Saturday, June 16, 2007
Coming Loss in Iraq Will Long Plague Us
Here's a great Op-Ed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune authored by Christopher J. Fettweis, an assistant professor of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College. (http://www.startribune.com/562/story/1244295.html). I agree with his analysis, especially this potion of the column:
The American people seem to understand, however -- and historians will certainly agree -- that the war itself was a catastrophic mistake. It was a faulty grand strategy, not poor implementation. The Bush administration was operating under an illusion, one that is further discredited with every car bombing of a crowded Baghdad marketplace and every Iraqi doctor who packs up his family and flees his country.
I also share Andrew Sullivan's concerns about the future if the Iraq debacle leads to defeat and ultimately another attack in the USA:
I can indeed see a scenario in which a classic fascist-style appeal to wounded nationalism - combined with a call to suspend constitutional protections in favor of a presidential protectorate and a Weimar-style "stab-in-the-back" smear against the MSM - will become the mantra of the Southern-dominated GOP in the next election. If you can't see it coming, you don't know who they are.
In my opinion, Chimperator Bush and his administration have alreadty started the country down the path to fascism under the guise of the Patriot Act, approving torture, etc. Should some future major attack occur in the USA, I pray the American public will be smarter than the citizens of Germany were in the early 1930's. Sadly, I am not optimistic. The Christianist already want a fascist state with them in charge.
Saturday Party on The Bay
One of the HRBOR board members and her husband are hosting a party at their house in the Willoughby section of Norfolk this evening. At the moment, she is our token straight board member (although we have others seeking to join the board) . She is amazing and wonderfully LGBT supportive. Moreover, she knows everyone it seems. We are looking forward to a fun time and, if we have any energy left, will likely stop by The Wave for our weekly aerobic workout. :)
The Willoughby Spit area is amazing in how it was formed. The history books record that during a hurricane in 1749, the Chesapeake Bay rose 15 feet above normal, and a sand spit was washed up at Sewell's Point. This, combined with the help of The Great Coastal Hurricane of 1806, Willoughby Spit was formed. A photo of the area is posted above. Given the area's location and narrow width, one gets both gorgeous sunrises and beautiful sunsets. Naturally, in hurricane season - which runs from June 1 to November - life out on Willoughby can potentially get exciting.
The major highway in the photo is Interstate 64, with the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and the City of Hampton in the backgroud. The tunnel affords access to the harbor of Hampton Roads to vessel with a draft of up to 55 feet, including the huge Navy aircraft carriers and large cruise ships and all types of cargo ships.
Graduation
Well, the Graduation event went well last night. With 500 graduates in the senior class, and several thousand people at the event - which was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center - I successfully avoided any contact with the estranged wife. Unfortunately, I did not get to see my other two children due to the size of the crowd.
We did, however, get to see Victoria, by exiting quickly and making our way to the door by which the graduates were exiting and waiting for her to come out. Thus, we were able to talk, snap some photos and give her our gift. We also saw a couple of her girl friends who have been out with Victoria and us in the past (we told them we want them to join us at The Wave some Saturday soon). Victoria looked gorgeous and so very happy. I am so very proud of her, as is Raymond (She was one of the honor graduates). Our mission accomplished, we headed out before we could run into her mother. The school puts on an all night party in a safe environment, so I have not talked to my daughter today since, know her, she did not get to sleep until after sunrise today.
I ran into one or two people I knew from the straight phase of my life [Gay Species has lectured me that it was a "phase" and not a "former life, so I will test to see if he reads this post] and all were pleasant. What was really a coincidence is that seated a few rows in front of us was a gay couple that we know somewhat but not overly well. It turns out one of them had a son graduating in the same class as my daughter and he was only a couple of students behind my daughter as they received their diplomas.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Columbia Gives Gay Couples Same Rights As Marriage
It is sad that other countries in the world are moving ahead of the USA on equal marriage rights. Most Americans probably view Columbia as a less than modern country, yet now it is moving well ahead of the self-styled "land of the free." Here's a portion of 365gay.com's commentary (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/061507columbia.htm):
(Bogota) Colombia's Congress has passed legislation giving same-sex couples most of the same rights as opposite-sex married couples.
President Alvaro Uribe has said he will sign the bill into law. Under the legislation same-sex couples would have to register as partners. They would have to have lived together for more than two years and be of legal age.
In return they will receive the same social security and inheritance rights as married couples.
Supporters of the bill had tried four times since 1999 to pass the legislation, but each time it failed after opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.
Supporters of the bill had tried four times since 1999 to pass the legislation, but each time it failed after opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.
Its success this time is attributed to a February Constitutional Court ruling that gay and lesbian couples must have the same property rights as opposite-sex couples.
This makes Colombia a more democratic, more open place," LGBT activist Virgilio Barco told the Reuters news service.
And sadly, it makes Columbia more democratic and open than the USA.
Triumph of Marriage Equality
Andrew Sullivan has a great commentary today on the marriage amendment vote in Massachusetts yesterday. I recommend that you read Andrew Sullivan's entire post (http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/06/the_triumph_of_.html0. Since I cannot say it any better, here's a portion of Andrew's comments:
"This is history. What a privilege to have witnessed it.
It was driven above all by ordinary gay and lesbian couples and their families - not activists, not lobbyists, not intellectuals. Couples and their families. It was driven by a brutal, sudden realization that we were far more vulnerable than we knew. In the plague years, husbands reeled as they were denied access to their own spouses in hospitals, as they were evicted from their shared homes in the immediate aftermath of terrible grief, and refused access even to funerals by estranged and often hostile in-laws. This day is for them, for all those who were abused and maligned and cast aside because they loved another human being. It's also for all the lesbian mothers who realized in the last two decades just how much contempt and hatred existed for their care of their own children, who lived in constant insecurity, or who, at best, had to endure erasure from visibility. It's for gay families in Virginia today, denied dignity and protection multiple times over, enduring popular votes of meretricious contempt, and carrying on regardless, living their lives, building their relationships, cherishing their homes, caring for their kids, honoring their parents. And it's for the countless, countless gay couples throughout human history - who for so long had to live lives in which their deepest longings and loves were denied, crushed, ignored or threatened."
I also appreciate Andrew's comments for those of us living in Virginia where the discrimination against the LGBT community is enshrined in multiple laws and the state's constitution. I would also contrast the looks of joy and happiness on the faces of the people in the photos above versus the barely concealed tone of hatred coming from Christianists like Tony Perkins and others of that ilk that I commented on yesterday.
Friday Musings
It has been a hectic week. As you will note, I was a bit cranky yesterday vis-a-vis the "Christian" Right types. I am thrilled at the result in Massachusetts yesterday and feel confident that any future attempts to amend that state's constitution will be unsuccessful, particularly with four more years of gay marriages taking place. It will be much harder for our adversaries to prevail - the more marriages that would be rescinded or thrown into limbo, the more reluctant legislators will be to overturn the current law. Moreover, gay marriage will become an even more commonplace thing. It is a bitter sweet victory for me living in Virginia, however, where gays are subject to so much discriminatory legislation.
I plan on putting efforts into assisting in lobbying Virginia's U. S. Senators to vote for both the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act and ENDA as well. Both federal acts are desperately needed in a state like Virginia where gays have no state law protections and it is an "employment at will" state. Almost every week I get calls from LGBT individuals who have been fired for being gay and have to sadly tell them that they have basically no recourse unless they had a signed employment contract for a stated term.
Tonight is my daughter's graduation ceremony. Raymond and I will be attending, but sitting a safe distance from the estranged wife. I hope my other two children will at least say "hello" if they see us. Of course, I will also encounter many former "friends" at the event. It will be interesting to see how many of them even acknowledge me. All the years I spent on civic league matters and serving on the board of the neighborhood pool association will probably count for nothing in that rabid GOP area of Virginia Beach.
On a different note, I now have a trial date for the divorce since I doubt the estranged wife will settle: July 31, 2007. I truly will not how to act once I have that cloud no longer hanging over me. I suspect that she will find that she will get less awarded to her by the Court than if she'd been reasonable and achieved a settlement. I almost feel sorry for her in that she has allowed her hatred toward me to dominate her life, particularly over the last year. I truly never wished her ill and foolishly had hoped we could be friends. So much for that delusion. As I see it, both she and I are victims of our homophobic society and religious fanatics who convince young gays that they can "pray the gay away." She on the otherhand sees herself as a victim of my actions alone. It's unfortunate that straights will never really understand what the closet does to one and that at some point it may just no longer be possible to continue to live such a life.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Fundies Foaming At the Mouth Over Massachusetts Vote
As expected, the Christianists are going utterly crazy over today's vote by the Massachusetts legislature to kill the wingnut effort to pass a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. An example of this comes from a "Christian" news service article: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp? Page=/Culture/archive/200706/CUL20070614c.html:
"Today's vote by the legislature to stop the marriage amendment from reaching the people of Massachusetts is only the beginning," said Matt Daniels, president and founder of the Alliance for Marriage, which drafted the federal marriage amendment before Congress.
"Radical activists will now move to strike the 1913 law in Massachusetts requiring state residency for a marriage license, in a determined effort to export the destruction of marriage across state lines," Daniels said.
"As designed, activists from all 50 states will travel to Massachusetts, obtain a marriage license and then sue in federal court to strike down any laws (or state amendments) protecting marriage in other states," he predicted, adding that activists are trying to make same-sex marriage "the new social norm for America."
"This is nothing short of a plan to create a national blitz of lawsuits challenging state marriage laws, state marriage amendments, and the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act," Daniels said.Family Research Council President Tony Perkins accused the three branches of government in Massachusetts of conspiring "to deny the people their right to vote."
"The legislature's obstruction of the democratic process further deepens the threat to marriage, ensuring this will remain a key issue to values voters in the presidential race," he said. "I call on all of our national leaders to declare how they will lead to protect marriage."
Tony Perkins ought to know about obstruction of the democractic process: he has past KKK ties - something the media conveniently fails to ask him about. In my opinion, he and Matt Daniels either (A) have weird marriages if they are threatened by equal marriage rights for gays, (B) are self-hating closet cases who cannot stand (due to envy) the idea of out gays having stable loving relationships and equal marriage rights, or (C) enjoy making a good living terrifying other wingnuts into sending money to their respective organizations. My vote is for (B) AND (C).
Here's an example of Perkin's scare tactics:
"Hate Crimes Laws:" Censoring the Church and Silencing Christians is a provocative look at this disturbing and threatening legal tool of the homosexual lobby. Hosted by Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, the program features shocking examples of how hate crime laws trample free speech, lead to arrests, and censor speech.
Blind Acceptance is Idolatry
I found the following by Marcus J. Borg, the Hundere Chair in Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University, on the Washington Post "On Faith" Blog. In my view, it well describes what the Christianists and Catholic Church hierarchy (including the current Pope) have done to Christianity. (http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/marcus_borg/2007/06/blind_acceptance_is_idolatry.html. Without questioning, faith is idolatrous. Just as patriotism without questioning risks becoming idolatrous nationalism, so faith without questioning risks becoming idolatrous religion.
To explain: when faith is defined as unquestioning acceptance of “tenets or traditions,” whether drawn from the Bible or doctrine or both, then the object of faith is no longer God, but the tenets and traditions themselves. Something other than God has been given an absolute status – which is what makes it idolatrous.
Of course, there are different kinds of questioning. Some is unproductive, trivial and silly: “If God is all-powerful, can God make a square circle?” Only slightly more serious is the sophomoric, “If God made everything, who made God?” Some questions are based on misunderstandings that can be corrected.
And sometimes perpetual questioning becomes a justification for eternal fence-sitting and indecision.
But questioning also serves a necessary religious function: it prevents us from thinking that there can ever be a final formulation of “the way things are.” Our words and concepts, no matter how sacred or scientific, can only point to a stupendous and wondrous Mystery beyond all language. That is their function: they are pointers, and some point better than others. Sometimes language can even mediate the Mystery, the sacred.
But none of our “tenets or traditions” can be the last word, the final word. They are creatures, creations. To think of them as absolute is to give them a status that belongs to God alone.
They have come to worship "tenets and traditions" and the "magisterium of the Church" more than God or the teachings of Christ. It truly has become a form of idolitry.
How The Nazis [Bush] Defended "Enhanced Interrogation"
Andrew Sullivan again has a post that shows how morally bankrupt Chimperator Bush has made the USA and that interrogations standards are as low or lower than those used by Nazi Party(http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/06/how_the_nazis_d.html#more):Hint: the ticking time-bomb exception, and the need for better intelligence about an insurgency - the same defense as the GOP establishment has used for exactly the same techniques - hypothermia, stress positions, sensory deprivation, etc. - in the US and Iraq. The terms and specific methods used are the same for the Gestapo's "Verschaerfte Vernehmung," "Third Degree," and Bush's "enhanced interrogation." Of course, we also learn from the documents that the GESTAPO in general believed that other methods of interrogation, such as playing off political factions against each other, were much more effective than third degree methods.
I continue to believe that history will view George W. Bush as the worse President in the nation's history. It will take the USA years to recovery any moral standing in the international community.
Massachusetts Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban
The Christianist fundies are going to be going absolutely ape shit. I suspect that after having legal gay marriages in place, most legislators now realize that gay marriage poses ZERO threat to heterosexual marrige. After all, Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate in the USA. The Boston Globe breaking news report can be found at: (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/06/legislators_vot_1.html
Highlights are as follows:
A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was defeated today by a joint session of the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 151, eliminating any chance of getting it on the ballot in November 2008. At least 50 votes were needed to advance the measure.
The vote came after House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, Senate President Therese Murray, and Governor Deval Patrick conferred this morning and concluded that they have the votes to kill the proposal.
Opponents of gay marriage face an increasingly tough battle to win legislative approval of any future petitions to appear on a statewide ballot. The next election available to them is 2012.
Justice Dept. Reshapes Its Civil Rights Mission - More Focus on Christianist Agenda
The New York Times has an article on what the Bush Administration has done to the Justice Department and how the civil rights of various groups is now a lower priority so that efforts can be directed toward matters on the Christianists' agenda of giving their version of Christianity special status, even when accepting federal tax dollars derived from all taxpayers http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/washington/14discrim.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1181834971-iCGYKPZXuq/7ymJ/mK8aWw). The changes are evident in a variety of actions:**Intervening in federal court cases on behalf of religion-based groups like the Salvation Army that assert they have the right to discriminate in hiring in favor of people who share their beliefs even though they are running charitable programs with federal money.
**Supporting groups that want to send home religious literature with schoolchildren; in one case, the government helped win the right of a group in Massachusetts to distribute candy canes as part of a religious message that the red stripes represented the blood of Christ.
**Vigorously enforcing a law enacted by Congress in 2000 that allows churches and other places of worship to be free of some local zoning restrictions.
**Taking on far fewer hate crimes and cases in which local law enforcement officers may have violated someone’s civil rights. The resources for these traditional cases have instead been used to investigate trafficking cases, typically involving foreign women used in the sex trade, a favored issue of the religious right.
**Sharply reducing the complex lawsuits that challenge voting plans that might dilute the strength of black voters. The department initiated only one such case through the early part of this year, compared with eight in a comparable period in the Clinton administration.
The last item, of course, dove tails nicely with the GOP goal of suppressing the vote of groups that may be inclined to vote against GOP candidates. Equally frightening is the following:
Along with its changed civil rights mission, the department has also tried to overhaul the roster of government lawyers who deal with civil rights. The agency has transferred or demoted some experienced civil rights litigators while bringing in lawyers, including graduates of religious-affiliated law schools and some people vocal about their faith, who favor the new priorities. That has created some unease, with some career lawyers disdainfully referring to the newcomers as “holy hires.”
Figures provided by the department show that from 2003 through 2006, there was a notable increase of hirings from religious-affiliated institutions like Regent University and Ave Maria University.
Both of the above named law schools are bottom tier institutions and certainly do not produce the number of capable graduates as a Harvard or Yale. But as we have learned with Chimperator Bush and his deputies, competency is never an issue. Only ideology and loyalty to the far right of the GOP matter. If this trend is not stopped, I fear for this country.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Royal Male Beauty
For a long time I though William was the cuter of the two, but lately Harry is looking pretty hot while William seems to look more like the Queen. While these two guys have everything in terms of material possessions, I cannot imagine living in the public scrutiny as they do. As Harry said in an interview, they will never be "normal."Bush Nominee Plays the Victim Card to Cover for Lying
Oh my, what a surprise. Chimperator Bush's nominee for Surgeon General and his Christianist allies are playing the victim card, acting as if the good doctor is being persecuted for his religious beliefs as opposed to his deliberate falsification of research to support his religious views against gays. A Liar is a liar, regardless of their theology. Here is a report from Ex-Gay Watch (remember PFOX was established by and is funded by Daddy Dobson and folks like him) on this disgusting attempt to play the victim:PFOX is back, this time speaking in defense of Surgeon General nominee Dr. James Holsinger. According to the group’s press release, “Gay rights groups are attacking Dr. James Hoslinger’s [sic] nomination because his church is inclusive of ex-gays and he supports the right to self-determination regarding one’s sexual attraction.”
Alan Chambers has joined PFOX on the bandwagon as well. Although Chambers declared himself neutral on the subject of Holsinger’s nomination (PFOX also stopped short of endorsing him), he, too, resorted to playing the “victim card,” declaring, “As a society, we should not disqualify an individual simply because of his belief that those conflicted by their same-sex attraction can and should be helped.”
Opposition to Dr. Holsinger’s nomination has nothing to do with a desire on the part of any group to “deny the right of any individual to seek support in resolving unwanted same-sex attractions,” as PFOX spokesperson Regina Griggs claims in their press release. Of far greater concern is the question of whether Dr. Holsinger would respect the right of LGBT individuals to self-determination in spite of his personal beliefs. Given his selective and misleading use of scientific data to influence the policies of the United Methodist Church against inclusion of gays and lesbians, that is a very legitimate concern.
Although PFOX and Exodus both play the victim card as a standard tactic in their political lobbying, they have yet to provide any evidence that the rights of ex-gays to pursue reorientation and a heterosexual lifestyle are in any danger of being infringed upon – at least in any way that the general public would define the right to self-determination.
As Kevin Naff indicates:
"The use of the deliberately misleading term “ex-gay,” along with the scandalous and extremely un”christian” claim of unsubstantiated numbers of people “helped” should be evidence enough to send these roaches back under their rocks. But no, instead they still peddle their insincerely-held “beliefs” in the cynical attempt to fleece the public by preying on the most basic insecurities they can identify in the human spirit - and then seek profit from the venture."
Would that the mainstream media would have the balls and integrity to expose these frauds.
An Extreme Conservative Says "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Needs to Go
Get out your smelling salts. Bob Barr, a former far right GOP member of Congress has an Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal that argues that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy against gays in the military needs to be ended. Here's portions of Barr's column:
"As a conservative Republican member of Congress from 1995 to 2003, I was hardly a card-carrying member of the gay-rights lobby. I opposed then, and continue to oppose, same-sex marriage, or the designation of gays as a constitutionally protected minority class. Service in the armed forces is another matter. The bottom line here is that, with nearly a decade and a half of the hybrid "don't ask, don't tell" policy to guide us, I have become deeply impressed with the growing weight of credible military opinion which concludes that allowing gays to serve openly in the military does not pose insurmountable problems for the good order and discipline of the services.
...Asked about reconsideration of the don't ask, don't tell policy in favor of a more open and honest approach, the simplistic responses by several Republican presidential candidates left me -- and I suspect many others -- questioning whether those candidates really even understood the issue, or were simply pandering to the perceived "conservative base." The fact is, equal treatment of gay and lesbian service members is about as conservative a position as one cares to articulate."
Barr, once a Republican and now a Libertarian, says that the unnecessary discharges hurt the military, "an institution conservatives claim to love." He also says the ban is a waste of money and that the invasions of privacy related to the ban are an infringement on conservative values.
While he's generally not been a favorite with me, that someone like Barr can see the idiocy and unfairness of the current policy is encouraging. I am sure some wingnuts are having hissy fits.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
My Readers - Mike Rogers
Yahoo News has a feature on Mike Rogers of BlogActive.com, one of my sometime readers and a guy I have talked with on the telephone and communicated with via e-mail for at least three years since the Michael Johnston expose. Here's a link to the feature: http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/51/brokeback-hill. There are those who condemn "outing" people, but I agree with Mike's approach: when you are in the closet and actively and consistently work for those who seek to harm gays or deprive LGBT Americans of civil and legal rights, you are fair game! Here is a portion of the article:
People of the Web - Brokeback Hill
By KEVIN SITES, WED MAY 30, 12:31 PM PDT
WASHINGTON - Members of the 110th Congress consider yourselves warned: Mike Rogers is making his list.Rogers is a muckraking gay blogger who uses his insider's knowledge of Washington politics and broad blanket of contacts to "out" gay politicos — but only, he says, if they are undermining gay rights. Critics call his tactics divisive and politically motivated. He's outed so many closeted gay politicos, he's starting to make Capitol Hill look like Brokeback Mountain. All of them, he says, use their positions to actively oppose the equal rights of gay citizens while at the same time, secretly live a gay life.
WASHINGTON - Members of the 110th Congress consider yourselves warned: Mike Rogers is making his list.Rogers is a muckraking gay blogger who uses his insider's knowledge of Washington politics and broad blanket of contacts to "out" gay politicos — but only, he says, if they are undermining gay rights. Critics call his tactics divisive and politically motivated. He's outed so many closeted gay politicos, he's starting to make Capitol Hill look like Brokeback Mountain. All of them, he says, use their positions to actively oppose the equal rights of gay citizens while at the same time, secretly live a gay life.
If you are a gay politico with something to hide, the left hand column of Roger's Web site is exactly where you don't want to see your name. He calls it "the list." "For me what it's really about is if congressman X thinks that gay people shouldn't have equal rights but goes home and is having sex with men, and not disclosing that, then we have a problem." — Mike Rogers People have called Rogers a gay terrorist, but he says, "The only people who say things like that are people who have a vested interest in protecting the closet."
I admit that I spent my time in the GOP, but I NEVER actively took steps to assist those who sought to turn back gay rights. Moreover, even before the GOP began to seriously use gay bashing and homophobia as a weapon and political strategy, I resigned from the Party as a matter of conscience. One of Mike's targets was even someone I knew: I knew Congressman Ed Schrock personally, as well as his wife, and was even at his house during Mark Earley's campaign for Governor. Believe me, NO ONE made Schrock cast votes so as to compile the second most homophobic voting record in the House of Representatives at the time. He did that all by himself and, ultimately, hypocrisy and a woman who tape recorded his MEGA phone ads for gay sex caught up with him.
Exodus Releases Anti-Bullying Statement - Is This For Real?
I am not quite sure what to think. In the past, Exodus International has been a tool of the anti-gay Christianist who would gladly have gays placed in concentration camps. Judge for yourself what you think if the statement and whether or not it is Exodus' true position or like me, you wonder if Alan Chambers feel and hit his head or something:
Exodus Position Statement on Bullying and Violence
“Exodus International affirms that gay-identified individuals and those who struggle with same-sex attraction are persons for whom Jesus Christ died and loves equally. Therefore, we strongly oppose bullying, name calling and acts of aggression against any individual or group of individuals for any reason. These actions have no place in our society and we must, instead, affirm behavior that validates the personal worth and dignity God bestows upon every human being.
“In addition, every individual deserves equal protection and every offender should receive equal punishment. We call upon other organizations concerned with preserving the essential equality of all individuals to exhibit impartiality in their policies, rather than singling out some for special treatment.”
Somehow, like the folks at Ex-Gay Watch, I do not think Daddy Dobson, Peter LaBarbera, Stephen Bennett, Linda Harvey, et al, are going to be very happy. After all, the make a living either trying to marginalize or claiming to be "cured." I wonder if Dobson will cut off funding or have Chambers fired? It sure is not consistent with Exodus' past message.
Majority of Republicans Doubt Theory of Evolution
In my opinion, the new Gallup Poll results do not bode well for the future of the USA. While the members of the GOP are in the forefront of being anti-knowledge and anti-scientific learning, sadly the rest of the American public is not too far behind. No wonder foreign science achievements are projected to surpass those of this country! For the full poll results, go to: http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=27847. Meanwhile, here are some highlights of the poll results:
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- The majority of Republicans in the United States do not believe the theory of evolution is true and do not believe that humans evolved over millions of years from less advanced forms of life. This suggests that when three Republican presidential candidates at a May debate stated they did not believe in evolution, they were generally in sync with the bulk of the rank-and-file Republicans whose nomination they are seeking to obtain.
PRINCETON, NJ -- The majority of Republicans in the United States do not believe the theory of evolution is true and do not believe that humans evolved over millions of years from less advanced forms of life. This suggests that when three Republican presidential candidates at a May debate stated they did not believe in evolution, they were generally in sync with the bulk of the rank-and-file Republicans whose nomination they are seeking to obtain.
Independents and Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe in the theory of evolution. But even among non-Republicans there appears to be a significant minority who doubt that evolution adequately explains where humans came from.
The data from several recent Gallup studies suggest that Americans' religious behavior is highly correlated with beliefs about evolution. Those who attend church frequently are much less likely to believe in evolution than are those who seldom or never attend. That Republicans tend to be frequent churchgoers helps explain their doubts about evolution.
Republicans are much more likely to be religious and attend church than independents or Democrats in general. Therefore, it comes as no great surprise to find that Republicans are also significantly more likely not to believe in evolution than are independents and Democrats.
Personally, I do not see where the two theories are mutually exclusive unless one takes the Bible literally. None of us knows what a "day" is to God/Allah and never will. Simply, do not impose the limits of human knowledge on God and both theories can work.
GLBT Military Service Subject of New Historical Exhibit
A new exhibit is opening on Friday at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco which aims to document the many gays and lesbians who have served in the U. S. military since World War II. “Out Ranks” tracks changes in military policy and conveys the stories of GLBT veterans and peace activists from WWII to Iraq . Almost 70 years of history is told through hundreds of letters, photographs, medals, uniforms, and video footage.
Obviously, a similar exhibit would be most appropriate here in Norfolk given the large number of gays in the military stationed here, both in the past and at present. To learn more about the exhibit online, see: http://www.glbthistory.org/news/05_16_outranks.html One can only hope that the cruel farce known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will be done away with in the near future, not withstanding the shrieks and screams of the Christianists and Chimperator Bush.
It is very sad that so many gays and lesbians have served their country, yet are legally are still second class citizens.
My Pink Elephant Days
The Pink Elephant has asked that I talk more about my years in the GOP. I covered this topic briefly in “My Closet Years – Part Five,” but for Pink’s benefit I will describe it in more detail. I joined the GOP originally because of public school education issues. All three of my children were identified as academically gifted and experienced recurring issues of not being adequately challenged in school. I believe in public education and find that generally in systems where the quality of the schools has gone down, it is usually because those parents who could most make a difference have abandoned public education either to seek a better education for their children, or – in my experience – for status reasons and/or to social climb through their children. For many of my former law partners in Virginia Beach law firms, I truly believe the motivation was the latter.
In Virginia Beach and most of Virginia, the affiliates of the National Education Association (“NEA”) are closely allied with the Democrat Party. As the father of three academically gifted children, what gifted education differentiation that did exist was not adequate, especially for my son who, unlike his sisters, has never been “a teacher pleaser” even though he is highly intelligent (he attended a gifted “pullout program” two days a week and was still able to have straight A’s at his home elementary school with no discernible effort). The main opponent for the expansion of gifted education services at the time was the local NEA affiliate. Since the local Democrats did not want to antagonize the NEA affiliate whose members overwhelmingly supported them at the polls, the GOP was the natural place to find a home in Virginia Beach if one was pushing for more rigorous education standards, fiscal responsibility in the school division, etc.
As part of my push to improve the academics in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, I ran for school board in May, 1994. Since I wanted change, more teacher accountability, and would not be easily led by the desires of the Virginia Beach NEA affiliate (“VBEA”), I was perceived as an enemy by the VBEA. As the campaign progressed, I was repeatedly represented to be part of the “Religious Right” by the VBEA and made to feel almost like a criminal. Moreover, NEA affiliates from 17 other states (including the Juneau, Alaska affiliate) sent money to the VBEA to influence the 1994 school board elections in Virginia Beach. The local NEA affiliate had needed an enemy and eminent danger to raise funds and I and several others who were candidates for other seats on the school board unknowingly furnished them with an enemy. Later Forbes Magazine did an unflattering article on the NEA and referenced what had gone on in the Virginia Beach election.
I narrowly lost to my VBEA backed opponent who subsequently (A) was found to have a bogus PhD, and (B) was convicted of soliciting bribes from contractors working with the school division, and removed from office. All of this left a very bad taste in my mouth and things were so bad at our local elementary school that we transferred my two younger children to a different public elementary school that was less VBEA dominated. Having gone to a number of politic events during the election campaign and come to know a number of Virginia Beach Republican officials, I was sought membership on and was elected to the City Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach and served on the City Committee and as a precinct captain for a number of years. I also incorporated the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, Inc., and served as the local Party's registered agent for several years.
One year I was awarded a certificate of merit by the City Committee. Another year, I received The Patrick Henry Award by order of Governor James Gilmore for my active support of good government in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2000, I was appointed by Governor Gilmore – a former law school classmate – to the Virginia College Building Authority, the bond issuing authority raising funds for Virginia’s public colleges and universities for a four year term. My last hurrah, so to speak was working on Mark Earley’s campaign for Governor and serving as co-chair for his campaign in Virginia Beach. Mark was one of my law partners and seemed a genuine supporter of Thomas Jefferson’s ideals of good government. He lost to Mark Warner and subsequently went to work for Chuck Colson of Watergate fame where, in my opinion, he must have received a “Stepford Wife” treatment and ceased to be the man I had known and respected. We disagree vehemently on the Christianist anti-gay agenda.
By this point in time, the GOP was becoming more and more controlled by the far right Christianists. A "coup" of sorts deposed the moderate chairwoman of the Virginia Beach party and the national Party continued to drift to the far right. Ultimately, I resigned from the City Committee, citing in particular my inability to agree with the mixing of religion and the Party’s legislative agenda that supported one religious view to the exclusion of all others. In short, the Party was, in my view, subverting the right to freedom of religion. Like myself, many of the moderates that were on City Committee with me have since resigned and a number have migrated to the Libertarian Party. When word of my coming out of the closet trickled back to GOP circles, I am told a lot of smearing of my name occurred in respect to “my life style choice” by some of the fundies in the Virginia Beach Party. Meanwhile, some of the Norfolk Democrat establishment embraced me. Thereafter, I more or less ceased any involvement with the GOP except for voicing concerns over the increasingly homophobic agenda of the Virginia GOP.
In Virginia Beach and most of Virginia, the affiliates of the National Education Association (“NEA”) are closely allied with the Democrat Party. As the father of three academically gifted children, what gifted education differentiation that did exist was not adequate, especially for my son who, unlike his sisters, has never been “a teacher pleaser” even though he is highly intelligent (he attended a gifted “pullout program” two days a week and was still able to have straight A’s at his home elementary school with no discernible effort). The main opponent for the expansion of gifted education services at the time was the local NEA affiliate. Since the local Democrats did not want to antagonize the NEA affiliate whose members overwhelmingly supported them at the polls, the GOP was the natural place to find a home in Virginia Beach if one was pushing for more rigorous education standards, fiscal responsibility in the school division, etc.
As part of my push to improve the academics in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, I ran for school board in May, 1994. Since I wanted change, more teacher accountability, and would not be easily led by the desires of the Virginia Beach NEA affiliate (“VBEA”), I was perceived as an enemy by the VBEA. As the campaign progressed, I was repeatedly represented to be part of the “Religious Right” by the VBEA and made to feel almost like a criminal. Moreover, NEA affiliates from 17 other states (including the Juneau, Alaska affiliate) sent money to the VBEA to influence the 1994 school board elections in Virginia Beach. The local NEA affiliate had needed an enemy and eminent danger to raise funds and I and several others who were candidates for other seats on the school board unknowingly furnished them with an enemy. Later Forbes Magazine did an unflattering article on the NEA and referenced what had gone on in the Virginia Beach election.
I narrowly lost to my VBEA backed opponent who subsequently (A) was found to have a bogus PhD, and (B) was convicted of soliciting bribes from contractors working with the school division, and removed from office. All of this left a very bad taste in my mouth and things were so bad at our local elementary school that we transferred my two younger children to a different public elementary school that was less VBEA dominated. Having gone to a number of politic events during the election campaign and come to know a number of Virginia Beach Republican officials, I was sought membership on and was elected to the City Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach and served on the City Committee and as a precinct captain for a number of years. I also incorporated the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, Inc., and served as the local Party's registered agent for several years.
One year I was awarded a certificate of merit by the City Committee. Another year, I received The Patrick Henry Award by order of Governor James Gilmore for my active support of good government in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2000, I was appointed by Governor Gilmore – a former law school classmate – to the Virginia College Building Authority, the bond issuing authority raising funds for Virginia’s public colleges and universities for a four year term. My last hurrah, so to speak was working on Mark Earley’s campaign for Governor and serving as co-chair for his campaign in Virginia Beach. Mark was one of my law partners and seemed a genuine supporter of Thomas Jefferson’s ideals of good government. He lost to Mark Warner and subsequently went to work for Chuck Colson of Watergate fame where, in my opinion, he must have received a “Stepford Wife” treatment and ceased to be the man I had known and respected. We disagree vehemently on the Christianist anti-gay agenda.
By this point in time, the GOP was becoming more and more controlled by the far right Christianists. A "coup" of sorts deposed the moderate chairwoman of the Virginia Beach party and the national Party continued to drift to the far right. Ultimately, I resigned from the City Committee, citing in particular my inability to agree with the mixing of religion and the Party’s legislative agenda that supported one religious view to the exclusion of all others. In short, the Party was, in my view, subverting the right to freedom of religion. Like myself, many of the moderates that were on City Committee with me have since resigned and a number have migrated to the Libertarian Party. When word of my coming out of the closet trickled back to GOP circles, I am told a lot of smearing of my name occurred in respect to “my life style choice” by some of the fundies in the Virginia Beach Party. Meanwhile, some of the Norfolk Democrat establishment embraced me. Thereafter, I more or less ceased any involvement with the GOP except for voicing concerns over the increasingly homophobic agenda of the Virginia GOP.
In January, 2004, as more anti-gay legislation, I advised the Virginia Beach delegation to the Virginia General Assembly that they were playing with fire inasmuch as it was no secret in portions of the local gay community that GOP Congressman Ed Schrock had a “secret life” that might be exposed by angry activists. The response to me was one of silence and/or nasty messages. Eventually, Schrock was “outed” by Mike Rodgers at BlogActive and Schrock dropped his re-election bid and was replaced by Thelma Drake, Virginia Beach’s current GOP representative in Congress. Other than Thelma, none of the Virginia Beach delegation has ever apologized for not believing me.
I cannot see myself (or any of my extended family that once supported the GOP) returning to the GOP any time soon. Hopefully, a major election defeat in 2008 will convince what’s left of the moderate GOP I once knew to throw the Christianists off the bus and drive them back into the wilderness where they belong. Hopefully, Pink agrees with at least some of my assessment of the current GOP.
I cannot see myself (or any of my extended family that once supported the GOP) returning to the GOP any time soon. Hopefully, a major election defeat in 2008 will convince what’s left of the moderate GOP I once knew to throw the Christianists off the bus and drive them back into the wilderness where they belong. Hopefully, Pink agrees with at least some of my assessment of the current GOP.
High-Profile Tancredo Presidential Campaign Staffer Outed
A new story on the Gist, a blog by Michelangelo Signorile (http://signorile2003.blogspot.com/2007/06/high-profile-tancredo-presidential.html0, shows the continued hypocrisy of the GOP and yet another case of a self-hating gay working for the enemy. Note how according to Bay Buchanan, one's sexual orientation is a "personal matter," except for when the GOP and its Christianist base are trying to restrict one's legal rights based on sexual orientation. They cannot have it both ways. Here's a portion of the story:
Tyler Whitney (pictured at left via his my space page), the webmaster for the right-wing antigay Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo's presidential campaign, has been outed by the Michigan gay paper Between the Lines. I had reporter Todd Heywood on the show today. Bay Buchanan, Team Tancredo Senior Advisor and sister of the fire-breathing Pat Buchanan, is defending Whitney, saying, "A person's sexual preference is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the campaign.
"In other words, if he wants to work against his own kind -- for a man who's railed against gay rights and has a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign -- we're happy to have him!
Whitney, an 18-year-old who is a rising star in right-wing Republican circles (perhaps until now), who also works at the far-right Leadership Institute in Arlington, VA, was involved with the Young Americans for Freedom chapter at Michigan State University (in East Lansing) that is now listed as a hate group by Southern Poverty Law Center. It is the first university-affiliated group to be put on SPLC's hate list, and according to SPLC's Heidi Beirich the reason it was put on the list is because of its use of slurs, a proposal to have the governance of MSU be white supremacist and "its constant immigrant bashing."
Last November, Whitney -- whose father was a speech writer for former conservative Michigan Gov. John Engler, who was no friend to gays -- went to a a YAF-sponsored protest against a pro-gay, pro-trans human rights ordinance and held a sign that said, "Go back in the closet!" Other signs at the protest included "Straight Power" and "Faggotry."
I guess Mr. Whitney's closet has exploded and that he can no longer take his own advice. The bright light of day is the best remedy for rank hypocrisy.
Monday, June 11, 2007
A Warning for Christian Fundamentalists and Their Would Be Victims
Regular readers will know that I consider myself a Christian and try my best to treat others in a true Christian manner. However, I have little use for religious extremists of any variety. The above photo illustrates the danger - at least in my opinion - in taking the Bible literally and as a 100% accurate history. No one can know all of God/Allah's intentions and plans, and to claim otherwise is to be a liar and evidences hubris on a massive scale. 
Incredible Natural Beauty
I mentioned in an earlier post today the wonderful trip I had with my son to British Columbia. I wanted to post a few more photos, including the 21 story waterfall on the road to Whistler (my son took the photo since I have a fear of heights), a fabulous view of an arm of Puget Sound, and a gorgeous beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. 
CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM TO MARRY ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF LOVING V. VIRGINIA
Freedom to Marry has a new series of ads being launched in honor of the 40th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, that struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriages. Then, as now, Virginia was in the intolerant rump of the history of civil rights for all citizens. Freedom to Marry's main web site page is at: http://www.freedomtomarry.org/node.asp?id=3729. To view the five different ads showing prominent couples who could not marry in some states prior to the decision in Loving v. Virginia, please go to the following PDF link. http://www.freedomtomarry.org/images/pdfs/press_releases/FIA_F2M_politico-proof.pdf.
A Longed for Reconciliation
I want to thank those of you who have been supportive and congratulated me on the graduation invitation situation with my youngest daughter. Words cannot convey how happy I am that the divorce war has not driven her away from me.
I am hoping at some point my son will again communicate with me. His mother’s propaganda seems to have been the most effective with him. Being in the closet until he was 17, caused my relationship with him to never be what I wanted it to be. The glass wall that I erected to protect my secret had the effect of making me always afraid to talk much about my feelings with him. I guess in the end, he thought me unfeeling or aloof at times. Meanwhile, I loved him so much and was so proud of him. Some of my happiest times were on surf trips to Cape Hatteras with him and some of his friends.
But one of the all time best weeks of my life was when the two of us traveled to Seattle and then British Columbia the summer after he graduated from high school. It was a magic week and he and I both fell in love with Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest in general. Driving from Seattle to Vancouver, then to Whistler (the photo above is my son near the summit of Whistler Mountain) and then via ferry on to Vancouver Island was so much fun and I felt so close to him. I really hope that he will come to see his mother’s propaganda for what it is and that I have always tried to do my best by him and his sisters.
I am hoping at some point my son will again communicate with me. His mother’s propaganda seems to have been the most effective with him. Being in the closet until he was 17, caused my relationship with him to never be what I wanted it to be. The glass wall that I erected to protect my secret had the effect of making me always afraid to talk much about my feelings with him. I guess in the end, he thought me unfeeling or aloof at times. Meanwhile, I loved him so much and was so proud of him. Some of my happiest times were on surf trips to Cape Hatteras with him and some of his friends.
But one of the all time best weeks of my life was when the two of us traveled to Seattle and then British Columbia the summer after he graduated from high school. It was a magic week and he and I both fell in love with Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest in general. Driving from Seattle to Vancouver, then to Whistler (the photo above is my son near the summit of Whistler Mountain) and then via ferry on to Vancouver Island was so much fun and I felt so close to him. I really hope that he will come to see his mother’s propaganda for what it is and that I have always tried to do my best by him and his sisters.
Holsinger is a Christianist Liar
The Box Turtle Bulletin (http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/06/11/431) has a damning analysis of the anti-gay paper written by Chimperator Bush’s nominee for surgeon general. It turns out that, like most of the anti-gay “scientific writings,” Holsinger’s paper appears more like something Paul Cameron would churn out as opposed to a serious medical review. Here are portions of the Box Turtle analysis that demonstrate just how disingenuous and distorted Holsinger’s article turns out to be:
That paper, dressed up as a considered medical opinion backed by a bibliography drawn from professional sources, would likely appear to be rather impressive to the lay reader (as most members of the committee were). But a closer examination of that paper reveals very little of scientific value. Worse, it shows a startling eagerness to pull evidence out of context to provide damning evidence against gay men, while willfully ignoring counter evidence in the same literature which essentially destroys the core of his arguments.
Holsinger’s Scientific Evidence
Holsinger began his “scientific” examination by recounting the reproductive role of male and female genitalia. He then went on to observe that the rectum doesn’t perform such a role, and is, in his estimation, unsuitable for intercourse. He cited Agnew (1986)1 to say:
The rectum is incapable of mechanical protection against abrasion and severe damage to the colonic mucosa can result of objects that are large, sharp or pointed are inserted into the rectum (Agnew 1986.)
As you can surmise from the quoted text, Agnew’s paper deals largely with foreign objects, not intercourse. But before the reader can notice this discrepancy, Holsinger quickly dropped the subject of foreign objects (he will return to it later) to begin a broader outline of conditions “found in homosexually active men.” Holsinger quoted Owen (1985, although the paper is missing from Holsinger’s bibliography):2
Four general groups of conditions may be found in homosexually active men: classical sexually transmitted diseases… enteric diseases… trauma… and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
This much is true. These conditions may be found among some homosexually active men. They may also be found in heterosexually active men and women. But to justify his singling out of gay men, Holsinger cited another study to say that STD’s are “strongly correlated to sexual lifestyle,” and presents a large number of statistics for an impressive list of diseases. Unfortunately, the statistics were given without context, leaving the impression that they are representative of all gay men.
But what is that context? It turns out that these statistics came from one lone study consisting of a convenience sample of 365 male patients, all of whom attended a single urban STD clinic in Copenhagen over a seven month period in 1983.3
This is not a representative study at all. It’s not even a representative study of gay men in downtown Copenhagen. It tells us nothing about rural or suburban Danish men. More importantly, it doesn’t tell us anything about gay men who don’t need the services of an STD clinic. It doesn’t even tell us anything about gay or straight men who attend other STD clinics besides the single clinic that performed this study. It is, at best, a snapshot of a small population from one urban center over a short period of time, taken eight years before Holsinger’s paper was written.
This of course means that if you study people with STDs, whether they are gay or straight, you will find people with STDs. Holsinger uses the behavior of one particular sample of men who expose themselves to the risk of STDs to denigrate all gay men (and lesbians!). This study says nothing of those whose “lifestyle” choices do not lead to contracting STDs. And of course, Holsinger’s arguments don’t address whatever responsibility heterosexuals overall have for the 64% of this particular Copenhagen sample who were exclusively straight and were treated for STDs.
After dealing briefly with sexually transmitted diseases, Holsinger introduced the squeamish subject of anorectal trauma, again implying that it is a common condition among gay men. He opened this line of argument by repeating this statement from Bush (1986):4
Consensual penile-anal intercourse can be performed safely. Few anorectal problems and no evidence of anal-sphincter dysfunction are found in heterosexual women who have anal-receptive intercourse. However, forceful anal penetration without lubrication against a resistant sphincter will result in abrasive trauma, causing fissures, contusions, thrombosed hemorrhoids, lacerations with bleeding, pain, and psychic trauma.
Notice what’s going on here. If intercourse is consensual, then everything’s okay. After all, they see few problems among straight women. But if it’s not consensual then damage can occur. This statement seems to preclude the possibility that gay men can have consensual sex, doesn’t it?In fact, all three sources that Holsinger quoted from in this section (Bush, 1986; Geist, 1988; and Agnew, 1986)5 describe conditions that were found among men treated in emergency room settings. And much of evidence provided in the Bush and Geist papers were the result of sexual assault, not consensual sex.
Once again, it turns out that the Christianist Holsinger, who claims to be so religious and such a super Christian, is deliberately bearing false witness against gays. Funny how these folks think the Commandment against bearing false witness and lying does not apply to them. Holsinger is definitely NOT worthy of the position of Surgeon General. Moreover, he is not worthy of calling himself a follwer of Christ.
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