Olbermann to come back despite ComcAASt and MSNBC

Big money has done it again.  Just as an effective liberal point of view was making a difference, the voice is chopped down.  MSNBC has ended its relationship with Keith Olbermann.  The end means that for a period of time Keith can not host a TV show for awhile and he can not discuss what happened.  MSNBC was recently sold to Comcast.  Comcast is a giant of a communications company and I am sure that having MSNBC kill the most popular show on MSNBC before Comcast takes over was purely coincidental, right?

Surely Comcast was looking to buy MSNBC so they could make money from it. And just before they get their greedy little hands on the network, MSNBC ends Olberman's show.  That would be like Oprah firing herself because she is making too much money.  It does not make economic sense.  It does make political sense however.

Last evening, the #FOK or friends of keith (Olbermann) were pointed to the Craig Ferguson show. 


It was a nudge nudge wink wink kinda thing.  Have a look here, starts at about 3:17 minutes.


At the end of the bit about Olbermann, Craig talks to a robot.  he says to the robot dude, "What are you some kind of opinionated broadcaster? You'll end up getting fired or having your contract voided, or whatever the *bleep* happened to Keith."

Given we were pointed to Craig's show by Kieth from his twitter account My guess was he was pushed out the door.  If you liked Keith's show Countdown the watch his twitterfeed to see what happens next, @KeithOlbermann.

All this reminded me of something else.  A movie that came out in 1976.  Watch this clip from that movie, Network. Why was Keith severed so severely from the airwaves?  My guess was he was too effective on the left of American politics.

My good friend who left us too early, would have blasted the crap out of this story.  I wish Bruce would be here to do this.  On the other hand, he would caution be me to calm down while he rants like only he could.  Losing Bruce is like losing Keith many times over.   We need these voices.

Harper MP Vellacott has staff that write lots about gays

It seems Mr. Vellacott has made his office into a Christian Crusade against government .  His assistant, Timothy Bloedow runs a website called Christiangovernance.ca.

I found this via an article posted in the Beacon Herald.  You can read more if you like, it seems like the Christian right in the United States, Bloedow is fixated on us queers. 

Have a look at this word cloud and draw your own conclusions...

Mr. Vellacott, you have no idea what a closet is

Today we read in the Ottawa Sun that a Conservative MP from Saskatchewan has condemned the recent court decision that said a public official can not discriminate against queers.

Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott told the Sun, "The inference here (is) you can hold these beliefs and freedom to worship just long as it doesn't affect your life or how you live out your life. And that obviously is a serious problem,... It sets up a hierarchy of rights saying these same-sex rights are more important than freedom of conscience and religion."
 
Vellacott was referring to the Saskatchewan court of Appeal decision that upheld a complaint from a gay couple  who contacted a marriage commissioner seeking to get married.  The Marriage Commissioner refused them stating his religious beliefs.

MP Vellacott's idea is that if you believe gays will burn in hell then you should also be able to refuse them services.  His argument is age old, has been used for decades in an attempt to avoid recognizing the rights of minorities.

If you work for or deliver services authorized by the government, you have to provide them to everyone.  You can not cherry-pick who is deserving of having their rights respected.  Vellacott has just delivered another example of the mean spirited and single minded agenda of Canada's version of the Republican party.

The Conservative MP went onto say, "We talk about people being in the closet, well now they are saying somebody of a faith perspective is supposed to keep it in the closet."  Mr. Vellacott you have no idea what a closet is.  

We have to ensure the defeat of the conservatives in the next election.  A majority Harper government would be a serious set back for Canada and our rights and freedoms.

Remember, your rights are only as good as the next election.

Updated 9:05 am
A BCer in Toronto has more -

Of course, this isn't the first silliness from Vellacott. Here's his theory on abortion:

Pro-life feminists have also come to see abortion as part of a male agenda to have women more sexually available.

Anyway, stay tuned for future editions of Laws the Law and Order Conservatives Think Don't Count, and Should be Ignored.

See also, Slap Upside the head blog here

22 cents for a bullet

What to make of the USA.  A Glock 19 costs anywhere from $150 to 400 used.  A new gun would cost around $500.  That's less than an iPhone, an airline ticket from Toronto to Vancouver return, or two tickets to see the Toronto Maple leafs.  But hey, once you get it, its cheap. 

The Last Word pointed out that bought in bulk a bullet for a Glock 19 would cost about 22 cents.  22 cents for a bullet.  22 cents to take a life.  22 cents to destroy not only who you have shot, but all those nearby, their family, friends, all changed forever because of a 22 cent bullet.  Imagine the number of people you could affect with ten bullets, or twenty...   

Now just imagine you tell people what to do...

you have to reload...

Once you have reloaded you need to know what the target is, right? 

Fortunately there were people to tell us

Sarah Palin did it on her website and on facebook...  here is a pic from her facebook.

Yeppers, there is the target, Giffords.  A right wing democrat in Arizona needed to be taken out. 

Now if you think about it, you could actually take out a few legislators easily.  First you would likely need at least five or six folks that hear the subtext clearly.  You need that many as its unlikely one could knock off five or six targets.  So six targets require a total of six guns at say $400 each and 20 to 30 bullets each.  If you buy bulk thats only $4.40 per target for bullets. 

Now call me crazy, but $404.40 is a cheap election plan...

So now before you go off and say it wasn't Sarah Palin's fault some crazy guy shot Giffords and murdered several others, I agree, at least I agree she isn't directly responsible.

The whole debate around health care in the United States was crazy.  People showing up with guns at rallys, people shouting down and threatening congress members at town halls or those that supported health care reform.  Giffords own office was attacked.

The willful "ignorance of republicans and media, they refused to condemn the violence, they let it get out of control, they inflamed the masses with talk of targets and the need to reload, are at least a party to the crime.

How many republicans that know Obama is a Christian, when asked state, "Well he says he is."  When asked if Obama is an American, say "He says he is."  These people are happy if voters think Obama is a secret Muslam, they are happy that voters believe Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii.  They are happy to believe people like Giffords are an enemy of the people.  They are happy people believe lies that Obama and Giffords are socialists. 

They have helped fuel an angry response to politicians, especially Democratic Party politicians.  Using phrases like Kill Obama care, Target, Reload, set your sites, This is just the first salvo in a fight, all have us where we are today.

Of course Palin did not have any direct influence over this latest tragedy.  The Republicans did not have any direct influence either.  Its the climate they helped create for political advantage.  I dare say we have another meaning for climate change now.    

Tell CNN to Keep Away From the Anti-Gay Industry

Tell CNN to Make a New Year's Resolution: Keep Away From the Anti-Gay Industry.  Are you fed up listening to the anti-gay folks that CNN brings out everytime they want to talk about gay rights?  If you are,do take some time and sign this petition from the good folks over at GLAAD!

From GLAAD,  Just as an example: on December 21, CNN's John King ran a segment on the pending repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and its implementation. King featured openly gay former service member Alex Nicholson, alongside Peter Sprigg, a "senior fellow for policy studies" at the Family Research Council.

Nicholson's qualifications were clear. As an openly gay, former Army intelligence officer, he gave firsthand accounts of how the policy played out in the day-to-day lives of gay and lesbian service members. Sprigg's qualifications, however, came exclusively from his job at the Family Research Council. There, Sprigg has worked to advance some of the most hurtful, dangerous, and demonstrably false notions about the lives of LGBT people that our country has seen in recent years. And yet, by pairing him with Nicholson in this segment, CNN told its millions of viewers that both of these men should be seen as equally valuable to this discussion.

 

American Family Association lose - America wins!

Some people are thinking that calling the American Family Association is a little over the top.  Recently, the people at the Southern Poverty Law Center made a lot of news when they included the American Family Association on its list of hate groups.  The AFA has been waging a battle to "maintain" traditional family values.  By that they mean those values held by some Christians and the far political right.

The AFA spokesperson was very outspoken in response to the coming of the end of DADT.  He has said some outrageous things in the past, but in this statement he has out done himself.  Read it here.  

Fischer is quoted in my post below this one.

In 2009 the AFA hired Bryan Fischer.  Fischer came from the Idaho Values Alliance.  On May 27, 2010, Fischer wrote in a blog post that said, “homosexuality gave us Adolph Hitler, and homosexuals in the military gave us the Brown Shirts, the Nazi war machine and 6 million dead Jews.”  (see full article, Bryan Fischer-Focal Point: Homosexuality, Hitler and ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’)

His inference is plain for all to see.  If homosexuals are permitted to be open in the military, they will take over and start killing the "normal" people.   Fischer is just plain hateful toward gays. His whole effort seems to be focused on gays.  Which is interesting given another post on the AFA website which says all this attention on gays is diverting good Christians from the real problems.  Elijah Friedeman, The Millennial Perspective, goes onto say ...

"Homosexuality isn't the biggest moral problem facing our nation. Homosexual marriage isn't the biggest threat to traditional marriage. And homosexual activists aren't the biggest threat to freedom. This may be tantamount to heresy to some people, but it's true."

Its heresy I suggest to Fischer and others.  Its their screaming that has kept congress in the USA from acting till now. They represent small percentages of the US population yet they have managed to control the agenda.  They have litmus tests for candidates.  They have good connections to their small but motivated base.  They somehow manage to get them out to vote, to write emails, to phone elected officials.  They have created a false sense of the American person.  

I can only hope that these professional gay-hate creators will see themselves in the Hell they proffer to all of us fags. I only hope for some of them, their leaders, they find themselves scared to death, sharing a cell with Bubba one day. Nothing happens to them, its just the prospect, living in fear.  That's what they have done to me, to Bruce and countless millions of LGBT people.

H/t to Right Wing Watch - Reaction to DADT Vote: "The Few, the Proud, the Sexually Twisted"

“The Few, the Proud, the Sexually Twisted.”

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is gone soon.  The Senate removed the last barrier to Obama making the change.  Queers will soon be able to serve openly in the US Military.

One has gone over the top,

"The draft will return with a vengeance and out of necessity. What young man wants to voluntarily join an outfit that will force him to shower naked with males who have a sexual interest in him and just might molest him while he sleeps in his bunk?"

 or this

"... The new Marine motto: “The Few, the Proud, the Sexually Twisted.” Good luck selling that to strong young males who would otherwise love to defend their country. What virile young man wants to serve in a military like that?..."

That was Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association (see hate group stuff here on the AFA), it seems a little unreal that people in this time can think like this.  Only in America and within the ranks of the Canadian Conservatives.   

More at Truth Wins Out

I got this message from Pink triangle Services, Help out people!

Pink Triangle Services is Canada's oldest registered LGBT non-profit.  They are located in Ottawa.  If you can spare a few dollars or a lot, you will be doing some good this Holiday Season.  They have a Queer Thoughts seal of approval! 

I would like to thank you for your past support of PTS. Your contributions have made it possible for us to serve tens of thousands of people in Ottawa’s queer community for over a quarter of a century—and that’s a history worth celebrating!

This November we launched our 2010 holiday fundraising campaign in support of the important work of the agency—and we need your help to continue meeting the needs of our community.

PTS aims to respond to the varied needs of our community in new and effective ways. In the next month we are excitedly anticipating the launch of an interactive, community-driven website featuring an up-to-date resource directory and user-driven community calendar. With the help of our supporters, we are growing along with our community.

This past fall we witnessed a whole range of high profile issues that were related to our community's needs. From the suicides of our youth to the rejection of educational reform on sexual health; these issues highlight the necessity for organizations like PTS to continue and to thrive. 

Our peer support groups, our library services, and our educational programs reach more people on a continuing basis than ever before. With your support we have helped to make positive changes in the lives of more than 3,900 people in 2009/10.

It is with this in mind that I ask you to consider making a donation to PTS this holiday season. As an added thank you for your generosity, supporters donating $25 a month (or $300 for the year) will receive a complimentary invitation to our 2011 Gala.

Giving is easy. Simply visit: www.canadahelps.org, search for Pink Triangle Services and provide your donation online. Or send your one time donation or void cheque to: 251 Bank St, Suite 301, Ottawa ON K2P1X3 made out to Pink Triangle Services.

Here are a few more reasons why PTS needs your contribution:

1. By promoting and facilitating change at all levels of education, and in diverse venues both inside and outside school systems, we are helping youth stand up for themselves and are ensuring that the teachers and administration listen. Our newest program - Creating Safer Spaces works to achieve these goals. We are working with community partners like Youth Services Bureau to achieve the greatest impact possible – partnerships which help make it better for the youth in our community.

2. We provide a variety of support programs to help youth and adults alike. Our programs work to engage those who are just coming out and give them the resources to live healthier lives. It's also an opportunity for established members of our community who want to give back and help others overcome personal challenges.

3. We have identified a need for free, queer-friendly counselling services, and in response to this need we are looking into community based counselling services. We have seen this need for years now, and with your support, we need to make this a priority to see these services realized.

With your support, we will continue working towards positive change and making a big difference in the lives of people in our community. 

There is still time to make your holiday gift to PTS. Visit: www.canadahelps.org and search for Pink Triangle Services.