Good morning!  Just a quick note to let you know that I've turned on comment moderation for awhile. The pro-donut shop folks are getting a little over the top harassing me, to the point that I've had a casual chat with a lawyer.  They've had plenty of opportunity to make their points and can continue to do so as long as they move a little bit more back on topic.  Same goes for others, but the anti comments have dropped off in the past 12 hours.

I do want to say one thing further.  Yes, sometimes I enforce my getting the last word.  This is not a public space; it belongs to me.  I enjoy the dialogue and believe that some folks have a good reason to post anonymously.  However, 32 comments on the same post is way out of proportion to our usual dialogue and it is simply time to move on unless new news breaks in the story.  You are welcome to start your own blog if the decision to moderate comments doesn't sit well with your interest in opining on LGBTQ issues. 

This won't be forever.  I encourage those who have been harassing me to move on as well. Please don't email me unless you can do so in a civil manner.  There's very little actual anonymity on the Internet. I bring that up to say that you should think twice about the comments. The threats to sue me?  That's your decision.  The threats and harassment. Still, your decision but think twice about the illusion of anonymity folks. 

That's all for this morning.  We'll hopefully have good news on the state budget soon as well as some discussion on the March for Equality, Podcamp Pittsburgh and the Mayor's Advisory Committee (not good news there).  I just don't have time to do it now.

Great day to all of you folks.

 

Two quick items we mentioned last night on Sister ShOUT that are worth your attention.

First, legislation introduced in the Senate to amend the Constitution of Pennsylvania so as to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, has some legs.  It is still in committee, but word is that it just might be voted out and to the floor of the Senate.  So not good.  What a ridiculous waste of time and energy when we don't have a state budget.  If you have a moment to call your State Senator, you might want to point out that getting married is not a high priority when many of us worry about our jobs, our services and our community due to their inability to get the budget passed.

Second, the Reading City Council ended September with great news by passing an inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance. Reading is now the 16th municipality to provide these protections for citizens.  Congratulations, Readingers! 

 

Wow.  The Little Donuts/Razete corner of the world are completing wigging out about the possibility of lesbians kissing in front of their store. They act like we are recruiting the members of POG to join us in a non-state sanctioned act of political dissent involving masks and Burt's Bees chapstick.  Oh, the masks probably would not work with the whole kissing thing, right?

Anyway, there's no kiss in.  It was a joke intended to convey irony and dismay that a bigot wants our money, but thinks we are immoral.  Oh, yes he did say that on October 1, 2009.  Go here to see for yourself.  http://www.facebook.com/ron.razete?v=wall&ref=search

Just in case that goes down within moments ...here's a snip ... comment at the bottom ...

I would have let this go until I saw that he is actively recruiting people to offset the comments (which violates the Urban Spoon terms of service).  I also see that he labeled us an "immoral minority" as recently as October 1, while at the SAME TIME he is telling gay people visiting his store that he has a gay cousin and he simply disagrees with us but welcomes us as customers.

Which is it, Ron?  

If you hit his FB page while it is still active or read comments on a previous post, you will see that the "kiss in" keeps coming up as this horrid possibility that would probably destroy at least 7 heterosexual marriages and recruit 4 kids to the homo side.  Something like that.  They are being utterly ridiculous.  Someone posted that he should sue.  Sue the LGBT community because we have opinions?  Or because we exist?  Because we kiss?  What?  Who is he going to name in that lawsuit?  Good grief. 

They are also threatening media coverage. I beat 'em to the punch on that one and went to the media myself.  Hell, I am the new social media and found out some MSM folks (sorry, Chris) are following the story BEFORE I went to them. 

This is theater of the absurd. I am convinced they are freaking out about the potential of lesbians kissing on their doorsteps.  Not the loss of our economic might.  Not the revelation of the bigotry.  Not the persecution of the poor, poor Christian wingnuts. 

The power of the kiss to undo society.  Wow. 

 

Receiving reports this morning that "dislike" votes submitted to local restaurant review site The Urban Spoon have been removed.

After learning about the alleged deceptive branding practice of local donutter Peace Love and Little Donuts, members of the LGBT community went to Urban Spoon to share their opinions. The approval rating sank from 70% to nearly 40% in 12 hours.

This morning the site shows a 70% approval rating and the total vote count is more than 30 votes lower than Thursday evening. The Urban Spoon had earlier been removing negative comments posted by voters.

The Urban Spoon has issued no further comment on the issue of marketing/branding as a legitimate criteria for reviews, nor on the alleged targeting of LGBT voters.

*******************************
Sue Kerr
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
www.pghlesbian.com

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Yep, we'll be covering the twists and turns in the whole wingnut/donut story this weekend, from the blog posts to the response of the Urban Spoon website.  Tune in to hear our take on the importance of company branding when it comes to gay dollars.  The topic of "buying gay" will be a theme we continue to explore as we head into the holiday shopping season.

If any gay owned or gay friendly donutters want to provide some show refreshments, we are recording TWO episodes this weekend. I like chocolate glazed.  LOL.

Our guest this week is Frank "Dok" Harris who welll you know!  He's running for Mayor.  We'll talk about his exciting plans for the City, what he's learned on the campaign and, of course, test his Lesbian IQ. 

http://sistershout.outonline.com

 

Poor Darryl Metcalfe. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the PA Representative from Cranberry has

received "lewd, vile and vulgar" e-mails and letters opposing his position. As a Christian, Metcalfe told colleagues, he still believes homosexuality is a "sinful lifestyle."

One of his critics, according to Metcalfe, said he was "hoping I will meet my creator very soon." Metcalfe said later that he didn't take it as a death threat. "It was more like a hopeful verbalization of their anger," he said.

Having been wished my own death here on Pghlesbian.com by the angry cupcake people, I can empathize with the positive spin. Let me go on the record as saying that hoping someone with meet their creator very soon is unwarranted and out of line and wrong. Period.

However, it is completely ridiculous that the Trib ramps up the lewd homos/feminists v the family values crowd on this issue.  That's so not the point and this is one of the most ridiculous pieces they've published in a long time.  Or at least one of the most ridiculous that I've read.

The measure in question passed the House on Wednesday and has proclaimed October Domestic Violence Awareneness Month.  The original vote was blocked by Metcalfe who feared the underlying homosexual agenda of language that acknowledged men are, in fact, victims of domestic violence.  He thinks this is simply not the case and does a dissservice to women.  Technically, he seems to think only a few men are victims and don't deserve equal protection or acknowledgement? I think.  It is so weird, I don't get really get it.

The language shifts the focus away from abused women and female rape victims, Metcalfe said.

"It does a great disservice to women," Metcalfe said.

Metcalfe asked colleagues when was the last time they read about a man fleeing with his kids, in the middle of the night, in fear for his life.

Hey, the good news --- seems like Metcalfe still reads news papers!

Anyway, some of his colleagues are calling him out.

Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, said she believes one of the reasons people don't read much about it is that men who are victims of domestic violence or rape "are ashamed to go for help."

"The gentleman from Butler has made this problem even worse and more men may be abused, even killed in their homes," Josephs said.

Others are being forced to make ridiculous clarification.

Rep. John Siproth, D-Monroe County, the resolution's sponsor, has said neither he nor domestic violence groups have a homosexual agenda.

Notice that they sidestep the trap of saying this measure won't protect men in same sex relationships who are being battered or abused.  Well, it is just a proclamation, but every bit of awareness helps all victims and survivors. 

For the record, I think Metcalfe deserves every piece of lewd, vile and vulgar email he receives (except the life threatening). He's so thoroughly entrenched in the la la land of white wedding world that no reasonable discussion about LGBTQ people will get through.  He's need to be dislodged and sent to some insurance company or lobbying firm. So the email won't work. 

SO ... if you are outraged, here's my suggestion.  Help unseat Allegheny County Councilman Matt Drozd who is being challenged by a strong gay ally, Tom Michalow. Flex the homo muscle near the Metcalfe region and then we can potentially line up behind a Metcalfe challenger. 

If you find Metcalfe's comments about homosexuals appalling, send $5.00 (yes, five dollars) to Michalow's campaign.  Then send $5.00 to your nearest domestic violence agency.  Give up lunch out this weekend and strike a blow for the homosexual agenda!