
Measuring sexual orientation and gender identity can be challenging because these concepts involve complex social and cultural patterns. There are a number of ways to measure lesbian, gay, and bisexual orientation, and transgender status. Gallup chose a broad measure of personal identification as LGBT because this grouping of four statuses is commonly used in current American discourse, and as a result has important cultural and political significance.

One limitation of this approach is that it is not possible to separately consider differences among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgender individuals. A second limitation is that this approach measures broad self-identity, and does not measure sexual or other behavior, either past or present.

Gallup observers that while the variation between most states is relatively small, their data does support a conclusion that LGBT people are more willing to self-identify in states that provide anti-discrimination protections.

The states with proportionally larger LGBT populations generally have supportive LGBT legal climates. With the exception of South Dakota, all of the states that have LGBT populations of at least 4% have laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and allow same-sex couples to marry, enter into a civil union, or register as domestic partners. Of the 10 states with the lowest percentage of LGBT adults, only Iowa has such laws.

Fascinating stuff. Hit the link for much more and the second half of Gallup's ranking.

Labels: Gallup, LGBT rights, polls, surveys

Reposted from Joe

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	If you would like to be with me and to find comfort that way, the first thing for you to learn is the right behavior. Go back to your home and learn to do as your parents want, continue to recite your prayers, and work hard in your daily life. At the same time, clean yourself up, put on proper clothes, and don't neglect yourself again. When you've learned this, come back to me and you may be allowed to become one of my followers. - Dhammapada More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 15, 2013

Every Waking Moment

As the present moment can be found any moment, every waking moment can be made a concentrated moment.

- Henepola Gunaratana, "Sitting Still"

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through February 16th, 2013
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Gay Parents Bashed: What Would You Do?

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Attentiveness is the path to true life; Indifference is the path to death. The attentive do not die; The indifferent are as if they are dead already. - Dhammapada More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma February 14, 2013

Valentine's Day Lovingkindness

The practice of lovingkindness is, at a certain level, the fruition of all we work toward in our meditation. It relies on our ability to open continuously to the truth of our actual experience, not cutting off the painful parts, and not trying to pretend things are other than they are. Just as spiritual growth grinds to a halt when we indulge our tendency to grasp and cling, metta can’t thrive in an environment that is bound to desire or to getting our expectations met.

- Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein, "Commit to Sit: Metta"

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through February 15th, 2013
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Via JMG: LGBT Groups React To SOTU

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

LGBT people remain acutely vulnerable in the workplace and on economic issues. Too many of us still head to work each day terrified it may be our last, simply because of who we are or who we love. The stories are painful, and the statistics are startling. But this is the reality for LGBT people all across America. To be open and honest about who we are, about our families, often means taking a huge risk in the workplace. Something as simple as sharing with a co-worker what you and your spouse did over the weekend could place your livelihood in peril. But we can change this. The president has the power to issue an executive order banning companies that contract with the federal government from discriminating in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This is a direct and immediate action he can take that will help millions of Americans.

Illinois Civil Rights Agenda

Many LGBT leaders and community members had hoped that the President would choose this moment to aid in advancing important policy issues affecting LGBT Americans The President has continually been an advocate for LGBT Americans, as exemplified in his inaugural address this year. Although that is the case, he must use some of his political capital to advance issues such as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and comprehensive immigration reform that includes same-gender couples. 

Log Cabin Republicans

As LGBT conservatives, Log Cabin Republicans is pleased with recent progress toward equality for gay and lesbian Americans. As citizens, however, we are fearful of the future that the next generation of gay Americans will inherit. As we fight for equal rights to pass down to this new generation, we must also worry about the economy we are passing down. The Democratic Party's perennial cure-all of big government programs paid for by raising taxes on hard-working Americans has to stop. House Republicans have now put forth and twice passed a fiscal plan, while the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House have yet to show the country anything more than paper-thin rhetoric. If the President truly wants to be an ally to our community, he will not only continue pushing for social equality, but stop with the platitudes and get serious with a plan that addresses our nation's fiscal problems.

OutServe-SLDN

President Obama was very clear tonight in his assertion that lesbian and gay service members and their families must be treated equally by the nation they serve. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta opened the path to equal recognition, benefits, and support to gay and lesbian service members this week. To finish the task, the Supreme Court must strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. Secretary Panetta's successor must enact equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies that protect LGBT troops and ensure America's military can attract and retain America's best. And outmoded, obsolete policies that bar qualified American patriots who are transgender from military service must be eliminated. At OutServe-SLDN, we and our 6,000 LGBT members in uniform stand ready to work with the President, Congress, and the Pentagon to make this vision a reality.

GetEQUAL

President Obama continues to push for a version of immigration reform that focuses entirely on enforcement instead of laying out a progressive vision that would put 11 million people on a pathway to citizenship and would include all of our families. As someone who would qualify for the DREAM Act and who is part of a binational family, I know first-hand that true comprehensive immigration reform must include LGBTQ families, a fair and just pathway to citizenship, and an end to harsh enforcement that separates families. Time and time again, President Obama continues to pay lip service to employment equity, but refuses to take the simple step of signing an Executive Order that would end LGBT discrimination by federal contractors -- and that would prevent taxpayer dollars, including taxpayer dollars from LGBT Americans, from going to discriminatory companies. He had his pen out today to sign other Executive Orders -- it's incumbent on the LGBT community to ask why he decided to put that pen away before protecting 25% of the American workforce from workplace discrimination.

Labels: DOMA, ENDA, LGBT rights, SOTU

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Father Tony Adams

"From the immaculate soles of his Pradas to the jeweled tip of his gold-threaded mitre, Pope Benedict XVI has been a paragon of gilded denial whose brow furrowed briefly when confronted with news of pedophile priests, church cover-ups, condom use in Africa, unruly nuns, plummeting Sunday church attendance and a general lack of new and renewed subscription to a church that has kept its flock in line with the threat that disobedience to the infallible moral teaching of its pope would lead to eternal fire in hell.

"Benedict once said that it would not bother him if the Catholic Church should become drastically smaller in size by the weeding out of dissenters. His 'my way or the highway' approach to pastoral leadership resulted in the silent and almost unnoticed mass exodus of significant numbers of American Catholics who simply stopped getting married in church, stopped going to church on Sunday, stopped feeling guilty about gay sex, artificial birth control, condoms or vibrators, stopped entering the confessional on Saturday afternoon, stopped becoming nuns and priests, and, as was disclosed in startling recent surveys, stopped believing that gay people should not have equality and that other belief systems are not just as good as Catholicism." - Father Tony Adams, writing for South Florida Gay News.

Read the full article.

Labels: Benedict Palpatine, Catholic Church, Father Tony, LGBT rights, pope, religion, Vatican

Reposted from Joe

The State Department has posted a travel advisory for LGBT people

State Department Advises LGBT Travelers

The State Department has posted a travel advisory for LGBT people planning trips to foreign countries.  The notice opens with this:

Attitudes and tolerance toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons vary from country to country, just as they vary among U.S. cities and states. Most LGBT travelers encounter no problems while overseas, but it helps to be prepared and research your destination before you go. There are a number of countries that provide legal protections to those who are LGBT. Unfortunately, there are others that do not, and a significant number that even criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations. Persons convicted in these countries could be sentenced to prison, and/or be punished by fines, deportation, flogging, or even sentenced to death. Before choosing one’s international destination, LGBT travelers should carefully consider the laws and biases of their international destination and decide how open one can be regarding one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Personal judgment and knowledge of local laws and customs before one goes will help ensure your safety.

At the top of the page is this quote from former Secretary Hillary Clinton: "By fighting for the rights of so many others, we realize that gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights."  The State Department goes on to warn against entrapment plots by the police in some countries and offers other advice on safe practices while abroad.

Labels: feds, gay tourism, gay travel, State Department

Reposted from Joe