Got a heads up from our friends at End Bigotry in Venango County about a press release from the American Family Association of Pennsylvania that narrows in on US Congressman Barney Frank.  In general, they are commenting on the need for Congress to move right.  I say "they" loosely because this is mostly about Diane Gramley. 

?We?ll put Barney Frank on notice.  ?A Sleeping Giant has awakened and the majority of Americans do not share in your goal setting.?  Americans are tired of waking up to find an America that they hardly recognize.  This is not a game to them, it is a war to get our country back,? Gramley further stated.

In the wake of the attempted murder of Congresswoman  Gabrielle Giffords, I'm suprised the AFA of PA has left this up.  Declaring war on a member of Congress is a sad reflection on their tactics and feeds right into the "slippery slope" debate that has been raging for the past two days.

Suddenly "a war to get our country back" seems a lot uglier than just words.  Google cache here.

Diane Gramley is not harmless.  She's no longer tilting at windmills.  She has some serious victories in her back pocket and a lot of alienated, suffering people vulnerable to her hate speak.  I'd like to think Diane Gramley wouldn't shoot Barney Frank and intends only to engage in a war of words, but is her lack of "scrubbing" hubris, ignorance or something more?

UPDATE:  Just me.  At first I thought I was overreacting, but I keep mulling over the sheer amount of time Ms. Gramley has invested in her agenda. It can't be easy to turn out people at hearing after hearing much less slog through the pile of inaccurate information she relies on for her testimonies.  OK, that was facetious.  But I do worry about the tipping point.  When is Ms. Gramley responsible for moving beyond saying that Barney Frank is a fag who is an abomination before God and encouraging someone to do something about it? It is an age old question, but she's a very good example of someone who intentionally uses loaded, vivid imagery about the LGBTQ community to evoke hatred and repugnance.  I worry. 

sdf

Councilman Bruce A. Kraus to Seek Second Term

January 11, 2011?Councilman Bruce A. Kraus announced today that he will be seeking a second term as a representative on Pittsburgh?s City Council.  The primary election will be held on May 17, 2011.

In a letter to constituents, Councilman Kraus cited?among other accomplishments?a few examples of the many successes that he has had in his first term:

?         Protecting libraries in our district?we will soon see a renovation of our South Side branch library.  In addition, efforts are underway to bring a new state-of-the-art library building serving Knoxville, Carrick, and our other Hilltop communities

?         Responding to our neighbors? needs more efficiently with the opening of our Hilltop District Office on Arlington Avenue

?         Working to reduce gun violence through responsible gun ownership legislation that requires reporting lost and stolen guns

The Councilman promised to continue to focus on keeping neighborhoods safe, clean, and green and to continue improvements to his constituents? quality of life.

 ?It has been an honor and a truly rewarding experience to represent our neighborhoods on City Council,? Kraus said.  ?I am pleased to have been able to follow through on my campaign commitments and proud of what we have been able to accomplish.? 

In his first term, Kraus served two years as chair of the Committee for Public Safety and currently chairs the Committee on Public Works.  Among his legislative accomplishments were the passage of numerous bills focused on safe and clean streets and improved quality of life for residents and businesses alike.

Bruce Kraus was first elected in 2007 with 55% of the vote in the Primary Election and 86% in the General Election.

District 3 of Pittsburgh?s City Council includes the neighborhoods of Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, Mount Oliver City, Saint Clair, the South Side Flats and Slopes, and parts of Carrick, Mount Washington, and Oakland.

Folks, it is a good time to get your fingers stretched and send in your own letters.  Politicians pay attention to people contacting them personally, but they also watch the opinion sections of the media.  If you need an angle, consider writing in about Chick Fil A if you are a customer.  Talk with the franchise owner of the restaurant you visit and ask them point blank if they would support an organization like the Pennsylvania Family Institute.  Then write a letter.  Very simple, but imagine how many people you can educate.

Two letters today ....

Daniel Robinson of Tarentum writes a pretty incoherent letter that seems to say he doesn't hate gay people, but his hands are tied because God told him being gay is wrong.

Hate isn't the emotion guiding people who take God serious, love is. What people do with their lives is between them and God. Likewise, those who place their faith in the Creator who endowed us with our rights, can't be asked to ignore His definitions of "right and wrong."