PLAYGROUP: Some Phillychick Felt Chelsea Up, and Other Girls Who Are Awesome
* Anonymous lesbian homegirl, I salute you! Giddy, gay Philly mob, you do your city proud.
MSNBC: Chelsea Clinton stopped traffic Friday night as she wandered the streets of Philadelphia on a
gay bar crawl, winning rave reviews for both her politics and her appearance. Led around the neighborhood by Gov. Ed Rendell, Chelsea was mobbed by local gays and lesbians, as she walked from one club to the next. They ran up to hug her, posed for pictures and certainly invaded her personal space. “I grabbed her ass,” one young woman exclaimed to her friends after snapping a picture with her arm around the former first daughter. [via Phawker.]
*NEW*: Just received this:
One Gay Voice: Why I Cannot Support Obama
By James Strzalkowski
Los Angeles, CA
April 20, 2008
As many democrats are buzzing about the current nominee campaign, I feel like no one is paying enough attention to the gay vote. The candidates and the press seem to be staying away from the topic of “Gay Marriage,” even though it is still a hot topic for debate and an area where “CHANGE” is needed. (Mr. Obama, I am talking to you.) I am okay with the exclusion of this topic this time around, but I am not okay with a possible First Lady saying she is “finally proud to be an American,” just because her husband is a contender for the Democratic nomination.
In the United States, gay men and women grow up with so many challenges. Our society is generally taught that “being gay” is wrong, weird, illegal, shameful and even demonic in some parts. Sadly, many gay teens turn to suicide or are shunned by their families and thrown out onto the streets. I believe that someone is born gay and that we do not choose the lifestyle. At least, I didn’t have a choice. I am who I am. Yes, being born gay can be more painful and challenging than being born left handed, but I know some left handed gay men and women – they must have it really hard. It would seem that a gay, left-handed black woman that’s also a little person must have it super hard in this world – perhaps the worst. The level to which a person can take this is tremendous. Bottom line is, we all have our crosses to carry.
It is my experience that in this country, it is still acceptable to discriminate against, make fun of and even shun members of the gay community. The gay community is one of the last segments of our society where it is still legal and “okay” to regard them as second-class citizens. I have hope that one-day everyone will truly become equal and gay men and women will be given all of the same rights as everyone else. Mr. Obama, will you change the laws against gay marriage? Can I count on you for that?
. . .
I do not have time to wait for Obama’s “CHANGE” to occur – if it ever will. There is too much to get done now. I am voting for Hillary Clinton because I know that she has always been a proud American citizen and she will fight hard for everyone with her experience, hope and good old-fashioned American pride and spirit. American pride and spirit - feelings we desperately need more of these days.
Read the entire letter after the jump!
* Congratulations and thanks to Jen Miller, who not only birthed a book -- the appropriately-named "The Jersey Shore, Atlantic City to Cape May" -- but saw fit to flatter me with a Q-and-A on her blog! (Jack took that picture on Saturday, at Douglass Park/Ferry Beach.) Oh and Miz Miller and I have both been freelancing features to the Inquirer. Moneymakin' females up in here!
* ClassyMommy is having a Mothers Day giveaway, specifically for moms whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. The prize package has some sweet loot, too, for you and your lil' buddy. Check out the details here and send nominations to giveaways@classymommy.com .
One Gay Voice: Why I Cannot Support Obama
By James Strzalkowski
Los Angeles, CA
April 20, 2008
As many democrats are buzzing about the current nominee campaign, I feel like no one is paying enough attention to the gay vote. The candidates and the press seem to be staying away from the topic of “Gay Marriage,” even though it is still a hot topic for debate and an area where “CHANGE” is needed. (Mr. Obama, I am talking to you.) I am okay with the exclusion of this topic this time around, but I am not okay with a possible First Lady saying she is “finally proud to be an American,” just because her husband is a contender for the Democratic nomination.
In the United States, gay men and women grow up with so many challenges. Our society is generally taught that “being gay” is wrong, weird, illegal, shameful and even demonic in some parts. Sadly, many gay teens turn to suicide or are shunned by their families and thrown out onto the streets. I believe that someone is born gay and that we do not choose the lifestyle. At least, I didn’t have a choice. I am who I am. Yes, being born gay can be more painful and challenging than being born left handed, but I know some left handed gay men and women – they must have it really hard. It would seem that a gay, left-handed black woman that’s also a little person must have it super hard in this world – perhaps the worst. The level to which a person can take this is tremendous. Bottom line is, we all have our crosses to carry.
It is my experience that in this country, it is still acceptable to discriminate against, make fun of and even shun members of the gay community. The gay community is one of the last segments of our society where it is still legal and “okay” to regard them as second-class citizens. I have hope that one-day everyone will truly become equal and gay men and women will be given all of the same rights as everyone else. Mr. Obama, will you change the laws against gay marriage? Can I count on you for that?
Now, in my life, I have worked hard to get where I am. I grew up in Buffalo, NY in a typical middle class family. My father, now retired, is a Vietnam vet and worked hard as an employee of General Motors. He held a good paying job with benefits that would be incredibly hard to come by in this era. It started off well, but my life became colored with many disadvantages, simply because I was born to be attracted to the same sex. While I am not flamboyant, I guess it was sometimes obvious to fellow classmates and neighborhood kids that I was different. I was teased, picked on, beaten and even bashed at times. Events like these are traumatic for all kids. When I got older I graduated from college and went on to graduate school. I paid for my education by myself with loans, work-study and some parental help. I received no special handout because I am gay. Since graduating, I have lived in Manhattan and Los Angeles – two great and competitive American cities. I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the brightest companies and interface with some of the most prominent businessmen and businesswomen today. Throughout my career, I must admit that at times I have been a victim of discrimination, social profiling and harassment at work because I do not fit a “certain” corporate mold. Determined to succeed, I have not let anything stop me from moving forward. I am lucky to be in America where I can pursue my dreams.
When Michelle Obama exclaimed that she is “finally proud to be an American,” I cringed immensely. She just now woke up? Michelle Obama and her husband have gone to the best schools in the country, earn phenomenal incomes and have a chance to take over the White House and she is just now “PROUD?” I realize that minorities such as African-Americans sometimes do have a tough time winning acceptance and fighting prejudice, but they are not alone in the fight. I have a serious problem with her sloppy comment and I cannot get past it. Yes, it is true that I may sometimes get angry with my government, become disgusted by certain oppressive segments of our society and feel depressed about the discrimination of gays in America. Even with the discrimination and abuse I have experienced, I have always been proud to be a citizen of the United States of America, a free country where change can happen and dreams do come true. I have always felt an incredibly deep gratitude to God for being born on U.S. soil into the American culture . I know that I am lucky. We are all so blessed to be living in this great country, which is rich and abundant with opportunity and freedom.
I do not have time to wait for Obama’s “CHANGE” to occur – if it ever will. There is too much to get done now. I am voting for Hillary Clinton because I know that she has always been a proud American citizen and she will fight hard for everyone with her experience, hope and good old-fashioned American pride and spirit. American pride and spirit - feelings we desperately need more of these days.
James Strzalkowski
www.mgiants.com
Mr. James Strzalkowski is, as the Miami Herald blog says, "a publicist" - that is, he is a PR man. He shopped this piece to gay papers all over the United States. It was published as a "letter" from a reader by THE CHICAGO FREE PRESS (one of our two gay community newspapers) in the April 23 edition. Strzalkowski is there identified as being in "North Hollywood" (not a real place). His website (www.mgiants.com) says that he is in Sherman Oaks, CA.
One would assume that a "publicist" is capable of reading and writing English fairly well. If he makes an argument by misquoting someone, I assume that it was no accident.
In this piece, Mr. Strzalkowksi tries to convince readers that Hillary Clinton is more patriotic than Barack Obama. He does so by MISQUOTING Michelle Obama as saying that she is "finally proud to be an American."
HERE IS WHAT MICHELLE OBAMA REALLY SAID on February 18, 2008: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really pround of this country, not just because Barak is doing well, but because I think people are hungry for change." See AP article, Chicago Sun-Times, February 20:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/805430,michelle21.article
Strzalkowsi's inaccurate quotation, which I believe was no accident (or is he unqualified to hold himself out as an "honest publicist"?) allows him to base his entire piece on readers' gullibility and misplaced patriotism.
Let's state the obvious. We are all proud to be Americans, or we would live elsewhere.
There are, however, occassions when we are "really proud of our country" and others when we are not.
The "Reagan Revolution" - which took place at the beginning of Michelle Obama's adult life (she turned 18 in 1982) wrought changes in America of which I, for one, am not proud. Bill Clinton's presidency was limited by the fact that the Republican Party held a majority in Congress after 1994 and tried to impeach him (for his own personal failings which were certainly not "high crimes and misdemeanors"). The country wasted two valuable years with that mess. We have now spent eight years governed by arguably the worst President in the history of the country and a Vice-President who is a self-described "Darth Vader" --- although he is more like Chancellor Palpatine (the Emperor).
Is Strzalkowski really proud of a country where the Republican Party, for all of Mrs. Obama's adult life, has pandered to racists and religious bigots, obtained a political majority by doing so, and prevented change on these issues of equal rights for gays and for others and gotten us to the situation we are in today?
Is he proud of a country where Congress has still not granted gays equal rights against employment discrimination?
Is he proud the U.S. is the last NATO country where gays cannot serve openly in the military?
Was he really proud of our country when Clinton settled for "don't ask, don't tell?"
Was he really pround when Hillary Clinton came up with an unworkable plan for national health care and Congress refused to pass it or any alternative?
Is he proud of a country where, for the first eight years of the epidemic, the word "AIDS" did not cross the lips of the Republican President (Reagan) and where millions of poor people, gays among them, still do not have health insurance or access to the best medications?
Is he proud of all that, or is he ready for change? I sincerely hope the latter.
Further, is he also proud of a Democratic candidate who, to garner votes in Pennsylvania and Indiana, acts as if she is against gun control, for narrow-minded religion, and says nothing against xenophobia and racism? Even if he is AND YOU ARE "MOM", I am not.
It appears Mr. Strzalkowski may need to be reminded, before he engages in another misquotation, that Carl Schurz said in full: "My country right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be set right." Those are the words of a true patriot, not a knee-jerk flak.
Your blog at least linked this piece, based on a serious misquotation which the blogger did not notice or correct, to a site where it was identified as an Op-Ed from a "publicist". The question in my mind is whether said "publicist" is affiliated (other than by contributions) with the campaign of Hillary Clinton. It strikes me that readers are entitled to know whether the piece was written by someone who holds a position with a campaign. After all, we are always told to "consider the source." Maybe, "Mom" you should do so before you just quote inaccuracies and wilfully biased arguments. Maybe you owe it to your readers.
Michael Johnson, J.D., Chicago, IL
P.S. I am not affiliated with any primary campaign and, in fact, have not made any political contributions in this primary cycle. I do, however, believe that accuracy in media is highly desirable. I also intend to vote for the Democratic candidate whether Clinton or Obama. They are both fundamentally good people, although neither is perfect -- a statement which is true of all of us.
Posted by: M. Johnson, Chicago | April 26, 2008 at 06:17 PM