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The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend:
"a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."

He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior." (CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)


Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).

"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008



Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:

A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist."
(Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)

"A nutty lesbian blogger."
(MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)


Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush


who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
--"Joe"

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ProtectMarriage.com's latest e-bla$t

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 12:00:00 PM EST


Just pathetic...these folks never sleep. Yes on 8's Ron Prentice brags about the $urplus of cash they have, then makes a pitch for more buxx.

ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on Proposition 8

Dear Friends,

Many people have asked what the Yes on 8 campaign has in mind for next steps. There has been, unfortunately, some chatter from outside groups who claim to represent the Yes on 8 campaign, that has resulted in confusion as to what we are doing. As you know,ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8 is the only official campaign in favor of Proposition 8. It was our group that qualified the measure for the ballot and raised the approximately $40 million to pass the initiative. We had significant help from some critical allies like the National Organization for Marriage, Knights of Columbus, Focus on the Family and Family Research Council. ButProtectMarriage.com is the only committee that passed Prop. 8. Some other groups are attempting to use the passage of Prop 8 for fundraising and publicity purposes. I'd like to address what we are focusing on, what we are not focusing on, and ask for your continued prayers in support of our efforts.

Legal Challenge. Our most important work now is to defend the People's right to enact Proposition 8. We have asked the California Supreme Court to set a hearing to decide on the challenges that have been filed against Prop 8 because we are confident that the Court will do the right thing and uphold our right to enact the measure by initiative. By encouraging the Court to hear and decide these cases now, we are hoping to avoid years of costly litigation over Prop 8 as the cases would normally wind through the court system. We have also urged the Court to deny all of the requests for preliminary injunctions that would suspend Prop 8 while the cases are pending in the Supreme Court.


Pam Spaulding :: ProtectMarriage.com's latest e-bla$t

Since we, as the Official Proponents, were not originally named in the lawsuits, we have asked the Court to allow us to formally intervene as official parties, so we can vigorously defend Prop 8. Also, we are opposing the efforts of other groups to intervene in the cases, including the Campaign for California Families which actually campaigned against Proposition 8 until a short time before the election. Since we are the only organization representing the official proponents and the campaign committee that was responsible for passing Prop 8, allowing outside groups to participate in the defense of Prop 8 will only harm our chances of success.

Public relations. We continue to work vigorously in the court of public opinion to defend Proposition 8. Our campaign firm, Schubert Flint Public Affairs, is still on board and is working on long-term public relations strategies for consideration by the Executive Committee. Schubert Flint and members of the Executive Committee have given hundreds of media interviews over the past two weeks defending Proposition 8 from attack.

Future planning. Because we fully expect to prevail in court, we expect that, at some point, we will need to defeat a ballot proposal by advocates of same-sex marriage. Our opponents have threatened such a proposal as early as 2010. We are already beginning the planning process to lay the groundwork to defeat a future proposed initiative that would legalize gay marriage. What we are not doing is discussing the possibility of recalling justices who oppose us. We are fully confident that the California Supreme Court will uphold Proposition 8, even if some members of the Court disagree with the issue. We encourage all supporters of Proposition 8 to set aside any discussions about the possibility of recalling any justice of the Court. We see no need for such discussion. For now we must allow the Court to make the correct legal decision. Making threats to recall justices from office is counter-productive and harmful to our chances of winning in Court.

Counter-protests. Many of our supporters have asked about holding events to offset the numerous protests that have been held by our opponents. We organized a press conference last Friday in Southern California that was heavily attended by the media. This event showcased the vast support that Proposition 8 received from a wide array of groups, including representatives of numerous faith traditions and ethnic backgrounds. Beyond that rally, we do not encourage supporters to organize local demonstrations or counter-protests. Doing so will only spawn further protests from our opponents and potentially spark street corner confrontations. Criticism of our opponents' tactics is mounting daily and they would dearly love to provoke our supporters into a confrontation that makes us look like aggressors. Every protest our opponents launch features angry gays screaming at California voters. They call voters bigots and homophobes, and many of them have used racially derogatory terms in referring to African Americans and their strong support for Proposition 8. Their protests are doing great harm to their public position.

Fundraising. We currently have a campaign surplus which is allowing us the ability to continue defending Proposition 8 for a period of time. However, we will likely launch a new fundraising effort in a few weeks to ensure that we have the financial resources necessary to compete in the Supreme Court and the court of public opinion. As you consider giving, please remember that our committee is the only committee that represents Proposition 8 – defending it before the courts and with the public.

Prayers. Please keep the leadership of the campaign, our consultants and our supporters in your prayers. All of us have been targeted by gay activists with vile emails, phone calls and threats. We are praying for those like Scott Eckern, who was forced to resign as Artistic Director of the California Musical Theater because he gave our campaign a $1,000 donation, and for the owners of El Coyote restaurant in Los Angeles who are being boycotted because an employee supported us. One supporting business was forced to shut down its Web site and send all phone calls to voice mail due to the disgusting harassment by our opponents. These are just a few examples of those who have been subjected to hateful actions by our opponents who, ironically, demand tolerance from others but seem so incapable of showing tolerance themselves. Thank you for your continued support of traditional marriage and Proposition 8.

Thank you,

Ron Prentice

Chairman, Yes on Proposition 8 

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Is it wrong...
To want to punch this guy in the face?

Because ultimately it proves his point but it would make me feel much much better about life.


Not wrong to want to
but to actually do it would not end well for you or the rest of us.

I am the lizard queen!

[ Parent ]
Punching bag
Hang a punching bag in your bed room closet for such occasions. Otherwise, maintain a serene and confident demeanor in public. It will drive them nuts.  

[ Parent ]
Where are these steps to protect marriage?
1.  Outlawing divorce
2.  Invalidating any marriages in which one of the parties was married before
3.  Criminalizing adultery

These are just a few examples of those who have been subjected to hateful actions by our opponents who, ironically, demand tolerance from others but seem so incapable of showing tolerance themselves. T

I am so sick of this meme. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't demand nor desire "tolerance."  I demand to be left alone to live my life without people with a misguided notion of what the genie is the sky wants for me.  I tolerate them and their mass delusions until it starts infringing on MY rights.  


Divorce
Now that the government has been given free rein to invalidate legal marriages, why not make noise about a proposition to dissolve any marriages where one or both of the partners has been married before?  It wouldn't make them think, because nothing can ever seem to do that, but perhaps they will stop pushing as hard.

My America includes LGBT families.

[ Parent ]
better yet
dissolve any current marriage in which procreation has not been successful (for newlyweds, a child should have to be born within 1 year of the wedding date).

outlaw Assisted Reproduction of any kind and discontinue adoption (children must be raised by their biological parents who must marry one another).


[ Parent ]
You'd have to legalise polygamy.


____________________________________
Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum.


[ Parent ]
it's acceptable in the bible
and if G-d's law was good enough back then. . .  

[ Parent ]
Ron Prentice Gets Rich Fighting Gay Marriage
He's personally pocketed $1.1M from $3M worth of donations during 2003 through 2007 while CEO of the California Family Council.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2008...
http://justinmclachlan.com/08/...
He's formerly with Fockus on the Family.

badly mannered pets
Good links Roger, thanks.
Was looking to post a piccie of Prentice but like his bio better...It always gets me when a state licensed marriage and family counselor is so vehemently anti all families.
Ron Prentice is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist and the founding director of the California Family Council, a non-profit organization advocating pro-family values and committed to the protection and promotion of Judeo-Christian principles in California's culture. One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuits challenging Prop. 71 - the California Family Bioethics Council - is a project of California Family Council.

Prior to this position, Ron served as the Vice President of Public Affairs with Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO.  Ron lives in Southern California with his wife and three children, and poorly mannered pets.
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[ Parent ]
Had to check CA state BBS records (Board of Behavioral Sciences)
Mr Prentice's MFT license is "INACTIVE".  That means he hasn't paid his fees or done his continuing education.  It means he can't practice as a therapist even though his license doesn't expire until March 2009.  He's registered in Riverside County.  That's inland empire Southern California.

[ Parent ]
ah...so one of the "Judeo-Christian" principles that Prentice is
trying to "protect" is deception. An honest "Christian" would have included "non-practicing."


[ Parent ]
their website
appears to be taking a survey and rigged to accept Yes only votes.

Still cracks me up how their logo
looks like boobs complete wit tits.  Ah yes, the family way.

[ Parent ]
Dirty Deeds aren't Done Dirt Cheap After All...
Makes me wonder:
How much has he personally pocketed in 2008?
Seems he's now planning his income for 2009.
In reality, He deserves a Pink Slip.

Bad Mannered Pets, a reflection of their owner? lol

(Your Welcome, Karen)


Restoring Marriage??
Oh, PLEASE. The only ones who have to have their marriages RESTORED are those that had the rug pulled from beneath them by the passage of Prop 8.

What hateful, horrid people.


"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."

Douglas Adams - 'The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy'  


Fighting fire with fire,
 Sign up with them to volunteer, act like you are actively supporting porp 8 and do the opposite.  If they waste 5 minutes on one of us, just think how much time they would waste on 1,000 of us. About 84 hours of time.  It wouldn't cost us any money out of our pockets.  And if we played our cards right, we could end up costing them tons of time and cash.  I don't know if they would send out to much info.  But we could tell them we are showing up to their pro hate rallies and just do a counter protest.

Just a thought, I have an E mail account just to recieve their junk as I am sure that a lot of others have.  If two comedians from Canada can prank Bible Spice, I am sure we can get to them.

 Just a thought.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.


From the "more true than funny" dept.:
Oh puhleeze...I just love that wingnut meme about how we don't show "tolerance"
Only a con-artist con-servative alleged "religious" organization would believe that a victim should always tolerate the acts of victimization by the oppressor. This wasn't a proposition over whether to build a new shopping mall - it was a proposition to remove the constitutional rights from a group of citizens.

If some stranger attempts to forcibly dissolve your marriage, you'll fight tooth and nail to protect your family.

Protect Marriage destroyed marriages. It didn't create or "protect" any at all.  


Nice Values Ron.
You spent $40 million dollars to eliminate the rights of LGBT Families.

USDA projects average farm level rice prices to be $15.75 to $16.75 per hundred weight, up from $12.80 in 2007.

http://www.globalinsight.com/P...

In U.S. customary units, a hundredweight ('short') is defined as 100 pounds (equivalent to 45.359237 kg).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H...

So. $40,000,000.00 / $16.75 ~ 2,388,059.70 cwt
    2,388,059.70 cwt * 100 cwt/lbs = 238,805,970 lbs of rice.

(someone check my math)

238 million pounds of rice went to denying peoples rights?

watashi no yomeiri wa doko desu ka


Guess What HRC WOKE UP!!
Here, from latest HRC Action BULLETIN:
NEXT STEPS: PROP. 8
Marriage Equality Fight Continues

Just yesterday, the California Supreme Court announced that it would take up the lawsuit to overturn California's discriminatory Prop. 8. While we are awaiting the outcome of that lawsuit, HRC is addressing the root causes of the Election Day loss by making the case for equality with people of all faiths and backgrounds.

That work includes:
Participating in a broad gathering of faith leaders in LA next week to formulate a plan moving forward.

Encouraging our California members to help organize or and participate in townhall meetings across the state in the coming months. Contact meeting organizers near you »

Organizing LGBT people of faith to come out in their religious communities. Find out how you can participate »

Getting our message out to living rooms across America with
HRC President Joe Solmonese's appearance on Dr. Phil tomorrow.

Discrimination attorney Gloria Allred, president of the Human Rights Campaign Joe Solmonese, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Pastor Jim Garlow, president of National Organization of Marriage Maggie Gallagher and co-campaign manager for the Yes on 8 Campaign Jeff Flint. Whatever your beliefs, you won't want to miss this show!

Building on our Election Day successes, which have opened up new doors for marriage equality in key states, especially the Northeast. Find out more about marriage equality hotspots »

Noe there is a notice of Transgender Remembrance too...will post there for Autumn and everyone.



It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.


AND OUR POSTER IS BETTER!


It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.


[ Parent ]
First, it is RELIGIOUS people
Why do we keep using this mushy "people of faith" crap.

Second, aren't we in a battle to keep religion and politics separate?  Aren't we screaming at the top of our lungs about churches and religious leaders crossing the line into politics?

Then why the F**K are we doing EXACTLY THE SAME THING???!!

Get their support and opinions by all means, but KEEP the religious leaders at arms length on this one especially.


[ Parent ]
Calif emails
so I just heard from the folks in Santa Cruz where John Laird is having his last days as a gay legislator in the California legislator.  Apparently the yes people are bombarding the state offices to uphold 8 if this goes back to the legislature.  We need to mount a response and quickly.

Sorry, HRC is involved, that leaves me out.
  Let HRC do the work they are known for.  I heard Joe will be on Dr. Phil, Maybe Phil can tell Joe we transfolks are people too. And we don't like the view from under the bus.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

[ Parent ]
We need some serious planning and stuff
This is probably going to be too long for a comment, but I didn't have the original Prentice letter to do a diary. My apologies in advance.

Notice the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was not mentioned in the list of critical allies? That seems a little odd since the Mormon Church helped fund almost half of the Yes on 8 campaign. I'm curious why they were omitted from the letter.

At any rate, this is an obviously well-organized, professional campaign. It's slick and smart, with tactics that work. The multi-tiered approach of PR, political pressure, fundraising, and the use of language designed to hide what Prop 8 actually is is a successful strategy.

We can boycott and protest, but without a similar approach to our own campaign, such as it is, these actions will be used in Yes on 8 propaganda to show how Californians voted the right way the first time. For those that voted for Prop 8 because of misinformation or pressure from volunteers working for ProtectMarriage.com, we and the unwitting (likely) media are providing them further instances where misinformation can and is being used to further the Prop 8 cause. An unusual silence has fallen on a typically more or less editorializing media, meaning that protest coverage is slim and spotty while allowing an open door for anti-egalitarian advocates to get more than their fair share of media attention. I suspect it's an issue of comfort and/or willful ignorance than any sort of actual support for the anti-marriage proponents.

Join The Impact was hugely successful in organizing members of the LGBT community, and should serve as an example of what we can accomplish with few resources and little time. Rather than let that action slip into the pages of the LGBT history book, were there such a thing, we should take from this that we can mobilize better, faster, and with more impact than ProtectMarriage.com. If the LDS Church can send out thousands of volunteers, our community can, and must, do better.

Rather than vilifying Ron Prentice, let's use the same tactics his organization uses. Certainly in the area of public relations, we can do more. This issue must remain in the spotlight, and it has to be done in a way with which every-day Americans can identify. Use the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., whoever or whatever is most useful and expedient. Use symbols that people identify with that support our cause (e.g. The Bill of Rights, religious symbols, celebrities, hearts, purple horseshoes, green clovers, anything). We should be writing 'letters to the editor' to every major newspaper across the country. Tips about specific actions, protests, and filings should be sent to the AP, Reuters, and local and national newswires. Sympathetic Christian churches and groups need to be included in the campaign as do youth (gay and straight), gay families, and family adoption/foster parents.

Does Prop 8 take away rights guaranteed in the Constitution? You bet it does. Turn the typical Republican rhetoric on itself. Explain and show how Prop 8 limits freedoms rather than guaranteeing them, specifically with marriage and religion. Rather like the pro-choice/pro-life monikers, the LGBT community needs to be pro-marriage, whereas the Yes on 8 folk need to be labeled as anti-marriage. True labels, that when applied often enough, vigorously enough, and with enough airtime, begin to change perception.

If we're going to protest, let's inform the opposition and welcome them to come out to counter-protest. Let the public be exposed to all viewpoints and beliefs. Let's publish our invitation in national and local papers, online, in influential blogs. By openly inviting such people as LaBarbera, we're giving people and opportunity to see hate in action. Not only will this be a good PR move, but media attention is likely to be much higher if we're doing things differently than simply protesting. Opposition is good, especially when the opposition is so ridiculous and can be so easily tied to supporters of Prop 8. If ProtectMarriage.com, Huckabee, and many others want to use isolated and statistically insignificant instances of behavior as examples of how everyone in the LGBT community feels and acts, let's do the same thing. Let's tie Phelps and his cadre of super-fundamentalist bigots to Yes on 8. Let's show the public what hate really looks like once you strip away the well-financed, slick ProtectMarriage.com rhetorical machine.  

Conversely, we need to paint a picture where people like LaBarbera, Phelps, Dobson, Hartline, etc. do not represent most Christians. We need to use our Christian allies to counter these messages of hate and bigotry by giving them a larger voice at protests and rallies. More media attention should be steered towards our Christian friends and associates so the public understands there is a clear distinction between what we might call Christ-like Christians and the religious rhetoric of the Catholic Church, LDS Church, and other fundamentalist religious organizations. Show how Christian churches that support same-sex marriage are having their rights to perform marriage stripped from them, creating a hierarchy of Christianity in a country that has thus far been so proud of its religious freedoms.

Finally, we need to come together as one organization rather than several disparate LGBT groups working together, or not. We need a centralized movement that takes the best each LGBT group and activist institution has to offer and create an organization not unlike ProtectMarriage.com, where we can coordinate protests, handle PR matters, and finance the ongoing campaign against Prop 8 and other anti-marriage propositions and ballot measures.

Noonprop8.com defined itself as being against something rather than for something. The central message of being 'Unfair. Wrong.' does not engender itself to the majority, obviously, nor does it immediately define that noonprop8.com supports (we know, of course, but this is all about marketing). Being for something, rather than against it, is a much better position since it allows you to claim your opponent is against what you are for, even if they make the same claim. For instance, Vote No on Prop 8 would be better served by adopting a pro-marriage stance in keeping with the spirit of the US Constitution and the Constitution of the State of California whereas ProtectMarriage.com can be called anti-marriage, even anti-American (if you want to take the issue to its logical conclusion) in its willingness to circumvent the Constitution of the United States generally, and the California state constitution specifically.

As I've commented before, marriage is ultimately a constitutional issue, but before we can take that battle to the US Supreme Court, we need to win some states and begin to change public perception not of us and who we are, but of those who would define marriage as between one man and one woman. Our techniques and overall strategy should be smart and, to a certain extent, mirror our opponent's, with our own unique, often remarkable, insight and passion affecting everything we do.


The Mormon Church Wasn't Mentioned as a major donor
because the Church itself didn't contribute. They certainly provided in-kind services which might have been illegal, but the Church didn't donate.

The Church got it's members to donate as individuals...thus giving them some plausible deniability. Or so they thought. I read a Church memo that was published shortly after the Hawaii iniative, and they basically bragged that their people on the ground in Hawaii had not been identified with the Church. This has been part of their MO in these campaigns.

It just happens the internet makes it harder and harder to hide, and this time the spotlight got shined on the Church. Sure their leaders wrote letters and demanded the members donate, but now they'll claim "The Church" didn't contribute, and they're right...doesn't mean we can't still hold them accountable.


[ Parent ]
True true
I did not know the Catholic Church donated directly. If that's the case, then they should be looked at more closely, if that hasn't happened yet.

And yes, my language made it sound like the Mormon Church itself donated over half the monies of Yes on 8, which is incorrect, as it was the members of the church, not the church itself, that donated. I sometimes find it hard to differentiate the two since one clearly cannot exist without the other, even though the actual source of the donated money, to me and most others, appears to be a mere technicality.

I still find it odd that they weren't listed as an ally, since the "help" Yes on 8 received wasn't explicitly outlined as contributory help.


[ Parent ]
it could be
that the lds has asked to not be publicly named by them, as they attempt to re-write history or at least lay low until the furor cools a bit.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
LDS Church prefers stealth role in politics; rank and file evangelicals dislike LDS
The politically active among the conservative evangelical/ fundamentalist Christian churches and parachurch organizations  know and appreciate the alliance of the LDS Church, but the ordinary pew-warmer thinks of the LDS Church as a heretical church to be avoided, and might be prone to thinking that if the LDS are for it, he better be against it.

Gay marriage has been on the LDS political agenda for at least 10 years, if not longer. In opposing gay marriage using the "one man - one woman" formula, the LDS is trying to emphasize the distinction between their denomination and the offshoot fundamentalist LDS polygamist denominations, especially the one that has been in the news for the last 10 years or so, most recently the raid on the Texas temple/ fortress/ compound last summer (all those pictures of women in identical prairie-style dresses). That denomination has had forced marriages of girls 13 - 17 years of age, often with men 30 to 90+ years old. They have culled the young male competition by evicting a significant percentage of teen boys age 13 to 18 (mostly 13 - 15). The boys don't have an adequate education. Early on in the absence of rescue organizations, these boys dealt drugs, stole, and maybe turned tricks to survive, like other street kids. The polygamist LDS offshoots have caused all sorts of public relations problems for the LDS, and campaigning against gay marriage is an excellent distraction.  


[ Parent ]
Time for us to have a united agenda too, a positive agenda
lo_pan is exactly right, I was reading the amicus curiae brief to the California Supreme Court, written by the team at UCLA's Williams Institute. http://www.law.ucla.edu/willia...
It struck me how positive it's whole tone was.  It spoke of families, how many there are, how many children are in Same Sex parent households (70,000 in CA) and how the children are no different than children raised in opposite sex homes.  It spoke of their diversity, even their employment rate.
What touched me the most was that this "official court document" spoke positively about the amount of love that we all share for our partners.  That it is no different than the love felt between heterosexuals.  That we care for each other, support each other emotionally as well as financially.  That we are largely monogamous and that our demographics and all that go with it reflect society as a whole.
As much as my logical brain would like to think that everybody should just get that it is about equal protection and civil rights, I know nothing gets the message across better than the tender family stuff. I know that until we come together, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgendered and however many letters we can add, and we present one voice, one front, (I don't mean we all have to look the same and talk the same either) we won't make much more headway than we already have.
I lived most of my life pretending to be straight, I never acted on my true feelings until I was 44, and had two nervous breakdowns to get me to see that I was who I was and there was nothing wrong with me at all, just societies idea's were wrong. I know how the one's who are just ignorant of us really think.  They really do believe the old stereotypes and bad research that the fanatical "The Peter" types spew.  But, most really don't have the hate. And they can learn. They just don't see us as "normal".  They hear of a pedophile molesting boys and they don't think "pedophile" they think "homosexual" but ask one what they call a man who molests little girls and they say "pedophile", not "heterosexual".  It is because the hateful side has spoken with one voice, one message and that message is centuries old and all based on bad beliefs, bad science and bad translations of a document that was originally oral history.
Which organization shall we all come together under?  Or do we start a national grassroots one using the internet?  

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal


[ Parent ]
Oh, the amicus was from the earlier ruling, not Prop H8


"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal


[ Parent ]
How about, Grass Roots LGBT for a group name,
  I have my leadership qualities, but I could not be the leader of an organization at this point in my life.

 A lot could be learned from the Enda Debacle as well as the results of prop 8. There is a lot of anger, but also a need to unite behind a common goal. I know that I am too trusting of too many people, but that is my nature.  But once that trust has been broken, it is very hard for me to trust the individual or group that broke it.  

 I can tell you that everytime I hear HRC or Joe S I want to throw up. I also know that I am not alone in these feelings.  I would love to see Mayor Gavin Newsom be the head of the Largest LGBT organization, I believe he has his HEART fully behind his convictions in Supporting the Equal rights of ALL LGBT people.

 I am one of those that justs needs to recieve an E mail or Phone call to do something and I am ready to go.   Now I don't know all the ins and outs of politics or what plan that lies ahead. I would love to see Colorado's Marriage ban overturned in 2010. I think It can happen just from what I witnessed on November 15th here in Denver.  I just don't know where to direct my energy. I talk to neighbors, people at the grocery store, my children's schools.  I get a lot of positive feedback.  I have gotten very little negative.

 But you are right, need to be doing something now.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.


[ Parent ]
Questions, questions, questions...
First, is there an LGBT organization out there willing and able to take on the task of not only overturning Prop 8, but also running a national campaign for equality (and ultimately the separation of religion from a definition of marriage nationally), such as PFLAG, GLAAD, noonprop8.com (maybe New and Improved!) etc.? If there isn't, then we need to ask some questions and start feeling around regarding any new organization: who started and organized the Join The Impact rally? Who were the principle players in the noonprop8.com campaign? How influential and well-organized are your local LGBT groups? Should we focus on a name that is core to what it is we are fighting for (e.g. pro marriage, save marriage, ForTheKids, whatever name sounds a lot like our opponent's campaign).

I came late to the PHB, having found it by accident through a link from another blog. I've been impressed both with the content and the group as a whole. If this site is a representative sample of the thoughtful, dedicated, impassioned people of our community, then there is absolutely no reason whatsoever this place cannot also become the foundation for not just news, essays, a safe place to call home on the interweb, a site to visit after work, and a call for action, but something more. While the Obama campaign did not start the change movement, for lack of a better term, it certainly represented the hope and dawning ideals of a different America where optimism is replacing cynicism. PHB offers hope and change as well, with many of us willing to do what we can to bring about a more just and equitable society and a future, not too far away now, where we are no longer shunned and deprived of the rights afforded to us by the documents, ideas, and actions that secured the greatest democracy to ever flourish on the Earth.

The present moment requires us all to stand up, united in purpose, and demand what is right for some is right for all. Many times in our often troubled history, others have come forward and sacrificed much or all to change our nation, ensuring our country became better for all peoples. We are again at that point. Our time is now.  

I know a lot of people have a dislike for the HRC, but that should not keep us from using them, their money, or their political influence for (at least) two reasons: 1) a movement like this allows them to show they're serious about not sweeping anyone under the rug (though they've not done a good job of that so far), and 2) it forces the issue as to whether they are able to participate in and contribute meaningfully to the most important civil rights issue in over 45 years while supporting the LGBT community as a whole. Given that any organization would likely be independent of HRC, it would allow the LGBT community to finally declare, unequivocally, whether HRC still remains a viable organization or has become more or less obsolete, except maybe as a lobbying or PR firm specifically (this means they would drop out of the majority of community causes and focus on what they presumably do best).

I guess the biggest question on my mind, is where do we go from here? Like TruthandLove and HappyCat, I want to know what's next and how I can help.


[ Parent ]
OK, so the HRC is an organization in place and they haven't really been much help.....
But, I got a card from the Reno head at the rally on the 15th.  I didn't even know we had a group here.  They have a group online on yahoo no less, and they meet once a month the the Chocolate Bar, but what he said is the HRC really doesn't have much money and that is why though most cities have a group, they aren't even listed on the national web site.  He seemed like he really wanted to get Reno's going.
So now I am thinking, as the start of a brain storm: WE can use what is left of the HRC in our own cities, join up, get the local members fired up.  We could then let our opinions be heard at the national level.
Or in another way, they already have the basic organization but for what ever reason, they have not gotten the right leadership lately, or the leadership is as lost as we are or burned out.  But if they do have groups at the local levels, maybe they just need more active participation.
OK, this is just one idea....And I think I am saying we can take over HRC on the local level but hey it would be a start.
I go to college full time and work full time and have a teenage son, and am not one of the affluent gays at all (LOL) but I could find time to do something, even if it is an hour a week.

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal


[ Parent ]
i've also read Mormons were earning street cred with catholics and evangelicals
by bashing queers, they soldified their place in the Christian Reich. The LDS didn't take well to Romney being dismissed out of hand as being unelectable because he was Mormon. By showing they could be the biggest richest fag bashers they wanted to empress the other SIZE QUEENS Evangelicals and Catholics.

CHRIST! How much sh*t do we have to put up with due to their little penis fixations?

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


impress...typo


"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


[ Parent ]
Restoring Marriage: A Case Study (not)
When my brother's first marriage was in trouble, he and his wife did couples therapy.  He called me in the middle of it, aggrieved, and said, "The therapist thinks I should say something nice to Helen at least once a month!"

My partner and I were astonished.  We're not perfect, but we spontaneously compliment or praise or enjoy each other all the time--sometimes with an edge, I admit, but always with underlying love and commitment.
----
Totally OT, I have to announce that my 19th book is in production, and I am wild about the cover.  Any authors on the Blend know that even if you have cover consultation, it's still chancy.  Will you like it, will you be happy to be out there fronting for it?

from my web site:
http://www.levraphael.com/myge...

And if you're in DC, I'm speaking for the glbt staff group at the Library of Congress April 23rd.

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report


love love love Kathleen parker
"Kathleen Parker broadens the point considerably beyond abortion: "The evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh." Since the 1980s or so, says Parker, the GOP "has become increasingly beholden to an element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners. ... The GOP has surrendered its high ground to its lowest brows. In the process, the party has alienated its non-base constituents."


"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


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