More Hypocrsiy from the U. S. Catholic Bishops; Nuns Rebuke Bishops

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops just elected Timothy M. Dolan (pictured at left)as its leader. The decision is distressing for at least two reasons: (1) Dolan is a part of the reactionary, 13th century knowledge embracing element in the Church hierarchy and (2) as Bishop Accountability points out, his record on handling sexual abuse matters is abysmal. Even the National Coalition of American Nuns is distressed by the bishops' actions and their lack of any action to address the gay teen suicide problem for which the Roman Catholic Church assuredly bears a goodly amount of responsibility. The Church continues to claim it is seriously addressing the sexual abuse scandal, yet it continues to leave those who were part of the problem in charge. It's the height of disingenuousness and hypocrisy. First, here are highlights on what Bishop Accountability has to say on Dolan:
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Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s mishandling of the Msgr. Wallace Harris case, and his continuation of Cardinal Edward Egan’s policies, raise serious questions
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[I]n his mishandling of the Harris case, Dolan has chosen secrecy over transparency, and the comfort of an accused monsignor over the safety of children and the healing of victims. He has also given the worst possible example to the bishops he will now lead. New York under Dolan is an archdiocese where hundreds of credibly accused priests remain concealed by the Egan policies that Dolan has continued. In many other dioceses, bishops have posted the names of accused priests on the diocesan website. Dolan has not.
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Bishop Accountability has a full listing of Dolan's misdeeds here. Meanwhile, here are details on the condemnation of the U. S. Bishops by the National Coalition of American Nuns (which suggests that the Church would be far better off with women priests/bishops in charge) via the Washington Blade:
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An organization of American Catholic nuns has denounced the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for reiterating its opposition to legalizing same-sex marriage at its annual meeting in Baltimore this week while remaining silent on anti-gay bullying and gay teen suicide.

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In a statement released Tuesday, the National Coalition of American Nuns accused the bishops of acting like “blinded Pharisees” for waging a fight against marriage equality while failing to speak out on gay teen suicides brought about by school bullying and harassment.
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“More than a month has gone by since the media broke the news about a series of gay suicides,” the nuns’ statement says. “During that time, the U.S. Catholic Bishops failed to make a single statement regarding these tragic, preventable deaths.”
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The statement adds, “Not one bishop’s voice was raised to condemn a culture where youths are bullied for being who God created them to be and are sometimes pushed by society’s judgments to attempt suicide.”
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“The National Coalition of Catholic Nuns calls on all U.S. Catholics to rise up and say, ‘Enough, enough!” says the nuns’ statement. “No more discriminatory rhetoric and repressive measures from men who lay heavy burdens on the shoulders of others and do not lift one finger of human kindness and compassion,” it says “We all need to work for a holy and just society and church.”
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Sister Jeannine Gramick, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights from the D.C.-Baltimore area, is a board member and executive coordinator of the National Coalition of American Nuns.

The Bully Pulpit - The Responsiblility "Christians" Bear for Bullying and Sucides

The topic of this post is one that I have addressed before, but one that really needs to be said over, and over, and over again across the entire spectrum of the media since it's the only way that the driving force behind anti-gay bullying - Christian fundamentalists, the Catholic and Mormon Church hierarchies, and other religious fundamentalists - will ever be ultimately discredited and the death toll subside. Only when this happens will other societal structures (e.g., school yard pecking orders, anti-gay laws) begin to change and stop directly and indirectly reinforcing the message of hatred and intolerance that are the true hallmarks of these religious denominations. Until then, anti-gay bigotry will continue to be given a cloak of respectability by the acceptance of religion as a basis for denigrating others and stripping them of their humanity. Michelangelo Signorile has a great op-ed in The Advocate that looks at this issue. Here are some highlights (take the time to read the whole piece):
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The irony lies in the fact that it’s the children of straight parents who are very much in a full-blown crisis, be they gay and victims of bullying or the perpetrators of bullying themselves. It’s hard to know if gay teen suicides are on the rise or if media reports—and the use of the Internet to get news out—have focused more attention on them. But one thing is certain: They’re happening at an unacceptable rate.
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[D]espite the gains of the gay equality movement and the coming out of celebrities here and there, life is worse today for LGBT teens than it was 20 years ago, particularly for those living far from urban areas. While the gay political movement has made dramatic strides, . . . most of those advances have been for adults in big cities. And, at the same time, the religious right has come full force out of its own closet—condemning homosexuality and pushing “ex-gay” therapy. In suburban and rural areas, preachers attack gays, ugly campaigns have been waged to bar gays from marrying, and politicians rail that gays shouldn’t be teaching in schools.
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It will be many years before marriage equality and antidiscrimination protections come to every state. And the New Hampshire example shows that even after equality is won, it may be many years before antigay forces stop trying to strip away hard-earned rights. We’ll be fighting for a long time. One battlefield will continue to be the schools, where young people will be targeted. And it’s not just the gay kids and those who are perceived to be gay who are under attack, it’s also those whose parents are gay or lesbian who are being singled out as different by bullies.
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The problem is only going to get worse unless there is a concerted effort to dramatically change the culture of schools. Often we’re dealing with the symptoms rather that the larger problem when it comes to bullying and homophobia. “In the research, ‘slut’ and ‘faggot’ are the two words used most by bullies,” says Elizabethe Payne, who founded the Queering Education Research Institute at Syracuse University’s School of Education. . . . “Right now we focus on the individual kids’ problems,” she explains. “Conversations are about bullying prevention, and those things are important. But why has the effeminate male been the primary target of bullying for so many years? The problem with the bullying programs is that we reeducate the bully and then there’s another one right behind that one, because we haven’t really questioned the structure of the school itself.
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When Hollywood and pop culture help to solidify the messages coming from antigay politicians and preachers, it shouldn’t shock anyone that it plays out detrimentally among young people. Not until we address these larger and more challenging aspects of culture, in schools and beyond, will we see the bullying and the suicides diminish. And changing the culture will have a positive effect—not just on LGBT youths but on all kids, including the bullies.

Saturday Male Beauty

Reflections on the NGLCC National Business & Leadership Conference

Living in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, it is easy at times to become depressed over the lack of progress on LGBT rights and start to wonder if things indeed will ever get better. Spending yesterday here in Washington, D.C. at the NGLCC National Business & Leadership Conference has truly helped re-energize me. It was a true honor to stand up on the stage with HRBOR's current president to formally receive the Rising Star Award and a framed commemorative stamp series complete with engraved plaque from the U. S. Postal Service as we looked out across a room of hundreds of LGBT business and chamber leaders from across the USA. Likewise, networking with other local NGLCC affiliates and share ideas and war stories was an amazing experience as well.
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The day concluded with a formal dinner sponsored by IBM and the Argentine Tourism Ministry held in the Great Hall of the historic National Building Museum (the exterior is shown above and the great hall - which is huge and seven stories high - is pictured above) where a number of businesses and individuals were honored. Among those recognized was Fort Worth city council member Joel Burns who is a truly wonderful individual who I enjoyed talking to and with whom I hope to talk further. His amazing statement on coming out and bullying continues to be inspiring and I feel privileged to have met him. Another surprise of the evening was Martina Navratilova acting as auctioneer for the top items in the silent auction at the event.

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It will be a bit of a let down as I head back to Hampton Roads this morning, but having seen how much other chambers have accomplished, I definitely feel motivated to continue to work with HRBOR to create change for the better for LGBT citizens and business owners. It can get better - we merely need to refuse to take no for an answer and refuse to not be treated equally.

More Friday Male Beauty

Anti-Gay Bigots Launch New Iowa Group

Not content with removing three justices from the Iowa Supreme court for having applied the Iowa constitution as written and across the board and striking down state bans on same sex marriage, the always toxic Iowa Family Policy Center has announced the formation of a new organization that will further that group's anti-gay agenda. The new organization named "The Family Leader" - maybe in keeping with IFPC's Nazi like approach to those who reject theocracy - will also likely be used as a vehicle to funnel in money from outside of Iowa from sources like NOM, the Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus and, of course, the Mormon Church. Oh, yes, IFPC claims otherwise, but as with most Christianists, if their lips are moving, one can be pretty safe in assuming that they are lying. One can only imagine the religious extremist that this new organization will back. Here are highlights from the Iowa Independent:
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IFPC’s The Family Leader will be an umbrella group led by former gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats, fresh from his successful campaign to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices for their 2009 gay marriage ruling. The new group will incorporate the Iowa Family Policy Center, the IFPC PAC and the formerly federally funded program Marriage Matters. More specifics about the group are expected to be announced this weekend at IFPC’s annual fundraiser featuring possible 2012 presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.
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Vander Plaats told the Des Moines Register that the main focus of the group will be vetting and endorsing 2012 presidential candidates.
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According to 990 tax forms, the national Family Leader Network was founded in 2006 and is based in Fairfax, Va. However, there is no such entity listed with the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth. The 990 was filed by a board member of The Family Leader Network based in Utah, but the Utah Secretary of State has no record of the organization either.
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Much like the IFPC’s The Family leader, the national Family Leader’s mission is “to develop public policy that supports traditional marriage and family” as well as fight “the homosexual agenda in the classroom.” Request for comment from the national Family Leader Network by The Iowa Independent wasn’t returned.

Catholic Cardinal Claims Gays Are "Persecuting Christians"

The batshitery coming out of the bitter old men in dresses in the Vatican and upper reaches of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy truly seems to know no bounds. Now, one nutcase cardinal, Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, who himself looks like a flaming queen, has reportedly said the following in an interview with The Telegraph:
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Freedom of thought and expression is under threat from the gay rights movement, said Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, the retired archbishop of Bologna, in memoirs that are published on Thursday. And the result is that those people who disagreed with the homosexual agenda are being ostracised by society, he said.
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"The ideology of homosexuality" – as often happens to ideologies when they become aggressive and end up being politically triumphant "becomes a threat to our legitimate autonomy of thought: those who do not share it risk condemnation to a kind of cultural and social marginalisation," said Cardinal Biffi.
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If anyone ought to know about persecuting and ostracising people, I guess it's the Catholic Church leadership which has felt no compunction about maligning and denigrating gays (and non-Catholic) for centuries - even though in my view many of these clerics are themselves self-loathing closet cases. Or at least the ones who haven't been raping and fondly children and youths who are f*cked up in other ways.
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But the lunacy isn't confined to Cardinal Biffi. As the Belfast Telegraph reports, during the gathering of cardinals, rather than focus full attention on cleaning the Church's dirty linen in the worldwide sex abuse scandal, the bitter queens will also be discussing the Church's disingenuously fabricated threats of religious freedom. To the cardinals, religious freedom means having a free reign to denigrate gays, label us as "inherently disordered" and spend millions of dollars to bar LGBT citizens from CIVIL law legal rights. On the sex abuse scandal front, victims of abuse and their supporters expect little from the gathering of the self-centered "princes of the Church.":
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Cardinal William Levada, the powerful American head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, which deals with abuse cases, will address the princes of the Church on the subject of ‘The Response of the Church to Sexual Abuse’. But abuse victims around the world have expressed scepticism that this unique gathering of cardinals will produce a major initiative.
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The Church's response to clerical sex abuse is one of six issues on the agenda. Topics will include religious freedom, Church worship, inter-Church relations and Pope Benedict XVI's controversial plan to bring disenchanted conservative Anglicans into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Preference for Pro-LGBT Companies Carries over Into LGBT Business Purchasing Decisions

I have frequently urged those in the LGBT community to flex our collective purchasing power as a means for advancing full civil equality. Many members of our community indeed do so and target their purchases towards corporations and vendors that have pro-LGBT policies and/or that actively court the LGBT community as customers. Likewise, many in our community (I certainly do) make an effort to boycott businesses deemed lacking in their acceptance of LGBT citizens and/or their treatment of LGBT employees. A new study now demonstrates that LGBT individuals in decision making positions in the business world - lesbians in particular - carry these practices over into how and from whom they purchases supplies and services for businesses they own or for which they exercise purchasing decisions. The message to the larger business community is clear: acceptance and fair treatment of the LGBT community not only wins more LGBT consumer dollars from LGBT individuals, but it also means more business dollars as well - even from companies not ostensibly LGBT owned. Conversely, when a company caves into bigotry from groups like the American Family Association, they lose both GLBT consumers, but also LGBT owned businesses and businesses wherein purchasing decisions are made by LGBT individuals. Here are some highlights from the report findings:
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Very likely to give preference to LGBT vendors:
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• Majority of respondents (70%)are likely to give preference to LGBT-­owned/LGBT-friendly vendors when purchasing at work.
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• Lesbians more likely than gays to give preference to LGBT-owned/LGBT-friendly vendors (45% were extremely likely, compared with 32% of gays)
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• Nearly half of owners (45%)are extremely likely to give preference to such vendors.
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In addition, the study found that 73% of LGBT individuals making purchasing decisions for businesses will, if aware of a resource, use it for finding LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly companies before placing purchase orders. Clearly, anti-LGBT discrimination can and does indeed carry a finacial price to non-LGBT friendly businesses. It's a message that needs to be disseminated far and wide.

Friday Male Beauty

Lieberman on DADT: We Have 60

I sincerely hope that Jor Lieberman is correct that there are 60 votes to override any filibuster attempt on blocking a vote on DADT repeal. For those LGBT service members in the Hampton Roads area and throughout the U. S. military the impact of repeal would be huge and so many would no longer have to live in fear and worry. Those who want to serve in the military out of patriotism, the desire for education and training, or other legitimate reasons ought to be able to do so and not face discrimination simply because they don't subscribe to religious beliefs that allegedly trace to xenophobic wandering tribes from over 2000 years ago. And for the opponents of LGBT equality, repealing DADT would take away their ability to say "see, even the military knows that gays are sinners and inferior." I truly hope repeal happens. Here are highlights from the Advocate:
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Sen. Joe Lieberman said Thursday that repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” as part of the National Defense Authorization Act is no longer a question of votes, it’s a question of process.
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“I am confident that we have more than 60 votes prepared to take up the defense authorization with the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ if only there will be a guarantee of a fair and open amendment process, in other words, whether we’ll take enough time to do it,” Lieberman told reporters at a press conference, naming GOP senators Susan Collins and Richard Lugar as yes votes. “Time is an inexcusable reason not to get this done.”
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Lieberman, an independent, was flanked by 12 of his Democratic colleagues — a core group that seemed intent on urging the Democratic leadership to allow enough room in the Senate schedule for a debate that would be acceptable to Republicans. The senators talked about working over the weekends, and Sen. Mark Udall offered to go straight through until Christmas Eve.
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Lieberman was joined at the press conference by senators Barbara Boxer, Roland Burris, Ben Cardin, Chris Coons, Diane Feinstein, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Patrick Leahy, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Udall, and Ron Wyden. Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said the most interesting development over the past several days is “the determination of a core group of senators to get repeal done this year.”
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“With Chairman [Carl] Levin and Senator Lieberman’s commitment and with the determination of the president and Majority Leader Reid to work with key Republican senators, we’re alive and we can get this done this year,” Sarvis said.
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Earlier in the day, Gen. Carter Ham, cochair of the Pentagon’s working group study, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that upcoming report on repeal is the most thorough he has ever seen on a personnel issue. “As far as I can tell, this is the most comprehensive assessment of a personnel policy matter that the Department of Defense has conducted,” Ham said.
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Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat who has taken a cautious approach to repealing the policy, seconded Ham’s assertion. “Having spent five years in the Pentagon, I can't remember a study on this type of issue that has been done with this sort of care,” he said. “So it's going to be a very important study for us to look at and examine.”
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Preliminary reports about the study suggest that it concludes repeal poses “minimal risk” even during a time of war.

Thursday Male Beauty

Ken "Kookinelli" Cuccinelli Thinks Special Rights for Christians Is Fine

Proving yet again that electing a far right Christianist to high office puts the supposed constitutional rights of non-Christians and other disfavored minority groups at risk, Virginia's Christofascist Attorney General, Ken Kookinelli (once again working in tandem with Del. Bob Marshall) has issued an attorney general opinion that holds that Christians may now use public property, included government offices, for religious functions and other events. Kookinelli thinks it's just fine that those who do not drink the Christianist brand of Kool-Aid should help under write the cost of Christian events because after all Christians are special and should receive special rights. For the rest of us who might be Jewish, Muslim or agnostic, it's just too bad if we disagree or take offense that a toxic form of Christianity is being forced down our throats. I have long said that Cuccinelli is a menace to constitutional government and I can only hope that someone will drag his ass to federal court where is batshitery can be struck down. Not surprisingly, the loonies at Liberty Counsel are having near orgasms over this establishment of special rights for Christians just before the Christmas holidays - never mind that Christmas derives from the hijacking of pagan holidays by the Roman Catholic Church centuries ago. Here's a sample of the Liberty Counsel drivel:
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In anticipation of the holiday season, Delegate Bob Marshall requested an opinion from the Virginia Attorney General’s office regarding the legality of nativity scenes.
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In a detailed opinion, Cuccinelli shed light on the original intent of both the United States and Virginia Constitutions in regards to freedom of religion and concluded that the “establishment of religion” clause does not, in fact, compel local governments to restrict religious speech on public property. He further stated that the local governments themselves may recognize such religious holidays as Christmas, as long as religious symbols are accompanied by secular ones.
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In another section of his opinion, Cuccinelli addressed an issue that many Christian employees face throughout the year, dealing with the right of public employees to display religious artwork or symbols in their offices. He concluded that only under certain limited conditions could the government restrict the religious speech of its employees. Liberty Counsel applauds the work being done by the Attorney General of Virginia.
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The rest of the world moves forward while Virginia slides backwards in time. I can only wonder when Kookinelli will divine that segregation - even slavery - are fine because many of the the Founding Fathers were slave owners. Living in Virginia is truly an embarrassment much of the time.

HRBOR to Recieve NGLCC Chamber of the Year Award Tomorrow

When Christianna Flynn and I first began talking about forming some sort of LGBT business group back in August of 2006, little did we know that we were setting the ground work for what would become Hampton Roads Business OutReach ("HRBOR"), the only affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce ("NGLCC") in Virginia. Through HRBOR I have secured a number of clients, but more importantly, I have made a large number of wonderful friends and replaced the social circle I lost when I came out after years spent in the closet. Tomorrow morning, HRBOR will receive the NGLCC "Rising Star Award" at a gathering in Washington, D.C., at which the U.S. Secretary of Commerce will be in attendance. HRBOR's current president and I will be driving up to receive the award on HRBOR's behalf and to attend the national gathering's formal dinner tomorrow night. Through the graciousness of Dan Massey and Alison Gardner I will have a place to stay tonight so that my attendance is more affordable. I will be driving to Washington this evening, so posting will likely lapse until sometime tomorrow. I will always treasure my other founding board members pictured below. They are amazing individuals.

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For those coming out later in life, I continue to urge you to get involved in LGBT organizations in your area and, if none exists, consider founding one. It's a lot of work, but the rewards are amazing. And, if we could create an organization like HRBOR in this anti-gay area, it can be done anywhere. Here's the text of the letter from the NGLCC on HRBOR's award:
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The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC) proudly announced Hampton Roads Business OutReach (HRBOR) of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia as the winner of its 2010 Rising Star Chamber of the Year Award. Each year the NLGCC recognizes one outstanding local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) chamber of commerce or business organization for its noticeable growth, enthusiasm, and vision on behalf of its members and community. Bestowed at the Chamber Awards Breakfast on Friday, November 18, the honor will be presented in front of LGBT business owners, corporate decision-makers, and fellow chamber leaders who have gathered for NGLCC’s 2010 National Business & Leadership Conference: Out for Business!, being held at the Capital Hilton November 18-20 in Washington, D.C.
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HRBOR, or the Hampton Roads Business OutReach, is an alliance of LGBT owned and supportive businesses and professionals in the Hampton Roads area that includes Norfolk, VA. Founded with the guidance of the NGLCC in 2007, HRBOR is the only NGLCC Affiliate Chamber in the Commonwealth of Virginia. By promoting an environment in which diversity can flourish, HRBOR is committed to the economic growth and prosperity of its member businesses and the community. This commitment is evident through the robust programming of monthly networking events, educational seminars, and social occasions, and an active and dedicated board of directors, led by businesswoman Nicole Carry. HRBOR has grown and succeeded at a logarithmic pace in its brief history. Inception to launch, including such extensive projects as establishing a mission statement, by-laws, and membership structure, occurred in just under six months. In their first year alone, their membership surpassed 100 members.
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“For a young chamber to experience this kind of growth in only a few years is nothing short of inspirational to the chamber movement,” remarks NGLCC’s Co-Founder & President Justin G. Nelson. “Today, with a new website and continual outreach into the broader community, HRBOR stands as a shining example of commitment to diversity, economic equality and opportunity for its members, and the growing voice of the LGBT community in this conservative region of the United States.”
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To learn more about the NGLCC or the National Business & Leadership Conference, please visit www.nglcc.org. To learn more about HRBOR, please visit www.hrbor.org.

More Wednesday Male Beauty

Kapos at GOProud Support Willow Palin's "Faggot" Slur

I was a GOP activist, precinct captain and city committee member for the better part of a decade - until the Christian Taliban effectively took over the party and the worship of ignorance, religious extremism, racism and down right insanity became the hallmarks of the GOP. There was a time when the GOP actually had some principles that weren't an embarrassment. Back then, one did not need to be a candidate for membership in a white supremacist group or a religious fanatic to be a member/supporter of the GOP. But those days are, in my opinion, gone and other than people who - in my view - selfishly worry only about paying preferably no taxes, I really don't know many thinking, rational members of the GOP.

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From my perspective, conservative Christians are among the biggest GOP hypocrites as they push for lower taxes via slashing of government programs that aid children, the poor and the homeless. WWJD other than be appalled? But one group takes the absolute first prize for lunacy and hypocrisy: gay Republicans. I continue to view gay Republicans to be the modern day equivalent of Jews joining the Nazi Party. In its latest batshitery, GOProud is attacking those who found Willow Palin's use of an anti-gay slur to be offensive:
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“Willow Palin is a 16 year old girl who, like all 16 year olds is going to make mistakes and say things she shouldn’t have. This, however, has nothing to do with Willow Palin or the substance of what she said on Facebook. The ‘slur’ used here is one you could hear on the streets of West Hollywood or Chelsea every day of the week. Apparently, it’s only a ‘homophobic slur’ when it comes from the daughter of a conservative female leader. Make no mistake; this is all about destroying Sarah Palin by any means necessary.

“The angry misogynistic left and their accomplices in the main stream media have been unable to take down Governor Palin – no matter how hard they have tried. Unable to take her down directly they now have decided to try to hurt her by attacking the most important thing in her life – her family.

“Any person, gay or straight, who participates in this cheap political smear should be ashamed of themselves.”

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Excuse me, but if anyone needs to be ashamed of themselves, it's the members of GOProud and their leadership. These folks obviously are self-loathing and in need of a good shrink and some serious meds.

The Banana Chronicles - A Part of My Family Heritage

Months ago I was contacted by a journalist in Costa Rica working for an online magazine, Neotropica, that was going to do an issue on the good, the bad, and the ugly of United Fruit Company's activities in Central America during the first half of the 20th century. I was contacted because of a post I had done on this blog that referenced my family's ties to Central America - particularly Honduras where my mother (the smallest child in the photo above) was born and Panama where she later lived. The magazine issue is now up online and can be found here. The story on my grandparents (pictured below in 1922), which includes a number of family photos from the 1920's and 1930's that I furnished to the publication, begins on page 17 of the magazine. My mother still holds investment interests in both Panama and Honduras and I hope to visit both countries someday.
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United Fruit did many unfortunate things during its de facto rule of Central America. However, I remain convinced that the Medical Department of which my grandfather was a member, did much good and that the medical personnel had the best of motives. I'd be interested in hearing readers' thoughts.

Reid Commits to DADT Vote - Should We Believe It?

Candidly, I am to the point of not believing anything coming out of the White House and senior Congressional Democrats on LGBT issues - we in the LGBT community have been lied to simply too often to take any statements as truthful until the promised action actually occurs. Thus, while I applaud Harry Reid's supposed commitment to bring DADT repeal to a vote in the Senate before the end of the current session, I will believe it when I see it happen. I'd be even more pleased to see the Liar-in-Chief actually get off his ass and do some advocacy and arm twisting to get a vote and to block any filibuster attempt by John McSenile. The latest CNN poll (see page 4) reveals that 72% of Americans support repeal, so once again, I do not understand why the Democrats lack the balls to go all out for repeal. It ought to be a no brainer. Given these numbers ONLY the craziest of the GOP base oppose repeal. Here are highlights from The Advocate:
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Representatives for Democratic majority leader Harry Reid and top White House officials committed to bringing “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal to a vote as part of the National Defense Authorization Act before the end of the year at a meeting Wednesday evening with stakeholder groups.
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“The officials told the groups that Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama are committed to moving forward on repeal by bringing the National Defense Authorization Act — the bill to which 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' repeal is attached
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Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he had asked the majority leader to take up the bill after the Pentagon issues its report and following hearings he plans to hold on the matter, “which should take place during the first few days of December.”
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“The question is whether it is done by legislation that allows us to do it in a thoughtful and careful way, or whether it is struck down by the courts. Because recent court decisions are certainly pointing in that direction,” Gates told ABC.

Court of Appeals Rules Against Christian Legal Society

Earlier in the year the U. S. Supreme Court in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, ruled against the Christian Legal Society (CLS) in its challenge to the University of California Hastings College of the Law’s policy of requiring all funded student groups to be open to all students. The Supreme Court in relevant part said:
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“In requiring CLS — in common with all other student organizations — to choose between welcoming all students and forgoing the benefits of official recognition, . . . Hastings did not transgress constitutional limitations. CLS . . . seeks not parity with other organizations, but a preferential exemption from Hastings’ policy.”
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Preferntial rights - that's what the cry baby Christianists always want. They want special rights that are afforded to no one else. In this case, CLS wanted the right to discriminated against LGBT and non-Christian students AND receive university funding derived in part from the very students against whom CLS discriminated. One would have thought that a Supreme Court ruling would have ended the matter, but in typical Christianist fashion, CLS sought another bite at the apple and asked the 9th Circuit to allow CLS to introduce "new evidence" after the fact. Fortunately, the 9th Circuit resoundingly said "No." Here are highlights via the National Center for Lesbian Rights:
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Today the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied the Christian Legal Society’s request to present additional evidence in Christian Legal Society v. Wu, a case challenging a California law school’s policy that student groups may not discriminate based on sexual orientation, religion, or other bases. Today’s ruling brings an end to six years of litigation in this case, which began in 2004 when the Christian Legal Society (CLS) sued the University of California Hastings College of the Law because CLS wished to exclude gay and non-Christian students.
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The Supreme Court sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit to determine whether any additional issues remained to be resolved in the case. The Ninth Circuit ruled today that the case is over and that the Supreme Court’s opinion upholding Hastings’ policy stands as the final judgment in the case.
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The National Center for Lesbian Rights, along with cooperating counsel Paul Smith of Jenner & Block LLP, represents Hastings Outlaw, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student organization at Hastings, which intervened in the case to defend the constitutionality of the non-discrimination policy. Hastings College of the Law is represented by Gregory Garre of Latham & Watkins LLP and Ethan Schulman of Crowell & Moring LLP.

Wednesday Male Beauty

Barack "Liar-in-Chief" Obama to Push DADT Repeal AFTER DOD Report Release

Better late than never is an long standing phrase, but in the case of the Liar-in-Chief's claim that he will belatedly get involved in pushing DADT repeal, it's likely going to be a case of too little too late. And as a result, his promises to LGBT Americans on DADT during the 2008 campaign will go unmet for possibly years to come. The man is a liar and a fraud and I personally cannot wait to see him out of office. At least with a known enemy we in the LGBT community could have planned for lies and betrayal. Frankly, in hindsight, I do not believe that Obama ever intended to see DADT repealed - it was all nothing more than cynical lies and deceptions and I'm ready to sign on to any campaign that will seek to take the 2012 nomination from him. Here are highlights from the Washington Blade on the latest bullshit emanating from the White House:
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The champion of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal in the U.S. House maintains that President Obama will provide the “full spectrum” of engagement in getting the military’s gay ban repealed once the Pentagon completes its report on the issue.
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In an interview Tuesday with the Washington Blade, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) said Obama has been engaged in moving Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and that this effort will expand once the Pentagon working group report — due Dec. 1 — is complete. “I think there are different levels of engagement and, I think, once the report comes out, I think we’ll see the full spectrum of that engagement,” Murphy said.
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With limited time remaining this Congress, it’s possible lawmakers won’t repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year, leaving Obama to come up with another game plan — perhaps non-congressional action such as a stop-loss order — to put an end to the gay ban. But Murphy was reluctant to call on Obama to issue a stop-loss order to end discharges under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and maintained Congress can still repeal the law this year.
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“Let’s cross that bridge when we get there,” he said. ”Now it’s still in the Congress’ domain to act and especially, specifically, the Senate’s domain.” While seeing a path forward this year, Murphy doubts that Republican leadership in the 112th Congress will be willing to consider “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal as part of its agenda.
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The clear lesson is that the LGBT community should believe NOTHING that comes out of the Obama White House. That's right, believe absolutely NOTHING. Action and delivery on promises are the only things that count.

More Tuesday Male Beauty

GetEQUAL Protests at White House "Common Purpose" Meeting - HRC Kisses Obama's Ass

The last two years have demonstrated what "playing nice" and kissing the Liar-in-Chief's ass yields to LGBT Americans (other than, of course, members of Gay,Inc., who prefer cocktail party invites over real progress): absolutely nothing. While sucking up huge amounts of LGBT money, HRC and to a lesser extent NGLTF have delivered absolutely nothing. The sell out of rank and file LGBT citizens in red states and fly over country continues as both HRC and NGLTF once again offer political cover to the Liar-in-Chief. America Blog has details on the sell out of these organizations as they crossed a protest line organized by GetEQUAL, an organization that realizes that only constant confrontation and embarrassing media coverage for the Liar-in-Chief and weak kneed Democrats (and perhaps some Republicans) will ultimately force the change that is needed. Here are some highlights:
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UPDATE @ 8:14 PM via email from GetEQUAL. It was quite a protest:
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David Smith, Vice President of Policy and Strategy for the Human Rights Campaign, Winnie Stachelberg, Sr. VP for External Affairs for CAP; Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, were greeted tonight by the protestors and asked to stand with the LGBT community and not attend the meeting. All three of them chose instead to cross the protest line and enter into the hotel. Smith refused saying, “I’m running late”.
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Also, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina was greeted tonight by protestors who chanted to him “Obama, What’s Your Plan?” and “Keep Your Promise!
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On Tuesday nights here in DC, there's usual a gathering of White House staffers, often led by Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, with leaders of progressive organizations. The meeting is called "Common Purpose," but is better known as the "veal pen" -- a term coined by Jane Hamsher. Basically, the White House gives the groups their marching orders -- and most of the groups have done as instructed. We can see how well that's worked.
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Among those attending the meeting tonight are CAP's Winnie Stachelberg and HRC's V.P. David Smith. Rea Carey from the Task Force is there, too. (UPDATE: Just learned Messina was there.)
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From GetEQUAL's press release: This evening, seven of the original 13 LGBT veterans and advocates who were arrested yesterday at the White House fence, stood outside of the Capitol Hilton (1001 16th Street NW) to protest the White House’s “Common Purpose” meeting, a mostly secret, low-profile gathering of White House officials and institutional, progressive organizations aimed at controlling the agenda and messaging around those issues, which includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.
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Here's the quote from GetEQUAL's Heather Cronk via Politico: "The White House's Common Purpose meeting is the primary way that progressive ideas and values supported by a majority of Americans are being upended and compromised," said Cronk in an email to POLITICO. "We are calling on the progressive groups attending these meetings to shake free the yoke of White House staff who are refusing to push forward the progressive ideals that President Obama campaigned on."

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I stopped giving money to HRC and NGLTF years ago due to their failure to truly fight for LGBT equality (I did continue to donate to Lambda Legal). I increasing wonder why people continue to fund organizations that put "access" and party invitations and winning "best dressed" awards ahead of representing regular LGBT Americans . I wish people would wake up!

It's DADT That's Immoral - Not Homosexuality

I often complain that gay friendly Christians are too silent while yielding the field to gay-hating modern day Pharisees. In fact, at a wedding I had an interesting conversation with a liberal Baptist minister who understood that we are ALL God's creation whether gay or straight. Recently, at least other two individuals who, in my opinion, are real Christians spoke out for LGBT equality and confirmed our humanity. One was Fr. Jeff Farrow (pictured above) who spoke out against the Roman Catholic Church's support of Proposition 8 and was rewarded by the hate-filled fossils in the Church hierarchy by removal from his parish and suspension as a priest. Yesterday, Farrows was one of the 13 protesters who chained themselves to the White House fence and was arrested as a result of a demonstration urging DADT repeal. I salute Fr. Farrow. Another is Debra W. Haffner, an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and Executive director of the Religious Institute, a multifaith organization dedicated to sexual health and justice, who has a piece in the Washington Post that condemns the immorality of DADT. Here are some highlights:
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Despite public and military support for overturning Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the legislation which bans openly gay service members, political, military and religious leaders cite a variety of objections to changing the law.
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Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) worries that allowing gays to serve openly would impact troop "morale;" Marine Corp Commandant Gen. James Amos says that a policy change may affect "unit cohesion" and "combat effectiveness." Among the religious leaders opposed to overturning Don't Ask, Don't Tell is Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy J. Broglio, who fears that chaplains would be forced to compromise their principles in accepting "objectively disordered" homosexuality, adding that he "can never condone -even silently -homosexual behavior."
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What beliefs are behind banning gays in the military? What's the role of religion in this debate?
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More than a decade of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has forced my gay friends to live in the military closet, even as they affirm their sexual orientation in other parts of their lives. My colleagues who are chaplains in the military are forced to compromise their religious principles in counseling young military people to stay in that closet rather than upholding their religious commitment that sexual and gender diversity is part of God's blessing.
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Those on the right who use four to seven clobber texts in the Bible to buttress their support for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" violate the overarching messages of the Scriptures. As I wrote on these pages in mid-October, "using the Bible to exclude or condemn people violates the very spirit of our traditions. I choose to uphold those texts that recognize that there are many forms of blessed relationships, that invite us to welcome those who are different, and view all people as created in God's image."
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More than 3500 religious leaders from more than 50 faith traditions are members of the Religious Institute network, affirming full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, and millions of people of faith stand with them. To those who would use religion to deny LGBT people their rights, I say the sin is not homosexuality but homophobia, the denigration of our neighbors because they are physically and emotionally attracted to people of the same sex. The sin is heterosexism, the presumption that heterosexuality is normative for all people and morally superior. The sin is forcing people to deny their God-given gift of their sexuality and to suffer to try to live their lives in a way that is antithetical to who they really are - or to force them to live in silence. The sin is violence and discrimination against women and GLBT persons and denial of their rights.
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It is time to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The American people think so, the military chiefs of staff think so, and the rank and file service people think so. . . . The military and society will be strengthened when all people are able to live fully and express their gender and their sexuality with holiness and integrity. It's past time for that to happen.

Ex-Baptist Pastor Fighting Extradition for Murder Charge

Other than the Mormon Church and the Roman Catholic Church probably one of the most homophobic U.S. denominations is the conservative and fundamentalist element of the Baptist Church. Much like the Catholic Church, these Baptists would be well advised to do some internal house cleaning as opposed to focusing efforts on demonizing and marginalizing LGBT Americans. Thus, from time to time it's nice - OK, outright fun - to expose just how rotten things are in some Baptist parishes. A story in the Los Angeles Times suggests that Albert Mohler and other pontificating Baptist preachers have far bigger things they should be doing besides being professional homophobes. Illicit sex and murder, plus embezzlement - sounds like an afternoon soap opera, but apparently that's what was the norm at New Hope Baptist Church in Independence, Missouri, under ex-pastor David Love. Here are some story highlights:
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Former Independence pastor David Love, being held in a South Carolina jail on first-degree murder charges in the death of his lover's husband, is fighting his extradition to Jackson County. . . . Love was arrested on Tuesday in Spartansburg, South Carolina, where he moved not long after Stone's murder.
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On Wednesday, Love refused to waive extradition. Prosecutors say that they have obtained a governor's warrant that will force the former pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church to return to Missouri to face charges.
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According to Stone's relatives, Love had a 10-year affair with Stone's wife, Teresa Stone, and had confessed to the woman the day after Stone's funeral, in which Love gave the eulogy.
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David Love, a friend of Randy Stone who happens to share the same name as the suspected killer, says that he still can't believe that Love gave the eulogy at Stone's funeral. . . . David Love says that he's not sure what motivated the killing, but says that he heard rumors that Stone was the treasurer at New Hope Baptist Church and may have been about to blow the lid on financial shenanigans at the church. "He discovered that things were not all on the up and up," said David Love, who says that he was happy to hear that an arrest in the murder had finally happened.
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Yep, less Bible thumping and less gay bashing would seem to be in order at New Hope Baptist and many other Baptist churches.

Tuesday Male Beauty

Dedicated to Principal Sue Skinner.

Catholic School Censors Student Newspaper and Shows Anti-Gay Bigotry

As a former Catholic it has taken me a good while to get over the psychological and emotional abuse the Roman Catholic Church inflicts on LGBT individuals. The Church's hypocrisy, given its sex abuse and other scandals and centuries long record of being wrong on many issues, is at times breath taking. One can always count on bigotry winning out when it comes to the treatment of gays from the Vatican down to the smallest Church affiliates. A case in point is the censorship of the student newspaper at the St. Louis Park Catholic school Benilde-St. Margaret. The student run publication had had the audacity to include a staff editorial condemning the [Minneapolis] Archdioceses' anti-gay-marriage DVD mailing and an essay by senior Sean Simonson about his own recent experience coming out as gay. What is even more disturbing is the ridiculous excuse given by the school principal Sue Skinner (pictured at right) - contact her at sskinner@bsm-online.org - as to why the columns had been scrubbed:
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"This particular discussion is not appropriate because the level of intensity has created an unsafe environment for students. As importantly, the articles and ensuing online postings have created confusion about Church teaching."
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The only thing that creates an unsafe environment for students is the Church's constant anti-gay jihad that encourages homophobes to abuse and denigrate LGBT individuals. But, dishonesty and hypocrisy are par for the course when it comes to the institutional Catholic Church. The integrity of Benedict XVI is right up there with that of a nasty prostitute. Here are highlights from CityPages on the jackbooted behavior of the school:
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​The editors of the Knight Errant knew things were going to get a little hot when their latest issue dropped last Thursday. The student newspaper at the St. Louis Park Catholic school Benilde-St. Margaret was going to include a staff editorial condemning the Archdioceses' anti-gay-marriage DVD mailing. On top of that, the issue would include an essay by senior Sean Simonson about his own recent experience coming out as gay at Benilde-St. Margaret. . . . by Saturday, school principal Sue Skinner had ordered the two contentious pieces removed.
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The Knight Errant is pretty highly regarded among high school papers. On Saturday, when the stories were taken down, the paper's faculty adviser and editors were in Kansas City accepting an award at the National High School Journalism Convention, the paper's third national award in three years.
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Some of the paper's staffers aren't taking the censorship lying down. Bernardo Vigil, the arts and entertainment editor, started contacting other news outlets as soon as he learned of the article's disappearance down the memory hole. Vigil spoke to City Pages this morning after getting kicked out of class for wearing duct tape across his mouth with the word "Censorship" written across it. He said other paper staffers are wearing rainbow clothing in protest.
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"The people who said it was inappropriate for us to publish these stories are the same people who are perpetuating an atmosphere of homophobia on campus, so caving to the calls for censorship is basically showing solidarity with the view that homophobia is okay," Vigil said. "The articles need to go back online."
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One can only hope that some students and their families will decide that the school is not a proper venue and will vote with their feet. With Catholic schools closing right and left across the country, perhaps Ms. Skinner has taken a step that will speed Benilde-St. Margaret's demise. The institutional Cathloc Church in its current form needs to cease. With hate, intolerance and bigotry against others being its principal stock in trade, the Vatican's form of Catholicism makes the Pharisees in the Bible seem virtuous.

Barack Obama is a "Silent Homophobe"

The activists who chained themselves to the White House fence are on to something: Barack Obama, a/k/a the Liar-in-Chief, is a homophobe. Yes, it sounds like a counter intuitive allegation at first blush given the Liar-in-Chief's statements ostensibly supporting LGBT equality. However, when you look at his actions (and inaction) it becomes clear that other than what Pam Spaulding calls "Cinderella crumbs," Obama has delivered nothing to LGBT Americans. Nothing, that is other than betrayal and actions that further the views of known gay haters and homophobes. The signs range from the selection of Christian Taliban member Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation, to the selection of anti-gay Gen. Amos to head the Marine Corps, to the all out court defense of DADT and DOMA. None of these are the actions of an ally or "fierce advocate." They are just the opposite and seem to confirm that despite whatever disingenuous statements he makes, the Liar-in-Chief is happy with the status quo inequality suffered by LGBT Americans. The Huffington Post looks at this appropriate label for the Liar-in-Chief. Here are some highlights:
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Frustrated by what they perceive to be a lack of resolution on the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, gay rights activists have begun targeting the White House in some of the most direct and personal terms to date, accusing the president of being a silent homophobe.
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Thirteen demonstrators organized by the GetEqual campaign handcuffed themselves to the White House's north gate on Monday (and reportedly super-glued the handcuffs), demanding that Obama push Congress to advance a repeal of the law prohibiting openly gay service in the armed forces. Prior to leading a chant of "Barack Obama, silent homophobia," the individuals offered sharp rebukes of political leaders across the spectrum. They were arrested shortly thereafter.
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"After visiting Senator Harry Reid today, the majority leader, his staff telling us that the president is not engaged, at all, in the repeal of the most discriminatory law that bars soldiers from telling the truth. After all his rhetoric I think we must conclude that there is truth to the knowledge in homophobia of both sorts. There is a loud homophobia, those with platforms. And there is a silent homophobia of those who purport to be our friends and do nothing. Loud homophobia and silent homophobia have the same result, they must be combated and this is what we intend to do today."
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LGBT Americans were played for suckers by the Liar-in-Chief. Yes, we (myself included) allowed ourselves to be played - probably because we wanted to believe so badly that someone truly gave a damn about our lives. Its obvious to me that Obama does not give a damn and by his support of homophobic laws, DADT in particular, he is maintaining an atmosphere where gay teens see suicide as a viable option. I hold only disgust and contempt for the Liar-in-Chief who I seriously hope will be a one term president.

More Monday Male Beauty

Senators Lieberman and Collins Call For Early Release of DADT Study

The leaked information on the likely conclusion of the Pentagon's study on repeal of DADT seems to be pressuring some of the non-senile in the U. S. Senate to call for the DOD to release its DADT study results ahead of schedule. No doubt John McSenile will acting as if someone has pissed in his Cheerios at this news. Obviously, if the results are released ahead of schedule (and confirm the leaked claim that 70% of the surveyed service members have no real issue with serving with openly gay troops), the Senate's excuse for not taking up the matter before the end of lame duck session wither away. The letter sent by Senators Lieberman and Collins can be found here. Clearly, their goal seems to be to move a vote on DADT repeal forward. Where's the Liar-in-Chief on this issue? Gates does, after all, report to Obama. Here are highlights from Politico's take on this development:
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Two influential senators who want repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy have called on the Pentagon to accelerate the release of a report examining the effects of such a sweeping change, and how it can be implemented.
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On Monday, Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, urging him to make the highly-anticipated report public “as soon as possible” to improve the chances that a conditional repeal of the ban on gays in the military – currently attached to a must-pass defense authorization bill – will become law before the clock runs out on the lame-duck session next month.
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Despite doubts that Congress lacks the time – and the political will – to address the issue, “I’m not giving up on us doing a repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ during the lame-duck session,” Lieberman said Monday on MSNBC. “To make that possible, I hope that the Defense Department can find a way to issue this report that they’ve got pretty much done, but going through clearance now, as quickly as possible and certainly before December 1st.”
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In a related development, 13 veterans urging immediate repeal of “don’t ask” were arrested Monday after chaining themselves to the White House fence, according to a Park Police spokesman and a statement from the group that organized the protest, GetEqual. Among them were Army National Guard Lt. Dan Choi and four other pro-repeal military veterans who were arrested in a similar protest in March.
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NOTE: Among the 13 activists were some fellow LGBT bloggers and Dan Choi who I had the pleasure of speaking with one on one some months back. Some may see chaining yourself to the White House fence as theatrical, but given the spinelessness and disingenuousness of the Liar-in-Chief, these types of things ARE needed to continue embarrassing legislators to act.

People Coming Out Yonger and in Larger Numbers

More bad news for the Christian Taliban: people are coming out younger and in larger numbers than in the past. The world is moving on even if the Christianists and the bitter old men in the Vatican want to stay in the 13th century. A new survey in the United Kingdom indicates that the average age of coming out has plummeted by twenty years and the younger generations are not buying the poison peddled by anti-gay religious denominations and Neanderthal politicians (think John McSenile). Obviously, there are many people who remain in the closet to please family members, out of job fears and for other reasons - I frequently hear from some of them from all corners of the globe - but the trend is so very different than when I was in my teens or twenties. The anti-modernity forces like NOM and its allies may be winning some rear guard actions, but time (and the dying off of older homophobes) is against them. Here are some highlights from the Guardian:
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The average age at which people come out as gay, lesbian or bisexual has fallen steadily over the last four decades, according to Stonewall, the gay rights group. A poll for Stonewall of 1,500 people who were already out found that among the over-60s the average age they had come out was 37. But those in their 30s had come out at an average age of 21, and in the group aged 18 to 24 it was 17.
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The survey, conducted via social networking sites, does not take account of the numbers of people who know they are gay or bisexual but have not come out. But Stonewall said it nonetheless revealed a pattern of people having the confidence to come out earlier.
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[T]he change was likely to be because young people today were given a lot more information about sexuality, and were more likely to see gay people in the public eye, in TV programmes such as Sugar Rush, and soaps such as Emmerdale and EastEnders, with whom they could identify feelings they might be having. . . . "What we're seeing is an explosion of role models and people talking about being gay, so people are more able to associate what they're feeling with something they can see."
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Changes including the introduction of civil partnerships and the end of Section 28 – which banned the "promotion" of homosexuality in schools – had also helped, she said.