Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Aug 20, 2010

Friday, August 20, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Stewardess School

Stewardess School (1986)was one of those tired 1980s ensemble comedy movies where a group of outsiders band together to show the world that they can make something of themselves.

It's a formula that was repeated with Stripes, Hot Dog: The Movie, Hamburger: The Movie, Revenge of the Nerds (which may be an upcoming feature of this blog), etc. etc.

Stewardess School was one of the worst ones. In this particular case, we have a female wrestler (despondent because her meek boyfriend can't handle her occupation), a nearsighted cute guy and his annoying friend (played by Happy Days's Donny Most), a clumsy woman, a ditzy blonde, and overweight oddball (the late Wendy Joe Sperber seemed to specialize in this type of characterization), a sexy, SEXY prostitute trying to reform (how strange is it that va va voom actress Audrey Landers puts in the funniest performance in this movie), and for the purpose of this site, the gay guy:

Fight for lgbt equality has gone global and other Friday midday news briefs

Man this is a slow and dull Friday. But as a self-described "radical gay activist," I shall soldier on:

Shifting attitudes take gay rights fight across globe, experts say - You better believe it!

Fischer: Ann Coulter Is The "Ashley Dupre of the Conservative Movement" - Did he just call Ann Coulter a "ho?"

Obama Appoints Gay Man to HHS - Okay religious right, what's wrong with THIS appointee?

Video: Paper, personal objections, and fear = non-binding anti-equality - Because "standing against gay marriage" is more important than job creation, crime prevention, etc.

Dr. Laura Knows Black Person, Gay Person - Well I guess that makes her no longer a homophobe who freely uses the "n-word."

Lgbts and Muslims are in the same boat, whether we like it or not

Earlier this week, I wrote a piece comparing how the cultural center in New York is being used as a hot button issue by those on the right in the same manner they used gay marriage in 2004.

Some folks didn't agree with me by claiming that the lgbt community shouldn't care what happens to the Muslim community because of its "homophobia."

The lgbt community would be making a huge mistake in doing this. And no one demonstrates this better than right-wing phony news service, the American Family Association's One News Now:

A ministry leader says a high school in Michigan is conforming to President Obama's political correctness and Islamic sentiments by altering its schedule to accommodate its Muslim students.

Fordson High School in Dearborn is holding its football practices in the middle of the night in order to give special accommodation to Muslims on the predominantly Islamic squad. The team feels the nocturnal regimen is a way for players to eat and drink while observing the month of daytime fasting known as Ramadan. The August heat has also played a factor in Coach Fouad Zaban's proposal to reverse the clock for a week of two-a-day practices.

Cutting practice was not an option at football-crazy Fordson, which is coming off a one-loss season, but nobody wanted to lessen the significance of Ramadan in the Detroit suburb that is dominated by Muslims.

Now the only person quoted in the article, Jan Markell, founder and director of Olive Tree Ministries, claims to know why this is taking place:

She believes Muslims have clearly become a specially privileged group in the U.S. and beyond. "There are clearly favors that are done to certain special-interest groups, particularly homosexuals and Muslims," the Messianic Jewish leader observes. "Christians and Jews, we just don't have that kind of privilege."

She doubts a practice would be moved if a group of Christian players objected to training that would interfere with a Christian holiday.

Yeah, I'm sure the players will be practicing on "Christmas."

Seriously, other than a ridiculous linking to President Obama (shades of the "our president is an evil Muslim meme), this article proves the point that there are some entities who see the lgbt and Muslim community as "the other," i.e. communities who seek to change or basically overthrow the so-called "American Way" of life.

Whether the lgbt or the Muslim community likes it or not, we are now all in the same boat. Any sniping should be reserved to those who are trying to place us in the boat and not each other.

And by the way, more credible article about the practices in Fordson High School had this to say:

The response from players has been positive. And we’re told even the non-Muslim players are ok with the overnight sessions.