While news coming out of Gainesville tends to be related to the University of Florida or their beloved Gators (which everyone knows I am NOT a fan of), a heated battle over gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) equality was decided yesterday, with fairness and equality “coming out” on top! Right-wing conservative religious morons tried to repeal the city’s anti-discrimination policy protecting GLBT persons from discrimination in employment, public housing, and the use of public amenities by employing a hate-mongering campaign filled with blatant lies and ignorance that thankfully, the citizens of Gainesville saw through. 58% of voters voted to keep the policy in-place. This is a breath of fresh air given the disgusting anti-marriage amendment passed statewide last November. Education is so important and it can shine a light on hatred and bigotry. Good work by Equality Florida who worked hard to expose the lies and educate the public on why GLBT protections are so important in ending discrimination.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Longer Look at Grey Gardens
Not many know the secret lives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ cousins, who lived as a reclusive pair and experienced eccentric mental health illnesses. The Kennedy family kept them largely under rug swept from fear of familial embarassment. Now, HBO Films is bringing their story to the small screen in an original motion picture starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. HBO is by-far the best pay cable station available and have proven time and time again with shows with high quality productions like Six Feet Under and True Blood that when it comes to original programming, HBO simply can’t be beat. Here is the extended trailer HBO released last week:
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Florida Senator Working to End Gay Adoption Ban
Florida State Senator Nan Rich, a Democrat (of course), is quietly introducing 2 bills which would end Florida’s ridiculous and discriminatory ban on adoptions by gay men and lesbians. While fundamental religious activists continue to claim gay and lesbian parents are not fit and are unstable to be parents, social science studies have all indicated gay men and lesbians are actually very good parents. Myths related to child molestation, increased likelihood of homosexuality in children, and higher levels of mental distress have all been debunked.
And major child welfare organizations like the National Association of Social Workers, National Association of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, and American Psychological Association have all spoken-out in-favor of gay and lesbian adoptions and have published large numbers of position statements supporting removal of any barriers to allowing gay men and lesbians to become parents and/or adopt children. In addition, a Florida Supreme Court has ruled the ban unconstitutional but several religious organizations have been fighting the decision in court. If Nan Rich’s bills pass, then it won’t matter how the court eventually rules.
Incidentally, this ban is also quite expensive for Florida’s taxpayers, who are footing the bill for thousands of children who could be adopted into loving homes to remain in foster care. Read my comprehensive Cost/Benefit Analysis of Florida’s Ban on Gay Adoptions under the “Research” link (above).
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
More Republican Ignorance
The Republican Party continues to show its disgusting ignorance. Spawned by Milk‘s several wins at the Academy Awards Sunday night, their new Chairman, Michael Steele, was interviewed Monday by Mike Gallagher. When asked if Republicans should consider changing their position on civil unions for same-sex couples, Steele was quick to spew more Republican stupidity and prove he is nothing more than a moronic dolt:
GALLAGHER: Is this a time when Republicans ought to consider some sort of alternative to redefining marriage and maybe in the road, down the road to civil unions. Do you favor civil unions?
STEELE: No, no no. What would we do that for? What are you, crazy? No. Why would we backslide on a core, founding value of this country? I mean this isnt something that you just kind of like, Oh well, today I feel, you know, loosey-goosey on marriage. [ ]
GALLAGHER: So no room even for a conversation about civil unions in your mind?
STEELE: Whats the difference?
With their new leader, it looks like the Republicans continue to show they are simply clueless in-regards to just about everything. But perhaps this statement highlights just how backwards the Party continues to be in-regards to social issues. How anyone could justify being a Republican continues to simply baffle the mind…
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Another Smart Decision by President Obama
While President Obama has vowed he would reverse the ridiculous restrictions placed on stem cell research by the Worst President in the History of the United States, it looks like that action is coming a lot sooner than expected. Within days into his administration, Obama lifted the executive orders affecting stem cell research. Now, it appears he is ready to take more extensive action. Reuters is reporting President Obama will soon issue an executive order which will lift bans on federal funds to sponsor stem cell research.
Medical scientists believe the research could eventually produce cures for a variety of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and spinal cord injuries. Obama vowed to reverse Bush’s ban during his presidential campaign and in his inaugural address last month promised to return science to its proper place in the United States. Bush ignored science in-favor of ignorance, stupidity, and idiocy.
Beyond his stem cell research bans, Bush also declared global warming a “debatable” issue despite sound and solid scientific evidence to the contrary and also ignored the theory of evolution in-favor of “intelligent design” which is the belief a supernatural “spirit” created the Earth and the planets in just seven days (remember though on the seventh day, he took a break and “rested”), despite the fact humans created the calendar and defined what time constitutes a day! Thank God we are beginning to restore intelligence and integrity back to the United States of America!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Welcome Change!
It was definitely a historic day today as the world said good-bye to the worst President in the history of the United States and welcomed-in a new era of hope. President Barack Obama was sworn-in today as the 44th President of the United States of America in-front of record crowds in the millions! Also a first for the country, when outgoing President Bush was announced, the crowd voiced their disproval with boos, hisses, and an overall negative reaction. Outgoing Vice President Dick Cheney, attending the ceremony via wheelchair, was met with the same reaction from the crowd of millions.
Obama inherits a country that is a complete mess thanks to failed policy and failed leadership from the Republican Party and George Bush. Thankfully, the Republicans have been reduced to a very small minority and should have a difficult time trying to impede the progress of the majority Democratic House and Senate and President Obama. The White House Web Site was also immediately changed to indicate strong support from President Obama for the rights of GLBT Americans.
You can review the official policy positions here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/. This comes after a Bush Presidency where among a multitude of other failures, a federal amendment to outlaw marriage rights for gay men and women was consistently thrusted down the throats of the American people. Thankfully, not only is Bush gone–but so are ALL of the Republicans who sponsored that disgusting and hateful piece of legislation, including the corrupt and moronic Republican Congressman Tom Feeney from my own district here in Oviedo! He has been replaced with Democrat Suzanne Kosmas!
Welcome President Barack Obama. May God bless his Presidency and the United States of America as he works dilligently to repair the damage of the last 8 years.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tucking Their Tails Between Their Legs
Politico is reporting the few remaining Republicans in federal office are planning to be MIA when President-elect Barack Obama is sworn-in on January 20th: Out of power on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and mostly out of favor on K Street, many emasculated elephants in the GOP herd will begin the Age of Obama with what amounts to an extended holiday vacation. Instead of fighting the quadrennial cold and what are expected to be record-setting crowds, they’re heading out to greener pastures, with better temperatures, less hassle and more agreeable company.
What better way to mark the Obama Inauguration (and his millions of adoring fans that will be in D.C.) than to get out of town to fabulous Las Vegas! Charlie Spies, a Republican lawyer and former CFO to Mitt Romneys campaign wrote in a blast e-mail to GOP friends. We hope you can join us for dinner and a fun evening on Monday, Jan. 19, to celebrate the last few hours of our Republican president in the White House.
Since that Republican president has been the worst in our nation’s history, I suppose those Republicans celebrating on January 19th will be quite a small minority compared to the vast majority of Americans who are welcoming in a new era of hope for a president who has the amazing task of fixing Bush’s mess for the next 4-8 years on January 2oth (see “Don’t Let the Door Hit You Post” below). Happy New Year and good riddance George Bush!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Don’t Let the Door Hit You
A new CNN/Opinion Research Poll just released shows seventy-five percent of those questioned said they’re glad George Bush is going; 23 percent indicated they’ll miss him. A new national poll suggests that three out of four Americans feel President Bush’s departure from office is coming not a moment too soon. “Earlier this year, Bush scored some of the lowest presidential approval ratings we’ve seen in half a century, so it’s understandable that the public is eager for a new president to step in,” said Keating Holland, CNN polling director. At just 23 days, the end is quite near for Bush, who many political scientists have indicated will be forever remembered as the worst president in the history of the United States. Bush’s approval ratings have sunk lower than any president before him, including Carter (28%), Nixon (24%), and Truman (22%). Bush’s lowest ratings (19%) were marked twice during his presidency–the dates of 2/16/08-2/19/08 and 9/16/08-9/19/08. Finally, in a light of hope, President-elect Barack Obama currently has an 82% approval rating for his handling of his transition into office. President Obama is inheriting a government in complete devastation due to the horrific “leadership” of the last 8 years. Let’s hope our new President is able to mend the damage Bush has caused and begin to make the United States the prosperous nation she once was.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Obama Responds to Warren Concerns
When President-elect (and TIME magazine’s Person of the Year for 2008) announced controversial and ultra-conservative Evangelical minister Rick Warren was going to be delivering a speech at his inauguration ceremony, GLBT advocacy groups were outraged. Warren has been an outspoken opponent of GLBT equality (and just about every other social issue) and has consistently supported discriminatory and degrading ideologies towards GLBT persons. Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest GLBT equality advocacy group released the following letter to the President-elect, linked here yesterday:
Obama responded today: “Well, let me start by talking about my own views. I think it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans. It is something I have been consistent on and something I intend to continue to be consistent on during my presidency…What I’ve also said is that it is important for America to come together even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues…And I would note that a couple of years ago I was invited to Rick Warren’s church to speak, despite his awareness that I held views entirely contrary to his when it came to gay and lesbian rights, when it came to issues like abortion….Nevertheless, I had an opportunity to speak, and that dialogue, I think, is a part of what my campaign’s been all about, that we’re never going to agree on every single issue. What we have to do is create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable, and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans. So Rick Warren has been invited to speak, Dr. Joseph Lowery — who has deeply contrasting views to Rick Warren about a whole host of issues — is also speaking.”
Dr. Lowery, an African American minister is a major force in the civil rights movement and has been a champion of GLBT equality. While I disagree with Obama’s selection of Warren to provide a speech at his inauguration, actions speak louder than words. Obama will ultimately be judged on his policies which affect GLBT equality much more than a bigoted preacher selected to give a speech at his inauguration.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Iraqi Journalist Shows His Gratitude
At a press conference in Iraq Sunday, outgoing President George W. Bush got a striking reminder of just how unpopular he is around the world when an Iraqi journalist removed both of his shoes and hurled them at Bush’s head. The man, identified as Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network — could be heard yelling in Arabic: “This is a farewell … you dog!” The sentiments perhaps highlight what the vast majority of the world (including Americans) believe about Bush’s failed presidency and erred war in Iraq. But regardless, the actions of this man were deplorable and show a blatant disregard for whatever little positive effect the US presence in Iraq has provided. While most of the world is counting the minutes until he’s finally out of office, Iraqis should be at least a little grateful for the democracy America has provided their country. While the cost has been high to Iraq, it has also been high for the United States, who has sacrificed the lives of thousands of soldiers and paid the billions of dollars to bring freedom to their people. Bush’s failures have been painfully obvious; but the actions of this journalist are completely unacceptable.