Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Via JMG: Reasons To Hate PETA, Part 89
Last week when the Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act, included in that spending bill was an amendment overturning the military ban on sodomy. And since the ban on sodomy was in the same clause that banned fucking animals, the wingnuts are screaming that it's now legal to fuck goats in Obama's military. Yesterday when a reporter for the viciously anti-gay World Net Daily questioned White House press secretary Jay Carney about it, he rightfully laughed the asshat out of the room.
Enter PETA.
“In watching last night's news briefing, we were upset to note that you flippantly addressed the recently approved repeal of the military ban on bestiality,” the group wrote in the letter to Carney. “With respect, this is no laughing matter. Our office has been flooded with calls from Americans who are upset that this ban has been repealed—and for good reason. As we outlined in the attached letter sent yesterday to the secretary of defense, animal abuse does not affect animals only—it is also a matter of public safety, as people who abuse animals very often go on to abuse human beings.”PETA is demanding that the ban on bestiality be reinstated and apparently they have little concern over whether that move would also reinstate the ban on sodomy. The ban on both remains in the House version of the bill, which is headed for reconciliation with the Senate's version. If PETA makes enough noise, there's a good chance that the sodomy ban will remain. But please don't let the rights of gay American soldiers get in the way of stopping the national epidemic of horse-fucking!
Read PETA's complete press release.
Via JMG: NYT Reports On Clinton Speech
The New York Times reports on yesterday's historic move by the Obama administration, which is says was months in the planning.
Mrs. Clinton anticipated the sensitivity of the issue for some more conservative countries, saying that “the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights” of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people “rest on deeply held personal, political, cultural and religious beliefs.” She argued that gay rights transcended national, political and even culture boundaries, casting them as universal rights like those adopted by 48 nations in the aftermath of World War II in what was called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mrs. Clinton’s aides so worried about the reaction of some countries at the Human Rights Council that they did not advertise the theme of her remarks before she delivered them. In the end, no representatives from the council’s 47 member nations walked out, and the audience gave her a standing ovation.Read the full story.
Via JMG: SCOTLAND: Activists Call For Public Opinions On Same-Sex Marriage
Activists from Scotland's Equality Federation are soliciting public opinions on marriage equality. Submissions will be reviewed by the government. Respondents do not have to be Scottish to express their opinion on the issue; the group can forward views from other countries in the UK and the world, which will then be looked at separately by the government. They say the decision taken by the government will have a important effect on how Scotland is perceived abroad, and overseas views should be taken into account. So far, the group has received around 15,000 messages through their website, but they are keen to boost the volume and diversity of responses in support of equal marriage rights.You can submit your message here.
Via JMG: Networks Ignore Obama Announcement
Igor Volsky notes that the major news networks made no mention of yesterday's landmark announcement by the Obama administration.Via JMG: CALIFORNIA: Hate Groups Now Pushing FIVE Anti-Gay Ballot Measures
Equality California last night sent out the above alert. It's apparent that hate groups have decided to simply overwhelm the good guys with a high number of attacks. It would likely cost tens of millions of dollars to defend against all five measures. We'll have to see if the other side has the financial backing to push them through.Via JMG: IOWA: Majority Of GOP Voters Support Same-Sex Marriage Or Civil Unions
JMG reader Matthew points out that buried way down in the latest New York Times poll we learn that 58% of Iowa's "likely GOP caucus goers" support either full marriage equality or civil unions. We'll wait here while the hate groups report that little nugget. Checks watch....Via JMG: Changes For SF's Castro Theater?
Roger Ebert just tweeted that San Francisco's magnificent and legendary Castro Theater is changing its focus away from movies. Others on Twitter report that some of the employees have already been let go. (The theater's online calendar still shows a full schedule through the end of December.) The blog that Ebert links to says that the venue will still host the occasional film festival, but that the building will be remodeled into a live music hall. I'll update this post when more is known.Via JMG: Rick Perry: I'm Not Ashamed To Admit That I'm A Christian Who Hates Gays
Three days in a row on the same theme. Rick Perry appears to be completely hanging his hat on anti-gay hate. Move over Frothy. Make room Crazy Eyes.
posted by Joe
posted by Joe
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma December 6, 2011
Our Life as a Koan
What is our life? And knowing what it is, how are we living it? How can we experience the life that we are living now as an infinite, literally limitless life, as the subtle mind of nirvana? For the irony is that we are all living such a life, we are all living this treasure, and we are also not quite living it either. In other words, our life is no other than the treasury of the true dharma eye and subtle mind of nirvana, and yet we see it as something other than this. We do not see that our life right here, right now, is nirvana. Maybe we think that nirvana is a place where there are no problems, no more delusions. Maybe we think nirvana is something very beautiful, something unattainable. We always think nirvana is something very different from our own life. But we must really understand that it is right here, right now. |
- Taizan Maezumi Roshi, "Appreciate Your Life"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Monday, December 5, 2011
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
December 5, 2011
Practice Conscientious Compassion
Each of us has some task, some way to practice conscientious compassion. The question is: How do we find that task? To find it, a specific method can be prescribed. At the outset, practice the usual meditation on compassion, perhaps for 20 or 30 minutes. Then focus your attention on several of the formidable problems that loom before humanity today: futile and self-destructive wars, rampant military spending, global warming, violations of human rights, poverty and global hunger, the exploitation of women, our treatment of animals, the abuse of the environment, or any other concern that comes to mind. Reflect briefly on these problems, one by one, aware of how you respond to them. At some point, you will start to recognize that one of these problems, more than the others, tugs at the strings of your heart. These inner pangs suggest that this is the particular issue to which you should dedicate your time and energy. |
- Bhikkhu Bodhi, "The Need of the Hour"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Via JMG: Bullying Clip Goes Viral
A gay teen's clip about being bullied, which was posted in August, has suddenly gone viral in the last few days. Its author yesterday posted a brief follow-up clip to express thanks for the reaction.
Reposted from Joe
Reposted from Joe
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
December 4, 2011
This is Reality
Other religions suggest there may be a miracle, or you may go to heaven. But it is strangely comforting to hear from Buddha’s teaching that there is no such thing. This is what it is. This is reality. The Buddha’s teaching says that hope is just the flip side of fear, and fear the flip side of hope. The best thing is just to stay awake and watch it, watch yourself, and feel everything as it is right now. |
- Kaz Suzuki, "A Caregiver's Story"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Via David Mixner: "Think Progress": Five Things Newt Gingrich Doesn't Want You To Know About Him
Now that Newt is doing so well in the polls the time has come to get to know him better. Actually with his checkered career and 'take no prisoners' approach to politics the list could go on to "100 Things Newt Gingrich.. ." What is clear as we understand him more is that this man really doesn't believe the rules of civilized politics apply to him. Zaid Jilani for "Think Progress" has done an article listing ten items but I have extracted only five here. Click here to see all ten.
1. DESPITE BATTLING THE “SECULAR SOCIALIST” AGENDA, GINGRICH CHEATED ON HIS WIVES SEVERAL TIMES: One of Gingrich’s main themes in his columns and speeches over the past few years has been the need to stop the “secular socialist” takeover of America, which he blames for the demise of the family. Yet he had several of these affairs while attacking President Bill Clinton for his own. He justified his hypocrisy to his second wife once, telling her, “It doesn’t matter what I do.”
2. WHILE DEMONIZING GOVERNMENT LARGESS, GINGRICH POURED MORE FEDERAL MONEY INTO HIS DISTRICT THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER: The politics of the mid-1990′s was marked by the right’s attempt to decimate the social safety net. As Gingrich waged his campaign to destroy unemployment insurance and aid for needy families, he made his own district the recipient of huge amounts of federal aid. Under Gingrich, his district in Cobb County, GA received more “federal subsidies than any suburban county in the country, with two exceptions: Arlington Virginia, effectively part of the Federal Government, and Brevard County Florida, the home of the Kennedy Space Center.”
3. IN 2007, GINGRICH BACKED CAP-AND-TRADE, THEN FLIP-FLOPPED TWO YEARS LATER: Talking to PBS just four years ago, Gingrich said, “I think if you have mandatory caps combined with a trading system, much like we did with sulfur, and if you have a tax-incentive program for investing in the solutions, then there’s a package that’s very, very good. And frankly, it’s something I would strongly support.” He even cut an ad with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) warning of the dangers of climate change. Just two years later, Gingrich ended all of his green advocacy in favor pandering to far-right views on the environment. “Imposing stunningly high taxes on an economy in the middle of a recession is fundamentally wrong. … [A]rtificially capping their economy is the wrong approach,” he said in testimony before Congress.
4. GINGRICH BLAMED THE MASSACRES AT COLUMBINE AND VIRGINIA TECH ON “LIBERALISM”: Showing that his cynicism knows no bounds, Gingrich blamed “the liberal academic elite, the liberal political elite” for the Columbine shootings in Littleton, CO. He followed the same script after the massacre at Virginia Tech, saying liberalism is responsible for the “dehumanization” that led to the killings.
5. GINGRICH WANTED THE RICH TO DECIDE WHEN THEIR OWN TAX CUTS WOULD END: During last winter’s debate over extending the Bush tax cuts, Gingrich said that we should “have the business leadership of the country describe the number” of months that the cuts for the wealthiest should last.
CLICK HERE FOR NUMBERS 6 TO 10!
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