Hot Off the Presses...

DADT Future Looking Murky

Here we are, fast approaching 2011, and "don't ask, don't tell" is still hanging out there like a loose chad.

The chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force have all expressed some reluctance about ending the ban, as has the former commandant of the Marine Corps, but the comments of the current commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, are the most vivid to date.

In comments to reporters in California this weekend, General Amos said that ending the ban in the middle of two wars would involve “risk” for Marines, who, unlike other service members who generally have private quarters, share rooms to promote unity. “There is nothing more intimate than young men and young women — and when you talk of infantry, we’re talking our young men — laying out, sleeping alongside of one another and sharing death, fear and loss of brothers,” said General Amos, 63. “I don’t know what the effect of that will be on cohesion. I mean, that’s what we’re looking at. It’s unit cohesion, it’s combat effectiveness.”

And there you have it. We would destroy unit cohesion just as surely as we have destroyed the sacred institution of marriage.

Us gay folks are not to be trusted because we simply are driven to jump the bones of every straight man or woman who happens to be in a horizontal position. Although gays & lesbians have already served our country with honor and effectiveness, to do so honestly would suddenly render us without the self-discipline required to serve and get the job done, because all we would be thinking about is fucking.

Glad we cleared that up!

It Gets Better

I'm wearing purple today, even thought I probably won't even leave the house. It's the least I can do to express my frustration.

Canada Seems Curious

Mississippi...not so much.

But what's up with Oregon??

Data research from OK Trends. Link to site embedded in the graphic.



Beware of soymilk! :-)

Goodhair Poses a Question

And I have the answer: what an imbecile.

“We’re creating more jobs than any other state in the nation. … Would you rather live in a state like this, or in a state where a man can marry a man?”

1 Man & 1 WoMan: 20 Years Happily Unmarried

Twenty years ago on this date I'd been living in San Diego barely two months. I was getting ready for another Friday night out at the Metro in the Hillcrest neighborhood for some drinking and dancing. I had no idea it was the night I'd meet the man I'd be with 20 years later.

I asked him to marry me shortly after we met knowing that we couldn't, legally. And at the time I had no idea that during the time we were together, gay marriage would be legal in six five states by the time we were celebrating 20 years together.

Texas isn't one of those states, nor does the US recognize same-sex unions. We're still waiting.

Although in all honesty, given the track record of "sanctified" marriages, we aren't doing bad at all.

Percentage of marriages that end in divorce in America: 53%

Medical field(s) with the highest divorce rate: psychiatrists and marriage counselors

Percentage of marriages where one or both spouses admit to infidelity, either physical or emotional: 41%

Percentage of men who admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they've had: 57%

Percentage of women who admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they've had: 54%

Percentage of men and women who admit to having an affair with a co-worker: 36%

Percentage of men and women who admit to infidelity on business trips: 36%

Percentage of men and women who admit to infidelity (emotional or physical) with a brother-in-law or sister-in-law: 17%

Percentage of men who say they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught: 74%

Percentage of women who say they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught: 68%

So, all you folks who think we should not have the right, carry on with your happy lives.

And one more thing: You know those people --usually op-ed writer-types-- who are in favor of same-sex marriages but they frame it in a comical way, like "gays should be allowed to get married! Why shouldn't they have the right to experience the same misery as the rest of us?"

I have a message for you. Contrary to what you may think, unmarried gay couples who have lived together more than six weeks don't live a life of non-stop blissful euphoria with feather boas waving in the air over cocktails. Relationships are challenging at times. There are great days and there are major disagreements. And it makes no difference whether it's two same-sex couples or opposite-sex couples living together married or unmarried. The dynamics are exactly the same.

But I am happy we are together and I can't imagine living life without my man.

Sometimes I wonder if those who are so adamantly against same-sex marriages aren't just slightly concerned that some of us will make them look bad, statistically speaking. (Yeah, I know; it's mostly the whole God thing, and I decided not to post my diatribe on that topic. Trying to keep this as positive as possible on a very special day.)

Oh, Irony!

How I love thee!

As Above, So Below

Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 and was the first country in the Americas to do so. Just slightly less than five years later, Mexico City legalized same-sex unions. In mid-July of this year, Argentina legalized it. And now, the Mexican Supreme Court has ruled that such marriages must be recognized nationwide. I like this rapid progress!

The court had already ruled this month that Mexico City’s same-sex marriage law, which took effect in March and has resulted in hundreds of same-sex marriages, was constitutional.

But on Tuesday, the court went a step further, ruling 9 to 2 against a complaint from the attorney general’s office, which had said that other jurisdictions should not be required to honor marriages that were performed in Mexico City.

This is a huge win for us. Despite the fact the other Mexican states are not required to offer same-sex marriages, this court ruling still is a giant step forward, and places the United States in the position of being surrounded by legally married gay folks.

Perhaps someday we'll join them. But will the United States be the last country in the Americas to make it legal? That wouldn't surprise me.

The Best News I've Heard This Year!

What boggles my mind is why so many people would bother to give one iota about the issue of marriage equality, let alone contributing huge sums of money to stop marriage equality from happening! Despite what the far-right likes to say, it doesn't have any impact on heterosexual marriages any more than unmarried gays living together has an impact on unmarried straights living together.

This is not a liberal/conservative/Democrat/Republican issue; this is an EQUAL RIGHTS issue.

And while this ruling will be appealed, and it may well turn up in the lap of SCOTUS, today is a victory I will relish long and hard. It is a big steaming hot dish of fuckyou served up to the Mormon Church, and any other idiot groups who pumped millions of dollars into the campaign of H8.

And I can't help but sit here with this smirk on my face wondering if they all got their money's worth in the end.

All Eyes on California

Because Wednesday is going to be a big day.

A San Francisco federal judge on Wednesday will issue a much anticipated ruling in the Proposition 8 trial, a decision that will be a first step in a long legal process to decide whether California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage violates the federal constitution.

Unfortunately, it won't mark the end, but at least another step in the process will be behind us.

Either way the judge decides, the losing side is expected to appeal the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Most legal experts expect the case to ultimately be decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also, unfortunately.

Target Practice

We got another lesson on how our country and our politics work, this time from Target.

A campaign contribution to a well-known anti-gay politician in Minnesota has become a rather large public relations nightmare for Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel--and the store now faces boycotts and backlash from the gay community.

Target's Chief Executive Steinhafel said gay employees have been concerned about the money helping state Rep. Tom Emmer, who opposes gay marriage. Target gave $150,000 to MN Forward, a group staffed by former insiders from outgoing Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration. MN Forward is running TV ads supporting Emmer.

The Associated Press reports that Emmer is a fiery conservative who lauds Arizona's strict approach to illegal immigration, once advocated chemical castration for sex offenders and wants to lower taxes. His profile contrasts with Target's moderate image in Minnesota, where the company is known for donating to public school programs, food pantries and the annual Twin Cities Gay Pride Festival.

Following the money trail, the Minnesota Independent has also linked Emmer to a Minnesota Christian "punk-rock ministry" that supports the killing of gays and lesbians.

It would be easy enough for me to get up here on my pulpit and say I'm going to boycott Target for as long as it takes. Honestly, I feel that would be somewhat misleading. Not because I would secretly continue to shop there and none of you would know anyway (except my local readers who might actually bump into me there). It's because I already don't shop at Target, even when I thought they were the good guys!

I may go in a Target once a year, if even that often. So it's not at all a stretch on my part to add Target to the personal boycott list which includes Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobile, and others. (And again, to be honest, I've bought something at Wal-Mart within the past 3 years -- I had a gift card from someone.)

The fact of the matter is this: Corporations are going to do what is best for them first. Even if it seems they are stabbing a certain group in the back. They can just make an excuse, say "sorry," and then throw a wad of cash at a gay pride event, and everything will be OK again. In this case, they don't say "sorry." But Target's CEO Gregg Steinhafel did have an excuse (bold emphasis mine):

"We rarely endorse all advocated positions of the organizations or candidates we support, and we do not have a political or social agenda," Steinhafel wrote. "As you know, Target has a history of supporting organizations and candidates, on both sides of the aisle, who seek to advance policies aligned with our business objectives, such as job creation and economic growth...Let me be very clear, Target's support of the GLBT community is unwavering, and inclusiveness remains a core value of our company."

Yeah. Their support may be "unwavering," but you can bet your Queer ass it will get trumped every time by the "business objectives" of The Corporation. Because that's how shit works.

Money from Target's top executives has gone mainly to Republicans. Former Chief Executive Officer Robert Ulrich, who retired last year, gave $617,000 during his time as Target's leader, most of it to the state GOP. Current Chief Executive Gregg Steinhafel has donated about $25,000, almost exclusively to Republican candidates and causes, including at least $1,000 to Michele Bachmann's "Victory Committee."

We need to get it through our heads that we can't have it both ways either. Frankly, Target can take their support of the Twin Cities Gay Pride Festival and whatever other "unwavering" support they provide, and shove it up their proverbial ass.

Corporations are about getting power and making profits for their boards of directors and their stockholders. There's no better way of doing that than making sure you have a few politicians on a leash who will carry on with passing legislation to achieve that objective.

If we want to get back at them, the best way of doing so is to elect politicians who care more about us, the people, than them, the corporations and big business. That would be a far greater victory than waging some boycott whereby a tiny fraction of their customer base suddenly finds another outlet for consumption.

I'm not suggesting we don't boycott. By all means, knock yourselves out. I won't be going to Target. But the sad truth remains: even if Target suddenly stopped the practice of donating money to the most disgusting political candidates, the other corporations -- the ones responsible for the manufacture and marketing of the products we buy -- are engaging in exactly the same reprehensible tactics.

This will not stop until we stop it.

Argentina Deals Harsh Blow to Heterosexuals

By a vote of 33 to 27, lawmakers in Argentina yesterday voted to obliterate the rights of children to be "raised and educated by a father and mother," and decimated any possibility that our species will be able to perpetuate itself.

Yes, dear friends, Argentina has legalized same-sex marriage. Keep and eye on the sky as it will surely collapse down upon us soon.

''Marriage between a man and a woman has existed for centuries, and is essential for the perpetuation of the species,'' insisted Sen. Juan Perez Alsina, who is usually a loyal supporter of the president but gave a passionate speech against gay marriage.

[...]

Same-sex civil unions have been legalized in Uruguay, Buenos Aires and some states in Mexico and Brazil. Mexico City has legalized gay marriage. Colombia's Constitutional Court granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to health insurance plans.

Seen on Facebook Today

And this status update is from a gay guy. He's not a friend of mine; just someone too stupid to make his rantings private.

The goverment can go to hell they only help the lazy ass people who don't want to work just sit on the porch and wait on a check ( and you know who I'm talking about) and have kid after kid so the wll give them more money! I hope they get cut off!

Yeah, just who is he talking about?

He goes on to write in comments:

Jason Bangs:
No I was just making a point, that my taxes are helping the useless

And yeah, I'll use his name since he seems proud enough to display them to the world via Facebook.

Asshole.

What the fuck does a 23-year-old know about taxes? Oh, but he likes Britney Spears. There you have it.

UPDATE: Just had a reply from the guy:

It has nothing to do with black or white people! it has everything to do with lazy ass worthless people who want everything givin to them, In stead of working for it, and I really dont care, The only reason it embarrasses you is if ur one of those people,or you just take it as if im being rases against any race! If you sit on ur porch and wait for a check that comes from the people who works taxes than YOU EMBARRASS ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to reply:

My partner has been unemployed since 2007. You have a lot to learn, my man. It has nothing to do with "lazy." You embarrass me, still. Live long and prosper. But watch out for 2012.

And you would do well to work on your grammar, if you expect to be taken seriously by those of us who are paving your way.

Asshole, again.

Jason Bangs goes on to scribble:

Why does this bother you so much? You much be one of those people who do not a damn thing but wait on a check! And Im Not talking about the people who have gotten hurt and cant work, I talking about people who can work but chose not to, they just sit around having kids! and who gives a damn about 2012???

Get off my facebook freak!!!!!!!!!!

And a kona retort:

Spoken like a true short-sighted individual. Are you aware that you are going to live to be 60 or 70? You should care about 2012. And 2011. And 2020. But I won't waste my time. You are seriously an asshole.

I work. And have for a long time. And I work for gay rights. And I work for a better country than this. And I battle ignorance such as yours. And it infuriates the fuck out of me. That's why it bothers me so much.

And he cannot resist:

So people who dont work and sit around and wait for you to pay their way, How do you feel about that? And im not and ass hole im speaking the truth about what pisses me off I own my own company and it bugs me that people are so damn lazy!!!! How does that now bother you!!!

I guess my grammar jab went unheeded.

Get a job as well, you lazy morans!

Hawaii Governor Vetoes Civil Unions for Gays

So much for all that bullshit hoopla about it being OK as long as we don't try to call it marriage. Damn her!

“I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-sex marriage, and find that House Bill 444 is essentially same-sex marriage by another name,” the governor, a Republican, said.

Being Broke Might Make You Gay

I stumbled upon a video that just had me mesmerized for the comical value.

It was part of a Broke Straight Boys series in which straight dudes are so broke they will do "gay stuff" for money while being filmed, of course.

In the one I saw this week, the dude needed money for rent, and he claimed he even told his girlfriend and his landlord about his job for the day. And he made it a point to say he was "totally straight." And yet, during the pre-suck interview he could not stop tugging at his crotch, as if the anticipation was driving him mad. Maybe he just wanted to be sure he was of impressive size when it came time to drop the jeans to the floor.

This isn't the first one I've seen (and I swear to you, dear reader, I stumble upon them totally by accident!) and in each case the other instance, the guy also claimed to be "totally straight" and yet, when I see these in both of them my gaydar went off like a Kansas tornado siren.

The landlord could perhaps care less. Someone better tell the girlfriend. Or maybe she's just cool with it. I can't help but wonder if the girlfriend (and perhaps, the landlord) want to watch the video. It's a wild world out there.

Better living through technology. Or at the very least, more interesting.

DADT Is Getting Tossed (Sooner or Later) and Rightly So

The US House of Representatives voted 234 to 194 on Thursday night to repeal DADT. The geography of the vote didn't look much different from the highly-emotional vote on health care reform.

While there were legitimate pros and cons to the health care legislation, a repeal of DADT is at least a decade overdue, and the repeal should have been supported by all but the most zealous of wingnuts.

Umm, wait. It was! Sorry, I keep forgetting that our Congress is about evenly split between rational people and irrational lying manipulators who are hellbent on the continued oppression of anyone not like them.

Spacebook Suckin'

Here: read it, in case you didn't see it on the news today or you think it's just another konagod stream-of-consciousness moment.

Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the FRC, Peter Sprigg, told reporters that his study on "homosexual assault" in the military was based on analysis of public documents with the help of former US military officers. He said that in 2009, 8.2% of sexual assaults in the military were perpetrated by gays. The most common type of gay attack, according to Sprigg, is "one in which the offender fondles or performs oral sex on a sleeping victim."

8.2%. Wow, the dude is real precise with his measurements. Or is he just having a fantasy?

Glen Beck Addendum and More

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, it may be awhile before I can post my results from the quiz.

If ultra-conservatives ruled our land, is this what we could expect?

And in other mind-numbing news, my brother received this from a member of the Sheriff's department in his county. It was a reply to my brother in a chain of emails about gays in the military. Quite amusing.

I sit and read e-mails about different issues and never respond, but this one I had to. Most people who have a fighting bone in their body will side with me on the fact that gays have no place in the armed forces, or any type of job that you have to make a life or death decision in seconds. I've never been in the service but I do work for the Sheriff's office, and I have been in those situations where my life was hanging on the decision of my partner. Now who would you rather have making that choice, David Carter, 100% man, who is not afraid to pull the trigger to protect his partner or whatever else it takes to take you out of harms way, even if it means his own life. Or would you like to have someone who, because they made a choice to be gay, apparantly has a clouded judgement and cannot make a hardcore, survival, heat of the moment decision, which could cost you your life and possibly theirs. I may step on toes, so be it, but I could not put on my uniform, leave my beautiful wife and children and go to work knowing that my backup was to worried about coming out of the closet or who might find out, instead of focused on their duties. David Carter, Todd Harris, Bruce Drope, Patrick Lenderman and several others, who would go to hell and back with you or a so called man who knows what scarf goes best with a dress!!! You make the choice! GOD made it very clear where he stands on the issue of homosexuality and I stand behind him 100%!!! Leave the hardcore stuff to real men, the others, well we can always use more interior designers and dress makers.

Glad to know I'm just a "so-called" man. Wow. The extent to which these people lack a clear understanding of any given set of issues is simply astounding.

Super Bowl Gets Focus on the Family Ad

I guess when times are tough, you drop your standards a bit.

Focus on the Family, a Christian family-help organization based in Colorado Springs, Colo., has purchased one 30-second ad that will run in the game, and anticipates no frowns from CBS, which is slated to broadcast Super Bowl XLIV from South Florida on Feb. 7.

The buy may come as a surprise to veteran Super Bowl watchers who recall headlines about sexy vegetables cropping up last year after NBC turned down an ad from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that showed women in lingerie placed in suggestive positions with pumpkins and asparagus. CBS earlier turned down a similar ad for its 2004 Super Bowl broadcast as well as one from MoveOn.org that bashed President Bush. The network and its rivals have espoused a policy of not accepting ads that are inflammatory.

Focus on the Family is known for taking a pro-life stance and valuing marriage as an institution for opposite-sex couples.

CBS knows what Focus on the Family stands for and has approved the script, said Gary Schneeberger, a Focus on the Family spokesman. CBS understood "there are folks who ideologically disagree with Focus on the Family in some areas,"

The article goes on to mention that the script isn't "anti" anything. Of course not, because it probably would not have been approved, and the organization must really be feeling the need to get some message out there however benign it might be.

The organization's ad will feature college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, sharing a personal story centered on the theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life," according to a news release from Focus on the Family.

And we know what "family" and "life" they are celebrating.

Solar Eclipse

But only for the delight of Africa & Asia.

The path of the eclipse began in Africa — passing through Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia before crossing the Indian Ocean, where it reached its peak, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration website.

Hopefully this gave Ugandans a big enough distraction that they forgot about trying to kill all the demonic gays.