Notes from Our Leader

Bush to German newspaper Bild after being asked about the high point of his Presidency since taking office in 2001:

"You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best. I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound perch in my lake."

Considering I can't think of any great moments either, it's hard to disagree with the man.

And the worst moment? 9/11.

Pres: "In such a situation it takes a while before one understands what is happening. I would say that this was the hardest moment, once I had the real picture before my eyes."

Bush's Best Moment in Office? Reeling in Big Perch [washington post]

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Dick and Mary Cheney on Homosexuality

According to Matt Drudge, Todd Purdum asks Dick Cheney in the new issue of Vanity Fair whether or not he thinks gay people are born that way. Cheney's answer? "Nice try. I’m not going to get into that. Those are deeply personal questions. You can ask." Don't ask questions that might expose hypocrisy, Todd.

Purdum also chatted with the VP's daughter: "In her new memoir, Now It's My Turn...Mary Cheney writes that when she told her parents she was gay, the first words out of her father’s mouth 'were exactly the ones that I wanted to hear: 'You’re my daughter, and I love you, and I just want you to be happy.' Mary Cheney tells her story in a voice very much like her father’s, and that she came out to her parents when she was a junior in high school, on a day when, after breaking up with her first girlfriend, she skipped school, ran a red light, and crashed the family car. Cheney writes that her mother hugged her, but then burst into tears, worried that she would face a life of pain and prejudice."

Why would Lynne Cheney worry her daughter was going to face a life of pain and prejudice? Oh yeah, her father helps legislate it.

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Larry Miller Meets with Gay and Lesbian Students

Wow. Now this is great to see. Real dialog between a bigot and those affected by his actions.

Larry Miller, the Utah theater owner who pulled Brokeback Mountain from his theaters last January, met with about 30 gay and lesbian students at the University of Utah who enlightened him about what it's like to be gay. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, students told Miller about the difficulties of coming out and the fear of being physically harmed. The discussion appeared to change Miller's previously unwavering stance on his decision to pull the movie.

Said Miller: "Now, I understand how something I said inadvertently made them feel demeaned as individuals. Maybe their well-being trumps my beliefs, my rights to express myself...In 2006, it's wrong that they have to live in that fear."

Students were very positive about the meeting. Charles Milne, coordinator of the university's LGBT Campus Resource Center: "I felt like he cared about what we had to say. I wouldn't say we changed his mind, but I think he did come away with ideas he had to process."

Imagine the strides that could be made if this kind of exchange happened more often.

VIDEO.

Miller at the U.: Second thoughts about 'Brokeback'? [salt lake tribune]

Previously
Utah Theater Nixes Brokeback [tr]
Bigot Larry Miller Still in the Hot Seat [tr]
Larry Miller Proud He Made Money Off Bigotry

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Supporters Rally Behind Kentucky Student

Although Jason Johnson has reached a deal with the University of the Cumberlands to finish this semester's work, students and legislators came together for a rally yesterday in Williamsburg, Kentucky to protest the Baptist school's policies regarding homosexual students. Johnson was expelled from the school after officials found gay-oriented material on his MySpace page which they determined warranted his dismissal.

Said Johnson: "I was shown a photocopy of my MySpace page, a paper copy of it. They asked me if it was my page, I told them it was, and then they asked me to go ahead and leave campus."

Among the protestors were Johnson's boyfriend Zac Dreyer (below left) and the only openly gay member of Kentucky's General Assembly, State Senator Ernesto Scorsone, who told the crowd, "In the long run, this will be a turning point and we'll make it so. I'll tell you why: Because of the beliefs of fair-minded Kentuckians."

Protestors at the rally also urged Governor Ernie Fletcher to veto $11 million in coal-severance money which is earmarked for scholarships and a pharmacy school at Cumberlands. The Gov. remains undecided.

Students rally to protest Cumberlands' anti-gay policy [courier-journal]
Kentucky students rally in support of gay classmate [wbir]

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Gay Families Stymied at White House Easter Egg Roll

Gay families who lined up over the weekend (some for 24 hours) hoping to create a visual impact at the opening of the White House's annual Easter Egg roll this morning were disappointed to be given tickets that afford them a much later entrance time. In prior years, entrance to the Easter Egg roll has been first come, first served. Now, instead of having the opportunity to greet the President and First Lady Laura Bush, the gay families will find the Cookie Monster and Clifford the Dog on hand to greet them.

Inquiries by PageOneQ as to the reasons for the ticketing change were met with this response: "This year, the President and Mrs. Bush invited a special group of children who volunteer from organizations like 4-H, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Campfire USA, Citizen Corps, Learn & Serve, Little Hands Big Hearts, YMCA and Youth Service America. These youth volunteer were invited to attend during the morning hours of the event."

Seems like a Roveian move to me. It's hard to argue against youth volunteers. But was it naive of gay parents to believe that the statement their presence might have made at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll would not somehow be blunted by the Bush strategists?

Perhaps. But at least one gay parent who plans to be there says it doesn't matter: "The fact that the White House couldn’t cancel the event or keep our families out, without getting egg on its face, suggests that things are shifting in America, because it’s assumed there would be some negative reaction from a portion of the American public, a significant portion perhaps. And, if there has been a subtle shift it’s because we’ve been visible as families in our communities, all over the country."

White House Changes Easter Egg Roll Admit Process [page one q]
Easter Egg Roll Delay for Gay Families [the republic of t]
Gay Parents' Protest Comes up Against the Cookie Monster [telegraph]

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Massive Cock Hunt to Start in Key West

There are approximately 2,000 chickens that wander freely in Key West, and they're impossible not to notice. I shot the photo above on my trip to KW last November. There's a movement underway to round up all the chickens that roam the streets of this island, a rest stop for thousands of migrating birds. Fears that the avian flu could be spread to the town's poultry population have some residents, including the City Commissioner Bill Verge, pushing for their removal.

Said Verge: "We're not trying to spread panic about it. Just like the oncoming of a hurricane ... it's just called preparedness."

Chickens have wandered the island since the mid-1800s, when cockfighting was a popular sport. Despite the fact that they "crow at all times of the day, tear up lawns and defecate everywhere" the fowl are like the island's unofficial mascot.

So if you're in the mood to round up some birds, head down to the island chain. And if you'd rather hunt for the kind of cock that doesn't crow, there are plenty of great places to do that as well.

Key West Chickens Raise Bird Flu Fears [cbs news]

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Students Stage Scalia Kiss-IN

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made an appearance at University of Connecticut's law school yesterday, where he told students his proudest moment as a judge was not being "chased off" a case involving his hunting buddy Dick Cheney. That's his proudest moment? How pathetic.

Maybe he would have felt differently if Cheney had shot him in the face.

Anyway, some students took the liberty of setting up a same-sex kissing booth outside the hall where Scalia was speaking, as protest against his comments on gays, minorities, and women: "'His visit opened a lot of conversation on this campus,' said third-year law student Colby Smith, who was wearing an 'I Kiss Boys' T-shirt. 'We want to make sure people understand what the concerns are with him, and why his views are particularly offensive.'

That's Smith above (right), kissing fellow student Doug Heim.

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Gays with Guns: Fighting Violence with Threats of More

Are guns the answer to gay bashing? A Philadelphia group called the Pink Pistols seems to think so. They hold monthly get togethers and then shoot together at a nearby range:

"...the Pink Pistols are among the most mundane-looking human beings you could ever possibly meet. There are no tight shirts, no Versace bags and no Indigo Girls T-shirts. You could walk past one of these gun-packing people in the grocery store and not even notice them.

'We break down stereotypes when we can,' says Patton, a freckled, heavyset 43-year-old woman clad in nondescript loose-fitting clothing. 'People look at us, and it plays with their brains.'

None of these people would be welcome on the set of Will & Grace. At the same time, you'd never guess that any of them has a gun strapped under their arm, or resting in their pocket, or waiting under the seat of their car."

Normal or not normal, imho having more guns in the world will do little to prevent hate crimes. Guns don't change attitudes.

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Silent Ill

Here's a Silent Hill parody I mashed up. Now, Silent Hill is supposed to be a scary movie, but frankly, this one may be a comedy.

And the latest in related news: Ann Coulter's felonious Florida voter registration application.

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Two Dozen Soulforce Members Arrested

More Soulforce members were arrested at Brigham Young University on Tuesday, cited for trespassing.

Carrying Easter lilies, a procession of 30 students and Soulforce members marched from a Mormon temple to the entrance of BYU. They carried 35 lilies, respresenting gay Mormon students who have committed suicide since 1965.

They were lead by openly gay BYU student Matt Kulisch: "I'm proud to say I'm gay. I'm proud to say I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves me." Once on campus, Kulisch got down on the ground and pretended he was dead.

He was then cited for "public expression" which is not allowed at the school.

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Student Expelled for Saying He's Gay on MySpace

I didn't get a chance to cover this yesterday, so here goes. Jason Johnson, a student at Kentucky's University of the Cumberlands, was recently "dismissed" from school for saying he's gay on his MySpace profile.

A University spokesperson said the Baptist school has the right to expel a student who "promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles." Johnson's story has spread quickly around the internet, and last Thursday, his boyfriend Zac Dreyer began a campaign to get Johnson's story out.

From Dreyer's blog:

"I ask that you do what you can to help stop this attrocious act of discrimination on gays and lesbians at Cumberland. Help get the story out there so that all the gays and lesbians at the University will no longer have to live in secrecy in fear of having their dreams crushed in front of them. Get the story out to the news, the newspapers, spread it through the internet and if you are daring enough call the President of the University yourself, as I have done to see that this discrimination is stopped."

And Johnson left a thank you message there as well:

"Thank you for all of your support and encouragement throughout this time. Although this has been a difficult past couple of days, I am confident in what has happened thus far, and what is coming up in the next few weeks. Your words of encouragement have kept my spirits up and made it that much easier for me to continue this cause. At this time, I cannot respond to indvidual comments or messages, but I am hearing them, reading them, and they are moving me. Continue speaking out against discrimination, not just by what is happening at University of the Cumberlands, but throughout the nation. 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere' (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr) Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Dreyer's call to action and Johnson's predicament have prompted some students at the Christian school to speak up about the university's actions. Said student Renee Kuder: "They're being hypocritical, by Christian standards. If we love each other, accept each other for who we are, why are they kicking him out? I almost feel like they're trying to mold us, me, into a person that I wouldn't want to be. There's a letter in the student handbook that says everyone is a unique creation of God, you're special, we care about you. They didn't care if he didn't have a place to go. They could have pretty much ruined his life."

Amen. Best of luck to Jason.

Reaction Grows to Gay Student's Expulsion [lexington herald leader]
Student Expelled After Revealing He's Gay On MySpace [mtv]

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Citizen Scolds the President

Things went off topic at a Bush speech today in Charlotte, North Carolina when a man named Harry Taylor got up and gave Bush a piece of his mind:

"I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration. And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and grace to be ashamed of yourself...

...What I wanted to say to you is that I — in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by my leadership in Washington, including the presidency, by the Senate, and – and I would hope — I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration, and I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself inside yourself. And I also want to say I really appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to speak what I’m saying to you right now. That is part of what this country is about."

Head over to Think Progress for the full exchange.

And check out those faces on the women seated next to Mr. Taylor. Priceless.

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Feingold Comes Out for Gay Marriage

Russ Feingold, a Democratic Senator from Wisconsin and potential Presidential candidate, has set himself apart from the pack by saying what many other top Democrats believe but won't say for fear it might hurt them politically, speaking out on Tuesday against an amendment that would ban gay marriage and civil unions in that state:

"I will be voting against the harsh amendment that's been proposed in Wisconsin, and I thought it was an appropriate occasion to indicate my feeling that if two people care enough about each other to get married, that it probably is a positive thing for society. Gay and lesbian people in our country are fighting a mean-spirited movement to harm them and to discriminate against them. I stand with them against that movement, and I'm proud to stand with them."

Good for Feingold. He joins Senators Ted Kennedy, Lincoln Chafee, and Ron Wyden in public support of gay marriage.

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Aussie Prime Minister John Howard: I'm Not Anti-Gay

He just doesn't want gay people and their relationships legitimized as anything close to marriage, and that's why he's planning to veto legislation adopted recently by the Australizn Capitol Territory that would recognize civil unions, he told the Ten Network over the weekend.

John Howard: "This is not an anti-homosexual gesture. This is a gesture to support the special and traditional place of marriage as a heterosexual union for life of a man and a woman in Australian society. Why we're against what the ACT is doing is that, in all but name, they are equating same-sex unions with marriage. I don't support that, not because I'm against homosexuals, but I think there should always be a margin for marriage as we understand it in our society ... you don't equate a gay union with a traditional marriage – that's our position."

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said that "if Mr Howard's opposition to his law was not driven by homophobia, he should act to remove discrimination against homosexuals from commonwealth legislation."

Same-Sex Veto Not Anti-Gay [the australian]
I'm Not Anti-Gay [the australian]

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Mayor of West Sacramento Comes Out

West Sacramento's Mayor Christopher Cabaldon used his State of the City address to tell his constituents that he is a gay American. After coming out to his family last year, Cabaldon says he needed to come out in his professional life as well.

"This is something I needed to say in a direct way, not in a private meeting with a reporter or at a Chamber of Commerce meeting, but to really say it at a time when I knew the community will hear my voice in a direct way...If I'm ever going to have a personal life, I wanted to be open and direct about who I was with my constituents before that happened."

Reaction to Cabaldon's announcement has been "overwhelmingly positive" according to the Mayor, who hoped for a day when tolerance would alleviate public figures of the need to disclose such information. The announcement "drew an abrupt standing ovation."

Said Cabaldon: "It should be the case where I shouldn't have to say anything about it and wouldn't feel the need to say anything. I went to Mayor Fargo's State of the City Address the other day and she never at anytime announced that she was straight. I know she is. It shouldn't be that way, but we're not in that place."

West Sacramento Mayor: 'I'm Gay' [kcra]
Mayor Tells Voters He's Gay [fox40]

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Potty Talk and the Religious Right

The right-wing Christian wingnuts are getting desperate about going after gays. Here's what Illinois Family Institute's leather-obsessed Peter LaBarbera told the riled-up Bible-beating crowd at the War on Christians conference on Tuesday. From Salon:

Perhaps worrying that anti-gay rhetoric hasn't been sufficiently inflammatory lately, some speakers urged listeners to start using more scatological and stigmatizing language. Peter LaBarbera, who heads the Illinois Family Institute and is known for his obsession with gay men's most outré sexual practices, told the audience, "My greatest frustration has been our side's inability to make homosexual behavior an issue in the public's mind." In order to inspire the kind of revulsion he wants to see more of, he read from a posting on a gay message board: "Hey guys, I know this is kind of gross and all, but I was wondering if I'm the only one. I'm usually the bottom in my relationship with my boyfriend. After having been the receptive partner in anal sex it's only a few hours before I start to experience diarrhea ... it really stinks, because I really like sex, duh, but it takes the fun out of it when I know I'll be tied to the bathroom for the next day."

"I don't think so-called GLBT teens are told anything like this" by their school counselors, LaBarbera said. "We need to find ways to bring shame back to those who are practicing and advocating homosexual behavior."

LaBarbera should really stop trying to find answers to his problems on the message boards. Somebody send him a Fleet. We always knew that the Religious Right was full of shit. Now we know they're obsessed with it too.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry GOP [salon]

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Discrimination Beat: Family Reunited in Maryland

A family in Maryland has been reunited after four years of living apart because of a Virginia court ruling that forced Karl Ulf Hedberg (pictured) to choose between living with his partner, Blaise Delahoussaye, or living with his son. In 2002, the court awarded Karl Ulf Hedberg custody of his 9-year-old son providing his partner moved out because the court didn't see a parent with a live-in same-sex partner as an appropriate living situation for the child.

In fact, Delahoussaye's moving out hurt the son more, and a Montgomery County Circuit Judge did the right thing: "William J. Rowan III's ruling came after Hedberg presented evidence to show that the Virginia order had harmed his son, turning a two-parent home into a one-parent home, with attendant hardships."

The couple had moved to Maryland because the state is "friendlier towards same-sex couples."

A lawyer on the couple's legal team says such situations are not uncommon: "There are many other families who are living under the burden of these discriminatory restrictions and many other children that are being hurt, and I am sure we are going to see more cases like this one."

Gay Father Wins Custody Ruling baltimore sun]

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Gay Couple Murdered in Kentucky

An investigation is underway in Kentucky after Jennifer Lynn Smith confessed to the killings of an gay couple who were murdered separately in their homes last week in Louisville, Kentucky. She told officials that she and her partner, Dale Moneypenny, stabbed Charles Poynter, 43, to death in his home and then she set the home ablaze with a lighter.

The couple then apparently drove to the home of Poynter's partner, Blaine Thacker jr., 73, and murdered and robbed him. Smith said they told Thacker they needed a place to stay.

Moneypenny is still on the loose and police have not released any details of a motive in the case, but did say that the two couples were acquaintances. Moneypenny apparently has an extensive rap sheet that includes, burglary, assault, and auto theft. (Video)

New Details Emerge in Double Homicide [whas]
Murder Victim Found in burning Apartment [wave]

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OC Killer Gregory Michael Pisarcik Sentenced

Gregory Michael Pisarcik was sentenced on Friday for the murder of Narciso Leggs Jr., a retired immigration agent whom investigators found dead in his apartment in 2002 after the man had been missing for several days.

They met by coincidence in Laguna Beach, on a bench. Pisarcik was intending to Rob someone but admitted that after meeting Leggs "knew right then and there" he was going to commit murder.

Leggs invited Pisarcik to his apartment for a drink, and took a shower. When he emerged from the shower, Pisarcik was waiting.

Pisarcik then smashed the 53-year-old Leggs' head with a Champagne bottle, cut off his ears with scissors, and wrote an anti-gay slur on the victim's back. "If Mr. Pisarcik had really known what kind of person my brother Narciso was, he could not have been able to murder my brother. Whether my brother was gay or straight, my brother projected a very useful, hardworking and positive life. He never judged others," the victim's sister said in court.

Pisarcik was silent during his sentence, which is life in prison without parole.

Man sentenced to life for hate crime murder in Orange County [ap]

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ACLU Intervenes in Ex-Gay Parody Case

The case of Justin Watt, a blogger who created a parody of an Exodus International billboard, has been taken up by the ACLU. Exodus International, the group that promises "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ" became angry when Watt created and posted the parody billboard shown above.

Attornies for Exodus served Watt a cease and desist letter, saying that he had violated their intellectual property rights. The ACLU seems to believe it has a strong case in Watt's favor, as parody is protected under the Constitution. ACLU: "His point was to make a comment on a very important issue he has strongly held beliefs about: that Exodus's tactics are wrong, that there's nothing wrong with being gay, and that being gay doesn't make you unhappy."

Ex-gay group targets blogger with cease and desist; ACLU intervenes
[raw story]
A Response to Liberty [justinsomnia]

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Kabbalist Blames Bird Flu on Gay Marriage

David Basri, a well-known Kabbalah preacher, has said that bird flu is God's punishment for the campaign to legalize gay marriage in Israel. Sound familiar? Just another contingent of wingnuts scapegoating gays for the problems of the world.

David Basri's son quoted his father, according to PinkNews: "God punishes depravity first through plagues against animals and then in people. It should be obvious, he concluded, that bird flu is caused by political parties 'strengthening and encouraging homosexuality.'"

The Head of British Liberal Judaism laughed at the wingnut: "This is so stupid it’s hardly worth responding to, but even scientists are not sure why bird flu has occurred, so I suppose this man is entitled to his flight of fancy. As far as I’m aware birds are not categorised by their sexuality, so what they have to do with gay marriage I don’t know. This Kabbalist seems to be muddled by his own mysticism and mystery. He must be a confused, sad man."

Those Kabbalists. What would Madonna have to say about all this? I think I have an idea: This bird has flown.

Bird Flu: punishment for gay marriage - Rabbi claims [pink news]

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Crete: Gay Son Denies Murdering Parents

A follow-up to the gruesome story presented last week by UK tabloid The Sun about a gay man accused of murdering his parents on Crete.

Ryan Johnson discovered his parents' bodies gagged, bound, strangled, and stabbed. According to Ryan, he then became the subject of a smear and intimidation campaign by local authorities: "About 20 or 30 people came. You wouldn't believe the mess they made of the house. I can't explain it in any other way. They didn't work in a logical way. They walked all over the evidence, they turned the house into a right tip, the forensics didn't take my clothes for DNA, nothing. It was only in the third interview that I had a proper interpreter. All the time, they were keen to make me say certain things."

They then arrested him.

Greek authorities reportedly based their arrest on the testimony of a friend of Ryan's with whom he had been drinking that night. The friend, Andrew Bart, said that the family had experienced a "rift" because of Ryan's sexuality.

Not according to Ryan:

"He strongly denied suggestions that his father never came to terms with his sexuality: 'It's absolute rubbish. My parents knew I was gay before I did, probably from the moment I said I wanted to be a dancer when I was a little kid. And they'd never made me feel ashamed of it, they'd never said anything bad. If they had a problem with it, they would never have supported me to do all the things I've done, the dance training...and then going off to do an English degree. They've stood by me through everything.'"

Ryan Johnson has been released on bail and says he'll stay in Greece until his parents' killers are found.

Gay son's prison ordeal after island murders [observer]

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Spring is Here!

At least on the East Coast. Image via Jeff's Weather Blog.

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Two Gay Men Running for New Orleans Mayor

23 candidates are vying for the chance to take Ray Nagin's place and become New Orleans' next mayor.

Among them are two openly gay men, James Arey and Leo Watermeier.

James Arey, a classical-music disc jockey and music manager for the local National Public Radio station: "Lesbians saved my neighborhood. That is absolutely true. I had to evacuate to Atlanta because our WWNO studios were unavailable. We broadcast via a PBS satellite from Atlanta. Lesbians snuck back into my neighborhood after hours and before hours. They harassed FEMA representatives, they stopped Red Cross trucks and got food and water for workers, they brought in supplies and gas masks, they stayed on Entergy [the gas and electric company]. They got into everyone's house, with permission. They got out on the Web with the first pictures from the neighborhood. Anybody in that area that needed assistance, they were there to provide it."

Leo Watermeier, a former state representative and founding cochair of the Lesbian and Gay Community Center of New Orleans: "On the Web site it says I was co-chair of the Lesbian and Gay Community Center. But, like in life, people get to know you, and then as they get to know more about you, they learn more about you. So that was the kind of approach we took with the whole gay thing. Let people get to know me as a candidate ... and then it would become, like, 'Oh, yeah, he's gay,' and it's just another part of learning about him."

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Soulforce Bus Becomes "Fags-Mobile"

The gay activist group Soulforce's bus was sprayed with hate graffiti Thursday evening near Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, reportedly by a middle aged woman and a teenager. Doing God's work, no doubt.

The student activist group is touring the country to protest at universities that discriminate against gays and lesbians. Arrests have been made at their previous stops, Liberty and Regent Universities. They were planning for their next day's activities at Lee— a prayer vigil in front of the President's office —when the vandals struck.

Said Equality Ride co-director Jacob Reitan: "The attack on the bus is hate speech, plain and simple, spelled out for everyone to read. But a more subtle form of hate speech happens when students at the schools we are visiting are told they are sick and sinful just for being the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people God made them to be."

About the pink paint, Reitan added, "We might choose to paint over it or we might leave it on, sort of a display of intolerance."

Too bad they don't have Guy Pearce around to paint the whole bus pink and ride atop it in a silver stiletto.

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Brokeback High Expulsion a Hoax, Kid Now in Real Mess

As news about Brandon Flyte's expulsion over his film project Brokeback High spread across the internet at lightning speed, a larger problem developed for the student. His claims weren't true.

He did create the film Brokeback High, and did receive high marks for it in his English class, and did show it to his marine biology class with the "snuggle scene" in it. He was punished for that, but not expelled.

However, now the teens claims of expulsion have thrown the school into chaos because of the resulting anger generated by Flyte's false claims. The school has been faced with threats of arson and violence. The school superintendent Roger Woehl says he received 10,000 emails. Woehl: "He has disrupted the school. This is clearly a behavior we don't find acceptable."

On his website, Flyte appears proud of the coverage his story has received, even leading readers to the Oregonian, which today revealed the student's hoax.

There are plenty of gay and lesbian kids across the country who suffer in oppressive and intolerant school situations. Whatever Flyte's motives for fueling the hoax, he has made something of a joke of that reality. While it is good to know that there are thousands who will stand up and cry 'foul' when an incident like this occurs, it was the wrong thing for Flyte to do. The internet is a lightning rod for stories like this.

I was fooled, plenty of others were fooled too — MSNBC, CNN, the Advocate, (if you can trust Flyte!). I guess I understand now why my emails and calls to the school weren't returned. "Wow, I appreciate your support," he said, in an email to Towleroad. It seems that Flyte not only created the hoax, but perpetuated it as well.

High schooler in trouble for lie on Web site [oregonian]

UPDATE: Brandon Flyte has updated his site once again with a response to the Oregonian article. While someone has already published his response in the comments section of this site, I'll print it again after the jump just for the record. With my attempts to contact the school going unanswered, it's been very difficult to get to the bottom of this story. Brandon's most recent comments after the jump...

Previously
Brokeback High Back in Session [tr]
High School Student Expelled for Brokeback high Movie [tr]

From BrandonFlyte.com:

"By now many if not all of you have seen the story in the Oregonian, a story I awoke to with no little amount of surprise. It's expected with a story that gets this kind of momentum and is over such a controversial issue to receive a negative response, and considering the overwhelmingly positive response it's expected that the negative response should be overwhelming.

It's also unsurprising that after such a strong response, the school should try to use every tactic they have to eliminate that support, and the disruption it's caused their school. While I can appreciate their stance in trying to get the school back to normal -- and I do NOT agree with or condone the apparent threats of arson and violence that the school board says they received -- I also do not appreciate their attempt to discredit me. An attempt which has clearly begun to work.

Let me be clear on something. I never expected this level of publicity. I posted this in a few places I thought it might be of interest, but, maybe foolishly, never expected more than a few dozen people to notice or care. The attempts of my opponents to paint me as an attention-monger are lies of their own. I never contacted most of these media outlets. The Oregonian, CNN, MSNBC, the Advocate, and others, all contacted me. My website initially started as a place to inform my friends at school and elsewhere what was happening with my situation. I never sought this out. I linked to them as a point of interest in how far the story was spreading, for those who were reading my site, nothing more.

If I only wanted publicity for my film, I would have posted the film in its entirety immediately. But I did not expect this kind of attention -- in fact, I expected that those who viewed my site would already have seen the film. And I certainly would not have linked to the Oregonian if I had been aware of the underhanded tactics the administration planned to use against me.

To address Superintendent Woehl's claims, why did he refuse to elaborate on my "series of misbehaviors"? Aside from my sketchy attendance -- to which even the Oregonian recognizes I have already admitted -- I have had no prior disciplinary actions taken on me. What misbehaviors is he talking about?

In addition, the superintendent claims that the class assignment forbade sex, nudity, or violence. Yet two boys in each other's arms is not sex, bare chests are not nudity (or else the entire swim team should be suspended for indecent exposure), and my film did have some violence which I was not asked to remove. Likewise, several of the other films had violence in them that was allowed to stand.

If as Woehl claims I was landed in trouble for not following the guidelines of the assignment, and was not a blanket ban on the content of my film, why were the guidelines of the CLASS assignment upheld in a DIFFERENT class?

I have seen PG-13 movies shown at my school, during classes with nothing else going on, that had more explicit sex scenes than what I showed. I saw a film made for the assignment with explicit drug use that was not asked to be removed. Why should I be disciplined for showing a film that violated no rule in the class I showed it?

Additionally, he claims that the transfer was not mandatory. Whether the rest is a misunderstanding or not, this is an absolute lie. I asked specifically when I was called into the office and informed of the transfer if I had a choice in the matter, and I was told that I did not. If I had, I would not have chosen to attend the Community College, as I wanted to spend the remainder of my senior year with my friends.

I have not been a model student throughout high school, but in the past year I've been trying to turn it around, and to have everything thrown away in the home stretch is disheartening and insulting.

As I said, I can understand Woehl's desire to stem the disruption caused by the apparently thousands of unpleasant e-mails he's received. And, now that he's tried to brand me a liar, I know can't convince anyone of my side if they want to believe him. I'm a kid with bad attendance and he's an adult who runs a school district. People will believe him. The Oregonian clearly did, and many of the blogs that have been watching this story have started spreading that version of the story. But I hope that some people out there know a smear campaign when they see one.

I'm just a kid fighting a bunch of adults who are protecting their names by now trying to destroy mine. I plan to hold my head high and continue fighting for the truth. It seems I was premature in saying that my part of the fight had been resolved."

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Iraqi Shiite cleric: Kill gays and lesbians "in the worst, most severe way."
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a fatwa to his followers urging them to kill homosexuals and Sunni Muslims. Sistani's Badr militants reportedly use, among other tactics, internet chat rooms to entrap gay men. "They arrange a date, and then beat and kill the victim," reports an exiled Iraqi now living in London. "Our sources inside Iraq report the murders of the following gay and bisexual men. All the killings bear the hallmarks of the execution-style murders for which the Badr organization is notorious. These killings are just the ones we have been able to get details about. They are the tip of an iceberg of religious-motivated summary executions. Gay Iraqis are living in fear of discovery and murder."

Anti-gay Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney introduces legislation that would allow Catholic Charities to discriminate against gay couples when placing adoptions.

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Brokeback High Back in Session

The administrators at West Linn High School, where Brandon Flyte was "expelled" for airing his school project video Brokeback High have backpedaled on their decision to oust the student from classes and transfer him to a community college.

From Brandon's site: "They reiterated to me the fact that this was never called an expulsion. In their eyes, transferring me to CCC was in my best interest. The fact that this transfer was mandatory is what I've been protesting. They said that given my attendance record and how "things didn't seem to be working [at WLHS]", regardless of my last report card (which is the best I've ever done in high school), they thought that moving me to another school was for my benefit. The school insists that my 'transfer' was never the result of homophobia, but either way, it seems clear that they've had a change of heart regarding my situation. The school has agreed to allow me back in and graduate with my classmates this Spring, provided that I have the credits I need and that my attendance is solid. I appreciate all the support I've recieved from everyone. If we can continue showing this kind of support and unity, equality will win it in the end."

I received an email from Brandon today thanking Towleroad and its readers for the support. So, thank you all.

While it's hard to believe their explanation for transferring Brandon, the good news is, word got out, the administrators felt the heat, and ultimately did the right thing. Let's hope it made them realize that bigoted values won't be tolerated.

High School Student Expelled for Brokeback High Movie [tr]

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More Attacks on Gays Near London's Clapham Common

A gay couple was attacked early Sunday after leaving Two Brewers, a gay bar on Clapham High Street not far from Clapham Common where barman Jody Dobrowski was brutally beaten to death last October.

The 27 and 24-year-old were jumped by a group of between three and six men who spewed anti-gay slurs during the attack, according to reports. The 27-year-old is in stable condition at a hospital with a severe wound to the head after being beaten unconscious. The 24-year-old escaped without serious injury.

Gay Pair Beaten Up [ic london]

Related
London Man Beaten to Death in Brutal Anti-gay Attack [tr]

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High School Student Expelled for Brokeback High Movie

Brandon Flyte, a student at West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon, was recently expelled for airing a video project he had been assigned in class which includes a same-sex "snuggle" scene. The film, Brokeback High, is a "gay love story" based on themes from Brokeback Mountain, but set in a modern day high school. The shot above was the one that got him expelled.

Flyte writes on his website: "One has to wonder if any of this would've happened had the two characters snuggling in my film been male and female. We're led to believe that diversity is encouraged in schools, but when a 17 year-old straight kid makes a serious gay love story and is expelled for it, it just begs the question of exactly what kind of policy was the administration following? I recall Tim Fields, one of the vice-principals at my school, having to think for at least a minute when asked by the office lady, 'What should I put down for 'reason of withdrawal'?' If the basis of my expulsion is so unclear to them, then surely the circumstances surrounding it are extremely questionable and the grounds on which I was removed are both unfair and unexplainable."

Wow. To me, Flyte's punishment seems egregious and blatantly homophobic.

There is a clip of Brokeback High on his website, and an area to leave comments and support. According to Flyte, "West Linn High says they’ll pay for me to finish up my last 2 months of high school at Clackamas Community College, and I'll be able to walk with my high school class at graduation and attend Prom as a guest."

Shame on West Linn High School and kudos to Brandon for having the courage to make and air his video. There's some obvious talent there. Perhaps The Point Foundation can help Brandon out in his future academic endeavors. On the other hand, perhaps Flyte could sue the school district as some high school students in California are doing.

West Linn High School's website (note the prominent discrimination policy on the front page which omits sexual orientation).

(story via gayer mechanic wales)

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REPORT: Man Beaten by Security and Police at West Hollywood Bar

I received a disturbing email today about an alleged incident that took place at Here lounge in West Hollywood on Saturday. Seth Hartsfield-Price was reportedly beaten by security and the West Hollywood Sheriff's Department. Here are the details:

"Security was herding people out of the bar at closing this Saturday night. As Seth was leaving, he could only walk out as fast as the people in front of him. One of here’s security guards shoved him to try and make him move faster but Seth ignored it. When security pushed him again, Seth turned and told the guard not to push him again. The guard then grabbed Seth by the throat and arm and shoved him into the wall. When Seth tried to get away from him, the guard punched him in the head.

The rest of security then jumped in and roughed him up more. The cops didn’t do a thing until another patron yelled at them to do something. When the police did take over, they also took over knocking his head into the sidewalk and kicking him. When Seth asked the officer why he was doing this he was told 'Because I fucking hate you. You are lucky I didn’t kick your teeth in.'"

Anyone who may have been present as a witness is being asked to fax information to 323-460-4316 or email jack(at)tigerla.com

UPDATE: Because this remains an "alleged" incident, I think it's important to not jump to conclusions. I received an email from a witness last night who perceived the incident differently. Here is part of that email (which was forwarded to the address above):

"First and foremost, security did not 'beat' him. They were trying to keep him under control as he recklessly trampled through the crowd. I even heard a security guard say 'calm down.' He got away from them and ran through for the exit whereupon security chased him out. West Hollywood Sheriff's Deputies saw him running from security and also tried to stop him. He fell in the street and again on the sidewalk where they ended up detaining him. From what I witnessed, Mr. Hartsfield-Price appeared to be inebriated...I am not positively saying that something wrong and unjust did not occur. The pictures of Mr. Hartsfield-Price certainly attest to certain injuries that were sustained that night. From my vantage point however, those bruises most likely came from his falling down, running through a crowd, falling again in the street and resisting law enforcement officers. Again, and I can't stress this enough, Here Lounge security as well as police were doing their job by trying to peaceably detain an unruly person."

UPDATE 2: Tom Whitman, the promoter of the event at Here Lounge, has sent out an email in response to this incident, which is printed in full after the jump.

EMAIL DISTRIBUTED BY TOM WHITMAN

There was an incident at the end of the night (near 2 am) on Saturday outside of here lounge and Hamburger Haven involving a guest, security and the Sheriff's Department.

Differing accounts, stories and emails about what happened have been flying around for the past two days.

According to the guest, he was roughed up by security on the way out. According to security, the guest was aggressive and pushed and tried to hit one of them. According to some witnesses, the guest was drunk or otherwise under the influence.

I did not witness the incident because I was inside the club, so I can't speak to it firsthand. When the Sheriff's report is released it will clarify what happened with them. But I will say this:

1) There is almost always a way to get a customer, belligerent or otherwise, out of the bar without coercive force. I say "almost" because even in gay bars, when people get drunk or high, they act in sometimes violent and unpredictable ways. Security is there to protect the person who is intoxicated as well as the people around him.

2) There is never a reason for undue force from security. If someone is acting violent or inappropriate or doing something illegal the job of security is to restrain a person and get them outside of the venue, at which point they are either released to the appropriate officials (like the Sheriff) or on their own recognizance for less serious matters.

3) I can speak to the procedures that the security at here lounge are instructed to use - and it is always to safeguard customers and create a safe environment for everyone. They are never there to punish or harass anyone - they have a vested interest in keeping the clients happy and therefore keeping their jobs. Also, they know that they can treat the gay clientele far more gently than they might another demographic. That said, they are they to protect EVERYONE, including the people around a belligerent person as well as a belligerent person.

4) I can't speak to the Sheriff Department's behavior, since I did not witness it, but I can speak to their seemingly good relationship with our community. They certainly have experience working with gay nightclubs, and I personally have never experienced a violence problem with them in the past five years of doing gay events in West Hollywood. Like I said, I did not witness what happened, and certainly a good record does not guarantee good behavior, but they do have a pretty good history as far as I have experienced. Though we don't live in a perfect world, I feel safer being gay in West Hollywood than almost anywhere in the world.

5) There are different accounts of what happened. We have all seen the email from the partner of the guest. (I'm not using his name because it is not my place to reveal it.) But I have received unsolicited emails from people sharing a different story than that story, including the following.

--
(An unsolicited email from a person not affiliated with here lounge or Tom Whitman Presents.)

Here is my account of the events as I witnessed. While I wish to do the right thing, I would prefer that my identity be protected as much as possible as I do not wish to suffer any backlash personally from this incident.

Here is what I wrote to Jack on his request for information:

Jack-

I happened to be at Here Lounge this past Saturday, March 11 until it closed and would like to provide you with a version of events as I witnessed them. While it is unfortunate that Mr. Hartsfield-Price got hurt, I honestly believe the allegations posted on mindfoldla.com to be largely embellished to the point of utter fabrication. Here is what I witnessed:

First and foremost, security did not "beat" him. They were trying to keep him under control as he recklessly trampled through the crowd. I even heard a security guard say "calm down." He got away from them and ran through for the exit whereupon security chased him out. West Hollywood Sheriff's Deputies saw him running from security and also tried
to stop him. He fell in the street and again on the sidewalk where they ended up detaining him. From what I witnessed, Mr. Hartsfield-Price appeared to be inebriated. His uncooperative behavior with the police only confirms this.

I happen to know several of the security force at Here Lounge. They have taken care of me several times by calling me cabs when I did not feel able to drive. In fact, I make it a point to talk to them and say hello every time I visit. In my estimation, they are not the "beating kind." Nor does it seem likely that Sheriff's Deputies would maliciously beat a man, right in front of Hamburger Hamlet with more than 50 people watching from the other side of the street.

I am not positively saying that something wrong and unjust did not occur. The pictures of Mr. Hartsfield-Price certainly attest to certain injuries that were sustained that night. From my vantage point however, those bruises most likely came from his falling down, running through a crowd, falling again in the street and resisting law enforcement officers. Again, and I can't stress this enough, Here Lounge security as well as police were doing their job by trying to peaceably detain an unruly person.

Sincerely,
- name withheld by Tom Whitman because of the first paragraph of this letter-

--
(this is from one of the promoters working on Saturday, who was near the door, as part of his job.)

Towards the end of the evening after last call, when the security officers were clearing the patrons out of the bar, everything seemed to be going as smoothly as usual. Then I noticed one of the security officers, I believe it was Reggie, but I was not 100% sure as I was behind him, escorting Seth out of the bar. I could see Seth clearly as he was facing me. Very quickly, it seemed to turn somewhat violent as I saw Seth resisting the security officer, pushing him and trying to get away. As they neared the front gate, the security officer pushed Seth up against the fence, with complete justification as he was only doing his job in trying to restrain a belligerent patron. Seth then attempted to strike the officer and get away. At this point the officer took Seth out of the front gates of the club in the throng of people and out onto Roberston Blvd. I did not see anything further, as there were too many people around. I walked up towards SMB and home.

This is a very sticky situation as Seth is a friend, but I feel I must be honest in this situation. In my interactions with Seth during the night, it's my opinion that he was very intoxicated which probably lead to some poor decisions on his part. In my interactions with Reggie and the rest of the security team in my time as both a patron of Here Bar and most recently a promoter, they are nothing but professional, caring, and on top of their job. In the past two weeks promoting for Here Bar, I have somewhat come to know the officers. I can saw with 100% certainty that the officers would NEVER act without provocation. Additionally, the officer did not strike Seth or do anything more than escort him out until Seth made the first strike, as far as I saw.

Lastly, in my 11 years living in LA, I have always found the West Hollywood Sheriffs and local bouncers to be nothing but friendly, supportive of the community, and professional. There are not many Sheriff's stations in this city where you can walk right in or call and get the help you need.

Written by Jeremy Gordon on March 13, 2006

--

Regardless of the details, there is something wrong with what happened on Saturday. There should not even be the appearance of undue force from security. Not only do I want there to be actual safety created by security, there should also be the appearance of safety. An incident where even a few people think that there was undue use of force makes us all feel less safe.

I will continue to work to make sure that not only is security creating a safe place for everyone, but as much as possible, when there is an incident, it should be as clear as possible that security is reacting in an appropriate way to preserve public safety. Not only should a venue be safe, it should also appear safe.

In the past five years, I like to think I have a pretty good track record of creating gay events with appropriate security, where security is there to protect the customers without being Big Brother. I try to create events where we as a community feel both comfortable AND secure. I will continue to try to improve on that. I don't want anyone, whether they are drunk and belligerent or sober and cooperative, to feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

Obviously some work needs to be done, and I will work to make sure that it happens.

And one last note. We have a duty to watchdog our public servants and our communal spaces, and none of us should forget that. But I hope that in the future, clearer heads will prevail in waiting for more information before everyone jumps on a bandwagon of gossip and rumor before waiting for the facts or both sides of a story. When we do that, we create fear in our community, and distrust between each other and with those we have entrusted to protect us.

I am always available to listen to comments about any of my events, and I promise to do my best to address any concerns. I take the safety and wellbeing of this community that I love very seriously. I am always available at events@tomwhitmanpresents.com.

Sincerely,

Tom Whitman

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Soulforce Riders Arrested at Falwell Institution

Approximately 20 riders on the Soulforce Equality Bus ride were arrested today as they tried to enter the Liberty University campus, the first stop on a seven-week tour targeting 20 religious and military institutions that ban the enrollment of LGBT students.

Liberty University's founder, the Reverend Jerry Falwell, had warned the group that they would not be welcome on campus. Soulforce activist Jacob Reitan responded: "We want to come to the school today to say, 'learn from history.' We have a right to be here, because this school teaches that being gay is being sick and sinful. We have a right to question and to show how we are children of God."

Gay Activists Arrested at VA University [houston chronicle]

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We Are Family [tr]

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