TheNew Republic published and has now deleted an “opinion” article on Friday that included shocking and incendiary commentary of South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s bid for the 2020 presidency.
The article, written by gay writer Dale Peck, was titled “My Mayor Pete Problem.” It included asinine statements made by the author about Buttigieg’s sexual life (weather he was a bottom) and repeatedly referred to him as “Mary Pete.”
Peck’s badly written assessment of Pete Buttigieg, claimed “Mary Pete is a neoliberal and a Jeffersonian meritocrat, which is to say he’s just another unrepentant or at least unexamined beneficiary of white male privilege,” the posting spread quickly across the internet where it received widespread criticism from many readers and members of the LGBT media including John Aravosis of AmericaBlog, Kenneth Walsh of Kenneth in the 212, and Back2Stonewall.
In a statement late Friday night the Washington Examiner‘s, editor Chris Lehmann said, “The New Republic recognizes that this post crossed a line, and while it was largely intended as satire, it was inappropriate and invasive.” Peck’s op-ed was then removed from the site.
Peck who’s 2009 novel, Sprout, won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Children’s/Young Adult literature has had problems before with his writings when in May 2011, Peck’ criticized Jewish-American literature in one of his freelance pieces which he claimed “[I]f I have to read another book about the Holocaust, I’ll kill a Jew myself”. His editors later removed the statement from his article
New Republic just published a piece about Pete Buttigieg referring to him as “Mary Pete,” and discussing whether he likes getting fucked up the ass.
“You know what I can’t understand, and furthermore, won’t stand for? Other gays playing sex police — and it’s starting to happen more and more…. Now that we can get married and queer people having children is becoming more and more accepted, it seems we’ve forgotten that sexual liberation has always been, in my mind at least, a cornerstone of queer liberation. And it seems some queers think we’ve just been having all of this sex and pushing back against all of these sexual boundaries for all of these years as just another way to pass the time until we could become just like straight people. Like, “Hmm. We can’t get married yet. What should we do in the meantime? Needlepoint? Nah. Competitive baking? No. Oh, I’ve got it!” — Noah Michelson, Editorial Director of The Huffington Post Voices, in his op-ed piece “I’m A Gay Man Who Loves Sex (And Here’s Why That’s Suddenly A Problem)”
Back2Stonewall is a Sex Positive website and whole-heartedly agrees with Mr. Michelson.
SEX POSITIVE: An approach to sex and human sexuality that embraces the full benefits of sexual interaction as healthy and uplifting, based upon the premise that sexual expression is good and healthy and that societal repression or control of the individual’s sex-drive is bad and unhealthy.
Sex Positive people advocate comprehensive sex education, because even in a free-sex utopia one must still be wary of sexually-transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. – Urban Dictionary
HRC executive director Chad Griffin has finally after over a week of silence said something bout Jo Becker’s controversial book Forcing the Fraud Spring, which documents the fight for marriage equality (in California only) in today’s Advocate im which which he talks about standing on the “shoulders of giants” and doesn’t really address the controversy at all.
Griffin in his op-ed provides nothing nothing more than a Cliff Note’s version of LGBT history, ending with a humble “I’m no Rosa Parks” kicker.
“The response to Jo Becker’s book from many of my friends and colleagues in the LGBT movement has had a profound effect on me. Most troubling of all is the impression that I personally am unaware or dismissive of the decades of hard work — often done in the face of personal risk and even harm — that made possible last year’s groundbreaking marriage equality decisions from the United States Supreme Court. I want to respond to that line of criticism in particular, because it could not be further from the truth. And anyone who treats the successes of the past few years as the full story of this movement is missing something essential. [snip]
I came out of the closet after many of these people had been active in the struggle for years. I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t a challenge for me. I grew up in Arkansas, where I went to a Southern Baptist church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night too. I spent my childhood thinking I didn’t know a single other gay person in my town. And when I did finally come out, it wasn’t due to some newfound personal fortitude; it was because the world had changed around me thanks to a national conversation on equality started by every single one of those advocates — and countless more. Simply put, I have nothing in common with the trailblazing courage of Rosa Parks.”
Today, I’m proud to call those heroes my movement colleagues — in the fight for marriage, and in every other fight we engage in every day. And when the day does come that the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down every ban on marriage equality across this country, it won’t be any one lawyer who carries the day. And it won’t be any one plaintiff who was so uniquely inspiring as to demand a sweeping ruling. It will be because of all of them — and all of us, who today are lucky to stand on the shoulders of giants.”
So Chad “I was born a poor gay boy in Arkansas” Griffin’s idea of commenting on the “controversy” is nothing more than naming names that Becker left out of her book while really NOT commenting on any of the inaccuracies or blatant disrespect to other activist involved at all. What a crock of santorum.
Griffin’s op-ed should be titled “Standing on the Necks of Giants”
For those of you who don’t know. Jo Becker will be at HRC Headquarters “Equality Center” Saturday morning 4/26 at 11:00 am shilling her piece of fiction. Since I won’t be able to attend (because of distance and no frequent flier miles) to fact check her I hope that some of you out there will go and do it for me.
Back2Stonewall would like to welcome outspoken LGBT advocate and all around great guy Bernie Keefe to the staff and who will be doing a weekly VLOG on recent gay events, news and anything else that sticks in his craw.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Thursday that she thought it was “great” that Vladimir Putin included a line in his controversial New York Times op-ed about all people being created equal under God.
But also gave Putin a verbal slap on in the face when she added that “I hope it applies to gays and lesbians in Russia as well,” during a Capitol Hill press conference.
To double down on the statement Pelosi (or her staff) took the comment to Twitter for all the world to see.
Great sound bite and you have to give it to her for actually saying something.
Russia and Egypt: An Interesting Sense of Outrage
Charles Karel Bouley
“The United States criticizing Russia over gay rights is like Rwanda criticizing the Darfur over genocide… “
Yes, that is what I said when asked by a listener about President Obama’s condemnation of Russia over their stringent anti-GLBT laws.
“And spare me your concern for Egypt; our Revolution took eight years and cost many thousands of lives, they’ve only been at this two years. AND, in Iraq, each day, 25-50 die with almost 1,000 civilians dead in July and who was screaming about that? We did that! That is OUR fault!”
Yes, I finished with that. Because it’s how I felt at the time.
I know what’s going on in Russia is horrific. But what’s going on in Mississippi or Alabama or any one of 29 states where a person can still be fired for being gay, even if it’s just alleged is also horrible. And it’s horrible that GLBT youth can not hear a positive message about being gay in Russia, but there are school districts and states trying to do the same here. Yes, Conversion Rape (raping a “suspected” lesbian to convert her and not being punished for it) is horrific and has been reported in Russia. But sending someone away to Gay Rehab (conversion therapy), forcing thoughts and images upon them, making them betray their very soul, well, that’s a form of violation as well and can scar people for just as long and it’s practiced in almost every state in the U.S.
Yes, a Russian newscaster saying gay hearts should be burned or buried if the organs are donated after a death is just wrong, but so is the FDA and American Red Cross refusing blood donations from gay men when blood has been tested for HIV and Hepatitis for decades now that’s also appalling. Russian gay youth being attacked by skin heads and the perpetrators going unpunished is horrific, but GLBT youth are attacked by religious ideology in the U.S. daily and end up killing themselves in record numbers as well, dying without any repercussion to those that led them to it.
And let’s not forget that in 37 states the battle for marriage equality still rages where GLBT Americans have to beg legislators, or even worse, voters, to approve their love and unions and grant them equal protection under the law. Disgusting. England has gay marriage, Uruguay for the love of all things holy, but the fight rages here? ENDA is not the law of the land. And it’s only been in the last five years that DOMA or DADT have disappeared; two flawed and horrific breaches of law and Constitution that were the law of the land for years without much uproar.
The fact is this country is nowhere near where it needs to be for GLBT equality, safety and harmony in society. Yes, we are moving forward. But we are still very, very backwards.
Snowden pissed off President Obama, and Putin flipped him off by granting him asylum. So, the president tries to embarrass Putin on GLBT rights, having rainbow flags thrown in his face in countries he visited after the uproar. Celebrities called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics.
And now, a few weeks out, there’s a new scandal, Egypt has erupted, Glenn Greenwald’s partner has been harassed (who knew an openly gay man broke one of the biggest stories in the recent past!) and the athletes are preparing for Sochi. Mark Leno from Calif. (D-Senator 11th District) called for Calif. to stop investing pension funds in Russia in protest. I can’t find one story on the progress of that or if that has died.
And Russian GLBT youth are still suffering and dying, and while their American counterparts do have it better in many areas, it’s no picnic here either. It’s a daily battle outside of the Calif. or New York bubbles for gay men and women in America; a battle to stay employed, a battle to be in love and be recognized, a battle not to throw it all in as a youth because of institutionalized bigotry, and we may have a name for them now, but hate crimes still happen just like skin heads attacking Russians.
No, President Obama, when it comes to the GLBT community in America you have been better than any recent president in tone, but not in substance. DOMA was bad law. It wasunconstitutional. It had to be undone and I’m glad it was, but you don’t get credit for repealing something that should have never been enacted (shame on you Bill Clinton). As for Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, when the Army needed bodies during the Civil War, they let in blacks. Why? Equality? No, they needed bodies. Our military at the time was waging war on two fronts with exhausted soldiers. It needed (needs) bodies. It also makes those people pledge valor, honor, dignity, pride, allegiance to Country so it is incongruous that it would also ask them to cover up or lie about who they are so again, glad it’s gone, but it benefitted the country more than the gays in general.
No, President Obama, you want street cred over here to criticize others? Make Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) the law of the land by making it a legislative priority and make it illegal in every state to fire a GLBT person for simply earning a living. Have a congressperson introduce legislation to simply grant marriage equality, period, all 50 states and let’s get this bigotry out in the open on the Senate or House floor. Stop doing half-measures and get the job done.
And as for Egypt, well, look at the Iraq Body Count. Just this past Monday, August 19, 14 people died. Seven in bomb attacks in Mosul, three by IEDs in Tuz, one by gunfire in Basra, one in Kirkuk, another IED death in Baquba with an AED death in Mahaweel. So far, in August, 495 civilians have been killed in Iraq violence. And we did that. We broke that country apart and now it is the Humpty Dumpty of the Middle East; nothing is going to put it back together again.
We spent trillions all told, and for what? We illegally occupied the country, deposed the dictator that was keeping the peace (and no, he was NOT a nice man), invaded, forced something on them they didn’t really want to buy, and then left. Now, the Chinese buy up to 60 percent of the oil from the country and we have $4/gallon gas, thousands of Americans with PTST, lost limbs or lost lives and up to 125,000 dead civilians.
Move in to Afghanistan and Pakistan and just talk drones and we’ve killed over 3,000 from the sky, and the CIA has said up to 25 percent of those people are unknown to us, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time. That means we’ve killed 750 civilians with drones (a conservative estimate), including over 100 children.
But we are going to condemn the revolutionary process of Egypt and be outraged at the violence?
In 2012, 131 people were murdered in Oakland, Calif. There’s been 58 murders to date in 2013. Over 21,000 people have died in the U.S. from gun violence since the Newtown tragedy and estimates say gun deaths will surpass auto deaths in the U.S. this year, and we can’t even get sensible legislation passed, let alone be outraged enough to actually do something about it.
The fact is, the Russian gay issue was made an issue because of mounting tensions with Russia, including Snowden, and Egypt is an issue because we support their military, they are the gateway to the Middle East and support Israel in so much as they don’t attack them. We need Egypt to keep relations in the Middle East which we need for, say it with me, oil. The only reason anyone cares about a “Stan” country or the MIddle East is oil. Wait, and Israel. And we should care about both, but again, the outrage over this particular situation in Egypt… really?
There’s a lot be be angry about across the world. But there’s also a lot to be angry about right here. A lot. And we can’t keep acting like sectarian violence isn’t happening in the streets of America. Religious right, Muslim Brotherhood, what’s the difference? Republicans refusing to legislate, a country in decline, a nation that excels at two things, incarcerating and killing prisoners but fails at everything else from education to equality, well…
In the 24-hour news cycle there’s room for us to be involved, and care about, many issues: including Egypt and Russia. But let’s be sure we know why we are involved, why we care. And then let’s make sure that as we throw stones, our house is not made of glass. Because Moscow or Mississippi anti-gay sentiment, laws and oppression are everywhere and hurts just as much to the person experiencing it regardless of geography. And make no mistake,the GLBT community still bears the brunt of hatred and hate crimes in America today. And the argument that, “well, you have it better here than there,” doesn’t make what’s going on here right. It’s a false equivalent.
And as for Egypt, what’s going on is horrific, from killing of journalists, rapes going on in the crowds going unreported, people dying for a simple political affiliation, revolution is indeed messy. Like France supported us, we must support the spirit of freedom and independence that burns in Egypt and throughout the world, but we must never forget that we can’t share freedom or independence if all Americans are not secure in their own.
And let’s not forget the horrors of Iraq. Let’s not forget the terrors that still exist in Afghanistan, the death, the violence. It’s a legacy we created and we seem to have left the Iraqis to die without so much as a blip on our nightly news.
——————–
Charles Karel Bouley, known on-the-air as Karel, is an American talk radio host and author. He is chiefly known for his two stints of work on KGO radio show in San Francisco, California. Prior to working for KGO the first time, Bouley was the first openly gay radio talk show host on KFI in Los Angeles. Karel is a high profile blogger for The Huffington Post, and his editorials have also appeared in The Wall Street Journal. He was also an editor and columnist for The Advocate.com, and a celebrity photographer for Billboard Magazine.
To listen to Chale’s podcast or The Karel Show live daily please visit his website, or get the App for iOS or Android
*Reprinted with the permission of Charles Karel Bouley
If you were watching the Golden Globes ceremony or a member to any social network like twitter or Facebook, then you heard about the unexpected and very moving speech by actress Jodie Foster. While the very accomplished, two-time Oscar Winner was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, Foster delivered a rousing speech in what many believed was her coming out. During her speech, Foster started off with phrases as if she was going to make an announcement, but it led into a joke. Though later in the speech, Foster did address that she is a lesbian:
“I guess I have a sudden urge to say something that I’ve never been able to air in public that I’m a little nervous about — but maybe not as nervous as my publicist. So I’m just going to put it out there, loud and proud, right? I’m going to need your support on this. I am, uh — I’m single,”
“I already did my coming out a thousand years ago, in the Stone Age. Those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to friends and family and co-workers then gradually to everyone that knew her, everyone she actually met. But now apparently I’m told that every celebrity is to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance and a primetime reality show.”
The reaction varied from audiences members, viewers, and commentators in the LGBT community. Many did not know that Foster had come out years ago, even though she has never lived a lie by having a “public” relationship with a man. She even thanked her ex-partner and co-parent Cydney Bernard for the life and two children they share together. There were cries and claps of support to inappropriate laughing to complete confusion as to what Foster was trying to say. There’s anger because some feel that the way of (in)formally announcing to a live audience that she’s a lesbian without actually saying the words “I’m gay” which was accompanied by a joke took away from the point Foster was trying to make.
After watching the speech several times, I believe I understand why Foster did it this way. When we admit we’re gay to others and when we admit it to ourselves, we come to this moment of acceptance that we will own and cherish. Because when we come to the moment, that peaceful, beautiful, absolute moment of saying quietly to ourselves, “I’m gay and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that” we feel that we no longer have to explain to anyone why it’s okay. Because we are not living for the lives, opinions, or beliefs of others. We are living for ourselves so why do we have to explain why it’s okay to be attracted to, to have sex with, to fall in love with someone of the same gender. Saying the exact words “I’m gay” as often as possible because the admission symbolically means no shame. It is one the most profound moments in our lives.
So no, Jodie Foster does not owe us a damn thing. She does not owe us an explanation as to what is her sexuality. Nor do I or anyone else in this world. Coming out is a process no matter who you are. From the accomplished actress, to a college student, teacher, cook, investment banker and everyone in between, we all go through periods of reflection and observation. We learn about who we are and what that means to us. Money or class hierarchy, race, age, or any other demographic does not diminish the impact of that process. How I hope for the day when coming out is no longer a process and sexuality does not need a declaration.
But we as a society are not there yet. We still live in an age where people still think we are possessed by demons for being gay. Where millions of dollars are donated to organizations that claim they can “cure” us if only we pray enough. A time where politicians and pompus pundits insult our way of life. We are still discriminated against, bullied, threatened, or even killed. Most of us still can be fired from our jobs for being gay and many of us are still denied the civil right to marry the one we love.
Therefore, I feel we need to hold our heads high with an indignant presence when we talk about our sexuality. When we have had that moment of acceptance of who we are, we should be able to say or not say that in however fashion we choose with not a trace of shame. Let those that believe we are sinners know that we do not give a damn what they think. We should be able to express or not express being LGBTQIA however we deem is right for us, owning it completely.
It shows that there is nothing wrong with being gay and the world needs to see that, constantly challenging and defying the bigoted beliefs of our adversaries and naysayers. Every time that an actor, celebrity, or anyone else does so proves that point to those still in the closet. Those that live in fear need that inspiration. They need a physical example as to why it is okay so one day they’ll realize that being gay is great. And I believe that is what Foster meant because that is how the speech felt. It is blatantly obvious that Foster is proud of her family, her life, and her sexuality without an once of shame or guilt. Still, a part of me wishes she would have said “I’m gay”.
Recently I spent the day with over 150 other LGBTTIQQ2SAA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Intersex, Queer, Questioning, 2-Spirited, Asexuals and Allies) advocates, activist, bloggers, and journalist in a one day Pre-conference at Netroots Nation 12.
And I SWEAR as Tallulah Bankhead is my witness, that in those 8 hours I had more acronymns thrown at me then there are in the science of Chemistry (Thats 128 pages worth to be exact)
And LGBTTIQQ2SAA are not all of them yet by any means. They are just the beginning in this bizarre collection of Scrabble tiles. Expect CG for cis-gender and P for polyamorous to be added soon because they are on the short list.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Look I understand that everyone wants to self identify. Seriously self identification is great! It really is. Its a beautiful thing to know who you are and be proud of it. But it is to “self” which sometimes turns into “selfish”
Over the years our constant need for self identification has had a major downside. That of splintering our community up and putting every different group into neat little boxes. And this in turn has made everyone very myopic and then they tend to focus ONLY on the groups personal issues because to them they are the most important and the only issues. So in the end all lose track of the greater goal which is FULL EQUALITY for everyone.
As I sat at the Netroot’s Nation Pre-Con I heard so many people from so many groups talk about issues that were so near and dear to them. But NOT ONCEdid I hear anyone speak about our goal of how to get Full Equality for all by by everyone working together.
So I say that its time that we reclaim our history and heritage and take back the term QUEER. Thats right QUEER. And once again use it as an umbrella term instead of hiding it in the middle of a 12 letter acronym like its something to be ashamed of it. .
(I can almost hear the gasping and clutching of pearls as I type this.)
Now I’m not saying that anyone should lose their personal self-identity by any means. But remember personal is what it .
Now QUEER on the other hand is what we are. We are different. Like it or not. And different doesn’t make us any less than anyone else. Just different. And we should be proud of that fact and take back the word QUEER that was only taken away from us from to be turned into an anti-gayepithet two decades ago.
To reclaim QUEER now is to neutralize its use as hate speech and render it ineffective and reclaim our heritage when people were proud to be QUEER. And it will also break down the boundaries that have been built within our own community that have been separating us for over the past 30 years also.
The best thing about the “queer” is that it simultaneously builds up and tears down boundaries of identity. The non-specificity of the term is liberating. (And easy to say) And using the umbrella term QUEER becomes a way to make a political move against heteronormativity while including everyoneand it also refuses to engage in the traditional identity politics which splinters and separates everyone.
SO BE QUEER! BE PROUD TO BE QUEER!
Stand side by side and embrace your brothers and sisters once again instead of sitting inside neatly lettered identity boxes thinking that your groups equality problems are the only equality problems and more important than anyone else’s. Because they are not. They are equally important.
And that’s whats this is about after all. Equality.
Only when these lettered walls fall will be able to work together and only at that time will we be able to get what we have been fighting for so long and so hard.
Right now I’m watching a little black spider weave an elaborate web outside our kitchen window. But I’m not admiring his handiwork.
I’m anxiously wondering if cockroach spray will knock him dead because we don’t have anything labelled ‘spider-killer’ in the cupboard. I’m far too gutless to get close enough to squash him.
My fear of spiders is as irrational as the fear some folks have of homosexuals. I don’t have any logical reason to hate our eight-legged friends — at least not the harmless ones at home — but their beady little eyes, the fact they can run so fast and their ability to disappear and reappear spontaneously totally freaks me out.
Thursday, May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia — a day to acknowledge that although we’ve come a long way, unjust laws and unfriendly attitudes mean that discrimination against queers is still widespread.
Even though I’m a happy young homo, the fact that I can’t get married and that I occasionally get yelled at on the street when I hold my girlfriend’s hand upsets me because I don’t understand the logic behind it. But that’s the thing — homophobia, like any phobia — is not based on common sense.
Xanthophobes fear the colour yellow, tetraphobes can’t stand the number four, omphalophobes are scared shitless of bellybuttons — and I think spiders are out to kill me. Even daddy-long-legs.
My silly fear that all spiders are deadly is the same as saying all poofs are promiscuous or all dykes are angry thugs. Sure, some gay boys do get around, and some lezzers are totes scary-looking, but that’s no reason to attack them with cockroach spray.
If grumpy old homophobes can see the error of their ways when a close friend or family member comes out, perhaps I just need to spend some quality time with spiders.
If I got to know them maybe I’d see their webs as delicate works of art, I’d thank them for keeping the house free of bugs, I’d admire their pretty colours and I’d learn to appreciate their company. But right now I’m just too scared to get close.
In case you’re wondering, the spider lived. Can’t say we’re buddies, but I’m being tolerant. Hearts and minds don’t change overnight — even when there’s no logical reason for them not to.
* Monique Schafter is an LGBT Advocate, Walkley Award winning storyteller and Star Observer columnist in Sydney Austrailia. You can follow Monique on Twitter at @MoniqueSchafter
** This article has been reprinted in its entirity with the permission of its writer and its original source The Sydney Star Observer – Many thanks to them both.
One of the best things Josh Kilmer-Purcell ever did for me was open my eyes to the facts of the Westboro Baptist Church. I’ve learned many a ‘trick of the trade’ from Shirley Phelps-Roper, one of which is love thy neighbor. The other is ‘connect the dots’.
Here is my standpoint. I am a homosexual agnostic (only in as much as if you COULD prove it to me, I might bother to listen, otherwise i could care less) who FULLY and ADAMANTLY supports the Phelps Family, the Westboro Baptist Church and the work they do! Confused? Perplexed? You shouldn’t be… and here’s why.
No one organization has done more to further the rights of the LGBT community, or for that matter to bring this country together on any issue, than Fred Phelps and the WBC. 99.9% of Americans, and maybe the world, think they are a complete disgrace and don’t want to be associated with them in any way, shape, or form, and will go to great lengths to be disassociated with them, including re-evaluating their stand on LGBT issues. They do my cause a great service… now when faced with a homophobic conservative I get to use the argument “oh, so you follow the teachings of the WBC?” As you can well imagine, especially with the military funeral picketing, this gives everyone pause! As Shirley would say, ‘It’s the hypocrisy of it all that’s the worst’.
During a trip to Central Michigan University last fall, she rebuked a student’s anti-gay marriage stance by saying…“Well you stinking hypocrite. What kind of a pig are you? You mean they can be gay but you’re not going to let them marry? You’re going to deny them the… Why? WHY? You told them it’s okay to be gay but that they can’t get married? By what rationale, where do you get that standard? That stinking hypocritical standard?”
She comes back to the hypocrisy of it all the time, and this should give you pause. We know where they stand, they don’t hide it, and they are not a threat. The threats lurk in those that are hypocrites, who say one thing and do another. That “love the sinner and hate the sin” crowd, that are terrorizing us in secret via the voting booth, and denigrating us with their checkbooks via the PAC’s! It’s time to STOP THE HYPOCRISY!
While everything I’ve written thus far is true, and I defend it wholeheartedly, there is a much bigger issue that should make all of us very grateful to the Phelps family. I don’t know of any group of people in the history of this country that have done more to protect the First Amendment than Phelps Chartered Law Firm. I truly hope that they, and our rights, last long enough to picket my funeral. My advice… Offer them hot chocolate and thank them for their help… REALLY!
*Josh Hughes is a 30’s something non-typical accountant type. He spends his 9-5’s in the non-profit sector helping to solve the housing crisis one simple affordable house at a time in a chilly northern Michigan city. In the evenings, he helps small businesses get started, get bigger, and get better in northern Ontario Canada. In his “spare” time, he likes to think that all the classes he’s taking are leading to an MBA. You can follow his daily rants and raves on twitter at @joshhughes75. Aside from speaking his mind, his other hobbies include; music, reading and long walks on the beach… all with booze! Josh’s editorial feature ‘IMO’ will be featured here on Back2stonewall.com twice weekly (when he’s sober)!
**The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this web site do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Back2Stonewall.com or official policies of Back2Stonewall.com.
Russia and Egypt: An Interesting Sense of Outrage
