Sensible gun control

The well-spoken, concise students have been doing a great job articulating the need for sensible gun control both at the March for our Lives events last Sat and on TV since.  There were 2 local marches in my area on Sat but I was unable to attend due to work.

Of course Fox News and the NRA are trying to discredit these students (many from the school in Parkland FL) and have gone as far as calling them "crisis actors".  I just hope that these students and their many supporters don't tire out.  We need to keep up the pressure until change occurs.

If this were adopted hunting rifles and simple hand guns would still be legal.  And really, there's no reason for any civilian (non-military) to possess any other kind of gun.

It amazes me that the NRA, most Republicans, and many gun owners get so crazy at the thought of sensible gun control.  They leap from 'ban assault-style rifles' to 'take away all our guns'.

It also amazes me that the majority of the NRA, Republicans, and gun owners claim to be Christians yet reject many principles Jesus taught.  In the Bible at Matthew 25:35-36 New International Version (NIV) it reads:
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. But Republicans are against most programs that aid people in need.  This is likely a more accurate description of the Republicans' actions:

While I sometimes feel fatigued over all the politics of the day, I believe sensible gun control is important enough that we must continue to stand up and advocate, contract our representatives, and not let gun violence become normal.

In the wake of tragedy

By now everyone is painfully aware of the horrible massacre that took place early yesterday morning at the nightclub in Orlando.  With similar terror attacks in movie theatres, restaurants, shopping malls, concert venues, airplanes, and Federal buildings, it is understandable that some people don't feel safe going anywhere now.

But I urge everyone to not become a victim of fear.  Rather than becoming paralyzed by the fear of a potential terror attack, I urge everyone to ACT, as fellow blogger Fearsome Beard has done.  You can easily send an email to President Obama and Vice-President Biden using THIS LINK.

Here is my letter, nearly identical to Fearsome Beard's well-worded letter:

Dear President Obama/Vice-President Biden,

Please do not delay in pushing forward responsible, sensible gun control. Assault weapons have no place outside of law enforcement and military use. Handguns need only be in the hands of thoroughly vetted responsible citizens and in limited numbers….if at all. The tragedies we endure can and must STOP.

Freedoms are actually limited in a free society. They are limited by the freedom's infringement on the safety and security of fellow citizens. Of this I am sure you are quite aware. I believe in you and implore you to do the right thing by pushing forward and holding those controlled by the gun lobby responsible for our recent tragedies.

Thank you for your years of service. You are an inspiration. You have accomplished many great things and your legacy improves not only the United States, but the world as a whole. May sensible gun control become part of your legacy to the absolute best of your ability.

Sincerely,


In addition to writing the White House, also consider writing your other elected officials. How can we complain if we have done nothing to demand change?  We need more than tears and prayers for the victims; we need action.

1138 reasons

Marriage vs. Civil Unions. I've even heard GLBT folks say they don't care about 'marriage' as long as a civil union would bring them the same benefits as marriage. But I always ask myself "Why would I settle for something less than equal?"

In 2004, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) identified 1,138 federal laws in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges.

It's time to educate Americans about what the word 'marriage' really means and talk about the critical rights being denied GLBT couples.
* Tax fairness
* Hospital visitation
* Government benefits
* Medical decision-making
* Exemption from estate taxes
* Spousal immigration


Learn more about the 1138 Reasons Equality Matters.


Then, take action! Its easy to think "I'm not a gay activist. I'll leave the educating of the public to the activists". That's not what Harvey Milk did. Don't sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to do something. One person CAN make a difference!


YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!


Be that someone. Speak up and get involved!
* Visit EqualityMatters to learn about the 1138 reasons equality matters so you can better educate others
* Encourage everyone you know to visit EqualityMatters and to pass it along
* Don't delay - spread the word about the 1138 Federal Rights Denied gay & lesbian Americans
* Come out, come out, wherever you are! Don't just think "they know." It's usually tougher for folks to discriminate against the LGBT community as a whole when they know of one us.
* Re-post this information on your blog, and copy/paste it into an email and send it to everyone you know, GLBT or straight.


This is NOT about special rights or privileges, its about equality for ALL.


Straight Allies – you can help, too. Please speak up on behalf of the legal injustice of marriage inequality for GLBT people, and continue to educate those in your circle of influence about the 1138 Reasons Equality Matters.

Crush du Jour: Luis Harnisch

Got Milk?

Spouse & I went to see 'Milk'. We both loved it! Everything from the story to the acting to the cinematography was terrific.

In case you just crawled out of a cave, 'Milk' is the story of Harvey Milk, the very first openly gay elected official in the United States. He was a gay activist who became a city supervisor in San Francisco. He and then mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978 by supervisor Dan White, who is believed to have been a closeted gay man with a mental illness. White later committed suicide. Watch the trailer here.

The film had a star-studded cast, beginning with Sean Penn who gave us a vivid and beautiful portrayal of Harvey Milk. Although not exactly the spitting image of Harvey Milk, Sean Penn arguably did everything in his power to convince the audience he was Harvey Milk.
Milk's first partner Scott Smith was played by the handsome James Franco. Emile Hirsch and Joseph Cross did a great job as Harvey's friends and fellow activists Cleve Jones and Dick Pabich. Mayor George Moscone was played by veteran actor Victor Garber.

The film is 2 hours and 15 minutes long, but it didn't feel long at all. The pacing and editing were very well done to maintain the important details while keeping the story moving. I loved how they mixed in TV news coverage and Anita Bryant interviews from the 70s into the movie. Since I was a teenager in the 70s it was fun to see the clothing and hairstyles I remembered.

I felt a little guilty for 'learning' so much about Harvey Milk in this film. From a historical perspective the film really tells the facts about what it was like for gay men in the 70s. It chronicled the reign of hatred and discrimination that Anita Bryant helped many states add to their legislation. But this film is not a documentary; its a story of courage.

I think it is particularly hard for straight actors to play gay characters without overdoing it. In their quest for realism and not wanting to downplay the characters' homosexuality, straight actors often go overboard with the lisping and waving of the weak wrist. But not in this film. Gay men are certainly not all alike, but the straight actors portraying gay characters in this film did so with more integrity than I've ever seen. This kept the characters from becoming cliches. Now, I'm not saying I like my gay characters to appear straight. Far from it! I'm just saying that these characters seemed like real people I might know, rather than the overdone stereotypes we sometimes see in films.

Despite all the actors (presumably) being straight, the film did not shy away from male/male kissing, tasteful nudity, and scenes that insinuated sex. They belonged in the film, and in my opinion they appeared in the correct measure and in the correct places. These scenes are important, as they showed Harvey wasn't an asexual activist, he was a GAY activist. He went from camera store owner to city supervisor in order to make San Francisco a safe and welcoming place for gays and lesbians to live.

Although it will never happen, I'd like to see Harvey Milk added to the list of revered civil rights activists like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. that kids learn about in school, for indeed, Harvey Milk was an exceptional civil rights hero.

Crush du Jour: Yoann Gourcuff