As I'm sure you know, Andrew Scheer likes to call himself a Christian. A servant of the Lord come to save Canada from women who have abortions, and destroy the Great Satan Justin Trudeau. But sadly for Scheer he has no halo, he's no holy man. For although as I pointed out yesterday, he'd like to plaster every campus with gory "pro-life" posters. He has no respect for human life.
The Toronto Pride parade is always an amazing spectacle of joy and defiance, and yesterday's was no exception. And although the controversial Black Lives Matter-Toronto group did its best to grab the headlines. The star of the show was once again Justin Trudeau.
The other day I wrote about how appalled I was to see that Stephen Harper, and his ghastly stooge Peter MacKay, had appointed an anti-gay judge. A law professor named an Ontario judge this week wrote two years ago for a conservative, U.S.-based institute that the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada has harmed religious freedom and free speech, and led to the “indoctrination” of children in public schools. Who sounded like he had sprung from the bowels of bigot America. But then I decided to find out more about Bradley Miller. And now I'm even more DISGUSTED.
Like millions of others I was dazzled by the closing of the Sochi Games, for it was a spectacular display of the best that Russia has to offer. And I was happy to see the smiles on the faces of our athletes after such a successful Olympics. But I have to admit I really didn't feel like celebrating, not when the biggest winner of those games was the sinister thug Vladimir Putin.
Well the Opening Ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics are just hours away, and I'll probably watch them. If only to see the fascist dwarf Vladimir Putin claim them as his own. So soon after his corrupt regime made it clear, once again, why the games never should have been held there.
I'm happy to see that Hayley Wickenheiser will be carrying the Canadian flag at the Sochi Olympics. Not just because she deserves it. But also because I'm sure if she has a chance she'll let Vladimir Putin know what she thinks about his persecution of Russia's LGBT people. “I am supportive of every athlete being able to compete regardless of your race, gender or orientation and I will carry that Canadian flag proudly believing I am representing all the athletes that feel that way as well.” And I hope that Rachel Maddow is right about gay athletes giving Putin the finger.
Uh oh. Bacon Bigot Alert. The ghastly homophobic hog Gwen Landolt is honking again. Claiming it was very VERY unfair to criticize her for attacking John Baird for speaking out for gay rights in Russia and Uganda. Because according to her porcine majesty, LGBT people in those countries are not really being persecuted.
Lordy. It's taken me a day to recover from this stunning sight. I haven't seen such a match up since El Macho met La Cuca in the finals of the Tijuana Wrestling League. And I still can't believe it eh? Was that really John Baird doing the right thing for once? By denouncing the anti-gay repression in Russia? Brother John? And was that really the old homophobic haggis Gwendolyn Landolt, spewing and farting in his general direction?
In just a few hours I'll be following the rainbow, or waving it, at the Toronto Pride parade. Along with about a million gay people and their straight friends and supporters. It's always an awesome spectacle. A chance to celebrate our community, our survival, and in my case at least, send a giant F**K YOU to every bigot in the world. Because that's what the rainbow flag means to me. FREEDOM.
What a fairy tale day it was. What an awesome spectacle of democracy. What a great day to be a progressive. A black President on Martin Luther King Day standing up for freedom, justice, and equality. A solemn President Barack Obama took the oath of office for the second time in as many days on Monday, this time before an estimated 800,000 jubilant citizens who cheered on his appeal for Americans to come together and fight for cherished U.S. principles of justice and equality.
Hundreds of thousands of people across the country headed to Chick-fil-A restaurants on Wednesday, answering a call from Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, to show support for the fast-food chain after the company’s president drew criticism for his opposition to same-sex marriage.
“At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Mr. Obama said.
It won't make any difference to gay couples in many states like North Carolina.
But in a country as homophobic as the United States it was a courageous gesture.
First they were allowed to get married, and then they were told they couldn't. One day they had human rights, the next day they were stolen. But today in California they won another big victory.
“All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same sex-couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation ‘marriage,” the judge wrote, adding: “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in California."
I'm so proud of my brothers and sisters who refused to give up. And I'm so grateful to the plaintiffs who led the charge. Like this lesbian couple and their teenage sons.
"Today, the 9th Circuit [Court of Appeals] said to our family that we are equal under the law," she said, adding that now, "we can see over the dark wall of discrimination."
It took a long time, even in the place where the gay rights revolution was born. Every homophobic group in Amerika tried to stop it. But tonight the state of New York finally legalized gay marriage.
Here's the historic vote as covered by Rachel Maddow:
Can you believe it? Almost 42 years to the day since the Stonewall Uprising, gays and lesbians in that state have finally won the right to celebrate their love.
I dedicate this moment to Patrick, and all those who could not live to see this day. But they are with us now in Heaven, and we can know at least we - and so many straight people - did not let them down.
You think it’s going to stop with this? You think now bigamists are going to want their rights to marry? You think somebody that wants to marry his sister is going to now say “I have a right”? I mean, it’s the same principle, isn’t it?
You know...the Empire State Building is decked out in the rainbow colours these days to mark Pride Week.
I watched Obama sign the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell today. And it was a joyous occasion. I wasn't planning to write anything about it because I've been sick with a horrible cold, and I'm feeling really tired. And besides I said what I wanted to say about that bigot law the other night.
So I was just going to mention it, and then play a little happy video.
But then I saw this post on Progressive Bloggers and I was so disappointed.
Not just because I simply can't understand why a good progressive would dump on the freedom party of such an oppressed group. But also because, from beginning to end, the post was absolute nonsense.
And then I was even more tired eh? I knew I'd have to reply, because if I didn't who would? I'm sure Bruce McDonald would have had a run at it, but he's not here. Homophobia killed him.
So here goes:
(1) I don't choose to get married, but I'm glad I have the choice, because it's a measure of my EQUALITY. And like it is for many straight couples, for many gay people it is also a way to validate their love. And our love is attacked and dragged through the mud of bigotry all the time. So anything that helps validate our humanity is really important.
(2) Being allowed to serve your country is another measure of EQUALITY. It was for blacks, it was for women, and so it is for gay people. Except that now that gay people can serve openly, it's suddenly a problem.
Even though they've been there all the time...
(3) I don't choose to join the army, I believe in a more peaceful world. But I live with a former soldier, so I know that it can be an honourable profession, and until the last army is abolished that's not going to change.
(4) What does this mean?
A victory for gay rights? Probably, at least in a purely American context. But for human rights grosso modo? I’m afraid that I must remain sceptical, and hold my applause.
Golly. Aren't gay rights human rights? And does Dr Dawg seriously believe that it's only PROBABLY a victory for gay rights in the United States. What planet is he living on? And as for the applause...how CHEAP can he be? When so many gay people are so happy and finally have a big victory to celebrate.
When of course it's a HUGE victory for gay rights in the U.S. where anti-gay bigotry is as American as apple pie, and where the Christianist homophobes are howling like hyenas tonight. And it is also HUGEvictory for human rights all over the world. Because it will send out a powerful message, and encourage millions and millions of oppressed gay people.
Oh boy. All of this is so obvious to me, I don't think it's just a question of heterosexual privilege, I think it's generational issue. Some older people just can't accept that the world is changing for the better. And that the good old days were horrible for many gay people.
And we're coming out of the darkness and into the light whether they like it or not.
And that's all I have the strength to say. Except that when I'm feeling better, if any oppressed group wants to invite me to their freedom party, I'll put on my fancy tuque, and my dancing sneakers, and kick up a storm of happiness.
Because having a chance to celebrate freedom is the BEST thing on earth.
Here's to my beautiful brothers and sisters in the United States tonight.
It was an unjust law. It was ugly. It was humiliating. It was cruel. And now at last it's dead.
It was unjust because it was bigotry written large and brutal. It was ugly because it made gay soldiers out to be a threat to the military. When in fact, thousands and thousands have always been out there, serving their country and risking their lives.
And most of the mostly young soldiers in the U.S. military told the Pentagon it wasn't a problem. Because a buddy is a buddy.
It was humiliating because it sent out the message that you're good enough to die, but not good enough to be yourself. And reinforced the bigot one that gays are second-class citizens.
But above all it was cruel because it prevented gay soldiers from seeking solace from their loved ones back home. Just the words "miss you" "love you" "need you" could cost them their careers.
And it forced gay soldiers to fight knowing that if they were killed those loved one would not get any benefits. Or even a letter from the Pentagon.
Oh well. The main thing is that it's finally dead. Killed by the gay soldiers who fought against it.
Killed with the help of good straight people like Joe Lieberman. What? And LadyGaga.
Who together defeated the foul bigots, like John McCain. And made America a better country.
Of course there is a price to pay eh?
From now on gay and straight troops will be able to go truly Gaga together.
Well I see the ridiculous homophobe Jason Kenney has been forced to include gay Canadians in the Canadian Citizenship Guide.
The next printing of a guide designed to educate immigrants applying for Canadian citizenship will contain references to gay rights — ones that Immigration Minister Jason Kenney had vetoed for the current version.
Which couldn't have been easy eh? Especially for a religious fanatic who once said gays were free to get married, as long as they married someone of the opposite sex.
I hear he was soooooooooo upset.
He could hardly leave his boudoir...
And that it took a lot of electricity AND a holy water enema, before he could admit that gay people exist.
Although you can see his purple paw marks all over over the new draft.
"Our laws protect all Canadians, including gays and lesbians, from unjust discrimination. All Canadians enjoy the same access to education, health care, jobs, housing, social services, and pensions, regardless of their sexual orientation.
"In 2005, Parliament passed a law extending the right to civil marriage to same-sex couples.At the same time, the law respects religious freedom, so no church, synagogue, mosque or temple can be forced to perform a marriage that goes against the religious beliefs of its members."
Because heaven forbid eh? We wouldn't want some conservative immigrant to think he might be forced to marry a man, in his own house of worship, in front of his four wives.
I mean that would be almost as humiliating as it was for gay people, when they were forced to ask for their human rights. Or ask to be included in their own country.
So I won't be thanking anyone, except for my MP Olivia Chow, who led the charge in the House of Commons.
But as for Jason Kenney I still think he should have been arrested for messing with the lives of gay people. And institutionalizing homophobia.
So instead of a THANK YOU.
Wrapped up in a dog turd.
I think I'll send him this...
I thought he might like the all-female band. Or Mr Pink.
You know, the funny thing is, after this debacle I can picture Kenney playing the trombone.
Because these gay boys bash back. And NOBODY is going to tell us where to live or who to love.
On the other hand , if you need to be baptized with a garden hose. Or washed.
Because you bigots really STINK.
Come on down. Happy to oblige.
And BTW since you like to jump up and down and sing outside people's houses.
I want you to know I'd be DELIGHTED to do the same outside your church hate house...
To the good people of that Leslieville neighbourhood: Way to go. You should be proud of yourselves. This story is going viral and you just made our country look good.
Which isn't easy in Stephen Harper's Canada.
And finally to some of the straight folk on our street, who after I asked them if I could ever expect to see them outside our tree house one day, armed with Tiki torches.
Because I like to give them a hard time eh?
Fell down LAUGHING.
Wot?
And to the smart ass who said "Yes. But only to stop you from playing Arcade Fire's new album over and over again."
A man entrusted with the care of a 17-month-old boy reportedly told authorities that he beat the child to death in a bid to "make him act like a boy instead of a little girl." The suspect allegedly also admitted, "I never struck that kid that hard before."
Shawn Woodward, 37, punched Ritch Dowrey on March 13, 2009, at the Fountain Head Pub, a popular gay bar in the West End. The assault caused Dowrey, 62, permanent brain damage.
The courts have been clear: if you attack homosexuals motivated by a dislike of their sexuality, you will be jailed.
For reasons that may be more complex than we know, Woodward has issues with gay men that fuelled his hateful assault. For this he must pay.
But how could they ever pay ENOUGH?
Some who know me wonder why I'm so combative, even though I'm not an angry person. Why I used to get into so many fights. Why I studied karate and other martial arts for so many years even though I was a gentle child.
And I tell them the answer is really simple. Nobody is ever going to tell me that a real man can't be gentle.
I'm glad to see that the organizers of the Toronto Gay Pride parade have decided to reverse their ban on the words "Israeli Apartheid."
Although I'm not surprised. Because gay people have too many enemies to waste time fighting each other.
Just like I'm not surprised that Jonathan Kay is spewing this kind of hyperbolic garbage.
Because anyone who calls the gay parade a hate parade is either an idiot or a homophobe...or just plain CRAZY.
And before he tries to inflict collective punishment on the gay community, maybe Kay should first ask Frank Dimant of B'nai Brith what he's doing hanging out with this ugly collection of religious extremists and homophobes.
Or ask the Canada Israel Committee why it's insulting gay people, and hanging out with bigots like Kathy Shaidle.
Talk about HATEFUL. How dare these right-wing Israeli lobbyists try to intimidate the gay community?
And while he's at it, maybe Kay can also ask Dimant why he's isn't planning to challenge Pride Toronto's Solomonic decision.
This means that when (QUAIA) fly their banners with the words Israeli Apartheid, they leave themselves open to a complaint from B'nai Brith, the group that originally pressured Pride to take action against QUAIA. That sets up the possibility of a fascinating legal hearing in which pro-Zionist groups will have to articulate exactly why the words Israeli Apartheid are anti-Semitic or, at least, discriminatory.
By taking QUAIA to court.
"We're disappointed in Pride's recent decision," he told NOW. "We thought the organizers acted courageously and that there wasn't going to be any hurtful words that would cause tremendous pain to the Jewish community.
"But we don't want to involve ourselves in a confrontation with the gay community."
Right. Victory is sweet. It was a good fight.
But I'm just glad it's over. So we can concentrate on some of these other gay issues.
Like this one. Or this one. The ones that threaten or diminish our lives right here in Canada.
Oh yeah. And one more thing. Judith Timson can stick her stilettos where the sun don't shine.
“You've got to give us some time,” Rev. Hawkes pleads. “The gay community needs to wrestle with what this parade is all about.”
Better hurry. The forces who are licking their chops at a chance to discredit and dismantle not just the pride parade, but gay pride itself, aren't going to let this opportunity go by. And that really would be a tragedy.
Because I don't wear stilettos or plead for ANYTHING. Nobody is going to discredit or dismantle our parade, let alone our gay pride.
The Gay Pride Parade will ALWAYS be political, part of our long march to freedom. And the march to freedom of all other oppressed groups.
“It’s a real problem in our schools,” says Burke. “It’s a problem for gay kids, for small kids, anyone different. I hate bullies . . . I didn’t realize the magnitude of the problem. What Brendan would have wanted was for me to continue some of these things.
The gay community has reclaimed the pride parade.
And NOBODY will intimidate us again. Or tell us what to do with OUR parade.
