GayWisdom

A Lovely Video - Nothing Taboo

A Profile in Courage

There just isn't much more to add to what this New York State Senator offered before the defeat of marriage equality in New York State, except that this is what leadership looks like. 

World AIDS Day

It's World AIDS Day. 

That's nice.

...and I'm reminded of some Black comic's comment about February being "African American History Month"..."typical...we get the shortest month."

Which is to say, one day to remember is woefully shy of the task. 

I remain angry at the homophobic, puritanical, punishing, sex-fearing, "christian" response to HIV-AIDS. And how long it took Ronald Reagan to even say the word "AIDS" (and that it took the death of a closeted movie star and a heroic Elizabeth Taylor to finally get him to utter it.) I remain angry at the idea of "innocent victims" of this disease. 

I remain angry at how little memory there is for how Gay people responded to this, growing up, growing together, growing institutions. How little memory there is for how Gay people fed and sheltered and cared for one another...and angry that my friends are still sero-converting in 2009.

I remain angry at how brutally expensive AIDS meds are in the U.S. (and how cheap they are elsewhere) while the nimrods and the bloviators and the moralizing hypocrites in the Congress (yeah...I'm talking to you Joe Lieberman!...you ugly asswipe!) squash a public option...the only real way to provide competition to the profit-seeking, blood-sucking insurance companies...that would provide healthcare coverage for every American citizen, just like every other industrialized nation in the world! 

Shame on the Senate. Shame on our elected officials. 

Shame on the churches who came so late to the aid of the neediest and who still foment discrimination against gay people.

And every time I hear another fear-mongering "news" report on H1N1 and the vast over-reaction to it (several thousand people die from the flu annually, H1N1 or not) and how people with HIV were shunned by their communities, deserted by their families and died in fear, it makes me want to break something. And it makes me wonder ...it makes me sad... to think of how things might have been different if the reaction when "Gay cancer" first appeared had been anything approaching the H1N1 hysteria.

YES WE CAN!

If you are on Facebook...and who isn't these days?...you can now help White Crane. JPMorgan Chase is promising that the first 100 eligible organizations (and White Crane is eligible) with the most votes, will receive a $25,000 grant and will have the opportunity to  share how they would put $1 million to use. 

Then, Facebook users will vote on those top 100 charities. Chase will grant the charity receiving the most votes $1 million, with the five runners-up getting $100,000. Additionally, an Advisory Board will distribute an additional $1 million to the organization of their choice from all that are nominated.

So please...if you are on Facebook...take a moment to help White Crane.

Pretty please.

It Doesn't Get Better Than This...

Urvashi Vaid. On fire with poetry and blazing wisdom...I love this woman.

Congratulations Pete & Dan

'What do you think we fought for at Omaha Beach?

Testimony given for and against Maine's marriage equality bill on April 22, 2009. Nearly 4,000 people attended the hearing, with marriage equality supporters out-numbering the opposition 4 to 1.

GET A TICKET!

Gavin Creel...from Broadway's HAIR...sings about Going to D.C. for the GLBT March

Sinead's Hand

With thanks to Franklin Abbott, a perfectly concise picture of marriage equality, from Ireland.

Honor Ted Kennedy: Healthcare for Everyone

A friend posted this link on Facebook, and I can't think of a better way to honor Ted Kennedy than to get Congress to get off their,...um....dime...and pass legislation. Single payer. Universal healthcare. Now.

  Go to this website, and sign the petition.