tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59051818857781173652024-02-20T00:32:33.777-08:00The Well Spoken Negro's SalonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger840125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-36338494969681713552014-02-21T07:45:00.001-08:002014-02-21T07:45:53.946-08:00Old Ideas, New VictimsI grew up listening to the stories my older family members told me about living through the Jim Crow era. My mother (along with her sisters and cousins) were in that first integrated class in the city of Hampton. I heard about the different restaurants around my hometown, where the Black folks weren't allowed to wait inside for their food orders. There's one section of town where Black folks were told to be out of, before the sun went down (interestingly, the first place I ever went to vote is in that section of town). My family members, if they wanted to vote in any election, paid their poll taxes until that was outlawed in 1966. I am saying all of this to say that I can still talk with people who remember a very different country, even though MILLIONS try to pretend that these events happened "so long ago." I am also saying all of this to say that I am horrified by this new wave of proposed legislation coming down the pike in various states to impose a GLBT form of Jim Crow on their state populations under the guise of "religious freedom."<br />
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The state of Arizona, through its legislature, passed legislation that would allow businesses to <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20140220arizona-controversial-religion-bill-could-land-brewer-desk.html?nclick_check=1" target="_blank">discriminate openly</a> against the GLBT community on the grounds of religious freedom. Think about that for a minute. <br />
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Similar legislation has been flirted with (or partially passed) in <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2014/02/kansas-bill-allowing-religion-based-discrimination-against-gays-is-blocked.html" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, <a href="http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/breaking-maine-rejects-religious-freedom-license-to-discriminate-against-gays/politics/2014/02/20/83431" target="_blank">Maine</a>, <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2014/02/turnaway.html" target="_blank">Tennessee</a>, and <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/the-stream/the-stream-officialblog/2014/1/29/idaho-bill-wouldprotectbusinessesrefusingserviceonreligiousgroun.html" target="_blank">Idaho</a>. There is no justification for embracing segregation of any form. Besides, I am sure that not a single one of those who have proposed or backed this legislation has considered that he/she might be the victim of their own proposed law. This is not a nation of just (presumably) straight, conservative, fundamentalist "Christians." Would anyone in that demographic group be bothered if someone from another faith tradition decided to discriminate against him/her? What if a Muslim denied service to that conservative "Christian" on religious grounds? Would that be cool, or would the vitriol begin? What if someone decided to discriminate against the straight couple "living in sin?" What about the divorced? This could continue.<br />
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Most of us can take the hint that we aren't welcome some places. For example, I no longer spend my money at Chick-Fil-A, because of its leader's stance against the GLBT community. I have no desire to sue the company. I can just go someplace else (and do). I've made similar moves with other companies and organizations that support causes that I don't support. This is, after all, the free market, and I want to know the organizations and businesses that don't want my business, just as I want to know those organizations and businesses that do want my business. But it is simply outrageous to re-impose legalized discrimination. Besides, the U.S. Constitution simply won't allow it, so why even start?<br />
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So, I wonder what Governor Brewer will do. Arizona's leading newspaper has asked Brewer <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/opinions/articles/20140221gov-brewer-veto-those-religious-freedom-bills.html" target="_blank">to veto</a> the legislation. Let's see if she does.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-32582853877594437452014-02-20T10:20:00.002-08:002014-02-21T10:03:35.367-08:00Will Being Gay in Uganda Lead to Execution or Imprisonment? XVMy last post about this subject is dated August 17, 2012. So, it appears that on this day in February 2014 that Uganda has decided that being a sexually active gay/lesbian person should earn that person <a href="http://www.washingtonblade.com/2014/02/20/uganda-anti-gay-bill-signed-law/" target="_blank">life imprisonment</a>, and that that should be the law of the land there. I cannot imagine being G,L,B or T Ugandan. I am glad that the Obama administration has <a href="http://www.washingtonblade.com/2014/02/16/obama-blasts-uganda-president-anti-gay-law/" target="_blank">spoken out</a> against this move, and I will be interested to see if Canada follows through on <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303636404579392893069834638?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303636404579392893069834638.html" target="_blank">limiting its ties</a> to Uganda, now that this bill appears to have been signed. I hope that GLBT friendly governments will offer immediate asylum to those in Uganda who will need it.<br />
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<b>UPDATE: 2.21.14</b><br />
So, President Museveni has <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2014/02/ugandan-president-museveni-delays-signing-of-anti-gay-bill-asks-us-for-help.html" target="_blank">delayed signing</a> that odious bill. I hope he uses his time wisely, and decides to veto this madness. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-30297531495928216002013-04-30T08:46:00.001-07:002013-05-01T19:00:23.023-07:00A Coming Out Note of Thanks to Jason CollinsI've used this blog in the past to talk about the fear I had about playing varsity football when I was in high school and in college. I felt that it was very clear that, as a gay guy, I couldn't risk that truth coming out. So I lied about my interest in playing. I made it clear that the books always came first. I was asked each of my three years of high school to join the football team, and I refused. I used the same tactic in college. I think that the Athletic Director was particularly upset that I didn't play, since I would have been one of the biggest players on the team. <br />
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I've used this blog to talk about the time I finally did embrace that dream of playing football. It was when I was working on my PH.D, and some of the other history graduate students wanted to form an intramural football team. I'd come out of the closet by then, so I wasn't worried about what my teammates would think. They all saw what others saw: a big dude who would be great on the line. So I played center for four years, and my team won the intramural championships in three of those four years (we were the runners up in that fourth year). I also got the biggest kick out of the fact that when another team would hurl anti-gay comments to us (as far as I knew, no one clocked me as the gay one), my team would actually tell them that there was a gay member on our team, and that none of us appreciated hearing that bullshit. Those were four of the happiest years of my life. I was deep in the weeds in history, and I was playing center with a group of really good friends.</div>
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So I can understand what <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/" target="_blank">Jason Collins</a> must have gone through. I can understand the fear. I can understand the lies. I can understand the anxiety. But I also can understand the sheer relief he must be feeling right now. Don't let anyone fool you; it takes real courage to come out of the closet. </div>
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Mr. Collins, enjoy breathing in that sense of freedom. Pay no attention to those who will present words of hatred, because <a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/04/haters-rally-around-espn-sportscaster.html" target="_blank">haters</a> are always going to hate. Please know that your singular act has helped at least one young man out there reconcile his love of a game with his homosexuality. Please know that you're being a Black man is also extremely important in this mix. So often, Black folks are portrayed as the most homo-hating community ever known to man (which is bullshit), but there is a real struggle for many within the Black community to deal with the GLBT folks who also happen to be Black. I know that your coming out has sparked a many conversations in barber and beauty shops across the nation, and that is a very good thing.</div>
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Finally, I will add that as important as Jason Collins' coming out is, we should not forget that Baylor University's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/brittney-griner-wnba-comes-out_n_3108637.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices" target="_blank">Brittney Griner</a> came out as well. Griner is one of the top three draft picks for the WNBA this year. So the current faces for out gay athletes are those of a Black man and a Black woman. THAT is sweet justice.<br />
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<b>UPDATE: 05.01.13</b><br />
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I was very happy to see <a href="http://www.ebony.com/news-views/jason-collins-has-reframed-the-conversation-999#axzz2RyUq20VN" target="_blank">Rod McCullom's article</a> (please check out his blog, <a href="http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/" target="_blank">Rod 2.0</a>) for Ebony Magazine on Collins' coming out, and it's potential impact for the broader Black community. This really is a big story. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-59450863709001078152013-04-17T16:17:00.001-07:002013-04-17T16:17:44.769-07:00A Sense of Palpable National PrideI woke up this morning to the news that New Zealand was the latest nation to vote in marriage equality. However, I didn't expect to see what I saw in the article I was reading. The people gathered in their parliament began singing. Later, I found out that the song is called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokarekare_Ana" target="_blank">Pokarekare Ana</a>," and it is a traditional Maori love song (and the unofficial national anthem). I was moved to tears listening to that expression of pure joy. I was moved to tears to know that the GLBT community in New Zealand knew, in that moment, that its government had its back. I was also moved to tears, because I know that I would <b><i>never</i></b> see something like that happen in our legislature. So, I offer a hearty congratulations to the Kiwis. You've made many, many people around the world very, very happy today.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-33094609570468561812013-04-01T12:00:00.000-07:002013-04-01T12:00:02.985-07:00What You Say to Me is Still "Paper Thin"I know that the Republican National Committee has conducted its autopsy, and <a href="http://images.politico.com/global/2013/03/17/rnc_growth_opportunity_book_2013.html" target="_blank">the report</a> is out. As I started reading through it (and I am not finished), one song came to mind immediately: "Paper Thin" by MC Lyte. It is a classic rap single about cheating. The video shows Lyte going on a hunch, and deciding to get out of her car and hit the subway to clear her head. And it just so happens that she sees her man on the train with two ladies, and the rap begins. <br />
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As I listened to the lyrics, I have to admit that the RNC could easily have been her man, and the two ladies the base of the party. Essentially, Lyte doesn't believe what her man has been telling her, and she lets him know how she deserves to be treated. And I am not sure I am ready to believe that the RNC is serious about its outreach, because all I hear, like a broken record, is that the GOP's "policies are sound," and that it's just a problem with messaging. <br />
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Actually, that's not true. If the GOP really wants to engage with the many, many, many demographic groups that it lost in 2012, then some policy changes will be inevitable. Until the RNC is really ready to do that, then all that they will say will be just "Paper Thin."<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-85654580821012031112013-03-26T08:05:00.001-07:002013-03-26T08:05:58.408-07:00The Meaning of Today, with the SCOTUS on My MindWhen I sat down to write this post, I wasn't really sure of what I wanted to say. My head is in so many mental places right now, and I feel like a swirl of emotions. As most breathing Americans know, today and tomorrow the SCOTUS will have oral arguments regarding California's Proposition 8, which took away marriage rights from gay and lesbian Californians, after those rights had been granted by the state government, and the (so called) Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which precludes the federal government from recognizing same-sex married couples, even if the couples are married legally in their home states.<br />
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This morning, I spoke with my mother, and I said to her that I think I finally understand what it must have been like for her and my grandparents, when she was growing up. I can now imagine what it must have been like on the day of oral arguments for Brown v. Board of Education. It is surreal to put one's hope in 9 (well, in the case of these current arguments, 5) people who have no clue as to who you are, or what you're experiencing. I don't know if I could handle that level of pressure. But here I am, and feeling a little helpless. I am hoping with all that I can that at least five justices will understand what it must be like to have your government relegate you to second class citizenship, to have your government imply that you aren't worthy of equal rights under the law, simply because of who you love.<br />
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I feel like I am in that place where my grandparents must have been in 1954. I can also imagine what it must have felt like when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were made into law. That sigh of relief must have been beautiful to feel. That sense of better days coming must have been very sweet. I know that's how I felt each time a state or court (or in the case of Washington, DC, the City Council) moved to grant civil marriage equality to same sex couples. But I also vividly remember the sting of all of those state constitutional amendments passing throughout much of the nation, and wondered how it must feel to be happy about denying someone a right that would have no discernible effect on you, as though simply knowing that a gay couple down the street is married will cause you personal harm.<br />
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Right now, I am thinking about actual friends of mine, gay and lesbian couples, who are legally married. I am trying to understand the reasoning behind their marriages harming the marriages of my straight friends. It simply doesn't make sense to me. However, I do understand that my gay and lesbian married friends are directly harmed by the Defense of Marriage Act. I think of my Marylander friend who recently married the man of his dreams, who happens to be from South Africa. I think of them, because their marriage reminds me of a grad school friend who married the woman of his dreams, and she happened to be from Colombia. Because of DOMA, these two bi-national marriages are treated differently. The heterosexual married couple will go through the usual processes to ensure that she will not have difficulty remaining in the U.S; the gay married couple cannot go through those usual processes. Neither marriage affects the other, but the federal government is required, by law, to ensure that the gay couple is treated differently, and to their cost.<br />
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I have no idea if I will ever find the man of my dreams and marry. It's not always in the cards for everyone. However, I don't want my government telling me that I cannot marry, nor do I want my government to treat me differently (and to deny me and my potential husband federal benefits) from any of my straight friends. Why is that concept so difficult to understand?<br />
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I have no idea how this will end, and I apologize for any repetition of argument. I just hope that my side wins. Crass, I know, but it's the honest truth.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-70946908149275963192013-03-07T11:47:00.003-08:002013-03-07T12:25:25.978-08:00The "Undeserving" Women of the Violence Against Women ActI am glad that the Congress finally passed, and the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/07/obama-violence-against-women-act_n_2830158.html" target="_blank">POTUS has signed</a>, an extension of the Violence Against Women Act. It was long overdue, and it should have been a "no-brainer" for everyone involved. But I cannot get over the fact that the people who voted against the bill, particularly on the final vote, essentially gave a big "fuck you" to lesbians, undocumented immigrant women and Native American women. I think that Rep. Marsha Blackburn came closest to telling the truth, when she explained her decision to <a href="http://gocl.me/15umR8w" target="_blank">vote against it</a>. She didn't like the groups that the latest iteration of the law included. I take that to mean that she has no problem with violence against lesbians, undocumented immigrant women and/or Native American women. That is an incredible admission, and it's one that I think can be attributed to every single member of Congress who voted against the bill. Some women, apparently, are more deserving of federal protection than others, at least in the minds of scores of Republicans. It's probably too much to hope that her constituents who know people in any of those "undeserving" categories will remember that, when she is up for re-election in '14. Then again, I have a sneaking suspicion that the vast majority of her constituency feels exactly the same way. And that's the real shame here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-78431707643481745562013-02-27T19:23:00.002-08:002013-02-27T19:35:23.811-08:00On a Justice's Entitlement and Respect (or the Lack Thereof)I've had a long, long hiatus from this blog. In some ways, I missed it, and in other ways, I felt alright not keeping it up. Yet, I could not let Justice Scalia's comment regarding the Voting Rights Act pass without writing about it. I truly could not believe that Scalia actually said that the law represented a "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/voting-rights-act-supreme-court_n_2768942.html" target="_blank">perpetuation of a racial entitlement</a>." I had to re-read the comment to make sure that I was reading it correctly, and I could feel my blood pressure rising as I read each word.<br />
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I know that when it comes to African American history, Americans are very, very good at maintaining short memories. If anyone cites an historical reality related to Black folks, then there is an entire segment of the American populace who gives the collective eye roll, and immediately begins to hum tunes to drown out whatever point is about to be raised ("Can't <i><b>those</b></i> people get over it? I mean that was<i><b> years</b></i> ago. Why <i><b>wallow</b></i> in the past?). Folks who are quick to cite hurt feelings tied to the Civil War are particularly good for that reaction, but that is another discussion for a different day.<br />
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The history of the franchise for African Americans is one that is blood drenched, with some of that blood having been shed within the last 50 years, and it took two constitutional amendments to make the franchise a legal reality. If you don't know them, I suggest doing a Google search. Clearly, Justice Scalia has decided that that not so distant history bears no bearing on his desired political outcome. I am glad to know that he thinks of the Voting Rights Act as a racial entitlement, I would imagine that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 falls into the same category in his mind. <br />
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Scalia's words reminded me immediately of the words of the late Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in his opinion in the <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/32a.asp" target="_blank">Dred Scott</a> decision of 1857. Taney declared that African Americans had no right "which the white man was bound to respect." Scalia's statement that a law that has guaranteed the rights of African Americans to vote since 1965 (and it hasn't been smooth sailing between 1965 and today; the run up to the 2012 election was a great example of how far we still have to go) is nothing more than the "continuation of a racial entitlement" is quite disrespectful.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-80221680041174903932012-11-09T12:24:00.003-08:002012-11-18T16:09:43.139-08:00Now That It's All OverI am so very glad that this election is over. And I am very glad that President Obama was re-elected, marriage equality prevailed in all four contests, and that our House and Senate are more diverse than ever. But there are a couple of things that happened that night that made me quite sad. First, I discovered that I was "unfriended" by three conservative friends on Facebook, and this was before I'd said anything about the election results. Second, I found out that students at my undergrad expressed their dismay at Obama's re-election by surrounding the campus' <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/hampden-sydney-college-obama-reelection_n_2094114.html?utm_hp_ref=college" target="_blank">Minority Student Union house</a>, while hurling firecrackers, bottles and racial epithets at the students inside of the house.<br />
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What makes me sad about these reactions to Obama's re-election is that I know that if the situations were reversed, I, nor the students in the MSU house, would have reacted similarly. It was an election. Yes, I am a strong supporter of Obama, and with good reason. But, I would not have started dismissing my conservative friends or hurling invectives at them, if Romney had prevailed. There's no point to that. The nation will survive any one leader at the helm. It has since it's founding, and even at its lowest point, during the Civil War.<br />
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I find it so fascinating that Obama's ascension has inflamed such passions from his political opponents, passions that I find deeper than those that George W. Bush experienced, and he has some passionate political opponents. I've wondered if what Obama represents, a "new America," is at the heart of the enmity. If you look at the coalition of Americans that voted for Obama this year, you would find an extremely diverse group of folks. For years, I've been asking why it seems that the various minority groups are consistently on the other side of the aisle from white conservatives? What is it about conservative positions that so many find untenable? Too often, the answers given, if the question is even addressed, is a mish-mash of a desire for "socialism," not "understanding" America, or simply a desire to take "hand outs." Those are stupid answers, and they avoid the substance of the question. <br />
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Until the GOP can actually answer that question, then it will continue to find itself on the losing end of general elections. There are real paths that the GOP could take to begin selling, in an honest way, its ideas to racial, ethnic and sexual minorities. It isn't as though Romney didn't get ANY minority votes; he did. So, perhaps instead of getting mad and calling names, and saying that your political opponents are "idiots," "un-American," "moochers," "takers" or whatever mean thing that comes to mind, maybe, just maybe, it's time to sort out what could appeal to the people who don't support the GOP agenda and build on that. Unfortunately, that will take a great deal of work, and if the end goal is to return to the "golden age" of the late 1950s, then the GOP will have lost, before it's even begun. And "un-friending" liberal friends seems like an admission that there is an unwillingness even to ask why we have differences.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-82855614474983749602012-11-06T14:06:00.000-08:002012-11-06T14:06:36.781-08:00On Civil Rights VotingHaving already cast my ballot for Barack Obama (again, and this time in Virginia, as opposed to DC, where my one additional vote will have more weight, I couldn't help but think of the sadness I felt on Election night '08 with the Prop 8 debacle in California. So here we are, four years later, and four states (Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington) have ballot initiatives related to civil marriage equality. Of course, I want marriage equality to prevail tonight (with Minnesota not amending its state constitution to deny the possibility of marriage equality, and the other states seeking to bolster the legislative victories in their states), but Maryland stands out for me.<br />
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One of the false memes that has developed is the notion that Black folks are super, extra especially homophobic, in comparison with the broader public. It simply isn't true. Homophobia is an equal opportunity problem. Now considering that Maryland has the largest Black population of the states with marriage equality on the ballot, and considering that Maryland's Black population is electorally influential, I think that a vote in favor of marriage equality in the Old Line State would be a significant blow to that meme about Blacks and the GLBT community. I am more than confident that President Obama's embrace of marriage equality, and the Democratic Party's embrace have helped move the needle on broader GLBT acceptance, especially within the Black community.<br />
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Yet with all of those positives, I find it quite sad that many within the Black community remain quite comfortable with the notion of putting a demographic group's civil rights on the ballot. I don't need to remind anyone of just how far civil rights for Blacks would have gone, if they'd been put on the ballot in the states with legal segregation. But I think that it is important to remind folks of just how that would have felt to those fighting for racial equality. It would have sucked during those election nights, waiting for the returns to come in, wondering if <strong><em>this</em></strong> time might be the time that equality prevails.<br />
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That is precisely what the GLBT community is going through right now, and it fucking sucks. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-39130343733450190252012-08-17T13:25:00.002-07:002012-08-17T13:25:45.143-07:00Will Being Gay in Uganda Lead to Execution or Imprisonment? XIVEven though the "Kill the Gays" bill is still roaming about the Ugandan legislature, I was all smiles when I heard that there was a series of gay pride events there in the very recent past. Even in the face of hate, there is nothing like non-violent protest, and simply being willing to be out. I wish all of the participants the best, and I hope that they will all remain safe. "The Advocate" has a great series of images from the events. Here is the <a href="http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/commentary/2012/08/08/see-photos-ugandans-both-proud-and-brave" target="_blank">link</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-19753407127924435172012-07-05T12:05:00.002-07:002012-07-05T12:05:40.664-07:00Funny How Freedom of Religion WorksI found it completely hilarious that the GOP in Louisiana, in their effort to dismantle the public school system there, decided to use the scheme of vouchers to transfer money from public schools to private religious schools. Mind you, their definition of a religious school is a "Christian" school. Needless to say, once Muslim schools in Louisiana sought to take advantage of the program, folks in the GOP <a href="http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/louisiana-revelation-school-voucher-funding-it-s-not-just-for-christians" target="_blank">balked</a>. Please feel free to laugh at the Louisiana GOP accordingly.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-4410063719704745242012-05-20T05:55:00.003-07:002012-05-20T05:57:48.253-07:00Somewhere, Bayard Rustin Is SmilingI cannot believe that I am able to write that the NAACP has come out in support of <a href="http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/naacp-passes-resolution-in-support-of-marriage-equality" target="_blank">civil marriage equality</a>. I am confident that this move is a direct result of the POTUS having come out for marriage equality. But I also think it's extremely important to remember that Julian Bond, the former Chair of the NAACP, was a strong supporter of marriage equality years ago. I had an opportunity to thank him personally at an Equality Virginia event, where he served as keynote speaker (I reminded him of our previous meeting where we talked about having gone to men's colleges, and he ribbed me a little for not selecting Morehouse, where one of my cousins, and Bond, attended) years ago. I also think it's important to thank Bayard Rustin for being bold enough to be an out gay man, back then. Rustin was the one who saw the natural link from the Civil Rights Movement to Gay Liberation, and Rustin, by being both Black and gay was the physical embodiment of that natural link (too many across the board seem to forget that there are Black folks in the GLBT community). He would be proud of his old organization. <br />
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Once again, I am sure that there will be some interesting sermons and discussions among Black folks on this Sunday.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-50916312068321182142012-05-16T19:37:00.000-07:002012-05-16T19:37:01.031-07:00Thank You, Mr. PresidentPerhaps I am still in a state of shock. If anyone had asked me 5 years ago whether or not we would have a Black President in my lifetime, I would have said "I doubt it," or I would have said that "I think a White woman would get it long before a Black man (the idea of this country electing a Black woman President, is still one that I cannot envision, sadly)." But if someone had asked me whether or not we would have a sitting President come out in favor of marriage equality (civil marriage equality), I would have said that "I would likely be a much older man, when something like that would happen." <br />
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It was my mother who sent me a text letting me know that President Obama had come out for marriage equality, and she ended the text with a character created smile. I was on the train returning from a business trip to Washington, when that text reached me, and I looked at it for about a minute, before I responded with, "Seriously?" When I received her affirming second message, I fully admit that I started to tear up. I sent a text to my cousin, who recently got engaged to his partner, letting him know this new development. He responded back almost immediately, letting me know that he'd just heard. I sat back in my seat, looked out onto the Virginia countryside streaming by, and just smiled. And to be honest, it was even more profound for me that the nation's first Black President was the one to do it. Even if he doesn't win re-election, nothing will change the fact that a sitting President came out for marriage equality.<br />
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It's been a week since this happened, and it's been fascinating watching the various reactions. The typical "hateration" came from all of the typical corners. However, I have to admit that I wanted to know how folks within the American Black church community would take Obama's announcement. I fully admit to enjoying the prospect of that community trying to reconcile its love for the President with its antipathy (for the most part; there are several liberal Black church communities around the nation) for all things GLBT. Mother's Day must have been an interesting day for sermons. I'll also add that I think I recognize how Black folks must have felt when Sen. Kennedy called Coretta Scott King, when her husband was in prison, and when President Johnson expressed publicly why he pushed for the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Those were moments when a minority felt that those in real power actually had its back. That is precisely how it felt to me, and I am sure many, many others, last Wednesday.<br />
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Now, I've certainly not been a shrinking violet, when it came to expressing my issues with President Obama and his dealings on GLBT issues. I've noticed that some of Obama's true opponents have worked hard to dismiss this move as one of cynical politics, but it doesn't matter. Coming out for marriage equality is a real act of political bravery, and I appreciate it more than he could ever know. But, I hope Obama doesn't think that with this historic move he won't be pushed to do still more. The "Defense" of Marriage Act is still a blight on the American landscape, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act still needs to be signed into law, just to name two things that will help to move this country forward.<br />
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But for what President Obama did a week ago, all I have to say is THANK YOU!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-66333325649226034552012-04-26T13:09:00.000-07:002012-04-26T13:12:20.717-07:00"Wait, My Hero is an Atheist?"I burst out laughing when I saw <a href="http://crooksandliars.com/blue-texan/ayn-rand-fanboy-paul-ryan-now-says-he-r">an article</a> showing that Rep. Paul Ryan is now rejecting, rejecting, the Objectivist philosophy of Ayn Rand. I wrote <a href="http://thewsns.blogspot.com/2011/06/objectivism-in-words-of-its-creator.html">a post</a> months ago that included video clips of an interview that Rand gave to the late Mike Wallace, and in that interview, Rand was quite explicit in explaining the tenets of Objectivism. Classically, Ryan likely understood exactly what he wanted to understand about Rand's philosophy, with regard to the fallacy of the government assisting the least among us, while ignoring those aspects of Objectivism that he didn't like, or didn't understand.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-83970747828220538102012-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:002012-04-22T08:00:49.430-07:00An Old Fashioned UpdateThis is the first time I've actually been on my blog, since my last post on 4 March. Four days after that post, I lost my grandmother, and I admit fully that I wanted to take time to mourn. As I've mentioned on this blog in the past, I moved back to my hometown both to reduce my expenses as I've worked on my consultancy, as well as to help my family with the care of my grandmother. I think I also mentioned on this blog that my grandmother was my inspiration for studying American history generally, and African American history particularly. <br />
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I'll be writing new posts again real soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-56388820368110301602012-03-04T19:41:00.000-08:002012-03-04T19:41:02.690-08:00Good News Weekend for Out Black Gay Folks, Past and PresentAfter a rather trying week (a long story that I don't want to go into), I was glad to find a couple of things in the news that made me smile. The first was <a href="http://dailylocal.com/article/20120304/NEWS01/120309858/-1/NEWS/chester-county-historical-society-honors-civil-rights-leader-bayard-rustin&pager=full_story">an article</a> about the Chester County (PA) Historical Society honoring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayard_Rustin">Bayard Rustin</a> in his centennial year with an exhibit highlighting Rustin's "<a href="http://www.chestercohistorical.org/featured.php">local roots</a>" (he was born in West Chester, PA). The second was a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/blacks-and-gays-the-shared-struggle-for-civil-rights/2011/03/04/gIQA32hinR_blog.html?hpid=z3&sub=AR"><em>Washington Post</em> column</a> by Jonathan Capehart explaining precisely why the Gay Right Movement and the Civil Rights Movement are related. In many ways, Rustin represents exactly how the two movements are linked, whether folks like it or not. He was a Black man dealing with the legal imposition of second class citizenship, while simultaneously dealing with the homophobia that was within the Civil Rights Movement. For me, that fact lends even more credence to Capehart's column, as the new marriage equality state of Maryland faces a potential ballot initiative, and many Black pastors in the state (among others, of course) are poised to seek marriage equality's repeal. Should marriage equality not survive the ballot initiative, it will be in part because a strong contingent within the Black community will have voted to deny a different class of people civil rights. <br />
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How ironic, and how sad?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-42497933155442231242012-01-29T14:28:00.000-08:002012-01-29T14:28:19.671-08:00Finally, A Real Investigation?When President Obama mentioned, during the SOTU, that he was calling on the Justice Department to investigate the actual causes of the "08 crash, I was both glad and skeptical. Obviously, this was a political move by the President coming into his re-election campaign, but it was going to be one that actually makes sense (and one that should have been done, in my opinion, back in late '09/early '10). However, I remember yelling to the television, "what about the proposed settlement that the government and the banks have been squabbling over?" <br />
<br />
Well, it looks like I am closer to having an answer now. "Rolling Stone's" Matt Taibbi has been a real hero of mine, with regard to his reporting so extensively on this issue, and I just finished reading his <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/a-big-change-on-the-foreclosure-front-20120128">latest post</a> that actually addresses my concerns from Obama's move on this issue. And like Taibbi, I am encouraged by what is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/obama-administration-mortgage-fraud-settlement_n_1236708.html">being reported</a> (h/t, Taibbi) about the narrowed scope of the potential settlement (only focusing on foreclosure fraud like robo-signing), and the fact that the banks will not get a free pass on their actions leading up to the '08 crash.<br />
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I know that there is a general sense on the right that it was poor and undeserving minorities getting loans from banks forced by the Community Reinvestment Act to lend to those folks (<a href="http://www.newamerica.net/blog/asset-building/2008/its-still-not-cra-7222">still not true</a>, by the way) that "caused" our economic meltdown, but I am glad that we will have people like the New York AG Schneiderman looking directly at the the folks on Wall Street as the real culprits. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-60242893826873197352012-01-25T14:21:00.000-08:002012-01-25T14:21:44.056-08:00Trying to Envision SolutionsThose who've read this blog know that I LOVE cities. I love the energy, the noise, the conveniences, and even some of the grit (though not too much). I love that more cities are seeing more investment and growth in their historic and commercial cores. I particularly 24/7 cities, where there is always some solid amount of activity anytime one ventures out.<br />
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I was fascinated by <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/01/25/detropia_documentary_paints_a_bleak_picture_of_former_city_of_the_future.html">an article</a> in Slate that I read regarding Detroit, a city that has experienced incredible decline in the last several decades. With the re-emergence of the American auto industry, people have been talking up "Detroit," but this article focused on a documentary that posits whether or not the real Detroit is a harbinger of things to come for the U.S., as we adjust to the new realities of the global marketplace.<br />
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As I watched the video clip (which I will include below), I was reminded of the things I saw when I traveled to New Orleans following the Katrina related flooding. It's clear that Detroit, like New Orleans, needs some real comprehensive city planning. Perhaps, Detroit could become a re-imagined city with a smaller footprint. I think that it can be a great potential laboratory, and jobs could be created in a variety of areas as those experiments are tried and tested. Perhaps Detroit needs a well managed overhauling, and one that the people of the city supports, as did the auto companies that have made such a comeback.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AKeM3Vo4nkE" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-52883058548259980002012-01-25T14:02:00.000-08:002012-01-25T14:02:55.366-08:00A Belated Happy New YearOnce again, I am glad to see the back of another rather tough year, and my usual optimism about the possibilities in this new year has returned. I have to admit that I've been surprised by my neglect, if you will, of my blog, and I definitely thought hard of just copying my old posts and shutting things down. But that's not happening today, and that's because a couple of long time readers have been nudging me not to close shop. That nudging reminded me that I'd not taken many opportunities to say "thank you" to the small community that has read my random thoughts and perspectives over the years. I appreciate you more than you know (including those with whom I disagree).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-72797873519739558622011-12-16T06:34:00.000-08:002011-12-18T20:19:59.698-08:00In MemoriumIt always amazes me how difficult it can be for me to write when I am sad about something. This week, two people who've influence my life passed away. <br />
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The first person, <a href="http://academic2.american.edu/~vfrench/">Dr. Valerie French</a>, was a professor of ancient Mediterranean history, and simply one of the nicest and most caring individuals I've ever met. She convinced me to take a chance at teaching an introductory history course with her, even though she knew that I was hesitant to teach in the classroom (I wanted to focus on public history). I am glad she convinced me to teach, because the experience helped me to discover the natural teacher within. Dr. French was a fierce advocate for students, undergraduate or graduate. I am so glad that I had an opportunity to know her, work with her, and learn from her (the art of teaching).<br />
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The second person, <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/christopher-hitchens">Christopher Hitchens</a>, was a writer who wrote for <em>Vanity Fair</em> and <em>Slate</em>, to name a few places. And because Washington can sometimes seem very small, I occasionally would see Hitchens out and about in the city. I always read his column first, when my <em>Vanity Fair</em> arrived. I loved that he simply would not suffer fools, and used his pen like a weapon when roused. I often wondered what he would have been like as a Rhetoric professor, though I am sure he would have been brutal (and likely be considered the professor who <em>really</em> taught people both how to think and write). I will miss reading his commentary, and in a way, I wish that he could give us just one final essay, now that he really knows what's awaits us upon death.<br />
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<strong>UPDATE: 12.18.11</strong><br />
I wanted to add an important update to my comment regarding Christopher Hitchens. As I read Glenn Greenwald's <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/12/17/christohper_hitchens_and_the_protocol_for_public_figure_deaths/singleton/">comment</a> on Hitchens' death, I am glad that he reminded me of the things, the many things, that Hitchens wrote that I disagreed with fundamentally, particularly regarding the lead-up to, and execution of the Iraq War by the Bush administration. I will admit that I agree fully with Greenwald's point about Hitchens' increasingly disturbing (to me) views throughout that conflict. I was also reminded of something that I promised myself I wouldn't do: put too much faith in an individual in the world of politics. I'm still learning my lesson. Please check out Greenwald's post. It is well worth the read.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-79704448665582440422011-12-14T16:29:00.000-08:002011-12-14T16:29:19.776-08:00Sometimes One Has to Laugh, in Order to Keep Calm<strike><strike></strike></strike>Regarding the current GOP front runner (as I predicted pending the fall of Cain), I think that Larry Wilmore from "The Daily Show" nicely translates one of Newt's "big ideas.<br />
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<div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" base="." flashvars="" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:404236" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512"></embed><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-december-13-2011/newt-gingrich-s-poverty-code">The Daily Show</a></b><br />
Get More: <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.indecisionforever.com/">Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-77130408519504951842011-12-08T17:16:00.000-08:002011-12-08T17:16:47.998-08:00Coates Just Broke It DownAll I want folks to do is read <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/rick-perry-and-the-politics-of-resentment/249674/">this post</a> from Ta-Nehisi Coates, regarding Rick Perry's painfully bigoted, and factually suspect political ad. It's spot on, in my opinion.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-63386588139737496672011-12-06T17:13:00.000-08:002011-12-06T17:13:58.710-08:00It's Been a While......since my last post. I have to admit that I've really been focusing more on things at home, than the things going on in the world (not that I haven't been paying some attention). But with a grandmother in the final stages of Alzheimer's, I simply needed to focus my energy away from here. Also, I am still dealing with my own little diabetes issue (I really need to exercise more, since I think I have the modified diet down), as well as the continual hunt for consulting/speaking opportunities (I did speak to a group of architecture students at an HBCU back in October, and I will be doing a small project for Black History Month for a very small DC group, so it's not too, too bad). My point is that I will be posting again soon. I actually miss it. And in the spirit of the season, I've a couple of tunes I highly recommend. Enjoy!<br />
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The Vince Gauraldi Trio, "Skating"<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vtgLCUuJEV8" width="420"></iframe><br />
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The Vince Gauraldi Trio, "Christmas Time is Here"<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B-BprS1uyxQ" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905181885778117365.post-28202281587122924442011-11-14T19:00:00.000-08:002011-11-14T19:00:06.918-08:00There's So Much That Could be Said...(II)...about Herman Cain, and I had no idea that when I wrote that Nov. 3 <a href="http://thewsns.blogspot.com/2011/11/theres-so-much-that-could-be-said.html">post</a> that Cain would self-destruct in such a devastating fashion. I still stand by my original point that I was glad to see a Cain candidacy in the GOP. But, there is no question that Cain is simply not ready, and if any of the sexual harassment/assault <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/victor-zuckerman-sharon-bialek-herman-cain_n_1093053.html">allegations</a> are true, then that should be a real deal breaker for his current supporters (the allegations seem to have led <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68286.html">some</a> to abandon Cain already). Actually, I think Cain has been presenting a nice stream of deal breakers under normal circumstances, but I have to remind myself that he is running for the GOP nomination, so those rules don't really apply (if they did, then Jon Huntsman would be a serious threat to Mitt Romney).<br />
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But this little bit of video is actually tough to watch. <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WW_nDFKAmCo" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Though, I suppose one could apply the "wisdom" he put forth regarding the OWS movement: If are running for President, having little knowledge of U.S. foreign policy, and you haven't boned up on the subject <strike><strike></strike></strike>before going to a debate or an interview, then you should "blame yourself."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0