World AIDS Day

Must Read! From Kofi Anan, an editorial to USA Today...

How the world can conquer AIDS

By Kofi A. Annan

In the 25 years since the first case was reported, AIDS has changed the world. It has killed 25 million people and infected 40 million more. It has become the world's leading cause of death among both women and men ages 15 to 59. It has inflicted the single greatest reversal in the history of human development. In other words, it has become the greatest challenge of our generation.

For far too long, the world was in denial. But over the past 10 years, attitudes have changed. The world has started to take the fight against AIDS as seriously as it deserves.

Financial resources are being committed as never before, people have access to anti-retroviral treatment as never before, and several countries are managing to fight the spread as never before. Now, as the number of infections continues unabated, we need to mobilize political will as never before.

The creation of UNAIDS a decade ago, bringing together the strengths and resources of many different parts of the United Nations family, was a milestone in transforming the way the world responds to AIDS. And five years ago, all U.N. member states reached a new milestone by adopting the Declaration of Commitment — containing specific, far-reaching and time-bound targets for fighting the epidemic.

My priority

That same year, as I made HIV/AIDS a priority in my work as secretary-general, I called for the creation of a "war chest" of an additional $7 billion to $10 billion a year. Today, I am deeply proud to be patron of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has channeled almost $3 billion to programs across the globe. Recently, we have seen significant additional funding from bilateral donors, national treasuries, civil society and other sources. But much more is needed; by 2010, total needs for a comprehensive AIDS response will exceed $20 billion a year.

Because the response has started to gain real momentum, the stakes are higher now than ever. We cannot risk letting the advances that have been achieved unravel; we must not jeopardize the heroic efforts of so many. The challenge now is to deliver on all the promises that governments have made. Leaders must hold themselves accountable — and be held accountable by all of us.

Accountability — the theme of World AIDS Day on Friday — requires every president and prime minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that "AIDS stops with me." It requires them to strengthen protection for all vulnerable groups — whether people living with HIV, young people, sex workers, injecting drug users, or men who have sex with men. It requires them to work hand in hand with civil society groups, who are so crucial to the struggle. It requires them to work for real, positive change that will transform relations between women and men at all levels of society.

What is required of us

But accountability applies not only to those who hold positions of power. It also applies to all of us. It requires business leaders to work for HIV prevention in the workplace and in the wider community, and to care for affected workers and their families. It requires health workers, community leaders and faith-based groups to listen and care, without passing judgment. It requires fathers, husbands, sons and brothers to support and affirm the rights of women. It requires teachers to nurture the dreams and aspirations of girls. It requires men to help ensure that other men assume their responsibility — and understand that real manhood means protecting others from risk. It requires every one of us to help bring AIDS out of the shadows, and spread the message that silence is death.

I will soon be stepping down as secretary-general of the United Nations. But as long as I have strength, I will keep spreading that message. That is why World AIDS Day will always be special to me.

On this World AIDS Day, let us vow to keep the promise — not only this day, or this year, or next year — but every day, until the epidemic is conquered.

Marriage & Why It Matters

Gary over at Declarations of Pride is one of my daily reads. He summarizes marriage and why it matters is a great post which I have shamelessly posted in its entirety for you below. His post is articulate and poignant and should be widely read!

Take a look at more of Gary's musings at Declarations of Pride.

Marriage: The Facts, And Why it Matters

People often wonder why I want to get married. Especially when so many heterosexual Americans want to get divorced?

The answer is simple: protection!

I want to protect everything I have invested my life in creating: property, relationships, my own future and the future of those I love. I wish for the federal safety-net that marriage creates for all my heterosexual counterparts. As a citizen of this great nation that speaks in lofty terms of equality for all, I want what is mine to claim as a birthright; I want the American Dream. Anything less is no more satisfactory to me than it would be to you.

I have paid my taxes. I have invested in the future of this land. I have been a good American. Following the promises of the dream, doing what I can to make opportunities for myself. I have worked hard. I have struggled an uphill climb. I have overcome stereotypes many of you haven't even thought of yet. I have resisted classification. I have exercised my right to vote. I have faithfully questioned my leaders. I have done what all of you have done, yet I am now considered less?

Now because I have been pushed, I spend all my time calling myself a fag. I wear my relationship on my sleeve, out there for all to see. Dan and I do everything we can to teach tolerance.. We never shared our relationship or our orientation with anyone before. It wasn't anyones business. We were basically very private by nature. We both let people get to know us first, and then shared if appropriate. Letting those around us have the moment where they realized on their own, "Oh, they are OK." Letting those around us see we are just a couple in love like every other couple. I always thought that approach better than being forceful about it.

Well that was then, and this is now!

Now I have a Homosexual Agenda to fulfill. And I have news for you right-wingers, I didn't have it before you pushed me in a corner and demanded I publicly defend my relationship of 14 years. That is when I got my agenda. It was given to me by you!

Before, I was happy to live and let live. We did our legal due. We spent thousands trying to protect our relationship. That was before I fully understood what our hetero friends got in exchange for a $20 bucks. I bet most of you don't even realize what you get for that twenty dollar marriage liscence? The federal government confers 1,138 rights and protections upon you, your spouse, and your family when that license is granted. I am sure many are skeptical of that number, I didn't make it up. It came from the Federal Government's General Accounting Office. Those rights are real. They are unique to the marriage contract, and they are guaranteed to every citizen. And that is where the division starts.

So many don't understand that rights in America are to be universal; guaranteed to every citizen under the law. Equal under the law is the other way it is expressed. Somewhere along our journey a percentage of Americans got confused, brainwashed, left-behind, whatever...And began to think of marriage as a religious doctrine not a civil construct.

This misunderstanding of the nature of marriage is what has gotten us to this point. Combine our need for salvation with our hate for things we don't' understand, and you have a straightforward American debate. This is a classic cycle we have played out over and over in our history. Whenever we are afraid of something or someone we don't understand we isolate them. Americans are not the fair-minded individuals they always claim to be. There is always some class of people unworthy of what the others have. We have lost our way, and that is why I speak on this so much.

I know this hate isn't for the sake of hate, its because of ignorance and lack of exposure. We are Americans. We all want the same pursuit of happiness. We all want the dream. We are all supposed to have a level climb to the dream. Unfortunately we often get in our own ways on the way to the field.

Christianity, and the mounting infusion of Baby-boomers going to church because they are getting closer to God is only making things worse. They want us to believe that marriage is about love and God. Well, it may be about love in this day and age, but within the last century that is not the case.

Marriage gets to party at the church. It gets a dress. It gets guests in pews. When the party is over, people will turn to God for guidance, but they turn to the state for a divorce!

To review; you come to the government to get married, and you go to the state to legally dissolve your marriage. You may go to church in between to help you nurture a loving relationship, but that is about as far as the relationship between faith and marriage goes.

Even then, they only function together because the church wants to make more followers. I know that is a cynical position to take, but we are talking about an organization, like any other with members and bills to pay. If you are going to continue to flourish you need to either solicit for new members or make them within your own ranks. Look at modern Evangelicals. Look at all the missions to convert the faithful to a particular belief system. Everyone looks to "convert" you and then pass the collection plate so you can express your gratitude for the experience. The business of God is about money in this era, faith is the product they are selling, but belive me they are selling something to you. And as Americans age, and they fear for their eternal souls in greater numbers, the churches have exploded and are garnering every greater political muscle on the nation and the Constitution.

You know I am right!

Off the point a bit, but true.

Need more in the way of reasons I demand Marriage Equality? Ok...Try these on for size:

* The right to make decisions on a partner's behalf in a medical emergency. Specifically, the states generally provide that spouses automatically assume this right in an emergency. If an individual is unmarried, the legal "next of kin" automatically assumes this right. This means, for example, that a gay man with a life partner of many years may be forced to accept the financial and medical decisions of a sibling or parent with whom he may have a distant or even hostile relationship.
* The right to take up to 12 weeks of leave from work to care for a seriously ill partner or parent of a partner. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 permits individuals to take such leave to care for ill spouses, children and parents but not a partner or a partner's parents.
* The right to petition for same-sex partners to immigrate.
* The right to assume parenting rights and responsibilities when children are brought into a family through birth, adoption, surrogacy or other means. For example, in most states, there is no law providing a noncustodial, nonbiological or nonadoptive parent's right to visit a child - or responsibility to provide financial support for that child - in the event of a breakup.
* The right to share equitably all jointly held property and debt in the event of a breakup, since there are no laws that cover the dissolution of domestic partnerships.
* Family-related Social security benefits, income and estate tax benefits, disability benefits, family-related military and veterans benefits and other important benefits.
* The right to inherit property from a partner in the absence of a will.
* The right to purchase continued health coverage for a domestic partner after the loss of a job.


Now those are just the highlights.

I ask you, if someone was coming in to tell you that because you are black, Jewish, red, green, yellow or white; you weren't going to get these rights, would you just sit back and accept it? If some supposedly equal peer came along and told you that Christians were no longer eligible to inherit property from their spouses, you wouldn't be as angry as me? Wouldn't you feel singled out if the government told you they were going to amend the constitution specifically to write you out of the society?

Sounds ludicrous doesn't it? It's not! It's happening right now; to me and millions of other gay Americans.

It is fundamentally wrong to add exclusive language to a document designed to guarantee the rights of all citizens. It is patently un-American. That is why it matters so much. This is not just about gay marriage. Its about who we are as a nation.

It matters to me because I have played by all the rules, and now some people are going to hijack God and use Him as the scapegoat to change the rules of the nation. Notice I said "nation" not game. The separation of church and state is one of our wisest principles, and it too is endangered by this movement. America is not God's country. It's not God's fault we live here in this democracy. It's not your job to judge on God's behalf. It's your job to love thy neighbor. It's your job not to discriminate in this the greatest land on the planet.

Its your job to live up to the American ideal, and American responsibilities.

Marriage matters to me because it lets me know that he will be safe and protected when I am gone. The same reason all those rights mean so much to you.

Holiday Shopping for Equality

When shopping this holiday season be sure to utilize the HRC Buying for Equality Guide and spend your money where it will do the most good!

Support those that support us.

HRC Buying for Equality 2007 Guide

Your dollars can make a difference!

Frontline: A Hidden Life

For those of you who watched the Frontline episode “A Hidden Life” I have set up this discussion board to express your thoughts, opinions and debate about the outing of Jim West.

The episode details, interviews and additional footage can be seen at Frontline. The producers have set up a moderated discussion board and has some interesting commentary from around the country.

This discussion board is not moderated and is geared toward our local community; all you have to do is click on the “comments” link at the end of this article and post away!

I watched the episode and felt a distinct sadness for Jim West and his “living hell”. It will be a great day when people are not so intolerant that they force people into the closet and to live a dual life – one life in public and a second, hidden life that has to be repressed. This duality is what causes people like Jim West, Ted Haggard and Mark Foley to move to the extremes of both lives.

While I am disappointed in Frontlines choice to focus on the life of Jim West instead of the struggles of the local gay community to gain acceptance, I think the episode did a great job of documenting the tragedy of living in the closet.

I also think the episode demonstrated that the Spokesman Review manufactured the story out of tenuous information at best.

Here is what they are saying about us on the Frontline site:

“The show's presentation of the views of some Gay people at what appeared to be a single meeting was distressing to me. I suspect and hope this was not the majority view of the so-called "Gay Community" in Spokane. Again, they seemed to be mostly concerned with what others (straights) thought of them, and how the mayor's acts would reflect on them if they gave him compassion. Their compassion for him seemed to come with the condition of repentance for past acts. Ironically, it too all sounds like stuff learned and drilled in them from the Bible in their early years. It can take a lifetime or more to unlearn those years of brainwashing.”
Mark Pope
san francisco, ca

What has happened to our American foundation of "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"?
Margie Palmrose-Mace
Portland, Oregon

Yes, Mr. West had a secret life. Yes, in some ways he was a hypocrit. Yes, as an elective official he can expect exposure. Nevertheless, he did not commit any crimes, and he did not really offer jobs for sex. He was accused by a newspaper with an agenda, they kept forcing their agenda on him, and the public.
Michael Miller

I, too, am an editor. However, I would never approve of a reporter so blatantly destroying a man's life - and certainly never with so little evidence.
Michelle Willms
Elko, NV

What did you think of the episode?
Who was the bad guy, Jim West or the Spokesman Review?
Was the Spokesman Review justified in using a fake identity to dig into the Mayors personal life?
Comments?

Congratulations Sen. Murray!

From the AP:

Murray wins leadership post

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., won the fourth-highest leadership post Tuesday as Senate Democrats organized their new majority following last week’s elections.

Women rule!

S. Africa gets it

Well it looks like South Africa has now legalized same sex marriage! Hooray! From appartheid to marriage equality in less than 50 years!

South Africa approves gay marriage bill

CAPE TOWN (AFP) - South Africa has become the first country on the continent to legalise marriage for gay and lesbian couples when lawmakers gave their final approval to controversial legislation.

A total of 230 lawmakers voted for the civil union bill after a stormy debate at the parliament in Cape Town while another 41 opposed the measure. There were three abstentions Tuesday.

Did you catch that last part? It was approved by 230 to 41!

On the marriage equality radar here in the states:

California Supreme Court Asked To Rule On Gay Marriage

The California Supreme Court was asked Monday to overturn a lower court ruling that upheld the state's ban on same-sex marriage but if the court decides to hear the case it will do so without the lead litigants.

Lancy Woo and Cristy Chung lead plaintiffs in the omnibus case have split up and are no longer involved.

They were among 8,000 gay and lesbian couples married in San Francisco in 2004 before the state Supreme Court halted the march to the altar and became a poster couple for equal marriage rights.

And then there is NJ:

Gay Marriage Issue Resurfaces in N.J. Legislature

The focus of the gay-marriage debate shifts to Trenton, N.J., where a state Supreme Court ruling declared that gay couples have the same rights as heterosexual couples. It is now up to state legislators to decide what form those rights will take. They could opt for Vermont-style civil unions or approve gay marriage.

Gay-rights groups are holding meetings all over New Jersey to organize an army of lobbyists, enough for all 40 of the state's legislative districts.

The tide is turning in our favor. The world is making progress toward marriage equality! It will take time but I, for one, can envision a future where I will be able to marry the person that I love!

x-posted at Blogging Spokane

Gay marriage off the chopping block until '07

For those of you just tuning in to the Massachusetts gay marriage amendment issue: the right wingers did a petition drive and gathered 120 thousand signatures to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage. There has been some criticism of the tactics used by the petition gatherers who were paid to collect signatures. The hired signature gatherers were also collecting signatures on another petition unrelated to gay marriage and duped people into signing both without explaining the marriage petition.

Today was the big day when the legislature was supposed to decide and they put it off until Jan 2 which means that if the legislature does not act the initiative dies and the wingers have to gather signatures all over again!

From 365Gay.com

Mass. Lawmakers Put Off Bid To End Gay Marriage

Boston, Massachusetts) The Massachusetts legislature, meeting in a special joint session Thursday, voted to once again delay debate and a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to end same-sex marriage in the state.

In a 109-87 the Constitutional Convention voted to recess until January 2.

The legislature last year rejected a proposed amendment put forward by lawmakers that would have banned gay marriage but permitted civil unions.

Following that a conservative group began a so-called citizens initiative, collecting 120-thousand signatures - almost double the number of voters needed to force the issue back to the legislature.

A citizen based referendum, the amendment needs the support of only 50 lawmakers - 25 percent of the House and Senate - in two constitutional conventions for it to be put to voters in 2008.

The issue was to have been considered in August but the convention was abruptly adjourned and consideration of the amendment postponed until after the election.

Supporters in the legislature of gay marriage began lobbying this week to put off the session - some even suggesting a walkout to ensure there wasn't a quorum.

Hundreds of people on both sides of the marriage issue gathered in front of the State House as the session got under way.

Two proposed amendments were on the agenda. The first would have invalidated those same-sex marriages already performed in the Commonwealth.

The second would bar same-sex couples from marrying in the future.

Debate was emotional, and at times angry, debate.

"You don't have to live next to us. You don't have to like us," said openly gay state Senator Jarrett T. Barrios (D).

"We are only asking you today to end the debate so that we can sleep easily knowing ... that we will at least have the right to enjoy the same rights the rest of you have enjoyed for time immemorial."

Supporters of the amendment said the people have a right to decide whether to end same-sex marriage in the state.

The first measure, to void those marriage already performed was defeated 196-0.

Then before there could be a vote on the second proposal - one that had support among many Republicans and some Democrats - there was the motion to adjourn.

January 2 is the last day of the current session. If the measure is not passed that day it will die and supporters of the amendment would have to begin collecting signatures all over again. If it passes it would need to be approved a second time in the new session before going to voters.

Since same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts in May 2004 more than 7,000 gay couples have married.

In the Non-Gay but interesting News...

On this day, November 9, 1938 Nazis launched a terror campaign against Jews in Germany and Austria. The 24 hour rampage was called "Kristallnacht" or "Night of broken glass" in reference to the thousands of windows broken in Jewish homes and businesses. Kristallnacht was a defining moment in German history and truly gave rise to the power of Hitler as a dictator and the Nazis. This event combined with many others in German history is what lead Europe and the world into WWII.

Coincidentally, over 50 years later, on November 9th, 1989, Berliners celebrated the fall of the Berlin wall which separated East from West Germany since 1949. This event finally united Germany once again.

Buh bye....

Buh-Bye Brad

Buh-Bye John

I for one am certainly not sad to see these two homophobes thrown out of office! They consistently fought against civil rights for the Washington LGBT community. Perhaps now we can see some movement to legislatively overturn DOMA and achieve some sort of equality for all Washington State citizens!

Perhaps now the East side will have some representation in Olympia that reflects the true values of this region.

Surprisingly, even Barbara Lampert did well against Ahern which shows us how vulnerable he is!

The tide is truning part 2

Read ems'


GAY CANDIDATES WIN IN RECORD NUMBERS ACROSS U.S.

Democrats take over House, poised to take Senate

New York City seeks to ease rules for official documents reflecting gender change

The tide is turning

Arizona became the first state to REJECT a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage! Sweeping success for Democrats in all house races. The Senate is still in play!


Democrats Capture House, Arizona Becomes First State To Reject Gay-Marriage Ban Amendment

Twenty-six states have passed amendments to their constitutions to block same-sex couples from marrying. On Tuesday proposed amendments were on the ballot in eight states.

The victory in Arizona comes after a tough fight by Arizona Together, a group formed to oppose the amendment.

"This outcome speaks volumes about Arizona’s commitment to families,” said Kyrsten Sinema, chair of Arizona Together.

"Arizona voters saw through Prop 107’s rhetoric and knew that the intent of 107 was to take away domestic partner benefits from thousands of Arizona families."

Welcome to the club Neil Patrick Harris!

Image Source


Neil came out in the latest edition of "People"

EXCLUSIVE: Neil Patrick Harris Tells PEOPLE He Is Gay

"The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships.

"So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

Honesty & Integrity

Are two words apparently lost on Evangelicals and Republicans. Both have screeched about the sins of homosexuality, they paint a picture of the end of society as we know if homos are allowed to marry.

They say such things as:

"better dead than gay" - anonymous
"gay marriage will lead us down a slippery slope to man on dog sex" - Rick Santorum, Repbulican
"gays are diseased depressed and miserable" - Pat Robertson, Evangelical Leader
"gays molest children" - Colorado for Family Values
"pedophilia is a basic part of being gay" - anonymous
"tattoo AIDS patients and castrate gays" - Dr. Paul Cameron
"gays cheat, fight and hate the one they love" - National Association for Research and Treatment of Homosexuality (NARTH)
"gays lie, are immoral and harmful" - Peter LaBarbera
"gay 'civil rights' will lead to slavery and cannibalism" – Claremont Institute
“gays are like alcoholics, kleptomaniacs” – Trent Lott
“gays hurt children and kill our people” – Reggie White
“gays are like Hitler and the Gestapo” – Lou Sheldon
“gays are sickening and intellectually dishonest” – Jesse Helms
“gay parenting is despicable, unhealthy and gay parents make their children gay” – Dr. Laura Schlessinger
“homosexual marriage will bring the downfall of this great nation” – Ted Haggard – Evangelical leader of the “New Life Church” accused of having a 3 year relationship with a male prostitute.

The irony of the above is that each and everyone of these people have engaged in some type of abhorrent sin from soliciting prostitutes, to drug abuse, to being filmed for pornography.

So why are these people so hateful and hypocritical? Why do they rail against out gays and lesbians who are living their lives in honesty and with integrity? For the past 6 years the people in power in this country have lead a campaign of gay bashing bigotry all the while protecting those hypocrites among them who lie about themselves.

Why do evangelicals point their fingers and cry “faggot” and all of the slogans above when in reality their very leadership are the biggest immoral liara among them?

I just don’t get it.

I absolutely respect the conservative opposition. In fact when I enter into conversations with them I generally find that we have many ideas and beliefs in common. If someone dislikes me because I am gay then that is truly their problem, not mine. However, when they make the attempt to regulate my life, criticize me for being gay or make efforts to suppress, oppress or deny me my right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness I will fight back tooth and nail!

Why, then, do we keep seeing, over and over again, a repeat of our own Jim West story? Why do the most anti-gay, homo-bashing, bigots among us who scream that the current state of gay oppression is not enough, always turn out to be gay themselves?

Why does it appear that there are more self hating, bigoted, closeted Evangelicals and Republicans in positions of power than healthy, normal gays and lesbians?

If everyone would just realize that being gay is just another part of the human condition we could all just move on and focus on things that are more important.

Think of it – a world where gays are accepted as worthy human beings treated with equality and respect. Where would the opposition focus there billions of dollars and billions of hours of volunteer labor? World hunger? Ending poverty? What would the world look like if all of those who wish to oppress us and regulate who we love focused all of their attention on social justice issues? Would there be genocide in Darfur? Would there be homeless American children whose last meal came from a dumpster? Would there be sub-Saharan African babies with bloated distended bellies from lack of food and clean drinking water?

Evangelicals and Republicans alike have said they are called by Jesus Christ their lord God and savior to do what they do, all the while blindly following hypocritical leadership that is representative of the very thing they despise.

“What would Jesus do?” indeed.