GAINING ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR LGBTI PEOPLE: We can´t count on predominantly White or Black Churches to help lead the way to the Promised Land

Mr. Don Lemon:  ¨Proud to be Out¨ interview with the Washington Blade, please read it all, HERE

¨...— very important — it’s different in the black community. In the black community, for the most part, not all black people, the church has been the backbone of the community for so long, and the church preaches against homosexuality. So when you’re growing up, from the day you go into church, it is instilled in you that being gay is going against God...¨

SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BLACK AND THE LGBT CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS

By the Reverend Dr. Jerry Maneker

¨But when the backbone, the structure of the community has been so associated with the church, it’s even doubly more imprinted on your being and on your psyche.¨  Don Lemon

¨It seems to me that this is the major difference between the African American Civil Rights movement in the 1950's-60's, where the Black Church was usually behind the fight for equality, and the current LGBT Civil Rights movement. And it's a gigantic difference.

Now, the Black Church is usually against the fight for equal rights for equality by LGBT people; even resent the comparison between the two Civil Rights movements.

Hence, the lack of church and community support for LGBT people and this struggle, which leads to low self-esteem and lack of organization counted on in the Black Civil Rights movement in the 1950's and 1960's.

African Americans had role models right in their own families, churches, and neighborhoods; people who would affirm them as people of worth. Most of their churches saw their struggle for equality as they did Moses leading the children of Israel to the Promised Land.

In the LGBT Civil Rights movement, it is rare for a young Gay person to have role models in his/her nuclear family and what LGBT people exist in his/her church and neighborhood are usually closeted.

This is one of the reasons why the fight for equality for LGBT people is much more difficult than it was for African Americans, as self-esteem among the former is far less than it was among the latter; consciousness of kind was far greater among the latter than it is the former.

Therefore, we can't count on the Black churches to help lead the way toward the Promised Land of equality for LGBT people, just as we can't count on predominantly White churches to help lead the way for LGBT people to reach that Promised Land of equality... please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to The Washington Blade, sidebar
·  Thanks to Don Lemon, CNN Prime Time Anchor
·  Thanks to The Reverend Dr. Jerry Maneker
·  Thanks to A Christian Voice for GLBT Rights, sidebar

NO TO HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM: A German Memorial Dedicated to the Homosexual Victims of Nazism

More than fifty thousand homosexual people were arrested and most were interned in concentration camps.

By 2012, Munich should have a new memorial to homosexual victims of Nazism. It is a highly symbolic move as Munich was the site of the beginning of the Nazis terrible persecutions against homosexuals in 1934.

¨The memorial will form part of a new pedestrian development in the center of Munich and will be placed at the corner of Oberanger and Dultstrasse, outside what was the Scwharzfischer (The black fisherman), a famous gay bar in the 30s. On 20 October 1934, the Nazis conducted a major raid in the gay scene of Munich, including the Schwarzfischer. This was the beginning of Nazi persecution against homosexuals: it is estimated that more than fifty thousand people were eventually arrested and most were interned in concentration camps. Most of those who survived the war were kept in jails as homosexuality remained criminalised.

The project has broad political support: from both parties currently in power (red and green) and the opposition Christian Democrats. Richard Quaas, spokesman for the Christian Democrats said: "Until now, there was a consensus not to establish differentiation of victims on monuments or monuments. Other groups of victims of Nazism have no specific memorial in the public arena in Munich." HERE


·  Thanks to LGBT Asylum News, sidebar
·  Thanks to All German Political Parties
·  Thanks to Munich, Germany

Exposing The Church of Englands Double Standard: ¨Please let us make some attempt to be even-handed and avoid such blatant hypocrisy¨

The Very Reverend Jeffrey John, Dean of St. Albans

¨Jeffrey John is a man in a faithful relationship with his life partner. Normally the church would commend this sort of long-term and committed relationship – but the rules change when the two people in question are the same gender...¨  The Reverend Dr. Lesley Fellows
 

¨...seeking advice to avoid the Equality Act¨ Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

¨The latest evidence of prejudice against homosexual people in the Church of England has come from the leaked Colin Slee memo and advice that Archbishop Rowan Williams sought in order to get around the Equality Act (2010). This counsel was to ensure that a gay man, ie Jeffrey John, was not appointed as bishop of Southwark. A cunning checklist was devised, consisting of five questions:

• whether the candidate had always complied with the Church's teachings on same-sex sexual activity;


• whether he was in a civil partnership;


• whether he was in a continuing civil partnership with a person with whom he had had an earlier same-sex relationship;


• whether he had expressed repentance for any previous same-sex sexual activity; and


• whether (and to what extent) the appointment of the candidate would cause division and disunity within the diocese in question, the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.

By my reckoning, Jeffrey John fails on five out of five. One could be forgiven for thinking that this is a list deliberately designed to exclude him...¨ please join the conversation, HERE

·  Thanks to The Reverend Dr. Lesley Fellows, sidebar
·  Thanks to The Guardian, United Kingdom
·  Thanks to PA, photo

AFRICAN AMERICAN FOUNDERS: DECORATION DAY/MEMORIAL DAY 1865

Bullrun Memorial 1870 Dedication

¨The first known observance of Memorial Day was in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865; freedmen (freed enslaved Africans) celebrated at the Washington Race Course, today the location of Hampton Park, and each year thereafter. African Americans founded Decoration Day, now referred to as Memorial Day, at the graveyard of 257 Union soldiers and labeled the gravesite "Martyrs of the Race Course" on May 1, 1865. Black Charlestonians created this American tradition...¨  please read it all, HERE

Another fitting Memorial Tribute,  today in Joplin, Missouri

President Barack Obama on Sunday afternoon promised the citizens of Joplin that their country would be with them “every single step of the way,” during the Joplin Community Memorial Service at Missouri Southern State University...¨ please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to Wikipedia
·  Thanks to Sean Steffen, President Obama photo

·  Thanks to The Morning Sun

WEARING OUT YOUR WELCOME? ¨Most Americans don't want idiots who pander to creationists, global warming deniers, secessionists, birthers, believers in the right to life of stem cells etc., running the country.

¨...Like most Evangelical fundamentalist movements, the American Religious Right advocates the fusion of state power and religion through the reestablishment of the "Christian America" idea of "American Exceptionalism" (i.e., a nation chosen by God), the form of government adopted by the Puritan's successors during the age of early American colonialism. What sets the Evangelical Religious Right apart from other Christian movements is its historical obsession with purging other Americans who do not conform to its twisted interpretation of Christian scripture...¨

...The unstated agreement goes like this: Republicans will pander to the Religious Right on the social issues - abortion, gay rights, prayer in schools, creationism in text books, etc., etc., as long as the Religious Right turns a blind eye to the fact that the Republican Party will A), do nothing substantive to change any of these things, and B) sell the soul of the country to corporate America, a place where one percent of the population grab as much wealth as the lower 50 percent...

...Eventually the party that makes the Goldman Sachs rape of the world possible, but depends on voters who say they believe every word in the Bible, will have to come to terms with Bible verses like this one:

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" (Matthew 19:21).

As for the general public, the Republicans are wearing out their welcome.

Most Americans don't want idiots who pander to creationists, global warming deniers, secessionists, birthers, believers in the right to life of stem cells etc., etc., running the country.¨  please read it all, HERE 

FRANK SCHAEFFERS NEW BOOK:  Sex, Mom, and God: How the Bible's Strange Take on Sex Led to Crazy Politics--and How I Learned to Love Women (and Jesus) Anyway

·  Thanks to Frank Schaeffer, sidebar
·  Thanks to Saudi "Royals" and Republican Hypocrites
·  Thanks to Photobucket, ¨Blind Eye¨ and ¨Puritans¨

Note: emphasis and photos added by Leonardo Ricardo

KUSHABA MOSES MWORENKO GRANTED ASYLUM IN US: Fired/Demonized Teacher from Anglican Christian University/Uganda is safe at last!

Ugandan Kushaba Moses Mworenko  wins US Asylum

¨After many twists and turns since early 2010 that included a 6-month stint in San Francisco that resulted in Homeland Security terminating the case and forcing the Arlington, VA, asylum office to reverse its decision in favor of Moses. This was to take only 3 weeks from the judge’s order on January 1, 2011, and took nearly 5 months, but the day finally arrived this week. Moses thanks all of you for your support over the last 18 months that helped make this all possible.

Moses continues to work valiantly on behalf of the LGBT and HIV+ community in Uganda, and surely will be able to accomplish more now that his case has been settled. Moses’ continually updated Global Sexual Freedom Annotated Bibliography Global Sexual Freedom Rights Bibliography  remains available to anyone who needs a quick education on the challenges we face to bring about equal rights for all sexual minorities, here and abroad. Moses is also helping  Get Equal , Venus Plus X ,
and other organizations to expose members of congress aligned with groups such as “The Family” (active in 192 countries) who are fomenting hatred and erasure of LGBT and HIV+ plus people everywhere, at American taxpayers expense...¨ please read it all HERE

Archdemonizer of LGBTI Anglicans/others, Bishop Henry Luke Orombi/Uganda is a member of the ¨extended¨  Washington ¨C Street¨  scandal riddled ¨Family¨ and Chancellor of Ugandas Christian University   ¨C Street Family¨ quick reference list

·  Thanks to LGBT Asylum News, sideboard
·  Thanks to Alison Gardner
·  Thanks to Venus Plus X
·  Thanks to Get Equal
·  Thanks to Jeff Sharlet
·  Thanks to ¨The C Street Family¨
·  Thanks to Kushaba Moses Mworenko

RE-ELECT PRESIDENT OBAMA: Unwavering ally who has delivered on promises to LGBT Americans/others

Human Rights Campaign ♥ President Obama

"There can be no doubt that President Barack Obama has improved the lives of LGBT Americans more than any president in history. As with any movement for sweeping social change, our opponents have put up roadblocks along the way, but the president has been an unwavering ally who has delivered on promises both great and small. Much more remains to be done, which is why ensuring that President Obama is able to continue the forward momentum toward equality for another term must be a top priority of our community." HERE

-- Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in an editorial for the Advocate endorsing President Obama's re-election campaign. The GOP hasn't even found a candidate yet... HERE

·  Thanks to the Bilerico Project, sidebar
·  Thanks to the Human Rights Campaign
·  Thanks to Bil Browning
·  Thanks to Joe Solmonese

FINDING MY TRUE IDENTITY IN CHRIST: ¨Being a pastor and practicing spiritual disciplines did nothing to diminish the power of my innate sexuality...¨

¨Throughout two decades I sought reparative therapy and other ex-gay treatments and methods¨

¨...My story is similar to many others I've heard. A childhood centered in church and family. A growing awareness that I was attracted to guys, not girls, coupled with systems of massive denial. My identity was centered in being a good boy, an obedient son, a committed Christian.

Inner nudges toward ministry set me on a path that included a Christian college and seminary - places where being gay was just not an option. I couldn't imagine a life that didn't include a wife, children, and the respect of others for being a Christian role model.

Being a pastor and practicing spiritual disciplines did nothing to diminish the power of my innate sexuality. I eventually got married to a remarkable woman, hoping the Christian counselors were correct that it would be a sign of my 'healing.' No doubt a very bad decision, though I'm deeply grateful for the two wonderful children who came out of our marriage.

In 2001 the unthinkable happened. On the day after my 40th birthday, I met a man with whom I experienced an overpowering emotional connection. Until then I assumed my attraction to men was only physical and that periodic encounters with men had been a kind of addiction, but not related to who I really was. A very brief 'fling' with this man ended when he challenged me to be completely honest with myself. A gay, Jewish agnostic man demonstrated greater integrity than this married Christian pastor, and his words began what ultimately resulted in my coming out.

For over a year I committed myself once more to finding my 'true identity in Christ' as a heterosexual, or at least as a homosexually abstinent male. I cashed in everything. I told my story to my superiors in the church and surrendered my ordination credentials. No job, no income, no stability. Just incredible pressure and an understandably distraught wife. We attended a 10-day intensive counseling program in Colorado at great expense. I entered reparative therapy... again... realizing on some level that the treatment was sub-standard if not bogus, but hoping that God would honor my efforts and finally fix me.

Throughout two decades I sought reparative therapy and other ex-gay treatments and methods. Prayer, fasting, inner healing, accountability groups, medication, and 12-step groups. Even a scary exorcism attempt with lots of shouting. Since none of it made any difference, I became pretty despondent and hopeless over time. And because so much of it focused on environmental causes of homosexuality, my relationship with my parents suffered greatly

By Nov. 2002 I couldn't pretend to believe any more that the counseling was helping. I asked too many questions one day and received a lengthy tongue lashing from the counselor for my lack of faith. So I stepped back from a lifetime of effort and committed myself for the first time to pursuing the truth about myself and homosexuality...¨ please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to Beyond Ex-Gay, sidebar
·  Thanks to Rick

How I wish I hadn´t lost trust and respect for Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. How I wish I could continue to play pretend...

,Archbishop Rowan Williams, please resign

I´m American, I live in Latin America, I live at the Global South of The Anglican Communion.

Being a ¨Norte Americano¨ and living over two decades in Latin America, I´ve realized and honored cultural differences as I´ve also spent over 4 years of my working life in the Far East--Hong Kong/China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.  I´ve noticed big differences in ¨acceptable behavior¨ and business/personal style in Europe too as I attended industry shows twice a year for over eight years in England, France and Italy.

I realize that often people do things differently than I do and hold different opinions on standards for ¨honesty¨ than I do.  I don´t know it all and I have benfited much by the experience of learning from others elsewhere throughout the World. However, what I can´t, and won´t, do is continously adjust to  denying and pretending dishonorable behavior is anything different than it really is...especially at Church.

· I try hard not to participate in codependent ¨look the other way¨ habits with anyone (especially if the violator tries to intimidate me).

· I try hard not to live in a world of ¨pretend¨ --sometimes I wish that ¨things¨ are different than they really are (usually because of my own fear of losing what I think I must have, wink, wink).

· I try hard to look reality in the eye. I must keep trying as anything less is dishonest to me/others and destructive to my character (tangled webs/deceive).

· I try hard to call a spade a spade and struggle to keep my eye on reality (especially when I desperately want to see good when the ¨manipulating truth¨ is dangerous to myself and others around me).

·  I try hard, yet hard as I might, I fall short of living my life in my world of integrity building accompanied by underlying levels of twisted thinking.

Sharpening my focus on me/you is a ongoing challenge (especially when I sometimes have much to lose by not ¨playing along¨ with crooks, abusers, liars and thieves because I wish/hope and try to insist, to myself and others, that they/I have personal character that is ¨good at the core¨…portrayed good character that they/I have little of or have none at all).

Admitting deceit at the Anglican Communion

Rowan Williams has proven to be a deceitful, snide and punishing leader to heterosexual women and to our LGBTI sisters and brothers throughout the Anglican Communion. His ¨nuanced¨ (sneaky and blatant) despotic leadership continues to demean, marginalize and discriminate against other Anglicans. He often discriminates against  minority ¨marginalized¨ human beings– he has a cowardly, and codependent ¨working relationship¨ with Anglicans at the Global South and panders to the Gafcon schismatics-- pandering to religiouslike bigots who harm tens of thousands of LGBTI Anglicans on the ground in Jamaica, Uganda, Nigeria, the Middle East and even in the United Kingdom (as with Jeffrey John and many others we can now openly witness ). Anglican David Kato in Uganda has been murdered along with many Anglican/other lesbian ¨rape cure¨ victims because, in part, of poor episcopal stewardship at The Anglican Communion.

· A credible ¨standard¨ of leadership by Lambeth Palace to help enlighten by ¨listening¨ suggested by Lambeth 1.10 has not been encouraged by Rowan Williams (forget the faux monitoring committee).

· Rowan Williams attempts to force-feed a unfortunate Anglican covenant that is a punitive document written and promoted with the deceitful intent to admonish others with ¨relational consequences.¨

· Dr. Williams and his all-new ¨moralike¨ guidelines for homosexuals who are called to the Bishopric at The Church of England do not apply to heterosexuals applicants equally.  More premeditated excuses to punish members of our extended LGBTI Anglican Family at The Body of Christ.

I´m truly sorry that Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, hasn´t risen to a positive and high standard like many Archbishops at Lambeth Palace have before him. As ¨first among equals¨ at the Anglican Communion, Dr. Williams doesn´t live up to universally held standards that demonstrate spiritual and emotional stability.

Best to keep trusting in God when the ¨deciding¨ gets tough

Most in the West have listened, we have done our part, we have many times given Rowan Williams the benefit of our doubt(s) and endlessly trusted him to the point of being irresponsible to ourselves and those whom we defend as equals at The Body of Christ.

I believe for the sake of truth and honesty, and for the good of all Anglicans throughout the Anglican Communion, Rowan Williams ought resign.  Dr. Williams has become a tyrant who intentionally marginalizes, demonzies and worst of all promotes the excluding of many qualified Anglicans who are called to  participate at all levels of Churchlife.

Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, please resign.

HOMOPHOBIC PROFESSING CHRISTIANS DEFAME CHRISTIANITY: Aligining with Homophobes/perpetuating Homophobia at Church/beyond

Homophobic clergy and other homophobic professing Christians are doing the devil's work

¨A meeting of Church of England bishops in York this week has broken up without agreement on whether gay clergy should ever be allowed to be chosen for promotion to bishoprics.

The leadership of the established church remains tied in knots over how far it can comply with the Equality Act in its treatment of gay people. Church lawyers have told the bishops that while they cannot take into account that someone is homosexual in considering them for preferment, they also cannot put forward clergy in active same-sex relationships and, even if they are celibate, must consider whether they can "act as a focus for unity" to their flocks if appointed to a diocese.

Conservative evangelicals remain bitterly opposed to the ordination of gay people, even though many clergy are more or less openly gay, and some are in same-sex partnerships...¨ HERE

Dump the Homophobic Nonsense!

Speaking out against the perversion of the Gospel and the demonizing of LGBT people

By the Reverend Doctor Jerry Maneker

¨...The only Gospel to be found in Christianity is the Gospel of grace (God's unmerited favor), faith (trusting God over and above seen circumstances), love, peace, reconciliation, and inclusiveness. Anything else is not of God and is, indeed, a distortion and perversion of Christianity!

That's why the word "Gospel" means "good news!" The Christian is liberated from legalism and from the yokes of bondage imposed by mere fallible human beings.

Jesus tells us that we are free! Hear Him: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)

The homophobic clergy and their blind followers, uttering words and frequently acting in discriminatory ways diametrically opposed to the Gospel, show by their rhetoric and actions the facts that they, themselves, are not free, and that they don't seem to have a clue concerning the Gospel of Christ.

Moreover, they also seek to impose yokes of bondage onto others so that other people can be as warped in their theology and in their lives as they are; by so doing see to it that intelligent, sensitive, decent people aren't likely to even consider Christianity as "a reasonable faith" and as a viable way by which to navigate their lives in this world.

Indeed, homophobic clergy and other homophobic professing Christians are doing the devil's work!

And if professing Christians remain silent in this matter, and don't speak out against the perversion of the Gospel and the demonizing of LGBT people, they are not only aligning themselves with these homophobes, but they are showing themselves to be every bit as culpable in doing the devil's work! ...please read it all, By the Reverend Doctor Jerry Maneker HERE

·  Thanks to The Guardian, United Kingdom
·  Thanks to  A Christian Voice for GLBT Rights, sidebar
·  Thanks to The Reverend Dr. Jerry Maneker

His Graceless: Dr. Rowan Williams is no ¨Focus of Unity¨ as he marginalizes, demeans and vetoes qualified candidates from becoming Bishops at The Church of England

The First Amongst Bigots, Archbishop Rowan Williams, Canterbury

¨A meeting of Church of England bishops in York this week has broken up without agreement on whether gay clergy should ever be allowed to be chosen for promotion to bishoprics.

The leadership of the established church remains tied in knots over how far it can comply with the Equality Act in its treatment of gay people. Church lawyers have told the bishops that while they cannot take into account that someone is homosexual in considering them for preferment, they also cannot put forward clergy in active same-sex relationships and, even if they are celibate, must consider whether they can "act as a focus for unity" to their flocks if appointed to a diocese.

Conservative evangelicals remain bitterly opposed to the ordination of gay people, even though many clergy are more or less openly gay, and some are in same-sex partnerships.¨ HERE

Dr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, and John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, vetoed candidates from becoming bishops of the south London diocese.

¨...Slee described Williams shouting and losing his temper in last year's Southwark meeting, which left several members of the crown nomination committee, responsible for the selection of bishops, in tears.

The Very Reverend Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans

¨The fraught divisions have been laid bare in the leak of an anguished and devastating memorandum written by the Very Rev Colin Slee, the former dean of Southwark Cathedral, shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer last November. Dr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, and John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, vetoed candidates from becoming bishops of the south London diocese.

The document reveals shouting matches and arm-twisting by the archbishops to keep out the diocese's preferred choices as bishop: Jeffrey John, the gay dean of St Albans, and Nicholas Holtam, rector of St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London, whose wife was divorced many years ago. Eventually Christopher Chessun, then an assistant bishop, was chosen...¨ please read it all, HERE

Anglican Hero, The Very Reverend Colin Slee, RIP

· Thanks to Episcopal Cafe, sidebar
· Thanks to Wounded Bird, sidebar
· Thanks to Mad Priest, sidebar
· Thanks to Counterlight Peculiars, sidebar
· Thanks to the Very Reverend Colin Slee, RIP
· Thanks to Andrew Brown
· Thanks to The Guardian, United Kingdom
· Thanks to Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA

THE MARCH AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA: Undertake a pilgrimage of repentance and please invite Archbishops Chew, Okoh and Orombi too

Bishop welcomes walk of repentance for homophobia

¨The former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, has said he welcomes plans by Christian writer Symon Hill to undertake a pilgrimage of repentance for his former homophobia

Harries said that the church needs to repent in relation to gay and lesbian people.

Hill, the associate director of the Ekklesia thinktank, will walk from Birmingham to London between 16 June and 1 July, giving talks at churches on the way and urging the Church as a whole to repent of homophobia. He will join the Pride march in London the day after he arrives.

"It is very good that you are undertaking this pilgrimage of repentance," said Richard Harries, in a message to Hill, "I very much hope it will have a wide influence."

Harries, who now sits in the House of Lords, added, "Repentance in the original Greek word means changing one's mind, and rethinking one's whole outlook in the light of God’s saving presence in Christ. That is what the church needs to do today in relation to gay and lesbian people."

Symon Hill said he was "delighted" to have received the bishop's message of support. He added that he has been "deeply moved" by the many people who have contacted him to express their support, including Chrisitians and non-Christians of various sexualities...¨ please read it all,   HERE

·  Thanks to Symon Hill
·  Thanks to Bishop Richard Harris, Church of England
·  Thanks to Ekklesia, ¨A New Way of Thinking¨

OVER THE RAINBOW/PART TWO: The Queen treats the Obamas to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace (they are also invited as overnight guests)



¨After a long day of public appearances, President Obama and US First Lady Michelle were treated to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen tonight.¨ HERE

·  Thanks to The Daily Mail, United Kingdom HERE
·  Thanks to AP/Photo
·  Thanks to  Jessica Satherley

IT REALLY IS GETTING BETTER: "New HRC poll shows Christians support LGBT equality."

HRC commissioned a poll on LGBT issues, which it has been heralding under the subtitle: "New HRC poll shows Christians support LGBT equality."

¨True, the poll does show that. There are issues with it, of course, and one can't expect a brand-conscious corporation like HRC to point out the flaws in its own polling, but there's a lot to like.

It's the only national poll I know of (please let me know if there's another in the comments) on LGBT antidiscrimination legislation that I know of, and it shows broad support for it. 70% of Americans favor antidiscrimination legislation for LGBT people in housing, public accommodations, and employment. The last poll that asked specifically about transgender antidiscrimination legislation showed 61% support, and that was in 2002. Gallup polled LGB employment protections in 2008 and found 89% support.

The poll also found 76% of Americans support LGBT-specific anti-bullying legislation, which you wouldn't know if you're just watching the mainstream coverage of the issue that presents the issue as radical queer activists challenging concerned parents. please read it all, HERE

· Thanks to The Bilerico Project, sidebar
· Thanks to Alex Blaze
· Thanks to The Human Rights Campaign

HATE CRIMES OR BIASED-BASED HEINOUS ACTS ALERT: ¨Precautions you can take as LGBTI or vulnerable heterosexual persons to help minimize your chances of being attacked...¨

•Avoid Dark or Isolated Places

Predators can lurk anywhere, but there are fewer people in quiet places and empty street that can assist you should you need help. So, be sure to stay in areas where there are many people. Dark places such as alleys and parking structures should also be avoided. Besides giving potential attackers a place to hide, darker places tend to make it more difficult for you to see what or who is around you.

•Know Your Surroundings

Avoid surprises by knowing what and who's around you at all times. Does the neighborhood you're visiting have an anti-gay reputation? Does the bar you're heading to welcome gay patrons? Be aware and consider the answers to these questions and any others that may affect your safety.

•Never Travel Alone

Try to travel or commute with a buddy, friend or person you trust. Safety can come in numbers, especially when walking at night or in unknown places.

•Know Where You Are

Make a mental note of your location, street names, intersections and landmarks. Not only will this help you get to safety should you need to, the authorities are better able to locate you should you call for assistance. You can save valuable seconds by knowing your location.

•Say No to Strangers

Never except rides from strangers and always trust your instincts. If you are stranded or in a bind, call a relative or friend to assist you and wait for them in a well-lit and busy area.

•Plan An Escape Route

This may seem like an activity reserved for spies like 007 or bank robbers, but it's always a good idea for everyone to plan an exit or visually identify an escape route in every situation (the club, a parking lot, the convenience store, etc.). In a situation where you have to act fast, knowing an escape route can buy you valuable seconds.

•Keep Your Cell Phone Ready

You may be able access your cell phone quickly, but how fast can you dial emergency numbers? Many cell phones come with speed dial features or programmable codes for quick access to numbers. Program your local police station or 911. Take a few seconds to practice accessing emergency number in haste (Don't actually dial during your practice run, but be prepared to do it if you find yourself in danger). Even one dry run can help you out of a potentially unsafe situation.

•Leave a Trail

Find a trusted friend or family member whom you can keep updated on your whereabouts. While on a blind date some time back, the guy that I was with made it a point to call his best friend to let him know that a) everything was ok, b) what color car I drove and c) my license plate number. At first I thought his actions were extreme, but soon realized how impressive it was that he was concerned enough for his own safety to leave a trail. If you prefer to have more privacy (especially when meeting strangers) leave your destination at home on a sticky note or where it can be easily found. Even if you don't want to disclose your destination, leave the person's name, number and some other means of description where it can be easily found. That way you can be helped more quickly.

·  Thanks to About.com
·  Thanks to  Ramon Johnson

OVER THE RAINBOW: ¨The Obamas met Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday.¨

Beyond Words:  I can´t tell you how much genuine pride in America and the United Kingdom and pure simple joy this photo brings to me -- Leonardo Ricardo

LONDON — President Obama was welcomed to Britain by Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday with full pomp and ceremony at Buckingham Palace, as the Scots Guards’ band played the “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the 41 booms of a royal salute resounded across the palace gardens...¨  please read it all,  HERE

·  Thanks to The New York Times, Europe
·  Thanks to Mark Landler
·  Thanks to Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom
·  Thanks to Charles Dharapak, Pool photo

OFFICER ¨X¨ TELLS ALL: Sharing first hand experiences while waiting for the impending repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.

Time magazine has added a surprising new blogger to its website: an anonymous gay soldier.

¨I have been given the opportunity to share my firsthand experiences from the inside as I watch the fall of a policy that is undeniably discriminatory. By "not asking" and "not telling," the people repressed by this policy have been robbed of their voice to speak out. As a result, the impact of such a policy doesn't hit close to home for enough families, friends, or coworkers. By blogging here, it is my goal to share the excitement felt by every gay and lesbian service member as this burden of lies, cover stories, and double lives is lifted...¨ HERE

FROM THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

“As a young, gay officer who is currently serving on active duty, I have been waiting years for the day when I can show up to work and not have to lie about what I did on the weekend or the gay circle of friends I spend much of my free time with. As you can undoubtedly imagine, I was anxious to hear what my superiors had to say on the subject of the post-repeal military…¨ please read it all,   HERE

· Thanks to Fishbowl IDC
· Thanks to Time
· Thanks to The Huffington Post, sidebar
· Thanks to The Gay Agenda, sidebar
· Thanks to The Unknown Blogger
·

MORE GOOD NEWS THATS FIT TO PRINT: Mr. Frank Bruni becomes the first gay op-ed columnist in The Times 160-year history!

Frank Bruni to Be First Gay NYT Op-Ed Columnist in Paper's History

“This column, which will be a new anchor feature of the section, will be a sharp, opinionated look at a big event of the last week, from a different or unexpected angle, or a small event that was really important but everyone seems to have missed, or something entirely different,” [Andrew M. Rosenthal, editor of the Opinion Pages] said. “It will fast become a destination for our readers with Frank at the keyboard.”

He added that Mr. Bruni would also write a column one other day of the week, most likely Thursday.
Mr. Bruni, 46, is the first gay op-ed columnist in The Times’s 160-year history. He said he would take on a wide variety of subjects in his writing.

Bruni has covered presidential campaigns for the paper and served as food columnist for five years. HERE


·  Thanks to The New York Times, sidebar
·  Thanks to Mr. Frank Bruni
·  Thanks to Towleroad, sidebar

Encyclopedia of American Loons #209: ¨Michele Bachman's chief competition for the title of most idiotic Representative in Congress...¨



Diagnosis: Pathologically ignorant moron. And people keep electing him. Amazing.

Meet #209: Steve King

¨Steven Arnold “Steve” King is the U.S. Representative (Republican) for Iowa's 5th congressional district. He is Michele Bachman's chief competition for the title of most idiotic Representative in Congress (they make an apt pair, though). Among his more recent not particularly intelligent assertions is his claim that if the estate tax was allowed to increase, rich people would kill themselves on Dec. 31 in order to avoid having to pay it after they're dead.

King is, predictably, not in favor of gay marriage, arguing that “I think that if we can't defend marriage, that it becomes very hard to defend life.” Now, you may wonder what that means and how he arrived at the conclusion, and it is not entirely clear (you can read it in context here). It seems that the conclusion is arrived at through the infamous inference rule “word-salad introduction” (related to Arthur Prior’s “tonk”-operator but more obfuscatory). A similar (I think) argument is this one. He is on more familiar (but hardly more intelligent) grounds with his standard slippery slope argument that recognizing homosexuality entails recognizing pedophilia...¨ HERE

·  Thanks to Encyclopedia of American Loons sidebar

God Smites Alert: I´m whining as loud as I can, but evildoers won´t leave me/us alone yet!

Prickly

What?

You mean ¨my case¨ ¨my situation¨ ¨my life experience¨ isn´t more important, more victimized, more ¨worthy¨ of kind consideration, justice, change and a well earned option to enjoy
REAL Righteousness?   Damn, I´ve worked sooo hard!  Do you know who I am?

Surely, I´m much more entitled to all-around pride, peace, well being and personal
integrity than you!  After all I´ve been through?  How dare YOU! I´m nice too!

Do you mean to tell me (or even just think) that radical inclusivity would cover all human beings (as in human rights)? All of God´s children under the sun and moon make the cut to stop being abused, tortured, discriminated against, persecuted, enslaved and  humiliated? Where do I sign?  Has our time come?

When?

Please spare me the ¨patience is a virtue¨ suggestion!  I want/deserve guarantees! Immediately!

Where?

Do you (you know who you are) intend to come here and tell me that I´m to shut the hell up, take my turn, do my best to be the best that God has created/gifted me to be?  Humbly ¨be¨ equal?  Learn how to be equal instead of trying so hard to be better than some of you?

Why?

Are you saying that it´s ok when I don´t succeed, or when I´m overwhelmed or simply powerless or plain screwed up, or miss Gods ¨point¨ entirely, to keep staying and praying as hard as I can to find my way out from under the everday stress and give my demands a rest?

I don´t have to keep steamrolling my way through this?  Must I give the dilletante in me a rest? No huffing or puffing or trying to knock the evildoers down?  Surrender myself to ¨Father/Mother knows best?¨  God only knows?

Do you mean to tell me the authentic in me is not more deserving than the authentic YOU? Who are you to say such a thing to me?

Heck, I´m a persecuted Homosexual and you´re ¨Straight¨ or ¨Cuter¨ or ¨Smarter¨ or more ¨Savvy¨ or maybe even a happy Lesbian and/or a well-adjusted Transgender or even, just possibly, a double featured ¨wealthier¨  Bi sexualist!

Who?

I´m exhausted from thinking that you ought think I am different than I really am.
I´ll give up.  I´m not as strong or as smart or as talented or heroic as I thought I was. I´ll just be slightly pissed off and go back to being the regular, everyday, me (and watch my back).

Rightsized at last-- who would have guessed that I´m much like the rest of YOU?  Not me (are we/you certain about that?).

Amazing when you get down to it-- radical inclusivity is pretty darn radical and it has very little to do with me thinking that I´m more deserving because of what I´ve been through (let the high-pitched self-pity-whining begin) than the YOU sitting next to me. I´d appreciate it if you´d stop squirming...I will if you will and please don´t leave teeth marks on my neck anymore and please try to leave all the beloved alone...stop being mean, God smites the mean (I know, I´ve been smacked a couple of times before).

Lord hear my prayer

THE DEPARTMENT OF ´SAY WHAT´? President Museveni/Uganda welcomes ¨Chinese Leader¨ Anglican Bishop John Chew/Singapore (not China) and praises him and Mao tse Tung for contributions ¨against Imperialists¨

Chineese ¨leader¨ Chairman Mao tse Tung

¨PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has hailed the Chinese people under the leadership of Mao tse Tung for their contribution to Africa’s independence struggle.¨

President Museveni, Uganda

¨In a meeting with a delegation of Chinese religious leaders that met him at State House, Entebbe early this week, Museveni said the Chinese government provided material assistance to Africans who were fighting against imperialists.

The Peoples Republic of China (China)

He commended the Chinese people for championing African development efforts in the 1960s and paid special tribute to Mao tse Tung.

QUESTION: Is President Museveni pandering to mainland Chinese leaders (none present) by honoring Mao tse Tung while accompanied by the vistors from Singapore?  Meanwhile, is President Museveni trying to introduce and validate Anglican/GAFCON Archbishop Chew/Singapore (not China)  as a China/Africa insider/friend for possible future anti-LGBT Evangelizing in China (The Anglican Province of Hong Kong would seem the spiritually healthier, emotionally better balanced, less extremist and a more natural growth choice when expanding Anglicanism into the Chinese mainland)?  Leonardo Ricardo

Museveni said Mao tse Tung was not a Christian, but loved humanity and moral virtues.

Anglican Archbishop John Chew/Singapore (not China)

Archbishop John Chew of Singapore (not China) led the ¨Chinese Delegation¨

The Republic of Singapore (not China)

The Archbishop of Singapore, the Most Rev. John Chew who lead the visiting delegation, said his team was in Uganda to analyse the economic, social and spiritual welfare of the Church in Africa and the continent’s development in relation to the Chinese situation.

Bishop Orombi ¨accompanied¨ the not-China, ¨Chinese delegation¨

Anti-LGBT Anglican Archbishop Henry Orombi/Uganda ¨accompanied the delegation¨ to the State House.

The visitors were accompanied to State House by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi. HERE

·  Thanks to New Vision Online, sidebar

¨If we are to defeat homophobia, we must try to understand why some are so keen to promote it...¨

Christianity and homophobia in Britain today
By Symon Hill

¨We begin with Jesus, who practised radical inclusivity, challenged the powerful and taught forgiveness, nonviolence and love for all people, including enemies. He proclaimed freedom - freedom from social, political, religious and emotional oppression. They killed Jesus because he was too free...¨

¨Many people identify Christianity with homophobia, misogyny, social control and sexual abuse. I can hardly blame them for doing so. All manner of evil has been justified in the name of Christianity. Much of the Church is, to one extent or another, homophobic. This homophobia is perpetuated by bigots who define their faith by their hatred of gay people and by liberals who fail to speak up for inclusion out of a misplaced desire for unity. The hypocrisy which often accompanies such prejudice has been exposed in its most sickening form in recent revelations about church-based child abuse.

But there are also many inclusive Christians. Quakers, Unitarians and the Metropolitan Community Church are ready to carry out same-sex marriages. Within larger denominations, such as the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, there are individuals and groups who back inclusion. A number of queer Christians suggest that their queerness is not incidental to their Christianity but is inspired and affirmed by their understanding of Jesus' teachings.

And there are large numbers of Christians who have changed their minds, as well as those who have rejected same-sex relationships in the past but are now questioning their convictions and genuinely struggling with the issues...¨  please read it all,   HERE

· Thanks to Symon Hill
· Thanks to Ekklesia, sidebar
· Thanks to Thinking Anglicans, sidebar

STRIVING TO CONFORM TO HETEROSEXUAL NORMS: ¨I deeply feared belonging to a highly stigmatized group...I longed to belong, fit in and be accepted...

¨Beyond Ex-Gay¨ Kathryn´s personal narrative

¨From an early age, I knew that I was gay, but I could not reconcile this knowledge with my self-image as a good, obedient girl. How could I possibly be something that society rejected as 'dirty', 'evil', 'polluted' and completely outside of respectability? Gay people were foreign, dangerous outsiders —'out there'.

Raised saturated on a constant diet of heternormative imagery and assumptions at school, in the media and at home, I deeply feared belonging to a highly stigmatized group. Like most teenagers, I longed to belong, fit in, and be accepted. I therefore strove to conform to heterosexual norms as much as possible.

Ironically, although I formally came out to my parents at the age of seventeen, I remained spiritually, socially and emotionally deeply closeted.

Although I did not actively seek to change my sexual orientation, I did seek to actively repress it. I used my studies (at this time I was a university student) to completely avoid and deny my sexuality. Books were my closest and most trustworthy friends. I hid from others and from myself.

When boys asked me out, I felt obliged to say yes — having learned early on from 'compulsory heterosexuality' to read boy's interest in me as a sign of my value and worth as a human being. Not one friend knew that I was gay during this time, leading to friendships that could never deepen beyond a certain level. So great was my oppression, I did not permit myself to admire women — I sought refuge in a numbing, constant asexual academic routine that left no room for other activities, creativity- or of course, dating...¨ please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to Kathryn
·  Thanks to Beyond ExGay, sidebar HERE

POST-HORRIFIC TREATMENT: ¨Most of LGBT people's psychic energy is geared toward seeking some level of peace in a world that treats them as second-class citizens...¨

SOME CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA

¨All too often, many if not most LGBT people are either uncaring about gaining full and equal civil and sacramental rights or allegedly seek to gain those rights by tactics designed to stick a finger in the eye of potential Straight allies.

The horrific treatment of Gay people by many others, not the least of whom are "Christian" clergy, has created a mind-set among many Gay people that reflects the internalization of those hateful messages, resulting in terribly damaged psyches that don't have the time or even the inclination to fight for equality.

Most of LGBT people's psychic energy is geared toward seeking some level of peace in a world that treats them as second-class citizens; engaging in diversionary behaviors, such as preoccupation with socializing, that helps foster needed in-group feelings on the one hand, and also helps take their minds off of the fact that they are treated as second-class citizens in a country that prides itself on its Constitutional mandate for there to be equality under the law on the other hand.

There must be a transformation of consciousness, not only of most Straight people, but of LGBT people themselves, for there to be meaningful activism that assures the goal of LGBT equality for those of us who give a damn about equal rights for everybody...¨  please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to The Reverend Doctor Jerry Maneker
·  Thanks to A Christian Voice For Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Transexual Rights, sidebar

ATTN PRESIDENT MUSEVENI & THE 9th PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA: It´s not about blaming shady politicos nor shaming homosexuals, it´s about Out-of-Control Inflation (but you knew that already)

Inflation in UGANDA

Deadly post-election protests in Uganda
¨Walk to Work¨ protest photos HERE

·  Thanks to Wild Thoughts From Uganda, sidebar
·  Thanks to Mark D. Jordahl
·  Thanks to Global Voices Online, HERE

Meet Deputy Speaker Candidate-9th Parliament Odongo Otto: ¨You thought Ugandan lawmaker David Bahati, sponsor of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, was a demon?

Then you haven't met MP David Bahati´s colleague MP Odonga Otto, who says he'd kill his own son if he found out he was A Gay

MP Odongo Otto, Uganda, “young boy making noise in parliament” MP Ruth Nankabiirwa

¨...Makau Mutua, chairman of Kenya's Human Rights Commission, denounced Odonga's remarks. "I am baffled by the kind of hatred you spew against gay people, including your desire to be a hangman. Would you apply to be a hangman if the person to be hanged were your son?"

Odonga nodded. Which is also what you should expect him to do if the Kill The Gays bill comes up for a vote. HERE

Two members of the 9th parliament are in the race for Deputy Speakership. MPs Jacob Oulanyah and Odongo Otto are in this race. HERE

HOMOPHOBIA ALERT/UGANDA

Anglican MP David ¨Kill all the Gays¨* Bahati

Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” Bill Returns: Kampala. According to a BBC Africa Network Report, today’s opening of Uganda’s 9th Parliament has brought with it the revival of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. There had been talk of a procedure by which the new Parliament may take up unfinished business from the old Parliament. If this report is correct, then it appears that this procedure has been invoked. Stay tuned. HERE 

UPDATE: Uganda Parliament Spokesperson: Anti-Gay Bill Has Not Been Revived  HERE

ODONGA OTTO´S FAILED BID:  MP Jacob Oulanya was voted as deputy speaker of parliament by 299 votes. Opposition MP Odonga Otto (Aruu county) got the same number votes as those of Nandala Mafabi contested for the Speaker of parliament seat -- 57 votes. HERE

*Jeff Sharlet interview HERE

·  Thanks to The Daily Monitor, Uganda
·  Thanks to MP Ruth Nankabiirwa, Uganda
·  Thanks to Makau Mutua, Kenya
·  Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin, sidebar
·  Thanks to Jim Burroway
·  Thanks to Warren Throckmorton, sidebar
·  Thanks to Ronald Kabuubi, AP/Bahati photo