From JMG: Gen. John Sheehan: The Bosnian Genocide Happened Because Of Gay Soldiers

Retired Gen. John Sheehan testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, claiming that openly gay soldiers in the Dutch military were partially responsible for the failure of the NATO peacekeeping action in Bosnia, a failure which resulted in the genocide of thousands of Muslims.

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin, pressed him to clarify his comments about Srebrenica. "Did the Dutch leaders tell you it (the fall of Srebrenica) was because there were gay soldiers there?" asked an incredulous Senator Levin. "Yes," Gen Sheehan said and added: "They included that as part of the problem." Gen Sheehan, who retired from the military in 1997, said he had been told that by the former chief of staff of the Dutch army. Senator Levin vehemently rejected Gen Sheehan's allegation, saying that drawing a connection between the massacre at Srebrenica and gays in the Dutch military was "totally off-target". The failure of the Dutch UN troops to fend off an attack by Bosnian Serb forces had "nothing to do with sexual orientation" but was related to "their training and the rules of engagement", Senator Levin said. Nearly 8000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed after Serb forces captured the eastern town on July 11, 1995, in the worst massacre in Europe since World War II.

posted by Joe

From JMG

The HRC Wants You To Know Their Side

Concerned about the "Lt. Dan Choi Kanye'd the HRC" story being reported on some blogs (including this one), the HRC has posted the following elaboration of their earlier comment.

Singer Tom Goss kicked off the event followed by the first American wounded in the Iraq war, retired Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva. Also speaking were Ben Mishkin of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United. Finally, Kathy Griffin took to the stage, talking about her experiences this week in Washington, welcoming Lt. Dan Choi to the stage to make a few remarks and then calling for a moment of silence to honor our troops who serve in silence.

There’s been some confusion about Lt. Dan Choi’s role in the rally. As Joe Solmonese was walking to the stage, Lt. Choi asked Joe if he could have a speaking role. Joe explained that it wasn’t his sole decision to make on the spot given that there was already an established program that included Kathy Griffin, other organization and veterans. After Choi then spoke with Kathy Griffin, she agreed to bring him up on stage and speak to the crowd during her remarks.

So basically, it appears that it was Kathy Griffin who made the call to override Joe Solmonese and bring Choi to the podium. Good for her. I have to wonder why a DADT protest in the nation's capital wouldn't have included the nation's most famous and well-spoken gay veteran in the first place. (Not to disparage Sgt. Eric Alva in the least, whom I think is fantastic.)

UPDATE: John Aravosis at AmericaBlog says the HRC statement is "utterly untrue."

That is simply untrue. I was there, standing next to Dan, about 10 feet from Kathy Griffin and Solmonese. They were behind a rope line, to keep them from the rally attendees. They looked over at Dan when he asked them, for the second time, to come with him to the White House (mind you, they had no idea that he was planning to handcuff himself), and they just stared back at him. They were not helping engage the rally about how to build pressure - the rally was over, they were already off the stage, behind it actually, getting ready to leave behind a secure rope line to separate them from the crowd. I'm sorry, but this statement is flat out untrue. They were getting their photos taken. Unbelievable.

UPDATE II: It looks like Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo will be spending the night in jail.

another repost from JMG

From JMG

Ranker's Top Ten Anti-Gay Activists Caught In The Act Of Being Gay

Ranker.com has posted their list of the top ten anti-gay activists who've been caught in the act of being gay. Go to the site for photos and how each were caught. Here's their list of self-haters, all of whom have been exhaustively covered on this here website thingy.

1. Troy King
2. Jim West
3. Richard Curtis
4. Bruce Barclay
5. Roy Ashburn
6. Larry Craig
7. Ed Schrock
8. Robert Allen
9. Ted Haggard
10. Mark Foley

List-topper Troy King's story was hilarious, but my personal favorite remains Richard Curtis' night of shame.

reposted from JMG

FRom JMG: Joy Behar At The GLAAD Awards

GLAAD is trickling out the video clips from Saturday's Media Awards in NYC. This one is pretty good for Joy Behar's digs at Barbara Walters, Eric Massa, Sarah Palin, and John McCain. Joy also gives credit for her success to the gay clubs in the West Village. NSFW for Joy's potty mouth.

a repost from JMG

Michael Buble - SNL

JMG Quote Of The Day - Rep. Alan Grayson

"As the Knave's horse says in Alice in Wonderland, 'dogs will believe anything.' I'm sure Sarah Palin knows all about politics in Central Florida, since from her porch she can see Winter Park. I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them." - Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), responding to Sarah Palin's attack on him. (Winter Park is just north of Orlando.) This bit from Grayson's site is priceless too:

Palin, the former half-term Governor, current-nothing and future-even-less, charmed the all-Republican audience with her folksy folksiness and her homespun homespunnery. Atypically, Palin was wearing clothes that she had paid for herself. At the end of the event, she shared her recipe for mooseface pie. In response to Palin's attack on Rep Grayson, Grayson actually complimented Palin. Grayson praised Palin for having a hand large enough to fit Grayson's entire name on it. He thanked Palin for alleviating the growing shortage of platitudes in Central Florida. Grayson added that Palin deserved credit for getting through the entire hour-long program without quitting. Grayson also said that Palin really had mastered Palin's imitation of Tina Fey imitating Palin. Grayson observed that Palin is the most-intelligent leader that the Republican Party has produced since George W. Bush.

(Tipped by JMG reader Craig)

reposted from JMG

Will Phillips' Acceptance Speech at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York

Will Phillips, 10-Year-Old, Won't Pledge Allegiance To A Country That Discriminates Against Gays (VIDEO)

Will Phillips Shines at GLAAD Media Awards

Watch: Fierce 10-Year-Old Advocate Will Phillips Demands Obama Do More for Gay Rights

From JMG: Alber & Goss

This Is Who We Are

Gay singer/songwriters Matt Alber and Tom Goss team up on This Is Who We Are, which they are offering for download in return for a donation to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Last month I posted a early version of the song.

Singer-songwriter buddies Matt Alber and Tom Goss teamed up recently with videographer Zack Rosen of Washinton DC’s TheNewGay.net to shoot the video for their anti-DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell) anthem, “Who We Are.” The video features discharged servicemen Mike Almy and David Hall. Matt and Tom are offering the song as a free download in return for a donation to The Service Members Legal Defense Network, the organization spearheading the effort to repeal DADT. David Hall, mentioned above, is now Development Director & Information Technology Manager at SLDN. Following the download/donate link is a brief Q&A with Matt and Tom about "Who We Are."

Visit the official site for the single for more information and the SLDN donation link.

reposted from JMG

From JMG: Barney Frank on DADT

The White House Doesn't Want DADT Repealed This Year

According to Rep. Barney Frank, the reason the DADT repeal wasn't attached to a defense appropriations bill is that the White House doesn't want it repealed this year. Kerry Eleveld at the Advocate:

As Rep. Barney Frank told me Friday, “I’m disappointed with the administration talking about delaying legislation for a year. But I’m working with Patrick Murphy [the lead sponsor of the House repeal bill] on it and I’m hoping we can push ahead.” Like many pro-repeal advocates, Frank has consistently pinpointed the National Defense Authorization Act as “the only vehicle” for overturning the ban legislatively. When I noted that the White House has failed to designate the defense authorization bill over a stand-alone bill as its preferred method for repealing the policy, Frank responded, “That’s because they don’t want it done this year, not because they want it done separately.” If Frank is correct, that would help clarify two things: (1) why administration officials declined to comment on the introduction of Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s new repeal bill — because they actually prefer the defense authorization act over a stand-alone bill; (2) why they haven’t advocated for a repeal measure to be included in this year’s authorization act — because they would prefer the issue recede into the shadows until next year.

(Via - AmericaBlog)

another great find reposted from JMG

J.Genoino, Deputado (São Paulo) ILGALAC Curitiba 2010

Exclusive video: Olson and Boies Q&A on Prop 8

Last Wednesday, the New York Times hosted an intimate question and answer session with the lawyers currently working to overturn Proposition 8 in California, Ted Olson and David Boies. (Our earlier recap of the discussion).

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Even if you’ve read stories about the evening, Boies and Olson speak with such passion and persuasion that the video is worth watching. Being in the same room with them was like being in the presence of history.

The Times was kind enough to send us over the video – we’ve encoded it below. Pix on the post are courtesy of Sara Krulwich from The New York Times.

Watch Gay Video & Lesbian Movies

From JMG: Texas Rewrites History

Christianist extremists have successfully rewritten American history. Here's just a few of the textbook changes approved by the Texas State Board of Education.

-The Board removed Thomas Jefferson from the Texas curriculum's world history standards on Enlightenment thinking, “replacing him with religious right icon John Calvin.”

-"Teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state." “I reject the notion by the left of a constitutional separation of church and state,” said David Bradley, a conservative from Beaumont who works in real estate. “I have $1,000 for the charity of your choice if you can find it in the Constitution.”

-The Board refused to require that “students learn that the Constitution prevents the U.S. government from promoting one religion over all others.”

-McCarthyism will be taught as an example of how communism was rooted out of the federal government.

-Students will learn about the "patriot movement" of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.

-"Board members also rejected requiring history teachers and textbooks to provide coverage on the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, while the late President Ronald Reagan was elevated to more prominent coverage."

The TSBOE is by far the most influential in the nation, which is why religious extremists have stacked the board with its members. Textbooks manufactured in Texas are sold to school systems nationwide.

reposted from JMG

From JMG: TickleGate: SNL Rips Eric Massa

resnorkled from JMG

The War at Home

Republicans retreat from their harshest “don’t ask, don’t tell” rhetoric, Democrats cower, and bigots are given airtime, all while a pointless yearlong study is launched. Haven’t we been here before? Click the pic to make the jump to the Advocate article:

Via CNN

The worlds funniest commercial

From PHB: The official Vatican line: the Pope is being set up

We're really heading into weird territory now. In what is supposed to be a defense of Pope Benedict from accusations of covering up pedophile priest cases, the Vatican spokesbots are handling this with complete ineptitude.

The Vatican spokesman, speaking to Vatican Radio and Associated Press Television News, defended Benedict.

"It's rather clear that in the last days, there have been those who have tried, with a certain aggressive persistence, in Regensburg and Munich, to look for elements to personally involve the Holy Father in the matter of abuses," the Rev. Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio.

"For any objective observer, it's clear that these efforts have failed," Lombardi said, reiterating his statement a day earlier noting the Munich diocese has insisted that Benedict wasn't involved in the decision while archbishop there to transfer the suspected child abuser.

Lombardi told The AP that "there hasn't been in the least bit any policy of silence."

"The pope is a person whose stand on clarity, on transparency and whose decision to face these problems is above discussion," Lombardi said, citing the comments by Scicluna, who works in the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, which was long headed by Benedict before his election as pontiff.

"To accuse the current pope of hiding (cases) is false and defamatory," Scicluna said. As Vatican cardinal in charge of the policy on sex abuse, the future pope "showed wisdom and firmness in handling these cases," Scicluna said.

Wow. Do they think we've all forgotten how Cardinal Law was shipped out of Boston as he was about to face charges for abuse cover up, all the secret settlements? Amazing.

Jump here to read the full article on PHB

From JMG: Police Find 11 Other Victims On Video Of SF's Anti-Gay BB Gun Attackers

The San Francisco police have found eleven other victims on the video made by the three men arrested for shooting a gay man with a BB gun.

The men have been charged in San Francisco with a hate crime and assault for allegedly firing a BB rifle Feb. 26 at the face of a man they believed was gay. The man, who was walking on 16th Street near Guerrero Street, was not badly hurt and later identified the three suspects. The three were freed on $50,000 bail soon after their arrest. But on Friday, Mohammad Habibzada, Shafiq Hashemi and Sayed Bassam, all 24, appeared in court and were immediately rearrested. They were all being held late Friday on $450,000 bail. They were returned to custody after prosecutors viewed a video that police found in the three men's car when they were arrested. Brian Buckelew, spokesman for District Attorney Kamala Harris, said the video showed the 16th Street attack and BB rifle shootings aimed at 11 other men. Police say the video depicts the suspects laughing as they fire. Investigators say they have been unable to find any of the additional alleged victims. Still, Buckelew said prosecutors may file additional charges against each of the three defendants.

The three men are cousins. Police believe they drove around the Castro and other gay neighborhoods looking for men that appeared to be gay.reposted by JMG

PORTUGAL: Lei de Igualdade no Casamento enviada ao Presidente para ...

PORTUGAL: Lei de Igualdade no Casamento enviada ao Presidente para ...
Portugal Gay

A lei que consagra a igualdade no casamento civil para gays e lésbicas foi enviada para promulgação no dia 5 de Março. Em teoria Aníbal Cavaco Silva terá 8 ...

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