Tuesday, March 31, 2009
As it always was?
Is this a "compromise"?
I for one never thought this was an issue. Haven't religious nuts always had the right to refuse to marry any couple? Who would want to be married by some homophobe in some homophobic church, anyway?
Marriage Bill Heads to Connecticut Senate | News | Advocate.com:
In a compromise, according to Newsday , legislators will allow churches and church-controlled properties to deny use of their facilities for same-sex marriage ceremonies if they oppose the practice on religious grounds. Individual clergy members may also refuse to perform same-sex marriages, but state actors, such as justices of the peace, must comply with the law.Kind of reminds me of those silly people who wanted to to force a photographer to shoot their wedding. Huh? Who would want an anti-gay photographer to take pictures of their special event? Weird.
Just like EHarmony. Are we so desperate for sex relationships that we have to stand outside the gates of straight couples and beg for acceptance? Someone sued and they were forced to create a gay version. Great! now we have a situation were gays want to be forced in to stupid religious matchmaking services. Again, weird.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Back from a break
And, wow, what a break it has been.
I have learned more over the past week than almost any other week I've been at this. I'll check in.
I have learned more over the past week than almost any other week I've been at this. I'll check in.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
An interesting documentary
Life in a Gay Rock Band:
When we started the band, nobody was out in pop music — no one,' says Pansy Division bassist and singer Chris Freeman in the trailer to Pansy Divison: Life in a Gay Rock Band, a documentary he coproduced with director Michael Carmona. This year, right as gay-marriage supporters fight what looks like a losing battle, it's all the more impressive to remember the band's impact when Freeman, frontman Jon Ginoli, and drummer Jay Paget united in 1991 — the same year Freddie Mercury, a possible exception to Freeman's statement, lost his life to AIDS.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Anyone know...
I am looking for some help. As folks know, the Oscars were just last month and a couple of friends and I were talking about them. The chat gave rise to an idea.
If anyone who reads the site knows how I can locate the nominating committee membership in each of the various categories (e.g. foreign language, animated, documentary, short film, etc.) of the Academy Awards, please drop me a note off list at this email.
Thanks.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
All politics is local
I've been watching this AIG mess and have yet again wondered why the Democrats in Congress cannot get their crap together long enough to make good photo ops. Remember when the right wingers stood up for Iraqi voting rights by holding up purple fingers? Where is our congress to hold up purple fingers in a demonstration of support for DC voting rights?
Instead of doing that, they are too busy caving to the NRA and allowing gun "rights" to be mixed up in the bill. Fuck that. The Citizens of the District of Columbia residents should not support the bill at all. When (yep, I believe it will be matter of time before the voting Rep. thing is tossed in favor of upholding the Constitution) the voting Representative is tossed by the courts, the gun laws favored by the GOP will remain.
The way these guys act, you would never know that the Democrats hold majorities in both houses of congress and the White House. I'd rather the bill die than be passed with these provisions.
This brings us to messaging. Most of the left SUCKS at messaging (just look at how the vast majority blew it around the Rick Warren episode). And here we are again, this time with AIG. Yelling at execs to give back pay is a good thing. But rallying the American people can be far more effective.
I've done a bit of writing on a way to message these bonuses, remembering along the way that far more Americans get their news from local, rather than national, newscasts.
Armed with such data, why isn't Congress creating a communications plan on this that addresses LOCAL media?
Here's an idea, I'm curious about what people think about it:
How about introducing a sense of the Senate resolution and ask every Democratic Senator step up to the microphone and say "If these claims are true and these bonuses must be paid, I am requesting each of you return them to the American people who paid them."? THEN, show how it will affect each state individually and provide the specific state clips to local news. (Way more people get their news from local TV and these guys are just as angry as anyone else and may use it.)
Chrysler was brilliant when they figured out how every congressional district would be hurt without the loans it was guaranteed in 1980 (Back then a billion dollars was a lot of money). That PR got a lot of constituents calling in and saying 'help Chrysler survive.'
Well, you get the idea.... The local media are just as upset as all of us. These clips of each Democratic Senator calling these guys out on the Senate floor (just like wingnuts do, cardboard charts and lists galore) and showing what is lost in their state will give media something to run with.
Now all we seem to have visually is the same corporate execs in front of committees promising one thing and doing another. We have to use media more effectively to move the message.
By making it local we reach the people we need to reach.
Chart source: journalism.org
Instead of doing that, they are too busy caving to the NRA and allowing gun "rights" to be mixed up in the bill. Fuck that. The Citizens of the District of Columbia residents should not support the bill at all. When (yep, I believe it will be matter of time before the voting Rep. thing is tossed in favor of upholding the Constitution) the voting Representative is tossed by the courts, the gun laws favored by the GOP will remain.
The way these guys act, you would never know that the Democrats hold majorities in both houses of congress and the White House. I'd rather the bill die than be passed with these provisions.
This brings us to messaging. Most of the left SUCKS at messaging (just look at how the vast majority blew it around the Rick Warren episode). And here we are again, this time with AIG. Yelling at execs to give back pay is a good thing. But rallying the American people can be far more effective.
I've done a bit of writing on a way to message these bonuses, remembering along the way that far more Americans get their news from local, rather than national, newscasts.
Armed with such data, why isn't Congress creating a communications plan on this that addresses LOCAL media?
Here's an idea, I'm curious about what people think about it:
How about introducing a sense of the Senate resolution and ask every Democratic Senator step up to the microphone and say "If these claims are true and these bonuses must be paid, I am requesting each of you return them to the American people who paid them."? THEN, show how it will affect each state individually and provide the specific state clips to local news. (Way more people get their news from local TV and these guys are just as angry as anyone else and may use it.)
Chrysler was brilliant when they figured out how every congressional district would be hurt without the loans it was guaranteed in 1980 (Back then a billion dollars was a lot of money). That PR got a lot of constituents calling in and saying 'help Chrysler survive.'
Well, you get the idea.... The local media are just as upset as all of us. These clips of each Democratic Senator calling these guys out on the Senate floor (just like wingnuts do, cardboard charts and lists galore) and showing what is lost in their state will give media something to run with.
Now all we seem to have visually is the same corporate execs in front of committees promising one thing and doing another. We have to use media more effectively to move the message.
By making it local we reach the people we need to reach.
Chart source: journalism.org
Monday, March 16, 2009
And the survey says...
A few days worth of survey results are in and readers are leaning toward holding back to reach out to the closeted person. A friend of mine recently asked me if in this case the individual was married. I explained that it wasn't relevant as I have personally spoken with a number of married closeted politicians who were not anti-gay (or were moving to that position).The case I am writing about above is of special concern, as I have recently learned that this might be an example in which others stepped in, used my contacts without permission and took advantage of my almost five years of work. If this is the case, of course, it is completely unacceptable.
It seems to me that things will most likely work out. Readers and supporters should know this: I will never give up the right to report on any closeted anti gay individuals who have not yet been outed. Period.
Fortunately, I've got a ton of those transcripts of my meetings with the very people I suspect of going behind my back. I'm going to check with my attorney over the next few days to see what parts of them I can post on the site. (As is usual in these matters, for now, some information will need to be redacted.) What is astonishing to me is that there is a chance someone would do this to me when I have records of meetings that make very clear everyone's role in the work.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
To out, or not to out
In every case I report, I speak to a lot of folks. No matter how obvious (Ed Schrock, Larry Craig) or not-so-obvious. When people I speak with divide down the middle I take a long look at the case and ask myself a number of questions.
The most important one is: "Is this politician on a journey or is this a case where a slight shift may mean the beginning of a sea change in the person's politics?"
Please share your thoughts with me. I've created a little form. Of course, putting stuff in the comments as well is great.
The case is pretty simple. A politician is a closeted gay guy and he (like ever politician, except Barack Obama these days) aspire to a higher office. In that quest, like the new Senator from New York Kirsten Gillibrand, politicians start to shift to the politics of their constituents. Is this a good thing? I think so. Does it mean that the past gets a free ride?
Here's a form that will help to collect some thoughts from BlogActive readers:
I've called out others for outing people before they really shouldn't have. In this case, I'd like your advice as to what you think I should do.
Thanks!
Trouble reading the form above? Here's a link to the original.
The most important one is: "Is this politician on a journey or is this a case where a slight shift may mean the beginning of a sea change in the person's politics?"
Please share your thoughts with me. I've created a little form. Of course, putting stuff in the comments as well is great.
The case is pretty simple. A politician is a closeted gay guy and he (like ever politician, except Barack Obama these days) aspire to a higher office. In that quest, like the new Senator from New York Kirsten Gillibrand, politicians start to shift to the politics of their constituents. Is this a good thing? I think so. Does it mean that the past gets a free ride?
Here's a form that will help to collect some thoughts from BlogActive readers:
I've called out others for outing people before they really shouldn't have. In this case, I'd like your advice as to what you think I should do.
Thanks!
Trouble reading the form above? Here's a link to the original.
Saving the world, one domestic violence attack a time...
BeBe Winans Arrested For Domestic Abuse:
Gospel singer BeBe Winans was booked yesterday on a domestic assault rap for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground during an argument last month. According to a court filing, a copy of which you’ll find below, Winans, 46, and his former spouse got into a “verbal altercation” on February 13 about “custody issues dealing with their children.” At the time, Winans was at his ex-wife Debra’s Nashville home, where he had driven to pick up his children. “The victim was telling the defendant of issues with the children when he became irate. The defendant then pushed the victim to the ground.” Winans, pictured in the mug shot at right, was arrested yesterday on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge. He was briefly held at the Davidson County jail before posting $1000 bond. Winans, best known for albums recorded with his sister CeCe, has won four Grammy awards.FYI, this is the same BeBe Winans who went on Limbaugh to rail against gays getting married. I wonder if he worried about that more before or more after he beat the shit out of his ex-wife.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
We can hope...
Friday, March 06, 2009
Republicans keep setting up the joke
Signorile v. Perkins
Thursday, March 05, 2009
When will they stop?
I am not sure when it will end, but I've confirmed over the past few days that the folks who have tried to take advantage of my work have now done so on a THIRD case. Again, the folks I was working with went to someone I introduced them to and have lured them into working behind my back.
This time may have been their biggest blunder so far. While they had no idea about this case until they met me, there is enough out there for me to now explain all of what happened without jeopardizing other cases under continued research. The new research has cost me significantly -- in terms of time and money -- as the folks I was working with gave me a choice: work with them and delay my work or continue to research my cases. Fort a variety of reasons, around Election Day, I realized what these people were doing. Who knows what damage they have done? Certainly a significant amount.
The struggle goes on. With love and respect to my homosexually-challenged friends, this is just another case of some straight folks coming in, using the gay community, squeezing what they can, and moving on. I've heard the song before...in many different keys.
In this case, again they decided to appropriate my body of work -- I wonder if it will stop. I still hope to work it all out amicably. If not, it's nice to know I can share this case and expose all the players.
Here is an example of one recorded meeting, where it's clear that I am brining a member of my research team up to speed on about cases, cases of which they had no idea about until they met me. Luckily I saved the copies of the transcripts of my own meetings. Here's where you can see it is me brings the cases to the table, not anyone else:
The struggle continues.
This time may have been their biggest blunder so far. While they had no idea about this case until they met me, there is enough out there for me to now explain all of what happened without jeopardizing other cases under continued research. The new research has cost me significantly -- in terms of time and money -- as the folks I was working with gave me a choice: work with them and delay my work or continue to research my cases. Fort a variety of reasons, around Election Day, I realized what these people were doing. Who knows what damage they have done? Certainly a significant amount.
The struggle goes on. With love and respect to my homosexually-challenged friends, this is just another case of some straight folks coming in, using the gay community, squeezing what they can, and moving on. I've heard the song before...in many different keys.
In this case, again they decided to appropriate my body of work -- I wonder if it will stop. I still hope to work it all out amicably. If not, it's nice to know I can share this case and expose all the players.
Here is an example of one recorded meeting, where it's clear that I am brining a member of my research team up to speed on about cases, cases of which they had no idea about until they met me. Luckily I saved the copies of the transcripts of my own meetings. Here's where you can see it is me brings the cases to the table, not anyone else:
The struggle continues.
It's hard but....
It's hard, but sites like Taegan Goddard's Political Wire (one of the first to link to me) are keeping up with all of the shenanigans of the Republican party. Doesn't the headline say it all?
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Dustin Siggins polls his own brain
WaPo ran a piece on young conservatives in DC and how all alone they are twisting in the wind. This one guy shows just why these mindless drones love people like Sara Palin.
The results are in: Left side 47%, Right side 53%. Apparently, this guy must have met up with Frank Luntz for a little poll. The sample? Himself and himself:
The results are in: Left side 47%, Right side 53%. Apparently, this guy must have met up with Frank Luntz for a little poll. The sample? Himself and himself:
Young Conservatives Feel Left Out:Skating? Woo Hoo! I have a feeling this one will be at JR's on a regular basis in a couple of years.
Later, in a phone interview, Siggins says he struggles with some of his party's more culturally orthodox ideals. 'Because I am in this generation and was raised in a pro-gay-marriage era, I am only a little bit against gay marriage, but only a little, like 53 percent to 47,' he says. 'I have about a dozen gay friends, 30 or 20, and they would all back me up. In college, I used to have lunch with them. . . . We went ice skating once.'