Including gay characters on your TV show is good, unless it's two lesbians who fall in love with a straight man, as they do in a storyline on New Amsterdam. FOX learned that the hard way when they received a failing grade from GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) on their second annual GLAAD Network Responsibility Index. The index measures the "quantity, quality and diversity of images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people on television."
Even though GLAAD gave FOX a failing grade, the network's cable counterpart, FX, received top honors for cable channels. The advocacy group praised them for including the most original programming that featured members LGBT community. Special notice was given to Nip/Tuck, which had a gay, lesbian, or bisexual character in every episode. Rescue Me's commitment ceremony storyline was also viewed favorably by the group.
It was ABC, however, that received the highest praise for featuring a gay wedding on the season finale of Brothers & Sisters. The marriage between Kevin and Scotty marks the first wedding between gay or lesbian series regulars on a primetime network scripted program. ABC has had other historic moments, including introducing a gay character to "Soap" in 1977, having a gay teen in "My So-Called Life" and Ellen DeGeneres coming out on "Ellen" as well as in real life.
ABC was also recognized for its inclusion of LGBT characters on its other primetime shows, such as Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. ABC received the highest score of all of the nets on last year's index as well.
In addition to Fox, NBC received a failing grade for its lack of inclusion. The exit of lesbian character Dr. Kerry Weaver from ER contributed to GLAAD's assessment. GLAAD is urging both networks to include more LGBT characters in their programs and to portray them in a more positive light.
Come Out with Pride and You Could Get on TV!!
In the spirit of Pride this month, Current TV is reaching out to their audiences to ask about their coming out stories, and they would love to have Lesbiatopia and their readers participate! Finding liberation in coming out should be celebrated and admired. They hope that by sharing our stories, we'll inspire others with the courage to do the same. Current will also be selecting some of the best to be aired on TV!
All you have to do is go to, http://www.current.com/pride and click "add
something new."
Webcam/video comments are preferred and greatly increase your odds at getting on TV, but if that doesn't work for you, we'd love to hear your story anyway you can tell us. We'd be thrilled if you would share this opportunity on your blog or any other communities you're involved with.
Happy Pride Month!!
Judge says DADT is Congresses job… so when is Congress going to pay its life debt to a gay hero?
Yesterday, A federal appeals court upheld a lower court's dismissal of a lawsuit filed by 12 gay and lesbian veterans who had challenged the military "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
The plaintiffs, all had been discharged under the policy, instituted by Congress in 1993.
1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jeffrey Howard said in the decision issued Monday that while some people may question the wisdom of the policy, the court had to defer to congressional decision-making.
The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy prohibits the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members, but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or engaging in homosexual activity.
The plaintiffs argued in their lawsuit that the policy violates their Constitutional rights to privacy, free speech and equal protection.
But the question I have to ask... Why is it Congress still won’t take action to end DADT seeing that one of the reason this country even has a Capitol Building for them to sit in and many of them are even alive today is in part because of one brave Gay American?
On September 11, 2001, when Mark Bingham, boarded United Airlines Flight 93 in Newark, NJ, little did he know that United Airlines Flight 93 was one of four planes to be hijacked as part of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, nor did it ever cross his mind that he would become a hero that day, even throughout his life he had alway been a heroic man. I am sure he never thought he would save a future presidential hopeful.
But when Christian family man Todd Beamer finished reading the 23rd psalm and uttered the now famous phrase, “let’s roll”, Mark stood up from his seat and was there to be counted among the hero’s that day, he was with those who attempted to storm the cockpit trying to prevent the hijackers from using the plane to kill perhaps even thousands more additional victims that day.
Mark Bingham was openly gay.But on United Airlines Flight 93 on September the 11th 2001 that did not matter to the others Mark joined with trying to keep the terrorist from striking our Nations Capital. Mark Bingham did what he had to do, and he helped strike the first blows in the war on terror…
Jesus of Nazareth said, “Greater love hath no man than this… that a man lay down his life for his friends”… and Mark Bingham, Gay American, paid the ultimate price when he gave his life to save others, others he did not even know, others that would deny him his full rights as an American Citizen.
Speaking before a crowd of 500 people who gathered at the University of California at Berkeley for the memorial service for Mark, Sen. John McCain praised Mark Bingham's heroic sacrifice and said,It is now believed that the terrorists on Flight 93 intended to crash the airplane into the United States Capitol where I work, the great house of democracy where I was that day… It is very possible that I would have been in the building, with a great many other people… I may very well owe my life to Mark and the others who summoned the enormous courage and love necessary to deny those depraved, hateful men their terrible triumph. Such a debt you incur for life.”
At a forum in New York in 2007 when asked about the military policy toward gays, Mr. McCain said,I recently had a conversation with some other military leaders on this issue and their point to me was ‘It’s working, so leave it alone. Generally, overall, it’s working.’ I don’t think there’s any doubt that there are evolving attitudes in America about many issues, including this one, but every military leader that I talk to, I say ‘Should we change it?’ They say, ‘It’s working.’ And right now we’ve got the best military we’ve ever had - the most professional, best trained, equipped and the bravest. And so I think it’s logical to leave this issue alone. I really do.”
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States. The Medal is awarded "in the name of the Congress of the United States," and for this reason, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The criteria for the award of this medal is that the recipient distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of the United States.
The deed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice, an action that conspicuously distinguished the individual above his comrades. Incontestable proof of the performance of service is exacted and the recommendation for award of this decoration is considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. Eligibility is limited to members of the armed forces of the United States in active military service.
While I think there are few who would deny that Marks actions on 9-11 more then met the criteria for this Medal, Mark however could never be eligible for the Congressional Medal of Honor, because as an Openly Gay American, under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Mark would never have been allowed to be a member of the US Military.
Senator McCain says he owes Mark his life, yet he and other member of congress, members Mark saved that day with his “gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of the United States”, still sit back and oppose repealing Don’t ask, Don’t tell.
Fredrick Douglas said during the American Civil War…Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letter, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, there is no power on earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship."
News about the attack on Fort Sumter in 1861 set off a rush by free black men to enlist in U.S. military units. They were turned away, however, because a Federal law dating from 1792 barred Negroes from bearing arms for the U.S. Army.
Nevertheless, because of the need for manpower, the Congress eventually later modified that law to allow Black troops to serve.
By the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men who came to make up 10% of the Union Army answered the call, and 16 of those were awarded the Medal of Honor for their valor.
One has to wonder in this time of need for our country; just how many Mark Bingham’s are being kept from serving a country they love, a country that they would sacrifice and die for if called on to do so?
Frederick Douglass encouraged black men to become soldiers because he knew it would eventually ensure full citizenship for Black Americans.
Those that support Don’t Ask Don’t Tell know the same would be true for Gay Americans.
All I have to say is Senator McCain and the members of Congress have one hell of a way of repaying a life debt.
As a rugby player for several years, with Paula the Surf Mom calling me a "rugby great" back in my college days, this story really hit a soft spot in my heart, and one that any sports enthusiast could find solace in. This is the story of one incredibly brave, gay, rugby-playing hero.
Mark Kendall Bingham, a 6 ft 4 in, 225 pound openly gay American born May 22, 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona was a force to be reckoned with... on the rugby field. Off the field, he was a gentle human-being, a partner of six years and above all, a hero. Read on for his brave and touching story...
On September 11, 2001, when 31-year-old Mark Bingham, rugby player and a public relations executive from San Francisco boarded United Airlines Flight 93 in Newark, NJ, little did he know that the flight he was about to get on, would go down in September 11 history. Sadly, on that day, United Airlines Flight 93 did not reach its intended destination; instead it crashed in an empty field just outside Shanksville, PA, about 150 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
The 9/11 Commission, through testimony, tapes of passengers' phone calls, and the 
flight data recorders recovered from the crash determined that crew and passengers, alerted through phone calls to loved ones, had overpowered the most of the hijackers. The Commission concluded that the remaining hijackers then crashed the plane to keep the crew and passengers from regaining control.
Mark Bingham is believed to have been among the passengers who attempted to storm the cockpit to try to prevent the hijackers from using the plane to kill hundreds or thousands of additional victims. He made a brief airphone call to his mother, Alice Hoglan, shortly before the plane went down. Hoglan, a former flight attendant with United Airlines, later left a voicemail message on his cell phone, instructing Bingham to reclaim the aircraft after it became apparent that Flight 93 was to be used in a suicide mission.
Mark is survived by his former partner of six years, Paul Holm, who says this was not the first time Bingham risked his life to protect the lives of others. He had twice successfully protected Holm from attempted muggings, one of which was at gunpoint. Holm describes Bingham as a brave, competitive man, saying, "He hated to lose — at anything." He was even known to proudly display a scar he received after being gored at the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
Bingham was also a keen rugby player, playing for one of USA’s leading gay & bisexual rugby teams - San Francisco Fog RFC.
In 2002, a coordinating group of gay & bisexual rugby teams based around the globe got together to create IGRAB, a body to promote rugby as an all-inclusive non-discriminatory sport which everyone can play, regardless of sexuality. The formation of this body led to the inauguration of a new international rugby competition which, in a unanimous decision by all the members of IGRAB, became known as the Bingham Cup.
The first Bingham Cup was held in 2002 and hosted by the San Francisco Fog, Mark Bingham’s home team. That year, eight teams traveled to California to compete over two days with the Fog coming out on top as the Cup’s first winners. In 2004, the Bingham Cup was hosted by London’s Kings Cross Steelers. From eight teams just two years prior, twenty teams from four countries were fielded for the 2004 Bingham Cup which was won for the second time by the San Francisco Fog. New York's Gotham Knights took up the host mantle in 2006 and along with the addition of a third day of match play the Knights presided over a new mid-tier competition (The Bowl) and an inaugural Women's competition. That year the Cup and Plate were won by the Sydney Convicts and The Bowl was won by the Boston Ironsides.
SF Fog win The Bingham Cup® in June 2002 in San Francisco
Photo by Allan Lee
This Friday, June 13th, 2008, the 6th Annual Bingham Cup will commence in Dublin, Ireland for 5 consecutive days of a tournament focused on fair competition, rugby skills development, value for money, camaraderie and having the craic (What's the craic? Craic is an irish language word for good times/gossip/music/drinking/debauchery of any kind/or good clean fun). Sounds like good old-fashioned Rugby to me!
In addition to having an entire rugby tournament named in his honor, Mark Bingham has received many memorials, including:
I would like to dedicate this article to the All-American Rugby player and hero, Mark Bingham, and share with you the song "Tuesday Morning", by Melissa Etheridge, which was written in his memory:
10:03 on a Tuesday morning
in the fall of an American dream
a man is doing what he knows is right
on flight 93
Loved his mom and he loved his dad
loved his home and he loved his man
but on that bloody Tuesday morning
he died an American
Even though he could not marry
Or teach your children in our schools
Because who he wants to love
Is breaking your God's rules
He stood up on a Tuesday Morning
In the terror he was brave
And he made his choice and without a doubt
A hundred lives he must have saved
And the things you might take for granted
Your inalienable rights
Some might choose to deny him
Even though he gave his life
Can you live with yourself in the land of the free
And make him less of a hero than the other three
Well it might begin to change ya
In a field in Pennsylvania
Stand up America
Hear the bell now as it tolls
Wake up America
It's Tuesday Morning
Let's roll….
Melissa Etheridge - Tuesday Morning
I’m Lovin it…. McDonald’s Supports Gays and Attracts the Wrath of the American Family Association
Seems those wonderful folks over at the American Family Association of Tupelo, MS, are at it again and this time they are all upset with Ronald McDonald and McDonald's Restaurants for their having become members National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
The NGLCC is a national not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding the economic opportunities and advancements of the LGBT business community.
But AFA Founder and Chairman Donald E. Wildmon is asking everyone to send an e-mail to McDonald's because has “has signed on to a nationwide effort to promote "gay" and "lesbian" business ventures.”
Yes that’s right, I guess Ronald has come out and now has his vice president of communications for McDonalds USA, Richard Ellis, sitting on the NGLCC Board of Directors.
So Chairman Wildmon and the AFA are asking everyone to head over your local McDonald's and ask why McDonald's is using its size and resources to promote the “homosexual agenda”.
The AFA defines itself as "a Christian organization promoting the biblical ethic of decency in American society”, by promoting socially conservative values and causes in the United States. Primary among these causes is opposition to what the AFA expresses refers to as the "homosexual agenda”.
The AFA website claims a membership of over 2 million people.
The AFA has a long history of organizing its members in boycotts and letter-writing campaigns like the one now aimed at McDonalds. Some of these business in the past have included: 7-Eleven, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Airlines, American Girl, Blockbuster Video, Burger King, Calvin Klein, Carl's Jr., Clorox, Crest, Ford, Kmart, Kraft Foods, S. C. Johnson & Son, Movie Gallery, Microsoft, MTV, Mary Kay, NutriSystem, Old Navy, IKEA, Sears, Pampers, Procter & Gamble, Target, Tide, and Walt Disney Company.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has stated one of AFA's goals is to "help drive the religious right's anti-gay crusade." and About.com editor Austin Cline once said of the group…The AFA's opposition here is quite reminiscent of the opposition mounted by groups like the KKK, another good Christian organization, to civil rights for blacks. They, too, fought the concept of accepting blacks living and working with whites as being 'normal.’”
In October of 1989, after getting tired of the AFA’s Tony Soprano style shakedown tactics, WaldenBooks, American Booksellers Association, Council for Periodical Distributors Association, International Periodical Distributors Association, and Duvall Bibb Services launched a lawsuit against the AFA, under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and the Florida State RICO Acts, which protect an organization’s right to conduct business without harassment or threats.
Homophobia is not Wildmons only agenda though.
Wildmon has in the past been accused of anti-Semitism for his views on the so-called "theocidal curse". He has cited the role of Jewish people in the media, saying that they have an anti-family agenda. In the past Wildmon has also said that these Jews have intentionally placed anti-Christian messages and activities into their programming to undermine Christianity.
He has moreover said, "Jews favor homosexual rights more than other Americans” and intimated that being Jewish make one more inclined to drug abuse and criminality.
It should be noted here that Nazism also declared itself incompatible with homosexuality and Jews and that some of the same things Wildmon is saying and trying to do economically are very reminiscent of the stand the “master race” took on these groups of people and the tactics they used to further their agenda mirror those of Wildmons.
My first question is, why organizations like the AFA in this country always seem to be based in places like Tupelo, MS? I mean what’s up with that anyway? Is it something in the water?
I know a lot of good decent people must live in Mississippi and you’d think that they would ask the State of Mississippi, with all of the bad press it got in that whole Mississippi Burning deal, if they would mind asking hate spewing outfits like the AFA if they wouldn’t just consider moving to someone else state already.
Next can you imagine the interaction when a friendly neighborhood Neo-Nazi rolls up to the drive thru at his local McDonalds, asking them to get involved in an anti gay campaign?
Hell most of the times my local McDonalds can’t even get my order right.
I could not even visualize a scene of asking what is in all probability going to be someone who can’t care if you get the Iced Tea you ordered or the Hi C he is going to give you, to go call up the corporate HQ and tell them to stop supporting "gay" and "lesbian" business ventures”. At very least that interaction would be material for a good Saturday Night Live skit.
Now I am not a big fan of McDonalds food, myself I am more into Sonic, I love their chili cheese dogs, but if it will piss off the likes of a Donald Wildmon and The AFA, then Ronald here my gay butt comes.
I’ll take a Big Mac, Fries and an ICED TEA… then I want two Rainbow Happy Meals for my kids.
And Ronald, can you super size a tell the AFA to blow it out their homophobic Asses for me?
A Report On The Barack Obama LGBT Conference Call… A Time to Heal… A Time Hope and Time For My Dad to Update his Resume
Yesterday evening, my partner Debbie and I took part in a LGBT issues conference call sponsored the Barack Obama for President of the United States campaign.
This call included about 1200 participants across the country and was by invitation only.
Steve Hildebrand, the deputy national campaign director of Barack Obama's presidential campaign began the 30-minute conference call at 6pm Eastern Standard Tine on a very conciliatory tone that was aimed at Hillary Clinton supporters and gave Ms Clinton credit for being a fighter and a worthy opponent.
He also made clear that Obama has from the beginning of his campaign addressed the issues that face those of us in the LGBT community and made sure that everyone knew that this would be a 50 State campaign, not just one that focused on Battle Ground States
Former HRC executive director Elizabeth Birch, a Clinton supporter, said during the call that it was time for peace between the two camps, and that while she had supported Mrs. Clinton for her experience, strength and her genuine concern for the nation's well-being, she also respects and admires Barack Obama.
Ms. Birch said that she was disappointed that Ms, Clinton will not be the Democratic Nominee for President, in part because wanted her daughter, Anna, to see a woman become President, but distinguished that Senator Obama grew during the primaries, to be important a force in her household, because her twins are biracial, and quite frankly look like Barak Obama.
During this conference call, the participants noted that Obama has come out in opposition to both the Florida and California anti-gay referendums that will be on this November’s ballot, highlighted the depth that Obama that has supported gay and lesbian rights during his career and that is extremely important for LGBT voters to get to the polls in the fall general elections.
Other call participants pointed out Obama’s strong support in the world wide fight against AIDS, his support of gay rights during his Illinois Senate tenure, where he sponsored legislation in Illinois that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, his co-sponsoring legislation in the US Senate to expand federal hate crimes laws to include crimes perpetrated because of sexual orientation and gender identity, the need to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, his support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and his belief it should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
All of the speakers made it clear that John McCain record on LGBT issues can only be called dismal.
As many readers know I have long been on board with Barack, and have for some time thought he brings a new hope for the cause of LGBT rights. I think he represents the face of change, a face that I have never seen on a Presidential Candidate before.
Had Barack Obama not run, I am pretty sure that I would have supported Mrs. Clinton, because I have have to echo Elizabeth Birch in her desire to see a woman as president in this country. I think its high time for that to happen.
Some of you may know I am deaf. In my world I did not hear the sound and fury of the candidates. I could only read their lips, their words and their body language. I tend to find that I connect with people on a different level then others might. I go a lot on the vibes I get. I have a little inner voice that says to me, “yep this is the one”.
Last year Barack Obama said …While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
And Barack had my little voice and me from hello.
I believed this man when he said he wants to help us in the LGBT community to achieve our full rights as tax paying citizens and you can trust that my little inner voice is no easy sell.
My Father is as hard core Republican as they come; he is a military man who holds a position with the current Administration in Washington, he is a friend and supporter of John McCain, but the other night dad said something very interesting to me about Barack Obama.
He said he has not seen anyone like this in a national election since Bobby Kennedy ran in 1968.
I was not born in 1968, but from what I’ve heard about RFK, but I think my very Republican dad paid Barack Obama a very big compliment.
I also think dads little inner voice is telling him that it might be time to update his resume`.
I live in the Bible Belt.
I have a home and business in the Outer banks of North Carolina.
The Outer Banks are a 200--mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the East Coast of the United States and they cover approximately half the northern North Carolina coastline, separating the Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean.
We are also is a major tourist destination, known for our temperate weather and wide expanses of wide-open beachfront.
The Wright Brothers' first flight took place on the Outer Banks on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills, near the sea-front town of Kitty Hawk not far from my home and the first person of English descent to be born on American soil, Virginia Dare, lived just across the sound from me.
The folks here are quite proud of the fact that historically people here have never really danced to someone else's tune.
Our most famous resident here was Edward Teach, better known to most as Blackbeard the Pirate and being outside the social norm has long be a tradition for us.
The town I live in, Nags Head is supposed to have gotten it name when certain local characters developed their own unique method of making a living. They would tie lanterns to the necks of Mules, or Nags as they were known in the area, and walk up and down the beach at night. Merchant captains in the offshore waters would mistakenly think the lights were of other ships closer to shore. They would then change course and run aground, with the locals then pillaging their cargoes.
That tradition of being people who tend to color outside the lines stills lives on with those of us who live out here even today. We could be easily called a community of old hippies and as whole hold rather liberal views on most topics. We are also a very live and let live bunch, and while we do have a few people who might not like gays and lesbians, there is pretty much a general attitude here of acceptance and tolerance. People expressing bigoted views quickly find themselves shunned by the majority of the folks who live out this way. While we do have churches and they have pretty good attendance, we here in the Outer Banks do not hold to most of the attitudes found in the rest of the Bible belt.
People often ask me what kind of Gay scene we have here in the Outer Banks and I have to admit we really don’t have one, because openly gay people and straight people tend to hang out in the same places with no one ever seeming to have a problem. Except for the fact we have license plates on our cars that say we are in North Carolina most would be pretty hard pressed to realize that.
Of late though, it has been brought home to me that in other places here in the Bible Belt, life for gays is not so happy and that off my islands, bigotry and intolerance is still very much alive here in the South.
Our friend Ada over at Current TV recently sent me a video telling about the experience a New York comedy group, called Rash Behaviour had when they were invited to perform at the Charleston, S.C. Piccolo Spoleto Arts Festival, when an openly gay member of the company performed as an openly gay character in front of 3,000 people.
Some in the audience were less than welcoming to say the least, putting the group in an interesting position to decide how far they will go to stand up for themselves, for the arts, and for freedom of speech.
I think you will find this video very fascinating….
I’d like to apologize to these talented people, for this rude behavior on the part of some of my fellow southerners and what to tell them to please don’t think we are all like those assholes in Charleston.
Next time guys come to the OBX, we won’t treat you this way and we have way better surfing.
This is a great video... a clever way of making a point.
This is why homosexuality should be banned.
Sometimes, the only way to convince someone that his argument is bad, is to make it for him. Read More......
Lets not tell them the truth (about gays)
I have a question for everyone… Where would the Religious Right be without us Gays?
As most of us know the typical conservative view on homosexuality is largely based in religion, and on prohibitions of homosexuality found in the Bible.
Many fundamentalist Christian pastors feel that authors who were directly inspired by God wrote the Bible and thus their writings are seen as inerrant, that is to say they see these writings as completely free of error as originally written. These conservatives say the Bible teaches that homosexual behavior is always a serious sin and that by allowing gays and lesbians to have officially recognized committed relationships, the state would be condoning sin. And not withstanding the !st Amendment to the Constitution of the United State, thats spell out the separation of church and state, they also therefore presume that the state is or should be bound by these same religious principles.
Fundamentalist Christian Televangelists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell made their careers promoting homophobia; it landed them big bucks, comfortable lifestyles and political power. They fly around in Gulfstream corporate jets and they live in grand houses.
In actions more worthy of Joseph Goebbels than of Jesus Christ these Televangelists have found that instead of preaching moving sermons teaching Christs love and extolling the positives of being a good Christian, it is far easier, far more profitable to play with the fears and emotions of their congregations by skillfully wrapping hateful distortions about gays in select Bible verses to get these congregations to open their wallet wide. The favorite mantra of these clowns has long been “The Bible says you should hates gays … now send us lots of money so we can continue the good work.”
I happen to hold a degree in Classical Humanities and as part of earning that degree learned to read ancient Greek and Hebrew, the languages which much of today’s Bible was translated from. While I will say I’ve read not the Bible in it entirety in the ancient, I did read enough to get a feel for the mind set of the translators. I was pretty amazed at the contrast I found in the wording of many of the original Bible texts when compared to today’s version. I came to realize that these texts had been changed when translated from the original languages and that these changes seemed to reflect the sensibilities of contemporaries who were on the payroll of an English King in the 1600’s. This left me wondering just how much of the scripture did these guys change to suit the political realities of their boss, King James the First?
I am not one that wants to try to diminish anyone’s faith, because faith is a good thing, but even above the inconsistencies in the wording between the ancient and the current scriptures, the Bible has put forth a lot of concepts that are not just generally excepted in today’s culture, as for example, killing all of your neighbors, including their children and burning their houses to the ground if they don’t happen to have the same idea of God as you (Deut 20-16).
And while slavery in today’s world is really viewed as a pretty big no no, before abolition, the Bible had long been the go to source on the care and feeding of slaves. There are many Bible passages which directly sanction and regulate slavery, covering such topics such as beating your slaves (Exodus 21:20-21) or having sex with them against their will (Leviticus 19:20-22).
I think many would have to agree with me it is probably a good thing for countless people, such as some of the said same Televangelists that we don’t stone to death adulterer in this country anymore (Deut 22:22).
Yet for some reason these Televangelists never seem to point these facts out to their congregations.
But hey I say lets not be the ones tell these congregations about that pesky First Amendment to the Constitution thing, you know the one that says… Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof… Because if they are allowed to jam their religious views down gay throats, than maybe just someday someone else can come along and jam another view of religion down that congregations throat.
Let not point out to them that throughout history the Bible has had to adapt to the wind of political change, that slavery has been abolished, that women have full equality it this country, that we don’t burn witches and we don’t stone adulterer.
Lets not mention to these congregations that their pastors and church leaders are feeding them a line of bull and are playing on these congregations faith, that they are promoting fear of gays by providing them with misinformation and distortion on almost every aspect of gay lives or that they are doing so because they don’t want them to get to know any gays as real people. Because if that happened and they did per chance meet some gays in the context of being real people, living real lives, then these congregations would see that gays really are no threat to them or their faith at all and that a bunch of con artists have been just looking for an easy way to get fat off these congregations wallets this whole while.
Lets not tell them truth about gays, because those Gulf Stream corporate jets are pretty expensive to operate you know and we gays get the congregations to buy a lot of gas and pay for a lot of pilots for those things and in this economy we would hate to put those guys out a job... then the Gulf Stream corporate jet people would have a real reason to hate gays.
Congressman Sam Graves... Heres your Sheet...
Ok here is another one for my Please, just give me a break category….
The “Honorable” Samuel B. (Sam) Graves, the 3 term Republican Congressman for the 6th district of Missouri is running for re-election against Kay Barnes, the former Mayor of Kansas City and Democrat, who is looking to unseat this Republican incumbent in the up-coming election in November.
Congressman Graves is facing a tough challenge… He has had problems raising money and Ms. Barnes has a pretty good support base in Kansas City… As mayor, Barnes has received credit for her work in improving Downtown Kansas City and working for beginning the revitalization of the urban core….
So Ol’ Sam Graves, a farmer from Tarkio, Missouri decided to appeal to the baser emotions of some of his constituents with an ad that attacks Ms Barnes for her “San Francisco” values….
Ok again I ask can you, just give me a break here?
Not only is this ad the most obvious attempt at gay baiting backwoods constitutes since Grand Wizard David Duke did it in Louisiana, Congressman Graves ad is also one of the most irresponsible political ads I have ever seen,and that is saying a lot as I reside in North Carolina, a state where politics regularly become a blood sport. This ad could have some very unintended consequences in inspiring some of the Congressman's supporters into thinking it is acceptable and even admirable to not only deny the LGBT community its basic rights, but to go as far as to commit hate crimes and violence against gays.
Congressman Graves is trying his best to paint gays in a hateful light to the voters of his district, accentuating every difference he can to play on their homophobia and his only thought in doing it is his re-election.
Congressman Graves I want to tell you I am a lesbian mother, with a 10 plus year relationship with my lesbian partner. We own two successful businesses that we we pay a lot of taxes on and would love to see some help in this department. We don’t think anyone should hump in the streets and while we do think a woman has a right to choose, personally we don’t believe in abortion. We think this nation needs a strong defense and believe that nothing like 9-11 should ever happen here again. We would probably make pretty good Republicans if not for that parties continued support of a platform on anti-gay issues.
But Congressman Graves I want to show you what is the most important issue to my big ol’ gay family…
These are our daughters, the children of a gay couple. They don't have horns and they don't know hate, but you may notice that they are happy, healthy, well cared for and most importantly if you look at their eyes you will see that they get a lot of love. These are the real "San Francisco" values of our family.
What Congressman Grave should be talking about is not the difference in my families composition, as it is what it is and always will be, but instead just what is he going to do to make life better for my children and for all children in this country. Congressman Grave is an educated man, he should know telling the voters of his district to fear and hate nearly 10 percent of the population in this country is not an admirable endeavor, but I can see from his ads that he probably just does not give a shit so long as he is re-elected.
Congressman Sam Graves… here’s your sheet, your are doing a wonderful job there of furthering the cause of hate and bigotry, your local Grand Wizard should be proud.
I hope you get your ass beat in a landslide.
Ellen Rips McCain a new one on Gay Marriage....
In the episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show that was taped yesterday and aired today, our favorite lesbian talk show host pushes her guest, the presumed GOP nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, on his opposition to same sex marriage, which last week the California Supreme Court cleared the way for.
Soon after the California Supreme Court Decision was announced, Ellen announced her intention to marry her partner, actress Portia de Rossi, just as soon as the ruling became effective.
Today with John McCain as her guest, she brought up the subject, calling it "the elephant in the room."
Then she ripped him a new one….
"I'm obviously excited and to me this is only fair and only natural," Ellen said.
McCain said he thought, "people should be able to enter into legal agreements, and I think that that is something that we should encourage, particularly in the case of insurance and other areas, decisions that have to be made. I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman. And I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue."
"Blacks and women did not have the right to vote," Ellen responded. "I mean, women just got the right to vote in 1920. Blacks didn't have the right to vote until 1870. And it just feels like there is this old way of thinking that we are not all the same.
We are all the same people, all of us. You're no different than I am. Our love is the same. To me, what it feels like, just, you know, I will speak for myself, it feels, when someone says, 'You can have a contract, and you'll still have insurance, and you'll get all that,' it sounds to me like saying, 'Well, you can sit there; you just can't sit there.' That's what it sounds like to me. It feels like, it doesn't feel inclusive...It feels… it feels isolated. It feels like we are not, you know, we aren't owed the same things and the same wording."
Said McCain, softly, "Well, I've heard you articulate that position in a very eloquent fashion. We just have a disagreement. And I, along with many, many others, wish you every happiness."
"Thank you," responded DeGeneres. "So you'll walk me down the aisle? Is that what you're saying?"
McCain laughed." Touché," he said.
"Well, my hope is someday it won't be called a contract; it will be called marriage," DeGeneres responded.
See the complete interview here....
When is it going to stop? Ellen Degeneres is a gay AMERICAN, not the Devil
Last weeks California's Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage was historic and soon after the courts announcement, talk show host Ellen Degeneres announced to a studio audience of her show that she would, at long last, marry her longtime partner Portia De Rossi.
Now Enter the Right Wing Pundits, talking hate and trying to make it look like Ellen and Portia are the Devil incarnate for exercising their newly won and long overdue right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
On last night's Showbiz Tonight on CNN, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America spoke out about redefining marriage, comparing Ellen and Portia’s pending marriage to the situation at the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint polygamist compound in Texas.
"We need to look at the consequences of that and we can look at the polygamy community in Texas…. There are consequences. When you redefine marriage to mean anything it can mean nothing… once you start breaking down and claim that marriage can be something other than between one man and one woman, you do open the doors to it being anything."
Over at “Fair and Balanced” FOX News yesterday, advertising expert Laura Ries implied Degeneres might put her show out of business by making such a risky announcement on the air by alienating advertisers and viewers by tying the knot. I can imagine Rupert Murdock, the owner of Fox only wishes that would be the case.
In a more disgusting chapter, Fox overnight host Greg Gutfeld said Degeneres should keep her wedding plans to herself, and that speaking about it was the equivalent of talking about a bowel movement on the air.
When are they going to get it? We are Law abiding Gay Americans who just want what everyone else in this country has.
It is obvious to me that all of these pundits feel that somehow our rights will come at their expense and they want to frighten others into their point of veiw. But this us versus them mentality being displayed by opponents of gay marriage needs to end because Homophobia kills. This continual fear and hate mongering by these right wing pundits is no better then when the Grand Wizard of the local chapter of the KKK stands out in a backwoods field and expounds his hate…
You can see the full Wendy Wright/ Showbiz Tonight debate here….
One Step Closer... California You Should be Proud
In a monumental decision, The California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the state can no longer exclude same-sex couples from civil marriage.
In a 4-3 decision, drafted by Chief Justice Ronald George, the court ruled: “In light of the fundamental nature of the substantive rights embodied in the right to marry — and their central importance to an individual’s opportunity to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life as a full member of society — the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all individuals and couples, without regard to their sexual orientation.”
The court also noted: “Furthermore, in contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights. We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”
California you should be proud... And we, the writers and staff here at Lesbiatopia, would like to say to all of our Sisters and Brothers in that State ... Thank You, Thank You So Very Much.
Because of this very important decision in California, all of us in the LGBT community, no matter where we live, are now one step closer this morning to be treated as the human beings we are and have the right to be treated as. Well done California.... Very well done indeed.