With the truly odious decision upholding Proposition 8, three things are now very clear:

1. California no longer recognizes equal rights.

2. California's constitution is totally broken.

3. It is time for ALL of us to fight back.

The Courage Campaign, where I work as Public Policy Director, exists to respond to all three of those things.

We are going to work with our partners in the marriage equality movement in the effort to repeal Proposition 8 at the ballot box. We are going to restore equal rights to *all* Californians. And we're going to fix our broken constitutional system to ensure this kind of thing *never* happens again. Below I explain what you can do to help.   Read More »

I saw Outrage on Friday. Besides being supportive, I was curious. I am always looking for agreement, camaraderie, unity. I found the movie’s premise lost under the weight of the title. Even watching the movie makers on the View that morning, it wasn’t readily obvious that author and blogger, Michael Rogers was objecting to closeted people voting against their very people they have relationships with. Closeted gay men in politics are voting against HIV/AIDS funding, against gay marriage, against making crimes against LGBT people a hate crime. It is the chasm between their sexual orientation and their visible, measurable, callous voting record. Frankly, for me, it begs the question, would they be less stalwart if they were straight.

The characters in the movie, opening with Larry Craig, were all recognizable. Those of us who read gay news are aware of these men and their voting records. I have to admit, I have zero idea what this looks like to straight people. Heck, I got emails this week asking me if Adam Lambert is gay – straights see things very differently than I do. Governor McGreevey was bright, radiant – no really – like someone who just discovered deep spiritual relief. Governor Crist was slimy and resistant; what is the opposite of present?

A paragraph on women ~ Elizabeth Birch of the Human Right Campaign was terrific, moving and honest. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin was open and relaxed. Oh but the wives, the terrified wives, standing next to the pathetic closeted husbands at counterfeit press conferences; Mrs. Craig, Mrs. McGreevey, Mrs. Crist. Actually there are thousands of straight spouses who are trapped infraudulent lives, holding their families together. How the gay spouse can do this is really beyond me. I kissed a girl, I liked it and I came out; all within about 5 seconds. And it is no secret that there are many, many lesbians and bi women in politics ( no I have not slept with all of them) but I can tell you that I have never seen them vote against LGBT rights or human rights for that matter.

But what really bothered me, deeply bothered me, was one clip of Larry Kramer, beloved founder of Act-Up. Certainly this brave hero of the LGBT movement said dozens of quote-ables during the taping but what they chose to show was Mr. Kramer saying that activism comes from rage, from anger. For me it was like hearing nails on a chalkboard. I have spent over 40 years working to deepen my understanding and practice that successful, lasting activism comes from love. You cannot convert the opponent by burning his car, breaking her windows, clubbing their kids. Fear will never create conversion. (aren’t we having a national conversation about torture on this right now?)

However, more importantly, the oppressed will become poisoned by the violence. The minority has to find love in their heart and become irresistible. That is the only way to create a healthy movement, a true lasting conversion and extinguish fear. I was fortunate to spend some time with Jeremy Gilley, the British filmmaker who is creating International Peace Day, through his film-making of Peace One Day and The Day After Peace. I told him that I am not as worried about those who die by gunshot as I am about those who pull the trigger as they live on with their hearts broken. Violence is intoxicating, contagious and another disease – like homophobia.

Tuesday, May 26 is California’s Day Of Decision. On Facebook, the White Night Riots video has been viraling around. I want to tell people that clearly those 1979 riots did not work or we would not be rising up for our rights in 2009. Releasing of violence may be billed as good for you but it isn’t. It is not some limited energy that must be spent. It is a viral, burgeoning disease that only attracts itself. If you are angry, you deserve to be loved. If you are homophobic, you need to love and be loved. No matter what happens on Tuesday, extinguishing anger with love is the only way that will last.

I am taking the liberty of copying words of a friend who wrote this piece for News and Review in Sacramento. I will share with you my comments on this profound article.
Essay

Love and death
A local musician believes her disease is a gift

By Cathy Speck

Read 1 reader submitted comment

Cathy Speck is a musician from Davis

Perhaps you’ve heard of Lou Gehrig? Or maybe you knew my mom, Dorothy Speck, or her Aunt Mary, or my brother Larry Speck? You might even know me. I’m the only one still alive.

ALS—amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—has struck all of us. ALS is a killer, a serial killer. In my family, we have a genetic mutation called the SOD1. On the exon 5, our mutation is called E133A. Means nothing to you, no?

To me and my loved ones, it means death.

Last year, on May 6, my brother Larry was diagnosed with ALS. He died June 22. I was angry because he’d been misdiagnosed—how could the doctors have been so unaware? There is no cure for this progressive disease, but maybe Larry could at least have had more fun before he died. Instead he just suffered and worried. Later, we packed up his house and sorted through his things with him, tossing away memories and plaques of accomplishments.

Larry died in his sleep—quietly and gently, just like he lived his life.

For me, the ALS experience has been different. It sounds strange, but I have come to believe my death sentence is a gift. Because when you know death is coming soon, your perspective changes. Life is wonderful. Love abounds. The goodness in people everywhere flows freely.

Also, I feel blessed because I have the time to spread the word and help raise awareness about ALS. Are you aware that May is ALS Awareness Month?

This is a disease that affects the function of nerves and muscles; a person’s body basically shuts down while the brain continues to function. Based on population studies, a little more than 5,600 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year. (That’s 15 new cases a day.) It is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time. According to the ALS Clinical Assessment, Research and Education database, 60 percent of the people with ALS are men, and 93 percent of patients are Caucasian. Most people who develop ALS are between the ages of 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis.

There are several research studies investigating possible risk factors that may be associated with ALS, but more work is needed to determine what genetics and/or environmental factors contribute to developing this disease.

Half of all people affected with ALS live at least three or more years after diagnosis. Twenty percent live five years or more; up to 10 percent will live more than 10 years.

Only 5 to 10 percent of ALS cases are genetic, or familial. Mine is one of those rare families, and I am carrying on that family tradition. This type of ALS strikes at a younger age, and usually kills people more quickly than does sporadic ALS. And despite what use to be believed, let me tell you—the effects of ALS are indeed painful.

But I am not complaining. I want to help raise awareness and funds for ALS research. It was “named” in 1869, yet still we have no cure. Please join us on the Awareness Train. All aboard?

My comment:I cannot tell you how many times I have run into Cathy Speck at the Davis Coop, where she works, and been greeted by a huge uplifting smile, or heard a hilarious message from her over the store's PA system. Twice this week, I have attended concerts given by Cathy Speck and her wife Linda Duval which have been intended to raise awareness about ALS. The concert tonight, at the N Street Coop's Common House in Davis, which included a loving and lovely performance by SpeckDuval, also raised my awareness about another topic of great importance. This is the right of same sex couples in California to marry. Cathy and Linda create awe as they sing together, demonstrating how close in spirit two human beings can be. Their voices soar and hover around them as if they truly are one person. Their music is full of wit, wonder, and pathos. I can only hope that the Supreme Court of California has the wisdom and compassion to make the right decision on Tuesday, May 26 and preserve the right of same sex couples to remain married or to marry. Cathy's life is hard right now, and yet she has a grin that captivates and a voice that must be listened to and affirmed. Both Linda and Cathy are living with Extreme Courage. It will break my heart if the state of California takes away their right to celebrate their love for one another as married people. Join me please in a power meditation to help the CA Supreme Court have the courage to honor couples like Cathy and Linda and allow them to lovingly spend their time together. I personally pray for remission of Cathy's ALS. She has so much love to share and our world needs her.

We finally have a day for the Prop 8 decision from the Supreme Court. They just announced that they will rule on Tuesday.

Here are a couple of important links as we all get prepared for D-Day and beyond.

1) Day of Decision rallies will be held in dozens of cities across California and beyond. Go here to find one near you.

2) Meet in the Middle for Equality will be held in Fresno on May 30th, at 1 pm in front of the city hall. Go here to find out more and RSVP.

3) Do you know anyone who wants to get an alert the moment the Supreme Court rules? Tell them to sign-up to get an email, as soon as the court issues their decision.

For more info flip it to see the email we sent out to Courage members earlier today.   Read More »

With the predictable failure of the five budget propositions, it's time for progressives to step up and lead the fight to not only fix our budget, but replant the seeds of economic growth, and rebuild confidence in our government.

There are two broad elements of a May 20 strategy - policy and attitude. As President Obama has demonstrated, they must be intricately linked to be effective.

Voters rejected a campaign of fear. They showed they won't respond to scare tactics. Either they'll vote no, or stay home. Progressive organizations, like the Courage Campaign, instinctively understand that. We organize to empower and offer solutions.

Despite what some like to claim, progressives have always had an alternative to the May 19 initiatives in mind. The Courage Campaign has proposed a three-step process to fix the state:

1. Majority vote for budget and taxes. The Courage Campaign has been advocating for an end to the 2/3 rule for a long time. Today we're partnering with CREDO Mobile and the League of Young Voters to offer a Declaration of Democracy for a Majority Vote Budget. It's time that we brought democracy back to the legislature. We all know that the 2/3 rule prevents us from passing good budgets. But it also undermines public confidence in the legislature, since nobody can be held accountable and since the 2/3 rule produces unworkable compromises that voters immediately see right through.

Some may claim voters are not yet ready to support this change. Some recent polls suggested there are majorities or near-majorities in favor of restoring democracy. More fundamentally, it's time to build a movement to fix the mess. Courage Campaign doesn't expect this to happen overnight. That's why we're recommitting ourselves to a long-term organizing effort to get this done.

2. Restore responsible taxation of the wealthy and corporations. Some may argue that the public doesn't support repeal of the 2/3 rule for taxes and budgets. What better way to build public support than show the consequences of the conservative veto than by making a *strong* push to demand the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share? Besides, one of the key reasons our budget is in crisis is because we have been cutting taxes on those with the greatest ability to pay. This makes state revenues heavily dependent on consumer spending from working- and middle-class people, spending that is volatile to short-term economic dislocation.

California needs to follow the tax policies of President Barack Obama and reverse three decades of giving tax breaks to the wealthy and to large corporations.

Under Republican governors Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson, the highest income earners in this state paid taxes at a higher marginal rate than they do today. Now, an individual making $900,000 pays the same tax rate as someone making $50,000. Oil companies pay the same property tax rate as an elderly homeowner -- and unlike Alaska and Texas, oil companies pay no tax on the oil they extract in California. This is absurd and it must change.

Republican legislators will scream and cry, but will they actually vote no on these popular taxes? If they do, we set up victories in 2010. If they vote yes, we help ease the existing budget mess.

3. Convene a Constitutional Convention. The state needs a broad range of changes to the way its government operates. But more fundamentally, it needs a constructive process to produce those fixes. We've gone about as far as the gimmicky special election approach can take us. A Constitutional Convention allows the entire state, whether they're delegates or not, to engage in a debate about the core issues of how our government should react to a 21st century crisis.

We don't believe a Convention should tackle social issues or human rights, but if it's focused on fixing our budget and government, on providing more democracy and participation in the public sector, then we can finally get this state moving in the right direction. Of course, the delegates need to represent the state's diversity, and voters will rightly have the final say. But it's better than the status quo, and will help provide a better state.

Finally, *attitudes matter*. It's time we got aggressive. Democrats should NOT accept cuts as inevitable. They should NOT assume Republicans are inflexible. The Zombie Death Cult is living on borrowed time. President Obama has shown that Republicans are unpopular and vulnerable. We would be fools to not take advantage of that unpopularity here in California. Remember that Republicans have been in steady decline in both registrations and election outcomes since 1996. We can beat the conservative attack on California - if we realize we've had the tools to do so all along.

Below is the email we sent our members yesterday morning.   Read More »

Gay service member and ready for the change. There are mornings where I wake up from a dream in which I was able to go to work and not have to worry about co-workers having a free-shot at my career. No matter how many changes I implement for the better, how many people I lead to victory, no matter how much work I take on, I will always be on the verge of the end of my career. How can I stomach signing on for the bonus that everyone else is going to get, knowing that I will have to pay it all back if my ex-boyfriend decides to blackmail me for ending our relationship. Dealing with stress while deployed leaves gay personnel hanging because even though we deal with the same problems everyone else does, we are forced to keep it all inside. The military promotes having a healthy spirit, having integrity but if I have to lie when asked why I don't have a girlfriend then I am against all the military stands for.

My proposal is for a walkout day! One day during the year that everyone who is gay and serving in the military, marches up to the command section and admits what should never have to be admitted, "That we are gay, and it's not a bad thing!" It is time that we take matters into our own hands. There are too many of us to stand by and continue to hold this never ending weight on our shoulders. Work is a place where I should be able to work and not take training that teaches me how to identify and turn in someone who's sexual preference is homo. Having these policies enable gay-bashers to control the inner workings of the military and take away what is rightfully earned by the 14,000 people who have already been booted out.

Get CNN/FOX NEWS to say the walk-out date and I will be there!!!!
HUA

No, not "testees", "testees"- Just seeing if my blog works..... We shall see!

to help create better health care and education systems and a cleaner world for our youth...would love to share ideas....

California's media likes to play up Tom Campbell as some sort of "moderate" or "sensible" Republican. As compared to Attila the Hun this might be plausible. But even a cursory glance at his alternative budget solutions shows that he is a typically conservative politician. Sure, his conservatism seems to be of the Ronald Reagan sort as opposed to the Grover Norquist sort. But there never was much difference between the two, except in tone, which is apparently all that matters to the media.

Campbell's proposed budget claims to want to solve a "systemic" crisis in a way that doesn't hurt our ability to recover from the economic crisis. Yet his budget merely offers a different method to achieve the same downward spiral that has afflicted the state - particularly Campbell's total ignorance of the revenue drop and the negative impact of spending cuts on consumer spending.

Tom Campbell believes the budget can be balanced by hammering social services, even though there is unprecedented need for these services. An example of his proposals:

•15% salary reduction for state workers OR 15% layoffs of state workforce

• $156.7 million savings in Cal Works by implementing Federal work participation requirements.

• $248.5 million savings by reverting to federal minimums on Supplemental Security Income and the State Supplementary Payment.

• $114.1 million savings by reducing compensation to in-home supportive service workers to the state minimum wage.

• $882 million savings in Medi-Cal, provided California receives a federal waiver from terms of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In other words, he's offering a mixture of attacks on the poor and attacks on Obama's stimulus. His rationale:

1. California must, in large part, return to national standards on welfare and health care; we cannot afford to provide more than the national average in areas where we have long exceeded those levels;

2. California must ask those capable of taking care of themselves to do so;

3. California must not undercut its ability to bounce back when the national recession ends. This means being careful about cutting education, especially Community Colleges where much workforce retraining takes place.

This is complete nonsense. First, the national standards on welfare and health care are woefully insufficient. Campbell acts as if there is no national health care problem, as if there is no issue with the working-class finding and holding jobs. Campbell is a typical Republican - identifying with the wealthy and totally ignorant of how everyone else experiences life in California.

Second, how the heck are people supposed to "take care of themselves" in a recession like this?! Campbell is the sort of guy who drives through a poor community in his Jaguar (or whatever he drives) and shakes his head saying "why don't they just get a job?" That statement alone is proof that Campbell is intellectually unfit for office by virtue of his unwillingness to understand the challenges facing most Californians.

Campbell also proves he has no clue about modern economics - otherwise he wouldn't so blithely ignore the work of Nobel Laureates who point out that if you cut social service spending, folks have to replace that lost money by curtailing consumer spending, hammering jobs and tax revenues.

Third, Campbell's whole budget blueprint is designed specifically to *prevent* California from enjoying economic recovery. How are people who have no health care benefits supposed to find work? How are people supposed to find work period if you're scaling back Cal-WORKS? How are small businesses supposed to open when the state is laying off workers or cutting their salaries?

Campbell's also internally inconsistent. He states he wants to be "careful about cutting education" and then proposes:

$150 million unallocated cut to UC and CSU (I realize this would require further increases in student fees, or improved fund-raising).

Tom Campbell isn't some kind of new Republican. He's no moderate. Instead, he is the *same exact kind of Republican* that the party has offered dating back to Herbert Hoover. He is a man of the upper class, determined to protect the wealth and privileges of the upper class at the expense of everyone else.

Campbell's economic policies are no different than Reagan's, or Bush's (either one, 41 or 43). Campbell offers the vast majority of this state only reduced services and less money in their wallets. His Hooverite policies would merely make the recession worse, and ensure that when economic recovery does come, only Campbell's rich friends see any of its benefits, while everyone else is left behind. Which will apparently be just fine with Campbell, since everyone else should just take care of themselves anyway.

We've all seen this movie before. We know how it ends - we're living through it right now. Californians will reject Campbell's Hooverism. But will the media report on exactly what Campbell offers? Or will they continue to lie to their readers and claim he's some kind of "moderate"? I'm not exactly holding my breath.

I believe humanity should start celebrating our similarities rather than our differences. Many co-cultures revel in the thought that they are somehow entitled for the fact that they were wronged. In many instances co-cultures are entitled. Social injustices must stop. As a gay man and a citizen of this country I believe the gay community is entitled to equal protections under the US consitution. Under the current administration I believe this will be happening. The opposition is not going to simply vanish. It is up to us to educate our fellow citizens that we are all the same. I am an advocate of celebrating humanity, not our endless differences.

Below is the text of a letter I sent to members of the LGBT Legislative Caucus and Equality California, in response to an email EQCA sent on May 16, on behalf of the LGBT Caucus which urged "Yes" votes on Propositions 1A-1E.

I am writing to express my disappointment in both EQCA and the members of the LGBT Caucus for the email regarding the May 19 special election. First of all, I want to say that I understand that the propositions on the ballot exist only because California has a totally screwed-up budget process and that these propositions were part of the compromise that finally saw the budget ratified. I appreciate that the LGBT Caucus is probably merely holding up their end of the bargain in urging a blanket "Yes" vote on all the propositions -- at least I hope that is their reason. I also respect the fact that as the primary LGBT-lobbying organization in the state, EQCA has a reciprocal relationship with members of the LGBT caucus and, though without taking an official position on the propositions in question, did the Caucus a political favor by sending this message out to the EQCA listserv.

But now I want to take a moment to hopefully help you to understand my situation, and why I am so tremendously disappointed in both the LGBT Caucus and EQCA for what I believe is ultimately a cynical, political accommodation that will have grievous effects on many families. A simple disclaimer does not absolve EQCA of its social responsibility to the members of the LGBT community who look to them to provide sound political and legislative advice. Nor does being LGBT entitle the Caucus to use an organization like EQCA to facilitate its backdoor political deals.   Read More »

I REPRESENT THE TRUTH OF FREEDOM'S PURPOSE
WITHIN THE COLORS OF OUR FLAG UNFURLED
NOT BOUND BY LEFT OR RIGHT OR CENTER LEANING
I AM AMERICA . . . I AM THE WORLD

I AM A CHRISTIAN, HEBREW, BUDDHIST
I AM A PANTHEIST AND MUSLIM TOO
THE GOD OF EVERY CULTURE'S UNDERSTANDING
IS WRAPPED UP IN THE RED, THE WHITE AND BLUE

I AM A BLACK, RED, YELLOW, BROTHER
I AM A TAN, LIGHT-BROWN SKINNED SISTER TOO
WITH ALL MY HEART I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE
AND STAND UP FOR THE REAL RED, WHITE AND BLUE

I AM A STRAIGHT, GAY, MARRIED PERSON
I AM A CELIBATE, TRANS-GENDER TOO
I TRUST THAT ALL ORIENTATIONS
ARE HONORED BY THE RED, THE WHITE AND BLUE

I AM FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THIS AMAZING PLANET
I AM FOR COMMERCE BUILT UPON FREE MARKETS TOO
IT IS UBSURD TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER
BECAUSE I CAN LIVE GREEN, RED, WHITE AND BLUE

I AM A WOMAN AND A CULTURAL LEADER
I AM A LIBERATED STAY-AT-HOME MOM TOO
THE CHOICE IS MINE TO HAVE IT ALL IF I DECIDE TO
HERE IN THE LAND OF RED AND WHITE AND BLUE

I AM A GENTLE MAN WITH A STRONG BACKBONE
I AM BOTH BRAVE AND PEACEFUL TOO
THE POWER TO PROTECT AND NOT DESTROY IS
THE ESSENCE OF THE RED, THE WHITE AND BLUE

I REPRESENT THE TRUTH OF FREEDOM'S PURPOSE
WITHIN THE COLORS OF OUR FLAG UNFURLED
NOT BOUND BY LEFT OR RIGHT OR CENTER LEANING
I AM AMERICA . . . I AM THE WORLD


AUTHOR: THERESA SHAMANKA ( C ) 2008

The discrimination against gay and lesbian citizens of this country (and in the rest of the world)is a disgrace and needs to be stopped NOW!
And we (the "good" christian citizens) need to be first in line to call for a stop to it!
I am a 58 year old married, catholic woman and I am ashamed that my "good" fellow christian's are not screaming out against this wrong!

I had just started high school in 1993 when President Bill Clinton backed off his pledge to allow LGBT Americans to openly serve in the military. Little did I know that decision would profoundly impact the life of one of my classmates.

Dan Choi graduated from Tustin High School shortly after I did. He got a prestigious appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, while another of our classmates got an appointment to the US Naval Academy at Annapolis that same year.

Our mutual friend is still serving in the armed forces. Dan Choi, after a distinguished career in the Army that included a tour in Iraq, is not. The only difference between them is that our friend in the Navy is straight - and Dan is gay.

I hadn't kept in touch with Dan after high school, until one evening in March when I was watching Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show and saw him on the show speaking out against the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Dan spoke three words that he knew violated Army policy - "I am gay." Sure enough, as a result of that interview, Dan was served with a letter discharging him from the Army.

I stand with Dan Choi not just because we were classmates, but because we are both human beings who deserve fully equal rights. If I could serve in the military (if I chose to) as an openly straight man, Dan should be able to continue serving in the military as an openly gay man. There is no reason whatsoever to draw a distinction between the two - particularly at a time when the armed forces can use all the Arabic-trained, combat veterans who command the respect and loyalty of their fellow soldiers.

President Obama has promised to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, but appears to be waiting for the right political moment. The right political moment is NOW. Soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi, 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao, and any other LGBT soldier cannot wait for the president to find the right moment. That's why the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile have launched a petition to President Obama asking him to reinstate Lt. Dan Choi and repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

President Obama should suspend all discharges under the DADT policy, and immediately ask Congress to send him a bill repealing the policy from our laws.

Below is the email the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile sent to our members today.   Read More »

We are all waiting on pins and needles for the California Supreme Court to rule on Prop 8. There are only 4 possible dates left: May 18, 21, 28 or June 1.

As marriage equality builds across the state we are still fighting the good fight here.

Two major TV stations in the past two days have aired interviews with Rick Jacobs among others. Take a look.

Here is KNBC (Los Angeles NBC affiliate) interviewing Rick and a major highlight of Meet in the Middle.



And KPIX (San Francisco CBS affiliate) featuring Dustin Lance Black, Cleve Jones and Rick.

Watch 'em, rate 'em and pass 'em along.

My blog post from www.libertyhill.typepad.com on May 11, 2009

Like many of you, I go to several fundraisers per month.  I receive dozens of direct mail pieces.  All have a common message in the last six months. "Times are difficult but we'd appreciate it if you can find a tiny morsel more for our important cause."  Ok, so maybe not that timid, but you get the point.  Everyone feels obligated to somehow acknowledge the economic situation before asking for money for critically important work.

I'm a progressive working for economic and racial justice.  I'm a gay man fighting for marriage equality. The need for social change after 8 years of the Bush Administration has never been more dire. And the political opportunity with progressives in power from City Hall to Sacramento to the White House has never been greater. 

This is not the time for us to cut back our giving out of fear of what may happen or because our investments are down.  If we are employed or still have accumulated assets (admittedly somewhat less of them), this is the time to give and give more generously than ever. 

 If not now, when? 

As Angelenos who count immigrants both documented and undocumented amongst our friends and neighbors and The White House is calling for true immigration reform, if not now, when?

When more people than ever need access to affordable housing due to high unemployment, if not now, when?

When the basic civil right of marriage for gay and lesbian Californians can be won, if not now, when?

I will not give less in these hard times and I will ask you to join me in stretching further than ever.  The time is now.  Not two years from now when our investments bounce back.  Not six months from now when our property values rebound a little. 

"Change will NOT come if we wait for SOME OTHER PERSON OR SOME OTHER TIME" --Barack Obama

Not some other person or some other time.  It's you.  It's me.  Today is our day.  We need to dig deep and give our time and our money.  We will never see a bigger return on our investments in social change than investing big. Today.

Local independent theatre company Olio Theatre Works brings its original production INTIMATELY WILDE to a stage in Los Angeles in August 2009 for 5 weeks and penetrates today's headlines with themes of devestating prejudice and hate - like California's recent Proposition 8 legislation - and a clear voice in support of gay rights and social equality. INTIMATELY WIDLE is timely, relevant and is an important dialogue for crusaders of liberation, like Wilde himself. Please help us spread the word and bring fans of equality together to celebrate his legacy for progressive change. For more info visit: www.oliotheatreworks.org.

Oscar Wilde, famed poet and playwright, is the central figure in a turbulent love affair with the young and rebellious aristocrat Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, and as a result is thrown into the center of three highly publicized trials during the height of the Victorian era in London.

In the final hours of his imprisonment for gross indecency, this play follows Wilde as he examines the choices he made for love, the destruction of his fragile egg-shell world, and the reality of what one will do when he becomes a "slave to love".

But INTIMATELY WILDE is not a story of punishment or regret. Rather, it celebrates the force of Wilde's spirit and his determination to remain true to himself, his art, and the two people he cherishes above all else: his wife and his lover.

Through the use of flashbacks, trial transcripts and soliloquies to an unseen prison guard, INTIMATELY WILDE brings back a hauntingly contemporary voice of experience from an age when the cost of love was very often one's entire life. With his singularly eloquent and accurate wit, Wilde's ability to articulate the social hypocrisies and injustices done to him are unique and desperately relevant.

We'd need a whole pod of whales to illustrate the FAIL that is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

The Republican governor's Department of Finance has projected a budget gap of $15.4 billion if the May 19 special election ballot measures pass and $21.3 billion if they fail. The state would gain nearly $6 billion in solutions if Propositions 1C, 1D and 1E pass, including $5 billion in 1C's borrowing against the California Lottery.

Arnold took office promising to succeed where Gray Davis supposedly failed. Now Arnold has produced deficits FAR worse than anything Davis faced. Arnold is plowing ahead with his apparently illegal "May Revise" to scare voters. But as the SacBee article notes, Arnold can't actually propose that much in cuts without risking the stimulus:

The governor did not disclose his proposed solutions Monday. But he warned groups last week that he will consider borrowing $2 billion from cities and counties, releasing low-level offenders in state prisons and reducing school funding by $3.6 billion. The state also could eliminate its planned $2 billion reserve.

California faces limitations in how much it can cut without jeopardizing federal stimulus funding. For instance, the state cannot cut too much in higher education, K-14 schools or Medi-Cal eligibility without running afoul of federal stimulus guidelines.

Cities and counties will revolt before being pushed into bankruptcy by a raid on their already bare cupboards. Arnold is either going to have to declare default, or embrace some truly progressive solutions like majority vote budgets and taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

Instead of providing leadership, Arnold is merely trying to scare voters into giving him one last chance to ruin our state. Voters are rejecting his tactics, his propositions, and ultimately, Arnold himself.

Worst. Governor. Ever.

So..I really don't know how many people will be able to read this, and if it will help me at all but I thought I would give it a try. I am a high school senior who just recently came out completely as being gay. In my government class at the beginning of June we will be debating on a few topics and the topic I chose to represent was "for - gay marriage." It was the topic I feel I am very passionate about so I can do a good presentation on it. But I am also afraid that my emotions will get in the way, and my arguements might get jumbled. The other team that will present being against gay marriage have very good students and one very good debater. I am not sure what this blog post is for, maybe to seek some support and knowledge from the people that know what they are talking about. Please feel free to e-mail me at ssswimmer91@yahoo.com with any feedback.

P.S. I am not doing this to by-pass any research I will have to do on my project, but maybe this will give me a place to start and also so I don't miss any arguement that might help us win the debate.

Thank you "Courage Campaign"

Samuel Sturgeon

Now this is a federal intervention I can believe in:

The Obama administration is threatening to rescind billions of dollars in federal stimulus money if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers do not restore wage cuts to unionized home healthcare workers approved in February as part of the budget.

Schwarzenegger's office was advised this week by federal health officials that the wage reduction, which will save California $74 million, violates provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Failure to revoke the scheduled wage cut before it takes effect July 1 could cost California $6.8 billion in stimulus money, according to state officials....

The SEIU said in a statement that it had asked the Obama administration for the ruling.

Combined with the CFT lawsuit this action shows a new aggressiveness coming from progressive unions, and is *precisely* the right strategy to take against those who would demand or accede to the economically insane policy of wage cuts for these workers. The failure of the May 19 election proves the failure of an accommodationist strategy - Republican demands for government destruction can only be countered through strong pushback.

This is also a welcome step from the federal government, which did not have to make this ruling. It would be nice if DC would get even more aggressive about oversight of the stimulus money. The education stimulus, for example, ought to have been conditioned on states refusing to layoff teachers or cut education budgets.

By demanding this federal ruling, and by suing over the Prop 98 funds, SEIU and CFT have done far more to help prevent crippling budget cuts than the millions spent by CTA and other progressive organizations trying in vain to convince Californians to accept a bad deal that will make the budget situation worse, not better.