Happy Green Year: Resolution #1 I will begin this year more environmentally friendly! Will you start by recycling your Christmas Trees?

The gifts have been unwrapped for the most part, the mistletoe privilege was abused at least once if not twice by your sober and crazy best friends and drunk and weird cousin. Now that you have used the leftover tinsel to stream between you and your friend's significant others during the New Year celebrations, Allen County residents can recycle their Christmas Trees into mulch until the 16th of January. Trees may be dropped off at the sites listed below at any time throughout the program. For more information on Christmas Tree Recycling or other environmentally friendly ideas, visit Allen County Solid Waste District website.

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:

Fort Wayne Area:
Allen County Highway Garage 2234 Carroll Rd.
Foster Park West - Soccer field parking lot west
Foellinger Theatre - back parking lot sw corner
McMillen Park - pool parking lot
Shoaff Park Conklin Pavilion

Leo-Cedarville Area:
Across from Riverside Gardens Park
@ Grabill & Schwartz Rds.

New Haven Area:
1. Jury Park 2. Meadowbrook School Parking lot 3. City Hall

Monroeville Community Park - Parking lot north end
Woodburn Area:Front Street under the Water Tower

PLEASE NOTE: BE ADVISED WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND WILL MAINTAIN A PUBLICATION SCHEDULE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UNTIL OUR SERVICE CAN BE RESTORED. PLEASE BE PATIENT, THANK YOU!

Christmas: I hope you found everything under the tree that you wanted! Sadly the hottie in thier socks n undies isnt included, but FDR & Churchill is.

Seriously though folks, Merry Christmas!

I was up late sliding across the ice in our neighborhood to go get cigarettes at the one gas station Downtown still open on Christmas morning. While dodging ruts and trying not to slam into my neighbors cars, since the City is incompetent when it comes to following the Snow Removal Process, I was listening to the radio.

On WOWO 1190 they were playing a prerecorded Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Special, and they used a quote that I had pondered using for a Christmas tribute to our men and women overseas, with some political banter of course included, was being read over the air waves. What a coincidence I thought, then I was like, " Oh great, if their doing it that means other people are using the same quotes.", and sure enough there are a lot of reference to the two Presidential messages of Christmas Eve 1941 all across the blogosphere and some traditional media outlets.

Even Pulitzer Prize Commentator, George F. Will has even thrown down some pen to paper, or finger to binary coded keys, on the social side of the historical event as well, back on Christmas 2005.

So I still think that actual words while loaded for bear with political background and pandering themselves are too important for Americans not to hear or read completely in context and then also commit to our collective memory once again. I will give the quotes in context, then use the particular segments for what I need to say this Christmas. Although, since 67 years have past since this historical occasion, here is a really quick history review (pdf), with my commentary in green, from the Government Archives, and other sources for those who didn't have as awesome of an 8th grade US History teacher like Mr. David Dew @ Northwood Middle School or fell asleep in High School History:

In 1940 Winston Churchill was elected Prime Minister, in July he requested and help in replacing 11 destroyers to the German Navy over a 10 day period. At this pointe the US was strictly neutral in all foreign wars, as was the custom of our Founding Fathers. Roosevelt exchanged 50 of our destroyers for 99 year leases on British military bases in the Caribbean and Newfoundland. In the 1940 Presidential Election Campaign Roosevelt made the promise, "I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again and again; your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars."

Okay well let's start with the obvious, politicians lie, especially in Presidential politics. So much for America's historical strict neutrality, and promising that "your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars.", when all along he knew he was just biding his time for when the "opportunity presented its self" to go kick Hitler's ass. He exchanged 50 of our destroyers when they had only lost eleven, that is four times over what they needed to replace. And exchange for what, leases on military bases, that America didn't need to have access to in the first place. Here we begin to see the development of American influence across the world flex the Country's military muscle rather than diplomatic mindset. We are slowly becoming the worlds police, at this pointe, the transition is evident; but I digress, back to the history lesson, which becomes definitive with the signing of the Atlantic Charter and the lend lease agreement.

In January 1941, following up on his campaign pledge and the prime minister's appeal for arms, Roosevelt proposed to Congress a new military aid bill to "lend-lease or otherwise dispose of arms" and other supplies needed by any country whose security was vital to the defense of the United States. This Lend-Lease Act, proposed by FDR in January 1941 and passed by Congress in March, went a long way toward solving the concerns of both Great Britain's desperate need for supplies and America's desire to appear neutral.

In August 1941, Roosevelt and Churchill met for the first of nine face-to-face conferences during the war, was devoted to an agreement on war aims and a vision for the future. The document created The Atlantic Charter, an agreement on war aims between the two nations. The charter set forth the concepts of self-determination, end to colonialism, freedom of the seas, and the improvement of living and working conditions for all people. Which was similar to Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points after World War One which everyone pretty much ignored. Also worthy to note is that this day was the last execution done in the Tower of London.

So not only did we "exchange" three times over the amount of Destroyers that they needed, we decided to invest in our own "national security" by "disposing" or rerouting our military supplies into other countries who were deemed vital to our own defense. How does this not sound like what we did back in the eighties with Iran Contra and by supporting the Taliban to oust Russia from Afghanistan, or sitting idly by while Saddam Hussein did the whole Oil For Food shares scandal by buying votes of the other UN officials with stocks and credit vouchers?

It would be interesting to also note, that while this Charter was the foundational document to build the United Nations years later, it was never signed by either man; so the Charter, is not Constitutionally binding on the United States Government, in any way shape or form. The United States by this charter has officially taken ten more steps closer to war by irritation of the Axis of Evil nations. Another note of interest is that the Germans didn't start gassing people until December of 1941 the same time America entered World War Two. Does that leave one to wonder if the horrible extermination of the Jews and others was in fact a response to America ending its neutral state in the War or the excuse Germany was looking for to start the Holocaust?

When is America's Citizens going to learn that if we fuck with another country eventually they fuck right back. Eastern culture does not forget injustices quite as easily as America likes to, but it may take twenty years (which is also our Country's foreign policy cycle and political memory span), for the injustice to return full circle, and for our "chickens to come back home to roost!", to quote Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, retired Pastor of Trinity UCC in Chicago:

• We (America) have got to change the way we have being doing things as an arrogant, racist, military superpower....
• We bombed Hiroshima and we bombed Nagasaki, we have nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon and we have never batted an eye.
• We have supported state terrorism...and now we are indignant, because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought back into our own front yards....
• We have paranoid group of patriots in power that now in the interest of Homeland Stupidity, that cannot see what we were doing is the same thing Al Queda was doing under a different coloured flag, calling on the name of "a different" God, to sanction and approve our murder and mayhem....

A government sponsored religiosity makes you suffer from amnesia:

The sixth of December 1941, the day that will live in infamy, The United States was ramshackled by Japanese suicide bombers at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This event brought America into the war directly. Congress declared War against Japan two days later, three days after that Germany and Italy were stupid enough to mutually declare War on the United States. Which made Winston Churchill noticeably jolly as he came over to visit FDR. On Christmas Eve 1941, while spending weeks at the White House, and being a wretch of a guest at that (ref: George Will article above and WWII Daily), in what became known as the First Washington Conference, that ultimately placed first priority on the defeat of Germany and Italy rather than Japan. Roosevelt and Churchill delivered Christmas greetings to the nation and the world from the South Portico of the White House during the lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree.

Text of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 Christmas Eve Speech (with modified format for space):

Fellow workers for freedom: There are many men and women in America- sincere and faithful men and women—who are asking themselves this Christmas:

• How can we light our trees? How can we give our gifts?
• How can we meet and worship with love and with uplifted spirit and heart in a world at war, a world of fighting and suffering and death?
• How can we pause, even for a day, even for Christmas Day, in our urgent labor of arming a decent humanity against the enemies which beset it?
• How can we put the world aside, as men and women put the world aside in peaceful years, to rejoice in the birth of Christ?

These are natural—inevitable—questions in every part of the world which is resisting the evil thing. And even as we ask these questions, we know the answer. There is another preparation demanded of this Nation beyond and beside the preparation of weapons and materials of war. There is demanded also of us the preparation of our hearts; the arming of our hearts. And when we make ready our hearts for the labor and the suffering and the ultimate victory which lie ahead, then we observe Christmas Day—with all of its memories and all of its meanings—as we should.

National Day Of Prayer And Penance

Looking into the days to come, I have set aside a day of prayer, and in that Proclamation I have said: "The year 1941 has brought upon our Nation a war of aggression by powers dominated by arrogant rulers whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-loving peoples of the earth the hard-won liberties gained over many centuries. "The new year of 1942 calls for the courage and the resolution of old and young to help to win a world struggle in order that we may preserve all we hold dear."We are confident in our devotion to country, in our love of freedom, in our inheritance of courage. But our strength, as the strength of all men everywhere, is of greater avail as God upholds us. "Therefore, I... do hereby appoint the first day of the year 1942 as a day of prayer, of asking forgiveness for our shortcomings of the past, of consecration to the tasks of the present, of asking God's help in days to come. "We need His guidance that this people may be humble in spirit but strong in the conviction of the right; steadfast to endure sacrifice, and brave to achieve a victory of liberty and peace."

Our Allies, Our Sons and Brothers, Our Friends, Our Fallen Heroes

Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies-more than any other day or any other symbol. Against enemies who preach the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in God's care for us and all men everywhere. It is in that spirit, and with particular thoughtfulness of those, our sons and brothers, who serve in our armed forces on land and sea, near and far- those who serve for us and endure for us that we light our Christmas candles now across the continent from one coast to the other on this Christmas Eve.

We have joined with many other Nations and peoples in a very great cause. Millions of them have been engaged in the task of defending good with their life-blood for months and for years. One of their great leaders stands beside me. He and his people in many parts of the world are having their Christmas trees with their little children around them, just as we do here. He and his people have pointed the way in courage and in sacrifice for the sake of little children everywhere. And so I am asking my associate, my old and good friend, to say a word to the people of America, old and young, tonight Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Then followed by Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill's comments "I spend this festival far from my country and far from my family, yet I cannot say I feel far from home," as his mother was an American, continued with:

"Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern task and formidable years that lie before us, resolved that, by our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied the right to live in a free and decent world."

There is always more that can be said and this is far but from complete on the current commentary and cautions that history brings us as a people. Please know that I am grateful that we as a Country overturned Hitler and Hussein from their power and tyrannical grip over the people. However the similarities in the build up between the four wars is very prevalent and one day must be answered by We The People as to what type of society we want to leave for our children.

The questions regarding the Industrial Military Complex, and whether or not our Leaders should have done some of the things we have allowed, in the name of freedom or security, I just hope we as a nation have those conversations sooner than later, until the world knows peace.

The season of sharing gifts and giving of ones self for your fellow man, is the perfect time to start and maybe one day solve these issues and angst, that violate our common bonds and brotherhood, for the sake of a babe in Bethlehem, or Afghanistan and Iraq, or Indiana, Nebraska, Maine, and Nevada.

My prayer for the men and women serving us away from their family and friends this Holiday is that, they may find comfort in Roosevelt's and Churchill's words as we all pray for them with these same thoughts, before we enjoy our feasts and open our presents. May they be comforted in knowing we have remembered them today. That we have lighted the first candle, for peace; and the second, for brotherhood; and the third, for freedom; the next is burning, for equality; the last one is lit, for liberty; because we know, thanks to them, these flames will unite and never die. Thank you for your sacrifice and may you come home to us soon and safely!

F6 CREDITS
FDR speech on Christmas Eve 1941
Source: THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS PROJECT
by John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters @ UC Santa Barbara
Hat/tip: The Asstute Bloggers from 24 December 2006

F6 Recommends You Read
One Christmas In Washington
by David Bercuson and Holger Herwig
available via AMAZON for $20 Hardcover



F6 has and always will hold the men and women of this Country's Uniformed Services in the highest esteem possible and will at all times give them the honor and respect above and beyond that which they inheritable deserve from each citizen.

Winter Solar Feasts: Burn down the Yule log with the Star of Bethlehem in hopes that Santa doesnt get shot down by the Military while leaving Turkey!

This post is being done on Monday rather than Sunday, Wednesday or Thursday to show respect for the particular celebrations (of Solstice or Yule, Sol Invictus, Solemn Incarnation Octave, and Chanukah) and faith paths of the many varied readers of this blog. This started out as my Christmas homily, prepare yourself for it.

We are going to take an honest look at all of these Winter Sun Festivals, aside from any particular bias that I or anyone else may have. This is done, in hope that one day, whether religious or secular, we can eventually achieve enough mutual respect for each others celebrations that we wont have a fit of carnality over whether we are following the traditional meanings of the holidays.

Eventually we can celebrate together as one people!

This post is going to be so intense that I don't want to bold any fonts, just take your time to read and pray about everything please. And then also please share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you and Peace Be With You!

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so give me a fucking break!

So lets settle something first and foremost, Santa, or at least America's version of the jolly elf, is completely fictional and secular in origin. While he still derived some attachment from the historical figure of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey, the secularized version that promotes crash consumerism and big brother antics is hardly what St. Nicholas, in any of his particular apparitions throughout history would ascent too. However as The United States of America is a Country "that in no way was founded on the Christian religion", and celebrates Christmas as a secular holiday with respect to the individuals choice to celebrate as a religious holiday; the climb of popularity of this astute judge of character in the hearts of children and even in the intimate thoughts of adults, is understandable in a post modern, and post Christendom, society.

So knowing that Santa was invented by greed and the corporate desire to propagandize the public into buying the latest, greatest piece of crap for 30 dollars more (only to be sold a month later for 70 dollars less): What is one left to do if they want to tone down the stress of the holiday season or restore the "traditional meanings of the holiday celebrations" in their lives and the lives of their children?


~Silent Night by London Gay Men's Chorus from December 2006

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see the lie?
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent Stars go by.

So apparently scientist in Australia have actually taken the time to figure out that Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth was born on the 17th of June of 2BCE, as marked out in the sky by "when Venus and Jupiter conjoined in the sky as a singular beacon."

'Jesus was born in June', astronomers claim

Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June, by charting the appearance of the 'Christmas star' which the Bible says led the three Wise Men to Jesus. They found that a bright star which appeared over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago pinpointed the date of Christ's birth as June 17 rather than December 25. The researchers claim the 'Christmas star' was most likely a magnificent conjunction of the planets, Venus and Jupiter, which were so close together they would have shone unusually brightly as a single "beacon of light" which appeared suddenly.

Australian astronomer Dave Reneke used complex computer software to chart the exact positions of all celestial bodies and map the night sky as it would have appeared over the Holy Land more than 2,000 years ago. It revealed a spectacular astronomical event around the time of Jesus's birth. Mr Reneke says the wise men probably interpreted it as the sign they had been waiting for, and they followed the 'star' to Christ's birthplace in a stable in Bethlehem, as described in the Bible.

Generally accepted research has placed the nativity to somewhere between 3BC and 1AD. Using the St Matthew's Gospel as a reference point, Mr Reneke pinpointed the planetary conjunction, which appeared in the constellation of Leo, to the exact date of June 17 in the year 2BC...."Venus and Jupiter became very close in the the year 2BC and they would have appeared to be one bright beacon of light.

"This could well have been what the three wise men interpreted as a sign. They could easily have mistaken it for one bright star. "Astronomy is such a precise science, we can plot exactly where the planets were, and it certainly seems this is the fabled Christmas star.".... "Often when we mix science with religion in this kind of forum, it can upset people.

Sky Show December 1: Jupiter, Venus, Moon Make "Frown"
Andrew Fazekas
National Geographic News
01 December 2008

...In fact, some historians think that a similar conjunction between Jupiter and Venus in 2 B.C. may be the source of the "star of Bethlehem" story related in the Bible. The stellar pair would have appeared so close together, scholars think, that they might have seemed to meld into one brilliant beacon of light.

Of the eight official planets in the solar system, five are visible at night without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. Jupiter and Venus are particularly bright, partly because both have highly reflective clouds that completely envelop them, but also because Venus is Earth's closest neighbor while Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system....The next time a so-called planetary occultation with Venus will be visible from North America is on the morning of April 22, 2009.

Planetary conjunctions are relatively rare events, especially ones involving such a close encounter between Venus and Jupiter. The next visible conjunction will be on the evening of March 14, 2012, but the two planets will appear farther apart in the sky, separated by more than three degrees. Historically, striking planetary groupings have held special meaning to ancient astronomers and astrologers. A similarly close conjunction between Venus and Jupiter occurred in June of 2 B.C., .... According to the Bible, three magi in the East were alerted to the birth of Jesus and led toward Bethlehem by a superbright star....

Staring down the barrel of another holiday. Force fed a Christmas Carol of another time,
another place, another way. What child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?

~ UnStable Boy by Jay Brannan

Above all powers and thrones, let us look at what we do actually know.

While slouching towards Bethlehem we find the story of the babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes in fact we also encounter the Epiphany and Communion with the Saints. It is a matter of faith only not fact that, LORD Joshua-Emmanuel (aka Jesus Christ) was born in a stable and placed in a feeding trough in the City of David, Bethlehem, the "House of Bread".

What we do know for a fact is that, The Gospels (starting with John Mark's) were written in response to social uprising and political circumstances 40-120 years after the events took place, the towns were devastated or destroyed, and the people scattered to the four corners of the Earth. What a great way to keep the faith and the Christian Community alive then but by talking about Joshie's humble beginnings without a home or a bed to rest his weary head.

This is the message of Bethlehem: From the very moment of his Incarnation he was to offer himself up by laying down his life on a piece of wood and we were to come and worship, offer our finest gifts (our first fruits if you will allow that assertion), consume his body, and become more like Him, reaching out to our fellow man in good will and peace. The story of Bethlehem is a metaphor of Communion with bread and wine, and the common bonds of humanity, aside from any particular religion, even though it has been used to assert Christian primacy of religion over the last 2000 years.

My pointe is simply this, the details of the Eucharistic metaphor don't have to be verified by science to still be true, because Bethlehem is a metaphor of something greater than the actual event, whether or not it took place exactly as written. When He comes back and asks us, "What the hell were you all thinking?", and says, "That is not what I said", Christians are going to be in for a big surprise! Pagans are not much different, they just are not as judgmental.

Roman and Greek Mythos

Ironically, with a basic knowledge of Roman (and Greek) mythology, Jesus being a Gemini instead of a Capricorn, would make sense: Jupiter (and Zeus) the God of Sky and Thunder and father of Mars (and Ares), the God of War but originally Agriculture, who was also the lover of Venus (and Aphrodite) the Goddess of Love and Fertility. Mars is also credited as the father of twins Romulus and Remus.

Romulus and Remus are the founding brothers of the City of Rome, were born forth to the imprisoned Virgin Rhea Silvia, Priestess of Vesta (a Vestal Virgin was sworn to celibacy for thirty years), who claimed that the God Mars "came upon her and seduced her" in the forest, hence her conception and later birth of the twins. The illicit King (Herod) then ordered the boys to be floated down the river (Moses, Book of Exodus) to be killed by drowning but they survived only to kill the King and restore the proper King's heir in his place.

It should also be noted that Mars has an impressive list of consignments with other deities all the way to the Celtic Lands and the Iberian Peninsula. The titles are very similar in fashion to the ones assigned to Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth by the Roman Church and throughout Sacred Scriptures.

This story has unfolded within humanity more than once, maybe even in the same time frames, and this story definitely shows continuity between the two mythologies. With the mythology between the Greek-Roman Pantheon and the Judea-Christian Divinity having completely intertwined stories, any person, with an open mind and an honest heart, would be willing to ask (everyone else has refused to ask under fear of repression or murder by those in power), the following questions:

If The Blessed Virgin Mother, Mary of Nazareth, was also a temple virgin, as recorded in the Gospel of St. James the Just, and she was "overshadowed by God", exactly as described by Rhea Silvia, then in regards to her birthing forth Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth one would have the following concerns or queries:

• Why was there not a second child born in this version of the metaphor?
  
• Did Jesus have a twin or triplet brothers?
• Who would most likely be his twin/triplet?
  
• Is there any proof in secular or religious history that would back this question up?
  

This would explain first and foremost the story of the Resurrection, certain accounts of double appearances later in earthly life, or after his crucifixion, and the multiple assertions of romantic encounters and companionship with either St. Mary of Magda, St. John the Beloved, or St. Lazarus, each of which is alluded to, if not point blank declared as obvious, within Scripture.

Keep in mind that, via the honour rights of the first born, these questions do not diminish the authority of the Christian claim of Divinity and Lordship of Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth, nor His succession and claim to the Throne of David, as the King of Israel.

In fact, this would enhance His claim and prove it to be stronger. If this proves to be accurate (or at least a better explanation), it opens up a full conversation about the facts as we have known them versus what the truth actually is. And that is a good conversation to have once in awhile.

My personal thoughts on the matter, without cite, are that the Apostles St. James the Just, first Patriarch of Jerusalem, and St. Jude Thaddeuss, who carried the "image of Jesus' face" (to or from King Abgar of Edessa, whom was healed) were not cousins or just brothers of Jesus, but identical triplet brothers of Jesus. So of course whose story gets told? The first born's does, because he has the birth right, and anything else that the brothers do is seen as supporting the head (or the one with the birthright) of the family's legacy.

I should also note that my religious name, by receiving Holy Orders, is half in tribute to St. Jude Thaddeuss and to Mother Mary, under her patronage of Prompt Succor.

"Mary and Mohammed are screaming through the clouds, for you to lay your goddamned arms down, rip up your bigoted roots up from the Earth and salt the goddamned ground!"

~ Goddamned by Jay Brannan

To Tell Tallied Tales To Triumph!
Try saying that fast multiple times, geezers!

Of course it sure wouldn't be the first time one people usurped another people's Divine encounters either. The Hebrew people especially have a knack for usurping other stories and asserting practices. Like the idea of weekly worship or communal prayer, which came as a direct result from their captivity in Babylon (Iraq). For their own survival in a new land they constantly usurped stories and continued to assert those patterns when they returned to their own land (eg: the Festival of Lights or Chanukah), including the piss poor theological idea of the inerrant nature of Scripture, to maintain order and power over the people, as they returned to "the land promised to their ancestor".

Portions of Exodus and most of the Book of Genesis, came as a direct result from their captivity in Babylon (Iraq). The Patriarch Abraham was from the land of Ur (which is approximately 50 miles down wind from Baghdad). The Scriptures were modified and added to to stave off the obvious assimilation of another culture that takes place when the Hebrews were ransacked and forced from their homeland, which is proven by the annulment of mixed marriages when they returned many years later.

Unfortunately in their effort to establish themselves as a separate people in a foreign land, they had to assume a local heritage to tell the story, and understand local customs and culture to weave a story, that made them distinct from their neighbor. In doing so vilified their Babylonian captors and at the same time made them their ancient ancestor by common Patriarchy. The Garden of Eden is a land mass located, as reported via Scripture, at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates River, which means Paradise is located smack dab between Kuwait and Turkey, Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas' homeland.

In Closing My Friends,

Is it any wonder we are in a state of chaos over the Middle East? The confusion was created, when one group of people tried to separate themselves from another. When are we going to realize that, fabricated ancestry or not, Jews, Muslims, and Christians claim the same blood line and history of faith. It is about damn time for us to embrace our brethren, drag ourselves across the sands of time, to draw out the message of Bethlehem. Coming from far and wide, we will consume the goodness of God once again with each other, and finally share peace on Earth and good will towards our fellow man. That is the message of Bethlehem! Now will you join me at the Altar, to receive the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven?

I want to live in a land called Paradise; I want to go to the Valley of the Kings

~ Kareem Salama: American, Muslim, County Music Artist,

CREDITS
Kareem Salama: Website | MySpace |
Jay Brannan: F6 Links Page Post | buy his 1st ind. albumn |
London Gay Men's Chorus: Website

LINKS
Coming Out @ Chanukah
The Gay Witch Network

RESOURCES
Star of Bethlehem Again
by Phil Plait, Founder, Bad Astronomy Blog
Gay Chanukah
HRC Reflection
Tips for Yule
by Dyke Notes

Psalm 133:1
How good it is, how pleasant, where the people dwell as one!

Random thoughts and sarcastic intuition about local politics and community events

So technically this was suppose to be Wednesdays post; but with the constant heat and humidity (as previously explained), plus everything else going on, I have not been able to sit down at length to write til last night and today. Today I would also like to wish a joy filled Sabbath of Lammas to all of my Pagan/Wicca readers out there. May we all one day learn to break bread together.

A lot of interesting things have unfolded in the local political foray the last month or so, almost to numerous for any one person to keep track off let alone write summaries and commentaries over on a regular basis.

The bulk intent of this post is to continue following up on stories previously covered on F6 and then catch everyone up on some newer stories that just compound the overall ignorance of government (H/t Spaulding Brothers @ WGD,T? ) to manage things successfully. Tax abatement should never be offered as an incentive for development, we cant afford anymore!

So first lets go on a tour of the local blogoshpere just to get caught up. I have primary blogs that I use (lower center and right columns) as resource for local perspectives across the political and cultural landscape along our three rivers.

LOCAL POLITICS AND PANDERING

F6 previously has covered the Harrison Square continuing debacle (newest to oldest) here and here, primarily along with other posts and some posts in regards to our Mayor's promises during the election (3rd-5th ip) and actions while in office. According to local blogosphere (FWOB & FWP) coverage, a month ago my concerns regarding the campaign promise of "Safe Houses" have been validated almost entirely.

However, the main story for this post, is in direct reference to a previous story by Indiana News Center that was covered on F6 in mid March and at the time actually garnered an anonymous comment in opposition to some of my analysis and commentary.

In a more recent political news update, reported by Benjamin Lanka of the Journal Gazette, on Monday, Mayor Tom Henry, finally ups the anty on Harrison Square by putting a down payment on a one bedroom with den condominium for ten percent of the total price which will face the new ball field.

It is also reported as a rumor on Fort Wayne Politics that some one went ahead and purchased/put a down payment on a block of thirty condominiums at a seriously reduced rate, which screams of "save our corporate asses from this deadline, pretty please" as a typical reaction from a third party private investor who doesn't want to loose his shirt and pants (If he is cute though, I would pay to watch it happen) over the deal.

Now it'll be really hard to tell whether the foul balls from City Hall are coming or going.

I will continue this post on Wednesday the 6th, the Solemn Feast of the Transfiguration (2nd Peter 1:16) which is a universal major celebration in all the Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic Churches and Independent Sacramental Movement Communities. The Transfiguration of Lord Joshua~Emmanuel of Nazareth on Mt.Tabor this year also marks the tenth anniversary of Fr. James Koons death. May his soul, through Divine Mercy, always find eternal peace and happiness, may his prayers merit our true intercession with one another! He is truly a Saint.

The 4th of July, 1776 - The Declaration of Independence: We still havent been reading OUR LIBERTY its rights!

Obviously this is going to be a gratuitous male flesh, eer, cute bois in underwear post, since it is a holiday. And of course we need to pay homage to our Armed Service Members whom every day sacrifice their lives for our freedom. After all, when was the last time you pledged your life, fortunes and sacred honour, for an ideal as simple and as dificultly complex as liberty? With all jesting and drooling aside, let us seriously review these one thousand unanimous words that founded our freedom folks.

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident:

That all men are created equal....

That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights....

That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed....

That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness....

That is five separate truths that we as Americans have a tendency to forgo for security; or obliterate based on civil societies assumption of "what is morally right", or at least in the moment - plausible defensible. It is time for us as a Country to return to these founding principles of our nation and hold ourselves and our current leadership to this organic law of the land (ip 4), and these standards and vote them out of office, while we still have the ability to do so.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Our founding fathers listed twenty eight grievances in general terms against the British Crown and Parliament, and then stated, "A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people." How many of these acts are our current government affecting on to the average citizen today?

Refused Assent To Laws, Interfered with the State passing laws through use of Federal Statutes (eg Medical Marajuana), (not quite the same as judges) but he removed without cause ninety plus Federal District Attorneys for political gains and to stifle on going prosecutions of big business, He established or erected a multitude of New Offices (Homeland Security), and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people,

On a side note the rest of that last grievance reads: "and eat out their substance." to which my mental cartoon trips an image of Uncle Sam asking if, "Anybody", in effect, "wants a rim job?", yucky-lol. Anyway I digress, back to the list. Here are some really big ones that have hit the press junkets in the recent three months:

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power, He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation, For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States, For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent, For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury, For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses.

With the addition of the illegal (now immune) wire tapping scandal, that brings a total to twelve out of twenty eight grievances listed in the DOI that the current administration of our government has similarly assailed the Citizens and People of this Country with. It is time for a change and not just from Republican to Democrat, but to a multiple party plank, like it used to be in this Country. When President Abraham Lincoln ran for office there were four different candidates each from different parties. If we were able to do it almost a hundred and fifty years ago, we can do it again!

Now is the perfect time for the LIBERTARIAN PARTY, a party of principles, and a party that's values are liberty from large obtrusive government and is for individual freedom! We have a wonderful candidate for President and Vice President, whom I may not agree with on everything, but dammit these gentlemen are a better choice then the same old Washington stoned to the hilt former maverick has been and the newcomer that has no business being in the U.S. Senate let alone the White House. If you would just accept your responsibility, YOUR DUTY, to make a clear and conscious vote for the best person and still instead vote for the lesser of two evils, you will have only yourself to blame when the Country gets flushed down the toilet with the Constitution leading the flow right behind Uncle Sam's touche.

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.

Supporting Three Rivers Athletics: Midsummer, part 2

Did you all break out the chamomile tea and eat fried sunflowers to get through the rain storm this morning? For those whom have no idea as to what I am talking about, today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year; the day the sun stands still, per say. Christians remember the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Prophet and Martyr and Pagans celebrate Litha, those with a more literary panache will know this day by Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. Remember to enjoy the strength of the Divine Light within each other today and always.

Do you want to be a Fort Wayne Derby Girl?

Are you a dedicated business-minded woman able to help with the day to day administration of the business? Are you a tough woman looking to strap on some skates and get rough? Here is your chance. Fort Wayne Derby Girls are holding mid season tryouts to recruit fresh talent for next season on Tuesday the 24th of June from 6-8p.m. @ The PLEX on California Road north of Coliseum and east of Parnell Avenue. You need to bring a helmet and skates if you have them, rentals will be available for those whom don't; all other padding is optional for tryouts. Contact KonaKrusher@fwderbygirls.com for more info.

In Fort Wayne women play full contact football too!

In other Woman's professional sports news the Fort Wayne Flash completed their playoff season today in a contest against the Cleveland Fusion in a highly anticipated away game. No results are available yet, which is why this post was delayed as well. In other news regarding our National Womens Football Association team, Ben Smith @ the Journal Gazette did a good opinion-feature during their Fathers Day game against the Indianapolis Chaos.

Mentioning Cleveland and Football aka Soccer!

The Fort Wayne Fever's Mens Team lost against the Internationals, 2-1, whom they will play again in an away game on the 3rd of July. This evening they were playing Toronto Lynx @ The Fort Wayne Sport Club fields. The Mens Fever next home game is the Wednesday 9th of July vs. Michigan Bucks.

The Fort Wayne Fever's Womens Team has three home games coming up: Tuesday 24th 7p, vs. FC Indiana Lionesses;
Friday 27th 7p, vs. Michigan Hawks; and Sunday 29th 4p, vs. Kalamazoo Outrage.

Games are @ Hefner Stadium near The PLEX unless stated otherwise. Tickets are $6 at the gate per person per game, with season passes per person $30 and Family passes $75 Children 3 and under are free. To tryout for the Fort Wayne Fever Mens or Womens Teams call Coach Nick Potter @ 260-496-9999 ext. 25 or by email: nickp@plexsports.com, (note: tryouts are in March). For more information about the Fever visit their website.

In local politics and minor league baseball shenanigans

The Fort Wayne Wizards have garnered some flak for wanting to change their name when they move to the new Downtown Stadium next season (If it is built on time?) Citizens can go to the Harrison Square website and enter their suggestions for a new team name. Although one word of caution, according to certain reports across the local blogoshpere, the recommendation must include the letters "IN" for Indiana, supposedly.

Some of the recommendations reported so far that I like personally are:

Maumee Valley Mosquitos, (it is kind of cute); The Runaways, (historical reference to Josiah Harmar who ran away during the Battle of Kekionga in October 1790); The Summit City Sandbaggers, (which is referring to the Flood of 1982 where Fort Wayne earned the moniker "The City That Saved Its Self" and a fly in by then President Ronald Regan (who now has the interstate around Fort Wayne named after him) on Air Force One to access the damage and revitalization by the citizens afterward).

F6 is all for historical significance! We could always pay homage to Chief Little Turtle or one of the other foriegn nationals who governed this geographical area before it became a military installation and City named after an insane and abusive General in the United States Continental Army.

In my honest opinion, it is time to rename the Wizards!

Over all I think the Summit City Sandbaggers has the best historical significance as it continues to tell the story of individuals coming together no matter what their race, creed, colour, religion, or sexual orientation might be and working as a community in one accord for the sake of their fellow man. To prove that we recently had a similar experience with major flooding for about two weeks and once again the residents showed up and shouted with their bodies in action that "We is a commUnity!" That is something deserving of a team name. As much as I and most Libertarians and Conservative Republicans or Democrats disagree with the way Harrison Square was carried out politically and financially and will continue to bitch about it, this is not an issue of money or clout it is about our Community Pride being established in everything that we do. In my honest opinion, it is time to rename the Wizards!

EDITOR'S NOTES:
This post is a continuation of Support 3 Rivers Athletics: Spring into Summer, part 1 which is part of the continuing editorial service of F6 in promoting a healthy life choices in all gay bois and gyrlz. Through showing our support of the local amateur and professional sports and athletic associations F6 intends to prove it is possible to concentrate on more than just tight ends, wide receivers, pitchers and catchers, etc. Although it is nice to know that we can do more than think about swinging your nine inch piece of wood around in our hands.

The Photo:
Pemberton Ditch Sandbags Flood of 1982 is by John Stearns of The News Sentinel.

Happy Hippie Holy Daze!

Sorry about being late with this post, the fumes from all the pot smoking going around me made me hit the wrong buttons and it got saved as a the wrong draft file by accident.


The Save Maumee 3rd Annual Earth Day Event was a success beyond all comparison. Thanks go out to everyone who showed up and worked their tail feathers and fingers to the bone planting riparian seeds and cottonwood trees and cleaning up the trash on the first two miles of the Maumee's riverbanks and watershed. I will have a full report from Abigail with pictures later in the week.


... until then keep stoking.

Let the sun shine in; Happy Duelling Holy Days

I am still in the process of writing Wednesdays post regarding the controversy over at BILERICO it will be up as soon as I am done with it probably on Saturday.

For today though besides being the vernal equinox 1:48 a.m. it is also the NeoPagan Low Sabbath of Ostara, which is a celebration of the Goddess's strong reunion with her child who (depending on the tradition) either was born in Yule (Christmas) or spent the Winter months in death and rebirth. Either way a historic time of renewed life. One of the common Pagan and Christian practices is known as Easter clothes that were made new and with vibrant colours to welcome the victory over death and evil. Bet that gives you a whole new meaning for 'don we now our gay apparel'!

One would also find them self at the end of the Liturgical Season of Lent and all that fasting and other stuff that people do to mortify themselves in front of each other to improve their on going relationship with The Divine. Can I encourage everyone to just take a nice long bubble bath and eat several Reese's Cups, ... yumm, chocolate and peanut butter...., please.

Today we also celebrate the Commemoration of the Last Supper of Joshua Emmanuel where he washes the Disciples feet right before he gets betrayed, abused, whipped, and scorned, and left hanging on a tree to die based on false accusations and rumors. Good grief, is it any wonder good Christian gay and frat bois develop a hankering for BDSM fetishes or at least mutual paddle play for fun?

All humor, sarcasm, and sacrilege aside, this is an awesome time of year to be in as a spiritual being on this human experience of living amongst each other. I invite you all no matter what your understanding of divinity is to take a moment and thank your friends and enemies for the adventures you have shared together. Just because Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by a friend doesn't mean you can still give a blind eye to old grudges and even some of the newer wounds.

The message of the season is simple and yet so profound that even two thousand some odd years later we still have not gotten it down correctly. The wounds of sin do heal and the scars are a sign of victory over evil, which is anything contrary to living, and the strength we each possess is meant to be of service to our fellow man. Quit licking the wounds open and let them heal. As far as your enemies are concerned, when was the last time you offered to wash their feet? Never? Well then, do as the Master has said and done, be assured that that you will never be forsaken and forgive them even more.

Bona Pascha, Blessed Be, Namaste, Asalamalikum, Shalom, and Peace Be With You!

Pictures Source: Brenton @ Aussielicious