Apparently gays are a bigger threat than Osama

AP via the NYT:

Even with concerns growing about military troop strength, 770 people were discharged for homosexuality last year under the military's ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy, a new study shows.

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Trent Lott -- Friend to Gays?

Well, not really. But in today's New York Times Magazine, a quick q and a with Lott finds him predictably downplaying the scandal at Abu Ghraib (not so big a deal and the US comes first, he says) but surprisingly not attacking gay adoption when given the chance. He's asked by Deborah Solomon, "How do you feel about gay men adopting and raising children?" Lott answers, "It's so important that children have parents or family that love them. There are a lot of adopted children who have loving parents, and it comes in different ways with different people in different states." Go figure. Read the rest of this post...

New Bombshell Catholic Church Child Abuse Scandal

In a devastating report in today's "Dallas Morning News," the paper reveals that the Catholic Church continues to hide priests who have raped little boys. A year-long investigation has revealed devastating, heartbreaking details. In the US, they shuttled these evil, unrepentant men from state to state. This new story -- the first in a series of articles -- shows the Church has also been moving priests from country to country. Rome has been trying to pretend this crisis is a US phenomenon. This article makes clear the Church's crimes are worldwide.

One painful highlight is Rev. Frank Klep, who was spirited out of Australia after being convicted of child molestation and is now in the South Pacific, claiming he is rarely around kids and no longer a threat. The reporter watched the priest hand out candy to children after Mass and later spoke to kids waiting on his doorstep. These kids had various stories: one had been picked up by the priest on the side of the road and given a ride, some cash and an offer to do chores around his house. Another kid, 14, said the priest had urged him to bring along his 13 year old friend the priest wanted to meet. And the priest even helped them with their homework --in his private bedroom of course.

People may have "scandal fatigue" about the Catholic Church blithely molesting little kids. They shouldn't because the abuse continues. The kicker? The head of the order involved in this scandal is one of the leading candidates to become the next Pope. Read the rest of this post...

Congresswoman Melissa Hart (R-PA) - our next marriage hypocrite?

Congresswoman Melissa Hart is one of the leaders behind the ant-gay marriage amendment in the US House. It would be the height of hypocrisy if Congresswoman Hart had senior gay staffers at the same time she's pushing to make gays and lesbians second-class citizens in the US Constitution. It would be even more hypocritical for gays and lesbians to work for Congresswoman Hart in senior positions directly affecting her positioning on the amendment. Wouldn't it, now?

It's also curious that Congresswoman Hart, at the age of 42, is still single. That doesn't sound like a very strong defender of heterosexual marriage to me. Read the rest of this post...

Frist defends decision to push anti-gay constitutional amendment

I was at a party in DC last night and was rather shocked by the number of people who came up to me and thanked me for publicly taking on the House and Senate's hypocrisy on challenging our marriages yet letting their own relationships go to hell in a hand basket (e.g., adultery, closeted homosexuality, public sex, divorce, etc.). A number of people have already emailed me with good info about members of Congress and their staff, and several more from the party said they'd be calling soon.

Senator Frist said in the article, we must "protect marriage for what it's been in this country for hundreds of years." So let's start protecting it, ALL of it. Check with your friends and contacts. I want every detail you can get on the personal lives of every single amendment supporter in Congress, so we can ensure that they're all protecting everyone's marriages, and not just ours. Read the rest of this post...

Clinton: Timing of Iraq Attack Was Wrong

Go Bill go! Read the rest of this post...

Anti-gay family-values Republican in IL allegedly facing accusations of forced sex, public sex at sex clubs, and adultery

Holy shit. Check out this statement by a relatively high-ranking Illinois political personality, and a Republican at that, concerning the soon-to-be-unsealed divorce papers of IL Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan (former husband of Jeri "7 of 9" Ryan). The man says he's seen some of the Ryans' divorce records, and he says the records include allegations from Ryan's former wife that:

1) Her husband, Jack Ryan, had a romantic affair with his Executive Secretary
2) That he forced (her word) her to have sexual relations with him against her will, and
3) That he took her to various sex clubs, specifically in New York, New Orleans, and Paris and coerced her to have sex in front of other people.

Again, holy shit. And this guy has a problem with gay marriage, which he calls "special rights"? Well, if Mr. Ryan thinks our relationships are fair game for political discourse, then his relationships are just as relevant.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, this man stands by his statement - local NBC5 has an interesting story about the fall-out as well. Read the rest of this post...