Sunday, April 22, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 22, 2012
The Reality of Liberation
Nirvana manifests as ease, as love, as connectedness, as generosity, as clarity, as unshakable freedom. This isn’t watering down nirvana. This is the reality of liberation that we can experience, sometimes in a moment and sometimes in transformative ways that change our entire life. |
- Jack Kornfield, "The Wise Heart"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Via JMG: StopBullying.gov
From the Obama administration. Valerie Jarrett explains:Earlier today, we screened BULLY at the White House. We were joined by bullying prevention advocates from a range of communities – LGBT, AAPI, faith, disability, and others – as well as educational partners and key Obama Administration staff who work on these issues every day, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Before the film, a panel of nationally recognized experts on bullying prevention spoke from their perspectives about challenges and opportunities, and after the film, we heard from Lee Hirsch, the director and filmmaker, and several of the students and families who were directly impacted by bullying and intolerance and whose stories were featured in the film. This film is a powerful call to action: We must do everything we can to work toward the day when no young person or family suffers the pain, agony, and loss caused by bulling in our schools and communities.Stop Bullying.
Via AmericaBlog Gay: Anglican chaplain says Jesus probably gay
He said it in a Good Friday service. That must have been an interesting service. Here's an excerpt:
Was that divisive issue a subject for Good Friday? For the first time in my ministry I felt it had to be. Those last words of Jesus would not let me escape. "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman behold your son!' Then he said to the disciple. 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home."
That disciple was John whom Jesus, the gospels affirm, loved in a special way. All the other disciples had fled in fear. Three women but only one man had the courage to go with Jesus to his execution. That man clearly had a unique place in the affection of Jesus. In all classic depictions of the Last Supper, a favourite subject of Christian art, John is next to Jesus, very often his head resting on Jesus's breast. Dying, Jesus asks John to look after his mother and asks his mother to accept John as her son. John takes Mary home. John becomes unmistakably part of Jesus's family.
Jesus was a Hebrew rabbi. Unusually, he was unmarried. The idea that he had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene is the stuff of fiction, based on no biblical evidence. The evidence, on the other hand, that he may have been what we today call gay is very strong.
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 21, 2012
The End of Your World
The process of finding the truth may not be a process by which we feel increasingly better and better. It may be a process by which we look at things honestly, sincerely, truthfully, and that may or may not be an easy thing to do. |
- Adyashanti, "Bliss is a By-Product"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Friday, April 20, 2012
Via JMG: Does Wal-Mart Spawn Hate Groups?
In a fascinating study, researchers say that the number of Wal-Mart locations in any particular region tends to correlate with the number of SPLC-certified hate groups.
The number of Wal-Mart stores was second only to the designation of a county as a Metropolitan Statistical Area in statistical significance for predicting the number of hate groups in a county, according to the study. The researchers, who reported their findings in the online version of Social Science Quarterly, said that the number of Wal-Mart stores in a county was more significant statistically than factors commonly regarded as important to hate group participation, such as the unemployment rate, high crime rates and low education.Researchers say they are not singling out Wal-Mart in particular and that other big box retailers likely have a similar effect on "community cohesion."
JMG Editorial Of The Day
From the Washington Post:
WHITE HOUSE press secretary Jay Carney spent a good chunk of his time during a briefing last week trying to explain why President Obama has declined to issue an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. Mr. Carney struggled for some eight minutes but was unable to give a satisfactory answer. That’s understandable, because there is no principled reason for refusing to extend such workplace protections to millions of Americans. [snip] The president played a pivotal role in the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and also deserves credit for refusing to defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. He should again seize the mantle of leadership by issuing an executive order that prohibits the federal government from doing business with contractors that fail to guarantee basic fairness to their LGBT employees.
Crazy shit via JMG: Wingnut Site Of The Day
Go to Now The End Begins for one-stop shopping. Homophobia, end times, racism, theocracy, Christian Sharia, dominionism, Zionism. They've got it all!Via JMG: Day Of Silence: Then And Now
Clip description:
posted by Joe
We dug up some old photos from Day of Silence back in the day. Look how far we've come! We're so proud of everyone who participates in Day of Silence each year, working together to end the bullying and harassment that LGBT students face in school each day. Together, we're building safer schools!
posted by Joe
Via JMG: Obama Endorses Federal Anti-Bullying Law
Today the White House thoughtfully picked the Day Of Silence to endorse the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act.
Chris Geidner reports at Metro Weekly:
White House spokesman Shin Inouye tells Metro Weekly, "The President and his Administration have taken many steps to address the issue of bullying. He is proud to support the Student Non-Discrimination Act, introduced by Senator Franken and Congressman Polis, and the Safe Schools Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Casey and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. These bills will help ensure that all students are safe and healthy and can learn in environments free from discrimination, bullying and harassment." The SSIA would amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying- and harassment-prevention programs, including ones based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The SNDA, modeled after Title IX, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal education nondiscrimination law.Tonight the White House is also screening the movie Bully to an audience of community activists. Reactions from LGBT rights groups are below.
GLSEN
"Today is a day that I have hoped for since I began my work as an anti-bullying advocate after losing my son Carl," said Sirdeaner Walker. "I believe that President Obama's explicit endorsement of the Safe Schools Improvement Act will make a tremendous difference in moving this issue forward. Having met with the President three times, I knew his support for SSIA and the Student Non-Discrimination Act was genuine. But stating that publicly on GLSEN's Day of Silence pushes it to a whole new level. While nothing can bring Carl back, I know that these bills can make a real difference to end the bullying and harassment that is faced by too many other sons and daughters today."
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
“We thank President Obama for endorsing the Safe Schools Improvement Act and Student Non-Discrimination Act. The epidemic of bullying and discrimination in our nation’s schools is a tragedy and an outrage. No student should fear getting beaten up, harassed and tormented while simply trying to get an education. We have a responsibility to ensure all young people are protected from this pervasive bullying, discrimination and abuse. Parents, educators, policymakers — all of us — need to stand against this unacceptable behavior. The president did that today. We urge him to now help get these life-saving bills through Congress.”Lambda Legal
"We applaud the Obama administration for endorsing this critical piece of legislation. We thank Sen. Al Franken,Rep. Jared Polis, Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. Tammy Baldwin and over 50other current sponsors for their leadership on this bill and we urge Congress to pass it. At Lambda Legal, we've encountered extraordinary cases of violence and discrimination against LGBT young peoplein schools - and sometimes against the allies who try to support them. The Student Non-Discrimination Act takes a big step toward a safer and healthier environment in every public school."ACLU
“Having the White House stand behind the Student Non-Discrimination Act is key to getting this necessary legislation passed into law,” said Ian Thompson, ACLU legislative representative. “Our public schools should be a safe harbor for our youth, not a place of exclusion and ridicule. By passing the Student Non-Discrimination Act, Congress can have a profound and very real impact in improving the lives of LGBT students. It’s time to make passage of this bill a priority.”Human Rights Campaign
“The President’s endorsement of the SNDA and SSIA recognizes the importance of providing LGBT students with the same civil rights protections as other students,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “No student should feel scared when walking into their school and these bills would address the discrimination and bullying that our youth have endured for far too long.”
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 20, 2012
Cutting the Roots of Craving
The misguided man in whom the thirty-six currents of craving strongly rush toward pleasurable objects, is swept away by the flood of his passionate thoughts. Everywhere these currents flow, and the creeper (of craving) sprouts and grows. Seeing that the creeper has sprung up, cut off its root with wisdom. |
- The Buddha, "From the Canon: Thirst"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Via AmericaBlogGay:
Vatican launches attack on U.S. nuns for not being homophobic
Posted about the Vatican attack on the U.S. nuns for not being anti-gay enough at AMERICAblog. To complete the homophobic circle, the Archbishop of Seattle, J. Peter Sartain, who is leading the jihad against the nuns, is also leading the effort to repeal Washington State's new marriage equality law. But, this past weekend, a number of parishes rejected the Archbishop's edict to collect signatures for an anti-marriage referendum. In fact, via Igor Volsky at Think Progress, we learned that one Catholic priest got a standing ovation from his parishioners by announcing he wouldn't participate in the effort to gather signatures for an anti-marriage petition.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Via Thich Nhat Hanh Facebook:
Imagine a pine tree standing in the yard. If that pine tree were to ask us what it should do, what the maximum is a pine tree can do to help the world, our answer would be very clear: “You should be a beautiful, healthy pine tree. You help the world by being your best.” That is true for humans also. The basic thing we can do to help the world is to be healthy, solid, loving, and gentle to ourselves. Then when people look at us, they will gain confidence. They will say, “If she can do that, I can do that too!”
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 19, 2012
No Negative Emotion
There isn’t any such thing as a negative emotion. There are negative things that we do with our emotions, but our emotions themselves are neither negative nor positive. They simply are. |
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 18, 2012
The Relief of Impermanence
When our thoughts believe that an entity is permanent, that is a mistake, and that mistake causes us to suffer. Because when we believe an entity that makes us happy is permanent, we suffer when that entity ceases to exist. And when we believe an entity that makes us suffer is permanent, we deny ourselves the relief of knowing that it is impermanent and will therefore not cause us suffering forever, or even close to it! |
- Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso, "The Path of Faith and the Path of Reasoning"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Via JMG: Activists Slam Obama Over Rejection Of Employment Non-Discrim Order
Michelangelo Signorile reports at HuffPo:
Reposted from Joe
Two prominent LGBT activists slammed President Obama for refusing to sign an Executive Order "at this time" barring federal contractors from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, was among the LGBT activists in a White House meeting with senior advisor Valerie Jarrett earlier in the week who were told the order would not be signed. He said the White House rationale was “weak,” “shallow,” “unpersuasive” and “embarrassing.” Paul Yandura, a gay former Clinton White House aide and a Democratic strategist, criticized some gay leaders in addition to the president, saying that groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), “weren’t advocating on our behalf.”Via Towleroad: Almeida talks to CurrentTV host Eliot Spitzer about his disappointment.
Reposted from Joe
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 16, 2012
The Pivotal Point
To willingly reside in our distress, no longer resisting what is, is the real key to transformation. As painful as it may be to face our deepest fears, we do reach the point where it's more painful not to face them. |
- Ezra Bayda, "Bursting the Bubble of Fear"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 15, 2012
Living the Life You Wish to Live
The beauty of the practice is that we can evaluate our lives even before we are on our deathbed. If we are not living the life we wish to live, how can we change that now, while there is still time? |
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 14, 2012
The Gift That Cannot Be Given
The Buddha taught ‘kingly or queenly giving,’ which means giving the best of what we have, instinctively and graciously, even if none remains for ourselves. We are only temporary caretakers of all that is provided; essentially, we own nothing. As this understanding takes root in us, there is no getting, possessing, and giving; there is just the spaciousness that allows all things to remain in the natural flow of life. |
- Marcia Rose, "The Gift That Cannot Be Given"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Via JMG: FRC's Values Voters 2012: A Who's Who Of Hate Groups
Embiggen the images or go here to see who's on the slate for this year's Family Research Council Hato-O-Rama.Labels: bigotry, Christianists, douchenozzles, evil, Family Reseach Council, hate groups, theocracy, Values Voters Summit
Friday, April 13, 2012
Via Follower of the Buddha:
Everything changes, nothing remains without change.
The Buddha
Namo Buddhaya Namo Dharmaya Namo Sanghaya སངས་རྒྱས་ཆོས་དང་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་མཆོག་
Via AmericaBlog Gay:
From Greg Sargent tonight:
Jeff Merkley reminds us that he’s an excellent Senator by hammering the White House for punting on the executive order barring discrimination by federal contractors against LGBT workers.
Here's what Greg linked to:
Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the lead sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, issued the following statement after reports that the Obama Administration won’t take action to bar federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.
“I am deeply disappointed that the Administration will allow companies that accept federal contracts to discriminate against workers on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Such discrimination in the workplace is unacceptable. There is no way that equal opportunity exists for all Americans when such discrimination is tolerated.
“I appreciate the President’s support for ENDA and will keep pushing for legislative action. However, an executive order would be a very constructive step forward and help build momentum to pass the bill. It’s disappointing that the White House is passing on an opportunity to make immediate gains for equal opportunity in America.”
Also, Greg has a post on the White House executive order debacle, warning them to "Stop playing it cute on gay rights":
There’s no denying that Obama and his advisers have a very good overall record on gay rights. But on this issue, and on gay marriage — two hugely important topics to the gay community — there’s too little clarity and too much of a whiff of excuse-making and political calculation.
Bad political calculations. Really bad.
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma April 13, 2012
Every Time a Good Time
The priest Wumen once wrote, 'A hundred flowers blossom in spring, the moon shines in autumn, there is a fresh breeze in summer, and there is snow in winter. If your mind isn’t occupied with trivial matters, every time is a good time.' |
- Harada Sekkei Roshi, "Zen Basics"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Via JMG: Ex-Gay Researcher Repudiates His Own Study: I Had It All Entirely Wrong
The nation's most famous/infamous "ex-gay" researcher today renounced his best known study, work that is heavily cited by anti-gay and Christianist hate groups.
In a move that serves as a significant blow to "ex-gay" programs and anti-gay organizations, Dr. Robert Spitzer repudiated his much-criticized 2001 study that claimed some "highly motivated" homosexuals could go from gay to straight. His retraction occurred in an American Prospect magazine article that hit newsstands today. Spitzer's rejection of his own research, which was originally published in the prestigious Archives of Sexual Behavior, is a devastating blow to "ex-gay" organizations because it decisively eliminates their most potent claim that homosexuality can be reversed through therapy and prayer. "Dr. Spitzer's repudiation of his 2001 study is an earthquake that severely undermines the validity of 'ex-gay' programs," said Truth Wins Out's Executive Director Wayne Besen, who criticized the study in his 2003 book, Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. "Spitzer just kicked out the final leg from the stool on which the proponents of 'ex-gay' therapy based their already shaky claims of success."Wayne Besen: "It will be an integrity test to see which groups remove citations of his work in the coming week."
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