Nationally Republicans continue to screw the pooch and get away scott free

They continue to live their fantasy while telling us queers and fags that we are the immoral ones. How self righteous and "holy" can you get without shooting your self for hypocrisy? I have been holding off on posting this until I read the following via TowleRoad:

Bet you almost forgot about him. An investigation has been ongoing since Foley stepped down over his inappropriate online communications with underage pages, and two federal law enforcement officials told the AP they were expecting no charges:

"The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, said the results of a state investigation would be announced Friday. They said neither state nor federal charges were expected, although an FBI investigation has not been closed yet."

As a refresher, the Mark Foley scandal in seven minutes, click here.

Now for the rest of the post regarding the Republicans versus GLBT people at their National Convention:

Gay Sex At The Republican Convention
DNA Magazine, Australia

Those conservative Republican folks are winding up their convention, having nominated a man 7 years past retirement age as their presidential candidate, and a moose-hunting, ex-beauty queen as the vice presidential candidate. As this hilarious video from Jon Stewart's The Daily Show likes to point out, a lot of these Republican types are hypocritical closet-cases...

A new deck of cards portraying hypocritical US Republican politicians caught in gay trysts, one being in a public toilet, is bringing a whole new meaning to having a 'straight flush' or a 'queens full'. Some of the prominent hypocrites featured in the deck include Congressman Mark Foley, Senator Larry Craig and Washington State senator James West. Larry Craig was famously caught tapping toes with an undercover officer in a public toilet at a US airport terminal. Mark Foley brought disgrace to himself and his party when he was found to have had an improper relationship with an underage male page. All these men have in one way or another spoken out and voted against gay rights and pro-gay legislation, whilst hiding and even after (in Craig's case) having been discovered to have their own homosexual tendencies. You can buy a deck of the cards here.

GOP axes delegate guide over gay listings
PageOneQ

The Virginia delegation canceled an order of a publication it planned to hand out to visitors at the upcoming Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, because it included a six-page section for gays and lesbians, KSTP reported. 150 copies of the "Secrets of the City" guide, printed by The Rake, http://rakemag.com/ were ordered by the campaign for Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling to hand out to delegates as gifts on arrival at the convention, which starts on September 1.

"I am so terribly sorry to do this," Bolling's political director Melissa Busse wrote to The Rake, "especially when the both of you have been so 'out of your way' helpful, generous and easy to work with. But, we need to cancel the order for 150 of the 'Secrets of the City' guidebooks...having a section dedicated solely to GLBT (sic) will be a BIG problem for many of our folks. We simply can't hand them out."

A PDF copy of the guide in question can be viewed at this link, courtesy of KSTP.

Now aside from the fact that unequivocally I feel that they made the wrong decision by both McCain and Palin and while I am on record as saying if I were left with only two choices I would have to vote for them over Obama and Biden hands down. Fortunately I am not tied soley to those statements. Because we do have a third option, the best option, and that is Libertarians Robert Barr and Wayne Allyn Root our Party's candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. Unlike their traditional two party opponents, they are even willing to meet the gay community half way. I ask each of you, my courageous readers, to take an honest look as well.

Bob Barr is for the repeal of Dont Ask Dont Tell:

Dont Ask Dont Tell refers towards Gays and Lesbians serving openly in the military. He wrote an opinion editorial in the Wall Street Journal back on 13th of June regarding this exact subject following the widely broadcast Republican debates. Here is an excerpt:

First, true conservative political philosophy respects the principles of individual freedom and personal privacy, particularly when it comes to what people do in private. The invasive investigations required to discharge a service member are an unconscionable intrusion into the private lives of American citizens.... Second, and on a more practical level, the ban on gays openly serving in our armed forces is hurting a military that is stretched thin, putting further strain on an institution conservatives claim to love. The U.S. has fired over 11,000 people under the current policy, and in the process has lost over 1,000 service members with "mission-critical skills," including 58 Arabic linguists.... Third, the gay ban wastes money. According to a Blue Ribbon Commission made up of academics and prominent defense leaders including former Defense Secretary William Perry, the gay ban has cost taxpayers over $360 million, and even this figure did not include many of the actual costs of rounding up gays and lesbians, firing them and training their replacements....

Bob Barr is for repeal of the second part of the horrible Defense Of Marriage Act:

Even though he originally coauthored it, he stated the following during his acceptance speech at our National Convention "Standing before you, looking you in the eye, the Defense of Marriage Act, insofar as it provided the federal government a club to club down the rights of law-abiding, American citizens, has been abused, misused and should be repealed," (Source: SOUTHERN VOICE). In other words, the way it has been utilized is not the way it was intended by Congress. Bob Barr continued this thought process in another venue and as part of his official platform:

"The federal government should neither regulate personal relationships nor discriminate against individuals for their personal preferences. Laws regulating marriage should be left to the states, precisely where the Constitution places the issue. Regardless of whether one supports or opposes same sex marriage, the decision to recognize such unions ought to be made by each state rather than imposed as a one-size-fits-all mandate by the federal government. Any federal laws that prevent states from determining their own standards for marriage should be repealed; the federal government should not define marriage, whether by statute or constitutional amendment. In this way, every state would remain free to determine for its citizens the basis on which marriage would be recognized within its borders, and would not be forced to adopt a contrary determination legislated by another state."

I have stated this before and I will state this again: As a Gay American and a local Religious Leader, if former Congress member Bob Barr of Georgia is truthfully willing to meet my people half way, then I will do the same. That is the least I can ask from a candidate compared to the the other two saps on the political stump who aren't even willing to keep their answers, to my Community members' questions, straight.

To visit the OUTright Libertarians our (GLBT) Caucus Website or Blog, Click on the links.

What a hell of a post for Palm Sunday: Politics and Sex is Reality?

Going to the Chapel of Love...
... and we still can't get legally married in Indiana!

So of course every Gay and Lesbian Hoosier is jumping up and down because Senate Joint Resolution Seven aka, the "Indiana Marriage Protection Amendment" died emphatically for at least another four years. As most are now better aware of the process, in order to pass a Constitutional Amendment in the Crossroads of America it must be heard by two consecutive separately elected classes of the General Assembly before it can be put to a referendum vote of the Citizenry at a general election.

Even with the last minute attempts by certain PACs to throw their weight around the Statehouse, certain members of the House stood firm to actually take care of the real business at hand, property tax relief. Due to some very brave legislators it was stopped in committee procedures and never saw the light of day on the House floor. Thanks go especially to State Representative Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City), Chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee.

So what is the tax value of my redneck multilevel dream home? [Photo Credit: John Good @ Left In Aboite]

So about the "bipartisan cooperation", which is an attempt at humor in its self, found capping the assessed tax value of property at increments of one, two, and three percent respectfully depending on the type of properties as the General Assembly's last minute grandstanding close to this session so they would not have to return for a special session as threatened by Governor Mitch Daniels.

Meanwhile they raised the Sales Tax another percent. In Allen County alone that will make our total sales tax eight percent (because of the out dated one percent Food and Beverage Tax that is still being collected for the Memorial Coliseum) plus the modified expenses of doing business in Allen County and across the State which will be passed on to the consumer, never carried by the business.

So much for being able to eat a
good dinner for five dollars.

What is really sad is that the final legislation carried specific provisions for Lake and Saint Joseph Counties, which the State Supreme Court already ruled unconstitutional in a few other matters; and so therefore, within a year we will probably be back to the same old bullshit with a different colour and cause. Once again the politicians have screwed over the Citizens and no one seems the wiser.

Allen Co. GOP tries to breathe deeply and comes back with a head cold.

On this past Wednesdays post which was a tad late also, as this post is for Saturday as well, sorry about that, I mentioned some of the crazy things going on in the local GOP headquarters and with the Party Chair as a whole. To all fairness and credit I must give Steve Shine time to respond and he did so in his State of the Party Address.

Love Client and Big Brother number Nine

There of course is the story of now defamed New York Governor, Eliot Laurence Spitzer, who tried to cover up an lurid affair with a high end twenty two year old prostitute (with more aliases then I have names) by asking a bank to disguise a ten thousand dollar transaction made to the 'sponsoring organization' which in turn tripped a mechanism in federal law for mandatory reporting of income and launched a federal inquiry which caught the former hard nose, long arm on moral values crimes, in a wire tap investigation, which then led to his demise. Pending threats of impeachment and the general celebration by people he had prosecuted in the past under the guise of protecting the public, he got snared by the very same laws he helped pass.

That is in my honest opinion the ultimate irony of judicial review!

The vlog gossip show Blog Monkey from Sean Haines and Allan Murray over at OMOVIES in Episode Seven did some pretty funny commentary on this and that David Hernandez, whom was voted off this week on American Idol, formerly stripped and danced as well as tended bar at two different gay male establishments.

Along with the rest of Reality Television

Some of the other Reality Television queer scandals and rumors from come from Joshuah, James, and Neil over at the Big Brother House. Neil Garcia who left some pretty revealing pictures on his own myspace account had to leave the show and separate from his "partner" earlier in the season, but as was found shortly after to be recording some information video clips on WeHoPediaTV regularly. During one of the more extemporaneous moments, not shown on the telecast but on the live feed and widely circulated around the internet, Joshuah Welch, slated as Neil's partner originally, and James made some pretty questionable statements (2:45 mark of the 1st video) about using cocaine during anal sex (booty bumps) and safe sex practices inside the context of a committed relationship which put half the gay blogosphere up in arms; and the other half saying, "Thank God someone finally said it like it is." (TowleRoad)

"I do bareback with my boyfriend. We've both been tested for HIV and we're both negative so it's cool. I only do that with my boyfriend. I don't do that on a random one night stand. That's too risky... (Joshuah Welch)"

James Zinkand, who was just voted out then voted back in a BB coup, the supposed straight punk house guest has been revealed to be a gay adult film star with some awesomely randy pictures floating around of his huge and hung horse. "He is also one of the stars of an upcoming East Village-based gay soap opera Dirty Tricks (co-produced by Dirty Boy Video and Naked Sword). The online-only soap is scheduled to be launched sometime this month. (cite)"

The posting of the pictures also created a controversy on The BILERICO Project when the pictures from Dirty Boy Video weren't just posted but made available without censor if you just clicked the pictures into a new tab or window, which is a common practice on most upscale gay blog servers.

Now of course, F6 has a strict policy (main part below) about, "no frontal exposure of male genitalia without explicit reason or valid illustration"; but I, as the Editor of F6, fully support and defend Bil Browning in his constant diligence to keep the conversation open and, with class, attempt to provide full disclosure and access (even when using questionably graphic or erotic images) into the marketplace of ideas. Bil listed a set of questions partially in his own defense but also to go deeper into the dialog of what it means to be a complete queer community. F6 will provide its answers to those questions in a separate post by Wednesday as an open letter to Bil Browning and the rest of BILERICO's contributers and readership.

"This Blog, F6, contains graphic images, and some can be construed as male erotic art; however, every precaution has been made that no frontal exposure of male genitalia will take place without explicit reason for artistic license or valid illustration by F6 of written content within the provisions of: the community service by, and general commentary of, F6. The graphical and written content of F6 will expressly promote the beauty of the male body and spirit with natural expressions of intimacies sometimes between two or more men. F6 may at times be perceived as offensive, perverse, lewd, and down right blunt; but at all times, any content of F6 is for the education of the reader, and does not in anyway, legally constitute as pornography."

There is more to talk about. This post has given a whole new meaning to corn fed beef, woof! I might make a non scheduled post before Wednesday but until then I hope you all had an awesome Saint Patrick's Day (which was transfered by the Western Patriarch of Rome to the 15th so as not to conflict with Holy Week, blah!). May y'all have a peace filled Holy Week, and enjoy the celebrations of the neo-pagan Sabbath of Ostara (19th) followed up with my favorite three day season Paschal Tridium, and the Solemn Octave (8Days) of the Resurrection!

F6 EDITOR'S NOTE:
MY APOLOGIES TO MR. WELCH FOR MISSPELLING HIS NAME ORIGINALLY.
F6 EDITOR'S UPDATE:
Additionally anyone who wishes to follow Crazy James' tour may add him on MySpace

So my Wednesday post is a little late...Homeschooling and the GOP

I have been sitting on some of these stories, partially so they could unfold fully and partially so I could add my perspective without "jumping on the blog wagon" as everyone pulls together and shows their mutual or at least reciprocal outrage for different parts of different events that have happened over the last several weeks.

First lets get the supposed Squirrel Society out of the way as well as the Republican Party of Allen County.

After all the in fighting is said and done what will be left of the GOP in this county is hard to say with all the posturing and attempts to overthrow the current regime through the precinct committee positions (the ones whom have the "stockholder" positions in the Party), and the withholding of funds by major party supporters until there is a change proves yet again why just having a free market system would in turn either improve a product and service or remove it by a show of silent force of the public or constituency.

What is really sad is that after all the work and money that was put into remodeling the GOP Headquarters downtown several years back as a "Shine"-ing testament by their fearless leader is going up for sale and the offices of the GOP are having to be relocated for a lack of funding for the two grand plus a month in rent and all the utilities, not to mention the fact the Party is now in serious debt.

For supposed fiscal conservatives I find all of it absolutely hilarious!

In other news that hit the national and local blogs is a controversy over homeschooling, school choice, and the purpose of Systematic Public Instruction that is mandated by law with compulsion to all our children. Thanks to an old California law a court has made a blanket ruling stating that in fact it is illegal to not have a credentialed teacher, tutor, or instructor, providing the education in the home. Before I comment further there are some awesome updates on this particular case over at The Full Quiver.

The California case was not a normal situation and unlike other bloggers I believe the panel had every right to restrict what school the children could be placed in given the documented abuse of privileges by the parents and the particular school 's failure to assure the safety of the children and that they were receiving an adequate balanced education. Applying the decision without giving the legislature time to address the issue was just a tad over barring but still a precedented legitimate interpretation of the law.

This decision will hamper home schooling locations in the immediate term of application for the ruling yet think of the benefits for all the substitute teachers who will now be able to be hired on full or part time by parents looking to keep their children at home. It is a boom for the economy no matter how the situation unfolds. However if parents are then required to provide an instructor, the State should pay the persons that are hired salaries as the parents have already paid their taxes; and so therefore the State, is then obligated to sustain the most beneficial education possible for each student and that should still be determined by the parents discretion in normal cases.

Stipulating as I have in the past:
I am a product of the Public School system and proud of it!

Now, I do believe there needs to be a minimum certification process though with continuing education requirements but the idea of asking a parent to go through a complete three year certification process is about as ridiculous as my last attempt to get a teacher in Public Schools to stay past 3:30 to help one of my kids with work in math. I couldn't do it because I am numerically dyslexic.

I also believe there needs to be more openness with the school districts providing textbooks and social interaction time like Phys Ed courses and other enrichment program (eg: art, band choir, wood shop, etc.) times for a concentrated opportunity for children to have a balanced education and for the parents to get a break a couple days a week, especially with high school and middle school students.

Most high school and middle school teachers in FWCS, as I have been told, get one planning period per day and that could easily be converted by the School Board into providing a continued enrichment support for home school children, again only on like Tuesdays and Thursdays, as a limited enrichment opportunity.

I should probably just give up hope and run for the School Board myself!

[PHOTO SOURCES: The top picture's sources are not remembered at this time. The school bus was ganked from Richmond Community Schools for its obviously gay friendly undertones.]