Big Daddy Cain?

During a public hearing on Proposal 622, the Human Rights Ordinance (HRO), Dr. Vincent Alig spoke to the council against passage, testifying that homosexuality is a mental disorder.

This view seems to fly into the face of the American Psychiatric Association’s position:

“WHEREAS HOMOSEXUALITY per se implies no impairment in judgment, atability, reliability, or general social or vocational capabilities, therefore, be it resolved that the American Psychiatric Association deplores all public and private discrimination against homosexuals in such areas as employment, housing, public accommodation, and licensing, and declares that no burden of proof of such judgment, capacity, or reliability shall be placed upon homosexuals greater than that imposed on any other persons. Further, the American Psychiatric Association supports and urges the enactment of civil rights legislation at the local, state, and federal level that would offer homosexual citizens the same protections now guaranteed to others on the basis of race, creed, color, etc.”

The last time the HRO was up for a vote Councilor Ginny Cain said:

“Homosexuality is a learned sexual addiction that can be overcome through therapy. Numerous scientific studies and stats are available from EXODUS INTERNATIONAL. These studies show how thousands of former homosexuals have successfully gotten out of that lifestyle and gone on to have a monogamous, heterosexual marriage and children. I have also talked extensively to Dr. Vincent B. Alig, retired I.U. Med School Professor in Psychiatrics, who verified this with many studies.”

Why would Ginny Cain put any credence in something that has absolutely no credible support? You might find the answer in Ginny Cain’s madien name.

Alig.

That’s right. Dr. Vincent Alig is “Big Daddy Cain.”

“Do you know that hate is a learned behavior? Do you know that discrimination is a learned behavior?” -Texas State Rep. Senfronia Thompson

Learned in the home, I’m guessing.

Those Damn Mexicans!

I can’t really understand folks that are against immigration.

“Cheree Calabro of Valparaiso, co-founder of the Indiana Federation for Immigration Reform and Enforcement, opposes the influx of immigrants into the region. She said her group is affiliated with the Minutemen, an Arizona-based group of immigration activists who have conducted armed patrols of the U.S.-Mexico border.

More immigrant workers will reduce wages and take jobs from American citizens, and they cost Indiana taxpayers when they send their children to local schools or end up in hospitals without insurance, Calabro said.”

No wonder our country is going to shit. Historically, immigrants have come into this country to do jobs that no one else wants to do. If Cheree wants more jobs and more taxpayer dollars in Indiana, she should lobby for more immigration, not less. I work in a high paying health care job and I’ve NEVER experienced an “illegal alien” taking a high paying hospital job. I haven’t seen a rash of high level business executives being fired and being replaced by illegal Mexicans. Call me crazy, but I believe we should advocate for more high paying jobs, not worrying about low paying crap jobs in Indiana.

This country was founded on immigration, and we shouldn’t abandon the practice. More consumers/voters/citizens is a good thing that grows the economy, not decreases it.

Mitch Loves The Jesus, Not The First Amendment

Indiana Governor, Mitch Daniels, called the recent ruling on Christian prayer at the statehouse “regrettable.” He went on to say:

“I just think it’s regrettable. “It’s in a long line now of, I think, confusing and sometimes clumsy attempts by the courts to insert themselves into this issue.”

Um, Mitch … the court wouldn’t of had to rule on this if Brian Bosma hadn’t pushed this. Singing “Just A Little Talk With Jesus”? Why not pass the plate and give communion! You could invite a different church choir each week to back you up.

If anything is “regrettable” it’s that your Republican mates in the House don’t feel they can run on their record. It’s reprehensible that they find it necessary to use gays and Jesus to get reelected.

All You Liberals are Crazy!

A friend of mine had a dialogue with Indianapolis City-Council member, Earl Salisbury. Here is an excerpt:

“I feel that liberalism is a sickness and mental disorder that is being used to destroy our country. As covered in great detail in a best selling book by that name. They liberal attorneys and the unusable laws they pander provide additional income. Right, the lawyer is the expert. That’s how they make money, on laws that are nothing but ‘feel good’ laws designed to capture and use liberal voters. How would this law help anybody. If it did it would include short people and fat people, which are able to be identified.”

When asked why he hasn’t researched the Human Rights Ordinance, he stated:

“I work 85 hours per week not including 300 e-mails per day.”

Forget fighting discrimination! Pshhhhhht! “Uncle Earl” has better things to do with time! I bet the Indiana Society Color Guard drills are gruelling!

*edit*
I went to amazon.com and tried to search for that best selling book, “I Feel That Liberalism Is a Sickness and a Mental Disorder That Is Being Used To Destroy Our Country.” So far, no luck.

Top Down Activism…

Recently, the Maine electorate voted down a statewide referendum that would have repealed the state’s anti-discrimination legislation. Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), said “It’s a much-needed win for our national communities. Winning here shows that, through real dogged grassroots work, we can overcome the lies and distortions of our opponents.”

How did they do this miraculous thing? Dinners with legislators? Paid lobbyists? Free salon and day spa coupons? Or was it “Fosse, Fosse, Fosse,” a twirl and a snap?

No… it was something a bit less flashy, grassroots activism, that won this fight. Maine Won’t Discriminate set out on a course to educate the voters of Maine via door-to-door campaigning, mailings, phone calls, yard signs, and leaflets… and they won.

All you Reaganite “trickle down” GLBT activists take note….

Salem Aint Got Nothin on Indy!

For you Indiana locals… did y’all catch the News at 6 on WRTV? Norm Cox did an interview with Pepper Partin about the planned protest at the The Annual Irvington Halloween Festival (you can read about the festival at Indyscribe ). The protest is being organized by Rock Indiana and is being dubbed “Indiana’s Witch Hunt.”

The main focus of the protest is State Senator Patricia Miller (she is co-sponsoring the festival). Miller’s recent history of aggressively supporting and sponsoring legislation that is aimed directly at gays and lesbians in Indiana is obvious. A few weeks ago she authored the controversial “authorized reproduction” bill, but has a history of trying to oppress gays and lesbians. She also sponsored a bill would that would move university employees to a state health-care plan and limit benefits to state and university employees, their spouses and children, effectively removing domestic partner benefits. She also voted in favor of SJR7. But she isn’t just limiting herself to legislating gays and lesbians into oblivion. Her position as the executive director of the Confessing Movement (a radical conservative anti-gay movement within the United Methodist Church) allows her to oppress gays and lesbians every day. This “movement” seeks to root out ANY acceptance of GLBT from within the United Methodist Church. It’s obvious that this woman is obsessed with denying GLBT citizens in every facet of life. In the interview with Channel 6 she denied being a religious zealot, but I think Senator Miller’s actions speak louder than her words.

The Pledge

I wrote the following email to John Gregg, a local talk show host here on AM radio (WIBC).

Hi,
First of all, I’d like to say that even though I am sure we are philosophically at opposite ends of the spectrum (I’m a Green), I enjoy listening to your show on IBC.

You read a quote of someone that advocated that this was a bad time to “take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance.”

The Pledge was written by Reverend Francis Bellamy in 1892. Francis Bellamy was a Socialist Christian and did not include the words “under God” in the Pledge. “Under God” was not added to the pledge until 1954.It was a response to growth of communism. The genesis of adding “Under God” was from a sermon of Reverend Dr. George M. Docherty, a Presbyterian minister. He said “And I came to a strange conclusion. there was something missing in this Pledge, and that which was missing was the characteristic and definitive factor in the “American Way of Life.” Indeed, apart from the mention of the phrase, the United States of America, this could be the pledge of any Republic. In fact, I could hear little Muscovites repeat a similar pledge to their hammer and sickle flag in Moscow with equal solemnity, for Russia is also a Republic that claims to have overthrown the tyranny of kingship”

You can read his full sermon here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/downloads/20020820sermon.pdf

I do not believe that you can have a representative republic and theocracy at the same time. Jefferson said

“In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.”

The founding fathers spoke to the separation of church and state… to list a few…

Thomas Jefferson
“Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry.”

James Madison
“The Civil Government, tho’ bereft of everything like an associated hierarchy, possesses the requisite stability and performs its functions with complete success; whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church from the State.”

John Adams
“The substance and essence of Christianity, as I understand it, is eternal and enchangeable, and will bear examination forever, but it has been mixed with extraneous ingredients, which I think will not bear examination, and they ought to be separated.”

Thomas Paine
“As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of government to protect all conscientious protesters thereof, and I know of no other business government has to do therewith.”

The voice of our founding fathers rings quite clear on this subject. That isn’t to say that I think we should simply go on what the founding fathers believed (if we did, blacks would still be slaves and women would be considered property under the eyes of the law). I do believe that this is a nation where the government is dedicated to be “For the people, by the people, and of the people.”

If we choose as a nation to move closer to a theocratic form of government, we should be honest and forthright about our intentions in doing so.

I listen to you on the drive home from work (I work 3rds). I hope at some point I get home in enough time to call in!

Be well,
–
Marti Abernathey

Lend A Hand, Just Not Mine

“It depends on what the meaning of the words ‘is’ is.”

“To the extent the federal government didn’t fully do its job right, I take responsibility.”

“It depends on how you define alone…”

Who uttered these quotes? The first and third quotes are from Bill Clinton, concerning the Monica Lewinsky affair. The second is from a speech given today by George W. Bush. He’s finally admitting some responsibility for the New Olreans FEMA debacle.

“That spirit is the spirit of a determined nation willing to defend our freedoms, no matter what the cost. That American spirit says loud and clear that we’re willing to serve something greater than ourselves. We’re willing to serve people in need, a community we love.” George W. Bush – October 31, 2002

Ya…. right. I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word “love” is, right George?

Where Are The Hillbillies?

Where are all those gun toting 2nd amendment right wingers? An AP piece today said that

Police fearing deadly confrontations with jittery residents enforced a new order that bars homeowners from owning guns. That order apparently does not apply to the hundreds of M-16-toting private security guards hired to protect businesses and wealthy property owners.

Do you hear any right wingers screaming foul? They say that it isn’t safe for residents to stay where they are, but isn’t this a FREE country? People are supposed to be able to make stupid decisions.

Amazing that even in this time of great peril that only the rich and powerful deserve their 2nd amendment rights.

Go figure.

Welcome to GW America.

Freedom Is On the March For Crackers

Watching President Bush on CNN this morning talk about the “war on terror” something hit me. How can we be in “a global war on terror” as President Bush calls it, yet we don’t call the “detainees” down at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prisoners of war?

Then we’d have to follow the Geneva Suggestions Conventions…

Fuck that shit.. freedom is on the march…

for some.

As long as you’re name isn’t Jose.