I Didn't Say It ....

Linda Harvey, "Christian" wingnut, on homosexuality being changeable:

"Why should the equal protection argument be made in favor of homosexual behavior, which is changeable?  People are not naturally homosexual, so the definition of 'person' in the Fourteenth Amendment is being twisted to make this assumption. 'Person' should be understood based on historic, beneficial, or at least neutral and fact-based traits; it should not be twisted to incorporate behavior that most religions and most cultures have said a firm 'no' to. It's also behavior for which there's no recognized science demonstrating a genetic or hormonal origin.  And it's also not beneficial and does not stand the definition of marriage, used for millenia - that is, the act of consummation. It's another sad fact of homosexual behavior that two men or two women can never consummate a marriage; they can never conceive children together. This should still have some standing and it remains a fact that there are only two types of human in the world: male and female.  Any other distinctions made are appearance, custom, and construction.  So marriage is the lawful, orderly confirmation of what we already see in nature. The Supreme Court says they will give their decision in June.  Pray, friends, for truth to prevail."

Actually, Linda, gay men and women can consummate their relationships, though maybe it's different from how you consummate yours. Consummate doesn’t mean procreate.

Marriage is a union of consenting adults.

Deal with it.

And get a new hairstyle, it's not 1952 anymore.

Nancy Pelosi, on John Boehner and the GOP secretly padding money away to defend DOMA: 

“Here they go again. It’s bad enough that Speaker Boehner and House Republicans are wasting taxpayer dollars to defend the indefensible Defense of Marriage Act--and losing in every case. Now, they have reached a new low--signing a secret contract to spend more public money on their legal boondoggle without informing Democrats. Their actions are simply unconscionable; their decisions are utterly irresponsible....Hiding this contract from voters in the midst of an election season was a cynical move at best, and a betrayal of the public trust at worst. With Americans focused on the creation of jobs and the growth of our economy, Republicans should not be spending $2 million to defend discrimination in our country. We should be embracing our tradition of equality, advancing our promise of opportunity, and securing justice and equal rights for every American....With DOMA now before the Supreme Court, there is no end in sight for the Republican legal effort. It’s time for the Speaker and his Republican colleagues to come clean about their plans. Until then, we look forward to the day when DOMA is discarded by the highest court in the land and when all of America’s families can know the blessings of equal protection under the law.”

Further proof, even though we don't need it, that the GOP isn't concerned about jobs, unemployed Americans, the economy, the environment; it’s more worried about keeping its nose in other people’s business.

They want to stop The Gays from achieving equality.

Same GOP, different day.

James Dobson, of the Focus on Family hate group, blaming the declining numbers of religious followers for the mass murder in Newtown:

"We have turned our back on God. I mean millions of people have decided that God doesn't exist, or he's irrelevant to me and we have killed fifty-four million babies and the institution of marriage is right on the verge of a complete redefinition.  Believe me, that is going to have consequences too. And a lot of these things are happening around us, and somebody is going to get mad at me for saying what I am about to say right now, but I am going to give you my honest opinion: I think we have turned our back on the Scripture and on God Almighty and I think he has allowed judgment to fall upon us. I think that's what's going on."

And so he wonders why people might choose to believe God doesn’t exist?

Well, if God gets so mad at folks for questioning his, or her, existence, that he or she allows children to be murdered in school, then he or she ain't much of a God.

Matt Damon, on voting for Obama again after being critical of Obama’s first term:

“Definitely. I assume there will be some Supreme Court appointments in this next term; that alone was reason to vote for him. I don’t think I said anything a lot of people weren’t thinking. It’s easier now more than ever in my life to feel the fix is in, the game is rigged and no matter how hard you work to change things, it just doesn’t matter.”

Look, even when you are critical of a candidate, it doesn't mean you'll switch parties.

It means you have questions, and sometimes your candidate is giving the answers you want to hear.

That's the whole idea behind voting and candidates and elections.

Listen. And ask questions.

Pat McEwen, "pastor", on the Newtown murders being revenge from God for taking Him/her out of the public schools:

"Watching the Memorial service for the twenty-six precious lives taken from us was painful to say the least, but it was far more painful to the God who made America great. Newtown cancelled Christmas so it could properly mourn. How foolish, yet typical of governmental strategy to replace God. The 'Interfaith' service was an affront to Almighty God. Those claiming to be His priests barely mentioned His Name --Jesus! After all, He is the only God there is! What happened? We violently removed the fear of Almighty God from the hearts of our children. We expelled God from school and banished Him from the schoolyard. He was replaced with metal detectors, condoms, policemen, anti-bullying policies, No-gun zones, and violence of unprecedented order. Our strategy has replaced God's Truth. We are losing our kids because we are ignoring God's Law."

He's angry that a town cancelled celebrations of Christmas in order to mourn for dead children and teachers? This is called being a Christian?

He's angry that the church services included all faiths? This is called acceptance?

He's somehow saying, like other asshats, that if you ignore God he'll kill children? This is faith?

Then he can have it.

Matt Damon, again, on nudity and playing Liberace’s lover: 

“Well, normally I’d say no to nudity, but I just did a lot of it playing the long-term partner of Liberace, Scott Thorson, in Behind the Candelabra. I mean, it’s tastefully done. Steven Soderbergh directed it, and Michael Douglas plays Liberace. But this movie’s not going to be for everyone. These two men were deeply in love and in a real relationship—a marriage—long before there was gay marriage. That’s not an insignificant thing. The script is beautiful and relatable. Their conversations when they’re dressing or undressing or having a spat or getting ready for bed? That’s every marriage. It feels like you’re witnessing something really intimate you would normally see with a man and a woman, but instead it’s two men, which was thrilling. There’s stuff I think will make people uncomfortable. Great. It’s HBO—they can change the channel."

Well said.

People are people, gay and straight, and, when it comes right down to it, we're all very much alike in our relationships.

Except for the gender thingy.

Joe Lieberman, in the final days of his 24-year career in politics, saying he's changed his mind about term limits:

“My position on this has changed, I’ve always felt that there are term limits for senators — it’s six years and it’s up to voters to decide whether they want somebody to go on, and you need some people around here with some experience. [But now] I’m beginning to feel now that the place needs to change more often. I think the place might be healthier and less partisan and more rigid if it turned over more often.” 

Of course he waits until he's done before he advocates term limits.

Typical bull-sh*t from a career politician.

Matt Damon, again, on gay sex scenes:

“We both have a lot of gay friends, and we were not going to screw this up or bulls–t it. It wasn’t the most natural thing in the world to do, though. Like, for one scene, I had to come out of a pool, go over to Michael, straddle him on a chaise longue and start kissing him. And throughout the script, it’s not like I kiss him just once. We drew it up like a football plan… I remember asking Heath Ledger after Brokeback Mountain, “How’d you do that scene with Jake?”—meaning the scene where they start ferociously kissing. He said, “Well, mate, I drank a half case of beer in my trailer.” I started laughing, and he goes, “No, I’m serious. I needed to just go for it. If you can’t do that, you’re not making the movie. Michael was a wonderful kisser. My concerns ended up mattering a lot less once we were filming."

I've never understood how the press always wants to know how difficult it is to do a same-sex kissing scene, but they have no questions about playing murderers and rapists and adulterers.

Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets pitcher, on his anti-gay Tweet:

“I had a little mishap on Twitter about a month ago, and it was just brought to my attention this morning. I’d just like to apologize for anything that was said. A buddy and I were having a little conversation. I had a poor attempt at humor and an even worse attempt at using a term I shouldn’t have used. I hope I didn’t offend anybody. I’m really sorry my first introduction to being a New York Met had to be like this."

First off, it wasn’t a mishap, unless you don’t know how to spell. You said the word ‘fag’ and meant to say the word ‘fag’.

It isn’t humorous.

Matt Damon, again, on gay rumors and supporting the gay community:

“I never denied those rumors because I was offended and didn’t want to offend my friends who were gay—as if being gay were some kind of f–king disease. It put me in a weird position in that sense. The whole thing was just gross. But look, there have been great signs of progress—the fact that Anderson Cooper and Ellen DeGeneres can come out so beautifully and powerfully, and it’s a big f–king deal that it turns out nobody gives a s–t. If Liberace were alive today, everybody would love his music and nobody would care what he did in his private life. Like with Elton John.”

I.Love.Matt.Damon.

One Step Back, But........

Well, discrimination is still in fashion and that inequality rules.

The Senate rejected the Defense Department appropriations bill that contained a measure approving repeal of DADT by a vote of 57-40

GOP goosesteppers Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, Mark Kirk, Lisa Murkowski, and Democrat Joe Manchin all voted "No" on the measure. Brown had originally said he'd vote Yes, but apparently flip-flopping along party lines is what he does best. Senator Susan Collins, after leading the Republican charge against the bill, also changed her mind, and voted "yes".

It disgusts me that, in this country, we cannot see discrimination for what it is, and where it is, and have politicians choose to legislate it. We are so beyond the time that sexual orientation is something to be feared. I am writing to both honorable [sarcasm] senators from South Carolina, Lindsay Graham and Jim DeMint, to tell them what i think of their bigoted, homophobic vote.

I am angry that we have no leadership in this country to stand up against discrimination. I am tired of our politicians simply dancing around the issue, and playing word games so as not to anger conservatives. There was no leadership from the President or Congress on the issue; it was all rhetoric.

And it disgusts me. But........

Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under DADT, said in a statement: "This was a major failure on the part of the Senate to simply do its job and pass an annual defense authorization bill. Politics prevailed over responsibility today, and now more than one million American servicemembers, including tens of thousands of gay and lesbian troops, are worse off as a result. Since the votes are there in isolation, the Senate should still consider a stand-alone bill to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law before adjourning for the winter holidays."

Which is what Senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins are planning. they hope to introduce a stand-alone DADT repeal bill, and Harry Reid Promises a vote on it. And I am hoping these are not just empty promises, but the real deal.

Let's hope we get two steps forward before this session of Congress ends.

Is The End In Sight?

The House voted yesterday to let the Defense Department repeal the ban on gay men and women from serving openly in the military, beginning, I hope, the end of DADT.

My fingers are crossed, but I am not holding my breath.

The repeal will not be allowed until 60 days after a Pentagon report is completed on the ramifications of allowing openly gay service members, and military leaders certify that it would not be disruptive; that report isn't due until the first of December.

A lot can happen between now and then.

Before the vote, the battle lines were quite clear, and quite different. Those in favor of a DADT repeal called the amendment a matter of basic fairness and equality, while those against assailed the President and the Democrats for destabilizing the military to advance a liberal agenda.

See how that works? The Democrats call it fair; the Republicans--and a few asshat Dems--called it liberal. Well, for me, if liberal is fair, then I'm proud to be liberal.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “On Memorial Day, America will come together and honor all who served our nation in uniform. I urge my colleagues to vote for the repeal of this discriminatory policy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and make America more American.”

Fairness.

In addition to the House vote, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a similar measure yesterday. The vote, in a closed session--much to the chagrin of John McCain who wanted it televised so he can improve upon his new ultra-conservative image--was 16 to 12, with one Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, in favor, and one Democrat, Jim Webb of Virginia, opposed. Committee chairman Carl Levin said he believed that the full Senate would support permitting the repeal.

And, like the House amendment, the Senate measure would allow Pentagon leaders to revoke the ban 60 days after the military completes its report, and President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, certify that it won't hamper military readiness and effectiveness or “unit cohesion.”

President Obama said: “This legislation will help make our armed forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly and with integrity.”

Fairness. Honesty. Integrity.

But chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have all objected, and, in letters solicited by Grampa McCain, have urged Congress to delay voting on the issue until after the Defense Department completed its report. McCain said: “I think it’s really going to be really harmful to the morale and battle effectiveness of our military.”

Fairness. Honesty. Integrity.

I thought those were tenets of the military, and yet John. McCain has vowed to keep stomping his feet and being all anti-gay when the measure reaches the Senate floor.

Senator Joe Lieberman, who sponsored the repeal measure, said: “The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy doesn’t serve the best interests of our military and doesn’t reflect the best values of our country....[b]ottom line, thousands of service members have been pushed out of the U.S. military not because they were inadequate or bad soldiers, sailors, Marines or airmen but because of their sexual orientation. And that’s not what America is all about.”

Fairness. Honesty. Integrity.