I don't like when people put down individuals who receive welfare.  I don't like the term "welfare people" or the jokes about welfare queens or the condescending sneers.  I don't like the way the term itself is used to convey a litany of classist, racist, and sexist stereotypes which, unfortunately, now have the legislative muscle to keep poor women down and out. 

Feministing sent me to a great article on new welfare regulations at TomPaine.com written by Maureen Lane, co-director of the Welfare Rights Initiative at Hunter College City of University of New York.

For these families, the rules represent a narrowing of the best opportunity many have of moving, not just from welfare, but permanently out of poverty. Study after study has shown that when people receiving welfare have the chance to get an education?whether it?s earning a college degree, securing a GED or mastering the English language?their family incomes and long-term prospects improve far more than those families who remain trapped in low-wage jobs. Yet dead-end low-wage positions without benefits or security are frequently the only jobs people pushed off the rolls without education and training are able to secure in this economy.

Welfare is supposed to be a safety net for the most vulnerable people in our society.  Reform should include resources and programs that enable people to become self-sufficient, a standard that $5.50 per hour with no benefits does not accomplish.  That only accomplishes a vicious cycle of poverty with its full array of ancillary problems.

For details on local welfare rights inititiatives, go to Just Harvest.

According to WM. Jake Friel of Renfrew (where the heck is Renfrew?), the answer seems to be a resounding YES.

The July 9 article "Santorum Bets on Immigration in Re-Election Race" should be a must-read for all Pennsylvania voters.

The article does a great job of pointing out the strategy of making illegal immigration a hot-button issue for voters in this state to divert our attention from issues of much greater importance to Pennsylvanians. Passage of either proposed legislation will have zero impact on 99 percent of Pennsylvanians, yet our politicians want this issue to be in the forefront of the upcoming election.

Hot-button issue to divert our attention -- sound familiar?  Since the PA legislature minced its way out of the gay marriage bailiwick, the homo-threat has become less of a rallying cry for the faithful. 

Jake makes another interesting point about the relationship of the immigrant threat to your average yinzer Pennsylvanian:

The fact that Pennsylvania is not a destination for the desperate should be of greater concern to us. Even the desperate see little opportunity here.

Now that's an interesting perspective -- we suck so much that even illegal immigrants won't come here. 

I don't agree with his analysis on this point (I'm an optimist) or his perspective that anti-immigration legislation will impact Pennsylvanias.  My cousin's girlfriend is Southeast Asian.  My other cousin's husband is from India.  Yet another cousin's in-laws are from China. My dad's cousin's wife is from the Philippines. A former coworker was from Sweden, another is from Germany.  My friend's parents are from South Korea.  And that's just the first few people that come to mind.  So, yes, immigration issues are personal for me here in Pittsburgh. 

So, Santorum is right (a ha!) that immigration reform does matter to Pennsylvanians.  Divisive mean legislation intended to persecute and isolate struggling minority groups, incite xenophobic hysteria and further bash the rest of the world over the head with idiotic "America rocks" imperialism does affect us here in the Keystone State. 

Just wait until the mighty whites tucked in their gated enclaves realize that this legislation will impune their ability to recruit white immigrants for nanny and governess duties. 

Jake -- thanks for writing to the Post-Gazette  People like you give me hope that the tyranny might soon end.

In a fresh off the press interview with Rolling Stone, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom takes Democrats to task for their spineless leadership on marriage equality. Newsom points out that their tepid waffling doesn't fool anyone, but reinforces everyone's belief that the Democrats lack conviction.  How is that going to win any votes? 

Rolling Stone: Listening to the Democratic opposition to the federal anti-gay marriage amendment, the party?s senators sounded more like Dixiecrats ? talking about marriage as a states?s rights issue ? rather than Democrats, pursuing this from a civil-rights perspective.

Gavin Newsom: Where?s the moral courage? It?s lost. I have the luxury of saying this from San Francisco, I certainly respect what it?s like saying this in parts of Kentucky or North Carolina, but also believe this issue won?t go away for the Democratic party we stand up on historic principles.

We?ve never run the 90-yard dash on equality ? ever. The history of this party is civil rights, women?s rights, human rights, labor rights, gay and lesbian rights. And for us to hold up civil unions and say that separate is somehow now equal ? when just a-year-and-a-half we ago celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board ? is transparent to the people. They see through the Democrats.

That?s why this issue was not seen by the Kerry campaign in 2004 in a positive light. Because people saw through John Kerry. They didn?t believe that he was only supportive of civil unions. Because here he was, running as a Democrat on all those proud traditions where we never fell short on equality. And so ? even though his position was exactly the same as Dick Cheney?s ? the American people questioned that. I don?t think the American people believe us. And that?s a big problem.

First, the exciting news.  John Stamos will play a wedding planner who is gay in the upcoming A&E movie "Wedding Wars" due to air this winter.  In the movie, Stamos' character boycotts his brother's wedding b/c his brother's boss and future father in law is a governor who opposes marriage equality.  Hilarity ensues as an important point about tolerance and equality is made. Plus, thousands of gay and bisexual men can fantasize about marrying John Stamos. (h/t Good as You)

Another amusing must-view is a video parody GAY put together around Fred Phelps and his merry bunch of phelpsians.  Rather than telling us "You are are going to hell"  GAY informs us "You are going to HELENA"   (another h/t to Good as You).  On a related matter, the Phelpsians were fined $5,000 for wasting police protection when they didn't show up for a funeral protest in Michigan.  Fred's whacky daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper told the press that the Holy Ghost told them to stay home and they would throw any citations in the trash can.

In an important note, a federal court has ruled that the White County, Georgia School Board must allow a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) to meet.  The School Board had previously decided to disallow any extracurricular group, but those groups continued to meet.  The ACLU pursued the matter.  (h/t PageOneQ).  Here's a great quote from one the student plaintiffs:

"This has been the best civics lesson ever," said Kerry Pacer, one of the founders of the student group said in the ACLU statement, "I couldn't believe the school was so unfair to us when all we wanted to do was to try to address the violence and harassment against gay students. I'm relieved that the court is going to make the school let us meet."

You tell 'em, Kerry.  Kerry is my mother's name so I'm especially fond of young person Pacer.  Good for you for sticking up for your rights.

In the tolerance twist you knew was overdue, homo vacationeers in Provincetown are accused of making slurs against heterosexuals and Jamaicans.  Police received numerous complaints that people were being called "breeders."  One woman reported being verbally accosted after it came to light she signed an anti-gay marriage petition.  She was called a bigot.

She IS a bigot.  She chose to sign a petition that discriminates against her neighbors. Should they just accept that quietly?  I'm not saying they should target her or act out, but calling her what she is seems acceptable to me.  Her priest acknowledges that signing the petition would lead to repercussions, but called this a "dramatic experience"  Puh-lease.  Try having your brother deny you access to his kids b/c you are queer.  That's dramatic.  Try losing your job b/c you are gay.  That's dramatic.  Try having to control your simple desire to hold your partner's hand to avoid being harassed.  That's dramatic. 

Now the incidents with Jamaican residents is different.  They attribute the increased intolerance to the looming debate over immigration and I'd agree that's very likely.  Guess what homos?  Not all Jamaican's are anti-gay.  Don't be fueled by the Ricky/George rhetoric on immigration. 

Bigotry is as bigotry does.

Surf on over to The Advocate website for Evan's take on the NY marriage ruling.  Evan is the Executive Director of Freedom to Marry.  He's also a Pittsburgh native.   (h/t Pam's House Blend)

?Is that all there is? If that?s all there is, my friends, then let?s keep dancing,? sang Peggy Lee. If dancing means engaging others, by all means let?s dance; this discordant, tinny ruling did not stop the music. And if dancing means, well, dancing, then let?s keep working until all committed couples can dance, with family, friends, and loved ones, at their weddings, pursuing happiness, celebrating their commitment and love, equally protected by the law and the respect due every person.

OK, this lady I don't get.  Helen Gricks of Ross, a self-described Republican and Evangelical Christian, writes to the Post-Gazette about  her decision not to attend the upcoming Dixie Chicks concert in Pittsburgh. 

 My son and I would like nothing more than to go to the upcoming concert, especially with so many great seats still available. However, I don't want to go to a political rally, and I'm afraid that it will turn into one. I don't agree with their politics, but I do like the music. That's why people are buying the CD but not concert tickets.

To catch you up, the Chicks are coming to Pittsburgh at the end of the month (we have tickets!) and ticket sales have been reportedly slow.  

What's interesting about Helen's perspective is that she basically wants the Chicks to perform for her, to entertain her but not bother her with those pesky politics of theirs.  I'm guessing Helen hasn't really LISTENED to the new album (or bothered to read the liner notes) or she might note a striking parallel with the second stanza to "Not Ready to Make Nice"

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing

Or my life will be over

It seems to be that Helen wants the same thing --- shut up and sing for crying out loud.  Yes, Helen wants the Chicks to crawl back into the nice comfortable "girl-singer" mode so they can entertain the men without creating all that stupid thinking and whatnot.  More precisely, Helen wants them to shut and sing so SHE can remain in her little delusional land where Jesus and W have got her back. 

If some right-wing loonie hypocrite like Toby Keith comes to town, wraps himself up in the flag he won't enlist to defend, and sings about killing Saddam Hussein ... will you object to him being "political" Helen? 

But wait ... here's the really interesting part .... guess who is an old college buddy of Helen?   That would be US Representative Melissa Hart.  And the right-wing apologist herself, Ruth Ann Dailey,  wrote a fawning column about Grick and her home-schooling buddies hanging out with Melissa ("Missy"). 

If I do decide to go, I will wear a T-shirt that says: "I love Jesus, W and The Chicks!"

Well, guess what Helen?  Unlike your buddy Malicious Hart, the Dixie Chicks want you to have the freedom to wear that T-shirt.  They believe that the Constitution of the United States protects your freedom to dissent and that the First Amendment in particular gives you the the liberty to wear whatever political T-shirt you want, even if its unpopular. 

The Dixie Chicks respect your right to love Jesus and W along with them.   Too bad you can't afford them the same respect. 

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

There's a lot happening in the Queer 'burgh  -- gay political groups, queer art collectives, a lesbian chorus, comedy shows, art shows, movies, dinners, fundraisers ... the list goes on and on of all the cool groups and organizations making a difference for you and your family.

Often overlooked is the contribution of your average homo who takes it upon her or himself to do something proactive to build the kind of community in which s/he desires to live.  Both of these people, Bob and Sheila, are friends of mine who I believe put their money where their mouths are for the greater good of the entire community.  And they set examples for the rest of us who have a tendency to mouth off, but take no action.

Sheila thinks there isn't enough cool stuff for lesbians or, perhaps more precisely, that lesbians have trouble connecting with women with similar interests.  There are email list for biking lesbians, hiking lesbians, even kayaking lesbians.  Sheila liked to dance, go out to dinner, travel and hang out. So Sheila started her own group, Lesbos of Pittsburgh. 

This group is for lesbians only who are tired of staying at home. We want women from Ohio, West Virginia, and all around Pennsylvania. Do you like to go dance,go to comedy clubs,eat nice dinners,travel and go to gay events? Lets get together. Most activities will take place in the Pittsburgh area. There are lots of things to do and see here.

I've known Sheila for several years and she is one of the most straightforward people in my life.  She goes to all the events, including many fundraisers.  She tries all sorts of new activities from potlucks to mini golf to art shows.  And I really admire her for stepping up to create a sense of community for women who walk in her shoes.  I'm on several other local LGBT email lists and only one comes close to creating a sense of community (Pittsburgh Potluck Womyn for those of you who are curious).

Bob is an old friend of Ledcat's and a relatively new friend of mine.  He's interested in politics (like most of us), but he's made it a personal priority to help elect gay-positive candidates.  Unlike most of us, Bob puts his time and money where his mouth is.  He writes countless letters to the editor and letters to elected officials and letters to all the rest of us telling us that we should be writing, too.   He's even dedicated a portion of his website to promoting the candidates he think will best serve the needs of the LGBTQ community in his districts. 

Interestingly, both Sheila and Bob live outside of Pittsburgh, outside of Allegheny County even.  But they both still identify with our city and want good things for the entire LGBTQ community.  They aren't just focused on their neighborhood, card club or small group of likeminded friends  -- they put themselves out here for all of us. 

That's cool.    Wish more of us could pull that off. 

Here's a perfect example of why heterosexuals should be outraged about gay bashing.

Colin Finnerty, that upstanding young lacrosse player from Duke facing rape and kidnapping charges, was found guilty in an attack on two men in Washington D.C.

Finnerty and five college buddies, including Duke lacrosse captain William Gerrish, followed two men, taunting them with homophobic epithets and then punched and kicked the men. 

Here's the thing.  Finnerty and Gerrish are white, privileged thugs and if they were poor, black or brown men, they would be in jail for such behavior.  Finnerty beat up two men because he presumed they were gay.  Gerrish lied under oath about the circumstances and only recanted when confronted with his own statement to the arresting officer.  Finnerty got probation.

The Duke situation is filled with conflicting reports and he's innocent until proven guilty of course.  But he's not innocent of being a prick and its not a difficult leap to imagine a gay-bashing bigot treating women like trash.  Just the fact that these alleged pillars of society throw drunken brawls is disgusting.  It doesn't make them rapists.  It does make them elitist preppy pigs.

Back to my original point. The victims in the DC gay are not gay.  They were beaten up because Finnerty perceived them to be gay.  I don't know if they were mincing, pink shirted metrosexuals or just two average guys strolling through DC.  It doesn't really matter.  Finnerty has this tape in his head telling him that he has the right, the privilege, to beat the living hell out of someone b/c they seem gay.  And, apparently in US society, he's right.

There's not a lot of loal LGBTQ activity of late as we all recuperate from the marriage amendment battle.   Plus your faithful correspondent has been struggling with allergies and is tired .... so here's a quick round up of some national stories of interest ...

Broward County, Florida school to admit a transgendered five year old and test their progressive policies.  This is a really piece of good news coming from the land of Jeb Bush (and Katharine Harris).

Under WTF?  AIDS group recruits two notorious homophobes to perform at benefit concert.  They would be reggae artists TOK and Beanie Man.  Why, you ask, Beanie Man sounds familiar?   Yes, he was supposed to perform at a 2004 show here in Pittsburgh at the Boardwalk.  Til yours truly made some calls to LGBTQ leaders and the Post-Gazette complaining.  In the wake of negative publicity, the show sponsors (Salem cigarettes) cancelled.   As you can imagine, homosexuals, AIDS activists and the African-American community are up in arms over this stupid decision by LIFEBeat to ignore the cadres of talented reggae artists and bring in these two pathetic clowns for an AIDS fundraiser.  Follow the link for the full story and details on how to voice your protest.

It has been awhile since we've run across some gay-themed letters to the editor in either the PG or the Trib.  Today, Amesh Adalja of Butler comes to our rescue with a little missive in the City Paper.  Adalja bemoans the hijacking of the Republican Party by the "cancerous growth" of the religious right.

The Republicans, increasingly suffused with the gospel of the Religious Right, have completely shattered any semblance of respect for individual rights to which they may stake claim.

Shout out to the non-hating Republicans in Butler County! Kudos for acknowledging that not all Republicans are, well, Rethuglicans.  Take back your party damnit!  Take back your churches, too! 

While we are on the topic of the City Paper, I must sadly note the demise of the "Rant" feature.  Editor Chris Potter discussed this decision on a recent appearance on the John McIntire show on KDKA (see McIntire blog www.macyapper.com).  Apparently, they got sick of rants about Pittsburgh drivers and the like. 

The CP archives indicate that there have been 287 rants.  Number 284 featured my personal anti-PennDOT ramblings.  And while we are on the topic, I must tell you that I am completely disillusioned with the political/citizens activist thing.  NO ONE was willing or able to stand up to PennDOT and the fact that I kept being pushy and obnoxious about wanting them to maintain their property made me person non gratis.  It was only when the All-Star game drew near that Mayor O'Connor's office helped.  But at least they helped not only get it cut, but a commitment to keep it cut. 

Back to the Rant.  I enjoyed it, but it certainly did seem a bit repetitive at times.  Now it would be GREAT if the City Paper would fill that space with the voice of a columnist who is not a white, heterosexual, middle-class man.  God Bless Marty, John and Chris and their progressive, nay liberal ideals.  But Pittsburgh's alternative culture is filled with a multitude of people of color, females, gays, working class, disabled, etc.  We have ideas, too!  Good ones.  Ideas with multisyllabic words.  Ideas festooned with purpose, meaning and a liberal dash of snarkery. 

For crying out loud ... you can't shake a stick in Pittsburgh without knocking over a white, middle-class, heterosexual writer/columnist or writer/columnist wanna be.  You want a fresh rant  -- give voice to the rest of us.