HRC: Premature Eja... Uh, Endorsement.

The Human Rights Campaign, the highest profile gay rights organization in the country, has endorsed Barack Obama for President a year and a half before the election.

HRC's endorsement, which seems fairly straightforward, brings up some questions about their role in holding public figures accountable to their commitments to the gay community.  Should Gay Inc. really be endorsing a candidate who has yet to make any specific promises regarding equality in his second presidency?

John Aravosis of Americablog speculates that this means we can forget any commitment from the president on marriage equality:

"While an eventual endorsement of Obama by HRC is inevitable, expected, and fine, there's a dance that's expected where both sides get something. And the expectation should be for gay rights advancements, not appearing at your dinner or giving you a job. (HRC may be the only folks in town worse at negotiating than the White House itself. ) But now that HRC has already given the President the prize he seeks, what incentive does the President, who claims he's 'evolving' on marriage, evolve before the election? He has no need to. HRC clearly hasn't learned the lessons of the first two years of the Obama presidency."


I've long been a critic of the HRC as Democratic apologists.  They seem far more interested in fundraisers and getting candidates with lackluster records on gay rights elected.  Even more alarming is their recent "pass" given to the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce regarding the restriction of anti-discrimination laws in local jurisdictions in that state.  Long story short:  Corporations like AT&T and Comcast bear responsibility for an anti-gay bill being passed through the Chamber's lobbying efforts in the TN legislature.  After the bill passed, with a blow being struck to gay rights in Tennessee, the member companies got the Chamber to denounce the law.

Then, of course, Joe Solmonese congratulated them on their ground-breaking work for equality.

And why did HRC gush on about the great contributions of the member corporations who withdrew their support for the discriminatory bill after it had already passed?

Will Kohl at Back2Stonewall did a simple Google search to research the issue and discovered that fully half of those corporations have some form of contribution to HRC, to include AT&T having an award named after them-- the AT&T E-Hero Award-- at the annual HRC Fundraising Gala.  Essentially, you want a glowing report from Solmonese on your "achievements" in gay rights?  Write HRC a check!

I'm sorry, but I'm just not happy with Gay Inc.'s approval-- and thus, through their representation of our community, MY approval-- being purchased.  That isn't advocacy nor activism, that is the privatization of our interests, and it should be stopped.

US House Engages In More Useless Anti-Gay Maneuvering

Republican-led House of Representatives is still more concerned with pushing useless social initiatives at the taxpayer's expense, as seen yesterday when it adopted the 2012 defense budget with a couple added anti-gay amendments.

 
It's extremely doubtful that the amendments, which include hampering the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and DOMA related restrictions for military chaplains, will make it through the Senate, much less get White House approval.

Laura Murphy of the ACLU had this to say:

"'Trying to throw a roadblock up to derail "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" repeal at this point is a desperate attempt to postpone the inevitable,' Murphy said. 'For nearly 20 years, lesbian, gay and bisexual service members have been forced to hide who they are and who they love in order to serve their country. It was with the will of the president, the uniformed and civilian leadership of the military and Congress itself that "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" was repealed and its implementation will continue to move forward successfully despite the attempts by some House members to disrupt it.'"

Translation?  The House is lamesauce and should probably work on something that the American people want... you know... like jobs?  

Allan Hyde Equals Yum

If you are a fan of True Blood, then you've seen Allan Hyde perform as the baby-faced Godric, an ancient vampire with a suicidal streak.  He was also, I think, a very... nice... addition to a cast that was already known for being extremely sexy.

 

Well, the Danish actor also stars in a web series, the fifth episode of which is found below.  I'll be honest-- I haven't watched any of it.  But come on.  Look at him.  Meow.

Ahmadinejad, Bringin' The Crazy

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad amped up the crazy during a speech he made at the inauguration of a dam in a central province recently by claiming that Europe was using secret technologies to steal rain from Iran.  

The president has come under fire at home lately for disobeying the orders of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khameini.  The power struggle between he and his partner-in-despotism has been fierce and balls-to-the-walls nuts, with his detractors claiming that he is either using sorcery to achieve his political aims or, depending on who you ask, the victim of sorcery himself.  

Wizard?  Or just an asshole?  You decide.

All-in-all, I'm thoroughly entertained.  

Anyway, Mahmoud baffled both detractors and supporters when he made the speech accusing the West of undermining Iran by stealing rain.  The Middle Eastern country has suffered several droughts in recent years, with no end in sight.  Who better to blame it on than his bitterest critics?  

"'Western countries have designed plans to cause drought in certain areas of the world, including Iran,' Mr Ahmadinejad said in the city of Arak in Markazi province.

"'According to reports on climate, whose accuracy has been verified, European countries are using special equipment to force clouds to dump' their water on their continent, he said.

By doing so, 'they prevent rain clouds from reaching regional countries, including Iran,' Mr Ahmadinejad charged."

Riiiiiiiiiiight.  Your country's drought problems have nothing to do with the fact that it's in the Middle fucking East.  

My conclusion?  He's joking!  He's OneAngryQueer's Comedian of the Week.  

Cuz he has to be kidding...

Right?

[The Telegraph]

Portland Gay Beating Results In Hand Holding Rally

I have a ton of friends in Portland, so I frequently make trips from my hometown in order to visit. It's a great town, known for its delicious beer and tolerant atmosphere. It's become something of a home-away-from-home for me, so you can imagine my rage when I heard of a hate crime committed against a gay couple strolling along the waterfront.

Brad Forkner and Christopher Rosevear were enjoying an evening walk while holding hands when they were accosted by a group of five men who beat them to a pulp. Nothing was taken, so detectives are investigating the matter as a bias crime.

"'I'm concerned by any assault of this nature,' Police Chief Mike Reese said. 'Particularly when it appears that the victims were targeted because of their perceived sexual orientation.'

"The suspects hit Rosevear in the head, face, back and ribs, before running away south on the trail past the two victims, police said.

"'The fact that people are still wanting to attack people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is beyond my comprehension,' said Stephen Cassell of the Q Center."

No shit. Portland even has a gay mayor, for chrissake. 

In typical Oregonian style, a hand-holding protest is being held on Hawthorne Bridge this upcoming Sunday at 7:30 PM, the time and day of the attack. Event details found here. I encourage all of my Portlander friends* to attend, gay or straight.

*Yes, friends on Senate Street, I'm talking to you.

Feds Threaten To Ground Flights In TX Due To TSA Limits

Remember that bill Texas passed to limit airport groping by TSA personnel?  Yeah, the federal government didn't quite cotton to it and put the smack down by threatening to ground all flights from Texas airports.

"'If [the legislation] passes, the federal government would likely seek an emergency stay of the statute,' a letter from the Department of Justice explained (PDF). 'Unless or until a such a stay were granted, TSA would likely be required to cancel any flight or series of flights for which it could not ensure the safety of passengers and crew.'


"As a result, the bill's co-sponsor in the Texas Senate withdrew the legislation. It had cleared the Texas House by unanimous vote."

Everything's bigger in Texas.  Except, I see, for their legislators' balls.

[TheRawStory]

Rapture Fallout: Mom Attempts To Kill Her Children, Russian Girl Commits Suicide

This is just sad.


While many of us laughed off the rapture or spent their life savings buying ad space for it, one woman took the threat of the Apocalyptic Tribulations so seriously that she slit the wrists and throats of her daughters before cutting her own so that they wouldn't have to live through the inevitable hell on Earth.  

Lucky, Lyn Benedetto's neighbor discovered the murder/suicide scene in time for all three to be taken to the hospital for treatment.  The question on many people's minds: how much responsibility does Harold Camping bear?

He, of course, says none.


"Murdering is terrible. It is contrary to everything the Bible teaches. That would have been a horrible thing if she has done that. That will make me weep. That will fill me with sorrow that she would do that. The Bible teaches that we are to save life, not kill. If it is going to be death, leave it to God. God knows who He wants to kill and make alive. That is His business, not our business."


One would argue, of course, that "God's business" also includes the date and time of the end of the world, but then how else would Camping fleece his followers for cash?


[IBTimes]


UPDATE: Russian Teen Fearful Of Rapture, Commits Suicide


Sad doesn't even begin to cover this.


A Russian 14-year old girl was found dead in her home.  She committed suicide on May 21st, her family says, because she was fearful of the end of the world.

"Nastya Zachinova, who lived in the Republic of Mari El in Central Russia, believed that the world end on May 21, her family told LifeNews, a Russian tabloid.

"'She took this date too close to heart,' the teen's mother, Lyudmila, told LifeNews.

"Russia's state-owned news agency, RIA Novosti, reported Wednesday that the girl hanged herself out of fear of Camping's prediction."

Dear public figures: people listen to the shit you say.  Don't be freaking irresponsible.  This is what happens if you are.

[The Christian Post]

Poll Asks: Which Repub Do You Prefer? Polled: "None."

Gallup did a poll asking voters which Republican candidate they would prefer to receive the nomination.  Their mistake?  Letting "none" be an option, with 22% of respondents choosing "No opinion/None" over the 19% for Mitt Romney.

Video: Dan Choi In Moscow

As an update to today's earlier post, video has been released courtesy of Andy Thayer of Gay Liberation Network and Pam Spaulding:

Geek Shit Wednesday Vol. XII, Thursday Edition

For various reasons I didn't post yesterday, so Geek Shit Wednesday is Thursday this week.  I know you just can't live without geek shit.

Satellite Imagery Reveals Lost Pyramids Of Egypt

17 new (or old, whichever) pyramids were discovered in Egypt recently in a new infrared satellite survey.  Imaging shows not only these structures, but 1,000 tombs and a whopping 3,000 buried settlements untouched by archaeologists.

Since the analysis of the imagery, at least two of the pyramids have been confirmed through conventional excavation.  The project, overseen by American Dr. Sarah Parcak, has the Egyptology world buzzing.

"She says she was amazed at how much she and her team has found.

"'We were very intensely doing this research for over a year. I could see the data as it was emerging, but for me the "Aha!" moment was when I could step back and look at everything that we'd found and I couldn't believe we could locate so many sites all over Egypt.

"'To excavate a pyramid is the dream of every archaeologist,' she said."

I'm really excited to see this technology applied to surveys of other parts of the world.  Who knows what lost civilizations lie buried beneath the Gobi, or flooded by the Amazon?  

[BBC]

Patriot Act Extended; Mobile GPS Information Legislation Introduced

The Patriot Act has been extended, leading some privacy advocates concerned that geolocation info recorded by mobile devices might be abused by the government.  Happily, a bipartisan team of legislators have introduced a bill to protect this information.  

"Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican, want to make things crystal clear: no warrant, no geolocation info.

"'GPS devices are everywhere and that’s a good thing,' Chaffetz tells Wired.com. 'We just don’t want nefarious characters tracking people without someone knowing, nor do I want law enforcement to be able to just follow everyone all the time.'"

The bill not only covers information collected from phones and other GPS devices, but also leaves room for technological advancement, referring to "successor devices" so that future innovations would be protected under the bill.

[Wired]

Nook And Kindle Battle It Out Over Battery Life: Nook Wins

Barnes & Noble has been in a press-release war with Amazon over the battery life of their respective e-readers, the Nook and the Kindle.  

When the Nook's initial specs were released, Amazon threw a fit over the numbers related to the device's (superior) battery life.  The problem?  They said the numbers were based on usage of a half-hour a day, as compared to their complete hour.  So they updated their info, doubling their numbers and possibly deceiving prospective buyers.

"B&N countered with a very detailed statement, outlining the exact tests made. It also looks like the Kindle was also tested in the same way:

'With up to two months on a single charge, the all-new Nook has the longest battery life in the industry and superior battery performance to Kindle 3. In our side-by-side tests, under the exact same conditions, continuous use of the device resulted in more than two times Kindle's battery life.

'While reading at one page a minute, the all-new Nook battery lasts for 150 hours, where the Kindle battery, using the same page-turn rate, lasts for only 56 hours (both with Wi-Fi off).'"

So there.  

[CNN]

Dan Choi: Making Trouble In Moscow

Every year, gay Muscovites attempt to hold a Gay Pride event and every year the city bans the event from taking place, once memorably referring to Pride as "Satanic."  This year is no different, however, American gay rights activist Dan Choi has flown to Russia in order to show support for Russian activists combating homophobia in Moscow.

Along with Russian activist Nikolay Alexeyev, French Louis-George Tim (who created the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) and British activist Peter Tatchell, Dan reports via Pam Spaulding:

"Dan reports that he, along with about 20 activists from the U.S. and Europe attended Russia's version of Meet the Press. Russian LGBT rights activist, lawyer and journalist Nikolay Alexeyev debated their version of Maggie Gallagher, and the opposition (anti-gay) side was stacked with government officials and a 'sexologist' demonizing LGBTs.

"According to Dan, the first two segments were very contentious; at the end of the second segment it became so heated that Alexeyev stormed off of the set -- actually damaging part of the set -- and refused to come back for the third segment.

"Instead, Alexeyev and all of the pro-LGBT attendees left the set and audience. This program aired live, so I'm sure clips will surface. Dan will have a report later; they are also planning direct action in protest of the cancellation of Pride by homophobic officials and it's likely there will be arrests."

Good job to Dan and Co. on supporting gay rights in Russia.  Good luck this weekend with Pride celebrations.

Some Cute Boys Sing Adele

Look at these boys!  They're so adorable!

OneAngryClotheshorse - Glee Season Finale - Rachel's Jacket

Like so many of you, I eagerly tuned in last night to see the finale of Season 2 of Glee. I'm not going to go into the episode itself - it was mostly predictable and largely forgettable, but there was one glaring exception that burned itself into my brain:

I know, Lea. I'm sorry they put you in this thing too. It looks like it hurts.

What...the...fuck? I literally gasped aloud when I saw this thing. I get that Rachel's character wears some pretty bonkers outfits but COME ON, REALLY? This outfit is like the unholy union of Marlo Thomas (That Girl), Mary Tyler Moore, and a roll of lifesavers. It's hard to look that cartoony in live action, but somehow the girl does it. Also, those shoes are HORRIBLE.

Hopefully in season 3 Rachel discovers fashion and moves away from outfits that are as loud and annoying as her character, but I'm not holding my breath.

Kiss kiss,

Wesley Darling

Photo Via

WTF, Solmonese! Are You Serious?

Yet another HRC fail, as the Advocate reports Joe Solmonese's comments on the Tennessee workplace discrimination debacle.  After the Chamber of Commerce lobbied for the anti-gay bill, Joe chose to instead gush about big corporations "leading the way" to equality, even though the Chamber didn't reverse its support of the bill until it was too late for its reversal to mean anything.

“Discrimination should have no place in the Volunteer State and the Chamber’s opposition to this law sent a strong signal that corporations are on the leading edge of positive change. In contrast Governor Haslam has put discrimination ahead of the state’s values and even business interests by signing this horrible legislation.”

Joe, seriously?