Gays under attack in the U.S.

[Rick Munroe]

Read this letter I got yesterday from the Human Rights Campaign; they're the ones who are fighting our fight, guys (and if this thread could get pinned, that would be great):

 

Last month, the constitutional amendment to ban marriage

equality for same-sex couples was reintroduced in the Senate,

with the full support of the President.

 

Last week, conservative leaders and the Secretary of Education

attacked PBS for including families headed by same-sex couples

in videos that introduce children to diversity in American

society. The message? "GLBT families are unsuitable for children

to know about, or for taxpayer-funded programming to represent."

 

And just last night in his State of the Union address, President

Bush renewed his support for a constitutional amendment to ban

marriage for same-sex couples, choosing the divisive path of

supporting the narrow interests of extremist elements of his

party over uniting the American people.

 

What could possibly be next?

 

With our country's leaders spending the first weeks of the

second Bush term accelerating their attacks on GLBT people, all

of us at the Human Rights Campaign have a pretty clear idea: a

sustained effort to demonize and marginalize GLBT Americans.

 

Under the guise of "values" and "morality," the right wing,

conservative leaders in Congress, and the Bush Administration

are advancing a relentlessly homophobic agenda that ranges from

the petty ("Is SpongeBob gay?") to the destructive ("There's

something inherently wrong with children being brought up by

same-sex couples.")

 

It's not enough to shake our heads in dismay. We need to take

decisive action to combat this dangerous campaign of bigotry,

discrimination, censorship, and fear. You can help by supporting

HRC's efforts to defend the rights and dignity of GLBT Americans

in Congress, at the grassroots, and in the public arena.

 

Please,

click here to make your gift today:

https://secure.ga3.org/03/mpa_email/njdqCOo91vzS9?source=W05LGEAG1

 

With your contribution, we'll again lead an aggressive campaign

to defeat the Marriage Protection Amendment and to advance

public understanding of the lives and concerns of GLBT families.

We'll insist that cabinet officials like Secretary of Education

Margaret Spellings stop attacking decent, taxpaying American

citizens who happen to be GLBT. And we'll rally the fair-minded

majority to denounce the appalling homophobic crusade of the

radical right wing.

 

A frightening start to 2005...

 

:: JAN 9 -- Bush administration says they'll press for a

discriminatory marriage amendment in 2005.

 

:: JAN 18 -- Ultra-conservative groups attack SpongeBob

SquarePants for promoting tolerance.

 

:: JAN 24 -- Federal anti-gay Marriage Protection Amendment

introduced in Senate.

 

:: JAN 24 -- New Education Secretary calls on PBS to withdraw a

GLBT positive educational video.

 

:: JAN 25 -- Conservative columnist - who testified in support

of the FMA - admits to receiving federal money to promote the

Bush administration's marriage agenda.

 

What's next??

[Guest zipperzone]

A NOTE TO MODERATORS

 

Please ignore any somewhat anal members who will likely whine if this post is not transferred to the Poliotics/Religion forum.

 

It's too important to get bumped to a section of the site that has reduced readership.

 

I tried a similar post in the Lounge a few days ago and some well meaning but midguided moderator reacted to an idiot's complaint and consigned it to oblivion!

[HotdadENYC]

I understand the desire to keep this thread here, but I also sympathize with the moderators. They are ONLY doing their job.

 

Most of what I want to say, in response to this thread, borders on political anyway, so when its moved and when its properly categorized, I'll post my feelings.

 

This does NOT mean to diminish or discount what either one of you have to say; I just think that your views should wind up in the proper forum.

 

This is NOT the first time that Rick's commentaries were ill-placed and had to be moved elsewhere. Rick, you know better. Stop pushing the envelope. Postage is WAY overdue.

 

Regards, dude

 

hd NYC

[noviceny]

Well, I read it and even thought its not much I gave something that I wouldnt have given if I didnt know about the article.

[Rick Munroe]

Excellent, novice. That was the reason I posted it in the first place.

 

Now...rallying my fellow gay men to help fight back against the onslaught of homophobia is "pushing the envelope"? Neither of my posts on this topic were "ill placed." This is a gay website, gays are the new state enemy, and we need to be informed. It has nothing to do with "politics" (or religion or war).

[noviceny]

Rick,

 

"To fight, to seek, to find and never to yield" - Tennyson

[HotdadENYC]

>Excellent, novice. That was the reason I posted it in the

>first place.

>

>Now...rallying my fellow gay men to help fight back against

>the onslaught of homophobia is "pushing the envelope"?

>Neither of my posts on this topic were "ill placed." This is

>a gay website, gays are the new state enemy, and we need to be

>informed. It has nothing to do with "politics" (or religion

>or war).

 

My comments, Rick, were not at all based on your posting, but on what it will ultimately wind up being. I appreciate the post, was something that I didn't know and really DO want to respond.

 

But do you think, realistically speaking, that the members on here will keep this non-political? Or even non-judgemental? Come on, Rick, you know better than to expect that to happen.

 

I meant no offense, thank you again for the posting, but my efforts to state the obvious shouldn't go unduly criticized. We both know what sides of the bread to butter. Or should we use the maple syrup produced by the lesbian couple in Vermont?

 

Regards,

 

hd NYC

[Rick Munroe]

Well, think about this: there is currently a thread pinned to the top of the Lounge which consists of a link to pictures of war. Why is that thread not in the Politics, Religion and War forum? Maybe sometimes the rules don't matter as much as the issues...

[HotdadENYC]

You might be right about rules vs. issues. And I agree that there is sometimes little consistency with what gets posted and moved, etc. Moderators can also fall asleep at the wheel.

 

I was only stating my opinion about WHERE the posting should have been. I'm not a moderator and I am a very socially aware kind of guy. But I also know what my response would have been and I am also damn sure that my response would have certainly triggered someone to relegate the thread to a more appropriate category.

 

Whatever. Its all moot now. I am NOT going to respond. Wherever the post winds up.

 

I enjoy posting my opinions. I don't enjoy having to defend them. That's counter-productive.

 

hd NYC

[Rick Munroe]

>But I also know what my response would have been

>and I am also damn sure that my response would have certainly

>triggered someone to relegate the thread to a more appropriate

>category.

 

That would have been cool with me...I just post and then whatever happens is out of my hands. And I'm glad you're here posting, like I recently said.

 

Off to my overnight... }(

[Flower]

>

>That would have been cool with me...I just post and then

>whatever happens is out of my hands. And I'm glad you're here

>posting, like I recently said.

 

 

And a good thing for us you do, Rick.

 

While I'm on their mailing list and have contributed, every little bit helps and great idea to post it here.

 

Not only to you keep the MC light hearted, but you remind us of where our priorities should be. I have never seen such an openly hostile environment purpetuated by our political leaders than has existed in the last year or so--THIS IS NOT POLITICAL, FOLKS, IT'S SURVIVAL.

 

Here's a thought---INSTEAD OF PINNING THE PICTURES OF WAR TO THE TOP, maybe we ought to be pinning the pics of people on the front lines fighting our war for equality!

[Guest zipperzone]

>Well, think about this: there is currently a thread pinned to

>the top of the Lounge which consists of a link to pictures of

>war. Why is that thread not in the Politics, Religion and

>War forum? Maybe sometimes the rules don't matter as

>much as the issues...

 

So true - but what bothers me is the arbitrary way these decisions are made and in my opinion, in many instances, the decision is just plain wrong.

[+ deej]

>So true - but what bothers me is the arbitrary way these

>decisions are made and in my opinion, in many instances, the

>decision is just plain wrong.

 

Have you wandered over the Politics, Religion & War section to read Barry's reason for this move (and un-move)?

 

Everyone is talking about that pinned/locked topic. It's been gone for 24 hours now.

 

We're trying hard to be fair and balanced, but you guys don't make it easy. We do however welcome well-reasoned feedback and we do actually listen.