I spoke with Greg Quinlan, founder of the "Pro-Family" Network yesterday when he was on "Open Line: with Fred Anderle". There is nothing "pro-family" about his views. This self-avowed "former" gay man appeals, not to the best, but the worst, in his drive to get an amendment on the ballot that would ban the legal recognition of any relationship but the marriage of a man and a woman. He and others of his ilk, appeal to the prejudices, misconceptions and fears that people have towards same-gender couples.

This amendment would exclude not only same-gender couples, but also cohabitating different gender couples. And, while it would not prohibit companies from offering benefits to domestic partners, it would cause significant hardship in court disputes arising from these benefits as it would prohibit the courts from even recognizing these relationships.

"Pro-Family"...I think not. Pro-fear, Pro-ignorance, Pro-intolerance are more appropriate to Mr. Quinlan and his merry band.

I picked up a copy of your magazine in a local coffee shop and found many of the articles to be outstanding. Keep up the good work.

However, I was more than nonplussed to see Irish Northern Aid listed in your "Organize" section, and as a PEACE GROUP nonetheless. Perhaps it is your magazine's policy to accept any listings (though I doubt you would accept a listing from a neo-nazi organization). Perhaps the editors took Irish Northern Aids claims to be a peace group at face value.

You should know that Irish Northern Aid's activities have little to do with promoting peace. The professed objective of their fundraising is to support the families of Irish Republican prisoners. This goal might legitimately be considered a "humanitarian" one, but there is plenty of evidence that over the last quarter century, Irish Northern Aid has used charitable donations to purchase weapons for the IRA. The IRA are also known as the PROVOS, and you might note that the contact email provided for your Irish Northern Aid listing is "provo@columbus.rr.com." There is little attempt to hide this.

While Greens participate in demonstrations against Kerry during the Democratic Convention in Boston, party members are organizing the August 28 event; Green presidential candidate David Cobb will be featured.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party members are organizing a major event to coincide with the Republican National Convention and anti-Bush protests in New York City.

Titled 'A Green World Is Possible: A Festival of Non-Violence, Ecology, Democracy, Social and Economic Justice,' the rally will take place in Washington Square on Saturday, August 28.

"We believe that holding our event separate from the myriad of other anti-Republican activities will enable us to keep our message positive and ensure the safety of our membership," said Charles Shaw, co-chair of the Peace Action Committee of the Green Party of the United States. "We're committed to providing a safe environment in which our members and allies can exercise their right to speak out on important issues."

The program will feature live music and speakers, including Green presidential candidate David Cobb and running mate Pat LaMarche; New

If Kerry is a "flip-flopper" because he won't end the war (or the "Patriot Act" or NAFTA or private health insurance) even as he speaks against these horrors, what do we have to call Kucinich, who insists on ending these things even as he endorses Kerry? And what can we expect Dennis to say on Wednesday when he delivers a Kerry-approved speech to the Democratic National Convention? Will he speak against the war, as he told "Democracy Now"'s Amy Goodman he would?

I expect in fact that Dennis will not need to tie himself in knots or reverse any positions. Understanding this helps me to accomplish something I find extremely difficult – sympathizing with John Kerry.

A year ago I would not have lifted a finger to help Kerry's campaign. I did, however, quit my job to become Kucinich's press secretary, a position I quit in February. I was attracted to Kucinich's campaign by a platform that does not at first seem to have much overlap with Kerry's. Our biggest plank was a plan to end the occupation in 90 days. The two positions that Dennis stressed most frequently after that one were

Patti Smith is the high priestess of NY Punk. In a world where Avril Lavigne and Christina Aguilera are considered rebellious, thank god Patti can still come around and remind them they’re not. I would love to see these MTV darlings go on TRL and proclaim that, “Jesus died for someone’s sins, but not mine.” That was the opening line of Smith’s iconic 1974 release, Horses. Thirty years on, Patti is using Trampin’ as a sounding board for an American revolution of a different kind.

From the first guitar riff, you know the album is gonna rock. The opening track “Jubilee,” is a bit of a barnyard stomp with Patti in a two tone chant declaring, “We will never fade away /Doves shall multiply /Yet I see hawks circling the sky.” The band underscores Patti’s fading utopian dreams with a psychedelic jam of tight blues and swirling guitars.

In “My Blakean Year,” Patti pays homage to every Beat poet’s hero William Blake. The minimal guitar scratching and deliberate underproduction is brilliant. Patti fades out with the repeating lines, “Embrace all that you fear /For joy shall conquer all despair /In my Blakean year.”