Melissa on Rick Warren

!?!?!?!?!

I had to play this over and over so I could be sure what I was hearing.

Bridge? Seriously?

NAME ONE TIME when the Christian right ever gave ONE goddamn inch to the LGBT community.

I'll wait.

We could also group a whole bunch of vulnerable populations  in that category as well.

These people look at the extended hand of 'peace love and understanding' as a sign of weakness. What you get in return is a mailed fist.  

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by: kegbot1 @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:33:47 AM CST

All Europe will breathe easier

knowing that Melissa Etheridge if "bridging" to a man who wants people to murder the Iraniam PM and who supports, defends or whitewashes the actions of Peter Akinola, actions that the European Parliament condemned.

Yuppers, the EU can sleep nights now...

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 07:25:20 AM CST

Speaking as an ex-evangelical

I can say that the only bridge most evangelicals want, allows only one-way traffic to their way of belief.  If Melissa thinks this will warm up Rick and his minions enough to open up their minds, she has a long wait ahead of her.

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by: Joy @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 07:32:08 AM CST

Bridges

I wonder if this is has anything to do with that "bridge to nowhere" we've been hearing so much about lately.

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by: lostinsepa @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 07:55:03 AM CST

Somebody, bring her some water

Can't you see she's out of control?

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by: Patrick @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:21:30 AM CST

What ...

is her point? The clip was so freaking short i failed to grasp her point other than the small context in the post of where she is speaking.

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

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by: Existential Punk @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:23:44 AM CST

A bridge to nowhere is right

I don't get people like Melissa Ethridge and Hillary Rosen. They make strong principled stands on our behalf one day and then the next day backpedal and practically apologize for being gay. When all we get is another proverbial slap in the face everytime.

The same people we are supposed be a "bridge" to are now trying to nullify the existing gay marriages in CA. They lied about this during the campaign to come across as more moderate. Yeah let's "reach out" and then watch them move to strip domestic partner protections in CA next and then move nationwide.

I will "reach out" when Barack Obama "reachs out" to the Aryan Nation.

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by: DilworthDem @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:28:32 AM CST

Stick to Music, Melissa

Melissa makes pretty good music. I wish she'd stick to doing that. Thoughtful she ain't. Leader for civil rights she ain't. But sucker for snake oil salesman, apparently, she is.

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by: S1 @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:31:35 AM CST

unfortunately she doesn't

You'll recall that she sat on the stage at the HRC LOGO debate to question the presidential candidates when LGBT journalists were relegated to the press room.

Ironically, she's the one who asked the question that tripped Bill Richardson up.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:18:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Naive beyond belief

Not only is she naive, so is her partner, both of whom have been snowed by Warren's "likeability" (as has Juan Cole--check out his blog on Warren, it's disgracefully myopic).  

Melissa's partner's blog is quoted in salon today:

so honey met rick warren last night. well, she spoke to him on the phone beforehand, giving us insight into the man the media has made our latest "HE HATES YOU!" target. if i sit real still and think about it.. it's almost like reverse smear-the-queer... at times, it seems that the media presents us with target after target to smear, as if to say to us, "THIS IS THE GUY HOLDING YOU BACK!! GO GIT 'IM!!!" and it does seem that my lovely gay family is so bruised and bettered and ready to fight back (myself included), that we attack and deem someone ANTI-GAY, and ready to SMEAR, simply when they don't want the word "marriage" brought into our gay ceremonies. now, if the person doesn't want gays AT ALL, then i'm gonna chase that one down. but, i'm starting to think that there are indeed some people... some well-meaning and loving people... who are not at all ANTI-GAY, that's not why they don't want the word marriage used... they are merely RELIGIOUS. and for religious (archaic) reasons, they want to stay safe and respectful to WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TAUGHT.

   let me try to differentiate the two.

   let's say i am wearing a baseball cap. now what if i want to call it a yamaka? you know- it's basically the same thing, but one is missing the sun visor. i don't call my caps yamakas... cuz that is a religious name for a hat that is worn by religious people. now if i apply that thinking to this situation.... i would like to think of it as.... if they afford us the EXACT SAME RIGHTS, then who cares what it's called? ... joel and hanna can have a piece of paper with the word MARRIAGE on it, and all 1200 rights... and i can have a piece of paper with who-cares on it, and all 1200 rights. the word marriage is a religious, holy, word that people who go to church on sundays are told belongs to them. like yamaka, menorah, or matzo.

rick is not a televangelist. rick is not falwell. rick spoke of some "stupid" things he's said (his word, not mine), some missquotes that were given, and lots of ammunition from the media. all excellent points. (we're all war-minded right now, you know. it's easy for the media to distract us by throwing us into our own verbal wars here at home.) ) what to do, what to do.... the rest of the public is given an animation of rick warren... and then my wife meets the man behind the projections, the quotes, the "OTHER SIDE". and he is warm, caring, effusive, and LOVES gays. since he nearly swallowed honey when he hugged her, i tend to believe him. he wants our gay marriages to be just as respected and embraced as the straight marriages. he just wants to wear his yamaka, and me wear my hat.

This is idiotic on so many levels, and as poorly reasoned as it's written. Just a few points:

First, marriage is secular and religious, can be both or neither.  Second, there's nothing intrinsically holy or sacred about a menorah, a yarmulkah, or matzoh.  Third, the people going to church on Sunday have no claim on those last three items. How could they?  They're Christians. Fourth, you don't have to be religious to wear a yarmulkah.  Fifth, IT'S NOT A FREAKIN' HAT!  Sixth, if she thinks Warren has a live-and-let-live philosophy (which might be what her nitwit-y cap comparison is all about), she has been outfoxed by a true con man.

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

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by: Lev Raphael @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:10:48 AM CST

Yeah, not really wise...

It's all a "I loves you, but this is MINE! Don't take it personal" and it's like we have to accept that?

Um.. no? Because at the end of the day, we do't want the world, we just don't want a difference whatsoever between them. either all marriages or all civil unions.

He probably is a nice man, cool. Lots of people are 'nice people'. Falwell probably had a nice side here ot there, but that doesn't mean I have to spin around and do mental backflips to change what he has lied about and supported (Prop. 8).  

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by: saywhat? @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:03:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Need to know more

of what was said and the questions asked.  She is supposedly speaking to a Muslim group about gay rights (condemned by Islam)  and Rick Warren (he's against Islam and Gays)?  Doesn't make sense.

Same-Sex Marriage is good for the economy.

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by: CharlesMerrill @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:51:55 AM CST

She is pushing her Xmas album

and Warren likes it.  Translates into all his Saddleback sheepeople will want to buy it also.  

Same-Sex Marriage is good for the economy.

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by: CharlesMerrill @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:14:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

As someone who lives where Melissa did before she got famous...

I roll my eyes at Melissa Etheredge. She's NEVER acknowledged the fact that if it wasn't for the LGBT community of Long Beach, she'd never be where she is. Not so much as a 'thank you' or appearance at the LBLGP festival. Oh, yeah-she had a poorly attended concert here a couple of years ago, but that's it.
As for this whole thing with Rick Warren, I believe the woman is deluded. Unlike Obama, she doesn't seem to get this guy is an enemy. She sure as hell doesn't speak for me-I know who my enemies are, and Rick Warren is one of them.
If you handle a snake, expect to get bitten.  

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by: Mindyinlongbeach @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:50:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Tammy Lynn is an insult to the gay rights struggle, she pulled

the same crap on Oprah in the days after the Prop 8 struggle. She whined the whole time about how " oh I don't care about gay marriage, what's the big deal?". Well she does not care because she is married to a millionaire and Ethridge's money insulates her.

Warren is a hateful pig. Period.

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by: DilworthDem @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:47:10 PM CST

I like most of Melissa's music, but...

after reading her autobiography, I came to the conclusion that she's quite simply not very bright at all.  I have to tune her out when she starts talking about anything other than music.

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by: bgkev @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 14:09:14 PM CST

rich 'mo's

don't need marriage. they have all that crap handled by lawyers. fuck them. m.e.'s music sux anyway.

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by: c-freak @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 15:30:10 PM CST

Melissa's ALL AMERICAN GIRL

"Her lover never came home and it's half past three
Today her best friend told her he's HIV
Something's gotta give somewhere
Forcing circles into squares she keeps pushing on She's an all American girl...An all American girl
And she will live and die in this man's world
An all American girl "

I REALLY feel cut deeper by Etheridge than either Obama or Warren I knew better than to let those guys in to my core, then got blind sided by a SISTER.

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

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by: peteyPornpig @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 16:02:08 PM CST

Sadly disappointed!

I'm a huge Melissa fan... seen her 6 times including 2x this year.  I'm really disappointed in her.  She claims to be a voice for the community, yet her views are inconsistent with mainstream LGBT society.

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by: SteveinNJ @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 19:29:40 PM CST

It must be nice to have that much money

Melissa's lawyers must be salivating at the chance to re-do all her DP paperwork, child guardianship proceedings, advanced directives and durable powers of attorney, healthcare for Tammy Lynn and the kids, real estate (is Tammy even a joint owner of any homes?), and all the shit that the rest of us can't afford to get drawn up for our loved ones as second-class citizens.

Don't quit your day job, honey. It's insulating you from the real world.

God save ornery old queens! - kevinchi

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by: Keori @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 21:32:00 PM CST

I just remarked to my better half about this same thing earlier...

Must be nice to have the thousands of dollars that all of that paperwork costs in order to protect one's family... unlike poor GLBT folks like me and my spouse, who would give almost ANYTHING to just be able to apply for a simple $36 marriage license here in WV.

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by: DD_Linder @ Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 22:22:53 PM CST

[ Parent ]

DD

I agree with your statement.  

I am so sick of rich and famous bicoastal HRC type gays jump in bed with homobigots becuase they are selling their wares on christianist telethons or that they have been invited to the right dinners and parties.

I have visited the lovely state of WV many times however my advice to you is to get the hell out if you possibly can if that is what you want to do.

If not then continue to work like hell to change the status quo there - as I am sure that you already are.

Having said that, the important thing to remember is that you and your partner are the most significant activism that exists on the planet today. Just by being who you are today. The POWER of ONE and TWO should not ever be underestimated. So a big huge thank you to you both for fighting the good fight in WV.

Love ya

vanhattan

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by: vanhattan @ Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 02:46:01 AM CST

[ Parent ]

The power of two...

We're not alone here... goodness knows, being non-trad students at WVU has given us access to a lot more members of the GLBT community than we would have thought even existed, but it has also kept us in theloop about political actions/protests/etc...

After we finish our undergrad programs (4 semesters at longest), we'll e moving on... but to where all depends on a couple of general factors, and a couple of personal ones.  The general ones are matters of law, and which states treat ALL of their citizens as equal under the law.  The personal ones involve which universities offer the best programs t better-polish my better-half's talents (she'll eventually be pursuing an MFA in poetry, so Iowa or New York state are probabilities).  She's a native West Virginian, though, with a lot of family ties here, so moving that far will not be the easiest thing to do, but will be necessary.

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by: DD_Linder @ Mon Jun 01, 2009 at 11:20:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]