I think a few PG readers must have slept in on the Sundays when their pastors talked about visiting the imprisoned and other Jesus references to compassion for the less fortunate.
Last week, the paper ran a feature on mothers who are in jail. It was harsh and difficult to read, especially when a woman admitted that she loves heroin as much as she loves her child. That's a difficult line to read. No matter that its true.
But these two particular readers took affront at the notion that these women deserve compassion and respect as mothers to their children.
T. Pawlos of Crafton asks "What about the children and other family members? They are the ones hurting and embarrassed by these women's actions." T. continues, "I don't feel a bit sorry for them." And "They think of only themselves, now and forever, trust me."
Well, that's a nice example of Christian compassion. If a woman embarrasses her family, she deserves no compassion. I'm surprised T. didn't use the phrase "loose morals."
Patricia Wilkeson of Robinson (are you surprised?) writes "I don't have any sympathy for any woman who says, "I love heroin as much as my child." I'll never understand all the "do-gooders" who support these creatures of habit."
Creatures of habit. That's nice. Patricia goes on "Why don't you honor those who work along with their husbands, sometimes at two jobs, to support their children and grandchildren?"
Shouldn't those working mothers stop being so selfish about their careers and stay home with their kids? I wonder what human mistakes Patricia's own children made that result in her caring for her grandchildren?
Then there's the line that is so very sad and reveals the bitterness in Patricia's heart. "Alcoholics and drug addicts who have to do anything to support their habits belong where they'll end up -- on the obituary page."
I'm tempted to churn out a few sentences lambasting her as an example of how perverted American Christianity has become. Or how successful the Republicans have been at turning the middle class against other vulnerable groups.
But all I can think about if whether Patricia is having a nice Mother's Day. Somehow I doubt it.
Democratic Party Chair Dean sat down with the always-delightful Pat Robertson on The 700 Club and promptly lied that the Democrartic Party platform did not include gay marriage. In fact, it does support gay marriage.
"We support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of our nation and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections for these families. In our country, marriage has been defined at the state level for 200 years, and we believe it should continue to be defined there. We repudiate President Bush's divisive effort to politicize the Constitution by pursuing a 'Federal Marriage Amendment.' Our goal is to bring Americans together, not drive them apart."
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force promptly responded by returning a $5,000 donation to the DNC and issuing a statement condemning Dean.
The Stonewall Democrats sort of chastised Dean. "Therefore, we strongly point out that Governor Dean incorrectly spoke when stating that the 2004 Democratic Party platform defines marriage as between a man and a woman."
Dean is busy mending fences. He's pissed off the homos obviously, but also the homobigots who rightly perceive that he was deceptively trying to win support.
What the hell was he thinking? That moderate Republicans watch The 700 Club? No, you idiot, the loonies watch it. The ones who willingly buy into the demonization of homosexuals. And would happily send us marching off to reeducation camps if given the opportunity.
The DNC seems to be doing its best to closet the homos (Pam's House Blend does a great job on this). First, Dean eliminated the gay liaison position within the DNC vis a vis consolidation. Then, the DNC Annual Grassroots Report eliminated any reference to LGBT grassroots efforts which had previously been successfully documented. Third, the DNC fired gay outreach advisor Donald Hitchcock because his partner was openly critical of Dean.
Now, Howard is hanging out with Pat Robertson and his merry band of bigots.
The Correspondents have been vocal pragmatic Democrats. We support Bob Casey with the full awareness of his limitations (and that, frankly, we are gambling by putting our future in his hands). But we lament the erosion of Democratic commitment to our community and find the DNC's recent series of actions truly frightening.
That sounds so pretentious.
I meant to say that we are pissed off by Dean's overt diss of the LGBT community. He's coming to town folks for a gay event so now is the time for local Democrats to call him to task. We cannot just continue to swallow the DNC excuses. We have to hold them accountable now so the LGBT community is not sacrificed for Hillary's Presidential bid.
NOTE: Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents have applied for press credentials to cover the Stonewall Convention. We are optimistic that the Stonewall Democrats recognize the importance of blogs in the media. Since Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents is the the largest regional LGBT blog, we anticipate a positive response from Stonewall. A co-chair of the local chapter has promised to get us a response soon. We look forward to covering this critical event for our local readers and for the national LGBT community through our contributions to Big Gay Picture.
Thanks to the Post-Gazette, we now know to avoid Chocolate Celebrations and the Milkshake Factory on Southside.
It is the family business of siblings Chris and Dana Edwards, both of whom are proud members of the Bush Administration. Dana coordinates POTUS travel and Chris, who bears the title SPECIAL assistant to the President, oversees logistics for the press corp.
For some reason, a Post-Gazette editor decided to waste valuable feature space gushing over the Edwards candy store -White House connection . There's some inane reasoning that running a candy store prepares you to work in the White House. It is good that at least someone in the White House has run a successful business.
The best part is that Dana got her job because of her brother. It doesn't get more obvious that this Administration is not run by the most talented people, but by the most connected.
After annoying us with some pathetic jokes about Chris buying her a pearl necklace and how much money they make (poor Dana makes less -- imagine a woman making less!), the PG gives us this total line of garbage:
Both display the unswerving loyalty to the administration that George and Laura Bush seem to inspire in many of their young staffers. In interviews, Chris continually tried to turn the conversation about his own family back to how the president's emphasis on family inspires him.
The PG thinks its news that two bright young Pittsburghers have been hoodswinked by the "family value" lies dripping out of the White House. Or, more likely, that Dana and Chris are young, upwardly-mobile, heterosexual, white adults who are willing to trade every bit of decency and intelligence they may posess for their own personal advancement and career trajectories. Chris and Dana are perfect examples of privileged hypocrites who don't give a flying fig about Pittsburgh families.
All the while selling us chocolate. And milkshakes.
Thus Pittsburgh queers and allies, you are duly warned that Chocolate Celebrations and the Milkshare Factory are owned by traitors who contribute to the Administration that wants to strip us of every civil right we deserve.
PG writer Sally Kalson tackles the thorny issues of surrogate pregnancy custody in response to a recent court ruling removing custody of triplets from their surrogate mother. It is a complicated, sticky mess and certainly deserving of some attention for our legislature.
However, PA plans to establish a legal framework in surrogacy matters will tap into the age-old battle on family values. Legislation proposed by Senator Jane Earll, R-Erie, permits only an infertile married couple to establish a surrogate contract. Obviously, LGBT couples are left out since marriage is not an option for us. At least in Pennsylvania.
But consider how this legal restriction will impact heterosexuals. Single adults would not be able to use surrogacy to conceive a child. Nor would married couples who perhaps have their own reasons for not wanting to carry a child. As Kalson points out, issues around frozen embryos only make the situation more complicated - what if the the couple divorces? or one partner dies? Under this legislation, that would eliminate surrogacy.
My point (and, I hope, Kalson's point) is that when the government legislatively imposes an ideal family framework on Pennsylvania citizens, it usually doesn't fit. Heterosexual marriage does not automatically confer some special degree of happiness or healthiness on any family unit. What is does confer is a two-tiered family status: the married, reproducing heterosexuals and all the rest of us.
Kalson sums it up neatly:
Current law considers gay couples and lone adults good enough to adopt children who are already born. They ought to be good enough to enter a legal agreement to produce a child through surrogacy.
That said, the state still needs a framework to protect the children born of such agreements, and we don't have to reinvent the wheel to get it. The Uniform Act covers the eventualities with sufficient clarity.
From the very beginning, it makes plain to everyone -- sperm and egg donors, gestational moms and their spouses (if any), intended parents and the courts -- what provisions are permissible and enforceable, and who has what legal rights and responsibilities. In Pennsylvania, no such clarity exists.
For one thing, your legislator is home in your district for the next month. This is a good time to contact her/him in person AGAIN and reiterate your opposition to this amendment.
Go here for more details on how you can get involved. I'll have more later in the week.
Today my good friend David over at 2 Political Junkies has an excellent skewer of Ricky Sanctimonious' <gasp> HYPOCRISY.
Apparently, Ricky is willing to support Republican Don Sherwood who acknowledged that he had a five year affair and settled a lawsuit with his lover after she accused him of choking her.
Ahem. David does a good job on this one. Go read it.
Here's a sad fact: Russian Orthdox Catholics are working in unity with
skinheads to oppose gay rights.
On Sunday
police had to hold back a crowd of bottle-tossing skinheads and Bible-
clutching church folks who were protesting a gay event at a local club.
Not to be outdone by the Christian-Skinhead connection, Russian Muslims are
threatening to kill gays if they proceed with plans to celebrate Pride.
PrideFest is scheduled for May 26 and 27 in Moscow. If the city bans the
event, organizers plan to take the matter to the European Court of Human
Rights.
Sounds like a crowd where Fred Phelps would feel right at home.
From the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights in Philadelphia...
April 28, 2006
Constitutional Amendment Set to Run in PA House
The House of Representatives is in session [the week of May1]and the bill is posted on the voting calendar. This means that a vote can occur at any time.
The House Appropriations Committee voted the so-called "Marriage Protection Amendment" out of Committee on April 24th. This was the next procedural step to running the bill, HB 2381, on the House floor.
We have heard from legislators that both supporters and opponents to the amendment have been contacting them in unprecedented numbers.
It is critical that constituents continue to contact them and ask them to oppose the amendment. If you have not talked to your Representative recently, please do it now! Please ask your friends and family in Pennsylvania to contact their legislator.
If you don't know who your state Representative is, go here.
An Altoona jury found that an Army Reserve officer was not guilty of sexually assaulting a female officer. He said it was consensual sex. She claimed otherwise. Guess who the jurors believed?
During the trial, the woman soldier testified that she had not wanted to file charges for fear that it would come out that she was a lesbian which would impact her career. Her testimony surprised the courtroom, but she simply stated "You asked, and I told."
So now its more of a "Don't Tell and They Won't Ask" policy where soldiers are protecting their assailants in order to protect themselves. What the hell kind of twisted logic is that?
A 2006 study from the Pentagon indicates a 40% increase in the reports of sexual assaults within the military in less than one year. 40% increase! While I'm glad people are reporting it, it makes you wonder what the hell was happening before 2005 AND who else isn't reporting it. Advocates express concern over how the female soldier victims are being treated by the military throughout the internal investigations.
Apparently, in Altoona, it ain't so good. Because guess what? This female soldier is going to be investigated for outing herself.
Before the verdict was announced, Army Reserve spokesman Jack Gordon in Coraopolis told The Associated Press that the woman's testimony would be reviewed by military officials.
Thus, LGBT soldiers are caught in particularly vicious catch 22: report sexual assault and risk their orientation being revealed OR keep quiet and risk being further assaulted. What a wonderful environment for female soldiers of any orientation.
Not that I'm surprised that Altoona "We have more in common with Alabama than Philly or Pittsburgh" is the locale for this particular travesty of justice. Friends of mine who are a heterosexual, biracial couple have wonderful stories of tolerance and openmindedness from their brief sojourn in Altoona. It was awful enough to make Pittsburgh a sort of beacon of acceptance when they relocated to this part of the state.
I think a few PG readers must have slept in on the Sundays when their pastors talked about visiting the imprisoned and other Jesus references to compassion for the less fortunate. 
