Western Tribune column October 14, 2009, war memorials

I am adding some pictures from my recent trip to DC to this column. For pictures from the National Equality March see my (first) article about the event here.

Western Tribune column

While in the nation’s capital I was able to revisit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and to visit for the first time the National World War II Memorial.

Having grown up during the Vietnam War I feel fortunate that none of my close friends or older brothers died in that conflict. But like most Americans who are old enough I remember watching day after day the news reports about the conflict, and anyone of my generation can’t help but be moved knowing that so many our lives were affected by it.

Nearby the more recently constructed National World War II Memorial stands as a testament to those of my father’s generation who fought and gave their lives to protect our freedoms. Water and structure combine to reflect the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of that war, and there is too much imagery to describe in this column.



But one aspect of the memorial deserves mention. On the walls are bas relief depictions of various aspects of the war effort in both Europe and the Pacific. On the Atlantic side the progression ends with a scene in which the American forces and the Russian forces meet with a handshake in Germany.

It is an interesting scene in light of the commie scare coming from a letter writer who claims that communists were accumulating in the State Department “from before World War II until today because of our support of Russia and her leaders.”

While cooperation between the United States and Russia was necessary to defeat the Germans it can hardly be said that we have supported Russia in all the years since. Ever hear of the “Cold War”?

I shouldn’t be wasting my time trying to refute someone who re-writes history to fit their agenda.

Over the weekend President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Everyone, including the president’s staff, was caught off guard with this recognition, and some are saying it’s a little early for a peace prize seeing how the president has yet to decide whether to ramp up the effort in Afghanistan or begin to bring the troops home.

But those who voted for that award are recognizing Obama’s commitment to peaceful solutions where possible. We will have to wait and see what he decides for Afghanistan.

And in a few decades, I suppose my children will be visiting a memorial commemorating the efforts in that war and the Iraq war.

Seen around Bessemer

The modern day McCarthiest is still after me but I don't have time to fool with the fool today. It's a busy day, here are some pictures taken around Bessemer Wednesday, and a fun video.

Lots of these buttons around. With the Birmingham elections over (congratulations Johnathan Austin)this runoff for district 56 is all that's left to watch. In the unofficial unscientific Bessemer Opinions poll, Mitchell is winning hands down. Expect a low turnout and a win by Mitchell when the runoff occurs in November.

The building I mentioned the other day is still being torn down, I didn't think it would take this long. I have since learned the history of the building (thanks, you know who you are). The White Hardware Building was built in 1940 and originally housed Hill Grocery. It later housed Western Auto and White’s True Value Hardware.



I also got word that the burned out building I pictured the other day at 20th and 4th will begin to come down in a day or two.

This is the intermodal facility in Bessemer. The one that was developed and built with no controversy.



Bessemer is not all urban and industrial. We have a bit of rurality (?) too. This old grocery sits on the outskirts of town. You probably have seen it. It appears to straddle a creek. Interesting.



This video is great. A fun weekend for gays is coming up. So for fun, watch John, Jeffrey, Adam, Chris, the other Chris and Brian in Asbury Park during Labor Day 2009. Oh, and Whitney. You ladies can enjoy this too, but sorry... Thanks, guys. $ Million Dollar Bill $

Western Tribune column October 7, 2009 GLBT Equality

Be sure to read my report on NFL players supporting gay equality on Examiner.

This is my column from today's Western Tribune. Is this the most "gay equality promoting" column ever printed in an Alabama newspaper by a regular columnist? Maybe.

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Western Tribune October 7, 2009

I’ve had a good laugh all week after reading another letter in this paper. The phrase “gay or lesbian homosexuals” caught my eye.

As a knowledgeable gay person it made me wonder who the letter writer was referring to. I didn’t know there were any homosexuals who are not gay or lesbian.

This is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) History Month and this weekend tens of thousands of people are expected in the nation’s capital to march for equality. This will be the fifth national rally for gay equality, prior marches having taken place in 1979, 1987, 1993, and 2000.

The first protest in Washington DC for gay rights was in 1965 when about ten local men and women picketed with signs in front of the White House after several were fired from federal positions for being gay or lesbian.

But the most notable political rally in Washington was probably the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom during which Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Just as the political climate was right in 1963 for national progress on civil rights, the leaders in Washington today all support GLBT equality. In some ways, this march is a celebration of what we expect to come, but more so it is a reminder to those leaders to get on the ball.

Recently Congressman John Lewis was the keynote speaker at Equality Weekend in Birmingham. He recounted some of his personal history in the struggle for civil rights, including being injured here in Alabama, his home state. He equated the fight for GLBT equality to the fight for civil rights. “You cannot wait. You cannot be patient. You want your freedom and you want it now,” he said.

He also said it is not the business of the state or federal government to regulate who should marry whom. One day, he said, we will look back and laugh at ourselves because “the stars didn’t fall over Alabama because people fell in love and got married.”

NAACP chairman Julian Bond has endorsed this march and will be one of the speakers. "GLBT rights are civil rights; there are no 'special rights' in America. Everyone has rights - or should have - and I am happy to join in this battle for justice and fairness," he explained.

Full equality, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is all we ask.

Olympic Spirit

Anyone that follows me knows how much I appreciate the Olympics, and not just for the good looking athletes, although that helps. One would think that everyone would appreciate the Olympic spirit and would root for the United States to bring the games here.

Giddy Rush Limbaugh practically had an orgasm when the United States was eliminated, and other Republicans could hardly contain themselves as well. Both can be seen in this video.




Meanwhile, wingnut "ex-gay" pretender James Hartline says that Chicago lost the games because of "Chicago's demonic gay agenda."

That's funny, because Rio, where the 2016 Olympics will be held, has one of the largest gay pride events in the world.

They have a huge parade with plenty of dancing boys.



The southern state of Rio Grande do Sul recognizes same-sex relationships with civil unions and their president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is gay friendly and is pushing for a national partnership law. Here you can read about Brazil and other Latin America countries and their status on equality.

It is unpatriotic to cheer against the United States. Oh, but Republicans don't care about the United States. They only care about teabagging the president and watching the country fail, and keeping the uninsured that way and oh, yeah, boosting the profits of insurance companies.

Religion and Spirituality

Parade magazine released a survey of our spiritual and religious values and the results are quite interesting.

Here are the complete results of the poll.

Here is Parade's article.

Below are the highlights.

Only 45% consider themselves religious. 24% consider themselves spiritual but not religious.

38% are less religious than their parents.

59% believe that all religions have validity. Only 12% believe their religion is the only true religion.

Only 53% think the world would be worse off without religion.

Only 30% attend religious services once a week or more. 50% rarely or never.

76% say their faith has not been affected during the current economic situation.

58% say religion and politics should not mix.

43% believe we go to heaven or hell after we die depending on our actions on earth.

62% expect to contact loved ones after they die.

I've posted Brett Dennen video's before, but this seems like a good place to replay "Heaven." Recently Brett re-recorded the song with Natalie Merchant.

"Whatever faith you practice, whatever you believe..." Brett's lyrics mirror the American public's beliefs.

BessOps: The Sex Issue

I get a lot of email (in addition to the comments posted on this blog) about the subjects I cover. My readers seem to be obsessed with sex...I guess most Americans are. I mean, even Jerry Falwell and Jesse Helms talked about gay sex so much that one begins to wonder. Oh, but that creates bad mental images.

So, I know people want to know what I think about David Letterman. Kevin Jennings. Roman Polanski.

David Letterman admitted to having sex with women who worked on his show, after an extortion attempt regarding the relationships was uncovered.





It is no surprise that people in workplaces develop relationships and that sometimes these become sexual. We don't know what the circumstances were...if the relationships were mutually respectful, if coercion or harassment was involved, or what. So it's too soon to judge Letterman.

But I do wonder about the audience that laughed and applauded at the admission.

Kevin Jennings is the assistant deputy secretary of Safe and Drug Free Schools in the Department of Education.




He wants to prevent bullying and harassment and that kind of thing. He's come under fire, first because he is gay (right wing groups began targeting him before the current controversy began), then because he counseled a high school student who had sex with an older man and didn't report it.

Jennings says that was 21 years ago and that back then teachers had little training on how to handle those situations. But here is something that has been left out of the story. The student was of legal age when it happened. In Massachusetts, the legal age was, and still is, 16 years of age, and that is how old the kid was. So, there was nothing to report. Jennings is fine. Let him do his job.



Roman Polanski made good movies. Roman Polanski appears to have been a predator, I don't know all the facts. But there are certain legal proceedings that one subjects themselves to when they do illegal things, and he ran from these proceedings and has "served his time" in the South of France.

I don't think justice has been served. But, apparently the victim does not want the issue brought up again. So where do they go from here? I don't know. And France, to me, would not be a punishment. But to conservatives in this country, I guess France is a punishment, so there you go.

And I do know that Roman Polanski made great movies. Remember this scene from Rosemary's Baby? Don't watch if you haven't seen the movie. Rent it!

Hot in the chamber...in Bessemer and in DC

I'm not going to create a long post on the City Council meeting in Bessemer last night. I'll leave that to the "illegitimate tabloid" and the other local newsflyer.

But here are some highlights.

"Council shouldn't be co-mingling with employees."

What smart-alec came up with the idea of changing the lock."

"My pacifying days are over."

"I will take your little tail across the street."

"And you call yourself a preacher."

"You're filibustering."

"There is no common area in the clerk's office."

This was an embarrassment to the city of Bessemer. There were people there from other cities who were disgusted at the way our city officials behaved. I asked one visitor if she had ever seen a body as dysfunctional as that and she replied "Yes," she used to live in Meridian, Mississippi.

This was her first time to a Bessemer meeting, she came because of the dog issue. It was the first time she heard the mayor lie (about the legality of BINGO, for one, about the dogs never being without food, for two), but we are getting used to it. Next summer can not get here quickly enough. I could skip the beautiful fall weather, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the spring flowers and the Final Four and a trip to the beach next June if it would get us to the city elections quicker.

But I guess I will have to wait.

The animal issue sort of gets lost in this report, but don't think it is going away. It is our responsibility to care for these animals. "Ours" as in humanity's. "Ours" as in the city's.





Things got hot in DC,too as Florida congressman Alan Grayson gave it to the Republicans by apologizing to the dead. 44,789 dead Americans. Americans who die each year because they don't have health insurance. Read it here.