I shared this some time ago. I still find that it resonates with me. The video is a good reminder (if it can be good to be reminded) of how much hate and anger people have toward others they don't understand and who are different from them.

I was listening to NPR yesterday about what Sacha Baron Cohen went through to get footage for his film, Bruno. He was being interviewed on Fresh Air, and some of the things he described about what happened when he portrayed his homosexual style commentator character Bruno to truly homophobic people is truly terrifying. People threatening him with guns, throwing chairs at him, charging after him to attempt to inflict bodily injury. There are truly some scary people out there with hearts filled with hate for homosexuals. Why? It's not just religion and this is all REAL. These people have no clue he is playing a part. Is it truly xenophobia?

I consider dogs to be the best animal on the planet. Sure, there are plenty of other animals and even other pets, but dogs with their social and pack mentality are perfect pets. I know some people would disagree, but perhaps they haven't seen this:

Dogs greeting their masters and lost pack members home from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan

There's video at the bottom of soldiers surprising their kids by coming home too. Very touching.

I've been busy with life matters mostly, so I haven't been really following any LJ activity very much, but I saw this today and just had to say...WOW? This is amazing that Quakers in the UK can be more open minded and liberal then much of the Christian denominations here in the US. It's really quite startling, IMO. Especially the part where they are pushing the government to recognize same sex couples. Just wow...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8177536.stm

I love this part especially:

"But the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said the Quakers had been more prepared than other groups to reinterpret the Bible in the light of contemporary life."

Hey new kid! Yeah, you.
Bobby Jindal--
Shut the fuck up.
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That is all.

Ala. town stunned by gunman

When even the porn industry is suffering a slump in sales.

>.< Sheesh. Of course some of the big names in there HAVE to blame it partially on piracy. The thing I hate about that argument is that they are assuming that if somebody gets something for free, they would certainly be willing to pay for it. I'm tired of this argument. That's so unrealistic. It's lost sales, granted, but not $1 to $1. Thankfully, the article points out that the largest obstacle causing slumping sales is the overwhelming amount of FREE porn on the internet from amateurs. [Is there really such a thing as professional pornographers? I suppose so as long as you like corny dialog. :P]
Anyway, here's the article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28737244/

Live broadcast on state TV cut away when sensitive topics mentioned

updated 2 hours, 13 minutes ago

BEIJING - The official Chinese translation of President Barack Obama's inauguration speech omitted his references to communism and dissent, and a live broadcast on state television Wednesday quickly cut away to the anchor when sensitive topics were mentioned.

I'd like to know if there is anybody pro-gay who can read this article and not get infuriated or at least a little angry? The whole "gay activity is down" statement really tweaks my "so glad I'm ex-catholic" attitude. The priests who abused young boys fall more precisely under pedophilia, NOT "gay activity". We're not talking about consensual sex here and the fact they refer to it as "gay activity" really pisses me off. It's only coincidence that most Priests and alter boys are male, huh? OF COURSE it's going to be homosexual in nature because children are susceptible to abuse like this and don't always have the mental constitution to withstand this kind of abuse. It's why we protect children from sexual predators. This has nothing to do with sexual orientation, so the Vatican blaming "gaydom" for this travesty is really low, and it's no wonder the US dioceses don't follow the Vatican to the letter any more. What about the cliché of the pregnant nun? I suppose the classic cases of this happening don't qualify under the same category? What I'm trying to say is that if for instance the average alter child were a girl, then it would still be going on, but the Vatican wouldn't be able to label it "gay behavior". That doesn't make it less of a travesty nor does it suddenly qualify it as pedophilia instead of "gay activity". It's child abuse, plain and simple. It pisses me right off when somebody still equates homosexuality with pedophilia and something we still need to work on to change the association of by closed minded or ignorant people.

In other gay news in regard to civil rights, Reverend Al Sharpton denounces anti-gay congregations! In his words, "There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people's bedrooms and claim that God sent you." Right on Al! This is the kind of progress I like to see on the gay rights forefront.

Also, I was listening to NPR yesterday and on Fresh Air, Congressman John Lewis talks about how he helped organize the famous black rights march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama for the right to vote. He had something interesting to say about the struggle for gay rights. (happens @ about minute 22) I would summarize it, but it is so well said, I don't want to misquote mister Lewis. The whole clip is a very good listen.

I'd like to point anybody that holds interest in the gay marriage debate/war/fight over to the Newsweek website, where a recent and well written article debating a biblical case FOR gay marriage is posted which was the magazine's cover article last week. It is a very good read and well worth your time. If anything, it will give you some knowledge to hit back verbally if anybody ever quotes scripture at you in a case against legalizing gay marriage.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653

It still boggles me how this is SUCH an explosive issue. I mean, I understand why conservative Christians don't like it and are icked out, but this IS after all between ME and my CREATOR whatever that may be and NOT between them and their own creator. What do they care if I get married or not? I guess it still has to do with the idea that many hold the belief that Christianity OWNS marriage like it's some sort of "old boys club" as in "yeah, you can come in, no YOU get Out!" It's ridiculous. They allow atheists to marry. They don't have a problem with Jews marrying, but throw two guys in there and all hell breaks loose. *sigh* Well, I firmly believe we'll get there some day.

After you've read the above article, head on over to the Human Rights Campaign website and send your support to Newsweek for publishing such a controversial article. They truly need support because since its publishing, they have received over 200,000 emails and letters in protest. We need to send a message to big publishing companies that we support them and are looking out for them.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/newsweek/step1

After that, I want you to run right out to the store and BUY a copy. We all need to support this kind of journalism because it could just as easily (and it often does) swing the other way against us. Show your support!

BBC is reporting that an HIV positive patient has potentially been cured by a bone marrow transplant from a patient carrying an HIV resistance. This could be huge.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7726118.stm