Mayor Booker Responds to Question about NJ Marriage Equality Referendum

So. Right. ON! Everyone must see this.

Watch "The Times of Harvey Milk" Online

The Oscar-winning documentary, "The Times of Harvey Milk," is available free for online viewing on Hulu. I watched this ages ago, and it still moves me to this day. Here is the link.

"This Oscar-winning documentary film covers the successful career and tragic assassination of San Francisco's first openly gay man elected to office. Harvey Milk was a controversial figure in American politics, who guided campaigns for civil rights. This documentary chronicles Milk's career in politics, as well as the aftermath and trial of his assassin."

Annual "Toy Box" Benefit Block Party

This year's annual Toy Box benefit was held as a block party on Larabee between East|West and Club Eleven which made it more festive than ever. It was the combination of the fake snow, the huge pile of toys, the snowman and Hunky Santa. I made the rounds with my pal Matheu Brooks from Frontiers and IN Magazine.

Aside from amassing a huge pile of toys for the kids, Toy Box is one of the best ways to catch up with folks during this busy time of year, and I finally ran into friends like Kevin Casares, Woody Woodbeck and Wayne Fastow.

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

"Gay for Good" Community Service Group Dinner

My pal Monte and I went to the "Gay for Good" potluck dinner last night. "Gay for Good" is a community service group that Tony Biel just started. In his own words:

"Gay for Good is an all-volunteer organization focused on bridging the gap between the LA GLBT community, and the greater LA community. The objective is to reach out to other non-profit organizations in LA County to volunteer our time to their efforts, events and initiatives."

This was the first organizational meeting and potluck dinner which is why all my pictures are of us signing up for stuff. I should note that Tony made a very popular Shepherd's Pie! (You've seen him on this blog before.)

Monte and I recently went to the Equal Roots "Conference for the GLBT Movement," and they had a similar message of building coalitions with the greater community. Aside from all this protesting, activism and community service, Monte declared we're "changing the world and finding husbands along the way!" I could get on board with that.

CNN Takes A Look At The Campaign That Was

I'm thrilled that Barack Obama won last night.

I'm also mindful that there were setbacks for gay rights in several states: California, Arizona, Florida and Arkansas, which makes it a somewhat Pyrrhic victory for us. Let's take that fight to the national level and win it there. That's the change I'm believing in now!

Wasilla "Rape Kits on Sale" Ad

Remember when Sarah Palin was charging rape victims for their own forensic exams? When you're that cruel, you're probably tacky enough to put them on sale! This video was produced for Americablog.com by Andy Cobb.

Barack Obama Interview with Rachel Maddow

Here's Rachel Maddow interviewing Barack Obama. She is intelligent and insightful. And he is just terrific. (In two parts.)

American Stories, American Solutions: Full Video of Obama Special

The gift of this 30 minute special is that the American people get heard, appreciated, validated and respected. Much of it really moves me to tears. And it all speaks from Obama's core principle, "I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington... I'm asking you to believe in yours." Watch:

Obama '08 - "Vote For Hope" Video by MC Yogi

Hip-hop artist MC Yogi gives us the latest pro-Obama music video.

From MC Yogi's Vimeo Page:

“Vote For Hope” was written to encourage and inspire the hip hop generation—and everyone—to get involved, and contribute their time, energy, creativity, and other resources to be the change they want to see in the world. We have been inspired by the artistic and musical contributions that have been pouring out accross the nation in support of Barack Obama's campaign. Vote for Hope is our offering to this creative movement. It is our way of adding our small voice to the collective voice of millions of Americans calling for a change.

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorses Democrat Barack Obama for President, describing the Illinois senator as a "transformational figure." I'm really moved by Powell's love for America, our people and our soldiers. He is definitely and inspirational figure:

Retired 4-Star General Powell, has served as National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chief's of Staff to George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State under George W. Bush.

You can see the portrait Powell refers to in his statement in the next post.

Maddow on Palin: Calling a Liar a Liar

Hi America! Sarah Palin is looking you straight in the eye and enthusiastically lying to you! The other alternatives are that she's in denial or living in some alternate universe. Or perhaps she never got over the kindergarten strategy of "saying something over and over again makes it true!" Rachel Maddow does a brilliant job of simply showing and telling it like it is.

McCain Calls Obama "That One"

One of McCain's low points, captured as bumper stickers via On The Fritz. Was the Republican candidate being smarmy, tacky, or dehumanizing? Your decide:

Matthew Shepard Beating: 10th Anniversary

Today is the tenth anniversary of the torture and battery of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. He died days later on October 12. His mother, Judy Shepard, appeared on The Early Show this morning, speaking on the progress or lack thereof on hate crime legislation. Matthew Shepard would have been 35 years old if he were alive today. Wyoming along with 18 other states still has no laws addressing hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

Love Never Fails!

"Love Poem," a short piece by Bryton Films in support of "No On Prop 8." The text is from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

Bush Repeats pre-Iraq War Speech from 2003 (or 1984...?)

Read George Orwell's 1984 (or even Gregory Maguire's Wicked) and the structure of George W. Bush's speech about "The Bailout" should sound chillingly familiar... even if it were not for the fact that we heard the same speech 5 years ago.

The books illustrate it in much greater depth, but Jon Stewart demonstrates it a bit more humorously:


It's as if our administration has used Orwell's classic about using war and the economy to control the populace as it's grand strategy:

"The problem was how to keep the wheels of industry turning without increasing the real wealth of the world... In principle the war effort is always so planned as to eat up any surplus that might exist after meeting the bare needs of the population...

"The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives but of the products of human labor. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses to comfortable, and hence, in the long run too intelligent...

"War, it will be seen, not only accomplishes the necessary destruction, but accomplishes it in a psychologically acceptable way... All that is needed is that a state of war should exist. Meanwhile no Inner Party member wavers for an instant in his mystical belief that the war is real, and that it is bound to end victoriously... All members of the Inner Party believe in this coming conquest as an article of faith.

"The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake... Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently... We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."

Palin Tanks on Couric: "I'll try to find ya some, and I'll bring 'em to ya!"

Governor Sarah Palin was unable to back up her statement that "John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business," with concrete examples, resorting to her usual snarkiness.

COURIC: I’m just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

PALIN: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you.

Perhaps this is one reason why McCain is not only suspending the Presidential debate but by proposing that it be moved to October 2, also effectively postponing the Vice-Presidential debate. Until when? No one knows.

Just get present to the impact of this mentality, evasiveness and lack of awareness. Ask yourself if you want that running the country for the next four to eight years. We can't just sit back and watch this happen. Are you willing to take a stand in the face of it?

Letterman Disappointed with McCain for Cancelation

David Letterman expresses his disappointment in John McCain who canceled his appearance on The Late Show. McCain said he had to fly right back to Washington, DC. However, later in the Letterman cuts to a live feed of McCain sitting with Katie Couric getting made up for an interview. Says Letterman:

"Here's what you do if you're running for campaign in the middle of an economic crisis, and it's about to 'crater.' You let your campaign go on shouldered by your Vice Presidential nominee. That's what you do. You don't quit..."

Watch the entire clip:

Stephen Colbert Suspends Show in Response to Financial Crisis

Stephen Colbert suspends his show until the financial crisis is averted. He calls for Jon Stewart to do the same! What will you be suspending?

Obama Says Debate Should Go On

"We should have the debate" Sen. Barack Obama says he thinks the first presidential debate should go on, reports CNN.

Contrasting Responses to Economic Crisis form Obama & McCain

Obama fires back against McCain's "sad" attacks. McCain is now clutching at straws and blaming Obama for the economic crisis.

The Jed Report puts together a side-by-side contrast of Obama and McCain's responses to the situation. Says Jed Lewinson:

"One the one hand, in Barack Obama we've got a statesman who wants to work together to get things done for all Americans. On the other hand, in John McCain we've got a yipping little dog (apologies to canine lovers everywhere) who will tear anything down to get ahead."

Political strategist Ari Melber refuses to let the Repbulicans make light of the situation. He once again shows us "How You Stick it to Lying Republican Hacks" and is a strong new voice in the Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, Stephen Colber gets sound advice from his financial advisor "Gorlock."