Indy Star Voter Guide
If you always wonder, when standing in the voting booth, how to pick candidates for the less well-known political offices, the Indy Star's interactive voter guide goes through each of the candidates, provides information about them, and lets you make selections and print out a cheat sheet to take to the voting booth with you. Very nice. I don't know...
Politics
Proud member of the "reality-based" community. [1009 entries.]
Video Debunk: Kantor video about "Indiana" is faked
There's a video clip circulated by notorious nutjob Michelle Malkin making the rounds; it's of Democratic advisor Mickey Kantor, who is currently advising on the Clinton campaign. The scene is an edited clip from the 1993 movie "The War Room" about the 1992 Bill Clinton campaign. The movie followed Kantor, Stephanapoulos and Carville as they worked to get Clinton elected....
District 7 candidate Woody Myers threatens to sue blog
I've mentioned before that I'm voting for David Orentlicher in the primary as the Democratic candidate for Julia Carson's former seat in the U.S. Congress. The slated Democratic candidate and current office holder is André Carson (elected in March in a special election) but I'm just not convince that Carson has enough experience. David has been a State Representative for...
Press attempting to push Hillary out of the Race
Eric Boehlert at Media Matters for America has some interesting points comparing Hillary's ongoing campaign to past presidential races: Looking back through modern U.S. campaigns, there's simply no media model for so many members of the press to try to drive a competitive candidate from the field while the primary season is still unfolding. ...And the fact is, the media's...
The New York Times comes to Kokomo
My family is originally from southeastern rural Iowa, and regardless of the small town life aspect, they're very well-educated and don't talk like hayseeds and goobers. Sit down and talk to them about the election and they have intelligent, thoughtful conversations about the issues. They have slightly different political agendas than those of us who live in cities, but rural...
"Reading Is Fundamental" Literacy Program in Danger
If you're about my age (39, that is) the commercials and reading programs for the nonprofit program RIF - Reading is Fundamental - are probably as vivid a childhood memory for you as they are for me. Not only were they played during Sesame Street and the Electric Company, but they were part of the reading films we saw in...
Indiana political blogging
Sometimes it's really entertaining for all the wrong reasons....
And a not-so-funny video
John McCain has said he can see us still being at war in Iraq in 100 years - here's how that could happen....
Credibility
My post below about Butler student Evan Strange who asked Chelsea Clinton an inappropriate question spawned an interesting response. I received several emails from Butler student Lauren Laski defending her fellow student. I'm not going to go into detail of what they said, other than that Lauren really needs to take a logic course while she's there at Butler. But...
Moron Butler student insults Chelsea Clinton
Leave it to an idiot Hoosier to embarrass the state of Indiana now that we're in the national spotlight. I'm sure it's the first of many bonehead moves Hoosiers will make when they see television cameras. From the Chicago Tribune: INDIANAPOLIS - The college student who got a stinging brushback from Chelsea Clinton when he asked about the Monica Lewinsky...
WTF? ABC News is full of shit
via Shakeville - this lovely gem appeared on ABC news yesterday. What the hell is this about? Do they actually think that WE think this is news? Do they think anyone seeing this wouldn't recognize it for the sexist, misogynist smear job that it is? I was sorta halfway still on the fence between Obama and Clinton, given how close...
What the liberal hawks got wrong
Slate has an interesting series of articles posted by several liberals who supported the Iraq war in its early stages, entitled "Why Did We Get It Wrong?" I applaud their willingness to recognize that they were indeed wrong, but I wonder why they're not asking the other question -- why didn't they listen to the people who had it right?...
Lovely
I guess I should have expected a denial of service attack on my site; that's about the level of ethical behavior in the Republican base in Indianapolis politics. It's been almost exactly a year since I wrote "I Am Not an Activist" and after that scaled back my writing about local political issues in favor of more relevant topics. In...
The Ripple Effect
I presumed yesterday's post on the special election would cause some consternation, but it's always interesting to see how these things play out. Bil Browning of The Bilerico Project asked me to cross post my entry there, which I though would be fun. From there, Abdul Hakim-Shabazz, radio personality and erstwhile former blogger at IndyUndercover got all up about it...
March 11 District 7 Special Election
I've been saying I'm going to write about the March 11th special election, and I haven't forgotten that. I actually have had a REALLY long post written about it since Friday, but I've revised it 10 times and can't quite get out what I really want to say... so I'm starting over. Hopefully you've all figured out by now that...
So much to blog, so little time
I actually have things to write about lately, but haven't geared up to do it. Lets see, where were we when we last tuned in? Oh, yeah, I was probably playing Packrat. Well, the gloss has come off that Facebook game somewhat, as I got collected most of the cards I could get a hold of easily and was stuck...
Electoral Compass 2008
I've taken Political Compass quizzes on more than one occasion in the past on my blog. This new Electoral Compass is a different take - it's written in flash, for one thing, and it places you on the compass with current electoral candidates. Here's my score on the current one: Compared to previously in 2003: And one I took in...
McCain's counter to Obama's "Yes we can" video.
Awhile back I linked to the Obama "Yes we can" video... here's the (fake) McCain response to it....
HB 1197 - Data Breach Bill
A message from local blogger Chris Soghoian on legislation in the Indiana statehouse: 11 Indiana State Senators will be voting on an important data breach bill next Tuesday (the 12th). This bill (which I helped to draft with my local state representative) will shed a significant spotlight on companies who lose or misplace sensitive consumer financial and other personal information....
Election 2008 and Hillary Clinton
A while back I posted about my belief that the media was illustrating a sexist bias against Hillary Clinton in their coverage of election 2008. Erinposte actually collects and documents numerous examples of it here in s fascinating catalog of anti-female hate. And pop matters has a great list of helpful hints for Hillary, compiled from various media reactions to...
Election 2008
Two things I discovered via bilerico.com... This stirring music video of Obama's post New Hampshire primary speech. I'm still not sure whether I'm voting for him or for Hillary, but either way, I'm going to be getting a more intelligent, articulate candidate than the utter imbecile in office now, so I'm happy either way. On the other hand, long-time AIDS...
Hillary is getting the bums rush
This go around, I decided to take some time to watch some of the candidates out on YouTube - listening to them speak versus what the media is saying. So for the past couple weeks I've been pulling up the Democratic candidates and watching what they say, then comparing to the news coverage of the same event. Here's my conclusion:...
Just the facts...
The stats, via Shakesville: If you were ever in any doubt about the supremacy of White, Protestant Patriarchy in this culture, let's do a quick review, OK? 232 Years as a Nation 42 Presidents 42 White Presidents 42 White Male Presidents 42 White Male Christian Presidents 41 White Male Protestant Presidents 1 White Male Catholic President (who was assassinated in...
Gee, that sounds familiar...
Remember a couple days ago when I said If it were up to me.... and I proposed a new way of doing the primaries that would be more fair? That post did get linked to by about 40 sites... but apparently not everyone likes to give credit. Check this out on Shakespeare's Sister: It wouldn’t have to be hard. Divide...
District 7 Special Election will be Tuesday, March 11th
From the Indy Star via Taking Down Words: Republican and Democratic state party officials have agreed on Tuesday, March 11 as the date for a special election to select Rep. Julia Carson's successor. State Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker said Friday he and GOP Chairman Murray Clark had recommended the date to the governor's office. Gov. Mitch Daniels must set...
Iowa Caucus Stats
Here's an interesting stat about Iowa's Caucus Total Voter Turnout (approximate): 356,000 Percentage of total vote: 24.5% Obama 20.5% Edwards 19.8% Clinton 11.4% Huckabee (R) Despite Iowa's rather convoluted caucus rules on the Democratic side, they still turned out more voters for Democrats than for the more straight-forward Republican process. That is a REALLY an interesting statistic, although there could...
If it were up to me...
The U.S. would have five days of political primaries, each a week apart, starting the last week of March. The first primary day would consist of the 10 states with the smallest voting population; the rest would increase upward until the fifth week when the largest voting states would hold their primaries in the final week of April. Then there...
50 Most Loathsome People of 2007
The Beast's list of the most loathsome people of 2007 is excellent, especially #9: 9. You Charges: You believe in freedom of speech, until someone says something that offends you. You suddenly give a damn about border integrity, because the automated voice system at your pharmacy asked you to press 9 for Spanish. You cling to every scrap of bullshit...
One of many reasons
why Mike Huckabee shouldn't be president of the U.S....
Rishawn Biddle Gets Fired
I've been trying to avoid writing about local politics of late, just because the bile and animosity therein was way to much to deal with given my increased workload at my place of employment, and because others do a much better job of saying what I would anyway. On occasion here, I've ranted about Indy Star editorialist Rishawn Biddle, who...
for the BIBLE tell me so
for the BIBLE tell me so is an award-winning documentary that looks into scripture and "in the process reveals that Church-sanctioned anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon a significant (and often malicious) misinterpretation of the Bible." Check here for a listing of current screening locations.
Bush was spying on U.S. Citizens Before 9/11
From the Washington Post: Former chief executive Joseph P. Nacchio, convicted in April of 19 counts of insider trading, said the NSA approached Qwest more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to court documents unsealed in Denver this week. Details about the alleged NSA program have been redacted from the documents, but Nacchio's lawyer said last...
Former Top General in Iraq Faults Bush Administration
From the New York Times (presented to you without comment on my part): WASHINGTON, Oct. 12— In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq, the former top American commander called the Bush administration’s handling of the war incompetent and warned that the United States was “living a nightmare with no end in sight.” In one of his first...
Dear Rena Corey
Dear Rena Corey, Please come over and clean my house. I have a lot more important shit to do. Thanks! Steph M....
Best Acceptance Speech Ever
"A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. Can you believe this shit? Hell has frozen over. Suck it, Jesus, this award is my god now." -- Kathy Griffin, accepting an Emmy award for her show Kathy Griffin:...
Rolling Stone: The Great Iraq Swindle
From the five page long Rolling Stone article, just a small section that will ruin your morning: Your testimony over, you wait out the rest of the hearing, go home, take a bath in one of your four bathrooms, jump into bed with the little woman. . . . A year later, Iraq is still in flames, and your president's...
among the things that pissed me off today
Somehow or other, in a recent email exchange on gayindy.org, I managed to miss this little paragraph in one of the emails regarding the city-county council elections until just a few minutes ago, and now I'm pretty blind with fury at it: Now let's go a bit further and talk about why the message in that email is very important....
The first tool you should reach for...
Sigh. This leaves me less than enthused with my local political party, two months before an election. Sure, you can go to Bart's page, but ya wanna tell me anything about my city-county council? Please? Or, ya know, what day the election is and how to find a polling place. Sigh. This really doesn't make me feel any better:...
America's Toe-Tapping Menace
From the opinion page of the New York Times, a piece by Laura M. MacDonald: WHAT is shocking about Senator Larry Craig's bathroom arrest is not what he may have been doing tapping his shoe in that stall, but that Minnesotans are still paying policemen to tap back. For almost 40 years most police departments have been aware of something...
Bizarre Police Behavior at a Canadian Protest
UPDATE: Quebec police admit the three men in the video were indeed "undercover" officers; although the claim they were not there to instigate any violence. Wonder what that rock was for, then. Police attend a very large Canadian protest against George Bush dressed as "protesters" to attempt to rile up the crowd so they can make mass arrests - dressed...
The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See
The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever SeeAdd to My Profile | More Videos...
Newsweek's Howard Fineman seems to be smoking the crack
Howard Fineman on the Chris Matthews Show, discussing the Democrats in 2008: Mr. FINEMAN: If they can't win this one, the Democrats deserve to go the way of the Whigs, which is a political party that disappeared. Now why did it disappear? It disappeared because it couldn't deal with the biggest issue of the time, which was slavery. MATTHEWS: Right....
I think Bryan Caplan is a fucking dickhead
Oh, the things I have to say about this New Yorker article on economist Bryan Caplan's book "The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Politics." And alas, no time to say them, because we have to go out the door. But I'm putting Bryan Caplan on the list of arrogant jackholes whose shins I intend to kick...
Why do They Hate Us?
From the article "Why do They Hate Us?" by Mohsin Hamid in the Washington Post: When I mentioned the final campaign of the Cold War to my fellow freshmen at Princeton, few seemed to know much about it. Eighteen years later, most people I meet in the United States are astounded to learn that the period ever occurred. But in...
Bart Peterson's Letter to Marion County Property Tax Payers
Making the rounds via email: July 20, 2007 Dear Neighbors: We have taken the first important steps toward long-term property tax reform. The Governor’s order of a Marion County reassessment is welcome news to our friends and neighbors who have been shocked by the unacceptable tax bills issued this month. Thanks to the reassessment, Marion County tax bills will be...
Iraq Vets Describe Common Civilian Casualties
The Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness: "I'll tell you the point where I really turned," said Spc. Michael Harmon, 24, a medic from Brooklyn. He served a thirteen-month tour beginning in April 2003 with the 167th Armor Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, in Al-Rashidiya, a small town near Baghdad. "I go out to the scene and [there was] this little,...
Rich College Republicans want you to fight in Iraq, so they don't have to.
Max Blumenthal takes us on a hilarious and shocking tour of the College Republican National Convention, where the GOP's next generation cheer on the war in Iraq, then make sorry excuses for why they can't serve....
Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Ties Dog to Roof of Car
I'm a couple weeks late on this story, but it bears repeating. According to Time Magazine, and itchmo.com, Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney tied his family dog's crate to the roof of the car for a 12 hour trip on the road. It was 1983 and Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor and now presidential candidate, was going on a vacation with...
Rich white douchebags count on racism to win in 2008
During a panel discussion of the 2008 presidential election on the July 15 edition of NBC's Meet the Press, syndicated columnist Robert Novak asserted: "Republicans are very pessimistic about 2008. When you talk to them off the record, they don't see how they can win this thing. And then they think for a minute, and only the Democratic Party,...
Feel Good Inc.
Via Shakespeare's Sister, via Andrew Sullivan:...
Al-Qaida has rebuilt, U.S. intel warns
From the Associated Press: WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded al-Qaida has rebuilt its operating capability to a level not seen since just before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, The Associated Press has learned. The conclusion suggests that the group that launched the most devastating terror attack on the United States has been able to regroup along the Afghan-Pakistani...
A Must-Read Article: "A Mistake of Historic Proportions
Kathy Kattenburg, one of the bloggers over at Shakesville posted a must-read article on the state of the middle east, Iraq, and the world-wide catastrophic consequences that will occur if we make the of trying to attack Iran. People were writing similar prescient words before the Iraq invasion; if we had listened to them, we might not be in the...
"I'm here to shoot a pilot"
Boing Boing is questioning whether this is actually true, but it seems to be making the rounds and has shown up on numerous news sites: Director Mike Figgis spent longer at LAX airport than intended. He'd arrived in Los Angeles, along with half the acting and directing world, for what is known as 'pilot season', when the big studios try...
Al Gore's Office
Check out how cluttered Al Gore's Office is. (From Time Photo Series.) Nice monitor set-up. That would be awesome....
Joss Whedon on the "Honor" Killing of Dua Khalil
Joss Whedon recently wrote a long piece about the "Honor" Killing of Dua Khalil, and asked that it be posted on Whedonesque, an unofficial fan site of his work. I haven't written anything about this event, although I read about it on several blogs, because it's the kind of occurrence that leaves me chilled with anguish and a feeling of...
Unitarians at Arlington National Cemetery
Stephanie had some interesting news from her family today - Years ago when her Opa was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, his headstone was configured with the flaming chalice - the Unitarian Universalist symbol. Later her Oma was buried next to him, and recently her cousin Chip went out to visit them, and the flaming chalice had been changed -...
Crothersville Hate Crime Murderers May Get Off Easy
Advance Indiana continues to follow up on the story I noted earlier of the brutal hate crime beating murder of Aaron Hall in Crothersville, Indiana. Gary Welsh reports the criminals are being charged lightly given the bias and brutality of the crime, and may even get off with an outrageous manslaughter conviction. Read the details. Gary also notes that no...
Thoughts on the Jesus MCC Bilboard Campaign
Awhile back, I wrote about the second part of Jesus MCC's anti-discrimination campaign here in Indianapolis, involving six provocative billboards. At the time, I said "I like it!" without putting a whole lot of thought into the matter. Soon after that, I caught sight of one of the billboards, at 38th and College. I have to admit, it's pretty impressive...
Another Indiana Hate Crime Death
From WTHR, a story on a man who was beaten to death in Crothersville, Indiana because his attackers thought he was gay: Police found Aaron Hall's badly beaten body hidden inside a garage on Sunday. Charged in connection with the murder were 19-year-old Garrett Gray, 18-year-old Coleman King and 21-year-old Robert Hendricks. Police made the arrests after receiving a tip...
Ohio Election Fraud
Um, yeah - a really interesting tidbit of information from Slashdot: goombah99 writes: "Netcraft is showing that an event happened in the Ohio 2004 election that is difficult to explain. The Secretary of State's website, which handles election reporting, normally is directed to an Ohio-based IP address hosted by the Ohio Supercomputer Center. On Nov. 3 2004, Netcraft shows the...
A Federal Prescription Drug Database?
In some of the Virginia Tech news coverage, this caught a few people's eye: Some news accounts have suggested that Cho had a history of antidepressant use, but senior federal officials tell ABC News that they can find no record of such medication in the government's files. This does not completely rule out prescription drug use, including samples from a...
Indiana Intolerance - Day of Silence Leads to Anti-Gay Bomb Threats
I've mentioned an event the past couple of years - the "Day of Silence" is an annual, nationwide school event designed to bring attention to the bullying, harassment and violence directed at gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered kids in school settings. This years event was yesterday. In New Castle, Indiana, the event lead to bomb threats and other violent threats,...
Jesus MCC's New Campaign
The second part of Jesus MCC's anti-discrimination campaign is rolling out here in Indianapolis, and it involves six potentially provocative billboards like this one: I like it....
Regarding SJR-7
I just wanted to say that there are a lot of hard working people who were tireless in getting SJR-7 stopped in its tracks. I'm afraid to start naming them, because I'll manage to leave someone out - but every single person who was involved in the grassroots effort worked hard - much harder than I did - and I...
Catholic Archbishop Doesn't Know Difference Between Sex and Rape
In commenting on Italy's current proposed same-sex civil unions bill, Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco revealed that he doesn't understand the difference between sex and rape: “Why say 'no' to forms of legally recognised co-habitation which create alternatives to the family? Why say 'no' to incest?” he said at a meeting of Church workers, according to a report in La Repubblica daily....
SJR-7 Language rejected as flawed by ultra-conservative Bork
Bilerico contributor Don Sherffick testified before the recent House Committee meeting on SJR-7, noting that the language for the flawed second paragraph of the bill originally came from an early draft of the Federal version of the amendment - a draft that was later re-written considerably. That revelation caused some comment and concern amongst committee members. And now Advance Indiana...
Statewide religious coalition speaks out against SJR-7
From iconindiana.org: Indianapolis – The Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination (ICON) today spoke out against Senate Joint Resolution 7 (SJR-7) in a letter to the Indiana General Assembly. The letter, which is signed by 130 Indiana clergy, leaders of faith communities, and other religious professionals, opens with, “Our backgrounds and those of the people we serve vary widely. Our views on...
Lilly Opposes SJR-7
As reported in the Indy Star (and by bilerico.com, Advance Indiana and Taking Down Words): Eli Lilly has joined several other large Indiana corporations (Cummins, Wellpoint, Dow AgroSciences) in opposing SJR-7, the Marriage Discrimination Amendment: "As a result of this uncertainty (over what the amendment's impact might be,)" Murphy wrote, "some employees may choose to leave Indiana to work in...
Tactics and Techniques of the National Woman's Party Suffrage Campaign
Something that caught my eye as I was wandering through the Library of Congress photographs of the women's movement... Tactics and Techniques of the National Woman's Party Suffrage Campaign Summary Founded in 1913 as the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (CU), the National Woman’s Party (NWP) was instrumental in raising public awareness of the women’s suffrage campaign. Using a...
The ERA is back! Awesome!
Holy crap, I was really surprised when I read this on Shakespeare's Sister, and then read the WaPo article: Federal and state lawmakers have launched a new drive to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, reviving a feminist goal that faltered a quarter-century ago when the measure did not gain the approval of three-quarters of the state legislatures. The amendment,...
Indiana Newspapers Against SJR-7
I was in the middle of putting this post together when Bilerico beat me to it... Newspapers that have come out against the SJR-7 marriage discrimination amendment legislation: The Marion Chronicle-Tribune The Bedford Times-Mail The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette The Indianapolis Star The Bloomington Herald-Times The Evansville Courier & Press The South Bend Tribune...
Colts raise $20,000 for Anti-Gay Group
This is being discussed in the comments on my post on Tony Dungy - but it bears pulling up to it's own entry - at the Indiana Family Institute Dinner, the Colts sent merchandise to be donated off in an auction, which raised $20,000 for the organization to oppose gay rights and to support SJR-7. Seats for the event at...
House committee tables SJR-7 vote
According to Bil from Bilerico: The House Rules and Legislative Affairs committee listened to three hours of testimony regarding SJR-7, the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions. After several members of the committee commented that they'd like more time to review the testimony before voting on the matter, Chair Scott Pelath closed the hearing without holding...
I'll be burning my Colts gear
According to the Indianapolis Star: Colts coach Tony Dungy said he knows some people would prefer him to steer clear of the gay marriage debate, but he used a speech Tuesday night to clearly stake out his position. Dungy told more than 700 people at the Indiana Family Institute's banquet that he agrees with that organization's position supporting a constitutional...
Why do straights hate gays?
By Larry Kramer March 20, 2007 DEAR STRAIGHT PEOPLE, Why do you hate gay people so much? Gays are hated. Prove me wrong. Your top general just called us immoral. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is in charge of an estimated 65,000 gay and lesbian troops, some fighting for our country in Iraq. A right-wing political...
House Joint Resolution 15 (HJR 15) Assigned to Committee
House Joint Resolution 15 (HJR 15), the legislation formerly known as SJR-7 and the marriage discrimination amendment, has been assigned to committee in the house. It's been placed in the House Rule and Legislative Procedures Committee. Please contact the members of this committee (information below) to oppose this legislation - for Democrats, remind them that putting this on the ballot...
I Am Not An "Activist"
I hate the word activist. Mainly because it's one of those right-wing propaganda, tar-and-feather, hot button words that Frank Luntz cultivated to brand liberals as crazy folks who are out to burn down your house and roast your kids on the bar-be-que. (Read more about Frank Luntz and his language campaign - it's important to know if you're at all...
Schoolyard Taunts
Ann Coulter on Fox News: "The word I used has nothing to do with sexual preference. It is a schoolyard taunt... It isn't offensive to gays. It has nothing to do with gays." As I've said before, there are souls out there in the universe for whom the word faggot was the last word they heard as they were beaten...
Smiling is a Sign of Subservience
This is interesting -- a new study shows that people smile more when they have a lesser status, as a form of appeasement. Which frames this fierce discussion on Shakespeare's Sister in a new light....
Ann Coulter Calls Candidate John Edwards a Faggot
Reported in numerous places (see video), yesterday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (in front of a crowd that included 2008 Republican Presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), former Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) as well as Vice President Dick Cheney), right-wing pundit Ann Coulter had this to say: "I was going...
Nigerian Advisor: Same-sex relationships make you retarded
From Tide Online: About four percent of Nigerians are involved in same sex relationship, Special Adviser to the President, Prof Friday Okonofua, has said. Okonofa disclosed this at a public hearing on a bill to prohibit same sex marriage and relationship, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs, in Abuja. He said the number cut across all...
Apparently, I'm Chopped Liver
Hmmmm - I guess my 20,000 visitors a day don't rate a mention on Indiana Equality's thank you letter for the Rally organizing... Many, many other businesses, organizations and bloggers contributed greatly to Monday's success by promoting participation in the rally. A big thanks to Advance Indiana; American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 62; American Values Alliance;...
Contacting Your Legislators about SJR-7
I've mentioned this several times, but it bears repeating. If you haven't contacted your legislators about SJR-7 (or even if you already have!), you can do so in a number of ways. Two sites have easy contact forms you can use, that look up your legislators for you based on the information you provide. You can use either or both...
Bias Crimes Legislation Pending Before Indiana House
Bias Crimes Legislation Pending Before Indiana House Make Your Voice Heard! Tell Your State Representative why Bias Crimes legislation is good for Indiana. House Bill 1459 (Bias Crimes) authored by State Representative Greg Porter (D-Indianapolis) will be considered by the full House of Representatives during the week of February 19th. HB 1459 amends Indiana's sentencing law to add the following...
The Man in Black
Video of Johnny Cash - the man in Black
Video from the Rally
Video of the Rally and Protest outside House Speaker Pat Bauer's office. Updated with a better copy of the video... The young man you see in the foreground here on the left is the fellow that Mark St. John grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the protest to argue about why the Democrats went into caucus during...
500 attend Rally, House Democrats Hide from Constitutents
About 500 people attended the Rally in the Indiana Statehouse, organized by Indiana Equality to address SJR-7, the amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and to support the hate crimes bill, which will include sexual orientation and gender identity. There were several speakers, including Candace Gingrich, lgbt civil rights activist and sister of Newt Gingrich. See all 52 of my...
Rally Reminder
Please don't forget there's a rally tomorrow against SJR-7 at the statehouse -- indoors, 1 - 2:30 p.m. in the North Atrium of the Indiana State House, 200 W. Washington St. (enter North Entrance, off Ohio Street). Candace Gingrich will speak at 1:40 PM. Many of you have President's Day off tomorrow - please attend the rally. You would not...
Comparing the Indiana Legislature to the 20's KKK is NOT Hyperbole
I'm sorry, RiShawn Biddle, but if you studied your history, like Chris Douglas and Gary Welsh have pointed out to you in several posts, you'd know better that to call it hyperbole. RiShawn is an editorialist for the Indianapolis Star, and posts to a "blog" on the newspaper's site -- which I still maintain is bizarre - if you write...
SJR-7 Will Eliminate Purdue's Health Care Benefits
As Gary Welsh rightly points out in a must-read article on SJR-7 and Purdue University's health care benefits, the infamous second paragraph of the proposed amendment will indeed eliminate health care benefits for unmarried partners that are currently used by 31 employees of the university. The question is raised in the Lafayette Journal and Courier - where the university employees...
'I hate gay people,' former Heat star Tim Hardaway declares
From the Sun-Sentinel: A week after retired center John Amaechi became the first active or former NBA player to publicly acknowledge he was gay, one of the most popular players in Heat franchise history offered a blunt view on homosexuality Wednesday during a radio interview. Former Heat guard Tim Hardaway, who had been making public appearances for the NBA, said...
I am Spartacus
Joining the swelling throng of people who are supporting Shakespeare's sister since her resignation from the Edwards campaign due to the misogynist rants of William Donohue. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus. Spartacus....
Liberals
"Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them...
Melissa Resigns Too
Damn it, this sucks. Melissa's McEwan's statement: I regret to say that I have also resigned from the Edwards campaign. In spite of what was widely reported, I was not hired as a blogger, but a part-time technical advisor, which is the role I am vacating. I would like to make very clear that the campaign did not push me...
Edwards Blogger Resigns
Although John Edwards decided against firing the two bloggers from his campaign that were under attack by notorious homophobe and anti-semite Bill Donohue, one of them, Amanda Marcotte, has decided to resign anyway. Days after Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards decided against firing two liberal bloggers with a history of inflammatory writing, one resigned last night with a blast at...
Rally at the Statehouse - next Monday
The rally -- called the "Read the Fine Print" -- will feature Candace Gingrich, sister of Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. WHAT: "Read the Fine Print!" Rally at the Statehouse WHEN: Monday, February 19, 2007 from 1:00 pm -- 2:30 pm (Presidents Day) WHERE: Indiana Statehouse, North Atrium, 200 W. Washington (Enter off Ohio Street)...
Right-wing lies about SJR-7
On the opinion page of today's Indy Star, Sheila Suess Kennedy, associate professor of law and public policy at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs in Indianapolis, (and one of my neighbors - she and her husband live a couple blocks away) comments on SJR-7, the amendment to ban equal marriage rights: It isn't just the hatefulness....
SJR7 Passes Senate
The bill to amend the Indiana Constitution to ban Marriage Equality passed the Senate today. As Gary Welsh notes on Advance Indiana, the right-wing hate battalion have managed to achieve something that even the KKK weren't able to do when they held total control of state government - disenfranchise an entire unfavored minority group. Here are the brave handful of...
Queer Quotes
Why can't they have gay people in the army? Personally, I think they are just afraid of a thousand guys with M16s going, "Who'd you call a faggot?" -- Jon Stewart
The Notorious Al-Gebra Movement
At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez said he believes the man is a member of the notorious...
SJR-7 Passes Senate
The controversial, discriminatory Senate Joint Resolution 7 - to amend the Indiana Constitution to bar equal marriage rights - had a second reading in the Senate today, and was passed by the Senate, much to the State's disgrace. Apparently an amendment to remove the highly ambigous second paragraph of the bill was voted down, even though a similar paragraph in...
Melissa gets to keep her job
I mentioned yesterday that there was some question about whether blogger Melissa McEwan, aka Shakespeare's Sister at the site of the same name, would get to keep her job with the John Edwards campaign after complaints from the nutty rightwing blowhards over things she's said in the past on her personal blog. Turns out that she does get to keep...
Catholic League Bill Donohue Quotes
According to transcripts of his speech at Justice Sunday: The most insane idea I've heard in my whole life, of two men getting married, I mean - that's something that you expect in the asylum, quite frankly. Donohue on MSNBC: Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It's not a secret, OK?...
Melissa McEwan is a Goddess
One of my favorite writers ever is Melissa McEwan, who hosts a group blog called Shakespeare's Sister - which I link to all the time here, so you should be at least familiar with it if you follow along with what I write at all. Melissa is one of the most eloquent, intelligent writers I've ever run across. She seems...
Dan Savage Takes on Mary Cheney's Hypocrisy
Dan Savage calls out Mary Cheney's hypocrisy on suggesting she should be allowed privacy from media scrutiny for her decision to have a baby with her lesbian partner Heather Poe: In today’s New York Times Mary Cheney defends her decision to get her lezbo self knocked the fuck up. Like her father, Mary Cheney believes she shouldn’t have to answer...
Why don't you speak for yourself, John?
I'm going to emphasize my point at the very beginning of this post, rather than toward the end: If you don't want people to speak on your behalf -- to potentially agree to things you don't agree with, or to make decisions for you -- then you have to speak up yourself. If you don't do that, you bear at...
SJR-7 Update
SJR-7, the bill to amend the Indiana Constitution to prevent equal marriage rights for gay people, was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today, and will soon be presented to the full Senate for voting - probably next week. That's pretty bad news, especially since two amendments to the legislation that were presented were struck down and it will...
My Testimony on SJR-7
The SJR-7 legislation to amend the Indiana constitution is going to be heard in committee tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. The committee will meet in the Senate Chambers - 3rd floor of the Indiana Statehouse (200 W. Washington Street in Indianapolis). Everyone is invited to attend - a good crowd against the legislation will make an impact, so if you...
Tony Dungy to Speak For Anti-Gay Hate Group
This is really disturbing - Colts coach Tony Dungy will be speaking at a dinner for the Indiana Family Institute, which is a right-wing hate group whose primary purpose is to promote hatred towards gay people. Make no mistake about what their goals really are - in the same way the the Irish Republican army has a legal, public face...
"What You People Should Do"
I'm shamelessly cribbing this post by Chris Douglas from bilerico.com, because it's so true and bears repeating in as many places as possible -- so hopefully people like RiShawn Biddle with see it. As long as we're contemplating the advice from the straight community about the strategy employed by various sectors of the gay community, I'll add my own beef....
How Islam Rationalizes Prostitution
A bizarre sexual practice sanctioned by Islam that has re-emerged in Iraq because we invaded, according the the Washington Post: Temporary 'Enjoyment Marriages' In Vogue Again With Some Iraqis BAGHDAD -- Fatima Ali was a 24-year-old divorcee with no high school diploma and no job. Shawket al-Rubae was a 34-year-old Shiite sheik with a pregnant wife who, he said, could...
Retrofitting with Square Wheels
One of my favorite writers, Ian Williams, has this to say in a recent blog post: There are three issues, for me, that bear specific importance to the survival of my family: drastically reducing our carbon output, jumpstarting research on stem cells, and securing ALL loose nuclear materials in the world. If we make headway on those things in my...
bilerico's new policy
I read with excitement this piece on Bilerico.com: Looking at last year's news cycle, one option had a high degree of success at influencing voters' behavior, setting back a large segment of the conservative movement, and generally providing a modicum of entertainment value for the masses. What was it? "Outing" the hypocrite. Think Ted Haggard or Mark Foley. I'm sick...
Rishawn Biddle and Questions on Hate Crimes
Over on the Expresso blog, Rishawn Biddle asks this question regarding the current hate crimes legislation in the house. 3.) Can the supporters of the hate crimes penalities proposed in House Bill 1459 muster up evidence that gays are being murdered or assaulted at any higher rate than the rest of the population? More importantly, doesn't the laws currently on...
Rally at the Indiana Statehouse to Oppose SJR-7
A while back, I wrote about SJR-7, the bill to amend the Indiana constitution to eliminate equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, and I urged people to contact the legislators responsible for this atrocious piece of legislation. Well, there's more you can do. Indiana Equality is organizing a rally at the State House to oppose this amendment, and to support...
Nigeria Outlaws Existence of Gay People
According to the UK Gay News site: A new bill, currently being debated in the Nigerian parliament, is the most comprehensively homophobic legislation ever proposed in any country in the world. Its extremism is rivaled only by the death penalty that exists for homosexuality in several Islamic fundamentalist states. The bill is primarily concerned with banning same-sex marriage, but its...
John Edwards Evoke Martin Luther King
Excerpt from John Edward's speech in New York: Forty years ago, almost to the month, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at this pulpit, in this house of God, and with the full force of his conscience, his principles and his love of peace, denounced the war in Vietnam, calling it a tragedy that threatened to drag our...
Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment Introduced to Indiana Legislature
As Bilerico is reporting - the massively flawed legislation to put an anti-marriage equality amendment (banning civil marriage for same-sex partners) on the ballot for voting had been re-introduced to the legislature. Here's the proposed bill: DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Definition of marriage. Provides that marriage in Indiana consists only of the union of one man and one woman. Provides...
A Letter to John Edwards on Marriage Equality
A letter posted on Pam's House Bend is a great help in sorting out the marriage equality issue for fair-minded people, so I'm reprinting it here in full... Dear John Edwards, I have read about some comments you made recently in New Hamphire about marriage equality for gay and lesbian Americans. The article quoted you as saying: "Civil unions? Yes....
John Edwards is using Act Blue for Fundraising
That's pretty cool that John Edward's campaign website collects contributions by connecting to ActBlue, the website that raises money for democratic candidates. I used Act Blue to solicit campaign contributions during the last election, and found them to be well organized and easy to set up. I like Edward's website as well; very nicely done....
Bush Makes with the Crazy Talk
The Washington Post has a recent interview with Bush in which he, um, talks more crazy than his usual batch. Check out these: As he searches for a new strategy for Iraq, Bush has now adopted the formula advanced by his top military adviser to describe the situation. "We're not winning, we're not losing," Bush said in an interview with...
UK Terror Plot - charges dropped on key suspect
Here's one I'll bet you don't hear in the news -- and I'm sure it won't be noted on certain local blogs at all. One of the key suspects in the "War on Liquids on a Plane" boondoggle of August was released due to lack of evidence. A Pakistani judge has ruled there is not enough evidence to try a...
The Catholic Church Has a New Policy on Gay People
This happened earlier in the week, but I haven't had time to address it before now. If you know me, you know I grew up Catholic and have had somethings to say in the past about the Catholic Church and their behavior towards gay people. Catholic Bishops have officially approved new guidelines concerning ministry to gay people that basically say...