I’m taking this as a sign that I would be a good parent. Because I still have my parent’s set (and it goes away after we’ve been drinking, we’re not stupid)
You can tell the haters are really reaching for straws, when they’re attacking random swaths of all kinds of people: for adopting children. And just remember, NOM is a certified hate group, hopefully this will make some other people notice.
So, my thoughts on the new pope: it’s awesome that he took the name Francis, as he’s one of my favorite saints. Also cool that he’s a Jesuit, although I think that I always heard they had the sterotype of buying lots of land and making lots of money, which is the opposite of Pope Francis, who rode the bus to work! Now, just like the other 114 cardinals, he still hates the LGBT community, women and you know, anyone who’s different, not that I expected anything different though. More importantly, the new Archbishop of Caneterbury is enthroned on Thursday!
Because adding Batman is awesome:
E. L. James, the “author” of 50 Shades of Grey, is publishing a writing guide. Excuse me as I go throw up.
Awesome note from a dad to his son. It popped up in my newsfeed at work and I teared up a little bit:
This of course, comes after Rob Portman, sitting Senator from Ohio comes out for Marriage Equality. You know, when it affects his son. Yes, we’re happy that he’s supporting equality, but you should be able to see the need for equal rights without it personally affecting your immediate family.
Sooooooo, at the big conservative political gathering last week, there was a real life, true racist walking around. Now to be fair, there are crazy people everywhere, but it’s fun to point this out.
Some big news from the BSA: Both Train and Carly Rae Jepsen have cancelled their concerts at the National Jamboree because of the membership ban. Jepsen has been welcomed by the Canadian Scouts (she’s Canadian, by the way), and the world jamboree is a joint effort by the scouts of the USA, Canada and Mexico (but hosted here in WV), but here’s the bigger question: Did anyone at national even watch the “Call Me, Maybe” video to the end? The guy Carly is drooling over is gay. You’d think that would have tipped them off that she’s interested in equality.
Also in BSA news, petitions were delivered to the National Geographic channel, asking them to cut “Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout,” or at least put a disclaimer before it. Personally, I don’t really care either way, I can’t imagine it’s going to get great ratings, only based on the fact that I don’t think Nat Geo is included in many cable packages (but I may be wrong).
As Conclave approaches, I have a new candidate I want to support:
As a young New Yorker questioning his sexuality during the Reagan years, I turned to the Boy Scouts, Ed Koch, and episodes of Magnum P.I., to reaffirm my red-blooded masculinity. One would think the Scouts were my best bet to be on the straight and narrow. But after securing Merit badges in bird watching, gardening, pottery, and theater—to say nothing of the extracurricular fun we had earning the plumbing and leatherwork merit badges—I came to realize that I was, well, screwed. It was as if I were living in my own private Yossi & Jaggerprequel (but with regrettably fewer Israelis). I’m not blameless—and should have seen the signs earlier. With form-fitting military uniforms and requisite neckerchiefs, overnight camping trips in close quarters, and the National Jamboree—whose slogan is “Go Big. Get Wild!”—my heterosexuality didn’t stand a chance.
It’s kind of funny, and I’m sure, very common.
The BSA cites the U.S. Constitution in defense of its admission policies, reminding critics that if we don’t like the way they operate, we don’t have to join. Many corporate sponsors, including Intel and UPS (but not yet Verizon. Can you hear me now?) have taken them up on their offer.
This is a valuable lesson for everyone to learn. Yes, it’s a private organization, and we don’t have to join. And by the same token, we don’t have to donate. And we don’t have to remain silent to encourage others to stop donating.
And, more importantly, it’s not as if we’re asking for permission to join. We’ve been members for as long as the organization has existed, we’re just asking to be allowed to be honest. You know, trustworthy.
I never realized that the “honest and trustworthy” portions of the Boy Scout oath operated on a sliding scale.
You’re safer leaving your son in the care of a man who says that he’s gay than with a man who says that he’s not.
Next up, Literally Unbelievable, one of my favorite blogs hits it out of the park (and so of course, so does The Onion):
And here’s the deal, some kids know they’re LGBT when they’re in kindergarden. Some people don’t figure it out until they’re in high school or college. Some anti-gay, Republican lawmakers still haven’t figured it out (Larry Craig), the point is we’re each on our own journey. What we should be worried about is supporting all kids, giving them a place they feel safe and helping them become better community leaders.
Lawmakers in California are mulling stripping the BSA of their tax exempt status. Now to be fair, that policy should be extended to all groups that discriminate, not just the BSA, nor do I think it will pass, but it’s interesting to see. Non-profits work on a shoe string budget, and this would certainly cause some cuts to be made.
You may have heard that the BSA will hire convicted criminals, but not anyone who is LGBT. This looks like it’s just a local council application, but, it is actually illegal to deny employment (at least I think it is) based on criminal background. You can certainly find something else, but that can’t be the official reason. The reason the BSA can discriminate against the LGBT community is because they are a 501(c)3, which are normally exempt from non-discrimination laws, such as what we have in Allegheny County.
“Now that the armed forces ban on openly gay service members has been lifted, and polls show increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage, most American voters think it’s time to open up the Boy Scouts, too,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac’s Polling Institute.
James Dale, from the original lawsuit, has spoken out again in support of lifting the ban:
With this one letter, the work to which I had dedicated more than half of my young life came completely undone. I was devastated. Yet, it was precisely the sense of leadership, respect, equality and community that the Scouts had instilled in me that would not allow me to accept this injustice, done not just to me but to countless other young gay people who had found a home in the Boy Scouts of America. Not fighting my expulsion from the Scouts would have been a betrayal of all I’d learned in the Scouts….
…If sexual issues are not brought up in the Scouting environment — and in my experience, they never were, until an outside party publicized my homosexuality — that’s all the more reason that it should not matter if some members happen to be gay. It has no impact on their ability to earn an American heritage merit badge, join the Order of the Arrow or achieve lifelong Eagle Scout status.
And just remember, the hateful policy affects people, but we carry on. An Eagle Scout and EMT was killed by a drunk driver. Flags were at half mast and the community has been rocked. And he made a moving It Gets Better video:
As the vote that didn’t happen approached, 1.4 million signatures were delivered, President Obama reaffirmed his stance that the program should embrace equality (so did Romney by the way) and the Human Rights Campaign has said what we’re all thinking though, that the end of the ban as proposed, still would leave rampant discrimination. I don’t think it will happen, and I think their proposal is a small first step, but a step in the right direction. I guess I’m torn, but I’ll take any progress.
Two gay brothers share their Scouting story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFdmNx9drzE
Ameriblog also covers the Mormon Church. They have a chance to make a difference, to embrace their own dogmatic change they made last year (proclaiming that LGBT persons can be members of their church), but time will tell. I’m not holding my breath.
And this is just a reminder, there always have been LGBT members of the BSA and there always will be. We’re just pushing for equality, trustworthiness and an organization that tells an entire swath of the population that they are broken.
And that’s what we have to change. I fight for this change, not for me (although I would like to go back to volunteer at camp), but for the kids coming after us. They all need our support, straight and gay, and the BSA needs to be a program that is inclusive and affirms that all youth, no matter their sexuality, have worth.
First up, the music video made from all stock footage:
If you haven’t seen it yet, the saddest map in America: by state, how most people post in Craiglist’s missed connections.
I’ve mentioned it before, but just a reminder, the Republicans are only okay with the Violence Against Women Act if it specifically doesn’t protect the LGBT community.
I talked about it before, but the AP has finally come to its senses and is using the accurate terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ for all married couples.
And the human jukeboxes:
Rob lays it out. Remember, if you exercise free speech for your faith (and the haters agree with you), it’s okay. But use that same free speech to disagree, and you’re satanic.
