Archive for the ‘Faaabulosity’ Category

Cheney: Giving 'Dick' a Bad Name

Some of the news this week concerned former Vice President Cheney's speaking here and there trying to convince people that he should not be prosecuted for torturing prisoners, called "enemy combatants" as an escape clause, detained without recourse to habeas corpus. Obama keeps talking about his desire to "move forward", but I hasten to point […]

Posted on April 24, 2009 at 17.22 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish

It's the Law, Actually

Some years ago I frequently drove past a road sign in College Park [MD] that said "State Law: Obey All Traffic Signs". I thought it very odd that there was, apparently, a law stating that one must obey other laws; furthermore, it was expressed in a sign stating that one must obey all signs. How […]

Posted on April 24, 2009 at 12.14 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish

God Couldn't Make It

Legislative hearings are going on in Maine on the question of a bill that would create marriage equality in that state. Apparently the hearings are very, very well attended with many, many supporters. There are, of course, also some detractors reportedly foaming at the mouth. Andy Towle described* one woman as saying that "she was […]

Posted on April 23, 2009 at 11.27 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

The Cubby House & "A Bedtime Story"

In February I was happy to report ("The Cubby House & 'A Returning Appetite' ") on a presentation in The Cubby House (their Facebook profile) podcast of an excellent reading of my earliest published story "A Returning Appetite" (by Jay Neal, my nom de porn). Well, I have more happiness to report. The cubs from […]

Posted on April 16, 2009 at 22.17 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Faaabulosity, Writing

New York State vies to be Next in Marriage-Equality Race

New York Governor Paterson gave a press conference this morning at which he made a remarkable announcement: he is introducing legislation in the New York Assembly to recognize the right of same-sex couples to marry in New York. I am watching the video (seen here). He announced his decision in a notably direct manner: I […]

Posted on April 16, 2009 at 19.19 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

2M4M (Two Men for Marriage = Marriage Equality)

I love serendipity. This week there was a fair amount of buzz about a new ad campaign started by an organization I don't care to name, the ad featuring really scary actors with a background of dark clouds and lightning making up several feeble excuses why marriage equality will be the end of civilization as […]

Posted on April 10, 2009 at 16.08 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters

Iowa Promotes Families

If it weren’t for Iowa, my family may never have existed, and this gay, biracial New Yorker might never have been born. In 1958, when my mother, who was white, and father, who was black, wanted to get married in Nebraska, it was illegal for them to wed. So they decided to go next door […]

Posted on April 9, 2009 at 15.17 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Common-Place Book, Faaabulosity

You Go, Vermont!

Well, this is exciting. We'd been following the progress of legislature in Vermont that would bring marriage equality to the Green Mountain State, first as it easily passed in the Senate, through young James Neiley's testimony in favor of marriage equality in a house hearing, which apparently worked since the house also passed the bill. […]

Posted on April 7, 2009 at 11.02 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

Iowans Believe in Fairness

Last Friday, 3 April 2009, there was a rally in Iowa City, Iowa, to show support for the Iowa Supreme Court's decision in favor of marriage equality. Iowan Alan Light was there and took these photographs, which he is sharing under a Creative Commons license. (Thanks to Joe.My.God.)

Posted on April 6, 2009 at 11.25 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

You Go, Iowa!

I have written before about my time living in Iowa when I was in college, and how much I enjoyed Iowa and felt it became an adopted home. I also wrote ("Iowa, My Iowa") about my pride and excitement when marriage equality arrived in Iowa, and the curious case of the one young couple who […]

Posted on April 3, 2009 at 15.27 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

James Neiley Supports Marriage Equality in Vermont

As you may know, debate is underway in Vermont on legislation in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples. The bill has already passed in the Senate with a substantial majority: 26 – 4. It is now under consideration in the House. (See, e.g., "Vermont moves closer to equality", Mike Tidmus : Blog, 24 March […]

Posted on March 24, 2009 at 16.51 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

Julian Bond: Gay Rights are Human Rights

Julian Bond is the chairman of the NAACP. For decades I have been impressed by his thoughtful deliberation and eloquence. He has never been more impressive than in the speech he gave to the Human Rights Campaign's Los Angeles Dinner on 14 March 2009, recorded in the video below. When I started listening to it, […]

Posted on March 17, 2009 at 11.14 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Common-Place Book, Faaabulosity

2009 Lammies: Finalists

The finalists for the Lambda Literary Foundation's 21st Annual Lambda Literary Awards have been announced. As their publicity notes, "this year 105 finalists representing 72 publishers are competing for awards in 22 categories." I wanted to draw your attention to these two finalists:       Kinsey Zero through Sixty: Bisexual Perspectives on Kinsey. edited […]

Posted on March 16, 2009 at 23.27 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Books, Faaabulosity, Personal Notebook

Who Opposes Marriage Equality?

It is clear from the polls that the vast majority of those who oppose same-sex marriage and civil unions do so for religious reasons, and freely admit to this explanation. Indeed, the groups most vehemently opposed to civil unions are white Evangelicals (29% to 67%) and those who claim that they attend church every week […]

Posted on March 6, 2009 at 11.21 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Common-Place Book, Faaabulosity

The Cubby House & "A Returning Appetite"

I"m very excited. Jay Neal, my fiction-writing alter-ego, has had his first radio-drama experience–sort of–and it's pretty cool. Near the beginning of the year I got an email from a new friend named Jack, who had the following to say: I am one of the creators from the podcast "The Cubby House". The Cubby House […]

Posted on February 9, 2009 at 00.28 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Faaabulosity, Writing

Sigurdardóttir May Become Iceland's New PM

Here is an interesting piece of news, cheering to those of us interested in gay & lesbian upward mobility world-wide: The current Minister for Social Affairs, Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir of the Social Democrats, said she is prepared to assume the position of prime minister as long as she senses that her position is backed by sufficient […]

Posted on January 27, 2009 at 17.11 by jns · Permalink · 5 Comments
In: All, Faaabulosity

Sharpton on California's Proposition 8

It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when the they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being delegated into poverty, yet […]

Posted on January 14, 2009 at 22.59 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Common-Place Book, Faaabulosity

Why I'll Never Be Voted…

…best gay blog: I couldn't care less about the Golden Globe Awards. I didn't even know they were happening and I'm not very clear on what they are, nor do I care. Sorry–not. But I do know some show tunes. Does that count?

Posted on January 12, 2009 at 12.25 by jns · Permalink · 2 Comments
In: Faaabulosity, Personal Notebook

I Didn't Vote for a Tie

Now, when we fight Warren in California, we are going to hear, ‘Oh, yeah, but Obama picked him for the inaugural.’ He doesn’t deserve that honor. And I don’t want to hear that the other clergyman at the inaugural, Reverend [Joseph] Lowery, supports gay rights. I didn’t vote for a tie in the election. [Barney […]

Posted on January 8, 2009 at 21.01 by jns · Permalink · Leave a comment
In: All, Common-Place Book, Faaabulosity

Sanchez on Warren

This is a portion of what Mary Sanchez wrote in the The Kansas City Star ("Rick Warren needs to evolve", 29 December 2008): [Rick Warren] rejects the theory of evolution, and he believes that to be homosexual is to have embraced a life of sin. Are those mainstream views? If so, there must be two […]

Posted on December 31, 2008 at 00.35 by jns · Permalink · One Comment
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Speaking of Science