3.31.2009

Franken Gets the last laugh?

Franken Gets the last laugh?

A three judge state panel convened to review an election contest brought by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman (R) in his race against entertainer Al Franken (D) has dealt the Republican a serious setback in its ruling this afternoon. washington post

In one of the most closely fought Senatorial elections ever, it as come down to this..

Can Republican Coleman find enough votes in 400 ballots being recounted to make up the 225-vote deficit he currently has. I think the longtime funny man has it in the bag. One more blow to the once mighty republican party.

Now if the Democrats can hold onto the upstate New York Congressional seat tonight, the GObama team will continue to chug along.

US Reverses Bush Policy, joins UN

US Reverses Bush Policy, joins UN

The United States will participate in elections in May for one of three seats on the 47-member council, joining a slate that includes Belgium, Norway and New Zealand. New Zealand has offered to step aside to allow the United States to run unchallenged, according to a U.S. official. Washington Post
Amazing at it may seem, The USA and Obama are living up to the hope and change displayed during the elections last fall. Obama is now GObama!

School Safety for Whom

School Safety for Whom

The Reality of Homophobic and Transphobic Violence in Canadian Schools

LIVE BROADCAST


Tune in on Wednesday, April 1, 2009
5:30 to 8:00pm.

The School Safety for Whom panel will be broadcast live at the following link:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/school-safety-4-whom

The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, University of Toronto in conjunction with Egale Canada, Elementary Teachers Federation of Canada, The Centre for Leadership & Diversity, OISE The Centre for Urban Schooling, OISE, Central Toronto Youth Services, Griffin Centre, Rainbow Health Ontario, Triangle Program

Presents:
School Safety for Whom?
The Reality of Homophobic and Transphobic Violence in Canadian Schools
April 1, 2009
OISE Library, 252 Bloor Street West
5:30 – 8:00 pm

A panel of educators, policymakers, researchers and students responding to Egale Canada’s First
National Climate Survey on Homophobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools

Please RSVP: sexual.diversity@utoronto.ca

3.28.2009

Good Morning Toronto


This is the view looking east on Howard Street toward Bleecker from Sherbourne St. In eight months living here, I have never seen the sun come up before today and I'm an early riser!

BC Newspaper list!

BC Newspaper list!

Are you looking for the email and or web address of BC Newspapers for the upcoming provincial election? Here is a list I found on the BC Liberal website where they are asking supporters to write in support of the Gordon Campbell Liberal government. You should note that any British Columbian can write using these addresses! Get to it progressive minds in Lotus Land!

BC Newspapers





PublicationLetters to the Editor
Vancouver Sunsunletters@png.canwest.com
Vancouver Provinceprovletters@png.canwest.com
Victoria Times Colonistletters@tc.canwest.com
National Postletters@nationalpost.com
Globe & Mailletters@GlobeAndMail.ca


Lower Mainland Community Papers


PublicationLetters to the Editor
24 Hoursfeedback@24hrs.ca
Metro Newsvancouverletters@metronews.ca
Abbotsford Newseditor@abbynews.com
Abbotsford Timeseditorial@abbotsfordtimes.com
Agassiz Harrison Observernews@ahobserver.com
Aldergrove Starnewsroom@aldergrovestar.com
Bowen Island Undercurrentundercurrent@bcnewsgroup.com
Burnaby News Leadernewsroom@burnabynewsleader.com
Burnaby Noweditorial@burnabynow.com
Chilliwack Timeseditorial@chilliwacktimes.com
Chilliwack Progresseditor@theprogress.com
Coquitlam Noweditorial@thenownews.com
Delta Optimisteditor@delta-optimist.com
The Georgia Straight
letters@straight.com
Hope Standardnews@hopestandard.com
Langley Advanceeditorial@langleyadvance.com
Langley Timesnewsroom@langleytimes.com
Maple Ridge Newseditor@mapleridgenews.com
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Timeseditorial@mrtimes.com
Mission City Recordnews@missioncityrecord.com
New West News Leadernewsroom@newwestnewsleader.com
North Shore Outlooknewsroom@northshoreoutlook.com
North Shore Newseditor@nsnews.com
Peace Arch Newseditorial@peacearchnews.com
Royal City Recordeditorial@royalcityrecord.com
Richmond Newseditor@richmond-news.com
Richmond Reviewnews@richmondreview.com
South Delta Leadernews@southdeltaleader.com
Squamish Chiefsqchief@uniserve.com
Surrey Noweditorial@surreynow.com
Surrey Leadernewsroom@surreyleader.com
Tri-City Newsnewsroom@tricitynews.com
Vancouver Couriereditorial@vancourier.com
Westendereditor@westender.com
Whistler Questionnews@whistlerquestion.com


Interior and Northern Community Papers


PublicationLetters to the Editor
100 Mile Free Pressnewsroom@100milefreepress.net
100 Mile House Advisoreditor@100milehouseadvisor.com
Arrow Lakes Newsnewsroom@arrowlakesnews.com
Ashcroft Cache Creek Journaleditorial@accjournal.ca
Barriere Star Journalnews@starjournal.net
Burns Lake Lakes District Newsnewsroom@ldnews.net
Castlegar Newsnewsroom@castlegarnews.com
Creston Valley Advanceadvanceeditor@cyberlink.bc.ca
Caledonia Couriernewsroom@caledoniacourier.com
Cariboo Advisorwriteus@caribooadvisor.com
Clearwater Timesnewsroom@clearwatertimes.com
Cranbrook Daily Townsman

townsman@cyberlink.bc.ca

Fort Saint James Courier

newsroom@caledoniacourier.com
Golden Stareditor@thegoldenstar.net
Houston Todayeditor@houston-today.com
Invermere Valley Echoeditor@InvermereValleyEcho.com
Kamloops Daily News Onlinekamloopsnews@telus.net
Kamloops This Weekeditor@kamloopsthisweek.com
Kelowna Capital Newsedit@kelownacapnews.com
Kitimat Northern Sentinelnewsroom@northernsentinel.com
Kootenay News Advertisereditor@kootenayadvertiser.com
Lakes District Newsnewsroom@ldnews.net
Merritt Heraldnewsroom@merrittherald.com
Nelson Daily News
news@nelsondailynews.com
North Star / Thompson Journaladvertising@starjournal.net
Northwest Newseditor@nenews.ca
Northern Viewnewsroom@thenorthernview.com
Oliver Chronicleolivernews@img.net
Omineca Expressnewsroom@ominecaexpress.com

Opinion250.com

talk@opinion250.com

Penticton Heraldeditor@pentictonherald.ca
Penticton Westerneditor@pentictonwesternnews.com
Powell River Peak

editor@prpeak.com

Prince George Citizenletters@princegeorgecitizen.com
Prince George Free Presseditor@pgfreepress.com
Prince Rupert Daily Newsprdnews@citytel.net
Quesnel Advisoreditorial@quesneladvisor.com
Quesnel Cariboo Observernewsroom@quesnelobserver.com
Revelstoke Times-Revieweditor@revelstoketimesreview.com
Salmon Arm Observernewsroom@saobserver.net
Similkameen News Leadereditor@thenewsleader.ca
Similkameen Spotlight
Smithers Interior Newsnewsroom@interior-news.com
Summerland Reviewnews@summerlandreview.com
Sunshine Coast - Coast Reportereditor@coastreporter.net
Sunshine Coast - The Localthelocal@dccnet.com
Terrace Standardnewsroom@terracestandard.com
Valley Echoeditor@InvermereValleyEcho.com
Valley Voice
valleyvoice@netidea.com
Vernon Morning Starglenn@vernonmorningstar.com
Williams Lake Tribuneeditor@wltribune.com


Vancouver Island Community Papers


PublicationLetters to the Editor

Alberni Valley News

editor@albernivalleynews.com
Alberni Valley TimesJCaranci@avtimes.net
Campbell River Mirroreditor@campbellrivermirror.com
Courier-Islander
editor@courierislander.com
Courtenay Comox Valley Recordeditor@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Cowichan News Leader

editor@cowichannewsleader.com

Cowichan Valley Citizennews@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
Esquimalt Newseditor@esquimaltnews.com
Goldstream Gazetteeditor@goldstreamgazette.com
Gulf Islands Driftwoodnews@gulfislands.net
Ladysmith Chronicleeditor@ladysmithchronicle.com
Lake Cowichan Gazetteeditor@lakecowichangazette.com
Nanaimo Bulletineditor@nanaimobulletin.com
Nanaimo Daily News / Harbour City Starletters@nanaimodailynews.com
North Island Gazetteeditor@northislandgazette.com
North Island MidWeekeditor@campbellrivermirror.com
Oak Bay Newseditor@oakbaynews.com
Parksville Qualicum Beach Newseditor@pqbnews.com
Peninsula News Revieweditor@peninsulanewsreview.com
Saanich Newseditor@saanichnews.com
Sooke News Mirroreditor@sookenewsmirror.com
Victoria Newseditor@vicnews.com
Zeballos Privateerprivateer@zeballos.com

3.25.2009

Another BC Liberal gets out

Another BC Liberal gets out

Liberal MLA Dan Jarvis (North Vancouver-Seymour) has announced he's not seeking re-election.

Late last year he had announced he wanted a 5th term prior to undergoing major heart surgery, if his health permitted it.

You may remember in 2005 Jarvis faced a nomination battle, seemingly encouraged by the Liberal party, from Cindy Silver who was the executive director of the Christian Legal Fellowship for two years in the 1990s and on staff at Focus on the Family.

Wishing him well in retirement and Carol James a new MLA on the North Shore.

3.23.2009

Vermont Senate Votes for gay marriage

Vermont Senate Votes for gay marriage

Just moments ago, the Vermont State Senate voted with overwhelming support to pass S.115 - the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Vermont.
26 Senators of the thirty total, cast their vote in support of marriage equality.

The issue now goes to the State House of Representatives next week for a vote where it is expected to pass easily. The Governor could still veto it, though that seems unlikely.

Senators who voted for Gay marriage

Vermont's Freedom to Marry organization is asking people to contact their local Senator (in Vermont) and thank them for supporting legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.

Text of the Bill can be found here An Act to Protect Religious Freedom and Promote Equality in Civil Marriage.

Active U.S. Hate Groups

Active U.S. Hate Groups

The following is
a very useful resource in identifying hate activity in the USA. 926 active hate groups in the United States in 2008 according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Does anyone know of a similar resource in Canada?

Active U.S. Hate Groups


The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 926 active hate groups in the United States in 2008. Only organizations and their chapters known to be active during 2008 are included.

All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.

This list was compiled using hate group publications and websites, citizen and law enforcement reports, field sources and news reports.

A thought!

A thought ...

When I am around Gay assimilationists, I often feel like I'm associating with straight men, and I'm reminded of Gay author James Baldwin's warning that when a minority group attempts to assimilate, it always does so totally on the terms of the dominant culture. And Gay men are being accepted by hetero culture to the extent that they look, behave and think just like straight men, in the process becoming dispirited people.


EXCERPT FROM GAY PEOPLE AT A CRITICAL CROSSROADS:
ASSIMILATION OR AFFIRMATION By Don Kilhefne

3.22.2009

stealth attack

stealth attack

Queer Thoughts will soon be posting information primarily on the Harper government appointments. Several key anti gay, anti social net conservatives have recently been appointed to the highest levels of government. These people are from within the evangelical community and have long histories of opposing gay rights, refugees, child care, equal pay for equal work, progressive tax law, and are supportive of the war in Iraq, Afghanistan and defend Israel in every action against their neighbours.

You already know of some of these people but may have forgotten about them as they work very quietly generally. Part of a stealth attack on The Charter of Rights and Freedoms much like their infamous and oft successful campaigns to get on school boards and municipal councils.

Some names you may know are -- Darrel Reid, the former head of Focus on the Family Canada -- Douglas Cryer, the former director of public policy for The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada -- Paul Wilson the former executive director of Trinity Western University's Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa.
There are many more. If you have a name or information about any of the Harper Government appointments, send me an email in confidence. Let's take the wrapping off the Harper Government's "Middle of the Road" scam.

3.18.2009

Ottawa Sex Scandal or was it a White Slavery Ring

Ottawa Sex Scandal or was it a White Slavery Ring

As was common in this country, homosexuals were subject to police arrest, merely by being in the company of other Homosexuals. During the dates of March 3 - 20, 1975, Ottawa police carried out a large coordinated crackdown on homosexuals. Eighteen people were arrested and later found their names in print or read on the National news even those that were not charged.

On March 3 Michel Gravel, twenty-one, was arrested for running two male nude modeling agencies that were used as a front for a prostitution service involving teenage boys. Seventeen other men, all but one customers of the agencies, were arrested over the next three weeks and charged with contributing to juvenile delinquency, gross indecency, or buggery. None of the prostitutes was charged. The media sensationalized the "Ottawa Sex Scandal," calling the agencies a "white slavery ring" and a "homosexual vice ring."
One individual, Warren Zufelt, a homosexual that worked for the federal government committed suicide after his name appeared in the paper.

Zufelt, a 34-year old civil servant, threatened to commit suicide if his name were published. On March 18, 1975 his name was published. He jumped to his death from his 13-story apartment building.

The media sensationalized the "Ottawa Sex Scandal," calling the agencies a "white slavery ring" and a "homosexual vice ring." The names, ages, addresses, and occupations of those arrested were published or reported not only locally, but in newspapers across the country and on national radio.

Two days after the tragic death of Zufelt, GO (Gays of Ottawa) organized a march on the Ottawa Journal and Police Headquarters...
On March 20, GO organized marches against police headquarters and the offices of the Ottawa foumal to protest police persecution of gays and biased reporting in the media, and to urge passing of a uniform age of consent law for all sexual acts.
You can read more of this account here.

This issue is important today as we are still fighting the government over the issue of age of consent. The Police went after these men and laid weightier charges against them than was common in prostitution cases involving hetrosexuals. Most commonly, police would charge people with being found-ins. Age of consent at the time was 19 for homosexual sex.

The police in this instance as was often the case treated homosexuality with distain and contempt. I will have more on this in another post in the coming days.

of note: According to a CBC document, in 1975 only 24% of Canadians approved of same sex relationships. The times were certainly dire even after the famed words of former Justice Minister, Pierre Trudeau, "the State has no business in the bedrooms of the nation."