November 28, 2010

God may nuke us if DADT is repealed


According to the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer, his god may quit watching over our country and in fact may kill us if Congress does away with the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy in the nation’s armed forces.
“The purpose of the military is to kill people and break things so our families can sleep safely and securely at night,” writes Fischer in his AFA blog posting on Wednesday. “It must not be used as some giant laboratory for politically correct social engineering experiments.”
“A military that is weakened spiritually is a military that is a weakened fighting force. The ancient Scriptures still have it right: ‘Unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchmen stand guard in vain’ (Psalm 127:1),” he wrote. “The Founders understood this; our current crop of Pentagon leaders do not, and seem intent on making what will prove to be a fatal mistake. There is no quicker way to assign the United States to the scrap heap of history than to normalize homosexual behavior in our military.”
Fischer failed to explain what he meant by “fatal mistake.” One can only assume that since his god is supposedly almighty, all powerful, and the commander-in-chief, that he or she may choose to kill all of us if the military’s discriminatory practice is abolished. To do that, his god will either have to flood the earth again, drop a few nukes at selected locations around the world, or find some some other atrocious means of destroying of human life. Nuking would be easier ... and faster.
“Repeal will have a harmful effect on recruitment and retention; in another survey, 24% of active duty personnel indicated that they either would resign or would consider resigning from the military if open homosexuals are allowed to serve,” he writes.
Are members of our military so insecure with their own sexuality that they would feel threatened by the mereknowledge of a fellow member being gay or lesbian? After all, it’s not like repealing the policy will give gays and lesbians the right to “hit on” or “recruit” fellow service members into some sort of imaginary “queer” brotherhood or sisterhood. In our military is not where such an insecure individual should be employed ... welding weapons and holding other human lives in their hands.
“I have spent the last year or so listening to Bryan Fischer's daily radio program and reading his regular blog posts on the American Family Association website,”  writes a blogger who identifies himself as Kyle on the Right Wing Watch website. “Sometimes I wonder if he isn't really a left-wing performance artist masquerading as an ultra-conservative right-wing zealot in order to make the movement look foolish or else is just someone who concocts ever more ridiculous pieces in an effort to generate attention for himself.”
If either of those theories is true, Fischer is successful. If not, like millions of other religious ultra-conservatives, his beliefs have inhibited his ability to rationalize the situation. “Out” members of the military pose no more of a threat to other members of the military than do “out” employees in any other business. Not to mention, they have the right to be “out,” thanks to those founders that Fischer erroneously believes intended for this type of speech to be inhibited.

Brenda Green


A Dozen of The Hottest Gay Jocks


 

Cool photo of Matthew Mitcham and partner

Thanks to a reader for this adorable photo of Australian gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham and his partner Lachlan Fletcher. I am not sure when it was taken, but they certainly look like the happy couple. 

Hot jock: U.S. runner Nick Symmonds

Symmonds ran the 800 meters but missed out on a chance to reach the finals. That didn’t stop NBC from spending about five minutes covering him, including two interviews. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t take a bad photo.
Today’s batch, courtesy of Finneye, has our homoerotic shot of the day, a little soccer affection, track and field and this windsurfer (right) tossed into the water after winning a gold. 

Hot jock: Gymnast Epke Zonderland

This Dutch gymnast caught our eye during the men’s high bar final, where he did a daring routine but finished seventh after he slipped off the bar. 

 

Wrestling, track, diving, gymnastics — what’s not to love? Again, great thanks to FInneye for these links, including a surprise U.S. gold medal wrestler (right). 

Hot Jock: Volleyballer Yury Berezhko

It’s not easy to find much on the Web about Russian volleyballer Yury Berezhko. One of the few tidbits I was able to uncover was that his favorite kind of music is “club music,” which would make him gay in the U.S. but in Europe makes him like just about everybody else. He’s one of the stars of his team, and they’ve just advanced to the semifinals after a five-set win over Bulgaria. At 24 years and 6-foot-6, if the volleyball thing doesn’t work out for him, I’m sure Abercrombie & Fitch could find something for him to do.

Hot jock: Triathlon winner Jan Frodeno

Frodeno, the German who grew up in South Africa, won today’s Olympic triathlon with a thrilling sprint to the finish by 5.19 seconds over Canada’s Simon Whitfield. in his bio, NBC writes about Frodeno, 27: “He is a svelte 6′4″, weighing in at only 165 lbs, with a body fat percentage of a minuscule five percent”

  Hot Jock

Another batch courtesy of Finneye, including gymnastics, rowing, canoeing, track and field and more. Right, is a happy silver medal gymnast from France. Links after the jump.

Hot jock: Swimmer Cesar Cielo

It was rather touching to see Brazil’s Cesar Cielo cry after winning the men’s 50-meter freestyle. He cried in the pool, he cried after getting out of the pool and he cried on the podium. “I am overwhelmed by emotion,” he said. It was cool that he let the world see his emotions.
There was a rather odd reaction to Cielo’s win by Russia’s Alexander Popov, a multi-gold medalist of his own: “Cesar is very good. He has two balls, two arms and a strong head.” Are there guys swimming with less than two balls, two arms or a head?

Hot jocks: Danish rowers camp it up

I featured Danish rower Morten Joergensen as a “hot jock” after his lightweight fours rowing team won the gold.
Finneye has sent me this terrific gallery of the team from a Danish newspaper, that includes the most homoerotic shot of the Games (right), with Joergensen in the arms of teammate Thomas Ebert. I don’t know anything about Joergensen, but he certainly likes to camp it up.

Daily Dozen: Hot photos

The latest batch of great photos selected by Finneye as we head into the final weekend, including a little wrestling grab-ass. 

Hot jock: Decathlete Bryan Clay

Clay, an American, won the decathlon gold after two grueling days and 10 events, making him symbolically the “World’s Greatest Athlete.” Finneye shot Clay at a meet last year. 

The Gay Gift Guide 2010


Now that the Thanksgiving leftovers are running out, and you smartly avoided the Black Friday melee, you may be thinking about what to get the special folks in your life this holiday season. But, buyers beware! As Target taught us, scratching that consumer itch can sometimes have some pretty nasty consequences. Let your purchases count toward more than airline miles with this handy dandy super gay-friendly shopping guide. This is the year of supporting LGBT business owners. Because if you have to get that perfect tea set for Aunt Susan, or a great book for your nephew, or the coziest T-shirt for your best friend, why not have that money go into the hands of an LGBT business owner?
Your best bet for all things local and gay owned is The Pink Pages. Just click on your city and voila! Find a local gay florist for that perfect holiday wreath. Or a used book store for one-of-a-kind treasures. How about a gift certificate to that great gay-owned restaurant in town? You can also check outgayfriendlybiz.com for more local gay-owned businesses. If you need a little nudge in the idea department, try these on for size:
  • How about a subscription to an LGBT rag for a year of delightful page turning? OUT, the Advocate, and Curve are some classic favorites. Out There is a new culture magazine for the International Gay that is glossy and artsy and delectable.
  • Want to introduce your little cousin to the idea that families come in all different shapes and sizes and genders?And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson is always a good go-to read. There are a few new great ones on the shelves you might also want to consider. Mommy, Mama, and Me, and Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman are great reads. Patricia Polacco's In Our Mothers' House is a lovely story about two moms and their three adopted kids.
  • Nothing says "I love you" like a big, warm hug. At the Free City SuperShop, hugs come in the form of supersoft t-shirts, sweatpants and hoodies. Gay-owned, hand-crafted in Los Angeles, this is the softest sweatshirt money can buy.
  • Did some say Gourmet Chocolate?! At gay-owned Cacao in Portland, OR, the staff will put together and ship to you a mind-blowing box of chocolate-y treats, the likes of which you have never tasted before. I speak from experience. It's not easy to part with, so be sure to gift this one to someone who'll share.
  • A Different Light bookstore is where to go for your favorite bibliophile. This gay-owned San Francisco landmark (with an online store) is one-stop shopping for everything from LGBT fiction, to history, to hard to find copies of DNA magazine.
  • The complete South of Nowhere DVD set (all three glorious seasons) should fit the bill with any teen drama lover in your life. It's got everything you want from a high school show: racial tension, a lesbian love affair, teen steroid abuse, a motorcycle crash and I won't give away what happens at the Prom. If you buy it on Amazon, be sure to use this link and 5% of your purchase will be donated to PFLAG.
  • Over at LoveandPride, you can pick up an Erase the Hate pendant, with 10% of the proceeds going to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. In fact, you can pick up an Erase the Hate T-Shirt, too.
  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show is offering a super comfy T-Shirt with an awesome message: "Be Cool Be Kind Don't Judge." This is a gift that keeps on giving. Every time you step out the door, you remind folks about respectful living, plus 10% of the proceeds go to the Trevor Project.
Hmmm. PFLAG. The Matthew Shepard Foundation. The Trevor Project. Now we're talking true holiday giving.
If I had to choose one aspect of the LGBT cause to support right now, it would be the crusade to end schoolyard bullying. We have lost too many young men and women, boys and girls, because no one at their school knew or cared enough to step in and stop anti-gay bullying. Gift giving is great, and the importance of supporting local businesses can never be overestimated. While you search for the perfect gifts this year, please consider including a donation in a loved one's name to a worthy charity. We will all benefit from it. Here's how you can help:
  • The Trevor Project is the best place to start. A nationwide suicide prevention project aimed specifically at LGBT youth, this organization has become the leader in the anti-bullying movement. By providing numerous options for a young person to reach out and speak to a kind, compassionate, loving individual, the folks at the Trevor Project have undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. Monetary donations help keep the phone lines open and the chat rooms online.
  • The Matthew Shepard Foundation with its Erase the Hate program is working to establish zero tolerance programs throughout the country.
  • The Ali Forney Center provides housing for homeless LGBT youth in and around New York City. A donation right now can provide a holiday meal or a gift for a resident. Just be sure to put "Holiday Gift" as your reason for donating.
  • True Colors, a "sexual minority youth and family services" project based in Connecticut, trains youth LGBTI advocates, organizes an annual national conference and runs an LGBTI mentoring program. While many of their services are aimed at Connecticut's youth, they are working nationally to help train other communities to enact the same powerful change.
  • Dan Savage's It Gets Better program has become an international phenomenon, and rightly so. Rumor has it there is a book in the works, and nationwide events and heaps more of the awesome viral videos that have impacted the nation. Donations go to It Gets Better, as well as Trevor Project and GLSEN. You can also pick up a T-shirt, if you're looking for something like that. While you're there, upload your own It Gets Better video and give the whole world a gift.
  • Consider donating a tool kit to your local school. Providing teachers and administrators with the tools to create a Hate Free zone, a zero tolerance policy, or a GSA can be invaluable to students. The Trevor Project Tool Kitis free! The GLSEN Safe Space Kit is only $20, and you can donate it to a school of your choosing, or GLSEN will choose one for you.
  • Help fund a Challenge Day. As seen on MTV's "If You Really Knew Me," a Challenge Day empowers students to "Be the Change," to share their own stories of struggle and to hear other's stories, a process which often leads to not only tolerance of differences but inclusion of those students once ostracized by their peers.
The holidays should be a time for being with loved ones. While so many in the LGBT community are lucky to have families who support us, or have created our own supportive communities, too many young LGBTQ kids struggle and suffer with fear of rejection, humiliation, exclusion and loneliness. After unwrapping your new copy of The Kids Are All Right or cracking the binding on David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice or packing up for a New Year's sail on Olivia Cruises, be grateful for those you have to support you, and let others know that you support them as well.
Happy Holidays from all of us on the Gay Rights team.
Photo: JDHancock
Maia Spotts is one part of a two mom, two kid household and hopes to change the way in which this country defines the strong American family.

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