This Weekend, Local GLBT Groups Are Hosting Democratic Federal & Statewide Campaign Events & Libertarians On Equality Issues & GLBT Persons (UPDATED)

God-des and She performs 8:30p.m. this Saturday Upstairs @ Columbia Street West

Hip Hop, R&B, Soul Artists Goddes and She (MySpace) from Brooklyn, New York (pic @ right with Jay Brannan), are the special guest headliners for a two day Democrat Making Change Happen campaign event by Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee, HRC Fort Wayne Chapter, and cross sponsored by Reality Magazine. Joining Goddes and She will be The Campaign For Change, and openly gay State Representative Greg Harris of Illinois, along with many other politicians or their staff to answer your questions.

Here is the official video for their hit song LICK IT, aka DO THAT PUSSY RIGHT:



Here are the complete details for Making Change Happen
Location: Columbia Street West Banquet Hall
135 West Columbia St. Ft. Wayne IN 46802
There will be a cash bar. Doors Open 7p; Performance 8:30p Enter off of Harrison Street.
Tickets: Ages 15 and up $15 non-HRC members, $10 HRC members, $5 students w/valid ID.
RSVP please to Linda Bentz via email or phone. All proceeds go directly to HRC.
The fun continues 2p Sunday @ Allen Co. Democrat Party HQ @ 1920 Bluffton Rd, w/dessert.

We all know that life isn’t the way it should be for people who are GLBT. We also know that real change is possible - that it can be better. So now what?

We begin by electing fair-minded, equality candidates to office - from Barack Obama, Jill Long-Thompson, and Michael Montagano, right through to locals Kevin Knuth and Maria Parra - all of whom have reached out to us, fight for us, and who genuinely care about us as human beings. These people have consistently put their beliefs in action, and now it’s time for us to do the same.

~Linda Bentz, HRC FW Lead, (Reality Magazine, volume 2, issue 9, page 3)

Please Notice: in the article/press release excerpt above she listed only Democrats which is not a complete list of candidates for equality up for election this November, just the ones HRC FW & FW PRIDE want to support. That, in my honest opinion, is a violation of their Non Profit status with the State of Indiana.

How Libertarians Handle Equality Issues & Assure The Rights Of GLBT Persons

The problem with the above scenario, which repeats almost every election cycle in some regard, comes into play because, while Libertarians are pro equality, we operate under a different paradigm based on the individual's merit versus a collective privilege. Even though we strive to reach the same goals, it seems like die hard Republicans or Democrats can't handle the philosophical differences/challenges of just treating all persons as individuals, with the self evident truth that they were created equally and entitled to a free life with full liberty and the ability to pursue their own happiness with whomever or however many persons they choose to share it with in common bonds. The Libertarian Party Platform specifically reads in regards to marriage equality,

"government does not have the authority to
define, license or restrict personal relationships."

This self evident truth, of all persons being created equal, was declared by our Founding Fathers in The Declaration of Independence, which is also encased in the very beginning of the United States Code under Organic Laws of the United States, and just needs to be properly interpreted by The Supreme Court, and applied into law by The United States Congress, and enforced by the Executor of the Constitution and Commander In Chief.

The problem wont be solved by new laws but by first cleaning up and throwing out the unconstitutional laws that already exist. Then we can worry about adding new laws to the books. If we don't clean up the books soon, we might find ourselves having to write a new constitution though. That is a process that no one wants to go through and I don't think we have the courage to do so either.

Wouldn't it be better to preserve this nation rather than watch it die slowly and outside of our control?

Take a moment and think about it before you decide which candidate is just the lesser of two evils. Take a moment a think about what a third party candidate can bring to the legislative table and the marketplace of ideas. Diversity for one is for all equality!

RESOURCES: To visit LP of Allen Co. website or blog; or the LP of Indiana website; or the LP National website. To find out more info about OUTright the GLBT Caucus's website or blog. Here is the most current list of all LP Candidates up for election for voters to choose locally.

Take A Moment If You Dont Mind?

Take more than a moment and pray for our nation, our fellow citizens, and our leaders, in this time of crisis and chaos. As we have passed the Sabbath of Mabon and the Solemn Triumph of the Cross, and approach the Festival Rosh HaShanah, may we give thanks for the bounty we have been bestowed previously; and have enough humility to ask for mercy. Don't forget to also ask for wisdom, that we make the right decisions. On the 4th of November, make sure your decisions will secure the blessings of liberty for our posterity forever and ever. AMEN!

Reminder: The deadline to register to vote is the 6th of October.

Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest: warming up to be a mediocre celebration this year.

Just within the past month or so the GLBT Community has finally been receiving messages from our Fort Wayne PRIDE Festival Committee regarding this year's celebration. The group has a new host for its website and it looks really awesome in the picturesque "Room For Dreams" colour scheme and display. Unfortunately for myself the schedule as it is laid out so far is lame as hell. Instead of taking the opportunity to reinvent the wheel after an awesome fucking late show last year arranged (16-July-08*updated via Della: by Paige Turner and headlined*) by Miss Tykela, crowned Miss Fort Wayne PRIDE 2007, it seems like the schedule (as of 19April08, pdf) just languishes.

I mean no offense, and I do love their music, but who wants to hear two hours of Good Night Gracie on Friday? For that matter, do we really need a drag show on Saturday to go on for two hours either? Both events close their perspective evenings of PRIDE Fest from 10p-12m. I do like the fact that they are bringing in newer talent like Rich Lysaght (Friday, 8:50p) and some committed classic performers @ our PRIDE return as well like LVNMUZIQ (Saturday, 12:45p). But seriously after ten years one would think that the same old format needs to change or at least mature to the next level.

I am pleased to announce that after three weeks since the competition, we "finally know who" Miss Fort Wayne PRIDE 2008 will be, Della Licious, the incomparable former morning Disc Jockey on WJFX HOT107.9, is going to be representing the Fort Wayne Gay Community in her finest fashion and presentation. I have to give credit to Della she is a friend and strong advocate for the GLBTIQAS Community. Mr. Pride will be decided on the 12th of July along with the other competition going on for PRIDE, which is an "IDOL" karaoke competition with the preliminary rounds happening on the 9th of July. All three preliminary events are being held @ After Dark Night Club, 1601 South Harrison Street (5 blocks south of Jefferson Boulevard, past Powers Hamburgers and under the viaduct).

Of course that leads back to one of my original bitch session for the last decade (10 years):
Q: Why does everything queer happen at the bars?
A: The bars are for Queers what the Church is for Blacks.

As a matter of fact a lot of Gay Churches started in the back of the Gay Bars on a Sunday night. The bars were the only historical place for us to be ourselves, be safe, be with each other, get caught up on the news of the day or current queer events, and rally for our equality and freedom. So therefore younger queer bois and gyrlz can not participate in the activities within the larger GLBTIQAS Community, because alcohol is being consumed/served. Then as that is the case, you are not considered a "full member of the Community" unless you are at the bar once in awhile. In addition, because our Community organizations and leaders are so lacking in responsibility and accountability, most of the local queer youth and young adult programs are so deficient it is ridiculous to consider them even functional at the moment. But anyway I digress and will return back to the original intent of this post.

Yesterday this message came through the FWPC MySpace: We are almost one month away from Pride '08 and we are seeking volunteers to help with front gate, wristbanding, security, the childrens' area and set up/ tear down. Anyone is able to take advantage of being a Pride '08 volunteer which includes a free t-shirt and free admission on the day you work! Being a volunteer is a great way to help out Pride and not have the commitment of being on the committee. For more info or to fill out a volunteer application (pdf) visit our website.

There is still no word on how much admission will be ...wait the secret press release just came through.... apparently the price has not changed from last year, thank goodness, it will be $3 dollars on Friday the 25th of July from 7p-12m and $5 Saturday from 12n-12m @ Head Waters Park East. To read more of Nikki Berger-Fultz's commentary on the history and future of Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest, and a response to some critics, please check out page 3 of the July issue of Reality Magazine which will hit news stands near you in a week or so.

FINAL COMMENTARY:

One of the things that frustrates me more than any is that our PRIDE Fest has gotten stuck some where between a family reunion and a full fledged big city event.

One of the things I seriously miss, that was promised to be brought back by now, was an open volleyball (all the hot sweaty bois with their shirts off, yummy!) game, but it hasn't still happened. Volleyball is one of the "event's qualities" that kept our celebration and our Community more like family, rather than every organization and group's leader challenging for top dog position within the Community during PRIDE.

During PRIDE opposing sides actually came together during the festival and now we find ourselves on the opposite side of a huge tent and bitching about how incompetent the other organizations are, while having to shout over the music like a banshee because the echo/reverberation is too loud.

Let us not even get started on the interpersonal drama between individuals within the Community as a whole. Sure you can hate the other persons guts for fucking your best friend's boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend or ex; but back then you didn't let it affect you at PRIDE! In Fort Wayne, unfortunately if you have fucked one of them, you have in essence fucked all four, sexually or otherwise. Thank GOD, I am still a virgin!!!

PRIDE is not just about being proud.

It is about becoming a family with other people that have common interests or bonds (like a pride of lions). That is what I miss about PRIDE. What do you miss? What do you want to see change? What do you want to see come back? and What should they do away with? Please leave your answers to these questions and any comments below. Comments will be forwarded on.

EDITOR'S UPDATE:
The followup post for this review and further analysis of this post may be found here:
UPDATE: FW PRIDE! And just to prove how open I am to all of your comments...

Reality Magazine wants info on local entertainers

Attn: All Performers, Female Impersonators, Drag Queens and Kings, Male and Female Erotic/Exotic Performers (aka, Strippers), Models, Escorts, and the like:

Reality Magazine, Fort Wayne's only regional monthly Gay and Lesbian (GLBTIQAS) etc. semi gloss magazine is starting an Entertainment Directory and wants you and you cute bois over there and you groovy girls over here on their list. This is an opportunity for you all to branch out of the bars and possibly be booked for private parties and public events. In addition to a listing at realitymagazineonline.com you will also be listed at gayfortwayne.com as well.

What do you need to do to get on this list?

At you leisure, contact Robert Grayless, the Publisher of Reality Magazine, by forwarding via email to info@realitymagazineonline.com your name, your stage name, phone number, public contact information and myspace or other social network profile or website, to be displayed on both sites listed above.

Reality Magazine is distributed at thirty plus locations around the Fort Wayne regional area going as far south as Bloomington, Indiana and as far north as Grand Rapids, Michigan. This newly revised Entertainment Directory will provide you an opportunity to expand your own marketing abilities at no cost.