If Sen. Obama, as reported, invites Rick Warren, the California megachurch hustler, to give a benediction at the Inaugural, I won't be there, I won't watch it, I won't listen to it, I won't read about it, I won't give one frigging thought to anything Obama has to say. He'll have driven a stake right into the heart of his Gay and Lesbian supporters.
Oh, so you support "marriage between a man and a woman," eh, Barack? Easy for you to say, you hetero-privileged, tax-subsidized bigot. Where's the "change" I can believe in?
Powerful Network Coverage from the Moment We Made History ...
The differences were clear in the VP debate, as it relates to civil rights for GLBT people and their families.
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots of 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at it's core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to it's founding promise of equality by treating all it's citizens with dignity and respect." (Barack Obama 6/1/2007)
As a gay man I want to take a few moments and express my feelings on this issue, as it is an issue I hold very close and dear to my heart. Hate crimes hit home when my boyfriend suffered from one. I hope he will get the opportunity to elaborate on this. I will let him tell his story. Please stay up-to-date on this blog as I don't know when he will have the opportunity to post his comments. Obama has a grwat vision for the future, and it is my hope that you will take the next few moments to review this.
1) Expand Hate Crime Statues
2) Fight Workplace Discrimination
3) Promote LGBT Rights
4) Support Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples
5) Oppose a Constitution Ban on Same-sex Marriage
6) Repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell"
7) Exapnd Adoption Rights
8) Promote HIV/AIDS Prevention
9) Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS.
In this blog I really want to focus on number one and six listed aove.
On October 12th, 2008 we will observing the 10th Anniversary of a tragic day in history. Matthew Shepard Passed away. I am sure most of you know the story, but for those of you who dont just follow the link posted at the bottom of this blog. Matthew Shepard was cold bloodedly murdered by two other men. Yet the two other men were able to argue teporary insanity. How was this allowed to happen ? What a travisty. Yes we have come some distance since then, but we sure ahve a long way to go.
When the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law took effect do you realize that stopped a lot of able bodied Americans like myself from wanting to serve in our military ? When this law passed what were they affraid of ? Is it because they think we are not capable of doing the same job as the rest of the men and women serving ? What were they thinking ?
Unfortunatly we may never know. All I do know is that I am not as free as people think I am being a gay man. What a travisty in a Country where the Constitution clearly states "All men are created equal ! !"
Barack Obama and Joe Biden see a few problems that I see as well with our failed healthcare system as it is today.
1) Millions of Americans are uninsured or underisnured becauseof rising medical costs.
2) Healthcare costs are skyrocketing
3) underinvestment in prevention and public health.
These two gentleman have come up with a wonderful plan
A) Provide affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage to every American.
B) Modernize the U.S. health care system to contain spiraling healthcare costs, as well as improve th equality of patient care.
C) Promoting prevention and strengthening public health, to prevent disease, as well as protect against natural amd man-made disasters.
This blog is a direct post from Obama's Vision for Security In The 21st Century
1) ENDING THE WAR IN IRAQ
2) RESTORE OUR MILITARY
3) SECURE AND STOP THE SPREAD OF WMD'S
4) REBUILD OUR ALLIANCES
5) GLOBAL SECURITY AND OPPORTUNITY
Restoring our military is vital. Let me take the next few moments to explain myself.
Facts:
1) 1.4 million troops have served in Iraq or Afghanistan: More than 420,000 troops have been deployed more than once. All but one of the Army's 44 combat brigades have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and 1/4 of these fighting units have been deployed 3 or more times.
2) According to General Peter Pace (Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff) 40% of Army as well as Marine Corps equipment is either in Iraq, or being repaired. In addition, the Army National Guard hasd just 1/3 of it's required equipment on hand today in non-deployed units due to war losses, and wera and tear.
Now in my opinion what would happen if we truely needed these men and women, as well as this equipment ?
Unfortunatly for us we would be sunk, before we ever got started ! !
Obamas plan to restore our military includes
A) Rebuild and Repair Military
B) Transform Military to Meets 21st Century Threats
C) Use of Armed Forces Wisely and Responsibly
Well here we are with our present administration, driving us further in the hole. Let me take the next few minutes to explain.
This week alone we had FOUR banking institutions go under because of the housing market. Upon the closing bell yesterday at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) we seen alarming numbers (7927.87 down 16.45). Then we also seen the Dow Jones Industrial slump to 11022.06 down 29 points.
Now let me take the opportunity to explain why this is a problem.
I hope as you all know the Dow Jones tells us what the manufacturing base in the US is doing. With these numbers continuing to slump that tells us that more and more industry is folding. In turn our NYSE is also slumping cause people can no longer afford to live.
Now if you were to take a look at the census report on homelessness you will find those numbers to be very alarming. Since our present administration has taken over, our last eight years have been a continuous decrease in our economy.
The following is a matter of my personal opinion, never the less it's my opinion why this has happened.
Immediately after Bush took office. We were hit be a "terrorist" attack. Yes I agree this was a horrible day in American history. But if you were to take the time to read the book "Bushworld", you would find this administration is very deceiving. I am not saying the attack never happened, but my question is "Did it happen exactly the way he said it did ?" According to the 9/11 commission report the answer is "NO." So we sceamed up the story that Saddam had WMD's (weapons of mass destruction) that he was hiding. So what did our administration decide to do about it ? He choose to send our troops to Iraq to finish the job his father didn't. Then we find out there were never any WMD's. Sounds like an honest President to me.
Since John McCain voted with our present administration to send our troops to Iraq. Can he be trusted to run the United States of America ? My answer is "NO"
Don't Forget to Vote No on Amendment 2 ...
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President .
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle.'
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was.
The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle.'
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with.
CNN and the Associated Press (AP). Have reported on a very disturbing issue today. If you wish to look at CNN's website feel free to view the story titled "Growing Tent Cities Blamed On Foreclosure Crisis."
In some of Americas major cities it appears we have tent cities popping up. Nearly 61 percent of homless coalitions from across the nation say they have experienced a rise in homlessness since the foreclosure crisis had begun in 2007.
Michael Stoops of the "National Coalition for the Homless" reported. "It is clear that poverty and homlessness have increased." "The economy is in chaos, were in an unofficial ressesion (which by the way our current administration denies), and Americans are worried, from the homeless, to the middle class, about their future."
It is reported that the situation hasn't been this bad since the 80's. I know as for me I can't remember a situation like this being so vital. I know our economy is in bad shape. Yet we have an administration that is willing to do nothing about except bail out big business.
Then you have John McCain who says he is all about change. Yet when you look at his voting history in the Senate you will find that his history expresses that no matter what our current administration wanted he was sure to go along and vote for it.
In my eyes if John McCain wanted to see change, he would have recognized the warning signs like Barack and did something about it. But since he chose not to do this. That proves to me that John McCain is not about the change America is in desperate of.
Matt and I meet a few weeks ago now. I would like you all to take this opportunity to make him feel welcome to our group. Matt is my boyfriend, and comes to the table with a lot of political experience. In 2002 he ran for the seat of State Rep., then again in 2006 he ran for the un-expired term for State Senator.
This is a video produced by HRC that includes interviews and statements by some leaders of the LGBT community in Chicago. These are the people who have worked with Michell and Barack, on the ground and in the community throughout the years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p1LNq_uRt4
Pass it on !
I have decided to start another MySpace page for our group One Million MySpace Friends for Obama/Biden'08! to hopefully register new voters. Show your support for this effort by plumping our friends list on MySpace and add us to your top friends!
http://www.myspace.com/thispage_8
Making lots of friend requests is a lot of hard work that has to be done every day to make the page a success. Please make a friend request so we can impress new voters with our numbers and advertise our page in your bulletins by reposting. I will be posting the address in bulletins.
Thanks for all you do!
Beth
Administrator and Founder
One Million MySpace Friends for Obama'08!
