Don't Blame Us

Letter sent to TIME:



Reading Caitlin Flanagan's essay ("Why Marriage Matters", July 13) underscores how frivolous and unconvincing are the arguments put forth by opponents of same-sex marriage. They frighten people into believing that if gays and lesbians were allowed to marry, the institution of marriage as the bedrock of our society would crumble.

But the reality is that this institution is being threatened by a host of factors that heterosexual couples can by and large control. Gays and lesbians would no doubt face similar challenges. But all we ask is for the opportunity to be treated equally and secure the over 1,100 rights and responsibilities accorded heterosexual couples. And, we should not and cannot be blamed for adultery, children born out of wedlock, domestic violence, substance abuse and economic downturns that afflict too many heterosexual marriages today.

Steve Charing
Clarksville, MD

Temperature Control

Keeping the heat on President Obama is right, but let’s be realistic.

By Steve Charing

Towards the end of the Pride festival a young lady asked me, "When will Obama give us our rights?" as if he can wave a magic wand.

The next day in an uncharacteristically testy e-mail blast, Equality Maryland called on its supporters to "Give President Obama a Piece of Your Mind."

Recently a well-publicized partial boycott by LGBT donors of a Democratic National Committee fundraiser was in response to the Department of Justice’s over-the-top legal brief in defending the Defense of Marriage Act as well as inaction on securing other aspects of the LGBT agenda.

And the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network staged a demonstration in front of the White House to bemoan the lack of progress to repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Other protest marches in D.C. are planned for the fall.

What is going on here is a series of sporadic outbursts of frustration by many lgbt activists who resent the DOJ brief’s language and the slow pace in which campaign promises are being addressed.

Beleaguered President
LGBT activists are not the only ones turning the heat up on President Obama. He is also being criticized by Hispanics over the lack of comprehensive immigration reform. Environmentalists are on his case for not acting swiftly on global warming. Mr. Obama is hearing it from Republicans who oppose everything he is trying to do to lift the economy out of oblivion after they largely put it there.

He’s feeling pressure from the left, the right, the center, the media—just about everyone. He’s too timid on Iran. He’s driving the deficit up. His healthcare plan will doom the nation. He’s too pro-Israel. He’s too pro-Palestine. And North Korea has its sights set on Waikiki Beach. It seems like it’s time for him to get another dog.

This barrage of criticism and demands resembles a national dunking machine where Obama sits on the platform and the whole country is hurling balls at the metal circular plate.

From our perspective, President Obama clearly could have imposed a moratorium on DADT discharges while Congress sorts it out. And while I doubt he personally approved the language in the DOJ brief, he is still responsible for it, and it counters his pledge to repeal it through legislation. Are these outbursts, however, the right strategy?

The political realities
Of course, we want our agenda pushed through. We have a Democratic president with a huge Democratic majority in Congress—a window of opportunity that will not remain open forever despite the GOP’s foibles. But let’s get real.

President Obama has been in office just over 5 months out of 48 months in his first term. He potentially could reach 96 months if re-elected. In the short time since inauguration he has dealt with problems that would make any other person find an escape clause in the contract. His issues are too numerous to delineate here, but I’m sure there is no question as to the challenges facing our country. Imagine McCain and Palin grappling with these crises.

Mr. Obama didn’t win the election based on a gay agenda. He won on "change" and to put Democratic policies in place and eradicate the previous administration’s mistakes. He won on ending the war in Iraq and implementing some form of universal healthcare. And he won by being the anti-Bush.

He amassed 365 electoral votes. Even if Mr. Obama did not receive a single lgbt vote (and 30% of lgbt folks did not vote for him anyway), he still would have won. That’s right, as a bloc, and I use that term loosely, we didn’t win the election for him.

But that doesn’t mean he will renege on his campaign promises to us. The key components of our legislative agenda must originate in Congress. It is that body that needs to act on an all-inclusive ENDA, to repeal of DADT and to pass the Matthew Sheppard Act while we still have this large majority.

Alas, the repeal of DOMA appears to be years away from passage. It’s not politically realistic that sitting Representatives will want to enter their next electoral campaign with their opponents harping on the fact that the incumbent is opposed to preserving the institution of marriage.

But we need to start educating them and it would be easier to succeed on this front if we can achieve victories in the other important issues first. Once we achieve equality in one area, it is harder justify discrimination in other areas.

As much as the bully pulpit is useful for a popular president to help frame the agenda and kick-start the process, Mr. Obama will not sacrifice any political capital on these matters—yet—until HIS priorities are realized. Congress, however, must act now.

What needs to be done
Barney Frank, one of only three openly gay Representatives, believes that too much blame is being placed on President Obama and not enough significance is being attached to lobbying members of Congress. "It’s not that Obama doesn’t want to do it, but you need the votes," Frank said. "You can’t complain about the president until you’ve called your senator."

It doesn’t matter if President Obama is on our side if Congress won’t play ball. A grassroots effort is needed to persuade members of Congress—district by district.

Maintain the pressure on the president to make sure he understands we’re not going away. Let’s try to persuade him to deliver a speech along the lines of his race speech in Philadelphia and the recent speech in Cairo whereby he reached out to Muslims. Here he could denounce discrimination against lgbt people and to reiterate his desire to be a "fierce advocate for equality."

If we become extreme, any reactive moves on his part would be seen as appeasing a segment of his base. And keep in mind there is a significant number within his base who opposes transgender rights and marriage equality.

At the partially-boycotted DNC fundraiser Vice-President Joe Biden told the lgbt crowd, "I want to thank you for being a critical – critical – voice for keeping the nation focused on the unfinished business of true equality for all of our people; and I know, and this administration knows, that we have so much more to do. I promise you, I promise you, with your help we’ll get there in this administration."

The window is 48 or even 96 months, not 5. Remember that.

Safe or Out?

The hesitancy on the part of gay people to fully come out proves we still have a long way to go.

By Steve Charing

It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the more LGBT folks who come out, the more likely our march towards equality will strengthen. When straight neighbors, co-workers, family members and friends know you as a person and then learn that you are LGBT, they are prone to be on the side equality and justice because of YOU. With straight allies, we will make progress. It’s a guarantee. They just need to find that comfort zone.

TV shows like Will & Grace presented images of our community through the antics of the likable characters. Clever and witty as the show was, it did tend to reinforce stereotypes that gay men are screaming queens or they are loveless. But all in all, we benefited since the show provided a needed comfort zone for an audience that in many cases never knew any out gay people.

When celebrities or other public figures come out—voluntarily—it gives our cause an added boost. Ellen DeGeneres’ coming out was the talk of the whole world. Although it wasn’t a complete surprise that she is a lesbian, the public still saw this as a bold and largely welcome step. Her career has since skyrocketed.

Years earlier Elton John admitted he wasn’t "bisexual" after all, but declaring he is gay didn’t hurt his career either. In fact, he emerged into superstar status and was even knighted!

Neil Patrick Harris has a successful TV gig going even after his coming out and deservedly so. He is not only a polished performer but he is right out there on the front lines fighting for equality. If there ever was a true lgbt role model, he is definitely on the list.

Others celebs, such as Rosie O’Donnell, Melissa Etheridge, T.R. Knight, Clay Aiken, Lance Bass and Lindsay Lohan came out with varying effects on their careers. But in every case, it was a positive development for the LGBT community.

Most recently, Adam Lambert, the runner-up in American Idol’s 8th season, came out officially and publicly in Rolling Stone magazine. No shocker there. But why did he wait?

Obviously, it was a calculation that while the AI contest was still in play, he didn’t want to risk losing the potent "tween" vote if he had been more up-front about his sexuality. It turned out he lost that vote as well as others amidst the swirling rumors fueled by his guy-liner, wild costumes and enlightening photos.

Would it have changed the results had he come out during the show’s run? Not likely. While some would have given Lambert props for his courage, those voters who were inclined to vote for Kris Allen would have continued to do so.

Lambert’s coming out is welcome to be sure, but his comment to Rolling Stone, "I'm trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader," tempered the enthusiasm some.

Other "out’ celebrities have been even more reluctant. They are known to be gay but don’t want to push the envelope. One prominent local celebrity who had come out in the Baltimore Sun declined an interview with OUTloud lest she be defined by her sexual orientation. Despite the fact she would have been embraced as a role model, this iconic figure is ostensibly "playing it safe."

Also puzzling was the rationale given by the staff of Sex in the City’s Cynthia Nixon to an OUTloud request to publish the text of a recent speech at Equality Maryland’s "Night Out For Equality," where she had been the guest of honor. Her speech garnered a standing ovation from the 400 or so in attendance.

On May 17 the actress had publicly announced her engagement to Christine Marinoni at a gay-rights rally in New York. Her address to the cheering crowd is on You Tube. It made all the papers. She’s out!

But when asked to allow our readers to see her exceptional speech in print from the "Night Out for Equality" event, we learned through an intermediary that the Cynthia Nixon camp did not want to release the text to the press because they were worried that the words would be taken out of context.

That’s as mystifying as it gets. If the spoken word is not considered vulnerable to misinterpretation, why would the written word be taken out of context? This safe and cautious approach mitigates the gutsy pronouncements from other celebrities who come out unambiguously.

It’s bad enough that gay and lesbian elected officials tend to remain in the closet. Gay professional athletes fear coming out. Other gay and lesbian celebrities stay closeted as well. And that’s a sad thought especially since we are in the midst of celebrating Pride.

But if you are out, then REALLY come out. All this caution does is demonstrate that there is still fear, still trepidation, still hesitation for declaring unequivocally who you are as a person. That shouldn’t be.

Apparently, we still have a long way to go.

California Quake

The court decision was a setback, but it will make us focus on a better strategy.

By Steve Charing

As recently as 10 years ago, few thought that "gay marriage" would ever be at the forefront of a national dialogue.

At the time, the LGBT community and allies were reeling from the failed effort to allow openly gay and lesbians to serve in the Armed Forces. We were trying to nudge a bill through Congress that would provide anti-discrimination protections in the workplace for gays and lesbians. And we were attempting to enact legislation at the state and local levels to protect the gay and lesbian community from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

That was our agenda a decade ago.

It all changed on May 17, 2004, when the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that the state constitution couldn’t limit marriage to heterosexual couples. The issue of same-sex marriage was all-of-a-sudden thrust near the top of the national debate when conservative religious groups and others went ballistic.

Ballot initiatives in 11 states to ban gay marriage popped up like spring dandelions. All passed. Many believe that the controversy generated enough evangelical voters in Ohio to tip the election to George W. Bush in 2004.

Accordingly, gay activists were unprepared for this war compared to the more organized and better funded religious right. Our side depended largely—but not entirely—on having the courts remedy what has been seen as violation of the equal protection clause in many of the states’ constitutions as well as the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Fast-forward to the recent California Supreme Court ruling by a 6-1 vote that disheartened the LGBT community and supporters by upholding the iniquitous Proposition 8 outcome that resulted from the November 2008 ballot measure. Although the approximate 18,000 couples who married prior to the election result were permitted to retain their status, the disappointing, but not necessarily surprising court decision, prompted an angry backlash from marriage equality advocates.

The ruling highlighted the fact that the judicial system, while helpful in many cases, cannot totally be counted on to make same-sex marriage a reality. This energy generated from the decision will be channeled in California to appeal to the voters again and essentially reverse the outcome of Prop 8.

That’s the correct strategy.

Hopefully with better leadership of this effort it will be successful. A new coalition needs to come in and work with clergy of all religions to alleviate concerns and to emphasize that civil marriage is what is being sought—not religious blessings.

These leaders should reach out more aggressively to the African-American community to highlight the similarities between the civil rights movement and what gays and lesbians are seeking.

And why not take advantage of the many PFLAG chapters in California to allow representatives speak to senior citizen groups and educate them on the true meaning of family values? More than any other demographic, seniors accounted for the largest percentage of those who supported Prop. 8.

It’s far more expedient to file a suit in a court and hope that the judge or panel of judges issues a favorable decision. The judicial system is supposed to be our safety net. But what if that fails, then what?

We need to go back to the fundamental process of building grass-root support and having dialogues with key groups that are persuadable. Let’s take that approach, even if it requires a few years, and allow the issue to be decided by the legislatures, if not the voters, per se. Elected officials, more often than not, follow the will of the people.

The work is made easier when more and more gay folks come out. You would be surprised as to how many people support our efforts who would ordinarily not side with us. Steve Schmidt, the chief campaign strategist for none other than John McCain, comes to mind. His sister is a lesbian.

This would be a violation of the aphorism, don’t let the rights of a minority be put up for a popular vote. But that may be the best route to take in the long run. In California, for example, we cannot change the minds of the justices, but we can change the voters’ minds if an effective strategy is crafted and executed. And that could reverse the results; after all, we only lost by 4.5 points back in November.

To underscore this strategy, a bunch of lgbt advocacy groups including the ACLU are urging others to refrain from filing federal lawsuits because as they see it, the Supreme Court does not have the make-up at this time to rule favorably on a same-sex marriage case.

There are others, however, who believe that going to court is our best course of action. Lawyers Theodore Olson and David Boies—adversaries in the Bush v. Gore case following the bungled 2000 Florida vote—are leading the way.

A blogger on LGBT Rainbow Links FOCUS.com supports this approach by writing, "Either you go full steam ahead in war or just sit on the sidelines and lick your wounds. That's the trouble with ‘our society’ when it comes to the ‘LGBT leaders’ and time to put up or shut up, they fall to the wayside like a bunch of weak little mice."

But he adds, "You want gay marriage, you want equal rights, then be prepared to get down in the trenches and get dirty. Take the battle where it should have gone before."

And that battle is taking it to the people, which is the best strategy. File the suits in the courts anyway, but win the people over, too.

Did Adam Lambert Fall to Homophobia?

By Steve Charing

To American Idol fans, the showdown between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen presented a marked contrast in singing styles, appearance, culture, sexual identity and yes, talent. To the LGBT community and its supporters, the heavily favored Lambert offered the first real chance of a gay American Idol winner and to happen so close to the upcoming Pride celebrations.

Clay Aiken had a good chance of winning in Season 2 but curious phone line snafus from his home state of North Carolina that impeded the voting process kept him from the crown. But Aiken came out of the closet years afterwards, so it would be conjecture that had he won, he would be considered a gay American Idol.

Adam Lambert did not pronounce publicly on the show that he is gay. Rumors and photos swirled around the Internet that reinforced the speculation that had resulted from his eyeliner make-up, painted black fingernails, blue-black hair and his earrings. Add that to his ability to reach those impossible high notes and the jury came in with a verdict.

All he said on the subject was, "I know who I am. I’m an honest guy, and I’m just going to keep singing." Usually straight guys in response to such a question would be a bit more direct.

Thus, for all practical purposes, the country saw him as the gay contestant. But did that account for his upset loss that embittered so many of his fans?

In his Newsweek Pop Vox blog, Ramin Setoodeh offered several reasons for the outcome, including the gay factor. He mentioned that the judges were so much in Adam’s camp that there was a backlash among certain voters. He pointed out that "tweens" were enamoured with Kris Allen, and they are the ones with the energy and text messaging tools to vote and vote and vote.

Then there was the Christian factor. Although Adam never professed his religious beliefs, Kris and third-place finisher Danny Gokey—both who are married—were very up front about their faith and their work with the Christian church. Many Idol viewers are from rural America and small towns and cities where the Christian population is heaviest. They see the program as family-friendly, and that may explain why most of the previous winners came from the south.

Regardless of sexual orientation, Adam’s appearance and style probably did not wear well with these folks. So the theory goes that when Gokey was eliminated, his voters jumped on the Kris bandwagon. And that was fueled by Christian blogs who labeled Adam as the devil and pushed hard for Kris.

Then there was the voting and its questionable rules. The prevailing rumor is that Arkansas—Kris’ home state with a population of less that 3 million people—managed to cast 38 million out of the total 100 million votes using computerized auto redial features and heavy texting.

If this is true, I’m happy that Arkansas has such technical skills, but it clearly skews the choice for an American Idol. It is noteworthy that the producers did not reveal the final voting breakdown. Why not full disclosure unless they see it as a controversy they prefer to avoid.

Although many have used the alleged "screeching" in Adam’s performances as the reason for voting for the rather bland but likeable Kris Allen, I don’t buy it. Virtually every voice coach and singing expert I’ve read said that Adam’s ability to reach such high notes pitch perfect is amazing, and definitely not a screech. "Tracks of My Tears," "Mad World," "If I Can't Have You" were performed brilliantly and without the so-called screeching.

No doubt all of these contributed to the outcome. Adam’s perceived sexuality, however, was becoming the more talked about subject. The finals pitted the soulful, straight, conservative, married Christian youth leader versus the flamboyant, gay, Broadway-rocker type. Leading up to the finale, the question among journalists and bloggers was, Is America ready for a gay idol?

Despite many denials from Christians and other fans of the show that sexual orientation was not an issue in their preference, we still see an awful lot of the following. This is an (unedited) example by one who was listed as White Pride 71 on MSN’s American Idol Message Board:

This is American Idol! Kris should have won. He has the great american values. He is someone parents will be happy to have their kids look up to. And most important he can really sing, not just yell and scream. If adam (alice) wanted to win he (she) should have kept his boyfriend at home and in the closet! But no he wanted to shove his queer devil lifestyle into our faces. Now he has learned that America does not want that fairy boy as a idol!

Did homophobia bring Adam down? It was a combination of reasons, but clearly homophobia was among them.

Party Poopers

More Dems must get on board if we are to achieve progress.

By Steve Charing

It’s not that often in recent history that the Democratic Party would have so much dominance at both the Federal and state levels. And they achieved that status mainly by default.

The Republicans of late have been in a free-fall with no signs of reversal in the near future. The incompetence and hard-line dogma of the Bush-Cheney years have exacerbated the dwindling popularity of the GOP especially since the time they chose to invade Iraq without any provocation.

Then the economy faltered big time and the GOP response was the knee-jerk demand for tax cuts—their panacea for all of our economic ills. Throw into the mix the religious conservatives’ requirement imposed on Republican elected officials that they maintain rigid opposition to choice and same-sex marriage despite the public’s evolving mood on these.

Only a quarter of Americans now identify as Republicans, and that number is about to get worse as more African-Americans, Latinos and younger people become eligible to vote and replace the older, more conservative voters down the road. The GOP will continue to be essentially a white, Southern, evangelical party.

Will this shift from a strong two-party system help us to achieve LGBT rights? On the surface one would think it could. Democrats have always been more sensitive to our issues and the last bastion of moderate Republicans tends to be supportive. But we have problems within the Democratic Party, and that’s problems with a “P” and that stands for “Pastor.”

To be sure, there are conservative Democrats such as Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller who oppose civil unions, much less same-sex marriage, and skittish Democrats like Governor Martin O’Malley. But the key to achieve partner recognition and legal protections for transgendered individuals resides at the pulpits of African-American ministers who are overwhelmingly Democrats.

A number of Democratic African-American lawmakers are either ministers themselves or have strong ties to black preachers. Virtually every poll indicates that African-Americans oppose same-sex marriage at a significantly higher rate than the rest of the population. They tend to be religious and socially conservative, and their ministers denounce homosexuality from the pulpits using the very same Bible that at one time was used to justify slavery and racial segregation.

This is not helpful. Senator Anthony C. Muse (D-Prince George’s) and a pastor in his own right, has been seen by lgbt activists as an impediment to pushing the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act out of the Judicial Proceedings Committee in addition to his apparent opposition to transgender protections.

Delegate Emmett C. Burns (D-10, Baltimore County) [pictured], also a pastor, has been a vocal, unapologetic opponent of lgbt rights. He doesn’t want to see gays “sashay” to the alter. Accordingly, he earned a fat 0 out of 100 from Equality Maryland’s legislative LGBT-rights scoring system.

Delegate Frank Conaway, Jr., a Democrat, whose district 30 includes such LGBT-populous areas as Hampden, Remington, Mount Vernon and Charles Village incredibly said that allowing civil marriage for gays and lesbians will open the floodgates to the state having to recognize polygamy. After some letters and phone calls from angry LGBT constituents and allies, he apologized.

Nonetheless, during the 2009 General Assembly, Del. Conaway slowed up passage of the inheritance tax bill benefiting same-sex couples by introducing an amendment—later defeated—that would have defined domestic partner as “an individual of the opposite sex with whom another individual has a child in common.”

Even in Washington, D.C., former mayor Marion Barry, who was one of the early gay rights supporters, did an about face by voting against a bill in the City Council that would recognize the marriages of same-sex couples. “All hell is going to break loose,” Barry predicted. “We may have a civil war. The black community is just adamant against this.”

Despite Barry’s pronouncement, this is not to suggest that Democrats opposing our rights are all African-Americans or that all blacks are against us. Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery), for example, was the chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee this session that bottled up the Transgender Anti-Discrimination Bill by not allowing an up and down vote in committee where it died.

On the other hand, African-American Senator Nathaniel J. McFadden (D-District 45 in Northeast Baltimore) was once an opponent of gay rights when he was a member of Baltimore’s City Council. Lately, he had stated that the issue of same-sex marriage should not be tied directly to the religious aspects of marriage. Raised as a Southern Baptist, Sen. McFadden explained his position "evolved" and had heard the same arguments before in places where blacks could not marry whites. "Discrimination in any form is unacceptable," he said.

Clearly we must reach out to our opponents to achieve success. And many of them are Democrats. Governor O’Malley and others must display the courage to help lead the fight. African-American preachers need to stop spewing anti-gay venom from the pulpits, recognizing that discrimination at any level is wrong. And Republicans should re-think their intransigent positions on LGBT issues before their party falls off the cliff.

For more discussion about this issue, listen to this NPR program.

Stonewall 40th Anniversary Pride Song

Anti-Gay Bullying is Killing Our Kids

By Steve Charing

South Carroll High School in Sykesville, MD held a "Unity Day" on March 26 to celebrate diversity. Included in the program in front of the entire student body was a presentation on lgbt issues by members of PFLAG that focused on the consequences of hate speech, hateful words and bullying.

To amplify the point, the presentations were followed by students’ writing insulting words on pieces of paper, like ‘faggot," "that’s so gay," "homo," etc. and proceeded to shred these epithets in the hope that the symbolic gestures would lead to permanent eradication of the vile language and the pervasive bullying that continues to exist in schools.

As well received as this demonstration was, apparently not all were happy about the event. A Mt. Airy woman in a letter to Gazette.com called the shredding of paper an "empty gesture" and stating that "words kill" is a "platitude." She wrote, "Words do not kill. Behavior kills."

Oh really?

Recently two suicides related to anti-gay bullying were tragedies that could have been avoided. An 11 year-old boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself on April 6 in Springfield, MA. His suicide comes about a year after eighth-grader Lawrence King was shot and killed by a fellow student in a California classroom, allegedly because he was gay.

A little over a week later a second suicide—also by hanging—took place in Georgia by fifth-grader, Jaheem Herrera. "He was bullied relentlessly.

They called him gay and a snitch," his stepfather told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"[Jaheem's best friend] said, 'He told me that he’s tired of everybody always messing with him in school. He is tired of telling the teachers and the staff, and they never do anything about the problems. So, the only way out is by killing himself.' "

Although neither student identified as gay, both students endured anti-lgbt bullying until they couldn’t take it anymore. And in both cases, the schools did not act on complaints.
Ironically, the suicides occurred in a month in which schools around the country participate in "Day of Silence" events to draw attention to bullying in the schools.

This effort has been promulgated by GLSEN—the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. A leader in anti-bullying education, GLSEN presents statistics that show how acute bullying is in schools—especially against LGBT students.

In a 2007 National School Climate Survey, 86.2% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1% reported being physically harassed and 22.1% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation. 73.6% heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school.

More than half (60.8%) of students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and more than a third (38.4%) felt unsafe because of their gender expression. 31.7% of LGBT students missed a class and 32.7% missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe, compared to only 5.5% and 4.5%, respectively, of a national sample of secondary school students.

These numbers cannot be ignored.

"Anti-LGBT bullying affects all students, gay and straight alike," says GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard, Ph.D. "Bullies learn from an early age that anti-lgbt language is one of the most effective ways to torment their peers. And far too often, schools fail to address the problem."

GLSEN proposes a four-pronged approach to address anti-lgbt bullying and harassment. They recommend that schools adopt a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that includes in the categories sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

They encourage required training so that school staff can be well equipped to respond to anti-gay name-calling, bullying and harassment in an effective and timely manner.

GLSEN supports student efforts, such as establishing Gay-Straight Alliances in the schools to help prevent anti-gay bullying.

And lastly, GLSEN recommends that age-appropriate, inclusive curricula be instituted to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.

"These two tragedies highlight the need for schools to do more to make sure their hallways and classrooms are safe for all students," says Byard. "Education, community and federal leaders need to come together and find solutions to the endemic problem of bullying in America’s schools. We owe it to our children to do everything we can to make sure they are safe in school."

Otherwise, young lives are being cut way too short.

Parenting a Trans Child (Special Guest Post)

By a Parent of a 15 year-old Trans Child

You have no idea
When you bring that beautiful little bundle home, you have no idea what surprises it will bring. Listen and watch and allow. Gender identity and fluidity start to show up very early. Separate sexual orientation and gender identity in your head. They are different. We saw our child’s actions as behavioral choices that needed to be addressed for his safety. We did not get that his behavior was a matter of gender identification and self-expression. And this early misunderstanding caused a great deal of pain.

It’s unfortunate that gender identity can surface right along with the terrible 2s. Because we saw much of his behavior as willful, we actively discouraged his variant self-expression, and with the full support and help of a psychologist who obviously did not understand gender identity.

By the time he was six, my happy baby had become so angry and hurt, he threatened suicide. Back to the mental health profession we went. This time he was diagnosed with anxiety. A correct diagnosis, but another missed opportunity to identify and support his gender variance.
The key is this: You cannot make your child more comfortable with one gender or another.

That’s already been done. It’s built into the brain. Designed by God. The only power you have as parents is also the most important, and that is the power to make your child feel comfortable and celebrated or embarrassed and shameful.

Get ready for preschool, bullies and well-intentioned adults
Be upfront with providers. Tell the day care manager the truth and that you expect full support. Educate those who will care for your child. Bring resources; contact PFLAG to give a presentation. If you get resistance, find a new provider. You have more power here than you will ever have in public schools. Use it and enjoy it.

Bullies, if they haven’t already, will come out in preschool and will be an active and hurtful part of your and your child’s life, probably forever. Just as the parents of minority children teach their kids how to navigate in a world full of bigotry, you will too. From overt hate crimes to subtle, pernicious two-faced false support, you, your family and most especially your child will see it all. Do what you can to protect your child. More importantly, do what you can to prepare your child to deal with it.

If you haven’t already, you will now find adults who will attempt to "teach" your child the proper, acceptable behavior for his or her gender. This will range from frightening to punishing or even threatening. The most egregious of these well-intentioned adults are the sports coaches. They are the only adults still allowed to bully our children. Don’t tolerate it. One of the most important gifts I gave my son was lambasting a coach who was trying to "toughen him up" with verbal and emotional abuse.

Marital health and managing the great divide
If there exists a set of parents who agree on how to raise the most mainstream and conforming child, I have yet to meet them. The stress of raising a child with gender variance can and does rip families apart. One study claims 40% of trans kids are kicked out or run away. Don’t try to do this alone: PFLAG, therapy, support groups, good friends, a stiff drink once in a while. Use them all. Guard against sacrificing either your child or your marriage. You don’t have to understand or agree with your spouse. You do have to keep the child out of the middle, and you do have to treat everyone with respect and demand they do the same. A safe and nurturing childhood is a precious thing, and it must be protected. A healthy marriage is also a precious thing, something to last long after the children are grown and gone.

Schools, teachers and guidance counselors
I thank God that we have the dedicated educators and guidance counselors that work in our schools as part of the village that is raising my child. They are some of the most caring and hard-working professionals. But you have to be prepared: the system is bigger and more powerful than the individuals in it.

We found an undercurrent of bigotry painted over socially correctness. I don’t mean to be critical. I don’t think any individual has meant to be hurtful. I think we live in a binary society, and I think teachers, coaches and students don’t understand. I doubt that gender variance is part of their training. They mean well; they love kids. But until you get educated on this issue, you’ll likely do more harm than good.

Finding providers educated on gender
Telling your story. Again and again. That’s what it takes. By the time puberty came along and gender arose again in our house, we were in the hands of a wonderful therapist who recommended we see someone with experience. We had decided to put my son on puberty blockers, so I was looking for two trans-friendly providers: a psychologist and an endocrinologist.

The search was far more painful and difficult than it should have been. I started with our pediatrician, who had never encountered this before, so he wanted to learn more. That led him to the head of pediatric endocrinology at the state university medical system, who told him that my kid needed be in the care of a psychologist and a team to help him. But he could not recommend one. Nor did he offer to research to find someone.

Meanwhile, our family therapist had recommended two providers in the next city. Both were fully booked. They gave me more names of people who gave me more names. And I told my story, again and again. Finally we found a psychologist in our city, but he didn’t get teens and transition issues. Next provider was an hour away, but he had experience with trans kids. He is working out, and is helping our kid find his way through this. Then came the search for an endocrinologist. The first one, also an hour away, did not take insurance and wanted $400 for the initial consultation, with no guarantee to treat my kid. Finally I found one in our city. He charges me a $10 copay, and treats me and my son with respect.

Safety and decision-making
Get real and get there fast. The statistics are against you. Your child is at higher risk for depression, suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, violence and premature death. Your job is to make sure your kid knows how to be safe. Make sure your kid knows about hate crimes. Make sure he or she never goes out without friends near by. Alone is vulnerable. During the teen years, be so careful of parties. Be so careful of drinking. Booze makes for bad decision-making. Parties and high-testosterone sporting events need to be attended with caution. I am not saying lock your child in a closet. I am saying be careful and teach your child how to be.

Finally, hold yourself gently
Raising a child who is trans or gender variant is difficult. It’s scary. It’s more than you bargained for. It’ll likely be more than you comprehend. So please hold yourself gently. Forgive yourself for not knowing; for not understanding. Hold your spouse gently. But mostly hold your child gently, so very gently. Because the world will not, even if it’s just the world of preschool and play dates. And finally, if you are involved with a family on this journey, if you’re a teacher or an administrator or a provider, please be gentle; please be kind; please get educated. You simply have no idea how much it will mean to them.

The Legislature's Trans-gression

The General Assembly shamefully failed to act on transgender protections.

By Steve Charing

The just concluded 2009 Maryland General Assembly grappled with a slew of thorny issues. Lawmakers faced contentious debates on such matters as the death penalty, saving the Preakness, public utilities, the state’s precarious fiscal situation and many more. They even managed to squeeze in the passage of speed cameras "near" school zones and construction sites during the 90-day legislative session.

But a bill to outlaw discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of gender identity and expression never saw the light of day. As was the case last year, it died in committee.

Despite placing a high priority on this important piece of legislation by Equality Maryland—the state’s principal LGBT advocacy organization—and the multi-faceted strategy it employed to make this bill advance and succeed, it appeared that it was doomed from the outset.

Equality Maryland laid much of the blame for the failure of the measure on Senator Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery County), the liberal chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee for not allowing the bill to come up for a vote when he had the power to do so.

Does Sen. Frosh truly believe that transgendered individuals should be discriminated against? I doubt it. Moreover, a transgender anti-discrimination bill had passed in his own Montgomery County.

But the way Senate politics are played, legislators who have aspirations for rising to leadership positions generally have to tow the line. And when the current Senate president, Thomas V. "Mike" Miller (pictured)—the longest serving leader of a state legislature in the nation and hence one of the true powerful forces—does not want a bill to come to the floor for a vote, a would-be successor not only must tow the line, he most certainly cannot cross it.

Political observers theorized that Brian Frosh may have eschewed an up-and-down vote in committee for that very reason.

People are still uncomfortable about transgendered individuals. Accordingly, many politicians are as well. Trans-issues are not as easy to explain to folks in the way that being gay or lesbian can be explained, although there remains an incredible amount of education needed on that front.

The arguments surrounding transgender protections render the issue contentious, and according to Dan Furmansky, former Equality Maryland executive director who was a legislative consultant during the session, "Key Democratic leaders view it as a political issue too hot to handle rather than an opportunity to address pervasive bias against a group of individuals who truly need anti-discrimination protections."

To be sure, Republican committee members tried to attach dubious amendments to the bill and Sen. Frosh claimed he was waiting for the House of Delegates to act first. Furthermore, "public accommodations" was stripped from the original bill to make it more palatable to waffling legislators. But this was pure gamesmanship, and the never-ending pursuit of political cover in the absence of courage won out at the final bell.

In my interview with Dan Furmansky, he noted that "Sen. President Miller is generally known as Democratic Party-power focused, not issue focused… He is concerned about what is politically palatable for the Democratic Party…I think [pro-LGBT] advancements are possible during his tenure if he believes it is ‘time.’"

But when will that be, if at all?

The time was clearly not now, as Mike Miller did not want to bring this issue for a vote primarily because of the controversial nature of it. And Brian Frosh complied.

The upshot of this political cowardice is that a transgendered person can be fired from his or her job simply because of who the person is even though it has nothing to do with work performance. A transgendered person can be kicked out of his or her apartment for simply being trans. Alas, discrimination is still alive and well in the free state of Maryland.

Many transgendered people struggle in trying to reconcile their mind with their birth body. They are more at risk for homelessness, poverty, bullying, suicide, victims of violence and other forms of discrimination than the remainder of the LGBTcommunity.

Yet I believe the elected officials overestimated the backlash if such a measure passed. Governor Martin O’Malley would have likely signed the bill into law as he sent letters of support to both committees involved and signed a similar law as Mayor of Baltimore.

In 2009, I’m banking on the fact that less and less people are inclined to allow discrimination to take hold in this very blue state. More grassroots efforts are required, though, to educate a public not familiar with trans-issues and ultimately the politicians will follow.

And to avoid yet another trans-gression, more sympathetic candidates should be sought to run against our opponents.

OUT on the Springboard

Towson University diver is making a splash for LGBT rights.

By Steve Charing

Bradley Bolin is flexible when it comes to wardrobe. When he joined forces with other students demonstrating against the homophobic Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church who picketed Towson (Maryland) High School, he was armed with several ensembles.

Rambling down the hill from the campus of Towson University to mix with the counter-protesters on York Road, Bradley toted a gym bag containing several outfits so he can switch off according to the fickle weather on a blustery early spring afternoon, while at the same time presenting several “looks.”

He initially wore a robin’s egg blue T-shirt with the line, “gay? fine by me.” As the sun tried to peek from behind the clouds, Bradley switched to a snug, dark blue tank top with the word “PITCHER” and a caricature of a left-handed baseball pitcher underneath. (His friend Zack wore the reciprocal “CATCHER” version.) As the chilly breezes took over, Bradley gave in to the elements and slipped on a gray jacket over the tank top.

But Bradley’s flexibility isn’t restricted to fashion. He makes good use of his lithe build and athletic skills as a diver on the Towson University Tigers swimming and diving team, and quite an accomplished one at that.

Bradley Bolin, who will be celebrating his 21st birthday in May, began his diving exploits five years ago in California at the end of his sophomore year in high school. He graduated as sixth in his high school region. In his freshman year at Towson University he was Rookie of the Year for his team, Rookie Diver of the Year in his conference, and Rookie Athlete of the Year for the entire school.

He also was named the Colonial Athletic Association Diver of the Week award this past November with wins in the 1- and 3-meter springboard events. It marked the first such honor for the Towson men’s team of the season.

Unlike many collegiate athletes who happen to be gay, and unlike his hero, Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis who was in the closet during the time he was competing, Bradley is out and proud. And not only is he openly gay, he is vigorously trying to pursue equal rights for all members of the LGBT community.

“I began being an ‘activist’ when I helped start the Gay-Straight Alliance in my first high school in Fairbanks, Alaska, my freshman year,” he points out. “Although in my mind I wasn't being an ‘activist’ I was just trying to create a safe space for LGBT students and perhaps make my school feel like a safer, more accepting place.”

When he moved to Southern California following his sophomore year, he attended another high school that did not have a GSA. So he launched one there as well.

“I think I was more politically ‘active’ when I moved to California because that is when I started doing more off-campus outreach. I helped coordinate the LA AIDS Walk during my junior and senior years. But all four years I participated in the Day of Silence by turning my body into a piece of walking art and refused to speak on behalf of all of those who have been silenced.”

He wasn’t silenced during the anti-Westboro Church demonstration. His experiences with trying to establish a GSA at his high schools set the stage for his presence and support for the students at Towson High School. “Now that I’m in college I want to show my support for the youth and try to do something that’s right,” he says with passion.

The junior, political science-economics double major is out to his diving teammates and to the whole school for that matter. This has historically been a dicey decision for LGBT collegiate athletes and one where few have shown such courage. Undaunted, Bradley Bolin, who is the secretary of Towson University’s Queer Student Union, has taken the plunge, so to speak, and had no such qualms about being himself.

“I couldn't ask for a more supportive team,” he says, acknowledging that nobody on the team, male and female, cares that he’s gay. “They see me as ‘Bradley the diver,’ not ‘Bradley the gay.’” He has one other teammate who is openly gay.

However, Bradley explains that there have been a few instances where people have made ignorant comments, but usually people quickly rally to his defense if he doesn’t get to the insulting party first!

“Granted I am not only out but I am one of the more visible people on the team simply based on my personality and I kind of stick out like a sore thumb,” Bradley admits.

He rejects the stereotype about swimming and diving teams’ being gay. “Most of the team just think it is funny/stupid that people assume that the whole team has queer tendencies just because of me.”

Bradley states that being on the diving team is like being part of a family, and he credits his coaching staff for fostering such an accepting environment. In fact, his coach, Maureen Mead, recruited him to come to Maryland.

Coach Mead says she is lucky Bradley chose Towson out of all the schools he could have picked. “He is an unbelievably, talented diver and team member,” she explains. “Even when he was a younger member of the team he acted as a mentor to his teammates.”

Bradley points out, “Our coaching staff does a great job by enforcing the idea of team unity, and I think that is a huge factor in how great our team supports each other. Plus, people on our team are judged by their merits and actions, not their sexuality.”

Nonetheless, Bradley still encounters the occasional “that’s so gay” and “fag” during conversations. But he points out that generally people catch themselves and apologize “profusely.”

“This irritates me a little because I wonder whether or not they are just apologizing because I am around or because they are genuinely sorry.” He is sincerely concerned about the effects of such remarks have on others.

“I am secure with myself enough to know that I am a good person, but the people who aren't out are the ones I worry for,” Bradley asserts. “I worry that when those people hear such negative words coming from people, especially their friends, they are going to continue to think that something is wrong with them. I don't fight against hate for myself, I fight against hate for those who cannot fight for themselves.”

It is that team-first attitude, whether it be in or out of the pool, that has characterized Bradley Bolin’s young but fulfilling life. As such, he rates high marks just like his frequent rip entries into the water below.

Lousy Leadership Marginalizes GOP

Letter Published in the

April 9 Issue of the Baltimore Sun

Paul West is suggesting that the luster may be coming off the Democratic Party and that the GOP could be making a comeback so soon after the 2008 election ("Washington watches for the Democratic tide to start ebbing," April 4).

In doing so, West ignores the fact that polls continue to show that party affiliation strongly favors the Democrats and the same could be said about the effectiveness of fundraising efforts.

Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, the trend for young voters continues to move towards the Democratic Party, which solidifies their election chances for years to come.

And one cannot brush off the lack of leadership within the Republican Party as West appears to have done. After eight years of Bush-Cheney at the helm, the GOP is frantically searching for a leader that can appeal to voters beyond the Southern and evangelical base. So far, no one with those credentials has emerged.

Steve Charing

Clarksville, MD

Youth Are Showing Us the Way

By Steve Charing

The burst of energy displayed by the young people who participated in the protest of the homophobic, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church on March 30 was breathtaking. They demonstrated against the Fred Phelps-led hatemongers who had marked Towson High School for its Diversity Club and Gay-Straight Alliance. Phelps, himself, was absent, but a handful of his family members brandishing absurd, hate-filled slogans on their familiar placards did the deed.

Aside from students from the targeted school, kids from other high schools in the area as well as local colleges voiced their opposition to hate. And they did it loud and clear. Even straight "jocks" from Towson High School—a group that in years past wouldn’t ordinarily be expected to join forces with the pro-LGBT demonstrators—supported the cause openly.

While other groups participated, such as PFLAG, church organizations and an assortment of adults bent on social justice, the youth stole the show. They enthusiastically cheered at each passing car that honked its horn in support. They shouted down the Westboro clan on the other side of York Road. They publicly voiced their opposition against hate and expressed their affirmation towards love and equality. They support gay rights in all forms and did so with fervor.

All told, around 300 people overwhelmed the 6 Westboro crazies both in numbers and passion.

Back in November, there was a nationwide protest of the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Locally, a thousand people gathered outside Baltimore’s City Hall on a rain-threatened Saturday to plea for marriage equality and express their outrage aimed at the California results (photo).

There were many adults there to be sure, and a significant number of them were straight allies. But there were also plenty of college students who descended upon the War Memorial Plaza in clusters from all directions like an invading army. Waving colorful hand-made posters displaying pointed messages, these youthful protestors surprised even veterans of demonstrations of yore with their verve and commitment.

The center of gravity for LGBT politics and activism is steadily shifting to the youth. This is not just manifested by the increasing number of young LGBT people who are coming out at a faster rate than in previous generations. It has been bolstered by an astounding number of youth who simply shrug off the existence of LGBT people as no big deal.

Although much of these changing attitudes by straight youth can be attributed to their expanding exposure to lgbt peers, the more welcoming culture with which these people are in tune, reinforces their beliefs. For example, the role MTV has played for the past two decades in enlightening the youth of this country concerning LGBT issues cannot be understated.

The network’s programs routinely depict LGBT youth as ordinary people with the same family, social, economic and psychological issues facing all teenagers. This season’s run of Real World was so well done, that in the show’s later episodes, it was difficult to notice that the "house" included a gay man, a bisexual woman and a transgendered woman living with five straight peers.

The gay element eventually played a subordinate role when other weighty matters took over, like how one of the cast members was facing an uncertain future as he was recalled for another tour of duty in Iraq.

As the episodes rolled along each week, the ultimate conflicts weren’t between gay and straight and straight and transgender or even gay and transgender; they existed among each other regardless of who they were. Gay, bisexual, transgender? Oh yeah, so what.

This is the attitude that is prevailing among young people today. A straight kid may argue with a gay kid, but odds are, it has nothing to do with sexuality. Conflicts centered on sexual orientation do exist, of course, but to a lesser degree.

Of course, there still are incidents of bullying and epithets like "that’s so gay" in schools. But the trend is definitely moving in a favorable direction.

Politicians would be smart to take notice of these shifting attitudes. The youth have been swelling the voter ranks and affecting elections. The Obama phenomenon brought more young people into the political process than any time since the 1960’s.

Elected officials who experience trepidation about supporting equality based on gender identity or are skittish about conferring rights to same-sex couples are doing so at their peril. The old-time attitudes are dying off. The new generation of kids—gay and straight—will show us the way and those backward-thinking politicians the door.

Hundreds Protest Anti-gay Church

By Steve Charing

TOWSON, MD—An hour before the planned protest by representatives of the Westboro Baptist Church on March 30, there was relative quiet. An occasional airplane flew overhead, and the sound of the chilly wind gusts whipping through the leafless branches of the trees that surround Towson High School briefly interrupted the serenity.

The thousand or so students at the 60 year-old, brick and stone, 3-story structure were still in their classes anticipating the final bell. But it was not a normal school day on this particular Monday.

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, which is notorious for its anti-gay, anti-American vitriol and led by its patriarch flame-thrower, Fred Phelps, chose Towson High School to unleash its toxic venom.

The extremist group targeted this school because, like so many other schools around the country, it has a gay-straight alliance or GSA. It also boasts a diversity club, and a website that emphasizes tolerance and diversity as part of the school’s mission statement.

When officials at Towson High learned of the impending Westboro protest, the school sought to minimize the students’ exposure to the predicted taunts and insults shouted at them by the extremists. School officials prepared the students and parents with a letter. Club meetings and sports practices were rearranged so that as many students as possible would not exit the building at the time of the Westboro demonstration.

Moreover, Baltimore County police were in full force and did not permit any demonstration within a few blocks of the school. The Westboro clan was forced to protest at the intersection of York Road and Hillside Avenue, so exiting students did not have to hear any rants that said they are doomed to hell and other such epithets.

In the meanwhile, counter-protests were being planned by a variety of groups. Among those were the Central Baltimore County Democratic Club, the new Baltimore County chapter of PFLAG, Bel Air Unitarian and The Presbytery of Baltimore.

In addition, area schools, such as Towson High School, Dulaney, Carver, and Friends School, as well as Towson University and Goucher College mobilized anti-hate demonstrators to protest the Westboro demonstration.

The six weary-looking Westboro bunch did their thing for over a half-hour. They paraded along the prescribed area carrying their usual assortment of scathing messages on sticks while under the watchful eyes of the police and Silent Witness—a group carrying rainbow umbrellas—who also acted as a peaceful buffer.

The pro-LGBT crowd on the other side of York Road was building with each passing minute. Many carried hand-made signs decrying hate and advocating unity and love. Students from nearby Towson University, an assortment of religious groups and curious onlookers joined the ranks and signaled their support for the anti-Westboro demonstrators. They lined the side of the road, for at least a two-block length.

This is what the Westboro group wanted: a reaction so strong that the media would cover it and give attention to their unpopular cause.

Marilyn, a member of PFLAG-Baltimore County who has a gay family member, hopes that the overwhelming opposition to the Westboro clan would help get rid of them. "Goodness, I hope that we are able to drive groups like this away from our whole country," she said. "We have to be here to respond to their hate. It’s evil, and we don’t want people to hear their message."

With each passing car that honked its horn in support of the counter-demonstrators on busy York Road, and there were scores of them, the mainly young crowd cheered loudly.

Bradley Bolin, the secretary of the Towson University Queer Student Union and a junior, was emboldened by the turnout. He mentioned that when he was in high school and he tried to start a GSA, he didn’t receive the level of support he would have liked from the community and local colleges. "Now that I’m in college I want to show my support for the youth and try to do something that’s right."

Bradley acknowledged that anti-protests give Westboro Baptist Church what they want. "I’m not concerned with what they want. I’m more concerned about the youth and what THEY want," he explained. "I want to stand up for the people who can’t fight by themselves."

As the Westboro group was nearing the end of their allotted time, amidst the honking horns and competing chants, a surge of Towson High School students eventually showed up following dismissal. These new forces swelled the crowd to near 300 according to some estimates.

"They [Westboro Baptist Church] have the right to protest," said Charlie, a senior at the school and is straight. "But nobody in the school supports their beliefs."

Joey, a straight junior at the school supports gay people and opposes those who spread hatred. Mike, also a junior and a member of the school’s wrestling team, says he has gay friends, and several of his fellow teammates joined in the counter-demonstration.

Another Towson High student Beth said "I don’t care what sex you like, everybody is equal and God loves everybody."

Hannah, who is also straight, says "Love is beautiful, and I don’t think anyone should protest against it. I knew there would be so many protesters on our side, but not their side."

And that certainly was the case on this otherwise chilly, quiet Monday.

A Thousand Times, No!

It is clear why the Republican Party has diminished to the extent it has. Even when they had bad ideas (which is most of the time) they at least had ideas!

Now, shell-shocked by two consecutive disasterous election cycles, they are floundering, leaderless and lost; their main playbook consists of the unpatriotic hope for President Obama to fail (Limbaugh, Jindal and the like) and just saying "no" to everything, regardless of merit. The "Party of No" indeed.

No to the stimulus. No to the bailouts. No to Obama's budget. No to common sense.

Alternatives? Hmm. No!

Yesterday, the GOP was to roll out an alternative budget. April Fools Day showed up a week early. Sorry, no numbers, just a "blueprint." The "deer in the headlights" look of Rep. John Boehner when asked by a correspondent from the conservative National Review where the details were was telling. The confused, irritated and vapid reponse by Boehner symbolized exactly the state of the GOP.

A promised alternative budget with no numbers, projections, trends, charts is incredible. Just typical GOP ideological bunk about smaller government: tax cuts, deficits, etc. Except for the tax cuts for the wealthy, these principles were no-shows over the past eight years.

As long as they continue to become a laughing stock, with these PR snafus, Joe the Plumber positing on economic policy, and with Michael Steele at the helm of the RNC, the GOP will remain the Party of No-- to voters.

Window of Opportunity

As the GOP reels, the time to secure LGBT rights is sooner rather than later.

By Steve Charing

Much has been debated recently among LGBT activists regarding the timing of pro-LGBT initiatives that can be undertaken by the Democratic-controlled Congress and an ostensibly gay-friendly president.

Should President Barack Obama expend political capital now, while he’s popular, to pursue key LGBT legislation? Or, should he defer these bold, challenging moves until he accumulates a larger cache of IOUs?

Such measures would entail a repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act. It would also involve a push for an all-inclusive federal employment non-discrimination legislation (ENDA) and adding sexual orientation and gender identity to a comprehensive hate crimes bill.

Right now, the president remains popular with polls generally indicating that 60 to 70 percent of the American people approve of his job performance. They also, by large numbers, have a great deal of confidence in Mr. Obama despite his rocky first two months in office highlighted by a sinking economy and his desire to spend its way out of the muck.

Couple that with the unabated plunging of the Republican Party. The GOP is essentially leaderless and bankrupt of any ideas. They are losing the PR war by being effectively (and accurately) portrayed as the "Party of No." There have been dust-ups between recently elected Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele and the blustery but influential radio blowhard, Rush Limbaugh, as well as other key players within the party.

People around the U.S. and the world, for that matter, cringe at the nightmarish notion that if fortunes were reversed, John McCain would be floundering in an attempt to figure the way out of the economic morass. Sarah Palin, as vice-president, would be supervising an economic stimulus to nowhere with a chronic chorus of "Thanks, but no thanks." And the Secretary of the Treasury would be none other than the potential Nobel Prize winner in Economics (in his mind, at least) Joe the Plumber. Yikes!

It’s no wonder the good folks of America will continue provide President Obama with a very long leash to see this mess through. He has already accumulated a ton of good will, as evidenced by the gaudy poll results. And the alternative is downright frightening.

However, if history has taught us anything, nothing lasts forever. Mr. Obama could stumble as the economy tumbles more. He could be accused of allowing "bonus-gate" to erode an already low trajectory for consumer confidence. There could be an international crisis—somewhere, anywhere. Patience could easily wear thin. Joe Biden, God love him, could stand before a bank of microphones. Anything can happen that could derail this presidency.

That is why I conclude that the President and Congress should act swiftly on these LGBT initiatives. Indeed, a bill has been introduced in Congress by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) to repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Moreover, a lawsuit by Major Margaret Witt is challenging the Air Force's attempt to discharge her under the policy. Observers see this as the rubber meeting the road for the President; he must weigh in on the issue now, as events will have forced his hand.

Barack Obama has promised support for the other key lgbt issues during his campaign, and we should be confident he will come through for us. He started off on the right foot by agreeing to formally endorse a United Nations declaration calling for an end to discrimination and other human rights abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The action reversed President Bush’s refusal to sign off on the statement—the only Western country not to do so.

The President’s sway in Congress will, of course, be determined not just by poll numbers, but also by his ability to build consensus within the Democratic Party and reach across the aisle.
President Obama has already demonstrated that he can walk and chew gum at the same time.

While the economy is and should remain on the front burner, the President has delved into other issues that he sees as major components of his agenda, such as energy, health care and education.

That effort should continue with the LGBT matters that have been languishing in Congress for years, and in some cases, decades. Fear of being perceived as pro-gay has handcuffed many in Congress for too long.

This is a new day in America, however. We have a popular, compassionate and intelligent President who doesn’t flinch at accepting responsibility unlike his horrific predecessor.

Surveys continue to show increasing support for LGBT rights, especially in employment and in the military, so Congress ought to "man up" for a change and take on these important LGBT initiatives.

And Mr. Obama should use his current positive standing with the American people to promote and support LGBT non-discrimination now because who knows how long the window of opportunity will remain open?

Report Says Gays, Lesbians Poorer than Straights

By Steve Charing

Dispelling the myth that gays and lesbians are more affluent than the general population, a report issued on March 20 by the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute asserts that the opposite is true.

The study undertaken by the LGBT-focused think-tank found that after "adjusting for a range of family characteristics that help explain poverty," same-sex couples are "significantly" more likely to be poor than opposite-sex married couples.

"We find clear evidence that poverty is at least as common in the lesbian, gay and bisexual population as among heterosexual people and their families." This refutes "a popular stereotype (that) paints lesbians and gay men as an affluent elite," according to the study’s report.

The Williams Institute compiled their findings by reviewing data from the 2000 U.S. Census and two smaller surveys that included questions on sexual orientation. It is the first comprehensive study to analyze poverty among gay and lesbian couples.

This report, titled "Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community," does not cover transgender individuals because they could not be identified from the data reviewed. Nonetheless, at least eleven previous studies concluded that transgender people, who face significant job discrimination, are more likely to have very low income.

The study’s findings pre-date the current recession and conclude that: 1) lesbian couples have much higher poverty rates than either different-sex couples or gay male couples; 2) children in gay and lesbian couple households have poverty rates twice those of children in heterosexual married couple households; and 3) within the LGB population, several groups are much more likely to be poor than others. African-American people in same-sex couples and same-sex couples who live in rural areas are much more likely to be poor than white or urban same-sex couples.

Moreover, the study finds that while a small percentage of all families receive government cash supports intended for poor and low-income families, gay and lesbian individuals and couples are more likely to receive these supports than are heterosexuals since they tend to lack spousal benefits.

Children of same-sex couples do not fare well either. "While one in ten children of married couples are poor, one in five children living with a same-sex couple are living below the poverty level," says the report.

Among the reasons for the higher poverty levels among LGBT couples cited by the Williams Institute are: 1) LGBT vulnerability to employment discrimination, with no legal recourse in most states; 2) most same-sex couples are shut out of some institutions that enhance the economic position of families, such as marriage; 3) lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are more likely than heterosexuals to lack health insurance coverage, making them vulnerable to the economic consequences of a health crisis; 4) LGBT families are less likely to receive family support, which could translate into greater economic vulnerability; and 5) family conflict about coming out and violence in group homes results in high rates of homelessness for young LGBT people.

To help alleviate poverty among the LGBT population, the report recommends passage of ENDA—the Federal Employment Non-discrimination Act, granting of the right to marry or at least to a "meaningful legal status" like civil unions, and to shore up "holes" in the safety net.

"The misleading myth of affluence steers policymakers, community organizations, service providers, and the media away from fully understanding poverty among LGBT people or even imagining that poor LGBT people exist," the report states.

To read the full report, visit www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/home.html.

Guerilla Gay Bar Baltimore Rocks On

By Steve Charing

It was certainly peaceful as far as invasions go. Around 8:00 p.m. on March 6 there was a handful of gay men clustered together sipping drinks inside Luckie’s Tavern—which is located in Power Plant Live! on Market Place in Baltimore— checking out the entrance to see who else walks through.

As the minutes and hours passed and the beats to rock and 80’s pop tunes permeated in the background, that handful of people evolved into a small crowd, and eventually swelled to over 400 mostly gay men and some women who "invaded" the space normally frequented by straight twenty- and thirtysomethings on a rockin’ Friday night.

What was taking place was the fifth monthly installment of the rapidly growing Guerilla Gay Bar Baltimore phenomenon. Founders of this movement, Byron McFarlane, 25, of Ellicott City and Mark Yost, 28, of Mt. Vernon, (pictured) believed that Baltimore needed an alternative to the conventional bar scene.

"Washington, D.C. has a very large, active, gay community and for gay men and women who are really into the nightlife there are tons of options, including their own Guerrilla Queer Bar," noted McFarlane. That was among several similar groups that sprung up around the country.

"Mark and I always wanted to go to the D.C. gathering, but at one point we just said to each other, ‘Why don't we start one here?’ So the outlet is for everyone who doesn't want to drive an hour to Washington or go to the same old bars in Mt. Vernon," says McFarlane.

Despite the GGBB’s new logo, which depicts a militaristic-looking clenched fist on a bottle cap, both Yost and McFarlane insist that the "guerilla" aspect of GGBB is not an "in-your-face" activity nor are they trying to be confrontational. In fact, the bars that are selected are notified of the invasion and prepare for the volume of additional patrons. The logo is displayed on a sticker that is handed out to all the "invaders" for easy identification as part of the group.

"Our primary goal is to have a good time, but along with that is interacting with crowds many of us don't see very often," says McFarlane.

He adds, "Going to an identifiable gay bar versus a straight bar is different for some people because they aren't really interested in an exclusively gay environment. Others, because they don't have many or any gay friends and prefer to hang out with their straight friends at a straight bar."

Yost sees this as an opportunity to improve the social life in Baltimore but also to expand our exposure to other aspects of the city. "We are trying to help bring a new outlet for socializing to the gay community and also help the gay community experience more of Baltimore together," he says. "There is a benefit of doing it in a large group. Simply put, we may visit these bars, but it’s much easier to be yourself, in a larger group."

And what a large group it is!

The first GGBB event took place in November at Claddagh Pub in Canton and drew about 100. In December they attracted 175 at Mother’s in Federal Hill. Max’s in Fells Point drew 250 as the movement was starting to really catch on. And January’s event saw a stunning throng of over 400 pack Mt. Washington Tavern. A similar number showed up at Luckie’s Tavern.

The basic idea is that people sign up through Facebook and are notified a few days in advance of an announced date of the upcoming invasion of the straight bar.

For Scot Shaffer, his visit to Luckie’s Tavern marked his third GGBB appearance. A bartender at the Hippo, Scot likes the mix of the crowd. "There are different groups of gay people from all over the area, and I love the music," he says.

Another patron, Michael, 25, from Mt. Washington wanted a non-gay bar setting where it’s more relaxing for him. "I don’t have to worry so much about people hitting on me." He brought his straight friend Rachel who also enjoys the atmosphere and just wants to have a great time.
"What is great about this group is that there are lots of gay men and women who don't feel comfortable at gay bars, whether because they are not out or because it just isn't their thing," Byron McFarlane explains.

What about the straight patrons?

Stacie was sitting at a table at Luckie’s with several other straight friends and seemed oblivious to the gay invasion. When told, Stacie chuckled and said, "No wonder there are so many guys here." Her friend Ross of Mt. Washington said it was a cool idea and it certainly did not bother him one bit. Tom, 27, another straight man concurred. "Hey, we’re all here to have some drinks and enjoy ourselves."

"The bartenders, owners, and patrons have been at least accepting, and at best excited to have us," observed McFarlane.

The lack of backlash is noteworthy as GGBB continues to thrive. Mixing peacefully with straight people shows that maybe we’re not to be feared and could help us politically down the road. Says Mark Yost, "The more out we are, the harder it is to demonize our community and make us ‘others.’ I truly believe the greatest strides we will make as a community towards equal rights and acceptance will be from being ourselves, out in the straight world."

The next invasion is set for April 3. For more information about the group, visit http://www.ggb-baltimore.com/

Coping with the Recession

LGBT groups and other non-profits are finding ways to survive the economic downturn

By Steve Charing

These are grim times for everybody. Even if you haven’t been laid off or may not be handed the pink slip in the future, you most likely lost a third to a half of your "wealth" since October if you had money tied up in equities and bonds. Confidence is waning; credit is scarce; money is tight.

In this down economy people will spend on what they truly need or want, and everything else will be deferred until their economic circumstances improve. The same goes for businesses, who must cut costs, as there are fewer customers and of those, they are spending less to purchase their products or services. Cutting costs often entails cutting payroll, and with more people laid off, there are fewer customers and less money to be spent. It’s a vicious cycle.

Consequently, charitable and other non-profit organizations, including lgbt organizations, are likely to feel the pinch in the near future. Those individuals who are in financial straits now or fear such a condition are less likely to donate money to these organizations, and businesses will also hold on to their checkbooks.

As in the case of businesses, non-profit organizations depend on a revenue stream for survival. When revenue targets substantially fall short, they may be compelled to cut staff, cut back in advertising, cut programs and spend less on areas that support their mission.

Fortunately, some local organizations are bracing for the economic slide and have been addressing these challenges. They are actively trying to develop strategies to mitigate the economic pain caused by the recession.

"Like everyone we are concerned about the economic downturn and watching for its effects on Chase Brexton and our patients," says David Shippee, Chief Executive Officer of Chase Brexton Health Services, which maintains several offices and clinics in and around Baltimore. "But the bottom line at CBHS is stable and still in the black, in part, because of our long-standing efforts to assure that our sources of revenue are as diverse as possible."

He points out, however, that there has been a noticeable drop-off in individual and corporate giving. "Most recently as we prepare for our annual CBHS gala we are struggling to get corporate support for the event to come close to the levels we experienced in prior years," notes Shippee.

He states that the economic stimulus package includes some funding for healthcare, but also Obama’s initial budget contains increases for HIV/AIDS care through the Ryan White program and also increased funds going to community health centers to care for the uninsured.

"Although these sources only account for 15% of CBHS's revenue, it is hopeful to know that some relief may be likely in this area. It is too soon to determine how much additional support may be coming our way under these two programs."

Shippee explains that increased public or private dollars to help care for the uninsured becomes even more important in a recession. As more people lose jobs, they also lose their health insurance. Many of them turn to community health centers for care. "In the last year, we have seen a 54% increase in the number of uninsured patients being helped by CBHS. Other health centers in Maryland are also seeing an increase in uninsured patient visits, but their average increase is 20%."

The statewide LGBT civil rights advocacy organization Equality Maryland has not yet felt any adverse impact from the national recession. But they are mindful of it and concerned about potential decreased funding.

Equality Maryland regularly holds two major fundraisers during the course of the year, with the next one being the "Night Out for Equality" on June 7. Their planning committee is looking into ways to attract more supporters.

"We're hosting more low cost ticket events, like Equality Rocks!" says new director of development Kevin Walling. "This past January was a fantastic success both financially and in terms of reaching out to new members. House parties, smaller receptions and member-sponsored events are already in the works for the spring and summer."

Walling said he is open to any suggestions and welcomes more people to get involved. You may call him at 301-587-7500 or e-mail kevin@equalitymaryland.org.

Some of these efforts are paying off. A benefit for Equality Maryland as part of "An Evening with Lily Tomlin" at the Lyric Opera House on April 3 has been sold out. It will include an Equality Maryland-only reception with the headliner being part of the festivities.

Unfortunately, not all LGBT organizations are faring as well, especially some national ones. According to reports in the Washington Blade, several have been forced to take measures to deal with the slowing down of donations. For example, Lambda Legal and GLAAD are among those who needed to cut staff and other costs.

And the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lgbt advocacy group, was reported to be considering trimming salaries and holding back a cost-of-living increase this year for some employees to help deal with the economic downturn. Phone calls by OUTloud to HRC to obtain a comment were not returned.

The power of fundraising should not be underestimated even in turbulent economic times. Last month the producers of "Wicked" and 4Good Productions held a star-studded "Defying Inequality Concert" at New York’s George Gershwin Theater that attracted over 400 performers and celebrities. The event raised a whopping $400,000, of which $250,000 were donated by the producers and writers of "Wicked."

The stars included Carson Kressley, Harvey Fierstein, Cyndi Lauper, Sally Struthers, Rue McClanahan, "Wicked" composer Stephen Schwartz, Jane Fonda and Keith Olbermann. Cast members from Broadway's "Spring Awakening," "Billy Elliott," "The Lion King," "Mamma Mia," "Gypsy," among others, also performed.

The organizations that benefited from the fundraiser were the Empire State Pride Agenda, Family Equality Council, the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, Equality California and Garden State Equality.

The results from this gala and Equality Maryland’s Lily Tomlin event demonstrate that even with a down economy, the stars still shine and people will pay to see them.

O'Malley's March

The Governor expends political capital demonstrating on behalf of convicted murders. Would he ever march for LGBT equality?

By Steve Charing

When I viewed the peculiar news footage that depicted Governor Martin O’Malley marching down West Street in Annapolis with others in his quest to end the death penalty, I was taken aback. My reaction was, O’Malley is protesting the death penalty in such a public way, but we can’t even get him to commit on same-sex marriage rights for Maryland’s gay and lesbian couples or on transgender protections.

The governor has seen his approval numbers fade since his election victory in 2006. He has had to face serious budget and economic issues where no matter which course of action he decided on, he was roundly criticized. This takes a toll on popularity and hence political capital, and the governor has little left to spend at this point.

But during the current General Assembly, Governor O’Malley made a decision that whatever political capital he has remaining, he was going to use it on repealing the death penalty. He cites his Catholic faith as the basis for his passionate effort to close down the death chamber in Maryland once and for all.

This is not a bad cause to be sure. I had once supported the death penalty believing it as a way to prevent repeat offenders. But I saw the inequities in its application and the potential deadly inaccuracies. And my views on the issue were cemented after reading John Grisham's The Chamber.

Despite Governor O’Malley’s public advocacy for repealing the death penalty, the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee killed the measure. That normally puts the kibosh on the initiative right then and there for the current session. However, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller eschewed the procedural protocol and decided to send the bill to the Senate floor for a full vote in deference to Mr. O’Malley’s office.

Of course, Mike Miller, who supports capital punishment, counted the votes in advance and is fully aware that complete repeal won’t pass the Senate. But this grand gesture, disingenuous as it appears, proves that if the governor takes a strong stand on a measure, it might, with help from the mega-powerful Senate president, bypass the usual customs and allow it to come up for a vote by the full Senate.

Contrast the governor’s high profile efforts to repeal the death penalty with his reticence on the major LGBT issues, especially same-sex marriage. Gay activists who overwhelmingly supported Mr. O’Malley’s election bid with votes and cash have been stymied by the governor’s avoidance of the hot-button issue.

Governor O’Malley got off on the wrong foot when immediately following the state’s Appeals Court ruling in September 2007 that upheld the current marriage laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman, he stated on television that "no one should redefine the sacraments."

Many activists, including some of the plaintiffs in the original lawsuit, were rankled by those remarks noting that he clearly knew what was being sought was civil recognition, not religious blessings. Others were miffed at his apparent backtracking of his position since 2004 when he allegedly supported same-sex marriage.

During the 2008 General Assembly, the governor was virtually invisible when the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act was introduced. The framework of the bill made it clear, mainly to address concerns of the governor and legislators, that civil marriage equality was the goal and that no religious institution would be forced to officiate any marriage ceremony with which they do not agree.

Even with 49 sponsors in tow and the religious concerns ostensibly addressed, the bill died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. The governor could have made a difference had he chosen to support the measure in earnest.

Governor O’Malley stated during the session that he would sign a civil union bill if one came across his desk. But Equality Maryland, the state’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, decided such a route would be unacceptable and pushed for full marriage equality instead.

Moreover, the governor has yet to publicly offer his support for the Transgender Anti-Discrimination bill, which would add gender identity to existing state law prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit. As mayor of Baltimore, O’Malley signed a similar law in December 2002.

A march down Annapolis streets by Martin O’Malley to support marriage equality and transgender protections is a dream that is unlikely to materialize. Even a surprise visit to the Lobby Day rally last month where he could have addressed the crowd in front of the media on these important civil right issues was do-able and would have been extraordinary.

Former Governor Parris N. Glendening used the political capital he received from his 10-point re-election margin and pushed for legal protections for gays and lesbians. In 2001, he signed into law the historic bill that would prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation.

We were fortunate that Glendening used his political capital for our cause before it rapidly eroded. There doesn’t appear to be enough gas in the political tank for Martin O’Malley to lead both the death penalty fight and advance lgbt rights, not to mention addressing the economic havoc, which is devastating the state. He has already expended his dwindling political capital on behalf of saving the lives of convicted murderers.

To his credit, the governor recently stated his support for a domestic partnership bill for state employees. With other measures needing his backing, will that be enough to get the LGBT community to march with him to the polls?

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun photo by Glenn Fawcett / February 25, 2009)

Bill to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Introduced

Obama campaigned on its repeal. Will he actively engage?

by Steve Charing

March 2 marked another historic date in the ongoing struggle for lgbt equality. Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) introduced legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to ensure that all qualified Americans can serve openly in the military regardless of sexual orientation.

"This law has failed our country and our military for 15 years," Rep. Tauscher (pictured) said in her announcement. "It harms military readiness and discriminates against patriotic young men and women who want to serve their country. It's time for Congress to right this wrong."

The Military Readiness Enhancement Act will replace the ban with a nondiscrimination policy that will make our military not just more fair, but also more effective, backers say.

Since the advent of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 15 years ago, over 13,000 service members have been discharged. Many valuable Arabic linguists as well as other gay and lesbian service members holding "mission critical" jobs have been discharged as a result of the policy, which most Americans view as a failure. It's estimated that every year 3,000 men and women who want to enlist or re-enlist decide not to because of this law.

President Obama has stated his willingness to repeal the current policy. But will he make the same mistake as President Bill Clinton?

Following through on a campaign promise, in 1993 President Clinton tried to end the military ban on gays and lesbians through an executive order. But he was met with stiff opposition from the Joint Chiefs of Staff including chairman General Colin Powell, commanders in the field, and by members of Congress, led by Senator Sam Nunn a Georgia Democrat who chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee.

President Clinton did not enjoy a strong relationship with the military from the outset. He was perceived by many as a draft dodger during the Vietnam War and had done little to reach out to the military. That lack of credibility as commander-in-chief mobilized the anti-gay forces within the military.

The debate that ensued put Democrats on the defensive and divided the military between veterans and current service members. Social conservatives used the issue to bludgeon President Clinton and questioned his patriotism. As a result, it usurped President Clinton’s thin layer of political capital and forced him to eventually settle for the compromise legislation that has been in place since 1993.

Since that time, public attitudes as well as of those who served have shifted towards allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. An ABC News-Washington Post poll conducted in July found increasing civilian acceptance of gays serving in the military. Seventy-five percent of Americans in the poll said gay people who are open about their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military, up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993.

This past November in Annapolis, over 100 retired generals and admirals have called for the repeal of the policy. To bolster their position, studies have been conducted that show that openly gay service members do not negatively impact morale or unit cohesion.

"As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality," the officers wrote.

President Obama is in the midst of trying to help fix the economy, healthcare, energy dependence, education, fighting two wars, as well as other key priorities. Although he wants "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" to be repealed, he was more likely to make the push later in his term so that he can use his political capital to deal effectively with the current economic crisis. Moreover, he wants to build a consensus with the military brass, in particular, so that the repeal would be easier for Congress to swallow.

But the introduction of this bill could force the president into the spotlight on this issue—sooner than he had hoped—and will give Rush Limbaugh’s Republican Party another opportunity to mobilize the base.

Aubrey Sarvis, Executive Director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, is urging the lgbt community and allies to write their congressmen to have them co-sponsor the bill. The bill will go before a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee for a hearing.

How President Obama uses his leadership skills and spends his political capital may provide an insight on his commitment to gay rights in general. He didn’t want to fight this battle now, but it looks like he must.

The Slippery OUTfield

A gay baseball player coming out would have to face tough challenges.

By Steve Charing

When the steroids scandal first hit major league baseball several years ago, I theorized it provided a convenient distraction for a gay player to finally come out. I had believed that cheating in a game that depends so much on tradition and integrity would overshadow any pesky disclosure that one of the players is gay. Or so I thought at the time.

I feel differently today.

No question, the steroids scandal is serious enough. Superstars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens who are suspected of using steroids will most likely see their dreams of being admitted to baseball’s hallowed shrine—the Hall of Fame—dissipate.

But as long as a player in question didn’t lie to Congress or a law enforcement official, an apology here and an apology there would generally get the player off the hook, especially if he’s popular. Alex Rodriguez’s recent mea culpa tried to accomplish that even if he, too, could be spurned by the Hall of Fame voters.

Baltimore Orioles’ second baseman Brian Roberts is another good example. A couple of years ago he had been named in the Mitchell Report, which identified major league players who had allegedly taken steroids. Roberts apologized and insisted he made this mistake only once in 2003.

Brian Roberts is a favorite of fans as well as the team owner, Peter Angelos, for a variety of reasons. He is one of the premiere leadoff hitters in the game and a defensive stalwart. He works hard for charitable causes in the Baltimore community and is also easy on the eyes. Fans love him. Teammates love him. The owner loves him. He snagged a $40 million contract extension despite the steroids admission.

An active baseball player who publicly comes out that he’s gay would face greater challenges. My earlier opinion was that after a brief media circus surrounding the gay revelation, the hoopla would eventually fade away. For instance, if he was a good player, the fans and teammates might see past that and concentrate on team goals, as depicted in the Tony Award-winning play Take Me Out [see photo].

Although the general environment for gay acceptance is improving and the fact that each year several cities hold "gay days or gay nights" at major league ballparks, we’re not there yet. A gay ballplayer’s coming out may spark celebrations within the LGBT community and among progressive-minded folks, but that’s it.

More likely a firestorm from conservative religious organizations with their predictable sanctimony and threats of boycotts would ensue. "What examples are we setting for the children?" "Depravity has seeped into our American pastime."

This faux outrage could easily apply to the players embroiled in the steroid scandal, but nary a protest had been fired off by Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council or like-minded groups in that regard. You never hear them threaten boycotts when disclosures of adultery and criminal behavior surface among the major sports even though the Bible condemns those acts as well. To them, homosexuality is the bottom rung.

Besides the noisy clatter put forth by these groups, the gay ballplayer’s biggest hurdle is calming down a potentially hostile clubhouse. While it is likely that one teammate will stand before the bank of microphones and proclaim his loyalty to the gay player and extol the virtues of team unity and mission, the majority of the team will probably not be as embracing.

The issue is exacerbated by the fact there are many devout Christians in major league baseball (some have been steroids users) who see homosexuality as a sin. Added to that is the players’ fear of gays being in the same locker room.

Then there is the increasing number of Latino and Asian ballplayers in the major leagues. This is not to say that they are all homophobic or that American-born players are not. Yet the traditional macho-oriented cultures of these groups tend to revile homosexuality.

These challenges alone might keep a gay baseball player in the closet. But then there is the question of product endorsements and other financial considerations. Olympics hero Michael Phelps retained most of his endorsement deals but Kellogg’s dropped his contract as soon as the photo of Phelps’ smoking a bong flew around the world.

How would corporate America deal with a gay athlete? While many of the Fortune 500 companies have anti-discrimination policies for gays and lesbians as well as domestic partner benefits on the books, I imagine they will succumb to the threatened boycotts of the well-organized and well-financed conservative flame throwers and not offer endorsement deals.

The best hope for a gay ballplayer in coming out will rest with the fans. A gay player, especially one who is good at his craft and is popular, has a decent chance to be favorably received over time. Fans tend to be ahead of the players when it comes to social issues.

I suspect, however, the noise from the zealots and the fear of a dysfunctional locker room will keep the athlete secure in his closet for a while longer. We’ll just have to wait for a gay version of Jackie Robinson who can courageously negotiate the slippery terrain of the OUTfield.

Where's the Passion?

Small Lobby Day turnout signals possible declining interest

By Steve Charing

On a balmy February 2, a crowd estimated by the Washington Blade to be 250 assembled at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis for a rally during Equality Maryland’s annual Lobby Day event. This compares unfavorably to the previous years when, according to Equality Maryland’s figures, approximately 500 attended in 2008 and nearly 1,000 did so in 2007.

What’s going on?

There are a number of factors that may have contributed to the paltry attendance. For one thing, Equality Maryland’s legislative agenda is not as ambitious as in previous sessions.

Realizing that same-sex marriage cannot pass during this session, there will not be a full-throated push for the legislation.

Instead, the goal is to work with legislators to increase sponsorship of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act this year, according to statements made by new Equality Maryland Executive Director Kate Runyon. In addition, the organization will be pursuing once again passage of the Gender Identity and Expression Anti-Discrimination Act as well as other initiatives.

Another factor could be a general decline of interest. Following the Maryland Court of Appeals ruling, which upheld the state’s law that restricted marriage to be between one man and one woman, there was plenty of anger to go around and fire up the LGBT community as well as allies.

But lack of leadership from Governor Martin O’Malley on this issue and opposition by the powerful Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller may have dampened the spirits of many gay and lesbian couples. These couples may be of the mindset that it’s a lost cause for now.

Another factor for the disappointing crowd is the prevailing lack of interest in these issues and politics in general on the part of large segments of the LGBT community. There are approximately 15,000 same-sex couples throughout the state. Add to that the tens of thousands of unattached folks, family members and other straight allies. All told, this is a significant number of people to be reckoned with. And with the media present, it would have made a great picture of the mall jammed full of LGBT activists.

But they didn’t show up. As is the case in previous Lobby Day rallies, Baltimore City, which comprises the largest number of LGBT people in Maryland, was woefully underrepresented. The areas of Charles Village, Bolton Hill and Mount Vernon—strong gay population centers—never seem to turn out in large numbers. In fact, the majority of Lobby Day attendees hail from Montgomery, Prince George’s and Howard Counties.

One would think that the devastating passage of Proposition 8 in California would spur on more people to rally and meet with their respective delegates and senators. Apparently that did not happen in Annapolis this year—at least not with the numbers that would impress those persuadable legislators.

Weather cannot be used as an excuse this time around; the temperature was in the 50’s—fully 30 degrees warmer than at last year’s bone-chilling Lobby Day.

Immediately following the Prop 8 debacle, nearly a thousand people, mostly from the Baltimore area, managed to gather outside City Hall on five days notice in November to express their displeasure at Prop 8 as part of a national Join the Impact movement. There was a lot of passion at that event.

True, it was a Saturday as opposed to Lobby Day being on a Monday—a work day for most—but still. It only took five days by the organizers using Internet social networking sites to pull off such a huge crowd. Did Equality Maryland tap into the Join the Impact network?

Equality Maryland is not solely to blame for the lack of turnout at Lobby Day. The director is new but capable. The organization dutifully publicized the event in area LGBT papers, but it’s not their fault if people aren’t reading them.

There seems to be a persistent lack of involvement and leadership from certain Baltimore-based LGBT organizations to get the people out. Imagine if even a small percentage of Pride-goers turned up at Annapolis. Imagine the impression that would make on legislators that this community is vast and they care. The lawmakers may pay more attention.

Clearly, Equality Maryland will have to recognize that there are varying degrees of interest within the community and that stronger efforts are needed to spark more enthusiasm. Attempts to obtain a comment from Equality Maryland’s Kate Runyon were unsuccessful.

Those who did attend enjoyed the speech made by Bishop Gene Robinson. But there was criticism levied at the speakers’ not being visible because there was no riser or stage. And the sound system was not up to par.

Logistical issues have plagued Lobby Day rallies in the past and may have tamped down attendance. These are technical glitches that can easily be fixed in the future.

Following the rally, the attendees split up to visit and meet with their respective legislators. Some of these delegates and senators were welcoming, supportive and courteous. Others were plainly rude or ignorant, or they simply declined to meet with their constituents.

When people tell their personal stories to lawmakers and relate how the lack of protections affect LGBT families, it can be productive in educating these officials.

And a large crowd on the mall will signal a strong determination to succeed. Let’s hope we can get that passion back.

‘Boys Will Be Boys’ on Sizzling Atlantis Cruise

By Steve Charing

After experiencing two straight cruises, my partner and I decided to try a "gay cruise" and signed up with the folks at Atlantis. Chartering the Royal Caribbean’s "Freedom of the Seas"—currently the largest cruise ship of all—Atlantis managed to jam some 3,600 passengers to sail for a week at the end of January that departed from Miami and covered the ports-of-call of Labadee (Haiti), San Juan and St. Maarten.

With a handful of exceptions, the passengers were all gay men, representing a vast array of ages, body types, and personalities, and they hailed from all over the U.S. and 24 foreign countries. Most were couples, but in many cases you would not know it.

The alleged incidents of sexual liaisons on the ship’s top deck in the wee hours of the morning and the "popularity" of the steam room adjacent to the gym made for colorful gossip and chatter. As a way of reinforcement, these activities were acknowledged and made light of by the two hilarious cruise directors and entertainers. In fact, most of the comedians on board included this phenomenon as part of their material.

Those who are still trying to secure marriage equality may feel discouraged by the fact that "boys will be boys" and wonder if gay men seriously want to make a lifelong commitment through marriage.

Putting that aside, the differences between a gay cruise and a straight cruise are as stark as say, being gay or straight. For example, on a straight cruise, a hot body on a man might be one in which his belly doesn’t protrude through his beater. On this cruise, there were several hundred who seemed to fall off the pages of fitness magazines and materialized into passengers. A large number of these donned Speedos sporting their own version of a stimulus package.

I haven’t seen so many six packs since my last visit to a liquor store. And not all of them were in their twenties. There were plenty of hard, ripped bodies shown off by men in their 40’s 50’s and yes, even 60’s, so take note.

To that point, on a straight cruise one can routinely enter the ship’s expansive gym and use the workout equipment without any delays. On this gay cruise, you’d almost have to make reservations just to enter it with so many gym bods on board. Indeed, it was fairly crowded even at 7 in the morning!

On a straight cruise there will be daily or nighttime dances and parties on the pool deck. And they can be fun. But please…do NOT attempt to compare them with these events on a gay cruise. OMG!

The "Dog Tag" party was smoking hot. You want gays in the military? Well here they were in their olive-colored garb with lots of flesh displayed. There was also a disco party with imaginative and colorful costumes to reflect the era. An undersea party took place in the indoor ice rink (that’s right, an ice rink) where it was so crowded and shirtless you were eventually doused by the sweat of all the men around.

And the crème de la crème of all parties: the notorious "White Party"—billed as the largest such event in the world. By the look of the exceptional and creative white costumes (well, a lot were just clad in tighty whities or less), one would think every big-name fashion designer was on board. To say the costumes were amazing is like saying the ocean is wet. And the soiree lasted until 11 the next morning (from what I was told!).

In all of these parties, the guest DJ’s were spectacular and kept the ship throbbing throughout the nights. Drinks flowed. Glistening bodies on display and gyrating to the relentless beats heard through the superb sound system.

Another distinction between a straight cruise and this one was the fact that upon embarking the ship at the outset, there was a drug-sniffing dog checking out each passenger. Some 20 were unfortunately caught and were arrested. Not only did they have to spend a night in a Miami jail facing possession charges; they lost their investment in the cruise. Ouch!

From what I heard the Atlantis organization filed a complaint with Royal Caribbean for "profiling" gay men. We’ll have to see where that goes.

On a straight cruise, you won’t normally see a thousand or more shrieking men jumping to their feet applauding the performances of a multiple Tony award winner as they did when Patti LuPone ("Evita," "Gypsy") gave a surprise concert. There was also a concert by openly gay Andy Bell, the front man for the 80’s group Erasure.

Gay and lesbian comics were all over the cruise. Ugly Betty’s Alec Mapa was outstanding. So was Comedy Central’s John David. Lesbian comic Poppy Champlin was polished and funny as all hell. The venerable Miss Richfield 1981 was her usual crazy self.

The ridiculously gorgeous TV personality Scott Nevins superbly entertained with comedy, impressions and song. He even had the chutzpah to trash Streisand as part of his act—on a gay cruise no less!

Two cute newcomers—the VGL Boys (Jeff Self and Cole Escola) tried their acts out. They had been billed as 21 year-olds, so predictably the youth-obsessed passengers packed the cabaret room to see them, even though the duo had no heretofore-known track record.

And then there was the ageless Charro who amazed everyone with her talent and endurance.

There were wonderful magic acts and piano and other musical performers. But my favorite of these was Matt Yee, a muumuu-clad, frenetic, exceptionally talented piano player/singer/comic whose audience resembled a cult. The Honolulu resident was the cult leader. Yee led them in frequent toasts, ordered the audience to denounce talkers in the group with expletives, and repeated the mantra over and over: "Asian men are huge!"

Straight cruises also provide outstanding entertainment, but with gay cruises there is a clear knowledge of the audience, and they target their acts accordingly. They definitely speak to the choir. And of course, both types of cruises offer abundant and tasteful food.

But the gay cruise has the bodies, the attitude, the parties and the campiness that will not be found on your bread and butter straight cruises.

All three of my cruises have been arranged by Cruise Planners.

Snubs Aside, Obama Will Do Right by Us

By Steve Charing

On the road to the election and inauguration of Barack Obama, there had been great hope accumulating throughout the LGBT community that for the first time, a U.S. President will be on our side.

That road had hit a speed bump when Barack Obama selected anti-gay Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural’s Invocation. Team Obama underestimated the strong reaction by gay activists that was carried in the mainstream media.

But the president-elect did not back down. This episode sullied the inauguration celebration and gave pause to what I believe is a monumental shift in the struggle for LGBT rights.

There were other missteps as well. Candidate Obama had allowed gospel singer Donnie McLurkin—an anti-gay, ex-gay—to join him during the South Carolina primary campaign. Mr. Obama then apologized.

Candidate Obama maintained his opposition to same-sex marriage during the Saddleback Church interviews conducted by none other than Rick Warren.

Candidate Obama did not forcefully speak out against Proposition 8 that snatched marriage rights already granted to thousands of same-sex couples in California.

No openly gay or lesbian had been appointed to a cabinet-level position.

The inaugural committee somehow botched up the schedule, which kept openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson’s speech from being heard by millions of HBO viewers.

Yet despite all these snubs, President Obama should be a champion for LGBT folks unlike any other president in history. Hopefully, we can, from here on out, praise the new president instead of criticizing him.

The euphoria that enveloped the nation and the world leading up to and including the days immediately following the historic inauguration will last longer than most. Given these turbulent times, that’s saying something. While some LGBT activists bemoaned the fact we were never mentioned during the 20-minute inaugural address, that’s quite alright. It wasn’t the place or the time.

President Obama emphasized accountability in government during the speech. The days immediately following the inauguration, he immediately demonstrated that.

His swift actions on closing trials at Guantanamo, issuing ethics orders, meeting as promised with his top military brass to end the war in Iraq and other measures signified to me that he will keep his campaign pledges.

And President Obama followed through with his campaign promises to the lgbt community by posting, in fairly good detail, his positions on most of the issues that are important to the lgbt community to the official White House website, whitehouse.gov.

He called the section "Supporting the LGBT Community," and he quoted himself as a preamble: "While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect." -- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

Beautiful words indeed.

The issues covered include: Expand Hate Crimes Statutes, Fight Workplace Discrimination, Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples, Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage, Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell, Expand Adoption Rights, Promote AIDS Prevention, Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS.

This is freakin’ huge!

No president has even come close to outlining his positions on lgbt rights, let alone favorable ones. True, President Obama hasn’t yet come around to support same-sex marriage; at least he opposes a federal constitutional amendment to define marriage to be between one man and one woman.

What is notable on the website, however, is his commitment to end DOMA—the nefarious Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by former President Bill Clinton in 1996. He had publicly indicated to lgbt activists during the primaries that he will not only repeal certain components of the law but will seek to repeal the entire measure.

President Obama’s position to confer over 1,100 federal benefits to same-sex couples either through civil unions or some form of partnership recognition will not be realized unless DOMA is eliminated. The law establishes a federal ban on same-sex marriage, which nullifies federal benefits and rights and permits states not to recognize same-sex marriages occurring in other states.

But as we collectively lick our chops at the prospects of these other issues going our way, we must be patient a bit longer. The economic crisis is a major challenge that must be dealt with, not to mention restoring a framework for peace throughout key hot spots in the world.

The president cannot and should not use his political capital on anything except getting his stimulus package through Congress. That’s the primary order of business.

In the past, the ill-advised expenditure of political good will was damaging. President Clinton misfired when he attempted in 1993 to end gays in the military unilaterally—a campaign pledge in its own right. A significant portion of the military, including the top brass, as well as many in Congress, distrusted Clinton on military matters. This was mainly as a result of his evading service during the Vietnam era and a generally tepid amount of warmth towards him as he took office.

President Clinton miscalculated the opposition to the initiative, and we have been stuck with the absurd policy of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" since then.

President Obama has stated he will work to build a consensus on that and other LGBT-related initiatives. Give him time to do that. He needs to get our country back on track first.

But I am certain he will make good on his word. Don’t let the initial snubs diminish our hope for a brighter rainbow in the future.

Dwelling Below the Radar

The Plight of Baltimore’s Homeless LGBT Youth

By Steve Charing

They seemed to get along as well as any Baltimore family that has a 16 year-old. But when the religious mother and stepfather of Antoine Williams (not his actual name) discovered he was gay, they immediately put him out of the house.

Following the incident, the parents of one of Antoine’s friends allowed him to stay with them for the next six months. When that expired, Antoine lived on the streets until he ended up moving in with five other gay youth and an older 24 year-old gay male. They lived together in a single room—all six of them—migrating from a motel on North Avenue to another on Resisterstown Road.

To feed themselves and pay the motel charges, all of them became prostitutes on the streets of Baltimore. As a result, Antoine contracted several sexually transmitted diseases (STD) as well as HIV.

Two years later, Antoine’s parents allowed him to return to their house. They still didn’t get along. He then moved in with a much older male in Baltimore to whom he was dependent. It was a relationship that in order for Antoine to be housed and fed, the older man demanded sexual favors from him. Antoine was exploited.

A couple of years later, Antoine found his own place, and at 24 today, he seems to be doing relatively okay.

Notwithstanding Antoine’s HIV status and other physical and psychological issues, this is one of the better outcomes when a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered youth must confront the streets of Baltimore. That usually happens following a tumultuous family crisis generated by a parent forcing their child out of the house upon learning that he or she is LGBT or that they are so unaccepting of the child’s sexual orientation, the teen must run away to change the environment.

We perceive homeless people to be older and living on the streets, in doorways, alleys, abandoned houses and cars, under bridges and overpasses, sleeping on benches and grates and occasionally making their way into emergency shelters.

Indeed, according to the most recent census taken of the homeless population in January 2007 by Baltimore Homeless Services, a component of the Baltimore Health Department, four out of five homeless are over age 35. The factors causing adult homelessness are more likely to be economic-related or the result of mental, physical and substance abuse problems.

Living in the Shadows
Homeless teens who are unaccompanied (not part of a homeless family but are out on their own), including LGBT youth, also spend a significant time on the streets. But they are more apt to seek shelter with friends, extended family members, lovers, or occasional strangers like the ones Antoine met. This is referred to as "couch surfing"—finding any place to crash, however temporary, unstable, transitional and risky that may be.

"Homeless youth in Baltimore, ages 18 to 24, comprise the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population," says Nan Astone, a professor and faculty member at the center of Adolescent Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

A significant number of the homeless youth aren’t captured by the census because so many are in these transitional environments (categorized as unstably housed). Since the census survey is conducted at a point in time when homeless congregate at shelters, soup kitchens and social service centers, on a given day there may not be homeless youth present at these locations to be counted.

Moreover, homeless young people, including LGBT youth, tend not to reach out for assistance at these centers either because they eschew such mainstream intervention, distrust adults, fear they may be placed in foster care, or they are not aware of the services available. They are simply hiding in many cases.

Accordingly, these youth are dwelling under the radar, and their population is woefully underestimated. That is critical when determining the magnitude of the problem.

The Baltimore Homeless Youth Initiative (BHYI) with technical assistance from researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, conducted a parallel youth count in 2007 and found 272 unaccompanied minors and unstably housed young people under the age of 26 in Baltimore City. A majority of youth counted, 157 (58%), were between 16 and 19 years old. Of those counted, 145 (53%) were female, 108 (40%) were male, and 19 (7%) were transgendered.

The Baltimore public school system estimates there are as many as 2,289 homeless young people in Baltimore.

In the BHYI survey, there is no breakdown in the statistics regarding sexual orientation other than the transgender category, and again, these are extremely conservative numbers given the lack of visibility of homeless young people.

(A BHYI-Bloomberg School census of homeless youth for 2009 was recently undertaken, but the findings will not be available for several months.)

Forced to the streets
A National Gay and Lesbian Task Force report estimates that one third of American homeless youth are LGBT. Nicholas Ray, the author of the report says, "Ultimately …the crisis begins with family conflict and institutionalized homophobia."

Many LGBT children who are thrown out of their houses (referred to as "throwaways") have been victims of parental physical abuse or family conflict. They lack basic resources, education, skills, or a plan for the future. Some try to attend school but struggle; others drop out altogether. It’s not easy to succeed in school when their next meal is uncertain.

The throwaways are vulnerable to criminal behavior, sometimes through gang involvement, as well as becoming victims of robbery, rape and assault. They are also exposed to many risks that lead to poor health—STD’s, including HIV, survival sex (sex in exchange for money, drugs or shelter), pregnancy, depression and are more prone to consider suicide than other homeless youth.

These family crises that result in being forced out can be largely traced to the religious views towards homosexuality by parents. Clearly if the parents of LGBT teens are more tolerant, the throwaway problem would be mitigated. The support organization PFLAG—Parents, Families of Friends of Lesbians and Gays—has had an on and off presence in Baltimore for years. Unfortunately, there has been a lack of interest by city parents to sustain the chapter, and the families of LGBT city youth are not being served.

"Too many parents of LGBT kids are confused and uninformed," said Colette Roberts, chairperson of the Howard County chapter of PFLAG. "I get many phone calls from parents in Baltimore who are unable to travel to our meetings, and the best I can do is mail them literature. While helpful, they need much more in the way of education and support than a mailing can provide."

Limited choices for LGBT Homeless
If and when these LGBT youth seek out a public shelter, straight kids are more likely to be treated better, according to Ross Pologe, a venerable advocate of Baltimore youth issues. Young LGBT people, especially males, are often subject to harassment and violence at these shelters. "We have so much baggage about sexual orientation in our society," Pologe laments.

Ross Pologe, who for 33 years has been associated with the Fellowship of Lights, a facility that had provided shelter for runaways, ages 12 to 18, works with BHYI. "LGBT youth who are kicked out of their homes are not likely to seek help. They need stable housing." He urges alternatives to foster care as a key to help solving this problem.

To be sure, foster care has not worked well in Baltimore, especially for LGBT teens. The conditions are often intolerable. Foster parents who are religious have tossed LGBT kids out. When they are in foster care the kids are frequently harassed or shunned, pushing them to run away to escape. On a given day, 100 youth are missing from the foster care system.

The numerous homeless teens who wind up in the juvenile justice system face even greater challenges in getting placed in acceptable foster care.

Support is scarce
Community youth activist Kenneth Morrison, who at 19, helped organize a support group called Kevon’s Room in 2004 for Baltimore City’s LGBQT youth ages 13 to 21. As stated on the group’s MySpace page, its mission was to make Baltimore City a safer place for LGBT youth.

"Baltimore's youth have enough issues from poverty and crime to the lack of adequate education. Being ostracized by your family and community should not be one of them," according to the statement on the page.

Kevon’s Room had about 220 members and worked with both gay community centers and churches. But the group disbanded in 2007 when homeless LGBT teens comprised over a third of all the kids. "There just are no resources for homeless gays. No safe place for gays," Morrison said plaintively. "There was nothing we can do."

"If there is a neglected, forgotten community in Baltimore, it is the dozens of homeless LGBT youth," said Aaron Merki, who along with other attorneys and law students, are in the process of establishing the Freestate Legal Clinic in Baltimore to address legal issues facing LGBT youth. "Often they are sick, malnourished, abandoned by friends and family, and forced to prostitute themselves in order to shower and eat."

As bad it is for gay and lesbians to find adequate shelter, the problem is more acute for the transgendered youth. According to the BHYI census, 15 of the 19 (76%) transgendered youth surveyed were unstably housed.

Attorney Lisa Kershner, who is another founder of Freestate, is appalled by the plight of transgendered youth. "[They] face discrimination, hate crimes, and for the many who are homeless, are even being shut of shelters and left to fend for themselves on the street where they are at even greater risk for abuse and violence," Kershner said.

Homeless LGBT youth require stable living conditions to overcome the long-term challenges they face. While Baltimore Homeless Services does a good job in trying to cope with adult homelessness, it does not have specific services geared towards homeless youth. Likewise, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore lacks a specific program that is dedicated to LGBT homeless youth.

Light at the end of the tunnel?
Without question inadequate funding had been a great impediment to area providers as is a true sense of the quantitative scope of the problem. However, the aforementioned Baltimore Homeless Youth Initiative, which had conducted the parallel homeless census, is a collaboration of Government and community agencies trying to find better housing for youth for ages ranging from 14 to 24.

BHYI and other providers are attempting to create a building in the city’s Southern Park Heights neighborhood to house approximately 40 homeless youth. This housing opportunity, called Restoration Gardens, is expected to be available for occupancy this summer.

In Montgomery County there are plans afoot to establish a residential home dedicated to LGBT homeless youth. Hearts and Homes, a service organization for youth in need, is working with Equality Maryland, PFLAG, other organizations in the private sector as well as local government to make this possible. At the beginning, the residence is expected to have 6 to 8 beds.

Although the home will be situated in Montgomery County, youth from across the state can be referred to the home, says Carrie Evans, Director of Policy and Planning for Equality Maryland.

Several services will be offered. "We will provide 24-hour supervision with counselors, mentors, treatment, access to jobs and education," said Rex Smith who founded Hearts and Homes in 1964. "Besides housing them, we need to be teaching kids about their self-worth."

Lining up money for up-front costs is essential. "Our first order of business is raising the operating funds for the home, so we have formed a fundraising committee to devise a plan," said Evans. "Once we get some dedicated money we expect things to move forward quickly." A target date has been set for July 1.

"Homeless youth are not just younger forms of homeless adults," said Nan Astone.. "They are different in many, if not most, ways."

And LGBT homeless youth are different still and face greater challenges especially since they dwell below the radar.

ISO the Gay Barack Obama

We need a national leader who can unify community, win equality.

As Barack Obama ascended the Capitol steps to be sworn in as the nation’s 44th president, he will have a menu of problems not seen by any other president in history. Two foreign wars, an economy on the brink of collapse, environmental crises, the Mideast sitting on a powder keg, sniping from members of his own party, scandals all over the place—the list goes on and on.

But Mr. Obama, more than any other president in memory, has the potential to meet these challenges and threats with a good chance of success. Why? For starters he has the intelligence and vision required to steer the ship. He also has a mindset that emphasizes collaboration over confrontation, which is the first step in uniting a divided country. But most importantly he is a leader.

To effect change there must be leadership. Of course, Mr. Obama can draw on his near-mandate in the November election to press his case. But he also has the ability to go beyond simply pointing to the election numbers.

He inspires millions of people. His storybook and historic rise to the presidency was accomplished through his no-nonsense stewardship of his campaign and his extraordinary ability to communicate. If change does come, you can credit Mr. Obama for inspiring the masses using his innate ability to lift people up and mobilizing them to join in a movement.

Imagine if we had such a leader in the LGBT community.

No individual has yet to emerge who possesses the kind of charismatic qualities that can persuade, inspire and unite a diverse, fragmented and divided lgbt community. For example, we have seen Joe Solomnese, the head of the Human Rights Campaign—the nation’s largest LGBT political advocacy organization—attempt to lead the LGBT community during legislative battles in Congress, the Proposition 8 debacle, and the controversial selection of Pastor Rick Warren by Mr. Obama to deliver the Inauguration’s invocation.

Being the face of this large organization provides Mr. Solomnese with a platform to be such a leader. The problem is that the HRC (and by extension Mr. Solomnese) is viewed by many lgbt activists as nothing more than a fundraising machine with pricey, glittery, star-studded dinners with few legislative triumphs to boast. That subverts his leadership potential.

Mr. Solomnese and HRC do excellent work, and it is unfair to ignore their efforts to secure rights for gays and lesbians. Congress and the American people have been slow to come around to our cause, so success has been elusive. I don’t believe any individual and any lgbt organization would have been able to produce key legislative victories given the political and social climate over the past three decades.

There have been missteps to be sure. Mr. Solomnese’s unwise, highly publicized letter to Mr. Obama asking him to withdraw the selection of Rick Warren is a good example. He should have clearly known that the President-elect would not reverse his decision based on the demands of a leader of a gay rights organization. That lack of political sagacity set Mr. Solomnese up for immediate failure and raises the question, who then can ever be our leader?

That question remains unanswered after California’s passage of Prop 8. The immediate knee-jerk reaction by LGBT activists was to blame the voters, mainly African-Americans, for the failure to stop the referendum’s passage.

The blame game went on for weeks before there were reports that the individuals and organizations leading the fight against Prop 8 were incompetent or missing in action. Once again, it proves that if all you do is raise money and don’t know how to properly spend it, you are destined to fail—both in the results and in the perception of the folks you are trying to help.

The grossly inadequate outreach to people of color and seniors during the marketing phase stands out. Moreover, one of the "leaders" spent a month-long vacation during the prime time of the campaign. Other horror stories continue to surface about the execution of the "No to Prop 8" effort. Clearly, the leadership failures contributed significantly to the outcome.

Ineptitude and incompetence have impaired our ability to progress. The fallout from the Prop 8 mess exposed deep fissures within the gay population. Daunting as it might be, is there such a person with majestic communication skills who can successfully inspire, unify and lead our community? We would need a leader who can:

Help heal the ugly sore of racism that exists among gays and lesbians—on all sides.

Bridge the gender divide.

Lead young and old alike.

Recognize that fundraising is imperative but the community also includes people who cannot afford lavish events.

Gain the confidence of Congress, state legislatures and other elected officials, including our President, and work with them to achieve equality.

Engage in productive dialogue with clergy of all religions and denominations.

Embrace our transgendered friends and work hard to secure them the protections they deserve.

Those are the job requirements at a minimum. Now we need applicants. Is our Barack Obama out there?

Equality Maryland Outlines 2009 Legislative Agenda

"We’re in a good place legislatively"

By Steve Charing

Although the 2009 Maryland General Assembly will be intensely focused on a widening budget deficit amidst a weakening economy, Equality Maryland plans to advance a legislative agenda to achieve social and economic justice for the LGBT community. Several carryover initiatives from last year will form the core of Maryland’s largest civil rights organization’s efforts during the next few months.

The Gender Identity and Expression Anti-Discrimination Act will be at the forefront of the lobbying group’s priorities. The bill, which failed to emerge from the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee last year by one vote, is designed to add gender identity to state laws that already prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit based on factors, such as sexual orientation.

Kate Runyon, the new Executive Director of Equality Maryland, noted during a presentation at the January 13 general meeting of PFLAG-Columbia/Howard County that protections for transgendered people had won the support of Governor Martin O’Malley when he was Mayor of Baltimore. "So why not support it at the state level as well," Runyon asked. His leadership would be crucial in getting the measure out of committee and onto the floor for a debate and vote.

To underscore the priority Equality Maryland is placing on the transgender bill, the organization is scheduling a separate transgender rights Lobby Day session to take place in Annapolis on February 16.

The regularly scheduled Lobby Day will be held on February 2 with Equality Maryland focusing on people of faith. To amplify that theme, Bishop Gene Robinson, the openly gay bishop of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire, will be the primary speaker at the rally. "He will be speaking about the importance of LGBT people of faith, being families of faith, and standing up for equality and justice," said Runyon.

Besides Bishop Robinson, Kate Runyon, who had worked on a wide range of LGBT issues in Michigan before she replaced Dan Furmansky as the executive director of Equality Maryland, will speak at the rally, which begins at 4:30 p.m. at Lawyers Mall. Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane, the two lead plaintiffs in the unsuccessful lawsuit to end the ban on same-sex marriage in Maryland, will also address the crowd, as will several elected officials.

Equality Maryland is scaling back expectations regarding passage of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act during the upcoming session. According to Runyon, the goal is to work with people to increase sponsorship this year.

When asked if Equality Maryland may try to secure civil unions in the short-term given that there is broader consensus among the legislators for that and Governor O’Malley has signaled that he would sign the measure into law, Runyon said the organization would rather wait for a marriage bill to succeed.

Noting that civil unions fail to offer the same protections as full marriage, Runyon explained, "The political climate in Maryland is favorable for passage in a few years. With patience and by lining up the right people we will achieve full equal marriage."

Another bill that will be pushed by Equality Maryland deals with removing the costly inheritance tax on same-sex partners. The measure would add same-sex partners to those already exempted from paying inheritance taxes. Unless remedied, the tax liability upon the death of a partner could be very costly. "This is an area that we need more equality very quickly as well," said Runyon in front of 50 people attending the PFLAG meeting.

A new bill will be introduced that addresses the legal rights of co-parents. This "first-of-a kind" measure would allow a partner without a legal or biological relationship to a child to petition a court for custody and visitation rights for the child they have parented if the partners broke up.

Displaying a Midwestern folksy style aided by humorous anecdotes , Kate Runyon explained the best techniques to be used when lobbying legislators and how to win them over. She emphasized the need to be collegial and respectful as opposed to showing anger and being aggressive. "We should be gentle but firm and with a presence."

She also suggested that children of partners be brought to the lobbying sessions with the legislators because they can make a powerful impression. "Why can’t my Mommy marry my Mommy?"

More information about Lobby Day and the legislative session is at http://www.equalitymaryland.org/

Stonewall Democrats Setting up Shop in Baltimore

By Steve Charing

A cold, rainy January 7 night didn’t deter nearly 30 people from attending the first organizational meeting of the Baltimore chapter of the Stonewall Democrats. Co-founders Luke Clippinger and Daniel Ewald are in the process of establishing the chapter to join the 90 that already exist throughout the country.

Those attending the meeting downtown were racially diverse with a wide variety of backgrounds and ages. There were folks from Baltimore City as well as from Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties.

"Given the bad weather, we were very pleasantly surprised to see that many people show up for this meeting," said Luke Clippinger one of the co-founders of the Baltimore group. Clippinger vowed to bring in people from Anne Arundel and Carroll counties by fostering a grassroots movement throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Stonewall Democrats is America's only grassroots Democratic LGBT organization. Its main objectives include educating the LGBT community about the differences between the political parties, mobilizing the lgbt community to get out to vote on Election Day for fair-minded Democrats, and standing up to Republicans when they attack lgbt rights and families. It had been founded by openly gay Rep. Barney Frank (MA) over 20 years ago.

The fledgling group in Baltimore, however, will concentrate their efforts on local issues and candidates. "There already is a Stonewall chapter in the D.C. suburbs that will eventually cover Southern Maryland," said Daniel Ewald, another co-founder. "Having a chapter in Baltimore will provide convenience to local residents and attract more members from this area."

One of the principal goals of the Baltimore chapter is to help elect lgbt and allied candidates to offices. Luke Clippinger, who was one of three Marylanders who helped draft the platform at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, explained, "We will provide actual training for people on what it takes to run for office, how to be good candidates, and how to raise money."

Moreover, the chapter plans to educate elected officials on LGBT issues, design a grassroots effort to attract the LGBT community, and persuade more people to become involved in politics. The grassroots strategy includes media outreach, web presence (already on Facebook) and developing events.

While the national Stonewall Democrats focuses on federal issues and working with members of Congress, the Baltimore chapter will direct its attention to state and local matters. "We will try to primarily affect the City Council and various county councils in the area regarding issues that are important to the LGBT community," said Daniel Ewald, who is also an officer in the Baltimore County Young Democrats.

The Baltimore chapter plans to work with the Maryland Democratic Central Committee on advancing lgbt causes and devising electoral strategies. Clippinger noted that Equality Maryland must be bipartisan in advocating LGBT initiatives because of the nature of the organization, but the chapter will work with the organization on policy and other matters.

The next meeting is scheduled for February 4 when the group will focus on a temporary board, review of the by-laws generated by the committee, and planning of an initial event. Once the by-laws and other administrative requirements are approved by the national organization, the Baltimore chapter will be officially a part of the Stonewall Democrats.

For more information about the Baltimore Stonewall Democrats, e-mail lukeclip@gmail.com.

The OUTIES: Best (or Worst) of 2008

Happy New Year, readers!

In keeping with the year-end tradition of columnists’ picking the best, worse and whatever, I am introducing OUTspoken’s list of the Best (or Worst) of 2008, or the OUTIES. It’ s an unapologetic, biased, subjective, slanted list of the best (or worst in some cases) of politics, culture, the city, the state and the scene. Some selections call for a brief explanation; others clearly do not.

In no particular order, welcome to the 2008 OUTIES:

Best Date of the Year—November 4, 2008.

Best Campaign Slogan—"Yes We Can"

Most Inaccurate Campaign Slogan—"Putting Country First"

Best Political Decision—Barack Obama’s eschewing public financing to raise private contributions instead

Worst Political Decision— You betcha! John McCain’s picking Sarah Palin as his running mate. (See Most Inaccurate Campaign Slogan above)

Most Disappointing Outreach Effort—Obama’s selecting Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inauguration’s invocation

Gutsiest Political Decision—Obama’s choosing Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State

Most Nauseating Character in the Campaign—"Joe the Plumber"

Most Nauseating Word in the Campaign—"Maverick"

Most Influential Entertainer During the Campaign—Tina Fey

Most Ironic Disclosure—Turns out that daughter of social conservative Sarah Palin isn’t so big on abstinence only

Best Court Decision—California’s Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriage should be legal

Worst Election Result—California passing Proposition 8, which negated the court decision above

Best Hollywood Straight LGBT Ally—Brad Pitt, for his substantial contributions to defeat Prop 8.

Best Hollywood LGBT Person—(Tie) Neil Patrick Harris and Ellen Degeneres

Worst Hollywood LGBT Person—Elton John, for his problem with the word "marriage" during the Prop 8 debate

Most Supportive Straight TV Commentator—Keith Olbermann

Best Lesbian TV Commentator—Rachel Maddow

Best Local Elected Official on Marriage Equality—Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, for his public support at a legislative committee hearing

Most Disappointing Local Elected Official on Marriage Equality—Gov. Martin O’Malley

Most LGBT-Supportive Baltimore City Elected Official—Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Most Vile Democrat in Maryland—Sen. President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller for standing in the way of transgender protections and marriage equality

Most Vile Republican in Maryland—Too many to mention

Best LGBT Organization—PFLAG-Columbia/Howard County, for not only offering year-round support to the parents of LGBT children, welcoming all LGBT folks and allies to the organization and providing a safe space for LGBT youth and their friends, but also producing on a shoe-string budget the splendid multi-media "Someone You Love is Gay" ad campaign that has been praised by PR pros. In addition, the chapter formed the largest contingent at Equality Maryland’s Lobby Day and its advocacy work has been a prototype for other PFLAG chapters.

Best Political Event—Join the Impact on November 15, which through the use of the Internet and a zero budget, on just 5 days notice managed to muster about a thousand (half of them straight) to a protest Prop 8 rally outside City Hall.

Best Non-political Event—Baltimore Pride, for its colorful, well-run parade, block party and festival

Best Gay Bar—PW’s Sports Bar in N. Laurel, for its friendly staff and crowd and its wide range of events and community involvement

Best Karaoke Gay Bar—Hippo with Steve Smith as the emcee and The Drinkery as runner-up

Best Happy Hour—The Quest

Best LGBT Bartender—David from the Hippo’s Karaoke room

Best Hair Studio and Day Spa—Neal’s on Park and Read

Best Piano Bar—Jay’s on Read

Best Change in Bars and Restaurants—Ban on smoking. Our lungs get to survive another year.

Best Baltimore Drag Act—Dimitria

Comeback of the Year—Britney Spears

Best Departing Hero—Dan Furmansky of Equality Maryland

Saddest Departing Hero—H.E.R.O.

Best Newcomers—Joe King and Makemie Taylor, for organizing the Join the Impact rally. It was a model for grassroots organizing.

Gay Bar Owner of the Year—John Cook, owner of PW’s who generously allows worthy LGBT organizations as well as community groups to hold fundraisers at PW’s

Best Conscience for People of Color—Rev. Meredith Moise. She speaks her mind and does it so well.

Best Jack-of-all Trades—Skip Koritzer

Best ‘T’ in LGBT—Drew Saine who does a fabulous job with the OUTloud website and Mara Drummond, a beautiful person through and through and who is active on LGBT issues. I love them both.

Best Baltimore LGBT Friendly Theater—Spotlighters

Best LGBT Movie—"Milk." Will the homophobes in Hollywood keep it from winning Oscars?

Best in Mining for Gold—Michael Phelps (not too shabby in a Speedo either)

Best Baltimore Sports Team—The Ravens who also wear our fave color purple, and Todd Heap is still a great Tight End

Best Orioles Off-Season Move—Finally getting "Baltimore" written across the road jerseys for 2009.

Worst Team in 2008 (and All-Time)—Bush-Cheney

Obama's New Pastor Problem

Just when we thought the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was behind us, President-elect Barack Obama has a new pastor problem. In selecting Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the Inaugural on Jan. 20, Obama stuck a finger into the eye of every LGBT person in America.

You would think by now that he would be a tad more sensitive to this group of Americans who worked their asses off for him, helped raise and donated millions of dollars to his campaign and where 70 percent voted for him despite his opposition to same-sex marriage.

We overwhelmingly trusted this man to deliver the change we need and have long sought. But there were earlier warnings that, after some protests from gay activists, were generally forgotten as the dramatic campaign moved forward. Obama's controversial choice of gospel singer Donnie McLurkin--an anti-gay, ex-gay--to join him during the South Carolina primary campaign was not a good sign. But Obama at least acknowledged the mistake.

Now he chooses Rick Warren of the Saddleback mega-Church to have a prominat role in a high profile historic event. The gay community is not the only sector of the progressive wing who is upset. Besides his anti-gay marriage stance, Rev. Warren is anti-choice and anti-stem cell research.

Rick Warren, although he has been a friend of Obama, should not have been chosen. The decision is angering gays and lesbians all over the country. Warren was very vocal in support of Prop. 8. [See video clip below.] We understand Obama's desire to govern the entire nation, but really, did the GOP ever bring in lefty preachers to officiate major events?




Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign has written a letter to Obama asking him to reconsider. Here's an excerpt:

"...We feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination. Only when Rev. Warren and others support basic legislative protections for LGBT Americans can we believe their claim that they are not four-square against our rights and dignity. In that light, we urge you to reconsider this announcement."

That about sums it up. Another pastor problem for Obama. Another headache for him and for all of us. I do feel he owes us now.

Targeting the Persuadable Middle

By Steve Charing

The bitter reaction to the Proposition 8 fiasco last month has sparked a debate among gay activists as to the correct course of action we should pursue in our quest for equality. Some favor confrontation with opponents; others seek a more measured approach.

But which would be the most effective? The general lgbt strategy ought to be constructed with an eye towards gathering as much support as possible as opposed to simply fighting our enemies.

As I see it, our country is divided into three groups when it comes to LGBT rights. You have on one side of the spectrum most, but not all, of us. This segment also covers straight allies and supporters and otherwise progressive-minded citizens. They are in our camp. All we need to do is "activate" them more, especially those all-too-many gays and lesbians who are politically apathetic.

On the other end, there are religious people who see homosexuality as a sin. Added to this group are those who have no overwhelming interest in religion but despise, fear or are ignorant of gay people anyway. They are the homophobes; it is unlikely that we can change their minds. Some may come around especially if they discover a lgbt member of their family. But otherwise, their bigotry is entrenched and intractable.

Nonetheless, many gay activists have concluded that fighting for our rights—whether it represents same-sex marriage, non-discrimination in employment or the ability to serve openly in the Armed Forces—should be waged in the churches, synagogues and mosques throughout the country. Churches, and in particular the Mormon Church, have recently been the targets of protests, demonstrations and commentary on the blogosphere following the passage of Prop 8.

To be sure, the religious arguments against homosexuality are open to interpretation and are, at the very least, outdated. As such, the cited chapters and verses in the Bible have been cherry-picked to promote discrimination for eons. Other condemnations in Scripture are ignored while the infamous one in Leviticus pertaining to homosexuality is offered up ad nauseum.

Going to war with religious institutions and their flocks, however, is a losing proposition. This is decidedly true if one is arguing directly with the zealots who push Scripture as the basis for anti-gay thinking. We are not likely to be successful in puncturing their homosexuality-is-a-sin mantra.

Do we abandon the religious segment entirely? Not at all. We should maintain a channel of communication with clergy of all denominations. There is a small chance that some will at least understand the human rights element involved in discrimination and its effect on families and perhaps some may soften their hard line opposition to a degree. So it is worth it to engage religious leaders and establish a respectful dialogue.

But the preponderance of our energy and effort should be directed to the third group—the larger group—which I refer to as the persuadable middle. These folks are not committed to any one position on lgbt rights.

The subject may not interest them. They may be uncertain as to whether granting rights to gays and lesbians would have any consequences. They may have concerns with homosexuality but resent government interference in private lives. Or they may be turned off by religious dogma. This group is generally softer on the issue and, therefore, persuadable. We must educate them as well as our elected officials on our issues.

Fred Phelps and his Westboro, Kansas clan of "God Hates Fags" extremists (see photo) ironically help our cause. Not only does this group hate gays, but they also hate America. They have thanked God for the tragedy of September 11, dragged the American flag along the ground, and defiled military funerals.

This image of insane extremism turns off the moderate middle, thereby providing an opportunity to make the case for equality.

While arguing point-by-point Biblical references to homosexuality with religious citizens usually leads to a dead-end, it is legitimate to debunk some of the biblical inconsistencies when discussing our plight with the middle segment of society. And there is plenty of fodder to choose from, especially in terms of what is a sin. (See this excellent piece by Cenk Uygur on the Huffington Post.)

Moreover, we can make our case in terms of fairness and the impact of discrimination on the tens of thousands of LGBT families. That would help penetrate any resistance on the part of persuadable middle.

Evidence proves that this moderate approach is a winner. Recent polling indicates that we are gaining in all areas pertaining to LGBT rights. It explains why more and more corporations and localities are implementing non-discrimination and/or domestic partnership policies. These shifts are coming from winning over the middle, not from converting the religious right or the homophobes.

The positive trend is attributable to the middle’s feeling more comfortable with gays. Increased tolerance among the youth is a big factor. And as more people come out of the closet, it enhances the probability that someone will actually know a gay person on a personal level and would tend to be supportive.

Accordingly, we should continue to use our energy and resources to target the persuadable middle where the potential payoff is greatest. Let the bigots defeat themselves.

Huckabee Loses Again

Would be Pastor-in-Chief Mike Huckabee got undressed by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart on the issue of same-sex marriage. Huckabee failed to apply logic, common sense, fairness and history in making his case that gays should not be allowed to marry. Rather, he gloated as to how the majority asserted their will on the minority in statewide ballot initiatives.

Stewart was unflinchingly strong in his arguments; the best one being: "Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have, for religion -- we protect religion -- and talk about a lifestyle choice! That is absolutely a choice. Gay people don't choose to be gay."

When asked by Stewart at what age Huckabee chose not to be gay, he had no answer. Hmm.
Stewart also could have also questioned procreation as the justification for heterosexual marriage. Should the marriage licenses of couples be revoked if they choose not to or cannot have children?

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Keeping Our Cool

Radical reactions to defeats will not bring about the changes we need.

By Steve Charing

Believe it or not, I agreed with Bill O’Reilly’s recent assessment that the actions taken by a group of radical gay activists in a Lansing, Michigan church would hurt our cause. Of course, O’Reilly’s looking out for us warrants suspicion, but his point is well taken.

We have just experienced one of the most gut-wrenching defeats in our struggle for equality when the nefarious Proposition 8 that banned same-sex marriages in California was approved by voters by a relatively narrow margin on the same night we decisively elected Barack Obama president.

The consequences of Prop. 8 were stunning and tragic. A coalition of religious organizations and social conservatives managed to scare enough voters to restrict marriage to a man and a woman.

Tempting as it may have been to vent frustration and anger, the results do not give license to irate LGBT folks and supporters to act out their impulses by defacing religious buildings or other targets, as was widely reported. And it is no excuse for a radical queer group, Bash Back!, to disrespectfully disrupt services at Mount Hope Church in Michigan.

According to reports, about 30 gay activists in pink and black garb from the Lansing chapter began shouting during a service on November 9, throwing fliers at the congregation and making out with one another. They allegedly yelled, "It’s OK to be gay" and "Jesus was a homo" among other slogans.

From the Bash Back! website:


It received some media coverage, especially from a delighted FOX News, to heighten Bash Back!’s visibility—a stated goal on its website.

And with other Bash Back! chapters in such places as Chicago, Memphis, Milwaukee, Denver, Olympia, Philadelphia, Upstate New York and Washington, DC, we can expect similar outbursts around the country. This doesn’t help win friends and influence people, as the saying goes.

Barring any surprise legal victory in the California Supreme Court, our defeat on Prop 8 will clearly delay the ultimate goal of full marriage equality for those who aren’t fortunate to live in Massachusetts and Connecticut. It’s back to the drawing board where our efforts must be directed towards educating the public as well as clergy of all denominations that gay people marrying will not infringe upon their religious beliefs nor will it destroy the institution of marriage.

We must continue to tell our stories to elected officials so that they can see the human side of discrimination. We must explain how continuing to be treated as second-class citizens hurts families.

We must also point out that in Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage has been legal for over four years, the institution of marriage has not been undermined as the State’s divorce rate remains among the lowest in the nation.

This approach does work if the politician has an open mind.

One of the positive outcomes of the Prop 8 travesty was the nationwide mobilization of a movement called Join the Impact. In just a few short days of grass roots organizing and effective use of the Internet’s social networking sites, the campaign on November 15 mustered sign-waving crowds in the hundreds of thousands across the country from D.C. to Seattle to peacefully and resolutely demonstrate in support of our goal of marriage equality.

In Baltimore, for example, a thousand attended a rally outside City Hall last month to hear speakers tell their stories to a diverse crowd of gays and straights, old and young, blacks and whites.

"Our mission is to encourage our community to engage our opposition in a conversation about full equality and to do this with respect, dignity, and an attitude of outreach and education," says the JoinTheImpact mission statement on Facebook.

JoinTheImpact in Baltimore is quickly amassing hundred of supporters on Facebook, which validates its principles of educating the public and elected officials.

The tactics used by Bash Back!, on the other hand, will only serve to alienate moderate citizens and embolden right wing conservatives to continue their attacks on us as out of the mainstream and to generate fear of gays.

Our ultimate victory, whenever that will be, will be won at the ballot box and in the legislatures. Elected officials will vote according to the wishes of their constituents. We need to make our case and convince them respectfully. Allowing Bill O’Reilly and others to whip up anger against us because of radicalism will stop us cold.

PW’s: Howard County’s Friendly Gay Bar

By Steve Charing

There are several characteristics that would describe a successful neighborhood gay bar: diverse crowds, high energy, entertainment, friendly bartenders and staff, tasty affordable food, ample off-street parking, and giving back to the community. It’s clear that PW’s Sports Bar and Grill—situated in a strip mall at Route 1 and Whiskey Bottom Road in North Laurel—fits all of these. Yup, put a check next to each one.

It also happens to be the only gay bar in Howard County. By dint of its centralized location, PW’s is the social center between the bar scenes of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The ownership takes that role seriously and is involved in a variety of activities that have advanced the visibility of the lgbt community as well as the viability of important lgbt organizations.

"The community has been good to PW’s, and we have tried our best to be good to the community," says John Cook, who is the owner of PW’s.

The bar is divided into two sections. The drinks are made and served in the saloon area. It has several TV’s going usually with a sporting event going on. The other larger rectangular multi-purpose room is a combination dining area, poolroom, cabaret and bingo parlor.

It was in this room that the bar recently held a successful fundraiser for Equality Maryland, the state’s principal lgbt advocacy organization. The place was filled to capacity as "Drag Bingo" was played. Each participant purchased a set of cards for $20, which coincidentally is the prize should you win a game of Postage Stamp, Big O or even Straight Bingo. The numbers were called by "Trixie," the colorful drag star of the evening.

Gay men and women from Baltimore, DC, Glen Burnie, all over Howard County, Bowie and all points in between descended upon PW’s to take part in the evening’s festivities. "I like bingo—it's the only gambling I do—and this was for a good cause," says Ron Hube of Baltimore. "[Trixie] did a great job. And it was fun to watch her get more and more drunk as the evening went on."

While everyone had fun playing the various bingo games and enjoying the campy hostess, the biggest winner was Equality Maryland, which netted $1,100.

PW’s is proud to host fundraisers for other LGBT organizations as well as worthy organizations in the Laurel and Baltimore areas. "We like the idea that members of the community look out for each other like an extended family," says Cook.

In the past 18 months PW’s held fundraisers for Equality Maryland, Breast Cancer Research, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS foundation, LARS (Laurel Advocacy Resource Services, which assists families during time of need), and is planning a fundraiser in the spring for the Howard County chapter of PFLAG –Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

"Our chapter is the only LGBT organization in Howard County, and PW’s is the county’s only gay bar," says Colette Roberts, the chapter's chairperson. "It makes good sense that we partner together for the benefit of both entities."

PW’s had also sponsored runners in the AIDS Marathon, and donated money to the "No on Prop 8" campaign in California.

The bar has scheduled another fundraiser that will be a combination of raising money for Equality Maryland and taking donations for the ‘Toys for Tots’ program. "We would love to see everybody here on December 20 starting at 8 p.m.," says Cook.

PW’s is active in the LGBT Chesapeake and Potomac softball league by sponsoring two teams. They also field a bowling team in The Capital Area Rainbowlers Association in Laurel. And they sponsor a women’s volleyball team and have donated to a local basketball team –all burnishing the bar’s sports cred and generosity.

If that isn’t enough, PW’s hosts the regular parking lot show by the Straight Eights—a popular antique car club for members of the lgbt community. They meet on the third Sunday each month.

Drag shows are a regular feature at PW’s as they occur on the 2nd Friday of the month. "This is an attraction that brings in lots of straight people from the area," says Scott Gould, who is partnered with John Cook. They feature Miss Gay DC, Miss Gay East Coast, Miss Gay Keystone, as well as others.

Other attractions include Free Pool Play on Wednesdays and Karaoke on Thursdays and Saturdays. And if you are a football enthusiast, Sundays and Monday nights are for you. Each night there is a special drink special going on.

PW’s boasts a diverse, tasty and reasonably priced food menu that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. It offers healthy choices as well as old time favorites. PW's opens at 6 a.m. How many gay bars can make that claim?

If you are interested in finding out what the latest fundraiser or event is at the bar or which current food or alcohol specials are running, visit their website .

The Prop 8 Blame Game in Black and White

By Steve Charing

When compared to previous ballot initiatives in the U.S. that amended state constitutions by limiting marriages to a man and a woman, Proposition 8 was a squeaker. With a relatively thin margin of 4 % California turned back the clock on their Supreme Court’s edict and banned same-sex marriage.

Yes, it was close compared to the blowouts in the other states where gay marriage was put to a vote, and California’s passage is arguably the most disheartening to gay activists and their allies. Since the California Supreme Court ruled in May that gays and lesbians cannot be denied the right to marry based on the state’s Constitution, some 18,000 couples tied the knot. The legal status of their marriages are unclear at this point.

The recent vote sparked angry but largely peaceful demonstrations particularly in Southern California. Gays, lesbians and allies marched in the streets and protested the role of the Mormon (hardly the vanguards of traditional marriage) and Catholic churches for their oversized monetary contributions to fund anti-gay marriage advertising, often using scare tactics to win votes. Some protesters turned their anger on various Mormon Church buildings.

As the demonstrators marched, the blame game began in earnest. Gay activists not only targeted the aforementioned religious organizations and their followers, but also African-Americans for voting "Yes" on Prop 8 by the margin they did.

Blacks blamed the "No on Prop 8" leadership for failing to adequately market their message to people of color.

Southern California gays accused San Francisco gays for not turning out to the polls in higher numbers.

Even Elton John was blamed for arguing the term "marriage" in the context of same-sex couples was a turn-off to voters.

Yes, there has been more finger pointing than a Three Stooges film festival.

There is sufficient blame to go around. With the election of Barack Obama as the backdrop, African-Americans in California voted for Prop 8, i.e. for the ban on same-sex marriage, by the widest margin of any group: 70%-30% (Hispanics supported the measure by 53%-47% and Asians and Caucasians opposed it by 51%-49%). That plus the higher turnout of blacks voting for the African-American candidate was seen by some as the reason for the measure’s passage.

But according to Nate Silver, the proprietor of the exceptional political numbers-crunching website fivethirtyeight.com, the black vote did not swing the results of Prop 8 one way or the other. "At the end of the day, Prop 8’s passage was more a generational matter than a racial one," wrote Silver. "If nobody over the age of 65 had voted, Prop 8 would have failed by a point or two." Blacks accounted for only 13% of the total vote.

One can argue that the 2-point plurality by white voters against Prop 8 was too narrow to overcome conservative ethnic groups, and that allowed it to pass. It is interesting that in the aftermath of the election a group called "Join the Impact" was formed in a matter of days. It organized the recent nationwide protest of the Prop 8 debacle. This protest covered some 300 cities around the country and garnered some one million demonstrators.

Imagine if such a visible nationwide show of unity was formed prior to the election. Call it "United for Equality." Think of the impression that would have been made on the general population as well as California voters by hundreds of thousands of gays, lesbians and supporters of all stripes peacefully waving placards.

The speeches by activists, politicians, couples and clergy would have helped make the case and could have influenced those who were on the fence. Even if such an event was held just in California before the election, how things may have turned out differently.

This is all Monday morning quarterbacking to be sure. What we don’t need is to blame the failure to achieve marriage equality in California on race.

But we should address the race issues that have been embedded in the gay community for too long. African-Americans have rightly pointed to examples of racism on the part of white gays and lesbians.

White gays are correct to assail the homophobia emanating from the pulpits of conservative black churches. Consequently, the weakest link within the Democratic Party when it comes to equality for gays and lesbians are that many African-American elected officials are not on board with our cause based on their religious beliefs, which stifles progress.

This is an incredibly complex and delicate problem, and it’s not just religion-based. While many socially liberal African-Americans may be otherwise supportive of our goals, they often resent the comparison of our quest for equality to the civil rights movement. And black gays and lesbians must endure the dual cultural experiences of both homophobia and racism.

What is needed is a dialogue to find common ground and try to end the divide. That won’t be easy, but it’s worth a shot. Blacks and whites need to reach out and come together.

The spirit of Obama’s election should help. Hope is great but action is better. And it’s better than simply pointing fingers.

Gay Activists Flock to City Hall to Protest Prop 8

By Steve Charing

As the clouds were building on a mild Saturday afternoon of November 15, so were the crowds. People arrived from all directions as they assembled at War Memorial Plaza outside Baltimore’s City Hall. Young, old, gay, straight, black, white, couples with children, urban, suburban, you name it, all came with a common message: Equal Rights for All.

Many of the protesters at the plaza hoisted colorful hand-made signs. Among them read: "Is my civil rights getting in the way of your Bigotry," "Divorce Kills Marriage—Not Us," and "Did We Vote on Your Marriage?"

Roughly a third of the crowd was straight and half were college age underscoring the hope that momentum will swing favorably towards equality as the younger generation moves into adulthood.

These folks gathered to be part of a speedily planned event called "Join the Impact" to protest the passage of Proposition 8 in California—the ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage. Similar rallies were held that day outside public buildings in 300 cities across the United States (including three in Maryland) which attracted around a million people as part of a national day of protest.

"Prop 8 creates a state law to single out one group of Californians to be treated differently," said Joseph King, who was one of the principal organizers of the Baltimore rally. "This is not what America is about. It’s wrong." In addition, King received invaluable assistance from Makemie Taylor, Steve Haddad and other activists.

Sean McGovern, who is planning a wedding next year with his partner Stefan Freed, was the emcee of the rally and continually stoked the sometimes-raucous crowd, reminding them that the passage of Prop 8 told us we are second class citizens and we should fight back.

In only five days time and despite an ominous weather forecast that proved to be accurate an hour and a half into the rally, the organizers were able to draw nearly a thousand protesters. King and Taylor used a variety of social networking sites on the Internet, e-mailed local activists, and urged a number of volunteers to trudge through the streets of Baltimore, Towson and other locales armed with fliers and posters to get the word out. Press coverage was ample, with crowd shots and interviews appearing on local TV news stations.

The event received support in the form of statements by Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler and State Delegate Victor Ramirez. Some speakers—mostly members of couples—excited the crowd by spontaneously approaching the microphone to share their personal perspectives.

Other speakers included Meredith Curtis of the ACLU; Vanessa Bowling who is president of Rainbow Soul, a Gay Straight Alliance at Morgan State University; College Park City Council member Patrick Wojahn who just returned from San Diego as part of the "No on 8" campaign; PFLAG mom Joyce Kipp; and the principal plaintiffs in the Maryland lawsuit seeking marriage equality, Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane.

While Polyak and Deane were in the midst of their speech, the clouds emptied on the rally-goers with potent fury and forcing them to disperse. Undaunted, groups of protesters later assembled on nearby street corners waving their signs as passing motorists honked in support.

"Now if we can just keep the rallies and the work going," said Sean McGovern following the rally. "No one can say that Baltimore didn't do its part!"

Discharged Soldier Discusses ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ with PFLAG Chapter

By Steve Charing

Outfitted in a sharply pressed dark suit and flashing a megawatt smile that illuminated his square jaw, former Sergeant Darren Manzella spoke before nearly 70 people at the Veterans Day meeting of Columbia/Howard County Chapter of PFLAG—Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

Darren Manzella, 31, helped mark the event by sharing his personal story and discussing the impact of the travesty known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT)—the military’s policy that prohibits openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the Armed Forces.

Manzella is a Policy Advocate and Major Gifts Officer for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, of which he had been a client for two years. His moving soft-spoken presentation was at times somber, but it was also sprinkled with a few humorous asides and anecdotes.

“I enlisted the U.S. Army in 2002 following the attacks of 9/11 when there was a nationwide wave of patriotism,” he told the audience. Manzella, a medic, eventually deployed to Iraq in 2004 where he provided medical coverage, emergency treatment and evacuation during more than one hundred 12-hour duties on the streets of Baghdad.

While under fire, he gave medical care to his fellow soldiers, Iraqi National Guardsmen and Iraqi civilians. His care during an attack in Iraq earned him the Combat Medical Badge, and he is also the recipient of several other awards recognizing his courage and duty to service in the war zone.
It was while Manzella was serving in the Army that he realized he was gay. Sgt. Manzella had come out first to his roommate, then his other friends, and finally to his parents. Eventually his fellow soldiers and superiors knew, and their reaction ranged largely from indifference to fully supportive.

But there were exceptions. Following threats of outing and a DADT investigation by his command, Sgt. Manzella wrote in a letter that, “I don't think most people can understand how hard it is to have to hide their true self; to have to pretend to be someone that they are not; to be scared that you'll be ostracized for being different; to be told that you're wrong if you live a certain life . . . that concerns no one else but yourself. . . . I am proud of myself and of the accomplishments I have achieved in my life.”

To his surprise, the investigation into his personal life was closed, and the Army deployed Sgt. Manzella later that year for a second tour of duty in the Middle East - again in Baghdad and then Kuwait.

After receiving word that Leslie Stahl of CBS News 60 Minutes wanted to interview him in Kuwait with regards to DADT, Sgt. Manzella was conflicted. He knew that telling his story on such a public stage would likely end the career he loved.

On the other hand, this was an opportunity to help other gay and lesbian service members by publicizing the discriminatory nature of the policy in an effort to gain public support for its repeal. He decided to go through with it; the interviewed aired in December 2007.

In March of 2008 his commander at Fort Hood, Texas informed Manzella, that he was being recommended for discharge under DADT. A copy of the 60 Minutes transcript was attached to the discharge recommendation. On June 10, 2008, Iraq War Veteran and Army Sergeant Darren Manzella was separated from the military with an Honorable Discharge.

The repugnant DADT policy is responsible for the discharges of 12,000 able service members since its inception in 1993. At a time when the military is actively recruiting those with sub-standard intelligence as well as felony records to meet enlistment quotas and beef up troop levels, fully competent patriotic gays and lesbians continue to be shown the door, which impacts our efforts in the war on terrorism. Nearly 800 specialists with critical skills, for example, have been fired from the military under DADT, including several linguists who speak Arabic.

And the costs of the policy are staggering. U.S. taxpayers have paid $250 million to investigate and root out patriotic servicemen and women under DADT and as much as $1.2 billion in lost recruiting and training costs.

But the issue will always be about discrimination. “DADT impacts all families who have gay children,” said PFLAG-Columbia/Howard County chapter chair Colette Roberts. “It's horrible being told your son or daughter who is trying to serve in the military is being treated like a second class citizen, hiding who they truly are.”

Darren Manzella, who now resides in Washington, D.C. working with SLDN to continue the fight for the repeal of DADT, is optimistic that an Obama Administration will take a serious look at the policy and try to gain consensus among the military’s brass. “Polls are showing greater acceptance of gays and lesbians openly serving in the military,” he pointed out. “It is the older generation in the military who is resistant to the change.”

Indeed, more than two-thirds of civilians support allowing gays to serve openly in the military. And despite the fear-mongering about unit morale, nearly 3 in 4 troops say they are personally comfortable serving side-by-side with gays and lesbians.

Those in the packed meeting room, which included some from the chapter’s Rainbow Youth Alliance, were captivated by the compelling personal journey traveled by Darren Manzella.

“Darren's story about a small town boy who joined the military to see the world only to become a man was truly inspirational,” said Sean McGovern, a member of the PFLAG chapter’s Advocacy Committee. “It struck me funny that the one institution that discriminated against him helped him realize who he truly was and that his fellow soldiers had become honorable men of tolerance with him.”

Nothing would vindicate Darren Manzella’s sacrifice more than the repeal of the ban and the liberation of his fellow gay brothers and sisters.

To contribute to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, click here

Bittersweet

Obama’s majestic triumph tempered by heartbreaking Election Day setbacks to gays and lesbians

By Steve Charing
Senior Political Analyst

November 4, 2008 marked a transformational day in American history. With the election of the first African-American as president of the United States, the world, all of a sudden, became closer and a bit more unified. People were rejoicing in five continents. Although supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin understandably may not have felt euphoric when the networks declared Barack Obama president at 11:00 p.m. EDT, I sure did.

But my elation was doused not that long afterwards, as three gay marriage bans and one anti-gay adoption initiative all apparently succeeded, reminding me that the country still has not taken that next big step.

For Obama, this was a contest that will keep political scientists and book publishers busy for decades. Barack Obama, a relative neophyte with a foreign-sounding name, rose from virtual obscurity and defeated a powerful Clinton machine to emerge as the Democratic Party’s nominee. Then he took on John McCain with his vaunted military and congressional experience, the embedded racism in the country, as well as the Republican Party’s fear and smear operation to win in an Electoral College landslide. In the process, Obama turned several red states blue with surgical precision.

There was as much good luck involved as there was skill. A perfect storm of events and personalities produced raindrops filled with smiles. He mainly benefited from the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush with whom he linked to his opponent, John McCain, with relentless regularity.

McCain incomprehensibly selected Sarah Palin—the butt of numerous jokes from her obvious lack of national and international knowledge—to be his running mate. The McCain campaign failed to effectively utilize the candidate’s strengths and instead defaulted to what the Republicans seem to do best: attack. And there were no significant international crises that affected the U.S., which would have highlighted McCain’s perceived strength on national security.

Then came the financial meltdown in September that accentuated the incompetence of the Bush presidency and McCain’s bumbling response to it. Added to that, notable endorsements from Colin Powell and a series of other Republican conservatives, the full-throated support from his chief Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton and her husband, and the die was cast.

But oh that skill! Obama’s campaign, led by David Plouffe and David Axelrod, crafted a blueprint on how 21st century presidential campaigns should operate. Always disciplined, always on message, always consistent, Obama successfully presented himself as the "change" candidate at a time the country was thirsty for change.

The campaign eschewed public financing and using the Internet primarily, managed to raise almost three quarters of a billion dollars to launch what was nearly a 50-state campaign. This forced McCain, who accepted public financing, to spend his more limited resources defending his own turf. That was crucial in states, such as Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Colorado and North Carolina.

In the end, the better campaign prevailed. And that is good news for the LGBT community.

Because now there is a much better chance for achieving non-discrimination legislation in the workplace, a Federal hate crimes bill and the repeal of the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy.

Expect to see openly gay and lesbian members in Obama’s administration; he kept reminding voters down the stretch that the country should not be split according to "gay" and "straight" among the other dividing lines in society. No other major presidential candidate ever used such rhetoric, and he repeated it to traditionally conservative gatherings in Middle America.

But those defeats on the ballot initiatives stung like nothing else has ever before. Just as national polls were indicating a gradual positive trend towards acceptance of same-sex marriage, November 4 proved to be a startling wake-up call that so much work remains. Ballot measures in Arizona and Florida resoundingly banned "gay marriage" in those states adding to the stockpile that has swollen since 2004. Arkansas voters sadly banned adoptions by gay couples. The ones suffering most from that decision are children.

But the biggest heartbreaker appears to be the results of Proposition 8 in California. While the votes have not been fully tallied at press time, the measure that would roll back a court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, apparently is heading for passage.

Proponents of Prop 8 benefited from a major influx of funding from the Mormons, the Catholic Church and other religious entities to scare voters about the idea of two men or two women marrying. Tony Perkins, president of the virulently anti-gay Family Research Council, symbolized the religious support of the measure.

Characterizing Prop 8 as more important than the presidential election, Perkins said, "We have survived bad presidents. But many, many are convinced we will not survive this redefinition of marriage."

If Prop 8 survives the counting of absentee ballots, it will mark a staggering defeat to gays and lesbians since it was the first time rights that have been won were actually taken away. While it remains unclear if the existing same-sex marriages in California will be permitted to stand, the effects of such a setback will reverberate throughout the country.

And it mars the glistening victory of hope over fear in the election of Barack Obama.

Joe the Plumber Needs to be Flushed Already

During this campaign, I never thought I'd find anyone as obnoxious as John McCain. Then came $150,000 you-betcha Barbie with her Joe Sixpack and other overdone comic strip characters. But they were BOTH topped by this goofball Joe the Plumber, er Samuel Wurzelbacher. Ick!

This is the guy McCain calls his "role model"--an unlicensed plumber who lies through his teeth and owes back taxes--who McCain would take to Washington should he prevail. That's telling. He might as well be McCain's running mate or at least replace Phil Gramm as his economic advisor using distortions from a conversation this guy had with Barack Obama. He fits in with Palin nicely. What a team!

This average Joe already has a PR agent, seeking a book deal, country music record deal and a political career. But I see him as an a-hole. He introduced McCain as a REAL American, implying Obama wasn't.

Enough of this loser. He needs to be flushed down the toilet so a licensed plumber can extricate him--or not.

Biden Time

As Joe Biden loves to say about John McCain, "God love him, but...." I say the say the same thing about Joe the VP Candidate. I love him to pieces. I jumped for joy when Barack Obama picked him to be his running mate. But as is well documented, Joe's mouth can be a loose cannon, which could violate the main axiom of a VP choice: do no harm.

When all is said and done after November 4, Joe will not have harmed the ticket at all. Certainly nowhere near the apocalyptic effect Sarah Palin has had on the McCain candidacy. Except for the extreme right wing elements in the Republican Party, Palin has alienated the more thoughtful moderate sector of the GOP, as well as independent women, and we figure to see at least 10 percent of the party faithful jumping to the Obama side, mainly because of Palin.

But Joe Biden had to be reigned in, and thankfully he was. He didn't learn the lesson offered by Obama that even at a private setting like a fundraiser, your words are not safe. Obama discovered it first in San Francisco when out came the "bitter" remarks. It almost did him in.

Biden made the same error in Seattle by predicting the new president will be confronted by a contrived international crisis to "test his mettle." While that may be a likely prospect, those leaked comments nearly and unnecessarily derailed the Obama locomotive that had been gaining so much momentum down the track. Since then, Biden has been relegated to a scripted message and instructed to avoid press conferences in mainly smaller media markets.

Without question, Biden was a superb choice--Obama's first real presidential decision. Biden offers the foreign policy bona fides that many charge that Obama lacks. His vast experience in the Senate will also help sheperd Obama's agenda should he be elected. And as it turned out, he is far more superior and ready to step in as president than Sarah Palin.

More to the point, it also contrasted the judgement of Obama with McCain's. So yes, God love him.

Freedom of Speech?

Fivethirtyeight.com reported today that two pro-Obama men were surrounded by a mob of McCain supporters after they chanted "Obama" while wearing Obama tee-shirts and carrying an Obama sign at a McCain rally in Miami, FL. Police had to rescue the men from the crowd for their protection.

"People were screaming, 'Terrorist!' 'Communist!' 'Socialist!'"one of the two men told the reporter from fivethirtyeight.com. "I had a guy tell me he was gonna kill me."

Nice. If these pro-McCain folks would revere the Constitution's First Amendment as much as they do the Second Amendment, perhaps the USA will be a better place. That's not likely while dissent continues to be squashed by intimidation.

McCain's Last Missed Opportunity

On Meet the Press, John McCain could have taken the high road on race relations, but failed.

There are no more big play opportunities left for John McCain. The debates and the conventions are over. He will default to the the normal GOP tactic of "fear and smear" during the final days of the campaign.

His last remaining hope was a performance on Oct. 26's Meet the Press, which commands a sizeable viewership. This could have been the one opportunity to change the trajectory of the campaign. It was there for him to grab, to seize the opportunity. But as always, McCain, the non-maverick, stuck to talking points rather than breaking the mold.

When moderator Tom Brokaw showed the clip of Rush Limbaugh's explanation of Gen. Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama where he shouted, "it's all about race," McCain's response was disappointing if not predictable.

When asked if Powell's endorsement was about race, McCain weakly said no but quickly pivoted to the five Secretaries of State (he had trouble reeling them off) and the number of admirals and generals of whom he was proud to have their support.

Here's what John McCain SHOULD have said, which I believe would have grabbed the headlines and MAYBE peel off some of the independent voters who have been flocking to Obama:

"I am, of course, disappointed with Gen. Powell's endorsement. But as Gen. Powell said on your show, race was not a significant factor, and I take this friend and honorable public servant at his word. I know I will be offending some of Rush Limbaugh's listeners, but I fully condemn Rush's explanation that it was all about race.

"We are at a critical time in our country's history. We are deeply mired in a major financial crisis that is affecting most Americans. We have enemies abroad who would want to harm us. We have energy and climate change challenges that need to be addressed. We do not need divisive and inflammatory comments from people on the air waves. We should not separate our country according to race or by any other category. If anything, we need to rally all citizens of the United States to forge a common effort to face these crises together."

Alas, McCain didn't want to upset his base by attempting to nullify race in this election. It remains his wild card. But in sidestepping this golden opportunity, McCain missed the chance to demonstrate a characteristic that has been sorely lacking in his campaign--statesmanship.

The Candidates Onstage

Letter published in the Nov. 2, 2008 issue of TIME magazine

Joe Klein would like Obama to tell the truth to the American people regarding the sacrifices they will need to make during this economic free fall [Oct. 20]. But it is clear that such truth-telling is not what the American people want to hear, nor does such directness help the candidate during an election campaign. In August, in the midst of the oil-price surge, Obama tried to suggest to Americans that maintaining inflated tires could conserve fuel. The suggestion, backed by experts, was mocked by the McCain campaign. Clearly Obama learned the lesson of Walter Mondale's attempt to tell the truth in 1984 about the need to raise taxes.

Steve Charing,

CLARKSVILLE, MD.

GOP's Brad Blakeman is an Idiot

The Republican strategist Brad Blakeman provided another glimpse of the "heart" of the McCain campaign and by extension his party with this gem criticizing Obama's trip to visit his ailing grandmother. It's as low as it can get. I'm surprised he beat the racist Rush Limbaugh to the punch.

Coming Out Week: Just the First Step

From my friend David Burgy, a junior at Swarthmore College. Read his excellent essay here.

Election Day Nov. 4: The Urgency of Now

By Steve Charing

During every presidential election cycle we’re told that the current one is the most important election in our lifetime. And the fact is, it’s usually true—especially the past few elections. But without the hyperbole, I really believe that November 4 will be not only pivotal for our country, but also to the LGBT community.

The Obama-McCain contest is surely critical. For our nation, an Obama victory will mark a dramatic shift from the atrocious economic, social, environmental, and foreign policies of the past eight years. And with an overwhelming majority in both houses of Congress, Obama’s progressive and common sense agenda will find an easier path to success.

The contrast between Obama and McCain on issues that are important to the lgbt community couldn’t be more stark. While Barack Obama does not favor same-sex marriage, it must be noted that no other major candidate for president ever has to this point. But both Obama and his vice-presidential running mate, Joe Biden, oppose California’s Proposition 8 (more on that later).
Obama does openly support some form of civil union or domestic partnership arrangement whereby hospital visitation and economic benefits could be extended to same-sex couples. For his part, John McCain flatly opposes domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.

Both candidates do not favor a Federal Marriage Amendment though McCain’s stance is rooted in the proper use of the Constitution rather than any inclination towards fairness. Nonetheless, VP candidate Sarah Palin supports a constitutional amendment that would enshrine discrimination into the law of the land.

The two disagree on ENDA, the Federal Employment Discrimination Act, which has been languishing in Congress for decades that would prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace. Obama supports it; McCain does not. The same scenario would apply to hate crimes legislation: Obama favors it; McCain opposes it.

The military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy is also an area where both candidates dissent. Obama favors repealing the vile law based on fairness and the fact it does not work. McCain would rely on the commanders on the ground for advice on that matter, and you know where it would go at that point—nowhere.

John McCain likes to call himself a "maverick" for the frequent times he crossed up his own party to sign onto bipartisan legislation. The current version of John McCain, however, is so firmly tied to the far right wing of the GOP that if he is elected, any chances for lgbt progress will evaporate. And Sarah Palin is even more socially conservative.

Besides the presidential race we must look carefully at what’s going on in California. Following that state’s Supreme Court’s ruling that paved the way for same-sex marriage, anti-gay opponents succeeded in placing the definition of marriage on the ballot in November that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. That referendum is called Proposition 8.

Even though this battle is taking place on the other side of the country, it should very much matter to us. "Maryland is still one of a handful of states that can achieve marriage equality in the United States in the near future," says Equality Maryland’s Executive Director Dan Furmansky. "But the outcome of the vote on Prop. 8 in California will directly impact our timeline here. If legislators see that the tide has truly turned on this issue, they will be more willing to put themselves on the line for what we all know is truly equality for same-sex couples."

Indeed this is crucial. Being outraised by nearly two to one, equality activists who oppose Prop. 8 are seeing their support in the polls slip as the proponents have used TV ads to scare the voters.

And that should matter to us. Furmansky points out, "An electoral loss in California would no doubt negatively impact our efforts to achieve marriage equality in Maryland, to what extent, we can't fully be sure. But it would make us more reliant on legislative wins in states like New York and New Jersey to convince legislators that the time has come for our state as well."

A loss would also embolden opponents of same-sex marriage in Maryland to push harder to have the matter put to a popular vote. That’s a slippery slope with uncertain consequences. If voters in a state like California can roll back the clock, that is not a good sign for Maryland.

To help level the playing field, money, as always, is the best way to defeat Prop. 8. Please visit here to learn how you can help and now!

With a favorable election outcome, both nationally and in California, LGBT Marylanders may finally see the light at the end of a tunnel. If not, the tunnel gets longer and darker.

Candidates must do more to stifle supporters' vitriol

Letter published in the

Oct. 15, 2008 Howard County Times

Once again we are reading that political signs are being vandalized or removed from private property as we head into the climax of the election season. These acts, regardless of the source, are childish and dumb and are carried out as if such intimidation will actually influence voting choices.

I deplore this behavior whether it be from kids or adults and regardless of political party. I have had signs taken from my property and bumper stickers torn off my car. And recently someone took a key to the body of my car most likely because of the bumper sticker that was displayed. Besides the obvious destruction of property and the violation of the Constitution, it is aggravating and pointless.

Fueling this behavior is the fact that the current presidential campaign has taken an ugly, frightening turn. That is more likely to create deeper divisions and motivate vandals to act accordingly.

When campaign rallies are inflamed by hate-filled vitriol inciting some to shout, "Terrorist" or "Kill him," it is clearly the responsibility of the candidates or speakers to dial down the heat, or something more serious than a vandalized lawn sign will occur. And unfortuantely such rhetoric drives the other side to anger, adding more combustibility.

More to the point, with all this hostility, the biggest loser is democracy.

Steve Charing
Clarksville

Trail Mix

BRADLEY EFFECT? Nah. At this point in time during a national election it makes absolutely no sense for a McCain supporter to lie to pollsters and say that he/she is voting for Obama lest the interviewee will be viewed as a racist. All that does is inflate Obama's poll numbers and deflates team McCain's morale. There are many legitimate reasons to oppose Obama on experience and issues, and any opposition to him would be explained in those terms.

Without question race will be an issue, but I believe that has already been embedded in existing poll results; folks don't need to shy away from their actual voting intentions. The Bradley Effect MAY have been a factor in the NH primary when Obama was matched up against Hillary Clinton--a member of the same party--where he was leading the day before in the polls only to lose. But it should not rear its polls-twisting head on November 4 like it did in California back in 1982, and even if there actually were such an effect is under dispute.

LEVI STRESS. Out of the shadows of the McCain cocoon emerged Levi Johnston, the father-to-be of Sarah Palin's abstinence-averse daughter Bristol's child. He disclosed in an interview that he dropped out of high school to work in Alaska's oil fields presumably to help support the child if and when he gets hitched to Bristol.

What a shame! Here are the Palins--a million dollars in assets (oh how taxpayer-funded per diem when not traveling can add up!)--who couldn't give a little financial aid to at least allow the hockey stud dude to graduate from high school?

A million bucks they have. Doesn't sound like "Joe 6-pack" types to me. Palin's daughter may marry a high school dropout who didn't practice safe sex. A fine example they're setting for America's youth. Imagine if they were black how the stereotyping and insults would have been hurled at them.

GOTTA LOVE THE HATERS. As Palin and not as much recently, McCain, incited the crowds with fiery, hateful (and totally untrue) rhetoric about Obama's alleged "palling around" with terrorists. you can feel the vitriol just oozing from the yahoos present in the mob. Might as well get out the pitchforks and torches and chase Obama to a windmill. "Kill him." "Terrorist." "Off with his head." These are the so-called patriots who do not believe in a two-party system and would kill a fellow American because they disagree with them. Included among them is that idiot woman in Minnesota who told McCain that she read Obama was Arab. I wonder who may have given her that impression.

A number of those in the mobs--not all--are bigots and haters. The ones who are and are exorcised at Palin speeches hate Democrats, liberals, government, blacks, gays, Jews, immigrants, feminists, pro-choice folks, the media, etc. etc. etc. No, these people aren't patriots. They are white supremacists or sympathizers and many are hoping that an Obama victory would produce a huge backlash and help their cause. Tone it down extremists. Iran would welcome you.

You Betcha! The McAttack will NOT Work!

Less than a month to go to the election and John McCain is throwing caution to the wind and is beginning an all-out assault on the "character" of Barack Obama. Wanting to "turn the page" on the economy--even as the stock market is in full-throttle tank mode--McCain seems to be out of viable options.

Sarah Palin, having survived the debate and rising to the level of student council president with her winks and doggone-its, committed a huge political blunder by charging that Obama is "palling around with terrorists."

Rule No. 1 in politics: don't shoot arrows at your opponent without knowing how much he has in his own quiver.

The slimy, nefarious attempt to link Obama to William Ayres, a 60's era radical, woke up the sleeping beast in the Obama campaign. For months, the faithful like myself has been waiting for Obama to go at least somewhat negative to soften John McCain .

Palin's comments, as well as those leaked from the McCain campaign that they will go on an aggressive attack, resurrected the Keating 5 scandal that tarnished John McCain out of the Obama quiver.

Worse for McCain is that the scandal reinforces his dubious associations with those in the financial community which becomes a perfect overlay to the current Wall Street crisis.

Moreover, Obama is sharpening his attacks on McCain in other areas, such as dubbing McCain's health plan as "radical" and characterizing McCain's response to the financial meltdown as "erratic."

Obama wisely and pre-emptively criticized McCain's tactics and warned the electorate that McCain has no solutions to the economic crisis, wants to turn the page, and instead seeks to launch into Swift Boat style messaging. So when McCain fires off these so-called character missles at Obama, he will be playing right into Obama's hands. And at the same time, Obama will be demonstrating that the best defense is a strong offense.

McCain, Palin--betcha by golly wow--your strategy will not work.

Low Bar, Low Results

Why should the "bar" for a would-be vice-president be set low? We're talking about the 2nd highest office in the country. Nine vice-presidents ascended to the top spot following an uexpected departure by the president. That includes natural death, assasination and resignation.

In this global and shaky economy and at a point in time where international cooperation must be secured to fight the war on terrorsim, it is imperative that the vice-president, as well as the president, are both competent and qualified. We should not settle on individuals who are driven by ideology and is someone whom we would like to have a beer with. The past eight years proved why.

We need leaders who are capable of handling complex issues and do not resort to adolescent simplification. We need leaders who are forward thinking--not looking back to the past--and have a vision for a strong America. Through their inspiration, Americans will follow.

The vice-presidential debate provides an important window to the thought processes of the candidates regarding the issues of the day and how they would lead should either of them become the tenth VP to unexpectedly assume the role of president. It's not a contest about verbal gaffes and looking good.

It's too critical for that. The bar, accordingly, should be high, not low.

UPDATE

Managing to complete three sentences in a row without falling over the podium, Sarah Palin was hailed by conservatives for her brilliant effort. Among the many errors, distortions and outright lies, the most frightening aspect of Palin's perfomrance was her breathtaking lack of knowledge concerning the Constitution and the role of the Vice President.

She can wink all she wants, memorize her drilled-in talking points, say "doggone it" and "you betcha" until the cows come home, meeting an already low bar does not qualify one to occupy an office one heartbeat away from the presidency.

Dan Quayle, You're Being Outdone!

It's inconceivable to say this: Gov. Palin, you're making George W. Bush look good.

Debatable Tactic

Rep. Barney Frank said it best: "It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys."

John McCain's shocking announcement that he will suspend his campaign that included a desire to postpone the first of three presidential debates was seen by many as a political stunt and nothing more. He is not even on the Senate committee dealing with the financial bailout package, yet he feels it is far more important to bring presidential politics to an already dicey situation then to allow the country to hear his views, regardless how contorted they are.

The real underlying motive for this bold but cynical action besides trying to grab the headlines (again) was to blunt the momentum of Barack Obama. The financial meltdown provided wind behind Obama's back as the Palin effect on the McCain ticket ceased and started to retract. As polls are starting to open up measurable leads for Obama, McCain needed a game changer.

There was already too much discussion on how his fervent anti-deregulation stance was a significant contributor to the current mess. He was flailing around like a just-caught fish on the boat's deck in response to this crisis. He needed something unexpected and big.

But he already stunned the world with his selection of Sarah Palin. What else could he do?

McCain is probably and rightfully concerned that debating Obama on McCain's self-proclaimed strength on foreign policy issues could spell disaster for the Republican. Obama merely needs to pass the threshhold of acceptability on foreign affairs and then hold serve on economic policy to put away the election. The debates provide a denouement in the campaign, and it appears the way things have gone the past couple of weeks, McCain was facing the abyss.

The McCain campaign already knows it's in trouble. With Obama leading in Florida despite the fact he never campaigned there during the primary should be disturbing for the GOP without question.

However, the biggest warning light for McCain is in West Virginia--a state that has gone Republican the past two presidential cycles. Here Hillary Clinton thumped Obama in the primaries with the largest of all margins. It is here where Obama is said to have not connected with white, working class, non-college graduates. But guess what? McCain is ahead by only 4 points! That's telling.

And that's why McCain is flustered, confused and off message and needs to try something drastic. Doesn't that sound reassuring when that 3 a.m. call is made?

Palin's Scrutiny

Letter sent to the Baltimore Sun

That Ron Smith still wonders why the media would want to learn about Gov. Sarah Palin while, in his view, they do not scrutinize Sen. Obama is a head scratcher of epic proportions ("Media pummel Palin while Obama gets kid gloves," Sep. 17).

Sen Obama has been on the campaign trail for nearly two years, and his background and record has been thoroughly vetted by the media as well as his opponents. Gov. Palin, on the other hand, is new to most Americans living in the lower 48. Since she is potentially in line to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, it is not only wise that she be extensively vetted but it should be demanded.

The so-called "Palin effect" has diminished with revelations about her approach to governance, her record, and her lack of truth telling. Although the McCain campaign is doing everything they can to shield Gov. Palin from the media, every day the public is coming to realize that she is not the maverick she pretends to be but the type of politician most people deplore.

Sen. Palin's blatant lies about accepting earmarks, her role in the "bridge to nowhere" controversy, her alleged trip to Iraq, the false claim that her TelePrompTer malfunctioned during her acceptance speech, and her exaggerated statement regarding the proportion Alaska's oil supply to the American total output are all indicators that this hockey mom's sizzle will turn to fizzle. And Ron Smith cannot face that truth.

Steve Charing

Praying Away the Gay?

Palin’s church may think that’s possible, but there are better things to pray for

By Steve Charing

When I first heard a representative from the anti-gay group Focus on the Family asking his flock to pray for rain of "biblical proportions" to screw up Barack Obama’s outdoor nomination acceptance speech on August 28, I rolled by eyes and scratched my head. Is THIS what people should pray for?

As one blogger aptly put it, "They didn't want Republicans to pray for rain in drought stricken areas of the world causing famine….They only wanted God to dump torrential rain to disrupt an acceptance speech of their political opponent. As ‘Christians’ they didn't want to pray for rain to ease suffering. They asked all their fellow Republicans to ask God for rain to cause misery to political opponents."

I’m not a deeply religious person, much less a theologian. But I wonder, like so many other lay persons who don’t have direct access to God the way that Dr. James Dobson and other evangelicals profess to have, does each human being on Earth receive an allocation on the number of prayers we can execute in a lifetime? Or is it an endless supply whereby some prayers can be wasted.

Praying for rain to sabotage a political event would fall into the waste category. So would "praying away the gay," the theme of a Focus on the Family-sponsored conference promoted by the church that GOP vice-president contender Sarah Palin attends.

"You'll be encouraged by the power of God's love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality," reads the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed for about six years.

To be fair, Sarah Palin never publicly stated that she agreed with that position. During her interview with Charlie Gibson on ABC, she said she didn’t know if homosexuality is genetic or learned and that she doesn’t want to judge anybody. Nonetheless, she opposes same-sex marriage and domestic partner recognition.

Anti-gay fundamentalists proffer that homosexuality is not innate, and it forms the core rationale of political opposition to gay rights: being gay is a choice and, therefore, not deserving of "special rights" or legal protections.

To combat this choice and still appear Christian, groups such as Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and others promote the idea that gay people, through reparative therapy can see the light and venture down the straight path to conversion. This has led to what is popularly referred to an the "ex-gay movement."

Reparative therapy, as well as sexual conversion therapy, are complex processes that involve psychological and physical treatments that have been proven to be harmful to many of those who have undergone them. The key component, however, is prayer.

Most mainstream professional psychological organizations have debunked the theory that praying away your sexual orientation would result in a conversion. Noted psychologist Jeffry G. Ford, who referred to reparative therapy as a "pseudo science," said succinctly, "Reparative therapy is neither." And those who have tried unsuccessfully to convert have exposed the ex-gay movement for the sham it is, which resulted in an ex-ex-gay movement.

But the misinformation spewed by Focus on the Family, and others seep into the school systems and finds its way to the mainstream media. This creates just enough doubt to prevent lawmakers from acting on supporting equal rights, domestic partnership and hate crimes legislation.

Recognizing there is more acceptance towards gays by society, the "praying away the gay" crowd is using the softer solution of prayer to advance their message that homosexuality is a choice that can be changed. It would not be too much of a stretch to believe that if the acceptance of gays was less advanced at this point in time, these religious organizations would be considering "incarcerating the gays" or "quarantining the gays" as their mantra.

Nobody knows with certitude the power of prayer, if any. But there are enough people in the world who believe in it, so it cannot be dismissed.

Back in the pre-Stonewall days when society looked down at homosexuals as the scum of the earth, I tried to pray away my gay. It didn’t work. I don’t feel that way now, of course, and neither do millions of other gays and lesbians. But some still do.

I’d rather use my prayer allotment to end human suffering—a far more worthy cause. But I also want to pray away those who want to pray away a key component of who I am.

Coping with 'Palinmania'

The Democrats are fretting about the phenomenon called "Palinmania" because the last two weeks have focused on this neophyte and showed that Obama's lead has vanished in the national polls. Plus McCain's support in what was at one time possible battleground states has firmed up.

Take a deep breath, folks, and put this in perspective.

McCain benefitted from a good but not overwhelming bounce from his convention and was turbo-boosted by the unlikely selection of Sarah Palin as VP contender. With all the media attention and excitement generated by this pick and its accompanying hoopla, and the fact that any bounce Obama would have received from his sterling convention was truncated by McCain's startling announcement the next day, keep in mind one thing: McCain only netted 5 points since July, according to the most recent Newsweek poll.

Here's another fact: Palin has already seen her zenith. Little by little, the truth about her experience in governance, the ethical issues, her extreme social views (e.g. inquiring about book banning, favoring the teaching of creationism in the schools, her complete unmitigated opposition to abortion whatever the circumstances, etc.), her lack of foreign policy cred, and her hair-trigger, belicose impulses towards our adversaries will chip away at the myth until reality sinks in. In short, her sizzle will likely turn to fizzle at the end of the day.

But Obama should not sit by and wait for that to happen. He should seize upon Palin's popularity and the media's obsession with her (CNN actually had cameras trained on the tarmac at Anchorage airport awaiting her arrival) and taunt McCain, perhaps during the debates, by saying Republicans prefer her--a celebrity no less-- to be at the top of the ticket rather than him. Don't fight the tide--use it to go after McCain. He'd hate that.

That's not a stretch. Even during McCain's yawn-inducing speeches, the crowd, who came mainly to see her, shouts out "Sarah"! That's why she will be at his side so often. Not only to prevent a likely gaffe on big issues and to cloister her from the media, but also to keep the crowds stoked and large.

She cannot peak any higher. Revelations about her will surface that will chip away at the pedestal. Eventually, if played right, she will fall.

Don't fret Democrats.

The Log Cabins' Cave-in

In endorsing McCain-Palin, the Log Cabin Republicans blew an opportunity

By Steve Charing

In 2004 the Log Cabin Republicans—the largest Republican LGBT political organization—did not endorse President George W. Bush, citing his active promotion of the Federal Marriage Amendment and his using gays as a wedge to win re-election as the main reasons. That amendment, which died in Congress after two futile attempts, would have forever banned the marriage of same-sex couples.

During the floor debates, Senator John McCain opposed the FMA not because he believed that same-sex couples are deserving of equality, but that such an action was "antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans." McCain argued that the U.S. Constitution should not be used to codify laws that would normally be left to the states.

It was on that basis and the misguided belief that John McCain is "inclusive," that the Log Cabin Republicans endorsed the GOP ticket on the night the Republican National Convention kicked off its anti-Obama snark-fest.

The Log Cabins caved in perhaps to the fear of irrelevancy within the Republican Party, but in doing so, it pushed them off to the outer boundaries of the LGBT community. While the decision not to endorse Bush in 2004 was a welcome but easy one, the decision to endorse McCain-Palin was absurd.

"Sen. McCain has always shown a willingness to reach out and engage in dialogue with Log Cabin, while considering all sides of an issue," said Patrick Sammon, the organization’s leader in a statement. "We know that will continue when he is President." Of course he will, and if Sammon truly believes that, I have some mountains in Florida I’d like to sell him.

How can a prominent gay organization vote against the interests of its own constituency?

Although John McCain bucked his party to oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment when it was a given it would fail anyway, the 2008 version of John McCain did not "stand up" to the Republicans as they inserted the FMA plank into the 2008 GOP platform.

Moreover, McCain fully supports statewide constitutional amendments, including his own state of Arizona where he appeared on television to express his views. And he is a clear proponent of Proposition 8, which is on the ballot in November to undo the California Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized same-sex marriage.

John McCain, for all his alleged inclusiveness, opposes Federal employment non-discrimination legislation and opposes a comprehensive hate crimes bill that would include sexual orientation.

Furthermore, McCain sees gays and lesbians as unfit for military service. He intends to continue the Pentagon’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy by noting the commanders on the ground will decide if a change in policy is needed. (Memo to McCain: it is the duty of the Commander-in-Chief to map out policy for the commanders to follow.)

His new celebrity running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, offers precious little hope for LGBT equality and justice. She opposed domestic partner benefits for Alaska’s state employees. Her church promotes reparative therapy for gays, which has been proven to be harmful both physically and mentally.

"You'll be encouraged by the power of God's love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality," according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed since she was a child.

"I think gay Republicans are going to run away" if Palin supports the "pray away the gay" movement, said Wayne Besen, founder of the New York-based Truth Wins Out, a gay rights advocacy group. Now that she’s a candidate for vice-president, it is important to flush out her views.

Knowing all this, the Log Cabin Republicans board of directors remarkably voted 12-2 to endorse John McCain and Sarah Palin. In the press release announcing the endorsement Sammons defended the vote by pointing out that "gay rights issues are a critical part of the equation, but so are many other issues impacting our daily lives—foreign policy, the economy, jobs, energy policy, health care reform, and taxes."

The Log Cabin Republicans acknowledge their differences with McCain but are assuming the gay rights issues take a back seat to the GOP’s spectacular results over the past eight years. They can point to the record-breaking deficits and unimaginable debt, the boondoggle in Iraq, the faltering economy and loss of jobs, the energy and housing crunch and our diminished standing in the world as reasons to overlook that pesky anti-gay thinking and vote Republican. McCain was in lockstep with Bush over 90 percent of the time.

This was a missed opportunity for the Log Cabin folks to make a courageous stand and let the McCain forces know that they would withhold the endorsement unless the party changes its attitudes towards the nation’s LGBT citizens. But instead they apparently caved, and if McCain does get elected, you can be sure all the "conversations" the LCR promises to have with the new president will result in more of the same.

PFLAG Launches "Someone You Love is Gay" Campaign

For the first time in its history, the Columbia-Howard County chapter of PFLAG—Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays—launched a multimedia ad campaign to increase awareness about the organization’s support services to the community. The two-pronged approach features ads on the back panels of Howard County transit buses as well as a 30-second commercial to run on the Bravo cable network carried by Comcast in Howard County.

The bus ad features the message, “Someone You Love is Gay” and the chapter’s website address. The ad will run for several months on five large green transit buses throughout the county.

Using the same theme, “Someone You Love is Gay,” the commercial is airing on Bravo throughout September. The ad explains the likelihood that a family member, a co-worker, a friend or a neighbor is gay, and that PFLAG is available for support. It also includes testimonials from parents of a gay child, a gay couple and a member of the chapter’s Rainbow Youth Alliance. [See the ad below.]

“Our chapter has existed for 16 years in this county and there are still so many people who do not know what PFLAG is or how we contribute to the community,” noted Colette Roberts, the chapter’s co-founder and chairperson.

“Through this ad campaign we want to ensure that anyone who is a parent or family member of a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered (GLBT) child understands that PFLAG, with its Parents’ Forum, is a place where support is offered by other parents. Our Rainbow Youth Alliance provides a safe space for GLBT youth and their allies to meet and discuss issues that are important to them under adult supervision. We also want to emphasize that all members of the GLBT community are welcome to enjoy our monthly programs and to meet new friends,” Roberts said.

The bus ad was designed and produced by members of the chapter, and the chapter acknowledges the cooperation provided by staff from the Corridor Transportation Corporation. The commercial was also developed and produced in-house. Bumper stickers and tee-shirts with the same theme are in production.

The GOP's Fake Sexism Cries

Just as the Republicans have fenced off John McCain by demanding he be free from political attack because of his POW experience 40 years ago, they are trying to do the same thing with their rookie VP contender Sarah Palin using "sexism" as the shield.
Any opposition to Palen's extreme right wing policies or lack of experience on the national scene is being tied to sexism--especially by the media.

All the vetting concerns are being pushed back by the sexism card. Some of it has validity in that questions about raising a family and occupying the White House would normally not be directed to men. Others are a part of a clever strategy to demonize the media to intimidate reporters from asking the tough questions.

However, Governor Palin makes every effort to promote her "Mom" credentials and her yearning to attract women voters. She's a self-described "Hockey Mom" who is like a pitbull with lipstick. And she was a beauty queen in her earlier life. How sexist is that?

But here's the rub. As the Republican conventioners noisily cheered any reference to sexism thought to be originated by the media or their Democratic opponents, one can see plenty of buttons displayed on the chests of the overwhelming white male gathering. And these buttons read "Hot Governor," "Hot VP" and "Hot Chick." Were these conventioners escorted from the arena? Were they condemned by those who truly oppose sexism?

Not at all. It simply exposes the duplicity of the GOP and the phoniness of the argument.

The Bristol Stomp

The prevailing mood concerning the pregnancy of Bristol Palin is that this is a private matter and should not be politicized. Senator Barack Obama said as much. Moreover, the McCain camp wants no further inquiries into the background of Sarah Palin. That's realistic! Someone needs to; his staff sure didn't.

What should be called into question regarding Bristol is her mother, Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She vehemently opposes sex education in the schools and promotes abstinance programs instead. You can see how that strategy paid off.

Besides the obvious hypocrisy lies the fact that two teenagers are forced to marry because of political necessity. Yet there are tens of thousands of same-sex couples--many involved in extensive long-term, committed relationships that exceed the combined ages of Bristol Palin and father-to-be Levi Johnston--who cannot legally marry outside of California and Massachussets. But because of a mistake and the fact they are heterosexual, Levi and Bristol can.

Levi seems to be brainwashed about this fallout. He blames Obama, who was his "hero" on his MySpace page prior to Palin's being tapped as VP candidate. He blames the media as well. Nevermind that the revelation about Bristol's situation originated with her parents. And he once indicated on his page that he didn't want children. Oops!

Adapting to his newly found celebrity, Levi lashed out at his detractors by writing the following on his MySpace blog:

"I wont be run out of myspace just because of some fuckin newspaper people working for obama. What my future mother-in-law is doing has nothing to do with me or Bristol, but I want everyone who reads this to know, every time they attack us for being human, they show why America needs leaders like Sarah Palin."

So Levi cleverly turns his own personal failings, lack of self-control, maturity and judgement into an attack on the media and Obama. For the GOP--Mission Accomplished!

Putting Country Second

In his cynical ploy to woo disgruntled Hillary Clinton voters and at the same time shore up the recalcitrant extreme right edge of the Republican Party, Sen. John McCain obliterated the image he has been meticulously cultivating that he puts country first. His selection of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate, while lauded by some elements of the media as a gutsy "maverick" move, proves to me that John McCain is not ready to lead.

Sarah Palin with her colorful bio and family background considers her foreign policy experience to be sufficient as her state is next to Russia. Serving only a year and a half as governor and before that, a term as mayor of some 6,000-population moosetown called Wasilla, John McCain selected her over the more qualified and experienced candidates in a field of Veep possibilities that included an ex-Democrat and a former head of the Department of Homeland Security.

At 72 and a four-time cancer survivor, McCain is betting that, if elected president, he will survive his first term without an interruption and potentially Vice President Palin would not have to demonstrate her neophyte credentials under fire. But can he guarantee that? Of course, not.

Sure the GOP spinmeisters will argue that she has more experience than Barack Obama. That is garbage. One day as a U.S. Senator trumps her 6 years as a moosetown mayor and governor of a sparsely populated state. This is underscored by the fact that she had little interest in the war in Iraq—a travesty of epic proportions of blood and treasure.

Palin is praised as a popular governor. Well, a $1,200 handout to her constituency will buy popularity fairly well. That’s what she did.

This selection will undoubtedly backfire. Voters who are intelligent, informed and who are not religious conservatives will be uneasy at the prospects that Palin, a proponent of creationism and home schooling, could actually have to sit in the Oval Office. But her extreme right wing views will also turn off the moderates, the political center and the independents. And yes, Hillary voters will not flock to her simply because she has a vagina, as one woman put it.

John McCain made a bold but dubious decision—a key test to his true leadership. I believe it will fail. He undermined his message by making a political choice rather than one that would be a benefit for the nation. Who is going to whisper in his ear that Iran doesn't train al Qaeda troops? Who is going to whisper in his ear that Iraq does not share a border with Afghanistan? Who is going to whisper in his ear the distinctions between Shi-ites and Sunnis? Who's going to tell him that Czechoslovakia doesnt exist anymore? Sarah Palin?

He put country second.

More info: http://www.crosscut.com/politics-government/17341

Barack of Ages

One line in Obama’s powerful acceptance speech may have won him the election.

Watching the Democratic Convention this week and waiting for "red meat" to be hurled at President Bush, Vice President Cheney and John McCain was indeed frustrating. The Dems have been for so long tepid at their conventions while the GOP goes after the opposition like blood thirty dogs. And guess what? That strategy of attack works most of the time.

I liken the helpless frustration and disappointment towards the Convention’s wussy approach, whereby the election was slipping through our fingers, to being stranded at sea without a life vest, the boat is leaking, and sinking into shark-infested waters.

Sure, Bush and McCain were mentioned in the many speeches. And some had dead-on zingers in them, such as by Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Bill Richardson, Senator John Kerry and President Bill Clinton. But none of them were hard hitting. Not like the GOP convention will be sure to offer.

Despite an approval rating that is bordering on negative numbers, Why wasn’t Vice President Dick Cheney demonized given he was such an obvious target? His dark secrecy, his pushing us into Iraq, the trampling of the Constitution, his personal alliance with big oil, the incredible no-bid contracts in Iraq, and his involvement in the Valery Plaime affair would be a speechwriter’s dream. Alas, Cheney was mentioned so infrequently that one would have gotten the impression he recently died and the Dems were avoiding his name out of respect.

Nonetheless, there were spectacular speeches from Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and a seemingly rushed Al Gore. But none were better than the candidate himself, Barack Obama. It was one for the ages.

He hit all the right themes and was presidential. He was determined and earnest. His delivery is unmatched. But it was one line in the entire speech that was not only memorable, but it might have changed the image that the Republicans (and the help of the Clintons during the primaries) created bestowed upon him. And that line was, "If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have."

With this statement Obama challenged McCain and showed he will not back off despite the flurry of ads and attacks that pigeonholed Obama as not ready to lead the country. They will still use it, of course, since they have no other strategy to defeat him. But Obama’s surprise strike not only demonstrated he wasn’t going to yield to the GOP demagoguery, but he has motivated his supporters even more so. That results in enhanced getting out the vote efforts, increased monetary donations and organizational heft.

One speech for the ages. One line. One more better chance for victory.

Michelle, My Belle

After Ted Kennedy's moving and inspiring speech, it was difficult to imagine how Michelle Obama could have pulled it off. But she certainly did! With style, elegance, intelligence and being a down-to-earth woman steeped in family values, Michelle soared to the top of the list as far as role models is concerned. Barack, you did well!

She's no more an angry black woman than John McCain is.

Short Memory

John McCain's memory lapse about the number of houses he owns is perhaps not the only memory issue facing Camp McSame. Following Sen. Obama's superb choice for vice president-- Sen. Joe Biden--the Republican talking points were dispatched to their surrogates so they can all sing from the same twisted hymnal (as usual).

The selection of Sen. Biden was derided by these folks as an admission by Sen. Obama that he lacks the foreign policy experience needed to be president. The fact that he made this decision is supposedly a weakness and, therefore, it proves Sen. Obama is not ready to be president. This is the GOP's predictable narrative.

But oh, the short memory! Let's refresh it for these guys and gals who are hoping the American voters have no sense of history--even recent history. Recall how Ronald Reagan chose George H.W. Bush to be his running mate because it would plug the many holes in Reagan's resume. To the GOP partisans, that was a legitimate, pragmatic move. As I've said many times before, Reagan had no more experience related to being commander-in-chief than Obama is said to lack.

Then, of course, was the infamous decision by George War Bush to pick Dick Cheney to be his veep for the same reasons (lack of foreign policy gravitas). How the country suffered from that! Not much protest from the Republicans then. In fact, Bush was wildly praised for the selection, which was actually made by Cheney himself. It was a harbinger of things to come.

However, Obama's choice is knocked down, and what's worse and not surprisingly, they used the the rationale from the two aforementioned Republican candidates for their choices to bludgeon Obama.

The fact is, the GOP is disappointed they did not have a chance to whack the Clintons. And Biden, who receives widespread bipartisan respect, is expected to use McCain as a punching bag, and they know that.

Facing the Triple-A Threat

Despite progress on other fronts, AIDS, addiction and apathy grip the LGBT community

By Steve Charing

Should California’s voters uphold its newly won legalization of same-sex marriage, it would provide a huge victory in the ongoing struggle for equality. If there is a favorable outcome in the presidential election, we may eventually see the end of the military’s failed "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. We could also gleefully anticipate some long overdo progress on federal employment nondiscrimination legislation as well as other initiatives.

As positive as the outlook is—there is indeed a rainbow at the end of a very long tunnel—we must remind ourselves that there is a darker reality embedded in our successes.

Several grim problems still afflict our community. In my view, the three most serious of these are the triple-A threats of AIDS, addiction and apathy. They are arguably the biggest challenges facing our community today.

While the broader population must also deal with the very same issues, these scourges appear to hit the LGBT community hardest because of several factors, with societal rejection, alienation, depression and lower self-esteem among them. And they are not entirely independent of each other; there is palpable evidence that HIV and addiction are connected. Although apathy may also be linked to addiction, it seeps into all segments of the community and impedes political progress.

Clearly HIV/AIDS is the most life threatening. Men who had sex with other men (MSM) reported the largest percentage (46%) of HIV/AIDS infections last year in the U.S. Many health experts attribute this trend to an increase in the number of young men having unprotected sex.

"Within the [MSM] community, the new generation would not have been through the 1980s and 1990s and they wouldn't have the high levels of awareness that the previous generations have," said Dr. Mukesh Kapila of the International Federation of Red Cross in an interview with Reuters. "[They have] the feeling perhaps that treatment is available, that maybe it's not such a fatal condition anymore."

We need to push hard that barebacking is potentially fatal, especially with partners whose HIV status is positive or unknown. Some of the younger members of the community are dangerously becoming too lax and feel immortal. They tend to take chances, especially when high or drunk.

Recreational drugs, such as cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine (meth) and others have been linked to sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, largely as a result of impaired judgement and a higher level of risk-taking. For example, nearly 10% of gay and bisexual men responding to a Michigan Department of Community Health survey reported that they had engaged in unprotected sex when they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Substance abuse has significant health, economic and social consequences, and the LGBT community is particularly vulnerable. Alcohol and drug abuse affects an estimated 20-30% of the gay and lesbian population—a rate that is two to three times higher than the general population.

The younger members of our community are most at risk. Substance abuse among gays often begins in early adolescence when youth first begin to struggle with their sexual orientation and the accompanying homophobia from family, friends and society in general. In response to this anxiety, many LGBT youth turn to alcohol and drug abuse.

Though not as devastating as AIDS and addiction, political apathy within the LGBT community is a blot that also needs to be eradicated. It is thwarting progress for equality and social justice as we attempt to gain political influence and power.

Unless one is an activist, it is difficult to find gay men or lesbians interested in issues that are important to the LGBT community, let alone take action on them.

"The slow crawl toward equal rights is hindered each day by the apathy within our own community," said Josh Sullivan, a volunteer for Equality Maryland and a parent of an adopted child. "Taking a few minutes to call your legislators and tell them your personal struggle for equality while detailing the impact on your life and family is far more powerful than donating money."

It would be gratifying to see the same large crowds attending pro-gay rights rallies as those who show up at pride events. But there is more fun in partying and whatnot than to speak to a legislative representative. Somehow we need to get our folks more mobilized lest we fail to progress further.

Yes there are other issues that beset our community like racism, ageism, domestic violence and poverty. But we must also work hard to address the growing triple-A threats of AIDS, addiction and apathy.

It's the Stupidity, Stupid!

Karl Rove knew what he was doing during the 2004 presidential campaign. The newly formed Department of Homeland Security following marching orders from the Cheney-Bush war machine issued frequent color-coded terrorism warnings during the final few months of the campaign.

Not there were any imminent threats, but the constant reminders were a ploy to scare the voters into believing that only George W. Bush could protect the American people from a terrorist attack. Lost in this is the fact that the attacks on September 11, 2001 occurred nearly 9 months into the first Bush term. Not much protection W.

Rove and other GOP strategists acknowledged that the key to winning the reelection of a totally inept incumbent is to prey on the fears of an astonishing large number of American voters.

Besides those faux terror alerts they employed other scare tactics, especially in such battleground states as Ohio. Fear of two gay men kissing a few houses down the street ignited the hysteria over "gay marriage," thus pulling otherwise indifferent voters to the polls to register their contempt of such a horror.

These homophobes and so-called social conservatives voted Republican. Despite voting against their best economic interests, (and they see now how such a ghastly election outcome could, in fact, be ruinous) they chose to keep Kenny and Michael from getting hitched.

Sad to say, there are too many stupid people in this country. Many of these still believe Saddam Hussein attacked us on 9/11. They are quick to buy into the simplicity of quick fixes and fall victim to hype and believing the smears leveled against a candidate. And the GOP whose brand is equal to anthrax or worse, Exxon-Mobil, must exploit the stupidity of the voters or at least their lack of education.

Senator John McCain was once a politician who would eschew those tactics. Not anymore. Karl Rove’s protégé now heads up his campaign, so fasten your seatbelts.

A barrage of GOP-produced negative ads, floating over the airwaves, the Internet, You Tube and news-hungry broadcast and cable television channels are designed to malign Senator Barack Obama as part of Rove’s Fear and Smear playbook. They have no other choice because of the Republicans’ swampy reputation after two terms of Bush and their lack of vision for the future.

Throw money at the stupid voters who cannot discern a snake oil deal when it is right before their eyes. Give them a "gas tax holiday" that will save them a relatively miniscule amount. Nevermind that the transportation fund is already hurting from the diminishing tax revenue caused by reduced driving.

But that’s OK. The GOP will tell the stupid voters to blame liberal Democrats (especially their convenient straw man Bill Clinton) for any future structure failure involving hundreds of bridges. It’s worth saving those $30, right?

Now the new fraud is offshore drilling. "Drill more oil, dammit, so that these sky-high gas prices will go down!" Right. McCain used to be opposed to offshore oil drilling. But he knows voters are stupid and will buy into a quick fix. In fact, a shocking 70 percent have.

What goes unsaid is that there is not a supply problem concerning oil. The prices have been shooting up until very recently as a result of a combination of complex factors including speculation, geopolitics and the weak dollar.

Moreover, the effects of newly found crude oil should there be such discoveries would not have an immediate impact on prices, but an uninformed public still believes in miracles.

Prices have recently come down some as a result of reduced driving and more cautious speculative activity because Congress is beginning to get serious about containing it. The price of gas has fallen because of reduced demand, not increased supply.

It doesn’t matter what the issue, the stupid voters are in the Republican fear and smear sights. They are fed the mantra, "the surge is working" over and over until it oozes out of their ears.

They are exposed to ads that link a Harvard educated charismatic leader to vacuous celebrities to mock the idea that just maybe Barack Obama stands for something that the rest of the world appreciates.

The stupid voters seem to prefer one of their own.

When an amazing 9-country tour brings nothing but praise and hope from the international community, but it is derided and mocked by a jealous Republican presidential campaign, you know who the target audience is.

It’s the stupidity, stupid!

More Craziness from Camp McSame

As Sen. Barack Obama continues on his picture-perfect trip through the Middle East and Europe, the petulance and pettiness of the McCain camp is breathtaking. It was McCain with the help of the RNC who chided, prodded and taunted Obama for not ever visiting Iraq (and a negative ad that states that remarkably still airs). But the success of this "high-risk" mission and the childish responses coming out of Camp McSame have diminished what was once a decent politician to that of an over-aged adolescent who throws tantrums because he doesn't get things to flow his way.

Blaming the Media. Aww poor John McCain can’t get media attention while Obama dazzles world leaders, our own troops and huge throngs on foreign soil. When a representative of the U.S. speaks to tens of thousands of Berliners, which garnered world attention, Camp McSame cannot understand why? It wasn’t long ago that President George War Bush had to be literally sneaked into London under the cover of darkness just to speak to Queen Elizabeth II. And Britain is our closest ally!

Again, you get what you ask for. Camp McSame pushed Obama to visit Iraq, and he will return home triumphant. Not such a great strategy on their part.

Learning Curve? John McCain criticized Obama’s trip by saying, "In a time of war, the commander-in-chief doesn’t get a learning curve." Maybe so, but McCain’s constant flubs concerning Iraq and the Middle East make George War Bush seem knowledgeable.

His confusion of Sunni and Shi-ites is unbelievable considering his self-expressed expertise of the area. His comment that Iran trains al-Qaeda when in fact it doesn’t was another example of lack of knowledge despite his many trips to the war’s theater.

Then there is his mistaken chronology of events with respect to the surge and the Anbar Awakening and his notion that the surge caused this event. Like a parrot who had his seeds laced with a banned substance, McCain repeats and repeats over again, "The surge is working. The surge is working." But he cannot define what success in Iraq actually means, and he ignores the other factors, such as the Anbar Awakening, for the reduction in violence.

And one can throw in his utter disregard for history when he referred to the Czech Republic as Czechoslovakia on several occasions. Adding more to the heap is McCain referring to a non-existent Iraq-Pakistan border. McCain is the foreign policy and national security expert? And someone PLEASE tell me what qualified Ronald Reagan to be commander-in-chief when he ran for President!

McCain is also seething over Iraq Prime Minister al-Maliki for his moving closer to Obama's timeline for a troop withdrawl.

Obama and Rising Gas Prices. In an incredible display of dishonesty and stupidity, Camp McSame launched an ad that actually blames Obama for the rise in gas prices. This is a head scratcher if I ever saw one. How low will they go? Answer: see below.

Portraying Obama as a Traitor. This cops the award for flagrant smearing. McCain said and said again that Obama would rather lose a war so that he can win an election.

The fact that this jackass is even competitive speaks more about the voters in this country than anything else. Hopefully, Obama's presence on the world stage will help America see the light that he is a plausible and much-needed President of the United States.

An Open Letter to Al Gore

By Steve Charing

Dear Vice-President Gore,

As a gay man, I believe it is critical that Senator Barack Obama be elected president on November 4. Sen. Obama stands with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community on most issues that are important to us with the sole exception of same-sex marriage.

I recall you hadn’t been a major advocate for us during your years as vice-president, but I am confident that some of your positions have softened since then as you have recognized that one of the main tenets of the Declaration of Independence—all men are created equal—applies to our community.

Besides Sen. Obama’s pro-gay stances that include the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, plus his promised support for a comprehensive hate crimes bill and federal employment non-discrimination legislation that encompasses sexual orientation, his vision and leadership as well as his economic, environmental and foreign policies will steer America back on the right course.

On the other hand, a win for Senator John McCain would serve to do the opposite. He even recently announced his opposition to same-sex adoptions, which does nothing more than to punish innocent children.

Moreover, the next president will be faced with the likely prospect of filling two to three Supreme Court vacancies, which is crucial for many reasons, not the least of which is the likelihood the Court will face the question of the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans.

For these reasons, the election of Sen. Obama is vital to our community, the nation and the world. And that is why I am imploring you to accept the vice-president position on the ticket with Sen. Obama should he ask that of you.

I fully understand your previously expressed views that you would not be interested in being on the ticket. I acknowledge that your work on climate change is far more significant than your political aspirations. I also recognize that you had been the vice-president for eight years and do not look forward to a repeat of that experience.

But please consider the fact that your addition to the ticket will all but guarantee the victory for Sen. Obama. With your extensive resume, you add the foreign policy and military gravitas that he lacks for which he is being unfairly vilified.

You are well respected and admired around the world, and your mere presence in the Administration would restore America’s good will and make it easier for other countries to embrace our ideals. As such we would fight a smarter war on terrorism and would gain the needed cooperation from other nations.

Mr. Vice-President, you conjure up the affection from millions of Democrats and Independents as a result of the 2000 election fiasco and your statesmanlike post-Vice-President years when you rightly earned the Nobel Prize among other honors. You are popular with women and older voters who are crucial in battleground states. You will convince wavering Clinton supporters to support the ticket and add even more excitement from the electorate, including younger voters who applaud your concerns for their futures.

As important as those, I envision your role as vice-president would be significantly upgraded to reflect the new Administration’s commitment to climate change and energy independence. You recently challenged Americans on the need to use clean energy sources. As a partner in the Obama Administration, you would have an official platform to advocate the needed changes and to work directly with Congress to see them through.

While I am confident that Sen. Obama will prevail regardless of his running mate, I am concerned that the Republican fear and smear machine will effectively undercut him. The false rumors and lies that are perpetuated without any outrage from the McCain camp have already sullied a good man.

And these assaults just don’t solely stem from independent swift-boat types. Sen. McCain chided Sen. Obama for not visiting Iraq. Now he’s attacking him for doing so. When will this end?

This is where your position on the ticket would help mitigate the effects of the GOP’s tactics. You, along with Sen. Obama, will unify an emboldened Democratic Party and bring new voters to more than offset the ignorant, the racists, the homophobes and those who maintain that Iraq attacked us on September 11.

The path of an Obama-Gore administration will lead us to a sound economy, a sane tax policy, universal health care, improved education, a better chance for peace in the world, concrete steps to effect climate change, and yes, full equality for all my GLBT brothers and sisters.

A guy can dream, can’t he?

The New Yorker's Bad Judgement

Yes, The New Yorker is satirical. But its upcoming cover that depicts Barack and Michelle Obama in the manner they did was over the top. Why? Because it simply feeds into the false stereotypes that the right wing has been desperately trying to push in an effort to smear the Obamas.

Why shouldn't they? They have John McCain as their standard bearer. They know he cannot win unless the Obama family is demonized. And The New Yorker simply aids in that process--wittingly or not.

Keep in mind this is the country that was dumb enough to elect George W. Bush TWICE. A quarter of the electorate still thinks Iraq attacked us on September 11 and believes Iraq posed a military threat to us. They buy into this crap, and The New Yorker should know better. Never overestimate the intelligence of the American people.

Over 10% of the country according to a recent Newsweek poll believe Obama is Muslim. All this cartoon did was to spread the myth because the editor had to explain the purpose of the cover. When you have to explain satire, it is considered a failure.

According to MSNBC, Obama had been the focus of their covers by a 2 to 1 ratio over McCain since January. If the magazine wants to be fair about perpetuating falsehoods, why don't they sketch McCain dressed in a hospital gown in a nursing home wielding an M-16 chanting "My friends, the surge is working. The surge is working..." countless times.

A President McCain Ready to Handle a Crisis?

As we marched, nation marches towards equality

The following letter was published in July 10 edition of the Howard County Times/Columbia Flier:

In sharing in the celebration of our great nation's 232nd birthday, it was an honor for the Columbia/Howard County chapter of PFLAG-Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays-to participate for the first time in the 4th of July River Hill parade.

Over 20 members of our chapter marched with our neighbors up Great Star Drive to affirm one of the basic tenets in the Declaration of Independence to which we honor: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Our group consisted of parents who have gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered children; gays and lesbians of all ages; same-sex couples in long-term relationships and those with toddlers of their own. Some live in the very River Hill neighborhood through which the parade took place.
We did not possess a fancy float, but we proudly marched behind our chapter's banner while waving American and rainbow flags and wishing all the spectators a Happy 4th.

As we passed by the large and diverse crowd and tossed tasty goodies to the many children, we were moved by the warm reception from the onlookers with a large number voicing their support and encouragement. We not only trumpeted our country, but we also celebrated the progress we are making towards achieving the Declaration's principles of full equality for all, though clearly much more progress is needed.

The recognition and good wishes we received on this glorious day were heartwarming, and PFLAG looks forward to marching with our neighbors again next year.

Steve Charing

Clarksville

Steve Charing is the media coordinator for PFLAG-Columbia/Howard County.

McCain Just Being McCain?

When asked about the increase in US exports to Iran during the Bush Administration, with the largest export being cigarettes, McCain was reported to have said, “Maybe that’s a way of killing them,” he said, laughing, according to a pool report. “ This follows his "Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran "joke."

Why is it that the media brushes off McCain's flip and irresponsible remarks by saying, "Oh, it's McCain just being McCain"? Yet when Obama made those off-the-cuff "bitter" remarks at a supposedly private function, it dominated the news cycles for a month?

Think about it.

They won't admit it, but the press is definitely giving McCain a free ride on his missteps. Everything Obama does is under a microscope, however. And don't give me the "but we all know who McCain is and we know so little of Obama." That's a load of excrement.

The McCain of today is not the McCain of 2000. He has abandoned many of his once held principles to win an election, and now he acts like the drunken grandfather at a wedding with his disturbing jokes. hehehe

But the media still is working for him. Old memories won't die.

Pride Unifying For Us, Exploited by Others

By Steve Charing

The streets surrounding the Pride block party and parade have long been swept and trash picked up. Pieces of wrapped candy, rainbow trinkets, beads, plastic bottles, confetti—all gone now. The grounds at Druid Hill Park have also been restored to its former state. Although those remnants of Pride 2008 are no longer, the fond memories will stay with us.

On balance, this edition of Baltimore’s traditional June extravaganza was superb. I credit the outgoing Pride coordinator, Joel Rosado, as well as the GLCCB and the legions of volunteers who made for a smoothly run, professional and extraordinary weekend of June 21-22. Phone calls to Craig Wiley, executive director of the GLCCB to ascertain his perspective on Pride, were not returned.

The parade was kicked off by the campy high-heel race. The fabulous procession that featured gay and straight-owned businesses, lgbt organizations, political groups and other clubs actually began on time. Crowds lined the short parade route along both sides of Charles Street and cheered each float and cluster of marchers.

As soon as the parade ended, almost on cue, the block party began. Thousands packed narrow Eager Street made even narrower by the food and merchandise vendors. If you didn’t know the person pressed up against you, it was only a matter of time that you did.

The block party is always a fun event. If you can manage to slither up and down packed Eager Street, undoubtedly you will encounter an old friend or two who you have not seen since, well, last year’s Pride.

Drinks flowed; people consumed the array of aromatic food, and danced to the eclectic, high-energy music performed on stage at the intersection of Eager and Charles.

The next day’s festival in the park attracted thousands more. There was less partying and not quite as young a crowd that showed up on Saturday. It was more of a family atmosphere as many lgbt folks brought their children and, of course, dogs.

People came from all over Baltimore and beyond with some even venturing from Ohio to attend the festivities.

A variety of very good entertainers did their thing as people sat or laid out on the grassy field in front of the stage and relaxed on this warm, humid day that had been threatened by ominous weather forecasts.

Pride-goers meandered their way through the park’s trails to visit a wide variety of booths that presented such notable organizations as PFLAG, Equality Maryland, Chase-Brexton, Human Rights Campaign, and as a sign of things to come, Gays for Obama.

A group representing state District 43 was situated along side the comparable folks from District 45—both districts in Baltimore. They were there to organize lgbt and supportive residents in their respective districts to form a grass roots movement in an effort to secure marriage equality in Maryland.

Merchants peddled their wares and crafts. Food and drinks were in abundance. Affirming religious organizations had booths and tables to show that you can be gay and still be welcomed by churches and synagogues. Venerable groups like the OWLS, Prime Timers and C.O.M.M.A.N.D. were in force. Even newcomers to the festival like GAY.COM were there to give away T-shirts.

Naturally, thousands of gay people enjoying themselves could not be allowed to stand by a handful of Bible thumping zealots who can cite Leviticus but most likely can’t spell it. They were harassing the crowd early on, but they were skillfully and professionally forced by Security to conduct their unwanted preachings at the festival’s outer perimeter. Some festival-goers taunted the sign-waving goofballs which, unfortunately, gained them the attention they were so badly craving.

But they weren’t the only ones exploiting our Pride for political points. The day before, WBFF-45 was among the few media outlets that covered the parade. But some saw it as an opportunity for the FOX station to offer a platform for right wing, anti-gay conservatives.

Columbia residents Rob Lance and his partner of 30 years Tim Edwards were, along with some others, interviewed by the reporter on questions ranging from what marriage plans the couple may have in light of the California legalization of same-sex marriage to what Pride meant to them. Rob and Tim thoughtfully explained that if the amendment to California’s constitution failed in November, it would bring them that much closer to gaining marriage equality in Maryland—the preferred site of their marriage.

Much of the response, however, wound up on the cutting room floor. "I think WBFF reduced all those interviews down to basically nothing of substance while giving a platform to Don Dwyer to spew his venomous and vile anti-gay B.S.," fumed Lance. "Nice that they used Pride as well as California's ruling for marriage equality to let this dumbass do his usual shtick."

With this wonderful rainbow-laden Pride celebration fading in the rear-view mirror, our community must focus on some significant issues. For one thing, the disturbing news that HIV/AIDS is increasing among young men who have had sex with other men warrants attention. I think the younger members of the community are getting too lax and feel immortal—a dangerous attitude for those who scoff at unprotected sex. We need to push hard that barebacking is unclean and life threatening.

We also have an important election in November that will determine the chances of any success on the equality front. And we should do everything we can to help fend off the referendum in California, which would stop the marriages of same-sex couples.

Nonetheless, the enjoyment of Pride is still fresh. I had been interviewed at the festival by Washington, D.C. radio station WJFK. The reporter asked me what Pride meant to me. I essentially told him that it was a time for our diverse community to come together as one and celebrate all our accomplishments through the years and look towards the future.

During these two Pride days, at least, our community is unified with a common purpose. Others, however, don’t want to see that.

Here Are Some More Good Reasons to be Proud

By Steve Charing

As Baltimore’s Pride kicks off, several recent events add more to the meaning of Pride. To be sure, I reflect upon the commitment and sacrifice from thousands of activists who, through nearly four decades, have struggled to achieve equality for all gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered individuals.

I salute those who took the punches and even lost their lives, got thrown out of apartments, were fired from their jobs, and were kicked out of the military for simply being who they were born to be.

I tip my cap and thank the many LGBT organizations—both political and social—that have risen up to serve us well. Groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC); Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Equality Maryland; the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) are just a few among the myriad organizations that have been on the battlefield to fight for our rights and to combat the hate and prejudice that ignorance produces.

These taken together would be sufficient to provide good reasons to celebrate Pride. Yet there are more.

California Dreaming
Our friends in California, thanks to a favorable ruling by the state�