So sorry

Read about this earlier in the week. I'm speechless.

Gordon Brown has said he is sorry for the "appalling" way World War II code-breaker Alan Turing was treated for being gay.

. . .

In 1952 Turing was prosecuted for gross indecency after admitting a sexual relationship with a man. Two years later he killed himself.

Alan Turing was given experimental chemical castration as a "treatment" and his security privileges were removed, meaning he could not continue to work for the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

He is most famous for his code-breaking work at Bletchley Park during WWII, helping to create the Bombe that cracked messages enciphered with the German Enigma machines.

However, he also made significant contributions to the emerging fields of artificial intelligence and computing.

In 1936 he established the conceptual and philosophical basis for the rise of computers in a seminal paper called On Computable Numbers and in 1950 he devised a test to measure the intelligence of a machine. Today it is known as the Turing Test.

Continue reading So sorry

Marriage equality resolution passes Durham City Council

No link yet, but all my Facebook friends are saying it, so it must be true.

Unanimous vote. Good for us.

Why were the local media playing up the "controversial" aspects of this?

Continue reading Marriage equality resolution passes Durham City Council

One day . . .

An item like this won't make a headline in a national news feed.

Continue reading One day . . .

Better

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial at an inaugural event for President-elect Barack Obama.

The selection of New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson for Sunday's event follows weeks of criticism from gay-rights groups over Obama's decision to have the Rev. Rick Warren give the invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration.

. . .

Robinson, 61, said both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn't yet know what he'll say, but he knows he won't use a Bible.

"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."

Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times.

"I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing," he said. "It won't be a happy, clappy prayer."

Refreshing.

Continue reading Better

Papal irony

That was then:

Pope Benedict XVI has paid tribute to 17th-Century astronomer Galileo Galilei, whose scientific theories once drew the wrath of the Catholic Church.

The Pope was speaking at events marking the 400th anniversary of Galileo's earliest observations with a telescope.

He said an understanding of the laws of nature could stimulate appreciation of God's work.

In 1992, Pope John Paul said the church's denunciation of Galileo's work had been a tragic error.

Galileo used his scientific methods to demonstrate that the Earth revolved around the Sun and not the other way around.

This is now:

The pope has sparked controversy by saying defending heterosexuality is as important as saving the world's rainforests from destruction.

Speaking in a holiday address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration, Benedict said yesterday the church viewed the distinction between men and women as central to human nature, and "asks that this order, set down by creation, be respected".

The church, he said, "should protect man from the destruction of himself. A sort of ecology of man was needed, he said," adding: "The tropical forests do deserve our protection; but man, as a creature, does not deserve any less."

Benedict focused his attack on what he described as "gender" theories, "which lead towards the definitive emancipation of man from creation and the creator".

Homosexual groups in Italy called the speech an unfounded attack on homosexuality and, more specifically, on people who undergo sex changes. "What keeps the pope awake at night is the idea that human beings might be able to seek out their own sexual identity in a bid to have a happy life," said Franco Grillini, head of Gaynet.

"The speech has no scientific basis," said Aurelio Mancuso, head of Arcigay. "A divine programme for men and women is out of line with nature, where the roles are not so clear."

The Catholic church teaches that while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are. It opposes gay marriage, and in October a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound".

Seriously? Homosexuality is a "wound" that "threatens the destruction" of humankind?

Continue reading Papal irony

No posting today

Find out why.

Continue reading No posting today

Prop H8

If you're looking to join in one of the nationwide protests against the passage of Proposition 8 in California, the nearest one is in Raleigh, tomorrow. Here's the details:

Raleigh
Time: 1:30pm City Hall: 46 East Lane Street Raleigh, NC 27601
Halifax Mall will be our protest location!

Organizer: Tom Greene or Will Elliott
Contact info: NCagainstH8@gmail.com

Supporting Organizations:
Chapel Hill High GSA
PFLAG
InsideOUT

=====

If i hear on anything in Durham in upcoming days/weeks, i'll be sure to post it.

Continue reading Prop H8

Only 47 more to go

Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making that state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions.

The court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples.

It's the end of the world, i tell ya.

Continue reading Only 47 more to go

Fracas at the GLFF

I've got a few more details on the "incident" Saturday at the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in which Fabulous Fishscenta, the 2008 Beaver Queen, went tail-to-tail with some folks trying to disrupt the festival. We all know who "won" that encounter. Here's Fishscenta's story, complete with lyrics to the songs she serenaded the protesters with.

I am so happy to hear from you, because you know..."I love my pubic" and I am always happy to "come" any time Our Lady of the Fragrant Yoni inspires me! The festival was a wonderful event. I would not have missed it for the world. Thank you for doing your part to make it happen.

How dare those "Chistians" (not real Christians, obviously) try to slime it. You would think that a black man would understand by now how important it is to be represented in the media and made to feel safe and included in a prejudicial society. My heart goes out to him, because that karma like a bomberang is going to blindside his booty. What a young soul, he must be. Oh well, honey, I feel a sin.... or is it a song coming on...

Sung to "Young Girl"

"Young soul get out of my mind. My love for you wants to spank your behind. Better run soul. Hush up..don't be so bold."

He has not learned to curb his dogma and it was making a nasty mess. I think those nice "oricifers" would have enforced a no dogma dumping on the sidewalk law, if Durham had one in place. I just loved those guys. They were all "vagitarians" you know!

Of course, that training wheel on the cross spoke volumes! Obviously they are just learning how to be Christians and not well practiced. Maybe they can come back when they can be more like Jesus and behave in a loving way that would be pleasing to him. I also thought the "Chistians" could do better with their wardrobe. Please, if you are going to represent a deity, glorify thyLord!

But on a positive note, I was delighted to see that they brought the wood, even though it was a tad tawdry and uninspired. As Katherine (DeNerve) said, I thought "Repainting and thinning no more" was a grand idea for the cross and the handrails. If they would only invite a few of those nice festival goers home they would be amazed at the God given talent.. Darling, every home needs a homo to repaint, renew, and redecorate! Hallelujah!

The head yeller, told me that there will be no laughing in hell, which a sure sign that Fishscenta, will not be there! If I am, you better believe I am going to laugh until all hell breaks loose.

I sang a song that was inspired years ago when a buddy and I were accused of being sacrilegious by a visiting religious leader in my community because we always do parody songs of religious practice. (I personally drink the tea and try not to worship the pot, if you know what I mean!)

It is sung to the showtune "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"

I've been Hindu, I've been Buddhist, I've been Jewish,
Who could ask for anything more?

I've been Sufi, I've been Muslim, I've been Christian,
Who could ask for anything more?

All these religions have their niche. I'm just a naughty sacriligious bitch.
I've seen hell fire, I've seen brimstone, I've seen Satan,
He was knocking right at my door.
Who could ask for anything more?

I also performed my new number to the tune of "Jesus Loves the Little Children."
It is very naughty, but I had to pull out the big guns.

Fishscenta loves the little muskrats
All the muskrats of the world
They are pink and black and brown
They go up when I go down
Fishscenta loves the little muskrats of the world.

Fishscenta loves the little beavers
All the beavers of the world
They are pink and black and brown
They all come when I go down
Fishscenta loves the little beavers of the world.


Well, I have to go! Must work on my new costume for the Pride Parade when we will be "tramping" again for Our Lady. It will be here before I can turn around and spit! Hope to see you there.

Peace, Love, Beaver,

Fishscenta

The Beaver Queen

Continue reading Fracas at the GLFF

"They must have notified every church in my area"

So says State Senator Stan Bingham, Republican from Denton, explaining why he's going to vote against a "bullying" bill in the legislature, even though he helped to negotiate the compromise language of the bill. The problem? The bill includes "sexual orientation" as one of the descriptors of "bullying or harassing behavior."

Pam has the details, including the link to send a letter supporting this bill to your legislator.

I spent some time yesterday poking around on the website of one of those "family values" groups opposing this legislation. I can't imagine what it must be like to spend your entire life so afraid of anything that you see as "different."

Continue reading "They must have notified every church in my area"

Wishes

I really wish i lived in a time and a place where who you got married to was your own damn business, but since i don't, i'm glad to hear that the California Supreme Court has now said that laws preventing same sex marriages are unconstitutional there.

But what is this all about?

Thursday's ruling could alter the dynamics of the presidential race, as well as state and congressional contests in California and beyond, by causing a backlash among conservatives and drawing them to the polls in large numbers.

Are there people who are really that fucked up that they were gonna sit the election out until they heard that California's gonna let teh gay get married and now John "We'll be out of Iraq in four years if we're not there for a hundred" McCain is the last thing preserving western civilization? Are there really people that stupid?

Adding - what i really mean by that is 1) are people so stupid that this is what's going to motivate them to vote, and 2) are people so stupid as to think that John "League of Nations, League of Democracies, League of Whatever" McCain is going to make one bit of difference on this issue?

We've got record high foreclosures, record high gas prices, a tanking economy, a useless, expensive war of choice for which the best solution we can find is to build a "Berlin Wall" that will of course have to come down eventually, a buckling military, and the issue that's going to get McCain supporters to the polls is whether or not some people they've never met can get married? This is a fucking joke, right?

UPDATE: Glenn Greenwald points out that in recent elections, where the same prediction was made, nothing of the sort happened.

Each time there is a court decision recognizing the constitutional rights of gay couples, all sorts of hysterical political commentary ensues. In October, 2006 -- right before the midterm elections -- the New Jersey State Supreme Court unanimously ruled that its Constitution requires same-sex couples to be given the same set of marital rights and privileges granted to opposite-sex married couples (though it ruled, by a 4-3 vote, that it need not be called "marriage").

As I noted at the time, all sorts of pundits and right-wing hacks shrilly predicted that the New Jersey gay rights ruling would lead to a major voter backlash that would mobilize social conservatives and destroy the Democrats' chances for victory in the midterm elections. Needless to say, for reasons I pointed to at the time, nothing of the sort happened. Our national elections are simply not determined by a decision by the state of California -- or New Jersey, Vermont or Massachusetts -- to extend equal rights to their gay citizens.

Continue reading Wishes