Brody's Notes... God and Sex: What the Bible Really Says

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) OCT 31 | In a new book released back on the first day of this month, preeminent biblical scholar & popular Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College, Michael Coogan, has written an unbiased appraisal of what the Bible says about premarital sex, homosexuality, and even polygamy.

In an interview with TIME magazine writer Alexandra Silver published today, Coogan talks about some of his findings and some of the misconceptions modern day religious leaders, and even scholars have about topics that are lightening rod issues in the so-called cultural war in the United States and elsewhere.

Author Bryce Christensen notes that Coogan argues, for instance, that religious conservatives misunderstand some of the scriptural passages they wield against homosexuality. He reinterprets the Genesis account of Sodom, for instance, as a condemnation not of homosexual practices but rather of callous inhospitality toward vulnerable strangers. 
Even more audaciously, Coogan turns the tables on Hebrew prophets’ denouncing the worship of female pagan deities, suggesting that such worship provided a much-needed corrective to patriarchy. In scriptural passages affirming a sexual discipline offensive to modern sensibilities, Coogan sees only a deplorable cultural bias, sustained by worshipping God as a jealous and abusive husband.
From a segment of the TIME interview:

Silver: How important is it to read the Bible in its original languages?

Coogan: It's essential for some of us to do it, if for no other reason so that translations can be made that are as accurate as possible. Often translators reflect their own views and their own biases just as much as the biblical writers do. I was interested recently in this case that the Supreme Court had in the Westboro Baptist Church. I looked at their website, and he lists all the passages that he says the Bible talks about sodomy. Well, in most of them sodomy isn't discussed at all. The term sodomy is a translator's term to translate Hebrew words that never mean sodomy in the sense of anal intercourse between males.

Silver: Were people in biblical times less prudish than we are today?

Coogan: I think in some ways they were, even though they used a lot of euphemisms. When they were thinking about their god, they thought of him in ways not that different from the way other people thought about their gods. If you could describe God as a king or a shepherd or a warrior, then you can also describe him as a husband, and doing the sorts of things that husbands do. In the Greco-Roman world in which Christianity arose, the idea that a deity would come down to earth and have sex with a mortal would have been not surprising at all.

In this book, God and Sex, Professor Coogan examines one of the most controversial aspects of the Bible- What it really says about sex, and how contemporary understanding of biblical literature is frequently misunderstood or misrepresented. In the engaging and witty voice generations of students have appreciated, he explores the language and social worlds of ancient Israel, early Judaism, and early Christianity, showing how much innuendo and euphemism is at play, and illuminating the sexuality of biblical characters, including God.
Coogan is also the author of A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament-The Hebrew Bible in Its Context (2009), The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction (2008), and The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures (2006; 2010), and editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible (2001; 2007; 2010). 

Professor Coogan is Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum, Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College, and Lecturer on Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Harvard Divinity School.
In addition to Nova’s The Bible’s Buried Secrets, Coogan has appeared on several television and radio programs, including Morning Edition (NPR), and a National Geographic program on “Lost Cities of the Bible.”

Brody's Notes... Michigan H.S. Teacher Suspended For Ejecting Student For Anti-Gay Sentiments

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) OCT 31 | A high school economics teacher in Howell, Michigan was suspended last week after ejecting a student from his class who stated his belief that Gay and Lesbians were immoral and he didn't accept them. 16-year-old junior Daniel Glowacki, was ejected from Jay McDowell's economics class after Glowacki and McDowell argued about another student wearing a belt buckle featuring the Confederate Flag.

During the heated discourse,  Glowacki commented that he objected to his fellow students wearing of purple coloured clothes in honour of the LGBT youths who had committed suicide as he felt that homosexual behaviour was immoral and against his religious beliefs. McDowell gave Glowacki a referral which is entered into the student's permanent record for minor offences but not considered serious enough to warrant suspension from Howell High School.

On Thursday, Howell School District Superintendent Ron Wilson told reporter Jason Carmel Davis from the local newspaper, The Daily Press & Argus, that he had suspended McDowell, head of the Howell Education Association teachers' union, after it was determined that McDowell violated a Glowacki's First Amendment rights and significantly violated a district policy.

Superintendent Ron Wilson 

"The student was speaking out on being offended by the Gay and Lesbian lifestyle because it's against his religion. The teacher said that wasn't appropriate," Wilson said.

Daniel Glowacki's mother, Sandy Glowacki, told the Daily Press & Argus' Davis:

Howell High School Principal Aaron Moran delivered a letter to her home saying the referral had been taken off his record because Daniel Glowacki committed no wrongdoing.

McDowell who first wrote about the suspension he received on his Facebook page has declined to comment and when asked about the incident while he was attending Monday's Board of Education meeting again declined comment. on the issue.

Another student spoke with Davis telling him that the incident happened last Wednesday — designated as Spirit Day, a Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation event aimed to raise awareness of anti-gay bullying after the recent suicides of Gay teens who had been harassed.

School District officials confirmed with that the Howell Schools had taken part in Spirit Day. Students in support of the day wore purple T-shirts that read "Tyler's Army," for one of those who'd died. Others wore shirts featuring a rainbow, which signifies Gay pride.

In his interview with Davis, Daniel Glowacki, who has since been removed from the class and placed in another class at the request of his mother, said he questioned why it was allowed for students to show their support for the Gay community and not allowed for a student to wear her Confederate flag belt buckle.

"I don't really care what people think, but I don't want people to think I'm against Gays. That's just not true," Daniel Glowacki said.

His mother told the reporter:

"My son is not a bigot," Sandy Glowacki said. "He has a very diverse group of friends that includes some Gays. If a Gay student was being picked on in class, he'd stick up for them. But I feel his freedom of expression and freedom of speech have been violated along with his character." 

A parent whose child attends Howell High School commented:

We as parents should be teaching our children that there is diversity in life and though you may not always agree with it, it will be there in front of you. We should be teaching manners on how to handle such situations properly.

Yes, Mr. McDowell was wrong, action has been taken. The school is at fault for not notifying the parents that this "Spirit Day" was going to take place. We have to sign all sorts of permission slips for our students to use the internet, etc. at school, this event should have been no different so parents can make a decision on whether their students should participate. 

The student wearing the buckle should get a history lesson on the flag, as it is not a symbol from a Kid Rock concert. It's the symbol of the confederacy, oh btw the north had their own flags as well. Not seeing too many belt buckles for that are we? Its too bad narrow minded radical groups have screwed up the true meaning of the confederate flag!

 Another stated:

Mr. Glowacki was simply drawing a comparison between Gay rights expression and the right of the other student to wear the confederate symbol. He wasn't wearing any type of emblem that made any derogatory comments about the Gay/Lesbian lifestyle. He expressed his opinion regarding the morality of that lifestyle when confronted by the teacher.

As for those terrible Christian conservative values of peace, service to humanity, and morality. You have every right to reject those values, but I would check out the history of our country when commenting on how we have all of a sudden embraced Christianity. It's pretty evident from the words of our founding fathers that Christianity was extremely important. It is certainly different today, and far from assertions that we are all caught up in Christian conservative beliefs. On the contrary, those beliefs have been, and continue to be, under assault throughout our society.

Brody's Notes... Russian Orthodox Organisations Hold Protest Rally Against Moscow Pride Parades

Bolotnaya Square, Moscow  Photo By Alexander Misharin

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) OCT 31 | A protest rally organised by Russian political groups with deep ties to the Russian Orthodox church gathered in Bolotnaya Square, in the centre of Moscow yesterday, to decry the October 21st European Court of Human Rights ruling that the former mayor and city officials had violated three articles of the European Convention, of which the Russian Federation is a signatory nation, by banning Gay Pride Parades in the Russian capital city.
Russian Gay activist, attorney, and journalist,  Nikolai Alexseyev, had brought the suit to the ECHR court following several years of bans and acts of intimidation by city authorities, in particular Mayor Luzhkov, who called Gay pride parades "Satanic acts", and described LGBT persons as "weapons of mass destruction," "faggots" and held them principally responsible for the spread of HIV-AIDS in Moscow.
Vladimir Khomyakov, co-chairman of Narodny Sobor, which translates from Russian as: The People's Gathering, a leading religious-nationalist orthodox organisation at the protest, told a journalist from RIA Novosti:

"Despite the stories about our belligerent homophobia, we have never urged and are not urging to destroy gay clubs and attack gays. We have come to claim that the ECHR ruling is a gross interference in Russia's domestic affairs and a violation of the Russian constitution and international law. He said a gay parade if allowed by the Moscow authorities will cause a conflict between police and people who consider it immoral."

Alexseyev responded to Khomyakov's remarks telling a reporter:

"Gay pride parade in Moscow will be! I will never give up the intention to convene a Moscow Gay Pride parade, especially after the verdict of the Court. No protests will not force me to abandon what has been already planned! These Pathetic attempts to trample the law are never going to win!

These Orthodox Russia fascists today put Russia, the Kremlin and, most importantly, a this city a choice- comply with the law in the form of the decision of the European Court of Justice fallowing for a Gay Pride parade, or slip into the Middle Ages, and forget about Europe and human rights. It's very interesting now to observe the situation from the outside. We are now on the side of the law, and all others appear to be outside of the law ..."

Police officials in the Russian capital said that roughly 1,000 persons attended yesterday's peaceful gathering and that there were no significant events or arrests reported.

Brody's Journal... Finding Masculine Halloween Costumes For Your Effeminate Son

Anna Stephenson stops by Today NOW! to show parents of girly sons costume tips to survive Halloween without accentuating their child's already obvious homosexuality:

Brody's Notes... UM Student Assembly President Files Complaint Seeking Disbarment Of Michigan Assistant AG

Chris Armstrong (L) Andrew Shirvell (R)
Photo By The Detroit Free-Press

By Editors LGBTQNation (Cleveland, Ohio) OCT 30 | The University of Michigan’s openly gay student body president has filed and ethics complaint seeking to disbar the assistant attorney general who for six months waged a vicious online campaign against him.
Chris Armstrong, 21, made the request Friday to the Attorney Grievance Commission against Andrew Shirvell, 30, a U-M alumnus who launched the blog “Chris Armstrong Watch” earlier this year.

Shirvell used the blog to continuously attack and harass Armstrong, calling him a:

 “radical homosexual activist, racist, elitist and liar,” and “Satan’s representative on the student assembly.”

Deborah Gordon, the attorney for U-M student Chris Armstrong, said Friday she has filed a complaint with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission against Shirvell, a Michigan assistant attorney general, on behalf of her client. [ Detroit Free-Press ]

The complaint alleges Shirvell harassed and defamed Armstrong during what Gordon describes as a six-month campaign “of lies, dishonesty, heckling, hate speech and even job interference.”

The commission could disbar Shirvell if it investigates.

“I could not stand by and let Mr. Shirvell continue his reckless, bullying behavior,” Armstrong said in a statement.  [ Detroit Free-Press ]

Friday’s complaint came as a surprise because Armstrong earlier this week dropped a request for a personal protection order against Shirvell.

Armstrong said he had to take action against Andrew Shirvell to keep him from bullying.

Armstrong claims that on at least two occasions, Shirvell has shown up outside his home, once at 1:30 a.m., and his cited occasions where Shirvell has attended on campus student events to heckle or protest him.

“You can’t be a licensed attorney and an officer of the court and conduct yourself this way and essentially terrorize a college student,” said Gordon.

Shirvell has said he is merely exercising his right to free speech, and characterizes his actions similar to “any other political campaign” (although neither of the men are running for any office).

The blog at www.chris-armstrong-watch.blogspot.com, originally public, has since been changed to “invited readers only” access.

Shirvell is on a paid, personal leave of absence. Attorney General Mike Cox said Shirvell faces an immediate disciplinary hearing upon his return.

Related Articles At LGBTQNation

Brody's Scribbles... The Church Must Admit Its Complicity In Bullying

The writer is Senior Pastor of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, Texas which is also home to openly Gay Ft. Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, whose deeply personal speech before the Ft. Worth City Council on the subject of bullying went viral on the Internet and touched millions globally. The column was a special to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram newspaper last Saturday, October 23rd.

Photo Courtesy of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, Ft. Worth, Texas

By Dr. Ftriz Ritsch (Ft. Worth, Texas) OCT 30 | When I was pastor of a rural Virginia church in the early 1990s, I performed the funeral of a young gay man, a member of the church, who'd died from hepatitis contracted from needle exchange. If that hadn't killed him, though, AIDS would have. It wasn't suicide, but it might as well have been, because his self-destructive path had started with being bullied, teased and demeaned as a teenager -- at that very church.

Last April, I participated in a clergy panel for the Texas Freedom Network, a gay and lesbian rights organization. I was humbled as audience members told shocking stories of religion-based prejudice and abuse. Still, they longed to return to church and find peace with God.

I've had it with the bullying that comes from the church's bully pulpit. Our history of denigrating gays and lesbians has provided the "godly" rationale for centuries of hatred and abuse. It's a flagrant violation of the Gospel. Moderate Christians -- the silent majority -- need to stop being silent and speak out.

My own denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, is considered one of the most liberal mainline denominations. But we have a rule that specifically excludes gays and lesbians from service as clergy or officers of the church. Most liberal churches will ordain divorced and remarried people without a second thought, yet Jesus speaks specifically against divorce and remarriage, e.g., Mark 9 -- whereas he says not one word about homosexuality. This is hypocrisy.

Fort Worth has an outstanding, openly gay City Council member, Joel Burns -- but in most churches Joel couldn't serve on the governing board. Clearly the residents of District 9 know something that entire Christian denominations need to learn.

It is true that throughout the Bible homosexual practice is denounced. But Christians down through the centuries have ignored, moderated or outright disavowed many biblical mandates when we felt they weren't in keeping with the Gospel. In the Old Testament, holiness rules condemn homosexual practice. They also direct us to stone disrespectful sons, forgo sex during menstruation and not to look at another person naked. We don't take those rules seriously. Why give rules about gays more credence?

In the New Testament, there are also condemnations of homosexuality. But the resounding New Testament message is that the commandment to love always trumps legalistic barriers that separate people from each other and from God.

Fundamentalist churches make the mistake of reading Scripture as a list of rules and regulations, which undermines the anti-legalistic message of the Gospel. But at least they have an excuse -- that's what they believe!

The mainline churches, on the other hand, have a long history of viewing Scripture as a living document whose specific mandates are trumped by the core message of the faith. Our anti-gay bias is therefore harder to justify -- and more insidious.

Most church members are hardly unkind people, but since the denominational policy is to make homosexuals second-class citizens, they fall into prejudice by default. They do not doubt that God loves gays and lesbians. The problem is a church culture whose rules exclude them from full participation. What message does that send to the church's teenagers who are struggling with their sexuality and self-image?

It doesn't help that Christian extremists dominate the airwaves, sidelining more moderate Christian voices. But too often, moderate voices sideline themselves, not wanting to rock the boat. The recent epidemic of bullying-related teen suicides is a wake-up call to us moderate Christians: We can't wait on the sidelines any longer. We have to speak out.

The Gospel message of God's love, grace and forgiveness has been corrupted by legalism. Some Christian leaders have blamed 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina on gays and lesbians. Some American pastors have actively supported Ugandan laws making homosexuality a capital offense. I've known mainline youth pastors, who should know better, who've tried to exorcise "gay demons" from their teenage charges.

These are extremes. They certainly aren't representative of most Christians. But these extremes color the perception of the church by outsiders.

Jesus once taught, "By their fruit you shall know them." To most unchurched Americans -- meaning most Americans -- the fruit of the church regarding homosexuality is bitter indeed. A Barna Group survey found that two-thirds of Americans believe that Christians "show contempt for gays and lesbians" ( Unchristian, Kinnamon and Lyons, Baker Books, 2007, p. 91). The survey found that Christians are generally perceived as arrogant and judgmental, and that many believe that people outside the church are more Christlike than people inside.

Most of the Christians I know do not judge people by their sexual orientation, but by the content of their character. But the bullying crisis has put a fine point on the need for moderates to challenge theological bullies from our own bully pulpit. We cannot equivocate. Children are dying. We need to speak up. If not now, when?

Rev. Dr. Ritsch has been the pastor of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, TX, for almost six years. He is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA. He has served both rural and urban churches in Virginia, Delaware, and most recently in Bethesda, MD. He writes regularly on matters of faith and politics for newspapers and church publications and is especially concerned that people see the intelligent, compassionate, and inclusive face of Christianity. Rev. Ritsch is married to Margaret and has two children, Sara, 18, and Bennie, 12.

Brody's Notes... State Supreme Court Justice In Alabama Says DADT Judge Is Threat To National Security

Alabama Justice Tom Parker (Centre)  Photo Courtesy Of The SPLC

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) OCT 29 | A state supreme court justice in Alabama has compared U. S. District Court Judge Virgina Phillips to the Islamic extremist terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Justice Tom Parker, a republican who has spent nearly $1.5 million dollars on his campaign for reelection for the state's high court, recently released an advert in which he said:

"Recently, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips ordered a worldwide injunction to overturn the Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell policy on homosexuals serving in the military.  With a stroke of a pen, this Clinton appointed judge—who got her law degree at Berkeley—unilaterally made the biggest single change in military policy in American history...Most people believe that Al-Qaeda is one of America’s biggest security threats, I think it’s time to add liberal activist judges like Judge Phillips to that list."

An Alabama newspaper's editorial opined; 

"Of all the filthy campaign ads we’ve seen and heard over the last few weeks of the 2010 campaign, this one is the worst. The Anniston Star also wrote: "Parker’s foul comparison of a federal judge to terrorists is outside the bounds of fair campaigning, good taste and thoughtful judicial behavior. This ad reinforces this page’s recommendation of Parker’s opponent in Tuesday’s election, Mac Parsons, a Democratic circuit judge from Birmingham."

Parker has angered some judicial watchers by running as as a self described protégé of Roy Moore, the Alabama chief justice ejected from his job after defying a federal court order to remove his two-ton Ten Commandments monument from the Supreme Court rotunda.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reported Parker made his way to the Selma home of Pat and Butch Godwin, in July of 2004, who were holding a birthday party to honor Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a wealthy slave trader who became the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. (Forrest also presided over the massacre of some 250 black prisoners of war at Ft. Pillow, Tenn.) 
The Godwins run Friends of Forrest Inc., which owns a Forrest statue the Godwins spent two years unsuccessfully trying to place on public property.
Standing on his friends' Confederate battle flag-bedecked front porch, Parker rallied the crowd. Later, one listener lauded him as "a man not afraid of the flag."
The Godwins are tried and true neo-Confederates. Pat Godwin's latest crusade is to block any acknowledgement on the Capitol grounds of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march — a goal of the Alabama Historical Commission. In a July E-mail, Godwin railed at;

 "the trash that came here in 1965," complaining that those who honor the civil rights movement are aiding and abetting the ultimate goal of the ONE WORLD ORDER — to BROWN AmeriKa and annihilate Anglo-Celtic-European culture!"

In the picture accompanying this article, depicts Parker, [ Centre holding Confederate Battle Flags ] next to Leonard Wilson, a segregationist and national board member of a group called the Council of Conservative Citizens on his right whom once described African-Americans as “a retrograde species of humanity," and on his left, Mike Whorton, Alabama state leader of the neo-Confederate League of the South.
Parker has also vigorously denounced actions by his own court as toadying to the special interests of the United States Supreme Court in which he described as that court's activist judges in a 2005 editorial.

Audio: 

Brody's Notes... Stonewall UK Announces New Campaign: "It Gets Better … Today!"

British Author Sarah Waters      Photo By Getty Images

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) OCT 29 | Stonewall UK, the LGBT Equality Rights charity organisation announced today that its launched a new campaign reassuring Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered school students that they don’t have to wait for things to get better in their lives – they can be great now. In Britain LGBT persons have partnership rights, the right to serve in the military and the right to have children. According to Stonewall spokesman, Gary Nunn;

"Her Majesty's government is committed to tackling homophobic bullying and many schools, supported by Stonewall’s Education for All campaign, are taking bold steps to do just that."

Nunn says that a series of clips have already been filmed and are online on the organisation's website. [ Link ]  Two of the featured participants, newsreader Jane Hill and MP Diane Abbott are among those who will be filming clips for the campaign in the next 48 hours and anyone can add their own by making a video response to those uploaded at the Stonewall YouTube channel or email: [ Here ] 

Openly Lesbian British author Sarah Waters said:

 "If you’re experiencing homophobic bullying, Stonewall can help you. Schools across the country now have their ‘Some people are gay. Get over it!’ posters and a range of Stonewall materials to help them tackle the issue head-on. So teachers have no more excuses for tolerating homophobic bullying, and schools no longer have to be scary places for lesbian, gay and bisexual young people. Things are getting better - right now."

The videos build on the "It Gets Better" campaign in the United States featuring people from ordinary citizens to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama telling LGBT young people that things will eventually get better. Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive of Stonewall said:

 "At Stonewall we now work with hundreds of schools and employers who are making sure things do get better for gay people, right away. Working together, we can make it happen."

Brody's Notes... First Lady Michelle Obama Addresses Bullying With Ellen Degeneres

The First Family   Photo By The White House

By Mark Singer (Washington DC) OCT 29 | In her appearance yesterday on Ellen, the First Lady of the United States spoke with Ellen Degeneres about the bullying crisis in U. S. schools. Mrs. Obama told Ellen;

"Young people need to know that they shouldn't let the challenges they face in high school or college "eat them up. All of these young people regardless of their race, their sexual orientation, they are gifts to us." The First Lady then added, "They have so much to offer and it's just terrible to find out that kids are letting this part of their life define everything about who they are going to be."

Video Via Joe.My.God:

Brody's Notes... NBC's Richard Engel Tells Rachel Maddow: DADT Survey: Troops OK With Open Gay Policy

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) OCT 29 | NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel, appearing last night on her show on MSNBC, tells Rachell Maddow that the internal Department of Defence study has found that most U.S. troops and their families don't care whether Gay & Lesbians are allowed to serve openly in the armed forces. According to Engel, a majority surveyed think the policy of don't ask, don't tell could be scrapped according to Pentagon officials familiar with the findings due to be released on December 1st.

Video From The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC:

Brody's Notes... Arkansas School Board Member Tells CNN's Anderson Cooper He Will Resign Over Anti-Gay Facebook Posts

Clint McCance   Photo By CNN

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) OCT 29 | In an interview with CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper on AC360 last night, Independence County Arkansas' Midland School Board Vice-President Clint McCance, told Cooper that he was resigning his position.

Speaking live, McCance said told Cooper that he'd made some very ignorant comments not realising how ignorant they were.

"I'm sorry I've hurt people with my comments. I'm sorry I made those ignorant comments and hurt people on a broad spectrum.

McCance told Cooper that;

 "I would never support suicide for any kids," he said. "I don't support bullying of any kids. I'd like to extend apologies to those families that have lost children, for all those children who feel that suicide is the only way out, especially for the five families who have already lost children," he said, referring to a rash of recent suicides by Gay teens. "I brought more hurt on them... they didn't deserve that and I do feel genuinely bad for them."

McCance said to Cooper that  that he disapproves of homosexuality, but;

"I give everyone a chance and try to love everyone."

Also during the interview he indicated that he had received an outpouring of criticism over his comments, including "thousands of phone calls, hate mails, people threatening to kill my family and me." He said he has sent his wife and two kids out of the state because of fears for their safety and that he is installing a security system at his home.

"I'm reaping what I've sown," he told Cooper. "I've had a lot of hate speech thrown at me and my family on every level."

He said he would resign from the school board to spare the district the bad press and distractions of dealing with the fallout from his comments. "If they decide after five or ten years to vote me back in, then I'll run again," he said. 

Appearing immediately after McCance's interview were David and Amy Truong whose 13 year old son Asher  Brown had shot himself in the head in September, killing himself after being bullied at school for being Gay. The Truongs told Cooper that McCance, had "dehumanised our children" with what he posted, referring to not only their son but the other youths who had committed suicide in the past couple of months also as a result of Anti-Gay bullying.

Brody's Notes... White House Press Secretary Gibbs: Not Much To Add To President’s Remarks On Same Sex Marriage

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Photo By Samantha Appleton  The White House

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) OCT 28 | White House Press Secretary Roberts Gibbs, responding to questions from reporters to clarify or add to President Obama's remarks made in yesterday's White House meeting with progressive bloggers, in particular questions on same-sex marriage from Gay blogger Joe Sudbay, said in today's daily press briefing:

“He went through what his position is, he went through why his position was that. But at the same time, he talks to colleagues and coworkers and hears them talking about being treated differently, and the president internalizes that.”

Sudbay writing afterward, had quoted Mr. Obama as saying:

“I have been to this point unwilling to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage,” he said. “But I also think you’re right that attitudes evolve, including mine. And I think that it is an issue that I wrestle with and think about because I have a whole host of friends who are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed, monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful parents. And I care about them deeply. And so while I’m not prepared to reverse myself here, sitting in the Roosevelt Room at 3:30 in the afternoon, I think it’s fair to say that it’s something that I think a lot about. That’s probably the best you’ll do out of me today.”

One journalist queried if it was possible that the president may eventually become comfortable on the subject of same sex marriage to which Gibbs paused, then responded with;

“I don’t know the answer to that. I think he listens to those around him who — and those that he meets, that talk about feeling like they’re not treated the same and — even while they’re good parents, they’re good people, and that’s something that he thinks about.”

Brody's Notes... National Stonewall Democrats’ Statement: 1st Anniversary Of Matthew Shepard Act Signed Into Law

By Linsey Pecikonis (Washington DC) OCT 28 | Michael Mitchell, Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats released this statement on the First Anniversary of the signing of the Matthew Shepard Act: 

“We mustn’t forget how important the  Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is – not only because it was so necessary, but because it was the first time that the words “sexual orientation or gender identity” were used in Federal law. I have heard naysayers complain that the measure doesn’t “protect anyone.” The Matthew Shepard Act (as it is commonly known) was not meant as a law to protect as much as to bring justice to people who use violence against individuals in a way that has an effect on entire communities or groups of people. 

“With critically important midterm elections just a few days away, I’d like to point out that the vast majority of lawmakers who worked for nine years to pass the Matthew Shepard Act – and the President who signed it – are Democrats.  And while tracking and prosecuting hate crimes is hardly a partisan issue, the commitment to pass pro-equality measures sadly appears to be. 

“We cannot forget that pro-equality laws like the Matthew Shepard Act aren’t just about ideas; they are about people and have an effect on real people’s lives. We hold the Shepard and Byrd families in our hearts today – as we do the families and loved ones tragically affected by hate crimes.”

Brody's Scribbles... Ravndal’s Back

By D. Gregory Smith (Butte, Montana) OCT 28 | You heard me. KXLH News is reporting that:

Tim Ravndal, who headed the Big Sky Tea Party until he was ousted following a controversial message he posted on Facebook, has been tapped for a leadership post in the Lewis & Clark Conservative Tea Party organization in Helena.

In an e-mail, Ravndal said that the Lewis & Clark’s Conservative Tea Party is “organized and open for business,” and that the purpose of the group is to stop the “extremists’ outright attacks on our liberty, freedom, integrity and moral values here in Montana and across America.”

The group’s founder, Bobbette Madonna, said she is extremely pleased that Ravndal, the former president of the Big Sky Tea Party Association, has been elected as the group’s executive director.

Great- the man who wanted the “Wyoming instruction manual” on how to hang fruits is in charge of the Lewis Clark Tea Party. The man who openly espoused the murder of other human beings is the executive director of a Montana political organization hiding behind the skirts of “conservatism”.

After Ravndal’s comments got picked up by national blogs and local news outlets, he issued an apology on Facebook which has since drawn hundreds of responses: “In sharing news about ACLU suing Montana on the gay marriage issue, I made a mistake and commented on a post that implied that I condone violence against another human being. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Those that know me understand and that is all that matters.” (emphasis mine)

No, Mr Ravndal that is not all that matters. People who preach hate and murder against anyone perceived as different or “immoral” are a threat to the safety of all peace-loving people everywhere. This country was founded on the principle of equal protection under the law. The United States has enshrined life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people in it’s code of law. The law of the United States of America, not the King James Version of the Bible (which is a deficient translation in itself, but I digress). 

Your remarks and subsequent “apology” do nothing to appease me. It’s your actions that I find repulsive and dangerous. Actions which, according to photographic proof, are pretty difficult to deny or misconstrue. You meant those remarks. You played along. You contributed to fear, hate and mistrust in the hearts of Montanans and, sadly, other Americans. That casual conversation is much more a measure of your values than any political statement could ever be.

That’s who you are.That’s why I don’t trust you. That’s why you will be held accountable for your words and actions in the future. Too many innocent kids have taken or attempted to take their lives because of words like the ones you  and your friends used. Too many minority Americans (pick whichever minority you like) are afraid to live their lives openly for fear of violence or ugliness. That’s why I can’t believe an organization is “proud” to have you unless they have the same beliefs and values that you do- especially the notorious ones.

Sorry, but I have to stop now. I feel sick.

Brody's Notes... Anderson Cooper Reports On Arkansas School Board Official's Homophobic Statements

NEW YORK- OCT 28 | From CNN's AC360 Wednesday night broadcast, Anderson Cooper discusses the anti-gay rant posted on Facebook by Clint McCance who is a Midland, Arkansas School Board Member. Anderson talks with Anthony Turner (1998 graduate of Midland High School) & Rosalind Wiseman ("Queen Bees & Wannabees")

Brody's Scribbles... God & Government

Cenk Uygur (host of The Young Turks) on his weekly Daily Rant segment on The Dylan Ratigan show on MSNBC explains the absurdity of popular tea party candidates who are against the separation of church and state:

Brody's Notes... President Obama Tells Blogger Joe Sudbay: "I Don’t Think That The Disillusionment Is Justified."

President Barack Obama   Photo By Brody Levesque

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) OCT 27 | In a forty five minute long meeting with President Barack Obama this afternoon, a group of five progressive bloggers sat down with the president and individually asked questions pertaining to the current political climate looking towards the impending midterm elections,  and the administration's outlook on issues that are concerning voters. 

The group included Joe Sudbay of AMERICAblog, John Amato of Crooks & Liars, Oliver Willis of OliverWillis.com, Barbara Morrill of DailyKos, and Duncan Black (aka Atrios) of Eschaton, all of whom were invited at the request of the White House.

Joe Sudbay, from Ameriblog, covering issues of paramount concern to LGBT voters took the opportunity to quiz the president on "Don't Ask Don't Tell" as well as same-sex marriage and Prop 8 in California.

Sudbay, in questioning the president, referring to the recent DADT court battle in California and the administration's decision to appeal the injunction order ruling by U. S. District Court Judge Virgina Phillips, which declared the law unconstitutional said;

"Which you know, there is a certain amount of disillusionment and disappointment in our community right now."

President Obama replied:

"On “don’t ask, don’t tell,” I have been as systematic and methodical in trying to move that agenda forward as I could be given my legal constraints, given that Congress had explicitly passed a law designed to tie my hands on the issue.

 And so, I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think that the disillusionment is justified.

Now, I say that as somebody who appreciates that the LGBT community very legitimately feels these issues in very personal terms. So it’s not my place to counsel patience. One of my favorite pieces of literature is “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and Dr. King had to battle people counseling patience and time. And he rightly said that time is neutral. And things don’t automatically get better unless people push to try to get things better.

So I don’t begrudge the LGBT community pushing, but the flip side of it is that this notion somehow that this administration has been a source of disappointment to the LGBT community, as opposed to a stalwart ally of the LGBT community, I think is wrong.

Read the full text of Joe Sudbay's interview with the president here: [ Link ]  

Brody's Scribbles... The World Watches

By Desmond Rutherford (Adelaide, Australia) OCT 28 | The USA, the United States of America, is about to go to its midterm elections. Congress- the House and the Senate, will both have new members elected from every state in the Union.

The rest of the world has seen this happen many times, and always with some fascination as the American people elect its representatives who by and large will be the guardians of the free world or as President Kennedy put it, “The watchdogs on the wall of the world.”

This time however the world watches the election with fearful trepidation.

This time the world can see the hateful, the bigoted and manipulative process that threatens to destabilise the United States and its constitution.

The people of “We the People,” fame are about to face the most stringent test of their political lives. 

The constitution is under threat from people who have difficulty in understanding its content let alone its intent. Issues concerning equality of the people, in particular LGBT people, as well as immigrants and the welfare of all the people of the USA are being corrupted as we watch. The corporate greed is but one problem, the political corruption another, and the one thing that should never have happened, given the first Amendment of the Constitution, is that America is threatened by theocracy. That it is a Christian theocracy that threatens is dumbfounding.

This is wrong.

Now before I am accused of meddling in matters that do not concern someone from a country other than the United States, let me say that the rest of the world has been grateful for the many times that America has assisted the nations of the free world in times of war, natural disaster and terrorism, but now the world needs to assist the American people.

We humans are no longer isolated groups of villages spread around the planet, we are one species interacting with each other at every level of life on this world, and nowhere is there a more important attempt to form a government based on freedom and the pursuit of happiness than in the American Constitution; the United Nations' good intentions notwithstanding.

The world must now tell the people of the United States of America that it is under attack from extremists already in its own midst, by people who would stifle free enterprise for their own profit rather than for that of the people, and who would enforce forms of slavery that amount to wide spread poverty and bullying.

The free world owes it to the American people to let them know they are being induced to forsake their hard won constitution for the sake of religious bigotry, and superstition. 

The world may have argument with many of the ways which dominate American life, but it is obvious that the people are, in this election being lead to the opposite of that which their constitution sets out as the aims of a free people.

There were those who tried to warn the German people what was happening to their country under the Nazis, but too few listened, too few realised the horror they represented. 

This time the danger is not in the Whitehouse, yet, however subject it is to the whim of political establishment, this time the threat comes from the manipulative rightwing media, from the religious bigots and the massive greed of the corporate wealthy who will do anything to keep their riches for themselves even to the point of their own demise. Such are the wages of avarice, but the people end up paying the cost.

The world must encourage the American people to vote, and not for the rightwing destroyers of their nation. We must believe that a true majority of the people would not relinquish liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness for establishment of a religious government, on a whim, or because some television shows frightened them with corruptions of facts.

The world is now the watchdog on the freedoms of the American people, and by extension the freedom of all humanity.

Without belief in the natural goodness of human beings, life becomes intolerable. It has to get better than the campaign tactics we have seen in this election. Vote, please, all our futures are at stake.