You may have heard the awful story about how a woman arrested in Arizona for killing bicyclist Paul L'Ecuyer laughing with a friend in a tape-recorded jailhouse phone call about the fact her victim was gay. A friend tells Melissa Arrington she deserves "a medal and a fucking parade because you took out a fag, a cyclist, a tree hugger and a Frenchman in one shot."
Here is the Audio of that call.
No sense of remorse or wrong doing. Sound like anyone you know? It's time we made thinking like this history, and verbalize that those who try to promote this thinking are simply villians.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Gay Marriage Opponents Drag Discussion Down to Hatefulness
January 27, 2008
I read with disappointment the Jan. 17 article, "Hundreds Ask Legislature for Ban on Gay Marriage." While I respect the right of people to disagree on this issue, I was troubled when Chuck Hurley from the Iowa Family Policy Center reduced the issue to a good-versus-evil debate.
Here in Iowa, we had over 300,000 people participating in the caucuses. It was a positive, civil and respectful process. Is now the time to bring the very old and tired good-versus-evil language back into the political arena? Hasn't that kind of positioning gotten us to this ugly standstill in our current government? Aren't people sick and tired of being hateful toward one another? To me, that kind of rhetoric feels cheap and desperate.
Stop dividing us and pitting human beings against one another. On this human-rights issue, one group is good and the other is evil? We are all better than this.
As I tell my children, I feel sorry for the people who feel that way about gay people. Obviously, they aren't blessed with knowing the remarkable gay people we know and love, the couples who have been committed to each other for many years and are raising happy, healthy children.
Agree to disagree, but please don't take us back to that "we are good and you are evil" place. It is really about people loving one another and protecting those they love.
- Kim Jones,
Urbandale.
For the rest of the article please visit this link.
I read with disappointment the Jan. 17 article, "Hundreds Ask Legislature for Ban on Gay Marriage." While I respect the right of people to disagree on this issue, I was troubled when Chuck Hurley from the Iowa Family Policy Center reduced the issue to a good-versus-evil debate.
Here in Iowa, we had over 300,000 people participating in the caucuses. It was a positive, civil and respectful process. Is now the time to bring the very old and tired good-versus-evil language back into the political arena? Hasn't that kind of positioning gotten us to this ugly standstill in our current government? Aren't people sick and tired of being hateful toward one another? To me, that kind of rhetoric feels cheap and desperate.
Stop dividing us and pitting human beings against one another. On this human-rights issue, one group is good and the other is evil? We are all better than this.
As I tell my children, I feel sorry for the people who feel that way about gay people. Obviously, they aren't blessed with knowing the remarkable gay people we know and love, the couples who have been committed to each other for many years and are raising happy, healthy children.
Agree to disagree, but please don't take us back to that "we are good and you are evil" place. It is really about people loving one another and protecting those they love.
- Kim Jones,
Urbandale.
For the rest of the article please visit this link.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Bill Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Introduced in Maryland
By Laura Smitherman | Sun reporter
2:36 PM EST, January 25, 2008
More than a fourth of state lawmakers have signed up to sponsor a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages in Maryland, the measure's proponents announced today.
Legislators gathered with gay-rights activists to announce the introduction of the legislation in the General Assembly four months after Maryland's highest court upheld the state's 34-year-old statute defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Click here for the whole story.
Bit by bit we move closer to a time when people will be judged by the content of their character, and not by who they are inherently. We should all consider offering our support to these brave legislators who are going through what our legislators went through less than a year ago. Already our lives have changed, and we have been able to move on to more important issues. Here's to wishing Maryland and the other states the same peace.
2:36 PM EST, January 25, 2008
More than a fourth of state lawmakers have signed up to sponsor a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages in Maryland, the measure's proponents announced today.
Legislators gathered with gay-rights activists to announce the introduction of the legislation in the General Assembly four months after Maryland's highest court upheld the state's 34-year-old statute defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Click here for the whole story.
Bit by bit we move closer to a time when people will be judged by the content of their character, and not by who they are inherently. We should all consider offering our support to these brave legislators who are going through what our legislators went through less than a year ago. Already our lives have changed, and we have been able to move on to more important issues. Here's to wishing Maryland and the other states the same peace.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Daniel Yakovleff Dead, Media Coverage No Where To Be Found
Last Update:
UPDATE: Since this report, mainstream media has made a turn-around, and Daniel's story has been widely disseminated as it should have been from the beginning. If anyone has information, here's how you can help:
You may call the Homicide Unit directly at 617-343-4470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).
I challenge you to do a search on the web to find any coverage of the horrific fatal stabbing of the gentle and kind man once known as Daniel A. Yakovleff. Even when using the search engine on Boston.com you come up with no responses, and they are the ones who posted this obituary notice:
Daniel Yakovleff
Our beloved Dan, 20, of Boston and Ashford, CT, died Thursday, January 17. He was the victim of an unsolved homicide in Boston, where he lived and worked for the entirety of his short adult life. Dan grew up in Ashford, CT, where he attended Ashford School and graduated from E.O. Smith High School in 2005. He attended Blaine Academy in Boston, and has since worked as a cosmetologist at Liquid Hair Studios in Boston. Dan loved life and lived it fully. He always said that he lived without any regrets. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his parents Nord and Peg, his brother Damon, both his grandmothers and numerous grieving aunts, uncles, and cousins. There will be a celebration of Dan's life Tuesday, January 22 at Knowlton Memorial Hall next to the Ashford Town Hall from 5-8pm. In lieu of flowers a donation in Dan's name can be made to Joshua's Trust, Gifts and Contributions, P O Box 4, Mansfield Center, CT 06250
Published in the Boston Globe on 1/21/2008.
I'd like to know why the media has chosen to ignore this story, and I'd like people to consider for themselves what this omission says about the level of journalistic integrity out there. I give thanks to Mark Snyder and QueerToday.com for once again being there to bring attention to another important matter where it seems few others have.
A Dorchester man was found guilty today of murdering a popular hairstylist he met at a gay bar in 2008 and was immediately sent to prison for life without parole.
Steven Odegard, 42, stabbed Daniel Yakovleff, 20, over a dozen times with a foot-long chef’s knife, a jury ruled today following six days of deliberations. ~Boston Herald
UPDATE: Since this report, mainstream media has made a turn-around, and Daniel's story has been widely disseminated as it should have been from the beginning. If anyone has information, here's how you can help:
You may call the Homicide Unit directly at 617-343-4470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).
I challenge you to do a search on the web to find any coverage of the horrific fatal stabbing of the gentle and kind man once known as Daniel A. Yakovleff. Even when using the search engine on Boston.com you come up with no responses, and they are the ones who posted this obituary notice:
Daniel Yakovleff
Our beloved Dan, 20, of Boston and Ashford, CT, died Thursday, January 17. He was the victim of an unsolved homicide in Boston, where he lived and worked for the entirety of his short adult life. Dan grew up in Ashford, CT, where he attended Ashford School and graduated from E.O. Smith High School in 2005. He attended Blaine Academy in Boston, and has since worked as a cosmetologist at Liquid Hair Studios in Boston. Dan loved life and lived it fully. He always said that he lived without any regrets. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his parents Nord and Peg, his brother Damon, both his grandmothers and numerous grieving aunts, uncles, and cousins. There will be a celebration of Dan's life Tuesday, January 22 at Knowlton Memorial Hall next to the Ashford Town Hall from 5-8pm. In lieu of flowers a donation in Dan's name can be made to Joshua's Trust, Gifts and Contributions, P O Box 4, Mansfield Center, CT 06250
Published in the Boston Globe on 1/21/2008.
I'd like to know why the media has chosen to ignore this story, and I'd like people to consider for themselves what this omission says about the level of journalistic integrity out there. I give thanks to Mark Snyder and QueerToday.com for once again being there to bring attention to another important matter where it seems few others have.
This is What Real Intimidation Looks Like
Stephen Baldwin told Stern he stopped taking photos of the license plates belonging to patrons of an adult entertainment store in Nyack. (“I’m done with that.”) Baldwin once threatened to track down the identities of the vehicle owners and publish the names in full-page newspaper ads.
Why is it that fundamentalists think they can spread God's love with such hate in their hearts?
For a more full story visit this link.
Why is it that fundamentalists think they can spread God's love with such hate in their hearts?
For a more full story visit this link.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Do-Over: Man who refused to answer SSM question apologizes for being an "instrument of bigotry and prejudice"
(This article has been shamelessly stolen from my good friend Jane Know's site. Please visit her with the link provided in the title.)
In a surprising turn of events, a man who who filed a $9.75 dollar federal lawsuit for failing the MA Bar Exam has issued a public apology for being an "instrument of bigotry and prejudice."
Stephen Dunne, an Irish immigrant, failed to answer a MA Bar Exam question regarding the rights of two married lesbians, their property, and their children issued a January 3 email to Bay Windows, a weekly Boston GLBT-oriented newspaper. In the letter he stated that his lawsuit "regrettably perpetuated intolerance and animosity towards my fellow Americans."
Dunne was denied his law license for scoring a 268.86 on his Bar Exam, which requires at least a 270. Dunne said his score was hurt because he refused to answer the question, which at the time he believed legitimized gay and lesbian marriages, which were contrary to his moral beliefs. He believed the question was used as a mechanism to screen applicants according to their political ideologies.
His lawsuit also called into question the constitutionality of the 2003 decision to recognize same sex marriages in MA.
Dunne states, "Christ said 'Love all, serve all,' " he said. "It was a message of inclusion rather than exclusion."
"After speaking with numerous members of the gay community, including my own friends, I began to empathize with their denial of basic human rights and how they feel discriminated against," Stephen Dunne said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Just a little bit to think about... I wonder how many other people will make similar journeys in the next few years.
I'll add my own two cents here and say that we are all interwoven in a network of mutuality, like MLK suggested. He also said that we shall either rise up together as brothers (and sisters), or fall together as fools. How very true. It has always been my belief that the fundamental nature of all mankind is good. What we have to do is look past the fear, the hate, the lashing out, and see our opponents as part of our family, and deserving of inclusion. No, I'm not saying that heterosexuals need to include us (the GLBT), I'm saying we need to include them!
Ohana is a word for family in Hawaiian that also means "no one left behind". This is the theme I have submitted for the next pride parade in Boston. It is time for us to move forward and help create the promised land by leading our family there.
In a surprising turn of events, a man who who filed a $9.75 dollar federal lawsuit for failing the MA Bar Exam has issued a public apology for being an "instrument of bigotry and prejudice."
Stephen Dunne, an Irish immigrant, failed to answer a MA Bar Exam question regarding the rights of two married lesbians, their property, and their children issued a January 3 email to Bay Windows, a weekly Boston GLBT-oriented newspaper. In the letter he stated that his lawsuit "regrettably perpetuated intolerance and animosity towards my fellow Americans."
Dunne was denied his law license for scoring a 268.86 on his Bar Exam, which requires at least a 270. Dunne said his score was hurt because he refused to answer the question, which at the time he believed legitimized gay and lesbian marriages, which were contrary to his moral beliefs. He believed the question was used as a mechanism to screen applicants according to their political ideologies.
His lawsuit also called into question the constitutionality of the 2003 decision to recognize same sex marriages in MA.
Dunne states, "Christ said 'Love all, serve all,' " he said. "It was a message of inclusion rather than exclusion."
"After speaking with numerous members of the gay community, including my own friends, I began to empathize with their denial of basic human rights and how they feel discriminated against," Stephen Dunne said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Just a little bit to think about... I wonder how many other people will make similar journeys in the next few years.
I'll add my own two cents here and say that we are all interwoven in a network of mutuality, like MLK suggested. He also said that we shall either rise up together as brothers (and sisters), or fall together as fools. How very true. It has always been my belief that the fundamental nature of all mankind is good. What we have to do is look past the fear, the hate, the lashing out, and see our opponents as part of our family, and deserving of inclusion. No, I'm not saying that heterosexuals need to include us (the GLBT), I'm saying we need to include them!
Ohana is a word for family in Hawaiian that also means "no one left behind". This is the theme I have submitted for the next pride parade in Boston. It is time for us to move forward and help create the promised land by leading our family there.
Statement from Barack Obama:
“We’re proud of the campaign we ran in Nevada. We came from over twenty-five points behind to win more national convention delegates than Hillary Clinton because we performed well all across the state, including rural areas where Democrats have traditionally struggled. The reason is because tens of thousands of Nevadans came out to say that they’re tired of business-as-usual in Washington and ready for a President who can bring this country together, take on the lobbyists and special interests, and end the politics of saying and doing whatever it takes to win an election. It is the kind of politics that feeds our cynicism and distracts us from taking on the real challenges facing America – an economy that’s left working families struggling, a broken health care system, and a war in Iraq that must end.
“We ran an honest, uplifting campaign in Nevada that focused on the real problems Americans are facing, a campaign that appealed to people’s hopes instead of their fears. That’s the campaign we’ll take to South Carolina and across America in the weeks to come, and that’s how we will truly bring about the change this country is hungry for.”
Statement from Obama campaign manager David Plouffe
“We currently have reports of over 200 separate incidents of trouble at caucus sites, including doors being closed up to thirty minutes early, registration forms running out so people were turned away, and ID being requested and checked in a non-uniform fashion. This is in addition to the Clinton campaign’s efforts to confuse voters and call into question the at-large caucus sites which clearly had an affect on turnout at these locations. These kinds of Clinton campaign tactics were part of an entire week’s worth of false, divisive, attacks designed to mislead caucus-goers and discredit the caucus itself.
“We will investigate all of these thoroughly and would encourage anyone who had concern about actions at the caucus sites to call (866) 675-2008.”
“We ran an honest, uplifting campaign in Nevada that focused on the real problems Americans are facing, a campaign that appealed to people’s hopes instead of their fears. That’s the campaign we’ll take to South Carolina and across America in the weeks to come, and that’s how we will truly bring about the change this country is hungry for.”
Statement from Obama campaign manager David Plouffe
“We currently have reports of over 200 separate incidents of trouble at caucus sites, including doors being closed up to thirty minutes early, registration forms running out so people were turned away, and ID being requested and checked in a non-uniform fashion. This is in addition to the Clinton campaign’s efforts to confuse voters and call into question the at-large caucus sites which clearly had an affect on turnout at these locations. These kinds of Clinton campaign tactics were part of an entire week’s worth of false, divisive, attacks designed to mislead caucus-goers and discredit the caucus itself.
“We will investigate all of these thoroughly and would encourage anyone who had concern about actions at the caucus sites to call (866) 675-2008.”
UVM Hosts Heated Same Sex Marriage Forum
Burlington, Vermont - January 19, 2008
The issue of same-sex marriage is reemerging as a hot button issue this year. A state legislative commission is expected to present its findings and recommendations on the issue to the legislature later this spring. Saturday, a group that opposes same sex unions, held an open forum at the University of Vermont.
More than a hundred people filled the seats of a UVM ballroom for a lively and very heated forum about the legality of same sex marriage.
Within an an hour, many of those seats were empty. Some had turned their backs on the panelists, and others were expressing outrage.
The panelists displayed graphs and studies that support traditional marriage between a man and a woman. They say science proves that children raised by a mother and father do better in school and end up leading a happier life than children who are not. "We get our strongest children, when they grow up in intact married families. The data is now overwhelming," said Dr. Patrick Fagan with the Family Research Council.
"There are some studies that conclude that there are no differences in the outcomes of children raised by same sex couples as opposed to married mother, father couples. Those studies are subject to serious challenge in terms of their methodology," said Monte Stewart with the Marriage Law Foundation.
But much of the crowd was not convinced. "The presentation was completely one sided. The research presented was clearly flawed and skewed to make a point," said Beth Freeman, a Vermont Law School Student.
For the full article visit this link.
It is the same old attack against GLBT people. We are bad for children, and since children are needed for marriage, GLBT people destroy marriage too. The only problem here is that Vermont citizens have lived with a higher level of equality than most other states since the year 2000, so they know the truth. I encourage people to write to the newspapers in Vermont and congratulate our allies on their quest for equality.
The issue of same-sex marriage is reemerging as a hot button issue this year. A state legislative commission is expected to present its findings and recommendations on the issue to the legislature later this spring. Saturday, a group that opposes same sex unions, held an open forum at the University of Vermont.
More than a hundred people filled the seats of a UVM ballroom for a lively and very heated forum about the legality of same sex marriage.
Within an an hour, many of those seats were empty. Some had turned their backs on the panelists, and others were expressing outrage.
The panelists displayed graphs and studies that support traditional marriage between a man and a woman. They say science proves that children raised by a mother and father do better in school and end up leading a happier life than children who are not. "We get our strongest children, when they grow up in intact married families. The data is now overwhelming," said Dr. Patrick Fagan with the Family Research Council.
"There are some studies that conclude that there are no differences in the outcomes of children raised by same sex couples as opposed to married mother, father couples. Those studies are subject to serious challenge in terms of their methodology," said Monte Stewart with the Marriage Law Foundation.
But much of the crowd was not convinced. "The presentation was completely one sided. The research presented was clearly flawed and skewed to make a point," said Beth Freeman, a Vermont Law School Student.
For the full article visit this link.
It is the same old attack against GLBT people. We are bad for children, and since children are needed for marriage, GLBT people destroy marriage too. The only problem here is that Vermont citizens have lived with a higher level of equality than most other states since the year 2000, so they know the truth. I encourage people to write to the newspapers in Vermont and congratulate our allies on their quest for equality.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
TODAY: Mass. Obama Supporters to Hold Nevada Caucus Watch Party in Somerville
Volunteers will gather after canvassing undecided voters across the state
SOMERVILLE, MA— Massachusetts Obama supporters will gather this afternoon in Somerville to watch the results the of the Nevada caucuses after a morning of canvassing undecided voters across the state. With the Massachusetts campaign in full swing, more than 200 Obama volunteers will go door-to-door tomorrow, from Fall River to Northampton.
4:30 p.m.
Nevada Caucus Watch Party
Redbones Barbecue
55 Chester St.
Somerville, MA
SOMERVILLE, MA— Massachusetts Obama supporters will gather this afternoon in Somerville to watch the results the of the Nevada caucuses after a morning of canvassing undecided voters across the state. With the Massachusetts campaign in full swing, more than 200 Obama volunteers will go door-to-door tomorrow, from Fall River to Northampton.
4:30 p.m.
Nevada Caucus Watch Party
Redbones Barbecue
55 Chester St.
Somerville, MA
Monday, January 14, 2008
We Are All In This Together
Sunday, January 13, marked the 50th anniversary of the US Supreme Court's first decision regarding gay rights.
Ed Brayton and Jim Burroway cover the story well, so check it out. I'll give you Ed's link here, which in turn links to Jim's analysis.
And as Ed so eloquently states, this is why it matters.
Ed Brayton and Jim Burroway cover the story well, so check it out. I'll give you Ed's link here, which in turn links to Jim's analysis.
And as Ed so eloquently states, this is why it matters.
...that is important because we need to recognize that we are not fighting for gay rights only, we are fighting for liberty, full stop. The freedom from arbitrary governmental intrusions into the lives of gay people secures liberty not just for gays, but for all of us. This is not their fight; it's our fight, for all of us who love liberty and are willing to fight for it.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CREATE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
Proposal Changes Governance to Create a Seamless System from Pre-K through Higher Education
BOSTON – Thursday, January 10, 2008 – Keeping to his vision to offer a world-class education for all children in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick today will file legislation under Article 87 of the Commonwealth’s Constitution to reorganize the state’s education system by creating a cabinet-level secretary of education.
The plan will improve policy coordination across all sectors of education: early education and care, K-12 and higher education; guiding students seamlessly from one step to the next through every level of their education and into the workforce. The Governor’s proposal creates an Executive Office of Education, including a Secretary of Education who would coordinate the work of the existing boards to create a comprehensive education system.
“There is no greater gateway to opportunity and success than a first-rate education. This reorganization, along with the work of the Readiness Project will guide us through the next phase of education reform to ensure all of our children are ready to compete in the global economy,” said Governor Patrick. “A cabinet-level secretary of education will help us move forward.”
The reorganization under Article 87 must be voted up or down without amendment by the Legislature within 60 days.
Creates Executive Office of Education
Headed by a Secretary of Education and containing the following departments:
Early Education and Care (existing)
Elementary and Secondary Education (new name for the existing Department of Education)
Higher Education (new department that will include personnel now staffing the Board of Higher Education)
Establishes a Secretary of Education
Provides the Secretary with the following powers:
Approval authority over the boards’ hiring of each of the three commissioners;
A voting seat on the UMass board as well as on the three education boards;
Approval of mission statements and 5-year master plans, both at the departmental level and, within higher education, at the institutional level;
Approval of budget and capital outlay requests at the departmental and institutional levels.
Maintains Existing Education Boards
Corresponding to each of the above departments expands the size of each board by two members and:
Installs the secretary as a voting member on each board
Staggers the board terms so that there are a fixed number of appointments that come up each year;
Removes the peer commissioners from each board
Other existing powers of the boards remain unchanged
Additional provisions
Provides Governor with authority to appoint the chair of the UMass board
“This is a bold move by a bold leader who recognizes that continuous improvement in education is critical if we are going to compete in the global economy,” said Dana Mohler-Faria, the Governor’s Special Advisor on Education and President of Bridgewater State College.
“This proposal is the result of months of cooperative work between Governor Patrick and legislative leaders and I am pleased with the results. I am hopeful that the creation of an education Secretary will help better coordinate our efforts to promote greater educational achievement in the Commonwealth and encourage more cohesion and increased accountability in the system,” said Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi. “This proposal strikes an appropriate balance between maintaining stability in our schools and positioning ourselves to meet the immediate challenges before us. I look forward to working with the Governor to pass this reorganization.”
“This proposal by the Governor represents many months of collaboration and cooperation and sets the stage for an educational system with greater communication, coordination and accountability. Moving forward, the Governor’s plan, featuring the new secretariat, affords us the opportunity to bring the Commonwealth into a new era of achievement and success,” said Rep. Patricia A. Haddad, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education.
“I commend the Governor on this bold and ambitious effort to coordinate the Commonwealth’s public education system” said Senator Robert A. Antonioni, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “After 15 years since the last major reform in the states education system, I believe the Commonwealth is ready for change and new ideas. This bill is a bold step in setting the stage for significant education reforms in the future.”
"The Readiness Project is working to develop a long-term strategic plan for improving our education system, but that work alone is not enough. The Governor’s central-governance proposal is important to ensure that we have the structure in place to act on those recommendations,” said Joe Tucci, co-chair of the Readiness Project. “As we do in the business world, we need to make sure that accountability is aligned with authority: that’s exactly what the Governor needs to get the job done, and that’s what this proposal does.”
BOSTON – Thursday, January 10, 2008 – Keeping to his vision to offer a world-class education for all children in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick today will file legislation under Article 87 of the Commonwealth’s Constitution to reorganize the state’s education system by creating a cabinet-level secretary of education.
The plan will improve policy coordination across all sectors of education: early education and care, K-12 and higher education; guiding students seamlessly from one step to the next through every level of their education and into the workforce. The Governor’s proposal creates an Executive Office of Education, including a Secretary of Education who would coordinate the work of the existing boards to create a comprehensive education system.
“There is no greater gateway to opportunity and success than a first-rate education. This reorganization, along with the work of the Readiness Project will guide us through the next phase of education reform to ensure all of our children are ready to compete in the global economy,” said Governor Patrick. “A cabinet-level secretary of education will help us move forward.”
The reorganization under Article 87 must be voted up or down without amendment by the Legislature within 60 days.
Creates Executive Office of Education
Headed by a Secretary of Education and containing the following departments:
Early Education and Care (existing)
Elementary and Secondary Education (new name for the existing Department of Education)
Higher Education (new department that will include personnel now staffing the Board of Higher Education)
Establishes a Secretary of Education
Provides the Secretary with the following powers:
Approval authority over the boards’ hiring of each of the three commissioners;
A voting seat on the UMass board as well as on the three education boards;
Approval of mission statements and 5-year master plans, both at the departmental level and, within higher education, at the institutional level;
Approval of budget and capital outlay requests at the departmental and institutional levels.
Maintains Existing Education Boards
Corresponding to each of the above departments expands the size of each board by two members and:
Installs the secretary as a voting member on each board
Staggers the board terms so that there are a fixed number of appointments that come up each year;
Removes the peer commissioners from each board
Other existing powers of the boards remain unchanged
Additional provisions
Provides Governor with authority to appoint the chair of the UMass board
“This is a bold move by a bold leader who recognizes that continuous improvement in education is critical if we are going to compete in the global economy,” said Dana Mohler-Faria, the Governor’s Special Advisor on Education and President of Bridgewater State College.
“This proposal is the result of months of cooperative work between Governor Patrick and legislative leaders and I am pleased with the results. I am hopeful that the creation of an education Secretary will help better coordinate our efforts to promote greater educational achievement in the Commonwealth and encourage more cohesion and increased accountability in the system,” said Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi. “This proposal strikes an appropriate balance between maintaining stability in our schools and positioning ourselves to meet the immediate challenges before us. I look forward to working with the Governor to pass this reorganization.”
“This proposal by the Governor represents many months of collaboration and cooperation and sets the stage for an educational system with greater communication, coordination and accountability. Moving forward, the Governor’s plan, featuring the new secretariat, affords us the opportunity to bring the Commonwealth into a new era of achievement and success,” said Rep. Patricia A. Haddad, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education.
“I commend the Governor on this bold and ambitious effort to coordinate the Commonwealth’s public education system” said Senator Robert A. Antonioni, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “After 15 years since the last major reform in the states education system, I believe the Commonwealth is ready for change and new ideas. This bill is a bold step in setting the stage for significant education reforms in the future.”
"The Readiness Project is working to develop a long-term strategic plan for improving our education system, but that work alone is not enough. The Governor’s central-governance proposal is important to ensure that we have the structure in place to act on those recommendations,” said Joe Tucci, co-chair of the Readiness Project. “As we do in the business world, we need to make sure that accountability is aligned with authority: that’s exactly what the Governor needs to get the job done, and that’s what this proposal does.”
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
What's Eating Paul Jamieson?
(Picture from the Boston Herald)I first heard from Paul Jamieson on knowthyneighbor.org where he began posting on Tom Lang's blog. Here is an example of Paul's early days:
Do you really think that publishing peoples names will deter others from signing?
This will only serve to embolde the traditional marriage side.
Most people just want to vote for or against gay marriage. The Attorney general, just this week agreed that it should be put to a vote.
Would you display the results of an election and why people voted for who?
Maybe, and that is fine. I don't see what the big deal is. It absolutley tramples on peoples privacy, but maybe it will wake them up to the fact that they need to be out there toe to toe with the pro gay marriage folks and be heard and stand up for what they believe in.
This list will help people to see that most people would never vote for gay marriage in massachusetts.
This has been known for sometime and is the reason that gay marriage proponents are afraid of the democratic voting process.
Posted by: Paul Jamieson | September 14, 2005 at 02:36 PM
Paul also started posting under multiple monikers, and subsequently we have caught him doing this over and over again. In spite of the open hostility Paul brought right from the begining, Tom, Aaron and I tried to keep it civil, and offer answers to fears he raised. One such theme that seemed to be a mantra handed down from the now defunct Massachusetts Family Institute was that knowthyneighbor.org is about intimidation. Aaron answers this call well in this thread:
Encouraging Democracy Not Intimidation
The initiative petition process is the closest we get to direct democracy at the state government level. It allows the citizens to bypass the normal legislative process to push forward legislation on their own. In effect, the citizens become the legislators.
But that comes at a price. Just as a state senator must weigh his or her own personal convictions against those of constituents when making a decision to support or oppose legislation, so the citizen legislator must weigh his or her own personal convictions against those of friends and neighbors. The state senator risks alienating a part of the constituency. The citizen legislator risks losing respect in the community.
Now as an average citizen, realizing how much power your signature actually has can be a little scary. I can even understand how someone might feel "intimidated" by such power being vested in them by our system of democracy. But in the end, what's really going on is that individual citizens are being empowered to make decisions that directly affect the lives of their neighbors with the middle man (the legislature) taken somewhat out of the equation. This is a privilege of living in a democratic society and must be taken seriously!
Therefore, don't just sign the clipboard because it gets shoved in your face outside Stop 'n Shop and you're in a rush. Sign it because you fully understand the issue at hand, have weighed the repercussions on yourself and your neighbors, and truly believe the Commonwealth would be better off if the legislation was enacted!
We at KnowThyNeighbor.org believe that if the people of Massachusetts take the initiative petition process with the seriousness that it is due, reasonable people will see the petition for what it really is and decide not to sign it.
Aaron Toleos, Director
Of course this fell on deaf ears:
There is no question that the purpose of this website is intimidation. There is little effort made to hide it.
If I were to provide a list of the home addresses of black families to a white supremacist organization, and then say "que sera sera," would I be blameless if bad things were to happen to them? The answer is no. This is a thinly veiled incitement to harassment or violence against citizens for exercising their constitutional rights. It is no different from intimidating voters to keep them from exercising the franchise.
Most people in this state reject the use of intimidation. They will hold this website in the scorn that it deserves.
I hadn't even been aware of this petition initiative prior to reading a news story about this website. After learning of the Gestapo tactics employed by the KnowThyNeighbor group, I am now motivated to seek out the Massachusetts Family Institute and sign their petition. I will encourage my neighbors to do likewise. I am somewhat ambivalent about the subject matter, but it is better to leave it to the citizens of the Commonwealth to decide this, than to leave it in the hands of a vocal minority who has shown a willingness to incite harassment against their neighbors.
If my property is vandalized after I sign the petition, I hold the creators of this website responsible. While the cowardly perpetrators of the act may have retreated out of sight, I doubt I will have any trouble locating you. You will be called to account.
Posted by: Disapproves of Intimidation | September 13, 2005 at 06:36 PM
Paul has gone as far as threatening an elderly gay man in his sixties with a heart condition. When he asked where Mark and Nigel lived so he could have a face to face exchange with them, I stepped in and offered him to talk with me. He didn't seem so eager to meet someone who is younger and bigger than he.
Paul also couldn't keep a respectful distance when the entire GLBT community was rocked by the Jacob Robita homicidal rampage:
only have one thing to say:
PEOPLE LIKE PAUL JAMIESON, KRIS MINEAU, AND ALL THE OTHER FALSE PROPHETS ARE *** ABSOLUTELY*** RESPONSIBLE, IN PART, FOR RISING INCIDENTS SUCH AS THESE.
Hey Peter,
I have only one thing to say to you; no, two things;
Thank you for continuing to show us all the lunacy that runs through the Secular Utopian's minds and;
LET THE PEOPLE VOTE
Posted by: Paul Jamieson | February 03, 2006 at 10:01 PM
My sense of outrage led me to post his publicly listed telephone number for people to call and talk with him directly:
Please direct your comments for Paul to his home telephone number: 978-887-xxxx
>>>START MODERATOR<<<<
I x'd out Paul's home phone. I understand that people are heated but I don't think this is constructive.
moderator@knowthyneighbor.org
>>>END MODERATOR<<<
Posted by: John Hosty | February 03, 2006 at 10:35 PM
Hey John,
That is straight out intimidation and a page right out of the psycho in New Bedfords book.
Keep it up Salemman, you are fanning the flames and are close to a lawsuit.
Posted by: Paul Jamieson | February 03, 2006 at 11:12 PM
Aren't you going to ask to meet me eye to eye like you did with 60 year old Mark? Am I too much man for you to try to threaten in the same way? You are nothing but a coward with a big mouth.
Posted by: John Hosty | February 03, 2006 at 11:23 PM
John is not one who would lightly have posted that phone number. What you're presently witnessing, Paul, are not at all unwarranted expressions of deep grief and righteous rage. John was surely motivated by a quite understandable sense of shock and outrage over your continued insensitivity. I can hardly fault him.
Posted by: Owen R. Broadhurst | February 04, 2006 at 01:52 AM
I appologize to all for my outburst last night and for posting Paul's telephone number. I have not been prompted to appologize, it just seems like the right thing to do. I cried tears of frustration when I heard the news about what happened at Puzzles and I went to this website to read what my family here had to say. When I saw that Paul was here putting a spin on the issue like it was just another day to argue his opinions with us, I snapped. I don't think it was appropriate to list his telephone number, but I do not consider that intimidation. I felt it was giving people the ability to reach directly a person who lives to taunt us here, and could not keep himself from doing so even in one of our most painfull moments. If I had listed his address and suggested we all go over and do something to him or his property, that would be criminal.
If Tom and Aaron see it fit to continue Paul's access to this website, which would be the fair and democratic thing to do, just remember that we don't have to take the bait and answer any of his posts anymore. As far as I am concerned he no longer exists. He has never contributed anything of value or drawn our society closer together, I believe he is here solely to amuse himself at our expense, and I am not paying the bill anymore.
Posted by: John Hosty | February 04, 2006 at 08:01 PM
As you can see there were no threats like Paul wishes to claim. He himself even admits that not a single person bothered him:
I must say though, to everyone's credit here, my family didn't receive a single call. And I appreciate that.
Posted by: Paul Jamieson | February 07, 2006 at 04:44 PM
Throughout the years I have oscillated on whether or not to bother with Paul, or if some people are best left to themselves. I find it hypocritical of myself to ask my opponents to try and be respectful neighbors if I am not, so I keep trying to reach out when I find the strength. Whenever I have tried to ignore Paul, he follows me around from blog to blog with attacks and misrepresentations. He sends messages to me like this one sent on Christmas Eve day:
How pathetic is it when you write a blogpost and then comment on it yourself
get a life Hosty
Your no respect argumentrs are ridiculous as is this so called war that you wage against a society that is tolerant
You are just a selfish pig who wants special roghts at the expense of everyone else.
Posted by Paul Jamieson (deleted) to Live, Love, and Learn at December 24, 2007 2:09 PM
Even with years of exchanges, literally thousands of comments back and forth, I am no closer to understanding why Paul is so full of piss and vinegar than I was when I first came across him. So again I have tried to bring the level of dialog up a notch and give him the microphone. I offered him the chance to post a thread to my blog of his own creation. This was his response:
Ok
Here is my finished article;
begin;
LET THE PEOPLE VOTE!
end.
and this is no game either - that is my main sentiment and always has been - but you and your radical side just love to hear yourselves talk like so many politicians and twist and make the debate about hate and anti gay and blah blah blah
it is a simple fact - everyone has the right to have a say on the matter at hand whether you belive it is a civil right or not.
--
Paul Jamieson
Paul leaves me wondering what his fascination is with the GLBT, and what exactly he wants to contribute to the world. Given the thousands of comments he has left on KTN and elsewhere, it seems odd I would be able to say, but I geniunely still know very little about this person. I don't like what I have seen thus far, but perhaps I should sit down and listen.
Paul, you've been looking for a chance to speak up and be heard; the floor is yours...
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Rat Hunting
In medieval days there was a bounty for hunting rats. I do it for fun... ;)
I purposely do not explain what's going on here, bear with me and things will become clear as you read on:
"What is striking to me about this is the vindictiveness on display. If they can't get what they want, they want to stick it to someone too. In this case, the disabled.
So the mask slips, and the hatred that the gay lobby has is fully on display in support of an initiative such as this.
Of course, the proponent considers it absurd. Of course it is absurd. In a country with handicapped access, special parking places for the handicapped, and disability benefits, its ludicrous to think that marriage should be annulled due to a disability.
But what the proponents hope is that when the initiative goes down in flames that they can spin it away from the real reason it failed, and blame the focus on responsible procreation in marriage. Which is one of our most important moors to help children and give their lives value that our society has. But that simply must be thrown under the bus to pamper small and already well-to-do, politically mobilized faction of society.
But what I figure it will really cause people to wonder about is, Is homosexuality a handicap? No, it is not. Then why are homosexuals after handicap benefits? The same-sex couple does not want equality with the companion sexed couple, they want equality with the disabled who form companion sex couplings. So why?
Neutering marriage for the sake of homosexuality, it was told to me many years ago, would be one of the most oppressive things one segment of society did to another since abortion as birth control and slavery. The way it throws children into the position of being a commodity, and the handicapped under the bus I have to say they are right.
So you go on Ed, keep being "seriously joking" about this. I've never seen you as the brave sort to make direct arguments anyway. I have to say I don't mind absurdity in the name of comedy, but whats really absurd here is where you are trying to be serious."
Posted by: Counterpoint | February 8, 2007 12:15 PM
Stop here for a moment and ask yourself if the above post sounds like anyone you know.
"I've read Counterpoint's comment a couple of times; I don't have a clue what he's talking about."
Posted by: Ed Brayton | February 8, 2007 12:40 PM
In case you somehow read my prattle and have not stumbled upon Ed Brayton's brilliance, allow me to introduce him to you with this link.
Great time to delurk, Uafbum :-)
"Is there any chance Counterpoint is actually Gribbit in disguise? Perhaps compare ip addresses..."
Posted by: doctorgoo | February 8, 2007 12:46 PM
"I know doctorgoo, i missed de-lurking day :P And I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who is confused as to what exactly Counterpoint is claiming."
Posted by: uafbum | February 8, 2007 12:52 PM
"Neutering marriage for the sake of homosexuality"
"Neutering"? Sounds familiar. This is the word I see all the time on the "opine editorials".
Posted by: John | February 8, 2007 1:19 PM
Drum roll please.....
"Yep, it's OnLawn yet again. Time to ban all of those IP addresses."
Posted by: Ed Brayton | February 8, 2007 2:29 PM
On Lawn has been caught posting under different names, just like Christian, whom I suspect he is. This level of dishonesty discredits him and Opine Editorials entirely. How can anyone continue to read that website and not wonder how many other names he goes by, or if any of the other Opiners are even real?
On Lawn, Counterpoint, Christian, Genghis Cohen, and whatever else you call yourself, the game is over. You have been found to be the very liar you accuse others of being. I will enjoy seeing you try to talk your way out of this one, considering Ed Brayton has your IP address as proof.
What we do with this information is simple. We make sure people know the truth, give them facts they can verify independently, and we remind them to always consider their sources. Feel free to link to this thread for reference.
Allow me to give you a link to the first time this same tactic was used against KnowThyNeighbor.org, and when I uncovered a similar incident on another opponent's blog.
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