From a blurb on the Post-Gazette website comes the nugget that the Upper St. Clair School District is reinstating the International Baccalaureate program in the face of a hailstorm of protest and a pending lawsuit. 

IB is an educational curriculum that proposes to give students an "international" perspective in the classroom.  Obviously, its a propaganda tool for the liberals and thank goodness the alert Christian wingers stomped out the evil influence while they could. 

Or not.

USC tried to dodge the discrimination bullet by claiming that they axed the program for funding purposes.  So then Uncle Eddie sensing an opportunity in election year stepped up and said that the state government would drop everything to fund this program for one of the wealthiest suburban districts in Western PA.  To hell with those urban kids and their pesky academic needs ...

Plus, some school board idiot let it slip that it was about the threat to Judeao-Christian values anyway. 

The parents filed suit (did the school board forget that the ACLU legal guru lives in their district  --- the guy who already whomped on the intelligent design folks in Dover?). 

So its all better now. Politics will have its course in the next round of elections.  The kids can continue to learn about life outside of their box.  And the rest of us can take heart knowing that occasionally, the good guys win.

I mean, seriously, did they just not know that he lived there? 

From Black Looks and Feministing comes this update on the Nigerian legislation criminalizing homosexuality (you'll recall the PG op-ed discussion on this issue).

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The Nigerian homosexuality bill, the "Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006" which was presented to the House on the 31st March has now had its first reading in the Senate. A report in the Nigerian Vanguard states that the Bill has been widened to include "punish individuals who witness,  celebrate with or support couples involved in homosexual relationships".

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This legislation essentially criminalizes homosexuality.  It strips a group of human beings of their entire identity and any claim to justice whatsoever.  Homosexuals will "no longer be human beings, but illegal beings."

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The Bill effectively silences the issue of homosexuality in Nigeria and removes all  Human Rights of  HR defenders, lesbians, gays, bi-bisexuals and transgendered people. 

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Peter Akinola, Anglican bishop and all around homohater, argues that this law reflects the Nigerian people's view on sexual matters. 

Here's the Pittsburgh angle .... our beloved Episcopal Bishop Robert Duncan issues a press release stating that the Archbishop's support for this legislation is an improvement over Sharia law which advocates death for homosexuals.  He then whips out the arguement that outraged Episopalians (and Anglicans) are being COLONIALIST by imposing their sexual values on Nigerians ....

I can't make this stuff up folks.  God be with the entire Nigeria population.  Because the Anglican Church sure isn't with them. 

In today's PG, Ann Rodgers reports on the Pittsburgh Presbytery's decision to keep homonegative language in a document that underscores anti-LGBT ordination. 

I get that the majority of Presbyterian voters decided that this language is okay with them, even when challenged to reflect on whether this language truly represents the church.  What language?  Here's a bit:

"Even where the homosexual orientation has not been consciously sought or chosen, it is neither a gift from God nor a state nor a condition like race; it is a result of our living in a fallen world."

That's nice.  I love how neatly people split human rights into immutable characteristics and behavior.  If only people could be so neatly compartmentalized. 

But kudos to those brave souls who put themselves out there to generate this dialogue.

However, Ms. Rodgers has me puzzled.  Maybe I'm just statistically challenged.  But I cannot figure out what this sentence means:

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However, the margin of 3-2 was closer than the 2-1 votes with which the presbytery has turned back efforts to approve the ordination of actively gay clergy in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

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What does that mean?  Am I just dense?  Did I have too much late night caffeine? 

???????

Sue

This week's City Paper takes an interesting look at the conflict many gay African-American's struggle with between their faith and their sexual orienation.   Commend the CP for exploring the range from those who want church help "getting through" being gay to those seeking full acceptance and inclusion. 

Some ministers take a hard stance invoking scripture to justify condeming homosexuality (while loving the sinner).  Others emote compassion to help individuals cope with being gay, still implying there's something immoral that needs to be fixed or denied -- to outrun the internal sinner and be delivered from being gay.   Inevitably, the issue of comparing gay civil rights with the African-American civil rights movement arises as well. 

One local gay black man of faith states:

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?I don?t think the African-American community is in a position to lose the ? gifts of hundreds of thousands of black people simply because they love in a different way than the majority,? he says. ?But to be honest, that is the way it?s going to be for most African-American gays and lesbians until the community learns how to work with people who are different from themselves.?

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What's interesting is that the City Paper talks strictly to men.  There was nothing from female African Americans who are gay or who are church leaders.  How is that a holistic examination of the African-American experience, especially in churches where women play such a strong role? 

It is also interesting that the CP notes that Dr. Martin Luther King's daughter Berneice is avidly anti-gay without noting that her mother, the dearly departed Coretta Scott King, was an outspoken supporter of gay civil rights.

A friend of mine who is an African-American woman of faith tells me that in her experience and her family, homosexuality was not scorned or shunned.  Her mother had gay male friends who were a fully loved part of her life and wept along with the family at her mother's funeral.  And she firmly believes that most women in the church share this attitude. 

Overall, I think the City Paper dropped the ball on this one. 

 

Holy smokes .. this one slipped under the radar.  An amendment to the Higher Education Act will allow private Christian colleges to be exempted from state and local non-discrimination laws when it comes to accreditation.  Its a cloak and dagger maneuver to essentially allow Christian schools to reject (or expel) homosexual students w/o fear of violating an accreditation standard.  According to 365gay.com, most accreditating bodies do not make compliance with nondiscrimination laws a requirement.

But it passed the House and is heading for the Senate. 

The pressure stems from the Soulforce Equality Ride which is visiting private Christian colleges around the country and, apparently, making some waves in among the wingers. 

Now I attended a private Catholic school, Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.  I was not out at the time (took me another 10 years).  However, I regularly send in alumni updates (shameless self promotion) and always include references to my living status much like other alumni reference their spouses and children ... Mary and her husband Billy live in Annapolis with their three children, Chase, Carter and Gideon.  And to my surprise, they publish it! 

Has there been fallout?  You bet.  My favorite undergraduate instructor has failed to respond to any of my email messages, holiday cards or letters.  He just stopped communicating with me.  He is an ardent Republican Catholic, but I never would have pegged him for a bigot.  I'm hopeful there is some other explanation, but the timing is suspicious. 

Back to educational discrimination, what about a 20 year old kid struggling with his identity?  Should he be expelled simply for being gay?  For talking about being gay?  Do these universities expel heterosexual students for having sex which is also a big Christian no-no?  Of course not!  

Ah ... the sweet smell of Christian hypocrisy wafts over the land once again ...

Sue

An article in the Wall Street Journal discussed the lack of unity among Evangelicals around immigration issues.  Apparently, our Christian friends are unable to find consensus on this topic - some favor Christian compassion while others believe that law breakers should be punished ...

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Despite their past unity on other issues, some evangelicals are divided over how to treat people who are breaking the law and worried they will be tainted as racist if they advocate penalties. "When someone speaks out, they're portrayed as being against immigration," says Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group. "They're being more cautious, afraid of being misconstrued."

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Tony, how much speaking out have you done about white collar crime which destroys hundreds of thousands of lives every single day?  How about the President's illegal activities -- have Evangelicals united around that?  Or any other crimes -- poaching, dumping, rape, molestation, tax evasion ...

This issues involves a lot of Hispanic Evangelicals who oppose punishing poor undocumented workers.   It  comes down to how you interpret the Bible -- crack down on law breakers or help strangers .... now which was a parable that Jesus used?  Hmmm...

This is an interesting non-debate because it really brings to light that there are two issues that connect the Evangelical community - gays and abortion. 

Guess what Jimmy Dobson?  You can proclaim immigation an issue that doesn't define an evangelical, but I'm guessing the 2006 elections will prove different as the Evanglical voting block splits on this very front burner issue.

 

 

Lots of goings on today ....

From the local front, two letters to the editor in the Post-Gazette.

David Schelbe, co-chair of PFLAG Pittsburgh, asks the crucial question -- how will amending the Pennsylvani constitution protect marriage?

Amy Beisel of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference opines that a one man/one woman marriage is unique and special, as well as fundamental to the well-being of children.  Same old drivel dressed up pretty to defend marriage from a nameless threat.  And I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania families that don't meet the one man/one woman threshold love being shoved into second class citizenship along with us homos.  Very Christian of you Ms. Beisel ... good to know you are working hard so your future husband can make decisions in your best interest.  :-)

Ms Beisel -- can you please spell out how ... HOW ... gay marriage will impact your marriage (or future marriage)? 

Sue

 

 

The United Church of Christ has had another inclusive ad rejected by all major networks for being too "issue oriented."  The point of the ads is to reach out to people who feel alienated from church. You can view the ads here.  They are hysterical. 

Interestingly, the networks embrace the Christian Right -- which is decidedly NOT mainstream Christianity -- while shutting out a simple message like "you are welcome at our church."  Hmmm ....undoubtably the liberal media bias is at work here. 

BTW, I did a search on the UCC homepage and found 20 congregations within 20 miles of downtown Pgh. 

The American Family Association of Pennsylvania has some problems with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.  They claim that Chairman Stephen Glassman is using his position as a "bully pulpit" to promote the homosexual agenda. 

Mr. Glassman's sins include meeting with homosexual groups to discuss the anti-marriage amendment and working with local municipalities to add sexual orientation and gender identity to their non-discrimination policies.  Glassman was appointed to the HRC by a Republican (Schweiker) Governor in 2002, nominated as chair by Governor Rendell in 2003 and is currently the highest ranking openly gay appointed official in Pennsylvania. 

Imagine the Human Relations Commission advocating that all people be protected from discrimination!  What a horrible abuse of power! 

The AFA-PA wants proof that homos are being discriminated against in housing, employment and public accomodations.  They should visit the HRC website which includes statistics on bias complaints. 

Other critical concerns the AFA has about the homosexual agenda in Pennsylvania:

1.  Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission "desecrates" Independence Hall with a gay historical marker.

2.  Homosexual activists in Allentown used threats and intimidation to acquire signatures on a petition to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the human relations ordinance.

3.  In Allentown, men can wear dresses and shower with women in the workplace. 

So the AFA-PA wants Governor Rendell to reign in Glassman and make him concentrate only on legally protected classes, as sexual orientation and gender identity are not included in these classes.  My question is what the AFA-PA is doing to ensure that good Christian family members who fall into those included classes are being protected?  Are they ensuring that churches across the Commonwealth are fully accessible to the disabled?  Perhaps holding bake sales so churches with limited resources can afford to remodel in order to be fully welcoming of ALL peoples?  I'm guessing that their all-consuming obsession with homosexuality does not allow for these minor distractions.

Furthermore, the AFA does not seem to be doing much of anything for ANY people who fall into the following classes - race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, disability, use of guide or support animals because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the use is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals.

Are they on the forefront protecting pagans from religious discrimiation?  Nope.  How about helping older adults pay for medicine AND food?  Nada.  Any action to assist immigrant farm workes in the middle of Pennsylvania?  No. 

While Pennsylvania families struggle to find decent jobs, put food on their table, pay for health insurance, keep up with property taxes and a myriad of other daily challengers, the AFA-PA has defined homosexuals as the biggest threat to family welfare.  Headed up by Stephen Glassman who tricked a Republican into appointing him so he could spread his homo agenda willy nilly throughout the Commonwealth. 

You can join the AFA-PA email list webdesigner@afaofpa.org to stay abreast of the latest.

 

 

 

 

Do you know someone who is homosexual?  Would you give your life for that person?  Christ did.   End religious based bigotry now.