Year In Review: Personally Politically Yours

The Libertarian Party of Allen County

This year we saw the Party locally come out from relative inconspicuousness to challenge heartily eight of nine City Council seats and throw the mainstream political parties on their rears while crying foul. While we didn't come out victorious in any race we definitely established a presence in County and City politics and have made everyone even the Editorial Board of the Journal Gazette stand up, take account, and eat their own words several times over. On an organizational front, 2007 also saw the restart of the Campus Libertarians @ IPFW under the leadership of Kody Tinnel. And we received front page coverage on two issues of Frost Illustrated right before the general election and in the early summer with an awesome cover and article in the Fort Wayne Reader.

You can review some of the stories in F6's archive and other blogs in the area but when all is said and now done it comes to one quote from outgoing Second District Council Member Donald Schmidt (R) in an exit interview with Jeff Nuemeyer from the Indiana News Center:

"There were several things that were working against us, uh, it was a bad year for Republicans at the national level, obviously. Secondly, the Mayoral situation was working against us. The smoking issue had riled a lot of people up, that was out there,and the Libertarian Party was coming after us."

Donald was a nine term incumbent who was upset not just by twelve votes to Redevelopment Commissioner Karen Goldner (D) but with a newcomer relocated from Ohio, Libertarian Jonathan Bartels (pic-far left), whom took six percent of the vote in that race also. Other races which saw impressive leads by Libertarians were in the First with Byron Peters grabbing ten percent and father of three, Robert Fuller (pic-cntr right), pulling eight percent in the Fifth, and two of our At Large candidates Douglas Horner (pic-cntr left) and William Larsen pulled over four thousand votes each.

Tomorrow starts a new life for the City as a whole since we have a new mayor and had a shift in City Council with five of nine seats being filled by newcomers. I wish them the best and ask them for one favor, fix the problems caused by the previous administrations and overzealous Council members please. The second smoking ban being on the top of the list followed by Combined Sewer Overflows, public safety pensions, and bad policies - like tax abatements for fast food restaurants. 2008 is going to be an awesome year with local school boards and county government, and general assembly positions all coming up for a vote. We also might finally see the demise of Mark "dont keep my promises" Souder from Congress. One only wonders if Dan Turkette @ Fort Wayne News was successful in his propositioning of Matt Kelty to run for Souder's seat also, it will be interesting to watch.

UPDATES FROM F6

F6 got national attention for my review of Buddy G My Two Moms And Me earlier this month. The comments left by one of the two co-creators of this d2v series was heartily appreciated and I wanted to take a moment and say thank you to Donna personally for her comments and cross linking. Back in November, F6 introduced readers to a new web 2.0 community and telecast called QUARTERLIFE. A storyline about mid twenty somethings just trying to figure out their difference in the world as they know it. The show airs new ten minute segments every Sunday and Thursday on their website and myspace pages. I am pleased to announce that NBC has picked up the series and will air the show with six initial hour long episodes from the late winter to early spring of 2008.

FAQs From Fr. Fozy

There has been not much new on the home front I go in for my three month review with my doctors shortly after the New Year and we will see from there as to how my kidneys and heart are doing. On a last note, I received for my birthday and Christmas a really cool crocheted beaded necklace and crocheted prayer beads from my brother Curt, the necklace has been adapted slightly to accept my pectoral cross, as was his intent. It is a little itchy, but it is cool non the less, it almost gives off the appearance of braided hemp.

[04 Jan 07 UPDATE:]
My creatine levels (what is checked for proper kidney function) have dropped from 3.7 to 3.1, which means my kidney function is improving! Now the main thing that I have to focus on for the next four months is to get back down to my correct (pre-heart failures) weight, which is going to be a bitch and a half - but a blessing beyond compare, that it is the only thing I have to worry about for the next four months. Thank you everyone for your prayers and positive thoughts.

Top Photo:
Candidates Jonathan Bartels, Douglas Horner, Robert Fuller, and Robert Enders
at Fort Wayne PRIDE Festival 28th of July 2007 @ Headwaters Park East.
Photo taken by Mrs. Jennifer Jeffrey, Party Chair.

queer news that I should probably do separate entries for

There are some very interesting socio-poli stories hitting the news that could seriously affect the dialog during the initial volley of primary election fights within each party and between the candidates themselves. New Hampshire is where it all breaks down as the second primary state and we will see where in fact the candidates truly stand and if they can stay on message or will certain ones loose their shirt (which btw, I wouldn't want to see even John Edwards chest on that note) when they feel compelled "to testify" their "truth" in the gay marriage versus civil unions debate or many other issues coming out (no pun intended).

New Hampshire Prepares For Civil Unions
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

(Concord, New Hampshire) Same-sex couples in New Hampshire will be able to apply for civil union licenses in about a week the state agency that oversees marriage licenses has announced. Civil Unions will be come legal in the state January. The Secretary of State's office said that if couples want to have a civil union on New Year's Day they will be able to do so. A new license has been created for civil unions and will be available at local clerk's offices in towns and cities across the state.

Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said that the state is still fine tuning the software that will allow town clerks to access the state's computer system. But Scanlan said the system will be fully operational by the first week of December.

New Hampshire is the fourth state to grant civil unions after New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont. Neighboring Massachusetts in 2004 became the only state to allow gay marriage. The law was passed earlier this year and signed into law in May by Gov. John Lynch. Couples entering civil unions will have the same rights, responsibilities and obligations as married couples. Same-sex unions from other states also would be recognized if they were legal in the state where they were performed.

At Senate hearings into the bill the openly gay bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, said that the state should embrace couples seeking civil unions because they value monogamy and commitment.
''Would that we could get all heterosexual couples to take these commitments and responsibilities so seriously,'' he said.Robinson who is at the center of an Anglican feud over the role of gays in the denomination told senators that he deserves equality for himself and his partner of nearly 20 years.

A bill that would allow same-sex marriage is currently before the New York State legislature but Senate Republicans have vowed to defeat the measure.

In California the state Supreme Court is to hear arguments in a gay marriage case early next year.

In other queer news out of Nebraska, we are introduced to Buddy G and his two mothers as he explores science, plays with his personal computer, all while trying not to fall out of his tree house (seriously that last step is animation death trap).

Cartoon Series Features Boy With Two Moms
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

(Omaha, Nebraska) A small Nebraska-based film company has released what it calls the first animated series featuring a family made up of two moms. "Buddy G - My Two Moms and Me" a five year old boy named Buddy who loves science and solves daily problems with the help of his sidekick "Socrates," an armband computer with Internet capabilities. In addition to Buddy G's 2 moms, the cartoon includes a 7 year old next door neighbor "Owen," who is fascinated with Elvis.

In the premiere episode, The Lost Rings, the boys learn the value of being truthful while picking up some facts from Socrates about the science of metal detectors. The series was created by Margaux and Donna Towne-Colley who say it was inspired by the birth of their own son. "It took longer, cost more and was way harder then we thought it would be, but we couldn’t be happier or more proud of the cartoon and the potential it represents" said Margaux Towne-Colley.

"While today's children have ready access to literature depicting families headed by parents of the same gender, this is the first time that children with two moms or two dads will able to see the star of a show with a family just like their families," she said. Future episodes will include a variety of families including those with 2 dads.Even though the series was designed for children with gay and lesbian parents, the Towne-Colleys say the show is great entertainment for all families.

Gentle readers please understand, I want to be all proud and supportive and queer like that; but this seems no different than the animation series on some PBS or Cable Stations, including certain indoctrination issues being masked in animation for the name of science and math instead of bad religion or improper stereotypical comedy, none of which I condone especially when it comes to little children being exposed to it. Please also understand that I in no way fault the mothers for creating this on behalf of their child to be. It is something that is necessary and something a lot of gay parents have been waiting for, but I still have concerns.

There is just no reason for a five year old to have an armband computer with internet capability to solve daily problems with. Deductive reasoning and the Scientific Method happens naturally within a child's environment and they also develop basic social skills from interaction with their peers not a computer; or for that matter since we are near the subject anyway, a cell phone too. Should a five year old know how to use a computer and cell phone semi-proficiently? Yes, sure! However there is no reason for a child under the age of ten to regard a personal computer as his sidekick that is reserved for both a pet (bird, dog or cat, fish, etc.) and for the best friend(s) that always plays the Indian or the Robber and while the other interprets the Cowboi Cop.

In the case of Buddy G's story clip the role play is a King and his Knight (second video). Which in turn, said friendship(s) over the course of a lifetime makes for beautiful same sex BDSM relationship(s) later on down the road, trust me on that one, lol!