HRC’s coporate partners (you can even get a HRC Visa card!)http://www.hrc.org/about_us/partners.asp

Am Airlines , Bank of A, citibank..surely rep run of the mill gay/queer people….

I guess its easier to discuss whether you believe in LGBTQ than to discuss whether the Democratic Party has fulfilled any of the real promises that they have made to the gay community over the years.

One solid promise was made. Make them keep it. It is a small one. Not DOMA, not true gay marriage, just DADT—not hard to do when you have presidency, House and Senate…

“All that said, it still confounds me why some heterosexual men go completely berzerk when encountering homosexuality. I can fully understand that same-sex intimacies just aren’t for them but what are they afraid of?”

Their own latent desires.  Truly heterosexual men (a minority) are not threatened at all by homosexuals or homosexuality.  In fact, the best friends I’ve ever had have been completely heterosexual men.  It’s the ones who are secretly bisexual who live as heterosexual who get freaked out about it.  And by being vocal and verbally abusive they think they will deflect any suspicions of it from themselves. 

Whenever I see (or read) men who rant about homosexuality, I think to myself, “this is either a blinded religionist who has a dear leader telling him what is and is not right in the world, or he’s a closet case…”

Sin: an action FELT to be reprehensible…

Crime: an act that is DESIGNATED as reprehensible…

A sin can also be a crime. A crime can also be a sin.

And MANY considered one or another are NEITHER. Some are considered BOTH.

And you wonder why there’s an “inability to discern between them.”

Clearly, killing someone isn’t a nice thing to do. But if I do it, it’s both a sin and a crime. If the State does it, it’s neither.

So now it’s down to WHO does WHAT to WHOM under WHICH circumstances.

I think I’ll quit this, anaman51… I’m getting a headache.

Well said, RAE. One of the problems our lawmakers have had over the years is an insufferable inability to discern between a sin and a crime. The lines get blurred all the time, although change is slowly entering the scene.

It’s my view that the philosophies of control and obedience that are the hallmarks of some organized religions are at the root of the problem.

As the song says….“You’ve got to be TAUGHT to HATE.”

What I’d like to see is a review by the Justice Department of these “teachings” by organized religions to ferret out those that are in conflict with the Constitution insofar as individual rights and freedoms are concerned. Those “teachings” which clearly promote prejudice and hate, such as the outrageous hate mongering promoted by the Westboro Baptist Church homophobes, need to be cited and brought to court.

Freedom of Religion should not trump anyone’s right to be free from the ignorant viciousness as demonstrated by these insane fanatics.

All that said, it still confounds me why some heterosexual men go completely berzerk when encountering homosexuality. I can fully understand that same-sex intimacies just aren’t for them but what are they afraid of?

A simple “No thanks” is all that’s necessary if propositioned… better yet, how about “Oh, thank you for the offer. I’m flattered you find me attractive. But same-sex intimacy isn’t for me.” Unless, of course, he’s not really SURE he wouldn’t enjoy it. Ahhh… there’s the “rub.”

No matter what laws are changed, no matter what the official policy might become, what stands in the way of equality for those in the gay community is just plain old fashioned unfounded hatred. Homosexuality has been so thoroughly demonized by our culture that the hole gays must dig themselves out of is even deeper than the African American community had to face during the dark days of the freedom marches.

Live and let live, people.