Ok, Who is Spiking the Tea?

Well, that would be the tea of certain Tea Party groups out there.  It seems the Tennessee Tea Party wants to erase some 188 years of history.  You know, because it "tarnishes" the reputations of the founding fathers.  God Forbid that the children of today realize that the Fathers of yesterday were slave owners or intruded on the Indians.  (PamsHouseblend)


"A coalition of Tennessee Tea Party groups has formulated a list of 'demands'... to compel the teaching of students in Tennessee the truth regarding the history of our nation and the nature of its government." They want "no portrayal of minority experience" in history.  C'mon, the founders are just guys "who brought liberty into a world where it hadn't existed, to everybody -- not all equally instantly."  (HuffingtonPost.com)

Well, yeah, the US Civil Rights Act didn't happen until 1964.


Wonder if the tea guzzlers are going to want to erase any history of Santorum in the next 100 years if any non-discrimination laws for LGBTs get passed here soon?

Protect the Definition of Marriage

That is what the Catholic Bishops want to do.  There are some things wrong with that vow, however.  First, what is the definition of "marriage"?  "According to the Cain Lanamna, which is the Ancient Irish text dealing with marriage" there are several definitions of marriage, and "that marriage is contractual and it is set at a certain number of years before the contract lapses."  So it is a contract. (Lez Get Real)

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, then, want to protect a contract that will expire.  "There is a difference between civil marriage equality and religious marriage."  But, the USCCB wants everybody to live by the definition - their definition - of a religious marriage, and if you ain't a good Catholic, you can't get married.


Makes one wonder, though, if the Catholic church also wants to set the definition of pedophilia.  "Roman Catholic church's pedophile investigator jailed for possessing thousands of child porn images" was a Joe My God Headline of the Day.  The father-of-four was responsible for children's safety at 120 churches and community groups for nine years.  And police found 4,000 child porn images  on his church supplied computer.


Hmmm... what will the church try to define next???

'Cause That is What God Would Do!

Of course God is a bully, right?  An overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.  It must say that somewhere in the Bible.  Maybe in Leviticus?  Well, that is what the Michigan GOP want you to believe.


"Michigan Senate Republicans have passed bill that actually gives license to bully."  (New Civil Rights Movement)   Yep, that's right.  The bill allows anti-gay bullying if you can provide a so-called religious or moral reason.  So you can bully a gay kid into suicide as long as you are doing it for God.  Because really, that is what God wants, right?


The other bad part about this bill? It is named for Matt Epling, a young man who killed himself in 2002 after being bullied.  His father calls the bill "Government-sanctioned bigotry."


Thank God the religious right can continue to bully people to death...

Cuz that Rainbow Could Kill Ya

Hospital employees with "rainbow identifiers" might just kill you.  That is according to the founder of a "Christian pro-family organization" and executive of Ohio State University Hospitals.  She thinks that America doesn't need anybody with rainbows on their work clothing to care for the sick and injured in hospitals.  (CBSNews.com)


Now, this has nothing to do with any "somewhere over the rainbow" reference.  Or the optical and meteorological phenomenon seen in the sky.  Nothing to do with ROYGBIV.  Nope, what this is parents needing to "think long and hard" about whether kids should be cared for by hospital workers who "proclaim a homosexual lifestyle."


So, Linda Harvey thinks teh Gays can't properly take care of the children in hospitals.  Although Dr. Desi Bailey, president of the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association says, "Sexual orientation, gender identity and other personal characteristics do not determine a health care provider's competence."  And a 2005 Gallup poll found that 78% of Americans believe lesbians and gay men should be hired as doctors. (They really had to poll that?)


Don't need to worry about rainbows... Maybe just that wicked witch: "I'll get you my pretty...and your little dog too!!!"

Wouldn't it be More "Auto" Than "Homo"?

That's what one would think.  But leave it to the "church-folk" to get it wrong.  Mark Driscoll, Pastor of the Mars Hill Church in Seattle says that "Masturbation can be a form of homosexuality."  He also is against "premarital sex, feminism, modern interpretations of the Bible, and viewing Jesus as... a neutered and limp-wristed popular Sky Fairy."  That's off topic, however.


Driscoll says that "any man who does so [masturbate] without his wife in the room is bordering on homosexuality activity, particularly if he's watching himself in a mirror and being turned on by his own male body."  Now, if he does it, either while his wife is watching/participating or with a picture of her lusting after him, then that is ok. (HuffingtonPost.com)


Women who do it (and there must be some women out there who do <wink-wink>), aren't in any trouble with Driscoll, because "masturbation is more widely practiced among men." He attributes this to the "more convenient and visible external nature of male genitalia."  Don't know if he has seen the shape of most "toys" that are sold to some women...  kinda external and convenient, really.


Oh well, what can you expect from a pastor in a church on Mars...

The People Who Will Probably Vote Republican

They are kind of scary people.  Well, the people who watch GOP debates are anyway.  It certainly gives a view of the things that they like or dislike.  "Past audience members have booed a gay soldier and cheered at the thought of letting a hypothetical uninsured man die."  Last night they cheered when Herman Cain blamed the unemployed for being unemployed.  (HuffingtonPost.com)


"Don't blame Wall Street. Don't blame the big banks. If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."  So no wonder the GOP doesn't have a jobs plan.  Why should they bother with one if it's just the unemployed people's fault.  And why should they support LGBT?  Or the uninsured?  Those voting for them have shown which way they should go.


Now, they do love the silver haired man from CNN.  They booed Rick Perry when he got testy with the moderator, Anderson Cooper.  (HuffingtonPost.com)


Good to have your priorities straight.

Really, What is Bullying?

Well, Rick Santorum - or Frothy Mix as some call him - thinks that political satire is bullying.  In a sketch on Saturday Night Live, he was shown to be not a viable candidate in their debate setting - as only viable candidates were sitting at the table.  Where was Santorum? He was shown sitting on a bar stool at a gay bar.  (JoeMyGod)

Santorum is known for his strong anti-gay rhetoric.  The way he says it is "standing up for the traditional family".  Yet some of his words have been very harsh towards the LGBT community.  Which is why he is called Frothy Mix in the first place. Just google search his last name, and you will see why.


Dictionary.com defines bullying as being "habitually badgered and intimidated" and it is directed primarily to "smaller or weaker people."  Denying rights to a certain group of Americans sounds more like badgering and intimidating then a skit comedy show poking fun.


But, really what is bullying?  Perhaps it is feeling sadness and despair at being called a "fag" and finally getting to the point where you say you can't take it anymore.  That is what happened to a gay 15-year-old Ottawa, Canada teen Jamie Hubley.  He killed himself on Friday because he was bullied and just couldn't take it anymore. (TowleRoad.com)

So, Rick... go the gay bar and have yourself a drink.

Picking a Fight

What is the definition of Congress?  This week it might be hypocrisy.  On one hand the GOP lawmakers are fighting for eliminating federal aid for family planning and covering abortions. (Forbes.com)  They are demanding that federal money to Planned Parenthood be stopped.  They yell at the top of their lungs that things like NPR and FEMA should not receive any money either.


And here is the hypocrisy.  No spending money, unless...  "House Republicans have agreed to a new contract to pay a private law firm up to $1.5 million to defend the Defense of Marriage Act." (HuffingtonPost.com) The Attorney General had decided back in February that DOMA was unconstitutional and would no longer fight to support it.  But, House Speaker John Boehner thinks this is something that the money should be spent on.


This seems to no longer be just a fight over money.  This is definitely a fight over social policy.  And it looks like the right-wing, homophobic, anti-women's rights group is going to win the fight.

Oh the (Not So) Friendly Skies

Earlier this week, an actress was "kicked off" a Southwest Airlines flight for an "excessive" display of affection to her girlfriend.  She and her girlfriend were reportedly kissing.  While being escorted from the plane, the stewardess informed Leisha Hailey that SWA was a "family" airline and the multiple complaints from other passengers prompted the kicking off. (LezGetReal.com)


That does sound a bit homophobic and just a tad hateful.  What kind of "family" doesn't like to see kissing?  The National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) opposes any premature boycott measures against Southwest Airlines, though.  They say that SWA "has strict non-discrimination policies [and] is actively working ... to enhance their policies and employee training."  (JoeMyGod)


But there is still that feeling of hate.  It seems to be prevalent in this world towards those who are not "straight".  Even the Catholic church has a bit of hate towards people in same-sex relationships.  Timothy Dolan of New York, the head Archbishop, yelled at President Obama for not defending the Defense of Marriage Act.  He says it would "precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions."  He reiterated the feeling that "traditional marriage is best for society."  (USAToday.com)


And Gay Marriage is horrible?  And probably two girls kissing on a plane is icky?


The Archbishop rants about the "conflict between church and state" but where oh where is that "separation" that is supposed to be there?

Clothes Make the Man...

Or the woman, I guess.  Back on July 9th, a woman went to Dollywood with her partner and their family.  She was wearing a t-shirt on that said "Marriage is so gay" in support of gay marriage.  A park worker asked her to turn the shirt inside out so as not to offend anybody at the "family park".  The woman did as she was told but sent a letter afterwards asking that Dollywood be a tad more inclusive of LGBTs and all kinds of families. (ABCNews)

Now, this past weekend, Walmart was not thrilled with the clothes that a particular Oregon woman chose to wear to the store.  She was at the store shopping in her bikini top and was asked to put a shirt on over it.  The store employee claimed she "may be violating health regulations".  (CBSNews)

The Oregon woman actually has an attorney over the dress-code violation.


Dolly Parton has apologized to the lesbian, saying she is "truly sorry for the hurt or embarrassment."  If you click on the link to CBS you can see the picture of the bikini-clad Oregon woman.  And really, doesn't Walmart know who shops in the stores?  Have they never heard of PeopleofWalmart.com?

The Christian Terrorist

We all have heard of the tragic events that happened over the weekend in Norway.  Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of these ghastly murders, identifies as a conservative Christian.  And having "terrorized" the people in Oslo and the children at the camp, he obviously identifies as a terrorist.  That would make him a Christian Terrorist.  He has said that he killed all these people because of their allowing Muslims in the country and for the "cultural annihilation" that has happened.


He may not be the only Christian Terrorist in the world today.  Brian Fischer, from the American Family Association, agrees with Mr. Breivik.  "Much of his analysis of cultural trends in Europe and the danger created by Islamic immigration and infiltration is accurate," he says, but perhaps using public policy rather than mass murder to resolve the issues is better (?) (RightwingWatch.org)


Mr. Fischer has already identified danger areas.  He honestly believes and has said "Number one perpetrators of hate crimes in America: homosexual activists, gay activists, the homosexual lobby."  But as far as a terror group?  Well, the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the American Family Association as a “hate group” right up there with the Ku Klux Klan.  (LGBTQNation.com)

Fischer terrorizes people. He has proposed criminalizing homosexual behavior and has advocated forcing gays into “reparative” therapy.  He thinks that gays are Nazis.  He also says 'Homosexual activist groups are pushing a lifestyle that kills'.


So, the definition of a Christian Terrorist.  Will have to see if Mr. Fischer sets a bomb or starts shooting.

The End of the World as We Know It

That's sort of what Michele Bachmann preaches.  Back in 2006/2008 (when she said it/when it was broadcast), she said we were in the "last days" and she was ok with that, ready to give to the "Jehovah God" our "times".  (LezGetReal.com)

Also, in 2010 she warned that if the "United States turns its back on Israel" we will be cursed because in Genesis 12:3, God says to Abraham, "The one who curses you I will curse."  (MotherJones.com)


Bachmann has also asked for God to expand preacher Bradlee Dean’s ministry, which is incredibly anti-gay. Dean is, in fact, beyond just being anti-gay.  (He's the one who broadcast her "last days" rant in 2008) This is a man who believes that it is alright to execute lesbians and gays.  Which goes along with her husband, Marcus Bachmann, who has been "proven to practice a therapy aimed at turning gays straight."  (TheDailyBeast.com)

So, it might not be the end of the world as Michele knows it, biblically in fact.  It definitely is her aim to make it the end of the world as most LGBT people know it.

Divert Funding

While in a situation on the Federal Government level where money is a huge issue, House Speaker John Boehner now thinks it is ok to divert funding.  And what is compelling Boehner to divert?  Defending an unconstitutional law.


Back in February, President Obama decided that the administration "cannot defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman."  (HuffingtonPost.com)  He did this due to the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled that laws criminalizing homosexual conduct are unconstitutional.


Yet, Boehner now "intends to divert funding from the Justice Department to the U.S. House so Congress can defend the federal law."  He has also hired former Solicitor General Paul Clement, currently with a high-power law firm, to defend the law.  (JoeMyGod)


Interesting.  At the beginning of February, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the DOJ was under a hiring freeze and unnecessary travel had been halted.  This made DOJ workers feel the pressure of budget cuts. (MainJustice.com)  Now, Boehner wants to divert funds from the department to pay off some high priced attorney to defend an unconstitutional law.


So... The GOP was going to generate jobs?  Well, I guess creating one lawyer job is something.  But cutting employment at the DOJ can't help much.


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