The ACLU has drafted a letter to the President of Fresno City College, to issue a formal complaint about Bradley Lopez, a health instructor at the school. They claim his teachings include various religious based arguments as well as anti-gay misinformation being shown to the students. Some of what the ACLU says Mr. Bradley has...
*Presented media labeled as "homosexual facts" which state that homosexuality is a "biological misapplication of human sexuality" and that the "condition" of homosexuality can be treated with hormones or counseling.
*Presented LGBT Americans as a burden on society.
*Used biblical quotes as "empirical evidence" that life begins at conception and therefore, abortion is murder.
*Stated that the climate change to be worried about is the biblical description of the world ending in fire.
Mr. Lopez responded in December, stating that he only provides students with "measured, scientific information in current issues and health", as well as noting his disagreement with the concept of the separation of church and state.
While free speech is, of course, Mr. Lopez's right outside the classroom, the ACLU reminds that "as a tax supported entity, FCC must of course comply with state and federal law, which prohibits religious indoctrination in public education".
The ACLU has demanded a response from the school by February 15th.
The San Francisco Chronicle details the latest "revelation" from the Prop 8 Trial in San Francisco, which is now in recess. The Judge in the case, Vaughn Walker, is gay. Walker is not closeted. He keeps his private life separate from his professional life, but it's no secret that he's gay. According to another judge who knows Walker personally...
"He has a private life and he doesn't conceal it, but doesn't think it is relevant to his decisions in any case, and he doesn't bring it to bear in any decisions," said the judge, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the Prop. 8 trial.
And although the Prop 8 case was not sought by Judge Walker, but rather assigned to him at random, there are, of course, some who support Prop 8 that will no doubt use this as a wedge issue, as they've already begun to do, in the National Review. There will likely, however, be absolutely no fallout cost from the revelation that Walker is gay. Virtually everyone in any position of power has done nothing but relay the utmost respect for Walker, and assured that his sexuality plays no part in this or any other of his judicial opinions. Read the full Chronicle article here...
Every once in a while I run into a true surprise, a hole in the wall that is one of the best eating experiences I ever had. I ran into that with the most recent restaurant I visited, Thalia’s. It is unlikely I would have visited this place if I had not been referred to it, but it was the most exceptional Mexican food I have had in a Fresno restaurant. Fresno is a city with many good Mexican food establishments, making the competition stiff.
Thalia’s is near the corner of Butler and Orange in a rundown retail building. When I walked in it had no business, but 11:00 is a little early for lunch in Mexican culture. You walk in to the sight of cheap plastic table cloths, and patio chairs. Some would consider the ambiance tacky, but I think the decoration style gives it a homey feel. I was greeted by a very friendly waiter who was attentive to my every need.
The menu is limited, but I prefer a small well done menu over a large poorly done one. They serve several breakfast items, including chilaquiles which are not often on menus in this country. The regular part of the menu includes the usual tortilla dish culprits, but some with a different twist. Their specials are fajitas, huarache, and chile verde. The menu was in Spanish, but they may have English ones.
I ordered the asada fajitas. The meat was perfect. It was tender, and very juicy, mixed with tomatoes and chili peppers. Mexican restaurants often overcook their meat. You get a choice of potatoes instead of rice for a refreshing change. The potatoes were cooked until very tender with tomatoes and black pepper. The beans were not too thick or thin. There was a generous heaping of lettuce, avocado, and red onion, all very fresh. The tortillas were freshly made, fluffy, and almost burning my hand. It is not too much food like you get served at many Mexican restaurants, and has its own unique twist. It was one of the most amazing meals I have ever eaten.
Thalia’s has been open for five months and very much deserves to succeed, so I urge everyone to try them out.
What's happening at the clubs for Valentine's Weekend...& Mardi Gras...click on the club name to visit their official website...click on the flyers to enlarge for viewing...
Starring: Bill Sage – Terry Serpico – Nicole Bilderback – Colin Fickles
Andrew Weilin – Ryan Locke – Thomas Sadoski
Reviewed By: Leon Velasco
Rating: Two Thumbs Down
I felt that this movie was taking too long to finish. There are no real dramatic turn of events, no action (or sex), and there was no real thrill. It was just a lot of talk. If you are like me and need a little bit of noise, just to have noise while you’re taking a nap; this is the movie to have on. If you just need to have something on the television and don’t mind wasting money on a rental fee, this is that movie.
Writer-Director Chris Mason Johnson’s award-winning first feature charts the lives of five New Yorkers, a mix of gay and straight best friends about to turn thirty, whose tight relationship is threatened when an older, charismatic man joins their ranks. With emotionally vivid performances and nuanced characters, THE NEW TWENTY paints the portrait of a generation living the highs and lows of a Wall Street world destined to disappear overnight.
“Sharp, intelligent writing, erotic tension and intriguing ambiguity. A stylish production.” – The
Hollywood Reporter
“A vivid portrayal of real life. A breath of fresh air.” – NY Examiner
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The federal challenge to California's same-sex marriage ban is attracting nationwide attention in the form of "friend of the court" briefs.
Groups and individuals supporting and opposed to gay marriage submitted a flurry of opinions on the subject Wednesday, the deadline Chief U.S. Judge Vaughn R. Walker had set for the filing of amicus briefs.
Among those siding with the pair of same-sex couples suing to overturn the 2008 law passed by voters as Proposition 8 were the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ and a retired state appeals court judge.
Last month, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the National Organization for Marriage were among those supporting the ban's sponsors.
John McCain certainly proved he has ZERO integrity during his recent Presidential run, when he literally flip flopped on virtually every position he'd ever held, just to attempt to gain the nomination. Look at McCain's REAL history and you'll see he wasn't a very good soldier in the first place, yet was labeled a war hero for getting caught. This man is the sad example of all things wrong with politics. Now, he's reversed his position on how to handle DADT, and thanks to Keith Olbermann and the availability of video (I know you're old, John, but certainly you're aware that you're being recorded every time you open your lying big mouth), we can see first hand just what an opportunist this worthless politician really is...
HONOLULU (AP) -- Hawaii lawmakers declined to vote Friday on a bill that would have allowed same-sex civil unions, effectively doing away with the measure.
State House leaders said a narrow majority of representatives would have voted for civil unions, but they decided to indefinitely postpone a decision on whether to grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married couples.
Civil union supporters in the crowded House gallery on Friday shouted, "Shame on you!" while opponents cheered.
Lesbian couples wanted for research study on Proposition 8
The aim of this research is to explore the meaning of marriage to lesbian couples marginalized by the California State Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8 and the affects of minority stress on some lesbian couples now barred from the legal institution of marriage in California. The research focus is on the lived experiences of lesbian couples and it seeks to make visible the hidden hierarchies of heterosexism.
The results of this research will be used to educate social workers and other professionals in order to advocate for equal rights in the civil rights debate on marriage equality in the State of California. Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act creates less social equality for same-sex couples in the State of California and has marginalized lesbian couples that would like access to the legal entitlements, regardless of their marital status and may have created mental health problems, as a result of this social policy.
Participant criteria:
--Five to Seven lesbian couples that are currently living together in the State of California and would like to get married.
--Aged 18 years or older
Please contact: Margo J. Randolph, MSW student at (559)790-0048 or rose29@csufresno.edu for more information.
Unmarried same-sex couples who wish to marry AND married same-sex and opposite sex couples AND all those who support them are invited to attend!
This is an annual, National event happening in cities across the nation during Freedom to Marry Week!
What will happen:
We'll go in to the County Clerk's office at 1pm and unmarried same-sex couples will ask for a marriage license. The media will be present to document their experience as they are denied the fundamental right to marry. Supporters will cheer on those who want to marry! Also, some time will be set aside to view a photo presentation of couples who married in 2008 and to hold signs for the cause.
Please keep in mind that only unmarried couples will be able to request a marriage license, but married LGBTQI couples wanting to cheer on their friends and take a stand on this important issue are DEFINITELY ENCOURAGED TO COME!
Your attendance is greatly needed to show this issue is still important to our community. Especially with the court ruling coming down shortly.
Day 1 Chapter 1 of the Proposition 8 Trial Re-enactment presented by MarriageTrial.com. Opening statements begin at min. 15:02. Produced by John Ainsworth & John Ireland. Copyright John Ireland Productions, LLC.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Defense Department last year dismissed the fewest number of service members for violating its "don't ask, don't tell policy" than it had in more than a decade.
The 2009 figure, a sharp decline from the previous year, comes from President Barack Obama's first year in office. He opposes the policy but has done little to reverse it.
The lower number continues a trend since 2001 in which fewer troops have been dismissed as the services struggle to fight two wars.
According to figures released by the Pentagon on Monday, 428 service members in 2009 were fired for being openly gay compared to 619 in 2008. In 1997, 997 service members were dismissed.
Overall, more than 10,900 troops have been fired under the policy.
Gregory Maguire, Author of Wicked, Does A Good Deed
Gregory Maguire, author of "Wicked," will be coming to Fresno State in May, 2010, for "Oz - The Books Conference." Read more about it HERE. More details coming soon.
OZ: THE BOOKS CONFERENCE May 14-16, 2010 California State University, Fresno
Guest speakers and book signings by authors including:
• Gregory Maguire – author of “Wicked,” “Son of a Witch” and “Lion Among Men”
• Eric Shanower – author of “Adventures in Oz” and “The Age of Bronze”
• Dee Michel – author of “Friends of Dorothy: Why Gay Men and Boys Love Oz”
• David Maxine – producer of Grammy-award nominated Best Historical Album: “Vintage Recordings of the 1903 Musical: The Wizard of Oz”
Gregory Maguire, author of seven books for adults and five for young readers, is probably best known for "Wicked," his retelling of "The Wizard of Oz" from the witch's point of view.
But creating stories that explore the nature of evil, or what we perceive as evil, hasn't made him bad. In fact, he's done something very good with his new book, "The Next Queen of Heaven." A comic novel set in upstate New York in late 1999, the book features a teen girl as troublesome as they come; her devout mother, who, after a bump on the head from a religious statue, either begins speaking in her own profane code or in tongues; a local semi-out choirmaster; and a surprising nun. Maguire moves easily in and out of even minor characters, so the town comes alive in many dimensions, most of them funny and slightly bonkers.
Did I mention that "The Next Queen of Heaven" is free?
That's the good part. Maguire has chosen to publish the book with the Concord Free Press, which will distribute all 2,500 copies of the novel, for free, to anyone who asks. They ask two things in return:
That you make a donation to charity and tell them what it was.
That you pass on the book and ask the next reader to do the same.
So far, more than $97,000 has been donated through the distribution of its books -- Maguire's, which has been out for just a couple of weeks, is the publishing house's third.
"I admire that the books as well as the publishing model raise questions about art's inherent value and the commodification of content," Maguire says in the book's press materials. "I like knowing that this book is out in the world, helping generate donations for great causes."
It's not Maguire's first good deed -- he founded a children's literacy nonprofit in New England way back in 1987.
Is it déjà vu? Is it me? Seems like a repeat, but here we go again...
Rumors of a secret LGBT strategy meeting in the hills of Tennessee are confirmed. The group, which includes Kip Williams and Robin McGehee, has holed up for 4 days in Tennessee to "discuss ways to build a national network of activists to demand full equality now".
That sounds awfully familiar...I think we heard it at Meet In The Middle and during the National March promotion. In fact, according to what's left of the website that was behind the National March, Equality Across America, (the most recent posting on the site is dated November 20th 2009), the goal was... Equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. We will accept no less and will work until it is achieved. Equality Across America exists to support grassroots organizing in all 435 Congressional Districts to achieve full equality.
The promise of the organization behind the National March was that the march was just the beginning of their efforts. Immediately following the DC March, the organizers would work to create independent grassroots teams in all congressional districts across the United States. In reality, the march was the end of the organization. The group fell apart a month later, with Williams, McGehee and many others choosing to leave the organization. Now, it appears to be defunct. The website, by the way, is still accepting donations, as it just processed my contribution, although I have no idea where my money went. (It was just a dollar, so no big loss.)
Williams and McGehee have joined forces again, inviting some 45 others to join them in Tennessee to discuss the "next project". After a few days of rumor, amid mysterious tweets, Williams and McGehee issued the following statement on his Facebook page...
Oh, that's why he looked so miserable all the time...he beat himself with a belt. Wouldn't it have been easier just to head to a Bear Bar? I'm sure there are plenty of people who would have lined up to whack this mental patient...and their belts are often studded...oooohhhhh...hope he remembers his safe word...
(CNN) -- Pope John Paul II used to beat himself with a belt and sleep on a bare floor to bring himself closer to Christ, a book published Wednesday says. The late pope had a particular belt for self-flagellation and brought it with him to his summer residence, according to the book, "Why he is a Saint: The True story of John Paul II."
"In the closet, among the cloaks, a particular pant-belt hung from a hook, which he utilized as a whip and one which he always had brought to Castel Gandolfo," the book says.
Mother Teresa is among famous Catholics who self-flagellated in some way, said Michael Barrett, a priest of the Catholic Opus Dei sect.
Feds Seek To Overturn Mexico City Gay Marriage Law
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexican federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that they will try to overturn Mexico City's gay marriage law, which allows same-sex couples to adopt children, on the grounds it violates the constitution.
The Mexico City law, approved in December and due to take effect in March, is the first of its kind in Latin America.
The federal Attorney General's Office said in a statement that it believes the law "violates the principle of legality, because it strays from the constitutional principle of protecting the family."
OBAMA: Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the president shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They've done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they've done so in the midst of war and depression, at moments of great strife and great struggle.
It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable - that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run, and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday, and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain. These were the times that tested the courage of our convictions and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements, our hesitations and our fears, America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, as one people.
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.
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