Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Friday, March 05, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Midnight Cowboy

With Oscars coming up Sunday, you all probably think that I'm going to mention Brokeback Mountain.

Guess again.

I want to talk about a legendary award-winning movie strictly because it contained one of the most repulsive anti-gay scenes in the history of cinema.

Midnight Cowboy (1969) tells the story of two oddballs in the city of New York; one played by Jon Voight thinks that he has what it takes to be a gigolo. The other, played by Dustin Hoffman, is an asthmatic loser who acts as his pimp.

For some reason, this movie was a monster critical hit, winning several Oscars including Best Picture.

I found the movie to be scuzzy and squalor and one scene stands out in a horrid way.

Voight's character needs money for a bus trip to take Hoffman to a warmer climate before the New York weather kills him.

To do so, he allows himself to be picked up by a self-hating gay man played by Barnard Hughes.

The following scene, starting at 5:55 just turns my stomach.

I know many gay men and in that number there are a few which I despise. But I hope that NONE of them ever end up like Hughes's character:

Catholic sex scandal, more attacks on Kevin Jennings, and Victoria Jackson has lost her %$!@ mind

Vatican Hit By Gay Sex Scandal - And us gays and lesbians trying to live our lives in peace are the bad guys to the Catholic Church. Talk about a topsy-turvy world.

'Defamation-spouting, fallacy-supporting' - When all of their attempts to defame Kevin Jennings have failed, this is what the Family Research Council is reduced to.

SNL alumni Victoria Jackson needs prayer - the next time one of those teabaggers or annoying anti-Obamites claim that their criticism of the president has been misconstrued, show them the following video. It is NOT a parody:

And no, President Obama is NOT a communist. I sincerely doubt that Jackson even knows what that word means. But here is are words she should know the meaning of - mental patient.

Gay KKK - Funny or offensive?

This is a short clip but I want your opinion on it. Is it funny or offensive?(I'm embarrassed to say that I laughed my head off).

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Jon Stewart says what the media is too chicken@#$! to say about Fox News

I've come to the conclusion that I shouldn't worry about Fox News. Everyone knows the network is biased and is trying to undermine President Obama but I guess desensitization has set in.

More than anything, Fox News being able to get away with it's nonsense simply emphasizes how corrupt the Washington media is. There are too many former campaign workers, trust fund babies and thinktank bloodsuckers masquerading as journalists.

To wit, Fox News will continue to get away with what it does until the network causes some serious damage. Then watch how these same lazy newspeople wring their hands in mock sadness as they proclaim they "never figured that Fox News's bullshit would culminate into something tragic."

But what do you think would be the end result of comparing the President to Hitler, claiming that he is make America less safe, is buying votes for health care, etc. etc.?

In the meantime, thank goodness for people like Jon Stewart who does the job that the news media is supposed to do:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

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www.thedailyshow.com

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Health Care Reform

Who is holding up Chai Feldblum's nomination? and other Thursday midday news briefs

Which Senator Has a Secret 'Hold' on Gay Nominee Chai Feldblum? - And the coward won't reveal him/herself. Why am I not surprised?

Peter LaBarbera Running For GOP Seat - Scary, isn't it?

Democrats vow quick end to 'don't ask, don't tell' as Senate bill is introduced - We will see what happens.

Our Nation's Policies Will Now Be Determined Solely By The FDA - This just in - Matt Barber is nuts.

Donohue: When It Comes to Gays, the GOP Gets All Jittery and Inarticulate -Oh if only that were true.

Attacks on gay students no big deal to the religious right

The American Family Association's One News Now seems to be up in arms about the bill from Congressman Jared Polis which is aimed at stopping the bullying of gay students in America's schools:

Concern is rising over a bill in Congress that would provide special protections for students who claim they are discriminated against because of their "perceived sexual orientation."

Earlier this year, Colorado representative Jared Polis introduced a bill known as The Student Non-Discrimination Act, or H.R. 4530. The Democrat claimed the legislation would put homosexual students on "equal footing" with their peers, much as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act did for minorities and Title IX did for women.

Neal McCluskey (Cato Institute)But Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, believes the government is using this bill to try and give people protective status based on their class.

"When government starts to say, 'No, because you belong to this group you get extra protection,' that's very disturbing," he comments. "We want equal protection under the law."

McCluskey adds that this legislation holds a more specific problem.

"It's such a broad definition that any student who might say anything remotely critical about homosexual lifestyles, any opinion they might have, could be punished under this law," he explains. "And if they're not punished for expressing what's a totally valid opinion, then the school could be punished, and that simply isn't acceptable in a free society because it curbs people's free speech rights."

The article is standard example of how not to write a news story on so many levels. First of all, "concern is rising" from whom? I'd venture to say no one but those guillible to take in this article as truth.

Secondly, the article does not say just what "special" or "extra" protection gay students would receive."Special protection" is another way of saying "special rights," which is an old religious right talking point about gays and lesbians

Lastly, McCluskey's statement can be seen differently if one would add just a few changes:

McCluskey adds that this legislation holds a more specific problem.

"It's such a broad definition that any student who might say anything remotely critical about homosexual lifestyles (like calling a gay student a "faggot,") any opinion they might have, could be punished under this law," he explains. "And if they're not punished for expressing what's a totally valid opinion (like threatening the gay student with violence), then the school could be punished (for not protecting the gay student), and that simply isn't acceptable in a free society because it curbs people's free speech rights. (because students should be free to call gay students derogatory names or threaten their lives)."

Okay, maybe I took too many liberties with McCluskey's words but I did so to make a point about him and One News Now.

The bullying of gay students is a huge problem in our nation's schools. There are too many stories of children getting beat up or committing suicide because of homophobia.

And those are the stories we know about. Let us not forget the children who are forced to drop out of school because of the attacks against them - students who are robbed of an education and the ability of achieving their full potential simply because of the ignorance of other students and the inability of schools to address the problem.

It is an issue that needs to be tackled with intensity instead of being minimized by a pseudo Christian publication and a thinktank syncophant.

Related article:

'Smear the Queer': Gay Students Tell Their Stories

H.R. 4530 – The “Student Non-Discrimination Act” (SNDA)

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Congratulations D.C.!

Stuff like this always gives me hope for the future. We are going to win this fight: