Check out the clip below, and just imagine the health insurance lobby as a woman who just told Lieberman that his campaign dollars for the next election are assured, and gave him a kiss, now that he has come out against any meaningful cost saving apparatus to health insurance reform.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Civil Marriage Equality in DC: Second Hurdle Cleared
I am very proud to be a resident of Washington, DC right now, and I am quite happy with this move by the City Council. I was glad to hear Council member Phil Mendelson remind the City Council that there are a number of religious institutions within the District that support civil marriage equality. Furthermore, Mendelson also reminded the Catholic Church and others that in those places where civil marriage equality has come, little seems to have changed (though I think the Catholic charities in MA elected to stop doing adoptions).
Council member David Catania was magnanimous in his words to Council members Marion Barry and Yvette Alexander, the two members who are against marriage equality. Catania is correct in noting that Barry and Alexander have supported the DC GLBT community in the past, and their votes show that. But they are both on the wrong side of history on this one, and it is that plain.
I really appreciated the words of Council members Harry Thomas, Jr., Kwame Brown, Muriel Bowser and Michael Brown. It is great to hear straight black folks explain with clarity their support for civil marriage equality.
We still have to wait for the 30 day review period in Congress before the law becomes official. And I think that we will get this measure through.
Council member David Catania was magnanimous in his words to Council members Marion Barry and Yvette Alexander, the two members who are against marriage equality. Catania is correct in noting that Barry and Alexander have supported the DC GLBT community in the past, and their votes show that. But they are both on the wrong side of history on this one, and it is that plain.
I really appreciated the words of Council members Harry Thomas, Jr., Kwame Brown, Muriel Bowser and Michael Brown. It is great to hear straight black folks explain with clarity their support for civil marriage equality.
We still have to wait for the 30 day review period in Congress before the law becomes official. And I think that we will get this measure through.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Death Unexpected
There is never a good time to pass along the news of a death in the family, but I think it's worse when the death was wholly unexpected. I lost a cousin of mine last night. He was hit by a car while he was walking in Chicago. He survived the hit, but died at the hospital as a result of his injuries. Was he walking to or from home? Had he been with friends? Was his wife with him? I still don't know the answers to these questions, though I am sure the details will be filled in over time.
Even though my cousin was 16 years older than me, and I didn't know him as well as I would have liked (it's amazing what an age difference and distance can render in familial relationships), he was always armed with a smile and a funny story related to his life. I worry about my great aunt who was just settling from the loss of her husband two years ago, because no child should die before its parents.
As the news of my cousin's death settled on me, both an awareness of the tenuousness of life and the realization not to waste time hit me like a two-by-four to the face. Though most of us ignore it, it is true that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. What were my cousin's holiday plans? Was he going to come back to Virginia to be with the rest of the family, or was it going to be another Christmas in Chicago? What was going to happen at the next meeting at work he may have been preparing for?
I am both profoundly sad about this loss in my family and painfully aware that I do not say "I love you" enough. I hope that for the people who stop by this blog that they will take the time as soon as possible and give love to their loved ones, family, friends, whomever. Life really is too short, though living life can be a wondrous thing.
May my cousin rest in peace.
Even though my cousin was 16 years older than me, and I didn't know him as well as I would have liked (it's amazing what an age difference and distance can render in familial relationships), he was always armed with a smile and a funny story related to his life. I worry about my great aunt who was just settling from the loss of her husband two years ago, because no child should die before its parents.
As the news of my cousin's death settled on me, both an awareness of the tenuousness of life and the realization not to waste time hit me like a two-by-four to the face. Though most of us ignore it, it is true that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. What were my cousin's holiday plans? Was he going to come back to Virginia to be with the rest of the family, or was it going to be another Christmas in Chicago? What was going to happen at the next meeting at work he may have been preparing for?
I am both profoundly sad about this loss in my family and painfully aware that I do not say "I love you" enough. I hope that for the people who stop by this blog that they will take the time as soon as possible and give love to their loved ones, family, friends, whomever. Life really is too short, though living life can be a wondrous thing.
May my cousin rest in peace.
Friday, December 11, 2009
In Praise of Solid Reporting: U.S. Coverage of the Proposed Anti-Gay Legislation in Uganda
Though the outcome of the "Kill the Gays" legislation proposed in Uganda is still to be determined, I think that it is important to offer thanks and praise to "The Rachel Maddow Show." By bringing this issue directly into the homes of her viewers, Maddow has been able to put pressure on some of the more prominent American actors in this sad state of affairs, particularly the Christianist pastor Rick Warren, U.S. Senators Inhofe, Coburn and Grassley, and "ex-gay" "therapist" Richard Cohen.
It is also important to offer praise to all of the various GLBT blogs for highlighting this issue. I've really come to rely on the information I've read on Rod 2.0 and Towleroad, and I would totally encourage anyone who has read this blog to visit those brilliant blogs.
Unless I am mistaken, I sense changes happening as this issue continues to garner more attention. And my thoughts remain with the GLBT community in Uganda. I can only imagine how frightening it would be to know that my country was literally deciding my fate based solely on who I am and who I love.
I will continue to post about this issue until the Uganda legislature makes its decision on this legislation. In the meantime, here is the relevant segment from Maddow's show last night. Enjoy!
UPDATE 12/11/09: I watched The Rachel Maddow Show tonight, and saw her latest segment on the Uganda issue. I have to give her show further credit for putting this information out there. Now, the Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has been contacted directly by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI). Check it out.
It is also important to offer praise to all of the various GLBT blogs for highlighting this issue. I've really come to rely on the information I've read on Rod 2.0 and Towleroad, and I would totally encourage anyone who has read this blog to visit those brilliant blogs.
Unless I am mistaken, I sense changes happening as this issue continues to garner more attention. And my thoughts remain with the GLBT community in Uganda. I can only imagine how frightening it would be to know that my country was literally deciding my fate based solely on who I am and who I love.
I will continue to post about this issue until the Uganda legislature makes its decision on this legislation. In the meantime, here is the relevant segment from Maddow's show last night. Enjoy!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
UPDATE 12/11/09: I watched The Rachel Maddow Show tonight, and saw her latest segment on the Uganda issue. I have to give her show further credit for putting this information out there. Now, the Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has been contacted directly by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI). Check it out.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sade Is Back
2010 is going to be my year now. I just finished listening to "Soldier of Love," the latest from my girl Sade. Helen Folasade Adu has come back to me, right when I need her. The album, also titled "Soldier of Love" comes out 8 February 2010, and I am ready to hear each and every single.
"Curing" the Gay Back in the Day, "The Daily Show" Style
So, I was checking out the latest over at Ta-Nehisi Coates' blog, and noticed that he'd done a post on Rachel Maddow's guest from yesterday, Richard Cohen. One of the folks who left a comment on that post offered an old Daily Show link from '07. It is friggin' HI-larious, and I am posting both parts.
This whole business about "curing" homosexuality is both dangerous and crazy, and the people who perpetuate that lie need to be exposed for the frauds that they are. That this philosophy of "curing" homosexuality is a part of the force behind the effort to pass horrific legislation against GLBT Ugandans is even more distressing.
Jason Jones ("GRR") started back in '07 what Rachel Maddow was able to finish last night, and it was a total pleasure to watch.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Diagnosis: Mystery Pt. 1 | ||||
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Diagnosis: Mystery Pt. 2 | ||||
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This whole business about "curing" homosexuality is both dangerous and crazy, and the people who perpetuate that lie need to be exposed for the frauds that they are. That this philosophy of "curing" homosexuality is a part of the force behind the effort to pass horrific legislation against GLBT Ugandans is even more distressing.
Jason Jones ("GRR") started back in '07 what Rachel Maddow was able to finish last night, and it was a total pleasure to watch.
Will Being Gay in Uganda Lead to Execution or Imprisonment? II
I am glad that Rachel Maddow is working diligently to keep her viewers informed about the pending Ugandan legislation that would seek the execution of sexually active gays. The information is as helpful as it is shocking. I wonder if people in our government is doing any negotiating with Uganda to derail this potential law.
Here are two segments from Rachel Maddow's show last night (the second clip was just a joy to watch; I was shouting my support for Maddow's questions and statements).
I also decided to check to see what some of the commentary my be over at the BBC, and I came across this opinion piece by William Crawley. Crawley even includes a link to the proposed legislation (which I hope is not some fake). I also found a debate that was conducted by The Monitor newspaper in Uganda last month regarding the proposed legislation. It really does make for an interesting read, and the sponsor of the legislation, David Bahati, seems like a hot Christianist mess. And this op-ed in The Monitor last Sunday by Amos Kasibante, a chaplain at Leicester University in the UK, was interesting.
I just hope that this whole legislative push will be stopped.
UPDATE: The latest post over at Rod 2.0 is reporting a story from Bloomberg that the legislative discussion on the "Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda can now be called the "Imprison the Gays for Life" bill.
Here are two segments from Rachel Maddow's show last night (the second clip was just a joy to watch; I was shouting my support for Maddow's questions and statements).
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I also decided to check to see what some of the commentary my be over at the BBC, and I came across this opinion piece by William Crawley. Crawley even includes a link to the proposed legislation (which I hope is not some fake). I also found a debate that was conducted by The Monitor newspaper in Uganda last month regarding the proposed legislation. It really does make for an interesting read, and the sponsor of the legislation, David Bahati, seems like a hot Christianist mess. And this op-ed in The Monitor last Sunday by Amos Kasibante, a chaplain at Leicester University in the UK, was interesting.
I just hope that this whole legislative push will be stopped.
UPDATE: The latest post over at Rod 2.0 is reporting a story from Bloomberg that the legislative discussion on the "Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda can now be called the "Imprison the Gays for Life" bill.
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