Whatdya Know?

McCain's Tax Returns Hide Gambling

2008-10-04T19:54:00.001-05:00

Huffington Post
Martha Miller
Posted October 3, 2008 | 05:17 PM (EST)

I am a tax attorney, so a tax return means more to me than it would to most. I reviewed McCain's tax returns as a basic check on the candidates. You can look at McCain's 2006 and 2007 tax returns for yourself. The tax returns are below a lot of verbiage about his charitable activities.

According to a New York Times article of September 27, 2008 "For McCain and Team, a Host of Ties to Gambling," reported by Jo Becker and Don VanNatta Jr., McCain gambled at the MGM Grand in May 2007.

Apparently McCain is a habitual gambler; he usually plays craps. He even says, "I am a gambling man."

Gambling has tax implications. According to IRS Publication 17, "Your Federal Income Tax", 2007 edition, page 89 "Gambling Winnings. You must include your gambling winnings in income on Form 1040, line 21. If you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040), you can deduct gambling losses you had during the year, but only up to the amount of your winnings." In other words, you can't subtract your losses from your winnings and just not report. You have to report the winnings, and then claim the losses.

But McCain's tax returns say nothing about gambling winnings or losses.

As a casino gambler, McCain is likely to have lost more than he won. But by not reporting his winnings, the different percentage calculations built into the tax calculation are thrown off, and if he gambled much at all, he has underpaid his tax. The amount of understatement of tax may be minimal, but that's not the point.

The real purpose of preparing his tax return and omitting the gambling winnings is so that people would not know how much he gambled. If he won $200,000 playing craps in Las Vegas, it would make a difference in the way voters viewed his suitability as a presidential candidate.

There are circumstances under which the tax returns could be correct, such as McCain gambled once in 2007, not at all in 2006, and lost everything the one time he gambled. Such an explanation is unlikely in light of McCain's alleged long history of gambling.

I think we are looking at tax returns calculated to hide an aspect of the candidate. My 35 years of experience in taxes tells me these tax returns are wrong, and we do not know the true scope of McCain's gambling or of his potential obligations to gambling enterprises.

Palin Didn\'t Pay Taxes on Per Diem Pay | Drudge Retort

2008-10-04T19:43:00.001-05:00

Palin Didn't Pay Taxes on Per Diem Pay | Drudge Retort

Posted using ShareThis

All About Proposition 8

2008-09-27T18:08:00.005-05:00

So what does the actual ballot measure facing Californian voters on November 4th say? Well, we happen to have a copy right here:

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT: Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact on state and local governments.

As we've said before■, the most persuasive argument in support of gay marriage has to do with money. Married couples with children contribute more economically than unmarried individuals. Just think of all the lavish accouterments for a wedding and child rearing alone and you'll understand the millions businesses stand to gain through the pink dollar. Furthermore, lots of businesses see partner benefits as a good way to utilize a growing gay and lesbian workforce. The Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), a conservative business organization in California, supports gay marriage citing potential revenue and streamlined benefits paperwork as perks. Their outlook mirrors that of 14 U.S. states who currently extend partner benefits to state employees in same-sex relationships. Doing so ensures that qualified gay workers stay invested in a company long term rather than leaving for better equity.

Whether it's medicinal marijuana or gay marriage, the third largest state in the U.S. has always been a political bellwether—if gay marriage catches on there, its effects will surely be felt internationally. For one, other U.S. states will be dragged into the legal fight as gay couples who wed in California will be able to litigate for the same benefits in other states. This won't just be a fight for work or tax benefits, but parental, custody, medical, and legal battles that involve larger civil issues. Second, the legitimacy of gay couples will increase homosexual visibility in media, meaning a proliferation of gay-targeted services and advertising. This, in turn, will increase funding, social services, and employment opportunities for the gay community. These market and media trends would no doubt trickle-down into other countries through U.S. markets, compelling other countries to attract gay tourists, workers, and students by augmenting their gay services and protections. In short, a victory for gay marriage in California would go a long way to improving homosexual relations worldwide.

Here's CNN assessment of the rise of LGBT characters on television this season, with some soundbites from GLAAD's Neil Giuliano and the Family Research Council's Peter Spriggs, who of course says it's all part of the gay propaganda agenda. CNN's conclusion: "Things are changing in the right direction." [From Joe. My. God.]

The support of big name celebrities, businesses, and religious organizations also reflects changing social attitudes in favor of gay marriage. A growing number of gay youth want long-term relationships and kids, a recent study supports gay couples looking to adopt, and another from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation(GLAAD) reveals that the number of gay TV characters is at an all-time high(though not every gay is thrilled about that).

You may recall that anti-gay union ballot measurements in 11 states may have helped Bush win by a slim margin in the 2004 U.S. elections. But many Americans have tired of homosexual marriage as a wedge issue for voters and are beginning to see the issue for exactly what it is—a non-issue drawing attention from more important domestic issues. Nonetheless, four states will see anti-gay ballot measures this November. One in Florida lacks the support the mayor of Miami and that of Republican governor, Charlie Crist, who "won't actively support" it. But have no doubt, Proposition 8 definitely has its supporters.

In an effort to make themselves more youth-friendly, California's anti-gay marriage activists have established a new site, iProtect Marriage, a spin-off of the more staid Protect Marriage. Their arguments against gay-marriage are short-sighted to the point of being bigoted.

The website most organizing of support for Proposition 8 is Protect Marriage, a website that has instructs local churches on how to raise money for Proposition 8 without violating separation of church and state IRS tax codes. In the U.S., churches aren't taxed because they're considered "community institutions" and in return, they're not supposed to preach politics from the pulpit, but they do anyway. In fact, some ministers have decided to outright defy the IRS by endorsing conservative candidates whose views reflect their own. Recently, the Bolthouse Farms angered gay consumers when the company founder, William Bolthouse Jr., donated $100,000 to the organization, Protect Marriage.Californians Against Hate called for a boycott of Bolthouse Farms. A similar boycott was waged against Hyatt hotel owner Doug Manchester for donating $125K to support Proposition 8.

But, the big money has come from out-of-state groups such as Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus ($1.275 million), a Catholic men's organization; the National Organization for Marriage ($921,000); Mississippi-based American Family Association ($500,000); and Colorado-based Focus on the Family ($414,000), whose chairman is James Dobson, the evangelical Christian whose syndicated radio show is heard by millions. Likewise, the Mormon church has also mobilized forces in support of Proposition 8. Cedar City, Utah resident Nadine Hansen, creator of MormonsFor8.com thinks that probably 85 to 90 percent of the donors (to ProtectMarriage.com) are Mormon. ProtectMarriage.com. spokeswoman Jennifer Kerns acknowledged that a large number of the group's 25,000 volunteers, who spend weekends canvassing neighborhoods and making phone calls, are Mormon. About a third of donors backing Proposition 8 are Mormon, with their contributions reaching close to $5 million.

Amongst themselves, homosexuals quibble over whether "civil unions" are an acceptable alternative to "marriage." Civil unions refer to the bestowment of the tax and legal benefits normally given to straight married couples onto committed gay couples. However, some contend that civil unions are merely a "separate but equal" political measure that renders gays as 2nd-class citizens (the same way American blacks were before the American Civil Rights Movement). But those who support civil unions see it as a satisfying start on the way to full-fledged political recognition and add that "marriage" is a religious term that requires the blessing of a church. The contention over "marriage" is precisely what fuels the fire of those against homosexual unions. Opponents of gay marriage say that religious scriptures explicitly forbid homosexuality as a sin and that civil unions are a slippery slope on the way to eventually forcing everyone to accept homosexuality.

One cannot deny that institutionalized homophobia insults gays as being unworthy of the same rights and benefits as heterosexuals. Such official governmental policies engenders antipathy that results in gay bashings, negative depictions of gays in media, and exclusion from public school curriculum , that would educate gays and straights, potentially lower rising HIV rates, and stop alienating homosexuals that might otherwise live healthy, productive lives.

-- QC Weekender: All About Proposition 8

John McCain's Wrong

2008-09-27T17:22:00.001-05:00

John McCain and Multi-Billion Dollar Bailouts - Keating 5

2008-09-27T17:03:00.003-05:00

Back in the '90s McCain was at the center of a $500B bailout, now the Repubs are asking for $700B. I wonder when we'll find out who's involved in the illegalities surrounding the mortgage crisis now.

'Sexual Cleansing' Rampant in Iraq

2008-09-27T11:57:00.001-05:00

'Sexual Cleansing' Rampant in Iraq: "Peter Tatchell: Islamist death squads in Iraq are engaged in a 'sexual cleansing' killing spree against gays with the active encouragement of leading Muslim clerics, such as Moqtada al-Sadr and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani."

(Via Drudge Retort.)

CIA: Osama Helped Bush in '04

2008-09-27T11:51:00.001-05:00

CIA: Osama Helped Bush in '04: "On Oct. 29, 2004, just four days before the U.S. presidential election, al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden released a videotape denouncing George W. Bush. Some Bush supporters quickly spun the diatribe as 'Osama's endorsement of John Kerry,' but behind the walls of the CIA, analysts had concluded the opposite: Bin Laden was trying to help Bush gain a second term."

(Via Drudge Retort.)

Lesbian mom-to-be Mary Cheney disses religious right leader James Dobson

2007-02-02T06:22:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

From our friends over at AmericaBlog --

Lesbian mom-to-be Mary Cheney disses religious right leader James Dobson

I have a question --- can our government promote a constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage with a classic GW "signing statement" that would exclude the Vice President and his family?

NASCAR and Me!

2006-11-30T17:16:00.000-06:00

Jimmy Johnson or Jeff Gordon I'm not but let me on an open track with a car that I can race up to 170 mph and I'LL BE THERE! One of the most exciting things I've ever done. 6 cars, 10 laps with speeds up to 170 mph. I got passed 2x. Started in 6th place and ended up in 4th so I can't complain.

Thanks IBM!

The Secret Of Life -- by: James Taylor

2006-11-29T20:55:00.000-06:00

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There aint nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since were on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

The secret of love is in opening up your heart
Its okay to feel afraid
But dont let that stand in your way
cause anyone knows that love is the only road
And since were only here for a while
Might as well show some style
Give us a smile

Isnt it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride

Now the thing about time is that time
Isnt really real
Its just your point of view
How does it feel for you
Einstein said he could never understand it all
Planets spinning through space
The smile upon your face
Welcome to the human race

Some kind of lovely ride
Ill be sliding down
Ill be gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride

Isnt it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride

Now the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time

A Liberal's Pledge

2006-11-20T04:38:00.000-06:00

Just received this from a friend and found it particularly relevant.....

A Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives
November 14th, 2006

To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters,

I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand.

Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know whatwe plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, what we will do to you and for you.

Thus, here is our Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives:

Dear Conservatives and Republicans,

I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you:

1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.

2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift.

3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it foryou.

4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never tosend your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie.

5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, wepromise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and curesfor diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure thoseadvances are available to you and your family, too.

6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean upour air and water, we, the Democratic majority, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water.

7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice.Immediately. We will protect you.

8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you dothere as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count yourage from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived.

9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weaponor a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of ahunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make ourstreets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protectyour children just as we would protect ours.

10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees --that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative women that wage, too.

11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put thosebeliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your mostradical religious beliefs ("Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go throughthe eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you didfor me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't justbless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intoleranceand fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting agood example for the rest of the world.

12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought andpaid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him orherself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corruptpoliticians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call uson it. Simply because we are in power does not give us the right to turn ourheads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition.

I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and forgiving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest of the world.

Signed,

The New Majority

There Comes A Time

2006-11-13T20:54:00.000-06:00

A Moment of Truth........
THE AWAKENING
-The Moment of Clarity-
by Denise M. "Sonny" Carroll ©

A time comes in your life when you finally get it. . . when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough of fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening . . .

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for
happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that you are neither Prince Charming or Cinderella
and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for
that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with
you...and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and
championing yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of
self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or
didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the
unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say
and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about
you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself...and in the
process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and
to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties..and in the process a sense of
peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a
result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.
And you begin to sift through all the junk you've picked up from the garbage
dump of others about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you
should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money
you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you
should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your
parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin
reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the
doctrines and values you've outgrown ... and in the process you learn to go with
your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a
"consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must
build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world
and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs
get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about LOVE. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving
and when to walk away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them
be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone
does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over
and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness,
sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less. And you learn that your
body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for
something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More
importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone....and that it's OK to risk asking for
help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you
deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On
these occasions you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's
just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the EGO.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be
understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the
universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for
granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full
refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself. You make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your
heart's desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can
listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to
stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a
deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

America - Take Note

2005-09-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

While our fellow American's from the Gulf Coast area are trying to survive and the rest of America is stepping up to do what we do best in times of need, we all must ask the question -- What if something happened in our neighborhood that would require mass evacuation? After 9/11 detailed hearings were held by Congress and extensive investigations were had to uncover the breaking points in our national support infrastructure as well as provide recommendations to the White House on how to improve our systems. What has happened?

If this were a bio-terrorist attack on a town in the US that would require a similar level of evacuation, how many would die if our government's response would be as it has been in the affected areas of the Gulf Coast. In 2005 in one of the oldest, most historic cities in America, US citizens are dying and their bodies are not even being properly disposed of. Five days into this current disaster and we still have Americans stranded on rooftops in New Orleans with no water or food and no way to get to safety. Four days into the disaster and the head of the government's (FEMA) effort did not even know that there were tens of thousands of people stranded at the New Orleans convention center. Harry Connick Jr, CNN and other media outlets have been able to make their way into the bowels of the city, talk to the survivors and get their equipment there to film the situation yet the United States Government suggested that they couldn't get supplies to those who needed it because they couldn't move around the city.

Attribute it to race and poverty, call it unexpected consequences, call it what you may, but the bottom line is we've been let down and we're in danger. Our Government has said time and again that they are protecting us against terrorism and that we're safer today than we were before 9/11. A true test of this has happened this past week and we've failed. If what we've been told is true about our preparedness in the case of a significant terrorist attack, then the plans, systems, people and processes should have already been in place in New Orleans to save lives and protect our our fellow Americans.

Not only has our support and rescue infrastructure broken down, but our resources are drained. President Bush and Congress CONSCIOUSLY excluded funding for research and investment to protect and re-enforce the levees in New Orleans. Some people have suggested that the residents of New Orleans have to take some of the responsibility for not leaving earlier when they were advised of the hurricane coming. What this perspective ignores is the fact that more than a third of New Orleans citizens live well below the poverty line and have no means of transportation. How were these people supposed to pack up their belongings and leave? Again, where was the government? Blame the Mayor? How could he do more than he was able to when the Federal Government actually cut funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the levees in his city?

Tax Cuts, Privatization of Social Security, War on Terror, Office of Homeland Security -- can someone please tell me how these have made us a safer nation?

A Letter From A Vermont Mother

2005-08-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

The following is a very strong and moving letter written by the mother of a gay son in Vermont........

"Many letters have been sent to the Valley News concerning the homosexual menace in Vermont. I am the mother of a gay son and I've taken enough from you good people. I'm tired of your foolish rhetoric about the "homosexual agenda" and your allegations that accepting homosexuality is the same thing as advocating sex with children. You are cruel and ignorant. You have been robbing me of the joys of motherhood ever since my children were tiny.

My firstborn son started suffering at the hands of the moral little thugs from your moral, upright families from the time he was in the first grade. He was physically and verbally abused from first grade straight through high school because he was perceived to be gay.

He never professed to be gay or had any association with anything gay, but he had the misfortune not to walk or have gestures like the other boys. He was called "fag" incessantly, starting when he was 6.

In high school, while your children were doing what kids that age should be doing, mine labored over a suicide note, drafting and redrafting it to be sure his family knew how much he loved them. My sobbing 17-year-old tore the heart out of me as he choked out that he just couldn't bear to continue living any longer, that he didn't want to be gay and that he couldn't face a life without dignity.

You have the audacity to talk about protecting families and children from the homosexual menace, while you yourselves tear apart families and drive children to despair. I don't know why my son is gay, but I do know that God didn't put him, and millions like him, on this Earth to give you someone to abuse. God gave you brains so that you could think, and it's about time you started doing that.

At the core of all your misguided beliefs is the belief that this could never happen to you, that there is some kind of subculture out there that people have chosen to join. The fact is that if it can happen to my family, it can happen to yours, and you won't get to choose. Whether it is genetic or whether something occurs during a critical time of fetal development, I don't know. I can only tell you with an absolute certainty that it is inborn.

If you want to tout your own morality, you'd best come up with something more substantive than your heterosexuality. You did nothing to earn it; it was given to you. If you disagree, I would be interested in hearing your story, because my own heterosexuality was a blessing I received with no effort whatsoever on my part. It is so woven into the very soul of me that nothing could ever change it. For those of you who reduce sexual orientation to a simple choice, a character issue, a bad habit or something that can be changed by a 10-step program, I'm puzzled. Are you saying that your own sexual orientation is nothing more than something you have chosen, that you could change it at will? If that's not the case, then why would you suggest that someone else can?

A popular theme in your letters is that Vermont has been infiltrated by outsiders. Both sides of my family have lived in Vermont for generations. I am heart and soul a Vermonter, so I'll thank you to stop saying that you are speaking for "true Vermonters."

You invoke the memory of the brave people who have fought on the battlefield for this great country, saying that they didn't give their lives so that the "homosexual agenda" could tear down the principles they died defending. My 83-year-old father fought in some of the most horrific battles of World War II, was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart.

He shakes his head in sadness at the life his grandson has had to live. He says he fought alongside homosexuals in those battles, that they did their part and bothered no one. One of his best friends in the service was gay, and he never knew it until the end, and when he did find out, it mattered not at all. That wasn't the measure of the man.

You religious folk just can't bear the thought that as my son emerges from the hell that was his childhood he might like to find a lifelong companion and have a measure of happiness. It offends your sensibilities that he should request the right to visit that companion in the hospital, to make medical decisions for him or to benefit from tax laws governing inheritance.

How dare he? you say. These outrageous requests would threaten the very existence of your family, would undermine the sanctity of marriage. You use religion to abdicate your responsibility to be thinking human beings. There are vast numbers of religious people who find your attitudes repugnant. God is not for the privileged majority, and God knows my son has committed no sin.

The deep-thinking author of a letter to the April 12 Valley News who lectures about homosexual sin and tells us about "those of us who have been blessed with the benefits of a religious upbringing" asks: "What ever happened to the idea of striving . . . to be better human beings than we are?"

Indeed, sir, what ever happened to that? "

HRC Press Release on Supreme Court Nominee

2005-07-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

JUDGE ROBERTS THREATENS TO TIP THE COURT TO FAR RIGHT

Statement by Joe Solmonese, President, Human Rights Campaign

The rights and freedoms of millions of Americans are at stake as the Supreme Court hangs in the balance. President Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts; now it’s the Senate’s and the American people’s turn to do their job. The delicate balance on the Supreme Court is in danger of breaking. If Roe v. Wade falls, so could equality for millions of Americans.
With the Roberts nomination, the right to privacy and the future of a fair-minded Court are in grave danger. Judge Roberts has disputed the right to privacy laid out in Roe v. Wade, and urged that the case be overruled. Reversing Roe could undermine fundamental rights to privacy and liberty that are the legal underpinning for the freedom of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.
Judge Roberts has advocated for prayer in public schools and for weakening the wall between church and state. He should make clear whether or not he would distort religion for misuse as a proxy for discrimination. Americans deserve a justice who will uphold the separation of church and state.
The unique powers of the Supreme Court, including the power to revisit previous Supreme Court decisions, mean that Judge Roberts’ record should be subject to rigorous inspection. We will be working closely with our coalition partners to ensure that Judge Roberts gets a thorough vetting.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

www.hrc.org

Terry Shiavo and Congress Intervention - The Ultimate Irony

2005-03-17T17:39:00.000-06:00

Throughout the past year, President Bush and most of the Republican Congress campaigned against "activist judges" imposing their moral beliefs on the American public and the "sanctity" of marriage. Now, they want to pass a law that puts Federal judges in the position of overriding the wishes of the spouse of a dying woman - Terri Schiavo. Ms. Schiavo has been on life support now for over 20 years, due primarily to human intervention through the application of man made life support systems. Forcing her continued sustenance through life support systems seems to be diometrically opposed to the "playing God" argument that so many try to make when debating this issue.

Additionally, while all of this debate is interesting, what about the "Sanctity" of marriage and the use of "activist" judges to push ones morality? Denying Terri Schiavo's husband the "right" to make decisions in the case of her incapacitation strikes at the very core of the sanctity afforded the institution of marriage. Furthermore, since the so called Christian moralists disagree with the husband's decision they now turn to the very branch of our government they've been complaining about for the past year -- the judiciary -- to intervene and make a decision that is fundamentally the responsibility of the individuals spouse. How come it's ok for the courts to intervene in this case but when the courts rule in favor of gay marriage they're accused of promoting their personal morality? I'm totally baffled over this one......

Moral Leadership - Church & State

2004-11-03T07:32:00.000-06:00

One of the key items identified in this year's Presidential election was that most US citizens were looking for "Moral Leadership" from their elected officials. While on the surface, that sounds very noble but shortly beneath the covers, this raises significant questions. Not to mention "what is moral" which we'll leave for later, but let's start at "whose" morals are we to be governed by? Are the moral guiding principles that govern sexual relationships as well as business transactions as well as how we treat each other as human beings the same? If one is governing based on "Moral Leadership" how important is it that the candidate make their view of "morals" transparent and ultimately accountable to the American public? Where does one get "Morals" from anyway?

Ahhh.....a classic dilemma, the Separation of Church & State. Many argue that morals are things that have a deep foundation in ones religious belief system. If this is true, doesn't one run afoul of a very basic tenet of our government, that being the separation of church & state? When our clerics, rabbis, priests, ministers, preachers, begin telling us how to vote because of "their" interpretation of what "God" would like to see, then it seems that to me that the line is being crossed. If this scenario doesn't apply, then how do most American's formulate their "morals" by which they measure their decisions for electing a new candidate?

When millions of dollars and significant effort is being expended by our religious institutions to help influence the outcome of a major American election, all in the name of "Morals and Values", we begin walking a very thin line as a nation. I'm not advocating a complete revolution here but a serious discourse on the role of church and the importance we place on a candidates moral compass.

Introduction

2004-10-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody. My name's Jeff and I live here in Dallas Texas. I wanted to get a Blog up and running as a forum to exchange intelligent discussion on a variety of topics some meaningful and some useless. My primary areas of interest include Technology, Politics, Foreign Policy, Gay and Lesbian Issues, Grassroots Efforts to bring about Change and Social Empowerment as well as movies, cooking, opera, theater and travel. For pleasure I enjoy going to movies, love attending live productions of just about any sort including theater, opera, concerts, dance and live sporting events. I also enjoy going to movies with friends and really enjoy hosting a few people over at my house for a nice intimate dinner. Anything that sets the stage for fine food, drink and intelligent discourse. There's a lot going on in the world around us so we should all have alot to talk about. This country was founded on the ability to bring people together to talk about things and to stimulate change. Let's exercise our basic rights as American Citizens. Speak Up -- Say What's On Your Mind!