What Obama Said…

I want a public option. More importantly, I want a solution so poor and middle class Americans don’t have to go without health care. If there is another way to accomplish that, fine. My mind is open. And that’s what I take away from the president’s fine speech tonight: Keep your minds open and stay focused on what we need to achieve. I can work with that.

In the meantime, a pox on the house of GOP Rep. Joe Wilson, a rude piece of work. He should be censured for calling BHO a liar in the middle of the address. That’s just classless and rude.

After the jump is the text of the president’s speech. If you heard it, read it. If you didn’t hear it, check it out. Then let us know: What do you think?

Why Do Right-Wingers Oppose Obama’s Back-to-School Speech?

I have been bewildered by the so-called controversy over President Obama’s non-political speech for schoolchildren, which will take place later today. Did parents complain when Dubya Bush visited schools? Not that I can recall. Mentioned this to the spouse early this morning: “I don’t get the concern. What’s controversial about this?”

The putative love of my life looked at me as if I were a total dolt. “You know what it is. You just don’t want to admit it,” he said. “It’s the same thing behind those teabag idiots and the town hall screamers. Deep down, they can’t handle the truth that the president is ‘black.’ They’ll fight him even if he proclaims the sky is blue and babies are cute.”

As he said those words, I knew the ball and chain was right. In my gut, I have suspected bigotry, not health care, was really at the heart of the right-wing furor. Of course, that would mean that the hatred within the US’s tainted soul was deeper than even I imagined — and if you know me, you know I think this nation is irreparably poisoned by pigmentationism.

Yes, I am again in fear of my so-called countrymen.

To right-wing McCainiac obstructionists, dittoheads, and those wearing fear of a “black” president on their sleeves, grow the hell up. Most of the nation rejects your bigotry. Get with it! You are behind the times. Past your sell-by date. Dinosaurs. And you should be ashamed. Absolutely, there are legitimate reasons to criticize Obama and plenty of ‘em, but I’m not hearing them in the town halls or in the cries of people opposing his speech to school kids. No, what I hear — as does my melanin-free spouse — is hate and fear. And it is disgusting. Shame on you people, you small-minded, nasty, misguided, anti-American, antediluvean relics of a time thankfully gone. The nation finally is growing up a little — why can’t you?

Now, the bigots howl because the president is giving a back-to-school speech. Unbelievable. Look, if you have a problem with a president exhorting students to be responsible, to study, and to ask questions, I feel sorry for your kids, because their parents obviously are stupid racists who put small-mindedness above their own children.

God, I fear for this construct…

Check out the text of the president’s speech, which comes from the White House Web site, and tell me what possibly could be objectionable about it:

Hello, everyone — how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through 12th grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday — at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer — maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper — but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor — maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine — but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life — I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that — if you quit on school — you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our first lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life — what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home — that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer — hundreds of extra hours — to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same. That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education — and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work — that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you — you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust — a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor — and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you — don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best. It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down — don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

An MDA Message from Bo Bice

I don’t always like Jerry Lewis’ approach to philanthropy (and the fact that he always seems to spew antigay slurs), but no one can deny his passion for those he helps. The man will be 84 in March and for more than 50 of those years, he’s toiled  –  for free — to rid the world of neuromuscular diseases.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a good cause and deserves your support — not because of Jerry, but because of the thousands who are suffering because of muscular dystrophy. Rather than post a message from the Great Polarizer, I’ll instead share a bit of Bo Bice, who performed on the 2009 Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon a few moments ago (yeah, I’m watching — broke my foot yesterday and can’t sleep). The following video was shot just before he took to the stage in Las Vegas.

Cool, huh? Do your bit and help the men, women, and kids who need you.

Blogathon #53 – Good Night, Sweethearts

Well, Blogathon 2009 was in many ways a much better experience than my last go-round, which was plagued with technical snafus and more. This year, the worst thing was the quiet audience, followed by three extra hours I had not anticapated. But that’s all okay: Given the reason behind this adventure — raising funds and awareness of nonviolent direct-action organization Soulforce — it was a privilege. If you were here for any part of it, I very much appreciate your interest and virtual companionship. And if you’ve made a donation to the Soulforce effort, you have my undying gratitude. If you have not done so, it is not too late. I beg of you — do some good in the name of justice, peace, and equality for all God’s children:  Pledge to help Soulforce. Once the link goes dormant, contribute via their online donations page. You will be glad you did.

Belated thanks to the Blogathon crew and sponsors; to Mel, Gary, and the entire Soulforce family; to Jeff, Christy, David, Shawn, and God, to all the artists, writers and wise ones showcased; to all those site visitors who shared in the experience by sending emails, tweets,   and comments. Most of all, thank YOU for reading any or all of the 27 hours’ worth of writing, which is below. I pray you will take it all to heart and help Soulforce.

Wishing you love, light, grace, justice, and peace…

Blogathon #52 – On Nonviolence

Great thinkers have said much on the subject of the wrongness of violence. Here is a selection of their wisdom:

“The powerful bless the status quo and call it ‘peace.’ The powerless protest the status quo and are imprisoned for ‘disturbing the peace.’” – Jim Stoffels

“Once we see another group of people as –‘the other–’ and subhuman, not at all like ourselves, we reactivate humankind–’s long history of tribal, state, and religious war. . . . Those who die in any holocaust die because of an idea: the belief that certain people are different and not fully human and therefore it is all right to kill them.” - Michael Werner

“No, it is not easy to grasp that the only way to suffer less is to love more, especially in politics. At the risk of seeming weaker. Yes, at the risk of seeming weaker I shall not build an atomic bomb, I shall not give my enemy a whack in the eye to show that I am stronger, I shall not make war, I shall not squash my tomatoes and apples with a tractor to keep the price up, I shall not destroy forests to build factories, I shall not poison the sea. If love is the rule of my politics and the thrust of my action, yes, I really shall suffer less and I shall cause less suffering in others.” – Carlo Carretto

“Violence is the weapon of the weak.” – Rev. Ralph Abernathy

“Without question, the 20th-century has been a century of the greatest advancement man has known. The sad part is that we still are no further along than when we came out of the caves and bashed each other on the head to settle an argument. Whether it’s between two people on a Manhattan street or nations going to war, we still kill each other. How can we claim civilization has made any progress if, despite the greatest art and mechanical marvels, we can’t dispense with murder as a final argument? So I am disappointed that we haven’t done anything about that. My hope for the 21st century would be permanent peace.” – Walter Cronkite

“Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual. The one who has love, courage, and wisdom is one in a million, who moves the world, as with Jesus, Buddha, and Gandhi.” – Ammon Hennacy

“War is a coward’s escape from the problems of peace.” – Thomas Mann

“War, and the preparation for war, are the two greatest obstacles to human progress, fostering a vicious cycle of arms buildups, violence and poverty.” – Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president of Costa Rica, Nobel Peace Prize 1987

Thirty more minutes until Blogathon 2009 comes to a close: Don’t wait – pledge to support Soulforce’s justice work.

Blogathon #51 – A Very Cool Story

I shared this piece from the 7/6/2003 Portsmouth (Ohio) Daily Times during Blogathon six years ago. It still resonates, so let’s share it again.

Freedom Rings Differently In Us Allby Rick Greene, PDT Managing Editor

Hunter T. had always dressed very conservatively, but today was different.

He traded in his slacks and button down for a pair of shorts and a loud shirt decorated with an American flag.

“Nice threads,” Sylvia W. said as she walked up to the bar at the Downtown Coffee Shop. “Independence Day wasn’t lost on you, was it?”

Hunter smiled and replies, “Nope.”

Quentin C. grabbed a seat and had a dejected look on his face and it was clear he wanted someone to inquire.

Rufus took the bait.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Quentin then talked about what a wonderful Fourth of July weekend he was having before it got ruined. He mentioned a round of golf, a cookout, a swim in the pool and the fireworks show.

“But when I was down there at the fireworks show on the river, I saw two men together,” Quentin said. “You know, TOGETHER.”

The other three looked at him with raised eyebrows thinking there had to be more to the story. Sylvia pressed him.

“So? So what?” she asked in an almost aggravated tone. “What’s the big deal?”

Quentin then went on to explain it wasn’t that he disliked homosexuals, but he did not agree with the lifestyle. He was particularly upset with the Supreme Court’s decision last week that made a ban on gay sex unconstitutional.

“What business is it of yours!” Sylvia said. “I mean really, what impact does it have on your life if two gay men – or gay women – have sex? Those people you were talking about might contribute to the community, contribute to their church, be good, caring people.”

She wasn’t finished. Much to the contrary, she was getting wound up in a way that wasn’t unfamiliar to the regular customers.

“People like you are the problem around here,” Sylvia said in a way that let Hunter and Rufus know her anger had just gone up a notch. “You can’t accept diversity. If people are different from you or do things differently than you, it has to be wrong.”

Rufus thought Sylvia was getting a little too personal so he intervened. As usual, his gentlemanly manner settled everybody down.

But it wasn’t that he disagreed with Sylvia. He put his arm around Quentin, in a kind of fatherly manner, and pointed out the window.

“Do you see that?” Rufus asked, as he directed Quentin’s attention to the American flag that hung on the pole outside the shop.
“Fifty stars for 50 states. They’re filled with people of all sorts of backgrounds and cultures with all sorts of religious views and belief systems.”

Quentin took a deep breath as if he was about to respond.

“Wait,” Rufus interrupted. “Just wait.

“You remember the Declaration of Independence, don’t you? ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,’ and all that,” Rufus said as a light breeze began to lift the flag. “What do you think that means?”

Rufus answered his own question by telling Quentin it wasn’t that long ago when people viewed blacks, like Rufus’ ancestors, in the same regard Quentin had for the two gay men.

“Do you understand son?” Rufus asked. “Do you understand?”

. Rick Green can be reached at (740) 353-3101, Ext. 244 or by e-mail.

Gotta get more Kleenex.

But first, a plug: Please give your support to Soulforce by sponsoring this blog during Blogathon 2009 – 26 hours down, one hour to go!

Blogathon #50 – Soulforce’s Spring 2009 Catholic Action

Soulforcers hit the Big Apple this year to send a message to Roman Catholic leadership: Open the table to your LGBT brothers and sisters. How were our nonviolent, faithful activists received? Check out this video, which recounts the first day of the NYC action:

Spring 2009 Catholic Action – Video Day 1

Be a part of this important work for justice — we have an hour and a half of Blogathon 2009 left:  Pledge!

Blogathon #49 – In the Belly of the Beast

In 1998, I went undercover to study fundamentalist Christian ex-gay ministries from the inside. It was a frightening, yet eye-opening experience that taught me a lot about seeing opponents as human beings, which is a huge part of theSoulforce credo. They may be wrong, but those who oppose and abuse us are people too. We must remember that. My investigative report, “The Other Side of the Rainbow,” appeared in Baltimore City Paper in March, 1999, and has been reprinted numerous times on the Web and in print. (The linked version is on the old GayToday site.)

I share the link because the ex-gay movement is a huge matter of concern to Soulforce. (Read my piece and you’ll understand.) The organization, along with other pro-justice groups, will present the Anti-Heterosexism Conference in November to address the issues and expose the myths and dangers of “pray away the gay” efforts. More on the conference here. Want to do your part to help in Soulforce’s truth-telling mission? It’s Blogathon 2009 — pledge!

Blogathon #48 – Justice in Marriage

Soulforce, of course, tackles the marriage equality issue in its own inimitable fashion. The Arizona chapter’s Right to Marry campaign has laid lots of groundwork for the forthcoming struggles, and the next round begins next month in Phoenix.

Here is a look at what’s gone before for Right to Marry:

Our work in Arizona uses the framework of pilgrimage for its outreach. Last summer, we walked 96 miles throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area, one mile for every year Arizona has been a state without full legal recognition of its LGBT citizens. We stopped at churches, political meetings, and city manager offices to have a conversation about Proposition 102, the Arizona “defense of marriage” legislation, and a larger discussion about our lives and values.

Unfortunately, last November, Proposition 102 passed, but our work to create a cultural shift is as important as ever. We will continue our pilgrimage work with 97 miles this year in August. We will be visiting the communities that had the highest number of votes in favor of marriage inequality.

For one week, a core team of Equality Walkers will hit the pavement to speak to police, city managers, faith communities, elected officials and individuals in diverse districts. We invite community members to join us for a day or a segment on this journey. Look out for the rainbow umbrellas!

Click here to read past blogs, view photos and the route, see past media coverage, and meet the Equality Walkers of our Right to Marry: Arizona 2008 and New York campaign archives.

Support justice and Right to Marry: Please big-up Soulforce by sponsoring this blog during Blogathon 2009 – I’ll be here ’til 9am.

Blogathon #47 – Take the Pledge… And Pledge!

Before anyone can take part in a Soulforce action, that person must sign and promise to adhere to the Soulforce Nonviolence Pledge. This oath, originally written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was reconfigured for the direct-action group in 2003. It follows:

The Pledge to Nonviolence

1. As I prepare for this direct action, I will meditate regularly on the life and teachings of Gandhi and King and other truth-seekers.
2. I will remember that the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation-not victory.
3. I will walk and talk in the manner of love and nonviolence.
4. I will contemplate daily what I can do so that all can be free.
5. I will sacrifice my own personal wishes that all might be free.
6. I will observe with friend and foes the ordinary rules of courtesy.
7. I will perform regular service for others and for the world.
8. I will refrain from violence of fist, tongue, and heart.
9. I will strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
10. I will follow the directions of the squad leaders and other Soulforce leaders on our nonviolent direct actions.

______________________________________
(Your Name)

_______________________
(Date)

It’s a great code of ethics for civil disobedience, but it makes for a great roadmap for traversing the byways of everyday life. Take the words to heart and put them to work for yourself, your friends and family, the people you meet, and for justice. Take the pledge — and make a pledge: Support Soulforce in Blogathon 2009.

Blogathon #46 – Musical Interlude

In this installment of our Blogathon adventure, let’s listen to some peace-themed music. The playlist comes from the library of Grateful Dread Public Radio via blip.fm. Enjoy and find inspiration!

Please give your support to Soulforce by sponsoring this blog during Blogathon 2009 – three and a half hours to go! Can you believe we’ve been at this for nearly 24 hours already?

Blogathon #45 – Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse

We’ve all heard the horror stories: Gay kids forced into ex-gay camps by their antigay parents… bullied kids who lash out against others — but usually against themselves… innocent people harassed, hurt, or killed by those outraged by those deemed as “different”… and more. It breaks the heart.

A great deal of the sorrow comes from the fact that much of the aformentioned  acts of hate and misunderstanding are, as we noted last half hour, motivated by certain people’s interpretations of what the Bible says about homosexuality. We’ve heard Mel White’s take on it, but here is another.

We introduced Dr. Rembert S. Truluck earlier in the Blogathon. We lost him late last year, but he was well known throughout the LGBT people of faith world for his Web site and book, Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse.

1. Admit You Have Been Hurt By Religion 2. Turn to God (Or Your Personal Philosophy) As Your Guide to Recovery 3. Examine Your Faith 4. Face and Deal With Your Anger 5. Avoid Negative People And Churches6. Face The Scripture Used Against You 7. Find Positive Supportive Scripture 8. Read And Study The Gospels 9. Come Out And Accept Yourself 10. Develop Your Personal Support System 11. Learn To Share Your Faith With Others 12. Become A Freedom Missionary

You are a terrific, unique, special person just as you are. Anyone who says otherwise based on who you are rather than what you do cannot be speaking for God.

Soulforce teaches this to LGBT people and to those who oppose the inclusive gay community. Please support its necessary work — make a Blogathon 2009 pledge to help Soulforce.

Blogathon # 44 – Really, What Does God Say?

Soulforce co-founder Dr. Mel White puts the truth out in front. After all, LGBT people  in the United States are kept unequal under law on the basis of certain religious interpretations of Scripture. First, I do not care about interpretations of Scripture — I have one, you have one, Ralph Reed and Buju Banton have theirs, and we’re all entitled — but that does not mean we have the right to punish people under our religions’ laws via the secular government.

Still, really, what does the Bible say?

Numerous resources on combatting spirtual violence and homophobia are available at the SF site and one is Mel White’s pamphlet “What the Bible Says – And Doesn’t Say – About Homosexuality.” Eight major points are made:

1. Most people have not carefully and prayerfully researched the Biblical texts used by some people to condemn God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children.
2. Historically, people’s misinterpretation of the Bible has left a trail of suffering, bloodshed, and death.
3. We should be open to new truth from Scripture. Even heroes of the Christian faith have changed their minds about the meaning of various Biblical texts.
4. The Bible is a book about God. The Bible is not a book about human sexuality.
5. We miss what these passages say about God when we spend so much time debating what they say about sex.
6. The Biblical authors are silent about homosexual orientation as we know it today. They neither approve it nor condemn it.
7. The prophets, Jesus, and the Biblical authors say nothing about homosexual orientation as we understand it today. But, they are clear about this one thing. As we search for truth, we are to “Love one another.”
8. Whatever some people believe the Bible seems to say about homosexuality, they must not use that belief to deny homosexuals their basic civil rights. To discriminate against sexual or gender minorities is unjust and un-American.

It’s a must-read, and you can download the PDF e-book for free here. Grab a copy and support Soulforce in its mission to enlighten the world.

More on the subject in a half hour.

Blogathon #43 – Late-Night Inspiration

A few words in the wee hours to get your spirit rising, your mojo working, and your heart pumping. I’m exhausted, and these are doing me some good. Hopefully they will do the same for you.

‘If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’ – Eldridge Cleaver, Soul On Ice

‘Get up, stand up! Stand up for your right! Don’t give up the fight!’ – Bob Marley

‘Question Authority!’ – Unknown

‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world.’ - Mohandas K. Gandhi

‘Power to the People!’ – Unknown

‘Beatniks and politics, nothing is new.’ – Strawberry Alarm Clock (‘Incense and Peppermints’)

‘No intelligent [hu]man has any respect for an unjust law.’ – Robert Heinlein

‘Until the philosophy that holds one race superior, and another, inferior, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war.’ – Haile Selassie/Bob Marley (‘War’)

‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Back in 30.

Blogathon #42 – Soulforce Reminiscence – New Orleans, 2001

The folks at Soulforce put the lie to the notion of religious/spiritual folks being stiffs. My mind shoots to Mel White saying to me, years ago, that one way to stand up to bigoted churches was to implore all the gays to walk away and stop tithing until they were welcomed fully. “When they see all those gay choir directors walk out,” Mel said impishly, “they’ll know we mean business!” (It’s a damned good plan, actually.) The organization’s fun-loving side certainly showed itself when Soulforce held an action at the US Southern Baptist Convention when it was held in New Orleans two years ago. A report on the goings-on comes from Soulforce Seattle’s Cindy Haddon:

MY NEW ORLEANS SOULFORCE STORY

I arrived in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon June 10th. I watched that evening and the next day Monday as dedicated people and Soulforcee’s began showing up one by one at the hotel and church training head -quarters. Once again I found myself in the mist of awe and loving Spirit work through people. We trained in non-violence, broke up into vigil squads, met new people and our Soulforce family once again to take care of the business of bringing truth in love to the churches; for the second time to the Southern Baptists.

On Tuesday June 12th, long, silent vigils began as everyone participated, then squads started taking shifts for day and evening vigils. As squad leader I was forced to confront on 4 occasions Southern Baptist Conference attendee’s as they approached us to condemn and teach us their misinformation. Simply I directed them to our hospitality room where people there waiting to talk to them. I explained that we had written three letters to their conference president Dr. James Merritt who didn’t have the courtesy to respond. That now we had to vigil in silence and had no intention at the moment to debate. It worked. They had to leave. I am sure none went to the hospitality house.

On Tuesday late afternoon however, news came to us that a man from inside the conference had been harassing one of our squads. After 90 minutes of listening to his yelling, spiting and spewing his violent message to them, a detective interrupted and said “That’s enough. I am not going to allow you to harass these people any longer.” The squad primarily made up of locals and newcomers to Soulforce never budged. He took the man to his squad car. The Soulforce squad leader asked police not to arrest the man. Since when asked if he would go on his way and quit harassing the group his response was “no”, the officer informed us that he felt he had no choice but to arrest the man. The first arrest had been made. We all walked again to the Superdome for an evening of silent candlelight vigil. Every time we were there, crowds approached from the streets and from inside the conference. We handed out thousands of flyers.

On Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. we met for a time of peaceful thoughts, meditation and relaxation before beginning our planned “Jazz Funeral” march. The Spirit in the room was overwhelmingly present. We were ready. As we paraded in the streets [dancing, handing out beads, and showing the conviviality jazz funerals are known for showcasing], people joined us. There was media from everywhere. I and so many spoke with local news & live radio. We stopped and held our live press conference in front of the Superdome. The “on target-spiritual and physical violent” short stories from about 7 people were the most powerful I have seen yet in my travels with Soulforce. My friend Rembert Truluck (www.truluck.com) took it to the point of genocide.

Some of the reporters and crowd cheered and encouraged us. We marched the casket full of letters to the door of the Superdome. After a couple of attempts to enter in with it to deliver the letters to the Southern Baptist President James Merritt, the arrests began. Thirty-four of us handcuffed. I saw people who were angry. I saw people in tears because they believed we were going to hell (and told the press that). I saw people in tears. I saw people truly at that moment examining their own spirit.

As I passed the conference attendee’s in handcuffs, I told them I loved them enough to bring them the truth. And that together we can CHOOSE to end the suffering and death. It was a moment I will never forget as I saw their faces of fear and doubt and soul searching. That evening on local news after showing and explaining our march and story, the press went into the Superdome and interviewed Dr. James Merritt. His face was harsh, unloving as he stated something like “these people are wrong and they are wrong to do what they do and they know it. They only do this event in attempt to justify themselves.”

Soulforce went to New Orleans in a spirit of reconciliation and one on one we changed hearts and minds which is our purpose. The more the world is able to see responses like Dr. Merritt made, the more they will see the connection of how spiritual violence exists and what needs to be done about it. Please consider joining us for these future events. I promise you will be renewed as you help change society.

Do take Cindy’s advice – support Soulforce. You’ll change the world, the church, and yourself. Yes, a lot of the work is difficult, but I promise you’ll have a blast too. Or make it easy – take part in Blogathon 2009 and pledge now.

Blogathon #41 – Wee Hours Music Break

Lordy, it’s three in the morning, I’ve been doing this since 6 am yesterday, and there are still six hours to go. Plus, I sat through Gandhi.  Oh yes, it’s a good kind of tired, but this girl needs a music break. What about you?

We go to singer/songwriter Yusuf Islam, back in the days when he was known as Cat Stevens.

Join Soulforce and peace workers worldwide. Nonviolence is the way. The destination is PEACE!

Peace Train

by Cat Stevens

Now I’ve been happy lately thinking about the good things to come
and I believe it could be Something good has become

Oh I’ve been smiling lately dreaming about the world as one
and I believe it could be Someday it’s going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
Oh pease train take this country come take me home again

Now I’ve been smiling lately thinking about the good things to come
and I believe it could be Something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder glide on the pease train oooo
Come on the peace train
Peace train holy roller everone jump on the peace train oooooo
Come on the peace train

Get your bags together go bring your good friends too
Cause it’s getting nearing it soon will be with you

Oh come and join the living It’s not so far from you
And it’s getting nearer soon it will all be true

Oh peace train sounding louder glide on the pease train 0ooooooo
Come on peace train peace train

Now I’ve been crying lately thinking about the world as it is
why must we go on hating why can’t we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train
Oh pease train take this country come take me home again

Oh peace train sounding louder glide on the pease train oooo
Come on the peace train
Peace train holy roller everone jump on the peace train oooooo

(Come on Come on Come on)

(coda) come on peace train Yes it’s the peace train
Come on peace train!

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