Positive Progress

THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY today reported that a Ku Klux Klan rally scheduled to be held in Hammonton, NJ has been cancelled. The reason: self-proclaimed Imperial Wizard of the local KKK, Joseph Bednarsky (left-looks scary, doesn't he?), Millville, has resigned. "It's going nowhere," Bednarsky said of the movement. Thank God this moron has finally realized this!

I would guess Bednarsky is about 45 years old. He joined the Klan when he was 18, so he's been a KKK member for almost 30 years. When I lived in Cumberland County years ago, Bednarsky would every now and then raise his ugly head. When I was a kid it was a guy named Ed Reynolds. I remember an incident at a Millville bar once when I was still in school in which Reynolds and a few of his assholes came in. I was with a group of friend consisting of whites and minorities. While the band played, rumors started that there would be trouble. (I remember grabbing a beer bottle to keep just in case! What the hell I was going to do with it, I had no idea). The band then began, "Black Magic Woman" and Reynolds and his gang got up and left. That is about how much trouble the KKK has given for many, many years in south Jersey.

Finally, Bednarsky and hopefully other so-called KKK members, have realized that their message falls mostly on deaf ears. I know most south Jersey towns, such as Millville and Vineland, are now made up of a good number of minorities, mixing with the majority. And this is a good thing! So Bednarsky, Reynolds, and the likes of you: It's time to give it up! If you don't like a certain group of people, just stay away!

Never Mind, Dr. Mohler

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary started a tempest the other day when he said that, “The general trend of the research points to at least some biological factors behind sexual attraction, gender identity, and sexual orientation....We would support its use as we should unapologetically support the use of any appropriate means to avoid sexual temptation and the inevitable effects of sin.” In other words, if it is known that a fetus will be gay, everything possible should be done to change this. Isn't that like playing God? The Equity Forum response was, “Fetal invasion to alter sexual orientation is reminiscent of the Nazis. It reflects a theocratic and Taliban-like plan that should frighten all Americans,"said Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum. I cannot agree more with Lazin and other gay humans around the world.

I am PROUD to be gay! I am HAPPY to be gay! I have never been happier in my life than when I finally reconciled with myself and everyone else that I am indeed GAY! If I had only known the freedom and release that came with coming to grips with my sexuality, I would have done it much sooner. (For my gay brothers and sisters who did accept who they were at an early age in life, I say I'm proud of you). I would not want anything to change who I am!

If we could just let people be who they are instead of trying to make them what they're not, what a great place the world would be! I had a coworker a few months ago tell me she would like me to speak to her kids about gays because, "You don't act gay." My response, "I am who I am. I may not be effeminate, but if I was, so what?" I know what my coworker meant, but why can't kids just grow up allowing other kids to be who they are; masculine, effeminate, whatever?

Get a life, Dr. Mohler! Leave me and the rest of my gay brothers and sisters alone. If you don't like what and who we are, oh well! That's what life's all about!

What It Sometimes Takes To Get Your Bananas

Chiquita Brands International, the company that brings us bananas, has admitted to paying off terrorists to protect its workers in Colombia. Chiquita agreed to pay about $1.7 million between 1997 and 2004 to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, known as AUC, for its protection of Chiquita workers. Chiquita also made payments to the National Liberation Army, or ELN, and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as control of the company's banana-growing area shifted. Chiquita, in its guilty plea will pay a $25 million fine.

Did you ever think that it took so much protection to bring us bananas? I wonder if Juan Valdez also pays for protection of coffee from Colombia?

Only One Way You Can Go

There's one thing, among many, I always say: "You can't go back, once you've gone....... (Stop! I know what you're all thinking)....forward!" You can never go back! You can only go one way: Forward! On the heels of my "Changes" post, I go forward with another of my other philisophical disertations. No matter how hard you try, if you attempt to go back, it's never the same. You can never be in the same "water" twice.

This is true of almost anything in life. Ever been in a relationship, called it quits, I mean really called it quits, then tried months or years later to start the relationship again? It doesn't work! It's never the same. Ever worked somewhere, left, then gone back? It too is never the same! Life is only made up of the present and the future; the past is done, gone, kaput!

Spring will be here this week. The winter is gone, as is the past autumn and summer. Who knows what the Spring will bring? Who knows where Autumn 2007 will find us? Life moves one way, forward. We can move forward with it or we can be unhappy and miserable trying to live in the past. And no matter how hard you try, it can't be!

Good luck in your present and future!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

"...(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes...
Just gonna be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time..."
(Changes, David Bowie)

Tomorrow marks an end of an era in the office in which I work. The group that I have been part of, give or take a few, for over 10 years, is leaving and going to another office. The remainder of the people in that office will be leaving in another 2-3 weeks to locate elsewhere and the current office will be no longer. For the most part, the staff in that current building have been there for 25 years or more, me for the past 20 years. Although it is going to happen, it still seems surreal to me, and only recently did it hit me that a good number of those men and women I see everyday and work closest with, I will only see on occasion. Come Monday morning, things at my office will never, ever be the same.

I heard it said once that the only constant in life is change, and that if you stood in a brook of running water, you'd never be standing in the same water twice. Change is inevitable; it is the only thing we can count on in life. For some changes come and they move on with little or no problem. For others, change can create great difficulty. For the most part I fall into the former group, but I still become a bit anxious when I really think about change. And maybe that's why I don't dwell on it too much. It is what it is. Can't fight change. It's going to happen, like it or not. We can only adjust to it and move with it as it occurs. "Go with the flow." Such a simple little statement, but so true.

I wish all my colleagues the best of luck in their new lives. And as I told one of them recently: when we do get together on occasion, it will be that much more special. You don't know what you have until it's gone!

Not A Good Answer, Hillary

When asked if she thought homosexuality was immoral, Hillary Clinton today sidestepped the question and answered, "Well, I'm going to leave that to others to conclude." The question came as a result of the recent comment by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Peter Pace who stated that "I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral, and that we should not condone immoral acts." Other public figures have been more forceful in taking issue with Pace's comments, making Clinton's non-answer even more problematic. John Edwards, one of Clinton's rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, said, "I don't share that view," when asked about Pace's comments.

It is assumed that Clinton supports gay rights. She recently spoke at a Human Rights Campaign dinner, lending her support to the LGBT community. "I assume that Senator Clinton -- who has spoken out strongly against military discrimination, who stands for civil unions and respect for same-sex couples -- understands that gay Americans are not immoral, and she ought to say so clearly," said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, a group that advocates same-sex marriage.

It is this kind of stuff that causes me concern when it comes to Hillary Clinton. She loves to play politics! She voted for the war in Iraq and has never said she was wrong, only that if she knew now what she did not know then, she would not have supported the war. Come on Hillary! You cannot please everbody.....no matter how hard you try!

The HRC and Cyndi Lauper...Tell It Like It Is

The Human Rights Campaign has announced it has joined forces with Cyndi Lauper for her 15 city "True Colors" tours beginning in June. Cyndi has long been a supporter of the gay community and her tour is designed to give back to those who gave to her.

A local radio station in the Atlantic City area, WFPG, 96.9 (Lite Rock), has begun advertising for Cyndi's show at the Borgata Hotel and Casino. However, I found it interesting that not one word about HRC and Cyndi's motivation for her tour is mentioned in the advertisement for her tour. I am sure it is not just this radio station, but others like it as well as print media, that will run ads for Cyndi's tour, but not mention the reason behind her tour.

This is a shame! The public needs to know that Cyndi Lauper supports gay rights, including equal marriage rights for gay couples. The word needs to get out that Cyndi Lauper, and others like her, are fighting for our rights! Please pass the word around if you speak to anyone who asks about the Cyndi Lauper "True Colors" tour. And make it a point to support Cyndi.

Human Rights Campaign Update

This week's HRC update:

On Friday, Senator Hillary Clinton met with the HRC's spring board meeting. Clinton was well received, and the Senator in her speech promised to continue to have an open door policy to our community if elected President.

There was a scandal brewing in Washington, D.C. at the American Conservative Union conference. This is where bitch, asshole (my opinion and critique) Ann Coulter called Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, a "faggot." John Amaechi, out former NBA player, called Coulter out in a recorded video. Amaechi called Coulter's remarks callous and childish.

The HRC continues to fight outrageous displays of bigotry. Also, HRC is joining forces with legendary performer Cyndi Lauper to launch a "True Colors Music Tour" in support of GLBT equality. Stay tuned for more on this.

Time For Her To Resign?

I am a State of NJ employee and a member of the CWA Union, Local 1034. I am not a "super" union member, but I believe the union is necessary to prevent mistreatment by the State and in these days, the public. However, with the controversies surrounding Local 1035 President Carla Katz and the gifts given to her by Governor Corzine (pictured), I now believe it might be a good time for Ms. Katz to resign. Not only is Jon Corzine's reputation in question, Katz is making it look bad for herself and the Union. When someone in Katz's position can pay $1 million in CASH for a condo, there's a problem!

No Support For Giuliani

Looks like former NYC Mayor and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will have a hard time getting the support of evangelical Christians. Calling the messy breakup of Rudy Giuliani's second marriage "divorce on steroids," a Southern Baptist leader said the Republican presidential hopeful's personal life may be too tempestuous for evangelical voters to tolerate.

It's hard to believe evangelical Christians will support former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as well. Romney is a Mormon, and evangelical Christians consider Mormonism to be a cult that is contrary to Christian beliefs.

So I'm not sure who evangelical Christians will support in the 2008 presidential election. The democrats are all sinners going to hell, so it'll be interesting to see.

Pan's Labyrinth Review

I finally got to see Pan's Labyrinth last night. I have been meaning to see it since saw the review in NYC when the movie first came out Christmas week. As described, it is an adult farie tale. (Not "adult" as in the word, "pornographic" but "adult" as in it's definitely not for children). It is a film by Mexican director, Guillermo del Torro (spanish with english subtitles), that takes place in the mid to late 1930's during the Spanish Civil War. Young Ofelia lives out the conflict in her own little fantasy world as she tries to cope with the violence all around her.


The movie is very sensory stimulating and keeps you engrossed the entire time. There is the fairy that guides Ofelia, of course Pan, the creature that leads Ofelia on her conquest to live forever as Princess Moranna, a giant, quite disgusting, rather large toad, and the Pale Man (pictured to the left), who is awakened when Ofelia eats of the food at his feast, and takes his eyes from a plate and puts them into his hands to see. The special effects brings all these creatures to life. I could feel my heart go from happy to extremely intense in just a matter of seconds. The brutality of the time, and any war/conflict is a definite part of the movie. It is not a movie that has a "and they lived happily ever after" ending, but it leaves one thinking!

Go see Pan's Labyrinth for yourself.

Ann Coulter Strikes Again!

Yesterday, at the Conservative Political Action Conference sponsored by the American Conservative Union, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter spoke saying, “I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.” The Human Rights Campaign, as should every presidential candidate and concerned American citizen, strongly condemned Coulter’s remarks.

If you look up the word BITCH in the dictionary, you should find the above picture.

HRC Weekly Update

Weekly update from the Human Rights Campaign:

Some sad news to begin: the death of 72 year old Andrew Anthos in Detroit, Michigan. Two weeks ago, Anthos was helping a wheelchair-bound friend home when he was assaulted. The assailant was annoyed by Anthos's singing, then asked him if he was gay. The attacker then beat Anthos with a metal pipe, spewing anti-gay epithets all the while. Anthos survived the attack, but was paralyzed, then later slipped into a coma and eventually died. Sad to think in 2007 this crap still happens, isn't it?

Also this week, wounded Iraq war veteren, Eric Alva arrived in Washington, D.C. Alva has agreed to be HRC's new spokesperson in efforts to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. A man who served his country with no question and was wounded, but could never be who he really is because of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Another shame for a country that's so interested in the civil rights of other countries while the civil rights of its own citizens suffer!

John Amaechi, the former NBA player that recently came out, continues his tour around the country. This, while the Tim Hardaway's homophobic tirade seems to have fallen off the media radar screen, is a positive thing for the LGBT community.

What's your opinion of gay individual's you work with or live near? Is it one of acceptance or hatred? Do you "live and let live" or say, "Kill 'em all!"