That's So Gay

Here's my question... If being gay is a choice, then why on Earth would anyone deliberately chose to be a member if the single most hated minority on the planet? Does that make sense to anyone?

"Yes, I'm gay. I want to be hated, persecuted, executed and beaten-up by straight people. I want my lifestyle to be judged by people who know nothing about me or the people with whom I choose to associate. I want you to tell me that the person I love is the wrong person to love. Tell me that God hates me because I'm gay, but loves me if I repent. I am evil because I love someone and want to express that love through sex. I am 'less than' because my love doesn't produce children who will go on to give money to a church that says I am evil." Yikes! What the hell is wrong with you people?

To date, I have 82 posts with the label "Gay;" 28 with the label "LGBT;" 53 with the label "The Gayest Thing;" 18 with the label "GLBT;" 16 with the label "Marriage Equality;" 5 with the label "Homophobia and 4 each with the labels "Gay Cinema" and "Coming Out." Of course, many of those cross-over.

So here's the thing:

Homosexuality is something that appears again and again in the animal kingdom (don't ask me to cite examples - there are far too many) and has been a part of human sexuality ever since the existence of humans. Of course, the Religious Right (which I continue to maintain is neither) and asshats like Anne Coulter and Bill O'Reilly will tell anyone who is willing to listen that being gay is sinful. On the other hand, every member of the Community will also tell you that he or she was born gay. Who should we believe? The homophobic "Christians" or the people who, through no choice, live the life?

Being gay in America, even today, means that you are "different." It means that you do not have the same rights as every other person on the planet and that who you love makes you a "bad" person.

Someday -- maybe not in my lifetime -- being gay won't be viewed as 'abnormal' or 'sinful' by the majority of people. But as long as lunatic fringe groups like NOM and Focus on Family exist, there will be people who, ignorant anything which happens in the real world, believe that being gay is 'wrong' and gays, lesbians, bi-sexual and transgendered persons will be labeled "perverts" and "sinners." To those uneducated, Tea-bagging morons I say "Get over it, already."

Hmmm... an Anniversary Rant. Who would've thunk? Maybe what they all need is an SGF:



More, anon.
Prospero

How the Mormon Stole Everything

You may want to file this under "Prospero's Philosophy," though I will leave it up to you. Suffice it to say, I think this is the first time I have shared my personal views on philosophy and religion (other than the "Religious Right's" role in the passing of Prop 8) on this blog.

From The Big Gay Sketch Comedy Show on Logo (via) comes this hilarious animated parody.

More Gay & Lesbian Videos At LogoOnline.com

I don't hate members of the CLDS. They're only doing and saying what has been ingrained in them since childhood. I don't hate anyone, actually. Well, maybe Brad Pitt. And whoever is sleeping with Brandon Routh. And Goldie Hawn. Oh... and for a while, Meg Ryan.

What I hate is the perpetuation of the misunderstandings and outright lies of nearly every religious doctrine in the world. Why, in 2009, do we still hold on to mythology? The answer, of course, lies in our unending quest to know why.

The teachings of Zen tell us we need to learn to accept life as it is; savor it and revel in the joy of existence. Hinduism espouses multiple incarnations toward the ultimate goal of enlightenment. Valhalla is accessible only through valour in life and death in combat; eternity with Ra requires the careful preservation of of the body and the accompaniment of all that is earthly, while Wiccans pray to goddesses of the Earth and Moon, long thought dead. As Paul Rudnick says about members of the LDS, "If he'd told (his wife) the truth, you'd all be worshipping a waitress."

And I'm certainly not saying you should not believe in God (or the deity of your choice). Personally, I consider myself an 'Agnostic Secular Humanist with Leanings Toward Buddhism. ' Does that mean I don't believe in a Higher Power? No. What I believe is that the Higher Power is unknowable (that's the actual definition of Agnostic., by the way).

In fact, some important scientific minds agree that there must be something intelligent in the design of the complex mathematics and physics which seem to guide the Universe (even if the more we know, the less much of it makes sense), though they offer no truly rational explanations for their beliefs.

Since the dawn of civilization, man has struggled with the same philosophical questions.

There are more theories; superstitions; legends; mythologies and religions, than I can count on hands, fingers and other appendages (wink-wink). With so many things from which to choose, how can there possibky be One way; One answer? How can only one religion be the "true" religion? Obviously, it can't. Which then implies that all religions are false. And in a way, they are. I honestly believe that some questions will be forever left unanswered. And I'm OK with that. Because I am having a grand time while I'm here. Not all of it is wonderful, but most of it is amazing!

Of course, a lot of what I am saying is directly influenced by my current theatrical project, which I am sure you sick of hearing about, by now.

Alright. I know, I know. You didn't stop by for a lesson in esoterica. Honestly, I didn't expect to give one. It's just that kind of night.

'

Thank you for reading. I love that you do. Comment away.

More, anon.

Prospero

Why I Love Keith Olbermann

Not too long ago, after the passing of Proposition 8 in California, MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann gave an impassioned speech about Same Sex Marriage (it won him a GLAAD Media Award). Now, he takes on the misguided (and extremely stupid) Carrie Prejean and the ridiculous hype surrounding her loss of the Miss USA pageant and the subsequent media firestorm surrounding her misinformed opinions (via).

You have to love the girl's grammar: "...for which my grandfather fought for." Really? We should listen to the opinion of a young lady who can't even compose a sentence in proper English? Of course, media whore (and King of the Bad Comb-Over) Donald Trump, who owns the Miss Universe Pageant, had the final say in the matter, allowing the stupid little bimbo to retain her title as Miss California. And we all know that Mr. Trump is the be all to end all. Afterall, he does host "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice," two of the "finest" examples of "reality" TV programming. Quite honestly, I don't understand why Trump's 15 minutes weren't over ten years ago.

And while Mr. Olbermann may have his detractors (admittedly, he can be as over-the-top as his conservative rivals at Fox News), at least his opinions make sense. For example, here's his latest "Worst Person in the World" segment, taking on Fox legal correspondant, Greta Van Susteren:

Here's the thing: I don't understand why, in 2009, people are still being fed (and believing) the lies that are being told about the LGBT community. I have absolutely no interest in your marriage. Nor should you have any interest in mine (or anyone else's). When morons like Carrie Prejean and Fred Phelps are given a platform to disseminate bigotry and hate, we all suffer, gay and straight alike. Thank goodness that people like Keith Olbermann have platforms of their own, where truth and sensibility can be aired alongside the lies.

Oh, dear. I'm on that high horse again. I'm finally going to see Star Trek this coming weekend (between vacation and rehearsals, it's the first chance I've gotten), so I'll get back to movies and nonsense, soon. I promise.

More, anon.

Prospero

Some Film & Politics Before I Go Away

By now, you all know how I feel about Marriage Equality and Civil Rights. And while I am very angry with many of the hypocrites on Capital Hill, I'm also kind of torn by the newest documentary from Kirby Dick, Outrage.

Dick's 2006 documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated exposed the inner-workings of the MPAA's film rating system. Personally, I'm still very annoyed that the MPAA treats extreme violence with a lighter hand than they do sexual situations. To me, sex is an expression of love, while violence is an expression of hate. Doesn't it seem logical that one would be willing to expose people to love before exposing them to hate? I don't quite get the MPAA's Puritanical views.

No stranger to controversy, Dick has made films about sexual abuse in the Catholic church (A Twist of Faith); the Cult of Celebrity (Derrida) and Sideshow Performers (I Am Not a Freak).

In Outrage, Dick takes on the closeted gay Republicans who continue to vote anti-LGBT legislature while carrying on sexual dalliances with members of the same sex. And while I am all for exposing hypocrisy in all it's forms, I must admit that I am sensitive to those members of the LGBT community who wish to remain closeted, for reasons known only to them. Of course, when said closeted folks take political action which harms and denies rights to members of their own community, they probably deserve to be exposed. It's one thing to be a closeted gay celebrity (Jodie Foster, I'm talking to you), but quite another to be a closeted politician in a position to further Human Rights issues, but refusing to do so because it may make them appear to be somehow "less than."

Here (via) is the trailer for Outrage, due in theatres this summer:

So, what do you think? Should these jerks be exposed for the creeps they are? Or should we respect their right to privacy, and allow them to continue their hypocrisies? As always, I'd love to know your thoughts.

And just a reminder - I am going off the grid for nine days, starting Saturday. I'll be in warm, sunny Florida visiting with my sister and ignoring the rest of the world as much as I can.

More, anon.

Prospero

Dispelling the Lies

Regular readers already know how I feel about Prop 8 and the Marriage Equality issue. Why, in a country where Constitutionally "all men are created equal," do we still have legalized discrimination? Why is my love less valid than anyone else's? Ignorance breeds fear, folks. Plain and simple.

You've all seen the NOM (National Organization for Marriage) video "The Gathering Storm." I've posted it, along with several parodies of it. It's a vile, disgusting little video filled with lies voiced by "actors" who claim to be people who have been or will be hurt by the legalization of same sex marriage (I'd venture to guess that these "actors" will never work professionally, again).

Recently, New York Governor David Paterson introduced a bill that would legalize same sex marriage in the Empire State. The Empire State Pride Agenda has made their own video, disputing and dispelling the lies that the NOM espouses in "The Gathering Storm." Same sex marriage has been legal in the state of Massachusetts for five years. The world has not ended, straight marriages have not been destroyed and families have not been torn asunder. No church has been forced to perform marriages with which they do not agree.

Via Towleroad, comes this video, featuring three Massachusetts clergy who make it clear that the NOM video is a pack of lies:

Once again, I urge you to write to your elected officials and demand that members of the LGBT community be treated as equal citizens. Share this video with them (and your friends and families). As Spike Lee says, Do the Right Thing.

40 years ago, Bob Dylan sang about how "The times they are a-changing." They are still changing, as they always will. Someday, this issue will no longer be an issue. Until then, we must make our voices heard. Until we are all treated as equals, none of us will be.

I know, I know. I keep promising to get off my high horse. But somehow, I just can't do it. Not until true justice is served and everyone in this country shares the same basic human rights. And neither should you.

More nonsense, anon.

Prospero

One Last NOM Response

I had a very LGBT weekend. Friday, I attended a performance of Tony Kushner's Angels in America: Millenium Approaches. Saturday, I spent most of the day casting the JTMF production of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. I'm almost spent, but still have enough energy to share these videos with you.

Via Towleroad, this hilarious response to the NOM's ridiculous "Gathering Storm;"

And also via Towleroad, this terrific video for the Swedish pop group Adrian Lux's latest single, "Can't Sleep:"

I am very tired... I'll be reviewing a few DVDs soon. Stick with me, folks. My annual Spring Madness (i.e. The JTMF Event and my visit to Sis in FL) is about to commence, so posts may be a bit sporadic from now until July.

More, anon.
Prospero

A Very Late Night Post

I had hoped to get this up before midnight, but a million and four things kept me from it...

Anyway, please allow me yet another rant on Marriage Equality and watch the videos below. They are both funny, poignant and informative., while exposing the lies the "Religious Right" continues to propagate in their campaign of fear against LGBT people.

First, here's a very funny parody of the recent NOM "Gathering Storm" ad:

********

Next, a clip of the always on target Rachel Maddow, about how her commentary on the NOM ad was removed from YouTube for "copyright violations."

Priceless, as the MasterCard ads say.

Speak up. Write letters to your Congressmen and women. Vote for candidates who support LGBT issues and let the fear-mongers know we aren't afraid of them.

OK - more nonsense and silliness, soon - I just rented a bunch of DVDs, which I will be reviewing soon - I promise.

PS - If you haven't read my "Hear Something Wonderful" post and watched the amazing video, please make sure you do. It's truly a remarkable and moving piece.

More, anon.

Prospero

Funny NOM Response

I hope this works. Here's a very funny remix of the outrageous NOM video I posted last night:

The Biggest Lie You'll See This Week

Regular readers know I'm preaching to the choir, as it were, but it's my hope that the more people who read this and see these clips, the more allies we'll have when it counts. First, here is a lie-filled video from the "National Organization for Marriage," featuring actors (please!) making a case against same-sex marriage:

Does the NOM know anything about actors? And do these "actors" know anything about the business in which they hope to again be employed? I know I'd never cast a single one of them in any project I might direct.

Anyway, here are two heartfelt responses to that load of BS. First, Sean Chapin makes a plea for sanity:

And next, GoodAsYou.org posted this response:



I urge you to share these clips with as many people as you know (and more). Tell the truth. Stop the lies, and (to borrow a phrase from Al Franken) the lying liars who tell them.

More, anon,
Prospero

Is This Why We Lost on Prop 8?

Here is the latest commercial from Equality California (via):

Honestly, I don't know which is worse, the crappy elevator music or the stoned voice-over guy spouting treacly platitudes. And they have the nerve to bring up Harvey Milk. Harvey would've told these guys to get stuffed (to be polite). Do you remember the rally scene in the movie where Harvey says: "I know you're angry! I'M angry!"? This ad would have made Harvey angry all over again. Where is the passion? Where is the indignation?

OK - so the ad decries hate and bigotry... big deal. What it doesn't do is address our anger. Anger at being treated like second-class citizens. Anger at being denied basic human rights. Anger at being thought of (in the words of Dustin Lance Black) as "less than." Passive resistance can only go so far. Eventually, you have to swing back at the bully, to prove you're not a wimp. We (the LGBT community) may be many things, but we are not wimps. I mean, if we can make through the hellish childhoods many of us faced, we can make it through it anything. But to do that, we have to stand up and be heard, not whine politely to the strains of Muzak.

I'm not saying we need to throw rocks and riot in the streets. But we do need to take a stand. This ad might as well be Stephen Root in Office Space, whining about "...my stapler. I believe you have my stapler..."

As always, I urge you to write letters, stage protests, organize educational programs, wear a White Knot and make yourselves heard. The only way to overcome bigotry is through education, and you can't educate someone who isn't listening. So let's make them listen.

There. That's my rant for this week. Maybe tomorrow I'll talk about Watchmen again.

More, anon.

Prospero

Theatre of Protest

(via) San Diego's Ion Theatre Company has vacated it's home, because they learned that their landlord was a major donor to Prop 8.

According to SignOnSanDiego.com, “The five-year-old Ion is known for its strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion in its programming; Paris and Raygoza, the company's founders, are also partners in life."
Raygoza said the two didn't realize until late last year that the theater's landlord was one of Proposition 8's biggest financial backers. Caster became the target of a heated campaign by the gay community after his donations and those of family members were publicized."
A call seeking comment from Terrence Caster was redirected to a recorded message in which he defended his donations and insisted he has no ill will toward gay people. “

Read the full article here.

Here's the thing: If a non-profit theatre company, whose livelihood is dependant on ticket sales, grants and donations, can take a stand, then so can the rest of us.

I continue to urge you to write your local, state and federal representatives. Sign every petition you can find; send any money you can afford; call upon your friends and family. Do whatever you have to do to get this heinous motion repealed. And not just in California. In November of 2004, 11 states amended their constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a woman. My home state of Pennsylvania was among them. Is this Orwell's 1984? How we can allow government to legislate love? We can't. And if enough voices are heard, we won't.

OK - off my high horse for a while. More on movies, TV and theatre, soon, I promise. But only if you promise to keep fighting the good fight. Wear a White Knot, write your elected officials and vote out those who disagree. Together, we can make a difference.

More, anon.

Prospero

The Courage Campaign

I've been kind of silly lately, which is fine. Personally, I much prefer silliness of all sorts to seriousness of any kind. I often find myself doing silly things for serious causes (as that picture of me can attest). And I'll even do serious things in serious situations (my day job, for example). Still, I've never been one to shy away from giving my opinion (right Sean?) or one to keep quiet when I see something wrong.

If you've been reading, I know you join me in continuing to remain vocal in opposition to California's Proposition 8 and similar measures in other states such as Florida and Arizona. You'll also know that I think Organized Religion is a sham - a business that is in the business of scaring people into acquiescence. And make no mistake, Organized Religion (and by no means just the LDS) scared people into passing those measures by spending millions of dollars on televised and bus-stop ad lies!

So, how do we make them stop lying and then make the people who've been lied to, believe the truth? It's not easy. There are still people out there clinging to the belief that the moonshots were faked. Even worse, there are people hopping mad and hunkering down in homemade armories because a black man is our president.

We know that the truth is simply about love and the right to love whomever you want. Wasn't there some guy about 2009 years ago or so, who said it was all about love, too? Or am I thinking of John Lennon? Or Ghandi? Does it really matter?

In a touristy little arts community not far from where I live, there is a very silly store that sells all sorts of kitchsy stuff like zombie finger puppets and vintage toys and clothing and 'Crazy Cat Lady' action figures. The store is called "Love Will Save the Day" and it's one of my favorite stores to spend an hour or so just wandering around inside. It's cramped and over-stuffed and there's way too much to look at all at once. The stuff they sell is basically useless crap, but it makes people smile and laugh and they buy, smiling and laughing as they hand over the money. No one leaves the place without at least smiling. Love, indeed, saves the day.

Trust me, there's nothing sillier or more serious than love.

This cause really has no personal effect on me - I haven't even the slightest prospect of marriage or partnership - my dance card is, sadly, wide-open. So why should I care? Because some day my dance card just might be full. Or if not, the dance card of a friend or relative.

The Courage Campaign has a new video out, called "Fidelity." It made me cry. Please share it and the link to sign the Courage Campaign's letter to the California Supreme Court here. Here's the clip (via):

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

“Laughter kills fear, and without fear there can be no faith, because without fear of the Devil there is no more need of God.” - Umberto Eco

So, do this serious thing for me (sign the letter) and then go laugh to chase away the Devil.

My Thanks to You,

Brian

Light Up the Night for Equality

Mark your calendars and check your city's events page for Light Up the Night for Equality, a nationwide candlelight vigil for Marriage Equality on Saturday, December 20th. The good folks at WhiteKnot.org have all the details.

This past November's elections in CA, FL and AZ have galvanized the LGBT community in a way I've never seen before, and I have never been prouder to be a member of that community.

Fight the good fight, folks. Don't continue to allow bigots, fear-mongers and haters to scare people into sheepishly allowing basic human rights to be trampled upon. Stand up and say something. Do something. Stop the hate and join the fight for what you know is right. Don't allow the so-called 'Religious Right' to spread fear and lies.

Thomas Jefferson wrote that "the rights of a minority should never be voted upon by the majority." How can we, more than 200 years later, ignore those words from one of the framers of our Constitution? We can't and we won't.

Stop the hate, end the fear and remove the bigots from power. Join in and make your voices heard.

More of this, anon.

Prospero

Why "Milk" Matters

Thirty years ago, America was a very different place. Personal computers; cellphones; PDAs; HDTV; digital cameras; the Internet and IMAX were all unheard of. Personally, I was thrilled and amazed to have a Texas Instruments calculator to help me with the math with which I struggled on a daily basis. The acronym LGBT had yet to be invented and a rainbow was a meteorological phenomenon not yet associated with any particular group other than leprechauns and their pots of gold. Stonewall had come and gone, but was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to gay rights.

Then, suddenly, there was this man in San Francisco; a transplanted New Yorker who was tired of being treated as a third-class citizen. A man who decided that enough was enough. Harvey Milk became the first openly gay person in the U.S. to hold a publicly elected office. And then, just as suddenly, he was gone. Murdered (along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone) by fellow City Supervisor Dan White. White went on to claim that junk food had addled his brain and the infamous "Twinkie Defense" was born. I was sixteen years old, terrified that my friends and family would discover that I was gay, and even more horrified to see that one of my idols had been shot in cold blood. I remember thinking, "They really hate us." It would be many years (and much therapy) before I was ready to come out to my family. And even then, it was only to those closest to me.

I cried the day Harvey Milk was murdered, because I thought my last hope at being 'normal' had died with him. Recently, with the defeat of Prop 8 in California (and similar legislations in FL and AZ), I began to feel the same sort of despair. But the community has rallied again. Our voices are being heard. More and more people from all walks of life are decrying the breech of civil rights afforded by Prop 8 and other measures. Prop 8: The Musical is a Viral Video hit and more and more gay celebrities are publicily outing themsleves (while more and more straight celebs are endorsing gay rights as simply Human Rights).

Brokeback Mountain was supposed to be the movie that changed everything for the LGBT community. And for a while, it seemed it might. But even Ang Lee's gorgeous and painful romance couldn't galvanize the country into acceptance. Now comes Gus Van Sant's Milk, and we can all rejoice.

Or can we?

If Milk had been released a month earlier, would it have made a difference in the outcome of the Prop 8 vote? Will it make a difference now? Only time will tell. Rob Epstein's 1984 documentary The Times of Harvey Milk did little (if anything) to sway public opinion. And the traditional "Christian Right" (which is neither, I might add) are certainly doing everything they can to deter people from realizing that being gay is not a choice.

As Milk garners more and more awards and nominations and opens in wider release, will middle-Americans venture to their local cinemas and realize that Harvey was right? Or, like with Brokeback Mountain (a far superior film to that year's Best Picture winner, Crash) will it be an anomaly; a novelty film with limited appeal and in the end, limited impact? I sure hope not.

In any event, Van Sant's fictionalized bioflick sure looks like terrific filmmaking with some of this year's most riveting performances:

More of this, anon.

Prospero

So Much Hate, So Little Time

I have plenty to talk about tonight, so I'll be splitting this into two posts.

First, more on Prop 8; Day Without a Gay and those Bible-thumping idiots at Westboro Baptist.

The "Reverand" (and I use the term loosely) Fred Phelps and his family of hate-mongers have now taken on the last bastion of childhood - Santa Claus, himself. These morons apparently actually believe that God is punishing America for it's permissive attitude toward homosexuality (did they not see the results on Prop 8?) by killing US soldiers abroad and ruining our economy. Now, they have come out with this delightful bit of propaganda:

I refuse to post the rest of the poem here, simply because it makes me sick to my stomach. Suffice it to say, I know who'll be standing at the gates of Hell saying "What the f...?" come Judgment Day. (Hint: Fred Phelps and Family).

This is the kind of hateful ignorance that leads religious extremists to fly planes into skyscrapers, folks. Make no mistake, the Devil has an especially hot pitchfork poised to poke their particularly ignorant asses.

Now, on the opposite end of the hate spectrum, comes this delightfully funny little short film, Love is Love. Sadly, the people who need to see it either won't get it, or won't even watch it.

And last, but far from least, here is just one more reason to love the hilarious Wanda Sykes:

Day Without Gays

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 has been designated as the "Day Without Gays." Members of the LGBT community are encouraged to 'Call In Gay' and stay home from work as part of a protest against recent legislation in CA, FL and AZ which ban same-sex marriage on civil level.

When I was in 7th or 8th grade, we were shown the movie version of Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock." I don't remember much about the movie, except that my classmates and I all laughed nervously at the scene portraying gay marriage. And although I suppose that at even at that age (12 or 13) I knew I was gay, I giggled along at the apparent absurdity of the scene. It's not so funny, now

Personally, I'm sick to death of being told who I can or cannot love and who I can or cannot marry. Especially being told so by the Catholic and Mormon churches. Church rules about marriage and reproduction were put in place for one reason only - to insure an ever-lasting supply of people who were so terrified of "hell," they would continue to make babies who would all grow up and make more babies who would be forever subjugated by (and give money to) the church. This rouse worked for thousands of years, until superstition started to give way to science and people started waking up to lies they'd been fed by the Vatican (and Salt Lake and Mecca and any number of religious headquarters).

But this isn't an anti-religious diatribe. Marriage is a civil rights issue. Don't believe in gay marriage because of your religious affiliation? Fine. But don't tell me that I am less of a person with less rights than you, because I don't believe in your God. Believe I am going to hell because I'm gay? Fine. But don't tell me I am not equally protected under the law because of it. I don't want to get married in your church, anyway. the U.S. Constitution says that all men are created equal. Not some. Not Christians. Not Jews. Not Mormons, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses or Wiccans; not Whites, Blacks, Asians, Latinos or any combination thereof. All. Plain and simple. ALL. Why is this so hard to understand?

I urge all of my readers (no matter how many or few of you there are) to take part in the Day Without Gays. Maybe once the rest of country realizes how vital we are to the workforce and the economy in general, they will also realize how wrong they are in denying us basic human rights. So call in 'gay' on December 10th.

Okay - I really promise; no more politics (for a while, at least).

More of this, anon.

Prospero

Marriage Equality

It seems to me that not since the mid-to-late 80's AIDS protests, has the community come together as strongly as it has after the passing of California's Proposition 8. I read somewhere (and if you recognize the quote, please let me know where it came from) that the CLS doesn't understand why they're being targeted by the protests. Someone said "If the American Cattle Growers Association had spent so much money on passing the measure, we'd be protesting them."

This past Saturday, huge rallies were held in New York, Philadelphia and other major cities.

I was unable to attend, but my favorite Weekly World News character of all time, Batboy, managed to make it. I'm so glad the little beastie finally came out.

Many are calling Prop 8 the New Stonewall; a catalyst for change and a turning point in the LGBT civil rights movement. Some are making loud statements, as seen in the above video. Others, are making subtler, though no less powerful statements. WhiteKnot.org hopes to make their knotted white ribbon as ubiquitous as the red AIDS ribbon. I know I'll be wearing one along with my red ribbon at this year's JTMF event.

Finally, not just because I love it so much, I'm posting the trailer for Were the World Mine again, because never has it seemed more appropriate. Yes, we do have families and we do have values, thank you!

More of this, anon.

Prospero

More on Prop 8

I know I promised to stop politicking, but California's Prop 8 debacle has everyone in the LGBT Community up in arms. As we should be. And so should our straight allies. The fight against bigotry is education. And I'm not talking about teaching homosexuality in kindergarten - that's just patently absurd. Would you teach about heterosexuality in kindergarten? Hardly. In fact, I'd want any kindergarten teacher who taught about sexuality at all, arrested immediately. I'm talking about educating the public in general. It's the 21st Century, folks. We're not going away and we're not about to get any quieter about it.
I've always found the old saw about pictures speaking louder than words to be so true. More people need to see images like the one above (via Towleroad).
Then there is this encouraging and appropriately ironic news from LAWeekly: Apparently, anti-Prop 8 protesters are denying Mormons the right to marry.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/queer-town/los-angeles-protests-stop-morm/index.php
And say what you will about MSNBC's Keith Olberman (who can sometimes be quite the pill, no matter what your political leanings may be), this is the most heartfelt commentary I have ever seen. I urge you all to share it with everyone you know.

********

And finally, just to lighten the mood, this very funny and silly commercial parody from SNL (I must admit I've taken quite the fancy to Will Forte):

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

More of this, anon.

Prosper

Dear California

Dear California;

I used to be one of you, way back when. I always thought that you were the most progressive state in the union. Sadly, you broke my heart yesterday by voting "yes" for hate, discrimination and the loss of human rights.

The thing I really don't understand, California, is how you could possibly try to take away people's right to love whomever they choose to love. I'm almost glad Harvey Milk isn't alive to see this day - it would have killed him. Or perhaps, were he alive, he could have galvanized all of you to do the right thing and vote "No" on hate. The fact that you allowed yourselves to be swayed by the so-called "Christian Right" and believed the out right lies they sold you, makes me sadder yet. I have a button that reads: "The Christian Right is Neither" and never more have I believed that than today. I don't get it. Are you stupid, uninformed or just filled with hate? Or all three? I never thought so, but now I'm beginning to doubt it.

So, shame on you, California! I'm glad I no longer live in a state that can allow a constitutional amendment that denies people rights. Florida and Arizona I can understand -- they're full of old folks who are too scared to know any better. But you, California... From you I had hoped better.

On a bright note, there are less than 75 days left in the most incompetent and hate-filled presidential administration this country has ever seen. Here's to brighter future for America - one of peace, sanity and tolerance. Yes We Did!

More of this anon,

Prospero