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The Daily Sheet September - December 2015
« on: August 31, 2015, 08:52:51 PM »
Reply with quote
Tuesday, September 1st, 2015
Changes for DCF
How does that expression go? The only thing in life that's constant is change? Changes happen all over, and now they're happening here.
After being online for almost 10 years, DCF is about to go through some changes. Changes that you need to know about.
Posts have been placed around the forum, in the various chat threads, and in the "How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me" thread. The post is identical in each thread, so please click one of the links below, to be taken directly to the post in question, so you can be informed of the changes that await DCF.
How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me
Le Bar Slash
The Diner
Fan Fair
Pope Francis Supports LGBT Children's Book
Pope Francis has come out in support of “Little Egg,” a children’s book with the message that it’s okay to have different types of families. As The Guardian’s Rosie Scammell describes it, “the egg encounters a pair of gay penguins, lesbian rabbits successfully bringing up a family, as well as other family models, including a single parent hippo, a mixed race dog couple, and kangaroos that have adopted polar bear cubs.”
The Pope expressed his approval after author Francesca Pardi sent various LGBT-themed books to the Vatican and wrote a letter describing the negative response she’s received to her book.
“Many parishes across the country are in this period sullying our name and telling falsehoods about our work which deeply offends us,” she wrote. “We have respect for Catholics ... A lot of Catholics give back the same respect, why can’t we have the whole hierarchy of the church behind us?”
Though many Catholics might not support her book, the Pope had a senior official write back to Pardi.
“His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an always more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values,” the letter reads.
Pope Francis Supports LGBT Children's Book
Trans Formation Celebrates 1 Year in London
Around 200 people gathered at the office of Deloitte in High Holborn, London, last night to help Trans*formation – the professional networking group for trans employees and allies – celebrate its first birthday. Speaking to Gay Star Business, one of Trans*formations co-chairs explained why the group was launched last year.
‘There was a need to bring together trans professionals and supportive organizations,’ said Kimberley Bird, who works for Lloyds Banking Group in IT. ‘Many large organizations are not anti-trans but they are ignorant of the what trans people need to succeed. ‘I wanted to show organizations that they can use the un-tapped potential of trans colleagues and customers. At the end of the day I wanted to make a difference for the trans community, however small that may be.’
Her sentiment was echoed by fellow co-chair Emma Cusdin, who works in HR for Thomson Reuters: ‘We felt that traditional LGBT networks tended not to focus on trans issues with typically only a few trans people attending LGBT events. As a trans woman, working in the corporate world, I know that feeling of being alone so I personally got involved with trans*formation to bring trans people together so that we can have a stronger voice.’
Bird said that the response to the group’s launch had been ‘overwhelming’.
Trans Formation Celebrates 1 Year in London
Ellen Page and Straight Actors Playing Gay
Ellen Page has said it is ‘borderline offensive’ to call straight actors ‘brave’ for taking on gay roles. In an interview with Time, it was suggested that the openly gay actress was ‘brave’ to play a lesbian dying of cancer in her upcoming film Freeheld.
‘Maybe this is a bad thing to say, but I have a hard time when people call actors brave,’ she responded. ‘I don’t really get that, because our job is to read something on a page.’ The 28-year-old added: ‘When people are [called] brave in regards to playing LGBTQ people, that’s borderline offensive. I’m never going to be considered brave for playing a straight person, and nor should I be.’
Page recently confronted Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz about his discrimination of LGBTI people in the name of ‘religious freedom,’ and she addressed the debate in the interview.
‘The tricky thing about religion is you can’t even have a conversation. You just cannot have a conversation. It doesn’t affect me: For me it goes in one ear and out the other,’ she said.
‘But when you think of young people who are potentially being preached to by said person and their parents believe it, and they happen to be gay or trans or what-have-you, they’re going to have a really, really challenging time.'
Ellen Page and Straight Actors Playing Gay
Two More Trans Women Murdered
The murders of two more black transgender women were reported in the US this week. The women were slain earlier in the year but were initially misgendered in police and news reports.
Jasmine Collins, 32, was stabbed to death in Kansas City in June during an argument with a woman over a pair of Vans shoes, according to KCTV. Tia Townsel was been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The Guardian uncovered Collins’ true gender identity while reporting on the murder of another transgender woman of color, Tamara Dominguez, in the city.
Keyshia Blige, 33 pictured left, was shot in the shoulder on 7 March while driving with a friend in Aurora, Illinois. She continued to drive but ran into a Jeep and died later in hospital. Police said the killing was ‘definitely not a hate crime’ and no arrests have been made.
The Chicago Tribune initially misgendered Blige, though later reported that she had been taking hormones since January. It was also the Guardian that confirmed her gender identity with friends.
Two More Trans Women Murdered
Ricky Martin on Donald Trump
Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin has put Donald Trump on blast for ‘continuing to gratuitously harass the Latin community.’ Since his presidential announcement speech in June, the Republican forerunner has made disparaging comments about immigrants, especially Latinos, and has even proposed building a ‘great wall’ along the Mexican border.
‘The fact that an individual like Donald Trump, a candidate for the presidency of the United States for the Republican party, has the audacity to continue to gratuitously harass the Latin community makes my blood boil,’ Martin wrote in a scathing op-ed for Univision, and translated by Billboard. ‘When did this character assume he could make comments that are racist, absurd, and above all incoherent and ignorant about us Latinos? From the beginning his intention was transparent: basically tell barbarities and lies to remain relevant in the public opinion, for votes or simply to stay on the media’s radar.’
The openly gay singer also called out Trump for having a Univision reporter removed from a press conference in Iowa after he repeatedly asked the billionaire about his immigration policies.
‘Yesterday’s episode against journalist Jorge Ramos, one of the most beloved and respected Latinos in world media, has gotten to the point of enough is enough,’ he wrote.
Martin then called on Latinos to unite against Trump: ‘Enough is enough!
‘If we are united for some things we should be united for others. We have already shown the United States who we are and we cannot allow this behavior.
Ricky Martin on Donald Trump
Sister Wives Cast on Gay Marriage Ruling
A group of polygamous American Mormons are hoping the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing same-sex marriage in all US states will help them make their case in being allowed to live together as a family. Kody Brown and his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn are being taken to court by the state of Utah over their decision to live together under the same roof with their seventeen children.
The Browns’ plural relationship was made public when the family chose to star in the 2010 TLC reality TV show Sister Wives. The Browns are members of the Apostolic United Brethren – a fundamentalist sect within Mormonism that still practices polygamy.
Only Kody and Meri legally married. However Kody has held non-legally binding commitment ceremonies with his other wives and until now bigamy has been defined by cohabitation under Utah’s laws, not whether a marriage is legal or not.
The Browns won a federal court case striking down that part of the law in 2013 allowing them to continue to live together as one family. However Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has continued to appeal the case to higher courts and it may eventually make its way to the US Supreme Court.
Their lawyers say the Supreme Court has already agreed in principle that the Browns should be left alone by the law through their ruling on same-sex marriage.
Sister Wives Cast on Gay Marriage Ruling
Kim Ledger Remembers Heath
Days ahead of International Overdose Day, Heath Ledger’s father, Kim, is remembering his late son — who passed away in 2008 at the age of 28 from an accidental intoxication from prescription drugs — by bringing awareness to overdose education and celebrating his son's talents.
“He was our beautiful son who we are so, so proud of, and always will be,” his father told Sunrise, a morning talk show in Australia.
“He was taken away from us so suddenly. All that talent and energy, and the great things he did pale in significance when someone is no longer here,” the father-of-three explained. “Everyone admired Heath for his work, he was very dedicated to every project he did.”
His dedication and passion may have been a trait he inherited from his father, who is now devoted to bringing awareness to prevent overdoses — so other families don’t have to experience the trauma he and his family went through.
“It doesn’t matter who you are,” he explained. “We are all facing some finality… You just don’t want it to happen earlier than it should.”
Kim Ledger Remembers Heath
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!
Celebrating its sixth year in 2015, The Loft Film Fest (located in beautiful Tucson, Arizona) is dedicated to showcasing the best independent, foreign and classic films, as well as celebrating the work of established and emerging directors, writers, producers and actors. The Loft Film Fest, through its eclectic and diverse programming, aims not only to expand the audience for cinema that challenges, inspires and entertains, but also to honor those artists whose talent and passion bring that cinema to life.
Described by Filmmaker Magazine as being “geared truly toward cinephiles of nearly every stripe,” and praised for its “phantasmagorical programming … and astute choice of guests,” The Loft Film Fest was created in 2010 as a showcase for the very best independent, foreign and classic cinema. For five days in October, The Loft Film Fest provides an intimate and unique setting for film fans to experience hand-selected festival favorites from Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, etc., and to meet internationally-renowned artists from the world of independent cinema.
According to their Facebook page (and posted by BayCityJohn) this year's event (October 21-25) will feature both Diana Osanna and Lary McMurtry, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Brokeback Mountain.
***We are now up to 21 definites, and 14 maybes for a list of attendees***
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!!!
University of Wyoming & Out West
The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming, which houses several significant collections related to slain UW student Matthew Shepard, is currently developing “Out West in the Rockies,” a first-of-its-kind regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history and culture archive of the American West.
The archive will welcome collections from eight Rocky Mountain states: Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Retiring AHC Director Mark Greene helped inaugurate and Associate Director Rick Ewig will oversee this effort. Gregory Hinton, creator of Out West, an acclaimed national LGBT western museum program series, introduced the concept to the AHC and serves as project consultant. Hinton announced Out West in the Rockies at the LGBQT Alliance luncheon during the recent American Alliance of Museums annual meeting and museum expo in Atlanta.
Through BayCityJohn, Gregory Hinton has reached out to the fourm, to get the word out, and ask for any help that members would be willing to give him.
University of Wyoming & Out West
From Gregory Hinton
Your Laugh For The Day!
Contributors: KillersMom, CellarDweller115
The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.
Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115
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killersmom
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Re: The Daily Sheet September - December 2015
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2015, 08:24:27 PM »
Reply with quote
Tuesday, September 8th, 2015
**Update** Changes for DCF
Only one week after our initial posts abut the upcoming changes for the Dave Cullen Forum went up, we already have updates to inform you about.
Please see the links below to read the latest posts regarding downtime during the forum back-up, downtime for the migration to the new server, the estimated cost for the migration, and the new, less expensive monthly fee the forum will be paying.
We'll also have details regarding how payments/donations can be made.
How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me
Le Bar Slash
The Diner
Fan Fair
Dave Cullen's Article for New Republic
DCF administrator Dave Cullen has written another article that was published online.
This piece, written for NewRepublic.com, starts off discussing Vester Flanagan. Vester was fired from a TV station, and then went back and killed two former coworkers (TV journalists) while they were on air, live in Virginia.
In the article, Dave describes Vester as an "Injustice Collector", meaning he mentally tallies up injustices in his head, whether real or imagined, that he feels he's had to suffer through, and then when he 'snaps', he seeks revenger for the injustices.
Dave's article touches on Vester, the Columbine shootings, the Virginia Tech shootings.
Interesting and informative, the article sheds light on those who commit these types of acts.
Dave Cullen's Article for New Republic
2014 National Humanities Medalist - Larry McMurtry
“I don’t remember either of my parents ever reading me a story—perhaps that’s why I’ve made up so many,” wrote Larry McMurtry in his first memoir, Books. By his own count, he is author of 50 works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove and many other novels, but also an Oscar-winning screenplay, three memoirs, a short biography of Crazy Horse, and a collection of essays.
In a telephone interview, he avoided making any pronouncements about the state of the humanities, maintaining, “I don’t myself theorize,” adding, however, that he’s “saddened by what’s being lost,” as people read more devices and fewer books.
Larry McMurtry was born in 1936 on a ranch outside of Archer City, Texas. His first library was a set of 19 books given to him by a cousin setting off for war in 1942. McMurtry read and reread the adventure novels. The gift, he once wrote, “changed my life.”
Among other books McMurtry remembers reading as a child was an abbreviated version of Don Quixote. Looking back, he recalls pondering “the grave differences (comically set) between Sancho and the Don. Between the two is where fiction, as I have mostly read and written it, lives.”
2014 National Humanities Medalist - Larry McMurtry
Steve Grand Accepts Marine's Invitation
US Marine Sgt. Tanner White figured her had nothing to lose when he made a YouTube video asking the singer Steve Grand to be his date to the Marine Corps Ball. On Thursday (3 September), Grand gave his answer: Yes!
A smiling Grand replied, via YouTube video of course, that he would be ‘honored to accept’ the invitation to the event in November that will take place in Wlimington, North Carolina.
‘Thank you so much for your service to this country and I look forward to a really fun evening with you in November. See you soon buddy.’
White’s video asking Grand has now been viewed more than 54,000 times over the past two days.
UPDATE: White made another quick video to thank everyone for their support and said: ‘I’d like to thank Steve Grand for accepting my invitation to the ball. I’m very excited and I’m looking forward to a great time.’
Steve Grand Accepts Marine's Invitation
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
Christopher Ciccone is an American artist, music concert and video director, dancer, author, and interior and furniture designer. He is the youngest brother of Madonna, and began his career working as her backup dancer, appearing in Madonna's early music videos, "Everybody" and "Lucky Star". He later decorated Madonna's former residences in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. He has also designed the stage for her 1990 Blond Ambition concert tour, and directed her 1993 Girlie Show concert tour. His work with other artists includes directing the "Peace Train" music video for Dolly Parton in May 1997, and Tony Bennett's Billboard award-winning music video of "God Bless the Child." He later (2008) wrote a tell-all memoir, Life With My Sister Madonna, which caused a rift between the two, which is now just beginning to heal.
Recently, he has spoken up to defend the Kentucky county clerk who declined to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The 54-year-old artist and director, who is openly gay, wrote in a Facebook post that Kim Davis, currently being jailed for contempt of court, should be allowed not to issue the licenses, given her constitutional ‘religious freedom’.
‘The county clerk in [Kentucky] deserves about as much support as you would give her if she were a muslim [woman] who insisted on covering her face and refused not only gay marriages licenses, but divorce, accusations of rape and driving a car without [your] mans approval,’ Ciccone wrote.
He believed the civil servant had grounds not to follow the law, ‘when DOJ and other civil authorities don’t follow federal law when they choose not to, i.e. Washington State and Colorado (POT) come to mind…or the abstract notion of “sanctuary cities.” I always thought that sanctuary was the province of churches.’
He went on to criticize the gay community for feeling ‘the need to be sore winners. Is it so difficult to allow this women her religion?…or must we destroy her in order for here to betray her faith.’
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
Gareth Thomas on Turning To His Teammates
He's one of Wales' most famous sporting heroes... and now Gareth Thomas has opened up on the hardest challenge he faced in rugby's limelight. The former full-back, who won 100 caps for Wales in a colourful career which took in spells in both codes, has starred in a new video for northern hemisphere rugby sponsors Guinness. In the Guinness video, Thomas reveals the support of his team-mates was vital in allowing him to conquer 'the demons that were tearing him apart' and accept the fact he is gay.
In the video, Thomas reflects on his time in rugby and says his greatest fear wasn't the opposition he faced, the bones he broke or the tension which gripped him but the nervousness he felt about his sexuality. Thomas came out as gay in 2009 and the following year, the former Bridgend, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors, Toulouse and Cardiff Blues back was voted the most influential gay person in the UK.
In the video entitled 'Never Alone', he refers to “the demons that were tearing him apart” as he struggled to feel comfortable in revealing his sexuality. He reveals how the support of his rugby team-mates saw him learn to accept the person he truly is. Thomas finally came out to former Wales stars Stephen Jones and Martyn Williams while on Wales duty in 2006 before going public in 2009.
Gareth Thomas on Turning To His Teammates
‘Anti-gay’ Singer Takes Top Prize at Eurovision 2015
MÃ¥ns Zelmerlöw is the winner of this year’s 60th Eurovision Song Contest. The singer from Sweden took top prize with his performance of Heroes.
Last year the 28-year-old found himself in hot water after saying LGBTI couples should not be parents. According to The Independent, he maintained it ‘isn’t equally natural for men to want to sleep with one another.’ He then called same-sex sexuality an ‘avvikelse’ (abnormality). Zelmerlöw added, however, ‘there isn’t anything wrong with it at all.’
He eventually released a statement, apologizing for his remarks. ‘I believe and hope that the vast majority know that I respect differences and all forms of love,’ the singer said, according to The Independent.
Supporters defend him, claiming he mean abnormal in the statistical sense and that the show on which he made the comments in March 2014 is one where celebrities drink and have dinner and it may have been the alcohol which made him stumble on his words.
He subsequently is reported to have worked with LGBTI organizations in Sweden which may indicate a change of heart. Others say he has always been a ‘straight ally’.
His Eurovision acceptance speech indicates that is so. ‘I have so much to say… I’m so extremely happy,’ he said as he accepted the award, according to the BBC. ‘We are all heroes, no matter who we love, who we are or what we believe in.’
‘Anti-gay’ Singer Takes Top Prize at Eurovision 2015
Ang Lee Trilogy Review
Commonly referred to as the 'Father Knows Best Trilogy', Ang Lee's first three films are notable primarily as an introduction to key themes and his devotion to nuanced emotional drama. They also staved off the retirement of famous Taiwanese actor Sihung Lung. Almost a decade before his appearance as Sir Te in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) he was convinced to shed his tough-guy image in favour of the serenely charming Mr. Chu in Lee's debut feature, Pushing Hands (1992). Altitude Distribution are now bringing that film and subsequent Lee/Lung collaborations The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1993) to UK DVD in The Ang Lee Trilogy box set.
In all three films Lung played the ageing patriarch coming to terms, in one way or other, with the maturation of his brood. In Pushing Hands he is a veteran Tai Chi master forced to emigrate to the United States to live his twilight years in the home of his son and American daughter-in-law (Bo Z. Wang and Deb Snyder). He once again follows a son to the US in The Wedding Banquet, though on this occasion his offspring (this time played by Winston Chao) is attempting to conceal his gay relationship with Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein) by faking a marriage to his tenant Wei-Wei (May Chin). Finally in Eat Drink Man Woman he is a father struggling with his own age and three vastly different adult daughters (Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-Lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang). All three films are fairly limited in their scope - especially when compared to the rich mastery of Lee's more recent output from the sumptuous Lust, Caution (2007) to the roiling narrative currents of Life of Pi (2012).
Ang Lee Trilogy Review
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!
Celebrating its sixth year in 2015, The Loft Film Fest (located in beautiful Tucson, Arizona) is dedicated to showcasing the best independent, foreign and classic films, as well as celebrating the work of established and emerging directors, writers, producers and actors. The Loft Film Fest, through its eclectic and diverse programming, aims not only to expand the audience for cinema that challenges, inspires and entertains, but also to honor those artists whose talent and passion bring that cinema to life.
Described by Filmmaker Magazine as being “geared truly toward cinephiles of nearly every stripe,” and praised for its “phantasmagorical programming … and astute choice of guests,” The Loft Film Fest was created in 2010 as a showcase for the very best independent, foreign and classic cinema. For five days in October, The Loft Film Fest provides an intimate and unique setting for film fans to experience hand-selected festival favorites from Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, etc., and to meet internationally-renowned artists from the world of independent cinema.
According to their Facebook page (and posted by BayCityJohn) this year's event (October 21-25) will feature both Diana Osanna and Lary McMurtry, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Brokeback Mountain.
***We are now up to 22 definites, and 9 maybes for a list of attendees***
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!!!
University of Wyoming & Out West
The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming, which houses several significant collections related to slain UW student Matthew Shepard, is currently developing “Out West in the Rockies,” a first-of-its-kind regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history and culture archive of the American West.
The archive will welcome collections from eight Rocky Mountain states: Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Retiring AHC Director Mark Greene helped inaugurate and Associate Director Rick Ewig will oversee this effort. Gregory Hinton, creator of Out West, an acclaimed national LGBT western museum program series, introduced the concept to the AHC and serves as project consultant. Hinton announced Out West in the Rockies at the LGBQT Alliance luncheon during the recent American Alliance of Museums annual meeting and museum expo in Atlanta.
Through BayCityJohn, Gregory Hinton has reached out to the fourm, to get the word out, and ask for any help that members would be willing to give him.
University of Wyoming & Out West
From Gregory Hinton
Your Laugh For The Day!
http://www.davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=49012.msg2587133#msg2587133
The Ultimate Brokeback Forum
killersmom
AUNTIE
Administrator
Obsessed
******
Offline Offline
Gender: Female
Posts: 70161
It's me.
lindahandrews@yahoo.com KILLERSMOM123 lindahandrews
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
The Daily Sheet September - December 2015
« on: August 31, 2015, 08:52:51 PM »
Reply with quote
Tuesday, September 1st, 2015
Changes for DCF
How does that expression go? The only thing in life that's constant is change? Changes happen all over, and now they're happening here.
After being online for almost 10 years, DCF is about to go through some changes. Changes that you need to know about.
Posts have been placed around the forum, in the various chat threads, and in the "How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me" thread. The post is identical in each thread, so please click one of the links below, to be taken directly to the post in question, so you can be informed of the changes that await DCF.
How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me
Le Bar Slash
The Diner
Fan Fair
Pope Francis Supports LGBT Children's Book
Pope Francis has come out in support of “Little Egg,” a children’s book with the message that it’s okay to have different types of families. As The Guardian’s Rosie Scammell describes it, “the egg encounters a pair of gay penguins, lesbian rabbits successfully bringing up a family, as well as other family models, including a single parent hippo, a mixed race dog couple, and kangaroos that have adopted polar bear cubs.”
The Pope expressed his approval after author Francesca Pardi sent various LGBT-themed books to the Vatican and wrote a letter describing the negative response she’s received to her book.
“Many parishes across the country are in this period sullying our name and telling falsehoods about our work which deeply offends us,” she wrote. “We have respect for Catholics ... A lot of Catholics give back the same respect, why can’t we have the whole hierarchy of the church behind us?”
Though many Catholics might not support her book, the Pope had a senior official write back to Pardi.
“His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an always more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values,” the letter reads.
Pope Francis Supports LGBT Children's Book
Trans Formation Celebrates 1 Year in London
Around 200 people gathered at the office of Deloitte in High Holborn, London, last night to help Trans*formation – the professional networking group for trans employees and allies – celebrate its first birthday. Speaking to Gay Star Business, one of Trans*formations co-chairs explained why the group was launched last year.
‘There was a need to bring together trans professionals and supportive organizations,’ said Kimberley Bird, who works for Lloyds Banking Group in IT. ‘Many large organizations are not anti-trans but they are ignorant of the what trans people need to succeed. ‘I wanted to show organizations that they can use the un-tapped potential of trans colleagues and customers. At the end of the day I wanted to make a difference for the trans community, however small that may be.’
Her sentiment was echoed by fellow co-chair Emma Cusdin, who works in HR for Thomson Reuters: ‘We felt that traditional LGBT networks tended not to focus on trans issues with typically only a few trans people attending LGBT events. As a trans woman, working in the corporate world, I know that feeling of being alone so I personally got involved with trans*formation to bring trans people together so that we can have a stronger voice.’
Bird said that the response to the group’s launch had been ‘overwhelming’.
Trans Formation Celebrates 1 Year in London
Ellen Page and Straight Actors Playing Gay
Ellen Page has said it is ‘borderline offensive’ to call straight actors ‘brave’ for taking on gay roles. In an interview with Time, it was suggested that the openly gay actress was ‘brave’ to play a lesbian dying of cancer in her upcoming film Freeheld.
‘Maybe this is a bad thing to say, but I have a hard time when people call actors brave,’ she responded. ‘I don’t really get that, because our job is to read something on a page.’ The 28-year-old added: ‘When people are [called] brave in regards to playing LGBTQ people, that’s borderline offensive. I’m never going to be considered brave for playing a straight person, and nor should I be.’
Page recently confronted Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz about his discrimination of LGBTI people in the name of ‘religious freedom,’ and she addressed the debate in the interview.
‘The tricky thing about religion is you can’t even have a conversation. You just cannot have a conversation. It doesn’t affect me: For me it goes in one ear and out the other,’ she said.
‘But when you think of young people who are potentially being preached to by said person and their parents believe it, and they happen to be gay or trans or what-have-you, they’re going to have a really, really challenging time.'
Ellen Page and Straight Actors Playing Gay
Two More Trans Women Murdered
The murders of two more black transgender women were reported in the US this week. The women were slain earlier in the year but were initially misgendered in police and news reports.
Jasmine Collins, 32, was stabbed to death in Kansas City in June during an argument with a woman over a pair of Vans shoes, according to KCTV. Tia Townsel was been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The Guardian uncovered Collins’ true gender identity while reporting on the murder of another transgender woman of color, Tamara Dominguez, in the city.
Keyshia Blige, 33 pictured left, was shot in the shoulder on 7 March while driving with a friend in Aurora, Illinois. She continued to drive but ran into a Jeep and died later in hospital. Police said the killing was ‘definitely not a hate crime’ and no arrests have been made.
The Chicago Tribune initially misgendered Blige, though later reported that she had been taking hormones since January. It was also the Guardian that confirmed her gender identity with friends.
Two More Trans Women Murdered
Ricky Martin on Donald Trump
Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin has put Donald Trump on blast for ‘continuing to gratuitously harass the Latin community.’ Since his presidential announcement speech in June, the Republican forerunner has made disparaging comments about immigrants, especially Latinos, and has even proposed building a ‘great wall’ along the Mexican border.
‘The fact that an individual like Donald Trump, a candidate for the presidency of the United States for the Republican party, has the audacity to continue to gratuitously harass the Latin community makes my blood boil,’ Martin wrote in a scathing op-ed for Univision, and translated by Billboard. ‘When did this character assume he could make comments that are racist, absurd, and above all incoherent and ignorant about us Latinos? From the beginning his intention was transparent: basically tell barbarities and lies to remain relevant in the public opinion, for votes or simply to stay on the media’s radar.’
The openly gay singer also called out Trump for having a Univision reporter removed from a press conference in Iowa after he repeatedly asked the billionaire about his immigration policies.
‘Yesterday’s episode against journalist Jorge Ramos, one of the most beloved and respected Latinos in world media, has gotten to the point of enough is enough,’ he wrote.
Martin then called on Latinos to unite against Trump: ‘Enough is enough!
‘If we are united for some things we should be united for others. We have already shown the United States who we are and we cannot allow this behavior.
Ricky Martin on Donald Trump
Sister Wives Cast on Gay Marriage Ruling
A group of polygamous American Mormons are hoping the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing same-sex marriage in all US states will help them make their case in being allowed to live together as a family. Kody Brown and his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn are being taken to court by the state of Utah over their decision to live together under the same roof with their seventeen children.
The Browns’ plural relationship was made public when the family chose to star in the 2010 TLC reality TV show Sister Wives. The Browns are members of the Apostolic United Brethren – a fundamentalist sect within Mormonism that still practices polygamy.
Only Kody and Meri legally married. However Kody has held non-legally binding commitment ceremonies with his other wives and until now bigamy has been defined by cohabitation under Utah’s laws, not whether a marriage is legal or not.
The Browns won a federal court case striking down that part of the law in 2013 allowing them to continue to live together as one family. However Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has continued to appeal the case to higher courts and it may eventually make its way to the US Supreme Court.
Their lawyers say the Supreme Court has already agreed in principle that the Browns should be left alone by the law through their ruling on same-sex marriage.
Sister Wives Cast on Gay Marriage Ruling
Kim Ledger Remembers Heath
Days ahead of International Overdose Day, Heath Ledger’s father, Kim, is remembering his late son — who passed away in 2008 at the age of 28 from an accidental intoxication from prescription drugs — by bringing awareness to overdose education and celebrating his son's talents.
“He was our beautiful son who we are so, so proud of, and always will be,” his father told Sunrise, a morning talk show in Australia.
“He was taken away from us so suddenly. All that talent and energy, and the great things he did pale in significance when someone is no longer here,” the father-of-three explained. “Everyone admired Heath for his work, he was very dedicated to every project he did.”
His dedication and passion may have been a trait he inherited from his father, who is now devoted to bringing awareness to prevent overdoses — so other families don’t have to experience the trauma he and his family went through.
“It doesn’t matter who you are,” he explained. “We are all facing some finality… You just don’t want it to happen earlier than it should.”
Kim Ledger Remembers Heath
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!
Celebrating its sixth year in 2015, The Loft Film Fest (located in beautiful Tucson, Arizona) is dedicated to showcasing the best independent, foreign and classic films, as well as celebrating the work of established and emerging directors, writers, producers and actors. The Loft Film Fest, through its eclectic and diverse programming, aims not only to expand the audience for cinema that challenges, inspires and entertains, but also to honor those artists whose talent and passion bring that cinema to life.
Described by Filmmaker Magazine as being “geared truly toward cinephiles of nearly every stripe,” and praised for its “phantasmagorical programming … and astute choice of guests,” The Loft Film Fest was created in 2010 as a showcase for the very best independent, foreign and classic cinema. For five days in October, The Loft Film Fest provides an intimate and unique setting for film fans to experience hand-selected festival favorites from Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, etc., and to meet internationally-renowned artists from the world of independent cinema.
According to their Facebook page (and posted by BayCityJohn) this year's event (October 21-25) will feature both Diana Osanna and Lary McMurtry, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Brokeback Mountain.
***We are now up to 21 definites, and 14 maybes for a list of attendees***
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!!!
University of Wyoming & Out West
The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming, which houses several significant collections related to slain UW student Matthew Shepard, is currently developing “Out West in the Rockies,” a first-of-its-kind regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history and culture archive of the American West.
The archive will welcome collections from eight Rocky Mountain states: Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Retiring AHC Director Mark Greene helped inaugurate and Associate Director Rick Ewig will oversee this effort. Gregory Hinton, creator of Out West, an acclaimed national LGBT western museum program series, introduced the concept to the AHC and serves as project consultant. Hinton announced Out West in the Rockies at the LGBQT Alliance luncheon during the recent American Alliance of Museums annual meeting and museum expo in Atlanta.
Through BayCityJohn, Gregory Hinton has reached out to the fourm, to get the word out, and ask for any help that members would be willing to give him.
University of Wyoming & Out West
From Gregory Hinton
Your Laugh For The Day!
Contributors: KillersMom, CellarDweller115
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2015
**Update** Changes for DCF
Only one week after our initial posts abut the upcoming changes for the Dave Cullen Forum went up, we already have updates to inform you about.
Please see the links below to read the latest posts regarding downtime during the forum back-up, downtime for the migration to the new server, the estimated cost for the migration, and the new, less expensive monthly fee the forum will be paying.
We'll also have details regarding how payments/donations can be made.
How the Dave Cullen Forum Has Affected Me
Le Bar Slash
The Diner
Fan Fair
Dave Cullen's Article for New Republic
DCF administrator Dave Cullen has written another article that was published online.
This piece, written for NewRepublic.com, starts off discussing Vester Flanagan. Vester was fired from a TV station, and then went back and killed two former coworkers (TV journalists) while they were on air, live in Virginia.
In the article, Dave describes Vester as an "Injustice Collector", meaning he mentally tallies up injustices in his head, whether real or imagined, that he feels he's had to suffer through, and then when he 'snaps', he seeks revenger for the injustices.
Dave's article touches on Vester, the Columbine shootings, the Virginia Tech shootings.
Interesting and informative, the article sheds light on those who commit these types of acts.
Dave Cullen's Article for New Republic
2014 National Humanities Medalist - Larry McMurtry
“I don’t remember either of my parents ever reading me a story—perhaps that’s why I’ve made up so many,” wrote Larry McMurtry in his first memoir, Books. By his own count, he is author of 50 works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove and many other novels, but also an Oscar-winning screenplay, three memoirs, a short biography of Crazy Horse, and a collection of essays.
In a telephone interview, he avoided making any pronouncements about the state of the humanities, maintaining, “I don’t myself theorize,” adding, however, that he’s “saddened by what’s being lost,” as people read more devices and fewer books.
Larry McMurtry was born in 1936 on a ranch outside of Archer City, Texas. His first library was a set of 19 books given to him by a cousin setting off for war in 1942. McMurtry read and reread the adventure novels. The gift, he once wrote, “changed my life.”
Among other books McMurtry remembers reading as a child was an abbreviated version of Don Quixote. Looking back, he recalls pondering “the grave differences (comically set) between Sancho and the Don. Between the two is where fiction, as I have mostly read and written it, lives.”
2014 National Humanities Medalist - Larry McMurtry
Steve Grand Accepts Marine's Invitation
US Marine Sgt. Tanner White figured her had nothing to lose when he made a YouTube video asking the singer Steve Grand to be his date to the Marine Corps Ball. On Thursday (3 September), Grand gave his answer: Yes!
A smiling Grand replied, via YouTube video of course, that he would be ‘honored to accept’ the invitation to the event in November that will take place in Wlimington, North Carolina.
‘Thank you so much for your service to this country and I look forward to a really fun evening with you in November. See you soon buddy.’
White’s video asking Grand has now been viewed more than 54,000 times over the past two days.
UPDATE: White made another quick video to thank everyone for their support and said: ‘I’d like to thank Steve Grand for accepting my invitation to the ball. I’m very excited and I’m looking forward to a great time.’
Steve Grand Accepts Marine's Invitation
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
Christopher Ciccone is an American artist, music concert and video director, dancer, author, and interior and furniture designer. He is the youngest brother of Madonna, and began his career working as her backup dancer, appearing in Madonna's early music videos, "Everybody" and "Lucky Star". He later decorated Madonna's former residences in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. He has also designed the stage for her 1990 Blond Ambition concert tour, and directed her 1993 Girlie Show concert tour. His work with other artists includes directing the "Peace Train" music video for Dolly Parton in May 1997, and Tony Bennett's Billboard award-winning music video of "God Bless the Child." He later (2008) wrote a tell-all memoir, Life With My Sister Madonna, which caused a rift between the two, which is now just beginning to heal.
Recently, he has spoken up to defend the Kentucky county clerk who declined to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The 54-year-old artist and director, who is openly gay, wrote in a Facebook post that Kim Davis, currently being jailed for contempt of court, should be allowed not to issue the licenses, given her constitutional ‘religious freedom’.
‘The county clerk in [Kentucky] deserves about as much support as you would give her if she were a muslim [woman] who insisted on covering her face and refused not only gay marriages licenses, but divorce, accusations of rape and driving a car without [your] mans approval,’ Ciccone wrote.
He believed the civil servant had grounds not to follow the law, ‘when DOJ and other civil authorities don’t follow federal law when they choose not to, i.e. Washington State and Colorado (POT) come to mind…or the abstract notion of “sanctuary cities.” I always thought that sanctuary was the province of churches.’
He went on to criticize the gay community for feeling ‘the need to be sore winners. Is it so difficult to allow this women her religion?…or must we destroy her in order for here to betray her faith.’
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
Gareth Thomas on Turning To His Teammates
He's one of Wales' most famous sporting heroes... and now Gareth Thomas has opened up on the hardest challenge he faced in rugby's limelight. The former full-back, who won 100 caps for Wales in a colourful career which took in spells in both codes, has starred in a new video for northern hemisphere rugby sponsors Guinness. In the Guinness video, Thomas reveals the support of his team-mates was vital in allowing him to conquer 'the demons that were tearing him apart' and accept the fact he is gay.
In the video, Thomas reflects on his time in rugby and says his greatest fear wasn't the opposition he faced, the bones he broke or the tension which gripped him but the nervousness he felt about his sexuality. Thomas came out as gay in 2009 and the following year, the former Bridgend, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors, Toulouse and Cardiff Blues back was voted the most influential gay person in the UK.
In the video entitled 'Never Alone', he refers to “the demons that were tearing him apart” as he struggled to feel comfortable in revealing his sexuality. He reveals how the support of his rugby team-mates saw him learn to accept the person he truly is. Thomas finally came out to former Wales stars Stephen Jones and Martyn Williams while on Wales duty in 2006 before going public in 2009.
Gareth Thomas on Turning To His Teammates
‘Anti-gay’ Singer Takes Top Prize at Eurovision 2015
MÃ¥ns Zelmerlöw is the winner of this year’s 60th Eurovision Song Contest. The singer from Sweden took top prize with his performance of Heroes.
Last year the 28-year-old found himself in hot water after saying LGBTI couples should not be parents. According to The Independent, he maintained it ‘isn’t equally natural for men to want to sleep with one another.’ He then called same-sex sexuality an ‘avvikelse’ (abnormality). Zelmerlöw added, however, ‘there isn’t anything wrong with it at all.’
He eventually released a statement, apologizing for his remarks. ‘I believe and hope that the vast majority know that I respect differences and all forms of love,’ the singer said, according to The Independent.
Supporters defend him, claiming he mean abnormal in the statistical sense and that the show on which he made the comments in March 2014 is one where celebrities drink and have dinner and it may have been the alcohol which made him stumble on his words.
He subsequently is reported to have worked with LGBTI organizations in Sweden which may indicate a change of heart. Others say he has always been a ‘straight ally’.
His Eurovision acceptance speech indicates that is so. ‘I have so much to say… I’m so extremely happy,’ he said as he accepted the award, according to the BBC. ‘We are all heroes, no matter who we love, who we are or what we believe in.’
‘Anti-gay’ Singer Takes Top Prize at Eurovision 2015
Ang Lee Trilogy Review
Commonly referred to as the 'Father Knows Best Trilogy', Ang Lee's first three films are notable primarily as an introduction to key themes and his devotion to nuanced emotional drama. They also staved off the retirement of famous Taiwanese actor Sihung Lung. Almost a decade before his appearance as Sir Te in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) he was convinced to shed his tough-guy image in favour of the serenely charming Mr. Chu in Lee's debut feature, Pushing Hands (1992). Altitude Distribution are now bringing that film and subsequent Lee/Lung collaborations The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1993) to UK DVD in The Ang Lee Trilogy box set.
In all three films Lung played the ageing patriarch coming to terms, in one way or other, with the maturation of his brood. In Pushing Hands he is a veteran Tai Chi master forced to emigrate to the United States to live his twilight years in the home of his son and American daughter-in-law (Bo Z. Wang and Deb Snyder). He once again follows a son to the US in The Wedding Banquet, though on this occasion his offspring (this time played by Winston Chao) is attempting to conceal his gay relationship with Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein) by faking a marriage to his tenant Wei-Wei (May Chin). Finally in Eat Drink Man Woman he is a father struggling with his own age and three vastly different adult daughters (Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-Lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang). All three films are fairly limited in their scope - especially when compared to the rich mastery of Lee's more recent output from the sumptuous Lust, Caution (2007) to the roiling narrative currents of Life of Pi (2012).
Ang Lee Trilogy Review
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!
Celebrating its sixth year in 2015, The Loft Film Fest (located in beautiful Tucson, Arizona) is dedicated to showcasing the best independent, foreign and classic films, as well as celebrating the work of established and emerging directors, writers, producers and actors. The Loft Film Fest, through its eclectic and diverse programming, aims not only to expand the audience for cinema that challenges, inspires and entertains, but also to honor those artists whose talent and passion bring that cinema to life.
Described by Filmmaker Magazine as being “geared truly toward cinephiles of nearly every stripe,” and praised for its “phantasmagorical programming … and astute choice of guests,” The Loft Film Fest was created in 2010 as a showcase for the very best independent, foreign and classic cinema. For five days in October, The Loft Film Fest provides an intimate and unique setting for film fans to experience hand-selected festival favorites from Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, etc., and to meet internationally-renowned artists from the world of independent cinema.
According to their Facebook page (and posted by BayCityJohn) this year's event (October 21-25) will feature both Diana Osanna and Lary McMurtry, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Brokeback Mountain.
***We are now up to 22 definites, and 9 maybes for a list of attendees***
Brokies Gathering in Arizona!!!!
University of Wyoming & Out West
The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming, which houses several significant collections related to slain UW student Matthew Shepard, is currently developing “Out West in the Rockies,” a first-of-its-kind regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history and culture archive of the American West.
The archive will welcome collections from eight Rocky Mountain states: Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Retiring AHC Director Mark Greene helped inaugurate and Associate Director Rick Ewig will oversee this effort. Gregory Hinton, creator of Out West, an acclaimed national LGBT western museum program series, introduced the concept to the AHC and serves as project consultant. Hinton announced Out West in the Rockies at the LGBQT Alliance luncheon during the recent American Alliance of Museums annual meeting and museum expo in Atlanta.
Through BayCityJohn, Gregory Hinton has reached out to the fourm, to get the word out, and ask for any help that members would be willing to give him.
University of Wyoming & Out West
From Gregory Hinton
Your Laugh For The Day!
http://www.davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=49012.msg2587133#msg2587133
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
Christopher Ciccone is an American artist, music concert and video director, dancer, author, and interior and furniture designer. He is the youngest brother of Madonna, and began his career working as her backup dancer, appearing in Madonna's early music videos, "Everybody" and "Lucky Star". He later decorated Madonna's former residences in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. He has also designed the stage for her 1990 Blond Ambition concert tour, and directed her 1993 Girlie Show concert tour. His work with other artists includes directing the "Peace Train" music video for Dolly Parton in May 1997, and Tony Bennett's Billboard award-winning music video of "God Bless the Child." He later (2008) wrote a tell-all memoir, Life With My Sister Madonna, which caused a rift between the two, which is now just beginning to heal.
Recently, he has spoken up to defend the Kentucky county clerk who declined to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The 54-year-old artist and director, who is openly gay, wrote in a Facebook post that Kim Davis, currently being jailed for contempt of court, should be allowed not to issue the licenses, given her constitutional ‘religious freedom’.
‘The county clerk in [Kentucky] deserves about as much support as you would give her if she were a muslim [woman] who insisted on covering her face and refused not only gay marriages licenses, but divorce, accusations of rape and driving a car without [your] mans approval,’ Ciccone wrote.
He believed the civil servant had grounds not to follow the law, ‘when DOJ and other civil authorities don’t follow federal law when they choose not to, i.e. Washington State and Colorado (POT) come to mind…or the abstract notion of “sanctuary cities.” I always thought that sanctuary was the province of churches.’
He went on to criticize the gay community for feeling ‘the need to be sore winners. Is it so difficult to allow this women her religion?…or must we destroy her in order for here to betray her faith.’
Christopher Ciccone Defends Jailed Kentucky County Clerk
http://www.davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=49012.0
Nobody is denying Kim Davis the right to practice her religion as she sees fit, Christopher Ciccone. Nobody is seeking to "destroy" her, but people want to let her know that discrimination against other human beings on the basis of one's chosen religious beliefs is not okay. No one is making her "betray" her religion. By the way, why is she in a profession that would create conflicts with her religious beliefs in the first place? Is it okay in your eyes, Christopher, for a Roman Catholic judge to not allow divorce amgonst a couple who are unhappy with each other because the Vatican believes the Bible condemns divorce, even if the couple are not Roman Catholics? Does a heterosexual man who happens to have an abusive personality have the right to brutalize his wife on the basis of his belief that Yahweh made women to be subservient helpmates to men? I don't think that a church is a "sanctuary", considering all of the hypocrisy and hidden moral corruption that exists within houses of worship. Recently the Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia faced legal issues after the Royal Commission in the country discovered that the denomination has a database that contains 1,006 known cases of child molestation since 1950 that were never reported to the police. What does that say about the "superiority" of "religious morality" in today's world?
How many well-meaning JW's who know of a child who was molested by a fellow Jehovah's Witness, are scared to go to the police over this incident for fear that their religious leaders will accuse them of " bringing reproach on Jehovah's name and His chosen organization" ? A church largely isn't a "sanctuary" for LGBT people, at least in many cases. Countless organized religious groups vilify and dehumanize the very existence and worth of LGBT individuals as human beings. The romantic lives and sexual behavior of consenting adults isn't anyone else's business. Unmarried couples also face the same sort of demonization. LGBT youths are often thrown out of their homes by their religious families and left to fend for themselves on the streets. A significant portion of homeless youth in Utah are LGBT , and many of them were from orthodox Mormon households.
Churches aren't "sanctuaries", if you ask me. Moral corruption exists in religious houses of worship, just as moral corruption exists in the secular world. Unfortunately, cases of moral corruption are often covered up in religious institutions who refuse to such information about unlawful acts to secular authorities. Those religious persons who speak out against it are often punished for speaking out. The Roman Catholic Church has had numerous priests accuses of molesting children and teenagers, and how many of them are caught and punished in a secular court of law? Very few of them are ever convicted for their crimes. The Bible does not address the issue of child molestation, does not take a stance on the issue, or how to handle such an issue, at least not that I am aware of. Excommunicating adult persons from religious groups for having sex with other consenting adults of the same gender is quite absurd when you thin about it. Gay dating, marriage and sexual relationships amongst consenting adults are victimless crimes, pedophilia is not.
Kim Davis not a "modern-day Rosa Parks". Rosa Parks was being forced to give up her sit to a white man because she had black skin. She was physically exhausted from Christmas shopping and understandably tired of being pushed around because she was a black woman. She was standing up for herself to people who thought that she was lesser than them because of her physical appearance. Rosa's actions helped many blacks fight to have equal city on public transportation. We owe Rosa a lot for her bravery, just as we do for Martin Luther King Jr., for helping people to see that a equality helps bring about a better world for all, regardless of their ethnicity or other background. In the 1960's many blacks, especially in the South couldn't eat a the same restaurants or attend the same educational institutions as white people because of their skin color. Some blacks were even the victims of racial terrorist acts for merely wanting and peaceably fighting for equal treatment under the law.
Kim Davis, she wants the privilege to deny people basic human rights because their personal lives bother her and conflict with the organized belief system that she has chosen to join. Christians are hardly discriminated against in this country for their religious beliefs, when they do face discrimination, such acts usually seem to be perpetrated by their fellow Christians who disagree with their theological views and practices. Have you ever studied the various Inquisitions that occurred in Europe between Roman Catholics and Protestants for centuries over religious disputes? That is an example of religious intolerance. Is it okay for a landlord who thinks it is morally wrong to date or marry a person of a different skin color to deny housing to an interracial couple? Is it okay for a cab driver to refuse to drop a person of color off in a predominately white community because that would be helping the races to mix, an idea that the cab driver finds to be "unethical"? Would it be okay for an employee at a public store that receives tax dollars to a put up a sign in their shop saying that Jewish persons are forbidden to enter the shop, because by allowing ethnic, religious or cultural Jews to stop in the store, it would offend the employee's anti-Semitic beliefs?
People like you, Christopher Ciccone, excusing the bigotry of hateful individuals is one of the reasons why the world is a more difficult place to live in. It is one reason why black youths are being murdered by policemen who largely go unpunished for their crimes. As for a Muslim woman wanting to wear a scarf over her face, she can do that in privacy of her own home and house of worship, she can even do that in certain public instances, but not allowing her to drive without a male chaperone, that is not much more than an example of woman-hating men who seem to be suffering from a control freak factor. A person is entitled to their religious beliefs, but they are not free from having their religious beliefs criticized or challenged. You can practice your religion, but you don't have any right to force people to abide by your religions rules whether it be legally, politically or socially. We have separation of church and state in the U.S., and for a very good reasons. All citizens are required to abide by the laws of the land, if Kim Davis cannot do her job properly, then surely her county can find some else who can do her job more properly.
Religious institutions are not exempt from following any secular laws in the U.S. If they refuse to obey secular laws, then their tax-exempt status can be taken away. Why is it okay to allow discrimination on the basis of a person's chosen religious beliefs, but it is not okay for other kinds of beliefs? Why is it okay for people to treat their fellow human beings unfairly in the social sense because of their religious beliefs? What if a person refused to carry out a certain task that their job requires because Napoleon Bonaparte or Julius Caesar wouldn't like it? Can't you see how plain irrational that is, Christopher? Nobody is preventing Kim Davis from practicing her religion in the privacy of her own home or denominational house of worship, people are merely saying that she shouldn't be allowed to refuse to do her job because it conflicts with her religious beliefs. If she can't do her job, then she should be replaced by someone who is willing to treat all couples fairly, which by the way, is a part of her job. I don't believe in sore winners, only people who cannot handle losing. Same-sex couples and LGBT people in general have every right to be glad about this woman being punished for not carrying out the requirements of her job in a fair and just manner. Religiously-based discrimination is not special, and should not be treated as such.
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