Hang on, we’ll be back soon!

(via Pharyngula, Pam’s House Blend, and various others)

Video after the jump…
(more…)

P.S. Check back tonight for a complete review of MC’s “Touch My Body.”

The second session, “What are we ‘For’?”, was amazing. I got to the session a bit early and immediately began judging the presenters. My first impulse was “How are two club-kids from Manhattan going to help define a progressive vision for the future? This is probably their first excursion into ‘fly-over country’ and they’re probably ready to get the hell out. Do I really have anything in common with guys like this, other than shared enemies like Pat Robertson or Rev. Sheldon?”

Then someone behind me mentioned Transgendered Midgets, and I giggled.

The two guys are from a DC-based organization called the Center for Community Change that helps out low-income grassroots organizations to further their vision. Lots of people they work with feel stuck, not sure of how to take the next step, or even what the next step should be. They started a project to help these groups define a cohesive mission. The session I attended was an extension of that previous project onto a national scale to help all of us figure out what the hell we really want.

All in all it was an amazing session. We were given ballots with a list of values on them, values like Religion, Hard Work, Profits, or Education. We were to choose our top 3 values and share that with the group. After we tallied our top values, our group came up with Community, Fairness and Equality. They said that of the 160 grass-roots groups they’ve surveyed so far, community is always one of the top vote-getters.

Then we divided into three groups, all with one umbrella issue. My group had “Family Recognition”, while the others had “Immigration” and “Alleviating Poverty”. We were to list our own perspectives or policies on these umbrella issues. Then we attached the values we assign to these policy decisions, and discussed why we thought those values didn’t apply to the other policy decisions. I know, it’s convoluted, and it was even harder in practice. Trying to argue that Equal Opportunity is an Inherent Right and not a reason for Marriage is very difficult. My group was largely young people from colleges. I was seriously inspired by their enthusiasm, especially since i’m only 10 years older than them. As a result, our discussion centered around the marriage/civil union debate. I tried to push towards other topics like Adoption, Surrogate Parenting, Equal Opportunity for Education, but these always seemed to be pushed aside for the larger idea of Inherent Rights. In the end, we didn’t decide anything. It really highlighted for me the incredibly hard task of deciding what we’re For. What am I for? What change am I trying to create?

The other groups had equal amounts of trouble. The immigration group decided that the best, most progressive vision was completely Open Borders. No nations, no walls, we’re all citizens of the world. They even listed Security as one of the values that led them to this choice. To the other groups, we obviously questioned how Open Borders would improve Security. They stated that they were mainly thinking about security on a local level, secure in their schools, secure in their homes, etc. I thought, “Yeah, locally, people in Iraq aren’t feeling very secure right now. Might want to re-think that.”

The Poverty Alleviation group had an even tougher time. Their discussion always came back to the value of Hard Work, which didn’t even make our Top 3 at the beginning of the session. They realized that even though things like Hard Work and Individual Responsibility are the defining values of alleviating poverty, the main solutions they would come up with centered around Collective Responsibility, a much more Socialist construct. I think embracing Socialist ideas is becoming more popular amongst activists, since the stigma of a Red Soviet Amerika isn’t quite a danger anymore.

They left us with two questions to ask ourselves.
1) Is it easy to think about values?

2) How easy is it to fall into other people’s frames of reference?

It wasn’t easy to think about values, and even harder to try to prioritize them. And it was very easy to fall into other people’s frames of reference. We were constantly refusing certain policy ideas or goals because of their taboo nature, or because they didn’t fit with current cultural “norms”. Not a good way to define a vision.

But when he called for ‘not being afraid of people quoting scripture to me’? Really, I don’t even bother engaging that since it means to me that they’re just abandoning reason from the outset. Why would I even bother talking a fairytale? I know it means a lot to a lot of people, so I’ll do my best, but you’ll see my eyes glaze over and attempt to change the subject to something more productive.

Anyway, some of the stories he related were poignant - about during his ordaining to bishop, having to wear bulletproof vests because of a bomb threat. Another story related how when he started a youth group in Concord, almost none of the kids that came to it came from a particularly religious background, but all of them knew about the passage in Leviticus and the meaning of ‘abomination’. Or, I should say, the prevalent meaning of ‘abomination’.

A couple of things that did stick with me, though, was when he talked about recognizing the fact that 90% of the vitriol and oppression that came from religions came from Abrahamic religions specifically, and they had a lot to overcome if that were ever to affect change. And that, similarly, Desmond Tutu in his foreword of Robinson’s upcoming book specifically, and without reservation, begs for forgiveness for all of that, from lgbt* people because of all the oppression they’d suffered from the religious.

This culminated in all the participants actually crafting our own talking points based either on personal goals or those of the organization we’re affiliated with. Some topics discussed were marriage initiatives in Arizona, mentoring for queer youth, and being disowned by your family.

From my perspective, the topic of greatest concern was bridging the gap between people of religious groups. One woman in the session crafted her talking points around St. Paul being quoted out of context, saying that the Greek he used for “abomination” actually referred to “not commonly held as fruitful”. Since the Jewish people in Palestine at the time were seeing a low birth rate, homosexuality was merely not as beneficial to the community, not an abomination. The facilitator was quick to point out that not only was the talking point excessively specific, but also on a topic that’s not going to change anyone’s mind in a 15-second sound bite. GLAAD apparently has recognized this on a national level and now has an office for faith-in-media relations.

It’s a touchy subject that isn’t going to change anyone’s mind on Crossfire or The Daily Show. It’s a more appropriate discussion in an op-ed piece or a small facilitated discussion group. Unfortunately, most of the Movable Middle doesn’t read op-ed pieces nor do they attend diversity training at the local LGBTQQINGSPOC community center. So where can we have this discussion? Not sure yet. I’m sure someone will tell me before the weekend is over.

“I’d like, now to have a moment of silence for someone we’ve just lost… Mitt Romney just pulled out of the Republican race.  Omit! Remit! Mitt Mitt you’re full of shit, goodbye!”

“For those with mad vow disease, the freedom to marry coalition will meet…”

“In a stroke of genius, they put the gay family institute, next to the sexual freedom institute, in the hope that gay mothers and fathers sometime might have sex again…”

To young lesbians in the audience, on her turning 60 this year: “”Come on up here and get gummed!”
“There will come a day when your thanksgiving turkey will be wetter than your vagina!”
“You’ll reach for the KY and get the Ben Gay”

After a video introduction from the governor: “Unfortunately we didn’t get a video message from the mayor, just a text message”

At least he’s gone soon enough…

So far, a very wide diversity of people, and it’s surprisingly busy for as early as it is. I’ve seen only a few people I recognize, so it seems like the Detroit people are holding off until the weekend.

I forgot how much I like the Ren Cen … My first date with Gary was down here ;o)

I’ve been inundated so far with tons of pamphlets, schedules, newsletters, welcomes, flourescent-paper, etc. Therefore it’s now my turn to inundate you with my own personal welcome and intro.

I’m Joseph, a blogger from Chicago. I was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. My family is traditionally Southern Baptist, so you already know where I’m coming from. Most of my posts will be religious/theological in nature, as I’ve spent most of my life studying and researching the many faiths the world has to offer. I’m an opera singer, a linguist, a writer, and a music geek.

I chose St. Joseph of Arimathea as my avatar for two main reasons. First, we share a name. Second, Joseph was the man who volunteered to take care of Jesus’s body after he passed. This care extended in Christian lore to his care of his family and friends afterwards. I like to think that my take on Christianity takes care of most people’s worries about it, from Atheist to Hindu to Platonist. I like to open dialogue and challenge people’s entrenched assumptions about faith in order to foster growth between communities. I hope to learn a great deal about bridging those gaps while I’m here this weekend. Enjoy the ride!

“Feel Like Makin’ Love,” Mary J. Blige

Think of MJB as your evening’s Soulful Sex Host. With this slinky slow-jam, the No-Shit-Taking Troubadour sets the heavy-petting mood: Set me free. Pull me closer. Go slow. Turn off the light. Stay the night. Someone did her research!
“Kiss Me,” Melissa Etheridge

When the raspy rock-star shouts “Come out and play!” on this come-hither jam, you better know that she’s referring to doing the dirty – not playing Trivial Pursuit. Otherwise, just stop now. Seriously.

“Shut Up and Drive,” Rihanna

Laced with driving double-entendres (“Can you handle the curves?”), this sexy-seasoned synth rocker will surely rev up the homo-horny-factor as she insists, “Step into my ride.” Odds are, you’re probably already there.

“So Lonely,” Twista with Mariah Carey

You can almost feel the steam from this smooth, smoldering hip-hop jam about riding the “horsy,” going all night and trying to keep it down so the neighbors don’t hear. If you’re anything like M.C., who pants like a tired pooch in between Twista’s dirty rhymes, then you’re screwed.

“Ooh Ooh Baby,” Britney Spears

Think of B.S. as a gas tank. On this saucy cut from “Blackout,” the newly-reborn Brit likes to be filled up –with love! Just don’t make the mistake of thinking this is about her making those neglected babies. ’Cause it’s not. Really.

“Oh My God,” Pink with Peaches

“Let me feel you, baby,” Pink coos. And you will! During woman-on-woman fornication-fest (where Peaches claims Pink’s vers), the two flirt with lesbianism as the pop-punk rocker asks the rapper to throw her on the table – and then, you know, pretend she’s Thanksgiving dinner.

“Would You Mind” Janet Jackson

Ms. Jackson punctuates this slinky, X-rated musical moan-a-thon by saying, “The song ended. I didn’t even get to come. Did you?” After 10 songs, let’s sure as hell hope you responded with a, “Ooh yeah. Twice.”

For more “Bedroom Beats” visit www.pridesource.com on Thursday. Now your turn. Tell me what song revs your horny-factor? And what’s the last tune you screwed to?

…that…

…and him…

Oh, and briefly stepping in to cover for Christ!

Now I’m back. And ready to celebrate soap star/joke Brenda Dickson’s birthday (I know, I know. I’m a li’l late. So hopefully eating Cracklin’ Oat Bran with sliced banana will make her happy) and attend the Creating Change conference. Detroit, here come the gays.

So welcome, bookmark us, and come back frequently!

That’s where I was – at least from the look of this photo – after getting to ask Mary J. Blige how she shakes it in those high-heeled boots, and what it was like being The Advocate’s cover-girl (look for her answers in Between The Lines this week). Friends say I look a little high, a little star-struck, a little like “OMG, that’s Mary J. Blige breathing on me!” What do you think my face is saying?

I confess: I spend my work lunches and breaks in my dinky office. Watching YouTube videos. Over and over again. This one of Patty Griffin – who’ll grace Ann Arbor, likely making even the manliest of men bawl, on Jan. 26 as part of the The Ark’s Folk Festival (can’t wait!) – is a li’l nugget I found that just makes me wanna wrap everyone I know in my arms. Yep, even you.

Nothing like knocked-up chicks, a real-life princess, a drag queen and a foodie rat to get someone through 2007. Those zestful personas were the meat and potatoes of a pretty tasty box-office year. Even though some dumb disappointments scored big bucks (”I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”), namely the indies - like rom-com “Juno” and modern-musical “Once” - scored with the critics. Like yours truly.

5. Knocked Up
Something is big in this love-child comedy from perverted director Judd Apatow (”40 Year Old Virgin”). And it isn’t just Katherine Heigl’s belly. It’s those king-sized laughs, earned from zingers like: “It’s doggie style. It’s just the style. We don’t have to go outside or anything.” With class-A players (newcomer Seth Rogen! SNL’s “Penelope” Kristen Wiig! Hottie Paul Rudd!), Apatow’s morally-ambivalent film finds an optimal balance of raunch and chicken-soup moments.

4. Once
Told through some low-fi indie tunes, this small-scale mellifluous gem is an atypical-musical masterpiece. Writer-director John Carney’s simple tale centers on two folks, a street musician (real-life singer-songwriter Glen Hansard) and a woman swooned by his music who urges him to record his tunes. There’s nothing that particularly screams hit: Two people, some instruments, and a mess of alluring tunes. But with its realistic reflections on music and relationships, this nostalgic Irish-indie film brilliantly scores the beat between two souls.

3. Enchanted
Once upon a time, Walt Disney thought up something so good, so magical and so charming. Its name: “Enchanted,” a mostly live-action charmer about a blissfully-ignorant princess who’s forced into the happily-ever-after-less New York City. With a CG-created chipmunk and a brain-dead prince (the yummy James Marsden), giddy Giselle (a super-duper dazzling Amy Adams) tries to ward off a wicked witch to return to her Happy-Go-Lucky Land. Adams glows in this live action-animated hybrid, a cleverly-scripted romp that sizzles with wit, romance and hella-pleasing Disney parodies.

2. Atonement
Simply breathtaking in every sense of the word - luscious cinematography, first-rate performances and a dashing musical score - “Atonement” is a masterful, epic love story. The decade-spanning screen adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel begins in 1935 and gradually, and gracefully, builds to a bittersweet finale that hits like a natural disaster - both hard and without much warning - resulting from a young girl’s selfish lie. A serious weeper, the seven-time Golden Globe nominee, much like “Titanic,” isn’t easily forgettable.

1. Hairspray
Nothing can top this bubbly dance-off piled high with hardy-har-har gags, fab bouffants and a dress-donning John Travolta. As more-femme Edna Turnblad, Travolta shakes his badonkadonk in ’60s Baltimore, where chubby daughter Tracy (the smashing Nikki Blonsky) scores a stint on a local shimmy show and becomes a bona fide household name. With dazzling musical numbers, an all-star cast and an accept-everyone motif, this rambunctious feel-good flick isn’t one bit sticky. It just shines.

To see selections 6-10, visit www.pridesource.com.

What were your favorite flicks of ‘07? Did “Hairspray” make you wanna shimmy and shake? Was “Atonement” the best epic love story since “Titanic”? Let me know ….