Much belated congrats to PG columnist, editoral person and all around great guy Tony Norman for receiving the Best Column Award from the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation for "Sad Irony of Blacks as Bigots on Gay Rights"

Since when is it moral to obey a cease-and-desist order from those who interpret others' strides toward freedom as less legitimate than their own?

As King proved with countless sermons, no group has a monopoly on suffering. All culturally determined redemption songs are part of humanity's collective blessing.

The awards:

The awards recognize print, photography and broadcast journalism in Western Pennsylvania that best illustrates the diversity and fullness of life for black Americans.

Yeah I'm late on this one, but we need some good news and I just heard a lovely round of Tonyisms on KDKA this evening as part of the Free For All Fridays on John McIntire's radio program.  You can never praise an ally too much.  Even if he is a breeder.

From the PG:

In response to a national church decision that appears to allow local option on the ordination of sexually active gay clergy, Pittsburgh Presbytery declared yesterday that it will continue to accept only clergy who "live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness." It also reiterated a prohibition on its clergy conducting marriages for same-sex couples.

That's our options.  Switch teams or remain chaste. 

The Rev. Jim Glatz, pastor of Union Presbyterian Church, compared clear standards on sexual behavior to the effort to keep fire in a fireplace, instead of allowing it to burn down the house. He alluded to ministries destroyed by clergy sexual misconduct.

"Sex is a good gift of a loving God that needs to be kept within the loving union of a man and a woman," he said.

Forcing homosexuals to be chaste by denying them marriage is a nice sidestep. Don't ask, don't pray?  Don't ask, don't bless?  Don't ask, don't fear?  Which is it ....

Perhaps Reverend Glatz should put a bit more of his energies into taming the out of control heterosexuals in his pastoral areas and less into demonizing homosexuals.  Where's the fun in that?