Monday, June 27, 2005
Wingnuts go back and forth on Dreier
As I was saying about a year ago, this is a long term investment project. And today, we hit paydirt. All over the United Kingdom in the major papers, there's GOP Representative David Dreier being exposed for the gay homophobe he is.
Most fun of all is the see Freepers (for those of you who don't know what a Freeper is, think one part Ann Coulter and one part Lou Sheldon and you're pretty much there) battling out whether or not David Drier is gay or not....a RINO (Republican in name only -- as if people were dying to lie their way into the party)....and more. (Warning: Right wing site, homophobic posts are allwed there -- and there are plenty of them.)
Special thanks to Susie Madrak at Suburban Guerilla, where I first read about the story. If you haven't checked out Susie's site, make sure you do.
As always, the story is perfectly summed up by Doug Ireland over at his blog Direland.
If you haven't yet caught the story in the UK papers you can find them here, here, and here.
Most fun of all is the see Freepers (for those of you who don't know what a Freeper is, think one part Ann Coulter and one part Lou Sheldon and you're pretty much there) battling out whether or not David Drier is gay or not....a RINO (Republican in name only -- as if people were dying to lie their way into the party)....and more. (Warning: Right wing site, homophobic posts are allwed there -- and there are plenty of them.)
Special thanks to Susie Madrak at Suburban Guerilla, where I first read about the story. If you haven't checked out Susie's site, make sure you do.
As always, the story is perfectly summed up by Doug Ireland over at his blog Direland.
If you haven't yet caught the story in the UK papers you can find them here, here, and here.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
TAKE ACTION: Save Tony Blair's son from the clutch of America's closets
First Bush goes off and recruits Blair for his Iraq debacle and now THIS?
Tony Blair's son to work with US Republicans: report
TAKE ACTION: We all know the dangers of Republican gay bashing from within the closet...look at Spokane mayor West and former US House member Ed Schrock for proof of that, but does TONY BLAIR know that he is sending his young son off to work with one of these closeted hate cases?
So, do a favor for Euan Blair and click here to write to his dad with the truth about David Dreier. All the distinguished Prime Minister has to do is look at the story of Spokane Mayor James West and former Rep. Ed Schrock to know that Dreier's place in the history books is destined to be as a self-loathing gay man. After that whole memo thing, we know you can do better than this on Downing Street.
Is THIS what Downing Street wants it's kids to be working for? A ROY COHN AWARD WINNER?
Euan Blair and his mum.
Tony Blair's son to work with US Republicans: report
He will reportedly be under the wing of Californian lawmaker David Dreier (R), the committee's chairman and a member of the lower House of Representatives for the Republican Party of US President George W. Bush.Is "wing" what we call it nowadays? Hmmm. Since it's been two decades since David Dreier arrived in DC as the Gay GOPoster Party Boy, Euan's degree in ancient history might come in verrrrrry handy.
...
21-year-old Euan, Blair's eldest son, is soon to graduate from Bristol University in southwest England with a degree in ancient history.
TAKE ACTION: We all know the dangers of Republican gay bashing from within the closet...look at Spokane mayor West and former US House member Ed Schrock for proof of that, but does TONY BLAIR know that he is sending his young son off to work with one of these closeted hate cases?
So, do a favor for Euan Blair and click here to write to his dad with the truth about David Dreier. All the distinguished Prime Minister has to do is look at the story of Spokane Mayor James West and former Rep. Ed Schrock to know that Dreier's place in the history books is destined to be as a self-loathing gay man. After that whole memo thing, we know you can do better than this on Downing Street.
Is THIS what Downing Street wants it's kids to be working for? A ROY COHN AWARD WINNER?
Friday, June 24, 2005
Good work ~~ Take Action successful
Excellent work emailers! ...Andrew Sullivan reacted to the storm around his latest essay in The Advocate and got around to linking it (with the usual backtracking they do so well on the right, of course.)
Those of us who bother to look at how HIV and AIDS affects others can easily see just how dangerous Sullivan's words are. And now he's got the gay right split over whether to support him or bail. When you're a gay Republican and BoiFromTroy bails on you it might be time to rethink your strategies.
Luckily many on the gay and lesbian right are nowhere near as naive as Andrew. It's why, over the next few months, you'll see me beginning dialogues over at PageOneQ.com. At DC's LGBT Pride, I invited a woman who is part of a queer pro-life movement to write an essay and dialogue on the matter. If you have something you'd like to say to the few thousand folks who come by the sites each day, please drop me a line. Instead of hearing dangerous rhetoric from Andrew Sullivan, I want to start real dialogues on issues of great importance.
As the right wing fights tooth and nail for the right to own AK-47's, is now the time for our people to start wondering exactly why they want them? How can the gay left reach across the aisle to the BoiFromTroys of the country to build bridges rather than blowing them up.
Andrew Sullivan is not the story here...he's like the right wingers trying to stop marriage -- he can yell and scream, but at the end of teh day, he knows his arguments hold no water. Look here and at Q for new opportunities to dialogue.
Over the weekend, I'll be replying to some of the emails and questions in an essay here. A few (ok, four) people have told me to apologize to Andrew. No dice. No one on the other hand, has told me to apologize to DC City Council woman Carol Schwartz, but that won't stop me from doing it when I see her (more on that in a day or so here too). Apologies are not to be given out when someone tells you to, they are meant to be given out when you've realized you've done something wrong. More soon...
If you're in DC, get out and enjoy the weather...It's great out!
Those of us who bother to look at how HIV and AIDS affects others can easily see just how dangerous Sullivan's words are. And now he's got the gay right split over whether to support him or bail. When you're a gay Republican and BoiFromTroy bails on you it might be time to rethink your strategies.
Luckily many on the gay and lesbian right are nowhere near as naive as Andrew. It's why, over the next few months, you'll see me beginning dialogues over at PageOneQ.com. At DC's LGBT Pride, I invited a woman who is part of a queer pro-life movement to write an essay and dialogue on the matter. If you have something you'd like to say to the few thousand folks who come by the sites each day, please drop me a line. Instead of hearing dangerous rhetoric from Andrew Sullivan, I want to start real dialogues on issues of great importance.
As the right wing fights tooth and nail for the right to own AK-47's, is now the time for our people to start wondering exactly why they want them? How can the gay left reach across the aisle to the BoiFromTroys of the country to build bridges rather than blowing them up.
Andrew Sullivan is not the story here...he's like the right wingers trying to stop marriage -- he can yell and scream, but at the end of teh day, he knows his arguments hold no water. Look here and at Q for new opportunities to dialogue.
Over the weekend, I'll be replying to some of the emails and questions in an essay here. A few (ok, four) people have told me to apologize to Andrew. No dice. No one on the other hand, has told me to apologize to DC City Council woman Carol Schwartz, but that won't stop me from doing it when I see her (more on that in a day or so here too). Apologies are not to be given out when someone tells you to, they are meant to be given out when you've realized you've done something wrong. More soon...
If you're in DC, get out and enjoy the weather...It's great out!
Izzy or Izn't he? Rush and Malloy call out Bush appointee for hiding his male lover
I thought the days of private early morning/late night tours (complete with photo ops with White House staff) were as old as the gay-boy party scene that David Dreier was a part of in the 1980's.
My bad.
Apparently, if you have the right friends in the White House AND you're connected to PIMagazine.com (the Journal of Professional Investigators), the tour is a perk that can be arranged.
All you need to do is call up gay man Israel Hernandez, former right hand man to Karl Rove and now a Bush nominee for assistant secretary of commerce.
The NY Daily News' Rush & Malloy column chats about the nominee's hearing, during which most of the room was referred to. Izzy went so far as to intro mom, dad and sister. Where's the long-term boyfriend people wondered.
From Friday's Daily News:
Hmmmmm....No wonder the President's other recent appointee hasn't returned my calls to his office.
My bad.
Izzy? You bet he Iz.
Apparently, if you have the right friends in the White House AND you're connected to PIMagazine.com (the Journal of Professional Investigators), the tour is a perk that can be arranged.
All you need to do is call up gay man Israel Hernandez, former right hand man to Karl Rove and now a Bush nominee for assistant secretary of commerce.
The NY Daily News' Rush & Malloy column chats about the nominee's hearing, during which most of the room was referred to. Izzy went so far as to intro mom, dad and sister. Where's the long-term boyfriend people wondered.
From Friday's Daily News:
President Bush isn't letting potential howls from the Christian right stop him from nominating an openly gay man as assistant secretary of commerce.I spoke with the New York Daily News and share my dismay at the absence of this man's partner from the confirmation hearings. (Note I said "dismay", not "surprise.):
Just in time for Pride Week, Bush has tapped longtime aide Israel Hernandez for the post, which also carries the title of director general of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service.
Mike Rogers, whose blogactive.com covers gay political issues, was disappointed that Hernandez didn't mention his partner.In what seems to be a running theme with the media (well at least those of us that call the White House to talk with gay appointees), the News says: "Hernandez didn't return calls."
"You know, if he were married to a woman and she was there, he would specifically mention her," Rogers told us. "Why are people like Izzy Hernandez pushing their spouses and loved ones into the closet when so many have gone before him and stood openly and proudly? This is typical of the Bush administration and its anti-gay, anti-safe-sex agenda."
Hmmmmm....No wonder the President's other recent appointee hasn't returned my calls to his office.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
TAKE ACTION: Tell Andrew Sullivan to post his own article
Now this is a good one folks. While Andrew Sullivan hits the Atlantic's shores up on Cape Cod, his item from the Advocate is making it's way around the web. I'll be posting a more in depth response to Andrew's dangerous column later this evening. In the meantime, here's a link to a BRILLIANT response to the item by noted author, radio talk show host and activist Michelangelo Signorile. It's posted on, PageOneQ.com.
You can get directly to Michelangelo's article here or by clicking on this picture of Hitting Hard, his new book, due out August 9th. Copies of the book may be preordered online at Amazon and B&N.
After you read the post, I am sure you will be as curious as I am about why Sully decided not to post his column to his blog. I'm dropping him a note to make sure he knows that people are not going to let this error of omission slip by. Make sure you mail Michelangelo's response to this right wing apologist.
TAKE ACTION: WRITE TO ANDREW SULLIVAN TODAY AND TELL HIM TO HAVE THE BALLS TO PUT UP HIS OWN WORDS ON HIS OWN BLOG. (as always, a copy will be addressed to our letter file. If you would not like us to receive a copy, feel free to remove our address from your note.)
You can get directly to Michelangelo's article here or by clicking on this picture of Hitting Hard, his new book, due out August 9th. Copies of the book may be preordered online at Amazon and B&N.
After you read the post, I am sure you will be as curious as I am about why Sully decided not to post his column to his blog. I'm dropping him a note to make sure he knows that people are not going to let this error of omission slip by. Make sure you mail Michelangelo's response to this right wing apologist.
TAKE ACTION: WRITE TO ANDREW SULLIVAN TODAY AND TELL HIM TO HAVE THE BALLS TO PUT UP HIS OWN WORDS ON HIS OWN BLOG. (as always, a copy will be addressed to our letter file. If you would not like us to receive a copy, feel free to remove our address from your note.)
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
"You do sound crazy," I tell Rogers in response to his initial query. "But in a good way."
Great article in today's Seattle Weekly by Steve Wiecking ("Closet Raider, Mike Rogers wants politicians to come out, come out, wherever they are"). I particularly thought it was interesting that the Article quoted Andrew Sullivan, pretty-boy-editor-cum-apologist-for supporting-Bush, as saying, "Hypocrites have rights too."
You're dammed right they do, Andrew. What they don't have, however, is the right to run for office, remain closeted, and then work to destroy all that my brothers and sisters have worked so hard to gain. Is the ultra conservative blogger arguing that federal law protects yet another special class? Apparently, I must have missed social studies class in high school when they covered this. Perhaps Sully -- that's Andrew's 'inside-the-beltway' nickname -- can answer this: Where in the Constitution does it say people have the right to work against a group that they are secretly a member of?
I LOVE the fact that reporter Steve Wiecking wrote this, as it summarizes my sentiments EXACTLY:
And, Rogers adds, the notion of him "outing" someone like Gurley is ridiculous. "This is what's unbelievable," he explains. "I didn't out him. He was on gay.com with his full-face photo! Now get this [Rogers refers to Gurley's gay.com profile]: He is cheating on his boyfriend seeking multiple partners for unprotected bareback sex. This man is another successful [graduate] of the Republican sex education network. This is what they want gay men to do. They don't want them to learn about condoms. They don't want them to learn about safer sex. They just want them to go out and do what they do without any concern or discussion, and now Dan Gurley and Andrew Sullivan are both successful graduates of their program." (Sullivan, no favorite of Rogers, is HIV-positive.) (emphasis added)What more is there to say about these men who follow the right wing and then claim others have the right to be hypocritical? GIVE ME A BREAK!
Yes, I'm biased, but, the article is great. And not because every word is a positive glowing comment, but because it's done an AMAZING job of explaining why blogACTIVE was born:
The inspiration was a combined outrage over the 2000 Florida election fiasco, the Republican manipulation of the gay marriage issue during 2004, and Rogers' pained memories of his time as a fund-raiser for New York's Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the gay-populated Harvey Milk High School.Wiecking summarizes the article in a one-liner I just love:
"You do sound crazy," I tell Rogers in response to his initial query. "But in a good way."Thanks to Seattle Weekly and their reporter Steve Wiecking.
Monday, June 20, 2005
NYT Exposes the Family Research Council...and (surprise!) fails to report on closet cases contributing to these groups.
Those of you who regularly read PageOneQ, my lesbian and gay news website, know that the New York Times Magazine ran a huge piece on the ultra-homophobic Family Research Council. What's Their Real Problem With Gay Marriage? (It's the Gay Part) - [reg. required], an 8,000 word, eleven page article was quite interesting. It’s amazing to see how an entire business, encompassing dozens of organizations on the national level, have made fortunes based on nothing more than hatred of gay people. The article, which covers the on-going culture war between gay people and right-wing Christian fundamentalists, broke a lot barriers and cut to the core of the issue that has mushroomed onto the national stage as "gay marriage."Matt Foreman, executive director of The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said, "I don't think their leaders care about gay people. And I don't think people as a whole understand how deep-seated the loathing is.'' Matt is 110% right and he’s being proven right every day at NGLTF, where he’s managing the fights against these wackos. If nothing else, this article should be proof enough that organizations like NGLTF need our help more than ever.
As usual, the Times omitted the many ways that the closet contributes to the oppression of gays and lesbians through these organizations:
Laura Clark, an anti-gay volunteer who "found herself testifying against" a "bill before the Legislature that would give domestic partners in Maryland the right to make medical decisions for each other," counts Matt Drudge’s Drudge Report one of her three primary news sources. So, Laura…do you know that you get your news from a closet case?
"The purpose of the hate-crime legislation seems to be just to silence those of us who oppose homosexuality," Laura is quoted as saying. Actually, Laura, hate crimes legislation is more about stopping brutal beatings and murders of gay people – the kind which I have never heard your leaders decry. Unchallenged violence or "conversion therapy camps," with choices like that, who wants to make a choice?
Michael Bowman, the director of state legislative relations for Concerned Women for America (CWA) says, "Sometimes we have coordinated attacks…. (t)he marriage issue is waking up alliances that never existed." When they speak of "coordinated attacks," they leave very little to the imagination. Are we really supposed to believe these people are coming from a place of love? When they say they are "saving marriage" isn’t it really just the more socially accepted talking meme they use to disguise their hatred of gay people?
And what does Lee LaHaye, the chief financial officer of the CWA have to say about these "coordinated attacks?" In addition to being a gay man who runs all of CWA’s finances, Lee is the gay son of CWA founders Tim and Beverly LaHaye. Could anything be more pathetic than that, really?Let there be no doubt about what these people seek, the eradication of homosexuality from society. Just one gay person on earth is too much for these bible thumpers. "[T]heir passion comes from their conviction that homosexuality is a sin, is immoral, harms children and spreads disease. Not only that, but they see homosexuality itself as a kind of disease, one that afflicts not only individuals but also society at large and that shares one of the prominent features of a disease: it seeks to spread itself." Apply that logic and they want to get rid of every last one of us.
"[A]ll but one -- who is registered as an Independent -- are Republicans." What a shock?! The next time people tell me I am a partisan hack, I’ll be sure to remind them that the reason there are some many more Republicans exposed on this site says more about the Republican Party than it does about blogACTIVE.com, right Ken Mehlman?
I thought the quote, "(F)or the anti-gay-marriage activists, homosexuality is something to be fought, not tolerated or respected," was one of the more telling lines in the story. You see, readers, these people are the enemy as they have zero interest in tolerance of any kind. What did gay people to do them? They claim we are intolerant, but is the left intolerant just because it won’t tolerate intolerance? With twisted logic like this, these right wing groups make people believe that gays are the intolerant. In a world where gay men like Jeff Gannon are given direct access to the President (and just how DIRECT that access was still remains unanswered), is it any wonder these nutjobs think we are the intolerant ones?
You need to look no further than Don Dwyer, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates to learn why gay kids kill themselves much more often than straight kids: "They are attempting through the public-school system to teach not only that homosexuality is O.K. but that it's normal, '' said the delegate. Is there blood on the hands of Don Dwyer? Ask Mary Griffith, a California mother whose gay son jumped off a bridge and killed himself in 1983. Her struggle to accept her role and the role of her church in driving her son to suicide are details in the book Prayers for Bobby.
With all of the news around marriage lately, it did come as a surprise to me that only about a half of gay and bisexual voters favored same-sex marriage, compared with a quarter of all voters. So, for every Will & Grace, there’s a Jeff Gannon. While we cannot be expected to reach out and save every Jeff Gannon – some internalized homophobia issues are best left to mental health professionals – we can work to call out the individuals and institutions that work to bring harm to our community
The greatest battle of all is clearly one of messaging. How else can one explain that only one half of gays and lesbians support marriage rights for gays and lesbians? It’s not that hard to understand in a country where upwards of 40 percent of adolescent suicides are lesbian and gay kids who feel are isolated and alone. I wonder, does the Family Research Council think these deaths are simply a case of a disease knocking itself out?
It’s that same messaging battle that takes the truth and turns it on its end. Using biased research by Stanley Kurtz that was published in the ultra-conservative Weekly Standard, anti-gay activist Evalena Gray actually believes that "[T]he family has disappeared in those Scandinavian countries." Never mind, Evalena, that a University of Massachusetts study showed how legalizing gay unions in Scandinavian countries had no effect on overall rates of marriage.
"(B)ut Kurtz's papers continue to get wide circulation among religious conservatives, and for many, his theses have become facts."
The bottom line, readers is this…If you get people to believe things that aren’t true, you can redefine what the truth is and get them to do anything. Just ask the Family Research Council, Lee LaHaye and Matt Drudge.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Private note to blogACTIVE's potential knight in shining armor/sugar daddy
A special note to possible large donor:
John Aravosis, publisher of AmericaBlog, has told me that there is someone out there who was "ready to give you several thousand dollars" and that circumstances have recently had affected such a generous offer.
Apparently, the prospective donor was "promptly told ...to hold their money."
If you're the person who regularly reads this blog are in a position to see blogACTIVE.com rise to a completely new level of effectiveness, please drop me a note at editor(at)blogactive.com
John Aravosis, publisher of AmericaBlog, has told me that there is someone out there who was "ready to give you several thousand dollars" and that circumstances have recently had affected such a generous offer.
Apparently, the prospective donor was "promptly told ...to hold their money."
If you're the person who regularly reads this blog are in a position to see blogACTIVE.com rise to a completely new level of effectiveness, please drop me a note at editor(at)blogactive.com
Friday, June 17, 2005
Ethics questions bring Congressman's sexual orientation back into news
Thank you to Rex Wockner and a few others for passing this bit of information around. It seems that Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham has gotten himself into a bit of hot water... Well OK the COOOOOLD waters of the Potomac maybe?
This out from the North Country Times:
"No," was Olson's reply, "the Congressman is heterosexual. He is married." (Of course he said it with the kind of inflection as if assume that a gay or bisexual member of Congress could not be married. Um, Mr. Olson, did you hear the tapes of Ed Schrock?
Ask me how suprised I am to see this scandal surrounding a guy who has a big score of ZERO from the Human Rights Campaign? It seems that all of these guys that govern with no respect fpor ethics also have no respect for other people (Unless, of course that person, buys a boat, slaps your name on it, and lets you, um, "rent" it from him.)
Duke Cunningham rated a Zero from HRC!
This out from the North Country Times:
Coast Guard records show that Wade owns a boat docked at Cunningham's slip at DC's Capital Yacht Club. Cunningham occupies the boat, called "Duke Stir," "at least part-time" when he's in DC. Cunningham said his use of Wade's boat is within ethical boundaries. Cunningham, in the statement: "I am putting information and records together so that you will know how much I pay to stay there, and you will see that everything we've done is appropriate." Center for Governmental Studies Pres. Bob Stern said the arrangement would only be unethical if Cunningham was not paying rent. The ties "go further." Wade "donated money to Cunningham's re-election campaign" while Cunningham also spoke at Wade's defense firm's Christmas party 12/04.Cunningham has long been rumored to be gay or bisexual. A chat today with Mark Olson, Rep. Cunningham's press secretary brought a swift reply to my question "Is the congressman an out member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community?"
A computer search 6/15 for nearby similar-sized homes sold between 3/1/04 and 12/31/04 showed an average sale price of $1.28M. Comparable properties sold at the time Cunningham sold his home to Wade's company "were on average lower in value" than the $1.675M that Wade's company paid.
"No," was Olson's reply, "the Congressman is heterosexual. He is married." (Of course he said it with the kind of inflection as if assume that a gay or bisexual member of Congress could not be married. Um, Mr. Olson, did you hear the tapes of Ed Schrock?
Ask me how suprised I am to see this scandal surrounding a guy who has a big score of ZERO from the Human Rights Campaign? It seems that all of these guys that govern with no respect fpor ethics also have no respect for other people (Unless, of course that person, buys a boat, slaps your name on it, and lets you, um, "rent" it from him.)
Duke Cunningham rated a Zero from HRC!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Thank you to "Charlie" in the House office who saw this and sent it my way...
From Craigslist in DC:
 If you don't want to end up in the dog's house tonight don't screw up. Otherwise you can join Rover on the doggy bed. |
From Craigslist in DC:
20 yo intern - 20Well, B., I know one place you might start looking. Here's a picture of the intern crowd at a Florida House Member's office and I can tell you that at least one of the men in this picture, like you, is gay. Welcome to Washington, B!
Reply to: anon-35@craigslist.org
Date: 2005-06-14, 4:27PM EDT
I am intern on the hill and I see a ton of cute guys at lunch. We flirt with and sneak peaks across the cafeteria at each other but never sit down together. So I am looking for a lunch buddy (either another intern or a staffer around my age). We'll see where it goes from there. Let me know if you're up to it. B
Finding what you want on the hill can be tough...
Thank you to "Charlie" in the House office who saw this and sent it my way...
From Craigslist DC:
Well, B., we know one place you might start looking. Here's a picture of the intern crowd at a Florida House Member's office and I can tell you that at least one of the men in this picture, like you, is gay. Welcome to Washington, B!
From Craigslist DC:
20 yo intern - 20
Reply to: mailto:anon-78842735@craigslist.org
Date: 2005-06-14, 4:27PM EDT
I am intern on the hill and I see a ton of cute guys at lunch. We flirt with and sneak peaks across the cafeteria at eachother but never sit down together. So I am looking for a lunch buddy (either another intern or a staffer around my age). We'll see where it goes from there. Let me know if youre up to it.
Well, B., we know one place you might start looking. Here's a picture of the intern crowd at a Florida House Member's office and I can tell you that at least one of the men in this picture, like you, is gay. Welcome to Washington, B!
Help spread the word...an update
UPDATE: Thank you for your help on this. As of Tuesday, we're 1/2 the way there. If you've given to this important upgrade effort, THANKS! If you haven't, I hope you'll consider helping blogACTIVE.com's important work...we have some important cases developing, including a homophobic governor and a rabidly right wing US Senator.
Greetings and Happy Pride Weekend to everyone in DC (and at the other Prides around the world). As many of you know, the work of blogACTIVE has only been possible because of your generous support.
With your support, I am hoping over the next couple of weeks to make some substantial site improvements. I am hoping to raise just under $2,300 to make the following enhancements to the sites:
A Note about RawStoryQ.com and PageOneQ.com
Regular readers of blogACTIVE know I have established a lesbian and gay news service, RawStoryQ.com in conjunction with The Raw Story. Over the past few days, you might have noticed additional changes, including a renaming of the site to PageOneQ.com.
Why the change? Simply put, for me to continue to serve as what the Advocate called one of the two most effective gay activists in America, PageOneQ and blogACTIVE.com need to be a stand alone operation. You can expect to see the same great reporting from blogACTIVE.com and you will continue to see important stories breaking in conjunction with the amazing team at RawStory.
If you've liked what you've seen so far...you ain't seen nothin' yet!
It is your support, readers, that has carried this work from day one...as the sites move into their next phase, please know how grateful I have been for you support each step of the way.
After the weekend's Pride Activities, look to Q for an exciting set of photos and a report from the big event honoring Barney Frank tonight.
To contribute directly to this effort, please click here.
Thanks,
Mike Rogers
(not the Congressman, the blogACTIVE.com Mike Rogers)
Greetings and Happy Pride Weekend to everyone in DC (and at the other Prides around the world). As many of you know, the work of blogACTIVE has only been possible because of your generous support.
With your support, I am hoping over the next couple of weeks to make some substantial site improvements. I am hoping to raise just under $2,300 to make the following enhancements to the sites:
- Install a rather exciting email program that will allow blogACTIVE to mail the stories of these hypocrites (and there are new stories in the pipeline, right Senator?) to a wide reaching and ever growing press list, now numbering over 29,000 press contacts!
- Automatically update the newsletter, blogACTIVE Confidential, and send it out on a once a month basis (only more frequently if real news is coming up)
- Create an email subscription program for free news updates from my news service: PageOneQ.com (which will enable uses to select types of news by subject, country, region, etc) (There's an important note about Q at the end of this note).
- Purchase the full automation program ofPageOneQ.com, which will mean more frequent posting and more stories for readers to click on. Also, with Reader's Picks and Hot off the Web automated, those will change more often too! Also, a neat archive feature that will allow people to find any article that ever appeared on Q.
A Note about RawStoryQ.com and PageOneQ.com
Regular readers of blogACTIVE know I have established a lesbian and gay news service, RawStoryQ.com in conjunction with The Raw Story. Over the past few days, you might have noticed additional changes, including a renaming of the site to PageOneQ.com.
Why the change? Simply put, for me to continue to serve as what the Advocate called one of the two most effective gay activists in America, PageOneQ and blogACTIVE.com need to be a stand alone operation. You can expect to see the same great reporting from blogACTIVE.com and you will continue to see important stories breaking in conjunction with the amazing team at RawStory.
If you've liked what you've seen so far...you ain't seen nothin' yet!
It is your support, readers, that has carried this work from day one...as the sites move into their next phase, please know how grateful I have been for you support each step of the way.
After the weekend's Pride Activities, look to Q for an exciting set of photos and a report from the big event honoring Barney Frank tonight.
To contribute directly to this effort, please click here.
Thanks,
Mike Rogers
(not the Congressman, the blogACTIVE.com Mike Rogers)
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Oh the confusion!
Is it any wonder I get so many people on the phone in DC?
From Lansing's City Pulse
One of thsse three men did NOT vote
to make Tom DeLay Majority Leader of the House
to make Tom DeLay Majority Leader of the House
blogACTIVE's Mike Rogers (left), Rep. Mike Rogers (right) and
Rep. Mike Rogers (further to the right)
(Left Photo by Joe Tresh)
Rep. Mike Rogers (further to the right)
(Left Photo by Joe Tresh)
From Lansing's City Pulse
A protest organized June 1 by MoveOn, a liberal political action committee, drew about 20 people to the Michigan Avenue office of U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton. Demonstrators protested Rogers’ ties to embattled House Majority Leader Tom Delay.
There was only one problem: They had the wrong Mike Rogers.
Whoops.
The group came armed with financial records from a Web site that detailed various financial contributions between the two Republicans, including a $20,000 campaign contribution from DeLay to Rogers as well as a $5,000 contribution by Rogers to DeLay’s legal defense fund.
However, the Mike Rogers involved was not the Michigan congressman, but rather Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Sen. George Allen's Office highlighted by wingnut site in VA
Remember Sen. George Allen? He's the guy who practically has enough gay staffers to open a gay bar! Here's the sign I my suggested for Senator Allen's post-Senate business:
Well, it seems that Virginia's Family Policy Network is upset with the fact that George's office is quite the spot...here's some of what's on their site.
Well, it seems that Virginia's Family Policy Network is upset with the fact that George's office is quite the spot...here's some of what's on their site.
More recently, George Allen has endured criticism from homosexuals activists for not being MORE supportive of their agenda. One such activist in Washington, D.C. has been Âouting members of George AllenÂs Senate staff, exposing their formerly Âcloseted homosexual activities. According to this strident gay activist - at the very least; George AllenÂs general counsel, his chief spokesman, and the person he appointed as Executive Director of the Republican Senatorial Committee are all practicing homosexuals. The homosexual activist even calls Allen's office, "the gayest place on Capitol Hill." (Those are NOT our words.)Of course they are not their words, they are mine. And it's just not blogACTIVE.com that's on their minds, they are upset about anything that Allen does that does not toe their far right wing line:
Pro-family conservatives throughout Virginia have been largely unaware of George AllenÂs proximity to homosexual activists and gay staff members. They donÂt know of his support for the Log Cabin Homosexual club, nor about his vote to give special status to some crimes, simply because of the victims private sexual misconduct.
Instead, pro-family Virginians believe George Allen is a stalwart conservative who would have nothing to do with the liberal ideology or the homosexual agenda that seems to be so prevalent among other leaders in the halls of Congress. It's too bad, but conservative Virginians will have to remind George Allen of his conservative promises now that he serves us in the United States Senate.
Now let's see them spin this...The anti "outing" crowd has a new book to slam.
OK. They hate the site. They hate what they call "outing." They say private sex lives are private sex lives. Um...Did someone forget to send the memo to author Edward Klein?
Media Matters for America reports that a new right wing book is about to come out:
According to Media Matters, "[t]he book charges that the Clintons' marriage in 1975 was a sham, designed to further their liberal ideological aspirations." and "there is also the explosive claim that Chelsea Clinton was conceived as a ploy to cover up Hillary's sexuality."
Media Matters for America reports that a new right wing book is about to come out:
"Sleazier than the Swifties? New attack book is filled with gay-baiting innuendo about Hillary's "embrace" of "revolutionary lesbianism"MMA mentions an article in the British Mail from June 5 that explains the book, The Truth About Hillary: What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go to Become President, by Klein, is "equal parts Swift Boat Veterans For Truth and Gary Aldrich."
According to Media Matters, "[t]he book charges that the Clintons' marriage in 1975 was a sham, designed to further their liberal ideological aspirations." and "there is also the explosive claim that Chelsea Clinton was conceived as a ploy to cover up Hillary's sexuality."
TAKE ACTION: OUT with the old, in with the WHO?!?!?!
Some good news, Some bad news:
Gay man, Steve Kreseski, who is governor Mark Erlich's Chief of Staff in Maryland, has announced that he is resigning to become a lobbyist. As usual, the Washington Post makes no mention of the campaign to pressure Kreseski to resign and no mention of the fact that the community was outraged that the governor would veto a bill that basically would have allowed gay and lesbian people to visit their partners in the hospital.
I had a fun little back and forth with one of the governor's press secretaries. While she was short on the details of Steve's departure, she had apparently been well briefed to make sure that there was zero connection made between Steve's quitting his job and Ehrlich's decision to veto the type of bill that even moderates think is fair.
Now, here's were it gets interesting. As one self-loathing homosexual bails on Ehrlich, another, James "Chip" DiPaula (above), Maryland's budget director, is stepping in the become Chief of Staff. Wow, Bob Ehrlich sure likes to keep the gay boys close, eh?
TAKE ACTION: CALL CHIP DiPAULA TODAY and tell him to not work for the man who refused to allow gay men and lesbians to visit their partners in the hospital. And when they throw you the crap that "a new bill is coming in the next session," don't fall for their election year run to the middle. These people will say or do anything to retain power...Do not let gay men get away with this!
Gay man, Steve Kreseski, who is governor Mark Erlich's Chief of Staff in Maryland, has announced that he is resigning to become a lobbyist. As usual, the Washington Post makes no mention of the campaign to pressure Kreseski to resign and no mention of the fact that the community was outraged that the governor would veto a bill that basically would have allowed gay and lesbian people to visit their partners in the hospital.
I had a fun little back and forth with one of the governor's press secretaries. While she was short on the details of Steve's departure, she had apparently been well briefed to make sure that there was zero connection made between Steve's quitting his job and Ehrlich's decision to veto the type of bill that even moderates think is fair.
This gay man, Chip DiPaula, is replacing another
gay man as the Chief of Staff of a homophobic governor!
gay man as the Chief of Staff of a homophobic governor!
Now, here's were it gets interesting. As one self-loathing homosexual bails on Ehrlich, another, James "Chip" DiPaula (above), Maryland's budget director, is stepping in the become Chief of Staff. Wow, Bob Ehrlich sure likes to keep the gay boys close, eh?
TAKE ACTION: CALL CHIP DiPAULA TODAY and tell him to not work for the man who refused to allow gay men and lesbians to visit their partners in the hospital. And when they throw you the crap that "a new bill is coming in the next session," don't fall for their election year run to the middle. These people will say or do anything to retain power...Do not let gay men get away with this!
(410) 260-7041
e-mail Chip at:
cdipaula@dbm.state.md.us
(a copy will be sent to blogACTIVE's letter file)
e-mail Chip at:
cdipaula@dbm.state.md.us
(a copy will be sent to blogACTIVE's letter file)
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Kenny Kenny Kenny....TAKE ACTION CALL AND EDUCATE KEN MEHLMAN
If you happened to see Ken Mehlman, Chair of the RNC on Meet The Press, you were treated to a ton of doublespeak in which the 38 year old bachelor revealed he apparently has no personal opinions on anything.
Here's what the Ken had to say about homosexuality:
RUSSERT: Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?Kenny, Kenny Kenny.... While it's true that you live in a town that thrives on gossip, you're never seen on dates or out and about with women. Remember what Henry Kissinger told Mao Zedong about power being the ultimate aphrodisiac? Surely the head of the RNC could score a date if he was interested in women...or is Ann Coulter to busy?
MEHLMAN: I don't know the answer to that question.
Ken wraps his arm around a buddy in 2001
Now, Ken, if you had declared your sexual orientation, gay or straight, publicly, we might actually believe you when you say you have no opinion as to whether being gay or straight is a choice. While you are perfectly comfortable having your spokesperson claim you are straight, is there a reason you can't say it yourself? And yes, Ken, you did run the most homophobic presidential campaign in history, so yes, we do have the right to ask you if you're gay.
The one time you talked to me personally on the phone, you refused to say "I am not gay" in fact all you could muster was an "I'm not that way" which sounds right out of the talking points of the "ex-gay" movement. Ken, if you're really straight how come you just won't say so? Are you trying to make the GOP such a bastion of gay rights that you won't answer the question? Well, if that's the case, then let's see you endorse the Employment Non Discrimination Act for good measure.
Ever since Randi Rhodes said you were gay on national radio, I thought it might be a matter of time before you at least stood up for who you are. No luck...maybe in the climate of people like Jeff Gannon sleeping their way into the White House, you just think it's a bad time to be more open about your own life. Is that why your press officer did not call back when I inquired about the two leads I had received that you had met Mr. Gannon on a number of occasions before he was exposed as a fraud in the White House press pool.
Kenny, from what my sources tell me you certainly have a wandering eye toward the naked men in the locker room...if you're so certain that the President is against discrimination -- whether you are gay or straight -- why not just tell the American people?
TAKE ACTION: Call Kenny at 202-863-8700 and tell Ken it's not a choice...and if anyone should know that sexual orientation is not a choice, it should be a 38 year old man...single or married.