Amy Beck Gets 2 Years For Sex With Teen Student

Couldn't help noticing that ChicagoMike takes a wild leap by the accusation that Supersitition's "theory of sexuality makes homosexuals freaks of nature."



Clearly, Supersition's view is that males and females, gay and straight, have sexual issue emergence experiences that differ. That makes them "different." They vary in those differences. They are, therefore, "variant," which ChiMike seems to misunderstand as "deviant."



Things which deviate from the natural process are variant, or "sports," or sometimes termed (if one takes ChiMike's process of conflation to its outrageous extreme) "freaks."



However, ChiMike's line of reasoning is a half-baked mass of logical fallacies, garnished with inconsistencies, clumsily presented on a bed of hand-picked obscure textual references, backed with ad hominim rhetorical flouishes, laced with venom, and served with a light sauce of pomposity . . . with croutons.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Elena Kagan Tapped For Supreme Court (VIDEO)

Thank you for remembering one of Ireland's most trenchant wits, whose dexterity with words would later bloom in Joyce as Yeats and Beckett continued on past Behan and beyond the bend where the riverran.
About Supreme Court
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Kristin Chenoweth: Newsweek's Sean Hayes Piece 'Horrendously Homophobic'

If Sedooteh's "openly-gay," I'd like to suggest he crawl back into that closet he's recommending for others and back under the rock from whence he came. Perhaps, with years of intensive therapy, he could learn to write out his internalize homophobia in a more productive manner.



Bravos and kudos to Kristin Chenoweth for her lengthy response (which I've read elsewhere). I'm glad good Christians of her stripe are standing up and speaking out loudly on behalf of all LGBT people. "Lastly, as someone who’s been proudly advocating for equal rights and supporting GLBT causes for as long as I can remember," Chenoweth says . . . "No one needs to see a bigoted, factually inaccurate article that tells people who deviate from heterosexual norms that they can’t be open about who they are and still achieve their dreams."



I've elided items for space consideration, but the end line is found at:



http://www.broadway.com/shows/promises-promises/buzz/152350/promises-star-kristin-chenoweth-speaks-out-on-horrendously-homophobic-newsweek-article-defends-sean-hayes/



"I encourage Newsweek to embrace stories which promote acceptance, love, unity and singing and dancing for all!" -- Kristin Chenoweth



Spoken like a true Christian, Ms. Chenoweth. ( I can't tell you how deeply I love that woman )
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

George Rekers, Anti-Gay Activist, Caught With Male Escort 'Rentboy' [UPDATE: Escort Says Rekers Is Gay]

"First glance?" Take a second, and a third. Christwire" is satire . . . as the "How to Spot a Masturbator" and "Shapeshifting Fiend Lady GaGa on the Move" and "Gay Politican Caught in Straight Sex Scandal" article titles might have suggested.



Have a look: http://christwire.org/



Oh, and the links in the articles? They lead to asylum.comm news" and a few other sources, which, upon reading, are clearly satires/send-ups or directly contradict the points they're meant to support as in "Chely Gay Starts Rumor Country Star John Rich is Gay."



Linked articles that have been tagged "april fool" usually are SATIRE. The inability to read closely and distinguish satire, then serve it up as "absolutely serious" is either a brilliant pose, or REALLY scary in itself.



Are we straight on this now? Oh, damn . . . I don't usually ask people if they're straight.
About Religion
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

British Judge: Christian Beliefs Have No Legal Standing

I have faith that the UK's record of leading the US when it comes to LGBT equality will eventually result in same-sex marriages here being acknowledged and granted equal privileges to opposite-sex couples. At present, my tradition's rites of hand-fasting ("marriage") between any two people aren't given equal treatment to state-approved rites, which are not extended to same-sex couples.



Sometimes "faith" (mine) drags on despite the "faith" and privileges granted by state-sanctioned rites of "faiths" that are granted special status.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

DADT Protest: Gay Activists Arrested For Chaining Themselves To White House Fence To Protest Don't Ask Don't Tell

There are more pressing issues than DADT? When translators and other qualified officers are being outed (against DADT "official policy") and ousted against their wills? When they have not told, but have been betrayed by members of their own corps? When they have been interrogated until admitting their sexuality, without having acted on it? When the unit morale and cohesion is eroded by skilled, qualified, decorated service members being suddenly yanked out? When the gap is filled by less-qualified, ill-prepared novices as replacements?



And all of this in a time of war - in two countries?



Every service member is valuable, and those who would find absence of LGBT service members (the first to be "stop-lossed" in a crisis) an acceptable and good thing do not aid our troops. It's more akin to giving aid and comfort to our enemies.



"Precious time" is lost when irreplaceable soldiers and others become a "non-priority."
About Don't Ask Don't Tell
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

May Day - a little dancing music

Duran Duran:  "New Moon on Monday." 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OxqnrFea8I 

A little something for May Day, on its 120th anniversary as International Workers' Day.  

May first is Labour Day in India and China.

Today's also the 50th anniversary for Maharashtra, which attained statehood on 1st of May, 1960.  Bombay (a state) was divided into the two states of Maharashtra and Gujarat on the basis of eheir different languages.  Maharashtra kept the old capital Bombay, which was later renamed Mumbai.

Last night, May Eve, was "Walpurgisnacht" - a  traditional witch gathering that marks the transition to Beltane, the festival of the bonfires.  It's one of the two points on the Wheel of the Year (Samhain being the other) when the barriers between the realms of earth and spirit are thinnest.  I get together with like-minded pagans for drum circles on the beach most Full Moons, but also at May Eve and/or Beltane. 

St. Walpurga was the neice of St. Boniface, who "felled" the sacred oak of Thor, defying Thor by calling upon him to strike him down, and then proceeding to begin chopping away at the oak.  A great wind suddenly sprang up, the oak toppled over, and the people took it as a sign that Thor was powerless.  Of such things are Christian saints too often made:  destruction of a culture and appropriation of its holy days.

May is also Beltane, as noted.  Ostara ("Easter") marks the official end of Winter (Vernal Equinox) , and fires are lit at dawn to note the coming of a season of new life.  Often, seeds are planted.  It's the first day of spring.

Beltane's all about fertility.  It's the point where the Oak King is born and the Holly King passes.  "The Land represented by the Goddess is now ripe and fertile and the Young God expresses His Love for Her. This is a time of joyous reveling as the first flowers of Summer are gathered in Their Honor. "  The May Pole Dance and other forms of revelry (Morris Dances) make it quite the fun, lusty time.

The Gay Pagans UK - Ireland Yahoo group had a moot today in central London.  Martin Cummins, its creator, is a lovely man.  I've not met him personally, although I saw him at one such moot - a two-hour coffee klatsch within walking distance of the British Museum, Covent Garden, Treadwells  and Atlantis bookshops and Mysteries  are all within walking distance.

I didn't much relish attending such an event, but I went because of the excellent directions provided:  "Located at the Aldwych end of Kingsway, nearest tube station is Temple, Holborn tube station is a 5 - 10 minute walk away. The venue is wheelchair accessible."

The last point about accessibility, obviously, got me there, where I connected with some fantastic queer pagans. 

So, on behalf of my fellow Anglo-Indian pagans, Wiccans, and Marxist-leaning queers everywhere, I say:  "Workers of the world, arise - and dance!"

And Blessed Be.

Peace,

Todd