According to the Dayton Daily News, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland may soon sign an executive order protecting state workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation. The even better news is that the Secretary of State and Attorney General plan to expand that to include gender identity.
"Frankly, I don't think we should discriminate against anybody against anything related to their sexuality or gender identification in the broadest sense that you can apply it," said Attorney General Marc Dann. "I just want the best lawyers, best victim advocates ... the best investigators in the world. I don't care, frankly, as long as they do their jobs well."
As expected, the fundies and wingnuts are up in arms over the "liberal agenda." Visit Pam for more details on that thread.
Its just nice to get some good news from our neighbors, isn't it? Especially good news related to the gay agenda. Now that's we've conqured the Ohioan Executive Branch, can the schools and churches be that far behind?
Never fear, wingnuts, for Ohio is still the land of the "Creation Museum" - upholding the authority of the Bible from the very first verse.
Today I join hundreds of other bloggers around the nation to share why I am pro-choice. Please forgive if this does not flow as well as I would like - I'm not feeling 100% today.
Blog for Choice Day is a chance to raise the profile of reproductive rights issues in the blogosphere and the media, and to let everyone know that a woman's right to choose is nonnegotiable.
Why do I support a woman's right to choose?
I believe that our society has been structured on principals of men exerting ownership over women, but that is not necessarily how the law has been structured. Thus I believe that much of dialogue around choice/life is about women being free to make their own choices, not about unborn children. Choice is about power and control, something our society does not easily impart to women. Thankfully, not all men fall into this trap and, sadly, too many women do.
I also believe that most people who are pro-life REALLY are anti-choice if you look at the sum total of their political stances and personal actions to "protect life." Displaying a bumper sticker is not the same thing as becoming a foster parent or donating to child abuse prevention organizations. Waving a dead fetus is not the same thing as cradeling a baby born addicted to cocaine or holding the hand of a 14 year pregnant girl facing her rapist in court. Confronting clients at women's health clinics is not the same thing as teaching young men to value and respect women (and themselves) or speaking up when they don't.
Perhaps I focus to much on what the other side does or fails to do. The hypocrisy around respecting life saddens me and sickens me, especially given that I work every day with children that are not being cared and tended for as they should. Children who need society to step up and provide their families with adequate resources to parent effectively and children who sometimes need someone to step in and parent them directly.
Choice is about power and control. I am in control of my body and my reproductive decisions. I will not willingly relinquish that power.
Now that Main Stream Media (MSM) has sunk its teeth into this little tale of a man and his handcuffs, the gay drama just escalates. This is like Queer Eye meets Cops.
WPXI airs previous interview where Ravenstahl plays word games to essentially deny being handcuffed. If he didn't actually lie about it, he omitted to tell the truth. Or did he?
The Post-Gazette runs a story from former Chief McNeilly calling for an investigation. To be fair, McNeilly is completely disengenuous when he claims no political motivation to speak out (his wife is Catherine McNeilly), but he's probably the only police-related person involved (or not) who has the ability to speak out. No cop who wants a future in this little metropolis that could is gonna speak out after the Mayor bitch slapped Catherine McNeilly into the warrant office, which I understand is the police equivalent to Siberia.
The the PG editorial board minces into the scene and bitch slaps (sorry for being repetitive) the Mayor's critics, especially ooohhhh ... the bloggers for engaging in rumor mongering. The High-Priestesses of Hissy have their feather boas in a furor because the facts don't support the accusations. I'd suggest the facts equally fail to support the defense. Not to mention the fact that we'll have a hard time getting the facts since the Mayor is the boss of everyone involved.
To sum up, we've got handcuffs, gagged cops, axes to grind, peeved members of the Main Stream Media, outraged husbands, silent sturdy types in uniforms, alcohol and a privileged frat boy with a pretty wife claiming that just because he wore the handcuffs doesn't mean he did the deed.
Shout out to all the Pittsburgh Episcopalians who have supported the Grand PooBah of Intolerance, Bishop Duncan and his desire to break away to form his own sect. We've covered his longstanding attachment to Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola.
Well you should be congratuled b/c your bigotry and anti-gay sentiment have built a direct bridge to the impending misery of gay individuals and families throughout Nigeria. Not only will they be prohibited from attending church to taint your sanctimonious little Christian family values, they will be prohibited from ... well, pretty much existing (365gay.com).
Legislation that would strip gays and lesbians of all civil rights has passed its final hurdle and is set for a vote in Nigeria's Parliament.
The bill started out as a ban on same-sex marriage and has been revised to make it a crime for more than two gay people to be in the same venue at the same time.
It prohibits LGBT social or civil rights groups from forming. It would be illegal to sell or rent property to same-sex couples, watch a gay film or video, visit an LGBT web site, or express same-sex love in a letter to one's partner.
The legislation goes so far as to make it a criminal offense to impart information of HIV/AIDS to gays or for non-gays to meet with any group of gays for any purpose.
The penalty would be five years in prison with hard labor.
Gay sex already is illegal in Nigeria with sentences up to 14 years behind bars. In the mostly Islamic north homosexuality can be punishable by death.
This is the slippery slope we tread around here in America. Those of you who believe second-class citizenship is good enough for homosexuals open the door to the kind of oppression listed above. I know some of you harbor in your hearts the notion that "gay sex" probably deserves punishment, but can you really say two gay people being in the same place at the same time should result in imprisonment?
This is a human rights travesty of immense proportions. And here in Pittsburgh, just find your nearest Episcopalian Duncan-loyalist and say "Thanks!"
Not a single homo involved and this story has more twists and turns than a drag queen's virginal encounter with panty hose, a site much prettier than watching Luke Ravenstahl contort an explanation out of this story.
If you read the subtext, its right out of a gay movie -- Slightly inebriated guy meets guy in uniform, intense exchange occurs, guy ends up in handcuffs, guy returns to wife and goes on to become mayor. Old guy makes it like it never happened. Denials ensue. MacGuy asks questions. The story comes tumbling out. Wife stands by MayorGuy. UniformedGuy can't tell, so don't ask. I can't make this stuff up.
Except most gay people are smart enough to know not to confront a cop in the middle of police activity. I'm with David at 2PJ's that there's something off about claiming one lone cop surged into a crowd. Plus, there's the claim on KDKA's report that the cop was a rookie. Since the details are good extra money, I'd imagine working Steeler games is a pretty plum assignment. Does it make sense that a rookie would land that assignment? Or someone with a least an iota of seniority?
Its hardly credible that Ravenstahl would pull out his City Councilman credentials to interfere in the midst of a police matter (a big no no) but then put them back in his hip pocket when he himself is cuffed so as to be treated like any other citizen. Any other citizen might have complained a little about being ill-treated and then filed a formal complaint with the Office of Municipal Investigations. Luke, however, was able to independently correct the officer in question. Did he continue to monitor the situation to ensure the officer behaved appropriately? Did he follow up with the officers superiors to discuss his concerns? Did he ask OMI to investigate? Nope, he caught a game, tossed back some cold ones and went about his yinzer frat boy way.
It doesn't make sense either as a gay movie or as mature political conduct.
Much more interesting was WTAE's take on the blogospheric eruption in Pittsburgh. I especially liked when "Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents" rolled across the screen TWO times. We didn't actually get a mention like 2 Political Junkies but lesbian beggars can't be choosers ...
That, my friends, is the gay angle to the story. Sure I could churn out a few more bits of analysis -- Luke's lisping to Marty Griffin, McIntire's obvious homoerotic fixation on putting Peduto on the throne at any cost, David's homoerotic fixation on McIntire's homoerotic fixation, Tony Norman's soon to be written homoerotic interpretation of McIntire's fixation ... it can only go downhill from here.
Not much happening locally in the LGBTQ world. No rancid letters to the editor, no debates over GSAs in the local schools, no closets being opened.
Peduto's announcement is good news for those of us who want an actual Democrat, not the Yinzer Republican Prince in sheep's, oops, lamb's clothing.
For the chicas, coming up on Monday is the monthly Queers: They're Whats for Dinner at the Gypsy Cafe on Pittsburgh's Southside. Much big fun to be had and a great way to get to know some really cool sisters.
Also, coming up on January 20 is Operation Sappho a queer/lesbian dance at Ava Bar and Lounge. Dress in red, enjoy 3 dj's and the smoke free environment.
For those of you who love McIntire, there's the Sex, Religion, Politics, Cats, Lesbians, Cheesy Hawaiian Shirts and Geezers Tour at the Club Cafe on Weds Jan 31. Brought to you by Starbucks and Geritol. Ironically, we cannot go b/c the 11 PM kick-off is past our bedtime. Plus, they smoke there (thanks for that Danny O!).
John McCain was dissed by Christian Grand Poobah Jimmy Dobson for being un-conservative. McCain is now spinning himself into a frenzy to fix things with the wingnuts. Guess what the sticking point is? Bing! Traditional Marriage! Pathetic.
Rudy Giuliani, on the other hand, has actually hired a homo-hater for his will I/won't I exploratory team. Jim Nussle from Iowa is anti-choice and anti-gay.
Madison, Wisconsin city council Tuesday night approved a measure allowing city officials to include a statement supporting same-sex marriage in their oaths of office. Wisconsin has a anti-homo amendment in their constitution, but Madisonians want to work to overturn it.
Our prediction on the McNeilly/Regan situation - Acting city Solicitor George Specter will resign or retire, Ravenstahl will continue to blame the O'Connor administration and the city will settle with McNeilly prompting her to retire immediately afterwards.
The Ravenstahl puppetmasterers will easily sacrifice one lawyer to keep their golden Pinnochio bright, shiny and electable.
Our hope is that since KDKA and the Post-Gazette tenaciously continues to follow this story, the public won't let Opie get away with it. He's knee deep in the funk of politics as usual.
Ohhhh ... in a nice courtroom twist, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction to Commander McNeilly reinstating her to the rank of Commander. You'll recall all the glorious details when Commander McNeilly blew the whistle on the nefarious goings on of Dennis Regan the political hack driver who would be Public Safety Director. Thanks to McNeilly's release of documents indicating that Regan had used his political power to help out the policeman brother of his girlfriend, Mayor Ravenstahl was forced to launch an investigation and Regan resigned.
I think Cathy McNeilly is a mighty grand woman who did what had to be done for the best interest of the city. I think Mayor Ravenstahl threw his lot in with the devil when he kept Regan around and can't wipe that stank off fast enough. No amount of mucking about with the Redd Up crew is going to help with that, Luke. Especially under oath in a federal trial. With the ACLU on the same side as a Pittsburgh police officer. Woo hoo ... we can't make this shit up.
And I live in McNeilly's neck of the woods, Zone 1 so I am especially happy to have her back on deck. We need some kick-ass, take no shit from anyone women around here.
Seriously, this is a good thing for city employees who shouldn't have to feel that the law protecting whistleblowers doesn't apply to them just to feed Luke Ravenstahl's boy-who-would-be-king mania. Given all the smoke, proverbial and Marlboro alike, that's being blown around City Hall, its amazing anyone has the lung power to pucker up and whistle. More power to 'em.
