Because mean kids suck, Lurleen

beautiful!

i am honored to have such an eloquent former pipsqueak geek as a friend and ally. :D

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 22:47:33 PM CST

Lurleen, I just got this email

http://equalitymaine.org/news/...

and signed up immediately to help.

With some work, maybe Maine and the rest of blue New England can get the ball rolling on all 50 states...

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners

Click here for DADT photobook

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by: Louise @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 06:23:43 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Fantastic, Louise!

I am thrilled that you're getting involved, and I have my fingers crossed for Maine.  I know you guys have really, literally, been back and forth with LGBT legislation up there.  How many times was the anti-discrimination legislation passed then repealed then passed?  But the good guys came out on top, so the momentum is moving in our direction.

Remind your straight friends that it isn't enough to feel bad for the gays after their rights have been voted away.  Straight people are the majority of voters, so straight people bear the responsibility of keeping LGBTs equal under the law.  THANK YOU for stepping up and accepting that responsibility!  Something tells me you'll be very good at convincing others to do the same.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 12:19:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

And don't think

that I'm not gonna pick your brains for ideas/ thoughts...

One person- one vote- one state at a time. (makes a helluva slogan for a nationwide push, eh?)

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners

Click here for DADT photobook

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by: Louise @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 15:38:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

:D

any time.  my brains are yours for the pickin'

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 17:58:20 PM CST

[ Parent ]

See diary! :)

Right now, it's a higgledy-piggledy scrambled-up idea. But with some organization nation-wide and some push, it could catch on...

"Help us, Obama-Won Kenobi- You Are Our Best Hope!!

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners

Click here for DADT photobook

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by: Louise @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 19:04:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

wow

I didn't realize how much I needed to hear something like this until I read it.  In the face of Prop 8, it feels really good to have someone stand up and say, "I'm an ally and I care."  Knowing it intellectually is one thing, having someone come out and say it is another thing.  So thank you.

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by: LauraG @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 23:11:53 PM CST

Did You see?

Did you see the African American Pastor of some Church in LA telling us to "Suck it up"?  HOW FUCKING DARE HE?  If this had been one of his rights taken away, if he had been told he couldn't do marry who he wanted.. he wouldn't be advising anyone to suck it up.

Tell me again Pam how we need don't need to blame the African American community?

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by: Daigan @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 23:15:07 PM CST

My Apologies..

This was meant to be on the March in LA post not this one... I didn't notice the top one had changed....

ANyway to move it or remove it?

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by: Daigan @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 23:16:11 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Because this fool is a PASTOR first...of "some Church"

And African-American second.

WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

Blame the bigots. Blame those who are manipulating, misinterpreting, and outright lying about their Scripture, and about what the law would do. Blame the opportunists call themselves "pastor" or "bishop" or "reverend" and have no training in history, theology, or philosophy to back it up, and fall back on prejudice and misinterpretation to get support.

I am part of the African-American community (although not in Cali). I am a liberal Christian, raised in the Catholic tradition (although no longer Catholic). I'm bi. I wish my gay friends could marry their partners anyywhere and get every right entitled to them as citizens. I happened to fall for someone who society told me I COULD marry, and trust me, that burned, to the point where I almost didn't say yes. But that would have punished the wrong person just for being a gender.

Just like some people, in their very righteous and justified anger, are blaming all African-Americans.

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by: lyonside @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 09:33:19 AM CST

[ Parent ]

1 is not all

Yes, that was hypocritical of him, and also anyone there who said nothing.  What you are saying is to "blame" all other African-Americans, including those who are GLBT or who oppose anti-gay dicrimination.  That's just ridiculous, creates false divisions, and alienates people who don't deserve it.  Surely you wouldn't want to be lumped in with someone you vehemently disagree with just because you share an attribute, would you?  That's not fair and not helping.  You can call out individual hypocrisy without stereotyping.

Yes we can!

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by: bluegirlbb @ Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 22:58:01 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Bravo, and well said.

I wish I had such a well-thought-out reason for backing LGBT rights. In my case, it's just an appreciation for simplicity and fairness.

I'm a straight man, married for thirteen years. At the moment, gay marriage doesn't affect my life in the slightest. If one of my kids turns out to be gay, it would help them out. If not, it continues to not affect me in the slightest.

When things don't affect me personally, I like them to be simple, and I like them to be fair. Gay marriage is both. Without it, you can get simplicity without fairness, or you can get half-assed overly-complex almost-fairness through civil unions.

Yes, homosexuality strikes me as strange. So what? Lots of things strike me as strange. For that matter, I strike many people as strange. If there's one guiding principle we should hold to in this country, it's that you don't punish or try to interfere with people because they strike you as strange! I donated to No on 8 this year, and I'll donate again to pass whatever measure is put forward to wipe that monstrosity off the books, because LGBT people deserve the same rights I have—to go about our lives being strange in our own ways.

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by: Llelldorin @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 00:02:36 AM CST

Here we Go

Yes that pastor is an A-hole but his church does not represent the black population of California. Many blacks in the LA area do not attend church. This is not the south. People will say what they will but I don't think demonizing black people is the answer to any piece of this. LBGT has it's own race issues within.
I just have to add with a chuckle- Rodney King is on TV rehab right now- saying how he loves gay people "they add flava to our world". With his record he has probably lost his right to vote so unfortunately...............  

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by: cyntmac @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 01:27:17 AM CST

70% of the black population voted yes on 8

  Don't tell me he doesn't represent the majority feeling of people of color.  Jon Stewart said it right, all of a sudden the oppressed become the oppressor.  

 See, I am White (Majority) and a Transsexual (Minority).  I know what it feels like on both sides of the fence.  I know how the members of the KKK acted as I was part of them 20+ years ago.  For this guy to say'"SUCK IT UP!" makes me sick.  

 Religion was the tool used for oppress people of color by the KKK. He is using the same tool to oppress others.  And when he says,"SUCK IT UP" I want to put on the pointy hat abd white robe and stand infront of his church and light a cross on fire.  Then Stare him in the eyes and tell him to "SUCK IT UP"

 I have been working on a post regarding this whole racial issue given that 70% of people of color voted to deny the rights to marry to gay and lesbian couples.  As well I am looking for who this guy is and writing him a letter I will share here on PHB.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 02:01:42 AM CST

[ Parent ]

HappyCat, I understand your anger and frustration

But not everyone who voted for Prop 8 was African American.  Yeah, 70% is outrageous, and there's something definitely wrong there, but the face of Prop 8 was for the most part white.  People like "the Peter" and Matt Barber, and all those rightwing WHITE nutjobs.

I admit that it is discouraging that a group of people who know first-hand what it's like to be discriminated against would vote in such a way.  But to focus such venom on them for it is not going to help anyone.

I would not look so much on the color of skin, but more on the quality of education/income level.  More Blacks are poor, and there are still disparities in the quality of schools available to poor and lower middle class Black children.  Though the percentage of Whites that voted for Prop 8 is lower, I'd be willing to bet  that the majority of those votes came from the less educated segment of the White citizenry.

Race is largely a meaningless way to classify people.  It's one of the lies of wealth and power.  A White middle-class family has much more in common with a Black middle-class family than it does with a wealthy White family.  Perceived racial differences of people of the same socioeconomic class are actively promoted by the upper class (read "republicans") because  it benefits them  and their grip on power.  Keep people who should be building bridges and joining together in fear of one another and you don't have to worry about them making waves for your cash machine/power base.

And also, more to the point for our discussion, the Right Wing has really worked hard to demonize us.  It's been going on for a very long time, and only now are we starting to change people's minds.  I suspect that in a couple years, there would be no way to garner 50% of the vote for such a measure.  Lies and slander will only take them so far, and their grip on the political discourse grows weaker with every passing day.

Yeah, I'm pissed off and angry about this outrageous affront to our civil rights.  But it's a mistake to place the blame on any one group of people.

my 2 cents

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by: Morry @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 09:11:27 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I am not blameing one group of people

  I am well aware of who voted for and against H8.  But when 70% of a certain group, and not only in California, but Florida also, and this is a group of people who should know and understand Oppression.  The scratching of the head starts. And then to use RELIGION as the basis for their reason, it gets really confusing.  RELIGION was the weapon of choice to justify their own Oppression.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 11:00:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Whoa there

This is not the south.

Hey now--in your post, where you caution people against painting all African-Americans with the same brush, what do YOU do but make a statement implying that all SOUTHERNERS should be painted with one (racist, bigoted) brush!

Guess what? Just like not all black people are against same-sex marriage, not all Southerners (even white Southerners) are racist!
May I advise you to think twice before stereotyping other demographics even while complaining about your own being stereotyped--thank you.

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by: kmpintj @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 10:42:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Because I don't want to hurt my friends

This is my story:

I was raised in a very conservative, religious family. My siblings and I were taught that we were called to be different from the surrounding 'world.' Drinking, smoking, profanity, having sex (outside of marriage) were all taboo. So was homosexuality -- though it was rarely brought up, and I was never taught why homosexuality was considered to be a bad thing. I simply accepted all of these doctrines as true.

While I was in high school, I learned (through reading news articles and such) that homosexuality was something that could not be changed by the individual. I also learned that my (Canadian) government was passing a law that granted many rights and benefits to same-sex couples, while preserving the opposite-sex definition of marriage.

After wrestling over the political issues in my mind for some time, I came to the conclusion that this was an acceptable compromise. Liberal tolerance required that gays (not that I knew any at the time, or so I thought!) be granted some measure of civil rights, but under no circumstances would I want society to approve of homosexuality (just as I wouldn't want the government to approve of smoking, even though I supported the legalization of tobacco smoking for adults). And same-sex marriage signified societal approval. I would not have accepted Dianne Feinstein's argument against Proposition 8: "No matter how you feel about marriage, vote 'no' on discrimination."

Then I entered university, and I befriended a woman named Susan [not her real name]. About a few weeks after I had gotten to know her, however, I came to realize that she was a lesbian. This caused me considerable anxiety. I never told Susan about this, but every time I saw her I wrestled with the feeling that I WAS HURTING HER. I asked myself these questions (that I had never asked myself before):

- If God disapproved of homosexuality, then why did he make Susan gay? Did he want Susan to remain celibate for the rest of her life? And if so, why?
- If marriage was a fundamentally good institution, then how could it be moral to exclude gay and lesbian people from it?
- How could homosexuality be "unnatural" if it was, in fact, perfectly natural for people like Susan?
- What exactly was wrong with homosexuality, anyways?

In the past, I was dealing solely with "homosexuality" -- a purely abstract concept. Now, I was dealing with a friend, a real person. And so I became convicted that what I was taught as a child was wrong.*

Today, I am very happy to say that all of my gay and lesbian friends in Canada have the right to marry! And I am very, very sorrowful to see gays and lesbians being persecuted in California, Arizona, Arkansas, and Florida. Anti-gay discrimination is not just a doctrine or a political argument; it is a cruel blow that HURTS my gay and lesbian friends and colleagues, whom I care for very much.

* N.B.: I am still a Christian to this day, albeit of a more liberal variety.

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by: VanCity @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 01:49:23 AM CST

Me Too

I never really thought about it. I just knew it was right to support the LGBT community. I too was a nerdy geek in grammer school. A good friend and schoolmate of mine died of aids in the eighties. He and his partner were a great help to my mother while I was in the service during the Vietnam war and I never forgot it. It also didn't take me long to realize those who stood against LGBT rights were some of the nastiest people I have ever seen and met. I met Brian Camenker a few months back and shook his hand (my mother taught me to have good manners).  I have been double washing it ever since.

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by: Herb @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 03:35:05 AM CST

Here's my 2 bits

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/...

Shorter: I am an ally BECAUSE. Period.

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Click here for DADT photobook

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by: Louise @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 05:50:53 AM CST

Since when

Since when are southerners an opressed minority? The ignorant comments here are no surprise to me. Religion is part of southern culture- whatever is left of it. Anyone would be foolish to dispute that.
"Don't tell me he doesn't represent people of color?"
That statment is idiotic. Do you represent all white people? Look in the mirror- you need to confront your own issues.
No offense to Jon Stewart- I like him but he is not an activist. He is a comedian. I would expect people here to know a little better.

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by: cyntmac @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 11:01:10 AM CST

Yay!

Well, you're just plain awesome. Hot and awesome. C'mere and give me a hug. No, lower.

But, hey, I totally got your back on your 420 ways even though my partner would throw my butt to the curb if he caught me even thinking of catching a whiff: "But, honey, I had a massive headache, and then I tripped and fell on it--went right in my mouth...a total accident! Pinkie swear!"

Anyway, you got my back. I got yours. In the worst way imaginable. Okay, okay, I'll stop.

Curses! My million dollar ideas foiled again: "God Bless Your Brand!" http://www.christvertising.com/

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by: TJ McFisty @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 12:05:41 PM CST

Well-put.

Put me in the "straight but not narrow" column as well.

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by: halloweenjack @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 14:00:16 PM CST

I like to say...

...I'm heterosexual, but not straight.

"Tonight...L Word marathon."

"You watch The L Word?"

"On mute."

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by: BenVarkentine @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 21:31:17 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You proved me wrong bud

Wow.  Fucking beautiful post, man.  I was promoted a year too, so I was always the scrawny little sissy last to be picked for the teams in PE, shoved around, picked on, called every ugly name in the book, beaten up a couple times and publicly humiliated so many times.

Somehow I managed to live thru all that but the self hatred, depression, and suicidal thoughts took a long, long time to get over.  And in my heart, to tell you the truth, I still dont really believe that any straight guy would like me or tolerate my presence if they knew I was gay.  

Oh I've long since learned how to butch it up and act like a "regular guy" ( = straight) in public; but secretly, I still see them all as potential assailants.  So I never even try to make friends with them, even at this late date when I'm past the half century mark.  The damage done by the bullies so long ago will never be completely repaired in me.

But sometimes, once in a while I get proved wrong.  Thanks for your post.  Love ya man.

Another Russ in Texas

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by: Russ @ Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 16:04:02 PM CST