Global
Happy Gay Pride. I look over the
years and I see so much hate
for the gay lifestyle, but does that make me ashamed? The answer, short and sweet ... No.
People hide behind religion with gay and non-gay reasoning. At the age of 10, while I was a camper at a Salvation Army camp here in the central Ohio area, I was molested by the camp counselor. When the leadership of the Salvation Army found out this happened, they fired him and had him leave the camp without informing the police or seeking help for the many campers he had sex with. The simple reason they didn’t want to turn him in was they knew he was going to be a minister and didn’t want to hurt his lifelong dream, and with him being gone nobody would be hurt. But what I found out during the following year was not only did he have sex with me at the camp but he also had sex with several other children all under the age of 12.
People hide behind religion with gay and non-gay reasoning. At the age of 10, while I was a camper at a Salvation Army camp here in the central Ohio area, I was molested by the camp counselor. When the leadership of the Salvation Army found out this happened, they fired him and had him leave the camp without informing the police or seeking help for the many campers he had sex with. The simple reason they didn’t want to turn him in was they knew he was going to be a minister and didn’t want to hurt his lifelong dream, and with him being gone nobody would be hurt. But what I found out during the following year was not only did he have sex with me at the camp but he also had sex with several other children all under the age of 12.
The following is excerpted from Staughton Lynd’s forthcoming book, LUCASVILLE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF A PRISON UPRISING (Temple University Press).
The State’s Version
According to prosecutors, the four men later convicted of the aggravated murder of Officer Robert Vallandingham – Jason Robb, Namir (a.k.a. James Were), George Skatzes, and Hasan (a.k.a. Carlos Sanders) – set in motion plans to kill one of the hostage guards. These plans were approved, so the juries were told, by a vote of gang leaders in attendance at a meeting between 8 and 9 a.m. on April 15, 1993.
The Ohio Supreme Court has endorsed this version of events in a summary of alleged facts preceding its opinion in State v. Robb.
The State’s Version
According to prosecutors, the four men later convicted of the aggravated murder of Officer Robert Vallandingham – Jason Robb, Namir (a.k.a. James Were), George Skatzes, and Hasan (a.k.a. Carlos Sanders) – set in motion plans to kill one of the hostage guards. These plans were approved, so the juries were told, by a vote of gang leaders in attendance at a meeting between 8 and 9 a.m. on April 15, 1993.
The Ohio Supreme Court has endorsed this version of events in a summary of alleged facts preceding its opinion in State v. Robb.
Vigilante enforcers of the so-
called “culture war” will be
targeting the city of Columbus this summer. Operation Save America, the organization that once called itself Operation Rescue and was infamous for its actions targeting abortion clinics, has named Columbus as the target of its week-long national event beginning July 17.
Led by Flip Benham, his loosely-organized band of a few hundred Christian activists from all over the country, who ultimately believe that their version of “God’s law” trumps over 200 years of American secular legal tradition, brought its yearly national event to Dayton seven years ago. Teaming up with local anti-abortion activists there, they attempted to disrupt operations at three women’s clinics there and in Cincinnati, resulting in four arrests, the ire of residents living in nearby neighborhoods, and ultimately, a stalemated Federal civil case against the organizers. They also held a theatrical performance in the middle of downtown Dayton that they called a “memorial service” for what they alleged were fetal remains.
Led by Flip Benham, his loosely-organized band of a few hundred Christian activists from all over the country, who ultimately believe that their version of “God’s law” trumps over 200 years of American secular legal tradition, brought its yearly national event to Dayton seven years ago. Teaming up with local anti-abortion activists there, they attempted to disrupt operations at three women’s clinics there and in Cincinnati, resulting in four arrests, the ire of residents living in nearby neighborhoods, and ultimately, a stalemated Federal civil case against the organizers. They also held a theatrical performance in the middle of downtown Dayton that they called a “memorial service” for what they alleged were fetal remains.
Homeless persons “on the
streets” of Downtown Colum-
bus are among the most vulnerable citizens of this community. Now is the time for the City of Columbus to become more directly involved in addressing their needs and, in doing so, improve community stability in “the heart of the City.”
The Open Shelter’s lease ends on June 30, 2004. The official assumption in City government, which owns our building, appears to be that we will go away.
But where are the 100-plus men who stay with us each night to go? That is up to the citizens of Columbus. Can we sit by comfortably in our homes while these men are forced to join the hundreds of persons already sleeping in the bushes and in the doorways? Or are we prepared to insist that The Open Shelter’s lease be extended and that the City agree to help us find an agreeable Downtown alternative location before they turn this “covered piece of the sidewalk,” this Open Shelter, into a parking lot, or green space, or “urban campground?”
The Open Shelter’s lease ends on June 30, 2004. The official assumption in City government, which owns our building, appears to be that we will go away.
But where are the 100-plus men who stay with us each night to go? That is up to the citizens of Columbus. Can we sit by comfortably in our homes while these men are forced to join the hundreds of persons already sleeping in the bushes and in the doorways? Or are we prepared to insist that The Open Shelter’s lease be extended and that the City agree to help us find an agreeable Downtown alternative location before they turn this “covered piece of the sidewalk,” this Open Shelter, into a parking lot, or green space, or “urban campground?”
Hey, thanks Michael Moore: Not only have you legitimized an
industry-- we could sure use the jobs—but, more importantly, you have
galvanized a movement. And I love your market niche, Real News, who
would have thought. The Saudi angle was good, a nice wedge-in.
Not one senator stepping up, at the invitation of the minority house members on behalf of at least 50% of the voting population of America: In protest to what may have been a hostile takeover of the US Government. This same group of elected officals passed the Patriot Act-- without reading it—a document that is attempting to restructure the economic/political/social landscape of this country: At least, it wasn’t intentional negligence. And then, again [same guys], unconstitutionally abdicating their war power authorities to George W. Bush. What the fuck! Who needs an “Outside Enemy” when you’re got representatives like these?
Not one senator stepping up, at the invitation of the minority house members on behalf of at least 50% of the voting population of America: In protest to what may have been a hostile takeover of the US Government. This same group of elected officals passed the Patriot Act-- without reading it—a document that is attempting to restructure the economic/political/social landscape of this country: At least, it wasn’t intentional negligence. And then, again [same guys], unconstitutionally abdicating their war power authorities to George W. Bush. What the fuck! Who needs an “Outside Enemy” when you’re got representatives like these?
According to Israeli sources (Arutz news), Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
stated that the Israeli court's decision to ask for rerouting segments
of the wall near Jerusalem "strengthens Israel's position ahead of the
expected verdict by the International Court of Justice in The Hague
which will be announcing its verdict regarding Israel's right to
construct the fence. " When taken with the attempts at distraction by
talk of future withdrawal from Gaza and combined with the court's
earlier ruling that Israel has a right to confiscate Palestinian lands
and create hardships for them as long as Israeli military commanders
indicate it is related to security, this statement from Sharon uggests
that Israel will proceed with its apartheid wall since it now has the
stamp of approval from both George Bush, John Kerry, and congress.
This monstrous project to impoverish and isolate the Palestinians in
several Ghettos is a war crime and a crime against humanity. All
people of conscience must protest and raise their voice. Pericles (430
B.C.) observed that "Just because you do not take an interest in
politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.
Recently I had the pleasure of attending a family reunion in a small town in the Northwest corner of Arkansas. Being in the Ozarks allows one to appreciate some of America’s natural beauty. We were in the retirement community of Bella Vista, just north of Bentonville. Never heard of it? Bentonville is the world headquarters of Wal-Mart. That’s right, I was in the belly of the beast.
One evening my vegan brother-in-law and my vegetarian wife decided it was time to purchase some food for our rented townhouse. We were told the only place to go would be the community market. Thinking a community market, like our very own in Clintonville, Ohio. As we pull in my wife quickly points out that it is in fact, a “Wal-Mart Community Market.”
After reluctantly entering and shopping, we went to the checkout line. The other two quickly said, “We’ll be outside.” Alone with the cashier, I was saddened and distraught by feeling forced to give money to Wal-Mart- not unlike the feeling of a progressive voting for John Kerry.
Talking with the cashier, I asked him if he liked his job, and he said he hopes to get over to the warehouse “better money.”
One evening my vegan brother-in-law and my vegetarian wife decided it was time to purchase some food for our rented townhouse. We were told the only place to go would be the community market. Thinking a community market, like our very own in Clintonville, Ohio. As we pull in my wife quickly points out that it is in fact, a “Wal-Mart Community Market.”
After reluctantly entering and shopping, we went to the checkout line. The other two quickly said, “We’ll be outside.” Alone with the cashier, I was saddened and distraught by feeling forced to give money to Wal-Mart- not unlike the feeling of a progressive voting for John Kerry.
Talking with the cashier, I asked him if he liked his job, and he said he hopes to get over to the warehouse “better money.”
AUSTIN, Texas -- Happy birthday, America! Ye Olde Fourth of July rolls around again and finds the Great Nation in, frankly, a somewhat pissy mood. Lots of blame game, name-slinging and general unpleasantness. But there's always an upside. The vice president reports that if you go ahead and let fly with the f-word, it makes you feel better. Anything to get that fun Dick Cheney back to his usual sunny self, I always say.
True, we seem to have had more halcyon national natal days, but if we ignore I--q for the day, we should be able to celebrate our national heritage without punching each other in the eye.
True, we seem to have had more halcyon national natal days, but if we ignore I--q for the day, we should be able to celebrate our national heritage without punching each other in the eye.
Fahrenheit 9-11 reminds me of Howard Dean. Both were wildly promoted by
the media in a manner not carefully thought through by media bigwigs, and
then both were savaged by the media just before opening day.
The size of the audiences seeing this movie was guaranteed by the media hype, and the notion that the audiences consist mainly of liberal activists is disproved by the size of them. More people have already seen this movie than subscribe to progressive magazines or participate in political primary MeetUps. The question is what will happen in the heads of people who had never heard any of this stuff before.
The size of the audiences seeing this movie was guaranteed by the media hype, and the notion that the audiences consist mainly of liberal activists is disproved by the size of them. More people have already seen this movie than subscribe to progressive magazines or participate in political primary MeetUps. The question is what will happen in the heads of people who had never heard any of this stuff before.
The Green Party of the United States recognizes that our greatest
contribution to peace in the Middle East will come through our impact
on U.S. policy in the region. Our commitments to ecological
wisdom, social justice, grass-roots democracy, and non-violence compel
us to oppose U.S. government support for "friendly" regimes, both in
Israel and in the Arab world, whenever those regimes violate human
rights, international law, and existing treaties. Those same values
compel us to support popular movements for peace and demilitarization,
especially those which reach across the lines of conflict to engage
both Palestinians and Israelis of good will.