I just got hit up for cash from the DCCC. I told them to take a hike.

Well, it finally happened. The DCCC called asking for money and were shocked...SHOCKED I wouldn't give.

The women on the line was just incredulous I wouldn't continue to give. I told her I had pledged my support for the "Don't Ask Don't Give" campaign and she wanted to know why. She just could NOT understand I wouldn't give, as a gay man, when Obama and the Democratic Party has treated our community so poorly in its fight for civil rights, justice and equality.

At one point in the conversation she claimed, "Obama is a fair President. He would NEVER discharge someone in the military for being gay!" I immediately let her know I had been discharged for being gay, and knew Obama as Commander-in-Chief had the power to issue a stop-loss order that would halt the discharges of almost two gay or lesbian troops per day while "Don't Ask Don't Tell" was being overturned. She tried to claim "Don't Ask Don't Tell" was a law, but she could not explain why Obama wouldn't sign an order that would stop the discharges of gay patriotic troops while the law was being reviewed.

Then, she tried to get me to give by arguing about Health Care, and I told her my congressman was DINO Dan Boren, and he didn't vote for Health Care reform. I told her if the Democrats in congress started acting more progressive on my issues, and others, then I would gladly give back pay to help out.

I don't know how many other ways to tell the Democratic Party the gAyTM is closed until we see major movement on ENDA, DOMA and DADT? I explained to her I worked very hard to get Obama elected, and was involved in local politics. I would open my wallet every time they asked if they moved in a more progressive direction. The woman tried mightily to get me to change my mind by imploring how important it was for Obama to keep his majorities in congress, but I'm done with paying for a party that says one thing, and does another. The conversation lasted an exceptionally long time for a fund raising call. Maybe she knew I was pretty reliable for cash donations in the past? Maybe she is getting a lot of people declining to give? All I know is I'm not giving until "DADG" is officially lifted.

NOTE FROM JOHN: Joe and I limited our DADG campaign to the DNC, Organizing for America, and the White House since each entity has, in one way or another, turned its back on the gay community We didn't specifically include the DSCC and the DCCC, but we're certainly not going to stop anyone from sending a loud and clear message to those party organizations as well. (As always, if there's a truly good pro-gay candidate, do give them to them - once you're sure that this time they actually mean it.) Read More...

Should she out her gay friend?

Interesting question from Ask Amy:

I was recently involved in a community volunteer event that lasted a couple of months.

During that time, I became friends with a guy a few years younger than me.

We spent a lot of time together and became very close. There's nothing romantic about it at all -- he's gay and in a serious relationship, and I'm happily married with three kids. We've continued to get together for lunch, etc. My husband also likes him, and we're hoping to spend more time together as couples.

My husband is concerned, though, about my being seen in public with another guy. He's afraid that when people see us together they'll get the wrong idea.

He thinks I should be proactive about explaining the situation to our friends. Although my friend's sexuality is not a secret, I don't feel that it's my place to "out" him to people he doesn't even know.

I'm not sure the gay guy would care, but I'm also not sure they should care what people think. And if a friend asks her why she's hanging out with some guy, she can then tell that friend, he's gay (if he's that open about being gay). What do you think? Read More...

Because Australia understands civil rights

Even kids understand how far off the mark our nation is when it comes to civil rights and equality for the LGBT community. And it now seems that Australia agrees with them:

Australia said Thursday it would not overturn laws allowing the first same-sex civil unions, in a surprise move that enshrined gay "marriages" in the country.

Attorney General Robert McClelland said the government had decided not to intervene after the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) agreed to minor changes to its gay union laws requiring couples to register before a ceremony.

The national government has twice quashed the ACT's attempts to instigate legally recognised same-sex unions on the grounds that Australia's marriage law says weddings must be between a man and a woman.

One more of our longtime allies embarrasses the United States in providing equality and civil rights to ALL of their citizens, while our government continues to prop up institutionalized discrimination to deny equality and justice for all here in America.

Everyone "hates us for our freedoms" over here in the United States, right? /snark Read More...