Longtime Activist David Mixner Bringing Stories from His Front Porch to the Stage, Bookshelf

My friend and fellow blogger, longtime activist David Mixner is having a one-man show in July at NYC's Dixon Place:

From his chair on a countryside 'Front Porch' set, David will captivate his guests with a fascinating personal and historical portrait of America throughout several of its most turbulent periods including the anti-war demonstrations of the 60's, the sexual revolution of the 70's, the dark days of the AIDS crisis in the 80's, and the showdown of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the 90's. The chapters of Front Porch will be interwoven with special music by Josh Zuckerman and Holly Holcomb to highlight the narrative content.

The show's a benefit for some worthy causes. Broadway World adds:

"The July 11th performance is a benefit for Dixon Place and the Ali Forney Center and has been the highest revenue-producing show at the intimate, critically acclaimed 25 year old downtown developmental theater. Through advance word-of-mouth ticket sales and donations, Mixner has also achieved a personal goal of raising enough income to pay for all of the HOT Festival artist's fees during the entire run of the popular, summer long Queer Festival of Performance, a first for Dixon Place. 'I'm really proud that I can help support these artists and their work, especially when there are fewer opportunities and venues to show new and challenging work - HOT provides them with a vital platform to, not only entertain, but to express their views in safe, non-judgmental and nurturing environment.'"

Being familiar with David's humor and breadth of background, I have no doubt this will be a fascinating and unique  night.

I am currently in the midst of reading an advance of his forthcoming memoir, At Home with Myself, which is a different take on his storytelling — and takes as its jumping-off point the natural world around his former home in Turkey Hollow, New York. 

Look for the book this fall. It's also available for pre-order on Amazon.

Watch: Keith Olbermann on Gibbs Slam of the 'Professional Left'

 

In a Special Comment last night, Keith Olbermann went after White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' extraordinarily stupid remarks criticizing the "professional left."

"We are not just another version of the Right. We think over here. And we fight for what we believe in."

David Mixner also has an excellent post up on Gibbs as well:

"When an outburst like this episode occurs, it has been my experience it is not an isolated voice in the wilderness. My very educated guess after all these years in politics is that Gibbs' sentiments are exactly what have been privately repeated among Obama staff within the White House: That the problem is not differences in policies, great disappointment with the President or desire to get more done while we had while margins in both Houses of Congress. Instead it is those damn liberals no one can please - no matter what you do, they still bitch. It is those people who cling to the fringe of the left who have caused the President all his problem...

...Public Option was not a fringe issue. The desire for human rights and freedom for the American LGBT community is clearly rooted in the Constitution of the United States. Wanting our young not to die in useless foreign wars does appear to me to be radical. Not wanting 14% of America's children to go to bed hungry at night seems like a reasonable expectation. And yes, waking up in the morning and knowing you have the dignity of a job is essential for the soul of America. These issues are not fringe, not left and not unreasonable."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Mixner: "Time Is Running Out" On DADT Issue

Activist David Mixner today posts "five suggestions for change" regarding Don't Ask, Don't Tell, arguing that:

"Even for the watered-down and questionably useful compromise on DADT, time is running out. Congress will come back in session and be on a fast track to recess as soon as possible in this volatile election year. With analysts like Charlie Cook predicting that the House of Representatives might go Republican, Democrats will be even more leery of taking on anything that smacks of risks. Once they adjourn for recess, my guess is that they will meet only briefly after Labor Day."

His suggestions for how to proceed revolve around tough love for the Democrats, including demanding President Obama exercise his undeniable power to issue a stop-loss order until the military's report on DADT is issued.

As always, a must-read.

News: Big Brother, Ted Olson, Monster Whale, Queer Ink

White House AIDS Conference call ends in "chaos, acrimony".

Meet this season's gay Big Brother contestant.

Retail rage: Dude doesn't care about G20 riot — he just wants to go shopping!

David Mixner on the LGBT community's crisis: We are losing our history. "Those individuals who fought in the trenches in the period from the 1950's through the 1980's are soon to become endangered species as more and more die from natural causes...Deeply aggravating the situation was the deliberate destruction of so much of our history during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the dark years of the 1980's and early 1990's. When some of our early pioneering activists died of HIV/AIDS their families, ashamed of them for both being gay and also dying of AIDS, destroyed any document, record or letter that would shine light on their journey as a homosexual."

Do we really need another one?

Pete Wentz shows off his treasure trail.

New York legislature approves bill that would extend funeral and bereavement leave to same-sex couples: "The bill, which passed the Assembly 107-26 this month and the Senate on Monday, prohibits discrimination by employers in the state who provide such leave to other workers and would take effect 60 days after signing. Paterson has been a strong advocate of gay rights, including same-sex marriage; he will review the bill when it reaches his desk, spokesman Morgan Hook said Tuesday."

Monster whale once ruled the seas.

Chris Colfer is a hero to his epileptic sister.

Ted Olson urges Judge Walker to consider Supreme Court's recent classification of gays and lesbians as an identifiable "class" in his decision regarding Proposition 8.

Ed Westwick looks good with jet lag.

"Ex-gay" leader dies.

Iowa activists react to Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling upholding ban on same-sex marriage: "Justin Uebelhor – a spokesman for the pro-gay marriage group 'One Iowa' — agrees that the legislators who’re elected in the next several years will decide the issue. A resolution calling for a statewide vote on gay marriage must pass two separate Iowa General Assemblies in order to be placed on the ballot so voters can decide. 'I think the ruling in Wisconsin really underscores the importance of protecting a pro-equality legislature here in Iowa,' Uebelhor says. 'I think Iowans want their leaders to focus on improving our economy, bringing jobs to the state and working to improve our education.'”

The Situation celebrates his birthday.

Michelle Bachmann will. not. have. a global economy!

Hundreds gather in Chicago for LGBT police conference.

Queer Ink: India's first gay online bookstore opens. "The books are for homosexuals and anyone who is coming out, or wants to know more about these subjects.  It’s about empowering and informing. Gay people want role models, to see their lives reflected in fiction. I think one would hesitate to pick up books like this in a normal retail space, which is why I did it online."

Ryan Kwanten loses his pants.

70,000 sea turtle eggs to be relocated and hatched away from oil spill: "It's never been done on such a massive scale. But doing nothing, experts say, could lead to unprecedented deaths. There are fears the turtles would be coated in oil and poisoned by crude-soaked food."

Rick Scott attacks Bill McCollum in Florida governor race: "Former hospital executive Rick Scott, a deep-pocketed and increasingly serious candidate for Governor of Florida, attacked his Republican Primary rival today for having backed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2008. Attorney General Bill McCollum "endorsed pro-abortion and pro-homosexual rights candidate Rudy Giuliani for president in 2008 and was a Giuliani campaign leader in Florida," wrote Scott consultant Keith Appell in a memo to reporters. McCollum faced attacks from the right on gay rights his 2004 Senate bid, but has more recently been criticized for retaining an anti-gay activist since accused of hiring a gay prostitute as an expert witness."

Watch: Longtime Activist David Mixner Receives The 'Point Legend' Award at NYC's Point Foundation Honors

Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, presented longtime activist David Mixner with the Point Legend Award at the Point Honors in New York City on Monday night. Here are his remarks.

The Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Watch Mixner's remarks, AFTER THE JUMP...

Watch: British PM Gordon Brown's Message for David Mixner

 

Longtime activist David Mixner was honored in New York last night with the Point Foundation's Legend Award for his 50 years of activism. Broadway World has some photo coverage of the event. I'll hopefully have some video of Mixner's remarks sometime in the near future.

For now, here's a clip of Prime Minister and Mrs. Gordon Brown's remarks in honor of Mixner that were played at the event last night. Congrats, David.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...