Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Every Heart Matters

Quote of the Day

"If any person's religious beliefs don't bring out the best in the spirit and the goodness of men and women, it's not a religion; it's an excuse for being a bigot." - Buzzflash

(29 of October 2006)

Hi,
>
I just signed a petition to Air Force Secretary Donley asking him to let Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach -- who is getting fired simply for being gay -- keep serving his country.
>
Lt. Col. Fehrenbach has served honorably for 18 years in the Air Force as an F-15E Aviator. He has received eight air medals, one for Heroism, and was hand-picked to protect the Washington, D.C. airspace after 9/11. He flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Lt. Col. Fehrenbach has only been an asset to the United States Air Force, not a detriment to unit cohesion, morale, or good order. Please join me in signing the petition now and join the movement to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell":
>
http://www.sldn.org/fehrenbach
>
Thanks!

Nice...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=565071520885&ref=nf

Revoked as of today

The hits to this website as of today:

vs June 4th

Thanks folks!

"What marriage has done to me"

at Farmoyz this:

Dear Father Tony,

In all the talk about marriage equality, we hear about laws and rights and injustice, as well we should. But the video interview of George Takei and his husband made me wish I could hear more about the difference it's made to newly-married gay couples. What does it mean to you, now that you're married? As a long-committed newlywed, you are one whose opinion I'd like to hear, and other Bilerico contributors might chime in as well. This is the sort of message that straight people need to hear, to understand the reality of what heretofore may have been just an abstract idea. We need stories—pictures in our heads—to replace the old rhetoric.

For further commnts, or to leave yours go to: http://farmboyz.blogspot.com/2009/06/today-on-bilerico-what-marriage-has.html#comments

Quote of the day

Notice the Flower has Nine Petals
Photo by Daniel Orey, all rights reserved

"... in this world, ... people widely differ in their manners and habits, their tastes, their temperament and character, their thoughts and their views, ... [it] is the sign of diversity, the symbol and the secret of perfection, and the revealer of the bounties of the All-glorious.

Consider the flowers of the garden; though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm and addeth unto their beauty. How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the branches, and the trees of the garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of color, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof."

-'Abdul-Baha

Monday, June 8, 2009

Easy to Be Hard

While watching the Tony´s last night, I remembered being in a mini-version of Hair for a music competition. This was many moons ago @ Oregon State University,the early 70's. We rather shook up the audience, like the tribe did in the Tony´s last night... so embracing the moment, as I foten do because of my Ipod, I bought the soundtrack.

My I-pod can be almost mystical. While driving around doing errands, it shuffled to this, which considering my exiled state from the Bahá´ís, rings so very true... its easy to be hard, when you are administrating...

Easy to Be Hard

How can people be so heartless
How can people be so cruel
Easy to be hard
Easy to be cold

How can people have no feelings
How can they ignore their friends
Easy to be proud
Easy to say no

And especially people
Who care about strangers
Who care about evil
And social injustice
Do you only
Care about the bleeding crowd?
How about a needing friend?
I need a friend

How can people be so heartless
You know I'm hung up on you
Easy to give in
Easy to help out

And especially people
Who care about strangers
Who say they care about social injustice
Do you only
Care about the bleeding crowd
How about a needing friend?
I need a friend

How can people have no feelings
How can they ignore their friends
Easy to be hard
Easy to be cold
Easy to be proud
Easy to say no

Humor: NPH on Letterman

Neil Patrick Harris takes brave stand against heterosexual Tonys hosts

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Gay Marriage Battle Heats Up In Nation's Capital

by Allison Keyes

Listen Now [3 min 43 sec]

All Things Considered, June 7, 2009 · Earlier this year, the Washington, D.C., City Council passed a measure that would allow the nation's capital to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside of the city. Supporters now hope to see the council pass legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry inside the district. But opponents vow a pitched fight.

Humor: Stephen Colbert on Marriage Equality: 'I Do, You Don't'

Bilingual Quote of the Day

Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate.

How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; `Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'.

Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray!

Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquility and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill."

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Não se desespere! Trabalhe firmemente. A sinceridade e o amor conquistarão o ódio.

Quantos eventos que parecem impossíveis estão acontecendo nestes dias! Posicione seus rostos firmemente em direção à Luz do Mundo. Mostre amor a todos; “O amor é o sopro do Espírito Santo no coração do homem.”

Tenha coragem! Deus nunca esquece as crianças que trabalham e oram fervorosamente!

Deixe seus corações serem encobertos com o desejo árduo de que a tranqüilidade e a harmonia podem englobar todo o mundo em guerra. Estão, o sucesso irá coroando os seus esforços, e com a irmandade universal virá a paz e a boa vontade do reino de Deus.

--Baha'i: Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, Written in 1912 (pp 29-30)

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." -- Ben Franklin

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.... Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism."

-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We can have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can'thave both."

-- Louis Brandeis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

"Cowardice asks the question - is it safe? Expediency asks the question - is it politic? Vanity asks the question - is it popular? But conscience asks the question - is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right."

-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Gay Dads Get a Lift at IKEA

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Fabulous!: the History of Gay Cinema - IFC.com

Amazing film if you get a chance: Fabulous: the History of Gay Cinema

In searching for GLBT Faith Traditions I came across this site

Faith/Tradition

and again we are no where to be found...

Friday, June 5, 2009

Today: NGLCC Rings Closing Bell At NYSE

Representatives of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will ring the stock market's closing bell today in recognition of Pride Month. The market closes at 4pm.

Study Links Marriage Bans To Rise In HIV

An Emory University study has linked same-sex marriage bans to a rise in new HIV infections.

The study used data from the General Social Survey (GSS), which has tracked the attitudes of Americans during the past four decades. The economists calculated that a rise in tolerance from the 1970s to the 1990s reduced HIV cases by one per 100,000 people, and that laws against same-sex marriage boosted cases by 4 per 100,000. "Intolerance is deadly," Mialon said. "Bans on gay marriage codify intolerance, causing more gay people to shift to underground sexual behaviors that carry more risk."

Yeah, interesting, but I'm not so interested in making "but we'll get HIV if you don't let us marry!" into a new battle cry.

Courtesy of JMG

Sacramento GLBT News

Gender Community Safety Seminar

June 6, 2009, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Sutter Cancer Center
2800 L Street
1st Floor, CLassrooms 1-4
Sacramento, CA

LGBT people and those perceived as LGBT are being targeted for violent crimes in Sacramento. Now is the time to take responsibility for our personal safety and self-defense. We, the gender community, are pledging to take action in partnership with families, allies, working professionals, and law enforcement. Promoting crime prevention and its principles is the first step. Building a foundation to put an end to hate crimes within our community through mobilization, education, and organization is essential to protecting ourselves, our ch! ildren, and our loved ones.

Workshops on:

Safety Awareness
Local Law Enforcement
Emotional Trauma
Self-defense

PRIDE is almost here!

The Sacramento Pride Festival will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Southside Park (6th & T) from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Celebrate change in 2009: Pride Rally and March--Changing the World with Pride! Rally at the California State Capitol West Steps at 9:30 a.m., then join up with the 2009 Sacramento Pride Parade for a march to the Pride Festival at Southside Park. All are welcome to join us in this community-wide celebration of the Pride season, featuring plenty of food and games, live entertainment, curated art show, Butch-n-Nellie's Coffee Grounds, a Kidzone and carnival, volleyball tournament, Beer Garden for adults, and more!

MEUSA Sacramento needs volunteers for tabling and to march with us in the parade - please email ca-sacramento@marriageequality.org if you are interested in helping out!

Camp Courage is Coming to Sacramento!

July 11-12, 2009
Location TBA

Inspired by the Camp Obama trainings that developed a new grassroots force in American politics, Camp Courage is an intensive two-day training designed to teach the principles and skills of community organizing to activists committed to winning marriage equality in the state of California.

Drawing on techniques honed for decades by progressive social movements, Camp Courage teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills.

Camp Courage is designed primarily for new activists or those who have never engaged with the broader community about marriage equality. But Camp Courage welcomes veteran LGBT activists and allies.

Camp Courage covers basic community and political organizing skills, including:

Finding your voice by telling your story of self
Leadership development
Principles of successful organizing
Developing collaboration and building effective teams
Techniques of voter persuasion
Organizing a phonebank
Canvassing
Tabling
Throwing house parties
Online organizing

Attendees will be expected to commit to organizing to overturn Proposition 8, including circulating the Courage Campaign pledge, which asks Californians to support a ballot initiative repealing the ban on same-sex marriage.

A background in community organizing or an organizational affiliation is not a requirement to attend Camp Courage. The only requirements are energy, commitment, and a desire to broaden your leadership abilities.