He probably thinks homosexuality is a sin

How much do you love Christian radio DJ and Gospel Baptist Church pastor Tommy Dale Tester?

He was arrested in - yes - Johnson City, Tennessee. DEEP in the eastern portion of the state. Look it up on a map. Right in that safe, warm spot of America nestled in between West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia.

But ALL TENNESSEE. His claims to fame:

Public urination. Coppin for a cop cock chug. Skirt wearing. Drunk driving. And praisin' the Lord.

How long before he gets his permanent White house Press Pass?

2 years later

Mark "Kid-Toucher" Foley.

Ted Haggard.

Bob Allen (John McCain's park troll from Florida)

Jeff Gannon is still selling his pecker to Republicans.

Ken Mehlman.

Karl Rove.

Jeff Trandahl.

Of course, Jim Kolbe.

Former Spokane Mayor Jim West.

Mary Cheney.

Perhaps Dennis Hastert?

And tell me someone with pretty lips like Bill Kristol can't be averse to the pole smoke...

And yet, none of them come out, openly, for my partner and I to have the right to file our taxes jointly.

We're still having this argument after 2 years of being away.

And Senators Clinton and Obama are too fricken scared to take the leap, too.

DearMary.com

I know several people who claim that the hatred of gays isn't really that bad. That it's not really prevalent in America. That it's not so bad unless "gayness" is flaunted. That it's not so bad, unless they see me holding my boyfriend's hand. That it's not so bad, as long as they don't catch us stealing a peck on the cheek. That it's not so bad in a really dark closet, lying to ourselves and everyone we know.

I particularly enjoy speaking with the people who claim that we generally can, legally, secure many of the same legal rights married couples are entitled to just by seeing an attorney. Separate is not equal, I say. We've tried that.

I also like those who are afraid of losing the word "marriage". Keep marriage in your churches, I say. Make all unions civil. Keep marriage religious. Simple answer.

I love to hear that it'll take time, too. A cultural sea-change this big needs time to sit with the people and let them get used to the idea. To respond to that, I refer to the Langston Hughes poem. He says it well.

But all of these well-meaning and decent avoidance tactics are complete bullshit. They're some fucking polite polishing of the general undercurrent of hatred, ignorance, fear and bigotry that permeates this discussion and fuels the fire from my side. And serves as the bedrock for the real, practical discriminatory acts, violence and protests from their side.

And that truth bubbles to the surface and spews like an acidic torrent of hate and death wishes as exemplified on the page of posts to DearMary.com.

http://dearmary.com/fob.html

These are the words of Americans, presumably, who are educated enough to get onto the internet and find their way to a gay-based political-activist/spoof website. Evidently, they were looking for, heard about or stumbled upon DearMary.com. Then they felt secure enough in their convictions and anonymity to spew some hatred.

And, I suppose, they don't seem to give a damn that the hypocrisy is the issue.

Opposition to gay marriage is totally hypocritical, from a religio-fascist Christian morality basis (how WOULD Jesus treat us?), a political basis (why DID Washington free his slaves and Jefferson FUCK his if we all aren't created equal?), and a social basis (how DOES this hurt your marriage, your kids or the fabric of society?).

These posts are genuine, pure bile. Even the nicer/more rational ones. And all of these people took the time to leave a note. Imagine how they voted if their beliefs are this strong and they had the anonymity of the ballot box.

We are a racist, bigoted conservative society. And lucky for those who cannot hide who they are that we have overcome - at least legally - most of the sins of our forefathers. For those of us who are discriminated against based on traits that must be revealed or exhibited, we have a long way to go.

The anonymity I found in the closet of lies, deception, hypocrisy and self-loathing is no more. And I am better and stronger for abandoning it.

I wish all Americans the same. We have a lot more to do as a society than to worry about this. Let's evolve together and move on.

Gotta love Fred Phelps

Here's a page from the all-too-funny and sad website:
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fags/fagfacts.html

And a really scary page comparing the rhetoric of anti-semitic Nazi propaganda and current anti-gay spewing:
http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/hitler/hitler.html

And a link to another of the Westboro Baptist Church's fliers:
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/jul2005/20050715_eric-woods-funeral.pdf

Where are the righties calling for the head of Fred Phelps? It's obvious Fred's not really in support of our troops - or our policies and the war (perhaps solely for our homosexual ties), but no one from the wrong side of the aisle is calling for his citizenship to be revoked - much less labelling him an unpatriotic traitor. Perhaps it's because his particular form, content and behavior is appealing to them: he's doing the dirty anti-fag work that they wish they could do politically.

But it's all too funny, no? Certainly he and his inbred followers are lunatics!
http://www.godhatesamerica.com/

He seems like the same sort of fundamentalist religious, anti-American wacko that we're battling in Iraq and around the world. Yet, the right-wing media loves him for his anti-fag beliefs and refuses to confront him for his anti-American beliefs.

And why the hell doesn't Fred Phelps follow Jeff Gannon, Ken Mehlman, Karl Rove, et al picketing their every bathhouse move? He's so web savvy, I'm sure he's seen militarystud.com. Go Bulldog!

Hypocrites, all.

So - if you're up for protesting the Westboro Inbreds, here's a link to a map to their church. Notice how small they really are...

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=address&searchtype=address&cat=&address=3701%20Sw%2012th%20St&city=Topeka&state=KS&zipcode=66604%2d1730&searchtab=home

And if this world is so bad, I wonder what Fred Phelps' hell will be like when he gets there.

I'm guessing a sling and a lot of horned-up, ex-GI bears would be appropriate. To some of us, that sort of eternity doesn't seem so bad.

Nike's fucked!

Donald Wildmon - you know him, right? He's number 1 of "My Favorite Fundies" from the American Family Association (which says that fudgepacking ain't queer as long as it stays in the family. Really - ask his son...).

Well - anyhoooo, sisters and sistren, nottie-nottie-Don-Don has just called for a boycott of Nike.

Yup - Nike.

From their latest call to action:
"According to USA Today, Nike has become the first major corporation in America to publicly endorse homosexual "civil unions," a back door move to legalize homosexual marriage.
Nike endorsed a bill in their home state of Oregon which would legalize "civil unions." Homosexual activists are using the "civil union" approach as a back door approach to the legalization of homosexual marriage."

Coupla thoughts:
1. Don Wildmon uses the phrase "back door" twice in three consecutive sentences. Hmmm... something seems to be on Don-Don's mind.

2. Nike is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. Duh. Ya ain't gotta be no Rhodey to figger that out. Beaverton. Oregon. Why is this news?

3. Um, doesn't everyone know that normal gays only wear white Reeboks, Skechers and Kenneth Cole? Result of this protest: Nike's fucked. If everyone who believes Wildmon really boycotts Nike and the gays don't shop there already, who will?

I wonder what would happen if Nike introduced the Jesus Sport Sandal...

I might just try on some Nike products the next time I'm shopping. And I'll definitely call Beaverton Monday morning to thank them for their stance and encourage them to be strong.

I'm going to ask some Taiwanese slave labor kids to whip me up a "whoosh-like" cross to burn on Wildmon's lawn. Only trouble is, no carrier flies into Tupelo, MS for me to deliver the flaming goods.

PS - according to the HRC, Nike also scored 100% on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. I'd encourage other companies to work to achieve the same standard.

NEWS ALERT: God brings wrath to faggots in London bombings!

So how long do you think we'll hafta wait before some nutjob, backwoody, fascist claims that the fags are the primary targets or at least indirectly responsible for the bombing in London?

I think it'll hit us right around Monday morning. Give the Fundies a good day of prayer and a sermon or two to start the whisper campaign. Then, blammo: God was trying to teach fags a lesson because:

"You know London is a popular gay travel destination."

"Queers are always trolling on public transportation"

"Thursdays are the days homos are out en masse - just look at all the Thursday night drink specials at clubs. Especially the clubs I righteously troll every Thursday night looking for converts to bring to Christ Jesus."

"14% of the male victims in the bombings were wearing green pants - and you know what that means."

"Ever since I was a little boy, my pappy told me that fairies only work on Thursdays in London, and those Brits, ever since The Beatles, aren't God-afeared people."

"Them English got their own word fer the gays, and 'poof' sure as hell sounds like terrorist code to me."

"The leader of their country is a Queen. Get it? And I'm not talking about Elizabeth..."

"Karl Rove said so. And he wasn't getting fisted by Jeff Gannon at the time."

I haven't seen anything yet, but then again Bravo don't cover the reallllly important gay stuff.

And so, I wait. It'll come.

And faster than Karl Rove, too.

A Church with a gift for Independence Day

Why can't more Christians have courage?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/national/04cnd-church.html?hp&ex=1120536000&en=c11eb4df569a28c4&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Jefferson is the Reason for the Season

When in the the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

And then they blather on about all the reasons for being pissed at the King of Great Britain. Of course, many people have read these words before, and some people have written about them, and more have talked about them, and still more think they know what they mean. Now, I'm not up for a real academicky dissection and analysis, per se, but I have a couple thoughts. So, let's take a crackpot's swing at a coupla these ideas.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

These are the beliefs we hold as our foundation. Now, granted, we as a country have been pretty bad about this "all men are created equal" business. The Founding Fathers struggled with this and all of us have ever since, too. I think the Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (not happiness - just the pursuit of it...) apply to all citizens. We are all entitled to the same rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship as endowed upon us by "their Creator", who or whatever that Creator may be. And it's obvious that your idea of your creator cannot possibly be exactly the same idea I have of my creator: we each have our own separate identities, thoughts, personalities and inner beings/souls, so we can't possibly think the same way. Just like we don't have the same ideas of what the color maroon actually is, our Creators are all different.

Now, opponents of my politically progressive stance on gay marriage will spout Biblical and Natural Law stuff at me, but it is my idea about my Creator that isn't open for debate. And my Creator made me gay.

And, as such, I have been granted these inalienable rights, as mentioned here. The complete and total ideals of Jefferson, et al are on paper for us to read, and it is our duty to execute their wishes to uphold the rule of our land. Sure - Jefferson didn't necessarily practice those ideals himself, as none of us are perfect, but I'm willing to cut the guy some slack. He couldn't fight that battle himself and has left it our personal responsibility to do so. Washington freed his slaves upon his death. Lincoln, for his own reasons emancipated the slaves. King fought for his rights - all our rights - and even Gov. George Wallace had a conversion and saw the light. We all have been correcting their embarrassing loopholes of social injustice since our country's inception, and it's time to carry on that particurly freeing tradition with regards to how we legally discriminate against homosexuals. The pursuit of Happiness, under the government, does not guarantee Happiness, just the equality of the pursuit under law.

--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
And this is where Democracy comes in. Majority rule forces me to play within the confines of our system, and permits me to work toward influencing others to see my side of the story and support it. We will work harder than you can imagine to garner the consent of the governed, and endowing our leadership with the mandate to act.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Again - the ideals of Democracy and the rules as outlined by our Constitution give me the power to effect my safety and Happiness by altering and abolishing particular governments through the electoral process. And history has shown that we are an evolving nation of thinkers and that people in opposition to fundamental equality issues have been consistently wrong, overthrown and embarrassed by their immoral, unrighteous beliefs. Morals, rational thought, social evolution and justice are on the side of this equality issue, and all we need is a little patience to withstand the current intemperate political climate that is characterized by hatred, fear and ignorance to vanquish the disgusting inequality towards homosexuals so we, as a productive force, can get onto the next piece of social business. There is much work yet to be done.

We are more disposed to suffer than to right ourselves, as Jefferson claims, but this long train of abuses and usurpations cannot withstand. And, as it is our right to alter or abolish this particular destructive form of government, I prefer alter. Abolishing connotes thoughts of Civil War, and that's not preferable. I'd fuck up my manicure. And you shouldn't want it, either. Have you ever been in a cat-fight with bitchy queens? Have you ever had a lesbian kick your ass? Ugly. Worse than any foxhole in 'Nam, I'll bet. And just as unproductive.

Legalizing Gay marriage nationally - a poetic approach

It's taken me a couple of days and a lot of surfing to more fully appreciate the Langston Hughes poem "Democracy".

After going to several hate sites (Google "fudge packers", "liberal fucking homo fags", "voters for Kerry" if you don't believe me!), or other gay-friendly sites where hate rhetoric hemorrhages out of control (http://www.gayamerican.org/archives/000163.html), I wonder what their argument is, what logic they use, what rationale they have for wanting me and other gays and lesbians dead, voiceless, and excommunicated from "their" self-governmental experiment call the American experience.

And I look to Langston Hughes. Funny, a fag should turn to poetry when reflecting and searching.

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

But isn't this democracy? 1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority. What do we want from democracy? What does it give us?

Can we say democracy should give us the best free society for the largest number of citizens? And if we're only a democracy, do the warm, fuzzy ideals of freedom, independence, and the mythological American Dream really matter - or are they supposed to be direct products or by-products of the democratic experience?

And if this is not what we want to define as the goals democracy, then what are? What is a better, more noble goal for a democratic society?

Assuming the best society for largest number of citizens is the answer, how would we define a world where I do not have the same rights - simply for existing as I was born - as another citizen? Or, what are the trade-offs for my equal rights, should they need to be withheld for the rights of a larger group?

Granting me my rights, legally under the Constitution, I argue, is not taking away any of the rights and privileges afforded others. It merely makes me equal.

Hughes posits democracy, as I've defined it, will not come through compromise and fear.

What is the compromise? Compromise from the haters' POV is that we are allowed to live. Liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not part of their equation - or only some part of that equation. Compromise from my POV is that we have to move to Massachusetts, Canada, Spain or the Netherlands to get married. We must go to Connecticut or Vermont to get a civil union. But, we are treated legally as separate but not equal. Neither compromise is acceptable for me.

What is the fear? Their fear, although I cannot claim to understand fully (and disregarding the Biblical chatter), is based in a fear of lawlessness, sodomy-on-demand, devaluing traditional marriage, and destroying our culture for the children. I don't know of any facts or figures which show that gay marriage - granted through democracy - will foster and actualize a culture made up of those fears. And, look around: those fears are real now! The Bush family and Administration, literally or metaphorically, embody all of those plagues on society. If you're questioning my logical leap to the Bush Administration fostering sodomy-on-demand, ask Jeff Gannon about Enron. Literally and figuratively. Their fear is unfounded.

What is fear from my POV? I want to have a normal, decent family. Just like anyone else. No more, no less. And adoption is a good thing. I know that if we, homos and others, do not stand up and insist upon these rights, that I and people like me, will not be equal under this system. And when people in the right are marginalized in a democracy, their voices get louder. I fear more violence against homosexuals. I fear despair. Neither answer is acceptable.

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

This was written by a black writer, presumably about the black American experience. I agree with him about his claim to this right, and many, not all, of those rights have been granted and accepted by America. This right I claim for myself, as well. There is, however, a subtle difference: discrimination and withholding of rights against others has generally been readily detectable; race, gender, religious, ethnicity, disability, etc. They will say that gays and lesbians have to act upon who they are in order to be discriminated against. We must either be caught in the act (which is generally impossible - and morally reprehensible if you want to try), or we must be out of the closet. They would argue that it is the sin and not the sinner, the "don't tell" half of the equation that makes us worthy of discrimination. The legal mistreatment of others is an historical embarrassment and a blemish on the American record of freedom. Why should we accept this for the millions of American homosexuals? Why should we be forced to lie about our true identity in a democracy?

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

I, too, tire of hearing the same so-called consolation from those who have not fully committed to realizing a true American democracy. These are the words of compromise, and usually delivered in a positive, affirming tone. About the same time i seriously considered sharing my life with the man I love, I decided that this compromise no longer works for the American me. 15 years ago, as a questioning teen, it never would have occurred to me that I would ever need to come to the realization that I would want to share in the same rights as the rest of America. I did not have these strong feelings 10 years ago, when I assumed the politics of the argument might be resolved by the time I wanted to share in the same rights. I know want to know that husband, father, widower could, some day, apply to me. Democracy is the means by which I must fight to make that freedom mine.

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

Americans have seen how strong freedom is. Hughes, by claiming freedom is a seed, encourages us to consider freedom the basis of our society - our democracy. We have long held that the warm fuzzies usually associated with democracy - freedom, independence, personal responsibility and opportunity - will fluorish in and create a better society. We claim it for ourselves and for those other societies throughout the world we encourage to embark down the democratic path. That will be, and has been, the legacy of the American experience.

But great needs remain. Providing equality for all has always been a difficult adjustment; of mind, heart, culture and law. However, upon achieving a more perfect union, we will come to understand the true beauty and power of the force of democracy in addressing the remaining needs of our world. Anything less is a hypocritical, pseudo-freedom revealing itself, ultimately, as an ignorant and belligerent facade of an obstacle to true freedom.

I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.