The Agenda: Equality

John Cena really made a fantastic video here. I was overwhelmed.

Happy National Coming Out Day!

Come out, come out, whoever you are!!

GLAAD.ORG

Missouri In the News

Yes sir, Missouri is in the news today. These are both from The New York Times.

First this, on our own Senator Claire McCaskill's in put on Hillary Clinton and her race for the White House.

Did Hillary Clinton Have to Be First?

Senator Claire McCaskill and the Times columnist Gail Collins talk about gender, politics and the presidency in our latest podcast.

Then this, on Missouri's Miss America pageant entry presently.

Missouri Woman Is Miss America Pageant's First Openly Lesbian Contestant

I would never have seen that coming. I would have thought this would be out of New York or Florida or California or nearly any other state but not us, not here.

Enjoy your weekend, y'all.

Live and Let Live?

Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames and Messieurs
Ladies and Gentleman
Is it a crime to fall in love?
Can we ever tell where the heart truly leads us?
All we are asking is eine bisschen Verstandnis

Why can't the world leben und leben lassen?
'Live and let live....'

Entertainment Overnight -- We're Going to Hell

Missourians, Lamenting Equality in America

Sadly, shamefully, really, Dent County, Missouri, Southeast of Fort Leonard Wood, is mixing their religion and opinions with government just now, it seems.

Dent County, Mo., votes to lower flags in protest of Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling

That these people would, as I said above, laament or protest further equality busting out in our country is not just sad but wrong and unjust. It's not completely surprising but it is unfortunate, certainly.

Quote of the Day -- Timely

What part of equality do people not understand?

The Last Week in America

They're both improvements.

Worried About Gay Marriage?

Relax!

Right Wing, "Conservative", Religious, Supposedly "Christian", Republican Springfield Repeals Equality

There's a shocker, huh?

LGBT protections repealed in Springfield

The bigots from the pews won.

This one, this time.

The thing is, what they don't recognize is that we all want equality.

This is America, right?

Didn't we always say, haven't we always been told, from grade school? that "...all men are created equal"?

What too many don't recognize is that the opposite of equality id discrimination.

So, Kansas City.... You Want the Final Four Back?

It looks as though Kansas City's chances for possibly getting the basketball Final Four back from Indianapolis just shot up this week:

NCAA 'concerned' over Indiana law that allows biz to reject gays

It seems the religious zealots over in Indiana got their way with some Right Wing, Republican legislators:

Gov. Mike Pence signs 'religious freedom' bill in private

This "religious freedom" bill is their desire to discriminate against fellow Indianans, and legally:

Senate Bill 101 prohibits state or local governments from substantially burdening a person's ability to exercise their religion — unless the government can show that it has a compelling interest and that the action is the least-restrictive means of achieving it. It takes effect July 1.

Although the bill does not mention sexual orientation, opponents fear it could allow business owners to deny services to gays and lesbians for religious reasons.

And of course they would deny service. It's their stated goal.

All of a sudden, there are lots and lots of people and groups and even companies calling for a nationwide boycott of the entire state, too, as proof:

Youth Travel Sports Should Boycott Indiana

San Francisco Is First Major City To Boycott Indiana Over LGBT Discrimination Law

ESPN's Ruocco to Sports Leagues: Boycott Indiana Until New 'Religious Freedom' Law Changed

George Takei Asks Twitter Followers to #BoycottIndiana

Salesforce boycotts Indiana over fear of LGBT discrimination

So all of a sudden, Kansas City, you're looking better and better.

NCAA: 'Religious freedom' law creates concern for future events

That Sprint Center you have downtown?

Do you have an open schedule?

Kansas heads will be 'asplodin' today

First this:

Federal judge orders Kansas to allow same-sex marriages

And then tonight, some Republicans losing, and big time?

Republicans against equal pay for women

With this result yesterday:

Senate Republicans unanimously reject equal pay bill

What woman, what working woman would vote Republican?

What woman, Hispanic, black, gay or elderly person would vote for this political party, for that matter?

I just don't get it.

Possibly the best commentary on Missouri's, Michael Sam's and football's current situation

From Daily Kos today:

Dale Hansen has twice been named Sportscaster of the Year by the Associated Press and with thoughtful commentary like this, it's easy to see why. This may very well be the best statement yet on Michael Sam's decision to announce he's gay:

Mizzou comes out looking good on Michael Sam's announcement

After the announcement over the last few days of football player and possible NFL draft prospect Michael Sam from and at the University of Missouri-Columbia, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart covered the story last evening and our own Mizzou came out looking pretty darned good in what has got to be very prominent coverage:

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

Prominent coverage for young America, at least.

Kudos, Mizzou,  You did the right thing.

Now if we can just get the rest of the state to not be homophobic, ugly, hateful and/or otherwise discriminatory.

Notes on a viral video

I just found this video on the YouTube home page.

Observations:

1)  How cool, simply;

2) How great that Home Depot is getting/will get support and goodwill out of it;

3) This is what equality is all about;

4) Most of us don't have, will never have someone who loves us that much;

5) It's freaking beautiful;

6) How great that all those friends--ALL those friends--were there and so supportive;

7) Their parents were there;

8)  Lots of family was apparently also there;

9) Plenty of people will have cried at how beautiful and simple this is.

10) If someone's religion gets in the way of this beauty, in the way of love, of this kind of love, it's their problem--the one with the judgmental, condemning religion--and no one else's.


Now, get out there and have a beautiful weekend, people.

"People Who Are Ruining America"

Thank you, Stephen Colbert and Colbert Nation:

Link:  Vicco, Smallest Town In Kentucky, Passes LGBT Non-Discrimination ...

Such great news today

Equality, coming to America:

2 MAJOR RULINGS BOLSTER GAY MARRIAGE

Court Voids U.S. Law and Clears Way for Vows in California

5-4 Vote Extends Federal Benefits to Same-Sex Spouses

I'm naturally reminded of the line straight from the Bible, Amos 5:24 that the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. made so famous in his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Washington Monument August 28, 1963:

"But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."

So look out, Missouri and Kansas. Equality is headed your way, too, like it or not.

More links:

Analysis of Gay Marriage Rulings

Public Opinion Led, the Court Followed

The Same-Sex Marriage Rulings

As the Court Turns

The Long Road to Marriage Equality

What's Next For Gay Married Couples

On the importance of empathy and understanding

Quote of the day

"Forget global warming, forget war, poverty, disease. What really matters is whether other people, in private, sleep with their own sex."

--Richard Dawkins