At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.
--- Friedrich Nietzsche
Thursday, December 30, 2004
How Gay.....
Could anything else more demonstrate how "Left" the Axis of Chardonnay has become? From the NYC's HRC Tri-State Committee Federal Club newsletter on this winter's 2005 Gala;
".... This just in, HRC will present an Equity Award to the ever fabulous Susan Sarandon".
**gag** I can still hear Jack McFarlan's voice ringing in my ears when I read the blurb. And to demostrate how elitist and out-of-touch the HRC-NYC have become, tickets are $350. per person!! That's $700 for you and BF, on-top of the $1200. minimum that you shelled-out for Federal Club membership. ....Black-tie of course, it's at the Waldorf-Astoria. (For local comparison, if you belong to the HRC-Philadephia, your Federal Club membership already includes gratis two $175. tickets to their Gala.)
I wonder how many gay Republican members of the HRC Tri-State will be attending?
".... This just in, HRC will present an Equity Award to the ever fabulous Susan Sarandon".
**gag** I can still hear Jack McFarlan's voice ringing in my ears when I read the blurb. And to demostrate how elitist and out-of-touch the HRC-NYC have become, tickets are $350. per person!! That's $700 for you and BF, on-top of the $1200. minimum that you shelled-out for Federal Club membership. ....Black-tie of course, it's at the Waldorf-Astoria. (For local comparison, if you belong to the HRC-Philadephia, your Federal Club membership already includes gratis two $175. tickets to their Gala.)
I wonder how many gay Republican members of the HRC Tri-State will be attending?
Top-rated Charities
The American Institute of Philanthropy lists their top-rated charities. UINICEF and several other of the UN-related charities have poor-ratings for having too-much skimmed-off for "overhead and expenses". Gee, why is that not a surprise?
American Red Cross 800-435-7669 A+
Other INTERNATIONAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
Accion International 617-625-7080 A-
Africare 202-462-3614 A
American Friends Service Committee 215-241-7000 A-
American Near East Refugee Aid 202-347-2558 A
American Refugee Committee 612-872-7060 A+
AmeriCares 800-486-HELP A
CARE 800-422-7385 A-
Catholic Relief Services 410-625-2220 A-
Church World Service 800-297-1516 A-
Doctors of the World - USA 888-817-HELP A
Doctors Without Borders USA 212-679-6800 A
FINCA International 202-682-1510 A
International Rescue Committee 212-551-3000 A
Lutheran World Relief 410-230-2700 A+
Mennonite Central Committee 888-563-4676 A
Oxfam-America 800-77-OXFAM A-
Save the Children 800-728-3843 A-
U.S. Committee for Refugees 202-347-3507 A-
Children are the only form of immortality that we can be sure of.
American Red Cross 800-435-7669 A+
Other INTERNATIONAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
Africare 202-462-3614 A
American Friends Service Committee 215-241-7000 A-
American Near East Refugee Aid 202-347-2558 A
American Refugee Committee 612-872-7060 A+
AmeriCares 800-486-HELP A
CARE 800-422-7385 A-
Catholic Relief Services 410-625-2220 A-
Church World Service 800-297-1516 A-
Doctors of the World - USA 888-817-HELP A
Doctors Without Borders USA 212-679-6800 A
FINCA International 202-682-1510 A
International Rescue Committee 212-551-3000 A
Lutheran World Relief 410-230-2700 A+
Mennonite Central Committee 888-563-4676 A
Oxfam-America 800-77-OXFAM A-
Save the Children 800-728-3843 A-
U.S. Committee for Refugees 202-347-3507 A-
Children are the only form of immortality that we can be sure of.
--- Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004)
Friday, December 24, 2004
Axis of Chardonnay
The LCR is supposed to be a political organization of like-minded Republicans within the G/L community, not a gay-rights advocacy organization. Why not leave rights-cases to the SLDN, and the HRC which has millions to spend on rights-advocacy, and let the LCR concentrate on Republican politics? The LCR should spend 2005 positioning itself as the spokesman for the one-million-plus Bush-voters within the G/L community, even if they are not all registered-Republicans.
GayPatriotWest suggests that "... Log Cabin could better reach out to the heartland if its leaders started by promoting the GOP -- the party to which they claim allegiance -- to the gay community. This may not earn them accolades from the anti-Bush leadership of gay rights' groups based in D.C. and other liberal enclaves, but it would give them practice in articulating the concerns of Americans outside the blue islands where Democrats are strong.
I would add that we start within our own community. We need to encourage LCR members who do not live in the NYC-Beltway-WeHo Axis of Chardonnay to attend the LCR Convention this March in New Orleans.
On Dec 12th, Ben Stein wrote in the American Spectator a commentary about Bush supporters in Hollywood that is also applicable to many Republicans within the G/L community....
"...The man at the Christmas tree tent in Malibu kept winking at me and nodding when no one else was looking. I smiled and kept looking at the trees. (In Malibu, we Jews have Christmas trees.) Finally, he motioned to me to come over to is table. He cupped his hand over his mouth and took my hand. "We won," he said. "We won."I knew exactly what he meant. "You can talk about it," I said. "This is America.""Yes, but it's also Malibu and I don't want people yelling at me."
A few minutes later, I was grabbing a shopping cart at How's Market in the Trancas section of Malibu when a sweet faced middle aged woman approached me carefully. Then she saw a young couple nearby and turned away. Moments later, she ran into me at the egg cooler, looked around to make sure there was no one looking or listening and said. "I love what you say about politics on TV. You're so brave. I'm on your side. There are some of us here but we keep our mouths shut.""You don't need to," I said. "The election's over. We won.""Yes, but it's not over out here." . . . .
. . . ."This is the way it is here. We meet in smoky places. We give the high sign, we nod knowingly. We are like members of the Maquis in Occupied France. Or early Christians emerging from the catacombs in Caligula's Rome. We are the GOP in Hollywood, and on the West Side of L.A. The culture here is so dominantly left-wing, PC, vegan, hate-America that many of us feel we have to behave as if we were underground.
GayPatriotWest suggests that "... Log Cabin could better reach out to the heartland if its leaders started by promoting the GOP -- the party to which they claim allegiance -- to the gay community. This may not earn them accolades from the anti-Bush leadership of gay rights' groups based in D.C. and other liberal enclaves, but it would give them practice in articulating the concerns of Americans outside the blue islands where Democrats are strong.
I would add that we start within our own community. We need to encourage LCR members who do not live in the NYC-Beltway-WeHo Axis of Chardonnay to attend the LCR Convention this March in New Orleans.
On Dec 12th, Ben Stein wrote in the American Spectator a commentary about Bush supporters in Hollywood that is also applicable to many Republicans within the G/L community....
"...The man at the Christmas tree tent in Malibu kept winking at me and nodding when no one else was looking. I smiled and kept looking at the trees. (In Malibu, we Jews have Christmas trees.) Finally, he motioned to me to come over to is table. He cupped his hand over his mouth and took my hand. "We won," he said. "We won."I knew exactly what he meant. "You can talk about it," I said. "This is America.""Yes, but it's also Malibu and I don't want people yelling at me."
A few minutes later, I was grabbing a shopping cart at How's Market in the Trancas section of Malibu when a sweet faced middle aged woman approached me carefully. Then she saw a young couple nearby and turned away. Moments later, she ran into me at the egg cooler, looked around to make sure there was no one looking or listening and said. "I love what you say about politics on TV. You're so brave. I'm on your side. There are some of us here but we keep our mouths shut.""You don't need to," I said. "The election's over. We won.""Yes, but it's not over out here." . . . .
. . . ."This is the way it is here. We meet in smoky places. We give the high sign, we nod knowingly. We are like members of the Maquis in Occupied France. Or early Christians emerging from the catacombs in Caligula's Rome. We are the GOP in Hollywood, and on the West Side of L.A. The culture here is so dominantly left-wing, PC, vegan, hate-America that many of us feel we have to behave as if we were underground.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Is Non-partisan even possible?
After reading the comments that have been contributed to Christian Grantham's and GayPatriot's site over the HRC, I have to wonder if if even possible for any large G/L organization to truely pursue a non-partisan agenda. Or more correctly stated, a bi-partisan agenda. If the radicalized-Left of the G/L community considers us class-traitors, sell-outs and Jewish Nazis; what's the point?
Should we consider the NGLTF and the HRC simply and plainly as Democratic Party-affiliated organizations? We willl know for sure once the HRC selects a new Exec. Director....I'll wager that it will be another radical-extremist to appeal to the major liberal donors. "...No changes of course, no backing-down on tactics, man the barricades!!"
To the HRC and NGLTF---
"Those slamming noises you hear are the doors of Congress slamming-shut in your face. Just slide your PAC-checks under the door and we'll call you, later . . . . much later."
Should we consider the NGLTF and the HRC simply and plainly as Democratic Party-affiliated organizations? We willl know for sure once the HRC selects a new Exec. Director....I'll wager that it will be another radical-extremist to appeal to the major liberal donors. "...No changes of course, no backing-down on tactics, man the barricades!!"
To the HRC and NGLTF---
"Those slamming noises you hear are the doors of Congress slamming-shut in your face. Just slide your PAC-checks under the door and we'll call you, later . . . . much later."
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
How many members does the HRC have?
HRC 2002-2003 Report
Out of couriosity, I've been looking at last year's HRC Report, and the numbers don't add-up. They claimed 500,000 members who contributed approx. $7-million-dollars. With a minumum contribution of $35-dollars, that's less than 200,000 members assuming some gave more the $35-dollar minimum. ...Where are the other 300,000 members?
The general membership contributed approx 34% of the $17.5-million-dollar income last year, and the HRC spent more on Fundraising ($4,580,243) as they did on Federal, Field and Legal Advocacy ($4,274,468). In-fact, they spent 42% of their income on management, general expenses and fundraising. They only provided $350,000 to state groups, just under 2% of their income.
Out of couriosity, I've been looking at last year's HRC Report, and the numbers don't add-up. They claimed 500,000 members who contributed approx. $7-million-dollars. With a minumum contribution of $35-dollars, that's less than 200,000 members assuming some gave more the $35-dollar minimum. ...Where are the other 300,000 members?
The general membership contributed approx 34% of the $17.5-million-dollar income last year, and the HRC spent more on Fundraising ($4,580,243) as they did on Federal, Field and Legal Advocacy ($4,274,468). In-fact, they spent 42% of their income on management, general expenses and fundraising. They only provided $350,000 to state groups, just under 2% of their income.
HRC Follies
Christian Grantham reports that only 5% of the HRC's budget went to support G/L legislation at local and state-levels. This inspite of the HRC's own report that "....state lawmakers across the country spent more time than ever before debating legislation affecting the lives of GLBT Americans," producing "nearly 300 GLBT-related bills introduced in state capitols."
Monday, December 20, 2004
National Identity Cards
Charles Clarke has an interesting Op-Ed in The Times of London on the British parliamentary debate over National ID Cards. While British subjects do not have a Bill of Rights in the sense that we do, they are afforded some protections through the EU Constitution, and there is a strong interest in civil liberties in Britain.
Natl ID Cards in Britain
I have mixed feelings about this issue. In-part it depends on if one HAS to carry them, and who can demand to see it and under what circumstances. To any American, the demand "..Papers!" is repugnant. Yet the authoritarian TSA grope-sessions now taking place at our airports should be also repugnant.
To support them, American biometric ID cards would have to be absolutely bullet-proof as far as their legitimacy and indiviuality; and both universal and strictly circumscribed. Paradoxically, you need to both make accessible to double as your driver's license, universal bank and credit-card...and have draconian laws against mis-use. Perhaps the info can be carried on the card itself, and the authorization access code is on a National database. That way, the government would only have the basic-outline of your ID, and a series of 'go'/'no go' decision-gates that could also be used by businesses and financial institutions for credit/debit transactions, retail loyalty-cards, etc...
Natl ID Cards in Britain
I have mixed feelings about this issue. In-part it depends on if one HAS to carry them, and who can demand to see it and under what circumstances. To any American, the demand "..Papers!" is repugnant. Yet the authoritarian TSA grope-sessions now taking place at our airports should be also repugnant.
To support them, American biometric ID cards would have to be absolutely bullet-proof as far as their legitimacy and indiviuality; and both universal and strictly circumscribed. Paradoxically, you need to both make accessible to double as your driver's license, universal bank and credit-card...and have draconian laws against mis-use. Perhaps the info can be carried on the card itself, and the authorization access code is on a National database. That way, the government would only have the basic-outline of your ID, and a series of 'go'/'no go' decision-gates that could also be used by businesses and financial institutions for credit/debit transactions, retail loyalty-cards, etc...
Friday, December 17, 2004
A Governing Board?
Greg Reisher has an interesting point of view on the future course of the Gay Rights Movement.
Marriage Lessons
".... And, finally, we must find a way to bring together the major gay and lesbian organizations—HRC, Lambda Legal Defense, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Victory Fund—to create a “governing board” where we can have one coordinated, synchronized and coherent strategy for achieving equality. No longer can we allow one issue or one organization to co-opt the entire movement. We should take a lesson from the civil rights struggles of the past: Come together to build one cohesive strategy and let each of the organizations do what they do best to achieve it. "
Marriage Lessons
".... And, finally, we must find a way to bring together the major gay and lesbian organizations—HRC, Lambda Legal Defense, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Victory Fund—to create a “governing board” where we can have one coordinated, synchronized and coherent strategy for achieving equality. No longer can we allow one issue or one organization to co-opt the entire movement. We should take a lesson from the civil rights struggles of the past: Come together to build one cohesive strategy and let each of the organizations do what they do best to achieve it. "
DADT as a National Security Issue
Nathaniel Frank of the NY Times has pointed and cogent op-ed on how DADT is in-part responsible for the recall of former service-members from civilian life.
Ready, Willing, Disqualified
In wartime, DADT is impacting our warfighting capability. Ending DADT should be treated as a National Security issue, not a moral issue.
UPDATE:
Ending or suspending DADT would also allow military recruitment and ROTC access to many Ivy League and other top-tier schools. The calumny that the "elites" don't participate in military service is partially due to their colleges liberal-bias against the US Military, not their individual patriotism.
Ivy League ROTC
UPDATE:
The LA Times Editorial Page basically agrees.
"When a group of soldiers, furious that their duty tours had been extended, sued to get out of the military on the same day last week that a dozen former soldiers who had been bounced just because they were gay sued to get back in, it didn’t take a four-star general to see the irony – and the waste. ...."
".... Researchers from the University of California-Santa Barbara's Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military have found that many gays and lesbians, including Army Ranger Brian Hughes, who helped rescue POW Jessica Lynch, served openly in Iraq and Afghanistan without problems from their comrades. The study involves a small sample, but its results echo others. ...."
Let Gay Soldiers Return to Erase Stop-loss Policy - Los Angeles Times editorial
The Supreme Court did overturn the heterosexual sodomy against two members of the service just this month, in-part to Lawrence v. Texas. Perhaps the tide is starting to turn?
Ready, Willing, Disqualified
In wartime, DADT is impacting our warfighting capability. Ending DADT should be treated as a National Security issue, not a moral issue.
UPDATE:
Ending or suspending DADT would also allow military recruitment and ROTC access to many Ivy League and other top-tier schools. The calumny that the "elites" don't participate in military service is partially due to their colleges liberal-bias against the US Military, not their individual patriotism.
Ivy League ROTC
UPDATE:
The LA Times Editorial Page basically agrees.
"When a group of soldiers, furious that their duty tours had been extended, sued to get out of the military on the same day last week that a dozen former soldiers who had been bounced just because they were gay sued to get back in, it didn’t take a four-star general to see the irony – and the waste. ...."
".... Researchers from the University of California-Santa Barbara's Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military have found that many gays and lesbians, including Army Ranger Brian Hughes, who helped rescue POW Jessica Lynch, served openly in Iraq and Afghanistan without problems from their comrades. The study involves a small sample, but its results echo others. ...."
Let Gay Soldiers Return to Erase Stop-loss Policy - Los Angeles Times editorial
The Supreme Court did overturn the heterosexual sodomy against two members of the service just this month, in-part to Lawrence v. Texas. Perhaps the tide is starting to turn?
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