Happy Holidays to All!

This is a time of year that we need to remember what we all know to be right; to love thy neighbor. It's a time when all of us look at our fellow man with kinder gentler eyes and we realize that no matter how different we may seem we are in fact very similar in our hearts. All people want safety for themselves and for their loved ones. All people crave joy and hope. All people have fears, dreams, and inner struggles that manifest themselves in our behaviors.

No matter who you are, kindness is never a waste of time because it speaks of you and your character. Whether the kindness you give is received gracefully or not it always changes both you and the recipient for the better. Perhaps if we all try a little harder in this season to be a little better to each other we can help to dispel some small portion of the fears we have throughout the year that keep hate alive. Perhaps through love we can in fact conquer all. Isn't this what Christ spoke of? Isn't peace and good will a primary aspect of all modern religions and what we know to be true?

The tiny candle in the window I leave for you the reader is symbolic of the candle one would leave to let weary travelers know they are welcome in days long ago. Let it symbolize for us the love we have not only for those familiar, but also for those friends we have not yet met, and also symbolize the hope we carry that tomorrow will be better than today by sharing love through our actions.

Let our love transform the world one person, one action at a time.

Norway UFO on YouTube

A very interesting thing seen on the news tonight, this phenomena was recorded over Norway. I'd love to hear from viewers what they think of it.

The New GLBT Pope Problem

It is time to admit that the gay community has a gigantic Pope problem. Under the leadership of Benedict XVI, the Vatican has become an implacable foe of liberalism, modernity and basic rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Rome has eagerly jumped with both feet into America's culture wars and is working on a global scale to punish or purge ideological dissenters within the church. This aggressive activism presents a formidable new front in the fight for parity - one with considerable political clout and financial resources.

Last week, a coalition of totalitarian religious activists and radical clerics joined forces to unveil the "Manhattan Declaration" at Washington's National Press Club. This rambling manifesto, written by former Watergate felon Chuck Colson, called for "Christians" to disobey laws they didn't fancy and to ignore civil rights laws that protected GLBT people from discrimination. It was a dishonest document filled with historical revisionism that promoted theocracy, encouraged anarchy and supported the dissolution of the rule of law. It falsely portrayed right wing Christians as victims, even as they pledged to work tirelessly to deny equality to those who would not adhere to their sectarian church rules.

An extreme manifesto of such breathtaking cynicism and insincerity is no surprise coming from what passes for "leaders" in today's evangelical circles. It was striking, however, that more than 15 key American Catholic leaders signed on to the "Manhattan Declaration". Signatories included heavyweights such as Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, DC. This was clearly a call to arms and a powerful signal that the Roman Catholic Church is taking the gloves off to fight political battles in America.

This hands-on involvement from Rome has passed the "trend" stage and appears to be official policy. Consider the significant involvement the Catholic Church had in stripping marriage rights away from GLBT couples in a Maine referendum held earlier this month.

In the same manner, on June 11, the Washington, DC Archdiocese threatened to abandon the homeless and quit charity work in the District if it had to comply with anti-discrimination laws. Catholic Charities had the audacity to believe it was entitled to collect $8.2 million in tax dollars meant to serve all DC residents, and then still get to handpick whom it deems worthy of assistance.

Catholic involvement with arch-conservative politics is growing by the day. In May, Catholic groups tried to stop President Barack Obama from speaking at a Notre Dame commencement ceremony because of his pro-choice position.
Earlier this month, Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin put the clamp on Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), banning the lawmaker from communion because he is pro-choice. This was reminiscent of The St. Louis Archbishop refusing to give communion to Senator John Kerry during his presidential campaign.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has suddenly begun to steer GLBT Catholics to 12-step programs that promise to "cure" homosexuality or support them in a lifelong celibacy. The Catholic Diocese in Sioux Falls, South Dakota urged its 128-thousand members to oppose an attempt to bring legalizing embryonic stem cell research to a public referendum. (I guess the sacrosanct "people's right to vote" on controversial social issues only applies to same-sex marriage)

In fighting back, we must remember that the Vatican is launching these attacks from a position of weakness. It has yet to recover its moral authority from public exposure of rampant child sexual abuse scandals that cost the Church billions of dollars in legal settlements.

The Vatican appears to be acutely aware it is losing its worldwide market share. It is basically defunct in the Middle East, where the religion began, and on life-support in Western Europe, where it once prospered. In Africa, Rome competes with Islam and Anglicanism for a shrinking slice of the pie. (Who can forget that while in Africa the Pope said condoms could make the AIDS crisis worse.) South America, one of its few remaining strongholds, is losing Roman Catholics to evangelical faiths by the millions.

Instead of competing against the conservative evangelical brand, Pope Benedict has decided to embrace it, shaping a conspicuously political Catholicism that embraces extremism and drives out dissenters. The Vatican has become so doctrinaire that it recently launched an invasive probe into the lives of America's 60,000 nuns to enforce anachronistic rules. In January, Benedict welcomed back excommunicated Bishop Richard Williamson who denied that millions of Jews died in Nazi death camps.

Fortunately, Benedict is a cold, unsympathetic figure and the majority of American Catholics often ignore his edicts. The strategy for the GLBT community should be to stand up to Rome and help mobilize mainstream Catholics to fight back against an authoritarian Pontiff who is hell-bent on making the Catholic Church as unpopular and unappealing as His Holiness.

Re-posted with permission from Wayne Besen of truthwinsout.org. (Nosferatu picture added for effect... that's the one on the left?)

Boston Pride Voting on 40th Anniversary Theme

Action comes in many forms. Sometimes it comes from a rabble rousing Rowdy Citizen like Mark Snyder who is angry enough and courageous enough to stand up and let his voice be heard. It seems agreed by many that equality for all walks of humanity should be expected here in America, yet sadly our laws are currently interpreted to allow fundamental rights to be denied because of your sexuality or sexual identity and even voted away by ballot. One thing most groups and private citizens alike can agree is that the peaceful teachings and leadership of Gandhi and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were effective and widely accepted as the right way to bring about change. Now enters the next generation and the new Civil Rights Struggle: GLBT Equality. What methods are best to break through to others and help bring about the change we wish to see in the world?

The Pride Parade started back in 1970 as a response to the Stonewall Riots. Over time our anger at the unfair and unethical treatment of the GLBT community has lessened as our inclusion has increased, but we should never forget our past for as we have seen recently that inclusion can be taken away. The 40th anniversary of the Boston Pride Parade gives us an opportunity to remember the sacrifices of yesterday, remember both the triumphs and trials of today, while keeping alive Harvey Milk's message of hope for the future. In light of our recent struggles in CA and ME I believe the theme should be a well thought response that brings light to all these things while maintaining its positivity.

"Ohana" is a Hawaiian word that means "Family", but also inclusion; no one left behind. This is the theme I have submitted to the BostonPride.org committee, and here are some of the many reasons:

-Family is often the strongest of relationships, and many people agree that you cannot turn your back on family; we all must somehow learn to live together in at least tolerance of our differences.

-Our opposition has been successful using children as a divisive tool to scare the uninformed public and strip our rights from us. "Ohana" also reminds people that GLBT families have children of their own.

-Hawaii was the first of states that tried to bring marriage as a civil right to same sex couples, and using "Ohana" references their pioneering struggle in 1993 where same sex marriage was legal for all of one day.

-Obama was born in Hawaii, he knows the meaning of the word "Ohana", and the message will not go unnoticed, bringing his eye back to our struggles where we need it.

-On December 7, 1942 the treachery of our enemies was known throughout the world, yet their act of hate unified America. That unity made us unbeatable. December 7 is shared with the GLBT community where in 2005 Massachusetts certified the petition attempt to remove same sex marriage rights, clearing the way for citizens to vote away the equal rights of other fellow citizens all across America.

-Using "Ohana" as the Pride Parade Theme can be a powerfully positive peaceful way to lead by example and include those in the moderate middle who are not against us. By putting out our hand in a gesture of friendship and inclusion in spite of our losses at the polls we may effectively dispel negative stereotypes against us while forming new friendships that lead to stronger alliances with straight allies. They say love can conquer all. Our fight is about love, so why not use our love for our neighbors as a way of dispelling the hate used against us? We have seen how it can change the world, why not now?

Please take a moment to consider what you think of this theme and if you support it please let the Pride Committee know:

parade@bostonpride.org

DC Diocese Turns on Homeless

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — The fight over a proposed same-sex marriage law here heated up this week as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said that if the law passed, the church would cut its social service programs that help residents with adoption, homelessness and health care.
Under the bill, which has the mayor’s support and is expected to pass next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform same-sex weddings or make space available for them.
But officials from the archdiocese said they feared the law might require them to extend employee benefits to same-sex married couples. As a result, they said, the archdiocese would have to abandon its contracts with the city if the law passed.
The church’s social services arm, known as Catholic Charities, serves 68,000 local residents, including about a third of the city’s homeless people, who go to city-owned shelters managed by the church, city officials said.
The threat is not the first time a religion-based provider of social services has said it would stop providing services in response to a same-sex marriage law, gay rights advocates say.
In 2006, Boston’s archbishop, Sean P. O’Malley, said that Catholic Charities there would stop its adoption-related work rather than comply with a state law requiring that gay men and lesbians be allowed to adopt children.

The Washington Archdiocese released this statement:

“Religious organizations and individuals are at risk of legal action for refusing to promote and support same-sex marriages in a host of settings where it would compromise their religious beliefs,” said Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, “This includes employee benefits, adoption services and even the use of a church hall for non-wedding events for same-sex married couples.”

When the Boston Arch-diocese ended it's adoption services they claimed it was because they did not want to be forced into a position where they would have to compromise their religious beliefs by being forced to procure adoptions for qualified same sex couples and individuals. What they try to keep quiet is the fact that prior to this decision they had in fact provided services to GLBT parents several times in the past.  From the Boston Globe we find their inconvenient truth:

Over the last decades, the Globe reported, approximately 13 children had been placed by Catholic Charities in gay households...

Agency officials said they had been permitting gay adoptions to comply with the state's anti-discrimination laws. But after the story was published, the state's four bishops announced they would appoint a panel to examine whether the practice should continue. In December, the Catholic Charities board, which is dominated by lay people, voted unanimously to continue gay adoptions.

But, on Feb. 28, the four bishops announced a plan to seek an exemption from the anti-discrimination laws. Eight of the 42 board members quit in protest, saying the agency should welcome gays as adoptive parents.

It seemed the Catholic Church was trying to punish the community for allowing marriage equality to extend to GLBT people while not having the belly to admit the level of their bigotry. With that lesson behind us we can see clearly that the decision in Washington has little to do with the homeless and a lot to do with the same punitive thinking that was here in Boston had suspected all along. This is about the Catholic Church wanting to inflict their will upon society, nothing less. It is a shameful act that harms innocent people that have nothing to do with the policies the Church is at odds with. Let the world take notice of this ugliness and decide for themselves the motivations behind these changes.

I doubt this act will endear the Church to the society of tomorrow, but rather it serves to underscore just how out of touch and disingenuous it has become. Being a former Catholic I can only shake my head in amazement at this last unbelievable act with and console myself that perhaps the public will recognize they've gone too far this time and stop monetarily supporting the Vatican's hateful agenda.

Health Care Reform Bill Passes House

Last night the House of Representatives in Washington voted to approve the long debated Health Care Reform Bill after an amendment to exclude federal money from being used for abortions.

Let me stop here to remind people what a bag of poop President Obama was handed when he took the Oval Office less than a year ago. Our country was demotivated to the point where all eyes were not looking towards January 20 for Obama, they were just looking for change. We didn't know what he would be capable of as a President, but we knew just about anything would be better than George W. Bush's blundering incompetence. The world was on the brink of financial collapse and America had almost lost hope that we could pull out of what looked like the revisiting of the Great Depression.

President Barack Obama may not score points with liberals for his non-committal in GLBT issues, but I believe he should be given credit for what he has been able to accomplish in the given time frame. Now it seems he has been able to take on the high powered lobbyists and corporate giants in the health-care industries, bringing the public a plan to provide everyone health coverage. This impossible task is a step closer to it's goal this morning after last night's vote.

Let me take a moment to remind people of the lies and deceptions that have been used against the GLBT community in order to get uninformed citizens afraid enough to speak out against what's good for them. This tactic is more prevalent in politics than anyone would ever want to believe, but perhaps a few more eyes have been opened thanks to the GLBT community's activists bringing some light to their own cause. Let's hope we can remember this lesson and not listen to the rhetoric we should expect as this bill now goes to the Senate for final confirmation.

Here is a message that was sent out this morning from the President's people:

John --

This evening, at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history.

But you and millions of your fellow Organizing for America supporters didn't just witness history tonight -- you helped make it. Each "yes" vote was a brave stand, backed up by countless hours of knocking on doors, outreach in town halls and town squares, millions of signatures, and hundreds of thousands of calls. You stood up. You spoke up. And you were heard.

So this is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun.

The final Senate bill hasn't even been released yet, but the insurance companies are already pressing hard for a filibuster to bury it. OFA has built a massive neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation to bring people's voices to Congress, and tonight we saw the results. But the coming days will put our efforts to the ultimate test. Winning will require each of us to give everything we can, starting right now.

Tonight's vote brought every American closer to the secure, affordable care we need. But it was also a watershed moment in how change is made.

Even after last year's election, many insider lobbyists and partisan operatives really thought that the old formula of scare tactics, D.C. back-scratching and special-interest money would still be enough to block any idea they didn't like. Now, they're desperate. Because, tonight, you made it crystal clear: the old rules are changing -- and the people will not be ignored.

In the final phases of last year's election, I often reminded folks, "Don't think for a minute that power concedes without a fight," and it's especially true today. But that's okay -- we're not afraid of a fight. And as you continue to prove, when all of us work together, we have what it takes to win.

Boston Activists Respond to Maine's Vote 11-04-09

National Equality March Video clips

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

H.R. 3326 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010
(Sen. Inouye, D-Hawaii)

The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of H.R. 3326, with the Senate Committee-reported text, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.

The Administration is committed to keeping the United States military the strongest and most capable military in the world. The President’s strategy increases training, resources, and support for the U.S. Armed Forces. To keep the United States secure, the Armed Forces must have sufficient resources to prevail in current operations while maintaining and developing new capabilities to deter potential adversaries and prepare for other risks and contingencies. This legislation, as approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, advances many initiatives in line with the President’s goals.

The President and the Nation’s military leadership have put forward a strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan so that all elements of national power are engaged and integrated in an effort to defeat al Qaeda and prevent attacks on the homeland as well as on U.S. allies and partners. In Iraq, the United States is moving forward with a responsible drawdown of combat forces, having transferred security responsibilities to Iraq’s forces. The legislation, as approved by the Committee, provides critical resources to enable this to happen.

The Administration has recognized the importance of requesting a full year’s resources for these operations. Providing full-year funding will give troops carrying out operations overseas the ability to plan operations more effectively and will cause far less disruption in base programs. By providing a full year’s funding up front for these operations, the Committee follows through on the President’s request, and ends the disruptions caused by relying on supplemental funding. In addition, the Administration urges the Congress to clearly delineate war spending from base funding in both classified and unclassified programs, as presented in the President’s request.

Supporting servicemembers and their families is a top priority for the President and the Department of Defense (DOD). This includes increasing the size of the Army to reduce the strain on military families, and additional help to put an end to the practice of holding servicemembers past their initial commitment. It also includes easing the burdens on U.S. troops and their families with increased pay, quality child care, job training for spouses, and expanded counseling and outreach to families that have experienced the separation and stress of war. The legislation builds on the progress in the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act with necessary resources to meet these commitments.

The President has also requested significant new resources for military medical care, with additional Army wounded-warrior complexes and increased resources to address traumatic brain injuries and mental health needs. The Committee legislation meets the President’s goals with funding that advances first-class medical care for servicemembers and their families.

The Administration believes that, while the Committee has made important investments in the Nation’s defense, there are significant ways in which the current bill can be strengthened and looks forward to working with the Congress on this effort.

The Administration would like to take this opportunity to share additional views regarding the Committee’s version of the bill.

Support for the President’s Priorities. The Administration appreciates the Committee’s support for the President’s initiatives proposed to reshape our military posture and get the most benefit from every Defense budget dollar. The Administration commends the Committee for its support for the termination of programs that are no longer needed or are not performing as intended. The Administration appreciates that the Committee does not include unrequested funding for three such programs that could result in a veto – unrequested advance procurement funding for the F-22 fighter aircraft, the continued development of the Joint Strike Fighter Alternate Engine, and additional funding for the VH-71 Presidential Helicopter Program. The Congress is urged to oppose funding these programs during floor action and in conference.

C-17 Transport Aircraft. The Administration strongly objects to the addition of $2.5 billion in funding for 10 unrequested C-17 airlift aircraft. Analyses by DOD have shown that the 205 C-17s in the force and on order, together with the existing fleet of C-5 aircraft, are sufficient to meet the Department’s future airlift needs, even under the most stressing situations.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M). The Administration strongly opposes the bill’s reductions totaling over $3 billion from O&M accounts (excluding Defense Health Program) – through direct cuts and cuts mandated in sections 8091 and 8100. These reductions would hurt force readiness and increase stress on military people and equipment.

Helicopter Training. The Administration appreciates the Committee’s realignment of $142 million in Army O&M funding as part of the Administration’s initiative to add $500 million to increase our military’s helicopter capacity. This initiative is especially key to sustaining progress in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF). The Administration opposes the reduction of $900 million for ASFF sustainment. Accelerating the growth in size and capability of the Afghanistan National Security Forces is a key component of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The President’s full request reflects his commanders’ plan for Afghan forces to assume a greater share of responsibility for security as quickly as possible.

Security and Stabilization Assistance (Section 1207). The Administration urges that funding is provided as requested for section 1207 reconstruction stabilization assistance.

Alaska Territorial Guard. The Administration objects to a new General Provision that would count as “active duty” service the time Alaska Territorial Guard members served during World War II. This provision would establish a precedent of treating service performed by a State employee as active duty for purposes of the computation of retired pay.

Funding in Advance of Need. The Administration appreciates the Committee’s funding for the President’s $9.3 billion request for missile defense programs. However, the Administration opposes the addition of $41 million for long-lead procurement of the next TPY-2 radar because the funding is well in advance of need and would incrementally fund a capability that should be fully funded in future budgets.

Classified Programs. The Administration also appreciates the Committee’s strong support for classified activities, including cyber security. However, the Administration has significant concerns with some of the Committee’s reductions, particularly to certain compartmented programs, including the “Connect the Centers” cyber security initiative, and the Business Transformation Office. The details of these concerns will be provided under separate cover.

Respect for Marriage Act Gains Momentum

From StateNews.com:

"A new piece of legislation announced last week could make the spotlight shining on our nation’s same-sex marriage debate a little brighter.

The Respect for Marriage Act, or RFMA, was crafted by three House Democrats and already has the support of more than 90 lawmakers. RFMA seeks to overturn a federal marriage law known as the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA.

DOMA, which was signed into law in 1996, denies recognition of same-sex marriage and allows states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages that were sanctioned in states where marriages of that sort are recognized as valid. RFMA would repeal DOMA, allowing those in same-sex unions to retain their rights across the country.

Since DOMA became a law, six states have legalized same-sex marriage and several other states are pushing referendums for its legalization in coming elections. Despite DOMA’s status as a law, same-sex marriage is making slow and steady progress in this country, whether people like it or not. But despite growing support for same-sex marriage among Americans, the RFMA might not become a law in the near future...." (for the full story from the source CLICK HERE)

It's high time we end the "deficit of decency" our society has fallen into and remind ourselves that the freedoms our forefathers fought for are still as valuable today as they were then. We do not need to be our brother's keeper, nor do we need to control what we do not agree with. What we need to do is work together to create a better world for ourselves and our loved ones. America needs to stop living in fear of what could happen, take a good look at what has happened, and go forward both bravely and cautiously, just like the heroes who once gave us this great gift swaddled in responsibility.

GLBT Equality March in DC with Join the Impact MA!

Ever wonder what it would have been like to be there for the march on Washington during the civil rights struggles in the 1960's? Here's your chance to be a part of history and to advance our goals of equality for all. Below is the quoted blurb from the JTIMA website, please visit them at this link to get started with your reservations:

Get on the Bus, Boston! On October 10-11, 2009, LGBT people and our allies from across the country will gather in Washington, DC to press a single demand: full equality in all matters governed by civil law. Join the Impact MA is organizing deluxe coach buses from Eastern Massachusetts and New England to the National Equality March. Buy a ticket below. If you have any questions, you can email David (dsiegel712@gmail.com) or Kate (kathryncleslie@yahoo.com).

If you are under 18, you must be accompanied by an adult approved by your parents.

Tickets are not refundable and purchase implies approval of the terms of agreement listed on the bottom of this page.


I agree to the terms and conditions at the bottom of this page.



Roundtrip ticket+hotel, full weekend ($149)
This is your best option to enjoy all that the weekend offers. We will get you down to D.C. in time to attend all seminars and workshops being offered on Saturday as well as to participate in the March on Sunday. Details:

•Depart Boston: Friday, Oct. 9th @ 10pm
•Return By: Monday, Oct. 12th @ 7 am
•Lodging for Saturday night at the Best Western in Roslyn
•$149 includes one bed in a room with two beds. If you are sharing this bed, the second person should only purchase the $89 bus ticket below.
•If you want the room to yourself, the price is $209.
.
Roundtrip bus ticket, full weekend ($89)
We will get you down to D.C. in time to attend all seminars and workshops being offered on Saturday as well as to participate in the March on Sunday. Details:

•Depart Boston: Friday, Oct. 9th @ 10pm
•Return By: Monday, Oct. 12th @ 7 am
•Does not include lodging
.

Roundtrip bus ticket, one day ($89)
If scheduling conflicts prevent you from joining us for the whole weekend, come down just for the March on Sunday! Details:

•Depart Boston: Saturday, Oct. 10 @ 10pm
•Return By: Monday, Oct. 12th @ 7 am

A letter to John

Dear John,

For years those of us who have been troubled by the errors visited upon the GLBT community have struggled with the responsibility to share our views with others in a way that creates our same understanding in them. In order to do so we must first identify what those problems are, cite irrefutable examples of those errors, then share an actionable solution that best serves us all. I've taken a single step down that road by putting in my own inarticulate way what I think the core of the problem is, please allow me to share those thoughts with you.

Many of us in society today through passiveness, indifference and innocent ignorance have allowed ourselves to be duped by unscrupulous leaders and groups who misuse our trust for their own gain to harm our neighbors, often by our own hand. Sadly, sometimes those leaders and groups are not even genuinely devoted to what they preach, they are only using the subject as a vessel to promote their own gain. I am reminded of the example of Governor George Wallace who, of all people, was accused of being soft on racial issues and lost his 1958 gubernatorial bid to the more vocally segregationist candidate John Patterson. He was quoted after the election as having said:

"Seymore, you know why I lost that governor's race?... I was outniggered by John Patterson. And I'll tell you here and now, I will never be outniggered again."

The fact that he used race as a device solely for gain became even more apparent later in life when he recanted his position on segregation.

In realizing truths like this we are faced with the dilemma of either correcting the harm created, or continuing these same mistakes at our neighbor's cost. There are two paths before us now; the one less taken is that of the "rowdy citizen" who cares enough about his fellow man to make a difference through his own actions. Our actions or inaction speak for us of who we are. These are fundamental truths present throughout history and when they are correctly identified and acted upon have always transformed society for the better.

In Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s book "Strength to Love" he identifies this truth and finds it important enough to begin his lessons to us there:

"We do not need to look far to detect the dangers of soft-mindedness. Dictators capitalizing on soft-mindedness have led men to acts of barbarity and terror that are unthinkable in civilized society. Adolf Hitler realized that soft-mindedness was so prevalent among his followers that he said, 'I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few'."

King continues with this thought by quoting "Mein Kampf" where Hitler asserted:

"By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell--and hell heaven... The greater the lie the more readily it will be believed."

Now continues our struggle to cite verifiable examples of harms against GLBT people as irrefutable proof that we as both individuals and as a society must act to solve, and together find the courage to change what we should.

Allow me to take this opportunity to thank you for standing with me and the GLBT community unwaveringly through this struggle. Knowing that we are not alone in these efforts comforts me through the outrageousness we face. I have faith in the inherent goodness of mankind that there are more rowdy citizens out there like you who will eventually come forward to help correct the wrongs we've seen, but they will not be your peers. As a pioneer of justice in this struggle you are a hero in my eyes because you have the strength of character to stand up for others at your own cost. Whether we are right or wrong in our opinions regarding this important matter does not diminish the fact that you are a sterling example of The Good Samaritan, and few deserve to be called your equal.

Our shared dream is simply to live in a world where we are judged by the content of our character. That is a dream worth fighting for.

Sincerely,

John Hosty-Grinnell

(John is a straight supporter of equal rights who decided to become involved in making a difference in the lives of his GLBT neighbors for no other reward than knowing it was the right thing to do. I give much thanks to his wife Miriam for her continued patience while we work together to help create a better world for all of us as best we know how.)

President Obama on Senator Kennedy's Passing

THE PRESIDENT: I wanted to say a few words this morning about the passing of an extraordinary leader, Senator Edward Kennedy.

Over the past several years, I've had the honor to call Teddy a colleague, a counselor, and a friend. And even though we have known this day was coming for some time now, we awaited it with no small amount of dread.

Since Teddy's diagnosis last year, we've seen the courage with which he battled his illness. And while these months have no doubt been difficult for him, they've also let him hear from people in every corner of our nation and from around the world just how much he meant to all of us. His fight has given us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you -- and goodbye.

The outpouring of love, gratitude, and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education's promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just -- including myself.

The Kennedy name is synonymous with the Democratic Party. And at times, Ted was the target of partisan campaign attacks. But in the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth, and good cheer. He could passionately battle others and do so peerlessly on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintain warm friendships across party lines.

And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

His extraordinary life on this earth has come to an end. And the extraordinary good that he did lives on. For his family, he was a guardian. For America, he was the defender of a dream.

I spoke earlier this morning to Senator Kennedy's beloved wife, Vicki, who was to the end such a wonderful source of encouragement and strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, his children Kara, Edward, and Patrick; his stepchildren Curran and Caroline; the entire Kennedy family; decades' worth of his staff; the people of Massachusetts; and all Americans who, like us, loved Ted Kennedy.

Wisconsin Proves It's Not About Marriage

The opponents of GLBT equality prove their argument is not about marriage, it's about what they find moral:

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's attorney general says he won't defend a law that grants same-sex couples spousal benefits.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Friday that a law extending legal privileges such as hospital visitation and inheritance to gay and lesbian couples is unconstitutional.

He said it ignores a voter-approved constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage and any "substantially similar" relationships.

The Wisconsin Family Council has asked the state Supreme Court to invalidate the law. Law supporters say Van Hollen, a Republican, is trying to make a name for himself.

Wisconsin was the first state to grant domestic partnerships to gay couples despite a constitutional ban. It also was first in the Midwest to legislatively provide some legal protections.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Equality Maine's YouTube.com Commercial

They Are Massacring Us": GLBT Survivors' Voices within Iraq

Sometimes I wonder how many of our own American brothers and sisters would allow such a thing here in the states...


A Spreading Campaign

A campaign of systematic killings gathered gradually in strength through the early months of 2009.

Militia attacks on men who look "effeminate," or who are shadowed by suspicion of engaging in same-sex relations, have been an intermittent aspect of the murderous climate in Iraq for at least five years. Yet the people we interviewed testified to a radically new intensity to these attacks this year-an expanded scope and reach of killings, and a monitory public purpose: to enforce "morality," or a brutal perversion of it, through murder.
Idris is 35 and a friend of Hamid. He has relationships with other men but also has a wife and children. He told us in April:
We've been hearing about this, about gay men being killed, for more than a month. It's like background noise now, every day. The stories started spreading in February about this campaign against gay people by the Mahdi Army: everyone was talking about it, I was hearing about it from my straight friends. In a coffee shop in Karada they were talking about it; on the streets in Harithiya they were talking about it. I didn't worry at first. My friends and I, we look extremely masculine, there is nothing visibly "feminine" about us. None of us ever, ever believed this would happen to us. But then at the end of March we heard on the street that 30men had been killed already.[24]
Bilal, 27 years old, a street salesman in the Karada neighborhood of Baghdad, says that he first sensed an atmosphere of mounting danger when "A friend of mine was killed three months ago."
He was very public, everybody knew he was gay. His family said his killers made a CD of how he was killed-they filmed it. They slaughtered him; they cut his throat. His family did not want to talk about it. And now they are killing people right and left in Shaab and al-Thawra. We heard 11 men were burned alive in al-Thawra. Everyone is talking about the numbers of people killed. And they just keep rising. [25]
Hussein, 27 and from the Mansour district of Baghdad, told us that, through the first months of the year, the violence metastasized from target to target, running through a roster of supposed signs of nonconformity. First "they went after people with long hair, so people got short haircuts right and left. A friend of mine was threatened: he had long hair: he lived in a Shi'a neighborhood, Abu Chir, next to Dora. Someone told him on the street that he had to cut his hair or they would cut off his head."
Then people started gossiping, saying, there are guys who wear sanitary pads to make their asses look bubblier-so anybody with tight jeans was a target. And then you heard that tight T-shirts meant you were a member of the third sex.
Everyone killed in the first period was in Shi'a neighborhoods-Hurriya, al-Bada', Sadr City. But not anymore. For instance, three days ago in my neighborhood, Hayy al-Jami'a, they found the body of a gay man who was decapitated. The common talk about him in the neighborhood had always been that he was gay. And this story spread like wildfire. It's a Sunni district. But the way they operate now is, it seems, they go into a neighborhood, kidnap someone, take him to Sadr City, and torture and kill him. And then they dump the body in Sadr City, or back where he lived.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the story from its source.

"Tea Baggers" Exploit Fear to Prevent Dialog on Healthcare

This is Congresswoman Nikki Tsongas trying to deliver answers to the crowd, but members of an organized effort that is all over the United States known as "Tea Baggers" won't let her.

GLBT Commissioner Chris Mason Needs Our Support!

Chris Mason is the Cambridge based GLBT Commissioner who is almost complete his journey across all contiguous 48 states promoting equality and video documenting what he sees. Here is a recent email from him that is a call to fellow GLBT community members and supporters:

The way we win full equality for LGBT people is by telling our personal stories. This has been proven again and again in states across the country.

Driving Equality has been collecting stories from lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered folks, straight allies, clergy members, and elected officials in every state. I will compile these stories in a documentary and use the film to push for full equality.

In the past two weeks I have collected stories from Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota. In Montana I met Ken, a gay man who served in the military. It was his job to investigate and kick out service members for being gay. (Watch clip)

In Idaho I talked with Sam, a young man who, after coming out to his parents, was forced into aversion therapy to try to "cure" him. He was subjected to cruel psychological tactics and electroshock therapy. (Watch clip)

In Utah I met with folks at the Pride Center in Salt Lake City. I learned about the influence of the Mormon church, the real deal behind Prop 8, and the two boys that were arrested for kissing in the city. (Watch clip)

In Wyoming I stopped in Laramie and got to know the town where Matthew Shepard was killed. Then I spoke with Joe of Wyoming Equality, who grew up in the state and sees real progress being made for LGBT people. (Watch clip)

Next I hit South Dakota and met with folks at the Black Hills Center for Equality. I learned what it was like to grow up gay in a red state. (Watch clip)

Then it was off to North Dakota, where I had the opportunity to meet with Lieutenant Greg Lemke. Lieutenant Lemke serves as the Fargo Police Department's GLBT liaison officer. I was lucky enough to be in Fargo on the day that Lieutenant Lemke was teaching the sexual orientation diversity class to the local police academy. (Watch clip)

These are the kinds of stories I am collecting as I travel the country. You can read about them, watch the video clips, see the photos, and follow me on the road online at: http://drivngequality.com

These are the United States of America, yet for the LGBT community they are anything but. We can be considered equal under the law in one state, with employment, housing, and hate-crimes protections, even equal marriage rights, but if we travel just a few hours and cross state lines, our rights disappear. Legally, our relationships no longer exist. Drive a few more hours and we can be fired just for being who we are.

For the LGBT community, these are not the United States of America. Driving Equality will highlight the patchwork of laws and amendments that govern the unequal treatment of LGBT people in America.

Today, I need your help to complete the journey. I do not yet have enough funds to make it home. As it stands right now, I will be stuck in Ohio in just over a week. I need funds for gas, food, film, and lodging.

If you have not made a contribution yet, now is the perfect time to give. Every bit helps. If you have already made a donation, please consider giving just a bit more. This is the home stretch!

$15 buys food for a day and keeps my strength up.

$25 gets a campsite for the night and a hot shower in the morning.

$50 pays for five rolls of film.

$75 fills a tank of gas for the Driving Equality van.

$100 makes you a State Sponsor, with your name or organization listed on the website and in the final credits of the film, and helps ensure the production of the documentary.

$250 makes you a Regional Sponsor, with your name or organization listed on the website and in the final credits of the film, and helps ensure the production of the documentary.

$500 makes you a National Sponsor, with your name or organization listed on the website and in the final credits of the film, and helps ensure the production of the documentary.

$1000 makes you a International Sponsor, with your name or organization listed on the website and in the final credits of the film, and helps ensure the production of the documentary.

Please contribute today to help us tell our stories. This is how we win.

You can donate online here, or mail a check made out to Driving Equality to:

Driving Equality
c/o Tom Mason
51 Peninsula Drive
Lunenburg, MA 01462

Busting Propaganda Against Obama's Healthcare Reform Bill

There has been much republican effort to distort the facts behind the health care reform bill HR3200. I've received the same email (shown in full at end of article) from several members of my family concerned about some serious allegations so let's see if these complaints stand up to what they say when compared directly to the bill itself:

Pg 22 of the Health Care Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self-insure!!

Page 21 line 23 to page 23 line 7 discusses a government study that uses the information to make suggestions to Congress that would modify efficiency.

Pg 29 lines 4-16 - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

This claim really drives home just how ignorant republicans count on people to be. It is about out of pocket spending limits aka "cost sharing"; $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for families. Lines 17 to 21 clarify this as it explains how cost sharing is calculated using co payments and not coinsurance in all possible cases. These are things we pay, therefore the cost sharing limit can only be referring to OUR cost, not the government trying to ration our health care as accused.

Pg 30 Sec 123- THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

This gives the reader the impression that your particular case goes before a review board where people decide a course of action in your circumstance, possibly trying to skimp of services to save money. In actuality this is a diverse panel of many different viewpoints including health care professionals as well as recipients and the public. The purpose of this committee would be to advise on coverage level changes in the plans.

Pg 42 - The “Health Choices Commissioner” will choose your HC Benefits for you. You have no choice!

No where in the description of the commissioner's duties does it say anything about choosing individual's health care benefits as the statement above implies. This is a commission and is supposed to serve as a watchdog and advocate to subscribers ensuring they get the level of health care they deserve under law and is given authority to remedy unlawful activity by employers.

PG 50 Section 152- HC will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Here's exactly what Section 152 says:

SEC. 152. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise explicitly permitted by this Act and by subsequent regulations consistent with this Act, all health care and related services (including insurance coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act shall be provided without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.

(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—To implement the requirement set forth in subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate such regulations as are necessary or appropriate to insure that all health care and related services (including insurance
coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act are provided (whether directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements) without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.

Did you see the part where we are paying for health services of illegal aliens? I sure didn't! As a matter of fact non-citizens aren't even mentioned, look for yourself, this is all there is to the section printed here word for word to see!!

I hope this exercise gives citizens the eye-opener they need to start verifying what they hear rather than becoming a danger to our country as an uniformed voter. The link to the 1,000+ page health care plan is provided at the beginning of this article, check what I've said and ensure you know your facts when this subject comes up.

Here is the full email I received:

TAKE THE TIME AND READ ALL OF THE BELOW.
If you’re young and healthy and will never get sick , not a problem… but anyone that gets sick or has a serious health issue better look out!!!
And… the older you get, the more expendable you are… LOOK OUT!!!
While we’re at it … if you voted for him is this something you approve of??? I hope NOT!!!
THIS THING STINKS WORSE THAN THE OBAMA STIMULUS PACAKGE … NO WONDER WHY THEY JUST WANT
TO RAM IT THROUGH AS FAST AS POSSIBLE BEFORE PEOPLE LEARN ALL ABOUT IT. (1,000 PAGES …. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!)
Since the "journalists" haven't read the 1,000 plus page long ObamaCare bill and all they want you to believe is that President Obama
is going to give everyone free cotton candy and ponies, then, due to their media malpractice, you may not know about the following atrocities in the Bill:
“Pg 22 of the Health Care Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self-insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123- THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Pg 29 lines 4-16 - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

Pg 42 - The “Health Choices Commissioner” will choose your HC Benefits for you. You have no choice!

PG 50 Section 152- HC will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Pg 53- Severability (KEY GEM)

“If any provision of the Act, or any application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of the provisions of this Act and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected.”

Pg 58 - Govt will have real-time access to individual’s finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued!

Pg 59 lines 21-24- Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer

PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community organizations (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange to bring private HC plans under Govt control.

PG 84 Sec 203 - Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the Exchange

PG 85 Line 7 - Specs for Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

PG 91 Lines 4-7- Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. Example: Translation for illegal aliens

Pg 95 Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals. for Govt HC plan.

PG 85 Line 7 - Specs of Benefit Levels For Plans. #AARP members- Your Health care WILL be rationed

PG 102 Lines 12-18- Medicaid-Eligible Individual will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

pg 124 lines 24-25 No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt Monopoly.

pg 127 Lines 1-16- RE: Doctors- The Govt will tell YOU what you can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer w/ payroll $400k & above who doesn’t provide public option pays 8% tax on all payroll.

PG 150 Lines 9-13- Biz w payroll between 251k & 400k who doesn’t provide pub. opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll

Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesn’t have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 Any NONRESIDENT Alien is EXEMPT from individual taxes. (Americans will pay)

Pg 195 -Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans financial/personal records

PG 203 Line 14-15- “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” Yes, it actualy says that.

Pg 239 Line 14-24-Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor will be affected. Expendable.

Pg 241 Line 6-8- Doctors, doesn’t matter what specialty you have, you’ll all be paid the same.

PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr’s time, professional judgment, etc. Literally sets the value of humans.

PG 265 Sec 1131-Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries

PG 268 Sec 1141- Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

PG 272 SEC. 1145- TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151- The Govt will penalize hospitals for what Govt deems “preventable re-admissions.”

Pg 298 Lines 9-11- Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission? Govt will penalize you.

Pg 317 L 13-20- OMG!! PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.

pg 321 2-13: Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can you say ACORN?!!

Pg335 Lines 16-25, Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates establishment of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.

Pg 341 Lines 3-9: Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan

Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people! WTF. My sister has downs syndrome!!

Pg 379 Sec 1191- Govt creates more bureaucracy - “Telehealth Advisory Committee.” Can you say HC by phone?

PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates “Advanced Care Planning Consultations.”

PG 425 the Federal Government will require EVERYONE who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them just how to end their own life earlier.

Pg 425 Lines 17-19: Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!

PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: Govt provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.

PG 427 Lines 15-24: Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends.

Pg 429 Lines 1-9: An “advanced care planning consult” will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates

PG 429 Lines 10-12: “advanced care consultation” may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from the Government.

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15- The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life.

Pg 469 - Community Based Home Medical Services = Non profit organizations. Hello, ACORN Medical Services here!!?

Page 472 Lines 14-17: PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment to a community-based org. Like ACORN?

PG 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage.

Pg 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, rationing those services.”

PG 502 Section 1181 Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research Established. - Hello Big Brother - Literally.

PG 502 Line 5-18 Government builds the “Center” to conduct, support, & synthesize research to define our HealthCare Services.

PG 503 Line 13-19 Government will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic medical records.

PG 503 Line 21-25 Government may secure data directly from any department or agency of the US including your data.

PG 504 Line 6-10 The “Center” will collect data both published & unpublished (that means public & your private info)

PG 506 Line 19-21 The Center will recommend policies that would allow for public access of data

PG 518 Line 21-25 The Commission will have input from HealthCare consumer reps - Can you say unions & ACORN?

PG 524 18-22 Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund set up. More taxes for ALL.

PG 525-620 deals with the Government basically taking over nursing homes,

PGs 525-620 deals with the Govt basically taking over nursing homes, long-term care facilities (think assisted living) through regulations of the facilities, the owners of sd facilities, the employees of sd facilities and even the land owners of that sd facilities reside on. Additionally as you read these 90+ pages you can come to the conclusion that any Health related svcs will be determined and rationed by the Govt for our senior citizens and others in nursing homes. This one post should do enough to raise awareness of the control the Govt is exerting over the older population of American citizens.

PG 620 Line 1-9 The Government will define, prioritize, and nationalize your Health Care Services.

PG 621 Lines 20-25 Government will define what Quality means in HealthCare. Since when does Government know about quality?

PG 622 Lines 2-9 To pay for the quality Standards Government will transfer $$ from to other Government Trust Funds. More Taxes.

PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to assess outcomes & functional status of patients.

G 628 Section 1443 Government will give “Multi-Stake Holders” Pre-Rule Making input into Selection of “Quality” Measures.

PG 630 9-24/631 1-9 Those Multi-stake holder groups including Unions & groups like ACORN deciding HealthCare quality.

PG 632 Lines 14-25 The Government may implement any “Quality measure” of HealthCare Services as they see fit.

PG 633 14-25/ 634 1-9 The Secretary may issue non-endorsed “Quality Measures” for Physician Services & Dialysis Services.

PG 635 - 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision - Government wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Government.

PG 654-659 Public Reporting on Health Care-Associated Infections - Looks okay.

PG 660-671 Doctors in Residency - Government will tell you where your residency will be, thus where you’ll live.

PG 676-686 Government will regulate hospitals in EVERY aspect of residency programs, including teaching hospitals.

PG 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean the Government with an $18 mil website?

PGs 701-704 Section 1619 If your part of HealthCare plan that isn’t in Government HealthCare Exchange but you qualify for Federal aid, no payment.

705-709 SEC. 1128 If Secretary gets complaints (ACORN) on HealthCare provider or supplier, Government can do background check.

G 711 Lines 8-14 The Secretary has broad powers to deny HealthCare providers/suppliers admittance into HealthCare Exchange.

Pg 719-720 Section 1637 ANY Doctor who orders durable medical equipment or home medical services MUST be enrolled in Medicare.

PG 722 Section 1639 Government Mandates Doctors must have face-to-face with patient to certify patient for Home Health Services.

PG 724 Lines 16-22 Government reserves right to apply face-to-face certification for patient to ANY other HealthCare service.

PG 724 23-25 PG 725 1-5 The same Government certifications will apply to medicaid & CHIP (your kids) Pg 735 lines 16-25 For law enforcement purposes, the Secretary of Health & Human Services will give Attorney General access to ALL data.

PG 740-757 Government sets guidelines for subsidizing the uninsured (That’s your tax dollars peeps) Pg 757-762 Fed Government will shift burden of payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) to States. (Taxes)

Page 763 1-8 No DS/EA hospitals will be paid unless they provide services without regard to national origin Pg 765 Section 1711 Government will require Preventative Services including vaccines. (Choice?)

Pg 768 Section 1713 Government - Nurse Home Visitation Services (Hello union paybacks)

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Government Abortions anyone?

Pg 769 11-14 Nurse Home Visit Services include-economic self-sufficiency, employment advancement, school-readiness.

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Government ABORTIONS anyone?

Pg 770 SEC 1714 Federal Government mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Say abortion & State Sovereign.

Pg 789-797 Government will set & mandate drug prices, controlling which drugs will brought to market. Bye innovation

Pgs 797-800 SEC. 1744 PAYMENTS for grad medical education. The government will now control Drs education. PG 801 Sec 1751 The Government will decide which Health care conditions will be paid. Say RATION!

Pg 810 SEC. 1759. Billing Agents, clearinghouses, etc. required to register. Government takes over private payment system.

Page 820-824 Sec 1801 Government will identify individuals ineligible for subsidies. Will access all personal finances.

Pg 824-829 SEC. 1802. Government Sets up Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund. Another tax black hole.

PG 829-833 Government will impose a fee on ALL private health insurance plans including self insured to pay for Trust Fund!

PG 835 11-13 fees imposed by Government for Trust Fund shall be treated as if they were taxes.


838-840 Government will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families expecting kids.

PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Program includes Government coming into your house & telling you how to parent!!!

Pg 859 Government will establish a Public Health Fund at a cost of $88,800,000,000. Yes thats Billion.

PG 865 to 876 The NHS Corps is a program where Drs. perform mandatory HealthCare for 2 years for part loan repayment.

PG 876-892 The Government takes over the education of our Medical students and Drs.

PG 898 The Government will establish a Public Health Workforce Corps. to ensure supply of public health professionals.

PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of officers of Regular & Reserve Corps of Service.

898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of civilian employees of the U.S. as Secretary deems.

PG 900 The Public Health Workforce Corps includes veterinarians.

901 The Public Health Workforce Corps WILL include commissioned Regular & Reserve Officers. HealthCare Draft?

PG 910 The Government will develop, build & run Public Health Training Centers.

PG 913-914 Government starts a HealthCare affirmative action program thru guise of diversity scholarships.

PG 915 SEC. 2251. Government MANDATES Cultural & linguistic competency training for HealthCare professionals.

Pg 932 The Government will establish Preventative & Wellness Trust fund - intial cost of $30,800,000,000-Billion.

PG 935 21-22 Government will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Control You!!

PG 936 Government will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Performance Standards” Tell me what to eat?

PG 942 Lines 22-25 More Government? Offices of Surgeon General -Public Health Services, Minority Health, Women’s Health - THIS MEANS TAX DOLLARS USED TO PAY FOR ALL ABORTIONS.

PG 950- 980 BIG Government core public health infrastructure includes workforce capacity, lab systems; health information systems, etc

PG 993 Government will establish school based health clinics. Your kids wont have a chance.

PG 994 School Based Health Clinic will be integrated into the school environment. Say Government Brainwash!

PG 1001 The Government will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

PG 1003 9-11 National Medical Dev Reg ‘‘(iii) other postmarket device surveillance activities” you WILL be tracked.

PG 1018 States give up some of their State Sovereignty.

PEOPLE, THIS IS IT. YOU CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THIS BLATANT TAKEOVER OF OUR COUNTRY.
This is not about health-care, it is about the POWER OF THE STATE. I beg you if you’ve never read Animal Farm, 1984 and Atlas Shrugged please, please, do.
IT IS TIME TO TAKE TO THE STREETS.
God help us all.

Continue reading to learn about the racial preferences mandated by this bill.
The Democrats’ health care bill creates a very significant financial incentive for medical schools and other entities to lower admission standards for “individuals who are from underrepresented minority groups” if that is what it takes to have the winning “demonstrated record”.

On page 879-880, the bill states that the Secretary of Health and Human Services:

“shall make grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities . . . to operate a professional training program in the field of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, or geriatrics, to provide financial assistance and traineeships and fellowships to those students, interns, residents or physicians who plan to work in or teach in the field of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, or geriatrics.”
On page 881-882 the bill states:
“In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of the following: . . . Training individuals who are from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds.”
-----------------------------
On page 883 the bill states:
“The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities . . . to operate or participate in an established primary care residency training program, which may include-(A) planning and developing curricula; (B) recruitment and training of residents; and (C) retention of faculty.”
On page 884-885 the bill states:
“In awarding grants and contracts . . . the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of training . . . individuals who are from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds . . . .”
---------------------
On page 887-889 the bill states that the
“Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities . . . to operate a professional training program for oral health professionals, to provide financial assistance and traineeships and fellowships to those professionals who plan to work in or teach general, pediatric, or public health dentistry, or dental hygiene, to establish, maintain, or improve academic administrative units (including departments, divisions, or other appropriate units) in the specialties of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry, to operate a loan repayment program for full-time faculty in a program of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry.”
On page 889-890 the bill states:
“In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of the following: . . . Training individuals who are from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds.”
----------------
On page 908-909 the bill states: “The Secretary shall award grants and contracts to eligible entities” to do the same things for the field of public health as the Secretary can do for dentistry.
On page 909 the bill states:
“In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of the following: . . . Training individuals who are from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds.”

http://rightsoup.com/twittering-obamacare-horrors-in-the-bill/

My response:

Mom,

Like I suspected, we are being lied to from the beginning to end of this email. Where there are not outright lies there are such severe misinterpretations as could only have been made by someone trying to sabotage the healthcare bill's success. Who would do such a thing? Big Medical companies of course! There are many people who profit from our healthcare system, that's where all the money goes... ;)

Love you!

John

STATEMENT FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT ON THE PASSING OF EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER

From the White House to all press affiliates:

Jill and I are deeply saddened by the news of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s passing. Eunice was one of those rare individuals whose energy and spirit were contagious. She inspired everyone around her to be better, to see beyond themselves, and to experience joy in life through service.

Not long after her brother John became President in 1961, Eunice convinced him and their siblings to reveal a closely guarded family secret: that their sister Rosemary had an intellectual disability. I will never forget the groundbreaking and personal story she wrote about Rosemary for The Saturday Evening Post, in which Eunice brought to light the hidden lives, and the amazing untapped potential, of people with intellectual disabilities.

But that was only the beginning. Starting in her own backyard in Maryland, she opened summer camps all over the country so that young people with intellectual disabilities could engage in sports, make friends, and demonstrate to themselves and others what they were capable of — if only given the chance. And in 1968, at the first Special Olympics World Summer Games in Chicago, what was to become a global movement was born. Today, thanks to Eunice and countless other dedicated individuals she inspired, Special Olympics serves over 3 million athletes with intellectual disabilities in every corner of the globe.

Even that was not enough for Eunice. Special Olympics — her creation — today provides not only sports opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, but also supports families, provides health screenings and services, educates and engages youth around acceptance and tolerance, and leads a cutting-edge research agenda aimed at improving the well-being of this population.

And yet that is only part of the extraordinary legacy Eunice leaves us. There is also her marriage of 56 years to Sarge — the love of her life and her life’s partner in their work to engage young people in service. That work spread across the globe, but it started in the Shriver home. Eunice and Sarge infused a deep commitment to service in their children — Bobby, Maria, Tim, Mark, and Anthony — each of whom continues her fight to give voice and power to the poor, disenfranchised, and forgotten segments of society around the world.

Our hearts are heavy but full of gratitude for these lasting gifts. Our thoughts and prayers are with her children, their father, and the entire Shriver and Kennedy families.

Exodus International Not All It's "Quacked" Up To Be

Perhaps the public should have been suspicious when the two founding leaders of Exodus International left their wives and ran off with each other, or when Wayne Besen exposed yet another leader to be pretending to have changed while cruising guys at a gay bar. All that matters is that we have credible information from which to make our opinions on. That information has just come from the American Psychological Association's most recent report on therapeutic attempts to change sexual orientation:

Associated Press

By DAVID CRARY (AP)

NEW YORK — The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.

In a resolution adopted by the APA's governing council, and in an accompanying report, the association issued its most comprehensive repudiation of "reparative therapy" — a concept espoused by a small but persistent group of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives, who maintain gays can change.

No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-4 vote. The APA said some research suggests that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.

Instead of seeking such change, the APA urged therapists to consider multiple options — that could range from celibacy to switching churches — for helping clients live spiritually rewarding lives in instances where their sexual orientation and religious faith conflict.

The APA had criticized reparative therapy in the past, but a six-member task force added weight to this position by examining 83 studies on sexual orientation change conducted since 1960. Its report was endorsed by the APA's governing council in Toronto, where the 150,000-member association's annual meeting is being held this weekend.

The report breaks new ground in its detailed and nuanced assessment of how therapists should deal with gay clients struggling to remain loyal to a religious faith that disapproves of homosexuality.

The article goes even further adding:

The APA task force took as a starting point the belief that homosexuality is a normal variant of human sexuality, not a disorder, and that it nonetheless remains stigmatized in ways that can have negative consequences.

It's nice to see that science is offering some advice that works towards healing the long standing social stigma that plagues the GLBT community. I have always held that being who you are is not in and of itself damning or redeeming; judging your actions and intents is the basis of our justice system.

Chris Mason Catches Signature Gathering Fraud on Video

Chris Mason is a student at Tufts University who is touring the country promoting equality as a good will ambassador and GLBT Commissioner of Cambridge, Massachusetts. His tour includes filming for a documentary that covers his adventures across all 48 contiguous states and can be followed from his website drivingequality.com. While he was in Washington state he caught this man attempting in what seems like a clear attempt to deceive registered voters into signing the petition to prevent gay marriage by using tricky wording. Once caught he backtracks and makes more elaborations to his story. Now where have we seen this before? Oh yes, it was with knowthyneighbor.org in 2005 right here in Massachusetts.

U.K. Quakers Recognize Same-Sex Marriage, Will Allow Weddings

By Patrick Donahue

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- British Quakers have agreed to recognize same-sex marriage and allow their communities to conduct wedding ceremonies for gay couples.

The change means that homosexual couples will be given the same recognition by Quakers in the U.K. that the group accords heterosexual marriages. The Quakers, known as the Religious Society of Friends and founded in England in 1652, had accepted same-sex partnerships for decades.

“Marriage is the Lord’s work and we are but witnesses,” the Quakers’ British organization said in an e-mailed statement detailing the decision made today at their annual meeting in the English city of York. “The question of legal recognition by the state is secondary.”

The Quakers’ decision may intensify debate among the world’s religious communities on the rights of same-sex couples. The ordination of openly gay bishops by the Episcopal Church in the U.S. has prompted a rift with the global Anglican community.

The Quakers urged members to encourage governments to change laws and recognize the right of gay couples to marry. While gay marriage isn’t legal in most jurisdictions, governments can’t stop religious communities from playing a “central role” in performing weddings, the Quakers said.

The U.K. recognized civil partnerships for gay couples in 2005 and since then more than 26,000 couples have registered.

The Quakers acknowledged there were divisions among themselves over what the group called the “threshing process” leading up to today’s decision.

“We will need to explain our decision to other Christian bodies,” according to the statement.

I can just imagine Kris Mineau trying to put a hippi-radical-communist-heathen label on Quakers now! ;)

Thank You President Carter

President Carter has had enough of the Southern Baptist's misogyny.


I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.

This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries.

At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.

I understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding controversy - and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we see it.

The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views.

The powers that be also use scripture, taken out of context, interpreted to their own advantage, to deny LGBT people their right place at the table of society.

Let's hope Mr. Carter addresses this issue soon.

Hat Tip to Pam's House Blend

Focus on the Family Discusses Role in Maine Gay Marriage Referendum

Taken from the Everyday Christian:

Colorado-based Christian advocacy organization Focus on the Family has laid out its role in the looming referendum to overturn Maine’s gay marriage law, but would not reveal how much money it was spending toward the effort.

Sonja Swiatkiewicz, Focus’ director of issues response, declined to say how much money was being sunk into the campaign effort as a matter of strategy.

Bob Emrich is a pastor, leader of Maine advocacy group The Jeremiah Project and central organizer of getting petitions together to prompt the people’s veto initiative to put gay marriage on the November ballot. He told Everyday Christian that Focus has mailed petitions to its constituents.

“Most of our work so far has been to communicate with our constituents in Maine to alert them to the opportunity they have to restore marriage to the union of a man and a woman,” Swiatkiewicz said.

Maine’s referendum drive is similar to Proposition 8 in California which negated a State Supreme Court ruling allow gay marriages. Focus helped efforts there, but for now is concentrating efforts on the Maine petition drive even though more than the number of signatures required by the state has been collected.

“In the past we have worked on advertising in other states, but for now we are still working on the campaign to gather signatures before the end of July,” Swiatkiewicz said. “We will develop our on-ballot strategy after the People’s Veto has been certified for the ballot. At this time, have no plans for advertising before it’s certified.”

She added that Focus is grateful Maine has an opportunity to overturn a gay marriage law. Earlier this year gay marriage became legal in Vermont and New Hampshire by legislative action. Iowa had gay marriage legalized via a State Supreme Court ruling. None of those states have constitutional provisions for citizens to generate referendums.

“Maine should consider itself very fortunate for the opportunity it has to collect signatures and put it on the ballot,” Swiatkiewicz said. “Iowa, for example, has to go through a lengthy legislative process to have its law overturned. People in Maine have clearly expressed how fortunate they feel by their quick gathering of signatures already.”

Swiatkiewicz also countered an argument frequently given by gay marriage advocates that the right to marry is a civil right and being denied it is tantamount to discrimination.

“We believe fundamentally that children need a mother and a father,” she said. “The needs of children should outweigh the wants and desires of adults.”

Thirty other states already have laws or amendments on their books which defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

“We believe, and social science backs up, that the best family structure in which to raise and nurture kids is in a home with a a married mother and father,” Swiatkiewicz said. “Legalizing same-sex marriage, the Legislature and the governor have put their seal of approval on creating intentionally motherless and fatherless families. This is why we want to see in Maine marriage restored to the union of a man and woman the same as it has in 30 other states which have protected marriage protection by an amendment or by referendum as in California.”

She said working to strengthen and protect marriages is one of Focus’ priorities.

“Protecting the institution of marriage as between a man and a woman is one of our primary goals. We receive about 250,000 communications a month from folks who have very deep hurts, many of which are related to the breakdown of marriage and how that impacts mean, women and children.

“We work to protect or restore marriages as closely as we do on the sanctity of life beginning at conception and protecting religious liberties.”

The spin in this article is incredible, but this is a favorite:

“Most of our work so far has been to communicate with our constituents in Maine to alert them to the opportunity they have to restore marriage to the union of a man and a woman,”

That should read "...the opportunity to restrict marriage to the union of a man and a woman" since the right for a man and a woman to marry was never taken away. It is the half truths, the convenient omissions, the selective wordings that allow opponents to take GLBT rights and make them seen as an "attack" on traditional values. If only we had a citizen base that did not allow themselves to be so easily fooled, and if only they would participate in their government. As I have said many times in the past, we get the government we deserve.

Years ago I had the impression that citizens were more savvy than they seem on the surface. Whether that is true or not is still to be seen but the public is slow to withdraw their support when it finds dishonesty. This may be indifference in action, but that indifference of man's inhumanity to man is unacceptable; we as Americans in our meltingpot society are better than this, and it's about time we start acting it.

Our opponents put stock in the stupidity of the public; could they have been right to do so, or is this last saber rattling the final act of the aged who want to maintain control just a little longer?