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August 30, 2005
Next, Romney Does Rhiannon
Anti-gay advocate Mitt Romney has receently started to channel Stevie Nicks.
"Despite polls showing him trailing potential Democratic rivals," Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "is confidently predicting that he would trounce the competition if he decides to run for reelection next year," the Boston Globe reports.
Said Romney: ''Well, I win by a landslide in Massachusetts if I run for reelection. And that's very possibly what I'm going to do."
Posted by NSD at 10:45 AM | Permalink |
August 23, 2005
At Least Break his Knees, Lord!
Pat Robertson agrees with the terrorists in Iraq: the best way to runaround your democratically-elected opposition is to wipe them out. On his 700 Club broadcast this week, Robertson urged the United States government to assasinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for getting to friendly with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Oh, and Venezuela has the largest oil supply out outside the Middle East, Robertson arguees, if that sweetens the deal.
Robertson is no stranger to violent solutions. He once prayed that a hurricane change its track to miss his house and directly hit Fire Island to take out the gay population there. Meanwhile, it was reported today that social conservatives, like Robertson, are developing new strategies to train politicians to ignore their constiuents and obey their directions.
Posted by TrailMix at 08:57 AM | Permalink |
August 22, 2005
No Service
While the national media extensively reports on the sentencing of Eric Rudolph for the Olympic Park bombing in 1996 (an event I witnessed then in person), almost all reports fail to mention his bombing that same year in Atlanta of a lesbian bar - which seriously injured four people. The reporting is symptomatic of the treatment of the LGBT community in Atlanta herself.
Just as local residents understand that the Rudolph terrorism specifically targeted the city's LGBT community, local residents also recognize the need to support and encourage the growth of the LGBT community within the city.
Yet, despite the largest LGBT community in the South - and perhaps the largest African American LGBT population in the nation - there have been no reports on Rudolph's impact on gay Atlanta. Similarly, Georgia Republicans have also ignored this population when passing vicious, anti-gay legislation curtailing marriage equality and employment opportunity.
Both the Georgia GOP, and the national media, have ignored the LGBT community in Atlanta. The result has guilted one party with bad coverage, and the other with bad policy.
Posted by John at 09:09 AM | Permalink |
August 17, 2005
Time After Time
Ah, the end of times.
Without a doubt, what we are seeing take place in this grand country of ours is something no different than what happened over the first 25 years of the 20th Century. Essentially, hell on earth has broken loose, or, as what us rational, educated, “intellectual elites” tend to refer to it as- CHANGE.
All of the screaming and moaning coming out of the New Right that has courageously and arrogantly hijacked the Republican party is really nothing more than one segment of this country’s society completely freaking out at the change that’s going on around them. Just like back then.
The nuclear family is pretty much dead and buried (along with the majority of their comfortable celebrity icons of the 1950’s and, soon enough, 1960’s.) Blacks, despite the plethora of forgotten ghettos that plague our nation’s urban centers, are further advanced in successful, spotlit careers than ever before. The growth of Latinos (either from immigration or from out of the womb) have made it so one can’t go anywhere in Middle America without hearing Spanish being spoken or written on a front door placard. And us Gays and Lesbians- aw hell- we’re out of the closet, more visible and winning Emmys.
That scares the hell out of Scared Adult White America. Not their kids because, well, they get it. They understand that there’s no big deal if a black brother dates a white chick. They know that if their roommate in college is gay it doesn’t mean they’re going to get raped in the middle of the night. They know that telling teenagers to hold off having sex until they get married is a joke because, well, none of the people telling them to do it could do it either. They heard their parents and grandparents predict the end of times and, well, that show never aired.
So here we are in 2005 with the New Right strongly coordinating their teammates and bank account holders to lobby, message and twist in whatever way is possible weak-kneed politicians to either back down or get lost so that they can continue their Crusade to stop change in America. C’mon, we all know we’re only about a few years away before some congressperson announces a ban on foreign languages in some form. Strongly-partisan voter initiatives against the forward movement of gay and lesbian rights in this country are only going to get worse we know that.
And blacks? Well, c’mon, year by year the rich white businessmen get richer and the black poor get left with fewer opportunities to get out of the ghettos. We might as well just start a new form of busing for the young black men in this country. The day of graduation from high school (if they even make it that far) we should just put them on a bus and send them right to prison because that’s pretty much where they’re doomed to end up anyway.
Instead of pushing for change and evolution (oops, sorry, Creative Innovation, how’s that?) to move our country FORWARD, the New Right works to stop the progress and take it back to when the Scared Adult White Americans feel more comfortable.
You wonder why these rich, exclusive, mansioned-communities out in the exurbs are so popular? Because they’re bubbles. From people of different colors, nationalities and sexualities. Essentially, they’re just building new towns with their own safe shopping centers, amenities and school systems. It’s cultural segregationism going on out there in Bush Land. We have one of those new high-end shopping centers out in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland featuring all the high-end stores that the majority of America can’t afford to shop at. It’s called Legacy Village. I call it Prejudicy Village because the only people of color that are there are the ones waiting on you. Just like the 1950’s. Like the good old days.
BUT, just like we saw back in the 1920’s when politicians tried to close doors left and right to stop the march of time, the same thing is happening now. The thing that the New Right and Scared Adult White America are forgetting is that despite all of their work on creative terminology, building Christian law schools and having Roger Ailes now run all the Fox stations nationwide, there’s one thing they can’t stop from happening more than change.
Death.
Specifically their own.
And as the “Greatest Generation” and the “Boomers” die off, change will move forward. Their more open-minded, more intellectually creative children will see that the Armageddon of Culture never happened and more that, if anything, Americans will be getting along better than ever before.
Maybe then we can stop running away from the realities that surround us and unite as one country again and realize that the 50 stars and 13 stripes on our flag are just that, on ONE FLAG.
NOT a divided one.
Which is exactly how they stay in power.
(Mike Shea is a board member of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats)
Posted by Mike at 02:31 PM | Permalink |
Gay Water Skiing Squirrels...for Now
Yesterday, LOGO debuted its "CBS News on LOGO" segment with former CNN and MTV News correspondent Jason Billini. The 3-minute format is a style hybrid of CBS News, MTV News and a local affiliate format (the ending being a kicker about lesbian swans, as Malcontent points out) - similar to New York 1, or other local 24-hour cable news services.
The production value overall isn't great, but its stellar for a start-up network. Broadcasts are never outstanding their first time out of the gate (hell, FoxNews has been around 7 years or so, and they still haven't gotten it). Let CBS and MTV throw a little money and production teams their way, and given a year, the program could prove to be a hard-hitting, more timely alternative to weekly publications.
Posted by TrailMix at 09:44 AM | Permalink | | TrackBack
August 16, 2005
Its not about you, Its Me.
President Bush had the following to say regarding Cindy Sheehan's request to meet with him:
"But whether it be here or in Washington or anywhere else, there's somebody who has got something to say to the president, that's part of the job," Bush said on the ranch. "And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say."
"But," he added, "I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life."
What an ass. Yes, Mr. President, its all about you.
Posted by John at 09:11 AM | Permalink |
August 12, 2005
Get Back! Straight Honky Cats!
Republican Representatives John Shimkus of Illinois and Thomas Reynolds of New York are crazy for Elton John and even more so for cash. The same-sex couple (at least in political fundraising) are planning to treat privileged campaign donors to a night out at Elton John's performance in Washington, DC this September.
Don't be looking for Shimkus and Reynolds to be throwing their panties onstage, however. They save their enthusiasm for their support for an anti-marriage constitutional amendment. Both are big backers of the ban - having voted for it in 2004 and campaigned on it that fall. But as long as the gays keep to playing the piano and funny on Will & Grace, the lawmakers are happy to use homosexuals to raise money for the Republican Party while lining their campaign nests with fabulous feather boas.
Posted by TrailMix at 10:08 AM | Permalink | | TrackBack
August 11, 2005
An Abuse of Power
Recently, the Western Regional Director of the Nation of Islam, Tony Muhammad, held a protest on the set of Noah’s Arc in Los Angeles, California. Upset over the lack of diversity of the camera crew for a Black production in a Black part of town, Muhammad summoned over 150 people in a matter of 15 minutes to protest America’s newest Black series, Noah’s Arc.
Racial slurs and epithets we used toward the seemingly non-Black crew. Visibly disturbed at the thought of the Black community being exploited by non-Blacks, the Nation of Islam under Tony Muhammad’s direction, stood vigilant yelling “Crackers!” and other derogatory terms used to describe Caucasians.
Did Tony Muhammad know that the set he was protesting was that of Noah’s Arc, the first Black gay television series?
Given the Nation of Islam’s history with the gay community it’s not that far fetched on an idea that they would protest a show like Noah’s Arc, however, this particular incident was racially motivated and not a protest about the show’s content.
However, one of the show’s crewmembers Mike Elkin, in a post on his blog says “The mob also wasn’t too fond of us once they somehow learned that it was a gay show.”
Either way, racially or content motivated doesn’t make what Tony Muhammad did right and was an outright abuse of his power and a waste of better-spent time and energy.
In light of all of the recent controversy in Los Angeles around police brutality, police involved shootings, drive-by shootings between rival gangs and the Urban League’s State of Black Los Angeles Report, which indicated striking disparities in conditions for Blacks in Los Angeles compared to other major ethnic groups, Tony Muhammad failed Los Angeles’ African American community.
Black Films and White Crews
Though visibly white to Muhammad from the driveway of the set where Noah’s Arc was shooting, “the crew of Noah’s Arc is probably one of the most diverse sets in Hollywood today,” stated the show’s creator Patrik-Ian Polk.
What Muhammad didn’t see were the make-up, wardrobe, and other crew positions that were held by African Americans. He also didn’t acknowledge the fact that this was a Black show. Regardless of whether or not Muhammad agreed with the content of the show, Blacks were working and being paid when he shut down the set. Cast, crew and actors lost pay, including the neighborhood that would have benefited from a successful shoot.
Nevertheless, obviously none of that mattered to Muhammad or the 150 protestors that followed his orders.
While I do support the use of the Black crews on Black productions wholeheartedly, I don’t condone the Nation of Islam’s behavior.
Looking at the bigger picture and in front of the camera, I could see the 30 African American cast members who are directly benefiting from this show, not to mention a marginalized part of the Black community whose lives will now be validated for the world to see on national television.
The Gay Issue
Although the original protest was racially motivated, several members of the crew feel that the protestors did know that it was a gay show and that caused more friction between the groups.
One of the set assistants was referred to as a “sissy boy” by Muhammad during the altercation.
A crewmember, Mike Elkin in a post on his blog says “The mob also wasn't too fond of us once they somehow learned that it was a gay show.”
Given the resistance from the Nation of Islam to allow gays and lesbians to participate in the Million More Movement, the 10 anniversary of Million Man March, even after Farrakhan’s invitation in February, the Nation of Islam’s viewpoint on the gay and lesbian community is well known.
It’s simply not accepted or tolerated.
This doesn’t excuse or justify their behavior.
The actions demonstrated by the Nation of Islam on Friday evening are reminiscent of the nation’s history when responding on behalf of the Black community on critical issues of importance. Militant, strong and not willing to negotiate for anything less than justice. However, while it is important to lobby for and support Black crews on Black productions, this was not one of those instances. Instead, this was a clear misuse and flagrant abuse of power.
Shooting Films in Black Los Angeles
It should be noted, that Hollywood is not a fan of shooting productions in Black Los Angeles for this exact reason.
Polk, the show’s creator, fought long and hard to get permission to shoot in this part of town and the production crew followed the law making sure that the neighborhood was notified before hand of scheduled shooting and the content of the show. Permits and licenses were obtained.
So, who suffers from an incident like this?
Everyone involved, including the community who Muhammad claims to love and support.
The cast, crew, and entire production lose money for a day lost, which has to be made up down the line.
The neighborhood where the shooting was to take place lost out on funds as well as the being able to say that the show was shot in their neighborhood once it starts airing on national television.
But the entire community is the big loser.
Muhammad’s actions further feed into Hollywood executives portrayals of 6th and Rodeo, Baldwin Hills, as a “bad part of town,” a.k.a. a Black neighborhood. They will be even more resistant in the future of shooting productions in Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Will this send even more productions over to Canada?
The Los Angeles Police Department
The other big question surrounding Friday’s events is where were the police.
Bob Anderson, the show’s medic was spat upon in face by one of the protestors.
According to the show’s creator, the L.A.P.D. didn’t show up until nearly two hours after the original call for help.
Problem.
When the police arrived, apparently they were more interested in the production set closing down than in pursuing justice.
Problem.
While the Nation of Islam can be scary when convened in numbers, we are talking about the fearless L.A.P.D. The police department that fears no man, woman or child.
As disturbing as these facts are, in being fair, I will note that once the L.A.P.D.’s gay and lesbian community liaison officer was notified along with Lt. Fred Booker of the Community Relations Department the ball did start rolling and they are cooperating with filing the necessary reports.
The Nation of Islam’s Guiding Principles
We [the Nation of Islam] have always been taught to respect the laws of the land. We are taught never to carry arms, to make war or to be the aggressor, for this is against the nature of the righteous. We are taught the Principles of Divine Unity and the Universal Brotherhood of Islam.
Yes, you read correctly.
This comes directly from the website of the Nation of Islam.
Minister Tony Muhammad forgot these principles, as indicated through his actions on Friday evening.
As a community leader Muhammad failed the community.
Community power should not be abused and manipulated to exploit one’s own personal agenda.
Instead, that power should be used to uplift and support the community.
Community Response
This issue is not a gay issue and it’s not a white issue. It’s a community issue.
Therefore, the response from the community should not be segregated.
African Americans, gays and lesbians, filmmakers, and Angelino’s should all take issue with this.
A clear, concise, and swift message of disapproval needs to be sent to Muhammad and the Nation of Islam regarding this issue.
Simply put, we will tolerate this, we do not support this, and we don’t want this to happen again.
Our newly elected Mayor should take issue with this incident, as he has proclaimed that the City of Los Angeles is for all persons.
Congresswoman Diane Watson should take issue with this as she has publicly stated her support for Black Hollywood and the production of films in our community.
Governor Schwarzenegger who consistently lobbies for films to be shot in California, on this issue should be outraged.
You should be outraged.
Posted by Jasmyne at 12:47 PM | Permalink |
Praise the Cash & Pass the Ammunition
According to the Family Research Council, Trinity Broadcasting Network has agreed to carry Justice Sunday II: God Save this Honorable Court. Much like the moneychangers in the Temple, FRC is using this event to pimp donations for its Republican public relations machine.
TBN founders, Paul and Jan Crouch (whose financial wrong-doings led to the departure from TBN of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker - and their founding of PTL) agreed to carry the program next week on their gawdy, gold-encrusted station whose programs feature velvet paintings of Jesus. I only mention this as a former, avid, TBN viewer.
Paul Crouch had no comment on the vicious, anti-gay rhetoric of Justice Sunday I, and its most likely repeating in Justice Sunday II. Paul outed himself in court last year as the LA Times reported that he paid a half-million dollars in hush-money to a former male staffer who claimed Paul pressured him into sex on numerous occasions at the TBN executive mountain cabin.
Posted by John at 09:00 AM | Permalink |
August 10, 2005
Savage Revenge
Dan Savage - the gay Dr. Ruth to straight America - is guestblogging this week over at andrewsullivan.com. There is reader tizzy over the strong emphasis on gay subjects he has employed, and Dan responds...by posting even more about gay subjects.
Meanwhile, we couldn't help notice how gay the story about the Army's discharge of General Byrnes is. He was discharged right before retirement for "sexual misconduct." His lawyer says it involves a private affair between the General and a private civilian. The vagueness of it all lends itself to appear that it involves adultery, sexual assault or...being gay. Its only a matter of time before the talking heads start to lump those three things together.
Posted by TrailMix at 10:48 AM | Permalink | | TrackBack
August 09, 2005
Hillsborough Overdue Say Librarians
Florida librarians are angry and ready for action. I'm pretty sure I've seen a Cinemax Afterdark movie along those lines.
The Florida Library Association has passed a resolution that the association will not hold conferences or meetings until Hillsborough County repeals its anti-gay policy barring recognition of gay events and pride. The policy was authored by County Commissioner Rhonda Storms, perhaps out of vindication for bearing a name that should be worn by a drag queen. The city of Tampa, the county seat, has already distanced itself from the actions of the county.
The librarians hope that their move will spearhead economic pressure that will force the county to change. Additionally, Sardis Mini Systems, a Mississippi-based company has canceled plans for a 2,000 person convention that would have spent about $1 million in Tampa.
Posted by John at 09:50 AM | Permalink |
August 05, 2005
Novak's $%#@ is Bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S
At TrailMix, we don't normally enjoy jumping on bandwagons. Then again, Bob Novak isn't normal. Novak - who once touted Stonewall Democrats as "a sort of homosexual Democrats" - freaked and flocked from the CNN set late yesterday during questioning.
If we're going to help snowball a fluff story, its going to be about Bob Novak. You can watch the video here. Oh, and the subject that Novak fled? It was about Katherine Harris' ridiculous claim that newspapers doctored her image to make it appear that she was wearing more make-up than she was.
Posted by TrailMix at 09:25 AM | Permalink |
August 04, 2005
Lip Service is a Disservice To All
Recently the Reverend Willie Wilson of Union Temple Church in southeast Washington, D.C., who is the national executive director of the Millions More Movement, warned that “lesbianism is about to take over our community.”
Imagine that, lesbianism.
Apparently, Wilson’s son couldn’t find a date to the prom and told Dad that all the girls in his class were lesbians except for two, and according to him they were “ugly.” I am more inclined to believe that the son isn’t too good-looking himself and couldn’t get a date. However, since that wasn’t going to fly when the prom came and he had no date, he pawned his unfortunate looks off on lesbianism, sparking outrage in dear old Dad.
Earlier this year Wilson commented on how much his church has done to reach out to gays. In fact, he was bold enough to claim that no other church, except for a gay church, had done more for the gay community in D.C. The ignorance and hypocrisy of Wilson’s statements and actions shouldn’t go unchallenged.
While under Wilson’s leadership, Union Temple Church has taken some steps forward to bridge the gap between the black church and the gay community, but it has also taken a monumental step backward. As the national executive director of the Millions More Movement marking the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March in October, Wilson has rejected every attempt by black gays and lesbians to be involved in the planning and organizing of this event.
Though the honorable minister Louis Farrakhan publicly announced the inclusion of both gays and women in the memorial march at Tavis Smiley’s State of Black America Summit in February, Wilson refuses to allow gays to participate on any level in the organization and planning of the commemoration march. It’s an attitude that isn’t exclusive to D.C.: Black gays and lesbians are being excluded from planning efforts around the country. The idea that gays are being ignored and discouraged from getting involved leads me to believe that Farrakhan paid the gay and lesbian community lip service.
Even if Farrakhan hadn’t invited gays and women to participate in the anniversary march, we were still planning on attending as members of the black community. However, since he did extend an invitation to gays to attend, it’s only right that gays be allowed to participate in the planning, organizing, and mobilizing of “the best, brightest, and most willing minds of our people.”
If Wilson’s comments are any indication of the consensus of those aiding in the preparation for the commemorative march, black gays and lesbians have a lot of work to do. Progressive-minded blacks, regardless of sexual orientation, must hold Farrakhan and other black leaders accountable for their actions.
In light of Wilson’s recent comments, I am reminded of an old Jamaican saying: “You can’t carry two faces under one hat.” Wilson has shown us his second face.
Farrakhan needs to step forward and set the record straight on the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the Millions More Movement. Black gays and lesbians are going to attend the anniversary march regardless of what of Wilson and Farrakhan do or don’t do. The organizing has already begun. If you wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes; if you don’t wait for tomorrow, tomorrow comes.
The question is, will gays be attending as part of the overall black community invited to participate, or as revolutionaries who are kicking down the door where black communities continue to exclude us?
Posted by Jasmyne at 04:58 PM | Permalink |
All in Moderation
Political reactions, just like Appletinis, are best served in moderation. When President Bush nominated Judge John Roberts to serve on the United States Supreme Court, some organizations issued immediate reactions warning of an apocalypse. Conservative groups argued that his photogenic family and habit of mowing his own yard qualified him for the high court.
Thanks to an LA Times expose, the James Dobson Gang is slurring their words over a report that Roberts offered his advice to gay rights groups seeking to overturn a discriminatory ballot initiative in California. They argue the action will see Roberts betrothing Clarence Thomas if allowed on the high court. Gay conservatives are also seem to be viewing the story through beer goggles, claiming proof that President Bush secretly tolerates individuals who secretly tolerate gays.
Navigating these reactions reveals the judicious middle taken by groups like ours. Stonewall continues to read each page of the Roberts record. The most revealing insight into John Roberts will come on when the Senate convenes hearings on his nomination on September 6th.
Posted by TrailMix at 02:26 PM | Permalink |
August 03, 2005
Ohio GOP: Scram Ya Damn Kids!
TrailMix Note: This is the first post from our new contributor, Mike Shea of Alternative Press Magazine. Mike chose to post a recent editorial run by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Wow.
Despite all of the problems plaguing our Ohio, the politicians in Columbus are focused on chasing every gay and lesbian person out of the state. True, billboards aren't proclaiming, "Hey Fag, Beat It!" But the message is coming across loud and clear.
First, that anti-gay marriage amendment. While religious, political and gay leaders fight about who gets to own the term "marriage," we did kinda want the legal rights that came with marriage. For example, it would be nice to visit a boyfriend of seven years in the hospital even though the head nurse has religious differences with gay folk. I mean, that would have seemed only fair.
If that wasn’t bad enough, now there's text for a new bill to ban adoptions by gays and lesbians. The gay and lesbian parents I know are already talking of moving out of state if that bill gets introduced. Is that what you want, Ohio?
It's just painfully obvious that because of the increasing political clout of socially-conservative, religious groups throughout the state, Ohio is being redefined as a place that welcomes only citizens who are straight, ultra-religious and vote Republican (and not for moderate Republicans. What mass grave are all of the moderate Republicans buried in now?)
If you don't believe me about who's behind all of these anti-gay measures, go to the Web site: www.ohiorestorationproject.com
Here's a quote from the site: "Today's America allows abortion of unwanted pregnancies, increasingly accepts homosexuality, rejects the teaching of intelligent creation in our schools, and many other issues that are in opposition to biblical truth. We are on a path of destruction, and nothing is going to change if Christian citizens deny their responsibilities."
Throughout American history, lines of Scripture have been used to validate discrimination of African-Americans, women, Jews, and now, gays and lesbians. Back then a lot of dumb laws were passed by politicians, who, like our current batch down in Columbus, half-believe the words and half-pander to keep their power and jobs safe. After a few decades, Americans usually woke up and reversed those laws. Funny, for all of the power that they posses, most religious institutions and governments are always the last two to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the next century. 215 companies on the Fortune 500 list have LGBT-friendly policies but does Ohio?
Thankfully, there are some churches, like the United Church of Christ, that do reach out and show respect to all Americans, including lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, but they continuously struggle to be heard above the din of the ultra-conservative churches and their political supporters in this state.
Also, thankfully, there are politicians, like openly gay Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who have continued to fight for equality for all Americans regardless. Frank, who will be speaking at the Cleveland City Club on August 12, recently introduced the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act which would extend benefits to federal employees and their long-time partners.
Look, I know some voters out there don't want gays anywhere near their neighborhoods. The funny thing is that we're already so imbedded into this state's daily life many of you don’t even realize it. We live next door. We work in the next cubicle. We work in the school systems, go to the same churches, and shop at Home Depot. We're truckers, law-enforcement personnel, city council members; we're in the military at all ranks.
Yet, thanks to Hollywood, the entire gay community has been stereotyped as characters from "Will & Grace" and "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy." To be honest, what you see on television is more or less the gay version of Amos 'N Andy.
The Right claims that there is a secret Gay Agenda and, if there is, I would imagine that it's probably no different from the Women's Agenda in the 1910s and 1970s, or the African-American Agenda during the 1950s and 1960s. Really, look at what horrible things those agendas did to this nation of ours. Just deplorable, right?
Gays and lesbians have no desire to make sure that a pride flag is flying over every truck stop or forcing school children to take a field trip to a local gay bar.
We just want to be able to live and work here in Ohio without getting hassled, beaten, fired or chased away. Just because we’re gay.
But this one is up to you, Ohio. Do you want Ohio gay-free? That’s the message you keep sending to Columbus every election.
What do you want, Ohio?
Posted by at 12:54 PM | Permalink |
August 02, 2005
Gunning for It
(By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)
August marks the start of the Patrick Ramsey photo parade by local publications here in Washington. Its my favorite part of training camp season. Those who track the stats of the Washington quarterback know that apart from his good looks and Southern charm, Ramsey maintains a dead-on downfield aim if he is allowed to play to his capacity.
Yet, for the last two seasons, Patrick Ramsey has suffered from injury and incompletions. Under former coaches, the quarterback was routinely coaxed into caution. He would routinely hold the ball too long while surveying the field, and ultimately get sacked by the opposition due to his timidity.
Smart sportswriters are now calling on Washington coach Joe Gibbs to give Ramsey the freedom to aggressively move the ball downfield. "[Gibbs] has to let Patrick Ramsey be the gunslinger that he is," Tom Knott of the Washington Times argues.
Democrats have now taken the same approach to Paul Hackett, congressional candidate in today's special election in Ohio. Hackett - a recent veteran of the Iraq War - is challenging Republican Jean Schmidt to fill a vacancy in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. The very, very Republican district (72% Republican) should be a no-brainer for the GOP. Yet, Republicans are pouring unlimited resources and manpower into the race.
Why? Democrats are allowing Paul Hackett to be aggressively Democratic. Pro-military and pro-marriage equality, Hackett is chasing Republican candidates in a Republican district with Democratic issues. Odds favor Schmidt - but look for Democrats to gain in this district thanks to the efforts of Hackett, which very well may bump a number of votes into the Democratic column in 2006.
Read more at the Swing State Project, which is live-blogging today's election in Ohio.
UPDATE: Unbelievable. Hackett pulled within just a few thousand votes of Schmidt (Schmidt was expected to win a super majority).
Republicans are in trouble when they fail to win one of the titular conservative districts in the nation. This is like Rick Santorum nearly beating Barney Frank in his most liberal precincts. Unprecedented.
Jean Scmidt may have her own trouble in 2006. The more she leaks about herself, the more she appears to be earning the nickname "Sally Santorum." With her extreme agenda, look for Republicans to find a challenger to Schmidt in the primary next year.
Meanwhile, folks over at the Hackett campaign and the Swing State Project are celebrating. Democrats are more energized in southwest Ohio than they have been in decades. The party is already urging Hackett to challenge Scmidt in 2006. I hope he gets the chance.
Posted by John at 10:19 AM | Permalink |
August 01, 2005
VHS or BETA
I wanted to say hi to everyone who is watching us Beta Test the relaunch of TrailMix. We've been gone awhile, but the downtime has allowed us to relaunch our website with new technology that has vastly improved our communication with our members.
As you can see, we're slowly adding new links to our blogroll on the right. We're trying to keep it limited, but if you have suggestions, let us know. They should be informative, but not too dull. We just added Garden State (Zach Braff's blog) in our also-ran section. Braff doesn't update the blog that frequently, but at least its more real than the blogs of most celebrities or political organizations. Enjoy.
Posted by TrailMix at 05:19 PM | Permalink |
