Right-Wing Echo Chamber (media) Attacks Gore

Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth" won two oscar awards, Best Documentary and Best Song (Melissa Etherage's "I Need to Wake Up"). As expected, the right-wing nuts went ballistic and trotted out their dirty smear campaign against Al Gore. Never mind the evidence of global warming presented by Gore and the consensus of world scientists, the right-wing nuts are more concerned about Al Gore's utility bill! A right-wing "think tank" (The Tennessee Center for Policy Research), with links to Exxon and anti-environmental conservative groups, accused Gore of being a hypocrite because his utility bill is was 20 times the average american's bill. Not only did the right-wing nuts like World Net Daily News, Matt Drudge, Hannity, Limbaugh etal. push this story, but even the "mainstream" media ran with it. As usual, the right-wing nuts and their media echo chamber were more concerned with attacking Al Gore and did not care too much about getting the facts straight. The FACT is that Al Gore uses GREEN POWER through GREEN POWER SWITCH, and purchases "carbon offsets" to offset his carbon footprint, and is installing solar panels on his mansion. All things Al Gore is encouraging everyone to do. No one, not even Gore, claims to be "peferfect" on environmentalism, but they are trying and encouraging the rest of us to take the necessary steps to save our planet, while the right-wing nuts just ignore the facts altogether. Just another example of the right-wing media echo chamber getting their facts wrong and launching personal attacks against liberal Democrats.

Get "The Facts" over on the Huffington Post

Will Cuba Move Ahead of the U.S. on Gay Rights?

Interesting article in USA Today When it Comes to Gay Rights, Is Cuba Inching Ahead of USA?
Gives me another reason to flee to Cuba.

UPDATE: I received an email from Walter Lipman who travels frequently to Cuba and he wanted to share his web page on LGBT Issues in Cuba
Very interesting...looks like there are some welcome changes taking place in Cuba, hopefully the Cuban government will add "sexual liberation" to the Cuban Revolution.

Bush's America: Record Numbers Plunged into Poverty

According to a report released by McClatchy Newspapers Saturday, In U.S., Record Numbers are Plunged into Poverty The analysis of the report shows that:
almost 16 million Americans live in "deep or severe poverty" (defined as a family of four with 2 children earning less than $9,903--half the federal poverty line. For individuals the "deep poverty"threshold was an income under $5,080 a year.
The number of severly poor Americans grew by 26% from 2000 to 2005, 55% faster than the overall poverty population grew in the same period.
This surve in poverty has taken place alongside an unusal economic expansion in which worker productivity increased dramatically since the recession of 2001, but wages and job growth have lagged behind. The share of national income going to corporate profit, on the other hand, has drwarfed the amount going to wages and salaries. "These and other factors have helped push 43% of the nation's 37 million poor people into deep poverty--the highest rate since 1975." The report notes that social programs in the U.S. are minimal compared to those of Western Europe and Canada. The U.S. has a population of 301 million people, with 37 million poor people, and 45 million U.S. citizens have no health insurance.

Maybe the U.S. media will take some time off the dead body of Ana Nicole Smith and Britney Spear's bald head and cover this story--the social and economic decay of the American working class under George W. Bush!

Christo-Fascists Fret! Gay Rights Advances Likely in Democratic Congress

The anti-gay Christo-Fascists have their panties in a knot at the prospect that the Democratic congress may actually pass some laws protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination! ENDA (Employment Non-discrimination act), Hate Crimes, and ending the anti-gay “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” military policy seem likely to pass, but will Bush veto them?

Gay Rights Advances Likely in Congress

George Takei ("Mr. Sulu") Responds to to Homophobe Tim Hardaway

George Takei (Star Trek's "Mr. Sulu") responds to homophobic statements by former NBA star Tim Hardaway on the Jimmy Kimmel show.

In a recent interview, Tim Hardaway responded to a question about the recent coming out of John Amaechi, another former NBA player, by saying "I HATE GAY PEOPLE...let it be known I DON'T LIKE GAY PEOPLE. I'M HOMOPHOBIC."

After a major backlash, Hardaway has "apologized," saying he should not have used the word "hate," but no one takes his "apology" seriously. I can accept someone letting the work "fag" slip through their lips without being homophobic and I can accept their apologies, although the word "fag" really does not bother me. But saying I HATE GAY PEOPLE, is very different.

As Mr. Sulu saaid on the Jimmy Kimmel show, "we will be watching you..." Tim Hardaway, but I will not be lusting after your bald black head.

John McCain: Flip-Flopper

There he goes again... John McCain, a man who continues to remold himself as a Christian Conservative, is pandering to the Republican Religious Reich again...

The "straight talking" John McCain, who once called Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance" is singing that "Old Time Religion" now!

McCain: Roe v Wade Should Be Overturned

Civil Unions in New Jersey: Separate but Equal??

Many gays and lesbians are celebrating the first day of civil unions in New Jersey today. For some reason, I just don't feel too excited anymore about "civil unions". I don't care much for "marriage" either. Civil Unions do not give all the same rights as "marriage," but I think "gay marriage" is a loosing battle as long as Christo-fascism reigns in the United States. I would rather do away with all government-sanctioned "marriages" and replace it with "civil unions" for gay and straight couples--and give them the exact same equal rights. Let the religious groups and churches have their institution of "marriage." Let's repace it with a secular, non-sexist, civil institution. Face it, they are NOT going to allow gays to "marry" legally! And neither political party is ready to champion "marriage equality."

Presidents Day: The Worst?

It's "Presidents Day"! Yeeppe!
Which was/is THE WORST? There's a lot of competition!

Thom Hartmann Coming to Air America

Hopefully now that Air America has been bought and is coming out of bankruptcy, things will start improving at the progressive/liberal radio network. Conservative critics argue that there is no "market" for liberal radio, but they are wrong, and Thom Hartmann has proved that with the right marketing and station backing, progressive and liberal talk radio can compete against the right-wing big mouths, and even beat them! Thom Hartmann is the best radio talk show in the nation. He has published over a dozen books and is the most knowledgeable person I've heard on the radio. He even invites conservatives, usually libertarians, to discuss issues and he is polite even to them. He is not the scream and yell type, he is a thoughtful, considerate host, and he takes calls for most of his program. He is a great replacement for Al Franken on Air America, and I would argue he is a great improvement that will help Air America build a larger audience. Even thoughtful and intelligent conservatives (there are a few I guess) will like him. He does very well in Seattle and many markets, sometimes beating Rush Limbaugh! (I would love to see those two "debate", but Rush would be no match for Hartmann.) You can hear Thom Hartman on the internet, satellite radio and now Air America (Memphis Progressive Talk 680 AM), weekdays from 11-3 PM I think).

"License to be Gay"?

Check this out, from TN Guerillawomen:
A conservative TN blogger, Bob Krumm has responded in typical conservative fashion to the bill that’s been introduced in TN to offer a Tennessee Equality Project license plate.. Which we all need to support!


License to be a Brute

UPDATE: Bob Krumm has now removed the vulgar anti-gay license plate he designed and says he was only trying to get people to see the problem with political groups having their own license plates.... sure.

U.S. Military; Felons, But No Gays

Amazing, according to this post by Aaron Belkin on Huffington Post, there has been a surge in the number of felons admitted into the U.S. military since the Iraq war began, while they have fired over 11,000 gay soldiers and personnell, including 1,000 considered "mission critical" and over 300 foreign linquists, which there is a critical shortage of. Guess that is what they call "miliary intelligence"..

A "Strong Case for Impeachment"

Commercial Appeal (Feb. 12, 2007)

Letter to the Editor:

Strong case for impeachment

It's hard to believe 30 percent of the American people still think President Bush is doing a heck of a job. It is time the Democratic leadership in Congress showed backbone and began hearings to draft articles of impeachment against Bush and Vice President Cheney. They lied to Congress and the American people about Iraq to justify an illegal invasion of a country that had nothing to do with Sept. 11 and never attacked the U.S.

Bush and Cheney have manipulated intelligence to support their illegal acts, violated the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, engaged in torture in violation of international law, and disclosed the identity of a CIA agent in an act of vengeance against her husband for his criticism of their misuse of intelligence to justify the Iraq invasion.

The crimes of Bush and Cheney are more serious than Nixon's, and far more serious than Clinton's lies about his private sexual affair. Let the impeachment hearings begin.

Jim Maynard
Memphis



IMPEACH BUSH!

Media, Double Standards & Right-Wing Hypocrisy

The right-wingnuts continue to masterfully manipulate the "mainstream" media. This past week conservative attack dogs got the media to focus more on John Edwards' bloggers and Nancy Pelosi's plane than any imporant issues like the Iraq War or the trial of Scooter Libby and the mounting evidence that Dick Cheney is guilty of treason. I could not keep with it all but Media Matters.org has done an excellent job of countering the right-wing propaganda. Turns out, Nancy Pelosi NEVER requested a big commercial plane to carry her, her family, friends and the whole liberal congress around the country. It was the seargant in arms who made the request for a military plane that could fly non-stop to CA, for Pelosi's safety. As for the feminist bloggers hired by John Edwards, I personally find nothing they wrote in the past about Catholicism offensive, I agree with their attacks on the patriarchal catholic church. Edwards had to distance himself from their past blog attacks on the Catholic Church, but he refused to fire them as demanded by Bill Donahue and the Catholic League for Relilgious and Civil Rights. Donahue's attacks on the the anti-catholic liberal bloggers is an excellent example of conserrvative hypocrisy and double standards. These guys (Limbaugh, O'Reilley, Hannity, and Donahue) constantly cry and whine about "bigotry" against white men, catholics, christians, conservatives, etc. , despite the bigotry that their big mouths spit out about gays, feminists, atheists, liberals, immigrants, etc. Listen to the statatements by Bill Donhue attacking gays, jews and liberals:

Donohue has said:

"People don't trust the Muslims when it comes to liberty." [MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 2/9/06]

"The gay community has yet to apologize to straight people for all the damage that they have done." [MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 4/11/05]

Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It's not a secret, OK? And I'm not afraid to say it. ... Hollywood likes anal sex. They like to see the public square without nativity scenes. I like families. I like children. They like abortions. I believe in traditional values and restraint. They believe in libertinism. We have nothing in common. But you know what? The culture war has been ongoing for a long time. Their side has lost." [MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 12/8/04]

"Name for me a book pulishing company in this country, particulary in new york, which would allow you to publish a book which would tell the truth about the GAY DEATH STYLE. There are certain things that the left won't tolerate. They are censorial at heart. Indeed, the signature appetite of the left has always been power." [MSNBC, Scarborough Country, 2/27/04]

You get the idea.. BILL DONANUE IS A BIGOT AND A HYPOCRITE (just like Limbaugh, O'Reailly and Sean Hannity!)

Read more of Bill Donahue's Bigotry at Media Matters

Christian Fascism

Here's a good article by Chris Hedges on The Rise of Christian Fascism and its Threat to American Democracy

Bush's Budget: More War, Less Compassion

George W. Bush's New Budget is a great example of conservative priorities FUND WAR, TAX BREAKS FOR THE RICH, CUT AID TO POOR

Bush slashes Aid to the poor to Boost the military's war chest. Bush's $2.9 billion budget boosts military spending by over 11 percent, inlcuding $145 billion more for Iraq and Afghanistan, boosting overall military spending to over $600 billion! This huge increase in military spending is paid for by cutting domestic social programs (Medicare is cut $66 Billion over five years, and medicaid is cut $12 billlion).

Bush wants to give give his "base" (millionaires) an average tax cut of $162,000 a year by 2012. The top 1 percent will get 31 percent of the tax cuts, compared to just 4 percent for the bottom 40 percent! (Center on Budget and Policy Priorites).

And he claims to be working toward a "balanced budget"...don't believe it. He will also have to rob more money from the Social Security Trust Fund.

So this is "compassionate conservatism"??

Impeach Cheney

Here's a must read column by Frank Rich on Why Dick Cheney Cracked Up If you saw the Vice-Prince of Darkness on CNN you know what he's talking about. He is not in a good mood. It seems Dick is getting worried that the perjury trial of his ex-aid Scotter Libby will expose how he and Bush lied to the world and misled Congress into an illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Perhaps he fears that the Democratic leadership may actually grow a backbone and begin hearings leading to Articles of Impeachment.

Because of the timing of the Libby Trial, and the evidence coming out of it implicating Dick Cheney in Plamegate and exposing his lies and criminal behavior, maybe we should start with impeaching Cheney before Bush. Check out the Case for Impeaching Cheney

Mich. Court: No Same-Sex Benefits

Court: Ban prohibits state's DP benefits
Michigan's governments and public universities can't offer domestic partner benefits, due to the state's marriage ban, according to a decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals. "The marriage amendment's plain language prohibits public employers from recognizing same-sex unions for any purpose," a three-judge panel found.  Washington Blade/Associated Press

Now the theocon Anti-Gay Agenda becomes clearer. All along, while telling voters that they only want to ban same-sex marriages, their real goal is to prohibit any recognition or rights for gay and lesbian couples. In almost every state that has passed anti-gay marriage amendments, you can bet that civil union and domestic partnershp benefits have also been killed.