Moral Stance or Homophobia?

Take a look at the polls. Any poll. Almost any poll shows most Americans favor equal rights for homosexuals by a two to one margin. Most people feel homosexuals should not be discriminated against in the workplace. Homosexuals shouldn't be denied housing solely because they are gay. They should be entitled to the many legal rights and protections a marriage grants such as inheritance rights, power of attorney, next of kin status, and right to make medical decisions. By nearly the same two to one margin, Americans even favor a civil union status for gay couples.

But ask the average American if same-sex marriage should be legal and by nearly the same two to one margin, most Americans oppose granting marriage status to homosexuals.

By now, most everyone has heard at least one, if not almost all, of the justifications to deny same-sex marriage. They're all easily disputed, but many people cling to their favorites as if they were the gospel truth. That begs the question: why are equal rights for homosexuals embraced by the majority, but that same majority rejects the one basic civil right of marriage of homosexuals?

One dirty little word no one wants to hear: homophobia.

"Wait," you might think, "How can it be homophobia when most Americans believe homosexuals should have equal rights?"

Let's skip over to the KKK website for a moment. They proudly boast that they don't hate Black people. They don't stop there, either. They believe that Black people should be treated equally and with dignity and respect. They also state that White people are the victims of reverse discrimination and by allowing Blacks special rights and privileges in our society - such as hate crime protection or affirmative action - the Whites' status in society is being diminished. By allowing Blacks to marry Whites, the White race is becoming muddied and destroying the core family values which built this country.

Do those arguments sound familiar? Do you still consider a Klansman a racist? If you answered yes, then you see why the arguments against same-sex marriage are homophobia-driven.

The million dollar question is where this homophobia derives its powers.

The answer, directly or indirectly, points to the Bible and religion.

In all fairness to most of the major world religions that condemn homosexuality, homophobia may have its roots even further back in human history. Roman soldiers, for example, would rape the men of a defeated army believing the defeated soldiers would lose their "manhood" and be unable to fight in the future. Looking at primate behavior, when two male chimps battle, the weaker male will show his submissiveness to the stronger male by holding his rump in the air and the fight is over. The weaker chimp learned his place.

I'll leave it to the sociologists and anthropologists to debate the origins of homophobia. It's not hard to see, though, that as human civilizations moved from an extended family of hunterers and gatherers to the more complex agrarian societies and cities to the complex civilizations we have today, the innate beliefs that homosexuals were different became codified in our religions as being a bad thing.

That's all conjecture, of course. Early man doesn't appear to have been as focussed on homosexuality as we are today. Even our early religions didn't pay much mind to homosexuality. The attention to homosexuality by the Christian religion didn't begin to gain steam until a few hundred years ago. As Churches struggled to define the crimes against nature, homosexuality stood in the spotlight.

Today, many of those old beliefs hold true for many. Homosexual men aren't real men. Lesbians can't possibly have a mothering, nurturing instinct. Homosexuality defies natural law. And when all else fails, the Bible condemns homosexuality.

Rest assured that teaching homophobia isn't a matter of parents sitting their child down and, while explaining the birds and the bees, also explain that homosexuality is a bad thing. The lessons are more subtle than that.

Uncle Charlie is the skeleton in the closet no one talks about. When he comes over for a visit, he brings a friend, the same one he's been bringing for the last fifteen years. When Uncle Charlie is introduced to new family friends, he's Uncle Charlie and his friend Bob. When his nephew or niece asks who Mr. Bob really is, the answer is simply a really good friend who goes way back. Bob is never Uncle Charlie's spouse.

When the nephew or niece is old enough to put two and two together, the lesson taught is that homosexuality is shameful.

Every time a child turns on the television and hears our political and religious leaders debate homosexual issues in less than flattering terms, the lesson taught is that homosexuality is shameful.

When the child goes to school and is taunted with fag barbs or learns he can bring another little boy near tears by calling him a fag, the lesson learned is homosexuality is shamful.

When a child hears his parent make an offhand remark about homosexuals, whether overhearing a joke Daddy tells his friend or hears a negative comment towards something on television, the lesson is homosexuality is shameful.

When a child looks around for a positive gay role model and finds none, the lesson is homosexuality is shameful.

The child grows up carrying these prejudices inside him. As an adult, the lessons learned early on are hard to shake off. Sure, the compassionate adult can see the need to treat homosexuals with dignity and respect. It's not hard to convince an adult that in legal matters concerning a couple, the gay couple should be afforded the same legal protections.

But marriage? Now you are asking the adult to forget all his early lessons that were drilled into his head. Allowing homosexuals to marry is forcing an acceptance of something that has always been shameful. For some people, not only is homosexuality shameful, but it ought to be because the Bible says so. Asking people to accept same-sex marriage as legal is asking them to throw away a lifetime of lessons and asking them to throw away centuries of stereotypes and quiet acceptance that homosexuality is not normal.

If we look at the polls again, though, there is hope for acceptance of gay marriage. While the overall polls show a two to one opinion against legalized same-sex marriage, demographic breakdown of the polls show a slightly different story. Among degree holding, college graduates, there is a nearly even fifty-fifty split in favor of same-sex marriage. Among young adults in the 18 to 25 age group, almost half favor legalized gay marriage.

The key, then, to acceptance of legalized, same-sex marriage appears to be education. The more people understand homosexuality, the faster the homophobic fears will fall by the wayside.

Maryland Governor Vetoes Gay Rights Bill

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Republican Governor Ehrlich of Maryland vetoed legislation that would've given eleven basic rights to homosexuals, mostly covering medical and post mortem decisions. His objected to the proposed law's requirement to form a domestic partner registry, a move he felt would pave the way to civil unions and eventually gay marriage. He also vetoed a bill that would have abolished an unfair property tax assessed on unmarried couples.

He did have a noble reason for vetoeing the legislation. He wanted to "protect marriage" and there is no debate or compromise on that issue.

Yes, we need to protect marriage. I can't think of one person who would actively seek to destroy marriage. My only question: what are we protecting marriage from?

Maybe we need to protect marriage from a government that wishes to make life and death situations for our spouse. We've learned from Terry Schiavo, haven't we, that a husband can't be trusted to make a sound medical decision for his wife.

Maybe we need to protect marriage from a government that wishes to pass the Constitution Restoration Act. In case you haven't heard, that proposed act sitting in Congress as you read this would take legal jurisdiction out of the courts on matters that are governed by God's laws. If you're wondering how that relates to marriage other than gay marriages, then consider God's laws could be used to determine legality of divorces, custody decisions, child support payments, and even the "fitness" of being a parent.

Yeah, I know. You're saying, "That's far-fetched."

Not really. Every inch of our rights we give away today will stretch into feet, yards, and miles for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Marriage needs to be protected, but not from homosexuals.

It needs to be protected from the government.

If you live in Maryland, why not ask the governor what he thinks he is protecting marriage from?

Interested in writing your own law legalizing gay marriage? A quick and easy way to submit your bill for your elected officials' consideration.

Showtime Celebrates Gay Pride Month

Showtime Press Release:

Showtime Presents Provocative Programming Slate for Gay Pride Month in June

May 18, 11:09 am ET
Wednesday

Line-up Includes SAME SEX AMERICA, WE ARE DAD, JACK, DAMAGED GOODS, SHOOK and New Episodes of QUEER AS FOLK

LOS ANGELES, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In June, Showtime Networks will honor Gay Pride Month with provocative programming featuring the network's celebrated new documentary SAME SEX AMERICA, which takes a hard look at the headline-making gay marriage controversy. A mix of compelling dramas and documentaries, the network's original programming slate demonstrates that gay Americans, despite decades of civil rights advances, are still struggling for acceptance and equal rights. The June line-up will also include four new episodes of QUEER AS FOLK, which begin its fifth and final season on May 22 and ends July 31st with a two-hour season finale. This groundbreaking series, which airs Sundays at 10 p.m., was the first television drama series to fully explore the lives and issues of a gay community. The Gay Pride Month programming also furthers the network's commitment to Viacom's KNOW HIV/AIDS initiative, an unprecedented, global media campaign that combats HIV/AIDS through education.

The line-up includes the following films:

SAME SEX AMERICA (June 28, 8 p.m.) has played to enthusiastic audiences at many prestigious festivals including The Tribeca Film Festival, The Full Frame Documentary Festival and The Independent Film Festival of Boston. The film follows several gay and lesbian couples as they try to navigate the civil rights clash over same sex marriage. Beginning in Massachusetts, where the move to legalize gay marriage created a conservative backlash that reached all the way to the White House, SAME SEX AMERICA examines both sides of the political debate and a family's right to define itself without interference from the state or federal government. The film is directed by Henry Corra ("Umbrellas," "George") of Corra Films, Inc., edited by Charlene Rule, produced by Alex R. Johnson and executive produced by Robert F. Katz, Jerry Kupfer and Jay Peterson.

WE ARE DAD (June 19, 7 p.m.) is a gut-wrenching documentary centered around partners Steve Lofton and Roger Croteau. The two have been deemed "unfit" by the state of Florida to adopt the five children they have raised since birth -- even though they were viewed as capable foster parents for the "unwanted" children born HIV positive. When one of the children - now a teenager -- is found to be HIV-free and thus "adoptable," the state decides to remove him from the only home he has known. The film is produced and directed by Michel Horvat and was acquired for SHOWTIME from All Channel Films.

JACK (June 19 at 5:05 p.m.), the Emmy® and GLAAD® award-winning original movie which aired on SHOWTIME in 2004, stars Anton Yelchin (SHOWTIME's HUFF) in the title role. Jack is a 15-year-old boy who must come to terms with his parents' divorce and the revelation that his father is gay. Stockard Channing ("The West Wing," "Six Degrees of Separation") and Ron Silver ("The West Wing," "Reversal of Fortune") play his parents. Jack, already struggling with the usual adolescent demons, must fight the gay- bashing he encounters at school and come to terms with his family. JACK was directed by Lee Rose, from the screenplay by A.M. Homes based upon her novel, and is a Daniel L. Paulson/Susan Rose/Ellen M. Krass production.

DAMAGED GOODS (June 14 at 10 p.m.) is a one-hour documentary which explores the lives of five people living with a stigmatized disease in a judgmental society. It follows them from the moment they are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS through treatment and acceptance. The film features interviews with some of today's prominent medical authorities and activists in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The film is produced and directed by Nadia Buckmire, with Rahi High also producing.

SHOOK (June 28 at 10:40 p.m.) is a dramatic short film about a woman who discovers her husband is bi-sexual and that she is pregnant. With concerns for the child, she gets tested for HIV and attempts to understand her husband's relationship with a male friend and its impact on their marriage. This film, directed and produced by Melanie RW Oram, first aired on SHOWTIME in February during the 2005 Black Filmmakers Showcase.

QUEER AS FOLK (Sundays at 10 p.m.) Featuring four all-new episodes in the month of June, this award-winning series will continue to explore cutting-edge social and political issues that affect the gay community. This season gay rights issues, such as gay marriage, are explored with a sensitivity and candor rarely seen on television. Starring are Michelle Clunie, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Peter Paige, Hal Sparks and Sharon Gless with special guest appearances by Rosie O'Donnell and Cyndi Lauper. QUEER AS FOLK is executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas. Cowen & Lipman developed the series for American television based on the British series created by Russell T Davies. Sheila Hockin serves as producer. The SHOWTIME series is from Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions and Temple Street Productions.

KNOW HIV/AIDS is an unprecedented, global media campaign that combats HIV/AIDS through public service messages (PSAs), television and radio programming, and free print and online content. The multi-year effort combines the public health expertise of the Kaiser Family Foundation with the power of Viacom's media brands and unmatched audience relationships to foster awareness of the disease and its prevention. More information about KNOW HIV/AIDS is available through the initiative's comprehensive Web site, http://www.knowhivaids.org/, or toll-free number 1-866-344-KNOW (5669).

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME® TOO(TM), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD®, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM) and FLIX ON DEMAND. SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.
Source: Showtime Networks

Write your own law and send it to Congress

ACLU Announces Same-Sex Marriage Plans

Press release from ACLU:

ACLU Launches Marriage Campaign to Move Americans to Treat Families of Same-Sex Couples More Fairly

May 16, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: media@aclu.org

Executive Director of Equality Utah to Lead the Charge

NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today announced plans to launch a national Marriage Campaign to persuade Americans that it is unfair to deny legal protections to the families of same-sex couples. The campaign will be led by Michael Mitchell, who comes to the ACLU after serving as the Executive Director of Equality Utah, that state’s lesbian and gay advocacy organization.

"Our Constitution guarantees basic fairness to all people, yet lesbian and gay couples who make lasting commitments to each other just like married couples, are denied protections for their families," said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. "With states racing to enact amendments that will forever ban same-sex couples from getting legal protections, it is critical to show why it’s wrong to keep people from visiting their partners in the hospital or from making emergency medical decisions, and how it hurts children to be legal strangers to their parents."

The goal of the Marriage Campaign is to step up the dialogue with the American people and show through firsthand accounts how lesbian and gay couples and their children suffer when their families are not recognized by the law. Among other public education efforts, the campaign will offer assistance to local campaigns fighting constitutional amendments that seek to ban gay people from marriage and other family protections.

"One thing I learned during Utah’s recent constitutional amendment challenge is that most people don’t realize the toll these measures take on very real Americans with very real families," said Michael Mitchell, the new Director of the ACLU’s Marriage Campaign. "When people are given the opportunity to see the chaos caused by our government’s treatment of gay families, their attitudes change. I’m eager to bring the lessons I learned here in Utah and from my colleagues around the country and focus them into an active, honest conversation with the American public."

Mitchell has served as the Executive Director of Equality Utah since 2001, when he helped to oversee the campaign to defeat Utah’s anti-gay relationship amendment. He is also on the board of the Equality Federation, a network of statewide LGBT advocacy organizations. Prior to joining Equality Utah, he worked as a senior advisor on the congressional election campaign for Donald Dunn. He also served as the Executive Director of the Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards.

"We’re at a defining moment in the civil rights struggle for gay people," said Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. "While we have recently made several important breakthroughs, our opponents are motivated like never before. It’s time to fight back, and with Michael’s enthusiasm and leadership we hope to show America that this is simply a matter of basic fairness for all families."

To learn more about the ACLU’s efforts towards greater fairness in marriage, visit http://www.aclu.org/getequal/ffm/index.html.


Write your own law and send it to Congress

Update on "Communion Denied"

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After further investigating, it turns out that the reason the Church denied communion is because last year, some parishioners decided to make a scene and block the sash wearers from receiving communion. To avoid problems this year, the Church made the decision to ban the wearing of the sash of you wanted communion.

Keep in mind, the sash wearers are heterosexuals who take one day out of the year to show their compassion for homosexuals. The Church teaches that homosexuals are "intrinsically disordered", a definition leaning more towards hate speech than it does to the teachings of Jesus. Many of these sash wearers have a gay child and by wearing the sash, they are saying to homosexuals, "You have a friend in Church" and to the Church they are saying, "We really need to talk about human sexuality and not sweep it under the rug like some dirty little secret."

This Church in St Paul decided to take the easy way out. Instead of denying communion to the parishioners who created the scene, the anti-gay folk, they decided to punish the parishioners who wanted to show compassion for homosexuals.

In all fairness to the Catholic Church, a Church in Rochester, NY and one in Seattle both experienced similiar disturbances. The priests in those Churches made sure the sash wearers still received communion.

Communion Denied

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Yesterday, in St Paul MN, the Rev. Michael Sklucazek told his parisioners that anyone wearing a rainbow sash would be denied communion. He felt that the wearing of the rainbow sash was a political statement and contrary to Church teachings. Protests are fine, but not in the Church, he reasoned.

The story begs the question: why did the wearing of the sash for the last four years mean nothing to the Church, but now it's an issue?

Parisioners wearing the sash weren't homosexual activists. One was a nun. Another was a husband and wife and their three children. (They chose to wear a rainbow pin instead of the sash, but were still denied communion.) They all chose to wear the rainbow to show they support gay Catholics.

Yup, there's gay Catholics. And the official teaching from Rome is that homosexuals should be treated with compassion. A group called the Raibow Sash Alliance decided to wear the colors for no other reason than to let gay Catholics know they have friends in the Church.

They didn't set out to change Church policy. They didn't advocate the changing of Church teachings. They just wanted to let gay Catholics know they have friends.

The official Church lesson taught yesterday in St Paul, MN: "show compassion to homosexuals" means keep them in the closet and out of sight.

You'd think the Pope would stop the double talk and speak plainly. Remember, the Vatican describes homosexuals as "intrinsically disordered." The Pope, while a Cardinal, referred to homosexuals as "sinful deviants."

In St Paul, yesterday, the Catholic teachings spoke loudly. It's still ok to hate homosexuals.

Can You Feel the Christian Compassion?

The Illinois Family Institute. Sounds impressive, but if you notice, most gay-hate groups have impressive, positive sounding names. Hides the ugliness underneath, I reckon.

IFI's mission (from their website):

The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) is an independent 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to championing and re-affirming Biblical morals and values within our rapidly changing culture. IFI works within the state of Illinois with the goal of promoting and defending Biblical truths in order to promote an environment where families can thrive and reach their full God given potential to serve and glorify Him in the opportunities afforded to us by His gift of liberty.

To accomplish this goal, IFI works to educate Christians and the general public on matters of moral concern; to initiate, promote, encourage and coordinate activity designed to safeguard and advance public morality consistent with Biblical Christianity. While we are financially independent, our efforts are reinforced by our working partnership with Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, as well as similar state-based organizations across the United States.

What they are asking Christians to do:

IFI E-Byte: Kraft Foods, Harris Bank Sponsor Chicago "Gay Games"5/11/2005 11:19:00 AM By Peter LaBarbera, Executive Director and David E. Smith, Senior Policy Anaylst

American Family Association reports that Northfield, Illinois-based Kraft Foods--makers of popular products like Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Oreo Cookies, Maxwell House Coffee, and Ritz Crackers--has signed on as a sponsor of "Gay Games VII, a sporting event drawing homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals from all over the world, to be held July 2006 in Chicago. Harris Bank, based in Chicago, and Buca di Beppo Restaurants are also among the sponsors.

By allowing their corporate logos to be used to promote the "Gay Games," Kraft, Harris Bank and other sponsoring companies are celebrating wrong and destructive behaviors, and showing their disdain for the majority of Americans who favor traditional morality and marriage.

Here are the (non-homosexual) corporate sponsors so far for the Homosexuality "Games" to be held in Chicago next year:

Kraft Foods: 1-800-323-0768
Harris Bank (with more than 150 Illinois locations): 1-888-340-2265
Bridgeview Bank (with 15 Chicagoland locations): 1-800-794-2070
Buca di Beppo Restaurants (with 5 Chicagoland locations): (612)225-3400; famiglia@bucainc.com
Play It Again Sports (with 10 Chicagoland locations): 1-800-567-6600 (ask for Steve Murphy)
Francesca Restaurants (with 14 Chicagoland locations): (773)334-8368; info@francescarestaurants.com

IFI will keep you abreast of all the Illinois companies sponsoring this immoral event, and those that are helping to celebrate sexual misbehavior in general.

What I am asking you to do:

I love their last line, "immoral event" and "helping to celebrate sexual misbehavior." I think we should tell them that we don't support hate groups masquerading as Christian groups.

Contact them through email and tell them what you think.

Write them through snail mail at:

Illinois Family Institute
799 Roosevelt Road
Building 3 Suite 208
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

Fax your letter: (630) 790-8390

Call them toll free and tell them what you think: (800) FAMILY-1

Sounds like fun, huh?

King Tut and the Gay Agenda

Talk radio is abuzz. Internet chat rooms are in a tizzy. The conservative and Christian right stir the pot into a seething foment. After being pronounced dead and mummified over three thousand years ago, King Tut has come to life and he has a lot of people hopping mad.

"You don't believe gays are everywhere pushing their agenda?" asked Pat Robertson. "Explain how three independant teams of researchers, through MRI scanning of a mummy, came to the conclusion that King Tut was gay? MRIs of old bones can't show makeup and eye shadow, you know. It's the gays' queerification of America at play here."

Many conservative religious leaders echoed the sentiments after a picture of what researchers think King Tut looked like was released. King Tut is pictured as a small framed (5'6") boy of nineteen with a boyish, almost feminine face, pronounced overbite, weak chin, and sloping, elongated skull. His smooth, hairless skin appeared to have makeup on and his eyes appeared to sport a dab of eye shadow.


While everyone had something to say and theories to offer, the prevalent belief to emerge is that revisionist historians are portraying well known, historic figures as homosexuals. The theory goes that the more famous people who are viewed as gay, the more tolerant people will become of them. Eventually, that tolerance of gays will give way to acceptance and acceptance will give way to liking homosexuals.

"They [homosexuals] are well on their way to making people like them and before long they'll be in our schools recruiting new members. They can't procreate so they recruit," said Jerry Falwell. "We must put an end to this nonsense before we find a homosexual behind every decent American."

When a reporter asked President Bush about the King Tut controversy, he simply stated, "To each his own. It's not for me to judge. But if he tries to come to this country, first, he won't be king. There's no room for another king in this country. And second, I hope he doesn't come here hoping to get married. We just don't do that."

When the reporter started to explain that King Tut can't come to this country because he's been dead for over three thousand years, President Bush abruptly cut him off before the reporter could explain. "Look. I don't understand homosexuality, but if our immigration laws are stopping him from coming here because of it, then he can always enter the country through Mexico like everyone else."

Gay rights advocates are enraged at the controversy. "You can't look at someone and say 'They're gay.' It doesn't work that way," commented a spokesman for the National Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, and Transgendered Alliance, a national gay rights group. "Stereotypes might help make sense of the world for some people, but it won't help them understand it correctly."

When pressed further on the issue, he added, "He was a king. Don't these religious and conservative nuts know that if he were gay, he'd have been queen?"

The storm over King Tut rages on....

This is satire and purely fictional

Support the basic civil right of same-sex couples being allowed to marry? Learn how to write your own bill and submit it to Congress for their consideration.

"It's a Shame"

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Jerry Walker, a 28-year, retired Navy veteran elected to a college board won't apologize for saying "It's a shame" when he learned one of the colleges he represents has a gay-straight student union. He won't apologize to the individual for saying "That's a shame, too" when the individual stated he was gay.

Ok, maybe he wouldn't need to apologize if he were just anybody. There are rude people in the world. Liberals certainly don't have a shortage of them and neither do conservatives. But this man represents a college that celebrates diversity. His opinion represents the college in an indirect way. In his position and with his level of education and experience, you'd think he might have an inkling about decorum and diplomacy.

Apparently not. Walker doesn't like homosexuals and he's let the world know it. The college is running damage control operations, but that's it. Makes you wonder what would've happen if he said, "That's a shame" upon learning that the college had an inter-Tribal Club. No, no one can say that Walker believes Native Americans belong on a reservation the same way he believes homosexuals belong in the closet, but I'd bet a tootin' dollar that if he had said that, there would be no damage control - he's be out on his ass in the unemployment line.

Instead, the college board issued a statement saying that Walker "wasn't speaking for the board" when he made those comments.

That's it.

And that's the fashion of the day. The mainstream media wouldn't dare publish blatantly racist or sexist articles. Homophobic articles are ok. No respectable talk show host or news organization would favorably interview a racist or chauvinist, but a homophobe is granted legitimacy towards his views. No organization would tolerate racist or sexist comments in any official capacity, but homophobic views are treated as respected opinions people are entitled to hold.

One homophobic is no big deal. A system that actively or passively promotes homophobia, though, now that's a shame.

DC Tests Mass Gay Marriage Law

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A gay couple asked the DC attorney general a simple question: "Since we were legally married in Massachusetts, can we file joint District tax returns?"

The attorney general's answer was simple. "If you believe you were legally married, then you can file a joint return, but the chief financial officer has the final say."

That simple question and equally simple answer sent the conservatives in Congress scurrying for their combat gear. How dare those queers think that they could file joint returns just because one state has an unconstitutional marriage law on the books?

Sen Sam Brownback (R-Kan) drew out the big guns and aimed them straight for the mayor of DC and the chief financial officer. The not too subtle hint was allow the joint filing and watch your budget shrink to nothing.

The District is in a unique position. Congress has final say over everything District-related, including the city's budget. Residents have a voice and the mayor speaks for them and Congress hears them. When the people or mayor speak trigger words - like gay - that Congress doesn't like, the mayor and the citizens become mimes in Congress' eyes. The DC mayor and residents are amusing to watch for a little bit before they become annoying. Their lips move, but, thank God, no sound comes out.

The chief financial officer saw Congress' big guns aimed squarely on his forehead and he blinked. Showdown over. That gay couple can't file joint returns.

Whether DC residents or law says otherwise or not is unimportant.

Write Your Own Bill And Submit It To Congress!

Finally, the grand opening of my first true effort to mobilize a grass roots effort. Littleguyprotest.com encourages you to write your own legislation in support of same-sex marriage and submit it to your Representative and Senators for consideration.

For complete details, click here and follow the simple instructions.

In a nutshell, I am encouraging the repeal of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in support of basic civil rights and encouraging the Federal Government to honor all individual state's laws regarding same-sex marriage and civil unions in support of state's rights.

If you're not the writing type, don't worry. I've provided an easy, step-by-step, copy and paste solution to make the effort as painless as possible.

By all means, if you participate, feel free to leave your comments here as to any responses you may receive.

Or any other comments or suggestions you may have.