An afternoon stroll down Knickerbocker Avenue

One of the many goals of this blog is to provide its readers with a sense of daily live in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. And on that thread, here is a video I took earlier today as I walked down Knickerbocker Avenue.

Iowa extends marriage to same-sex couples

In an unanimous decision, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the right for gays and lesbians to marry in the Hawkeye State.

The judges upheld a lower court's decision that would have allowed six same-sex couples to marry. Polk County District Judge Robert Hanson ruled in favor of the couples last year, but he suspended his decision until the state Supreme Court issued its decision.

Des Moines resident Sandi Patton-Imani praised the decision in a statement released through the Family Equality Council.

“Our family is celebrating with great joy at finally being granted full civil rights by the state we live in," she said.

This ruling, which takes effect on April 21, will almost certainly be a watershed moment for activists within the movement for LGBT rights continue to push for marriage for same-sex couples in other states. The Vermont House of Representatives passed a marriage bill last night. And lawmakers in New Hampshire and other states continue to debate the issue.

Make the Road New York to host hate crime forum in Bushwick

This forum comes nearly four months after two men allegedly beat Ecuadorian immigrant José Sucuzhañay to death on a Bushwick street corner. The New York Police Department arrested and charged Keith Phoenix and Hakim Scott in February in connection with Sucuzhañay's death. Both men remain in custody.

Gay activists seek rights in the Middle East

This week has been full of Web site updating, deadlines and pitches, but one of the things I have covered over the last few days is the push to secure rights for LGBT people in the Middle East.

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission honored Helem, an LGBT rights organization based in the Middle East, at a ceremony at New York University on Monday. And Helem member Georges Azzi, who accepted the award on behalf of his organization, was among those who were on a panel to discuss LGBT rights in the Arab Middle East at the LGBT Community Center in lower Manhattan.

I just posted a story onto EDGE, but the thing to take away from the Middle East is it contains within it a variety of cultures, religiosity and societies. And levels of tolerance and acceptance of homosexuality are simply a manifestation of this complex tapestry that comprises the region. The situation on the ground is almost certainly much different than the nightly news may indicate. And Helem and Azzi and other activists who work within the region are truly making a difference in the lives of their LGBT brothers and sisters.

A day down the Shore

A steady stream of middle aged gamblers, smoky casino floors and a heavy mist that was certainly not conducive for a good hair day were among the many things I found on my trip to Atlantic City yesterday. I had never been to the beach side resort that has obviously seen better days, but it was truly wonderful to leave the city for at least a few hours.

I did not win the jackpot I had envisioned in my head. I did not meet lady luck. And I certainly (and fortunately) did not lose my shirt or anything else for that matter. I did, however, enjoy some good salt water taffy and breathe in some good ocean air for the first time in months. I honestly feel a bit recharged after turning off my cell phone and logging off my computer and those all too addictive social networking sites..., but now it's back to the grind.

Below is a video of the late March weather that did a number on my hair.

New Hampshire House passes marriage bill

I'm on multiple deadlines this afternoon, but one quick and exciting news that came into my inbox earlier today is the New Hampshire House passed a bill that would extend marriage to same-sex couples.

Legislators voted 186-179 to send the proposed legislation to the state Senate. Same-sex couples have been able to enter into civil unions since Jan. 2008, but it remains unclear as to whether Gov. John Lynch would sign the bill if it were to cross his desk.

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas has said he plans to veto a bill to extend marriage to same-sex couples Montpelier lawmakers passed earlier this week. Lawmakers in Hawai'i and Maine are among those who have recently debated marriage for same-sex couples. And activists across the country continue to wait for the California Supreme Court to rule in the case that seeks to overturn Proposition 8.

Stay tuned...

Teen reportedly confesses to murder of ABC newsman

A teenager has reportedly confessed to murdering a popular radio newsman inside his Carroll Gardens apartment earlier this week.

The New York Daily News and other media outlets reported the 16-year-old boy confessed he murdered ABC News Radio anchor George Weber after the newsman reportedly placed an advertisement for rough sex on Craigslist. The teen reportedly stabbed Weber and attempted to cover up the crime.

Police found Weber dead inside his brownstone on Sunday. His ankles were bound with duct tape.

Weber's murder has stunned journalists and those who had known him or had listened to him on the radio over the years. His untimely death comes roughly two and a half years after four Brooklyn men lured Michael Sandy to a secluded beach along the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn to rob him. A car struck and killed him as he attempted to flee.

The teen who allegedly murdered Weber remains in NYPD custody.

Schumer backs marriage, repeal of DOMA

The news U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer endorsed marriage for same-sex couples at a dinner organized by Empire State Pride Agenda executive director Alan Van Capelle and former ESPA co-chair Jeff Soref last night in Manhattan has spread like wildfire since New York Daily News reporter Liz Benjamin broke the story on her blog.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Assemblymembers Danny O'Donnell, Deborah Glick and Micah Kellner were among those who dined with Schumer at the Gramercy Tavern. Schumer's office told the Daily News in a statement "it's time" to support gays and lesbians as they seek the right to marry.

"Equality is something that has always been a hallmark of America and no group should be deprived of it. New York, which has always been at the forefront on issues of equality, is appropriately poised to take a lead on this issue," it said in a statement.

Schumer further indicated he would back a full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act for which he voted in 1996. This dinner may very well amount to a watershed moment both for LGBT politics in New York and around the country.

A Sunday afternoon in Bushwick

It's a blissfully quiet Sunday afternoon here in Bushwick after a long and turbulent week. Spring officially sprang on Friday and children, their parents, skateboarders and others filled Maria Hernandez Park this afternoon as I walked home from the bank and other errands.

Attached is a video and other pictures to provide a sense of a typical Sunday afternoon in the neighborhood.





The relatively new bodega on Jefferson Street




A boarded up market on Flushing Avenue near the Life Café




A poster on Myrtle Avenue in support of Dominican President Leonel Fernández's re-election campaign last spring.




A new bus shelter near DeKalb and Wilson Avenues




Spring has sprung in Maria Hernandez Park




The Empire State Building from Irving Avenue between Jefferson and Troutman Streets

Pope Benedict claims condom use spreads HIV/AIDS

As a former Roman Catholic who left the faith nearly a decade ago, it remains extremely difficult for me to take almost anything Pope Benedict XVI says seriously. And his assertion the use of condoms actually facilitates the spread of HIV and AIDS simply borders on the ridiculous.

Benedict made his assertion as he flew to Cameroon in West Africa. Bloggers and HIV/AIDS service organizations around the world almost immediately (and rather predictably) railed against the Pope's comments. One can easily conclude they are based upon dogmatic teachings that are increasingly out-of-touch with the challenges of the modern world. And this reality includes the continued need to use practical and scientifically-proven methods to combat an epidemic that continues to inflict a far too heavy toll.

The last line in today's New York Times' editorial that examines the impact of Benedict's comments is perhaps summarizes the situation best. It reads it "seems irresponsible to blame condoms for making the epidemic worse." Indeed.

St. Patrick's Day 2009

As the majority of New York prepares to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, a phone call from the man with whom I recently broke-up and a text message from my friend Adam in Boston have certainly put me into the Irish mood (of sorts) on this bright and sunny March 17.

I will almost certainly remain at my desk for most of today, but a myriad of Irish eyes will certainly shine upon New York today. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn will attend a reception in honor of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen tonight in Washington. The Irish Queers will hold their annual protest at the city's St. Patrick's Day parade on Fifth Avenue to draw attention to the Ancient Order of Hibernians' long-standing policy to exclude LGBT marchers from the defile. And countless others will patronize Irish pubs and other establishments as they revel in their Irish heritage (or at least pretend they hail from the Emerald Isle.)

A faltering economy and the murder of a policeman and two soldiers at the hands of a splinter group of Irish Republican Army dissidents earlier this month are among the concerns Irish and Northern Irish continue to confront, but St. Patrick's Day remains the one (albeit kitschy) time people across the world can pay tribute and honor this great island, it's people and its culture.

Boys (and Girls) of Brooklyn

Yes mom, there are indeed LGBT people who live, work and play in Brooklyn!

I simply could not resist the above lede for today's blog posting, but in all seriousness there are a lot of LGBT Brooklynites who live, work and play in Kings County. The BK has been my home for nearly five years, and I honestly cannot imagine living anywhere else at this time in my life.

My spontaneous love for Brooklyn stems from a really good meeting I had earlier today with the inspiration behind OutAboutBrooklyn, a new blog that hopes to let boys and girls who live in the borough know about LGBT-owned and operated bars, clubs and other businesses and those that are friendly to our pink brothers and sisters. The site, which went live last month, also seeks to connect LGBT Brooklynites to each other without crossing the East River into the city.

The 718 (or at least the portion of the area code that comprises Kings County) remains one of the city's most attractive and diverse boroughs in which to live and play. And there is certainly much more in the borough than Williamsburg hipsters, Park Slope lesbians and Ikea in Red Hook... and OutAboutBrooklyn may emerge as one of the places at which LGBT New Yorkers, their friends and others can discover why Brooklynites arguably love their beloved borough...

West Village arrests underscore long-standing tensions between residents, LGBT youth

As the weather continues to grow warmer, more LGBT youth will certainly descend upon the Christopher Street Pier and the adjacent West Village. This seasonal influx, however, leaves some local residents concerned as they continue to contend with what they say is an increase in crime, vandalism and other things they maintain diminish their quality of life.

The arrest of two transgender teenagers earlier this month in connection with a string of purse snatchings and credit card thefts outside an exclusive apartment building on the corner of Christopher and Greenwich Streets only heightens these concerns as I reported in EDGE New York yesterday. Fabulous Independent Educated Radicals for Community Empowerment (FIERCE) continues to call for a 24-hour LGBT center on Pier 40, but some of the young people with whom I spoke on the pier last Saturday conceded some of their friends do indeed cause unnecessary problems for local residents.

This story will certainly continue to unfold as it has done for years, but attached is the link to the article I posted.

Spain marks anniversary of Madrid train bombings

Family members of the 191 people killed in the Madrid train bombings placed flowers, wreaths and other tributes to mark the fifth anniversary of the attacks.

Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose party came to power three days after the March 11, 2004, bombings, led a moment of silence inside Parliament.

Ten bombs that had been hidden in backpacks exploded within minutes on four crowded commuter trains that had been en route to Madrid during the morning rush hour. Then outgoing Prime Minister José María Aznar initially blamed the Basque separatist group ETA, but a Spanish judge later indicted more than two dozen men of Middle Eastern and North African descent.

The attacks, which injured 1,800 people, remain Europe's most deadly act of terrorism. And 11-M also carries a personal connection.

I was in Spain less than a week after the attacks to visit friends whom I had met in Granada the previous year. The country was clearly in mourning as the continued broadcast of memorials and other commemorations on Spanish television--and even on the Madrid subway--indicated. Some of my friends initially expressed concern over people of Arab and Middle Eastern descent who lived in the country, but I found time and time again the Spanish people refused to allow these atrocities to prevent them from living their lives... and for my friends and I this defiance meant a beautiful weekend partying beneath the Alhambra in Granada and relaxing in the countryside.



A sea of red candles paid tribute to the victims of the bombings inside Atocha station in the heart of Madrid [March 23, 2004 - photo by Michael K. Lavers]

A lesson my insightful father has always instilled in me is a terrorist's most effective weapon is fear. And the best way to counter their intentions is to remain defiant of it.

New Yorkers demand justice for gay couple murdered in Spain

Photo courtesy of Andrés Duque

Roughly two dozen people gathered outside the Spanish consulate in Manhattan on Saturday to protest the acquittal of a man who confessed he stabbed a gay couple to death inside their apartment before he set it on fire.

Jacobo Piñeiro Rial stabbed Isaac Ali Dani Peréz Triviño, 27, and his boyfriend Julio Anderson Luciano, 32, to death inside their apartment in the Galician city of Vigo on Jan. 13, 2006. Blog and media reports Rial stabbed the couple 57 times before he took a shower, threw clothes on the floor and eventually lit the apartment on fire to cover up the crime.

Rial reportedly confessed to a bartender he murdered the two men after a television station broadcast a bulletin about the murder and fire. Police arrested him two days later.

Rial's lawyer told a Galician jury his client merely defended himself after Luciano threatened him with a knife after he refused to have sex with him. Rial's counsel further argued Triviñio also threatened his client with a knife. And he also contended a two-day alcohol and cocaine binge had impaired Rial's judgment.

The jury convicted Rial for setting fire to the couple's apartment. He faces up to 20 years in prison, but Triviñio's mother, who lived with her son and Luciano, described the verdict as "homophobic, racist and brainless."

The Manhattan demonstration coincided with several that took place in Spain in response to Rial's acquittal. More than 1,000 people took to the streets of Vigo on Saturday to express their outrage over the jury's decision. Similar protests also took place in Barcelona, the Basque Country and Madrid.

A pre-spring tease titillates NYC

Aside from drinking way too much at a friend's birthday party on Saturday night, this weekend (and especially its pre-spring tease) was certainly an enjoyable one.

The deepening recession, a steady stream of colds and of course the cold weather have made this winter particularly tough, but the 70 degree weather that graced the city on Saturday was a welcome sign spring is nearly here. I spent the afternoon at the Christopher Street Pier working on a story on the continued tension between LGBT youth who traditionally hang out there and people who live in the adjacent West Village. I did take some time, however, to simply stroll along the pier and even work on my tan a bit along with hundreds of other New Yorkers who certainly had the same idea.

The city literally comes alive on the first warm day of the season and people can finally leave their coats and scarves at home. I spent Friday afternoon in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea and people seemed almost gleeful when the sun poked through the clouds. The birds appeared to chirp even louder. New Yorkers dined al fresco. And I even bought myself flowers at a corner store on Eighth Avenue. What a pre-spring weekend it was!

Gay resorts remain cautiously optimistic in spite of recession

As the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments today in the lawsuit that challenges Proposition 8's passage last November and the snow from this week's storm begins to melt, my thoughts have frankly begun to turn to another summer on Fire Island. The beach and other gay resorts across the country will almost certainly continue to feel the effects of the deepening recession, but officials in these communities expressed cautious optimism they will have a profitable summer in spite of the economic crisis.

Attached is the article for EDGE New York that interviews Fire Island business owners and realtors. An EDGE New England article focuses on Provincetown and a second story posted on both EDGE Philadelphia and EDGE Washington examines the situation in Rehoboth Beach.


Fire Island officials remain optimistic in spite of recession
EDGE New York/EDGE Fire Island
March 5, 2009
www.edgenewyork.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=features&sc3=&id=88026

As the deepening recession continues to exert an ever-steep toll across the country, Fire Island business and property owners remain optimistic they will have a profitable summer.

Cherry Grove Property Owners Association president Larry Lane said he expects Long Islanders and others from New York and nearby suburbs will find Fire Island an attractive place to day-trip or vacation as they continue to spend less money.

"You’ve got a place that’s 20 minutes from Long Island that you feel you’ve traveled hours to an exotic island," he said.

Lane further noted local real estate brokers have already reported brisk business. Fire Island Pines realtor Jon Wilner told EDGE in a recent interview his rentals are already higher than last season. He added he feels optimistic people will continue to visit the tony hamlet in spite of the ever-ominous economic outlook.

"It’s a gay environment," Wilner said. "It’s a very different kind of community."

Adam Weaver, marketing director for Fire Island Pines Operations, which operates the Pavilion and the majority of other businesses around the harbor, echoed Lane who stressed the beach’s proximity to New York will continue to draw visitors.

"For us, it’s the same price to come out because [people] take the train out; they know how much they will spend," he said.

A survey conducted by the San Francisco-based Community Marketing, Inc., last September found only 31 percent of respondents decreased their overall travel. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Provincetown and Washington were also among the top 20 travel destinations for LGBT travelers.

Community Marketing senior projects director David Paisley said he feels Fire Island and other gay resort destinations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic should fare better than Hawai’i, New Orleans and other geographically isolated destinations because of their proximity to cities along the I-95 corridor. He further argued local officials should focus their advertising and outreach budgets in those markets and capitalize upon those travelers who may want to vacation closer to home this summer than in previous years.

"The key for these destinations is local outreach," he said. "They have millions of millions of customers who are a car or train ride away."

Pink Banana Media president Matt Skallerud added he feels local businesses should turn to the Internet-and in particular Facebook, Twitter and other social networking Web sites and blogs, to draw potential customers and patrons into their establishments. He said he feels the recession has made these new marketing techniques more attractive as companies continue to cut their advertising budgets.

"You can blog about a new restaurant opening and events and integrate that with photos," Skallerud said. "You’re finding destinations that do that are keeping in the forefront of people’s minds."

FIPO will use both Facebook and Twitter this summer to let users know who is spinning at their bars and clubs and parties and other information. Weaver added DJ Tony Moran is among those already scheduled to spin on the beach this summer.

"We’re not cutting back on our entertainment," Weaver said. "We’re going to throw the same parties we always throw. We’re ready for the boys to come. I think it will be a fun summer."

New York State Senate launches web cast

One can almost certainly conclude without a shadow of a doubt there remains a need for long overdue transparency in the partisan morass that is Albany. The political triumvirate of Gov. David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver [D-Manhattan] and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith [D-St. Albans] remains at the helm of what observers routinely describe as the country's most inefficient and dysfunctional state government, but the state Senate's new Web cast will hopefully shed some light onto what actually happens (or doesn't happen) at the state capital.

A source from Smith's office told Boy in Bushwick the 15-minute videos will allow the public "to receive a snapshot of senate-related news--instead of navigating to 62 different member sites." Government transparency? Perhaps, but anything that sheds some light onto how Albany works (or doesn't work) will almost certainly be a good thing for New Yorkers who arguably remain in the dark about how their elected officials advocate (or fail to advocate) on their behalf.


One New York - Update from New York State Senate on Vimeo.


One New York - Update from New York State Senate on Vimeo.

A March snow falls in Brooklyn

The calendar may indicate spring is less than three weeks away, but the roughly 10 inches of snow that blanketed Brooklyn yesterday seems to indicate otherwise. Snow is an unfortunate part of life in my native New Hampshire, but that reality doesn't necessarily mean I have to like the white stuff so late in the season... and perhaps us New Yorkers are simply a bunch of wimps.

At any rate, here are some pictures of the storm's aftermath I took late yesterday afternoon around my neighborhood.

Suspect in beating death of Ecuadorian immigrant claims self-defense

I've been away from the blog for a few days, but the latest revelation to emerge in the beating death of Ecuadorian immigrant José Sucuzhañay in Bushwick last December is one of the two suspects arrested in connection with the crime has claimed self-defense.

New York Police Department officers arrested Keith Phoenix in Yonkers less than two days after they took Hakim Scott into custody, but Phoenix reportedly told detectives he acted in self-defense after he claimed Sucuzhañay and his brother provoked a fight as they walked home from a nearby bar.

Phoenix's lawyer, Jay H. Schwitzman, told reporters outside Brooklyn Criminal Court yesterday his client went to break-up a fight between Scott and Sucuzhañay after one of the brothers kicked the door of Phoenix's SUV. Schwitzman also denied Sucuzhañay's death is an anti-gay hate crime.

Phoenix and Scott allegedly used anti-gay and anti-Latino slurs as they beat Sucuzhañay with a baseball bat and bottles as he and his brother Romel walked arm-in-arm near the corner of Bushwick Avenue and Kossuth Place on Dec. 7. Sucuzhañay died in a Queens hospital five days later, and his death sparked widespread outrage across New York.

An NYPD spokesperson categorically denied Phoenix's claims. Both Phoenix and Scott face a charge of second degree murder as a hate crime.

Bronx man arrested in beating death of Ecuadorian immigrant

New York police officials announced earlier tonight they had arrested one of the two men who allegedly beat an Ecuadorian immigrant to death on a Bushwick street in December.

Officers arrested Hakim Scott, 25, at his home in the Bronx on Tuesday. Scott and his accomplice, who police identified as Keith Phoenix, 28, of the Bronx, allegedly beat José Sucuzhañay with a baseball bat and a bottle as he and his brother Romel walked home arm in arm from a nearby party on Dec. 7. Scott and Phoenix reportedly used anti-Latino and anti-gay slurs in the course of the attack.

Sucuzhañay died at a Queens hospital five days after the attack, and Scott faces a charge of second-degree murder as a hate crime at his arraignment tomorrow.

Sucuzhañay's death, which came roughly a month after a group of Long Island teenagers allegedly beat Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero to death on a Patchogue street, sparked widespread anger across New York. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn [D-Chelsea] joined City Councilmember Diana Reyna [D-Bushwick], Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and hundreds of others at a rally in Bushwick shortly after Sucuzhañay succamb to his injuries. She described Sucuzhañay as "an example of the American dream" in a statement released shortly after officials announced Scott's arrest.

"His dream was tragically cut short on a cold December night just steps away from his home when he was brutally attacked by people who were heard shouting hateful anti-gay and anti-immigrant slurs," Quinn said. "Tonight's news of an arrest in the case will never bring Jose back but may help bring some closure to his family."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the New York Police Department at a press conference held with NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and Brooklyn district attorney Charles Hynes earlier tonight.

"Anybody who commits a hate crime, we will not rest until we find them," Bloomberg said.

Phoenix, who was reportedly out on parole, remains at-large.

Obama seeks to assure recession-weary nation

As the recession shows little signs of abatement, President Barack Obama sought to assure Americans the country will weather this economic storm in a speech he delivered last night to Congress.

Obama appeared poised--and dare I say Presidential--as he outlined his agenda for helping the country emerge from what arguably remains the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. He rallied against corporate excesses, touched upon the need for personal responsibility and exuded the sense of hope and optimism about the United States that facilitated his historic election last November. And Obama correctly outlined what many observers and pundits have already described as sacred cows that could be cut as part of the $2 trillion of what he described as unnecessary spending he hopes to cut from the federal budget in the next decade.

It obviously remains to be seen whether these promises will actually come to fruition, but a clear case can be made Obama 'gets it' in terms of the real pain this recession has caused and the real need to put partisan ideology aside in order to solve what remains the worst economic downturn in more than 70 years. The same cannot be said for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and his patronizing lecture against the economic stimulus.

The Republican wunderkind's rebuttal speech clearly doubled as a self-serving infomercial that confirmed his 2012 presidential aspirations. It was, however, an extremely unfortunate spectacle that arguably reaffirmed how out-of-touch the Republican Party remains in the eyes of the majority of American voters. Jindal's delivery was awkward, it's substance was arguably lacking and it did little to temper the enormous goodwill Obama continues to enjoy... and it almost certainly did not do the GOP any favors.

Murdoch apologizes for NY Post cartoon

Less than a week after the New York Post published a cartoon that appeared to compare President Barack Obama to a chimpanzee that severely mauled a Connecticut woman before police shot it to death, News Corporation chair Rupert Murdoch apologized in a statement printed in today's edition.

"Last week, we made a mistake," he said. "We ran a cartoon that offended many people. Today I want to personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted."

The Post is certainly no stranger to controversy, and Sean Delonas' cartoon is only a latest in a series of caricatures that have sparked outrage among people of color, activists within the movement for LGBT rights and others.

Murdoch said he is "ultimately responsible for what is printed in its pages." He further concluded "the buck stops with him." This mea cupla is almost certainly a welcome development to those who continue to protest outside the tabloid's Midtown offices and call for a boycott and even a review into the Federal Communications Commission's policy regarding Murdoch's New York market share. The fact remains, however, a number of concerns remain at the table.

The Post's editors ultimately decided to publish Delonas' cartoon that used racially insensitive imagery and language to opine against Obama's stimulus package. They almost certainly made this extremely unfortunate and cynical decision in order to garner attention for the tabloid. And the Post's numerous detractors almost immediately responded with protests and a threatened boycott, but this latest incident provides activists and others with an opportunity to think outside the proverbial box to send a clear and decisive message these cartoons will no longer be tolerated.

Sean Penn wins best actor Oscar for "Milk"

As the economy continues to fall into a deeper recession and a steady stream of bad news continues to garner headlines around the world, last night's Academy Awards arguably provided some much needed relief from the doldrums in which many people currently find themselves. I watched the Oscars at a friend's apartment in Manhattan before I headed back to Brooklyn, and I must confess Sean Penn's courageous and all too necessary decision to publicly call out Proposition 8 supporters and "Milk" screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's acknowledgement of gay and lesbian young people and his own struggle to come to terms with his sexual orientation left a lasting impact.

Those within the movement for LGBT rights almost immediately praised the two men.

"GLAAD applauds those who have brought the important story of Milk to so many millions of people, and congratulates Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn for their well-deserved Oscar wins," Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation President Neil G. Giuliano said in a statement. "They are to be commended for telling a story that has the power to inform future generations about the history of our community and our struggles for equality. Through Sean Penn's own connection with the character, he was able to give audiences the opportunity to learn more about Harvey Milk's lasting influence on our movement and our community."

Chuck Wolfe of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund agreed.

"We offer our deepest thanks and congratulations to Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black," he said. "Their extraordinary work on the film 'Milk' is richly deserving of the Academy Awards bestowed on them this evening. Harvey Milk's legacy is about facing fear and finding courage, which is something LGBT candidates do when they decide to run for office. Sean and Dustin did the same thing when set out to make this extraordinary film, and we are very grateful for that."

Some LGBT activists have criticized "Milk" for the way they feel the film either glamorizes the late-San Francisco supervisor's rise to power or overlooks key details of his life. These positions are valid, but the fact remains "Milk" brought
the story of a gay pioneer whose life was cut tragically short to millions of people. He trail blazed the path upon which those within the movement for LGBT rights and their supporters continue to walk. And Sean Penn's brilliant portrayal of Harvey Milk and his anti-Prop 8 comments last night will almost certainly recruit more soldiers to advance the cause for equal rights and justice for LGBT Americans

Professional developments

It's a cool and damp Sunday morning here in New York as I catch up on the week's political news (as if I don't follow it enough already) and frankly wake-up after a wonderful night out in the city and in Park Slope. This coming week promises to be busy, but I would like to take a few moments to share a few recent professional developments.

As many of you may know, I have been EDGE Publication's Mid-Atlantic editor since Oct. 2007, and the publisher has recently promoted me to national news editor. I will continue to manage news coverage for the New York, Philadelphia and the recently launched Washington portal, but I will also now assign national features and other stories from across the country. Please feel free to send me any pitches and additional information on things in which you think I may be interested.

In addition to my work with EDGE, I am also a contributing writer for the Guide in December. The Canadian publication focuses on travel, entertainment, politics and sexual freedom, and I look forward to continuing my work with them.

I continue to contribute to PressPassQ and to the Fire Island News. And I have also appeared on Brian Lehrer Live (CUNY 75), the British Broadcasting Corporation and WNYC in recent weeks to discuss marriage for same-sex couples, former President George W. Bush's legacy and other related stories.

The next few months promise to be extremely busy, but I look forward to receiving any additional story ideas, suggestions, feedback, etc.

New York Post cartoon sparks controversy

New York Post cartoonist Sean Delonas' caricature that shows a police officer shooting a chimpanzee while his partner mocks President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill has prompted the Rev. Al Sharpton to speak out against what he asserts is an overtly racist cartoon.

The cartoon, which appears in today's Post, appears to link Travis the chimp, who severely disfigured a Stamford, Connecticut, woman on Monday before police killed him, to Obama. The caption read "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," but Sharpton described the cartoon to the Associated Press as "troubling at best."

Delonas is certainly no stranger to controversy. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has issued numerous calls to action over his cartoons that mock LGBT people. Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, actor George Takei and Thomas Beatie are among those Delonas has depicted, but his latest cartoon implies GLAAD's efforts have generated little (if any) tangible results.

Sharpton's comments to the Associated Press also beg the question as to whether expressions of outrage actually draw more attention to a cartoonist who arguably generates more publicity for himself and the publication that publishes his work. I struggled with this very question at GLAAD after the Post published two of Delonas' cartoons in Oct. 2006 that mocked McGreevey and disgraced Congressman Mark Foley [R-Fla.] and compared marriage for same-sex couples to bestiality. GLAAD was quick to issue two calls to action that urged its supporters to express their outrage, but nothing concrete came out of these efforts.

Delonas' latest cartoon is certainly disturbing and unfortunate. The fact remains, however, public expressions of outrage simply garners more publicity for a publication that arguably has little incentive to listen to its critics. A new and arguably more drastic game plan is in order to adequately address these problematic cartoons and the tabloid that continues to publish them.

Jamaican MP seeks to outlaw LGBT group

A Jamaican member of parliament's call to outlaw a Kingston-based LGBT organization proves yet again homophobia remains a global problem.

MP Ernest Smith, who represents St. Ann, told the Gleaner yesterday he feels the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays could inspire people to form pedophile, marijuana smokers and other so-called illegal organizations.

"They should be outlawed," Smith proclaimed to the newspaper. "How can you legitimise an organization that is formed for the purpose of committing criminal [offenses]?"

Smith further called for a life sentence for those committed of buggery [anal sex], but he sparked widespread outrage and even condemnation when he asserted gay men have "overrun" the Jamaican police force.

J-FLAG was quick to respond to Smith's proposal in an interview with the Gleaner. It cited a provision of the Jamaican Constitution it says allows it to operate.

"J-FLAG has been able to operate successfully under this provision in the legislation for the past 10 years," J-FLAG said. "J-FLAG agitates for legal and social change and we believe that there is always provision for any group to agitate for laws to be changed."

Any conversation over whether J-FLAG is a legitimate organization is simply ridiculous, but Smith's homophobic and arguably self-serving comments only confirm the country's notorious anti-LGBT reputation. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among the organizations that have drawn attention to the rampant violence against LGBT Jamaicans. Bounty Killer, Buju Banton and other dance hall and reggae artists have also faced criticism from activists within the movement for LGBT rights over lyrics that appear to advocate the killing of gays and lesbians. And J-FLAG co-founder Brian Williamson's murder in 2004 and Lenford Harvey's death in 2005 sparked widespread outrage.

These numerous examples simply underscore the very real danger LGBT Jamaicans face in their homeland. It's arguably easy for a gay white man in Bushwick to opine against people in a country he has yet to visit, but the atrocities that continue to take place in Jamaica are simply unacceptable. And Smith's ridiculous call to outlaw J-FLAG is only the latest manifestation of an all too familiar reality under which LGBT Jamaicans continue to live.

Valentines Schmalentines

The post-Valentines Day rush to purchase chocolates, flowers and other romantic accoutrement's is over, and for the record I did none of the above. I did, however, take some time out this weekend to enjoy the relatively mild weather that graced the five boroughs... and I also finally rid myself of the cold and/or sinus infection from which I had suffered over the last few days with the help of copious amounts of green tea and some rest.

That said, life must go on and there is of course much to be done on this third week of February. The weather will hopefully become more moderate, the benefits of the economic stimulus package President Obama will sign tomorrow will hopefully trickle down to the millions of people who desperately need them and I will hopefully find a cute outfit to wear to the club tomorrow night. Today's blog is admittedly more random than usual, but below is a clip of Cathy Marino-Thomas of Marriage Equality New York and I discussing nuptials for same-sex couples on Brian Lehrer Live last Wednesday night.


Legislating Love and Marriage Equality from Brian Lehrer Live on Vimeo.

Abraham Lincoln and the freedom to marry

As the country commemorates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, advocates of nuptials for same-sex couples have gathered in New York and around the country to protest the lack of marriage for gays and lesbians in the vast majority of states.

The New York City marriage bureau turned away hundreds of same-sex couples this morning who had wanted to apply for marriage licenses. This protest is one of dozens scheduled to take place around the country as part of the 12th annual Freedom to Marry Week. And it also coincides with Freedom to Marry executive director Evan Wolfson's op-ed in the Huffington Post that attempted to connect Lincoln's legacy to the movement to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.

An admittedly cynical argument can be made Freedom to Marry Week is little more than a self-serving campaign based around Valentine's Day, but the reality is almost certainly different. The post-Proposition 8 reality in which the movement for LGBT rights currently finds itself arguably demands heightened visibility around the denial of basic recognition and rights to same-sex couples. Gays and lesbians can legally marry in Connecticut and Massachusetts, but they cannot in 48 other states as today's protests point out... and perhaps Abraham Lincoln's commitment to equality provides a road map upon which this country can eventually recognize committed and loving same-sex couples.

Suffolk County police arrest four in connection with vandalism at LGBT center

The Suffolk County Police Department announced early morning its detectives arrested four people who allegedly vandalized the Long Island Gay & Lesbian Youth Center in Bay Shore late last month.

Detectives with the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit arrested Milagro Ruiz, 21, of Bay Shore, Gilbert R. Geigel, 20, of Bay Shore, Kerrond Miller-Jones, 19, of Bay Shore and Charles Diaz, 21, of Bay Shore, on Feb. 9. The four were charged with second degree criminal mischief. The department said in its press release the suspects do not face hate crime charges at this time.

The arrests come less than 10 days after Ruiz, Geigel, Miller-Jones and Diaz allegedly caused more than $5,000 in damages to LIGALY's offices and a van parked in an adjacent parking lot. Suffolk County executive Steve Levy, Gov. David Paterson, Congressman Steve Israel and openly lesbian New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn were among the local elected officials who condemned the vandalism.

LIGALY chief executive officer David Kilmnick expressed relief at the arrests, but pointed out two of the four suspects arrested were once clients of his organization. He added he feels the vandalism was meant to send a message of fear to LGBT people in Suffolk County.

"The Center stands as the most public declaration of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender pride on Long Island," Kilmnick said in a statement. As the most visible symbol of GLBT presence and pride, the vandalism was indeed interpreted and felt as an attack on these already vulnerable communities."

Smith discusses New York marriage timeline at HRC dinner

An early taste of spring this weekend helped to temper the often bitter cold that has blanketed the five boroughs in recent weeks, but Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith's comments at the Human Rights Campaign's annual New York dinner on Saturday reminded activists, observers and pundits alike the issue of marriage for same-sex couples remains all too present in the state.

Smith, who assumed the helm of the state Senate last month after a handful of dissident Democrats had threatened to derail his election, said there are not enough votes in his conference to pass legislation that would extend marriage to same-sex couples. The Democrat-controlled state Assembly passed a bill former Gov. Eliot Spitzer introduced in 2007. Governor David Paterson and Smith himself have repeatedly reaffirmed their support of nuptials for same-sex couples, but the Senate Majority Leader's comments are a clear indication barriers remain in the push to extend marriage to gay and lesbian New Yorkers.

Smith's comments are similar to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's announcement at the HRC's 2005 New York benefit at the Waldorf Astoria his administration had decided to appeal Justice Doris Ling-Cohan's ruling in the Hernandez v. Robles case that concluded the state's ban on marriage for same-sex couples violated New York's Constitution. She issued her decision the day before, and the mayor's decision obviously upset many inside the banquet hall. The clear fact remains, however, the state is arguably much closer to the legalization of marriage for gay and lesbian New Yorkers than it has ever been before. Smith clearly needs to manage expectations as he leads his party through the economic crisis, the perennial budget battle and other pressing issues that face him and his colleagues in Albany and in their home districts, but his comments can be interpreted as a challenge to activists and their supporters to do what they need to do in order to ensure the bill has enough votes in the Senate.

Stay tuned!

New York human rights commissioner to visit vandalized Long Island LGBT center

As the investigation into who vandalized the Long Island Gay & Lesbian Youth Center in Bay Shore continues, State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Galen D. Kirkland plans to visit LIGALY tomorrow.

Governor David Paterson announced Kirkland's visit less than three days after a vandal (or vandals) caused more than $5,000 in damage to LIGALY's offices and a van parked outside.

"In the diverse world in which we live, where we find ourselves increasingly
dependent on each other to advance the qualities of our own lives, we must learn to celebrate our differences and embrace our common condition," Paterson said. "We must understand that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us. Hate is unacceptable.”

Openly lesbian New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and arguably most notably Suffolk County executive Steve Levy, who was widely criticized for his initial response to Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero's murder in Patchogue last November, have also spoken out against the vandalism.

"This type of attack against the gay community will not be tolerated in Suffolk County," Levy said in a statement. "Our police department will seek to apprehend any wrongdoer and help ensure that there is swift justice to deter any such activity in the future."

Detective Sgt. Robert Reecks, commanding officer of the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit, told me earlier this week his offices will continue to investigate the vandalism as a hate crime until proven otherwise. The bigger question remains, however, as to whether hate and bias-related crimes of all kinds remains a serious problem on Long Island. This incident, Lucero's murder and others in recent years appear to affirm this unfortunate reality.

Obama to impose executive salary cap in future bailouts

As the country (and the world) continues to reel from the deepening recession, an arguable glimmer of good news for an angry and cynical public is expected to come out of Washington today with President Barack Obama's expected announcement his administration will impose a $500,000 salary cap for executives at companies that receive future government bailouts.

The New York Times reported late last night the president and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither will make their announcement later today at the White House. The paper further reported the administration would further prohibit these executives from receiving any bonuses outside of stock dividends. It is also worth noting the Times highlighted Citigroup chief executive Vikram Pandit made $3.1 million in 2007 while Bank of America chief executive Ken Lewis made more than $20 million and General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner made more than $14 million. All of these companies have received billions from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and this announcement will almost certainly resonate extremely well with the vast majority of Americans who remain outraged over executive bonuses and other corporate perks that have not ceased during the economic crisis.

The salary cap almost certainly reflects the populist ideals on which Obama campaigned. The economic crisis continues to exert an ugly toll. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, their life savings and in many cases their homes. The president pledged, among other things, to bring accountability back to Washington. And this announcement puts these executives on notice business as usual cannot continue.

Super Bowl XLIII at the Penthouse Executive Club

In what almost certainly amounts to a welcome detour from the continued economic meltdown, Rev. Ted Haggard's continued hypocrisy and personal travails and other bad news of late, I joined more than a dozen other people at the Penthouse Executive Club on Manhattan's far West Side to watch Super Bowl XLIII.

This venue on the corner of 45th Street and 11th Avenue is (an upscale) strip club in case anyone who has either never been to New York or is simply curious about why an openly gay man would spend an evening in the company of topless women who have a variety of natural or surgically enhanced cup sizes. My reporter PJ invited me and I suppose my curiosity in the heterosexual experience got the better of me. The free prime rib, excellent mashed potatoes, tortellini and crème brûlée added to what turned out to be quite a pleasant, and dare I conclude, relaxed evening.

The Pittsburgh Steelers eventually beat the Arizona Cardinals. The commercials were a mixed bag as always, and the drunken bridge and tunnel folks who sat behind us in the third quarter are three notable observations. All and all, though, the Penthouse Executive Club is a surprisingly pleasant and dare I say sophisticated place to watch football and beautiful women who serve $7 diet cokes and dance topless on stage during half time.

Haggard "comes clean"

In spite of the sheer joy and vindication that comes from the exposure and subsequent downfall of the Rev. Ted Haggard and other hypocrites, there comes a certain sense of compassion for those who feel the need to throw an entire group of people under the bus to maintain their lies and related false sense of self.

I note this observation as Haggard continues to "comes clean" ahead of the release of Alexandra Pelosi's documentary "The Trials of Ted Haggard." The former head of the National Association of Evangelicals' breathtaking downfall because of his crystal methamphetamine use and sex with a male prostitute remains a sort of vindication for those within the movement for LGBT rights who continue to seek to expose these hypocrites. And Grant Haas' accusations only adds fuel to this feeling.

Compassion and love are among the basic tenants of Christian ideals as I have come to understand them. Haggard's hypocrisy towards homosexuals remains an ultimate sin for which many within the movement for LGBT rights cannot forgive him. Pelosi's documentary arguably affords the disgraced evangelical yet another opportunity to "come clean" and even apologize. Those he hurt and threw under the proverbial bus, however, will almost certainly remain highly skeptical.

Obama marks first week in office

As the vast majority of the world continues to express goodwill towards President Barack Obama, it is arguably appropriate to reflect back upon what the new administration has done since it took office last Tuesday.

1) Obama issued an executive order to close Guantánamo Bay within a year

2) Chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel ordered a review of all last-minute directives made by former President George W. Bush

3) Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced the Pentagon would increase the number of troops on the ground in Afghanistan

4) Obama issued executive orders that lifted the bans on federally funded stem cell research and overseas programs that provide abortions or discuss them

The economic crisis continues to rage, the media circus that is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich shows little sign of abatement and Bernie Madoff and other alleged swindlers remain firmly entrenched onto the headlines, but Obama's first eight days in office certainly provide hope to many the last eight years are quickly becoming a thing of the past. The new commander-in-chief is certainly not a messiah who is going to save the world, but he will almost undoubtedly continue to offer hope and promise to people who really need it.

Is Blagojevich crazy or simply delusional?

As the Illinois Senate prepares to launch impeachment proceedings against embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the former Congressman has brought his arguable one person circus to New York to make his case as to why lawmakers should not force him from office. And the ongoing saga appeared to get even more strange when Blagojevich told Diane Sawyer this morning he had considered appointing Oprah Winfrey to fill the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Say what? Blagojevich remains a political pariah in light of allegedly trying to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat, but the story continues to grow even more strange as the governor arguably continues to make himself out to be some sort of populist martyr in a cynical and delusional attempt to save his job. The gig is up Blago... and you are certainly no Gandhi, King or Mandela!

Paterson names Gillibrand to Senate

My EDGE story on Gov. David Paterson's decision to appoint Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton.


After weeks of speculation, New York Gov. David Paterson has named Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Hillary Clinton.

Paterson and Gillibrand appeared at an Albany press conference earlier today alongside senior U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver [D-Manhattan] and other leading Democrats.

"I will represent the many diverse views and voices of the entire state," Gillibrand said.

This announcement caps off nearly two months of speculation after President Barack Obama tapped Hillary Clinton as his choice for Secretary of State. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and openly lesbian United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten were reportedly on the governor’s short list. Caroline Kennedy had also campaigned for the seat until she abruptly withdrew her name earlier this week.

Gillibrand, who represents a traditionally Republican district that includes parts of the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Hudson Valley, has backed a number of LGBT-specific pieces of legislation since she was first elected to Congress in 2006. These include the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell."

The Empire State Pride Agenda released a statement shortly after news of Paterson’s choice broke that said Gillibrand expressed her support of marriage for same-sex couples to executive director Alan Van Capelle. She further indicated this support following Paterson’s announcement.

"While we had a productive discussion about a whole range of LGBT concerns, I was particularly happy to hear where she stands on these issues," Van Capelle said.

Albany-based transgender activist Moonhawk River Stone applauded Gillibrand.

"She’s bright and capable," he said. "She’s a friend to our community."

NARAL Pro-Choice New York also endorsed Gillibrand, but some downstate LGBT activists and politicos remain skeptical. Matthew Carlin, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, expressed doubt over Gillibrand’s record. He also criticized her National Rifle Association endorsement and her vote against the Troubled Assets Relief Program.

"She’s a lot more conservative than Hillary," Carlin said. "It makes sense to replace Hillary with someone of similar leanings."

Stone conceded Gillibrand is more conservative on some issues than other New York Democrats, but he said he remains optimistic she will represent New York well in the Senate.

"Candidates that can take an endorsement from the NRA can vote for a trans-inclusive ENDA," Stone said. "We have to be mature enough as a community to understand that."

Caroline Kennedy and the inaugural after glow

New York's political establishment remains in quasi-turmoil after Caroline Kennedy announced early this morning she had withdrawn her bid to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate, but contacts and friends who traveled to Washington on Tuesday continue to bask in something of an inaugural glow.

Attached are a series of pictures my friend Paul took from the Washington Mall.

The Obama administration goes to work

With the Obama administration in the White House for less than 24 hours, it has already gone to work to reverse some of its predecessor's decisions and broader policies. I awoke this morning to the promising news Obama had issued an executive order to suspend military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay for 120 days. This mandate followed an announcement of a complete review of Bush directives. And the inclusion of LGBT rights on the new White House homepage. Change has certainly begun!

Obama's inauguration certainly marks a monumental milestone in American history, but his administration and the arguably unrealistic expectations under which it will govern pose a conundrum as I pointed out on a WNYC blog yesterday. The arguable long national nightmare of the last eight years of the Bush administration is mercifully earlier, but perhaps we can all take stock of Obama's message of personal responsibility and self-determination in the midst of seemingly innumerable odds. Today is indeed a new day, and hopefully the American people will continue to take note of that as the country confronts the tasks at hand.

Obama becomes 44th president

The more than 100 people who gathered to watch the inauguration at the LGBT Community Center in lower Manhattan erupted into applause after Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. WNYC will continue to post my blogs in the coming hours, but attached are some pictures from West 13th Street.

Boy in Bushwick blogs the inauguration for WNYC

This post is admittedly rather short, but I am pleased to announce I will blog the inauguration for WNYC. The station posted my first blog on its homepage earlier this morning. I will have at least three more commentaries in the coming days, but check out WNYC and this blog for further updates.

HBO neglects to include Robinson's inaugural prayer in broadcast

Openly gay New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson delivered his inaugural prayer at the Lincoln Memorial earlier today in spite of HBO's highly unfortunate failure to not include it in its broadcast. The channel's decision will almost certainly leave a very bitter taste in the mouths of those activists and others who remain upset at President-elect Barack Obama's decision to invite the Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation on Tuesday. I will have more thoughts the Saddleback Church founder in coming blogs, but for now I've posted the text of Robinson's prayer from the Diocese of New Hampshire's Web site.


Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God's blessing upon our nation and our next president.

God of our many understandings, we pray that you will...

Bless us with tears - for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger - at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort - at the easy, simplistic "answers" we've preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience - and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility - open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance - replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity - remembering that every religion's God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln's reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters' childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we're asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand - that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

Boy in Bushwick discusses Bush's legacy on BBC

As the debate over President George W. Bush's legacy continues to rage in this country and around the world, the British Broadcasting Corporation provided me the opportunity to enter into the fray today on its "World Have Your Say" program.

It is certainly true terrorists have not attacked the United States since Sept. 11, 2001. It is also correct on face value to assert the Bush administration's efforts to combat HIV and AIDS in Africa have delivered some tangible results. The fact remains, however, the White House's conduct with regards to the so-called War on Terror, its arguable failure to regulate an economy that continues to slide into a deeper and deeper recession and the pursuit of socially conservative positions that observers can easily interpret as a failed attempt to deflect attention away from its response to Hurricane Katrina and other domestic failures are among the innumerable things for which the outgoing administration must answer.

Bush will obviously continue to defend his overall record. Vice President Dick Cheney will do the same as he has done in interviews with PBS' Jim Lehrer and other reporters in recent weeks. It is safe to conclude Bush polarized the country to a new and arguably frightening degree during his eight years in office. He arguably failed to win election in 2000 and he managed to secure only 50.7 percent of the vote in 2004. The anti-Bush rhetoric will continue to rage as the country looks forward to President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration and his first few months in the White House. The fact remains, however, the outgoing commander-in-chief's extremely complex legacy has only begun to reveal itself.

Chicago newspaper reports Obama's previous support of marriage for same-sex couples

With less than a week until Barack Obama becomes the 44th president, an LGBT newspaper in Chicago has published statements the incoming commander-in-chief made in support of marriage for same-sex couples.

Obama expressed what the Windy City Times described in a press release as "unequivocal support for gay marriage" in an answer to questions Trudy Ring asked during his Illinois state Senate campaign in 1996. This position counters more recent statements that indicate he no longer supports marriage for gays and lesbians. Is this an example of a politically motivated shift?

The answer to the question is almost certainly yes. A clear case can be made the majority of self-professed moderate Americans support the expansion of rights to LGBT Americans. Marriage for same-sex couples, however, remains something the majority of this crucial political constituency does not back. Polls indicate more Americans support gay and lesbian nuptials, but the fact remains this issue continues to garner significant opposition.

Obama's message of hope resonated with the millions of Americans who voted for him on Nov. 4, but at the end of the day he is a politician who recognizes the need to nuance his positions in order to maintain crucial constituencies. His shift away from marriage for same-sex couples is arguably a disappointment to many within the movement for LGBT rights and the broader progressive community, but it is reflective of his intention to govern the country from the middle.

Openly gay bishop to offer inaugural prayer

Arguably one of the most inspirational figures within the movement for LGBT rights, openly gay New Hampshire V. Gene Robinson will offer a prayer to open President-elect Barack Obama's first inauguration event at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday.

I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Robinson in June 2004. I also had the honor of attending his 2003 consecration at the Whittemore Center at the University of New Hampshire. Robinson's never-ending compassion and empathy for those he routinely describes as "at the margins" continues to generate enormous good will in my native New Hampshire and around the world.

Some cynics may try to point out Obama's decision to select Robinson is an attempt to deflect attention away from the controversy over tapping the Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural convocation. Robinson, a long-time Obama supporter, himself criticized the decision in an interview with the Concord [N.H.] Monitor last month. He added, however, he feels his presence in Washington will send a powerful message.

"It's important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way," Robinson told the newspaper. "Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority or, in our case, a sexual minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."

Indeed.

SWiSH to host volunteer expo in lower Manhattan

With the seemingly endless stream of bad news that dominated media headlines this week, perhaps it is obligatory to take a step back and focus on groups that truly try to make a difference. Straight Women in Support of Homos [SWiSH] is arguably one such group.

SWiSH unapologetically relies upon pink kitsch and the ever-present fag hag to advocate for and support their gay brothers. The group's first volunteer expo will take place at the Housing Works Bookstore Café on Crosby Street in Soho. And below is an article I posted on EDGE New York earlier this week.



A self-described fag hag, SWiSH [Straight Women in Support of Homos] president and co-founder Sue Sena came to the realization there was a need for a kitschy pink organization to advocate for and support gays and lesbians after she attended New York’s annual LGBT pride parade in 2002 with a group of gay friends. Sena and her friends joked the parade needed a fag hag float, but the idea soon evolved into something more.

"I was really... impacted by the spirit and the energy and the pride about everyone being able to come together and to be out, loud and proud on this given day," she told EDGE in a recent interview. "I was really struck by that."

SWiSH incorporated into a non-profit in 2003. It has members in 34 states with an Atlanta chapter that formed in 2007. Sena said the group’s unique acronym carries added significance.

"We liked the energy and movement of the word swish and we wanted to take it back and make it a very positive thing," she said. "Swish for us represented this big, beautiful and high energy group of people and it was never derogatory to us."

Sena and her cohorts will bring their unique brand of activism to their first volunteer expo for LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations at the Housing Works Bookstore Café on Crosby Street in Soho on Monday, Jan. 12. AIDS Walk New York, the Anti-Violence Project, God’s Love We Deliver, the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Will Clark’s Porno Bingo are among the organizations scheduled to participate. And Sena said she feels President-elect Barack Obama’s historic election and expanding support for LGBT rights have sparked increased interest in volunteering and even activism.

"There’s a lot of emotion and we wanted to galvanize that emotion to educate gay and straight communities on how to take action and to make a difference in the community," she said.

Sena added she feels SWiSH’s coordination of the expo helps counter the misconception her organization simply throws great gatherings to bring gays and straights together.

"For us and for our members... it’s always been about the personal is political," she said. "We’re committed to not just sitting back and just sitting by as our gay and lesbian friends are being treated as second class citizens."

The expo will take place at the Housing Works Bookstore Café (126 Crosby St., New York) on Monday, Jan. 12, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Log onto www.swishpride.org for more information.

Blagojevich, Burris and Reid

With President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration less than two weeks away, the ongoing saga over embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's decision to select Roland Burris as the incoming commander-in-chief's successor in the U.S. Senate continues to descend into even more political theatre.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D-Nev.] refused to seat Burris. He cited Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's decision to not certify Blagojevich's selection because of the corruption allegations under which federal authorities arrested him early last month. The Associated Press reported earlier this morning Democrats had decided to seat Burris, but the Chicago Tribune later indicated Reid would seat Obama's successor only if the Illinois Supreme Court orders White to sign off on the appointment.

Blagojevich's appointment of Burris to succeed Obama in the U.S. Senate is perfectly legal, but his decision remains a brillant act of defiance against his innumerable critics who continue to call for his resignation. Capitol Hill's circus-like atmosphere yesterday in light of an expanding recession, the conflict on the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel and a virtual laundry list of other problems the Democratically-controlled Congress must tackle in the coming months threatens to make skeptical Americans more cynical of the politicians who claim to represent their interest. Let's hope Reid and company come to a quick solution and get back to the people's business.

Post-Prop 8 analysis indicates black support less than originally thought

As the movement for LGBT rights continues to examine how Proposition 8 passed in California, researchers Patrick Egan from New York University and Kenneth Sherrill at Hunter College co-authored a report that indicates fewer black voters supported the amendment to ban marriage for same-sex couples than initially reported.

The report suggests 58 percent of African American voters (as opposed to roughly 70 percent) backed Prop 8. Egan and Sherrill's research further indicates party affiliation, religiosity and age were among the factors that influenced the Prop 8 vote most.

There was no discussion about No on 8's apparent failures as outlined in a separate report Marriage Equality USA released yesterday. MEUSA cited the campaign's failure to utilize LGBT-affirming clergy and the exclusion of same-sex couples and their families from advertisements as among the factors that contributed to Prop 8's passage. This debate will obviously continue to take place, but the fact some LGBT and allied people continue to scapegoat black voters in the post-Prop 8 analysis and debate remains an unfortunate reality.

Israel launches Gaza ground offensive

Israel's decision to launch an expected ground offensive into the Gaza Strip on Saturday has sparked a flurry of diplomatic activity to enact a cease fire that expired last month. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly and Congressman Gary Ackerman [D-New York] traveled to Sderot near the Gaza border on Sunday. And his honor was forced to take shelter after a siren warned of a possible rocket attack.

The all too obvious political implications cannot go unstated as Bloomberg lays the ground work for his re-election campaign, but his trip to the Jewish state represents the global concern, outrage, solidarity and sympathy that continues to grow as the Israel Defense Forces expand its offensive and civilian casualties inside the Gaza Strip and in Southern Israel continue to grow. This escalation may raise the obvious (or less than clear) questions: How is this conflict any different those that have raged in the Holy Land for more than 60 years? Why should the international community continue to stick its neck into what can arguably be described as ongoing disputes between Israelis and Palestinians? Is there hope the seemingly never-ending conflict will end?

The answers to these questions are arguably obvious depending upon who provides them. One thing that can be said with utmost certainty is the scenes that continue to emerge from the Gaza Strip and southern Israel are extremely disturbing. Hamas and the IDF have a fundamental responsibility to ensure civilians on both sides of the border are not caught in this seemingly never-ending cycle of violence. To fail on this basic account is nothing short of criminal.