Late Night Randomness Yet Again

Reading some more history of the Stonewall uprising I was struck yet again by how many people even among radical gays conflate sexual orientation and gender identity. The two are most defiantly NOT the same. Take say a Male to Female transsexual, if as a man she was attracted to women, and thus considered straight, she would as a woman still be sexual attracted to women and now be considered a lesbian, This simple fact seems to have eluded many supposedly deep thinkers who still think of all trans-women as confused effeminate gay men and all trans-men as confused butch lesbians when they thin k of trans-men at all. Cthulhu only knows what they would think of me, a gender queer pansexual, I’m all over the place.

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support - John Buchan

We Return To Late Night Rambles And Head Trips

Well today is the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. , yes I said uprising not riot. It was an uprising against a unjust system of legal repression spearheaded by transgender people but including all LGBTIQ people. It was not the first and will not be the last. It was a radical moment and gave rise to a radical movement . Yes it was soon co-opted by accommodationists but that does not diminish its impact.

But I don’t want to look back I want to look forward. Now is another potentially radical moment if we can stop expecting that any one will benevolently give us our rights. As long as we are polite and work with in the system we will get crumbs at best. Screw the Democratic Party; true democracy resides in the streets. If we truly believe in the Dallas Principles of No Delay No Excuses we need harness our anger and take to the streets. We need to harness our creativity to find new ways to put the pressure on and keep it on. Remember anger is an energy and we are outside of society.

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanishe - Justin Brown

We Return To The Friday Random Thirteen

Rince Philib a’Cheoil by Clannad
Meet El Presidente by Duran Duran
Lady Jane by The Rolling Stones
Buttcracker Suite by Bob Rivers
Sadness by Donovan
If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave) by George Thorgogood & The Destroyers
A Touch Of Evil by Judas Priest
Manger 6 by Bob Rivers
I’m Going Home by Tim Curry
A Tout Le Monde by Megadeth
I’m A Boy by The Who
Deserted Cities Of The Heart by Cream
It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It) by The Rolling Stones

Time For Chaos, A Random Ramble

Phase shifts are interesting things, saturation builds up and suddenly a liquid solution can crystallize into a solid. We have seen two political phase shifts this month so far.

First here at home the queer community has finally had it with the democrats. It started with the passage of Proposition 8 in California and built up as the national Democratic party pushed queer rights to the back of the queue. It was brought to a head by the administrations stunningly stupid brief in defense of DOMA. Now not only are queers making a lot of noise but they are closing their wallets just when the Democratic party is trying to raise funds for the midterm elections. This should be interesting; already the Democrats are scrambling to cover their asses. We may get some good legislation out of this yet.

On a far more violent and possibly major front Iran is on the verge of another revolution. This is not sudden but has been building for a decade and more. There have been other large-scale demonstrations and clashes between the young and the ayatollahs. The tensions the people who want to live in the present and the theocrats who want them to live in a fantasy version of a non-existent past may have been covered over but have never stopped growing. What is different now is that there is a focal point, the election, which has brought together all the different groups that have demonstrated in the past, students, labor and women as one and sent them out into the streets. The ayatollahs could still win but with some clerics siding with the demonstrators the current regime could just as easily collapse. Remember how quickly the Soviet Union went from Evil Empire to non-existent.

There are other phase shifts that may soon show up, some may have already happened. Is Mexico now a failed state for instance? As many others have mentioned the post World War Two world system has collapsed and we still don’t know what, if anything, will take it’s place.

Open Letter To The LA Car Guy Dealerships

I just watched your vile little ad featuring a transgender woman being stranded in the desert. It smacked of the ‘trans panic’ defense so often used in the murder of transgender people. Far to many transgender people have been murdered by bigots who use the excuse that they were ‘deceived’ as to the transgender persons ‘true’ gender. For you to use this as the basis of your add is offensive in the extreme to this trans-woman. Having lost a car due to a dead engine I am in the market for a replacement but thanks to that ad I won’t be buying it from you or any other member of the L.A. Car Guy Dealerships.

For more information, the actual ad and the contact list for the LA Car Guy Dealership list go to Pam’s House Blend

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

Man must learn to rely upon himself. Reading bibles will not protect him from the blasts of winter, but houses, fires and clothing will. To prevent famine, one plow is worth a million sermons, and even patent medicines will cure more diseases than all the prayers uttered since the beginning of the world. - Robert Green Ingersoll

Why I’m Still Glad Obama Won

Obama has been a major disappointment lately, not merely for the vile DOJ brief defending DOMA but for signing on to the truly evil idea of indefinite dentition . BUT, as Monica Roberts pointed out there is the VERY imporatnat matter of the Supreme Court. With Obama we will get more moderate slightly left of center nominees which is vastly better than the sort of theocratic thugs we could have expected from McCain as a payoff to the Religious Reich if he had gotten elected. So as disappointing as Obama has sometimes been and even though I didn’t vote for him I’m still glad he won.

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

By the time the pope finished riding around Africa in his bullet-proof car wearing his gold-braided robes and telling AIDS victims not to use condoms, how many more African babies had starved to death? - Gareth Hunt

More Late Night Ramblings To The Center Of My Mind

So a bit of a let down last week wasn’t it? What with Obama’s Department Of Justice filing a legal brief in defense of DOMA you would think we Queers have been given the shaft again and you would be right. Hell we Gender Queer’s even got the finger from the house journal of the Gay establishment The Advocate who couldn’t be bothered to get a story about a trans woman getting married right. It is enough to really piss one off isn’t it?

It’s certainly enough to make me turn my eyes inward to meditate on what I’ve done or not done. I certainly am no great activist or leader and just as certainly have not done enough to advance the cause of legal equality for queers. We all haven’t done enough. I know I’m a coward for not being fully out to everyone I know. If we ALL came out we would shock and move a great many people. But that’s easy to say and hard, if not potentially fatal, to do. Maybe it’s because I’m a child of the 60’s but I’m coming around to the belief that only a revolution can change things. The system seems so hopelessly corrupt, so completely bought off by the big money interests that nothing short of revolution will be able to make any difference. But are we all too apathetic and scared to make a difference?

So do you have an answer for that?

A Day Late And A Dollar Short Random Thirteen

Big Cat by Afro Celt Sound System
Black Velveteen by Lenny Kravitz
Shout At The Devil by Mötley Crüe
She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills by The Stooges
I’m Coming Home by The Deviants
Surfin’ U.S.A. by The Beach Boys
John Ninteen:Forty-One by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere by The Who
Flight Of Icarus by Iron Maiden
Every Day Is Exactly The Same by Nine Inch Nails
Back To The House That Love Built by Tito & Tarantula
Anarchy In The U.K. by Sex Pistols
I’m The Man (Def Uncensored Radio Version) by Anthrax

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

The usual Christian argument is that the suffering in the world is a purification for sin and is therefore a good thing. This argument is, or course, only a rationalization of sadism; but in any case it is a very poor argument. I would invite any Christian to accompany me to the children's ward of a hospital, to watch the suffering that is there being endured, and then to persist in the assertion that those children are so morally abandoned as to deserve what they are suffering. In order to bring himself all feelings of mercy and c compassion. He must, in short, make himself as cruel as the God in whom he believes - Bertrand Russell

Late Night Ramblings

So the right is still on about Obama the ‘socialist’ , do these people have NO idea of the meaning of the term? Obama is so relentlessly centrist it hurts this old wobblies head. His health care plan is basically tax incentives to business and buy insurance or else mandate to everyone else. If he were a socialist he would be going for a true national single payer plan.

But then the right aren’t really free marketers, they are crony capitalists at best. It’s the old public risk private profit scam.

Just remember kids, Direct Action Gets The Goods!

Tomorrow back to What Must Be Done.

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting. But it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously -Douglas Adams

What Must Be Done, Opening Thoughts

This is a critical time for Queer rights in this country. We have had great victories and defeats, often in the same state. New Hampshire where marriage rights were won but employment and housing protections for gender identity did not even get out of committee. Here we run into one of the major dilemmas, whether to fight at the state level or throw more of our resources to the federal level. The answer to that question in turn depends on which fight you’re talking about. If you’re focusing on a inclusive hate crimes bill the federal level looks very promising given that the Mathew Sheppard Act has already passed the house. If, on the other hand, you’re fighting for marriage equality the state level looks more promising at the moment. Then there is the question of tactics, should we focus on lobbying, legal fights in the courts or direct action? These debates are exacerbated by the fractures within the queer community.

Assuming I can maintain focus I want to offer my thoughts on these issues and invite discussion over the next few days.

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

The world holds two classes of men - intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence - Abu Ala Al-Ma'arri

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanishe - Justin Brown

Gender Is A State Of Mind

At least it is for me. Given my circumstances I may never be able to do even the mild transition I want to. That does not effect how I feel however which is neither male nor female. I may never look it but I’m an androgynous being who wants to be an ever-shifting blend of ‘male’ and ‘female’ traits. I hate the dirty looks I get when I pick some femme piece of clothing to ware, this society is way to hung up on gender presentation issues. At least in my mind I can peacefully explore the labyrinth of gender.

It’s Friday Time For A Random Thirteen From iTunes

Éireann by Afro Celt Sound System
Baba O’Riley by The Who
Children Of The Sun by The Misunderstood
Problem by The Sex Pistols
Walk Away by Black Sabbath
Winner Takes All by Sammy Hagar
Temptation by Halford
Summertime by Big Brother & The Holding Company
Rapid Fire by Judas Priest
Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin
Bed Of Nails by Alice Cooper
Iron Head by Rob Zombie
Whatsername by Green Day

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep-seated need to believe. - Carl Sagan

Atheist Quote Of A Random Day

A continuing feature of this blog brought to you by just another atheist

Pray: To ask the laws of the universe to be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy - Ambrose Bierce

A Poll To Crash

Over at One News Now, a theocrat propaganda site, they are running a poll of Obama’s declaration of June as ‘LGBT Pride Month’ as is to be expected things are not going our way.

What's your reaction to Barack Obama's proclamation designating this month as 'LGBT Pride Month'?
It is a well-deserved celebration - 2.37%
[2.37%]
No big surprise from this administration - 21.45%
[21.45%]
Sin gets a whole month - National Day of Prayer barely gets a presidential nod - 55.75%
[55.75%]
What next? Adultery Adoration Week? - 20.43%
[20.43%]

Let’s get over there and change those numbers. It’s not going to be easy as they already have 20,444 responses but I know we can do it.

Support a fully inclusive ENDA

Off to the right and down the page a bit there is a new widget. Dr. Jillian T. Weiss has started a campaign via AskYourLawmaker.org, an organization of journalists that brings questions to Members of Congress and then posts the answers on the internet. The campaign is to ask all members of congress if they would support a fully inclusive ENDA if if not why not. If we can get enough votes they will ask the question and post the answers. This let’s us contact and educate the members of congress who are not supportive.

Marriage is good and we queers deserve that right but the right to earn a living is even more important. Far too many of our siblings are on the street struggling to survive, go vote now. Make our congresspeople put themselves on the record. Then we can educate them on why this s a matter of life our death for us.