School Is Not for Everyone

As a young person, it is very widely expected that I plan to attend college, am currently a student, or have already graduated. Whenever I've told someone that I do not qualify for one of those three things, that person is typically baffled, and usually immediately tells me that I "have to get an education," and that I'll regret it if I don't.

Unfailingly, these people are talking about themselves, not about me. They assume that I want the same things they want (usually money), that I'll need it because they needed it, or some other fallacy based on the idea that they know me, and they almost never do.

When I plainly explain that it's just not for me, they simply can't accept my answer. But that's their problem. The fact is, some of us are unlike you.

I'm sure for most professions, for most people, school is the best path. But for some of us, perhaps a tiny section, it's just an extremely expensive and long process for buying a piece of paper.

Do not make the mistake of thinking I underestimate the value of knowledge. Yes, information and exposure to varying ideas are both very important, but there's not just one path to knowledge.

Above all, it is critical that one has a strong mind capable of intricate thinking. Many of those graduates of even the most prestigious schools still lack that.

Is President Obama a Political Coward?

I'm in complete agreement with the sentiments Bill Maher expresses in this video.

It appears to me that Obama's bipartisanship is hamstringing him into doing nothing of serious consequence, not just on gay issues like DOMA and DADT, but on all the major issues. Very disappointing.

The Art of Self-Service

In the U.S. Senate, a hate crimes bill is attached to a tourism bill. The military's useless anti-gay policy that helps no one, and hurts many, is enforced in full because our president doesn't want his popularity to decline. President Obama also defends an incredibly unconstitutional law that denies citizens rights, and even infringes on state sovereignty, again only for the sake of approval ratings. In New York, a gay marriage bill is being used as a tool in a play for political power. Across the nation, where majority is supposed to rule, thousands upon thousands of citizens in each state are denied rights that the majority believes they should have.

The graph below, composed by Jeff Lax and Justin Phillips of Columbia University, demonstrates the incongruence of public opinion with public policy.

Each unfilled circle past the halfway line represents a set of rights or protections that the majority supports.

Why is this? Isn't this a country of majority rule? Well yeah, it's the country of the majority political party rules. The lower on this list you are, the more likely it is that you're looking at a red state. Red state, meaning Republican rule. The base of the Republican party, the people who the Republican politicians truly obey, are anti-gay. These politicians obey the organizations and people who have given them the most money and the people who voted for them. Therefore, the politicians in these states are anti-gay too, even if it means they're ignoring the 51%-80% majorities of public opinion that are pro-gay.

In truth, I myself don't make the argument that these laws should be dependent upon public opinion. It's fundamentally wrong on every level to put the well-being of minority citizens up to a vote for the majority to decide on. But I don't make the argument for majority rule; the other side does.

Somehow, whether or not the majority of the public agrees with them, justice is served as long as they get their way. If 2nd parent adoption is illegal in Alabama, "Well, that's majority rule." And yet, when there's no protections for gay Pennsylvanians from discrimination in housing, "That's the system at work." And if a court does its job by checking the tyranny of the majority in Iowa, "They are activist judges legislating from the bench."

What has four legs and one gender?

A homosexual couple, apparently.

Minister Leroy Swailes at D.C. elections board marriage hearing.

Sesame Street Marriage

Come Out.

Having not followed American Idol, I don't really know how true it is that Adam Lambert is a much better singer than Kris Allen, or how his rumored sexual orientation affected the contest. But knowing how popular he is, I'm glad he came out. I'm sure he opened a lot of minds, and that's exactly what needs to be done.

Coming out is the easiest and possibly most effective thing any of us can do to help the cause for the equal rights of the GLBT community and its safety. And when I say "us", I don't just mean the gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, and transgender people. I'm talking about everyone. Straight people can come out too-- as supporters of this community. Especially in our societies that value conformity so much, the voices of straight allies are extremely important. Stand up for your friends, your family members and your fellow citizens.

I always hear people say, "It shouldn't matter who I love." Yeah, you're right. It shouldn't matter, but can't you see that it does matter? The only way to combat ignorance is with the truth.

Even if every country all over the world suddenly gave GLBT people all the rights they deserve, we'd still have work to do. We can pass all the laws we want, but until hearts and minds are opened to equality, there will still be hate. Even hate crimes laws don't prevent hate crimes. That's something we all have to do in each of our own families and communities. We shouldn't have to, but we do. I see it as a moral imperative and a social obligation to all other people that you come out as long as it doesn't put you in any serious danger.

If you can't bring yourself to come out for your own sake, or it simply doesn't matter for your own sake, so be it. Don't do it for yourself. Do it for future generations, for today's queer and questioning youth, and for your fellow disenfranchised GLBT citizens.

Acceptance

On May 28, speaking on his Sacramento morning radio show, Rob Williams called transgender people "freaks" with "mental disorders" and claimed that the "transgender movement" is phony. A co-host, Arnie States, said, "If my son, God forbid, if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes. I would throw a shoe at him."

Myself, I'm gay, not trans, but this is infuriating all the same.

When I first read about this, I wanted to write something to express my anger and frustration. I wanted to say that I'd like Williams to be forced into estrogen treatments and castrated, so he'd know what it's like to be a male on the inside-- the weak in mind, despicable, pathetic male that he already is --and female on the outside. As I read on, though, I learned that my anger was unnecessary.

At first, these two defended their comments, saying they were "jokes" and that they have the right to their opinions. Their tune took a very different note after losing huge sponsors, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Carl's Jr., Nissan North America, Verizon, and more.

Currently on the show's homepage, you will find a letter from Rob Williams:

To our loyal Rob, Arnie and Dawn followers,

We have failed you. As a show, as people, as broadcasters, we have simply failed on almost every level.

We presented our opinions on a very sensitive subject in a hateful, childish and crude fashion; and then, given the opportunity to retract those remarks, we defended them.

Since then, you, our loyal listeners, have made it clear to us that we went too far. The response has been overwhelming. None of you said that we couldn’t have opinions, yet so many of you said that the way we gave them crossed the line. Further, you said that our attempt to mask our comments as “jokes that would be understood by our audience,” was unacceptable. I would say now that it was worse than that, it was cowardly. You have made that clear.

We have reached out to various groups and asked for a chance to make this right; to respond, with their participation, to the education that our audience has provided us. That opportunity has been graciously granted this Thursday morning, June 11th. at 7:30 a.m.

The word apology appears no where in this letter for a reason. We already hid from doing the right thing once and we’re not going to make that mistake again. Apologizing in a written, posted statement is a form of cowardice. We will say what needs to be said this Thursday.

On a final, personal note, as the leader and owner of the show, I have made the decision that we need to refrain from broadcasting new episodes until we can address this on Thursday. We will return to the air at 7:30 a.m. June 11th.

Rob Williams
Rob, Arnie and Dawn

It's entirely possible, and in my opinion likely, that this letter wasn't even written by Rob Williams, and he simply acquiesced to its publishing to save his show and job. And yes, it's disappointing that he ever thought like this in the first place.

Still, this is a heartening indicator of where we are today. With so much bad news, it's nice to see that there is some intolerance for intolerance. The fact that these corporations decided it was important for public relations to pull advertising from this station demonstrates that this kind of hate speech is unacceptable.

The third co-host, Dawn Rossi, stood up for transgender people.