While we ponder ruining our coastlines?
If you read nothing else, at least read this piece from the Wall Street Journal that I mention down the page a bit.
But first,
"President" Bush needs to realize that concerns about the environment do not end when Americans are inconvenienced. Bush asks congress to go along with forgetting the environment.
I realize that the high gas proces ar more than an inconvenience to some, in fact, a hardship. But the Bush administration's failure to seek alternative, progressive forms of energy over the last 7 years is no excuse to endanger the fragile environs of the seas and shores.
I know it is the Republican way to be reactive rather than proactive, and this is just another example of lack of forethought (in spite of scientists and environmentalists and progressives thinking and speaking out about it for a decade).
It would probably take a decade before we saw any oil from offshore drilling. It's not like you can just go out there, insert a tap and start the flow. If we have to wait 10 years, even 5 years before we stop the escalating of gas prices that is not going to help John Q. Public.
Hopefully Congress will not fall for this "destroy the earth but help out big oil" ploy that was probably designed by Bush's oil buddies.
And flip flop McCain is just as bad, thinking this will gain him the Virginia electoral votes.
Meanwhile, why did Saudi Arabia decide to increase production recently. Maybe in return for the U. S. handing over nuclear technology to the nation with all the oil and sunsine (as in solar).
From the Wall Street Journal: In a ceremony little-noticed in this country, Ms. Rice volunteered the U.S. to assist Saudi Arabia in developing nuclear reactors, training nuclear engineers, and constructing nuclear infrastructure. While oil breaks records at $130 per barrel or more, the American consumer is footing the bill for Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions.
That was written in this opinion piece, and it just shows the whole world is screwed with Bush as the screwdriver.
Good Lord, bring us Obama!!!
The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What I am Doing to Celebrate
I probably won't post anything (but I will respond to comments) for the next couple of days, as we are making a quick trip to Palm Springs to tie the...
Oh, just kidding, but it would be nice. Actually though, the trip is to Montgomery. We are having a statewide disaster drill Tuesday in the Department of Agriculture and I will be preparing and taking part.
But isn't it a grand day as equality comes to California. Anybody, from anywhere, reading this and getting married to your same sex partner? Let me know, we will celebrate. Equality for All
for updates from California...365 Gay or L A Times
While reading the LA Times yesterday I came across this, an article about science trying to determine the origins of being gay or lesbian:
Science asks what gay looks like Well, we knew that part about size, didn't we?
Our project this week might not arouse as much curiosity, but is certainly interesting:
From the June 6, 2008 press release about what we are doing this week:
A Foreign Animal Disease is defined as an important transmissible disease of livestock or poultry believed to be absent from the United States. Foreign animal diseases are considered a threat to the United States when they significantly affect human health, or when there is appreciable cost associated with control or eradication of disease in livestock. In addition to disease control costs, the most immediate consequence of an FAD in the United States is the loss of export markets.
This particular exercise will focus on the state’s response to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
FMD is a severe, highly contagious disease of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. Humans are not affected by FMD but can carry the disease on their clothing and infect other animals. The 2001 FMD outbreak in the United Kingdom is estimated to have cost the U.K. $20 billion and their cattle market is 10 times smaller than that of the United States. The economic impact of FMD as well as the fact that it is a highly contagious disease makes the preparations to respond to FMD a main concern for the State of Alabama and the United States.
Oh, just kidding, but it would be nice. Actually though, the trip is to Montgomery. We are having a statewide disaster drill Tuesday in the Department of Agriculture and I will be preparing and taking part.
But isn't it a grand day as equality comes to California. Anybody, from anywhere, reading this and getting married to your same sex partner? Let me know, we will celebrate. Equality for All
for updates from California...365 Gay or L A Times
While reading the LA Times yesterday I came across this, an article about science trying to determine the origins of being gay or lesbian:
Science asks what gay looks like Well, we knew that part about size, didn't we?
Our project this week might not arouse as much curiosity, but is certainly interesting:
From the June 6, 2008 press release about what we are doing this week:
A Foreign Animal Disease is defined as an important transmissible disease of livestock or poultry believed to be absent from the United States. Foreign animal diseases are considered a threat to the United States when they significantly affect human health, or when there is appreciable cost associated with control or eradication of disease in livestock. In addition to disease control costs, the most immediate consequence of an FAD in the United States is the loss of export markets.
This particular exercise will focus on the state’s response to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
FMD is a severe, highly contagious disease of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. Humans are not affected by FMD but can carry the disease on their clothing and infect other animals. The 2001 FMD outbreak in the United Kingdom is estimated to have cost the U.K. $20 billion and their cattle market is 10 times smaller than that of the United States. The economic impact of FMD as well as the fact that it is a highly contagious disease makes the preparations to respond to FMD a main concern for the State of Alabama and the United States.
Friday, June 13, 2008
When Jesus Met a Gay Man
I put this on my myspace page a few years ago and probably would not have thought to post it here but then Darryl came along. Darryl has been posting comments on a previous post ( Vote Today... ) about my views on religion and sexuality and he wrote, "There is nothing in the Bible that supports the gay lifestyle. Not a single verse..."
Now Darryl, unlike some of the people placing comments in the past, is cordial, seems intelligent, and is able to carry on a conversation in writing without resorting to screaming and name calling. However, he is wrong. And what he wrote sounded like a challenge.
I could have paraphrased this, but the authors do such a good job and I didn't want to mess up their logical progression of their case.
When Jesus met a Gay Man
An excerpt from The Children Are Free by Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley. Emphasis is mine.
From our days in Sunday School, many of us are familiar with the Gospel story where Jesus healed the servant of a Roman centurion. The story is recorded in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. In Matthew, we are told that the centurion came to Jesus to plead for the healing of his servant. Jesus said he was willing to come to the centurion's house, but the centurion said there was no need for Jesus to do so. He believed that if Jesus simply spoke the word, his servant would be healed. Marveling at the man's faith, Jesus pronounced the servant healed. Luke tells a similar story.
Just another miracle story, right? Not on your life!
In the original language, the importance of this story for gay, lesbian and bisexual Christians is much clearer. The Greek word used in Matthews account to refer to the servant of the centurion is pais. In the language of the time, pais had three possible meanings depending upon the context in which it was used. It could mean son or boy; it could mean servant, or it could mean a particular type of servant one who was his masters male lover. (footnote18) Often these lovers were younger than their masters, even teenagers.
To our modern minds, the idea of buying a teen lover seems repugnant. But we have to place this in the context of ancient cultural norms. In ancient times, commercial transactions were the predominant means of forming relationships. Under the law, the wife was viewed as the property of the husband, with a status just above that of a slave. Moreover, in Jesus' day, a boy or girl was considered of marriageable age upon reaching his or her early teens. It was not uncommon for boys and girls to marry at age 14 or 15. (footnote19) Nor was it uncommon for an older man to marry a young girl. Fortunately civilization has advanced, but these were the norms in the culture of Jesus day.
In that culture, if you were a gay man who wanted a male spouse, you achieved this, like your heterosexual counterparts, through a commercial transaction purchasing someone to serve that purpose. A servant purchased to serve this purpose was often called a pais.
The word boy in English offers a rough comparison. Like pais, the word boy can be used to refer to a male child. But in the slave South in the nineteenth century, boy was also often used to refer to male slaves. The term boy can also be used as a term of endearment. For example, Jeff's father often refers to his mother as his girl. He doesn't mean that she is a child, but rather that she is his special one. The term boy can be used in the same way, as in my boy or my beau. In ancient Greek, pais had a similar range of meanings.
Thus, when this term was used, the listener had to consider the context of the statement to determine which meaning was intended. Some modern Christians may be tempted to simply declare by fiat that the Gospels could not possibly have used the term pais in the sense of male lover, end of discussion. But that would be yielding to prejudice. We must let the word of God speak for itself, even if it leads us to an uncomfortable destination.
Is it possible the pais referred to in Matthew 8 and Luke 7 was the roman centurion's male lover? Lets look at the biblical evidence.
The Bible provides three key pieces of textual and circumstantial evidence. First, in the Luke passage, several additional Greek words are used to describe the one who is sick. Luke says this pais was the centurion's entimos duolos. The word duolos is a generic term for slave, and was never used in ancient Greek to describe a son/boy. Thus, Luke's account rules out the possibility the sick person was the centurion's son; his use of duolos makes clear this was a slave. However, Luke also takes care for indicate this was no ordinary slave. The word entimos means honored. This was an honored slave (entimos duolos) who was his master's pais. Taken together, the three Greek words preclude the possibility the sick person was either the centurion's son or an ordinary slave, leaving only one viable option: he was his master's male lover. (footnote20)
A second piece of evidence is found in verse 9 of Mathew's account. In the course of expressing his faith in Jesus' power to heal by simply speaking, the centurion says, "When I tell my slave to do something, he does it." By extension, the centurion concludes that Jesus is also able to issue a remote verbal command that must be carried out. When speaking of his slaves, the centurion uses the word duolos. But when speaking of the one he is asking Jesus to heal, he uses only pais. In other words, when he is quoted in Matthew, the centurion uses pais only when referring to the sick person. He uses a different word, doulos, when speaking of his other slaves, as if to offer a distinction. (In Luke, it is others, not the centurion, who call the sick one an entimos duolos.) Again, the clear implication is that the sick man was no ordinary slave. And when pais was used to describe a servant who was not an ordinary slave, it meant only one thing: a slave who was the master's male lover.
The third piece of evidence is circumstantial. In the Gospels, we have many examples of people seeking healing for themselves or for family members. But this story is the only example of someone seeking healing for a slave. The actions described are made even more remarkable by the fact that this was a proud Roman centurion (the conqueror/oppressor) who was humbling himself and pleading with a Jewish rabbi (the conquered/oppressed) to heal his slave. The extraordinary lengths to which this man went to seek healing for his slave is much more understandable, from a psychological perspective, if the slave was his beloved companion.
Thus, all the textual and circumstantial evidence in the Gospels points in one direction. For objective observers, the conclusion is inescapable: in this story Jesus healed a man's male lover. When understood this way, the story takes on a whole new dimension.
Imagine how it may have happened. While stationed in Palestine, the centurion's pais becomes ill experiencing some type of life threatening paralysis. The centurion will stop at nothing to save him. Perhaps a friend tells him of rumors of Jesus' healing powers. Perhaps this friend also tells him Jesus is unusually open to foreigners, teaching his followers that they should love their enemies, even Roman soldiers. So the centurion decides to take a chance. Jesus was his only hope.
As he made his way to Jesus, he probably worried about the possibility that Jesus, like other Jewish rabbis, would take a dim view of his homosexual relationship. Perhaps he even considered lying. He could simply use the word duolos. That would have been accurate, as far as it went. But the centurion probably figured if Jesus was powerful enough to heal his lover, he was also powerful enough to see through any half-truths.
So the centurion approaches Jesus and bows before him. "Rabbi", my the word gets caught in his throat. This is it the moment of truth. Either Jesus will turn away in disgust, or something wonderful will happen. So, the centurion clears his throat and speaks again. "Rabbi, my pais, yes, my pais, lies at home sick unto death." Then he pauses and waits for a second that must have seemed like an eternity. The crowd of good, God fearing people surrounding Jesus probably became tense. This was like a gay man asking a televangelist to heal his lover. What would Jesus do?
Without hesitation, Jesus says, "Then I will come and heal him."
Its that simple! Jesus didn't say, "Are you kidding? I'm not going to heal your pais so you can go on living in sin!" Nor did he say, "Well, it shouldn't surprise you that your pais is sick; this is God's judgment on your relationship".
Instead, Jesus' words are simple, clear and liberating for all who have worried about what God thinks of gay relationships. "I will come and heal him."
At this point, the centurion says there is no need for Jesus to travel to his home. He has faith that Jesus' word is sufficient. Jesus then turns to the good people standing around him those who were already dumbfounded that he was willing to heal this man's male lover. To them, Jesus says in verse 10 of Matthews account, "I have not found faith this great anywhere in Israel." In other words, Jesus holds up this gay centurion as an example of the type of faith others should aspire to.
Jesus didn't just tolerate this gay centurion. He said he was an example of faith someone we all should strive to be like.
Then, just so the good, God-fearing people wouldn't miss the point, Jesus speaks again in verse 11: "I tell you, many will come from the east and the west (i.e., beyond the borders of Israel) to find a seat in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs (i.e., those considered likely to inherit heaven) will be thrown into outer darkness." By this statement Jesus affirmed that many others like this gay centurion, those who come from beyond the assumed boundaries of God's grace are going to be admitted to the kingdom of heaven. And he also warned that many who think themselves the most likely to be admitted will be left out.
With this story, we rest our case. Who could ask for more? In this story, Jesus restores a gay relationship by a miracle of healing and then holds up a gay man as an example of faith for all to follow. What more do our fundamentalist friends want? Who is Lord? Jesus or cultural prejudice?
Footnotes:
18. K. J. Dover, Greek Homosexuality (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978), page 16; Bernard Sergent, Homosexuality in Greek Myth (Beacon Press, Boston, 1986), page 10.
19. Mercer Dictionary of the Bible (Mercer University Press, Macon, 1994), page 554.
20. For an excellent and thorough discussion of the terms pais and entimos duolos in these two gospel accounts, see Donald Mader's article The Entimos Pais of Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10, (Source: Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy, Harland Publishing, Inc, New York, 1998).
*****************************************************************************************************
If you have made it this far, you may want to read more. The book is The Children are Free, by Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley, published by Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. Jesus MCC. Or just ask. I will loan you the book.
Now Darryl, unlike some of the people placing comments in the past, is cordial, seems intelligent, and is able to carry on a conversation in writing without resorting to screaming and name calling. However, he is wrong. And what he wrote sounded like a challenge.
I could have paraphrased this, but the authors do such a good job and I didn't want to mess up their logical progression of their case.
When Jesus met a Gay Man
An excerpt from The Children Are Free by Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley. Emphasis is mine.
From our days in Sunday School, many of us are familiar with the Gospel story where Jesus healed the servant of a Roman centurion. The story is recorded in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. In Matthew, we are told that the centurion came to Jesus to plead for the healing of his servant. Jesus said he was willing to come to the centurion's house, but the centurion said there was no need for Jesus to do so. He believed that if Jesus simply spoke the word, his servant would be healed. Marveling at the man's faith, Jesus pronounced the servant healed. Luke tells a similar story.
Just another miracle story, right? Not on your life!
In the original language, the importance of this story for gay, lesbian and bisexual Christians is much clearer. The Greek word used in Matthews account to refer to the servant of the centurion is pais. In the language of the time, pais had three possible meanings depending upon the context in which it was used. It could mean son or boy; it could mean servant, or it could mean a particular type of servant one who was his masters male lover. (footnote18) Often these lovers were younger than their masters, even teenagers.
To our modern minds, the idea of buying a teen lover seems repugnant. But we have to place this in the context of ancient cultural norms. In ancient times, commercial transactions were the predominant means of forming relationships. Under the law, the wife was viewed as the property of the husband, with a status just above that of a slave. Moreover, in Jesus' day, a boy or girl was considered of marriageable age upon reaching his or her early teens. It was not uncommon for boys and girls to marry at age 14 or 15. (footnote19) Nor was it uncommon for an older man to marry a young girl. Fortunately civilization has advanced, but these were the norms in the culture of Jesus day.
In that culture, if you were a gay man who wanted a male spouse, you achieved this, like your heterosexual counterparts, through a commercial transaction purchasing someone to serve that purpose. A servant purchased to serve this purpose was often called a pais.
The word boy in English offers a rough comparison. Like pais, the word boy can be used to refer to a male child. But in the slave South in the nineteenth century, boy was also often used to refer to male slaves. The term boy can also be used as a term of endearment. For example, Jeff's father often refers to his mother as his girl. He doesn't mean that she is a child, but rather that she is his special one. The term boy can be used in the same way, as in my boy or my beau. In ancient Greek, pais had a similar range of meanings.
Thus, when this term was used, the listener had to consider the context of the statement to determine which meaning was intended. Some modern Christians may be tempted to simply declare by fiat that the Gospels could not possibly have used the term pais in the sense of male lover, end of discussion. But that would be yielding to prejudice. We must let the word of God speak for itself, even if it leads us to an uncomfortable destination.
Is it possible the pais referred to in Matthew 8 and Luke 7 was the roman centurion's male lover? Lets look at the biblical evidence.
The Bible provides three key pieces of textual and circumstantial evidence. First, in the Luke passage, several additional Greek words are used to describe the one who is sick. Luke says this pais was the centurion's entimos duolos. The word duolos is a generic term for slave, and was never used in ancient Greek to describe a son/boy. Thus, Luke's account rules out the possibility the sick person was the centurion's son; his use of duolos makes clear this was a slave. However, Luke also takes care for indicate this was no ordinary slave. The word entimos means honored. This was an honored slave (entimos duolos) who was his master's pais. Taken together, the three Greek words preclude the possibility the sick person was either the centurion's son or an ordinary slave, leaving only one viable option: he was his master's male lover. (footnote20)
A second piece of evidence is found in verse 9 of Mathew's account. In the course of expressing his faith in Jesus' power to heal by simply speaking, the centurion says, "When I tell my slave to do something, he does it." By extension, the centurion concludes that Jesus is also able to issue a remote verbal command that must be carried out. When speaking of his slaves, the centurion uses the word duolos. But when speaking of the one he is asking Jesus to heal, he uses only pais. In other words, when he is quoted in Matthew, the centurion uses pais only when referring to the sick person. He uses a different word, doulos, when speaking of his other slaves, as if to offer a distinction. (In Luke, it is others, not the centurion, who call the sick one an entimos duolos.) Again, the clear implication is that the sick man was no ordinary slave. And when pais was used to describe a servant who was not an ordinary slave, it meant only one thing: a slave who was the master's male lover.
The third piece of evidence is circumstantial. In the Gospels, we have many examples of people seeking healing for themselves or for family members. But this story is the only example of someone seeking healing for a slave. The actions described are made even more remarkable by the fact that this was a proud Roman centurion (the conqueror/oppressor) who was humbling himself and pleading with a Jewish rabbi (the conquered/oppressed) to heal his slave. The extraordinary lengths to which this man went to seek healing for his slave is much more understandable, from a psychological perspective, if the slave was his beloved companion.
Thus, all the textual and circumstantial evidence in the Gospels points in one direction. For objective observers, the conclusion is inescapable: in this story Jesus healed a man's male lover. When understood this way, the story takes on a whole new dimension.
Imagine how it may have happened. While stationed in Palestine, the centurion's pais becomes ill experiencing some type of life threatening paralysis. The centurion will stop at nothing to save him. Perhaps a friend tells him of rumors of Jesus' healing powers. Perhaps this friend also tells him Jesus is unusually open to foreigners, teaching his followers that they should love their enemies, even Roman soldiers. So the centurion decides to take a chance. Jesus was his only hope.
As he made his way to Jesus, he probably worried about the possibility that Jesus, like other Jewish rabbis, would take a dim view of his homosexual relationship. Perhaps he even considered lying. He could simply use the word duolos. That would have been accurate, as far as it went. But the centurion probably figured if Jesus was powerful enough to heal his lover, he was also powerful enough to see through any half-truths.
So the centurion approaches Jesus and bows before him. "Rabbi", my the word gets caught in his throat. This is it the moment of truth. Either Jesus will turn away in disgust, or something wonderful will happen. So, the centurion clears his throat and speaks again. "Rabbi, my pais, yes, my pais, lies at home sick unto death." Then he pauses and waits for a second that must have seemed like an eternity. The crowd of good, God fearing people surrounding Jesus probably became tense. This was like a gay man asking a televangelist to heal his lover. What would Jesus do?
Without hesitation, Jesus says, "Then I will come and heal him."
Its that simple! Jesus didn't say, "Are you kidding? I'm not going to heal your pais so you can go on living in sin!" Nor did he say, "Well, it shouldn't surprise you that your pais is sick; this is God's judgment on your relationship".
Instead, Jesus' words are simple, clear and liberating for all who have worried about what God thinks of gay relationships. "I will come and heal him."
At this point, the centurion says there is no need for Jesus to travel to his home. He has faith that Jesus' word is sufficient. Jesus then turns to the good people standing around him those who were already dumbfounded that he was willing to heal this man's male lover. To them, Jesus says in verse 10 of Matthews account, "I have not found faith this great anywhere in Israel." In other words, Jesus holds up this gay centurion as an example of the type of faith others should aspire to.
Jesus didn't just tolerate this gay centurion. He said he was an example of faith someone we all should strive to be like.
Then, just so the good, God-fearing people wouldn't miss the point, Jesus speaks again in verse 11: "I tell you, many will come from the east and the west (i.e., beyond the borders of Israel) to find a seat in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs (i.e., those considered likely to inherit heaven) will be thrown into outer darkness." By this statement Jesus affirmed that many others like this gay centurion, those who come from beyond the assumed boundaries of God's grace are going to be admitted to the kingdom of heaven. And he also warned that many who think themselves the most likely to be admitted will be left out.
With this story, we rest our case. Who could ask for more? In this story, Jesus restores a gay relationship by a miracle of healing and then holds up a gay man as an example of faith for all to follow. What more do our fundamentalist friends want? Who is Lord? Jesus or cultural prejudice?
Footnotes:
18. K. J. Dover, Greek Homosexuality (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978), page 16; Bernard Sergent, Homosexuality in Greek Myth (Beacon Press, Boston, 1986), page 10.
19. Mercer Dictionary of the Bible (Mercer University Press, Macon, 1994), page 554.
20. For an excellent and thorough discussion of the terms pais and entimos duolos in these two gospel accounts, see Donald Mader's article The Entimos Pais of Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10, (Source: Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy, Harland Publishing, Inc, New York, 1998).
*****************************************************************************************************
If you have made it this far, you may want to read more. The book is The Children are Free, by Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley, published by Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. Jesus MCC. Or just ask. I will loan you the book.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hate Crime in South Carolina No Big Deal
Sean Kennedy was killed in May 2007 by Stephen Moller, of that there is no doubt. But Moller will only spend about two and a half years in prison for the crime. His sentence is a whopping three years, but he gets credit for time served. In South Carolina, cock fighting lands a harsher sentence.
Sean was openly gay.
In Alabama, there is no hate crimes law either, and Alabama justice is no better. But at least since that post the Alabama House of Representatives did pass a hate crimes bill, only to see it die (it was ignored, caused by a filibuster) in the Senate. But we made progress. Let's hope progress continues... for Sean in South Carolina, and for Scotty Joe, Billy Jack and the others in Alabama.
Sean was openly gay.
Moller punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground and causing a fatal head injury.
Moller claims he didn't know Sean was gay, but an openly gay kid in town who particpates in pride and frequents the same bars...that's hard to believe. Plus there's this.
The warrant issued soon after the crime alleged that the assault was motivated by the fact that Kennedy was gay.
Moller made a phone call shortly after the crime and here is a transcript from MSNBC: "Hey. (laughter) Whoa stop. (laughter) Hey, I was just wondering how your boyfriend's feeling right about now. (laughter) (??) knocked the f--- out. (laughter). The f---ing faggot. He ought to never stick his mother-f---ing nose (??) Where are you going? Just a minute. (laughter). Yea boy, your boy is knocked out, man. The mother-------. Tell him he owes me $500.00 for breaking my god---- hand on his teeth that f---ing bitch"
He calls the person on the phone "man" and refers to Sean as the listeners "boyfriend."
South Carolina doesn't have a hate crimes law.
Moller will spend two and a half years in prison. Under South Carolina law, felony ill treatment of animals (torture or killing) is punishable by up to five years in prison. Cockfighting can land you three years in prison, plus a fine, a stiffer sentence than killing a gay kid, according to South Carolina Equality.
Elke Kennedy, Sean's mother, said "There was no justice today for Sean. The sentence that Stephen Moller received, in my opinion, is a joke and a slap on the wrist. Once again, it proves that in South Carolina there is no justice."
"I understand that the judge had to sentence according to the plea agreement and the existing restrictions under the law. But it doesn't make it any easier for me. Our judicial system, in my opinion, is a joke."
"Our solicitor invited me to help him with the changing these laws. Well, Mr. Ariail, I am here and I am willing."
"I will still continue to push to get laws changed so no other mother has to stand here to tell you the same things," she said.
In Alabama, there is no hate crimes law either, and Alabama justice is no better. But at least since that post the Alabama House of Representatives did pass a hate crimes bill, only to see it die (it was ignored, caused by a filibuster) in the Senate. But we made progress. Let's hope progress continues... for Sean in South Carolina, and for Scotty Joe, Billy Jack and the others in Alabama.
You see, in Birmingham last weekend a thousand people particpated in the Pride Parade, many of them young like Sean. Every one of those parade participants walked by a sign saying that gay are "Worthy of Death." There were other signs, too, but that one sticks out in my mind.
Worthy of Death. Aside from the fact that we are all going to die, displaying a sign like that only serves to encourage people like Stephen Moller and Christopher Gaines, whether they have carefully planned their crime or are caught up in emotion or drunk, "worthy of death" is now in their twisted mind, and to them, the killing is justified.
And it may not be that particular sign. It can be hateful language from the pulpit, or from a "pro-family" organization or such.
Someone tried to post a link to a group that encourages hatred toward gays on yesterday's blog and I removed it. Read the comments from yesterday to learn more about that.
Stop the hatred, that's all I'm saying.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Obama and Christian Leaders
Barack Obama met with Christian leaders, including Bishop T. D. Jakes, Rich Cizik (vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals), Rev. Franklin Graham and others.
Graham, son of Billy Graham, found the senator "impressive" and "warm".
Cizik said the issues discussed Tuesday included "protecting the traditional family, same-sex marriage, gay rights, religious freedom, genocide, poverty and hunger in America, and how we might even improve America's standing in the world."
He said he told Obama: "Religious Americans want to know why is it you love this country and what it stands for and how we can make it better."
Cizik said participants agreed not to give specifics of Obama's responses to their questions, but that "there was nothing softball about this meeting and that's the way he said he wanted it."
Cizik also stresses that this was not a meeting of people endorsing Obama, just a learning experience, I guess.
Article
You know, its OK to be religious and support Obama. Christianity is, in spite of what some think, and in spite of how the media often portrays it, made up of a diverse group of beliefs and followers, and Barack Obama is, a Christian.
It is not like the United Church of Christ is way out there or anything. It is considered a "mainline Protestant denomination" with about 1.2 million members . Surveys show that some of their congregations are very progressive, some are very conservative and most are middle of the road. Their beliefs and practices are certainly no more controversial than, say, the Catholics (who previously had denied one of the attendees at Obama's meeting communion because he has endorsed Obama) or Southern Baptists (who are still struggling with how to suppress women..."To consider churches with women senior pastors to not be "in friendly cooperation" with the denomination" is a proposal they are considering for next years convention. Plus there's that whole "submit graciously" thing).
Anyway, United Church of Christ began a campaign a few years ago, based on the quote "Never place a period where God has placed a comma" meaning God is still speaking. Remember this ad that was banned from some tv networks:
The "Bouncers" ad allowed the white, straight (appearing) couple and their children into church, but denied the African American, the gay couple, the disabled and the Latino entrance. Then it shows the text "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."
They followed this with the "Ejector Seat" ad, in which certain people are "ejected" from church and states "God doesn't reject people. Neither do we. The United Church of Christ: No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."
This is not an endorsement of the United Church of Christ, rather a suggestion that all Christians seek an understanding of God's inclusiveness and reject the exclusionary policies that many churches practice. After all, it is kind of ridiculous to believe in God's creation but to place higher value on those members of creation that are just like oneself and a lesser value on those who are different. But that is exactly what sexism, racism and homophobia practiced by some churches are doing.
No wonder membership is down among most denominations. American people are more interested in uniting around stopping genocide and war, enviromental issues, and human rights than in the divisive messages we hear from some church leaders. Start doing something that really helps the world and your membership might grow.
Oh, and vote for Obama.
Graham, son of Billy Graham, found the senator "impressive" and "warm".
Cizik said the issues discussed Tuesday included "protecting the traditional family, same-sex marriage, gay rights, religious freedom, genocide, poverty and hunger in America, and how we might even improve America's standing in the world."
He said he told Obama: "Religious Americans want to know why is it you love this country and what it stands for and how we can make it better."
Cizik said participants agreed not to give specifics of Obama's responses to their questions, but that "there was nothing softball about this meeting and that's the way he said he wanted it."
Cizik also stresses that this was not a meeting of people endorsing Obama, just a learning experience, I guess.
Article
You know, its OK to be religious and support Obama. Christianity is, in spite of what some think, and in spite of how the media often portrays it, made up of a diverse group of beliefs and followers, and Barack Obama is, a Christian.
It is not like the United Church of Christ is way out there or anything. It is considered a "mainline Protestant denomination" with about 1.2 million members . Surveys show that some of their congregations are very progressive, some are very conservative and most are middle of the road. Their beliefs and practices are certainly no more controversial than, say, the Catholics (who previously had denied one of the attendees at Obama's meeting communion because he has endorsed Obama) or Southern Baptists (who are still struggling with how to suppress women..."To consider churches with women senior pastors to not be "in friendly cooperation" with the denomination" is a proposal they are considering for next years convention. Plus there's that whole "submit graciously" thing).
Anyway, United Church of Christ began a campaign a few years ago, based on the quote "Never place a period where God has placed a comma" meaning God is still speaking. Remember this ad that was banned from some tv networks:
The "Bouncers" ad allowed the white, straight (appearing) couple and their children into church, but denied the African American, the gay couple, the disabled and the Latino entrance. Then it shows the text "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."
They followed this with the "Ejector Seat" ad, in which certain people are "ejected" from church and states "God doesn't reject people. Neither do we. The United Church of Christ: No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."
This is not an endorsement of the United Church of Christ, rather a suggestion that all Christians seek an understanding of God's inclusiveness and reject the exclusionary policies that many churches practice. After all, it is kind of ridiculous to believe in God's creation but to place higher value on those members of creation that are just like oneself and a lesser value on those who are different. But that is exactly what sexism, racism and homophobia practiced by some churches are doing.
No wonder membership is down among most denominations. American people are more interested in uniting around stopping genocide and war, enviromental issues, and human rights than in the divisive messages we hear from some church leaders. Start doing something that really helps the world and your membership might grow.
Oh, and vote for Obama.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Here comes Barack!
Check out Alabama Stonewall Democrats new myspace page and become a friend. Alabama Stonewall
We also have a Facebook group, Alabama Stonewall Democrats, that we invite you to join. Both of these sites are new, and we are growing and updating things almost daily, so visit frequently.
Sunday Alabama Democratic Party executive Director Jim Spearman told me that the Barack Obama campaign said in a conference call on Friday that they would be putting campaign staff in every state. That includes Alabama, and the presumptive location will be Birmingham.
While I think it is entirely possible for Obama to carry Alabama ( Hey, I thought Kerry could too) I am not sure the campaign thinks that. What I do know, however, is that if Obama is spending money here, it helps in three ways.
- Spending money here forces McCain to spend money here. That draws money away from his campaign in other states, states that might be more of a toss-up.
- Spending money here and running a campaign here generates excitement for the party and will help other democratic candidates (such as Vivian Figures) get votes (and money).
- Running a campaign here will help to maintain the excitement among young voters who supported him in the Alabama primary, and keeping them engaged will result in higher voter turnout among young people in November.
I wonder if Barack Obama himself will come to the Alabama headquarters to speak to local staff and volunteers. He spoke to his campaign staff in Chicago a few days ago...you know, he had more people in his campaign office than John McCain had at the event in Kenner the other day.
If you are planning to help in this campaign (and you should), watch this video. It is kind of long, but pretend you are one of the volunteers or staff members he is speaking to, and then be ready to roll.
Here is what the campaign says about campaigning in every state:
Our presidential campaign will be the first in a generation to deploy and maintain staff in every single state.
We need to expand our base to register new voters and reach out to Independents and Republicans in every part of the country. And we need to overcome the three-month head start that John McCain has had to raise money and build support.
You can help take our campaign for change to all 50 states.
Make a matching donation now and double your impact
I want to urge you to make a donation, because your donation will be matched by a fellow supporter, thus doubling what you contribute.
Donate to Barack here and double your contribution.
There is so much at risk if we let this opportunity slip by.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Beauties of Pride
Part of Pridefest is entertainment by local and not local performers. These girls are all locals, I believe, and appear regularly at local clubs, although I didn't catch the name of each.
Sorry for the anonymity, girls.
This picture was actually taken Saturday night, amongst the bubbles. How beautiful.
Here is Libertee Belle, thrilling the audience as usual. At the end of her performance, she threw off her hat and wig...to the delight of everyone.
More entertainment
Wow. I mean...WOW
In a hurry
Look at those...heels!
How pretty!
Sorry for the anonymity, girls.
This picture was actually taken Saturday night, amongst the bubbles. How beautiful.
Here is Libertee Belle, thrilling the audience as usual. At the end of her performance, she threw off her hat and wig...to the delight of everyone.
More entertainment
Wow. I mean...WOW
In a hurry
Look at those...heels!
How pretty!
These are but a few of the entertainers, as I spent much of the afternoon manning the booth. Next year I plan to recruit others to work the table and catch more of the entertainment.
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