Baltimore ..... Here We Come

We are heading off to Baltimore for the Task Force's annual Creating Change Conference this week. Look for updates, commentary and images from the inside beginning with out arrival on Wednesday evening.

The official Creating Change Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/CreatingChange?sk=info

The official Creating Change Website http://www.creatingchange.org/

An Open Letter to President Obama from People For the American Way

Written by Kimo

I was doing some web browsing today and I came across this letter that was written to President Obama on 6/23/2009 by a group called People For the American Way. The group made some bold but interesting statements in this letter. One of which the group equates the administration's DOMA brief to the policies of the Bush administration. Early in the letter they call Obama out and state that he has shied from promoting issues of equality:

“Any reasonable person is aware of the extraordinary challenges that faced the nation as you took office, including a dire financial crisis that has cost millions of Americans their jobs, homes, and access to health care. You have not shied from these most daunting of challenges. But it seems that you have shied from promoting the vision of equality that you articulated during your campaign.”

The letter also talks about the Presidents recent action to extend some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

“Your recent action to extend some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, and your statement from the Oval Office committing yourself to work tirelessly toward equality, could have been the kind of moment that was celebrated as a milestone on the march toward equality. But instead it had the feel of, and was reported as, an incremental half-measure rushed onto the stage to placate a discontented political constituency.”

The letter also calls on the president to use his leadership and "energetic moral vision" that was once demonstrated as a presidential candidate for the cause of gay and lesbian Americans.

I urge you to read this letter. You can do so by clicking the link Open Letter to President Obama

What are your thoughts? How do you think President Obama is doing when it comes to equality issues? I now there are probably some mixed opinions out there so lets hear them!

Rob Thomas has a “Big Gay Chip On His Shoulder”

Written By: Kimo

Yesterday I read an article about Rob Thomas, former Matchbox Twenty lead singer now solo artist, let loose to the Huffington Post this past Wednesday. The name of this article is “The Big Gay Chip On My Shoulder.” This article was a result of the supreme courts decision to uphold proposition 8.

I consider myself to be a gay Christian and I found that Rob made some very interesting and valid points against the ultra-conservative Christian right wing regarding religion and gay marriage. Here are some of the quotes from Rob that I thought were very interesting.

“I believe the fact that an atheist, who doesn't believe in God at all, is allowed to enter into the holy land of marriage while a gay Christian is not, shows that this law is arbitrary. Are we to believe that anyone who doesn't live their life according to the King James Bible isn't protected by the same laws that protect those who do? Using the same argument that I've seen on the 700 Club, that would mean that Jewish, Hindu, or Muslim weddings are also null and void.”

“I believe that to deny this right to the gay population is to say to them, "this god is not your god and he doesn't love you." There isn't one person who is against gay marriage that can give me a reason why it shouldn't be legal without bringing God or their religion into it.”

Rob even adds his comments on civil unions. We have all heard the argument, “If two women or two men enter into a civil union, why isn’t that enough? Why do they have to have marriage?

Rob Thomas answers that with, “A civil union has to do with death. It's essentially a document that gives you lower taxes and the right to let your faux spouse collect your insurance when you pass away. A marriage is about life. It's about a commitment. And this argument is about allowing people to have the right to make that commitment, even if it doesn't make sense to you.”

If you would like to read more about Rob Thomas’s “Big Gay Chip On His Shoulder” You view the full length article at the Huffington Post website at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-thomas/the-big-gay-chip-on-my-sh_b_208183.html

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions!