February 2005 Archives
Number 11 of the Top 12 "Cures" for Homosexuality:
Torture and exorcism have both been used to "cure" homosexuality. Burning at the stake, hanging, and strangulation were often seen by religious authorities not as punishments for homosexuality but as cures, since they allegedly released a homosexual from further torments of the flesh and prevented him from committing further sins.
Makes ya almost glad to have the current ex-gay movement around. Now torture will make a person say or do almost anything. Exorcism - now that's interesting. I have this picture in my head of a gay "Exorcist" movie. Maybe instead of pea soup it would be fairy dust? And death as a cure.. hmmm. If you look at it that way, then death is pretty much a cure-all medication. That might be a tough sell even if advertised on TV. "Side effects may include... death."
Scary thing is, I wonder where all the recent anti-gay rhetoric is taking us. I mean, we're traveling backwards in time here it seems. At what point does it stop? Anti-gay rhetoric isn't just words - many words inspire deeds. And how many people want to "save" and "cure" us?
(source: Rutledge, Leigh W. (1986). The New Gay Book of Lists. Los Angeles: Alyson Publications.)
I'm hearing a little too much from politicians about what exactly is evil in this world. I don't think that being a politician gives one the perspective to make that determination. What's the latest? The Pope (who really is a politician) is decrying gay people and their desire to be in monogamous relationships.
Pope John Paul II says, "It is legitimate and necessary to ask oneself if this is not perhaps part of a new ideology of evil, perhaps more insidious and hidden, which attempts to pit human rights against the family and against man." My own humble point of view is that the Pope himself is being evil. He is saying that an entire group of people who want nothing more than to be able to have the same rights and opportunities that everyone else has an insidious agenda. What's the Pope's agenda anyway?
(source: Pope calls gay marriage 'evil')
I've found the real agenda of the AARP! My god what will they do next?
From Postcards From Nowhere, do the following, and pass it on:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Use what’s actually next to you.
···Apparently the Bush Administration has refused to host the royal newlyweds (once they marry) at the White House because Camilla Parker Bowles is a divorcee. I think this is rather ridiculous, and what an international snub. How many people would be kicked out of the White House if they started using marital criteria as a standard? Or maybe it's not really about divorce - maybe they really suspect that Camilla is a lesbian!
(source: Charles & Camilla Caught As Bush Gay Marriage Attack Spreads To Heteros)
This goes under the "What the hell?" catagory. I posted my 2¢ on Feb 2 about the anti-gay license plates. I think I made my thoughts on that pretty clear. Lo and behold there is no need for them anymore! Why is that you ask? Is it because people are now enlightened? no! Is it because they outlawed cars? more likely than the previous question Is it because all the gay people moved out of Virginia? one might think so. But the real reason for the anti-gay plates not being produced is that the man who wanted them says that since the anti-gay marriage laws have passed the House and Senate, there is no longer a need for the license plates. WTF?
But I thought the plates were supposed to send the message that the people of Virginia aren't ashamed of traditional marriage. What will young straight kids think - that hetero marriage is bad? What will they do without the license plate messages? Is it possible they could learn from their parents? Or maybe the license plates were just a bad idea to begin with...
(sources: Virginia Anti-Gay License Plates Gain Momentum, Anti-Gay License Plates Die)
I was impressed with ER from last week - I just watched it on TiVo the other night. Dr. Weaver met her birth mother. In case you didn't know, Dr. Weaver is a lesbian. And as fate would have it, her mother is a born again Christian who thinks homosexuality is a sin. The two have a very interesting conversation just after Weaver comes out to her mother, and I think it encapsulates much of the arguement and dialogue that goes on between the LGBT community and the religious right.
One thing that is a pet peeve of mine is when a salesperson ignores me (or both my partner and I) to help someone who is older and looks like they are wealthier. This weekend at the Home and Garden Show we walked by a booth that carried some home entertainment items. We saw one that we liked, spoke with the salesperson about it, and were just about to hand over the credit card when an older, more well-to-do looking man walked up with his wife and began inquiring about the same item. The salesperson actually turned his back to us, and had an elaborate discussion with the guy. Meanwhile, I'm looking at J like WTF... So we just turned and walked out. His loss.. besides we found what we were looking for cheaper somewhere else.
Alan Keyes' daughter says she is a lesbian
Lynne Cheney may be a "selfish hedonist" according to Alan Keyes, but he's a sorry excuse for a parent. Disowning one's own child because she or he is gay - is it lack of love or is it selfishness? Maybe both... I am reminded of how lucky I am. My parents took awhile to come to terms with my being gay, but never for one moment did I doubt that they loved me.
Reading the article though, I wonder why she worked on his campaign. Life is so full of contradictions...
When you open your mailbox and see a letter that says that someone will be passing close to where you sleep tonight, normally one would call the police. But this letter is different. It's not a stalker, not a killer... It's the holy spirit.
Apparently it will be passing by my home this evening, and this lovely church was kind enough to send advance notice. And of course His travels cost money, so I'm encouraged to send something and it will be prayed over to make my wishes come true. In the brochure it says that people have gotten raises, cars, homes, warehouses, trucks, mobile homes and health. It's like the holy lotto. It's just so amazing that it includes a little slip of paper that I need to keep in a safe place to receive my blessings. It's not so hard to believe - like they say, you reep what you sow. "God mulitplies your money..."
Funny, I always thought the sowing part was good deeds and faith. But I guess if the holy spirit wants money I should comply. No one wants to make angry the one who passes near your home.
Canada official rejects marriage vote idea
...calls for a referendum are being made by those opposed to lesbian and gay couples having access to marriage and are an attempt to sideline the true issues.
He added that if a referendum on whether women had the right to vote was offered at the time of discussion, the measure would have failed, because minority rights are often overlooked by the national majority.
Canadians have equality and the Charter of Rights. Canadian politicians understand how to protect minority rights. Americans have prayer and the Bible. American politicians know how to use the minority to gain power.
Went for a Geocache today in Climax, Kansas. About 3 miles from the main road along dirt and gravel roads I ended up near a river in what looked like it might be a cornfield. Didn't take too long to find the cache once I realized I didn't need to scale the steep slope down to the river. I was the 16th person to find the Rice Bridge Cache which was carefully hidden behind pieces of an old tin roof. I'm sure I'm the only one to sign the log book from Ohio.
It was so nice to be out in the middle of almost nowhere - nice and quiet and peaceful. Not that I was roughing it by any means with my GPS, cell phone and XM radio in tow. But to be able to turn it all off and be alone with only the sound of the wind and the river was refreshing. I really need to go camping this summer - I miss that feeling.
Abandon all pretense of what things should be, and so begins the search for truth.
I took a bit of a flight yesterday on Delta (Comair actually) so I thought I'd share my observations.
Good:
New planeside valet luggage tags. Those people who think that a suitcase is a carry-on and then proceed to hog all the overhead bins have been stopped. Delta puts a pink tag on oversized items that are loaded onto the plane as the passengers board. Then when you deplane, they give you your oversize bag that would have fallen on my head when the compartment doors were opened.
Amusing:
Not so good:
Virginia Anti-Gay License Plates Gain Momentum
My plates say "Fuck Virginia."
I've been reading that there are some budget problems between Halliburton and the US government. Apparently not enough has been budgeted to meet Halliburton's figures. For instance, KBR (a division of big H) says it needs $10 billion per year to feed, house and provide other services for the 150,000 troops in Iraq. Umm.. I must be missing something - perhaps that other services part is what I don't get. Because if you divide that up, it's about $66,000 per soldier per year. $182/day. When I see food and lodging, I figure the "other" is basic services like laundry, etc. If there's not some other major service included in that figure, we're getting ripped off.
Another fun fact, before the war it was budgeted to cost $60 billion. This is making someone a lot of money...
(source: US faces 4-billion-dollar budget gap for feeding troops in Iraq: report)
