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| Dear Daniel, Today, across this country, there are millions of kids struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity. They are literally under attack, often by the very people they look up to, people in positions of authority or power, who think little of the consequences of their words and actions. The danger of these hateful, hurtful and false messages are amplified when they come from a leader of faith. And nothing has made me more angry than the recent demagoguery by the second highest official in the Mormon Church. Elder Boyd K. Packer, the president of the Mormon Church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles, delivered a message to Mormons worldwide that called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" – an affliction that can be overcome with prayer. Elder Packer went on to tell Mormons everywhere that same-sex unions are morally wrong and go "against God's law and nature." Certainly, we must — and do — call out religious bigotry wherever it is. Still, what was particularly horrifying about Elder Packer's irresponsible missive is that it literally came on the heels of the suicides of a number of teenagers over the past month, each of them victims of anti-gay bullying. Just today, in an astonishing turn of events, something I'm told never happens, the Mormon Church attempted to rewrite history by making a slight alteration to Elder Packer's remarks on its website. The Church actually changed one set of words and eliminated an entire passage from Elder Packer's sermon online. The problem is, it didn't go nearly far enough. People still need to hear from Elder Packer that he was wrong and that his statements are dangerous. Trying to massage history in some minor way doesn't begin to address the far-ranging consequences of his words. Elder Packer and the Church must immediately and fully correct the factual record: sexual orientation and gender identity are immutable characteristics of being human and praying won't change that in me or you or anyone else. That's why on Tuesday, I'm going to Salt Lake City. There, I'll join the good people from Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons, Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center. Together, we will again call on Elder Packer to retract his statements. We will then walk to the headquarters of the Mormon Church and deliver over 100,000 petition signatures calling on the Church to correct the record. When we all meet in Salt Lake City and head to the Mormon Church headquarters, I'm sure Elder Packer won't be there to greet us. So be it. But what I hope is conveyed is that we will no longer sit by while our young people are at risk. We must send the message to LGBT youth through this action that they are loved and needed. We will not give Elder Packer, or any other leader, religious or not, the space or the authority to tear our young people down any longer. It has to stop. And if you haven't signed our petition, please take a moment on this long holiday weekend and add your name and pass it onto your friends and family. Elder Packer needs to hear our roar and the Mormon Church needs to leave us and our kids out of their pastoral fulminations. Thanks so much.  Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign  | ||||
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Friday, October 8, 2010
Via Truthout: William Rivers Pitt | Thank God for Fred Phelps
William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: "It is amazing that Fred Phelps is still alive. That he has not yet been beaten, stomped, clubbed, stabbed, shot or run down by a car is either a testament to the restraint of his fellow Americans, or is a straight-up miracle right out of his twisted scripture.... Fred Phelps is a toilet bug, but in his infinite miserableness, he gives to us the opportunity to reaffirm our most closely held national ideal. The First Amendment gives us all the right to say as we please, to espouse our views in the public sphere at whatever volume we wish."
Read the Article
Read the Article
Daily Quote via HimalayaCrafts
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.
Via JMG: UTAH: Thousands Protest Anti-Gay Remarks By LDS Leader Boyd Packer
Thousands of protesters gathered in Salt Lake City's Temple Square last night to denounce remarks by LDS Apostle Boyd Packer, who called gay people "impure and unnatural." Packer’s speech, delivered during the LDS Church’s 180th Semiannual General Conference, hit a nerve, protesters say, because it came after a string of gay teen suicides in the national news. Boys as young as 13 took their own lives after reportedly being bullied by their peers for being gay. On Thursday, protest organizers estimated that 4,500 people ringed the two downtown blocks that make up the LDS Church’s headquarters. Participants wore black, and some carried signs. Lying head to toe or sitting shoulder to shoulder, they encircled Temple Square two times. “Tonight, we are symbolic of all the children who have been killed by messages like Boyd K. Packer’s,” said organizer and Salt Lake City blogger Eric Ethington. “When you hear nothing from [church leaders] but that you are nothing but evil and you need to change the unchangeable nature of yourself, that is only a message kids can take for so long.”LDS officials shrugged off the protest, merely noting that those thousands of angry people had a right to be there. No apology or retraction is expected from Packer.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Via JMG: "Ex-Gay" Group Exodus International Ends Opposition To Day Of Silence
Citing the recent spate of suicides among LGBT youth, the "ex-gays" at Exodus International announced yesterday that they were ending their opposition to the Day Of Silence, an annual student-led protest of the bullying of queer kids.
"All the recent attention to bullying helped us realize that we need to equip kids to live out biblical tolerance and grace while treating their neighbors as they'd like to be treated, whether they agree with them or not," said Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, the group that sponsored the event this year. Called the Day of Truth, the annual April event has been pushed by influential conservative Christian groups as a way to counter to the annual Day of Silence, an event promoted by gay rights advocates to highlight threats against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. The Day of Truth, held on the same day as the Day of Silence, "was established to counter the promotion of homosexual behavior and to express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective," according to a manual for this year's event published by Exodus International.Focus On The Family said yesterday that they would continue to fight the Day Of Silence.
"Without question, Day of Truth is a loving and redemptive way students of faith can express their views positively in response to GLSEN's Day of Silence which only presents one point of view," Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family, said in a statement. "In contrast to the whole idea of 'silence,' Day of Truth has encouraged students to exercise their free speech rights and have an open dialogue while respectfully listening to others," Cushman said.The Christianist-led Day Of Truth was created by the anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund, who handed over media responsibilities for the day to Exodus International earlier this year.
Labels: bullying, Day Of Silence, Exodus International, Focus On The Family, LGBT youth, religion, suicide
Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Bryan Fischer
"The fire department did the right and Christian thing. The right thing, by the way, is also the Christian thing, because there can be no difference between the two. The right thing to do will always be the Christian thing to do, and the Christian thing to do will always be the right thing to do. If I somehow think the right thing to do is not the Christian thing to do, then I am either confused about what is right or confused about Christianity, or both."In this case, critics of the fire department are confused both about right and wrong and about Christianity. And it is because they have fallen prey to a weakened, feminized version of Christianity that is only about softer virtues such as compassion and not in any part about the muscular Christian virtues of individual responsibility and accountability." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer on the Tennessee fire department that watched a family's house burn to the ground because they had not paid the annual $75 fire protection fee.
(Via - Right Wing Watch)
ViaJMG: HomoQuotable - Carl Siciliano
"I dream of a day where every gay youth in our country will have access to safe spaces, where no gay kid will live more than 100 miles from a space where LGBT youth can go to find community and support. But the creation of these life-saving spaces will require the passionate commitment and attention of the adult LGBT community. We need to pay attention to what is available to teens in our local communities. We need to raise funds and resources to support these spaces, and be aggressive in advocating that our tax dollars be used to support spaces where our teens receive the support they need."In the last eighteen months, in a city with as large an LGBT population as New York City, the Ali Forney Center lost funding for its emergency shelter, Green Chimney's lost funding for its foster care program, and Hetrick Martin and the LGBT Center lost funding for their after-school youth programs. Our youth need an adult community that is so committed to their welfare that such cuts to lifesaving services for LGBT teens could not occur without a tremendous outcry from our community.
"Too many of our youth are under attack in their homes, schools and communities. Homophobia creates environments that are deadly to our youth. We need to recognize the depth of this crisis and see the protection of our youth as a core responsibility of our movement. We need to build a support system that will save their lives." - Ali Forney Center executive director Carl Siciliano, in a response to the national epidemic of gay teen suicides.
Read Siciliano's four step program for protecting LGBT youth.
Why I am Voting for Barbara Boxer: Uniting American Families Act (UAFA)
Dear Dr. Orey:
Thank you for writing to me regarding the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your strong support for this bill.
I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the UAFA, which Senator Patrick Leahy introduced in the Senate as S.424 on February 12, 2009. This bill would amend immigration law to extend the same benefits to permanent partners as are currently afforded legally married couples under the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Americans in same-sex relationships would thereby be able to sponsor their partners for legal residency in the United States.
As you know, only opposite-sex couples are currently afforded the ability to sponsor their partners for immigration visas. This discriminatory practice has torn apart many binational families and denied American citizens equal opportunity under the law. The UAFA would correct this by adding "or permanent partner" to sections of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that apply to legally married couples.
Again, thank you for writing to me. Be assured that I am committed to a fair and just immigration policy, and that I will continue to fight for equal rights for all Americans.
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Via Huffington: Paul Raushenbush: Religious People Must Rally to Restore Sanity
Paul Raushenbush: Jon Stewart reminded his audience that all of us can lose sight of the imperative to live a sane political life and engage in sane discourse. Similarly, religious people can be too serious and forget to poke fun at ourselves and laugh. Religious people who attend the Rally to Restore Sanity should look at ourselves to make sure that our own behavior fits sane standards of productive engagement with the "other" and represents a profound search of the best wisdom our traditions have to offer.
Via JMG: Dan Savage Fires Back
"To the angry folks: I admit that IGBP doesn't do the impossible. It doesn't solve the problem of anti-gay bullying, everywhere, all at once, forever. The point of the videos is to give despairing kids in impossible situations a little thing called hope. The point is to let them know that things do get better. For some people things get better once they get out of high school, for others things get better while they're still in high school. And some kids, like the kid above, are helping to make things better for other kids who are in still high school. But things do get better and kids who are thinking about suicide need to hear that."And to those who insist that all the videos are just oldies speaking from a place of adult privilege: have you watched the videos? There are tons from teenagers, many still in high school, many who are already out of the closet. And there are tons of videos from people who came out while they were still in middle or high school talking about their experiences good and bad and unimaginable.
"Nothing about letting kids know that it gets better excuses or precludes us from pressing for the Student Non-Discrimination Act, demanding anti-bullying programs, confronting the bigots who are making things worse, or supporting the Trevor Project. But we're not going to get legislation passed this instant or get anti-bullying programs into schools in rural areas—particularly private Christian schools—before classes start tomorrow. Doing all of that is going to take years of hard work and dedicated activism. In the meantime, while we work on all of that, we can get these messages of hope in front of kids who are crisis right now." - Dan Savage. Read his entire piece.
Daily Quote via HimalayaCrafts:
Changing the world begins with the very personal process of changing yourself, the only place you can begin is where you are, and the only time you can begin is always now.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I have a great US Senator: Thank you Mrs. Boxer!
Dear Dr. Orey:
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for repealing the military's discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of S.3065, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, which would repeal the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and prohibit discrimination of service members on the basis of sexual orientation.
As you may know, a version of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act was incorporated into the Department of Defense Authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2011. Unfortunately, the minority members of the Senate have blocked the defense bill from being considered by the full Senate. I am hopeful that we will have another opportunity to consider this important legislation before Congress adjourns this year.
Most Americans believe that qualified young men and women should be able to serve their country regardless of their sexual orientation. Thousands of service men and women have been discharged from the military under DADT, costing taxpayers at least $290 million to replace discharged soldiers.
Be assured that I will keep working to end sure this hurtful policy as soon as possible and I will continue my efforts to achieve full equality for all Americans both in military and civilian life.
Again, thank you for writing to me on this important issue. Please free to contact me again about this or any other issue of concern to you.
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
I have a great Congresswoman...Thank you Mrs Matsui!
|
October 5, 2010
Dr. Daniel C. Orey
Sacramento, California 95821
Dear Daniel:
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the Student Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 4530). I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
You will be pleased to know that I am a cosponsor of H.R. 4530. As you know, this legislation would prohibit public schools from discriminating against a student on the basis of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. It would provide the federal departments and agencies with the authority to suspend educational assistance to institutions that violate these requirements.
H.R. 4530 was introduced in the House on January 27, 2010 and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, where it is pending further action. Please know that as a member of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, I have continuously supported efforts that seek to promote civil rights and encourage equality, and I will persist in working with my colleagues towards equal rights for all Americans. Additionally, I will be sure to keep your support in mind should H.R. 4530 come up for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Thank you once again for taking the time to share your views with me regarding the Student Non-Discrimination Act. To learn more about my work in Congress, or to sign up for periodic e-mail updates, please visit my website at www.house.gov/matsui.
Sincerely, DORIS O. MATSUI Member of Congress |
Via JMG: Celebrities Speak Out On Bullying
Last night CNN's Larry King hosted Nate Berkus, Tim Gunn, Wanda Sykes, Kathy Griffin and Lance Bass for an extended discussion on bullying and gay teen suicide. Bass revealed that he used to bully gay kids himself in order to provide cover to his own sexuality.
Via JMG: CALIFORNIA: Courage Campaign Staffer Attack By NOM Bus Tour Supporter
The Courage Campaign reports that the man pictured above attacked their cameraman during a stop on NOM's bus tour in California. The man, who claimed to be the owner of the property, angrily told Anthony that this was private property, and quickly struck Anthony in the arm, knocking the camera to the ground. Our tour camera has been damaged, and we’re not sure that footage can be recovered. (Update: Anthony is shaken up, but fine. Thanks to all of you for inquiring.) The Santa Ana police were quick to respond. They quickly stopped the Vota Tus Valores Bus from making a quick getaway, and a complaint has been filed with the police for battery. More to come on the legal proceedings as it comes in.NOM's latest hate tour has been even more unattended than the last one with little to no advance publicity for its stops. Many are wondering what the actual purpose of the entire tour may be.
Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Daniel Radcliffe
"Learning about the suicide deaths of Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Asher Brown, Billy Lucas and Justin Aaberg has been heartbreaking for me. These young people were bullied and tormented by people that should have been their friends. We have a responsibility to be better to each other, and accept each others' differences regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ability, or religion and stand up for someone when they're bullied. When a friend is feeling depressed or says they're thinking of killing themselves, we must take it seriously and get them help. You can make a difference in someone's life by learning the warning signs for suicide and how you can help someone who is suicidal by visiting the Trevor Project."My deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of these excellent young people. And to all the young people who are being bullied right now, you are not alone. Call the Trevor Lifeline at 866 4-U-TREVOR, because there's always someone there who will listen and who can help." - Actor Daniel Radcliffe, as quoted on MTV.com.
Via JMG: American Family Association Endorses DeMint's Call For Banning Gay Teachers
"Common sense and clear thinking dictates that if we love America’s teenagers, we will resolve to put healthy, mature role models in front of them right at the time when they are making sexual decisions of enormous and lasting impact. I’m happy to openly, publicly and unreservedly declare that Sen. DeMint is right. We should see to it that our teachers provide the kind of examples for our youth that are worthy of imitation in every way, including sexual expression. If we love America’s students, and love America and want only the best for her, we can do no less." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer, quoted by Right Wing Watch who notes that DeMint is a frequent guest on Fischer's show.RELATED: The Quislings at GOProud have finally found a GOP position they can't support, but they still manage to twist DeMint's hatred into an opportunity for them to endorse the Tea Party.
"It is clear that the socially conservative big government wing of the Republican Party is desperate to undermine and co-op the message and enthusiasm of the tea party movement. After a year and a half of attacking the tea party movement for not being focused on their pet issues, it is clear that Tony Perkins and his crowd have embraced a new strategy – if you can’t beat’em, join’em. The tea party movement is about limiting the size and scope of the government and empowering indiviudals. The grassroots tea party activists should reject attempts by Washington Republicans like Jim DeMint to corrupt the movement’s conservative message."
reposted from Joe
Via JMG: GetEQUAL: Close The GayTM
GetEQUAL has launched an internet campaign calling on its followers to "withhold time and money from political entities that are not fighting as hard for our equality as they are for our checkbooks." We're not the first ones to voice frustration with both Democrats and Republicans for holding our equality hostage (see here, here, and here). And we're not going away -- despite the efforts of Democratic apologists who continue to raise the specter of President Palin to scare us into donating. Are we asking you not to vote? Absolutely not -- too many social movements have fought for that hard-earned right that must not be thrown away. Are we asking you not to donate or support pro-equality candidates? That's up to you -- there are several pro-equality candidates that need support, especially because they are minority voices in their party. Are we asking you to withhold money and time from those who refuse to find concrete ways to work toward our collective equality? YES!They provide a link detailing "broken promises" made by the Democrats and include this pledge:
For too long, LGBT Americans and straight allies have donated to and volunteered for political parties that have promised the world and delivered nothing. For too long, we have have been counted on to fund candidates who, time and time again, vote against our equality. We’re tired of being taken advantage of and we’re tired of broken promises. We’ll give and we’ll volunteer when we GetEQUAL. I pledge that I will not support a political party or political committee that is funding anti-equality candidates, including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Organizing for America (OFA), Republican National Committee (RNC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Democratic Governors Association (DGA), and Republican Governors Association (RGA).
Monday, October 4, 2010
Via HimalayaCrafts:
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - (सिद्धार्थ गौतम)
Via Courage Campaign Equality:
Dear Daniel --
A Courage Campaign staffer was just assaulted by a man associated with the National Organization for Marriage's bus tour across California -- a statewide tour launched in support of Carly Fiorina.
Anthony Ash, a Courage field staffer, was assaulted when he tried to film the latest stop on NOM's "Vota Tus Valores/Vote Your Values" tour across California. Anthony's arm was struck by a man attempting to obstruct the filming and Anthony's video camera was knocked to the ground. Anthony is OK, but the camera is now permanently damaged, as is the footage taken on it.
The Santa Ana police were quick to respond, stopping NOM's bus from making a quick getaway. Our lawyers have filed a complaint with the police for battery and are now considering what other action may be taken.
Last week, we sent Anthony, along with staffers Arisha Hatch and Phyllis Lozano, on the road to follow NOM so that we could track and expose the reality behind their poorly-attended tour as part of our "NOM Exposed" web site launched with the Human Rights Campaign. This coverage follows up on the comprehensive NOM Tour Tracker work we did over the summer in collaboration with Freedom to Marry.
On their summer tour, NOM demanded that the Maryland Capitol Police remove our videographer from an event -- and then threatened him with arrest. The police apologized to Courage for this incident, but NOM still has not sent an apology.
NOM's bullying has got to stop. And we need your help to stop them. Can you help us cover the legal fees resulting from this assault by making a contribution of $25 or more now? Just click here to help us hold NOM accountable for their bullying and expose their right-wing extremism over the final days of the tour:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/StopNOMbullying
Last week, the attention of our nation was captivated by the suicide of the fifth and sixth gay teens in the past month alone. The rationale that drove them to such a tragic end was bullying, plain and simple.
This is a different kind of bullying, but NOM's intent is the same: To make people feel like they are second-class human beings, inferior to those who bully.
Brian Brown and NOM don't like that LGBT and allied supporters of equality are standing up and exposing him and his organization. That's why NOM tried to have us evicted in Annapolis in July and why NOM's "Vote Your Values" tour leaders have tried to intimidate us from documenting their anti-equality tour now. It's all emblematic of the same problem: to make people feel like they are second-class citizens.
Will you help us stop NOM's bullying today? Please contribute $25 or more now to help us cover the legal fees resulting from this assault so we can hold NOM accountable and expose their right-wing extremism:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/StopNOMbullying
Thank you for your support for Anthony and for Courage.
Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign
Courage Campaign Equality is a part of the Courage Campaign's multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. To get involved in Courage Campaign Equality, visit "Testimony: Equality on Trial" -- our year-long campaign to bring the Prop 8 trial into the lives of Americans.
To support our work to hold NOM accountable, please chip in what you can today:
Via HimalayaCrafts:
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - (सिद्धार्थ गौतम)
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