Thursday, April 30, 2009

Sex Ed. and Anti-Bullying Bill Pass NC Senate Panel

This just in from wral-tv.com:

"A Senate panel has quietly approved separate bills telling North Carolina public schools to change how they teach sex education and to adopt detailed anti-bullying policies.

The Senate Mental Health and Youth Services Committee recommended the legislation Wednesday to the full Senate.

The sex education bill passed the House just two weeks ago. It would require schools to offer children in grades seven though nine one curriculum focused on abstinence until marriage and another with more about contraception. Parents would choose either one for their child or none at all.

The anti-bullying bill is opposed by conservative Christians who argue it would advance special protections for gay people."

It is surprising (yet not so much) that anti-bullying of LGBTQ people would be opposed by conservative Christians.

This leads to my question: who would Jesus bully?

Time to make "Who Would Jesus Bully?" red bracelets! WWJB!

Pace!

B

Feel the Motion!

There is that one song in "Chorus Line" where the young woman was told to feel the motion in an improv class.

We're not improvising any more: there is motion toward equality for all:
* Maine: moving closer to marriage equality; click;
* 56% of Americans want the military to drop Don't Ask Don't Tell. Sec. Gates: get it? It doesn't matter! click.

Now if North Carolina can just pass an anti-bullying bill for young people that includes LGBQT people...

Feel the motion?

Pace!

B

Love is Winning Out

On towleroad.com and advocate.com, there is the report that LGBT marriage, or marriage equality, is now favored by over 49% of the population, versus 46% against equal marriage:

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows support for marriage equality among Americans at an all-time high. According to the poll, 49 percent support same-sex marriage, while 46 percent oppose it. This is the first time supporters of same-sex marriage have outnumbered opponents in an ABC/Post poll.

This is interesting news! In light of the PCUSA amendment 08-B losing--but by a slim margin--by the time we vote again this country will be more or less embracing LGBTQ people as equals in terms of marriage.

And our PCUSA committee looking at the definition of marriage will still be meeting and considering the defintion of marriage while the rest of the country embraces the very thing we are talking about.

Click here for more.

Crazy!

B

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Wrap Up Today: NH Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill, and Hate Crime Bill (Federal) Passes House

I was at a funeral today as pastor of my church, and so I didn't get a chance to follow all the exciting developments today.

First, the NH Senate passed gay marriage bill! Even with former Gov. Sununu making heterosexual remarks the gay marriage bill as the state GOP chair, it passed!

Second, the hate crime bill including sexual discrimination passed in the House of Representatives (Federal) today. I understand that Ms. Virginia Foxx of NC, a Representative (R) called Matthew Shepherd's death not a hate crime but a hoax, and that Rep. Heath Shuler (D) also from NC did not vote for it, it passed. Apparently, it is time to call/write and do our bit as a constituent. This case, it would be to protest their comments and vote.

This is a snippet of Foxx's comments:

The socially conservative Foxx, arguing against a new Democratic hate crimes bill that includes new protections for gays and lesbians, described the description of Shepard's murder as a anti-homosexual attack a "hoax" -- and questioned whether prior bias crime legislation should have been named after him.

“I also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the Matthew Shepard bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay."

She added: "This -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.

What is Virginia thinking? I know what she is reading...

Something's happening...who knows...

Pace!

B

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

From Wedge to Burden

In today's nyt.com, I was amused and interested in the article about how the issue of gay marriage--a potent wedge issue for Republicans in the earlier part of 2000's--has now become a burden. With the recent comments of McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt, and McCain's daughter--both pro-gay marriage--it is clear that the generational divide is alive and kicking in the Republican party...as well as among Democrats. Please note, Democrats, we've not said "yes" in our platforms for civil unions or gay marriage.

Schmidt speaks boldly and rightly here:

“I think it’s likely that all our candidates will be against gay marriage,” Mr. Schmidt said. “But the point is this: There should be a de-emphasis on this issue. This is not the most important issue facing the country. In states where this has been made legal, there has been a collective yawn from the citizenry in a lot of these states. The party should focus on disagreeing with the president on the axis of issues that we agree on.”

Mr. Schmidt is 38 years old.

I think that the issue is:
* Generational based, with older folks against gay marriage;
* Class based: middle class to upper middle class for gay marriage;
* Religious based: mainstream vs. fundamentalist;
* Geographic: West and East coast for, and except for Iowa, middle states and South against.

What do you think?

Click here for article.

pace!

B

Saturday, April 25, 2009

PCUSA: No to Amendment B

Well, that was interesting...and still is interesting. While Amendment B lost, there are more Presbyteries voting for this than any other LGBTQ related amendment to our Constitution.

And in 2010, we will vote again to start this rolling again.

And this time, justice will win.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Friday, April 24, 2009

Rep. Barney Frank Rule of Outing Applied to the Church

This is an interesting issue I read on salon.com, in re: to the re-outing of Gov. Charlie Crist of FL. Rumor has it that he is gay.

The principal for outing him is the Barney Frank principal, which is in a nutshell the following: In short, the guideline is that it's acceptable to out those people who, from the closet, are working against what's believed to be the interest of the LGBT community at large. Click here for more.

Now here is the issue I'm struggling with: I know a lot of LGBTQ people in the closet who are making it hard for many LGBTQ people who are out being ordained in many denominations and churches.

What happens if we bring the Barney Frank principal into our churches?

Pace!

B

Miss CA Re-Dux

On andrewsullivan.com, there was this link to Dan Savage's insight into the Miss California answer to the question about marriage.

Anti-gay attitudes — whatever motivates them — are increasingly less popular. No contestant would stand on that stage and argue for a ban on interracial marriage or come to the defense of a country clubs that banned Jewish members or condemn single mothers. All those positions were once considered thoroughly respectable, and people could argue for them on TV — pundits, candidates, beauty pageant contestants — without fear or repercussion. Not true today. It’s not that there are racial thought police, or anti-Semitic thought police, or single-mom thought police. It’s just that times and attitudes change.

We’re not there yet on gay issues, but we’re clearly getting there. And that’s progress. No one has to like gay people or approve of us. But we’re headed toward a time when advocating for anti-gay discrimination — which is what she did — she said that only “opposite marriage” should be legal — won’t win you any popularity contests.

Click here for more.

I think that Savage has it right here: while on the one hand Miss CA gave the sense that there is a gay-police force out to catch her for saying that wrong p.c. thing, the truth of the matter is she acknowledged that we exist as an "option."

That would've been impossible only a few years ago.

Pace!

B

Friday Update: NH is doubtful, and NY is hopeful

All the news re: LGBTQ marriages is being generated from the northeast/New England area. For example, even though several parts of he legislature have approved of gay marriage in NH, there are those other parts of the legislature that are voting it down. The state Senate's judiciary committee voted to reject gay marriage by a slim margin: 3-2. This is a state where Gov. Lynch supported civil unions and signed them into

Meanwhile, in NY there is a sense of Gov. Paterson--and NOT Rudy--jumping on the band wagon of supporting LGBTQ marriage. A marriage equality bill was introduced formally to the legislature the other day.

The sense of us who are LGBTQ being married, and it not being a "big thing" is thrilling. There will be more weddings than people thought when so many people who are still in the closet and are married--often because of the benefits--either divorce or simply choose not to be in a straight marriage but live honestly and openly in marriage with a person she or he is in love with and looks forward to living life together.

Pace!

B

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Q-Notes Gay Parenting Monthly Column

It is a done deal: I will be writing a monthly column on gay parenting once a month in the Carolina LGBTQ magazine/e-magazine, Q-Notes www.q-notes.com. I am excited about this opportunity and the chance to talk about issues relevant to queer parents...as if all parents aren't weird, queer, exhausting, loving, revolting, abnormal, strange, delusional, impressive, courageous, and bold!

Send in your thoughts and ideas of what should be addressed.

What I especially like is that in this bi-monthly publication (twice a month), the space in which I will be writing will be shared with a young person who is LGBTQ.

Say a prayer! Wish us well!

Pace!

B

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Movie: One Day You'll Remember

I've seen some good plays and movies lately, e.g., "Pride and Prejudice" at Playmakers (UNC) and "The Class" and "Two Lovers," along with "Wendy and Lucy."

I'm going to make some connections are reviews: I liked the movie "One Day You'll Remember." The movie (French) was about the seeping story of a Jewish family whose religious identity was hidden for years. Slowly, the matriarch of the family lets the story slip out in calculated ways as her son explores his family roots.

Click here for more.

What is memorable was when the matriarch of the family tells the young grandson to fight discrimination of every kind.

That includes discrimination against us.

But being discriminated against includes people who are disabled, because of the color of one's skin, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sex, age, class, and religion, to name a few.

Pace!

B

If you want your coffee bitter, white (and straight)...turn to "Morning Joe!"

This morning on "Morning Joe," I was astonished--and yet not that much--by all the support that Miss California of "Miss USA" fame got from Joe and even Mika--and the rest of the table--when it was mentioned that she answered "bravely" that marriage is "between a man and a woman." Perez Hilton asked her the question about marriage, and her answer--given that she is from CA, the state where Prop. 8 just won--didn't surprise me in the least bit. I expected it, even though she was booed by the audience.

And she answered wrong: we don't have a choice in this country between gay marriage and straight marriage.

Joe Scarborough called her "brave" for standing firm in her convictions.

Brave?

That was brave? Calling a marriage something between a man and a woman? Brave?

Come on!

This country has yet to embrace gay marriage between two men or two women. It is still not as "high" as, say, civil union.

Brave?

That wasn't brave.

Brave is living as an openly gay pastor in a committed long term relationship in the South.

Now that's brave!

Pace!

B

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Are We @ a Tipping Point? Straw Breaking Camel's Back?

Before there was Gladwell's "tipping point," there was the aphorism of the straw breaking the camel's back.

So did the National Org. of Marriage hysterical ad and all the hub-bub about Prop. 8 become the tipping point, the straw?

Is gay marriage around the bend?

Pace!

B

Friday, April 17, 2009

Steve Schmidt, McCain's Campaign Brain, FOR Gay Marriage

I've seen this on all the blogs, and it is good news: Steve Schmidt, McCain's campaign director and brain behind the run for office and a disciple of Rover, is pushing Republicans to be FOR gay marriage. Why? Yes, good politics. But also realizing also that it is inevitable, and that there is no reason for the GOP to be losing on yet one more issue.

By the way: Schmidt should also tell someone in the GOP that "tea bagging" has a whole other meaning in another context. It is simply embarrassing.

Click here.

Pace!

B

Being Bullied

As many of you know, Mitchell Gold has been responding with money and action in terms of young LGBTQ people being bullied. There is a great article raising issues about being bullied if you are LBTGQ, and it isn't the same as "normal" bullying. In this piece by Kate Harding on the 13th year of recognizing a National Day of Silence, Kate writes about a young man who commits suicide because he was being bullied:

Today is the 13th National Day of Silence "to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment and effective responses." It also would have been the 12th birthday of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, who committed suicide on April 6, after months of being tormented with anti-gay slurs by other children. Sirdeaner Walker, Carl's mother, told the Advocate "her son had been the victim of bullying since the beginning of the school year, and that she had been calling the school since September, complaining that her son was mercilessly teased. He played football, baseball and was a boy scout, but a group of classmates called him gay and teased him about the way he dressed. They ridiculed him for going to church with his mother and for volunteering locally."

Just a note: the kids of LGBTQ parents are equally taunted and bullied in schools, public and private alike.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Too Good to be True

Reading on talkingpointsmemo.com today about Sec. Gates putting conditions of "IF" there is a repeal of DADT. The new hurdle may be Gates himself.

"IF" is a conditional word.

No longer is it "When there is a repeal of DADT."

Yesterday, Capehart's article was so poignant and strong for the repeal of DADT.

We need to write to the folks in the Obama administration to repeal it. They are starting to feel a lot like some churches I know of: say one thing and wait, telling us "be patient."

Click here for more.

It is time to change.

Pace!

B

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Don't Ask Don't Tell: Don't Continue

Jonathan Caperhart's essay in the Washington Post on-line was right on: the old arguments about DADT, e.g., that having gays breaks down group cohesion since gays and lesbians are always on the make, flirting without control unlike those straight armed service personnel, is a feeble excuse, at best.

I appreciate Capehart's last line:

Sirs, gay men and lesbians are serving in the United States military right now. They wear the uniform because, to paraphrase paragraph 5 of Section 654 of U.S. Code Title 10, they want "to make extraordinary sacrifices, including the ultimate sacrifice, in order to provide for the common defense." They wear the uniform because they want to defend the ideals, laws and values of the United States against all enemies. They wear the uniform because they love their country.

Click here for more.

Why is this pertinent? Because we who are clergy and are LGBTQ also get the same fear of straight people in congregations: that we are always on the make. As more than one member of my church has said (before leaving in a huff), "It's o.k. if gays are in congregations or my choir director, but not if he is my pastor." Why? Because I'd be on the make.

It is time!

Pace! B

Living in a State of Regression in a Country of Progression

Living in NC feels like living in a state of regression when it comes to LGBTQ issues. For example, we cannot get an anti-bullying bill passed in our state legislature because religious right conservatives bully legislators to vote it down, let alone for domestic partner benefits or discussion of gay marriage.

Meanwhile, I am reading about expanding domestic partnerships in WA state (click here) while NH, NY, and other states are debating domestic partnership benefits or gay marriage.

It is surreal, to say the least.

Pace!

B

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Being a Benedictine Oblate

Along with a Presbyterian pastor for over 25 years, I am also a Benedictine oblate, having promised to live according to the life ordered by the Rule of St. Benedict. My oblate community is St. Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, MN., a group of amazing women. I've been an oblate for almost nine years.

They are a community of Christians who welcome me thoroughly, and know that I am gay.

So I read with interest the Pope's/Vatican's investigation into the lives of religious sisters and their acceptance of those of us who are LGBTQ.

Please!

There are plenty of men's and women's religious communities in the Catholic Church who welcome us. Why is this news? After all, there are many LBTG sisters and brothers who are in these communities.

Wake up!

We are members of the mystical resurrected body of Christ.

God made us.

God chose us.

God loves us.

Click here for more.

My hunch? God is going to be having a long talk with brothers and sisters who kept and keep us out of the Church.

Pace!

B

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

flurry of news

Seeing all the websites, there is something abuzz in this country:
* Rev. Rick Warren got caught telling at least a fib: "I was against gay marriage before I was for it," a.k.a., the flip flop;
* Gov. Paterson of NY is interested in pushing the idea of legalizing same sex marriage in NY (our weddings are good for the economy, Californians!);
* Iowans are standing firm on gay marriage, despite death threats;

And, yes, ON BEING A GAY PARENT number on where it is on the best seller list is absent!

Pace!

B

Monday, April 13, 2009

A Time to be Born, and a Time to Die

I quote Ecclesiastes above because of the following article/essay in the Washington Post yesterday and today: do special interest groups always need to exist into perpetuity? In particular, James Kirchick was writing about LGBTQ groups.

To quote Ecclesiastes: there is a time to be born, and a time to die. a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted (3:2, 3).

In other words, there is a time to build an organization to address an injustice in the world, and once that injustice has been met and the cause just, then there is a time to dismantle the organization.

Besides, there are lots of causes to get involved in where oppression rules.

Hunger?

Poverty?

Homelessness (a group of homeless men have taken up near my building of the School of the Pilgrim)?

Illiteracy?

Health care crisis?

click here for the article.

Pace!

B

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Demi in Des Moines: Mo Dowd Does a Nice Column

Kudos to Maureen Dowd on her column on gays marriages in Iowa. Her wonderful take: Californians are a little bit envious of what happened in Iowa re: gay marriage.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

The Religiosity of a State=Whether or Not Gay Marriage Happens!

On "Blow Blog" on nyt.com, Charles Blow argues that the reason VT went with gay marriage so easily as a legislative victory is because they are not a religious state, or as much a religious state as other states.

Hmmmm...

Consider this:
Opponents of gay marriage often base their arguments on religious texts. “Homosexuality is a sin – an abomination.” “Marriage is between men and women.” “Blah, blah, blah.” (It’s baffling how intelligent people try to derive a well-rounded set of modern mores from books written by men who didn’t even know that the world was round. But, I digress.)

So does the sense of "being religious" in a state predict how easily gay marriage is accepted as a norm?

Click here for more.

Pace! B

Friday, April 10, 2009

Next! Nevada and Wisconsin

According to towleroad.com, Wisconsin's Supreme Court is looking at the legality of the ban of gay marriage, and Nevada is considering same sex civil unions.

Wisconsin is in the middle of the country.

Minnesota is next door.

Nevada: close to CA and OR and they have domestic partnership.

Remember Kissinger's domino affect re: communism in Southeast Asia, ala Viet Nam? Kissinger was wrong there. But perhaps it is happening here!

Blessings on this Good Friday.

pace!

B

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Is Same Sex Marriage Coming to NY, NJ, or Maine First?

Reading the NYT tonight on-line, there was an article on same-sex marriage in NJ and NY. Gov. Paterson is proposing pushing the issue of same sex marriage soon in NY.

Meanwhile, a new group the "National Organization for Marriage" NOM was pushing its agenda with an awful ad.

Click here for more from NYT.

Things are changing!

pace!

B

Witty Riposte to You: Three Arguments For Gay Marriage (When Given Three Arguments Against Gay Marriage)

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan for this blog entry by Peter Sagal for what to say when given the three arguments that people in Iowa, VT, CA, OR, NH, NJ, MA, CT, WA who don't like the idea of gay marriage:

I was very happy to see that Vermont legalized same sex marriage, although of course, some people are very unhappy. There are three arguments against same-sex marriage, summarized thusly:

1) God hates it.

2) It’s against thousands of years of tradition.

3) It’ll ruin marriage for everyone else.

To which the effective ripostes are:

1) Actually, He told me in a dream that He’s all for it.

2) So was abolishing slavery, outlawing polygamy, and making women citizens, and those have worked out pretty well.

3) No, it won’t.


Click here for Sagal's blog entry

Pace!

B

Tony Blair to Benedict XVI: You're Wrong about Gays

You tell 'im Tony!

Tony Blair, the former PM of England, believes that the Pope has to re-think his stance on gays.

Whether or not the Pope (82 y.o.!) cares to listen to Blair now, perhaps his words will sink into his ageing mind.

I am not age-ist here, but I do find that there is a generational divide that exists on the inclusion or exclusion of LGBTQ people from and in communities of faith. And this is because of my experience as an out gay clergyperson.

I would be amazed if this Pope would change his mind. John Paul II, perhaps. Benedict? Doubtful.

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Iraq: A Murderous Plays for Gays

Amid the lifting of tensions in Iraq with a sort-of decline in the violence in the war, a gay sub-culture has--or had--started to emerge in Iraq. A few entries ago I reported on the 6 gay men who were killed for simply being out.

Raise that to 25.

In the past two months, the bodies of as many as 25 boys and men suspected of being gay have turned up in the huge Shiite enclave of Sadr City, the police and friends of the dead say. Most have been shot, some multiple times. Several have been found with the word “pervert” in Arabic on notes attached to their bodies, the police said.

Hat-tip to the nyt.com.

Click here for more.

Shiite and Suni death squads have sought to kill LGBTQ people.

We must address issues not only in this country but others as well.

Pace!

B

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Unpacking Iowa and Vermont

Interesting article in the NYT.com. There is an exploration of what was behind the ruling (Iowa) and legislative process (VT), concerning gay marriage.

What I'm struck by are how important the phone calls and contacts are that we make with legislators. Consider Rep. Robert South (D) of a conservative district in VT:

Representative Robert South, a freshman Democrat from a conservative district, said he reversed his position after 228 of his constituents reached out and urged him to support the override, compared with 198 who urged him to oppose it.

“It was very difficult for me,” Mr. South said, “because the marriage equality bill, as far as I’m concerned, has split the state. I see how close my numbers are for and against same-sex marriage, and it’s divided my constituents, and that’s what upsets me.”

Click here for more.

Pace!

B

Washington, D.C. Council Recognizes ALL Marriages

The Council of Washington, D.C. voted to recognize all marriages, gay and straight alike, on the same day that Vermont legislators overrode the Governor's veto.

Click here for more.

Is this historic? It is to me...to us all as a community and as a nation.

Pace!

B

Vermont Did It!


Amazing!

The state of my ancestors and forbears did it! They made it possible for people who are LGBTQ who want to, choose to, marry...just like any other couple (straight) in the state of Vermont.

The state Senate (23-5), and then the House (by a squeaker with the necessary 100 votes) overrode the Governor's veto.

I have relatives buried all over the state. My middle name "Parker" comes from my Vermont forbears. I cannot help but think they are working their prayers in heaven.

Click here for more.

Go Vermont!

Pace!

B

Monday, April 6, 2009

Six Gay Men Killed in Iraq

Turning to the international news...

This is important: when looking at what is happening to our LGBTQ sisters and brothers here in the States it is important to remember what is happening in the lives of LGBTQ folks in other lands.

In this case, Iraq: 6 gay men have been killed for simply being gay in the last 10 days. This is the Iraq we've become responsible for, things to a thoughtless war brought on by former President Bush:



BAGHDAD, April 5 (UPI) -- Six gay Iraqis were shot to death by tribal members in a pair of incidents in the past 10 days, a government source says.

An unnamed Iraq Interior Ministry official said the latest incident happened Thursday in the Sadr City area of Baghdad, in which two gay men were slain after they were disowned by relatives, CNN reported.

The official said the men were killed after a tribal meeting was held and the members decided to hunt down the victims.


It is time to change.


Pace! B

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Amid Iowas and Vermonts, There is Iraq

My friend Richard Rodriguez reminded me of where we who are LGBTQ stand in the world: there are those in the world who are giving way and allowing gay marriage and equal rights, and there are those in the world who would just as soon kill us for the love we try to live with honestly and openly.

Case in point: Iraq, and the death of two gay men for simply being gay. It is a hate crime. It is murder.

It is time to change not only here, but in the world.

Pace!

B

raqi Police: 2 Gay Men Killed in Baghdad Slum
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 4, 2009

Filed at 12:59 p.m. ET

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The bodies of two gay men have been found in Baghdad's Shiite slum of Sadr City after a leading cleric repeatedly condemned homosexuality, an Iraqi police official said Saturday.

The killings come after Shiite cleric Sattar al-Battat repeatedly condemned homosexuality during recent Friday prayers, saying Islam prohibits homosexuality. Homosexual acts are punishable by up to seven years in prison in Iraq.

The two men were believed killed Thursday by relatives who were shamed by their behavior, said the official. Police said they suspected the killings were at the hands of family members because no one has claimed the bodies or called for an investigation.

The killings come weeks after Iraqi police found four bodies in late March buried near Sadr City with the words ''pervert'' and ''puppies'' written on their chests, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Puppy is a derogatory word used by residents in Sadr City to refer to homosexuals, the official said.

Sadr City, a slum of about two million people, is home to a large majority of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia. Al-Sadr's forces launched several uprisings against American forces since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, but fighting ended in Sadr City in May 2008.

''When the Mahdi army was in control, such practices were banned, and homosexuals were afraid of declaring their tendencies,'' the official said. But that's changed since the Mahdi Army militia cease fire took hold, the official said. The official said some people claim a coffee shop in Sadr City has become a hangout for gay men.

Sheik Ammar al-Saadi, a cleric at al-Sadr's office, denied any involvement by the Mahdi army in the killings. He said the Mahdi Army was only urging people to stop practicing homosexuality.

''Such people have brought shame on Sadr city people,'' he told The Associated Press. ''The blame falls on the security forces who do little to combat this phenomenon or to stop the flow of pornography materials into Iraq.''

Also Saturday, a tourism and antiquities ministry official said Iraq plans to open a museum filled with belongings of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Abdul-Zahra al-Talqani, the media director of Iraq's office of tourism and archaeology affairs, told The AP that the items, which include art, furniture and weapons, were being handed back to the Iraqi government by the American military.

The U.S. military had been storing weapons belonging to the late Iraqi dictator in Taji, north of Baghdad.

Al-Talqani said no site for the museum has been selected, though it could be housed in one of Saddam's palaces.

Some of the former dictator's belonging are currently stored -- but not on display -- in Baghdad's National Museum, which reopened in February after having been closed following looting in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion.


Friday, April 3, 2009

High School Seniors Who are LGBT and College

In today's Newsweek (on-line) there was a nice article about colleges and universities that are wooing seniors in high school who are LGBTQ (and hopefully children of LGBTQ parents). It is fascinating to see that LGBTQ youth are a "niche market," rather than a pariah.

However, I caution too much exuberance. There are many schools where being LGBTQ would be considered a "sin." And while some campuses may say they are LGBTQ friendly, it is not like we who are LGBTQ are a one-size-fits-all variety. If anything, we are more diverse than many others who are not LGBTQ, but that's a discussion for another day.

Click here for the link.

Pace!

B

UP-Date (and this is an Up News) from Iowa

All the blogs are blogging about the news of Iowa!

So there are three states that allow gay marriage: MA, CT, and Iowa (!).

VT, NH, and NJ allow civil unions.

6 out of 50 allow marriage and/or civil unions.

VT is close to allowing gay marriage.

And there is movement afoot in CA, OR, WA, and MN in their legislatures, even though many have failed this season.

But there is an energy afoot in allowing LGBTQ people marry.

Pace!

B

As Goes VT and Iowa...

The House in VT voted strongly for gay marriage. With the veto threat before them, they will need 100 pro-votes in the House (they got 95 pro votes yesterday) to pass, with a majority in the Senate as well.

Meanwhile: Iowa's Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is equal to straight marriage!

Times are changin'!

Pace!

B

Thursday, April 2, 2009

As Goes, Um, Iowa, So Goes the Nation

What I love about "bell weather states" (and aren't we all in bell-weather states during an election?) is that there is the predictable line: as goes "____________" fill in the blank, "so goes the nation."

So, Iowa's Supreme Court is going to make a decision tomorrow (according to andrewsullivan.com, and towleroad.com) about gay marriage as equal marriage:

An Iowa Supreme Court ruling that could change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples is likely to be issued Friday morning.

The case, Varnum vs. Brien, involves six same-sex Iowa couples who sued Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien in 2005 after his office denied them marriage licenses. Polk County District Judge Robert Hanson sided with the couples last year but then suspended his decision pending a high court ruling.

The case could have consequences outside the state’s borders. Iowa could become the first Midwestern state, and the fourth in the nation, to allow same-sex marriage if the court sides with the gay couples.

Let's hope that tomorrow will be a celebratory "first" for Iowa AND the nation!

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Pace!

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