02/04/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire

“Next thing you know, they’ll be freebasing spinach.”  Last night, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart took on the Senate’s hearings regarding Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Taking on Senator John McCain’s flip on the subject of hearing from the top military leaders regarding repeal of DADT, Colbert noted that we had only heard from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense and the Commander in Chief by noting that “we haven’t heard a peep from the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Chief of Naval Operations, Cap’n Crunch, Major Garrett, Sgt. Slaughter, Lt. Dan, ‘Private Practice,’ or Col. Sanders.”  He forgot that we had not heard anything from Admiral Akhbar or General Mills.  Colbert also went after Senator Chambliss by running old Popeye cartoons.  Though, it should be noted that a sailor without a tattoo seems somehow…astereotypical.  Meanwhile, Stewart and company went after the policy of letting old people serve in the Senate.

The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is heavily backed by the American people.  Polls show roughly three in four Americans support repeal.

The Colbert Report:

The Daily Show:

02/02/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Chris Matthews discussed the potential repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He had Peter Sprigg from the Family Research Council, and Aubrey Sarvis from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Sprigg continually used a variety of studies which were not well supported, including changing a statement from fifteen percent to ten percent of one newspaper’s poll of their readers stating that they would be unwilling to serve with openly gay and lesbian soldiers. Sprigg went on to, basically, state that he believes that homosexuality is wrong and should be recriminalized. Of course, he admits that people do not choose to be gay or lesbian, but that they choose to engage in homosexual behaviors. What Sprigg admitted to is pure out bigotry at the end of this Hardball segment. Sarvis kept hammering Sprigg’s ideas and points as having no real basis, especially in the modern military.

Reader polls are practically worthless. All they show is that a percentage of the readership who have chosen to be part of a poll are for or against a particular issue. These are normally undertaken in order to make a point seem like it has validity, but it typically does not. What the poll that Sprigg continually harped about is a reader poll, and even if it was done of random readers, it is still a biased group in that it only shows the beliefs of a small group of people who are willing to subscribe to that particular magazine.

Sprigg has, however, undermined his and other’s arguments that homosexuality should be criminalize, and that LGBT rights be eliminated. By stating that people are innately attracted to individuals of the same-sex, he basically stated that this is genetic. If it is genetic, as Sprigg believes, then it falls within the same category of protection as racial, ethnic and sex protections.

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

02/02/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Last night, Harold Ford Jr. appeared on the Colbert Report in order to discuss his possible run for the Senate against Kirsten Gillibrand. This is despite the fact that polls show Ford trailing behind Gillibrand rather strongly. During this interview, Ford went on to explain his change of heart regarding marriage equality. Ford had stated that he was emphatically against same-sex marriage while running for the Senate in Tennessee, but maintains that he is pro-same-sex marriage today due to a change of heart brought about by his friends and his wife. Ford, who still has a Tennessee driver’s license at last report, also maintains that he is pro-choice despite stating that he was pro-life. He maintains that he is more in favor of education as a means to reduce abortion rates rather than banning abortion. Among the biggest issues that were not touched on by Ford or Colbert is Ford’s job with Bank of America, and that he is largely the favorite of the Wall Street tycoons. Bank of America has been linked strongly with the Uganda push to extract oil from their lands displacing tens of thousands of people while diverting the attention of the populous by attacking gays and lesbians.

Terrific video from http://hitrecord.org It premiered at Sundance last week.

01/26/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Harold Ford was for marriage equality before he was against it and before he was for it. He was for choice before he was against it and before he was for it again. That is, at least, the message behind Stephen Colbert’s take on the recent issue of Harold Ford’s potential run for the Senate. Last night, Colbert made Ford the center of his Alpha Dog of the Week segment. The only thing that Colbert did not mention was that Ford is employed by Bank of America.

We shall overcome some day…

Video Montage of the early morning rally outside the Federal court building in downtown San Francisco before the official start of the Federal Prop 8 Trial.

Video: Sean Chapin

Jim Burroway Blogging on Box Turtle blasted this bombshell which hit all the LGBT BLOGS today. It was picked up by Truth Wins Out (Evan Hurst) and that is where I first saw it; also posted by Anrew Sullivan, and others at the helm of the LGBT BLOG world.

W e all hope that mainstream media such as MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, who has reported extensively on the Uganda Anti Gay Kill Bill, will show some of the language used to incite. We have included one video here and there is a lot more on the Box Turtle site. If you have the Stomach for more after this, I suggest you read the Box Turtle analysis by Burroway and also see more footage. It is very important that everyone face book this to the less activist amongst us, so they can see what hate we have to overcome, engendered by extremists. When I hear this, for the first time in my life, I feel threatened and terrified for being gay.

“BTB Videos: Scott Lively Delivers His “Nuclear Bomb” To Uganda

“Scott Lively was one of three American activists to speak at an anti-gay conference in Kampala, Uganda on March 5-7, 2009. The other two participants were Exodus International board member Don Schmierer and International Healing Foundation’s Caleb Lee Brundidge. Two weeks after the conference, Lively bragged that he had delivered a “nuclear bomb against the gay agenda in Uganda.” Ex-Gay Watch and Box Turtle Bulletin have obtained some videos of that conference, and for the first time we get to see what that “nuclear bomb” looks like.”

So in case you do not want to visit the Mumsa’s Site – I plan on adding to this post with tidbits that point to his insanity. I wonder how many gay hate crimes can track back to his website and speech.

From the site of the Nimble Minded Scott Lively Defender of Marriage :-
” NAMBLA-gate: The Strange Case of Kevin Jennings, Part One
from the ‘Media and Culture’ topic
It would appear that the purpose of the orchestrated controversy over the proposed law in Uganda is to divert attention from the real scandal involving Obama Education Department official Kevin Jennings and his praise for the founder of the modern gay rights movement, Harry Hay, a supporter of adult-child sex.”

Most of us never visit these sites but now that I have seen this I am aghast: If you are too keep this in mind:-

The only weapon that we could ever have to actually fight this hate is legitimacy in the eyes of our own government – we need Equality as a tool against the hate. Now people like this believe they have license to target us.

Books by Lively and his Gangsters

Expose – Pure lies, distortions and hate promotion

Defeating “Gay” Arguments With Simple Logic
		East-to-use guidelines for winning the homosexual debate by exposing the hidden false assumptions and deceptive rhetoric of “gay” arguments. $5.00
Redeeming the Rainbow: A Christian Response to the “Gay” Agenda
		A comprehensive but easy-to-understand textbook for Christians and other defenders of God’s design for family and society which explains in detail 1) the nature, causes and characteristics of homosexual dysfunction and militancy, 2) the history, philosophy, goals, methods and strategies of the global “gay” movement, 3) the urgent, escalating and imminent danger this movement represents to all aspects of Christian civilization throughout the world, and 4) specific, practical principles for responding to each of the many areas of “gay” aggression — all firmly grounded in and supported by both Scripture and non-religious logical analysis, documentation and terminology. $21.99
Seven Steps To Recruit-Proof Your Child
		A concise, practical guidebook for parents who wish to protect their children from pro-homoesxual indoctrination and the possibility of recruitment into the homosexual lifestyle. $14.95
The Pink Swastika: 4th Edition
		The Pink Swastika is a thoroughly researched, eminently readable, demolition of the “gay” myth, symbolized by the pink triangle, that the Nazis were anti-homosexual. $16.95
The Poisoned Stream
		Traces the “poisoned stream” of homosexual influences throughout history, particularly in Germany between 1890 and 1945. $9.95

Posted by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

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http://www.truthwinsout.org/tag/uganda/

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/slouching-toward-kampala

• Scott Lively Is a Proud Christian Man Who Just Wants What’s Worst for Uganda’s Gays (queerty.com)
• Anti-Gay Evangelicals Attempt To Distance Themselves From Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill They Inspired (huffingtonpost.com)
• Watch: Scott Lively Delivers Anti-Gay ‘Nuclear Bomb’ to Uganda (towleroad.com)
• Scott Lively doesn’t want you to think he hates you (bilerico.com)
• NYT on the 3 Americans Who Inspired Uganda ‘Kill the Gays’ Bill (towleroad.com)

AND While you are here – Send a Message to the President – Sign for Binationals Please…… link:- http://immigration.change.org/actions/view/special_visa_for_binational_lgbt_spouse-perma-partners

Posted by Melanie Nathan/ Video oblogdeeoblogda.  

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• BiNational Petition:- Remedial Visa -Stop Gap- Pending Legislation (oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com)

01/03/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
As something of a counterpoint to the Lisa Miller/Janet Jenkins case, the editorial board of LGR would like to bring you the story of two women in India. Twenty-five years ago, Roinachi and Thingring fell in love, and with all the ceremonies of a Hindu wedding festival, they got married. This was long before the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality, and long before the very idea that decriminalization of homosexuality would even be debated. The two women faced a lifetime of problems, discrimination, and hard work, but they remain together today despite pressures to conform and find husbands. Legally, their marriage is not recognized in India. What follows is the news video clip of the women’s story, and the transcript of the clip.

“Long before homosexuality was decriminalised by a Delhi High Court ruling, two girls from a remote village of Kokrajhar in lower Assam went ahead and got married defying stigma and discrimination.

Marking in their own way the gay rights movement, this despite being under tremendous social pressure to conform.

By sunrise Roinachi gets busy cleaning the fish that she sells in the local market. By then her spouse Thingring has already left for the paddy field.

Twenty five years ago, Thingring fell in love with Roinachi who was serving as a domestic help in a family which allegedly tortured her. They soon married in a temple with Hindu rites. A shocked Fakiraguri village which had not even heard of gay relationships immediately ostracised them. They moved home and settled down in nearby Simlaguri village.

“Had we feared we couldn’t have got married,” said Thingring, husband.

They say it’s a marriage made in heaven.

“We have never had any marital discord. We are very happy together,” said Roinachi, wife.

Though same-sex relationship is still considered illegitimate, Simlaguri has slowly come to accept Roinachi and Thingring.

In a country where women are yet to be completely liberated, Thingring and Roinachi have gone that extra mile by marrying, displaying a rare boldness, much before homosexuality was even debated.

Today they are not just happily married but their conviction has even led to social acceptance.

But it was a struggle to even find work and survive. The government has given them a job card but people are no longer employing them for hard labour. After a lifetime fighting discrimination they now wish they can just have a piece of land and live on their own.”

Defying stigma, Assam women tie the knot

12/18/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Yesterday, I went a little ballistic over the Health Care Reform and joined the ranks of those who have called for the end of this bill. I did not explain the totality of why. The why of healthcare reform is something that no one seems to want to explain. Before I left Georgia, SCHIP went bankrupt. It ran out of money. The why of it running out of money is simple. Too many people had no choice but to put their children on that program because their employers would not give them health coverage. The largest reason was the Walmarticization of the American workforce where people are given part time work, no benefits and not enough money to pay for healthcare. In the end, this set up made it necessary for people to put their children on the only healthcare program that they could- SCHIP. When the attempt to scuttle the program went through under President Bush, Georgia’s SCHIP program ran out of money.

Americans are not earning enough to get insurance because corporations insist upon squeezing every last cent of profits that they can, often at the expense of employees. I do not mean small businesses, but the mega-corporations which often refuse to give their employees adequate pay, and adequate benefits. “If you take care of your employees, and you take care of your customers, your profits will take care of themselves,” as one person in my life use to say.

The growth that this country has so long enjoyed is an illusion. It exists, but only at the top. Yes, since Ronald Reagan took office, the economy has grown and grown. That is, until you walk through the rotting streets of downtown Brunswick, Georgia. The rich folk on Saint Simon’s Island desperately wanted to build a new bridge at the top end of the island so that people coming to their beaches would not have to see anything of the city, or drive passed the turpentine plant and its toxic cloud of fumes. They certainly did not want people to go down Norwich Street and see the boarded up buildings, vacant eyed residents, and crumbling facades. I lived in that city for eighteen years save for a few where I lived in Savannah and a six month sojourn in England. I saw people scrambling for crumbs who were not idiots and not stupid. Instead, I saw people who had been beaten down for so long by the businesses which told them that they would move the plant out of the country if anyone complained, and churches which promised salvation, eternal rewards, and a belief that contradicting the corporations was somehow wrong.

It would have been better if that turpentine plant had left. The chemicals it spewed into the air rotted roofs on the houses right near by and caused ash to fall like snow on bad days. If anyone complained about the smell, people would say “that’s our bread adn butter.” They fought the environmental regulations which required them to put in a reclamation boiler. They spent more fighting that boiler than it cost to install it! All the time, they did not care if their workers were being slowly poisoned by those self same fumes. They should move away, after all. Move somewhere safer. As if any of them could afford to do that. The plant eventually had to be sold because the company that owned it couldn’t make enough money off of it after the legal battles.

There was an Arco plant there. The land around the plant is so heavily polluted that one person recommended napalming the land in order to clean it. Those chemicals forced the closure of the drive in cinema next to it a long time ago. It did not, however, force the people near that plant to be moved. The soil was so toxic that working around that plant was dangerous. I found the location of a very rare Native American site marked on an old map. That site could never be excavated. The land it was on had been used as a toxic dump site for over a hundred and fifty years. That dump site sat right on the river too. The fish there could not and should not be eaten under any circumstances.

And into this, what I saw was simple. I saw people without hope, without health, and without a future. I saw a society which valued money over people, and did not care about the blood that money was made from. My great-grandfather was, by all accounts, a Marxist. He was a Marxist for largely the same reason I can be counted as such. He tried to help the people around him. He was a pharmacist. He owned drugstores across the Caribbean, and he employed people who could dispense medicine with enough training to also diagnose most basic ailments. He provided the poor with the medical services that they could not pay for at a clinic. According to what we know, he died of a heart attack in a Dominicanan prison soon after Raphael Trujillo took power in the Dominican Republic. He felt that the society should take care of its people irregardless of their age, their race, or their class. Poverty breeds crime. There was a time roughly two hundred years ago where it was believed that the poor were naturally inclined to being both poor and criminal. By “natural” I mean the belief was that the poor lacked jobs because they were naturally stupid, naturally lazy, and naturally criminal. If you wanted to solve a crime, just have the thief taker grab some poor person off the street, beat them until they confessed, and sentence them. Voila, justice was done. Of course, it was not done. In part, this is why the Constitution states that “cruel and unusual punishment” is prohibited. It is to stop mock justice from being done. Our Founding Fathers, and in this case I mean more specifically those Anti-Federalists who supported the inclusion of the Bill of Rights, knew then that torture only muddied up justice. I also muddied up the gathering of military intelligence.

Lloyd Bensen once, famously, told Dan Quayle “I knew Jack Kennedy and you are no Jack Kennedy.” My view of Kennedy is far from being rosy. I have always liked Lyndon Johnson. He may not have been perfect. He was far from the best President that the country could have had, and the era he lived in was almost ungovernable. Still, Johnson at least had courage. He had passion. He spent a stint working as a teacher in rural Texas. He saw first hand what poverty and prejudice do to people, especially young children. President Johnson said before a joint session of Congress on 15 March 1965:

My first job after college was as a teacher in Cotulla, Texas, in a small Mexican-American school…Somehow you never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scars on the hopeful face of a young child….I never thought then, in 1928, that I would be standing here in 1965. It never occurred to me in my fondest dreams that I might have the chance to help the sons and daughters of those students and to help people like them all over this country.

But now I do have that chance- and I’ll let you in on a secret: I mean to use it.”

I live in Vermont now. Outside my window is a view of the city I was born in. It is officially a city. It has seventeen thousand residents. I often hear talk about “Small Town America”. My friends live in small town America. I go to college in a small town north of here. Vermont is full of small towns. I listen to politicians who talk about small town America every day. It comes with the job. Somewhen, not too long ago, people created this myth about Small Town America. They started by taking all their beliefs and ascribing it to the people in small towns across the country. They then sold that vision to people. And then they took on a phony “folksy” accent to make it sound like they were one of “us”.

When I was in fifth grade my family and I lived in the Interbay. It’s kind of sandwiched in between McDill Air Force Base and Tampa in Florida. We lived in a house where the floor was rotting, the spiders were huge, and one good tropical storm, and we were in the ocean. We lived off of the charity of others. My father had lost his job recently. The area was crime ridden, filthy, and scary. Maybe it is because I am empathetic, maybe it is because I care about others, but I have always wondered what happened to those children I spent a year getting to know.

I attended Senator Sander’s town hall meeting in August. The majority of the folks wanted- even demanded a single payer plan because it would put an end to all of the problems that they face. Five years ago, I went into the primary election in Brunswick and cast a single, solitary, symbolic vote for one man, Governor Howard Dean. I did not live in Vermont while he was Governor, and I know that he is not loved by everyone. I do not agree with all of his policies or his political stances. He is, however, someone with guts. He is someone who turned the Democrats around in four years only to have Barack Obama and his crew snatch it away and give it to some schmuck of a Chairman who could not and did not support the base on important issues like marriage equality, but, instead, supported a candidate who barely had a chance of winning election anyway. Governor Dean has stated now on Morning Joe that he will not vigorously support Obama’s reelection. Perhaps, instead, Governor Dean will consider the unusual, and even the unthinkable. Perhaps he will run against a sitting President. Governor Dean knows that he is going to be attacked for his stance. Because of Governor Dean, I have health insurance. I have that dreaded “Socialized Medicine” everyone talks about, and it has not caused Vermont citizens any loss in freedom when it comes to health care.

Jacob Heilbrunn recently wrote about giving President Obama some slack. I have given him plenty of slack. Until the last twenty-four hours, I have given him his fair due. I have argued that he needs to be given time. Time, unfortunately, has shown that Obama is not willing to fight. Time has show that Obama is not willing to take the battle to the enemy. Instead, he has consistently caved in on issues where he needed to be strong. One can argue that had he pulled out of Afghanistan the Right would have gone after him- THEY ARE GOING AFTER HIM ANYWAY. One can argue that he should not have gone after single payer Medicare For All because the right would have called him a Socialist or a Communist- THEY ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT ABOUT HIM. One can argue that he needs to reach out and befriend the opposition or they will oppose him- THEY WILL OPPOSE HIM ANYWAY. President Obama has decided to reach out for his enemy and hope without thinking that they will, somehow, support him. They will not. They will continue to fight him because he is not one of them. They will continue to obstruct him no matter what he hands them.

It is always tempting to reach out to the enemy and offer them your hand in friendship. The problem comes when they will not reach out as well. When we live in a society that does not know the difference between “Socialist”, “Communist”, “Marxist”, “Fascist”, “Nazi” and “Dictator”, we cannot have a discussion based upon facts. Instead, we have an argument based upon propaganda. Hell Fire and Brimstone, we are not even having an argument. “An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition,” as Monty Python once said. What we have here is Contradiction, the automatic gainsay of what ever the other side says. Until the GOP is willing to actually have an argument, then there is no point in reaching out to them. As for those in his own party who are willing to scuttle the bill for personal gain, make it clear that there are consequences to their decision to throw this under the bus. There was an uproar on the Right over pulling Nebraska’s military base. Do it. Tell Nelson that the base will be pulled if he does not follow the will of the party. Politics is nasty, dirty, and painful. It is time President Obama figures out that he cannot get people to follow behind him if he refuses to lead.

In 2012, I will have trouble supporting President Obama. If the GOP wises up and supports someone like Joe Scarborough or if Mitt Romney wakes up and goes back to his old social positions, I will gladly vote for them. I will go further. I will support them. The Left is rumbling. The political storm is approaching.

(I do wish to apologize for the length of this. I usually try to go no more than five hundred words. Unfortunately, this is something I am passionate about. As much as LGR is a blog, I do not do a great deal of editorializing. Analysis, yes, reporting yes, but not much off the cuff opinion work.)

12/17/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
This is what happens when you cave in to one person who is having a snit. Another one comes along and demands that you cave in to him. In this case it is Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska who has decided to kill the bill. The time has come to ‘kill’ him and Lieberman. It is time to strip them of any and all power that they have within the Senate. The time has come to remove them from their committee assignments, and if needs be, the caucus as a whole. It is time to kill this bill. No ‘ifs’, no ‘ands’, no ‘buts’, no negotiation. And, if President Obama cannot learn to lead and Senator Reid cannot grow a spine, then it is time for them to leave or be removed. Senator Nelson has demanded that his amendment condemning women to die for lack of coverage for a legal procedure must be in the bill or he will filibuster. If that is his decision, then fine, remove him from everything. If he leaves to join the Republicans, great, replace him next election. Or replace him anyway.

One year and six months ago, or there abouts, I cast my ballot in the first primary in recent memory where Vermont was important. I cast my vote for Hilary Clinton. While I have held out hope that President Barack Obama would be better than he has turned out to be, I hate to say that he has lived up to my expectations. I voted for him in the general election because I saw in his opponent someone who was even less ready for the Presidency than Obama, and who chose a running mate who, in all honesty, seemed more of a caricature than a real person, especially in light of her transformation from the time she ran for governor to when she ran for Vice President. The why of my vote had mostly to do with History. Senators rarely make good Presidents, and one term Senators often make very weak Presidents. I knew in Obama we did indeed have a John Kennedy. The problem was that no one really goes beyond Kennedy’s assassination to look at the President. Kennedy has never impressed me as anything more than an decent orator. Johnson, at least, had guts. He had scars too and would show them off to anyone who wasn’t squeamish. Ok, that’s wrong, he would show them off to the squeamish as well.

I knew that Obama would not fight the way everyone thought he would. I knew that he would have trouble herding Democrats into doing anything. Obama was good at speeches, but not much else. It is because of that I have not been disappointed in his lack of movement. It is because I knew that Obama was not this great, grand Liberal leader that I have not been disappointed at the immobility of many LGBT issues, and many others. I knew that Obama was more interested in compromise than anything else. It has been painful to watch as Liberals come to the same place I was a long time ago.

Last night, Kieth Olbermann took what looked like and felt like a very difficult step. He called for the death of the health care reform bill and the creation of a new one. Until Senator Nelson made his demands, i was on the fence about this. Now, I am not. The bill must die and, as Governor Howard Dean said, be rewritten. It is time for the Democrats to fight back. It is time for it to be bluntly clear to people like Nelson and Lieberman that there are consequences for going against the majority of their party and the majority of the people. It is time for someone to make Joe Lieberman understand quite bluntly that his desire for revenge is not only unconscionable, but against everything that the Senate has ever stood for. This kind of petty politics is suppose to be confined to the House of Representatives not the Senate. Yet, it is in the Senate that we find more and more people who want to do nothing but hold their collective breaths until they turn blue in the face and then- and then Senator Reid will cave in and give them their treat. If the Republicans want to slow the bill to a crawl, then let them do so. Let there be no other business until this is done. If the government shuts down from their tantrum, then BLAME them. Make it clear that Senators Lieberman and Nelson are responsible for shutting down the government and starving our troops of the funds they need. If they shut down the government, make it clear that the Republicans with the help of Lieberman and Nelson are responsible for doing so. Blame them instead of capitulating. Perhaps then they will come to their senses and realize that compromise can be achieved on issues that they want.

But that is the problem, is it not. This is not about the Republicans WANTING anything policy wise. This is about them wanting power, pure and simple. They want to win the ideological battle that has been going on in this country since it was founded. They want power, and in order to get it they will do anything from lying, cheating and even shutting down the government. I have listened appalled at how the Conservatives spin History into something so out of shape and out of place that they it is unrecognizable. They talk about Our Founding Fathers as if they were some singular block that agreed upon a particular issue, and somehow, some way were of one mind and that mind was for small government without regulations to hold businesses accountable, and without the power to tax people. What they do not say is that we tried that form of government before the Constitution was written, and at that time, the states almost went to war with each other and the central government was so weak that it could not govern even enough to make this nation safe. What our Founding Fathers wanted was a balanced government, and they did not get there by decree or one side winning over the other. Instead, they created a government that was balanced by consensus and compromise. What we do not have here is any of that. The people who claim to speak for the Founding Fathers, or at least in their model of thought, do not any more than any Liberal in this country.

I am not a Liberal, and yet, no matter what I say or do in this blog, I will be branded as such. I am an academe, and that alone gets me attacked by people who have never understood that colleges are as diverse in their political thinking as any place out there. In fact, more so. Of all the colleges I have been to, only one was liberal, and that is not necessarily Liberal, but open minded in its approach to education. I have met professors who would not look me in the eye because I am a transwoman on some college campuses. Distrust Education, Distrust Government, and eventually what you have is anarchy. I often write on this blog in a Liberal manner because, no matter how much I may not be that label, it will be applied to me. That is what Olbermann said last night as well. No matter what he said or did, he would be labeled a liberal for daring to not follow lock step behind the Conservative mantra. When did Conservative become the same word as dictatorship?

You will forgive me if, by now, I am angry with how this has turned out. I had hoped that I was wrong about Obama, and I hate to admit that I was not. For me to be angry takes some doing, but I stand beside my Senator in condemning this mess. I stand beside Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont. In four years, should he choose to stay in the Senate, I will vote for him. It was an honor to hear him speak. Like him, I am angry now too.

I am including the video from Olbermann’s special comment last night. Please, enjoy.

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

Clouds On The Horizon (follow up editorial)

12/16/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
There is a reason why every article that I write about Dr. Rachel Maddow gives her full title. Well, there are two reasons, to be honest. I spent the better part of my life in academia, and put a great deal of store in titles. The more important reason is that Dr. Maddow does, in fact, have her doctorate. In this case, she has a Doctorate of Philosophy In Political Science, or PhD. Poli Sci. Dr. Maddow got her doctorate as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. It should not be surprising that former Representative Richard Armey, PhD Economics, is dismissive of Dr. Maddow’s qualifications to comment upon the political situation in this country. Dr. Armey, who has his PhD from North Texas University, recently decided to be derisive in his condemnation of Dr. Rachel Maddow over her exchange with Senator Thomas Colburn, MD over the rather virulent and hateful signage at several Republican attended rallies. For the record, Senator Colburn has his doctorate of medicine from the University of Oklahoma Medical School and is an obstetrician. Dr. Maddow and Senator Colburn had an exchange on Meet the Press regarding the rather hateful and nasty tone that the Republican Party and their supporters had taken in the Health Care debate. Dr. Maddow has every qualification regarding discussion of this particular issue.

Dr. Armey stumbled through his condemnation of Dr. Maddow, who it is believed has one of the few doctorates among television presenters. Throughout the segment, Dr. Armey mispronounced her name, calling her Rachel Maddox, and using a very horrendous Texas accent to attack her as a Television Personality rather than ever actually knowing what her qualifications are. This is a typical attack point by the Conservatives. Attack the educated or “intelligentsia” with derisive sneering attacks meant to make them sound better than the “common folk” without ever actually pointing out that they, themselves, have very strong educations. Many of the leaders within the GOP have their doctorate of law, and are as far removed from the common folk as imaginable.

What follows is Dr. Maddow’s clip of Dr. Armey speaking as well as her own reactions.

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

12/14/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Annise Parker took a few minutes from preparing to take over the mayoral mansion of Houston in order to give a quick interview to Contessa Brewer of MSNBC. Mayor Parker discussed the fact that a lot of the reason why she was elected is that she has always refused to give the people of Houston anything less than the absolute truth about what the city faces. What follows are video of her victory speech given the night of the election and the interview given by Mayor Parker this afternoon.

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The Holidays can be a great time of the year… but sometime… if you are in a new committed lesbian relationship… after you’ve gone over the river and through the woods to grandma house… you might have just a bit of ‘splainin to do and a lot of questions…

Jessica Clark & Lacey Stone tackle the festive season. Whose house should we go to… How do we handle the awkwardness… Can we sleep in the same bed?

Lesbian Love The Festive Season from lacey stone on Vimeo.

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12/09/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Ugandan politician David Bahati is planning on introducing a revised legislation regarding homosexuality which is meant to replace the one that he offered in October. While it will still mean that homosexuality is illegal in Uganda, the provisions regarding life imprisonment and the death penalty will be dropped and, instead, the law will center around “a more refined punishment” and attempts to cure homosexuals of their attraction to others of the same sex. According to Bahati, the Ugandan government feels that homosexuality is “repugnant to the Ugandan culture.” The stated reason for Mr. Bahati’s dropping of those provisions was in order to attract religious leaders who are opposed to the severity of life in prison or the death penalty.

As one can expect, Dr. Rachel Maddow lead with this as a follow up on her show. Yesterday, Dr. Maddow went head to head with Richard Cohen, one of the major players in the ex-gay movement. In this case, she brought to light the fact that David Bahati is a member of The Family, the rather mafia-esque named Fundamentalist group. This is the same group of individuals who include Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator John Ensign.

What follows is from The Rachel Maddow Show From 12/09/09:

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12/08/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
On her show for Tuesday, 08 September 2009, Dr. Rachel Maddow took on the ex-gay movement and their involvement in the crafting of a law in Uganda which would not only make homosexuality illegal, but impose the death penalty for gays with HIV/AIDS or life imprisonment for simply being gay. Dr. Maddow did two interviews with regards to this particular issue. The first was with Mark Benjamin who went undercover to expose the level of fraud within the ex-gay movement. Later on, she went on to interview Richard Cohen of the International Healing Foundation. Mr. Cohen spent much of the interview smirking despite the fact that he was being ripped to shreds by Dr. Maddow and her excellent research team.

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12/08/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Senator Chuck Grassley is a member of the secretive fundamentalist Christian group The Family. This group has been part of the fundamentalist cadre swirling around the creation of a recent law in Uganda which would execute people for being gay and having AIDS. Prison sentences would be handed down for those who are just gay. The bill being proposed was heavily influenced by fundamentalist groups and individuals, many of whom believe that faith can ‘cure’ homosexuality. Many of them now condemn the decision to go so far as executing individuals for homosexuality, but it does not seem to have had much effect in stopping the probable passage of this law. Uganda is adamant about passing this law in an effort to “stop the homosexualization of society” and to ‘protect young boys’ from homosexual predators. Several nations have already stated their intention of revoking the aid that Uganda receives from them if this passes; however, the Ugandan government is determined to pass this even if it results in them receiving no external aid for their country and their national economy completely collapsing.

One Iowa has started an e-petition in order to signal to Senator Grassley that he must use his influence to put an end to this horrific abuse of human rights. That petition can be found here.

What follows is from last night’s Rachel Maddow Show regarding this issue.

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12/04/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Portia de Rossi, wife of Ellen Degeneres, challenged Elizabeth Hassleback of The View on her attitudes towards marriage equality. Hassleback stated “Take men and women. Women want all the rights of men, but they’re not asking to be called men. Do you think…is the word [marriage] more important than the rights?”

De Rossi went on to say “No, of course the word isn’t more important than the rights,” Portia responded. “Without the word, we don’t have equal rights…Every citizen of this country should have that legal right to be married,” she said. “Marriage the word actually does mean something because people who see a gay coupling as a lesser thing in society can continue to [think] it’s lesser than marriage when really it’s the exact same thing. The exact same love, the exact same commitment, love of family.”

De Rossi and Degeneres were married legally in 2008.

As a note, the author of this text suffers from dyslexia/dysgraphia. While i do try VERY hard to make sure of my spellings, proper names are not always accurate and have too many variations. IF there is a misspelling, please make note of it in a simple statement that is neither judgmental nor dismissive.

12/04/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Daily Show’s on going series Gaywatch covered the recent vote in the New York Senate with regards to marriage equality, on the other hand, as Jon Stewart noted, Meredeth Baxter came out of the closet on the same day. Jon Stewart has gone head to head with former GOP front runner Mike Huckabee with regards to the issue of marriage equality. Stewart uses his normal mixture of sardonic wit and great sense of timing to delve into the two biggest stories for the LGBT Community for Tuesday. Well, two biggest domestic stories for the LGBT Community. The defeat of marriage equality in New York, of course, resulted in a lot of angry people despite the probability that it was not going to pass.

12/04/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
They were called the Magdalene Laundries or Asylums. They were places where “fallen” women were sent to work out their sins. These institutions were run by the Roman Catholic Church and had a reputation for cruelty which surpassed some of the worst prison work camps imaginable. Folksinger Joni Mitchell wrote a song called The Magdalene Laundries, here performed by Irish folksinger Christy Moore. The Laundries were known for some of the cruelest punishments, as if hard labor for being raped by one’s own father or parish priest was not bad enough to begin with. The last of the Laundries was closed in 1995.

The subject of Catholic Church abuse in Ireland has been largely avoided in the United States’ press despite the fact that it often reinforced the tendency in this country with regards to the Church’s desire to hide what were and are crimes.

For those who cannot hear the video, here are the original lyrics:

I was an unmarried girl
I’d just turned twenty-seven
When they sent me to the sisters
For the way men looked at me
Branded as a jezebel
I knew I was not bound for Heaven
I’d be cast in shame
Into the Magdalene laundries

Most girls come here pregnant
Some by their own fathers
Bridget got that belly
By her parish priest
We’re trying to get things white as snow
All of us woe-begotten-daughters
In the steaming stains
Of the Magdalene laundries

Prostitutes and destitutes
And temptresses like me–
Fallen women–
Sentenced into dreamless drudgery …
Why do they call this heartless place
Our Lady of Charity?
Oh charity!

These bloodless brides of Jesus
If they had just once glimpsed their groom
Then they’d know, and they’d drop the stones
Concealed behind their rosaries
They wilt the grass they walk upon
They leech the light out of a room
They’d like to drive us down the drain
At the Magdalene laundries

Peg O’Connell died today
She was a cheeky girl
A flirt
They just stuffed her in a hole!
Surely to God you’d think at least some bells should ring!
One day I’m going to die here too
And they’ll plant me in the dirt
Like some lame bulb
That never blooms come any spring
Not any spring
No, not any spring
Not any spring

Photo of Joni Mitchell via Wikipedia

12/02/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Meredith Baxter, better known as Meredith Baxter Birney, announced on NBC’s Today that she is lesbian. Ms Baxter is most famous for her role in Family Ties where she played the liberal hippie mother Elyse Keaton opposite the conservative Alex Keaton played by Michael J. Fox. She has continued to work since then including taking recurring or singular roles in a variety of television shows including Cold Case and Family Guy.

Speculation surrounding Ms Baxter’s sexuality began to swirl last month when she was spotted by a National Enquirer reporter on a cruise sponsored by the lesbian travel company Sweet. Perez Hilton, who is famous for bullying celebrities out of the closet, continued to pursue the story. Ms Baxter finally decided to come out nationally despite being out personally for the last four years largely to put an end to the rumor mongering.

Ms Baxter has five children and been married three times. She stated that she only came to understand why she had been having so many problems with her relationships with men about seven years ago, and that was largely due to being lesbian.

She stated on Today: “This is a political act, even though that’s not what it feels like to me. If anyone knows someone who’s gay or lesbian … they’re less likely to vote against them to take away their rights. I can be that lesbian you know now…”

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Picture via Wikipedia
‘Family Ties’ mom: ‘I am a lesbian’

11/23/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Roman Catholic Church in recent years has begun to try and force politicians within the flock to follow their commandments or be expelled. While an actual excommunication would be impossible given the possible backlash, denying communion to politicians who do not follow lock step behind the Vatican when it comes to their policy positions, however, is what they feel will not be as big a political risk as excommunicating someone, especially a Kennedy.

In 2007, Bishop Thomas Tobin asked that Representative Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Ted kennedy, not partake of Communion at mass in a disagreement over Rep. Kennedy’s stance on abortion rights. Advocacy for legal abortions is not the same as beig personally willing to have one, or to feel personally involved in one. This argument has resurfaced after Kennedy criticized the Catholic Church for their advocacy with regards to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

Patrick Kennedy represents a district in Rhode Island. His political tendencies are more liberal than the Roman Catholic Church’s stances on a variety of issues.

Patrick Kennedy’s support for abortion rights mirrors that of Father Robert Drinan, the first of two ordained Catholic priests to be elected to Congress. Father Drinan was a supporter of abortion rights and a good friend of the Kennedy family. Father Drinan was forced to choose between Congress and the priesthood in 1980 when Pope John Paul II demanded that all ordained Catholic clergy either leave the priesthood or leave politics. Father Drinan remained in the priesthood. He was first elected under Pope Paul VI and served in Congress through the Papacy of John Paul I.

The request for Rep. Kennedy to not partake of Communion may end up being one of those bigger issues with regards to the intrusion of religion into politics. Should this become a situation where Kennedy is excommunicated, it creates a major problem for the Church who could face political consequences such as the loss of their tax status to other possible problems. In the North East, the excommunication of a Kennedy on political grounds could result in a greater flight from the Church than is already occurring. The hardline view of may Catholic Bishops is already turning members away with a growth in the Church of Ireland and members in New England already turning to Episcopalianism. Regular mass attendance among Catholics in Ireland has fallen to less than half.

11/20/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
“Tonight, two stories, one about an immature boy, and the other about a man, I’ll let you decide which is which.” Thus, Jon Stewart opened Gay Watch, a segment dedicated to two stories regarding LGBT issues. One story focused on a guy who decided to tell his lesbian boss that her homosexuality was an abomination, and was subsequently fired. The other story was of a boy who has decided not to say the Pledge of Allegiance until all people in the country are granted equal rights. At the end of the clip, Stewart brings out pro-wrestler Mick Foley to make this statement:

“I was touched by young Will’s plight so I’ll tell you what I’m going to do: If I find out that anybody has hassled this young man or teased him or called him a wad of any sort, I and perhaps a few of my friends will come to his school and bring a world of pain. Teachers, faculty, students be ware because the eyes of Mick Foley are upon you.”

Jon Stewart has been a very comic ally of the LGBT community over the years. The Daily Show will be on vacation until after Thanksgiving.

11/17/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Monday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York attended a rally to call for the defeat of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment which was put into the Healthcare reform bill by the House. The amendment, largely pushed by the Catholic Bishops, has caused a great deal of reaction across the board, and energized a largely silent group of organizations which have, in the past, been vocal of their support for abortion rights. The list of who attended was made up of many of the leading lights in the women’s movement over the last several decades including figures like Gloria Steinem. NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was also among those attending. Many of those who were there, at least among the politicians, are also supporters of LGBT Rights. Certainly Senator Gillibrand and Council Speaker Quinn are.

There has been a great deal of blow back over this particular amendment. Many writers have gone back and forth on the necessity of this, but make it clear that it could end up hurting people all around and on both sides.

A recent article in the Daily Beast by Dr. Willie J. Parker explained his decision to begin to provide abortions. Initially, he refused to due to his religious convictions, but he watched as the lack of availability or the cost of an abortion compounded the pain and suffering already hurting many women, he changed his mind. “In my 15 years as an OB-GYN, I have seen what happens when women can’t afford the abortions they need…But my patients, their families, and their pain don’t matter to the architects of the Stupak amendment,” he stated in that article. He went further, however. “I have spent years learning how to take care of women’s health. But because of my religious beliefs, I didn’t provide abortions right away. It took me a while to realize that by refusing to end a woman’s pregnancy when she decides abortion is the best course for her, I was compounding her suffering, the very opposite of my goal as a physician,” he states towards the end of his article. He explains about two of his patients, women who needed abortions for different reasons, and the likely aftermath of the inability for them to get an abortion.

This video is of the press conference that was held yesterday. For our audience, what will follow the video is text of Senator Gilibrand’s speech.

This week the US Senate is set to begin debate on historic health care legislation to provide affordable, quality care to all Americans. As we begin this historic debate, we must commit ourselves to real health care reform that delivers equal health care for every single American.

Over a week ago, the House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill that delivers affordable, quality care, including a public plan that will bring competition to the market and drive down costs. However, there is one aspect of the House bill that is greatly concerning and moves us farther away from real health care reform: The Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

I am proud to stand here today with this broad coalition of important women leaders – doctors, businesswomen, teachers, public health experts, city, state, and federal elected officials and pro-choice leaders from Gloria Steinem, to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Council Speaker Quinn to NARAL, Planned Parenthood and so many others to speak out against this discriminatory and dangerous anti-choice provision and ensure that we defeat any similar measures in the Senate this week.

By banning reproductive coverage in all subsidized plans, the Stupak measure would likely prevent women from purchasing insurance with reproductive care even with their own money. This would put the health of millions of women and young girls at grave risk.

While proponents of the measure say this is a continuation of current federal law, this amendment will, in fact, bring about significant change and dramatically limit reproductive health care in this country. This is government invading the personal lives of many Americans, establishing for the first time restrictions on people who pay for their own private health insurance.

We all agree that it’s important to reduce abortions in this country, and I will continue to work on many ways to reduce unintended pregnancies and to promote adoption. However, the Stupak amendment effectively bans reproductive coverage in all health insurance plans in the new system, whether they be public or private.

Proposing that women purchase a separate abortion rider is not only discriminatory, but ridiculous. It would require women to essentially plan for an event that occurs in the most unplanned and sometimes emergency situations.

There are currently five states that require a separate rider for abortion coverage, and in these five states it’s nearly impossible to find such a private insurance policy. In one state, North Dakota, one insurance company holds 91 percent of the state’s health insurance market and refuse toss even offer such a rider.

This anti-choice measure poses greater restriction on low-income women and those who are more likely to receive some kind of subsidy and less likely to be able to afford a supplemental insurance policy. Denying low-income women reproductive coverage in this way is discriminatory and dangerous.

Without proper coverage, women will be forced to postpone care, while attempting to find the money they need to pay for it. A delay that can lead to increased costs and graver health risks, particularly for younger girls. Or these women will be forced to return to dangerous, back alley providers.

In fact, this amendment represents the only place in the entire health care bill where the opponents are actually correct. It limits access to medical care by giving the government, not the patient or the doctor, the power to make medical decisions. The Senate bill already ensures that no federal tax dollars may be used to pay for reproductive services in any public or private insurance plan beyond cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment. The House language goes far further and should be removed from the final bill.

Women and girls deserve better.

I will work with my colleagues in Congress and everyone here today to oppose any similar amendment in the Senate and fight to end disparities among race and gender in our health care system. Thank you.

11/17/09- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Stephen Colbert had done it again. In his regular segment called The WORD, he has yet again gone after opponents to LGBT-Rights mocking them in yet another hilarious spoof “applauding” them for what they are doing, but often taking their logic into the absurd. It is the same kind of tactic that gave rise to such films as Blazing Saddles. Not long ago, the WORD thrashed the attempt in Washington to end the “All But Marriage” domestic partnership law. This time, he is going after Rhode Island governor’s decision to veto a law allowing gay and lesbian partners to arrange funerals for their loved ones and to collect their remains.

“This is an assault on marriage from beyond the grave. They’re like gay zombies,” Colbert says at one point in the segment. In another, he says “Heaven is singing in a choir in a flowing white robe, wearing little white wings, playing a harp. You know, guy stuff.”

Colbert also went after the Catholic Church for their attempt to blackmail the Washington, DC City Council by saying “I mean, they have no choice. After all, as Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, unless a couple of dudes register at Pottery Barn, in which case, f**k the poor.’”

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30 pm, and repeatedly throughout the day on Comedy Central.

11/16/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Southern Voice and David Atlanta have both shut their doors as the downturn in the news media’s economy strikes the smaller, minority directed newspapers hardest. The Washington Blade’s site has slowed to a crawl as the financial issues of Unite Media and Window Media begin to affect the operations of the various newspapers and magazines. In July, David Unger, the head of Window Media stepped down for a job in the financial sector.

The parent company of Window Media, Avalon Equity Partners, is heavily in debt. They received some $35 million in loans from the Small Business Administration, but did not maintain to the required amount of outside capital flowing into their business for the loans to be considered valid. The business is in receivership with the SBA which has the right to sell off its assets in order to recoup the loans that were paid to Avalon Equity.

The Georgia Based free newspaper Creative Loafing is reporting that the doors at Southern Voice were locked and a message informing their employees to come back on Wednesday to get their personal belongings and their severance package would be discussed at that time. People logging into The Washington Blade, Southern Voice, David Atlanta and other Avalon Equity Partners publications today found it difficult with long load times. The sites themselves finally came back online.

Window Media owned some of the oldest and most professional LGBT newspapers in the United States. The Washington Blade has been in operation for thirty-five years and has been the newspaper of record for the Community for some time.

There is, as yet, no word on what the impact of the loss of SOVO will have on The Washington Blade, or what their twenty employees will do in the future. Many of them were part of the fight to get LGBT rights passed in this country. The closing of the newspaper is a blow to the Atlanta LGBT Community. Their reporters were often seen in the midst of several of Atlanta’s biggest news stories.

The news came as a shock to SOVO editor Laura Douglas-Brown, who recently was informed about the probable sale of the paper. “No one was in it just for the job. Everybody was in it for the cause too, in their own ways. People have put up with a lot difficulties over the past year, and have hung in there because they cared. It’s tragic and I’m desperately sorry it ended this way, especially for the people who’ve worked so hard. [The closure] didn’t happen because of a lack of need for our publications. It didn’t happen because of a lack of hard dedicated work by local staff. And that’s the shame of it…It’s a sad tale, how it all came crashing down,” she told Creative Loafing.

Statements confirming the closure were posted on SOVO’s Facebook page, but no similar comment was forthcoming on any of the other related newspapers.

As of 10:30 am, The Washington Blade has not been affected by the shutdown.

See also: Project Q Atlanta
SOVO Facebook Page

11/13/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The lobbying by the Roman Catholic Bishops to get the Stupak-Pitts Amendment made into law has drawn the ire of several people, including MSNBC commentator Dr. Nancy Snyderman. On a recent episode of her show, Dr. Snyderman and Terry O’Neill, President of the National Organization for Women, discussed this particular issue, and the fact that, as a religious institution, the Roman Catholic Church is not suppose to be involved in political activities due to the First Amendment’s clause regarding state establishment of religion. NOW is a non-profit as well, but because it is not religious in nature, is exempt from the threat of losing its status over political activities.

Often times, the Conservatives talk about the Stupak-Pitts Amendment as if it maintains the status quo, but what it does is effectively make it impossible to get coverage for a voluntary abortion, which is not the same as what many anti-choice groups would have many people believe.

“I started getting calls and E-mails and texts saying, you know, there’s a deal that’s been cut and a terrible, disastrous deal. The Stupak/Pitts amendment, in fact, I believe, essentially overrules Roe v. Wade. That’s the intention of the Catholic bishops who pushed it. That, I believe, is the intention Mr. Stupak and Mr. Pitts who offered it,” stated Ms O’Neill. While slightly hyperbolic, the intention of this amendment would, in essence, prevent many poorer women from being able to afford abortions.

Dr. Snyderman, who does not make many of the same protestation of impartiality as some cable news commentators, stated later in the interview, “This is going to be a Pollyannaish statement. The Catholic bishops appearing and having a political voice seems to be a most fundamental violation of church and state.” To this, Ms O’Neill responded “You know, that’s the first thing that I said. I don’t know where the Internal Revenue Service is, but I hope they’re paying attention.” Of course, Representative Lynn Woolsey has already called on the IRS to investigate the Catholic Church for its activities directly related to their lobbying activities during the build up to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

Despite Scott Whitlock’s attempts to make it appear that Dr. Snyderman and Terry O’Neill are, somehow, engaged in some form of hatchet job against the Roman Catholic Church, it is clear that the amendment itself was heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Bishops, and that is shaky with regards to legality. He also ignores the fact that Dr. Snyderman is not labeled as being totally impartial.

It should be noted that the Stupak-Pitts Amendment may face the biggest issue possible. According to some, it is possible that the amendment may be stripped if the Democrats make the decision to push the healthcare reform through via Budget Reconciliation. It would not meet the requirements regarding the process.

It has been common practice for the Conservatives to employ

11/07/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
There are dozens of statements about how one should not disparage another, especially when you, yourself, have dirty little secrets. It’s all about being a hypocrite. Ms Carrie Prejean, the former Miss California, found out the hard way that cashing in on your loss by becoming the spokesperson for a movement to deny people equality can backfire and badly. Not only was Ms Prejean’s use of “performance enhancing” breast augmentation revealed, but Ms Prejean ended up in her own sex scandal.

Ms Prejean recently counter sued the Miss California USA organization on grounds of wrongful termination after they sued her for breach of contract and the cost of her augmentation. This suit came after attempts to sabotage Ms Prejean’s celebrity by the public revelation of her rather racy pictures in a variety of magazines. The suit came to an end when a sex tape involving Ms Prejean surfaced and was aired in court. The revelation has already lost Ms Prejean a major speaking engagement for an anti-marriage equality group in New Jersey. It may, in the end, result in her losing most of her moral issues support.

As was mentioned by one supporter of David Letterman, the reason why he has managed to withstand the recent controversy over his affair with a member of his staff is because he never pretended to be incredibly moral or anything more than human. Ms Prejean’s decision to try to capitalize on her disastrous run for Miss America ultimately set her up for this fall.

Last night, Kieth Olbermann of MSNBC’s Countdown did a pretty good job of explaining the whole mess.

Edit: Corrected the organization. As a note to readers, I do, upon occasion, make mistakes. A simple polite note of correction is welcome. Insulting me in any way in order to either a) insinuate that I am stupid, b) ill informed, c) not doing research, or d) wrong because of a factual mistake is a guaranteed one way trip to the ‘delete’ bin. I welcome constructive debate, but direct attacks upon me in order to disprove my points are not welcome.

By Melanie Nathan  -   Maybe I did not get it. But watch the video of Dr. Ruth Jacobs on YouTube  to make your own assessment.  Let me know how you would title this post.  I will personally send a keepsake to the one whose title I will use on the BLOG.

I was absolutely flabbergasted when I heard this crazy woman under the guise of Physician;  a sad sorry being.  How did she get that seat to testify. Oh goodness help us. I sunk into deep despair – yes optimistic me – so depressed to see this video – it hits me like a ten ton truck – the fight – the battle.  Is this really happening?

How does one fight prejudice – hate- fear – insanity? Is there a formula?  I am not sure if there could be any worse sign of the times than a highly educated professional displaying such ignorance. 

I came to the US from South Africa 25 years ago- as Reagan was about to murder the middle class.  I thought America was diverse, tolerant, progressive.  I truly believed there was no racism here. I was proud to display my banned copy of the Life of Nelson Mandela on my West Hollywood coffee table.  I could not  be arrested here for that.  I could walk in West Hollywood holding my partner’s hand and I was safe.  This is America the law would protect me.

Then came the day my dream came true – In fron of Willy Brown, Mayor San Francisco I was sworn in as a citizen. What a celebration. The greatest Country in the World and I am its citizen.  I  vowed to do my bit – non-profit boards, commissions, volunteer, oh a lot more and I did.  but now I stand hated and marginalized and worse – my children considered unfit to have the relationship of their 2 parents  equated to that of their friends. Their college money spent on immigration attorneys, excess taxes and all the extra money it costs to be gay in America.

However today I awake to the reality of this Dr. Ruth Jacobs - a metaphor for the times – Maine, California, a never to be repealed DADT and DOMA – a few miserable tokenistic crumbs  hailed as progress;  - and what do we get Ruth Jacobs equating my right to marry to an anus and what should come out and not go in.  

Shame America! Shame that you allow such bigotry to taint the true value of this Country and the dream we all share.

g”>

Blogged by MELANIE NATHAN, CEO of Private Courts, Inc. Consulting, mediation & private advocacy ; motivated by injustice, I blog about family law/mediation, politics, news and LGBT equality and anything that ‘tickles my fancy.’ Otherwise blogging as O-blog-dee-o-blog-da. Websites and blogs include: http://www.privatecourts.com; http://www.divorcemediators.us; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com. Contact nathan@privatecourts.com

11/04/09-by Bridgette P. LaVicoire
Lawrence O’Donnell was filling in Kieth Olbermann on Countdown the day after election day. He had author Dan Savage on to discuss the results from the election. One of the biggest points that was made in the night was how the people in Washington State attempting to put an end to expanded Domestic Partnerships were using the same tactics as the people in Maine were to veto marriage equality. This is, of course, despite claiming that they are not against gays and lesbians having equal rights, just not being able to call it marriage.

11/03/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Joe Solmonese appeared on Andrea Mitchell Live in order to discuss the vote in Maine. Mr. Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign is on the ground in Maine. The turnout in Maine has been high, according to some reports, and the voters younger than the recent PPP poll had anticipated. What does it mean for the outcome, well, neither Mr. Solmonese nor Chris Cillizza are totally certain.

Should Maine, which according to one recent study, has more gay and lesbian couples than any other state in the Union, and only slightly less than the District of Columbia, uphold marriage equality, it will become the first state to do so. Both sides poured in a lot of money, but the No on 1 campaign had nine times as many individualized donors as Yes on 1, which relied almost exclusively on funding from the National Organization for Marriage and the Roman Catholic Church in Portland.

11/03/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Houston, Texas could be welcoming their first openly lesbian mayor in the near future. Right now, a four way race will be heading to the polls in order to determine who will replace the term limited Mayor Bill White. Unlike most races today, the victor of the race will likely not be known until December. Today’s vote will determine who will get to compete in a run off election in December. Houston City Controller Anise Parker is leading the pack with around 27% of the electorate breaking in her direction. Should she win today and in December, she will be the first open lesbian elected to run Houston, and will be the first open lesbian elected to run such a large city.

Anise Parker has been with her partner for the last twenty years, and they have two adopted children.

The race itself is both hotly contested and unclear with many undecideds left to be swayed on the eve of the election. It is unclear how many of them will turn out. In fact, the Houston race is similar to races across the country where polling is often all over the place, and experts are facing an impossible attempt to handicap the races at all. Until yesterday, the race in NY23 what up in the air, and even with the latest polling indicating that Hoffman could win, the results are still murky at best.

What follows is CNN’s report on Ms Parker.

The latest TV ad from the Yes on 1 campaign argues that same-sex marriage will be taught in school. If you were a child with same-sex parents, how would you feel watching this ad? How would you feel if your parents couldn’t marry? How would you feel if you were treated less than others? Wouldn’t you think we are all the same? So why then couldn’t your parents get married? Is that fair?

No, it’s not.

Vote No on 1.

-Sean Chapin

11/01/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
One of the last roles that Bea Arthur did was on Futurama. In the episode “Amazon Women In The Mood“, she plays the evil sounding Femputer, who orders Philip Fry, Zapp Brannigan, and Kiff Kroaker to be executed by ’snusnu’, or sex. This was in 2001. In April of 2005, Ms Arthur passed away from complications due to lung cancer. She had a long career beginning in 1951, and was involved in several shows and movies. She appeared briefly in Mel Brooks‘ History of the World, Part 1, where she was played an unemployment worker. In 2002, she appeared on The Daily Show. For many, she was an icon. She had an acerbic wit, and trade mark husky voice. She remains most famous for her role on The Golden Girls which ran through most of the late 1980’s.

What follows was her last interview before she passed away.

10/30/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Yesterday, Maine Governor John Baldacci appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show to discuss the upcoming battle over Question 1 in Maine. In the process of passing the marriage law, Baldacci went from being opposed to civil marriage rights to being not only for them, but a strong advocate of them. Baldacci is term limited and cannot seek reelection in 2010. Since this entire thing began, Baldacci has been campaigning to keep the law the way it is and to defeat the voter veto. Currently, polling shows that the state is evenly split on the issue.

Maine’s citizens will go to the polls this upcoming Tuesday.

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• Rachel Maddow Speaks to Maine Gov. John Baldacci on Question 1 (towleroad.com)
• Maine Gov. John Baldacci Has No Idea What To Do If Voters Say No to Marriage (queerty.com)

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act has made history: President Obama signs it into law on Oct. 28. But Judy Shepard’s work is far from done. Ever since Matthew’s brutal murder in 1998, Judy Shepard has been working tirelessly for LGBT rights, hate crime legislation and justice for her son.

Judy sat down with OURsceneTV and talked about her new book, The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed.

In this intimate interview, she reveals a Matthew the outside world never knew.

“We were living ordinary lives. Then Prop 8 passed, and our lives changed toward the extraordinary.”

A video montage of 34 noted videos I’ve produced since Prop 8 passed in November 2008.

It was an emotional experience to watch this video back. It’s been an amazing year, and I pray that we will one day be completely free in America.

-Sean Chapin

10/27/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Normally, LGR runs clips highlighting the work of Jon Stewart and the Daily Show. Instead, let us bring you Monday Nights the WORD from The Colbert Report. The show is a satirical, but it is also incredibly funny. In The WORD segments, Colbert often goes on a rant while, beside him, there is a graphic often going in a different direction from his rant.

Last night’s The WORD was about the ballot initiative 71 in Washington State. Colbert goes on to skewer the whole thing including pointing out how there is no country called Scandinavia. While on a USO tour, Colbert made direct mention of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and mocked the law. At the end of the segment, Colbert makes it clear that Washingtonians should protect the identities of the petitioners who signed to get this ballot initiative before the people by making sure that ‘all but marriage’ remains the law in the state.

Photo via Wikipedia

10/24/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Those whose cause is righteous and whose motives are pure need not fear the light. Those who advance causes which are not righteous and whose motives are impure find every means to operate from the dark. Those who are afraid of the consequences of their actions seek to hide behind anonymity, but those who fight for what they believe in with all their heart will not hide for they will risk whatever they have in order to win.

When the signers of the Declaration of Independence did so, they did not sign ‘anonymous’ to the document, but rather they signed their names. They let the Crown and Parliament of England know not only their grievances, but their identities. They did not hide behind masks to remain anonymous like some rogue afraid to be seen in the daylight. Instead, they let the world know who they were and what they stood for.

The donors to the National Organization for Marriage are afraid to take the consequences of their actions. Should they be found out, they might face boycotts, taunting and even threats. They would face the very actions that every lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender person in this country faces every day. They would face the anger of a people who do not agree with them, but, if their cause was right and pure, they would be more than willing to undertake that risk. They would declare openly that they gave to this cause because they believe with all their heart that it is right.

Instead, they slink back to their dens to hide and throw stones at people in passing. They crave the darkness and the anonymity that it offers. They decry what they see as sin, but are unwilling to openly declare themselves opposed to it. They hide knowing that what they seek to do is rob another, and they do not want that known.

If the National Organization for Marriage believes in their cause, they should open their donor lists and let it all be known. Let us see who donates to them. Let us be sure that it is not some Hugo Chavez seeking to influence the American people through anonymous funding, but rather see who believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Let them declare themselves openly without hiding from the world. If their cause is right, then they should not fear.

The Human Rights Campaign is a multi-state organization who has not hidden away their donor lists in hopes that they can continue to be funded by anonymous sources. Instead, they are willing for their donors to be seen in the daylight.

A Celtic Queen once told the wife of Augustus Ceaser “we make love to our best in the light while you are debauched by your worst in the dark.” In the darkness, sin happens. The sins of greed, lust, debauchery, you name it. Only with the light can we see what things are. They hide in the darkness. They hide in their sinful, prideful, hateful dens hoping that people will not see them. They are afraid to stand for what they believe in.

If they have nothing to hide, and their cause is right, then they will stand in the light and let those who oppose them call them names and threaten them. If, however, they are afraid of the light…if they are somehow beholden to those who seek nefarious ends…if they are taking money from those who do not have the best interests in the nation at heart…then they will remain in the dark. They will hide away from the world and hope that no one sees their true face, and their true heart.

10/17/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Just over a decade ago, struggling with my gender identity, I sat down to watch television in the flat I was staying in while in England, and up on the screen came the familiar strains of a song- “Oh, I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…” By the end of the song, I was crying. Somehow, in some way, the song had broken down a wall inside me and, yes, I felt better. I felt much better. Humor can do that to you.

Growing up, Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a staple of my television viewing. I had been introduced to it by my mother, an ardent anglophile. I did not know about Graham Chapman (the tall blonde) and how he had come out as gay, nor did I know about his advocacy on behalf of the LGBT Community in Britain over the years. All I knew was that it was, quite honestly, funny, and the Lumberjack Song wrapped up in it some powerful, if subtle, messages regarding gender, sexuality, and the push to repress those with masculine images. It took me a long time to realize that.

Yes, the Lumberjack Song was, in many ways, about the attempts by gay men and transwomen to adopt a hyper-masculine image to hide their sexuality or gender identity, and how society (embodied in a chorus of Mounties) often reacts negatively to it. I did not care about the meaning, but rather about how that song made me feel. Yes, I was ‘ok’.

Forty years ago this month, Monty Python’s Flying Circus first debuted on the BBC, and it ran for four series. In Britain, a show runs for a series not a season, and time can elapse between one series and another. Thus, a show can run for five, six, ten, thirty years and only have four series. Monty Python’s Flying Circus ran for five years from 1969 to 1974. Despite what the remaining cast have stated, it remains topical for many of the oddest reasons. The Ministry of Silly Walks pokes fun at wasteful government spending, and that is still topical. The Parrot Sketch is funny as much because of the humorous monologue about a dead parrot as it is about how we have all run into really awful customer service and had to complain vociferously about it. In point of fact, the series has always had those brilliant spots which remain strong even today.

Monty Python has become a staple of so many things. Keith Olbermann on Countdown often references them to make a humorous point (and even had three of the cast members online recently). Author Terry Pratchett referenced them in his book Men at Arms with “I’m Corporal Carrot and this is the citizens militia, and we all enjoy a good laugh.” The following scene is largely a reference to a series of gags in one of the episodes of Flying Circus. The song “White and Nerdy” by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic makes mention of the Monty Python movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Forty years on, and the series and movies still have a strong following, and are often still as relevant as they were then. It is corny to say ‘to another forty years!’, but I look forward to enjoying the shows for a long time to come.

What follows is the Lumberjack Song obtained via YouTube and The Daily Beast which has many of the best clips of the series. The above image is that of the famous Cupid’s Foot from the Monty Python’s Flying Circus credits.

10/15/09-by Paula Brooks
Last week, Barney Frank caught no little amount of grief from the LGBT community when he told the Associated Press that Sunday’s National Equality gay rights march it would be “a waste of time at best,” and said of the participants, “The only thing they’re going to be putting pressure on is the grass.”

Yesterday, Frank talked to Joy Behar about health care reform, then, defends his comments dissing the National Equality March.

10/14/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Last night, The Daily Show went after FOX News for their coverage of this past weekend’s LGBT March in Washington D.C. Jon Stewart pointed out that the march had everything that FOX loves- angry crowds, men in uniform, hand made signs- but FOX covered it for a total of three minutes and forty-five seconds. The next day they spent far more time showing off an empty sidewalk where a protest supposedly happened that was anti-Obama.

In fact, only two news organizations actually sent reporters to cover the march- MSNBC and The Daily Show. John Oliver hit the street to find out what the “radical gay agenda” is in the second clip from last night’s show.

10/13/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
President Barack Obama is not the Dictator in Chief no matter how much people would like him to be. He cannot wave a wand and repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or the Defense of Marriage Act without Congress passing new laws. It is unfortunate, and a point often overlooked. That said, there certainly is a lot more that President Obama can do including lobbying Congress to get these laws pushed through faster while other pieces of legislation are worked on. Jon Stewart is certainly correct on that point. DADT and DOMA are small compared to winning a century’s long battle for healthcare equality.

After President Obama’s speech on Saturday, many people weighed in complaining about how he could do more. They forget that the Congress in the guises of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid can do more as well. There comes a point where the battle is not going to be won without taking risks, and unfortunately, Pelosi and Reid are not taking risks. The people who will be angered by a repeal of DADT and DOMA will not vote for the Democrats anyway. It is time to stop hiding and hoping that they support us and go for it. We have the advantage, we should use it. Make it clear that they do not have to vote for the bill, but only for cloture. Stop acting as if, somehow, someway, the Conservative…really the Reactionaries in this country are going to support the Democrats, and pass these laws.

What follows is a news roundup of the coverage of the President’s speech. Please enjoy.

Every day LGBT people face inequalities that just don’t make sense, from small acts of discrimination to ones with tragic consequences. The hard reality is that you find out what rights you have when you need them the most. For many of us, that means that we have to ask ourselves, am I protected? Unfortunately, we have a long ways to go, and each and every one of us must do our part. Visit http://amiprotected.org.

Charlene Strong lost her partner Kate Fleming after a tragic flooding incident in Seattle in late 2006, and was nearly barred from seeing Fleming in her last moments of life. Strongs heart-wrenching testimony about the hospital ordeal helped prompt Washington State to pass domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples. The award-winning feature documentary “for my wife” chronicles Strongs journey through tragedy to activism.

Equal Rights Washington Education Fund is responsible for this ad. http://amiprotected.org

From The Gay Family Values Blog:

So, one of the fun parts of being parents is holidays. Bryans favorite holiday is Halloween and the best part of Halloween is deciding and finding the right costumes for the kids. We hope you enjoy our shopping trip on our search for the best Halloween costumes for the kids.

09/28/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
There comes a point where the absurdity of a situation is so blatant that it is easy to see. In the case of the supposed lesbian seduction of Representative Jan Schakowsky, the absurdity of the entire affair is incredibly easy to see. Let us begin with the simplest of facts. If the nation of Turkey had wanted access to secrets that the United States wanted, then the way to do it is not to spend a ton of money hiring, training, and sending out spies to seduce and blackmail members of Congress. Instead, you spend a ton of money hiring lobbyists to spend money to buy influence and get Congress to agree to the sale of those secrets. That way, you are more likely to succeed, and it is probably less complicated and expensive than trying to find a bunch of spies who you can trust to pass along these secrets and not turn around and sell them on the blackmarket.

Of course, if you want the stuff that the United States is not willing to sell, which honestly is probably not much, then what the heck are you doing talking to Congresspeople?! Do you honestly believe that Denis Hastert or Jan Schakowsky has access to that level of stuff? Probably the President does not even have access to some of the unredacted items which are considered unsellable since even the President is not all that trustworthy. Maybe Dick Cheney had access to it, but still…why go through the trouble.

The problem staring Sibel Edmonds in the face and that she is missing is that there is a high probability that she is telling the absolute truth as she knows it. The intercepted communications between the Turkish spies in the United States and their Turkish handlers no doubt detailed a vast blackmail ring which set out to seduce members of Congress in order to get secret information from them.

The problem for Ms Edmonds is that she was a translator and not an analyst. She even admits to having never seen the original files which have been put into storage. The timeline for the whole thing makes less and less sense when one delves into it. First of all, Ms Edmonds was hired in the aftermath of 9/11 and is suppose to be doing counter terrorism related work. Instead, she is placed on this case which has been ongoing for six years. Ok, if this was an important case, why had they not hired a translator before then to go through these intercepted communications? It is not like Turkish is a hard language to find translators for. It is not like Farsi, a language that caused MI6 to try and get an opera singer to join their ranks so that he could translate.

There are other issues here that need to be addressed. For instance, these communications appear to implicate many members of the Republican Congressional leadership at a time when they are looking for anything to take down President Bill Clinton. Why would Clinton not just leak this, or better yet, make the tapes available to the media since it appears that they had enough information to continue this going for some time? After all, being blackmailed by Turkish spies trumps the President getting a few blowjobs in the oval office. Ok, failing that, how much damage could this information have done if released, say, two weeks before the 2000 election? If this had any substance, by that point, they would have used it for political advantage.

The other direction is true as well. Why did President George W. Bush, a man who was more than willing to use anything at his disposal to smear the Democrats, not use this information to hurt Jan Schakowsky. By the time that it came out that others were compromised, it would have been too late.

The problem for Ms Edmonds is that she has not only staked her reputation on this issue, but it is largely why she was fired. She was fired for continuing to pursue this case based upon the information that she found in the translated communications even when she was told to drop it. Ms Edmonds has also staked the reputation of the organization she works with regarding federal whistleblowers, and risks perjury charges if it is discovered that she unknowingly lied under oath. She also risks derailing an entire case. There is a lot more riding on this for her than there is for Rep. Schakowsky. In fact, other than the American Conservative and the blogosphere, this has not even shown up as being on the radar of most of the media probably for the same reason that this entire case troubles me.

What this entire case reminds me of is a book by Graham Greene. In the book Our Man in Havana, Jim Wormwold is recruited by British Intelligence to create a network of spies and informants in order to feed that information to the British. Wormwold does that. In fact, he manufactures the network of spies and informants and begins feeding equally manufactured information to the British. Of course, he is eventually unmasked by the Cubans who decode one of his communications.

This case does remind me of that. The probability is that the Turkish spies manufactured the whole thing. Both Edmonds and Schakowsky are probably telling the absolute truth in this matter.

There are a lot of things in this that do not make sense, and it may be time to investigate, on that I do agree with Ms Edmonds, but I suspect that she is going to be sadly and sorely disappointed with what she finds out. However, attacking a sitting Representative, no matter how great your credentials are, is not going to get that investigation, and doing interviews with the American Conservative is not the way to get access to those files which supposedly prove your case.

09/25/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Barbara Helmick and Tiana Robison went to Iowa to morel hunt, only to discover that the couple of nineteen years could get married. Ms Helmick is an Iowa native, and the two return to her childhood home every year for their hunt, and around the same time, the Iowa Supreme Court handed down their ruling on the issue of marriage equality.

The two live in Washington, DC where their marriage will be recognized. The two returned to Iowa, indeed to the farm that Ms Helmick grew up on, to have their wedding this passed 19 September. This video is of the lead up to their marriage and their thoughts concerning it.

09/23/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Be afraid…they’re coming to get you. You know, those…gays! They’re going to take your children and teach them that same-sex marriage is ‘normal’. They are going to make you think that they are harmless….

Progressive Media Center has put up a new video from Sean Chapman. It is a mock trailer for a new horror flick The Homosexuals. It is quite funny.

09/22/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Karla Eduvia has created one of her trademark documentary style videos, but this time has focused her energies towards the repeal of Prop 8 in California. The hope is to bring more young people into the fight for marriage rights in California. Ms Eduvia is a music video director who has done a lot of work for the LA indie scene. For more on Ms Eduvia and to see her other videos, please visit her page of Vimeo, or her homepage Karla Eduvia. LGR’s thanks go out to Ms Eduvia for bringing our attention to her video.

Repeal Prop 8 from Karla Eduvia on Vimeo.