Oh the Depraved Things Gays Do!

Ms. Massresistance posted a rant about the Improper Bostonian and how they were supporting "depraved" activities because they listed "Gay Happenings" in their magazine. Well, I just had to go out and grab one of those Improper Bostonians (relax Ms. Massresistance, remember I'm married, I grabbed a magazine!) Here's a few I found which she failed to mention:

• Under the Radar

This is Boston's gay, all-male, contemporary a cappella group.

• Out To Dance

This is a dance studio that teaches swing, latin and ballroom classes in a gay friendly atmosphere.

• Boston Uncommons

This is gay and lesbian square dancing club

• Boston Boasts

The nation's oldest and largest gay and lesbian squash league (for almost 15 years). Membership now stands at approximately 115 and consist of self-identified Gays, Lesbians and our Friends

So you can see for yourself how depraved the listings are. There are quite a few more with a heavy emphasis on sports, i.e., football, kayaking, etc... Check it out if you have any time in between indoctrinating the youth, taking down the religious right and destroying democracy.

As Auntie Mame said:

"Life is a banquet, darling, and most poor bastards are starving to death!"

Change?! Isn't It Enough I Change My Underwear Everyday?

You know it's a good sign when the anti-gay folk start quoting from "NARTH". NARTH stands for National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality. Ex-Gay Watch has been covering these wackos for a long time. In addition, a group in Minnesota has posted a fact sheet about these kinds of people who "claim" to convert gay people. You can read a little bit more about how loony NARTH is here.

Groups like NARTH (the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) say they are putting science to work in studying homosexuality and evaluating "treatments" for it. In fact, NARTH releases few detailed study results, none for peer review, and its public statements are frequently tainted by political and religious biases. For these reasons, NARTH has little credibility among mainstream therapists.

People like Article 8 and Massresistance are hell bent on getting the public to believe that gay and lesbian people are disordered. The fact that gays and lesbians live productive and happy lives, get elected to positions of power, raise children and can get married must really drive them crazy. So much so that it has come to my attention that Massresistance is taking to the airwaves! Sad, but true, well at least true by Article 8 standards. Here's the announcement from Article 8's email:

=== 2. GET THIS: MassResistance Weekly Radio Show debuts this weekend!! (Show will air twice each weekend.) ===
You say you want more in-depth coverage of what's going on? What you can do? Who's doing what? The resistance movement in Massachusetts?
Well, starting this weekend you'll get it -- and more! You can tune in to WTTT AM 1150 twice each weekend for an hour of information you definitely won't get from the rest of the media.

As you know, during the week WTTT broadcasts a full line of national talk, including Bill Bennett, Michael Medved, Dennis Prager, Michael Reagan, and others. This will represent their coverage of local issues!

The show will be taped on Friday, and broadcast Saturday morning and again Sunday evening. The exact times will be announced later this week (so watch the emails and website) but it will probably be 9:00 am on Saturday and probably at 7:00 pm on Sunday.

This should be exciting!

Of course, they are going to tape the show. Lord knows they wouldn't be able to handle people calling in and refuting their lies. I guess the radio show will be just like the blog. As much as they are crying out about being "silenced" they have no desire to have a real discussion of what they profess.

I have another link to a man Ms. Massresistance has written in the past about. This ex-gay man and his "wife" are hosting a radio show (wow! it must be contagious!) called "Straight Talk Radio" and it starts on Halloween, talk about scary! It's described as:

She's the woman that stole his heart. He's the former homosexual man. Now married and on a mission...they're out to set the record straight.

You've GOT to see their website and her hair! It's Christian Radio with an edge! Hat tip to Ex-Gay Watch for their continued coverage of these freaks.

Horrified, Shocked and Embarrassed...Not

Well, Ms. Massresistance got me. She outted me. She posted a profile which apparently, I have on AOL. Again, I have to thank her for telling me something I didn't know about or didn't think I still had:

Name: Chip, 34
Location: Boston, South End
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Very Single, looking for fun
Hobbies & Interests: safety boy here, no attitude
Favorite Gadgets: 6' 195, br/br 46 c 34w, goatee
Occupation: it pays the bills

As you can see from the profile that she lists, it gives my age at 34! How I wish! I haven't been 34 is quite a few years (let's say more than 5 but less than 10). Honestly, I could care less about her personal attack (AOL chattrooms were SO early 90's!) and more embarrassed at her pathetic research skills. Anyone with an AOL account could have obtained that information in May when I started this blog. I have nothing to hide and when I wrote it I WAS a SINGLE red blooded American male. Does she think I'm the 60 something virgin nominated for the US Supreme Court? Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself, let me step back. She starts off the post with:

What does this tell you about where the anonymous author is coming from? While he professes to be happily "married" to his "husband" Patrick, and to lead a homebody existence, his AOL profile seems to conflict with this.

As you readers can attest, the day I started this Blog I have always allowed comments AND I have provided an email address (more than I can say for her). I am happily married and I do have a husband, no quotes. However, my real name is SpongeBob Square Pants and my husband IS Patrick the starfish (he's not just my friend). I'm also the one the American Family Association warned you about.

Seriously, a few days ago Ms. Massresistance posted a rant about how she and her ilk are being "silenced in their communities". Its quite ironic that this same woman accused the "Left" of taking the following tactic:

If you can't prove the speaker's points are wrong or invalid, attack him personally. Also, accuse him of doing exactly what you are doing....

I rest my case. Oh and it case I've never been clear enough, sorry guys, I'm taken.

The King's a She & the Queen's a He!

Refreshing news from Illinois:

The homecoming king and queen of Buffalo Grove [Ill.] High School in suburban Chicago are a jock and a cheerleader, but they're far from typical. The boy is the cheerleader, the girl is the jock, and they're both openly gay.

And more:

So, how is it that a gay student and a lesbian win the biggest high school popularity contest?
"I think it shows that is our school, and maybe the generation as a whole, is just a little more progressive," Wohlner said.

Bravo! Although not everyone is happy with the choice that the student body made. Illinois Family Institute (Illinois' answer to the Mass. Family Institute) had this to say:

"For us, it's a sad thing," said Illinois Family Institute's spokesman Pete LaBarbera said. He claims that schools are too politically correct nowadays.

"Something that was once sort of universally regarded as a sin, is now becoming sort of cool in high school," he said.

First off Mr. LaBarbera, no one can tell anyone that they are gay, we realize that for ourselves.
Secondly, if you read your Bible, homosexuality was punished by stoning to death and eating shrimp and lobster was a sin too. What's amazing is that people like you think that this will "turn" more people gay which is very funny.

Everyone I know who is gay was raised by heteroseuxal parents and surrounded by heterosexuality. The positive aspect of this whole story is that these teens are proud of who they are. They can be a role model for other teens who may hear the nasty remarks by people like the Illinois Family Institute and think they are alone.

Who's Lying Now?

When the whole "David Parker Incident" happened one of the lingering questions was "How is David Parker connected to Article 8?" Article 8 was there at the school when Mad Dad was arrested, followed him to the police station (even took pictures of him) and then was at the court that morning. Brian Camenker appeared on FoxNews with Mad Dad and even organized the rallies at the court house and the Lexington Green. So how was Parker associated with Article 8?
I wrote this is June:

Amazingly, David Parker is still saying that he isn't in cahoots with Article 8 even though Article 8 sponsored the rally, he appeared on Fox News with Brian Camenker, called Article 8 when he was ready to be arrested by the Lexington Police and Article 8 has all the emails and correspondence that David Parker exchanged with the Lexington School System. (Is it me or does it seem like David Parker doesn't do anything without Brian Camenker/Article 8?)

BTW, the spin from the anti-gay side is that the state considers Parker innocent because they are not proceeding with the case. (I'm sure Parker's lawyer's defense was to keep putting it off running up costs to the DA's office) However, if Parker acts up just one more time in a year...well...we'll see.... Anyhow, just days after all of this occurs look what the Agape Press
posts:

Brian Camenker of the pro-family activist group Article 8 Alliance, a supporter and spokesman for Parker, says although the Lexington parent agreed to pre-trial probation, this outcome represents a caving in on the part of the District Attorney.

Hmm...who was it on David Parker's side (including himself) who said they weren't being represented by Article 8?

On the Radio...

While driving yesterday I heard an ad on WBZ. It started "I'm Rep. Emile Goguen..." The gist of the ad was that MA Rep. Emile Goguen wanted people to call the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and ask them to resign so "They can keep their retirement benefits". The Mass Citizens for Marriage are the sponsors of the ads. This is the group headed by Sally Pawlick, wife of Atty. J. Edward Pawlick (from the infamous MassNews). The same group that "collected" the thousands of signatures in 2000 to stop same sex marriage.

J. Edward Pawlick was counting down the days until "The judges were fired" but apparently he was concerned about the judges losing their millions of dollars worth of benefits. So he kept writing that the judges should resign, to save their benefits of course. He flew banners suggesting the judges resign. They never did.

Their tact now, it appears from the ad I heard and the one written on the MassNews website, is to get people to tie up the MA SJC phonelines with requests for the judges to resign. The ridiculousness of the whole thing is the question of how getting these 4 judges will actually stop same sex couples from marrying. It won't. (For some reason they even attribute Tom Finneran's leaving the legislature on same sex marriage which is a complete mystery since Finneran was against both same sex marriage AND civil unions)

I'm not an attorney, but I don't believe the departure of four judges would automatically void same sex marriage. Rather, another lawsuit, commenced by someone with standing, would need to wind its way through the court system giving this new SJC the opportunity to overrule its prior decision. The problem for the anti-gay folks would be to find someone who was harmed by the decision. They tried doing this before May 17, 2004 and it didn't work then. No one has been harmed since the decision either.

The Article 8 people would want people to believe the "David Parker Incident" was a result of same sex marriage in Massachusetts, except that David Parker was the reason for the "Incident" not same sex marriage. You didn't see lesbian couples holding up in the elementary schools in Lexington did you?

For a throw back to the 60's or even the Civil War era read Massnews' posts about Judge Ireland:

The bitter irony is that Margaret Marshall is from South Africa, one of the nastiest countries toward blacks. Many of them pointed that out when she was first appointed in 1996, saying that she was only using them to promote her own self. But Rick Ireland appears to enjoy being at her beck-and-call like a servant, although it hardly appears appropriate for the first black ever appointed to the SJC.

And this:

The people at Eliot Church also do not know that Atty. Pawlick has "black" grandchildren in that one of his daughters married a wonderful black man. Atty. Pawlick has always told his children that the color of a person's skin is unimportant in God's eyes and should also be unimportant in ours.

Yeah, some of my best friends are "straight" too.

What Would Jesus Do?

Well, well, well, the Boston Catholic archdiocese has allowed 13 foster children to be adopted by same sex parents because they HAD to, or so the president of the Catholic Charities says:

"If we could design the system ourselves, we would not participate in adoptions to gay couples, but we can't," the Rev. J. Bryan Hehir, the agency's president, told The Boston Globe in Saturday's editions. "We have to balance various goods."

Yet the next paragraph says:

The 13 adoptions -- a small fraction of the 720 placed by Catholic Charities in that period -- took place as part of a contract with the state Department of Social Services. The children placed with gay couples are among the most difficult to place, either because they are older or have physical or emotional problems.

Hmm...read between the lines. The Catholic Church would love to place all the children in pure heterosexual homes, however, apparently these pure heterosexual homes don't want children who are not perfect. So... the Catholic Church would rather have these "imperfect children" stay in foster homes rather than be placed in loving same sex family households, I mean they are only doing it because they have to. Jesus would be so proud!

The one bright spot in the article:

Hehir's viewpoint is not shared by all at Catholic Charities, however. Peter Meade, who is chairman of the board, told the Globe that the agency should be accepting same-sex couples who are willing to take in needy children.

"What we do is facilitate adoptions to loving couples," Meade said. "I see no evidence
that any child is being harmed."

So the laypeople get it, it's just the men in the Red Robes, you know, the ones who shuttled the pedophiles from church to church to new batches of children and then hid all the documentation who don't. They continue to hurt children.

MWF seeks Gay Happenings.

Ms. Massresistance is back to the future now. Apparently she is done (for the time being) ranting about happenings that took place a while ago. I addressed this sometime ago when she was reliving the 70's so I will try not to relive the past!

Well, she's back and she's badder than ever AND she's reading the Improper Bostonian, only the gay "happenings section" though as it appears from her post. Once again I find out something from Massresistance I didn't know anywhere else, that the Improper Bostonian has a large gay listing service. Thank you Improper Bostonian! Could it be that the Improper Bostonian will be next on Article 8 and Massresistance's Banned Newspaper list (well, they tried to do it to BayWindows AND the Boston Phoenix)

I just hope they don't attack the newest cable station to be added to the Comcast lineup, LOGO.

For the first time ever, Gay America has a home on television where we can go to see ourselves. On Logo you will see more than 200 lesbian and gay films, an ongoing documentary series, newscasts tailored for a gay and lesbian audience and quality original shows and specials. Programming that reflects our lives. Programming that tells our stories.

And it's FABULOUS! If you're in Boston its on channel 281. While I do hate commercials, I do like to see who advertises on LOGO since they are supporting our community. Do check them out.

Mad Dad Admits Nothing

Well, it seems like the State will not pursue the case against David Parker. His lawyer said in the Globe today that the State "does not want to go forward with this". Of course, when you know you're guilty blame it on the other side. Mass Marrier has covered how Parker, supposedly doing a "proud thing" by standing up to the school now refuses to take any responsibility for his actions.

Mad Dad Clucks Again
Itty-Boo, Mr. Parker
and more

You'd think he'd want to be heard in court however he has supposedly reached some kind of deal with the State. We shall see.

Also, if you didn't catch it, Parker was on ABCnews last night. Filler/fluff piece. It's also covered on the ABCnews website. IMHO, Parker does come off as a doofus even showing his child on camera (so much for wanted to shield he's child from the controversy) Brian Camenker put in his cameo spot too. It was a good showing from Lexington Cares who had a very credible spokesperson deliver the most coherent address in the piece. Lexington Cares now has a website. Check it out.

God Hates Newton & Fags

This is a follow up to a post I did a few days ago about the "Rev." Fred Phelps coming to Newton to protest the play "The Laramie Project". Well, it seems the story was picked up by the Newton Tab. (Hat tip to Chuckieo) It discusses the various people who are involved with the production and their thoughts, however, toward the end of the piece there are comments from...who else, Article 8's own Brian Camenker (take a deep breath):

Brian Camenker of Newton, president of Article 8 Alliance - an organization formed to remove state justices who support gay marriages - said that Phelps' proposed visit shouldn't come as a surprise.

"The play is about Phelps, so for him to want to protest it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone," said Camenker.

Camenker said he doesn't agree with Phelps' "whacked-out Calvinist" agenda, but understands the anger toward "The Laramie Project."

"It is a vile play - it is basically gay-propaganda full of a bunch of lies," said Camenker. "Why can't they do the 'Sound of Music?' Why do they have to do this kind of stuff that is so divisive?"

Divisive!? Did he say divisive? They're being divisive because they are putting on a play? It's not like they're burning the Massachusetts Constitution or advocating removal of Supreme Court Justices because that's not divisive, oh no. Also, so the play about a boy who was tortured and killed because he was gay is vile. Thanks Brian for clearing that one up.

He also said it was "gay propaganda full of a bunch of lies." Brian, what part of "The Laramie Project" is a lie? The part where they strung Matthew Shepard up on a fence and left him to die? The part where Fred Phelps and his clan protested Matthew's funeral? The play was written from interviews with the towns people of Laramie.

Brian, the play isn't divisive your statement is.

Dispatches from the American Heartland

I received an email from a reader who wanted to alert me to a blog called Bobo's World. The blogger describes the site as follows:

New York Times columnist David Brooks repeatedly tells us that true American values and the best sort of people can only be found in the American Heartland, where religion and tradition rule supreme. It was blogger Atrios who first started giving us dispatches from the real "Bobo's World," an idea so good I decided it needed its own site.

These are some interesting posts to this blog:

• Weekly church-related crime update, October 9 - 16
• Pastor, son charged with rape
• Just another day in Missouri...

I'll be adding it to the sidebar.

Do They Come With A Motorcycle?

I'm sure you've read about it already, however, I'll reiterate it just in case. The American Family Association, the same people who brought you the Disney Boycott, VW boycott, KMart Boycott and more are now contemplating a boycott of the American Girl dolls. Apparently, they are upset because the American Girl Company is selling a bracelet which says "I Can". The proceeds from the sale of the bracelet go to Girls Inc., a company which "Inspires All Girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold" Of course this goes against AFA because they still believe that girls should grow up to be June Cleaver, not that there's anything wrong with that, however, it should be the girl's choosing. Ouch, there's that word again, choice. They don't want girls to have a choice.

Oh, and AFA is upset because the Girls Inc site includes a link to resources if a girl is questioning her sexuality. I guess they just want them to ignorant about lesbians since they somehow want to believe that these women don't exist.

On a brighter note, the American Girls Company and Girls Inc are not giving into the threats and intimidation from AFA.

Recently, our mission to help girls develop their self-esteem and self-reliance has become the target of false, inflammatory statements from people who are pursuing a narrow political agenda.

Girls Incorporated stands on its long positive history. The millions of lives we have touched speak for who we are and our values. Thanks to all of you who believe in our mission of inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Together, we will continue to work to help all girls realize their potential.

In addition to the American Girl's website, you can also buy the "I Can" bracelet at your local Bath & Body Works Location.

That's What Friends Are For

Supporters of David Parker plan to be in the area this weekend to protest a production of "The Laramie Project" at the Newton South High School. Yes, Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church is at it again. (Do you think they will make an appearance at his court date on Thursday too?) Phelps responds to the Globe about the play in Newton:

''It's a tacky bit of banal fag melodrama without any artistic or literary merit or redeeming value," said Phelps in a telephone interview yesterday. (He also protested at Shepard's funeral.) ''Its only purpose is to promote the homosexual lifestyle or at least sanitize it in the eyes of straight America."

I must confess. When "The Laramie Project" first came out I didn't see it. It was then filmed for TV by HBO. I finally caught the HBO production this past year and I was floored. It was quite moving and beautiful. A big part of the story line is how Fred Phelps' group actually protested Matthew Shepard's funeral, no wonder Phelps is not happy. If you're able, check out the production and support the kids at Newton South. It starts at 7:30 Thursday through Saturday. Directions can be found here.

Still Out From Under the Rock...

Well, many readers have been wondering "Where is David Parker?" "Why hasn't Article 8 posted any new news on Parker?" or "Is Mad Dad still Mad?". Don't fret dear readers, Mad Dad is still around. He is supposed to be going to court this Thursday. Tonight he is appearing at an Article 8 fundraiser in Marlborough, MA. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall at that "event".

Additionally, ABCnews was around Lexington getting some footage and doing some interviews. Article 8 reports on this in one of their weekly emails:

=== 3. David Parker (and Brian Camenker) on national ABC Evening News this week - before Thursday - see Article 8 website. ===
As we mentioned in our last email, the horrific David Parker incident has shocked people across the country. Last week, the ABC Evening News came and filmed David Parker, Article 8 President Brian Camenker, Lexington Superintendent Paul Ash and of course, a local homosexual activist.

When will it be on? On Friday, the producer told us that it will definitely be on BEFORE this Thursday -- the date of the start of Parker's trial. So that means Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. We'll be in touch with ABC News every day to find out -- and as soon as we know we'll post it on www.Article8.org.

Can you see the producer at ABCnews banging his head against the wall at these people. "HE'S CALLING ME AGAIN!" I can't wait to see (if they ever air it) how they come off. If you've ever seen their bit on Foxnews, they are hilarious! It seems its all about getting on TV before his next scheduled court date.

Note: I guess it also doesn't matter to the readers of Article 8's updates that the "homosexual activist" is actually a heterosexual woman, but then again, do they really care about the truth?

I also got an interesting email from a reader who sent me this interesting post on David Parker. It's a funny read.

Surrender Dorothy...um...I mean Margaret

Well, today is the big day that Massnews has been squawking about for months. They even had a count down, well, at least until a few days ago. Today was supposed to be the last day that the legislature would vote on Rep. Emile Goguen's resolution to remove the 4 "rogue" judges who voted for marriage equality for same sex couples. I'm guessing they also believe that the heavens would open up, shine down upon Article 8 (who was right all along!) and all the same sex couples who got married will just disappear. Children of those couples would miraculous become children to heterosexual couples consisting of one man and one woman, no single family households for me thank you very much!

For the past few months, Massnews has been reporting heavily on the banners that have been flying over Massachusetts telling the justices to "Resign now or lose your benefits". Apparently, they even few banners over the Big E in Western Mass. Ok, I must admit it, this does seem a little like the very gay Wizard of Oz with the Wicked Witch flying over Oz writing out "Surrender Dorothy".

Hmm...is it a coincidence that Margaret Hamilton played the Wicked Witch and Margaret Marshall is the Chief Justice of the Mass. SJC? Makes you think UH! wink, wink! (At least I bet that's what the Article 8 and Massnews people are thinking)

Anyway, back to Massnews. Here is a bit of what Massnews had been reporting on this whole "Remove the Judges" craziness. They even take credit for Birmingham and Finneran leaving the legislature (However, they haven't quite taken credit for all the anti-gay legislators who were voted out, Birmingham and Finneran left on their own accord).

The Wizard of Oz was right about one thing only we don't have to click our heels: There's No Place Like Home!

The Story Goes On...

KnowThyNeighbor.org has a link to an article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about fraud that is still going on with the Anti-Gay Amendment that Mass "Family" Institute started.

While employed by the firm, Ms. McElroy said, she saw one of her co-workers forge signatures from one petition to the other at the Square One Mall in Saugus, re-creating the original signer’s handwriting and address. She said she questioned the co-worker about what he was doing and was told that he was boosting his earnings by transferring signatures from petition A, which would allow wine sales in grocery stories, to petition K, which would put a ban on same-sex marriages on the ballot

Just remember, the people that started this all are supposed to be "Christians", yeah, they are quite Christ-like to me.

2 More Days Until the Vote to Remove the Judges?

Ms. Massresistance's current post got me thinking. In it she talks about how the "definition of marriage" shouldn't be up for a vote and how she and I guess Article 8 really believe that the 4 judges should be removed instead (how that will reserve the Goodrich decision is beyond me). Massnews was even counting down the days until the legislature would vote on removing the judges which is the biggest concern of the Article 8 group. I believe we should be at "2 more days" however, Massnews stopped counting.

It got me thinking because if this anti-gay amendment goes to the voters what then? What will happen when the voters finally decide that "No, same sex marriages have no affect on my marriage" or "Same sex couple are entitled to protections under the law". Do we honestly believe that these so-called family organizations will stop their crusade? I don't think so. They have their eyes on the U.S. Constitution which seems to be their last hope to discriminate against gay people.

What will happen when they "Let the People Vote" and the people say NO we don't want discrimination in our constitution?

Scornful or Just Mocking? Part I

Many of the anti-gay activists are hurt, broken, and angry people. Those of us who've been at the State House for recent big events have seen this up close, and we certainly sense their pain. But their level of discourse reveals the unbalanced, obsessive quality of their lives. We truly wish these people well. And there are many psychiatrists who can help them. Sadly, our good will is not reciprocated. Recently, many news outlets have reported on a public, well-orchestrated effort to strip gay people of what the Supreme Judicial Court termed a civil right by attempting to write discrimination into our Constitution. Gay and Straight citizens alike are under a constant barrage of hate and lies. Some of these communications have arguably crossed the line into deception, such as the documented cases of signature gatherers pulling a bait and switch with their petitions.

There are many examples of this kind of hatred and bigotry from one Ms. MassResistance. You no doubt will note her obsessive, frightening focus on personal details, including the need to print the e-mails and telephone numbers of everyone who ever disagreed with her. (A psychologist has told us, on the basis of these emails, that this is not a well person, and very concerning.)

History Repeats Itself

What's up with Mass News? Each day I would log onto the site to see how many days were left until the Massachusetts legislature voted to remove the 4 "activist judges". Here's a sample. Well, at least that's what this group believes will be happening by Friday, Oct. 14th.

However, today, oddly, they appeared to remove the header from the page. Gone are the articles about how Emile Goguen paid for a plane to fly banners telling the 4 judges that they should resign now or have their benefits taken away. The wit in these posts are reminiscent of the days when Pawlick himself (the original editor of Massnews) would write the articles and speak about himself in the 3rd person. Also gone are the articles about the Mass. Politicians trembling at Fate of Tom Birmingham and Tom Finneran.

All is not lost however, Mass Citizens for Marriage, headed by Sally Pawlick, 2nd and current wife of Atty. Pawlick of Massnews.com has paid for and implemented a barrage of telephone calls to Massachusetts residents to get them go against same sex marriage. A friend of mine received two calls from them. The calls originate from Mississippi and the recording identifies Mass Citizens for Marriage as the group sponsoring the initiative. This group was the one responsible for the signature drive in 2002 that seemed to be plagued with the same troubles as the current hateful anti-gay amendment. Only then they were switching race horse petitions instead of alcohol sales petitions.

What's My Line?

Call me crazy, but I love it when they attack their own. What I mean by this is Ms. Massresistance is attacking the Mass "Family" Institute because an immigrant law student intern was used to research and make strategic recommendations for the anti-gay group. Apparently, the intern was funded by the Alliance Defense Fund (Are we surprised that they need to get funding from people outside of our state to get the signatures AND do the legal work?)

One other funny part of the whole mess is on one of the pages at the Voteonmarriage.org website. They have a link for pastors to "preach on the sanctity of marriage" and they give sample sermons.

God's Design for Marriage and Family
Standing Up for Truth and Justice for Children
Taking a Stand for Marriage
The Safety of Natural Order

Well, I guess when you have all the intelligent pastors refusing to preach hate from the pulpit you have to help the less-intelligent ones by providing them with scripts. Again, the Mass "Family" Institute needs the help of the Alliance Defense Fund to advise churches on the legality of collecting signatures. And just look at the topics for sermons, The Safety of Natural Order? Isn't that what they said about blacks marrying whites? I guess they don't want to stand up for the truth and justice of children of same sex couples either.

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Sorry it has been awhile since last I posted, however, my husband (notice I didn't use "quotes" around it because we are legally married) and I took my Dad on vacation. Since my Mom passed away two years ago, we've been trying to make new happy memories for him.

Being around him really makes me miss my Mom. You see, they had been together for 47 years, next year would have been their 50th anniversary. What makes me miss my Mom more being around him is because they were such "a couple". They had done everything together. When my Mom had breast cancer my Dad was right there in the hospital when they found out the results (no he didn't serve her divorce papers like Newt G.). Literally the following week my Dad had a heart attack and my mother was right there by his beside fresh from her surgery. They did almost everything together. In the last days of my Mom's life my Dad sat by her bedside everyday and was with her when she took her last breath.

So it's clear to us that even after two years, my Dad still seems like he's missing a part of him. Unfortunately, this is part of marriage. When the one you love is gone, a part of you is gone also. Luckily, you still have your memories.

Day in and day out I treasure the memories we (my husband and I) are creating. Sometimes it is all too overwhelming, trying to refute the lies and propaganda the anti-gay forces are throwing at us. While they can try to take away our marriage and the future marriages of loving couples, they can never take away our memories.

The hate they spew forth is very ugly. Thankfully, I have a beautiful loving relationship with the man I love. He was with me and my Dad at my Mom's bedside. He was my strength (as well as my family's) as the final arrangements were made. My Mom loved Patrick very much and while she left this earth before we were allowed to marry, she would have enjoyed our wedding. I know she's watching over us and very proud. Families are important, ALL families.

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Once again, Chicken Little, aka Ms. Massresistance, is over there screaming "The sky is falling". She blames same sex marriages for all the "gayness" going around the state.

It's not that we disagree with the basic point of Sears' argument. Major societal disruptions can take decades or longer to manifest. Look at welfare or no-fault divorce. They didn't seem like such big deals in the year or two after they began.

Uh, Ms. Massresistance, you forget to mention removing segregation or allowing women the right to vote. Gosh, we've been feeling those effects for years. I mean really, people of color on equal footing with white folks! What is this world coming to? And women voting! Golly, feminism is the downfall of the traditional family, well, at least until same sex marriage came along.

But Sears misses what's happening on the ground here, and really bad things ARE happening. Maybe he should come visit our public places and observe all the same-sex couples brazenly making out, see "gay" men doing it wrapped inside an American flag on our billboards, or pick up filthy homosexual "newspapers" on the freebie shelves in our neighborhood supermarkets and in front of our post offices (where children can get them). All this has greatly accelerated in the last year and a half. Churches are being picketed by other "ministers" if they dare to say homosexuality is immoral. A website has sprung up to intimidate anyone who signs the new marriage amendment petition. Rowdy, juvenile parties are being held in the State House by queer activists. Trans workshops were held and the vile, pornographic Little Black Book was distributed at a GLSEN conference attended by young teenagers at Brookline High School.

I think what's so laughable is that all these things would have happened whether or not same sex marriage is happening or not.

• visit our public places and observe all the same-sex couples brazenly making out: Once again I wonder where she goes? I see more same sex couples holding hands, but making out? Oh, I forgot, in places that don't have same sex marriage the police arrest you for kissing someone of the same sex.
• see "gay" men doing it wrapped inside an American flag on our billboards: Holy voyeurism Batman, she's still obsessed with gays have sex! Note to Ms. Massresistance: Look at their faces, I assure you if they were doing it, they would have different expressions on their faces.
• pick up filthy homosexual "newspapers" on the freebie shelves in our neighborhood supermarkets and in front of our post offices: Does this line remind anyone of "Serial Mom"? Dirty filthy homosexual newspapers! Honey, Baywindows has probably been around longer than you've been a member of this Commonwealth. I mean can you believe it! They actually charge for Maxim, Playboy, Cheri, Hustler and Penthouse!
• Churches are being picketed by other "ministers" if they dare to say homosexuality is immoral: I guess this is terribly different than obnoxious "conservative" protestors picketing in front of churches.
• A website has sprung up to intimidate anyone who signs the new marriage amendment petition: No, the website has sprung up to publicize the name of people who want to take the rights of other citizens away. So I guess you and Article 8's postings of State Reps home phone numbers and email addresses are intimidation too?
• Rowdy, juvenile parties are being held in the State House by queer activists: Darn, I was at the Statehouse AND I didn't get invited to the parties: I just stood there singing and listening to the Legislature debate my right to marry the person I choose. Oh, I also heard the "Christians" screaming and howling in the back of the hall. (I guess they missed the passage in the Bible where Jesus tells them to not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing)
• Trans workshops were held: God knows this doesn't happen anywhere else in this country. The whole transgender population has descended on Massachusetts now that same sex couples can marry. They are coming out of the woodworks! And all those women wearing pants!
• the vile, pornographic Little Black Book was distributed at a GLSEN conference attended by young teenagers at Brookline High School: Oh, do you mean the vile pornographic book which Article 8 knew about on April 30th, the one that is so bad that it took them over two weeks to hold a press conference to announce? That book? The one that was created from a similar book in another state that doesn't have same sex marriages?

The biggest change in a year and a half has been Article 8, Massresistance and Mass "Family" Institute's constant threats of the doom and gloom to come. In my humble opinion, I still question why people like Ms. Massresistance are even allowed to raise children, however, that's my opinion. I'm not out there trying to take away their rights yet they insist on taking away mine.

Butcha Ya Are Kris Mineau, Ya Are!

A BIG lie that the anti-gay folks, Mass "Family" Institute and Ray "it's not against anybody, it's for children" Flynn keep saying about this "new" amendment is that it's not taking away anyone's rights. The Mass Anti-Family website has the following:

Under Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, it is nearly impossible to retroactively revoke rights that have been granted by judicial decree or legislative act.

Butcha ya are Blanche, ya are! You see there is something they are not addressing. Let me give you an example:

I love my husband dearly. We were married earlier this year. Each of us have the right under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to marry each other. When, unfortunately for me, I die (and it's after 2008) my spouse will not be able to get remarried. Now as I said earlier, I love him completely AND I would not want him to be alone in the years following my death so if the right person comes along, I would surely want him to get remarried. However, under this new amendment, he would not be able to get to. So his marriage rights ARE revoked. I won't even get into the debate about how a single gay or lesbian person who has the rights to get married today will not have it after 2008, if the amendment gets passed.

Can you imagine what Newt Gingrich would do if he wasn't allowed to marry this three wives? Likewise, Ronald Reagan wouldn't have been able to marry Nancy Davis and make her first lady. These people ARE trying to take away our rights, plain and simple. We have the right to marry (Yes, Ms. Massresistance, there are no quotes around marry because we CAN get legally married in this state and no amount of you saying its illegal is going to change that fact)

True Lies

There's an article in Today's GLOBE about "Discrimination Against Gay Couples Sunday" which was held at churches in the Commonwealth yesterday. The Anti-gay group that is sponsoring the amendment hopes to get about 120,000 signatures. Raymond L. Flynn, a former mayor of Boston and Vatican ambassador whose name appears on the petition as one of its chief sponsors of the anti-gay initiative appeared at the Cathedral in the South End.
By Nov. 23, they hope to have far more than the 65,825 certified signatures needed to advance the amendment toward the statewide ballot.

''We're a good third of the way there," said Larry Cirignano, executive director of CatholicVote.org, a Boston-based group that is helping to coordinate the effort. He was at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston's South End yesterday, where scores of parishioners signed their names to the petition. ''This has been great. It's a good start. There's no question we're going to have the numbers."

Really?! A good start? Wow, how things change in a few weeks.

''We have a high level of confidence, and it's going to be a fun time," said Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, a group leading the initiative effort. ''It will energize our base. . . . Our strategy is to let the people vote."

That was when they expected to get ALL their signatures in this past weekend. Although now it seems like they have to pay to get people to sign their petitions. And look that their quotes, "This has been great", "it's going to be a fun time" there probably haven't been people so happy that they were discriminating against people since the last KKK rally.

Well, I'm sure their get signatures, however, they believed that they would have done it all yesterday, I'm sure they are getting nervous. When more than 1000 people show up for a pastor's last mass (and this pastor advocates for equal treatment of ALL people) and it doesn't say how many appeared at the Cathedral to hear the bigot O'Malley you know something is up. O'Malley hardly ever appears at the Cathedral anymore and there are usually only a dozen or so people at the church. I'm betting that once again, the Cathedral had only a handful of people there and it's an embarrassment to the Bishop.

Good vs Normal?

In today's Lexington Minuteman there is another letter from Mad Dad's attorney (credit to Mass Marrier for the nickname). It seems Neil Tassel is upset that he was quoted incorrectly by another "Letter to the Editor" written by a high school student. Tassel says:

According to a letter written by Eric Eid-Reiner, of Russell Road, I made the statement that one "child's family (or maybe the families of some of his friends)" was "not as good as others." That statement is untrue. Not only did I not say such a thing, and never would, but it represents the grotesque manipulation of fact that continues to frequent any discussion concerning Mr. Parker's position.

However, as one loyal reader pointed out, Neil Tassel wrote in his July 28th OP-ED defending Mad Dad:

"The fact is that Mr. Parker, an intelligent individual with a Ph.D., takes exception to specific belief. That belief is that a gay couple with children is a normal and morally equivalent family structure which is equally beneficial to the ultimate goal of any family, the wellbeing of the children being reared."

So which is it? Are we to believe the OP-ED which he must have spent hours writing, or an impromptu press conference? I guess the word in question is "good". From these two statements I read that Atty Tassel believes that one child's family is just as good as another family, however, it's Mad Dad who believes that a gay couple with children are not normal or morally equivalent to an opposite sex couple with children. Thanks for clearing this up.

Sell Your Soul for Hatred

Some of the readers here have been forwarding me "updates" from Article 8 and Mass "Family" institute. The first thing the emails say is:

Help by Donating!

Please consider a tax deductible gift today to help MFI continue to work for the families of Massachusetts

Right off the bat they are looking for money. I didn't realize that MFI is a non-profit. If there are people out there in the know, please get me information on how we can find out who is supporting this anti-gay anti-family group since donations must be made public. I find it hard to believe that a group which discriminates so blatantly can be a non-profit.

Anyway, back to the email updates (from Article 8):

Playing hardball: Lexington, MA superintendent refuses to relent on order keeping parent David Parker off school property! Last week, David Parker's son's first grade class held "Back to School" night. Parents were invited to come to class, and the kids would show their parents their desks, their projects, their drawings.
And the parents would get to talk to the teacher and other parents and kids. It's always a cherished time.

But David Parker couldn't go. Even though his son asked him to come. The town of Lexington continues to impose a heinous "no-trespass" order against David Parker. Superintendent Paul Ash could lift this order in a minute. But he refuses to do so. Thus, if David Parker sets foot on any school property, he could be arrested. He can't attend any school functions, pick up his son, attend school committee meetings, or even vote on election day.

Parker represents absolutely no danger to anyone, and no one suggests he does. This is being done as an instrument of intimidation -- against Parker and anyone else who might want to do what he did. Last April 27, David Parker demanded that he be notified if any adult discussed homosexuality or transgenderism with his 6-year-old in the elementary school. The school's reaction was to handcuff and arrest him. And the local gay activists continue to attack him in the press and elsewhere. Parker is standing tall, but this is utterly outrageous. Lexington Supt. Paul Ash's refusal to even discuss lifting this ban represents the worst arrogance we can imagine.
Is this America any more?

Can you hear all the violins playing for Parker? As my mother used to say "You made your bed, now you have to lie in it" For the hundredth time, David Parker was arrested because he refused to leave the school grounds after school administrators and the police told him to leave. HE REFUSED. Why don't you, David Parker, explain to your child that you broke the law and you have to pay the price? And to answer Article 8's question: YES, this is America, where it says LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, not just you.

I have more to write but their ignorance and hatred just wears me out. This sounds like he's not any danger to anyone:

"Parents stand your ground! Don't return their hate and intolerance when fired upon, But if they mean to have a war over our parental rights, Battling for the hearts and minds of our children, Then let it begin here."

David Parker

Mass "Family" Institute Lies Again

Well, well, well, should we be surprised? I think not. Over at KnowThyNeighbor.com they have an interesting piece on how workers are being paid $1.00 a signature for people to sign the anti-gay marriage petition that Mass "Family" is promoting. In addition, they are giving people misinformation concerning the petition:

(1)The "people's petition" process in Massachusetts is being undermined by "buck a signature" out-of-state petition circulators all the while petition spokespersons like Kris Mineau continue to spout rhetoric about the process being an expression of "the people's" voice. So cut the bull Kris and tell the good people of Massachusetts who is really behind this Ballot Initiative. I wonder, is this where all the "faith based initiative" money is going?

(2) Signature gatherers clearly feel entitled to say whatever they want to get people to sign even if it is incorrect. So we not only have to worry about The Catholic Church telling people that same-sex marriage is ending civilization but we now have to worry about a "puppy-dog eyed" signature gatherer claiming that the signer is "helping him out financially" and that signing "doesn't really mean anything."

We should be not surprised that these "people" at Mass "Family" will try anything to get their hateful amendment on the ballot. I just wonder if it does get on the ballot and loses how else will they attack us? There will be a federal lawsuit if the amendment does pass since it will go against the "Full Faith and Credit" clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Talk about creating chaos. This amendment will create a separate class of people since some same sex couples are allowed to be married and other will not. Although I suspect Mass "Family" will argue that no same sex couples should be married and try through court order to dissolve the same sex marriages that will have occurred between 2004 and 2008.

So if you think this amendment is just about future marriages, you're wrong.

Women Teachers? Or Corrupting Our Youth?

I figured that would get people to read this post. It's a take off of Massresistance's recent post about some men doing crystal meth and viagra, entitled "Celebrating Diversity? Or a Public Health Crisis?" of course she blames the the WHOLE gay community for "partying and playing" (I never knew what this meant, thanks Ms. Massresistance for explaining it to me). She does look over the fact that hepatitis-C is a heterosexual disease, but I'm using Ms. Massresistance's logic here, blame the whole group for the actions of a few.

Additionally, there has been numerous incidents about women teachers abusing their male students. It's usually called pedophilia however people don't seem to be using those terms. Using "Massresistance Logic" no women should be teachers because they abuse their students:

• Former teacher pleads guilty to pornography charges
• Man testifies that teacher seduced him at age 14

Using Massresistance logic, all the hierarchy of the Catholic Church (including the Pope) is guilty of putting children into the hands of pedophile priests:

• Eleven priests in Chicago area removed
• Archdiocese hid abuse, grand jury says

Wait a minute, I guess that is true. Anyway, use your own "Massresistance Logic" to castigate a whole group by the actions of a few if its members.

Catch 22

Ms. Massresistance next attack is on a male couple (no wonder she is so concerned about a hate crimes law being passed, she verbally bashes more gays and lesbians everyday). The male couple in question put an ad in BayWindows looking for two women interested in co-parenting, 20 year commitment. No where in the ad does it mentions polygamy or group marriage, yet does that stop Ms. Massresistance from linking the two, I don't think so.

Now stop and THINK for a moment. Here is a same sex couple, two men, who can legally adopt (or conceive with a female donor) and raise children. Massresistance, Article 8, Mass "Family" Institute, et al, are always talking about a child needs a mother AND a father, he/she needs male AND female influence on a child, blah blah blah. So here is this male couple, also seeking to have a female influence on their child's life and Massresistance still complains. It's obvious that nothing can satisfy her (except to wipe out all gay people).

When I grew up I had my Mom and Dad and an aunt and uncle who lived upstairs from us (I was probably up my Aunt's house just as much as I was in my own). I have a friend who lived with his grandmother upstairs from his parents in the same house. These were typical situations growing up, however, nowadays people are living further from their families. Friends and neighbors are becoming like "upstairs" families were years ago. Actually, what this male couple is doing is really nothing new except trying to give their child everything which the hate groups claim a child needs.

Do we fault sterile opposite sex couples from advertising for a female donor egg who ends up with no responsibility once the child is born? No, we call it a blessing that God has given us this talent to make childless couples parents.

Gay Marriage Ban Would Fail If Held Today

The State House News Service conducted a poll concerning the same sex marriage ban amendment which the anti-gay family groups concocted and Attorney General Reilly certified. Their conclusion is that if the vote was held today it would fail. However, it is not certain. The anti-gay marriage supporters have a steep climb, but it's not impossible. Luckily, if they can get 66,000 anti-gay signers, we have time on our sides. With an amendment looming in 2008, that is still three years away and a lot more same sex couples will be married by then. Additionally, we have three more years to register young voters who are overwhelming for equal marriage rights.

State House News Pollster Gerry Chervinsky:

"If that indeed is the wording [of the 2008 amendment], and the question goes forward, I see a bitter fight," Chervinsky said. "But remember, these ballot questions are hard to poll. It's the world of the hidden vote, where people want to tell you the politically correct thing. But when they get into the voting booth and pull the shades, they go "hmmm, maybe I won't vote the way they think I should." That could indicate a hidden vote in favor of the gay-marriage ban, Chervinsky cautioned.

That is why civil rights issues should never go to the ballot box. If interracial marriage, a women's right to vote or segregation was put to a vote do people really believe voters would have allowed it? We still have a 1913 law on our books in Massachusetts that was written to protect interracial marriage ban in other states.

A big thank you goes out to MassNews for the link to this story. If you ever need a good laugh in the early morning hours head to MassNews, they are humorous (although I'm sure it's unintended). You can read how they still expect the Mass. Legislature to vote to remove 4 Superior Court Judges. You can also read in detail about their fascination with Superior Court Judge Margaret Marshall. Their patron Representative in the House is Emile Goguen (D-Fitchburg). For more information on Goguen see Mass Marrier.

The more people see sites like MassNews, Article 8 and Massresistance, the better it is for us.

Massachusetts Has the Best Educational Institutions in the Country for a Reason

Dr. Paul Ash, the Superintendent of Lexington Public Schools, wrote a letter to the Lexington Minuteman today addressing the implementation of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 32A ("Section 32A") (the law that Brian Camenker of Article 8 says he wrote). The provision reads as follows:

Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum which primarily involves human sexual education or human sexual issues shall adopt a policy ensuring parental/guardian notification. Such policy shall afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from any portion of said curriculum through written notification to the school principal.

I think the key word here is primary. If the curriculum primarily involves such discussions then a policy for opting out is necessary. Of course the anti-gay forces will say that discussions of same gender families does involve sexual issues. (Again, it's always wonder how come these sex obsessed people don't think the same way about opposite sex couples)

Dr. Ash addresses this head on:

Since elementary curriculum often elicits discussion of family experiences, such references certainly may occur. In addition, our schools routinely provide students with access to materials, activities, and discussions that recognize diversity. This access is designed to assist us in our goal of maintaining an appropriate and respectful educational environment for all students. As required by law and LPS policy, this environment must be free of discrimination based on race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin and disability.

The Massachusetts Department of Education, which is responsible for administering Section 32A, has explained that activities and materials designed to promote tolerance and respect for individuals, including recognition of differences in sexual orientation "without further instruction on the physical and sexual implications" do not trigger the notice and opt out provisions of Section 32A. Under this standard, staff has no obligation to notify parents of discussions, activities, or materials that simply reference same-gender parents or that otherwise recognize the existence of differences in sexual orientation. Accordingly, I expect teachers to continue to allow children access to such activities and materials to the extent appropriate to children's ages, to district goals of respecting diversity, and to the curriculum.

Lexington is lucky to have such a smart man as its superintendent. For those people who disagree with public school cirriculum, there's always private schools. Some, apparently, even offer one on one heterosexual sex education training.

Real Heros and Villians

The Vatican is getting a lot of news coverage about their ban on future gay priests. Everyone points out that the focus should be on CELIBATE priests. A pedophile is a pedophile, gay people are no more likely to be a pedophile than a straight person. Pedophile is about power over a child, whether it's a boy or girl doesn't matter. However, the church is looking for a scapegoat(gay people) because it doesn't want to be blamed for creating this HUGE mess.

I'm not sure if people remember Father James Porter. He was a heterosexual priest in Fall River, Mass who left the priesthood and married a WOMAN. By all accounts, this man would have passed the Vatican test since he wasn't homosexual and would have been allowed to stay in the seminary.

On the other hand, Mychal Judge was an openly gay priest. He died on Sept. 11, 2001 at the site of the Twin Towers.

Judge was the New York City Fire Department Chaplain who was killed by falling debris as he ministered to a dying firefighter at the World Trade Center on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. He was the first recorded casualty of the terrorist attack on the city. The high-profile cleric's ministries spanned a spectrum of New York's City's diverse communities, including his beloved firefighters, the poor and homeless, people with AIDS, LGBT people, and those struggling with alcoholism

He would have not passed the Vatican's test.

On another matter, it seems in Sen. Santorum's home state, the Catholic Diocese has been busy. In an article in the Boston Globe a Philadelphia Grand Jury say the Archdiocese hid abuse.

A grand jury issued a scathing critique yesterday of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, saying its former archbishops and other leaders concealed and facilitated clergy sex abuse of children for decades.

The grand jury, which investigated the archdiocese for more than three years, concluded that at least 63 priests -- and probably many more -- sexually abused hundreds of minors over the past several decades.

But even more disturbing, the jurors found, was the coverup by the two previous archbishops, Cardinals John Krol and Anthony J. Bevilacqua who, they concluded, ''excused and enabled the abuse" and put legal and financial interests and moral reputation of the archdiocese ahead of protecting the children entrusted to its care.

Now, who are the real heros in this post? The leaders of the church who "excused and enabled the abuse" or the openly gay priest who gave his life while ministering to the fallen?

The Postman Always Rings Twice...

I guess all our attention finally worked. It appears that Ms. Massresistance has finally put up an email address on her blog. It's takes a little work to find it but there it is under her profile. So when you feel the urge and read something in her blog that you don't like or have issues with, drop her a line. I'm sure she'll appreciate it!

No Sondheim, Michaelangelo or Cher FOR YOU!

Massresistance lastest post is about censorship. She offers links to parents who are concerned that their child might be exposed to anything even remotely gay. Get a load of the language in this "Opt-out Form":

My child(ren) should be excused from any and all instruction, field trips, presentations, performances, written material, supervised discussions, questioning, journaling, films, assemblies, or assignments addressing: sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual lifestyles, contraceptive options, abortion, or AIDS or HIV education without my prior notice, opportunity to review the above, and my written consent.

Can you see it now...

• Ok class, we're going to talk about tennis champion Arthur Ashe, wait, Johnny, Susan you have to leave the room.
• Today we're going to sing Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim songs except for Johnny and Susan...
• We're all going to read A Separate Peace, Billy Budd, Tea and Sympathy and The Color Purple except for Johnny...
• In history we're going to learn about Alexander the Great and Greek Society as a basis for western democracy, except for Johnny...

Feel free to add your own.

Out at Work

The HRC released its annual corporate equality index:

More large U.S. companies have fair-minded policies toward gays than ever before, continuing a trend that began in the 1990s...

This year 101 companies got a perfect score, close to doubling last year's group of 56 companies that received 100 percent. The top-ranked companies ranged from Dow Chemical Co. and Chevron Corp. to bankrupt building materials company Owens Corning and Walgreen Co., the nation's largest drugstore chain.

Raytheon Co. became the first defense contractor to achieve a perfect score. This summer the Waltham, Mass.-based company become the first big military supplier to expand its equal opportunity employment policy to include transgender workers.

Raytheon's chief diversity officer, Hayward Bell, said that while the defense industry as a whole was considered more conservative and less tolerant than other industries, Raytheon sought to be progressive.

However, only one company has gone back in time:

ExxonMobil has the dubious distinction of being the only U.S. company to roll back both benefits eligibility for its employees' domestic partners and a sexual orientation nondiscrimination policy," the Human Rights Campaign Foundation said in its report.

Then again, you might remember that the Exxon Valdez is the oil tanker owned by Exxon that caused one of the worst man made environmental diasters in history. Is it any surprise that a company who had such little regard for the environment would have such little regard for people?

Equality marches on!

Addition: World Net Daily (I know!) publishes the list of companies who got a perfect score on the HRC Index. Check to see if the companies you do business with are here.

Article Hate's Intimidation Tactics

QueerToday.com members continued their protests of the Tremont Baptist Church yesterday. They are protesting the actions taken by the church by allowing "Love Won Out" to hold a conference there on October 29th (Love Won Out is by Focus on the Family). This wasn't the first time the group has been outside the church protesting. However, it was the first time the group has been accosted by Article 8 (or Article Hate as QueerToday likes to call them.)

QueerToday.com's protests usually include discussions with the Tremont Baptist Church members after they leave, however, Article 8 nixed that notion by standing in front of the protesters trying to intimidate them with cameras and video taping equipment.

One woman from Article Hate insisted that I must be attracted to women because so many men in our community want to be women. She also insisted that I was sexist if I was not attracted to women. After stating these two comments to me, she ran like a little school girl over to her leader Brian Camenker to tell him that she had won an argument with me. Earlier I overheard her telling Brian Camenker that it was obvious the homosexuals in schools were doing this - "just look how young they are!"

Interesting, these are the same people who accuse the gay community of intimidation. I can't wait to hear how Article 8 spins this one! Check out the pictures of the "hard core homosexual activists" on QueerToday's blog.

How About A Bill For Parents Who Are Bullies?

Ms. Massresistance is onto attacking openly gay legislators, now which shouldn't be a surprise. In yesterday's post she attacks State Sen. Jarrett Barrios for getting behind an anti-bullying bill (Good heavens! HE ACTUALLY WANTS TO STOP BULLYING?! He must be a radical homosexual!) She couches it as: "She was bullied and she got over it so we shouldn't actually make bullies stop".

Message to Ms. Massresistance: if you're still talking about it, you haven't quite got over it. Additionally, I don't think the parents of the kids in your school were picketing or refusing to leave because you wore hand me downs or because your parents were poor.

A "friend" to Massresistance alerted her to the whole "agenda" This "friend" says:

Just look at who is pushing it. The final bill will surely mention something about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Of course, I mean every bill Sen. Barrios has signed onto has sexual orientation in it. His bill to ban .50 caliber "cop killer" guns had gay written all over it, likewise his call for stricter drunk driving penalties. OOH, he's so GAY.

In reality, Sen. Barrios filed the bill LAST YEAR after meeting with Everett students. There was a stronger push after the slaying of Kelly Proctor of Ayer, allegedly by brothers described as high-school bullies. But I guess Ms. Massresistance doesn't see past the fact that Sen. Barrios is gay and in a happy marriage with two children.

Attack, Lie, Attack, Lie: And So She Goes...

Well, well, well. Ms. Massresistance seems to know a lot about what when on at the constitutional convention since she is obsessing about time lines listed in Bay Windows. I won't go into much detail about her post but I will dissect some of the more interesting things she mentioned:

Many of the Irish- and Italian-heritage, and nominally-Catholic legislators go right along with the Christ-denying, anything-goes UUs. (Isn't this apostasy?)

There she is attacking someone else's religion. Just a few days ago she was bitching because the Religious Coalition for Marriage was picketing outside of the Tremont Temple yet she has no problem attacking a whole religion. Unless you worship her God in the way that she says you should you are evil. For the record Ms. Massresistance, apostasy refers to renunciation and criticizing of one's former religion, so NO, it's not apostasy. But then again I suspect you would have attacked the Christians for taking in the Jews in Nazi Germany because they differ on who Jesus was/is.

And after the homosexual priest sex-abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, the Mass. Catholic Conference has lost much of its power to sway the Catholic legislators.

Once again, she's blinded by the Dark. It was a PEDOPHILE priest sex-abuse scandal, repeating the tired old lie that gay people were responsible for the abuse is criminal as well as stupid. Unless of course you forget about the girls who were also abused by the priests (not to mention the bishops who looked the other way and actually moved the sick priests to prey on more children). There is a wonderful Letter to the Editor in the Globe today that addresses this issue head on.

I love this section:

Another striking thing about that day was the rowdiness of the queer activist crowd, both inside and outside the State House. A few other passages from this now-missing report reveal that they are not as polite as the media likes to pretend. And they're very skilled at intimidation and harassment.

Now when I entered the Great Hall with my camera I was taking pictures of everyone, the pro-equality people, the legislators, and anti-gay group. Strangely enough, it was only the people from the "Vote On Marriage", the so called "Christians", that were belligerent. Here's a picture of one guy that ran up to me after I was taking pictures and wanted to know everything about me (my name, who I was with, etc.. I felt like I was getting interrogated) However, according to Ms. Massresistance, we were the ones intimidating others. I guess he never met up the woman outside holding up the Article 8 sign who refused to give her name or maybe they were together?

Finally I'd like to address her calling us "rowdy". I thought we were patriotic (we kept to patriotic songs), fun and yes, we were loud (there were a lot of us). We were there because bad people were trying to taking away our rights. And, we will be there again and again and again as long as bad people keep trying to take away the rights of a minority. You see, these bad things people like you Ms. Massresistance, Article 8 and Mass "Family" Institute do directly affects us. We will not stand idly by while you try to strip protections from families so if that is what "rowdy" is, Yes, we were rowdy. Discrimination will not be tolerated now or in the future.

And when you try and take the children away from gay and lesbian parents (and I know that's next on YOUR agenda) the fight will continue.

Thank You Ms. Massresistance!

I don't think I have ever thanked Ms. Massresistance for anything. However, yesterday she did a wonderful service for the community. She listed all the events going on around New England for the GLBT community. Thanks to her we know:

• (today) Saturday, Sept. 17 it's the 6th annual "Out on the Farm" day at The Big E fair in West Springfield. "Be seen, Wear red!"
• (tomorrow) Sunday, Sept. 18 it's the 9th annual "Out in the Park" day at Six Flags New England amusement park. "Be seen, Wear red!"
• October 8, King Richard's Faire in Carver will host "Out in the Court" to coincide with "national coming-out day" on October 11. "Be seen, Wear purple!" There will be a special feature: the "Men in Tights" contest. Don't miss it!

Now I haven't gone to any of these things since I was in college. It all sounds like such a great time, attending events where you have people that are actually friendly to EVERYONE.

I AM curious as to how Ms. Massresistance finds out that these things are happening because I have found myself just out of the loop! Had I know about Big E day I would have prepared and gone with my family instead of going to Home Depot to learn how to refinish my kitchen cabinets! The things you learn on blogs! The only thing I would ask Ms. Massresistance to do is give us more advance notice. Two weeks would be great!

John Hancock Would Be Proud

You know, there has been a lot of discussion in the paper and on TV about the website KnowThyNeighbor.org. The Whitehouse Press corps was even asked about it. All this discussion got me to thinking about the musical 1776.

For those of you who not familiar with 1776 is about the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. There is one particular line towards the end of the play spoken by the Representative from Rhode Island (Stephen Hopkins I believe) that keeps playing in my head. As the play ends everyone in Congress signing the Declaration, however, Franklin says something like (and I'm paraphrasing):

I want to see the face of each man as he signs

What I took this to mean was that putting your signature was such an important step that Hopkins wanted to be sure that each man was willing to stand up to the contents of the document he was affixing his signature to. The document is still available so everyone everywhere can see who supported freedom for this country.

I see some similarities to this "new" amendment which the Mass "Family" group has initiated. The one different is that this "new" document is taking away rights from a group of Americans however the signature process is still the same. When one affixes his/her signature to that document they will forever be associated with promoting discrimination for a certain group of people. Unlike the Congress in 1776, the signers of this anti-gay amendment want to do it in darkness and not have people know that they have stood up for discrimination. Regardless, all the people who sign the petition will be made public. Know Thy Neighbor.org is just doing exactly what Stephen Hopkins did all those years ago.

Victory!

This was at about 12:00PM. The group was definitely smaller than last year and there was practically none of the people preaching hate as there were last year.

This picture is not as it seems, look at the fine print on the poster.

They kept everyone on the 2nd floor this year instead of outside the chamber.

Sen. Brian Lees, (R- Springfield) opened up the convention and gave an impassioned personal note. He came right out to the Hall to speak to reporters after his opening.

He later spoke at the Marriage Equality Rally in Nurse's Hall following the convention.

There were a lot of legislators in Nurse's Hall following the convention. It was amazing. People were crowding in on the main floor, up the stairs and up on the balcony.

One woman from the "Vote For Marriage" group kept walking through the crowd and heckling the speakers however she was overshadowed by the voices of victory.

Pictures of Hate Part II

Inside there were people from the Vote For Marriage Group. They were giving out T-shirts but it appeared that they had a lot of T-shirts left at the end of the day. Again, there weren't many of them. They were chanting some words and praying.



Their group dissipated very quickly after the convention began with the exception of a very small group. Interesting enough, they only made noise when the person they supported were speaking (i.e., Phil Travis). Notice the woman in the center, she was on her knees crying out and making all kinds of noises.

Pictures of Hate Part 1

Here are some pictures of the Article 8 people. Brian Camenker wasn't there when I first arrived (these pictures were taken at about noonish) howeve he did show his mug in the Statehouse at about 1:00PM. In the words of Article 8:

CAUTION: THIS IS VERY GROSS AND DISTURBING

2 Handed Hate

There was all of 5 people there from the joke that is Article 8. They still think that the House is going to vote on a bill to remove the 4 Justices, lol! It's the best joke going around Beacon Hill.

No Thank You, I'm Already Married!

While hundreds of same sex marriage supporters were rallying on the State House yesterday for the defeat of the proposed anti-gay constitutional amendment, a few anti-gay leaders held a press conference to announce a new "bill". It seems that the anti-gay legislators want to introduce legislation which would provide hospital visitation and other rights to gay couples that would be offered even if the state enacts a proposed ban on same-sex marriage.

[Homophobic Representative] Phil Travis said the reciprocal benefits bill is meant to respond to supporters of same-sex marriage, who contend that a ban on marriage would take away rights from gay couples. ''All the things that the other side has complained about will be taken away and will be covered by legislative action," Travis said.

Oh, NOW they want to give gay couples some protections. Do you think they are concerned about looking hateful and coming off as trying to taking away people's rights? My question is: "of the hundreds of rights which couples who marry get, which ones do they not want us to get and why?"

Although I'm still trying to get over their action plan from last year. All we heard about was the chaos that was going to ensue once same sex couples get married. "It will be a disaster, blah blah blah" Now they have come up with this "new" amendment. If it passes there were be married opposite sex couples, married same sex couples (as long as they marry before 2008) and same sex couples who are not allowed to get married but can receive certain benefits that Rep. Phil Travis and Governor Romney have hand picked them to have.

Does this sound confusing to you? Think about the different classes of people this amendment makes. You want to talk about chaos! Business who offered domestic partnership benefits then ended them because of same sex marriage will not have to decide whether to offer them again under this new configuration. This whole mess concocted by the Mass "Family" Institute is frightening. Just say NO, and don't sign the petition.

Pictures from Tonight's Vigil

Before the Rally

Speakers

Always Impressive Mary Bonauto

Side line Supporters