Raging Pride

Queer Rising Protests Cuts for Homeless LGBTQ Teens

2011-11-23T08:22:00.000-05:00

My video footage of Saturday night's demonstration in Times Square:

Just a quick thought regarding the recent GOP Presidential Debate...

2011-09-14T17:37:00.000-04:00

Boycott the Blue Bunny?

2011-07-27T16:46:00.002-04:00

Mmmmmmm! Tasty, and just a few colors short of a rainbow.

Blue Bunny Ice Cream is finding itself at the center of a controversy. What could this company, the third largest manufacturer of ice cream in the United States, have possibly done to cause people to be calling for a boycott of its delicious products?

Well, it all starts with THE FAMiLY LEADER's 14-point Marriage Fidelity Pledge, which asserts (among other things) that homosexuality is a choice and that people of color had stronger family units during the era of slavery.

The President of THE FAMiLY LEADER is Bob Vander Plaats, serial Iowa gubernatorial candidate and long-time anti-LGBTQ activist. Bob was one of the leaders behind the successful movement to recall the three Iowa Supreme Court judges who ruled that Iowa could not deny same-sex couples the right to marry. Bob believes that homosexuality is a "public health risk," just like second-hand smoke:

And here's Bob enjoying a relaxed moment laughing at a "fag" joke:

Now how could this involve something as innocuous as ice cream?

Bob enjoys considerable financial support from Mike Wells and his family, and Mike is the CEO and President of Wells Enterprises, manufacturers of Blue Bunny and Weight Watchers ice creams as well as Disney ice cream novelties. (You'll see the Wells family name featured prominently in the center of the Blue Bunny logo.)

Quickly responding to the growing controversy, Blue Bunny has posted the following statement on their website:

Regarding Recent Posts About Political Contributions:

Blue Bunny and Wells Enterprises have never donated money to Bob Vander Plaat’s political campaign. Everyone, including our employees, has a right to support political activities within their role as a private citizen. What our employees support personally is in no way an endorsement by our brand or our company.

Technically, of course, they're right. Unlike Target, for example, Blue Bunny as a corporation has not contributed to Vander Plaats' political campaigns. But we're not talking about the contributions of an individual, low-level employee of Wells Enterprises. We're talking about the CEO and President.

Consider the contributions made by individual members of the Wells family:

$184,500 from Wells family members for Bob Vander Plaats' 2010 gubernatorial race. (The Wells family were the largest source of his campaign funding in 2010.)
$246,000 from Wells family members for his 2006 gubernatorial race.
$25,500 from Wells family members for his 2002 gubernatorial race.
$25,500 to the Iowa Family Center PAC, a group associates with the FAMiLY Leader.

So even though the corporation may not have directly contributed to Vander Plaats, the fact is that most of the profits from your purchase of Blue Bunny's products go straight into the Wells family's pockets, and from there, into Vander Plaats'.

So, as much as I may like ice cream, as long as the Wells family continues to fund extreme right-wing candidates such as Vander Platts, I'm going to have to find a more friendly and supportive source to satisfy my addiction. Anyone care to join me for a dish of Ben & Jerry's Hubby Hubby?

Marriage Equality Comes to New York!

2011-06-25T21:27:00.000-04:00

It's Pride weekend here in New York City and I have waaaay too many places to be to sit at home editing the videos I shot last night of the celebration in Sheridan Square. I'll have the footage ready to post early next week, but in the meantime, just to give you an idea as to the size of the crowd, here's a brief hint of what is to come:

Obama Reacts to AZ Law Accepting Certificate of Circumcision as Proof of Citizenship

2011-04-17T10:18:00.000-04:00

President Obama is clearly upset by the continuing controversy being fed by some members of the GOP concerning his birth certificate. The most recent manifestation of the "birther" issue is the passage of a new law in Arizona which would allow prospective Presidential candidates to prove their citizenship by producing a certificate of circumcision.

While unable to produce such a certificate himself, the President appears to be looking forward to the opportunity of comparing his qualifications to be President with whomsoever the Republican Party nominates.

In an interview with ABC News, the President stated, "Look, I right now have such a big..."

(more after the jump)

"...day job that I'm not yet focused on what's happening on the other side. There'll be a time when I'm very focused on it."

AZ to Accept Circumcision as Proof of Citizenship

2011-04-16T12:51:00.000-04:00

If you're considering running for President, AZ is now willing to accept your certificate of circumcision as proof that you are a citizen. According to Phoenix New Times, the bill was designed to appease those who subscribe to the birther fantasy.

I'm not certain how that will affect potential women candidates, but most of the male candidates don't have much to worry about. They sold their testicles years ago to the highest bidder.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO - 5 Arrested in Marriage Equality Civil Disobedience Actions in New York City

2011-04-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

From Queer Rising's press release:

Five members of Queer Rising members handcuffed and chained themselves in the middle of the street and refused to leave the demonstration. Those arrested were: Natasha Dillon (26, lesbian activist); Kevin Donohue (51, gay Jewish activist); Melissa Kleckner (31, straight ally); Ali Lozano (20, lesbian student activist); Robert Moore (30, gay Mormon activist).

“My religious beliefs require that I stand up for the underdog - even when that underdog is me,” said Donohue. “Marriage rights go way beyond the wedding and encompass everything from custody rights to hospital visitation rights to pension and inheritance rights; in short, the protective legal framework straight families take for granted. Inequality under law is unjust, and now is the time we must end it.”

Drag Queen Weddings for Equality organized a separate event at Grand Central Station, a drag wedding in which approximately ten drag queens officiated and enacted a wedding, educating commuters about the need for marriage equality and inviting them to march in solidarity to the governor's office.

In January, Cuomo declared, “I want to be the Governor who signs the law that makes equality a reality in the state of New York.” The New York State Budget deadline was March 31 and there is still no confirmation that there will be consideration for marriage equality.

Unwilling to wait any longer for equal rights and protection from the state of New York, Queer Rising is calling on all the New Yorkers to call the governor’s office and voice their support for marriage equality.

Melissa Kleckner, another arrestee, said, "When my husband and I married five years ago, we were automatically granted 1,324 rights and privileges that the LGBTQ community is currently not afforded. I refuse to let my daughter grow up in a world where a government can tell a segment of its population that they are 'less than.' This is not a fight for ‘gay’ rights; it is a fight for human rights. It is my hope that Cuomo and the rest of the powers that be realize that the straight community is also here, we are just as angry, and we will no longer stand on the sidelines. We are coming out for equality."

Anti-LGBT Assault - What Can I Do?

2011-04-02T12:32:00.001-04:00

Lady B.L.U.E.

In the wake of the most recent anti-LGBT assault in New York's heavily-gay West Village, popular entertainer Lady B.L.U.E. (Beautiful, Loud, Unique, Explosive) asked herself what could she do to help?

Her answer was to put together a benefit show for New York City's Anti-Violence Project. Using Facebook as a tool, she put the word out among her friends, and in 72 hours was hosting the Lady B.L.U.E Show AVP Benefit at one of the West Village's oldest bars, Boots and Saddles.

The bar was packed with a very appreciative audience, loudly cheering the efforts of the talented entertainers who put on an extended show, performing for four-plus hours. The performers included Lady B.L.U.E., Da Cukoo, M'Lady Uppercrust, Vanessa Valtre, Violet Storm, Miss Crimson Kitty, Victoria Chase, Demanda Dahling and Boots and Saddles' regular Thursday night dancer Jamal Alexander.

Lady B.L.U.E. introduces Andrea N. Durojaiye from AVP

Lady B.L.U.E. had never organized a benefit like this before, and when I asked after the show what motivated her to do it, she replied, "I was continually seeing these violent occurances pop up all over our beautiful city and noticed the gays facebooking and twittering about the new Prada shoes they bought or fixating on style over substance... and made a conscious decision to step up and do something positive.... So with out any instruction I made it happen, and I'm so glad I did."

I'm sure AVP is glad, too. All of the performers donated their tips for the night to AVP, and while I had to leave before the show closed, the fishbowl was filled to overflowing with bills - And I know I saw some $20s in there!

All in all, a very successful and highly entertaining evening. The message of this is simple: If what's happening around you gets you upset, turn that upset into something positive by getting involved! Call your politicians. Find an organization that is addressing the problem and offer to help. It doesn't take a lot to make a contribution.

Well done, Lady B.L.U.E. A true Lady, indeed.

M'Lady Uppercrust

A BRIEF HISTORY OF AVP

The New York City Anti-Violence Project was founded in 1980 in reaction to neighborhood incidents of anti-LGBT violence and the failure of the criminal legal system to respond.

In the mid-eighties, AVP expanded their work to provide professional counseling to victims of hate violence as well as domestic violence, sexual assault and HIV-related violence.

Today, AVP provides free and confidential assistance to thousands of LGBTQ and HIV-affected people each year. They maintain a 24/7 bilingual hotline staffed by professional counselors and trained volunteers.

Vanessa Valtre

AVP works to educate law enforcement, health care and education professionals, and social service agency personnel on the violence issues, holding these people accountable to their obligation for fair and just treatment of our community. AVP documents incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence and uses this information to educate the public about safe dating, safe cruising, recognizing the signs of violence and much more. They work to change public attitudes that encourage and condone hate-motivated violence.

Huckabee: Indoctrinate Americans "At Gunpoint"

2011-04-01T11:53:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the people at Right Wing Watch for preserving this video footage before it could be edited out and lost forever.

Mike Huckabee

At a recent "Rediscover God in America" seminar, Mike Huckabee, introduced by David Barton as someone who has "that mentality of take the Bible and apply it to every aspect of the culture," thanked Barton and said,"I almost wish that there would be, like, a simultaneous telecast, and all Americans would be forced–forced at gunpoint no less–to listen to every David Barton message, and I think our country would be better for it. I wish it’d happen." When the sponsors of the event posted videos online, Huckabee's comments had been deleted.

And this is a man who would like to be the President of the United States? What does he have planned for those of us who are not converted by this forced indoctrination? Are we to be rounded up into camps?

Meet Danny Dromm, Out-and-Proud NY City Councilmember from Queens District 25

2011-03-16T15:54:00.002-04:00

One of the great things about living where I do is that I am represented by so many politicians I can support. When the call goes out for people to contact one of their elected officials in support of some piece of legislation, I can usually count on my rep having been one of the bill's sponsors. I'd like to introduce my readers to one such representative.

Danny Dromm

Danny Dromm was a teacher at PS199Q in Queens, NY. After eight years on the job, he came out as a gay man in 1992, sparking a controversy that became front page news across the country. He had to fight to keep his job, turning back several attempts to have him removed. He went on to win the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" award in 2006 and was chosen as the "Educator of the Year" by the Kiwanis Club of Sunnyside, Queens.

He ran for the City Council seat in 2009, defeating his Democratic primary opponent, incumbent Helen Sears, by 10% of the vote. He went on to win the seat in November with over 75% of the votes cast.

Vitally active in Queens' LGBT scene, Danny is the founder and former co-chairperson of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee, organizing the first Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival. He is a co-founder of the Queens Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG). He helped found Queens Pride House and co-founded the Generation Q Youth Services Program in Astoria. He co-founded the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens. But don't think the issues that concern him are all LGBT related!

Danny is a strong advocate for seniors, for the youth, for the marginalized members of our society. He serves as the Chair of the Council's Immigration committee and on the Education, Cultural Affairs, Libraries, International Intergroup Relations, Juvenile Justice, Parks and Recreation, and Veterans committees as well. He's been honored by the Sociedad Puertorriquena de Queens for his commitment to the Latino community, is a member of the NAACP - Corona/East Elmhurst branch and has also been honored by the Korean-American Association of Central Queens.

And he's not afraid to fight for the rights of those he serves, up to and including being arrested last June in an act of Civil Disobedience demonstrating for immigration reform.

On March 14, he hosted a dinner with his supporters and constituents, and there he discussed some of his legislative priorities for the coming year:

Please join with me in supporting Danny Dromm's campaign for reelection to NY's City Council.

Peter Murphy, MD Legislator, Officially Comes Out of the Closet

2011-03-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

Peter Murphy (Dem. - Charles County)

In an interview published today, Peter Murphy, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2007, told the Washington Blade that he is gay.

With the pending vote on Marriage Equality still in question as legislators waffle on whether or not they will support the bill, having yet another member of the legislature come out to his colleagues (MD now has 8 openly LGBT legislators) could be of inestimable help. It is much harder to vote against the rights of people you know; many of Tom Duane's fellow members of the NY Senate said that it was their personal experience of working with him that influenced them to vote in favor of a similar bill last year.

One of the sponsors of the Marriage Equality bill, Murphy told the Blade, "I think it’s a strong civil rights bill. I think it’s a fair bill because it also addresses the religious issue and doesn’t require any religious organization to practice something that goes against their teachings."

In reference to formally coming out, Murphy says, "I have never denied [being gay... I just presumed people knew." He continued, "I just come here to do my work... I’m not a big social person. I’ve never felt any pressure from anyone to be anything but what I am."

In a statement, VP of Maryland Equality Lisa Polyak said, "We’re so grateful to have Del. Peter Murphy among the LGBT Caucus of Maryland. We’re gratified that he’s a supporter of marriage equality and the gender identity bill. It shows that LGBT people live everywhere in the great state of Maryland, including in the Southern Maryland delegation. We’re always happy to have the support of Del. Murphy and now more so as a member of the LGBT Caucus."

COMPLETE VIDEO Coverage: Queer Rising Closes Manhattan's Sixth Avenue - 8 Activists Arrested

2011-03-02T13:13:00.001-05:00

...and here's the completed video I promised you of yesterday's action in NYC. It includes footage of the planning session for the action, the complete action itself, and interviews with many of the participants, both before and after the arrests.

BREAKING NEWS: 8 MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN NEW YORK CITY

2011-03-01T08:53:00.004-05:00

Shortly after 8 AM today, Queer Rising, an organization dedicated to achieving equal civil rights for LGBTs through nonviolent direct action, engaged in an act of civil disobedience, closing down Manhattan's Sixth Avenue just one block from Times Square in a protest against the failure of the NY State Senate to pass legislation legalizing Marriage Equality for all New York citizens.

As we post this story, the police are in the process of arresting the following protesters:

Kevin Beauchamp, 48 year-old, blind gay activist, partnered for 9 years; Nora Camp, 29 year-old queer activist; Natasha Dillon, 26 year-old lesbian activist and MBA student; Frostie Flakes (aka Adam Siciliano), 24 year-old drag queen activist and nightlife performer; Jake Goodman, 31 year-old queer activist and educator; Honey LaBronx (aka Ben Strothmann), 31 year-old drag queen activist, actor, & photographer; Eugene Lovendusky, 25 year-old gay activist, educator and NYCGMC member; and Kitten Withuwip (aka Caldwell) 24 year-old drag queen activist of color and actor/comedienne

From Queer Rising's statement to the press:

"The federal government has advanced the cause of marriage equality this week, with the decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act," said Queer Rising founding member Natasha Dillon. "But New York State shamefully lags behind on the issue. Marriage equality was defeated in December 2009 and the measure was not included in Governor Cuomo's 2011 Executive Budget. LGBTQ New Yorkers refuse to be persecuted, second-class citizens any longer!"

This past January, Queer Rising asked the Cuomo administration to include Marriage Equality in the 2011 Executive Budget. Marriage equality is legal in states like Connecticut, Massachusetts and Washington D.C., and these places enjoy the income from such freedoms. However, New York State is losing valuable commerce and tax revenue from LGBTQ marriages happening in those neighboring states.

A new Quinnipiac University Poll shows New York State's support for same-sex marriage is at an all-time high, with 56 percent supporting and 37 percent opposed. Earlier this week, the Obama administration declared it will no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage. The time is now for New York to bring equality to its citizens!

Here is the first video protest of the protest:

We will be posting updates with additional video footage as more information becomes available.

The Granny Peace Brigade

2011-02-22T12:07:00.000-05:00

I wrote about the Granny Peace Brigade in December when several of their members were arrested in Times Square for protesting against the wars in the Middle East. I had the privilege of seeing some of them again on Valentine's Day when they protested the Toy Industry Association's annual Toy Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here in New York City.

Some of the fine ladies of the Granny Peace Brigade.

I made this brief video of their demonstration against the proliferation of war toys and their call to toy manufacturers to produce more educational, less violent toys:

A little information about the history of the Granny Peace Brigade, an active anti-war group in NYC made up primarily of senior citizens:

In July, 2005, members of the Raging Grannies of Tucson, AZ, tried to enlist in the US military and were arrested for trespassing. Media coverage of that effort inspired New York women to come together to make a similar stand.

This group of women went to the US Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square on Oct. 17, 2005, intent on asking to enlist in the military in place of grandchildren who had been deployed to Iraq. Eighteen were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. They could have accepted an ACD (an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, effectively allowing them to walk away without any fine or punishment) but, with representation by Norman Siegel, former director of the NY Civil Liberties Union, they decided to go to court to defend their civil right to speak out. They were tried in NY Criminal Court and acquitted.

Today they continue to stand for peace and in opposition to the use of military force to resolve conflicts between nations or hostile forces.

Obituary: Perry Moore

2011-02-21T04:48:00.006-05:00

Perry Moore, with
partner Hunter Hill

It is with great sadness that we note the passing this week of Perry Moore, 39, author of the groundbreaking 2007 book Hero, which featured a gay superhero as its lead character.

On Feb. 17, he was discovered unconscious by his partner, Hunter Hill, in the bathroom of their home in New York City. While the official cause of death is yet to be determined by the medical examiner's office, there has been some speculation in the press that it was caused by an overdose of OxyContin which he had been taking for pain resulting from severe problems with his back and knee. Despite this speculation, those who knew him best have denied that Moore was given to the misuse of drugs.

Moore was also the executive producer of the very successful Chronicles of Narnia series of movies. He was instrumental in obtaining the rights to the novels from the estate of C.S. Lewis (despite Lewis' stated desire that the novels never be filmed) and was in the process of putting together the financing for the fourth film in the series, The Magician's Nephew, at the time of his death. The three movies completed so far, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader have combined combined ticket sales of over $1.5 billion worldwide.

Police are not at this time considering foul play in his death.

The Birth of a Hero

In 1992, Northstar, one of the lead characters in Marvel comics' Alpha Flight came out of the closet, prompting The New York Times to editorialize, "Mainstream culture will one day make its peace with gay Americans. When that time comes, Northstar's revelation will be seen for what it is: a welcome indicator of social change." But in 2005, Marvel killed off Northstar, murdered by the X-Men's Wolverine.

Moore was incensed by the murder of Marvel’s biggest gay hero by one of its most popular characters. "I thought I was going to have to stop buying comics," he said. Instead, inspired by Gail Simone's Web site, Women in Refrigerators, he compiled his own list, detailing more than 60 gay and lesbian comic book characters who have been tortured, raped, disemboweled, decapitated, had their genitalia disfigured or removed, or retroactively "converted" to heterosexuality. "Bad things do happen to all people," he asked. "But are there positive representations of gay characters to counterbalance these negative ones?"

The answer, he felt was no. He set out to create his own positive gay character, Thom Creed, a high school basketball star, whose father is a former masked crimefighter. Thom must keep his powers a secret, for fear of further disgracing his father and risking his community's homophobia.

"I have always been enthralled with comic books and superheroes, and I've always believed there should be a gay superhero. Not as a joke, not as a supporting character, not as a victim, not as a token, but as a real front-and-center hero," Moore wrote. "Like most young people, I grew up feeling alienated and different--for very specific reasons in my case--in a place that didn't value differences. I also have this borderline-crazy belief in the power of literature to change the universe. So I'd always wanted to tell this story."

Critical reception to Hero was mixed. Publishers Weekly wrote, "The novel misses its mark, with an abundance of two-dimensional characters and contrived situations... While some may be glad to see a gay hero come out of the closet just in time to save the world, others may wish the situations felt less clichéd." The Advocate wrote, "Hero is a quick, at times shallow, but satisfying novel, the kind we all wanted while growing up and hopefully the first in a new genre of young adult literature." Hero went on to win the Lambda Literary Award as as the best LGBT Children's/Young Adult novel of 2007.

At the time of the Lambda Award, Moore announced, "It looks like we’re going to do a TV series. There were two networks that we pitched, and we got two offers." Late in 2008, Variety confirmed that Moore was developing Hero as a television production for the Showtime cable network in partnership with Marvel legend Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man and the Fantastic Four. As Lee said, "This is gonna be a winner. I want in!"

Showtime later pulled out of the project. Lee wrote to his fans, "Showtime finally didn’t commit and we’re now exploring our options... Stayed turned for further developments. Excelsior!"

Moore wrote, "Hero will see its day onscreen... I’m not sure how or where or who will make it possible, but like all the best heroes, you have to have faith. And when it does, it will be another step forward. And some folks will think, 'Damn, it’s about time someone thought of doing that.'"

Moore's family has said that he was in discussions with the Starz network for a TV film adaptation of Hero. Moore had also told The New York Times that he planned on writing a series of book sequels featuring Thom Creed. "There’s a lot left to tell in the future books." Sadly, while we may still see an adaptation of Hero at some point in the future, there will be no more new installments coming from this gifted young man.

Guest Blog: What a Horrific Conference with a Horrific Message

2011-02-20T15:20:00.008-05:00

Welcome Guest Blogger Christopher Jay Hall, who documents his experience at an anti-LGBT conference led by Exodus International called Love Won Out. Christopher is the Executive Director/Founder of the Central AZ Rainbow Education (CARE) and a member of the Steering Committee for the Human and Equal Rights Organizers (HERO).

Meg Sneed, Jason Hoppe, and Christopher Jay Hall

As many of you already know, I attended an anti-homosexual conference yesterday! Many of you may ask why, but the answer is quite simple. I truly believe the best way to have an intellectual conversation with those who have different views than us, is to try and understand where it is they are coming from. Unfortunately, their message made this impossible as they closed the conference stating that they were only here to serve the homosexuals and that compromise was out of the question. (Their words not mine)

The conference was well over nine hours long and nearly 90% of the messages delivered were filled with hate and untruthful “statistics” about the LGBTQ community. We must have compassion for their ignorance as we should never hate. I must admit it was very difficult to sit and listen without saying a word, but I remained true to my intentions in trying to truly understand their logic.

In my opinion, some of the most disturbing messages of the day included the following:

- It was hard for some of the speakers to grasp the concept of respect when it came to transgender issues. They said they were going to call a person by the way god intended them to be, not by what they wish. This really irked me especially the way it was presented and the audience laughed and agreed with every hateful word.

- Heterosexual couples have a life-long interest in their relationships which apparently homosexuals lack.

- 91% of women who identify as lesbian are apparently the way they are because of trauma from their childhood (67% sexual abuse). What is abuse? Are we considering verbal abuse, a small punch in the arm when we yell slug bug no slug backs, or simple birthday spankings? I mean… women all over the world are abused both homosexual and heterosexual. They also believe women are gay because of their relationships with men went sour. If this is the case, so many heterosexuals today would be gay as I don’t know any relationship that has not had its moments.

- In a healthy mother-daughter relationship, the child should want to be like her mother otherwise there may be worry for lesbianism. I know many heterosexual women who do not want to be like their mother and I know many lesbians who would like to be like their mother so the “facts” are a bit odd to me. I would think the best way to understand the LGBTQ community is to ask us of our cause and listen to the medical professionals who are telling them otherwise. The church states, even if we are proven to be born gay, they will keep their stance saying that we are not born perfect so the battle almost seems never-ending. Why don’t we focus on what makes individuals heterosexual? There is a thought!

-The gay gene is like any other gene that cause alcoholism, violent behavior, depression, etc. They are all unwanted genes that have a negative impact on our lives. Well, let me tell you, I am a happy homosexual who wants to be the way I am.

Although there were several other messages that ruffled my feathers, those were among the most absurd.

Fortunately, I fell within the age bracket for the youth portion of this conference so I got to listen in on what they are telling our youth. Apparently, there is no such thing as homosexuals as we are all broken heterosexuals. They told the youth that homosexual behavior is always a sin. People who believe they are homosexual are not the sin itself. The person is not an abomination rather their behavior is the abomination they must seek help in overcoming. They end by saying all sin is an abomination to god, but the youth were very intelligent and to some degree liberal. They were curious as to why our “sin” of homosexuality was a focus of the church when there are so many other sins within the church itself that are being ignored. The best question that left the presenters baffled was, “If it is bad to change one’s sex because it was god’s original intention to have us born the way we are, than why do we dye our hair, wear braces to “fix” our teeth, receive plastic surgery, etc. I was happy to see the amount of liberal individuals who attended, I am just saddened to see so many hurt souls who are forced to attend and the church feels they have no role in the high rates of suicide amongst our LGBTQ youth. What ignorance!

I can now say I have tried to understand the opposition and I can now speak against what I have always been against!

When I left the conference with the anti-homosexual philosophy behind me and our supporting LGBTQ community in front of us peacefully gathering to let these individuals know they are loved regardless of what they may have been forced to listen to, I felt as though I was going home. It was a feeling unlike any other. Thanks to all those who came out to show their disapproval in what these individuals were teaching.

While in attendance, I did gather some of the youth’s information so that I can later provide resources to them in the hopes of helping! This was truly an experience I will never forget. I was happy to have shared this expereince with some individuals that I admire within the community such as Meg Sneed and Jason Hoppe! What great individuals they are and you know what..... they too are gay! Hmm... who would have imagined such great people who identified as homosexuals too bad they are broken (ha).

Guest Blog: An Open Letter to President Obama

2011-02-18T18:01:00.001-05:00

Jose Manuel Reyes, Christin Meador, Rev. Pat Baumgardner, Mark Pabon and Rob Lassegue

Welcome Raging Pride's first Guest Blogger, Christin Meador, founder of Proud Ally and GetEQUAL NY State Organizer. I wanted to share with you this beautiful letter she has written to our President.

Dear President Obama,

My name is Christin Meador. I am an American citizen, and today is my 27th birthday. When my parents were in labor back in 1984, they had no idea what kind of child I would be. They didn't know whether I would be a boy or a girl. They didn't know whether I would have brown, green or blue eyes, whether I would have red or brown hair. They didn't know whether I would have the fair complexion of my Anglo-American father or the darker complexion of my Puerto Rican mother. Would I be right or left-handed? Tall or short? Would I be gay, straight, bisexual, transgender? These are among the many questions that run through parents' minds as they anticipate the arrival of their child. One thing was for certain with my parents. They would love me no matter what. And so here I am, a redheaded, green eyed, left-handed, fair skinned, bicultural, straight woman.

My parents and my nation taught me one important thing - we are all created equal.

I love the date of my birthday because it falls between two holidays that represent values very close to my heart - Valentine's Day for its message of love and President's Day for its focus on leadership. Today, in our America, we need leadership to ensure the right to love freely. This Valentine's Day my boyfriend and I were at the Marriage Bureau of Lower Manhattan advocating for marriage equality for the LGBT community. As President's Day approaches, my birthday wish is for you, the leader of our great country, to take true leadership in ensuring the equality of all Americans. The current state of affairs is unjust and un-American.

I grew up in the south, where my grandparents and parents fought for the full equality of black Americans. Without the support of allies, we may have never seen the signing of the civil rights bill. We as Americans may never have experienced the historic moment of your inauguration. It is the history of the civil rights movement, the women's rights movement and my fundamental belief in equality that inspire me to fight every day for the rights of my LGBT brothers and sisters.

I don't know if you have ever attended a LGBT rally or protest. I can tell you from experience that it is devastating to witness people having to fight so tirelessly to defend the person that they love and the rights they are allegedly guaranteed in our democracy. I take action because I'm not willing to live in a country where my brothers and sisters are treated as second class citizens. Today I write to you to ask, will you do the same? Will you take action? Will you deliver a speech about the equal rights of LGBT Americans? Will you be more transparent in your plan for LGBT equality? Will you stand beside the people who campaigned for you? Will you be on the right side of history?

This is not a hard battle to win when we are arguing on Constitutional grounds. Our opponent's opposition to equality is largely if not entirely rooted in religion and the flimsy notion of "traditional marriage". I ask you to stand up and make the argument that we've yet to hear from our politicians. We live in a secular nation, with separation between church and state, and religious beliefs should have no bearing on policy and law. Do you have a Constitutional reason why these rights are denied? If not, can you stand up and say so?

While I understand the political position you are in, I can't help but wonder: Wouldn't you rather serve one term as President and go down in history as the one who delivered full equality to our nation? I know I would. This is your opportunity to make America the leader in human rights that she claims to be.

I am not someone in the inside circle of Washington, and I have nothing to lose when speaking my mind. This kind of engagement is something you advocated for in your campaign, and so I hope you will hear my words. I have nothing to lose, no direct ties to Washington, no insider information. I am simply an active citizen making a plea to you to fight for full equality.

There is a quote from a gospel tune that goes like this - "Lord don't move my mountain, just give me the strength to climb". The community of LGBT activists is a strong, loving and fearless bunch. And we will continue to hold you accountable. We will reach the top of that mountain because it is not in the spirit of the American people to be bystanders. We are upstanders. And we are here to say - love is not a special privilege. Will you join us?

Christin Meador

Transgender Woman Accuses Jobcenter of Discriminatory "Advice"

2011-02-08T18:20:00.000-05:00

In England, Jobcentre Plus is a government agency which assists the unemployed in their search for jobs. It also administers claims for benefits.

Apparently, some of Jobcenter's employees believe that a part of their job is also to pass judgement on transgendered individuals.

Tina Cook has lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Work and Pensions, alleging that she was told she should dress as a man in order to find a job.

Tina Cook

Tina lost her job in the construction industry one year ago. Until then, she had lived a dual life, as Andrew during the day at work and as Tina during her off hours at home. She decided to begin the transition process when she became unemployed and entered a program which requires her to live full-time as a woman or lose her benefits. If she were to take the Jobcenter's advice, she would have to withdraw from the program.

"I’ve only recently summoned the courage to be the way I want. I have given up so much. My family don’t really talk to me and I have no friends. How can they expect me to give it up to get a job. It’s really insensitive."

She reports that the employees at her local Jobcenter call her "Darling," and adds, "They wink at me and say it. I know they are making fun. I don’t go to the Jobcentre for disrespect and abuse. All I need to do for that is walk down the street or go into any pub. Someone will always say something, but I don’t expect it when I am trying to get off benefits and get back into work."

Since becoming unemployed a year ago, Tina has been interviewed for various jobs about thirty times, mostly for cleaning or kitchen work. "I get the feeling when I go to the Jobcentre sometimes that they don’t want me there. When they see me, they try to make me go to interviews for waitressing jobs at posh restaurants, but my forearms are covered in tattoos. There is no chance I’d get those jobs."

The Department for Work and Pensions has responded to the allegations, saying, "Jobcentre Plus is committed to treating all individuals fairly and equally. We will not tolerate discrimination and will take any allegations seriously. We are aware of this complaint and are investigating."

Memorial Vigil for David Kato in New York City

2011-02-05T00:06:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Feb. 3, on the same day that "The Family" was celebrating their National Prayer Breakfast with Washington's elite, a very different event was being held in New York City a few blocks away from the United Nations headquarters. A more somber gathering, organized by the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, it was a vigil to honor the memory of David Kato, the prominent Ugandan LGBT activist who was murdered one week earlier. David was brutally beaten to death with a hammer, punished for the two-fold "crime" of being gay and having the courage to be open about it.

David Kato

When a "newspaper" in Uganda ran an article calling for the death of Uganda's "100 TOP HOMOS," David's photo was on the front page. With two of his friends, he filed a lawsuit against the publisher. He won. The High Court of Uganda found that the "newspaper" had violated their privacy, ordering compensation and an injunction again future similar publication.

Now David is gone. The two other plaintiffs have also been targeted because of this case and they remain in grave danger. It was therefore appropriate that at the New York Vigil the speakers shared their memories of the David they knew as well as their thoughts on what can and must be done to prevent this tragedy from happening again.

It was an impressive array of speakers, including local politicians as well as friends and associates of David. Despite the bone-chilling cold of the day, it attracted several hundred impassioned attendees who listened attentively. After the speakers were finished, the crowd, bearing candles, walked several blocks to Uganda House, the site of Uganda's mission to the UN. Once there, we laid flowers in the doorway in front of a large photo of David bearing the words, "DEMAND JUSTICE - DAVID KATO."

A letter addressed to H.E. Ambassador Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, and signed by twenty-one human rights and HIV/AIDS organizations, was also read to the crowd before being delivered to the mission. It demanded "that the Ugandan government immediately denounce David’s murder and thoroughly and impartially investigate this heinous crime. It is also imperative that the Ugandan government publicly and immediately commits itself to protecting the safety of all LGBT Ugandans... It is also urgent and long overdue that the Ugandan government express its clear opposition to the pending 'Anti-Homosexuality Bill,' condemn all forms of discrimination and incitement to violence directed at anyone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and speak out against the climate of hatred generated by this proposed law."

So, going forward, what should we do to honor David's memory? Here, via IGLHRC, is the press release from his organization SMUG (Sexual Minorities Uganda) which details their suggestions for how we can best respond to this terrible crime. They recommend we:

Send letters urging the Government of Uganda (contact information below) to take the following steps:
- Publicly condemn David's murder;
- Carry out a full and fair investigation into David's murder;
- Prosecute the perpetrator(s) to the fullest extent of the law;
- Investigate David's hacked email account in the days preceding his death;
- Assume that, until proven otherwise, David's death was motivated by homophobia and not routine or arbitrary violence;
- Communicate frequently with LGBT leaders throughout the investigation into David's murder;
- Ensure that members of Uganda's LGBT community have adequate protection from violence;
- Take prompt action against all threats or hate speech likely to incite violence, discrimination or hostility toward LGBT Ugandans;
- Eliminate any possibility of consideration or passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Contact your own governmental authorities and urge them to communicate these concerns to the Ugandan authorities in direct and private advocacy.

Continue to expose and denounce U.S. conservative evangelicals spreading homophobia in Uganda.

Organize respectful and non-violent vigils at the Ugandan embassy or consulate in your country.

Here, for those of you who could not be with us, is a brief video synopsis of the Vigil:

For those of you who have the time to watch, I am also pleased to be able to bring you all seven speakers, presented unedited:

Rev. Pat Baumgarden, Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church of NY

Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director, International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission

Val Kalende, Board Chair, Freedom and Roam, Uganda

Daniel Dromm, NY City Councilman

Christine Quinn, NY City Council Speaker

Dr. Cheikh Traore, Senior Advisor, UN Development Program

Rev. Kapya Kaoma, Political Research Associates

Exclusive Video - Meet Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, Fighting for LGBT Equality

2011-01-30T18:57:00.005-05:00

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo

The Huffington Post said of Bishop Christopher when it named him to their list of Religion's 10 Most Influential people of 2010, "As Uganda considered a bill that would make homosexuality a capital offense, Ugandan Bishop Senyonio (sic) stood up for LGBT rights. As a result he has been the target of death threats and condemnations. The Bishop demonstrates what it means to have the courage of conviction, and faith enough to side with those whom Jesus called 'the least of these.'"

When Rolling Stone (the Ugandan "newspaper," not to be confused with the one published in the USA) printed their list of the 100 Top Homos with it's yellow "Hang Them" banner, the front page featured two photographs: prominent LGBT activist David Kato and Bishop Christopher.

Along with three others, Kato successfully sued to have Rolling Stone (whose editor told Reuters was "a stone that is rolling to smoke out the homos") shut down.

Kato was brutally murdered last week, bludgeoned to death with a hammer in his home in what Ugandan authorities are calling a robbery. Unconfirmed rumors are circulating in Kampala that Kato's computer was left in his house, highly unlikely if the motive for the attack were robbery.

The Reverend Canon Albert Ogle, a San Diego-based gay Anglican priest, reports on what happened at Kato's funeral: "As an excommunicated bishop of the Church of Uganda, Christopher has no standing in the official hierarchy of the church... Although he was disinvited by the Church to speak at the funeral, he found a way to bring words of comfort to the mourners and said the final blessing over David’s battered remains.

In this one sad occasion, we can see there are two churches in Uganda and indeed elsewhere. The bishop was horrified by what he witnessed from his fellow Christians. Yet, it was good that Christopher was there. He told me he was honored to be there and though was not welcomed to speak to the whole assembly, had the final word of love and peace for David. May he rest in peace."

Bishop Christopher was recently in the US, speaking in a number of cities to raise support for his St. Paul’s Centre for Equality and Reconciliation. Accompanied by Canon Ogle, the Bishop discussed the history of his involvement in the struggle for LGBT civil rights in Uganda, the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and, of course, the pending Bahati Bill and what the international community can do to help Uganda's LGBT citizens.

This is the unedited video of his appearance here in New York City:

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo and the Rev. Canon Albert Ogle Visit NYC from David Wallace on Vimeo.

For those of you who may know of Bishop Christopher, but do not know much about him, some background information:

After 24 years of service to the Anglican Church, Bishop Christopher "retired" in 1998 but felt that he still had God's work to do. "I started a consultation and counseling services office. So there were many people coming to me. And among those who came were homosexuals."

Holding a doctorate from Hartford University in Connecticut, the Bishop's views on homosexuality were a little more progressive than many serving the Church in his country. "I suggested to them that they should accept themselves and keep their faith in God for he loved them."

The Ugandan Anglican Church was not as understanding. He has been barred from leading services and stripped of his pension. He has even been accused of being a pederast who is trying to "recruit" Uganda's youth into homosexuality because of his work with the young. (For the record, the Bishop is heterosexual, married, a father and a grandfather.) Still, he has not wavered in support of his flock. "I said, 'I will not abandon this group' because I was convinced that the Lord who gazes on me didn't envisage any kind of discrimination."

"I realized from the outset that I was in for very tough times. So I am very grateful for a number of my friends among you and others who are not here who have tried to sustain me in spite of the catastrophic recession that has hit the world.

One might wonder what has helped me to stay the big storms of life that I have been experiencing. It is because I am convinced that the Gospel of Christ does not discriminate against any body. I can say that I believed God wants to make it clear during my life time that the homosexuals are equally God’s people like the heterosexuals. This truth has made me free as we read in John 8:32.

It is of course not easy to live with rejection by the old friends. It sometimes almost drives me crazy. It is not easy to live barred from practicing the day-to-day Sacramental duties for which one was ordained. It is not easy to see that you are by-passed and not recognized by your contemporaries. But I have found out that the Grace of God is sufficient for me."

Bishop Christopher is back in Uganda now, continuing his work of counseling those who need his support, the poor, the women and, of course, the LGBT people of Uganda. If the Bahati Bill passes, the Bishop will be a considered a criminal for his work with, and support of, Uganda's LGBT citizens. I hope he is able to continue his mission in safety for many years to come, and I look forward to seeing him again when he returns to New York.

In the meantime, to give him the final word, "I would say that the church generally has not dealt with human sexuality. People have been afraid of human sexuality as such, so there's a lot of taboo connected with it. There's a verse which really helps me a lot, in the Gospel of St. John, 16:12 -- "And our Lord said, 'There are still many, many things I would like to tell you but you cannot bear them now.'" The only problem is if you're not willing to listen to what the spirit is saying now."

Cumming on Coming Out (AKA Chamberlain's Dilemma, Part III)

2011-01-27T03:47:00.002-05:00

In a recent interview with The Advocate, Richard Chamberlain stirred up controversy with his statement, "There’s still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It’s regrettable, it’s stupid, it’s heartless, and it’s immoral, but there it is. For an actor to be working is a kind of miracle, because most actors aren’t, so it’s just silly for a working actor to say, 'Oh, I don’t care if anybody knows I’m gay' — especially if you’re a leading man. Personally, I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man–type actor to come out... Despite all the wonderful advances that have been made, it’s still dangerous for an actor to talk about that in our extremely misguided culture."

Then Rupert Everett weighed in on the subject, agreeing with Chamberlain: "The fact is that you could not be, and still cannot be, a 25-year-old homosexual trying to make it in the British film business or the American film business or even the Italian film business."

I blogged about the controversy at the time here, writing: "The advice... is essentially selfish, placing one's career above all other concerns. And it is short-sighted. Only by coming out does someone contribute to that change in our culture... Coming out is never the wrong decision to make. Living in the closet, living a lie, exacts a toll that no one should have to pay."

Recently, Glee's Jane Lynch agreed with Chamberlain, saying "...This is a business of projection and desiring people from afar ... so there has got to be some truth to it, in terms of, 'I could see myself with that person.' Because the leading man and lady are the person we want them to fall in love with, and most of the audience is straight. So for right now, we can only use straight actors." She continued, "I’ve never been turned down for a role because I’m gay... I’m a character actor, and that’s probably why. I don’t find Hollywood, in my own experience, to be homophobic. Have I ever been turned down? I don’t know because you never know when you don’t get something or why you didn’t get it. But I do think the straight folks will continue to play the straight roles."

Now Alan Cumming has entered the fray. In an interview this week with Hadley Freeman in The Guardian, Cumming is quoted as saying:

"'I think it's so mean-spirited... If you're living a lie, that's not healthy, and I think it is really irresponsible of [Chamberlain] and Rupert to say these things.' But do they not have a point – that audiences don't seem able to accept actors who they know to be gay playing heterosexual lovers onscreen, and therefore their acting opportunities are instantly limited?

'But it's not about your work,' he says, scornfully biting out the last word. 'It's about how you exist as a person in the world, and the idea that your work is more important than you as a person is a horrible, horrible message. I always think about a little gay boy in Wisconsin or a little lesbian in Arkansas seeing someone like me, and if I cannot be open in my life, how on earth can they? Anyway, it's an academic question: how can you know [that coming out affects your career]? Some people get less work than others and it has nothing to do with sexuality.'"

Well said, Alan.

Empty Seats at the State of the Union?

2011-01-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

Last year, after Obama spoke about the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, saying, "With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests - including foreign corporations - to spend without limit in our elections," Justice Alito was caught on camera shaking his head and saying "Not true." Alito came in for considerable flak from the press for this lapse in political manners.

This year, his spokesperson tells us he will not be present, having a previous commitment that will keep him in Hawaii. (Searching for Obama's birth certificate, no doubt.)

Justices Scalia and Thomas are also going to be no-shows tonight. Thomas says the State of the Union speech "has become so partisan."

And Scalia? He hasn't "gone to the State of the Union in the last 10 years... I'm not starting tomorrow night, either." On another occasion, Scalia said, "It is a juvenile spectacle, and I resent being called upon to give it dignity."

It appears Chief Justice Roberts, who calls the speech "a political pep rally," will attend, although he is quoted as saying, "The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court, according to the requirements of protocol, has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling," Roberts said. "And it does cause you to think whether or not it makes sense for us to be there."

Garrett Epps writes in The Atlantic, "Being a judge involves etiquette as well as integrity. Both points are covered in Canon Two of the Code of Conduct for Federal Judges: 'A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities.' A judge may know he or she is being fair, but others can't see the judge's heart and they must evaluate actions. And a certain sloppiness of action has lately crept over the federal bench... Whatever happens Tuesday, a Chief Justice could use his influence to remind his charges of the two aspects of Canon Two. Roberts has politely called on Congress to stop its partisan irresponsibility with vacant judgeships, and God bless him for it; he might also call on judges to temper their passion with good manners."

Michelle Obama's "China Red" Gown

2011-01-20T21:54:00.001-05:00

Sooooooo...

Now the right wing pundits are attacking our First Lady for wearing a red gown to a state dinner.

Matt Drudge, Doug Powers, Jim Hoft... One by one, they're lining up to criticize her gown.

As though her wearing a red gown proves that her husband is a communist.

Funny - I seem to remember another First Lady who was partial to red...

The Battle Hymn of Sarah Palin

2011-01-19T12:15:00.000-05:00

For several days now, my friends on Facebook have been posting, and re-posting, the YouTube video of this lovely couple singing the praises of Sarah Palin.

It's been very entertaining, as we've talked about Gary Mcvay's vocal stylings and the moves of his adorable back-up singer. We've all enjoyed a good giggle at the lyrics:

She's a cold blast from Alaska ingrained with common sense.
She's not a Harvard lawyer, but she knew what the founders meant.
A cold blast from the north that freezes Congress in their tracks,
With God and the Tea Party, she's gonna take it back.

Sarah Palin! She won't listen to their bunk.
Sarah Palin's comin' south to hunt some skunk.
Sarah Pailn! She'll throw 'em all in jail,
and when she gets to Washington it'll be cold as Hell!

Sarah has the wisdom to walk through an open door.
She is stomping out the wretches where the evil minds is stored. (?)
She will scrub the floors and sweep the riff-raff into cracks.
With God and the Tea Party, she's gonna take it back.

Sarah Palin! She won't listen to their bunk.

Sarah Palin's comin' south to hunt some skunk.

Sarah Pailn! She'll throw 'em all in jail,

and when she gets to Washington it'll be cold as Hell!

(spoken)

Congress pats themselves on the back from some new bill they just passed. I watch as my freedoms run slowly through an hour glass. They think they spend out money better than we do. But they can talk until they're blue and old. 'Cause if they ever gave us anything, they always wanted something in return. Sarah knows!

Sarah's marchin' on!

(spoken)

I'd like to dedicate this to the Tea Party and all the preachers.

But amid all of the humor, I'm looking at the "set" and wondering: The open book (Bible?) on the table in front of Gary. The table itself, with the words carved on it - I don't know what the specific name for it is, but isn't that the kind of table you'll find in front of the alter in churches all across America? And there, on the wall behind Gary, could that be the base of a cross?

Looks to me as though this video was shot in a church, and churches, we know, are allowed to advocate for political causes. But when they endorse a specific candidate, don't they put their tax-exempt status in jeopardy? Does anyone out there know where this video was shot?

Just sayin...

For those of you who haven't seen the video yet:

Marriage Equality Stands in DC

2011-01-18T14:57:00.003-05:00

This morning, the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from opponents of marriage equality who want to overturn the District of Columbia's same-sex marriage law. Their decision allows the prior ruling from the DC Court of Appeals to stand.

On July 15, 2010, in a 5-4 verdict, the appeals court had ruled against Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr.'s lawsuit which would have required a citywide referendum, giving DC's citizens the opportunity to vote on whether or not same-sex couples would be allowed to marry in our nation's capital. The defendants in the case, the DC Board of Elections and Ethics, had decided that to put gay marriage on the ballot would be to potentially authorize discrimination that was in violation of the Human Rights Act.

In the ruling last July, Associate Judge Thompson, writing for the majority, said “We therefore affirm the Superior Court’s rulings that the Council acted lawfully in imposing the Human Rights Act safeguard and that the Board correctly determined that the safeguard required it to reject the proposed initiative.” While the dissenting judges disagreed concerning the authorities cited in the case, it is interesting to note that all nine justices unanimously agreed that a voted prohibition against gay marriage was a wholesale violation of the Human Rights Act, stating "the Board correctly determined that the proposed initiative would have the effect of authorizing such discrimination."

Last year, Washington began issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, and in 2009 it began recognizing such marriages legally performed elsewhere.

Bishop Harry R. Jackson

Jackson has been staunchly opposing the efforts to legalize marriage equality in the District since the city first began considering such legislation. He writes in his weekly blog that extending the right to marry to LGBT citizens will result in "a call for legalization of polygamy, which includes polygyny (sic) (a man with multiple wives) or polyamory (which may be two men with a woman or any imaginable combination)." He calls supporters of marriage equality "all bullies or terrorists" and claims that "Marriage defenders have over 5,000 years of history, proven social science, natural law, the teachings of every major religion, and common sense on their side," conveniently ignoring the undisputed fact that, for most of those 5,000 years, polygamous marriages were the accepted norm and that todays 2-person, love-based marriages bear little resemblance to the property-based arranged marriages of the past.

He writes that he opposes marriage equality laws, "because of the impact this law will have on the way education and child rearing will be conducted," and that "Federal benefit changes will affect the already exorbitant cost of proposed healthcare reform." (It's interesting to note that he also opposed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, writing, "This legislation has the potential to criminalize the caring attempts of black clergy to maintain the tension of preaching clear traditional doctrine while reaching out to people in need of love and direction." He also agrees with the Pope on the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS, writing, "Pope Benedict XVI made the following statement in Yaounde, Cameroon, 'You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms... On the contrary, it increases the problem.' As far as I can tell, contrary to my friend's opinion, the Pope was right this time.")

According to the Washington Blade, Jackson and his wife don't even reside in the District of Columbia. It would appear that they own two houses in Montgomery County, Maryland, and neighbors claim they reside in one of those houses. For the purpose of voting, however, Jackson claims residence in a condominium in the Mount Vernon Triangle area of DC. Tax records show a Mr. Joseph Honaker owns this one-bedroom condo and also claims it as his primary residence. Must get pretty crowded. Maybe Jackson understands the ins and outs of polyamorous marriages from personal experience?

Below, video of Jackson interview after the appeals court ruling as he was preparing to take his case to SCOTUS:

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Chris Colfer Wins the Golden Globe

2011-01-16T22:29:00.000-05:00

Meet Reince Priebus, New GOP Head

2011-01-15T03:04:00.002-05:00

After seven rounds of balloting, the Republican Party has replaced Michael Steele as its head with Reince Priebus, former chairman of the Wisconsin GOP. Before that, Priebus served as general counsel to the RNC.

Reince Priebus (l.) and Michael Steele (r.)

Prior to today's election, Priebus was best known nationally for this infamous gaffe during a conference call with journalists, when he repeatedly called for "Obama" to be executed:

After being corrected by a journalist, he apologized for the error before attacking former WI Senator Russ Feingold, saying, "Some people would just say, well, maybe he just used the wrong word, and that it was just a gaffe from a normally smooth, skilled politician. Well, if that's the case, then it's a pretty major misstep this close to the election."

On his election, Priebus said, "I am here to earn the trust and support of each and every one of you... I am going to start working right now as your chairman... We all recognize that there is a steep hill here ahead of us, and the only way we will be able to move forward is if we're all together."

AZ Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot

2011-01-08T14:42:00.006-05:00

Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

In a breaking story, CNN and NPR have confirmed that AZ Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot ~~and killed~~ during a "Congress on Your Corner" event at a Safeway in Tucson.

Five others have died from wounds sustained in the attack. At least six others were injured.

The shooter is in custody.

This story will continue to be updated as more facts come to light.

UPDATE: NPR and CNN reported that she had been killed, but Darci Slater, a hospital spokeswoman, said that Ms. Giffords was in surgery. She is reported to be in stable condition and responsive.

According to the Washington Post, "This was not the first time someone brought a gun to a Giffords event. A protester in August brought a gun to Giffords' Congress on Your Corner event in Douglas. Police were alerted after he dropped the firearm. "When you represent a district that includes the home of the O.K. Corral and Tombstone, 'the Town Too Tough to Die,' nothing's a surprise out in Cochise County," Giffords, D-Ariz., said.

NBC News in confirming that U.S. District Court Judge John M. Roll was among those who was shot and had died. He was the chief judge in Arizona, appointed in 1991 by the first President Bush. He became chief judge in 2006.

This is a video interview with the Congresswoman concerning a break-in at her campaign headquarters during last year's elections in which she discussed Sarah Palin's website map showing cross-hairs over Giffords' district:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

BREAKING - Ruling (?) in Prop. 8 Trial

2011-01-04T15:02:00.001-05:00

Moments ago, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an "Order Certifying a Question to the Supreme Court of California."

Theodore Olson

Basically, the appeals court has asked the California Supreme Court to answer the question as to whether or not the original proponents of the Proposition have the legal standing to challenge Judge Walker's ruling that it was unconstitutional.

From Michael C. Dorf, Robert S. Stevens Professor at Cornell University Law School:

"The named defendants in the Perry case were the Governor, the Attorney General, two other state officials, and the County Clerks of Los Angeles and Alameda counties. Yet they all declined to defend Prop. 8 in the district court--leaving that task to the Proposition's sponsors, who intervened. After the district court invalidated Prop. 8, the named defendants declined to appeal. Accordingly, before the appeals court can reach the merits, it must first decide whether the sponsors have legal standing to defend Prop. 8... Even if the appeals court holds that the sponsors lack standing, the case could go forward if another putative intervenor--the deputy clerk for Imperial County--is found to have standing."

David Boies

So... What happens next? If none of the parties defending Prop. 8 are found to have the legal standing to do so, what does this mean? Again, from Mr. Dorf:

"If the court simply dismisses the appeal, then presumably the district court order goes into effect, and same-sex couples can once again marry in California. But alternatively, a finding that no one has standing to defend Prop. 8 on appeal could be read to entail that no one had standing to defend it at trial--in which case the appeals court might have to vacate the entire opinion by the district court. The parties' briefs contest just this point--which could prove crucial if the court attempts to resolve the case on procedural grounds."

So at this point, it could go in any direction. Marriage equality, but only in California. No marriage equality for California. Or on to the Supreme Court in DC. If it does proceed to SCOTUS, David Boies will make the argument: "The United States Supreme Court has determined that intimate sexual conduct between same-sex couples is constitutionally protected. How can marriage rights be taken away when a person is engaged in a constitutionally protected activity? That right can not be taken away from individuals in this state. It is discrimination on the basis of sex and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."

UPDATE: Video added 1/4/11 at 4:45 PM

Homophobes Going for a Third Bite of the Apple

2010-12-30T16:57:00.000-05:00

Apple has rejected the Manhattan Declaration's anti-LGBT iPhone app for a second time.

You may remember that, in November, the LGBT community presented Apple with a petition signed by 8,000 people demanding that they remove the app, which among other things told supporters of marriage equality that they were "wrong," from its store. Apple quickly removed the app.

The religious right then responded with a petition of their own, signed by 46,000 people, asking that a "modified" version of the app be sold.

But Apple has decided that even though the promoters of the app have more "votes," their slightly "modified" version would still be "'likely to expose a group to harm" and "be objectionable and potentially harmful to others" and has again rejected it.

Did the Manhattan Declaration's signers think they would win Steve Jobs over to their side with PR like this?

The Manhattan Declaration's organizers plan to take the matter back to Apple's App Review Board after they return from the Christmas and New Year's holiday observances.

If you'd like thank Apple directly for their decision and urge them to continue to stick to their guns, the phone number for their corporate headquarters is 408-996-1010.

Richard Chamberlain's Advice

2010-12-30T12:57:00.001-05:00

Richard Chamberlain

In his recent interview in the Advocate, Richard Chamberlain is quoted as saying "It’s complicated. There’s still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It’s regrettable, it’s stupid, it’s heartless, and it’s immoral, but there it is. For an actor to be working is a kind of miracle, because most actors aren’t, so it’s just silly for a working actor to say, 'Oh, I don’t care if anybody knows I’m gay' — especially if you’re a leading man. Personally, I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man–type actor to come out... Despite all the wonderful advances that have been made, it’s still dangerous for an actor to talk about that in our extremely misguided culture. Look at what happened in California with Proposition 8. Please, don’t pretend that we’re suddenly all wonderfully, blissfully accepted."

The bloggers have weighed in, criticizing him for this advice. Some of the blogs have been pretty insulting, too.

While I also disagree with his conclusions and the advice he offers, I can't say that he is factually wrong. Our society is changing, but it still has quite a way to go.

When Ellen came out (and it wasn't that long ago) her series was cancelled. She has repeatedly talked in interviews about how it seemed that her career was over. Rupert Everett came out, and today expresses some regret over the roles that decision has cost him. There is a price to pay for coming out.

The advice to stay in the closet is understandable, but it is essentially selfish, placing one's career above all other concerns. And it is short-sighted. Only by coming out does someone contribute to that change in our culture.

But I have to question why so many are willing to pile on Richard Chamberlain?

When Judge Phillips ruled that DADT was unconstitutional, the leading advocacy groups (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Servicemembers United, OUTServe) fighting for the rights of lesbian and gay soldiers advised their members to remain in the closet.

I'll admit it: At first, I didn't question the wisdom of the advice the servicemembers organizations were giving. The court's ruling was going to be appealed, and if it were to be reversed by a higher court, anyone who had come out would be subject to discharge.

But then I listened to Dan Choi. He was calling for the opposite response. He asked our servicemembers to show their courage, to come out now and show how many lesbians and gays we already had serving our country with honor. His position was that only by coming out would they contribute to the final death of this discriminatory policy. And as soon as I heard him say this, I knew he was right.

Where were the blogs then? Heck, where are they now, when servicemembers are still being urged to use caution when considering whether or not to come out?

Coming out is never the wrong decision to make. Living in the closet, living a lie, exacts a toll that no one should have to pay. But in the end, coming out is a decision we all have to make for ourselves when we are ready.

ACLU Files Suit Seeking Survivor's Benefits for Same-Sex Partner of Deceased State Trooper

2010-12-25T19:53:00.002-05:00

When you're getting ready for bed on this Christmas night, won't you spare a thought for Kelly Glossip?


Glossip (L), Engelhard and son in happier times.

Last Christmas morning Glossip's partner, Missouri Highway Patrol trooper Dennis Engelhard, said goodbye to his family and went to work as usual. Later that morning, while assisting a motorist who was was involved in an accident in the winter snow on Interstate 44, Engelhard was struck by an SUV. He died before Glossip could reach his side in the hospital.

Following his death, the governor ordered all U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at half-staff. Earlier this week, the state even renamed the stretch of the highway where he was killed after him in his honor. But because Missouri does not recognize the legal validity of same-sex relationships, Glossip has been denied the survivor benefits that he would have received had they been able to marry.

"There were days after Dennis’ death that were some of the loneliest I have ever known. Neither I nor my son were mentioned in Dennis’ obituary, which just said that Dennis was 49, single, and survived by his parents, brother and sister-in-law and nephews and niece. When the governor called for the flags to be lowered to half-mast across the state, he asked the people of Missouri to pray for Dennis’ family: his parents and brother, but not me. Those moments made me feel that the family we had made for 15 years – me, Dennis and my son – was hidden, or purposefully ignored," Glossip says.

There is no dispute as to the nature of their relationship. Engelhard had been open about the relationship with his fellow troopers. "There were no problems with Dennis' sexual orientation within the Highway Patrol -- at least not in Troop C," Glossip says. "Dennis and I loved each other and lived in a committed relationship for 15 years. We depended on each other emotionally and financially in our life together like any other committed couple. We exchanged rings and would have married in Missouri if the state didn't exclude us from marriage."

"Life since Dennis has been gone has been a struggle. Not only do I have to cope with losing my beloved partner, and my son has to struggle with losing his stepfather, but since Dennis was the primary breadwinner in our family I have also struggled financially." If they had been legally married, Glossip would've been entitled to a state pension of 50% Engelhardt's salary. Represented by the ACLU, Glossip has filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Patrol Employees' Retirement System. "I'm just seeking the same financial protections the state provides to heterosexual couples. It is hard enough coping with the grief of losing Dennis. It is even more painful to have the state treat Dennis and me as though we were total strangers."

He is not challenging the definition of marriage under Missouri law. Instead, he is challenging the benefits policy as a violation of his rights under the Missouri Constitution. "All I am asking is for the same dignity for my family as is shown to any other Highway Patrol family in their time of need. Dennis gave his life protecting the people of Missouri, and yet the state treats his family as legal strangers. This is a disservice to his memory and a disservice to the promise of fair treatment under the law as promised by our state’s Constitution."

"Dennis and Kelly were a family in every sense of the word," said John Knight, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project. "They owned a home together, shared cars and bank accounts, and Dennis even helped Kelly care for his child from a former marriage. They vowed to take care of each other in good times and in bad. As a matter of basic fairness, Kelly should be entitled to the same security as other bereaved partners of troopers killed in the line of duty."

"Kelly is merely seeking the same treatment he would have received if his partner had been a woman, rather than a man," said Anthony Rothert, Legal Director of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri. "Kelly may not have been able to marry the person of his choice under Missouri state law, but he is still entitled to equal protection and the fundamental right to the family relationship he formed with Dennis Engelhard. He is seeking the same dignity and security for his family that is granted to other state troopers' families."

ATTACK OF THE ZOMBIE ACTORS!

2010-12-24T18:15:00.000-05:00

Knowing that it would drive me over the precipice, a friend recently sent me a link to an article published in The Mail in which Mel Smith talked about George Lucas' plans for the future:

"He’s been buying up the film rights to dead movie stars in the hope of using computer trickery to put them all together in a movie, so you’d have Orson Welles and Barbara Stanwyck appear alongside today’s stars."

This really isn't entirely new. People have speculated on this possibility for a number of years. It's even been tried, though fortunately without much success.

"Laurence Olivier" in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Laurence Olivier died on July 11, 1989. Fifteen years later, he also (digitally) starred in "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow." Leaving the theatre after seeing this movie, I felt it was an appalling misuse of technology, that it desecrated the memory of a great actor who cared immensely about his work by using his image and voice to create a performance over which he had no control. Olivier's extraordinary dedication to the craft of acting was well documented over the years. He famously worked for over a year to lower his voice from its natural tenor range to a baritone because Orson Welles had jokingly told him he should never play Othello, that the music of the character's lines needed a baritone's voice - and Olivier agreed!

A year after the debacle of Sky Captain, Rob Cohen promised (threatened) us with a new film, aptly titled Rage and Fury, starring Bruce Lee. Rage and fury should have been the fans' reaction to the news of this impending disaster when the director first announced the project back in 2006.

So while the concept may not be new, the fact that one man is currently stockpiling the rights to the names, faces and voices of defenseless, deceased actors for future misuse left me, as I'm certain my friend knew, apoplectic.

Now don't get me wrong. It's not the digital manipulation to which I object. Loads of actors have lent their images and voices to video game manufacturers. Living actors, who agree to this being done and share in the economic rewards and who, presumably, have some input as to the results. If Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone are willing to agree to this, that's fine. But when the heirs to a deceased actor fatten their wallets by pimping out the memory of their relatives, this techno-necrophilia is just wrong on so many levels.

Besides creating a "performance" over which the "actor" has no control, it denies work to a living actor, an actor who could add something to the director's vision by creating something that goes beyond what the director had seen in his imagination. This is precisely why the best directors universally admit that the single most important choice they make during the production process is casting.

Screenwriters have long railed against the "auteur" theory, which gives the director all of the credit for the content of a film. This technology will give the director total control over the performers as well, something that I would suggest no GOOD director would want. In the nearly-a-century that the film industry has existed, the best directors have always acknowledged the contributions of their collaborators, the happy accident of a talented actor's inspiration.

What's next? When do we program a robot to emulate the work of Michaelangelo, Van Gough, Picasso, and tell all of the world's struggling artists to give up and find something else to do with their lives? Or a computer program that will write like Hemingway or Shakespeare so no aspiring writers ever need to commit word to paper?

More than any other artform, filmmaking is a collaborative medium. Placing all of the creative process in the hands of only one individual will intrinsically diminish the quality of resulting piece of art, or, in Lucas' case, product. It is a disgusting illustration of the man's egomania that he would even consider doing this. Lucas may have purchased the "legal" right to use the images of dead actors, but he has not acquired either the artistic or the moral right to use this technology.

I don't expect Hollywood to allow questions of good taste to get in the way of making a buck. It's up to us, the ticket buyers. Nothing short of a total boycott of any film using this technology will appease the wrath of Raging Pride!

(This above image is a screenshot from a copyrighted film, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by the studio which produced the film, and possibly also by the actor appearing in the screenshot. It is believed that the use of a limited number of web-resolution screenshots for critical commentary and discussion of the film and its contents qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law.)

DAN CHOI GETS HIS RING BACK

2010-12-22T17:48:00.001-05:00

What words can I add? The smile on Dan Choi's face tells it all. Senator Harry Reid, who promised to keep Dan's West Point ring safe until the repeal of DADT had been signed into law, has now returned the ring. Video is below:

President Signs DADT Repeal!

2010-12-22T15:17:00.000-05:00

Today, December 22, 2010, President Obama signed into law the repeal of the law which barred the military service to openly lesbian, gay and bisexual troops.

While implementation of this repeal and a fully non-discrimination policy is still in the future, this marks the first great legislative victory for the advancement of civil rights in the US in the 21st century.

You can view this moment in history here:

IN GOD'S NAME: March and Rally in Brooklyn Protests Homophobic Hate-Speech

2010-12-22T02:04:00.000-05:00

Demonstrators at In God's Name - Hate Is the Abomination prepare for
the traditional recitation of the Kadish, the Hebrew Mourners' Prayer.

I had blogged previously about Queer Rising's event, IN GOD'S NAME - HATE IS THE ABOMINATION. With wind chill factors in the low teens as I headed out to Brooklyn, I didn't expect to find many people in attendance. It was quite a pleasant surprise then to see so many show up on such a cold night for a rally "inspired" to challenge the homophobic hate-speech coming from a few ultra-right wing Orthodox Rabbis led by Yehuda Levin.

Levin most recently made the news during Carl Paladino's unsuccessful campaign for NY Governor, when then-candidate Paladino was eager for the endorsement of this fringe figure. It was he who wrote Paladino's famous quote "I don't want [children] brainwashed into thinking homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option. It isn't." According to Levin, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were God's punishment for NYC establishing a domestic partnership registry. Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans was divine retribution for that city's hosting of a circuit party. Levin claims to oppose anyone who would use violence against the LGBT community, but in 2006 he organized the drive to stop WorldPride, an LGBT pride event in Jerusalem, promising, "There's going to be bloodshed - not just on that day, but for months afterward."

But even though Queer Rising organized this event in Flatbush, the Brooklyn neighborhood where Levin and his (few) supporters live, Levin wasn't the sole focus of the protest. This is just the first of what will be many similar protests in the future, challenging the rhetoric coming from religious "leaders" who cloak their homophobia behind their faith, homophobia that fosters the societal attitudes encouraging the gay-bashers who directly attack us and, perhaps even more insidiously, enabling the bullies, the teachers, and yes, even the parents who drive our youths to harm themselves in futile acts of desperation.

As Jake Goodman, a member of Queer Rising who emceed the event, explains in a beautifully written guest blog posted tonight on Pam's house Blend, "We decided instead to build a coalition. We communicated with over 100 rabbis from every denomination. We visited support groups for ex-Orthodox gay Jews. We partnered with other organizations and communities that were doing related work. We mobilized both Jewish and queer organizations to collaborate...In the end, the success of "In God's Name" can be measured by who showed up: people of every sexual orientation, Jews of every denomination (including the unaffiliated), non-Jews, atheists, old people, young people, white people, Latino people, African Americans. Rally speakers included a lesbian rabbi (Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum), an Orthodox rabbi (Rabbi Maurice Appelbaum), an Israeli nonprofit executive (Idit Klein) and a gay union leader (Stuart Appelbaum). We were endorsed by synagogues large and small, queer and AIDS-related activist groups, hospitals, arts youth groups, community centers, etc."

"It is shocking and appalling that some individuals who might pray three times a day and endeavor to keep every law in the books, are the same ones violating our very tenets and the most important laws that we have," Rabbi Applebaum told the crowd at the rally.

Rabbi Kleinbaum reminded us of the inherent power of words for good and for ill, and the horrifying consequences of allowing hate-speech to go unchallenged. Stuart Applebaum continued, "But our words have power, too. And we must use our words to condemn those who would pervert their religion... to use it as a means of discrimination and destruction."

"If [our community leaders] preach hatred and shame and defile the name of God to justify homophobic bias and unjust acts, we call upon all of you to raise your voices and say ‘Enough!’ For hate is, indeed, the abomination,” said Idit Klein.

After the (mercifully short, considering the frigid temperatures) rally, the crowd marched through the neighborhood, singing Hebrew and American folk songs. (I'll have to admit, "This Little Light of Mine" was the only one I knew.) At every door and window, we saw the faces of the neighborhood, watching us. There was a heavy police presence, whether there to protect or control us I can't say, but it was completely unnecessary. This protest went without any unpleasantness at all. I didn't hear one derogatory comment from any of the people we passed on the street.

At the end of the march, the crowd gathered to recite the Kaddish, the traditional Hebrew Mourner's Prayer, in memory of all of the victims, both known and unknown, of misplaced religious homophobia.

In this video I've tried to encapsulate the experience of being at this demonstration for those who could not attend. It is my hope that you will watch it and experience the same powerful and positive emotions I felt that night.

In God's Name - Hate Is the Abomination from David Wallace on Vimeo.

131 ARRESTED IN WHITE HOUSE PROTEST, 11 MORE ARRESTED IN NYC'S TIMES SQUARE

2010-12-18T03:08:00.003-05:00

Snow fell yesterday in Washington, DC. The pristine monuments were wrapped in a clean, white blanket of winter beauty. The city was quiet. Quiet, but not silent. A crowd gathered in Lafayette Square, in front of the White House, to deliver a message to President Obama, even as the President was delivering a message to the American people about the war in Afghanistan.

Inside, the President, accompanied by Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense Gates, reassured reporters that, while "this continues to be a very difficult endeavor," the U.S. is "on track to achieve our goals."

Asked about the lack of support for the war shown by Americans in recent polls, Secretary Clinton replied "I'm well aware of the popular concern, and I understand it." But in matters of critical national security, she added, our government can't make decisions "based on polling." She reminded the reporters, "This administration ... inherited an extraordinarily difficult situation. ... There was no coherent strategy to unify American's efforts in the region, no clearly defined mission... Today, we have a very different story to tell.

Asked about the projected withdrawal of US forces scheduled to begin next July, Secretary Gates responded, "The answer is, we don't know at this point."

The news media duly reported on all of this. But they seem to have ignored what was going on outside in the snow, where an estimated 500 people, many of them military veterans who had honorably served our country, came to protest the continuation of the war.

Following a rally organized by the group Veterans for Peace, featuring speeches by Daniel Ellsberg (of Pentagon Papers fame), retired CIA officer Ray McGovern, Dr. Margaret Flowers of Physicians for a National Health Program, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges and others, the protesters staged a solemn march to the White House, silent but for the sound of a single drum. When they found their path to the sidewalk in front of the President's mansion blocked, some of the veterans were not deterred, and began climbing over the obstacles. The police opened the barricades and allowed them access to the sidewalk in front of the White House, where the protesters began chanting.

As the press conference inside the White House continued, the police began arresting the protesters. For nearly four hours, the police handcuffed and photographed 131 people for failing to obey police orders to clear the sidewalk in front of the White House. Those arrested included Ellsberg, McGovern, and Hedges.

At the same time, in a show of solidarity in New York City's Times Square, another rally was held which also resulted in the arrests of members of Veterans for Peace and the the brave women of the Granny Peace Brigade - some of them in their eighties and nineties!

None of this was deemed to be newsworthy by the mainstream media. At Raging Pride, we beg to differ.

UPDATE: This morning a spokesperson from the NYPD confirmed that there were eleven people arrested in Times Square, bringing the total number of arrests to 142. I have updated the headline to reflect this new information. - DW

"Smiling Bob" Still In Jail, Despite Rights Violations

2010-12-16T18:15:00.000-05:00

With all of the mainstream news media focusing on DADT, the Obama tax deal, the DREAM act and the START Treaty, there was one BIG story this week that you heard little or nothing at all about. This is a story you won't see covered on the network news. The Today Show wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.

It's a story that has a little of bit of everything: government stepping on your rights, the internet, sex, familial betrayal, epic fraud and criminal conspiracies, sex, late night TV... oh, and did I mention sex?

Seriously, though, it's actually a rather important story for those of you who use email, and I'm assuming that, since you're online reading my blog, you do. But while the case, dry as it might be, is important to anyone who is concerned with government intrusion into their online privacy, the specifics of it are a little more, well, entertaining.

In a decision concerning the privacy of email users, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in the case US-v-Warshak that the government must have a search warrant before it can read emails stored by email service providers such as Yahoo, Gmail and AOL. The court based its ruling on the position that email users enjoy the same reasonable expectation of privacy in their emails as in their conventional snail-mail.

The court's ruling stated:

"Given the fundamental similarities between email and traditional forms of communication, it would defy common sense to afford emails lesser Fourth Amendment protection... Police may not storm the post office and intercept a letter, and they are likewise forbidden from using the phone system to make a clandestine recording of a telephone call--unless they get a warrant, that is."

Unfortunately for Steven Warshak, this ruling, whatever long-term significance it may have for the rest of us, will have no effect on his criminal conviction. He was found guilty of 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering and was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay thousands in fines.

And here's where we get to the reason why no one is really talking about this case: embarrassment. Warshak's fraud was running Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, manufacturers and distributors of Enzyte. Yes, Enzyte, the natural supplement for "male enhancement," a euphemism for penile enlargement.

If you've watched late night TV in the last decade, you've seen their effective if somewhat wooden, commercials:

BPN claimed that Enzyet could increase penis size, girth, firmness, and improve sexual performance. It was the pill that gave Smiling Bob and his wife (and apparently every woman with whom he had any contact) those big grins. Warshak was running a scam, preying on people he thought were the perfect victims. He believed that his customers, no matter how dissatisfied with the Enzyte's inevitable lack of results, would never complain. Who, he reasoned, would be willing to publicly admit to needing his product? He never expected to end up doing hard time. And if customers did ask for their money back, his phone sales reps were taught how to stiff them. (Can I get a rim-shot here?)

Well, thousands of consumer complaints were made, though about the company's business practices, especially the "autoship" program that repeatedly charged their credit cards for refills even after they canceled their orders. When federal agents raided BPN, Warshak and four other people, including his 75-year-old mother, were indicted. Any future his firm would have would depend on the size of the fines. (Puh-dum-dum!)

Along with the guilty verdicts for Warshak and his mother, the company was required to forfeit $500 million, forcing it into bankruptcy. (It has since been acquired by another company, and Enzyte, despite the lack of any evidence supporting its efficacy, is still on the market.)

And so, despite growing concerns about protecting your privates... uh, I mean, privacy... on the internet, the embarrassment factor is preventing the media from telling you about this case. Which is a shame, really. Because it is a very important case. One might even say it was seminal.

OBAMA Reacts to GOP's Filibuster

2010-12-09T18:39:00.000-05:00

The White House is also framing today's GOP filibuster of the National Defense Authorization Act in terms of it's impact on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The official WH statement:

A minority of Senators were willing to block this important legislation largely because they oppose the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." As Commander in Chief, I have pledged to repeal this discriminatory law, a step supported by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and informed by a comprehensive study that shows overwhelming majorities of our armed forces are prepared to serve with Americans who are openly gay or lesbian. A great majority of the American people agree. This law weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness, integrity and equality.

I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Armed Services Committee Chairman Levin, and Senators Lieberman and Collins for all the work they have done on this bill. While today's vote was disappointing, it must not be the end of our efforts. I urge the Senate to revisit these important issues during the lame duck session.

To which I can only reply, as succinctly (it's 55 secs long) as I can put it:

SENATE GOP FILIBUSTER BLOCKS NDAA

2010-12-09T16:38:00.001-05:00

Most of my friends and much of the mainstream media will view today's disgraceful Senate action in terms of its effect on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." But it's much bigger than that.

The National Defense Authorization Act contains ALL of the funding for the Pentagon for the next fiscal year.

As the Republicans are so fond of reminding us, the United States is in a time of war. TWO wars! And the GOP has just blocked consideration of the bill that funds the military.

I'm asking my friends in the LGBT community to back away from our own parochial concerns. I'm asking the media to back away from what they see as a hot button issue that will boost their ratings.

The GOP has just undercut our military in a time of war! They MUST be challenged on this! This borders on a treasonous act.

PLEASE - Don't let the GOP frame the terms of how the media covers this. Don't let the GOP own tonight's news cycle.

UPDATE: NY Senate Balance Still in Question

2010-12-08T20:29:00.001-05:00

Sen. Craig M. Johnson (D)

A spokesperson from Senator Craig M. Johnson's office has confirmed to me that the appeal of Judge Ira B. Warshawsky's ruling giving the 67th District Senate seat to GOP challenger Jack Martins is going forward. As I previously reported, the appeal was filed on Monday. Written briefs are due to be submitted before the end of the week with oral arguments starting next week. There is currently a stay of execution on the lower court's ruling. As a result, the current seat count of the New York Senate is 31 held by Republicans, 30 by Democrats.

Jack Martins (R)

If the Appellate court affirms the lower court ruling, Martins will be certified the winner and the GOP will control the chamber, 32 to 30. If the court orders that a recount of the ballots proceed and Johnson is found to be the winner, the chamber will be tied with 31 votes for each party.

If this is the final result, there remains the question of how tied votes will be resolved. The Democrats say that incoming Lt. Governor Robert J. Duffy, in his capacity as President of the Senate, will cast the tie-breaker. The law on this is unclear, however, and if this happens, the GOP will almost certainly challenge this in court.

Sen. Kevin Parker (D)

Also unclear is what, if any, action the Senate will take concerning Sen. Kevin Parker, convicted yesterday in Brooklyn Supreme Court on two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief. Parker was charged with felony assault for allegedly attacking a photographer from the New York Post in May, 2009, breaking the photographer's finger, smashing his camera and vandalizing the interior of his car. He will be sentenced on Jan. 27. If he had been found guilty of the felony charge, he would have automatically lost his seat. Because he was only convicted on the misdemeanor charges, however, it will be up to his Senate colleagues to determine his fate.

Republicans are expected to call for sanctions that could lead to his expulsion from the Senate, as happened in February with Hiram Monserrate, also found guilty of misdemeanor charges while being cleared of more serious felony assault charges. "A commission should look at Parker... His conduct definitely is unbecoming of a NY State Senator," said Sen. Martin Golden (R).

The Democrats, while not defending his actions, appear unwilling to remove him from the Senate as they did with Monserrate. If he were to lose his seat, it would remain vacant until a special election could be held, guaranteeing the GOP majority status, regardless of the outcome of the Johnson/Martin court case. "I'm not advocating that this warrants expulsion... The heinous crime of domestic violence demands a tougher standard," said Senate leader John Sampson (D), who also voted against the removal of Monserrate.

Congressman Tim Bishop (D) Randy Altschuler (R)

In related news, the last disputed contest for the House of Representatives came to an end this morning when Republican challenger Randy Altschuler conceded the victory to Democratic incumbent Tim Bishop. Initial vote counts had given the victory to Bishop election night, but the next day election officials announced that a mistake had been made. After a second count, Altschuler was declared the victor. Those results have been in dispute for over a month, and as of last night the tally had Bishop ahead by 263 votes, with 977 absentee ballots remaining to be counted. In announcing his decision to end his legal challenge to the vote count, Altschuler's emailed statement said, "After consulting with my family and campaign staff, I am ending my campaign and offering congratulations to Congressman Tim Bishop on his victory." Any further efforts to challenge the results would, in his words, "place an unnecessary burden on the taxpayers of Suffolk County."

These long-contested contests, decided by only a few hundred ballots, give the lie to the idea that one person's vote in unimportant. Clearly, every vote counts.

Republicans Poised to Take Control of NY State Senate

2010-12-07T17:40:00.001-05:00

We started the week off with mixed news on those still contested races for New York's Senate. For those who have not been following this story, a quick recap:

More than a month after election day, there were three districts in which the vote count was still too close to call. The results of those three races will determine which party, Republicans or Democrats, will be the majority party and control the Senate. Besides the major issues at stake for the state's LGBT populace, which include marriage equality and public rent subsidies for HIV patients, this year the notoriously dysfunctional state Senate will be asked to pass major campaign reforms. Also of critical importance will be redistricting questions which will affect the state's elections for years to come.

Last week, Sen. Antoine Thompson (D) conceded to Mark J. Grisanti, giving the 60th District to the GOP. "I thank the residents of the 60th Senatorial District for allowing me to serve them for four years - a duty that I took very seriously and an experience for which I am extremely grateful. I thank the many community partners who I've had the pleasure of working with side-by-side for a better 60th District. Together, we accomplished monumental successes in the areas of economic development, education and the environment," Thompson said in a prepared statement.

Bob Cohen Photo credit: BobCohen2010.com

Yesterday, Rob Cohen (R) conceded defeat to incumbent Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer in the 37th District. "Although other people have suggested that I push for a hand re-count, I do not believe that is in the best interest of the taxpayers of Westchester County," Cohen said from his campaign headquarters in White Plains. "I think the cost of that would be prohibitive and I don't think the outcome would be any different... It was literally within less than half of one percent of the 90,000 voters in this district that determined this race. Whenever they say your vote doesn't count it's not true, your vote does count. Every vote counts and in this election every vote was counted and I appreciate that."

Suzi Oppenheimer Photo credit: NY State Senate

"After a long and hard fought campaign and a deliberate counting of the votes, it is my honor to once again have the privilege of representing the people of Westchester in the state Senate," Oppenheimer said in a statement. "It is particularly gratifying in a year where I faced a very well-financed opponent. I want to thank my many supporters, volunteers and constituents for their hard work and faith in me, without whom this victory would not be possible."

Which leaves it all up to one race to determine which party will control the Senate. On Saturday, Judge Ira B. Warshawsky in Nassau County rejected a hand recount in the state's 7th District, declaring Jack Martins (R) the winner over the incumbent, Sen. Craig M. Johnson (D), by a margin of 451 votes. Justice Warshawsky ruled that there was insufficient evidence to show that Johnson could win in a hand recount of all 85,000 ballots.

"The judge's decision to deny a recount is wrong on the letter and the spirit of the law, said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate's democratic conference. "In a race where the margin is less than half of 1%, the failure to count every vote is a disservice to every voter... The judge set a dangerous precedent that could lead to the disenfranchisement of New York voters."

Yesterday, Johnson's attorney filed an appeal of the decision. "Frankly, this is bigger than me, bigger than Jack Martins, and bigger than who controls the state Senate," Johnson said in a prepared statement. "This is about preserving the principal of one man, one vote that our government was founded upon."

"We are optimistic that justice will be served on appeal," attorney Steven Schlesinger said.

Sen. Johnson was one of the supporters of the marriage equality bill last year:

The appeal was heard today. As of this posting, no ruling has been made in the case. I will post the results as soon as they are available.

Jo Ann Santangelo's Proud to Serve

2010-12-06T09:23:00.006-05:00

Every day on the news there is some new development in the ongoing battle to repeal Section 654, Title 10, U.S.C., the law which gave us the military's policy commonly known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The debates, the trials, the hearings, the surveys, the reports, the demonstrations, and the statistics continually mount up. What seems to get lost in all of the mountains of facts are the very human stories of the people most profoundly affected by this policy, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered service members.

Photojournalist Jo Ann Santangelo set out to correct this. She has revealed the face of this issue by traversing the nation and putting together a collection of photographs of these service members coupled with the stories they have to tell of how this policy negatively impacted on their lives at a time when they had dedicated themselves to our country's service.

Her show, Proud to Serve, opened in New York City at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center on Veterans' Day, November 11, where it generated a lot of excitement in the community. She was kind enough to take the time to walk through the exhibit with me to share some of the details of these courageous individuals' lives.

Jo Ann Santangelo's Proud to Serve from David Wallace on Vimeo.

The photographs in Proud to Serve have been published as an 10" X 8" full-color, soft cover book. It is available directly from Jo Ann's website. The first 100 copies of the book will be signed by Jo Ann.

IN GOD'S NAME - HATE IS THE ABOMINATION

2010-12-01T23:29:00.003-05:00

On November 10, the LGBTQ activist group Queer Rising announced In God's Name - Hate Is the Abomination, an event which seeks to call attention to the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric being advanced by some in the Jewish community and the effects of that rhetoric on our society. On December 16, at 7:30 PM, there will be a Rally at the Parade Grounds in Prospect Park, followed by a March in Solidarity through the heart of Flatbush, up Ocean Parkway to 18th Avenue. The Mourners' Kadish will be recited in rememberance of all those whose lives have been lost to homophobia. The Rally has been endorsed by Congregation Beth Simchat Torah , Keshet, Nehirim, The Power Online, Storahtelling, Jewish Chicks Rock, Project Achieve and the Columbia University Medical Center, and, of course, Raging Pride Media.

This rally has been called to challenge the position held by people like Rabbi Yehuda Levin of Brooklyn, who disavows any responsibility for the consequences of his words. He calls press conferences and posts videos on YouTube claiming that the terrorist attacks on September 11 were God's punishment for the city of New York establishing a Domestic Partnership registry. He asserts that Katrina's flooding on New Orleans was punishment for that city's hosting a large Circuit Party. He blames the recent disasters in Haiti on homosexuality and tells us that repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will result in unimaginable horrors being visited upon us by God.

And he is not alone. There are many Orthodox leaders who contend that every Israeli soldier who dies is a sign from God that Israel must stop allowing LGBT soldiers to serve openly in their military. In this, Rabbi Levin and his cohorts are much like Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for their protests at American military funerals. And just like Phelps, Levin claims to be the victim of discrimination. He claims that he is only speaking his faith and that he condemns anyone who would take violent action against gays. He denies any responsibility for fostering the attitude of repression against gays. He denies any responsibility for the discrimination of a society that drives our LGBT youths to consider, and in many cases attempt, suicide.

The date for the announcement of In God's Name - Hate Is the Abomination was chosen because it was the 72nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, the infamous Night of Broken glass, when the Nazi's rhetoric against the Jewish people of Germany turned into massive demonstrations of violence. Kristallnacht is generally conceeded to be the night that the Holocaust began. As Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of CBST, said at the announcement:

The significance of Kristallnacht is not only that 91 people were killed that night, or that close to 2,000 synagogues were destroyed forever... But it was that moment, that night on November 9 and November 10th, that the words of hatred which had been fueling the fire since the rise of National Socialism in 1933 turned from language to violence.

Witnesses surveying the damage the
morning after Kristallnacht.

But what really changed on this night 72 years ago was that all that language that started to isolate Jews made it possible for neighbors who had been neighbors for hundreds of years to take up the machete, to take up the gun and to shatter these houses of worship and kill Jews.

After that there was no going back and in some ways we know that Hitler was using these moments in history to see precisely how the world would react. Would there be silence, or would there be condemnation? Would there be an uprising, an outrage from Jews and non-Jews from countries all over the world saying this kind of treatment of citizens would not be tolerated? There was silence, and we all know the outcome of that story...

What we are doing here today is to first of all say words matter. How words are used and how words target and isolate individuals and groups matter. And as Jews we reject the idea that any language is OK in order to describe someone differently or in ways that are painful. We reject that.

And most importantly, we will put our bodies on the line to protect those whose physical beings are at risk, not only their spiritual and their emotional beings.So I'm proud to join together with Jake Goodman and with Queer Rising to make sure that 72 years from today, we can say we were among those who heard the glass shattering in our own cities, in our own states, understood it was our own kind of Kristallnacht happening, but we did whatever we could do to make sure the silence was shattered not just the glass. To make sure that this would not go any further and that there would be those of us who would stand up with full voice and with full body to prevent anything from going inexorably on.

Join us in December and join us on this path. Join us through the Queer Rising website or the CBST website. Join in community as we fight these forces that depend on us to be silent.

For those of us who are not Jewish, this video tutorial will teach you the Kaddish so that you can recite along with the other attendees:

OBAMA INJURED - GAYS ARE ON THEIR OWN

2010-11-29T02:18:00.000-05:00

It's looking as though America's LGBT citizens are going to be on their own in trying to convince Congress to pass the repeal of DADT during the lame duck session. President Obama will be unable to call wavering Senators owing to an injury to his lip, requiring 12 stitches, sustained during a basketball game.

According to the official White House statement: "After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player's elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the President received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit. They were done in the doctor's office located on the ground floor of the White House."

The opposing player was identified as Rey Decerega, director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Decerega stated, "I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport. I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I'm sure he'll be back out on the court again soon."

Picture credit: Savark Dicupe

100 Days Without a Hospital

2010-11-21T03:36:00.002-05:00

At first glance, you might think this is a local New York City story. But it's not.

It doesn't matter where you live. You've heard of St. Vincent's Hospital. Maybe you just don't remember it right now. In the history of New York City, St. Vincent's has stood tall through every crisis. It first opened in 1849 to treat victims of a cholera outbreak in a small brick house with 30 beds on West 13th Street. When the immigrant gangs of New York finished their skirmishes on the streets of the infamous Five Points, the subject of Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, they brought the wounded to St. Vincent’s. It was in St. Vincent's that the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire were treated. It was to St. Vincent's that the survivors of the Titanic were brought when they arrived in America. St. Vincent's was in the trenches during the city’s HIV/AIDS crisis, its beds were full of the sick and the dying. When the car bomb went off in the basement parking garage of the World Trade Center back in 1993, it was St. Vincent's that treated the injured. And we all remember watching the hospital's staff in their scrubs, standing in Seventh Avenue on September 11, waiting in vain for the survivors of the fallen Twin Towers who would never arrive for treatment.

From New York Magazine's story St. Vincent's Is the Lehman Brothers of Hospitals: "St. Vincent's plight has been portrayed by public officials and the media as a story of local misfortune -- a community losing a vital piece of its infrastructure and a centerpiece of its identity to a combination of mismanagement, the recession, and bad luck. The truth, though, is considerably more alarming. St. Vincent's collapse is only the most visible symptom of an ongoing financial emergency facing the city's five dozen remaining hospitals and threatening those they serve. In a sense, St. Vincent's is the Lehman Brothers of the local hospital industry: an institution whose dramatic disappearance, once unthinkable, raises dire questions about the viability of the entire system."

Don't think the problem is confined to New York City. Hospitals across the country are having to do more with less and cost cutting is only providing temporary relief. As beds are cut to save money, overcrowding is getting worse. Fewer services will be offered. The experts are predicting a seemingly inescapable downward spiral in the quality of the care being offered. Our politicians are focused on medical insurance, but that's only one component of a looming health care crisis.

This video documents a rally that was held on the site of the now boarded up St. Vincent's Hospital. Watch it. Take notes. You may need to be organizing similar rallys in your city one day soon.

100 Days Without a Hospital from David Wallace on Vimeo.

A Place for Us

2010-11-17T01:58:00.001-05:00

Yes, my friends - there is a place where LGBT people enjoy full equality. A city where 650,000 same-sex couples are living together in happily wedded bliss. And that place is: FRONTIERVILLE, in the Mary, Mary land of ZYNGA!

(OK - If you've never played Farmville, Frontierville, Mafia Wars or any of the other games Zynga offers to the users of Facebook, you can tune this story out right now.)

"That's amazing. That's probably more [same-sex marriages] than any country in the whole world," Marc Pincus told attendees of the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.

Zynga's games are not as action-oriented as most of us would expect from a video game, but Pincus sees that as being a large part of their success. And you can't argue with the results. 320 million people have played a Zynga game. At their peak, they have had 3 million players online at the same time.

As Pincus sees it, our lives have become so hectic that we no longer have time to indulge in many of our more traditional methods of relaxation. But you can still play a Zynga game.

So what if you don't have a half hour free to sit down and watch a TV show. You can still squeeze out ten minutes here and there to tend your virtual gardens, clear your land or build your evil criminal empire. And along the way, you can make your partner an honest man or woman.

Pardner.

DADT: Where are We, and How Did We Get Here?

2010-11-16T01:17:00.001-05:00

Veterans' Day, Thursday, Nov. 11: The New York City LGBT Community Center presented a forum on the the current status of the struggle to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the 1993 law which bars anyone who is openly LGBT from serving in the US Armed Forces.

THE PANELISTS

Seen left to right, the panel was moderated by Richard Socarides, a White House adviser under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1999 in a variety of senior positions, including adviser for gay and lesbian issues. He is a frequent commentator on LGBT issues on a wide variety of television news programs.

Jonathan Capehart is an editorial writer for The Washington Post and frequent contributor to MSNBC. Prior to joining the Post, he worked for the NY Daily News and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration. He and the NY Daily News editorial board won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for their editorial series on the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Winnie Stachelberg is the Senior VP for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress. Prior to joining the CAP, she spent 11 years with the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT civil rights organization. Before joining HRC, she worked at the Office of Management and Budget in both the George H. W. Bush and Clinton administrations.

Dr. Nathaniel Frank is Senior Research Fellow at the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an adjunct professor of history at New York University. He is perhaps the most widely published journalist on the military’s current policy on gay troops and is the author of the groundbreaking Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America.

To briefly summarize a ninety-minute discussion, there were really only two things that all of the participants in the discussion seemed to agree on: DADT should be consigned to history's trashcan, and Barney Frank is right when he says that "There is zero chance of anything good happening with Republicans in control of the House." Opinions differed, however, as to the odds of winning repeal during the lame duck session.

LAME DUCK REPEAL

Statchelberg was the most optimistic panelist, saying, "We're closer than ever to repealing DADT." She brandished a copy of that morning's Washington Post article, with the leaked preliminary results of the Pentagon's survey of servicemembers and their families, saying that the study's results would be "the rocket fuel" that would propel the success of the repeal efforts. She said the crucial factor in passing the repeal will be "how the majority leader [Harry Reid] handles it." No one disputed that, by limiting the number of amendments and attaching the Dream Act to the appropriations bill, Reid had made it much more difficult to obtain the votes needed for passage.

She also claimed that if LGBT organizations [such as HRC?] had been supportive of such a study at the start of Obama's administration, "We'd be further ahead." (Despite the fact that, in January 2009, no one from the Pentagon, the White House or from either side of the aisle in Congress was calling for such a study.) Frank challenged this assertion, citing the 22 other such studies conducted over the last two decades. He said that the timing of the study, scheduled to be released on Dec. 1, only weeks before an anticipated GOP takeover of the House, illustrated the President's "long-term plan to delay." Capehart was noncommittal.

STOP-LOSS ORDER

During a time of war, the President has the statutory authority to stop discharges in order to maintain sufficient numbers of troops. It has long been argued that, were such an order issued, the lack of any deleterious effects would prove the fallacy behind the argument that DADT is necessary to maintain unit cohesion. Frank, who had aggressively pushed for such an order, said that it was unlikely that the President would have done so but it seemed to be the best tactic to motivate the WH to move with more determination on the legislative repeal front. Stachelberg reiterated the WH's position, that their lawyers felt that Obama did not have the authority to circumvent the law. Capehart, other than defending his editorial in opposition to such an action, was noncommittal.

LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS LAWSUIT

This was the one subject that I wish the panelists had spent more time discussing. Stachelberg called Judge Phillips' decision "unbelievably helpful." "The Pentagon hates a lack of clarity," she explained, suggesting that enforcing the policy one day, then not
enforcing it, then enforcing it again, created a mindset in which the Pentagon would be more likely to embrace a final repeal of DADT.

On the subject of the Dept. of Justice filing an appeal of Judge Phillips' decision, Capehart said that it was a "tradition" for the DoJ to do so, and that it is an important tradition to uphold if we expect future Presidents to uphold the laws that our community desires. When it was pointed out that the DoJ has frequently failed to defend specific laws that the President does not wish to see continue, Capehart was noncommittal.

Capehart was noncom... are you noticing a pattern here? For a man who is paid to write op-ed pieces, Jonathan Capehart expressed surprisingly few strong opinions. I kept waiting in vain for anything approaching the passion in the opening paragraph of his WaPo piece Wrong on Gays in the Military.

THE AUDIENCE

It was, I have to say, a pleasure to see an audience that was so knowledgeable about the subject. Time was running short and only three audience members were able to question the panel. Tanya L. Domi, Justin Elzie and Scott Wooledge all brought forward well reasoned challenges to some of the assertions made by the panel's members. Wooledge, for example, was the only person during the course of the evening who pointed out the fact that the repeal of DADT as it is presently written will only turn back the clock to where we were in 1993. If it passes, it will mean only that the Pentagon is no longer required to discriminate against LGBT servicemembers; it does not mean that the Pentagon will be prohibited from discriminating against LGBT servicemembers. But the reactions of even the audience members who did not get a chance to ask questions made it very clear that they were well aware of the current state of the movement to repeal this discriminatory and now unconstitutional law.

MY TURN

After nearly two years in power, the simple fact is the Obama administration has failed to make good on the President's promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We've waited. We've called our legislators. We've marched, and demonstrated... Heck, we've even repeatedly handcuffed ourselves to the White House gates! But other than a few reassuring speeches, this administration has failed to take any kind of consistent, concrete action to bring about the repeal. It isn't the kids who are watching MTV we need our President to be speaking to, it's the members of Congress. The only way DADT is going to be repealed in the lame duck session is if the WH actively lobbies for it. Now, with the clock rapidly running out before the Republicans take control of the House of Representatives, it is possible, just slightly possible, that President Obama finally has a motive to move forward.

The game changer for me is the Log Cabin Republicans' challenge to the constitutionality of DADT. If it ends up being the Judiciary, not the Executive and Legislative branches, that ends this discriminatory law, any hopes President Obama may have that the LGBTQ populace will support his reelection bid out of gratitude to our "fierce advocate" will be long gone. Whether you believe that Obama's support of us has been sincere or just a political calculation, the one thing I think we can all agree on is that like every other politician out there, he wants to be reelected. If he can publicly succeed in shepherding repeal through the lame duck Congress before this session comes to an end, he will have come a long way toward repairing his painfully strained relationship with our community.

THE VIDEO

The following videos document virtually the entire evening. The only edits I have made were brief and forced on me by the technical limitations of the equipment with which I work. I've spent several days trying to clean up the sound quality, which is still poor, but finally understandable.

PART 1:

PART 2:

PART 3:

PART 4:

PART 5:

PART 6:

PART 7:

Homophobic Graffiti Condemned at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

2010-11-10T01:12:00.000-05:00

Before Tyler Clementi took that fateful walk out onto the George Washington Bridge, he complained that he found many of the students on the Rutgers campus were more supportive of his peeping-Tom roommate than than they were of him.

How refreshing it is, then, to see the reaction to the recent vandalism of an openly gay UMass Dartmouth student's car. The unnamed student left his car parked in a campus parking lot for a few hours, only to find anti-gay slurs spray painted on it when he returned.

Campus police launched an immediate investigation and are asking for the assistance of any students who may have witnessed or have other knowledge of the incident. Even more importantly, Dartmouth's administration quickly sent out an email to all of the students advising them of the resources available to them if any of them felt threatened or harassed.

Quoted in the Boston Globe, Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack stated, “As members of a community that highly value every person, we must join together to condemn this cowardly act... We must join in support of this student and all members of our GLBT community who — like all of us — seek to be treated with respect and dignity as they pursue their dreams and aspirations here.’’

UMass Dartmouth spokesperson John Hoey said, "This is something we take very seriously. Our campus police and office of student affairs are working to make sure people understand this kind of behavior is not tolerated."

Local mainstream media reporting has also stressed the long-standing tradition of diversity in the University's community. Here is the coverage from Boston channel 5 news:

UPDATED VIDEO of the 5/2/10 DADT Rally in Washington, DC!

2010-11-04T00:19:00.001-04:00

With everyone on the internet (and on cable, and on TV, and on street corners) offering up their analysis of the election results yesterday, I thought I'd make my initial blog entry about something completely different.

Yesterday was also the 6-month anniversary of the rally in DC against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that ended with the arrests of six demonstrators: Alan Bounville, Nora Camp, Iana DiBona, Natasha Dillon, Mark Reed-Walkup and Anne Tischer.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell US to Wait UPDATED 11/2/10 from David Wallace on Vimeo.

This rally featured the most varied group of DADT activists I have seen gathered in one location, officers and enlisted men and women from the Viet Nam era to the Iraq war. There were Democrats, Republicans and members of the Green Party, liberals and conservatives, all united in their determination to see a full and unconditional repeal of DADT. The speakers included: Robin Chaurasiya, Jarrod Chlapowski, Lt. Dan Choi, Tanya L. Domi, Justin Crockett Elzie, Alex Nicholson, Jim Pietrangelo II, Aubrey Sarvis, Brett Edward Stout, Evelyn Thomas and the former Chairman of the Democratic Party, Howard Dean.

I've updated this documentary with a new epilogue to reflect the changes (and lack thereof) in the status of the ongoing struggle for repeal. On recently seeing the original version, one activist from GetEQUAL commented, "GREAT job! Felt like I was really there." Which was exactly what I wanted - to share the day with those who, for whatever reason, couldn't be there.

I hope this inspires everyone who sees it to join us in keeping the pressure on Washington to repeal this discriminatory (and unconstitutional) law.