Teddy!

All Together Now! Go Teddy!

I coulda been first

cuatro!

Petition signed. You rawk TSF.

Don’t ask me how I did it, I went to the store and came back.The time stamp on the post and my zed are ten minutes apart!!

I have an acquaintance (several, in fact) who could tell Congress more than they want to know (and probably everything they need to know) about gender discrimination. She said that it was interesting how much less money she was offered as a woman than as a man. The only thing that changed was her gender ID.

Signed, Teddy. I crashed early and woke up early. Went back and read last night’s thread. Loved RonD’s link. I’ll see if I can find it.

well, OK; singles?

Both of my D senators are working with the only Republican (Boozeman) elected to a federal office in AR..

Lincoln, Pryor, Boozman Announce More Than $532,000 for Lowell Abstinence Education Program

Washington – U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and Representative John Boozman (AR-03) today announced that Reality Check, Inc., of Lowell, Ark., will receive $532,509 from the Department of Health & Human Services for a community abstinence education program.

That is a bout 50.00 for every man woman and child in Lowell, AR.

Gees, we can’t even protect the rights of our citizens and some think we should impose our way on others.

Here’s RonD’s link. Sad story about a twin young man who commits suicide. Slate.

It already has created some ugly divisions. John Aravosis of Americablog has come down in support of the new bill that doesn’t include gender identity and has gone as far as dropping the “T” from GLBT and banning dissenting voices. Unfortunately this is not a new postition for him.

why can’t we end discrimination in all forms??

Loo Hoo. @ 12

Here’s RonD’s link. Sad story about a twin young man who commits suicide. Slate.

I’m glad he had a chance to tell his story, it is such a tragedy that he ended up taking his own life. May we all learn something from this wretched travesty.

For all you Gravel fans, he’s got a big interview at the end of the NewsHour tonight.

When I was born, I didn’t know who or what I was, and it didn’t bother me at all. As I grew, some things someone told me, some things I told myself, some things I just found out by bumping into things. Now that I know that I live in the narrative world, I have learned to question everthing. Innocence is bliss. I still struggle with it everyday, but I know that all things change.

Seems so simple to me – a matter of equal protection before the law. The 14th amendment covered it. (Note: this was back when the Constitution still mattered.)

Signed. THANK YOU Teddy, for getting the news and this petition out to us.

its the 21st century and still we’re burdened by discrimination in all forms….sighhhhh

Beautiful, LS.

Hello all, thank you for signing the petition.

Unfortunately, Margaret, it’s just as you say — being banned at ABlog is nothing new for dissenting voices. It’s a shame the site is not more open to discussion. Makes me happy I spend my time here!

gotta make a run – bbl

How many times can Tweety say cackle in one segment?

Well thanks TeddySanFran for the postings and the petition link and the support. Without going into any dirt slinging, I got into this same issue with him years ago and had thought that I had made some progress in educating him. I was wrong. Maybe it’s a good thing though. I haven’t been happy with the way things have been going there for some time. I wish him luck and someday I might forgive him but I’ll never forget.

I encourage people to continue to sign the petition, but this word from the Speaker’s office just now is very encouraging:

Pelosi, Miller, Frank and Baldwin Statement on ENDA

Washington, D.C. — Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, Congressman Barney Frank, and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin issued the following statement today on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA):

“After discussions with congressional leaders and organizations supporting passage of ENDA, we have agreed to schedule mark-up of the bill in the Committee on Education and Labor later this month, followed by a vote in the full House. This schedule will allow proponents of the legislation to continue their discussions with Members in the interest of passing the broadest possible bill.”

The delay until later this month means that the eventual bill may be trans-inclusive.

TeddySanFran @ 22

Hello all, thank you for signing the petition.

Unfortunately, Margaret, it’s just as you say — being banned at ABlog is nothing new for dissenting voices. It’s a shame the site is not more open to discussion. Makes me happy I spend my time here!

Ummmm…I was banned at Americablog, where I had blogged for a pretty long time…I did something very bad…bad, bad, bad…at the time, I didn’t know…I logged on as another person, as a snark, it was actually well-received for awhile …I portrayed a persona opposite of who I am, in a snarky way…it was wrong in hindsight…I didn’t know about blog etiquette at that time, and they cut me off..I learned the hard way.

$50.00 per person in Lowell, Ark for abstinence lectures instead of birth control. That makes republican sense.

Excellent news, Teddy. *Fingers crossed!*

When I bought my old house about ten years ago, I spent several months painting/decorating. I had occasion to observe an employee transition from a man to a woman. It was something new to me, and I found it fascinating. She was confident and most competent, and I remember thinking two things.

1. It must have been difficult for her, dealing mainly with construction workers.
2. What an open-minded employer, ensuring my continued business.

Maragaret! I am so glad to see you here! I was just going to copy this post link and mail it to you.

Here’s a list, with links, of the members of the House Education & Labor Committee. If your congresscritter is on this list, an email supporting an inclusive ENDA would be a great idea.

Here’s the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Action Alert, with a telephone script and letter points, if you’re so inclined.

Here’s the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force ENDA Action Page, with a more complete and clickable congresscritter links.

Finally, here’s a link to Pride At Work/AFL-CIO’s citizen action picket planned for the Human Rights Campaign gala this coming Saturday. DeeCee ‘pups who want to put some boots on the ground may want to bookmark this page, as I’m not sure of their plans after the delay’s been announced.

TSF—this is a great follow up to an excellent Late Night thread and links to Pam’s place are always worth a click. Thanks.

That update is good news and means that there has been enough of a push back to get their notice anyway. I have respect for Barney Frank but I have to be honest when I tell you that I have had more issues with gay men than I have ever had with ordinary heteros, much more. In my state, Texas, I’m not actually a person and having Klienfelter’s syndrome, (an XXY chromsome), I can’t marry anybody of either gender but somehow I make gay men “look bad”. Lesbians have always been and no doubt always will be my best friends and supporters, though I much prefer men as partners. But like everything, we shouldn’t get into stereotyping. Some of the people whom I love most in the world are gay men.

Margaret @ 13

It already has created some ugly divisions. John Aravosis of Americablog has come down in support of the new bill that doesn’t include gender identity and has gone as far as dropping the “T” from GLBT and banning dissenting voices. Unfortunately this is not a new position for him.

Yeah, I was banned from there a couple of years ago. Must say, I don’t miss his site a bit.

Maragaret @ 33 – you got mail. I love you honey.

OT

This is so obvious it’s getting ridiculous.

Presidential Airways, Inc., an aviation Worldwide Services company (d/b/a Blackwater Aviation), Moyock, N.C., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) type contract for $92,000,000.00. The contractor is to provide all fixed-wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger, cargo and combi Short Take-Off and Landing air transportation services between locations in the Area of Responsibility of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. This contract was competitively procured and two timely offers were received. The performance period is from 1 Oct. 2007 to 30 September 2011.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..-contract/

Contract with DOD: worth peanuts

Smuggling weapons and heroin in and out of the Area of Responsibility: priceless

Loo Hoo. @ 29

Excellent news, Teddy. *Fingers crossed!*

When I bought my old house about ten years ago, I spent several months painting/decorating. I had occasion to observe an employee transition from a man to a woman. It was something new to me, and I found it fascinating. She was confident and most competent, and I remember thinking two things.

1. It must have been difficult for her, dealing mainly with construction workers.
2. What an open-minded employer, ensuring my continued business.

I have been very lucky to have T friends and co-workers who’ve not minded educating their privileged white gay male friend about their transitions. I gotta say, they are among the bravest people I know. Even in a tolerant community such as SF with a web of legal protections and social support, there are many opportunities taken to castigate the “other,” shamefully.

i was amazed to read that only 25% of transgenders are fully employed — in San Francisco! Just shows how badly this legislation is needed everywhere.

Jacques @ 34

Margaret @ 13

It already has created some ugly divisions. John Aravosis of Americablog has come down in support of the new bill that doesn’t include gender identity and has gone as far as dropping the “T” from GLBT and banning dissenting voices. Unfortunately this is not a new position for him.

Yeah, I was banned from there a couple of years ago. Must say, I don’t miss his site a bit.

The “pull up the ropes, I’m aboard” mentality over there really was a dividing meme. As for me?

Solidarity.

I believe many/most principled people will be in favor of a principled piece of legislation rather than this 3/5ths rights gbusiness.

Signed Teddy.

Where did everyone go? we’re down to less than a post a minute, at peak traffic time.

OK, I’ll bite. This current thread in a way is about purity, isn’t it? We want 100%, and if we’re offered 80%, then no, that’s not good enough. Not just with regard to the current issue, but about the war, FISA, or anything else. A phrase frequently kicked around in the last year or so has been “Don’t let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.” I take the issue to be that half a loaf is better than none. You may deserve a whole loaf, your GLBT friend may deserve X, Y and Z, but what if we know we can deliver X and Y, but not all three?

The Republicans for the past few decades took their whack at this. Gingrich and Delay decided no half loafs; it was all or nothing, and anyone who didn’t go along was excommunicated. Voila! No more Republican moderates. Yet, they kept control of Congress for years.

I see both sides of the problem: I am frantic with rage at Pelosi for taking impeachment off the table, even if we don’t have advance assurance of all the votes. When an out of control administration is committing high crimes and misdemeanors left and right, and there is evidence lying all over the place in plain view, IMHO it is time to start impeachment, even if we don’t have all the votes guaranteed in advance. I trust the process. But Pelosi, and my Representative, say NO.

We could talk about many of the same issues regarding FISA. That is coming up on the Congressional Calendar in the next week. I am a purist here: I don’t want the FISA law weakened in any way! No concessions! But after much public posturing, I fear that the Democrats will pass a bad bill for fear of “looking weak,” and in the process look so weak as to be pathetic.

So I want a party with backbone to stand up for what is right, but I also want *results*. But what if I can’t have both?

Bob in HI

unconventional conventionist @ 35

Maragaret @ 33 – you got mail. I love you honey.

NOW I know who you are. Thanks sweetie :)

Hi everyone-got a few minutes before heading home, so I just wanted to say how happy I am to see the community coalescing behind the inclusive bill. First, it’s the right thing to do; second, it avoids the horrid spectre of a successful wedge-issue campaign to split the political unity of the GLBT community, which could doom any hope of progress completely. It is, of course, possible that the “minus-T” bill might still have to be a fallback position, as opposed to getting no bill at all: I’m curious as to whether the “T’s” could be added later, either by Executive Order or administratively. If not-it may be better to have no bill at all than to have the movement divided.
What do you think?

Cliff Varnell @ 36

OT

This is so obvious it’s getting ridiculous.

Presidential Airways, Inc., an aviation Worldwide Services company (d/b/a Blackwater Aviation), Moyock, N.C., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) type contract for $92,000,000.00. The contractor is to provide all fixed-wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger, cargo and combi Short Take-Off and Landing air transportation services between locations in the Area of Responsibility of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. This contract was competitively procured and two timely offers were received. The performance period is from 1 Oct. 2007 to 30 September 2011.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..-contract/

Contract with DOD: worth peanuts

Smuggling weapons and heroin in and out of the Area of Responsibility: priceless

In the book Ghost Plane by Stephen Grey, Presidential Airways has long been tied to CIA renditions programs as well.

TeddySanFran @ 31

Here’s a list, with links, of the members of the House Education & Labor Committee. If your congresscritter is on this list, an email supporting an inclusive ENDA would be a great idea.

Here’s the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Action Alert, with a telephone script and letter points, if you’re so inclined.

Here’s the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force ENDA Action Page, with a more complete and clickable congresscritter links.

Finally, here’s a link to Pride At Work/AFL-CIO’s citizen action picket planned for the Human Rights Campaign gala this coming Saturday. DeeCee ‘pups who want to put some boots on the ground may want to bookmark this page, as I’m not sure of their plans after the delay’s been announced.

Dang, Teddy not a rehash of last nite…! I sent an e-mail to my critter, Mazie Hirono, asking for her participation in ENDA! I’ll post her response when I receive it…!!! *g*

TeddySanFran @ 31

Here’s a list, with links, of the members of the House Education & Labor Committee. If your congresscritter is on this list, an email supporting an inclusive ENDA would be a great idea.

Here’s the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Action Alert, with a telephone script and letter points, if you’re so inclined.

Here’s the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force ENDA Action Page, with a more complete and clickable congresscritter links.

Finally, here’s a link to Pride At Work/AFL-CIO’s citizen action picket planned for the Human Rights Campaign gala this coming Saturday. DeeCee ‘pups who want to put some boots on the ground may want to bookmark this page, as I’m not sure of their plans after the delay’s been announced.

Aw, Teddy – Randy Kuhl is on this Committee. This is the guy who told his offices to just lock the doors and refuse to let anyone in rather than take the chance that one Iraq War protester might gain entrance. But I will try. I will really try.

bobschacht @ 40

Where did everyone go? we’re down to less than a post a minute, at peak traffic time.

OK, I’ll bite. This current thread in a way is about purity, isn’t it? We want 100%, and if we’re offered 80%, then no, that’s not good enough. Not just with regard to the current issue, but about the war, FISA, or anything else. A phrase frequently kicked around in the last year or so has been “Don’t let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.” I take the issue to be that half a loaf is better than none. You may deserve a whole loaf, your GLBT friend may deserve X, Y and Z, but what if we know we can deliver X and Y, but not all three?

The Republicans for the past few decades took their whack at this. Gingrich and Delay decided no half loafs; it was all or nothing, and anyone who didn’t go along was excommunicated. Voila! No more Republican moderates. Yet, they kept control of Congress for years.

I see both sides of the problem: I am frantic with rage at Pelosi for taking impeachment off the table, even if we don’t have advance assurance of all the votes. When an out of control administration is committing high crimes and misdemeanors left and right, and there is evidence lying all over the place in plain view, IMHO it is time to start impeachment, even if we don’t have all the votes guaranteed in advance. I trust the process. But Pelosi, and my Representative, say NO.

We could talk about many of the same issues regarding FISA. That is coming up on the Congressional Calendar in the next week. I am a purist here: I don’t want the FISA law weakened in any way! No concessions! But after much public posturing, I fear that the Democrats will pass a bad bill for fear of “looking weak,” and in the process look so weak as to be pathetic.

So I want a party with backbone to stand up for what is right, but I also want *results*. But what if I can’t have both?

Bob in HI

You can’t compare this to FISA in my opinion. Maybe you can compare it to war in one line of rational but we are talking about human rights here. Why can’t people wrap their minds around that? Accepting this…whether it involves one personally or not…is like saying that the 3/5fths of a vote that a black man once got was also “good enough”. That’s how the people who want ENDA dead are going to frame it: as bigots always have. The “does it have to be all or nothing/take what you can get”, is exactly how they want it defined.

bobschacht @ 40

This current thread in a way is about purity, isn’t it? We want 100%, and if we’re offered 80%, then no, that’s not good enough.

i think this is not about 80% for everyone – that would be a compromise. this is 100% for some people and 0% for some other people. and the people who are getting 0% may very well be the people who need the help the most.

Hey, CT, I don’t mean to rehash last nite. But we’ve made significant progress today, with the delay that’s been announced. Additionally, some ‘pups may not have seen the Sunday Nite post. That’s why I reposted the links. Thanks for contacting Mazie!

new post upstairs

Thanks to all!

Eureka Springs @ 43

Cliff Varnell @ 36

OT

This is so obvious it’s getting ridiculous.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..-contract/

Contract with DOD: worth peanuts

Smuggling weapons and heroin in and out of the Area of Responsibility: priceless

In the book Ghost Plane by Stephen Grey, Presidential Airways has long been tied to CIA renditions programs as well.

Call off the renditions. They have bigger things in mind: the greatest heroin pipeline in the history of getting loaded.

Great news for American junkies, not so great for everyone else.

Signed. Thanks, TSF -for the post and the awesome Nina Simone video.

TeddySanFran @ 48

Hey, CT, I don’t mean to rehash last nite. But we’ve made significant progress today, with the delay that’s been announced. Additionally, some ‘pups may not have seen the Sunday Nite post. That’s why I reposted the links. Thanks for contacting Mazie!

It’s an important topic, I just seem to recall the deep seated emotions that ran rampant…!!!

The very people thrown off ENDA are simultaneously some of the most brave yet vulnerable! I say FIE on that.

To some degree the conflict hee is between a sudden, punctuated-equilibrium paradigm shift, or an incrementalist campaign. My observations of natural systems support a hybrid: a long period of slow, incremental change leading to a sudden, rapid redefinition of the paradigm. We have been in the incremental-change phase since 1969. It is now, IMHO, time for the earthquake.
Evolutionary theory applied to LGBT civil rights.
It’s been TOO long..

while we’re discussing solidarity… i’m irked that coverage for LEGAL immigrant children has been pulled from SCHIP.

TeddySanFran @ 48

Hey, CT, I don’t mean to rehash last nite. But we’ve made significant progress today, with the delay that’s been announced. Additionally, some ‘pups may not have seen the Sunday Nite post. That’s why I reposted the links. Thanks for contacting Mazie!

Hi Teddy- yes, I would urge everyone who is interested in the issue, and we all should be, to read last nite’s thread. Many thoughtful and educated comments, esp. from DrDick, who is especially knowledgeable.

Being as I am a biologist, I had pretty much taken it for granted that the points he made were common knowledge, but reading through the discussion I learned that that is not the case.

It really was a great thread. Thanks, Teddy.

TeddySanFran @ 50

Thanks to all!

thank you, TSF!

late to the party, but i’ve really appreciated these posts. many thanks.

CTuttle @ 53

TeddySanFran @ 48

Hey, CT, I don’t mean to rehash last nite. But we’ve made significant progress today, with the delay that’s been announced. Additionally, some ‘pups may not have seen the Sunday Nite post. That’s why I reposted the links. Thanks for contacting Mazie!

It’s an important topic, I just seem to recall the deep seated emotions that ran rampant…!!!

CT, interesting. My take on the tone of the thread was different than yours. I was, rather, impressed by the thoughtfulness of the discussion, and the amount of information conveyed.

Thank you for the links Teddy. Lynn Woolsey is on the committee, and I just sent her a fax, with info from helpful linkies.

selise @ 56

while we’re discussing solidarity… i’m irked that coverage for LEGAL immigrant children has been pulled from SCHIP.

Really? How can it not cover LEGAL children? It should cover all of course but legal residents coverage should be a no brainer.

Laura Doty @ 60

Thank you for the links Teddy. Lynn Woolsey is on the committee, and I just sent her a fax, with info from helpful linkies.

Thank you Laura!

Breaking News

Democrats Back Off from Cutting Trans Protection from ENDA

Pelosi, Frank and Baldwin:

“After discussions with congressional leaders and organizations supporting passage of ENDA, we have agreed to schedule mark-up of the bill in the Committee on Education and Labor later this month, followed by a vote in the full House. This schedule will allow proponents of the legislation to continue their discussions with Members in the interest of passing the broadest possible bill.”

Heeding Task Force, HRC, Many Others, Congress Slows Down ENDA