I've made it to the initial round for favorite progressive blogger in the Air America Cruise Contest. I have to stay in the Top 5 before the second voting round begins, so your vote is appreciated! First voting round:
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.
I knew the shoe would eventually drop on this, given it is election time for the Durham city council, which voted unanimously for a nonbinding resolution to extend civil-marriage rights to same-sex couples. In the Durham Herald-Sun, columnist John McCann goes on a diatribe in support of a local minister who is, well, using the tired bible beating reasons to bounce council members by questioning their faith for voting for the resolution.
Coming to a pulpit near you -- maybe today; the primary election is Tuesday -- pandering politicians, according to Donald Q. Fozard, who shepherds the flock over there at Mount Zion Christian Church.
And if you church folks sit back in your pews and let those City Council candidates get up there and flap their gums and smile real big without checking them on their views about same-sex marriage, then you need to question your Christianity, the pastor put forth.
Back in August, the City Council voted in favor of a nonbinding resolution to extend civil-marriage rights to same-sex couples. The passage prompted a standing ovation at City Hall.
"The city councilmen are just playing political correctness to the gay community," Fozard said.
Well, let's be accurate. It technically wasn't just the men on the City Council who voted for the resolution. The women y'all elected were in on it, too. The vote was unanimous. That means all of 'em approved of the measure.
"From Bill Bell all the way down to Howard Clement," Fozard said. "The people who believe in God should turn them out of office."
From this past Sunday's sermon, one would think the Rev. Donald Q. Fozard Sr. likes saying the word faggot. The pastor of Durham's Mount Zion Christian Church hollers the word's last syllable as if he were exorcising a demon, or as if he were a movie star who understands that notoriety rises when you do something incendiary.
"Faggots across the nation, heading churches. Homos on the pianos. Faggots in the choir. What kind of spirit is leading that church?" he asked his 150 worshippers.
The 26-year veteran of Mount Zion, who is known in Durham for preaching through a loud speaker mounted on a white van, has a boxer's build, bloodshot eyes and wears a white smock adorned with 13 gold buttons. He speaks in an intimidating tone, which is amplified by a microphone and echo machine.
...Then Fozard continued with his own spectacular show. "And now? Men with men, women with women? Let me remind you of Sodom and Gomorrah. That sin will bring fire from heaven. I tell the homosexual man: repent, turn and get a woman. I tell the woman who wants to get married: get yourself a man."
(If Fozard stresses the last syllable of "faggot," he sounds out each vowel and consonant of "homosexual".) "The Reverend Al Sharpton says it doesn't matter who you sleep with?" he said. "I'll tell you one thing: the Reverend ain't no Reverend. All of them are running around saying it doesn't matter who you sleep with! They want that little 1 percent of faggots that go to vote."
Nice to see McCann endorsing the views of someone so, um, well, rational.
Really, I'm glad all of this nonsense surfaced, if only to prove that that the message I delivered in my NC Pride keynote address was sorely needed here -- we have to challenge the use of religion to hinder progress on civil equality, particularly when these homobigoted pastors in the community try to lay claim to the believe that there is only one view on LGBT rights in the faith community -- their own.
The homophobia in the black church has to be called out, particularly by those in religious communities that are open and affirming. We need more of this. Many, many of areas LGBT-supportive showed up at Pride, marching in the parade and with booths on display. Their interpretation of the bible clearly doesn't match Fozard's or McCanns -- nor should it have to. It's precisely why we have separation of church and state. Religious beliefs have no place in civil law.
A case here has captured the attention of local media and has exposed the pathological world of the closet, and the hypocrisy and jealousy of an anti-gay pastor who allegedly took the life of an North Carolina Central University student Latrese Curtis, who was "in the way" between him and his roommate, who was the object of the Pentacostal minister's sexual obsession. (WRAL):
Robert Lee Adams Reaves is charged with first-degree murder in the January 2008 stabbing death of Latrese Matral Curtis, 21. rivers discovered her body the morning of Jan. 30, 2008, along Interstate 540 near Louisburg Road. She was stabbed nearly 40 times in the head, neck, chest and stomach. See the autopsy report.
Prosecutors have said in previous court hearings that Reaves killed Curtis in a jealous rage because she was having a sexual relationship with his roommate, Steven Randolph, who had rebuffed Reaves' advances.
"Bishop" Robert Reaves of Cedar International Fellowship in Durham has had a checkered past that would have raised some red flags in his congregation.
Reaves, Wake County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Lindow said in opening statements, has a long history of trying to mentor young men and make sexual advances toward them.
"Steven was not the first person Reaves made sexual advances on," she said. "The same pattern about approaching young men started years earlier and ended with the death of what he viewed as an obstacle to that - Latrese Curtis."
Yes, Reaves must have been preaching anti-gay bigotry even as he engaged in illegal activities that include criminal sexual conduct in Marlboro County, S.C. He was convicted of third-degree sex charges on Jan. 1, 1988. He was also charged with simple assault and battery in 1982 in South Carolina.
Testimony has begun in the trial, and Steven Randolph, who is a former N.C. Central University basketball player took the stand and said that he engaged in a sexual relationship with Curtis, who was separated from her husband, and when Reaves found out about this, it made him fly into a rage, allegedly leading to the brutal slaying of Ms. Curtis.
Hours after Randolph had his first sexual encounter with Curtis, Reaves asked him about his sexual habits and preferences and raised the possibility of his working for an escort service, according to testimony..."He asked me if I was a freak, as far as sexually," Randolph testified Thursday.
Randolph testified that in the fall of 2007 he did not immediately recognize the pastor's proposals as sexual advances toward him. But Randolph said once he realized Reaves' intentions, he told the pastor he was not homosexual or bisexual.
That encounter made Randolph so uneasy, he testified, that he not only left the house immediately to seek refuge with friends, he also got a gun from his cousin to keep in his bedroom.
Randolph told of an unusual string of events in the ensuing months: His girlfriend received phone calls from unidentified young men, threatening to end Randolph's aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player; his tires were slashed; and weeks later his girlfriend's tires were slashed outside her home.
In even more sordid detail, Randolph also testified that Reaves, during one of the propositions for sex, told the basketball player that he could live rent-free in the house if Reaves could perform oral sex on him.
Again, here we see a pious man of the cloth, unable to reconcile his tortured worlds of religious indoctrination and his homosexuality, turns into an alleged deviant predator -- and murderer.
"It would have been the very back passenger seat," Deputy Alfred Sternberg said. "If you go behind that, there's a rail for where that seat is, and that's where it was."
During a Durham City Council Candidate Forum on Sunday, Rev. Sylvester Williams of The Assembly at Durham Christian Center (who is a local fundie trying to unseat a long-service councilman) decided to bellyache about the Council's unanimously passed resolution stating gay and lesbian couples should have the right to civil marriage. This forum was held at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church on S. Alston Avenue (Audio via Kevin Davis of Bull City Rising).
"The Defense of Marriage Act says that it is one man, one wife...What is the City of Durham doing passing a resolution without discussion, 7-0, as though they're reflecting the wishes of the entire City of Durham? They're pandering...Why are we out of step with the rest of the country, why are we out of step with the state of North Carolina?"
He received feeble applause for that statement, by the way.
The interview for this piece quite a while ago and I forgot about it, but it's published today in anticipation of NC Pride on Saturday. I spoke to GayCities contributor Barbara Wilcox to discuss where to hang out in Durham during Pride and what it's like here in the Bull City. A snippet:
Where do you hang in Durham?
During Pride, the best place to hang out is Ninth Street, which has a good number of local eateries - Blue Corn Cafe, Elmo's Diner, Parizade, and many others. Also nearby is the Brightleaf Square area, which also fills up with LGBTs who are there for the day - Nikos, Alivia's, The Federal, James Joyce (bar), Piazza Italia. Kate and I are big fans of Mount Fuji.
What don't out-of-towners know about NC that they should?
That when you come to Pride, you'll see more people than you'd imagine, that the atmosphere is laid back, and folks don't feel they have to be closeted in Durham. Now drive 30 miles in any direction...LOL. But honestly, Kate and I have never encountered overt anti-gay bias in any part of the state. I think the idea that if you travel to the South you'll have the same negative reception in all parts of the region is a mistaken one. The other side of the coin is that while there are plenty of LGBTs down here, we don't have a real organized community outside of the club scene, as in an LGBT center. But as far as the state goes, it's more culturally diverse than many imagine, because so many people move here from other parts of the country and their cultures with them. That is one of the biggest changes I've seen since I was a child.
The photo was taken in front of Foster's Market a few years ago; it's a must-see homey eatery. Order the tarragon chicken salad sandwich and bag a yummy scone to take home.
Oh btw, the intro to this piece is hysterical. Money quote:
You need not lean as far left as Pam to admire the glee with which she calls the anti-gay Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber a "pantload"-or hauls out her "tiny violin" for MassResistance's failed war on marriage equality.
Speaking of Pride, the forecast for Saturday is 40%-60% chance of rain, so if meltable folks from outside of the Triangle decide to bag it and stay home, turnout will be a bit lower -- but it's their loss; they'll miss my kick-ass keynote even if I have to deliver it from under an umbrella to 10 people, lololol. I'm still tinkering with it as I post this, slicing and dicing. I figure if I can't deliver it for some reason, I can send it out over the Internets...
My column is up on the web and in driveways this AM: "Night at the City Council." It includes additional behind-the-scenes action during my on-the-scene coverage of the marriage equality resolution a few weeks ago. I go into the interesting politics in the room as well as my "history" with the mayor. A snippet:
Mayor Bell walked in -- I said hello to my former neighbor (as in way back when I was 8, a lifetime ago). I mused to myself that this is the oddity of local politics: there's always a chance you actually know the people running the government.
I checked my videocam as people started streaming in. I casually noticed that the seat next to me remained open. I didn't realize why until the meeting was about to start and Lavonia Allison of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People sidled by me and sat down. "Hmmm. Had I taken her usual seat?" I wondered briefly, then I went back to Tweeting to update readers in real-time as the council started taking their chairs.
Ah, there's nothing like hearing from the wingnutroots here in town. Email has been dribbling in from my fellow Bull City residents to the City Council. I imagine most people are writing in to thanking our city's leadership for taking an affirmative stand for equality, but the naysayer stuff is just golden... and now part of the public record. Here are a few batsh*ttery ramblings from them, the first from the head of the Triangle Young Republicans.
From: Theodore Hicks
Sent: Tue 8/18/2009 10:54 PM
To: Council Members
Subject: Same-Sex Union Resolution
Dear Durham City Council Members,
A few moments ago, I learned that you have passed a resolution supporting same-sex unions. I am appalled! The state of North Carolina guides the discussion of marriage and as a result this resolution that you have passed is a meaningless gesture. And more importantly, a waste of time.
That being said, it does point out your priorities. By passing this resolution you are signaling that this is an important issue that you believe in. How about the crime rate in Durham? Do you think that is something you should focus on? Or what about the graduation rates? As of February 2007, the graduation rates of Durham High Schools were 82.6% for the Durham School of the Arts, 76.6% for Riverside High, 73.4% for Northern High, 66.4% for Hillside High, and an astounding 58.9% for Southern High. For all of the schools, there were a total of 1,537 graduates out of a total of 2,132 candidates - that works out to a graduation rate of 72.09%. That is the same as a failure rate of 27.91%. When I read that the Durham City Council is voting on a resolution to support same-sex marriage, I think about this pathetically low graduation rate and I wonder . . . shouldn't the Durham City Council be spending more time on other issues . . . perhaps an issue on which they can have a stronger influence?
Furthermore, North Carolina is considered one of the states in the "Bible-Belt." There are quite a few of us who believe in the inerrancy of the Word of God, and thus are very much opposed to the concept of same-sex unions. The Word of God is very clear. Same sex unions are despicable to God. If you doubt me, read your Bible.
To Ms. Cole-McFadden specifically,
On your Durham City Council webpage you list your membership in the West Durham Baptist Church. You even mention that you are the Sunday School Superintendent. My question to you is simple: How can you instruct Sunday School, or guide Sunday School instructors, if you, yourself have not read the Word of God? If you have read the Word of God, then I trust that you voted against this resolution? For surely, you would not argue with God? ("Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker" Isaiah 45:9) But I know that the council voted unanimously in favor of this resolution and as a result I question the sincerity of your faith.
To Mr. Woodard specifically,
You, too, list your membership in the St. Philips Episcopal Church. Surely, you voted against this measure? But no, the council voted unanimously. Are you not a Christian? Do you not stand up for what you believe in?
By way of this email, it is my intention that you be made aware that you are not serving your constituents with the passage of this resolution. You are merely attempting to serve yourselves by passing a meaningless resolution in an attempt to pander for votes based on what you believe to be popular opinion. I would urge you all to consult the Word of God and perhaps specifically, the book of Revelation, for example see Revelation 2:14-16. By way of passage of this resolution, you are condoning sexual immorality. This is not pleasing to God, whom you serve, whether you know it or not.
Respectfully,
C. Theodore Hicks II
Chairman, Triangle West Young Republicans
www.twyr.org
OK. This is BS questioning the faith of council members when this resolution has nothing to do with religious marriage. Doesn't Mr. Young Republican know the difference between religious and civil law? If this is the leadership of the future, no wonder the GOP is dying a slow death in this state. Below the fold, a man who's so incensed that he says he's putting his home on the market and not spending any more money in Durham.
It still amazes me that a city would go against the state law and agitate the situation. One more reason we really need a NC Constitutional Amendment BANNING any marriage that is not between one man and one woman! Better talk to your legislators before these fringe kooks do! Marriage is ONLY between one man and one woman - even California agrees on this! We give Gays equal rights but this is a legal definition! There cannot be "Gay Marriage" as it does not meet the legal requirements! Gays have their legal unions, but they are NOT marriages.
I again say - what rights are not afforded to gays? No one has yet come up with one.
Then you and I agree. They aren't bothering me, I don't bother them. That's the most we can hope for.
This is simply a resolution, that means a lot to that audience. The G.A.'s apologetic resolution for slavery, meant a lot to me, as a black man.
Although I'm not a fan of comparing their struggle to that of blacks, Jews, and Native Americans; they do have the civil right to live as they please. The conservative side of me supports them having that freedom as long as they aren't doing anything illegally.
Most marriages end in divorce (60%) and many couples cheat on each other (35% male, 36% female). Why would anyone want to suport such an institution?
You can do whatever you want to in the privacy of your own home. It is when it is being shoved down my throat that I take offense to it. Keep your immoral ways to yourself and we want have a need to be on hear blogging. For the record I am a Christian and I believe in the Bible and that is the only reason that I need to know that Homosexuality and Same Sex Marriage is wrong.
Leviticus 18:22:
22 "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
Bottomline..... Marriage is between one man and one woman!
my only statement is the lod said go forth and multiply to populate the world. How can 2 women or 2 men without meidcal help do so
I am very proud of my hometown tonight after attending the Durham (NC) City Council meeting where a resolution supporting civil marriage equality for same-sex couples was passed unanimously. Mayor Bill Bell and council members affirmed marriage equality. While NC does not allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, it is heartening to have the support of the Bull City (our state legislature has also turned away, for the sixth time, a state marriage amendment).
When I entered the council chambers to sign up to speak (around 6:20, with the meeting to begin at 7PM), it was already filling up. I gave a hug to Mayor Bell, who has known me since I was a little p-a-m. He apparently keeps up with the "trouble" I get into on the Blend and in The Durham News. I was also greeted and hugged by Mike Woodard, who frequently marches in the Pride Parade with the allies and "family" Old West Durham peeps (even though neither of us live in the neighborhood these days).
I sat down in the second row. After several proclamations and bits of business it came to the main agenda items of the night. It was clear this was a big meeting for two reasons -- the resolution and a matter concerning the city's recycling vendor contract. I'm sorry to say that I was not up to date on the latter issue, but after an excruciating hour of debate that shed little light (at least to me) on what the outcome was, it was time for the resolution.
The council decided to move on the issue, meaning no debate was needed. All but one of those who signed up to speak was in favor of the equality resolution. One woman in my row (well-known local homophobe and failed political candidate Victoria Peterson) jumped to her feet to object (about 4:30 in) "Excuse me, I'd like to speak." Mayor Bell firmly, but politely told her "I'm running the meeting" and said they were ready to move the item and vote. And they did -- and there was a standing ovation (4:48).
Notice the racial divide -- who was standing and who remained seated. It's too bad that I was unable to get up to speak. That's for another day...I'll take this opportunity to announce that I've been asked to be the keynote speaker atNC Pridethis year. The parade, which weaves in OWD next to Duke's East Campus, ends with the keynote and other guests. It will be a good opportunity to celebrate the victories -- and address this sad divide in understanding.
Love it! This is going to be on Monday. Just received this e-blast from Equality NC.
Dear Pam,
Our friends at PFLAG Triangle and NC Against H8 tipped us off to an upcoming Durham City Council vote in support of civil marriage for same-sex couples. Usually alerts about these votes aren't so positive, because they're in support of the Marriage Discrimination Amendment--and we've sent out quite a few of those in the past few months. Please let your council members know that you support this resolution, and be there to tell them in person on Monday night! And, of course, spread the word.
What? The Durham City Council is voting to adopt the Resolution in Support of Civil Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
When? Monday, August 17, 2009 at 7:00pm
Where? 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC 27701
Council members are getting pressure from conservatives to vote against this resolution. Make sure they know where you stand by contacting them directly:
Today Kate and I attended the sneak preview of the new Dinosaur Trail at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. You might recall that I recently blogged about the last remaining dinosaur (R) on the late 1960s-era trail -- a "brontosaurus" -- was vandalized, its head decapitated and stolen. It was later recovered and there is a campaign to restore it up on Facebook, "Save Durham's Brontosaurus."
A couple of weeks ago, Beck Tench, who handles the Twitter account (lifeandscience, #dinotour and #dinotrail) at the Museum of Life and Science, sent out invitations to members, area bloggers and Twitter folks to visit the exhibit to get a peek at this work in progress. We were encouraged to take photos and video and contribute to the Museum's Flickr pool. Today's festivities for the new trail were a delight. The place was packed despite classic NC hot, very humid weather. Some of the absent dinos had cute cardboard cutouts where the real deal will be set in place by opening day on July 25.
I made a little video that includes a slideshow of the dinosaur exhibit. Let the kid inside out to play...
We've been watching as county boards and city councils in conservative areas of the Tar Heel state pass resolutions in favor of a marriage amendment. Now Durham's city council considers one in support of same-sex couples' right to marry. (Herald-Sun):
City Council members are considering whether they should pass a non-binding resolution that says the city endorses "the rights of same-sex couples to share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitments of civil marriage."
A resident, Joshua Lee Weaver, on Thursday asked the council to consider the resolution. Elected boards in Chapel Hill and Carrboro have already backed it.
City Attorney Patrick Baker said he would study the document and report to the council early next month.
Fellow Bull City residents can email the city council at council@ci.durham.nc.us. I've already dropped them a line.
These resolutions aren't legally binding, of course, but they do put the issue on the record, letting the General Assembly know where cities and counties stand on equality issues as they get bombarded by wingnut protests supporting an amendment.
Equality supporters will gather on Tuesday to meet and speak with legislators about the issues that affect the lives of LGBT North Carolinians, and to urge passage of the anti-bullying bill that is before the General Assembly this year. 2009 Day of Action/Lobby Day to speak directly to legislators about our lives and civil equality face to face.
Related:
WNCT covered the marriage amendment issue in a report on both sides of the issue. Unfortunately, one advocate, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greenville Rev. Ann Marie Alderman, mistakenly intimates that gay couples can achieve full legal parity with heterosexual marriage through private contracts -- that's not true.
Sigh. We need to get more information into the hands of our allies.
Watch for wingnut Tami Fitzgerald of the NC Family Policy Council and NC4Marriage who says that marriage protection is necessary because it provides the building blocks of our society and procreation and "it provides our workforce" and "protects people from transmittable diseases." WTF?!
UPDATE: But wait, there's more...additional video below the fold. All copyright Jürgen Henn - http://11foot8.com.
I love it -- this video captures the fun all of us who work in the Brightleaf Square buildings in downtown Durham get to hear at least once a month -- trucks that are too tall careening down Gregson Street and slamming into the railroad overpass. Someone in the building actually set up a camera to capture the insanity and compiled a "best of" tape. You can see them all here:
I've actually only seen it happen live a couple of times, but I can clearly hear it from my office since I have a window and face that direction. The last time I recall it happening I was getting a cup of tea across the street at Alivia's and was talking to the person behind the counter and we heard the familiar "BOOM!" We turned around and kept on talking, lol.
The scary part is that up until a few years ago, the trucks slammed directly into the bridge/overpass. Since this surely placed the trains at risk, they set up steel beams just before the bridge so the dumbasses could slam into that. And what is ridiculous is that there is a big height sign on the beam (11' 8") and not long ago they added flashing lights -- and these drivers still keep crashing into it.
It's primary day here, and it's a sad, but not surprising state of affairs that the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, a still-powerful, but aging and out-of-touch political machine, confirmed its decline with its primary-election endorsement of homophobe Victoria Peterson for City Council. From Bull City Rising:
Peterson's behavior at Council, where she frequently extends Council meetings by a half hour or more by signing up to talk on every topic, only to veer into favored subjects -- some positive, like the need for more job-training for African-American males, but some darkly negative, particularly around Durham's Latino population, and insinuations interpreted by this observer to imply that Durham's black community is more deserving of jobs than its Hispanic community.
Peterson's also angered members of Durham's large gay community with less-than-progressive stands on issues of importance to that community, too, including reportedly opposing gay/lesbian-themed films being shown at the Carolina Theatre.
That's an understatement. Peterson, who also played a high-profile role in the Duke LaCrosse case (in case you're wondering, I don't blog about the topic since I work for Duke, so Google elsewhere if you want to read up on that matter) has a long trail of homophobic comments on the record. When Peterson ran in 2005, I pulled some of her more colorful bigoted quotes. Read after the jump.
[I don't even know if the aisles are numbered in Target, but it made a nice headline.]
I woke up feeling really punky, with abdominal pain and generally out of it, but I got myself together and Kate and I headed out to the Target at Southpoint here in Durham, NC this AM.
We needed to get some travel-size bottles for our trip next weekend (to DC for the SLDN national dinner, which I'm live blogging) and were looking them over and lo and behold, coming down the aisle on a cell phone is none other than presidential candidate and former NC Senator John Edwards.
In a half daze from fatigue, I lean over to Kate and say, "yep, it's John Edwards."
Of course I have a hundred questions bouncing around in my feeble brain that I want to ask him, and perhaps thank him for an out-of-the-box, direct "homosexuality is not immoral" response raised by Gen. Pace's recent comments about gays in the military and DADT, but all I can think of is going back to bed.
My mind is not functioning well enough this AM to multitask, so I go back to futzing with the bottles in the display, peeved that there I only see 4oz bottles and we need 3 oz or less to comply with the inane TSA gel/liquid max in your quart-sized baggie.
A short time later, Elizabeth Edwards comes by with the shopping cart with the two little ones (Jack and Emma Claire, I believe), who are playing in the aisle, with John gently urging them to behave. Kate and I simply smiled and let them go about their business. I've met both of them once before at a blogger dinner in Chapel Hill, but it's highly unlikely they'd remember me. Besides, I looked like ass this morning, and felt even worse.
They continue down the aisle and head toward the food section (it's a SuperTarget), and later we run into the little ones again while over in the electronics section looking for an SD card for my camera. Eventually I see John and Elizabeth again, ringing up a few registers down from one that Kate and I are checking out at, and then they leave the store.
Anyway, I feel for Sen. Edwards -- there was no need to bother him. He was enjoying what has to be one of very few days of sanity he's going to have over the next year or so. He deserves to go shopping with his family like your average Joe, and savor the more mundane facets of life for a moment when he's not on the campaign trail.
I was glad to see that the patrons in the store (it wasn't all that crowded), either didn't recognize the Edwards family or did as I did, just gave them space to enjoy a Saturday shopping in peace.
It was just nice to see them just being average people, not dressed up with somewhere to go.
So if anyone in the Edwards camp is reading this, just let John and Elizabeth know that Kate and I say hi, and thanks for shopping in the neighborhood.
Coming to a pulpit near you -- maybe today; the primary election is Tuesday -- pandering politicians, according to Donald Q. Fozard, who shepherds the flock over there at Mount Zion Christian Church.
From this past Sunday's sermon, one would think the Rev. Donald Q. Fozard Sr. likes saying the word faggot. The pastor of Durham's Mount Zion Christian Church hollers the word's last syllable as if he were exorcising a demon, or as if he were a movie star who understands that notoriety rises when you do something incendiary.
A case here has captured the attention of local media and has exposed the pathological world of the closet, and the hypocrisy and jealousy of an anti-gay pastor who allegedly took the life of an North Carolina Central University student Latrese Curtis, who was "in the way" between him and his roommate, who was the object of the Pentacostal minister's sexual obsession. (
During a Durham City Council Candidate Forum on Sunday, Rev. Sylvester Williams of 
Where do you hang in Durham?
My column is up on the web and in driveways this AM: "
A snippet: 
I checked my videocam as people started streaming in. I casually noticed that the seat next to me remained open. I didn't realize why until the meeting was about to start and Lavonia Allison of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People sidled by me and sat down. "Hmmm. Had I taken her usual seat?" I wondered briefly, then I went back to Tweeting to update readers in real-time as the council started taking their chairs.
To Ms. Cole-McFadden specifically,
To Mr. Woodard specifically,
It still amazes me that a city would go against the state law and agitate the situation. One more reason we really need a NC Constitutional Amendment BANNING any marriage that is not between one man and one woman! Better talk to your legislators before these fringe kooks do! Marriage is ONLY between one man and one woman - even California agrees on this! We give Gays equal rights but this is a legal definition! There cannot be "Gay Marriage" as it does not meet the legal requirements! Gays have their legal unions, but they are NOT marriages.
I am very proud of my hometown tonight after attending the Durham (NC) City Council meeting where a resolution supporting civil marriage equality for same-sex couples was passed unanimously. Mayor Bill Bell and council members affirmed marriage equality. While NC does not allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, it is heartening to have the support of the Bull City (our state legislature has also turned away, for the sixth time, a state marriage amendment).
Today Kate and I attended the sneak preview of the new Dinosaur Trail at the 
These resolutions aren't legally binding, of course, but they do put the issue on the record, letting the General Assembly know where cities and counties stand on equality issues as they get bombarded by wingnut protests supporting an amendment.
Related:
Peterson's behavior at Council, where she frequently extends Council meetings by a half hour or more by signing up to talk on every topic, only to veer into favored subjects -- some positive, like the need for more job-training for African-American males, but some darkly negative, particularly around Durham's Latino population, and insinuations interpreted by this observer to imply that Durham's black community is more deserving of jobs than its Hispanic community.
