Random Musings

Former NFL player, Kwame Harris, has ‘officially’ come out as a gay man.

I say 'officially' because Kwame was actually outed a few months back after an ALLEGED assault on an ex-boyfriend. At the time, Kwame Harris wasn't talking, but he is now. He recently gave an interview to CNN where he talked about being a closeted NFL player: 

“You want to escape the despair and turmoil and your mind goes to dark places. I’m happy today, and I’m glad they were just ideas and I didn’t act on any of them.”

Harris, who played five seasons for the 49ers and one year with the Oakland Raiders, says he never thought about coming out while still playing the game: 

"The cost was great not [being] candidly open about myself in complete manner. If I could have done it differently, I would have hoped I found the strength [to come out]." 

But, as most of us know, coming out is a great relief, and Kwame Harris hopes that other athletes will follow suit:

"I want people, whether gay athletes, athletes still in the closet, or youths who are not sure what their sexuality is to know those are common feelings. Don't feel alone in having them. I’m gay. I’m a former athlete. And I think I’m a pretty normal guy."

Of course you're normal, Kwame. Being gay is normal for those of us who are gay. So, welcome out, and please accept, as our Coming Out gifts, a copy of the Gay Agenda, and the Official Homo HQ 'Coming Out' Toaster Oven. Perfect for heating up those mini pizzas while watching a game.

Welcome out, Kwame, welcome out.

Out there in the Homophobic Tennessee Legislature, a proposed measure that would have forced schools to tell parents if their children had talked to a teacher or counselor about being gay has failed.

The House version of that bill died in the House Education Subcommittee on Tuesday for lack of a second. The measure sought to prohibit classroom discussion of anything other than natural reproduction.

The House sponsor, John Ragan, a Republican of course, had planned to amend the legislation to require principals or counselors to identify students who might be a potential threat, but he never got a chance to do so.

You know, being gay is a potential threat in Tennessee, in Ragan’s mind; he said, of the failure, "I'm disappointed. I thought it was a good bill. It was about school safety."

How is outing a student to anyone about safety? Exactly who is being saved when a person’s private conversation with a teacher, counselor, or principal, is made public?

Ragan said he plans to bring hate back next year.

Don't get me wrong....

I love bacon. Bacon makes everything taste better. but bacon has a specific place  where it should be found and this place, er, that place, ain't one of 'em.

Just sayin'.

Last Week Rob Portman became the first Republican Senator to come out for marriage equality; he said he was moved to a change of heart and mind because his own son is gay and he believes his son should have the same equality as his other, presumably straight, children,.

Then came the news that Arizona Republican Congressman Matt Salmon also has a gay son and he decided to also change his mind on same-sex marriage and …

What’s that? He didn’t change his mind? He doesn’t care that his son will to have the same rights and privileges as his straight children?

Matt Salmon:

“I’m just not there in believing in my heart. My son is one of the most important people in my life. I love him more than I can say.”

I love him, but he doesn’t deserve equality.

TWEET OF THE WEEK # 1:

It's like that Facebook picture floating around out there that asks the question: why do we have such a problem with two men holding hands, but not two men holding guns?

Domonique Foxworth, NFL Players Association President, on the speculation that a gay football player was ready to come out of the closet.

“It doesn’t have to be one player. When one player comes out, multiple players will come out, because they are in our league right now....When the public finds out about it, it’s going to be a media storm and it’s going to be a lot of press and a lot of attention, and probably not all of it’s gonna be positive...But the NFLPA, as long as I’m president of it, is going to be behind that player and providing support."

Every day as more and more players express their support for a gay player, and with the support of Foxworth, I believe a player will come out of the closet sooner, rather than later. And I believe it’ll be a big deal, until hat player hits the field and plays the game like he’s always played the game.

Let's be queer, er, clear ....

I don't think Belk knew what they were doing when they created this ad, but it is rather, unintentionally, racist and homophobic at the same time.

And kinda makes me giggle, too.....

Not sure that was there intent in the ad department.

Another one….. Illinois Senator, and :::gasp::: Republican, Mark Kirk has voiced his support for marriage equality:

"When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others. Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back-- government has no place in the middle."

This makes Kirk the second sitting GOP Senator to back same-sex marriage after Rob Portman.

And another one …. Democratic Senator Tom Carper of Delaware comes out for equality:

"As our society has changed and evolved, so too has the public's opinion on gay marriage – and so has mine. I pray every day for God to grant me the wisdom to do what is right. Through my prayers and conversations with my family and countless friends and Delawareans, I've been reminded of the power of one of my core values: the Golden Rule. It calls on us to treat others as we want to be treated. That means, to me, that all Americans ultimately should be free to marry the people they love and intend to share their lives with, regardless of their sexual orientation, and that's why today, after a great deal of soul searching, I'm endorsing marriage equality."

And he was quickly followed by John Carney, a Democratic Congressman from Delaware:

"I’ve supported Delaware’s journey toward marriage equality because I believe the law should recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples. As a Catholic and as an elected official, I’ve been dedicated to striking the balance between honoring the religious sacrament of marriage, while allowing same-sex couples to enjoy legal recognition of their committed relationships. That’s why -- starting as Lieutenant Governor -- I supported civil unions, culminating with the passage of Delaware’s civil union law in 2011. And that’s why I support marriage equality in Delaware."

One by one by one ..... support is growing.

Here at Casa Bob y Carlos, we’re big fans of Showtime’s The Borgias, featuring Jeremy Irons as the Pope.

Alas, Irons may be talking his role too seriously, and has expressed his concerns over same-sex marriage like this:

"Could a father not marry his son?"

He then went on to say that "it's not incest between men" because "incest is there to protect us from inbreeding, but men don't breed," and wondered whether same-sex marriage might allow fathers to pass on their estates to their sons without being taxed.

Jeremy Irons: "It seems to me that now they're fighting for the name. I worry that it means somehow we debase, or we change, what marriage is. I just worry about that."

I worry about asshats like Irons who think that same-sex marriage will lead fathers to marry their sons. I worry that he would like to keep same-sex couples as ‘less than’ in this country. I worry that he thinks a father and son cannot have an incestuous relationship—which they can—and even if Irons thinks it’s not incest, it certainly is a form of child sexual abuse.

Ass.followedquicklyby.Hat.

TWEET OF THE WEEK # 2:

It's funny, and sad, because it's true.