Thursday, September 29, 2005

Gay Hardcore?

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From the Washington Blade: Playing it loud Gay-inclusive art thrashers to perform in D.C., Baltimore, Richmond By DAN MILLER Friday, September 23, 2005 GAYS AND LESBIANS play and like all sorts of music, but it’s still rare to hear a gay-inclusive band describe themselves as “art thrashers.” Such is the case with These Arms are Snakes, which includes gay bass/keyboard player Brian Cook. TAAS’ debut LP “Oxoneers or The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelopes Go Home,” the follow-up to the 2003 “This Is Meant To Hurt You,” is a big, tangled mass of angry guitars and angrier vocals. TAAS is a hardcore band, meaning if you don’t do angry or if you don’t do loud you won’t enjoy it. Know that coming in. And even if you are open to all their loudness, the vocals and non-melodic nature of the songs might be a turnoff. To read the full article CLICK HERE ==== Not that I like hardcore music or anything... I just thought this particular article was interesting... plus (oh my gosh, I shouldn't say this) the guys are kind of cute. Pictured (l-r): Steve Snere, Brian Cook, who’s gay, and Ryan Fredericksen. (Photo by Robin Laananen)

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes marriage equality bill

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the Governor of California vetoed today the bill which would have allowed same-sex couples to marry. According to the article:
In a brief statement announcing that he had stroked out the bill the governor said he is supportive of same-sex couples and noted that California has the strongest domestic partner law in the country. The statement said that if he had signed the bill it would have simply added "confusion to a constitutional issue." Schwarzenegger went on to say, "If the ban of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional this bill is not necessary. If the ban is constitutional this bill is ineffective." The author of the legislation said the veto puts Schwarzenegger on the wrong side of history. “In vetoing this bill approved by duly elected representatives of the people, the Governor has failed his test of leadership and missed a historic opportunity to stand up for the basic civil rights of all Californians," said Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). "He cannot claim to support fair and equal treatment of gay people and veto the very bill that would have provided it to them." San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom who brought the marriage issue to the forefront in California when he began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples said he was disappointed but not surprised at Schwarzenegger's veto. "However, no one is more disappointed than the tens of thousands of couples and their families that won't have the same rights and privileges that Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been afforded," Newsom said in a statement. "This is real. This is about basic, fundamental rights. It's about laying a foundation of equality for everybody, and he missed a golden opportunity to stand on history and to do something that is noble and appropriate. By no means was this a profile in courage. What a wasted moment for his administration."
The Governor, however, signed three other bills affecting LGBT people. One bans discrimination of LGBT people in the areas of housing and the delivery of goods and services. Another is a retroactive bill which will allow LGBT persons who retired before January 1, 2005 to take advantage of the domestic partner law. The last makes homes of domectic partners community property under California divorce law. ===== Hey Arty! You can't play for both sides, buddy! You need to choose. Do you support LGBT people, as evidenced by the signing of three LGBT-positive bills, or do you not support them, as evidenced by your decision to veto the marriage bill. You say, "Let the people decide." HELLO! They did... the legislature represents the people, DUH! It would have made more sense saying, "Let the people decide," if the California Supreme Court would have mandated marriage equality, as it happened in Massachusetts. In California, however, the people did decide... through their votes for those sitting in the legislature. The Governor of California will go down in history, along with Bush and all of his cronies, as evil men who denied civil rights to LGBT folk. Their names will be as hated as the Governor of Arkansas or Alabama, South Carolina or Georgia back during the Civil Rights Movement. Thinking about your political career, huh? Maybe it would be better to think about what side you'll end up on in the history books... Defender of the defendless or bigot?

HIV growing weaker, Bulgium study reports

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According to an article on 365gay.com, a study done by researchers at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, suggests that HIV is growing weaker, opposing some reports that HIV is becoming more resistant to HIV/AIDS drugs. Researchers studied HIV-1 strains from 1986 through 1986 and 2002 through 2003. Evidence from the later samples suggest that the virus does not multiply as much and is more resistant to drugs. Marco Vitoria, an AIDS expert working for the World Health Organization, points out that other diseases, such as smallpox, TB and syphilis, have shown the same tendency to weaken over time. He cautions, however, that such chagnes in the make up of a disease takes place over generations not years. ===== If HIV really is becoming weaker and slowly turning to the point where we might be able to medicinally prevent the majority of humans from contracting it, then this is truly a medical breakthrough. Caution, however, is still the best way in which to prevent the spread of HIV and no one should let their gaurd down. Please, Please, use protection and be careful with your sexual partners. For more information on HIV/AIDS: U.S. Centers for Disease Control FAQs on HIV/AIDS

Roberts sworn in as 17th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court

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According to an article published on MSNBC.com, the United States Senate confirmed on Thursday the nomination of Judge John Roberts to be the 17th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. At 50 years old, Roberts will be the youngest Chief Justice in 200 years. The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Chief Justice Roberts to the position. Chief Justice Roberts was sworn into the office at about 3:00pm on Thursday by Associate Justice John B. Stevens at a White House ceremony attended by his wife, daughter, son and other members of his family, as well as President George bush and seven current Justices of the Court. Chief Justice Roberts will begin his duties on the Court when it begins its next session this coming Monday, October 3, 2005. According to an article on 365gay.com, the nation's largest LGBT civil rights groups strongly opposed the confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts on the grounds that many of his positions on LGBT rights and equality were never uncovered during Senate confirmation hearings. Chief Justice Roberts helped gay rights activists defeat an anti-gay measure in Colorado when he worked for a law firm representing them. LGBT groups have promised to promote closer scrutiny of the person nominated to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. President Bush is set to make an announcement soon on who he will nominate to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. First Lady Laura Bush has come out in support of nominating a woman and yesterday at Wake Forest University Justice Ginsberg also said she was in favor of nominating a woman. It is rumored that Bush's list of possibel nominees includes US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, as well as many more radically conservative persons. Court's next session includes gay military case According to an article on 365gay.com, one of the first cases which will be heard by the Roberts court includes a challenge to the Solomon Amendment which allows the federal government to strip away federal funding from school who disallow military recruiters. Twenty-four law schools are challenging the amendment, saying that the military is discriminatory toward gay and lesbian Americans. The twenty-four law schools claim that by allowing military recruiters on their campuses, they are breaking their own non-discrimination policies which include sexual orientation. The issue of marriage equality for same-sex couples is also expected to reach the Roberts court, although it could not materialize for a few more sessions. ===== In my honest opinion, I believe that Chief Justice Roberts will be a great Chief Justice. I am hopeful that he will treat all Americans with full equality under the law. Of course, I could turn out to be wrong in the future, but I hope I won't be. Chief Justice Roberts will perform his duties well. Updated 3:32pm 9-29-2005

The ConvergeSouth Conference; Oct. 7-8, 2005

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From 2005.convergesouth.com: A group of Greensboro volunteers recently announced that Greensboro has organized to host the inaugural year’s edition of ConvergeSouth, the South’s first free conference focused on moving North Carolina toward breakthroughs in creativity and diversity on the Internet. Exploring the digital revolution in publishing and expression, ConvergeSouth focuses on radical digital publishing and entertainment. A two-day event on the campus of historic NC A&T State University, ConvergeSouth will focus on journalism and multimedia “web blogging” for everyone. Additional ConvergeSouth features include a nationally-known keynote speaker, multimedia and music in multiple downtown venues to which the entire community is invited.

With the General Assembly out of session, the gay NC political scene remains somewhat quiet

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I don't know if anyone has noticed or not, but gay politics here in North Carolina just seem to have become a lot more quiet since the General Assembly went home. There really ahsn't been much news about any political initiatives that would help or hurt gay North Carolinians and neither have their been any major clarion calls for people to come out and support anything on the political scene. If you take away last week's NC Pride Fest, NC's gay political landscape looks pretty bleak; well, at least until the General Assembly starts its session again. But there are some things which have been happening. For example, during last week's NC Pride Fest Equality NC (www.equalitync.org) sat up a booth and continued to gather signatures against anti-gay initiatives which will probably end up making their way into the General Assembly. They also talked to people about the past session's politics and helped to create awareness on the issues. All of this is a good thing. At UNCG and other schools around the state, LGBTQA college student groups are meeting and holding events in order to raise awareness and educate their campuses on the issues of sexual orientation. Groups at both UNCG (http://pride.uncg.edu) and Wake Forest University (http://gssa.wfu.edu) plan on holding Coming Out Day Celebrations. In Winston-Salem, the PFLAG group (www.pflagwinstonsalem.org) is also planning on holding a Coming Out Day event as well as a workshop on transgenderism in the near future. PFLAG Winston-Salem recently held its very successful first annual Kaleidoscope Awards Banquet on September 8, 2005. Approximately 130 community members were in attendance. In the Triangle, a group of committed volunteers have come together to create www.outtriangle.com an online resource for LGBT persons. Although it is starting of slow, the site is growing and offering another section of the state access to great community information and resources. In Charlotte, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (http://www.gaycharlotte.com/) continues to provide support and give LGBTQA groups and people a place to call home, whether that be for events or for any other reason. Hopefully, such a center could be established in the Triad in the future. So although the political climate has seemed to become somewhat quiet, at least for now, many things are happening around the state in terms of support, education and awareness. Get out there and get involved people... when the General Assembly starts back up, we'll need all the help we can get! Find valuable resources and ways you can get involved on the MattHillNC.com Resources Page

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Heterosexuality Diversity Officer?

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From the Washington Blade: Australian university appoints 'heterosexuality officer' Mission is to safeguard straight rights SYDNEY (AP) | Sep 28, 11:24 AM A kangaroo-hunting, beer-drinking 22-year-old student has been appointed Australian academia's first "heterosexuality officer" with a vague mission to safeguard straight rights, a newspaper reported Wednesday. The student association at the University of New England in rural northern New South Wales state appointed third-year law student Dave Allen to the position earlier this year, The Australian newspaper reported. Many universities in Australia have gay and lesbian student groups, which receive a portion of their funding from mandatory student union fees paid by every student. The federal government, however, has recently announced plans to make the payment of such fees voluntary, prompting protests from students around the country who say the quality of student life on campus will decline if funds are cut. Allen's appointment appears to be aimed more at protesting alleged preferential treatment for gay students than protecting heterosexuals from marginalization. When asked what his duties were, he replied: "None at the moment." Craig Comrie, the gay officer for Australia's National Union of Students, said he thought the appointment was a form of backlash. To read the full article CLICK HERE

Matt Hill quits 2008 March for LGBT Equality organizing; Piedmont/Triad Organizing Effort disbands

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Hi everyone! Here is one of my very few personal posts which almost totally involves me. I have decided to quit organizing for the 2008 March on Washington (more at 2008triadlgbt.blogspot.com). Below is a letter sent by me to those individuals involved wiht the Piedmont/Triad Organizing Effort, which was disbanded on September 28, 2005:
Hi everyone, Matt Hill here. I may have talked to some of you and then again you might have talked to Samantha Korb about the 2008 March on Washington Piedmont/Triad Organizing Effort. I wanted to email you all and let you know that I have decided that I do not want to continue to do grassroots organizing for the 2008 March on Washington for LGBT Equality. If any of you all would like to keep doing this, please feel free to do so, for this decision is only a personal decision of myself. There are numerous reasons why I have decided not to continue doing this and not to get involved in something that will, in time, become very large and hard for me to handle. The first reason is that I have realized that I might just be stretching myself very, very thin this year in my academic studies and I do need to focus on that. Also, I am heavily involved in many other organizations including my Student Government Association and UNCG's PRIDE! organization, as well as Alternative Resources of the Triad where I am already trying to organize a Triad-area organization for our various LGBTQA college student groups. The last reason for not wanting to continue in organizing for the 2008 March on Washington is a political one. I have come to realize that some of the rhetoric and political ideologies being thrown around about this March is very far from where I stand politically. Although I was first very intrigued by the "in-your-face" nature of the rhetoric, I have realized that this is probably no where close to the way in which the LGBTQA community will gain its civil rights and liberties. So please feel free to do some grassroots organizing of your own if you feel as though the March might be something which you would want to pursue. Contact atdontamend@aol.com if this is the case. Also, I encourage all of you to check out Equality NC at www.equalitync.org. They are doing some really great things for LGBT North Carolinians (NC is the only Southern state not to have a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage put to referendum). Thank you all and feel free to get in touch with me at any time and for any reason. MATT HILL

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Anglican gay debate heats up; D.C. Bishop scolds Archbishop Akinola

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According to an article published by the Washington Times, the Right Reverend John B. Chane, Bishop of Washington, D.C., has come out in opposition to the Right Reverend Peter Akinola, Archibishop of Nigeria, in regards to the on-going debate over homosexuality in the Anglican Communion. According to the article:
The Episcopal bishop of Washington has lambasted the archbishop of Nigeria for ignoring poverty and AIDS in Africa while criticizing U.S. and Canadian churches for ordaining and "marrying" homosexuals. "Why does this archbishop spend so much time on human sexuality issues while so many of his countrymen and women are oppressed by poverty?" Bishop John B. Chane wrote in a Sept. 1 column in the Washington Window, the diocesan newspaper. "Where is the strong voice of the Nigerian Anglican church in opposing the continued neglect of vulnerable women and children or in advocating on behalf of the poorest of the poor?" he wrote... Their paths have since diverged. That November, Bishop Chane participated in the consecration of Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire as the world's first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop. Archbishop Akinola, spiritual head of Nigeria's 17.5 million Anglicans, has become the de facto spokesman for 22 Anglican provinces that have partially or completely broken relations with the U.S. church over the Robinson consecration. Most of the archbishops from these provinces will be in Cairo from Oct. 25 to 30 for an invitation-only meeting of Anglican prelates, mostly from the world's developing nations. Items on the table, according to one of the planners, include militant Islam, AIDS and poverty. Archbishop Akinola also recently disinvited Brazilian Archbishop Orlando Santo de Olivera from the Cairo meeting. The Nigerian did so because Archbishop Olivera defrocked a conservative bishop from Recife who had clashed with his prelate over the Robinson consecration, even though Archbishop Olivera refused to discipline a pro-homosexual bishop from southwestern Brazil. Archbishop Akinola seems to "presume to speak for many," Bishop Chane wrote. The Anglican Communion is not "a church dominated by a curia of primates and bishops," he continued. "And yet that appears to be the direction in which we are heading. This is fearful indeed given the rhetoric of some of the primates claiming new authority for themselves." Last year, the archbishop visited the District, with Bishop Chane's permission, to start a national network of Nigerian Anglican parishes as a conservative alternative to liberal U.S. Episcopal churches.
To read the full article, click here ===== Like I have said before... the Queen or the Archibishop of Canterbury needs to step up and bring the Church back together... the sooner, the better. If something is not done, the Church of England and the Anglican Church the world over as we now know it will forever cease to be.

UNCG Student Senate to hear final version of Student Government Constitution tonight

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The Student Senate will hear the final version of the UNCG Studetn Government Association (hence the Student Body's) Constitution tonight in its meeting at 7:30pm in the Kirkland Room of the Elliot University Center. The Bylaws will also be heard. Both documents passed unanimously in the Senate Legislative Committee with the changes and updates suggested by the Chancellor after she had a chance to view the proposed documents over the summer.

Marchers take on inequality at NC Pride Parade

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From the Durham Herald-Sun: Marchers take on inequality BY GINNY SKALSKI : The Herald-Sun gskalski@heraldsun.com Sep 24, 2005 : 9:59 pm ET DURHAM -- It can be hard to stand out when you're marching in a parade behind floats with dancing drag queens, shirtless bikers donning leather vests and adorable dogs sporting rainbow-colored bandanas. But one group of gay marriage supporters carrying poles with hundreds of dangling hearts had no trouble eliciting cheers from the scores of people who lined up along Duke University's East Campus wall Saturday to watch the 21st annual N.C. Pride Parade. Hundreds of people hollered and applauded when the group from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh walked down West Main Street raising poles covered with foam hearts decorated with messages like "love should not be legislated" and "love is for all." "We're showing that there is a significant amount of support for marriage equality within faith communities," said Tracy Hollister, the project leader for the Equal Hearts campaign. To read the full article, click here

Monday, September 26, 2005

GLSEN National (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) Turns Ten

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Protectors of youth GLSEN, the leading national group focused on protecting LGBT youths in schools, just turned 10. As its influence grows, so do its growing pains By Todd Henneman From The Advocate, September 27, 2005 In April 2004 at Poway High School in conservative San Diego County, a 16-year-old student walked into the building wearing a T-shirt with the message "Homosexuality is Shameful." The attire was bad enough, but Tyler Chase Harper chose to wear it on the Day of Silence, an event during which students across the country show support for their gay and lesbian peers. Harper—who was suspended and later sued the school district—held a religious rally in 2005, which was sponsored by the conservative Christian group the Alliance Defense Fund. Yet the zealots were outnumbered. About 220 Poway students participated in the Day of Silence in 2005, roughly four times the number who took part the year before. “They wanted to show they don’t agree with Mr. Harper,” gay junior Norm Waters said at the event. Poway High School officials were next to face the fire. Two gay students came forward with claims that they repeatedly complained about the harassment they faced and that the school did nothing about it. Both were verbally threatened. Joseph Ramelli was spit on, punched, kicked, and had his car vandalized. He and Megan Donovan, both now 19, left the school following their junior year and enrolled in an independent study program before graduating. They also filed a lawsuit against the school district for failing to protect them. In June a jury found the district negligent and awarded Ramelli $175,000 and Donovan $125,000. Such triumphs for gay and lesbian students would have been unthinkable even a decade ago, says Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, which was instrumental in the San Diego County victories. “This was an issue that was on nobody’s agenda in 1994,” he says. “LGBT groups didn’t talk about schools. People at schools didn’t talk about LGBT people. There was a real void. But there were a lot of people, gay and straight, who either had suffered the effects of homophobia in schools or were seeing the effects and wanted to do something about it.” More than any group, GLSEN is credited for bringing a message to schools that gay and lesbian students need to be not only protected but accepted. The organization founded some of the earliest gay-straight alliances. It also trains teachers how to stop harassment, provides classroom materials, and releases valuable data on harassment and school districts. The group also documents the experiences of LGBT youths in coordination with other groups, including the National School Boards Association. Research such as the biannual National School Climate Survey provides hard numbers that help persuade school boards, superintendents, and principals to address the harassment of gay youths and provide sensitivity training to teachers. “Our public school systems are much more willing to change if there’s data supporting the need for change,” observes Tracy Phariss, cochair of GLSEN Colorado and a gay high school teacher. New York–based GLSEN has grown steadily during the past decade. It boasts 52 chapters in 27 states and the District of Columbia—plus at least 3,000 gay-straight alliances now registered with them in schools across the United States, compared with just 150 in 1997. Jennings never anticipated that he’d be leading such a group. In 1990 he was an openly gay high school history teacher in Massachusetts when the straight daughter of a lesbian parent walked into his classroom. She asked for help in forming a gay-straight alliance. Soon after Jennings helped form the GSA, the Republican governor asked him to serve as chairman of the state’s education committee on gay and lesbian youths. Strangers across the United States began calling for advice. So in 1995, Jennings formed the nonprofit Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network, which in 1997 dropped “Teachers” from its name and replaced it with “Education” to reflect the involvement of students. Mainstream media took little note of the organization until 1997. Then, almost overnight, GLSEN zoomed onto the national radar. In March of that year GLSEN held its first national conference, in Salt Lake City, where a school district had banned all non-curricular clubs in hopes of preventing a gay-straight alliance from forming. And that summer President Clinton invited 12 people, including Jennings, to talk about gay issues at the White House. Suddenly, national media as diverse as Fox News and Time magazine were quoting GLSEN leaders. “It was an amazing moment when I realized, Wow, I literally have the ear of the president,” says Jennings. “It made me realize we weren’t this tiny little group anymore.” GLSEN’s number 1 goal: Stop anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. “There is still a social acceptability to anti-LGBT language and bullying in schools,” Jennings says. “And to us, that is unacceptable.” GLSEN has launched its “20 by 10” program in hopes of getting 20 states to adopt antibullying policies that include sexual orientation by 2010. Only eight states have such laws today. And as part of the Teach Respect campaign, the group is placing public-service announcements on radio, on TV, and in print about the harmful effects of bullying and harassment. “One of the things that we found was that students don’t use this language because they’re violently antigay but because they don’t think it hurts anyone,” Jennings says. “We’re trying to put voices of real people out there who can say it does hurt.” Yet as GLSEN expands its influence and ability to raise money, there are the inevitable questions by former officials of the group about how it’s spending its money. “I think a lot more horsepower needs to be on the policy side,” says Louis Thomas, associate professor of economics and strategy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a GLSEN board member from 1998 to 2004. “More resources and time need to be spent on the policy side as opposed to fund-raising.” For example, he says, it’s more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of name-calling bans than to judge the success of policies intended to decrease dropout rates of gay students. Thomas isn’t the only one to leave the GLSEN fold. Of the 24 employees listed in the 2001 staff directory, only two remain. “I think it’s strange that in a four-year period there has been almost 100% turnover,” says Ben Prayz, the former deputy director, who left in 2001. “I don’t know what it means, but it doesn’t seem good.” Jennings disagrees. “As the organization matured, [it] changed from being a start-up, which requires one kind of staff, to being an institution,” he says. “You have a staff now that is older and has a lot more work experience.” Meanwhile, he adds, other employees gained valuable experience and were wooed away, “a natural evolution of these people’s careers.” As it hired new staff—and, last May, moved into a new national headquarters on Broad Street in Manhattan—GLSEN strove to become more racially diverse. People of color make up 40% of its staff, a vast change from just a few years ago. “I have been admiring how GLSEN has incorporated more folks of color,” says Jenesha de Rivera, who worked there from 1997 to 2000. GLSEN also is changing how it works with its local chapters. “It’s become clear that the number of chapters has outstripped our capacity to support them,” says deputy executive director Eliza Byard. The organization plans to hire more staff dedicated to helping chapters, almost all of which are run by volunteers. The headquarters staff also will handle fund-raising mass mailings, with chapters handling more targeted local mailings. The changes come with a price tag. Chapters will be expected to turn over a percentage of their donations to the national office. Initially, they will send a 5% program fee based on their receipts. “The amount of money chapters put in will be a lot less than what it costs,” says Byard, who adds that donations earmarked for a local chapter still remain there. Many people prefer donating to the local office of a national group because they want their money to be used in their communities, says Chuck McLean, vice president of research for GuideStar, which tracks charities. But national offices often handle projects that could not be provided by local chapters, he adds. “In theory, if we support them, they’ll have more staff to support us,” says Joe Bento, a gay high school teacher in Washington State and education and training chair at GLSEN’s Puget Sound chapter. There’s more than enough to keep both local chapters and the national office busy. Last year GLSEN released its first “State of the States” report, which summarized how effective state laws are in protecting LGBT students. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were given letter grades based on six criteria: statewide safe-schools laws, statewide nondiscrimination laws, support for education on sexual health and sexuality, local safe-schools policies, general education issues, and existence of laws that stigmatize LGBT people. A stunning 42 states received failing grades. Mississippi ranked dead last. “The vast majority of students do not have legal protections against anti-LGBT bullying and harassment,” the report stated. “Only eight states and the District of Columbia currently have statewide legal protections for [LGBT] students.… Only California, Minnesota, and New Jersey include protections based on gender identity or expression. More than 75% of…47.7 million K-12 students in the U.S. go to schools that do not include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression as statewide protected classes alongside federally mandated protections based on religion, race, and national origin.” But Byard remains hopeful. “Ultimately, we hope GLSEN will put itself out of business by getting this issue embedded in people’s understanding of what it is to provide a good education. In the meantime, we need to take steps to ensure we will be around as long as needed to keep this on the front burner.” Henneman has written for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Los Angeles Times.

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Follow up: PFLAG Winston-Salem is growing, growing, growing

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It really is cool... it really is. PFLAG Winston-Salem held their first annual Kaleidoscope Awards Banquet on Thursday, September 8, 2005. Media coverage was good and an excellent article appeared in the Winston-Salem Chronicle (click here) as well as one in the Winston-Salem Journal. PFLAG Winston-Salem is very quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Triad GLBT community. I also wanted to share with you all their promotional video. It is awesome. Click here to open file (Windows Movie .wmv) Click here to visit PFLAGWinstonSalem.org (great info, events calendar, resources)

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Gays allowed to openly serve in US Military; only during war, however

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From the Washington Blade: Out gay soldiers sent to Iraq Regulation keeps straights from ‘playing gay’ to avoid war By LOU CHIBBARO JR. Friday, September 23, 2005 Members of the Army Reserves and the National Guard who inform their commanders that they are gay are routinely converted into active duty status and sent to the Iraq war and other high priority military assignments, according to a spokesperson for an Army command charged with deploying troops. The spokesperson, Kim Waldron, a civilian who works for the U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Ga., said the active duty deployment of Reservists and National Guard troops who say they are gay, or who are accused of being gay, takes place under a Forces Command or “FORSCOM” regulation issued in 1999. To read the full article click here ====== So, yeah... the bravery and courage, not to mention honor and patriotism, of openly gay Americans isn't good enough for the US Military during times of peace... but you'd better bet that they will let gays serve openly when it comes time for them to be sent into a war zone to die. Land of the Free? Liberty and Justice for all? Yeah... right.

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, predicts breakup of Anglican Communion

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, has predicted that the Anglican Communion will not be able to solve its current internal problems regarding homosexuality. THe Rt. Rev. V.G. Robinson was made Bishop of New Hampshire and in the course of his election created an international controversy concerning homosexuality in the worldwide Anglican Church. According to the article:
This is at least as much about power and control as it is about theology and Scripture," New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson told The Associated Press in an interview. "It's about who's going to be calling the shots, and who's going to be in and who's going to be out." At stake is how 77 million Anglicans around the world, including 2.3 million members of America's Episcopal Church, define their religion and their relationship to one another. Robinson said he underestimated the opportunity his election gave conservatives to organize within the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion of which it is a part. Until about six months ago, Robinson remained optimistic the Anglican Communion would work through initial outrage over his election to respect the customary right of dioceses to elect the bishop of their choosing. But at a private meeting of American bishops in Los Angeles several months ago, Robinson said, he first sensed what he considers a conservative power grab. Robinson came to discuss reconciliation, he said, but several opponents had a different goal. "I said 'I'm here to talk about how we can live together.' And three or four of them said: 'I'm not here for reconciliation. I'm here to divvy up the property from this divorce,'" he said.
Conservative leaders claim this is not about a power play but rather about two incompatible ways of Church life. To read the full article, click here

Friday, September 23, 2005

Ex-Gay "Love In Action" ministry gets one-week reprieve

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities is giving Love in Action, the ex-gay ministry where 16 year old Zach Stark was sent to over the summer, one more week to apply for the proper licenses to operate as a facility providing care to mentally ill individuals. In a previous post I reported on the fact that Tennessee had decided to shut the facility down after it failed to apply for proper mental health facility licenses.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

NC Pride Festival to occur in Raleigh-Durham this weekend

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The Nc Pride Festival, the largest LGBT pride event in North Carolina, will be held this weekend, Friday, September 23 - Sunday, September 25, 2005. The Day Festival, Rally and Parade will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2005, on the East Campus of Duke University. The Night Festival will take place on Hargett Street in Downtown Raleigh, right near the State Capitol. The NC Pride Festival attracts participants from all over North Carolina, as well as SOuth Carolina, Virginia and other Southern states. This year's theme is "Equal Rights - Nothing More, Nothing Less."
www.ncpride.org

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Wake Forest University # 17 on Princeton Review top 20 list of colleges with low acceptance of gays

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According to an article published by the Washington Blade, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, is number 17 on the top 20 list of colleges with low acceptance of gays. The list was compiled through a survey doen by the Princeton Review, which also put out a list of the top 20 most gay-friendly colleges. Although UNCG made the Princeton Review's list of the best 361 colleges and the list of best value colleges, it did not make it on either list concerning LGBT students. According to the article:
Based on surveys answered by 110,000 students, the Princeton Review created the 2006 edition of “The Best 361 Colleges” and included best and worst rankings for food, partying, academics and quality of life for gay students. Ninety percent of the survey was conducted online and the rest of the responses were filled out by students in high-traffic campus areas across the country, according to the Princeton Review. Organizers sent out an e-mail blast to undergraduates nationwide asking them to participate in the survey. On average, 300 students were surveyed from each school. Out of the 70 questions asked, one was: “Do students, faculty, and administrators at your college treat all persons equally regardless of their sexual orientations?”
===== Wake Forest University was recently awarded by PFLAG Winston-Salem for being gay-friendly. I guess the students who actually go there feel differently. Although Wake Forest's administration might have done great things in order to try to make the college more gay-friendly, it obviously hasn't helped the situation. From the many people I know who go to Wake Forest, from growing up in Winston-Salem near Wake Forest and from being a member of Wake Forest Baptist Church (which is very accepting, although the school isn't), I think I can say with good conscience that it is probably an accurate result that the school ended up on the list of worst schools for LGBT folks.

PRIDE! tears down wall of hate

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From The Carolinian, the UNCG student newspaper: A great white wall filled with scrawling curse words and insults dominated the fountain last Wednesday. It was an expression of hate for the hope tomorrow will present a more compassionate world. UNCG's PRIDE! organization - the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning (GLBTQ) and Allied Student Association - presented students with "The Wall of Hate" on Wednesday last week for the national Hate Crimes Awareness Day. To read the full article, click here ===== I will ahve you know, however, that there is no such thing as the national Hate Crimes Awareness Day (at least to our, UNCG PRIDE!'s, knowledge). That was a mistake within the article :)

Ex-gay ministry Love In Action shut down by State of Tennessee

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According to an article on 365gay.com, ex-gay ministry Love In Action and its adolescent division, Refuge, has been shut down by the State of Tennessee for failing to obtain the proper licenses which would have allowed them to care for mentally ill patients. Love In Action holds to the opinion that they are not treating mentally ill individuals but rather helping people use faith in Christ to overcome problems. According to the article:
The state inspected two facilities in Memphis on Aug. 19 and determined Love In Action International Inc. was providing housing, meals and personal care for mentally ill patients without a license, according to a subsequent letter to the organization from the Department of Mental Health. The department gave Love In Action until Sept. 23 to cease operation of the facilities and apply for a state license.
Love In Action's Refuge program was the program that 16 year old Zach Stark was sent to by his parents over the summer. A national controversy over ex-gay ministries was ignited by Zach's blog in which he wrote about being shipped off to the program.

Raibow flag at Duke University dorm raises concerns - draws ire from some dorm residents

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According to an article published on the website of the Duke University student newspaper, The Chronicle, a rainbow flag hung outside of the window of a resident's room in Giles Residence Hall has sparked some controversy at the school. According to the article:
A flag hanging outside a window on Duke’s East Campus prompted heated discussion Monday night after some students in Giles Dormitory expressed concern over the banner and requested its removal. After a closed-door vote, Giles residents decided to keep the rainbow flag outside a resident’s window but alter the way it was hung. Freshman David Thian, who lives on Giles’ second floor above the dorm’s entrance, agreed to let junior Joanna Noble, president of Duke Allies—a student organization affirming lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students on campus—hang the flag outside his window Sunday in preparation for Coming Out Week.
The students voted to leave the flag but moved it from the outside of the building. The flag is now hanging inside the window. ====== I find it very, very ironic (and somewhat disturbing) that this debate over the rainbow flag is happening on the Duke University East Campus, the same location at which the North Carolina Pride Festival and Parade will take place this Saturday, September 24th. If Duke students are so afraid of rainbow flags and gay people then they had better do one of two things this Saturday:
  • Go as far away as possible from Duke University East Campus; or
  • Get a grip, grow up and accept people for who they are.
You know, the Right Reverend Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina had it right when he said this at the first annual PFLAG Winston-Salem Kaliedoscope Banquet:
We are Family... God made us family... You don't have to like me, but you sure do have to love me.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Pope Benedict XVI signs document banning gay seminarians

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According to an article from Newsday.com, it is reported that Pope Benedict XVI has signed a document banning gays from entering any Catholic seminary. According to the article:
Pope Benedict XVI is said to have approved a document saying that homosexual men should not be ordained as Roman Catholic priests, a conservative Catholic Web site reported yesterday. The long-anticipated document, prepared at the request of the late Pope John Paul II, reportedly calls on bishops to bar even chaste homosexuals from seminaries because their orientation is rooted in a personality disorder that may undermine their capacity to minister, according to Catholic World News. The report, posted yesterday on www.cwnews.com, an independent news service with links to the pope's American publisher, could not be independently corroborated, but several Vatican sources confirmed that such a document has been on his desk awaiting his decision. "If this is true, it's a disaster," said a gay priest who asked not to be named. "I know many celibate gay priests who feel they could not live with any integrity in a church that treats gay men like this. And I know many gay seminarians who have been living celibate lives with ease, who would simply leave." Since the recent priest sex abuse scandal, the issue of gay priests has gone from taboo to one of the most hotly debated aspects of the crisis. Noting that the overwhelming majority of victims were teenage boys, powerful members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy have framed the problem as homosexual priests unable to live chastely. Liberals tend to see the roots of the scandal in a culture of clerical secrecy and the church's mandatory celibacy requirement.
To read the full article, click here ======= I can't say it enough... no matter how many times I say it or so many other people say it, the Church will never hear us: The problem is not gay priests... it is pedophile and ephebophile priests The Church is trying to find a scapegoat and it is targeting the wrong population. Maybe they should start doing psych tests on all seminarians and figure out which ones are prone to sexually abusing children and teens instead of just passing this off on the gays. How long must gay people always be pointed to as "the problem" in our society?

Monday, September 19, 2005

Serving Gays Who Serve God

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An article from The New York Times:
This spring, Brenda Oliver, depressed and desperate for spiritual sustenance, visited the church near her home in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She lasted until the minister started talking about the men of Sodom who demanded that Lot let them have sex with his houseguests. He looked straight at Ms. Oliver, a sturdy, dreadlocked woman dressed in her customary long pants and black work boots. "The preacher said that if a bunch of gays went to his house, he'd start shooting and killing them," recalled Ms. Oliver, who is a lesbian. She walked outside, leaned on the church gate and cried. Months later, on a humid Sunday morning, as an organ's sweet gospel music drifted out onto a grim stretch of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn from a different kind of church, called Unity Fellowship, Ms. Oliver sat in her van, nervously eating a breakfast of bacon and grits. In a few minutes, she would go inside to be baptized. The senior pastor at Unity, the Rev. Jeffery A. Haskins, is different, too. He channels the rolling, ever-cresting flow of an archetypal black Baptist preacher. But when he thunders about the AIDS sores on the back of his head, or how at another church, "I had to call on the name of Jesus when they talked about me, saying the little fairy faggot can't preach up in here," his congregation can relate in ways that most might not.
To read the full article click here A slide show and other pictures are available on the official New York Times article.

Testimonials of anti-gay discrimination, prejudice and hate.

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I really don't know who wrote this or where it came from. A friend sent it to me and I though it was worth sharing. I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian. I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman. I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights. We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time. I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room. I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me. I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again. I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear. We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men. I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me. I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman. I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman. I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male. I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men. I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that. I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual. I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didnt have to always deal with society hating me. I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind. I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Thought this was funny

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You are a

Social Conservative
(36% permissive)

and an...

Economic Moderate
(50% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Centrist




Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Pope John Paul II's last words detailed in report from the Vatican

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According to an article published on MSNBC.com, the last words of Pope John Paul II have been detailed in a Vatican report. According to the report, the Holy Father's last words were, "Let me go to the House of the Lord." The report also says that the Holy Father tried, with great difficulty, to participate in the Mass held at the foot of his bed before he died. According to the article:
The Vatican account describes the pontiff as experiencing various levels of participation in what was going on around him. John Paul’s eyes were practically closed during a Mass celebrated at the foot of his bed in the late afternoon of March 31, the account said. “But at the moment of the consecration, he weakly raised his right hand two times, that is, on the (raising up) of the bread and wine. He made a gesture indicating he was trying to strike his chest during the recitation” of the Lamb of God prayer, the Vatican said.
===== In my honest opinion, Pope John Paul II was the man who defined the Christian religion, and specifically the Catholic Faith, during the 20th century. Many people have asked me why I was so affected by the Holy Father's death and why I cared so much about the Catholic Church even though I am not Catholic. My answer is both very simple and very complicated. I believe in the One Holy catholic and apostolic Church of Christ. That means one thing: Out of all of the churches and denominations, the Body of Christ is One. We all share one cup and one bread. Although I am not Catholic, I recognize the authority of the Pope as a religious leader, even though he is not the religious authority on matters of faith within my particular church, the Church of England. It is my hope that one day, in the future, the Church of Christ will one day come to be united again. The divisions within Christ's Church is something which, in my opinion, Christ never would have wanted or expected. We owe it to Christ to strive toward the day when His Church might one day be unified again. My deep respect and reverence to the Holy Father and to the Catholic Church, despite my not belonging to it, is one small part of striving toward that day.

Rift over gays widens in the Anglican Church - Church of Nigeria removes itself from Communion

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the deep divisions over gays within the worldwide Anglican Communion have become even deeper after Saturday, Spetember 17, 2005, when the Archbishop of Nigeria, the Right Reverend Peter Akinola, announced that the Anglican Church in Nigeria would "delete all reference to Canterbury, the “mother” church of the Anglican Communion, from its constitution." According to the article:
Communion with Canterbury is regarded as one of the defining characteristics of Anglicanism. Rather than refer to Canterbury the Nigerian church constitution now says it is in communion with Churches, dioceses and provinces that uphold the “historic faith, doctrine, sacrament and discipline of the one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church”.
The move to remove itself from the Anglican Communion puts the Anglican Church in Nigeria one step away from creating a schism which could draw other conservative bodies around the world and forever split the Church in two. ===== The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Queen or somebody over there in England needs to step up now and bring this Church back together. There has been too much controversy and many people and church bodies, inlcuding the Rt. Rev. P. Akinola and his Nigerian Church, have gone way too far across the line. The debate within our Anglican Church should be characterized by civility and respect. I give credit to those who have been trying to do that. People need to stop "jumping to conclusions" and just sit back and see where all of this goes. I pray that God, the Father and Creator of all, leads His Church through this most tumultuous and difficult time. May the Church come to be what it was meant to be, through Jesus Christ our Lord, from whom alone comes the Mission of the Church. Amen. The Church Has One Foundation (1) The church has one foundation, ’Tis Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation, Through water by the word. From heav’n He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died. (5) Back to the one foundation, From sects and creeds made free, Come saints of every nation To blessed unity. Once more the ancient glory Shines as in days of old, And tells the wondrous story— One God, one faith, one fold.

Friday, September 16, 2005

UNCG's Fill the Fountain fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina relief

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From the UNCG Office of Housing and Residence Life: FILL THE FOUNTAIN! UNCG STUDENTS SET GOAL TO RAISE $20,000 FOR HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF A coalition of over 40 student groups will be presentng a series of events over a 24 hour period on September 22-23 to raise $20,000 for the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief. The goal of $20,000 is based on the hope that every student, staff and faculty person on campus will pitch in at least $1. The events will begin at Thursday at 12:00 p.m. at the fountain in the plaza. After making a donation students, staff and faculty can write a message of support to the evacuees and place it in a plastic egg, which will it turn be placed in the fountain. Organizers hope to "Fill The Fountain" with the multi-colored eggs and contribute to the relief efforts of the American Red Cross. Other highlights of the 24 hours of "Fill the Fountain" include:
  • Special Gulf Themed Dinner on Thursday Night in The Caf
  • A Concert on the Quad
  • A Special Gumbo Cafe in the Atrium in the late evening
  • Numerous booths and exhibits in the fountain area by student groups
===== Although I am glad that the UNCG community is responding so earnestly in order to help out the victims of Hurricane Katrina, I am somewhat worried about the donations which will be given to the American Red Cross. The Student Government Association is currently working on creating its own disaster relief fund to help with this situation and others. The UNCG-SGA Disaster Relief Fund will become a permanent fixture of the Student Government and we have taken the time to look at what organizations we might grant the money to in times of crises. To be honest, the American Red Cross is barely making the cut for consideration. Statistics will tell you that only 10% of donations are taken by the America Red Cross for overhead costs. I seriously doubt their claim and I am sure it is much more than 10%. Another issue: The American Red Cross, along with many other groups, discriminate against the only group in America which can still be legally discriminated against: gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. It would do well for UNCG to find an organization which helps all victims, instead of giving to ones which discriminate.

Greensboro City Council Candidates Forum

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From Greensboro101.com: Questions for the at-large city council candidates to be asked at the upcoming Greensboro Bloggers Candidates' Forum are due by September 18th. Bloggers and their readers may submit questions to Hardy Floyd at seymfloy@aol.com. Bloggers who attend the September 21st blogger meetup (7:00 P.M. at Panera Bread, Lawndale Dr.) will vote on the questions to be asked at the forum. This is your chance to have the candidates answer your questions, so be sure to get them to Hardy by the deadline. The Forum will be on September 27th at the Weatherspoon Art Museum auditorium on the UNC-G campus, starting at 6:15 P.M.

Website publishes names, addresses of those who sign the Massachusetts petition to ban gay marriage

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According to an article on Bay Windows Online, ("New Englands Largest Gay and Lesbian Newspaper"), a website has been made in order to post the names and addresses of all of the signers of the Massachusetts petition for a gay marriage ban. As of right now, KnowThyNeighbor.org is listing the names and addresses of the original thirty signers of the petition. Those names and addresses are public record and are already available via the Massachusetts Attorney General's website. ====== There once was a day when people caught engaging in the criminal acts of "sodomy" had their names and addresses splashed all over the newspapers. Many of those gay people lost their families, their homes, their jobs and their lives. Now the tables have turned. The haters have become the hated. Ironic, huh?

New government statistics on the number of gays

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the National Center for Health Statistics has completed a new study on sexuality. The study was done to help the government, mainly the Center for Disease Control, fight the spread of HIV. The study gives insight into how many gays are in America. According to the article:
In response to a question that asked, “Do you think of yourself as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or something else?” 90 percent of men 18-44 years of age responded that they think of themselves as heterosexual, 2.3 percent of men answered homosexual, 1.8 percent bisexual, 3.9 percent “something else,” and 1.8 percent did not answer the question. The numbers for males are up slightly from a similar study by the NCHS in 1992. The study also found that more women, particularly those in their late teens and 20s, are experimenting with bisexuality or at least feel more comfortable reporting same-sex encounters. The study is based on 12,571 in-person interviews with men and women 15-44 years of age.
The article also points out that the statisitcs regarding homosexuals and bisexuals are still ower than the supposed 10% of America which is believed to be gay or bi. According to the article:
But, while the number of men and women identifying as gay or bi has increased, it is lower than the 10 percent of the population believed to be gay. Mark Shields, the director of the Coming Out Project at the Human Rights Campaign said that the study would appear to show that more people are willing to talk openly about their lives than they were a decade earlier. "I think its not necessarily the number of same-sex relationships that has gone up [but] it's the level of honesty that has increased around those relationships as stigma and social pressure around us continues to melt away," Shields told 365Gay.com. "I still suspect these [numbers] will continue to rise because there's a lot of people, because of the amount of social pressure that still exists, feel uncomfortable to identify themselves publicly.
The study also shows that gay men are more likely to use condoms in sexual encounters than are straight men:
Among males who had ever had sexual contact with another male, 91 percent used a condom at their last sex, compared with 36 percent of men who never had sex with another male.
======= Let's just face it... even if 10% of Americans are gay, les or bi, we will never get that number to show up on surveys or studies, no matter how much we tell the participants how confidential the survey or study will be. The fact is that some gay, les and bi people are so afraid of being so that they don't even admit it to themselves, much less a piece of paper. I think that Mark Shields has it right... the number has not gone up since 1992... more people are just more willing to openly talk about it and discuss it.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

The Church's 21st Century Inquisition

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According to an article published by the New York Times, the Vatican is sending investigators to all of its 229 American seminaries to inquire into the presence of homosexuals. The Church is considering a ban on all homosexuals from entering seminaries, even if those homosexuals are celibate. According to the article:
The issue of gay seminarians and priests has been in the spotlight because a study commissioned by the church found last year that about 80 percent of the young people victimized by priests were boys. Experts in human sexuality have cautioned that homosexuality and attraction to children are different, and that a disproportionate percentage of boys may have been abused because priests were more likely to have access to male targets - like altar boys or junior seminarians - than to girls. But some church officials in the United States and in Rome, including some bishops and many conservatives, attributed the abuse to gay priests and called for an overhaul of the seminaries. Expectation for such a move rose this year with the election of Pope Benedict XVI, who has spoken of the need to "purify" the church.
Church doctrine teaches that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" and because of this, homoseuxals must live in complete chastity and celibacy. ===== It really does scare me to know that the Church is blaming gay priests for the child abuse within the Church. Pedophilia is not the same as homosexuality. Pedophiles victimize those who are easiest to victimize. As the article points out, it would have been easier for the pedophile (not homosexual) priests to victimize boys. They would have had easier access to them because boys serve as altar assistants and priests teach young junior seminarians. The Church, throughout history, has been good at ignoring the truth and finding scapegoats. I guess gays will be the 21st century scapegoat. Let us hope that it doesn't turn into the 21st century inquisition. With the Pope speaking of the need to "purify" the Church, a gay inquisition might just occur.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

UNC Charlotte PRIDE and Time Out Youth protest anti-gay musician

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According to an article on The Niner Online, UNC Charlotte's PRIDE student group and a Charlotte gay youth group, Time Out Youth, protested tonight at the concert of anti-gay Raggae artist Capleton. A protest was held against his performance last year also. Over the summer, six Capleton performances were cancelled in France due to the artist's anti-gay lyrics.

After losing University affiliation on Monday, the UNCG Student Gov't regained official affiliation today.

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On Monday, September 12, 2005, the Office of Student Life at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro informed the Student Government Association that it had lost its affiliation with the University after not turning in its re-affiliation form, which almost every student organization is required to complete every semester. Today, after the President and Vice President of the Student Government Association wrote a letter of appeal and apology to the Office of Student Life on Tuesday, September 13, 2005, the Student Government Association regained its affiliation. The Student Government Association drafted an official letter to the Student Body and to UNCG student organizations on Tuesday evening, after an emergency meeting of the Legislative Boardm, which includes the executive members of the Legislative Branch (I am a part of this Board). According to the letter:
Every organization must affiliate with the Office of Student Life (OSL), and in doing so, fill out an affiliation or re-affiliation form. This form was due Monday, September 12, 2005 at 3:30pm to the Office of Student Life. Because of miscommunication errors among the leadership of the Student Government Association (SGA), the paperwork was not turned in on time. The paperwork has been turned in as well as a letter of appeal and apology to OSL and awaits review for possible probationary affiliation.
On Tuesday, the Student Government Association began to take immediate emergency action in order to stay affiliated with the University and the effort has paid off. Even though the Student Government Association has regained affiliation much controversy still remains in regards to mistakes and miscommunication within the Executive Branch of the UNCG Student Body's Student Government. Much of this controversy, along with other issues including a new push to have the Student Government Association granted permanent affiliation with the University, will be fleshed out in future meetings of the Student Senate and its various committees during the remainder of the semester. In terms of setbacks, elections for Senators and Special Requests for money from the Student Government Association will be pushed back by at least one week. The Student Senate and its various committees including the oen I chair, the Legislative Committee, is now at least a week behind business. Since the Senate meeting for Tuesday, September 13, 2005, was cancelled, the next Senate meeting (which also includes Committee night) on Septmeber 20, 2005 is expected to run at least twice its normal length. The letter from the Office of Student Life to the Student Government Association regarding the reinstatement of affiliation has not yet been released to the public by the President and vice President. Although some in the University community are blaming Student Government, as a whole, for its loss in affiliation, I am committed to keeping the honor of those individuals who had nothing to do with this mistake clean. In my honest opinion, the mistake made concerning reaffiliation is one which rests with the Executive Branch. The President took upon herself the responsibility of filling out the reaffiliation form and she neglected to turn the form in on time. The Legislative Branch and Judicial Branches of the Student Government have done and are doing their jobs completely. Although the President has accepted personal responsibility for this mistake, I still believe that a written, formal reprimand should be passed by the Student Senate, citing Madame President villanueva's neglect in turning in the reaffiliation forms. For those who are talking about impeachment or removal... please stop. Reprimand is appropriate in this situation but I do believe that, overall, the President is perfectly capable of continuing in her capacity as the elected Executive of the Student Body. She should not be impeached or removed. I will keep you all updated as to issues regarding Student Government.

Hate Crimes legislation passes US House as UNCG PRIDE! celebrates Hate Crimes Awareness Day

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Today, according to an article on 365gay.com, the United States House of Representatives passed the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, which expands federal hate crimes laws to include crimes motivated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill has passed in the Senate in sessions past but has always died in the House. The bill has a very good chance at becoming law. The Senate is currently hearing a similar bill. All of this occured today while UNCG PRIDE!, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Straight Allied Student Association, was celebrating their Hate Crimes Awareness Day. How very ironic! PRIDE!'s Hate Crimes Awareness Day included a "Wall of Hate." Student wrote words, symbolds, phrases, etc. which symbolized hate and at the end of the event, the wall was torn down, symbolizing the day when hate ceases to exist. For pictures of UNCG PRIDE!'s Hate Crimes Awareness Day event visit: www.matthillnc.com/images/hatecrimes/

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

UNCG PRIDE! to hold Hate Crimes Awareness Day 9-14-05

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UNCG PRIDE!, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Transgender and Straight Allied Student Association, will hold their Hate Crimes Awareness Day on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, from 11am to 3pm at the Fountain Plaza in front of the Atrium on the UNCG campus. Hate Crimes Awareness Day will bring attention and create awareness concerning hate crimes. Although the Hate Crimes Awareness Day recognizes all types of hate crimes, the group will be focusing on hate crimes which affect gyas, lesbian, bisexuals, and transgender, queer and questioning individuals. According to UNCG PRIDE!: "Although UNCG PRIDE! recognizes that hate crimes affect many different people, we focus on hate crimes directed toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning individuals, as a part of our Organizational Mission and Purpose." UNCG PRIDE!'s Hate Crimes Awareness Day will feature a "Wall of Hate." Students will be able to write anything on the wall which symbolizes hate. At the end of the day, the wall will be torn down, symbolizing the end of hate. For more information: http://pride.uncg.edu

Sunday, September 11, 2005

UNCG plans Constitution Day events

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According to an a press release by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Constitution Day events will be held at UNCG September 15-17, 2005.
Protestor, Film Among Constitution Programs Sept. 15-27 By Steve Gilliam, University Relations A series of programs observing Constitution Day will be held during September, starting with an address by Brett Bursey at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, in the Alexander Room of Elliott University Center. Bursey, who is director of the South Carolina Progressive Network, was arrested in Columbia, S.C., and charged with trespassing in October 2002 when he refused to go to a “free speech zone” during a visit by President Bush. Although the charges were dropped, new charges were later brought by U.S. Attorney J. Strom Thurmond Jr. under a statute that allows the U.S. Secret Service to restrict access to areas the president is visiting. Bursey, who faces a $5,000 fine and six months in jail, will discuss the case and related free speech issues. The program is free and open to the public. Other events planned at UNCG are:
  • Sept. 19-20, dramatic readings and discussion of the Constitution for students in three classes of “American Politics,” conducted by Dr. Tom Humphrey, UNCG Department of Theatre, and Dr. Jeff Colbert, UNCG Department of Political Science.
  • Sept. 20, 3:30 p.m., Maple Room, EUC, panel discussion on the Constitution, with Dr. Charles Prysby and Dr. Susan Johnson, UNCG Department of Political Science; attorney Marshall Hurley; Dr. Katie Harriger, Wake Forest University Department of Political Science; and high school teacher Ray Parrish. Free and open to the public.
  • Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., EUC Auditorium, showing of “Beyond the Wall,” a documentary about the free speech movement and the North Carolina Speaker Ban Law, which prohibited communists from speaking on UNC system campuses from 1963-68. The film’s writer producer Gorham Kindem, UNC-Chapel Hill communication professor, will connect anti-Communist infringements upon civil liberties to contemporary anti-terrorist infringements via the USA PATRIOT Act by focusing on North Carolina’s Speaker Ban Law (1963-68). Free and open to the public.

September 11, 2001 - A date which will live in infamy.

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Franklin Roosevelt once gave a speech. He gave the speech to Congress following an event which would go down in history as one of the reasons why the United States entered World War II. His speech confronted tragedy and loss... straight from sentence one. This is what he said:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The Pearl Harbor attack was truly a tragedy and many in our nation still take time to remember it and the lives which were lost that day in 1941. September 11 is no different. With it being so recent in our memories we cannot help but remember what happened that day. For many, we remember exactly where we were or what we were doing when we first heard the news or when we witnessed the planes crash into the buildings on live television. For those who witnessed the tragedy by eye, I can only imagine as to what kind of pain and emotions were felt. Take the time to remember those lost souls. Take the time to pray for their families. Take the time to be proud to be an American.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Documenting Discrimination: Equality NC starts project to track anti-LGBT actions in North Carolina

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Equality NC, the state-wide group which advocates for justice and equality for LGBT North Carolinians, has started up a new online project to document anti-LGBT discrimination within North Carolina. Individuals can go to the Documenting Discrimination website, http://www.equalitync.org/discrimination/, and report discrimination that has either happened to them or another. Individuals may also remain anonymous if they so wish. The online reports will be compiled into a database and used to help further our push for equality and justice for LGBT North Carolinians. For more information about Equality NC, visit http://www.equalitync.org/ To report discrimination: http://www.equalitync.org/discrimination/

Friday, September 09, 2005

Gay Rights: The Next Generation

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Last night I attended the First Annual PFLAG WInston-Salem Kaleidoscope Awards Banquet. It made me so, so happy to see many of the high school aged individuals in attendence. The great majority of those high schoolers are involved in GLSEN Winston-Salem. The Gay Rights Movement is still moving. That's why kids like this make me so happy:
Somehow, word spread. To this day, Tully Satre, 16, does not know how his entire middle school found out three years ago that he was attracted to males. Satre, who was shy and still closeted, lost all his friends. He said teachers at his Catholic school told his parents he was gay and began treating him differently. "I felt like a circus animal," said Satre, a lanky 6-foot-3 Culpeper resident entering his junior year at Notre Dame Academy in Middleburg. "I've had people spit at my feet. I've had people give me harmful remarks." From the day he discovered that everyone knew about his sexuality, life has not been easy for Satre, but it has been getting better. His grades fell but have since improved. Although he has heard hurtful comments from peers and strangers, he said his parents are very supportive. But Satre said he still felt alone in largely rural Culpeper County. There was no place or group that brought gay people together. When the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill in the last session limiting the contractual rights of gay men and lesbians, Satre felt he had to do something. "I wanted somewhere to go," he said. "I didn't really see a lot going on in our community." In June, Satre founded Equality Fauquier and Culpeper, the first gay rights group in those counties. Since then, he has been called a "Future Gay Hero" by the Advocate, a national gay magazine, and articles have been written about him in the Washington Blade and other local newspapers. His group, which has about 35 members, has been recognized by Equality Virginia, a statewide gay rights organization. Its initial goals include persuading schools and local governments to change nondiscrimination policies to include sexual orientation. The group hopes to have booths at gay festivals, participate in an AIDS walk, write to local politicians and perhaps hold a public viewing of a documentary on gay marriage.
Click here to read the full article

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

CA Governor Schwarzenegger to veto bill allowing for marriage equality

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According to an article on 365gay.com, California Governor Schwarzenegger announced on Wednesday evening that he would veto legislation allowing same-sex couples the right to marry. Schwarzenegger's reason for not signing the legislation stems from California's Proposition 22 which bans the recognition of same-sex unions as marriages. Schwarzenegger said, through his press secretary:
"We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote. Out of respect for the will of the people, the governor will veto (the bill)."
The Governor's press secretary also said that the Governor...
"believes gay couples are entitled to full protection under the law and should not be discriminated against based upon their relationship. He is proud that California provides the most rigorous protections in the nation for domestic partners."
The Governor vetoed a bill today that would have banned the use of negative appeals based on sexual orientation in political campaigns. ===== I find it hard to believe that Governor Schwarzenegger truly believes in equal protection for gay people. If he does then why did he veto the campaign bill? I think he is hiding behind Proposition 22. One of these days, the United States Government and the government of each and every state in the Union will have to apologize to gays for the way in which they treated them. Hopefully that day will come sooner rather than later (as in I want to see it before I die).

UNCG PRIDE! Meeting Sept. 8th

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UNCG PRIDE!, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Straight Allied Student Association will meet on Thursday, Sept. 8th at 7:30pm in Room 106 in the Graham Building (next to Weatherspoon Art Gallery, across the street from Aycock Auditorium). This week's topic: SEX TALK W/ REGINA, plus Officer Elections BE THERE OR BE SQUARE! Be sure to check out our website for other weekly meeting locations throughout the semester! http://pride.uncg.edu HATE CRIMES AWARENESS DAY! Next Wednesday, Sept. 14, 11am-5:30pm, Fountain Plaza. Come by and speak your mind... Come help tear down the walls of hate!

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

California Assembly votes for marriage equality!!!!! The bill now heads to the Governor.

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According to an article on 365gay.com, the California Assembly passed a bill which would allow same-sex couples to marry. The bill passed by one vote on Tuesday night. The bill now heads to the Governor of California. LET US ALL PRAY HE SIGNS THE BILL!!!

Monday, September 05, 2005

Bush promotes Roberts' nomination from Justice to Chief Justice

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According to an article published by the New York Times (September 5, 2005), President Bush has nominated John Roberts to replace Chief Justice Rehnquist, who passed away at his Virginia home on Saturday. According to the article:
Senate leaders agreed this morning to delay by at least two days the start of Mr. Roberts's confirmation hearing, which had been set to begin on Tuesday, when he was being considered to succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Now that Mr. Bush has nominated him for the chief justice's job, several Senate and Congressional leaders had asked that the hearings be delayed until after Chief Justice Rehnquist's funeral, which is set for Wednesday. The hearings will begin as early as Thursday and no later than next Monday, with a final decision on timing expected following further discussions. President Bush made today's announcement in the Oval Office with Judge Roberts at his side, saying that with just four weeks left before the Supreme Court reconvenes, it was in the interest of the court and the country to have a chief justice on the bench on the first full day of the fall term. "He's a man of integrity and fairness and throughout his life he's inspired the respect and loyalty of others," Mr. Bush said of his nominee. "John Roberts built a record of excellence and achievement and reputation for goodwill and decency toward others in his extraordinary career." In brief remarks, Judge Roberts said: "I am honored and humbled by the confidence the president has shown in me." "I am very much aware that if I am confirmed I would succeed a man I deeply respect and admire, a man who has been very kind to me for 25 years," he said.
====== I think it is a good thing that Roberts has been nominated for the job. It is certainly better than promoting one of the more conservative members of the Court. I believe Roberts will make a good, somewhat moderate Chief Justice.

About Donations for Hurricane Relief

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I found out yesterday that almost 60% of any donations to the American Red Cross are being eaten up by overhead costs. DO not give to the American Red Cross. If you want your money to be the most effective, please donate throught the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund. All donations earmarked for Hurricane Katrina will be used for just that, and nothing else. The Episcopal Relief and Development Fund: www.er-d.org If you or anyone you know of in the Triad area has vacant or unused rental properties, please contact Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. They are wanting people to doante their properties for a minimum of three months to house those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Holy Trinity Church 607 North Greene Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27401 Phone (336) 272-6149 Fax (336) 272-6197 www.holy-trinity.com

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Is God Mad? Good ole' Mom leaves food for thought

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Many of you saw my post on Repent America's statement about Hurricane Katrina and the supposed cause of New Orleans' destruction: gays. Most of you also so my post about the "Our God is NOT a Murderer" petition to the American faith community. Well, I talked to my Mom on the phone yesterday, just to say hello and see how things were going. We talked about school and about the current events, including Katrina. Just leave up to you mother to put soem questions into your head and make you start questioning what you thought to be true. Mothers are good at that it seems. Now my mom has a very interesting take on this whole Katrina thing. Unlike all of the radical religious zealots she isn't blaming gays or abortionists or drunkards or any other group...she is blaming humanity and its natural sinful nature as whole. I just can't stop thinking that she might just be right. She said (and by no means is this a direct quote, word for word): "Look at New Orleans, all of the sin, all of the pleasure; its open defiance of God's Word and the lack of respect and reverence toward Him." She is right. New Orleans is a sinful city. Every year it bursts forth with sin and, just as she said, acts in open defiance of God's Word and Will... all on Phat Tuesday. It is quite ironic that the sin has somehow become intertwined with one of the most holy times during the Church year, Lent and Easter. So, what if God really was upset? What if this was his warning to the world? Remember, our God may not be a murderer, but the Bible does say that the sins of the father fall onto the son, even if the son is innocent. It also says that our God is a jealous God. God has been known to do great acts of horror in order to bring the world back to Him. Now I really don't know what to believe right now... all I am doing is considering the questions and doubts in my mind. Maybe God is mad. Maybe New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt. Who knows? One thing is certain though. In the aftermath of this disaster, we must pull together in order to comfort and help those who have been affected by nature's cruelty. We must show our love...the same love which Christ showed us. We must be compassionate and willing to sacrifice our wants and desires for the needs of others. Maybe this is the reason for which God sent Katrina... to test the hearts and minds of those who claim to follow Him in areas outside of Katrina's reach. May God see us through this ultimate test of our will, our strength, our courage, our love, our compassion and our willingness to love Him and our neighbors.

Few KKK members show up to protest gay Methodists' conference in North Carolina

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According to an article published by the Asheville, NC, Citzen-Times, very few members of the Ku Klux Klan showed up at the "Hearts on Fire" conference of the Reconciling Ministries Network, a group of gay and gay-friendly United Methodists pushing for more inclusion of gay and lesbina individuals within the life and work of the United Methodist Church. The conference, which is being held at church owned property at Lake Junaluska, NC, attracted lots of attention, from both sides of the issue, in recent days (see earlier post). Some individuals showed up at the conference ground in order to protest the KKK. According to the article:
“Love is the way to be,” said Mary Mills as she stood with fellow protestor Macon Brandon at the intersection. “That is what Jesus’ message is.” J.J. Harper, the Imperial Wizard of the KKK group from Georgia, said he was surprised at the lack of protestors. “This whole area ought to be filled with Christians,” he said. A Waynesville couple and a man from Clyde sat in lawn chairs in an area for pro-gay Christian protesters to show support for the conference. The conference — organized by a group that supports opening all aspects of the church to gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexual people — ends Monday.
Protests will not be allowed on the property today, the Lord's Day.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died

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According to MSNBC (article), United States Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist passed away Saturday evening at his home in Arlington, Virginia. Chief Justice Rehnquist, aged 80 years, died of thyroid cancer. May the prayers and thoughts of our great and beloved nation be with the Chief Justice's family and friends.

Katrina's Aftermath: Do your part.

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Hurricane Katrina is the worst natural disaster in American history. Millions have been affected and entire towns and cities have been destroyed. It is estimated that 90% of all structures on the Gulf Coast have been destroyed. Millions are homeless. Thousands are still trapped in New Orleans. Do your part to help Katrina's victims. If you are able, donate to the American Red Cross via www.redcross.org If you are not able to donate money...donate your thoughts and your prayers.

NC Marriage Amendment dies with the end of this year's Legislative Session

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According to an article on 365gay.com and from the Equality NC Newsletter of September 2, 2005, the North Carolina marriage amendment has died as the General Assembly closed this year's legislative session. Equality NC Newsletter, Sept. 2, 2005:
A few minutes ago, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned its 2005 session without voting on the proposed anti-LGBT state constitutional amendment. For the second year in a row, North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast that faced an anti-gay amendment and stopped it in the legislature! We have stopped an attack on LGBT families that would not only have denied equal marraige rights to same-sex couples, but would have prohibited any form of recognition for same-sex couples. The language of the amendment was so broad it could even have prevented private employers from offering partner health benefits. This remarkable victory is made possible because of lots of hard work by Equality North Carolina, our allies, and supporters like you. Without the making a special donation to Equality NC today. We couldn't have done this without the support of people like you, and we need you to help us continue growing and expanding our political power now. Click here to make your contribution. Again, thank you for your support as we fought this attack on our families this year. Sincerely, Ian Palmquist and Ed Farthing Executive Directors Equality NC

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Interfaith Petition to the American faith community: Our God is NOT a murderer

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As many radically religious groups across America are starting to blame gays and others for God's supposed "destruction" of New Orleans, an interfaith petition to the American faith community has been started. Let the American public and faithful (and even the radical religious zealots) know who God truly is: One of mercy, love, forgiveness, acceptance, grace, kindness and justice. OUR GOD IS NOT A MURDERER http://www.petitiononline.com/katrina/petition.html

California Senate approves bill allowing marriage by same-sex couples

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According to an article on the Washington Blade, the California Senate approved a bill that would legalize marriage for same-sex couples today. The bill passed 21-15. As with so many other marriage equality debates, religion and God's "wishes" were once again invoked to keep portions of the American citizenry unequal to others. According to the article:
But Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth (R-La Mesa) suggested that a "higher power" opposed the legislation. "This is not the right thing to do," he said. "We should protect traditional marriage and hold all of those values and institutions that have made our society and keep our society together today."
The bill must now be sent to the California Assembly, where other similar bills have been defeated before. If the Assembly passes the bill it would then be sent to the Governor. ===== Do you know what would be absolutely hilarious and joyous? If California approved marriage for same-sex couples...that's what. I can just see all of the radicals squirming in their pants now: "Oh no... they're spreading... they're taking over America!" I hope they get to squirming... their era of controlling American society and culture is slowely, but surely, coming to an end.

Social Conservatives attack gay books & publications- Including one written by Winston-Salem's Maya Angelou

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According to an article on 365gay.com, social conservatives have been pushing ot have boooks and other publications with gay themes banned from public libraries across the nation. According to the article:
In the latest instance several dozen people demanded that a suburban Columbus library remove two gay publications - Outlook Weekly and Gay People's Chronicle. "Ours is a community of high standards and values," said Bruce Cameron, a 33-year resident of Upper Arlington. "The materials are lewd, salacious, lascivious - and a bunch of other big words of legal significance - but in normal parlance, disgusting, obscene and pornographic." People in the visitors gallery shouted down the board as it voted unanimously to keep the two free periodicals but place them in an area of the library where they would not be easily accessible by children.
The American Library Association says that attempts to have gay or gay themed books or publications removed have increased by more than 20% since 2004. According to the article:
Three books with gay themes were among the works most criticized - Maya Angelou's memoir "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, and "King & King," by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland.
===== One really must wonder why these radical, religious zealots, who are supposedly straight, care so much about gays. Why do they constantly fret over what the gays are doing unless they have some deep, dark secrets of their own. If they are truly as straight as they think they are then they would not be worrying so much about gays and gay sex now would they? GLBTQQ people have just as much right to the freedom of speech and freedom of the press as straight people and, yes, even as much as those radical, religious zealots. They need to back off.

UNCG PRIDE! Meeting Tonight!!!

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UNCG PRIDE!, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Straight Allied Student Association of UNCG, will meet tonight at 7:30pm in the Faculty Center on College Avenue. For more information: http://pride.uncg.edu

Repent America's Press Release concerning God's "judgment" of New Orleans

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As a reader of my blog pointed out in a comment left on the post before this, Repent America has issued an official press release on God's supposed "judgment" on the City of New Orleans. Here's the link: http://www.repentamerica.com/pr_hurricanekatrina.html I think it is absolutely hilarious how these folks seem to think they know what God thinks or what God is doing. Evidently, they must have some hotline to God because they are the ones who sent out a press release detailing what God had done to New Orleans. Trust me folks, if God wanted to let humanity know what He was thinking or doing, He wouldn't have some radically religious fringe group send out a press release for Him.