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 ...
If you are unable to attend but would like to donate please send your tax deductable donation to Dreams of Hope, c/o Robin Godfrey, 3432 Perrysville Ave, Pgh, PA 15214
Dreams of Hope is a nonprofit creative and performing arts youth group committed to developing leaders in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender youth community and to promoting awareness and understanding of this community. Through the creation of new artistic works by and about its members, professional training of its members in public speaking on LGBT issues and performances for academic institutions, DOH confronts and challenges homophobia.
Same-sex couple Christina Burke (L) and Victoria Burke (R), both from Salisbury, Maryland, pose with Mrs. Bunny and their daughter, Phobe (6 months old), on the South Lawn of the White House during the annual 2006 White House Easter Egg Roll in Washington, April 17, 2006. The Burke's are wearing a rainbow lei to indicate their support of same sex union.
The PG has published several letters to the editor in response to Darryl Metcalfe's uninspiring diatribe on the need for a anti-gay marriage amendment.
The letters tend to be from heterosexual people, some parents of gay adult children, who clearly get that not only is Metcalfe scapegoating gays but that he has no business investing his time and energy into a non-issue while other critical matters go unaddressed. Darryl Metcalfe is not doing his job.
M.W. Sage of Swissvale writes "Care depends on the caring capacity of the individuals involved in providing the care, not on sexual orientation."
William O'Donnell of Elizabeth Township adds, "The theme of his comments is that Pennsylvania should be a two-tiered society -- the we-gets and the you-don'ts."
Kara O'Bryon of Point Breeze indicates that Metcalfe's bigotry has inspired her to take action "It is time for us to stop accepting this thinly veiled bigotry. This is an attack on gay people who, believe it or not, Mr. Metcalfe, are "productive members of society." I've never called myself a "homosexual activist," but I am deeply offended that Mr. Metcalfe has so frontally attacked me and people whom I love and care about and likened their relationships to criminal relationships between brothers and sisters. "
And Diana Slivinska of Ingram knocks the ball out of the park. She writes, "As a married woman, I'll thank Mr. Metcalfe not to take it upon himself to defend me or define me. Unless someone proposes to marry my husband, another's marriage has nothing to do with me. People get married every day, and their marriages have absolutely no effect upon mine."
Interestingly, not a single letter (thus far) in support of Mr. Metcalfe. I hope Western PA legislators are reading the paper. And I hope Western PA queers take heart to realize that we have vocal defenders in the heterosexual community.
Rosemary Protsko of Bethel Park wrote "Our stealth Legislature is at it again. It can't pass tax reform, lobby reform or an increase to the minimum wage, but it can put energy toward a state constitutional amendment to protect marriage"
Kurt Colborn of Swisshelm Park notes the hypocrisy of PA legislators, "So, our salary-jacking friends in Harrisburg think it's OK to quash free speech, deny that all men are created equal and restrict the pursuit of happiness to the privileged majority. What's important, it seems, is that they use polite language while they do it."
If you know these good folks, thank 'em for taking the time to write to the PG.
The White House is generously alllowing children in gay families to participate in the annual Easter Egg Roll festivities. However, amid growing controversy about the gays invading a children's event (code for preventing homos from recruiting children), the White House pulled a fast one as Page One Q reports.
The gays queud as early as 24 hours in advance to get tickets which are issued in staggered times. And every gay family in line received tickets. But none of them will be able to participate in the opening festivities when the esteemed Laura Bush is present.
The official excuse is that they gave the early tickets to select groups of youth volunteers. But no one knew this when they sat in line for 24 hours.
Yes, the White House found a way to let the gays in the back door without queering up the main event.
Thursday evening it was my turn to cook and I was feeling uninspired by the dismal pantry contents. Well, actually I was at work and not remotely interested in preparing a meal. So I proposed we dine out. Luckily for us, the Post-Gazette's Munch had reviewed a great little South Side joint ... Cambod-ican Kitchen.
Not being bar crawlers, we had never experienced the 'burgh famous Chicken on a Stick. But as part of our sacred pact to avoid Olive Garden, Red Lobster and any other restaurant found on both McKnight Road and Route 22 in Monroeville, we headed for the South Side.
I had the best meal of 2006 yet. No contest.
The place is super-cute, the owners are incredibly nice and even the semi-drunken college kids were bearable. and the food ...ah, the food!
I am not an "on the stick" kind of girl. Splinters in my food has never been appealing and I hate getting my fingers greasy. <Yes, no wonder I'm a lesbian.> But chicken in pita? That's my kind of appetizer. Except it was incredibly huge and we had also ordered special rolls in rice paper with the most wonderful vinegar dipping sauce ... plus the entrees.
Enough ranting. It is a dee-lishous restaurant and you should get in your car right now and drive there. Go often and spend lots of money so they will stay in business. I am not kidding. Go. Now.
You thought our first post would be about Darryl Metcalfe's PG opinion piece, didn't cha? We'll save that for later when correspondent Shelly joins the PghLesbian team ....
In today's Tribune-Review, the editors whine that homos are trying to steal Easter from the little children. The Family Pride Coalition has organized about 200 gay families to join the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the White House, a long standing family tradition. The families plan to wear rainbow leis to symbolize their pride.
The fine family-friendly folks at the Trib seem to believe that this "politicizes" the event. Ironically, they make this pathetic bleat about 3 paragraphs after pointing out that it took over 75 years for the White House to include African-American children in this family tradition. Hmmm ....could there be a connection between the African-American civil rights experience and the queer civil rights experience? Oh my!
This is yet another pathetic attempt by the wingers to paint the gay community as a threat to children. With NOT A SINGLE MENTION of the children in the gay families. The children who just want to be able to join in a good ole American tradition without having to pretend their families aren't gay. If they just showed up without the gay pride paraphenalia, everything would be okay for the poor breeders who don't want to have to explain tolerance to their spawn.
Do you think Jesus would be hanging out with a bunch of privileged kids rolling eggs at the White House perhaps posing for photo op with the token minority child? OORRRRR would he be down the street at the shelter feeding eggs to hungry children and their families? Hmmmm ....
Last night, lightning struck the Carnegie Library on the North Side in Allegheny Center. It is my library branch and waiting at the front desk is a copy of Self Made Man by Norah Vincent.
My little pile of things to be returned (books and cds) was all set to go, along with my not so little pile of money to pay my late fees. Ah .... so now I have to trudge into Oakland which means parking in Shadyside. I recognize that is not the great tragedy of this situation, but still it is disheartening.
The library has a rather cool selection of LGBT books and media. And magazines. Good resource especially if you'd like to get connected with the community.
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 ...
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."
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.
