The gays' war against Catholic adoption

I could not help but be excited this evening when I heard Newt state that the gays were part and partial to a bigotry against religion. Newt whom of course is always factual (stop laughing and pay attention here) sited a situation where Catholic churches were forced to shut down adoptions agencies because the state was forcing them to adopt to the LGBT community.

Now I know that we all assume these candidates speak nothing but truths. However ironically enough after some intense research I found some error in Newts proclamation. To clarify, by intense research I mean I googled "catholic church adoption lgbt" and hit enter, Newt is a busy man after all he can't be bothered with fact checking.

It turns out the Catholic church adoption agencies were not forced to shut down by the state because they denied LGBT couple adoptions. They were however denied public funding for their adoption program since they would not adopt to the LGBT community.

Now the argument here would be that this is a war on religion but the church was not being told they had to adopt to LGBT parents. The church was told that if they were going to take tax payers money, money that was from all walks of life, all beliefs, all religions that they would have to follow the states law. The church was free to deny LGBT parents from adopting, just not with public funds.

So I apologize if my blog title has misled you. There is no war on adoption at least not against the Catholics. I mean sure they are willing to shut down an entire program that would provide homes to children in need. All because of the nasty gays. They can build amazing cathedrals tax free with their own money but can't use their own money to find children homes (they need government money to do that). Steve made a great point "Christians are allowed to marry, adopt children, and serve openly in the military. Those three things are currently a threat for gay people." So who is really being denied?

I will continue to search for signs of this gay agenda that I am apparently part of. All I can report to date is that the only movement seems to be against the LGBT. I am a second class citizen, I am not an equal and I am denied rights. If my agenda is to take care of the one I love, to raise a child in a happy, healthy and financially sound life then I guess I am guilty. This agenda seems more like a to-do list in my eyes since it really only pertains to me.

Santorum, the gays' best friend?

I know, I know I probably owe you a new coffee because you've spit it out in disbelief (I hope you at least turned away from the computer). Hear me out though, I think Rick should be someone we get to know and embrace.

I'm not going to be silly and say it's because of Dan Savage and what he's done to this good man's name. It's not even because I'm trying to fix the friendship that could have been between Steve and Rick (google the booed soldier). Sure he would annul every same sex marriage, he's compared us to polygamist and bestiality, he thinks the repeal of DADT was a special privilege to the LGBT but maybe just maybe we can benefit from Ricky.

Gay rights have ignited in America. States are recognizing gay marriage, DOMA is being challenged on multiple fronts, DADT has been repealed. At the same time laws are being written to protect bullies of the LGBT, states are eliminating domestic partner benefits, and other states are still trying to constitutionally block marriage equality. Progress is being made on both fronts, for and against true equality.

Now coming out of the Iowa caucus steps our friend Rick Santorum the poster child for all things righteous. You see I don't see Rick as a threat, I see him as talking point. Rick is an open door to discussions about what marriage equality really is and what it isn't. The biggest misconceptions that everyone has about the LGBT community are Rick's playbook.  If you have ever wanted to talk about misconceived notions about the LGBT community but couldn't find an easy way to work it into conversation. You've got it now! So long as your target audience hasn't googled his name that is.


Let people know that marriage equality wouldn't be forced on churches, that the LGBT just want equal rights and the security marriage brings for the people we love.  That no one will be forced to teach gay sex in schools. That ministers and preachers will be able to observe marriage however they see fit with their beliefs.  That there are codes of conduct in the army on sexual acts and they apply to the LGBT without DADT.  That all DADT did was make soldiers lie when asked personal questions, hide pictures of family, and even ask family members to leave their own home.  Every point Rick makes about the LGBT can be debunked and he helps us show the lunacy behind those views. Study Rick Santorum tonight get all his talking points and tomorrow take it to the streets.  Ask people what they think about Rick. Talk about his views and coolly, confidently and intelligently deconstruct his campaign.


We don't need to hate Rick it's not worth the energy. If we are all smart while Rick has the spot light we will use this time to educate friends, family and complete strangers. Then once Ricks star falls back to earth and he gets sent home with his tail between his legs we should all write him a thank you letter, I know I will.

Politics are so gay.

"I don't follow politics"  

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I must admit I find this statement both frustrating and perplexing from anyone in the LGBT community. Unless of course your in the closet then maybe, just maybe I could understand this blind, ignorant and just down right stupid statement.

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To understand my view let's flash back to 2004, I stood on the side of a main highway heading into Cleveland, it was November and I was freezing my ass off holding a big banner with the name Kerry across it. In all honesty I was there to help a friend and chat with a guy I thought was cute and nothing more. Keep in mind this was the year of prop 8. I had read the news, listened to the commercials, and watched the videos. The gay community was a soap box, our heads being used to elevate fear mongering, close minded, and misleading campaigns. But I was an optimist and scoffed at such blind fear bordering on bigotry. Holding that banner was mostly a self serving moment with a hint of favor to a friend. I woke up November 3rd 2004 to a dark reality, a rude awakening.

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Late 2004, 13 states joined the ranks of making constitutional amendments against gay marriage. 13 more states would follow over the next five years bringing us to current day with 29 states stripping the LGBT of marriage equality. November 3rd 2004 an anger filled me, an anger with myself more then the candidate who used us. For years I had expected other people to do the work for me and the LGBT community and figured all would work out in my favor, I was only one voice anyway what did it matter. I was wrong.

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If your part of the LGBT community you ARE INVOLVED IN POLITICS. It doesn't matter if your party is in office, or if your fiscal and social views don't align under a specific party ideal. Your rights are up for discussion right now, a bartering chip to pull on peoples fears or compassion. Forking out millions of dollars for ads comparing us to a war on religion, in stump speeches equating us to pedophiles or yes even telling our soldiers that repealing DADT is giving special privilege to the LGBT. The LGBT communities rights are under attack and yet someone from our community can say "I don't follow politics". It's irresponsible, wreck less, and cowardice to think your not in politics, because you are being used by politics right now.

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I won't go down some path to try and point out the current candidates and where they stand in my opinion to LGBT rights. I will say this though: it does matter, it matters until our rights are viewed as just that, rights. Until we are taken seriously as human beings, as individuals who are not less then but equals in this country. The small steps that have been made for the LGBT are through politics, convincing elected leaders to support our cause, to recognize our injustice. Like it or not the political machine is our only hope and acting above it or turning a blind eye, is spitting in the faces of every LGBT person you know.

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Dancing at pride or throwing a non-profit sticker onto a car is not doing your part if "you don't follow politics". Pride is an evolution from what were protest with paper bags on heads to hide identities, marching down the street knowing you could be arrested or beat. Announcing your sexuality could mean jail time or loss of a job and still could.   Turn around and walk back into your closet until your willing to do your part, because we are far from being able to ignore the inequality that still exists and if someone chooses to do so then I say they shouldn't reap the benefits of what little progress we have made.

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In 2004 it was written into law that I could not marry the person I love in the state of Ohio. Seven years later I would have to drive six hours one way to Washington D.C. to marry Steve. Forget that he was only home for two weeks from Iraq, forget that our families couldn't come with us, all I could think was that this was, in part my fault. Seven years ago "I didn't follow politics", now I fell victim to that ignorance, to that crime and now I pay the price.

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The LGBT community is not equal and until it is politics should be our life. We should learn every candidates position, and educate our friends (gay or straight) on how those decisions affect our rights, our lives. Take pride in yourself, in our community, politics are how this great democracy is run and rights won. We are a nation built on diversity but that comes at a price. Equality is reached by helping others see that we are not all that different, that we want nothing more then to love and be loved to be a family and be safe.

So if you truly "don't follow politics" don't come to pride, don't throw an HRC sticker on your car, don't click "like" on some funny marriage equality picture or page. Your insulting the people who have risked everything and those who continue to do so to further our cause. We are a minority and we need every one's help, how can we ever ask our allies to help us if we aren't doing it ourselves. How can we ever fight for our rights if some of us stand on the sidelines and wait for a miracle.