A Pansy speaks - Deep Penetration

Lingamfelter’s out-of-touch sex bill.

I am beginning to get worried here. There may be something behind the Immaculate Conception of Mary after all. Otherwise just how the heck can one explain the number of Republicans reproducing.

These guys don't like sex. In fact they know it doesn't happen. Only us morons out here have it. This of course could explain their sour looks all the time. I mean look at this guy in Virginia, a republican, you guessed that right?. Anyway this guy Limpycantfeelher I think, wants to pass a bill so kids get a bunch of white lies about sex and he is going to do it in the absense of any brains.

Last year Limpycantfeelher worked to pass a bill to introduce license plates that tell everyone that he supports traditional marriage with all the baggage that goes with that. Seems he hasn't a lot to do in the State Capital so as the big guys says an idle mind is the devils playground.

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While he was staring at his license plate, listening to his radio in the warm welcoming late morning sun, smiling, then bang, the potted pansys near his car ignited in the absence of any means to do so.

Slowly a little puddle of water forms at his feet. He stares into the flames, aware now of the warm and wet stuff flowing down his legs. He hears a voice, a loud deep voice, full of authority, you know one of those voices republicans like.

"Go forth and tell the kiddies how babies are made and of the gift of enjoining together upon being baptised for the republican crusade" The fire goes out as the pool of water reaches it.

Limpycantfeelher was astounded, he knew that voice, he had heard it often, then it hit him like a lightning bolt out of a can of Jolt. The Lord sounds a lot like Rush Limbaugh. Amazing he thought to himself, I better go change and waddles back to the house.

He hopes the voice did not see his lil' accident. He changes, glancing into his wife's mirror, he is reminded why immaculate conception works for repubicans. "How can I do what the voice asked?" he says out loud, looking for his radio, he is often inspired by talk radio, maybe he will get a hint here. He can't find it, "dang," he says, careful not to take the Lord's name in vain, heads to his car, he will listen on the way to work, first he stops at a local Republican shrine.

Without DeLay he gets out and goes to the back of the Wal-Mart, picks up a copy of Saint Sam Walton's life, inside the cover is a check but he has to hand it over to Tom, its made out to him. As he walks out he sees a display of personnal lubricants, not sure what they are, he buys some KY jelly and heads to the counter.

The Clerk smiles and asks if he planning a good time. Limpycanfeelher says he off to do the Lord's work, he needs to be hard and the penetration has to reach the deepest darkest places of man. This will do it says the clerk!

Back in his car he has a grin, what luck, to find the jelly. He arrives at his next stop, a Casino run by the heathen Indians, Jack had told him about a machine that will pay off if he uses Jack's special card. He hands the card to a dealer, she hands him a cashiers check, Dang he says, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Back in his car he drives to his work, the Virginia State Capital Building. A black boy rushes over and opens his door, Welcome Massa Limpycanfeelher. He loves that, and Lincoln was a republican he asks himself again as he did everyday.

As if by divine intervention the answers to what the voice in the pansys demanded of him flowed as he wrote across the page. He had a Bill, it was perfect. "Emphasis of abstinence in family life curricula," what a title he thought. What does abstinence mean he thought. He looked it up in the dictionary, amazed he had come up with such a word without knowing what it entailed.

"No sex," he says out loud, he likes to hear himself talk, trying to mimic that deep voice, like the one he heard come out of the panseys. Only Democrats will be opposed he says seeing another image of himself before his wife's mirror. Seeing the jelly laying on his desk, he picks it up, "deep penetration" he says, "I need to go deep."


Lingamfelter, Virginia, gay youth, abstinence, sex education, school, gay teens, Politics, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal, Bush, Republican, BuzzFlash, humor

Brokeback Mountain keeps giving

Read what is being said about Brokeback Mountain. I have selected a few reviews indicating just how powerful this movie has become. Its time and couldn't have come at a better time in American history. I will have more to say about the latest attacks on this movie from the christian right in an article soon. In the mean time, check out these sources. You have to like the review from the Duke himself!

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John Wayne Reviews 'Brokeback Mountain' The movie critics have spoken. They've announced their Ten Best lists and started handing out awards. Who better to offer the final word on one of the most honored, and reviled, films of 2005 than a man who spent half his life riding horses and eating beans -- The Duke himself.

Okay the review was not done by the Duke, but it could have been! The review can be found here at Huffington Post by George Thomas Clark.

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Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post writes on western movies long established homo subtext, "In fact, what's remarkable about "Brokeback Mountain" is merely that for possibly the first time, homoeroticism is the text, not the subtext. But it's not like homosexuality has been unknown in the western..."

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"This is a film that builds through word of mouth and critical acclaim," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. "People want to see what all the fuss is about." Response has been so robust that distributors are expanding the film's rollout ahead of schedule. It will show on 269 screens this Friday, and reach an additional 80 markets the following week, said Jack Foley, president of theatrical distribution for Focus Features. See Sandy Cohen of Associated Press report here.

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Acclaimed western BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN has topped Florida's annual movie critics poll, after walking away with four awards including Best Film. The controversial movie also won Best Director (ANG LEE), Best Screenplay (LARRY McMURTRY and DIANA OSSANA), and Best Cinematography (RODRIGO PRIETO) in the Florida Film Critics Circle vote.


Brokeback Mountain, Movies, Films, Gay

Casualties of the war in Iraq

My recent trip to America provided me a great deal more insight than I anticipated. All of it filling my head with ideas for future posts here.

The newspaper in Helena (pronounced Hell-en-AH), capital city for the State of Montana commissioned a poll that shows the some 49% of Montana voters feel dissatified or somewhat dissatified with George Bush. This state has been republican for years. Bush can usually count on a warm welcome here. That's changing as the US is mired in the war in Iraq and consequential budget problems at home.

My friend, a solid up standing American middle class citizen asked me what were the casualties of the war in Iraq. It was easy to quickly reply with numbers of American war dead, the lose of respect internationally, the tens of thousands of dead Iraqi citizens. He acknowledged these facts but said the casualties were much higher at home.

How many Americans still have no health care? How many are going to be able to count on Social Security? How many Americans continue to lose their jobs so Wal-Mart can pay less for the product to be outsourced to China? How many Local and State projects are on hold or cancelled because the federal government programs are being scrapped or tapped out?

The list goes on and gets quite frightening. A few years ago a report stated that fifty percent of America's bridges and overpasses were falling apart due to a lack of proper maitenance and repair. There simply is not enough money to do the upkeep. Do any of you see more money for these needed repairs coming with deficits hitting all time highs? Today news breaks that an elevated highway in Pennsylvania collapsed.

The disaster in New Orleans and all along the gulf coast could have been significantly reduced if the government had heeded reports to do repairs on the levees holding the water back. The repairs were estimated in the five to ten billion dollar range. Just how much has been spent todate since the unrepaired levees failed during Hurricane Katrina. Now not only will the federal government be forced to pay for the damage in the tens of billions of dollars but have to add fifteen to twenty billion more to ensure the levees are up to holding back the water.

Who in the disater planning failed to understand that the oil refineries and the port of New Orleans handled twenty five percent of US oil imports? Didn't they know what would happen, that lost production would squeeze the whole country and thus affect prices all over the US and the world?

How many Americans can look forward to having access to health care anytime soon? We do know that some as Ted Koppel stated on Meet the Press, have the best Health Care in the world, but sadly he said most Americans don't.

George Bush's war in Iraq has created tens of millions of casualties far from Iraq, in places like Montana City MT, Collville WA, Clearwater FL, all across the country.

The mess is only getting bigger, the undoing of America is almost a certainty. Time is short and many stretchers are going to be needed for the wounded before they can begin righting what George Bush's war has created.

Anti-gay Republican not so Holy

Update: December 31, 2005

The Senator is still not divorced, and the editor of the Bradley County paper he wants advertisors to abandon has found more on the Senator.

Read here: Miller Comes to Town with Girlfriend, Doesn't Get Divorced
______
As the Tennesse legislature was bringing legislation that would ban gay marriage the Bill's sponsor, State Senator R-Jeff Miller was days away from having his wife file for divorce. Miller has made a career in politics based on "family values".

During the course of debate on Miller's bill he fought an amendment that said, "Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee." Not something you would expect a champion of "Family Values" to do unless perhaps you were guilty of this offense yourself.

The "Marriage Protection Act" passed Februray 23, 2005 and Miller's wife of 15 years was in court February 25 filing for a divorce.

Brigitte Miller told a Capitol Hill reporter her husband is having an affair with a legislative researcher and that he and the young lady accompanied the Millers’ three daughters to a November Martina McBride concert in Nashville."They’ve been seeing each other for a while," Mrs. Miller said. "Now he admits things. But he said it’s only been since he moved out. But I know better. I’ve got things that tell me differently."

Sen. Miller's home town paper has recently reported that Miller was in fact dating a woman while waiting for his divorce to come through. Miller angered by this has written to constituents saying, "Myself and many others are going to be watching in the next several weeks to identify and remember those in this community that wish to subsidize the destructive nature of this type of publication in our community."

Miller does not dispute the fact he is dating another woman while waiting for his divorce, he just thinks it a private matter and should be respected as such by the press. The paper's editor, Barry Graham, responded in an editorial December 21, "Your platform is that of a guy who believes in the sanctity of marriage, and that marriage should be between one man and one woman. And your behavior doesn't support your platform. So, we report it."

I am one that respects the private lives of politicians unless they are doing something that they preach against, as it seems Sen Miller is doing here. This kind of hypocracy is what devalues our political system. Miller is quite willing to make political hay out of preventing those in a loving gay relationships from being married, and in the course of doing so he opposes an amendment that says Adultry is a threat to the sanctity of marriage.

Lets hope as the election nears Sen Miller is held to account for the apparent conflict between what he says and what he does.

compiled from various sources including Yahoo news

Montana for the Holidays

I am off in the Morning to see friends and family!

I am finally feeling like it is Holiday time! Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and if I don't see you before the New Year all the best to you.

Will toast you then.

Gotta run ...

Oh, I will be in Montana, checking out the American side of things! Might have something to say about that experiance when I return!

pss - Don't mess up the election while I am gone eh!

Brokeback Mountain - Finally

Brokeback Mountain

This movie could be set in Cowboy country in Cochrane Alberta, the rugged Cariboo country near Williams Lake BC, or in Meadow Lake Saskatchewan.

"Ang Lee's unmissable and unforgettable Brokeback Mountain hits you like a shot in the heart. It's a landmark film and a triumph for Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal." -- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"Heath Ledger, in particular, I think really has to get an Oscar nomination." -- Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER

This film has the Christian set in a tither. I haven't seen it yet so can only go on what I have heard. The premise of the story is of two guys that end up having sex together, see that they like it then go off and get married. They meet up again and go on "hunting Trips". The trips being an excuse to get away together, discovering justwho they are.

See the official film trailer

It an all too sad story that repeats everyday in our culture. Men end up getting married because you have too, its expected, they have a family and then they find they cannot continue to live the lie. By this time more people are hurt. Their spouse who had no idea this was the case or knew but hoped to avoid the event.

Its looked upon as cheating, deceitful when a married man does this. Then they are accused of lying, of doing all this harm. Funny how these same people would have castigated the guy if he said as a teenager he was attracted to guys or got nervous about the wedding, wondering if it was the right thing to do. Likely they would have told him it was a phase, don't worry, the love of an honest woman will get you through this. Some guys believe it.

It is different from the usual case of growing apart, or meeting someone and deciding you can't live with your spouse as is the case in many straight divorces. Often the man in these gay relvaltion situations did not want to get married, had to get married to cover his feelings or attractions to men, compelled to meet socities norms, the family's expectations. There was always something wrong and creepy about men in their 30's or older that were not married. Not to be trusted. Whispers...

Brokeback Mountain has achieved all the major nominations for the Golden Globes. Not I trust because of the subject being addressed, but because it is a wonderful story told on film. See the critic responses above.

Doug Patton who is a conservative columnist in the United States has another view. Its Hollywood doing its social engeneering again. He calls its a big budget movie that has a high EWW factor for men.

As usual Patton known for his "that's just not right" attitude makes some errors. The film is not a big budget Hollywood movie. He goes on in the old vain, accusing the men of being deceitful, adulterers. His blinders, his faith are keeping him from seeing the story from seeing the event, from seeing the harm he is doing. The men in the story are accused of doing harm he casts them as villians while the wife is the helpless victim to the self indulgent homosexual.

While the spouse, a wife in this case is a victim as anyone is in a marriage break up, a divorce is a divorce whether your man leaves because he found someone else or doesn't love you anymore. Thats the hard fact. It can be no worse because you learn your husband is gay than he is love with some other woman. Its still the end.

I hope lots of men, gay and straight see it. I hope it is the love story people are talking about.

Finally the story of so many men is being told, and so many will see it, relate to it, not just because its their story, but because its about love.




Photos from Rotton Tomatos

Intelligent Reason prevails over Design in Court

What's this got to do with the Federal Election in Canada? Read on...

This November a small community in Pennsylvania tossed up the entire eight member school board that required students in grade nine be told that evololution was not proven and they be directed to a book entitled, Panda's and People.

The book is a clumsy attempt to make a science out of creationism as described in the Bible.

The court decision comes after Kansas adopted similar policy endorsing "Intelligent design" and requires doubt be cast upon evolution. No wonder Dorothy left. In his 139 page decision the judge said he had too "to preserve the separation of church and state."

American justice is all over the place when it comes to religion and the state. In 1925 the State of Tennessee enacted a law prohibiting the teaching or discussion of Evolution.

PUBLIC ACTS
OF THE
STATE OF TENNESSEE
PASSED BY THE
SIXTY - FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1925
________
CHAPTER NO. 27
House Bill
No. 185
(By Mr. Butler)

AN ACT prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof. Read more here

We have people in politics in Canada that would support such legislation. Of course the person most likely to address it is Stockwell Day. A man that taught evolution had no basis in fact. A man that believes Man walked with dinonsoars.

This is not a small group of people. Many Conservative and Liberal MP's and their candidates hold these views. In their attempt to be perceived moderate they down play these views. "Nothing scary about us, were all for the family." In Harper's case he has issued duct tape for his candidates and has a standing order at Wal-Mart, run out just charge it to head office and the Liberals have relied on local candidates keeping quiet about their own views. When was the last time a Liberal MP during the election said anything out of tune with the National campaign.

The American Christian Crusade has invaded Canada with its money, its organizers and its zeal for "re-godding". Ralph Reed was likely paid to come to Toronto recently to preach the gospel of electoral politics, but you can be sure he was not paid by a Canadian group. It was likely the through the charitable kindness (albeit Tax Deductible) of a large American group like the Heritage Foundation.

These are people that are wealthy, espouse cuts to welfare, employment insurance, fight against free healthcare and cheaper medications, support large multi national companies like Wal-Mart and the Insurance and pharmaceutical business.

When Harper and Day go on about healthcare, they refuse to reject any private care yet are being dishonest when they say they support our public system. The want more private care, more private schools, lower levels of government support for people, no daycare plan, reduced environmental standards or self policing industry, lower working standards.

All of the above will lead to Canadians having to pay more, to do with out, to become more reliant of the "free market" just like the USA. Some of you may think that is economic policy and has little to do with religion. In the case of Paul Martin and the Liberals I agree, they simply want to make all things easier for the wealthy and large corporations.

The Conservatives are different though. Many of the Conservatives have a hidden agenda. An agenda wholly endorsed by the likes of Ralph Reed and wealthy foundations like the American Heritage. Disguised as economic policy.

Its a clever strategy, its long term and well funded. If they succeed in ever electing a majority government it will come at us in little bits at a time and before you know it we are all on bended knees. They are building in Canada, they have key folks in place, they have access to millions of American dollars and organizers.

So while some may laugh at the United States and its approach, be ready!

More of what the Judge said in his ruling ...

"The citizens of the Dover area were poorly served by the members of the (school board) who voted for the ID Policy. It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the ID Policy."

"The overwhelming evidence at trial established that ID is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory."

For more information on social conservatives, Stephen Harper, gay, same-sex or equal marriage, James Dobson, evangelicals, Focus on the Family, Ralph Reed, Conservatives, Bishop Henry, use the Technorati search box in the side bar here and at Politics in BC.

Imagine, Harpers new theme song?

Harper gets backing of the Institute for Canadian Values on his same-sex marriage position. Just what the heck is the Institute for Canadian Values (ICV) you ask? It is the new leader for the Conservative Christian Right.

In a press release dated December 15, the group appears to be speaking to (shoring up) the Christian demographic important to Harper's election hopes, stated "it continues to support Conservative leader Stephen HarperÂ’s promise to allow a free vote on the issue of marriage in spite of his declaration that he will not use the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights to overturn any future decision of the Supreme Court on the matter."

This of course is not news to many voters. It is not news to many of Harper's Conservative Christian supporters. The news part is really who the release is aimed at. It is meant to help reduce the fallout over Harper's stated refusal to use the "notwithstanding clause" to prevent same sex marriage if the courts strike down a new law that prevents same-sex marriage.

"Mr. Harper has pledged to hold a truly free vote on the issue of marriage if he is elected Prime Minister, a promise that was endorsed by the overwhelming number of delegates, including a majority of those from Quebec, at the Conservative Party convention earlier this year," said Joseph Ben-Ami, executive director of the ICV. "He did not promise to use the notwithstanding clause to overturn any future Supreme Court ruling on the issue and we are not asking him to do so."

The group is worried its supporters may abandon the Conservative party. Remarks like this one made by Jim Hughes of Campaign Life have then worried, "what an appalling situation. Harper has said he won't use the very vehicle (Notwithstanding Clause") that was placed in the constitution to deal with situations like this."- LifeSiteNews. com

Campaign Life and the ICV and other Conservative Christian groups are excited about this election after US Evangelical political hardliner Ralph Reed gave them a big morale booster, "queer banging" speech at a Toronto conference that ended December 1, 2005 after three days on to organize successful grassroots campaigns that support their agenda of social conservative values.

Readers may recall that many in the the social conservative set were pretty ticked off when Harper proposed a compromise to Bill C-38 offering same-sex couples everything except the title "marriage". Even this was too much for them.

The ticked off folks made sure they were well represented at the Conservative party convention held in March. In fact they were very visible including having a $300,000 motorhome parked in the Convention parkade to act as an office and base of operatioSubsequentlyantly the convention voted 74% in favour of "traditional marriage" and came within a whisker of passing a motion that would have banneseverelyverly restricted access to abortion.

Harper has to play to these people, yet he needs millions of average Canadians to vote for him as well. Thus Harper is saying what he thinks he has to in order to reduce the fears of those Canadians. In somewhat surprising statements this week Harper has told us he won't use the nuke button on same-sex marriage and those already married can remain that way, he wrote the Washington Times (not to be confused with the Washington Post) stating a Conservative government will not change abortion rights and he won't support the Bush War in Iraq.

Now you know Harper has too elections going on, one in Church where he is leaving the battle to his political operatives at the ICV and the other where he asks us all to believe something we all know he doesn't even believe himself.

I can just see it now, Harper running up on stage at Conservative pep rallies to the tune of John Lennon's Imagine...

"Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today..."

For more information on same-sex, equal or gay marriage, gay rights, evangelical and Christian opposition, Conservatives, Stephen Harper, Bishop Henry, James Dobson, Ralph Reed, Supreme Court of Canada, Civil Marriage Bill (C38) use the Technorati Search Box in the side bar and and at Politics in BC.

tags: Gay, Canada, Human Rights, Christian Right, Conservative Party of Canada, Stephen Harper

Harper won't but his buddies will

The Conservative leader, Stephen Harper brought up same-sex marriage on the first day of the election campaign in an effort to get it out of the way early. It was a good try. During last evenings French language debate Harper was asked if he would use the "notwithstanding clause" of the Charter of Rights to prevent people of the same sex from getting married.

Harper responded that he would not use the clause for that purpose. Were any of you reassured with his words. I wasn't. Even if Harper is being truthful, somehow I just don't beleive he can keep his caucus from using it. Mr. Reid a candidate in Richmond BC for his party has spent a great deal of his life fighting against gay rights. Cindy Silver a conservative candidate in North Vancouver has fought against gay rights in the courts, making a living doing it for the likes of Real Women and Focus on the Family.

Then think of all those Conservative MP's from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Think of all those Conservatives that voted against same-sex marriage. Yeah Stephen Harper may want us to believe him, may even need us too.

Remember the line, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me"

NO - Leaves of Grass - unturned

It was 150 years ago that Walt Whitman, likely the greatest American poet published "Leaves of Grass" a collection of 12 poems that shook the then infant country of the United States.

To say he upset the apple cart would be an understatement. His poetry was written against the norm. While many people read his poetry thinking it too boldly spoke of heterosexual love it is today and toward to then end of the 19th century became clear to most he was talking of homosexual love much in the context we look at it today.

You can check out NPR's Celebrating Walt Whitman and 'Leaves of Grass'. You can also find a good deal of his published works here.

Today many of the religious right are trying to ban his poems from school and public libraries. They have been successful in some areas. We have these people entering Canada now, to provide us with their wisdom. Recently Ralph Reed, one of the masterminds behind the political activism on the American religious right was the guest speaker at a conference in Toronto. The conference brought together Evangelical and conservative folks to learn how to get involved in politics.

Lorne Gunter a Conservative columnist of the National Post (is there any other kind at the NP)said Canada really needs a Ralph Reed...

(September 26, 2005), "...if Canadian Christians want clout ... they would do well to emulate some of the Americans' lessons."Gunters adds, "Our religious conservatives are today where the U.S. movement was two decades ago, and if they have finally accepted that if they are to save any of the values they cherish, they must become fully engaged in politics."

The conference was held in Toronto just in time to get all these folks out on the campaign trail largely supportive of Stephen Harper and is group of unINtelligence re-Designers. The religious right has found a comfortable home in Harper's party. They voted to hold a another vote on gay marriage if the Conservatives win and they came within a whisker of passing an anti chresolutiontuion that would have compelled the Conservatives if elected to pass laws against abortion.

The Canadian Religious right is out in full force this election, they do have an agenda that is not so hidden within the Conservative Party of Canada. Stephen Harper may well keep the duct tape on these people long enough to get through the election. My guess is won't last too long...


tags: Gay, Canada, Human Rights, Christian Right, Conservative partyCanada, Stephen Harper

Oil and Water - HIV Positive and Negative

World AIDS Day.

What is like being a gay couple, one HIV positive, the other negative. Here is what it was like from the horse's mouth so to speak. The perceptions out there in the bigger world are bad enough, in the gay world they can be as bad.

So as we observe World AIDS Day, in the middle of an election in Canada, lets see what its like in one small sector of Canada, those relationships within the gay community, where HIV is ever present...


Oil and Water - HIV Positive and Negative

This guy Steven I came to know has HIV. He tried meeting other guys, to be straight with them and his HIV. He said he always was, always told the guy he was positive. One day Steven decided to date only men who were positive. He didn't want to face rejection, he couldn’t take another “oh, sorry, see you later,” response. And He also didn't want to fall for someone and risk infecting the guy he loved. This guy I just met had been living with HIV for eight years. Eight years of being rejected.

More from this post from a year ago

AIDS, Aid and the peace - A country of Fools?

Today is World AIDS Day. Canada should be holding its collective head high. We looked for awhile like we would be. Singer Bono even came to Canada to cheer us on. What happened?

"What the world needs is more Canadians," Bono.

Canadians use to have a reputation for caring, for doing the right thing. In many ways we are trading on that reputation. We use to be the honest broker, bringing opposite sides together and stood with our friends.

Today we are into a federal election. Lets reflect on the Liberals promises as it applies to International aid, peace keeping and HIV/AIDS. Canada now ranks 33rd on peace keeping, a concept we perfected and lead the world on. Today we can't get our rapid response team DART anywhere rapidly unless we hitch a ride with someone or wait for a big enough taxi to become available.

International aid has also been less than what would or should be happening. Canada has cut foreign aid from the level maintained by the former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney. Yes the so called "liberals" have been outdone by a conservative when it comes to helping out internationally.

Canada under Lester Pearson pledged to give .7% of our gross domestic product in foreign aid. Prime Minister Martin said we would work toward it, yet the only significant addition to spending was the the money Jack Layton and the NDP put in their budget amendment. Canada remains the only G-8 country to balance budgets and show continual growth, yet our leadership have decided that foreign aid is not important.

Many of you will recall Paul Martin traveling the world, demanding third world countries have access to generic HIV meds. Canada passed a law supposedly supportive of this initiative. Canada again was seen to be doing the right thing. As it turns out we did nothing. People in third world countries are dying because they have no access to cheap HIV medications.

If Canada has made it easier for cheap pills to be made then you might ask why are people still dying due to a lack of access to HIV meds? The answer is simple. Canada has not produced one single generic pill. Not one and many of you will recall Prime Minister Martin calling it a travesty that people were dying due to the fact they could not afford or get HIV medications. Canada will lead the world.

We did not, like foreign aid, Canada was all talk and no action. The law makes it darn near impossible for any generic manufacturer to make the drug. On World AIDS day, Canada should be able to hold its head up high, we had so many things to hope for, to be proud of.

It would appear that we need to bring back ACT UP chapters. It would appear the Liberals will have all the right words, we are in an election after all. How many times have they promised us they would act on AIDS, International Aid, Childcare, healthcare, and first nations issues?

As Bono stated, what the world needs is more Canadians. I would like our leaders to look at that. Lets be proud again.

"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."